Patent Application
20170058581
The present invention relates to locking devices, and more particularly to a locking system for use with multiple padlocks.
Multiple lock systems are used to allow access to an area by multiple users while preventing access to unauthorized persons. Such systems may be used, for example, on property with oil and gas leases, hunting leases, or wireless communications towers. One advantage of multiple lock systems over a single lock system is that a user authorized to access multiple areas may use locks with the same key for each area, eliminating the need for that user to carry multiple keys and reducing confusion over which key provides access to which area. Another advantage is that when a user is no longer authorized to access the area, the user's lock can be replaced or eliminated, and the distribution of new keys to all of the other users is not required.
One simple prior known multiple lock system uses a chain around a gatepost and a post on a gate secured by multiple padlocks linked in series with each user having their own padlock and key. One disadvantage of this system is that a user may bypass one or more locks when resecuring the chain, thereby preventing access to the users of the bypassed locks. Another disadvantage is that one user can remove the whole system. Detection of an unauthorized lock, added by cutting the chain and inserting the lock, is very difficult with this system.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,503,194 to the present applicant discloses a multiple padlock system with links that encircle a gatepost and links that encircle a post on a gate. This system and the chain system described above generally require an accessible gatepost and an accessible post on the gate. U.S. Pat. No. 6,857,299 to the present applicant discloses a multiple padlock system with a plurality of push bolts that each accept a padlock, and a sliding bar that is released by removing a padlock and pressing the associated push bolt. The number of push bolts can be easily changed by a master user, and the system can be used with almost any type of gate and with doors.
A puck lock is a shackleless lock with a puck shaped body, a slot through the body and a retractable plunger that extends through the slot. Examples of puck locks are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,345,794 to Jenks and U.S. Pat. No. 7,918,111 to Uliano. Puck locks may be more secure than padlocks with shackles that can be cut with bolt cutters. Puck locks do not work with most or all of the prior known multiple locks systems.
A locking system for use with multiple padlocks includes a base, a receiver, a bolt assembly, and one or more link members. The base has a base mounting portion for mounting on a gatepost or a gate, a base tube attached to the base mounting portion and three laterally spaced, parallel base plates that project transversely from the base tube. Each of the outer base plates has an elongated slot. The receiver includes a receiver mounting portion for mounting on a gatepost or a gate, and a receiver tube attached to the receiver mounting portion. The bolt assembly has an elongated bolt and a transversely projecting end plate at one end of the bolt. The end plate includes a projecting padlock tab with a padlock aperture. The bolt is sized and shaped to slide through the base tube and into the receiver tube. Each link member has a link tube sized and shaped to slide on the bolt, and two laterally spaced, parallel link plates that project transversely from the link tube. One link plate includes an elongated slot and the other link plate includes a laterally outwardly projecting padlock tab with a padlock aperture. The system is assembled with the link members between the base and the end plate of the bolt. The slots on the base and link members are sized and positioned to receive the padlock tabs on the bolt and link members. The padlock tabs and padlock apertures on the bolt and link members are sized to receive a puck lock or a padlock.
Details of this invention are described in connection with the accompanying drawings that bear similar reference numerals in which:
Referring to
Describing the specific embodiments herein chosen for illustrating the invention, certain terminology is used which will be recognized as being employed for convenience and having no limiting significance. For example, the terms “front”, “back”, “top”, “bottom”, “vertical” and “horizontal” refer to the illustrated embodiments in the normal position of use. Further, all of the terminology above-defined includes derivatives of the word specifically mentioned and words of similar import.
The base tube 20 shown is a laterally opening square tube that is rigidly mounted on and projects forwardly from the base mounting portion 19 with the sides of the base tube at 45 degree angles to vertical. The base tube 20 can have other shapes, such as round or rectangular, and can be mounted at other orientations. The base plates 21 shown project downwardly from the base tube 20 with the outer base plates 21 at opposite ends of the base tube 20 and the other base plate 21 intermediate the ends of the base tube 20. A horizontally elongated slot 25, spaced below the base tube 20, extends through each of the outer base plates 21.
The receiver 15 has a receiver mounting portion 28 and a receiver tube 29. The receiver mounting portion 28 shown is a flat plate with four spaced mounting apertures 30 in a rectangular pattern for mounting the receiver mounting portion 28 to a second structure 31 such as a post on a gate. The receiver mounting portion 28 can have other shapes and other methods of mounting the receiver mounting portion 28 can be used.
The receiver tube 29 is rigidly mounted on and projects forwardly from the receiver mounting portion 28. The receiver tube 29 shown has a five sided cross section with one side angling upwardly, forwardly from the receiver mounting portion 28 to a horizontal side, another side angling downwardly, forwardly from the receiver mounting portion 28 to another horizontal side, and a vertical side extending between the two spaced horizontal sides.
The bolt assembly 16 has an elongated bolt 33 and a end plate 34. The bolt 33 is sized and shaped to slide through the base tube 20 and into the receiver tube 29. The bolt 33 shown is a square tube with an outer dimension slightly smaller than the inner dimension of the base tube 20. The bolt 33 could be a solid bar. The end plate 34 is rigidly attached to one end of the bolt 33 and projects at a 45 degree angle relative to the sides of the bolt 33, such that end plate 34 projects downwardly and is aligned with the base plates 21 when the bolt 33 is in the base tube 20.
The end plate 34 includes a padlock tab 35. The padlock tab 35 projects from the end plate 34 in the same direction as the bolt 33. The padlock tab 35 is sized and positioned on the end plate 34 to slide through and project beyond the slot 25 on the base plate 21 nearest to the end plate 34. The padlock tab 35 shown is sized fit into the slot on a puck lock 36. A padlock aperture 37 extends through the portion of the padlock tab 35 that projects beyond the slot 25. The padlock aperture 37 is sized to receive the plunger of a puck lock 36 or the shackle of a padlock 38.
Each link member 17 includes a link tube 41 and spaced, parallel first and second link plates 42 and 43. The link tube 41 is sized to slide on the bolt 33. The link tube 41 shown is a square tube the same size as the base tube 20. The first and second link plates 42 and 43 are rigidly attached to opposite ends of the link tube 41. The first and second link plates 42 and 43 project at a 45 degree angle relative to the sides of the link tube 41, such that the first and second link plates 42 and 43 project downwardly and are aligned with the base plates 21 when the link tube 41 is on the bolt 33 and the bolt 33 is in the base tube 20.
The first link plate 42 includes an elongated slot 44 having the same size and shape as the slot 25 on the base plate 21. The second link plate 43 includes a padlock tab 45 having the same size and shape as the padlock tab 35 on the end plate 34. The padlock tab 45 projects away from the first link plate 42. The padlock tab 45 of the second link plate 43 has a padlock aperture 46 of the same size and in the same location as the padlock aperture 37 on the padlock tab 35 on the end plate 34 of the bolt assembly 16.
The link members 17 are assembled onto the bolt 33, between the end plate 34 of the bolt assembly 16 and the base tube 20 of the base 14, with the padlock tabs 45 projecting towards the base 14. The slots 44 on the first link plate 42 are positioned to align with the padlock tab 35 on the end plate 34 of the bolt assembly 16. The padlock tabs 45 on the second link plates 43 are positioned to align with the slot 25 on the base plate 21 of the base 14.
The locking system 11 with a single link member 17 can receive two locks. Unlocking and removing either lock allows a user to pull the bolt 33 out of the receiver tube 29 and open the gate or door. Each addition link member 17 allows for an additional lock. The two outer base plates 21 with slots 25 allow the locking system 11 to be used with the receiver 15 on either side of the base 14. The three base plates 21 are spaced close enough to each other, and the first and second link plates 42 and 43 are spaced close enough to each other, to inhibit access to the shackle of a padlock 38.
Although the present invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example and that changes in details of structure may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.
