Claims
- 1. A locking mechanism characterized by:
- a body having a longitudinally-extending key slot therein;
- a lock-operating lever pivotally mounted within the lock body for movement between a normal locking position and a second position which it must occupy before the lock can be released;
- biasing means urging said lock-operating lever to its normal locking position;
- a key sized for insertion into said key slot and movable to a fully-inserted position therein;
- a plurality of key-actuatable members movably mounted within said body;
- means urging said key-actuatable members toward positions in which portions thereof are engageable by said key when inserted in said key slot, and from which positions said key-actuatable members are movable to predetermined unlocking positions by said key in its fully inserted position;
- a lock-release element carried by each of said key-actuatable members, said key-actuatable members having a normal lock-closed position in which said lock-release elements are maintained out of operative association with each other, said key-actuatable members in their unlocking positions retaining said lock-release elements in operative engagement with each other, with each element exerting a force upon the adjacent elements and said force being transmitted to said lock operating lever in a direction to move the latter to said second position;
- releasable retaining means for rigidly locking said lock-operating lever in its normal locking position against movement to its second position, said retaining means being engageable by said lock-release elements when the latter are in operative engagement with each other, whereby the force of said lock-release elements is transmitted to said retaining means for moving the latter to a position in which it releases said lock-operating lever for movement of the latter to its second position.
- 2. A locking mechanism according to claim 1 in which said biasing means includes a retaining pin slidably mounted on said lock-operating lever and a spring pressing said retaining pin against a fixed portion of said body for urging said lock-operating lever to its normal locking position.
- 3. A locking mechanism according to claim 2 in which said releasable retaining means includes a slot in said retaining pin, and a leaf spring slidably mounted on said lock-operating lever, said leaf spring being normally biased to a position in which an edge portion thereof is contained within the slot of said retaining pin, said leaf spring also having a recess in said edge portion of greater size than the diameter of said retaining pin, said leaf spring being positioned to be engaged by said lock-release elements and moved by the latter to a release position in which said recess is in registry with said retaining pin.
- 4. A locking mechanism according to claim 1 which also includes actuating means for engaging said lock-operating lever and driving the latter to its normal locking position when the fully-inserted key is withdrawn from said key slot.
- 5. A locking mechanism according to claim 5 in which said actuating means includes an actuating pin slidably mounted in said body and having a first end facing said lock-operating lever and a second end communicating with said key slot.
- 6. A locking mechanism according to claim 5 in which said actuating means also includes means biasing said actuating pin into engagement with said lock-operating lever at such a position thereon that when said lock-operating lever is pivoted to its second position, it presses said actuating pin to an operative position in which the second end of said actuating pin projects within said key slot.
- 7. A locking mechanism according to claim 6 in which said actuating means also includes a recess portion on said key located to receive said second end of said actuating pin when said key is in its fully-inserted position in said key slot, and a cam surface on said key adjacent said recess portion.
- 8. A locking mechanism according to claim 7 in which the cam surface on said key is positioned to engage the second end of said actuating pin as said key is withdrawn from said key slot and to apply a bearing force upon said actuating pin in a direction to cause the latter to move said lock-operating lever to its normal locking position.
- 9. A locking mechanism according to claim 1 in which said body includes a cylinder rotatably mounted in a housing, said key-actuatable members comprise spring-biased pins slidably mounted in said cylinder, said lock-release elements comprise balls carried by said pins and being movable longitudinally of said cylinder relative the pins upon which they are mounted to form a linear link for transmitting said force to said lock-operating lever, and in which said lock-operating lever is pivotally mounted within said cylinder and has an extension portion projecting from said cylinder and engaging said casing for coupling said cylinder to said casing and restraining rotation of said cylinder when said lock-operating lever is in its normal locking position.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 388,428 filed Aug. 15, 1973 and now abandoned and entitled "Pickproof Cylinder Lock."
US Referenced Citations (4)
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
388428 |
Aug 1973 |
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