Lock mechanism

E. O’BRIEN

LOCK MECHANISM

March 4, 1958

Filed Aug. 27, 1956

2>825,218

Sheets-Sheet 1

<img file="US2825218A_D0001.tif" />

E. O’BRIEN

LOCK MECHANISM

March 4, 1958

Filed Aug. 27, 1956

2,825,218

Sheets-Sheet 2

<img file="US2825218A_D0002.tif" />

United States Patent Office

2,825,218

Patented Mar. 4, 1958

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating the lock mechanism in its closed position;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the hinge plate of the hasp member;

⁵ Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the other or securing plate of the hasp member;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the padlock mounting plate; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a modified form of the 10 invention.

Specific reference is now made to the drawings wherein similar reference characters are used for corresponding elements throughout.

Referring first to Fig. 8 which illustrates the invention 15 in its broadest aspect, the lock mechanism comprises a keeper in the form of a lug 10 having a substantially rectangular recess 12 opening through one edge thereof. In actual practice the entire lug may be L-shaped as shown. The lug is welded to or integral with a plate 14 ²⁰ which may be secured by any suitable means to a door jamb, furniture drawer frame or any suitable support 16 adjacent the juncture 18 between the member 16 and an adjacent member 20 such as a door, furniture drawer, etc.

²5 A plate 22 serving as a bridging member is provided which has a slot 24 of length slightly exceeding the length of the arm 26 of the keeper lug. Secured by any suitable means on the plate 22 adjacent one end thereof and beyond the slot is a block 28 having a transverse bore ³⁰ therethrough which receives the bight or central portion of a conventional U-shaped shackle 30 which is operative connected to a padlock body 32. The padlock body rests slidably on the plate and is of a thickness approximating the depth of the recess 12.

³⁵ In operation, when the padlock is open, the plate 22 is slipped over the lug 10 so that the latter extends through the slot 24 with the shackle embracing the lug, the rounded corner of the lug serving to smooth this operation. Since the shackle of the padlock is fixedly an⁴⁰ chored to the plate 22 by the block 28, closing and opening of the padlock is effected by sliding the padlock body 32 on the plate 22 towards and away from the keeper lug 10. When the padlock is closed it assumes the position shown in solid lines wherein the padlock body 32 45 enters the recess 12 of the keeper lug 10. Because the length of the slot 24 receiving the lug only slightly exceeds the length of the lug arm 26, movement of the plate 22 to the right of Fig. 8 until the lug 10 strikes the end of the slot 24 will not allow the padlock body 32 to 50 clear the edge 34 of the lug arm 26, when the padlock is closed. When the padlock is opened by means of a key (not shown) operating through the end 36 of the padlock body, the shackle will spring open and the padlock body will move on the plate 22 to the position shown 55 in phantom in Fig. 8, in which position, the inner edge 38 of the padlock body will clear the edge 34 of the keeper lug sufficiently to permit removal of the plate 22 together with the padlock as a unit. This is the unlocked position of the mechanism.

₆₀ Figs. 1-7 show the application of the above described mechanism to a hasp member. The hasp member comprises, a first plate 48 having countersinks 42 for receiving the heads of bolts 44 which are adapted to receive nuts 46 and thereby attach said plate to a door 48 or 65 similar structural element. Upstanding centrally from the plate is a headed pin or rivet 50.

Hinged conventionally as at 52 to the outer edge of the first plate 40 is a second plate 54 which is preferably provided with a peripheral flange 56, the plate 54 being 70 of predetermined length and sufficient to bridge the juncture 58 between the door 48 and door jamb 60 dr similar structural element. Towards its hinged end, the second

2,825,218

LOCK MECHANISM

Eugene O’Brien, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application August 27, 1956, Serial No. 606,252

Claims. (Cl. 70—7)

This application relates to my copending application Serial No. 533,658 now Patent No. 2,766,605 granted October 16, 1956 and relates to a lock mechanism which is an improvement over the mechanism therein described.

In my said patent is shown and described a lock mechanism which employs a conventional padlock whose body instead of its shackle engages the staple thereby increasing the security of the lock mechanism to a considerable extent. Said lock mechanism also includes a removable protective housing which is selectively released and locked simultaneously with the opening and closing of the padlock as well as other structural features.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a lock mechanism which still employs the padlock body instead of its shackle as the major securing member but which is simpler in construction and function than that described in said patent.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lock mechanism which employs a lug with a substantially rectangular recess for receiving a portion of the body of a padlock whose shackle encircles the lug and is fixedly retained in position to allow movement of the padlock body into and out of said recess. The padlock and shackle retaining means can be mounted upon a plate having a slot to receive the lug, the plate serving as a member to bridge the juncture between such elements as a door and door jamb, a furniture drawer and drawer frame, etc.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lock mechanism of the character described in which the padlock and shackle retaining means are mounted on the hinge plate of a hasp member, the hinge plate having a slot for receiving the lug.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lock mechanism of the character described immediately hereabove in which a means is provided for locking together and unlocking the hasp plates themselves simultaneously with the closing and opening of the padlock. A housing can be provided which is carried by the hinge hasp plate for protectively embracing the lug, the shackle, the shackle retaining means and the padlock body.

And yet another object of the invention is to provide a lock mechanism which is relatively simple in construction and operation, relatively inexpensive, resistant to picking or dislodgment by force and considerably more secure than conventional padlocks of greater size and better quality than the padlock employed in the present lock mechanism.

These and other objects will become more apparent as the following description proceeds in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the lock mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2—2 of Fig. 1 illustrating the lock mechanism in its open position;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3—3 of Fig. 2;

2.835 plate 54 is provided with: an aperture 62 of sufficient diameter- to clear the head, of the pin 50 and a pair of longitudinal guide ribs 64. Towards its other end, the second plate 54 is provided with an elongated slot 66 of predetermined length and several tapped holes 68 for a purpose soon to appear.

Slidably mounted on the second plate 54 between the guide ribs 64 is a third plate 70. One edge of the third plate 70 has an upstanding flange 72 and spaced therefrom is an angle piece 74, the members 72 and 74 cooperating to form stops between which is mounted the body 76 of a conventional padlock. Beyond the stop 74j the plate 70 is provided with a bayonet slot 78 which comprises an enlarged portion 80 of diameter slightly larger than the head of the pin 50 and a reduced portion 82 of width less than the diameter of the head of the pin 50 for a purpose soon to appear.

Secured to a door jamb or similar structural element by appropriate means such as bolts and nuts 84 is a plate 86 to which is welded or otherwise secured a keeper in the form of a generally L-shaped lug 88 having a stepped recess 90 opening toward the door member, the edge 92 of the lug terminating proximate the juncture 58 between the door and door jamb.

The padlock body is operatively connected to a conventional generally U-shaped shackle 94 which is adapted to encircle the keeper lug 88. The shackle is removably retained in a fixed position by a means comprising a block 96 which is mounted on the second hinge plate beyond the slot 66 and there secured by means of screws 98 extending through the outer holes 68 and into the block. The block has a transverse bore 100 which receives the bight or central portion of the padlock shackle that is adjustably centered in the bore by means of a set screw 102. The set screw extends through the middle hole 68 of the second hasp plate 54 through the block 96 and into the bore 100 thereof.

Welded to or integral with the second hasp plate 54 is a protective housing 104 which embraces the shackle retaining block 98, the shackle 94, the keeper lug 88 and the padlock body 76, the housing being open at one of its ends, as at 106 to permit movement of the padlock body therethrough towards and away from the keeper lug.

In operation, when the key 108 is operated to open the padlock, the padlock body 76 and its mounting plate 70 are moved to the right of the figures by the action of the padlock spring since the shackle 94 is fixedly held by the block 96. The open position of the mechanism is shown in Fig. 3 and in this position the aperture 62 of the second hasp plate 54 is in alignment with the enlarged portion 80 of the bayonet slot 78 of the padlock mounting plate 70.

When the second hasp plate 54 and parts thereon are moved towards the keeper lug 88, the latter enters the slot 66 and the housing 104 with the shackle 94 embracing the lug, the length of the slot 66 being only slightly in excess of the length of the arm 110 of the keeper lug. The headed pin 50 also enters the aligned holes 62 and 80. The padlock is closed by moving the body 76 towards the lug 88 and when it is snapped shut, the forward portion of the padlock body enters one portion of the step recess 90 and the flange or stop 72 of the plate 70 enters the other portion of the step recess 90 of the keeper lug 88 as shown in Fig. 2. Since the padlock mounting plate 70 moves with the padlock, in the closed position the narrower portion 82 of the bayonet slot 78 thereof engages beneath the head of the pin 50 thereby locking the hasp plates 40 and 54 together. Thus the hasp plates are locked and released simultaneously with the opening and closing of the padlock.

Since the length of the slot 66 approximates that of the arm 110 of the keeper lug 88, even if one should succeed in removing the hinge pin in the hasp member, movement of the second hasp plate 54 will still not effect ,218 an opening of the lock mechanism. Further security against picking and tampering is obtained because the flange 56 of the plate 54 extends all around the edges of the first hasp plate: 40 and the lug anchoring plate 5 86 and the housing 104 protects the vital members of the mechanism.

It will be noted that the block 96 can be removed by unscrewing the attaching screws 98 and set screw 102 to allow for removal, repair or replacement of the padlock. 10 Since the heads of the) attaching screws 98 and the slot of the set screw 102 are at the undersurface of the second hasp plate 54, the block attaching screws 98 and set screw 102 cannot be removed when the lock is. closed but only when it is open.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described herein, minor variations may be made by skilled artisans without departig from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims. Thus the housing 104 may be secured to. the 20 plate 22 of the form of the invention shown in Fig. 8 and may be excluded from the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1-7.