Lock apparatus

[57] ABSTRACT

Lock apparatus suitable for various uses but particularly disclosed for locking bicycles, comprising a generally U-shaped member adapted to extend around at least one article to be secured by the apparatus and having coaxial openings near the open ends of its spaced arms. An arm of the U-shaped member slidably and non-rotatably carries a locking pin that can be manually pushed to an extended position where it projects from the inside of the arm in which it is mounted and that is spring-loaded to bias it in the opposite retracted position. A closure bar has spaced external portions adapted to engage and be firmly secured in the openings in the arms of the U-shaped member when the bar is properly located and rotated; when so positioned, the bar extends across and closes the open end of the U-shaped member and is firmly secured in the arms. The bar must be rotated to release it from the arm openings so the bar can be slid axially in the arms to open the U-shaped member. The bar carries, at an end outside of the U-shaped member, a lock case having a known internal locking mechanism adapted to be actuated to unlocking condition by a key or other unlocking means. The lock case has an opening into which the locking pin can extend and be secured by the locking mechanism to prevent rotation of the bar, when the lock casing is positioned with its opening aligned with the pin. Exposed parts are formed of metal resistant to cutting, breaking, bending, or other forcing to open the lock apparatus. The arm openings and bar engaging portions are threaded in one disclosed embodiment; in another they form bayonet type connections.

Claims, 9 Drawing Figures

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Patented Aug. 28, 1973

3,754,418

Sheets-Sheet 1

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Patented Aug. 28, 1973

3,754,418 rm

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Patented Aug. 28, 1973 3,754,418

Sheets-Sheet 3

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3,754,418 end projects into the lock case opening and is secured in locking relation by the locking mechanism. Suitable unlocking means such as a key or combination operated means actuates the locking mechanism to release the pin.

The closure member is engaged with the arms of the U-shaped member by positioning it coaxially in, and rotating it to engage it firmly in, the openings in the arms and locate the lock case so its face is close to the adja

LOCK APPARATUS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to lock apparatus, and more particularly to lock apparatus formed of metal difficult to cut or break and which when locked is extremely difficult or impossible to open except with the proper key, combination, or other designated opening means. While the lock apparatus may be advantageously used for various locking purposes, it may be used to particular advantage for locking bicycles, and for convenience is described hereinafter in that connection.

The popularity of bicycling and the increasing use of expensive bicycles has caused a large increase in bicycle thefts. Principal bicycle manufacturers and police departments recommend that bicycles be locked by a locking apparatus that will lock the bicycle frame and the rear wheel to an immovable object such as a post firmly fixed in the ground, as the post of a parking meter or the like. However, the usual known locking devices such as chain or bar types have not been as effective as desired because they may be usually quite readily severed or broken by manually operated bolt cutters, chisels, large wrenches or by hammering. Moreover, prior locking devices that have been developed to avoid these disadvantages are large, cumbersome, complex and expensive, and are not as effective as desired in preventing theft.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION ₃₀

It is an object of the present invention to provide lock apparatus which will avoid as many as desired, or all of the above disadvantages of prior lock apparatus for bicycles and for other purposes; it is a further object to provide lock apparatus that is simple and dependable ³⁵in operation, that has great resistance to cutting, breakage, bending, or other forcing to open the apparatus, and that can be manufactured at reasonable cost.

The apparatus embodying the invention comprises a rigid generally U-shaped member comprising spaced ⁴θ first and second arms joined at one end of the member and having spaced free ends at the other end. The first arm has a through opening at a location spaced from the closed end of the U-shaped member; and the second arm has an opening aligned with the opening ⁴⁵through the first arm. The apparatus includes an elongated closure member adapted to extend through the opening of the first arm into the opening of the second arm and to be firmly connected by rotation to both the arms at the openings to form with the U-shaped member an essentially rigid structure entirely surrounding a space in which the article to be secured is located; the openings in the arms and the portions of the closure member engaging the openings are shaped, as by ₅₅threads, to permit cooperative engagement of these ⁰portions of the arms and closure member to provide essentially rigid connections. The apparatus includes a lock case rigidly mounted on the closure member outside of the first arm; the lock case has a face adapted to be located close to the outside of the first arm; the lock case has internal locking mechanism and an opening in the lock case face communicating with the locking mechanism. The apparatus includes a locking pin slidably but non-rotatably and irremovably mounted in the first arm for movement from a retracted position in which the end of the pin adjacent the lock case clears the lock case, to an extended position in which such cent arm of the U-shaped member and its locking opening is aligned with the locking pin. The locking pin is then manually pushed into the locking opening to engage the locking mechanism. This firmly secures the lock case to the adjacent arm of the U-shaped member and prevents any rotation of the closure member. The closure member can only be released for rotation by actuating the locking mechanism in the locking case by the unlocking means to release the locking pin, which is preferably biased so it will withdraw from the lock case to its retracted position where it clears the lock case and permits rotation of the closure member so it can be moved to open the U-shaped member.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of two embodiments in connection with the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective of the preferred embodiment of the lock apparatus of the invention suitable for a bicycle lock, with the apparatus in the open condition ready for use;

FlG. 2 is a perspective of the apparatus of FIG. 1 but to a considerably smaller scale, showing the apparatus in locked condition locking a bicycle to a post, only related portions of the bicycle and post being shown;

FIG. 3 is a section along line 3—3 of FIG. 1 but to a considerably larger scale, showing the locking pin of the apparatus in its retracted or unlocked position;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective to approximately the scale of FIG. 3 showing the locking pin, its cap, and associated portion of the arm of the generally U-shaped member;

FIG. 5 is a section generally along the section of FIG. 3 and to the same scale, showing the portion of the lock apparatus adjacent the free ends of the arms of the Ushaped member when the closure member is rigidly secured in the arms and the apparatus is in locked condition;

FIG. 6 is a perspective showing an alternative embodiment in which the closure member is adapted to be rigidly secured in the arms by bayonet type connections, the apparatus being shown in the open condition;

FIG. 7 is a section, somewhat similar to FIG. S, showing the end portions of the arms of the apparatus of FIG. 6 with the closure member firmly secured to the arms when the lock apparatus is in locked condition;

FIG. 8 is a perspective showing the closure member end of the apparatus of FIG. 7 locked in its associated arm; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective to a smaller scale of a portion of an alternative embodiment in which the lock case is actuatable by combination means.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The lock apparatus of FIGS. 1 to 5 comprises a generally U-shaped member 1 having closed end portion 2

3,754,418 and two side arms 3 and 4 defining between them an opening 5. While member 1 in this embodiment is in the shape of a quite precise U, it could be of other shapes having a closed end and an open end defined by spaced arms. An opening 6 extends through arm 3 near 5 its free end and an opening 7 extends through arm 4 near its free end; openings 6 and 7 are coaxial and respectively have identical internal threads 8 and 9 (FIGS. 1, 3-5).

The open end of member 1 can be closed by an elon- 10 gated closure member such as bar 11 (FIGS. 1, 5, 7) having spaced enlarged engaging portions 12 and 13 with external threads 14 and 15 and an intermediate portion 16 of maximum cross section less than the root diameters of threads 14 and 15, threaded portion 13 15 being at a free end of member 11. Threads 14, 15 match and are adapted to be threaded into and firmly and rigidly engage threads 8 and 9 in openings 6 and 7 of arms 3 and 4; and portions 12 and 13 are so spaced that their threads fully engage the internal threads in 20 the openings 6 and 7 of the arms when they are screwed into these openings.

Closure member 11 also has rigidly mounted on its opposite free end, adjacent threaded portion 12, a lock case 17 of generally known construction. Preferably ²⁵the outer shell of the case is formed of hard tough steel laminations 18 in known manner, and contains a known lock mechanism 19, such as a cylinder type mechanism, adapted to be actuated in known manner by a key 20 to unlocking condition. The lock case has ³⁰a flat surface 21 facing the outer flat surface 22 of arm 3 and having an opening 23 (FIG. 5) adapted to receive a locking pin 24 slidably but non-rotatably carried by arm 3. Pin 24 has an outer end portion, notched at 25, adapted to be engaged in locking relation by the lock ³³mechanism 19 when the pin is manually pushed into opening 23, and adapted to be released by the lock mechanism when key 20 is inserted and turned in the proper direction.

The lock case itself is rigidly mounted on the free end ⁴⁰ portion 26 of the closure member 11 that extends through arm 3. Portion 26 extends for almost the full length of the lock case but not to its exposed end, so portion 26 cannot be reached from outside of the lock case. Lock case 17 is rigidly and immovably mounted on end portion 26 of member 22 by any suitable means, as by a known wedge type internal locking thread 27 in the lock case threaded onto a thread on the end of portion 26 or by welding.

Locking pin 24 is slidably, non-rotatably and normally irremovably mounted in an opening 28 that extends through arm 3 of member 1. In the illustrated embodiment opening 28 is square or rectangular in cross section, and the cooperating portion of pin 24 is of corresponding matching cross section. The outer end of pin 24 facing lock case 17 has laterally projecting portions 29 and the outer end of opening 28 has matching shoulders 30 that prevent the pin from being pulled out of its guide opening 28 and inwardly of the space between arms 3 and 4. The parts are so designed that when the locking pin is retracted (FIG. 3) its outer end clears the surface 21 of the lock case when it is closely adjacent arm 3; preferably the pin end is then flush with or below the surface 22 of arm 3.

A cap 31 is rigidly mounted on the inner end of pin 24. A compression spring 32 around pin 24 operates between cap 31 and the inner surface of arm 3 to bias pin 24 toward its retracted or unlocked position shown in FIG. 3; cap 31 acts as a spring retainer as well as a pushbutton for pressing pin 24 to its extended position into locking engagement with lock mechanism 19 in lock casing 17. Locking pin 24, moreover, is of such length that when it is pushed into such locking engagement, the innner end of the pin itself will not project substantially if at all beyond the inner surface of the arm 3, and preferably is flush with the arm surface as shown in FIG. 5, so that if cap 31 should be forced off pin 24 it would be impossible to seize the locking pin by any tool to pull it out of locking condition. To aid this, there is in arm 3 a shallow recess 33 around opening 28 into which the hub of the cap 31 can project while the outer end of the locking pin is in locking position and its inner end is flush with the inner surface of arm 3. Cap 31 may be held on the inner end of locking pin 24 by a press fit or by a pin 34 that extends through openings in the hub of the cap and the associated end of the locking pin, pin 34 or cap 31 of both being so proportioned or formed of material such that if an attempt is made to force the locking pin 24 to release it by force applied to the cap, the cap will detach from pin 24 either by breakage of pin 34 or of the cap itself.

Assuming the lock apparatus is in the open position shown in FIG. 1, the following operations may be performed to lock the apparatus around an article to be secured.

The lock apparatus is first mounted so that its generally U-shaped member 1 contains within the space between its arms the article to be locked. For illustrative purposes as shown in FIG. 2, a bicycle 36 is locked to a post 37 fixed in the ground, such as the post of a parking meter; member 1 is passed around the post and the rear wheel 38 and adjacent frame portion 39 of the bicycle.

The elongated closure member 11 is then manually pushed forward so that its externally threaded portions 12 and 13 are in close proximity to the internally threaded holes 6 and 7 of arms 3 and 4 of member 1.

Member 11 is then rotated, preferably by using the lock case 17 as a handle, to cause external threads 14 and 15 of member 11 to engage the internal threads 8 and 9 of arms 3 and 4, rotation being continued until the ⁴³ flat surface 21 of lock case 17 is closely adjacent the flat outer side 22 of arm 3 and opening 23 is aligned with locking pin 24.

The parts are so designed that when the locking pin is retracted it clears lock case 17 as it moves in its rotary path adjacent to arm 3; and the lock case and external threads 14 and 15 on member 11, and internal threads 8 and 9 of member 1, are so related that lock case 17 can be rotated until it is immediately adjacent to surface 22 of arm 3 and located so its opening 19 is aligned with locking pin 24, while external threads 14 and 15 are firmly engaged with internal threads 8 and 9 of member 1 as shown in FIG. 5 to form a rigid closed structure of members 1 and 11.

Locking is then completed by manually pushing on cap 31 to move the locking pin 24 against the force of spring 33 until its notched outer end engages the lock mechanism 19 in lock case 17. Member 11 of the locking apparatus thus if firmly secured against rotation that could open the apparatus. The apparatus when in locked condition is strong, rigid, and preferably is proportioned and made of materials so that it is virtually theftproof when locked.

3,754,418

In order to unlock the apparatus, it is a simple matter to insert and properly turn the key 20 to actuate the lock mechanism 19 in the lock case to release the notched end of locking pin 24, thus permitting compression spring 32 to move the locking pin out of opening 19 in the lock case to the completely retracted position of pin 24 where it completely clears the lock case 17. Closure member 11 and its lock case 17 then is rotated in the proper direction, counter-clockwise in the illustrated embodiment, to permit external threads 14 and 15 of the closure member to unscrew from the threads 8 and 9 of openings 6 and 7 in the arms of member 1 until they disengage, after which the closure member can be moved axially, as to the projecting position shown in FIG. 1, to open the space 5 between arms and thus permit the lock apparatus to be removed.

Since in the above embodiment these threaded portions 12 and 13 are of the same diameter, closure member 11 cannot fall out of opening 6 and be mislaid.

since in the above embodiment these threaded portions 12 and 13 are of the same diameter, closure member 11 cannot fall out of opening 6 and be mislaid.

Of course, if under certain locking conditions the projecting closure member 11 would cause difficulties in close quarters, it is possible to remove member 11 25 completely from the lock apparatus by unscrewing threaded portion 13 through the threaded opening 6 of the arm 3. If desired, threaded opening 6 and mating threaded portion 12 could be made large enough to permit portion 13 to pass through opening 6 without ³⁰being rotated.

Member 1, free of member 11, then is inserted and passed through or around the articles to be locked together, such as a bicycle and wire fence if desired; closure member 11 is then Inserted by passing its free end through the opening 6 and the apparatus can be locked as describe above.

When properly proportioned and sized, the apparatus can be advantageously used as a bicycle lock, and can be used to lock a bicycle by its rear wheel and frame, or other parts to a vertical post such as a parking meter or other post having an enlarged top portion preventing the bicycle and lock from being lifted over the top of the post, or to a chain link fence or to other fixed objects

Moreover, it may be proportioned to be conveniently carried on a bicycle, to fit on a standard carrier mounted over the rear wheel or to be hung from the bicycle seat as by passing member 1 through eyelets normally provided on the bicycle seat to carry a pouch. Furthermore, the locking apparatus may be constructed so that when the lock apparatus is closed or in the locked position as shown in FIG. 2, all parts such as the generally U-shaped member 1, the locking mem- ₅₅ber 11 and the lock case 17, and the locking pin 24 are proportioned and formed of alloys having sufficient hardness, tensile strength and cross sectional area so that they cannot be cut by manually operated devices available to thieves, such as bolts cutters, hack saws, drills or files, and so that they resist breakage or beinding by hammmering or levering, or forcing by other available means.

Moreover, internal threads 8 and 9 and external threads 14 and 15 are preferably proportioned so that the shear strength of the threads s capable of developing the full tensile strength of the elongated closure member 11 so that U-shaped member 1 cannot be forced open without breaking the elongated member 1 in tension. The parts are also preferably so proportioned that the force requirement to break member 11 in tension is far beyond the capability of any portable manually operated tool.

Moreover, the parts can be so designed that that lock case 17 cannot be pried or wedged away from the Ushaped member 3 because the lock case is strongly and rigidly fixed up to the end portion of elongated member 10 12 that extends almost the full length so close to the flat surface 21 of the case is so close to the flat surface 22 of member 3, and because the threaded portions of member 11 are firmly engaged in the threaded openings of member 1.

Locking pin 24 cannot be pulled out of the locking engagement in lock case 17 because the mechanism 19 in the lock case holds it in place and any attempt to pry or pull the locking pin out of the lock case against the retaining force of the lock mechanism will cause the 20 cap 31 to come off the locking pin leaving the locking pin recessed in the opening 28 with no portion available for grasping or gripping by any tool that can pull it out.

Moreover, since in the illustrated embodiment the locking pin is rectangular in cross section and fits in the rectangular hole 28 in the member 1, it cannot be rotated so that it cannot be disengaged by rotation from the lock mechanism in the lock case.

Various modifications may be made in the apparatus discussed above. Thus, bayonet locking connections rather than threaded connections, may be used to connect firmly the elongated closure member to the arms of the U-shaped member. As shown in F1GS. 6 to 8, openings 6' and 7' in arms 3' and 4' of an alternative ³⁵ generally U-shaped member 1' are shaped to be the female portions of bayonet locking connections, while engaging portions 12' and 13' of an alternative elongated closure member 11' are formed into mating male portions of bayonet lock connections. The portions to ⁴θ be connected can be caused to engage by rotation of closure member 11' about its longitudinal axis, although in this case the rotational movement to connect member 11' firmly to member 1' can be considerably less than with the threaded connections previously dis⁴$ cussed.

More specifically in this illustrated embodiment, openings 6' and 7' are elongated, with their major axes extending longitudinally of arms 3' and 4' for maximum arm strength; preferably they are essentially rectangular as shown; closure member 11' has a cross section, preferably uniform, that closely fits the openings 6' and 7' when member 11' is being slid into or from closing position; the engaging portions of member 11' are reduced generally circular portions each having a maximum width that closely fits the shorter or transverse dimension of its corresponding opening 6' or 7'. The generally circular portion at 12' is located between a shoulder 42 on member 11'and lock case 17' rigidly mounted on the end of member 11'; the generally circular portion at 13' is located between shoulders 43 and 44 of member 11'.

To lock the apparatus, member 11' is slid through openings 6' and 7' until its portions 12' and 13' are within their corresponding openings 6' and 7'; the member 11' is then rotated about its longitudinal axis so that lock case 17' rigidly fixed on the of member 11' is located with its opening 23 aligned with the end of

3,754,418 locking pi 24 in arm 3' of member 1', and with its surface 21 closely adjacent the outer surface of arm 3', after which the spring loaeed locking pin 24 is manually pushed against the force of its spring 32 so its end extends into opening 23 and is locked in lock case 17' by its internal locking mechanism 19. In this locked condition, the member 11' extends transversely of the openings 6' and 7' (FIGS. 7,8) and is prevented from movement out of the openings, and arms 3' and 4' are prevented from being forced apart because the shoulder 42 and surface 21 of lock case 17'' on member 11' bear on opposite sides of arm 3', while shoulders 43 and 44 on member 11' bear on opposite sides of arm 4'. The lock apparatus in its closed condition therefore, forms a strong, essentially rigid structure comprising member 1' and member 11', that resists cutting, breakage, bending, or other forcing.

The apparatus can be unlocked by releasing the locking mechanism in the lock case by the key 20 or other means provided for the purpose, so the locking pin retracs and clears the lock case, then rotating the member 11' so it can be slid through openings 6' and 7' and then sliding member 11' lengthwise to open the apparatus.

As another embodiment, the key operated lock case of the previous embodiments may be replaced by a lock case 17 that is actuatable by combination lock means 45 to release the locking pin 24 when desired after it has been manually engaged with the aligned lock case of either of the preceding embodiments. The construction and operation may otherwise be the same.

While lock apparatus embodying the invention has been disclosed as used for locking a bicycle, it can be used for other purposes, as to lock motor cycles or other vehicles, lock vending machines or to lock gates or doors of chain link fences or other enclosures.

Various modifications apparent to those skilled in the art in addition to those indicated may be made in the apparatus disclosed above, and changes may be made with respect to the features disclosed, provided that the elements set forth in any of the following claims or the equivalent to such be employed.