Associated Movable Operator Patents (Class 70/306)
  • Patent number: 9175504
    Abstract: The present application is directed to a mechanical combination lock which includes a base having a cavity, a central shaft provided inside the cavity, and a plurality of combination control units provided on the central shaft, wherein each combination control unit includes a combination disc having at least three combination regions that correspond respectively to different combination conditions. The present application provides the mechanical combination lock whereby one button can set a combination with 2 or more bits. That means repeating characters can appear in a combination sequence. This can greatly increase the complexity of the combination sequence and can prevent cracking of the combination sequence without increasing the number of buttons on the mechanical combination lock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: BORG LOCKS (HK) LTD
    Inventor: Ngai Kwong Wong
  • Patent number: 8973418
    Abstract: The present application includes a combination lock system having gears, cams, and an interference system. In one embodiment, the angular position of the cams is adjusted by a user interface through operation of the gears. When the cams are in a predetermined position, the interference system is movable with respect to the cams and the system is unlocked. The user interface may be a pushbutton keypad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Schlage Lock Company LLC
    Inventor: Matthew S. Graham
  • Patent number: 8555686
    Abstract: A lock includes a housing, a keypad disposed on the housing, and a latch assembled with the housing. The keypad includes a plurality of button assemblies, each including an axially depressible button member including a camming surface, a lock wheel having a plurality of camming teeth, and a latch releasing feature secured to the lock wheel for rotation therewith. Pressing the button member causes the camming surface to engage one of the plurality of calming teeth, thereby incrementally rotating the lock wheel between a plurality of rotational positions. When the button members of a predetermined one or more of the plurality of button assemblies are depressed a predetermined number of times, the latch releasing features of each of the plurality of button assemblies align with a plurality of blocking features of the latch to permit lateral sliding movement of the latch from a locked condition to an unlocked condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Master Lock Company LLC
    Inventors: Glenn P. Meekma, Jerry Smith
  • Patent number: 8037724
    Abstract: A combination lock comprises a bolt which is withdrawn by depressing a bolt pin which is shielded by rotating discs having a movable disc pin within them. A selector pin attached to a dial is provided for engaging in selector holes in the discs and aligning the disc pins with one another and with the bolt pin, with provision for pushing inwardly the disc pin on the outer disc and urging the other disc pins aligned therewith towards the bolt pin such that it is depressed and/or withdrawn. The discs have a weight attached at their circumference such that, during code setting, changing the position of the weight changes the relative angular position of the disc pin. When pressure is released from the mechanism, springs return the selector pin and the disc pins to their original positions and the weights on the discs fall, thereby rotating the discs and automatically scrambling the code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Inventor: Arnold Jeffrey Fox
  • Patent number: 7975517
    Abstract: A multistage lock apparatus has a base, a disk holder, two selecting devices, two disk sets and at least one interfering element. The base has a mounting panel and a central tube. The disk holder is connected to the base and has a mounting beam, two extending beams, a middle beam, a connecting beam and two mounting spaces. The selecting devices are rotatably connected to the base. The disk sets are respectively mounted on the selecting devices in the mounting specs of the disk holder and each disk set has a driving disk and at least one driven disk. The at least one interfering element is mounted securely on the disk holder and each of the at least one interfering element has a mounting tab and two elastic panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Inventors: Wen-Kuei Liu, Chao-Hsuan Liu, Yu-Chun Liu
  • Patent number: 6976676
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a game apparatus and especially to a combination game apparatus in which players try to guess a preset combination of digits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Inventor: Troy E. Adams
  • Patent number: 6799446
    Abstract: A combination lock includes a female member, a lock rod inserted in the female member; the female member is inserted through single dial, several actuating rings, and co-moving rings; the dial and the actuating rings are arranged side by side, and releaseably engaged with respective co-moving rings; the dial and an actuating ring adjacent thereto have a projecting portion on opposing sides while every two adjacent actuating rings have a projecting portion on opposing sides such that the co-moving rings can be turned to unlocking position where all gaps thereof oppose a trench of the female member to form a passage for the lock rod by operating the dial; orientations of the dial and the actuating rings relative to respective co-moving rings are changed for changing the unlocking combination by operating the dial after the dial and the actuating rings are disengaged from the co-moving rings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Jaeyou Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Cheng-Tao Tsai
  • Patent number: 6575004
    Abstract: A combination lock system comprising a set of push-buttons, a set of series of coders each of which series is associated with a push-button, incrementing means for placing the coders of each series successively in a position to be operated by a push-button, coding means for selecting some coders and placing them in a coding position, and means for returning the coders to a waiting configuration after the push-buttons are actuated. The system comprises means for authorizing two actuation strokes of the push-buttons, namely a normal stroke commanding movement of a coder which is part of the code between its coding position and an unlocking position and a coding travel moving a coder from its inactive position to its coding position. For entering a new coded combination, the system further comprises means for placing all the coders in the inactive position and authorizing actuation of the push-buttons over the coding stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: Unitechniques
    Inventors: Cyril Berton, GĂ©rard Cheriot
  • Patent number: 6484545
    Abstract: A new class of mechanical code comparators is described which have broad potential for application in safety, surety, and security applications. These devices can be implemented as micro-scale electromechanical systems that isolate a secure or otherwise controlled device until an access code is entered. This access code is converted into a series of mechanical inputs to the mechanical code comparator, which compares the access code to a pre-input combination, entered previously into the mechanical code comparator by an operator at the system security control point. These devices provide extremely high levels of robust security. Being totally mechanical in operation, an access control system properly based on such devices cannot be circumvented by software attack alone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventors: Frank J. Peter, Larry J. Dalton, David W. Plummer
  • Patent number: 6026665
    Abstract: The present invention provides new door lock combination chambers for use with door locks, particularly pushbutton door locks. The combination chamber includes rotary keys which are actuated by pressing pushbuttons when entering an unlocking code into the combination chamber. The rotary keys rotate and engage idler gears which are engaged with a timing gear and code gears. The code gears have pockets which become aligned with an unlocking slide when the proper unlocking combination is entered into the combination chamber. The unlocking slide can be slide into the pockets on the code gears, and thus allow a corresponding locking mechanism retract a latch bolt in a door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: Ilco Unican Corporation
    Inventor: Paul Raybary
  • Patent number: 5007262
    Abstract: A dial lock comprises: a slide bar (10) which is controlled of its movement by engagement with a lock pin (2), dials (3) for controlling movement of the lock pin (2) with respective optional retrieving number, return-to-zero gears (6) to return the dials (3) to these zero-indicating positions at the time of locking and unlocking, and anti-locking means for enabling the locking only after a case when at least one of the dials is set to indicate a number other than zero, whereby optional unlocking number can be set without fail in locking operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1991
    Assignee: Clover Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hatsuo Nakai
  • Patent number: 4881390
    Abstract: A door handle is mounted on a door by bolts, the handle incorporates a combination lock comprising a shaft, a plurality of discs mounted coaxially on the shaft for individual rotation thereon, each disc having a first internal annual surface formed with a depression.The depression of at least one disc defining an abutment edge, a latch member mounted between the shaft and the annular surface and extending parallel to the shaft biasing means urging the latch member into engagement with the first annular surface, the discs being rotatable on the shaft without turning the shaft, except when all the depressions are aligned with the latch member, so that the latch member in its latched position extending into the depressions rotating in one direction of the disc or discs having an abutment surface causes the abutment surface to engage the latch member and turn the shaft. (FIG.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1989
    Inventor: Michael Vale
  • Patent number: 4866958
    Abstract: A sequence dependent push-button lock mechanism having compression loaded locking rod assemblies, arcuate segments of which are placed in compression if attempts are made to force the lock open, and unlocking by rotating the arcuate segments out of compression engagement with a sliding block associated with a thumb-actuated reciprocating shackle sleeve, particularly adapted for use in padlocks and deadbolt/cabinet locks. The locks are applicable to use in combination with pivot-only shackles in the padlock form, and thumb-actuated shackle or deadbolt release mechanisms. The thumb latch is of a break-away type to deter plurality of holes in a spaced array for receiving spring biased automatic return push-button assemblies which actuate locking rods that are disposed to rotate upon selective engagement with various combinations of special "T" and "C" shaped flanges on button actuator members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1989
    Assignee: Lock-R-Lock
    Inventors: Robert J. Bretl, Jewell A. Taylor
  • Patent number: 4848116
    Abstract: A timing gear arrangement, an idler gear arrangement and a code gear arrangement are mounted in parallel with each other such that the timing gears are in mesh with the idler gears which are in mesh with the code gears. Push buttons are associated with each of the idler gears on the idler gear arrangement, and each push button is connected to a slider plate which will cause its associated code gear to rotate a predetermined distance when the push button is depressed. Further, the code gear arrangement is removably mounted in the lock control assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1989
    Assignee: Ilco Unican Inc.
    Inventor: Edgar G. Lizotte
  • Patent number: 4841759
    Abstract: A fast opening, high security combination lock includes a case, a dial connected to a rotatable spindle, and a plurality of rotatable tumblers mounted coaxially therewith. A movable impeller mounted on said spindle is carried by internal projections in the case to engage the tumblers in sequence as the dial is turned through a series of partial clockwise turns to combination characters and returns to a set mark. After setting the tumblers, the impeller engages a driver which, if all of the tumblers have been properly set, retracts a bolt. The impeller is reset to its initial position on the spindle and the tumblers are scattered to secure the lock, by rotating the dial one-half turn anti-clockwise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1989
    Inventor: Cathirgamathamby Balasingam
  • Patent number: 4794768
    Abstract: A push button combination lock type gas cap and an actuator forming a part thereof, takes the form of a casing which may be mounted to an open end of a fuel tank filling neck with a stopper mounted within the casing for movement between a first position in which the cap is removable from the filler neck, and a second position where the cap is locked thereto. A first center push button mounted on the casing for movement in the direction of its axis between projected and depressed position, shifts the stopper to the first position for locking the cap to the filler tube upon depression thereof. The first push button is maintained in depressed position with a laterally shiftable slide plate operatively engaging the first push button for normally preventing retraction of the first push button absent a selective depression of one or more of a plurality of second push buttons mounted circumferentially about the center push button.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1989
    Inventors: Douglas J. Moser, Damian Synclair, Alan R. Friedman
  • Patent number: 4732020
    Abstract: The invention relates to a lock with interchangeable coded combinations, wherein the code is materialized by notches made in a disc. Reproduction of the exact code controls the disc so that a locking member is not displaced from its unlocking position. Furthermore, a locking member is in unlocking position only if the number of the digits of the code is respected. The invention is particularly applicable to the safeguarding of property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1988
    Inventor: Georges R. Pieddeloup
  • Patent number: 4719777
    Abstract: A combination lock for a briefcase, comprises a case body, a push button, a plurality of combination dials, a plurality of driven wheels, a sliding sheet, a positioning sheet, a sliding block, a structural body, a back cover, and a plurality of springs, wherein the combination is changeable, and the combination dials are arranged non-axially so that the lock is simple in structure, easy to operate, and small in size. This lock is especially suitable for a briefcase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 19, 1988
    Inventor: Blake Hwang
  • Patent number: 4616492
    Abstract: The combination lock is one wherein movable members of the combination mechanism are set in decoding position by a key in the form of a rotatable shaft with a head at one end serving as a handle. Rotation of the key to proper decoding position is determined by shifting an index mark on the key relative to selected units of a set of letters or numerals on the lock housing. The combination mechanism makes use of a multiple number of pairs of discs concealed in the housing which must be successively set in proper decoding position, one disc relative to the other, to release a lock operating plug. In proper decoding position a slide bar, which normally blocks rotation of the lock operating plug, is shifted by key action into openings provided in the discs and out of blocking engagement with the plug, in which position the plug is free for rotation by the key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1984
    Date of Patent: October 14, 1986
    Inventor: J. David Barfield
  • Patent number: 4602491
    Abstract: The combination lock includes several encoding buttons, a latch plate is slidably movable between two terminal positions and has a plurality of locking pins; a plurality of lock disks each have on one side a radial groove for respectively engaging the locking pins or being disengaged therefrom, each disk further having on its outer side a diametrical groove in which respective slide locks are permitted to slide, an encoding release slide moves said slide locks; a plurality of gears are respectively connected to the encoding buttons and positioned for engagement with the slide locks, the gears are prevented from turning, thereby preventing the encoding buttons from being turned when the respective slide lock engages the gear and the locking pins are situated in the respective radial grooves, the gears are coupled to the lock disks when the locking pins are out of the respective radial grooves, the release slide when moving the slide locks decouples the lock disks from the gears and the encoding button; and res
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1984
    Date of Patent: July 29, 1986
    Assignee: Werner Mauer GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Guenter Mauer
  • Patent number: 4476698
    Abstract: A keyless lock which eliminates the requirement for visual contact with the lock to effect disengagement thereof. A series of push buttons are operated by depressing each push button the proper number of times according to a predetermined numerical code. The push button increment ratchet wheels having slots therein. When the slots are in proper alignment with lock releasing pins, the lock can be opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1983
    Date of Patent: October 16, 1984
    Inventor: Nicholas Treslo
  • Patent number: 4048823
    Abstract: A combination lock includes a plurality of ratchet wheels which are moved to a lock-open position by the operation of a removeably mounted finger dial, which is similar to a telephone dial. Operation of the finger dial moves a pawl which travels in a row of circular tracks, each in alignment with a ratchet wheel, with the pawl moving in succession from track to track to rotate individual ratchet wheels as successive numbers are dialed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1976
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1977
    Inventor: Janos Szova
  • Patent number: 4027508
    Abstract: A push-button combination lock for doors or the like having buttons which must be pushed in a prescribed combination and prescribed number of times to release the lock. The lock may be reset to a new combination by use of the same pushbuttons when operated in accordance with the newly desired combination. No tools or dismantling of the lock is required to change the combination. A bypass feature enables one to bypass the lock from the inside of the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1975
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1977
    Inventor: Thomas K. McGourty