Patents Assigned to The Eastern Company
  • Publication number: 20240141705
    Abstract: A locking compression latch that can be changed from a locked state to an unlocked state either mechanically by turning an appropriate key in a key plug or electrically by an electric signal. Once in an unlocked condition, the compression latch can be opened by rotating a latch lever that disengages a protrusion on the latch lever from a striker mounted on the base of the compression latch. The compression latch can be changed from a locked to an unlocked condition by the electrical signal while the key plug is in the locked position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: The Eastern Company
    Inventor: Matthew Schroll
  • Patent number: 11933074
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a lock with a radially extending cam that can be pivoted electrically or manually by a key. The lock resides in a housing for ease of manufacture and reduction of space, for use, as an example, as a replacement or retrofit for an existing manual cam lock. The cam extends transversely to a first axis and is manually rotatable by a key about the first axis. The cam is also rotatable about a second axis parallel to the first axis by an electrical signal to a motor or a linear actuator connected to a cam mechanism body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: The Eastern Company
    Inventor: Matthew Schroll
  • Patent number: 11808060
    Abstract: In one embodiment, the invention provides a lock body comprising a base portion and a moveable portion with each having first and second sides. One of the base portion second side and the moveable portion first side has an extension and the other having a receiver to allow the moveable portion to move translationally with respect to the base portion. A slot is transverse to the extension and cut into one of the face of the second side of the base portion or the first side of the moveable portion. In the open state the portions are separated and in the locked state the faces are substantially adjacent to capture a cylindrical object in the slot. In another embodiment, the lock body is cylindrical with a pair of transverse apertures. A plug inside the lock body moves translationally to capture an object between the apertures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: The Eastern Company
    Inventor: Matthew Schroll
  • Patent number: 11772567
    Abstract: An improved modular vehicle accessory clamp for is disclosed. The clamp provides for gross and fine adjustment between the jaws to allow for differences in the width of vehicle roof rack cross bars. The clamp has a first body with a depending jaw and an extension portion and a second body portion also with a depending jaw and a receiving portion that receives the extension of the first body and allows for adjustment of the distance between the jaws. The clamp can be locked to the cross bar. Upper grooves in the clamp allow for easy attachment to vehicle accessories such as rooftop carriers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: The Eastern Company
    Inventor: Matthew Schroll
  • Patent number: 11697958
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling bus doors (14, 16) that are arranged as a pair of doors that move in coordinated relation between door open positions and door closed positions, enables passengers to access an interior area (12) of a bus (10). The apparatus includes an actuator (28, 226). The actuator includes a drive lever (34, 228) that is selectively rotationally movable between rotational positions in which both of the doors are in the open positions and in the closed positions. Exemplary arrangements include at least one controller (128) that is operative to prevent the doors from causing damage to or from being damaged by engagement with obstructions. The controller further enables a bus driver or other authorized user to control access to the interior area of the bus using a user mobile device (144).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: The Eastern Company
    Inventors: Lee S Weinerman, Marinel Rosu, Reese Bernot, Keith Braun, James Paxitzis
  • Publication number: 20230192004
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a lockable rooftop carrier clamp having a housing with a bore for accepting a frusto-conically shaped locking post. At least one, and preferably a pair of bolts are biased inwardly into the bore to capture the locking post. The bolts can be moved transversely outwardly by a cam on the outside wall of a hollow rotor located in the bore for pivotal rotation about an axis defined by the bore. The pivoting of the rotor is only allowed by the proper orientation of a tumbler core in a tumbler lock, which then allows either rotation of a release lever or retraction of a locking pin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2022
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Applicant: The Eastern Company
    Inventor: Michael O. Misner
  • Patent number: 11629530
    Abstract: The invention provides a lock body having a keyway and a throughbore parallel to the keyway with the throughbore having two portions separated by a shoulder. A first cable passes through the throughbore, the first cable having a knob at one end and a chevron at a second end. A second cable depends from and is attached to the lock body. The cable body also has a bolt that is biased partially into the first portion of the throughbore. The keyway has a plug that is rotatable with the proper key to retract the bolt from the throughbore. The chevron can pass by the bolt in an axial first direction by urging the chevron and allowing the taper to move the bolt transversely against the bias, but not in a second axial direction. A base accommodates the lock body and cables and is captured by the second cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: The Eastern Company
    Inventor: Matthew Schroll
  • Patent number: 11629533
    Abstract: The invention is a sliding latch with a bolt sliding in and out of a primary housing from a closed condition to an open condition on a sled that also slides in the housing. A spring biases the bolt to extend out of the housing to the closed condition. The bolt can be moved to an open condition by an electric motor mounted on the sled that rotates a threaded member to move a nut in a cavity in the bolt that pulls the bolt against the spring bias. The bolt can also be moved to an open condition by a force directly on the bolt against the spring bias. The bolt can also be moved to an open condition by a force pulling on the sled to move the sled and nut so the nut pulls the bolt against the spring bias to an open condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: The Eastern Company
    Inventor: Matthew Schroll
  • Patent number: 11577693
    Abstract: Systems and methods for remotely locking and unlocking vehicle accessory locks of vehicle accessories positioned on a vehicle are disclosed. The vehicle includes main doors with locks that are remotely lockable and unlockable using main door lock actuators. Vehicle includes a vehicle controller that receives a user signal from a user, first determines a main door actuation command based on the first signal, and first transmits, based on the main door actuation command, a first actuation command signal to the main door lock actuators. The system includes accessory lock actuator(s) operably coupled to the accessory lock(s), accessory lock controller(s) operably coupled to the accessory lock actuator(s), and a gateway controller operably coupled to the vehicle controller. Gateway controller second determines an accessory lock actuation command based on the first actuation command signal, and second transmits, based on the accessory lock actuation command, a gateway signal to the accessory lock controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: The Eastern Company
    Inventors: Matthew Schroll, James C. Fournier
  • Publication number: 20220381073
    Abstract: The invention is a sliding latch with a bolt sliding in and out of a primary housing from a closed condition to an open condition on a sled that also slides in the housing. A spring biases the bolt to extend out of the housing to the closed condition. The bolt can be moved to an open condition by an electric motor mounted on the sled that rotates a threaded member to move a nut in a cavity in the bolt that pulls the bolt against the spring bias. The bolt can also be moved to an open condition by a force directly on the bolt against the spring bias. The bolt can also be moved to an open condition by a force pulling on the sled to move the sled and nut so the nut pulls the bolt against the spring bias to an open condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2021
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Applicant: The Eastern Company
    Inventor: Matthew Schroll
  • Publication number: 20220243500
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a lock with a radially extending cam that can be pivoted electrically or manually by a key. The lock resides in a housing for ease of manufacture and reduction of space, for use, as an example, as a replacement or retrofit for an existing manual cam lock. The cam extends transversely to a first axis and is manually rotatable by a key about the first axis. The cam is also rotatable about a second axis parallel to the first axis by an electrical signal to a motor or a linear actuator connected to a cam mechanism body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2022
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Applicant: The Eastern Company
    Inventor: Matthew Schroll
  • Patent number: 11400888
    Abstract: A commercial vehicle access control system provides selective access to authorized users to interior areas of respective service vehicle item storage compartments. The compartments are usable to house items such as tools, equipment, materials or products that are removed from or placed in such compartments. A system controller is in operative connection with a plurality of electrically actuated door locks which can be operated responsive to communication with a portable wireless device to enable access to selected compartments and the items which are housed therein. A plurality of vehicle cameras and other sensors are operative to detect activities related to the removal from or placement of items within the compartments, as well as other conditions associated with the operation and status conditions of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: THE EASTERN COMPANY
    Inventors: Lee S. Weinerman, Keith Braun, James Paxitzis
  • Patent number: 11359405
    Abstract: A lock has a locked condition and an unlocked condition comprising a barrel with a circular bore having three splines. A cylindrical plug is adapted to reside in the bore. First, second and retaining tumblers are positioned in tumbler slots, with the first and retaining tumblers biased in one direction toward the first spline and the second tumbler biased in the opposite direction into the second spline. When a first key is inserted, the first and second tumblers are moved against the bias so they retract from the respective splines and the plug can be rotated from the locked and unlocked conditions. When a second key is inserted while in the unlocked condition, the first, second and retaining tumblers are moved so the respective tumblers are either positioned in the third longitudinal spline or fully retained in the plug and the plug can be retracted axially from the barrel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: The Eastern Company
    Inventor: Michael O. Misner
  • Patent number: 11346129
    Abstract: A latch (10) includes a rotatable jaw (18) that engages and holds a striker (32) in a latched position. A rotatable pawl (28) in an engaged position is operative to hold the jaw in the latched position. Movement of the pawl to a disengaged position enables the jaw to move to an unlatched position and to disengage the striker. The pawl is movable from the engaged position to the disengaged position through operation of either an electrical actuator (84) or through movement of an actuating end (26) of the pawl by a cable (36).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: The Eastern Company
    Inventors: Lee S. Weinerman, Scott Arthurs
  • Publication number: 20220144213
    Abstract: Systems and methods for remotely locking and unlocking vehicle accessory locks of vehicle accessories positioned on a vehicle are disclosed. The vehicle includes main doors with locks that are remotely lockable and unlockable using main door lock actuators. Vehicle includes a vehicle controller that receives a user signal from a user, first determines a main door actuation command based on the first signal, and first transmits, based on the main door actuation command, a first actuation command signal to the main door lock actuators. The system includes accessory lock actuator(s) operably coupled to the accessory lock(s), accessory lock controller(s) operably coupled to the accessory lock actuator(s), and a gateway controller operably coupled to the vehicle controller. Gateway controller second determines an accessory lock actuation command based on the first actuation command signal, and second transmits, based on the accessory lock actuation command, a gateway signal to the accessory lock controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2021
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Applicant: The Eastern Company
    Inventors: Matthew Schroll, James C. Fournier
  • Patent number: 11203324
    Abstract: Systems and methods for remotely locking and unlocking vehicle accessory locks of vehicle accessories positioned on a vehicle are disclosed. The vehicle includes main doors with locks that are remotely lockable and unlockable using main door lock actuators. Vehicle includes a vehicle controller that receives a user signal from a user, first determines a main door actuation command based on the first signal, and first transmits, based on the main door actuation command, a first actuation command signal to the main door lock actuators. The system includes accessory lock actuator(s) operably coupled to the accessory lock(s), accessory lock controller(s) operably coupled to the accessory lock actuator(s), and a gateway controller operably coupled to the vehicle controller. Gateway controller second determines an accessory lock actuation command based on the first actuation command signal, and second transmits, based on the accessory lock actuation command, a gateway signal to the accessory lock controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: The Eastern Company
    Inventors: Matthew Schroll, James C. Fournier
  • Patent number: D929848
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: THE EASTERN COMPANY
    Inventors: Scott Arthurs, Lee S. Weinerman
  • Patent number: D932277
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: THE EASTERN COMPANY
    Inventors: Lee S. Weinerman, Scott Arthurs
  • Patent number: D933447
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: THE EASTERN COMPANY
    Inventors: Scott Arthurs, Lee S. Weinerman
  • Patent number: D939457
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: The Eastern Company
    Inventors: Lee S. Weinerman, Keith Braun, James Paxitzis