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.

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.

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.

Abstract: A latch (202) includes a catch jaw (210) which is operative to releasably engage a post. A release pawl (212) is operative to hold the catch jaw in a latched jaw position, and upon movement of the release pawl, enables the catch jaw to move to an unlatched jaw position. In an unlocked condition of the latch, movement of a handle (206) is operative to enable the latch to change from the latched to unlatched condition. The latch includes a keylock (240) and an electrical actuator (308). Each of the keylock and the electrical actuator are operative to independently change the condition of the latch between locked and unlocked conditions.

Abstract: A lock includes: a plug housing rotatable about a central axis to unlatch a closure when the lock is in an unlocked state, wherein the plug housing defines a plug passage therein along the central axis and an intersecting pin slot through a side wall thereof; a plug rotatable within the plug passage to transition the lock between unlocked and locked states, wherein an inner portion thereof defines a helical groove that extends into the intersection of the plug passage and pin slot; and a stop linearly movable parallel to the central axis between inward and outward positions to place the lock in unlocked and locked states, respectively, wherein a stop pin of the stop extends through the pin slot and into the helical groove to interact therewith such that turning the plug causes the stop to linearly move between the inward and outward positions.

Abstract: A tie down (10, 116, 122, 128) is used for connecting a connecting member (58) such as a rope, cord, chain, wire or hook into operative connection with a supporting structure such as a wall (66). The tie down includes an annular base (16) and a centerpiece (32). An eye (36) is movably mounted in connection with the centerpiece to facilitate the engagement of the eye with a connecting member. A light ring (28, 128) includes at least one light (30). The at least one light is selectively operative to surroundingly illuminate the centerpiece and the eye.

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.

Abstract: An actuator (24, 528, 606, 646, 670, 700, 702) is configured to cause a latch assembly (22, 322, 422, 522, 526, 604, 644, 668, 694) to be changed from a closed condition in which an item is latched, to an open condition in which the item is unlatched. A catch jaw (30, 530, 690) is operative in a first position to engage a member (106) connected to the item when the latch assembly is in the closed condition. The catch jaw in a second position enables the member to disengage from the catch jaw when the latch assembly is in the open condition. The actuator assembly includes a drive (152, 526, 608, 706) and a gear system (157, 563, 610, 712). The gear system is operative to move a release member (174, 538, 612, 722, 764). The release member is configured to be in operative connection with the catch jaw such that the movement of the release member causes the catch jaw to be enabled to move to the second position.

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.

Abstract: A latch is provided for latching and automatically unlatching a lid from a waste container. The latch mechanism includes a release weight that moves responsive to gravity in a housing from a first position to a second position to cause the latch to disengage from a striker when the latch is rotated to a dump angular orientation. The latch includes a damper that controls movement of the release weight in the housing such that an amount of time for the release weight to move responsive to gravity from the first position to the second position is at least two times an amount of time the release weight would take to move responsive to gravity from the first position to the second position absent the effect of the damper.

Abstract: A latch is usable for latching and automatically unlatching a lid operative to close a bin of a waste container. The latch includes a release weight that is moveable responsive to gravity from a first position to a second position to cause the latch to disengage from a release mechanism when the latch is rotated to one or more angular positions in a dump angular orientation. The latch and release mechanism are held in latched engagement when release slide bolts and latch slide bolts are engaged in extended positions. Movement of the release weight causes the latch slide bolts to move to retracted positions to enable disengagement of the release slide bolts and latch slide bolts. A release knob is operative responsive to manual movement in two different directions to enable the latch and release slide bolts to disengage.

Abstract: A latch is usable to latch and automatically unlatch a lid of a waste container. The latch includes a release weight that moves responsive to gravity in a housing from a first position to a second position to cause the latch to disengage from a release receptacle when the latch and the waste container are oriented in a dump angle orientation. The latch includes a rotary damper in the housing that controls movement of the release weight in the housing such that an amount of time for the release weight to move responsive to gravity from the first position to the second position is slower than the amount of time the release weight would move responsive to gravity from the first position to the second position in the housing absent the effect of the rotary damper on the release weight.

Abstract: Spring-projected latch bolt assemblies each having a retractable latch bolt component are used to upgrade commercially available lock operating mechanisms so that closures carrying the upgraded lock operating mechanisms can lock automatically when the closures reach their fully closed positions. To permit unobstructed closing of each closure, a normally extended component of each associated spring-projected latch bolt assembly retracts during a final segment of the closing of an associated closure, and snaps back to its fully extended position as the associated closure comes to rest in its fully closed position.