Patents Examined by Robert L. Wolfe
  • Patent number: 5024069
    Abstract: A lock apparatus for locking the steering wheel of a vehicle includes an elongate member, a pair of hook members fixedly secured to one end of the elongate member, and a lock assembly pivotally mounted on the elongate member. The lock assembly pivots to a locking position where it cooperates with the hook members to secure the steering wheel of a vehicle between it and the hook members and away from the locking position to release the steering wheel. The opposite end of the elongate member engages the seat, door panel or other portion of the passenger compartment of a vehicle proximate the steering wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1991
    Inventors: Edwin J. Hull, Jr., Charles R. Johnson
  • Patent number: 5022242
    Abstract: An adjustable lock for a cassette tape player for preventing the theft and unauthorized use of the cassette tape player is disclosed. The adjustable lock comprises a housing mounted outside of a tape receiving chamber. The housing has a hook extending rearwardly and laterally outwardly therefrom so as to be insertable into one end of the tape slot in the cassette tape player and a bolt extending rearwardly and laterally outwardly from the housing whereby the engaging end of the bolt is insertable into the end of a tape slot opposite the hook. The adjustable lock also includes a tubular key lock assembly which mounted on the face of the housing is operationally associated with the bolt. In particular, the tubular key lock assembly is adapted to extend or retract the bolt by a distance rearwardly from the housing which is adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1991
    Assignee: Calibro Corporation
    Inventor: Darius A. Povilaitis
  • Patent number: 5022691
    Abstract: A side lock (20) for a roll-up door (21) mounted on a body includes a keeper (27) mounted on a jamb (23) adjacent an access opening (22). A hook member (28) is pivotally mounted on a panel (25) and is arranged to selectively engage a catch (59) mounted on the keeper. The hook member has an upper cam surface (76) and a concave surface (78). The hook member also has a lower cam surface (75) which is adapted to selectively engage the catch when the door is lowered to selectively displace the hook member against the opposing bias of a spring (91) to permit the tip (66) of the hook member to pass beneath the catch. The improved side lock is self-tightening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1991
    Assignee: Whiting Roll-Up Door Mfg. Corp.
    Inventor: Roy T. Clay, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5022243
    Abstract: A latching system comprises a notched post assembly, a post gripping assembly and a handle assembly, and, in preferred embodiments, a lock assembly associated with the handle assembly, wherein the notched post assembly is comprised of an elongated post formed at one end with at least two opposing, axially extending rows of notches or teeth and alternately disposed smooth surfaces and the post gripping assembly comprises a channel for accepting the notched end of the post and comprises movable cam elements which cooperate with the notches of the post to effect the primary latching function of the system; and wherein the unlatching of the post from the channel is accomplished by rotating the post to disengage the notches and the cam elements. A pick-resisting improvement to the cylinder lock assembly includes facial piece defined with a plurality of knobs protruding partly into the key entry passage of the lock assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1991
    Assignee: Star Lock Company
    Inventors: Donald Embry, Woodrow C. Stillwagon
  • Patent number: 5022247
    Abstract: A key holder arrangement for one or a plurality of spare keys, with which advertising may be effectively used, comprising a planar base member approximately the size of a typical business card, and of a thickness approximating the thickness of a key. The base member has opposing faces thereon, and one or more cutouts therein, each cutout being of a size closely conforming to the key to be received, such that the key can be frictionally retained therein. One of the faces of the base member is coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive, with a backer sheet normally residing on the pressure sensitive adhesive, to prevent the base member from adhering to an extraneous object. The backer sheet is to be readily peeled away from the adhesive preparatory to the placement of the backside of a business card in contact with the adhesive, and in careful alignment with the base member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1991
    Inventor: J. Frederick Beck
  • Patent number: 5020345
    Abstract: A self-locking electronic lock system is illustrated in association with safe doors having a door locking bolt works manipulated between door open and door locked positions by a door mounted handle. The bolt works includes a link which moves the door bolts and in turn is locked by an electronic lock in accordance with the present disclosure. The electronic lock has a spring bias bolt normally biased into a locking gate provided on the link and is operated to a withdrawn position by an associated digital input electronic signal generating means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1991
    Assignee: La Gard, Inc.
    Inventors: Klaus W. Gartner, Alan K. Uyeda, Peter J. Phillips
  • Patent number: 5020346
    Abstract: A permutation lock, particularly for storage compartments, has a variable combination such that an opening combination corresponds to a combination to which the lock was set by advancement of the bolt into the locked position. The lock has an emergency opening mechanism which can be activated and deactivated by key actuation. To increase the security value with simple actuation of the permutation lock, the emergency opening mechanism can be deactivated only by means of a reactivation key which can be inserted into a lock cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1991
    Assignee: Schulte-Schlagbaum Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Armin Eisermann
  • Patent number: 5020349
    Abstract: A tumbler pin lock system comprises a lock mechanism and a key. The lock mechanism has an outer tubular casing mounted to a frame of a computer or similar electrical device. The tubular casing has an central through hole for rotatably receiving a locking spindle. The locking spindle includes a driver pin sleeve having a set of bore holes, each for receiving a driver pin. A rotating shaft protrudes from a first side of the driver pin sleeve, and a protrusion with a keyway slot protrudes from a second side of the driver pin sleeve. A tumbler sleeve is provided on the rotating shaft and is fixed to the tubular casing. The tumbler sleeve has a distributed annular set of blind holes, each for receiving a tumbler spring and a tumbler pin, which are alignable with the bore holes in the driver pin sleeve. A shielding ring having an eccentric flange is received in a key-end of the tubular casing to shield some of the driver pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1991
    Inventor: Miko Lee
  • Patent number: 5020348
    Abstract: A double ended key ring includes a housing and a cover which are pivotally connected. A bias mechanism urges the housing and cover into an open position thereby providing access to an opening therebetween for mounting or removing keys or keyholders. A latch mechanism is pivotally mounted relative to the housing for releasably holding the cover in the closed position. The entire bias mechanism and the latch mechanism is effectively concealed when the key ring is in the engaged or closed position, in which position the removal of keyholders is precluded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1991
    Assignee: Linden D. Nelson
    Inventor: Robert A. Scungio
  • Patent number: 5018374
    Abstract: This invention is a bicycle lock, comprising a two-way horizontal swivel bicycle frame clamp which is secured by a nut and bolt to the bicycle frame. The clamp wraps around the bicycle frame just below the seat post and is secured in place by said nut and bolt. The lock also includes a 90.degree. pivot rod, one end of which is connected to said clamp and acts as a hinge, allowing the unit to move back and forth in a horizontal direction. Also included is a two-way cylinder which is attached to said pivot rod, permitting the unit to move back and forth in a vertical direction similar to the movement of a hinge. There are also flat metal tracks such that one end of one track is attached to said cylinder and the other end is connected to the other tracks, one after another in line, and held together by means of rivets. The rivets slide along the inside of the tracks, acting as a swivel and also allowing the tracks to extend or retract.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1991
    Inventor: Venses J. Montano
  • Patent number: 5018373
    Abstract: A lock for a sliding door includes front and rear housing members that clamp front and rear faces of a door panel adjacent an opening that is formed through the door panel. Aligned cavities in the front and rear housing members cooperate with the opening to provide a compartment that mounts a latch bolt member for forward and rearward movement. The latch bolt member has a rearwardly extending formation that projects through a hole formed in the rear housing member for selectively engaging structure located behind the door to releasably latch the door in its closed position. An operating mechanism connects with the latch bolt member and includes components that extend forwardly and rearwardly through aligned openings formed through the front and rear housing members to enable the latch bolt member to be moved forwardly and rearwardly between unlatched and latched positions, and to releasably retain the latch bolt member its unlatched and latched positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1991
    Assignee: The Eastern Company
    Inventors: Lee S. Weinerman, Joel T. Vargus
  • Patent number: 5016453
    Abstract: A timer controlled lock operating device for a refrigerator or the like is provided and consists of a plate affixed to the side wall of the refrigerator, a link chain having one end secured to the plate, a housing affixed to the front door of the refrigerator, a shackle extending from within the housing and engaging an opposite end of the link chain, and a mechanism within the housing for opening the shackle at a predetermined period of time so that a person can remove the link chain from the shackle and open the front door of the refrigerator to gain access therein to obtain food.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1991
    Inventors: Richard Bonnice, George Spector
  • Patent number: 5014529
    Abstract: An extensible car lock comprising a lock handle and an extensible rod assembled with the lock handle and inserted extensible in the interior of the lock handle such that the whole length of the car lock can be adjusted by pulling the extensible rod outward or inward to mount this car lock on the steering wheel with help of two hooks provided on the lock handle and the extensible rod, and then the dead bolt of the lock provided at the front end of the lock handle can be extended through a hole in the lock handle and one of the plurality of dead bolt holes in the extensible rod for locking the car lock on the steering wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1991
    Inventor: Wen-Yin Wu
  • Patent number: 5014530
    Abstract: An automotive theft preventing circuit including a battery, ignition switch and starter connected in series. An anti-theft device connected in series therewith comprising a metallic adjusting screws contact plate and a spring loaded contact pins plate underneath it. A coded plastic card is underneath the last-mentioned plate having a plurality of upstanding pins and a plurality of holes in vertical and horizontal alignment with openings in the spring-loaded contact pins plate. Some of the metallic screws are surrounded by insulation to make the circuit more theft-proof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1991
    Inventor: Donald Humphries, Sr.
  • Patent number: 5012659
    Abstract: An electronic locking device consisting of a lock and key cards and the lock electronics of which has a data storage and which can be coupled with a mobile printer which can be connected to the lock electronics and retrieve data, the locking device having an insert shaft for the key cards in which shaft a card reader is arranged and which shaft is provided at its end with a socket device connected to the lock electronics for a card-shaped coupling element of the printer which can be inserted into the insert shaft and has electrical contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1991
    Assignee: Schulte-Schlagbaum Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Armin Eisermann
  • Patent number: 5012935
    Abstract: A support frame for a semiconductor wafer carrier is disclosed, which comprises a guide means to guide and hold said carrier in position and a wafer stopper means located in the central area of the support frame for washing or other processing of semiconductor wafers housed in a carrier located in a vessel. The respective semiconductor wafers housed in a carrier located in position in the support frame are slightly lifted with the lowermost portion of the wafers abutting against the wafer stopper means to thereby contact the whole surface of the wafers with the liquid in a vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 7, 1991
    Inventor: Seiichiro Aigo
  • Patent number: 5010752
    Abstract: A structure for controlling the dead bolt in an electronic lock, wherein rotation of a turning button set on the inside knob can make a clutch engage with or separated from a turning disc so that rotation of the outside knob either can pull in the dead bolt or can only move idly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1991
    Assignee: Taiwan Fu Hsing Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ruey J. Lin
  • Patent number: 5011352
    Abstract: A fastener includes a threaded pin and an internally threaded collar. The threads can freely be run without impediment during tightening. After the fastener is tightened, a tool engages a shoulder on the collar and presses a deflector against the collar on the pin to deflect it so as to form a lock against loosening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1991
    Assignee: Hi-Shear Corporation
    Inventor: Edwin E. Hatter
  • Patent number: 5010754
    Abstract: An actuator for a lock is provided with a operating handle which may be easily removed through the use of a special key and may also be reinstalled without the use of the special key or tools. The actuator may be "rekeyed" as necessary to maintain security and removal of the handle will lock the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1991
    Assignee: Lori Corporation
    Inventors: Nelson J. De Angelo, Kenneth T. Theriault
  • Patent number: 5010746
    Abstract: An improved bicycle lock, featuring a U-shaped shackle, a cross bar and means for securing one to the other, is disclosed. The means for securing the shackle to the cross bar also functions as a fulcrum, permitting a tilting movement between the two parts, required in assembling and dissassembling them. The means further includes a locking mechanism removably mounted in the cross bar in between the shackle's legs, and features a dead bolt. The cross bar extends beyond the shackle's legs less than twice the diameter of one of those legs, resulting in a compact and sturdy design. A plastic cover encloses at least the cross bar and is preferably formed of two parts slidably fitted over the cross bar, with means for securing the two parts to one another. Preferably, an environmental protection means is provided for the locking mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1991
    Assignee: Kryptonite Corporation
    Inventors: Michael S. Zane, Peter L. Zane