Lock box with obstruction free interior and improved method of locking

Abstract

A lock box with an obstruction free interior is provided that comprises a locking mechanism that has all of its internal moving components attached solely to the lid, making it easy for the user to put items into or take items out of the box. Furthermore, the locking mechanism is constructed so that locking and unlocking the box requires only the simple step of locking or unlocking the padlock.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional application Ser. No. 60/672,770 filed on Apr. 19, 2005.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Lock or gang boxes are commonly used by contractors in the construction industry to provide a secure place for them to store their tools safely overnight or during other periods when they are not present to prevent others from taking their tools. These lock boxes typically use padlocks that are part of a locking mechanism which keeps the lid of the box closed and prevents its opening after the tools have been placed within the box and the padlock has been locked. Frequently, the padlock is situated within a pocket such that its body only partially protrudes therefrom even when the padlock is in an open configuration and the shank is substantially inaccessible at all times, preventing someone from cutting it with bolt cutters.

The disadvantage that these prior art lock boxes have is that they all have some of the internal moving parts of the locking mechanism attached to the front panel of the lock box. The resulting structure, which is necessary to accommodate the moving parts of the locking mechanism, creates obstructions that reduce the user's accessibility to the inside of the box for storage and also creates catch points upon which items may get stuck when trying to remove items from the box. Accordingly, there exists a need for a lock box that has a locking mechanism that maximizes the accessibility to the interior of the box and minimizes the difficulty of taking items out of the box.

Furthermore, some of these prior art boxes require that the padlock be removed before the box can be opened. This can lead to the padlock being lost, creating frustration and additional cost for replacing the padlock for the end user. Other prior art boxes require that some lever or other member that is connected to the locking mechanism be moved after the padlock has been unlocked to actually unlock the box. These same boxes require that this same lever be moved back to a locked position before the padlock and box can be locked. This is an inefficient method for locking and unlocking boxes and an improvement is needed in order to reduce the time it takes for a user to lock and unlock such a box.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention includes a lock box that has a lid, a side panel, and a locking mechanism that has all of its internal moving components attached solely to the lid. This allows a user to easily access the interior of the lock box when the box is open, without creating obstructions for putting items into the box or catch points for taking items out of the box. This box may also include a padlock that is also attached to the lid and that is substantially inaccessible from the outside, preventing any tampering with the locking mechanism and enhancing the security of the lock box.

A lock box that has a lid, a right side panel, a left side panel, a bottom panel, a front panel, and a back panel may also achieve the present invention. It also includes a locking mechanism that has a padlock and internal moving components that are all attached solely to the lid, allowing a user to easily access the interior of the lock box when the box is open. The construction of the locking mechanism may also be such that unlocking or locking the padlock is all that is necessary to lock and or unlock the box without having to move another lever or member that is connected to the locking mechanism or remove the padlock.

This construction allows a user to use the lock box in the following manner. The user unlocks the padlock, which causes the locking mechanism to be unlocked without having to remove the padlock from the lock box or move another member that is part of the locking mechanism. Then the user pulls up on the lid so that the interior of the box can be accessed. Then the user can place an object into or take an object out of the box. Then the user pushes down on the lid until the padlock is ready to be locked. Finally, the padlock is locked, which causes the locking mechanism to lock the box without having to move a lever or another member that is mechanically coupled to the locking mechanism or having to attach a padlock to the box.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lock box of the preferred embodiment of the present invention having a lid of the lock box in an open configuration;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a lock box of the preferred embodiment of the present invention having a lid of the lock box in a closed and locked configuration;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the locking mechanism of the lock box of FIG. 2 taken along section line 3-3;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the locking mechanism of the lock box of FIG. 3 in an open configuration;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the locking mechanism, removed from the lock box;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the locking mechanism of FIG. 5, removed from the lock box;

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the locking mechanism of FIG. 5, removed from the lock box;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the locking mechanism of FIG. 5 taken along section line 8-8;

FIG. 9 is a partially exploded side elevational view of the locking mechanism components;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the shroud; and

FIG. 11 is a-perspective view of the locking tang.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Looking at FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown the preferred embodiment of a lock box 10 that satisfies the aforementioned need. It comprises, in part, a lid 11, a front panel 12, a right side panel 14, a left side panel 16, a back panel 18, a bottom panel 20, skids 22, handles 24, a locking mechanism 26, locking support arms 28, and finger slot 29. FIG. 1 shows the lock box 10 in an open configuration where the locking support arms 28 are temporarily fixed using known means, allowing the user to place tools into the box 10 without fear of the lid 11 falling onto some part of the user, causing injury. It should be noted that the entire locking mechanism 26 is attached only to the lid 11, minimizing any obstructions that could get in the way of the user placing items into or removing items from the space found between the front panel 12, right side panel 14, left side panel 16, back panel 18, and bottom panel 20 of the lock box 10.

Once the user has placed all the items, such as tools, he wishes into the lock box 10, he can then disengage the locking support arms 28, allowing him to then pull onto the lid 11, which is hingedly connected to the top of the back panel 18, until it bottoms out onto the top of the front panel 12, right side panel 14, left side panel 16, and back panel 18. Finally, the user pushes onto the padlock 30 until it locks, causing the locking mechanism 26 to engage the front panel 12 of the lock box 10 without having to move another member that is part of the locking mechanism 26 or attaching the padlock 30. The lock box 10 is now locked, preventing anyone from lifting the lid 11 and accessing the items contained therein.

When the lock box 10 is in this closed configuration as shown in FIG. 2, the padlock 30 is substantially inaccessible making any tampering with it impractical. Furthermore, the user can then move the lock box 10 easily by lifting and pulling onto one of the handles 24, one of which is attached near the top of the exterior of the right panel 14 while the other is attached to the top of the exterior of the left panel 16, until the lock box 10 slides on one of the skids 22, which is attached to the underside of the bottom panel 20 and is opposite of that handle 24. Alternatively, the box 10 could roll on casters (not shown), which can be attached via prepunched holes (not shown) located on the bottom of the skids 22.

Referring now to FIGS. 3-7, the construction of the locking mechanism 26 and the way it works can be clearly seen. The locking mechanism 26 comprises a padlock 30, a shroud 32, a connecting rod 34, locking tangs 36, a keep 38, screws 42, and flanges 44. The open configuration of the locking mechanism 26 is created in the following manner. First, the user uses the key to unlock the padlock 30 by inserting a key into the keyhole 45 located at the front of the body 46 of the padlock 30. Then the internal spring 31 of the padlock 30 causes the body 46 of the padlock 30 to move away from the generally hook shaped shank 48, which is fixedly attached to the shroud 32. This creates an extra half-inch of clearance between the body 46 of the padlock 30 and the shank 48. Then the three locking tangs 36, which are fixedly attached to the connecting rod 34, are free to rotate away from the front panel 12 until they reach an equilibrium position where there is no interference between them and the lip 50 located near the top of the front panel 12. This motion is created because the moment about the center of the connecting rod 34 that is produced by the hook portion 52 of the locking tang 36 is greater than that created by the push tab portion 54 of the locking tang 36.

Once this open configuration of the locking mechanism 26 has been achieved, then the user, who places his hand within the finger slot 29 located at the front edge 51 of the lid 11 and pulls upward, can open the lid 11. It should be noted that no movement of another lever or other member that is part of the locking mechanism 26 is necessary to unlock the box 10 unlike other boxes. Also, the user does not need to remove the padlock 30 from the box 10. These features save time and prevent user frustration.

Conversely, the closed configuration is achieved in the following manner. First, the user pushes onto the padlock 30, overcoming the internal spring 31 force until the body 46 of the padlock 30 contacts the push tab portion 54 of the locking tang 36, overcoming the moment produced by the weight of the hook portion 52 of the locking tang 36. This causes all three locking tangs 36 and the connecting rod 34 to rotate until the padlock 30 locks and the hook portions 52 of all three locking tangs 36 are caught beneath the lip 50 of the front panel 12. The lid 11 cannot be lifted at this point until the padlock 30 is unlocked. There will often be a slight gap between the locking tangs 36 and the lip 50 of the front panel 12 even after the padlock 30 has been locked due to manufacturing tolerances. Therefore, it is advantageous to have a piece of rubber (not shown) or some other suitably resilient material to take up this slop and prevent any unwanted rattling between the locking tang 36 and the lip 50 of the front panel 12.

FIGS. 8, 9, 10, and 11 show how the locking mechanism 26 is assembled and attached to the lid 11 of the lock box 10. First, the shroud 32 is inserted through an opening located in the front edge 51 of the lid 11. This shroud 32 is configured to support, house, and protect the padlock 30. Then the center locking tang 36 is inserted from the bottom of the shroud 32 until its hole 56 aligns with the side holes 58 (only one of which is shown) of the shroud 32. Next, the connecting rod 34 slides through the holes 56, 58 of the shroud 32 and locking tang 36. Then, the flanges 44 are slid onto either end of the connecting rod 34 and positioned equidistant distance from the centerline of the shroud 32 where they are welded onto the underside of the lid 11. Next, the outside locking tangs 36 are slid onto the connecting rod 34. Then, all three locking tangs 36 are welded onto the connecting rod 34 in such a way that they are all substantially aligned. Next, the padlock 30 is inserted into the shroud 32 until its shank 48 bottoms out on the back of the shroud 32. Then the keep 38 is inserted from the bottom of the shroud 32 such that it captures the inside surface of the shank 48 of the padlock 30, holding the shank 48 of the padlock 30 in a fixed orientation. Finally, the keep 38 is held into place vertically by the screws 42, which are fastened onto the shroud 32 (best seen in FIGS. 3, 4, 8, and 9). The locking mechanism 26 is then ready to operate.

It should also be noted that the flanges 44 and shroud 32 are affixed to the lid 11 such that their rear surfaces press up against the bolster panel 60 that is also attached to the underside of the lid 11. The bolster panel 60 provides increased rigidity to the lid 11, helping to prevent anyone from prying the box 10 open. This enhances the overall security of the box 10.

As can be seen, this embodiment provides a lock box 10 that does not have any movable components of the locking mechanism 26 attached to any side panel, resulting in easy access to its interior. Furthermore, the locking mechanism 26 is constructed such that no movement of another member of the locking mechanism 26 is necessary to lock or unlock the box 10, nor is it necessary to remove the padlock 30 at anytime. It should be appreciated that the spirit and scope of this invention could be achieved with other types of mechanisms including those that operate in a similar manner but only vary the number and position of locking tangs 36 and padlocks 30. Therefore, the scope of this invention should be interpreted in view of the attached claims.

Claims

1. A lock box with an interior and exterior comprising:

a lid;

a side panel; and

a locking mechanism that has all of its internal moving components attached solely to the lid, allowing a user to easily access the interior of the lock box when the box is open.

2. The lock box of claim 1 wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a padlock that is also only attached to the lid, said padlock being substantially inaccessible from the exterior of the box when the box is closed and locked, preventing someone from tampering with the locking mechanism.

3. A lock box comprising:

a lid, a bottom panel, a front panel, a right side panel, a left side panel, a back panel, which all define an exterior and an interior of the box; and

a locking mechanism that includes a padlock and internal moving components that are all attached solely to the lid, allowing a user to easily access the interior of the lock box when the box is open.

4. The lock box of claim 3 wherein the internal moving components of the locking mechanism comprise a connecting rod that is attached to the underside of the lid and at least one locking tang that is attached to the connecting rod and that can be engaged by the padlock, allowing the user to lock the padlock which, in turn, causes the locking tang to engage one of the panels of the lock box, locking the box.

5. The lock box of claim 4 wherein the front panel of the lock box includes a lip near its top portion and the locking tang includes a push tab portion above its attachment to the connecting rod and a hook portion located below its attachment to the connecting rod, said padlock being capable of engaging the push tab portion of the locking tang, causing the locking tang to rotate about its attachment to the connecting rod until the hook portion engages the underside of the lip of the front panel, locking the box.

6. The lock box of claim 5 wherein the padlock includes a body and a shank, and the push tab portion of the locking tang is located between the body of the padlock and the shank so that when the padlock is locked, the body of the padlock pushes against the push tab portion of the locking tang, causing the hook portion to engage the front lip of the front panel of the lock box.

7. The lock box of claim 6 wherein the hook portion of the locking tang is substantially heavier than the push tab portion of the locking tang so that when a user unlocks the padlock, the weight of the hook portion of the locking tang causes the locking tang to rotate until the push tab portion follows the movement of the body of the padlock and the hook portion of the locking tang no longer engages the front lip of the lock box, causing the lock box to be unlocked.

8. The lock box of claim 7 wherein the attachment of the locking tang is fixed with respect to the connecting rod, which is rotatively attached to the lid, and wherein the locking mechanism further comprises at least one more locking tang that is also fixedly attached to the connecting rod at a predetermined distance away from the first locking tang, said additional locking tang being substantially in alignment with the first locking tang so that the second locking tang will engage the front lip of the front panel at substantially the same time as the first locking tang.

9. The lock box of claim 8 which further comprises a shroud that is fixedly attached to the front portion of the lid, said shroud having an opening on its bottom, and a keep which can be inserted through the bottom of the shroud and fastened thereto, whereby a user can insert a padlock through the front of the shroud until its shank bottoms out against the rear of the shroud and can insert the keep so that the keep captures the inside surface of the shank and holds the shank in a fixed position.

10. The lock box of claim 9 wherein the shroud further comprises a slot on its bottom through which the first locking tang extends and two holes on either of the shroud through which the connecting rod extends, allowing the first locking tang to rotate with the connecting rod while its push tab portion is located between the shank and body of the padlock.

11. The lock box of claim 10 wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a third locking tang that is fixedly attached to the connecting rod at a predetermined distance away from the first locking tang, said third locking tang being in substantial alignment with the first locking tang so that the third locking tang will engage the lip of the front panel at substantially the same time as the first locking tang.

12. The lock box of claim 11 wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a flange that is fastened to the underside of the lid and through which the connecting rod passes, said flange being located between the first and second locking tangs and helping to support the weight of the locking mechanism.

13. The lock box of claim 12 wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a second flange that is fastened to the underside of the lid and through which the connecting rod passes, said flange being located between the first and third locking tangs and helping to support the weight of the locking mechanism.

14. The lock box of claim 13 which further includes a resilient member underneath the lip of the front panel, eliminating any slop between the lip and any locking tang that is caused by manufacturing tolerances.

15. The method of using a lock box, which includes a lid and a locking mechanism having a padlock, comprising the following steps:

unlocking the padlock which causes the lock mechanism to be unlocked without having to remove the padlock from the lock box or move another member that is part of the locking mechanism; and

pulling up on the lid so that the interior of the box can be accessed.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of putting an object into or taking an object out of the lock box.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising the following steps:

pushing on the lid until the lid is closed; and

pushing on the padlock until the padlock and the locking mechanism of the box are locked without having to move another member of the locking mechanism or put the padlock back onto the box.