Weather-resistant lock
AssigneeUnited States Postal Service
InventorsWilliam Albert Tartal, Donald Eugene Irwin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lock can include attack-resistant and/or weather-resistant features. Attack-resistant features can include a sacrificial link between a locking mechanism and an external keyway covering an exterior face of the locking mechanism. The sacrificial link can break during a torque attack on the lock such that the full force of the torque attack is not applied to the locking mechanism. Weather-resistant features can include drain openings in one or more housing components external to the locking mechanism to facilitate drainage of liquid matter from the lock before the liquid matter reaches the locking mechanism.
Claims16
A lock comprising:
- a locking mechanism comprising a keyway and one or more tab openings, the locking mechanism configured to receive a key blade for actuating the locking mechanism;
- and
- an external structure comprising:
- a housing at least partially surrounding the locking mechanism, the housing comprising an internal section disposed about the locking mechanism and an external section aligned with the keyway, the external section comprising a first drain opening and a well aligned with the keyway of the locking mechanism;
- an external keyway structure retained within the well and comprising one or more tabs configured to interlock with the one or more tab openings to rotationally couple the external keyway structure to the locking mechanism;
- a scalp at least partially covering the external section and comprising a second drain opening aligned with the first drain opening;
- and
- a cylinder seal disposed at least partially between the scalp and the locking mechanism, the cylinder seal comprising a third drain opening aligned with the first and second drain openings.
A method of manufacturing a lock, the method comprising:
- providing a locking mechanism comprising a keyway and one or more tab openings, the locking mechanism configured to receive a key blade for actuating the locking mechanism;
- inserting the locking mechanism at least partially into an internal section of a housing, the housing further comprising an external section aligned with the keyway and having a first drain opening therein, the external section comprising a well aligned with the keyway of the locking mechanism;
- inserting, into the well, an external keyway structure comprising one or more tabs configured to interlock with the one or more tab openings to rotationally couple the external keyway structure to the locking mechanism;
- coupling a cylinder seal to the external section of the housing such that a second drain opening in the cylinder seal is aligned with the first drain opening;
- and
- at least partially covering the external section of the housing with a scalp comprising a third drain opening such that the cylinder seal is disposed at least partially between the scalp and the locking mechanism, and such that the third drain opening is aligned with the first and second drain openings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.