Locking device and methods
AssigneeSerio-Us Industries, Inc.
InventorsDavid L. Reeb, James L. Martin, II
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a locking device for containers, such as waste containers. The locking device comprises a rolling member. When the locking device is in its upright position, the rolling member blocks the locking device from being able to rotate to an open position. When the locking device is tilted, the rolling member rolls to its release position which allows the locking device to rotate to the open position. The locking device also include a manual release mechanism for a user to manually place the rolling member into the release position, so that he/she can manually open the locking device when it is in the upright position.
Claims20
A locking device with a housing having a cavity therein, the cavity houses a locking mechanism, the locking mechanism comprising:
- a. a shaft protruding through the housing and rotatable around a central axis of the shaft;
- b. a cam fixed to a perimeter of the shaft;
- c. a locking bar extending from and non-rotatably connected to the shaft;
- and
- d. a rolling member disposed in a slot within the housing, wherein when the rolling member is located at a first end of the slot, the rolling member abuts the cam and blocks the cam from rotating, thereby blocking the shaft from rotating to an open position,
- wherein when the rolling member is located at a second end of the slot, the rolling member is remote from the cam to allow the shaft to rotate to the open position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.