Locking mechanism
OwnerJesse Marcelle, Glenn Meekmainventors
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Abstract
This invention and disclosure are directed to apparatus and methods for securing a lock from being unlocked by an unauthorized method or mechanism. Apparatus and methods are disclosed herein regarding positioning of shackles and latch members of locking mechanisms. In one embodiment of the invention apparatus and methods incorporate a spring to bias a shackle within a lock. The biasing of the shackle positions a latch member in such a manner to offer greater security against unauthorized opening of a lock.
Claims20
A lock comprising:
- a. a lock housing;
- b. a shackle moveably coupled to the lock housing, the shackle defining a recess;
- c. a locking mechanism assembled in the lock housing comprising:
- i. a latch member selectively engageable with a surface defined by the recess;
- and
- ii. a stop member that limits movement of the latch member;
- and
- d. a shackle biasing member selectively biasing the shackle in a first direction such that the surface defined by the recess engages the latch member to inhibit movement of the latch member with respect to the shackle.
A lock comprising:
- a. a lock housing;
- b. a shackle moveably coupled to the lock housing;
- c. a locking mechanism assembled in the housing including a latch member;
- and
- d. a shackle biasing member selectively biasing the shackle in a first direction such that the shackle selectively engages the latch member to inhibit movement of the latch member in a second direction.
A lock comprising:
- a. a lock housing;
- b. a shackle moveably coupled to the lock housing;
- c. a locking mechanism assembled in the lock housing comprising:
- i. a latch member selectively engageable with the shackle;
- and
- ii. a stop member that limits movement of the latch member;
- and
- d. a shackle biasing member selectively biasing the shackle in a first direction such that the shackle engages the latch member to inhibit movement of the latch member with respect to the shackle.
A method for inhibiting movement of a latch member in a lock comprising the steps of:
- a. biasing a shackle in a first direction;
- b. engaging the shackle to the latch member to urge the latch member in the first direction;
- and
- c. inhibiting the movement of the latch member with respect to the shackle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.