Padlock with fully integrated dual unlocking system
AssigneeThe Sun Lock Company Ltd.
InventorKarl Lai
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A padlock with a dual unlocking system, namely, a key mechanism and a combination mechanism. The key mechanism has a bolt or latch passing through a pole/pole cover secured around a portion of a shackle, the bolt in contact with the shackle so as to prevent movement of the shackle relative to the key mechanism when the key mechanism is in a locked state. The bolt/latch is able to move relative to the shackle to allow the shackle to move relative to the housing and pole so as to release the toe of the shackle from the housing when the key mechanism is in an unlocked state. The combination mechanism allows clutches to move relative to the housing into a lock open position when dials are in an opening combination that allows the pole to move relative to the housing so as to release the toe.
Claims19
A padlock comprising:
- a shackle having a short leg portion, a long leg portion, and a toe at an end of the short leg portion and a heel at the end of the long leg portion;
- a housing having holes formed therein dimensioned to receive the toe and the heel of the shackle;
- the heel of the shackle positioned inside the housing, the shackle movable between an unlocked position with the toe positioned away from the housing to a locked position with the toe inside the housing;
- a pole and a pole cover secured around a portion of the long leg of the shackle,
- a key mechanism having a locked state and an unlocked state, the key mechanism including a tumbler for receipt of a key, and a shackle contacting member, the shackle contacting member passing through a slot formed in the pole/pole cover, the shackle contacting member in contact with the shackle so as to prevent movement of the shackle relative to the key mechanism when the key mechanism is in the locked state, the shackle contacting member able to move in the housing relative to the shackle so as to allow the shackle to move relative to both the housing and pole/pole cover so as to release the toe from the housing when the key mechanism is in the unlocked state;
- the pole connected to a combination mechanism, the combination mechanism having a clutch-end engaged with slopes formed in the pole when the combination mechanism is in a locked state, the combination mechanism including a spindle placed in proximity to dials and an overall clutch comprising a plurality of clutches such that when the dials are in an opening combination, extended protrusions of the spindle align with opening gaps of the clutches that allows the clutches to move relative to the housing into a lock open position that allows the pole/pole cover to move relative to the housing so as to release the toe of the shackle from the housing when the shackle is pulled away from the housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.