Security apparatus for ratchet type gunlocks
AssigneeSanta Cruz Gunlocks, LLC.
InventorTibor Kalman Zalavari
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A security apparatus for a ratchet type gunlock that has a ratchet for locking the gunlock. The security apparatus prevents the gunlock from being shimmed using shimming techniques well known in the art. A star-shaped cogwheel having asymmetrical teeth prevents the shim from reaching the locked ratchet. The security apparatus also provides an extended ratchet latching assembly that features a pivot and a unique shoe-shaped latch that attaches to a plunger via a ball head such that the connections provided between the three elements of the latching assembly enable the latching assembly to remain locked despite severe impact, wrenching or shaking, yet can be easily opened even once the forces being applied to the gunlock ceases even when the deformation to the gunlock is irreversible.
Claims11
An extended ratchet latch assembly for a gunlock having a pivotal ratchet arm with a plurality of ratchet teeth and said gunlock also having a casing such that said pivotal ratchet arm is locked to said casing wherein said extended ratchet latch assembly engages said pivotal ratchet arm, said extended ratchet latch assembly comprising:
- a convex pivot attached to said casing of said gunlock;
- and
- a plunger having a ball head affixed within said casing;
- and
- an extended ratchet latch having a rounded slot adapted to moveably engage with said ball head of said plunger to provide a ball joint connection;
- and wherein said extended ratchet latch further having a head with a concave sliding surface to provide a rotational connection to said convex pivot ;
- and wherein said ball point connection and said rotational connection provides a rotational displacement connection for said extended ratchet latch;
- and
- wherein said extended ratchet latch further comprises:
- two teeth dimensionally adapted to engage said ratchet teeth of said ratchet arm of said gunlock, wherein the first tooth locks said gunlock under normal use and the second tooth locks said gunlock when said gunlock is subjected to severe shaking or mechanical distortion forces being applied to said ratchet arm of said gunlock, such that said second tooth is at a greater radius from said convex pivot than said first tooth, thus causing said extended ratchet latch to wedge between said convex pivot and said ratchet arm of said gunlock, thus keeping said gunlock locked despite a gap that occurs between said ratchet arm and said convex pivot due to said rotational displacement ability of said extended ratchet latch;
- and such that when severe shaking or mechanical forces on said gunlock ceases, said rotational displacement connection of said latch assembly allows said gunlock to be opened even when deformation of said gunlock is irreversible.
An anti-shimming apparatus for a gunlock having a pivotal ratchet arm with a plurality of ratchet teeth and having a casing such that said pivotal ratchet arm is locked to said casing with a latch that engages at least one of said plurality of ratchet teeth on said pivotal ratchet arm;
- wherein said gunlock may be improperly opened by inserting a shim between said ratchet teeth and said latch, said anti-shimming apparatus comprising:
- a cogwheel placed in front of said latch, said cogwheel having a plurality of teeth to prevent said shim from reaching said latch and said shim from pushing down said latch to improperly open said gunlock.
An security apparatus to prevent unauthorized opening of a gunlock having a pivotal ratchet arm with a plurality of ratchet teeth and said gunlock also having a casing such that said pivotal ratchet arm is locked to said casing;
- wherein said security apparatus comprises:
- an extended ratchet latch assembly attached to said casing which serves to lock said pivotal ratchet arm to said casing;
- and
- an anti-shimming apparatus attached to said casing in front of said extended ratchet latch assembly;
- wherein said extended ratchet latch assembly further comprises:
- a convex pivot attached to said casing of said gunlock;
- a plunger having a ball head affixed within said housing;
- an extended ratchet latch having a rounded slot adapted to moveably engage with said ball head of said plunger to provide a ball joint connection;
- and wherein said extended ratchet latch further having a head with a concave sliding surface to provide a rotational connection to said pivot;
- wherein said ball point connection and said rotational connection provides a rotational displacement connection of said extended ratchet latch ;
- and wherein said extended ratchet latch further comprises:
- two teeth, adjacent to one another and dimensionally adapted to engage said ratchet teeth of said ratchet arm of said gunlock;
- wherein said first tooth locks said gunlock under normal use and said second tooth that locks said gunlock when said gunlock is subjected to severe shaking or mechanical distortion forces being applied to said ratchet arm of said gunlock, such that said second tooth is at a greater radius from said convex pivot than said first tooth, thus causing said extended ratchet latch to wedge between said convex pivot and said ratchet arm of said gunlock, thus keeping said gunlock locked despite a gap that occurs between said ratchet arm and said convex pivot due to said rotational displacement connection of said latch assembly;
- and such that when severe shaking or mechanical forces ceases, said rotational displacement connection of said latch assembly allows said gunlock to be opened even when deformation of said gunlock is irreversible;
- and wherein
- said anti-shimming apparatus further comprises:
- a cogwheel placed in front of said extended ratchet latch assembly and said cogwheel having a plurality of teeth to prevent said shim from reaching said extended ratchet latch assembly and from pushing down said extended ratchet latch assembly to improperly open said gunlock.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.