Electrically operated lock

An electric lock, said lock being operable in response to a combination applied to said lock, comprising:

• a lock housing;
• a rotatable latch protruding from the lock housing and adapted to engage a keeper mounted adjacent the lock housing;
• a toothed ratchet inside the lock housing adapted to rotate with the latch;
• retractable pawl normally biased for engagement with said ratchet to prevent rotation of the latch in at least one direction;
• means for receiving and detecting the applied combination, comparing said detected combination with stored combination information, and generating an activation signal when the comparison is favorable;
• means adapted to retract said pawl from said ratchet in response to said activation signal;
• means for maintaining said pawl in a retracted position for a sufficient period of time to allow the door to be opened after a combination generating a favorable comparison is applied;
• means for terminating operation of the retracting means after the pawl is retracted;
• and,
• an energy source connected to supply the power requirements of said lock.

An independently operable electric lock, said lock being operable in response to a combination applied to the lock from a first side of the lock and also in response to movement of a handle protruding from a second side of the lock, comprising:

• a lock housing adapted to be secured in a door;
• a rotatable latch wheel protruding from the housing and adapted to engage a keeper mounted adjacent the lock housing;
• a ratchet wheel inside the housing connected for rotation with the latch wheel;
• a retractable pawl normally biased into engagement with said ratchet wheel to prevent disengagement of said latch wheel and keeper;
• means for retracting said pawl from said ratchet wheel when said handle is operated;
• means for receiving and detecting the applied combination, comparing said detected combination with combination information stored within the housing, and generating an activation signal when the comparison is favorable;
• means within said housing adapted to retract said pawl from said ratchet wheel in response to said activation signal;
• means for terminating operation of said retracting means when the pawl is retracted;
• means for maintaining said pawl in a retracted position for sufficient period of time to allow the door to be opened after a combination generating a favorable comparison is applied to the lock;
• and,
• an energy source within said housing and connected to supply the power requirement of said lock.

An independently operable electric lock, said lock being operable in response to insertion of a combination from a first side of the lock and in response to movement of a handle protruding from a second side of the lock, comprising:

• a lock housing adapted to be secured in a door;
• a rotatable shaft protruding from the housing;
• a rotatable latch wheel protruding from the housing and rigidly mounted on said shaft, said latch wheel having a plurality of lugs adapted to engage a keeper mounted in a door jamb adjacent to the door;
• a ratchet wheel inside the housing rigidly mounted on a shaft for rotation with the latch wheel, said ratchet wheel having ratchet teeth for engagement by a pawl;
• a detent wheel inside the housing rigidly mounted on a shaft for rotation with said latch wheel, said detent wheels having a plurality of lugs and bottom lands between the lugs;
• a pawl arm pivotally mounted within said housing and carrying a pawl at one end thereof, said pawl being normally biased into engagement with the teeth of said ratchet wheel to prevent disengagement of said latch wheel and keeper;
• trip means adapted to be operated by the handle, said trip means being adapted to disengage the pawl from the ratchet wheel when the handle is operated;
• a reader section within said housing, said reader section having means communicating with the first side of said lock housing to receive a combination;
• means within said housing for detecting a received combination, comparing the received combination with combination information stored within the housing, and generating an activation signal when the comparison is favorable;
• means adapted to pivotally retract the pawl from said ratchet wheel in response to said activation signal;
• means for maintaining said pawl disengaged from said ratchet wheel for a sufficient period of time to allow the door to be opened after said favorable comparison;
• switch means adapted to deactivate said retracting means when the pawl has been retracted from the ratchet wheel;
• a direct current energy source mounted within the housing and connected to supply the power requirements of the lock;
• and,
• a detent spring mounted within the housing, said detent spring carrying at its free end means adapted to engage the lugs and bottom lands of said detent wheel.

An independently operable electric lock, said lock being operable in response to insertion of a coded card carrying an appropriate combination from a first side of the lock and in response to movement of a handle protruding from a second side of the lock, comprising:

• a lock housing adapted to be secured in a door;
• a rotatable shaft protruding from the housing;
• a latch wheel rigidly mounted on said shaft outside said housing, said latch wheel having a plurality of latch lugs adapted to engage opposite sides of a mating keeper lug of a keeper mounted in a door jamb adjacent to the door;
• a ratchet wheel rigidly mounted inside the housing on said shaft for rotation with the latch wheel, said ratchet wheel having ratchet teeth for engagement by a pawl and bottom lands between the teeth;
• a pawl arm mounted within said housing for pivotal movement about a pivot axis and carrying a roller rotatable about a roller axis parallel to said pivot axis, said pawl arm being normally biased to position said roller for engagement with a face of one of the teeth of said ratchet wheel to prevent disengagement of said latch wheel and keeper, with the plane containing said axes substantially perpendicular to said face;
• means coupled to said handle to engage said pawl arm to pivotally disengage the pawl roller from the ratchet wheel when the handle is operated;
• a reader section within said housing, said reader section having a slot communicating with the first side of said lock to receive a coded card;
• means within said housing for detecting a combination borne by a card inserted into the reader section, comparing the detected combination with combination information stored within the housing, and generating an activation signal when the comparison is favorable;
• means within the housing adapted to pivotally disengage the pawl roller from said ratchet wheel in response to said activation signal, said disengaging means including a motor;
• means for maintaining said pawl roller disengaged from said ratchet wheel after activation of said motor while the card remains inserted in said reader section;
• switch means adapted to deactivate said motor when the pawl roller is retracted from the ratchet wheel;
• a direct current energy source connected to supply the power requirements of the lock;
• and
• detent means mounted within the housing, said detent means being adapted to engage the teeth and bottom lands of said ratchet wheel;
• said latch wheel and ratchet wheel being so positioned with respect to each other that there is normally no substantial force between the pawl roller and any of the ratchet teeth and the latch wheel is rotated into positive engagement with said keeper when the door is closed, and one lug of the latch wheel is positioned for engagement with the lug of the keeper when the door is open.