Lock particularly adapted for bags, brief-bags, or the like

A lock for a bag having a closure flap to be secured to said bag, said lock comprising

• (a) a slot (1) adjacent an edge of said closure flap (P);
• (b) a supporting platelet (7) attached to said bag (F);
• (c) a rotatable locking barrel (13) projecting from a front side of said platelet (7) and having at least one lateral projection (14--14') at a free end of said barrel, with side recesses (15, 15') in said free end, and a matching key (16) engageable in said side recesses for rotating said locking barrel;
• (d) a latch member (10) pivotally hinged to an end (107) of said platelet (7) turned toward said closure flap (10), said latch member having a circular opening (11) whose diameter corresponds to the diameter of a free end (113) of said locking barrel (13), said opening having at least one recess (12, 12') mating with said at least one lateral projection (14, 14') on said locking barrel;
• (e) wire fork spring means (20, 21) attached to a rear side of said platelet (7), for stabilizing said locking barrel (13) in a first angular position in which said at least one lateral projection (14, 14') coincides with said at least one recess (12, 12'), and in at least another angular position in which said at least one lateral projection is angularly offset relative to said at least one recess, said locking barrel (13) having a stepped rear end (213) rotatably passing through said platelet (7) and axially retained by said wire fork spring means (21), said wire fork spring means having ends engaged in an annular groove (18) formed in said rear end (213) of said locking barrel (13);
• (f) a bottom of said annular groove (18) being provided with angularly equispaced, secant flattened portions (20), said ends of said fork spring means (21) bearing against said bottom of said annular groove;
• (g) a hinged end (110) of said latch member (10) having two flat faces which are angularly offset relative to a hinge axis (9), a pad (24) cooperating with said flat faces, said pad, being attached to a transversal section of said fork spring means (21) located opposite to said ends of said fork spring means (21), so as to hold said latch member (10) in two angular positions, respectively parallel and perpendicular to said platelet (7);
• (h) whereby said latch member (10) can be passed through said slot (1) in said closure flap (P) and fitted on said locking barrel (13) by means of said opening (11), and secured to said locking barrel by rotating said locking barrel (13) to angularly offset said at least one lateral projection (14, 14') relative to said at least one recess (12, 12') and to place said at least one projection on said latch member (10).