Safety locking device
OwnerJoseph R. Parreninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device to render articles such as disposable lighters resistant to unauthorized use including a body which slidably receives the lighter. In the normal protected position, the lighter is within the housing and is restricted from extension from the body to a use-position by a locking pin carried on a rocker arm. The rocker arm controls the position of the locking pin and may not be released unless the lighter is inverted releasing a tumbler freeing the rocker arm and thus permitting depression of the rocker arm to disengage the locking pin from the lighter. In the disengaged position, the user may slide the lighter relative to the sleeve to a use-position in which the lighter may be actuated. The safety device may be applied to other articles to make them child-resistant such as medicine containers.
Claims19
A protective device for an article, said device comprising:
- (a) a body defining a sleeve having an opening slidably receiving the article with the article being slidable relative to the sleeve from a first protected position within the sleeve in which the article is not readily accessible and a second position in which the article is at least partially extended from the body and the article is in an accessible position for use;
- (b) said body defining a channel adjacent the said sleeve opening;
- (c) rocker means carrying a locking member, said locking member moveable between a first locked position engaging a portion of said article and a second unlocked position out of engagement with said article;
- and
- (d) tumbler means moveable in said channel normally positioned to obstruct movement of said rocker means to maintain said locking means in said locked position, said tumbler means being responsive to gravity when the body and article are moved to a predetermined position to move said tumbler to a second position permitting said rocker means to be moved to a position placing said locking member in an unlocked position so the article can be slidably moved from said second position to said extended position of use.
A protective device for restricting access to a disposable lighter having a housing, actuator and fuel lever, said device comprising:
- (a) a body defining an opening receiving the lighter with the lighter being slidable relative to the body from a first protected position within the body in which the lighter is not readily accessible and a second position in which the article is at least partially extended from the body and is in an accessible position for use;
- (b) said body defining a channel adjacent the said opening;
- (c) rocker means carrying a locking member, said locking member moveable between a first locked position engaging a portion of said lighter and a second unlocked position out of engagement with said lighter;
- and
- (d) tumbler means moveable in said channel normally positioned to obstruct movement of said rocker means to maintain said locking means in said locked position, said tumbler means being responsive to gravity when the body sleeve and lighter are moved to a predetermined inverted position to move said tumbler to a second position permitting said rocker means to be moved to a position placing said locking member in an unlocked position so the lighter can be slidably moved from said second position to said extended position of use permitting actuation of said fuel lever.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.