Lock assembly
OwnerJeffrey A. Pielachinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lock assembly includes an elongated generally U-shaped resilient shackle, a base block, and may also include a keyed auxiliary locking bar. A first shackle arm is slidably and rotatably secured to the base block so that the shackle can be moved between extended and depressed positions and pivoted between locked and unlocked positions. The base block includes a catch for retaining a second shackle arm in the locked position. To pivot the shackle so that the second shackle arm can be moved into or out of the catch, the second shackle arm must be flexed toward the first shackle arm. When the shackle is in the locked position, a locking mechanism holds the shackle in the extended position and requires the shackle to be depressed, while the second shackle arm is flexed, to pivot the shackle and move the second shackle arm out of the catch.
Claims15
A lock assembly comprising:
- an elongated generally U-shaped shackle with a midsection and first and second arms extending from the midsection;
- the first shackle arm having an end portion and the second shackle arm having an end portion;
- the second shackle arm being resilient whereby the end portion of the second shackle arm can be flexed from a first position toward the first shackle arm by applying a force to the second shackle arm that is directed toward the first shackle arm and the second shackle arm returns to the first position when the force is released;
- a base block;
- the base block having a first surface and a second surface;
- the base block having lateral surfaces and end surfaces extending between the first and second surfaces and defining edges of the first and second surfaces;
- the base block having means for slidably and rotatably securing the end portion of the first shackle arm to the base block so that the shackle can be moved relative to the base block between an extended position and a depressed position and pivoted relative to the base block between a closed position and an open position;
- the base block having a catch means for receiving and retaining the end portion of the second shackle arm;
- the catch means requiring the end portion of the second shackle arm to be flexed toward the first shackle arm for the end portion of second shackle arm to be pivoted into the catch means to place the shackle in the closed position and for the end portion of the second shackle arm to be pivoted out of the catch means to place the shackle in the open position;
- and a locking means for holding the shackle in the closed position that holds the shackle in the extended position relative to the base block when the shackle is in the closed position and requires the shackle to be moved to the depressed position and held in the depressed position, while the end portion of the second shackle arm is flexed toward the first shackle arm, to initiate the pivotal movement of the end portion of the second shackle arm out of the catch means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.