US 6,672,116 B1 · Double-locking mechanism for handcuffs

Abstract

A double-locking mechanism for handcuffs, which include a pawl-and-ratchet mechanism wherein the ratchet pawl is spring biased to couple with a pivotal ratchet jaw arm within in a shackle casing and a bolt is provided for engaging the pawl to prevent the coupled jaw from pivoting in either direction in order to double lock the mechanism. A pivot slide mechanism is provided whereby either the pawl or the bolt is not only permitted to pivot about an axis within the casing, but is also permitted to have limited displacement in a direction transverse to its pivot axis which thereby causes the pawl to engage a stop within the casing to double lock the pawl from pivoting in either direction and also causes the bolt under bias to displace from a first bolt position to a second bolt position and thereby engage and retain the pawl in the double lock position against the stop in order to ensure that the mechanism will remain double locked until opened with a key. This design permits double locking of the mechanism merely by pulling either the jaw arm or shackle chain away from the shackle casing to provide quick double locking without the required use of an additional key or pin.

Claims15

Dependent claims

In a shackle of the type having a pawl-and-ratchet mechanism including a spring biased pivotal ratchet pawl that couples a pivotal ratchet jaw arm with a shackle casing, and further including a bolt for providing engagement with said pawl to prevent the coupled jaw from pivoting in either direction, the improvement comprising:

(a) a pivot slide mechanism in said casing permitting pivotal movement of a selected one of said pawl and said bolt about a pivot axis toward and away from said jaw arm and also permitting limited displacement of the selected one of said pawl and said bolt transversely to said pivot axis when engaged and pulled by a connecting member from a first lock position to a second lock position whereby said pawl is caused to engage a stop for retaining said pawl in a double locked position;
and
(b) said bolt spring biased and dimensioned whereby said bolt is biased from a first bolt position to displace to a second bolt position and thereby engage and retain said pawl in the double locked position against said stop when said selected one of said pawl and said bolt is displaced to the second lock position.

In a double-locking shackle device having:

(a) a casing;
(b) a fixed arm, one end of which is held by said casing;
(c) a movable arcuate locking arm, one end of which is pivotally mounted to the other end of said fixed arm and which has a first series of inclined teeth at its free end, said locking arm being dimensioned whereby said free end can move circularly through one side of said casing;
(d) an elongated pawl pivotally mounted by one end within said casing, the free end of which pawl has a second series of inclined teeth dimensioned to engage said first series;
(e) an elongated bolt within said casing and adjacent said pawl;
and
(f) restraining means resiliently urging said pawl and said second series of inclined teeth against said first series and permitting closure of said locking arm but not opening thereof, said bolt being displaceable within limits from a locking position of engagement with said pawl preventing movement thereof and disengagement of said first and second series of inclined teeth, to an unlocked retracted position allowing movement of said pawl and closure of said locking arm;
the improvement comprising:
(g) a pivot slide mechanism in said casing permitting said pivotal movement of said pawl about a pivot axis toward and away from said locking arm and permitting limited lateral displacement of said pawl transversely to said pivot axis when engaged and pulled by said locking arm from a first locked position to a second double locked position whereby said pawl engages a stop in said casing for retaining said pawl in the double locked position;
and
(h) said bolt biased and dimensioned whereby said bolt is biased from a first bolt position to displace to a second bolt position and thereby engage and retain said pawl in the double locked position against said stop when said pawl is displaced to the second double locked position.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Double-locking mechanism for handcuffs

Life of this patent

Double-locking mechanism for handcuffs

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15