Dual action detent for tamper resistant lever lock mechanism
OwnerDaniel MacMillaninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lever lock apparatus having a sliding bolt, a detent mechanism for locking the bolt against sliding movement and a plurality of levers. When using the appropriate key, the detent moves to allow the bolt to be slid to a locked or unlocked position. When the lock is under attack, and an inward force is applied to the bolt, the detent moves so as to maintain a detent fence away from the levers. Keeping or moving the fence away from the levers impairs the ability to pick or otherwise attack the lock.
Claims15
A key actuated lever lock comprising:
- a bolt apparatus adapted to be slidable between a locked position and an unlocked position, the bolt having a boss;
- a plurality of levers, wherein each lever comprises a gate, and wherein the gates are alignable;
- a movable detent apparatus having a fence, the fence being biased to move into the gates when the gates are aligned;
- a stump positioned on the movable detent, the stump being in interfering engagement with the boss when a force is applied to the bolt while the gates are not aligned, and where the interfering engagement maintains the fence away from the levers;
- and
- a thrower mechanism that engages the bolt and forces the boss away from the stump thereby freeing the detent to move when the gates are aligned.
A key actuated lever lock comprising:
- a bolt apparatus adapted to be slidable between a locked position and an unlocked position, the bolt having a boss;
- a plurality of levers, wherein each lever comprises a gate, and wherein the gate are alignable;
- a movable detent apparatus having a fence, the fence being biased to move into the gates when the gates are aligned;
- and
- a stump positioned on the movable detent, the stump being in interfering engagement with the boss when a force is applied to the bolt while the gates are not aligned, and where the interfering engagement maintains the fence away from the levers, wherein the force creating the interfering engagement moves the fence further away from the levers.
A key actuated lever lock comprising:
- a bolt apparatus adapted to be slidable between a locked position and an unlocked position, the bolt having a boss;
- a plurality of levers, wherein each lever comprises a gate, and wherein the gates are alignable;
- a movable detent apparatus having a fence, the fence being biased to move into the gates when the gates are aligned;
- and
- a stump positioned on the movable detent, the stump being in interfering engagement with the boss when a force is applied to the bolt while the gates are not aligned, and where the interfering engagement maintains the fence away from the levers, wherein the boss and stump are substantially trapezoidal, the interfering engagement between the boss and stump forms a dovetail contact.
A method of thwarting efforts to open without a key a sliding bolt lock comprising a sliding bolt having a boss, a plurality of levers each comprising a gate, and a movable detent apparatus having a fence that is biased to move into the gates when the gates are aligned, the method comprising:
- moving the fence away from the levers by an interfering engagement between a stump positioned on the movable detent apparatus and the boss when a force is applied to the bolt while the gates are not aligned.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.