US 8,443,639 B2Granted

Resistant mechanical combination lock and improvements thereto

AssigneeMichael J. Walsh & Associates, Inc.

InventorMichael J. Walsh

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Abstract

A resistant mechanical combination lock and improvements thereto are described herein to include one or more of the following features: an improved combination change/set feature that includes a tumbler interlocking lever with digitated micro-fingers suitable for interdigitating with digitated micro-fingers on the peripheral edge of a combination tumbler ring, the tumbler interlocking lever and the combination tumbler ring sandwiched between a pair of outer gate rings to form a tumbler wheel assembly; a key stabilization feature in which an internal boss and a pivot recess together help stabilize the change key when changing the combination of a lock to help prevent “lock out”; an improved duress feature that includes a duress tumbler wheel assembly (that includes a duress lever) and an interchangeable microswitch; and/or a fence control feature that preferably includes an overcenter spring and trigger plate for controlling fence contact with the drive cam.

Claims29

Dependent claims

A combination lock with a combination dial operatively linked to a drive cam and a plurality of tumbler wheel assemblies rotatably stacked on a hub to form a tumbler stack within a lock case, each of said plurality of tumbler wheel assemblies having a tumbler gate, said drive cam having a drive cam gate for engaging a nose of a pivotable fence lever arm, and said pivotable fence lever arm for retracting a slideable lock bolt when a correct combination is dialed, said combination lock comprising:

(a) a combination tumbler ring having an inside radius for engaging said hub and an outside circumference digitated with a plurality of tumbler ring micro-fingers, each of said plurality of tumbler ring micro-fingers having a tumbler ring micro-finger root and a tumbler ring micro-finger crown, said outside circumference having radius R′ at said tumbler ring micro-finger root and radius R at said tumbler ring micro-finger crown;
(b) at least one interlock lever arm for opposingly contacting said outside circumference of said combination tumbler ring, each said at least one interlock lever arm having a first end and a second end, each said at least one interlock lever arm having a fulcrum, said first end of each said at least one interlock lever arm having a plurality of interlock lever arm micro-fingers disposed on an arcuate member with a concave radius, each of said plurality of interlock lever arm micro-fingers having an interlock lever arm micro-finger root and an interlock lever arm micro-finger crown, said plurality of interlock lever arm micro-fingers for interdigitatingly engaging said plurality of tumbler ring micro-fingers;
and
(c) each of said plurality of opposing flat-on-flat flank faces being generally perpendicular to an angular direction of torque tangential to said outside circumference at radius R at the point at which each of said flat-on-flat flank faces intersect said outside circumference where said plurality of tumbler ring micro-fingers and said plurality of interlock lever arm micro-fingers interdigitatedly engaged;
wherein said plurality of tumbler ring micro-fingers and said plurality of interlock lever arm micro-fingers form a plurality of opposing crowns and roots and a plurality of opposing flat-on-flat flank faces for cooperatively resisting rotational torque when interdigitatedly engaged.

2 more elements

A combination lock with a combination dial operatively linked to a drive cam and a plurality of tumbler wheel assemblies rotatably stacked on a hub to form a tumbler stack within a lock case, each of said tumbler wheel assemblies having a tumbler gate, said drive cam having a drive cam gate for engaging a nose of a pivotable fence lever arm, and said pivotable fence lever arm for retracting a slideable lock bolt when a correct combination is dialed, said combination lock comprising:

(a) a combination tumbler ring having an inside radius for engaging said hub and an outside circumference digitated with a plurality of tumbler ring micro-fingers, each of said plurality of tumbler ring micro-fingers having a tumbler ring micro-finger root and a tumbler ring micro-finger crown, said outside circumference having radius R′ at said tumbler ring micro-finger root and radius R at said tumbler ring micro-finger crown;
and
(b) at least one interlock lever arm for opposingly contacting said outside circumference of said combination tumbler ring, each said at least one interlock lever arm having a first end and a second end, each said at least one interlock lever arm having a fulcrum, said first end of each said at least one interlock lever arm having a plurality of interlock lever arm micro-fingers disposed on an arcuate member with a concave radius, each of said plurality of interlock lever arm micro-fingers having an interlock lever arm micro-finger root and an interlock lever arm micro-finger crown, said plurality of interlock lever arm micro-fingers for interdigitatingly engaging said plurality of tumbler ring micro-fingers;
and
(c) any one of said plurality of tumbler wheel assemblies being configured as a duress tumbler wheel assembly for actuating an alarm, said duress tumbler wheel assembly being capable of interaction with a microswitch module having a rollerswitch, said rollerswitch positioned with a clearance from a peripheral edge of said duress tumbler wheel assembly, wherein said alarm is actuated when at least part of said duress tumbler wheel assembly impinges on said rollerswitch, said duress tumbler wheel assembly further comprising:
(i) a duress gate on a peripheral edge of at least one outer gate ring of said duress tumbler wheel assembly;
(ii) a Y-shaped duress lever arm, comprising:
(A) a first end including a first branch with a cam shoulder and a resilient spring tine second branch;
and
(B) a blocking arm second end;
(iii) a pivot pin generally at a midpoint between said first end and said second end;
and
(iv) said cam shoulder having a concealed position and an exposed position, said concealed position within said tumbler wheel assembly, said resilient spring tine second branch for urging said cam shoulder to said concealed position within said tumbler wheel assembly;
wherein said plurality of tumbler ring micro-fingers and said plurality of interlock lever arm micro-fingers form a plurality of opposing crowns and roots and a plurality of opposing flat-on-flat flank faces for cooperatively resisting rotational torque when interdigitatedly engaged.

11 more elements

(a) a combination tumbler ring having an inside radius for engaging said hub and an outside circumference digitated with a plurality of tumbler ring micro-fingers, each of said plurality of tumbler ring micro-fingers having a tumbler ring micro-finger root and a tumbler ring micro-finger crown, said outside circumference having radius R′ at said tumbler ring micro-finger root and radius R at said tumbler ring micro-finger crown;
(b) at least one interlock lever arm for opposingly contacting said outside circumference of said combination tumbler ring, each said at least one interlock lever arm having a first end and a second end, each said at least one interlock lever arm having a fulcrum, said first end of each said at least one interlock lever arm having a plurality of interlock lever arm micro-fingers disposed on an arcuate member with a concave radius, each of said plurality of interlock lever arm micro-fingers having an interlock lever arm micro-finger root and an interlock lever arm micro-finger crown, said plurality of interlock lever arm micro-fingers for interdigitatingly engaging said plurality of tumbler ring micro-fingers;
and
(c) each of said tumbler ring micro-finger root, said tumbler ring micro-finger crown, said interlock lever arm micro-finger root, and said interlock lever arm micro-finger crown being semi-circular;
wherein said plurality of tumbler ring micro-fingers and said plurality of interlock lever arm micro-fingers form a plurality of opposing crowns and roots and a plurality of opposing flat-on-flat flank faces for cooperatively resisting rotational torque when interdigitatedly engaged.

2 more elements

(a) a combination tumbler ring having an inside radius for engaging said hub and an outside circumference digitated with a plurality of tumbler ring micro-fingers, each of said plurality of tumbler ring micro-fingers having a tumbler ring micro-finger root and a tumbler ring micro-finger crown, said outside circumference having radius R′ at said tumbler ring micro-finger root and radius R at said tumbler ring micro-finger crown;
(b) at least one interlock lever arm for opposingly contacting said outside circumference of said combination tumbler ring, each said at least one interlock lever arm having a first end and a second end, each said at least one interlock lever arm having a fulcrum, said first end of each said at least one interlock lever arm having a plurality of interlock lever arm micro-fingers disposed on an arcuate member with a concave radius, each of said plurality of interlock lever arm micro-fingers having an interlock lever arm micro-finger root and an interlock lever arm micro-finger crown, said plurality of interlock lever arm micro-fingers for interdigitatingly engaging said plurality of tumbler ring micro-fingers;
and
(c) each of said tumbler ring micro-finger root, said tumbler ring micro-finger crown, said interlock lever arm micro-finger root, and said interlock lever arm micro-finger crown being semi-ovoid;
wherein said plurality of tumbler ring micro-fingers and said plurality of interlock lever arm micro-fingers form a plurality of opposing crowns and roots and a plurality of opposing flat-on-flat flank faces for cooperatively resisting rotational torque when interdigitatedly engaged.

2 more elements

(a) a combination tumbler ring having an inside radius for engaging said hub and an outside circumference digitated with a plurality of tumbler ring micro-fingers, each of said plurality of tumbler ring micro-fingers having a tumbler ring micro-finger root and a tumbler ring micro-finger crown, said outside circumference having radius R′ at said tumbler ring micro-finger root and radius R at said tumbler ring micro-finger crown;
(b) at least one interlock lever arm for opposingly contacting said outside circumference of said combination tumbler ring, each said at least one interlock lever arm having a first end and a second end, each said at least one interlock lever arm having a fulcrum, said first end of each said at least one interlock lever arm having a plurality of interlock lever arm micro-fingers disposed on an arcuate member with a concave radius, each of said plurality of interlock lever arm micro-fingers having an interlock lever arm micro-finger root and an interlock lever arm micro-finger crown, said plurality of interlock lever arm micro-fingers for interdigitatingly engaging said plurality of tumbler ring micro-fingers;
and
(c) said plurality of tumbler ring micro-fingers and said plurality of interlock lever arm micro-fingers formed to completely fill said plurality of opposing crowns and roots when interdigitatedly engaged;
wherein said plurality of tumbler ring micro-fingers and said plurality of interlock lever arm micro-fingers form a plurality of opposing crowns and roots and a plurality of opposing flat-on-flat flank faces for cooperatively resisting rotational torque when interdigitatedly engaged.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/963,625Filed 8 Dec 2010
Published: US 2012/0144884 A114 Jun 2012
Granted: 21 May 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification15 codes

E05B 63/0017
Locks or fastenings with special structural characteristics: locks with sliding bolt without provision for latching
E05B 37/0055
With changeable combination: by radial disengagement between hub and rim of tumbler discs or rings
E05B 37/08
Permutation or combination locks ; Puzzle locks: with tumbler discs on a single axis, all the discs being adjustable by a rotary knob which is not…
E05B 65/0075
Locks or fastenings for special use: for safes, strongrooms, vaults, fire-resisting cabinets or the like