Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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1 BACKGROTJND
2 This invention is Airected to a locking mechanism
3 which requires both a key and a corresponding combination
4 wheel position to open the locking mechanism. A recorder
5 records the combination wheel setting each time the lock is
6 opened.
7 One of the types of mechanisms which has been
8 developed to limit access to a designated ~pace is the
9 combination lock. In this case, one or more lock members
10 must be set into an unlocking position by manipulation of one
11 or more manual input elements. The numbered dial is often
12 used, and either one dial is seauentially turned to successive
13 positions or a plurality of dials is each set to a particular
14 position to cause unlocking. The advantage of a combination
15lock is that a key may be lost or stolen, but a memorized
16 combination is secure until disclosed by the person having
17 the combination
18 Another common type of lock is the key lock wherein
19 a specially shaped key is inserted into the lock. The key
20 causes mechanical action in the lock to position tu~blers so
21 that the lock is unlocked. Key locks may have a very compli-
22 cated key-tumbler structure to increase the difficulty of lock-
23 picking. However, loss of the key to another person permits
24 access to the lock-protected space by that person~ Furthermore,
2S such keys can and sometimes must be duplicated so that many
26 persons have access, with a areater chance of loss of control.
27 Additionally, when many persons have keys and thus access to
28 protected space, it is not known which of those among the
l authorized key holders have had access to that space. In
2 order to identify the key user, U.S~ patent 1,253,051 provides
3 a ~ey which has a first set of notches for properly positioning
4 locking tumblers int~ the unlocked position and has a second
5 set of notches which are peculiar to that key for actuating a
6 recording device for recording which key has been used to open
7 the lock and thus, presumably, identify the key user. However,
8 such a key can be lost, duplicated, or the identifying portion
~ can be altered or defaced to reduce the security of its
lO recording system.
ll Another type of lock is the key-controlled combination
12 lock. An example of this type of lock is shown in U.S. patent
13 No. 3,383.886. In this type of lock, a key is used to unlock
14 the combination dial, and once unlocked, the combination dial
15 then is astuated to unlock the secured space. This type of
16 lock provides the security of having possession of a key and
17 possession of a combination to provide access to the secured
18 space. Thus, loss or duplication of the key does not compromise
l9 the space because both knowledge of the combination and possession
2~ of the key are necessary for access. When a plurality of persons
21 is permitted access, then the chances of compromise are compounded
22 because the combination can be obtained from one holder and a key
23 from another or by duplication. Furthermore, such a locking
24 structure cannot provide for identification of the user so that,
25 if compromised, that person cannot be identified.
26 Therefore, there is need of a lockin~ mechanism which
27 can be arranged so that it may be opened by a large number of
2B people, but recordinq of the us~r can be achie~ed. Furthermore,
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1 it is desirable to maximize security of such a system by
2 pro~iding a structure wherein each user has two sets of
3 unique information which cooperate together in the locking
4 mechanism to permit access to the secured space and, at the
5 same time, record information related to the user.
6 S VMMA RY i,
In order to aid in the understanding of this
8 invention, it can b~ stated in essentially summary form that
9 it is directed to a locking mechanism which has a first input
10 mechanism that is set to a first position unique to that user
11 and also has a second input mechanism which is set to a second
12 position unique to that user. When both mechanisms are set,
13 the positioning of one of them identifies the user, and the
14 related positioning of the two of them permits unlocking so
15 that first and second unique inputs are required of a user
16 for unlocking a lock. Many different keys and combinations
are possible for each lock.
17 Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to
18 provide a locking mechanism which requires first and second
19 inputs, the inputs being unique to the user and related to
20 each other so that, when they are both input into the locking
21 mechanism, the locking mechanism not only is unlocked but
22 records at least one of the unique inputs to identify the
23 lock user. It i5 another object to provide a locking mechanism
24 where one unique input is a key and the related unique input is
25 a numeral combination so that, when both of them are placed
26 into the lock, the lock is opened and at least one of the
27 unique inputs is recorded. It is a further object to provide
28 a locking mechanism wherein tumblers are positioned by a key
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1 and combination ~heels are located adjacent to the tumblers
2 s~ that, when the combination wheels are correctly rotarily
3 positioned, the lock barrel is unlocked for unlocking the
4 mechanism.
It i~ another object to provide a locking mechanism
6 which is particularly useful for locking a secure space to
7 which access by many different persons is reguired so that
8 recording of lock openlng can be achie~ed. It is a further
g object to provide a locking mechanism which is particularly
10 useful for high security controlled areas requiring access by
11 more than one person~ Applications include dangerous drug
12 storage or secret files.
13 Other objects and advantages of this invention will
14 become apparent from a study of the following portion of the
15 specification, the claims, and the attached dra~ings.
16 BRIEF DESCRIP~IGN OF T~E DRAWINGS
17 FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment
18 of the lock and key mechanism of this invention.
19 FIGVRE 2 is an enlarged section taken generally along
20 the line 2-2 of FIGVRE 1.
21 FIGVRE 3 is a section taken generally along the
22 line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.
23 FIGVRE 4 is a section taken gene~ally along the
24 line 4-4 of FIGVR~ 2.
FICVRE 5 is a section taken generally along the
26 line 5-5 of FIGVRE g.
27 FIGVRE 6 is an explo~ed ~Jiew of a preferred embodiment
28 of the locking mechanism of this invention.
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1 DESC~IPTION OF T~E PREPERRED EMBODIMP:N~
A preferred embodiment of the locking mechanism of
3 this invention is generally indicated at 10 in FIGURES~2, 4
~ and 6. It is a locking mechanism which can be employed to
5 permit the locXing and unlocking of any desired type of
6 restricted space. In the present example, it is associated
7 with lock housing 12 which is arranged to lock and unlock
8 small chamber 14 in the lock housing itself. As seen in
g FIGURES 1, 2, 5 and 6, lock housing 12 has front 16 integrally
lo formed with sides 18 and 20. Back 22 has top 24 lntegrally
11 ~ormed therewith. Back 22 is hinged to the sides with hinge
12 pin 26.
13 As can be seen in FIGURE 6, back 22 with its top 24
14 can be hinged away from the remainder of the losk housing. It
15 can also be swung forward to the closed position and locked in
16 place with separate lock 28. Lock 28 is conventional and has
17 locking flange 30 which engages behind striker plate 31. By
18 unlocking lock 28, the lock housing 12 can be moved from the
19 closed position illustrated in FIGURES 1, 2 and 5 to the open
20 pOSitiOII illustrated in FIC-URE 6 for access to the interior of
~? lock housing 12. Thereupon, the lock housing can be closed and
22 locked by key lock 28. Hasp 32 has oppositely bevelled tangs
23 which can enter down through holes in top 24. The tangs also
24 carry latching slots therein so that, when the hasp is pushed
25 down through the opening5 illustrated in FIGURE 6, lock plate 34
26 engages in the slots to hold the hasp in place, see FIGURES 2
27 and 5. In this way, the lock housing can be locked onto any
28 solid device, such as a doorknob, an eye r or a post. The lock
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1 housing can be closed and locked at a central location where
2 the lock use records are maintained and key 36 is kept. It
3 can then be locked in its use location by insertion of hasp 32.
4 By opening lock housing 12 by means of key lock 28, latch
5 plate 3A can be released to release hasp 32 for removal. In
6 this way, lock housing 12 can be secured at any location desired,
7 and the holder Qf key 36 which operates key lock 28 is the
8 person with access to the interior of the lock housing and
g can remove the lock housing.
Locking mechanism 10 controls access to chamber 14.
11 When actuated, a recording of the combination used for access
12 is made. The recording mechanism is within lock housing 12 so
13 that the access information is available to the holder of the
14 key 36. While the locking mechanism 10 will be described with
15 respect to access to chamber 14, it is clear that the locking
16 mechanism 10 can be employed for controlling access to and
17 recording access to another chamber.
1~ Locking mechanism 10 requires two s~parate and related
19 inputs for its actuation. Furthermore, for any first input~ the
20 second input which causes opening is unique to that first input.
21 In the illustrated preferred embodiment of the locking mechanism 10
22 shown in the drawings, the first input to the locking mechanism
23 is presented by key 38, and the second input is presented by
24 combination mechanism 40, see FIGURES 4 and 6. Locking
25 mechanism 10 has barrel 42 in which is formed key slot 44. The
26 key slot is illustrated as being a plane rectangular slot
27 opening, but it may carry therein (on at least one side thereof)
28 particular longitudinal shaping to limit the shape of the key
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1 that may be inserted. Key 38 has a shank 46 which can be
2 longitudinally inserted into k~y slot 44. Shank 46 has a
3 notch 48 which interacts with cup 50 so that key 38 cannot
4 be turned until it is fully inserted. Key shank 46 carries
5 cam groove 52 on the side thereof to act as a tumbler driver.
6 Groove 52 has a wide, funnel-shaped open front end 54 to catch
7 the pins on the tumblers as the key is inserted. The key serves
to program the lock and is a first means or program input.
8 There is a prurality of tumblers of which each is
9 slidably positioned in a tumbler slot which is oriented
1~ transversely to key slot 44. Five tumblers and five tumbler
11 slots are shown. Tumblers 56 and 58 are specifically indicated
12 in FIGURES 4 and 6. Tumbler pins 60 and 62 are respectively
13 secured on these tumblers intermediate the ends thereof. The
14 tumbler pins of each of the tumblers extend into key slot 44
15 to be controlled by cam ~roove 52. When the key 38 is inserted,
16 the pins on the tumblers are picked up by the funnel-shaped
17 front end 54 of the cam groove, and the tumblers are shifted
18 in accordance with the shape of the cam groove. For convenience
19 of manufacture, the cam groove can be shaped with a particular
number of discrete tumbler positions, as is common in tumbler-
21 type locks. For example, there can be five discrete positions
22 of each of the tumblers along its tumbler slot normal to the
23 direction of the insertion. In the present embodiment, it is
24 seen that the tumblers are sin~le-piece and double-ended; that
is, they extend out of barrel 42 on both ends of the tumbler
26 in all of the intermediate positions of the tumbler. Since the
27 tumblers are positively driven, no springs are needed, and this
28 reduces the pickability of the lock. Each tumbler must be
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1 positively set in its ~orrect tumbler position in order to
2 be in the desired unlocking position. When the key 38 is
3 fully inserted, it can be turned ~o the right by the agency
4 of notch 48 in the key shank cooperating with the opening in
s cup 50. This turning of the key does not unlock the mechanism,
6 but permits the next stage of unlocking to be pursued.
7 Combination mechanism 40 comprises a plurality of
8 comhination w,heelsJ. Five combination wh,eels are shown and
9 are indicated at 64, 66, 68, 70 and 72. The combination
wheels provide a second input and, thus, are a second means.
Combination wheels 66
and 68 are associated with tumblers 56 and 58. There is the
11 same number of combination wheels as there are tumblers, and
12 one of the tumblers is associated with each of the combination
13 wheels, as is seen in FIGURE 4. Each of the combination wheels
14 has an interior hole 74 which engages directly around barrel 42
Each of them has a rim, of wnich rim 76 of combination wheel 66
16 is illustrative. The rims extend partly oui through an opening
17 at 78 in the front of lock housing 1~ so that the rims are
18 manually accessible, see FIGURES 1, 2 and 6. Thus, the lock
19 operator can turn each rim and thus each combination wheel to
20 a selected relative position. Numbers on the rims aid in
selecting the
21 desired position, although other types of indicia could
22 alternatively be used. As is seen in FIGURES 2, 4 and 6, each
23 of the combination wheels has a web, with the web 80 o~ wheel 64
24 illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 6, and the web of wheel 66 illus-
trated in FIGURES 2 and 6. Each of the webs of each of the
~6 combination wheels 64 through 72 lie adjacent to and on the
27 left side of the tumblers when the locking mechanism 10 is in
28 its locked position, as seen in FIGURE 4. Each of the webs has
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1 a plurality of slots or radially positioned notches therein,
each of the slots being related to a rotary position of the
3 combination wheel and each being rela$ed to a particular
- 4 axial position of its corresponding tumbler. The plural
S nature of the angularly positioned slots is illustrated in
6 FIGURES 2 and 6 where diffèrent pairs of slots are positioned
7 in accordance with the rotary setting of each combination wheel.
8 The plurality of slots in web 80 is generally indicated at 84
9 in FIGURE 6, and the plurality of slots in web 82 is generally
10 indicated at 86 in FIGURE 2. The diametrically opposed
11 radial slots in the webs are dimensioned so that their ends
12 are spaced apart just slightly longer than the length of the
13 corresponding tumbler. Thus, when each combination wheel is
14 properly angularly posit,ione~d with the proper indicia showing,
15 then a slot (second member) of particular dimensional
position is arranged adajcent a tumbler (first member)
having a particular position. Blind
17 shallow recesses of differing depths such as shown at 87 in
18 FIGURE~ 2 and 4 are provided in the shape of tumblers at all
19 angular positions of the wheels. This ren~ers it impossible
to "pick" the lock ~Ising a key for which the corresponding
21 combination is not known, as for instance in the case of a
22 key being found by an unauthorized person. Any attempt to
23 pick the lock by loading the wheel with the key and testing
24 for stiffness twhich would indicate a wrong position) would
be foiled because different recesses would "feel" like a
26 correct wheel setting.
27 When all of the tumblers~are arranged in a particular
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28 position as required by (first means) key 38 and each of the
combination wheels (second means) is properly angularly set,
then the tumblers are each lined up in the preselected position
with a slot through a web at the same position
3 Now, barrel 42 can move to the left from the locked position
4 o FIGURE 4 to an unlocked position. In the unlocked position,
5 movement of the barrel to the let places grooves 88 and 90
6 in the barrel adjacent side plates 92 and 94 on latching
7 frame 960 Latching frame 96 is pivoted at 98 onto the pin 100
8 on back 22, see FIGURES 2 and 6. Spring 102 urges latching
g frame 96 toward the unlocked position.
As previously noted, notch 48 prevents turning of
11 key 38 until it is fully inserted. Spring 104 urges barrel 42
12 to the ri~ht toward the unlocking position but, in order to
13 prevent the moving tumblers from engaging upon the webs during
14 key insertion (possibly by overcoming the force of spring 104),
15 pin 106 (see FIGURE 4) engages on the inside of cap 108 to
16 take up the thrust until the key is fully inserted. After
17 full insertion, cup 50 permits clockwise turning of key 38
18 throush a small an~le, for example 45 degrees, so that pin 106
19 lines up with aperture 110 in cap 108. In this orientation,
20 with the combination wheels turned to the correct position,
21 further thrust on key 38 moves the barrel 42 to the left in
22 FIGURE 4 to the unlocked position. When the unlocked position
23 is reached, latching frame 96 swings forward.
24 As is seen in FIGURES 2, 5 and 6, latching frame 96
has sear 112 on its bottom. In FIGURE 2, latching frame 96 is
26 shown in its locked position wherein sear 112 is in the narrow
27 portion of slot 114 to hold small chamber 14 in the raised
28 position. When latching frame 96 swings to the unlocked
( 4678
1 position of FIGURE 5, sear 112 is in the large part of slot 114
2 to permit the descent and opening of small chamber 14, as is
3 shown in FIGURE 5. In this way, small chamber 14 is unlocked
4 and opened.
S The swinging forward of latching frame 96 from the
6 locked to the unlocked position, in addition to opening small -;
7 chamber 14, also records the position of the combination wheels.
Hence, a sequential record of the position of the combination
9 wheels as the lock is opened is maintained~which can be used
to trace the persons who were issued those combinations.
11 Recording is accomplished by projections 115 on the periphery
12 of the combination wheels. The projections are patterned so
13 that a specific pattern represents a specific angular orientation
14 of each combination wheel. The projections face press pad 118
15 which is secured to locking-frame 96~ ~Supply roll 120 and
16 takeup roll 122 feed film-like recording medium 122 across
17 press pad 118. Pawl 126 on back 122 in cooperation with a
18 ratchet wheel on takeup roll 122 causes advance of the recording
19 medium each time latching frame 96 swi,ngs_from the unlocked
20 position to the locked position. thus, each key provides a
different program and the sequence of use
21 is recorded. Takeup roll 122 with its sequentially recorded
22 information is available to the holder of key 36~
23 In locking up, first chamber 14 must be closed. Reset
24 lever 128, see FIGURE 6, extends out of window 130 in the side
of the lock housing. Reset lever 128 is manually engaged to
26 swing latching frame 96 rearward to lock small chamber 14.
27 Swinging latching frame 96 back also pulls side plates 92
28 and 94 out of grooves 88 and 90 so that barrel 42 can move to
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l the right under the force of spring 104. This also pulls
2 pin 106 ~ut of aperture llD so that key 38 can be turned
3 to the upright position to remove notch 48 rom the constraints
4 of cup 50 so that key 38 can be withdrawn. Thus,-key 38 can
5 only be withdrawn when the secured chamber ~small chamber 14)
6 is again closed.
7 From this description, it can be seen that locking
8 mechanism 10 can be unlocked with a plurality of keys 38 each
9 having a different shape of cam grooves 52, providing that the
correspondi~g positioning of the combination mechanism is
11 achieved at the same time. Thus, different key shapesof key 38
12 can be distributed to different potential users of the secured
13 or controlled space, and, with each key 38, a corresponding
14 combination is provided. Thus, each unique key has a unique
combination by which the locking mechanism can be unlocked.
16 For security purposes, it is desirable to employ a key and a
17 combination in conjunction with each other, for a key can be
18 lost or stolen but, without the combination, cannot be employed.
l9 Furthermore, a combination can become compromised, but ~ithout
the corresponding key, it cannot unlock the secured space. For
21 this reason, the described mechanism is the preferred embodiment.
22 However, the structure could be arranged with first and second
23 combinations, the first uniquely setting a first portion of the
24 mechanism, and the second uniquely unlocking the locking
mechanism from that position. Similarly, two keys could be
26 employed, the first uniquely setting the first portion of the
27 mechanism and the second uniquely unlocking the mechanism from
28 that position. Thus, first and second unique inputs permit
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1 recording of the loc~ user. Furthermore, while the locking
2 mechanism is described in conjunction with a small secure
3 chamber 14, it is clear that the swinging of the locking
frame 96 can secure and release other types of secure chambers.
5 In a real estate sales operation, a door key to a house for
6 sale can be stored in chamber 14, and each real estate person
7 can have a unique key 38 and a unique combination. By
8 requiring two inputs to the locking mechanism and by recording
9 each combination used, security is enhanced.
rrhis invention has been described in its presently
11 preferred mode, and it is clear that it is susceptible to
12 numerous modifications and embodiments within the ability of
13 those skilled in the art and without the exercise of the
14 inventive faculty. Accordingly, the scope of this invention
15 is defined by the scope of the following claims.
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