Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
-- 1 --
This is a divisional application of copending
Canadian Patent Application Serial No. 464,832, filed
October 5, 1984.
The present inven-tion relates to an improvement to
the device for locking and releasing objects intended
for public use, particularly objects intended to be put
at the public's disposal free of charge, such as luggage
carts in a railway station or an airpor-t, shopping
trolleys in a self-service store, which objects the
public can take directly from a common stowage space and
must be taken back to the said stowage space, which
device is described in CANADIAN paten-t application no.
431 7~1 filed on the 4th July 1983.
There is already known a device including a locking
apparatus allowing each object to be automatically
locked to the adjacent object or to a fixed poin-t in
stowed position, into which locking apparatus is
introduced a coin or the like authorizing the unlocking
of the locking apparatus and the release of the object
by exerting a pull thereon, said locking apparatus being
designed to return the said coin when the object is
returned to -the stowage space and locked to an adjacen-t
object or to a fixed point, and the unlocking is
obtained by the said pull, which ensures successively
I the unblocking of the locking apparatus and the release
of the said object. The lockiny apparatus includes
particularly a slide which is movable under the action
of the said pull and fixable by an internal locking
member which is movable to a nonblocking position by
coming into contact with the edge of the said coin, the
said slide serving to lock or unlock the lock connecting
the object to an adjacent object or to a fixed point.
ti431 ~
However, such a device suffers from a disadvantage
which conslsts in tha-t the introduction of a coin does
not allow unlocking an intermedia-te objec-t from a line
of objects locked to one another, for all the fron-t and
rear clearances of the intermedia-te objec-t are insuffic-
ient and even eliminated.
The present invention -therefore has for a purpose
to remedy this disadvantage by providing a device for
locking and releasing objects intended for public use,
such as luggage carts, of the type described above, and
characterized in -that it comprises an appropria-te means
for unblocking the said object from the adjacent object,
particularly when it is locked between two adjacent
objects.
According to the invention, the device for locking
and releasing objects of the type wherein the lock for
connecting -the object to an adjacen-t object or to a
fixed point is constituted by first, female means and
second, male means connected to the longitudinally
endmos-t portions of the casing of the locking apparatus,
I respec-tively, the said firs-t means consisting oE a clamp
cons-tituted by two unsymme-trical jaws and so designed
that only a locking pin, constituting the said second
means of an adjacent object and perfectly calibrated,
can be inserted therebetween, is characterized in that
said locking pin is mounted on a removable support arbor
of -the longitudinally endmost portion of the casing of
the locking apparatus.
Thus, the device according to a preferred feature
of the present invention allows ranks or lines of locked
carts to be disrupted or broken up in order to transfer
them to other, less charged ranks.
According to another preferred feature of the
invention, the locking apparatus includes means for
retaining the said coin or the like in either of two
positions in which the said coin is confined in -the
locking apparatus, i.e., an active retained position
4~
-- 3
ensuring -the unlocklng of the locking apparatus and an
inactive retained position, respectively.
~ ccording to still another preEerred feature of the
invention, the coin is introduced into -the locking
apparatus through a slit located on the external lateral
wall of the cover of the locking appara-tus casing. This
feature offers the advantage of reducing -the penetration
of water and hu~idity capable of freezing the device on
frost days.
In accordance with the embodiment of the present
invention there is provided a device Eor locking and
releasing objects intended for public use, especially
objects to be put at public disposal free of charge,
SUC}l as luggage carts in a railway station or an airport
or shopping carts in self-service stores, such objects
capable of being taken directly from a common storage
station and returned to the storage station, the device
including a locking apparatus in the form of a casing
and adap-ted to be affixed to a part of each object,
a-ttaching means for affixing the locking apparatus to a
part of each object, a connecting lock having male and
female means secured to respective longitudinal endmost
portions of -the casing Eorming the locking apparatus,
for locking each object to an adjacen-t object or to a
; fixed poin-t in compact storage position, and a slit
provided in the casing through which a coin or the like
is introduced to allow unlocking of the locking
apparatus and release of the object by exerting a pull
thereon, the locking apparatus being arranged to return
the coin or the like when the object is returned to the
storage station and is locked by the connecting lock to
the adjacent object or to the fixed point, wherein the
female means is constituted by a clamp comprising two
unsymmetxical jaws, and the male means is constituted by
a connecting bar secured to the object or to the fixed
point, and having a diameter perfectly calibra-ted so
that the male means can fit in between the jaws, wherein
the connec-ting bar secured -to the object comprises a
first portion in the form of a hollow cylinder and a
second portion forming a cylindrical shoulder in-tegral
wi-th -the first portion, the portions are moun-ted on a
support arbor removably secured to the endmost portion
of the casing of -the locking apparatus with the first
hollow cylindrical portion having a diameter
corresponding to the calibrated diameter to allow the
cylindrical portion to fit into a first one of the jaws
of the locking apparatus of an adjacen-t object, the
second jaw being so shaped as to allow the second
cylindrical shoulder, having a calibrated diameter, to
bear thereon, the removal of the support arbor from the
endmost por-tion of -the casing permitting direct release
of the adjacent object from the object, bo-th forming
part of a rank of objec-ts locked to one another, in
order to disrupt the rank.
The invention will be better understood and other
purposes, features, details and advantages thereof will
appear more clearly as -the :Eollowing explanatory
description proceeds wi-th reference to the appended
diagrammatic drawings given solely by way oE example
illustrating two Eorms of embodinent of the invention
I and wherein:
Figure 1 is a sectional view upon the line I-I of
Figure 2, illustrating one example of embodiment of a
locking apparatus according to the inven~ion;
Figure 2 is a sectional view upon the line II-II of
Figure l;
30. Figure 3 is an enlarged view of the portion
encircled by a dash-dotted line in Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a sectional view upon the line IV-IV of
Figure 5 illustrating another example of embodiment of a
locking apparatus according to the invention;
Figure 5 is a sectional view upon the line V-V of
Fiqure 4;
~ 4a -
Figure 6 is a sectional view upon the line VI-VI of
Figure 4;
Figure 7 is a sectional view upon the line VII-VII
of Figure 4; and
Figure ~ is a perspective view of the various
elements constituting the locking apparatus of the
invention.
The device as illustra-ted allows several luggage
carts (not shown) in stowed position to be locked to one
another.
ReEerring to the Figures, the device includes a
locking appara~us 3 allowing each object to be
automatically locked to the adjacen-t object or to a
fixed point in stowed position, and into whieh a coin or
the like 4 is in-troduced to allow unlocking of the
locking apparatus 3 and releasing the objeet by exerting
a pull thereon, the locking apparatus 3 being designed
to return the coin 4 when the object is taken back to
-the stowage space and
locked to an adjacent object or to~a fixed point; in
particular, said pull ensures successively the unblocking
of the lDck 3 and the unlocking of the object.
As ~ill be recalled, the locking apparatus 3 includes
a slide 5 which is movable under the action of the said
pull and is fixable by an internal blocking member 6 and
unblockable when a sufficient pull is exerted by coming
into contact with the edge of the coin 4, the slide 5
serving to lock or unlock the lock 37 connecting the object
to an adjacent object or to a fixed point.
In the example illustrated, the blocking member is
constituted by a stop or abutment 6 pivotally mounted on
a pivot pin 9 which is substantially horizontal and
perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X-X' of the locking
apparatus 3. The stop 6 may be acted upon by a U-shaped-
strip return-spring lû.
The movable slide 5 has a shoulder 11 at its upper
surface opposite the Free end of the stop 6. When no coin
is introduced into the locking apparatus and when a pull
2û is exerted on the object, the free end of the free stop
moves into abutment against the shoulder 11, thus prevent-
ing the unlocking of the locking apparatus. Figure 1 shows
the travel a of the slide during a pull onto the object
without introducing any coin within the locking apparatus.
The locking apparatus 3 also includes a means 8 for
retaining the coin 4 in either oF two positions in which
I the coin is confined in the locking apparatus, i.e., an
active retained position ensuring the unblocking of the
locking apparatus 3 and an inactive retained position,
respectively. As illustrated in the Figures and more
particularly in Figure 4, the retaining means 8 consists
of a projection cast integral with the internal face of
the cover 3a of the locking apparatus and occupies a
definite position in the recess 12 of the slit 13 extend-
ing throughout the locking apparatus, said proJectiOn 8
being located substantially at the longitudinal axis X-X`
of the said locking apparatus. ~uch a projection
advantageously replaces the rocker and spring of the
retaining means describec' in CANADIAN patent application nu 431 721
Filed on the 4th JU1Y 19~3 and allows a considerable
saviny oF time in rnounting the locking apparatus and a
higher reliability thereof (doing away with the movable
parts) while at the same time having no unfavourab]e effect
upon the operation of the device. Indeed, up to a given
value of the pulling action, i.e., up to a certain
displacement of the slide 5 towards the leFt (in Figure 1)
with respect to the projection 8, the latter retains the
coin 4 in the slit 13 in its active position ensuring the
unblocking of the locking apparatus 3. When this pre-
determined value is exceeded, the coin 4 moves down in the
slit 13 by gravity and assumes an inactive retained
position as shown in dash-dotted lines in Figure 1. The
coin 4 is maintained in a inactive position by resting, on
the one hand, on the vertical wall 5a (in dash-dotted lines:
of the slide 5 and, on the other hand, on the upper
curvilinear portion of the recovery funnel E. When the
object is taken back to the stowage space and is locked
to an adjacent object or to a fixed point, the slide 5
moves to the right (in Figure 1) so as to release the
coin From the slit 13 and thus allow it to be recovered.
Figure 1 shows the total travel b oF the slide during the
unlocking of the connecting lock 37, this travel being
defined between an abutment portion 8 integral with a
fixing element 42 to which the locking apparatus 3 is
fixed and a rounded endmost edge of an opening provided in
the slide along the axis X-X' and in which the abutment B
is located, the convex portion of this edge being directed
towards the projection 8.
The lock 37 For connecting the object to an adiacent
object whose locking apparatus 3' is represented by dotted
lines is constituted by first, Female means 19, 2û and
second, male means 38, connected to the longitudinally
j ( ) ( ) 5 ), '~ t) I) i r I IJ ~) ~ t ~ k i ~ ~ ~J
t ~ ) l l I t l ~ 1 ( I f l l J t:l c I i ~/ ( J ¦ y I ~ 1 1 ! ) I i t l f i l 9 ~ 3 ~ f3 c o r l l ) f3 ~ t
O~ .O~llrl~? ~ kill~J ll)pll~ lJJ $~
n ~ rl.9 il) 1: 110 eXllllll) l a i I 10 Jt l ilt( rl~ ttle crllJ in tlle r i(~llt
Jfl rJ~ lt)l i~ (l irl particll~ t~y a
t ~ 1i )t ill(J of tw~ Olltlyllllll( ~ w~ l9~ 20 actl~d
llp0n IJY a llpl i(lt) S() nllll tiO tltJ ~ 1le d tbat only .l c onrlr3et inr1
btlt 01 l0(9~illll P;l) Stl CUII')t ~ .inl tbf,~ ;IrOre.l)flid .;0COr)d
m~tlrlti t?l tll~ a(lJat`t rll Ol~Jt3(`l un~.l Wlll~ :e ~liallll~t( r i3 pt.~rft~ctly
tl t (~ J I ~ i) t~ ~ w t3 t~ ( X ~ t
I I 1ll Itl`UI.~3d) ll10 t`~:lnllect illtJ l)ar .Sfl is co~lnr3cte(l tCI tlle
Un(llllOal pOI`t iOn llt] ol tl~(3 c~ lin(1 uf tl~t- Ir~c9<irltJ al)p~ratus
3 ( in 1.111.! IUfl: pOrlit)tl of I itJUro 2) i3d jac~orlt to tbt; frr.(3
~!t~t~ 'II t)~ t~t? t~ 5, ~Illtl~ itl 1~ 3 lock~l t)t~t)~tio~, i5
~ rllll ll-lt? ltJ~.~t?l~ t~ r~iCit~t c~i)tilrlrt3 to al~ow ~ai
~ r tt~ 3 it~ rl lllt ~cl ~?t t Wtl~rl t~lt ~ wt~ ? ~ 2U ( C3~1l y t ~le
on(lltlt)at porlioll of tlll3 l llt~t~ bt3illJ showr) irl dt)ttr3tl line-;)
.~ OF t~e lo(killJ apptl~ )tuti of rlll ntJJlcent Ob ject.
Frlllt3~ irl tl~t3 Ull10Cketl potiition~ tl~e free ond 4l of the
~i) til.itle r~ ()Wtl It) I iJ~lrr? J in tlottt3(l 1 ineCi~ prrvtotta the
It)c~l~if~t~ of lllu ctlrl: to ~lnotl)t~r ct?rt~ lntlCe(J~ the ipace
tl~en fortnctl bt)twt~CIl tbe crJnnt-~ctin) bt~l` 3f.1 ancl tlle rrec end
'll of tbt~ icl (! 5 .ii i n~iuff`icit~n t to ~ ow the intro tluc tion
o~ t~ hflr S~f~i ~)t~twt)~t~ tl~t~ lwri 19 ~ 2~f) ~ f anlt~ler ciirt.
rl~ ], in eaat-~ a r. tlrL .it; r3bant:l0nt~tl~ .it i9 no lOnt~jQt` possible,
ow itltl to c~ tlot~itlll of tllo locl~itlt3 tlppat`atlJ9, to llit? i ts
lt~kint) pitl Ftlr locklt~t3 ~nt?~i Cart. [n otller words, one
cnt~t~lOl 1t~t~1< l~ia r~art to ant)ther cart unltsi tllf~ llttt?r is
r ~ tl t~ y ~ t~
r~ m t) v fl b l tl ~3 1 i tJ t S i a a l ~ o t l~ o v i d e d W .i ~ i t O l tJ U t 2 5
ht)l~lin~l tb~ jaw~3 i)~ 2a Or tl~f clamp irl cloitd positinn.
rt~ tl~l3 tlntl, tbe ~jaw~; 19~ 2t) art-~ providetJ, on tlleir inrler-
111(19t port iorl in tllC ltlcl~ illtl 81)pfl rt1tU3 t W i tl~ Ut:ll1 1 1 y
oppo~3ite rr~c~3;~a `36a~ `~6h whith~ ill lhe locktitl position of
tl~e loCkinrJ ilpp~ratlta~ dt?irill~ 3p1fCtl irl wl~ici~ tl~t? tongue
~` 23 i~3 lnc~t~l 30 ~It3 tD bIOCI< thc locking ~pparf3t(ls in thi 3
`` f)o~3itit.)n.
~'
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4~1~
The locking apparatus 3 is secured to a cart by the
fixing member 42 through the medium of appropriate
fastening means 43 such as screws, bolts or the like.
Furthermore, there may be provided an oblong recess
44 for the calibrated bar 38 so as to conpensate for the
differences in height between the carts, and an opening 45
in the endmost portion 40 oF the locking apparatus 3 so
dimensioned as to provide a lateral clearance between the
carts.
The operation of the locking apparatus has already
been described in detail in CANADIAN patent application n 431 721
Filed on the 4th July 1983 and, therefore, needs not be
described again here.
Once the locking apparatus 3 is locked, on the one
hand, by means of its jaws 19, 20, to the locking pin 38'
of the locking apparatus 3' of an adjacent object and, on
the other hand, by means oF its locking pin 38, to the
jaws 19", 20" of another adjacent cart, it is no longer
possible, by introducing a coin, to release the object from
the adjacent object standing on the right side (according
to Figure 1). Indeed, a pull exerted on the object towards
the left (according to Figure 1) results in a displacement,
in the same direction, oF the slide 5, i.e., a slide travel
c defined between the free end 41 of the slide and the free
ends of the jaws 19", 20". Since the travel c is smaller
than the total travel b of the slide 5 defined previously,
the tongue 23 maintains the clamp jaws 19, 20 in the locked
position.
The present invention allows removing the above draw-
back.
To this end, the slide 5 is constituted by two portions,
i.e., a first portion 5a constituting the slide portiGn
serving to lock or unlock the connecting lock 37 of the
obiect to an ad~iacent object, and a second portion 5b
completely separate from the first portion and located
near the endmost portion 40 of the casing of the locking
I
~L2~
apparatus 3. The said first and second p~ortions are
spaced from one another a distance d along the axis X-X'
by an intermediate or shim element 5c in the form of a
substantially rectangular metal plate. The plate 5c is
located in a cavity defined between the first and second
portions 5a and 5b and having two lateral walls perpen-
dicular to the axis X-X' of Figure 1 defined by two
shoulders 5al and 5bl respectively, of the first and
second portions adjacent to the free opposite sides 5cl
lû and 5c2 of the plate 5c, the upper and lower sides 5c3
and 5c4 of the plate 5c which are parallel to the axis
X-X' being adjacent to the upper walls 5a3, 5b3 and the
lower walls 5a4, 5b4 of the cavity. As shown particularly
in Figure 2, the plate 5c bears partially by its face 5c5,
on the one hand, against a face 5a2 of the first portion
5a perpendicularly connecting with the shoulder 5al and
parallel l:o the axis X-X' and, on the other hand, against
a face 5b2 of the second portion Sb perpendicularly
connecting with the shoulder 5bl and parallel to the axis
X-X', the said Faces 5a2 and 5b2 constituting the bottom
of the cavity in which the plate 5c is housed and
connecting with the end edges 5a5 and 5b5, respectively,
of the First and second portions 5a and 5b and spaced a
distance d. The width of the shoulders 5al and 5bl is
substantially the same as the thickness of the plate 5c.
~ flat ~ace 5b6 parallel to the axis X-X' and
spaced from the internal wall 3al of the cover 3a cf the
locking apparatus 3 connects with the shoulder 5bl.
A resilient straight element 5d in the form of a thin
metal plate bears upon the face of the metal plate 5b
confronting the face 5c5 and connected at one of its free
ends to the plate 5c through the medium of a hook portion
5dl extending through an opening in the form of a slot
5c6 provided on the free side 5c2 adjacent to the shoulder
5bl. Ihe resilient plate 5d extends beyond the plate 5c
and has its other end secured bc-tween a corresponding flat
~i4~5
face of the first portion 5a and a~washer 5e pressed
against the resilient plate 5d through the medium of,
for example, a rivet or the like. It is understood that
the plate 5c is maintained in position between the
shoulders 5al and 5bl by the resilient plate 5d. Of
course, the resilient plate 5d may be secured to the
second portion 5b of the slide with the hook portion
located in proximity to the shoulder 5al.
There also appears in Figures 2 and 3 a lock device
including a special service key, particularly a magnetic
key 50, adapted to be inserted into a corresponding lock
hole 51 provided through the wall of the cover 3a of the
locking apparatus 3 and opening into the interior of the
latter in proxirnity to the end side 5c2 of the metal plate
5c, the axis Y-Y' of the lock hole being perpendicular to
the plate 5c and approximately intersecting the longitud-
inal axis X-X' of Figure 1, the plate side 5c3 being
substantially aligned with the axis X-X'.
Figure 3 shows the magnetic key 50 inserted into its
corresponding lock hole. In this position, a magnet 50a
located at the free end oF the key is placed adjacent to
the face of the metal plate 5c opposed to the face 5c3 of
the latter. The magnet then attracts the end portion of
plate 5c including the side 5c2, which therefore is out-
side the shoulder 5bl and bears upon the internal face 3al
of the lateral wall oF the cover 3a of the casing of the
locking apparatus 3 so that the plate 5c is inclined with
respect to the axis X-X'. Figure 3 shows the angle ~
of inclination of the upper side 5c3 of the plate 5c with
respect to the axis X-X'. By exerting a pull on the
object, the first portion 5a of the slide 5 is displaced
with respect to the second portion 5b in a direction
towards the left in Figure 2. Simultaneously with this
displacement of the first portion 5a, the end portion
including the side 5c2 of the plate 5c enters the space
defined between the face 5b6 and the internal face 3al of
the lateral wall of the cover 3a. Figure 3 precisely
5how9 the endmost position of -the edge 5a5 of the first
portion 5a at -the end of -the travel of the latter (d
then being substantially equal to 0). In this endmost
position oE the first portion 5a of the slide 5, the
connecting lock 37 is unlocked, thus allowing the object
to be unlocked from the locking pin 38' of the adjacent
cart. It is therefore understood that the slide 5 thus
designed allows an authorized person possessing the
magnetic key 50 to unlock an .intermediate object or cart
from a line of objects locked to one another.
The said authorized person can thereafter exert a
push on the object resulting in a displacement towards
the right of the portion 5a of the slide 5 -till the
endmost position of the latter, i.e. , till the
separating distance d is again reached. The said person
then withdraws the magne-tic key 50 from its lock hole
and the resilient pla-te acts upon and returns the free
side 5c2 to a position opposite the shoulder 5bl, the
. plate 5c thus being again located between the shoulders
5al and 5bl as shown in Figure 2.
oE course, the lock hole 51 is a complex hole in
order to prevent an unauthorized person from i.nserting
therein a magnetized means allowing the aforedescribed
unlocking.
Referring now more particularly to Figures 4 and 5,
another form of a locking apparatus will be described.
It is well understood that the identical elements of the
two embodiments have the same reference numerals and are
not to be described again. In the example shown in
Figures 4 and 5, the locking pin 38 is mounted on a
support arbor 46 connected to the endmost portion 40 of
the casing of the locking apparatus 3 (in the left-hand
portion of Figure 4 adjacent to the free end 41 of the
slide 5 and spaced from the latter, in the locked
position, a sufficient distance to allow the pin 38 to
I be inserted between the
12
Jaws of the locking apparatus of an adjacent object.
~ s shown in Figure 5, the support arbor 46 extends
through the opening 45 of the endmost portion 40 of the
locking apparatus 3 (this opening being so dimensioned
as to provide a lateral clearance between carts) and is
removable perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis X-X
of the casing of the locking apparatus by the use of a
circlip element 47. The possibility of removing the
support arbor 46 allows disrupting or breaking up ranks
of carts in order to transfer them to other, less charged
ranks.
Tte locking pin 3B includes a first cylindrical
hollow portion 38a connecting at one of its ends with a
second cylindrical shoulder portion 38b laterally abutting
against a corresponding shoulder of the arbor 46. The
diameter oF each of the two cylindrical portions 38a, 38b
is so calibrated as to allow it to be inserted between
the jaws 19, 20.
As shown in Figure 4, the jaw 19 is so shaped that
tle calibrated cylindrical portion 38a of the pin 38 fits
therein, whereas the jaw 20, which is smaller in length
tlan the jaw 19, has an oblique surface 28 against which,
in the locked position, the circular external surface of
the shoulder 38b bears. Thus, the unlocking of the
locking apparatus is made difficult for defrauders, the
jaw 20 being partially covered by the cover 3a of
plastics material. Tlis covering of course also applies
to the locking apparatus of Figures 1 and 2.
It should be noted that, when the support arbor 46
is removed from the locking apparatus 3 in order to
disrupt a rank of carts, the locking pin 38 remains
inserted between the jaws 19, 20 of the locking apparatus
of the adjacent cart.
Fioure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the
various locking apparatus elements described. There also
appears in this Figure a slit 3b provided on the external
~Z~4~5
lateral wall of the cover 3a of th'e locking apparatus
casing ~c and through which the coin or the like 4 is
introduced. The modification of the location of this
slit oFfers the advantage of reducing the penetration of
water and humidity capable of freezing the locking
apparatus on frost days.
