Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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CASKET LOCK
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to improved locks adapted to be installed
in caskets. More precisely, the present invention is concerned with a lock of
the
catch-type which is easy to use and easy to instal! on the casket.
DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART
It is well known to use locks in caskets for locking the lid of same.
However, the locking means commonly used are often difficult to manipulate, as
they
provide no means to indicate whether or not the casket is locked. Furthermore,
some
of the locks are indiscreet in that they are quite noisy and require a special
key to
activate them.
In addition, because of the fact that some caskets are made of wood
and that they constitute essentially of a five-sided open box, they may warp
or be
easily deformed. This in turn, may cause a misalignment of the lid with
respect to the
four walls of the casket which in turn may render locking of same difficult.
As a
result, it may be difficult to close the casket properly.
Ball catch locks such as those comprising a miter joint connector and
a connecting bolt are commonly known and used. However they are not reliable
locking means as the miter joint corinector is not tightly fastened to the
supporting
member on which it is installed. As a result it easily falls out of place when
the
connecting bolt is released therefrom. Indeed, in most locks of the ball catch
type
such as previously described, the joint connector is loosely attached to the
supporting
member.
The Applicant has previously developed a casket-lock of the catch-type
described in co-pending US Application No. 091175,085, filed October 19, 1998,
and
subsequently issued as US patent No 6,116,663 on September 12, ,2000. More
precisely, the lock comprises an engaging member compris'mg a locking pin, a
receiving member and a biasing means. The receiving member comprises a female
element, which is in the form of a sleeve and has a central axis. The female
element
comprises an opening lying in a plane parallel to the central axis and on the
periphery
of the sleeve to receive a portion of the locking pin. The female element
further
comprises an
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elongated slot on a portion thereof, lying in aplane perpendicular to the
central axis.
The elongated opening is defined by an upper and a lower end, each end having
a
recess extending to a given direction.
The male element has an inner and an outer end. The inner end is
formed as a hollow cylinder case, which is adapted to be inserted within the
female
element and rotate with respect to the latter about an axis parallel to the
central axis.
The hollow cylinder also comprises a pear-ahaped opening having a wider and a
thinner portion to receive the portion of the locking pin. The male element
further
comprises a spring pin having a plane perpendicular to the central axis. The
spring
pin is adapted to engage in the elongated opening on the sleeve. The outer end
of
the element includes a keyway.
The receiving member further comprises a biasing means for outwardly
biasing the male element with respect to the female element.
The lock, according to that embodiment, has an open and a closed
position so that in the open position, the wider portion of the pear-shaped
opening
of the male element is in registration with the opening of the female element,
and the
spring pin is set into the recess of the upper end of the elongated opening of
the
female element. In order to bring the lock: from an open position into a
closed
position, the male element is pushed inwardly through the keyway so to release
the
spring pin out of the recess into the elongated slot. The keyway is then
rotated at
a predetermined position so that the locking pin is engaged in the thinner
portion of
the pear-shaped opening of the male element, and the spring pin is engaged in
the
recess of the lower end.
Although the lock as defined above is easier to use and to install on a
casket than the existing locks, its structure renders it more costly to
produce, since
it requires the production of several independent pieces, and thus, in the
same way,
renders its assembly more complicated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The lock, according to the present invention, is designed to overcome
the above problem. Thence, the present invention is concerned with a lock of
the
catch-type comprising an engaging member- and a receiving member.
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The engaging member comprises a locking pin.
The receiving member has ari inner and an outer end, and comprises
a female and a male element. The female element is in the form of a sleeve
having
an inner and an outer end. The sleeve has a central axis and comprises an
opening
lying in the plane parallel to said central axis and on a periphery of the
female
element. The sleeve also comprises an elongated slot on a portion thereof. The
elongated opening is located in the inner end and lies in a plane
perpendicular to the
central axis. The female element further comprises a longitudinal notch
extending
from the outer end to a side of the elongated opening.
The male element also comprises an inner and an outer end. The inner
end is formed of a hollow cylinder adapted to~ be inserted within the female
element.
The male element is adapted to rotate with respect to the female element about
an
axis parallel to the central axis. The hollow cylinder is provided with a pear-
shaped
opening having a wider and a thinner portion. The pear-shaped opening lies in
a
plane normal to the central axis for receiving the locking pin. The hollow
cylinder
case comprises a blocking element on its periphery for maintaining the male
element
tightly secured within the female element. The outer end of the male element
includes a keyway.
Hence, the lock, according to the present invention, has an open
position and a closed position. When the lock is in the open position, the
wider
portion of the pear-shaped opening of the male element and the opening of the
female element are in registration for receiving a portion of the locking pin,
and the
blocking element is set into an upper end of the elongated opening. The lock
is in
a closed position when the locking pin is engaged within the male element.
More
precisely, the lock is brought from the open position to the close position
when the
keyway is rotated at a predetermined position, so that the locking pin is
engaged with
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the thinner portion of the pear-shaped opening of the female element, and the
blocking element is brought to a lower end of the elongated slot.
As can be noted, the lock, according to the present invention, has a
structure allowing easy assembly of the lock:, since the blocking element
forms an
integral part of the male element. Also, by nature of its structure, the lock
is less
inclined to break.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a lock that allows proper
alignment of the locking pin in the corresponding receiving member of the
lock.
Finally, it is also an object of the present invention to provide a casket
comprising at least one lock according to the present invention so to provide
locking
means that appears discreet on the casket.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is an exploded view of a lock according to a preferred
embodiment of the invention.
Figure 2 is an exploded view of the engaging member of the lock of
Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a front view of the lock of Figure 1 assembled.
Figure 4 is a back view of the lock of Figure 3 in the open position.
Figure 5 is the back view of the lock of Figure 4 in the closed position.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the lock of Figure 1 partially installed
on a portion of a wall.
Figure 7 is a perspective view of the lock of Figure 6 installed on the
portion of the wall.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
As can be seen in Figure 1, the lock (1) according to a preferred
embodiment of the present invention comprises an engaging member (3) and a
receiving member (9). The engaging member (3) comprises a locking pin (5).
The locking pin (5) has two extremities, one of which is provided with
an attaching means for fixing the locking pin (5) in place. The other
extremity is
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provided with an enlarged portion such as a knob (7) adapted to engage in the
opening of the corresponding receiving member (9) of the lock (1 ). As can be
seen,
the locking pin (5) is preferably a ball-head screw.
The receiving .member (9) generally comprises two components which
are imbricated in such a way to allow them to rotate relative to each other
from an
open position to a closed position.
More precisely, the two components may be defined as a female
element (11 ) and a male element (13). The female element (11 ) comprises a
sleeve
(12) having a central axis delimited by an inner end (17) and an outer end
(15). The
female element (11 ) also comprises an opening (19) sized and shaped to
receive a
portion of the locking pin (5). The female element (11 ) further comprises an
engaging portion. The sleeve (12) may comprise on its periphery, a plurality
of
projections (16) for keeping the receiving member tightly secured in place in
the wall
of the casket during operation of same. The projections have a plane parallel
to the
central axis. Preferably, the sleeve (12) comprises four projections.
As can be seen in Fig. 2, in a particular embodiment, the engaging
portion comprises an elongated opening (21 ) and a longitudinal notch (23).
The
elongated opening (21 ) comprises an upper and a lower end and may be located
proximate the inner end (17) of the female element (11 ). The elongated
opening (21 )
has an axis perpendicular to the central axis and is in perpendicular relation
with the
longitudinal notch. The elongated opening (21 ) may further comprise a recess
at
each end. The recess extends in the direction of the outer end (15) of the
female
element (11 ). The longitudinal notch (23) extends from the outer end (15) of
the
female element (11 ) to a side (20) of the elongated opening (21 ). The notch
(23) and
elongated opening (21 ) are adapted to receive a blocking element, which may
be a
stop block (33) located on the male element (13).
The male element (13) comprises a cylinder case (14) having an inner
and an outer end (25, 27). The cylinder case (14) is adapted to slidably be
inserted
in the female element (11 ) so that the male element (13) may rotate with
respect to
the female element (11 ) about an axis parallel to the central axis. The male
element
(13) further comprises a pear-shaped opening (31 ). The pear-shaped opening
(31 )
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is generally defined by a wider portion and a thinner portion. The thinner
portion of
the pear-shaped opening may be defined by a somewhat rounded or squared
contour. The wider portion is sized to receive a corresponding end portion (7)
of the
locking pin (5). The thinner portion is sizedl to secure the end portion (7)
of the
locking pin (5) so that it remains engaged within the male and female elements
(11,
13).
As mentioned above, in a particular embodiment, the male element (13)
comprises a stop block (33) on the periphery of the cylinder case (14). The
stop
block (33) is positioned so that when the malE~ element (13) is inserted in
the female
element (11 ), the stop block (33) engages in the notch (23) to reach the
elongated
opening (21 ).
The outer end (27) of the male element (13) may include a keyway,
which can be adapted to be used in combination with an Allen key.
As can also be seen in Figure 1, the lock (1) may further comprise a
biasing means. The biasing means may consist of a ring (35). The ring (35) is
made
of a resistant and compressible material, such as polyurethane, polypropylene
and
buns "N". The ring (35) is installed in such a position so that during locking
and
unlocking of the lock (1 ). The biasing means may form an integral portion of
the
sleeve (12) of the female element (11 ), or be~ of a different form such as a
spring.
For fastening the lock (1 ), an A,Ilen key is inserted within the keyway
(29) of the male element (13). Fastening of the lock (1 ) occurs when, once
the male
element (13) is biased against the female element (11 ), it is rotated at a
predetermined position preferably about 90° in respect to the female
element (11 ).
As a result, the male element (13) rotates in respect to the female element
(11 ) until
the thinner portion of the pear-shaped opening (31 ) of the male element (13)
is in
registration with the opening (19) of the female element (11 ). Indeed, the
locking pin
(5) remains engaged within the receiving member (9) when the knob (7) of the
locking pin (5) is trapped within the thinner portion of the pear-shaped
opening (31 )
of the male element (13).
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Hence, during locking, the ring will outwardly bias the male element
(13) so to move the stop block (33) in the rE~cess (18} of the upper end when
the
male element is rotated at the closed position.
To bring the lock from the closed position to the open position, the male
element is inwardly biased against the female element so as to disengage the
stop
block (33) from the recess (18) of the upper e:nd. Then, the male element is
rotated
at a predetermined position, preferably about 90° with respect to the
female element
so to drive the stop block (33) in the recess (18) of the lower end of the
elongated
opening (21 ).
In the open position, as shown in Fig. 5, the opening (19) of the female
element (11 ) is in registration with the wider portion of the pear-shaped
opening (31 )
of the male element (13).
Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, in a preferred embodiment, the lock may
further comprise a guide, which can be installed on top of the opening (19) on
the
female element (11 ). An object of the guide is to realign or facilitate the
alignment
of the knob (7) of the locking pin (5) inside thE: opening (19} of the
receiving member
of the lock (1 ) and to protect the hole on the wall (39) of the casket in
cases where
the lid is misaligned with the casket. The guide may be a plate (37) having
the
shape of a half-moon and comprising an opE~ning for receiving the locking pin
(5).
Hence, in order to interact with the receiving member (9) of the lock (1 ),
the locking pin (5) is installed at a precise position opposite to it. More
particularly,
for use in combination with a casket, the locl~cing pin (5) may be installed
on the lid
of same. The receiving member (9) is installed on one of the wall so that it
is in
registration with the locking pin (5). In other words, the receiving member
(9) is
installed so that the opening of the female and male elements (11, 13) are
directly
opposite to the locking pin (5) and the keyway (29) is facing the outer face
of the
wall.
The lock (1 ) of the present invention may be used in combination with
a casket for locking the lid of same. It is worth mentioning that a casket may
contain
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more than one lock. Such is the case of c<~skets having a lid composed of two
halves wherein each half can operate independently.
As can also be appreciated, the lock, according to the present
invention, can be used in combination with a compartment on the casket, such
as
fall-front type drawers.
