Patent ID: 6298699
Filing Date: 2001-10-09
Classification: E05B,G07C,H01H,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A method of operating a combination lock mounted to a closure member, the method comprising:mounting the combination lock to the closure member, wherein the closure member has a planar, exterior-facing surface and a planar, interior-facing surface;indicating a locked state by having an unbiased rotatable handle movable to a first orientation;indicating an unlocked state by having the unbiased rotatable handle moveable to a second orientation;mounting a keypad to the unbiased rotatable handle;providing a bolt on the planar, interior-facing surface of the closure member, the bolt movable between a retracted position and an extended position;coupling the bolt to the unbiased rotatable handle such that the bolt moves linearly in response to any substantial movement of the unbiased rotatable handle;providing a blocking device on the planar, interior-facing surface of the closure member;preventing substantial movement of the bolt and the unbiased rotatable handle by moving the blocking device to a blocking position;allowing substantial movement of the bolt and the unbiased rotatable handle by moving the blocking device to a non-blocking position;biasing the blocking device to the blocking position, the blocking device only movable into the blocking position when the unbiased rotatable handle is in the first orientation; andproducing a signal in response to a series of keypad inputs that corresponds to a predetermined combination, the blocking device moving from the blocking position to the non-blocking position in response to the signal from the controller;providing the unbiased rotatable handle with a back having at least two curved mounting slots, each curved mounting slot having a cantilevered finger biased to extend into the slot and defining a large opening at an end of the slot; andattaching the unbiased rotatable handle to the door by passing a screw through the large opening and sliding the screw along the slot past the cantilevered finger, wherein the screw slides along the slot when the rotatable handle is moved between the first orientation and the second orientation for opening the closure member.