Patent ID: 6325427
Filing Date: 2001-12-04
Classification: E05C,Y10T

Abstract:
A locking mechanism for a box having a cover and a base hingeably connected to each other, said locking mechanism comprising a cover latching mechanism and a base latching mechanism, at least one of said latching mechanisms being in a latching position, said latching mechanisms being in latching engagement with each other so as to lock the box closed, an unlatching mechanism having a rotatable cam adapted to be actuated to place at least one of said latching mechanisms in an unlatching position to disengage the latching mechanisms from each other so as to unlock the box, an actuating mechanism to actuate said unlatching mechanism, a deactuating mechanism having a wind-up spring responsive to rotation of said cam, said wind-up spring having a first anchoring leg adapted to extend into an anchor opening in the cover and a second anchoring leg extending into an anchor hole in the cam, said spring being placed in tension when said cam is rotated in one direction and automatically springing back to return at least one of said latching mechanisms to its latching position when the rotational force on said cam is released whereby the latching mechanisms will lock in engagement with each other to lock the box in response to the closing of the cover.