Patent ID: 6568224
Filing Date: 2003-05-27
Classification: E05B,Y10T

Abstract:
A handcuff having an operating mechanism comprised of a planar base, a first working gear and a swing arm:said planar base having perpendicularly attached thereto a first gear axle and a swing arm axle, wherein said swing arm axle is positioned on said planar base a first fixed distance from said first gear axle; said first working gear is rotatably mounted on said first gear axle to enable said first working gear to rotate around said first gear axle in a plane parallel to the plane of said planar base, wherein said first working gear is a wheel having a first radius and teeth mounted on the outer edge thereof; said swing arm is rotatably mounted on said swing arm axle to enable said swing arm to rotate around said swing arm axle in a plane parallel to the plane of said planar base, wherein said swing arm is a curvilinear member having a second radius and teeth mounted on the outer edge of a first portion thereof, wherein the distance from said outer edge of said first portion of said swing arm to said swing arm axle is said second radius; said first fixed distance is substantially equal to the sum of the lengths of said second radius and said first radius whereby said teeth on said first working gear and said teeth on said swing arm are in contact each with the other upon rotation of said swing arm around said swing arm axle, wherein said teeth on said first working gear and said teeth on said swing arm are adapted to intermesh upon said contact; said operating mechanism further includes a control pin comprising a linear rod slidably mounted on and parallel to said planar base in a position perpendicular to said first axle and opposed to said first working gear, said rod having a proximal end, a distal end and a biasing means abutting said distal end to urge said proximal end into contact with said teeth on said first working gear, wherein said proximal end of said rod is adapted to contact said teeth on said first working gear to permit rotation of said first working gear around said first axle in one rotational direction and to prevent rotation of said first working gear around said first axle in the opposite rotational direction; said handcuff further including a locking mechanism comprising a linear bar perpendicularly and rigidly attached to said rod intermediate said proximal end and said distal end of said rod, a yoke axle perpendicularly attached to said planar base, and a yoke rotatably connected to said yoke axle; said yoke is a plate having an axle end and a forked end linearly spaced apart from said axle end, wherein said axle end is closed and rotatably mounted on said yoke axle and said forked end is an opening in said plate defined by a first leg on one side of said opening and a second leg on the opposite side of said opening side, said second leg being spaced apart from parallel to said first leg, and said yoke axle is positioned on said planar base to enable said linear bar on said rod to extend between said first leg and said second leg of said forked end of said yoke whereby rotation of said yoke at said axle end around said yoke axle in one rotational direction enables contact between said linear bar and the Inside of said first leg to linearly urge said rod against said biasing means at said distal end of said rod and rotation of said yoke at said axle end around said yoke axle in the opposite rotational direction enables contact between said linear bar and the Inside of said second leg to linearly urge said proximal end of said rod against said teeth of said first working gear.