Abstract:
A deadbolt which can be used with current door hardware to lock and unlock a door. The deadbolt can be operated by two independent locking mechanisms, such as a key cylinder or a three digit, right-left-right, combination dial. The two locking mechanisms are independent to maintain the integrity of the deadbolt lock.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This application is directed to a deadbolt lock mechanism, and more particularly to a combination deadbolt which can be used with current door hardware to lock and unlock a door.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Traditional door locks are operated by lock and key mechanisms that employ a lock cylinder and deadbolt. When a properly bitted key is placed into the keyway of the lock cylinder, the cylinder pins are displaced and the cylinder is allowed to rotate. Rotation of the cylinder allows for interaction with the deadbolt to move the deadbolt to and from the locked, extended position. In this manner, only a person with the proper key can obtain authorized entry through the door.  
         [0003]     However, there are times that an authorized person can not gain access through the door because they do not have the key. For example, the key may be lost or with another authorized individual. This is frequently the case when there are multiple authorized persons, and especially when children are among the authorized persons.  
         [0004]     As such, it is desirable to provide a door lock that allows authorized persons to gain access through the doorway when they do not have the proper key. However, in doing so, the integrity of the door lock cannot be compromised such as to allow easy access by unauthorized persons.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The present invention relates to a lock assembly including more than one mechanism for actuating a deadbolt. The mechanisms used to actuate the deadbolt operate independently of one another to ensure the integrity of the lock. In one embodiment, the lock includes independently operating key cylinder and combination dial mechanisms. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]     In the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, embodiments of the invention are illustrated, which, together with a general description of the invention given above, and the detailed description given below serve to illustrate the principles of this invention.  
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a combination deadbolt of the present invention;  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is a front view of the combination deadbolt shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the combination deadbolt shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of the combination deadbolt shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0011]      FIG. 5  is a rear perspective view of the combination deadbolt shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 6  is a back view of the combination deadbolt shown in  FIG. 1 ; and  
         [0013]      FIG. 7  is a top view of the combination deadbolt shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]     The present invention is directed to a deadbolt locking mechanism for use on a door, and more specifically a deadbolt locking mechanism that has at least two separate and independent mechanisms for manipulating the deadbolt to and from the extended locked position. The embodiments described herein generally discuss a mechanism that employs both a key cylinder and a combination dial set as the means for manipulating the deadbolt; however it should be appreciated that this is merely an embodiment of the present invention and that other embodiments are contemplated and are considered apart of this application to the extent they fall within the scope of the claims.  
         [0015]     The lock shown in the illustrative embodiment includes a lock cylinder and a combination dial, each used to operate the deadbolt to move it to and from the locked extended position. These two mechanisms operate independently of each other. Thus, each mechanism does not use or integrate any of the components of the other mechanism to operate the deadbolt. As such, the integrity and security of the lock is increased. This is because interaction between the components of the two mechanisms can provide assistance to unauthorized persons who may attempt to gain access through the doorway. For example, an unauthorized person that has access to the cylinder through a lock “pick” could also gain access to the combination mechanism in other prior art devices.  
         [0016]     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , the lock  10  consists of a key driven cylinder assembly  20  which operates by insertion of a correct key to align the tumbler pins (not shown) and allow the cylinder  20  to rotate. The cylinder  20  includes a tailpiece  30  which drives the deadbolt  35  to a retracted position or an extended position. In this manner, the rotation of the cylinder  20  actuates the deadbolt  35  and moves it to and from the locked position.  
         [0017]     The lock  10  also includes a combination lock assembly  40 , which can drive the tailpiece  30 , and thus the deadbolt  35 . The combination lock assembly  40  includes a dial  50 , three combination disks  52 , three disk spacers  54 , a drive disk  56 , a drive pawl  58 , a pin  59 , a wave washer  60 , a tail drive  62 , a cylinder plate  64 , and one or more springs  66 . It should be appreciated that the number of combination disks  52  directly correlates to the number of digits or numbers that are apart of the correct combination. As such, the number of combination disks  52  can be increased if a larger combination is desired. The combination lock assembly  40  may also include a second drive pawl assembly  70 .  
         [0018]     The combination lock assembly  40  does not use or integrate any portion or component of the key driven cylinder  20  to operate the deadbolt  35 . The combination lock assembly  40  and key driven cylinder  20  are independent of one another. For example, the use of the combination dial does not require movement of the lock cylinder pins in order to actuate the deadbolt.  
         [0019]     The combination lock assembly  40  is assembled over the cylinder  20  to construct a lock  10  which is mounted to a door  25 , such as, for example, the outside of an entry door. The combination lock assembly  40  interfaces with the deadbolt  35  to provide a locked and unlocked position. The cylinder  20  and the combination lock assembly  40  are independent of each other in that the key will open the lock  10  without the combination being dialed and the combination will open the lock  10  without the key being present. This maintains the integrity of the lock  10 .  
         [0020]     The face of the cylinder assembly  20  includes an indicator mark  80  which corresponds to numbers on the face of the dial  50  to indicate the numbers of the combination as the dial  50  is turned. Inside the dial  50  are a series of combination disks  52  and spacers  54  which, depending on the placement of the first combination disk  52   a  and the placement of the disk pins  82  in the second and third combination disks  52   b  and  52   c , combine to determine the numbers in the combination. By placing the combination disks  52  within the dial  50 , the dial acts as a protective housing for the combination disks and prevents access to the combination disks should an unauthorized user attempt to “pick” the lock. Indeed, the dial  50  acts as a protective shield or housing for both the combination lock assembly  40  and key driven cylinder  20 . The dial  50  is comprised of metal and is approximately 1/8 inch thick, and preferably between 1/16 inch and 3/8 inch thick. However, one skilled in the art should appreciate that the dial  50  could be any suitable thickness such as to provide protection to the overall assembly. Thus, the thickness of the dial  50  provides added protection and security for the entire lock, while also providing an sleek and elegant appearance. The combination disks  52 , which contain a notch  86  and a fixed drive lug operate to provide a left-right-left. Alternatively, the combinations disks can be configured for a right-left-right, combination, however such combination methods are not considered conventional.  
         [0021]     As can be seen in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the dial  50  completely surrounds combination disks  52  and the key driven cylinder  20 . The cylinder  20  is then surrounded by the dial  50  and the combination disks  52 , such that the cylinder  20  is in the center of the lock  10 . This provides an elegant and compact design that is encased by protective dial  50 .  
         [0022]     The first combination disk  52   a  includes a raised shoulder  90  that contains a spline feature, or some similar interlocking feature, which interfaces with the dial  50  so that the dial directly drives the first combination disk  52   a  when the dial is turned. Dial  50  includes a corresponding interlocking feature, such as, for example, a series of teeth, (not shown) that interlock with the raised shoulder  90 . This allows the first combination disk  52   a  to be placed in multiple positions with the dial  50  to set the last number of the combination. For example, one placement of the first combination disk  52   a  will provide one corresponding last number of the combination, while rotating the first combination disk to a second position within the dial  50  provides a different last number of the combination.  
         [0023]     On the bottom of the first combination disk  52   a  there is also a fixed pin, protrusion or other device  92  that extends back towards the second combination disk  52   b  to interface with a pin  82  extending forward from the second combination disk  52   b . When the first combination disk  52   a  is turned, the fixed pin contacts the pin  82  of the second combination disk  52   b , thereby driving the second combination disk  52   b . There is a similar interface between the second and third combination disks  52   b  and  52   c . The second and third combination disks  52   b  and  52   c  include a plurality of holes  96  located radially about the face of the disks. The plurality of holes  96  allows the disk pins  82  to be placed in different positions on the combination disks, thereby providing for different combinations depending on the location of the disk pins  82 . Thus, by disassembling the lock  10  and changing the pin  82  locations on the second and third combination disks  52   b  and  52   c  and the first combination disk  52   a  within the dial  50 , new combinations can be set.  
         [0024]     Between each of the combination disks  52  is a disk spacer  54  that is keyed or secured to the cylinder housing. The disk spacers  54  do not turn when the combination disks  52  are turned, thereby allowing the combination disks located further away from the dial  50  to remain stationary upon change in the direction of the rotation of the dial  50 .  
         [0025]     Each of the three combination disks  52  include a notch  86 . When the proper set of combination numbers is dialed by the user, the notch  86  in all three combination disks  52  are aligned with each other and in the proper position within the lock assembly to allow pin  59  from the drive pawl  58  which is located over the outer edge of the combination disks  52 , to drop into the notches  86 . This allows the dial  50 , via the pin  59  within the notches  86  in the combination disks  52 , to drive the pawl  59  in the direction that the dial  50  is being turned. The pin  59  also extends back from the pawl  58  and is contacted by the spring or other biasing means  66 . The spring  66  biases the pin  59  radially towards the combination disks  52  and into the combination disk notches  86  when the bolt  35  of the lock  10  is in the extended position. The spring  66  may also bias the pin  59  out of the notches  86  when the bolt  35  of the lock  10  is in the retracted position. Alternatively a second spring or biasing means can be used return the pin  59  to its position out of the notches  86 . When the bolt  35  of the lock  10  is retracted via the combination dial  50 , the pawl pin  59  is sprung out of the notches  86 , and the bolt  35  is re-extended by either an inside knob or the key from the outside. This action will successfully upset the combination, i.e. will misalign the notches  86  of the combination disks  52  with the pin  82 . In order to retract the bolt  35  via the combination, the correct combination will need to be redialed.  
         [0026]     The pawl  58  is attached to the drive disk  56  by pin  91 , allowing the pawl pin  59  to rotate in and out of the notches  86  in the combination disks  52 . The drive disk  56  has a notch  94  radially opposite the pawl  58  that interface with a tab  63  that extends forward from the tail drive  62 . With tab  63  secured within notch  94 , rotation of the drive disk  56  causes rotation of the tail drive  62 , which in turn translates the rotation to the tailpiece  30  which interacts with tail drive through mating hole  69 . When the lock  10  is assembled, the drive disk  56 , combination disks  52  and spacer disks  54  are biased axially forward in the dial  50  and tight up against each other by a wave washer  60  that is placed between the cylinder plate  64  and the drive disk  56 .  
         [0027]     The tail drive  62  includes a feature that interfaces with the tailpiece  30  extending from the back of the cylinder assembly  20 . In one embodiment, the tail drive  62  interfaces with the tailpiece  30  through a mating hole  69 . This feature allows the tail drive  62  to drive the tailpiece  30  radially when the proper combination is entered into the lock  10 . By driving the tailpiece  30  radially, the deadbolt  35  is driven to a retracted position. With the way that the tail drive  62  fits into the cylinder plate  64 , if the dial assembly  50  is properly assembled and interfaced with the deadbolt  35 , once the proper combination is entered into the lock  10 , the dial  50  will only be allowed to turn in the direction that will retract the bolt  35 . On a left-hinged door, the combination would be dialed right (clockwise), left, right and then the dial  50  would be turned left to retract the deadbolt  35 . On a right-hinged door, the combination would be dialed right, left, right and then the dial  50  would be turned right again to retract the bolt  35 .  
         [0028]     A second drive pawl and pin assembly  70  can be used to provide rotation in the opposite direction. This would allow the combination dial  50  to be used to move the deadbolt  35  to the locked position in addition to the unlocked position.  
         [0029]     An optional feature that can be added to the lock  10  is an LED device that is actuated by turning the combination dial  50 . The LED can also be activated in other ways, such as, for example, depressing the combination dial  50  or by a motion sensor. The LED device would contain a power supply, such as a small battery, a circuit board, and an LED and light pipe to carry light from the LED to the area of the dial and cylinder to be illuminated. In one embodiment, the act of turning the dial  50  would activate the circuit board, which will in turn, active the LED. The LED would remain illuminated for a set period of time to allow the user to have sufficient time to dial the combination. The light pipe carries the light to the appropriate area on the lock assembly, such as to illuminate the indicator mark  80  on the face of the cylinder assembly and project the light onto the area adjacent to the indicator mark on the face of the dial where the numbers are located to indicate the number currently being dialed. By incorporating the LED device into the lock assembly  10 , the lock assembly can also be applied to use in area wherein insufficient ambient lighting would render the combination entry difficult.  
         [0030]     In some embodiments, the lock  10  includes an additional security component or “lockout component” that renders the lock inoperable through either mechanism which the additional security component is activated. For example, the lock  10  may have a thumbturn (not shown) located on the opposite side of the lock  10  as the dial  50  and cylinder  20  for actuation of the deadbolt  35 . In some embodiments, the tumbturn can be pulled outward from the lock  10  thereby preventing rotation of the tailpiece  30  and hence the operation of the deadbolt  35 . By pushing the thumbturn back in towards the lock  10  the tailpiece  30  is permitted to rotate to make the deadbolt operable.  
         [0031]     The invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment. Clearly, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon a reading and understanding of this specification. It is intended to include all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.