Abstract:
A barrel lock is provided with a hollow barrel section and a spring-biased clasp section. The clasp section has a flattened push tab that facilitates engagement and disengagement of the clasp section with the barrel section. The barrel section is further provided with a catch and the clasp section is farther provided with a protrusion, the catch being adapted to engage the protrusion and secure the barrel and clasp sections together.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) from U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60/210,426, filed Jun. 8, 2000. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    This invention relates to jewelry clasps in general, and more particularly, to a so-called barrel lock with an improved push tab that is easier to grasp and manipulate than prior art barrel locks.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    The prior art barrel lock has been around for ages, and consists of a hollow cylindrical barrel member and a spring-biased clasp member. The clasp member is provided with a tab section that must be pressed inwardly in order to release the biased engagement of the clasp member with the barrel, for withdrawal of the clasp member from the barrel member.  
           [0004]    In prior art barrel locks, the tab section is fairly small and narrow, usually leaving an impression or temporary indentation upon one&#39;s finger as a result of pressing downwardly thereupon. This can be painful, and possibly deter use and enjoyment of the jewelry item employing such clasp. In certain situations, a user may have to use his or her nail to manipulate the clasp, which undoubtedly might result in broken nails and increased frustration.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    A barrel lock is provided with a hollow barrel section and a spring-biased clasp section. The clasp section has a flattened push tab that facilitates engagement and disengagement of the clasp section with the barrel section. The barrel section is further provided with a catch and the clasp section is further provided with a protrusion, the catch being adapted to engage the protrusion to prevent the unintentional disengagement of the barrel and clasp sections. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]    [0006]FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the barrel lock of the invention.  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the assembled barrel lock of the invention.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 3 is a left side view of the barrel lock of FIG. 2.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 4 is a rear edge view of the barrel lock of FIG. 2.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 5 is a front edge view of the barrel lock of FIG. 2. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0011]    The following detailed description is of the best mode or modes of the invention presently contemplated. Such description is not intended to be understood in a limiting sense, but to be an example of the invention presented solely for illustration thereof, and by reference to which in connection with the following description and the accompanying drawings one skilled in the art may be advised of the advantages and construction of the invention. In the various views of the drawings, like reference characters designate like or similar parts. shown in FIGS.  1 - 5 , the barrel lock  10  of the present invention is provided with a flattened push tab to facilitate engagement and disengagement of the clasp section  15  with the barrel section  20 . The hollow cylindrical barrel member of the invention has a first end  25  provided with a loop  30  and adapted for connection to a jewelry chain (not shown), and a second end face  35  adapted to receive and temporarily secure the spring-biased clasp member  15  of the invention within the barrel member  20 . The clasp member  15  of the invention is preferably in the form a “V”-shaped leaf spring having a pair of planar members  40  and  45  spring-biased at their junction  50  (with the junction defined as the point of the “V”). The first planar member  40  is provided with a loop  55  for connection to a jewelry chain (not shown), while the second planar member  45  is provided with a tab section  58  extending perpendicularly outwardly from such member  45 . The tab section  58  of the invention terminates in an elongated flattened portion  60 .  
         [0012]    As shown more particularly in FIG. 1, the barrel member  20  is provided with a “T”-shaped slot  65  on its second engagement face  35 , with the vertical portion  70  of the “T” of such slot  65  extending partially down the side of the barrel member. The slot  65  on the engagement face  35  is dimensioned to receive the clasp member  15  from the junction  50  of the planar members  40  and  45  first. As the clasp member  15  is slid in to the barrel member  20 , the tab section  58  proceeds along the slot  70  provided on the side of the barrel member  20 . As the clasp member  15  enters deeper into the barrel member  20 , the biasing force of the planar members  40  and  45  against the slot  65  on the engagement face  35  of the barrel member  20  increases, until finally the planar member  45  passes beyond the slot  65  and into the barrel member  20  causing the clasp member  15  to bias open and lock into the barrel member  20 . The positioning of the planar member  45  against the interior surface of the engagement face  35  prevents a user from withdrawing the clasp  15  from the barrel  20  by pulling alone. As an added security measure, a separate catch  75  pivotally attached to the barrel member  20  is frictionally engaged with a pin  80  on the clasp member  15  to prevent inadvertent, rearward separation of the clasp member  15  from the barrel member  20 .  
         [0013]    In order to disengage the clasp member  15  from the barrel member  20 , first the catch  75  has to be removed from the pin  80  on the clasp member  15 . Then the flattened portion  60  of the tab member  58  is pressed inwardly, which causes a compression of the planar members  40  and  45  and an alignment of both planar members  40  and  45  with the slot  65  on the engagement face  35  of the barrel member  20 . Once both members  40  and  45  are aligned with the slot  65 , they may be withdrawn together through the slot  65 , enabling the clasp member  15  to be completely withdrawn from the barrel member  20  through such slot  65 . The flattened portion  60  of the tab member  58  facilitates the compression of the clasp member  15  and the removal of the clasp member  15  from the barrel member  20 .  
         [0014]    The barrel member  20  can be any shape, size, or configuration, as long as it is capable of receiving and holding the clasp member within. The outside of the barrel can have a variety of designs, textures and ornamental configurations. The flattened portion  60  on the tab section  58  can also have a variety of ornamental configurations, and be any shape or size as long as it is capable of distributing finger pressure during compression.  
         [0015]    While the present invention has been described at some length and with some particularity with respect to the several described embodiments, it is not intended that it should be limited to any such particulars or embodiments or any particular embodiment, but it is to be construed with references to the appended claims so as to provide the broadest possible interpretation of such claims in view of the prior art and, therefore, to effectively encompass the intended scope of the invention.