Combination lock with code protection device

A combination lock with code protection device is provided. The lock includes a casing mounted with conventional numeral dials, a pair of posts capable of mounting the tabs of a single double zipper fastener or a dual double zipper fastener, a rotatable switch covering the posts when the lock is in locked position and uncovering the posts when the lock is in unlocked position and a detent rotatably disposed into a circular hole for checking a slide for facilitating the changing of a new combination code for the lock. This disclosure is characterized in the protection of the combination code old or new from disturbed by unintentional rotation of the dials.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to the combination locks and more 
particularly to a combination lock with code protection device suitable to 
lock the tabs of a double zipper fastener in a suitcase or a luggage which 
device includes a rotatable switch and a rotatable detent means for 
protecting the code of the combination lock from disturbed intentionally 
or unintentionally and facilitating the users to change the exist code for 
their desired code of combination. 
Typical combination lock for locking the tabs of a double zipper fastener 
in a suitcase or a luggage include two, three or four dials. Each dial has 
been designated a numeral by the manufacturer to form a specific 
combination code for each of the individual combination lock. Because the 
combination code is unchangeable, once the user is supposedly forgot the 
designated combination code of his own suitcase or any one of the dials is 
unintentionally disturbed, he will never open his suitcase except 
destroying the lock. To solve the above discussed problems, a latest type 
of combination lock is provided in the market, which type includes a 
device for facilitating the users to change the old one for their desired 
combination code, once they forgot the old code of their own combination 
lock or under the condition that they want to change the code for the 
anti-burglar purpose. However, to change the code in this type of 
combination lock, the user has to hold the button with one hand and 
rotates the dials with the another. Since the dials are relatively small 
and their intervals are relatively limited, it is difficult to designate a 
numeral for each of the dials without disturbing the others. So that it 
may cause a situation when a new code is supposedly and correctly 
designated, but it is substantially wrong because of that the user is 
inadvertently disturbed the other dial which the numeral is previously 
designated. 
The present invention is arisen to militate and/or obviate the 
afore-discussed disadvantages and provides a new combination lock which 
includes a code protection device and especially that the user can 
designate a new code with a single hand and does it concentratively. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention has a main object to provide a combination lock with 
code protection device including a rotatable detent means which checks the 
slide of the combination lock from sliding so as to facilitate the user to 
change his old code for a new desired code concentratively with a single 
hand. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a combination lock 
with code protection device which lock includes a rotatable switch which 
protects the tabs from revealing to outside of the lock. 
Further object of the present invention is to provide a combination lock 
with code protection device including a plurality of visual windows for 
which the dial can be less revealing to outside of the lock, therefore 
preventing the dials from unintentionally disturbed. 
The present invention will become more fully understood by referent to the 
following detailed description thereof when read in conjunction with the 
attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference to the drawings and initiating from FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the 
combination lock with code protection device of the present invention 
comprises generally a rectangular casing 10, a latch member 20, a dial 
assembly 30, a rotatable switch 40 and a rotatable detent means 50. 
The casing 10 which is adaptable to lock the tabs of single or dual double 
zipper fastener in a suitcase or a luggage includes a hollow rectangular 
body, a depression 101 in the top of the casing 10 in the proximity of one 
end thereof, a circular cavity 102 formed in one end of the depression 
101, a hollow cylindrical pivot 103 centrally projected upward from the 
bottom of the cavity 102 so as to define an annular bearing area 104 
between itself and the cavity 102, a rectangular aperture 105 through a 
circumferential wall of the cavity 102 and accessible to the interior of 
the casing 10, a plurality of dotted recesses 106 adjacent the 
circumferential edge of the cavity 102 therearound, an introrse 
hemispherical pit 107 formed in each of the lateral sides of the 
depression 101 in symmetry with each other and each of them having an 
outwardly expanding arcuate bottom on the center of which an internally 
threaded post 108 projects upward, a circular hole 109 positioned slightly 
biasing to a lateral side of the other end of the depression 101 opposite 
to the cavity 102 under which is a sleeve member 110, a positioning slot 
112 abutting a circumferential edge of the hole 109 under which is an 
indenture 111 which is wider than the slot 112, a longitudinal guide 113 
centrally formed inside the casing 10 under the depression 101 and 
communicating with the aperture 105, a plurality of visual windows 114 
centrally formed spaced apart along the length of a longitudinal 
protrusion on the top biasing to one lateral side of the casing 10 which 
windows 114 are prepared to facilitate that the numerals of the dials 
would be visible from hereto, a plurality of poles 115 spacedly projected 
downward from an inner surface of the casing 10 adjacent the windows 114 
(as shown in FIG. 2), a plurality of first dotted protrusions 116 formed 
spaced apart around each of the poles 115, a plurality of accesses 117 
formed spaced apart through a vertical wall of an elongate pit in another 
lateral side of the casing 10 adjacent the windows 114 and a first screw 
hole 118 centrally formed at one end of the casing 10 for coupling the 
casing 10 with a rectangular lid 119 which has a flat rectangular body of 
a shaped conforming with that of the casing 10, a plurality of recesses 
119a formed spaced apart for securing the ends of the poles 115 and a 
plurality of second screw holes 119b for coupling with the lid 119 to the 
holes 108 of the casing 10 by screws. Inside the casing 10, further 
includes a second longitudinal extension 120 and a transverse extension 
121 (as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3). 
The latch member 20 is slidably disposed into the longitudinal guide 113 
but longer than the guide 113 and includes a flat rectangular body 21, a 
vertical slot 22 at a first end and a catch means 23 at a second end. 
The dial assembly 30 is of a conventional type and includes a plurality of 
dial members rotatably disposed on the poles 115 respectively. The dial 
members each has numeral dial 31, a sleeve means 32 and a first tension 
spring 33. The numeral dial 31 includes a plurality of first spaced dotted 
recesses 311 around the upper surface and made in registry with the first 
dotted protrusions 116 of the casing 10, a first central bore 312, a 
chamber 313 in under side and a plurality of second spaced dotted 
protrusions 314 on the opposite side around the bore 312. The sleeve means 
32 are engageable into the chambers 313 of the numeral dials 31 
respectively and each includes a divergent notch 321 in a periphery, a 
second central bore 322 made in registry with bore 312 and a plurality of 
second spaced dotted recesses 323 on upper surface and made in registry 
with the second spaced dotted protrusions 311 of the numeral dials 31, 
when the dial members are disposed on the poles 115, a plurality of the 
first tension spring 33 will bias thereon prior to that the poles 115 
insert into the recesses 119a of the lid 119. Since the user can watch the 
numeral dials 31 individually from the visual windows 114, the dials 31 
may be positioned more inward relative to the conventional combination 
locks and reveal a little bit to outside of the casing 10, a slide 34 of a 
generally a flat rectangular body includes a plurality of sleeve holes 341 
engageable with the sleeve means 32 and each having a coupling protrusion 
342 engageable with the divergent notch 321, a second tension spring 343 
biasing between an extension at a right end of the slide 34 and the 
transverse extension 121 of the casing 10, a vertical projection 344 and a 
flexible plate 345 at a left end thereof. The flexible plate 345 inserts 
into the vertical slot 22 of the latch means 20. 
The rotatable switch 40 of a roughly beetle shaped body 41 includes an 
annular projection 42 centrally extended downward from an underside 
adjacent one end and rotatably engageable into the annular bearing area 
104 having a first vertical slot 43 and a second vertical slot 421 in 
opposite vertical walls, the first vertical slot 43 is engageable with 
aperture 105 and the catch means 23, a hollow cylindrical axis 44 
including threaded interior 46 projected downward from the center of the 
annular projection 42 and rotatably engageable into the hollow cylindrical 
pivot 103. When the switch 40 mounts to the casing 10, it is secured by a 
bolt 47 from inside of the casing 10 and biased with a third tension 
spring 45 and a washer 48, so that the switch 40 enables to slide 
vertically, either. The switch 40 further includes four small positioning 
protrusions 49 abutting four sides of the projection 42 engageable with 
the dotted recesses 106 of the casing 10. 
The rotatable detent means 50 of a hollow interior cylindrical body 
rotatably and slidably disposed into the circular hole 109 of the casing 
10 secured by the large diameter sleeve member 110 and biased by a fourth 
tension spring 54, a radial slot 51 in the top, a check 52 integrated with 
a large sized block 53 extended outward from a periphery of the body. The 
block 53 is engageable with the vertical projection 344 of the slide 34 
and the check 52 is engageable with the positioning slot 112. It is 
understood that the detent means 50 also can be vertically slidable and 
normally hides in the circular hole 109 protected by the rotatable switch 
40. FIG. 2 shows an assembled combination lock of the present invention. 
When the rotatable switch 40 is at its closed position relative to the 
casing 10, its positioning protrusions 49 engage into two pairs of 
symmetrical dotted recesses 106 around the cavity 102 (as shown in FIG. 
7). This arrangement ensures that the switch 40 will fitably rests in the 
depression 101 of the casing 10 without losing up. 
In operation, when the lock is on combination as the coupling protrusions 
342 of the slide 34 are all engaged into the divergent notches 321 of the 
sleeve means 32, the slide 34 trends to a rightward position because of 
the resilient force of the spring 343 and the latch means 20 is also moved 
rightward by the flexible plate 345. Since the catch means 23 is 
disengaged with the vertical slot 43, so that the switch 40 becomes 
rotatable to set free the posts for engaging or disengaging the tabs of 
the double zipper fastener thereon, therefore, the luggage becomes 
openable (as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3). Contrarily, if the coupling 
protrusions 342 are disengaged with the divergent notches 321 (as shown in 
FIGS. 4 and 5), the slide 34 should tend to a leftward position and the 
latch means 20 moves leftward and its catch means 23 engages into the 
vertical slot 43 so as to check the switch 40 from rotation, therefore, 
the lock is in a closed (locked) position. 
FIG. 6 shows that the switch 40 rotates to a leftward position, its 
vertical slot 43 disengages with the slot 105 so as to block the catch 
means 23 from inserting through the slot 105. This time, if one rotates 
the dial members 30 to disorder the combination code, the slide 34 will 
also be moved leftward because the coupling protrusions 342 become stopped 
against a peripheral wall of the sleeve means 32 and because of the 
flexibility of the flexible plate 345, it permits the leftward movement of 
slide 34. Since the engagement of the protrusions 314 with the recesses 
323 provide considerable frictions therebetween, this time, the sleeve 
means 32 are rotated in concert with their numeral dials 31. Therefore, 
the combination code is not changed. This arrangement protects the 
combination code of the lock from unintentionally disturbed. 
Referring to FIGS. 9 to 13 and again FIGS. 2 and 3, if the user wants to 
change from an old code into a newly desired combination code, he may 
rotate the rotatable switch 40 clockwise or counterclockwise for revealing 
the detent means 50 to outside of the casing 10, and operate the detent 
means 50 with a suitable means such as a screwdriver which inserts into 
the radial slot 51 and turns the detent means 50 clockwise to engage its 
check 52 with the positioning slot 112 of the circular hole 109 so that 
the detent means 50 jumps upward for the resilient force of the spring 54, 
then the block 53 stops against the inner surface of the casing 10 and its 
forward end stops against the vertical projection 344 of the slide 34 so 
as to check the slide 34 from moving leftward relative to the casing 10. 
Since the dial assembly 30 is on combination and the sleeve means 32 are 
checked from rotation and because the elasticity of the springs 33, the 
numeral dials 31 enable to turn individually, this time, one can rotate 
the numeral dials 31 a little harder to offset the friction between the 
protrusion 314 and recesses 323, then seeks a different numeral for each 
of the numeral dial 31 without disturbing their sleeve means 32. So that 
the relative positions between the numeral dials 31 and the sleeve means 
32 are changed and a new desired combination code is therefore sought. 
Then press the detent means 50 downward to disengage its check 52 with the 
vertical slot 112 and turn the detent means 50 counterclockwise to have 
the check 52 stopped against an inner surface of the casing 10 so as to 
enable the vertical projection 344 of the slide 34 to be moving leftward 
and then turn the rotatable switch 40 back to its closed position. 
Therefore, the process of changing a combination code is accomplished. 
It is understood that the arrangement of the positioning protrusions 49 and 
the spring 45 for the rotatable switch 40 in coperation with the dotted 
recesses 106 around the cavity 102 enables the switch 40 stopped stably at 
any angle relative to the longitudinal line of the casing 10. The detent 
means 50 is normally covered by the rotatable switch 40. One can't open 
the switch 40 without known the combination code. So it gives no chance 
for a strenger to make code changing. When the detent means 50 jumps 
upward, it is stabilized by the block 53 so as to facilitate the user to 
change the combination code concentratedly with a single hand. Further, 
the upward detent means 50 makes an obstruction to prevent the rotatable 
switch 40 from turning back to its closed position, so that the lock is 
not operable unless the user turns the detent means 50 back to normal 
position. This would obviate the disturbance of the combination code 
either new or old. Because of the flexible plate 345 of the slide 34, an 
unintentional rotation of the dials will not disturb the combination code. 
Note that the specification relating to the above embodiment should be 
construed as exemplary rather than as limitative of the present invention, 
with many variations and modifications being readily attainable by a 
person of average skill in the art without departing from the spirit or 
scope thereof as defined by the appended claims and their legal 
equivalents.