Padlock with rotary rod shackle engagement

An improved padlock comprises a lock body and a shackle. The lock body is provided with a tubular bushing containing a rotating rod capable of being actuated by a lock core. The shackle comprises two insertion ends having retaining grooves. As shackle is inserted into the lock body, the retaining grooves engage securely the rotating rod of the lock body to complete the locking process. The unlocking process is accomplished by actuating the rotating rod to disengage the retaining grooves of the shackle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a padlock, and more particularly to an 
improved padlock provided with a rotating rod having a flat tangent 
segment which can be actuated by a lock core so as to engage or disengage 
a lock slot having a shape similar to the letter omega of the Greek 
alphabet located at the entry portion of the circular bolt body. 
Therefore, the locking and the unlocking of the padlock of the present 
invention are easily accomplished. 
The conventional padlocks for use in motor cycle and bicycle are shown in 
FIGS. 1 and 2. The padlock shown in FIG. 1 comprises a U-shaped shackle 
which is pivotally coupled at one end thereof with a lock core having a 
round hole. A bowlike curved slot and a receiving slot are disposed by the 
sides of the round hole. The receiving slot is to accommodate therein a 
round columnar lock body, which can be moved to the edge of the round hole 
to be connected pivotally with the bowlike curved slot. The lock guide 
block comprises at inner edge thereof a tangent columnar body for a 
positioning lock core body to be connected pivotally. The positioning lock 
core body is provided with an actuating lock core body, which in turn is 
composed of a positioning plate and an arm plate extending to the bowlike 
curved slot of the lock guide block in such a way that it can rotate to 
join with the columnar lock body to carry out the locking and the 
unlocking mechanisms. The positioning lock core body and the actuating 
lock body are respectively provided with rows of ball cavities intended to 
accommodate springs, inner lock balls, and outer lock balls. The 
positioning plate is composed of a U-shaped connection slot. The actuating 
lock core body comprises tangent grooves disposed by two sides of ball 
cavities thereof for the serrated blade of the key to be inserted 
thereinto. The connection slot is for the flat plate-like portion of the 
key to be inserted thereinto. As a result, the actuating lock core body 
can be effectively rotated to open the lock. In addition, the arm plate 
can be rotated by the actuating lock core body and take part in the 
locking and unlocking mechanisms along with the columnar lock body. Now 
referring to FIG. 2, the U-shaped shackle is shown comprising at one end 
thereof a hook having an appropriate angle and at other end thereof a lock 
groove. The lock body is provided at one end thereof with a curved slot 
intended to receive the hook of the shackle and at other end thereof with 
a lock core and an insertion hole. As a result, when the shackle end 
having a lock groove is inserted into the insertion hole, the lock core is 
locked securely by rotating the lock tenon. 
The padlocks described above are no doubt capable of carrying out a locking 
mechanism as expected. However, these two padlocks are generally used to 
fasten the wheel hub of a motor cycle or a bicycle to prevent it from 
turning. The users of such padlocks complain of insufficient maneuvering 
space in which the shackle of the padlock can be inserted into the lock 
body to complete the locking process. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is therefore the primary objective of the present invention to provide a 
padlock with means which can overcome the shortcoming of the conventional 
padlock of the prior art. 
In keeping with the principles of the present invention, the primary 
objective of the present invention is accomplished by a padlock, which 
comprises a lock core located at one end of the lock body and a rotating 
rod. The lock core is designed to actuate the rotating rod consisting of 
flat tangent segments positioned correspondingly to the shackle insertion 
holes in which there are locking grooves intended to retain the flat 
tangent segments of the rotating rod at the time when the shackle is 
inserted into the insertion holes of the lock body so as to swivel the 
rotating rod to complete the locking process. During such locking process, 
it is not necessary for the user to turn the inserted shackle for any 
specific angle. In addition, the locking devices, such as flat tangent 
segments and the locking grooves, of the present invention are disposed on 
the rotating rod and the shackle and are therefore light in weight and 
structurally strong to sustain any pulling force up to 3000 kg or more. 
The foregoing structures, functions, and features of the present invention 
will be better understood by studying the following detailed description 
of the preferred embodiment in conjunction with the drawings provided 
herewith.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to FIG. 3, the padlock embodied in the present invention is shown 
comprising a lock body 1 and a shackle 2. The lock body 1 is provided with 
a hollow tubular bushing 10 having two insertion holes 11 and 21 disposed 
at both ends thereof. Located correspondingly to the insertion holes 11 
and 21 are terminal columnar bodies 13 and 14, which are respectively 
provided with two radially-oriented connection holes 131 and 141 and with 
centrally-located through holes 132 and 142 intended to permit the 
rotating rod 17 to rotate in bushing 10. A lock core 15 is disposed at one 
end of the tubular bushing 10. A rotary key 151 of the lock core 15 
engages a riveting hole 161 of the rotary block 16. Rotary block 16 has an 
indentation 162 with a specific angular extent slidably engaged by 
projected key 152 so as to confine the rotating angle of the rotary block 
16 to about 90 degrees. The rotating rod 17 is provided with a connection 
key 171 engaging the riveting hole 161 of the rotary block 16 and with 
flat segments 172 and 173 positioned correspondingly to connection holes 
131 and 141 of the terminal columnar bodies 13 and 14. The shackle 2 is 
provided with insertion ends having respectively the retaining grooves 211 
and 221 shown in FIG. 3 which have a shape similar to the letter omega of 
the Greek alphabet. The open ends 212 and 222 of insertion ends are 
designed in such a way that they allow the flat segments 172 and 173 to 
pass therethrough, while the wide portions 213 and 223 of insertion ends 
have a diameter greater than that of the rotating rod 17 so that the 
rotating rod 17 can rotate at the wide portions 213 and 223, not at the 
open ends 212 and 222. 
As the lock core 15 actuates the rotating rod 17 to turn so as to permit 
the flat planes of the flat segments 172 and 173 to face toward the 
insertion holes 11 and 21 of the lock body 1, the insertion ends of the 
shackle 2 can be inserted into or pulled out of the insertion holes 11 and 
21, as shown in FIG. 4. In the meantime, the flat segments 172 and 173 of 
the rotating rod 17 can pass through the narrow open ends 212 and 222 of 
retaining grooves 211 and 221 and then into the wide portions 213 and 223. 
As a result, the rotating rod 17 can be rotated to permit its flat 
segments to face the retaining grooves 211 and 221, as shown in FIG. 4C. 
The rotating rod 17 is then locked into the retaining grooves 211 and 221 
so that the shackle 2 is locked securely inside the lock body 1. 
It has become apparent that the shackle 2 of the present invention can be 
easily and directly inserted into the lock body 1 without the shackle 2 
being tugged to a specific angle and is therefore better than the prior 
art padlock. In addition, the locking mechanism of the padlock of the 
present invention is accomplished by means of a rotating rod, which 
engages securely the end portions of the shackle. Such locking mechanism 
is relatively precise and reliable and is less vulnerable to break-up 
caused by a violent pulling force.