Abstract:
A tool chest with multiple, vertical drawers includes a remotely controlled latching mechanism. A receiver mounted in the cabinet receives a signal from a remote transmitter and initiates operation of a motor to, in turn, drive a linkage which engages or releases a catch on the back side of each drawer.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This is a utility application based upon provisional application Ser. No. 60/118,557 filed Feb. 4, 1999 for which priority is claimed. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a system for locking a tool cabinet by means of a remote control transmitter. Mechanics and tradesmen maintain a personal and complete set of tools typically in a tool cabinet. The tools are often special and customized for use by the mechanic, tradesman or the like and as such, it is desirable to have a high level of security with respect to tool boxes and cabinets. Of course, mechanically actuated locks operated by traditional keys are typically the type of security available for tool cabinets and chests. There has developed a need, however, to have a similar or adequate degree of security for tool cabinets which can be remotely controlled. By providing remote control, the cabinet can be easily locked and/or unlocked while the mechanic is on the job. Thus, there has developed a need for means and construction in a tool cabinet which will be susceptible to a remote control mechanism. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In a principal aspect, the present invention comprises a tool storage cabinet with a locking system controllable by a remote control transmitter. The storage cabinet includes a cabinet housing wherein a series of drawers are mounted in a cabinet and a latch plate projects rearwardly from the backside of at least one drawer. The latch plate includes a retention hook for engaging a vertical locking bar mounted within the housing which may be pivoted to a position to engage the latch plate retention hook or to be disengaged from the latch plate retention hook. The actuator for engaging and disengaging the locking bar includes a cam mechanism, which is driven by a drive motor responsive to a remote control means for controlling the operation of the motor. 
     Thus, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved remotely controlled, high security cabinet construction of the type having multiple drawers. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved remote control, keyless security system for mechanics and workmen&#39;s tool cabinets and chests. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a rugged, inexpensive, simple to use, and economical remote control security system for a tool chest or cabinet. 
     Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a remote control locking system for a cabinet of the type having multiple drawers arranged in vertical array or in vertical and side by side array. 
     These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which follows. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     In the detailed description which follows, reference will be made to the drawing comprised of the following figures: 
     FIG. 1 is a isometric view of the embodiment of the invention in an assembled cabinet construction, 
     FIG. 2 is a partially exploded, isometric view of a portion of the cabinet of FIG. 1 incorporating the system of the invention; 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded, isometric view of a cabinet incorporating the system of the invention; 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial isometric view illustrating the vertical locking bar and motor assembly incorporated in a cabinet housing with the system of the invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a partial cut away isometric view of the control mechanism depicted in FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a plan view of the mechanism of FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged top plan view illustrating movement of the locking bar, depicted in FIG. 6, to the drawer open position; 
     FIG. 8 is a partial isometric view illustrating the biasing mechanism for maintaining the locking bar in a closed position incorporated in the cabinet housing of the embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a sensor mechanism associated with the motor shaft and cam mechanism that operates the locking bar in the system of the invention; 
     FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the cam mechanism associated with the latch assembly of the invention, 
     FIG. 11 is similar to FIG.  9  and is a cross-sectional view illustrating the sensor in the unlocked position; 
     FIG. 12 illustrates the sensor of FIG. 11 in a pre-locked position; and 
     FIG. 13 illustrates the sensor of FIG. 11 in the fully locked position. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The cabinet of the invention is typically a formed sheet metal cabinet as depicted in FIG.  1 . Thus a cabinet  10  includes opposite end sides (including end side  12 ), back side  14 , bottom side  15  and top side  16 . Drawers, such as drawers  18  and  20 , are mounted on slides  22  as shown in FIG. 2 for ease of movement into and out of the cabinet housing  10 . FIG. 3 illustrates in greater detail, in an exploded isometric view, the component parts. Referring to FIG. 3, a first and second pair of locking bars  24  and  26  are vertically mounted adjacent the back side  14 . Each locking bar  24  and  26  is associated with a separate, vertical set of drawers. The locking bars  24  and  26  are each mounted on lever arms such as lever arms  28  and  30  supporting bar  26 . The lever arms  28  and  30  are mounted or attached to the distal or opposite ends of locking bar  26 . The lever arms  28 ,  30  are pivotal about an intermediate connection point such as connection point or pivot connection  30  in FIG. 5 of lever  28 . 
     The locking bar or latch bar  26  may thus pivot about the vertical axis through the pivot point  30  in an arc to thereby engage or disengage one or more drawer latch plates such as latch plate  32  attached to the back side of each drawer, such as drawer  20 . The latch plate  32  thus includes a hooked end  34  which is adapted to engage against the locking bar  26  which is mounted to pivot on the lever arm  28 . The lever arm  28  further includes a cam surface  36  on the side opposite pivot  30  distal from the connection of bar  26  to arm  28 . The cam surface  36  is sufficiently large so that it can be engaged by a cam  38  mounted on a shaft  40  of a motor  42  mounted in a housing  44  within the cabinet housing  10 . Housing  44  is thus mounted on the bottom side or surface  15  of the housing  10  beneath drawer  20 . The motor  42  thus may be operated in response to control sensors to rotate the shaft  40 . 
     In operation the motor  42  is actuated in response to an electronic signal from a signal generator  50  or transmitter, for example, by means of infra-red transmission. The transmitter  50  thus transmits a signal picked up by a sensor connected to housing  44 . A signal light  52 , mounted in the front of cabinet housing  10 , indicates activation of the sensor. That sensor signal is then transmitted, via a control line  54  in FIG. 4, to control system and logic circuitry  56  thereby effecting operation of a power source. The circuitry  56  thus initiates and controls operation of the motor  42 . The motor  42  is operable to rotate a shaft  40  to thereby move the cam  38  against the cam surface  36 . This causes the lever arm  28  to pivot as depicted in FIG. 7 in a clockwise direction indicated by the arrow. This causes the locking bar  26  to disengage from the latch plate  32  thereby permitting the drawer  20  to be opened. A typical garage door opener signal generator or transmitter and receiver may be used to effect the initiation of operation of the motor  42  via circuitry  56 , for example. 
     The motor  42  also requires some feedback control signals to indicate the position of the shaft  40  and cam  38 . Feedback signals are provided by sensors such as a hall sensor  68  which is responsive to the position of the shaft  40 . For example, referring to FIGS. 9,  11 ,  12  and  13 , a sensor members  68  may be mounted on the shaft  40 . A sensor initiation device  60  includes a series of radially projecting arms  62 ,  64  and  66 . The device  60  operates in combination with sensor  68  mounted in a fixed position relative to shaft  40 . The arm  62  in combination with sensor  68  indicates a prelocked condition of the system. That is, when the arm  62  is aligned with a Hall effect sensor  68 , the logic of the control system  56  indicates that the shaft  40  has been rotated to a position which is 40°, in a rotational sense, from providing fully locked engagement of the bar  26  with the latch plate  32 . The signal to the motor  42  then persists for a further rotation 40° so that the arm  64  will be aligned with the sensor  68  thereby indicating that the shaft  40  is in a position or state wherein the bar  26  is in the locked or engaged position with plate  32 . In this position, as depicted in FIG. 10, the cam  38 , which is eccentrically mounted on the shaft  40 , effectively is positioned as shown in FIG. 6 to release from surface  36  so that a biasing spring  70 , associated with an upper lever arm  30  for the lock bars  24 ,  26  will cause the arms  28 ,  30  (and therefore the lock bars  24 ,  26 ) to rotate to the locked position. 
     In order to disengage the lock bar  26  from latch plate  32 , a signal is again provided through the control circuitry and power source  56 . This causes the motor  42  to rotate shaft  40  so as to align the arm  66  with the sensor  68  as depicted in FIG.  11 . This 180° rotation causes the cam  38  to rotate against the cam surface  36  pivoting the lever arm  28  to the position shown in FIG. 7 causing bar  26  to release latch plate  32  of drawer  20 . 
     A key operated manual override is provided to permit operation of the unlocking mechanism. Specifically, a key operated cylinder  80  may be rotated to thereby rotate a shaft  82  mounted in the housing  10 . Rotation of the shaft  82  causes a cam member  84  on shaft  82  to engage against the cam surface  36  of the lever arm  28 . This will cause the lever arm  28  to pivot the locking bar  26  out of engagement with the latch plate  32 . In this manner, a manual override is provided for the entire system. Various other types of manual overrides may be provided besides the one which is described to effect pivoting of the lever arm  28 . 
     The invention provides various enhanced security features. Remote access control is thus possible. The signal receiver or sensor  52  mounted in housing  10  associated with the remote control may include an LED light. Thus the receiving signal sensor  52  may include an LED light to indicate that the cabinet is either open or closed, as the case may be, or that a signal has been received. An audible alarm may be also provided within the system to indicate that the system has just engaged or disengaged. Utilizing traditional garage door opener type logic and circuitry, the user can program the signal source and sensor to operate on various different frequency settings. A mechanical override is provided in the event of an emergency situation. Thus there are various alternatives in variance of the subject matter of the invention. This invention is therefore to be limited only by the following claims and equivalents thereof.