Abstract:
A security apparatus for a ratchet type gunlock that has a ratchet for locking the gunlock. The security apparatus prevents the gunlock from being shimmed using shimming techniques well known in the art. A star-shaped cogwheel having asymmetrical teeth prevents the shim from reaching the locked ratchet. The security apparatus also provides an extended ratchet latching assembly that features a pivot and a unique shoe-shaped latch that attaches to a plunger via a ball head such that the connections provided between the three elements of the latching assembly enable the latching assembly to remain locked despite severe impact, wrenching or shaking, yet can be easily opened even once the forces being applied to the gunlock ceases even when the deformation to the gunlock is irreversible.

Description:
This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/860,416, filed Jul. 31, 2013, pursuant to 35 USC §119(e). 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to gun racks and locks, and, more particularly, to gun racks and locks adapted to mount rifles and shotguns using an improved ratchet locking mechanism. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Law enforcement personnel often carry firearms in their vehicles. These weapons, which include shot guns, rifles, assault rifles and other types of long guns, are often stored in a gunlock fastened securely to a gun rack attached to the vehicle. The gun rack is most commonly mounted either horizontally or vertically at an interior location in the vehicle, and, generally, is mounted in substantially parallel to a planar region serving as the mounting base in the vehicle, such as a floor, a sidewall or the ceiling. 
     The design of the storing assembly must provide for immediate release of the weapon when needed by the law enforcement officer. Yet, easy access to the weapon can present a problem; for example, if an intruder or other unauthorized person attempted to misappropriate the weapon. 
     Further complicating the problem is the fact that whereas in the past, law enforcement personnel generally carried only one type of weapon, typically a service revolver, today, they must have a variety of weapons having considerably differing sizes and configurations. The choice of location at which the weapon is stored in the vehicle varies considerably depending on individual preference, the weapon selected and the geometry of the vehicle. 
     One particular gunlock that is well suited to meet these requirements is made by Santa Cruz Gunlocks, LLC of Webster, N.H. This is their Model SC-5. This gunlock is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,047,771 B2, issued to Tanos on May 23, 2006. The &#39;771 patent is hereby incorporated into this application in its entirety. In summary, the SC-5 gunlock has a pivotably attachable ratchet arm, which resembles typical handcuffs. A plurality of ratchet teeth enables the gunlock to clamp a wide variety of cross-sectional portions of different weapons sizes and shapes. 
     A solenoid has a plunger adapted to engage one of the ratchet teeth of the ratchet arm to lock the rotatable ratchet arm in position around the cross-sectional portion of the weapon to be locked. The solenoid locking assembly is releasable via a switch and can be overridden with a key. 
     A slide bar is moveably attached to the gunlock. The slide bar is provided for mounting the assembly to a suitable surface in a storage location. The gunlock is held in place on the slide bar with a setscrew assembly that can only be reached when the gunlock is open. 
     Although the SC-5 gunlock fully meets the safety requirements of its intended use and typical environment (supervised location such as a police car, police station gun room, etc.), changing demands have created the need for a higher level of security than present with the SC-5. Despite the overall high degree of acceptance the SC-5 gunlock has received in the industry, the Applicant realized that several improvements could be made that would render the lock more impervious against unwanted opening by the use of an extending ratchet latch in combination with an anti-shimming apparatus. 
     There is not found in the prior art a ratchet type of gunlock as described above that features an apparatus that prevents an unwanted opening by shimming, prevents unwanted opening by forceful opening even under extreme conditions that result in structural distortion of the gunlock. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an aspect of the invention to provide an improved ratchet type gunlock apparatus that has a ratchet that can be activated by a solenoid. 
     Another aspect of the invention is to provide an improved ratchet type gunlock apparatus that cannot be shimmed using techniques well known in the art. 
     Still another aspect of the invention is to provide an improved ratchet type gunlock apparatus that cannot be opened by impact, wrenching or shaking. 
     Finally, it is an aspect of the invention to provide an improved ratchet type gunlock that can achieve a much higher level of security against unwanted opening by making simple modifications to the basic structure of the prior art gunlock, the SC-5. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of the prior art ratchet gunlock. 
         FIG. 2  is a side cross-sectional view of the prior art ratchet gunlock shown in  FIG. 1  depicting how a gap can be obtained in the locking mechanism when a ratchet gunlock is subjected to severe impact, wrenching or shaking. 
         FIG. 3  is a partial cross-sectional isometric view of the extending ratchet latch in place on the gunlock shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a detailed isometric view of the extending ratchet latch showing how the extending ratchet latch interacts with the ball-headed plunger. 
         FIG. 5  is a detailed cross-sectional isometric view of the extending ratchet latch. 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of the extending ratchet latch holding the gunlock in a locked state. 
         FIG. 7  is a side view of the extending ratchet latch allowing the gunlock to be in an openable state. 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of the extending ratchet latch in a forced condition such that the extending ratchet latch is wedged but still provides a locked state. 
         FIG. 9  is a side cross-sectional view of the ratchet gunlock with the extending ratchet latch in place showing how the gunlock can still be “shimmed”. 
         FIG. 10  is a side cross-sectional view of the ratchet gunlock with the extending ratchet latch and the anti-shimming wheel in place showing how the gunlock can no longer be shimmed. 
         FIG. 11  is a partial cross-sectional isometric view of the extending ratchet latch and the anti-shimming wheel in place on the gunlock shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 12  is a detailed isometric view of the anti-shimming wheel. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the prior gunlock, Model SC-5, manufactured by Santa Cruz Gunlocks of Webster, N.H. is a handcuff ratchet device that was designed primarily for a supervised environment. The universal adjustable gunlock apparatus  10  is shown. Typically, gunlock  10  is mounted to a storage surface. 
     U-shaped base plate  51  has a left casting  54  fastened to an identical right casting via rivets  56  as shown. Gunlock  10  is assembled with a pivotal ratchet arm  12 , which is rotatably attached between opposing side plates  18  using rivets  56 . Ratchet arm  12  has a plurality of ratchet teeth  11 . Opposing side plates  18  are attached interposed between opposing legs of base plate  51  using rivets  56 . Once assembled, gunlock  10  has the appearance of a ratchet-type of handcuff that can be easily adjusted to varying diameters in order to accommodate different parts of various weapons. Covering ratchet arm  12  is a cushion (not shown) that is preferably a rubberized material that prevents the weapon from scratched from the metal of arm  12 . Similarly, cushions cover the metal side plates  18 . 
     To lock gunlock  10 , plunger  46  engages one of ratchet teeth  11 , thusly releasably holding arm  12  in that position. Locking assembly  24  may be unlocked electrically using solenoid  42  or mechanically by key  52  in lock  62  as shown. Activating solenoid arm  40 , which is attached to solenoid  42  via retainer clip  60  causes plunger  46  to disengage from ratchet teeth  11 , thus freeing the lock to open. Spring  44  keeps plunger  46  urged against one of ratchet teeth  11 . This causes locking assembly  24  to again become locked. Consequently, an electrical failure causes the device to fail safely by keeping the gun in a locked position. 
     Despite the relative few number of parts comprising the apparatus, invention  10  is able to lock a large variety of weapons having different cross-sectional configurations and in both vertical and horizontal orientations. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , severe shaking or mechanical distortion E, the structural elements of gunlock  10  deform D and ratchet arm  12  separates from plunger  46  providing gap G and the gunlock is free to open O since plunger  46  no longer engages teeth  11 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a partial cross-sectional isometric view and a detailed isometric view of the extending ratchet latch  30  in place on the gunlock  10 . In this modification of the original SC-5, enclosed in plate  54 , plunger  46  is replaced by plunger  24 , stainless steel pivot  22  and extending ratchet latch  30 , all of which are used to fasten gunlock  10 . The opening mechanism interlocks with extending ratchet latch  30  via ball joint connection with ball head  26  of plunger  24  fitted into a rounded slot  34  of extending ratchet latch  30 . Head  72  of latch  30  features sliding surface  38 , which engages stainless steel pivot  22 . 
     For normal operation, the force of plunger  24  is transmitted to latch  30  by ball head  26  and slot  34 . This connection permits extending ratchet latch  30  to move relative to the axis of plunger  24  in a curve defined by stainless steel pivot  22  as ball head  26  slides in slot  34 . This special mechanical connection between the parts of the ball head  26  and slot  34  provides a rotational displacement connection. If there is no force tending to distort gunlock  10 , this mechanism permits an interlock with ratchet teeth  11  and the free connection with plunger  24  and extending ratchet latch  30 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , a detailed view of extending ratchet latch  30  is provided. Head  72  has a shoe-shaped appearance. The opening mechanism (solenoid plunger assembly shown in  FIG. 3 ) has sliding surface  38  that engages pivot  22 . Teeth  36  are dimensioned to engage teeth  11  of ratchet arm  12 . In operation, extending ratchet latch  30  operates by using the concave groove that is sliding surface  38  and a convex pin, pivot  22 . Teeth  36  of latch  30  perform the pawl function, which was performed by plunger  24  in the original design. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 6 ,  7 , and  8 , the function of extending ratchet latch  30  with gunlock  10  is depicted.  FIG. 6  shows the normal locked condition.  FIG. 7  shows the unlocked condition and  FIG. 8  shows the forced state of operation. 
     The two directions of motion allow latch  30  to be released by the action of plunger  24  upon normal opening but also to follow the changing position of ratchet arm  12  to hold gunlock  10  closed during an unauthorized attempt when force E ( FIG. 8 ) is applied to deform structure D. In the latter case, latch  30  pivots around pivot  22  and ratchet arm  12  pulls it in the direction of opening by means of latch  30 &#39;s tooth-like surface  36 . When forcibly turned, latch  30  engages in teeth  11  of ratchet arm  12  via the other tooth of latch  30  which is at a greater radius from pivot  22  than the first tooth of latch  30 , thus causing latch  30  to wedge between pivot  22  and teeth  11  of ratchet arm  12 , causing arm  12  to remain locked despite gap G. Thus, latch  30  continuously extends between pivot  22  and ratchet arm teeth  11 . Upon application of still more force, the constrained interlocking of teeth  36  of latch  30  causes latch  30  to turn further on pivot  22  with ball head  26  free to slide in slot  34  and present a still larger cross-section by virtue of latch  30 &#39;s wedge-like geometry, thus still remaining locked. 
     As noted above, the rotational displacement ability of latch  30  is obtained from the special mechanical connection between the longitudinal round-section slot  34  in latch  30  and the ball plunger head  26 , which fits into slot  34 . After the force E tending to pull gunlock  10  apart ceases, the flexible mechanism of ratchet arm  12  and latch  30  returns from the deformed state; the interlock with ratchet arm teeth  11  and the free connection with plunger head  26  allows latch  30  to return to its normal position. Operation of plunger  24  provides the normal mode of disengaging latch  30  from ratchet arm teeth  11  wherein gunlock  10  can be opened. This normal opening capability is retained even after irreversible deformation of gunlock  10  has occurred. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 9 , gunlock  10  is shown to be able to be shimmed open despite the addition of latch  30 . Shimming involves the use of sliding a thin strip  70  between teeth  11  and lock casing  54 . Pushed in direction S, shim  70  reaches latch  30  and moves latch  30  in direction F and frees ratchet arm  12 , allowing gunlock  10  to open. 
     A solution to this problem was found by the introduction of an anti-shimming apparatus, which is starwheel  50  as shown in  FIGS. 10 ,  11  and  12 . Starwheel  50  presents an obstacle to shim  70  to prevent shim  70  from pushing down against latch  30  to disengage it from teeth  11 . Starwheel  50  is a freely-rotating cogwheel whose profile is dimensioned to fit teeth  11  of arm  12 . Starwheel  50  is placed in front of latch  30  so that the pawl action of latch  30  cannot be prevented. As shown, starwheel  50  is specially designed to smoothly engage with teeth  11  of ratchet arm  12 . Starwheel  50 &#39;s teeth have a shark-tooth-like, asymmetric profile, thus allowing ratchet arm  12  to move freely. Since the teeth of starwheel  50  and teeth  11  of arm  12  are constantly engaged with one another, the motion of shim  70  is always prevented from reaching latch  30 . Even if shim  70  were sufficiently flexible so that it could worm its way between the teeth of starwheel  50  and teeth  11 , shim  70  would be in such a deformed state that it lacks the ability to release latch  30 . Normally unlocking plunger  24  causes latch  30  to disengage from teeth  11  of ratchet arm  12 , permitting free movement of arm  12  and since starwheel  50  is freely rotatable, starwheel  50  does not impede arm  12  from being released. 
     Although the present invention has been described with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, other versions are readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the preferred embodiments contained herein.