Abstract:
A locking system for a storage container provides a reliable and durable way of locking the lid in the closed position with a limited number of moving parts while providing resistance to tampering and theft. The locking system includes a housing which receives a padlock having a shackle movable between a locked position and an unlocked position relative to the latch arms of a latch mounted to the lid.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to storage containers, and, more particularly, to a storage container with an improved locking system. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Containers such as tool boxes and storage cabinets are commonly used at construction sites and similar locations for the storage of tools and materials. Typical designs comprise a front wall, a back wall, a bottom wall and opposed end walls which are interconnected to form a hollow interior. The container interior is closed by a top wall or lid pivotal between open and closed positions on a hinge mounted to the back wall, usually with the assistance of gas springs. 
         [0003]    Due to the value of tools and materials that may be held in storage containers, one or more locking mechanisms are generally employed to prevent theft. In horizontally oriented containers, it is typical to position a padlock at one or both of the corners of the lid to prevent it from being opened except when the padlock(s) are unlocked. Preferably, structure is provided to shield the padlock(s) from exposure to tampering, such as attempts to cut the shackle or pry open the body of the padlock. 
         [0004]    One design of a locking mechanism for storage containers of the type described above is found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,772,613 and 8,096,152. Although somewhat different, the locking mechanism disclosed in each of these patents operates by causing a padlock to either block or permit lateral motion of a latch rod located in the interior of the container body relative to flanges mounted to the lid of the container. When lateral movement of the latch rod is blocked by alignment of the body of the padlock with one end of such rod, the latch rod engages the flanges carried by the lid thus preventing the lid from opening. After unlocking the padlock, the latch rod is free to move in a lateral direction without contacting the padlock body such that it disengages the lid flanges allowing the lid to be opened. Locking mechanisms of this type are relatively complex and depend on accurate alignment between a number of elements mounted to the lid and to the body of the container. Over the course of time and as a result of the often demanding conditions at job sites, the lids and bodies of storage containers may become misaligned making operation of latch rod difficult and/or preventing an end of the latch rod to engage the padlock body in order to lock the container. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    This invention is directed to a storage container with a locking system which is reliable and has a limited number of moving parts. 
         [0006]    In the presently preferred embodiment, the locking system of this invention comprises a housing which is mounted by a bracket within a cavity formed in each end wall of the container. The housing has an interior which receives a padlock such that the shackle of the padlock extends through openings formed in the housing and bracket, in a direction toward the interior of the container, and the body of the padlock faces outwardly within the cavity. The shackle is movable between an unlocked position wherein the padlock body may be moved into a pocket formed in the housing interior, and a locked position in which the padlock body is located outside of such pocket. 
         [0007]    The locking system further comprises a latch, and preferably a spring-biased hawk bill latch, which is mounted to the lid of the container in alignment with the shackle of the padlock. With the shackle in the locked position and the padlock body located outside of the pocket in the housing, the latch arms of the latch engage the shackle in the course of movement of the lid to the closed position. The latch arms open in response to initial contact with the shackle and then close around it when the lid is fully seated on the container body. An opening is provided between the latch arms in the closed position within which the shackle is captured. In order to open the lid, the padlock is unlocked allowing one end of the shackle to disengage the padlock body. The padlock body may then be moved into the pocket of the housing, in a direction toward the interior of the container body, causing the shackle to move in the same direction. In the course of such movement, that portion of the shackle that had been located between the latch arms moves through the opening between them until it clears such arms. With the latch arms no longer encircling the shackle, the lid may be opened. 
         [0008]    The locking system of this invention provides a reliable and durable means of locking the lid of storage container, with a limited number of moving parts, while providing resistance to tampering and theft. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The structure, operation and advantages of the presently preferred embodiment of this invention will become further apparent upon consideration of the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a storage container with the locking system of this invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is an exploded, perspective view of the locking system herein depicted the padlock, housing, bracket and latch mechanism; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a view similar to  FIG. 2  except showing the shackle of the padlock having been inserted through a slot in the housing, turned 90°, and then entering a slot in the bracket; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a view similar to  FIG. 3  with the housing and bracket assembled and the shackle in an unlocked position; 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a view similar to  FIG. 4  except with the shackle in a locked position; 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a view of the latch mechanism captured by the shackle after closing the container lid; 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a plan view of the locking system mounted to an end wall of the container depicting the shackle in the locked position and the padlock body outside of a pocket in the housing interior; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is a view similar to  FIG. 7  except with the shackle unlocked and the padlock body inside of the pocket. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]    Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , a storage container  10  is illustrated which comprises a front wall  12 , a back wall  14 , a bottom wall  16  and opposed end walls  18 ,  20  interconnected to form a hollow interior  22 . A lid  24  is mounted by a hinge (not shown) to the back wall  14  and movable between a closed position covering the hollow interior  22 , and an open position where it is held in place by support legs  26 ,  28  connected between the lid  24  and respective end walls  18 ,  20 . Each end wall  18 ,  20  may be formed with an elongated channel  30  extending between the front and back walls  12 ,  14  within which a handle  32  is mounted. Preferably, a foot plate  34  is mounted at each corner of the bottom wall  16 . For purposes of the present discussion, the terms “top,” “bottom,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “inwardly” and “outwardly” refer to the orientation of the container  10  as shown in the Figs. 
         [0019]    The container  10  is locked in the closed position by two locking assemblies  36 , each located at a cavity  38  formed in respective ends walls  18 ,  20 , in cooperation with two hawk-bill latches  40  mounted to the lid  24 . One locking assembly  36  and one latch  40  are collectively referred to herein as a locking system, and there are two locking systems identical to one another located at each end wall  18 ,  20  of the container  10  only one of which is described below. 
         [0020]    Referring now to  FIGS. 2-8 , each locking assembly  36  of this invention comprises a housing  42 , a bracket  44  and a padlock  46  having a padlock body  48  and shackle  50 . The housing  42  comprises a top wall  52 , a bottom wall  54 , opposed side walls  56 ,  58  and a back wall  60  defining an interior  62  having a open front end  63 . See  FIG. 8 . The back wall  60  is formed with a first section  64  joined along one edge to the side wall  56 , a second section  66  joined along one edge to the side wall  58  and a middle section  68  connected between the first and second sections  64 ,  66 . As best seen in  FIGS. 2, 7 and 8 , the side wall  58  is longer than side wall  56 , as measured in a direction from the front end  63  of the housing  42  toward the back wall  60 , which, together with the second section  66  and middle section  68 , forms a pocket  70  within the housing interior  62 . Preferably, the second section  66  of the back wall  60  has a vertical slot  72  joined to a generally horizontally extending notch  74 . The first section  64  is formed with a hole  76 , and each of the side walls  56 ,  58  is formed with an opening  78 . 
         [0021]    As depicted in the Figs., the bracket  44  is generally C-shaped having a top plate  80 , a bottom plate  82  and a vertical plate  84  connected between the top and bottom plates  80 ,  82 . The top plate  80  has a flange  86  formed with spaced holes  88 ,  90 , and the bottom plate  82  mounts opposed side tabs  92 ,  94  each formed with a hole  96 . The vertical plate  84  is formed with a generally T-shaped opening  98  which includes a horizontal head section  100  and a vertical leg section  102 . A pin tab  104  is mounted to the vertical plate  84  at the top of head section  100 , and a second pin tab  106  is mounted to the vertical plate  84  at the bottom of leg section  102 . These pin tabs  104 ,  106  receive a retaining pin  108  having a hole  110  for insertion of a cotter pin  112  as described below. 
         [0022]    The hawk-bill latches  40  are commercially available and the details of same form no part of this invention. For purposes of the present discussion, each latch  40  includes latch arms  114 ,  116  which are movable between and open and closed positions, but are normally biased to the closed position by a spring. The lower end of each latch arm  114 ,  116  is formed with a notch  118 ,  120 , respectively, which collectively define an opening  122  when the latch arms  114 ,  116  are in the closed position. See  FIG. 6 . 
         [0023]    The housing  42 , bracket  44  and padlock  46  are assembled together, and to the container  10 , as follows. Initially, and with reference to the left-hand side of  FIG. 1 , the bracket  44  is connected by fasteners  124  inserted through the holes  88 ,  90  in flange  86  to the inside of the end wall  18  covering the cavity  38  therein. The shackle  50  of the padlock  46  is uncoupled from the padlock body  48  and placed in a vertical orientation as shown in  FIG. 2 . The padlock  46  is moved into the interior  62  of the housing  42  so that its shackle  50  extends into the vertical slot  72  in the back wall  60  of the housing  42 . Once the padlock  46  is inside of the housing  42  its shackle  50  may then be turned 90° within the horizontally extending notch  74  to assume the position shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         [0024]    The housing  42  and padlock  46 , with the now horizontally oriented shackle  50 , are moved in an inward direction toward the interior  24  of container  10  so that the bottom wall  54  of the housing  42  slides along the bottom plate  82  of bracket  44 , its top wall  52  slides along the top plate  80  of bracket  44 , and, the shackle  50  enters the head section  100  of the T-shaped opening  98  in the vertical plate  84  of bracket  44 . See  FIG. 3 . Once the second section  66  of the back wall  60  of housing  42  contacts the vertical plate  84  of bracket  44 , the shackle  50  assumes the position depicted in  FIG. 4  and the holes  96  formed in tabs  92 ,  94  of bracket  44  align with the openings  78  formed in respective side walls  56 ,  58  of the housing  42 . Fasteners  126  are insertable through the aligning holes  96  and openings  78  to secure the housing  42  and bracket  44  together. See  FIGS. 7 and 8 . Additionally, with the shackle  50  in the position shown in  FIG. 4 , the retaining pin  108  may be inserted into the pin tabs  104 ,  106  carried by the vertical plate  84  of bracket  44  and then secured in place by inserting the cotter pin  112  into the hole  110  in pin  108 . This prevents the padlock  46  from being pulled in an outward direction and disengaging the bracket  44 . 
         [0025]      FIGS. 4 and 7  depict the padlock  46  in an unlocked condition wherein the free end  128  of its shackle  50  is spaced from and aligns with the hole  76  in the first section  64  of the back wall  60  of housing  42 . The padlock  46  is locked by inserting the free end  128  through hole  76  into the padlock body  48 . See  FIG. 5 . As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , when the padlock  46  is locked its padlock body  48  is oriented substantially horizontally and located outside of the pocket  70  in the interior  62  of housing  42 . 
         [0026]    With reference to  FIG. 6 , with the padlock  46  in the locked position the lid  24  of the container  10  may be moved to the closed position carrying with it latch  40 . As the lid  24  moves downwardly, the latch arms  114 ,  116  contact the shackle  50  and are spread apart against the bias of the spring that normally urges them together. Further downward movement of the lid  24  positions the latch arms  114 ,  116  so that their respective notches  118 ,  120  each extend around the shackle  50  causing it to become encircled by the opening  122  collectively forming by such notches  118 ,  120 . In this position, the shackle  50  prevents the lid  24  from being opened. 
         [0027]    In order to unlock the container  10 , and allow lid  24  to be opened, the padlock  46  is unlocked by a key (not shown) inserted into the padlock body  48  within the cavity  38  in the end wall  18  (and end wall  20 ) of housing  42 . Unlocking the padlock  46  causes the shackle  50  to disengage the padlock body  48  allowing it to be turned about 90° to the orientation shown in  FIG. 8 . When in this position, the padlock body  48  may be pushed in an inward direction, toward the container interior  24 , and into the pocket  70  in the housing  42 . The shackle  50  moves in the same direction with the padlock body  48  as it is pushed inwardly so that the portion of the shackle  50  which had been encircled by the latch arms  114 ,  116  passes through the opening  122  between them. Once the shackle  50  clears the latch arms  114 ,  116 , as illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the lid  24  may be opened. The shackle  50  and padlock body  48  may remain in the position shown in  FIG. 8  with the lid  24  opened or closed in order to permit use of the container  10  without having to unlock it. In order to lock the container  10 , one may push the shackle  50  in an outward direction, away from the container interior  24 , by reaching inside of the container  10  and grasping the shackle  50 . After the padlock body  48  is outside of pocket  70 , it may be rotated back to the position shown in  FIG. 7  and the free end  128  of shackle  50  may be inserted through the hole  76  in back wall  60  of housing  42  into the padlock body  48 . See  FIGS. 5 and 7 . The padlock  46  is then ready to receive the latch  40  as discussed above. 
         [0028]    While the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.