Patent GB-1132256-A (GB)
Title: A tumbler wheel for a combination lock
Inventor: PAUL GEORGE DANIEL
IPC: E05B37/08
Filed: 1966-02-24
Abstract: 1,132,256. Combination locks. SARGENT & GREENLEAF Inc. 24 Feb., 1966, No. 8065/66. Heading E2A. The invention relates to a tumbler wheel for a combination lock of the kind comprising an annular hub 11 having a central opening 12 therethrough adapted to be journalled on a support therefor in the combination lock and including an outer peripheral surface 15 having a plurality of axially extending teeth disposed around the circumferences thereof, an outer rim portion 25 surrounding said hub and being coaxial therewith, said rim portion having an outwardly opening peripheral recess 39 therein defining a fence receiving gate and including a plurality of locking memibers. According to one aspect of the invention, Fig. 2, the locking members 30 have inwardly facing concave toothed surfaces lying in a circular path concentric with said hub and having outwardly facing surfaces 32 spaced outwardly from the toothed surfaces and the wheel has means for enabling said toothed surfaces to move toward and away from the hub to interlock with and be released from the teeth of the hub to respectively restrain the hub and rim portion against relative rotation and release same for relative rotation, said means comprising an adjustable strap member 43 extending in a generally circular path outwardly adjacent to said outwardly facing surfaces of the locking members, and a rotatable key change member 51 supported in said rim portion for receiving a combination change key and responsive to rotation thereof for adjusting said strap member to effect interlocking of said toothed surfaces with the teeth of the hub and relative release of the same. As shown the locking members 30 are circumferentially spaced radially resilient segments 30 and the strap member 43 has an elongated thin web portion 44 extending in a circular path around the series of segments 30 and at one end has an anchor formation 45 engaging a recess 46 in a body portion of the assembly the opposite end of the strap member terminates in a rotatable gear idler member 47 moulded integrally with the web portion and rotatable by means of the member 51 which has a square socket engageable by the change key. In an alternative construction the web portion instead of terminating in a gear idler member 47 is formed integrally with a member having the socket for engagement by the change key. In a second aspect of the invention, Fig. 6, the locking members are in the form of radially movable blocks 10 each having an inner toothed periphery 63 and the wheel includes, means for moving said blocks toward and away from the hub to interlock with and be released from the teeth of the hub to respectively restrain the hub and rim portion against relative rotation and release same for relative rotation said means comprising a strap mem- 'ber 65 in the form of an endless band of non-circular form having a plurality of working sections, each block having an inclined groove 64 having an outwardly and an inwardly facing surface, for receiving a respective working section 65a, b, c or d of the endless band and said band having rack teeth 66 over a portion thereof, a rotatable key change member 67 supported in said rim portion for receiving a combination change key and responsive to rotation thereof for adjusting said band to effect interlocking of said toothed 'surfaces with the teeth of the hub and relative release of the same, the rotatable key change member having peripheral teeth meshing with said rack teeth 66, such that when the key change member is rotated in one direction, part of each working section of the band is moved against the outwardly facing surface of the respective groove to force the respective block inwardly into locking relation with the hub teeth, and when the key change member is rotated in the other direction a part of each working section of the band is moved against the inwardly facing surface of the respective groove to withdraw the respective block from the said interlocking relation.