Patent Publication Number: US-6334346-B1

Title: Numeral lock with resettable feature

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a numeral lock for a door, and the like, and particularly to a numeral lock mechanism, which has pin number capable of being changed according to a user&#39;s demand. 
     One of the purposes to use a numeral lock is to lock and unlock the door lock without having to use a key, eliminating the risk of losing the key after locking the lock. 
     One kind of popular numeral lock has several push buttons, each of which has a corresponding numeral. When the correct ones of the push buttons are depressed by the user, i.e. the corresponding numerals of the depressed push buttons are the same as the preset pin number, the door lock can be unlocked. 
     Furthermore, one main purpose of devising a numeral lock with resettable feature is to prevent a thief to become aware of the pin number by means of observing the push buttons to tell the correct ones from other irrelevant to the pin number; because the correct push buttons are constantly depressed by a user&#39;s finger, and thus have more polished surface than the irrelevant ones. Therefore, it is very important to develop a kind of numeral lock with resettable feature to overcome the above said disadvantages and to provide homes and offices with more security. 
     Referring to FIG. 10, a numeral lock with resettable feature is devised by the inventor of the present invention prior to the present invention; the prior art numeral lock comprises a housing  10 , a plurality of locking pins  20 , a confining plate  30 , an engaging plate  40 , a locating plate  50 , and a bottom plate  60  as the main parts; the housing  10  has holes each receiving a push button connected to a respective one of the locking pins  20  for the locking pins  20  to be capable of being depressed by a user&#39;s fingers; each of the locking pins  20  has a first engaging protrusion  201  and a second engaging protrusion  202  arranged in opposite direction; the engaging plate  40  has locking holes  401  receiving the first engaging protrusions  201  of the locking pins  20 ; each locking hole  401  has an engaging portion  402  as shown in FIG.  11 . The confining plate  30  is fixed to the housing  10  and has holes for receiving the second engaging protrusions  202  of the locking pins  20 . The locating plate  50  and the engaging plate  40  are movably received within the housing  10 . Both the locating plate  50  and the bottom plate  60  have holes for other ends of the locking pins  20  to be passed through, and into, respectively. When the first engaging protrusions  201 ′ of the locking pins  20 ′ face inwardly of the housing  10 , they will engage the engaging portions  402  of the locking holes  401  of the engaging plate  40  and thus stop the engaging plate  40  from moving. Locking pins  20 ′ of such inward facing first engaging protrusions  201 ′ have to be depressed in order to separate such protrusions  201 ′ from the locking holes  401  for the corresponding second protrusions  202 ′ to be moved into the locking holes  401 ; such second protrusions  202 ′, facing outward, will not stop the engaging plate  40  from moving. 
     When the engaging plate  40  is not stopped from moving by any of the engaging protrusions  201 , 202 , i.e. the correct locking pins  20  are depressed, a handle associated with the engaging plate is capable of being turned to open the door. 
     A user can turn the locking pins  20  to change the direction of the protrusions  201  according to his predetermined pin number from top turning slots (not numbered)of the locking pins  20  with a screwdriver. 
     The above mentioned numeral lock is fixed to a door with bottom plate  60  contacting the door so the numeral lock has to be first removed from the door for permitting the locking pins  20  to be turned through the holes of the bottom plate  60 , making the resettable process very inconvenient. 
     So, it is a main object of the present invention to devise a numeral lock that can be reset more easily and conveniently, not having to remove the entire lock from the door. 
     SUMMARY 
     A numeral lock with resettable feature of the present invention has lock pins each associated with a respective press button, the press buttons being arranged on a housing for a user to press to unlock the numeral lock. The locking pins each has a first and a second engaging protrusion opposing each other; the first engaging protrusions are received with locking holes of an engaging plate, and will engage the locking holes to stop engaging plate from moving when facing inwardly of the housing. Locking pins having such inwardly facing engaging protrusions have to be depressed for such protrusions to separate from the locking holes in order to unlock the lock. 
     The locking pins are associated with the press buttons such that they can turn along with the press buttons for permitting a user to reset the numeral lock with a new pin number. The corresponding numerals of those locking pins having inwardly facing first engaging protrusions constitute the pin number. 
     Furthermore, to simplify the resetting procedure of the numeral lock, a sliding plate is provided; the sliding plate has shaped holes each connected to a respective one of the locking pins. The shaped holes each has a round hole portion and a rectangular hole portion; when the sliding plate is moved such that the round hole portions thereof connect the locking pins, the locking pins are capable of turning for permitting a user to rest the numeral lock; on the other hand, when the rectangular hole portions connect the locking pins, the lockings are incapable of turning, preventing the locking pins from being unwarily turned. The sliding plate is further protected from being unwarily moved by a box shape cover capable of being locked up by another lock device. 
     Thus, it can be understood that the numeral lock of the present invention can be reset very easily. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will be better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a numeral lock of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a numeral lock of the present invention with locking pins thereof being stopped from turning by the sliding plate; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a locking pin of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a confining plate of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a confining plate of the present invention viewed from other side; 
     FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a numeral lock of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a view showing the numeral lock of the present invention with locking pins thereof being capable of turning relative to holes of the sliding plate; 
     FIG. 8 is sectional view of a numeral lock of the present invention with locking pins thereof being received within rectangular hole portions of the sliding plate; 
     FIG. 9 is a view showing the numeral lock of the present invention with locking pins thereof being connected with round hole portions of sliding plate, and capable of turning; 
     FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a prior art numeral lock as mentioned in the Background; and, 
     FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the prior art numeral lock with a locking pin thereof being depressed. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A numeral lock of the present invention, referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, comprises a housing  1 , a plurality of locking pins  2 , a confining plate  3 , a sliding plate  4 , an engaging plate  5 , a locating plate  6 , and a bottom plate  7  as the main parts; the numeral lock is fitted to a door and is associated with a connecting plate  8  disposed on inner side of the door as shown in FIG.  2 . 
     The housing  1  has round holes  11  on one side for receiving round press buttons  12  therein, and has screw holes  15  and a recovering button hole  125  for receiving a recovering button  13  therein; the recovering button  13  is associated with a cushion  131 , a spring  132 , and a recovering rod  133  passed through the confining plate  3 . 
     The confining plate  3  is fixed to the housing  1  by screws  151 ′ passed into the screw holes  15 ′ of the housing  1  and through holes  31  thereof. Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the confining plate  3  further has a guiding projection  36  and confining recesses  33  facing the round holes  11  of the housing  1 ; each confining recess  33  has a central hole  32 , two radially arranged opposing locating convex portions  332  and a confining portion  331 . The confining portion  331  is a semicircle recess of each of the confining recess  33 . 
     Each confining recess  33  houses a locating member  34  therein; the locating members  34  are capable of turning inside the confining recesses  33 , and each has a stopping projecting portion  341 , an elongated connecting hole  342 , two holding holes  343  and two radially disposed opposing locating trenches  344 ; each locating member  34  is connected to a respective one of the press buttons  12  with a respective springs  132  disposed in between, and with side projections  121  of the press buttons  12  passed into the holding holes  343  of the locating members  34 ; thus, the locating members  34  can be turned along with the press buttons  12 . The stopping projecting portions  341  of the locating members  34  are each movably disposed within a respective one of the confining portions  331  of the confining recesses  33  of the confining plate  3  such that the locating members  34  can only be turned for one hundred and eighty degrees. The connecting holes  342  of the locating members  34  are substantially rectangular. The locating trenches  344  of the locating members  34  can separably engage the locating convex portions  332  of the confining recesses  33  of the confining plate  3  when the locating members  34  are being turned. 
     The sliding plate  4  is movably disposed within the housing  1  next to the confining plate  3 , and has a guiding slot  44 , a pushing rod  42  and shaped holes  41 . Each shaped hole  41  consists of a circular hole portion  411  and a narrower elongated hole portion  412  extending from the circular hole portion  411  as shown in FIG.  7 . Referring to FIGS. 1,  6  and  7 , the sliding plate  4  further has receiving holes  43  thereon, coaxial with the shaped holes  41 ; the receiving hole  43  are substantially elongated holes. The guiding projection  36  of the confining plate  3  is received with the guiding slot  44  of the sliding plate  4  such that the sliding plate  4  can slide along a desired path defined by the guiding slot  44  thereof. Furthermore, the sliding plate  4  has convex projections  45  on two sides thereof such that friction between the same and the confining plate  3  and between the same and the engaging plate  5 , which is disposed next to the sliding plate  4  as shown in FIG. 1, is reduced for the sliding plate  4  to easily slide therebetween. 
     The engaging plate  5  is movably disposed within the housing  1 , next to the sliding plate  4 , and is biased by springs  54  disposed between upper end thereof and inner wall of the housing  1 . The engaging plate  5  has a recovering rod hole  53 , an elongated hole  55 , and locking holes  51  each corresponding to a respective one of the receiving holes  43  of the sliding plate  4 . Each of the locking holes  51  consists of a substantially circular passing portion  521  at one side, and an engaging portion  522  at the other side. The engaging portions  522  are each shaped like a step. 
     A recovering rod  133  is passed through the recovering rod hole  53  of the engaging plate, the through hole  35  of the confining plate  3 , and the spring  132 , and is received within the cushion  131  associated with the recovering button  13  at one end. 
     Referring to FIG. 3, the locking pins  2  each has a connecting rod portion  21 , a first engaging protrusion  22 , a second engaging protrusion  23 , a locating rim  24  and an engaging trench  242 , shown in FIG. 6, between the first engaging protrusion  22  and the locating rim  24 . The connecting rod portions  21  have flat surfaces  211  on two sides thereof. Each first engaging protrusion  22  has a semicircular shape and is arranged in a direction opposite to the respective second engaging protrusion  23  also having a semicircular shape. The locating rims  24  each has a slope  241 . 
     The locking pins  2  are each passed through a respective one of the locking holes  51  of the engaging plate  5 , and the respective shaped hole  41 , the respective central hole  32 , and the respective connecting hole  342  of the locating members  34 , and received within the respective press button  12  at one end; each of the first engaging protrusions  22  is held within the respective locking hole  51 ; each of the second engaging protrusions  23  is received within the respective receiving hole  43  on the sliding plate; the connecting rod portions  21  are capable of turning within the round hole portions  411  of the shaped holes  41  of the sliding plate  4  but are stopped from turning when engaging the rectangular hole portion  412  of the shaped holes  41 ; furthermore, the connecting rod portions  21  of the locking pins  2  are by no means capable of turning relative to the connecting holes  342  of the locating members  34  such that the locking pins  2  can turn along with the corresponding press buttons  12 . 
     The locating plate  6  is movably disposed within the housing  1 , next to the engaging plate  5 , and is biased by a spring  64  disposed between inner wall of the housing  1  and an upper end thereof. A projecting portion  63  is provided at the upper end of the locating plate to confine the spring  64  as shown in FIG.  1 . The locating plate  6  further has through hole  62 , an elongated hole  65 , and locating holes  61  each corresponding to a respective one of the locking holes  51  of the engaging plate  5 . The through hole  62  has a contour adapted for contacting a sloped rim (not numbered) of the recovering rod  133  such that the locating plate  6  can be pushed when the recovering rod  133  is depressed. Each locating hole  61 , at an end toward the spring  64 , is provided with an elastic string  611  movable at the end of the respective locating hole  61 . Each of the locking pins  2  is passed through a respective one of the locating holes  61  of the locating plate  6 , with the respective elastic string  611  disposed on the slope  241  of the locating rim  24  thereof. The pushing rod  42  of the sliding plate  4  is passed through the elongated hole  65 . 
     The bottom plate  7  is fixed to the housing  1 , next to the locating plate  6 , by screws  151  passed through holes  71  thereof, and has a through hole  73 , through holes  72  and an elongated hole  74 . The other ends of the locking pins  2  are each passed into a respective one of the through holes  72  of the bottom plate  7  with a spring  25  disposed between the respective locating rim  24  and the respective through hole  72  for the locking pins  2  to be biased toward the press buttons  12 . The other end of the recovering rod  133  is passed into the through hole  73  of the bottom plate  7  with a spring  134  disposed between the sloped rim of the recovering rod  133  and the through hole  73  to bias the recovering rod toward the recovering button  13 . The pushing rod  42  of the sliding plate  4  is passed through the elongated hole  74  thereof. 
     The numeral lock is operationally associated with a press handle  14  which is coupled to a turning member  141  that is disposed within the housing  1 , adjacent to the lower end of the engaging plate  5  and lower end of the locating plate  6 . The handle  14  and an activating rod  142  are connected to the turning member  141  such that the handle  14 , the turning member  141 , and the activating rod  142  can turn together. The activating rod  142  is further connected to a dead bolt (not shown) provided for locking a door. Referring to FIG. 2, the numeral lock is fitted to the outer side of a door  81  and combined with the connecting plate  8  fitted to the inner side of the door  81 . The pushing rod  42  is passed through an elongated hole  811  of the door  81  and an elongated hole  82  of the connecting plate  8 . A box shaped cover  83  is pivoted to the connecting plate  8  at one end of the cover  83  and is provided with a lock  831  for fastening the box shape cover  83  onto the connecting plate  8 . Furthermore, a convex portion  832  is provided on the inner side of the cover  83  such that the cover  83  will not be able to be fastened onto the connected plate  8  unless the pushing rod  42  is pushed back to its original position after use. Thus, the user can easily know whether the sliding plate  4  is in a desired position. 
     In assembling the numeral lock of the present invention, all of the first engaging protrusions  22  of the locking pins  2  are first arranged to face in a first direction such that in this position, the first engaging protrusions  22  are adjacent to the circular passing portions  521  of the locking holes  51 , and so do not stop the engaging plate  5  from moving. 
     In setting a predetermined pin number, referring to FIGS. 2,  6  and  7 , we have to open the box shaped cover  83 , and push the pushing rod  42  to move the sliding plate  4  to displace the connecting rod portions  21  of the locking pins  2  to be received within the circular hole portions  411  of the sliding plate  4 . Then, we turn those of the press buttons  12  which have corresponding numerals included in the predetermined pin number through one hundred and eighty degrees, the stopping projecting portions  341  of the locating members  34  moving from one end of the confining portions  331  of the confining plate  33  to the other. Thus, such rotated press buttons  12  will make the corresponding locking pins  2  turn, and consequently, such turned locking pins  2 ′, as shown in FIG. 6, have first engaging protrusions  22 ′ facing in a second direction, opposite the first direction. Under this condition, the first engaging protrusions  22 ′ facing the second direction engage the corresponding engaging portions  522  of the locking holes  51  in the engaging plate  5  to prevent the engaging plate  5  from moving. Then, the sliding plate  4  is moved to its original position for the connecting rod portions  21  of the locking pins  2  to be received within the elongated hole portions  412  of the sliding plate  4 , so that the locking pins  2  cannot be rotated. Next, the box shape cover  83  is fastened onto the connecting plate  8  with the locking device  831 , so that the pin number will not be inadvertently changed. 
     Because the first engaging protrusions  22 ′ engage the engaging portions  522  of the locking holes  51  in the engaging plate  5 , the engaging plate  5  cannot be moved, and stops the turning member  141  associated therewith from turning. Thus, the handle  14  cannot be turned to open the door, i.e. the door is locked. 
     To unlock the numeral lock, we have to depress the press buttons  12  corresponding to the pin number such that the rotated locking pins  2 ′ are depressed, and the above first engaging protrusions  22 ′ separate from the related engaging portions  522  of the engaging plate  5 . Thus, the engaging plate  5  is no longer blocked from moving by the first engaging protrusions  22 ′. The corresponding second engaging protrusions  23 ′, as shown in FIG. 6, are now received within circular passing portions  521  of the locking holes  51  in the engaging plate  5 , and will not block the engaging plate  5  from moving. Furthermore, the depressed lock pins  2 ′ will not move back to their respective original positions because the engaging trenches  242  of the depressed locking pins  2 ′ engage the elastic strings  611  of the locating plate  6  when the locking pins  2 ′ are depressed. When the handle  14  is rotated to open the door, the locating plate  6  is moved by the turning member  141  associated therewith, and the elastic strings  611  separate from the engaging trenches  242  of the depressed locking pins  2 ′, permitting the locking pins  2 ′ to be respectively moved to their original position by the springs  25 . 
     On the other hand, when wrong locking pins  2  are depressed, we only have to depress the recovering button  13  such that the recovering rod  133  will displace the locating plate  6  to permit the elastic strings  611  of the locating plate to separate from engaging trenches  242  of such wrongly depressed locking pins  2 . Thus, the springs  25  are then able to push those locking pins  2  back to their respective original positions. 
     To reset the numeral lock, we only have to open the box shape cover  83  and move the sliding plate  4  as described above, and then the press buttons  12  corresponding to a new pin number are rotated. 
     From the above description, it can be understood that the numeral lock of the present invention has an advantage that the numeral lock can be reset without need of removing the same from the door, greatly increasing convenience in using the lock.