Patent Publication Number: US-8991226-B2

Title: Storm grate lock device and method of use

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application 61/588,259, filed Jan. 19, 2012, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
     Not applicable 
     BACKGROUND 
     The present invention generally relates to a lock down system for loose cast iron grates to prevent accidental or unwanted removal of the grate from its frame without the proper security removal tool. The present invention prevents the previous problems associated with persons removing the grates through use of generic tools. 
     SUMMARY 
     In various embodiments, the present invention describes a lock system that is designed to be attached to an existing cast iron loose grate that sits in a cast iron frame allowing the loose grate to be locked into the frame so it cannot be removed from the frame accidently, or on purpose, without the proper tool to unlock the security locking bolt. The inventive lock system consists of a lock body with a latch assembly attached to the bottom with a stainless steel bolt, or other substantially strong bolting material, washer and nut combination tightened down into the locked position with a special security flange nut that cannot be untightened with any standard socket, wrench or pliers. The locking bolt causes the latch to rotate out from the lock system to the locked position as it is tightened with the locking tool and causes the latch to move to the unlocked position as the locking bolt is untightened with the locking tool. There are two hook arms that are attached to the bottom of the grate that extend out to lock under the frame to lock the back side of the grate in position while the present inventive lock system locks down the front of the grate. 
     In various embodiments, the present invention describes an apparatus for locking a storm grate which has a lock body. The lock body further comprises at least one hook arm engaged with a latch assembly, a security flange nut engaged with the latch assembly, and a deep well socket. In one embodiment of the present invention, the lock body is placed into the recessed area of a storm grate; and the hook arm engaged with the latch assembly may be rotated to extend under the storm grate thereby preventing removal of the storm grate by rotating the security flange nut. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions to be taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings describing specific embodiments of the disclosure, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of the present device engaging a sewer grate in operation; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates an exploded view one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a cross sectional drawing of a complete system of one embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a side view of the turning key of one embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following description, certain details are set forth such as specific quantities, sizes, etc. so as to provide a thorough understanding of the present embodiments disclosed herein. However, it will be evident to those of ordinary skill in the art that the present disclosure may be practiced without such specific details. In many cases, details concerning such considerations and the like have been omitted inasmuch as such details are not necessary to obtain a complete understanding of the present disclosure and are within the skills of persons of ordinary skill in the relevant art. 
     Referring to the drawings in general, it will be understood that the illustrations are for the purpose of describing particular embodiments of the disclosure and are not intended to be limiting thereto. Drawings are not necessarily to scale. 
     While most of the terms used herein will be recognizable to those of ordinary skill in the art, it should be understood, however, that when not explicitly defined, terms should be interpreted as adopting a meaning presently accepted by those of ordinary skill in the art. In cases where the construction of a term would render it meaningless or essentially meaningless, the definition should be taken from Webster&#39;s Dictionary, 11th Edition, 2008. Definitions and/or interpretations should not be incorporated from other patent applications, patents, or publications, related or not, unless specifically stated in this specification or if the incorporation is necessary for maintaining validity. 
     In general, the apparatus, systems and methods of the present disclosure are distinguished from and advantageous over other storm grate locks that are conventional in the art, because the systems and methods of the present disclosure use a new and novel locking system that cannot be opened through conventional tools. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , in various embodiments, the present disclosure describes a lock body  1  (which may be made out of cast iron, or other suitable materials), at least one iron hook arms  5  (which may be made out of cast iron, or other suitable materials), a latch assembly  10  (which may be made out of cast iron, bronze, or other suitable materials), metal bolts  15  (which may be made out of cast iron, bronze, or other suitable materials), washer  20  (which may be made out or cast iron, bronze, or other suitable materials), a security flange nut  25  (which may be made out of cast iron, bronze, or other suitable materials), and a deep well socket  30  used in various combinations as disclosed to create a new and novel storm lock system. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the lock body  1  fits into the receiving hole  101  in the storm grate  100 . Located below the lock body  1  and under the storm grate  100 , is the latch assembly  10 . On the top portion of the lock body  1 , is the security flange nut  25  and releasably engaging the security flange nut  25  is the turning key  35 . Both the turning key  35  and the security flange nut  25  have matching female  135  and male  45 , respectively, engagement faces to allow the turning key  35  and security flange nut  25  to interact,  FIGS. 1 and 4 . It is envisioned that the engagement faces of the turning key  35  and the security flange nut  25  will be of unique geometric patterns so that the turning key  35  and security flange nut  25  could not be engaged by commercially available tools such as, but not limited to, screwdrivers, sockets, Allen wrenches, nut drivers, and the like. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the latch assembly  10  is engaged and the hook arm  5  is rotated to a distance under the storm grate mounting frame  105 . When engaged, the storm grate  100  cannot be lifted off the mounting frame  105  due to the presence of the hook arm  5 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an exploded version of one embodiment of the lock body of the present inventive system. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the lock body  1  part is smaller on four sides than the receiving hole  101  in the storm grate  100  to be refurbished. This allows the lock body  1  to be placed into the receiving hole  101  when in use. In one embodiment of the invention there could be a two to three degree taper  3  from top to bottom of the lock body  1  with the top being smaller than the bottom. One of ordinary skill in the art could envision varying sizes and degree of taper in the lock body  1 . 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, the taper  3  serves two functions. It is envisioned that one function of the taper  3  can be to allow the lock body  1  to fit in the receiving hole  101  in the storm grate  100  (which may be cast iron) in which the receiving hole  101  has a built in taper as well. It is envisioned that the second function of the taper  3  may be to allow the lock body  1  to be wedged into the receiving hole  101  by force using a small hammer, or other suitable tool. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, the lock body  1  has a preferably one cut out  2  on the front right hand corner for the latch assembly  10  to be mounted in with a bolt  15 . It is envisioned that one of ordinary skill in the art could fashion the cut out  2  in a variety of differing dimensions, and in varying locations on the lock body  1 . In one embodiment of the present invention, two sides of the cut out  2  on the bottom are open to allow the hook arm  5  to turn from the locked position to the open position and the third side will be solid in order to stop the hook arm  5  in the locked position. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, the lock body  1  has a bolt hole  50  located in the interior through which to attach the latch assembly  10  on the bottom of the lock body  1 . In one embodiment of the invention, the bolt hole  50  may be beveled to allow the security flange nut  25  to be recessed where it cannot be accessed by hand or with various commercial tools, but not limited to, screwdrivers, sockets, Allen wrenches, nut drivers, and the like. In one embodiment of the invention is it envisioned that the security flange nut  25  will have five sides. In one embodiment of the invention it is envisioned that the security flange nut  25  will be approximately one inch in diameter. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a cut away view of one embodiment of the latch assembly  10 , of the present invention. In one embodiment of the invention, the latch assembly  10  has a hex recess in the bottom  55  to hold the head of the bolt  15  that is inserted through a bolt hole  50  drilled through the latch assembly  10  in the center of the hex hole so the latch arm  5  can be extended when the security flange nut  25  is turned from the top of the cast iron lock body  1 . The latch assembly  10  is attached to the cast iron lock body  1  by a stainless steel bolt  15 . The bolt  15  is inserted into the hex receiver  57  in the bottom of the latch assembly  10 . 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, a washer  20  goes between the latch assembly  10  and the upper lock  58 . In one embodiment of the present invention, there can be multiple washers  20  that go in the recess in the top of the lock body  1  between the lock body  1  and the security flange nut  25 . In one embodiment of the present invention, in order to keep the flange nut  25  from coming off the end of the bolt  15  a super adhesive material  80 , as is known in the art is used to adhere the bolt  15  to the security flange nut  25 . In another embodiment of the present invention, the security flange nut  25  can be adhered to the bolt  15  by pinning, or securing through the use of a pin, thereby preventing the bolt from falling out through the bolt hole  50 . 
     In one embodiment of the invention, the hook arms  5  have ridged areas at the end which are stacking fins  6 . The stacking fins  6  maybe prefabricated in a mold or adhered using materials known in the art to the hook arms  5 . These hooks arms  5  will fit under the frame to create an additional physical lock for the back of the grate. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , one embodiment of the present invention operates in the following manner. The lock body  1  is placed into the receiving hole  101  in the storm grate  100 . The turning key  35 , is releasably engaged with the security flange nut  25 . When the turning key  35  is rotated, the security flange nut  25 , attached to the bolt  15  is rotated in the same direction. The bolt  15  is engaged with the hook arm  5  of the latch assembly  10  and the hook arm  5  is forced through the rotation of the bolt  15  to extend outward into the locking position under the storm grate  100  and mounting frame  105  thereby locking the storm grate  400  down and preventing removal without the specific turning key  35 . In order to unlock the storm grate  100 , the turning key  35  is releasably engaged with the security flange nut  25  and the security flange nut  25  is rotated in the opposite direction. When the security flange  25  is rotated in the opposite direction then the hook arm  5  will move into the latch assembly  10  and out from under the mounting frame  105 . 
     Although several preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail herein, the invention is not limited hereto. It will be appreciated by those having ordinary skill in the art that various modifications can be made without materially departing from the novel and advantageous teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the embodiments disclosed herein are by way of example. It is to be understood that the scope of the invention is not to be limited thereby.