Abstract:
A coin operated lock for ski racks comprises a latch secured to an inner sliding member provided with a passageway for receiving a coin. The passageway has an opened bottom obstructed by a tiltable cam plate which hinder the movement of the sliding member. The introduction of a coin in the passageway tilts the cam plate and releases the sliding member. A key operated lever actuates the liberated sliding member and projects the latch outside the lock for engaging into a catch.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the invention 
     This invention relates to a lock which can be operated with a key and a coin and in particular to a lock which is simple and rugged so as not to be affected by cold and frost. Such lock is of particular interest for protecting skis against theft in ski racks. 
     Prior art 
     Safety devices for locking articles have usually intricate mechanisms which may be susceptible to cold and frost. Some have numerous parts which coacts through numerous movements such as in Canadian Patent No. 167,896. 
     The following patents were found in a patent search but were not retained as being pertinent: 
     U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,963,165, 3,133,619, 3,301,369, 3,722,652, and Canadian Patent No. 1,184,885. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In the present invention, the coin operated lock has no long channel thro8ugh which the coin must go through and in which frost can hinder the passage of coins. The coin is introduced in a slot and through a sliding member having a passageway. 
     The dimension of the coin actuates a lever which frees the sliding member until, the coin located in the passageway, drops out of it. The member is slidden by a key operated lever and actuates a latching tongue which slides into a catch to lock a door. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the lock according to the invention in combination with a hinged door for trapping skis, 
     FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the lock shown in FIG. 1, 
     FIGS. 3 and 4 are rear plan views of the lock in two different operating position, 
     FIG. 5 is a side plan view of the lock, and 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the cam plate for supporting the coins. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The face plate 12 of the lock 10 according to the invention is intented to project a latch 14 into a hinged door 16 to form a wall for enclosing, with other surrounding partitions, a pair of ski 18. 
     The face plate 12 is provided with a slot 20 therethrough which is partly surrounded by a protuberant surface 22 for sheltering the slot 20 against the snow. A key operated cylinder lock 24 projects on the front surface of the face plate 12 for actuating the latch 14. 
     The latch 14 forms part of a back plate 26 which is adapted to slide against the internal surface of the face plate 12. The sliding action is produced by the lever 28 which is rotated by the cylinder lock 24 operated by the key 30. The top end of the lever 28 has a U-shape which engages a prong 32 secured to the back plate 26. A transversal member 34 which is provided with a passageway 36 is also secured to the back plate 26 and moves with it. In FIG. 3, the passageway 36 is aligned with the slot 20 of the front plate 12. When a coin, such as a quarter, is introduced in both the slot 20 and the passageway 36, it is supported by a cam plate 38a to prevent it from falling. In the embodiment illustrated, two cam plates 38a and 38b are shown although only one can be used for the purpose of the present invention. The initial part of the present disclosure will make reference to cam plate 38a only i.e. the one adjacent slot 20. The cam plate 38a is supported on an axle 40 mounted on a U-shaped bracket 42 transversally secured to the face plate 12. The axle 40 is located off center on the cam plate 38a so as to normally clear the bottom of the transversal member 34 but the cam plate is resiliently bias upwardly by a spring 44a held to the bracket 42. 
     The diameter of the quarter which is introduced in the passageway 36 is of such a dimension relative to the height of the passageway, so as to tilt downwardly the cam plate 38a as shown in FIG. 4. The shape of the surface of the cam plate is such as to prevent the sliding of the transversal member 34 in the absence of a coin in the passageway 36. However, the presence of the coin in the passageway 36 which tilts the cam plate 38a allows the transversal member 34 to slide when actuated by the cylinder lock 24. When the member 34 has reached the end of its course, the coin will drop out of the passageway 36 as shown by arrow A in FIG. 4. 
     A pair of adjacent cam plates 38a and 38b and springs 44a and 44b are used when the amount charged corresponds to two coins. The operation of the second one will be explained latter. 
     The coin operated lock is installed on a ski rack usually around a ski resort or at the bottom of ski slopes. The door 16 is left opened relative to the lock 10, the latch 14 is retracted inside the lock 10 and the key 30 inserted in the cylinder lock 24 is in a position in which it cannot be removed. A skier who wants to safeguard his skis and poles while he leaves them unattended puts them behind the door 16 and closes the latter to face the lock 10. A coin is introduced in the slot 20 and pushed till it reaches the passageway 36. The coin tilts the cam plate 38a which unlocks the transversal member 34. The back plate 26 becomes free to slide. The rotation of the key 30 rotates the lever 28 which slides out the latch 14. The latch 14 penetrates into the door 16 and prevents it from opening. In that position, the key is removed from the cylinder lock 24 and kept by the owner of the skis. Upon returning, to pick up the skis, the key is introduced in the lock 24 and is rotated to retract the latch 14. In that position, the key remains locked inside the cylinder lock 24. 
     A preferred shape of the cam plate 38b is illustrated in FIG. 6 with the rear plate 34a of the transversal member 34 shown higher than its normal operating position shown in FIGS. 3-5. The central portion of the top surface of the cam plate 38b has a cylindrical recess 52 which slopes forwardly. The cylindrical recess 52 supports the coin, maintains it in the same axial direction when the transversal member 34 moves and allows it to slide out when the passageway 36 has reached the position shown in FIG. 4. 
     On each side of the cam 38b, there is a laterally sloping surface 54 forming a recess for receiving the teeth 56 of the rear plate 34a.  When the teeth 56 are supported by the surfaces 54, the transversal member cannot move because it abuts against the wall 58 of the recessed surface 54. When the coin is inserted in the passageway 36 and is supported by the recess 52, the top of the coin abut against the roof 36a of the passageway 36 and its diameter causes the cam 38b to tilt downwardly. The amount of tilting is sufficient to release the teeth 56 from the wall 58 and to allow the transversal member 34 to slide towards the end of the cam plate 38b ltill the coin is released out of the passageway 36. 
     The cam plate 38b preferably comprises a second set of laterally sloping surfaces 60 and a second set of abuting walls 62 for catching the teeth 56 if there is no coin on the recess 52. This situation may happen if someone tampers with the lock by inserting a thin blade in the slot 20 and applying a downward pressure on the cam 38b. This tampering action will initiate the movement of the transversal member 34 but by the time the slot 20 will be fully closed by the back plate 26 and the thin blade retracted, the teeth 56 will abut against the walls 62 and the corresponding rotation of the key 30 will not proceed further. At that stage, the key 30 cannot be removed from the cylindrical lock 24. The second sloping surfaces 60 constitute a protection against unpaid use of the device. 
     As it is particularly shown in FIG. 5, more than one cam plate is used when the cost of using the device is established at more than one coin, that is, two quarters or three quarters. FIG. 5 shows two cam plates 38a and 38b independently mounted side by side on axle 40 and resiliently biassed upwardly by springs 44a and 44b. The shape of both cam plates 38a and 38b is the same and operates in a similar manner. If only one coin is inserted, only cam plate 38a will be tilted and cam plate 38b will remain in contact with the teeth 56 above the sloping surfaces 54 of the rear plate 34a. In such embodiment, the transversal member 34 and its rear plate 34a extend across both cam plates 38a and 38b and are provided with teeth 56 above the sloping surfaces 54. It should be obvious that more than two cam plates may be used without departing from the structure described above. 
     A window 50 displays a counter which identifies the number of back and forth movements of the back plate 26 and accordingly the number of coins which should be collected.