Patent ID: 7624603

Claim:
a lock assembly for locking a cap onto a vending product hopper adapted to contain a vendible product, the hopper provided with a centrally positioned rod extending upwardly through the hopper, the rod having a threaded portion at the top end thereof, the lock assembly comprising, a lock formed by a lock barrel having an outer end and inner end, the lock barrel having a keyway at its outer end to accommodate a key therein, and said lock barrel including securement means for securing said lock barrel to the cap, said lock barrel having a tubular collar secured to the inner end thereof and extending outwardly to an outer end, said lock collar having a lock pin secured across said tubular lock collar a predetermined distance from the outer end thereof, a tubular lock post having an upper solid portion and a lower tubular portion, said lower tubular portion provided within internal threads adapted to matingly engage said threaded portion of the centrally positioned hopper rod, said upper solid portion of said lock post having a diametric channel formed along a transverse plain across the central portion thereof, said diametric channel extending downwardly for a predetermined distance and then extending along a curvilinear path and ending at a pair of opposed lock pin stops which are positioned along a plane exactly perpendicular to the transverse plane of said diametric channel, said channel adapted to receive said lock pin of said lock pin of said lock collar therein when said cap is positioned on to said hopper, said lock pin traversing said curvilinear path of said channel as the key of the lock is turned through a 90° turn until said lock pin abuts said lock pin stops, thereby locking said cap onto the hopper, said lock post further provided with a flange aperture formed in one portion of the tubular surface thereof, and positioned slightly below said lock pin stops, a tightening wrench formed by a grasping handle and terminating in a crescent shaped claw, said claw having a flange formed at its inner end and extending outwardly a short distance, said flange being sized to fit within said flange aperture and said lock post, and the diametric dimension of said crescent shape claw being sized to overlay said tubular lock post, whereby said tightening wrench may be employed to grasp and threadingly secure said lock post to said threaded hopper rod.