Locks – Portable – Padlocks
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-14
2002-06-25
Barrett, Suzanne Dino (Department: 3627)
Locks
Portable
Padlocks
C070S226000, C070S233000, C070S054000, C070S423000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06408661
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a padlock, more particularly to a padlock assembly with a two-part U-shaped lock casing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Referring to
FIG. 1
, a conventional padlock assembly is shown to include a U-shaped lock casing
10
, a key-operated lock mechanism
16
mounted in the lock casing
10
at a lower portion thereof, and a straight shackle bar
14
with first and second shackle grooves
141
,
142
and inserted into an upper portion of the lock casing
10
for retaining an object
1
on the lock casing
10
.
As illustrated, the lock casing
10
has a lock core mounting portion
101
that defines a lock core receiving space
160
in a longitudinal direction, and first and second shackle mounting portions
11
,
12
that extend from one side of the lock core mounting portion
101
in a transverse direction. The first and second shackle mounting portions
11
,
12
are spaced apart from each other in the longitudinal direction. The first shackle mounting portion
11
has a shackle passage
111
in the longitudinal direction, and a first tumbler retention hole
110
in the transverse direction and in communication with the shackle passage
111
. The second shackle mounting portion
12
is formed with a shackle retaining blind hole
121
aligned with the shackle passage
111
, and a second tumbler retention hole
151
in the transverse direction and in communication with the blind hole
121
and the core receiving space
160
. The lock mechanism
16
includes a cylindrical lock core
161
disposed in the lock core receiving space
160
and rotatable thereinside between locking and unlocking positions upon insertion of a corresponding key, a first spring-loaded tumbler
112
disposed in the first tumbler retention hole
110
, and a second spring-loaded tumbler
15
disposed in the second tumbler retention hole
151
and connected operably to one end of the lock core
161
so as to be co-rotatable therewith such that the second spring-loaded tumbler
15
will retract into the second tumbler retention hole
151
when the lock core
161
is at the unlocking position, thereby permitting removal of the shackle bar
14
in the longitudinal direction away from the first shackle mounting portion
11
.
Some of the disadvantages of the aforesaid lock apparatus are as follows:
(a) The lock core
161
is not removable from the lock receiving space
160
. As such, in case of spring fatigue that can lead to undesired disengagement between the shackle bar
14
and the tumblers
112
,
15
, the entire padlock assembly has to be discarded.
(b) When an object
1
is inserted between the first and second shackle mounting portions
11
,
12
so as to be retained on the shackle bar
14
, the engaging hole
2
of the object
1
is generally concealed by the shackle mounting portions
11
,
12
. As a result, the user has to feel and move, with the assistance of his fingers, the engaging hole
2
of the object
1
into alignment with the shackle passage
111
and the blind hole
121
prior to insertion of the shackle bar
14
between the first and second shackle mounting portions
11
,
12
. This inconveniences the user of the conventional padlock assembly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The main object of this invention is to provide a padlock assembly which is clear of the aforesaid disadvantages that generally result from the use of the conventional padlock assembly.
Accordingly, the padlock assembly of the present invention includes a first lock casing part, a key-operated lock mechanism, a second lock casing part, and a shackle bar. The first lock casing part has a hollow lock core mounting portion with front and rear end surfaces that are spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction. The lock core mounting portion is formed with a core receiving space that extends in the longitudinal direction through the front and rear end surfaces. A first shackle mounting portion extends in a first transverse direction relative to the longitudinal direction from one side of the lock core mounting portion. The lock mechanism includes a cylindrical lock core formed with a key hole and disposed in the core receiving space. The lock core is adapted to be rotated inside the core receiving space upon insertion of a corresponding key into the key hole. The lock core has one end adjacent to the rear end surface of the lock core mounting portion. A latch member is connected to the one end of the lock core and is disposed outwardly of the core receiving space. The second lock casing part has a latch engaging portion with front and rear ends. The latch engaging portion is formed with a latch recess that extends from the front end toward the rear end, and a latch retainer disposed inside the latch recess to partition the latch recess into a latch entrance portion proximate to the front end of the latch engaging portion, and a latch retention portion proximate to the rear end of the latch engaging portion. The latch member is extendible into the latch retention portion via the latch entrance portion and is rotatable thereinside between locking and unlocking positions. The latch retainer engages the latch member when the latch member is disposed in the latch retention portion to prevent removal of the latch member from the latch retention portion in a direction away from the rear end of the latch engaging portion. A second shackle mounting portion extends in a second transverse direction parallel to the first transverse direction from one side of the latch engaging portion. The shackle bar extends between the first and second shackle mounting portions, and has at least one end connected removably to a respective one of the first and second shackle mounting portions.
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Barrett Suzanne Dino
Merchant & Gould P.C.
LandOfFree
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