Closure fasteners – Seals – Encasing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-10
2002-10-01
Avila, Stephen (Department: 3617)
Closure fasteners
Seals
Encasing
C292S323000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06457754
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to locking devices, and in particular to a method and device for the prevention of tampering with cable locking devices.
An example of a prior art cable lock
100
is depicted in FIG.
12
. The cable lock includes an outer member
101
surrounding an inner member
102
. A pair of channels
104
a
and
b
are defined between inner and outer members
102
and
101
, and a cable
106
is inserted into channels
104
a
and
b
. Cable
106
is locked in place in channel
104
a
by a disk
108
positioned on a ramp
110
defined on inner member
102
. Prior to insertion of cable
106
into channel
104
a
, disk
108
is biased toward a top end
112
of ramp
110
by a spring
114
. The insertion of cable
106
forces disk
108
down ramp
110
. If cable
106
is then retracted in a direction
118
shown in
FIG. 12
, disk
108
squeezes cable
106
and prevents its removal. A more detailed disclosure of the prior art depicted in
FIG. 12
can be obtained in U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,583.
It has been discovered that prior art cable locks, such as cable lock
100
discussed above, suffer from several disadvantages. One of these disadvantages is the ease in which the presence of these security locks can be identified. These cable locks are often used to secure the contents of rail cars, semi-trucks, or other like vehicles. During the night-time hours, it can be a difficult and time-consuming job to check for the presence of these security locks on a vehicle, especially when there are numerous vehicles, as in the case of a train comprising a large number of rail cars. In the past, a person checking for the presence of these security devices has had to provide his or her own light source, such as a flashlight, and aim the light precisely at the lock in order to identify whether a security lock is present or not. This task can prove to be undesirably time consuming.
Another disadvantage of past cable locks are their susceptibility to being tampered with by determined thieves. The tampering occurs in one of two general ways. First, a hole may be drilled generally through a wall
116
located at an end of cable lock
100
(FIG.
12
). The hole is drilled oriented toward disk
108
. After completely drilling through wall
116
, a pin or other suitable instrument is inserted into the drilled hole and used to push disk
108
down the ramp
110
, overcoming the biasing force of spring
114
. With disk
108
pushed down ramp
110
, cable
106
can be retracted from channel
104
a
by pulling in the direction indicated by arrow
118
. The drilled hole is then filled with a metal putty or filler corresponding to the material of the lock, which makes detection of the tampering virtually impossible. A second type of tampering can occur by drilling a hole into one of the sides of cable lock in an area
120
adjacent disk
108
. The hole is drilled through outer member
101
. A pin or other instrument is again used to push disk
108
down ramp
110
and thereby allow cable
106
to be retracted. A metal filler or putty is used to conceal the hole.
The aforementioned two methods of tampering with cable locks allow thieves to gain access to the contents of whatever the cable lock is protecting with minimal chance of detecting at what point, in the chain of movement of the goods, the theft occurs. This reduces the chances of identifying the thieves or recovering the goods. If a cargo is being shipped a great distance and passes through multiple warehouses, it may be impossible to tell in which of the multiple warehouses the theft or other tampering occurred. It can therefore be seen that a cable lock overcoming these and other disadvantages is very desirable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the present invention, a security lock is provided having an inner member and an outer member surrounding the inner member. The inner member defines a ramp on which a disk is positioned for movement along the ramp. A security insert having increased hardness, when compared to the outer member, is inserted between the outer and inner members. The security insert includes a pair of side panels dimensioned to surround the area adjacent the ramp on which the disk moves. The security insert further includes an end panel oriented generally perpendicular to the side panels and dimensioned to cover a portion of the inner member adjacent the upper end of the ramp.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a security lock is provided having an inner member that includes a first and a second end wall. The inner member defines an inclined ramp disposed between the first and the second wall. The ramp extends upwardly from the first end wall to the second end wall. A disk is positioned on the inclined ramp and biased up the ramp by one end of a spring. The other end of the spring is secured to the inner member. An outer shell fits over the inner member. the disk, and the spring. The outer shell and the inner member define a first and a second channel when the outer shell is placed over the inner member. A drill resistant member is disposed in the second end wall. The drill resistant member is made up of a material that is more resistive to drilling than the inner member.
According to another aspect of the present invention. a security lock is provided that comprises a body which defines at least one channel. A flexible member, such as a wire, cable, or the like, is attached at one end to the body and has another free end. A locking structure is defined in the body that allows the free end of the flexible member to be inserted into the channel in a first direction, but prevents extraction of the flexible member out of the channel in a reverse direction. A photo-luminescent coating is defined on or in the body which absorbs light energy while in the presence of ambient light and emits light energy while in the presence of ambient darkness.
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patent: WO 84/01847 (1984-05-01), None
PCT International Search REeport for PCT application PCT/US99/15616, to which this application claims priority.
Eurasian Patent Office International Search Report (in Russian language) dated Apr. 3, 2001.
Bystry Jerry A.
Hamilton Eric K.
Avila Stephen
Brammall, Inc.
Van Dyke Gardner, Linn & Burkhart, LLP
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