Locks – Operating mechanism – Combination
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-20
2002-07-23
Beaulieu, Yonel (Department: 3661)
Locks
Operating mechanism
Combination
C070S316000, C070S323000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06422051
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a combination cable lock, and more particularly to a combination cable lock which can be reset.
2. Description of the Related Art
The closest prior arts of which the applicant is aware of are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,134 to Huang, U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,831 to Laurin et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,623 to Ling, U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,539 to Tsai and U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,120 to Kuo. Within which, the most related patents are the Ling patent (hereinafter referred to as '623) and the Kuo patent (hereinafter referred to as '120 ). The focus of the following discussion will be on these two patents. The '623 patent relates to a combination cable lock having a spindle with a longitudinal notch defined to receive one of the multiple projections formed on the bolt. The sleeve has a combination-changing slot corresponding to the extensions radially protruding out from a cylindrical surface of the spindle. With such an arrangement, when the combination lock just described is in assembly, by chance, the angle of the corresponding parts can be incorrectly assembled. That is, the projection can be received in the slot and the extension can be receive in the notch, which nevertheless can still he successfully assembled, the function that a combination lock is supposed to have is not able to function normally. In another word, even when the assembly of the parts of the lock base is successful, the lock bolt still can not extend into the lock base to work normally as a combination lock.
The '120 patent has a tube that has a smooth cylindrical surface defined therein a pair of opposed orifices and an axial slot corresponding to the third gap of the internal ring so as to allow the insertion of the rod with tooth bar integrally formed with the rod. When the combination lock of the '120 patent is in assembly and before the insertion of the rod into the corresponding axial slot, the tube together with the other parts except the rod may be incorrectly assembled, such that the rod will have no corresponding axial slot to be inserted, which is because there is no devices or member designed to prevent the assembly sequence from being incorrectly assembled.
To overcome the aforementioned problems, the combination cable lock constructed in accordance with the present invention provides a means to avoid the problem of mis-assembly.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a combination cable lock comprising a cable, a retaining member mounted on one end of the cable, and including a support rod, multiple separate first locking lugs formed on the outside of the support rod, multiple separate second locking lugs formed on the opposite side of the support rod and radially corresponding to one of the first locking lugs, each of the second locking lugs having a dimension different from that of the respective first locking lugs, multiple tumblers each rotatably mounted on the support rod and including a number wheel, a follower detachably secured in the number wheel to rotate therewith, a push disk slidably secured in the number wheel and abutting the follower, and a torsion spring attached to the push disk and secured in the number wheel, a number reset device mounted on the support rod and abutting one of the tumblers to detach the follower from the number wheel such that the number wheel can be rotated relative to the follower, a locking member mounted on the second end of the cable, and including a locking rod detachably secured in the support rod by the tumblers, and a compression spring mounted on the support rod and located between one of the tumblers and the retaining member.
The follower contains a first locking recess aligning with and having a dimension corresponding to the first locking lugs, and a second locking recess aligning with and having a dimension corresponding to the second locking lugs,
Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5027623 (1991-07-01), Ling
patent: 5934120 (1999-08-01), Kuo
Beaulieu Yonel
Patterson Thuente Skaar & Christensen P.A.
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