Locks – Portable – Fetters
Patent
1994-11-22
1996-01-30
Gall, Lloyd A.
Locks
Portable
Fetters
70 49, 70 53, 70233, 70389, E05B 7100
Patent
active
054872855
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a lock for securing objects, in particular cycles, against theft, comprising a plurality of rod-shaped elements connected with their ends by means of pivot means to form a chain which is closable into a loop by means of a security lock.
Such a lock is for example known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,760,718. This lock positively differs from conventional bracket, chain, or cable locks due to a good resistance against forcing as a result of the hardened steel rods and due to the user friendliness and in particular due to the collapsibility enabling the lock to be easily transported in or on the vehicle when it is out of use.
Older examples of locks having pivotable rod-shaped elements are disclosed in German patent 409,524, German patent 1,008,599 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,747,376 and 3,908,414. It will be clear that the locks shown therein do not comply with the strict requirements demanded of the locks nowadays.
WO 90/12182 discloses a lock according to the preamble of claim 1. This lock as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 6-9 is made of a number of hollow links interlocked by rod-shaped elements which are enclosed by said links. The engagement of the rod-shaped elements and the hollow links is such that the elongate assembly formed by the links can adopt a certain angular deflection in relation to each other so that they form a loop.
The object of the present invention is to further improve the prior art lock, in particular with respect to the cracking resistance.
For this purpose the invention proposes a lock which is characterized in that the rod-shaped elements project out of the casings along the main portion of their length and are housed with their ends within said spaced apart casings, the casings allowing a relative pivoting movement of all adjacent rods of at least substantially 180.degree., when the lock is in closed condition.
Because according to the invention the rod-shaped elements are not only pivotable about perpendicular axes, but are also permitted to rotate about their own longitudinal axis, a very freely movable assembly is created in which the pivot means may also move in a direction of their pivot axis. This great freedom of movement hinders the sawing operation and renders it impossible to exert a large torque onto the lock one way or another in order to force it. Furthermore, it is also impossible to break the lock by fixing a very large pipe wrench or the like onto one of the rod-shaped elements to wrench it then about the longitudinal axis because the rod-shaped element just moves with it.
It is noted that a lock having a rod that is rotatable about the longitudinal axis is known per se from the PCT application No. WO 83/04009, but the advantageous great freedom of movement of the lock is in no way suggested by this document since there is only one rod seating with its ends in holders fixed to the bicycle.
According to the invention, the pivot means are protected from cracking because each pivot means is formed by a first pivot part having a cylindrical cavity and a second pivot part having a cylindrical projection fitting in it, a latching means retaining both pivot parts in the direction of the pivot axis.
The invention will hereafter be further explained with reference to the drawings schematically showing embodiments of the invention by way of example.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a part of a bicycle including the exemplary embodiment of the lock according to the invention.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the lock of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a view of the lock corresponding to that of FIG. 2 when it is in its non-use position fixed to a frame tube of the bicycle of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a further enlarged sectional view along the line IV--IV of FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view along the line V--V of Fig. 4.
FIG. 6 is a plan view corresponding to that of FIG. 2 illustrating a modified embodiment of the lock according to the invention.
FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view along the line VII--VII.
FIG. 8 shows a portion of FIG. 7 in which the safety lock, however,
REFERENCES:
patent: 177814 (1876-05-01), Delkescamp
patent: 598656 (1898-02-01), Colton
patent: 1477777 (1923-12-01), Shek
patent: 1728902 (1929-09-01), Cohen
patent: 3747376 (1973-07-01), White, Jr.
patent: 3748876 (1973-07-01), Mathews
patent: 3908414 (1975-09-01), Thorne
patent: 3933015 (1976-01-01), Balicki
patent: 3959995 (1976-06-01), Fletcher
patent: 4768358 (1988-09-01), Viola et al.
patent: 5018374 (1991-05-01), Montano
Leichel Johannes E.
Leichel Rene
Gall Lloyd A.
Kwakernaat Pieter
Leichel Rene
LandOfFree
Lock with rod-shaped elements does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Lock with rod-shaped elements, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Lock with rod-shaped elements will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-152171