Locks – Special application – For closures
Reexamination Certificate
2002-08-30
2004-02-10
Walsh, John B. (Department: 3676)
Locks
Special application
For closures
Reexamination Certificate
active
06688146
ABSTRACT:
FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a rotary closure having a carrying body which carries a plug-in section for plugging into a plug-in opening, in which the plug-in section can be arrested by means of a retaining element which can be rendered operational or non-operational by virtue of a rotary handgrip being rotated, it being possible for this rotary handgrip to be blocked by means of a combination lock having a plurality of number disks.
A rotary closure of the abovementioned type is known from EP 0 740 122 A2, the rotary closure being formed as a trigger-blocking firearm lock. This is associated with the trigger unit of a handgun. The plug-in section is configured in the manner of a toothed strip and can be rendered operational or non-operational in relation to a retaining element by virtue of rotation. This retaining element is configured as a toothed slide which is spring-mounted transversely to the plug-in direction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention for a rotary closure of the generic type, while being of straightforward, compact construction, to be configured such that it can be used in a favorable manner to close plug-in openings of objects of different configurations.
This object is achieved first and foremost in the case of a rotary closure having the features of claim 1, this being based on providing a pull member which can be displaced axially by virtue of the rotary handgrip being rotated and is intended for actuating the retaining element.
Such a configuration gives a rotary closure of the type in question which is suitable for closing plug-in openings of different objects. These objects may be, for example, canisters, bottles or other types of container. For the purpose of closing a corresponding plug-in opening, the rotary closure has to be inserted into the plug-in opening by way of its plug-in section, which contains the retaining element. Rotation of the rotary handgrip then makes it possible to displace an axial pull member which, for its part, actuates the retaining element and moves the latter into the closed position in relation to the plug-in section. The more the pull member is displaced axially, the more intimately is the retaining element fitted within the plug-in opening. If the retaining element has reached its firmly seated position, the secret code of the combination lock may be adjusted if this has not already taken place, so that it is then no longer possible for the pull member to be actuated in order to render, for example, the retaining element non-operational. This proves to be advantageous in functional terms if the pull member is guided in a rotationally fixed manner in the carrying body and is in threaded engagement with the rotary handgrip. This makes it possible for the pull member to be adjusted in a stepless manner. Furthermore, co-rotation of the pull member during rotary adjustment and corresponding adverse effects on the axial displacement are prevented. Emphasis should, further, be placed on the fact that the retaining element is a compressible tube which increases in diameter by virtue of an axial pressure being applied. This configuration is suitable predominantly in the case of plug-in openings of bottles. For example, it is possible for parents to secure a spirit-containing bottle which has not yet been used up so that children cannot open it. It is also possible for bottles which contain cleaning agents etc. to be secured in this way. In order for it to be possible for the construction of the rotary closure to be of compact configuration, the number disks are oriented in a star-shaped manner in relation to the axis of rotation of the rotary handgrip and are seated on individual spindles. It is favorable in handling terms if the carrying body and the rotary handgrip overlap substantially completely in cross-section. In order to prevent the rotary handgrip from being rotated back once the secret code has been adjusted, there are provided blocking pins which run parallel to the axis of rotation and engage in blocking cutouts of the carrying body. The blocking cutouts are advantageously configured such that, once the secret code has been adjusted, they allow the rotary handgrip to be rotated forward in order to displace, for example, the pull member in the axial direction, this being accompanied by diameter-increasing compression of the compressible tube. In this case, the blocking pins run over the blocking-cutout flanks configured in the form of run-on slopes. In order for this to be possible, the run-on slopes are yieldable under spring loading. The combination lock is favorably constructed such that the blocking sleeves, which are rotationally coupled to the number disks, each have a flattened portion which, in the release position, is located in front of a head of the blocking pins, which are spring-loaded in the direction of the blocking sleeve. In accordance with the number of number disks, there is thus a corresponding number of blocking pins, which interact with the blocking sleeves associated with them. The operation of setting the predetermined secret code then presupposes that the blocking sleeves are rotated, via the number disks, such that the flattened portions are located in front of the heads of the blocking pins. Accordingly, these blocking pins may be displaced under spring loading such that they do not project into the blocking cutouts. As has already been mentioned in the introduction, such a rotary closure may favorably be configured as a bottle closure. The secret code may be altered as in the case of known combination locks. For this purpose, there is mounted in the rotary handgrip a rotary star which has actuating arms located in front of the blocking sleeves. The rotary star forms a hub through which the threaded spindle of the pull member passes and which has a tool-engagement surface. This makes it possible, for example by means of a screwdriver or by means of a coin, for the rotary star to be displaced, this being, combined with displacement of the blocking sleeves, which in the process are uncoupled from the number disks. The latter, for their part, may then be rotated in order for a different secret code to be selected. The operation of altering the secret code, however, presupposes that the blocking sleeves have previously been rotated such that the flattened portions of the blocking sleeves are located in front of the heads of the blocking pins.
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Henkels Jürgen
Michels Horst
Farber Martin A.
S. Franzen Söhne GmbH & Co. KG
Walsh John B.
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