US1933263A - Coin controlled lock - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 3l, 1933. G. HQFMANN COIN CONTROLLED LOCK Filed April 14. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l f77 0671 o z* @gorge Hoiwwwn y K Oct, 3l, 1933. G, Hol-'MANN COIN CONTROLLED LOCK 2 WN zw r t .9? o i m ms .n W ,f w w 7 Nn QM, l NN 1 mw QW NN NN 1N* www NN 4 l l 1 IL. Nw .W wwww wm A w n wm R N F QM. .SW

am NN QN l ,www T @l 60 729e Kaff/fawn `W Patented Oct. 31, 1933 g UNITED STATES COIN ooNraoLLED LOCK.

George Hofmann, Boston, Mass., .assgnor to American Locker Company, Chicago, Ill., a vcorporation of Delaware Applicatipn April 14,` 1,931". serial 1-1'0.y529,951

" 11 claims. Koi. 15M-92) This linvention relates tocoincontrolled devices, and more particularly to such devices for vending purposes. The primary object of the invention-is to provide an improved coin controlled v lock which may be applied toa cabinet or the like and set in a locked position fromwhich it may be opened only bythe depositing of theV proper coin thereinto.

After the lock has been opened and the vended ,i goods delivered or removed, it is desirable that the lock can be again set to locked condition only by proper authority who, before so'setting the lock, deposits lthereinto another consignment of the goods to be vended, as otherwise the'I next vcustomer might deposit a coin and receive no goods therefor. yIt is, therefore, another object of my invention to provide a coin controlled lock of the above defined naturek wherein is embodied controlling means for preventing the resetting of -the look to locked position except by the properly authorized person. y l

Other objects of my invention include Ithe provision of an exterior knob .for'opening the` lock upon the depositing of a coinand a key rel.

but' it will be understood that ythe invention can` v 1 be otherwise embodied and that thedrawings are not toube construed as defining Orlimiting .the

scope ofthe invention, the claims appended heretobeing relied upon forvthat purpose.

Referring' to the figures of the drawings,

Fig. 1A yis a front/'view of my improved lock mounted-in avending cabinet; c

Figs. 2 and 3 'are' sectional views ytherethrough taken vrespectivelyy on lines 2- 2 and 3-3 of,

Fig. 1; Y

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of rthe lockin the locked position and with Athe face plate removed;

Fig. 5 showsthe same in unlocked position;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 4 and showing the retaining mechanism.. in opera` `5o tion; and

Fig. '7 is a sectional view taken yon line 'l-IT ofJEig-5. Referring moreparticular'ly to the drawings byreference characters, 10 indicates a` vending g cabinethaving anvopeningtherein receiving the l ceiving means, preferably therethrough, for re' setting the lockA to locked position,` means for l quickly throwing the lock to and retaining it in its locked and unlocked positions, improved' lock in such manner that the front plate 12 thereof covers .the opening,the lower enolv of the plate having a lip l4engaging the inner face of the ycabinet and theupper end of the plate beingy lockedwithinthe opening by a lock lhaving a 60,

bolt 18 also engaging the inner face of the. cabinet.` A rear body portion 2O is secured 'to f and in spaced .relation from the rear face of the.

plate 12 bybolts 22 and the improvedglock of'.

my invention issupported on and between these v .j

front'and `rear elements, as will now` be described. The lock cylinder 24 is rotatably mounted in a bore 26 in the body 20 and is provided with `a plurality Aof .tumblers 28 which may slide vertically intolupper and lower recesses 30 and 32,797, y openinginto the bore, the tumblers normally-being in the down andlocking position of Fig. 7 when the lock is in the released position of Fig. 5. The forwardly extending portion of the cylinder beyond the tumblers 28 comprises a pair of bare 7:5v`

like members 34 and these `members extend through fitting openings within a locking plate 36, a member38 and the inner end wall of an eX- terior knob 40. Screws 42 are threaded into the members '34 and in cooperation with a circular 80 plate 44.hold the several parts assembled on the cylinder. The inner end of the knob is rotatably supported within an opening in the front plate 12Qand a keyholeslot 46 extends through the. several .elements to thetumblers. c

A locking bar 48 is carried by the plate 36 and is shown in thecabinet-locking position in Fig. 4. Beneath the cylinder 24 is a coin receiver 50 into which-a coin may be deposited through a slot 52 in the front yplate 12 when `the vcabinet is in llocked 90 position. A closure plate. 54 is provided for preventing such insertion when the ,lock is moved to its unlocked position, The upper end of this plate is pinned tothe plate 36 at 55 and its lower end is carried -by arockingarm`56. The closure plate 9,5

` is,.therefore, carried positively by the plate36finto the two positions shown.inFigs. 4 and 5. The cyl# inder 24'and its plates are resilientlythrownto and held in these two positions rfrom an intermediate position by a leaf spring v58 securedto the 100 body 20 and having a free pawl-like V end Y60 cooperating with a roller 62 on the platel38. The following means'are provided for holding the lock in the cabinet-locking'position (Fig. 4) until a coin has been deposited in the receiver 50. A pawl 6`4pivoted at 6,6 hasits nose 68 nor-'- mally engaged by .means of a spring 69 with the vedge of the plate 38. In the lockedposition the nose 68 Visadapted to cooperate 4with al notch 70 in the plate y384 and Aprevent rotation of the cylinder 11o l pivoted at 92 has at its lower -end a pinand slot i `whereby to withdraw the tumblers.

' insertion and clockwise rotation of the lock, the

When thecylinder is 'in its full forward position' (Fig. 4) the'pawl nose 68 is forced out of the notch 70 and the finger 78 is likewise withdrawn from the coin receiver 50, thereby permitting a coin to be received therein. It will be clear that 'a coin 80 in the receiver will act as an abutment to the finger '78 and thereby withhold the pawl l nose 68 from engaging within the notch '70, thus permitting the lcylinder tof be rotated in the unlocking direction.

When a coin S0 is deposited 52, it is necessary that it shall be retained within the receiver until it has served its lock-releasfv ing function. The following means are provided orthispurpose. A lever 82 pivoted at 84`has av coin-retaining nger 88 on its lower end anda spring 88 normally urges the lever in a direction holding this 'finger in coin-detaining position within the receiver (Fig. 4). A second lever 90 connection A94 with the lever 82 and its upper end is in the path of movement of a cam'portion 96 of the plate 38. A coin deposited into the receiver is, therefore, supported therein by the finger 86 until the notch' 70 has passed the engaging pawl end l68the cam face 9G thereafter acting to withdraw the finger and permit the coin to drop into a receptacle. The function of :the `spring -58 should herein beparticularly noted. The4 V portion 60 of the spring is so located that 'the roller 62 passes .thereby before the locking bar 48 has passed to the releasing position and the spring thereafter acts to quickly complete the operation whereby the lock is brought to the unlocked position (Figs. 5 and '1) and the coin' dropped into the receptacle. i

yThe operation of the device may be brieiiy de#` scribed as follows. The'lock isshown in the unlocked position in Figs. 'and l and is held in such position by the tumblers 28. The same may be set to the locked positionl only by the authorized agent by the insertion of the proper key Upon such spring58 acts to quickly throw the parts to the locked position (Figs. 4 and 6) and to normally hold them inthe position of Fig. 4. ln this latter position the coin slot 52 is open and the nger '78 is withdrawn. VAny attempt vto rotate the knob 4.0 rearwardly will cause the pawl`68 to engage Within the notch 'l0 (Fig. 6) and prevent further unlocking movement. However, when a'coin is deposited into the yreceiver 50, it acts as a stop 6o' tothe iinger 78 which, iny turn', prevents the operation of the pawl 68, such coin being retained within the receiver'by the linger 86. The lock may now be rotatedin'the releasing direction and as'soony asv the notch 70 passes the'tooth 68 the roller 62 will have passed the V portion 60 of the spring 58, whereby such spring will act to quickly complete the unlocking movement. During this further unlocking action, the cam portion 96 acts y, on the lever 90 to withdraw the linger 86 whereby y'zo' the coinis released and drops into a receptacle. The lock is thereupon brought to the original unlocked position, from which it can be reset only by the use of the proper key.y -Such arkey is used d .by thev authorized agent whenhe .comes to refill .75.

the cabinet with goods to be vended.

ythrough the slot *4 Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A coin controlled lock comprising the cornbination of a rotatable cylinder, a locking bar operated thereby, an exterior knob for rotating the cylinder, a coin' receiver, 'means normally retainingthe cylinder and barin locking position and having a'flnger adapted to enter the receiver, the presence of a coin in the receiver being adapted to obstruct the finger and thereby prevent the retaining action of the nrst-named means whereby the cylinder and bar may be moved by said knob from locking position to released` position, means acting to quickly throw the cylinder to both said two positions from an `intermediate position and to resiliently retain the cylinder in such positions, and key controlled means*v preventing unauthorized return movement of the cylinder and bar to lockingposition.

2. A coin controlled llock comprising the combination of a rotatable cylinder, a locking bar operated thereby, a coin receiver, meansi nor? mally retaining the cylinder and bar in llocking position and having a finger adapted tol en ter the receiver, the presence `ci a coin in thereceiver being adapted to obstruct the nger and thereby prevent the retaining action of the 4first-narned means whereby ,the cylinder and bar may be moved'fro'm; locking position to released position, and combination controlled means vpreventing unauthorized returnmovement oi the cylinderv and lbar-to locking position. 3. A coin controlled lockv comprising the combination of a rotatable cylinder, a locking bar carried thereby,` an lexterior knob for rotating the cylinder, a coinrec'eiver, means normally retainu ing the cylinder and bar in locking position and Ahaving a linger adapted-to enter the receiver, the

presence of a coin in the receiver being adapted to obstruct the finger and thereby prevent the retainingaction of the first-named means whereby the knob can rotate the cylinder and bar froml the cylinder, va coin receiver, means normally retaining the cylinder and bar inlocking position and having a finger adapted toenter thereceiver; the presence of: a Vcoin in theA receiver being adapted .to obstruct theiinger and lthereby prevent the retaining action of theV first-named means whereby the knobcan'l rotate the' cylinder and bar from locking position to released position, and key controlled means withinthecylinder preventing unauthorized return.- movement of the cylinder and bar to locking pOSition. V

5. A coin controlled lock comprising the com-- bination of a rotatable cylinder, ra locking bar operated thereby, ,an exterior knob coaxial with and connected to" thecylinder, acoinjreceiver, means normally retaining` the cylinder and `bar in locking position and having a'iinger adaptedto enter the receiver, the presence ofv a coin in the receiver being adapted to obstruct the finger and thereby prevent the retaining action of the rst-A named means wherebythe knob "can rotatethe cylinder and bar fromlocking position .toreleased position, key controlled. means within the 'cylinder and bar its preventingunauthorized returnmovementofthe cylinder and bar to'locking position, and means 150 providing for the engagement of a releasing key with the cylinder through the knob.

6. A coin controlled Alock comprising the combination ci a rotatable cylinder, a locking bar operated thereby, an exterior knob connected to the cylinder, a coin receiver, means normally retaining the cylinder and bar in locking position and having afnger adapted to enter the receiver, the presence of a coin in the receiver being adapted to obstruct the nger and thereby prevent the retaining action of the first-named means whereby the knob can rotate the cylinder and bar from locking position to released position, a plurality of locking tumblers Within the cylinder for preventing unauthorized return movement of the cylinder and bar to lockingl position, and means 4providing an exterior key passage into the cylinder whereby the application of a key thereto is adapted to Withdraw the tumblers and permit turning of the cylinder to the first-named position.A

7. A lock comprising a rotatable cylinder, a

. locking bar moved thereby between locking and unlocking positions, an exterior knob for rotating the cylinder, a coin receiver, means preventing movement of the cylinder by Ithe knob from the locking position to the unlocking position except When a coin is presentl in the receiver, and means preventing the resetting of the lock to the lockingv position except by the application of a key thereto.

8. A lock comprising a rotatable cylinder, a locking `bar moved thereby between lockingand unlocking positions, an exterior knob for rotating the cylinder, a coin receiver having a coin slot opening thereinto, means preventing movement of the cylinder by the knob from the locking position to the unlocking position except when a coin is present in the receiver, combination controlled means preventing unauthorized return movement of the cylinder and bar to locking position, and means connected to the cylinder and moved thereby to obstruct the slot opening when the cylinder is inthe unlocked position.

9. A coin controlled lock comprising the combination of a base, a cylinder therein, a coin receiver, a shoulder connected to the cylinder, a pawl adapted to be disposed in the path of travel of the shoulder, a finger connected to thepawl and ladapted to enter the receiver when the paWl enters the path of said shoulder, means for retaining a coin in the receiver in a position obstructing the finger, means including a cam carried by the cylinder for releasing the first-named means upon rotation of the cylinder and after` .the shoulder Ahas passed the pawl, and a spring attached to the base and acting on the cylinder for quickly completing the rotation ofthe cylinder afterl the said passing of the shoulder.

l0. A coincontrolled lock comprising Ithe combination of a cylinder, a coin receiver, a shoulder connected to the cylinder, a paWl adapted to be `disposed in the path of travel of the shoulder, a finger connected to the pawl and adapted to enter the receiver when the pawl enters the path of said shoulder, means for holding the nger `from entering the receiver when the cylinder is in the extreme position from which the shoulder prevents movement to theother extreme position,I andresilient means including a leafy spring having a V engagement with a roller carried by t the cylinder normally'holding the cylinder in the rst said extreme position, and operativel quickly to throw the cylinderto both said vpositions from an intermediate position.

1l. lA coin controlled lockcomprising the combination of a rotary cylinder, a locking member operated thereby, means exteriorly of the lock for rotating the cylinder and thus moving the member from locked position to unlocked position, a coin receiver, means for retaining said member in locked position against the action of the rst-named means and including means for permitting movement of the member to unlocked position by the first-named means when a coin is present in said receiver, and key-operated` tumblers preventing return rotation of the cylinderand thus return movement of the member from unlocked to. locked position by the rstnamed means.

GEORGE HOFlMANN.`

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