GB1368988A - Locking device - Google Patents

Abstract

1368988 Locks PITNEY-BOWES Inc 29 Nov 1971 [17 Dec 1970] 55226/71 Heading E2A A combination lock comprises an actuating member which is a knob 10 on a shaft 74, a punched tape 68, apertures therein defining elements of a preselected combination, sets 46, 48 of sensing members 461 to 469, 481 to 489 with fingers individually advanceable against the tape and positioned to enter apertures aligned therewith a plurality of key stems 121 to 129, 141 to 149 each corresponding to one of the sensing fingers and individually movable to set the selected combination, tumbler sets 36, 38 intermediate each button and sensing finger and movable to a releasing position upon correspondence of the apertures in the punched tape with the selected fingers and to a blocking position in the absence of the correspondence and gates 88, 90 for normally blocking movement of the knob but releasing the knob when all the tumblers are in their releasing positions. The lock L is shown in Fig. 1 secured to a postage meter M, a quantity of postage to be delivered being controlled from the shaft 74 operable by the knob 10 controlled by the combination lock. Two sets 12, 14 of nine numbered buttons 120, 140 are set to a predetermined combination to allow one unidirectional rotation of the shaft 74 and the delivery of further postage. Each button is connected by a respective one of the stems 121 to 129, and 141 to 149 to a respective one of the tumblers 361 to 369 and 381 to 389 of the tumbler sets 36, 38 and the buttons are set to the selected combination to move one end of each tumbler into an opening in one of the interconnected gates 88, 90. A cam 86 on the shaft 74 moves a cam follower 96 pivoting on the shaft 42 to allow the gates under the influence of a spring to pivot thereby allowing a cam 98 on the shaft 74 to turn, it previously blocking rotation of the shaft, to supply a further quantity of postage. The other end of each tumbler loosely engages in a slot in a respective sensing member 461 to 469, 481 to 489 pivoting on shafts 42, 44 and which are urged by springs 62, 64 so that each finger 52 passes through an opening in a plate 50 and contacts the surface of the tape or engages in the apertures of the tape thereby pivoting the tumblers to releasing position. The cam 86 then moves the cam follower 96 again to restore the gates to their original position. The sensing members are normally held in inoperative position by a bar 80 and are released to contact the tape by cams 78a, 78b on the shaft 74 contacting followers 84a, 84b on members connected to the bar and pivoting on the shaft 42. After about 90‹ turn of the shaft 74 and cams 78a, 78b raise the bar 80 and lift the sensing members, cam 188 on the shaft 74 engages an ear 206 of a reset lever 200 connected to a reset lever 170 and to a Y shaped member 176a, 176b (not shown) carrying bars 184, 186 which restore the tumblers to their original positions together with the buttons. At about 150‹ turn of the shaft 74 a tape advance escapement pawl rotatable on shaft 42 is actuated by cams 100a, 100b on the shaft 74 allowing the tape to be advanced to the next combination of holes, the new combination having to be set to obtain a further quantity of postage, when the combination is set and the knob 10 is turned the cam 188 on the shaft 74 passes beneath the ear 204 of the manually operated reset bar 170 and blocks operation of the bar to reset the buttons during the operation. The tape is supplied from a reel 112 and passes round a sprocket having a ratchet engageable by the pawl 104 which has followers 102a, 102b, which engage the cams 100a, 100b on the shaft 74. A take up roller 162 is tensioned by a torsion spring 166 (not shown) and is turned by a belt 158 driven by the shaft 74 whereby the cams control the pawl 104 to flow rotation of the supply reel undo the tension to the tape to present another combination of apertures in the tape beneath the openings in the plate 50. The lock may be used otherwise than with a postage meter.