GB2033461A - Luggage lock - Google Patents

Abstract

A luggage lock comprises a housing 20 having two openings at both ends thereof, which secured in a hole in one of the two shells of a luggage case or attache case, a fastening cap 28 screwed on the rear end of said housing 20 to fasten said housing on said shell, a button member 30 movably set in said housing, and a spring 35 fixed between the button member 30 and the fastening cap 28 to push the button member always in its foremost position when no other pressure is provided on said button member. Each of the said housing 20 and button member 30 has a respective hole 33, 25 on their wall for accepting the hook 8 of another shell of said luggage case or attache case, and then locking said hook 8 by the rear edge 32 of the hole on said button member. If opening of said luggage case or attache case is required, only press the button member 30 to move it backwardly to release the hook 8. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Luggage lock BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a luggage lock, particularly to a lock mostly used as an auxiliary lock of luggage combination lock. Various kinds of lock have been utilized in this purpose. Moreover, most of them have complex structures and are easily broken down.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a luggage lock having simple structure and minimum components, but still remain good function of the lock.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a luggage lock which is novel and completely different from the conventional ones. The difference includes not only the structure but also its outlook and its features.

Furthermore, another object of the present invention is to provide a luggage lock having lower cost and easiler assembly process than conventional ones.

These and other objects and features of this invention will be better understood and appreciated from the following detailed description of one embodiment thereof, selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an opened luggage case containing one conventional combination lock and two button-locks of the present invention in the front frame fixed on the front wall of the lower shell thereof; Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a portion of the front frame containing a buttonlock of the present invention; Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the decomposed parts of a button-lock of the present invention; Figure 4 is a section view showing the present button-lock in locking condition; Figure 5 is a section view showing the present button-lock in unlocking condition; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVEN TION As shown in Fig. 1 the luggage button-lock 4 of the present invention is secured in the front frame 11 fixed on the front wall of the lower shell 3 of a luggage case or attache case.The central portion of the front frame 11 has a conventional combination lock 5 and a handle 6 connected thereon. Adjacent to each end of the front frame 11, there is a button-lock 4 of the present invention. The top side of the front frame 11 has four holes 7 located just above the both button-locks 4 and the central combination lock 5. The upper shell 2 of the case contains four hooks 8 on the edge of its front wall. Each of the hooks 8 is directed to a hook-hole 7 and may insert into the hole when the upper shell 2 of the case is closed on the lower shell 3. The central hooks are controlled by the combination lock 5, and the two hooks on both ends are controlled by the two button-lock 4 adjacent to both ends of the front frame 11 fixed on the front wall of the lower shell 3.

As shown in Fig. 2 and 3, the button-lock 4 of the present invention is secured in the lockhole 1 2 on the front frame 11. The lock-hole 1 2 extends from the front side of the frame 11 to the rear side, and the rear end of the hole 1 2 has an inwardly projecting section 1 3. Above the lock-hole 12, the top side of the front frame 11 has a hook-hole 7 which connects the lock-hole 1 2 downwardly.

The present button-lock 4 comprises a housing 20, a button member 30, a spring 35 and a fastening cap 28. The outer surface of the housing 20 has two sections, the shape and length of the front section 21 conform with the front section of the lock-hole 12, the rear section 24 of the housing 20 has a cylindrical outer surface having screw thread thereon. A hook-hole 25 conforming with the hook-hole 7 on the front frame 11 is opened on the top portion of the housing 20. As shown in Fig. 4, the housing 20 can be inserted into the lock-hole 1 2 from the front end of the hole 1 2 and fastened thereon by means of a fastening cap 28 having screw thread conforming with the same on rear section 24 of the housing 20.When the fastening cap 28 is screwed on the rear section 24 of the housing 20, both of the fastening cap 28 and the housing 20 clamp the projecting rear section 1 3 of the lock hole 1 2 on oppsite direction. The housing 20, therefore, is secured in the lock-hole 1 2 tightly.

Before screwing the fastening cap 28 on the rear section 24 of the housing 20, a button member 30 should be inserted into the housing 20 from its rear end to front end previously. The button member 30 has an outer surface of conforming with the interior surface of the housing 20, so that the button member 30 may be moved back or forth in the housing 20. The interior surface of the housing 20 has a projecting front edge 23, while the outer surface of the button member 30 has an opposite reduced front section, so that the button member 30 will not slip out of the front end of the housing 20. The button member 30 also has a hook-hole 33 on its top, but the rear edge 32 of the hook-hole 33 extending much forward than the rear edge of the hole 25 of the housing 20 when the button member is in its foremost position.The rear edge 32 of the hook-hole 33 has a sloping top side which enable the hook 8 of the upper shell 2 to slip into the hook-hole 33 smoothly. In the button member 30, there is a tube 34 for holding a spring 35 which is fixed between the button member 30 and the fastening cap 28. Due to the tension of the spring 35, the button member 30 is always pushed to its foremost position when no other pressure provided on the button member 30.

As shown in Fig. 5, when a pressure is provided to the button member 30 against the tension of the spring 35, the button member 30 with the locking edge 32 is moved backwardly for a distance and releases the hook 8 as shown in Fig. 5. Thus, the upper shell 2 of the luggage case may be opened.

Reversely, when the upper shell 2 is closed and pressed on the lower shell 3, the hook 8 is inserted into the hook-holes 7, 25, and pressed on the lower shell 3, the hook 8 is inserted into the hook-holes 7, 25, and pressed the sloping top side of the locking edge 32 to move the button member 30 backwardly for admitting the hook 8 to slip into the hook-holes 33 along the slope of the locking edge 32. After the hook end passes the locking edge 32, the button member 30 with the locking edge 32 returns to its original position by the tension of the spring 35 and engages the hook 8.

From the foregoing description it will be appreciated that the housing and the button member having a shape of their front section other than those illustrated in the above-mentioned drawings may also be utilized in the present invention. However, the rear section of the housing should have a cylindrical outer surface having screw thread thereon for fitting a fastening cap.

Having described this invention in detail, those skilled in the art will appreciate that numerous modifications may be made thereof without departing from the spirit of this invention. Therefore, it is not intended that the breadth of this invention be limited to the specific embodiment illustrated and described.

Rather, it is intended that the scope of this invention be determined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims (9)

1. A luggage lock comprising: a housing secured on one of the two shells of luggage case, which having two openings at both ends thereof and a hole on its wall; a fastening cap fixed on the rear end of said housing for fastening said housing on said luggage shell and also closing the rear opening of said housing; a button member movably set within said housing, which having a hole on its wall, said hole just positioned under the hole on said housing and the rear edge of the lower hole extending much forward than the rear edge of the upper hole when said button member is in its foremost position; a spring secured between said button member and said fastening cap to push said button member always in its foremost position when no other pressure provided on said button;; When said luggage case is closed, the hook on another shell inserted into said holes on the walls of housing and button member, and engaged by the rear edge of the hole of button member.

2. A luggage lock as claimed in claim 1 wherein the rear section of said housing has a cylindrical outer surface having screw thread thereon for engagement with said fastening cap having conformed screw thread on the inner wall thereof.

3. A luggage lock as claimed in claim 1 wherein the front of said housing has an inwardly projecting front edge for preventing said button member from slipping out of said housing.

4. A luggage lock as claimed in claim 1 wherein said button member is capable to be moved back or froth in said housing.

5. A luggage lock as claimed in claim 1 wherein said rear edge of the hole on the wall of button member has a sloping top side for admitting the pressed hook to slip into said hole and then to engage with said rear edge.

6. A luggage lock as claimed in claim 1 wherein said button member includes a tube in its interior for holding said spring therein.

7. A luggage lock as claimed in claim 1 wherein said button member may be moved back or forth for releasing or engaging said hook and accomplishing the purpose of unlocking or locking said luggage case.

8. A luggage lock as claimed in claim 1 and 7, wherein said button member is pushed forwardly automatically by said spring when any pressure other than tension of said spring provided on said button member is released.

9. A luggage lock substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.