GB2225888A - Coin or token freed locks - Google Patents

Abstract

A coin freed lock eg for a locker comprising a key operable locking mechanism coupled to a rotary member 22 which is movable by means of the key operable mechanism between an unlocked condition and a locking condition (Figure 5), the rotary member 22 affording a cam face 27 which is engageable by a feeler member 30, the member 30 having a contoured portion 33 which is engageable by a coin or taken to move the feeler member 30 such that it will not engage the cam face 27 (Figure 4). The feeler member may be a pivoted lever or a sliding element. A projection 31 on the member 30 engages a recess 25 on the rotary member to prevent rotation unless a coin has been inserted through inlet 14 to engage contoured portion 33 and pin 13 and move the member and its projection out of the recess. As rotary member rotates a cam face 27 on the rotary member displaces the feeler member to a further position in which coin is released from engagement with contoured portion 33 and becomes supported by a pin 24 (Figure 5). On unlocking, rotation of the rotary member moves pin 24 such that the coin is released and passes to outlet 15. Lever 30 is replaceable by a lever having a contoured portion 33 specific to a coin of a different size. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: "Coin or token freed locks" Description of the Invention This invention relates to locks of the kind incorporating a key-operable locking mechanism and a coin or token receiving mechanism whereby the lock is rendered operable. Such locks are hereinafter referred to as "coin-freed locks".

The object of the invention is to provide a simple design of coin freed lock which is easy and cheap to manufacture and which is readily adaptable, during manufacture or when in use, to accept varying sizes of coin or token.

According to the present invention a coin-freed lock comprises a keyoperable locking mechanism coupled to a rotary member which is movable by means of the key-operable locking mechanism between a first position corresponding to an unlocked condition of the lock and a second position corresponding to a locking condition, and a feeler member which engages said rotary member and has a portion which is engageable by a coin or token, wherein said rotary member and said feeler member are formed or provided with respective interengageable elements which, in the absence of a coin or token in engagement with said portion of said feeler member, engage one another to prevent movement of said rotary member to said second position and which, in the presence of a coin or token of appropriate size in engagement with said portion of said feeler member, are held out of engagement to allow such movement of said rotary member, and wherein the rotary member affords a cam face which engages said feeler member in such a manner that as said rotary member is moved into said second position said rotary member displaces said feeler member to a position in which said coin or token is released from engagement with said portion of said feeler member.

By forming the feeler member with a coin or token engaging portion, the mechanism may readily be adapted to accept coins or tokens of differing sizes by substitution of different feeler members adapted to the dimensions of the intended coin or token. Such substitution can be easily made during assembly of the lock in the factory so as to provide a range of different designs for use with different coins or tokens, or it can be made quite simply after the lock is installed.

The feeler member may be spring-biased into engagement with said rotary member and said coin or token engaging portion of said feeler member may comprise a contoured face which holds said coin or token in a first position against a fixed abutment element.

The interengagable elements may comprise a projection and a recess, the projection preferably being provided on the feeler member and the recess on the rotary member, although the alternative configuration may be adopted.

The cam face of the rotary member is preferably arranged to engage with said projection on the feeler member, the recess being adjacent to one end of the cam face so that said projection engages said cam face once the rotary member has been moved to such a position that the recess has been moved past the projection without said projection engaging in said recess because of the presence of a coin or token at said contoured face.

The rotary member may be formed or provided with a further abutment element which is movable therewith and which, when the rotary member is in its second position, supports the coin or token released from engagement with the contoured face of the feeler member in a second position until the rotary member is returned to said first position.

Most conveniently, the rotary member includes an end portion which in the second position of the rotary member projects from a lock housing and serves as a bolt element. Alternatively, a slidable bolt element may be drivingly engaged with said rotary member.

The feeler member preferably comprises a pivoted lever, but alternatively it may be formed as a sliding element which is guided for movement towards and away from the rotational axis of said rotary member.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to one specific embodiment as illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein: FIGURE I shows a rear elevational view of a coin-freed lock in accordance with the invention, with a rear casing part removed and in the unlocked condition; FIGURE 2 shows a transverse section on the line ll-ll of Figure 1, with the rear casing part in position; FIGURE 3 shows a view similar to Figure 1 but with the components in an intermediate position in the absence of a coin; FIGURE 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the components in an intermediate condition in the presence of a coin; and FIGURE 5 shows a view similar to Figure 1 with the components in the locking condition.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings, the illustrated embodiment comprises front and rear casing parts 10 and 11 which are connected together by means of studs 12 in generally conventional manner. The front casing part 10 carries a fixed peg 13 for the purpose herein described, and the casing parts in combination define a coin insertion slot 14 at the top, a coin release slot 15 at the bottom and a bolt slot 16 at one side. The casing part 10 also carries a fixed pivot post 18.

A key operable locking mechanism 20 of conventional type extends through an aperture 19 in the front casing and terminates in a spindle 21 carrying a rotary plate 22 which is formed with an arcuate slot 23 through which the fixed peg 13 extends, the peg and slot serving to limit rotation of the rotary plate 22 about the axis of the spindle 21 to an arc of approximately 900.

The rotary plate 22 carries a movable abutment comprising a pin 24 for the purpose hereinafter described.

The main, substantially semi-circular edge of the rotary plate 22 includes a radius face 26 formed as an arc centred on the axis of rotation, and a cam face 27 which extends progressively further from the axis of rotation in- the anti-clockwise direction as seen in Figure 1. Between the radius face 26 and the cam face 27 there is a cut-out or recess 25 which affords substantially radially arranged abutment face 25a.

The pivot pin 18 carries a feeler member comprising a lever 30 which carries a projecting pin 31 at a point intermediate its ends. A torsion spring 32 bears at one end on the pin 31 and at the other end on the casing of the lock so as to bias the lever 30 towards the rotary plate 22, and to maintain the pin 3 i in contact with the curved edge of the rotary plate 22.

At its free end, the lever 30 is formed with a contoured coin-engaging face 33 which is directed towards the fixed peg 1 3.

As will readily be apparent if the rotary member is moved, by means of the key-operable locking device 20 from the unlocked condition as shown in Figure 1 towards the locking condition, then a shown in Figure 3, the pin 31 will enter the recess 25 and thereby prevent further rotation of the rotary plate 22 by engagement with the abutment face 25a, so that in this condition the lock is inoperative. To enable the rotary plate 22 to be returned to the position shown in Figure 1, the edge 25b of the recess 25 opposite to the abutment edge 25a is inclined at an angle sufficient to enable the pin 31 to ride up the length of the face and displace the lever 30 outwardly.

However, when a suitable coin or token 35 is inserted through the slot 14, it is guided between the face of the rotary plate 22 and the rear casing part 11 and will engage both the contoured face 33 at the end of the lever 30 and the fixed peg 13. The shape of the face 33 and its spacing from the peg 13 when the pin 31 engages the radius face 26 of the rotary plate 22 is such that a coin or token of predetermined diameter will be supported between the lever 30 and the peg 13, the spring 32 serving to hold the coin 35 against the peg 13, with the pin 31 preferably just out of contact with the radius face 26.

The plate 22 may then be rotated in the clockwise direction as illustrated in Figure 4, and the coin, acting against the fixed peg 13 will hold the lever 30 in its initial position, so that the recess 25 in the edge of the plate 22 passes the pin 31 without such pin entering the recess, until the pin 3 1 is engaged by the cam face 27 of the rotary plate 22.

Thus, continued rotation of the plate 22 is permitted and the plate may be moved to the locking condition illustrated in Figure 5 in which an end portion 28 thereof projects through the bolt slot 16.

However, during the second half of the movement of the plate 22, as seen in Figure 5, engagement of the pin 31 with the cam face 27 causes the lever 30 to be displaced away from the axis of rotation of the spindle 2 1 to an extent sufficient to allow the coin 35 to drop from the initial position (illustrated in chain dot lines in Figure 5) to a lower position in which it rests on the pin 24 carried by the plate 22, the coin being further supported by the inner edge 34 of the lever 30. The coin 35 is thus securely held within the lock whilst it remains in the locked condition.

The key-operable locking mechanism 20 is preferably of the known type in which the key may only be removed when it is in its locked condition.

When the user returns and uses the key to move the plate 22 back to its initial, unlocked, condition as shown in Figure I, the pin 24 is moved back to the position shown in Figure I so that the coin 35 may then fall out through the coin return slot 15, either to be returned to the user, or to be delivered to a collecting receptacle.

It will be appreciated that in order to adapt the lock to differing sizes of coin or token, it is merely necessary to change the lever 30. In the embodiment illustrated, the lever 30 is adapted to co-operate with substantially the largest size of coin which could be accommodated. For use with smaller coins or tokens the free end of the lever would extend transversely towards the fixed peg 1 3 so that the distance between the peg 13 and the contoured face of the lever is reduced accordingly.

Moreover if the use of small coins is envisaged a further pin analogous to the pin 24 may be provided alongside the pin 24 so as to trap a small coin when the rotary plate has been moved to the position shown in Figure 5 prior to returning to the position shown in Figure I.

Thus, by providing a range of different levers, the basic design can readily be adapted for use with a range of different coins or takens, either during manufacture, or subsequently.

The embodiment illustrated is particularly simple and economical to manufacture, comprising substantially only simple pressed parts. However, if desired, a sliding bolt element could be provided instead of ultilising an end portion of the rotary plate 22, such sliding bolt element being coupled to a somewhat similar rotary plate, but without the end portion 28, in any convenient manner, for example, by means of a driving peg carried by the rotary plate engaging in a slot formed in the bolt element.

Likewise, the pivoted lever 30 may be replaced by a slidable member.

Particularly where, after use, the coin is delivered to a collecting receptacle rather than being returned to the user, the pin 24 could be omitted so that the coin is not retained in the intermediate position shown in Figure 5.

The lock in accordance with the invention is particularly suitable for use with changing room lockers and left-luggage lockers.

Claims (13)

1. A coin-freed lock comprising a key operable locking mechanism coupled to a rotary member which is movable by means of the key-operable locking mechanism between a first position corresponding to an unlocked condition of the lock and a second position corresponding to a locking condition, and a feeler member which engages said rotary member and has a portion which is engageable by a coin or token, wherein said rotary member and said feeler member are formed or provided with respective interengageable elements which, in the absence of a coin or token in engagement with said portion of said feeler member, engage one another to prevent movement of said rotary member to said second position and which, in the presence of a coin or token of appropriate size in engagement with said portion of said feeler member, are held out of engagement to allow such movement of said rotary member, and wherein the rotary member affords a cam face which engages said feeler member in such a manner that as said rotary member is moved into said second position said rotary member displaces said feeler member to a position in which said coin or token is released from engagement with said portion of said feeler member.

2. A coin-freed lock according to Claim I in which the feeler member is formed with a coin or token engaging portion, specific to a coin or token of given size or shape.

3. A coin-freed lock according to Claim I or Claim 2 in which the feeler member is spring biased into engagement with said rotary member and said coin or token engaging portion of said feeler member comprises a contoured face which holds said coin or token in a first position against a fixed abutment element.

4. A coin-freed lock according to any one of Claims ! to 3 in which the interengageable elements comprise a projection and a recess.

5. A coin-freed lock according to Claim 4 in which the projection is provided on the feeler member and the recess is provided on the rotary member.

6. A coin-freed lock according to Claim 4 or Claim 5 in which the cam face of the rotary member is arranged to engage with said projection on the feeler member, the recess being adjacent to one end of the cam face so that said projection engages said cam face once the rotary member has been moved to such a position that the recess has been moved past the projection without said projection engaging in said recess because of the presence of a coin or token at said contoured face.

7. A coin-freed lock according to any one of Claims 3 to 6 in which the rotary member is formed with a further abutment element which is movable therewith and which, when the rotary member is in its second position, supports the coin or token released from engagement with the contoured face of the feeler member in a second position until the rotary member is returned to said first position.

8. A coin-freed lock according to any one of the preceding claims in which the rotary member includes an end portion which in the second position of the rotary member projects from a lock housing and serves as a bolt element.

9. A coin-freed lock according to any one of Claims 1 to 7 in which a slidable bolt element drivingly engages with said rotary member.

10. A coin-freed lock according to any one of the preceding claims in which the feeler member comprises a pivoted lever.

II. A coin-freed lock according to any one of Claims I to 9 in which the feeler member comprises a sliding element which is guided for movement towards and away from the rotational axis of said rotary member.

12. A coin-freed lock substantially as described hereinbefore and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein.