Display rod lock mechanism

Abstract

A lock mechanism is mounted on a merchandise display rod to prevent the removal of some items of merchandise from the rod. A pair of members are pivotally joined at one end and move between locked and unlocked positions. Each of the members is formed with a partial slot which align with each other when in the locked position to extend about the rod. A magnetically attractable plunger is mounted within one of the members and engages a recess formed in the other member to secure the members in a closed locked position on the rod. A magnetic key moves the plunger to an unlocked position to enable the members to pivot apart to an unlocked open position. The distal end of the rod is bent at an angle sufficient to prevent sliding removal of the lock mechanism from the rod when the members are in the locked position yet enable removal of merchandise items forward of the lock mechanism from the rod.

1 . A lock mechanism for attaching to a rod extending outwardly from a merchandise display, said rod having a free end bent at an angle to an elongated portion of the rod; said lock mechanism comprising: 
 first and second members pivotally joined at one end for movement between locked and unlocked positions, each of said members being formed with a generally semicircular slot which align with each other when in the locked position to form a generally circular slot complementary to and adapted to receive the elongated portion of the rod therethrough to secure the lock mechanism on the elongated portion of said rod, and wherein said bent free end prevents removal of the lock mechanism from the rod when in the locked position; and    a magnetically attractable plunger for locking the members in the locked position about the rod.    
   
   
       2 . The lock mechanism defined in  claim 1  wherein each of the first and second members have an elongated body pivotally joined at upper ends thereof by a pivot pin; and in which the semicircular slots are formed in said body generally adjacent the pivot pin whereby said lock mechanism is suspended on the rod with a majority of the elongated bodies extending below the rod.  
   
   
       3 . The lock mechanism defined in  claim 2  wherein each of the elongated bodies of the first and second member have a generally semicircular cross sectional configuration.  
   
   
       4 . The lock mechanism defined in  claim 1  wherein the plunger is mounted in the first member and lockingly engages a locking projection located in the second member.  
   
   
       5 . The lock mechanism defined in  claim 1  wherein the locking plunger includes a generally cylindrical base moveably mounted within a pocket formed within the first member and a locking projection extending from said base; and in which said locking projection engages a recess formed in the second member to secure said members in the locked position.  
   
   
       6 . The lock mechanism defined in  claim 5  wherein a coil spring biases the plunger toward locking engagement with the second member.  
   
   
       7 . The lock mechanism defined in  claim 6  wherein the coil spring extends into a bottom opening formed in the plunger base.  
   
   
       8 . The lock mechanism defined in  claim 5  wherein the locking recess is formed in an inwardly extending ledge on the second member; and in which the ledge is formed with a tapered surface adjacent the locking recess for sliding engagement with the projection of the locking plunger.  
   
   
       9 . The lock mechanism defined in  claim 1  wherein the locking plunger is formed of a magnetically attractable metal.  
   
   
       10 . The lock mechanism defined in  claim 1  in combination with a key for moving the plunger to the unlocked position, said key containing at least one magnet for moving said plunger to the unlocked position.  
   
   
       11 . A method of displaying items of merchandise on a display rod extending outwardly from a support, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing the display rod with an elongated portion terminating in a bent end;    providing a lock mechanism having a pair of members pivotally joined at one end and moveable between locked and unlocked positions, said bent end preventing removal of the lock mechanism from the rod when in the locked position;    suspending a plurality of the items on the elongated portion of the rod;    placing the lock mechanism on the elongated portion of the rod and moving it to a closed locked position whereby at least one of the items is between the lock mechanism and bent end permitting removal of said at least one item beyond the bent end without interference from the lock mechanism and whereby a plurality of the items are located between the lock mechanism and support preventing their removal from the rod.    
   
   
       12 . The method defined in  claim 11  including the step of unlocking the lock mechanism and repositioning it on the elongated portion of the rod between the plurality of items previously located between the lock mechanism and support thereby providing at least one other item of merchandise between the lock mechanism and bent end for subsequent removal from the rod without interference from the lock mechanism.  
   
   
       13 . The method defined in  claim 1   1  including the steps of placing a magnet on at least one of the members, and moving a locking plunger located within said one member to an unlocked position.  
   
   
       14 . The method defined in  claim 13  including the step of pivotally moving the pair of members to an open position after the step of moving the locking plunger to the unlocked position.  
   
   
       15 . In combination, a lock mechanism and a rod extending outwardly from a merchandise display, said rod having an elongated portion terminating in a distal end, and said lock mechanism being mounted on the elongated portion of the rod; 
 said lock mechanism comprising first and second members pivotally joined at one end for movement between locked and unlocked positions, each of said members being formed with a partial slot which align with each other when in the locked position to form a slot generally complementary to the elongated portion of the rod which extends through the slot to secure the lock mechanism on the elongated portion of said rod, said distal end of the rod having an irregular shape which prevents removal of the lock mechanism from the rod when in the locked position; and a magnetically attractable plunger mounted within a hollow interior of the members for locking the members in the locked position about the rod.    
   
   
       16 . The combination defined in  claim 1  wherein each of the first and second members have an elongated body pivotally joined at upper ends thereof by a pivot pin; and in which the partial slots have a semicircular configuration which are formed in the body generally adjacent the pivot pin whereby said lock mechanism is suspended on the rod with a majority of the elongated bodies extending below the rod.  
   
   
       17 . The combination defined in  claim 15  wherein the plunger is mounted in the first member and lockingly engages a locking projection located in the second member.  
   
   
       18 . The combination defined in  claim 15  wherein the locking plunger includes a generally cylindrical base moveably mounted within a pocket formed within the first member and a locking projection extending from said base; and in which said locking projection engages a recess formed in the second member to secure said members in the locked position.  
   
   
       19 . The combination defined in  claim 18  wherein the locking recess is formed in an inwardly extending ledge formed on the second member; and in which the ledge is formed with a tapered surface adjacent the locking recess for sliding engagement with the projection of the locking plunger.  
   
   
       20 . The combination defined in  claim 15  including a key for moving the plunger to the unlocked position, said key containing at least one magnet for moving said plunger to the unlocked position.