Dual-function locks and sub-assemblies therefor

Abstract

A dual-function lock in accordance with the invention has an axis-defining lock sub-assembly including first and second axially aligned rotator members having confronting first end faces and oppositely facing second end faces. The sub-assembly has a lost-motion recess and an anchor recess on one confronting face and one recess-engaging member extending from another confronting face to permit lock function selection by placing the recess-engaging member into a particular recess. Alternative dual-function lock sub-assemblies include a unitary rotator bolt and a companion actuator. The rotator bolt has a release-mechanism-engaging portion and an actuator-engaging portion. While a first section of the actuator-engaging portion permits limited lost-motion between the rotator bolt and a companion actuator, a second section prevents lost-motion. The lock function can be selectively determined by placing the companion actuator into the desired first or second section of the actuator-engaging portion.

1. A dual-function lock sub-assembly for use with locks of the type having a lock cylinder and a release mechanism, said sub-assembly comprising:
 an axis-defining first rotator component having an actuator-engaging portion at a first end thereof, said first component also having an opposite second end and being rotatable about an axis;  
 a second rotator component having a release-mechanism-engaging portion at a first end thereof for controlling movement of the release-mechanism, said second component having an opposite second end and being adjacent to and axially aligned with said first component for rotation about said rotation axis;  
 wherein said second ends of said components confront one another, wherein said second confronting end of one of said first and second components has lost-motion and anchoring recesses which are radially offset from said rotation axis, and wherein said second confronting end of the other of said first and second components has a recess-engaging member which is configured such that said recess-engaging member can be received within one of said lost-motion and anchoring recesses; and  
 an actuator for connecting said actuator-engaging portion of said first rotator component to the lock cylinder, said actuator transferring rotational motion about said axis from the lock cylinder to said first component upon rotation of the lock cylinder so that when said recess-engaging member is received in said lost-motion recess, rotational motion of said actuator results in limited lost-motion between said actuator and  said first component and said second component and when said recess-engaging member is received in said anchoring recess, said actuator  first component is rotatable  positively coupled to said first  second component.  
 
     
     
       2. The dual-function lock sub-assembly of  claim 1  wherein said actuator comprises a pair of elongated protrusions extending from said first end of said first rotator component in a direction which is substantially parallel to said axis, said protrusions being disposed on opposite sides of said axis. 
     
     
       3. the dual-function lock sub-assembly of  claim 1  wherein said actuator comprises a generally blade-shaped tailpiece which can be received within said actuator-engaging portion of said first rotator component. 
     
     
       4. The dual-function lock sub-assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a torsion spring, said torsion spring resiliently biasing said second rotator component and being coiled about at least a portion of said first rotator component. 
     
     
       5. A dual-function padlock capable of repeated conversion between key-retaining and non-key-retaining lock functions, said padlock comprising:
 a padlock body;  
 a shackle which is at least partially disposed within the padlock body;  
 at least one movable shackle-release-mechanism to selectively release/retain said shackle;  
 a rotatable lock cylinder at least partially mounted within the padlock body and defining a rotation axis;  
 an actuator which rotates about said rotation axis in response to rotation of at least part of said cylinder; and  
 a function-determinative rotator bolt mounted within the padlock body for rotation about said axis, said rotator bolt including a first end having a release-mechanism-engaging portion for controlling movement of said shackle-release-mechanism, said rotator bolt also including an oppositely-disposed second end for receiving said actuator, said rotator bolt cooperating with said actuator such that said padlock can be converted between key-retaining and non-key-retaining functions without introduction of any additional components therebetween, and without removal of any components from between said rotator bolt and said actuator.  
 
     
     
       6. The dual-function padlock of  claim 5  wherein said rotator bolt comprises:
 first and second axially-aligned rotator members having confronting first end faces and oppositely facing second end faces;  
 means defining a lost-motion recess and an anchor recess in one of said confronting first end faces, said recesses being radially spaced from said axis;  
 at least one recess-engaging member extending from the other of said confronting end faces, said at least one recess-engaging member cooperating with said means defining said recesses such that said recess-engaging member can be selectively disposed within either one of said recesses, at least in part, by rotating said rotator members relative to one another; and  
 means for maintaining said actuator stationary relative to at least one of said first and second rotator members, said means for maintaining being disposed at said second end of said rotator bolt.  
 
     
     
       7. The dual-function padlock of  claim 5  wherein said rotator bolt comprises:
 a unitary rotator bolt having an actuator-engaging portion disposed at said second end of said rotator bolt, said actuator-engaging portion having a first section which permits lost-motion between said actuator and said rotator bolt;  
 said actuator-engaging portion also having an arcuately spaced second section for preventing lost-motion between said actuator and said rotator bolt; and  
 whereby the lock function is selectively determined by placing said actuator into one of said first and second sections of said actuator-engaging portion.  
 
     
     
       8. The dual-function padlock of  claim 5  wherein said rotator bolt comprises:
 a first rotator member having an actuator-engaging portion at one end thereof, said first rotator member also having an opposite second end and being rotatable about said rotation axis;  
 a second rotator member having a release-mechanism-engaging portion at one end thereof, having an opposite second end and being rotatable about said rotation axis, one of said first and second rotator members having lost-motion and anchoring recesses which are radially offset from said axis and which are disposed on the second end of said member, the other of said first and second rotator members having a protrusion extending from said second end thereof such that said protrusion can be received within either one of said recesses when said rotator members are axially aligned and when said second ends of said rotator members are placed adjacent one another.  
 
     
     
       9. A rotator bolt sub-assembly for use in a lock of the type having a release-mechanism and an actuator, said sub-assembly comprising:
 first and second axially-aligned rotator members having confronting first end faces and oppositely facing second end faces, said rotator members defining a rotation axis and being rotatable about said axis;  
 means defining a lost-motion recess and an anchor recess in one of said confronting first end faces, said recesses being radially spaced from said axis;  
 at least one recess-engaging member extending from the other of said confronting end faces, said at least one recess-engaging member cooperating with said means defining said recesses such that said recess-engaging member can be selectively disposed within either one of said recesses, at least in part, by rotating said rotator members relative to one another;  
 means for transferring rotational motion about said axis from the actuator to said rotator members, said means for transferring being disposed on said second end face of one of said rotator members; and  
 means for actuating the lock release-mechanism in response to transfer of rotational motion to said rotator members, said means for actuating being disposed on said second end face of the other of said rotator means.  
 
     
     
       10. The rotator bolt sub-assembly of  claim 9  wherein said lost-motion recess is an elongated arcuate recess, wherein said recess-engaging member has a profile, wherein said anchor recess is arcuately adjacent said elongated recess and wherein said anchor recess has a shape which is substantially complementary to said profile of said recess-engaging member. 
     
     
       11. The rotator bolt sub-assembly of  claim 10  wherein said recess-engaging member is a fixed protrusion and wherein said first and second rotator members must be axially displaced from one another to change the recess in which said protrusion is located. 
     
     
       12. The rotator bolt sub-assembly of  claim 10  wherein said recess-engaging member is a linearly-movable, spring-loaded pin. 
     
     
       13. The rotator bolt sub-assembly of  claim 9  wherein:
 said lost-motion recess is an arcuate recess of a first predetermined axial depth,  
 said anchor recess is disposed at one end of said elongated recess; and  
 said anchor recess extends axially deeper than said lost-motion recess.  
 
     
     
       14. The rotator bolt sub-assembly of  claim 13  wherein said recess-engaging member comprises an externally-threaded screw disposed within an internally-threaded bore and wherein said anchor recess is an internally-threaded bore. 
     
     
       15. The rotator bolt sub-assembly of  claim 9  further comprising means for resiliently biasing said first and second rotator members axially adjacent one another. 
     
     
       16. The rotator bolt sub-assembly of  claim 9  further comprising means for preventing over-rotation of the rotator bolt, said means for preventing being at least partially disposed on one of said first and second rotator members. 
     
     
       17. The rotator bolt sub-assembly of  claim 16  wherein said means for preventing over-rotation comprises an arcuate recess. 
     
     
       18. The rotator bolt sub-assembly of  claim 9  wherein said means for engaging the release mechanism comprises four radial cuts equidistantly disposed about one of said first and second rotator members. 
     
     
       19. The rotator bolt sub-assembly of  claim 9  further comprising a torsion spring, wherein one of said first and second rotator members includes means for affixing said torsion spring thereto, and wherein the torsion spring can be coiled either about or within the other of said first and second rotator members. 
     
     
       20. The rotator bolt sub-assembly of  claim 9  wherein at least a portion of said elongated and anchor recesses extends from said confronting end faces of one of said rotator members entirely through said second end face of said rotator member. 
     
     
       21. The rotator bolt sub-assembly of  claim 9  wherein said means for transferring prevents lost-motion between the actuator and said at least one of said rotator members. 
     
     
       22. The rotator bolt sub-assembly of  claim 9  wherein said means for transferring is disposed on said second end of one of said rotator members and wherein said second end of the other of said rotator members includes means defining a recess for receiving the torsion spring. 
     
     
       23. The rotator bolt sub-assembly of  claim 12  wherein said lost-motion recess and said anchor recess extend entirely through one of said first and second members. 
     
     
       24. A dual-function lock sub-assembly for a lock of the type having a release-mechanism and an axis-defining lock-cylinder which is capable of transferring rotational motion to an actuator, said sub-assembly comprising:
 an actuator mounted to the lock-cylinder for axial rotation therewith, said actuator having a free end; and  
 a unitary rotator bolt having a release-mechanism-engaging portion at one end thereof for controlling movement of the release-mechanism and an integral dual-function actuator-engaging portion at an opposite end thereof, said actuator-engaging portion having a first section which permits limited lost-motion between said free end of said actuator and said rotator bolt, said actuator-engaging portion also having an arcuately spaced second section for preventing lost-motion between said free end of said actuator and said rotator bolt, wherein a lock function is selectively determined by placing said free end of said actuator into said first section of said actuator-engaging portion and wherein another lock function is selectively determined by placing said free end of said actuator into said second section of said actuator-engaging portion.  
 
     
     
       25. The lock sub-assembly of  claim 24  wherein:
 said first and second portions of said actuator-engaging portion comprise three protrusions extending from said opposite end of said rotator bolt in a direction which is at least substantially parallel to the axis, said protrusions being disposed around the axis at three of four locations arcuately spaced 90° apart; and  
 at least a portion of said free end of said actuator is disposed on only one side of, and is oriented at least substantially parallel to, the axis.  
 
     
     
       26. The lock sub-assembly of  claim 24  wherein:
 said first section of said actuator-engaging portion comprises an arcuate recess;  
 said second section of said actuator-engaging portion comprises an anchor recess arcuately spaced from said arcuate recess; and  
 at least a portion of said actuator is disposed on only one side of, and is oriented at least substantially parallel to, the axis.  
 
     
     
       27. The sub-assembly of  claim 24  wherein:
 said first and second sections of said actuator-engaging portion comprises at least one elongated member extending from said opposite end of said rotator bolt, each member having a cross-sectional shape; and  
 said actuator includes at least one axially-extending recess which is capable of rigid engagement with one of said members, each recess being defined by at least one bearing wall and being complementary in shape to one of said members.  
 
     
     
       28. The lock sub-assembly of  claim 27  wherein:
 said first and second sections of said actuator-engaging portion comprise an unoccupied volume and at least one post, said post being circular in cross-section; and  
 said actuator includes at least one recess for engagement with said post, said at least one recess being at least partially circular in cross  1  sectional shape.  
 
     
     
       29. The lock sub-assembly of  claim 24  wherein said release-mechanism-engaging portion includes four radial recesses disposed at four locations angularly spaced 90° from one another about said rotator bolt.