The Eastern Company

Timothy P Laabs

Michael O Misner

Thomas Heinrich

John J Crocco

Richard H Schulz

Elbert M Spencer

Stanley C Wolniak

Brian M Ott

Charles D Miller

Richard H Schulz, Jr

Thomas J DeCicco

Mark S Lux

A tubular lock and its operating key have safety features that render the lock and key well suited for use with food freezer appliances and the like where the keyway of the lock extends horizontally. The tubular portion of the operating key, and the keyway of the tubular lock are cooperatively configured so a key inserted into the keyway of the lock fits quite loosely and is minimally supported even when fully inserted. The graspable bow of the operating key is made unusually long causing the center of gravity of an inserted operating key to be spaced far from the front face of the lock&#x2014;so the weight of the loosely fitting and minimally supported operating key levers the graspable bow downwardly, causing the key to drop from the keyway unless being held in the keyway. Gravity is optimally used to effect key ejection.

Food freezer locks and keys having safety features for preventing child entrapment

A latching system includes a control unit that houses a remote signal responsive relay and a crank arm that is pivoted by the armature of the relay when the relay is energized to oppositely move a pair of elongate links each of which is connected to a separate latch assembly for moving operating arms of the latch assemblies to unlatched positions for causing the latch assemblies to release their latched engagement with strikers that hold a closure closed.

Linkage operated latching system

Front portions of a paddle handle device for operating latches

Front portion of a paddle handle for operating latches

Retaining clip for cam lock

Portions of a cam lock with retaining clip

Housing portions of a cam lock

A generally cylindrical body of a device such as a cam lock is provided with a snap-in mount that enables the body to be mounted from one side of and through mounting holes formed in support panels of distinctly different thicknesses. The body has a shoulder that faces in one direction toward one side of a support panel, and carries sets of movable arms that define engagement surfaces located at different distances from the shoulder that snap outwardly after being inserted through a panel mounting hole to face toward the opposite side of the support panel. The body can be mounted on panels having three different thicknesses if three sets of arms are provided that each define engagement surfaces located at a different distance from the shoulder. More panel thicknesses can be accommodated if one or more of the sets of arms define two or more sets of engagement surfaces each located at a distinctly different distance from the shoulder.

Snap-in mount for CAM locks and the like

Front portions of a push button lock having a rotatable operating knob

Front portions of a push button lock

Front portions of a rotatable operating knob for latches and locks

Front portions of a rotatable operating knob with escutcheon plate for latches and locks

Growing community of inventors

Palatine, IL, United States of America

Timothy P Laabs