US20090277905A1 - Locking device for a box - Google Patents

Abstract

A locking device for a locking a lid to a body of storage box is disclosed. The locking device a key operated turnable portion and arms extending from the arms. Each arm has an end portion that is received in a first recess in the side of the body and a hook portion that is received in a second recess in the front face of the body. When the locking device is in an unlocked position the end portions do not extend into the first recesses and the hook portions are positioned so that they can move in and out of the second recess as the lid is lifted. In the lock position the end portions extend into the first recesses and the hook portion can engage a surface of the recess preventing their removal from the recess.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION(S)
• The present invention claims priority to UK Patent Application No. 0806610.2, filed Apr. 11, 2008, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention relates to a locking device for a box and relates particularly, but not exclusively, to locking devices for on-site storage boxes for tools.
BACKGROUND
• With the increased usage of handheld tools on building sites it is increasingly important to ensure that such tools are securely locked away when personnel on the site are not in the immediate vicinity. Such boxes are generally made of sheet steel of around 1 mm to 3 mm thickness and once locked are designed to resist access to the inside of the box including attempting to force the box open using a bar, such as a jemmy bar. The weak point of many such boxes is the lid which in typical examples of the prior art is provided with a two point locking mechanism and sometimes with an anti-jemmy bar. The two locks are provided at either side of the lid and are generally locked with the same key. However, if both locks are not used, the box is vulnerable to attack on the unlocked side. Furthermore, in very wide boxes the centre of the lid can be vulnerable to attack. If a jemmy bar can be forced into the centre portion of the lid, the lid can be bent so as to pull the two locks out of engagement with the body of the box thereby overcoming the locking mechanism.
• Existing boxes are provided with side anti-jemmy bars which is a bar or an angle that the lid abuts against making it difficult to force anything into the junction between the body and lid of the box. However, if a jemmy bar is forced into this junction there is the possibility of bending the lid outwards thereby potentially providing access to the whole box.
• It is also desirable that the box has no parts that stick out from the main surface of the box so as to decrease the likelihood of people banging their legs on protruding parts.
• There is thus a need for addressing these and/or other issues associated with the prior art.
SUMMARY
• According to one embodiment, there is provided a storage box which includes a body, at least partially defining a volume, for receiving items to be stored in said box. The box also has a lid, hingedly attached to said body and adapted to close said volume. Furthermore, the box has at least one lock for releasably locking at least one non-hinged portion of said lid into locking engagement with said body. At least one said lock is fixedly engaged with one of said body and said lid and includes at least one turning portion and a plurality of arms extending therefrom. These arms move between a first unlocked position and a second locked position as a result of rotation of said turning portion. A plurality of said arms have end portions adapted to extend into first recess portions in the other of said body and said lid when said arms are in said second position and said end portions do not extend into said first recess portions when said arms are in said first position. In the box, at least one of said arms has a hook portion adapted to extend into a second recess portion in the other of said body and said lid such that in said second position said hook portion comes into engagement with a surface of the other of said lid and said body thereby preventing movement of said hook portion into and out of said second recess portion. Furthermore, in said first position said hook portion is able to move in and out of said second recess portion.
• By providing a box with a lock that has end portions that lock a box and hook portions that also lock the box, two different locking methods may be used from the action of a single key thereby providing a very efficient locking mechanism, making the box very difficult to force open without use of the key. The improved locking is achieved whilst using only one key to operate the lock, as an option. As a result, the box may be significantly more difficult to break into. The end portions of the arms may act as deadlocks thereby providing extremely strong locks at the corners of the lid. By additionally providing the hook portions locking towards the centre of the locking mechanism, this means that in the unlikely event that an opening force is applied to the lid so as to pull the end portions out of their respective recesses, the hooks resist this pulling. The harder a pulling force is applied the more the hooks may hook around the surface of the recess that they are engaged with, causing them to engage further as more force is applied. As a result, in order to force the storage box open may optionally not only be necessary to deform the material forming the lid, but it may also be necessary to significantly deform the material forming the arms of a lock. Since the arms of the lock are relatively small it is economical to make them from a significantly stronger steel that it is uneconomical to form the body and lid of the box from.
• In one embodiment a plurality of said arms comprise respective hook portions.
• The turning portion may comprise an aperture adapted to receive a key and rotation of said key by an operator results in movement of said arms between said first and second positions.
• In another embodiment the lock is fixedly engaged with said lid.
• The lid may comprise a first lid portion adapted to substantially form a face of said box and a second lid portion adapted to engages a first body portion. Said first body portion and said second lid portion form an adjacent face of said box.
• In a further embodiment the first recess portions are formed in second and third body portions that form side faced of said box and said second recess portions are formed in said first box portion.
• In one exemplary embodiment, there is provided a storage box including a body, at least partially defining a first volume, for receiving items to be stored in said box. The box also includes a lid, hingedly attached to said body and adapted to close said first volume. Furthermore the box has at least one lock for releasably locking at least one non-hinged portion of said lid into locking engagement with said body. The box also has at least one handle which itself has a recess in a wall of said body or said lid, said recess and said wall defining a second volume. The handle also includes a handle portion adapted to be gripped by an operator and a plurality of support portions attached to said body or lid within said recess. The support portions are adapted to receive said handle portion and allow rotation of said handle between a first storage position wherein said handle portion is contained with said second volume defined by said recess and a second position wherein at least part of said handle portion extends outside said second volume. The support portion further comprise at least one limiter for limiting movement of said handle portion.
• By recessing the folding handle, people working near the box may be less likely to bang their leg on the handle of the box. However, this has been achieved without increasing the risk of the handle damaging the hand of the person picking the box up, by limiting the extent to which the handle is able to rotate. As a result, the box is safer to lift and to work in the vicinity of.
• In one embodiment rotation from said first portion to said second position is rotation through 90 degrees.
• According to a further exemplary embodiment there is provided a storage box including a body, at least partially defining a first volume, for receiving items to be stored in said box. The box also includes a lid, hingedly attached to said body and adapted to close said first volume. The box further includes at least one lock for releasably locking at least one non-hinged portion of said lid into locking engagement with said body. Furthermore, the box has at least one anti-jemmy device for protecting a junction between body and said lid when said box is in a closed condition. At least one said anti-jemmy device comprises a first bar portion extending from one of said body and said lid and a second bar portion at least partially covering at least one said junction.
• By providing a second bar portion partially covering the junction between the body and the lid of the storage box, the box may be significantly more difficult to force open using a jemmy bar or similar device. This improvement in security has been achieved without significant increase in cost or risk of injury to people using or working near the box. Furthermore, the second bar portion has decreased the number of sharp corners on the box decreasing the likelihood of leg injury.
• According to another embodiment there is provided a locking device for locking a first article to a second article, the first article having a first end face adapted to engage a second end face of the second article and first side faces extending from said first end face and adapted to be located between second side faces of said second article. The locking device is fixedly engaged with said first article and comprises at least one turning portion and a plurality of arms extending therefrom. The arms move between a first unlocked position and a second locked position as a result of rotation of said turning portion. A plurality of said arms have end portions adapted to extend into respective first recess portions in said second side faces when said arms are in said second position and said end portions do not extend into said first recess portions when said arms are in said first position. It is also the case that at least one of said arms has a hook portion adapted to extend into a second recess portion in said second end face such that in said second position said hook portion comes into engagement with a surface of said second end face thereby preventing movement of said hook portion into and out of said second recess portion. Furthermore, in said first position said hook portion is able to move in and out of said second recess portion as a result of movement of said first article relative to said second article.
• In one embodiment a plurality of said arms comprise respective hook portions.
• The turning portion may comprise an aperture adapted to receive a key and rotation of said key by an operator results in movement of said arms between said first and second positions. Various embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, and not in any limitative sense, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a box with the lid open, in accordance with one embodiment;
• FIG. 2ais another perspective view of the box ofFIG. 1 from a different angle, in accordance with another embodiment;
• FIG. 2bis a close up view of part ofFIG. 2aencircled and labelled A, in accordance with another embodiment;
• FIG. 3ais a plan view of a locking device used in the box ofFIG. 1, in accordance with another embodiment;
• FIG. 3bis a front view of the locking device ofFIG. 3a, in accordance with another embodiment;
• FIG. 4ais a rear view of a lid of the box ofFIG. 1, in accordance with another embodiment;
• FIG. 4bis a side view of the lid ofFIG. 4a, in accordance with another embodiment;
• FIG. 4cis an underneath view of a lid ofFIG. 4a, in accordance with another embodiment;
• FIG. 4dis an enlarged view of a portion ofFIG. 4aencircled and labelled A, in accordance with another embodiment;
• FIG. 5ais a front view of the box ofFIG. 1, with the lid in a closed position and with the locking device shown in phantom, in accordance with another embodiment;
• FIG. 5bis an enlarged portion ofFIG. 5aencircled and labelled A, in accordance with another embodiment;
• FIG. 5cis a side view of the box ofFIG. 5a, in accordance with another embodiment;
• FIG. 5dis an enlarged view of a portion ofFIG. 5cencircled and labelled B, in accordance with another embodiment;
• FIG. 6ais a side view of the box ofFIG. 1 with the lid in a closed position, in accordance with another embodiment;
• FIG. 6bis a sectional view along the lines A-A inFIG. 6a, in accordance with another embodiment;
• FIG. 6cis an enlarged view of a portion ofFIG. 6bencircled and labelled B, in accordance with another embodiment;
• FIG. 6dis an enlarged view of a portion ofFIG. 6bencircled and labelled C, in accordance with another embodiment;
• FIG. 7ashows a front view of a side portion of the body of the box shown inFIG. 1, in accordance with another embodiment;
• FIG. 7bis an end view of the side ofFIG. 7a, in accordance with another embodiment;
• FIG. 7cis an enlarged view of a portion ofFIG. 7bencircled and labelled A, in accordance with another embodiment;
• FIG. 8 is a front view, end view, plan view and perspective view of a retaining block forming part of a handle that is part of the box ofFIG. 1, in accordance with another embodiment;
• FIG. 9 is a front view and end view of a handle used as part of the box ofFIG. 1, in accordance with another embodiment; and
• FIGS. 10a,10band10cshow a part of an anti-jamming bar which is attached to the box ofFIG. 1, in accordance with other embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
• Referring toFIGS. 1 and 2, astorage box10 has abody12 and alid14. A lock in the form of lockingdevice16 is provided on one of thebody12 andlid14 in order that when the box is closed (seeFIG. 5a) the lid and body can be locked into engagement with each other, thereby preventing access to the body of the box. Thebody12 has abase18, side faces20 and22 arear face24 and afront face26, thelid14 includes anupper face28 andfront face30 as well asside portions32 and34 extending from these respective faces. By virtue of thebase18 and thefaces20 to30 ofbody12 andlid14 thebox10 defines a volume within which items, typically tools, are received.
• Referring toFIGS. 3aand3b, the lockingdevice16, which in the embodiment shown inFIGS. 1 and 2 attached to an inner surface of thefront face30 oflid14, includes a turningportion36 that is adapted to receive a key38 (a spare key40 is also shown) connected to the key38 via akey ring42. The turningportion36 is connected to alock body44 from which a pair ofarms46 extends. Thearms46 are divided into first andsecond arm portions48 and50. Thefirst arm portion48 extends directly fromlock body44 andsecond arm portions50 are connected tofirst arm portions48 via a machinedsteel dowel52. It should be noted inFIGS. 3aand3bthat only onesecond arm portion50 is shown. However, from the remaining figures, for exampleFIG. 4a, it is apparent that a mirror image of thesecond arm portion50 shown inFIGS. 3aand3bis attached to the right handfirst arm portion48 shown in these figures. Thesecond arm portion50 has anend portion54 and ahook portion56.
• The inner surface of side faces20 and22 are provided with afirst recess58 that is adapted to receiveend portion54 ofarm46. Thefront face26 ofbody12 has alip59 that extends perpendicular to thefront face26 and has second recesses60 formed therein. The second recesses60 are simply apertures formed inlip59 and as a result alower surface62 oflip59 is accessible through the aperture formed as part ofsecond recess60. Thislip62 may be strengthened using additional small pieces of steel or other material that is stronger than the steel sheet from which the body and lid are formed.
• Referring toFIGS. 7a, bandcandFIGS. 8 and 9, ahandle64 includes arecess portion66 having aback face68 side faces70 and72 anupper face74 and alower face76. The five faces68,70,72,74 and76 together with the plane of side face20 ofbody12 form a volume ofrecess portion66. Ahandle portion78 is placed in said volume and retained by a pair of mountingblocks80. Opposingend portions82 ofhandle portion78 extend intoapertures84 that extend at least partially into mountingblocks80.Body engaging surfaces86 and88 of mountingblock80 are used to connect theblocks80 to the back andupper faces68 and74 ofrecess portion66, typically by welding. Handleportions78 is free to rotate withinaperture64 but because acutaway portion90 has been formed in block80 a pair of abutment surfaces92 and94 limit the rotation of thehandle78 to approximately 90 degrees. As a result, under the force of gravity, when the box is resting on its base thehandle portion78 hangs vertically downwards in the position shown inFIGS. 7a, bandc. In use, the handle is rotated into a horizontal position and theabutment surface94 engages thehandle portion78 so as to prevent any further rotation beyond the horizontal position. As a result, it is extremely unlikely that a person picking up the box will injure their fingers by them becoming trapped between the handle and theside face20 of the box but when not in use the handle is contained entirely within the recess thereby ensuring that a smooth outer surface of the box decreases the likelihood of leg injury.
• The box is also provided with pneumatic support stays96 to maintain the lid in an open position when required. Ananti-jemmy bar98 extends around the box at least partially covering the non-hinged junction between thebody12 andlid14. On the side faces20 and22 ofbody12 theanti-jemmy bar98 is located on the body whereas for the front faces26 and30 it is located on thefront face30 oflid14.
• Referring toFIGS. 10a,10band10c, aportion100 ofanti-jemmy bar98 has aweldable face102 and aweldable edge104 for connecting theportion100 to theside face20 ofbox10. Theportion100 ofbar98 hasextension portions106 and108 that cover the edge of the lid when it is in a closed position. These extension portions are joined to theweldable face102 andweldable edge104 byconnection portions110 and112.Angled edge114 allowsportion100 to be connected to anotherportion116 ofbar98 that extends horizontally adjacent the top edge of theside face20.
• Whenlid14 is moved into a closed position edges118 and120 ofside portion34 are located between theside face20 andextension portions106 and108 respectively. As a result, it is virtually impossible to get any perches on theedges118 and120 oflid14 in order to attempt to bend it or force it open. Furthermore, theextension portions106 and108 prevent theside portion34 from being bent away from its position adjacent theside face20 ofbody12. Theportion116 ofanti-jemmy bar98 similarly protects theside portion32 oflid14.
• With reference toFIG. 6c, a cross-section through theportion116 ofbar98 is shown. In this figure the parts equivalent toweldable face102,extension portion106 andconnection portion110 have been labelled102a,106aand110arespectively.
• In use, when thelid14 ofbox10 is moved from the open position, shown inFIG. 1 to a closed position asupport stay96 is compressed. When thelid14 is in the closed position thehook portions56 ofarm46 extend intosecond recesses60. However, theend portions54 ofarm46 do not extend intofirst recesses58. When key38 is rotated in turningportion36 thefirst arm portions48 extend out oflock body44 in opposite directions. As a result,end portions54 ofsecond arm portions50 extend intofirst recesses58, in a manner recognisable to the person skilled in the art as that of a deadlock. As a result, the lid is retained in locking engagement with thebody12.
• At the same time thehook portions56 are caused to move in opposing directions and as a result the hook ends57 extend partially underlip59 and beyond the aperture that forms the opening inrecess60. As a result, iflid14 is moved in a direction in an attempt to open the box, the hook ends57 come into engagement withlower surface62 oflip59 and are prevented from movement. If a person attempting to gain entry to thebox10 uses a bar to force the lid open the force applied towards the centre of the lid pulls the hook ends57 into engagement withsurface62, making it almost impossible to force the lid open. In order for the lid to be forced open it is may be necessary to break or significantly deform thehook portions56. Furthermore, as can be seen inFIG. 5a, the twohook portions56 are spaced apart so as to provide even distribution of the end portions and hook portions along the length of thelid14.
• While various embodiments have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. Thus, the breadth and scope of a preferred embodiment should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.
• For example, this locking mechanism described above could be used in other situations where two elongate edges are brought together and locked. An example of such a situation might be where a first article is locked to a second article, where the first article is slidingly received in a second article such as a cupboard with a sliding door. The first article, the door, has a first end face adapted to engage a second end face of the second article, the cupboard. The door also has top and bottom first side faces extending from the first end face and these are slidingly located between second side faces of cupboard. The locking device is fixed to the door. As seen on the device used on the box, there is a turning portion that receives a key and two arms extending therefrom. The arms move between an unlocked position and a locked position as a result of rotation of said turning portion. The arms have end portions adapted to extend into respective first recess portions in the second side faces of the cupboard when the arms are in the locked position and the end portions do not extend into the first recess portions when the arms are in the unlocked position. At least one, or both, of the arms have hook portions that extend into respective second recess portions in the second end face of the cupboard such that in locked position the hook portions comes into engagement with an inner surface of the second end face thereby preventing movement of the hook portion into and out of the second recess portion and that in the unlocked position the hook portion is able to move in and out of the second recess portion as a result of movement of the door relative to the cupboard. In this way, the locking device may be used on such a cupboard in a manner at least similar to that set out above for the box.

Claims (12)

1. A storage box comprising:—

a) a body, at least partially defining a volume, for receiving items to be stored in said box;

b) a lid, hingedly attached to said body and adapted to close said volume; and

c) at least one lock for releasably locking at least one non-hinged portion of said lid into locking engagement with said body, wherein at least one said lock is fixedly engaged with one of said body and said lid and includes at least one turning portion and a plurality of arms extending therefrom, said arms moving between a first unlocked position and a second locked position as a result of rotation of said turning portion, wherein

i) a plurality of said arms have end portions adapted to extend into first recess portions in the other of said body and said lid when said arms are in said second position and said end portions do not extend into said first recess portions when said arms are in said first position, and

ii) at least one of said arms has a hook portion adapted to extend into a second recess portion in the other of said body and said lid such that in said second position said hook portion comes into engagement with a surface of the other of said lid and said body thereby preventing movement of said hook portion into and out of said second recess portion and that in said first position said hook portion is able to move in and out of said second recess portion.

2. A box according toclaim 1 wherein a plurality of said arms comprise respective hook portions.

3. A box according toclaims 1 wherein said turning portion comprises an aperture adapted to receive a key and rotation of said key by an operator results in movement of said arms between said first and second positions.

4. A box according toclaim 1, wherein at least one said lock is fixedly engaged with said lid.

5. A box accordingclaim 1, wherein said lid comprises a first lid portion adapted to substantially form a face of said box and a second lid portion adapted to engages a first body portion wherein said first body portion and said second lid portion form an adjacent face of said box.

6. A box according toclaims 4 wherein said first recess portions are formed in second and third body portions that form side faces of said box and said second recess portions are formed in said first box portion.

7. A storage box comprising:—

a) a body, at least partially defining a first volume, for receiving items to be stored in said box;

b) a lid, hingedly attached to said body and adapted to close said first volume;

c) at least one lock for releasably locking at least one non-hinged portion of said lid into locking engagement with said body; and

d) at least one handle comprising

i) a recess in a wall of said body or said lid, said recess and said wall defining a second volume;

ii) a handle portion adapted to be gripped by an operator;

iii) a plurality of support portions attached to said body or lid within said recess and adapted to receive said handle portion and allow rotation of said handle between a first storage position wherein said handle portion is contained with said second volume defined by said recess and a second position wherein at least part of said handle portion extends outside said second volume and said support portion further comprising at least one limiter for limiting movement of said handle portion.

8. A box according toclaim 7, wherein rotation from said first portion to said second position is rotation through 90 degrees.

9. A storage box comprising:—

a) a body, at least partially defining a first volume, for receiving items to be stored in said box;

b) a lid, hingedly attached to said body and adapted to close said first volume;

c) at least one lock for releasably locking at least one non-hinged portion of said lid into locking engagement with said body; and

d) at least one anti-jemmy device for protecting a junction between body and said lid when said box is in a closed condition, wherein at least one said anti-jemmy device comprises a first bar portion extending from one of said body and said lid and a second bar portion at least partially covering at least one said junction.

10. A locking device for locking a first article to a second article, the first article having a first end face adapted to engage a second end face of the second article and first side faces extending from said first end face and adapted to be located between second side faces of said second article, the locking device fixedly engaged with said first article and comprising:—

at least one turning portion and a plurality of arms extending therefrom, said arms moving between a first unlocked position and a second locked position as a result of rotation of said turning portion, wherein

i) a plurality of said arms have end portions adapted to extend into respective first recess portions in said second side faces when said arms are in said second position and said end portions do not extend into said first recess portions when said arms are in said first position, and

ii) at least one of said arms has a hook portion adapted to extend into a second recess portion in said second end face such that in said second position said hook portion comes into engagement with a surface of said second end face thereby preventing movement of said hook portion into and out of said second recess portion and that in said first position said hook portion is able to move in and out of said second recess portion as a result of movement of said first article relative to said second article.

11. A locking device according toclaim 10 wherein a plurality of said arms comprise respective hook portions.

12. A locking device according toclaim 10 wherein said turning portion comprises an aperture adapted to receive a key and rotation of said key by an operator results in movement of said arms between said first and second positions.

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