Lock assemblies for female drive receptacles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9932102-B2
Application number	US-201514838120-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 27, 2015
Priority date	Aug 27, 2015
Publication date	Apr 3, 2018
Grant date	Apr 3, 2018

Abstract

Lock assemblies for locking female drive receptacles include a portion with a feature that is configured to permit selective insertion of the portion of the lock assembly into the female drive receptacle when the portion is in a first rotational orientation and to selectively restrict removal of the portion from the non-circular receptacle when the portion is in a second rotational orientation that is offset from the first rotational orientation. The lock assembly is configured to receive a padlock to restrict rotation of the portion from the second rotational orientation to the first rotational orientation and thereby lock the lock assembly to the female drive receptacle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A lock assembly for a female drive receptacle, the lock assembly comprising:
an insert with an elongate body having a distal region and a proximal region, wherein the distal region is configured to be selectively inserted into the female drive receptacle when the insert is in a first rotational orientation, wherein the distal region is configured to restrict removal of the distal region from the female drive receptacle when the insert is in a second rotational orientation that is offset from the first rotational orientation, wherein the insert includes an insert slide feature, wherein the insert includes one or more distal projections extending radially outward from the distal region, wherein the one or more distal projections are sized to permit selective insertion of the distal region into the female drive receptacle when the insert is in the first rotational orientation, wherein the one or more distal projections are sized to restrict removal of the distal region from the female drive receptacle when the distal region is positioned within the female drive receptacle and the insert is in the second rotational orientation, and wherein an outer periphery of the one or more distal projections in profile defines in part a first shape corresponding to the female drive receptacle;
a slide slidingly coupled to the insert and configured to selectively engage the female drive receptacle to selectively restrict rotation of the slide and the insert relative to the female drive receptacle, wherein the slide is configured to be selectively translated along the elongate body of the insert, wherein the slide includes:
a slide insert feature mated with the insert slide feature, wherein the slide insert feature and the insert slide feature collectively restrict relative rotation between the insert and the slide; and
a longitudinal projection that defines a receptacle feature configured to be selectively inserted into the female drive receptacle and to restrict rotation of the slide relative to the female drive receptacle, wherein an outer periphery of the longitudinal projection in profile defines in part a second shape corresponding to the female drive receptacle, wherein the second shape is the same as the first shape, and wherein the second shape is angularly offset from the first shape about a longitudinal axis of the insert; and

a lock-out assembly configured to be selectively coupled to the proximal region of the elongate body to restrict translation of the slide from the distal region to the proximal region of the elongate body and to restrict access to the proximal region of the elongate body, wherein the lock-out assembly is further configured to be selectively restricted from being decoupled from the insert.

2. The lock assembly of claim 1 , wherein the insert further includes:
a proximal projection extending radially outward from the proximal region, wherein the proximal projection and the one or more distal projections collectively and operatively retain the slide coupled to the insert.

3. The lock assembly of claim 1 , wherein one of the insert slide feature and the slide insert feature is a groove, and wherein the other of the insert slide feature and the slide insert feature is a tab that is positioned in the groove.

4. The lock assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first shape and the second shape are a polygon, a triangle, a rectangle, a square, a pentagon, a hexagon, or star-shaped.

5. The lock assembly of claim 1 , wherein an outer periphery of at least the distal region of the elongate body in profile defines in part a circle.

6. The lock assembly of claim 5 , wherein an outer diameter of the circle corresponds to an inner diameter of the female drive receptacle.

7. The lock assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lock-out assembly includes:
a block, wherein the block defines an insert bore and a pin bore extending transverse to the insert bore, wherein the insert bore is configured to selectively receive the proximal region of the elongate body of the insert, and wherein the insert bore and the pin bore intersect within the block; and
a lock pin positioned in the pin bore of the block, wherein the lock pin includes:
a pin body sized to extend through the pin bore of the block, wherein the pin body defines a shackle bore sized to receive a shackle of a padlock; and
a head positioned opposite the shackle bore on the pin body and sized to engage an external surface of the block and restrict further translation of the lock pin through the pin bore;

wherein the lock pin and the proximal region of the elongate body of the insert are configured to permit rotation of the block and lock pin relative to the insert when the proximal region of the elongate body of the insert is operatively received in the insert bore of the block and when the lock pin is operatively received in the pin bore of the block.

8. The lock assembly of claim 7 ,
wherein the insert further includes a proximal projection extending radially outward from the proximal region; and
wherein the insert bore extends only partially through the block, wherein the insert bore has a first region sized to receive the proximal projection and a second region sized to restrict receipt of the proximal projection into the second region.

9. The lock assembly of claim 7 , wherein the lock pin further includes a restrictive feature extending from the pin body opposite the head, wherein the head is positioned on one side of the block and the restrictive feature is positioned on the opposite side of the block, wherein the head and the restrictive feature collectively retain the lock pin to the block with the pin body in the pin bore of the block.

10. The lock assembly of claim 7 ,
wherein the pin body defines a circumferential groove positioned between the head and the shackle bore;
wherein when the circumferential groove of the pin body is aligned with the insert bore of the block, the proximal region of the elongate body of the insert is permitted to be operatively received into and withdrawn from the insert bore; and
wherein when the circumferential groove of the pin body is not aligned with the insert bore of the block:
the proximal region of the elongate body of the insert is restricted from being operatively received into the insert bore if not already operatively received into the insert bore; and
the proximal region of the elongate body of the insert is restricted from being withdrawn from the insert bore if already operatively received into the insert bore.

11. The lock assembly of claim 7 ,
wherein the proximal region defines a circumferential groove;
wherein when the circumferential groove of the proximal region is aligned with the pin bore of the block, the lock pin is permitted to be operatively translated within the pin bore; and
wherein when the circumferential groove of the proximal region is not aligned with the pin bore of the block, the lock pin is restricted from being operatively translated within the pin bore.

12. A method of locking a female drive receptacle, the method comprising:
inserting a distal region of an elongate body of an insert into the female drive receptacle;
following the inserting, rotating the elongate body;
following the rotating, sliding a slide toward and into engagement with the female drive receptacle;
following the sliding, operatively coupling a lock-out assembly to a proximal region of the elongate body to restrict translation of the slide from the distal region to the proximal region of the elongate body, wherein the operatively coupling includes:
operatively positioning a lock pin within a pin bore of a block so that the proximal region o

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Leonard Edward W
• Swanson Gregory W

Classifications

• E05B67/383

  Staples or the like for padlocks; Lock slings; Arrangements on locks to cooperate with padlocks · CPC title

• E05B35/008

  for simple tool-like keys · CPC title

• E05B17/142

  with key-operated locks, e.g. padlocks · CPC title

• E05B17/14

  Closures or guards for keyholes {(for vehicle ignition or steering lock B60R25/023)} · CPC title

• B64C1/1415 Primary

  Cargo doors, e.g. incorporating ramps · CPC title