BACKGROUND The present invention relates io a lock. Mors particularly, the present invention relates io a lock with a gravity actuator for unlocking the iock when the lock is inverted.

Various gravity aclu&ied locks are known. For Instance: 1185,474,341 "Gravity actuated container lock" describes a lock with a roller that Is movable along a track under the influence of gravity. When the container is oriented right- side-up, the roller blocks movement of a iock lever, thereby preventing unlocking of the container lock. However, when the container is inverted, the roller travels along the track, out of the way of the lock lever, permitting movement of the lock lever to unlock the container lock; and

US 8,313,126 "Gravity release locking apparatus for trash container" describes a locking apparatus comprising a latch member that is movable to lock and unlock the trash container, and a hingedfy connected latch retainer (i.e. latch plate) to capture the latch member. When the container is oriented right-side-up. the latch retainer captures the latch member, resisting movement of the lock lever and preventing unlocking of the locking apparatus. However, when the container is inverted, the latch retainer swings away from the latch member, permitting movement of the latch member to unlock the locking apparatus.

A drawback of known systems is that, should a force be applied to the lock (i.e. via the lock fever or latch member, consequent to overflying of the container), such force may prevent the lock from unlocking (e.g. by preventing the roller or latch retainer from moving under the influence of gravity) during inversion of the container, if is an object of the present Invention to address this drawback. -SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a preferred embodiment of a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a Sock that Includes: a housing; a latch retainer that is movable between a first position and second position, and hst is biased towards the first position; a track; an element freely movable along the track under the influence of gravity between; {i} a distal position, in which the element is spaced from the latch retainer; and {¾· a proximal position, in which the element is in contact with the latch retainer; a latch member that is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, and that is biased towards the unlocked position, wherein the latch member: (i) may be captured by the latch retainer when the latch member is In the locked position and the latch retainer is in the first position; and (ii) is released from the latch retainer when the latch retainer is in the second position, thereby permitting the latch member to move from the locked position to the unlocked position; a bolt; and a receptacle for at least partially receiving the bolt therein, such that: (I) as the bolt is received within the receptacle, the latch member is caused to move from the unlocked position towards the locked position and become captured by the latch retainer, thereby securing the bolt within the receptacle; and (ii) as the lock is inverted, the element moves from the distal position to the proximal position, causing the latch retainer to move towards ihe second position, and permitting the latch member to move from the locked position towards the unlocked position, thereby permitting the bolt to be released from the receptacle. Typically, the track sndudes an antechamber within which the element may be received when the element is in the distal position, such that the lock, must first be tilted to move the element from the antechamber before the element is permitted to travel along the track under the influence of gravity towards the proximal position,

Generally, the latch retainer is resiliency movable from the first position towards the second position.

Preferably, the receptacle is defined by the housing.

Typically, the fetch retainer includes a first formation that cooperates with a corresponding second formation on the latch member to capture the fetch member when the latch retainer is in the first position. Generally, the bolt includes a third formation that cooperates with a corresponding fourth formation on the latch member to secure the bolt within the receptacle.

Preferably, the latch member is pivotally connected to the housing so as to permit: (i) pivoting of the latch member relative to the housing about the pivot axis; and (ii) radiaf displacement of the isfeh member relative to the pivot axis by at least 2mm between a first radial position and a second radial position.

Typically, receipt of the bolt within the receptacle causes the latch member to; (i) pivot about the pivot housing; and (ii) be displaced from the first radiaf position towards the second radial position.

Generally, the lock further includes means for biasing the latch member towards: (i) the unlocked position; and (ii) the first radial position . According to a preferred embodiment of a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a container that includes: a bin: a shaft; a lid hinged!y connected to the bin about the shaft; a harness including: a first connector at a first point on the harness, which fi st connector is secured to the shaft; a second connector at a second point on the harness, for facilitating securing of the second point of the harness to the bin; and a bolt at a third point on the harness, for facilitating securing of the third point of the harness to the bin; a link for securing either: 0} the second connector to the bin; or (if) portions of the harness to each other; and a gravity actuated lock on the bin for receiving and reieasabiy securing the bolt therein.

Typically, the bolt and gravity actuated lock comprise the lock according to the first aspect of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of examples oniy, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure. 1 is a partially exploded perspective view of the lock according io a preferred embodiment of a first aspect of the invention;

Figure 2 is a partially cut-away side view of the lock in Figure 1 hgh -side-up and in a locked condition;

Figure 3 is a partially cut-away side view of the lock in Figure 1 , inverted and in an unlocked condition; Figure 4 is a container according to a second aspect of the invention with the lock in Figure 1 secured thereto; and

Figure 5 is a second perspective view of the container in Figure 4,

S

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, a Sock 10 according to a first aspect of0 the invention includes a housing 12, a iatch retainer 14, an element 16, a latch member 18 and a bolt 20.

The housing 12 includes mounts (not shown) for securing the iock 10 to a refuse bin (shown as 152 in Figures 4 and 5), and defines a receptacle 22 in the form of a bore for5 receiving the bolt 20 therein. The housing 12 also defines a track 24 in the form of an eiongate channel / bore and an antechamber 26 extending radially from one end of the track 24.

The latch iamsr 14 Is made of a resilient material, if is generally made from a0 substantially planar plate and defines a first formation m the form of an aperture 28, The latch retainer 14 is secured to the housing 12 at one end of the Iatch retainer 14 and extends into the track 24 defined by the housing 12, near the axial end of the track 24 opposite the end from which the antechamber 26 extends. The iatch retainer 14 is resiliency deformabie from a first position towards a deformed second position, in other5 words, its resilient nature causes the Iatch retainer 14 to be biased towards the first position.

The element 18 is a cylindrical mass that is sized and shaped to fit within the track 24, travel along the track 24, and enter and exit the antechamber 28. if will be appreciated that although the element IS has been described as a cylindrical slug, it could assume various shapes, including a sphere. The element 16 is freely movable along the track 24 under the influence of gravity between: (}} a distal position (shown in Figures 1 and 2), in which the element 18 is at least partially located within the antechamber 26, spaced from the Iatch retainer 14; and (ii) a proximal condition (shown in Figure 3), in which the element 16 is in contact with the Iatch retainer 14. Figure 2 shows the lock 10 in its "righi-side-up" orientation, The element 16 Is in the distal position, at least partially located within the antechamber 26. A nose 3Q extending from the housing 12 into the track 24 adjacent the antechamber 28 facilitates tilting of the element 18 into the antechamber 26.

Turning to Figure 3, when the lock 10 is inverted, the element 16 exits the antechamber 26 and travels under the influence of gravity along the track 24 until sis travel is arrested by contact with the Iatch retainer 14, which contact eiasticaily deforms the latch retainer 14 from the first position to the second position, it will be appreciated that, to travel along the track 24, the element 8 first needs to exit the antechamber 26, the lock 10 condition can only be changed from the locked condition to the unlocked condition if inverted in one direction, i.e. in a direction that enables the element 16 to exit the antechamber. Inverting of the lock in the opposite direction will not cause the element 16 to exit the antechamber 26, and despite being inverted, without having exited the antechamber 28, the element 18 will not travel along the track 24 under the influence of gravity to cause the lock 10 to unlock,

A stub shaft 32 extends from the housing 12, and the !atch member 18 Is pivotaily connected thereto via an aperture 34 defined by the latch member 18. However, whereas the stub shaft 32 is circular in axial cross-section, the aperture 34 defined by the Iatch member 18 is ova!, permitting: (!) pivoting of the Iatch member 18 about the axis of the stub shaft 32 (i.e. ihe pivot axis) between a lacked position and an unlocked position; and (ii) radial displacement of the latch member 18 relative to the stub shaft 32 axis (i.e. the pivot axis) from a first radial position to a second radial position. The radial displacement from the first radial position to the second radial position is at least 2mm.

The latch member 18 is generally goose-necked in shape with a second formation 38 that is sized and shaped to be locafabie through the first formation (i.e. the aperture 28) defined by the Iatch retainer 14. The second formation 36 on the iatch member 18 is captured within the corresponding aperture 28 defined by the Iatch retainer 14 when the iatch member 18 is in the locked position and the Iatch retainer 14 Is in the first position. However, should the iatch retainer 14 move from the first position to the second position, the second formation 38 on the latch member 18 is released from the aperture 28 defined by the latch retainer 14, permitting the Iatch member 18 to rotate about the pivot axis towards the unlocked position.

The latch member 18 also defines a fourth formation 38 in the form of a tab. A biasing means 40 in the form of a spring biases th latch member 18 towards the un!ocked position and towards the first radial position, The bolt 20 ts generally cylindrical in shape with a tapered axial first end. The other axial end of the bolt 20 is secured to a cable 42 that forms part of a harness (shown as 158 in Figures 4 and S). The bolt 20, in the vicinity of the tapered first axial end defines a third formation 44 in the form of an annular groove. The groove 44 is sized and shaped to cooperate with the fourth formation 38 on the latch member 18 to secure the bolt 20 within the receptade 22 when the fourth formation 38 on the latch member 18 extends into the annular groove 44 defined by the bolt 20.

In use, the lock 10 is oriented right-side-up, as shown in Figures 1 and 2:

* the element 16 is in the distal position and partially received within the antechamber

26;

* the boil 20 is received within the receptacle 22;

* the latch member IS is in the locked position with the fourth formation 38 extending into the annular groove 44 defined by the bolt 20, thereby securing the bolt 20 within the receptade 22;

* the latch retainer 14 is in the first position; and

^» the second formation 36 on the latch member 18 is captured within the aperture 28 defined by the latch retainer 14, maintaining the latch member 18 in the locked position.

The lock 10 is in the locked condition.

Turning to Figure 3, when the lock 10 is inverted:

* the element 16 exits the antechamber 28 and travels along the track 24 towards the proximal position, where if impacts the latch retainer 14, deforming the latch retainer 14 towards the second position;

· with the latch retainer 14 in the second position, the second formation 38 on the latch member 18 is released by the latch retainer 14, permitting the latch member 18 to rotate under the bias of the spring 40 about the stub shaft 32 towards the unlocked position;

with the latch member 18 in the unlocked position, the fourth formation 38 on the latch member 18 exits the annular groove 44 defined by the bolt 20, permitting the bolt 20 to be removed from the receptacle 22. The lock 10 is in the unlocked condition.

To re-lock the lock 10, the lock 10 is oriented right-side-up (as shown in Figures 1 and 2} such that the element 18 returns to the distal position and is tilted by the nose 30 into the antechamber 26. The bolt 20 is inserted into the receptacle 22. The tapered end of the boil 20 pushes on the fourth formation 38 on the iatch member 18, causing the latch member 18 to: (s) rotate about the stub shaft 32 (against the bias of the spring 40) from the unlocked position towards the looked position; and (si) move radially downwards (with reference to Figure 2} towards the second radial positron, Such movement of the latch member 18 enables the second formation 36 on the latch member 18 to align with the aperture 28 defined by the latch retainer 14 while the latch retainer 14 is in the first position. As the boil 20 is inserted further into the receptacle 22, the fourth formation 38 on the latch member 18 passes into the annular groove 44 defined by the boll 20 _s the spring 40 causes the latch member 18 to move upwards (with reference to Figure 2} towards the first radial position, thereby causing the second formation 38 on the latch member 18 to move past the latch retainer 14 via the aperture 28 defined thereby. The rotational bias imposed by the spring 40 on the latch member 18 then causes the Iatch member 18 to rotate slightly from the fully lacked position in the direction of the unfocked position, such that the second formation 36 on the iatch member 1S bears against the latch retainer 14 and is captured thereby. The lock 10 is now in the locked condition. it will be appreciated that the iatch retainer 14 facilitates a hair trigger for the lock 10 unlocking mechanism. Since the iatch retainer 14 s Interposed between the element 16 and the Iatch member 18, the lock 10 can be unlocked irrespective of ferees imposed on the iatch member 18 by the bolt 20 resulting from a tension applied to the bolt via the cable 42.

Turning to the second aspect of the invention shown in Figures 4 and 5, a container 150 according to a second aspect of the invention includes a bin 152, a lid 154 and a harness 156.

The bin 152 is a typical refuse bin, and the lid 154 Is hingediy secured to the bin 52 via a shaft 158. The lid 154 includes first and second handles 180, Each handle 180 forms a closed loop with a portion of the lid 154,

The harness 156 comprises three cables 162, 168 and 172 that are secured to each other at a common point of intersection - each cable 162, 158 and 172 constitutes a portion of the harness 156. Typically, a link 170 {e.g. a clip or a padlock) secures the cables 162, 166 and 172 to each other at the point of intersection. Figures 4 and 5 show the link 170 in the form of a padlock. A first cable 162 includes a first connector 164 at its free end (La, at a first point on the harness 158). The Mrs! connector 164 is in the form of a loop defined by the first cable 162. The first cable 162 extends from the point of intersection with the other cables 186 and 172 towards the shaft 158, about which the first connector 164 Is secured. A second cable 166 includes a second connector 168 at its free end (i.e. at a second point on the harness 158). The second cable 168 extends from the point of intersection with the other cables 162 and 172 towards a firs! side of the lid 154, by the bin 152. The second connector 168 is in the form of a loop that is securable to the bin 152 via a link 170 (also in the form of a padlock). Alternatively, the second connector 168 may be secured to the bin 52 by a bolt. A third cable 172 Includes a boil 120 at its free end (i.e. at a third point on the harness 156), The third cable 172 extends from the point of intersection with the other cables 182 and 186 towards a second side of the lid 154, by the bin 152. A gravity actuated lock 110 according to the first aspect of the invention is secured to the side of the bin 152, and insertion and locking of the bolt 120 within the receptacle 122 defined by the lock 1 10 housing 112 secures the free end of the third cable 172 to the bin 152 via the lock 10. Although the harness 156 has been described as comprising three cables 162, 166 and 172 that are secured to each other at a common point of intersection, If will be appreciated that the harness 156 could alternatively comprise two cables ~ a first cable (i.e. 162 and 166) thai extends from the shaft 158 to the link 170 (e.g. a clip or a padlock); and a second cable (i.e. 172) that is secured at a first end to the first cable (162 and 188} about the midpoint of the first cable, and extends therefrom to the bolt 120.

If will be appreciated that a user may open the lid 154 of the bin 152 by unlocking either; (i) the padlock 170 securing the second connector 168 of the second cable 166 to the bin 152; or

(is) the padlock 170 that secures the cables 182, 188 and 172 to each other,

while refuse workers may open the Sid 154 of the bin 152 by inverting the container 150 and thereby releasing the third cable 172 from the gravity actuated lock 1 10.

Furthermore, since the gravity actuated lock 1 10 is mounted to the outside of the container 150, the lock is suited to a variety of containers 150 of different shapes and sized. It will be appreciated lhat the gravity actuated lock 10 and 1 10 with harness 158 may be. removed from a bin 52 and 152 without compromising the function of the bin 52 and 152, fn other words, the bin 52 and 152 following such removal presents no additional openings to the inside of the bin 52 and 152 than H did prior lo installation of the gravity actuated lock 10 and 1 Q with harness 155. This is due to the fact that attachment of the gravity actuated lack 10 and 1 10 with harness 156 does not require hoies to be made in the bin 52 and 152 that permit communication between the interior and exterior of the bin 52 and 152.