FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a locking device and to a storage unit and locking device combination and relates particularly but not exclusively to a locking device and combination to be secured by a padlock. A padlock is intended to include a lock device having a lock body and a hasp for attaching to a latch and operated by a key, combination or other known mechanism mechanical or magnetic. BACKGROUND OFTHE INVENTION

There is a perceived need for a secure storage unit which may be used to store valuable tools and equipment on a building or other construction site or to store valuable documents, dangerous chemicals or explosives on a construction site or within a factory complex or workshop.

U.S. Patent No. 3,833,104 (Blum) discloses a coin receptacle for a coin operated machine which is provided with doors which cover the front of the receptacle and which are adapted to engage with a rod passed through the top of the receptacle. The rod is locked in place by way of a lock positioned within a housing in the top of the receptacle which is constructed to resist breaking open by means of a crow-bar, hammer or similar devices.

U.S. Patent No. 4,452,371 (Jurek) discloses a tamper resistant cabinet for vending equipment in which a rod or bar passes through the cabinet and engages with the door of the cabinet to prevent opening of the door. The rod or bar is secured below the cabinet by means of a padlock. The padlock is not protected from tampering to any significant degree.

U.S. Patent No. 4,823,570 also to Jurek discloses a tamper resistant cabinet for vending equipment in which a rod or bar interengages with loops on the door to secure the door closed. The rod or bar is engaged by a key operated latch mechanism to retain the bar in the locked configuration.

U.S. Patent No. 4,843,853 (Bobert) discloses a rod locked cabinet wherein a locking rod is disposed entirely within the cabinet when engaging with the doors. The rod is removed via a port in the cabinet by a special tool. The port is closed from unauthorised access to the rod by a key operated locking plate which may be locked in a position over the rod access port.

U.S. Patent No. 4,741 ,454 (Ray) disclosed a cabinet and rod or bar locking mechanism similar to that disclosed in the Jurek 4,452,371 patent above with the variation that the bar or rod is secured in position by a keyed lock mechanism. The

patent includes adjustable spacers on the sleeve to interact with the bar to firmly seal the door when the bar is inserted.

Australian Patent No. 591,803 (Gerstner-Stevens) discloses a storage shed having a sliding door with a latch protruding through a sRJewall of the shed for securing by a padlock. The padlock is protected from tampering by a housing fixed to the side of the shed about the protruding latch and attached padlock when the door is closed and locked.

The present invention seeks to provide a simple secure storage unit, tool box or the like which overcomes or substantially overcomes disadvantages of the known prior art.

SUMMARY OFTHE INVENTION

The present invention, therefore, provides a locking device adapted for use with a padlock for securing a storage unit against unauthorised access which device comprises a housing including top, base, side and rear wall sections, said housing having a locking bar depending from the base thereof and a latch slot in the base thereof in which in use the locking bar extends through an access in a panel of the storage unit and engages with locking bar engagement means within the storage unit and attached to an access hatch in a wall of the storage unit when the hatch is closed and in which a latch on the panel of the storage unit passes through the latch slot in the base of the housing to permit attachment of a padlock to the latch within the housing to lock the storage unit.

The present invention also provides a storage unit and locking device combination in which the storage unit comprises front, rear, side, top and bottom panels one of which panels includes an access hatch and in which another panel includes access for said locking device, said locking device comprising a housing including top, base, side and rear wall sections having a locking bar depending from the base section thereof and having a latch slot in the base section thereof said locking bar protruding through the access into the storage unit and engaging with locking bar engagement means on the access hatch said latch slot permitting access therethrough by a latch projecting from the other panel to permit engagement and disengagement of a padlock to secure and lock the storage unit and locking device combination.

The present invention alternatively provides a locking device adapted for use with a padlock for securing a storage unit against unauthorised access which device comprises a partially enclosed housing having an open front and a base, said housing having a locking bar depending from the base thereof and a latch slot in the base thereof in which in use the locking bar extends through an access in a panel of the storage unit and engages with

locking bar engagement means within the storage unit and attached to an access hatch in a wall of the storage unit when the hatch is closed and in which a latch on the panel of the storage unit passes through the latch slot in the base of the housing to permit attachment of a padlock to the latch within the housing to lock the storage unit. The present invention also provides a storage unit and locking device combination in which the storage unit comprises front, rear, side, top and bottom panels one of which panels includes an access hatch and in which another panel includes access for said locking device, said locking device comprising a partially enclosed housing having an open front and a base having a locking bar depending from the base section thereof and having a latch slot in the base section thereof said locking bar protruding through the access into the storage unit and engaging with locking bar engagement means on the access hatch said latch slot permitting access therethrough by a latch projecting from the other panel to permit engagement and disengagement of a padlock to secure and lock the storage unit and locking device combination. Preferably the locking device includes a baffle plate disposed within the housing to restrict movement of the padlock within the housing when the padlock is closed and locked but permits movement of the padlock within the housing to enable the padlock to be engaged with or disengaged from the latch when the padlock is unlocked.

The access hatch may be in the form of a door or doors in the front wall of the storage unit in which case the locking device may be secured through the top of the storage unit. In an alternative construction the access hatch may be in the form of a lid to the storage unit in which case the locking device is secured through one side of the storage unit.

The locking device and the storage unit may be constructed of any suitable material although hardened steel plate is the preferred material for the various wall or panel sections with hardened steel bar of any convenient cross section the preferred material for the locking bar. The locking device and storage unit may be constructed or fabricated by suitable known methods in the relevant materials working art.

The access hatch of the storage unit may as indicated be in the form of a door or doors in one of the walls of the unit or may take the form of a lid in or forming the upper or top wall of the unit. The door or hatch may be hinged as shown in the illustrated embodiment or may be a lift out door in which case it may be desirable to include two or more locking devices one at or near each side or one at or near each end of the hatch or door. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which :

Fig. 1 represents a schematic cross sectional view of a locking device and storage unit in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 represents a perspective view of the locking device of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3 represents a schematic cross sectional view of the device of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 represents a plan cross sectional view of the device and unit of Fig. 1 at line A of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 5 represents a partial cross sectional view of an alternative construction of locking device and storage unit shown in the closed position; and

Fig. 6 is a view similar to that of Fig. 5 showing a partially open position. Referring to Figs. 1 to 4 there is shown a preferred form of locking device 10 constructed in accordance with the invention incorporated in a tool storage box 11. The device includes a locking bar 12 extending from a housing 13. The housing 13 includes side wails 14,15, rear wall 16, top 17 and base 18. The locking bar 12 depends substantially at right angles from the base 18. The base 18 includes slot 19 to accommodate lock latch 20. The front 21 of the housing 13 is open to permit the attachment of a lock such as a padlock 22 to the latch 20. The latch 20 is fitted and secured to the top 23 of the tool box 11. The top 23 of the tool box 11 includes a hole 24 therethrough to permit insertion of the locking bar 12 into the interior of the tool box. The hole 24 is positioned forward of the latch 20. The locking bar 12 extends into the interior of the tool box 11 and passes into or through a lock tube 25 attached to the inside of a door 26 of the tool box 11 when the door is closed. The doors 26 and 27 are conveniently mounted by way of concealed, tamper resistant hinges 28. It will be seen that when the locking device 10 is in place the positioning of the locking bar 12 within the tube 25 attached to door 26 prevents opening of the door 26 by containment of the locking bar 12 within the tube 25 and abutment of end 34 of the locking bar 12 against adjacent front wall portions 29 of the tool box 11.

The housing 13 preferably includes baffle plate 30 depending from the top 17 of the housing and within the housing positioned such that when lock 22 is fitted to the latch 20 and locked, movement of the lock 22 is restricted and thus access to the lock 22 for forced removal is also restricted. When the lock 22 is opened the body 31 of the lock 22 moves with respect to the hasp 32 enabling rotation of the lock body 31 to enable it to be disengaged from the latch 20 and subsequent removal of the locking device 10 from the tool box 11. The width of the housing naturally must be such to permit the attachment

and removal of the lock 22.

The locking device (when in place) is preferably additionally protected from tampering by inclusion on the top 23 of the tool box 11 a flange 33 which surrounds the base 18 of the housing 13 and prevents access by a lever or other implement in an attempt to force the locking device 10 and gain entry to the tool box 11. The point of attachment of the locking bar 12 to the base 18 of the housing 13 may be deliberately weakened so that if attempts at unauthorised entry to the tool box 11 are made, the locking bar 12 may separate from the housing 13 and fall within tube 25 so that the end 34 of the locking bar 12 abuts the base 35 of the tool box 11 with the bar still disposed in the tube 25. It will be seen that the lock bar 12 will still be positioned within the tube to prevent opening of the door 25.

If it is desired that the tool box 11 be portable, wheels or castors 36 may be provided on the bottom 35 of the tool box 11.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, there is shown another preferred form of locking device 40 constructed in accordance with the invention incorporated in a tool storage box

41. The device includes a locking bar 42 extending from a housing 43. The housing 43 includes side walls 44, 45, rear wall 46, top 47 and base 48. The locking bar 42 depends substantially at right angles from the base 48. The base 48 includes slot 49 to accommodate lock latch 50. The front 51 of the housing 43 is open to permit the attachment of a lock such as a padlock 52 to the latch 50. The latch 50 in this embodiment is fitted and secured to the side 53 of the tool box 41. The side 53 of the tool box 41 includes a hole 54 therethrough to permit insertion of the locking bar 42 into the interior of the tool box. The hole 54 is positioned forward of the latch 50. The locking bar 42 extends into the interior of the tool box 41. The locking bar 42 includes one or more hook members 55 attached thereto which engage with corresponding hook members 56 on the inside of doors 57. The hook members 55 and 56 are engaged and disengaged by longitudinal movement of locking bar 42 in direction of arrows B.

The doors 57 are conveniently attached to the sides 53,53a of the tool box 41 by means of hinges 61.

It will be seen that when the locking device 40 is in place the positioning of the locking bar 42 within the tool box 41 enables inter-engagement of hook members 55 on the locking bar 42 and hook members 56 on the doors 57 and containment of the locking bar 42 within bar socket 58 attached on the inside opposing wall 53a of the box 41 opposite the hole 54 in wall 53 prevents opening of the doors 57.

The housing 43 preferably includes baffle plate 60 depending from the top 47 of the housing and within the housing positioned such that when lock 52 is fitted to the latch 50 and locked, movement of the lock 52 is restricted and thus access to the lock 52 for forced removal is restricted. When the lock 52 is opened the body 59 of the lock 52 moves with respect to the hasp 61 enabling rotation of the lock body 59 to enable it to be disengaged from the latch 50 and subsequent removal of the locking device 40 from the tool box 41. The width of the housing naturally must be such to permit the attachment and removal of the lock 52.

In a preferred embodiment the hook members 55 on the locking bar (see Fig. 6) comprise a flange 62 welded to the bar 42 with a piece of rod 63 welded thereto. The hook members 56 on the door comprise a flange 64 welded to the door with a piece of tube

65 welded thereto. The rod piece 63 thus enters and retracts from the tube piece 65 as the locking bar is moved from a locking to a non-locking position.

As in the device of Figs. 1 to 4, the locking device of Figs. 5 and 6 may also include a flange (as per flange 33 of Figs. 1 and 2) to surround the base of the housing to prevent access by a lever or (hack) saw to the locking bar.