IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,534,941
Granted Patent B2
US 12,534,941 · App. 17/896,414 · Granted Jan 27, 2026

Bar lock

Inventors: Daye Zhang (Buford, GA); Robert Walden (Buford, GA); David Lay (Buford, GA)
Assignee: Austin Hardware & Supply, Inc.
E05B83/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,534,941
App. No.
17/896,414
Granted
Jan 27, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A bar lock includes an upper strap and a lower strap that receives the bar. The upper and lower strap hingedly engage to hinge butts at an opening of a truck. The upper strap forms an upper cylindrical passage that receives the bar. The upper cylindrical passage includes an upper opening and a lower opening. An upper weld is between the upper opening of the upper cylindrical passage and the bar. The lower strap forms a lower cylindrical passage that receives the bar. The lower cylindrical passage includes an upper opening and a lower opening. A lower weld is between the lower opening of the lower cylindrical passage and the bar.

Claims (69)

1 . A bar lock, comprising:

a bar;

an upper strap;

the upper strap forms an upper cylindrical passage that receives the bar, the upper cylindrical passage having an upper opening and a lower opening, an upper weld between the upper opening and the bar;

an upper hinge butt, the upper strap hingedly engaged to the upper hinge butt, the upper strap configured to move or pivot relative to the upper hinge butt;

a lower strap;

the lower strap forms a lower cylindrical passage that receives the bar, the lower cylindrical passage having an upper opening and a lower opening, a lower weld between the lower opening and the bar;

a lower hinge butt, the lower strap hingedly engaged to the lower hinge butt, the lower strap configured to move or pivot relative to the lower hinge butt;

a handle bracket affixed to the bar;

a handle pivotally engaged to the handle bracket; and

wherein the bar floats at a junction of the lower opening of the upper cylindrical passage and an outer surface of the bar, and the bar floats at a junction of the upper opening of the lower cylindrical passage and the outer surface of the bar.

2 . The bar lock according to claim 1 , wherein the upper weld is formed between the upper opening of the upper strap and an outer surface of the bar, and the lower weld is formed between the lower opening of the lower strap and the outer surface of the bar.

3 . The bar lock according to claim 1 , wherein the handle bracket having a body defining a cylindrical passage that receives the bar.

4 . The bar lock according to claim 3 , wherein the body of the handle bracket includes one or more openings that pass through the body and into the cylindrical passage.

5 . The bar lock according to claim 4 , wherein the one or more openings are formed between an upper edge and a lower edge of the cylindrical passage of the body of the handle bracket.

6 . The bar lock according to claim 1 , wherein the handle bracket having a body defining a cylindrical passage that receives the bar.

7 . A bar lock, comprising:

a bar;

an upper strap;

the upper strap forms an upper cylindrical passage that receives the bar, the upper cylindrical passage having an upper opening and a lower opening, an upper weld between the upper opening and the bar;

an upper hinge butt, the upper strap hingedly engaged to the upper hinge butt, the upper strap configured to move or pivot relative to the upper hinge butt;

a lower strap;

the lower strap forms a lower cylindrical passage that receives the bar, the lower cylindrical passage having an upper opening and a lower opening, a lower weld between the lower opening and the bar;

a lower hinge butt, the lower strap hingedly engaged to the lower hinge butt, the lower strap configured to move or pivot relative to the lower hinge butt;

a handle bracket affixed to the bar;

a handle pivotally engaged to the handle bracket; and, wherein there is no weld at a junction of the lower opening of the upper cylindrical passage and an outer surface of the bar, and there is no weld at a junction of the upper opening of the lower cylindrical passage and the outer surface of the bar.

8 . A bar lock, comprising:

a bar;

an upper strap;

the upper strap forms an upper cylindrical passage that receives the bar, the upper cylindrical passage having an upper opening and a lower opening, an upper weld between the upper opening and the bar;

an upper hinge butt, the upper strap hingedly engaged to the upper hinge butt, the upper strap configured to move or pivot relative to the upper hinge butt;

a lower strap;

the lower strap forms a lower cylindrical passage that receives the bar, the lower cylindrical passage having an upper opening and a lower opening, a lower weld between the lower opening and the bar;

a lower hinge butt, the lower strap hingedly engaged to the lower hinge butt, the lower strap configured to move or pivot relative to the lower hinge butt:

a handle bracket affixed to the bar;

a handle pivotally engaged to the handle bracket; and,

wherein there is no weld between an overlap of an inner surface of the cylindrical passage of the upper strap and an outer surface of the bar, and there is no weld between an overlap of an inner surface of the cylindrical passage of the lower strap and the outer surface of the bar.

9 . A bar lock, comprising:

a bar;

an upper strap;

the upper strap forms an upper cylindrical passage that receives the bar, the upper cylindrical passage having an upper opening and a lower opening, an upper weld between the upper opening and the bar;

a lower strap;

the lower strap forms a lower cylindrical passage that receives the bar, the lower cylindrical passage having an upper opening and a lower opening, a lower weld between the lower opening and the bar;

a handle bracket affixed to the bar;

a handle pivotally engaged to the handle bracket; and

wherein the upper strap includes the upper cylindrical passage generally parallel to a hinge passage, wherein the upper strap includes a central portion, and the upper cylindrical passage and the hinge passage are on opposite sides of the central portion, and wherein the upper strap includes hollow passages and ribs between the upper cylindrical passage and the hinge passage.

10 . The bar lock according to claim 9 , wherein the upper strap includes a first concave exterior wall and a second concave exterior wall extending between the upper cylindrical passage and the hinge passage.

11 . A method of forming a bar lock, comprising:

providing a bar, an upper strap, an upper hinge butt, wherein the upper strap forms an upper cylindrical passage having an upper opening and a lower opening, and a lower strap, and a lower hinge butt, wherein the lower strap forms a lower cylindrical passage having an upper opening and a lower opening, wherein the upper strap is configured to move or pivot relative to the upper hinge butt, wherein the lower strap is configured to move or pivot relative to the lower hinge butt, wherein the upper strap includes the upper cylindrical passage generally parallel to a hinge passage, wherein the upper strap includes a central portion, and the upper cylindrical passage and the hinge passage are on opposite sides of the central portion, and wherein the upper strap includes hollow passages and ribs between the upper cylindrical passage and the hinge passage;

inserting the bar through the upper cylindrical passage;

forming an upper weld between the upper opening of the upper strap and the bar;

inserting the bar through the lower cylindrical passage;

forming a lower weld between the lower opening of the lower strap and the bar; and

affixing a handle bracket to the bar.

12 . The method of forming the bar lock according to claim 11 , further comprising forming the bar, the upper strap, and the lower strap through extrusion processes.

13 . The method of forming the bar lock according to claim 11 , further comprising cutting the upper strap and the lower strap from a same stock of extruded material.

14 . The method of forming the bar lock according to claim 11 , further comprising inserting the bar through a cylindrical passage of the handle bracket, and welding plugs in openings of the handle bracket.

15 . A bar lock, comprising:

a bar;

an upper strap;

the upper strap forms an upper cylindrical passage that receives the bar, the upper cylindrical passage having an upper opening and a lower opening,

an upper hinge butt, the upper strap hingedly engaged to the upper hinge butt, the upper strap configured to move or pivot relative to the upper hinge butt;

a lower strap;

the lower strap forms a lower cylindrical passage that receives the bar, the lower cylindrical passage having an upper opening and a lower opening, a lower hinge butt, the lower strap hingedly engaged to the lower hinge butt, the lower strap configured to move or pivot relative to the lower hinge butt;

a handle bracket affixed to the bar;

a handle pivotally engaged to the handle bracket; and

wherein the upper strap includes the upper cylindrical passage generally parallel to a hinge passage, wherein the upper strap includes a central portion, and the upper cylindrical passage and the hinge passage are on opposite sides of the central portion, and wherein the upper strap includes hollow passages and ribs between the upper cylindrical passage and the hinge passage.

16 . The bar lock according to claim 6 , wherein the body of the handle bracket includes one or more openings that pass through the body and into the cylindrical passage.

17 . The bar lock according to claim 16 , wherein a plug weld is between the one or more openings and the bar.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 26, 2022
From: ZHANG, DAYE; LAY, DAVID; WALDEN, ROBERT
To: AUSTIN HARDWARE AND SUPPLY, INC.
Reel/Frame 060915/0618 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63237824 · Aug 27, 2021
Related Publication 20230068173A1 · Mar 2, 2023
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