US2655569A - Automatic key ejector - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 13, 1953 G. E. ST. JOHN, 2,655,559

AUTOMATIC KEY EJECTOR Filed July 18, 1951 George E. 8/. Jo/m INVENTOR.

Patented Oct. 13, 1953 U N I TED STATE S F CE 2,655,569 AUTOMATIC KEY iazmowoit 'GeorgelEi-st. John, Palmdale, Calit.

Application July is, 1951, "SerfalNo. 237,867

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in looks and more particularly to a means associated with locks for effecting ejection of the key.

An object of the present invention is-to provide a means that can easily be associated with conventional locks, made or to be made, whereby a key inserted into the lock for operating the same can be effectively ejected.

A further object of the present invention resides in the manner in which the means of the present invention can be associated with the conventional means of a lock for cooperation therewith.

A still further object of the present invention resides in the provision of a key ejector pin having a cross-sectional form substantially the same as that of the key to the lock.

Various other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description to follow. The best form in which I have contemplated applying my invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a detail perspective exploded view showing the elements which cooperate to perform the key ejecting operation;

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View of a conventional slide lock with the means shown in Figure 1 associated therewith and the key in ejected position;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the plane of line 33 of Figure 2 and wherein the key has been inserted in opposition to the key ejector for unlocking the bolt and closing the switch;

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially along the plane of line 4-4 of Figure 3; and,

Figure 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially along the plane of line 55 of Figure 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout, the numeral I0 designates generally a conventional slide lock with which the means I2 of the present invention can be employed.

The lock I0 is comprised of a substantially cylindrical casing l4 having a first bore I6 and a second bore [8 coaxial therewith, the casing being closed at and open at 22. The casing has longitudinally extending key ways 24 and is externally threaded at 25. A look barrel 26 is slidably engaged in the casing and non-rotatably carried thereby, screws 28 and the keys 30 preventing relative rotation. The casing I4 is mounted in the supporting wall 32 by means of the nut 34 and flange 36 of the barrel 26.

The casing I4 has a first insulator 38 nonrotatably disposed at the inner end of the bore l8. The insulator 38 has a pair of contact points 40 and 42 to which electrical conductors 44 and 46 are connected and extend out through the bottom 20 of the casing.

A second insulator 48 is rotatably disposed in the casing and is fixedly secured to the lock bolt 50 retained in the barrel 26 by the retainer 52. The second insulator 48 has a contact bridge 54 secured for rotation therewith.

The bolt 50 has a plurality of slides 55 transversely supported thereby for selective engagement or disengagement in the grooves 56 and 58. The key 58 is adapted to be inserted in the bolt 50 for moving the slides to predetermined relation for effecting rotation of the bolt and second insulator 46 so that the bridge 54 can move to the position shown in Figure 5 for bridging the 5 gap between the points 40 and 42.

Looking now at Figure 1, it will be seen that the means l2 includes a spring retainer 60, a spring 62 and a disk 64 integrally secured to the free end of the spring. The means l2 also includes an ejector pin 66 which has a cross-sectional form substantially the same as that of the key 58. The pin 66 has a stop pin 68 transversely extending therethrough at a point intermediate its ends.

Looking now at Figures 2, 3 and 4, it will be seen that the retainer disk 60 is disposed in abutment with the first insulator 38 with the spring 62 and disk 64 extending inwardly therefrom. The ejector pin 66 is axially disposed within the assembly and is normally outwardly urged to the position shown in Figure 2 for ejecting the key, the stop pin 68 limiting the outward movement by engagement with the retainer 52. The pin 66 is inwardly moved in opposition to the spring 62 by the key 58 whereby the lock can be unlocked, as shown in Figure 3. When again locking the lock [0, the key will be automatically ejected by the spring 62 and disk 64 engaging the same.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. An automatic key ejector for an ignition switch comprising a casing having a lock barrel non-rotatably mounted in the front end thereof, a bolt and slide assembly rotatable in said barrel, and a key for rotating the bolt, an annular first insulator disk fixed in said casing rearwardly of said barrel, a second annular insulator disk carried by said bolt for rotation thereby in said casing between the bolt and first insulator disk, a pair of spaced contacts on said first disk, means on said second disk for bridging said pair of contacts upon rotation of said second disk, 9, key ejector pin movable rearwardly through both said disks by the key to provide for insertion of the key, and spring means in said casing in the rear of said first disk operatively connected to said pin to move the same forwardly through both said disks to eject the key.

2. An automatic key ejector according to claim 1, said spring means comprising a coil spring mounted on said first disk in axial alignment 15 with said disks and in surrounding relation to said pin, and a disk fixed to and tensioned by 4 said spring to engage and move said pin forwardly.

3. An automatic key ejector according to claim 1, including a. member in the rear of said barrel retaining the same in the casing, and a stop on said pin engageable with said member to limit projection of said pin.

GEORGE E. ST. JOHN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,828,747 Perry Oct. 2'7, 1931 2,062,440 Beal Dec. 1, 1936 2,069,970 Richter Feb. 9, 1937

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