US3241344A

US3241344A - Lock

Info

Publication number: US3241344A
Application number: US349680A
Authority: US
Inventors: Theodore F Peters
Original assignee: General Motors Corp
Current assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
Priority date: 1964-03-05
Filing date: 1964-03-05
Publication date: 1966-03-22
Anticipated expiration: 1983-03-22

Description

March 22, 1966 T. F. PETERS LOOK Filed March 5, 1964 JI-W H A ORA/EV Unitcd States Patent 3,241,344 LOCK Theodore F. Peters, Utica, Mich, assigncr to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 5, 1964, Ser. No. 349,680 4 Claims. (Cl. 70-279) This invention relates to looks and more particularly to cylinder type locks.

As is well-known, the use of a key-operated cylinder look as .an actuator for various vehicle body closure mechanisms, such as a deck lid latch, is often undesirable in that the requirement of a key, although preventing unauthorized access, often inconveniences those authorized persons who require repeated access to the body through the closure.

There have been many proposals for circumventing the need of a key in certain authorized situations, but these are characterized in that they suggest some independently operated means for actuating the mechanism with which the cylinder lock actuator is associated. By this invention, however, means are provided in the cylinder lock itself whereby its normal key-controlled locking functions may be selectively negatived so that it may be operated without the use of a key.

In its broader aspects, this invention provides a cylinder look having two independently operable locking agents which cooperate in their locked conditions to lock the look, but are selectively and alternately operable to unlock the lock. In its more specific aspects, this invention prov-ides a cylinder lock actuator of the type employing a tumbler-operated retractable locking member engageable within a blocking notch or recess of a surrounding casing, wherein a movable member forms the blocking portion of the recess, this member being selectively movable out of blocking relation with the locking member so that the cylinder may be moved relative to the casing independently of key retraction of the locking member.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a new and improved cylinder lock. Another object of this invention is to provide a key-operated cylinder lock having selectively operated alternate keyless unlocking means. A further object of this invention is to provide a cylinder lock having a first key-operated locking member movable relative to the cylinder into iblocking relation with a second movable locking member of the surrounding casing to lock the lock, whereby the lock may be unlocked by selectively moving either locking member out of blocking relation with the other locking member. Still another object of this invention is to provide remotely controlled power-operated means for selectively moving the second locking member, and circuit means dependent on the existence of some authorized condition in the environment of the lock in order to energize the poweroperated means.

These and other objects of this invention will be readily apparent from the following specification and drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view of a cylinder lock actuator according to this invention including a schematic representation of control circuit means therefor; and

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged partially broken away sectional view taken generally along the line Z2, of FIG- URE 1.

Referring now particularly to FIGURE 1 of the drawing, a cylinder lock actuator according to this invention and designated generally as is mounted on a vehicle or other body 12 and generally includes a key plug or cylinder 14 rotatably mounted in a casing 16 supported 3,241,344 Patented Mar. 22, 1966 on the body by a securing member 15. Cylinder 14 is provided with a finger-gripping portion 17, and an actuator member 18 is nonrotatably secured to the cylinder and is adapted to be connected to a mechanism, such as -a vehicle body deck lid latch, for actuation thereof upon rotation of cylinder 14 within casing 16. A retractable side bar or looking member 20 is provided in conjunction with tumbler means, not shown, operable upon insertion in the cylinder of a properly bitted key 22. Side bar 20 is movable by the key between an extended locked position, as shown, within a notch or recess 24 of casing 16 and a retracted unlocked position out of the notch to selectively lock or unlock cylinder 14 against rotation within the casing. The above-described structure is conventional and further description thereof will not he made but reference may be had to Patent No. 2,040,762 issued August 23, 1960, to T. H. Johnstone for particular descript-ion of a retracting side bar type cylinder lock.

As shown best in FIGURE 2, the side bar recess 24 extends circumferentially over approximately 240 of the bore of casing 16 and is of a depth sufficient to receive side bar 20 in the extended position thereof. The side bar 20 is engageable in either the extended or retracted position thereof with a radial wall 2 6 of the casing to locate the cylinder in normal or nonactuating position, and is similarly engageable with a second radial wall 28 upon clockwise rotation of the cylinder to a fully actuating position thereof.

Member and casing 16 are suitably bored at 29 so as to slidably receive -a movable locking or blocking member 30 comprising a blocking head portion 32 and a shaft 34. Head 32 is provided with a blocking shoulder 36 which presents a generally radial abutting surface engageable by the extended side bar upon limited rotation of the cylinder, indicated in broken lines, from its nonactuating position. The cylinder is thus locked or ooked against full or unlimited actuating rotation thereof, and in order to unlock, the key 2 2 must be used to withdraw side bar to unlocked position.

A miniature solenoid 38 is secured by screws to casing 116 and operatiyely associated with shaft 34 so that the shaft provides an armature operable when the solenoid is energized to move member outwardly to an unlocked position out of blocking relation with the extended side bar 20. A coil compression spring 40 seats between a wall of the solenoid and a shoulder 44 of member 30 to bias the member into its looking or blocking position.

Thus, in operation, it will readily be seen that cylinder 14 may be unlocked for actuating rotation thereof either flay use of key 22 to retract side bar 20 so that it will clear the extended member 30, or by retracting member 30 from locking position so that the side bar will clear shoulder 36 upon manual rotation of the cylinder even though the side bar is still extended.

It will be apparent that many types of control circuits may be provided to selectively energize solenoid 38, but in accordance with an object of the invention, it is desired that a circuit be provided which will render the solenoid operable only during the existence of some authorized condition, as for example, when the lock is used in a vehicle body, the presence of the key in the vehicle ignition cylinder lock. To this end, solenoid 38 is connected by a conductor 46 to a switch 48 associated with an ignition cylinder lock 50 of the inwardly withdrawing side bar type. The casing of lock 50 is connected to ground and a movable contact 52 bearing a conductive nose 54 is normally held out of engagement with the casing by an extension 56 of the conventional side locking bar of the cylinder. Closing of switch 48 to ground is effected by the Withdrawal of the side bar upon insertion of the ignition key. Solenoid 38 is further connected. by a conductor 60 to a switch 58 mounted on a lower extension of member 15, and the switch is connected to a grounded battery 62 by a conductor 64. Switch 58 employs a leaf spring contact 66 deflectable into engagement with the other contact of the switch upon engagement with contact 66 by a radial ear 68 of the actuator member 18. Such engagement occurs during initial rotation of cylinder 14 toward engagement with shoulder 36 of the extended member 30 so that switch 58 is closed. and the solenoid energized prior to such engagement. The member 30 is thus withdrawn and unlimited actuating rotation of cylinder 14 is permitted.

Thus a new and improved lock is provided.

I claim:

1. A lock of the character described, comprising, a casing, a plug movably mounted in said casing, first locking means associated. with said plug and movable between locking and unlocking positions, and second locking means associated with said casing and movable between locking and unlocking positions, said first and second locking means cooperating directly in the locking posi tions thereof to prevent relative movement between said casing and said plug and being independently movable from locking position to permit relative movement between said casing and said plug.

2. A lock of the character described, comprising, a casing, a plug movably mounted in said casing, a locking member movable relative to said plug between locking and unlocking positions, blocking means mounted on said casing for movement relative thereto into and out of blocking relation with said locking member in the locking position thereof to prevent movement of said plug relative to said casing, means for selectively moving said locking member from locking to unlocking position to permit movement of said plug relative to said casing, and means for selectively moving said blocking means out of said blocking relation to permit movement of said cylinder relative to said casing independently of movement of said. locking member from the locking position thereof.

3. A cylinder lock assembly comprising, in combination, a casing, a lock cylinder rotatably mounted in said casing, a locking member movable relative to said cylinder between locking and unlocking positions, blocking shoulder means mounted on said casing and movable relative thereto between operative and inoperative positions, said shoulder means in the operative position thereof being located in blocking relation with said locking member in the locking position thereof to prevent rotation of said cylinder relative to said casing, key-operated means for selectively moving said locking member from the locking to the unlocking position thereof to permit rotation of said cylinder relative to said casing, poweroperated means for moving said shoulder means from the operative to the inoperative position thereof to permit rotation of said cylinder relative to said casing independently of movement of said locking member from the locking position thereof, and circuit means including remote control means for selectively energizing said power-operated means.

4. A cylinder lock actuator assembly comprising, in combination, a casing, a lock cylinder mounted in said casing for rotation between nonactuating and actuating positions, a locking member movable relative to said cylinder between locking and unlocking positions, a blocking member mounted on said casing for movement relative thereto between operative and inoperative positions, said blocking member in the operative position thereof being located in blocking relaiton with said locking member in the locking position thereof to prevent unlimited rotation of said cylinder between said positions thereof, key-operated means for selectively moving said locking member from the locking to the unlocking position thereof to permit unlimited rotation of said cylinder between said positions thereof, power-operated means for mov ing said blocking member from the operative to the inoperative position thereof to permit unlimited rotation of said cylinder between said positions thereof independently of movement of said locking member from the locking position thereof, and circuit means for selectively energizing said power-operated means and including a source of power and switch means, said switch means being adapted to be closed upon initial limited. rotation of said cylinder from said nonactuating position thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,334,292 3/1920 Cox --364 2,013,730 9/1935 Jacobi 70-4l9 2,585,643 2/1952 Feldmann 70364 JOSEPH D. SEERS, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A LOCK OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED, COMPRISING, A CASING, A PLUG MOVABLY MOUNTED IN SAID CAUSING, FIRST LOCKING MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID PLUG AND MOVABLE BETWEEN LOCKING AND UNLOCKING POSITIONS, AND SECOND LOCKING MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID CASING AND MOVABLE BETWEEN LOCKING AND UNLOCKING POSITIONS, SAID FIRST AND SECOND LOCKING MEANS COOPERATING DIRECTLY IN THE LOCKING POSITIONS THEREOF TO PREVENT RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID CASING AND SAID PLUG AND BEING INDEPENDENTLY MOVABLE FROM LOCKING POSITION TO PERMIT RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID CASING AND SAID PLUG.