US1710912A - Ignition-switch lock - Google Patents

Description

W 1929- F. w. ANDREW MINNIE IGNITION SWITCH LOCK Filed Oct. '7, 1926 .-l TTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 30, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,710,912 PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK W. ANDREW, OF ANDALUSIA, BENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE- AS- SIGNMENTS, TO THE ELECTROLOGK MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF VIGKSBUBG, MISSISSIPPI, A CORPORATION OF MISSISSIPPI.

rom'rron-swnrcn Loox.

Application filed October 7, 1926. Serial No. 140,051.

My invention relates to looks which are adapted to be used for the purpose of locking ignition switches in oil position.

In the case of automobiles, motor boats, aeroplanes and other structures which need not be enumerated, it is very desirable that means be associated with the ignition switch lock to compel the removal of the key if it be desired that the locking means shall be retained in locking position with the switch contacts in oil position.

The general object, therefore, of the present invention is to provide means whereby, after the operation of the locking element to shift the movable switch contacts into ofi position, it is necessary to remove the key in order that the said contacts may be retained in such position.

It also is an object of the invention to rovide means associated with the lock 0 an ignition switch or the like which is adapted to operate upon the removal of the key after the operation of the lock into locking position to retain the same in that position with the switch contacts in of? position.

Another object of the invention is to provide means which is adapted to retain the lock and the switch contacts associated therewith in on position at all times when the key is present in the lock.

A further object of the invention is to provide an ignition switch lock with means whereby it is necessary that the key for the lock be removed in order to efi'ect locking of the switch contacts in the ofi or open position. To these and other ends my invention comprehends the construction as hereinafter described in detail. illustrated in the drawing, and particularly pointed out in the claims. However. it will be understood that the invention is susceptible of embodiment in other forms of construction than that shown and that various changes in the details of construction may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the said invention: and it also will be understood that the invention while illustrated in association with an ignition switch lock is not limited to such association but may be employed in any other relation for which it may be adapted. i

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in central longitudinal section of a device embodying the invention, a portion of the locking structure and the movable switch cont acts being shown in elevation;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view taken in the same plane as that of Fig. 1 but with the lock barrel and movable switch contacts mounted thereon turned through an angle of approximately 90, the releasing key having been removed;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectionalview taken on the line 4-4. of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view taken in a plane substantially at right angles to that in which Fig. 1 is taken;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken 9n the line 66 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 77 of Fig. 1: and

Fig. 8 is a view in elevation of the rear end of the rotatable lock barrel and of the casing within which the latter is located.

In the drawing I have shown a casing 1 having a bottom 2 and a top 3 secured to a lateral flange 4 at the outer open end of the casing 1. The top is provided with a central opening 5 through which the outer end of the lock barrel 6 extends. The said barrel is provided with a number of transversely extending slots 7 within which are located locking tumblers 8. These tumblers are adapted to project laterally from the locking barrel into position to engage the edge 10 of a slot 11 formed in the wall of a cylinder 12 within which the locking barrel 6 is located. It is necessary, however, that the releasing key 9 be removed from the lock in order that the locking tumblers 8 may be permitted tomove into the slot 11 under the influence of the coiled springs 9", one spring being associated with each tumbler. The slot 11 is formed by first cutting a couple of parallel slits in the wall of the cylinder after which the intermediate strip of metal 13 is pressed outwardly as shown. A corresponding diametrically opposed outwardly projected strip 16 is provided with which the book 17 at one end of the coiled spring 18 is adapted to be engaged. The slot 19 resulting from the formation of the strip 16 performs no special function in the structure but it is preferred that the strip 16 be provided as a means for attachment of the hook 17 at one end of the coiled spring wire 18 in order that a symmetrical and balanced structure may be produced. The outer ends of the strips 13 and 16 previously referred to project slightly beyond the outer end of the cylinder 12 and extend through openings 26 in the cover 3 and are upset as shown in order to secure the cylinder 12 to the said cover. The inner end of the cylinder 12 is provided with a narrow inwardly turned flange 25 a portion of which is cut away as indicated at 26. Thecutting away of the portionof the flange as indicated results in the formation of shoulders 27. The inner end of the lock barrel which extends slightly beyond the inner end of the cylinder 12 is provided with a small lateral projection 28 which is located and is adapted to move in the space 26. The said projection is adapted to contact with the shoulders 27 to limit the extent. of rotation ofthe lock barrel 6 and devices carried thereby.

The opposite end of the spring 18 previously referred to is provided with a hook 230 which is in engagement. with one edge of a rectangular shaped sheet 31 of insulating material which is secured by means of screws 32 to the inner or rear end of the lock barrel 6. The said lock barrel is also provided with a couple of guide pins 33 which engage in openings in the sheet 31 as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawing.

The spring 18 is coiled about the supporting cylinder 12 and is tensioned so that its tendency is to hold the barrel 6 of the lock in rivets 37 previously referred to.

the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, 6 and 7, at which time the ignition switch is in on position.

The movable switch contacts 35 are mounted upon the sheet 31 of insulating material. These contacts 35 consist, in the construction shown, of the opposite end portions of a strip 6 secured by means of rivets 37 to the lower end of the sheet 31. The strip 36 is relatively thin and consists of any suitable metal, as for instance, copper. As it may happen that as a result of the heating of the strip by electric current passing therethrough it may lose its resilience, I have provided a backing strip 40 of spring steel which is secured in lace by the he portions of the strip 40 near the outer ends thereof are spaced from the opposing adjoining portions of the strip 36. The extreme outer ends of the strip 40 terminate in laterally extending portions 41 which engage the contact portlons 35 of the contact strip 36 and operate to brace the same and to insure close contact of the movable contacts 35, with the stationary contacts mounted in the bottom of the casing 1.

The bottom of the casing 1 is provided with a sheet 43 of insulating material upon which thestationarycontacts i laremounted. These contacts have connection through conductors 45 with the ignition mechanism which, how" ever, is not shown. The movable contacts 35 previously referred to, when in on position,

are in contact with the stationary contacts as tributor which is not shown in the drawin Upon reference of Fig. 7 of the drawing it will be quite apparent that when the movable contacts 35 are in contact with the stationary contacts 44 the locking tumblers 8 are prevented from movement by reason of the relationship of the opposite ends thereof to the cylinder 12. At such time it will be apparent also that the key 9 cannot be removed. When, however, the key is turned in clockwise direction, having reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing, the barrel of the lock is thereby turned into the position shown in Fig. 3 in which position the locking tumblers 8 are ree to project into the slot 11 under the influence of the springs 9. If, however, the key is allowed to remain in position it will preventmovement of the said tumblers radially into the said slot. The said tumblers being at such time free to move, the key may be withdrawn from the lock and as the key is withdrawn the springs 9 cause the respective tumblers 8 to project into the slot 11, whereupon the lock barrel and the movable contacts 35 previously referred to are held in locked or oil position. At such time the movable contacts 35 are in contact with the stationary contacts 50 and 51. It will be noted that the lock is illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing with the key removed and with the tumblers in locking position in engagement with the edge 10 of the slot 11. Upon turning the key and the lock barrel into the position shown in Fig. 3, if the key is not removed in order to permit radial outward movement of the locking tumblers 8, the lock barrel together with the contacts carried thereby will upon release of the key be returned by the spring 18 immediately to the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7, in which position the switch will be in what is generally called the on position; that is,'the movable contacts 35 will be in contact with the stationary contacts 44 and the circuit will be completed through the ignition mechanism, which is not shown.

It will be apparent, therefore, that in order to hold the switch contactsin off position it is necessary to remove the key and that after the key has been removed the switch cannot be returned to on position without first inserting the key into the lock. It may be noted also that the mere insertion of the key operates to withdraw the locking tumblers 8 from position to contact with the ed e 10 of the slot 11 so that immediately upon t e insertion of the key into the lock and the release of the same the spring 18 efl'ects immediate operation of the switch into the on position.

Having thus described 111 invention, what I claim and desire to secure y Letters Patent 1. In an ignition switch lock, the combination of a rotatable member, contacts mounted upon said member and adapted to be moved by the rotation of said member into off or on position, a lock for locking the said contacts in off position, a key for the lock,

and means operating when the key is in the" lock to hold the movable contacts in on position. a

2. In an ignition switch lock, the combination of a lock comprising a movable member, contacts mounted upon the said member, a key for the lock to effect movement ofthe said member to shift the contacts into off position, and means whereby the contacts will be held in off position only upon removal of the said key. v

3. In an ignition switch lock, the combinationof a lock comprising a rotatable member having electric contacts mounted thereon, which contacts are adapted to cooperate with stationary contacts, yielding means tending to rotate said rotatable member into position to cause the contacts thereon, to engage with the stationary contacts, a key for the said lock adapted to be employed for rotating said member to carry the contacts mounted thereon into off position, locking elements mounted upon the said rotatable member, said elements being held in unlocked position by the said ke means for preventing the withdrawal oftiie key from the lock except when the said rotatable member has been moved to carry the contacts into ofi position, and means operating upon the removal of the key to actuate the said locking elements into locking position.

4. In an ignition switch lock, in combinallOIlyil lock comprising a rotatable member having electric contacts mounted thereon.

which are adapted by the rotation of said rotatable member to be adjusted to on and cifi' positions, spring acting means tending to cause rotation of said member to adjust said contacts to on position, a cylindor'within which the said rotatable member is mounted, said cylinder having a longitudinally ex-' tending slot ther'in, locking elements movable transversely of the said rotatable member andadaptcd to engage said slot, a key for the lock which is adapted to hold the said lockillo' elements against movement into said slot, w llCll key is removable from the lock nly when the said rotatable member has been .moved into position to place the said con- .tacts in off position, and means operating upon removal of the key to cause movement of the said lockmg elements transversely of the said rotatable member to cause one end.

of each of said elements to project into the slot in the said cylinder.

5. An ignition switch lock, comprising a lock including a rotatable member, electric contacts'mounted on said member, a key for the lock, means for preventing insertion or removal of the key into or from the lock ex cept when the said rotatable element is in position to hold the contacts in off position,

and means exerting continuous force upon said rotatable member tending to cause rotation thereof to'move said contacts into and to hold the same in on position.

6. An ignition switch lock, comprising arotatable member'havin mounted thereon electric contacts, means tor limiting the extent of rotation of said member, the opposite limits of the movement of said member placing the said contacts either in onor off position, a key for controlling the lock, means for preventing insertion or removal of the key into or from the lock except when the latter is in position to hold the contacts mounted thereon in 01f position, and'tensioned yielding means tending to cause rotation of said rotatable member to move said contacts into on position.

blers to engage the means upon the said cylinder upon removal of the ke from the lock to hold the said contacts in o position, and means adapted to return and hold the said rotatable member with the contacts mounted thereon in on position in case the said key should not be removed after having rotated the said member into off position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my-invention I have hereunto signed my name this 2nd day of October, A. D., 1926.

FREDERICK W. ANDREW;

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