Locks – Special application – For automotive vehicles
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-30
2001-07-10
Gall, Lloyd A. (Department: 3627)
Locks
Special application
For automotive vehicles
C070S358000, C070S493000, C070SDIG003
Reexamination Certificate
active
06257031
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a key operated lock that, while designed to accommodate special ignition switch needs of high quality motorcycles, also offers features that, taken alone or in combination, are well suited for use in other key operated lock applications. More particularly, the present invention relates to features of a key operated lock having a “hand positioned operator” or “knob” that is rotatable between or among a plurality of detented angular positions, wherein the knob has a tubular body that carries a lock mechanism having a barrel that journals a key-receiving plug for separate rotation between “locked” and “unlocked” positions when a properly configured key is inserted into the plug, with novel features including a unique way the knob and the lock mechanism are retained in a protective housing of the lock by utilizing a retaining bar that is closely received in a slip-fit within aligned, transversely extending slots formed in overlying side regions of the tubular body of the knob and the barrel of the lock mechanism, and unique ways: 1) of permitting the key to be inserted into and removed from the plug when the plug is in either of its “locked” and “unlocked” positions, but only when the knob is in its “off” position; 2) of permitting the knob to be rotated out of its “off” position but only when the key has been removed from the plug; and, 3) of providing a retractable bolt carried at the rear of the tubular body of the knob which extends to drivingly connect the knob to an electrical switch for operating the switch in response to rotation of the knob when the lock is “unlocked,” and which retracts when the lock is “locked” to disconnect the knob from the switch.
2. Prior Art
Ignition locks for motorcycles and other engine powered equipment often are provided with a so-called “hand positioned operator” or “knob” that is rotatable between or among a plurality of detented angular positions to operate an electrical switch. When the lock is “unlocked” a driving connection is established between the knob and the electrical switch. When the lock is “locked” the knob is disabled from operating the switch. Ignition locks of this type typically permit their knobs to move between or among angular positions that are labeled “accessory on,” “off” and “engine on”—or, more simply “ACC,” “OFF” and “ON.”
Some ignition locks of this type can be defeated by utilizing a wrench or other tool to force their knobs to rotate to “on” positions. To provide greater security, others of these ignition locks are provided with mechanisms for rendering their knobs “free wheeling” when the locks are locked so that rotation of their knobs between or among various angular positions will not cause operation of associated electrical switches.
In automobiles and trucks where little vibration of the ignition lock is likely to be encountered, it is accepted practice for the ignition key to remain in the key-receiving opening of the ignition lock while the vehicle is in operation. However, in motorcycles and other types of engine operated equipment where vibration of the ignition lock may be prevalent, it is desirable for the ignition key to be removed during vehicle operation so that the key will not vibrate out of the key-receiving opening and become lost. To ensure that the ignition key of a motorcycle is removed rather than left in place during operation of the motorcycle's engine, it has been proposed that the knob of the ignition lock be prevented from moving out of its “off” position unless and until the ignition key is withdrawn from the key-receiving opening.
One type of key operated lock mechanism that has received relatively little use in vehicle ignition locks is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,485,735 issued Jan. 23, 1996 to Timothy P. Laabs et al, and also in U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,084 issued Jul. 2, 1996 to Timothy P. Laabs et al (referred to hereinafter as the “Dimpled Key Lock Patents”), the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. In accordance with the teachings of the Dimpled Key Lock Patents, two or more rows of spring projected tumblers having convexly rounded inner ends are received in dimple-like recess formations that are provided in at least two of the four side surfaces of a key of generally rectangular cross-section to enable a correctly dimpled key to operate a cam that is located at the rear of the lock mechanism. In preferred practice, the present invention makes use of selected features of key operated lock mechanisms of the type disclosed in the Dimpled Key Lock Patents.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an ignition lock that is especially well suited for use with high quality motorcycles, which includes novel features that also may be utilized to good advantage in other key operated lock applications.
One need addressed by the preferred practice of the present invention is the provision of a secure type of ignition lock that will prevent a motorcycle from being operated unless and until its ignition key has been withdrawn from a key-receiving opening of the lock—a lock that has a “free wheeling” operating knob that will move without operating electrical switches when the lock is “locked.” To accommodate this need, 1) an operating knob is provided that can be moved out of its “off” position only when the ignition key has been removed from the key receiving opening; 2) a lock mechanism is provided that enables the key to be removed when a key-receiving plug of the lock mechanism is rotated to either of its “locked” and “unlocked” positions; and, 3) a disconnect mechanism is provided to decouple the electrical switch from the knob when the lock is locked to thereby render the knob “free wheeling” to prevent the lock from being defeated by forcing the knob to an “on” position when the lock is locked.
Another need addressed by the present invention is the provision of a relatively simple means of retaining in secure assembled relationship a plurality of concentrically nested relatively rotatable lock components such as a knob which is rotatable between a plurality of angular positions relative to a housing that supports the knob, and a key-receiving plug of a lock mechanism that is journaled by a barrel of the lock mechanism for rotation between locked and unlocked positions relative to the knob which houses the lock mechanism. A novel approach employed by the present invention to accommodate this need calls for aligned transversely extending slots to be provided in overlying side regions of a tubular barrel of the knob and of the barrel of the lock mechanism to receive in a slip fit therein a retaining bar that is connected to the housing. By this novel arrangement, the needs faced by the knob and the plug to be independently rotatable through limited ranges of movement can be accommodated while providing a lock that is easy to assemble, easy to lubricate and easy to disassemble when maintenance so requires.
To accommodate the need to prevent rotation of the knob out of its “off” position except when the key has been removed, and to prevent key insertion except when the knob is in its “off” position, a key-engageable pin arrangement is provided that extends into the key-receiving opening to block key insertion except when the knob is in its “off” position. The same aligned bores that house the key-engageable pin arrangement also cooperate with the key-engageable pin arrangement to block rotation of the knob out of its “off” position at all times except when the key is removed from the plug.
To provide a disconnect to selectively couple the key operated lock to the electrical switch that enables or disables the ignition system of the vehicle, a radially extensible-retractable bolt is provided near the rear end region of the tubular body of the knob that extends into a notch of a rotatable sleeve to drivingly connect the knob to the electrical switch when the lock is “unlocked,” and that withdraws to drivingly disconnect the knob from the electrical switch when the lock
Burge David A.
Gall Lloyd A.
The Eastern Company
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