GB2211543A

GB2211543A - Improved lock

Info

Publication number: GB2211543A
Application number: GB8824845A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Uldall
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-10-23
Filing date: 1988-10-24
Publication date: 1989-07-05
Anticipated expiration: 2008-10-24
Also published as: GB8824845D0; GB2211543B

Abstract

The lock comprises a housing 2 containing a plurality of elongate locking elements 22 having normal rest positions in which slots 24 therein are misaligned with one another and in which end faces present predetermined outward configurations; a key 28 has cam portions 32 whose end faces have configurations to correspond to the end faces of the locking elements 22 and is operable to displace them to operative positions in which the slots 24 are aligned with one another. A guide member (48 Figure 4) within housing 2 carries a plurality of projections 56 thereon, one associated with each locking element 22, the guide member being movable in the housing 2 when the slots 24 are aligned with each other and with projections 56, whereby the projections 56 are received within said slots 24, said movement of the guide member (48) permitting axial movement of a bolt member 58 carried thereby. The bolt member 58 is integral with a transverse spindle 60 whose ends are received in V-shaped grooves 62 in walls 50, 52 of guide member (48). After using the key to move the locking elements 22 to release positions manual movement of bolt member 58 causes spindle 60 to react with grooves 62 to raise guide member (48). Cam portions 32 may be interchangeable. When key 28 is inserted into housing 2 a region 40 permits, pivotal movement of the key. Lock may be part of steering wheel lock or vehicle door lock. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVED LOCK This invention relates to locks.

A major current social problem is the theft of domestic motor vehicles.. The locks on the doors of such vehicles, as well as the locks on established mechanical anti-theft devices, are conventionally of the cylinder type and are readily picked using 'jigglers' and the like, it taking a skilled thief only a matter of seconds to break into a vehicle provided with such locks.

There is thus a strong need for a lock that will pose more of a problem to the potential thief than these current arrangements.

According to the present invention there is provided a lock comprising a housing containing a plurality of parallel locking elements each having a slot formed there through and being resiliently biased into a normal rest position in which said slots are misaligned relative to one another and in which the one end faces of said elements combine to present a predetermined outward configuration thereto, the housing further containing a guide member provided with a plurality of aligned projections, one associated with each locking element, the guide member carrying therein a bolt member and being movable between a normal rest position preventing movement of the bolt member and a release position permitting axial movement of the bolt member, relative to the housing, the lock further comprising an elongate key adapted to be inserted into the housing and having an operative face ofapredetermined configuration, planar movement of the key to engage the operative face thereof against the end faces of the locking elements displacing said elements against said resilient bias from their rest positions towards operative positions, the configurations of the end faces of the locking elements and of the operative face of the key being such that, on completion of said planar movement of the key, the slots in the locking elements are aligned with each other and with the projections on the guide member whereby the guide member can move from its rest position, preventing movement of the bolt member to its displaced position with the projections thereon received within the slots in the locking elements and permitting axial movement of the bolt member.

Preferably the housing incorporates abutment means therein, conveniently an upstanding surface, and the locking elements are each of generally elongate, block-like form of rectangular transverse section, resilient means, conveniently a coil spring, reacting between the housing and the other end face of each locking element to urge the one end faces of the locking elements against the abutment means to determine said normal rest positions of the elements.

Conveniently the guide member is of generally elongate form in a direction transversely of that of the locking elements and is of generally inverted channel section, said plurality of aligned projections being formed on an outer surface thereof whereby each projection is located immediately adjacent an associated one of the locking elements.

The bolt member conveniently extends axially of the channel section guide member to extend through said guide member and to project from the housing, said bolt member including an integral spindle extending transversely thereof and movable therewith, the ends of the spindle being received within associated grooves in the opposed sidewalls of the guide member, the shapes of said grooves being such as to prevent axial movement of the bolt member and spindle relative to the guide member other than during movement of the guide member between its normal rest position and its fully displaced position, in which latter position the projections thereon are received within the slots in the associated locking elements.

In a preferred arrangement, the key, on insertion into the housing, is pivotal about one end thereof from an initial insert position towards a release position during which pivotal movement the key moves the locking elements bodily and axially against the resilient means into their operative positions, the housing including means for retaining the key in its release position associated with said operative positions of the locking elements.

The positions and orientations of the locking elements within the housing can be interchangeable, and possibly reversible, whereby a large number of different combinations of lock can be achieved from a given plurality of locking elements, appropriate and corresponding alterations being made to the configuration of the operative face of the key to suit each different combination. The key may comprise a series of cams for coraperation with respective locking elements and the cams may be held adjustably so that they can be adapted to operate the different combinations of lock.

By way of example only, an embodiment of the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Fig. 1 is a plan view from above of a lock according to the invention with the lid of the housing removed; Fig. 2 is a section on the line II-II of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section on the line III-III of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a plan view from above of the guide member of the lock of Figs. 1 to 3; Fig. 5 is a front view of the lock in the direction of arrow V in Fig. 3; Figs. 6a and 6b are front view and side view respectively of the key of the lock of Figs. 1 to 5.

Referring to the drawings, the illustrated lock comprises a housing indicated generally at 2 and including a front wall 4, a rear wall 6, sidewalls 8 and 10, a base 12 and a lid 14.

An internal plate 16 within the housing 2 separates the housing into upper and lower volumes, the upper surface of the plate 16 being provided with an.abutment.in the form of a vertical step 18 thereon extending from front to rear of the housing for reasons which will become apparent, and said plate also including a rectangular aperture 20 therethrough extending substantially from front to rear of the plate 16 again for reasons which will be detailed below.

Positioned on the plate 16 to extend across the aperture 20 therein are a plurality of elongate locking elements 22, six such elements being shown in the drawings, each element being of generally rectangular-section and including a rectangular slot 24 therethrough the length of which is substantially equal to the width of the aperture 20 in the plate 16.

The locking elements 22 are resiliently urged by a plurality of coil springs 26 reacting between the sidewall 8 of the housing 2 and end faces of the elements 22 into normal rest positions within the housing 2 determined by abutment of the opposed ends of the elements 22 with the step 18 on the plate 16.

In these rest positions, the slots 24 are misaligned with one another and with the aperture 20 in the plate 16 as best seen in Figs. 1 and 2.

The end faces of the elements 22 abutting the step 18 are of various different configurations, said configurations determining the precise rest positions of the elements 22 within the housing 2 and therefore the precise locations of the slots 24 in said rest positions of the elements 22.

The locking elements 22 are slidably mounted in the housing 2 to be movable against the bias of the springs 26, said movement being guided between the plate 16 and the underside of the lid 14 of the housing 2.

The lock further includes a key shown in Figs. 6a and 6b and indicated generally at 28, the key comprising an elongate body portion 30 to which are secured a plurality, in this case six, of cam portions 32 the configurations of the outer faces of which correspond in reverse to the configurations of said end faces of the locking elements 22. These cam portions are preferably interchangeable so that they can be adjusted to match different arrangements of the locking elements.

More particularly, the arrangement is such that, on engagement of the operative faces of the cam portions 32 of the key with the end faces of the associated locking elements and on movement of the key and the elements to the left as viewed in Fig. 1 against the bias of the springs 26, the key reaches a release position determined by abutment of the body portion 30 thereof -with surfaces 34,36-within the housing and the locking elements are in operative positions within the housing in which the slots 24 in the elements 22 are aligned with one another and are disposed directly above, to form upward continuations of, the aperture 20 in the plate 16.

Conveniently the end of the key 28 is shaped at 38, a corresponding recess 40 being provided within the housing to receive therein said shaped end of the key and to provide a pivot region for subsequent planar movement of the key.

More particularly, the key 28 is inserted into the housing 2 through a slot 42 formed between the front wall 4 and the lid 14 of the housing until the end 38 of the key is received within the recess 40. A channel 44 in the front of the housing 2 permits pivotal movement of the key 28 in a clockwise direction about the region 40 as viewed in Fig. 1 until the operative face of the key engages the end faces of the elements 22 and urges them to their operative positions determined by abutment of the body portion 30 of the key 28 with the surfaces 34,36, the key being retained in its release position by co-operation with a further cut-out 46 in the lid 14. Because the key is slightly raised, there is also a tapering cut in the underside of the lid to accommodate this.

As mentioned above, this release position of the key 28 is associated with alignment of the slots 24 with each other and with the aperture 20 in the plate 16.

The lower volume of the housing 2 contains, below the plate 16, a lock bolt and associated guide mechanism.

Referring in particular to Figs. 2 to 4, a guide member is indicated generally at 48 and is of substantially inverted channel section, including opposed end walls 50,52 and a top wall 54. The guide member 48 extends between the front and rear walls 4,6 of the housing 2 directly below the locking elements 22 and as best seen in Fig. 3. A plurality of aligned projections 56 are provided on the upper surface of the top wall of the guide member and within the confines of the aperture 20 in the plate 16, one projection 56 being associated with, and being located directly below, each locking element 22.

The guide member 48 has a normal rest position shown in Fig. 3'seating on the base 12 of the housing 2 and with the free upper edges of the projections 56 located in, but not -extending though, the aperture 20 whereby said projections are just out of contact with the associated locking element 22.

Extending through the guide member 48 and through the housing 2 is a bolt member 58 of rectangular section, the bolt member 58 being.disposed between the base of the housing and the underside of the top wall 54 of the guide member 48 and extending through rectangular apertures in the sidewalls 8,10 of the housing 2.

Integral with the bolt member 58 is a spindle 60 extending transversely of the bolt member 58 the ends of which are received within opposed grooves 62 in the inside end walls 50,52 of the guide member 48 as best seen in Fig. 3.

Each groove 62 is of generally V-shape as shown in Fig. 2, the bolt member having an inoperative rest position associated with the normal rest position of the guide member 48 and with the spindle 60 positioned at the inner ends of the grooves 62 substantially centrally of the housing 2.

Operation of the lock is effected to achieve axial movement of the bolt member 58 whereby a head portion 64 thereof is moved from a rest position adjacent the wall 8 of the housing (Figs. 2 and 5) to an operative position displaced from the housing.

With the guide member 48 in its normal rest position, the co-operation between the spindle 60 and the grooves 62, and in particular the downward configuration of the grooves 62, prevents movement of the spindle 60 along said grooves and thus prevents axial movement of the bolt member 58.

It will be appreciated that said axial movement can only occur if the grooves 62 are raised and lowered relative 't.

to the bolt member 58 to provide a linear path therealong for the spindle 62.

This is achieved by inserting the key 28 into the lock and moving it into its release position in which the slots 24 in the locking elements 22 are aligned with each other and with the aperture 20 in the plate 16. Then, on forcible manual movement of the bolt member 58 from right to left as viewed in Figs. 2 and 5, the spindle 60 reacts with the grooves 62 to raise the guide member 48 within the housing 2 whereby the projections 56 are received within the associated slots 24 in the elements 22 and said axial movement can take place. The shape of the grooves 62 determines that the guide member 48 moves upwardly and then downwardly while the bolt member 58 moves from its rest position to its fully extended locking position.

Removal of the key 28 allows the slots 24 to become misaligned and then retains the bolt member in its locking position, while movement of the bolt member 58 from its locking position to its normal rest position is achieved by re-insertion of the key 28 and reverse axial movement of the bolt member 53 relative to the housing 2.

Such a lock has many and varied applications, for example as part of a steering wheel lock preventing movement of the steering wheel of a motor vehicle, or as a door lock for such a vehicle. Other applications will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Clearly the number and the configurations of the elements 22 can be chosen to suit particular requirements, the elements in all cases being interchangeable, together with the cam elements on the key, and reversible to provide large numbers of combinations from a given set of components leading to economy of manfuacture in quantity.

The nature of the lock is such as to make picking thereof extremely difficult, there being limited access to the locking elements 22 and it being necessary to use the correct key in the correct manner to achieve release.

Picking in the conventional manner is substantially eliminated.

Claims

1. A lock comprising a housing containing a plurality of parallel locking elements each having a slot formed therethrough and being resiliently biased into normal rest positions in which said slots are misaligned relative to one another and in which the one end faces of said elements combine to present a predetermined outward configuration thereto, the housing further containing a guide member provided with a plurality of aligned projections, one associated with each locking element, the guide member carrying therein a bolt member and being movable between a normal rest position preventing movement of the bolt member and a release position permitting axial movement of the bolt member relative to the housing, the lock further comprising an elongate key adapted to be inserted into the housing and having an operative face of a predetermined configuration, planar movement of the key to engage the operative face thereof against the end faces of the locking elements displacing said elements against said resilient bias from their rest positions towards operative positions, the configurations of the end faces of the locking elements and of the operative face of the key being such that, on completion of said planar movement of the key, the slots in the locking elements are aligned with each other and with the projections on the guide member whereby the guide member can move from its rest position, preventing movement of the bolt member, to its displaced position with the projections thereon received within the slots in the locking elements and permitting axial movement of the bolt member.

2 A lock as claimed in claim 1 in which the housing incorporates abutment means therein and the locking elements are each of generally elongate, block-like form of rectangular transverse section, resilient means reacting between the housing and the.other end face of each locking element to urge the one end faces of the locking elements against said abutment means to determine said normal rest positions of the elements.

3. A lock as claimed in claim 2 in which the abutment means comprises an upstanding surface and the resilient means each comprises a coil spring.

4. A lock as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 in which the guide member is of generally elongate form in a direction transversely of that of the locking elements and is of generally inverted channel section, said plurality of aligned projections being formed on an outer surface thereof adjacent the locking elements.

5. A lock as claimed in claim 4 in which the bolt member extends axially of the channel section guide member to extend through said guide member and to project from the housing, said bolt member including an integral spindle extending transversely thereof and movable therewith, the ends of the spindle being received within associated grooves in opposed inside sidewalls of the guide member, the shapes of said grooves being such as to prevent axial movement of the bolt member and spindle relative to the guide member other than during movement of the guide member between its normal rest position and its fully displaced position, in which latter position the projections thereon are received within the slots in the associated locking elements.

6. A lock as claimed in claim 5 in which the grooves are of generally V-shape.

7. A lock as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 6 in which the key, on insertion into the housing, is pivotal about one end thereof from an initial insert position towards a release position during which pivotal movement the key moves the locking elements bodily and axially against the resilient means into their operative positions, the housing including means for retaining the key in its release position associated with said operative positions of the locking element.

8. A lock substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.