US1211674A - Automobile-lock. - Google Patents

Description

H. D. L W. M. CALVIN.

AUTOMOBILE LOCK.

APPLIcAImN man SEPT. 19, 191s.

L 1.6m. Patented Jan. 9,1917.

- INVENToRs, WITNESS JHB.. @wr/1a .MMww/fm @AMM/L5M. B

il? SATS PATE 'Tt' HARVEY D. CALVIN AND WILLIAM IVI. CALVIN, OF COLUSA, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMOBILE-LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

)Patented J an. 9, 19117.

Application led September 19, 1916. Serial No. 120,961.

To all 'whom t may concern Be it known that we, HARVEY D. CALVIN and WILLIAM M.A CALVIN, citizens of the United States, residing at Colusa, in the county of Colusa, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile-Locks; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this application.

This invention relates to improvements in locks for automobiles or other motor vehicles to prevent the unauthorized use or theft thereof, the object of the invention being to produce a lock controlled means for quickly and efficiently fixing the steering post of the vehicle in any desired position so that it cannot be turned from that position. In this way the vehicle cannot be readily used by any unauthorized person or stolen for the reason that if, for instance, the steering post was locked so that the front wheels were in a slightly turned position the vehicle would only be able to advance in a circle and thus could not be safely driven away by any intended thief.

A further object ofthe invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purposes for which it is designed.

These objects we accomplish by means of such structure' and relative arrangement of the parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.-

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

Figure l is a fragmentary view of the foot board of the motor vehicle showing a portion of the steering post thereon and our improved lock in position adjacent the same. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of our improved locking mechanism when it is in unlocked position. Fig. 3 is a similar view when in locked position. Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on a line X-X of Fig. l.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings the numeral 1 designates the foot or dashboard of the vehicle, and 2 the steering post thereof which is of any desired structure.

In providing our improved invention we first have a lock casing 3 which is so arranged that the steering post 2 projects therethrough and is provided with a small pinion 4 fixed to said post 2 within said casing 3. Extending parallel to the post 2 within the casing 3 is a square shaft 5 mounted on which is a slidable sleeve 6 having a collar 7 formed thereon, which collar 7 is provided with a segment of a pinion 7il so positioned that it can be brought into mesh with the pinion 4. The sleeve is provided with a pin 8 which projects outside of the casing and through the foot or dash board l where it is provided with an operating button i). IV hen it is desired to lock the steering post in any fixed position the button 9 is operated to draw the sleeve 6 so that the pinion segment 7a will mesh with the pinion 4. Since the shaft 5 is square the lsleeve 6 would not have any rotary motion thereon and since the segment 7al vis part of the sleeve 6 and meshes with the pinion 4 this will prevent any rotary motion of the steering post 2. The parts are locked in this position by turning a key l0 to pass the lock bolt ll into the path of the collar 7 which will prevent the parts 7ZL and 4 being unmeshed until the bolt ll is removed from the path of said collar 7 by turning the key in the opposite direction. The key l() is of course removable.

When it is desired that the parts be unlocked the key l() is moved to turn the bolt 1l from out of the path of the collar 7. The button 9 is then used to push the sleeve 6 downwardly which will unmesh the segment 7a from the pinion 4 and leave the steering post free to be turned. This position is then fixed by turning the bolt l1 into the path of the collar 7 on the opposite side to that described above'as will clearly appear in Fig. 2. The form of lock used is immaterial hence we make no special claim to any specific type for the purpose. The pinions 4 and 7a are arranged so as not to contact with the fuel and ignition control rods of the vehicle.

From the foregoing description it will readily be seen that we have produced such a device as substantially fulfils the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

vhile this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention What we claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

I1. The combination with a steering post, of a pinion secured thereto, a square shaft adjacent the steering post, a sliding sleeve on the square Shaft, a pinion segment on the sleeve arranged to be brought into mesh with the pinion, and means for locking the parts in said last named position.

2. The combination with a steering post, of ay casing surrounding the post, a square shaft Within the easing parallel With the post, a pinion on the post, a slidable member on the square shaft carrying a pinion segwith the pinion,

ment enga geable with said pinion, and means for locking said segment in or out of engagement with the pinion.

3. The combination Awith a steering post provided with a pinion thereon, a square shaft extending parallel to the post, a 'sleeve slidable on the shaft, a Collar on the sleeve, a pinion segment on the collar engageable and a lock arranged t0 extend in the path of the collar on either side thereof.

In testimony whereof We aflix our signatures.

HARVEY D. CALVIN. WILLIAM M. CALVIN.

Images