US1570797A

US1570797A - Automobile locking device

Info

Publication number: US1570797A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1926-01-26
Anticipated expiration: 1943-01-26

Description

Jan.

J chrHoMAs El AL AUTOMOBILE LOCKING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 17, 1925 anon WM J (710mm J'lzamaa; U/zarlea a 9min,

- Jan. 26 1925 J C. THOMAS ET AL AUTOMOBILE LOCKING DEVICE Filed April 17, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I a u o 7 I I a I a I M a Wm H 5 I 1 i I I lllt 7lll Jan. 26 1926. v 1,570,797

A J c. THOMAS ET Al.

' AUTOMOBILE LOCKING mwicz Filed April 17, 1923 s Sheets-Sheet a J (lam/2m 7710mm,

Patented Jan. 26, 1926 PATENT onion.

J oLARnnonTHoMAs Ami CHARLES": 0'. sum, or noirsroif, TEXAS.

AUuioMoBEtL-E Looxmsnnvron.

Application filed-April 17,1923. swarm; 6312729,

'1 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that we, J CLARENCE THOMAS and CHARLES ,C. STAITI, citizens of the United States; residing at Houston, in the county of Harris and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile Locking Devices, of which the'following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in locking devices for automobiles and more particularly to a locking device which will cut oil the supply of gasoline to the motor and break the circuits controlling the ignition and lighting systems.

lVhen cars are stolen or operated by unauthorized persons it is due to the fact that it is possible to short the ignition circuit even though the usual switch lock is in the locked position or to the fact that the car owner has left his switch unlocked. l/Vith our device the car owner is forced to use the safeguard which is afforded. He cannot use the car unless it is in the unlocked position and he must turn the key in the lock and avail himself of the tripple safeguard which is afforded or his engine will continue to run and his lights burn (1f at night) until he turns the key in the lock and cuts oil the fuel supply, ignition and lights.

Devices of this-type fail to afford absolute protection for the reason that they can be tampered with and renderedinoperative in whole or ilrpart.

For these reasons it IS des1rable to have a locking device so constructed and arranged that none of the operating parts is accessible while the device is in locked condition.

An -important object of the present invention is to provide a locking device which positively prevents the unauthorized opera tion of the automobile on which it is installed and which includes means for entirely cutting otf the supply of gasoline to the engine and rendering the ignition system inoperative. In addition, the device prevents unauthorized manipulation of, or tampering with, the lights of the car and makesit impossible to light the headlights when the device is in operative position,

this'being accomplished without interfering with the parking light circuit.

The shuttingoff of the gasoline and the breaking of the ignition: and lighting circuits are effected by a single device, which is unitary and compact and may be readily substituted for the usual lighting and ignition switch. A single operation of the device efiects these three measures.

Our device is designed and arranged as an interlocking unit in that no part of the structure can be tampered with and still permit the;car to be driven under its own power. All of the elements which hold the parts of the devicetoge'ther are protected in that they are within the body'of the device and cannot be reached unless the lock is operated by the proper key.

When the device is utilized it not only absolutely prevents the operation of the motor but also may result in a considerable saving of the batteries, since it prevents children and. other unauthorized persons from turning on theheadlights and thus runningdown the batteries, in the absence of the ownerot the car. i V

Thesecurity thus afforded by the device against theft of thecar, andinjury to its batteriesiismade certain andythe parts oi the device protected by means ofa housing which completely encloses the vital parts of the device and is so arranged and constructed as to present no opportunity for unauthorized access thereto. A single locking means controllable by a single key serves to positively hold and lock the' gas, ignition and lighting control device in operative or cut-oft position. and also to lock the protective housing tightly and securely to the rear of the instrument board in such a Way as to render the parts oi": the'device inaccessible even with the aid of tools to any one other than the owner, or the person having the key to the device.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in thefollowing specification, reference being ha d to the accompanying drawings, in'which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing the wiring system used in connection with the locking device;

Figure 2 is a front View showing the locking means applied to the instrument board of an automobile;

Figure 3 is a top View of the lock casing as mounted on the instrument board of an automobile;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a cross sectional View partly broken away, on the line 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a view similar toFigure 5 showing the position of the operating members at a different step of the operation of the device; Figure 7 is a cross sectional view on the line 77 of Figure 4;

Figure 8 is an elevational view of the operating cam disk of the device;

Figure 9 is a side elevational view of the operating cam disk;

Figure 10 is a view partly in cross section and partly in side elevation of the device connected to the gasoline supply pipe of the automobile;

Figure 11 is a cross sectional View of the lock casing with the mechanism therein partly in top elevation, and partly in sectional view; and

Figure 12 is a view taken on the line 12--12 of Figure 10 with one corner of the valve casing in the supply pipe broken away.

In the drawings, where similar reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the views, the numeral indicates a metal casing fixed to the instrument board 21 of an automobile by screws or other fastening means 22. The front of the casing 20 is closed by a metal dial 23 similar to the usual ignition and lighting system dial and provided with lighting switch levers 24 and 25 and a pivoted handle 26, the latter for a purpose hereinafter set forth. A key hole 27 is centrally located upon the dial 23.

The lock casing is flanged, as at 28, about its exterior directly behind the instrument board 21. The metal dial is provided with an upstanding lug 116 which fits into a recess 117 in the instrument board 21 to pre vent the rotation of the dial. A backwardly extending portion 29 is also included in the dial structure and is fitted in the front end of the lock casing 20 and it carries two metal plates 30, 31 and three

fibre plates

32, 33 and 33, respectively. The metal plates 30 and 31 are held against the dial 23 by countersunk screws 115 extending through the plates 30 and 31 and into the backwardly extending portion 29 of the dial 23. The fibre plates v32, 33 and 33 are held together and with the metal plates by rivets or bolts or any suitable fastening about their edges. These superimposed plates are generically indicated by the numeral 37.

A sliding bar 38 extends through aligned openings 39 is the series of plates 37. Bar 38 has the pivoted handle 26 attached to its forward and projecting end and is connected to a relatively short rod 40 at its rear or inner end 41 by any suitable detachable connection 42. The relatively short rod 41 is slidable in the end of a tube or pipe 43 which is fixed in the closed rear wall 44 of the casing 20 by a screw-threaded connection 45 and lock nuts 46 or any other substantial theft-proof connection.

As shown in Figure 10 the tube 43 is con nected at its other end to a fitting indicated by the numeral 47 which may include an elbow 48. A valve casing 49 at some point in the fuel supply pipe 50, preferably immediately above the carburetor 51 carries the fitting 47. A cable or Bowden wire 52 is fixed to the inner end of the relatively short rod 41 and extends through the tube 43 and fitting 47 and is swivel-jointed as at 58 to a rod 53 carried by the valve 54 in the valve casing 49. It will be noted that a roller 55 may be provided in an elbow 48 which may be included in the line of tubing and that a coil spring 56 within the fitting 47 bears against a flange 57 on the rod 53 to hold the valve 54 closed and the gasoline supply cut off when the sliding bar 38 is in retracted position.

As shown in Figures 4 and 11 the series of plates 37 are provided with circumferentially spaced recesses 59 which extend from the rear fibre plate 33 to and through the metal plate 30. The latter plate has somewhat wider recesses than the rear plates as shown at 60 and these recesses 60 are so aligned with the'recesses 59 that the effect is to have the series of plates 37 provided with circumferentiall y spaced bayonet slots 114 which fit over inwardly extending and circumfen entially spaced lugs 6.1 on the interior of the front end of the lock casing 20. Thus, in assembling, the series of plates 37 can be fitted into the front end of the casing 20 as the recesses 59 will align with the lugs 61 and then the limit of inward movement has been reached by the abutment of plate 29 against the lugs, a slight turn will move the lugs 61 into the offset portion 60 of the bayonet slots 114.

As stated, the keyhole chamber 34 extends through the dial 23 and plates 30 and 31. It is locked in this position by a nut between the plates and at its inner end, and rotatable thereon when the proper key is inserted and turned in the tumbler or key hole chamber 34, is an irregz ularly outlined disk 62 having shoulders 63 and 64- upon its periphery. A. substantially rightangle-shaped latch (35 is pivoted to the plate 30 at 66 and is normally held downwardly to bear against the sliding bar 38 by a coil spring 67 in a slot 68 in plate 30 and Inn ill]

lll'i arr/0,7 97

acting; against a pin 69 carried on the free end of the latch 65. The free end of the latch (this hook-shaped as at 71 and is adapted to be thereby engaged by the shoulder 63 on the cam disk. 62 when the key is turned to move the disk in acountercloclnvise direction as in Figures 5 and 6. The result of this action will be to raise the latch from its engagement in the forward recess 72 in the sliding bar 38. When this occurs the bar 38 may be pulled forward from retracted position by its pivoted handle 26 and will act through the wire 52 to move the valve 54 in the gasoline pipe 50 to open thelatter.

A continued pull. on the handle 26 will bring a rear recess 73 in bar 38 into alignment with the latch 65 and the latter will be moved into recess 73 by action of spring 67. The valve 54 will then. be locked in open position. When the key has been rotated inthe lock chamber 34 tobe withdrawn from, the chamber, it will place the dial: 62 insuch a position that the shoulder 64 will be directly above the arm of the latch at a point over the bar 38 as shown in Figure ti, and any attempt to force the latch upward will be forestalleil.

Control of the electric circuits of the automobile through our device is afforded by a contact member 74 carried by, and insulated from, the sliding bar 38; The positionof this contact on the bar 38 is such-that when thelatter is in its outermostposition, that is, when the latch 65 is inthe rear recess 7 3, the contact 74- will bridge the contact clips 7 and 80 carried on the innermost fibre plate 23 at either side of the bill As has been stated, switch levers 24 and 25 are provided on the dial plate and control the side and cowl lighting circuits and the headlight circuits, respectively. These levers are carried by rotatable shafts 35 and 36 respectively which extend through the

metal plates

23, 29, 30 and 31 and the fibre plate 32. Fibre plate has its center portion cut away to accommodate the movement of switch arms 84 and 85 carried by the shafts 35 and 36 and controlled by the switch levers 24 and 25, respectively.

Referring to Fi 'ures 4 and17- it will be seen that a plurality of contact blocks are imbedded in the fibre plate 32. One Gl'lil of each of the contact blocks 1, 2, 3 and 4 is in the path of movement of one of the switch arms 84 or 85 and the other ends of the blocks carry binding posts 83 which extend through the

plates

33 and 33. A metal block 7 is also embedded in the fibre plate 32and. carries a spring arm 86 which extends intoicut-out portions of the fibreplate 32 and has its outer ends upturned and arranged in the path of movement of fibre cams 87 carried by the switch shafts 35' and 36 in front of the switch arms 84 and 85. Springs 5 and (l are located at either end of the spring arm 86 as shown in ure 7 butare normally out of contact engagement therewith. Binding posts 83, as described are provided for each of the springs 5 and 6 and also for the block 7 carrying the spring arm 86.

Binding posts 8 and 9 are placed on either side of contact clips and carried on the innermost fibre plate 33. Binding post 8 is in circuit with the battery 7 9 through lead 78 and post 9 is connected to the ignition system 77, and the head and dim lights by lead 76, as shown in Figure 1. In order to supply the switch arm84 with current a connection is made from binding post 8 to the insulated binding post 10 by a lead Sti andfromthis post a connection (not shown) is made to theshaft 35 of the switch arm 84. These connections are insulated and lie between the fibre plates 32 and Independence of the parking or sidelight circuit controlled by switch arm 84 is obtained by surrounding shaft 35, which carries arm 84, with an insulating bushing so that the metal. body or ground of the device will not be in circuit with this switch arm.

The circuits shown in lligure l are so connected that the tail light is al ays operated with the headlights, dim headlights and sidelights and so arranged that the circuits can not be crossed or interfered with and their opera ion is as follows:

lVhenswitch lever 25 is moved to the position of Head, switch arm is in contact with the. contact block 1. The fibre .am 87 underneath the switch arm 85 will depress the adjacent end of spring arm 8%; carried by block 7 and cause it to mat: a contact with'the spring 5 to which the tail light is wired as shown and the headlights and tail light will now burn. When the switch lever 25 is moved to the position of Dim the switch arm 85 is in contact with contact block which is wired to the dim light circuit and as cam 87 will still hold spring arnr 86 against spring 5 the dim lights and tail light will burn. A return of switch lever 25 to Off position will extinguish alli lightscontrolled by lever It will be seen that the lights controlled by switch lever 25 will not burn unless contact 74 carried by the sliding bar 38 is in contact with the

clips

75 and 80.

Ill)

- crank 106 pivoted to the plate 80 at 107.

"lower arm of bellcrank 106.

tery. Thus the headlight circuit may be locked in Off position without affecting the parking and side light circuits.

The electric wires for the various circuits are brought to their binding posts in the casing 20 by an armored cable 99 which passes through the rear wall 4 1 of the casing at 100.

Locking means to prevent the removal of the series of plates 37 from the casing 20 are provided in a belt 101 movable in a radial slot 102 in the plate 30. The slot 102 opens into one of the circumferentially spaced recesses and is aligned with the series of narrower recesses 59 as shown in Figure 11. The position of the bolt as regards the bayonet slot 114 is therefore such that it must first be depressed before the casing 20 may be turned to align the lugs 61 with the recesses 59 to withdraw the casing from about the plates 37. A coil spring 103 is positioned in the slot 102 behind bolt 101 and normally holds the latter in outward position to hold the casing against rotation.

The bolt 101 carries an upstanding pin 104: on the rear surface thereof and this pin moves in a slot 105 in one end 112 a begin the opposite side of the bolt 101 is a lever 108 pivoted to plate 30 at 109. The free end of lever 108 is normally held against the disk 62 by a coil spring 110 in a recess in plate 30 which acts on a pin carried by the lever. The opposite end of lever 108 is provided with beveled cam 111 which is normally positioned below the slotted end 112 of the bellcrank 106. This positively prevents any inward movement of bolt 101 by the insertion of a tool in the bayonet slot 11 1-.

The belt 101 may only be retracted by a ireeapiarter clockwise rotation, as regards Figures 5 and 6 of the drawings, of the disk 62 by the proper key. The result of this retation of disk 62 will first be to move the shoulder 64 carried thereby under the lever 108 to raise the latter, and continued movement will carry shoulder 641 to strike the At the same time the shoulder 63 will move under lever 108 and will raise the latter to swing the cam 111 from beneath the slottedend 112 of bellcranl: 106. The shoulder 6-1 will then be free to swing the bellcrank 106 to move its slotted end 112 and, through this, the belt 101, inwardly. The bolt being retracted and the screws 22 removed the casing 20 may be rotated and withdrawn from about the plates 37 to permit inspection or repair of the wiring. lVhen the latch is raised and handle 26 removed from the sliding bar 38 the series of plates 37 may be removed. 1t will be seen that the return movement, counterclockwise from the position shown in Figure 5 of the disk 62, will not be pre vented by the lever 108 as the shoulder 6 1 is beveled on the proper side to raise the lever and readily pass under it.

It will be understood that the metal plate 31 is recessed as at 113 to accommodate the lever, latch and bellcrank carried on the plate 30.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that a positive locking device is provided which will control the ignition system, the gasoline supply and the lighting circuits. A summary of the method of operation is as follows: hen the owner is in the car and driving it he will have the sliding bar 38 in its outermost position and it will be held there by the presence of latch 65 in the rear recess 73. The contact 74; will then bridge the contact clips 75 and 80 and the ignition system 77 will be in circuit with the battery. The headlight circuit will also be rendered operative by the same operation. The gasoline supply valve 51- will be open and the engine may therefore be operated.

hen, however, the owner leaves the car he may place the car in an absolutely inoperative condition by turning the key in the lock chamber to raise the latch 3h from the rear recess 73. The spring 56 in the fitting 47 which acts on the flange 57 of the valve rod 53 will in'imediately draw the sliding bar 38 to retracted position and the latch will drop into recess 72 and the key may be withdrawn. The gasoline supply valve 54: will thus be closed and the contact 7 1 will be separated from the contact clips 75 and 80. The result of this latter action will be to break the circuit between the battery 79 and the ignition system "I? and to also break the headlight circuit but will noi interfere with the parking light circuit as heretotore explained. However, the mrking light circuit will be closed as far as our device is concerned for the leads therefrom connected across binding post 82 to the hattery will not be interfered with.

The indicator dial 23 bearing upon the forward side of the instrument board 21 and the flange 28 of the casing 20 hearing against the rear side thereof will prevent ac cess being had to the interior of the casing by its being removed from the instrument board. And the bolt. 101 in the bayonet slot 114 will prevent the rotation of the plates to remove them from the casing, and as before stated, the latch 65 and belt 101 are both held against displacement when the key is out of the lock by positive camming action. Nevertheless the plates 87 may always be readily removed and the casing 20 moved "from the instrument board by the owner of i the car-so that repairs may be made by close and no explosive mixture can enter the cylinders. 4

w Electrical equipment and battery manufacti'i'rers claim that most trouble with their equipment o'nautomobiles is due to people 'l'houghtlessly leavil'ig the ignition or lighting switches in circuit or their being turned on by unauthorzed parties. This difliculty is entirely overcome by this device. The only circuits that can be operated with our delvic'e locked are the cowl light or the side flights with tail light in circuit. As these lights use a very small amount of current the battery could not be depleted.

It will be seen that a compact structure in which every element is safeguarded against surreptitious tampering is here provided. All of the controls necessary to operate the car are rendered inoperative and the device is so arranged that they will be positively held inoperative. The tube 43 which carries the wire or cable attached to the fuel supply valve 54 cannot be unscrewed unless the housing is unlocked and slipped down to a point where clearance can be obtained for the lugs attached to the lock nut 46 which is attached to the end of the tube inside of the housing. The lock bolts on the slide rod and housing cannot be moved unless the proper key is inserted and they are rotated to the unlocked posi tion. Any effort to tamper with or disable the device must therefore necessarily result in putting the car inv an inoperable condition.

What we claim. is:

1. In a locking device for automobiles, the combination of a fuel supply conduit, a control valve therefor, a casing enclosing raid valve, an ignition circuit, a lighting circuit, a. lock casing carried by the dash, 1: control device operable from the dash to :uctuate the fuel supply valve, contacts car- :ried by said control device within the lock i-asing for making or breaking the ignition and lighting circuits when the fuel supply .valve is opened or closed, respectively, and a locking device co itprising selectively operable lock mem'bers adapted to lock said control or lock the casing to the dash.

2. In a docking device for automobiles, a 106k se n a ver 9 easin peratingmeans within saidcasing for controlling the fuel supply and electrical circuits, lockii'jg means for normally locking said ope'ating means, locking means for looking said cover to said casing, and control means for operating either of said locking means independently of the other.

In "a locking device for automobiles, a lock casing, a cover for said casing, a bar slidable within said casing, said bar being adapted to control the fuel supply and electrical circuits, a bolt normally in looking engagement with said bar, a bolt adapted to lock said cover to said casing, means for moving said first-named bolt from engagement with said bar, or for moving said sec-- ond-named bolt from engagement with said casing.

4. In a locking device for automobiles, a lock casing, a cover for said casing, a bar slidable within said casing, said bar being adapted to control the fuel supply and electrical circuits, a bolt normally in locking engagement with said bar, a bolt adapted to lock said cover plate to said casing, a rotatable lock spindle to move said firstnamed bolt from engagement with said slidable bar when rotated in one direction and to move said second-named bolt from engagement with said casing when rotated in the opposite direction.

5. In a locking device for automobiles, a lock casing, a cover for said casing, a bar slidable within said casing, said bar being adapted to control the fuel supply, a bolt normally in looking engagement with said bar, a bolt adapted to lock said cover to said casing, means in the path of retractive movement of said bolt to hold it against unauthorized release, means for moving said first-named bolt from engagement with said bar, or for moving said means from the path of movement of said second-named bolt and retracting said bolt.

6. The combination with a locking device for automobiles, including a lock casing and a cover for said casing, of means to lock said casing cover comprising a bolt, a rotatable lock spindle, an operatingcam carrled thereby and adapted to operate said bolt and means in the path of retracting movement of said bolt to hold it against unauthorized release, said means being moved from the path of movement of said bolt by movement of said operating cam.

7. The combination with a locking device for automobiles, including a lock casing, a cover for said casing and a bar slidable in said casing, said bar being adapted to control the fuel supply and electrical circuits of the automobile, of means to lock said casing cover and said bar comprising a rotatable lock spindle, an operating cam carried thereby, a pivoted bolt normally held in l c i s gagement w s id ba and having itsfree end arranged in the path of movement of said operating cam, whereby it may be released from engagement with said bar, a sliding bolt adapted to lock said casing cover, a bolt operating bell-crank, one arm of said bell-crank operatively engaging said bolt and the other arm being arranged in the path of movement of said operating cam whereby the bolt will be operated, a second bell-crank having one arm arranged in the path movement of said boltoperating bell-crank, whereby said sliding bolt will be positively held in looking position and the other arm of said bell crank being arranged in the path of movement of said cam, whereby said bell-crank may be moved from the path of movement of said bolt-operating bell-crank.

J. CLARENCE THOMAS.

CHARLES C. STAITI.