US1785906A

US1785906A - Lock switch

Info

Publication number: US1785906A
Application number: US207335A
Authority: US
Inventors: Albert E Koffer
Original assignee: Delco Remy Corp
Current assignee: Delco Remy Corp
Priority date: 1927-07-21
Filing date: 1927-07-21
Publication date: 1930-12-23
Anticipated expiration: 1947-12-23

Description

Filed July 21, 1927 Patented Dec. 23, 1930 i UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE ALBERT/E. KOFFER, or DAYTON; OHIO, ASSIGNOR 'ro DELCO-REMY oonroRA'rIoN, or

DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE Look SWITCH Application filed July 21, 1927. Serial No. 207,335.

This invention relates to electric switches having an operating member movable into circuit closing position only by the use of a key andmovable into circuit open position with or without the use of a key and automatically locked in open position.

One object of the present invention is to provide a small compact structure including an electrical switch and a lock therefor which structure is particularly adapted to be housed within a tubular metallic member preferably of hard metal which encloses the switch and if desired the wires which lead from the switchto some piece of apparatus controlled byit. i

More particularly it is an objectto provide for the control of the ignitioncircuit of an automobile by 'means of a small compact cylindrical structure comprising an elec- 0 tric switch and lock therefor, the structure being adapted to be located 'within a tubular metallic housing located within convenient reachof the driven-1 The metallic housing .may be associated with a hard metal tube 25 for enclosing the wires leading from the switch to the ignition apparatus under the hood: of the automobile. I e

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the fol- 30 lowing'description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a front View of a lock and switch structure embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2+2 tain parts in position for permitting movement of the switch controlling member to switch'closing position.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the position of the parts after the switch is 0 in closed position.

showing the structure vvith the Fig. 7 is a view partly in section on the line 7'? ofFig. 3. I

Fig. 8 is a view on the line 88 of Fig. 4

switch removed. r

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 but showing the switch case in cross section, the section being taken principally on the line 99 of Fig.4.

The switch andlock structure is housed by a cylindrical, tubular metallic case which is closed at one end by anon-conducting cover 21 attached to the case 20 by screws 22. Angular contact brackets 23 are attached by rivets'24 to the outside of the cover 21. Each'bracket 23 supports by a rivet 25 a leaf spring conductor- 26 and each bracket is threadedly engaged by a terminal screw 27.

The conductors 26 extend througha square hole'28 in the cover 21, and within the case 20 the conductors 26 are provided with contact portions 29 which are biased into engagement with each other due to the resiliency of the conductors 26; The contacts 29 are maintained separated by a non-conducting plate 30 attached by rivets 31 to a metal bracket 32 which is attached by a screw 33 to a cylindrical switch controlling member 34 which islongitudinally movable within the housing 20. The bracket 32 is provided with a finger 35 extending into an elongated aperture 36 provided in the side of the case 20 as shown in Fig. 4. Thus the controller 34 is prevented from turning relative to the case 20 but may be moved longitudinally thereby. f

The controller'34 is maintained in position for separating the conductors 26 as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 bya latch 40 which is pivoted upon a stud 41 attached to the case 20 and which is provided with a hook portion 42 which engages the extension 35 of the bracket 32. The latch 40 is yieldingly maintained in this position by spring 43 having a portion coiled about the stud 31 and having one end 44 thereof extending into a notch 45 of the stud 41 and having the other end 46 thereof 'bent over the latch 40. The spring 43 is biased to move the latch 40 in a clockwise d1- rection as viewed in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. Thus back of the the latch 42 by its engagement with the finger 35 of the bracket 32 resists movement of the controller 34 to the left as viewed in Fig. 2 or to the right as viewed in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. The latch 42 maintains in a state of compression a spring having one end received by recess 51 in the cover 21 and the other end received by cup shaped member 52 bearing against a key shaft 53 which is carried by the controller 34. The member 52 is retained in position by attaching it to the end of the key shaft 53 by screw pins 54 passing through holes of the flat end member 52 and driven into plain holes drilled into the end of the key shaft 53.

Controller 34 and key shaft 53 constitute the usual elements of a pin'tumbler lock in which the shaft 53 can be turned relative to the member 34 only by inserting the proper key 55 into a key slot provided by the shaft 53. Movement of the shaft 53 relative to the controller 34 is limited by pins 56 and 57 which obstructs the movement of pin 58 attached to the key shaft 53. When the shaft 53 is turned in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 8 a pin 60 carried by it will engage a lug 61 provided by the latch 40 and will cause the latch 40 to move from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig. 5. After the hook 42 is free of the finger 35 of the bracket 32 the finger 35 and hence the controller 34 are free to move from the position shown in Fig. 5 to the position shown in Fig. 6. The movement of these parts is produced by the spring 50 which causes the controller 34 to continue to move to the right until the finger 35 strikes the right hand edge of the slot 36. After this movement has taken place the non-conducting block 30 will be retracted from the conductors 26 to allow their contact portions 29 to engage. Under these conditions the switch will be closed by the completion of the circuit between its terminal brackets 23. The key 55 may be removed if desired after the key shaft has been turned to key-removal position. lVhether or not the key remains in the lock the switch may be moved to open position and will be automatically locked in this position by pushing the controller 34 toward the housing 20. In

either instance, the pin 60 which is mounted on the key shaft, is moved to the initial position upon turning of the key shaft to key removal position. During this movement of the controller 34 the finger 35 will ride under the latch 40 until it is located opposite the notch 40a thereof, whereupon the spring 46 will be released to move the latch 40 into the position shown in Fig. 4 in which the hook 42 will engage the finger 35 so as to retain the finger 35 and the controller 34 in circuit open position.

It will be noted that there are no parts protruding from the cylindrical exterior surface of the case 20 and the cover 21. Thus the switch and lock structure is adapted to be received by tubular housing which may be attached to the dash board 71 of an automobile. As shown in Figs. 2 and 9, the case 20 is provided with a hole 74 for receiving the end of a screw 75 threadedly received by the housing 70, for the purpose of attaching the case 20 to the housing.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

hat is claimed is as follows:

1. A lock switch comprising a cylindrical tubular case, a cover for one end of the case, switch contacts within the case supported by the cover, a controller sl'idable axially within the case, said controller carrying means for permitting the contacts to complete an electric circuit or for causing the circuit to be interrupted according as the controller moves to a position farthest from the end cover or nearest thereto, respectively, a spring for urging the controller away from the end cover, a latch plate provided by the case, a latch finger movably supported within the case for engaging the latch plate for maintaining the controller in circuit-open position, and key operated means carried by the controller for tripping the latch.

2. A lock switch according to claim 1 in which the contacts are provided by leaf spring conductors extending through a hole in the end cover and attached to terminal angle members attached to the outside of the cover.

3. A lock switch according to claim 1 in which the contacts are provided by leaf spring conductors having mutually engaging contact portions within the case, and in which the controller carries a non-conducting plate for separating the contact portions of the conductors or for permitting them to engage.

4. A lock switch according to claim 1 in which the latch plate is pivotally supported by the side wall of the case and is provided with a hook for engaging the latch finger of the controller, the latch plate being urged by a spring toward the latch finger, and in which the latch plate is disengaged from the latch finger by a key operated shaft carried by the controller and extending axially of the case.

5. A lock switch according to claim 1 in which the spring which urges the controller away from the end cover is a helical coil spring having one end retained by a recess in the end cover and the other by a recessed member carried by the controller.

6. A lock switch according to claim 1 in which the latch finger extends into a slot in the side wall of the case to prevent rotation of the controller relative to the case.

7. A lock switch according to claim 1 in which the means carried by the controller for causing the electric circuit to be interrupted across the contacts is a non-conducting plate attachedto a metal bracket attached to the inner end of. the controller and provided with an arm extending into a longitudinal slot in the side wall of the case, said arm also providing the latch finger engageable with the latch plate. a

8. A lock switch comprising a cylindrical, tubular case, a non-conducting cover for one end of the case and carrying terminals on the outside thereof and spring conductors located within the case, a cylindrical controller slidable within thebore of the case and carrying a bracket having a laterally extending arm projecting into a longitudinal slot in the side wall of the case, said arm providing a latch finger, said bracket carrying a non-conducting plate Which is movable between the conductors to separate them or to permit them to complete an electric circuit, a latch pivoted upon the case and rotatable on an axis transverse to the case and having a hook engageable With the latch finger, a spring urging the latch toward the latch finger, a key controlled shaft carried by the controller and carrying means for tripping thelatch, and a spring located between the controller and the end cover for forcing the former away from the latter when the latch is tripped.

In testimony whereof I hereto aflix my signature.

' ALBERT E. KOFFER.