US2067125A

US2067125A - Combination lock with electrical switch control

Info

Publication number: US2067125A
Application number: US18198A
Authority: US
Inventors: George T Hosking
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1935-04-25
Filing date: 1935-04-25
Publication date: 1937-01-05
Anticipated expiration: 1954-01-05

Description

Jan. 5, 1937. G. T. HosKlNG V 2,067,125

COMBINATION LOCK WITH ELECTRICAL SWITCH CONTROL Filed `April 25, 1955 Fkai,

Patented Jan. 5, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINATION LOCK WITH ELECTRICAL SWITCH CONTROL 6 Claims.

This invention is an electric switch and locking means for preventing surreptitious operation thereof, and is a continuation in part of application Serial No. 666,752, filed April i9, 1933.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a permutation lock so constructed and arranged as to control one or more electric circuits, such for instance as operating circuits of the type commonly installed as standard equipment on motor vehicles. A further object is to provide a circuit control lock so constructed and arranged that short-circuiting of the standard type ignition switch, so as to accomplish surreptitious and unauthorized operation of the vehicle, will be unavailing.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. i is a top plan View illustrating a lock of the character described and claimed in the application for patent above identified, parts of the top of the casing being broken away. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the details of the operating cam for the lock slide bar and the connections between the same and the movable element of an electric switch. Fig. 3 is a detail plan view illustrating the movable and fixed contacts of the switch. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the. application of the switch to the controlling circuits of a motor vehicle.

Referring to the drawing, A designates the casing of a lock such as illustrated in the application for patent above identified. Said lock, which is herein referred to and shown for pur poses of illustration, comprises a rectangular slide bar I9 of skeleton form, which is provided with lugs 23 adapted to fit into complemental recesses Il in the tumbler disks a, b, c. A spring 2| normally urges the slide bar to a forward position, and the front side of the slide bar is preferably offset, as indicated at 24, to provide a slight recess 25 having a convexed surface as shown. In operation, the slide bar is movable against the tension of the spring while the recesses Il are in register with the lugs 23. The lock is held against such movement while the disks a, b and c are in adjusted positions with the recesses il, out of alinement with the lugs 23. Permutation means is provided to control the position of the disks and to accomplish relative adjustments of the parts to accomplish different combinations, all of which is clearly set forth in the application Serial No. 666,752, and need not be described in detail here.

Preferably located within the casing A is a (Cl. ZOO- 43) master-switch S, which in turn is mounted in a casing 3Q of di-electric material, said casing being preferably constructed of two separable parts which are normally held in abutted relation by suitable bolts in a manner well understood in the switch art. Extending upwardly from the top of the switch casing is a sleeve 3i, in which is rotatably mounted a cam shaft 32, provided at its upper end with an enlargement or head 33, in which is secured an operating handle 311, To the lower end of the shaft 32 is secured a radially disposed cam arm 35, the outer end of which extends through a slot in the casing, at a position to engage the offset portion 24 of the slide bar IS. The end of said cam arm is provided with a point Sii so as to engage the surface 25, and a suitable spring-washer 3l is provided to maintain a tension on the shaft.

In the lower part of the casing 36 is mounted a stud 38 in axial alinement with the cam shaft 32 but spaced therefrom, the lower portion of said stud being projected through the casing and provided with a threaded terminal, whereby it may be connected to a main cable 39 having branches leading to the starting motor, ignition, etc., which normally control the starting and operation of the motor vehicle engine. Pivotally mounted on the stud 38 is a movable switch arm dii, which is complemental to a fixed contact lli projecting into the casing Sil, which may be of any desired construction. As shown, it consists of a threaded socket to which may be connected the cable lllEL leading from a suitable source of electrical energy, such as the usual storage battery B. The fixed contact 4l is so positioned that it lies in the path of movement of the free end of the switch arm 40, and said switch arm is connected with the cam arm 35 by means of a coil spring 42.

In operation, with the parts in locked position, the outer pointed end of the cam arm 36 engages the surface 25 of the oset portion 24 of the slide bar, so that the camA arm cannot. be moved until the slide bar is released. In moving the cam member to this position by means of the handle 34, the pull upon the spring 4.2 will move the switch arm 4i! out of engagement with its fixed contact by a snap action. v

While the parts are in such positions, therefore, it is impossible to= move the cam arm toy such a position as will bring the switch contacts into closed engagement, because the locking lugs 23 are engaged with the peripheries of the disks. The arrangement of the spring i2 is such that as the cam arm is moved by manual rotation of the shaft 32, said spring moves to one side or the other of the dead center, as the case may be, and exerts a pull on the movable Contact 40, which results in a snap action. In order to close the switch, it is first necessary to manipulate the tumbler disks so as to release the slide bar and free it for movement against the tension of the spring 2|. As soon as the proper adjustment of the locking mechanism has been made, rearward movement of the slide bar is accomplished by manually rotating the cam shaft 32 in a` direction to bring the end of the cam against the convexed surface 25, the effect of which engagement is to impart a forced rearward movement to theslide bar against the tension of its spring 2l. As the free end of the cam arm moves the spring i42 across the dead center, the switch arm 40 is snapped into engagement with the fixed contact, thereby closing the circuit. While the switch is in circuit closed position, the tumbler disks are not disturbed, and therefore the lugs 23 and recesses Il are always so positioned that free movement of the cam shaft is permitted, and therefore the switch is free for operation. To break the circuit and lock the switch, it is only necessary to rotate the cam shaft in the reverse direction so as to move the switch arm 39 out of engagement with the xed contact. Just as soon as the cam arm reaches a position which, will accomplish this adjustment, the pressure oi' the cam arm upon the slide bar is relieved and the spring 2| will move the slide bar forwardly, after which the tumbler disks may be rotated to move the recesses Il out of register with the lugs 23, thereby again locking the slide bar. In this manner, the parts are positively locked until the tumbler disks are again adjusted to the predetermined positions for which they are set to release the slide bar.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 4, a speciflc application of the invention is shown for the purposes of illustration. It will be observed that the main switch S is by-passed by a grounded circuit :c controlled by a manually operated switch located at the instrument board. Leading from the fixed contact 4| is a circuit :1:1 leading to the starting motor SM. Leading from said fixed contact 4| is another circuit x2, which is provided with several branches, one of which, 3:3, leads to the lighting switch LS, which controls the head lights, the horn, the tail light, and the stop light in a well known manner. Another branch :c4 leads to the generator in the usual manner.

Also connected with the main xed contact 4| is a branch circuit m5, which leads to the distributor and the spark plugs, said circuit being controlled by a manual switch m6 on the dash board in the usual manner. Obviously, as long as the circuit is broken at the main switch S, no current will ow to any of the various instrumentalities and mechanisms which are normally supplied from the battery B.

By placing the standard type ignition switch :r6 of the motor vehicle between the fixed contact 4| and the various circuits above described, which are normally controlled by said switch, it is obvious that a mere short-circuiting of the ignition switch, which is a common` method of' surreptitiously starting a motor vehicle, will bei unavailing, because the line will be dead between the ignition switch and the fixed contact 4|. Therefore, it would be impossible to shortcircuit the system while the main switch` S is in open circuit position, because any one attempting to do this would be obliged to make a complete wiring back to the battery; otherwise the generator output would blow every light.

The advantages of the invention will be under stood by those skilled in the art to which it belongs. For instance, it is obvious that a very simple and inexpensive masterswitch-control is provided for electric circuits, and which possesses peculiar and especial advantage in connection with the operating circuits of a standard motor vehicle. An important advantage is that it is practically impossible to by-pass the switch surreptitiously by any of the known methods of short-circuiting the standard type ignition switch.

Having thus explained the nature of the invention and described an operative manner of constructing and using the same, although without attempting to set forth all of the forms in which it may be made, or all of the forms of its use, what is claimed is:-

1. The combination with a laterally movable slide bar, yieldable means for normally urging said slide bar in a lateral direction to a predetermined forward position, a pivoted cam member having a free end so positioned as to normally engage the forward side of said slide bar, means for releasably locking said slide bar against rearward movement away from the axis of said cam member in such manner as to nor mally prevent pivotal movement of the cam member, and means for moving the cam inember, of an electric switch having a movable Contact pivotally mounted on an axis which coincides with the pivotal axis of said cani member, and means connected with the cam member for actuating said movable contact, said slide bar being movable rearwardly from its normal forward position and against the tension of said yieldable means, by pivotal movement cf the cam member while the slide bar is unlocked.

2. The combination with a laterally movable slide bar, yieldable means for normally urging said slide bar in a lateral direction to a predetermined forward position, a rotatively supported cam shaft spaced forwardly from said slide bar, a cam member mounted on said shaft and movable therewith, said cam member having a free end normally engaging the adjacent side of said slide bar, means for releasably locking said slide bar against rearward movement away from said shaft in such manner as to normally prevent rotative movement of the shaft, and means for moving said shaft, of an electrical switch having a movable contact pivotally mounted on an axis which coincides with the axis of said shaft, and means connected with said cam shaft for actuating said movable contact, said slide bar being movable rearwardly from said cam shaft and against the tension of its yieldable means, by pivotal movement of the cam member while the slide bar is unlocked.

3. The combination with a laterally movable slide bar, yieldable means for normally urging said slide bar in a lateral direction to a predetermined forward position, a rotatively supported cam shaft spaced forwardly from said slide bar, a cam member secured to said cam shaft and extended radially therefrom, its outer end being free, and normally engaging said slide bar, means releasably locking said slide bar .against rearward movement away from said shaft, and means for operating the shaft, of an electric switch having a movable contact pivotally mounted on an axis which coincides with the axis of said shaft, and a resilient connection between the cam member and the movable switch member, said slide bar being movable rearwardly from said cam shaft and against the tension of said yieldable means, by pivotal movement of the cam shaft while the slide bar is unlocked.

4. The combination with a laterally movable slide bar, yieldable means for normally urging said slide bar in a lateral direction to a predetermined forward position, a rotatively supported cam shaft spaced forwardly from said slide bar, a radially disposed cam arm secured to said shaft and having its outer end in normal engagement with said slide bar, and operating means secured to the other end of said shaft, of an electric switch having a movable contact extending radially from an axis which coincides with the axis of said shaft, a coil spring connecting said cam arm and said switch arm, said slide bar being movable rearwardly from said cam shaft and against the tension of said yieldable means, by pivotal movement of the cam shaft while the slide bar is unlocked.

5. The combination with a laterally movable slide bar, yieldable means for normally urging said slide bar in a lateral direction to a predetermined forward position, a rotatively supported cam shaft spaced forwardly from said slide bar, a cam member having one end secured to said shaft and the other end spaced radially therefrom and in normal engagement with the adjacent side of said slide bar, and means for operating said shaft, of an electric switch having a fixed contact consisting of a threaded shell member and a movable contact consisting of an arm having one end pivoted on an axis which coincides with the axis of said shaft, and resilient means connecting said cam arm and the movable switch member, said slide bar being movable rearwardly away from the cam shaft and against the tension of said yieldable means, by pivotal movement of said cam arm while the slide bar is unlocked.

6;. The combination with a laterally movable slide bar, yieldable means for normally urging said slide bar in a lateral direction to a predetermined forward position, a cam member pivotally supported at one end and having the other end in engagement with said slide bar, and means for imparting pivotal movement to said cam member, of a contact stud located below the cam member and provided with a threaded extension for engagement with a conductor, a movable contact member pivoted to said stud, a fixed contact member of shell form adapted to be connected with another conductor, and means operatively connecting said movable contact member with said cam member, said slide bar being movable rearwardly away from the pivotal support of the cam member, by pivotal movement of said cam member While the slide bar is unlocked.

GEORGE T. HOSKING.