US2170780A - Combination lock ignition switch - Google Patents

Description

22, 1939. E. MASSEY I 2,176,780

COMBINATION LOCK IGNITION SWITCH Filed July 26, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR WITNESS ATTORNEYS Aug. 22, 1939..

E. MASSEY 2,170,780

COMBINATION LOCK IGNITION SWITCH Filed July 26. 193$ 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 22, 1939. E. MASSEY COMBINATION LOOK IGNITION SWITCH Filed July 26, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 y i a 41 3% my? x w 0 1% I 5 m a 01 L121 9 m H. .u w

ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 22, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Emmett Massey, Proctor, Ark., assignor of onehalf to 0, C Pittman, Chatfield, Ark.

Application July 26, 1938, Serial No. 221,403

2 Claims.

This invention relates to combination lock ignition switches and has for an object to provide a device of this character applicable to ignition systems for automotive vehicles and which will embody a novel combination lock to prevent theft of the Vehicle, there being novel means for permanently locking the device to the instrument board so that it cannot be surreptitiouslyremoved to start the vehicle during the owners absence.

A further object is to provide a device of this character having novel mechanism for permitting of the ignition switch being manually operable when the device is unlocked so that the operator will not have to work the combination each time he makes a. step.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which will be formed of a few strong simple and durable parts, which will be inexpensive to manufacture and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a com bination lock ignition switch constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the switch shown in Figure I.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device taken on the line 56 of Figure 8.

Figure 7 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 'il of Figure 6 with parts broken. away.

Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional View taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 2.

Figure 9 is a longitudinal sectional View of the combination lock shaft and parts carried thereby.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the engagement of the lock shaft sleeve with the rear wall of the casing to prevent rotation of the sleeve.

Figures 11, 12, 13, 14, and 16 are cross sectional views of the combination lock switch taken on the respective section lines H-H, I2l2,

[3-43, I4l4, [5-45, i6i6, of Figure 9.

Figure 17 is a detail perspective view showing the bearings of the ignition switch shaft, said bearings having locking notches for locking the shaft against movement and having pins for limiting movement of the shaft.

Figure 18 is a detail perspective view of the bearings of the ignition switch locking shaft and showing the locking groove and stop pin thereof.

Figure 19 is a detail perspective view showing the detachable connections between the casing and one end of the spring carrying bar.

Figure 20 is a detail perspective view of the ignition switch locking shaft and sleeve carried thereby.

Figure 21 is a side elevation of the device with a portion broken away to expose the device which locks the casing of the apparatus through the instrument board of the vehicle.

Figure 22 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the device with the instrument board in section.

Figure 23 is a detail perspective view showing the lugs which look the outer casing of the device to the instrumentboard.

Figure 24 is a detail cross sectional view taken on the line 24-24 of Figure 1.

Figure 25 is a view similarto Figure 24 but showing the parts in unlocked position.

Figure 26 is a detail longitudinal sectional view similar to Figure 6 but showing the ignition switch locked in off position.

Figure 27 is a detail side elevation of the ratchet and dog device for rotating one of the discs of the combination lock to inactive position.

Figure 28 is a detail sectional view showing the ignition locking shaft in locked position.

Figure 29 is a detail sectional view showing the ignition lock shaft, bearing and sleeveon the shaft;

Figure 30 is a fragmentary sectional view of the dog'operating mechanism shown in Figure 1 but showing one of the plungers pushed into operative' position.

Fi ure 31 is a detail side elevation showing the dog releasing plunger.

Figure 32 is a detail longitudinal sectional vie taken on the line 3232 of Figure 31- The casing Briefly the casing of the apparatus is formed. in two parts, an outer casing and an inner casing, these casings being separable from each other to permit detachment of the device from the instrument board after the combination locking mechanism is released by working the combination.

The outer casing comprises side walls l0, a top wall H, a back wall l2 and bottom wall I3. The top wall is provided with a flange I4 at the front, best shown in Figure 23, and in rear of the flange with lugs I5, the flange and the lugs receiving between them the marginal portion of the instrument receiving opening in the instrument board I6. The bottom wall is provided with a front hinged section I1, and this. section is provided also with a flange l8 and with lugs l9 which receive between them the marginal portions of said opening in the instrument board I6, as best shown in Figure 1.

The purpose of the hinged section I! is that the section may be rocked upwardly in the di rection of the arrowhead shown in Figure 21 to permit the hinged section to be disengaged from the instrument board after the inner casing has been removed from the outer casing.

The inner casing comprises side walls 20, a front wall 2| and a rear wall 22, the casing being open at the top and at the bottom. As best shown in Figure 2 the front wall 2| of the inner casing is provided at the top with lugs 23 which engage over the front face of the instrument board beyond the ends of the flange l4 of the outer casing. The front wall 2| is also provided at the bottom with a flange 24 which overlaps the flange IS on the outer casing. As will be presently described when the combination is unlocked the latch 25 shown in Figure 21 may be then turned to withdraw a lug 26 from a notch in the hinged front section of the bottom of the outer casing so that the inner casing may be withdrawn forwardly from the outer casing and thereafter the outer casing may be removed from the instrument board as previously described.

The combination lock shaft and parts carried thereby Referring now to Figure 9, 28 designates the combination lock shaft the same being journaled at the front end in an opening in the front wall of the inner casing and being equipped with a knob 29 through the medium of which the shaft may be turned in either direction. A sleeve 30 is non-rotatably mounted on the shaft and for this purpose the sleeve is equipped with spaced ears 3| which are passed into openings 32 in the rear wall of the inner casing. The sleeve is provided with a collar 33.

A barrel 34 is keyed to the shaft as shown at 35 and is provided with an integral disc' 36 having a notch 31 in the periphery. A barrel 38 is loose on the shaft and is provided with a pin 39 which may be interchangeably received in an annular series of openings 40 in the disc 36. The periphery of the barrel is notched with the exception of a single smooth portion 4| shown in Figure 15. The purpose of the pin 39 is. to permit rotation of the barrel 38 by the disc. 36, and also rotates the next succeeding disc and barrel as will now be described.

A disc 42 is loose on the sleeve 30 and is provided with an annular series of openings 43 to interchangeably receive a pin 44 carried by a barrel 45 shown in Figure 13. The purpose of the pin 44 is to engage the beforementioned pin 39 so that the barrel 45 and disc 42 will rotate as a unit with the shaft 28. The barrel 45 is notched throughout its periphery with the exception of a single smooth area 46.

A disc 4'! is also mounted loose on the shaft and is provided with an annular series of openings 48 to interchangeably receive a pin 49 carried by a drum 50. The purpose of the pin 49 is to engage the pin 44 and look all of the barrels and discs for rotation as a unit with the shaft when the shaft is turned in one direction.

The barrel 50 is provided with notches throughout its periphery with the exception of a single smooth area It will be seen that the discs 42 and 41 are provided with respective notches 52 and 53 similar to the notch 31 in the disc 36. All of these notches are brought into alignment with each other when the shaft 28 is turned through the correct combination as determined by the position of the pins in. the openings in the discs. When the notches are in alignment a rib 54 on a spring pressed lever 55, best shown in Figures 4 and 28, springs into the notches to unlock the ignition locking shaft 56 which will now be described.

The ignition locking shaft and parts carried thereby The ignition locking shaft is. provided with three staggered pins 57, 58 and 59 as best shown in Figures 8 and 28, and is also provided with a cam 50 which when the shaft is unlocked holds the ignition switch shown in Figure 1 at Si, in circuit closing position.

The shaft is also equipped with a sleeve 62, best shown in Figure 20, which is provided with an arm 63 adapted to engage the front wall of the inner casing. A bumper pad 64 receives the thrust of the arm as best shown in Figures 4 and 8. A helical spring 65 is connected at one end to the arm 63, as best shown in Figures 1 and 4, and is connected at the other end to the casing to yieldably hold the arm in contact with the casing. The shaft is equipped on the outer end with a knob 66 best shown in Figures 2 and 6, through the medium of which the shaft may be both rotated and shoved endwise in the bearing 67, shown in Figure 18 and carried by the front wall of the inner casing. As shown in Figure 1 endwise sliding movement of the shaft is resisted by a leaf spring 68 which bears with its free end against the inner end of the shaft and which is secured to a bar 69 best shown in Figure 3, which bar is secured at the ends to the side walls of the inner casing through the medium of a tongue Ill and groove 'H, best shown in Figure 19, this tongue and groove connection of the bar permitting the bar being detached from the side walls so that the parts may be disassembled.

In order to lock the shaft 55 so that the ignition switch 6| will be maintained in open circuit position the shaft is first shoved endwise to withdraw the pin 5'! out of a notch 12 in the bearing 61 shown in Figure 18.

The shaft cannot be turned clockwise because the pin will then engage a stop pin 13 on the bearing. However, the shaft may be turned counter-clockwise and will ride over a cam surface 14 on the sleeve, best shown in Figures 1 and 20, and eventually drop into a notch 75 on the sleeve so that the shaft cannot be turned any further in this direction because of the engagement of the arm 63 of the shaft with the wall of the casing, as. heretofore described. In this position of the parts the cam 69 has been moved to the position shown in Figure 25 to lock the ignition switch 6| in open circuit position.

When the shaft 56 is rotated it will move the pins 58 and 59 to the position shown in Figure 28. The pin 58 it will be observed has been shown as moved away from the hooked end 16 of the spring pressed lever 55 so that the ribs 5 may be lodged against the periphery of the discs 36, 42 and 41. Meanwhile the pin 50 moves into a notch 71 in a plate I8 pivoted to the spring pressed lever 55 and held downward by a spring I0, which spring is shown in Figure 4. The plate I8 is provided at the end with an upturned stem 80 which extends. through an opening in the spring pressed lever 55 and terminates in a head 8| which limits downward movement of the plate I8, under action of the spring I9, by engaging the spring pressed lever 55, as best shown in Figure 4.

Dog operating mechanism for holding the barrels in place after the combination is set Referring now to Figures 4, 5, 1, 6 and 30 it will be seen that a plurality of plungers or push rods. 82, three in number in the present embodiment of the invention, are slidably mounted in openings in the front and rear walls of the inner casing. The push rods are spring pressed forwardly through the medium of leaf springs 83, best shown in Figures 5 and 3, forward movement of the levers being limited by a stop plate 84, best shown in Figure 1, against which a shoulder 85 on each push rod engages. Each push rod is equipped with a plurality of openings 86 adapt-- ed to interchangeably receive a respective pin 8? best shown in Figures 4 and 5. These pins are yieldably held engaged against ears 88 formed on respective angle iron shafts 89 which are terminally provided with gudgeons 90 which are journaled in openings in the side walls of the inner casing.

Each shaft is equipped with a respective dog 9I which is adapted to drop into the notches in the periphery of a respective one of the barrels 38, 45 and 50. The purpose of these dogs is to present an audible switch as the dial is turned a notch so that the operator may count the number of step turns given the barrels to set the combination. Also whenthe desired number of step turns has been given to any barrel the dog holds that barrel in the set position while the shaft may be rotated in the opposite direction to set the next adjacent or succeeding barrel in its desired position to set the combination.

As each push rod 82 is pushed back it is automatically locked at its inner limit of movement through the medium of a respective pawl 92, best shown in Figures 1, 5, 6, 26 and 30. As shown in Figures 26 and 30 the pawl drops into a respective notch 93 in a respective push rod and holds the push rod against being moved outwardly to normal position until the dog is released as will presently be described.

The pawls are pivotally mounted on a shaft 94 and each is provided with an ear 95 to which a respective helical spring 96 is attached at one end, the opposite end of the spring being attached to an ear 91 on the respective shaft 89. The spring has one function of holding the ears 88 against the pins 81 and preventing the dogs 9| from dropping into engagement with the barrels. However, supposing the combination calls for the plunger shown at the bottom of Figure 5 'to be pushed first, then when this plunger is pushed in the pin is moved away from the ears on the respective shaft and the spring 95 then drops the dog 9| into engagement with its respective barrel, in this case barrel number 50. Continued rearward movement of the plunger will obviously move the notch 93 thereof into registration with the respective pawl 92 so that the latter may drop into the notch and lock the push rod at its. rearward limit of movement.

Releasing mechanism for the push rods As best shown in Figures 2, 5, 6, 31 and 32, a release rod 98 having a button 98 on the outer end, is journaled in the front wall of the casing and in a lug 99, on the side wall of the casing, as best shown in Figures 31 and 32. The rod 98 is equipped near the inner end with a laterally disposed boss I which lodges against the lug 99 and limits forward movement of the rod. The boss engages against a trigger IElI when the rod is pushed rearwardly, the trigger depending from a trip rod I02 which is provided at the ends with arms I03 which are pivot-ally secured to the shaft 90. The trip rod I02 is lodged underneath the pawls 92 and thus when the release rod 98 is held rearwardly the trip rod I02 will lift the pawls 92 having been swung upwardly through the medium of the lug I00 pressing the trigger IOI rearwardly. Consequently if a mistake is made in turning the knob 29 to set the combination and it is desired to start again it is simply necessary to push in the button 98 so that the count may be again started.

After all of the push rods have been pushed in and the combination set the push rods are automatically released to be returned to the out er limit of movement. For this purpose a second trigger I04 is fixed to the opposite end of the trip rod I02 from the trigger IOI, as best shown in Figures 6 and 26. One end of a helical spring I is fastened to the trigger I04 and the opposite end is fastened to the front wall of the inner casing, as best shown in Figure 6. The purpose of this spring is to exert a forward pull on the trigger and hold the trip rod I02 against the push rods 82.

As shown best in Figure 6 the cam 00 on the ignition locking shaft is in position to release the ignition switch 6| which in released position is spring pressed to circuit closing position as hitherto explained and best shown in Figure 1. When the cam 60 is in the position just stated it bears against an angular plate I06 pivoted as shown at I01 on the inner casing and which carries a cam-shaped finger I08 that lodges against the trigger I04 to move it against the tension of its controlling spring I05 and lift the trip rod I02 to raise the pawls 02 to release the push rods 82.

At the same time the push rods are released the dogs 9| are disengaged from the barrels so that the barrels may turn. At this time a plate I09, which is hinged on the plate I06 as shown at H0 in Figure 6, and carrying ratchet teeth III is rocked by the plate I06 to engage its ratchet teeth with ratchet teeth I I2 on the initial barrel 50 and move this barrel a step so that the combination is disturbed or upset. For enabling the plate I09 to act with ratchet action on the ratchet teeth of the initial barrel 50 the plate is yieldably passed outwardly from the plate I00 through the medium of a leaf spring I I3, best shown in Figure 7.

For limiting movement of the plate I05 under urge of the cam 60 the plate is provided above its pivot I01 with a stop finger Il which abuts the casing, when the plate is in one position of its movement, the finger engaging against the bottom wall of a slot I I5, best shown in Figure 26,

when the plate is in its other position of pivotal movement.

Shaft and parts carried thereby for operating the ignition switch after the switch has been released by the ignition switch locking shaft The ignition switch operating shaft I I6 extends outwardly from beyond the front face of the casing 2| and is equipped with a knob II'I through the medium of which the shaft may be manually turned to operate the ignition switch 6I manually after the switch has been released as above described.

The shaft II6 has an additional movement in that it may be pushed inwardly against the tension of a spring I I8 best shown in Figure 3.

The shaft H6 is equipped with a pin H9 best shown in Figure 8 which is receivable interchangeably in two obliquely disposed notches I26 and I2I, best shown in Figure 17, and formed in the casing 2|. On opposite sides of these notches are stop pins I22 and I23. To operate the shaft the shaft first must be pushed in against the tension of its spring and then may be selectively moved into engagement with either stop pin and released to drop back into the respective slot at the base of the stop pin for holding the ignition switch in either of its two positions, that is, in open circuit position or in closed circuit position. The switch is moved to said positions through the medium of a cam I24 fixed to the shaft as best shown in Figure 8. Inward movement of the shaft II6 against the tension of its spring is limited by contact of the rear end of the shaft with the rear wall I2 of the outside casing, as best shown in Figure 1.

Mechanism for locking the inside casing and the outside casing together and locking both casings to the instrument board As best shown in Figures 21, 24 and 25, the beforementioned latch 25, which extends exteriorly of the casing is equipped with a shaft I25 which carries a drum I26 having projecting'radially therefrom the beforementioned lug 26 which is engaged through a slot 2'! in the hinged front section of the bottom of the outer casing. The drum I26 also carries an arm I2! having an arcuate finger I28 on the end thereof. A similar arcuate finger I29 projects from the lug 26.

Referring to Figure 24 the shaft 56 is provided with a radially disposed opening I36 and the sleeve 62 thereon is provided with an opening I3 I. Also the shaft I I6 is equipped with'an opening I32 therethrough. As shown in Figure 24 the shaft 56 is in unlocked position, that is, is in the position which it assumes when the ignition switch 6! is in circuit closing position as shown in Figure 1. Now the shaft 56 may be turned about a quarter revolution, in which position it is locked against further rotation, through the mechanism heretofore described, and is in the position which it assumes when the ignition switch 6| is in open circuit position as shown in Figure 26 in which position of the shaft the socket opening I36 is in registration with the opening I 3i in the sleeve.

At this point the combination is operated as previously described in order that the shaft 56 may be subsequently turned. Now, the button II! on the other shaft H6 is turned until the arrow shown in Figure 2 thereon is in registration with the arrow shown on the front wall 2| of the casing. In this position the opening I32 in the shaft I I6 is in registration with the finger I28. Now we again return to the shaft 56 and rotate the button 66 to bring the arrowhead thereon shown in Figure 1 in registration with the arrowhead on the front ofthe casing in which position of the parts both the sleeve 62 and the shaft 56 have been rotated as a unit until the opening I3I and I36 are brought into registration with the finger I29, as best shown in Figure 25.

The latch 25 of the shaft I25 at this time may be turned to allow the finger I26 to enter the opening in the shaft H6 and the finger I29 to enter the opening I36 in the shaft 56 and opening I3I in the sleeve 62, in which position of the parts the lug 26 is retracted from the notch 21 so that the inner casing may be withdrawn bodily from the outer casing. At this point the hinged front portion of the outercasing may be rocked upwardly to disengage the lug I9 from the instrument board and thereupon the casing may be dropped down to disengage the lug I5 from the instrument board at which time the casing may be detached bodily from the instrument board.

Operation Figure 1 shows the parts of the device in the position assumed when the automobile is being driven. In this position the ignition switch 6| may be manually turned off and on at will by turning the shaft I I6 through the medium of the button I II, this shaft carrying the cam I24 which actuates the ignition switch 6|. To lock the device so that the ignition switch cannot be closed by unauthorized persons the button 66 of the shaft 56 is given a partial turn counterclockwise to rotate the shaft to locked position and the shaft cannot again be turned until the knob 29 on the shaft 28 is manipulated to set the combination.

To set the combination, in the present embodiment, the first push rod shown on the left of Figure 2 is pushed in. The push rod 82 is held at its inward limit of movement by the respective dog 92 engaging in a notch 93 in the push rod, and respective pawl 9I on the shaft 89 is released, and drops down onto the respective drum 59. The button 29 is turned until the smooth spot on the drum is felt by the operator who then starts to turn the shaft step by step clockwise to count the first series of numbers of the combination as is customary, the pawl riding from notch to notch in the drum and making an audible click to assist reading of the count. At the end of this count the notch in the drum is in registration with the lug 54 and the pawl holds the drum against further rotation.

Next the second push rod from the left shown in Figure 1 is pushed to its inward limit of movement and the button 29 is now turned counterclockwise while the next series of numbers in the combination are being counted. Then the third and final push rod is pushed in and the knob 29 is again turned clockwise until the final count is made. At this time all three notches in the drums will be in registration with the lug 54 shown in Figures 1 and 4 and the lug may ride up into the notches and unlock the shaft 56 so that it may be rotated to release the ignition switch which immediately is moved by its controlling spring to close circuit position.

The moment the shaft 56 is turned to release the ignition switch the ratchet mechanism shown best in Figures '7 and 27 is moved to impart a step rotation to the initial drum 5!! and disturb the combination so that the next time the shaft 56 is locked to hold the ignition switch in open circuit position the combination must be worked as above described to unlock the device.

When the shaft 56 is turned to unlocked position to release the ignition switch so that it might move to closed circuit position, the push rods 82 are automatically released through the medium of the cam, 60 and plate lllB shown in Figure 6, ready for the next cycle.

If a mistake is made in setting the combination, the push rods may all be manually released at any time by pushing in the release rod 98.

The notch E in. the sleeve limits the turn of the lock shaft in one direction. The lug l3 shown in Figure 18 limits turn of the shaft in the opposite direction. When the shaft is turned to locked position the notch in the sleeve engages a lug on the shaft and at the same time another lug on the shaft becomes engaged with a spring pressed plate in the locking apparatus and the shaft then becomes locked. The ignition is then in open position. In the last mentioned position of the shaft a hole in the sleeve is in alignment with a hole in the shaft. To operate the device then one must set the combination of the lock and when this is done the shaft may be turned to release the ignition switch and at the same time the shaft carries the sleeve, with both holes in line to a point where the holes are in line with one of the fingers shown in Figures 24 and 25. When the shaft is turned to release the ignition switch to close position, the lug 51 drops into the notch 12 shown in Figure 18, and is released from the notch 15 in the sleeve whereupon the sleeve is automatically retracted to its original position through the medium of its controlling spring, leaving the opening in the shaft at one angle and the opening in the sleeve at another angle so that an unauthorized person unfamiliar with the combination, cannot remove the inner casing. To remove the inner casing from the outer casing the combination must be set since there is no other means for bringing the opening in the sleeve and the opening in, the shaft into alignment than by turning the lock shaft to the locked position, and in this position the ignition switch is held open.

One must always work the main combination so as to be able to set the second combination to remove the inner casing from the outer casing.

When the combination is set and the shaft turned to release the ignition switch to a closed position, the same cam which releases the ignition switch also lifts the ratchet device that turns one of the barrels to de-arrange the combination. Another part of the same cam turns against the trigger shown in Figure 6 and this trigger releases the three push rods shown in Figure 5.

Thus one cam performs the function of de-arranging the combination and releasing the push rods.

From the above description it is thought that the construction and operation of the invention will be fully understood without further explanation.

What is claimed is:

1, In combination, an ignition switch, a shaft, combination lock mechanism on the shaft including members having notches therein adapted to be brought into alignment when the proper combination is set by the operator, a pivoted spring pressed plate adapted to spring into the aligned notches, an ignition switch controlling shaft normally locked by said plate to hold the ignition switch in open circuit position and adapted to be released by the plate for manual operation when said plate springs into said notches to permit the ignition switch to be moved to closed circuit position, and means connected to both shafts adapted to disarrange the slots in. the combination lock mechanism when the second named shaft is manually turned to hold the ignition switch in open circuit position and prevent any movement of the ignition switch controlling shaft until the combination is again set by the operator.

2. In combination, an ignition switch, a pair of casings telescopically connected together to be mounted to project to the front and to the back of an instrument board, one of the casings having a hinged section, a latch carried by the other casing projecting over the hinged section and adapted to extend over the instrument board to detachably hold the casings against endwise withdrawal from each other and from the instrument board, a shaft rotatably mounted in the casing, combination lock mechanism on the shaft including members having notches therein adapted to be brought into alignment when the proper combination is set by the operator, a pivoted spring pressed plate adapted to spring into the aligned notches, an ignition switch controlling shaft normally locked by said plate to hold the ignition switch in open circuit position and adapted to be released by the plate for manual operation when said plate swings into said notches to permit the ignition switch to be moved to circuit closing position, means connecting the second named shaft with said latch member and releasing the latch member for manual movement when the combination is set to disengage said latch member from both casings, and a manually operable shaft connected to the latch member for moving the latch member after said means has released the latch member.

EMMETT MASSEY.

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