US2650492A - Lock mechanism - Google Patents

Description

E- N. JGOBI` LOCK MECHANISM sept. 1, 1953 Filed June 20, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Edward JV'. Jfyabl l-, in ilvfr////////' Sept 1 1953 E. N. JACOB! 2,650,492

LOCK MECHANISM Filed June 20, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheer, 2

Patented Sept. 1, 1953 LOCK MECHANISM Edward N. Jacobi, Milwaukee, Wis., assigner to Briggs & Stratton Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Application June 20, 1949, Serial No. 100,258

14 Claims. 1

This invention relates to locks and refers more particularly to locks of the type commonly known as pillar locks which are especially adapted for use with automobile door handles and the like.

In locks of this type the lock assembly is located in the door handle and comprises a rotary cylinder mounted in a sleeve-like casing and having an operating shaft projecting from its rear to transmit rotation of the cylinder to latch mechanism on the door to be actuated. The door handle has an elongated tubular stem on its inner end to receive the operating shaft and the bore of the stem opens to the front of the handle through a counterbore in which the lock cylinder and casing are received.

Ordinarily the lock casing is fixed in the door handle, and in locks of the type here in question a torsion spring is connected with the lock cylinder to exert sufficient torsional force thereon to snap the same to its locked position of rotation.

In the interests of compactness it is desirable to make the sleeve-like casing for the lock cylinder with as thin a wall as possible. However, whenever a thin walled casing is employed, the cooperating rotation stops on the cylinder and the casing must be made relatively small with the result that the torsion spring, in snapping the lock cylinder to its locked position of rotation defined by the stops, causes them to wear rapidly.

Accordingly it is one of the objects of this invention to provide lock mechanism of the character described with a casing formed from a thin walled sleeve and to provide rotation stops which will easily withstand the hammering effect to which they are subjected by the torsion spring of the lock.

More specifically it is an object of this invention to provide a lock mechanism of the character described wherein the cylinder and casing have one set of cooperating rotation stops located adjacent to the front of the lock cylinder and are provided with a set of auxiliary rotation stops adjacent to the rear of the lock cylinder.

Still another object of this invention resides in the provision of a lock mechanism of the character described with cooperating brake parts on the cylinder and lock casing which are brought into engagement as the lock cylinder approaches its locked position for the purpose of slowing the rotation of the lock cylinder under the in-` uence of the torsion spring to thus relieve the shock of engagement between the rotation stops.

the lock cylinder to its locked position of rotation, and wherein a projection on the inner end of the cylinder is caused to ride up an inclined ramp formed on the lock casing as the cylinder approaches its locked position of rotation under the iniiuence of the torsion spring to effect a braking action slowing cylinder rotation and relieving the shock of engagement between thcrotation stops of the cylinder.

A further object of this invention resides in the provision of a lock mechanism of the character described wherein the braking action taking place slightly before engagement of the rotation stops of the cylinder produces relative endwise motion between the cylinder and its casing, and wherein such motion is yieldingly resisted by a recoil spring which tends to increase the effectiveness of the brake by which rotation of the cylinder is slowed.

In pillar locks of the type to which this invention pertains it is also customary to provide a detachable drivingconnection between the lock cylinder and the operating shaft which prevents endwise separation of the shaft from the cylinder except upon tilting of the shaft to a predetermined position at an angle with respect to the axis of the cylinder. Such a detachable connection is shown in Patent No. 2,004,435, issued June 11, 1935, to Edward N. Jacobi. In this patent, however, the driving connection between the operating shaft and the lock cylinder must be established before insertion of the lock cylinder into its casing, the casing holding the operating shaft against detachment when in position encircling the cylinder.

The present invention likewise provides a readily detachable driving connection, of the type described, between the operating shaft and the spring, by which the cylinder is returned to its locked position, out of frictional contact with respect to the casing so as to minimize loss of torque which normally results from rubbing engagement between the torsion spring and the lock casing.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly dened by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one complete example of the physical embodiment; of the invention constructed in accordance with the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a View partly inside elevation and*v partly in longitudinal section and showing the loci: mechanism of this invention in place in a door handle and in its locked position;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional View taken through Figure l along the plane of the line 2 2;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional View taken through Figure l along the plane of the line 33, with the lock mechanismv removed from the door handle;

Figure i is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing the lock cylinder rotated to the position at which detachment of the operating shaft is possible;

Figure 5. is a fragmentary detail view partly in longitudinal section and partly in side elevation illustrating thev manner in which attachment and detachment of the operating shaft is effected;

Figure 6 is a group perspective view of the lock cylinder and the casing therefor along with the torsion spring by which the cylinder is yieldingly maintained in its locked position of rotation;

Figure 7 is a View similar to Figure l but illustrating the lock cylinder rotated to a position at which the rotation arresting brake is about to become effective; and

Figure 8 is a cross sec-tional viewV takenthrough Figure 7 along the plane of the line 8-3 and illustrating the pilot means which insures that the full force of the torsion spring will be employed to return the cylinder to its locked position of rotation.

Referring nowv more particularly to the accompanying drawingsin which like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, the numeral represents the sleeve-like casing for the lock mechanism, and the numeral 6 designates. the lock cylinder which is rotatably received within the front portion. 'I of the casing. The front portion l' of the casing has a relatively thin wall, and has a rearward extension 8 of slightly less diameter. joined thereto and projecting rearwardly beyondthe inner end of the lock cylinder.

At itsv forward end the lock cylinder has an enlargedv head Si of approximately the same diameter as the exterior of the sleeve 1, and a series of arcuate shoulders ISI extending about the circumference of the cylinder immediately behind the enlarged. head 8 thereof are adapted to be engaged by the front edge II of the casing to define the forward limit of the casing on the cylinder.A

A locking member of the side bar type, not shown, normally projects into a longitudinal slot I2 in the side of the sleeve 'I to lock the cylinder against rotation relative to the casing, and this locking member is retractable in a conventional manner by the insertion of a suitable key I3 into. the lock cylinder from the front thereof to free the cylinder for rotation inside the casing.

The inner end of the cylinder has a reduced portion I5 thereon and a pilot I6 at its extremity smaller in diameter than the reduced portion I5. rlhese parts have an axial hole I1 therein into which the forward end of the operating shaft I8 is received to be drivingly connected with the cylinder in a manner similar to that illustrated and described in the aforementioned Patent No. 2,004,435.

Briefly, the driving connection between the forward end of the operating shaft and the lock cylinder comprises a hook-like portion 20 on the shaft which is engaged behind a shoulder 2I projecting inwardly into the hole I'I from the side wall of the extension I5 and pilot I5. The driving connection here illustrated, however, diiers from that of the afore-mentioned patent in that the shaft has a splined connection with the lock cylinder established by the engagement of a longitudinally projecting fin 22 on the forward extremity of the shaft in a longitudinal slot 23 in the wall of the pilot and opening to the extreme rear of the pilot. The slot 23 is substantially diametrically opposite the shoulder 2i behind whichthe hook-like forward extremity '2d of the operating shaft engages. The driving connection between the shaft and the lock cylinder, of course, may be readily established or disconnected upon tilting the shaft'.

to a predetermined angular position with respect to the axis of the cylinder, as shown in Figure 5.

As will be apparent from a consideration of Figure 2, it will be seen that'the connection between the operating shaft and the lock cylinder affords a degree of relative endwise motion between these parts without impairing the eectiveness of the driving connection between them. Some degree of endplay in the cylinder-to-shaft connection is desirable, however, as it assures ease of assembly and detachment of the operating shaft.

The portion 25 of the operating shaft which lies immediately to the rear of the lock cylinder and is encircled 'by the sleeve extension 8 is reduced in diameter to provide a shoulder 26 fac-y ing the rear end of the sleeve extension to prevent rearward sliding of the lock casing off of the cylinder. For this purpose, when the parts are held in coaxial relationship as shown, the shoulder 26 on the operating shaft is adapted to be engaged by diametrically opposite abutments 21 and 28 at therear of the sleeve extension 8. These abutments extendV radially inwardly from the Wall of the sleeve extension and while the abutment 21 is solid, as seen-in Figure 3, the abutment 28 has the central portion thereof removed.

The arrangement of the abutments 2l and 28 is such that they will present surfaces at the inner end of the sleeve extension which will engage with the shoulder 26 on the operating shaft even though the shaft may be tilted at a slight angle to the axis of the lock cylinder prior to assembly of the lock mechanism in the door handle 30. Hence, the casing is maintained assembled on the lock cylinder through the cooperation of the shoulders I0 at the front of the `cylinder with the shoulder 26 on the operating shaft so as to facilitate handling of the lock mechanism prior to its installation. It is important to note, however, that the shoulders IIl and 2S permit limited longitudinal slidingr motion of the casing relative to the cylinder for a purpose to be described shortly.

assurez` With this manner of holding the casing on the` lock cylinder, it is necessary `that the shaft be connected with the cylinderafter` insertion of the cylinder into the casing 5. This `can be effected in only one position of rotation of the cylinder relative to the casing, which position .is shown in Figures 4 and 5.V Y

As here illustrated the lock cylinder isrotated approximately halfway. between its locked and unlocked positions to bring the` cylinder to an intermediate station at which the operating shaft may be tilted upwardly between the opposite abutments 21 and 28 on the sleeve extension and` In locks of the type herein concerned, th

lock cylinder is adapted to be returned with a snap to its locked position after actuation there.

of, by means of a torsion spring 34. In the present instance the torsion spring isreceived inside the sleeve extension 8 on the lock casing and encircles the pilot I6 projecting rearwardly from the inner end of the lock cylinder as well as a cooperating pilot 35 on the sleeve extension projecting forwardly toward the rear end of the lock cylinder. The diameter of the torsion spring is such that its convolutions substantially closely encircle the coaxial pilots I6-and 35; and its length is such that it is received in the space between the rear end I5' of the reduced portion I5 on the lock cylinder and a step 36 0n the inside of the sleeve extension without any compression of the spring.

End hooks 31 and 38 are bent from the front and rear convolutions of the spring to provide for connection of the spring with the cylinder and its casing. For this purpose the reduced portion I5 of the cylinder is provided with a longitudinal slot 39 in its side leading forwardly from the surface I5 against which the -front of the torsion spring abuts to receive the forwardly projecting hook 31 on the spring; while the sleeve exten-` sion is provided with an aperture 40 leading longitudinally rearwardly through the step 36 at the rear of the extension in line with the central cutaway portion of the abutment 28 to receive the rear hook 38 on the spring.

Obviously the angular relationship between the slot 39 and the aperture 4U must be such that the spring is wound up slightly in the locked position of the cylinder shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, so that the spring yieldingly resists rotation of the cylinder out of its locked position and is enabled to exert sufficient torsional force on the cylinder to rotate the same rapidly to its locked position following actuation of the lock mechamsm.

It is important to note that the diameter of the torsion spring is so related to the diameter of the pilots I6 and 35 that the distortion of the end convolutions of the spring resulting from rotation of the lock cylinder toward unlocked position against the force of the spring cannot throw the spring into rubbing contact with the inner wall of the sleeve extension. This is brought about by the engagement of the end convolutions with the exterior of the pilots approximately degrees away from the end hooks of the spring. Attention is also directed to the fact that such engagement between the spring and the pilots is conned to the end convolutions of the spring. 'I'he `intermediate convolutions cannot come into rubbing engagement with the surfaces of` thefpilots, which surfaces convergetoward their adja- -cent ends and are thus somewhat conical. y

Distortion of the` torsion spring which mightA tend to throw it against the inner wall of the sleeve extension duringrotation of the lock `cylinder against the action of the spring is also largely minimized by having the end hooksV 31 and 38 not only bent slightly radially inwardly but by having them also extend at an angleless than 90 degrees to their respective convolutions, as shown best in Figure 6. `When so disposed, the end hooks also preclude such camming action which might tend to compress the spring upon rotation of the cylinder toward unlocked position, and which would cause rubbing togetherof the spring convolutions and consequently interfere with rotation of the cylinder.

Compression of the spring and consequent rub'bing of `its convolutions against one another and against the inner wall of the sleeve exten-A to return the cylinder to its locked position withA a snap action the rotation stops of the cylinder are subjected to unusual hammering; and this;

invention provides novel rotation stops on the cylinder and casing which are capable of with-r standing such hammering. One set of cylinder carried stops is provided by a pair of circumferentially spaced projections 4I and 42 on the exterior of the lock cylinder immediately behind the shoulders Ill. These stops engage in a relatively shallow arcuate recess 43in the bore' of the casing opening to the front edge Il thereof. The ends 44 and 45 of the recess provide cas- I ing carried stop abutments which cooperate with the projections 4I and 42, respectively, to define the locked and unlocked positions of cylinder ro`- p tation.

Both the cylinder carried projections and the casing stops, however, are necessarily relativelyA small because of the thin wall on the casing, and

are alone incapable of long withstanding the substantial force with which they are brought into engagement by the torsion spring. For this purpose auxiliary stops are provided at the rear of the lock lcylinder.

'Ihese auxiliary stops comprise a strong tonguelike rearward projection 46 on the pilot I6, andA cooperating stops 41 and 48 on the pilot 35. The

pilot stops are formed by cuttingaway a front portion of the wall thereof to receive the tongue 48 on the cylinder, and so that the circumferential termini of the cutaway portion which provide the stops 41 and 48 lie in the path of rotation of the tongue 46.

Obviously tongue 46 engages its stop 41 simultaneously with engagement of the projection 4I is adapted to engage pilot simultaneously 7. with engagement of the projection 42 with the remaining. stop 45 at the front of the casing to denne the unlocked position of the cylinder.

The manner. of mounting the lock mechanism inthe door handle and of retaining the mechanism therein is also novel. The handle has. a mainr counterbore 50. in its front to receiveVV the lock mechanism, and the operating shaft I8; projects rearwardly through the bore I of a tubu-` lar stem 52 on the inner end of the handle. The counterbore 50 freely accommodates the front of, the lock mechanism, and has a slightly reduced diameter near the stem 52 to rotatably and slidably receive the reduced casing extension 8.

Theentire lock mechanism is readily secured in thehandle bymeans of a tangent pin 53V inl the stem 52freceived in an annular groove 54 in the operating shaft, as seen best in Figures 1 and 2. Thev pin` 53, in holding the shaft against longitudinal displacement, thus also maintains the cylinder against forward displacement from the' bore in the handle through the driving connection between the shaft and cylinder. Also, as described previously, the casing is held against longitudinal displacement through theA cooperation of the shoulders I0 at the front of the lock cylinder and the shoulder 2G on the operating shaft adjacent to the rear of the casing.

However, the entire lock mechanism is yieldingly urged forwardly to take up any clearance in the. pin connection to the operating shaft and the slack in the driving connection between theshaft and lock cylinder, by means of a compression spring 56 seated in the bottom of the reduced portion of the counterbore and bearing against the rear end of the casing extension 3. This spring forces the casing forwardly, and through engagement between the casing and the lock. cylinder, also serves to push the cylinder forwardly. This draws the operating shaft forwardly along with the cylinder so as to engage the rearmost side Wall of the annular groove 54 with the tangent pin 53, thus holding all of the parts of the lock mechanism against rattling.

According to this invention the spring 56 also serves as a recoil element to cushion the shock incidental to engagement of the rotation stops under the influence of the torsion spring 34. In this respect the compression spring cooperates with a brake which is defined conjointly by the outer extremity of the stop projection 46 on the rear ofthe lock cylinder and an inclined ramp 58 on the casing carried pilot just ahead of the stop 41 which definesthe locked position of the cylinder.

Referringrto Figure 7, it will be observed that.

the stop projection 46 is about to be engaged with the inclined ramp 58 by further rotation of the lock cylinder toward the stop 41 on the casing pilot, and it will be seen that the incline of the ramp 58 is such as to tend to effect forward displacement of the lock cylinder with respect to the handle. Such forward motion of the lock cylinder, of course, is precluded by its connection with the operating shaft I8, and hence the camming eifectproduced by the stop projection riding up the inclined ramp is manifested in a rearward sliding motion of the casingv against the compression spring 56.

Hence it will be seen that the spring 56 not only absorbs some of the shock incidental to return of the cylinder to its locked position, but it also effects good frictional engagement between thev cooperating surfaces on the stop projection 46 and the ramp 58 to produce a braking action immediately in advance of engagement between they rotation stops at the locked position of cylinder rotation. This brake materially slows down the rotation of the cylinder and consequently lessens the hammering effect on the rotation stops which ordinarily would result from their engagement under the influence of the torsion spring.

As noted previously, the lock cylinder is shown in its locked position of rotation in Figures 1 and 2, and it will be noted that the stop projection 46, while engaged with its cooperating stop 41 on the casing pilot has ridden up the ramp 58 and forced the casing. 5 rearwardly against the compression spring, 56 so as to effect a slight separation between the front of the casing and the shoulders l0 at the front of the lock cylinder.

From the description thus far it will be apparent that the casing must be free to slide forwardly and rearwardly in the counterbore of the handle, but it will alsobe realized that thev casing must be restrained against rotation in the handle so that the lock cylinder may be rotated between its lockedY and unlocked positions relative to the casing.

This manner of connecting the casing to the lock handle may be accomplished by any suitable splined connection therebetween, but in the present instance the connection is afforded by engagement of the lugs 21 and 28 at the rear of the casing extension in diametrically opposite notches 6! formed in the front end of a hub 6| on the lock handle projecting axially forwardly from the bottom of the reduced portion of the counterbore and passing inside the compression spring 5'6 into the rear of the casing extension 8. Both the lugs 21 and 28'` as well as the notches -Bll have sufficient longitudinal length as to accommodate the recoil motion of the casing without disengagement of the lugs from the notches 60.

From ther foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that this invention provides an improved lock mechanism for door handles featuring a novel manner of holding the parts of the mechanism assembled prior to installation in the handle; and of providing for protection of the rotation stopsthrough the brake action which is effected immediately prior to engagement of the stops dening the locked position of cylinder rotation. A further highly desirablev feature afforded by the lock mechanism of this invention is the assurance against loss of torque in friction which frequently occurs in locks of this type employing a torsion spring to forcefully return the lock cylinder to its locked position of rotation.

In addition, this invention also materially simplies the installation of the lock mechanism in its mounting member or handle, the whole mechanism being retained in the handle by a single pin passing through the handleV stern and into a groove in the operating shaft.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. In a lock of the character described: a casing comprising a thin-walled sleeve having an arcuate recess in its bore at the front end of the sleeve to define an internal stop at one end of said recess; a lock cylinder rotatable in said sleeve; a stop abutment on the side of the cylinder projecting into said recess in the sleeve and,

engageable with said stop thereof to define the locked position of rotation of the cylinder; a rearward extension on the sleeve; a torsion spring insideisaid sleeve extension and connected with 9, the cylinder and Vextension to bias the cylinder toits lockedposition of rotation; and cooperating auxiliary stops on the cylinder and sleeve extension "eng'ageable simultaneously with engagement of said first designated stops to relieve the same of shock incidental to spring propelled rotation of the cylinder to its locked position.

' 2.fIn a lock of the character described: a sleeve-like casing having ar'eces's inthe front thereof'to define at least one internal stop; a lock cylinder rotatable in said casing; 'a stop abutment on the side of the cylinder projecting into said recess in .the casing and engageable with the stop provided by said recess to define the locked position of rotation of the cylinder; a rearward extension on the casing projecting Abeyond the rear of the lock cylinder; a shoulder in the interior of said casing extension spaced from the rear of the lock cylinder; a torsion spring inside the casing extension and 'confined between the rear of the cylinder and said shoulder on the casing extension; connections between said torsion spring and the cylinder and casing extension whereby the spring biases the cylinder to its locked position of rotation; pilot means encircled by said torsion spring including a rearward projection on the lock cylinder and a cooperating forward projection on the casing extension; and cooperating auxiliary stops on said pilot means engageablesimultaneously with engagement of Vsaid first designated stops to relieve the same-ofshock incidental to spring propelled rotation of the cylinder to its locked position.

3. In a lock of the Ycharacter described: a casing; a lock cylinder rotatable in the casing between `locked and unlocked positions; a spring reacting between the casing and the cylinder and exerting a torsional force on the cylinder capable of rotating the same to its locked position; cooperating stops on the cylinder and casing adjacentA to` opposite ends of the cylinderl for defining 4said lockedV position of the cylinder; and'cooperating means on the cylinder and the casing, including one of said stops, frictionally engageable during spring propelled rotation of the cylinder to its locked position to provide a brake for slowing down the rotation of the cylinder prior to engagement of said stops.

4. In a lock of the character described: a casing; a lock cylinder rotatable in the casing between locked and unlocked positions; a spring reacting between the cylinder and the casing and exerting a torsional force on the cylinder sufficient to effect rotation thereof toward locked position with a snap action; cooperating stops on the cylinder and casing defining the locked position of cylinder rotation; and cooperating parts on the cylinder and the casing frictionally engageable with each other during spring propelled rotation of the cylinder to its locked position to provide a brake for slowing the rotation of the cylinder prior to engagement of said stops.

5. The lock set forth in claim 4 wherein said casing comprises a thin-walled sleeve having an arcuate recess in its bore, one end of which provides an internal stop engageable by a projection on the side of the cylinder extending into said recess to define the locked position of rotation of the cylinder, and wherein said cooperating frictionally engageable parts are located remote from said internal stop in the direction of the cylinder axis.

6. The lock set forth in claim 4 wherein said cooperating frictionally engageable parts comprise a rearward projection on the inner end of the lock cylinder adapted to travel in an arc yduring rotation of the lock cylinder, and an inclined cam-like surface on the casing engageable by said projection on the cylinder as the cylinder approaches its locked position of rotation.

7. In a lock of the character described: a casing; a lock cylinder rotatable in the casing between locked and unlocked positions a rearward extension on the casing projecting beyond the inner end of the lock cylinder; a spring inside said extension reacting between the cylinder and the casing and exerting a torsional vforce on the cylinder suiiicient to effect rotation thereof toward locked position with a snap action; cooperating stops on the inner end of the cylinder and the casing extension engageable with one another to define the locked position of the cylinder; and frictionally engageable surfaces on the inner end of the lock cylinder and said casing extension providing a brake for slowing the rotation of the cylinder under the influence of said spring prior to engagement of said stops.

8. The lock set forth in claim 7 further characterized by the provision of a second set of cooperating stops on the lock cylinder and the casing adjacent to the outer end of the cylinder, said second pair of stops being engageable concomitantly with engagement of the first designated stops.

9. In a lock mechanism of the character described: a lock cylinder; a casing in which the cylinder is rotatably received, said casing and cylinder being relatively axially slidable; cooperating rotation stops on the cylinder and casing defining the locked position of cylinder rotation; a torsion spring acting on the lock cylinder to yieldingly resist rotation thereof out of locked position and for propelling the cylinder to its locked position of rotation from an unlocked position thereof; frictionally engageable surfaces on the cylinder and the casing brought into cooperating 'relationship as the cylinder is spring` propelled toward its locked position of rotation for providing a brake to slow the rotation ofthe cylinder prior to engagement of said stops, said surfaces producing a camming effect` when engaged to produce `relative axial motion in one direction between the cylinder and casing; and a recoil spring for yieldingly resisting relative longitudinal motion between the cylinder and casing in said direction, and for assuring good frictional contact between said surfaces on the cylinder and casing.

10. In a lock of the character described: a mounting member having a bore leading rearwardly therein and communicating with a counterbore in line with the bore and opening to the front of said member; a sleeve-like casing in said counterbore; a lock cylinder rotatable in the casing between limits defining the locked and unlocked positions of the cylinder; an operating shaft rotatably received in said bore with its front end disposed adjacent to the rear end of the lool; cylinder; a rotation transmitting connection between the cylinder and shaft at said ends thereof, said connection including cooperating parts on the shaft and cylinder for precluding relative axial separating motion therebetween; a connection between the shaft and the mounting member for holding the shaft against forward motion in its bore and consequently for precluding forward displacement of the cylinder from the mounting member; a spline-like connection between the casing and the mounting member precluding rotation of the casing but permitting the same to slide axially relative to the mounting member an-d the lock cylinder; a torsion spring connected between the cylinder and the casing for returning the cylinder to the limit of rotation defining the locked position of the cylinder resilient means reacting between the casing and the mounting member to urge the casing axially forwardly in the counterbore; and stop means on `the lock cylinder against which the casing is pressed by said resilient means to preclude forward displacement of the casing from the mounting member, whereby theV force of said resilient means is carried through the lock cylinder to said connection between the cylinder and the shaft as well as to the connection between the shaft and the mounting member to maintain pressure on said connections to preclude rattling of the components of the lock mechanism.

11. YThe lock set forth in claim 10 further characterized by the provision of cooperating camvelements on the cylinder and the casing engageable slightly in advance of return of the cylinder to its locked'position to'produce rearward sliding motion of the casing against the force of said resilient means acting thereon so that said cam elements and said resilient means cooperate to slow the rotation of the cylinder prior to the cylinder reaching its locked position of rotation.

12. The lock set forth in claim 11 further characterized by the fact that said cam elements are formed as part of cooperating rotation stops on the cylinder and the casing.

13. In a lock of the character described: a casing; a lock cylinder rotatable in the front portion vof `the casing between locked and unlocked positions; shoulders on the inner end of the lock cylinder and the rear portion of the casing spaced from but facing one another; pilots on the cylinder and casing projecting toward one another from said shoulders coaxial with the cylinder, said pilots having a substantially frusto-conical shape with their small ends adjacent to one another; and a helically Wound torsion spring connected between the cylinder and casing for yieldingly resisting rotation of the cylinder out of locked position and for forcefully rotating the fcylinder to locked position from an unlocked position, said torsion spring being received inside therear portion of the casing between the cylinder and casing shoulders and having its opposite ends substantially closely encircling the large ends of the pilots which lie adjacent to said `shoulders whereby the .pilots hold the spring against contacting the inside of the casing in consequence -to distortion of .the spring which results from rotating the lock cylinder in the casing.

14. In a lock of the character described: a sleeve-like casing; a lockcylinder rotatable in the front portion of said casing between locked and unlocked positions; cooperating Vstopson the cylinder and the casing at the front thereof defining the locked position of cylinder rotation; a helically wound torsion-spring axially disposed in the rear portion of the casing and connected between the cylinder and the casing to return the cylinder to its locked position of rotation from an unlocked position; axially spaced pilot means on the rear ofthe cylinder and on vthe casing rearwardly vand coaxially ofthe cylinder, and engaged by the end convolutions of the spring to hold said end convolutions coaxial with the cylinder; and cooperating auxiliary stops on the cylinder and theeasi-ng adjacent to the rear of the cylinder engageable simultaneously with engagement of said iirst designated stops to re-A lieve the same of shock incidental to rspring propelled rotation of the cylinder to its locked position. v Y

EDWARD N. 'JACOBL References yCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,742,254 Jacobi Jan."7, 1930 1,947,386 Fraim Feb. 13, 1934 1,965,889 FitzGerald July 10, 1934 2,004,435 Jacobi June 11, 1935 2,105,304 Wagner Jan. y11,1938 2,261,218 Bluemle Nov. 4, 1941 2,433,114 Gray Dec. 23, 1947

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