US2959238A

US2959238A - Coincidental door locking apparatus for an automobile

Info

Publication number: US2959238A
Authority: US
Inventors: John W Dyer; Richard L Sprague
Original assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
Current assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
Priority date: 1959-09-28
Filing date: 1959-09-28
Publication date: 1960-11-08
Anticipated expiration: 1977-11-08

Description

Nov. 8, 1960 J. w. DYER EIAL COINCIDENTAL DOOR LOCKING APPARATUS FOR AN AUTOMOBILE Filed Sept. 28, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

TTOPIVEI Nov. 8, 1960 .1. w. DYER EIAL 2,959,238

comcmaum. DOOR LOCKING APPARATUS FOR AN AUTOMOBILE Filed Sept. 28, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 HHII IL A TTOP/VE Y Nov. 8, 1960 J. w. DYER ETAL COINCIDENTAL DOOR LOCKING APPARATUS FOR AN AUTOMOBILE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 28, 1959 United States Patent 'COINCIDENTAL DOOR LOCKING APPARATUS FOR AN AUTOMOBILE John W. Dyer, Pendleton, and Richard L. Sprague,

Anderson, Ind., assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 28, 1959, Ser. No. 842,723

8 Claims. 01. 180-82) This invention relates to vehicle door locking means, and more particularly to coincidental door locking apparatus for an automobile.

Each door of an automobile conventionally is provided with a door latch, each of which can be independently locked manually from inside the automobile, preferably by means of a garnish molding button. In addition, each front door can be locked from the outside by means of a key, and many automobiles also incorporate a keyless locking feature whereby, upon depression of the garnish molding button when the door is open and subsequent operation of the outside push button as the door is being closed, the door will be locked as the occupant leaves the vehicle.

This invention relates to improved coincidental lock operating means whereby more than one door can be locked and unlocked in a single operation.

An important feature of the invention is that it provides switch means whereby the driver can choose among three types of operation of the coincidental lock operating means, these three types of operation being identified as manual, semi-automatic, and automatic.

When manual operation is selected, all door locks are controlled by the front door inside lock operating means (garnish molding buttons in the apparatus illustrated) or by the front door outside key locks. The system is so arranged that a warning light comes on if a rear door is unlocked when the transmission selector lever is placed in a drive position, as drive, low, or reverse in a conventional type of automatic transmission. The rear door locks are capable of individual manual operation without effect on the other doors. In the event one or more doors are unlocked when the transmission selector lever is in a drive position, relocking is accomplished by raising a front door garnish molding button or operating key lock to unlock all doors, and then lowering the button or turning the key to relock all doors.

When the semi-automatic type of operation is selected, all doors are locked by operation of the front inside or outside lock operating means. Simultaneous unlocking of the doors may be accomplished only when the transmission selector lever is in a neutral position, as park or neutral in a conventional type of automatic transmission. The rear door locks are independently individually operable as in the manual system. Relocking an unlocked door when the transmission selector lever is in a drive position is accomplished by raising a front door garnish molding button to operate a switch which is connected thereto and then lowering the button to relock the doors. The locked doors will not become unlocked during this operation.

If automatic operation is selected, the front door garnish molding buttons or the front door key locks control all door locks so long as the transmission selector lever is in park or neutral. When the transmission selector lever is placed in a drive position, all doors are automatically locked and the lever must' be moved back to a neutral position in order to unlock any door.

Among other features of the invention, it incorporates time delay means which operate after a predetermined lapse of time to disconnect the system from the power source, thus avoiding the expenditure of power except during the short periods of time when coincidental locking and unlocking actually occur. In the event of power failure, the system is under manual 'control as in conventional automobile door lock arrangements. The improved system operates through lock and unlock solenoids in each door, each of these solenoids being so located that it is relatively invulnerable to the effects of inertia during rapid acceleration and deceleration of the automobile.

Other features of the improved arrangement are that in the event one of the door lock manual control means (that is, one of the garnish molding buttons in the type of system shown in the drawings) gets in the opposite lock condition from the condition of the other doors through manual operation, it will not be moved to the other lock condition upon automatic operation, but will fall into step with the rest of the system. Manual operation of either front door lock does not require as much force as is necessary to lock the door in a conventional manual system because during manual operation of either of the front door garnish molding buttons or either front door key lock, electrical contact is made so that the solenoids take over and complete the operation after the exercise of only enough manual force as is necessary to bring the parts into an intermediate position where the electrical circuit is completed. Also, our improved system is so arranged that it will not machine gun unless one control button is held up and one is held down throughout a complete cycle. In such an event, the system will machine gun at the relatively slow rate of approximately one cycle per second.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and from the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a partial side elevational view of a 4-door automobile having the improved coincidental door locking system incorporated therein, the basic components of the locking arrangement being shown inside each door in broken lines;

Fig. 2 is an isometric view, partly broken away, of the front door latch of Fig. 1, together with the operating solenoids therefor;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view showing the rear door locking apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the switch unit of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic representation of the coincidental lock operating apparatus.

Latch structure Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the reference character 10 designates generally an automobile having a front door 12 and a rear door 14. As is conventional, the opposite side of the automobile is provided with similar front and rear doors. Each door carries between its inner and outer panels a door latch which may be similar to the latches shown and described in detail in Patent 2,871,049, which issued on January 27, 1959, to S. D. Cockburn, et al., and which is assigned to the assignee of this application. In the front door this latch is designated generally as 16 and in the rear door the latch is designated generally as 18. The front door latch may be operated from outside the automobile by a push button assembly 20 slidably carried in a fixed gripping handle 22 which is mounted on the outer door panel. From the inside the door may be operated by a turn handle 24 which is connected by a rod 26 to the latch. Locking and unlocking may be accomplished from the outside by a conventional keyoperated cylinder which is carried in the push button 20. From the inside the door may be locked and unlocked by a garnish molding button 28 which is connected to the latch by a rod 30.

Similarly, the rear door latch 18 maybe operated from the outside by a push button assembly 32 which is slidably mounted in a fixed gripping handle 34 secured to the vouter panel of the door 14. A turn handle 36 is mounted on the-inner panel of the door and is connected to the latch by a rod 38 for operation of the latch from inside the automobile. In the rear door there is usually no outside key-operated lock and the only means for locking the door is a conventional garnish molding button 40 which is connected by a rod 42, a switch 43 and a rod 45 to the door latch 18.

. Figure 2 shows the front door latch in perspective. The latch comprises a frame. designated generally as 44 andhaving a base portion 46 which, when the latch is mounted in-the door, lies closely adjacent and parallel to the jamb face of the door. A right angle flange portion 48 of the frame lies adjacent and parallel to the inner door panel and carries certain of the latch operating parts. The latch includes a rotary bolt 50 formed generally as a. gear and adapted to cooperate with complementary teeth in a striker which is mounted on the body. The striker isnot shown but it may be similar to the striker shown and described in Patent 2,871,049. The bolt 50 is fixedly mounted on a bolt shaft 52 which extends through and is rotatable in the base 46 of the latch frame. On the opposite surface of the frame from the bolt, there is a cam or ratchet member 54 which is also fixedly mounted on the shaft 52 so that the bolt 50, shaft 52, and ratchet 54 are effectively an integral unit. 1

'The bolt assembly 50, 52, 54 is held against rotation in a door opening direction to retain the door in latched position with the bolt teeth in engagement with the corn plementary striker teeth by a detent 56 which is pivotally mounted on a stud 58 extending from the latch frame. A spring 60 is'coiled about the stud 58 and has one end hooked into the detent to urge the detent into engagement with the ratchet 54, and when the detent engages the ratchet as shown in Figure 2, the bolt assembly is held against rotation in a counterclockwise direction so that the door is latched and cannot be opened. Since the ratchet teeth each has a sloping back side, the detent is cammedout of the way when the door is being closed and thebolt rolls over the striker teeth in a door closing direction.

Means for operating the detent from outside the automobile comprises a detent release lever 62 which is pivot ally mounted at 64 on the latch frame and which is urged toward a normal retracted position by the other end of the spring 60 which is hooked over the end of the release lever. At its free end, the release lever has a flange 62a bent therefrom at right angles for engagement by the push button 20 so that upon operation of the push button from outside the automobile, the release lever is swung in a clockwise direction as the parts appear in Figure 2. An intermittent link 66 is pivotally mounted at 68 on the release lever 62 and has an arm 66a which is adapted to engage one arm 70a of a multi-arrned multiplier lever 70 which is pivoted on the latch frame at 72. Another arm 70b of the multipler lever is connected to the detent so that when the push button 20 is pushed in, the multiplier lever is picked up by the intermittent link 66 and moved in a clockwise direction to swing the detent 56 in a counterclockwise direction out of engagement with the ratchet 54 to permit free rotation of thebolt, assembly in a door opening direction. The door may now be pulled open, the both teeth riding over the complementary teeth of the striker.

For inside operation, there is a remote lever 74 pivotally mounted at 76 on the flange portion f the fr me.

This lever is connected to the rod 26 which, as shown in Fig. 1, is connected at its other end to the turn handle 24. Operation of the turn handle will pull on the rod 26 to swing the remote lever 74 in a counterclockwise direction so that a finger 74a on this lever which overlies a third arm 700 of the multiplier lever '70 will pick up the multiplier lever and swing the detent out of engagement with the ratchet 54.

The door latch illustrated'is adapted to be locked against outside operation by uncoupling the intermittent link 66 from the multiplier'lever 78 so that upon operation of the push button 20, the intermittent link merely free wheels and does not move the multiplier lever 70 or the detent 56. Even though the door is locked against outside operation it is never locked against inside operation since the remote lever '74 is always coupled to the multiplier lever 70.

In order to lock the doortfrom the outside, there is a rock lever 78 which is pivotally mounted at 80 on the latch frame and which terminates at its outer end in a flange 78a which is received in the bifurcated end of a member 82 which is connected to and moved by the key cylinder in conventional and well known manner. When a proper key is inserted into the key cylinder and turned, the member 82 is moved to swing the rock lever 78 about its pivot'80. A link 84 is connected to the inner end of the rock lever 78 and extends upwardly where it is connected to a 'shiftable locking member 86 which is pivotally mounted at 88 on the flange portion 48 of the latch frame. The lockingmember 86 has bifurcated arms 86a and 8612 which receive between them a flange bent from the end of a second arm 66b of the intermittent link 66, When the key is turned the rock lever 78 is swung to .pult down on the link 84 and swing the locking member 86 in a counterclockwise direction. The bifurcated arms pick up the intermittent link and swingtit downwardly so that its coupling arm 66a is out of the way of the multiplier lever, and when the push button 28 is operated the inter mittent link merely free wheels and does not pick up the multiplier'lever. An overcenter spring 90 yieldably holds the locking member 86 in eitherlocked or unlocked position.

Locking from the inside is accomplished through the garnish molding button 28 which is connected to the lock ing member 86 through the rod 30 and through a'lever 92 which is pivoted on the flange 48 of the latch frame and is coupled by a tab 92a to the locking member 86. Depression of the garnish molding button 28 pushes-down on the rod 30' and swings the lever 92 in a clockwise direction. This in turn picks up the locking member 86 and swings it in a counterclockwise direction to swing the intermittent linkdown out of coupling engagement with the multiplier lever and lock the door.

Asjexplained more fully in Patent 2,871,049, the latch shown in Figure 2 has an undogging feature, whereby, if thengarnish molding -button 28'is depressed to place the latch'parts in locked position while the door is'open and the door is then closed, the latch parts will be returned to their unlocked position so thatthe operator of-the automobile will not inadvertently lock himself out of the car should he leave the keys in the ignition. On the other hand the latch is soarranged that ifdesired the door can be locked without a key upon the performance of a conscious act ,bythe'operator. The undogging function is accomplished by inter'engagement of an abutment 66s on the intermittent link 66 with a complementary abut-- ment 56a on the detent. When the latch parts are in locked position, the intermittent link 66 is swung clockwise from the position shown in Figure 2 so that the abutment 66c lies closely adjacent the detent abutment 5.6a. When'the door'i's closed with, the parts in thisposi-. tion, .the detent is cammedzoverthe sloping back side of one or moreof the ratchet teeth, pivoting the detent in a counterclockwise direction so that the detent abutment 56a picksup'the intermittent Elink abutment 66c and swings.

the intermittent link 66 counterclockwise past a point where the overcenter spring 90 takes over and completes the movement of the parts back to unlocked position. On the other hand, should the operator consciously desire to lock the door without the use of a key, he merely pushes down on the garnish molding button 28 when the door is open and while the door is being closed he pushes in on the push button 20. This latter operation shifts the release lever 62 and the intermittent link 66 to the right in Fig. 2 so that the intermittent link abutment 66c is out of the path of movement of the detent abutment 56a. When the door is closed with the parts in this position, there is no undogging action to shift the latch parts back to unlocked position.

In order to accomplish the coincidental locking which is the subject of this invention, there is a locking solenoid 100 and an unlocking solenoid 102 connected through a lever arrangement to the lever 92. A rod 104 extends from lever 92 to a rock lever 106 which is pivotally mounted at 108 on a bracket in the door. The rock lever 106 is connected on one side of its pivot to the armature 102a of the solenoid 102 and is connected on the other side of its pivot 108 to the armature 100a of the solenoid 100.

The connection between the respective solenoid armatures 100a and 102a and the lever 106 is made by means of an open-ended slot in each of the armatures into which an end of the rock lever 106 is loosely received. Vinyl tubing as shown at 106a is mounted on each end of the lever to reduce the noise of impact. As shown in Fig. 2, the solenoids are mounted with the plungers hanging down to reduce the possibility that dirt and moisture will jam the moving parts. Since the latch parts are aided in movement between locked and unlocked positions by the overcenter spring 90, the

solenoids

100 and 102 are so located and arranged that their plungers carry the lever 106 just past a center position. The door locking parts complete their travel under the influence of the overcenter spring 90.

Solenoid 100 is the locking solenoid and upon energization of the solenoid, its armature 100a is moved downwardly to swing the link 106 in a counterclockwise direction, moving the rod 104 downwardly and swinging the lever 92 in a clockwise direction and the locking member 86 in a counterclockwise direction to place the latch parts in locked position. Conversely, when the unlocking solenoid 102 is energized, its armature 102a moves downwardly, swinging the rock lever 106 in a clockwise direction and moving the latch parts to unlocked position.

Figs. 3 and 4 show the apparatus which is mounted in the right rear door 14. The rear door latch 18 is substantially identical with the front door latch 16 which has been previously described. The principal differences in the construction of the latch are, first, the omission of the outside key locking apparatus; and, second, the provision of a so-called selective free wheeling arrangement. The latch parts which are mounted on the body portion of the frame facing the jamb face of the door are identical with the front door latch described above.

As is more fully disclosed in Patent No. 2,871,049, on the flange portion of the latch frame, the rear door latch has a locking member 120 pivotally mounted at 122 and having bifurcated arms 120a and 12Gb which straddle an arm 12212 of an intermittent link which is similar to the intermittent link 66 of Fig. 2. Upon counterclockwise swinging movement of the locking member 120, the intermittent link is swung downwardly to a free wheeling or door locked position as described in connection with Fig. 2. An overcenter spring 124 yieldably holds the locking member 120 either in locked or unlocked position.

As in the front door latch 16, the rear door latch 18 has a detent operating multiplier lever with an arm 1260 which underlies a remote lever 128. One of the difierences between the rear door latch and the front door latch is that the remote lever is not connected directly to the remote operating rod 38, but instead the rod 38 is connected to a selective free wheeling lever 130 which is pivoted coaxially with the remote lever at 132. A free wheeling selector rod 134 is connected between the locking member and the levers 128 and 130, being held in a selected position by a spring 136. With the rod 134 in the position shown, the levers 128 and 130 are tied together only when the locking member 120 is in door unlocked position as illustrated. Now, if the inside handle 36 is turned, both levers 128 and 130 are swung in a counterclockwise direction and the lever 128 picks up the multiplier lever arm 126C to swing the detent out of engagement with the bolt ratchet. On the other hand, if the locking member 120 is swung in a counterclockwise direction to place the latch parts in locked condition as described in connection with Fig. 2, the rod 134 moves down adjacent the horizontal portion of an L-shaped slot 130a in the lever 130. With the parts in this position, the lever 130 may swing relative to the lever 128, and when the inside operating handle 36 is turned, only the lever 130 moves and the door cannot be opened by operation of the inside handle. If desired, the rod 134 and spring 136 can be moved upwardly by a proper tool so that the lower end of the rod 134 never is in alignment with the horizontal portion of the slot 130a and the levers 128 and 130 are tied together regardless of whether the parts are in locked or unlocked position. Under this condition of operation, the rear door can always be opened by the inside handle.

The locking member 120 is connected to the garnish molding button 40 through the rod 45, the switch 43, the rod 42 and a bell crank 137, the vertical movement of the garnish molding button being translated into horizontal movement of the

rods

42 and 45 by the bell crank. When the garnish molding button is depressed, the locking member 120 is swung in a counterclockwise direction to lock the door.

For coincidental operation of the locking means, there is a locking solenoid 140 and an unlocking solenoid 142 which are mounted in the door below the door latch and which are connected to the mechanical locking means of the door latch by means including a bell crank 144 which is pivoted on the latch frame and is connected at one end to the locking member 120 and at the other end to a rod 146. The other end of the rod 146 is connected to one end of a rock lever 148 which is pivoted at 150 and which is connected by a slot arrangement similar to the structure of Fig. 2 to the armatures of the respective locking and unlocking

solenoids

140 and 142.

Fig. 4 shows the internal construction of the switch 43. The rod 42 extends through the switch casing and its end is peened or otherwise secured to the base of a cup-shaped outer casing 152 of the switch 43. An insulating washer 153 is mounted in the other end of the casing 152 and holds spaced

contacts

154 and 156, each of which carries a connector extending out of the casing. An inner cupshaped casing 158 is slidable in the outer casing 152. At its open end, the inner casing has an insulating washer 160 into which a ring of conductive material 162 is inlaid. The washer 160 is slidable in the casing 158 and is retained in the casing by an inwardly turned annular flange 158a at the open end of the casing. A spring 164 yieldably urges the washer 160 against the flange 158a and a smaller spring 166 is seated between the two insulating

washers

153 and 160. The rod 45 is connected by pins 45a and 45b to the base of the inner casing 158. If the garnish molding button 40 is depressed, the switch will not be closed because the entire switch unit will move as the rod 42 is pulled to the right in Figs. 3 and 4. On theother hand, when the garnish molding button is lifted, the

switch closes against the force of spring 166 and the con--

tacts

154 and 156 are shorted by the conductive ring 162..

This condition is maintained until the door unlocking solenoid takes over the unlocking operation, at which time the ring 162 is moved out of shorting engagement with the *7

contacts

154 and ,156, as the unlocking solenoid pulls on meted 45.

coincidental lock operating means Referring to Fig. 5, the components of the coincidental lock operating circuit include a battery 200 which may be theusual automobile battery. A double pole, double throw switch 202 is arranged to be operated by the transmission selector lever in a manner similar to the switch disclosed in the copending application of Adams et al., ,entitled Automobhe Door Latching System, which was filed March 25, 1957, as Serial No. 648,209, and which was assigned to the assignee of this application. This switch is so arranged that it completes one circuit when the transmission selector lever is in a drive position (as drive, low or reverse in a conventional automatic transmission) and the switch completes another circuit when the transmission selector lever is in a neutral position (as park or neutral in a conventional automatic transmission).

A switching unit designated generally as 204 comprises asolenoid-operated combination switch including a solenoid coil 204a, a pair of ratchet type reversing switches 204i; and 2040, and a pair of switch contacts 204d. The contacts 204d are arranged to close when the solenoid is energized and the ratchet type reversing switches 20411 and 204s are arranged to be operated by the release move ment of the spring loaded solenoid plunger. The revers ing switch 204b is connected to the solenoid coil 20411 through a self-closing circuit breaker 204:: which may be of the type conventionally used to control automobile turn signal flasher devices. This circuit breaker is normally closed. In the operation of the switching unit 204 when a circuit is closed through the reversing switch 20411, the solenoid is energized and its plunger moves to close the normally open switch contacts 204d. After a predetermined time delay which is inherent in the operation of the normally closed circuit breaker 2042, the circuit breaker opens and the circuit to the solenoid coil 204a is broken. The spring-pressed solenoid plunger is released, opening the switch contacts 204d and causing the ratchet type reversing switches to operate to their opposite position. With the parts in this position, the switching unit will operate again if a circuit is closed through the other terminal of the reversing switch 204b. The switch contacts 204d are connected to the reversing switch 2040 so that a circuit is closed whenever the solenoid coil 204a is energized to one of two terminals depending upon the position of the movable armature of the reversing switch 204c. This circuit is broken when the circuit breaker 204a operates approximatelyone second after initial energization.

The reference character 206 designates a rear door safety relay which has a coil 206a and a pair of contacts 206!) which are held open when the coil is not energized by a spring 206a. When the coil 206a is energized, the contacts 2061) connect the locking solenoids in each door directly to the battery. As pointed out earlier, each door mounts a locking solenoid and an unlocking solenoid, the right front door carrying locking solenoid 100 and unlocking solenoid 102, and the right rear door carrying locking solenoid 140 and unlocking solenoid 142. The left doors are similar, the left front door having a locking solenoid 208 and an unlocking solenoid 210, and the left rear door having a locking solenoid 2.12 and an unlocking solenoid 214. One contact of the switch 206c of the relay 206 is connected to the battery by a lead 216 and the other contact of the switch is connected by a lead 218 to each of the locking solenoids, the lead 218 having branch leads 218a, 218b, 2180, and 218d which connect respectively to the locking

solenoids

100, 140, 208, and 212.

In addition to the solenoids above described, the right front door mounts a single pole, double throw switch 220 which is connected to and operated by a garnish molding hutton28. Similarly, the left frontdoor has .asingle In the left rear door there is a-similar single pole, single throw switch 228 and a switch 230 which is similar to the right rear door switch 43, both switches 228 and 230 being operated by the garnish molding button 232.

The other elements of the system include an indicator which is illustrated as a lamp 234 arranged in a circuit to give an indication to the driver if a rear door is unlocked when the transmission selector lever is in a drive position. A selector switch designated generally as 236 comprises a two-gang, three-position switch having switch units 236a and 236i). This switch, which is manually operable, is mounted on the automobile dash or in some other location where it is readily accessible to the driver. Each of the two movable poles of the switch has three positions designated as M for manual, SA forsemi-automatic, and Ator automatic in Fig. 5. T he left hand portion of the ganged switch, when in manual position, is connected in a lead 246 later to be described, and the semi-automatic and automatic contacts of this portion of the switch are open. The right hand portion of the switch has open manual and semi-automatic contacts, and the automatic cont-act, together with the povable pole of the switch, is connected in a by-pass circuit later to be described.

Manualrype operatinlg means If either one of the switches 220 or 222 is operated by one of the front door garnish molding buttons or by the key lockfor that door, a circuit is completed from the battery to the locking coils 100, 140, 208, and 212 in the respective doors. Closure of the switch 220, for example, in the other direction from that shown completes a circuit from the battery 200 through lead 216 and-the armature of switch 220 to a lead 238a. This lead, together with a branch lead 238]) which extends from the switch. 222, connects with a lead 238 extending to the armature of switch 20412 which is connected to the coil 20401 of the switching unit. When the solenoid becomes energized, a circuit is completed from the battery through lead 216 and a lead 240' to the switch contacts 204d of the switching unit. These contacts are closed while'the coil 2014a is energized so that the battery is connected toall the

door locking solenoids

100, 140, 208, and 212 through the lead 218 and its respective branches 213a, 218b, 2180, and 218d. After a delay of approximately one second during which time the mechanical door locks operate, the circuit breaker-or flasher unit 2040 opens, deenergizing the coil 204a and the spring-loaded armature of this solenoid is released, opening the contacts 7.0M causing the reversing switches 204i) and 204s to change to the positions shown in broken lines. Since contacts 204d are open, the-energizing circuit for the locking solenoids is broken, and since reversing switch 2041) is in its dotted lineposition, solenoid coil 204a will not again become energized when flasher unit 204e closes.

If the garnish molding button in one of the rear doors subsequently is raised, one ofthe warning switches 226 or 228 will be closed. If the transmission selector lever controlled switch 202 is placed in the drive position shown in Fig. 5, the indicator 234 will be energized to warn the driver that a rear door is unlocked. The circuit for the warning device extends from a battery through a lead 242 which incorporates the drive contacts of the switch 202 and the warning lamp 234. Branch leads 242a and 24211 extend to the respective warning switches 226 and 228.

'In orderto unlock the doors, one of the switches 220 or 222 is operated back to the position illustrated in Fig. 5 by the garnish molding button or key lock in one or" the front doors. This operation connects lead .216 to a lead. 244--Whi h isconnected to the ..o he1'; e.r.rr1inal of..re-

versing switch 204b so that solenoid coil 204a becomes energized and contacts 204d close, completing the circuit through the switch 2040, which is in its broken line position, to a lead 246 which incorporates the manual contact of selector 236a. Lead 246 has branches 246a, 246b 2460, and 246d which connect respectively to the

door unlocking solenoids

102, 142, 210, and 214. When these solenoids are energized, the mechanical locking apparatus of each door lock is shifted to unlocked position and the switches 220 and 222- are operated thereby. After a delay of approximately one second, the flasher unit 2042 deenergizes solenoid coil 204a and reverses 204b and 204c. If the gear shift lever is in a drive position, the warning light 234 will operate as described above.

Semi-automatic lock operating means For semi-automatic operation the manual selector switch is moved to SA position. The locking operation is identical to the manual locking operation described above. To unlock the doors when the selector switch is set to its semi-automatic (center) position, the operation is similar to the manual procedure except that closing of contacts 204d does not close a circuit directly through lead 246 since switch 236a is open. Instead, a circuit is completed through a bypass lead 247 which incorporates the neutral contacts of switch 202 and then connects with lead 246 on th other side of switch 236a. When the transmission selector lever is in a drive position, thefneutral contacts of switch 202 are open and the doors will not be unlocked. However, during the operation, the switching unit solenoid coil 204a is energized and switches 204b and 2040 are reversed after a one second delay. Subsequent lowering of a front door garnish molding button will relock an unlocked door. As in the manual system, the warning light 234 operates if a rear door is unnlocked while the transmission selector lever operated switch 202 is in a drive position.

Automatic type coincidental operation If the selector switch 236 is set to the automatic position, which is the position at the extreme right in Fig. 5, locking and unlocking operations are identical to the manual and semi-automatic operations so long as the transmission selector operated switch 202 is in its neutral position. When the switch is placed in its drive position, a connection is made from the battery and lead 242 to a lead 250 which extends to the right hand portion 1236b of the selector switch. From the selector switch a connection is made with lead 238 and thence through switch 204b and flasher unit 204e to the solenoid coil 204a. This energizes the coil and the locking operation is accomplished automatically If a front door garnish molding button is raised or if a front door key lock is operated while the transmission selector lever is in a drive position, a connection is made from lead 216 through one of the switches 220 or 222 and lead 244 to the switch 204b which is now reversed and through this switch and the flasher unit 204:: to the solenoid coil 204a to energize this coil and reverse the switches 20412 and 204d, but since the transmission selec tor lever controlled switch 202 remains in the position shown, the doors will lock again automatically. There is a short period under this condition of operation when the manually unlocked front door can be opened before it is relocked automatically. This period depends upon the cycle time of the flasher unit 2042 and is preferably of the order of one second. In other words, the front door garnish molding button which has been manually raised will automatically go down again after a delay of about one second.

If a rear door garnish molding button is raised while the transmission selector lever controlled switch 202 is in its drive position, one of the switches 43 or 230 is closed at the start of the travel of the garnish molding button which is being raised as explained in connection with Fig. 4. This grounds the coil 206a of the rear door safety relay 206 since one end of this coil is connected to the battery through a lead 252 which extends to the switch 236b and thence to the battery through the

leads

250 and 242 and the switch 202 and the other end of the coil is connected to ground through a lead 254 and branch leads 254a and 25412 which are connected respectively to the rear door safety switches 43 and 230. When the normally open contacts 20612 of the relay 206 close, the locking

solenoids

100, 140, 208, and 212 are connected to the battery through the lead 216, contacts 20Gb and lead 218 and its respective branches 218a, 218b, 2180, and 218d. As the garnish molding button is raised to its full unlocked position. the spring 164 in the switch 43 is further compressed, but the locking solenoid in the door which is being operated holds the lock parts down so that the rod 45 does not follow and the switch 43 opens. The rear door therefore cannot be unlocked while the transmission selector lever controlled switch 202 is in its drive position.

While we have shown and described certain embodiments of our invention, it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an automobile having a source of power and having a plurality of doors, each of which has a door latch with mechanical locking means therefor, coincidental apparatus for operating said locking means in a plurality of doors simultaneously, comprising: motor means in each door connected to the locking means thereof; a transmission selector switch movable between drive and neutral positions and connected to said motor means; power relay means connected to said motor means for controlling the energization thereof; control circuit means adapted to connect said power relay means in circuit with the source of power, said control circuit means including control switch means connected to and operated by said mechanical locking means; time delay means connected to said power relay means, said time delay means including delay switch means for breaking the circuit to said power relay means at a predetermined time after energization thereof; and selector means operable to condition said coincidental apparatus for a selected one of three types of operation, the first type being manual, whereby coincidental locking and unlocking are completely under the control of said control switch means, the second type being semi-automatic, whereby coincidental locking is under the control of said control switch means but coincidental unlocking is under the control of said transmission selector switch when in neutral position, and the third type being automatic, whereby coincidental locking and unlocking are completely under the control of said transmission selector switch when in drive position and are under the control of said control switch when the transmission selector switch is in neutral position.

2. In an automobile having a source of power and having a plurality of doors, each of which has a door latch with mechanical locking means therefor, coincidental apparatus for operating said locking means in a plurality of doors simultaneously, comprising: motor means in each door connected to the locking means thereof; a transmission selector switch movable between drive and neutral positions and connected to said motor means; power relay means connected to said motor means for controlling the energization thereof; control circuit means adapted to connect said power relay means in circuit with the source of power, said control circuit means including control switch means connected to and operated by said mechanical locking means; time delay means connected to said power relay means, said time delay means including delay switch means for breaking the circuit to said power relay means at a predetermined time after energization thereof; and selector means operable to condition said coincidental apparatus for a selected one of two types of operation, the first type being manual, where by coincidental locking and unlocking are completely Under the control of said control switch means and the second type being automatic, whereby coincidental locking and unlocking are completely under the control of :said transmission selector switch when in drive posir-tion and are under the control of said control switch when the transmission selector switch is in neutral position,

3. In an automobile having a source of power and having a plurality of doors, each of which has a door .latch with mechanical locking means therefor, coincidental apparatus for operating said locking means in a plurality of doors simultaneously, comprising: motor means in each door connected to the locking means thereof; a transmission selector switch movable between drive and neutral positions and connected to said motor .means; power relay means connected to said motor means for controlling the energization thereof; control circuit means adapted to connect said power relay means in circuit with the source of power, said control circuit means including control switch means connected to and operated by said mechanical locking means; time delay :means connected to said power relay means, said time delay means including delay switch means for breaking the circuit to said power relay means at a predetermined time after energization thereof; and selector means operable to condition said coincidental apparatus for a selected one of two types of operation, the first type being semi-automatic, whereby coincidental locking is under the control of said control switch means, but coincidental unlocking is under the control of said transmission selector switch when in neutral position, and the second type being automatic, whereby coincidental locking and unlocking are completely under the control of said transmission selector switch when in drive position and are under the control of said control switch when the trans- :mission selector switch is in neutral position.

4. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 1, -wherein said motor means comprises at least one solemoid connected to the mechanical locking means of each door latch which is to be coincidentally operated.

5. Apparatus of the character claimed in claim 1, wherein said motor means comprises a locking solenoid and an unlocking solenoid connected to the mechanical locking means of each door latch which is to be coincidentally operated.

6. In an automobile having a battery and having a. pluraltiy of doors, each of which has a door latch with mechanical locking means therefor, coincidental apparatus for operating said locking means in a plurality of doors simultaneously, comprising: motor means in each door comprising locking and unlocking solenoids connected to the mechanical locking means of each door latch which is to be coincidentally operated; a transmission selector switch movable between drive and neutral positions and connected to said motor means; power relay means connected to said motor means for controlling the energization thereof; control circuit means adapted to connect said power relay means in circuit with the battery, said control circuit means including control switch means connected to and operated by said mechanical locking means; time delay means connected to said power relay means, said time delay means including delay switch means for breaking the circuit to said power relay means at a predetermined time after energization thereof; and selector means operable to condition said coincidental apparatus for a selected one of three types of operation, the first type being manual, whereby coincidental locking and unlocking are completely under the control of said control switch means, the second type being semi-automatic, whereby coincidental locking is under the control of said control switch means but coincidental unlocking is under the control of said transmission selector switch when in neutral position, and the third type being automatic, whereby coincidental locking and unlocking are completely under the control of said transmission selector switch when in drive position and are under the control of said control switch when the transmission selector switch is in neutral position.

7. In an automobile having a source of power and having a plurality of doors, each of which has a door latch with mechanical locking means therefor, coincidental apparatus for operating said locking means in a plurality of doors simultaneously, comprising: motor means in each door connected to the locking means thereof; a transmission selector switch movable between drive and neutral positions and connected to said motor means; power relay means connected to said motor means for controlling the energization thereof; control circuit means adapted to connect said power relay means in circuit with the source of power, said control circuit means including control switch means connected to and operated by said mechanical locking means; time delay means connected to said power relay means, said time delay means including delay switch means for breaking the circuit to said power relay means at a predetermined time after energization thereof; selector means operable to condition'said coincidental apparatus for a selected one of three types of operation, the first type being manual, whereby coincidental locking and unlocking are completely under, the control of said control switch means, the second type being semi-automatic, whereby coincidental locking is under the control of said control switch means but coincidental unlocking is under the control of said transmission selector switch when in neutral position, and the third type being automatic, whereby coincidental locking and unlocking are completely under the control of said transmission selector switch when in drive position and are under the control of said control switchwhen the transmission selectorswitch is in neutral position; and safety relay means including an actuating switch connected to the mechanical locking means of at least one of said doors for connecting the locking solenoids to the battery in the event said one door becomes unlocked.

8. In an automobile having a battery and having front and rear doors, each of which has a door latch with mechanical locking means therefor, coincidental apparams for operating said locking means in a plurality of doors simultaneously, comprising: motor means in each door comprising locking and unlocking solenoids connected to the mechanical locking means of each door latch which is to be coincidentally operated; a transmission selector switch movable between drive and neutral positions and connected to said motor means; power relay means connected to said motor means for controlling the energization thereof; control circuit means adapted to connect said power relay means in circuit with the battery, said control circuit means including control switch means connected to and operated by said mechanical locking means; time delay means connected to said power relay means for breaking the circuit to said power relay means at a predetermined time after energization thereof; selector means operable to condition said coincidental apparatus for a selected one of three types of operation, the first type being manual, whereby coincidental locking and unlocking are completely under the control of said control switch means, the second type being semi-automatic, whereby coincidental locking is under the control of said control switch means but coincidental unlocking is under the control of said transmission selector switch when in neutral position, and the third type being automatic, whereby coincidental locking and unlocking are completely under the control of .said transmission selector switch when in drive position and are under the control of said control switch when the transmission selector switch is in neutral position; and safety relay means including a momentary contact actuating switch connected to the mechanical locking means of each rear door for connecting the locking solenoids to the battery in the event one of said rear doors becomes unlocked.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS