US3162374A

US3162374A - Illuminating means for the keyhole of door locks

Info

Publication number: US3162374A
Authority: US
Inventors: Skokut Louis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1961-11-24
Filing date: 1961-11-24
Publication date: 1964-12-22
Anticipated expiration: 1981-12-22

Description

Dec. 22, 1964 L. SKOKUT 3,162,374

ILLUMINATING MEANS FOR THE KEYHOLE OF DOOR LOCKS Filed Nov. 24, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. .1.

'0 a I I I i I INV EN TOR.

400/5 SEQ/K07,

4 7'TOE/VEYS.

Dec. 22, 1964 L. SKOKUT 3,162,374

ILLUMINATING MEANS FOR THE KEYHOLE 0F DOOR LOCKS Filed Nov. 24, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /74 6 PIC-F. 5. 76. 6. 94 m2 INVENTOR.

Patented Dec. 22, 1964 3,162,374 ILLUll/HNATING lViEANS FOR THE KEYHOLE 01F DOOR LOCKS Louis Skokut, R0. Box 424, Monongahela, Pa. Filed Nov. 24, 1961, Ser. No. 154,628 Claims. (Cl. 240-213) This invention pertains to illuminating means, and more specifically, the instant invention relates to means for illuminating the entrance to a key-operated lock.

One of the primary objects of this invention is to provide means for illuminating the keyhole of a door, and the invention is more specifically directed to the provision of means for lighting the keyhole of the door lock of an automotive vehicle, but is not intended to be limited to this specific concept in which environment the present invention is described and illustrated.

Car owners have long been plagued with the problem of locating the entrance of a car door look at night without the assistance of illuminating means which may, occasionally, be carried on the person of the operator. Such means usually comprise matches or a flashlight. These are seldom capable of providing satisfactory service, as matches will blow out in the presence of a moderate wind, and the use of a flashlight increases the bulk of the dress of the user through distortion, as well as requiring frequent constant checking as to the condition of the batteries and the serviceability of the light or lights which are provided within conventional flashlights. The obvious disadvantages of the above-referred to means for illuminating the keyhole of a door lock, as well as other awkward and illsuited substitute means for accomplishing this desired object are obviated through the provision of the device described below.

To overcome the disadvantages and the hereditary problems attendant upon the locking and unlocking of the door of an automotive vehicle, this invention is directed to the provision of the permanent installation of illuminating means for the keyhole of the locking mechanism of a door of an automotive vehicle.

Another object of this invention is to provide illuminating means for the keyhole of a car door which is incorporated, as an integral part, with the door latch and unlatching mechanism therefor.

A further object of this invention is to provide means of the type generally referred to supra, which is a component element of the push button operable means for effecting the unlatching of the door of a conventional automotive vehicle. I

It is still another object of this invention to provide means for illuminating the keyhole of an automotive vehicle door together with means installed on the interior and exterior sides'of the door for energizing the illuminating means.

Still another object of this invention is to provide in a push button control apparatus for the latching and unlatching of vehicle doors, an illuminating device for the keyhole locking mechanism therefor which is not easily broken during the actuation thereof nor which can be rendered inoperable through shocks imparted thereto through the normal operation of the vehicle.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a light on the door of an automotive vehicle which may be energized to provide illumination to enable the operator of an automotive vehicle to find the proper door key from other keys carried on his key ring.

It is another object of this invention to provide an automobile door-mounted light to serve as a danger signal when it is necessary to park the automotive vehicle on the side of a road during breakdowns or repairs.

This invention contemplates, as a still further object thereof, the provision of a door-mounted illuminating device which is energized when the car door is open to serve as a warning to approaching vehicles.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a door-mounted electric light so constructed as to provide illumination on the ground immediately adjacent to the vehicle, whereby accumulations of snow, mud, and water may be avoided when the occupant of the vehicle is alighting therefrom.

Other and further objects and advantages of the instant invention will become more evident from a consideration of the following specification when read in conjunction with the annexed drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of an automotive vehicle equipped with push button door-actuating and illuminating means constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged detail cross-sectional view, FIGURE 2 being taken substantially on the vertical plane of line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 3 is a detail cross-sectional view of the lighting assembly, FIGURE 3 being taken substantially on the horizontal plane of line 3-3 of FIGURE 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail cross-sectional view of the invention, FIGURE 4 being taken substantially on the vertical plane of line 4-4 of FIGURE 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged detail, medial, cross-sectional view of the push button illuminating means for the keyhole of a door lock;

FIGURE 5A is a fragmentary detail cross-sectional view illustrating the means employed for detachably connecting an electric light with a transparent push button door lock operating shell;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged detail, transverse cross-sectional view, FIGURE 6 being taken substantially on the vertical plane of line 6-6 of FIGURE 5, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged exploded side elevational view, partly broken away, illustrating the position of the push button shell retaining means when rendered inactive for the purpose of removing and replacing the shell when servicing the illuminating means; and

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary, detail cross-sectional view, FIGURE 8 being taken substantially on the horizontal plane of line 8-8 of FIGURE 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral 10 designates an automotive vehicle of conventional construction having a door 12 of the usual structure. Mounted on the exterior side of the door 12 is a conventional door-operating handle 14 having extending therethrough combined push button door latch-actuating means and keyhole illuminating means 16 constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention.

The door 12 includes an exterior side wall 18 on which the handle 14 is mounted, a gasket or seal 19 being interposed therebetween. The handle 14 has, integrally formed therewith, a laterally-projecting hollow cylindrical casing 20 which extends inwardly through the side wall 18 through an aperture 22 formed therein. The casing 29 is integral with a boss 24 disposed on the exterior side of the side wall 18, the boss 24 being apertured at 26 to serve a function to be described.

The inner end of the casing 20 is provided with a frictionally-retained cap 28 comprising a discoidal end wall 30 from which projects a continuous peripheral flange 32 (see FIGURE 5), the latter having locking pins 34 formed in diametrically-opposed portions thereof (see FIGURES 3 and 5), the pins being adapted to engage and be received within correspondingly located openings 36 formed in the exterior side' of the casing 20 adjacent the inner end thereof.

The discoidal end Wall 30 is centrally apertured as at 38, and extending therethrough for reciprocation therein is a plunger rod 40' having an end extending into the casing 20 and fixedly connected as at 42 centrally of the end Wall 44 of a holow cylindrical housing 46 having a side wall 48. The housing 46 is mounted for reciprocation within the casing 210and has a tongue 50 project'- 1 ing laterally away from the housing 46 adjacent the inner end thereof, see FIGURES 2 and 6, the tongue 50 being slidably received within an internally-formed, axiallyextending groove -2 out in the casing 20. The tongue 50 and groove 52 cooperate to provide means for preventing axial rotation of the housing 46 relative to the casing 20 whereby a functionto be described will be achieved.

The casing 20 and housing 46 are provided with normally aligned transversely-extending openings 54, Starespectively, see FIGURES 3 and 5, which'are aligned with a third opening 58 that extends transversely through the jamb 60. The

openings

54, 56 and 58 are provided to receive therethrough the blade 62 of a screwdriver 64 when assembling or servicing the illuminating means. A cylindrical washer 66 formed of electrical insulating material abuts against the inner side of the discoidal end.

.ment elements 128,130 which The construction is such .(see FIGURES 5 and 7) as to permit ,a slight and loose movement of the flange 110 between the head 120 and the collar 122. The other end of the screw 118 is threaded through-the opening 116 and receives thereon a nut 124 that bears against the remotely-disposed side of the flange 112. The aforesaid other end of the screw 118 is peened as at 126 toprevent disengagement of the nut 124 therefrom.

From the foregoing it is clear that as the screw 118 istightened, the outer or free ends of the

levers

102, 104 will pivot away from each other, and the converse is true when the screw 118' is loosened.

'Spaced substantially at '90 degree intervals from the

journals

94, 96 are a pair ofoutwardly-projecting abutserve a function to be described: v

Reference numeral 132 connotes an elongated substantially hollow, cylindrical push button shell formed of a transparent plastic, or of other suitable similar materials,

the push button shell including a side wall 134'closed at its outer end by the end wall 136. The upper semicircular half ofthe'side wall 134 is colored, preferably "red, to reduce light glare andthe other or open inner end thereof is thickened .to form an internally-extending wall 44 and the same are formed with aligned trans- The aforementioned one end releasably receives; therein the metal base 78 of a conventional electric light 80 -with the locking pin 82 engaging in the slot 76. The

center post 84 is engaged by a tab 85 carried on a washer '86- formed of electrical insulating'material', and the washer and tab are reciprocable within the side wall 74. As is clearly seen'inv the drawings, one end of a helicoidal spring 88 under compression abuts the washer 86, while -the other end thereof engages the inner cylindrical end wall 90 so that the washer 86 and itstab 85 are constantly urged for movement toward the base 78. The end wall 90 is centrally apertured'at 92,. and one end of an insulated wire is extended therethrough'and through the helicoidal. spring 98 for connection with the tab 85. The other end of the wire extends through the openings 68, 70.

On diametrically-opposed sides. of 'the cylindrical side wall 74 are di'sposeda pair of outwardly-projecting

journails

94, 96 in which are mounted pivot pins 98-, 100, respectively, with the opposed ends thereof projectingl'aterally beyond the remotely-disposed sides of' their reends thereof' I The inner 'ends of the lever-S102, 104 are taperedin 7 width and are bent toward each other at 106,1108,'and V terminate in offset flanges 110,112, respectively. The

flange has a smooth opening 114 extending therethrough, while the flange 112 has a threadedv opening 116' extending transversely therethrough. To serve. a function to be described, the other ends of the

levers

102, 104 are formed with outwardly-turned, arcuately-shaped locking heads. or

shoulders

103, 105, respectively.

circumferential shoulder 138. At diametrically-opposed sides of the, push button shell 132 the open end thereof :is formed with notches: 140, only one of which is illustrated. As is seen inthe several figures, the push button shell 132 is telescopically received within the outer end of the housing 46, and is slidable therein until the notches receive 'and engage against the

abutment elements

128, 130 with the colored portion of the push button shell 132 disposed uppermost. If desired, an O-ring seal 142 may bedisposed within the-boss 24 at the outer end of the'housin'g46 to surround proximate portions of the push button shell 132; As is clearly shown in the several figure'ssofithe drawings, the

beads

103, 105 are adapted to normally engage over the shoulder 138 when the free ends of the :lever s102, 104 are moved away from :eachother to releasably connect the push'button shell 132 with the housing 46. Loosening the screw 118 will'force the freeends' of the levers 102,104 tomove toward each other and escape the shoulder 138 whereby the push button shell 132niay'be removed from'the housing 46 to effect replacement of the light 80 or other minor secured, as at 139, to the side Wall 48..

From the assembly describedabove it should: now be --clear thatwith the shallfI32-telescopedwithin the housing '46 and abutting. the abutmenfmeansIZS,-130which are rigid with the housing A6,.further' inward movement of the housing 46 together with the shell 132' causes the same to move as a' unit and slidewi'thin the casing 20, being actuating the plunger 40.:

guided by the tong ue 50 and groove 52 and thereby The socket 72 is grounded. by a wire 144' which also f ex tends through the openings 68,- 70, and .thewire 94 connects with onefside' of a microswitch'designated, in

'generah'byireference numeral 146. The other side of the microswitch 146 connects through wire 148 withithe can battery or other source of current. The microswitch 1461's of the single-pole, single-throwtype and is "operable 'by means ofjth'ejpush button 150 constantly biased, by conventional means, for lateral movement away from lone side 'of the, casing for the; microswitch 146.

Suitableinstansi' (not showny mount the switch 146 on the inner surface of the side wall 18,;pr0ximate the Reference numeral 118 denotes a threaded screw having a head "120, the screw 118-being axially aligned with flange 110.5 A collar 122 is mounted on the screw 118.

in spaced relation relative to the head 120 and isjuxtaposed withrespect to the other side of the flange 110.

casing 20; 70

Reference'nurneral 152 designates; in generaLa wiping arm for thebuttonv 150, the arm 152 being pivotally connected on 'a screw or 'Tbolt 154 (see FIGURE 3) and extends througha spacericollar 156 secured to thejinner side of the wall 18. The screw or bolt "154' terminates an ext'eriorly-disposed handle 157i laterally spaced from the side wall 18. The arm 152 depends from the screw or bolt 154, and an edge thereof is formed with an inwardly-extending V-shaped notch 158 (see FIGURE 4) adjacent its lower end, the notch being adapted to receive the cam-shaped end 160 of a lever 162 when the arm 152 is swung to its dotted-line position shown in FIGURE 4. When so moved, the arm 152 wipes and closes the push button 150 of the switch 146, thereby establishing a circuit to the electric light 80. The lever 162 is fixedly connected to the barrel 164 of a conventional door-locking mechanism 166 in such a manner that the turning of the lever 162 in either clockwise or counterclockwise direction will force the arm 152 to move in a counterclockwise direction from its dotted-line position of FIG- URE 4, to the full-line position shown therein, and in so moving, release the button 150 whereby the circuit to the electric light 80 is broken.

The wiping arm 152 is connected via a rod 168 with a lug 170 which is mounted for rotation on a shaft 172 (see FIGURE 4) extending transversely of the car door 12 and on which is also mounted a handle 174. As is seen in FIGURE 8, the shaft 172 extends through the inner panel 176 of the door 12 and through the trim 178 therefor. A pick-up nut 180 is mounted on the shaft 172 and normally bears against the'inner side of the panel 176, and a helicoidal spring 182 surrounds the shaft 172 and is interposed between the outer side of the panel 176 and the trim 178 in order to take up play. It is thus seen that with the lever 162 in its normal horizontal position, the arm 152 may be actuated by either of the

handles

157, 174 in order to move across the button 150 or away therefrom, whereby the switch 146 is opened and closed to energize the light 80.

lnterposed between the end wall 30 of the cap 28 and the end wall 44 of the cylindrical housing 46 is a helicoidal spring 184 under compression which surrounds the plunger rod 40. The spring 184 constantly tends to urge the housing 46 for movement outwardly of the casing 20. The plunger rod 40 is adapted to engage against a turned flange 186 of a bell-crank lever 188 of a door latch mechanism indicated, in general, by the reference numeral 190. The door latch mechanism forms no part of the instant invention, and is shown, in detail, in the patent to Robert M. Fox, No. 2,989,333, United States patent, filed September 23, 1957, and issued on June 20, 1961. Briefly describing the door-latching mechanism, it is seen that the bell-crank lever 188 is mounted for pivotal movement on the stud 192.

From the foregoing description it should now be clear that an electric. light 80 located over the lock 166 is energized whenever one of the

handles

157, 174 is turned to cause the arm 152 to wipe across the button 150, and that the electric circuit to the light is de-energized through the key mechanism turning the lever 162 to cause the arm 152 to move into its full-line position shown in FIG- URE 4.

Having described and illustrated one embodiment of this invention in detail,.it is to be understood that the same is offered merely by Way of example, and that this invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Illuminating means for the keyhole of a door lock, said means being a component element of a push button type of door-actuating means and comprising a casing fixedly secured within said door, a housing mounted for reciprocation in said casing, a rod connected to said housing and reciprocable through said casing, door latch actuating means engageable by said rod to effect the unlatching of said door, electrical illuminating means disposed within said housing and reciprocable therewith, an electric circuit including said illuminating means and a source of current, a manually-operable control switch for said circuit, and means on opposite sides of said door to effect actuation of said switch.

2. A push button door latch lock-actuating mechanism comprising a casing extending transversely of said door, a housing mounted for reciprocation within said casing including a rod reciprocable through said casing, door latch-actuating means engageable by said rod to effect the unlatching of said door, said housing having an electric light socket disposed therein to releasably receive said light, a pair of levers pivotally mounted on said socket, a push button shell formed of transparent material and telescoped within said housing, said shell enclosing said light, and means on one of the ends of said levers operable to cause the other ends thereof to move away from each other to frictionally contact said shell and retain the same within said housing.

3. Illuminating means for the keyhole of an automobile door lock comprising, in combination, an automobile door handle mounted on the exterior side of said door, said handle having a cylindrical casing extending transversely through said door, a substantially hollow cylindrical housing disposed for reciprocation in said casing, a substantially cylindrical transparent door lock-actuated push button shell mounted for reciprocation in said casing and having an end thereof engaging said casing to effect reciprocation thereof, a rod attached to said housing and reciprocable through said casing, door latch-actuating means engageable by said rod to effect unlatching of said door, an electric light mounted in said housing reciprocating therewith and extending into said shell, an electric circuit connecting said light with a source of current, and switch means interposed in said circuit to control energization of said light.

4. Illuminating means for the keyhole of an automobile door lock comprising, in combination, an automobile door, a door handle mounted on the exterior side of said door, said handle having a cylindrical casing extending transversely through said door, a substantially hollow cylindrical door lock-actuating housing disposed for reciprocation within said casing, a substantially cylindrical transparent door lock-actuating push button shell mounted for reciprocation in said housing and having one end thereof engaging said housing, an integral shoulder formed on said one end of said shell, an electric light socket disposed within said housing, a pair of diametricallyopposed levers, means pivotally mounting said levers on said socket, each of said levers having a bead formed thereon to releasably engage said shoulder whereby said shell is retained in engagement with said housing, a light releasably connected in said socket and extending into said shell, an electric circuit including said light and a source of current, a switch disposed in said circuit, and manually-operable means disposed on opposite sides of said door to effect operation of said switch.

5. Illuminating means for the keyhole of an automobile door lock comprising, in combination, an automobile door, a door handle, said handle having an integrally formed, cylindrical casing projecting laterally therefrom and transversely of said door, a substantially hollow cylindrical housing mounted for reciprocation in said casing, resilient means interposed between said casing and said housing constantly biasing said housing for movement toward the exterior side of said door, means extending from said housing and through said casing to actuate door-latching means, said door-actuating means being operable against the tension of said resilient means, an

electric light socket disposed in said housing, a pair of arcuately-shaped levers pivotally connected intermediate their ends on said socket on diametrically-opposed sides thereof, means extending through an adjacent pair of ends of said levers to move the other pair of ends of said levers toward and away from each other, a transparent push button shell mounted for reciprocation within said casing and having an end thereof engaging against said housing to effect operation thereof, an electric light disposed in said socket and extending into said shell, a normally open electric switch mounted on said door, said switch having button-operating means, an electric circuit including said switch, said light and a source of current, an'elo'ngated V arm pivotally connected at onesof its ends on' said door, said switch button being disposed in the path of the movemovement of said arm, said handles being' selectively operable to cause energization of said circuit fromwthe interior or exterior of said car door. 7

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS} Ladewig 287 -119 X Bidwell 240-25 Bergman 240-2 X Greenlees 240 2'.13 t Koehier 240-2.l3 Dreese u 240 2.13 Boyd 2'40-2.13

Priestnian et a1. 292336.3

NORTON ANSH'ER, Primary Examiner.

Claims

5. ILLUMINATING MEANS FOR THE KEYHOLE OF AN AUTOMOBILE DOOR LOCK COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, AN AUTOMOBILE DOOR, A DOOR HANDLE, SAID HANDLE HAVING AN INTEGRALLY FORMED, CYLINDRICAL CASING PROJECTING LATERALLY THEREFROM AND TRANSVERSELY OF SAID DOOR, A SUBSTANTIALLY HOLLOW CYLINDRICAL HOUSING MOUNTED FOR RECIPROCATION IN SAID CASING, RESILIENT MEANS INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID CASING AND SAID HOUSING CONSTANTLY BIASING SAID HOUSING FOR MOVEMENT TOWARD THE EXTERIOR SIDE OF SAID DOOR, MEANS EXTENDING FROM SAID HOUSING AND THROUGH SAID CASING TO ACTUATE DOOR-LATCHING MEANS, SAID DOOR-ACTUATING MEANS BEING OPERABLE AGAINST THE TENSION OF SAID RESILIENT MEANS, AN ELECTRIC LIGHT SOCKET DISPOSED IN SAID HOUSING, A PAIR OF ARCUATELY-SHAPED LEVERS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED INTERMEDIATE THEIR ENDS ON SAID SOCKET ON DIAMETRICALLY-OPPOSED SIDES THEREOF, MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH AN ADJACENT PAIR OF ENDS OF SAID LEVERS TO MOVE THE OTHER PAIR OF ENDS OF SAID LEVERS TOWARD AND AWAY FROM EACH OTHER, A TRANSPARENT PUSH BUTTON SHELL MOUNTED FOR RECIPROCATION WITHIN SAID CASING AND HAVING AN END THEREOF ENGAGING AGAINST SAID HOUSING TO EFFECT OPERATION THEREOF, AN ELECTRIC LIGHT DISPOSED IN SAID SOCKET AND EXTENDING INTO SAID SHELL, A NORMALLY OPEN ELECTRIC SWITCH MOUNTED ON SAID DOOR, SAID SWITCH HAVING BUTTON-OPERATING MEANS, AN ELECTRIC CIRCUIT INCLUDING SAID SWITCH, SAID LIGHT AND A SOURCE OF CURRENT, AN ELONGATED ARM PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT ONE OF ITS ENDS ON SAID DOOR, SAID SWITCH BUTTON BEING DISPOSED IN THE PATH OF THE MOVEMENT OF THE OTHER END OF SAID ARM TO BE ACTUATED BY THE LATTER, SAID PIVOTAL CONNECTION INCLUDING AN ARM-OPERATING HANDLE ON THE EXTERIOR SIDE OF SAID DOOR, A SECOND HANDLE MOUNTED FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ON THE INTERIOR SIDE OF SAID DOOR, A ROD EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID ARM AND SAID SECOND HANDLE AND PIVOTAL THEREWITH TO EFFECT THE PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID ARM, SAID HANDLES BEING SELECTIVELY OPERABLE TO CAUSE ENERGIZATION OF SAID CIRCUIT FROM THE INTERIOR OR EXTERIOR OF SAID CAR DOOR.