US3788168A

US3788168A - Automobile trunk lock opening tool

Info

Publication number: US3788168A
Application number: US00309727A
Authority: US
Inventors: E Steinmann
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-11-27
Filing date: 1972-11-27
Publication date: 1974-01-29
Anticipated expiration: 1991-01-29

Abstract

A tool for temporary use in unlocking automobile trunks during body repair for proper fit and alignment of a trunk door with respect to the associated car body is described. A rigid, elongated tool shank portion has a handle at one end and a flexible shaft portion at the other end terminating in a flat shaft tip portion adapted to be received within the rotary slot of the door catch release mechanism at the inner panel of the door. A resilient attachment member frictionally slidable along the rigid shank portion is provided with a plurality of grooves of graduated size adapted to inter-engage within the lock cylinder opening in the inner panel of the door for retaining the tool in place to permit unlocking of the lock mechanism in substitution for the lock cylinder by turning the tool handle.

Description

United States Patent [191 Steinmann, Jr.

[451 Jan. 29, 1974 [76] Inventor: Eugene B. Steinmann, Jr., 13100 NW. 19 Ave., Miami, Fla. 33167 22 Filed: Nov. 27, 1972 21 Appl.No.:309,727

Primary ExaminerHarold D. Whitehead Assistant Examiner-Roscoe V. Parker Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Ernest H. Schmidt 57 I ABSTRACT A tool for temporary use in unlocking automobile trunks during body repair for proper tit and alignment of a trunk door with respect to the associated car body is described. A rigid, elongated tool shank portion has a handle at one end and a flexible shaft portion at the other end terminating in a flat shaft tip portion adapted to be received within the rotary slot of the door catch release mechanism at the inner panel of the door. A resilient attachment member frictionally slidable along the rigid shank portion is provided with a plurality of grooves of graduated size adapted to inter-engage within the lock cylinder opening in the inner panel of the door for retaining the tool in place to permit unlocking of the lock mechanism in substitution for the lock cylinder by turning the tool handle.

8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures AUTOMOBILE TRUNK LOCK OPENING TOOL This invention relates to automobile repair tools and is directed particularly to a tool for unlocking the latch mechanism of an automobile trunk during auto body repair while testing for trunk door or trunk lid fit during repair procedures.

In auto body repair for proper fit and alignment of car trunk doors or lids to the car body after collision, the lock cylinder mechanism is ordinarily removed from the outer panel of the automobile trunk door or lid, leaving a lock opening hole through which, heretofore, a screwdriver was inserted for engagement with a latch slot of the lock latch mechanism assembled at the inner panel of the door, enabling opening of the lock upon turning of the screwdriver. In undertaking repair, the trunk door or lid is open and shut for locking over and over many times, while body adjustments are made to achieve the desired restoration and fit. Each time the door is thus locked and unlocked it was necessary to fish with a screwdriver through the lock opening in the door into the lock catch mechanism slot to enable release or unlocking of the door by turning the screwdriver, a tedious and time consuming procedure.

It is, accordingly, the principal object of this invention to provide an automobile trunk lock opening tool for use in auto body repair work which greatly simplifies the procedure of unlocking automobile doors or lids while effecting body repairs in trunk areas of automobiles.

A more particular object of theinvention is to provide an automobile trunk lock opening tool of the above nature including gripping means for retaining the tool in engagement with the lock hole opening, and an inwardly extending, resiliently supported flat tip end portion adapted for insertion in the lock catch mechanism slot, whereby the door can be opened repeatedly simply by turning a handle at the outer end of the tool.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lock opening tool of the character described wherein the gripping means is adjustable, both with respect to the size of the lock hole opening and its distance from the flat tip end of the tool to provide for universal application to a wide range of automobiles having different trunk door lock design features.

Still another object ofthe invention is to provide an automobile trunk lock opening tool ofthe above nature which will. be simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, effective in performance, and durable in use.

Other objects, features and advantagesof the invention will be apparent from the following description when read with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view illustrating a rear portion of an automobile body in the trunk area and showing the lock opening in the trunk door, the key lock cylinder having been removed preparatory to undertaking repair;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the trunk lock area of an automobile as illustrated in FIG. 1, on an enlarged scale and illustrating the use therewith of a trunk lock opening tool embodying the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a side view of the tool, shown separately and with portions broken away to illustrate constructional details.

Referring first to FIG. 3 of the drawings, illustrating a preferred form of the lock opening tool 10, the same comprises an elongated, cylindrical handle 11 at one end coaxially secured to which is a substantially rigid, intermediate shaft portion 12 the outer end of which has coaxially secured thereto a comparatively short, helical wire spring flexible shank portion 13. Welded or otherwise secured incoaxial, outwardly extending relation with respect to the flexible shank portion 13 is a flat, rigid tip portion 14. The tip portion 14 is slightly shorter than the flexible shank portion 13, and. is rounded at its outer end, as indicated at 15. The inner end of the tip portion 14 is integrally formed with a radially outwardly extending, right-angular abutment portion 16 which serves as a stop upon insertion of said tip portion in place in a lock catch release mechanism, as is hereinbelow more particularly described.

A substantially cylindrical, rubber attachment member 17 provided with an axial through-opening I8 is frictionally slidable along the shaft portion 12 to accommodate fitting to various makes of automobiles differing somewhat in the spacing between the lock cylinder hole opening and the latch mechanism in the trunk door. The rubber attachment member 17 is formed about its periphery with-a plurality of grooves 19 of increasing size from the tip end thereof to the opposite end for adaptive securement to lock holes in car trunk doors of various diametric size, as is hereinbelow more particularly described, Alternatively, the grooves 19- could be in the form of a screw thread to enable screwing into the lock hole opening upon attachment of the device.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings and considering the use of the tool, reference numeral 20 designates a portion of a vehicle trunk door or lid from which the lock has been removed, leaving the usual lock cylinder hole or opening 21. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the trunk door comprises an inner panel portion 22 against which a lock mechanism 23 is affixed for projection through a door bottom opening 24 for engaging, with its catch mechanism, a keeper (not illustrated) affixed with respect to the body of the vehicle, a portion of which body is illustrated and designated by reference numeral 25. In use, the tool will be inserted through the lock cylinder opening 21 and manipulated so that its tip end portion 14 engages within the slot 26 of the rotary member 27 forming part of the lock mechanism 23. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the abutment portion 16 of the tool tip 14 serves as a stop limiting the inward move ment of the tool. After the tool is thus located and fitted in place, the resilient attachment member 17 will be pushed outwardly along the shaft portion 12 of the tool until it is received within the lock openingZl, whereupon it can be fitted securely in place by interengagement of an appropriate size groove 19 in close embracing relation with the inner peripheral edge of said lock opening. lf,. instead of the grooves 19 being individual, they are in the form of a continuous screw thread of increasing diameter, it is only necessary to turn the attachment member 17 with respect to the tool shaft portion 12 at the same time that it is being pushed outwardly along said shaft to effect secure interengagement with the lock opening 21. Once the tool has thus been secured in place, it is a simple matter to turn the tool handle ll through an angle of about circular degrees to effect unlocking of the lock mechanism 23. Since the frictional grip of the resilient attachment member 17 about the shaft portion 12 of the tool not only serves to retain the tool in place for as long as may be required to effect body repair, but also permits turning of the shaft portion 12 back and forth without disturbing the inter-fitting attachment of the tool, the associated trunk door can be unlocked by use of the tool, as it is retained in place, as often as may be necessary to complete body work and fit in the trunk area of the vehicle. The sliding frictional fit of the resilient attachment member 17 along the tool shaft portion 12, and the range of diameters of the grooves 19 in said attachment member, provides for adjustment for use of the tool in repairing trunk doors of various makes of automobiles having a wide range of spacing between inner and outer panels of the trunk door and a wide range in size of lock cylinder opening.

While I have illustrated and described herein only one form in which the invention can conveniently be embodied in practice, it is to be understood that this form is given by way of example only and not in a limiting sense. The invention, in brief, comprises all the embodiments and modifications coming within the scope and spirit of the following claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An automobile trunklock opening tool comprising a handle, an elongated, rigid, intermediate shaft portion extending outwardly of said handle, an elongated, flexible shaft portion affixed to and extending outwardly of the outer end of said intermediate shaft portion, a rigid tip member affixed to and extending outwardly of the outer end of said flexible shaft portion, and a substantially cylindrical resilient attachment member having an axial through opening for the reception of said intermediate shaft portion, said attachment member being frictionally slidable along said intermediate shaft portion.

2. An automobile trunk lock opening tool as defined in claim 1 wherein said attachment member is formed about its periphery with groove means of increasing diameter along its length in the direction of said handle member for interfitting attachment in a vehicle trunk door lock cylinder hole.

3. An automobile trunk lock opening tool as defined in claim 2 wherein groove means is in the form ofa screw thread.

4. An automobile trunk lock opening tool as defined in claim 1 wherein said attachment member is fabricated of rubber.

5. An automobile trunk lock opening tool as defined in claim 4 wherein said flexible shaft portion comprises a helical spring.

6. An automobile trunk lock opening tool as defined in claim 1 wherein said tip portion is flat and substantially rectangular in configuration for interengaging reception within the rectangular slot of the rotary member forming part of an automobile trunk lock mechanism.

7. An automobile trunk lock opening tool as defined in claim 6 wherein the inner end of said tip portion is integrally formed with a laterally outwardly extending abutment portion serving as a stop limiting inward movement of said tip portion in the lock mechanism rotary member.

8. An automobile trunk lock opening tool as defined in claim 7 wherein the outer end of said tip portion is rounded to facilitate entrance in the rotary member slot.

Claims

1. An automobile trunk lock opening tool comprising a handle, an elongated, rigid, intermediate shaft portion extending outwardly of said handle, an elongated, flexible shaft portion affixed to and extending outwardly of the outer end of said intermediate shaft portion, a rigid tip member affixed to and extending outwardly of the outer end of said flexible shaft portion, and a substantially cylindrical resilient attachment member having an axial through opening for the reception of said intermediate shaft portion, said attachment member being frictionally slidable along said intermediate shaft portion.

3. An automobile trunk lock opening tool as defined in claim 2 wherein groove means is in the form of a screw thread.