Claims:
I claim
1. A key-controlled lock switch intended to be mounted on an exterior wall portion of an automobile which is subject to being seriously affected by inclement weather, said lock switch having
2. a bored case with a flange at its front end to overlie the exterior of a wall in which the lock case is mounted,
3. a switch at the inner end of the lock case to be behind said wall, the switch being adapted to control an alarm system with which the automobile is equipped and to deactivate the system when said switch is actuated, and
4. a rotatable cylinder in the bore of the lock case connected with the switch to actuate it when rotated, the cylinder having tumblers to restrain the cylinder against rotation and a keyway to receive a key by which the tumblers may be retracted and the cylinder rotated, and having a front face in which the mouth of the keyway is located, and which like the front end of the case is exposed to the weather when the lock switch is in use, said lock switch being characterized by weather protection means covering the front face of the cylinder and the front end of the lock case to prevent entry of moisture and dirt into the keyway and/or the bore in which the cylinder is received, said protection means comprising:
5. A key-controlled lock having a bored case with a flange at its front end to bear against a wall in which the case is mounted when the lock is in use, and a cylinder rotatably received in the bore of the lock case with the front face of the cylinder being so positioned that no part thereof lies inwardly of the front of the lock case, the cylinder having a keyway, the mouth of which opens to the front face of the cylinder, said lock being characterized by weather protection means covering the front face of the cylinder and the front end of the lock case, said weather protection means comprising:
6. The key-controlled lock of claim 2, wherein the plane of the flat outer end portion of the second arm of the bracket intersects the axis of the lock case at a point substantially in the plane of the first arm of the bracket.
7. The key-controlled lock of claim 2, wherein the front face of the cylinder is forwardly of the front end of the lock case, and
Description:
This invention relates to key controlled tumbler locks and more particularly to locks which control switches by which alarm systems on automobiles can be activated and deactivated from the exterior of the automobile by means of a proper key.
Automobiles used by salesmen and others who must carry sizeable quantities of valuable goods with them, are customarily equipped with signal systems to protect against unauthorized entry into the automobile and the consequent possibility of theft. These signal systems are electrical and are controlled-- at least deactivated-- by a lock switch mounted in some exterior wall of the automobile at a point where the uninformed would not expect to find a lock. Often they are mounted on a lower portion of a fender or on the grill at the front of the car, but wherever located they are subjected to the worst consequences of bad weather. Snow, slush and rain and the corrosive effects of salt used to minimize the hazards of winter driving cannot be kept from these locations. Hence, unless the lock switches are well protected from the elements, the danger of an authorized person being unable to enter his automobile without setting off the alarm is very real.
If the lock becomes frozen, jammed with dirt, or otherwise rendered inoperable by its key, the alarm cannot be deactivated. This presents the authorized driver with a most serious dilemma.
Ordinary dust covers with which key controlled automotive locks have been equipped for years do not provide sufficient protection at the locations where these lock switches are placed; and to improve their design and make them reliably weather proof and readily operable at those locations in all weather conditions would entail tooling costs far in excess of the amount warranted by the limited market for such special lock switches.
It is therefore the purpose and object of this invention to provide a simple and inexpensive way of protecting a lock switch from being rendered inoperable by adverse weather conditions, and to that end, the lock switch is equipped with an elastically resilient flap that firmly covers the exposed front end of the lock and especially the mouth of its keyway, but can be easily moved to permit insertion of the key into the lock and then snaps back to its operative position upon removal of the key.
With these observations and objectives in mind, the manner in which the invention achieves its purpose will be appreciated from the following description and the accompanying drawing which exemplifies the invention.
The accompanying drawing illustrates one complete example of the embodiment of the invention constructed according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a lock switch of the type with which this invention is concerned, illustrating the same mounted on a panel representative of an exterior wall or part of an automobile on which such switches are customarily placed and provided with the weather protection means of this invention, part of its cover being broken away;
FIG. 2 is a side view of the structure shown in FIG. 1; and
FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but with a key in the lock.
Referring to the accompanying drawing, the numeral 4 designates generally a key-controlled lock switch mounted in a wall or panel 5 which is representative of the fender, grill or other more or less unusual location on an automobile where such lock switches are customarily placed.
The lock switch comprises a bored case 6 with a flange 7 at its front end and a threaded mounting portion 8 directly behind the flange, and upon which a nut 9 is threaded. When mounted in position of use, the lock case is passed through a hole in the wall or panel 5 and is secured thereto by drawing the nut tightly against the back of the wall. In the rear end portion of the bored case-- and hence behind the wall 5-- is a switch 10 with exposed terminals 11 by which the switch may be connected in an alarm system with which the automobile is equipped to signal unauthorized attempted entry.
The switch of course has movable contact means (not shown) that are drivingly connected with a key-controlled lock cylinder 12 mounted in the bore of the case. Rotation of the cylinder, which is possible upon insertion into its keyway 13 of a proper key by which the tumblers of the lock (not shown) are retracted, thus actuates the switch. Accordingly, when the driver wishes to leave his car unattended but protected by the alarm system with which it is connected, he can set the alarm by closing the lock switch after he has closed all of the car doors. Any unauthorized attempt to enter the car will thus set off the alarm.
But when the driver or other authorized person possessing the proper key wishes to enter the car, he first deactivates the alarm by opening the lock switch, provided that weather conditions have not rendered the lock inoperable. To ensure that the lock can be operated, it must be thoroughly protected from the elements. The attainment of this important objective is the purpose of this invention and it is achieved by the very simple but effective protective means, indicated generally by the numeral 14, with which the lock switch is equipped.
This protection means comprises an elastically resilient cover member 15, preferably a rectangular piece of relatively heavy rubber or the like, mounted in front of the lock switch in a particular way by means of a rigid bracket 16. The material of which the cover member is formed must endure or tolerate all ranges of weather conditions without cracking or losing its resilience. Neoprene of about 90 durometer hardness has been found to be satisfactory.
The bracket 16, which is preferably stamped from stiff sheet metal, has a flat attaching arm 17 and an outwardly extending arm 18 to which the cover member is secured as by rivets 19. The flat attaching arm has a hole through which the threaded portion 8 of the lock case passes, so that this arm of the bracket is clamped between the wall 5 and the flange 7 during securement of the lock case to the wall.
The other arm 18 of the bracket is flat throughout its entire extent and is joined to the arm 17 by an intermediate portion 20 which projects substantially perpendicularly from the attaching arm 17 and holds the arm 18 at an oblique angle to the axis of the lock case.
The angle and also the spacial relationship between the two arms of the bracket is important. In the preferred condition, the plane of the outer arm 18 passes through the front end portion of the lock case and obliquely intersects the axis of the lock case at a point substantially in the plane of the attaching arm 17, as indicated in broken lines in FIG. 2. With this disposition of the bracket arms the anchored end portion of the cover member lies flat against the arm 17 for part of its length and the opposite free end portion thereof-- which may be considered a flap-- bears firmly against the front face 21 of the lock cylinder which protrudes a slight distance ahead of the front end of the lock case. Not only does this disposition of the bracket arms ensure firm engagement of the cover member flap portion against the front face of the cylinder, but it also takes advantage of the natural bend in the flap portion produced thereby, to effect the most efficacious engagement between the cover flap and the front face of the lock cylinder in which the mouth of the keyway is located.
Complete surface-to-surface engagement between the cover flap and the front face of the lock cylinder is not attained because of the slight, though inevitable, tilt of the cover flap. However, as seen in FIG. 2, the cover flap will bear solidly against the upper marginal edge portion of the front face of the cylinder. Hence, any moisture that may run down the underside (back side) of the cover flap will not stand and gather on this upper marginal edge portion of the cylinder; and if any such moisture is drawn into a possible crevice by capillarity, it will flow from the mouth of the keyway since, as shown in FIG. 1, the keyway opens to the bottom edge of the front end portion of the lock cylinder. Obviously, of course, for this "drain outlet " to exist, the key bittings must face downwardly.
When the key is to be inserted into the lock, the cover flap is easily lifted off the mouth of the keyway, as shown in FIG. 3; and upon removal of the key, the cover flap snaps back to its closed position.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention can be embodied in forms other than as herein disclosed for purposes of illustration.
The invention is defined by the following claims: