Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a security door lock system for preventing the unauthorized taking of possession of occupied automobiles and the theft of personal property from unoccupied automobiles.
2. Prior Art
A number of prior art patents have addressed themselves to the problem of "car jumpers" or "red light bandits". These thieves typically prey on motorists who are driving along a city street or stopped for a red-light at an intersection. The selected victims are usually motorists who are unaccompanied by passengers so that a minimum of resistance can be expected. Frequently the selected victims are women.
The problem of "car jumpers" has been an increasing one. As more effective ignition system locks have been developed and installed on the steering columns of automobiles so as to concurrently disable the steering wheel and transmission selector lever, the car thief can no longer accomplish his theft simply by electrically "jumping" the ignition switch. Accordingly, many car thieves have directed their attention away from locked unoccupied vehicles to occupied vehicles.
Moreover, the "car jumper" problem is not confined to the rundown slum or ghetto areas of the cities. The problem is not one of neighborhoods but rather one of who is, at any given time, in the neighborhood. There are fewer and fewer areas which are relatively free from "car jumping" incidents, if for no other reason than the fact that such thieves often find their work is easiest where they are least expected to strike.
In recognition of the universal and extensive nature of the "car jumper" problem, a number of prior art patents have proposed door locking systems which operate to automatically lock the doors of an automobile during normal vehicle operation. Such proposed systems are intended to overcome the forgetfulness of a driver or his passengers who may enter or exit the vehicle and leave one or more doors unlocked.
One drawback of both manual and automatic door locking systems, however, is that they lock the doors so as to prevent entrance only by means of unauthorized operation of the exterior door handles. To state this drawback in another way, known door locking systems "lock" or "disable" only the exterior door handles. Accordingly, if the intruder can gain ready access to an interior door handle or an interior latch lock button, the fact that the doors are locked exteriorally will not prevent his rapidly gaining entrance to the vehicle.
A typical example of such a situation can be found on almost any summer day when the driver of an un-airconditioned car stops at an intersection with one or more of his windows rolled down for purposes of ventillation. All the "car jumper" need do to gain access to the vehicle is to reach through an open window and either raise the latch lock button or actuate the interior door handle. As will be apparent, the fact that the doors are locked provides the motorist with no security whatever in such a situation. Accordingly, while the prior art has recognized the "car jumper" and "red light bandit" problem, the prior art approaches to solving these problems have provided incomplete solutions which, in many instances, do nothing whatever to protect the motorist or to prevent the theft of his car.
The somewhat related problem of the theft of personal property from unoccupied automobiles has also been discussed in a number of prior art patents. One proposed solution provides an auxiliary locking system which is actuated by means of a key inserted into a lock located somewhere on the exterior surface of the vehicle. Once the key is inserted and turned in the auxiliary lock, a complicated system is brought into play which not only disables the exterior door handles, but also disables the interior door handles, the interior latch lock buttons, and the interior window cranks. Accordingly, if an intruder breaks a window to gain access to the interior of the vehicle, he cannot then roll down any of the windows or open any of the doors by use of the window cranks or door handles.
Such a proposed system has several disadvantages. First, since there is no means provided interiorally of the vehicle for opening either a door or a window once the car is locked from the exterior, the vehicle takes on the capability of becoming a jail cell. If a passenger is left slumbering in the locked vehicle, he cannot exit from the vehicle once he awakes. He cannot even open a window for increased ventillation, much less quickly escape from the vehicle in an emergency. Second, the proposed locking system is an intricate and complicated assembly of linkages and actuating devices which is not only expensive and difficult to install but is more subject to failure than are simpler approaches. Third, in providing for the disabling of the window cranks, the proposed system really adds very little in the way of security. By disabling the interior and exterior door handles, the system limits ingress and egress to and from the vehicle to the region of the windows. Since the windows can be broken out if they will not open, the disabling of the window cranks is, in effect, a moot measure.
In summary, it is known to provide a means for disabling the interior door handles and latch lock buttons of a vehicle in order to prevent theft of personal property from the vehicle. However, proposed systems for disabling the interior handles and latch lock buttons are complicated systems which are not key operable from the interior of the vehicle. It is also recognized in the prior art that the problem of "car jumpers" and "red light bandits" is a serious problem of increasing proportion, but no system of safeguards has previously been provided to secure an occupied vehicle from an intruder who reaches through an open window and grasps an interior door handle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes the foregoing drawbacks of the prior art and provides a novel and improved, simple and inexpensive security locking system for automobiles.
The present invention overcomes the problem of "car jumpers" and "red light bandits" reaching through an open window of a locked vehicle and gaining access thereto by operating an interior door handle or latch lock button. In its simplest form, the present invention provides an interior door handle on each car door which is locked or disabled concurrently with the associated exterior door handle. An interiorally accessible key-lock is provided on each door which can be operated in a manner similar to the exterior key-lock to disable the interior and exterior door handles. The latch lock buttons are rendered functional only to lock the doors, whereby a key is required to open the locked doors.
In operation, once the driver or other passenger has entered the vehicle and closed the door, the door may be locked either by depressing the latch lock button or by using the interior key-lock. The interior and exterior door handles are then disabled, as are the latch lock buttons, such that they are ineffective to open the door. Accordingly, it is not possible to gain unauthorized entry to the vehicle by actuating the exterior door handle or by reaching through a window and actuating the interior door handle or by raising the latch lock button.
In similar fashion, when the vehicle is to be left unattended, locking the doors exteriorally will disable both the interior and exterior door handles and the latch lock buttons. If a thief subsequently breaks a window to gain entrance to the vehicle, his avenues of ingress and egress will be limited to the areas of the windows which he breaks or otherwise rolls down. As window sizes are ordinarily rather restricted, this will mean that large articles cannot be removed from the vehicle and all smaller items will have to be taken out in conspicuous fashion through the windows. Moreover, his activities of extracting articles through the car windows will arouse the suspicions of passers-by, further discouraging his efforts.
This arrangement of the present invention has a number of safety advantages over various systems proposed by the prior art. For one thing, the vehicle does not become, in effect, a jail cell with no escape. An occupant locked inside even in an overturned vehicle can usually open one of the windows and readily effect an escape. If the doors are still operable, he can open any one of them with a key.
The present invention, it will be understood, is intended primarily for use during low speed city driving where the danger of major collision and vehicle overturn is minimal. In such conditions, the danger of the driver being assulted in an effort to steal the vehicle is far greater than the danger of vehicle overturn. Accordingly, it is suggested that the doors be locked by means of the system of the present invention during low speed city driving, and that the doors be unlocked during high speed turnpike driving where the danger of major collision and overturn is far greater.
It is a general object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved, simple and inexpensive security door locking system for automobiles which will greatly reduce the theft of occupied automobiles.
It is another object to provide such a door locking system as will minimize the theft of personal property from unattended automobiles.
Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a portion of an automobile including a door locking system constructed in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged end elevational view of a portion of one of the doors of the automobile of FIG. 1 and illustrating the interiorly and exteriorly actuable feature of the locking system;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a key-lock which is operable by insertion of a key from either interiorly or exteriorly of the automobile; and,
FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of the locking system of the present invention as applied to an automobile door.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1, an automobile is illustrated schematically at 10. The automobile includes a body 11 supported on ground-engaging wheels 12. A plurality of doors 13 are pivotally supported by the body 11. In conventional fashion each of the doors 13 is provided with a retractible window 14.
Referring to FIG. 2, each of the doors 13 is provided with an exterior door handle 15 and an interior door handle 16. The exterior and interior handes 15, 16 are of conventional design and typically include actuator buttons 17, 18. The actuator buttons 17, 18 are operable to release a latch structure of conventional design, shown generally at 19. In a conventional fashion, the latch structures 19 cooperate with striker structures, not shown, carried by the body 11 to hold the doors releasably closed during normal operation of the automobile 10.
Each of the doors 13 is provided with a key operated lock structure, indicated generally by the numeral 20. In accordance with the present invention, as will be explained in greater detail, the lock structures 20 are key operable from both the exterior and interior of the automobile by a key 21 so as to selectively enable or disable both the exterior and interior door handle buttons 17, 18.
Each of the doors 13 is additionally provided with a latch lock button 22. The latch lock buttons are operable, as will be explained, to lock their respective doors so as to disable both the exterior and interior door handle buttons 17, 18, but are not operable to unlock or enable the buttons 17, 18 once the doors are locked.
Referring to FIG. 3, the doors 13 typically include outer and inner door panels 31, 32. Aligned through apertures 33, 34 are provided in the panels 31, 32 respectively for mounting the lock structure 20. The lock structure 20 includes juxtaposed outer and inner cylinder elements 41, 42 supported in the apertures 33, 34, respectively. A pair of annular shield rings 43, 44 are secured to the cylinder elements 41, 42 by means of projections 45, 46 formed integrally with the shield rings 43, 44 and press-fitted into apertures 47, 48 formed in the cylinder elements 41, 42. The shield rings 43, 44 cover the junctures between the cylinder elements 41, 42 and the panels 31, 32 so as to prevent moisture seepage therebetween and to give the lock structure 20 a pleasing exterior and interior appearance.
Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the cylinder elements 41, 42 have outwardly extending flanges 51, 52 formed thereon. A metallic cup 53 extends around the flanges 51, 52 so as to secure the cylinder elements 41, 42 together.
The cylinder elements 41, 42 are provided with aligned through apertures 61, 62. The outer ends of the apertures 61, 62, i.e. the ends nearest the shield rings 43, 44, are of such diameter as will readily receive the key 21. The inner ends of the apertures 61, 62 are hollowed out so as to define a chamber which rotatably mounts a plug 63 and an actuator collar 64 which partially surrounds the plug 63. Access to this chamber is provided by means of a radially extending opening 65 formed between the cylinder elements 41, 42. An actuator lever 66 formed integrally with the actuator collar 64 extends through the opening 65 and is provided with a slot 67 for connection to other components of the door locking system, as will be described.
A lost-motion connection is provided between the plug 63 and the collar 64. This lost motion connection comprises a two pairs of coacting engagement surfaces 71, 72 and 73, 74 formed on the plug 63 and collar 64, as shown in FIG. 4. The plug surfaces 71, 73 are spaced approximately 180° apart on opposite sides of the plug 63. The collar surfaces 72, 74 are spaced approximately 150° apart such that if the surface 71 is in contact with the surface 72 as shown in FIG. 4, then the surfaces 73, 74 are spaced approximately 30° apart so as to permit a 30° counterclockwise rotation of the collar 64 without necessitating any concurrent rotation of the plug 63.
The lost motion connection between the plug 63 and the collar 64 permits movement of the lever 66 to a locked position without concurrent rotation of the plug 63. As will be explained, this capability is needed in order to permit the latch lock buttons 22 to lock the doors 13 without concurrently using the key 21 in the lock structures 20.
Rotation of the plug 63 relative to the cylinder elements 41, 42 selectively controlled by a plurality of pairs of tumblers 80, 81 mounted in the customary fashion in aligned apertures in the plug 63 and in the cylinder elements 41, 42. The cylinder elements are biased radially inwardly of the plug 63 by means of compression coil springs 82. When a key of proper configuration such as the key 21 is inserted into one of the apertures 61, 62 so as to align the junctures of the tumbler pairs 80, 81 with the junctures of the plug 63 and cylinder elements 41, 42, the plug 63 can be rotated relative to the cylinder elements 41, 42.
When the actuating lever 66 is in the unlocked position shown in solid lines in FIG. 4, counterclockwise rotation of the plug 63 will bring the surfaces 71, 72 into contact so as to effect movement of the lever 66 to the locked position as shown in broken lines. Similarly, when the lever 66 is in the locked position, clockwise rotation of the plug 63 will bring the surfaces 73, 74 into contact so as to effect movement of the lever to the unlocked position. Moreover, with the plug 63 positioned as shown in FIG. 4, the lever 66 can be moved between the locked and unlocked positions without any concurrent rotation of the plug 63.
In order to permit the use of the same key 21 to operate the lock structure 20 both from interiorally and exteriorally of the automobile, the tumblers 81 are symmetrically arranged such that the tumblers 81 nearest the shield rings 41, 42 are of identical length and each consecutive inner pair of tumblers 81 are of identical lengths.
The remaining elements of a locking system constructed in accordance with the present invention are illustrated schematically in FIG. 4. The door handle buttons 17, 18 are provided with ramp-like camming surfaces 91, 92. Levers 93, 94 have end portions 95, 96 in engagement with the camming surfaces 91, 92. The levers 93, 94 are provided respectively at 97, 98. When the buttons 17, 18 are pushed inwardly of the door 13, the camming surfaces 91, 92 will cause the levers 93, 94 to rotate about their pivots 97, 98 to the door unlatching position shown in broken lines.
The levers 93, 94 make connection with a latch operator rod 100. Pins 101, 102 carried by the rod 100 are journaled by slots 103, 104 formed in the levers 93, 94. By this arrangement, the levers 93, 94 and the rod 100 are interconnected for concurrent movement.
The rod 100 is supported for axial translatory movement by a pair of sleeve bearings 105, 106. A collar 107 is rigidly secured to the rod 100 for movement therewith. A compression coil spring 108 is positioned around the rod 100 at a position between the bearing 105 and the collar 107 so as to bias the rod 100 toward the door latched position.
The rod 100 connects with a door latch assembly 19, which is of conventional design and will not be further described. When either of the buttons 17, 18 is depressed, the rod 100 will be caused to move the latch assembly 19 to the door unlatched position. When the buttons 17, 18 are released, the spring 108 will cause the rod 100 to return to the door latch position.
The operation of the latch operator rod is selectively enabled or disabled by means of a bolt 110 which is engageable with an aperture 111 formed through the rod 100. The bolt is supported by a pair of bearing blocks 112, 113 for sliding movement into and out of engagement with the aperture 111. When the bolt 110 is disengaged from the aperture 111, the rod 100 can be moved between the door latched and unlatched positions. When the bolt 110 engages the aperture 111, however, the rod 100 cannot be moved from the door latched position.
The lever 66 and the bolt 110 are interconnected for concurrent movement by means of a pin 117. The pin 117 is rigidly carried by the bolt 110 and is journaled in the slot 67 formed in the lever 66.
An over-center spring mechanism is provided to hold the bolt 110 selectively in the locked or unlocked positions. A lever 120 is pivotally mounted at 121. A slot 122 formed in the lever 120 journals a pin 123 rigidly carried by the bolt 110.
A tension spring 124 has one end 125 secured to the door 13 and the other end 126 secured to the lever 120. The points of connection 121, 125 are positioned in a common plane which is perpendicular to the path of travel of the bolt 110 and positioned between the locked and unlocked positions of the pin 123. By this arrangement, as the bolt 110 approaches either the locked or unlocked position, it will be biased toward that position by the spring 124.
The latch lock button 22 is connected to the bolt 110 through a lost motion connection that enables the button 22 to move the bolt to the locked position but provides no capability for the button 22 to move the bolt 110 from the locked position to the unlocked position. The button 22 is carried on a rod 130 journaled by sleeve bearings 131, 132. A collar 133 is rigidly carried by the rod 130 at a position intermediate the bearings 131, 132. A compression coil spring is positioned around the rod 130 and operates between the bearing 132 and the collar 131 to bias the rod 130 upwardly to a position where the collar 133 engages the bearing 131. Another collar 134 is also carried by the rod 130 for engagement with a L-shaped lever 135. The lever 135 is pivoted at 136 and has a slot 137 through which the rod 130 extends. When the rod 130 is depressed, the collar 134 engages the lever 135 and rotates it to the locked position shown in broken lines in FIG. 4. Once the lever 135 is moved to the locked position, releasing the button 22 so as to permit the return of the rod 130 to its normally upward position will not effect concurrent return of the lever 135 to the unlocked position.
The lever 135 and the bolt 110 are interconnected for concurrent movement. A pin 138 rigidly carried by the bolt 110 is journaled by a slot 139 formed in the lever 135. By this arrangement, the latch lock buttons 22 are operable to lock the doors 13 but cannot be used as a means of unlocking the doors.
From the foregoing description it should now be apparent that the present invention provides a simple locking system which is operable to disable the interior and exterior door handle buttons once the bolts 110 are moved to their locked position. The car doors can be locked either by use of the latch lock buttons 22 or by use of the key 21 from the interior or exterior of the automobile 10. The doors can only be unlocked, however, by use of the key 21.
While the lock structure 20 has been described as comprising a single cylinder assembly which is operable from either end by means of a key, it will be apparent that separate interior and exterior cylinder assemblies can be used if provided with proper lost motion connections to the bolt 110.
Although the foregoing description is necessarily of a detailed character, in order that the invention may be set forth, it is to be understood that the specific terminology is not intended to be restrictive or confining, and that various rearrangements of parts and modifications of detail may be resorted to without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as herein after claimed.