US2475220A - Electric key lock - Google Patents

Description

CN'UYUHLK July 5, 1949. J. A. CHAULK ETAL ELECTRIC KEY LOCK Filed Oct. 9, 1946 fl z j INVENTORS (lo/m EC'kaul/f By (lac/1. flautel Patented July 5, 1949 ELECTRIC KEY LOCK John A. Chaulk and Jack Dautel, Oklahoma City, Okla.; Ellen Louise Dautel, sole heir of Jack Dautel, deceased, assignor to Ray Chaulk, Oklahoma City, Okla.

Application October 9, 1946, Serial No. 702,268

10 Claims. 1

The present invention is directed to improvements in looks and has particular reference to an electrically controlled, key operated lock of the cylinder or pin tumbler type.

The principal object of the invention is to proride in a cylinder lock an electrical control means which precludes the usual key operation of the lock until a predetermined condition has been satisfied.

Another object of the invention is to provide in combination with a cylinder look a remotely controlled, electric circuit completed by the initial key operation of the lock and adapted upon completion to energize a tractive, electromagnet which permits -full operation of the lock to close a main circuit, or the like, of a device protected by the lock.

A further object of this invention is to provide in a lock having the foregoing characteristics a novel and simplified electrical means for remotely controlling the full operation of a key controlled cylinder lock until remote, predetermined conditions have been satisfied.

Other objects will be apparent from the following specification and the accompanying drawing, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of our invention, it being understood that modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings wherein like reference numerals indicate similar parts:

Fig. 1 is a central, cross-sectional view of our novel lock construction, the associated parts being shown diagrammatically as illustrative of one of many lock controlled systems to which our invention is applicable.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a fragmental, cross-sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Our invention is particularly designed to prevent the unintentional operation of an internal combustion motor vehicle with the emergency brake in operative or set position and it contemplates, under these specific conditions, the use of a cylinder lock for closing the ignition circuit for the motor and having its operative position blocked by the plunger of an electromagnet. The

electromagnet is energized through an electric circuit remotely controlled by an emergency brake switch and completed by the initial key operation of said lock thereby insuring that the brake must be in its inoperative or "ofl" position before the ignition system can be completed to start the motor.

With reference to the drawings the numeral It indicates a cylindrical casing opened at its ends and divided centrally by a partition II to form a forwardly positioned lock retaining compartment l2 and a rear, switch compartment l3. A lock barrel I4 is positioned within the compartment l2 and is provided with and eccentrically positioned, through bore for rotatably mounting a, key cylinder 18. The cylinder is provided with the usual key-way ll into which a key 18 may be inserted when it is desired to operate the cylinder lock.

The cylinder l6 and the barrel ll have formed therein pin or tumbler receiving bores which, as illustrated in Fig. 1, are in alignment when the lock is in locked position, and as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1, the pins are each divided intermediate their ends and the two sections are spring urged toward the key-way ll. Upon insertion of a key 18 into the key-way the pins are moved so that their division lines lie along the periphery of the cylinder is so that said cylinder may be key operated to an unlocked position, i. e. counterclockwise as illustrated in Fig. 6.

An electromagnet generally indicated by the reference numeral 19 is mounted upon the casing l0 and has a centrally disposed core 20 having a depending, reduced threaded end 2| which is positioned within aligned threaded apertures 22 and 23 formed in the casing l0 and the barrel M respectively. This construction secures the barrel within the casing ID in fixed, non-rotative position saidcore 20 having a central aperture formed therethrough for receiving a tractive plunger 24 which is normally biased for projection of its lower end into a peripheral slot 25 (Fig. 6)

- formed in the cylinder ii. The means for biasing the plunger comprises a spring 28 which is positioned in the upper end of the core and is held therein by screw 21 which is threaded in the upper reduced end 28 of the core.

The electromagnetic core 20 is wound with a suitable coil 29 which is surrounded by a tubular housing 30 which bears against the casing 10 at its lower end and is closed by a cap 3| at its upper end, said cap being provided with a central bore which cooperates with the exteriorly threaded end 28 of the core for securing the housing and the cap to the casing.

A three way switch is rotatably mounted within the switch compartment [3 in axial alignment with the key controlled cylinder iii of the lock and comprises an insulated, rotatable block 32 which has fitted to its forward end a cap 33 which has formed therein a concentric slot 34 (Fig. The slot is adapted to receive the arcuate extended portion 35 of a connecting bracket 36 secured to the rear end of the key cylinder l8 and it will therefore be noted that rotary motion of the cylinder will be transmitted to the switch block 32 through said arcuate slot and bracket connection.

The switch is provided with an insulating block 37 which is fixed to the interior, rear portion of the switch compartment and mounts a suitable pivot pin 38 which passes through the central portion of the block to provide concentric rotation of the block relative to the fixed block 37. The rotatable block 32 carries at its rear portion an electrically conductive bridge plate 39 provided with three movable contacts 4 I. 42 and 43 (Fig. 2) These contacts take the form of rivets which have shanks passing through the plate and through channel members 44 which engage rearwardly projecting shoulders 45 formed on the block 32 (Fig. 4). The bridge plate is urged with a constant pressure against the inner face of the stationary block by means of a spring 48 which encircles the pin 38 and bears against the adjacent surfaces of the bridge plate 39 and the rotatable block 32.

The fixed block 31 has embedded in its interior surface a number of fixed stationary contacts 41, 48 and 49 which are adapted for selective connections through the bridge 39 upon rotational movement of the block 32 as will be more fully set out below.

As illustrated in Fig. 1 the stationary contact 41 is connected by lead 480 to one side 490 of the electromagnetic coil 29 whilst the other side 50 of the coil is connected by an electrical conducting bracket 5| to a ground 52. The stationary contact 48 is arcuately shaped and positioned adjacent the stationary contact 41 and, as indicated in Fig. 1, is connected to a lead 53 having a remotely controlled switch 54 and a battery 55 interposed therein in series. The contact 49 is connected by lead 55 to an electrical device 51 protected by the lock. The numeral 58 indicates suitable positioning stops for the switch which are engaged by the rotatable contact 43 to positively locate the rotatable block in switch off and "on positions.

In operation when the key control cylinder is in its locked position, the tractive plunger 24 of electromagnet l9 will project into the slot 25 in the cylinder to preclude the full rotation of the cylinder. In this locked cylinder position the movable contacts 4| and 42 are normally out of engagement with the stationary switch contacts and the positioning contact 43 is seated in the lowermost positioning stop 58 shown in Fig. 3. The lower end of the plunger will also normally assume a position within and at the left hand side of the cylinder slot 25 when the lock is in its said operative or locked position. Upon initial key instituted rotation of the cylinder the slot permits a slight rotation of the cylinder and the movable switch so that the contact 4| on the latter bridges the stationary contacts 41 and 48. In the event remote control switch 54 is closed, bridging of the contacts 41 and 48 closes a circuit through the electromagnet to energize it and retract the plunger 24 from the slot 25 permitting full rotation of the cylinder and switch to a position where stationary contacts 48 and 49 are engaged by movable bridge contacts 4| and 42 respectively, deenergizing the electromagnet and completing an electric circuit to the protected device 51. In this latter position contact 43 is seated in the uppermost positioning stop 58 illustrated in Fig. 3.

However if remote control switch 54 is open, initial key actuation of the cylinder merely permits slight rotation of the cylinder, the unretracted plunger in the slot precluding further rotation of the cylinder to close the circuit to the protected device.

It will therefore be noted that we provided a key controlled cylinder or pin tumbler lock which upon initial operation closes a remotely controlled electric circuit which energizes a tractive electromagnet to permit full operation of the lock to close a main circuit, or the like, of a device protected by the lock. The remote switch 54 must therefore be closed before the lock may be operated by its proper key and the device, therefore. lends itself to a number of useful situations such as safety deposit vault boxes, department store doors and especially as an ignition lock for automobiles which prevents the unintentional operation of the protected vehicle with the emergency brake in its set position. In this latter instance, the protected device 51 would be the ignition coil whilst the remotely controlled switch 54 would be opened by the set position of the automobile brake and closed by the inoperative position of the emergency brake.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a cylinder lock having a fixed barrel and a key controlled cylinder-rotatably mounted in the barrel, of an electromagnet mounted on the barrel, a peripheral slot formed in the cylinder, a tractive plunger for the electromagnet normally biased for projection into the slot, said slot being circumferentially elongated to permit limited rotation of the cylinder when the plunger is in the slot, a normally open switch closed by initial rotation of the cylinder, and a remotely controlled electric circuit including the electromagnet and the switch.

2. The combination with a cylinder lock having a fixed barrel and a key controlled cylinder rotatably mounted in the barrel, of a normally open three way switch operatively associated with the cylinder, an electromagnet mounted on the barrel, a peripheral slot formed in the cylinder, a tractive plunger for the electromagnet normally biased for projection into the slot, said slot being circumferentially elongated to permit limited rotation of the cylinder when the plunger is in the slot, a remotely controlled circuit including the electromagnet and the switch and closed by initial rotation of the switch to energize the electromagnet, said switch being thereafter movable to close a circuit to an electric device protected by the lock.

3. In a device of the class described the combination of a casing, a lock barrel within the casing, a key cylinder rotatably mounted in the barrel, an electromagnet positioned in the casing, aligned apertures formed in the casing and the barrel, a core for the electromagnet having a reduced lower end disposed in the apertures, a peripheral slot formed in the cylinder, a tractive plunger movable in the core and normally biased for projection into the slot to preclude full rotation Of the cylinder, said slot being circumferentially elongated to permit limited rotation of the cylinder when the plunger is in the slot, and electric means closed by initial actuation of the cylinder to energize the electromagnet and retract the plunger from the slot to permit full rotation of the cylinder.

4. In a look, a key-controlled member rotatable from a locking position to an unlocking position, a latching device normally limiting such rotation to permit only partial rotation of the member toward said unlocking position, an electromagnet adapted, when energized, to operate said latching device to permit full rotation of said member to said unlocking position, a remotely controlled circuit for energizing said electromagnet when said member is in a position intermediate said locking and unlocking positions, and switching means controlled by said member for interrupting said circuit whenever said member is in said looking position and also whenever it is in said unlocking position.

5. In a look, a key-controlled member rotatable from a locking position to an unlocking position, a latching device normally limiting such rotation to permit only partial rotation of the member toward said unlocking position, a remotely controlled electromagnet for operating said latching device to permit full rotation of the member to said unlocking position, means controlled by said member for disabling the electromagnet whenever said member is in said locking position and said means responsive to partial rotation of said member toward said unlocking position to enable said electromagnet.

6. In a look, a key-controlled member rotatable from a locking position to an unlocking position, a latching device normally limiting such rotation to permit only partial rotation of the member toward said unlocking position, an electrical contact so controlled by said member as to be open when the member is in said locking position and closed when the member is partially rotated toward said unlocking position, an electromagnet for operating said latching device to permit full rotation of said member to said unlocking position, and a remotely controlled circuit including said contact and said electromagnet.

'7. In a lock, a key-controlled member rotatable from a locking position to an unlocking position, an electrical switch actuated by said member responsive to rotation of said member from said locking position to a position intermediate said locking position and said unlocking position, a stop normally preventing rotation of the member from said intermediate position to said unlocking position, a remote electrical switch, and an electromagnet controlled conjointly by said two switches for at times withdrawing said stop to permit rotation of the key-controlled member from said intermediate position to said unlocked position.

8. In a look, a key-controlled member rotatable from a locking position to an unlocking position, an electrical switch actuated by said member responsive to rotation of said member from said locking position to a position intermediate said locking position and said unlocking position, a stop normally preventing rotation of the member from said intermediate position to said unlocking position, a remote electrical switch, an electromagnet controlled conjointly by said two switches for at times withdrawing said stop to permit rotation of the key-controlled member from said intermediate position to said unlocked position, and a third electrical switch actuated by said member responsive to rotation thereof from said intermediate position to said unlocking position.

9. In a look, a key-controlled member rotatable from a normal position to a predetermined onnormal position, a stop normally preventing rotation of said member beyond said predetermined position, a stationary electrical contact having a source of current connected thereto, a second stationary contact having connected thereto an electrical device to be controlled, a third stationary contact having connected thereto an electromagnet adapted when energized to withdraw said stop thereby to permit rotation of said member beyond said predetermined off-normal position, said member having coupled therewith a movable shunt operated to bridge said first and third contacts responsive to rotation of said member from said normal position to said predetermined offnormal position and operated to bridge said first and second contacts responsive to rotation of said member beyond said predetermined position.

10. A look as in claim 9 having a remote electrical switch operable at will to disconnect said source of current from said first contact.

JOHN A. CHAULK. JACK DAUTEL,

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,462,684 Clum July 24, 1923" 6 1,758,698 Hardesty May 13, 1930 I 2-3 J flrs 2,103,702 Tibbetts Dec. 28, 1937 p36 $1. 3

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