US3304755A - Cylinder lock actuator - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 21, 1967 T. H. JOHNSTONE 3,304,755

CYLINDER LOCK ACTUATOR Filed Oct. 28 1964 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,304,755 CYLINDER LOCK ACTUATOR Theodore H. Johnstone, New Baltimore, Mich., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 407,192 1 Claim. (Cl. 70-279) This invention relates generally to actuators and more particularly to a new and improved combined push button and cylinder lock actuator.

This invention provides an improvement in the type of combined push button and cylinder lock actuator wherein a key or other locking means conditions the actuator for operation, the improvement particularly residing in the provision of some auxiliary means for conditioning the actuator for operation independently of use of the key. This is especially advantageous, for example, in a vehicle body deck lid installation wherein some authorized auxiliary control obviates the necessity for constant use of the key to gain repeated access to the vehicle compartment. In a preferred embodiment, the actuator of this invention generally includes a combined push button and key lock cylinder member rotatably and axially slidably mounted in a surrounding casing, and an actuating member adapted to be moved between an operative position wherein it is responsive to actuating movement of the cylinder member to operate some associated mecha nism, for example a deck lid latch, and an inoperative position wherein the actuating member is nonresponsive to such actuating movement. The actuating member may be located in its operative position either by using the proper key or by auxiliary means which are operable independently of use of the key.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a new and improved combined push button and cylinder lock actuator which may be conditioned for operation either through use of a proper locking agency or by auxiliary means operable independently of such agency.

This and other objects and features of the invention will be readily apparent from the following specification and drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic view, partially in section, of an actuator according to this invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of FIGURE 1 taken generally along the plane indicated by the lines 22 thereof and showing the actuator in actuating condition;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing the actuator in nonactuating condition; and

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 of another embodiment of an actuator accord-ing to this invention.

Referring now particularly to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, the actuator, designated generally as 10, is shown mounted on a supporting body 12. For purposes of illustration, the actuator may be considered as being applied in a vehicle body deck lid installation, body 12 representing the outer panel of the deck lid. The actuator may be further considered as being employed to actuate a deck lid latch, an operating member of which is indicated at 14. A suitable form of deck lid latch usable with the actuator of this invention is disclosed in Fox et al. 2,886,365, issued May 12, 1959. In such case, member 14 represents suitable linkage connecting the present actuator to the roll-back or detent release member of the Fox et al. latch.

Actuator is generally of the combined push button and cylinder lock type and includes a casing 16 extending through an opening in outer panel 12 and being held thereon by the engagement therewith of a decorative casing end portion 17 and a snap ring 1 8. A lock cylin- 3,304,755 Patented Feb. 21, 1967 "ice der 20 is rotatably and slidably received within the casing and includes an integral push button portion 22 adapted to extend exteriorly of the casing end portion under the action of a coil compression spring 24 seating between a pair of snap rings 26 on the cylinder and on an interior end portion of the casing. Circumferentially spaced embossments 28 on the cylinder are engageable with the casing end portion 17 to locate the cylinder in the extended position shown against the action of spring 24.

Cylinder 20 is functionally of the retractable side bar type, the side bar 30 being received in the extended position thereof within a locking groove 31 on the interior of casing 16 and extending substantially throughout the length thereof, FIGURE 2. The structural and functional details of a suitable mechanism providing the locking function of cylinder .20 may be had upon reference to US. Patent 2,949,762, issued August 23, 1960; but suflice it to say here that cylinder 20 is locked against movement within casing 16 by the projection of side bar 30 into the locking groove 31, and suitable tumbler means are provided to withdraw the side bar from the groove upon the insertion of a properly coded key indicated at 32. In the actuator illustrated in FIG- URES 1 through 4, the side bar 30 when extended is operative to prevent rotation of cylinder 20, the cylinder being freely slidable within the casing at all times.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 through 3, an actuating member 34 includes a generally disc-shaped portion 36 lying adjacent the interior end of cylinder 20 and rotatably mounted thereto by a pin 40, and an actuating lug 38 extending from the portion 36. A second pin 42 on the cylinder end is received within an arcuate lost motion slot 44 in portion 36 to provide operative connection for transmitting rotation of the cylinder to the actuating member. Mounted on an ear 46 of casing 16 is an operating member 48 which carries in a slot thereof one end of the member 14. A nose 50 of member 48 extends toward the cylinder for engagement with lug 38, and an embossment 52 on ear 46 locates member 48 in nonactuated position as shown.

The actuating member 34 is rotatable either in response to rotation of cylinder 20 or independently thereof between an operative position as shown in FIGURE 2 and an inoperative position, FIGURE 3. In its operative position, member 34 is located to have lug 38 thereof juxtaposed to nose 50, whereby upon inward sliding movement of cylinder 20, member 48 will be rotated for actuation of the deck lid latch through member 14. In its inoperative position, the actuating member is located to have lug 38 rotatively displaced from nose 50 whereby inward sliding movement of cylinder 20 is ineffective to cause rotation of member 48 to actuate the latch. It will be understood that member 34 may be moved between these positions by inserting key 32 in cylinder 20 to withdraw side bar 30, and subsequently rotating the cylinder. Suitable spring return means may be provided to normally locate cylinder 20 in the neutral position shown, or alternatively and preferably, provision may be made to prevent key withdrawal in other than the neutral position.

Referring to FIGURE 2, actuating member 34 further includes an elongated ear 54 of portion 36 extending radially of casing 16 and through an opening 56 thereof. An elongated lost motion slot 58 is provided in ear 54 through which is received one leg 61 of a generally L- shaped armature 60 of a miniature solenoid 62. The solenoid is mounted on a laterally extending mounting portion 64 of the casing, and armature 60 is biased to an extended position by a coil compression spring 66 seating between the solenoid housing and a collar 68 on the armature. It will be readily apparent that upon energization of solenoid 62, the actuating member 34 may be rotated from inoperative to operative positions independently of use of key 32 to unlock Cylinder 20. The cylinder may then be pushed inwardly to rotate the operating member 48 and actuate the latch. Leg 61 of armature 60 is of sufficient length to remain with ear 54 during this inward movement. When the solenoid is deenergized, spring 66 returns actuating member 34 to inoperative position. It will further be noted that the spring performs the same function when key 32 is used rather than the solenoid.

Many suitable circuit means for energizing the actuator solenoid 62 may be provided, but to ensure only deliberate authorized operation thereof when used in a vehicle, the solenoid is preferably wired in series with the grounded ignition cylinder lock for the vehicle, the retractable side bar 70 of which provides actuation for a contact of first switch 72, a second switch 74 being provided so as to require conscious deliberate conditioning of the solenoid circuit. It will be understood that means other than solenoid 62 may be provided for operating actuating member 34 independently of use of key 32.

In FIGURE 4, there is shown a modification of the actuator of this invention wherein like numerals refer to like parts. In this embodiment, two solenoids 80 and 82 are provided, neither of which includes the spring return means of the previous embodiment. These solenoids would each be provided with a circuit wherein each would be only briefly energized to selectively locate the actuating member 34 in either its operative or inoperative position. With such an arrangement, the resistance to key rotation by the spring 66 of the previous embodiment would be avoided.

Thus a new and improved combined push button and cylinder lock actuator is provided.

I claim:

A cylinder lock actuator, comprising, casing means, a lock cylinder mounted within said casing means for combined rotatable and axially slidable movement relative thereto, said cylinder being adapted to be selectively locked against rotation within said casing means and being freely slidable therein at all times, a mechanism operating member to be actuated, an actuating disc mounted on said cylinder for rotation as a unit therewith or rotation independently thereof and for sliding movement therewith relative to said casing means, said disc including an actuating lug extending axially of said cylinder and an ear extending radially thereof, lost motion pin and slot means connecting said disc and said cylinder for rotation of said disc either in response to selected rotation of said cylinder or independently thereof between an operative position juxtaposing said lug to said operating member for engagement therewith in response to sliding movemnt of said cylinder and an inoperative position locating said lug remote from said operating member to prevent such engagement, poweroperated means mounted on said casing means, means connecting said power-operated means to said radial ear for rotation of said disc between said positions thereof by said power-operated means independently of rotation of said cylinder and for sliding movement of said disc with said cylinder relative to said power-operated means, and means for selectively energizing said power-operated means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,929,658 10/1933 Solliday 360 X 2,218,183 10/1940 Springer 70149 2,683,978 7/1954 Jacobi 70360 2,705,885 4/1955 Craig 70285 X 2,886,365 5/1959 Fox et al. 292341.18 2,949,762 8/1960 Johnstone 70364 3,200,623 8/1965 Peters 70279 EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examiner.

P. TEITELBAUM, Assistant Examiner.

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