Patent ID: 6257031
Filing Date: 2001-07-10
Classification: B60R,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A key operated lock adapted to be installed in an opening of a mounting panel that has a front face and a rear face at opposite ends of the opening, comprising:a) means for defining a tubular body for extending through the opening of the mounting panel for defining a central passage that opens through a forward end region of the tubular body, wherein the central passage extends substantially coaxially about an imaginary rotation axis;b) means for defining a key operated lock cylinder assembly 1) that is housed within the central passage, and 2) that includes a tubular barrel which journals a plug for rotation about the rotation axis between locked and unlocked positions, wherein the plug defines a key-receiving opening that extends rearwardly along the rotation axis from near the forward end region of the central passage, and wherein the plug has a rear end region which defines a cam that rotates with the plug between the locked and unlocked positions, and 3) that includes additional means for defining a lock mechanism for cooperating with a suitably configured key win key is inserted into the key-receiving opening to a fully inserted position A) to rotate the plug to the unlocked position when the fully inserted key is rotated in one direction about the rotation axis, B) to rotate the plug to the locked position when the fully inserted key is rotated in the opposite direction about the rotation axis, and C) to permit removal of a fully inserted key only when the plug is rotated to the locked and unlocked positions; and,c) means for retaining the tubular body in the opening of the mounting panel and for retaining the key operated lock cylinder assembly in the central passage including means for defining an elongate bar for being connected to the mounting panel and for being slidably received within aligned slots that are formed in overlying portions of the means for defining a tubular body and in the barrel of the means for defining a key operated lock cylinder assembly without engaging the plug of the means for defining a key operated lock cylinder assembly, wherein the aligned slots extend transversely with respect to the rotation axis and closely receive the means for defining an elongate bar in a slip fit to prevent forward and rearward movements of the means for defining a tubular body and the means for defining a key operated lock cylinder assembly relative to the mounting panel while permitting such relative rotation as is required to enable the plug of the means for defining a key operated lock cylinder assembly to be unlocked and locked by rotation of the key when inserted to the fully inserted position in the key-receiving opening; and,d) wherein the means for defining a tubular body is rotatable about the rotation axis relative to the mounting panel, and the aligned slots are configured to permit rotation about the rotation axis of the means for defining a tubular body relative to the mounting panel between first and second angular positions when the plug of the means for defining a key operated lock cylinder assembly is in the locked and unlocked positions.