Abstract:
A locking assembly for a truck bed closure includes an internal frame mounting a slider having a vertical portion with a dog-receiving aperture, a disk rotation flange, a manual actuation flange and a motor-actuator flange, and a horizontal portion with a pair of keyhole apertures for receiving the mounting studs. a hollow lock cylinder bushing secured to the mounting plate internally and rotatably receives a shaft and a lock tumbler. Rotation of the shaft by turning an exterior handle unlatches the truck bed closure. The interior end of the tumbler mounts a locking dog. Pivoting of the lock tumbler rotates the locking dog to shift the slider between the locked and unlocked positions. A lock disk fixed to the shaft engages the slider in the locked position, preventing unlatching. An electric actuator can be connected to the slider, enabling shifting of the slider from a wired or wireless remote switch.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The invention relates to locking mechanisms for truck bed closures, or more specifically to manual and/or electrically actuated locking mechanisms for truck bed caps or tonneau covers.  
         [0003]     2. Related Art  
         [0004]     Trucks, e.g. conventional pickup trucks, typically have a cargo bed bounded by a bottom wall and one or more sidewalls and an open portion through which cargo is received. It is common, to protect such cargo against weather, theft, etc., to selectively close such open portion with an openable closure, such as a cap or tonneau cover. Such truck caps and tonneau covers are known to have a locking mechanism that, unlike conventional passenger vehicle doors, are typically simple mechanical devices securing the cover or lift gate by using a pivoting handle actuating a rod or cable to release a latch. The pivoting handle typically has an internal lock tumbler that allows the handle to pivot when placed in the appropriate orientation.  
         [0005]     An improvement to this arrangement was presented in U.S. Pat. No. 6,354,650, having common inventorship with the instant disclosure, wherein an electric actuator was arranged at the latch, whereby the latch anchor points were displaced from the latch in order to release the latch without the need to pivot the handle. The pivoting handle would remain locked, necessitating continued access to the remote actuator, or access to the key in order to open the cover multiple times.  
         [0006]     It would be advantageous to provide a remote locking and unlocking arrangement that, once actuated, would provide continued ability to open and close the truck cap or tonneau cover without repeated access to the remote actuator.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     A locking assembly for a truck bed closure includes a closure/truck bed latch connectable member (1) movable in response to operator movement of an unlocked exterior handle to unlatch the closure from the truck bed and (2) externally lockable against such movement. An interior member has allowing and blocking positions respectively allowing and blocking such movement of the unlocked handle and latch connectable member, and is shiftable to its allowing position by unlocking and moving the exterior handle or by means inside the closed truck bed. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  is a pictorial view of truck cap with a cap locking assembly according to the invention.  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is a pictorial view of the locking assembly of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is a pictorial view of the locking assembly of  FIG. 1  with a keyhole cover open.  
         [0011]      FIG. 3A  is a pictorial view of a base plate of the locking assembly of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0013]      FIG. 4A  is a fragmentary, schematic sectional view substantially taken on the line  4 A- 4 A of  FIG. 4 .  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a rear pictorial view of the locking assembly of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is an exploded rear pictorial view of the locking assembly of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0016]      FIG. 6A  is an enlarged pictorial view of the tumbler of  FIG. 6 .  
         [0017]      FIG. 6B  is an enlarged, partially broken, elevational view of a fragment of  FIG. 3 .  
         [0018]      FIG. 6C  is an enlarged fragment of  FIG. 6 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 6D  is an enlarged pictorial view of the  FIG. 6  bushing showing the outboard end thereof.  
         [0020]      FIG. 7  is a rear elevation of the locking assembly of  FIG. 1  in the locked position.  
         [0021]      FIG. 7A  is a rear elevation of a mounting frame of the locking assembly of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0022]      FIG. 7B  is a fragmentary sectional substantially taken on the line  7 B- 7 B of  FIG. 2 , with the spring clip and pin in relief.  
         [0023]      FIG. 7C  is a fragmentary sectional view substantially taken on the line  7 C- 7 C of  FIG. 7 .  
         [0024]      FIG. 8  is a central cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 7 .  
         [0025]      FIG. 8A  is a central cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line  8 A- 8 A of  FIG. 8 .  
         [0026]      FIG. 8B  is an enlarged pictorial view of the dog of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0027]      FIG. 9  is a rear elevation of the locking assembly of  FIG. 1  in the unlocking condition.  
         [0028]      FIG. 10  is a rear elevation of the locking assembly of  FIG. 2  in the unlocked position.  
         [0029]      FIG. 11  is a rear elevation of the locking assembly of  FIG. 1  in the unlatched condition.  
         [0030]      FIG. 12  is a rear elevation of a further embodiment of the locking assembly according to the invention with motor actuator and mount attached, in the locked position.  
         [0031]      FIG. 12A  is an enlarged fragment of  FIG. 12 .  
         [0032]      FIG. 13  is a rear elevation according to  FIG. 12  in the unlocked position.  
         [0033]      FIG. 13A  is a rear pictorial view of an actuator-mounting bracket of the locking assembly of  FIGS. 12-13 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0034]     Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience in reference only and will not be limiting. The words “up”, “down”, “right” and “left” will designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “in” and “out” will refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the device and designated parts thereof. The words “inboard” and “outboard” will refer to directions toward and away from the interior of a truck. Such terminology will include derivatives and words of similar import.  
         [0035]     Referring to  FIGS. 1-4  and  6 , a truck T includes an open-top bed B selectively closable by a truck bed closure C (e.g. cap lift gate or tonneau cover) having a wall W mounting a locking assembly  10  according to the invention. The locking assembly  10  includes a base plate  15  mounted on the outside of the truck bed closure wall W by a pair of bolts  20 ,  25  ( FIG. 6 ) extending through the wall W. The bolts have respective heads  30 ,  35  snugly and nonrotatably received in correspondingly shaped recesses  40  ( FIG. 3A ) in the face  45  of the base plate  15 , such that the base plate  15  is thereby not removable from outside the truck bed closure. A gasket  50  ( FIG. 6 ) is sandwiched between the outer face of the truck bed closure wall W and the base plate  15  to exclude moisture and provide a cushion effect. Holes  52  in the gasket, and corresponding holes in the truck wall W, receive the screws  20 ,  25 .  
         [0036]     As apparent from the foregoing, and readily seen in  FIG. 8 , the locking assembly parts located outside the closure C are the handle body  140 , key lid  145 , base plate  15 , and gasket  50 . The remaining locking assembly parts either extend into (through the wall W) or are entirely within the interior space bounded by the closed closure C and truck bed B.  
         [0037]     The base plate  15  ( FIGS. 3A and 6 ) is oblong and includes a central aperture  55 . The central aperture  55  aligns with a corresponding aperture AW ( FIG. 8 ) in the truck bed closure wall W, and is configured to receive a lock cylinder bushing  65  ( FIGS. 6 and 8 ). The lock cylinder bushing  65  includes a hollow cylindrical portion  70  and a flange portion  75  at the outboard end of the cylindrical portion  70 . The base plate  15  includes an outboard recess  80  around the central aperture  55 , shaped and sized for snugly and nonrotatably receiving the flange portion  75 . The cylindrical portion  70  is configured for snug, nonrotatable inserting through the base plate central aperture  55 . The radially outer surface  85  of the cylindrical portion  70  includes diametrically opposed, convexly rounded, threaded surfaces (schematically shown in  FIG. 6 ) circumferentially separated by diametrically opposed flat sections  90 . The flat sections  90  align with like flat sections  95  of the central aperture  55  of the base plate  15  to rotationally fix the bushing  65  in the base plate  15 .  
         [0038]     A mounting frame  105  ( FIGS. 6, 7A ,  8  and  8 A) is adapted to abut on an internal face  100  of the truck bed closure wall W and axially align with the base plate  15 . The mounting frame  105  includes apertures  110  and  115  respectively configured to align with and snugly receive the bolts  20 ,  25  and bushing  65 . Appropriately sized nuts  120 ,  125  are received respectively on the inboard ends on the bolts  20 ,  25  and bushing  65  to fix the base plate  15 , gasket  50  and mounting frame  105  to each other and to the truck bed closure.  
         [0039]     The locking assembly  10  further includes a handle assembly  130  ( FIGS. 2, 3 ,  4 ,  6  and  8 ). The handle assembly  130  includes a shaft component  135 , a handle body  140 , a key lid  145 , and a tumbler  150 .  
         [0040]     The shaft component  135  ( FIGS. 6 and 8 ) includes a hollow, stepped cylindrical body  155  and a radial flange  160  spaced intermediate the ends of the body  155 . The hollow, stepped cylindrical body  155  is configured to be received in the hollow cylindrical portion  70  of the lock cylinder bushing  65 , and is preferably rotationally spring biased by any conventional intervening resilient means (schematically indicated in  FIGS. 6C and 6D ). An outboard projection  76  ( FIG. 6C ) on the outboard end  77  of the bushing  65  is circumferentially movable in an annular groove  165  ( FIG. 6D ) in the inboard face  170  of the flange  160  of the shaft component  135 . The groove  165  is circumferentially long enough to allow limited, e.g. 90°, rotation of the shaft component  135 , the latter preferably being spring-biased to rest such projection against one end of such groove, so as to have a rest position of fixed orientation on the bushing  65 . The shaft component  135  is retained in the bushing  65  by a spring clip  175  ( FIG. 6 ) received in the first circumferential groove  180  ( FIG. 6 ) around the hollow, stepped cylindrical body  155  adjacent its inboard end. The hollow cylindrical body  155  includes a stepped internal cavity  185  having an outboard opening key-cylinder portion  190  and an inboard extending tail portion  195 . The key-cylinder portion  190  includes radially extending keyways  192  ( FIG. 6B ) for coaction with the tumbler  150  as hereafter described  
         [0041]     The handle body  140  ( FIGS. 3, 4 ,  6  and  8 ) includes a central aperture  205  with an inboard-facing recess  210 . The recess  210  is configured to receive the intermediate flange  160  of the shaft component  135  and the central aperture  205  is configured to receive the outboard portion of the hollow cylindrical body  155  of the shaft component  135 . The shaft component  135  is fixed to the inboard face of the handle body  140  by any convenient means, such as small screws  227  ( FIG. 6 ) inserted through holes in the tumbler flange  160  and threaded into opposing holes  225 ,  230  adjacent and flanking the central aperture  205  in the handle body  140 . The handle body  140  is removable from the shaft component  135  without affecting the locking function of the locking assembly  10 .  
         [0042]     The handle body  140  further includes a central recess  235  ( FIG. 3 ) in the outboard face  240  thereof, surrounding the central aperture  205 .  
         [0043]     The key lid  145  is pivotally mounted to the handle body  140 , e.g. by coaxial half shafts  141  in the lid  145 , outwardly urged by a spring  142  therebetween, into pockets  143  in portions  144  of the handle body  140  flanking the recess  235 . The key lid  145  is configured to pivot from a closed position ( FIG. 2 ), filling the central recess  235  on the outboard face  240  of the handle body  140  and covering the central aperture  205 , to an open position ( FIG. 3 ), projecting from the outboard face  240  of the handle body  140 . The key lid  145  is resiliently biased toward its open and the closed positions by a camming pin  245  ( FIG. 4 ) received within an internal cavity  250  of the handle body  140  and urged by a spring  255  into contact with cam flats  258  and  259  on the otherwise convexly rounded hinge portion  260  of the key lid  145 .  
         [0044]     The tumbler  150  ( FIGS. 3, 6 ,  6 A and  8 ) is of conventional type and includes an outboard key-lock portion  265  for receiving a key K and an inboard tail portion  270 . The tumbler  150  is generally cylindrical and is configured for insertion into the hollow, stepped cylindrical body  155  of the shaft component  135 . More particularly, the tumbler tail portion  270  is inserted through the key-cylinder portion  190  of the body  155  and to the inboard end of the tail portion  195  of the hollow, stepped cylindrical body  155 . The key-lock portion  265  includes a number of radially extending pins  275  that orient the tumbler  150  for insertion into the keyway  192  ( FIG. 6B ) of the key-cylinder portion  190 . The outboard key-lock portion  265  has an exterior key-receiving end in the handle body  140  and exposed to receive a conventional key K if the key lid  145  is in its open,  FIG. 3 , position.  
         [0045]     Referring to  FIGS. 5, 6  and  8 , with the handle assembly  130  fixed to the bushing  65  by the first spring clip  175 , a lock disk  280  is coaxially fixed on the inboard end  285  of the shaft component  135  for rotation therewith and so with the handle body  140 . In the embodiment shown, the inboard end portion of the shaft component has a non-circular cross-section, here including a pair of diametrically opposed flats  295 . The lock disk  280  includes a noncircular, flatted, central aperture  290 , correspondingly shaped and sized to be circumferentially fixed on the inboard end  285  of the shaft component  135 . The lock disk  280  ( FIGS. 6, 8  and  8 A) is fixed on the shaft component  135  between the first spring clip  175  and a second spring clip  300  ( FIGS. 6, 8  and  8 A) received in a second circumferential groove  305  proximate the inboard end  285  of the shaft component  135 . The spring clips  175  and  300  may be conventional, C-shaped snap rings.  
         [0046]     The lock disk  280  ( FIG. 6 ) is substantially planar and circular, but includes a number of outstanding features. The outer edge of the lock disk  280  includes a pair of diametrically opposed, semicircular cut-out sections (or notches)  315 ,  320 . Respective radially outward extending ledges  325 ,  330  define one end of the corresponding cut-out sections  315 ,  320 . Each ledge  325 ,  330  defines a disk rotation stop, as hereafter discussed. At the other end of the cut-out sections  315 ,  320  respective cable mount tabs  340 ,  345  extend perpendicular to the surface of the lock disk  280  away from the wall W. The lock disk  280  is rotationally symmetrical about its flatted central aperture  290 .  
         [0047]     The tail portion  270  ( FIG. 6A ) of the tumbler  150  includes a coaxial noncircular (here square) recess  350  in its interior (inboard) end  355 , at the open end of a coaxial threaded aperture  360 . The locking assembly  10  includes a locking dog  365  ( FIGS. 3, 6  and  8 ) in the form of an oblong block  370  having on its outboard face an off-center projection  375  ( FIGS. 8 and 8 B) and a through aperture  380 . The projection  375  of the dog  365  corresponds in shape (hence here square) and sized so as to be snugly received in, the square recess  350  of the tumbler  150 , rotationally fixing the locking dog  365  to the tumbler  150 . A screw  382  extends through the dog  365  and is threaded into threaded aperture  360  of the tumbler  150  to eccentrically fix the locking dog  365  on the end of the tail portion  270  of the tumbler  150 .  
         [0048]     The mounting frame  105  ( FIGS. 6 and 7 A) comprises an upstanding wall plate  385  and a horizontal shelf plate  390  fixedly extending inboard from the top of the wall plate  385  and substantially perpendicular thereto. The wall plate  385  is fixed to the interior face  100  of the truck bed closure wall W ( FIGS. 6 and 8 A) by the bolts  20 ,  25  through the wall plate holes  110 , and their nuts  120 , and by the bushing  65  through the wall plate hole  115 , and its nut  125 . Two vertical flanges  395 ,  400  ( FIG. 6 ) extend from corresponding end edges  405 ,  410  of the wall plate  385 . The vertical flanges  395 ,  400  include corresponding apertures  415 ,  420  configured for loosely guiding cables  425 ,  430  extending through holes in the cable mount tabs  340 ,  345  on the lock disk  280  to closure latches L hereafter discussed and whose location may vary widely from vehicle to vehicle. The flange  400  further includes a second, threaded aperture  435  below the aperture  420 . Two laterally spaced studs  440 ,  445  fixedly depend from the lower surface  450  of the shelf plate  390 , and have shanks  456  mounting correspondingly heads  455 ,  460 . The shelf plate  390  also includes a threaded aperture  465  at its right inboard corner in  FIG. 6 .  
         [0049]     The remote ends  426  of the cables are configured (here with loops  427 ) to engage and operate the latches L. The inboard ends of the cables include fixed stops  428  larger in diameter than the holes in the tabs  340 ,  345  so that the tabs can pull the cables and open the latches L upon counterclockwise ( FIG. 6 ) rotation of the lock disk  280 .  
         [0050]     The locking assembly  10  further includes a slider  470  ( FIG. 6 ) configured for movable connection to the mounting frame  105 . The slider  470  is preferably formed of bent plate stock and includes a horizontal portion, here defined by a pair of laterally spaced shelves  475  and extending in an outboard direction from a vertical wall  480 .  
         [0051]     The horizontal shelves  475  ( FIG. 6 ) of the slider  470  include a pair of respective keyhole apertures  482 ,  485 , each having a narrow portion  490  and an enlarged portion  495 . The keyhole apertures  482 ,  485  are spaced to align with the studs  440 ,  445  depending from the shelf plate  390  of the mounting frame  105 . The heads  455 ,  460  of the studs  440 ,  445  can be inserted through the enlarged portion  495  (but not the narrow portion  490 ), and the stud shanks  456  fit slidably in the narrow portion  490 , of the corresponding keyhole apertures  482 ,  485 . So installed, the slider  470  can be shifted laterally so that the horizontal shelves  475  of the slider  470  are retained snugly against the bottom of the shelf plate  390  of the mounting frame  105  by the studs  440 ,  445 .  
         [0052]     A generally Z-shaped spring clip  500  has a base portion fixed (as by rivets) under one horizontal shelf (the leftward one in  FIG. 6 )  475  of the slider  470  and a downward stepped free portion vertically opposing the corresponding (leftward in  FIG. 6 ) one of the keyhole apertures  485 . The free portion of the spring clip  500  includes a pair of projections  505 ,  510  that resiliently engage the head  460  of the corresponding stud  445 , to the resiliently block sliding of the slider  470  on the mounting frame.  
         [0053]     The vertical wall  480  ( FIG. 6 ) of the slider  470  includes a downwardly open locking cut-out  515 . The locking cut-out  515  is generally rectangular, and is configured to receive and align with the locking dog  365  fixed on the tumbler  150 . The vertical wall  480  of the slider  470  further includes a lock disk rotation stop  520 , a manual actuation projection  525  and a motor-actuator projection  530 , all extending horizontally and perpendicular to the vertical wall  480 . The locking disk rotation stop  520  extends toward the wall plate  385  of the mounting frame  105  past the edge of the lock disk  280 . The manual actuation projection  525  extends outwardly of the lock assembly  10  away from the wall plate  385 . The motor-actuator projection  530  also extends outwardly of the lock assembly  10 , away from the wall plate  385 .  
         [0054]     The preferred slider  470  here shown is linearly slidable. However, it is contemplated that an alternate slider may move arcuately, e.g. on a curved mounting frame or by rotation about the axis of the bushing  65 .  
         [0000]     Operation  
         [0055]     Referring now to  FIGS. 7-11 , the locking assembly  10  is configured to pull open normally closed latches schematically shown at L. The latches are preferably of conventional type (e.g. like those shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,354,650) operatively interposed between the closure C and truck bed B to normally block opening of the truck bed closure. In order to open the latches L, to allow opening of the closure C and access to the interior of the truck bed B, the cables  425 ,  430  attached to the lock disk  280  must be drawn inwardly. This is accomplished by rotating the lock disk  280  counterclockwise, from its  FIG. 10  position to its  FIG. 11  position.  
         [0056]      FIGS. 7-8  show the locking assembly  10  in its “locked” position, wherein the locking dog  365  is oriented in a vertical position, and the slider  470  is shifted as far to the left ( FIG. 7 ) as it will go. In this “locked” position, the lock disk rotation stop  520  ( FIGS. 6 and 7 C) is pulled into the notch  320  of the lock disk  280 , so that the engagement of the ledge  330  of the lock disk  280  with the lock disk rotation stop  520  of the slider  470  prevents the lock disk  280 , and thus the handle body  140 , from rotating.  
         [0057]     In order to rotate the lock disk  280 , the slider  470  must be shifted to the right ( FIG. 10 ) so that the lock disk rotation stop  520  is shifted away from and does not interfere with the lock disk  280 .  
         [0058]     Referring to  FIG. 9 , by rotation of the key K, the tumbler  150 , and hence the locking dog  365 , have been rotated counterclockwise from their  FIG. 7  positions. As it rotates, the locking dog  365  cams against the side of the locking cut-out  515 , forcibly shifting the slider  470  rightward to its  FIG. 10  unlocked position. The user, who is turning the key K and rotating the tumbler  150 , will realize the slider  470  has been fully shifted, due to the horizontal orientation of the key K and to the audible and tactile click of the spring clip  500  on the head  460  of the stud  445  ( FIG. 7B ) as the protrusions  505 ,  510  of the spring clip  500  resiliently snap over the stud head  460 .  
         [0059]     In their “unlocked” position of  FIG. 10 , the key K, tumbler  150  and locking dog  365  have been rotated back clockwise, to the original vertical position of the dog  365 , and the key has been removed from the tumbler  150  to fix the tumbler  150  with respect to the shaft component  135 . When the locking dog  365  is thus rotated back to its vertical position, the slider  470  remains in its rightward (in  FIG. 10 ) “unlocked” position.  
         [0060]     The lock disk  280  is now free to rotate to draw the cables  425 ,  430  inwardly, counterclockwise from their  FIG. 10  “latched” condition to their “unlatched” condition of  FIG. 11 . To that end, the user grasps and rotates counterclockwise the handle body  140 , and thus the shaft component  135  and the lock disk  280  fixed on the shaft component  135 .  
         [0061]     Given the preferred spring bias above mentioned with respect to the projection  76  in the annular groove  165 , the user need only release the handle body  140  to rotationally return it and the lock disk  280  to latter&#39;s latched (but still unlocked) position of  FIG. 10 . This ends tensioning of the cables  425  and  436  by the locking disk  280 . The conventional latches L interposed between the closure and truck bed B are typically also spring-biased to help them return to their latched condition upon such release of the tension force transmitted by the cables  425 ,  430 . Thus, the closure C is again latched to the truck body B.  
         [0062]     To return the locking assembly  10  to its locked position of  FIG. 7 , the user inserts the key K in the tumbler  150  and rotates same in the opposite direction to lock the handle body  140  fixedly to the lock cylinder bushing  65 , and cam the locking dog  365  against the left side of the locking cut-out  515 , pushing the slider  470  to its leftward,  FIG. 7 , locked position. The user can then, again, remove the key from the tumbler  150 , with the locking assembly  10  in its locked position, wherein the handle body  140  cannot be rotated.  
       Further Embodiment of FIGS.  12 - 13   
       [0063]      FIGS. 12-13  show a further embodiment comprising a locking assembly  535  which is preferably similar to the locking assembly  10  of  FIGS. 1-11 , except as follows. More particularly, the embodiment of  FIGS. 12-13  adds an actuator-mounting bracket  540  and linear actuator  545  to the locking assembly  10  of  FIGS. 1-11 . The locking assembly  535  can be sold and installed as a unit, or the actuator-mounting bracket  540  and linear actuator  545  can be considered an optional, “add-on” module for installation onto the locking assembly  10  of  FIGS. 1-11 . The linear actuator is preferably a conventional, remotely electrically operated unit, e.g. a “Power Lock Actuator” available from Spall Advanced Technologies located at Correggio, Italy.  
         [0064]     The actuator-mounting bracket  540  ( FIG. 13A ) includes a base plate  550  and a wall plate  555 . The base plate  550  includes an aperture  560  configured for receiving a screw  565 . The wall plate  555  supports an outwardly extending flange  570  having an aperture  575  configured for receiving a screw  580 . The screws  565 ,  580  extend through the apertures  560 ,  575  of the base plate  550  and the flange  570  and are arranged for alignment with and threaded engagement in, the threaded apertures  435 ,  465  ( FIG. 6 ) of the flange  395  and shelf plate  390  of the mounting frame  105 , to fix the actuator-mounting bracket  540  to the mounting frame  105  as shown in  FIGS. 12 and 13 .  
         [0065]     The actuator-mounting bracket  540  ( FIG. 13A ) further includes a pair of threaded apertures  585 ,  590  for threadedly receiving a pair of actuator-mounting screws  595 ,  600 , which extend upward through sleeves  605 ,  610  ( FIG. 13 ) in the body  615  of the linear actuator  545 , to fix the linear actuator  545  to the actuator-mounting bracket  540 . The linear actuator  545  includes a laterally extendable actuator arm  620  ( FIGS. 12 and 12 A having a loop/connector  625  at its free end. The actuator-mounting bracket  540  locates the linear actuator  545  on the mounting frame  105  so that motor-actuator projection  530  ( FIGS. 6, 13  and  13 A) of the slider  470  is received in the loop  625 , the linear actuator  545  and the slider  470  being thereby functionally joined.  
         [0066]     The actuator arm  620  of the linear actuator  545  is capable of being manually shifted, i.e. movement of the slider  470  in the manner described above, using the key, tumbler  150  and locking dog  365 , will also shift the actuator arm  620  of the linear actuator  545 . Conversely, the slider  470  can be shifted to the left or right, without the use of the key K, tumbler  10  or locking dog  365 , as long as the locking dog  365  is in the upright position of  FIG. 7  or  FIG. 10 . Therefore, the linear actuator  545  is actuable to shifting the slider  470  from the locked to the unlocked position and vice versa.  
         [0067]     The linear actuator  545  can be configured for electrical connection to an original equipment manufacturer&#39;s vehicle electrical system, such as to a keyless entry part thereof and/or to a remote switch thereof, such as may be located in the cab of the truck. The linear actuator  545  can also be configured with an electronic controller to operate with a stand-alone keyless entry system. The linear actuator  545  does not interfere with the operation of the locking assembly  535  with the key K and, due to the configuration of the mounting frame  105  and actuator-mounting bracket  540 , can be added to the locking assembly  10  subsequent to the original installation.  
         [0068]     An additional operational mode of the locking assembly  10 ,  535  is provided by the manual actuation projection  525  ( FIG. 6 ) of the slider  470 . Some people may use their pickup trucks for camping, or may use the truck bed to catch a quick nap at a highway rest stop. Thus, Applicant recognizes that the possibility of locking and unlocking the truck bed closure from the inside is desirable. To that end, a person located in the interior of the truck bed can simply close the closure over him/herself and, by grasping the manual acuation projection  525 , shift the slider  470  to the left, locking the locking assembly  10 ,  535  from the inside. Such person can thereafter unlock the locking assembly  10 ,  535  by shifting the slider  470  to the left and open the closure C to exit the truck. The locking assembly  10 ,  535  is still operable by key or remote electronic activation from outside should someone, e.g. a child, inadvertently be locked in.  
         [0069]     While the invention has been described in the specification and illustrated in the drawings with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in he art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment illustrated by the drawings and described in the specification as the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include any embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.