Gear lock

Apparatus (102) for locking a gear assembly (11) of a vehicle (10), the apparatus for locking including apparatus for lockably engaging a predetermined portion of the gear assembly (102), and apparatus for selectably operating the apparatus for lockably engaging so as to lockably engage the predetermined portion of the gear assembly (24), characterized by the apparatus for lockably engaging including a shaft receiving portion formed with an aperture which engages a shaft of the gear assembly, wherein the shaft receiving portion is provided with a ratchet wheel (114) lockingly engageable by a pawl (116), the pawl being actuable by the apparatus for selectably operating, such that when the pawl is in a predetermined orientation with the ratchet wheel, the shaft cannot be rotated to operate the gear assembly.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates, in general, to anti-theft devices for 
vehicles and, more particularly, to devices for locking the gears of a 
vehicle. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The theft of vehicles, and particularly of private cars, is a phenomenon 
that has generated many different types of vehicle antitheft systems. 
Among these systems are various types of devices that lock a portion of 
the vehicle so as to make it undrivable. Among such devices are those 
mounted internally of the vehicle and arranged to lock the gear lever in a 
predetermined position so as to prevent an unauthorized person from being 
able to move the gear lever and thus drive the vehicle. 
A disadvantage of internally mounted gear locking devices is that they may 
be unsightly and a vehicle owner may, therefore, be reluctant to install 
such a device. 
Two representative gear locking devices of the art are U.S. Pat. No. 
4,671,085 to Yamaguchi et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,884,654 to Durigon. 
Yamaguchi et al. describes a vehicle gear shift lever locking apparatus 
including a key operated lock mounted on a steering column of a vehicle 
and for controlling the ignition system thereof, and a safety coupling 
means coupled between a steering column mounted lock and a remotely 
mounted shift lever. The coupling means is adapted to prevent movement of 
the shift lever with the lock in an off position and to allow movement of 
the lever with the lock in an on position. The apparatus includes a latch 
mechanism mounted on the steering column and responsive to movement of the 
lock. 
Durigon describes a transmission control locking device adapted to disable 
the drive train of a motor vehicle. The device includes remotely 
controllable locking means adapted releasably to lock an actuator member 
constituted by a transmission gear selector level in a predetermined 
position when the lever is moved to that position, the predetermined 
position of the lever with the position of a gear selection that disables 
the vehicle drive train by the disengagement of the transmission 
therefrom. 
The present applicant discloses in Israel Patent Application 091763, filed 
Sep. 24, 1989, apparatus for locking a gear assembly of a vehicle which 
overcomes disadvantages of the above art. The apparatus for locking the 
gear assembly includes apparatus, mounted beneath the vehicle, for 
lockably engaging a predetermined portion of the gear assembly. The 
predetermined portion is preferably a hand operated first, automatic gear 
selector lever extending partially into the interior of the vehicle. There 
is also provided a second, automatic gear actuator lever associated 
directly with the vehicle gearbox and located beneath the vehicle, the 
first lever being operative to rotate the second lever via an intermediate 
member hingedly connected to both the first and second levers, thereby to 
permit selection of a gear from the interior of the vehicle, the apparatus 
for lockably engaging being operative to lockably engage a predetermined 
portion of the first lever in a first predetermined position so as to 
cause the second lever to become locked in a second predetermined position 
corresponding to the first predetermined position. Apparatus is provided 
for selectably operating the apparatus for lockably engaging so as to 
lockably engage the predetermined portion of the gear assembly. Preferably 
the apparatus for selectably operating includes remotely actuable 
apparatus. 
Alternatively, the predetermined portion is the selector lever for a manual 
gearbox and has a first portion extending into the interior of the vehicle 
and a second portion located beneath the vehicle, the apparatus for 
lockably engaging also including a scissors-like assembly attached to the 
second end portion of the elongate member and being closable about the 
second portion of the gear selector lever so as to lock it in a 
substantially immovable position. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention seeks to provide novel gear locking apparatus for a 
vehicle which further improves the apparatus disclosed in Applicant's 
Israel Patent Application 091763, and which provides novel and improved 
features over the known art. 
There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the 
invention, apparatus for locking a gear assembly of a vehicle, the 
apparatus for locking including apparatus for lockably engaging a 
predetermined portion of the gear assembly, and apparatus for selectably 
operating the apparatus for lockably engaging so as to lockably engage the 
predetermined portion of the gear assembly, characterized by the apparatus 
for lockably engaging including a shaft receiving portion formed with an 
aperture which engages a shaft of the gear assembly, wherein the shaft 
receiving portion is provided with a ratchet wheel lockingly engageable by 
a pawl, the pawl being actuable by the apparatus for selectably operating, 
such that when the pawl is in a predetermined orientation with the ratchet 
wheel, the shaft cannot be rotated to operate the gear assembly. 
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, when the pawl 
is in locked engagement with the ratchet wheel, the shaft cannot be 
rotated to operate the gear assembly. Alternatively, when the pawl is 
disengaged from the ratchet wheel, the shaft cannot be rotated to operate 
the gear assembly. 
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, 
the shaft receiving portion includes an extension of a link member that 
links a gear selector lever with the shaft of the gear assembly. 
Alternatively or additionally, the apparatus for lockably engaging 
includes a portion fixed to a structure of the vehicle. 
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the 
shaft receiving portion is not mechanically linked to a gear selector 
lever of the vehicle. 
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the apparatus 
for selectably operating includes remotely actuable apparatus. 
Additionally in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, 
the gear assembly is an automatic gear assembly and the predetermined 
portion is arranged to be lockably engaged in the "park" position. 
Alternatively, the gear assembly is a manual gear assembly and the 
predetermined portion is arranged to be lockably engaged in any position 
whereat a gear is engaged. 
There is also provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the 
present invention, a vehicle having a gear assembly and including 
apparatus for locking the gear assembly, the apparatus for locking 
including apparatus, mounted beneath the vehicle, for lockably engaging 
the predetermined portion of the gear assembly, and apparatus for 
selectably operating the apparatus for lockably engaging so as to lockably 
engage the predetermined portion of the gear assembly, characterized by 
the apparatus for lockably engaging including a shaft receiving portion 
formed with an aperture which engages a shaft of the gear assembly, 
wherein the shaft receiving portion is provided with a ratchet wheel 
lockingly engageable by a pawl, the pawl being actuable by the apparatus 
for selectably operating, such that when the pawl is in a predetermined 
orientation with the ratchet wheel, the shaft cannot be rotated to operate 
the gear assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Referring now to FIGS. 1A and 1B, there is shown a back-wheel driven 
vehicle, referenced generally 10, with a gear assembly, referenced 
generally 11, having a gearbox 12 adjacent an engine 14 operatively 
associated with the rear axle 16 of the vehicle via a drive shaft 18 
thereof FIG. 1C is a bottom view of a front-wheel driven vehicle, 
referenced generally 20, also with a gearbox 12 adjacent an engine 14 
operatively associated with the front axle 22 of the vehicle. The present 
invention is applicable both for automatic and manual transmission 
vehicles. Both vehicles 10 (FIGS. 1A and 1B) and 20 (FIG. 1C) employ gear 
locking apparatus constructed and operative in accordance with the present 
invention, and which is described in detail hereinbelow. 
The gear locking apparatus of the invention comprises control apparatus 24, 
which, via an elongate member 26, is operative, to cause locked engagement 
of a lockable portion of the gear assembly 11 of the vehicle. In the shown 
embodiment, the lockable portion of the gear assembly is a gear selector 
lever 28. It will be appreciated that the precise location of the control 
apparatus is not limited to the typical locations shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C. 
Reference is now made to FIG. 2 which illustrates gear locking apparatus 
102, constructed and operative in accordance with a preferred embodiment 
of the present invention. Gear selector lever 28 is illustrated for a 
manual transmission, although, as stated previously, the invention is 
equally applicable for an automatic transmission. Gear selector lever 28 
is mechanically engaged with a shaft 104 of gearbox 12 by a link member 
106. Gear locking apparatus 102 preferably includes a stationary member 
108 which also engages shaft 104 via a shaft receiving portion 110 formed 
with an aperture 112. Stationary member 108 is preferably fixed to some 
structure of the vehicle, such as a bulkhead or wall 113 in the vicinity 
of gearbox 12, or alternatively, to some portion of gearbox 12 itself. 
Shaft 104 and aperture 112 are preferably correspondingly shaped with one 
or more flats to effect the mechanical engagement. For example, as 
illustrated, shaft 104 and aperture 112 may be correspondingly hexagonally 
shaped. Shaft receiving portion 110 is preferably formed with a ratchet 
wheel 114 engageable by a pawl 116. Pawl 116 is actuable by control 
apparatus 24 via elongate member 26. 
Reference is now made to FIGS. 3 and 4 which illustrate operation of gear 
locking apparatus 102 in accordance with the present invention. Control 
apparatus 24 may include a motor 32, preferably a gear motor, such as gear 
motor No. 0130-821-069, manufactured by Robert Bosch GmbH of Stuttgart, 
Germany. Alternatively, control apparatus 24 may include any other type of 
hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical or electronic actuator which may be used 
to move elongate member 26, and the terms "motor" and "actuator" are used 
interchangeably throughout the specification and claims. 
Elongate member 26 may be a relatively flexible, metal, cable-like member, 
which engages control apparatus 24 by any known means, such as pinned or 
threaded engagement. Elongate member 26 is typically enclosed within a 
sheath 27, along most of its length, so as to prevent cutting of the 
elongate member by a person wishing to break into the vehicle. 
In FIG. 3, control apparatus 24 may be used to move elongate member 26 
generally in the direction of an arrow 120, thereby lockably engaging pawl 
116 with ratchet wheel 114 and preventing rotation of ratchet wheel 114 
and shaft 104. Thus, gear selector lever 28 and link member 106 are 
prevented from operating gearbox 12. Once pawl 116 has been moved to 
engage ratchet wheel 114 and the resistance of elongate member 26 to being 
moved any further in the direction of arrow 120 increases, a load detector 
50 preferably deactivates motor 32 of control apparatus 24 upon detecting 
a predetermined load thereon. A suitable load detector is, for example, a 
PATROL HPS-40, marketed in Israel by AV-GAD Systems Ltd., Tel Aviv, 
Israel. 
According to a preferred embodiment, motor 32 of locking apparatus 102 of 
the present invention is remotely actuable, and control apparatus 24 also 
includes a signal transmitter 52 and a signal receiver 54 which, when 
receiving a first predetermined signal from transmitter 52, activates 
motor 32 so as to move elongate member 26 in the direction of arrow 120 as 
previously described. 
A typical signal transmitter suitable for use in the invention is the 
VM7001 remote control unit, manufactured by AV-GAD Systems Ltd., Tel Aviv, 
Israel. A typical signal receiver suitable for use in the invention is 
such as is employed in the AVD-2000 system, also manufactured by AV-GAD 
Systems Ltd. 
Conversely, as illustrated in FIG. 4, control apparatus may be used to move 
elongate member 26 generally in the direction of an arrow 122, opposite to 
arrow 120, thereby disengaging pawl 116 with ratchet wheel 114 and 
permitting rotation of ratchet wheel 114 and shaft 104. For remote control 
operation, upon receiving a second predetermined signal, receiver 54 
activates motor 32 so as to move elongate member in the direction of arrow 
122. In the orientation of FIG. 4, gear selector lever 28 and link member 
106 may be used to operate gearbox 12. 
In the present embodiments, wherein gearbox 12 is a conventional automatic 
gearbox, locking apparatus 102 is preferably arranged to lock gear 
selector lever 28 in the "K" position. For a manual gearbox, gear 
selector lever 28 not need be locked in a predetermined position, but, may 
be locked in any position whereat a gear is engaged. 
Reference is now made to FIG. 5 which illustrates gear locking apparatus 
130, constructed and operative in accordance with another preferred 
embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, gear selector 
lever 28 is mechanically engaged with shaft 104 of gearbox 12 by a link 
member 132 which includes a shaft receiving portion 134 formed with an 
aperture 136. The rest of the structure of gear locking apparatus 130 is 
substantially identical to gear locking apparatus 102, with like elements 
being designated by like numerals, except that in gear locking apparatus 
130 there is no stationary member 108. In addition, in gear locking 
apparatus 130, elongate member 26 is preferably relatively short and motor 
32 of control apparatus 24 is preferably located relatively close to pawl 
116. Motor 32 may be attached to any suitable structure in the vicinity of 
link member 132 or any other portion of gear locking apparatus 130. 
Reference is now made to FIGS. 6 and 7 which illustrate operation of gear 
locking apparatus 130 in accordance with the present invention. The 
operation of gear locking apparatus 130 is essentially opposite that of 
gear locking apparatus 102. In FIG. 6, control apparatus 24 moves elongate 
member 26 generally in the direction of an arrow 140, thereby disengaging 
pawl 116 with ratchet wheel 114, and thus disengaging gear selector lever 
28 and link member 132 from operating gearbox 12. 
Conversely, as illustrated in FIG. 7, control apparatus may be used to move 
elongate member 26 generally in the direction of an arrow 142, opposite to 
arrow 140, thereby engaging pawl 116 with ratchet wheel 114 and permitting 
gear selector lever 28 and link member 132 to operate gearbox 12. 
It is appreciated that various features of the invention which are, for 
clarity, described in the contexts of separate embodiments may also be 
provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various 
features of the invention which are, for brevity, described in the context 
of a single embodiment may also be provided separately or in any suitable 
subcombination. 
It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present 
invention is not limited by what has been particularly shown and described 
hereinabove, by way of example. The scope of the invention is limited, 
rather, solely by the claims, which follow: