Shaft lock assembly for vehicle steering column

Claim 2

A steering column assembly for an automotive vehicle comprising a steering column jacket, a steering shaft rotatably mounted within said jacket, a housing fixed to the upper end of said jacket, a steering wheel operatively mounted at the upper end of said housing and drivingly connected to said steering shaft, a steering shaft lock assembly fixed at the upper end of said steering shaft for rotation therewith, said shaft lock assembly being mounted in a transverse plane between an upper extremity of said housing and the lower extremity of said steering wheel, lock bolt means supported by said housing for axial sliding movement therein between a locking position engaged with said shaft lock assembly to prevent the rotational movement of said steering shaft and an unlocked position removed from said shaft lock assembly to allow said steering shaft to be turned, said shaft lock assembly comprising a metallic hub drivingly connected to said steering shaft and a plastic disc portion, said hub portion having radial arm means, said disc portion having radial recess means for said arm means to drivingly couple said hub portion to said disc portion, said disc portion having a series of arcuately spaced blind recesses axially formed therein for receiving said lock bolt means when said lock bolt means is moved axially into said locking position, said disc portion having a peripheral generally cylindrical edge to hamper entry of tooling into the interior of said column, said disc portion providing a continuous outer surface for forming said blind recesses so that said lock bolt means cannot be displaced by tooling to said unlocking position to thereby prevent the unauthorized rotation of said steering wheel and said steering shaft for vehicle steering purposes.

Claim 3

A steering column assembly for an automotive vehicle comprising a steering column jacket, a steering shaft rotatably mounted within said jacket, a housing fixed to the upper end of said jacket, a steering wheel operatively mounted at the upper end of said housing having clearance therebetween and drivingly connected to said steering shaft, a steering shaft lock assembly fixed at the uppr end of said steering shaft for rotation therewith, said shaft lock assembly being mounted in a plane transverse of said steering shaft and including said clearance, a lock bolt supported by said housing for axial sliding movement therein between a locking position engaged with said shaft lock assembly to prevent the rotational movement of said steering shaft and an unlocked position removed from said shaft lock assembly to allow said steering shaft to be turned, said shaft lock assembly comprising a centralized metallic hub drivingly connected to said steering shaft and a plastic disc portion in which said hub is nested for drivingly connecting said hub and disc porion, said plastic disc portion having a series of arcuately spaced and axially extending blind recesses formed therein for receiving said lock bolt when said lock bolt is moved axially into said locking position, said disc portion having an annular peripheral edge to block said clearance and entry of tooling into the interior of said column, said disc portion providing a continuous upper surface for forming said blind recesses so that said lock bolt means cannot be displaced by tooling to said unlocked position to thereby prevent the unauthorized rotation of said steering wheel and said steering shaft.

Claim 4

A steering column assembly for an automotive vehicle comprising a steering column jacket, a steering shaft rotatably mounted within said jacket, a housing fixed to the upper end of said jacket, a steering wheel operatively mounted at the upper end of said housing having clearance therebetween and drivingly connected to said steering shaft, a steering shaft lock assembly fixed at the uppr end of said steering shaft for rotation therewith, said shaft lock assembly being mounted in a plane transverse of said steering shaft and including said clearance, a lock bolt supported by said housing for axial sliding movement therein between a locking position engaged with said shaft lock assembly to prevent the rotational movement of said steering shaft and an unlocked position removed from said shaft lock assembly to allow said steering shaft to be turned, said shaft lock assembly comprising a centralized metallic hub drivingly connected to said steering shaft and a plastic disc portion in which said hub is nested for drivingly connecting said hub and disc porion, said plastic disc portion having a series of arcuately spaced and axially extending blind recesses formed therein for receiving said lock bolt when said lock bolt is moved axially into said locking position, said disc portion having an annular peripheral edge to block said clearance and entry of tooling into the interior of said column, said disc portion providing a continuous upper surface for forming said blind recesses so that said lock bolt means cannot be displaced by tooling to said unlocked position to thereby prevent the unauthorized rotation of said steering wheel and said steering shaft.

Claim 5

A steering column assembly for an automotive vehicle comprising a steering column jacket, a steering shaft rotatably mounted within said jacket, a housing fixed to the upper end of said jacket, a steering wheel operatively mounted at the upper end of said housing and drivingly connected to said steering shaft, a steering shaft lock assembly fixed at the upper end of said steering shaft for rotation therewith, said shaft lock assembly being mounted in a plane transverse of said steering shaft and including the clearance beteween the upper extremity of said housing and the lower extremity of said steering wheel, a lock bolt supported by said housing for axial sliding movement therein between a locking position engaged with said shaft lock assembly to prevent the rotational movement of said steering shaft and unlocked position removed from said shaft lock assembly to allow said steering shaft to be turned, said shaft lock assembly comprising a metallic hub drivingly connected to said steering shaft and a plastic disc portion, having radial recesses disposed around said metallic hub, said metallic hub having radial arms received by said recesses to operatively connect said hub and said disc portion together, said disc portion having a series of arcuately spaced blind recesses axially formed therein facing said lock bolt for receiving said lock bolt when moved axially into said locking position, said disc portion having an annular peripheral edge to hamper entry of tooling into the interior of said column, said disc portion providing a continuous outer surface for forming said blind recesses so that said lock bolt cannot be displaced by tooling to said unlocked position, said plastic disc portion having a circular groove formed in the lower face thereof, and horn circuitry contact means supported in said groove.

Claim 6

A steering column assembly for an automotive vehicle comprising a steering column jacket, a steering shaft rotatably mounted within said jacket, a housing fixed to the upper end of said jacket, a steering wheel operatively mounted at the upper end of said housing and drivingly connected to said steering shaft, a steering shaft lock assembly fixed at the upper end of said steering shaft for rotation therewith, said shaft lock assembly being mounted in a plane transverse of said steering shaft and including the clearance beteween the upper extremity of said housing and the lower extremity of said steering wheel, a lock bolt supported by said housing for axial sliding movement therein between a locking position engaged with said shaft lock assembly to prevent the rotational movement of said steering shaft and unlocked position removed from said shaft lock assembly to allow said steering shaft to be turned, said shaft lock assembly comprising a metallic hub drivingly connected to said steering shaft and a plastic disc portion, having radial recesses disposed around said metallic hub, said metallic hub having radial arms received by said recesses to operatively connect said hub and said disc portion together, said disc portion having a series of arcuately spaced blind recesses axially formed therein facing said lock bolt for receiving said lock bolt when moved axially into said locking position, said disc portion having an annular peripheral edge to hamper entry of tooling into the interior of said column, said disc portion providing a continuous outer surface for forming said blind recesses so that said lock bolt cannot be displaced by tooling to said unlocked position, said plastic disc portion having a circular groove formed in the lower face thereof, and horn circuitry contact means supported in said groove.