AUTOMATIC LOCKING DEVICE FOR VEHICLES Technical Field This invention relates to mechanism for providing a barrier that is telescopically raised from the ground to prevent an unauthorized person from driving a car, truck, van or the like from its parking space or for preventing another car from occupying the parking space and particularly to means for automatically locking the arresting device into place by raising the telescopic tube and automatically retracting the arresting device to ground level upon insertion and rotation of a key in a key lock.

Background Art There are sundry prior art disclosures of barrier means that relate to this invention in that the barrier is submerged into the ground and risen to an upright vertical position and locked into place and placed in proximity of the vehicle or parking space to either prevent the vehicle from being driven away or to guard against the unauthorized use of the parking space.

Examples of such devices are disclosed in U.

S. Patent Numbers 2,588,502 granted to Dunn on March 11, 1952 entitled "Parking Way Control System", 3,451,164 granted to Kappelman on July 1, 1968 entitled "Vehicle Parking Device",

3,564,769 granted to Wilson et al on February 23, 1971 entitled "Anti-Theft Device", 3,660,935 granted to Boots on May 9, 1972 entitled "Vehicle Parking Space Locking Device", 3,698,135 granted to Boots et al on October 17, 1972 entitled "Vehicle Parking Space Locking Device", 3,925,929 granted to Montgomery on December 16, 1975 entitled "Parking Space Barrier", 4,003,161 granted to Collins on January 18, 1977 entitled "Mechanical Barrier", 4,062,149 granted to Collins on December 13, 1977 entitled "Parking Space Barrier", 4,576,508 granted to Dickinson on March 18, 1986 entitled "Bollard Trafficway Barrier and Vehicle Arrest System", and 5,365,694 granted to Macaluso on November 22, 1994 entitled "Vehicle Anti-Theft Parking Space Device".

Some of these prior art patents disclose telescopic poles that are retained in an outer receptacle that is embedded into the ground and raised and locked into position to arrest the vehicle or secure a parking space. These devices are not only complex and costly to manufacture, the locking mechanism which may be a padlock or a key are either continuously exposed above ground and to the environment or require the locking mechanism to be aligned into position before a key or camming device allow the units to be locked relative to each other.

We have found that we can provide a simple mechanism for performing the barrier that is simple to manufacture, less expensive,

automatically locks and buries the key operated locking mechanism below ground to afford maximum protection against the environment. In our invention, a dead bolt is spring loaded and automatically positions itself into a detent when the inner pole is raised to the required-height.

In the raised position and when accessible the key operated locking mechanism is exposed to allow the operator to insert a key therein to automatically withdraw the dead bolt to allow the inner pole to drop into the receptacle by gravity.

Summary of the Invention An object of this invention is to provide an improved barrier for securing a parking space or arresting a vehicle. The invention is characterized as simple to fabricate, easy to use and less expensive than heretofore known devices.

A feature of this invention is the inner pole of the telescoping pole is outfitted with a dead bolt that automatically fits into a detent to lock the pole in the raised vertical position by use of a judicious spring assembly and is automatically released by a key operated lock that permits the spring assembly to re-position the dead bolt out of the detent. A spring is utilized to assist the spring assembly for ease of removing the dead bolt from the detent. The dead bolt is pivotally mounted to the spring assembly for ease of egress and ingress from and

into the detent.

The foregoing and other features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of Drawings Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation view showing the details of this invention when in the retracted position; Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation view identical to the device depicted in Fig. 1 illustrating the deployed position; Fig. 3. is an enlarged view in section and schematic illustrating the details of the key lock and dead bolt/spring assembly; Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the dead bolt; Fig. 4A is an elevated view of the dead bolt; Fig. 4B is an end view of the dead bolt depicted in Fig 4; Fig. 5 is a partial view in section illustrating the gasket assembly; and Fig. 6 is a schematic illustration of the invention being utilized to arrest a vehicle between the lock and the end of a building.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment While the invention is disclosed in the preferred embodiment as being utilized as an anti-theft device to arrest an automobile and

prevent it from being driven away, it is to be understood that the invention can also be used to reserve parking spaces and the like. The invention in its preferred embodiment discloses a structure in front of the vehicle. As one skilled in this art will appreciate the structure can take any form of obstruction or can be a permanent post or can even be the anti-theft device of this invention. In the latter event one can be located fore and the other aft of the vehicle.

The invention is best understood by referring to all of the Figures. Fig. 1 discloses the anti-theft or arresting device generally illustrated by reference numeral 1 being buried and secured in the ground 2 and extending through the pavement 3 in applications where pavements exists. A single hole is excavated to drop the anti-theft device into place. The anchor bars 4 which can number up to four is a flat bar made from a spring metallic material that is normally biased in the radially outward position as shown in phantom. The diameter of the hole in the ground receiving the anti-theft device is large enough to allow the anchor bar to fit therein and is spring loaded to hug the dirt surrounding the outer tube 6. The end of the anchor bar 4 is suitably attached to the surface of the outer tube 6, say by welding as illustrated by weldments 4a. Obviously, embedded into the ground the outer tube virtually cannot be removed

with outer tube 6 and in sliding relationship thereto and is easily pulled out of the receptacle defined by outer tube 6. Inner tube 5 and outer tube 6 are preferably made from stainless steel and are hollow and are square or rectangularly shaped in cross section. Obviously other metals and shapes may be utilized without departing from the scope of this invention.

Hence, each of the walls of the respective tubes define a flat surface and are in parallel relationship with the complementary wall of each of the tubes. The lid or cover 18 which is a metallic flat member is suitably attached to the top end of the inner tube 5 and extends a sufficient distance to overhang the end of tube 6 to prevent dirt and water from migrating into the space between the inner tube 5 and outer tube 6. A gasket 17 which may be made from any suitable elastomeric or rubber material is suitably attached to the gasket support 17a which may be a metal plate welded to the top of the outer tube 6. This member serves as the seal.

A handle 8 that includes depending fingers that extend through holes formed in lid 16 that allow the handle to be retracted when not in use and raised when in use. The ends of the fingers are flattened as depicted by 8a so that when the handle is extended the flap portion will underlie and shoulder the lid and allow the inner tube 5 to be deployed.

According to this invention a dead bolt 11

is attached to the flexible lever 14 that is pivotally secured to the wall 5a of inner tube 5 by the spindle 13. The flexible lever 14 is made from a spring metallic material that has a given spring rate. The spring rate is selected so that the load on the dead bolt is always biased in the lateral position relative to the tube 5 and the top end of the lever 14 is biased against the latch bolt 18 of the key lock 7. The key lock 7 is commercially available. A suitable key lock is available from Ablov Company located in Joensuu Finland. The key lock includes a spring loaded latch bolt 18 that is biased in the retracted position and is held there by a clasp and detent (not shown) The key 30 as shown in Fig. 3 fits into the key lock and when turned retracts the latch bolt 18 (as shown in phantom) which allows the lever 14 to move in the counter clockwise direction toward the end of the lock 7. As will be described in further detail hereinbelow, this retracts the dead bolt 11 from the notch or detent 15.

In operation the inner tube 5 is lifted from the outer tube 6 by the use of handle 8. As the tube glides upwardly the dead bolt 11 is being urged by the lever 14 in the radial direction. As the dead bolt 11 aligns with the detent 15 the dead bolt will be forced therein and the inner tube 5 is then locked to the outer tube 6 or into position and cannot be either raised or lowered without any other occurrence. This full deployed

vertical above ground position is depicted in Figs. 2 and 5. To retract the tube 5 a key is inserted in the keyway 19 of lock 7 and turned to release the clasp therein allowing the spring (not shown) attached to the latch bolt 18 to retract the same which allows the lever 14 to rotate about the spindle 13 for withdrawing the dead bolt 11 from the detent 15 and allowing the inner tube 5 to retract into the receptacle by the force of gravity. Spring 12 which is a commercially available coil spring having one end attached to the wall of the inner tube 5 and the opposite end attached to the lever 14, say by welding, and is in tension so that it is always urging the dead bolt away from the detent 15. The spring rates of the coil spring 12 and the lever 14 are selected so as the biasing direction is not adversely affected by either spring. Holes 10 may be included at the bottom of the tube 6 to allow water to escape. As noted for the purpose of assuring the structural integrity of the tubes they may be closed on the bottom. The tops are obviously opened to allow for the telescopic relationship.

The detent 15 may be made from a separate member that is shaped like a square cup and may be welded in a slot formed in the wall of the outer tube 6. The dead bolt 11 is depicted in Figs. 4, 4A and 4B as having a cylindrical portion 34 and a bifurcated portion 36. The cylindrical portion passes through aperture 34a

formed in the wall of the inner tube 5. The dead bolt is pivotally mounted on lever 14. This configuration assures easy movement into and out of the detent 15. The shank 40 of bolt 42 extends through holes formed on the bifurcated portion and is secured by the nut 44 threaded to the threaded portion formed on the end of shank 40.

The shank of the bolt is journalled in a hole 38 formed in the end of lever 14 and serves as an axle to allow the bolt to rotate. Small flat portions 50 and 52 extending from the wall of inner tube 5 in proximity to aperture 34a serve as guides for the dead bolt 11 to prevent misalignment with the detent 15 and assist in the ingress and egress of the bolt 11 relative to the detent 15. The flat portions 50 and 52 may be bent into place by appropriately cutting the wall of the inner tube 5 and bending them into place or in the alternative a flat piece of metal may be welded in the location as shown.

It is apparent from the foregoing that the key lock 7 in accordance with this invention is below ground and protected from the weather elements when the inner tube 5 is retracted and only exposed when the inner tube 5 is in the deployed or arresting position.

Fig. 5 illustrates schematically the use of the invention when employed as an anti-theft device. The inner tube 5 of the anti-theft device 1 is deployed in the vertical position and is located in close proximity to the vehicle 29. The

vehicle in this instance is located in close proximity with the end of the building 39. Hence, the vehicle can not be maneuvered from this spot.

It is apparent from the foregoing that the invention is easy to operate, to fabricate and install into the ground. The locking mechanism for locking the inner tube 5 to the outer tube 6 is completely automatic requiring the operator to merely lift the inner tube 5. The releasing of the locking mechanism is also simple and requires merely the inserting and turning of the key and allowing the inner tube 5 to automatically retract into the below ground position. In addition, the mechanism is easy to lift and is not relatively heavy so that most individuals can easily raise it into position and it is relatively economical to fabricate.

Although this invention has been shown and described with respect to detailed embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated and understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail thereof may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention.