Improvements in or relating to combination locks

1,015,807. Combination locks. G. E. TEGERDINE and L. TEGERDINE. June 26, 1964 [April 2, 1963], No. 13054/63. Heading E2A. A combination lock comprises a body 1 with a locking member 13 which is normally restrained from movement from the locking to the unlocking position by an abutment 37 carried by each of at least two discs 3, the locking member passing through said locking discs with the abutments 37 engaging detents 17 on the locking member, rotation of each locking disc to a predetermined position with respect to the member 13 removing the abutment 37 from engagement with the detent 17 on said member and thereby releasing the member 13 for movement to the unlocking position, each locking disc comprising an outer part 25 and an inner part 26 carrying non-rotatably the abutment 37, interengaging means (c) being provided on the two parts to allow the inner part to be positioned partly within the outer part in one of a plurality of predetermined rotational positions. In the first embodiment four locking discs 3 are positioned between two arms 4, 5 of the body 1 and the article to be locked e.g. a gear lever is clamped by a part 9 between arms 5, 6. The rodshaped locking member has a series of detents formed by annular recesses 17 and a key-way 19 (Fig. 7 not shown) interconnecting such recesses. One end of the locking member engages a recess 16 in arm 6 and the other end has an operating disc 20, complete withdrawal of the locking member being prevented by a plate 21. The two parts of the locking disc are fixed together by a portion 41 on the inner part engaging one of a series of rebates on the outer part. The outer periphery of each outer part has indentations 31 which correspond to the rebates and which are adapted to engage spring biased balls 23 in the housing 1. The two parts can be fitted together in any one of ten positions giving different positions of the lug 37. The locking member can only be removed from its locking position when all the lugs 37 are aligned with the key-way. In this embodiment the recesses 17 and the lugs 37 have one chamfered surface to allow the member 13 to be inserted even if the lugs are not aligned. In a second embodiment the lock is adapted for use with a motor-vehicle ignition switch. In this embodiment only three locking discs are used between the arms of a U-shaped body member and the locking member 13 extends in one of its positions beyond the arm 5. Since the recesses 17 are not chamfered the locking member is locke