Key ejector lock

A key ejector lock which comprises:

• a tubular barrel having an internal retaining shoulder adjacent its front end, the rear end of said barrel being slit longitudinally to provide for resilient expansion thereof,
• a tubular front end plug rotatably mounted in said barrel and having a keyway extending therethrough for operation thereof by a key,
• a rear end plug rotatably mounted in said barrel and adapted for operative connection to a locking member,
• interengaging circumferential ring and groove means on the slit end of said barrel and said rear end plug enabling relative rotation thereof,
• rotatable drive means interposed between said plugs and mounted for axial reciprocal movement in said barrel,
• means providing a sliding drive connection between said drive means and said rear end plug,
• means providing a sliding drive connection between said front end plug and said drive means,
• spring means interposed between said rear end plug and said drive means and resiliently urging said drive means forwardly in said barrel,
• means on said barrel providing rearwardly opening circumferentially spaced internal notches,
• lug means projecting outwardly from said drive means, said lug means being removably received in respective ones of said notches for securing said rear end plug in respective locked and unlocked rotational positions,
• a key ejector received in said front end plug for axial reciprocal movement therein between the front end plug and said drive means and engaged by a key inserted through said keyway,
• and spring means interposed between said drive means and said key ejector and resiliently urging said key ejector forwardly in said barrel,
• whereby the lock may be assembled by loading the barrel from its rear end with the rear end plug inserted in the barrel into snap-fitting interengagement of said ring and groove means, and insertion of a key in said keyway serves to move said key ejector rearwardly into abutting engagement with said drive means, to thereby move said lug means rearwardly of said notches and free the rotatable parts for rotation and enable the key to rotate said front end plug for rotation said rear end plug between said locked and unlocked positions thereof, and said key ejector acts to eject the key when released in any rotational position thereof.