Locking device for motor vehicles

In a key-operated steering shaft locking device for a motor vehicle, the device comprising a rotatable lock cylinder having a key slot, a spring and a latch movable from a position wherein an associated steering shaft is locked to a position wherein the shaft is unlocked, the latch being operatively associated with the cylinder so that rotation of the latter causes axial movement of the former perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the cylinder from the locked to the unlocked position and also being operatively associated so that the spring urges the latch toward the locked position, the improvement wherein the locking device further comprises means including a rocker arm pinned for rotational movement between a first position wherein a portion of said arm extends into the key slot of the cylinder and said means is ineffective to lock the latch in the position where the shaft is unlocked and a second position wherein said arm does not extend into the key slot and said means is effective to lock the latch in the position where the shaft is unlocked, and means operatively associated with said rocker arm and the spring so that, when the latch is locked in the position where the shaft is unlocked, the spring urges said rocker arm toward the first position, whereby, a key inserted in the key slot moves said rocker arm to the second position and said last-named means urges said rocker arm toward the first position when the latch is locked in the position where the shaft is unlocked.