Forward firing shaft lock mechanism

A steering lock mechanism for a vehicle, comprising:

• a steering shaft supported for rotation about a longitudinal axis of said shaft and having an upper end for supporting a hand wheel and extending forwardly therefrom to an opposite lower end;
• a bolt engaging device mounted on said steering shaft adjacent said lower end of said shaft and fixed against axial movement relative to said shaft;
• an actuator moveable between a first position and a second position;
• and
• a lock bolt disposed between said upper and lower ends of said shaft and moveable in response to movement of said actuator axially of said shaft to an unlocked position toward said upper end of said shaft and out of locking engagement with said bolt engaging device, and a locked position displaced axially forward of said unlocked position toward said lower end of said shaft and disposed in locking engagement with said bolt engaging device to restrict rotational movement of said steering shaft about said axis.