Lock assembly

A lock mechanism for selectively locking a door on a passenger vehicle in a locked position and for unlocking said door from said locked position, said door selectively driven by a door drive means in an opening and a closing direction, said door drive means having a connection with a door control system disposed within said passenger vehicle, said lock mechanism comprising:

• (a) a stationary base member;
• (b) a first pivot means connected to said base member;
• (c) a lock cam attached to said first pivot means for pivotal connection to said base member, said lock cam having a notch formed therein for slideably engaging and receiving a locking element attached to said door and outwardly extending therefrom toward said notch, whereby said door movable in a closed direction causes said locking element to engage said notch, and whereby said lock cam movable in a first direction for enabling movement of said locking element into said locked position and movable in a second direction for enabling movement of said locking element into an unlocked position, said lock cam further having a first lock portion formed on an outer edge thereof;
• (d) a second pivot means connected to said base member adjacent said first pivot means;
• (e) a lock lever attached to said second pivot means for pivotal connection to said base member, said lock lever having a second lock portion disposed therein for engaging said first lock portion of said lock cam and for positively retaining said lock cam and said locking element in said locked position, said second lock portion continuously engaging a portion of said outer edge of said lock cam during movement thereof between said locked and said unlocked position;
• (f) a lock actuator attached to said base member, said lock actuator including:
• (i) a linearly moveable portion being directly connected to said lock lever for moving it in a direction to disengage said second lock portion from said first lock portion and enable movement of said lock cam into said unlock position, and
• (ii) an actuator portion which is momentarily actuated for enabling movement of said moveable portion, said actuator portion being connectable to a control system for said passenger transit vehicle door;
• (g) a manual release lever engaging said lock cam for manually releasing said lock cam from said locked position and manually moving said lock cam into said unlocked position, said manual release lever enabling movement of said first locking means into said unlocked position independently from operation of said actuating means and an action of said door drive means;
• (h) an overcenter biasing means pivotally connected to said base member and to said manual release lever for selectively biasing it when said lock cam is disposed in one of said locked and said unlocked position;
• (i) means attached to said manual release lever and engageable with an aperture disposed within said lock cam and at least partially aligned aperture disposed within said base member for enabling said lock cam to move said manual release lever therewith during movement from said unlocked into said locked position;
• (j) at least one means engageable with said lock lever for providing a first positional signal associated with a position of said lock lever;
• and
• (k) at least one means engageable with said manual release lever for providing a second positional signal associated with said manual release lever disposed in one of said first and said second position.