Lock in particular for locking a motor vehicle steering column

Lock with a locking element (4) and a control element (12) that can be rotated back and forth by means of a drive (11) for axial back-and-forth displacement of the locking element (4) between a locking position and an unlocking position. The control element (12) encloses the locking element (4) and has two inner inclined surfaces (20, 24), which interact with two radial projections (19, 23) of the locking element (4) that are diametrically opposite with respect to the rotation axis (13) of the control element (12) and each transition at the two ends (27, 28 or 29, 30) into a respective end surface (21 or 22 or 25 or 26), which lies in a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis (13) of the control element (12). The one inclined surface (20) and its end surfaces (21, 22) are offset relative to the other inclined surface (24) and its end surfaces (25, 26) in the direction of the rotation axis (13) of the control element (12) and extend at a greater distance (A) around the rotation axis (13) of the control element (12). The projections (19, 23) are arranged immovably, whereby the projection (19) with which the inclined surface (20) that is farther from the rotation axis (13) of the control element (12) and its end surfaces (21, 22) interact is offset relative to the projection (23) with which the other inclined surface (24) and its end surfaces (25, 26) interact by a corresponding distance in the direction of the rotation axis (13) of the control element (12) and has a correspondingly greater length (L).