Abstract: An axial type, tubular key operated, cylinder lock which utilizes a plurality of spring-biased pin arrangements which are to be movable when connected with the proper key to a shear-line position achieving operation of said lock. A pin arrangement is movable longitudinally to the shear-line position. Any attempt to move a pin arrangement other than with a properly coded key will result in the pin arrangement being laterally deflected to a displaced-fixed position preventing operation of the lock.

Abstract: A key blade having a longitudinal axis (A) of insertion and comprising an elongated, wave-like generally longitudinally extending code pattern (38) for cooperation with a row (23) of elevationally and rotationally movable locking tumblers (23a-23e) of a rotary cylinder type lock (18). Each of the locking tumblers is provided with a transversely projecting finger which engages with the code pattern (38) when the key blade is inserted into the lock. The code pattern (38) includes a number of concavity locations (40-44) which are displaced longitudinally and transversely so as to correspond to specific rotational and elevational positions of the locking tumblers which will permit releasing of the lock.

Abstract: An improved, highly pick-resistant tumbler lock construction incorporates at least one of the rear face of the driver sleeve or the front face of the tumbler sleeve with a plurality of notches. Each notch surrounds a driver or tumbler axial bore so as to provide at the trough of the notch a false shear plane while the crest of the notch portion of the tumbler and driver sleeve forms a plane to fixedly support two relatively thin discs which form the true shear plane. The discs include annularly spaced bores corresponding to the tumbler and driver sleeve bores. Thus when attempting to pick the lock, and the driver and tumbler pins are at the notched false shear plane, the driver sleeve will not be able to turn because the pins will be caught in the lower part of the notch.

Abstract: The invention concerns a locking device consisting of a key and of a lock. Inside the lock is a shaft (1) that has at least two diametrically opposed cams (4 & 5 ) mounted on it. The key can be positioned against one end (2) of the shaft in such a way that it cannot rotate in relation thereto. Inside the body (6) of the lock are blocking or barricading elements (9 & 10) that can slide or pivot radially in the unbarricaded state and that are subject to springs (40) that force them radially inward. The blocking elements are barricaded by means of several blocking pins (11) that block the sliding blocking elements or operate in conjunction with them by means of special blocking extensions on them to provide a blocking action. The blocking pins are subject to spring (12 or 60) that force them into the blocking position.

Abstract: A cylinder lock which includes pin-tumblers to lock a cylinder against rotation relative to a housing, wherein the pin-tumblers and tumbler bores are arranged such that the axes thereof lie in different parallel longitudinal planes normal to a diametrical plane of the cylinder and each tumbler bore receives a plurality of pin-tumblers.

Abstract: A rotary cylinder lock and a corresponding key blade are disclosed. The cylinder lock comprises a cylinder shell (19), a key plug (20) rotationally mounted in the shell (19) to provide a shear line (21) between the shell and the key plug, a key slot (11) extending into the key plug (20) parallel to the rotational axis thereof for receiving a key blade (1), at least one locking tumbler (23b) including an elongated body portion guided in a complementary cavity (33b) in the key plug (20), the elongated body portion being capable of rotational movement about its longitudinal axis, and a fence member blockingly associated with the locking tumbler and shaped so that rotational positioning of said locking tumbler with a properly shaped key blade allows said fence member to clear the shear line.

Abstract: A locking device which can be unlocked even in the dark by a simple operation such as inserting a card key, wherein a slit is provided in a casing for receiving the card key, a slider is provided movably inside the casing, a tumbler is inserted movably into the slider and protruding its point into the slit, and an engaging projection is provided on the tumbler. The engaging projection comes into engagement with a groove provided on the bottom of the casing so that the movement of the slider is prevented for completing a locking process. A card key provided with a plurality of holes of different diameters is inserted into the slit for moving the tumbler to an unlocking position, so that the engaging projection is disengaged from the groove to allow the slider to move in a predetermined direction for completing an unlocking process.

Abstract: A modifiable cylinder which comprises a plug and a cylinder body. The plug fits into the cylinder body and has a keyway and a plurality of bottom pin holes which are disposed above and perpendicular to the keyway. Each of the bottom pin holes has a bottom pin. The cylinder body comprises a main chamber housing and a subchamber housing. The main chamber housing has a plurality of top pin holes, each of which has a spring and a top pin. In open position, the top pin holes are aligned with the bottom pin holes. The subchamber housing has a plurality of top pin holes, each of which has a spring, a top pin and several discs. When the plug is turned to the modifying position, the top pin holes are aligned with the bottom pin holes so that the discs can be moved into the bottom pin holes so as to modify the inner combination of the cylinder.

Abstract: A cylinder lock of the type having twisting tumblers operated by a bitted key having at least one skew-cut bit provided with a side bar which is symmetrical with regard to a radius through a center of the key plug perpendicular to the plane of the key so that the side bar intersects not only slots in the twisting tumblers, but the profile of the key. The key has slots in its side face which extend perpendicular to its longitudinal axis.

Abstract: An improved, highly pick-resistant tumbler lock construction incorporates annular undercut portions on both the rotating spindle and the tumbler sleeve of the lock. The undercut portions define discontinuities along the axial bores of the spindle and the tumbler sleeve so as to provide the false feel of a shear plane when the driver pins are used to manipulate the tumbler pins in order to pick or decode the lock. Several of the driver pins and the tumbler pins are also provided with annular grooves which, in combination with the undercuts on the spindle and tumbler sleeve, accentuate the false feel effect in such a way that the false feel of the shear plane is provided at differently inwardly extending positions of the pins, thereby making it extremely difficult to determine when a particular tumbler pin has been precisely positioned at the shear plane.

Abstract: An axial type, tubular key operated, cylinder lock which utilizes a plurality of variable strength and variable tension spring-biased pin arrangements which are to be movable when connected with the proper key to a shear-line position achieving operation of said lock. A pin assembly is normally movable longitudinally to its shear-line position. Any attempt to move the pin assembly other than with a properly coded key will result in the pin assembly being deflected to a displaced position deterring against operation of the lock.

Abstract: A door lock includes a latch bolt assembly, and two rotary knobs connected to the latch bolt assembly. A press key is incorporated in one of the handle members and a key-operated lock is incorporated into the other knob. A clutch member is employed to connect and disconnect the latch bolt assembly to and from an actuating member which can engage with and disengage from a locking plate of the lock. The actuating member disengages from the clutch member and engages with the locking plate when the press key is depressed. When the lock is operated by a key, the actuating member is released from the locking plate and engages again with the clutch member.

Abstract: A lock according to the present invention includes an interchangeable core including a core body, a core sleeve, and a key plug having a key slot. A sloping shoulder is provided on at least one of the tumbler pin passageways in the key plug to define an enlarged opening on the exterior surface of the key plug that is non-concentric with said passageway. A sloping shoulder can also be provided on at least one of the tumbler pin passageways in the core sleeve to define an enlarged opening on the exterior surface of the core sleeve that is non-concentric with said passageway.

Abstract: A twisting tumbler lock with dual locking function has tumbler points at tumbler positions selectively offset forwardly or rearwardly and selectively rotatable to different angular positions to create an enormous number of keying combinations. A key according to the invention includes one or more bits which are offset forwardly or rearwardly of a corresponding tumbler axis.

Abstract: A lock and key system is provided wherein the flat sides of the keys are equipped with locking ribs projecting beyond the normal profile and provided with indentations (depressions) over their course, i.e., are equipped with height-modulated locking ribs. In order to achieve an additional scope of variation which adds to the variations presently available in locked key systems, based on locks having identical bore patterns, the auxiliary locking ribs of the keys of the individual locks are provided with a differing distribution of elevations and depressions and, interacting with these locking rib designs are a number of species of sensing pins. A first species of pins serve to sense elevations, a second species of pins serve to sense depressions and a third species of pins is provided at those locations of the locks at which the individual key comprises an elevation, but the superordinated or master key for the actuation of locks combined into a system comprises a rib depression at the same location.

Abstract: A cylinder lock has a plug (2) provided with coaxial pin passages (6, 8) arranged to accommodate lock pins (7, 9). At least one pin (9) has a necked portion (9a) and a head (9b), and at least one of the pin passages (6) exhibits a widened portion (6a). The pin head (9b) has a smaller diameter than the major part of the pin, and the widened portion (6a) of the recess has a smaller radius in a direction transversely of the axis of plug (2) than half the pin diameter. One or more disc-like pin members (11) may be provided between upper and lower pins (9, 7), these disc-like pin members being prevented from entering the widened portion of the recess when activating the lock with the correct key. The arrangement is such, however, that the head (9b) is readily hooked-up when an attempt to pick the lock is made.

Abstract: An improved quincunx-shaped lock device comprises a lower pin seat, a lower lock pin and a check ring. The whole lengths of the lower lock pins are different. The lengths of the pin head and pin tail having different outer diameters are also different. The bottom of the lower pin holes of the lower pin seat has pin-tail-through holes. The check ring is furnished with several irregular notches. Whenever the lower lock pins are pressed by a key other than that for the lock to the bottom of the lower pin holes, the pin tails will penetrate through the pin-tail-through hole, and some of them will touch the check ring, while others penetrate out of the notches of the check ring. Since numerous variations are designed in the lock, it is impossible to unlock it without the correct key.

Abstract: A cylinder lock having a generally cylindrical barrel with a barrel body within which are slidably located a plurality of locking pins which intersect the keyway in the cylinder lock to thereby engage a key located in the keyway. The locking pins are arranged in two sets which extend generally longitudinally of the body with the locking pins secured within the body to prevent rotation about the axis of movement of the pins.

Abstract: A lock with pins mobile in translation and/or in rotation about their longitudinal axes, wherein the pins are housed into cylindrical passages of a rotatable cylinder and are brought by a key in positions such that cut-outs of these pins are in alignment with a passage annular path formed in a blocking fixed crown of the lock, for allowing the rotation of the cylinder and the opening of the lock.

Abstract: A tumbler lock comprising housing pockets in an outer housing and plug pockets in a cylindrical plug rotatably mounted in the housing holding slidably outer and inner pins respectively, auxiliary pockets in the housing corresponding to the plug pockets at a certain rotated position circumferentially spaced from the housing pockets holding therein auxiliary pins, and change pins which may be interpositioned between the inner, outer and auxiliary pins and interchanged between the respective pockets so that the change pins may be freely shifted to reset the back to be operated by different keys.

Abstract: The invention relates to a tamper-resistant lock. The improved lock incorporates metal wafers which rest on the bottom pins in the inner cylinder of a cylindrical key lock. The wafers and the pins upon which they rest alternately incorporate holes in their topside. The wafers and the bottom pins cooperate with trap pins housed in the outer cylinder of the lock at a 45.degree. angle from the vertical insertion position of the key. The trap pins are urged into the holes in the wafers and bottom pins when tampering occurs. This apparatus prevents both the picking or impressioning of the lock, common alternative techniques for opening a key lock without the key. The improved lock also incorporates a feature to prevent unauthorized opening by rapid spinning of the lock by a spring-propelled insert placed into the lock cylinder after it has been picked.

Abstract: A cylinder lock wherein both cylinder and plug are radially bored to receive pin-pairs of specific design. A pin freeze element is positioned for movement within the plug in a direction substantially orthogonal to the axis of the plug bores. The interface between the pin freeze element and the pins includes incremental notches of matching configuration such that when the plug is turned, the pin freeze element engages the pins locking them from reciprocal movement. The mating surfaces of the pin freeze element and pins must be in registration for the plug to turn at all and they must be in perfect registration and properly aligned for the lock to open.

Abstract: In rotary cylinder locks with spring-loaded, two-piece tumbler pins which are disposed radially to the lock cylinder and which interact with recesses 9, 10, 11 arranged in the side surfaces of flat keys 4, some of the recesses 10, 11 are disposed in steps. In this manner, one recess (for instance 10) shows differing control surfaces 10a, 10b, 10c, which can interact with differently disposed inner pins. By omitting some control surfaces (for instance 10a), auxiliary or single keys can be created, which can only position part of all inner pins of the same group. In this manner the number of differing locking possibilities of such locks can be multiplied.

Abstract: A tumbler lock including a housing that defines a keyway and a plurality of tumblerways communicating therewith. Disposed for both reciprocating and rotational movement in each of the tumblerways is a pin tumbler movable from locked positions into at least one shear position comprising predetermined longitudinal and angular positions. A release mechanism is movable from a closed position into an open position with all the tumblers in their shear positions and is restrained in its closed position with any of the tumblers in one of its locked positions. Cooperating with the lock is a key having a plurality of alignment ridges, each one adapted to enter an alignment groove on one of the pins and to move the pin into its shear position.

Abstract: A tumbler lock is disclosed comprising a body and a cylindrical plug having an axial key passage rotatably mounted in the body. The plug and the body have aligned radial holes containing respective sets of tumblers, the tumblers in the body holes being spring urged toward the plug. The holes in the body have an outer conically tapering portion into which the respective tumblers are wedged prior to assembly of the lock and during assembly the tumblers are pressed out of these conical portions by a tool inserted into an opening in the body.

Abstract: An improved cylinder lock which is very difficult to pick has at least one cylinder pin into which a set of shallow grooves has been cut as well as a deeper notch at one end of the pin. A boring is made in the cylinder at an angle to the boring of the cylinder pin and into which is placed an appropriately sized obstructing pin. The obstructing pin is free to drop into a recess made in the lock housing when the cylinder is locked. The process of attempting to pick the lock by rotating the cylinder slightly results in the obstructing pin sliding along the side of the V-shaped recess in the housing and thereby moving toward and engaging the notches in the body of the cylinder pin preventing unauthorized movement of the cylinder pin which would render the associated locking pin inoperative. When a legitimate key has been inserted into the cylinder, the cylinder pin moves to its fully unlocked position before the cylinder rotation is initiated.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for a secure multi-level key system. A multi-level key system utilizes ribs of known width upon the higher level keys to properly displace obstruction pins corresponding to selected locking pins of the lock housing. A two-part cylinder pin is utilized in order that a higher level key may equalize the spring-biased locking pin with a shallower groove than is necessary for a subordinate key to equalize the same locking pin. The obstruction pins sense the presence or absence of the ribs associated with the high order keys. Subordinate keys, lacking ribs, depend on the additional displacement of the cylinder pin to properly position the obstruction pins to unlock the lock. Creation of a higher order key requires a two-step process of reducing the depth of the groove corresponding to a given cylinder pin of the lock as well as building up the ribs required to offset the obstruction pins associated with the same cylinder pin of the lock.

Abstract: A cylindrical lock with tumbler and driver pins opened or closed by a cylindrical key in which a cylindrical plug is provided with one row or several rows of ".phi."-shaped tumbler pins and the lock body is provided with corresponding driver pins of diversified shapes in equivalent rows. When the lock is closed, the driver pins brake the cylindrical plug at the lock body and thus cannot be rotated. In order to open the lock, the cylindrical key bar is inserted in the key hole of the plug. The key bar is formed with grooves of suitable angle. When the cylindrical key bar is rotated in the key hole, the grooves on the key bar will back up the ".phi."-shaped tumbler pins to the periphery of the plug while pushing the driver pins from the plug into said lock body to make the plug free from said lock body. The cylindrical key bar with special designed angled grooves will apply pressure to the ".phi."-shaped tumbler pins engaging with said plug so as to actuate the lock latch.

Abstract: The specification describes a cylinder lock including a plurality of driver and associated follower pins movably residing in axially alignable bores in the lock core and cylinder, the lock also including spheres normally located in notches in the outer extremity of core cylinder wall, one or more of the spheres moving to a position between associated driver and follower pins preventing the alignment of these associated pins at the peripheral surface of the core when the follower or tumbler pins are manipulated without the use of a properly designed key.

Abstract: An axial split-pin tumbler-type lock mechanism includes a rotatable operating part and a stationary part, which adjoin at an interfacial plane. Tumblers each including a driver element and a follower element are mounted in bores in the parts, which bores meet in alignment at the interfacial plane, and the tumblers are movable back and forth in the bores. When the joints between the tumbler elements coincide with the interfacial plane upon insertion of a key, the operating part may be rotated by means of the key, to accomplish a desired function.

Abstract: A pin tumbler lock cylinder having axially elongated split pin tumbler assemblies each including a pin tumbler and a driver releasably coupled in locked position to prevent rotation of a key plug relative to a supporting cylinder shell. Insertion of a proper angularly bitted key into the key plug causes the tumbler assemblies to axially translate and rotate within bores, defined by the shell and the plug in its locked position, to predetermined releasing positions wherein a split line of each tumbler assembly is aligned with a shear line between the plug and the shell and each pin tumbler is free to separate from its associated driver to permit rotation of the key plug to an unlocked position. Means are provided to prevent rotation of the drivers and tumblers relatively to the shell and plug respectively, when the plug is rotated to an unlocked position. In a master keyed lock cylinder drivers are coupled to pin tumblers by master pins.

Abstract: A pin tumbler cylinder lock having a plug eccentrically positioned within a cylindrical bore of a housing. Surrounding the plug are longitudinally aligned sleeve segments that together therewith form a composite plug unit that can be rotated in the housing bore by a proper key. Formed on the outer surface of each sleeve segment coincident with pinways therein are recesses that are spaced from the recesses in adjacent sleeve segments. Additional internal recesses are formed in the inner surface of at least one of the sleeve segments closely adjacent a pinway extending therethrough. The internal recesses receive the tumbler pin when it is forced upwardly simultaneously with the application of torque on the plug. In one embodiment, the internal recess is a single recess coincident with the pinway and extending circumferentially therefrom. In another embodiment, the internal recess comprises a pair of recesses located on opposite sides of the pinway and spaced circumferentially therefrom.

Abstract: In a cylinder lock mechanism of the type in which longitudinally movable pin tumblers are housed in a normally freely rotatable lock plug which is coupled to a locking member by means of a rocking lever responding to correct alignment of the tumblers, the resistance of the lock to picking, and to fouling and corrosion may be improved, and the structure made more compact, by making the lever part of a three part linkage, the lever being pivotless and actuated by the tumblers by a laterally movable diaphragm in the lock plug and acting upon a laterally movable clutch dog to couple the locking member to the plug. A decombinating cam is provided to ensure disengagement of the diaphragm from the tumblers on removal of a key from the mechanism, and provision may be made positively to lock the locking member against rotation except when the mechanism is freed for rotation by insertion of a correct key.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for decoding twisting tumbler locks and improvements in such locks to resist such methods and apparatus. To determine depth of cut of bit for a given tumbler, a blade is inserted into key way to position a wirelike probe at tumbler to be decoded. Wirelike probe is advanced upwardly until it engages tit at top of tumbler. Depth of cut of key bit is function of length of tumbler and device can be calibrated to give direct readout of depth of bit cut. Angle of key bit can be measured by hooking a wirelike probe in side gate groove in tumbler and then twisting tumbler until tit engages key plug or shell. Amount of twist permitted is function of angular position required to register tumbler groove with side gate and device can be calibrated to give direct reading of such angle. To defeat depth of cut decoder, twisting tumbler lock wherein tits on tumblers are located at different distances from tops of tumblers is disclosed.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for decoding twisting tumbler lock of the type wherein side bar is sole locking element and normally bridges shear plane unless radial apertures in twisting tumblers are all in vertical and horizontal register with complementary side bar protrusions. Decoding apparatus comprises three devices each with a blade insertable in keyway and having upwardly and rearwardly sloping front surface angulated at one of three angles to which tumblers must be twisted for horizontal registration of apertures. Each blade has indicia for indicating that front surface is at particular tumbler and further has indicia for determining amount of elevation of tumbler resulting from camming action between chisel shaped tumbler bottom and blade front surface when blade is advanced from initial engagement with tumbler to elevate tumbler.

Abstract: A detector cylinder is used in a door lock and includes a cylinder body having a plug bore therein and having one or more pin bores in the body opening into the plug bore. A plug is rotatable in the plug bore and has a keyway and one or more pin openings communicating with the keyway and in one rotated position of the plug also communicating with the pin bore or bores. There are one or more first pins slidable in the pin bores and one or more second pins slidable in the pin openings. A spring or springs are disposed to urge the pins towards the keyway. An electrically conducting contact is disposed on the cylinder body in position to be abutted by a first pin in one of the longitudinal locations of the first pin. There is an electrical circuit that is completed when the first pin abuts the contact. The circuit may include an alarm and a switch for preventing an alarm.

Abstract: A cylinder lock with a key plug rotatably mounted in the cylinder shell is described. The key plug has a plurality of tumblers that are set by the V bits of a key inserted in the key plug. The key is cut at three different levels and cut at three different angles. Each tumbler in the key plug may be positioned by the properly bitted key reciprocally to clear the shear line and also positioned rotationally to allow the fence to be cammed out of engagement with the cylinder shell. The key plug may then be rotated.A side bar cylinder lock is also described with the same key cut at three different levels and cut at three different angles. The tumblers are positioned reciprocally and rotationally by the properly bitted key to allow the fence to be cammed out of engagement with the cylinder shell. The key plug may then be rotated.