International Security Products, Inc.

Kaba Ilco Inc.

Charles W Eden, Jr

Kenneth T Theriault

Edward F Humphrey

Thomas J Divito

A key blank for a cylinder lock comprising a bow, a blade longitudinally extending from the bow to a tip, and having a longitudinally extending upper edgeto be cut with coded bitting for mating with a tumbler stack of a cylinder lock. A projectionextends outwardly on the upper edge adjacent the bow, rising from longitudinally extending surfacesat elevation ebelow the elevation eof the upper edge, and having a length parallel to the upper edge that is greater than a width transverse to the edge. The projection is interposed between a front edge portionto be cut with the coded bitting and a back edge portionextending to the bow at elevation eabove elevation e. The projection has cam surfaces converging longitudinally and transversely toward a noseat elevation eabove elevation e. The back edgehas a notchforming an arcuate shoulder spaced from the upper projection at an elevation eabove elevation e, to support the rim of an auxiliary pin while the projection is within a recess on the underside of the pin.

Key blank with projection

A key blank and key for mating with a core having a plurality of cutouts penetrating from the core surface to the keyway, and a plurality of activator inserts and filler inserts, such that the installer can locate one or more activator inserts in any of the cutouts, and one or more filler inserts in any of the remaining cutouts, to thereby match the code to be provided in the respective flank or flanks of an authorized key. At least three and preferably at least five slotted cutouts are provided. The inserts are preferably in the form of generally semi-circular plates on at least one side of the core. The inventive key for insertion into a cylinder lock keyway has a blade with top and bottom edges spaced apart along a blade height direction and left and right flanks spaced apart along a blade width direction. A longitudinal channel is formed in at least one flank, having a width extending in the blade height direction and a depth extending in the blade width direction. At least one raised node is situated in the channel, each node having a front ramp facing the tip of the blade, a back ramp facing the bonnet, a side face between the front and back ramps defining a substantially flat side surface substantially parallel to the blade height direction, and an actuator surface contiguous with the front ramp, back ramp, and side surface.

Key with compound actuator ramps in recessed longitudinal channel

In a pin tumbler-type cylinder lock having an auxiliary tumbler stack, the bottom pin of the auxiliary tumbler stack has a recessed underside for receiving a projection on the key to form a detent. The invention provides an additional functionality that has not previously been associated with the auxiliary tumbler stack. When the projection on the key as seated, it prevents the key from being withdrawn from the keyway while the plug is in any rotational position in which the drive and bottom pins are not substantially aligned. Thus, the key is retained whenever the plug has been rotated.

Lock system with improved auxiliary pin tumbler stack

A core having a plurality of cutouts penetrating from the core surface to the keyway, and a plurality of activator inserts and filler inserts, such that the installer can locate one or more activator inserts in any of the cutouts, and one or more filler inserts in any of the remaining cutouts, to thereby define a program or code to be provided in the respective flank or flanks of an authorized key. At least three and preferably at least five slotted cutouts are provided. The inserts are preferably in the form of generally semi-circular plates on at least one side of the core. In various embodiments, the present invention is directed to a programmable cylinder lock system, a programmable core for a cylinder lock, a core kit by which the installer can program the core in the field, and a novel key adapted to be used with the programmable core.

Programmable cylinder lock system

A side bar type cylinder lock includes a locking segment which is movable relative to the side bar and lock shell only in response to insertion of a key blade having a uniquely configured and located camming projection into the keyway. The locking segment movement is independent of lock tumbler movement and is required to permit side bar disengagement from the lock shell.

High security side bar lock

A novel lock system utilizes a cylinder lock and a companion key with a projection extending from one side thereof to improve security. The cylinder lock comprises a shell, a core which is rotatably mounted within the shell and a plurality of pin tumbler stacks normally prevent movement between the shell member and the core. Shear lines are defined between the shell and the core, and also within each tumbler stack. The core also includes an outer surface, a longitudinal keyway and a cut-out which is normally offset from, but alignable with, at least one of the tumbler stacks. A plate member is disposed within the cut-out for movement between a first position, wherein the plate member acts as an extension of the core surface to prevent a tumbler stack from entering the cut-out and a second position, wherein the plate member does not prevent a tumbler stack from entering the cut-out. Upon insertion of an authorized key, the key bitting will appropriately align the tumbler shear lines with the shell/core shear line, and the key projection will urge the plate from the second position to the first position and thereby permit the core to rotate to an unlocked position. Upon insertion of a properly bitted key which does not possess an appropriate key projection, however, only partial core rotation is permitted whereupon a tumbler stack enters the cut-out to thereby render the lock inoperable and trap the unauthorized key within the keyway.

Lock system with key trapping

A cylinder lock with a resiliently biased auxiliary locking pin, the auxiliary locking pin having a first end which functions as a tenon and a second end which defines a cam follower. The first end of the auxiliary locking pin extends into the keyway and is engaged by a cooperating key blade having a longitudinal slot which defines a mortise. The second end of the auxiliary locking pin normally engages a recess in the inner diameter of the lock shell, a camming surface being provided at one side of the recess. The depth profile of the mortise increases from an initial tenon receiving depth, at the blade tip, to a functional depth, at a point displaced from the blade tip, where the locking pin is partially withdrawn from the shell recess to enable rotation of the lock core relative to the shell. Complete pin withdrawal commensurate with unlocking, in response to camming action instituted upon lock core rotation, is permitted by an aperture in the base of the key blade slot which receives a shaped pin extension which projects from the first end of the auxiliary locking pin.

Cylinder lock system

A key having profile features which include a shaped indentation on a first side of the blade and an aligned projection on the opposite side of the blade cooperates with a cylinder lock with unauthorized key trapping capability. The lock has an auxiliary locking pin which cooperates with the key indentation and a movable plate member which cooperates with the key projection. Both the indentation and projection must be present and properly sized and shaped for a properly bitted key to operate the lock.

A cylinder lock is provided with a resiliently biased auxiliary locking pin which projects into the keyway, the auxiliary locking pin having a first end which is shaped to in part define a flaring tenon and a second end which engages a locking recess in the lock shell. The cooperating key has a blade with a longitudinal slot shaped, in the manner of a mortise, to engage the first end of the auxiliary locking pin, the depth profile of the mortise increasing from an initial engagement depth to a functional depth. Key insertion causes generation of an axial force which is applied to the head of the auxiliary locking pin to retract the pin second end from the shell locking recess.

Growing community of inventors

Plantsville, CT, United States of America

Charles W Eden, Jr