Medeco Security Locks, Inc.

Assa Abloy High Security Group Inc.

Clyde T Roberson

Peter H Field

Glenn K Hartman

Mark Benzie

Dan Boadwine

Thomas Edwin Duckwall

David P Sutherland

Glenn Hartman

Douglas E Trent

W Daniel Boadwine

Doug Trent

Andy E Perkins

Walt Dannhardt

Kevin Galliher

Anthony Hicks

Kevin Lee

Glenn Hartmann

A key or key blank includes a key blade having a first edge, a second edge, and first and second opposed sides. The first edge has one or more edge bittings to elevate and/or rotate one or more tumbler pins of a lock with a vertically-oriented keyway, and one of the opposed sides has one or more side bittings to elevate and/or rotate one or more tumbler pins of a lock with a horizontally-oriented keyway. Side warding surfaces on the key blank are shaped and positioned to minimize the interference of peaks between the skewed bitting cuts on the key. A lock has a keyway configured for the key having edge bittings to elevate and/or rotate one or more tumbler pins of a vertical lock and side bittings to elevate and/or rotate one or more tumbler pins of a horizontal lock.

Key and key blanks operable in vertically and horizontally oriented keyways

A key with one or more movable elements that slide within the blade of a substantially flat key for operating a lock includes a blade configured to be inserted into a keyway of a lock and including contour features formed on an outer surface of the blade that mate with corresponding contour features of the keyway. The key includes at least one movable element disposed within a recess formed in the blade and including a contour surface exposed to the exterior of the key blade. The contour surface may include external contour features that correspond in shape to at least a portion of the contour features of the keyway. The movable element may be movable within the recess, when it engages a blocking member within the keyway, and after such movement, the element will engage a locking element within the lock.

Key with movable element disposed within key blade

A tumbler pin lock includes an auxiliary locking mechanism including an auxiliary locking pin to provide enhance locking in addition to the locking provided by the tumbler pins so that the lock remains locked even if the tumblers are picked or bumped into their unlocked positions.

Cylinder lock and auxiliary locking mechanism

The present application relates to lock assemblies that provide a secondary coupling point, utilizing an anti-rotation pin or extended tailpiece leg or other method, which rotationally couples the tailpiece to the cylinder plug, thereby preventing rotation of the tailpiece independently of the cylinder plug. Therefore, a tailpiece within a bolt cam or other actuator used to withdraw a bolt or unlock a lockset cannot be rotated after the tailpiece connector connecting the tailpiece to the cylinder plug has been forcibly removed, severed, or destroyed.

Cylinder lock assembly with a tailpiece rotationally coupled to the cylinder plug

A hierarchical lock system includes a first cylinder lock having a cylindrical plug, rotatable, reciprocating tumbler pins, a slider disposed within the plug and a side bar that cooperates with the cylinder plug, the slider, and the tumbler pins to control rotation of the lock. A second cylindrical lock includes a cylindrical plug, reciprocating tumbler pins, a slider, and a side bar that cooperates with the cylindrical plug and the slider. A first key is configured to open both the first and second locks by elevating and rotating the tumbler pins, and moving the slider to an unlocked position with respect to the side bar. A second key is able to open only the second cylindrical locks by elevating but not rotating the tumbler pins and by moving the slider to an unlocked position with respect to the side bar.

Hierarchical cylinder lock systems

A key blank, key and master keying system for a twisting tumbler sidebar lock of the type where the sidebar is blocked or unblocked by a selectively positioned longitudinally extending slider, has a key blank with a slider contacting surface on a rib on the blank below the bitting area at one of a plurality of selected predetermined locations. A key with skew cut bittings can be cut on the blank and the blank can be configured with the slider contacting surface at different predetermined locations. The slider contact area on the rib of the key blank can be divided into two horizontal portions at different predetermined locations and the slider itself can have contact surfaces also positioned at different predetermined locations so that a number of different master keying variations are possible.

Key blank, key and master keying system

Growing community of inventors

Salem, VA, United States of America

Clyde T Roberson