The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 28, 1976
Filed:
Jan. 12, 1976
James W Raymond, Newport Beach, CA (US);
James A Millett, Fountain Valley, CA (US);
Other;
Abstract
An improved lock assembly of the wafer tumbler type is provided which includes a plurality of wafer-type tumblers mounted in a cylindrical plug or carrier at spaced positions along the axis of the carrier. The tumblers are slidable radially in the carrier to project beyond the carrier into restricted annular pockets in the inner surface of the housing, so as to hold the lock in a locked condition. Only when the proper key is inserted into the plug are all the tumblers drawn within the confines of the plug by the key, allowing the key to turn the plug and to operate the latch or bolt controlled by the lock. The lock of the invention is constructed so that each tumbler is of a two-piece construction to include a key-follower member which may be engaged with the corresponding tumbler at a selected position along its length, with the key followers assuming different positions with respect to the corresponding tumblers, so that only when a particular key is inserted into the plug, will all the tumblers be drawn within the confines of the plug, allowing the plug to be turned to the unlocking position. The key followers are held in engagement with the respective tumblers during normal operation of the lock. However, the plug can be turned to a re-setting position by the particular key, at which position the followers are released. Then, a new key may be inserted into the lock to cause the key followers to assume different relative positions with respect to the various tumblers in conformity with the new key. Thereafter, when the plug is turned back to the normal operating position, the key followers are locked into engagement with the tumblers at the new position, and the lock is then conditioned for operation with the new key, instead of the former key. Means is provided to prevent the plug from being turned back from its reset position to its normal operating position unless the key is fully inserted into the lock, to prevent partial settings of the key followers. The lock also includes a pick bar which engages the tumblers whenever the plug is turned from a reference position to prevent movement of the tumblers at any angular position of the plug except the reference position, so that the lock is rendered virtually pick-proof.