Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
36~
In the prior art tumbler pin cylinder locks have been adapted to
be changed for use with different keys. These kinds of locks have been
particularly adaptable for hotels, apartments and office buildings where it
is desirable to change the lock for use with a different key.
In these prior locks it was usually necessary to remove the cylinder
from the door to make the changes and, in addition, tools were required to be
inserted into the cylinders to make the key changes possible.
There have been other changeable locks which could be changed in
place, but they also required a tool to be used from externally of the lock.
The present invention has eliminated the requirement for removal
of the lock cylinders from the doors and, further, has eliminated the need
for the use of an external tool.
; The present invention provides means by which an auxiliary row of
` reserve master wafers are arranged in alignment with and angularly offset
from a row of axially aligned locking bores.
The invention functions with the use of a six-pin changing key in
a lock which is normally operated with a five-pin key, for example. It is
only with the employment of a predetermined changing key that the changes
can be made.
In accordance with the invention, more than a million key variations
are possible in five-pin tumbler locks, utilizing five bores containing master
wafers of various thicknesses.
~n a broad aspect, the invention resides generally in a pin tumbler
cylinder lock comprising: a housing, a plug coupleable to and moveable in
said housing by an operating key to lock and unlock the lock in a unique
combination, a shutter between said housing and said plug and relatively
moveable therewith between at least two positions, means normally coupling
- said shutter with said housing to prevent relative movement therebetween and
movement of said shutter between its positions, said coupling means being not
~-, 1
',' "' . ~
,,
S~
adapted to be operated by said operating key when said operating key moves
said plug to lock and unlock the lock, and second means in said housing, said
shutter, and said plug and couplable~ wit:h a lock-combination changing key to
permit said lockchanging combination key to move said plug and said shutter
in said housing and to permit the unique combination to be changed to another
unique combination~ said first means being operable by said lock-combination
changing key.
In a further aspect, the invention contemplates a key-operated pin
tumbler lock with integral combination changing means not requiring removal
of the lock from its emplacement of use comprising in combination: at least
two pairs of keys, each pair including a uniquely configured lock operating
key and a lock combination changing key; a housing; a plug rotatable in said
housing and having a key-receiving slot for individually receiving said keys;
first means cooperable with said plug and said housing and engageable by said
lock operating key for establishing a unique locking and unlocking rotational
engagement between said plug and said housing; second means cooperable only
with said lock combination c~anging key for enabling the unique locking and
` unlocking rotational engagement to be changed to another different but unique
engagement3 a shutter positioned between said housing and said plug; and third
means normally securing said ~hutter and said housing together and adapted to
be engaged only by said lock combination changing key, said third means being
cooperable with said lock combination changing key and said first means to
. release said shutter for rotation with said p~ug, thereby changing the unique
^~ locking and unlocking rotational engagement to the other different but unique
. e~gagement upon replacement of said lock combination changing key with another
-:~ lock combina~ion changing key.
More specifically the invention resides in a pin tumbler cylinder
: lock comprising: an external housing, a cylindrical opening therein, a plug
~, ,
:~ -rotatable within said cylindrical opening, said housing and plug having a row
'"
~ 2 -
, ~ .
. ,
,... . . . ...... , , ~, ,, . , ., . ~ .. .. ... . . . . .
-: . . , ~ ,. . . . .. ...
5~
of axially aligned locking bores therein, a key slot in said plug in alignment
with said bores, each of said locking bores having space for springs, wafers,
and locking tumbler pins adapted to be positioned and sized to permit the
plug to be operated with an operating predetermined key to lock and unlock
the lock when the operating key is inserted into the slot, said springs being
adapted to bias said pins toward the key slot, said housing having a row of`
axially aligned auxiliary bores angularly offset from and transversely aligned
with respective locking bores, each of said auxiliary bores adapted to have
springs and master wafers therein, said springs being adapted to bias said
lo master wafers inwardly toward the plug, a relatively thin-wcilled shutter sleeve
fitted for rotation in said cylindrical opening in said housing, said plug
being fitted within said shutter sleeve for rotationntherein and therewith~
a row of axially aligned locking bores in said shutter sleeve in respective
radial and axial alignment with the locking bores in said housing and said
plug, first means within the housing and the shu~ter to prevent rotation of
. the shutter during operation of the lock when said operating key rotates the
plug to lock and unlock the lock, and second means within the housing, the
shutter, and the plug actuated by a lock-combination-changing predetermined
key to permit said lock-combination-~hanging predetermined key to rotate the
. 20 plug and the shutter in the housing from the operating position of the lock
~ to a combination-changing position ofjthe lock by respectively aligning said
: locking bores in the plug and shutter with said au~iliary bores in the housing.
Furthar advantages of the invention may be brought out in the
-............. following part of the specification wherein small details have been described
;- for the competence of disclosure, without intending to limit the scope of the
invention which is set forth in the appended claims.
~eferring to the accompanying drawings, which are for illustrative
purposes:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pin tumbler lock;
; - 3 -
: .:
., , . , , -. . : ~: . : ~. , . .:
s~
Figure 2 is an exploded view illustrating a plug, cylinder and
shutter in a pin tumbler lock, according to the invention;
Figure 3 is a side elevational, partially cross-sectional view of
the lock in Figure 2, operable by a five--pin key and adapted to employ a
six-pin key as a changing key;
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating structure for use
in the key changing operation, taken along the lines 4-4 in Figure 3;
Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view illustrating the
use of 2 changing key; and
Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a norm~l locking-
unlocking position of the lock, taken along the lines 6-6 of Figure 3.
Referring again to the drawings, there is shown in Figures 1-3 a
pin tumbler cylinder lock, generally designated as 10, having a generally
cylindrical locking and unlocking plug 12, a cylinder or housing 1~, and a
cylindrical shutter sleeve 16, the plug bcing adapted to rotate wi~hin the
shutter during normal locking operations and being adapted to rotate with
the shutter within the cylinder during key changing operations.
As shown in Figure 3, the cylinder 1~ is threadedly engaged within
a lock frame 15, for example, adapted to be secured within a lock body within
a door, and secured to the irmer end of the plug by screws 17 is a bolt
throwing or latch releasing cam 19 which projects from and turns w~th the
.` plug to lock or lmlock the latch or bolt.
- As shown in Figures 2-6, the cylinder, the shutter, and the plug
have a row of five axially aligned cylindrical locking bores 18, 20 and 22,
-~ respectively. Within the plug, radially and axially aligned with the five
locking bores, is a key slot 26. The locking bores in the cylinder extend
from the lower end thereof, as shown in Figure 3, and terminate at their upper
-~ ends in small diameter pDrtions 30 so that the bores may be loaded from their
lower ends. The shutter normaLly cLoses the lower ends of the housing bores.
(~j3l5~39
~ithin each locking bore is a spring 32 in abutment with a conical
surface 34 in the upper end of the bore. At the lpwer end of the springs are
cylindrical top tumbler pins 38 slidably fitted withiLI the bores and adapted
to be moved upwardly toward the springs by a key, and adapted to be moved
downwardly in the cylindrical shutter and plug bores 20 and 22, respectively,
when a key is not in the slot. Each top tumbler pin 38 is generally made
- to be of the same length.
At the lower ends of the locking bores are five bottom, cylindrical,
tumbler pins 42, 44, 46, 48 and 50, having convex ends and when a key is not
in the slot their lower ends rest at the bottoms 56 of the plug bores 22
where they are held by the force of the springs 32, as indicated in Figure 3.
According to the operating key design, the bottom tumbler pins are of various
lengths and, further, according to the operating key design, master wafer pins,
as 60, 62 and 66, are inserted between the top tumbler pins and the bottom
- tumbler pins; the top, master and bottom pins being biased together by the
springs 32. The master wafers may be of var~i~g thickness or of the same
thicknesses and varied in number, as shown at 60, 62 and 66. In the cases
of bottom tumbler pins 46 and 48 of different lengths, according to the
specific key design no master waf~pins are used in their locking bores.
As shown in Figures 3 and 6, an operating key 70 is in the slot
26 in operating locking and unlocking position. As shown in Figure 6, the
key has a lataral configuration on both sides 72 and 74 adapted to enter the
slot 26 axially.
On the upper edge of the five-pin key, for example, are predeter-
mined high and low pin facing contact surfaces 80, 82, 84, 86 and 88. These
surfaces engage the lower ends of the bottom tumbler pins 42, 44, 46, 48 and
` 50, respectively, so as to form a break line 92 betwffen wafers and/or pins
`~ just inwardly of the cylindrical waIl of the shutter so that rotation of the
~ key will permit rotation of the plug 12 within the shutter 16 to lock or- - 5 -
'' ' .
.~
... . ~ , . .. - . - . ..
-~6iS~
unlock the lock, rotating the cam 19. The ends of any of the cylindrical
pins or wafers adapted to form a break line surface are generally flat and
fitted for precise operation. If chamfered edges are used, the lock
Rperation is generally not as precise.
In axial alignment with the row of five locking bores is a sixth
bore 100 within the housing, having therein a spring 32, and in a biasing
relationship at ~he lower end of the spring is a first shutter holding pin
102, as best seen in Figures 3-5. The shutter hold~g pin 102 has a small
diameter portion 104 terminating in a conical point 106. In Figures 3 and
4 the small diameter portion 104 is biased into a sixth shutter bore 108,
smaller in diameter than the five bores 20, and the shoulder on the pin 102
outwardly of the small diameter portion rests on the outer cylindrical surface
of the shutter.
In radial or transverse alignment with the shutter holding pin bore
108 is an annular groove 112 in the outer surface of the plug, the conical
; end 106 extending into the groove. Thus, when the shutter holding pin is
extending through the shutter bore 108, the shutter is locked against rotation
for operation with a five-pin key, as 70. Extending inwardly from the groove
-~ 112 in radial alignment with the bore 100, and in axial row alignment with
the locking bores, is a shutter releasing and rotating pin 122. As shown in
Figures 3 and 4, when a five-pin key is in the plug, the convex bottom of the
pin 122 rests on the bottom of the plug bore 120. The pin 122 bas an upper
reduced diameter portion 124, terminating in a conical end 126, the reduced
:
portion ]24 being adapted to fit within the shutter bore 108.
As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the pin 102 is extending into a cut-
away cavity 127 in the housing, radial b outwardly of and in alignment with
groove 112. This cavity provides clearance for the rotation of the end 126
~ of the pin 122 when thh end is extending into the shutter bore 108 and the
-; plug and shutter are rotat:ed during the lock-~ey changing operationg about
6 -
'.` ' .
. ,
~; .. . . . .. . - , - . :
~6~5t~
to be described.
As shown in Figure 5, there is a six-pin lock changing key 132,
corresponding to the operating key 70, having an additional sixth upper edge
operating contact or bit surface 134.
The changing key 132 is otherwise identical to the operating key
70 except that its five bit or contacting surfaces, corresponding to surfaces
80, 82, 84, 86 and 88, are regularly higher, as 88A, in Figure 5, corresponding
to 88 in Figure 3, to raise the break line, as 92~, of all the pins to be
just outwardly of the shutter wall.
After the operating key has been removed, the changing key 132 is
inserted into the slot for the purpose of changing the lock for operation by
a new operating key. The key surface 134 moves the pin 122 in the plug up-
wardly against the pin 102, movingiits small diameter portion out of the
shutter bore 108 and moving the small diameter portion 124 therein, Figure 5.
The five contacting surfaces raise wafer pins 60, 62, 66 and the tumbler pins
46 and 48 into the shutter bores to form the new br0ak line 92A, as illustrated
for the wafer pin 66 in Figure 5. In this situation the changing key 132 is
adapted to rotate the plug and the shukter within the housing, the conical
end 126 being adapted to rotate in the cavity 127.
; As shown in Figures 4 and 6, angularly offset from the locking
bores and the shutter holding pin bore 100 in the housing are a row of five
axially aligned auxiliary or reserve master pin wafer bores 140 in alignment
wlth a sixth bore 142 which is a second shu~ter holding pin bore containing
a spring 144 and a second shutter holding pin 146, having a small diameter
portion 148 and a conical end 150. The bores 140 are in transverse alignme~t ;~
with the respective five locking bores 18 and the bore 142 is in alignment
with the bore 100, so that precise rota~ion of the plug ~nd shutter will
radially align their locking bores with respective auxiliary bores. During
normal locking operation, the end 150 is in contact with the outer surface
_ 7 _
. .
of the stationary shutter 16, as shown ill Figure 4.
In order that the rotation of the plug and shutter be precise with
respect to the locking and auxiliary bores, as shown in Figures 2 and 4, a
slot 156 extends through the surface of the shutter in alignment with the
groove 112. ~he slot has about the same width as the diameter of the shutter
bore 108. Threadedly engaged within a housing bore 160, Figure 4, is a set
screw 162 ha~ing a cylindrical end 164 engaged within the slot 156 and e~tending
into the groove 112. The upper end of the pin 164 is in abutment with the
upper end of the slot in which position the pin 102 is in locking position to
hold the shutter against rotation.
When the six-pin key 132 is turned to rotate the plug and shutter
counterclockwise, having moved the small diameter portion 124 of the pin 122
into the shutter bore 108, the end 126 of the pin 122 rotates in the cavity
127 to engage the conical end 150 of the second shutter holding pin, moving
it outwardly against the $orce of the spring 144. The limit of this rotation
is determined by the lower end of the slot 156 which is then in contact with
the lower end of the pin 164. At this point the shutter and plug bores are
respectively radially aligned with auxiliary bores. When the changing key
is then removed, the end 150 of the pin 146 moves into the shutter bore 108
to engage the small diameter portion 148 therewith and to lock the pin 146
in the key changing position.
.:
During the rotation of the shutter 16 and plug 12 by the changing
- key, as shown in Figure 5, the raised bottom tumbler pin 50 and the master
~- wcafer pin 66 remain radially in place with respect to the shutter c~nd the
changing key. ~he same is true of the other raised bottom tumBl~erppins 42,
44, 46 and 48 and their master wafer pins 60 and ~2 within the shutter and
' plug-
~n each of the five reserve master wafer bores 140, illustrated in
Figure 6g there is a spring 170 extending within a top reserve pin 172 and
-- 8 --
-
.;~ .
5~
having at its lower end one or more master wafer reserve pins 174. Thus,
when the first chc~nging key 132 is removed from the slot, a second six-pin
changing key is inserted into the slot and the wafers 174 in the various
five reserve~bores will be moved upwardly or downwardly in the bores 140 and
the respective shutter and plug bores in accordance with the shape of the
key, so that a break line 92A outwardly of the shutter bores 20 is formed
to permit rotation by a new operating key. The master reserve wafer pins
174 are of the proper size so that any predetermined new key will position
the wafers 174 to form a break line among them for each auxiliary bore just
outwardly of the cylindrical walls o the bores 20 of the shutter.
Thus, the new six-pin changing key is adapted to rotate the plug
and shutter clockwise back to the position shown in Figure 4, the pin 122
remaining within the shutter bore 108. When the six-pin changing key is
removed, the spring in the housing holding pin bore 100 moves the pin 102
back into the operating locking position, and the pin 122 drops down into the
position as shown in Figures 3 and 4. At this point a new operating key,
corresponding to the structure of changing key but having lower contacting
or bit surfaces, can then be inserted into the slot to operate the lock.
As may be seen, a multiplicity of key changes can be made depending
upon the thickness and numbers of the wafers 17~ in ~he auxili~ry bores 140.
In each case the key must be adapted to position and number the wafers to
form a break line so as to permit the rotation of the plug and shutter back
to the operating position and to permit rotation of the plug by the operating
key while the shutter remains stationary.
The invention and its attendant advantages will be ~nderstood from
the foregoing description and it will be apparent that various changes may be
made in the formg construction and arrangement of the parts of the invention
without departing from the spirit and scope thereof or sacrificing its
material advantages, the arrangements hereinbefore described being merely by
_ 9 _
~. .. .
,' , .
.: . . . . ~ , , : . : . . .
way of example. I do not wish to be restricted to the specific forms shown
or uses mentioned except as defined in the accompanying claims, wherein
various portions have been separ~ted for clarity of reading and not for
emphasis.
. . .
,
.~' .
.
.; .
~.~
,
