GB2495714A - Key recognition for a cylinder lock - Google Patents

Abstract

Described are means of recognising a key 10 when inserted to a lock plug 30. The extremity of key 10 is modified by removal of a part 25 and so that a piece 40 inserted to an aperture of the lock plug impinges into the removed part. The removed part 25 of the key 10 may be of a suitable position, size and contour, and to be interfaced by the piece 40 so that access is to the key plug may only be made by appropriate key 10. The position, size and contour of the piece 40 precisely relate to those modified features of the key 10. Therefore, and if a current key configuration is inserted to a current lock plug, the lock cannot be operated. It should be noted that the current keys and plugs cannot be copied, and therefore the restriction is relevant to a modified generation of these products only. The invention is not intended to be applicable to common key and lock plug types, the keys of which can be commercially copied. By varying key 10 and removal of a part 25 relative to varying the modifications 40 to a lock plug 30, added security permutations may be incorporated to the lock characteristics.

Description

Improved key recognition for a cylinder lock The present invention relates to the addition of a mechanical recognition method for keys used in a modified cylinder lock.

Keys used in cylinder locks originate as blanks and differ by length from shoulder to tip, and the depth, spacing and number of longitudinal grooves. These features enable the key to fully enter the depth of a longitudinal shaped aperture in the cylinder plug.

To operate tumblers inset perpendicular to the tangent of the plug the blanks are ground with a specified number of recesses of differing depth. This enables the key configuration to exclusively match the layout and length of tumblers.

The plug is contained within and enabled to rotate within the cylinder when the tumblers are activated.

Most key blanks are available commercially for copying the recesses by grinding, so enabling further keys to be made for a plug The required improvement is for existing key blanks that are manufactured to an exclusive length, and depth, spacing and number of Longitudinal grooves. These blanks are not made available commercially. Additionally, the blanks are ground to a precise number of recesses at specific depths. The permutation of recesses is difficult to emulate even if a corresponding blank could be made. There is also a sequential combination of recesses that enable a master key to be defined and ground.

These locks are therefore suitable for multiple key installations requiring both a high level of security and master key facility.

However, it is required that an additional or improved level of security is added to the existing configuration of key blanks and plugs. Therefore manufacture of both keys and plugs remain as exIsting, but with the addition of an inventive cost efficient feature.

For this purpose, the invention relates to post manufacturing modification of both keys and plugs, and so in effect, providing a second generation of locks with added security.

The invention is to mechanically remove a specific and uniquely configured part of the keys, and to add a specific and uniquely configured member to the plugs. Therefore the uniquely configured part of the plugs will be caused to impinge on the uniquely configured part of the keys.

Therefore any existing blanks configured for any existing plugs cannot fully locate into the plugs, because of depth to shoulder restriction.

The restriction in the bore of the plugs is accomplished by adding a member to the plugs.

This is done by culling into or boring into the plug perpendicular to the tangent or offset to the tangent of the plug in any specified direction.

The member is then inserted into and secured to the cut or bore of cut in the plug so that ft is located in a unique position that will precisely enter the plug bore and impinge on the unique configuration of the removed portion of a key, The member may, for example, be a flat shim or rod configuration, or cirelip, and made of a material suitable for purpose. The member does not extend beyond the diameter and or extremity of permissible space in the plug.

The precise combination of member and key configurations and or dispositions one to the other may enable unique key restriction and increase of lock security permutations.

Embodiments of the present invention, and some examples and methods for farming them, will now be described in more detaU, by way of example only, and by particular reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig 1 shows the side and end elevations of an uncut key blank: Fig 2 shows the same key blank with a piece removed; Fig 3 shows the same key blank with piece removed, and inserted into a lock plug; Fig 4 shows the side and sectional elevations of a lock plug with a piece removed; Fig 5 shows a lock plug with a part inserted into an aperture formed by removal of a piece; Fig 6 shows the key inserted into a lock plug having a piece removed and a part inserted; Fig 7 shows enlarged section and elevation of a piece for insertion into a plug aperture; Fig 8 shows enlarged sectional detail of a piece inserted into a plug aperture; Fig 1 illustrates a first example of a key blank 10, and where 15 is the edge used for grinding permutation lock recesses and 20 is the opposite edge.

Fig 2 illustrates the same example of a key blank 10, and where 25 is a removed piece.

Fig 3 illustrates similar example of key blank 10 having removed piece 25, and showing the juxtaposed section of a lock plug 30.

Fig 4 illustrates the side elevation and section of same example 30 of a lock plug, and where shows a removed piece or pieces.

Fig 5 illustrates a same example of lock plug 30, and where a piece 40 is inserted into the aperture 35 formed by removal of a piece or pieces of the plug 30.

Fig 6 illustrates side and end sections of a same example of lock plug 30. and where a key blank 10 is inserted so that the piece 40 of the lock plug 30 engages the removed piece 25 of the key blank 10.

Fig 7 illustrates an example of a piece 40. where the height and width of piece 40 securely engage with the depth and width of aperture 35 formed in the lock plug 30, and where the outer edge 45 corresponds with the depth of removed piece or pieces 25 of a key blank 10, and where the radius of the outer edge 50 corresponds with the external diameter of a key plug 30.

Fig 8 illustrates an example of securing the piece 40 into the aperture 35 of a lock plug 30, by means of peening materials together 55, and so that the piece 40 precisely corresponds with the removed piece 25 of a key blank 10.

The aperture 35 of a lock plug may be of any suitable configuration and or positioning in the plug 30, and so that different types, styles, configurations of piece 40 might be utilised.

The interfaces between a piece 40 and removed portion 25 of key blank 10 may be variable.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance ft should be understood that I, the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patent-able feature or combination of features herein-before referred to and or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims (5)

1. <claim-text>Claims 1. A means of providing added security to an existing restricted lock configuration by the removal of a part of the key and by corresponding addition to a part of the lock plug.</claim-text> <claim-text>2. A means of modifying an existing key configuration by the removal of a portion or part of the key from its longitudinal extremity to a given longitudinal depth.</claim-text> <claim-text>3. A means of modifying an existing key configuration by the removal of a portion or part of the key from its longitudinal extremity to a given transverse depth.</claim-text> <claim-text>4. A means of modifying an existing lock plug configuration by the addition of a portion or part that enables interface of that part to the configuration of a portion or part of the key which has been removed.</claim-text> <claim-text>5. A means of configuring the interface between a modified existing key and modified lock plug so that the key is physically recognised as being appropriate to operation of the plug.</claim-text> <claim-text>6. A key according to claims 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, and that embodies removal of a particular configuration that does not interfere with the existing operability or strength required of that key.</claim-text> <claim-text>7. A key plug according to claims 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, and that embodies removal of a particular configuration that does not interfere with the existing operability or strength required of that Jock plug.</claim-text> <claim-text>8. A key plug according to claims 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, and that embodies addition of a particular configuration that does not interfere with the existing operability or strength required of that lock plug.</claim-text> <claim-text>9. A lock plug according to claims 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, and that has an additional member set into a recess, groove, or aperture, and enabling that member to be disposed in a way that enables designated impingement to the shoulder of a removed part of a key.</claim-text> <claim-text>10. The means of utilising a key and lock plug according to claims 1,2, 3, 4 and 5, comprising full key access if the modifications are correctly installed.</claim-text> <claim-text>11. The means of securing an additional member to the lock plug by bonding. Interference fit, or shimming materials one to another.</claim-text> <claim-text>12. An a combined mechanical article according to any of the above claims, and to which requisite operation is impaired if an unmodified and or inappropriate key is utilised.Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows Claims 1. A blocking member that bridges the upper portion of plug keyway by being laterally mounted external to but within the diameter of plug so that it does not impede rotation within the lock cylinder or frame.
2. 2. A blocking member that is recessed into a lateral groove on a tangent to the axis of plug.
3. 3. A blocking member that is recessed into a lateral groove on the radian to the axis of plug.
4. 4. A key that impinges correspondingly to a blocking member described in Claims ito 3, by means of a longitudinally recessed cut-out notch to the upper shank.
5. 5. A correspondingly formed interface between blocking member described in Claims 1 to 3, and claim 4. * * . * **S* ..*** * S 5Sø* * * S. * * * *5S* S. S * * * * *.</claim-text>