EP0088012A1 - Keyless cylinder combination lock - Google Patents

Abstract

1. Cylinder lock comprising a stator (10) which surrounds a rotor (20), the latter having to be set in rotation with respect to the stator in order to allow the opening of the lock, a plurality of coaxial coding discs (40) each comprising a notch (41) on their periphery as well as members (49) adapted to bring about the rotation of each of the discs when one of the coding discs which is immediately adjacent thereto is in turn set in rotation over a given angle, a rotary member for the decoding of the discs (70) cooperating with one of the discs in order to bring about the rotation of the latter and a locking member (30) located between the rotor (20) and the stator (10) and adapted to penetrate the notches (41) of the coding discs when the latter are in alignment, characterised by the fact that : - the said locking member (30) is able to be moved between a locking position in which it prevents the rotation of the rotor (20) with respect to the stator (10) and a neutral position in which it penetrates the notches (41) in the coding discs and allows the rotation of the rotor and by the fact that - the rotary member (70) is able to move axially with respect to the position which it occupies at the time of decoding of the discs in order to ensure the rotation of the rotor (20) and the opening of the lock when the notches (41) provided on each of the discs are in alignment.

Description

The present invention relates to keyless combination locks, and more precisely a so-called cylinder lock, to keyless combination.

Many keyless combination locks are already known. Such a keyless combination lock is described, for example, in German patent 28 656. These locks are appreciated in particular for the numerous advantages which they have compared to key locks. Thus the multiplication of locks, both on the doors, and in small industrial locking on the most diverse devices leads to give, when using key locks, overloaded, heavy and bulky key chains. In addition, the requirement to manufacture a large number of different keys and locks leads to the manufacture of keys which are easily imitated by anyone somewhat trained, which reduces the effectiveness of the key lock. . On the other hand, following the loss or theft of the key, the key lock is irretrievably locked if a spare key is not available. Finally, we see nowadays that acts of vandalism consisting in introducing, by the hole of the key lock, foreign bodies preventing the correct functioning of the lock, are more and more frequent. Such acts of vandalism are quite impossible with a keyless combination lock since precisely keyless combination locks do not have a keyhole.

Keyless combination locks conventionally consist of a plurality of coaxial coding discs each provided, on the one hand, on their periphery, with a notch intended to receive a blocking element of a bolt, when all the notches discs are aligned, on the other hand with a protruding lug on either side of the plane of the discs; by driving one of the coding discs in rotation, by operating a drive member integral with the latter, the coding pins of the driven disc and of the disc adjacent to it are brought into contact, so as to move in turn the adjacent disc in question, and so on for each of the lock discs, until all the notches of the discs are aligned to receive the element of the latching bolt. In this position, the bolt being unlocked, the drive member can, when it is pivoted, appropriately, command the withdrawal of the bolt. Of course, the relative distribution of the notches and the pins on each of the discs is chosen to be arbitrary, so that it is essential to know "the combination" in order to be able to correctly align the notches of the discs by maneuvering the drive member.

Despite the numerous advantages presented by keyless combination locks, and despite the quite satisfactory security offered by them, it can be seen that key cylinder locks tend to be preferred, in a large number of uses, at the expense of keyless combination locks. These cylinder locks are composed of a stator, a rotor contained in the stator and a blocking element disposed between the rotor and the stator, and capable of being moved between a first position in which the element blocking prevents rotation of the rotor, and a second position allowing movement of the latter.

Numerous variants of key cylinder locks are thus known.

According to one embodiment, the blocking element is formed by a plurality of flakes, extending perpendicular to the axis of the rotor, offset between them in the rest position, by biasing an elastic member, to protrude at the outside of the rotor. In this embodiment, the introduction of the key aims to align all the flakes and cause them to be flush with the stator so as to allow the rotation of the rotor by pivoting the key.

According to another embodiment, there is provided on the one hand, a plurality of discs provided with an external notch, and on the other hand, a blocking bar or chuck, which is intended to penetrate into the notches of the discs, when these are aligned. To do this, the appropriate key to open the lock is designed to rotate each of the discs by a given angle adequate to align the notches, when turned by a determined angle. The discs being thus aligned, and the blocking bar having penetrated into the notches of the discs, the continuation of the rotation of the key causes the pivoting of the rotor, by carrying a peripheral portion of the discs protruding, in contact with the rotor .

The phenomenon observed according to which key locks are preferred to keyless combination locks thus seems to find its explanation: all of the keyless combination locks hitherto proposed are locks with sliding or tilting bolt, which requires providing a relatively complex mechanism for controlling the bolts, as well as a fairly large volume, since the bolts and their mechanism must imperatively be housed next to the coding discs.

In addition, in all of the cylinder locks hitherto proposed, the rotation of the rotor authorized by the passage of the chuck in the second position, had to be carried out after the introduction of the appropriate key and the rotation thereof. at an angle at most equal to 360 °. In glitter cylinder locks, the locking element is removed when the key is inserted, and the rotation of the rotor, by pivoting the key over an angle generally between 90 and 180 °. In the disc cylinder locks, the alignment of the notches of the discs is carried out by rotation of the key on a close angle of 90 °, the penetration of the chuck in the notches is carried out following an additional rotation, and finally the rotation of the rotor is carried out by continuing the rotation, the key having brought into contact the peripheral projection of the discs and a corresponding stop provided on the rotor.

In all the cases of figures it was thus essential until now that the drive and decoding member, in this case the key, operates on an angle of rotation less than 360 °. Of course, such a criterion is completely unacceptable for keyless combination locks of the aforementioned type, since in order to align the coding discs, it is necessary, as soon as the lock comprises more than one disc, to rotate the drive member at an angle greater than 360 ° in order to be able to align all of the notches. So far, so far, as completely incompatible, keyless combination locks and cylinder locks have been judged. The latter therefore tend to be preferred and to be used in a large number of cases because of their simplicity and their size.

In addition, keyless combination locks generally only allow the movement of a bolt by linear sliding or tilting, but not the complete rotation of one or more turns of an intrinsic operating member of the lock. Furthermore, keyless combination locks are generally only achievable in two positions: an "open" position and a "closed" position. While certain key locks allow several "open" and "closed" positions and can thus lock, for example, rotary switches in a plurality of distinct positions.

Conventional keyless combination locks cannot therefore be used, in most applications such as motor vehicles, parking meters and payphones or public telephones, private offices, distributors: automatic machines, etc., it is thus found that in all these applications, in a conventional manner in itself, cylinder locks, keys.

The present invention now provides a particularly elegant solution to the problem previously posed. The present invention indeed provides a cylinder lock, keyless combination. The lock according to the present invention therefore incorporates the advantages inherent on the one hand to cylinder locks, on the other hand to keyless combination locks.

The keyless combination cylinder lock according to the present invention comprises a stator which envelops a rotor and at least one locking element disposed between the rotor and the stator, the locking element being able to be moved between a position locking in which it prohibits rotation of the rotor with respect to the stator, and a neutral position in which it authorizes rotation of the rotor as well as a plurality of coaxial coding discs each having, on their periphery, a notch intended to receive the blocking element, in neutral position, as well as members adapted to drive the rotation of each of the discs when one of the coding discs which is immediately adjacent to it is itself driven in rotation by a given angle, and by the fact that there is further provided a rotary member for decoding the discs cooperating in a first position with one of the discs to cause the rotation of the latter, and axially displaceable by relative to the position it occupies during decoding of the discs, to ensure the rotation of the rotor and the opening of the lock when the notches provided on each of the discs are aligned.

An intermediate disc, fixed relative to the rotor, is preferably provided between two adjacent coding discs to avoid friction between them.

According to a preferred embodiment, the coding discs are hollowed out centrally to receive, in crossing, the rotary member for decoding the discs, and the members suitable for driving the rotation of each of the discs are formed by coding pins, projecting on either side of the average plane of each of these.

To freely choose and change the combination, preferably the position of the coding pin of each of the discs can be adjusted in steps over a given perimeter defined on each disc; and according to a particular embodiment, each coding disc is formed of two coaxial circular plates, the inner peripheral surface of one of the plates being complementary to the external peripheral surface of the other plate, so that these can be assembled by interlocking according to a multiplicity of predetermined precise positions, the outer plate of larger diameter having said notch, while the inner plate of smaller diameter carries the coding pin.

According to a characteristic of the present invention, there is provided an elastic element which urges the rotary member for decoding the discs in its position of cooperation with one of the coding discs.

According to another characteristic of the present invention, the rotary decoding member has on an axial portion of its periphery, a structure complementary to the central recess of the coding disc with which it cooperates or of an intermediate device linked in rotation thereof, with or without loss of travel.

According to another characteristic of the present invention, the rotary decoding member has, in the vicinity of one of its ends, a structure complementary to a portion of the rotor or to an element integral in rotation with the latter.

The rotary disc decoding member must be either pushed back or pulled relative to the position it occupies for decoding the discs, in order to cooperate with the rotor, depending on the embodiment adopted for the rotor and the member. rotary decoding.

According to one embodiment, the lock further comprises a dial comprising angular markers, fixed at the front on the rotary member for decoding the discs.

According to another embodiment, the lock comprises an independent dial intended to cooperate with the rotary member for decoding the discs and which comprises a plurality of angular references.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the independent dials consist on the one hand of a central support provided with structures complementary to the front face of the rotary decoding member so as to cooperate with it in a predetermined position , and on the other hand an external ring provided with angular marks, said ring being adjustable in a predetermined position on the periphery of the support.

Preferably, a plurality of housings is provided in the stator, to receive the blocking element. If there is only one housing for the blocking element in the stator, it is advantageous for the latter to be located at the bottom of the stator, so that the blocking element is driven by gravity in its housing in the locked position.

To prevent the "tatage" of the combination, a plurality of shallow notches can be provided on the periphery of the discs.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the present invention, the predetermined positions provided on the coding discs for the so-called coding pins are arranged thereon in a manner that is not symmetrical with respect to the notch and the number of these positions is equal to half the total number of positions that pawns are likely to occupy.

• - la figure 1, une vue schématique en perspective éclatée d'une serrure à cylindre, à combinaison sans clé conforme à la présente invention, certains éléments étant représentés en coupe axiale,
• les figures 2a et 2b, des vues respectivement en coupe longitudinale axiale et de face d'un stator de serrure conforme à la présente invention,
• - les figures 3a, 3b et 3c, des vues respectivement en ppe axiale de face avant et de face arrière d'un organe rotatif de décodage utilisé dans une serrure conforme à la présente invention,
• - les figures 4a et 4b, des vues respectivement en coupe longitudinale axiale et en section transversale d'un rotor utilisé dans une serrure conforme à la présente invention,
• - les figures 5, 6 et 7, des vues respectivement d'un disque de codage, d'un disque intercalaire et d'un disque d'entraînement utilisésdans une serrure conformé à la présente invention,
• - la figure 8, une vue en perspective d'un pion destiné à être utilisé avec un disque de codage conforme à la figure 5,
• - la figure 9, une vue d'un ressort utilisé dans une serrure conforme à la présente invention,
• - la figure 10, une vue latérale d'un élément de blocage ou mentonnet utilisé dans une serrure conforme à la présente invention,
• - la figure 11, une demi-vue en coupe longitudinale axiale d'une serrure conforme à la présente invention, la j coupe passant par le logement prévu dans le stator pour le mentonnet,
• - les figures 12a et 12b et les figures 13a et 13b, des vues en plan et latérales de deux éléments destinés à former un disque de codage utilisé dans une serrure conforme à la présente invention,
• - la figure 14, une vue en perspective d'un cadran indépendant conforme à la présente invention.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear on reading the detailed description which follows and with reference to the appended drawings which must be considered incorporated into the present description by the reference given to them here. Of course, the description is given by way of nonlimiting example and numerous variant embodiments fall within the scope of the present invention. The attached drawings represent:

• FIG. 1, a schematic exploded perspective view of a cylinder lock, without key combination in accordance with the present invention, certain elements being shown in axial section,
• FIGS. 2a and 2b, views respectively in axial longitudinal and front section of a lock stator according to the present invention,
• FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c, views respectively in axial ppe of front face and rear face of a rotary decoding member used in a lock according to the present invention,
• FIGS. 4a and 4b, views respectively in axial longitudinal section and in cross section of a rotor used in a lock according to the present invention,
• FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, views respectively of a coding disc, an intermediate disc and a drive disc used in a lock conforming to the present invention,
• FIG. 8, a perspective view of a pin intended for use with a coding disc in accordance with FIG. 5,
• FIG. 9, a view of a spring used in a lock according to the present invention,
• FIG. 10, a side view of a blocking element or stud used in a lock according to the present invention,
• FIG. 11, a half-view in axial longitudinal section of a lock according to the present invention, the j section passing through the housing provided in the stator for the chin,
• FIGS. 12a and 12b and FIGS. 13a and 13b, plan and side views of two elements intended to form a coding disc used in a lock according to the present invention,
• - Figure 14, a perspective view of an independent dial according to the present invention.

As shown in Figure 1, the keyless combination lock according to the present invention consists of an external stator 10 which houses a rotor 20, a blocking element or lug 30 which, in the locked position, prevents rotation of the rotor 20, a plurality of coding discs _' 40, coaxial, as well as intermediate discs 60 disposed between each of the coding discs 40, a rotary member 70, for decoding the discs, and a spring 80 which biases the member rotary decoding 70 in a position of cooperation with one of the aforementioned coding discs 40.

We will now describe in detail the structure of each of the components of the lock according to the present invention, as shown in the figures.

As shown in FIG. 1 as well as in FIGS. 2a and 2b, the stator 10 has the general shape of a hollow cylinder. More specifically, the stator 10 is formed of a first section referenced 11 which has a thread on its outer surface, and of a second section 12, of shorter length, extending the first, and of frustoconical envelope tapering towards the front. . The axial recess provided at the inside of the stator 10 has a constant diameter, however the second section 12 of frustoconical envelope has at its front free end, an annular rib 13 on its internal peripheral surface. The annular rib 13 delimits a bearing surface 14 in the form of a crown, directed towards the rear of the stator 10. The diameter of the small circle delimiting the crown which forms the bearing surface 14, defines the diameter of the opening circular 16 of the front face of the stator. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1 and in FIG. 2a, the first threaded section 11 of the stator, comprises in the vicinity of its rear end, that is to say the end not accessible to the user. when the lock is installed, an annular groove 15 intended to receive the retaining ring (not shown) for axially locking the rotor in the stator, as will be explained in more detail in the following description. Furthermore, the stator 10 has a groove longitudinal (not shown) which opens inside the axial recess of the stator. The purpose of this groove is to receive the chin 30 in the "locking" position. To do this, the depth of the longitudinal groove is such that when the chin is received there, in abutment against the periphery of the coding discs 40, it projects all along the longitudinal groove to penetrate the rotor so as to prevent rotation of the latter, as will be explained in more detail in the remainder of this description. Preferably said longitudinal groove has a U-shaped section with divergent branches to facilitate the extraction of the chin 30 when the notches of the discs are aligned and that the rotor 20 is biased in rotation.

As shown in Figure 1 and Figures' 4a and 4b the rotor 20 of generally cylindrical shape consists of a hollow cylinder 21, obstructed at one of its ends by a rear transverse circular wall 22 which leaves, at the opposite of the aforementioned cylinder 21, an extension 23 of generally cylindrical shape, coaxial with the cylinder 21. The rotor 20 being intended to be slid into the stator 10, it is understood that the external diameter of the cylinder 21 and the diameter of the rear transverse wall 22 must be slightly less than the internal diameter of the stator 10. In addition, the length of the cylinder 21 and of said wall rear transverse 22 must be slightly less than the distance defined on the stator between the bearing surface 14 and the annular groove 15 above. The axial extension 23 is intended to receive in rigid fixing any suitable conventional device serving to carry out strictly speaking the closing of the device which it is desired to lock. To this end, the axial extension 23 will preferably be of general square or non-cylindrical shape, and threaded so that said suitable closure device can be easily secured to it using a nut-against-system. nut. In addition, there are provided in the walls of the cylinder 21 of the rotor 20, two slots 24 and 25, straight and longitudinal. One of the slots (24) serves as a housing for the projections (62) - intermediate discs (60), as will be described in more detail in the remainder of this description. The other slot (25) serves as a housing for the blocking bar or spur 30. The rotor 20 also has a structure referenced 26 in FIG. 1, complementary to the member 70. This will be described in more detail by the following.

As shown in Figure 1 and Figure 10, the chin 30 can be produced in a conventional manner per se in the form of a cylindrical rod. Of course the diameter and the length of the chin 30 must be adapted on the one hand to penetrate into the slot 25 provided for the latter in the rotor 20, and on the other hand, to be housed in the longitudinal groove of the stator 10 between the bearing surface 14 and the annular groove 15. However the chin 30 may take many other forms. Thus the chin 30 can be made in the form of an elongated element of circular or rectangular section, on which are positioned a plurality of lugs in number equal to the number of coding discs (40), and according to a spacing corresponding to the spacing of said coding discs. In all cases, it remains desirable that the chin 30 or locking bar is formed of a single element, so that this element can not be moved to allow the rotation of the rotor 20 only in the case where the assembly coding discs (40) is in a suitable position. In terms of security and the number of combinations offered by the lock, it remains desirable not to allow the decoding of each of the discs completely independently of the others, which would be the case if each of the coding discs cooperated with its own locking element.

As shown in Figure 1 and Figures 3a to 3c, the rotary decoding member 70 also has a generally cylindrical shape. More precisely, the rotary decoding member 70 consists of two cylindrical sections 71 and 72 of different diameters, superimposed. The cylindrical section 71 of larger diameter, which constitutes the front portion of the rotary member 70, is provided with a peripheral annular rib 73. The surface 74 in the form of a crown, this peripheral annular rib 73, which is directed towards the front of the rotary decoding member is intended to come into abutment against the bearing surface 14 defined on the stator 10. To do this, it is of course necessary that the outside diameter of the peripheral annular rib 73 be slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the cylinder 21 of the rotor 20, so that the rotary decoding member 70 can be introduced into the rotor 20. On the other hand, it is necessary that the cylindrical section 71 has a diameter slightly less than the circular opening 16 defined at the rib 13, in the frusto-conical section 12 of the stator 10. As will appear in the following description, and as is particularly shown in FIG. 11, the surface 78 in the form of e crown of the peripheral annular rib 73, oriented towards the rear of the rotary member of decoding 70 is intended to constitute a bearing surface for a spring 80. In the case where the lock comprises an independent dial, the front face of the rotary decoding member 70 must include structures allowing a removable assembly and in a position precise and predetermined angle, of said independent dial, on this member. According to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 3b, the structures in question are formed by two holes 76 and 77 complementary to two lugs provided on the dial (90) as will appear on reading the description which follows and as this is in particular shown in FIG. 14. Of course, numerous arrangements can be adopted. Thus, as shown in FIG. 3b, the two holes 76 and 77 can be offset and diametrically opposed, but have different diameters so as to allow the cooperation of the dial 90 and the rotary decoding member 70 only in a single angular position. It is also possible to provide the two orifices 76 and 77 of the same diameter but in non-diametrically opposite positions. It is likewise possible to provide, that one of the holes is centered and the other eccentric, which allows, as far as or the first lug intended to enter the central hole has a length greater than the second, to carry out a "blind positioning" by insertion of the first lug in the corresponding central hole, and search, by rotation, for the appropriate angular position between the dial and the member 70, the latter being obtained when the second lug enters the corresponding eccentric hole. Finally, said structures provided on the front face of the rotary decoding member can take any prismatic shapes provided that they are not symmetrical and in particular be formed projecting from the front face of member 70, and not hollow.

On the other hand, it is necessary to ensure the decoding of the disks 40 that the rotary decoding member 70 can be secured in rotation, with or without loss of travel, with one of the coding discs 40 having for example on an axial portion of its periphery a structure complementary to a central recess of the disc with which it cooperates. To do this, according to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 3c, the rotary decoding member 70 may include at its rear end a plurality of radial lugs 75 regularly distributed over its periphery (9 in number according to the embodiment shown in Figure 3c, and 5 in Figure 1). More specifically, as it appears in the aforementioned figures, it is necessary that the rotary decoding member 70 does not have radial lugs 75 over its entire periphery, but at least one of said lugs must be removed, so as the rotary decoding member 70. can penetrate the coding discs 40, equipped with a coding and drive pin 49, as will be described later.

In addition, it should be noted that the rotary decoding member 70, must in a given position, ensure the rotation of the rotor 20. To do this, provision can be made for the rotor to have in the axial extension of the rotary member decoding 70 a structure complementary to the structures provided on the rear portion of the rotary decoding member 70, namely in this case at least one of the radial lugs 75. Said complementary structure provided on the rotor 20 and shown in FIG. 1 bears the reference 26. More precisely, this structure 26 is constituted by a star-shaped recess (with six branches, according to the embodiment of FIG. 1 regularly distributed) intended to receive the radial lugs 75 of the member rotary decoding 70. Of course, the recess 26 must have dimensions slightly greater than the diameter of the portion 72 of the rotary decoding member 70 and the radial lugs 75 which are superimposed thereon.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the thin coding discs 40 have on their periphery a notch 41 intended to receive, in the "neutral" position, the blocking bar or chin bar 30. To do this, the depth of the notch 41 must be such that when the chin bar has penetrated therein it does not protrusion outside the rotor or at the very least that it allows the rotation of the rotor and that for this it has left the longitudinal groove of the stator. In a similar manner to the longitudinal groove of the rotor, the notches 41 have a U-shaped cross section with divergent branches so as to facilitate the expulsion of the chuck from the notches during the scrambling of the combination. In addition, the coaxial coding discs 40 comprise members formed of projecting elements on either side, which are adapted to drive the rotation of each of the discs when one of the coding discs which is immediately adjacent to it. is rotated by a given angle. Said projecting members on either side of each disc are distributed at equal distance from the axis of the discs on a given circular perimeter defined on each disc but in variable positions in steps relative to the notch 41. The discs coding must be hollowed centrally at 42, so as to receive, in crossing, the portion 72 of small diameter of the rotary decoding member 70, while being free to rotate relative thereto. However, one of the coding discs must preferably have a structure complementary to the structures (radial pins 75) provided at the rear part of the section 72 of the rotary decoding member 70, so as to cooperate with it and be driven in rotation, when the rotary decoding member 70 is itself pivoted. Thus, it is possible to provide said complementary structure on a single coding disc, the structures (pins 75) being provided on the member 70, over any length; as shown in the figures, it is also possible to give the same structure to all of the coding discs 40. These could for example be hollowed out centrally in the form of a circular orifice 42 into which opens a plurality of radial notches 43, so as to form a star recess. In this case the number and the shape of said radial notches must of course be adapted as a function of the radial lugs 75 provided on the rotary decoding member 70. This arrangement as shown, which tends to standardization, makes it possible to change so simple the combination of the lock, by placing in a selected and predetermined position, a coding and driving pin 49, in one of said aforementioned radial notches 43, said coding pin having a length greater than the thickness of the disc so that it protrudes from either side of the encoding disc. To do this, the dimensions of the pin 49 must of course be adapted to the dimensions of the radial notches 43. The co-disks. dage 40 must have an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the cylinder 21 of rotor 20 so that they can be threaded therein. Preferably, the coding discs 40 also have on their periphery a plurality of notches 44 clearly less deep than the aforementioned notch 41, the notches 44 are intended to disturb the "feel" of the combination.

As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 6, the intermediate discs 60 are also provided with a notch 61 on their periphery, similar to the aforementioned notch 41, for receiving in the neutral position, the blocking bar or stud 30. intermediate discs 60 are thin and have an outside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the rotor cylinder 21 20. In addition, the intermediate discs 60 are provided on their periphery with a radial projection or "tail" 62 intended to penetrate the corresponding housing 24 of the cylinder 21 of the rotor 20. The purpose of the tail 62 is to immobilize the intermediate discs 60 relative to the rotor. To do this, the width of the tail 62 must of course be slightly less than the width of the slot 24 provided at the rotor 20. The role of the intermediate discs 60 is to eliminate any parasitic friction between two adjacent 40 encoding discs. On the other hand, the intermediate discs 60 ensure the spacing of the coding discs between them, so that these can only contact each other through the lateral surfaces of their coding pin 49, without the pins 49 being able to touch the coding discs, axially. Of course, it is necessary for this that the thickness of the intermediate discs 60 is between the projecting height of a pin 49 and twice the height thereof. The intermediate discs 60 are provided with an axial cylindrical recess 63 with a diameter greater than the diameter of the envelope defined by the radial lugs 75 on the rotary decoding member 70 so as to allow the free rotation of the member 70 .According to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and G, the tail 62 is diametrically opposite the notch 61, the intermediate disc 60 having the general shape of a crown. Of course, other provisions may also be adopted.

According to the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 11, there is further provided a spring 80 intended to be inserted between the bearing surface 78 defined on the peripheral annular rib 73 of the rotary decoding member 70 and the stacking of the interlayer 60 and coding discs 40 threaded on the latter. The purpose of the spring 80 is to urge the rotary member 70 for decoding the discs in a position of cooperation with one of the coding discs. According to the embodiment shown in the figures, the spring 80 is formed by a compression spring which pushes the member 70 towards the front of the lock. Of course, there again; many other provisions could be adopted.

It is understood in particular that many variants of the coding discs 40 are compatible with the present invention.

It can thus be provided that the coding discs 40 are not provided with a star-shaped recess (42, 43) capable of receiving a coding pin in different predetermined positions on a given circular perimeter, but that each coding disc has a plurality of tapped orifices regularly distributed over the perimeter in question and intended to receive coding pins threaded in the appropriate position.

Similarly, as shown in Figures 12a, 12b and Figures 13a and 13b each coding disc 40 may be composed of two coaxial circular plates 140 and 145 intended to be assembled by interlocking. The inner peripheral surface 144 of one of the plates (140) being complementary to the outer peripheral surface (147) _; of the other plate (145), so that these can be assembled according to a multiplicity of precise predetermined positions. According to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 12a to 13b, said inner peripheral 144 and outer 147 surfaces are formed by '' straight teeth. Of course, any polygonal shape is acceptable, to avoid the relative rotation of the two parts while allowing assembly by interlocking according to a plurality of predetermined positions. As can be seen in FIG. 12a, the part 140 of larger diameter comprises on its periphery said notch 141 as well as a plurality of notches 143 of shallow depth intended to disturb the "tatage" of the combination, while part 145 of smaller diameter comprises the coding and drive pin 149 which protrudes on either side perpendicular to its mean plane and is provided with an axial bore 146 of diameter greater than the outside diameter of the member 70 _T Of course a coding disc must again have a structure capable of making it integral in rotation with the member 70, with or without loss of travel.

Of course, it is also possible to provide a plurality of different coding discs each comprising a coding and drive pin 49 fixed at different respective positions relative to the main peripheral notch. The combination of the lock is formed by choosing the appropriate discs.

According to the embodiment which is shown in Figures 1 and 11 the compression spring 80 is disposed between the bearing surface 78 defined on the peripheral annular rib 73 of the rotary member 70 and the stack of coding discs 40 and intermediate discs 60. Similarly, the compression spring 80 could be disposed between the stack of the aforementioned discs and the rear transverse wall 22 of the rotor. The operation of such a lock would remain identical to the operation previously described. provided that the structure of the member 70 (pins 75) intended to cooperate with a coding disc is disposed at the level of this and that a structure capable of cooperating with the rotor is also provided when the member 70 is moved in translation,

Similarly, one could provide the complementary structures existing on the rotary member 70 and the rotor 20 to ensure a rotational drive by cooperation between these two elements, no longer at the rear of the lock but at the front. thereof, To do this, it will be necessary to provide the radial lugs 75 on the front part of the section 72 of the rotary member 70 and similarly, to provide the complementary housings ₂₆ to the front part of the rotor.

According to this arrangement, the rotary decoding member 70 of the discs 40 should no longer be pushed back to cooperate with the rotor 20 but should be pulled. In such an embodiment, the action of the spring 80 must of course be opposite to that previously described. To do this it is for example possible to have a compression spring between the bearing surface 14 defined on the stator and the bearing surface 74 defined on the peripheral annular rib 73 of the rotary member 70. Of course it is also possible to provide a tension spring connected between the rear end of the rotary decoding member 70 and the rotor 20. The structure (lugs 75) of the member 70 cooperating with one decoding discs 40 must of course be adapted accordingly.

Likewise, provision may be made for the elastic element to urge the rotary member for decoding the discs in the position of cooperation with the rotor or a member integral in rotation with the latter. It is then necessary to move the rotary decoding member against the action of the elastic element to cause this member to cooperate, with or without loss of travel, with a coding disc. "The different embodiments are of course compatible with this principle and will be easily adapted.

On the other hand, although in the figures, the spring is shown on the outside of the rotary decoding member 70, it is also possible to guide said spring in an internal cylindrical bore provided for example in section 72 of the the rotary member 70 so that the spring comes to bear on the one hand against the bottom of said bore and on the other hand against the rear transverse wall of the rotor 20.

As previously indicated, it is possible to provide a dial comprising the angular marks, fixed at the front on the rotary member 70 for decoding the discs, to precisely control the pivot angle thereof. It is also possible to provide an independent dial intended to cooperate with the rotary member for decoding the discs and which comprises a plurality of angular references.

Such an independent dial is shown in particular in FIG. 14. This figure indeed shows a dial 90 which is composed on the one hand of a central support 91 provided with structures 95 and 96 complementary to the orifices 76 and 77 of the front face of the rotary decoding member 70 so as to cooperate with the latter in a predetermined angular position. More precisely as it appears in FIG. 14, the central support is formed by two coaxial cylindrical sections 92 and 93 joined together. The section 92 of larger diameter is grooved to facilitate handling. The smaller diameter section 93 has on its end face cylindrical projections 95 and 96 of respective diameters ₁ slightly smaller than those of the blind holes 76, 77 provided on the front face of the rotary decoding member 70. On the other hand , the dial includes an outer ring 97 provided with angular references 99 schematically represented. The ring 97 is intended to be threaded over the small diameter section 93 of the aforementioned support 91. To ensure an adjustment in predetermined position of the ring ⁹⁷ on the periphery of the support 91 each of these two elements is provided with an orifice referenced respectively 98 and 94, which are intended to receive a fixing member such as a screw. To this end, the orifice 94 provided in the central support 91 will of course be threaded. The production of an independent dial 90 in the form of a central support 91 and of an external ring 97 adjustable thereon has the following advantages in particular. In the case where the locks are arranged laterally on a device that is difficult to access, the same independent dial can be manipulated with the right hand or the left hand by reversing the ring 97 on the support 91. Finally, by providing a multiplicity of holes tapped 94 on the central support 91, the dial 90 is made completely unusable for a person who does not know the precise precise position between these two elements. This provision limits the risks caused by the loss, theft or copying of such a dial. A dial functionally equivalent to the dial 90 which has just been described can also be fixed permanently on the front face of the member 70, for example by gluing or screwing.

According to an advantageous alternative embodiment, a plurality of housings or longitudinal grooves is provided in the stator 10 to receive the chin 30. Thus by choosing said housing of the chin 30 in the stator, modifies the combination of the lock by incrementing the various digits of the combination, since the latter depends on the position of the stud 30 relative to a fixed external reference mark on the stator.

According to another embodiment, it is also possible to provide that the rotor 20 does not have a housing 26 complementary to the structure (lugs 75) provided on the rear part of the rotary decoding member 70, but that on the other hand this the latter cooperates with a so-called drive disc 50, as shown in FIG. 7, this drive disc is preferably adjacent to the transverse wall 22 of the rotor 20. To be integral in rotation with the member 70, this disc drive comprises a central recess 52 complementary to the structure provided at the rear part of the rotary member 70. In this case said recess therefore has a star shape whose number of branches 53 depends on the number of lugs 75 of the rotor (in this case the number of pins, plus one). The drive member also comprises, on its periphery, a notch 51 similar to the notches 41 and 61 provided on the coding discs 40 and spacers 60. Finally, the drive disc 50 comprises, diametrically opposite the notch 51, a projection or tail 54 similar to the tail 62 described opposite the intermediate discs 60. Again the width of the tail 54 must be less than the width of the slot 24 provided on the rotor 20 so that the drive discs 50 can be threaded into the rotor 20, the tail 54 taking position in the slot 24 to immobilize the drive disc 50 in rotation relative to the rotor 20. The operation of such a lock is strictly identical to the operation of the lock shown on Figure 1. Initially, the spring 80 spreads the pins 75 of the rotary decoding member 70 and the drive disc 50. The orane decoding 70 is then only engaged with the last coding disc 40. On the other hand when the rotary decoding member 70 is moved against the action of the spring 80, the rotary member 70 enters the star housing provided in the drive disc 50, so as to drive the latter and the rotor 20 if the discs 40 have been correctly aligned.

The assembly of the keyless combination cylinder lock as shown in Figure 1 is as follows.

It is necessary to thread in order, on the rotary decoding member 70, the spring 80 (on the front thereof), a first intermediate disc 60 (not shown in FIG. 1 to simplify the representation) a coding disc 40 comprising a drive and coding pin 49 (the star of the rotary member 70 passes through the female star 42 of the coding disc 40, one of the branches of which is obstructed by a coding pin ₄₉ , a second intermediate disc 60 and a second coding disc 40, and, depending on the number of discs chosen, for example a third intermediate disc 60 and finally a third coding disc 40 - (not shown). The last disc remains integral in rotation of the rotary member 70 by means of the pins 75. A last intermediate disc 60 is then threaded onto the member 70. In FIG. 1, only two coding discs have been shown.

As previously indicated, the intermediate discs 60 can only rotate with the rotor 20 since the tail 62 enters the slot 24. The intermediate discs thus prevent any parasitic friction between two adjacent coding discs 40. On the other hand, the coding discs 40 ensure the spacing between the coding discs 40.

It is then advisable to thread the rotary decoding member 70 and its stack of discs into the rotor 20 (after having initially inserted the drive disc 50 into the rotor if necessary, depending on the embodiment chosen). Then place the locking bar or chin 30 in its housing 25 of the rotor and then thread the rotor 20 into the stator 10 so that the chin enters the longitudinal groove thereof and install the axial locking circlip (not shown) in the annular groove 15 provided on the stator.

According to an advantageous arrangement of the present invention, the predetermined positions provided on the coding discs 40 for the so-called coding pins 49, namely the branches 43 of the star recess provided therein are even and arranged in a non-symmetrical manner relative to the notch (1 and the number of these positions is equal to half of the total number of positions that are likely to be occupied by the pawns ⁴ 9.

Thus, if one wants to provide 20 different positions of the pins 49 on the disc 40 relative to the notch 41, one can provide 10 branches 43 on the discs. Suppose that the different positions that the coding pins 49 are likely to take are referenced 1 to 20, clockwise, position 1 being closest to the notch 41. In a given position of the disc coding the pins 49 can take 10 positions, for example the even positions, and by turning over the discs 40, the pins are likely to take the 10 complementary positions, namely the odd positions.

In other words, if in a given position of a disc 40, a pawn occupies position 1, by turning the disc over, the pawn will occupy position 20, position 2 becomes position 19 by turning over the disc, etc. ..

We will now describe the general operating mode of the keyless combination lock according to the present invention.

To make the opening of the lock, the rotor 20 must rotate in the stator. It is initially prevented by the blocking bar or chin 30 which creates an interference between the rotor 20 and the stator 10. It is therefore necessary to allow the rotation of the rotor that the blocking bar 30 enters the notches 41 provided at the level coding discs 40, as well as in the notches 61 provided in the intermediate discs 60, so that the locking bar 30 comes out of the longitudinal groove provided in the stator. The alignment of the coding disks 40 is done by the rotation of the rotary decoding member 70, by controlling the angle of rotation thereof using an optionally removable dial as shown in FIG. 14. This rotary decoding member 70 which constitutes in some way so the axis of the lock is pushed back at rest, towards the front, by the aforementioned spring 80. In this position, the rotary decoding member 70 cooperates only with the rearmost coding disc according to the embodiment shown, and cannot drive the rotor 20. When the rotary decoding member 70 is pushed backwards of the lock, against the action of the spring 80, it enters the housing 26 provided in the rotor 20 and can then drive the latter, if the coding discs have been correctly aligned. A zone of least resistance is preferably provided in the rotary decoding member 70, so that if the coding discs 40 are not correctly aligned and that too much torque is exerted on the rotary decoding member 70, aimed at violating the lock, the axis will break and turn idle. The process of decoding discs is well known in itself to those skilled in the art and will therefore not be explained in detail.

It will be noted, however, that for fixed pins, without loss of travel, in the case where the lock provides n discs, to place the peme disc, the difference existing between the real position of the coding pin and the decoding figure retained equals n - p.

In addition, it should be noted that the combination lock according to the present invention can be opened by rotation of the rotary decoding member 70 and of the rotor 20 in both directions, which is not the case with locks. with classic combinations.

The housing of the locking bar or chin 30 provided at the stator 10 has a concavity such that if the notches 41 of the coding discs are aligned, the locking bar is forced into them when the rotor is rotated, to release the latter. It should be noted that in this position, it is impossible to rotate the coding discs 40, since these are immobilized; by the chin 30. This consequently prohibits any pressure on the locking bar 40 in order to feel the notches during the rotation of the discs. On the other hand, the "tatage" of the combination which could be done by trying to feel the notches 41 provided on the coding discs 40, "tatage" which is preferably carried out using the weight of the locking bar , is disturbed by the shallow notches 43. It is understood, of course, that the false notches 43 must have a depth much less than the real notch 41 to prevent the withdrawal of the flange from the longitudinal groove of the stator.

On the other hand, it is preferable to provide that the housing of the blocking element or spigot 30 is located at the bottom of the stator, so that the blocking element is driven by gravity in its housing in the stator. and that gravity thus moves the flange 30 away from the coding discs 40. It then becomes completely impossible to feel its contact on the coding discs 40 during the rotation of the latter, which prohibits any "tatage".

Of course, it is also possible to open the keyless combination lock according to the present invention by reversing the successive directions of rotation of the member 70λ (left-right-left instead of right-left-right). However, to take into account the thickness of the drive and coding pins 49 which are involved, in the positioning of the different coding discs 40, if these are fixed, to modify the retained figures accordingly.

We will now describe how to operate the change of combination of the lock. Such a combination change can be done in three different ways.

The first solution consists in swapping the disks 40. Thus in the case where the lock has three disks, it suffices to disassemble and reassemble the stack of coding disks 40 in a different order. This way of proceeding gives six possible combinations.

The second solution consists in operating a reversal and a permutation of the coding disc 40. Such an arrangement naturally requires that the discs be symmetrical. With the exception of the case where the coding and driving pin 49 is positioned symmetrically with respect to the notch 41, turning the coding disc 40 is enough to change the relative position between the coding and driving pin 49 and the corresponding notch 41 and therefore suffices to change the coding number of the disc in question. Number of. possible combinations offered through flipping and permutation amounts to 48.

Finally, the third solution to change the combination is to move the pieces. According to the embodiment of the coding discs 40 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 5, each drive and coding pin 49 can be "planted and planted" at will in one of the branches of the star orifice. provided at each coding disc 40. In theory, such an arrangement insofar as twenty possible positions of the drive and coding pin 49 are provided on the disc offers eight thousand possible combinations. However, it is not desirable to place all three discs on the same combination, (in fact by the same combination is meant the case where the pins are offset by one unit on the output discs that all the notches are aligned as soon as the discs are driven at least three turns in the same direction). The number of acceptable combinations for 20 possible positions of the pin 49 on the disc 40 is therefore limited to 6,840 real combinations.

to ensure the closing of the keyless combination lock according to the present invention, it is sufficient to release the pressing pressure exerted on the rotary decoding member 70 during opening. The latter, under the action of the spring 80 loses its direct connection with the rotor 20, by being pushed towards the front of the lock, but nevertheless retains an immobilization in position relative to this rotor 20, by means of the blocking bar or bar 30 "swallowed" in the notches of the coding discs 40, which secures the rotor 20, bar 30, coding disc 40 and rotary decoding unit 70. When the bar 30 is in front of its housing provided in the stator 10, it falls there by itself, and only the coding discs 40 are then rotated due to the cooperation of the most posterior coding disc and the rotary decoding member 70. In the In practice, a stop point on the cylinder cam determines this alignment. It will be understood that it suffices to turn the rotary decoding member 70 by a number of turns greater than 2 to scramble the position of the coding discs 40.

Of course the present invention is not limited to the embodiments which have just been described from which one can imagine many alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Thus, it will be possible to use discs provided with "floating" pins. The use of such discs is conventional for combination locks. This arrangement makes it possible to overcome the offset existing between the actual position of the pin on the disk and the figure retained for decoding, by ensuring free pivoting on either side of a medium position, the total displacement of the pin being equal to 2 thicknesses of it.

Likewise, discs can be used on which the position of the pin relative to the notch is modified using a changer key. Such discs are classic in themselves.

In addition, the pins 75 provided on the member 70 may be replaced by other functionally equivalent structures. The essential thing is that in a position of the member 70, one of the coding discs 40 is immobilized in rotation, with or without loss of travel, relative to the latter and the rotor 20 free, while when the member 70 is placed in its second position, the member 70 no longer cooperates with the discs but comes into engagement with the rotor or a drive member thereof.

Similarly, it is possible to envisage using an intermediate device linked in rotation with the decoding member 70, and which retransmits the rotation of the latter, with or without loss of travel, to the coding disc 40.

Finally, it should be noted that the present invention can be applied to previously existing conventional cylinder locks, in the sense that it is possible to disassemble them, to recover the stator, the rotor, the chin and the intermediate discs and to reassemble the lock according to the present invention by incorporating therein coding discs 40, a decoding member 70, a spring 80 and a drive disc 50.

Incidentally, it is possible to machine the housing .26 in the rotor and not to provide a drive disc 50.

Finally, provision can also be made to drive the rotor 20 by means of one or more discs. spacers 60 by providing an appropriate structure thereon and adapting accordingly the position of the complementary structure on the member 70 so that the latter does not cooperate with the intermediate discs in question when ensuring the alignment of the decoding discs, but that it subsequently cooperates to ensure the rotation of the rotor by virtue of the tail 62 engaged in the slot 24 of the rotor.

Claims (17)

1. Cylinder lock characterized in that it comprises a stator (10) which envelops a rotor (20) and at least one blocking element (30) disposed between the rotor (20) and the stator (10), l blocking element (30) being capable of being moved between a locking position in which it prohibits rotation of the rotor relative to the stator (10), and a neutral position in which it allows rotation of this rotor (20) , as well as a plurality of coding discs (40) coaxial each comprising on their periphery, a notch (41) intended to receive the locking element (30) in neutral position, as well as members (49) adapted to drive the rotation of each of the discs when one of the coding discs which is immediately adjacent to it is itself driven in rotation by a given angle, and by the fact that there is further provided a rotary member for decoding the discs ( 70) cooperating in a first position with one of the discs to drive the rotation n thereof, the rotary member being axially movable relative to the position it occupies during the decoding of the discs to ensure the rotation of the rotor (20) and the opening of the lock when the notches (41) provided on each of the discs are aligned. 2. Lock according to claim 1, characterized in that there is provided an intermediate disc (60), fixed relative to the rotor (20), between two adjacent coding discs (40). 3. Lock according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the coding discs (40) are hollowed out centrally (42) to receive, in crossing, the rotary member for decoding the discs (70), and by the fact that the members adapted to drive the rotation of each of the discs are formed of coding pins (49), projecting on either side of the mean plane of each of these. 4. Lock according to claim 3, characterized in that the position of the coding pin (49) of each of discs (40) can be adjusted in steps over a given circular perimeter defined on each disc. - 5. Lock according to claim 3, characterized in that each coding disc (40) is formed by two coaxial circular plates (140, 145), the inner peripheral surface (144) of one (140) of the plates being complementary to the outer peripheral surface (147) of the other plate (145) so that these can be assembled according to a multiplicity of precise predetermined positions and by the fact that the outer plate (140) of larger diameter has said notch (141), while the inner plate (145) of smaller diameter carries the coding pin (149) (Figures 12a to 13b). 6. Lock according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that there is provided an elastic element (80) which urges the rotary member for decoding the discs (70) in its position of cooperation with one coding discs (40). 7 _: Lock according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the rotary decoding member (70) has on an axial portion of its periphery, a structure (75) complementary to the central recess (42) the coding disc (40) with which it cooperates or an intermediate device linked in rotation thereto with or without loss of travel. 8. Lock according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the rotary decoding member (70) has, in the vicinity of one of its ends, a structure complementary to a portion (26) of the rotor ( 20) or an element (50) integral in rotation thereof. 9. Lock according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the rotary member for decoding the discs (70) must be pushed back to cooperate with the rotor (20). 10. Lock according to one of claims d to ⁸ , characterized in that the rotary disc decoding member (70) must be pulled out to cooperate with the rotor (20). 11. Lock according to one of claims 1 to 10., characterized in that it further comprises a dial - comprising angular marks, fixed at the front on the rotary member for decoding the discs (70). 12. Lock according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it comprises an independent dial (90) intended to cooperate with the rotary member for decoding the discs (70) and which comprises a plurality of angular references . ₁₃ . Lock according to claim 12, characterized in that the independent dials (90) consist on the one hand of a central support (91) provided with structures (95, 96) complementary to the front face (76, 77) of the rotary decoding member (70) so as to cooperate with it in a predetermined angular position, and on the other hand an external ring (97) provided with angular marks, said ring being adjustable in the predetermined position on the periphery of the support. _14. Lock according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that there is provided a plurality of housings in the stator, to receive the locking element (30). 15. Lock according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the housing of the locking element (30) in the stator (10) is located at the lower part thereof, so that the locking element - (30) is driven by gravity into its housing in the locked position. 16. Lock according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that there is provided a plurality of notches (44) of shallow depth, on the periphery of the coding discs (40), to prevent "tampering" "of the combination. 17. Lock according to one of claims 5 to ¹⁶ , characterized in that the predetermined positions provided on the coding discs (40) for the so-called coding pins (49), are arranged thereon in a non-symmetrical manner compared to the notch and by the fact that the number of these positions is equal to half of the total number of positions that are likely to occupy the pawns.

Images