EP0226252B1 - Cylinder lock with variable combination - Google Patents

Abstract

The cylinder lock has a row of spring loaded sliders (21). Each slider (21) has teeth which engage the teeth of a second parallel slider (17). When the first slider (21) is depressed by inserting the key, the second slider is moved until a notch in its upper part is aligned with the projection of the bolt (25). The bolt (25) which is spring-loaded, slides radially inwards out of the notch (3) in the wall (2) of the housing to release the cylinder (8). The lock can be readily changed to suit a second key by rotating the cylinder (8) through 180 deg. with the first key. This has the effect of separating the two sliders (21,17). The second key is then inserted and the cylinder (8) turned through a further 180 deg.

Description

The present invention relates to a cylinder lock with an interchangeable key, comprising: a stator with a cavity for a cylinder, at least one longitudinal groove formed in said cavity, and a series of seats opening in the cavity of the stator; a cylinder comprising a key slot, seats cutting said key slot, as well as a first slot and a second slot, orthogonal to said seats and parallel to the axis of the cylinder; a series of slides inserted with longitudinal and transverse mobility in the seats of said cylinder to cooperate with the notches of a key inserted in said key slot, each slide being provided, on one side, with projections; a series of studs slidably mounted in the seats of said cylinder and able to cooperate with parts of the stator, said studs being provided with a series of first notches turned towards the projections of said sliders, and at least one second notch, turned towards the side opposite to said slides; a stop bar, inserted in said first orthogonal slot of the cylinder, provided with projections turned towards the second notch of said studs and with a continuous projection turned towards the opposite side and capable of cooperating with said groove of the stator; and a translation bar, inserted in said second orthogonal slot of the cylinder, provided on one side cooperating with said slides, and with a continuous projection turned on the opposite side and capable of cooperating with said groove of the stator; the protrusions of said stop bar engaging in the second notches of said studs when the continuous projection of the stop bar is not housed in said groove of the stator, and said sliders engaging in the corresponding notches of studs when the continuous projection of the translation bar is not housed inside said groove of the stator.

Such a cylinder lock with an interchangeable key is known from US-A 3,999,413. However, this lock does not have the operational security which is required of a quality lock. Indeed, the studs can move laterally with the sliders during the change of the key, and when this occurs it is no longer possible to correctly code the lock with a new key. In a similar way, the sliders can remain engaged with the studs, or else be in an inclined position, when the translation bar is moving, thus preventing a new codification of the lock. In addition, such a lock cannot be produced in the forms, sometimes preferred, comprising counter-studs. The key must be of a special type having complementary notches on both sides, so that this key is expensive, requires special equipment for its production, and includes the possibility of a relatively small number of codifications.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a cylinder lock of the indicated type, in which the reported drawbacks, or at least some of them, are systematically avoided.

A particular object of the invention is to produce such a lock allowing a greater number of codifications.

Another object of the invention is also to make it possible to subject several cylinder locks to one and the same opening key, as well as to allow easy replacement. normal industrial production cylinder locks by interchangeable key locks.

The above-mentioned main object is achieved, according to the invention, by a cylinder lock of the indicated type, characterized in that the cylinder comprises, in addition to the series of first seats, in which said slides are inserted, a separate series of second seats, parallel to the first seats, in which said studs are inserted; that each slide is provided with an associated spring and, on the side opposite to the projections, with a sliding coupling element; that the stop bar is associated with springs which push it outwards; and that the translation bar associated with springs which push it outwards and comprises sliding coupling elements capable of engaging with the sliding coupling elements of said sliders.

The characteristics of the object of the invention are compatible with the requirements of a rational and mechanized assembly of the lock, and they assure the user the greatest ease of execution of the operations relating to the recodification of the lock, that is to say the change of its key. It is therefore easy to subject several locks to a single key. In addition, the lock according to the invention can be produced with a space corresponding to that of a usual lock, thus making it easy to replace existing locks.

• Fig. 1 est une vue frontale d'une serrure à cylindre selon l'invention, avec une partie de la tête du cylindre emportée;
• Fig. 2 montre un section transversale de la serrure selon la figure 1, illustrée en condition de repos, avec la clé emportée;
• Figs. 3 à 7 montrent des sections transversales de la serrure, similaires de celle de la figure 3, en des différentes conditions qui se vérifient pendant l'opération de change de la clé et de recodification de la serrure;
• Fig. 8 représente une section transversale de la serrure, similaire de celle de la figure 3, avec la serrure codifiée d'une manière différente;
• Fig. 9 est une vue latérale représentant seulement le rotor de la serrure selon les figures précédentes, prise du haut selon la figure 2;
• Figs. 10 à 12 sont des autres vues latérales du rotor selon la figure 8, tourné chaque fois de 90_° en sens inverse de celui des aiguilles d'une montre selon la figure 2;
• Figs. 13 à 15 sont trois vues orthogonales de la barre de translation;
• Figs. 16 à 18 sont trois vues orthogonales de la barre d'arrêt;
• Figs. 19 à 21 sont trois vues orthogonales de l'un des contregoujons installés dans le stator de la serrure;
• Figs. 22 à 24 sont trois vues orthogonales des coulisseaux destinés à coopérer avec les encoches de la clé;
• Figs. 25 à 27 sont trois vues orthogonales des goujons complémentaires aux contregoujons, destinés à coopérer avec ces derniers, avec les coulisseaux de la serrure et avec la barre d'arrêt; et
• Fig. 28 représente une section transversale, similaire de celle de la figure 3, d'une autre forme de réalisation de serrure à cylindre suivant l'invention.

These and other characteristics, and the advantages of the lock according to the present invention, will emerge more clearly from the following description of two embodiments, given by way of nonlimiting examples, represented schematically in the appended drawings, in which:

• Fig. 1 is a front view of a cylinder lock according to the invention, with a part of the cylinder head carried away;
• Fig. 2 shows a cross section of the lock according to Figure 1, illustrated in rest condition, with the key carried;
• Figs. 3 to 7 show cross sections of the lock, similar to that of FIG. 3, in different conditions which are verified during the operation of changing the key and recoding the lock;
• Fig. 8 shows a cross section of the lock, similar to that of FIG. 3, with the lock codified in a different way;
• Fig. 9 is a side view showing only the rotor of the lock according to the preceding figures, taken from the top according to FIG. 2;
• Figs. 10 to 12 are other side views of the rotor according to FIG. 8, each turned 90 _° in the opposite direction to that of the clockwise according to FIG. 2;
• Figs. 13 to 15 are three orthogonal views of the translation bar;
• Figs. 16-18 are three orthogonal views of the stop bar;
• Figs. 19 to 21 are three orthogonal views of one of the bolts installed in the stator of the lock;
• Figs. 22 to 24 are three orthogonal views of the sliders intended to cooperate with the notches of the key;
• Figs. 25 to 27 are three orthogonal views of the studs complementary to the studs, intended to cooperate with the latter, with the slides of the lock and with the stop bar; and
• Fig. 28 shows a cross section, similar to that of FIG. 3, of another embodiment of a cylinder lock according to the invention.

The cylinder lock with interchangeable key, represented in FIGS. 1 to 27 of the drawings, is formed by a stator 1 provided with a cavity 2 in which is installed in a rotary manner a rotor formed by a cylinder 8 and by a head. 9. In the wall of the cavity 2 of the stator 1 is hollowed out at least one longitudinal stop groove 3. In the direction perpendicular to the cavity 2, in the stator are formed seats 4 for bolts 5 pushed towards the cylinder 8 by springs 6 which bear on plugs 7 closing the ends of the seats 4. Each bolt 5 has a portion of concave cylindrical surface 5 ', which, in a position fixed with the bolt 5, corresponds to the skirt surface of the cylinder 8 ( and therefore allows free rotation). The studs can all be identical to each other. The shape and external dimensions of the stator of the lock according to the invention can be identical to those of common cylinder locks, so as to allow easy replacement of a common lock with a lock according to the invention.

A longitudinal slot 10 for the introduction of a key is formed in the cylinder 8 and in the head 9 of the latter. For the benefit of simplicity, the slot 10 is shown with flat and parallel walls, but it is understood that it can have any of the profiles provided for the keys. The cylinder 8 is provided, at its rear end, with a transverse cavity 11 by means of which it can be connected to any known mechanism, intended to be actuated by the lock, for example a retraction mechanism which can be actuated by rotating the cylinder 8 by means of an appropriate key inserted in the slot 10.

The cylinder 8 is provided with two diametrically opposite lateral slots, 12 and 13, parallel to the axis of the cylinder 8 and perpendicular to the key slot 10, which are intended to receive, respectively, a stop bar and a bar translation. In addition, in the cylinders 8 are formed seats 13 and 15, orthogonal to the axis of the cylinder 8 and to the slots 12 and 13; the seats 14 cut the key slot 10 and are intended to receive sliders cooperating with the notches of the key, while the seats 15 are intended to receive studs which cooperate with said slides, with the studs 5 installed in the stator of the lock and with the stop bar. Walls partially separate said slots and seats formed in the cylinder 8. A cover 6 is provided for closing the ends of the seats 14 formed in the cylinder 8.

In each seat 15 of the cylinder 8 is inserted a stud 17 corresponding to one of the studs 5 of the stator 1. Each stud 17 has a portion of convex cylindrical surface 17 ', complementary to the concave surface 5' of the stud 5, and it has on its outer surface a number of shallow notches 18 and a deeper notch 19, and on its inner face a similar number of notches 20. The notches 18-20 may for example be conical, in the form of a dihedral or a rack, or d 'a similar configuration. The deeper notch 19 is located in a position such that it appears in correspondence with the slot 12 of the cylinder 8 when the surface 17 ′ corresponds to the surface of the outer surface of the cylinder 8, and it is the only notch of the series 18-19 which has an operative function; the other notches 18 have a simulation function to obstruct actions tending to decipher the code of the lock. Although notches 18 of reduced depth are sufficient for the simulation effect, for reasons of constructive expediency the notches 18 can also be made with the same depth of the notch 19. The studs 17 can all be identical to each other.

In each seat 14 of the cylinder 8 is inserted a slide 21, a side of which has one or more protrusions 22, for example conical or chisel point or rack, suitable for engaging with the notches 20 of the studs 17, while that the opposite flank has a groove 23 with sliding coupling, for example in the form of a dovetail. Each slide 21 is slidably mounted in the corresponding seat 14 and it is pushed outwards by a spring 24 which bears on the cover 16; in addition, each slide 21 is mounted in the seat 14 with a certain clearance, so as to be able to move transversely between two positions, in one of which its projections 22 are engaged with the notches 20 of the corresponding stud 17, while in the other position the projections 22 are disengaged. The slides 21 can all be identical between them.

In the slot 12 of the cylinder 8 is inserted a stop bar 25 having, for each stud 17, one or more projections 26, for example conical or chisel point, suitable for engaging in the notches 18 or 19 of the studs 17. This engagement is made possible by holes 12 'hollowed out in the wall which separates the slot 12 from the seats 15. On the side opposite to the projections 26, the stop bar has a stop projection 27 suitable for entering the groove stator stop 1. Finally, the stop bar 25 has seats 28 for springs (not shown) intended to push it elastically outward in the slot 12 which receives the stop bar. However, the seats 28 for the springs can also be hollowed out in the cylinder 8 instead of in the stop bar 25.

In the slot 13 is inserted a translation bar 29 having, on the outside, a similar projection 30 of the stop projection 27 of the stop bar 25, and, on the inside, sliding coupling projections 31, in number equal to the number of slides 21. The projections 31 can be, for example, in the shape of a dovetail (as shown), or else with an enlarged circular end edge, and they are intended to engage in the sliding coupling grooves 3 of the slides 21, which are configured in a complementary manner. This engagement is made possible by slots 13 ′ formed in the wall which forms the separation between the slot 13 and the seats 14 of the cylinder 8, through which slots the protrusions with sliding coupling 31 protrude into the seats 14. At the projections 31 it is also possible to give a height greater than that of the translation bar, in order to achieve more perfect guidance, as indicated at 31 'by broken lines, for a projection, in FIG. 14. In addition, the translation bar 29 has seats 32 for springs (not shown) intended to push it elastically outwards in the slot 13 which receives the translation bar. However, the seats 32 for the springs can also be hollowed out in the cylinder 8 instead of in the translation bar 29.

The holes 12 'and the slots 13' have less weakening of the cylinder 8, and therefore they are to be expected when the cylinder is made of a metal of low resistance. When, on the contrary, the cylinder 8 is made of a metal of high resistance, such as for example stainless steel, the holes 12 'and the slots 13' can be replaced by more extensive millings 13 ", as is has shown, for one of them, by broken lines, in FIGS. 10 to 12. This allows the machining of cylinder 8 to be exemplified.

The described structure, complicated in appearance, lends itself well to be assembled in a very rational and automated way. After the studs 17 have been inserted into the seats 15 of the cylinder 8, with their convex surfaces 17 'situated in correspondence with the external surface of the cylinder, the insertion into the slot 12 of the stop bar 25 (including the projections 26 engage in the notches 19 of the studs 17) immobilizes all the studs in their position. Successively, the translation bar 29 is inserted, but not to the bottom, into the slot 13, so that its sliding coupling elements 31 protrude inside the seats 14, and in the latter the slides 21 are threaded, by coupling the sliding coupling elements 31-23, then the springs 24, and finally the seats 14 are closed by means of the cover 16. Then pushing the translation bar 29 to the bottom, the projections 22 of the slides 21 are coupled with the notches 20 of the studs 17; all the moving parts thus remain immobilized while, using appropriate means, the bars 25 and 29 are held pushed to the bottom in the respective slots, against the action of their springs. In this condition, nothing protrudes from the outer surface of the cylinder 8, and consequently the latter can be inserted into the stator 1, the wall of the cavity of the latter then replacing the retaining means which retained the bars 25 and 29. Then the cylinder can be fixed axially in the stator, without preventing rotation, by any known way, for example by means of an elastic ring. The lock is finally completed by inserting into the stator 1 the studs 5, the springs 6 and the plugs 7 relating thereto. As can be seen, these operations can be carried out easily even by mechanical means, especially because they do not require any choice of parts corresponding to a codification of the lock, as long as the studs are all equal to one of the other, and so are the studs and slides. Indeed, the lock thus prepared is in no way codified, and it can be actuated by a neutral key or by any instrument inserted in the key slot 10 without moving the sliders 21. The lock will be coded successively, as is will explain later, in the meantime it can be stored without any reference to corresponding keys, so with a subsequent advantage of organization and economy. Finally, the lock will be installed and, if desired, it can still be used with a neutral key; this procedure allows, among other things, the use of a single neutral key for all the locks of a building being finished. Only when the user takes possession of the premises, the lock must be coded by a key chosen by the user, which key was not previously in the possession of any other person, and which, if desired, can be equal for all the locks being part of the same relevance.

We will now describe, with particular reference to Figures 2 to 8 of the drawings, the operation of the lock which has been described, having special regard to the operations necessary for its recodification on the occasion of a change of the associated key; these operations, of course, also serve for the first coding of the lock.

In FIG. 2 is shown a section of the lock, coded in any way and in the condition of rest, that is to say that the key is taken from the slot 10. Under these conditions, the bolts 5 of the stator 1, pushed by the springs 6, partially penetrate the seats 15 of the cylinder 8, blocking the latter. The stop bar 25 does not block the studs 17 because it, pushed by its springs, penetrates by its projection 27 in the longitudinal groove 3 of the stator, thus disengaging the projections 26 from the holes 19 of the studs 17; the latter are raised by the action of the slides 21, engaged with them by means of the projections 22 and the notches 20, and pushed by the springs 24. The cylinder 8 cannot rotate; the lock is blocked.

With reference to FIG. 3, if a key K is inserted for its entire length into the slot 10 of the lock, this determines, as a function of the height of the teeth of the key, the vertical displacement of the slides 21 against the action of the springs 24; the necks scissors 21 bear against the notches of the key, assuming a specific position and carrying with them the studs 17. If the positions thus reached by the moving parts correspond to the codification of the lock, that is to say if the key inserted is precisely that associated with the lock, the studs 17, by pushing back the studs 5, are arranged with their convex surfaces 17 ′ in correspondence with the exterior surface of the cylinder 8 and with their notches 19 opposite the projections 26 of the bar d 'stop 25. Consequently the cylinder 8, no longer blocked by the bolts 5, can be turned by means of the key K (Figure 4). At the beginning of this rotation, the stop bar 25 is pushed inwards by the cooperation of its projection 27 with the longitudinal groove 3 of the stator, and its projections 26 engage in the notches 19 of the studs 17, thus blocking in position these and, with them, the slides 21, and thus preventing the extraction of the key. In this condition, the cylinder 8 can be rotated by one or more turns to actuate the lock, in the usual manner. After that the stop bar 25, again finding the groove 3 in front of its projection 27, again moves outward, thus leaving free the studs 17 and with them the slides 21; the key can therefore be extracted.

However, each time that the cylinder 8 has made an odd number of U-turns from the starting position (FIG. 5), the translation bar 29 finds the groove 3 of the stator opposite its own projection 30 and, pushed by its springs, it moves outwards. By this movement it also causes the slides 21 to move transversely, since their sliding coupling elements 23 are engaged with the sliding coupling elements 31 of the translation bar 30. Consequently, the projections 22 of the slides 21 are released from the notches 20 of the studs 17 which, moreover, are held stationary by the action of the stop bar 25.

The position described above constitutes a position authorizing the change of the key. Indeed, the slides 21 which, being released from the studs 17, have resumed their mobility, no longer retain the key K, which therefore can be extracted (Figure 6). The sliders 21 are then pushed all at the end of their travel by the springs 24 and, if at this point the cylinder was still turned without a key, the lock would return to an uncoded condition, and it could then be actuated at using a neutral key. If, on the other hand, a new key K 'is inserted into the slot 10 (FIG. 7), the slides 21 are arranged in a new position corresponding to the series of notches of the new key K'. By then rotating the cylinder 8 by means of the new key K ', the translation bar 29 is pushed inwards as a result of the cooperation of its projection 30 with the groove 3 of the stator, it pushes back the sliders 21 by causing them to engage by their projections 22 in the notches 20 of the studs 17, but in different notches from those in which the projections 22 engaged before the change of the key, and the lock will continue its regular operation, henceforth coded for the new key K ' . The lock will remain codified in this way when the key K 'is extracted (Figure 8). The comparison between FIGS. 8 and 2 shows how, due to the different coding of the lock, the relative position between the slides 21 and the corresponding studs 17 has changed.

Thus, as we can see, the operation of changing the key, in the lock that. described above, achieves the greatest conceivable simplicity, this operation consisting simply in the extraction of the old key and in the insertion of the new key, these operations being carried out when the lock is in a particular position, c 'is to say with the key turned 180 _° from the normal extraction position. Such simplicity can also be considered excessive, and in this case one can take measures to prevent an unwanted key change, but these measures can be easily adapted to any practical requirement, because they are not imposed by features of the lock itself. In particular, any means temporarily preventing the displacement of the translation bar 29 towards the outside can be adopted to prevent the key from being changed without this means having been neutralized beforehand. It is also possible to provide, for the actuation of the translation bar 29, one or more grooves of the rotor, different from those with which the stop bar 25 cooperates, thereby obtaining different positions for changing the key. from that described.

The key change positions can one or more. In special cases, it is also possible to coincide with the key change position with the lock open position.

Although the sliding coupling elements have been indicated in the form of studs 31 arranged on the translation bar 29 and of mortise grooves 23 provided on the slides 21, it is understood that this arrangement can be reversed. Likewise, the sliding couplings, indicated as being made in the form of a dovetail, could on the other hand be in the shape of a T or with any other suitable profile.

The invention can find its application either to locks for the doors of buildings and the like, or also to locks for safes, armored cabinets, and so on.

The invention has been described in relation to a lock in which the seats 4 of the stator extend on one side and have relative studs and springs, but it should be understood that it can also be applied to locks in which the seats 4 of the stator extend on both sides relative to the cavity 2 of the stator and, in this case, they may possibly be devoid, on one or both sides, of studs and springs relating thereto; the seats 15 of the cylinder are then piercing and the studs 17 inserted in these seats must conform, at their two ends, to the profile of the cylinder in the open and change position of the key.

This arrangement is shown in Figure 28. The stator 1 "has, in this case, a thickness cor corresponding to the stroke of the 17 "studs, and it can be substantially cylindrical. The 17" studs are limited at both ends by surfaces which, in the open position of the lock (shown in FIG. 28), correspond to the outer surface of the cylinder. The stator 4 "seats extend on both sides of the cylinder, and they have no studs and springs. The components included in the cylinder in addition to the 17" studs are identical to those already described, and also identical is their operation.

FIG. 28 also shows a ball 33 with a pressure spring 34 retained by a cover 35. These parts are inserted in the stator 1 "in the position to which the internal end of the key K corresponds when the lock is in the change position of the key (see also Figure 9) The ball 33 engages with the cylinder preventing its rotation if the key K is not fully inserted in its seat, thus preventing any possibility of faulty coding.

A similar arrangement of ball with spring can be provided at 36 (figure 9) to prevent the extraction of the key, in the change position, if the key has a notch corresponding to ball 36. This allows prediction keys that do not allow the change operation to be performed. This operation can be carried out, in this case, only by the use of keys devoid of said notch, which will be consigned only to authorized persons.

Claims (6)

1. A cylinder lock with interchangeable key, comprising: a stator (1) with a cavity (2) for a cylinder (8), at least a longitudinal groove (3) hollowed in said cavity (2), and a series of seatings (4) which open within the cavity (2) of the stator; a cylinder (8) having a key receiving slit (10), a series of seatings (14, 15) which intersect said key receiving slit (10), as well as a first slit (12) and a second slit (13), both extending orthogonally to said seatings (14, 15) and parallel to the axis of the cylinder (8); a series of sliders (21) inserted with longitudinal and transversal mobility into the seatings (14) of said cylinder in order to cooperate with the notches of a key (K) inserted into said key receiving slit (10), each slider (21) being provided on one side with projections (22); a series of tumblers (17) slidingly inserted into said seatings (15) of the cylinder and capable of cooperating with portions (4 or 5) of the stator, said tumblers (17) having a series of first recesses (20) facing the projections (22) of said sliders (21), and at least one second recess (19) turned towards the side opposite said sliders; a stop bar (25), inserted into said first orthogonal slit (12) of the cylinder, provided with projections (26) facing the second recess (19) of said tumblers (17) and with a continuous projection (27) turned towards the opposite side and suitable for cooperating with said groove (3) of the stator; and a translation bar (29), inserted into said second orthogonal slit (13) of the cylinder, provided with a side portion cooperating with said sliders (21), and with a continuous projection (30) turned towards the opposite side and suitable for cooperating with said groove (3) of the stator; said projections (26) of the stop bar (25) engaging said second recesses (19) of the tumblers (17) when the continuous projection (27) of the stop bar (25) does not project into said groove (3) of the stator, and said sliders (21) engaging the corresponding recesses (20) of the tumblers (17) when the continuous projection (30) of the translation bar (29) does not project into said groove (3) of the stator; characterized in that the cylinder (8) has, in addition to said series of first seatings (14), wherein said sliders (21) are inserted, a separate series of second seatings (15), parallel to said first seatings (14), wherein said tumblers (17) are inserted; that each slider (21) is provided with an associated spring (24) and, opposite said projections (22), with a member (23) for sliding engagement; that the stop bar (25) is associated with springs which pull it towards the outside; and that the translation bar (29) is associated with springs which pull it towards the outside and it is provided with members (31) for sliding engagement cooperating with the members (23) for sliding engagement of said sliders (21).

2. A lock according to Claim 1, characterized in that said tumblers (17) are provided, on the side facing the stop bar (25), with an operating recess (19) and a series of simulation recesses (18).

3. A lock according to Claim 1, characterized in that said projections (22, 26) of the sliders (21) and of the stop bar (25), respectively, are substantially conical or shaped like a chisel point or a rake, and said recesses (19, 20) of the tumblers (17) which cooperate with said projections are substantially conical or dihedral or rake-like in shape.

4. A lock according to Claim 1, characterized in that said members for sliding engagement (23, 31) are shaped substantially like a dovetail or with a circularly expanded end border.

5. A lock according to Claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a member such as a ball (33) or the like, pushed by a spring (34), arranged in order to lock the cylinder (8) in the position allowing change of the key, until a key has been completely inserted into the key receiving slit (10).

6. A lock according to Claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a member such as a ball (36) or the like, pushed by a spring, arranged in order to prevent extraction for change of any key having a recess registering with said member.

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