EP0359885A1 - Key with a sliding element, safety cylinder, and lock provided with such a cylinder - Google Patents

Abstract

The key (1) for a safety cylinder, especially for operating a lock or a latch, comprises a body (3) intended for penetrating into a key receptacle provided in a cylinder rotor mounted in a stator, the key body being equipped with at least one slidable element (9) capable of moving in a movement of limited extent in a chamber (10) provided in the key. The element (9) is intended for interacting with a positioning member provided on the rotor, so as to project from its chamber (10) and push a moveable rotor pin into position allowing the rotor to rotate relative to the stator, the chamber (10) of the moveable element extending in a direction orthogonal relative to the longitudinal mid-axis (A) of the key body. The chamber (10) provided in the key body (3) has its axis located in the mid-plane of the key body and has a cross-section of a specially rectangular form such that, as a result of interaction with the matching cross-section of the element (9), it prevents any rotation of the element about its longitudinal axis (B) within the chamber (10). <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a key for a safety barrel, in particular for the operation of a lock or a bolt, a key of the kind which comprises a body, of elongated flat form, intended to penetrate inside. a key housing, provided in a barrel rotor mounted in a stator, the key body being provided with at least one translatable movable pusher, capable of moving in a movement of limited amplitude, in a chamber provided in the key, the pusher being intended to cooperate with a positioning member, provided on the rotor, so as to protrude from its chamber and to push a movable pin of the rotor into a position allowing the rotation of the barrel rotor relative on the stator, the chamber of the movable plunger extending in a direction orthogonal to the mean longitudinal axis of the key body.

A key of this type is known, for example from FR-A-2,561,294.

It is known that the presence of the mobile pusher considerably complicates the copying or duplication of the key which is equipped with it, so that the user of such a key benefits from greater security.

The object of the invention is, in particular, to provide a movable push key whose copying or duplication is even more difficult than for the keys of the prior art.

The invention also aims to facilitate the multiplicity of combinations making it possible to obtain different keys and associated barrels.

According to the invention, a key for a safety barrel, of the kind defined above, is characterized by the fact that the chamber provided in the key body has its axis located in the mean plane of the key body, and has a cross section whose shape is such that, by cooperation with the conjugate section of the pusher, it prevents any rotation of the pusher around its longitudinal axis, inside the chamber.

Advantageously, the cross section of the chamber has a polygonal shape, while the movable pusher is constituted by a piece of prismatic appearance whose cross section matches that of the chamber.

Preferably, the cross section of the chamber has a substantially rectangular shape, the long sides of the rectangle being oriented parallel to the mean longitudinal axis of the key body, the movable plunger having a conjugate shape.

Advantageously, the movable pusher has, at its ends, intended to cooperate respectively with the positioning member and the movable pin of the rotor, an asymmetrical shape relative to the longitudinal axis of said pusher, so that it is possible to modify the key according to the position according to which the movable pusher is introduced into its chamber. The barrel for the key may also include a pin of asymmetrical shape capable of being placed in different positions corresponding to the various possible positions of the mobile in the key, and leading to as many types of barrels.

The movable push button of the key can, in particular, have on each end, a cam-shaped projection located closer to one of the long sides of the movable member, these two projections being symmetrical with respect to each other to a mediator plane of the pusher orthogonal to the direction of displacement of this pusher.

The mobile pusher comprises, on at least one large face, a recess suitable for receiving an internal projection of the key body intended to hold the mobile in its chamber.

Advantageously, in a manner known in itself, the end of the key body intended to penetrate first into the rotor is narrowed, and the chamber for the movable pusher is provided in this narrowed end.

The invention also relates to a security barrel, in particular intended for a lock or a bolt, said barrel being arranged to be operated by a movable push key as defined above.

Such a barrel comprises a stator and a rotor, the rotor being provided, at its end remote from the entry of the housing for the key, with a positioning member capable of moving the movable push-button of the key out of its housing, and a movable rotor pin on which the pusher can act; according to the invention, this movable rotor group has a cross section whose shape is such that, by cooperation with the conjugate section of a housing, it prevents any rotation of the pin around its longitudinal axis, at the inside the housing where the pin can move in translation. The shape of the cross section of the pin can be polygonal, in particular rectangular, or oblong. Preferably, the end of the pin intended to cooperate with the movable pusher is arranged in an asymmetrical shape relative to the mean axis of the pin, so that by modifying the position of the pin in its housing, one obtains a different type of barrel.

The invention also relates to a lock or a lock fitted with such a barrel, suitable for being operated by a key as defined above.

• La figure 1, de ces dessins, est une vue en élévation d'une clé selon l'invention.
• La figure 2 est une vue de dessus par rap­port à la figure 1.
• La figure 3 est une coupe longitudinale schématique, simplifiée, du rotor de barillet destiné à recevoir la clé de la figure 1.
• La figure 4 montre, en élévation, une clé qui se déduit de celle de la figure par simple retournement de l'organe mobile autour de son axe longitudinal.
• La figure 5, enfin, est une coupe schématique simplifiée du rotor de barillet destiné à recevoir la clé de la figure 4.

The invention consists, apart from the arrangements set out above, of a certain number of other arrangements which will be more explicitly discussed below in connection with particular embodiments described with reference to the attached drawings, but which are in no way limiting.

• Figure 1 of these drawings is an elevational view of a key according to the invention.
• Figure 2 is a top view with respect to Figure 1.
• FIG. 3 is a simplified schematic longitudinal section of the barrel rotor intended to receive the key of FIG. 1.
• FIG. 4 shows, in elevation, a key which is deduced from that of the figure by simple inversion of the movable member around its longitudinal axis.
• FIG. 5, finally, is a simplified schematic section of the barrel rotor intended to receive the key of FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawings, in particular to Figures 1 to 3, one can see a key designated by 1 as a whole which comprises an operating plate 2 intended to be taken in hand by a user, and a key body 3 whose shape general is flat. The cross section of this key body 3 is substantially rectangular, this body having two large flat faces 3 a , 3 b (Figure 2).

The body 3 of the key is intended to penetrate inside a housing 4 (FIG. 3) provided in a barrel rotor 5 6 mounted in a stator 7. The rotor 5, in the form of a cylinder of revolution, is mounted in a cylindrical bore of the stator 7 with the possibility of rotation about the common geometric axis; the stator 7 can have any shape.

The housing 4 provided in the rotor 5 for receiving the key has a rectangular cross section similar to that of the key. This housing 4 is formed by a longitudinal groove made in the rotor 5 and opening out through a longitudinal slot 8 against the internal surface of the stator 7.

Several keyways, not shown, are provided between the rotor 5 and the stator 7 so as to form a combination which will only allow rotation of the rotor 5, relative to the stator, when the appropriate key 1 has been fully inserted into the housing 4. These keyways are provided in a conventional manner by movable rotor pins associated with movable stator pins.

The key body 3 is provided with at least one movable push button 9 translatable, able to move in a movement of limited amplitude in a chamber 10 provided in the key.

The pusher 9 is intended to cooperate with a positioning member 11 provided in the rotor 5. This member 11 may consist of a plate fixed on the rotor, in particular by force engagement in the slot 8, towards the lower end of this slot. The positioning member 11 projects radially inwards from the housing 4 and forms a sort of cam, the longitudinal end faces of which are inclined to serve as an ascent or descent ramp. When the key is introduced into the housing 4, the positioning member 11 cooperates with the pusher 9 which projects out of its chamber and pushes a movable pin 12 of the rotor into a position allowing the rotation of the rotor 5 relative to the stator 7. The chamber 10 of the movable pusher 9 extends in a direction orthogonal to the mean longitudinal axis A of the key body.

More precisely, when the key body 3 is flat as in the example envisaged, the chamber 10 has its axis located in the mean plane of the key body 3.

This chamber 10 opens, at each longitudinal end, onto the edge faces of the key.

Advantageously, the end E of the key body 3 intended to penetrate first into the rotor 5 is reduced (see FIG. 1), that is to say that its transverse dimension 1 , in a direction orthogonal to the axis A , is smaller than the dimension L of most of the key body 3. Preferably, this end E also admits the axis A as the axis of symmetry. Under these conditions, the length h of the pusher 9 can be less than the width L of the key body. The front part of the end E is preferably tapered, as visible in Figure 2, to facilitate the introduction of the key into the housing 4 of the rotor.

The faces 3, 3b of the key 1 or equivalent comprise blind holes, not shown, adapted to cooperate with the various pins, not shown of the rotor, to allow the opening or closing of the lock.

According to the invention, the chamber 10 provided in the body 3 of the key has a cross section of shape such that, by cooperation with the conjugate section of the pusher 9, it prevents any rotation of the pusher 9 about its longitudinal axis B , inside room 10.

Advantageously, said cross section has a polygonal shape, more precisely rectangular, or substantially rectangular, in the example considered. Other cross-sectional shapes for the chamber 10 would be possible, for example an oblong, or oval shape. The movable pusher 9 is consisting of a part whose cross section matches that of the chamber 10. Still in the example considered, the pusher 9 is formed by a sort of prismatic bar with rectangular, or substantially rectangular, section capable of sliding transversely, in the chamber 10 , following the direction of the generators of the prismatic surface.

The long sides of the rectangular cross section of the chamber 10 and the pusher 9 are oriented parallel to the mean longitudinal axis A of the body of the key.

Preferably, the movable pusher 9 has, at its two longitudinal ends 13, 14, intended to cooperate respectively with the positioning member 11 and the movable pin 12 of the rotor, an asymmetrical shape relative to the longitudinal axis B of said pusher 9.

More specifically, the pusher 9 has, at each end, a projection 13 a, 14 a shaped cam located closer to one of the long sides of the movable pusher 9 than the other side. In the key illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the projections 13, 14a are located adjacent the long side of the pusher 9, the closest to the front tapered end of the portion E; We will see, later, that in the case of Figures 4 and 5, the movable pusher 9 is turned around its axis B, so that the projecting parts 13 a , 14 a are located on the side furthest from the front part of the E end.

The projecting portions 13a, 14a are symmetric to each other with respect to median plane 15 (Figure 1) of the pusher orthogonal to the direction of movement of this pusher.

It is thus possible to modify the type of key according to the position given to the pusher 9 in its housing 10.

The movable pin 12 of the rotor occupies a substantially diametrically opposite position with respect to the positioning member 11, so that when the pusher 9 is biased by this member 11 which comes flush with one of the open ends of the chamber 10, said pusher protrudes as far as possible, through the other opposite end of the chamber 10 and pushes the pin 12.

Advantageously, the movable pin 12 also has a polygonal cross section, in particular rectangular or oblong, and is slidably mounted, radially, in a housing 16 (FIG. 3) crossing the thickness of the rotor and whose cross section matches that of the pin 15 This housing 16 opens radially outward towards another housing 17 housed in the stator. A stator pin 18, slidably mounted in this housing 17, is pushed elastically in the direction of the axis and is capable of projecting into the housing 16 of the rotor, when the angular position of the latter ensures the alignment of the axes of the housing 16 and 17. It is understood that in this position, the stator pin 17 blocks the rotor 5 relative to the stator 7.

Advantageously, the rotor pin 12 has an end 19 of asymmetrical shape with respect to the mean longitudinal axis C of this pin so that said pin can occupy different positions, in the housing 16, corresponding to as many types of barrels.

In the example shown in Figure 3, the end 19 of the pin 12 has a rounded cam 19 a constituting a kind of bump, projecting radially inward and located essentially on one side relative to the axis middle longitudinal C of pin 12.

In the case of the barrel shown on the Figure 3, the boss 19 a is located on the side of the end of this barrel furthest from the end by which the key is inserted into the housing 4. This type of barrel is intended to operate with a key conforming to that shown in figures 1 and 2, wherein the bosses 13 a, 14 a of the movable pusher 9 are rotated forward.

The barrel shown in FIG. 5, and in which the pin 12 has been turned 180 ° around its axis C, is intended to operate with the key in FIG. 4.

Preferably, the movable pusher 9 has, on each large face, a recess 20 (FIG. 1 and 2) suitable for receiving an internal projection (not shown), from the wall of the end E of the key body, this internal projection being obtained by deformation of said wall after introduction of the pusher 9 into the chamber 10. The cooperation of this internal projection and of the corresponding recess 20, 21 contributes to limiting the transverse displacement of the movable pusher 9 and preventing this pusher from escape from room 10.

This being the case, the operation of a lock fitted with a barrel in accordance with FIG. 3 suitable for being controlled by a key as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is as follows.

When the key body 3 is removed from the rotor housing 4, the latter is immobilized in rotation relative to the stator 7, owing to the fact that the stator pins, of which only one is shown, protrude radially inwards in the associated rotor pin housings.

The introduction of the key body into the housing 4, in order to rotate the rotor 5, will cause the stator pins to return to their housing.

More particularly, as regards the pin 18 associated with the rotor pin 12 suitable for being controlled by the pusher 9, the operation is as follows.

Shortly before the end of introduction of the key body 3 into the housing 4, one end, for example the end 13 of the pusher 9, which protrudes transversely relative to the side wall of the end E of the key, enters contact with the rise ramp of the actuating member 11. The face of this actuating member 11 located most inwardly, in the radial direction, is flush with the side wall of the end E of the key.

The pusher 9 is therefore moved upwards according to the representation of FIG. 3, that is to say on the side opposite to the member 11. The other end 14 of this pusher 9 will push the end 19 of the movable rotor pin 12. The dimensions of the pusher 9 and of its ends such as 14 in the form of a cam, as well as the dimensions of the pin 12 and of its end 19 are determined so that when the pin 12 is pushed back to the maximum by the pusher 9, itself pressing at its end 13 against the internal face of the member 11, the external transverse face of the pin 12 and the internal transverse face of the stator pin 18 are located at the level of the outer radial surface of the rotor 5.

It is the same for the other rotor and stator pins not shown.

It is then possible to rotate the rotor 5 relative to the stator to control the lock.

The shape, more particularly substantially rectangular, of the cross section of the pusher 9 and of the chamber 10 prevents any rotation of the pusher 9 as much of the transverse axis of the chamber 10. It is the same for the pin 12 mounted in a housing 16 of rectangular or oblong section. It is therefore ensured that the projections 14 and 19 will remain in the positions for which they can cooperate when the end 13 of the pusher 9 arrives on the actuating member 11.

In addition, the production of such a chamber 10, in particular of polygonal cross section, and in particular substantially rectangular, requires machining means which are generally not within the reach of a malicious do-it-yourselfer. Therefore, the copying or duplication of the key according to the invention is more difficult than in the case where the housing 10 would have a cylindrical shape which can be achieved by simple drilling with a drill. The chamber 10 can be produced in particular by EDM, with good precision.

The production of the chamber 10 is made difficult in particular because the chamber 10, of small dimensions, is located in a small thickness, over a long length requiring special machining means (broaching, electro-erosion, laser, etc.). ..).

The shape, in particular rectangular or polygonal, of the cross section of the chamber 10, and of the rotor housing 16, makes it possible to give several angular positions, around the axis of the chamber or of the housing, to the same pusher 9 or a same pin 15.

Thus, in the example considered of a chamber 9 with a substantially rectangular section, it is possible, starting from the same basic key, to introduce the pusher 9 in an inverted position of 180 °, around the axis of the chamber, relative to the position of Figure 1.

The key of FIG. 4 is then obtained, which constitutes a key different from that of FIG. 1, the projections 13 and 14 of the pusher being behind the chamber 10.

Similarly, the rotor pin 12 is disposed in its housing 16 in an inverted position of 180 ° relative to the axis of the housing, as shown in FIG. 5, so that the barrel thus obtained is suitable for cooperate with the key in Figure 4.

It therefore appears that starting from the same basic elements, a different combination is obtained by a simple modification of the mounting of the pusher 9 in its chamber 10 and of the pin 15 in its housing 16.

It is thus possible to diversify the range of locks, without increasing the number of basic parts required.

Claims (9)

1. Key for safety barrel, in particular for operating a lock or a bolt, comprising a body (3), of elongated flat shape, intended to penetrate inside a housing (4) of key, provided in a barrel rotor (5) mounted in a stator (7), the key body being provided with at least one translatable mobile pusher (9) capable of moving in a movement of limited amplitude, in a chamber (10) provided in the key, the pusher being intended to cooperate with a positioning member (11), provided on the rotor (5), so as to protrude from its chamber (10) and to push a pin movable (12) rotor until in a position allowing rotation of the barrel rotor relative to the stator, the chamber (10) of the movable plunger extending in a direction orthogonal to the mean longitudinal axis (A) of the key body , characterized in that the chamber (10) has its axis situated in the mean plane of the key body (3) and that its cross section has a shape such that, by cooperation with the conjugate section of the pusher (9), it prevents any rotation of the pusher (9) around its longitudinal axis (B), inside of the chamber (10). 2. Key according to claim 1, characterized in that the cross section of the chamber (10) has a polygonal shape, while the movable pusher (9) consists of a piece of prismatic appearance whose cross section matches that of the chamber (10). 3. Key according to claim 2, characterized in that the cross section of the chamber (10) has a rectangular shape, the long sides of the rectangle being oriented parallel to the mean longitudinal axis (A) of the key body, the mobile pusher (9) having a conjugate shape. 4. Key according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the movable pusher (9) has, at its ends (13,14), intended to cooperate respectively with the positioning member (11) and the pin mobile (12) of the rotor, an asymmetrical shape relative to the longitudinal axis (B) of said pusher (9), so that it is possible to modify the key according to the position according to which the mobile pusher (9) is introduced in his room (10). 5. Key according to claim 4, characterized in that the mobile pusher (9) has on each end a projection (13, 14a) shaped cam located closer to one long side of the movable member (9) than on the other, the two projections being symmetrical to each other with respect to a mediating plane (15) of the pusher (9) orthogonal to the direction of movement of this pusher. 6. Key according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the movable plunger (9) comprises, on at least one large face, a recess (20, 21) suitable for receiving an internal projection of the body (3) key intended to hold the movable pusher (9) in its chamber (10). 7. Key according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the end (E) of the body (3) of key intended to penetrate first into the rotor is narrowed, and the chamber (10) for the pusher mobile is provided in this narrowed end (E). 8. Safety barrel comprising a stator (7) and a rotor (5), the rotor comprising a housing (4) intended to receive a key, this barrel being arranged to be operated by a movable push key according to any one demands previous, said barrel comprising a positioning member (11) for moving the movable plunger (9) of the key out of its chamber (10) and a movable pin (12) of rotor on which the movable plunger (9) can act, characterized in that the movable rotor pin (12) has a cross section whose shape, in particular rectangular, is such that, by cooperation with the conjugate section of a housing (16), it prevents any rotation of the pin (12) around its longitudinal axis (C), inside the housing (16) where the pin (12) can move in translation, the end (19) of the pin intended to cooperate with the movable pusher being arranged in an asymmetrical shape relative to the axis means (C) of the pin, a shape particularly formed by cam (19a) located closer to one side than the other, said pin (12) locatable in different positions corresponding to the various posit possible ions of the mobile pushbutton (9) in the key. 9. Lock or bolt fitted with a barrel according to claim 8, suitable for being operated by a key according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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