EP0521006B1

EP0521006B1 - Cylinder lock

Info

Publication number: EP0521006B1
Application number: EP91905097A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Kai Pedersen
Original assignee: Trioving AS
Current assignee: Trioving AS
Priority date: 1990-03-12
Filing date: 1991-03-08
Publication date: 1994-09-14
Anticipated expiration: 2011-03-08
Also published as: EP0521006A1; DK0521006T3; NO901133L; ATE111555T1; NO170435B; WO1991014064A1; DE69104035D1; NO170435C; NO901133D0

Abstract

Cylinder lock comprising a plug (1) having a key channel (2), a housing (3) surrounding the plug and a number of bores (11-17) in the plug and the housing for divided locking pins (21) adapted to be shifted in their longitudinal direction in the bores by means of a key inserted in the key channel (2). An intermediate sleeve (5) is provided between the plug (1) and the housing (3), and is adapted to be rotated about the same axis (10) as the plug. The sleeve (5) has bores corresponding to the bores (11-17) in the housing, for through-going locking pins (21). The locking pins are divided for establishing shear surfaces both between the plug (1) and the sleeve (5) and between the sleeve (5) and the housing (3), upon insertion of a correct key. An additional bore (19) for an auxiliary pin (20) is provided in the housing (3) and the sleeve (5) and adapted to be engaged by surfaces (1A, 1B) on the plug (1), so that the blocking effect of the auxiliary pin with respect to the sleeve (5) in relation to the housing (3), is removed when the plug (1) is rotated through a given angle in relation to the sleeve. Drive means (7, 9) are adapted to transfer the rotation of the plug beyond said given angle, into movement of a blocking member in a lock, for example a locking bolt.

Description

This invention relates to an improvement of cylinder locks of the type which comprises a plug with a key channel, a housing surrounding the plug and an intermediate sleeve provided between the plug and the housing and adapted to be rotated about the same axis as the plug, as well as a number of through bores for locking pins being divided and adapted to be shifted in their longitudinal direction in the bores by means of a key inserted in the key channel.
The invention in particular is directed to providing a cylinder lock having substantially increased security against unauthorized tampering in attempts of non-permitted intrusion by opening a door being locked. A particular form for tampering in this connection is a method involving the use of a key blank and successively by simultaneously applying a strong torque and bending of the key blank, for causing the various bottom or tumbler pins in the cylinder lock to emboss more or less weak markings on the key blank. Thereafter these markings can be used for filing down the blank and gradually approximating towards the correct key which makes it possible to open the lock. In expert circles the method is referred to as "impressioning".
Numerous proposals are previously known, directed to improving the security in lock designs. As examples reference can be made to European patent application publication No. 212.468, GB patent application No.2.222.201, SE published application No. 427.483 and US patents Nos. 4.351.171, 1.434.483 and 2.295.737, and more specifically US patents Nos. 4.386.510, 3.990.281 and 4.282.731 as well as European patent application No. 06765.
US patent 3.990.281 is of interest since it aims at the prevention of tampering by "impressioning", and in principle involves functions which to some extent are similar to the solution according to the present invention.
The invention provides a cylinder lock as previously detailed, in which each of the locking pins is divided into a bottom pin, a number of thin dividing pins, a code pin and an upper pin, for establishing a first shear surface between the plug and the sleeve and a second shear surface between the sleeve and the housing upon insertion of a correct key, the sleeve has a radial dimension being sufficiently large to accommodate the whole length of a code pin and a portion of an upper pin, the thin dividing pins are located between each code pin and an associated bottom pin, an additional bore for a separate auxiliary pin is provided in the housing and the sleeve, adapted to be engaged by surfaces on the plug so that the blocking effect of the auxiliary pin with respect to the sleeve in relation to the housing, is released when the plug is rotated through a given angle in relation to the sleeve, and drive means is adapted to transfer rotational movement of the plug beyond said given angle, into movement of a blocking member for a lock, for example a locking bolt.
Additional specific features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description with reference to the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1: shows a schematic longitudinal section through a cylinder lock according to an embodiment of the invention,
Fig. 2: shows a schematic cross section along the line II-II in fig. 1,
Fig. 3: shows in principle another embodiment according to the invention, in cross section,
Fig. 4: shows a partial and enlarged cross section of a detail Of the embodiment in fig. 3,
Fig. 5: shows in schematic longitudinal section corresponding to fig. 1, a third embodiment according to the invention,
Fig. 6: shows a longitudinal section perpendicular to the section according to fig. 5, and
Fig. 7: shows a schematic cross section along the line VII-VII in fig. 5.

Figures 1 and 2 show the common components of the cylinder lock in the form of a plug 1, a housing 3 and a number of locking pins located in bores 11 - 17, whereby the assembled locking pin in bore 11 nearest to the opening of the key channel 2, is denoted 21.
As shown with respect to locking pin 21 each locking pin comprises several parts, including an upper pin 21A being under the influence of a compression spring 21C, and a tumbler or bottom pin 21B which has a somewhat pointed lower end adapted to be engaged by the various faces or bits on a key being inserted into the key channel 2. The particular subdivision and the other parts of the locking pins in fig. 1 shall be discussed more closely below.
A hollow cylindrical intermediate sleeve 5 is arranged to be rotatable between the housing 3 and the plug 1. The mutual rotation between these three parts will of course depend upon the position of the locking pins in bores 11 - 17, all these penetrating from housing 3 through sleeve 5 and into plug 1.
As a result of the provision of sleeve 5, which plays a substantial role for the locking function, there are established two surfaces or levels for possible divisions or sheares so that a plug 1 and sleeve 5 respectively, can be rotated in relation to each other and in relation to housing 3, provided that a correct positioning of the individual locking pins 11 - 17, is brought about by insertion of a correct key. What is essential, however, for an increased security in this connection, is an auxiliary pin 20 consisting of an upper part 20A and a lower part 20B both of which in similarity to the other pin parts, are under the influence of a compression spring in its bore 19. Normally the auxiliary pin 20 (in the position shown in fig. 1) will block sleeve 5 against rotation in relation to housing 3. When, however, a key is used which releases plug 1 for rotation in relation to sleeve 5, a cut-away part 1B which is engaged by auxiliary pin part 20B will be displaced by rotation so that the end of pin part 20B upon rotation through a sufficient angle (see fig. 2) will engage the actual cylindrical periphery of plug 1. Since the length of the lower part 20B of auxiliary pin 20 is equal to the radial thickness of sleeve 5 this also leads to the release of sleeve 5 for rotation in relation to housing 3.
Such continued rotation of sleeve 5 by using a correct key, is adapted to bring about the actual movements of the blocking member of the lock, for example a locking bolt. An axial stud 9 at the end of sleeve 5 is provided for this purpose.
At the inner end of plug 1 there is a drive mechanism 7 which transfers the torque from an inserted key through plug 1 to sleeve 5 when the above blocking by auxiliary pin 20 is removed. It is just this required angle of rotation between plug 1 and sleeve 5 for displacing auxiliary pin 20, which to a substantial degree eliminates the possibility of the particular form of tampering which was discussed at the beginning of this description.
Moreover it is obvious that the two shear surfaces being established at the inside and at the outside respectivly of sleeve 5, makes it possible to code the locking pin assembly in a high number of different ways. Each such locking pin 21 thus comprises a particular code pin 21D and a number of dividing pins 21E between the code pin and the bottom pin 21B. Whereas the upper pin 21A normally has the same length in all bores 11 - 17, the bottom pin 21D advantageously can have one of two predetermined lengths, which in combination with individually selected lengths of the respective code pins, constitutes the total key code which can be implemented in each individual lock.
As will appear in particular from fig. 2, the cut-away face 1B which co-operates with auxiliary pin 20 is a plane surface, but it is obvious that this surface can be shaped in various manners in order to perform its cam-like function.
Fig. 2 further shows in a schematic way how a divided locking pin is raised by means of a key inserted in the key channel 2. Besides fig. 2 shows more in detail a device for releasable mutual fixation of plug 1 and sleeve 5 in a normal angular position or central position. A projecting member in the form of a ball 25 lies in a bore 26 in plug 1 under the influence of a compression spring 27 and can be pressed out to engage a groove 28 in the surrounding sleeve 5. Obviously this arrangement could be inverted, i.e. with ball 25 lying at the end of a bore in the sleeve for engaging a groove or a depression in plug surface 1A. This positioning device serves to bring sleeve 5 back to its normal central position when the key is turned back after opening the lock.
It is obvious that a cylinder lock according to the principles of figs. 1 and 2 can be provided with internal steel rods or the like so as to make it difficult to break the lock by boring holes at different points, in particular in the area of the locking pins. In this connection it is an advantage to locate the auxiliary pin 20 axially innermost in the lock, i.e. as far as possible away from that side of the lock which is accessible, namely to the left in fig. 1, where the opening into the key channel 2 is found.
The embodiment in fig. 3 specifically aims at saving space and makes it possible to employ the improved design according to the invention, also in a type of lock of a certain standard which is available commercially. The actual lock housing 33 here has a generally oval shape with a width which is not much larger than the diameter of the plug 31 of the lock. The intermediate sleeve here has the shape of a hollow cylindrical sector 35 which may be considered cut out from a complete hollow cylinder as shown in figs. 1 and 2. The sector-shaped sleeve 35, however, comprises the parts of such a sleeve which are essential to the function described. Even though locking pins and an auxiliary pin have not been indicated in fig. 3, these are provided in a manner fully corresponding to what is found in the embodiment of figs. 1 and 2. Housing 33 in fig. 3 has a cavity or chamber which covers an angular range between side walls 37A and 37B so that sleeve 35 can move within these limitations. In this particular embodiment the blocking effect of the auxiliary pin between housing 33 and sleeve 35 is released upon a rather small angular displacement from the central position. Thus at 31B there is indicated a form of incision in the cylinder surface 31A which in contrast to cam face 1B on the plug 1 in figs. 1 and 2, has a very short extension along the periphery, with an associated small operational angle as mentioned above. This has a relationship to the reduced total rotational movement which is possible in the embodiment of fig. 3. Thus in this embodiment it is the plug 31 itself which carries the drive member for transferring rotation from an inserted key through plug 31 directly to a blocking member for the locking function, for example a locking bolt.
In the embodiment of fig. 3 an additional pin is required, as shown in the enlarged cross-sectional view of fig. 4. Radially through the intermediate sleeve 35 there is provided a bore 41 for a pin 40 which by means of a compression spring 42 is urged radially outwards against the inner cylindrical surface of the surrounding housing 33. In the angular position shown in fig. 4 the inner end 40A of pin 40 engages a short peripheric groove 31C in plug surface 31A, so that this engagement makes the sleeve 35 rotate together with plug 31 when a correct key has been inserted and is turned. When, however, this rotation has brought the pin into a certain angle (at the right in fig 4) to a recess 33A in the cylindrical surface of the housing, pin 40 will be pressed out and the above engagement in the peripheric groove 31C is terminated. Apparently this will take place when the aforementioned small angle determined by the cam face and/or the incision 31B has been exceeded, but before sleeve 35 abutts against the side wall 37B of the chamber in housing 33. When plug 31 has become free to be further rotated in relation to sleeve 35, a sufficient rotation can be performed by the plug in order to cause the required movement of the blocking member in the lock.
The embodiment of figs. 3 and 4 in practice will be considered somewhat less secure than the embodiment of figs. 1 and 2, but anyhow will be completely useful in many instances, in particular when the question of space and the commonly used standard locks with associated lock casing and so forth are taken into consideration. In principle, however, the embodiment of figs. 3 and 4 will give the same protection against the particular form of tampering ("impressioning") as the embodiment first described above.
Figs. 5, 6 and 7, however, show a further embodiment which represents an improvement in relation to the one in figs. 1 and 2 as far as security is concerned. The improvement is related to a specific solution regarding the auxiliary pin and its function.
In figs. 5, 6 and 7 there is again a plug 51, an intermediate sleeve 55 and a housing 53 as well as other components found in the embodiment of figs. 1 and 2, including a number of locking pins 51A-F. Instead of a separate radial auxiliary pin in line with the locking pins as in figs. 1 and 2, the embodiment of figs. 5, 6 and 7 has an auxiliary pin 60 lying in principle parallel to the axis of the plug. More particularly this auxiliary pin is located with the main portion of its length in a bore in the sleeve and normally projects with an end part 64 into a bore 53A in the surrounding housing 53. A compression spring 61 serves to push auxiliary pin 60 into bore 53A. Thus in this normal position sleeve 51 is rotatably locked to housing 53.
Release of this lock or blocking effect takes place by means of cam surfaces formed by edge portions of a recess 66 in the surface of plug 51. A radial stud 62 on auxiliary pin 60 co-operates with recess 66 for this prupose. Stud 62 projects through an elongated groove 55B in the intermediate sleeve so that it can enter into recess 66.
As shown more clearly in fig. 5 recess 66 is approximately heart-shaped, having a crest or top point 66C and edge portions 66A and 66B tapering outwards from this point and extending in this example at angles symmetrically in relation to the longitudinal axis. From the opposite side in relation to point 66C a tongue 66D projects in a direction towards top point 66C and has its end located at a distance from point 66C greater than the lateral dimension of stud 62. In the normal position (as appears in particular from fig. 6) this stud has a rest just in top point 66C, which in actual practice will be represented by a rounding between the tapered edges 66A and 66B. Between these tapered edges and the tongue 66D there is all the way a sufficient space for stud 62 to be displaced while guided by these tapered edges outwards and inwards in relation to top point 66C.
With such a cam-like recess 6 rotation of plug 51 in relation to sleeve 55 will result in retraction of auxiliary pin 60 from bore 53A against the influence of spring 61, whereby a sufficient mutual rotational angle leads to removal of the rotational blocking between housing 53 and sleeve 55. In this respect the effect will be quite analogous to what is obtained by the auxiliary pin 20 and the cut-away cam part 1B on the plug in the embodiment of figs. 1 and 2. Because of its position, however, the auxiliary pin 60 is less subject to various forms of tampering or attempts to break the lock.
An important detail regarding the recess 66 consists therein that the end of the projecting tongue 66D has an end surface which faces the stud 62 at a relatively small spacing therefrom, so that possible attempts of boring opposite the end 64 of auxiliary pin 60, will not allow the auxiliary pin to be pushed inwards, because the stud 62 in such case wil abutt the end of tongue 66D. In this connection it is remarked that auxiliary pin 60 may also be oriented in an opposite manner, i.e. with the end part 64 directed to the left in figs. 5 and 6, with corresponding inverting of the recess 66.
Finally this embodiment has advantages with respect to centering of the plug for retraction of the key after use. Tapering edges 66A and 66B together with spring 61 will bring plug 51 to be centered by having stud 61 pressed towards top point 66C. A dual function is obtained thereby, namely this centering effect in addition to removal of the blocking between housing 53 and sleeve 55. Compared to the embodiment of figs. 1 and 2, where particular structural elements 25 - 28 serve for the centering, a simplification is then obtained here. The simplification also applies to the auxiliary pin itself, which in figs. 5 and 6 is made up by a single element. Moreover the latter embodiment has the advantage of reducing the total length of the lock arrangement.

Claims

Cylinder lock comprising
- a plug (1, 31) having a key channel (2, 32),

- a housing (3, 33) surrounding the plug and

- an intermediate sleeve (5, 35) provided between the plug (1, 31) and the housing (3, 33) and adapted to be rotated about the same axis (10, 50) as the plug, as well as

- a number of through bores (11-17) for divided locking pins (21) adapted to be shifted in their longitudinal direction in the bores by means of a key inserted into the key channel (2, 32),
characterized in that

- each of the locking pins is subdivided to a bottom pin (21B), a number of thin dividing pins (21E), a code pin (21D) and an upper pin (21A), for establishing a first shear surface between the plug (1, 31) and the sleeve (5, 35) and a second shear surface between the sleeve (5, 35) and the housing (3, 33), upon insertion of a correct key,

- the intermediate sleeve (5, 35) has a sufficiently large radial thickness so as to accommodate the whole length of a code pin (21D) and a portion of an upper pin (21A),

- the thin dividing pins (21E) are located between each code pin (21D) and the associated bottom pin (21D),

- an additional bore (19) for separate auxiliary pin (20) is provided in the housing (3, 33) and the sleeve (5, 35), adapted to be engaged by surfaces (1A, 1B, 31A, 31B) on the plug (1, 31) so that the blocking effect of the auxiliary pin with respect to the sleeve (5, 35) in relation to the housing (3, 33) is released when the plug (1, 31) is rotated through a given angle in relation to the sleeve, and

- drive means (7, 9) is adapted to transfer the rotation of the plug beyond said given angle, into movement of a blocking member in a lock, for example a locking bolt.
Cylinder lock according to claim 1,
characterized in that the auxiliary pin (20) is located axially inwardly of the locking pins (21) as seen in relation to the opening of the key channel.
Cylinder lock according to claim 1 or 2,
characterized in that said surfaces on the plug (1) comprise a preferably plane cut-away part (1B) from the adjacent cylindrical surface (1A) of the plug.
Cylinder lock according to claim 1, 2 or 3,
characterized in that there is provided a spring-actuated projecting member (25) at one (1) of the parts comprising the plug (1) and the sleeve (5), and a complementary groove (28) at the other (5) of these parts, for a releasable mutual fixation of the plug (1) and the sleeve (5) in a normal angular position.
Cylinder lock according to claim 1,
characterized in that the auxiliary pin (60) is located parallel to the axis of the plug (51) with a substantial portion of its length in a bore in the sleeve (55) and an end part (64) being adapted to enter into a bore (53A) in the housing (53) under the influence of a spring (61), and that a radially inwards projecting stud (62) on the auxiliary pin (60) enters through a groove (55B) in the sleeve (55) into a cam-like recess (66) at the surface of the plug (51), for releasing said blocking effect by axial shifting of the auxiliary pin (60) against the spring influence, by said rotation of the plug in relation to the sleeve.
Cylinder lock according to claim 5,
characterized in that said cam-like recess (66) has an approximate heart shape with two tapering edges (66A, 66B) which in relation to the axial direction diverge from a top point (66C) in which the stud (62) on the auxiliary pin (60) normally has its rest, and that an axially projecting tongue (66D) from the opposite side of the recess (66) protrudes towards the top point (66C) with a spacing therefrom somewhat larger than the lateral dimension of the stud (62).
Cylinder lock according to any one of claims 1-6,
characterized in that the intermediate sleeve (5) has a hollow cylindrical shape and substantially encloses the plug (1) and is itself substantially surrounded by the housing (3).
Cylinder lock according to claim 7,
characterized in that drive means (7) provide for rotation of the sleeve (5) together with the plug (1) when the latter is rotated beyond said given angle, and that a member (9) of the sleeve is adapted to move a blocking member in a lock, for example a locking bolt.
Cylinder lock according to any one of claims 1-4,
characterized in that the intermediate sleeve (35) has the shape of a hollow cylinder sector comprising an angle being substantially less than 180° and being adapted to be moved in a sector-shaped chamber in the housing (33) having an angular extension between side walls (37A, 37B) somwhat larger than the angle of the hollow cylinder sector, and that a member of the plug (31) is adapted to move a blocking member in a lock, for example a locking bolt.
Cylinder lock according to claim 9,
characterized by additionally comprising a radially moveable pin (40) provided in a bore (41) in the sleeve (35) and adapted to have its inner end (40A) engage a short peripheric groove (31C) on the plug (31) and to be urged under spring actuation with its opposite end against the inner cylindrical surface of the housing (33), and that the cylindrical surface of the housing at a certain angular position has a depression (33A) for said opposite end of the pin (40) so that a blocking effect between the groove (31C) and said inner end (40A) is released to allow continued rotation of the plug (31) for opening the lock.