EP0566701B1 - Key for a cylinder lock - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a key for a cylinder lock, the flat sides of the key having longitudinal ribs and/or grooves running in the direction in which the key is inserted into the keyhole. The key is characterized in that at least one of the flat sides of the key also has at least one groove (18, 19, 20) which is shorter than the shaft (2) of the key and which is inclined at an angle to the direction (3) in which the key is inserted into the lock.

Description

The invention relates to a key for cylinder lock according to the preamble of claim 1. Furthermore, the invention relates to a cylinder lock for this key.

The invention is based on keys and cylinder locks as disclosed by AT-PS 392 506, AT-PS 347 285, 340 802, 371 879 and in particular by DE-A-3 603 687. However, all of these known constructions can be improved with all the advantages given in terms of key security and the number of available variations.

The known longitudinal profile with longitudinal ribs and / or longitudinal grooves on the key flat sides can be reworked with relatively simple means. With regard to the number of variations, a large number of possible variations is desirable, in particular since the options actually available are often drastically reduced when working out locking systems with hierarchically designed locks and keys, even if there is theoretically a high number of variations.

The present invention has for its object to overcome the above disadvantages, keys and locks to make available, which make the improper copying of keys difficult, offer a large number of possible variations and still meet the required quality standards from a constructional point of view and with regard to wear and tear.

To achieve this object, the features of the characterizing part of claim 1 are provided.

The profile grooves can advantageously have a cross section that corresponds to the cross section of the longitudinal grooves. According to further features of the invention, the profile groove can be arranged either above or below or on both sides with respect to a groove symmetry. Profile grooves can be provided in a key, which have different angular positions with respect to the insertion direction of the key. The longitudinal grooves and profile grooves are provided either on one or on both key flat sides.

According to a further feature of the invention, the key is characterized in that using flat keys in cylinder locks for locking systems, the key for forming the longitudinal profile in a manner known per se comprises a basic profile which is invariable within a locking system and a variable profile which together make up the overall profile and both the basic profile and the variable profile are provided distributed over the key area effective for locking or unlocking and the profiles are arranged nested one inside the other, so that on each side of the key at least one profile element of the basic profile or the variable profile between two profile elements of the variable profile (or the basic profile) are arranged.

The cylinder lock according to the invention is primarily characterized in that scanning elements are provided which scan the flat sides of the key with the scanning end and are opposite locking recesses of the cylinder housing with locking projections in the O position of the cylinder core and come to lie within the cylinder core with the correct key when the cylinder core is rotated and If the key is incorrect, remain in the recess and prevent twisting. The scanning elements are platelets which extend along the insertion direction of the key, the scanning ends of these platelets being arranged obliquely to this insertion direction in accordance with the angle of the profile grooves of the associated key.

Further features of the invention can be found in the claims, the description and the drawings.

The invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of schematic drawings and some exemplary embodiments. Figure 1 shows the side view of a key according to the invention. Figure 2 is the cross section through a known profiling scheme and Figure 3 is a section along the line III-III in Figure 1. 4 and 5 are views of the cylinder core from the side and from above. Figure 6 is a top view of a lock detail and Figure 7 is the view in the direction of arrow VII in Figure 6. 8a, 8b and 8c are a section along the line VIII-VIII in Fig.6 for different embodiments of this construction element. FIG. 9 illustrates a section through a cylinder lock according to the line IX-IX in FIG. 4, the cylinder housing being additionally arranged. 10 is a side view of a further embodiment of a key according to the invention and FIG. 11 is a section along the line XI-XI in FIG. 10. 12 and 13 are sections along the line XII-XII in Fig.10. Fig. 14 shows four variants a) to d) of the profile groove in the key. 15 is a section through a further embodiment variant and FIGS. 16 to 19 show a lock element in mutually associated cracks. Figure 20 is a side view of an embodiment of the key. Figures 21 to 27 show another preferred embodiment in different views and sections. Fig. 28 is a view of a further developed plate and Fig. 29 is a section XXIX-XXIX through the associated lock part. Figure 30 shows a preferred key design.

1 schematically shows a key according to the invention, wherein the variation elements shown can also represent an exemplary embodiment for a practical embodiment. The flat key comprises, as usual, the key chalk 1 and the key shaft 2, which can essentially be completely inserted in the insertion direction 3 into the key channel of an associated cylinder lock. The key shaft 2 comprises the key back 4, the key tip 5 and the key face 6. Dashed notches 7 are drawn in broken lines from the key face, which can cooperate in a known manner with the tumbler pins of the cylinder lock.

On the key flat side, two key grooves 8 and 11 are provided as part of the key length profile, which extend in the direction of the key insertion direction 3 and thus run parallel to the key back 4.

Furthermore, additional profile grooves 18, 19 and 20 are provided, the length of which is smaller than the length of the key shaft 2 and which are arranged obliquely to the direction of insertion 3 of the key. A profile groove 21, for example, which is inclined differently, is shown in broken lines. At one and the same scanning point of the key, for example, two intersecting profile grooves can be provided in order to have the same key within one To be able to scan the locking system of different scanning elements of different locks.

Line 22 is the profile groove symmetry of each profile groove. Depending on the design of the associated scanning element in the lock, the profile groove actually formed on the key can be arranged either above or below or on both sides of this profile groove symmetry 22. In Figure 1, the profile grooves are formed on both sides of the profile groove symmetry, which is only an example, as will be explained in more detail later.

In Fig.1 only one key flat side is shown. The other key flat side of the same key can likewise have longitudinal profile grooves or ribs and the profile grooves (18, 19 or 20) in an analogous manner, the angular positions of the grooves being the same or opposite or being provided in a different position.

The longitudinal profile of the key and, analogously, the key channel in the lock are preferably formed according to a profile system which is described in AT-PSs 340 802 and 371 879. This profile system is explained in more detail below with reference to FIG. 2.

The profile system is based on a theoretical basic profile 23, which can be thought of as being composed of rhomboid elements 24 arranged in a zigzag shape. The spaces between the adjoining elements 24 up to the enveloping planes 25 can either be formed as grooves or key material can be left as a rib in order to achieve the necessary profiling and variety of variations. The longitudinal profile elements are designated by the reference numerals 8 to 17, with the reference numerals 13 and 14 two adjacent to each other Ribs are hatched. It is noteworthy that with this type of profiling the ribs (eg 13 and / or 14) remain within the enveloping planes 25. If a key has all the ribs, then the key has a smooth surface, which should be avoided in practice.

In the production of such keys, it is of course assumed that a key blank corresponds to the enveloping levels 25, and by removing or leaving key material at points 8 to 17, either grooves or ribs are provided.

Another system can be used to develop hierarchies in locking systems. As described and characterized in AT-PS 371 879, the key and the associated key channel can preferably comprise a basic profile which is invariable within a locking system and a variable profile which together form the overall profile, both the basic profile and the variable profile Profile are provided distributed over the key area effective for locking or unlocking. The profiles are preferably nested, so that at least one profile element of the basic profile is arranged between two profile elements of the variable profile on each side of the key.

This profile system comes into its own when developing locking systems, especially when a high number of hierarchical levels has to be taken into account. When working out the individual profiles of this locking system, the profile elements 8, 10 and 15 on the key are always provided as a rib, so that the basic profile of this system consists of the theoretical basic profile 23 and the ribs 8, 10 and 15 attached to it.

All other profile elements 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16 and 17 are available for the variations in order to form the necessary closing differences.

With this profile system, it is particularly advantageous that the basic profile of the entire system cannot be recognized from a single key, so that the misuse of a key of this system is difficult. There is also the advantage that the keys have a more complicated appearance, the higher the hierarchy. This also makes it difficult to imitate the higher-level keys of a system.

3 shows the cross section of a key (analogously also the cross section of an associated key channel), the profile system of which is shown schematically in accordance with that of FIG. 2, the actual profile design assumed as an example being drawn out with strong lines. The figure is a section along the line III-III in Fig.1 and thus cuts through the additional profile groove 18, which is oblique to the longitudinal profile grooves of the key. The same elements are designated by the same reference numerals from FIGS. 1 and 2.

As can be seen, the profile elements 12, 13 and 14 are provided as ribs. All other profile elements and among them also the profile elements 9 and 10 are present as grooves that extend over the entire length of the key shaft.

The cross section of the profile groove 18, which extends obliquely over the key, is trough-shaped, the profile groove being arranged on both sides of the profile groove symmetry 22 in this exemplary embodiment.

To form variations, it is also possible to have the profile groove only above the profile groove or below it to provide this symmetry and to have it scanned by appropriately trained scanning elements.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, the profile groove 18 cuts both into the overlying longitudinal groove 8 and into the underneath longitudinal groove 11.

4 and 5 show a view from the side and from above of a cylinder core, as it can be used in connection with the keys described above. The cylinder core 26 accommodates the continuous key channel 27. With 28 the core collar is designated, which points outside the associated housing to the outside. The cylinder core end 29 lies in the interior of the lock and connects the rotary movement of the cylinder core 26 in a manner not shown with a clutch on a locking lug, which in turn actuates the door lock. All of these elements are state of the art.

With 30 the holes for the pin tumblers are designated.

The core recesses 31 are arranged approximately perpendicular to the key channel 27 and narrow somewhat in the area 32 toward the key channel 27. The upwardly extending recesses 33 result in practice when using end mills for the formation of the core recesses 31. When using other tools, this recess 33 can also be omitted.

In the core recesses 31, scanning elements in the form of platelets 34 are provided, as shown in FIG. 6 and in FIGS. 7 and 8. At the key end, each plate has a scanning end 35 and on the other side a locking extension 36.

The scanning end 35 is in the direction of arrow VII and how shown in Fig. 7, formed as an oblique projection, the slope being arranged such that the scanning end 35 can dip into the associated obliquely arranged profile groove (18, 19 or 20) with a correct key. This embodiment thus combines the manufacturing advantage of the axially parallel core recesses 31 with the oblique scanning of the oblique profile grooves.

7 shows a profile rib symmetry 37 and, with respect to this profile rib symmetry, three different designs of the scanning end are possible, as shown in FIGS. 8a to 8c. The scanning end 35 is provided either above or below or on both sides of this profile rib symmetry 37. The illustration in FIG. 8 shows only the cut surface along the line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7 and not the other edges of this body. The locking extension 36 has a round wedge-shaped course and engages in a locking recess 38 of the cylinder housing 39 in the O position of the cylinder core according to FIG. As can easily be seen from this FIG. 9, the key 40 can be inserted unhindered into the key channel 27, since the plate 34 has enough space to escape into the locking recess 38. When the cylinder core 26 is rotated, the locking extension 36 runs onto the walls of the latching recess 38 and the plate 34 is pushed inwards in the direction of the key channel 27. If the key is correctly designed and has the correct profile groove 18, the scanning end 35 fits into the profile groove 18 and the plate lies entirely within the cylinder core 26, so that the rotation of the cylinder core is made possible. If the key is incorrect, the scanning end 35 abuts the key material and the locking extension 36 does not release the locking recess 38, so that rotation of the cylinder core is prevented.

Regarding the number of variations it can be stated that through each of the diagonally arranged profile grooves, four additional variation options can be created. 8 shows three of these possibilities and the fourth variation is that the plate is provided without a scanning end 35, so that no oblique profile groove is assigned to the key. The plate 34 prevents the housing pin 41 from snapping into the core recess 31 when it is rotated past the housing pin 41. The core pin is designated 47. The number of variations in the longitudinal profile elements is not influenced by the arrangement of the oblique profile grooves. The variations of the oblique profile grooves are fully effective. If the oblique profile grooves are only provided on one key side, this increases the number of profile elements available for variation by six. Five longitudinal profile elements on each key page provide 1,024 possible variations. With the longitudinal profile elements, three additional inclined profile grooves provide around 64,000 possible variations.

Modifications of the illustrated exemplary embodiments are possible in many ways within the scope of the invention. The inclined profile grooves can also be crossed on the key, one of the two grooves being scanned in the core. It can lock the same key in different cores.

The profile grooves 18, 19, 20 are preferably guided at most up to the center line of the key profile cross section or somewhat shallower in order to avoid breakthroughs in the key wall.

10 shows a side view of another embodiment of the key according to the invention. The oblique profile grooves 18, 19, 20 are more than the embodiment according to FIG moved towards the key syringe and partially overlap each other. The profile grooves 18 and 20 are made narrower, whereas the profile groove 19 has twice the width (see also Fig. 14). Fig. 11 is a section along the line XI-XI and is self-evident. The cut edges with the longitudinal profile grooves 8, 11 are not shown in this sectional view in order to keep the illustration easier.

12, 13 are representations analogous to FIGS. 2 and 3. All profile options and the possible cross-sectional shapes of the oblique profile groove 42, 43 are shown on the left and right side of the bowl. It is possible to provide both profile grooves 42, 43 on the two sides of a key. To scan such a key at all scanning points, the corresponding plates must of course be provided on both sides of the key channel.

The individual longitudinal profile elements are shown in FIGS. 12, 13 dimensioned in such a way as is advantageously done in practice. With 44 one of the possible ribs is shown hatched. At 45 two juxtaposed ribs are provided, which fill the key up to the envelope 46 in this area.

14 shows schematically the four possible variations A) to D) for the cross section of the oblique profile grooves 18, 19 or 20. The profile groove designated by 19 in FIG. 10 corresponds to variant B). The profile grooves 18 and 20 also drawn in FIG. 10 correspond to either variant A) or variant D). C) shows the variant in which no oblique profile groove is provided and, accordingly, the plate 34 must not have a scanning end 35.

The angle between the profile grooves 18, 19, 20 and the direction of insertion the key can be freely selected and is approximately 15 ° in the embodiment according to FIG. 10.

A further exemplary embodiment for the key according to the invention and the associated lock are shown in FIGS. 15 to 20.

15 shows a view of the end face of the cylinder housing 39 with the cut cylinder core 26. A key 52 is pushed into the key channel and presses the core pin 47 downward in the release position. The core pin 47 is guided in the core pin bore 51.

The plate 48 is biased by a spring 50 in the direction of the locking recess 38 in this embodiment. The plate 48 has a downwardly projecting tab 53 on which the compression spring 50 engages. A recess 49 is provided in the housing for guiding the tab 53 and receiving the spring 50.

In the variant shown in FIG. 15, the plate 48 abuts the key material with its scanning end 54, so that the lock cannot be unlocked. Locking is only possible if a correct key is inserted, which has the profile groove corresponding to the scanning end 54.

FIGS. 16 to 19 show a variant of the plate 48 in mutually associated cracks. FIG. 17 is a section along the line XVII-XVII in FIG. 16.

The scanning end 54 of the plate 48 has an inclined profile that is complementary to a corresponding profile of inclined profile grooves of the associated key. For example, two grooves 55, 56 and three ribs 57, 58 and 59 are provided. This slanted Profiling can preferably be carried out in the same or similar way as the longitudinal grooves and longitudinal ribs on the key flat sides, whereby, as described above, both the basic profile and the variable profile are provided distributed over the key area effective for locking or unlocking and these profiles are nested one inside the other. The blocking extension is designated 60 in these figures.

FIG. 20 is a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a key 52, as can be used in conjunction with the lock according to FIGS. 15 to 19. On the key flat side, in addition to the longitudinal grooves and longitudinal ribs, oblique profile groove groups 61, 62, 63 are provided at three points and are scanned by appropriately designed plates 48 of the lock.

The profile grooves here take an angle of approximately 45 ° with respect to the direction of insertion of the key, which only applies, for example.

In the embodiments described above, several plates are arranged in the lock on at least one side of the key channel, e.g. three plates 54 according to FIGS. 16 to 19 corresponding to the three inclined profile groove groups 61, 62 and 63 in FIG. 20.

In the preferred exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 21 to 27, two inclined profile groove groups 64, 65 are provided on a flat key side (FIG. 26), which are scanned together by a single plate 66, as shown in FIGS. 21 to 23. The plate 66 comprises at the scanning end 67 in two groups all inclined profile ribs 68, which are required for scanning the two profile groove groups 64 and 65 of the key according to FIG. 26. Along the barrier process 69, a stop rib 70 extends to one side of the plate 66.

24 shows a broken representation of the side view of a cylinder core 71 with the recess 72, from which the plate 66 is received. Fig. 25 is the section along the line XXV-XXV in Fig. 24. The stop rib 70 of the plate 66 (FIGS. 21, 22), in cooperation with the edge 73, prevents the plate 66 from penetrating too far into the cylinder core when it is moved within the recess.

With regard to the above explanations regarding the previously described exemplary embodiments, the function is self-evident. If all the inclined ribs 68 of the plate 66 match the inclined profile grooves of the two profile groove groups 64, 65 of the key according to FIG. 26, the plate 66 can extend as far Immerse in the cylinder core 71 so that the locking extension 69 releases the associated groove in the cylinder housing and the cylinder core 71 can be rotated. This results in a functional position, as is shown analogously in FIG. 9. If the key does not match the lock, the locking extension 69 remains engaged at least in sections with the associated locking recess of the cylinder housing and the lock is blocked.

The Fig.27 is a section along the line XXVII-XXVII in Fig.26 and shows that the millings to form the inclined profile groove 74 are arcuate and do not cut the key spine 75, so that the key spine 75 remains smooth on its edges, which inserting the key facilitates and avoids sharp jags.

Fig. 28 shows a further development of the plate according to Fig. 21 to 23. In the middle area with reduced cross-sectional dimensions a slide 76 is arranged, the two legs 77, 78 of which are approximately that amount shorter than the width of the plate 66 with which the scanning end 67 engages with the inclined ribs 68 in the inclined profile grooves of the key.

With a properly designed "correct" key, the slider 76 abuts the flat side 79 of the key with its scanning end so that its leading end 82 largely covers the recess 83 and the housing pins 84 arranged in this plane of rotation slide over the recess 83. In the case of a wrong key, which has a continuous large longitudinal groove on the flat side of the bowl 79 instead of the inclined profile grooves and ribs, the slide 76 dips with its scanning end 81 into this groove of the key, so that the housing pin 84 into the recess 83 when the cylinder core 85 rotates past engages and catches the cylinder core. This "negative" query increases security against unauthorized imitation of the key and switching off the query of the inclined profile elements by arranging a simple, wide longitudinal groove in the key.

For Fig. 29 it should also be noted that the slide 76 has no stop rib 70. Housing pin 84 is preferably one that cooperates with the core pins in a known manner.

The recess 83 is slightly expanded to accommodate the housing pin 84 (extension 86). On the other side, a drainage surface 87 can be provided (shown in broken lines) in order to enable the core to be turned back.

FIG. 30 shows the cross section through part of the key 88 along an inclined profile groove 89. In the region of the deepest notch there is a longitudinal rib 90, which increases the stability of the key.

Claims (16)

1. A key for a cylinder lock, the key having longitudinal ribs and/or longitudinal grooves on its flat sides, such ribs and/or grooves extending in the direction of key insertion into the key channel, at least one further profiled groove being present on at least one flat side of the key, the length of the latter groove being less than the length of the key stem, characterised in that the profiled groove (18, 19, 20, 74) is straight over its whole length, is disposed inclinedly to the key insertion direction (3) and intersects at least one longitudinal groove (8, 11).
2. A key according to claim 1, characterised in that the inclined profiled groove (74) extends arcuately depthwise and terminates in the associated flat side of the key so that the edges of the key back (75) are smooth.
3. A key according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the longitudinal grooves (8 - 17) and profiled grooves (18, 19, 20, 74) are present on both the flat sides of the key.
4. A key according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that a longitudinal rib (90) is provided near the lowest indentation of the inclined profiled grooves (89) on the flat side of the key.
5. A key according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the key is formed with profiled grooves (21) which have various angular positions relatively to the key insertion direction (3).
6. A key according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that for locking systems the key has in known manner to form the longitudinal profiling a main profile which is invariable within a locking system and a variable profile, the two latter profiles together making up the complete profile, and both the main profile and the variable profile are distributed over the key zone operative for locking or unlocking and the profiles are so nested one in another that on each side of the key at least one profile element of the main profile and of the variable profile is respectively disposed between two profile elements of the variable profile and the main profile.
7. A key according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that groups (61 to 65) of profiled grooves are disposed inclinedly to the key insertion direction on a number of, preferably two or more, sensing positions on the flat side of the key (52).
8. A key according to claim 7, characterised in that the profiled groove groups (61, 62, 63) each form a profiling wherein in known manner a main profile invariable within a locking system and a variable profile, such two profiles making up the complete profile, are provided and both the main profile and the variable profile are distributed over the key zone operative for locking or unlocking and the profiles are so nested one in another at least one profile element of the main profile and of the variable profile is respectively disposed between two profile elements of the variable profile and main profile.
9. A key according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the inclined profiled grooves (74) extend arcuately and terminate in the associated flat side of the key so that the edges of the key back (75) are smooth.
10. A cylinder lock for flat keys according to any of claims 1 to 9, sensing elements being provided which by means of a sensing end sense the flat sides of the key, have locking projections disposed opposite latching recesses in the cylinder casing in the O-position of the cylinder core, move thereinto when the core is turned with the correct key but remain in the latching recess when the wrong key is used and thus prevent rotation, characterised in that the sensing elements are tabs (34, 48) which extend along the key insertion direction and the sensing ends (35) of the tabs are disposed inclinedly to the key insertion direction in accordance with the angle of the profiled grooves of the associated key (40).
11. A cylinder lock according to claim 10, characterised in that the sending end (35) of the tab (34) is disposed above or below or on either side of a symmetry line (37) of a profiled rib of the tab or the sending end (35) of the tab is entirely omitted so that each tab has four variation possibilities.
12. A cylinder lock according to claim 11, characterised in that the or each tab (48) has profiled grooves (55, 56) and profiled ribs (57, 58, 59) at an inclination to the key insertion direction and similarly to the profiling of the profiled groove group (61, 62, 63).
13. A cylinder lock according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterised in that the tabs are resiliently biased towards the latching recess (38) in the cylinder casing (39).
14. A cylinder lock according to claim 13, characterised in that the tab has a member (53) adapted to engage a compression spring (50) which bears on the cylinder core (26).
15. A cylinder lock according to claim 10, characterised in that a single tab (66) is provided in a recess (72) on at least one side of the key channel in the cylinder core (71) and has at the sensing end (67) two groups of inclined profiled ribs (68).
16. A cylinder lock according to claim 14, characterised in that the tab (66) has a slider (76) which is movable relatively to the tab and whose length is less in the displacement direction than the width of the tab, and in response to a correct key the slider (76) engages the flat side (79) of the key by way of its sensing end (81) and by way of its leading end (82) covers the recess (83) towards the cylinder casing, while in response to an incorrect key the slider (76) engages by way of its sensing end (81) into a groove in the key and by way of its leading end (82) frees the recess (83) so that a resiliently biased casing pin (84) can engage in the recess (83) and thus block the cylinder core (85).

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