EP0794305B1 - Key for cylinder lock and cylinder lock operatable with said key - Google Patents

Description

The main subject of the present invention is a key for lock cylinder.

It also targets a maneuverable lock cylinder with this key.

We have known for a long time the keys to maneuver a lock cylinder comprising movable members, such as as for example fittings, grooves or the like actuated by the key bit to authorize the unlocking and rotating the barrel rotor by report to the stator of this barrel.

Furthermore, we also know, for example by patent document FR-2 492 872, keys for barrel lock, the bit of which has a housing containing a rolling or sliding body, such as by example a ball, able to move freely in said housing to cooperate with a movable element of the barrel rotor.

The present invention aims to provide a key to genre above, on which the movement of the ball is carried out in such a way that it authorizes for a movable member secured to the rotor of the barrel of the shapes any suitable and of course remaining within the limit allowed for correct actuation of this member mobile in order to cause unlocking and rotation of the barrel rotor relative to the stator.

So, as we can understand, not only will it be extremely difficult to make a key mechanically equivalent to that of the present invention, since we will not know the shape of the movable member likely to be operated by this equivalent key, but it will also extremely difficult to reproduce a key according to this invention identically.

To this end, the invention relates to a cylinder key lock, of the type comprising a bit in which is provided a housing containing a rolling body or slippery, such as for example a ball, likely to move freely in said housing to cooperate with a movable element of the barrel rotor, characterized in that said rolling or sliding body is trapped in a notch in the key bit and longitudinally oriented and substantially parallel to the axis of the key rod so that said rolling body or sliding can move parallel to this axis when it cooperates with the moving element of the rotor barrel, and in that the aforementioned notch contains at level of its longitudinal edges constituting its part emerging, two notches opposite which, while retaining the rolling or sliding body in the notch, form at their respective opposite ends stops limiting the free longitudinal movement of said body in the gash.

In a preferred embodiment, the bottom of the longitudinal cut consists of two parts arched and concave ends joined by through a substantially flat part on which rolls or slides the aforementioned body between the notches stops.

The invention also relates to an assembly formed by a lock cylinder and a key meeting the above characteristics, characterized in that the barrel includes movable members, such as by example of actuable seals, grooves or the like by the key bit to authorize the unlocking and rotating the barrel rotor by report to the barrel stator, in that one of said movable parts has an edge defining a path of recessed rolling or sliding for the rolling body or sliding associated with the key, and in that said path rolling or sliding is formed between two bosses or the like, one of which cooperates with said body rolling or sliding when the key is inserted into the barrel and the other of which participates in the retention provisional key bit in the barrel.

Preferably, the raceway or sliding in aforementioned hollow has a concave curvature remaining in the authorization limit for actuation of the organ movable by the rolling or sliding body associated with the key.

The position of the deepest part of the path the aforementioned recessed rolling or sliding is furthermore advantageously located between the two aforementioned bosses.

But other features and advantages of the invention will appear better in the description detailed which follows and refers to the attached drawings, given only by way of example, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a conforming key to the principles of the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the bit of this key, along line II-II of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an axial sectional view of the bit along line III-III of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a schematic view in axial section a lock cylinder in the locked position and comprising a movable member capable of cooperating with the key according to this invention.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but showing the lock in the unlocked position by the key bit visible in position inserted in the barrel.

Figure 6 is a view substantially identical to the Figure 5 but showing another form embodiment for the movable member.

Figure 7 is a view substantially identical to that Figures 5 and 6, but showing yet another realization of form for the movable member.

As can be seen in FIGS. 1 to 3 in particular, a key according to this invention essentially comprises a rod 1 comprising at one of its ends a ring 2 and at the other end a bit 3 which, according to the example shown, has a shape substantially tapered and carries radial fins 4 which can be introduced into a barrel entry 30, marked with a generally at 5 in Figure 4.

In the bit 3 is provided a notch, a recess or the like 6 defining a housing for a ball 7. More precisely, the ball 7 is mounted captive in the notch 6 which, as can be seen in Figures 1 and 3 extends longitudinally and substantially parallel to the axis of the rod 1 of the key so that said ball can move parallel to this axis in the notch or recess 6.

The notch 6 has at its edges 6a constituting its through part, two notches 8 in vis-à-vis which retain the ball 7 in said notch while allowing it to move freely by rolling in the notch, and this substantially parallel to the axis of the rod 1.

The notches 8 facing each other form at their ends opposite with the edges 6a, stops 8a limiting the free longitudinal movement of the ball 7 in notch 6.

As best seen in Figure 3, the bottom of the longitudinal notch 6 has a part substantially flat 9 on which the ball 7 can roll whose movement is limited by the stops 8a of the indentations 8 holding the ball 7 trapped in notch 6.

The substantially flat and central part 9 of the bottom of the notch extends, on one side and on the other by two arched and concave parts constituting in a way the ends of the notch 6. These end parts arched, identified at 10 and 11 in Figures 1 and 3 are visible from the outside, in that the notch 6 opens out not only at the notches 8, but also on either side of these notches.

Referring now to Figure 4, we see a lock cylinder 30 capable of operating with the key which has just been described and which includes a stator 12 in which is mounted rotating a rotor 13 actuable by the key. As known per se, mobile organs covering, following the example shown, the shape of small plates 14 are mounted articulated, as seen in 15, on the rotor 13. The movable members 14 are biased by a spring 16 in the locked position of the lock, which is the position visible in the figure 4, and in which the rotor 13 is immobilized in rotation in the stator 12. When introducing the key through entry 5 of barrel 30, fins 4 of bit 3 will act on in particular the spout 17 of the organs mobile 14, against the force exerted by the spring 16, thereby aligning the movable members 14 with notches or the like 18 formed in the stator 12. This will unlock the barrel 30 and will, when the key is rotated, rotate the rotor 13 in stator 12 and therefore actuation of any mechanism (not represented).

All the above provisions are known per se and do not deserve further explanation.

In accordance with the invention, the barrel 30 visible on Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 is provided with a movable member special 20 in the form of platinum or similar according to the example shown, and having an edge 21 defining a recessed raceway 22 for the ball 7 associated with the key.

This recessed or concave raceway 22 extends between two ends or bosses 23, 24 formed on the edge 21 of the movable member 20.

It will be observed here that the concave curvature of the path of bearing 22 could be arbitrary, of course within the limit of authorization for actuation of the organ mobile 20 by the ball 7 associated with the key, as is will describe later about the operation.

In addition, it is important to observe that, in accordance with the present invention the position of the most of the raceway 22 can be located at a any place between the two ends or bosses 23, 24 belonging to the edge 21 of the movable member 20.

Thus, as seen in Figures 4 and 5, the part the deepest of the concave rolling path 22 is located near the boss 24.

According to the embodiment illustrated by FIG. 6, this deepest concave part of the path of bearing 22 is located equidistant from the bosses 23 and 24.

In the embodiment visible in FIG. 7, this part the deepest of the concave rolling path 22 is located near the boss 23.

But, for a better understanding of the invention, we will now explain how the unlocking of barrel 30, at organ level mobile 20, referring to FIG. 5, 6 or 7, being understood that in all three cases operation will be the same, using the same key, namely the one described previously.

By inserting the bit 3 of the key in entry 5 barrel 30, ball 7 associated with the cooperating key with the boss 23 of the movable member 20 will cause the tilting of said movable member to carry out the unlocking. It should be noted that as for the organs movable 14, the movable member 20 according to the invention is constantly stressed by a spring 25 in the position visible in figure 4.

Once passed the boss 23, the ball 7 will come find a place down to the deepest part of the concave raceway 22, as can be seen clearly on Figures 5 to 7. And at the end of introduction of the bit 3 of the key in the lock, said bit will be elastically retained in rotor 13 due to the fact that the boss 24 will engage with the end arched 10 from the bottom of the notch 6 in the key. Other says boss 24 will offer some resistance to removal of the key.

The operation which has just been described will be the same for the three visible movable member designs 20 in the three figures 5 to 7, only the position of the ball 7 being different due to the situation of the deepest part of the recessed raceway 22 on the edge 21 of the movable member 20.

We therefore made a key according to the invention that it will very difficult to reproduce identically. In addition, the fact that we will not know the shape of the edge 21 of the movable member 20, the production of a key mechanically equivalent, for example without ball and classic type, will be extremely difficult to perform.

The invention is in no way limited to the modes of realization of the movable member 20 described and illustrated which have only been given as an example. Likewise at the place a ball in the key, we could perfectly use a sliding element.

The invention therefore includes all technical equivalents means described as well as their combinations if these fall within the scope of the claims which follow.

Claims (5)

1. Key for a lock cylinder (30) of the type comprising a bit (3) in which there is provided a housing containing a rolling or sliding body (7) such as, for example, a ball capable of moving freely in said housing to interact with a moving part(20) of the cylinder rotor (13), characterized in that said rolling or sliding body (7) is held captive in a cut (6) made in the key bit (3) and directed longitudinally and substantially parallel to axis of the shank (1) of the key so that said rolling or sliding body (7) can move parallel to this axis when it interacts with the moving part (20) of the cylinder rotor (13), and in that said cut (6) comprises, at it side edges (6a) constituting its emerging part, two opposite slots (8) which, while holding the rolling or sliding body in the cut (6) form, at their respective opposite ends, stops (8a) which limit the longitudinal free travel of the rolling or sliding body (7) in the cut (6).
2. Key according to claim 1, characterized in that the bottom of the cut consists of two arcuate and concave end parts (10, 11) connected together by a substantially flat part (9) on which the aforementioned body rolls or slides between the stops (8a) of the slots.
3. Unit formed of a lock cylinder and a key according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cylinder comprises moving parts (14) such as, for example, tumblers, grooves or the like that can be actuated by the bit (3) of the key to allow unlocking and rotation of the cylinder rotor (13) with respect to the stator (12), in that one (20) of said moving parts comprises an edge (21) that defines a recessed runway or slideway (22) for the rolling or sliding body (7) operatively associated with the key, and in that said runway or slideway (22) is formed between two bosses or the like (23, 24), one (23) of which interacts with said rolling or sliding body upon insertion of the key into the cylinder (30) and the other (24) of which plays a part in temporarily holding the bit (3) of the key in the cylinder.
4. Unit according to claim 3, characterized in that the aforementioned recessed runway or slideway (22) has any curvature that remains within the limit allowing the moving part (20) to be actuated by the rolling or sliding body (7) operatively associated with the key.
5. Unit according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the position of the most recessed part of the recessed runway or slideway (22) lies at any point between the two aforementioned bosses (23, 24).

Images