EP3218559B1

EP3218559B1 - Cylinder lock

Info

Publication number: EP3218559B1
Application number: EP15794212.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Pauli Havukainen
Original assignee: Abloy Oy
Current assignee: Abloy Oy
Priority date: 2014-11-11
Filing date: 2015-10-29
Publication date: 2018-11-28
Anticipated expiration: 2035-10-29
Also published as: EP3218559A1; CN107208432A; TWI650472B; AU2015344949B2; FI20145988A; AU2015344949A1; TW201623761A; FI126450B; KR20170084065A; CN107208432B; WO2016075363A1

Description

Technical field

The invention relates to a cylinder lock provided with turnable tumbler discs. In particular, the invention relates to a cylinder lock whose tumbler discs are turned by a key having at least one groove in its surface for turning the tumbler discs.

Prior art

It is known that cylinder locks using turnable tumbler discs have an inner cylinder installed inside a cylinder shell in which inner cylinder the tumbler discs are positioned. In addition, there are cylinder locks with no inner cylinder. A key operating a cylinder lock usually has transverse cuts to align against the tumbler discs as the key is turned.
Further, there are other types of cylinder locks using turnable tumblers. In these cylinder locks, the tumbler discs are turned by a key having at least one meandering groove in the surface of its shaft, following a winding course parallel to the shaft of the key. The tumbler discs have a projection at the edge of the central opening of the tumbler disc, extending towards the center of the central opening. The projection is received by the groove in the surface of the key and follows the shape of the groove as the key is inserted into the cylinder lock. At the same time, the tumbler discs are turned to unlock the cylinder lock. Once notches provided in the outer edges of the tumbler discs are in line with outer edge notches provided in the intermediate discs of the cylinder lock, and, positioned at the tumbler rod, the cylinder lock is in an unlocked state. This allows the key to be turned further in order to move a latch bolt connected to the cylinder lock, for instance. A cylinder lock of this type is disclosed in WO 2013121114 .
The cylinder lock disclosed in WO 2013121114 is rather difficult to assemble. The intermediate discs and the tumbler discs are separate parts intended to be inserted into an inner cylinder. The inner cylinder consists of two separate portions. The inner cylinder, tumbler discs and intermediate discs cannot be inserted into a cylinder shell unless they are tightly held together. If these parts are not tightly held together, the space provided for said parts inside the cylinder shell is not sufficient for them. For proper operation of the cylinder lock, said space requires dimensional accuracy, i.e. the tolerances are kept as small as possible. Besides, if the parts are not tightly held together, the parts may become separated from each other.

Brief description of the invention

The invention aims at alleviating the above-mentioned problem. The invention is based on the idea of keeping the tumbler discs and intermediate discs against each other without having to make an effort to hold them together, and of providing an intermediate disc and tumbler disc assembly requiring no inner cylinder. The object of the invention is achieved as set forth in the independent claim. The dependent claims describe different embodiments of the invention.
The cylinder lock of the invention is provided with tumbler discs, intermediate discs and a tumbler rod. The tumbler discs and intermediate discs comprise at least one outer edge notch and a central opening. The tumbler discs also have a projection at the edge of the central opening, extending towards the center of the central opening. The tumbler discs are turnable by a key having at least one meandering groove in its surface, along the shaft of the key. The cylinder lock also comprises a cylinder shell into which the tumbler discs, intermediate discs and the tumbler rod are received. The cylinder lock is in an unlocked state once the tumbler discs have been turned in such a way that their outer edge notches form, together with the outer edge notches of the intermediate discs, a longitudinal groove at the tumbler rod. Otherwise, the cylinder lock is in a locked state. A part of the intermediate discs are modules comprising an annular recess on both sides of the module. Hence, the outer edge of the module and the edge of the central opening have an outer ridge and inner ridge, respectively. The inner ridge has cuts on both sides of the module, and, in addition, the module has a middle ridge, extending from the edge of the central opening towards the center of the central opening. Module has at least one fixing projection and fixing hole located on opposite sides of the module. The fixing projection and the fixing hole are transverse to the sides of the module.
A tumbler disc is provided in the annular recess on both sides of each module, and, in addition, an intermediate disc is provided on one side thereof. The modules are connected one after another by using their fixing projections and fixing holes. The module structure eliminates the need of a separate inner cylinder. Due to the structure of the modules, and because the fixing projections and fixing holes keep the modules against each other, the modules, tumbler discs and intermediate discs are easily held together, after and against one another. Thus, it is very simple to insert them into the cylinder shell.

Figures

The following describes the invention in more detail with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings, wherein

Figure 1: shows an example of the cylinder lock of the invention,
Figure 2: shows an example of the cylinder shell of the cylinder lock of the invention,
Figure 3: shows an example of an assembly formed by the parts of the cylinder lock of the invention,
Figure 4: shows the example of Figure 3 from a different angle,
Figure 5: shows an example of the module according to the invention,
Figure 6: shows the module of Figure 5 from a different angle,
Figure 7: shows another example of the module according to the invention,
Figure 8: shows the module of Figure 7 from a different angle,
Figure 9: shows a third example of the module according to the invention, and
Figure 10: shows the module of Figure 9 from a different angle.

Description of the invention

Figure 1 shows an example of the cylinder lock 1 of the invention in an exploded view. The cylinder lock is provided with tumbler discs 3, intermediate discs 4, 5 and a tumbler rod 6. The tumbler discs and intermediate discs comprise at least one outer edge notch 4A, 3A, 54 and a central opening 4B, 3B, 58. The tumbler discs 3 also comprise a projection 32 at the edge of the central opening 3B, extending towards the center of the central opening. The intermediate discs 4, 5 are turnable by a key 14 having at least one meandering groove 24 in its surface, along the shaft of the key. The cylinder lock also comprises a cylinder shell 2 wherein the tumbler discs 3, intermediate discs 4, 5 and tumbler rod 6 are situated while the cylinder lock is an assembled state. The cylinder lock is in an unlocked state once the tumbler discs 3 have been turned such that their outer edge notches 3A, together with the outer edge notches 4A, 5A of the intermediate discs, form a longitudinal groove at the tumbler rod. Otherwise, the cylinder lock is in a locked state.
As can be seen in Figure 1, a part of the intermediate discs are considerably different in structure from the known intermediate discs. These intermediate discs form modules 5A, 5B, 5C (Figures 5 to 10). Each module comprises an annular recess 51, 51A on both sides of the module, the module having an outer ridge 53 at its outer edge and an inner ridge 56 at the edge of the central opening 58. The module also has a middle ridge 59, extending from the edge of the central opening 58 towards the center of the central opening. The middle ridge has at least one fixing projection 60, 61 and a fixing hole 66, 67, provided on opposite sides of the middle ridge. The fixing projection and the fixing hole are transverse to the sides of the module. The annular recess 51, 51A receive a tumbler disc 3 on both sides of each module 5A, 5B, 5C, and, an intermediate disc 4 is on one side thereof, while the parts are assembled against each other. Once the parts are assembled, the modules are connected one after another by means of their fixing projections 60, 61 and fixing holes 66, 67.
As appears from the Figures, the side of the module 5, as well as of the other discs, is the side extending transversely to the longitudinal axis A formed by the modules and the discs connected together (Figure 3). The edges, instead, are transverse to the sides and form faces parallel with said longitudinal axis A as the modules and discs are put together. The fixing projection and the fixing hole can be implemented differently from that of the Figures, i.e. as two fixing projections 60, 61 and two fixing holes 66, 67. As an example, the fixing projection and the fixing hole can be a discoidal projection and an elongated hole, respectively. The fixing projection and the fixing hole (or the projections and the holes) are positioned such that the projection is provided on one side of the module while the hole is provided in the other side of the module has. This allows the modules to be connected one after another.
Figure 1 also shows that the cylinder lock can be provided with other parts. The cylinder lock 1 can have a tumbler rod saddle 7 and springs 8 at the tumbler rod saddle. The tumbler rod saddle and the springs are intended to move the tumbler rod 6 to a locking position, i.e. a position allowing it to prevent the tumbler discs and the intermediate discs from turning. The tumbler rod saddle and the springs can also be replaced with a single spring, for example.
The cylinder lock can also be provided with a protective disc 9 (against drilling, for example), an additional front disc 10, an additional rear disc 13 or combinations thereof. The additional front disc can be connected to the module by means of a protrusion (not shown in the Figures).
In addition, the cylinder lock can comprise at least one additional disc 16. The additional disc affects how the groove 24 of the key 14 controls the turning of the tumbler discs through the action of the projections 32 provided thereon. As is known, the cylinder lock can have a bottom portion 12. The bottom portion can be turned by a key 14 while the outer edge notches 3A of the tumbler discs, together with the outer edge notches 4A, 54 of the intermediate discs (that is, together with the outer edge notches 54 of the modules as well) form a longitudinal groove at the tumbler rod. The bottom portion is usually connected to a latch bolt (through a tailpiece, for instance).
The cylinder lock can also be provided with two lateral rods 11. In this case, the module, and the intermediate discs 4 as well, have two other outer edge notches 55 for the lateral rods. The lateral discs align the tumbler discs, modules and intermediate discs around a key 14 inserted into the lock, as well as connect them together, as the key is turned in the cylinder lock.
The positioning of the above described parts inside the cylinder shell 2 can be further facilitated by providing the cylinder lock with at least one binding disc 15. In this case, the outer ridge 53 of the modules has at least one beveled face 65 laterally on the exterior face of the outer ridge, i.e. at the outer edge of the module. The beveled face has a binding projection 31. The binding disc 15 has openings 15A, and the binding projections 31 can be inserted into the openings 15A of the binding disc 15. The binding disc or discs, once put into place, ensure that the parts positioned one after another stay against each other.
Figure 2 is a more detailed view of an exemplary cylinder shell 2 used in the cylinder lock of the invention. As can be seen, a space 21 is provided inside the cylinder shell 2 for the modules 5, tumbler discs 3, intermediate discs 4 as well as any other intermediate discs. In addition, a space 22, 23 is provided in connection with this space for the tumbler rod and the tumbler rod saddle. Figure 2 also clearly shows the meandering groove/grooves 24 provided in the surface of the key 14.
Figure 3 shows the modules 5 connected one after another. As described above, the annular recesses receive a tumbler disc 3 on both sides of the modules, as well as an intermediate disc on one side thereof. As can be seen, the outer ridges 53 of the modules connected one after another abut each other. The inner ridges 56 abut an intermediate disc 5 between the modules. The other end of the bundle comprises the bottom portion 12 connected to the modules by the additional rear disc 13. As can be seen in Figure 3, the exterior faces of the outer ridges form a fairly continuous surface. Since one module 5 incorporates two intermediate discs, there is a relatively small number of module interfaces. The same also applies to the inner ridges 56. Therefore, the keyway (the successive central openings 58) formed by the modules is exceptionally continuous compared to the keyways of the known cylinder locks comprising turnable tumbler discs. The keyway only has distinct gaps at the cuts 57, 57A of the inner ridges. The projections 32 of the central openings of the tumbler discs are received into these apertures. Thus, the keyway leaves less possibility to pick the lock. The above disclosed bundle is easy to handle while inserting it into the cylinder shell 2.
Figure 4 shows the bundle of Figure 3 from a different angle. At least one binding disc 15 has been added to the bundle. The binding disc makes the bundle even simpler to handle. The bundle stays together even if it has a small fall from somebody's hands onto a table, for example. The Figures also shows an anti-drill disc 9 to illustrate how it is positioned relative to the bundle. The examples of Figures 3 and 4 also include an additional disc 16. The end of the bottom portion 12 comprises shapes 41 for a so-called tailpiece or a latch bolt.
Figures 5 and 6 show an example of the module of the invention as seen from one side thereof and from the opposite side thereof, respectively. Similarly, Figures 7 and 8 show another example of the module, while Figures 9 and 10 show still another embodiment of the module.
As appears from the examples shown in the Figures, intermediate disc positioning recesses 53A are provided in the outer ridge of the modules. The edges of the intermediate disc 4 are provided with countershapes to be received into the positioning recesses. This allows the intermediate disc to be engaged with the module, and the modules comprising the tumbler discs and the intermediate discs can easily be connected together by means of the fixing projections 60 and fixing holes 66. The intermediate disc may also comprise at least one hole/slot 4C for the fixing projection 61 of the module, as shown in the Figures. The intermediate disc may have a middle ridge similar to the middle ridge 59 of the module. In this embodiment, the middle ridge of the intermediate disc has a hole/holes or a slot/slots for the fixing projection/projections of the module.
It is also possible to provide bottom recesses 63 at the bottom of the annular recesses 51, 51A of the module. The bottom recesses make it easier for the tumbler disc 3 to turn, by reducing the friction surfaces and making room for impurities. The bottoms of the annular recesses 51, 51A can also be provided with holes 62. Further, the outer ridge of the module, on the inner face of the outer ridge, can be provided with lateral recesses 64. The holes and lateral recesses make the structure lighter and, in addition, provide room for any dust and sand that eventually ends up in the cylinder lock.
The module 5 also bears the tumbler discs 3 in a way dissimilar from the known solutions. According to the known solutions, the bearing surface of the tumbler discs is the outer edge of the tumbler discs, while, according to the invention, the bearing surface of the tumbler discs 3 is the inner edge of the tumbler discs, i.e. the edge of the central opening 3B abutting the inner ridge 56 of the module 5. Because the bearing surface of the tumbler discs is the inner edge of the tumbler disc, it is less susceptible to dust and other impurities entered into the cylinder lock. This is due to the fact that, in the cylinder lock, the dust and other impurities are drawn down by gravity, i.e. away from the bearing surface which is now not located low but, instead, rather centrally in the cylinder lock. Typically, cylinder locks are installed horizontally. Said facts make the inventive cylinder lock more resistant to dust and impurities than the prior art solutions.
Figures 5 - 10 show examples of three different modules 5A, 5B, 5C. In the modules, the inner ridge cuts 57, 57A, 57B, 57C, 57D, 58E are provided at different locations on the sides of the module. Consequently, these modules are usable with keys 14 having at least two meandering grooves 24. Of course, these modules are also usable with keys only having one meandering groove. It is also possible to create different modules by different positioning of the cuts on the sides of the module. As an example, if the module 5A shown in Figure 6 had the cut 57A on the right side of the inner ridge 56, and not on the left side as shown in Figure 6, the cuts would be similarly located in the inner ridge 56 of the module 5A.
Figures 9 and 10 also show another exemplary way of positioning the fixing projections and the fixing holes in the module 5C. As can be seen in the Figures, the fixing projection or projections 90 and the fixing hole/holes 91 can be provided on opposite sides of the outer ridge 53. Hence, it can be stated that it is possible to provide at least one fixing projection and at least one fixing hole on opposite sides of the middle ridge 59 and/or opposite sides of the outer ridge 53.
The module thus serves not only as an intermediate disc but also as a rotation limiter. This refers to that the tumbler discs do not have a fully free rotatability but they have a certain restricted rotation range. The cuts 57, 57A define a sector for rotatability of the tumbler discs. The inner ridge 56 at the end of the cut limits the rotation of the tumbler discs because the projection 32 of the tumbler disc is received into the cut.
The structure of the modules unnecessitates the use of a separate inner cylinder, because the modules, once connected to each other, replace the inner cylinder. It is simple to create cylinders of a different length by connecting a desired number of module one after another. As the middle ridges 59 of the modules, after combining the modules one after another, form a continuous longitudinal ridge, a rigid guide for a key 14 is provided. The groove created for the tumbler rod is also more rigid than in the prior art cylinder locks, resulting in enhanced anti-burglary properties. That is, the lock cylinder of the invention is simpler to assemble, more durable and therefore more reliable than the known similar solutions.
In the light of the above-described examples, it is obvious that there are many different solutions for embodying the invention. Thus, the invention can have many different embodiments within the scope of the main claim.

Claims

A cylinder lock provided with tumbler discs (3), intermediate discs (4, 5) and a tumbler rod (6), the tumbler discs and intermediate discs comprising at least one outer edge notch (4A, 3A, 54) and a central opening (4B, 3B, 58), and the tumbler discs (3) also comprise a projection (32) at the edge of the central opening (3B), extending towards the center of the central opening, and the intermediate discs (4, 5) are turnable by a key (14) having at least one meandering groove (24) in its surface, along the shaft of the key, the cylinder lock also comprising a cylinder shell (2) wherein the tumbler discs (3), intermediate discs (4, 5) and tumbler rod (6) are positioned, the cylinder lock being in an unlocked state once the tumbler discs (3) have been turned such that their outer edge notches (3A), together with the outer edge notches (4A, 5A) of the intermediate discs, form a longitudinal groove at the tumbler rod, and the cylinder lock otherwise is in a locked state,
characterized in that a part of the intermediate discs are modules (5A, 5B, 5C), each module comprising an annular recess (51, 51A) on both sides of the module, the outer edge of the module having an outer ridge (53) and the edge of the central opening (58) having an inner ridge (56), the inner ridge having cuts (57, 57A) on both sides of the module, and, in addition, the module has a middle ridge (59), extending from the edge of the central opening (58) towards the center of the central opening, and the module has at least one fixing projection (60, 61) and fixing hole (66, 67) located on opposite sides of the module, the fixing projection and the fixing hole being transverse to the sides of the module,
and a tumbler disc (3) is provided in the annular recess (51, 51A) on both sides of each module (5A, 5B, 5C), and, in addition, an intermediate disc (4) is provided on one side thereof, and the modules are connected one after another by means of their fixing projections (60, 61) and fixing holes (66, 67).
A cylinder lock according to claim 1, characterized in that the outer ridges (53) of the modules connected one after another abut each other.
A cylinder lock according to claim 2, characterized in that at least one fixing projection (60, 61) and fixing hole (66, 67) are positioned on opposite sides of the middle ridge (59) and/or on opposite sides of the outer ridge (53).
A cylinder lock according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that intermediate disc positioning recesses (53A) are provided in the outer ridge of the module.
A cylinder lock according to claim 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that the intermediate discs comprise at least one hole/slot (4C) for the fixing projection (61) of the module.
A cylinder lock according to claim 2 or 5, characterized in that the outer ridge (53) has at least one beveled face (65) on the exterior face of the outer ridge, the beveled face being provided with a binding projection (31), and the cylinder lock additionally comprises at least one binding disc (15) having openings (15A), and the binding projections (31) are inserted into the openings (15A) of the binding disc (15).
A cylinder lock according to any of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that bottom recesses (63) are provided at the bottom of the annular recesses (51, 51A) of the module.
A cylinder lock according to any of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that the bottoms of the annular recesses (51, 51A) of the module are provided with holes (62).
A cylinder lock according to any of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that, the outer ridge of the module, is provided with lateral recesses on the inner face of the outer ridge.
A cylinder lock according to any of claims 2 to 9, characterized in that it comprises at least one additional disc (16).
A cylinder lock according to any of claims 2 to 10, characterized in that the cylinder lock comprises two lateral rods (11) and the modules have two other outer edge notches (55) for the lateral rods.
A cylinder lock according to any of claims 2 to 11, characterized in that the cylinder lock comprises a bottom portion (12).
A cylinder lock according to any of claims 2 to 12, characterized in that it comprises a tumbler rod saddle (7) and springs (8) at the tumbler rod saddle.
A cylinder lock according to any of claims 2 to 13, characterized in that it comprises a protective disc (9).
A cylinder lock according to any of claims 2 to 14, characterized in that it comprises an additional front disc (10).
A cylinder lock according to any of claims 2 to 15, characterized in that it comprises an additional rear disc (13).
A system comprising a cylinder lock according to any of claims 1 - 16, in combination with said key (14).