EP4479612A1

EP4479612A1 - Locksmith tool

Info

Publication number: EP4479612A1
Application number: EP22712787.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Daniel Georgiev ATANASOV; Georgi Angelov IVAYLOV; Vladimir Ivanov KIREV
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2022-02-20
Filing date: 2022-02-20
Publication date: 2024-12-25
Also published as: WO2023154988A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a locksmith tool and in particular to a device for unlocking locks. The tool can be used as a portable locksmith unlocking tool for non-destructive opening of locked pin tumbler locks. The locksmith tool comprises a key blade (1) with more than one movable pin lifters (9,13,18) and spacers (8,12,19) between them.

Description

LOCKSMITH TOOL

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a locksmith tool and in particular to a locksmith tool for pin tumbler locks. The tool is applicable in the field of locksmith services used for non-destructive unlocking of locks and key procurement system in cases of lost or damaged keys, or rescue operations, such as fires and others.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are cases when a lock needs to be unlocked, but none of the keys are available, for example because all of them have been lost. Usually in this case the services of a qualified locksmith are sought. Modern locks in most cases prove difficult to unlock due to their complexity and high degree of protection against manipulation using various types of key tools. Pin tumbler lock cylinders, for example, are highly protected, and recently the way of orienting the key or code pins of the lock has been changed from predictable to random, which makes the known locksmith tools difficult to apply. Thus, given that the pins can be 7 - 12 or more, the possibilities for their orientation grow significantly. Economically it is not profitable or feasible to make multiple locksmith tools for each model of lock. The locks can also be protected by other means, such as the use of anti-decoding cuts in the upper and / or lower part of the key or code pins, rounding at one of their ends, protective bevels in the rotating parts, etc. Various unlocking devices are used to avoid actions that destroy the lock or door, as well as to reduce the unlocking time.

Many locksmith tools for non-destructive unlocking of locks are known. The so-called lock picks and lock tension wrenches sets contain a tensioning element and a body with a protrusion or rake of various shapes at least at one end for lifting key pins. When working with the tip of the protrusion, the key pins of the lock are picked successively and each of them is lifted individually until the shear line of the lock cylinder is reached and a turn of the locking tongues of the lock is accomplished. The rotor or plug of the lock is held in tension with the tensioning element, known as lock tension wrench. These tools rely on tolerances and inaccuracies in the construction of the parts of the locks, and by some tension of the rotor of the lock with the tensioning element and the sequential manipulation of each pin with the touch probe, known as lock pick, strive to keep pin after pin at the level of the shear line between the rotor or plug and the stator of housing of the lock cylinder.

It is known from CN2731011Y a locksmith tool for emergency unlocking of pin tumbler lock cylinders, comprising a key blade having a guider and a pin lifter being configured to slide on the guider, said pin lifter has at least one tip for picking the key pins of the lock cylinder, said pin lifter being configured to positione and rotate in the guider. This tool contains only one tip, through which the pins of the lock are touched and lifted one after the other to the shear line of the cylinder. The guider is not stable and is not supported by the profile of the key way. The operation of the instrument is complicated and time consuming, and in cases of more complex locks with anti-decoding protections it is impossible to implement.

Another locksmith tool for emergency unlocking of cylinder pin tumbler locks is known from WO 2018/143906, comprising a lock pick having a guider and a pin lifter with at least one tip for picking the key pins of the lock cylinder, said pin lifter has the possibility of positioning and rotating in the guider. This tool also contains only one tip, through which the pins of the lock are touched and lifted sequentially to the shear line of the cylinder. It has increased length and weight, which makes it more inconvenient to work. Operating the tool is complicated and time consuming, and it is also not suitable for complex locks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a locking tool which provides convenience in unlocking and working with pin tumbler locks and which tool is of increased reliability and is easy to handle.

These and other objects of the invention are solved by a locksmith tool for unlocking pin tumbler locks, comprising a key blade having a rearward side for support when rotating and a frontal working side having configured to move along the keyway of the rotor of a pin tumbler lock, as well as a movable pin lifter located in the working side. The tool comprises more than one movable pin lifters with the possibility of positioning at distance according to the distances between the lock pins and the type of lock, as well as spacers designed to separate the pin lifters from each other. The tool also includes pressure means for pressing the pin lifters to the spacers so that they are fixed to each other and to limit their displacement relative to each other. The offered locksmith tool is simple, reliable and simple to operate. It allows the production of a key blade with a universal profile, which creates an opportunity to unify the tool and adjust it to unlock most of the widely used pin tumbler locks. Simultaneous action on all code pins of the lock saves time to unlock the lock, reduces the possibility of accidental return to code position of one or more pins, as well as allows simlification and semi-automation of the unlocking process.

In one embodiment of the invention, the key blade is a composite article and comprises a tensioning section or tensioner for tensioning the rotor of the lock and a working section configured to arrangr the pin lifters and spacers on it. The two parts of the composite key blade are hinged in the longitudinal direction, the tensioning section being provided with a longitudinal groove in its upper side with a circular cross-section, and the working section in its lower side being provided with a circular longitudinal protrusion suitable for mounting and rotatable in the longitudinal groove of the tensioning section. This ensures that a constant tension of the lock rotor is achieved with a single key blade and that all pins are simultaneously affected, under assured possibility of rapid oscillating radial movement of the working section. This arrangement allows the construction of the locksmith tool on a modular basis, facilitating the rapid replacement of the parts of the key blade, according to the profile of the keyway of the rotor of the lock.

In another embodiment of the invention, the spacers are fixed in the upper part of the frontal working side of the key blade at a distance from each other so that between them the pin lifters can be arranged as to slide on the side surfaces of the spacers. In turn, the pin lifters have a shape that gives them springlike properties, ensuring their pressing and fixing to the side surfaces of two adjacent spacers. This allows separate and independent installation of pin lifters, which allows them to be easily replaced in case of damage.

In another embodiment, the spacers are also fixed in the upper part of the front working side of the key blade at a distance from each other so that the pin lifters can be located between them. The pin lifters are connected by axes to the spacers so that it is possible to rotate the pin lifters around the axes and fix and fix their position to the spacers. This is another alternative to pin lifters, in which they are attached by axes to the key blade of the tool, which prevents them from falling out and getting lost them, and at the same time provides the opportunity for their quick individual replacement.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the tool comprises an axle mounted on the upper part of the front working side of the key blade. On the axle pin lifters and spacers between them are mounted and pressed one after the other, where the pin lifters have the possibility to rotate around the axle. The axle is equipped with a spring located at one end for pressing the pin lifters and the spacers between them. This option is also an alternative to the previous embodiments. Here, the pin lifters are also protected from falling out. The embodiment has the advantage that all pin lifters and spacers are pressed evenly.

In another embodiment of the invention, the locksmith tool is provided with a handle for gripping and controlling the rotation of the key blade, which improves the mechanization of the unlocking process. Preferably, the tool also comprises a pin pusher for removing the code pins of the lock pressed between the spacers durring unlocking and returning them to the code position. In a preferred embodiment, the handle includes a body with a central opening for passing the key blade, as well as a rotation wheel connected to the body of the handle with the possibility of limited radial movement relative to the body of the handle. In another prefered embodiment of the handle, it comprises a sleeve with a hole for passing the key blade, the sleeve being able to move axially relative to the body of the handle, and the sleeve is fixed to the pin pusher located so as to enable it to slide on the key blade.

The invention also relates to a method for unlocking pin tumbler locks with the locking tool described above, comprising the steps of placing the lock tool key blade in the keyway of the lock rotor, rotating the key blade, creating tension on the rotor and fixing the code pins of the rotor, impacting on each code pin of the lock fixed between the rotor and the stator of the lock until it remains in the code position, and unlocking the lock, the step of impacting on each pin of the lock being performed as oscillating radial movement of the key blade by means of all pin lifters simultaneously on all code pins of the rotor until the code pins of the rotor of the lock remain in an unlock position. In a preferred embodiment of the method, after unlocking the lock, follows the step of returning the lock rotor to the initial position, releasing the code pins of the lock to the locked position by pushing said code pins with the pin pusher and removing the key blade of the locksmith tool from the keyway of the lock. The method of the invention is simple to perform, does not require special skills and training, and is very fast, which saves time. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The drawings shown illustrate the invention by way of the following embodiments:

Fig. 1 shows the appearance of the locksmith tool;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the locksmith tool of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows a tensioning section of the key blade;

Fig. 4 shows a working section of the key blade;

Fig. 5 shows a key blade with a first variant of the working section;

Fig. 6 shows a pin lifter adapted to the key blade of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 shows a key blade with a second variant of the working section;

Fig. 8 shows a pin lifter adapted to the key blade of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 shows a key blade with a third variant of the working section in axonometry and in side view;

Fig. 10 shows a pin lifter adapted to the key blade of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 shows a pin pusher;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, which show exemplary embodiments.

Fig. 1 shows the perspective view of a variant of the locksmith tool, which includes a key blade 1 and the handle 2, to which the key blade 1 is mounted. Fig. 2 shows a section of the locksmith tool of Fig. 1.

The key blade 1 in the examples is a composite article (Fig.5, Fig.7 and Fig.9) and contains a tensioning section 3 and a variant of the working section 4, 11 or 15, hinged in the longitudinal direction to each other

The tensioning section 3 is unified for the different embodiments of working section 4, 11 or 15 (Fig. 3). In cross section, the key blade 1 has a profile that is universal and compatible with the profile of keyways for most mass pin tumbler locks. The tensioning section 3 has a longitudinal groove 5 in its upper side with a circular cross-sectionnnn. Limiting longitudinal edges 6 are provided in this variant, preventing rotation of the working section 4, 11 or 15 within pre-calculated limits.

Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 show one embodiment of the working section 4 of the key blade 1. It is provided in its lower side with a longitudinal protrusion 7 having circular cross section and suitable for mounting into and rotating in the longitudinal groove 5 of the tensioning section 3. In its upper side the working section 4 contains fixed spacers 8, between which are mounted pin lifters 9 capable of sliding on the side surfaces of the spacers 8. The pin lifters 9 for this embodiment (Fig. 6) are radialy moving with respect to the lock rotor. The pin lifters 9 have a zigzag shape, and their ends are facing in opposite directions. Such a shape enables springing the ends, which in turn allows the pin lifter 9 to be pressed against the side surfaces of two adjacent spacers 8 so that under the influence of the coding key pins 10 of the lock (Fig. 7) the pin lifter 9 can be slided linearly along the side surfaces of the spacers 8. When raising the coding pins 10 to the level of the shear line of rotation between the rotor and the stator of the lock, the pin lifters 9 are fixed between the spacers 8 at distances corresponding to the code depths of the notches or dimples of the original key for the lock.

Fig. 7 shows a key blade with another variant of the working section 11. It is also provided in its lower part with a unified longitudinal protrusion 7 having a circular cross section, and suitable for mounting into and rotating in the longitudinal groove 5 of the unified tensioning section 3. In its upper side, the working section 11 also contains fixed spacers 12, and in the interspace between two adjacent spacers 12, pin lifters 13 can rotate along their entire length and fix their position to the spacers 12. The pin lifters 13 in this variant of the working section 11 are connected by axes 14 passing through the respective spacers 12 at the top of the working section 11. Tightening is ensured between the axes 14 and the pin lifters 13, for example by means of a tight joint, so that under the influence of code pins 10 of the lock (Fig. 7) the pin lifters 13 can be rotated about the respective axis 14 and fix their position to the spacers 12. Raising the code pins 10 to the level of the shear line between the rotor and the stator of the lock and stopping their impact on the pin lifters 13 ensures fixing the pin lifters 13 between the spacers 12 at an angle allowing the tips of the pin lifters 13 to sink down between the spacers 12 at distances corresponding to the code depths of the notches or dimples of the original lock key. Fig. 8 shows an exemplary radial pin lifter 13 adapted for this variant of the working section 11.

Another variant of the working section 15 is shown in Fig.9. The working section 15 includes an axle 16 located on its upper part. The upper part of the front working side of the key blade 1 in this example has a cutout 17. On the axle 16 are mounted and pressed one after the other pin lifters 18 and spacers 19 between each of them, the pin lifters 18 are able to rotate independently around the axle 16. In this case, the axle 16 is configured as a hexagon, and the holes of the spacers 19 are also hexagons, but the shape can vary with different numbers of edges, and also be a triangle, square, pentagon or others shapes that prevent the spacers from rotating relative to the axle. In this example, intermediate bushings, not shown in the drawings, are placed between the pin lifters 18 and the axle 16, ensuring tightness between the bushings and the lifters, for example by means of a tight connection, which bushings are mounted on the axle. The apertures of the bushings correspond to the axle profile. This working section 15 also includes a pression spring 20 for pressing the pin lifters and the spacers therebetween, which are mounted on the shaft 16. The pression spring 20 is mounted between stops of the working section 15 and of the axle 16. In this case, the pression spring 20 is located at the end of the axle 16 and reclines in the head of the working section 15. In this case pin lifters 18 and spacers 19 between them mounted on the shaft 16 and pressed together are placed in the cutout 17 in the upper part of the front working side of the key blade 1.

The exemplary embodiment of the locksmith tool shown in the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 include a handle 2 comprising a body 21 with a central hole for passing the key blade 1, as well as a rotation wheel 23 fixedly connected, for example, by a bushing 22 to the respective working section 4, 11 or 15 of the key blade 1. The rotation wheel 23 has the possibility for a restricted radial displacement relative to the body 21. In this embodiment, the body 21 and the rotation wheel 23 are designed as hollow sleeves. The tensioning section 3 of the key blade 1 is fixedly connected to the body 21 of the handle 2. In the body 21 is placed a pin pusher 24, fixedly attached to a bushing 25 having a central hole for passing the key blade 1. The bushing 25 is mounted inside the body 21 of the handle 2. The pin pusher 24 here is in the form of lamella and can slide on the key blade 1 and contact the code pins 10 of the lock. The bushing 25 is axially displaceable relative to the body 21 of the handle 2. In this case, the movement of the bushing 25 is carried out by means of a lever 26 fixedly attached to the bushing 25, said lever 26 can be moved reciprocally in a passable opening 27 of the body 21. The respective working section 4, 11 or 15 is connected, for example by pin and sleeve (shown but not referred in the drawings) to the rotation wheel 23.

The locksmith tool works as follows. After placing the key blade 1 in the profile keyway of the rotor of the lock, the the body 21 with the key blade 1 rotates, which creates tension on the rotor of the lock and the code pins 10 of the lock are fixed between the rotor and the stator of the lock. Upon repeated simultaneous impact on all code pins 10 of the lock by pin lifters 9, 13 or 18, they gradually stay in code position, which leads to their alignment on the shere line between the rotor and the stator, unblocking the lock and to the possibility of unlocking the lock.

In the shown examples of a composite key blade 1, the impact on the pins of the lock is carried out by oscillating movement of the working section 4, 11 or 15 of the key blade 1 in the radial direction. The oscillating motion is transmitted only to the respective working section 4, 11 or 15 via the rotation wheel 23. At the same time, the tensioning section 3 through the body 21 keeps the lock rotor in tension.

In order to remove the tool from the lock, it is necessary for the operator to slide forward in the direction of the lock by means of a lever 26 of the pin pusher 24, so that the code pins 10 of the lock can be released.

In most cases, the pin lifters 9, 13 or 18 remain in positions corresponding to the height of the coding of the code pins 10 of the lock, which heights can be read by well known methods. Thus, the locksmith tool of the invention can also serve as a decoding device. The decoding itself can be done visually by interpreting the displacement of each of the pin lifters 9, 13 or 18 relative to the working section or by measuring with a decoding plate (not shown in the drawings).

The locksmith tool according to the invention is applicable to mass pin tumbler locks, both horizontal and vertical, and the modifications can be made by routine engineering methods by any average person skilled in the art without having to make creative efforts.

The examples described and shown are merely illustrative for the invention. The advantages of the invention are clear and comprehensible to the person skilled in the art and other modifications obvious to him can be made without departing from the idea and scope of protection of the invention, which is determined solely by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A locksmith tool for unlocking pin tumbler locks, comprising a key blade having a rearward side for support when rotating and a frontal working side configured to move along a keyway in a rotor of a pin tumbler lock, as well as a movable pin lifter located in the frontal working side, characterized in that it comprises:

- two or more movable pin lifters (9,13,18) configured to be positioned at distances according to distances between lock pins and type of a lock;

- spacers (8,12,19) separating the pin lifters (9,13,18) from each other; and

- pressure means for pressing the pin lifters (9,13,18) against the spacers (8,12,19) to fix their position and limit displacement relative to each other.

2. Locksmith tool according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the key blade (1) is composite item and comprises:

- a tensioning section (3) for tensioning the rotor of the lock, said tensioning section (3) being provided with a longitudinal groove (5) in its upper side with a circular cross-section, and

- a working section (4,11,15) configured to place the pin lifters (9,13,18) and the spacers (8,12,19), said working section in its lower side being provided with a longitudinal protrusion (7) having circular cross-section, suitable for being mounted and rotated in the longitudinal groove (5) of the tensioning section (3).

3. Locksmith tool according to claim 1 , characterized in that:

- the spacers (8) are fixed in the upper part of the frontal working side of the key blade (1) at a distance from each other so that between said spacers the pin lifters (9) can be positioned, said pin lifters being configured to slide on side surfaces of the spacers (8);

- the pin lifters (9) having a shape that provides spring-like properties for pressing and fixing them to side surfaces of adjacent spacers (8).

4. Locksmith tool according to claim 1 , characterized in that:

- the spacers (12) are fixed in the upper part of the frontal working side of the key blade (1) at a distance from each other so that the pin lifters (13) can be located inbetween;

- the locksmith tool comprising axes (14) connecting the spacers (12) and the pin lifters (13) so as to rotate the pin lifters (13) around the axes (14) and fix their position to the spacers (12).

5. Locksmith tool according to claim 1 , characterized in that:

- the locksmith tool comprises an axle (16) mounted on the upper part of the front working side of the key blade (1), on which axle (16) pin lifters (18) and spacers (19) between them are mounted and pressed against each other, and the pin lifters (18) are configured to rotate around the axle (16);

- further comprises a spring (20) mounted on the axle (16) for pressing together the pin lifters (18) and the spacers (19) between them;

6. Locksmith tool according to claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises a pin pusher (24) for releasing the code pins (10) of the lock pressed between the spacers (8, 12, 19) during unlocking and/or including a handle (2) for gripping and controlling the rotation of the key blade (1).

7. Locksmith tool according to claim 6, characterized in that the handle (2) includes a body (21) with a central opening for passage of the key blade (1) and a rotation wheel (23) connected to the body (21) of the handle (2) configured to move radially relative to the body (21).

8. Locksmith tool according to claim 7, characterized in that it comprises a sleeve (25) with a hole for passing the key blade (1), said sleeve (25) is located inside the body (21) of the handle (2) and the sleeve (25) is configured for axial movement relative to the body (21) of the handle (2), and the sleeve (25) is fixed to the pin pusher (24) located so as to slide on the key blade (1).

9. A method for unlocking of pin tumbler locks with the locksmith tool of claims 1-8, comprising the steps of placing the lock tool key blade in the keyway of the rotor of the lock, rotating the key blade, creating tension on the rotor and fixing the code pins of the lock, impacting on each a code pin of the lock fixed between the rotor and the stator of the lock until the lock remains in an unlock position, and unlocking the lock, characterized in that:

- the step of impacting on each a code pin of the lock is performed as oscillating radial movement of the key blade (1) by means of all pin lifters (9,13,18) of the locksmith tool simultaneously on all code pins (10) of the rotor of the lock until said code pins (10) of the rotor of the lock remain in an unlock position.

10. Method according to claim 9, characterized in that after the step of unlocking the lock follows the step of returning the lock rotor to the initial position, releasing the code pins (10) of the lock to a locked position by pushing said code pins (10) with the pin pusher (24) and removing the key blade (1) of the locksmith tool from the keyway of the lock.