GB1582518A - Lock - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVED LOCK (71) I, MICHAEL PALASZEWSKI, a Polish Citizen, of 16, Yeldham House, Yeldham Road, London, W.6., do hereby declare the invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to an improved lock.

Locks of many forms are well known and generally they require manipulation by a key which is inserted into the lock to move the bolt. Such locks are often opened by both professional and amateur. cracksmen with ease and it is to the prevention of such illicit opening that the present invention is directed.

According to the invention I provide a lock in which a key is insertable into the lock and retained on one side of the lock and a combination means is provided at least on the other side such that upon setting said combination means to a correct combination for opening and closing the lock an electric current is passed to an electrical device that turns the said key on the said one side to move the bolt.

In a preferred construction the electrical device is an electric motor. It is known to those skilled in the locksmith art that a letter combination lock such as Kromer's for example can provide 125,000 possible combinations and that a cipher combinatuion of three tumblers can give 106 possible combinations and that of four tumblers 108 combinations.

Clearly any combination or permutation arrangement may be employed in the lock of the invention commensurate with the overall cost of the lock and its position in situ, whether in a home for example or a by way of example only and in relation to the single figure of the accompanying drawing that shows schematically a key operated lock.

Referring now to the figure of the accompanying drawing a revolving barrel lock of the type sold under the Registered Trade Mark YALE (but it is equally applicable to a mortice lock) shown at 10 has a key 11 and pins 12, 13, 14, 15. The key has an integral wormwheel 11A which is in meshing contact with a worm 16 driven directly (or indirectly) from an electric motor 17 which is actuated to turn the key 11 when the correct combination is dialled on combination knob 17 that feeds current to the motor from an energy source 18 to shoot or withdraw bolt 19.

Clearly a conventional barrel type lock or a good quality mortice lock presently fitted to any door may be blanked off on the outside and the combination knob 17 fitted, the key or a new key being provided with a wormwheel 11A.

More complex combinations involving a multiplicity of dials and related coding devices may be put on the outside of a door to give a number of combinations in excess of 106 combinations for the correct energizing of the electric motor and the actuation of the bolt. The cables and feed terminals of the electric motor must be placed out of access to the cracksman so that it cannot be energized.

The bolt has to be actuated two ways, in the direction of arrow A to shoot the bolt to lock the door and in the direction of arrow B to free the bolt to open the door. This can readily be achieved electrically from the combination by reverse switching at 18.

Again two codes may be employed one for shooting the bolt and one for opening the in degree of arc which may for certain locks be but 1/4 turn (90 ) or 1/2 turn (180 ). If the motor may tend to overrun then suitable mechanical stops with or without electric stops may be deployed as is well understood in the art.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A lock in which a key is insertable into the lock and retained on one side of the lock and a combination means is provided at least on the other side such that upon setting said combination means to a correct combination for opening and closing the lock an electric current is passed to an electrical device that turns the said key on the said one side to move the bolt.

2. The lock according to claim 1 wherein the electrical device is an electric motor.

3. The lock according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the key is a key of a rotating barrel type lock.

4. The lock according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the key is a key of a mortice lock.

5. The lock according to any preceding claim wherein the combination is a number in excess of 106.

6. A lock constructed and arranged substantially as herein described and shown in the figure of the accompanying drawing.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. in degree of arc which may for certain locks be but 1/4 turn (90 ) or 1/2 turn (180 ). If the motor may tend to overrun then suitable mechanical stops with or without electric stops may be deployed as is well understood in the art. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A lock in which a key is insertable into the lock and retained on one side of the lock and a combination means is provided at least on the other side such that upon setting said combination means to a correct combination for opening and closing the lock an electric current is passed to an electrical device that turns the said key on the said one side to move the bolt.

2. The lock according to claim 1 wherein the electrical device is an electric motor.

3. The lock according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the key is a key of a rotating barrel type lock.

4. The lock according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the key is a key of a mortice lock.

5. The lock according to any preceding claim wherein the combination is a number in excess of 106.

6. A lock constructed and arranged substantially as herein described and shown in the figure of the accompanying drawing.