GB2199881A - Lock with mechanically coded key - Google Patents

Abstract

A lock for reading data represented by depressions (21) in a key has a rotatable member (12) for receiving the key, a ball (33) mounted in that member for engaging the key along the row of depressions, means eg photo-electric devices (32) for providing an electrical signal representing data read from the key and a lever (35) for transmitting motion from the ball to the photo-electric devices. The photo-electric devices are mounted in a stationary body of the lock, the lever is mounted in the rotatable member and an end portion of the lever protrudes from that member to intercept radiation transmitted between the photo-electric devices. When validated the signal causes the rotatable member (12) to be released for rotation. The key has additional formations (20) to operate conventional tumblers. <IMAGE>

Description

Lock and key and method of operating same Description of Invention The present Invention relates to a lock and key, the key including a portion which has formations representing information which identifies the key and the lock having a body, a key-receiving member arranged for movement relative to the body and defining a path along which said portion of the key is moved when the key is applied to the lock, a contact element mounted in the key-receiving member for movement transversely of said path and for contact with said portion of the key so that the contact element is caused to execute a sequence of movements representing said information when the key is applied to the lock, signalling means for providing an electrical signal representing said information and transmitting means for transmitting motion from the contact element to the signalling means.Such a lock is hereinafter referred to as a lock of the kind described.

Typically, in use of a lock of the kind described, the electrical signal provided by the signalling means is passed to a microprocessor which compares information read from the key with stored information, in order to verify the key, and the microprocessor controls movement of the keyreceiving member by the key, for example by energisation of a solenoid controlling an element which obstructs movement of the key-receiving member. Generally, the key-receiving member is rotatable relative to the body of the lock when the key has been inserted into the lock and has been verified.

It has been proposed- that the electrical signal provided by the signalling means should be fed through sliding contacts to the microprocessor, so that the electrically conductive paths can be interrupted when the key-receiving member is turned, after verification. This arrangement may operate satisfactorily when the lock is new but there is a risk of interference with proper transmission of the electrical signal to the microprocessor, owing to the accummulation of foreign matter on the electrical contacts.

It has also been proposed that the signallinq means should be fixedly mounted in the body of the lock, the transmitting means also being mounted in the body of the lock and the contact element being mounted in the keyreceiving member so that the contact element, but not the transmitting means, participates in rotation of the key-receiving member relative to the body. In this way, the use of sliding contacts for conducting an electrical signal to the microprocessor can be avoided but space must be provided in the body to accommodate the transmitting means. This makes it difficult to provide a lock having small transverse dimensions.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, the contact element and transmitting means of a lock of the kind described are movable with the key-receiving member relative to the body and signalling means when the proper key is present in said path. 'Mith this arrangement, the transmitting means can be accommodated at least partly in the key-receiving member.

In a lock in accordance with the first aspect of the invention, the keyreceiving member can be arranged for turning through a complete revolution relative to the body or through more than one complete revolution. The contact element may be inteqral with the transmitting means or be a separately formed element, for example a ball or other rolling element arranged for rolling on the key during application of the key to the lock.

In the preferred lock, the signalling means is spaced along said path from the contact element. It will be understood that, in order to traverse a substantial length of the key, the contact element is preferably disposed near to an outer end face of the lock. If the signalling means is spaced further from the outer end face of the lock, the signalling means is less vulnerable to interference than would be the case if the signall;ng means is immediately adjacent to the outer end face of the lock.

The transmitting means preferably includes a lever mounted for pivoting relative to the key-receiving member about an axis which is transverse to the length of said path. The lever may have one end portion which moves with the contact element and an opposite end portion which is associated with the signalling means. The lever may be arranged for amplifying the motion of the contact element and applying that amplified motion to the signalling means.

The lock may further comprise an obstructing element which is movable relative to the key-receiving member between an obstructing position in which the element obstructs movement of the key-receiving member relative to some further component of the lock and a releasing position in which the obstructing element permits movement of the key-receiving member relative to that further component, and further comprise control means responsive to the signal provided by the signalling means to control the position of the obstructing element in accordance with information read from the key.The obstructing element may obstruct movement of the keyreceiving member relative to the body, for example to prevent movement of the key-receiving member until the key has been verified, or relative to an output element of the lock, for example to permit transmitting of movement from the key-receiving member to the output element only when the key has been verified.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of operating the combination of a key and lock in accordance with the first aspect of the invention, wherein said portion of the key is moved along said path, the contact element is caused to reciprocate transversely of said path, movement is transmitted from the contact element to the signalling means, the key is verified by means of a signal produced by the signalling means and the key is then turned relative to the body, the keyreceiving member, contact element and transmitting means turning with the key relative to the body and the signalling means.

Examples of locks and keys embodying the present invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIGURE I shows diagrammatically a perspective view of a first lock and key, together with a bolt controlled by the lock, FIGURE 2 shows a perspective view of a key-receiving member of the lock of Figure 1, FIGURE 3 shows a front elevation of the lock, certain parts being broken away, FIGURE 4 shows certain parts of the lock in cross-section in the plane IV-IV of Figure 3, FIGURE 5 shows a cross-section on the line D-D of Figure 4, FIGURE ó shows a cross section on the line E-E of Figure 4, FIGURE 7 shows a cross-section on the line F-F of Figure 6, FIGURE 8 shows a connector of the lock, FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 7 illustrating a modification of the lock, FIGURE 10 illustrates a further modified lock partially in side elevation and partially in cross-section; and FIGURE 11 illustrates the lock of Figure 10 partially in plan view and partially in cross-section in a horizontal plane.

The lock illustrated in Figure I has the general configuration of locks, commonly called profile locks. The lock includes an elongated body 10 containing two key-receiving members arranged in co-axial relation with a cam II or other eccentric output element interposed between the keyreceiving members. One key-receiving member 12 is accessible at one end of the body and the other key-receiving member is accessible at the opposite end of the body. Typically, the lock is mounted in a hole in a door so that the key-receiving members are accessible from opposite sides of the door and the cam lies within the thickness of the door, for co-operation with a mortice latch or bolt 13. The bolt is arranged for reciprocation in a direction perpendicular to the axis 14 of the key-receiving members and may be urged in one direction by a spring 15.

The key 16 illustrated in Figure I has an elongated stem 17 with a handle 18 and one end thereof. The stem has a pair of major opposed faces, one of which is shown at 19 and a pair of minor opposed faces which extend between the major faces. Along one of these minor faces, the key is notched to provide formations 20 for co-operation with tumblers in a known manner.

At the major face 19, the key-stem is formed with a row of depressions 21 which represent information identifying the key. A further row of depressions is provided at the opposite major face of the key. This further row of depressions is designated a clocktrack and has the function of instructing the lock when to interrogate the row of depressions 21, which is called a data track.

The key-receiving member 12 is of generally cylindrical form and defines a substantially rectangular keyslot 22 which extends along the entire length of the member from a key-insertion opening 23 defined in the outer end face of the member 12. The axis 14, which coincides with the axis of symmetry of the member 12, lies in the keyslot 22. A clutch 24 is provided for releasably coupling the member 12 with the cam II. The clutch is slidable along the axis 14 between a position in which the clutch is coupled with the member 12 but not with the other key-receiving member and a second position in which the clutch couples the cam with said other keyreceiving member, but not with the member 12. The clutch comprises two relatively rotatable components having non-circuler peripheries and being connected together by a pin 25 which is co-axial with the member 12.The clutch is engageable by a key, when inserted into either of the key-receiving members. The arrangement is such that, if the key is introduced into a keyreceiving member which is not coupled with the cam, the key moves the clutch along the axis 14 during the final part of travel of the key into the keyslot 22 so that subsequent turning of the key will be transmitted via the key-receiving member and clutch to the cam. The other key-receiving member does not participate in such turning.

Locking means is provided for restraining rotation of the member 12 relative to the body 10 when the key is absent. The locking means comprises a plurality of tumblers 26 arranged in a known manner in the body 10 and member 12. As insertion of the key into the keyslot 22 is completed, the key displaces the tumblers into respective releasing positions and holds the tumblers in such positions so that they no longer restrain rotation of the member 12.

The locking means further comprises an obstructing element 27 mounted for movement towards and away from the axis 14 between the position shown in Figure 4, in which the obstructing element lies partly in the body 10 and partly in the member 12 to restrain relative rotation and a releasing position in which the obstructing element lies entirely within the body 10 so that it no longer restrains rotation of the member 12. The obstructing element is urged towards the obstructing position by a coiled compression spring 28 and is movable to its releasing position by energisation of a solenoid 29 mounted in the body 10. The element 27 may be formed of magnetic material. Alternotively, the obstructing element may be carried on an armature associated with the solenoid.In a case where the obstructing element is distinct from the solenoid, the obstructing element may lie entirely within the member 12, when in its releasing position, being driven into that position by energisation of the solenoid and being urged by a spring towards its obstructing position.

Control means is provided for controlling energisation of the solenoid 29. The solenoid includes a microprocessor 30 which may be mounted in the mortice in the door, near to but outside the body 10. A battery of cells 31 also mounted in the mortice or another source of electrical power is connected with the control means.

The control means includes signalling means 32 for providing to the microprocessor an electrical signal representing the information borne by the stem 17 of the key. The signalling means comprises an emitter and a detector of radiation which are mounted in the body 10 at positions spaced from the axis 14 by distances which exceed the radius of the member 12. The detector of the signalling means is spaced from the emitter in a direction along the axis 14 and is positioned to receive radiation emitted by the emitter, which is typically an infra-red emitting diode.

For co-operation with the data track of the key, there is provided in the member 12 a contact element 33 having the form of a ball which can roll on the key. The contact element is mounted in a bore defined by the member 12 and extending from the keyslot 22 to the periphery of that member. This bore is intersected by a channel 34 formed in the member 12 between the keyslot and the periphery of that member, the channel being open at the circumference of the member 17. The channel is spaced from both ends of the member 12.

Transmitting means for transmitting motion from the ball 33 to the signalling means 32 is disposed partly in the channel 34. The transmitting means comprises a lever 35 arranged with its length extending along the channel and connected with the member 12 for pivoting relative thereto about a pivot axis 36 which is perpendicular to the lock axis 14. A spring 37 acting between the member 12 and the lever urges one end portion of the lever against the ball 33. An opposite end portion 38 of the lever extends from the channel 34 in a direction away from the lock axis 14 and includes a blocking element 39 which can occupy the gap between the emitter and detector of the signalling means 32 to prevent the transmission of radiation therebetween and which can move to permit radiation emitted by the emitter to fall on the detector.

At the side of the member 12 remote from the channel 34, there is formed a similar channel containing a similar lever 40 associated with a contact element 41 which protrudes into the keyslot from the side thereof opposite to that at which the contact element 33 lies. The lever 40 also includes a blocking element which can interrupt the transmission of radiation between the emitter and detector of further signalling means 42 arranged in a manner corresponding to that of the signalling means 32. The signalling means 32 and the signalling means 42 are connected with the microprocessor 30 by electrical conductors. The detectors of the signalling means 32 and 42 provide respective signals to the microprocessor during movement of the corresponding contact element and before such movement is completed.

Key-detector means is provided for detecting insertion of a key or other instrument into the keyslot 22 and providing a key-entry signal to the microprocessor 30. The key detector means comprises a spherical contact element 43 mounted in the member 12 in a manner similar to that in which the element 33 is mounted, but at a position somewhat further from the tumblers 26. With the contact element 43, there is associated a lever 44 pivoted in a channel 45 for movement relative to the member 12 about the axis 36. An end portion of the lever 44 remote from the contact element 43 constitutes a moving contact of a pair of electrical contacts 46 connected with the microprocessor.

For providing a key-home signal to the microprocessor, there is provided a further pair of electrical contacts 47 which are operated by a spring-loaded plunger 48, a tip of which normally protrudes into the keyslot 22 at a position remote from the front face of the member 12. As the key reaches the fully-inserted position, it displaces the tip of the plunger 48 from the keys lot and this operates the contacts 47, which are connected electrically with the microprocessor.

When the key is absent, the signalling means 32 and 42 are deenergised. Upon insertion of the key, when a leading end portion of the key passes the contact element 43, a signal is provided to the microprocessor by the contacts 46 and the microprocessor energises the signalling means 42. As the first depression of the clocktrack of the key reaches the contact element 41, the signalling means 42 provides a signal to the microprocessor and the microprocessor interrogates the signalling means 32, by energising the emitter thereof, to determine whether the blocking element 39 is in a blocking or non-blocking position. This depends upon whether one of the depressions 21 of the data track is aligned with the contact element 33.The data track is interrogated repeatedly at instants determined by the clocktrack until a predetermined number of depressions of the clocktrack have passed the contact element 41. The microprocessor then compares the information read from the key with information stored in a memory of the microprocessor and decides whether the key is acceptable or not.

Alternatively, this comparison may be performed immediately the contacts 47 are operated.

If the key is found to be acceptable within a predetermined interval following transmission to the microprocessor of the key-entry signal, the solenoid 29 is energised and, provided each of the tumblers 26 has been moved into its releasing position by the key, the member 12 is freed for rotation relative to the body.

Torque can be transmitted to the key-receiving member 12 by means of the key and from the key-receiving member to the cam II by means of the clutch 24. The key, member 12, contact elements, levers 35,40 and 45, the clutch and the cam all turn together and may be turned through one or more complete revolutions relative to the body 10. Withdrawal of the key from the member 12 when that member is out of the rotational position illustrated in Figure 4 is prevented by engagement of an inwardly projecting rib 50 formed on the body 10 in a notch 49 of the key. There is a gap in this rib to permit insertion of the key when the member 12 occupies the rotational position illustrated in the drawing. It will be noted that turning of the key relative to the body 10 is prevented by the rib 50 until the key has been fully inserted and the notch 49 aligned with the rib.

The tumblers 26 are arranged in a row along the axis 14 with one of the tumblers near to the outer end face of the body 10. The solenoid 29 is further from this outer end face than are the tumblers and the signalling means are still further from the outer end face.

It will be noted that the pivot axis 36 is nearer to the contact element 33 than to the signalling means 32. Accordingly, movement of the contact element is amplified by the lever 35 and the amplified movement is applied to the signalling means. The blocking element 39 moves along a path which is substantially tangential to a pitch circle centred on the lock axis 14.

The key-receiving member mounted in the body 10 at the end thereof remote from the member 12 may be identical with the member 12 and associated with electrical contacts, contact elements, levers and signalling means connected with the same microprocessor 30. Alternatively, the second key-receiving member may be provided with tumblers but with no electrical components. In a further alternative arrangement, the second key-receiving member is substituted by a handle which may always be free to turn or which may be subjected to control by an electrically energisable device.

For convenience of manufacture and installation, the body 10 is formed in three, initially separate parts. A first of these contains the member 12, a second contains the other key-receiving member and a third body part lies between and is connected to the first and second body parts. A plug and socket connector may be provided for connecting the microprocessor with the electrical components associated with the key-receiving member 12 after the latter and the first body part have been installed in a door.

In a case where the second key-receivina member is substituted by a handle or some further member, the second body component also may be substituted by a suitable carrier or housing for the handle. It will be understood that the key-receiving member 12 and first component of the body 10, together with associated parts, can be used in conjunction with a variety of mechanisms and connected to such mechanisms by the third body component shown in the drawing or by an equivalent component. By modificotion of the third body component, the device herein described can be adapted to co-operate with a variety of existing door furniture and other mechanisms. This flexibility extends consialerably the possibilities for use of the key-receiving member 12 and associated parts.

The electrical contacts 46 are normally closed and open upon insertion of a key into the keyslot 22. In Figure 9, there is illustrated a modification such that the electrical contacts which provide the key-entry signal are normally open and close when the key is inserted. In place of the lever 44, there is provided in Figure 9 a somewhat shorter lever 51 which co-operates with a second lever 52 at one end of the second lever. The opposite end of the second lever carries a movable contact corresponding to the movable contact of the contact pair 46. The levers 51 and 52 are so coupled with each other that rocking of the lever 51 about its pivot axis in a first direction causes rocking of the lever 52 about its own pivot axis in an opposite direction.

The majority of the parts of the lock ilustrated in Figure 10 and II correspond to parts hereinbefore described of the lock ilustrated in Figures I to 7. In Figures 10 and I I, such corresponding parts are indicated by like reference numerals with the prefix '1' and the preceding description is deemed to apply, except for differences hereinafter mentioned. The key of figure I is used with the lock of figures 9 and 10.

In the lock of Figures 10 and 11, there is no obstructing element corresponding to the element 27 and associated directly with the keyreceiving member 112. The obstructing element is arranged to act on the bolt or other structure driven by the cam Ill. Accordingly, there is additional space available to accommodate tumblers and the row of tumblers 1 26 is somewhat longer than and comprises a greater number of tumblers than does the row of tumblers 26.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately or any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims (13)

CLAI MS:

1. A lock and key wherein a portion of the key has formations representing information and the lock has a body, a key-receiving member arranged for movement relative to the body and defining a path along which said portion is moved when the key is applied to the lock, a contact element mounted in the key-receiving member for movement transversely of said path and for contact with said portion of the key so that the contact element is caused to execute a sequence of movements representing said information when the key is applied to the lock, signalling means for providing an electrical signal representing said information and transmitting means for transmitting motion from the contact element to the signalling means, wherein the contact element and the transmitting means are movable with the key-receiving member relative to the body and signalling means when the proper key is present in said path.

2. A lock and key according to Claim I wherein the signalling means is spaced along said path from the contact element.

3. A lock and key according to Claim 2 wherein the key-receiving member defines a channel distinct from said path and the transmitting means lies at least partly in said channel.

4. A lock and key according to Claim 3 wherein the channel is at the periphery of the key-receiving member.

5. A lock and key according to any preceding Claim wherein the transmitting means includes a lever mounted for pivoting relative to the keyreceiving member about an axis transverse to the length of said path.

6. A lock and key according to any one of Claims I to 5 wherein the keyreceiving member is arranged for rotation relative to the body about an axis of the lock.

7. A lock and key according to Claim 6 wherein the signalling means is spaced further from the lock axis than is the contact element, a portion of the transmitting means adjacent to the signalling means being arranged to move tangentially of the lock axis when the contact element is moved towards and away from the lock axis.

8. A lock and key according to Claim 6 or according to Claim 7 wherein the lock further includes tumblers for releasably restraining rotation of the key-receiving member relative to the body and which are movable by the key to respective releasing positions.

9. A lock and key according to Claim 8 wherein the key-receiving member defines a key-insertion opening at one end of said path and wherein the signalling means is spaced from the tumblers in a direction away from said one end of the path.

10. A lock and key according to any one of Claims I to 7 wherein the lock further comprises an obstructing element which is movable relative to the key-receiving member between an obstructing position in which the element obstructs movement of the key-receiving member relative to the body and a releasing position in which the obstructing element does not so obstruct movement of the key-receiving member and further comprising control means responsive to the signal provided by the signalling means to control the position of the obstructing element in accordance with data read from the key.

II. A lock and key substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the Figures I to 7 of the accompanying drawings.

12. A lock and key whereof the lock is substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 10 and 11 of the accompanying drawings.

13. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein or in the accompanying drawings.