GB2212552A - Security device - Google Patents

Abstract

A security device for fitting into the keyhole of a lock e.g. mortice lock, to be protected has a body 11 containing a cylinder 13 which is rotatable by the key 15, and a transverse locking member 18 movable with the cylinder from one position aligned with the body to another non-aligned position. The member is axially displaced relative to the remainder of the body. To prevent the locking member being bent when the security device is inserted into the keyhole, the body is provided with a protrusion 21 extending up to and aligned with the member in its aligned position to act as a reaction member behind the locking member as it is advanced into the keyhole. <IMAGE>

Description

SECURITY DEVICE A key-operated security device comprises a key and a lock, the lock comprising a body, a cylinder rotatable within the body by means of the key and a locking member movable between locking and non-locking positions on rotation of the cylinder. The key is formed with a plurality of notches which cooperate with tumblers in the lock and when the correct key is inserted into the lock the tumblers are properly aligned to allow rotation of cylinder.

Some keys for example for mortice locks have a shaft and tongue on one of whose surfaces the notches are formed to cooperate with tumblers in the lock. In security devices operated by such keys, it is often desired to provide a further security by blocking off the keyhole so that a key cannot be inserted into the security device to operate it.The present invention relates to such a further security device and in one aspect comprises o -Oratea security device comprising a key and a lock, the lock havno device elongated body for fitting in the keyhole of a further security/tó be protected, the body comprising a cylinder adjacent one eno -or rotation by the key, the key having notches formed on one eage of an elongated member which is at least one centimetre long ant preferably at least two centimetres long. A long member nas the advantage that a large number of notches can be arranged along one surface of the plate, providing many possible combinations.Even if the lock has an axial length shorter than the member of the key, the long length of the member of the key enables the security device to be used in a dee? keyhole. In another aspect the invention comprises a key-oerated security device comprising a key and lock, the lock having a cylinder rotatable by means of the key which cylinder protrudes axially from the remainder of the lock and is provided with a transverse locking member spaced from the remainder of the lock, the remainder of the lock being provided with a protrusion extending towards the position of the transverse member, the transverse member being movable by means of the key to a position aligned with and closely spaced from said protrusion.

The advantage of this arrangement is that the protrusion provides a reaction member for the transverse locking member so that when the security device is inserted in a keyhole the locking member cannot be bent back in the axial direction due to the presence of the protrusion on the remainder of the lock.

An example of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a lock according to the invention, with its locking member in its non-locking position; Figure 2 is a front elevation of the lock of Figure 1 with its locking member in its locking position; Figure 3 is a side elevation of the lock of Figure 1 with its key inserted and with its locking member in its non-locking position; Figure 4 is a side elevation of the lock with its key inserted and with its locking member in its locking position; Figure 5 is a front elevation of an alternative lock; and Figure 6 is a front elevation of another alternative lock.

A lock has a body 11 of elongated section with a semicircular top 12 and a cylinder 13 mounted at the top end rotatable axially. The cylinder 13 is provided with a key slot 14 and a key 15 inserted therein cooperates with tumblers within the cylinder 13 and the body 11 so that the correct key inserted in the key slot 14 can cause the cylinder 13 to rotate axially.

The part 16 of the cylinder 13 remote from the key slot 14 protrudes from the remainder of the body by the axial dimension of the body in this case one centimetre. At its further end 17, the protruding part 16 of the cylinder is provided with a transverse locking member 18, four millimetres long (measured radially of the cylinder) and two millimetres wide (measured axially of the cylinder). The transverse locking member 18 has a non-locking position in which it is aligned with the elongated dimension of the body and aligned with and closely spaced from a protrusion 21 from the end of the body remote from the key slot, the protrusion being of the same section as the transverse locking member 18. The transverse locking member 18 can be rotated to a locking position, for example at 900 from the non-locking position in which it is aligned with the protrusion.When the security device is inserted into a keyhole, rotation of the locking member to its locking position can prevent the device being withdrawn from the keyhole when the locking member 18 engage members defining the keyhole.

In order that the security device can fit into waisted keyholes 22, the section of the body can itself be of keyhole shape, as shown in Figure 5, rather than the generally rectangular shape as shown in Figure 1, or it can be formed with an upper circular portion and a lower stem of less width than the diameter of the circular portion, as shown in Figure 6, for example.

As shown in figures 3 and 4, the key to operate the security device has a long plate member, only the end portion of which fits into the lock, the remainder 23 extending from the lock on the side remote from the protruding portion of the cylinder. The remainder 23 is of uniform section for at least one and preferably two centimetres before the head 24 of the key is reached. This enables the security device to be inserted deep into a keyhole so that the locking member can engage members defining the keyhole deep inside the lock to be guarded, the uniform section portion 23 being rotated within the keyhole to be guarded to operate the lock, leaving the head protruding from the keyhole to be guarded so that it can be turned by the user. Such a key may be used with a lock which is not provided with the protrusion supporting the locking member.

Claims (4)

1. CmAIM

   CLAIv5 1. Key-operated security device comprising a key and lock, the lock having a cylinder rotatable bv means of the key which cylinder protrudes axially from the remainder of the lock and is provided with a transverse locking member spaced from the remainder of the lock, the remainder of the lock being provided with a protrusion towards the position of the transverse member, being movable by means of the key to a position aligned with and closely spaced from said protrusion.
2. 2. Key-operated security device comprising a key and lock, the lock having an elongated body for fitting in the keyhole of a further security device to be protected, the body comprising a cylinder adjacent one end for rotation by the key, the key having notches formed on one edge of an elongated member which is at least one centimetre long.
3. 3. A device as claimed in claim 2 when the elongated member is at least 2 centimetres long.
4. 4. A key operated security device substantially as herein before described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.