NZ564731A - Strengthened cylinder lock assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A cylinder lock assembly (2) with a housing (5) that includes a strengthened portion to reduce the likelihood of unauthorised detachment of the cylinder lock assembly from an associated mortice lock assembly (1) is disclosed. The lock assembly includes a barrel (4) located in an axial bore in the housing. The housing further has a transverse bore (8) for receiving a fixing pin (3) when fixing the housing to the mortice lock. The wall thickness of the cylinder housing measured in the axial direction from the transverse bore to a rear surface is greater than two thirds of the bore diameter.

Description

Patent Form No. 5 NEW ZEALAND Patents Act 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION TITLE: STRENGTHENED CYLINDER LOCK ASSEMBLY We ASSA ABLOY Australia Pty Limited, of 235 Huntingdale Road, Oakleigh, Victoria, 3166, Australia, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: 4003q ,NTEnfS=AL PROPEF»TY OFFICE OF N.Z. 11 APR 2005 RECElVFni 2 STRENGTHENED CYLINDER LOCK ASSEMBLY This invention relates to a cylinder lock assembly having a barrel mounted in an outer housing which can be rotated relative to the housing by a 5 correct key. The cylinder lock assembly has a particular application for use with a mortice lock assembly and it will be convenient to hereinafter describe the invention with reference to this application. The invention may however have other applications.

A cylinder lock assembly generally includes a housing, a barrel located in 10 the housing having a keyway formed therein to receive a key. The cylinder lock assembly also includes a plurality of tumblers that interact with the key so as to control rotation of the barrel relative to the housing. Where the tumblers are pin tumblers they are often located in a portion of the housing referred to as the bible. The shape of the bible portion of the housing may vary between 15 manufactures and even within a manufactures rage of cylinder locks which results in a range of cross sectional shapes of the cylinder housing. Some of the cross sectional shapes include obround and keyhole.

The cylinder lock assembly is often installed in a further lock assembly such as a mortice, rim or a cylindrical lock assembly, which functions to provide 20 key control over the operations of the further lock assembly. In the case of a mortice lock assembly the housing is attached to a casing of the mortice lock assembly by way of a pin located in a bore transverse to the barrel. The cylinder lock can be vulnerable at this point in that the function of the cylinder lock can be circumvented by the forced detachment of the cylinder lock from the mortice 25 lock. Lock systems can be rated according to the pull out force required to detach the cylinder lock so that higher security locks tend to have a higher pull out force rating.

Keyhole shaped cylinder locks, and in particular those with a cam at one end and a keyway at the other, tend to be used for key in knob lock assemblies. 30 The bible portion of the housing is generally not suitable for accommodating a transverse bore and as a result they are not suitable for use with mortice lock assemblies.

W:\sharonVbrad\Complete Applications\ASSA * IRN N215837-07 • Strengthened Cylinder Housing Specification 21dec06.doc 3 A cylinder lock assembly will generally include some form of cam associated with the barrel that moves to interact with an element or elements of the mortice lock. The shape of the cam, or more specifically the shape of the cam arm, determines the nature of its interaction with the elements of the 5 mortice lock. Cylinder locks are often provided with a variety of cams, to achieve a variety of functions, and it can be necessary to change the cam to change the function. The cam is attached to the barrel generally by a pair of screws which must be removed and replaced to change the cam. As a result adjusting the cylinder lock can be time consuming.

It is an object of this invention to reduce the vulnerability of a cylinder lock assembly to circumvention. It is a further preferred object of the invention that the cylinder lock assembly is relatively simple to adjust. It is a further object of the invention to provide options in selection of cylinder lock types.

The above discussion of lock assemblies, articles and the like is included 15 in this specification solely for the purpose of providing a context for the present invention. It is not suggested or represented that any of these matters formed part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present invention as it existed in New Zealand before the priority date of this invention.

According to a first aspect of this invention there is provided a cylinder lock assembly for use with a mortice lock assembly, the cylinder lock assembly including; a cylinder housing having an axial bore extending in an axial direction of the cylinder lock, the axial bore accommodates a barrel which is inserted 25 through a front of the cylinder housing for rotation relative to the housing about the axis to actuate a cam located towards a rear of the housing, the cylinder housing having a transverse bore extending substantially transverse to the axis for receiving a fixing pin when fixing the cylinder housing to the mortice lock assembly, wherein a wall thickness of the cylinder housing measured in the 30 axial direction from the transverse bore to a rear surface is greater than two thirds of the diameter of the bore.

W:\sharon\bradlComplete Applicatioris^SSA - IRN NZ15837-07 - Strengthened Cylinder Housing Specification 21dec06.doc 4 The transverse bore is preferably substantially parallel to the rear surface.

The cylinder lock assembly preferably includes a drive element operatively connecting the barrel with the cam. The drive element preferably 5 includes a tail bar portion a distal end of which engages the cam. The drive element preferably includes a disc portion which is connected to the barrel. It is further preferred that the tail bar portion is formed integrally with the disc portion. It is still further preferred that the cylinder housing includes a recessed ledge formed around the axial bore at the rear of the housing, wherein the disc 10 portion is seated on the ledge when it is connected to the barrel.

The cylinder lock assembly preferably includes a mount element which in use is mounted on the casing of the mortice lock assembly, the mount element retains the cam so as to position the cam to interact with components of the mortice lock assembly. It is preferred that the mount releasebly retains the cam 15 to enable the cam to be detached from the mount. It is further preferred that the mount includes at least one axially extending keyway which accommodates a lug associated with the cam when the cam is being detached from the mount, the keyway extending to a ledge formed in the mount on which the lug is seated when the cam is retained by the mount.

It is preferred that the wall thickness of the cylinder housing is equal to or less than the diameter of the transverse bore. It is further preferred that the wall thickness of the cylinder housing is greater than 2mm and less than 4mm.

It is preferred that the cylinder lock assembly include a plurality of pin tumblers.

According to a second aspect of this invention there is provided a cylinder lock assembly for use with a mortice lock assembly, the cylinder lock assembly includes; a cylinder lock housing having an axial bore extending in an axial direction of the cylinder lock, the axial bore accommodates a barrel which is inserted through a front of the cylinder housing for rotation relative to the 30 housing, the barrel having a keyway adjacent one end of the housing and a drive element adjacent an opposed end of the housing, a cap which is located W:\sharontoraQ\Compjete Appllcaticns\ASSA - IRN NZ15837-07 • Strengthened Cylinder Housing Specification 21dec06.doc over part of the cylinder lock housing having a transverse bore extending substantially transverse to the axis for receiving a fixing pin when fixing the cylinder lock assembly to the mortice lock assembly, wherein a wall thickness of the cap measured in the axial direction from the transverse bore to a rear 5 surface is greater than two thirds of the diameter of the bore.

The cap preferably includes a recess for accommodating a radially extending portion of the cylinder housing, whereby the radially extending portion interacts with the recess to prevent rotational movement of the housing relative to the cap. It is preferred that the recess interacts with the radially extending 10 portion to prevent movement of the axial movement of the housing relative to the cap.

It is further preferred that the cylinder lock assembly include a sleeve having an opening at one end through which the cylinder lock housing and cap pass to locate within the sleeve. It is preferred that the sleeve and cap are 15 configured to accommodate fastening means to prevent axial movement of the sleeve relative to the cap. It is further preferred that the sleeve includes an aperture and the cap includes a bore to accommodate the fastening means. It is still further preferred that the cap extends substantially the length of the cylinder housing.

It is preferred that the cross section shape of the cylinder lock housing is key hole and the sleeve is obround.

It will be convenient to hereinafter describe the invention in greater detail by reference to the accompanying drawings showing an example embodiment of the invention. The particularity of the drawings and the related detailed 25 description is not to be understood as superseding the generality of the broad definition of the invention as provided by the claims.

Figure 1 illustrates an isometric view in part exploded form of a cylinder lock assembly including cam spaced from a mortice lock casing.

Figure 2 illustrates an isometric rear view and part of the mortice lock 30 casing with the cylinder housing fixed to the casing.

W:\sharon\brad\Complete ApplicationsVASSA - IRN NZ15837-07 - Strengthened Cylinder Housing Specification 21decQ6.doc 6 Figure 3 illustrates part of the cylinder lock assembly shown through the cross section XX from Figure 2.

Figure 4 illustrates an exploded isometric view of the cylinder lock assembly with a range of cams.

Figure 5 illustrates the cylinder housing in cross section YY from Figure 4.

Figure 6 illustrates an isometric view of a key hole shaped cylinder lock Referring firstly to Figure 1 which illustrates a mortice lock assembly casing 1 and a cylinder lock assembly 2 which is fixed to the casing by way of a 10 fixing pin 3. The cylinder lock assembly 2 is of the kind having a barrel 4 located within the housing 5 which can be rotated relative to the housing 5 by rotation of a correct key (not shown) inserted into the keyway 6 of the barrel 4. The barrel 4 is located in an axially extending bore 7 (see Figure 3) and is rotatable about the axis ZZ. The cylinder housing 5 also includes a transverse bore 8 which in 15 Figure 1 is shown extending perpendicular to the axis ZZ. The transverse bore 8 accommodates the fixing pin 3 when fixing the cylinder housing 5 to the casing 1 (see Figure 2) and is set back from a rear surface 9 of the housing 5. It should be noted that the cross section shape of the cylinder housing 5 of the first embodiment is substantially obround, which differs from the shape of the 20 cylinder housing 105 of the second embodiment (see figure 6) which is key hole.

The cylinder lock assembly 2 also includes a cam 10 and mount 11 arrangement which in the assembled form shown in Figure 2 has the mount located in an aperture 12 (see Figure 1) formed in a side wall of the casing 1. In 25 this position the cam 10 can interact with an element or elements (not shown) of the mortice lock assembly in a manner that will be familiar to those in the lock industry.

Referring now to Figure 3 which shows the mount 11 is brought into engagement with the casing 1 so that a flange 13 formed around the perimeter 30 of the mount seats on a ledge 14 formed adjacent the perimeter of the aperture 12. Figure 3 also illustrates a drive element 15 including a disk portion 16 W:\sharon\brad\CompleteApplications\ASSA- IRM NZ15837-07 - Strengthened Cylinder Housing Specification 21dec06.doc 7 connected to the barrel 4 by way of a pair of screws 17. The drive element also includes a tail bar portion 18 which drivingly engages the cam 10. This arrangement enables rotation of the barrel 4 about the axis ZZ to cause rotation of the cam.

It should also be noted from Figure 3 that the disk portion 16 is formed with an annular wall 19 which locates within an annular recess 20 formed in the mount 11. This facilitates positive location of the drive element 15 in the mount 11 so as to keep the barrel 4 and the cam 10 axially aligned.

Referring now to Figure 4 which illustrates the mount 11 having 3 axially 10 extending keyways 21 to receive the lugs formed on the cam 10. The lugs 22 are positioned relative to the cam arm 23 so that in order for the lugs 22 to locate in the keyways 21 the cam arm 23 needs to extend vertically relative to the mount 11. It will be appreciated from Figure 2 that once the cylinder housing 2 is fixed to the casing 1 the cam arm 23 is obstructed from reaching the vertical 15 position by the cylinder housing 2. This ensures that the cam 10 remains attached to the mount 11 while the cylinder housing 2 is fixed to the casing 1.

Whilst Figure 4 shows four different shaped cams 10, it should be appreciated that only one can be fixed to the mount 11 at any one time.

Referring now to Figure 5 which shows the housing 5 with the barrel 4 20 removed to reveal the axial bore 7. A plurality of perpendicular bores 24 extend into the axial bore 7. The perpendicular bores 24 accommodate the pin tumblers (not shown) in a manner which will be understood by those in the industry. Figure 5 also shows the transverse bore 8 being spaced from the rear surface 9 of the housing 5. The transverse bore 8 is shown setback from the 25 rear surface 9. The wall thickness of the cylinder housing 5 measured in the axial direction ZZ from the transverse bore 8 to the rear surface 9 is almost equal to the diameter of the transverse bore 8. The wall thickness shown in figure 5 is merely a preferred example of the wall thickness according to the invention which is at least two thirds the diameter of the transverse bore and 30 preferably in the range of two thirds to one and a half times the diameter of the transverse bore. This generally results in a wall thickness of between 2mm to 4mm.

W:\sharon\brad\CompleteAppiications\ASSA- IRN NZ15&37-07 • strengthened Cylinder Housing Specification 2ldec06jjoc 8 Figure 6 illustrates a cylinder lock assembly 102 with a key hole shaped cylinder lock housing 105, which houses a barrel (not shown), and a plurality of pin tumblers (not shown) in a bible portion 130 of the housing 105. The bible portion 130 extends from a barrel portion 132 of the housing 105. A drive 5 element 115 is attached to the barrel at one end of the housing 105. The cylinder lock assembly 102 operates in the same way as the cylinder lock assembly illustrated in figures 1 to 4 in that a correct key located in a keyway accessed through a front of the barrel can rotate the barrel relative to the housing 105. Rotation of the barrel causes rotation of the drive element 115. 10 However the housing 105 is not configured to accommodate a pin 103 for connecting the cylinder lock assembly 102 to a mortice lock.

Referring now to figure 7 which illustrates a cap 131 which is moved in the direction of the arrow K to locate over the bible portion 130, and part of the barrel portion 132. Both the cap 131 and the cylinder lock 102 can then be 15 moved in the direction of the arrow L to locate in a sleeve 133. A fastening means such as a screw or the like can be located through the aperture 134 to locate in bore 135 (see figure 8) to fix the position of the sleeve 133 relative to the cap 131. Figure 8 also illustrates the cap 131 having a recess 136 to securely receive the bible portion 130 so as to limit rotational and axial 20 movement of the cylinder lock 102 relative to the cap 130.

Figures 7 and 8 illustrate the cap including a transverse bore 108 that can accommodate a pin for indirectly attaching the cylinder lock 102 to a mortice lock assembly in the same manner as that shown in figures 1 and 2. Figures 7 and 8 show the transverse bore 108 being spaced from the rear 25 surface 109 of the cap 131. The transverse bore 108 is shown setback from the rear surface 109. The wall thickness of the cap 131 measured in the axial direction from the transverse bore 108 to the rear surface 109 is approximately equal to the diameter of the transverse bore 8. The wall thickness shown in figures 7 and 8 is merely a preferred example of the wall thickness according to 30 the invention which is at least two thirds the diameter of the transverse bore and preferably in the range of two thirds to one and a half times the diameter of the transverse bore. This generally results in a wall thickness of between 2mm to 4mm.

W:\sharonVbrad\CompleteAppBcations\ASSA-IRN N216837-07 - Strengthened Cylinder Housing Specification21dec06.doc g It will be appreciated from the foregoing that the present invention provides greater resistance to pull out forces and existing cylinder lock assemblies. Furthermore the ease with which the cam can be changed without utilisation of specific tools is a further preferred advantage. Still furthermore the 5 cap and sleeve arrangement provide users with greater options when selecting a cylinder lock assembly.

Various alterations, additions or modifications may be made to the preferred embodiments as herein before described without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention as defined in the claims.

W:\aharon\brad\Coinplele Applicatiort$\ASSA - IRN NZ15837-07 - Strengthened Cylinder Housing Specification 21dec06.doc

Claims (22)

10 THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. A cylinder lock assembly for use with a mortice lock assembly, the 5 cylinder lock assembly including; a cylinder housing having an axial bore extending in an axial direction of the cylinder lock, the axial bore accommodates a barrel which is inserted through a front of the cylinder housing for rotation relative to the housing about the axis to actuate a cam located towards a rear of the housing, the cylinder 10 housing having a transverse bore extending substantially transverse to the axis for receiving a fixing pin when fixing the cylinder housing to the mortice lock assembly, wherein a wall thickness of the cylinder housing measured in the axial direction from the transverse bore to a rear surface is greater than two thirds of the diameter of the bore. 15

2. A cylinder lock assembly according to claim 1 including a drive element operatively connecting the barrel with a cam.

3. A cylinder lock assembly according to claim 2 wherein the drive element 20 includes a tail bar portion a distal end of which engages the cam.

4. A cylinder lock assembly according to claim 3 wherein the drive element includes a disc portion which is connected to the barrel. 25

5. A cylinder lock assembly according to claim 4 wherein the tail bar portion is formed integrally with the disc portion.

6. A cylinder lock assembly according to claim 4 or 5 wherein the cylinder housing includes a recessed ledge formed around the axial bore at the rear of 30 the housing, wherein the disc portion is seated on the ledge when it is connected to the barrel.

7. A cylinder lock assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the transverse bore and the rear surface are substantially parallel. W:\sharon\brad\Complete Applications\ASSA - IRN NZ15837-07 - Strengthened Cylinder Housing Specification 21 decos.doc 11

8. A cylinder lock assembly according to any one of the preceding claims including a mount element which in use is mounted on the mortice lock assembly, the mount element retains the cam so as to position the cam to 5 interact with components of the mortice lock.

9. A cylinder lock assembly according to claim 8 wherein the mount releasebly retains the cam to enable the cam to be detached from the mount.

10 10. A cylinder lock assembly according to claim 9 wherein the mount includes at least one axially extending keyway which accommodates a lug associated with the cam when the cam is being detached from the mount, the keyway extending to a ledge formed in the mount on which the lug is seated when the cam is retained by the mount. 15

11. A cylinder lock assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein the wall thickness of the cylinder housing is equal to or less than the diameter of the transverse bore. 20

12. A cylinder lock assembly according to any one of the preceding claims including wherein the wall thickness of the cylinder housing is greater than 2mm and less than 4mm.

13. A cylinder lock assembly according to any one of the preceding claims 25 including a plurality of pin tumblers.

14. A cylinder lock assembly for use with a mortice lock assembly, the cylinder lock assembly includes; a cylinder lock housing having an axial bore extending in an axial direction of the cylinder lock, the axial bore accommodates 30 a barrel which is inserted through a front of the cylinder housing for rotation relative to the housing, the barrel having a keyway adjacent one end of the housing and a drive element adjacent an opposed end of the housing, a cap which is located over part of the cylinder lock housing having a transverse bore extending substantially transverse to the axis for receiving a fixing pin when W:\sharon\brad\Complete Applications\ASSA - IRN NZ15837-07 - Strengthened Cylinder Housing Specification 2tdec06.doc 12 fixing the cylinder lock assembly to the mortice lock assembly, wherein a wall thickness of the cap measured in the axial direction from the transverse bore to a rear surface is greater than two thirds of the diameter of the bore.

15. A cylinder lock assembly according to claim 14 wherein the cap includes 5 a recess for accommodating a radially extending portion of the cylinder housing, whereby the radially extending portion interacts with the recess to prevent rotational movement of the housing relative to the cap.

16. A cylinder lock assembly according to claim 14 or 15 wherein the recess interacts with the radially extending portion to prevent movement of the axial 10 movement of the housing relative to the cap.

17. A cylinder lock assembly according to any one of claims 14 to 16 including a sleeve having an opening at one end through which the cylinder lock housing and cap pass to locate within the sleeve.

18. A cylinder lock assembly according to claim 17 wherein the sleeve and 15 cap are configured to accommodate fastening means to prevent axial movement of the sleeve relative to the cap.

19. A cylinder lock assembly according to claim 18 wherein the sleeve includes an aperture and the cap includes a bore to accommodate the fastening means.

20 20. A cylinder lock assembly according to any one of claims 14 to 19 wherein the cap extends substantially the length of the cylinder housing.

21. A cylinder lock assembly according to any one of claims 14 to 20 wherein the cross section shape of the cylinder lock housing is key hole and the sleeve is obround. 25

22. A cylinder lock assembly substantially as herein before described with reference to any one of the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings. W:\sharon\brad\Complete Applications\ASSA - IRN NZ15837-07 • Strengthened Cylinder Housing Specification 21dec09.doc