US2422600A

US2422600A - Master key cylinder lock

Info

Publication number: US2422600A
Application number: US620501A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gunnar E Swanson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1945-10-05
Filing date: 1945-10-05
Publication date: 1947-06-17
Anticipated expiration: 1964-06-17

Description

June 17, 1947. G. E. SWANSON 2 2,422,600

MASTER KEY CYLINDER LOCK Filed Oct. 5, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 120,; 222.5 1'

9 yn-IM INVENTOR e 17, 1947- r e. E; swANsoN 2 00 MASTER KEY CYLINDER LOCK Fiied Oct. 5, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INV ENTOR 2 Z V 1 BY M MM Patented June 17, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MASTER KEY CYLINDER LOCK Gunnar E. Swanson, New Britain, Conn. Application October 5, 1945, Serial No. 620,501

6 Claims.

1 This invention relates to the type of master keyed pin tumbler cylinder looks, that is, such locks as are installed in series in hotels, office buildings, factories and other large institutions, which locks are so constructed that each lock has its individual key, termed the service key, that will not unlock any other lock, while selected group may be unlocked by a key, called the master key, and all of the locks may be unlocked by a single key known as the grand master key.

The object of the invention is the provision of master keyed cylinder locks of attractive appearance which are so constructed as to afford greater protection against unauthorized manipulation than is provided by cylinder locks of the type mentioned that are in common use, the construction also being such that the locks not only can be normally manipulated by the service, master and grand master keys but can be set by a special service key to prevent them from being manipulated by the normal keys.

This object is attained by arranging in the casing and barrel, which is rotatable in the casing, a plurality of radially extending rows of tumbler pins, and in the cylinder, which is rotatable in the barrel, a single row of radially extending tumbler pins, the divisions of the several rows of tumbler pins being such that when the cylinder and barrel are turned to one position the proper service key can be inserted and the cylinder and barrel turned to manipulate the lock; when the cylinder and barrel are turned to another position the proper master key can be inserted and the cylinder and barrel turned to manipulatethe lock, and when the cylinder and barrel are turned to another position the proper grand master key can be inserted and the cylinder and barrel turned to manipulate the lock. For the purpose of illustrating the 'inventio three radially disposed rows of tumbler pins are shown, there could be more if desired, and for brevity the middle row of tumblers will be considered as in the service key position, the row of tumblers on the right as in the master key position and the row of tumblers on the left as in the grand master key position.

Fig. 1 of the drawings is a transverse section on dotted line l--l of Fig. 2, with the key omitted, showing the barrel locked to the casing by the tumblers that are in service position.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on dotted line 2-2 on Fig. 1, with a service key inserted and the cylinder locked to the barrel and the barrel unlocked from the casing by that key.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on dotted line 3-3 on Fig. 4, without the key, showing the barrel locked to the casing by the tumblers in master key position. v V

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section on dotted line 44 on Fig. 3 with a master key inserted and the cylinder locked to the barrel and the latter unlocked from the casing by that key.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section, without the key, showing the barrel locked to the casing in grand master key position.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the barrel and cylinder, on dotted line 6-6 on Fig. 2, showing the means for limiting the turning of the cylinder in the barrel from master key position to grand master key position.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary side view showing the relation of the barrel, cylinder, and the means provided for permitting the cylinder to have a limited rotary movement in the barrel.

Fig. 8 is a face view of a special duty plate that is secured in the casing, which plate has means for varying the shape of the key slot.

Fig. 9 is a transverse section on dotted line 9--9 on. Fig. 2 showing the special duty plate secured in the casing.

Fig. 10 i a detail longitudinal section showing the means for securing the special duty plate to the casing.

Fig. 11 showsa key blank having a specially shaped cross'section.

Fig. 12 shows a key blank having another crosssectional shape.

Fig. 13 illustrates sections that may be given to the keys. 1

Figs. 14 to 16 inclusive show transverse sections of the lock with modified arrangements of the tumbler pins, Fig. 14 showing a key inserted and the cylinder and barrel turned to master key position, Fig. 15 showing the cylinder and barrel turned to service key position, the key being omitted, and Fig. 16 showing the cylinder and barrel turned to grand master position, the key being omitted.

Fig. 17 is a section of an alternate structure in which the barrel is broached to form the base of the key slot.

Fig. 18 is a section of an alternate structure in which the cylinder is located eccentrically of the barrel. 7

Fig. 19 is a section illustrating the provision of a secondary barrel about the cylinder.

movement in the barrel. The casing shown has three rows of tumbler holes 23 that extend radially with relation to the axis of the cylinder, the middle row being in what is herein termed the service position. The barrel has three rows of tumbler holes 24 so located that by turning the barrel they can be aligned with the several rows of casing holes. The cylinder has a single row of tumbler holes 25 and four recesses 26 so located that by turning the cylinder they may be aligned with the barrel holes. The inner ends of the cylinder holes open into the key slot 21. In these holes are sectional tumbler pins and in the casing holes are springs 28 tensioned to press the pins inward.

To allow the cylinder a limited rotary movement in the barrel so that its row of tumbler holes may be aligned with the different rows of barrel holes, and then turn the barrel, the barrel has a slot 29 and the cylinder has a pin 30 that projects into this slot.

Secured in the casing at the front end of the barrel is a plate 3! with a fork 32 that fits into a groove 33 (Fig. 10) in the cylinder and enters part way into the key slot .21. This plate has notches 34-35-36 positioned and shaped to allow only keys having corresponding cross-sectional shape to be inserted into the key slot in the cylinder.

In the arrangement above described when the tumbler pins of a lock are aligned in service position, as indicated in Fig. .1, the barrel is locked to the casing by the pins 31 only, and the cylinder is free to be turned in the barrel. 'On the insertion of the correctly bitted service key the barrel is unlocked from the casing and the cylinder locked to the barrel by the pins 38 (Fig. 2) so that the barrel and cylinder can be turned by the key for throwing the locking bolt. The divisions of the pins or" course will differ so that it will require a different key to unlock each lock of a series.

For unlocking a group of locks by a master key the cylinder is turned to the right from service position until the cylinder tumblers are aligned in master key position in which position the barrel and casing are locked together by the pins 39 (Fig. 3). Then when the correctly bitted master key i inserted the pins are so positioned as to couple the cylinder and barrel together but free the barrel from the casing (Fig. 4)

To release the locks by a properly bitted grand master key the cylinder is turned from service position to the left (Fig. 5). When the properly bitted master key is inserted the cylinder and barrel are unlocked and turned to throw the bolt.

The tumbler pins are divided so that the service key will only set in unlocked position the pins of from the cylinder when in master key or grand master key position.

The recesses 26, before mentioned, are so corelated with the tumbler pin holes in the casing and barrel as to permit the ends of two rows of pins to rest therein when one row of pins in the cylinder, barrel and easing are in alignment thus registering a division in the said two rows of pins at the periphery of the barrel, freeing the cylinder for turning when the proper key is inserted under the pins that are aligned.

The employment of a plurality of rows of tumbler pins allows the sections of the pins to be longer and more combinations to be attained than when there is only a single row of pins divided for more than one key with overlapping key combinations and also increases protection against unauthorized unlocking of the locks.

In the modified form illustrated by Figs. 14, 15, 16 there is an additional tumbler pin section 40 inserted in each hole of the row in the service position directly under the pin section 4| that is beneath the spring. These pin sections correspond in length to the pins 42 in the master key alignment, and the receses 43 in the surface of the cylinder. are equal in width to the distance of two of the .pin holes inthe barrel.

Fig. 14 shows the alignment of the tumbler pins in master key alignment, with a correctly bitted key made from a'special duty key blank (Fig. 12) inserted. 'With the elements in this relation the barrel 45 is free to turn in the casing 36 and the cylinder 44 is locked to the barrel by the pin 41. From this condition the cylinder and barrel may be turned by the key to service positionand when the key is removed the relation of the elements will be as illustrated by Fig. 15, that is, with the barrel locked to the casing by the pin section 40 and the cylinder 44 free to turn in the barrel to the left.

In this relation none of the regular keys will function as their respective pin alignments are out of position for functioning except by a special duty key. On insertion of such a key the cylinder may be turned to the left from the position shown in Fig. 15 to the position as inclicated in Fig. 16. In this position none of the regular keys will function as they are barred from an individual lock, the master key will set in unlocked position the pins of a group of locks, and the grand master key will set in unlocked position the pins of an entire installation. It is obvious, of course, that the divisions of the pins will be varied .so long as the relation of the pin divisions will allow the cylinder and barrel to be turned by the proper keys.

The plate 3! that, as stated, obstructs a part of the key slot has a notch 34 which allows a conforming key to be thrust into the cylinder and withdrawn therefrom in one position only, and the key has a notch 3i) so that when inserted into the cylinder it can be turned from that position, but will be held from removal by the plate until turned back to position of insertion.

The

notches

35 and 36 in the plate are so located and shaped that only keys of conforming cross-sections can be-thrust into and withdrawn entering the key slot by the plate 3!. Turning the cylinder to the left from the position in Fig. 15 aligns the pins in the. cylinder with the transferred location of the service key pins in the barrel to grand master key position. Owing to the wide recess 43 in the cylinder this turning of the cylinder doesnot'cause any change of position of the grand master pins in their transposed position, but a division isregistered at the periphery of the cylinder between the pins 41 and M. The lock can now be operated by a specially formed master-key.

Looking out of a group of locks can be similarly accomplished by providing service, master or grand master keys from the specially made special duty key blanks (Fig. '12) by turning the cylinder and barrel to alternate pin alignment positions and removing the key used.

Adding a row of mating pins in service position, as described, instead of having a single pin as first described, makes possible the functioning of twospecialduty keys.

Fig. 17 shows an alternate structure of this lock with the barrel broached as at 50, 5|, 52 to form varying key bases as the cylinder is turned to the several functioning positions. In this case the plate 31 is eliminated.

In the alternate structure shown in Fig. 13 the cylinder 44 is ofi-center in the barrel 45 and the barrel broached to form, as indicated by the dotted lines 53 to form the varying top positions of the key slot as the cylinder is turned to its several functioning positions. In this construction the plate 3| (Fig. 8) is eliminated and there are no pins in the cylinder as the key operates directly on the pins in the barrel.

Fig. 19 shows an alternate structure in which there is a tubular shell 54 in which the pin recesses 55 are located instead of in the cylinder. This shell also has one row of holes 56 through which the pins 51 in the cylinder extend and move. These pins in the cylinder have varied divisions providing additional key control of the cylinder by a fourth key acting to set the divisions of the pins in alignment on the periphery of the center cylinder to allow the cylinder to be turned.

The basic features of this look which has but a single key slot permits of many modifications. The varying service, master and grand master keys may have many difierent sectional shapes and as these keys operate on different rows of pin alignment, instead of, as in the common locks in which the several keys operate on a single row of pins the sections of which must necessarily be very short, the pins may be sectioned to provide many different changes in each row.

The invention claimed is:

1. A cylinder lock which has a casing, a barrel rotatable in the casing, and a cylinder rotatable in the barrel, said casing having a plurality of rows of tumbler pins, said barrel having a similar number of rows of tumbler pins, each row of barrel pins being adapted to be aligned with each row of casing pins, and said cylinder having a single row of tumbler pins adapted to be aligned with each row of barrel pins, said cylinder also having a single key slot aligned with the cylinder pins.

2. A cylinder lock which has a casing, a barrel rotatable in the casing, and a. cylinder rotatable in the barrel, said casing having a plurality of rows of tumbler pins, said barrel having a similar number of rows of tumbler pins, each row of barrel pins being adapted to be aligned with each row of casing pins, and said cylinder having a single row of tumbler pins adapted to be aligned with each row of barrel pins, said cylinder also having a single key slot aligned with the cylinder pins, and said cylinder also having in its surface rows of recesses adapted to receive the inner ends of the barrel tumbler pins.

3. A cylinder lock which has a casing, a barrel rotatable in the casing, and a cylinder rotatable in the barrel, said casing having a plurality of rows of tumbler pins, said barrel having a similar number of rows of tumbler pins, each row of barrel pins being adapted to be aligned with each row of easing pins, and said cylinder having a single row of tumbler pins adapted to be aligned with each row of barrel pins, said cylinder also having a single key slot aligned with the cylinder pins, said cylinder also having in its surface rows of recesses spaced apart a distance equal to the distance between the rows of barrel pins and adapted to receive the inner ends of the barrel pins.

4. A cylinder lock which has a casing, a barrel rotatable in the casing, and a cylinder rotatable in the barrel, said casing having a plurality of rows of tumbler pins, said barrel having a similar number of rows of tumbler pins, each row of barrel pins being adapted to be aligned with each row of easing pins, and said cylinder having a single row of tumbler pins adapted to be aligned with each row of barrel pins, said cylinder also having a single key slot aligned with the cylinder pins, and a plate secured in the casing and partly obstructing the key slot, said plate having notches positioned and shaped to allow only keys that will register therewith to pass through the plate into the cylinder.

5. A cylinder lock which has a casing, a barrel rotatable in the casing, and a cylinder rotatable in the barrel, said casing having a plurality of rows of tumbler pins, said barrel having a similar number of rows of tumbler pins, each row of barrel pins being adapted to be aligned with each row of easing pins, and said cylinder having a single row of tumbler pins adapted to be aligned with each row of barrel pins, and a single key slot partly in the barrel and partly in the cylinder, and aligned with the cylinder pins.

6. A cylinder lock which has a casing, a barrel rotatable in the casing, a tubular shell rotatable in the barrel, and a cylinder rotatable in said shell, said casing having a plurality of rows of tumbler pins, said barrel having a similar number of rows of tumbler pins, each row of barrel pins being adapted to be aligned with each row of easing pins, and said cylinder having a single row of tumbler pins adapted to be aligned with each row of barrel pins, said cylinder also having a single key slot aligned with the cylinder pins, and said shell having in its surface rows of recesses adapted to receive the inner ends of the barrel tumbler pins, and a row of perforations aligned with the key slot.

GUNNAR E. SWANSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,069,734 Shaw Aug. 12, 1913 2,113,007 Swanson Apr. 5, 1938