US3059462A

US3059462A - Construction key tumbler cylinder assembly

Info

Publication number: US3059462A
Application number: US20733A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mathias M Check
Original assignee: Yale and Towne Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Yale and Towne Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1960-04-07
Filing date: 1960-04-07
Publication date: 1962-10-23
Anticipated expiration: 1979-10-23

Description

Oct. 23, 1962 M. M. CHECK 3,059,462

CONSTRUCTION KEY TUMBLER CYLINDER ASSEMBLY Filed April 7, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1N VEN TOR. /VArf//As /7 C//e'c/ United States Patent Ofi ce 3,959,462 Patented Oct. 23, 1962 3,059,462 CONSTRUCTIN KEY TUR/BIER CYLINDER ASSElvmLY Mathias M. Check, Stratford, Pa., assigner to The Yale & Towne Manufacturing Company, Stamford, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Apr. 7, 1960, Ser. No. 20,733 S Claims. (Cl. 70-384) This invention relates to a tumbler cylinder assembly for locks that will be used in equipping new buildings. More particularly, my invention relates to a novel tumbler cylinder assembly, that, during the construction of a building, can be operated lby a particular key, called a construction key, but that can be very easily and quickly converted so that thereafter it will be operated only by the new owners key.

It will be appreciated that a builder will install a lock during the construction of a building, and will have a key that he and his employees will -use to gain admittance. Generally, it has been the practice to use a key like the one that will be given to the new owner or occupant when he takes possession of the building. This practice is objectionableLbecause it may give an unauthorized person an opportunity to retain or to supply himself with a duplicate key, enabling him to enter the building at any time. Naturally, it is possible to change the tumbler combination of a conventional lock cylinder assembly, but that procedure is discouraged by the trouble and expense that are involved. The prior art has developed cylinders that are particularly designed to allow changing of the combination, but those cylinders are rather complicated and costly, or do not offer the security that is desired.

Through the novel concept of my invention, I contribute a relatively low cost lock cylinder assembly that will in effect allow the tumbler combination to be changed, that being done through a very simple operation. Thereby I make it entirely practical for a builder to equip a building with a lock that can be operated by a construction key, while the owners key is kept in careful custody. Then, when giving the owner his key, the builder will be able to assure him that there are no duplicate keys in the hands of persons who should not have them. Moreover, once my novel cylinder assembly is converted for the owners use, it positively cannot be operated through manipulation of the construction key and will offer the owner the full security of the lock.

In my novel tumbler cylinder assembly, I am able to utilize a key plug having a rather conventional series of pin tumblers that move relatively to a keyway in the key plug. Those tumblers are adapted to lock the key plug in the outer portion of the cylinder, but will allow rotation of the plug when each tumbler is in a release position. I particularly equip my assembly with means that hold one of the tumblers in release position. With one tumbler so held, it will be appreciated that the lock can be operated by a construction key that merely moves the remaining tumblers to release position. The means that hold the one tumbler are so formed and related to the tumbler that pressure applied against those means will free said tumbler for movement. The means cannot be moved again to a position holding the tumbler. To operate the lock thereafter, it will be necessary to move all of the tumblers to release position. That must be done by using the owners key, and the construction key no longer will be effective.

In the construction that I prefer, the tumbler holding means include a pin that has a press t in the opening in the front of the key plug. In assembling that construction, the pin is pressed inwardly in the opening and into contact with the first tumbler, that is, the tumbler nearest the front of the key plug, whereby to hold that tumbler in release position. The pin can be pressed further inwardly to a position in which it no longer will hold the iirst tumbler, and cannot then be returned to holding position. Thereafter the rst tumbler will operate in a conventional way, and all of the tumblers in the series must be moved by the owners key in order to allow rotation of the key plug.

I have thus outlined rather broadly the more important features of my invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that my contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of my invention that will Ibe described hereinafter and which will form the subject of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception on which my disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a 'basis for the designing of other structures for carrying out the several purposes of my invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions as do not depart from the spirit and scope of -my invention, in order to prevent the appropriation of my invention by those skilled in the art. g

Referring now to the drawings,

FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section of my bler cylinder assembly;

FIG.V 2 shows an end view of the cylinder assembly shown in FIG. l1;

FIG. 3 shows a construction key that will be used to operate my cylinder assembly;

FIG. 4 shows the key that the owner will use to operate my cylinder assembly;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section showing a further form of my invention;

FIG. 6 shows an end view of another Aform of my novel cylinder assembly; v

FIG. 7 is a section on the line 7-7 in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is similar to FIG. 7, but shows the position ofv the holding member when moved from the first tumbler;

FIG. 9 is a cross section on the line 9-9 in FIG. 8.

Referring now more particularly to FIG. l of the draw-k ings, I indicate my novel cylinder assembly generally by the numeral 10, and I show a key plug 11 that is adapted to rotate in the outer body of the cylinder. Key plug 11 is equipped with a series of pin tumblers 12 that move in openings arranged longitudinally of a keyway 13 in the plug, and that actually are rather conventional. The body of cylinder 10 has a series of driver tumblers 14 that are pressed by springs 15', and that act in the locking position-of key plug 11 to press the tumblers 12 toward the keyway 13. 'Ihose persons skilled in the art will understand that the tumblers 12 may effect locking of the key plug '11, but -will allow rotation of the plug when moved to release positions by the insertion of a key in keyway 13.

In the particular form of my invention that I show in FIG. 1, I form an inclined opening 16 in the frontend of the key plug11. That opening 16 extends inwardly to the rst tumbler in the series 12, which I indicate by the numeral 17, and meets the opening in which tumbler 17 moves at a point just above keyway 13. I utilize a pin 18 that yhas a press lit in the opening 16. When assembling the key plug and tumblers, the pin 18 is pressed into a position extending below the tumbler 17, as shown in FIG. l, the arrangement being such that pin 18 will hold the tumbler 17 in a release position, or in other words with its upper end in aligned relation Vto the surface of key plug 11.

novel tum- It will now bey possible to operate the key plug 11 through the construction key A that I show in FIG. 3. Thus, the key A is formed with bittings 18 that are adapted to set in release positions all tumblers of the series 12, except the first tumbler 1'7. Key A has a bitting 19 adapted to set tumbler 17 in a locking position, but as shown in FIG. 1, pin 18 holds tumbler 17 so that it remains in release position, enabling construction key A to operate the key plug 11.

I now call attention to the fact that the opening 16 will enable the pin 18 to be pressed inwardly, as by tool T inserted in the opening 16. The pin 18 when pressed inwardly will move out of holding relation to the tumbler 17 and into the keyway 13, and can then be removed from the key plug. When the pin 18 no longer holds the tumbler 17, that tumbler naturally will move downwardly, thus acting in the usual way to effect locking of the key plug 11. To operate the key plug 11, it will now be necessary to use a key that will move all of the tumbler series 12, including tumbler 17, to release position.

That key will be the owners key, which I indicate by the letter B in FIG. 4. The key B is formed with bittings like the -bittings 18 on the 'key A, but has also a hitting 20 that will move the first tumbler 177 to release position. It will lbe understood that the key plug 11 no longer can be operated through manipulation of the construction key A, andthe cylinder assembly will have the full security that is offered by the series of tumblers 12.

The construction that I show in FIG. is quite like that which -I have described in connection with FIGS. 1 to 4, and utilizes a pin 25 which is assembled with a press tit in a bore 26 in the front end of key plug 11. In FIG. 5, however, the bore 26 does not extend toward keyway 13, but extends to a medial part of the first tumbler 117. I form the tumbler 117 withv a 'bore 27 that is adapted to `accept the pin 25. However, in its initial assembled position, the pin 25 will remain-partly in the opening 26, as shown in- FIG. S, so as to hold tumbler 117 in release position. By the insertion of tool T in the opening 26, the pin 25 can be pressed entirely into the bore 27 so that it no longer is in holding relation to tumbler 117. Thus, the' cylinder construction that I show in FIG. 5 canvery readily be converted forv the use of the owners key, in much the same mannerthat I have described in connection with FIG. 1.

In FIGS. 6 to 9, I form the front end of the key plug 11 with an opening 30 that extends in an odset position intersecting one side of the opening in which the Erst tumbler 217 moves. The first tumbler 217 has a peripheral groove 31, FIG. 9, that will be aligned with the opening 30 when tumbler 217 is in release position. Into the opening 30 I press a pin 32 having an end portion 33 that engages in the groove 31, as shown in FIG. 7, thereby holding tumbler 217 so that it will not eect locking of the key plug. The pin 32 has also a reduced portion 34 that will be aligned with tumbler 217 when pin 32 is pressed inwardly, as shown in FIG. 8, thereby allowing tumbler 217 to move. I show the pin 32 formed to project from the key plug 11 when the pin is in its initial position, as in FIG. 7, so that it can be driven inwardly by a tool that does not enter the opening 30. However, I may very well make the pin 32 shorter, since it may then be moved by a tool inserted in the opening 30 as in FIGS. 1 and 5; Actually, I may use for holding the tumbler 217 a steel ball that may be pressed into the opening 30 sol as to coact with the tumbler groove 31. It is merely necessary to know that the pin or other holding member 32 can be moved in only one direction, that is, into the position shown in FIG. 8, placing the iii-st tumbler 217 in normal operation. Once that is done, all of the tumblers will require key operation, and the owners key will be necessary in order to set the tumblers in release position. Y

It is conceivable, of course, that the novel concept of my invention may be practiced by using a' tumbler holding member that is mounted on the body of a lock cylinder. Thus, for example, the bore 27 in FIG. 5 may very well be formed in the first driver tumbler 14, the opening 26 then being formed in the cylinder body so that the pin 25 can engage in the bore 27. By holding the first driver 14, the pin 25 in eect will hold tumbler 117 in release position, and the cylinder assembly will operate in the same manner that I have already described in connection with FIG. 5. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to a tumbler holding member that is particularly utilized on a key plug.

I believe that those persons skilled in the art will now understand that I have contributed a novel tumbler cylinder assembly having a very considerable value. Through my invention, it will be possible, at relatively low cost, to equip a building with a lock that can very readily be converted for the use of the owners key. The builder will have a construction key that will at -iirst operate the lock, but once the lock is converted it positively can not be manipulated in such a way that it will again allow the use of the construction key. Very little expense or trouble will be involved in equipping a building with my novel cylinder assembly, so that the builder will nd it practical to otter the owner better security. Therefore, I believe that the merits of my invention will be fully appreciated.

I now claim:

l. A lock tumbler cylinder assembly of the kind includ ing a cylinder, a key plug rotatable in the cylinder, and a series of movable tumblers in the cylinder and key plug for locking said key plug against rotation and adapted to be moved by a key inserted through the front of the key plug, said tumblers allowing rotation of the key plug when each tumbler is ina release posi-tion,

a member mounted inposition engaged between the key plug and one of said tumblers to hold that tumbler in release position,

said member by holding said one tumbler enabling the cylinder assembly to be operated by a first key that moves merely the remaining tumblers to release position,

a part on the key plug formed with an opening in which said member is adapted to move in a direction rearwandly of the key plug and out of engagement between the key plug and said one tumbler,

and a front portion of the key plug formed to expose a surface of the tumbler holding member so that the member can be pressed rearwardly in said opening whereby to free said one tumbler, so that thereafter a second key that moves all of the tumblers to release position will -be necessary in order to operate the cylinder assembly.

2. A lock tumbler cylinder assembly of the kind including a cylinder, a key plug rotatable in said cylinder, and a series of movable tumblers in the cylinder and key plug for locking the key plug against rotation and adapted to be moved by a key inserted through the front of the plug, said tumblers allowing rotation of the key plug when each tumbler is in a release position,

a part of said cylinder assembly formed with an opening extending from the front of the cylinder assembly inwardly to one of said tumblers,

a member assembled in said opening in contact with said one of the tumblers and having a portion in opposed relation to a surface on said tumbler to hold that tumbler in its release position, enabling the key plug to be operated through the use of a construction key that moves merely the remaining tumblers to their release position,

a surface of said member being exposed for an application of pressure in an inward direction to said member in said opening,

a part of the cylinder assembly formed rearwardly of the tumbler holding member with clearance that enables pressure applied to said sur-face of the member to move said member away from holding relation to said one tumbler, allowing said tumbler to move to a locking position,

and said last named part of the cylinder assembly covering further surfaces of said member to prevent an application of pressure in an `outward direction to said member, so that once the member is pressed out of tumbler holding position, there will be necessary to operate the key plug a second key that will set all of the tumblers in release position.

3. A lock tumbler cylinder assembly of the kind including a cylinder, a key plug rotatable in said cylinder, and a series of movable tumblers in said cylinder and key plug for locking said plug against rotation and adapted to be moved by a key inserted through the -front of the key plug, said tumblers allowing rotation of the key plug when each tumbler is in a release position,

an opening formed to extend in said key plug from the front of the plug inwardly to one of said tumblers,

a member having a press iit in said opening and pressed into position contacting said one of the tumblers,

said member having a portion in opposed relation to a surface on said one tumbler to hold that tumbler in its release position, enabling the key plug to be operated through the use of a construction key that moves merely the remaining tumblers -to their release position,

and a part on the key plug formed rearwardly of the tumbler holding member with clearance that enables said member to be pressed in an inward direction away from holding relation to said one tumbler, allowing said -tumbler to move to a locking position and making necessary to operate the key plug a second key that will set all of the tumblers in release position.

4. A lock tumbler cylinder assembly of the kind including a cylinder, a key plug rotatable in said cylinder, and a series of tumblers effective each for locking the key plug against rotation and movable to a release position to allow rotation of the plug, said tumblers being assembled in a series of bores that are arranged longitudinally on the key plug and cylinder and adapted to be moved in said bores by a key inserted through the front of the key plus,

an opening for-med in the front end of the key plug and extending to the bore which is nearest the front of the key plug and in which moves a rst tumbler,

a member inserted in said opening and into contact with said first tumbler,

said member having a portion in opposed relation to a surface on the first tumbler to hold that tumbler in release position, said key plug then being operable by a construction key that will move to release positions merely the tumblers rearwardly of said first tumbler,

and a part on said key plug formed rearwardly of the tumbler holding member with clearance enabling said member to be pressed in a rearward direction to a position in which it no longer holds said rst tumbler, allowing said first tumbler to move to a locking position and making necessary thereafter to operate the key plug a second key that will move all of the tum-blers to release positions.

5. A combination of the class described including a lock cylinder, a key plug rotatable in said cylinder, and a longitudinal series of spring pressed tumblers in said cylinder and key plug for locking the plug against rotation, sai-d tumblers adapted to move against their spring pressure and to be set when engaged by the bittings of a key inserted longitudinally through the front end of a keyway in the key plug,

a construction key bitted -for setting in a locking position the rst tumbler nearest the front of the key plug while setting the remaining tumblers in release position,

' a member assembled on the key plug and engaged between the plug and said rst tumbler to hold that tumbler away from the corresponding bitting of the construction key and in release position so that the key plug can be operated by the construction key,

and said key plug being formed with means enabling said member to be moved out of holding relation to said rst tumbler to allow that tumbler to move to a locking position, so that the construction key no longer can operate the key plug.

6. A lock tumbler cylinder assembly of the kind including a cylinder, a key plug rotatable in said cylinder, and a series of tumblers for locking the key plug against rotation and adapted to be moved in bores in the key plug and cylinder -by a -key inserted in a keyway in the plug, said tumblers allowing rotation of the key plug when each tumbler is in a release position,

said key plug having an opening extending from the front of the plug inwardly to the key plug bore in which one of said tumblers moves and being inclined toward said keyway,

a member assembled in said opening and extending under said one of the tumblers to hold that tumbler in its release position, enabling the key plug to be operated through the use of a construction key that moves merely the remaining tumblers to their release position,

'said tumbler holding member adapted to be pressed inwardly into said keyway whereby to move out of holding relation to said one tumbler, allowing said one tumbler to move to a locking position so that the construction key no longer will operate the key plus,

and said member being suiciently narrow to be moved freely through the keyway to a position in which it does not obstruct movement of a key in said keyway.

7. A lock tumbler cylinder assembly of the kind including a cylinder, a key plug rotatable in said cylinder, and a l'series of tumblers in the key plug and cylinder for locking the key plug against rotation and adapted to be moved by a key inserted through the fron-t of the plug, said tumblers allowing rotation of the key plug when each tumbler is in a release position,

said key plug having an opening extending from the -front of the plug inwardly to one of said tumblers,

a member assembled in said opening and engaged with said one of the tumblers to hold that tumbler in its release position, enabling the key plug to be operated through the use of a construction key that moves merely the remaining tumblers to their release positions,

and said one tumbler formed with a bore into which the tumbler holding member can be moved so that the member no longer is in said key plug opening, allowing said tumbler to move to a locking position and making necessary to operate the key plug a second key that will set all of the tumblers in release position.

8. A lock tumbler cylinder assembly of the kind including a cylinder, a key plug rotatable in said cylinder, and a series of tumblers in said cylinder and key plug -for locking the key plug against rotation and adapted to be moved by a key inserted through the front of the plug, said sumblers allowing rotation of the key plug when each tumbler is in a release position,

said key plug having an opening extending from the -front of the plug inwardly to one of said tumblers and beyond that tumbler,

a lgroove formed in the periphery of said one tumbler,

a member assembled in said opening and engaged in the groove of said tumbler to hold that tumbler in its release position, enabling the key plug to be operated through the use of a construction key that moves merely the remaining tumbler's to their release position,

and an inner portion of said inwardly extending opening enabling said ltumbler member to be moved in an inward direction away from engagement:y with said one tumbler, allowing said tumbler to move to a locking position so that the construction key no longer will operate the key plug.

UNITED STATESv PATENTS Woll Nov. 22, 1927 Hardy Mar. 10', 1931 Keil July 2, 1935 Maxwell et al. Oct. 27, 1936 Ziegliss Apr. 1 1952