US3149486A

US3149486A - Collapsing cylinder bottom pin

Info

Publication number: US3149486A
Application number: US274752A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fred J Russell; George B Solovieff
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-04-22
Filing date: 1963-04-22
Publication date: 1964-09-22
Anticipated expiration: 1981-09-22

Description

p 1964 F. J. RUSSELL ETAL 3,149,486

COLLAPSING CYLINDER BOTTOM PIN Filed April 22, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l m m" 27 2 12 3G 25 35 17' "H 3'6 38 29 x #3 S '5. IO, 37

INVENTORS FRED J RUSSELL GEORGE .B. \sOLOV/EFF BY 3% S ATTQENEVS Sept. 22, 1964 F. J. RUSSELL ETAL 3,149,486

COLLAPSING CYLINDER BOTTOM PIN Filed April 22, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TORS FRED J, RUSSEL ($50265 B. 501.0 l/IEFF B 342% 5 Zia/"MM A'FTOQNEY 5 villa/I111! United States Patent 3,149,486 CQLLAPSING CYLINDER BGTTQM PIN Fred J. Russell, Los Angeles, Calif. (8635 Gtis St., South Gate, aht.), and George B. Soloviefi, San Clemente, Calif; said Eoloviefi assignor to said Russell Filed Apr. 22, 1963, Ser. No. 274,752 4 Elaims. (Cl. 70-384) The invention has reference to a selective keying system, for example, as might be made use of during the construction period of a building in order that locks can be installed early during the period of construction and be permitted to be used by construction workers with keys of limited applicability, but wherein later the keying can be easily changed to render the locks operable only by the owners key and no longer operable by the construction keys. Selective systems of the type mentioned are useful in many and varied types of locks, but have special application to pin tumbler locks.

Some construction key systems have been devised, but those heretofore available are to a degree objectionable because of operating in such fashion that a portion of the lock structure is mutilated when the changeover is made. Others have the objection of making it necessary to provide costly auxiliary apparatus in the lock device useful only during the construction period, the structure moreover being such that portions of the added structure need to be carried permanently by the lock device at unwanted locations even though they are no longer useful. Others are susceptible to accidental, unintentional changeover, and still others require a construction which reduces the security of the lock, especially after changeover.

It is therefore among the objects of the invention to provide a new and improved selective key lock system useful as a construction key lock system, especially adapted for use in pin tumbler locks, which is of such character that even though a changeover has been made from one selected key lock system to another selected key lock system, the changeover will be such as to incur no radical change in what is otherwise a substantially standard lock construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved key lock system wherein no change need be made in the conventional tumbler casing parts to accommodate the unique principle which encompasses the invention.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved selective key lock system, whereby the keying arrangement can be easily altered upon the completion of some event like completion of construction, the rekeying of the system being such that it is simple, positive and inexpensive, and at the same time capable of making certain that only the authorized use of a re keying key can make the changeover from construction setting to owner setting.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved selective key lock system which is made effective by altering the length of one of the drive tumbler parts when the changeover from construction keying to owner keying is brought about, the shortening being accomplished by a simple tool means momentarily inserted which thereafter can be removed, leaving the shortened tumbler part operating in normal fashion but necessitating a new key, such as the owner key, for its manipulation.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

3,14%,486 Patented Sept. 22, 1964 "ice In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a cylinder housing partially broken away to reveal one form of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the device of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view partially broken away showing the location of parts and accessory devices immediately prior to changeover from construction keying to owner keying.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 showing the next step in the changeover.

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURES 3 and 4 showin a succeeding and final step in the changeover.

FIGURE 6 is a View similar to FIGURE 3, 4, and 5, showing the condition of parts after changeover is completed.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary elevational view partially in section showing a second form of the invention with the parts in the condition existing during construction keying.

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 7 showing accessory parts in position at the locations occupied upon completion of changeover from construction keying to owner keying.

FIGURE 9 is a view similar to FIGURES 7 and 8 showing the condition of parts after completion of owner keying.

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 10-ll3 of FIGURE 7.

In an embodiment of the invention illustrated in particular in FIGURES 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, there is shown a lock tumbler cylinder assembly which consists of a cylinder housing 14 in which a key plug 11 is rotatably mounted. The key plug 11 has an outer flange 12 providing a shoulder 13 fitting over a face 14 of the cylinder housing It) and at the opposite or inside end a collar 15 is applied to the key plug 11 to hold it in place. A cylindrical opening 16 through the cylinder housing 10 rotatably contains a barrel portion 17 of the key plug 11.

Extending from one side of the key plug 11 is a pin tumbler housing 13 running the length of the key plug 11 for reception of a plurality of sets of pin tumblers like the set consisting of an inner drive pin 19 and an outer drive pin 2% pressed into position by a spring 21. Bores like an inner bore 22 in the key plug 11 and an outer bore 23 in the cylinder housing 18 are in axial alignment and accommodate the pins 19 and 2h.

The forwardrnost of the sets of pin tumblers consists of an outer drive pin 25 and its spring 26 located in an outer bore 27 and a two-piece drive pin consisting of an inner part 23 and an outer part 29, located in an inner bore 39 in the key plug 11. In this form of invention, the inner part 28 is a cylindrical pin having a recess 31 opening outwardly. The outer part 29 is a ball the circumference of which is slightly greater than the diameter of the recess 31. The combined length of the inner part 28 and outer part 29 serves during the construction period keying as one of the pins of the endmost set of pin tumblers, and the construction key (not shown) is so cut that when inserted for opening the lock, the point of engagement of the outer part 29 and the drive pin 25 coincides with a shear line 32 between the key plug 11 and the cylinder housing 10. A construction key (not shown) is so cut that it will move in a conventional fashion all of the sets of tumblers to release position and at the same time move the two

part tumbler

28, 29 to release position by shifting the ball and the drive pin 25, as described, to release position.

When the construction operation is finished and it becomes desirabie to render all construction keys no longer operable, use is made of a lock pin 35. For admitmaterials such, for example, as nylon or Delrin.

ting the lock pin 35, there is provided a hole 36 in the key plug 11 which is exposed at a front face 37 of the flange 12. The hole 36 extends inwardly into communication with the inner bore 30, and a continuation 38 of the hole exists on the opposite side of the inner bore 39. The hle-36 and its continuation 38 are so located that when the two

part tumbler

28, 29 is in the position it would occupy with no key in place, a pointed end 39 of the lock pin-35 can find its way under the end of the outer drive pin and thereafter separate the outer drive pin 25 from its engagement with the outer part or ball 29 as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. By extending the lock pin into the continuation 38 of the hole 36, an effective blocking relationship is established.

Thereafter, a reset key 40 is extended into the appropriate conventional keyway 41 in the key plug 11. The reset key 40 has a cam face 42 extending between an innermost end 43 and a flat land 44. The cam face 42 is forced against the adjacent end of the inner part 28 and forces it upwardly. Since, during this operation, the outer part or ball 29 is stopped by the interposition of the lock pin 35, the ball cannot move; and therefore the inner part 28 telescopes over the ball or outer part 29 so that it is forced into the recess 31 as shown in FIGURE 5. This in effect changes the length of the two-piece drive pin of the forwardmost set of pin tumblers, making it a one-piece pin of shorter length. This accordingly changes the keying. Thereafter, the construction key will no longer be capable of unlocking the lock, and anew key such, for example, as the owners key, will be required to move the forwardmost set of pin tumblers to release position. Thereafter, this will be the only key capable of unlocking the lock, and there is no prospect of any rekeying, either accidental or intentional, Which can change the keying of the lock except by established rekeying methods.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG- URES 7, 8, 9, and 10, the cylinder housing 10 and key plug 11 are of the same construction and relationship as has been described in the form of invention of FIG- URES l, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. In this form of invention, however, there is a difference in construction with respect to the two-piece pin tumbler of the outermost set of pin tumblers which consists of an inner part and an outer part 51 (see FIGURE 10). The inner part St) has a substantially cylindrical recess 52 on the circumference of which are spaced annular inwardly extending

beads

53 and 54. Preferably, the inner part 5% is of some appropriate firm but to a degree yieldable material such as one of the currently available synthetic plastic resin The outer part .51 (see FIGURE 10). is preferably of metal and is provided with an extension 55 of special construction. A flanged end 56 of .the extension 55 in initial position is adapted to lodge between the beads 53 and the inner part 59. With the inner and outer parts 50 and .51 in the relationship shown in FIGURE 10, the twopiece pin tumbler of the endmost set of pin tumblers, is relatively long as shown in FIGURES 7 and 10. This is the length suitable tobe manipulated to release position by use ofa construction key (notshown). The construction key, as previously noted, is keyed so that it will lift all of theremaining sets of pin tumblers (not shown) to release position.

When this form of device is to be changed over from constructionkeying to owner keying, the lock pin 35 is inserted in the same manner as has already been described in connection with FIGURES 1 through 6 inclusive. Once in place, the same reset key 4t) is forced into the keyway 41 as previously described. On this occasion, the

cam face 42 cams against the adjacent end of the inner part .50, forcing it upwwardly into telescoping engagement with the outer part 51 which is blocked from movement by the interposition of the locking pin 35. Forcing of the inner and

outer parts

50, 51 together, as described, causes the inner part 50 and the

beads

53 and 54 to yield sufficiently to permit the flange 56 to override the bead 53 and lodge in the bottom of the recess 52. At the same time, the flange '58 overrides ,the bead 54. When the flange 56 hits the bottom of the recess 52, theouter and inner parts will be collapsed to the newly. shortened length as shown in FIGURES 8 and 9. The reset key 40 is then withdrawn, as is also the lock pin 35. Thereafter, the construction key (not shown) will no longer be capable of unlocking the lock. Accordingly, .a new'vkey, .as for example, the owners key (not shown) will be employed. The new key is cut so that it .is capable of'lifting the shortened two-

piece tumbler

50, 51 to release position when the other sets of tumblers are moved to release position, thereby to unlock the lock.

From the foregoing description it will be clear that all the portions of the lock are maintained of substantially standardized construction, the only variation being the provision of one two-piece pin tumbler. This merely changes in length at the changeover from construction keying to owner keying and becomes permanently a shorter pin without it being necessary to mutilate the lock in any fashion or to leave unwanted extra parts in the lock.

While the invention has herein been shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new in support of Letters Patent is:

1. A lock tumbler cylinder assembly of the kind including a cylinder housing, a key plug rotatable in the cylinder housing and having a keyway therein, said cylinder housing and key plug having a plurality of sets of bores and a set of movable tumblers in each bore for locking said key plug against rotation and adapted to be moved by a key inserted through the keyway at the face of the key plug, said sets of tumblers allowing rota tion of the key plug when each set of tumblers is in a release position, one of said sets of tumblers including an outer pin and a two-piece inner pin comprising outer and inner parts, said cylinder plug having a hole extending inwardly from the face into the bore which houses said two-piece pin, a stop member adapted to be inserted into said hole whereby to provide a divider and stop between said outer pin and the two-piece inner pin, said parts of the two-piecepin having an axially telescoping engagement with each other under pressure, said twoened two-piece inner pin to a release position.

2. A lock tumbler cylinder assembly of the kind including a cylinder housing, a key plug rotatable in the cylinder. housing and having a keyway therein, said cylinder housing and key plug having a plurality of sets of bores and a set of movable tumblers in each bore for locking said key plug against rotation and adapted to be moved by a key inserted through the keyway at the face of the key plug, said sets of tumblers allowing rotation of .the key plug when each set of tumblers is in a release position, one of said sets of tumblers including an outer pin and a two-piece inner pin comprising axially aligned outer and inner parts, said cylinder plug having a hole extending inwardly from the face into the bore which houses said two-piece pin, said hole being adjacent the outside end of the outer part of said two-piece inner pin, a stop member adapted to be inserted into said hole whereby to provide a divider and stop between said outer pin and the outer part of said two-piece inner pin, said axially aligned parts of the two-piece pin having an axially telescoping engagement with each other under pressure, said two-piece inner pin being adapted to contract in length upon insertion of a compressing key member into the keyway to a location in endwise compressing engagement with the inner part of said two-piece inner pin when the stop member is in place, whereby to change the keying and prevent unlocking said assembly except by a new key operable to move the shortened two-piece inner pin to a release position.

3. A lock tumbler cylinder assembly of the kind including a cylinder housing, a key plug rotatable in the cylinder housing and having a keyway therein, said cylinder housing and key plug having a plurality of sets of bores and a set of movable tumblers in each bore for locking said key plug against rotation and adapted to be moved by a key inserted through the keyway at the face of the key plug, said sets of tumblers allowing rotation of the key plug when each set of tumblers is in a release position, one of said sets of tumblers including an outer pin and a two-piece inner pin comprising outer and inner parts, one of said two-piece inner pin parts being of yieldable material and comprising a substantially cyl ndrical pin having a recess open at the outer end, said other of said two-piece inner pin parts comprising a ball having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of said recess, said cylinder plug having a hole extending inwardly from the face into the bore which houses said two-piece inner pin, a stop member adapted to be inserted into said hole whereby to provide a divider and stop between said outer pin and said two-piece inner pin, said two-piece inner pin being adapted to contract in length upon insertion of a compressing key member into the keyway to a location in endwise compressing engagement with the two-piece inner pin when the stop member is in place, whereby to change the keying and prevent unlocking said assembly except by a new key operable to move the shortened twopiece inner pin to a release position.

4. A lock tumbler cylinder assembly of the kind including a cylinder housing, a key plug rotatable in the cylinder housing and having a keyway therein, said cylinder housing and key plug having a plurality of sets of bores and a set of movable tumblers in each bore for locking said key plug against rotation and adapted to be moved by a key inserted through the keyway at the face of the key plug, said sets of tumblers allowing rotation of the key plug when each set of tumblers is in a release position, one of said sets of tumblers including an outer pin and a two-piece inner pin comprising outer and inner parts, one of said parts being of yieldable material and comprising a substantially cylindrical pin having a recess open at the outer end and configuration means in said recess, the other of said parts comprising a substantially cylindrical pin having an inwardly extending extension engageable with said one part, said extension having configuration means thereon complementary to the configuration means in said recess, said configuration means being in engagement with each other at extended and at contracted positions of said two-piece inner pin, said cylinder plug having a hole extending inwardly from the face into the bore which houses said two-piece inner pin, a stop member adapted to be inserted into said hole, whereby to provide a divider and stop between said outer pin and the outer part of said two-piece inner pin, said parts of said two-piece inner pin being moved from said extended position to said contracted position upon insertion of a compressing key member into the keyway to a location in endwise compressing engagement with the two-piece inner pin when the stop member is in place, whereby to change the keying and prevent unlocking said assembly except by a new key operable to move the shortened two-piece inner pin to a release position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,007,143 Keil July 2, 1935 2,232,017 Wilder Feb. 18, 1941 3,059,462 Check Oct. 23, 1962 3,073,146 Patriquin Jan. 15, 1963 3,099,151 Schlage July 30, 1963

Claims

1. A LOCK TUMBLER CYLINDER ASSEMBLY OF THE KIND INCLUDING A CYLINDER HOUSING, A KEY PLUG ROTATABLE IN THE CYLINDER HOUSING AND HAVING A KEYWAY THEREIN, SAID CYLINDER HOUSING AND KEY PLUG HAVING A PLURALITY OF SETS OF BORES AND A SET OF MOVABLE TUMBLERS IN EACH BORE FOR LOCKING SAID KEY PLUG AGAINST ROTATION AND ADAPTED TO BE MOVED BY A KEY INSERTED THROUGH THE KEYWAY AT THE FACE OF THE KEY PLUG, SAID SETS OF TUMBLERS ALLOWING ROTATION OF THE KEY PLUG WHEN EACH SET OF TUMBLERS IS IN A RELEASE POSITION, ONE OF SAID SETS OF TUMBLERS INCLUDING AN OUTER PIN AND A TWO-PIECE INNER PIN COMPRISING OUTER AND INNER PARTS SAID CYLINDER PLUG HAVING A HOLE EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM THE FACE INTO THE BORE WHICH HOUSES SAID TWO-PIECE PIN, A STOP MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE INSERTED