CYLINDER LOCK WITH EXTENSIBLE LOCK PIN FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to generally cylinder lock assemblies, and particularly to a key actuated cylinder lock comprising lock pins (either driver pins or tumbler pins) with an extensible length. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Key actuated cylinder locks (also known as tumbler locks) are well known. A typical cylinder lock 10 of the prior art is shown in Fig. 1. Cylinder lock 10 of the prior art generally comprises a plurality of driver pins 12 biased against springs 13, and slidably located in a series of aligned parallel bores 14 in a lock body 16. A plurality of tumbler pins 18 (also called pin tumblers or plug pins) are aligned with the driver pins 12 and located in pin bores 20 formed in a rotatable-key-receiving plug 22 (also called barrel or tumbler) located in a longitudinal bore 24 formed in the lock body 16. Insertion of a correct key (not shown) in a keyway 26 formed in the plug 22 moves the tumbler pins 18 against the driver pins 12 to a shear line 28 to permit rotation of the plug 22 and actuation of the cylinder lock. Conventional cylinder locks have sometimes been forced open for a variety of reasons. For example, a feature of cylinder locks is that the driver pins and tumbler pins (collectively referred to as lock pins throughout the specification and claims) are generally of different lengths to provide a wide selection of key cut combinations. It is possible that for certain lengths of lock pins, particularly for short length driver pins or for small diameter lock bodies, one of the lock pins may be close to the shear line before insertion of the proper key. For example, in the lock of Fig. 1, there is a scant difference (indicated by letter A) between the end of the driver pin 12 and the shear line 28. A would-be intruder may insert a thin strong tool into the keyway and forcibly turn the plug about the shear line, thereby unlawfully actuating the lock without a proper key. The problem becomes worse in the event manufacturing tolerances are not tight, or if the lock pins are of relatively small diameter and/or made of relatively soft metal (e.g., brass, in non-high security locks). Making the driver pins longer does not satisfactorily solve the problem because it reduces the number of key cut combinations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention seeks to provide a key actuated cylinder lock comprising lock pins (that is, either driver pins or tumbler pins) with an extensible length, as is described more in detail hereinbelow. The tumbler pins are the pins that engage key cuts on a key and the driver pins are the pins abutted against by the tumbler pins. The term "lock pin" encompasses both driver and tumbler pins. There is thus provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention a cylinder lock comprising a plurality of lock pins comprising a plurality of driver pins slidably and biasedly disposed in bores formed in a lock body, and a plurality of tumbler pins aligned with the driver pins and disposed in pin bores formed in a rotatable-key- receiving plug located in a bore formed in the lock body, the tumbler pins extending into a keyway formed in the plug, wherein at least one of the lock pins has an outer contour with an extensible length. In other words, either the driver pin may have the outer contour with the extensible length, or the tumbler pin may have the outer contour with the extensible length, or both the driver pin and the tumbler pin may have the outer contour with the extensible length. Any number of the driver and/or tumbler pins may be provided with an outer contour with an extensible length. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention the driver pins and the tumbler pins each have a length, and for at least one pair of aligned driver and tumbler pins, the sum of the lengths of the aligned driver and tumbler pins is different (e.g., shorter) when a key is inserted in the keyway and abuts against the tumbler pin than when the key does not abut against the tumbler pin. Further in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention at least one of the driver pins comprises nested portions biased one against another. The nested portions may be mutually coaxial and movable axially with respect to one another. Still further in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention at least one of the driver pins comprises a first nested portion comprising a tumbler-pin-abutting head extending from a shank, a second nested portion formed with a bore in which the first nested portion is slidingly disposed, and a biasing device disposed in the bore of the second nested portion that biases the first and second nested portions against each other. The second nested portion may be formed with an arresting member that limits axial movement of the first nested portion with respect to the second nested portion. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention the second nested portion is slidingly disposed in a bore of a third nested portion, and another biasing device
is disposed in the bore of the third nested portion that biases the second and third nested portions against each other. The second nested portion may be formed with an annular flange against which the third nested portion can abut. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a simplified pictorial, front-end illustration of a prior art cylinder lock; Fig. 2 is a simplified pictorial, front-end illustration of a cylinder lock, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a simplified, side-view sectional illustration of the cylinder lock of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a simplified pictorial illustration of a lock pin of the cylinder lock of Fig. 2, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and Figs. 5 and 6 are simplified sectional illustrations of the lock pin of Fig. 4, in respective extended and retracted positions, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Reference is now made to Figs. 2 and 3, which illustrate a cylinder lock 30, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Cylinder lock 30 may comprise a plurality of driver pins 32, which may be biased against springs 33 and slidably disposed in bores 34 in a lock body 36. Bores 34 may be aligned parallel to one another. A plurality of tumbler pins 38 may be aligned with driver pins 32 and disposed in pin bores 40 formed in a rotatable-key-receiving plug 42 located in a longitudinal bore 44 formed in lock body 36. Tumbler pins 38 may extend into a keyway 46 formed in plug 42. Insertion of a correct key 47 (Fig. 3) in a keyway 46 formed in plug 42 moves tumbler pins 38 against driver pins 32 to a shear line 48 to permit rotation of plug 42 and actuation of cylinder lock 30. Reference is now made to Figs. 4, 5 and 6, which illustrate driver pin 32. Driver pin 32 may comprise nested portions biased one against another. The nested portions may be mutually coaxial, and movable axially with respect to one another, as is described further below. In the illustrated embodiment, driver pin 32 may comprise a first nested portion 50 comprising a tumbler-pin-abutting head 52 extending from a shank 54. A second nested
portion 56 may be formed with a bore 58 in which first nested portion 50 is slidingly disposed. A biasing device 60, such as a coil spring, may be disposed in bore 58, which biases first and second nested portions 50 and 56 against each other. In the illustrated embodiment, second nested portion 56 may be formed with an arresting member 62 that limits axial movement of first nested portion 50 with respect to second nested portion 56. The arresting member 62 may comprise a ring extending radially inwards in bore 58 of second nested portion 56, wherein the shank 54 is formed with a knob 64. Knob 64 cannot move past the ring in the direction of an arrow 66 (Fig. 6). Second nested portion 56 may be slidingly disposed in a bore 68 (Fig. 5) of a third nested portion 70. Another biasing device 72, such as a coil spring, may be disposed in bore 68, which biases second and third nested portions 56 and 70 against each other. Second nested portion 56 may be formed with an annular flange 74 against which third nested portion 70 can abut. The outer contour of third nested portion 70 may be flush with annular flange 74. In the illustrated embodiment, third nested portion 70 may be formed with an arresting member 76 that limits axial movement of second nested portion 56 with respect to third nested portion 70. Again, the arresting member 76 may comprise a ring extending radially inwards in bore 68 of third nested portion 70, wherein second nested portion 56 is formed with a knob 78. Knob 78 cannot move past the ring in the direction of arrow 66 (Fig. 6). Referring again to Fig. 3, it may be seen that for at least one pair of aligned driver and tumbler pins 32 and 38, the sum of the lengths of the aligned driver and tumbler pins 32 and 38 is different (e.g., shorter) when the key is inserted in keyway 46 and abuts against tumbler pin 38 (indicated by length "C") than when the key does not abut against tumbler pin 38 (indicated by length "D", wherein C<D). This is in contrast with the prior art, wherein the driver pin 12 (also shown for reference in Fig. 3) is not extensible, and accordingly the sum of the lengths of the aligned driver and tumbler pins 12 and 18 does not change. Contrary to the prior art, in the present invention, even without the key 47 inserted in keyway 46, there is a much greater difference (indicated by letter B, wherein B>A) between the end of the driver pin 32 and the shear line 48. The greater difference significantly increases the difficulty of forcibly turning the plug 42 about the shear line
It is further noted that in the present invention, contrary to the prior art, the outer contour of driver pin 32 has an extensible length. That is, the outer contour of driver pin
32 comprises the outer contours of second nested portion 56 and third nested portion 70, which are the same. The outer contour of driver pin 32 is longer in the configuration of
Fig. 5 than its configuration in Fig. 6. The present invention is not limited to a driver pin with an extensible length. Rather tumbler pin 38 of the cylinder lock 30 may also have an outer contour with an extensible length. In such an embodiment, for example, tumbler pin 38 may be constructed just as shown in Fig. 4 for driver pin 32, with the second and third nested portions forming the outer contour that has the extensible length. It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited by what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather the scope of the present invention includes both combinations and subcombinations of the features described hereinabove as well as modifications and variations thereof which would occur to a person of skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description and which are not in the prior art.