WO2007007313A1

WO2007007313A1 - Keying system

Info

Publication number: WO2007007313A1
Application number: PCT/IL2006/000760
Authority: WO
Inventors: Dani Markbreit; Effi Ben-Aharon
Original assignee: Mul-T-Lock Technologies Ltd.
Priority date: 2005-07-07
Filing date: 2006-06-29
Publication date: 2007-01-18
Also published as: EA200800190A1; CN1891958A; TW200716843A; EP1899559A1; GT200600299A; AR054819A1; IL169584A

Abstract

A keying system including a cylinder lock including a tumbler having a keyway and tumbler pins, driver pins being disposed in the cylinder lock, a master key element disposed in the cylinder lock that forms together with the tumbler pins and the driver pins a master key combination alignable with a shear line by insertion of a master key into the keyway, the tumbler being rotatable along the shear line, and an intermediate key, which when inserted in the keyway, aligns the tumbler pins, the driver pins and the master key element with the shear line to permit rotation of the tumbler, and displaces the master key element so that the master key element is no longer alignable with the shear line by means of the master key.

Description

KEYING SYSTEM

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to keying systems for cylinder locks and particularly to a keying system that includes a temporary master key, an intermediate key for voiding use of the temporary master key, and an occupant key.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

During construction of apartments, office buildings and the like, it is commonplace to provide the doors of individual apartments with cylinder locks, each lock having its own key combination. As is well known in the art, each cylinder lock is generally provided with tumbler pins (in the rotatable tumbler of the lock which has a keyway) and driver pins (positioned in the lock body and alignable with the tumbler pins to a shear line by insertion of a proper key into the keyway). Before any apartment is turned over to an occupant, the construction manager generally has a master key that operates all the locks in the building. As is well known in the art, this means that all the cylinder locks in the building include master key elements that combine with the tumbler pins and driver pins to make up a single master key combination that the master key can operate. When construction is complete, the occupant is given an individual key (herein referred to as the occupant key) that can open that occupant's apartment and no other apartment.

However, this system has problems. First, the master key system always remains in the lock, meaning that an unscrupulous construction manager has access to the apartment even after handing over the apartment to the occupant. This causes many individuals to change the locks after gaining occupancy. Second, creating a duplicate master key for the apartments in the building is simple. Third, due to the presence of the master key elements, such a system limits the practical number of key combinations that can be used for all the apartments. In addition, the key combinations of the apartments tend to be close to one another.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention seeks to provide an improved keying system that solves the above problems. The keying system includes a temporary master key, an intermediate key for voiding use of the temporary master key, and an occupant key, as is described more in detail hereinbelow. The keying system may be easily manufactured and assembled.

There is thus provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention a keying system including a cylinder lock including a tumbler having a keyway and tumbler pins, driver pins being disposed in the cylinder lock, a master key element disposed in the cylinder lock that forms together with the tumbler pins and the driver pins a master key combination alignable with a shear line by insertion of a master key into the keyway, the tumbler being rotatable along the shear line, and an intermediate key, which when inserted in the keyway, aligns the tumbler pins, the driver pins and the master key element with the shear line to permit rotation of the tumbler, and displaces the master key element so that the master key element is no longer alignable with the shear line by means of the master key.

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention the intermediate key is adapted to displace the master key element to a position that permits removal of the master key element from the cylinder lock. After removal of the master key element from the cylinder lock, the intermediate key does not align the tumbler pins and the driver pins with the shear line to permit rotation of the tumbler.

Further in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention the master key element may be positioned between the tumbler and at least one of the driver pins, wherein that at least one of the driver pins does not participate in alignment with the shear line upon insertion of the master key into the keyway.

Still further in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention the intermediate key may be formed with a recess and the at least one of the driver pins is biased against the master key element by a biasing device, wherein when the intermediate key is inserted in the keyway, the biasing device urges the master key element into the recess.

After insertion of the intermediate key into the keyway, rotation of the intermediate key may move the master key element away from its position between the tumbler and the at least one of the driver pins and permit removal of the master key element from the cylinder lock.

There is also provided in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention a method for master keying including providing a master key that operates a plurality of cylinder locks, each cylinder lock including a tumbler having a keyway and tumbler pins, driver pins being disposed in the cylinder lock, wherein a master key element is disposed in the cylinder lock that forms together with the tumbler pins and the driver pins a master key combination alignable with a shear line by insertion of the master key into the keyway, the tumbler being rotatable along the shear line, and providing an intermediate key, which when inserted in the keyway, aligns the tumbler pins, the driver pins and the master key element with the shear line to permit rotation of the tumbler, and displaces the master key element so that the master key element is no longer alignable with the shear line by means of the master key. The intermediate key may be adapted to displace the master key element to a position that permits removal of the master key element from the cylinder lock, and further including using the intermediate key to remove the master key element from the cylinder lock. The method may further include providing an occupant key, which after removal of the master key element from the cylinder lock, aligns the tumbler pins and the driver pins with the shear line to permit rotation of the tumbler. 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 partially cutaway illustration of a keying system, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, including a master key and master key element;

Fig. 2 is a simplified partially cutaway illustration of the master key used in the keying system of Fig. 1, and Fig. 2A is a detailed portion of Fig. 2;

Fig. 3 is a simplified partially cutaway illustration of an intermediate key used in the keying system of Fig. 1 , constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 3 A is a detailed portion of Fig. 3;

Fig. 4 is simplified partially cutaway illustration of the intermediate key inserted in a keyway of a cylinder lock of the keying system of Fig. 1, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, wherein a biasing device urges the master key element into a recess formed in the intermediate key;

Fig. 5 is simplified partially cutaway illustration of the intermediate key being turned in the keyway, thereby moving the master key element away from its original position; and

Fig. 6 is simplified partially cutaway illustration of removing the intermediate key from the keyway and thereby removing the master key element from the cylinder lock, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Reference is now made to Fig. 1, which illustrates a keying system 10, constructed and operative in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Keying system 10 may include a cylinder lock 12 that has a tumbler 14 with a key way 16 and tumbler pins 18 (seen in Fig. 6). Driver pins 20 are disposed in the cylinder lock 12, as is known in the art.

A master key element 22 may be disposed in the cylinder lock 12. The master key element 22 may be positioned between the tumbler 14 and one or more driver pins 20. In the non-limiting illustrated embodiment, the master key element 22 is a rod-shaped element that lies over three out of a total of five driver pins 20. It is appreciated that the invention is not limited to this number of pins or configuration of master key element 22. The master key element 22 forms together with tumbler pins 18 and driver pins 20 a master key combination that is alignable with a shear line 24 by insertion of a master key 26 into keyway 16. Accordingly, the master key 26 may be inserted into keyway 16 for turning the tumbler 14 about the shear line 24. The master key element 22 effectively neutralizes the driver pins that it lies over. That is, the driver pins that the master key element 22 lies over do not participate in alignment with the shear line upon insertion of the master key 26 into keyway 16.

Reference is now made to Fig. 3. An intermediate key 28 may be provided, which may be formed with a recess 29 along its shank. Referring to Fig. 4, intermediate key 28 has key cuts such that when it is inserted in keyway 16, it aligns the tumbler pins 18, the driver pins 20 and the master key element 22 with the shear line 24 to permit rotation of the tumbler 14. At the same time, intermediate key 28 also displaces the master key element 22 so that the master key element 22 is no longer alignable with the shear line 24 by means of the master key 26. This may be accomplished by the action of one or more biasing devices 30 (e.g., coil springs) that urge the driver pins 20 against the master key element 22 (over which driver pins the element 22 lies). When the intermediate key 28 is inserted in the keyway 16, the biasing devices 30 urge master key element 22 into recess 29, as seen in Fig. 4.

Reference is now made to Fig. 5. After insertion of intermediate key 28 into keyway 16, rotation of intermediate key 28 may move master key element 22 away from its position between tumbler 14 and the driver pins 20. The master key element 22 is trapped in recess 29. Referring to Fig. 6, removal of intermediate key 28 from keyway 16 removes the master key element 22 from the cylinder lock 12.

It is noted that after removal of the master key element 22 from cylinder lock 12, the intermediate key 28 does not align tumbler pins 18 and driver pins 20 with the shear line 24 to permit rotation of tumbler 14. 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.

Claims

C L A I M SWhat is claimed is:

1. A keying system comprising: a cylinder lock comprising a tumbler having a keyway and tumbler pins, driver pins being disposed in said cylinder lock; a master key element disposed in said cylinder lock that forms together with said tumbler pins and said driver pins a master key combination alignable with a shear line by insertion of a master key into the keyway, said tumbler being rotatable along said shear line; and an intermediate key, which when inserted in said keyway, aligns said tumbler pins, said driver pins and said master key element with the shear line to permit rotation of said tumbler, and displaces said master key element so that said master key element is no longer alignable with the shear line by means of said master key.

2. The keying system according to claim 1, wherein said intermediate key is adapted to displace said master key element to a position that permits removal of said master key element from said cylinder lock.

3. The keying system according to claim 2, wherein after removal of said master key element from said cylinder lock said intermediate key does not align said tumbler pins and said driver pins with the shear line to permit rotation of said tumbler.

4. The keying system according to any of claims 1-3, wherein said master key element is positioned between said tumbler and at least one of said driver pins, wherein that at least one of the driver pins does not participate in alignment with the shear line upon insertion of said master key into said keyway.

5. The keying system according to claim 4, wherein said intermediate key is formed with a recess and said at least one of the driver pins is biased against said master key element by a biasing device, wherein when said intermediate key is inserted in said keyway, said biasing device urges said master key element into said recess.

6. The keying system according to claim 5, wherein after insertion of said intermediate key into said keyway, rotation of said intermediate key moves said master key element away from its position between said tumbler and said at least one of said driver pins and permits removal of said master key element from said cylinder lock.

7. A method for master keying comprising: providing a master key that operates a plurality of cylinder locks, each cylinder lock comprising a tumbler having a keyway and tumbler pins, driver pins being disposed in said cylinder lock, wherein a master key element is disposed in said cylinder lock that forms together with said tumbler pins and said driver pins a master key combination alignable with a shear line by insertion of the master key into the key way, said tumbler being rotatable along said shear line; and providing an intermediate key, which when inserted in said keyway, aligns said tumbler pins, said driver pins and said master key element with the shear line to permit rotation of said tumbler, and displaces said master key element so that said master key element is no longer alignable with the shear line by means of said master key.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said intermediate key is adapted to displace said master key element to a position that permits removal of said master key element from said cylinder lock, and further comprising using said intermediate key to remove said master key element from said cylinder lock.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising providing an occupant key, which after removal of said master key element from said cylinder lock, aligns said tumbler pins and said driver pins with the shear line to permit rotation of said tumbler.