Locks – Operating mechanism – Key
Patent
1991-09-17
1994-09-27
Cuomo, Peter M.
Locks
Operating mechanism
Key
70382, 70406, 70409, 70411, E05B 2710
Patent
active
053498305
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a lock system and to a key for such a lock system.
2. Prior Art
Lock systems of this generic type are generally known. As a rule, they have a great number of hierarchically arranged flat keys, with which a correspondingly large number of lock cylinders can be actuated. The keys are flat keys of the kind known for instance from German Patent 3 021 334 of the present applicant. That patent also discloses that the number of locking actions can be increased substantially by means of bores having a plurality of control faces and corresponding tumblers. The number of locking variants can be increased by other provisions, for instance by a linear shift in the bore pattern.
OBJECTIVE OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to create another way of increasing the number of locking actions of a locking system of this generic type. The intent is for this to be possible in a structurally simple way, without impairing the functional reliability.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the locking system according to the invention, the safety keys are so-called non-reversible keys, and are immediately apparent as such, for example by the shape of the head of the key. To open a lock, the key must accordingly be introduced into the key channel in one of the two possible rotary positions. Some of the lock cylinders also have rotors, which are rotated from the other rotors by 180.degree. about their longitudinal axis with respect to the cylinder housing. The rotors may have open or closed key channels. An essential advantage of the lock system according to the invention is that two completely different lock codes can be disposed on the same key. By lessening the rotational symmetry of the keys and the associated tumblers, the number of locking variations is thus practically doubled. This is readily compatible with other known provisions to increase the locking variations. For instance, the bores may also be stepped bores, and at the same time a linear shift in the bore patterns is also possible.
The provisions necessary for the lock cylinders are comparatively simple and do not change the basic structure of the lock cylinders. In particular, the number of tumblers in the lock cylinders need not be increased relative to comparable cylinders. Manufacture of the keys at a favorable cost is also assured.
A superordinated key is for instance equipped with two independent locking codes, while a subordinated key contains only one code. A key of the system according to the invention preferably has at least two different rows of bores, which are disposed opposite one another on the wide sides of the shaft of the key. Two different locking cylinders having the same lock code or different lock codes can thus be opened with the same key, without requiring that the key be turned.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
An exemplary embodiment of the invention is described in detail below, in conjunction with the drawings. Shown are:
FIGS. 1a and 1b, side views of a key for the system according to the invention;
FIG. 1c, a cross section through a key taken along the line 1c--1c of FIG. 1a;
FIG. 2, a front view of a lock cylinder of the lock system according to the invention; and
FIG. 3, a further lock cylinder of the lock system according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIGS. 1a through 1c show a flat key with a shaft 2 and a key head 3. The shaft 2 has six different rows of bores a through f, each row a through f having five bores, for example. These bores are simple countersunk bores or stepped bores, which cooperate with associated tumblers in the lock cylinders.
The key has two independent lock codes, which are formed by the bore rows a, e and d or the rows b, c and f. Each group of bore rows comprises one bore row e or f, respectively, with edgewise bores on the narrow sides 13 or 14 and lateral bores on the wide side faces 15 and 16, respectively. As can be seen, the bores cannot be made to coincide by rotating the
REFERENCES:
patent: 3303677 (1967-02-01), Bauer
patent: 3349587 (1967-10-01), Keller
patent: 3473355 (1969-10-01), Saito
patent: 3777520 (1973-12-01), Crepinsek
patent: 3824818 (1974-07-01), Neale
patent: 4098104 (1978-07-01), Wolter
patent: 4122694 (1978-10-01), Gretler
patent: 4553452 (1985-11-01), Keller
Cuomo Peter M.
Dino Suzanne L.
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