AU651115B2 - Key for a rotary cylinder lock - Google Patents

Description

Our Ref: 365783 It -IP/00/011 6 5 11 Regulation 3:2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STA11DARD PATENT o 0 *Soo a

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Applicant(s): Address for Service: Ernst Kzller Untere Sch~landenstrasse 22 CH-8805 RIChTERSWIL

SWITZERLAND

ARTHUR S. CAVE CO.

Patent Trade Mark Attorneys Level 10, 10 Barrack Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 Key for a rotary cylinder lock CS C S

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Invention Title: The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- 5020 AMD/0837a KEY FOR A ROTARY CYLINDER LOCK The invention concerns a key for a rotary cylinder lock, utilising a displaceable pin or pins in the key shaft.

A key known from the US Patent 4667495 has at its front end a pin which can be moved transversely to the key shaft.

When the key is being inserted into a key profile the pin is pressed against a protrusion in the key profile, which pushes the pin against an opposite situated tumbler. The mentioned tumbler is positioned by this movement of the pin. In order for the protrusion to reach the pin, recesses are required at the front end of the key on the narrow sides, which, however, render the key weaker in this region and would possibly impede the insertion of the key into the key profile. In addition, due to the recesses mentioned, i'i the availability of control surface is restricted.

The object of the invention is to produce a key of the type mentioned which does not have these disadvantages and requires few constructional changes on the rotary cylinder lock.

In one broad form the present invention provides a key for a rotary cylinder lock, comprising: a longitudinal channel extending at least partway through said key from an end face thereof; at least one bore provided in said key in a direction transverse to said longitudinal channel, opening between a S narrow side of said key and said channel; a bore pin provided in each respective bore, able to be displaced between, a first position wherein said bore pin does not protrude from said bore, and, a second position wherein said bore pin protrudes outwardly of said side of said key; wherein, when said key is inserted into said lock, a straight control pin is required in said channel, said control pin abuting and moving each bore pin from said first position to said second position such that the tumbler of said rotary cylinder lock may be coordinated.

AMD/0837a la The displaceable pin, provided in the key, can be actuated by a pin which is provided on the driver of the rotary cylinder lock and which protrudes into the key profile. Therefore the displacement of that pin is feasible by essentially simple constructional means. As the displaceable pin protrudes at one end only, it does not require on the surface of the shaft a larger area than a conventional counterbore would. Two displaceable pins can also be provided on the key, consequently improving the security.

A considerable advantage of the key according to the e *9* *ot• 0514v/RAP -2 invention is that the coded length of the pin(s) are measured with considerably greater difficulty than has previously been the case. Consequently, the copying of the key will be further hindered and the user's security will be increased.

An embodiment of the invention is described in detail based on the drawings. Shown is: in Fig. 1 a partially sectioned key according to the invention, on an enlarged scale, in Fig. 2 a radial section through part of a rotary cylinder lock with the key shaft inserted, on an enlarged scale, in Fig. 3 according to Fig. 2, ,but with fully inserted key shaft.

The key 1 according to the invention, shown in Fig. 1, has a shaft la with conventional dimples ib, which can also be provided on the narrow side le. The key shown in Fig. 1 is a so called double-sided key. However, this could be in a further embodiment a single-sided key for example.

In the end ic a groove id is provided, extending in the longitudinal direction of the key 1. This groove id intersects a transverse bore if, which opens onto both narrow sides le of the key shaft la. Into this bore if two sleeves 6 are inserted, their ends being flush with the narrow sides le and the inner surface of the groove ld. In each sleeve 6 a movable pin 5 and 10, respectively, is provided displaceably. Each of these pins 5 and 10 are somewhat longer than the sleeves 6. In case of a double-sided key these pins 5 and 10 are of equal length.

However, in case of a non-double-sided key these pins may have different lengths and a single displaceable pin may be sufficient.

The key 1 is envisaged for a rotary cylinder lock, which, according to Figs. 2 and 3, has conventional tumblers with housing pins 2c and 3a, which are positioned by the respective key 1 and consequently a rotor 3 can turn in a housing 2. The rotating movement of the rotor 3 is transferred to the locking bolt by means of a known driver 4. On the otherwise conventionally constructed driver 4 a 0514v/RAP -3 pin 4a is secured, which protrudes into the key profile 3c.

This pin 4a is constructed so, that during the insertion of the key la into the key profile 3c it engages the groove id without any resistance, as this is shown in Fig. 2. Shortly before the key 1 is inserted fully into the key profile 3c, the tapered end 4b of the pin 4 contacts the tapered end on the inner end of the pin 5, as shown in Fig. 2. The same occurs for the pin 10, which is not shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

If the key 1 is now pushed further in the key profile 3c, then simultaneously the pin 5 is pushed outwards and it consequently pushes the pin 3a radially outward and positions this against the force of a spring 2a in a radial 0e** bore 3b. At the same time the other tumblers (not illustrated) are positioned by means of the other dimples lb.

The pin 5 in this case has a dumbbell-shaped (non-circular) design, and is prevented from falling out 00o. from the sleeve by a reduction 6a of this sleeve 6. To e 0 enable the insertion of the pin 5 into the sleeve 6a, it is made up from several parts.

If the key is a double-sided key, then, according to Fig. i, two opposite situated pins 5 are provided, which are Spushed outwards by the pin 4a. The pin 4a can be S" constructed so that it pushes outwards the two opposite situated pins 5 by different strokes, thereby increasing the

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number of possible lock combinations. This can be achieved, for example, by shaping the front end of the pin 5 on one side.

A key manufactured in relation to the above embodiments is very difficult to copy yet can be manufactured with relatively few, simple and rugged components. In addition, a rotary cylinder lock suitable for this key requires only slight adaptations to its manufacture.

Claims (8)

1. A key for a rotary cylinder lock, comprising: a longitudinal channel extending at least partway through said key from an end face thereof; at least one bore provided in said key in a direction transverse to said longitudinal channel, opening between a narrow side of said key and said channel; a bore pin provided in each respective bore, able to be displaced between, a first position wherein said bore pin does not protrude from said bore, and, a second position wherein said bore pin protrudes outwardly of said side of said key; wherein, when said key is inserted into said lock, a straight control pin is required in said channel, said control pin abuting and moving each bore pin from said first position to said second position such that the tumbler(s) of said rotary cylinder lock may be coordinated.

2. A key according to claim 1, characterised in that said key has two opposite situated bore pins, which can be displaced simultaneously radially outward by a control pin introduced into said channel.

3. A key according to claim 2, characterised in that said two opposite situated bore pins can be displaced radially outward by different amounts.

4. A key according to claim 3, characterised in that said different amounts of displacement of said oppositely situated bore pins is achieved by means of a one-sided removal from the S; front end of one of said bore pins.

A key according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that said bore pin(s) is/are constructed of a dumbbell shape.

6. A key according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that said key is a flat key with several dimples to _-.,coordinate said tumbler(s). AMD/0837a 5

7. A key according to claim 6, characterised in that said dimples are provided also on the narrow sides of said key.

8. A key and/or a rotary cylinder lock, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 27th day of April 1994. ERNST KELLER By His Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON CAVE *6 *r S S S S S S, Abstract The key has a groove (Id) produced in the end face (Ic) of the key shaft, this groove engaging the pin (4a) provided on the driver of the rotary cylinder lock when the key is inserted into the key profile The pin moves a pin at a certain stage of the engagement, which is displaceably mounted in the shaft of the key radially outwards and consequently positions a pin In addition, the key has conventional dimples on its shaft, by the means of which further tumblers can be positioned during the insertion of the key into the key profile (3c). (Fig.2) 0 r a* 9 0 e e *e