Rekeyable lock cylinder

A lock cylinder having an operating configuration and a rekey configuration, the lock cylinder comprising:

• a shell comprising a body portion and a tower;
• a plug mounted in the body portion for rotation about a longitudinal axis between a home position and a rotated position, the plug comprising a faceplate having an aperture formed therein;
• and
• a rekey bar mounted in the tower for sliding movement between a first position and a second position longitudinally offset from the first position;
• wherein, with the plug in the home position, the aperture is misaligned with the tower and the rekey bar is inaccessible;
• and
• wherein, with the plug in the rotated position, the aperture is aligned with the tower and the rekey bar is accessible such that insertion of a tool through the aperture moves the rekey bar from the first position to the second position, thereby moving the lock cylinder from the operating configuration to the rekey configuration.

A lock cylinder having an operating configuration and a rekey configuration, the lock cylinder comprising:

• a shell comprising a body portion and a tower;
• a plug mounted in the body portion for rotation between a home position and a rotated position, the plug comprising a faceplate having an aperture formed therein;
• a rekey bar mounted in the tower for sliding movement between a first position and a second position;
• and
• a configurable tumbler mounted in the plug and operable to selectively prevent rotation of the plug relative to the shell;
• wherein, with the plug in the home position, the aperture is misaligned with the tower and the rekey bar is inaccessible;
• wherein, with the plug in the rotated position, the aperture is aligned with the tower and the rekey bar is accessible such that insertion of a tool through the aperture moves the rekey bar from the first position to the second position, thereby moving the lock cylinder from the operating configuration to the rekey configuration;
• wherein the configurable tumbler comprises two tumbler components and has an engaged state, in which the two tumbler components are engaged with one another, and a disengaged state, in which the two tumbler components are disengaged from one another;
• and
• wherein the configurable tumbler is configured to move from the engaged state to the disengaged state in response to movement of the rekey bar from the first position to the second position.

A method of rekeying a lock cylinder comprising a shell, a plug rotatably mounted in the shell, a configurable tumbler operable to selectively prevent rotation of the plug, and a rekey bar mounted in a tower of the shell, the method comprising:

• inserting a first key into a keyway of the plug, thereby moving the configurable tumbler from a locking position to an unlocking position;
• with the configurable tumbler in the unlocking position, rotating the plug from a home position to a rotated position, thereby aligning a tool-receiving aperture of the plug with the tower;
• with the plug in the rotated position, engaging the rekey bar with a tool inserted through the tool-receiving aperture, thereby moving the rekey bar from a first position in which the rekey bar prevents rekeying of the lock cylinder to a second position in which the rekey bar permits rekeying of the lock cylinder;
• with the rekey bar in the second position, removing the first key from the keyway and subsequently inserting a second key into the keyway, wherein the second key has a different key cut from the first key;
• and
• with the second key inserted into the keyway, returning the rekey bar to the first position, thereby rekeying the lock cylinder.