US 4,356,713 AGranted

Cylinder lock and key

AssigneeGKN-Stenman AB

InventorBo G. Widen

Life of this patent

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Abstract

The combination of a cylinder lock and key, wherein the key comprises a blade with a longitudinally extending edge portion at one side of the blade provided with a coded surface for engaging the ends of a row of locking pins in the cylinder core of the lock. The coded surface has code portions which engage a segment of the end of each pin spaced from the center thereof, and transition portions for guiding the pins between adjacent code portions and which are of concavely curved cross-sectional shape to provide for arcuate engagement with the pins, the code portions and transition portions of the coded surface being open to the side of the key blade and spaced from the other side thereof. The coded surface is produced by moving a rotary cutting tool relative to the key blank with substantially the same movement as the pins undergo relative to the key as the latter is inserted into and removed from the cylinder of the lock. There may be more than one row of locking pins, which may co-operate with side bars in the cylinder.

Claims20

Dependent claims

The combination of a cylinder lock and a key therefor comprising:

(a) a housing;
(b) a cylinder core mounted for rotation in said housing;
(c) a slot extending into the cylinder-core parallel to the rotational axis thereof for receiving the key;
(d) a row of locking pins of circular cross section guided in bores in said cylinder core, which bores intersect over parts of their lengths with said slot, the pins being movable against spring means when a key is inserted into said slot and the centre lines of the pins lying in a plane;
(e) said key comprising a blade having a longitudinally extending edge a portion of which at one side of the blade affords a coded surface of engaging end portions of the pins, said coded surface including,
(f) code portions for holding respective pins in predetermined positions by engaging only a segment of said end portion of each pin spaced from the pin centre line when the key is in an operative position in said slot thus to release the cylinder core for rotation, and
(g) transition portions which extend lengthwise between adjacent code portions and which engage and guide the pins substantially for the whole of the distance between adjacent code portions as the key is moved into and out of its operative position, each transition portion having a concavely curved cross-sectional shape transverse to its length and which is constant over the whole length of the transition portion so that the portion has an arcuate region of engagement with a pin as the latter is guided by the transition portion between adjacent code portions.
(h) the code portions and transition portions being open to said one side of the blade and being spaced from the other side of the blade so that there is a thickness of material between said portions and said other side.

5 more elements

A key for a cylinder lock which comprises a housing, a cylinder core mounted for rotation in said housing, a slot extending into the cylinder core parallel to the rotational axis thereof for receiving the key and a row of locking pins of circular cross section guided in bores in said cylinder which bores intersect over parts of their lengths with said slot, the pins being movable against spring means when a key is inserted into said slot and the centre lines of the pins lying in a plane;

said key comprising a blade having a longitudinally extending edge a portion of which affords a coded surface for engaging end portions of the pins, said coded surface including code portions for holding respective pins in predetermined positions when the key is in a operative position in said slot, and transition portions which extend lengthwise between adjacent code portions to engage and guide the pins substantially for the whole of the distance between adjacent code portions as the key is moved into and out of its operative position, each transition portion having a concavely curved cross-sectional shape transverse to its length and which is constant over the whole length of the transition portion to provide an arcuate region of engagement with a pin as the latter is guided by the transition portion;
the code portions and transition portions being open to one side of the blade and being spaced from the other side of the blade so that there is a thickness of material between said portions and said other side.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 06/165,358Filed 2 Jul 1980
Priority: SE 790602310 Jul 1979
Granted: 2 Nov 1982
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification11 codes

E05B 27/0082
Cylinder locks or other locks with tumbler pins or balls that are set by pushing the key in: side bar locking
E05B 19/0052
Characterized by the cross-section of the key blade in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the key: rectangular flat keys
E05B 27/0078
Cylinder locks or other locks with tumbler pins or balls that are set by pushing the key in: asymmetrical tumbler pins, e.g. with a key operating…
Y10T 70/7565
Cylinder type: plural tumbler sets