Electronic locking system and key therefor

In a locking apparatus having a cylinder shell and a cylinder plug rotatable within said cylinder shell, the improvement comprising:

• a locking pin which is mounted for movement into engagement with said cylinder plug to prevent the rotation thereof and movement out of engagement with said cylinder plug to allow the rotation thereof,
• a permanent magnet;
• an electrical coil supported for movement within the field of said permanent magnet;
• a two-layer spring including an inner mechanically bistable spring and an outer deflection spring attached to said coil and coupled to said locking pin to move said locking pin into and out of engagement with said cylinder plug;
• and
• means for delivering a first current through said coil to move said coil in one direction, said bistable spring into one stable orientation, and said locking pin into engagement with said cylinder plug, and a second current through said coil to move said coil in an opposite direction, said bistable storing into its other stable orientation, and said locking pin out of engagement with said cylinder plug.

In a locking apparatus having a lock housing and a plug rotatable therein, said rotatable plug including a keyway for receiving the blade of a key, the improvement comprising:

• an electronically controlled actuator assembly with a locking member which selectively engages the plug to prevent its rotation and disengages the plug in response to an actuating signal to permit its rotation,
• a bistate cam member moveable between first and second states to control reciprocation of said locking member between plug engaging and plug non-engaging positions, respectively, wherein said cam member when in its first state maintains the locking member in its plug-engaging position, and when in its second state provides a clearance region to permit the movement of the locking member to its non-engaging position upon receipt of said actuating signal,
• pin means engaging a cam surface of said key and responsive to the insertion of said key in said keyway for forcing said cam member its first to its second state, and
• means for biasing said cam member toward its first state so that said cam member reverts to the first state upon removal of said key.