Lock with key isolation using transfer tumblers

In a lock:

• lock opening means for introducing information into said lock,
• first and second members movable with reference to each other to open the lock,
• information receiving means for receiving information from said lock opening means and movable thereby,
• first and second locking means for locking said members together to prevent relative movement thereof,
• said first locking means locking said first and second members together to prevent relative movement thereof except when said information receiving means has been moved in a predetermined manner by said lock opening means,
• said second locking means comprising a third member movable along a path for locking said first and second members together and preventing said relative movement except when said third member is in a particular position, along its path of movement
• said first and second members being arranged for relative movement to unlock the lock when said information receiving means was moved in said predetermined manner by said lock opening means and said third member is in said particular position,
• said third member being positioned by said lock opening means, whereby when the lock opening means feeds correct information into the lock the said third member may be moved to said particular position.

In a lock and key combination:

• an outer cylinder,
• an inner cylinder mounted for rotation in said outer cylinder,
• said lock being locked when said cylinders are in one relative angular position and being unlocked when in another relative angular position,
• said inner cylinder having a plurality of members parallel to each other and extending across a diameter of said inner cylinder,
• at least one of said plurality of members engaging said outer member to block relative movement of said inner and outer cylinders unless each of said members is in a predetermined position along said diameter,
• said inner cylinder having a central cavity,
• a key receiving rotatable member coaxial with said inner and outer cylinders and located in said central cavity,
• slidable members mounted on said rotatable member, there being one slidable member for each of said plurality of members,
• said slidable members being positioned along said diameter and each slidable member positioning its complementary one of said plurality of members in its predetermined position when the correct key is inserted in said key receiving means,
• said outer cylinder having a notch therein,
• a pin passing through said inner cylinder and into said notch,
• said pin and notch being shaped to cause said pin to be ejected from the notch by relative movement of said cylinders,
• means for biasing said pin into said notch,
• said pin being held in said notch by said key receiving means,
• said key receiving means having an opening therein for receiving said pin when said key receiving means has rotated a given angular amount,
• said inner and outer cylinders being movable with respect to each other to open the lock when the correct key sets said members and said key receiving means has rotated at least said given amount so as to allow rotation of said inner cylinder relative to the outer one to force said pin out of said notch and into said key receiving means.

In a lock:

• lock opening means for feeding information into said lock,
• an outer cylinder,
• an inner rotatable means having a first slidable element which may slide along one of its diameters and which prevents rotation of said inner rotatable means relative to said outer cylinder unless said first slidable element is in one particular position along said diameter,
• said inner cylinder being rotatable relative to the outer cylinder when said element is in said particular position, and
• a rotatable second slidable element which may be positioned to slide along said diameter,
• said lock opening means feeding information into said lock in order to change the position of said second slidable element along said diameter,
• said second slidable element when positioned to slide along said diameter while engaging said first slidable element positioning said first slidable element along said diameter in accordance with the information fed into said lock by said lock opening means.

In a mechanical lock and key combination,

• a first member,
• a second member movable in a first direction relative to said first member to open the lock and including blocking means movable in a second direction relative to said first member to prevent relative movement of said first and second members,
• said blocking means having a position in which it does not prevent relative movement of said first and second members,
• a third member for receiving a portion of the key,
• said portion of the key containing information required to open said lock and for setting said third member in a position representative of said information,
• said third member setting said blocking means in said position in which it does not prevent relative movement of said first and second members,
• said third member being movable relative to said second member after said blocking means is in said position in which it permits relative movement of said first and second members, to thereby isolate said key from said blocking means, thereby impairing any effort to pick the lock.

In a lock and key combination:

• at least three members movable with respect to each other,
• the first and second members being movable relative to each other to open and close the lock,
• the third member having a plurality of movable first elements,
• a plurality of movable second elements, one complementary to each movable first element, mounted on said second member;
• each said second element being movable by its complementary movable first element,
• said lock including key receiving means for receiving the key and setting said movable first elements to positions determined by the shape of the key, any of movement of any said first elements while it is being set by said key being communicated to the movable second element which is complementary to such movable first element,
• said third member being movable for at least a prescribed amount relative to second member after said elements have been set by said key, to thereby move said first elements to positions at which they no longer can move said second elements,
• said second elements when set by a correct key moving each of said first elements to its prescribed position to permit the lock to be opened.

In a lock and key combination:

• key receiving means having an opening for receiving a key,
• a plurality of movable first elements each of which is set to a particular position by the correct key,
• a plurality of movable second elements including one for each first element and which is complementary to its corresponding first element, each of said second elements being set by its complementary first element when such first element is set by said key, and
• manually movable means for isolating said opening from said second elements to thereby substantially prevent picking of the lock and for unlocking the lock after such isolation has been effected if said second elements have been set by a correct key.

In a lock and bitted key combination:

• first, second and third relatively movable members,
• said first and second members being rotatable relative to each other in order to open the lock,
• said third member having guiding means and a passageway,
• a plurality of primary tumblers each guided by said guiding means and having a passageway cooperating with the passageway in said third member for receiving a key, each of said primary tumblers having a complementary bit on a correct key and being positioned by its complementary bit of said key,
• said third member being mounted for rotation so that the key may rotate it and so that said guiding means rotates said primary tumblers when the key rotates said third member,
• said second member having guiding means,
• a secondary tumbler for each primary tumbler, each said secondary tumbler being guided by the guiding means of said second member, each secondary tumbler being positioned by its complementary primary tumbler so that unless the tumblers are set by a correct key at least one secondary tumbler will operatively engage said first member to prevent relative movement of said first and second members and prevent the lock from opening,
• said primary and secondary tumblers being shaped so that when said third member is rotated at least a given amount the primary tumblers move out of operative contact with the secondary tumblers leaving the secondary tumblers in the positions in which they were set by the primary tumblers when the primary tumblers were set by the key, and
• means that normally blocks relative movement of said first and second members to prevent the lock from opening but which no longer blocks such relative movement after said third member has been rotated by at least a given angular amount, said given angular amount being sufficient to move said primary tumblers out of operative contact with said secondary tumblers,
• said lock being enabled to open when the correct key has set said primary tumblers which in turn have set said secondary tumblers and said key has rotated said primary tumblers by at least said given angular amount.