Randomly-false-gated tumbler wheels for combination locks
OwnerTim M. Uyeda, Klaus W. Gartner +1inventors
InventorsTim M. Uyeda, Klaus W. Gartner, Peter J. Phillips
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Abstract
The tumbler wheels have a plurality of false gates, each having a width, depth and/or angular position feature which is a random value selected from within given circumferential, radial and/or angular locational limits, respectively, to foil sophisticated sound wave analyzers. Additonally, the wheel may include an outer periphery whose radius between pairs of adjacent gates is randomly variable within given limits. A method and apparatus for producing the random wheels in large batches includes spindling a large number of blank wheels on an arbor and randomly rotating the arbor selectively relative to a cutting tool which is randomly movable selectively in two axes.
Claims11
An improved tumbler wheel for combination locks, wherein the improvement comprises:
- said wheel having at least a portion of its outer periphery, exclusive of its true gate, randomly formed between given radial limits.
An improved tumbler wheel combination lock, wherein the improvement comprises:
- said lock containing at least one tumbler wheel having at least a portion of its outer periphery, exclusive of its true gate, randomly formed between given radial limits.
In a combination lock having two or more tumbler wheels mounted within the lock for rotational manipulation for opening the lock, wherein each tumbler wheel includes at least one true gate for cooperation with a lever means for opening the lock, the improvement comprising:
- each of said tumbler wheels having a plurality of randomly formed false gates randomly located in the periphery of said wheels, wherein the dimensions and locations of said false gates are each predetermined by a first random selection process;
- and
- said two or more tumbler wheels have been selected by a second random selection process for inclusion in the combination lock whereby the combination lock incorporating said tumbler wheels has a substantially unique acoustical and tactile detection signature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.