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US 5,233,850 AGranted
Rekeyable lock system
OwnerMarc Schroederinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rekeyable lock which includes a master lock activated by a master lock key, a rekeyable lock adjacent the master lock having a lock mechanism activated by a keyable lock key, and structure operably extending from the master lock to the rekeyable lock for changing the length of the lock mechanism within the rekeyable lock so that a different rekeyable lock key can be utilized to operate the rekeyable lock.
Claims4
A rekeyable lock system which comprises:
- a) a master lock activated by a master lock key, said master lock includes a cylinder and a barrel which fits into said cylinder, said barrel having a longitudinal keyhole so that said master lock key can be inserted into the keyhole in said barrel to rotate within said cylinder;
- b) a rekeyable lock adjacent said master lock, said rekeyable lock having a lock mechanism activated by a rekeyable lock key, said rekeyable lock includes a cylinder, and a barrel which fits into said cylinder, said barrel having a longitudinal keyhole so that said rekeyable lock key can be inserted into the keyhole in said barrel to rotate within said cylinder, said lock mechanism within said rekeyable lock includes a shell portion formed along a top segment of said rekeyable lock cylinder, said shell portion having a plurality of spaced apart latitudinal bores therealong, said rekeyable lock barrel having a plurality of spaced apart latitudinal bores therealong in alignment with the latitudinal bores in said rekeyable lock cylinder, each of said rekeyable lock barrel bores intersect with the longitudinal keyhole in said rekeyable lock barrel, and a plurality of upper pin assemblies each placed within a bore in said shell portion of said rekeyable lock cylinder including a driver pin insertable into the respective bore in said shell portion of said rekeyable lock cylinder against a spring, a plurality of lower pin assemblies each placed within a bore in said rekeyable lock barrel so that when the proper rekeyable lock key is inserted into the keyhole in said rekeyable lock barrel said upper pin assemblies and said lower pin assemblies will be in their proper positions to allow said rekeyable lock barrel to rotate within said rekeyable lock cylinder, each said lower pin assembly includes a sleeve having a closed top end and an open bottom end, a spring insertable into the open bottom end of said sleeve, and a tumbler pin insertable into the open bottom end of said sleeve against said spring so that said tumbler pin can extend downwardly into the keyhole in said rekeyable lock barrel, further including an elongated seat formed on one side of the keyhole in said rekeyable lock barrel to prevent said lower pin assemblies from dropping completely down their respective said bores into the keyhole in said rekeyable lock barrel;
- c) means operably extending from said master lock to said rekeyable lock for changing the length of the lock mechanism within said rekeyable lock so that a different rekeyable lock key can be utilized to operate said rekeyable lock, said lock mechanism changing means includes a first means for locking and unlocking said driver pins simultaneously when the proper rekeyable lock key is within the keyhole in said rekeyable lock barrel, and a second means for unlocking and locking said tumbler pins simultaneously with said sleeves so that another rekeyable lock key can be inserted within the keyhole in said rekeyable lock barrel to adjust and set said tumbler pins.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.