Lock assembly with locking bar

A lock assembly comprising:

• a shell having an inner surface and first and second locking grooves formed therein;
• a key plug having a key slot fitted within the shell for motion therein;
• a first plurality of side pin bores on a first side of the key plug;
• a first plurality of side pins having recesses formed therein fitted within the first plurality of side pin bores;
• a second plurality of side pin bores on a second side of the key plug;
• a second plurality of side pins having recesses formed therein fitted within the second plurality of side pin bores;
• a first locking bar slideway formed in the key plug on the first side of the key plug;
• a second locking bar slideway formed in the key plug on the second side of the key plug;
• a first locking bar having a ridge, the width of the ridge being less than the width of the locking bar, the first locking bar being held in the first locking bar slideway for sliding motion perpendicular to the first locking groove between a locked position in which the first locking bar extends into the first locking groove and an unlocked position in which the ridge enters the recesses in the first plurality of side pins, the ridge preventing the locking bar from moving to the unlocked position unless the first plurality of side pins are in predetermined positions aligning the recesses on the first plurality of side pins with the ridge;
• and
• a second locking bar having a ridge, the width of the ridge being less than the width of the locking bar the second locking bar being held in the second locking bar slideway for sliding motion perpendicular to the second locking groove between a locked position in which the second locking bar extends into the second locking groove and an unlocked position in which the ridge enters the recesses in the second plurality of side pins, the ridge preventing the locking bar from moving to the unlocked position unless the second plurality of side pins are in predetermined positions aligning the recesses on the second plurality of side pins with the ridge.

A lock assembly comprising:

• a shell having an inner surface with a locking groove formed therein;
• a cylindrical key plug having an axis and a key slot extending longitudinally into the key plug, the key plug having an outer surface defining a shear surface with the shell and the key plug being fitted within the shell for rotation therein;
• a plurality of top pin bores extending from the shell across the shear surface and into the key slot;
• a plurality of top pins, each of said top pins having an upper half and a lower half located in a corresponding one of the top pin bores;
• a plurality of top pin springs corresponding to the plurality of top pins, each of said top pin springs being located in a corresponding one of the top pin bores and urging the corresponding top pin across the shear surface to prevent rotation of the key plug when a key is not in the key slot;
• a plurality of side pin bores in the key plug extending into the key slot;
• a plurality of side pins, each of said side pins having an exterior surface with a recess formed therein, each of said side pins being fitted within a corresponding one of the side pin bores for sliding motion therein;
• a locking bar slideway formed in the key plug extending from the exterior surface of the key plug to the plurality of side pin bores;
• and
• a locking bar having a ridge, the locking bar being held in the locking bar slideway for motion perpendicular to the locking groove between a locked position in which the locking bar extends into the locking groove and an unlocked position in which the ridge enters the recesses in the plurality of side pins, the ridge preventing the locking bar from moving to the unlocked position unless the plurality of side pins are in predetermined positions aligning the recesses on the side pins with the ridge;
• the locking bar, the locking bar slideway, the side pins, the side pin bores and the side pin springs being located in a half of the key plug that lies below the axis of the key plug.

A lock assembly comprising:

• a shell having an inner surface with a locking groove formed therein;
• a cylindrical key plug having an axis and a key slot extending longitudinally into the key plug, the key plug having an outer surface defining a shear surface with the shell and the key plug being fitted within the shell for rotation therein and the key slot defining a key plane;
• a plurality of top pin bores extending parallel to the key plane from the shell across the shear surface and into the key slot;
• a plurality of top pins, each of said top pins having an upper half and a lower half located in a corresponding one of the top pin bores;
• a plurality of top pin springs corresponding to the plurality of top pins, each of said top pin springs being located in a corresponding one of the top pin bores and urging the corresponding top pin across the shear surface to prevent rotation of the key plug when a key is not in the key slot;
• a plurality of side pin bores in the key plug extending perpendicular to the key plane into the key slot;
• a plurality of side pins, each of said side pins having an exterior surface with a recess formed therein, each of said side pins being fitted within a corresponding one of the side pin bores for sliding motion therein;
• a plurality of side pin springs corresponding to the plurality of side pins for urging the side pins towards the key slot;
• a locking bar slideway formed in the key plug parallel to and offset from the key plane, the locking bar slideway extending from the exterior surface of the key plug to the plurality of side pin bores;
• and
• a locking bar having a ridge, the locking bar being held in the locking bar slideway for motion perpendicular to the locking groove between a locked position in which the locking bar extends into the locking groove and an unlocked position in which the ridge enters the recesses in the plurality of side pins, the ridge preventing the locking bar from moving to the unlocked position unless the plurality of side pins are in predetermined positions aligning the recesses on the side pins with the ridge.

A key in combination with a lock assembly adapted to actuate the lock assembly, the lock assembly including:

• a shell having an inner surface and a locking groove longitudinally formed therein;
• a key plug fitted within the shell for rotational motion therein, the key plug having a front surface and an exterior surface defining a shear surface with the inner surface of the shell;
• a key slot extending from the front surface of the key plug longitudinally into the key plug;
• a plurality of top pin bores extending from the shell across the shear surface and into the key plug;
• a plurality of top pins having an upper half and a lower half located in corresponding top pin bores;
• a plurality of top pin springs located in corresponding top pin bores and urging the top pins across the shear surface to prevent rotation of the key plug when a key is not in the key slot;
• a plurality of side pin bores in the key plug extending into the key slot;
• a plurality of side pins having an exterior surface with a recess formed therein, the side pins being fitted within corresponding side pin bores for sliding motion therein;
• a locking bar slideway formed in the key plug extending from the exterior surface of the key plug to the side pin bores;
• and
• a locking bar having a ridge, the locking bar being held in the locking bar slideway for motion perpendicular to the locking groove between a locked position in which the locking bar extends into the locking groove and an unlocked position in which the ridge enters the recesses in the side pins, the ridge preventing the locking bar from moving to the unlocked position unless the plurality of side pins are in predetermined positions aligning the recesses on the side pins with the ridge;
• the key comprising:
• a key bow for rotating the key;
• a key blade having a plurality of notches adapted to contact the top pins and align the lower half of the top pin in the key plug and the upper half of the top pin in the shell and a plurality of depressions of varying depths adapted to contact the side pins and move the side pins to the predetermined positions aligning the recesses on the side pins with the ridge on the locking bar.