A universal lock and key system in which the lock is re-keyable and the key is re-keyable comprising:
- a combination top pin housing and tubular sleeve assembly having a top pin housing portion and a tubular sleeve portion and they each have a front end and a rear end;
- said top pin housing portion having a longitudinal axis, a top end and a bottom end;
- a plurality of top pin bore holes are formed in said top pin housing portion and they extend upwardly from its bottom end, said top pin bore holes each having an axis and said axes are aligned in a vertical plane that passes through said longitudinal axis, a top pin and spring removably received in at least most of said bore holes;
- said top pins having a top end and a bottom end;
- an annular groove is formed in said top pins at a predetermined position between said top end and said bottom end to form a vertically spaced head portion and body portion on said top pins;
- means for locking said top pins in said top pin housing portion comprising a longitudinally extending control sheet slot that extends horizontally into said top pin housing portion from its outer surface to said top pin bore holes;
- a control sheet having a front end, a left side edge, a right side edge, a rear end, a top surface and a bottom surface;
- one of the side edges of said control sheet having a plurality of longitudinally spaced notches whose width is sufficient to enable said notches to engage the annular grooves on the said respective top pins;
- said control sheet having gear teeth on at least one of either said top surface or said bottom surface;
- a horizontal bore hole formed in said top pin housing portion in communication with said control sheet slot;
- an elongated gear pin having a front end, a rear end, and teeth extending substantially along the length of said gear pin;
- said gear pin being received in said horizontal bore hole with said teeth of said gear pin being in engagement with said gear teeth on said control sheet;
- said control sheet being movable in and out of said control sheet slot from a position where it engages said top pins to a position where said top pins are disengaged;
- said tubular sleeve portion being formed on the bottom end of said top pin housing portion and said tubular sleeve portion having a longitudinal X-axis, said bore holes of said top pin housing portion being in communication with the interior of said tubular sleeve portion;
- said vertical plane of said axes of said top pin bore holes passes through said X-axis of said tubular sleeve portion;
- a secondary bore hole having a Z-axis is formed in said top pin housing portion adjacent said rear end;
- said secondary bore hole has a top end and a bottom end;
- said Z-axis of said secondary bore hole makes an acute angle to said vertical plane that passes through said X-axis of said tubular sleeve portion;
- an elongated lock pin having a top end, a bottom end and an intermediate portion is reciprocally positioned in said secondary bore hole;
- a spring is positioned in said secondary bore hole against the top end of said lock pin and said spring provides downward force against said lock pin;
- said horizontal bore hole in said top pin housing portion being in communication with said secondary bore hole;
- said gear pin having a flat relieved outer surface adjacent said rear end of said gear pin;
- said lock pin having a flat recess on the outer surface of said intermediate portion of said lock pin;
- when a bottom pin cylinder has been removed from said tubular sleeve portion, said spring forces said lock pin downwardly and said flat recess on said lock pin engages said flat relieved outer surface of said gear pin and prevents said gear pin from being rotated thereby preventing said control sheet from being retracted and thereby preventing said top pins from dropping out of the bottom of said top pin housing portion when said bottom pin cylinder has been removed to re-key said universal lock;
- a bottom pin cylinder having a longitudinal axis, a front end, a rear end, a top surface and a bottom surface;
- a key slot extends longitudinally a predetermined distance into said bottom pin cylinder from its front end, a plurality of longitudinally aligned bottom pin bore holes extend from said top surface into said key slot, a plurality of bottom pins are removably mounted in said bottom pin bore holes;
- and
- said bottom pin cylinder being removably mounted in said tubular sleeve portion.