US 6,382,006 B1Granted

Removable cylindrical lock core

AssigneeMedeco Security Lock, Inc.

InventorsPeter H. Field, W. Daniel Boadwine

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A shell and core interchangeable lock assembly for use in a shell housing. The core includes a rotatable pin plug and the shell includes a substantially cylindrical body with a pin chest therein. A mechanism which captures the shell and core within the shell housing includes an integral retainer ring and lug which is attached to the core. The mechanism allows rapid insertion and removal of the shell and core by the use of a correctly bitted control key. The mechanism additionally has a sub-mechanism for preventing its operation by accident or by tampering without the appropriate control key.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A lock, comprising:

a shell having tumbler pins and a substantially cylindrical borehole;
a substantially cylindrical core plug received coaxially within said borehole of said shell, said core plug being rotatable in said shell and having tumbler pins which engage tumbler pins of said shell, said core plug further having a key slot;
a shell housing for removably receiving said shell and said core plug, said housing having a slot;
and
a retainer ring which secures said core plug and said shell within said housing, said retainer ring comprising a lug and a sleeve formed integral to each other, said sleeve being substantially circular and coaxially engaging said core plug, said lug securing said core plug and shell axially within said housing by engaging said slot, said lug being moveable into and out of engagement with said slot by rotation of said sleeve, said sleeve including a driving notch and said lug including a locking notch;
said retainer ring including an upper control pin engageable with said locking notch and with a bore in said shell, and a lower control pin engageable with said driving notch, and having a transverse bore containing an intermediate control pin, said intermediate control pin being contacted by said lower control pin to engage said upper control pin;
wherein said retainer ring has a secure position and an install position, such that when said retainer ring is in said secure position said sleeve is prevented from being rotated by said core plug by virtue of said lower control pin being disengaged from said driving notch, and said lug is in engagement with said slot and is prevented from disengagement with said slot by virtue of said upper control pin being engaged with said locking notch, and when said retainer ring is in said install position said sleeve rotates with said core plug by virtue of said lower control pin being engaged with said driving notch and said upper control pin is disengaged with said locking notch, whereby said lug is disengaged with said slot such that said core plug and said shell can be axially withdrawn from said housing, and wherein the insertion and rotation of a control key in said key slot of said core plug moves said lower control pin to thereby move said retainer ring between said secure position and said install position.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A lock, comprising:

a shell having tumbler pins and a substantially cylindrical borehole;
a substantially cylindrical core plug received coaxially within said borehole of said shell, said core plug being rotatable in said shell and having tumbler pins which engage tumbler pins of said shell, said core plug further having a key slot;
a shell housing for removably receiving said shell and said core plug, said housing having a slot;
and
a retainer ring which secures said core plug and said shell within said housing, said retainer ring comprising a lug and a sleeve formed integral to each other, said sleeve being substantially circular and coaxially engaging said core plug, said lug securing said core plug and shell axially within said housing by engaging said slot, said lug being moveable into and out of engagement with said slot by rotation of said sleeve, said sleeve including a driving notch and said lug including a locking notch;
said retainer ring including an upper control pin engageable with said locking notch and with a bore in said shell, and a lower control pin engageable with said driving notch, and having a transverse bore containing an intermediate control pin, said intermediate control pin being contacted by said lower control pin to engage said upper control pin;
wherein said retainer ring has a secure position and an install position, such that when said retainer ring is in said secure position said sleeve is prevented from being rotated by said core plug by virtue of said lower control pin being disengaged from said driving notch, and said lug is in engagement with said slot and is prevented from disengagement with said slot by virtue of said upper control pin being engaged with said locking notch, and when said retainer ring is in said install position said sleeve rotates with said core plug by virtue of said lower control pin being engaged with said driving notch and said upper control pin is disengaged with said locking notch, whereby said lug is disengaged with said slot such that said core plug and said shell can be axially withdrawn from said housing, and wherein the insertion and rotation of a control key in said key slot of said core plug moves said lower control pin to thereby move said retainer ring between said secure position and said install position.

4 more elements