Rekeyable padlock with a lock cylinder having an enlarged viewing slot

A rekeyable padlock comprising:

• a padlock body, the padlock body formed to accept a removable lock cylinder;
• a shackle, the shackle formed as an integral part of the padlock body, the shackle being situated to move from a locked position to an unlocked position;
• a key;
• the removable lock cylinder, the removable lock cylinder comprising:
• a cylindrical core having a cylindrical outer surface and an end face, the cylindrical core defining a key opening sized for receiving the key, the key opening extending from the end face axially into the cylindrical core, the cylindrical core also defining a plurality of first pin openings that extend radially through the cylindrical core between the cylindrical outer surface and the key opening, each pin opening having a diameter d1;
• a casing including a casing wall defining a cylindrical inner chamber in which the cylindrical core is mounted, the casing defining at least one viewing opening defined through the casing wall, the viewing opening having at least one dimension that is larger than the diameter d1;
• a spring holder connected to the casing, the spring holder defining a plurality of second pin openings exposed to the inner chamber of the casing, the second pin openings extending in a radial direction relative to the cylindrical core;
• a plurality of pins mounted within the second pin openings, the pins being spring biased toward the cylindrical core;
• and
• the cylindrical core being moveable within the casing between a locked position in which the first pin openings align with the second pin openings, and an unlocked position in which the first pin openings can be viewed through the viewing opening.

A method of rekeying a padlock for a key selected by a user, the key having cut depths, the method comprising:

• providing a padlock, the padlock including a cylinder body having a cylindrical core with a key opening sized to receive the selected key, the padlock also including a casing that surrounds at least a portion of the core and defines a viewing opening;
• selecting a plurality of pins having a plurality of lengths corresponding to the cut depths of the cuts formed in the selected key;
• inserting the selected key into the key opening of the cylindrical core;
• inserting the selected plurality of pins into the cylindrical core through the viewing opening such that each of the pins fits within the cut of the selected key having the cut size to which the pin corresponds;
• examining the selected plurality of pins seated within the cylindrical core as well as a portion of an outer surface of the cylindrical core through the viewing opening;
• and
• comparing the end of each pin to the outer surface of the cylindrical core through the viewing opening to verify that each pin forms a shear line at the outer surface of the cylindrical core.