Keying system and method

A keying method, comprising:

• providing a cylinder body and a plug assembly disposed in the cylinder body, the plug assembly having a keyway, a plug body and a carrier sub-assembly disposed adjacent the plug body, the carrier sub-assembly being moveable parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder body between a first position and a retracted position, the plug assembly including a plurality of pins and a plurality of racks for respectively engaging the plurality of pins, each rack of the plurality of racks having a locking bar-receiving groove;
• first moving the carrier sub-assembly that carries the plurality of racks to the retracted position to decouple the plurality of racks from the plurality of pins;
• inserting a rack removal key in the keyway, the rack removal key having a cut that lifts the plurality of pins by a first amount;
• releasing the carrier sub-assembly from the retracted position to reengage the plurality of racks with the plurality of pins;
• disengaging a locking bar from the locking bar-receiving groove of each rack of the plurality of racks to decouple the racks;
• removing the rack removal key from the keyway;
• inserting a rack removal tool into the keyway, the rack removal tool having a cut that lifts the plurality of pins by a second amount greater than the first amount;
• moving the carrier sub-assembly to the retracted position to decouple the plurality of racks from the plurality of pins;
• removing each rack to be replaced from a corresponding access hole on the cylinder body;
• inserting a corresponding replacement rack through a respective access hole for each of the racks to be replaced, each replacement rack having the locking bar-receiving groove;
• releasing the carrier sub-assembly from the retracted position to engage each of the racks installed in the carrier sub-assembly with a corresponding pin of the plurality of pins;
• removing the rack removal tool from the keyway;
• reinserting the rack removal key in the keyway;
• without removing the rack removal key, engaging the locking bar with the locking bar-receiving groove of each rack to couple together the racks installed in the carrier sub-assembly;
• further moving the carrier sub-assembly to the retracted position to decouple each of the racks installed in the carrier sub-assembly from the corresponding pin of the plurality of pins;
• and
• removing the rack removal key from the keyway.