US 7,533,550 B2 · Rapid-change lock

Abstract

A changeable lock assembly suitable for re-keying a lock without disassembly of the lock. The assembly includes a housing having a bore therein, and a plug rotatably mounted in the bore. The plug includes a longitudinal axis and a keyway. The keyway is adapted to receive at least a first user key and a second user key. The lock further includes a change member movable within the lock between a first position to a second position. The change member can move solely in response to operation of the second key. Thus, when the change member is in the first position, the first key operates the lock, and when the change member is in the second position, the first key does not operate the lock. The lock assembly can also employ a change tool that, when inserted into a change slot, can move a change ball from the second position back to the first position.

A changeable lock assembly that can be reconfigured to operate with different keys of a set of user keys, without disassembling the lock, comprising:

a) a set of keys, the set of keys comprising at least a first user key having a first contour edge that operates the lock in a first lock configuration but does not operate the lock in a second lock configuration, and a second user key having a second contour edge that operates the lock in the second lock configuration but does not operate the lock in the first lock configuration, wherein the first contour edge and the second contour edge have at least a first contour position and a second contour position that are differently configured;
b) a housing having a generally cylindrical bore with an inner surface and a plurality of generally cylindrical driver chambers intersecting the bore surface;
c) a plurality of generally cylindrical drivers, each driver having a diameter and being positioned and movable within one driver chamber, and being urged toward the bore surface;
d) a plug having a generally cylindrical periphery and rotatably mounted within the bore so as to form a shear line at the interface of the bore surface and the plug periphery, the plug further having:
1) a longitudinal axis;
2) a keyway intersecting the periphery and parallel to the longitudinal axis and configured to receive a key selected from the set of keys;
3) a plurality of generally cylindrical tumbler chambers intersecting the periphery and the keyway, and being generally orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, each tumbler chamber being aligned with a driver chamber when the plug is at a first rotated position with respect to the housing so as to form a pin chamber;
and
4) a plurality of retainer cavities intersecting the periphery, each retainer cavity being spaced apart from a corresponding tumbler chamber and aligned with a corresponding driver chamber when the plug is at a second rotated position with respect to the housing, each retainer cavity having an opening of a size smaller than the diameter of the driver, wherein the driver can not enter through the opening and into the retainer cavity when the plug is in its second rotated position;
and
5) a change tool slot configured parallel to the longitudinal axis, that extends from the front face of the plug and intersects a portion of each of the plurality of retainer cavities;
e) a separate change tool having a blade portion with an upper edge that intersects all of the plurality of retainer cavities when the change tool is inserted within the change tool slot;
f) a plurality of tumblers, each tumbler being positioned and movable within one tumbler chamber;
and
g) a plurality of lock configuration change balls, each change ball being associated with one pin chamber, having a first position within the pin chamber between the driver and tumbler, and a second position within the retainer cavity,
wherein when the plug is in the second rotated position and the change tool is inserted within the change tool slot, the upper edge of the change tool raises all of the plurality of change balls when disposed in the respective retainer cavities to a position where, upon subsequent rotation of the plug away from the second rotated position, all of the raised change balls are isolated in the corresponding driver chambers.

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Rapid-change lock

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Rapid-change lock

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20