Key and lock assemblies

A combination of a key assembly and a lock assembly:

• the lock assembly having:
• a barrel;
• a column extending from the barrel, the column having at least two column apertures;
• a cylinder configured to rotate within the barrel, the cylinder including a guide way sized and configured to receive a key blade, the cylinder including a cylinder aperture axially registered with the column aperture when the lock assembly is locked, and movable out of registration with the column aperture with the key blade to unlock the lock assembly;
• a first and a second pin captured by one of the cylinder and the column, each of the first and second pins having a locking pin portion captured within the cylinder and slidable in the cylinder aperture and a locking safety pin portion captured within the column and slidable in the column aperture, the pins normally being biased to a locking position with the locking pin portion within the cylinder aperture and the locking safety pin portion within the column aperture to lock the cylinder relative to the barrel;
• a magnetically influenced part associated with the first pin, the magnetically influenced part being movable responsive to a magnetic field provided in the guide way to move the first pin to an unlocking position;
• and
• a mechanically influenced part associated with the second pin, the mechanically influenced part being movable responsive to a non-magnetic force provided in the guide way to move the second pin to an unlocking position;
• and
• the key assembly comprising:
• the key blade, the key blade being substantially flat and having a first surface and a second surface, the key blade configured to be inserted into the lock assembly guide way;
• an aperture in the key blade, the aperture having an axis and a shelf disposed radially within the aperture;
• a cap having an outer surface, captured in the aperture for continuous axial travel between a first limit extending out of the first surface and a second limit recessed within the aperture;
• and
• a base having an outer surface, captured in the aperture for continuous axial travel between a first limit extending out of the second surface and a second limit recessed within the aperture, wherein the cap includes at least one lower protrusion having at least one tab and the base having at least one lip, the at least one tab configured to engage the at least one lip to limit the distance the cap and the base may be biased away from each other and wherein the lip and the tab define a circumferential channel configured to engage the shelf in the key blade aperture;
• and
• a magnet associated with the base, the cap or both, the magnet having sufficient magnetic strength to attract or repel a movable part of the key, or the lock from a locking position to an unlocking position in the lock, or in both the key and the lock.