Key plug for a key-programmable cylinder lock and key-removable lock core

A programmable cylinder lock for operating a bolt or a latch, that can be reconfigured to operate with a user key selected from a set of keys, without disassembling the lock or replacing one or more tumblers of the lock, including:

• a) a set of keys comprising a plurality of user keys;
• b) a housing having a cylindrical bore with an inner surface and a plurality of driver bores intersecting the inner surface;
• c) a plurality of drivers, each driver being movable within one of the plurality of driver bores, and having a means for urging each driver toward the inner surface;
• d) a plug having a cylindrical periphery and rotatably mounted within the bore to form a shear surface at the interface with the inner surface, the plug being rotatable from a key insertion position to an operating position, and to a programming position, the plug having:
• i) a keyway configured to receive a key selected from the set of keys,
• ii) a plurality of tumbler bores intersecting the plug periphery and the keyway, each tumbler bore being aligned with a corresponding one of the plurality of driver bores when the plug is at the key insertion position to form a pin chamber, and
• iii) an axially-formed groove in the periphery of the plug that is displaced circumferentially from the plurality of tumbler bores, the groove having, in cross-section, a radially-outermost carriage groove, a radially intermediate curved trough extending radially inwardly from the center of the carriage groove, and a change tooling slot extending radially inwardly from the curved trough;
• e) a plurality of tumblers, each tumbler being movable within a corresponding one of the plurality of tumbler bores;
• f) a carriage disposed and moveable axially within the carriage groove between a first axial position and a second axial position, the carriage having an outer surface proximate with the cylindrical periphery of the plug, and having a plurality of radially-formed retainer bores that register with the driver bores of the housing with the carriage in the second axial position and the plug is disposed in the programming position;
• g) at least one lock configuration change ball, movable within the lock between at least a second position within the corresponding retainer bore, and a first position within the corresponding driver bore;
• and
• h) a change tooling comprising a blade configured for manipulation within the change tooling slot of the plug, to intersect the curved trough, for biasing the at least one change ball at least partially out of the curved trough, and substantially out through an outer opening of the retainer bore, where at least the center of the partially-raised change ball is displaced outside the periphery of the plug when the plug is disposed in the programming position.

A programmable cylinder lock for operating a bolt or a latch, that can be reconfigured to operate with a user key selected from a set of keys, without disassembling the lock or replacing one or more tumblers of the lock, including:

• a) a set of keys comprising a plurality of user keys;
• b) a housing having a cylindrical bore with an inner surface and a plurality of driver bores intersecting the inner surface;
• c) a plurality of drivers, each driver being movable within one of the plurality of driver bores, and having a means for urging each driver toward the inner surface;
• d) a plug having a cylindrical periphery and rotatably mounted within the bore to form a shear surface at the interface with the inner surface, the plug being rotatable from a key insertion position to an operating position, and to a programming position, the plug having:
• i) a keyway configured to receive a key selected from the set of keys,
• ii) a plurality of tumbler bores intersecting the plug periphery and the keyway, each tumbler bore being aligned with a corresponding one of the plurality of driver bores when the plug is at the key insertion position to form a pin chamber, and
• iii) an axially-formed groove in the periphery of the plug that is displaced circumferentially from the plurality of tumbler bores, the groove having, in cross-section, a radially-outermost carriage groove, a radially intermediate curved trough extending radially inwardly from the center of the carriage groove;
• e) a plurality of tumblers, each tumbler being movable within a corresponding one of the plurality of tumbler bores;
• f) a carriage disposed and moveable axially within the carriage groove between a first axial position and a second axial position, the carriage having an outer surface proximate with the cylindrical periphery of the plug, and having a plurality of radially-formed retainer bores that register with the driver bores of the housing with the carriage in the second axial position and the plug is disposed in the programming position, and further having an axially-arranged change tooling slot along a bottom surface of the carriage, that intersects a lower portion of the plurality of retainer bores;
• g) at least one lock configuration change ball, movable within the lock between at least a second position within the corresponding retainer bore, and a first position within the corresponding driver bore;
• and
• h) a tooling configured for manipulation within the change tooling slot of the carriage to intersect at least a portion of the curved trough, for biasing the at least one change ball at least partially out of the curved trough and at least partially into an associated driver bore in the housing when the plug is disposed in the housing in the programming position.