Locking cartridges

An apparatus, comprising:

• a housing configured for mounting in a shell of a lock cylinder, the housing having a non-circular outer perimeter;
• a first plate rotatably mounted in the housing;
• a second plate rotatably mounted in the housing;
• a passage extending longitudinally through the first plate and the second plate;
• a cam interface configured to urge the first plate longitudinally toward the second plate in response to rotation of the first plate in a first rotational direction;
• a blocking member configured to move among a blocking position and an unblocking position in response to engagement with a cut of a key;
• wherein, with the blocking member in the blocking position, the first plate is blocked from moving toward the second plate, and the cam interface prevents the first plate from rotating in the first rotational direction;
• and
• wherein, with the blocking member in the unblocking position, the first plate is not blocked from moving toward the second plate, and the first plate is not prevented from rotating in the first rotational direction.

A lock cylinder, comprising:

• a shell including a shell body defining a chamber;
• a plug seated in the chamber, the plug comprising a plurality of cartridges, each of the plurality of cartridges comprising:
• a housing rotationally coupled with the shell and comprising a first cam surface;
• a first plate rotatably mounted in the housing and comprising a first passage;
• a second plate rotatably mounted in the housing and comprising a passage aligned with the first passage, and a second cam surface engaged with the first cam surface, wherein engagement between the first and second cam surfaces is configured to urge the second plate longitudinally toward the first plate in response to rotation of the second plate in a first rotational direction;
• a first blocking member and a second blocking member, each blocking member having a blocking position in which it blocks the second plate from moving toward the first plate, and an unblocking position in which it does not block the second plate from moving toward the first plate;
• wherein, with the second plate blocked from moving toward the first plate, interference between the first and second cam surfaces prevents rotation of the second plate in the first rotational direction;
• wherein each of the first blocking members is configured to move to the unblocking position in response to engagement with a first cut of a key;
• and
• wherein each of the second blocking members is configured to move to the unblocking position in response to engagement with a second cut of the key.