AU653535B2 - Locking system - Google Patents

Description

Our Ref: 365834 6E35 3 P/00/011 Regulation 3:2 AUJSTRALI A Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDAJJ PATENT 0* 6 C C. CS

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Applicant(s):

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Ernst Kel'er Untere Schuindenstrasse 22 CH-8805 RICHTERSWIL

SWITZERLAND

ARTHUR S. CAVE CO.

Patent Trade Mark Attorneys Level 10, 10 Barrack Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 Address for Service: .0S S a 46S Invention Title: Locking system The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- 5020 -1I- LOCK(ING SYSTEM Thce invention concerns a locking system with a key and two locking cylinders each of which has at least one rotor with a key profile to insert a flat security key.

Locking systems of the type mentioned are generally known. As a rule, these have hierarchically organised flat keys, which can be used for a corresponding large number of locking cylinders. The keys are flat keys, as this is know, for example, from the German patent specification 3 021 334 by the applicant. From this patent specification it is also known, that thle number of locking combinations can be used considerably increased by holes with several control surfaces and corresponding tumblers. The number of locking combinations can be increased by other measures also, for example, by shifting the linear pattern.

The object of the invention is to produce another means to increase the number of locking combinations of a locking system of the type mentioned. This should be feasible in a simple constructional manner and without impairing thle operational security.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a lock system comprising: at least one flat safety key, two lock cylinders, each of which have at least one :rotor with a key channel for introduction of said at least one flat safety key, said at least one rotor of a first lock cylinder of said two lock cylinders is rotated 1800 about an axis of rotation with respect to a first corresponding cylinder housing of said first lock cylinder in comparison to said at least one rotor within a second corresponding cylinder housing of a second lock cylinder of said two lock cylinders when said at least one rotor of said first lock cylinder and said at least one rotor of said second lock cylinder are respectively fixed by lock rows in said first corresponding cylinder housing and said second corresponding cylinder housing; the lock rows being aligned and the corresponding rotor turnable within the cylinder when the key is introduced into the key channel; said at least one [lat safety key being a non-reversible key in that it is operable in one orientation only with respect to both cylinders, and having a piuaaiity of bores with one lock code for alignment with the lock rows of said first lock cylinder or with the lock rows of said second lock cylinder; or having a plurality of bores with two lock codes, one code for alignment with the lock rows of said first lock cylinder and the other code for alignment with thle lock p:\wpdocs\Ifg\8013d6Y'I\Irg -2rows of said second lock cylinder.

In case of the locking system according to the invention the security keys are so called non-double-sided or non-reversible keys and can be recognised immediately by shaping the key head accordingly. Therefore, to open a lock the key has to be inserted into the key profile in one of the possible turning positions. Futhermore, a part of the locking cylinder has rotors, which are rotated in the cylinder housing about their longitudinal axis relative to the other rotors at 1800. The rotors may have an open or closed key profile. A considerable advantage of the locking system according to the invention is that two completely independent locking codes can be provided on one key.

By lowering the rotational symmetry of the key and of the respective tumblers the number of locking combinations can be practically doubled. This is compatible with S* other steps known to increase the locking combinations. For example, the holes can be S"0 stepped holes and simultaneously a linear shifting of the hole pattern is also feasible.

The measure required on the locking cylinders are comparatively simple and do S* 15 not change the design principle of the locking cylinders. In particular, the number of the tumblers in the locking cylinders need not be increased relative to comparable cylinders.

The manufacture of the key at a reasonable price is also assured.

a A key for use in the system of the present invention may be in the form of a master key that has, for example, two independent locking codes or in the form of a slave key that has one code only. A key of the system according to the invention in the form ;of a master key has preferably at least two different series of holes, which are provided on the oppositely situated wide sides of the key shaft. Thus, such a key can open two different locking cylinders having the same or different locking codes without being turned around.

Further advantageous features become obvious from the following non-limiting embodiment described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figs. la and lb show side views of a key for the system according to the invention, Fig. Ic is a cross-section of a key along the line Ic-lc of' Fig. la, Fig. 2 is a front view of a locking cylinder of the locking system according to the invention, and Fig. 3 shows a further locking cylinder of the locking system according to the invention.

invention.

p %vpdocsirg\80136.91\lfg 2a Figs. Ia to Ic show a flat key with a shaft 2 and a key head 3. The shaft 2 has six different series of holes A to F with, for example, five holes each. Thcse holes are simple countersunk holes or stepped holes, which interact 9 9 9 9 9909 *99* 99 9 .9 *99* 9999 9* 0* 9 *9.9 S 99 9 99 9 9 p.,A pdoco I fgX8l36 9I fg 0513v/MS 3 with the respective tumblers in the locking cylinders.

The key has two independent locking codes, which are formed by the series of holes A, E, D and B, C, F, respectively. Each group of the series of holes consists of a series of holes E or F with upright holes on the narrow sides 13 and 14, respectively, as well as lateral holes on the wide sides 15 and 16. As it can be seen, the holes will not coincide by rotating the key about its longitudinal direction, as would be the case for a double-sided key.

To enable the immediate orientation of the key 1, the key head 3 may have, for example, an assymetrically provided orifice 4. Naturally, other markings or shapes are also feasible, for example, the key 1 may have an L-shape.

ooe o. In Figs. 2 and 3 different locking cylinders 5 and 6 of a system according to the invention are illustrated. These locking cylinders may be simple locking cylinders or twin locking cylinders, or other special cylinders. Different cylinder sections are also feasible. In case of a cylinder according to Fig. 2 a conventionally orientated rotor 9 is used in the cylinder housing 11. Pins a, e and d protrude into a key profile 7 in a conventional manner. This *ogler cylinder can be a known cylinder. In the case of cylinder 0 6, according to Fig. 3, a rotor 10 is provided in a cylinder housing 12, which is rotated at 1800 about its longitudinal axis relative to the rotor 9. Thus the side of the key profile 8 of the rotor is open to the top. The pins b, c and f, which are also conventionally shaped, protrude into the key profile 8.

If the key 1 is now inserted into the key profile 7 of the locking cylinder 5 in the position shown in Fig. la, the search position with the pins a, d and e will be such, that the rotor 9 can be rotated and the lock can be opened. If the key 1 is inserted cylinder 6, then the pins b, c and f are positioned by the series of holes B, C and F, so that this rotor 10 can be also rotated.

If the key, not illustrated here, has only the series of holes B, C and F, then this slave key will open a lock with the locking cylinder 6, but not a lock with the locking cylinder 5. The reverse is valid for another key, not 4 illustrated here either, having the series of holes A, D and D. As an example, in case of a plant all internal doors may be fitted with locking cylinders 5 and all external doors with locking cylinders 6. Naturally, by commuting the holes many locking cylinders 5 and 6 may be produced with many locking combinations. The number of locking combinations can be considerably increased, particularly by providing the locking cylinders 5 and 6 with different permutations.

The above embodiment result in a locking system, where in a simple constructional manner and consequently at a reasonable price, the number of locking combinations and therefore the security of the locking can be increased to a considerable extent.

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Claims (8)

1. A lock system comprising: at least one flat safety key, two lock cylinders, each of which have at least one rotor with a key channel for introduction of said at least one flat safety key, said at least one rotor of a first lock cylinder of said two lock cylinders is rotated 1800 about an axis of rotation with respect to a first corresponding cylinder housing of said first lock cylinder in comparison to said at least one rotor within a second corresponding cylinder housing of a second lock cylinder of said two lock cylinders when said at least one rotor of said first lock cylinder and said at least one rotor of said second lock cylinder are respectively fixed by lock rows in said first corresponding cylinder housing and said second corresponding cylinder housing; the lock rows being aligned and the corresponding rotor turnable within the cylinder when the key is introduced into the key channel; said at least one flat safety key being a non-reversible key in that it is operable g. o. 15 in one orientation only with respect to both cylinders, and having a plurality of bores with one lock code for alignment with the lock rows of said first lock cylinder or with the lock rows of said second lock cylinder; or having a plurality of bores with two lock codes, one code for alignment with the lock rows of said first lock cylinder and the other code for alignment with the lock 20 rows of said second lock cylinder.

S S S *S S2. A locking system as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of said rotors have different basic codes or lock codes.

3. A locking system according to claims 1 or 2, wherein a non-double-sided key is a master key and that for the locking cylinders double-sided keys are also provided as slave keys.

4. A key for a locking system according to claim 1, wherein it can be recognised as a non-double-sided key by the assymetrical shape of the key head.

A key according to claim 4, wherein it has one or two groups of a series of holes, each of which represents a key code and which are provided along the narrow p:\wpdos\lifg\801 36.91\lfg -6- sides of the key shaft.

6. A key according to claim 5, wherein at least one group contains three series of holes, where two series of holes are formed by lateral holes on the wide sides of the key shaft and one series of holes are formed at substantially 900 to the lateral holes on a narrow side of the key shaft.

7. A key according to any one of the claims 4 to 6, wherein it is a master key and it has two independent key codes. LO

8. A locking system as substantially herein described and with reference to the accompanying illustrations. DATED this 27th day of July, 1994. 4* f ft f ft... oo f f o ft... u« a ft *t ft f a ••ii a o a ot.. KELLER. ERNST By His Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON CAVE c% p:\wpdocs\g\836.91\If& Abstract The locking system has locking cylinders where the rotor is inserted in the usual manner into the cylinder housing (11) and in addition it has the locking cylinder where the rotor (10) is rotated at 1800 about its longitudinal axis relative to the other above mentioned rotor The respective security keys are flat keys and non-double-sided ones, and have, if this is required, two locking codes completely ir.Jependent from each other. The invention makes it further possible to increase the locking combinations thus increasing the security of locking. p. (Figs.2 and 3) a 6 66