Key-cylinder system for Anti-pick locks

Abstract

The present invention is based on the conventional structure of a key-cylinder system in which a tubular key (1) is used and in which a fixed core (6) and a movable core (7) are used in the cylinder, said cores being linked via guard (14) / pusher (12) / spring (13) assemblies that can be moved axially by respective longitudinal milled elements (3) provided on the key (1) until the rear edge of the guards (14) is flush with the rear edge of the movable core (7), in which position said core is unlocked and can rotate. The invention is centred around the inclusion of an anti-pick plate (16) comprising a central opening (17) having a cross-section that allows the key to pass therethrough, but also having a series of protrusions (18), complementary to additional channels (15) provided on the key, such that the protrusions (18) form elements that obstruct the movable flat bars (19) of lock picks (20), thereby producing an incorrect opening combination.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] Key-cylinder system for anti-pick locks.

[0003] TECHNICAL SECTOR

[0004] The present invention relates to a key-cylinder system for anti-pick locks, of the type in which the key has a tubular structure with longitudinal millings and diametral recesses that determine an opening code for the key and that fit into a cylinder in which a plurality of guards are established, of different sizes, that adjust to the machining that the key may have, such that the cylinder includes a fixed cylinder and a mobile cylinder that are blocked with respect to it by means of a series of pushers, which move against the tension of respective springs by means of the aforementioned guards when the key is inserted until a position in which the mobile cylinder is released with respect to the fixed cylinder, being able to rotate by turning the key.

[0005] The object of the invention is to provide a new key-cylinder system that prevents the use of tubular key picks, of the type that include mobile plates that are arranged on the guards until the unlocking position is obtained to which said guards must move in order to turn the mobile cylinder, thus generating a negative of the original key.

[0006] Another object of the invention is to develop a new key mastering system and key profiles, that is, to allow the creation of cylinders with different key codes and to have a specific key that opens all the cylinders.

[0007] The invention is therefore situated in the locksmith sector.

[0008] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0009] In the practical application area of ​​the invention, that of locks with a cylinder for a tubular key, although these cylinders can have different formats, mechanically they all work the same, from the point of view of their internal structure.

[0010] More specifically, the current key profile consists of a tubular key with longitudinal milling and diametral recess made of stainless steel.

[0011] To encode the key, a series of random machining operations are performed, which are generated by software.

[0012] Conventionally, the key profile has 6 machining points per key, so that these machining points can range from a depth of 0 mm to 5.5 mm in 0.5 mm increments, thus offering 12 different depths.

[0013] Regarding the key's operation on the cylinder, which is mounted on the key itself, the cylinder has a load of guards, of different sizes, that adjust to the key's machining.

[0014] The cylinder is made up of a fixed and a movable cylinder, so that the latter, without a key inserted, is in a locked position, preventing it from being turned. This is achieved by elements called pushers, assisted by respective springs, protruding from the fixed cylinder, partially fitting into the movable cylinder, thus making it impossible to rotate the movable cylinder. The guards are responsible for moving the pushers against the tension of the corresponding springs.

[0015] The guards will be of the dimensions indicated by the 6 machining holes made on the key.

[0016] When the key is inserted as far as it will go, it pushes the guards to the position indicated by the various key holes. In this position, the guards and pushers are flush with the edge of the inner face of the fixed cylinder, allowing the movable cylinder to rotate, thereby activating the mechanism to which the locking pin is attached. There are lock picks on the market that work by creating a negative key when used in a lock of the type described above.

[0017] This type of lock pick has a head equipped with 6 axially movable plates, which are used to find the unlocking position in which the guards must be in order to turn the mobile cylinder.

[0018] EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] The key-cylinder system for anti-pick locks proposed by the invention fully satisfactorily resolves the problem described above, preventing the effective use of this type of lockpick by preventing the lockpick from reaching the specific combination to release the mobile cylinder from the fixed cylinder.

[0020] To this end, the system of the invention is based on the structure described above, in which a mobile cylinder is connected to a fixed cylinder by means of a series of guards that axially move respective pushers against the tension of the corresponding springs, these guards having different lengths according to the design of the machining provided in the key, such that each guard must be moved a pre-established length determined by the machining of the tubular key so that the rear end thereof, as well as the front end of the pushers, are flush with the facing edge of the fixed cylinder to the mobile cylinder.

[0021] This structure, as is also conventional, will be inserted into a protective casing or sleeve that is screwed at its rear end to the fixed cylinder and that includes an opening at its front end for the passage of the corresponding key.

[0022] Well, in accordance with the essence of the invention, the key is provided with a series of additional channels, up to five in number, arranged in correspondence with the key's machining associated with the guards. In parallel, an anti-pick plate is provided, hidden and protected by the sleeve, corresponding to the front face of the movable cylinder. This plate includes a central window with a section corresponding to the key's section, and in which one or more projections, up to five, are defined, intended to be inserted into the key's additional channels.

[0023] In this way, the protrusions of the anti-pick plate, which do not affect the key insertion manoeuvre by sliding, as just mentioned, through the additional channels, constitute a prominent element on which the shifting plates of the pick will press, preventing them from accessing at least one of the guards of the mobile cylinder, which makes it impossible for the pick to find the unlocking position of the mobile cylinder and consequently prevents it from opening the lock.

[0024] The system thus described invalidates any lockpick for this type of lock cylinder existing to date, while the modifications to be made to the lock cylinder are minimal, since it involves introducing an anti-lockpick plate onto the existing structure, which is placed on the front face of the mobile cylinder in correspondence with the front end of the lock cylinder sleeve, while the rest of the elements can be maintained, which means extremely significant cost savings.

[0025] According to another of the characteristics of the invention, it is planned that the anti-pick plate includes a series of circular holes in which metal spheres can be inserted that make it difficult to attack the lock using drill bits.

[0026] Finally, it's worth noting that this new lock and key system substantially improves the conventional lock mastering system with a tubular key.

[0027] In this conventional master key system, the lock case is provided with a series of up to six protrusions on the front opening of the case, corresponding to a series of grooves machined into the profile of the key associated with each lock and its corresponding combination of protrusions, and a master key that will be provided with six grooves. Additionally, shorter guards are used in the movable cylinder, combined with spheres that define multiple possible unlocking positions for the movable cylinder, depending on whether the sphere is flush with the fixed cylinder or the movable cylinder. This allows for the creation of locks that open with keys with different combinations, yet all of them can be opened with the corresponding master key.

[0028] In this sense, the new lock and key system, thanks to the use of the anti-pick plate, allows for new key profiles with 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 channels associated with different combinations of protrusions on the anti-pick plate. Thus, each key associated with a sleeve and a moving lock will have the combination of channels corresponding to the protrusions on its corresponding anti-pick plate, while the master key will always have 5 channels to pass through the anti-pick plate of any moving lock. This, combined with the conventional master key system, generates a multiplying effect on the possible combinations of the new master key system.

[0029] DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] To complement the description that follows and in order to help better understand the characteristics of the invention, in accordance with a preferred example of practical implementation thereof, a set of drawings is attached as an integral part of said description, in which the following has been represented for illustrative and non-limiting purposes:

[0031] Figure 1.- Shows an exploded view of a key-cylinder system for anti-pick locks made in accordance with the object of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 2.- Shows a perspective detail of the key of the system of the invention passing through the anti-pick plate provided in the cylinder.

[0033] Figure 3.- Shows a perspective detail of the anti-pick plate from the previous figure when it is about to be crossed by a pick with mobile plates. It can be seen that not all plates are able to cross the plate, thus generating an invalid combination.

[0034] Figure 4.- Shows a sectional view of the system of the invention in the position of partial insertion of the key, in which the mobile cylinder is blocked by the pushers.

[0035] Figure 5.- Shows a view similar to that of figure 4, in which the key appears fully inserted into the cylinder, a position that coincides with the release position of the mobile cylinder.

[0036] Figure 6.- Shows a view similar to that of Figure 5, but corresponding to a variant of implementation in which the system is designed to be able to receive different types of keys with different combinations, in which there is a master key capable of opening said family of locks.

[0037] Figure 7.- Shows an example of combinations of three projections in the front opening of the sleeve and the profile of its corresponding key of the conventional master key system, according to an embodiment in which said projections can be arranged in the following angular positions with respect to the vertical axis of the sleeve opening: 30°, 90°, 150°, 210°, 270° and 330°

[0038] Figure 8.- Shows an example of combinations of protrusions of the anti-pick plate, according to an embodiment in which said protrusions can be arranged in the following angular positions with respect to the vertical axis of the opening of the anti-pick plate: 60°, 120°, 180°, 240° and 300°

[0039] Figure 9.- Shows an example of a key.

[0040] PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0041] In view of the figures shown, it can be seen how the invention is based on the conventional structure of tubular key-cylinder systems, in which the key (1) has a tubular main body (2), in which a series of longitudinal millings (3) are established, and a central hole that gives it its tubular configuration, in which the millings participate in number of six, with lengths that can go from 0mm to 5.5mm in increments of 0.5mm, thus offering 12 different depths for each of the 6 machinings.

[0042] For its part, the cylinder is made up of a sleeve (4) with an opening (5) at its front end for the passage of the corresponding key, and within which a fixed cylinder (6) and a mobile cylinder (7) are established, which includes an arm (8) passing through a central hole (9) provided in the fixed cylinder (6) and which is linked to the mechanism of the lock in question.

[0043] The fixed cylinder (6) is fixed to the sleeve (4) by means of a radial screw (10), said fixed cylinder including a series of chambers (11) in which two pushers (12) are axially movable, assisted by respective springs (13) and which press axially on respective guards (14) which are axially movable within the mobile cylinder (7).

[0044] Thus, depending on the different lengths of the guards (14) used, the key (1) will require longitudinal millings (3) of different lengths to be able to move the guards (14) from the locking position of figure 4 to a release position of the mobile cylinder (7) in the key insertion maneuver, in which the guards (14) and the pushers (12) are flush with the edge defined between the fixed cylinder (6) and the mobile cylinder (7), as shown in figure 5.

[0045] The cylinder, also as is conventional, could include anti-pick pins (15), although this mechanism is already known, and is not the object of the present invention.

[0046] Well, in accordance with the essence of the invention, it has been planned that the key (1) includes a series of additional channels (15), distributed in correspondence with the longitudinal millings (3), and which participate in a number between one and five.

[0047] For its part, it has been planned that the cylinder is complemented with an anti-pick plate (16), hidden and protected by the sleeve (4), like the one shown in detail in figure 2, which includes a central window (17) with a section that allows the passage of the key, but in which one to five projections (18) are defined, as many as additional channels (15) have been provided in the key, intended to be introduced into the additional channels (15) of the key.

[0048] Thus, these projections do not affect the key insertion maneuver by sliding through the additional channels (15), but nevertheless, they constitute a prominent element on which some of the movable plates (19) of the lock pick (20) will press, as shown in figure 3, preventing them from accessing at least one of the guards (14) of the mobile cylinder (7), which makes it impossible for the lock pick (20) to reach the unlocking position of the mobile cylinder (7) and consequently prevents it from opening the lock.

[0049] The anti-pick plate (16) will incorporate circular holes (21) in which metal spheres (22) will be inserted to make drilling the cylinder difficult, as said metal spheres (22) rotate when they come into contact with the head of the drill bit of the corresponding drill.

[0050] On the other hand, starting from the conventional system of master keying of locks with a tubular key cylinder, in which the sleeve (4) is provided with a series of up to six projections (24) in the opening (5) of its front end, in correspondence with a series of grooves (25) machined in the profile of the key associated with each lock and its corresponding combination of projections (24), and a master key that will be provided with six grooves (25). Additionally, one or more of the guards (14), the more the greater the number of combinations of different cylinders for the same master key, are replaced by shorter guards (14') whose length is compensated with the inclusion of a sphere (23) arranged between the guard and the pusher (12), as shown in figure 6.Thus, each sphere (23) offers two different unlocking positions for the guard mechanism associated with said sphere, one in which the sphere (23) is tangentially flush with the fixed cylinder (6) and another in which said sphere is tangentially flush or with the mobile cylinder (7). So that locks can be generated with different combinations to be opened by their corresponding specific keys but nevertheless all of them are susceptible to being opened with the corresponding master key, which is called simple mastering. Likewise, this conventional system allows what is called grand mastering, in which two or more simple masterings participate in which each simple mastering has its own master key and there is a grand master key that can open all the locks of the different simple masterings that participate in the grand mastering.

[0051] By associating the conventional master key system with the new lock and key system, which allows new key profiles with 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 channels (15) associated with the different combinations of protrusions (18) of the anti-pick plate (16). So that each key associated with a lock will have the combination of channels (15) related to the protrusions (18) of its corresponding anti-pick plate (16), while the master key will always have 5 channels (15) to be able to pass through the anti-pick plate (16) of any lock. Which generates a multiplying effect on the possible combinations of the new master key system with respect to the conventional system.

[0052] Finally, we must remember that the combinations of projections (18) of the anti-pick plate (16) shown in Figure 8 correspond to an embodiment in which there are 5 possible angular positions for said projections (18), but each of these positions can vary by + 15° without overlapping with the possible positions of the projections (24) of the opening (5) of the sleeve (4) shown in Figure 7. This greatly intensifies the aforementioned multiplying effect.

Claims

CLAIMS 1 a.- Key-cylinder system for anti-pick locks, being of the type constituted from a key (1) that has a tubular main body (2), in which a series of longitudinal millings (3) are established, and a cylinder constituted from a sleeve (4) with an opening (5) at its front end for the passage of the corresponding key, inside which a fixed cylinder (6) and a mobile cylinder (7) are established that includes an arm (8) passing through a central hole (9) provided in the fixed cylinder (6) and that is linked to the mechanism of the lock in question, the fixed cylinder (6) being fixed to the sleeve (4) and said fixed cylinder including a series of chambers (11) in which two pushers (12) are axially movable, assisted by respective springs (13) and that press axially on respective guards (14) that are axially movable within the mobile cylinder (7),so that the length of the guards (14) is in accordance with the length of the longitudinal millings (3) of the key, so that when the key is inserted the guards (14) and the pushers (12) are flush at their rear end with the edge defined between the fixed cylinder (6) and the mobile cylinder (7), characterized in that the key (1) includes a series of additional channels (15), which complement the longitudinal millings (3), while inside the cylinder on the front end of the mobile cylinder (7) an anti-pick plate (16) is established, which includes a central window (17) with a section that allows the passage of the key, but in which a series of projections (18) are defined, as many as additional channels (15) have been provided in the key, intended to be introduced into the additional channels (15) of the key. 2 a .- Key-cylinder system for anti-pick locks, according to claim 1 a, where the longitudinal millings (3) of the key (1) participate in number of six, while the additional channels (15) participate in a number between one and five, in correspondence with the projections (18) of the anti-pick plate (16) associated with said key. 3 a .- Key-cylinder system for anti-pick locks, according to claim 1 a , where the anti-pick plate (16) incorporates circular holes (21) in which metal spheres (22) will be inserted, determining the anti-drilling means for the cylinder. 4 a .- Key-cylinder system for anti-pick locks, according to claim 1 a and 2 a , wherein the opening (5) of the sleeve (4) has at least one projection (24) in correspondence with the grooves (25) machined in the profile of the key associated with each lock and its corresponding combination of projections (24), complemented by a master key that will be provided with six grooves (25) and in which at least one of the guards (14) is replaced by a shorter guard (14') whose length is compensated by the inclusion of a sphere (23) arranged between the guard and the pusher (12), so that each sphere (23) offers two different unlocking positions for the guard mechanism associated with said sphere, one in which the sphere (23) is tangentially flush with the fixed cylinder (6) and another in which said sphere is tangentially flush with the movable cylinder (7),It has been foreseen that the positions of the projections (18) of the anti-pick plate (16) can vary in their machining by more or less 15° without overlapping with the positions of the projections (24) of the opening (5) of the sleeve (4), as well as that the master key includes five additional channels (15).

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