Tumbler lock having peripheral key

• US 4,578,969 A
• Filed: 11/26/1984
• Issued: 04/01/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GE Interlogix Incorporated (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Supra Products, Inc. (Carrier Global Corporation)
• Inventors: Larson, Wayne F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wolfe, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US06/673,933
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 70/362, 70/365, 70/366, 70/407, 70/408, 70/409
• US Class Current: 70/366
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 21/066 of the rotary-disc tumbler type tumblers which are set by inserting the key E05B29/0013
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7633 Transverse of plug
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/787 Irregular nonplanar or undulated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/7881 Bitting

Abstract

A peripheral key for a tumbler lock, the key being transversely curved concentrically with the axis of the lock, and having an L-shaped groove to pass a sentry lug on a lock. The L-shaped groove has a longitudinal leg opening longitudinally at the free end of the lock, and a lateral leg communicating with the inboard end of the longitudinal leg and opening laterally to enable the sentry lug to pass along and out of the L-shaped groove to free the key for further operative movement. A tumbler lock having code discs and actuating discs, and a pusher plate having a lost-motion connection with a mounting plug to pick up the plug after predetermined movement of a curved peripheral key. A key as first described above, together with a lock having a sentry lug for accommodating insertion of the key into the lock. A lock and peripheral curved key wherein the key has concentric inner and outer surfaces engaging mating curved surfaces on a lock housing and central internal components to maintain the key in a longitudinal position while being used.

Claims

1. A peripheral key for a tumbler lock comprising an elongated body member having curved portions for peripheral contact with curved portions of the lock,

said elongated body including a handle portion and an operating portion connected together by a dog leg or stepped portion,

said operating portion having an outer end remote from said dog leg and an inner end terminating at said dog leg,

said operating portion having concentric inner and outer curved faces,

said inner face having a longitudinally extending groove formed therein having an open end at the outer end of said operating portion for entry of a sentry lug on the lock and passage of said lug, relatively speaking, along said groove,

said groove being defined in part by two side walls and a bottom wall,

said inner curved face being formed, at the end of the groove closest the dog leg, with a transverse circumferentially extending arcuate groove communicating with the just mentioned end said lug passage groove,

said transverse groove having a blind end located at the inner end of said lug passage groove and an open end remote therefrom to permit escape of the sentry lug from said key retaining groove,

said blind end of said transverse groove being defined by the side wall of said longitudinal groove that is remote from the open end of said key retaining groove.

2. A key as recited in claim 1 in which said longitudinally extending groove extends the full length of said operating portion and terminates at said dog leg or stepped portion.

3. A key as recited in claim 2 in which the floor of said transverse groove is concentric with the faces of said operating portion.

4. A key as recited in claim 1 in which the free end of said operating portion is square.

5. A key as recited in claim 1 in which the dog leg or stepped portion has side edges which are parallel to one another.

6. A lock having a housing and plural discs releasably locked against movement relative to the housing by a locking member,

rotary plug means within said housing supporting said plural discs,

said rotary plug means and discs at least in part defining with the interior of said housing an annular space to receive a peripheral key,

a curved pusher plate in said space freely movable relative to said key,

means interconnecting said pusher plate with said rotary plug means to permit limited movement only of said pusher plate relative to said plug means, thereby to permit said key to move said pusher plate relative to said rotary plug means a limited extent.

7. A lock as recited in claim 6 in which said rotary plug means provides a sentry lug projecting toward the interior of said housing and blocking access to said annular space by any key except one matching the contour of said sentry lug.

8. A lock as recited in claim 6 in which the pusher plate has at least a portion underlying a portion of the key when the key is inserted into the lock.

9. A lock as recited in claim 7 in which said rotary plug means includes a forward plug and a rearward plug, said forward plug carrying said sentry lug, said interconnecting means comprising a slotted portion on said forward plug and a lug on said pusher plate received by said slotted portion.

10. A lock having a housing and plural discs releasably locked against movement relative to the housing by a locking member,

rotary plug means within said housing supporting said plural discs,

said rotary plug means and discs at least in part defining with the interior of said housing an annular space,

a peripheral key to be inserted into said space,

said plug means having a radially outwardly projecting lug,

said key having curved inner and outer faces,

said inner face having a longitudinally extending groove to accept said lug to permit said key to be inserted into said annular space,

said longitudinal groove having at one end a laterally extending groove of a size to pass said lug when the lug reaches the end of said longitudinal groove to prohibit turning of said key until alignment register of said lug with said lateral groove.