US3434316A - Removable lock cylinder mechanism - Google Patents

Description

March 25, 1969 R. E, NEARY REMOVABLE LOCK CYLINDER MECHANISM lSheet Filed Sept. l, 1966 INVENTOR Paw/1 I A/i den w Max-c1125, 1969 R. E, N'EARY 3,434,315

REMOVABLE LOCK CYLINDER MECHANISM Filed sept. 1, 196e sheet 2 INVEN TOR. ,34m/rf.' Naf-'4er March 25, 1969 R. NEARY 3,434,316

REMOVABLE LOCK CYLINDER MECHANISM Filed sept. 1, 1966 f sheet 3 of s INVENTOR. PAM/f I /Vffm/ United States -fPatent Office 3,434,316 Patented Mar. 25, 1969 3,434,316 REMOVABLE LOCK CYLINDER MECHANISM Ralph E. Neary, San Francisco, Calif., assignor to Schlage Lock Company, a corporation Filed Sept. 1, 1966, Ser. No. 576,712 Int. Cl. Eb 9/04, 27/00 U.S. Cl. 70-371 8 Claims ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE My invention relates to securing devices lfor releasably holding together a pair of movable members such as a door lock unit and is especially concerned with a lock cylinder mechanism designed to be installed in a lock unit.

It is customary to provide a key actuated lock unit usually of a cylindrical form so that access can be had only by authorized persons with proper keys. It is often desired to change the combination or arrangement of the cylinder mechanism in order to exclude keys previously affording access and to include additional keys previously ineffective.

The change from one keying system to another can be accomplished in a number of different ways, but it is preferred to provide a way of making such change that is readily accomplished by any authorized person, especially one without particular skills.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a removable lock cylinder mechanism which can readily be interchanged with a comparable but different mechanism by any authorized person having ordinary mechani'cal skill.

Another object of the invention is to provide a removable lock cylinder mechanism which in general exterior appearance is substantially the same as ordinary, non-removable lock cylinders.

Another object of the invention is to provide a removable lock cylinder mechanism compatible with standard lock units already in use.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a removable lock cylinder mechanism incorporating a number of relatively standard lock parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a removable lock cylinder mechanism which will per-mit alteration of the locking mechanism in a quick and expeditious fashion.

Another object of the invention is to provide a removable lock cylinder mechanism of improved character.

Other objects of the invention together with the foregoing are attained in the embodiments of the invention described in the accompanying description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in side elevation with portions in cross section on a vertical plane of a removable lock cylinder mechanism installed in a door, parts of the view being broken away to reduce its size;

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 showing portions in cross section on a generally horizontal plane;

FIGURE 3 is a cross section, the plane of which is indicated by the line 3 3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a View similar to FIGURE 1 but showing a modified form of removable lock cylinder mechamsm;

FIGURE 5 is a detail cross section showing the parts in a plane indicated `by the line 5 5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a view comparable to FIGURE 5 but showing the parts in a displaced position;

FIGURE 7 is a cross section, the plane of which is indicated by the line 7-7 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 8 is a cross section similar to FIGURE 1 but showing a rfurther modied form of device;

FIGURE 9 is a cross section similar to FIGURE 3 and showing in cross section the modification of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary View showing a portion of the `mechanism of FIGURE 8 in horizontal cross section;

FIGURE ll is a view similar to FIGURE 1 but Showing a further modified form of removable lock cylinder mechanism;

FIGURE 12 is a side elevation of a special key useful in connection with the `device of FIGURE 11;

FIGURE 13 is a cross section, the plane of which is indicated by the lines 13-13 of FIGURE 11;

FIGURE 14 is a cross section, the plane of which is indicated by the line 14-14 of FIGURE 13; and

FIGURE 15 is a cross section, the plane of which is indicated by the lines 15--15 of FIGURE 12.

The removable lock cylinder mechanism is ordinarily mounted on a swinging door 6 having a circular cylindrical opening 7 therethrough. Installed on the door is a normal locking unit 8. This is represented only by a dotted line since it forms no direct part of the present structure.

In accordance with the invention, a receptacle 9 is mounted within the opening 7. The receptacle for the most part is a circular cylindrical tubular portion having an out-turned ange 11 at one end interengaging with a trim ring 12 on the obverse face of the door 6. The receptacle 9 also has an end wall 13 provided with an opening 14 through which a fastening screw 16 extends. Engaged by the shank of the screw 16 is an end cup 17 nested within the opening 7. The cup 17 has -an outturned rim 18 adapted to engage the reverse face of the door and likewise has an opening 19 therethrough. When the trim ring 12, the tube 9 and the cup 17 yare held together by the tightened screw 16, the receptacle is firmly mounted against dislodgment and against rotation on the door 6.

Designed to be slidably support within the tubular portion of the receptacle is a lock cylinder unit 22. This includes a circular cylindrical body having an end ange 23 designed to fit against the ilange 11 except for an intervening resilient 'ring 24. The ring: 24 is preferably of elastomeric or metallic spring stock so that some axial yielding motion is possible between the flange 23 Adapted to fit within appropriately contoured portions lo of the lock cylinder unit 22 is a plug housing 31 or cylinder carrying the customary sort of pin tumbler rnechanism, represented by the end plugs 33. 'Ihis is not illustrated nor described in detail since it is a standard arrangement. The pin tumbler mechanism either prevents or permits the rotation of a cylindrical plug 34 within the housing 31 depending upon the insertion of an appropriate key 36 into a keyway 37 in the plug. When a proper key is so inserted, the plug may be freely rotated with :respect to the housing, but when an improper key is inserted no rotation of the plug with respect to the housing 31 can occur.

Rotation of the plug 34 relative to the housing 31 is effective to actuate the lock mechanism 8. The end of the plug 34 is provided with a removable, screw-threaded cap 41 having a scalloped, inturned rim. The cap, when in position, retains the flange of a non-circularly perforated driver body 42 engaging a driver talig 43. The cap 41 and the body 42 are normally retained in position so that they both must rotate with the plug 34 by a spring-pressed securing pin 44. The driver tang 43 projects from a disk 48 partially confined within an embossed cup and resting against the displaced wall 13 of the receptacle. The disk 48 is retained against end motion by an external washer 49 held in position by a cotter pin 51. This not only extends through an opening 52 in the forked end of a hub 53 projecting from the disk 48, but likewise passes through a similar opening in the end of a flat driver bar 54 situated in the fork. The driver bar is of the customary kind to interengage with the locking unit mechanism, not shown. The motion train is such that when the key 36 is turned to rotate the plug 34, the driver bar 54 is correspondingly rotated and the lock unit 8 is actuated.

Particularly pursuant to the invention, means are provided for selectively retaining the lock cylinder unit 22 with plug 34 and its appurtenant mechanism in place in the receptacle 9 unless they are released under appropriate circumstances. To that end, the lock cylinder unit is provided, particularly as shown in FIGURE 3, with a catch including a latch lever 61. This is mounted to swing or pivot about a reduced portion 62 of the pin 26. The latch lever is axially confined between the rear wall 13 of the cylinder unit and a spaced retaining disk 63 held in position by the riveted connection of the pin 26.

The lever 61 has an arcuate tail portion 67 designed in one position of the lever to lie against the interior of the receptacle tube to act as a stop. The lever is pressed into that position by a convoluted spring 68 at one end wound round a hub 69 formed as part of the disk 63. The spring is held against substantial rotation by the rim of that member. The other end of the spring urges the lever 61 in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in FIGURE 3. The free end of the lever 61 is designed to enter into a groove 70 formed with an abrupt shoulder near one end of a screw 71. The other end of the screw is provided with threads 72 interengaging with comparable threads in a bore 73 in the plug housing 31. The screw has a toolengaging slot 74 in a conical or tapered end portion 76 thereof.

When the lever 61 is in the slot 70, the lock cylinder unit cannot be axially withdrawn from its position Within the receptacle since the abrupt shoulder of the groove 70 encounters the side of the lever and so prevents such motion. On the other hand, if the lock cylinder unit is outside of the receptacle and is pressed home, the conical end portion 76 of the screw engages under the end of the lever 61 and cams it upwardly for a time and then permits it to descend into the slot 70 under the urgency of the spring 68, thus catching the lock cylinder unit in operating position.

The lever 61 is contoured to define an arcuate cut-out portion 81 outside of the path of the tang 43 on the disk 48 so that when a proper key is put into the keyway and rotated, the tang 43 in rotating entirely clears and does not come into contact with the lever 61 no matter in what position the lever may be. That is to say, the driver tang 43 is completely free of the latch lever 61 at all times.

To release the latch lever when desired, the plug is designed to receive special actuating means. The plug 34 on opposite sides of the keyway 37 is provided with a pair of longitudinal bores 82 and 83. Each of these eX- tends not only for the full length of the plug, but also extends through the driver body 42 and coincides with `the rim scallops of the cap 41. Each of the bores 82 and 83 is of a size to receive a relatively long, circular cylindrical tool such as a length of plain wire 86. If such a wire is inserted into the bore 82, for example, for the full length, it may bottom against the disk 48 or may even extend into and be partially supported in openings in the disk itself. The wire then projects beneath the lever 61 near a shoulder 87 thereon. If the wire 86 is inserted into the other bore 83 for the full length, then it lies beneath and near a shoulder 88 on the lever 61.

With the wire in place in either bore, the insertion and rotation of a proper key then also rotates the wire with the plug. As the wire rises against the shoulder 87 or the shoulder 88, depending upon the direction of rotation of the key, the wire cams against and rotates the lever 61 correspondingly. This lifts the latch lever 61 out of the groove 70. This releases the interengagement of the lock cylinder unit 22 with the receptacle 9 and it becomes possible to withdraw the lock cylinder unit axially from the receptacle. Since the key has been turned from its position of insertion, it cannot be withdrawn from the keyway and so acts as an extracting tool for removing the lock cylinder unit from the receptacle. After withdrawal of the unit, the key can be rotated relative thereto and withdrawn. During withdrawal of the lock cylinder unit the body 42 parts axially from the driver tang 43. Thus, by the conjoint use of an auxiliary tool, such as the wire 86, and a proper key, it is possible to withdraw a particular lock cylinder unit and to replace it with a different lock cylinder unit having a different arrangement of the pin tumblers to receive different keys. Thus the availability of the lock unit is made dependent upon a different series of keys. This result is accomplished without any skilled work and merely by the insertion of the proper key and of a tool, such as a wire 86, into the appropriate channel.

As a modification of the arrangement shown in FIG- URES 1 3, a mechanism as disclosed in FIGURES 4-7 may be employed. In this instance the locking mechanism, not shown in detail, is represented by a hollow spindle 101 rotatable about a longitudinal axis 102 to actuate the latch or bolt retracting mechanism. Usually a knob indicated by the broken line 103 is connected to the spindle so as to rotate concurrently therewith. Designed to fit into the spindle, in part, is a lock cylinder unit 104 of generally circular cylindrical configuration having a vane 106 extending radially therefrom. The lock cylinder unit is substantially as previously described and includes pin tumbler mechanism for cooperation with a key 107 which can be longitudinally inserted into and withdrawn from a keyway 108 in a plug 109 rotatable within the lock cylinder housing 111. While the circular cylindrical body of the lock cylinder unit fits well within the interior of the hollow spindle 101, the vane 106 in projecting radially lies within a slot 112 extending longitudinally of and opening out at the end of the spindle 101. The spindle and lock cylinder unit are thus constrained to rotate together.

A cap 113 is threadedly engaged on the end of the lock cylinder plug 109 and supports a flanged bearing member 114 which lies against an inturned flange at the end of the cap. The bearing member 114 has a non-circular perforation and serves as a support and guide for a flat driver bar 116. At its inner end the driver bar is riveted into a non-circular opening in a disk 117 designed to lie against the recessed end of the cylinder plug 109 of the lock cylinder unit. An interposed spring 118 keeps the disk 117 and the 'bearing member 114 in position. A keeper pin 119 seated in the plug 109 and backed by a spring 120 engages the notched rims of the disk 114 and of the cap 113 and unites the cap 113, the bearing member 114 and the plug for rotation together.

Pursuant to the invention, the bearing member 114 at its outermost portion is contoured to provide a cone 121 giving onto a circular, circumscribing groove 122. The flat driver bar 116 has a relatively narrow notched portion 124 and a relatively wide base portion 126. The diameter of the bottom of the groove 122 is approximately the same as the Width of the driver bar 116 in the notched portion 124 thereof, lbut is considerably less than the width of the driver bar in the base portion 126 thereof. Normally the relatively narrow notched portion 124 underlies the groove 122.

A U-shaped spring 127 is disposed transversely of the hollow spindle 101, at one end lying within a slot 128 in the wall of the spindle and at the other end having its legs 133 and 134 lying within openings 131 and 132 in the spindle wall. In relaxed position the spring legs 133 and 134 are parallel and lie in the bottom of the groove 122 and in the notched portion 124.

In the operation of this mechanism, the normal key 107 is relatively short and rotates the cylinder plug 109 without in any wise contacting or displacing the disk 117. The plug 109 rotates tbe driver bar 116 to actuate the lock unit in the normal fashion. When the lock cylinder unit is to be changed, a change key 136 is provided. This key is identical with the normal key 107 except that it has an extension at one end to make it extra long. Thus, when the change or special key 136 is introduced into the rotatable plug 109, the long key displaces the disk 117 to the right in FIGURE 4 against the urgency of the spring 118. This moves the driver bar 116 axially so that the notched portion 124 is displaced toward the right and the wide portion 126 is moved into position between the legs 133 and 134 of the spring 127. When the cylinder plug 109 is rotated by the change key 136, the wide portion 126 of the driver bar expands the legs 133 and 134 entirely out of the groove 122, so that in the turned position of the key the entire lock cylinder unit 104 can be axially withdrawn. The arrangement is such that the knob 103, if present, will permit the vane 106 to pass. In this fasihon, by the use of a special elongated key or use of the regular key with a separate body ahead of it or an extension on the end of it, the lock cylinder mechanism can be removed. Another one can be installed simply by pushing it into the spindle so that the cone 121 spreads the normally parallel spring legs 133 and 134 until they revert to parallel, catch position in the groove 122, thus holding the new unit in position. The driver bar 116 during this operation enters the lock mechanism in the usual way.

In a further modification, as shown in FIGURES 8, 9 and 10, a simila-r arrangement is provided in effect by combining the long change key of the FIGURES 4-7 arrangement with the type of catch shown in FIGURES 1, Zand 3. In this instance the normal key 149 is too short to abut and displace a disk 151 at the end of a stepped driver bar 152, -but a change key with an elongation or an addition is effective when introduced to displace the disk 151 to the right against the urgency of a spring 153. This moves the driver -bar 152 so that its narrow, ineffective portion no longer underlies a latch lever 154 comparable to the lever 61, but rather a wide part 156 of the driver bar underlies the lever 154. Then when the cylinder plug 157 is rotated with the extended key, one side or the other of the Wide portion of the driver bar lifts against one of the lands 158 and 159 on the lever 154. This rotates the lever about its mounting pin 161 and lifts its free end 162 out of a slot 163 in a screw 164 corresponding to the screw 71. In this fashion the entire lock cylinder unit can be withdrawn simply by the use of an extra-long change key or by the use of a regular key with an extension thereon. A replacement can be snapped into position and held by the catch lever 154 engaging a corresponding screw groove.

Another arrangement, particularly as shown in FIG- URES 1l-15, is substantially the same as that shown in FIGURES 1 3 except that in this instance a regular key 171 is modified by an extension 172 in the form of a circular rod or Wire secured thereto. This wire passes along the regular keyway 173 in the plug 174 in the usual fashion. At the end of the keyway the extension also passes through one of the customarily provided notches 176 in the end cap 177 and thus is moved axially into an actuating position. When the key 171 and the plug 174 are rotated, the extended rod or wire 172 is also rotated in a predetermined path and comes into contact with either one or the other of the lands on a lever 178, about as previously described. A regular key without any extension 172 is ineffective to displace the catch or latch lever 178 since it does not come into contact therewith. When the extended, change key 171 is inserted, then the extension 172 is moved not only axially to underlie the lands on the catch lever 178, but also in a rotary path about the longitudinal axis so as to operate the lever 178 and release the entire lock cylinder unit. In this instance, as before, the entire unit can be removed without any special skill, but merely by the use of a particular key designed for the purpose. A replacement unit can be axially snapped into position.

What is claimed is:

1. A removable lock cylinder mechanism comprising means adapted to engage a door and including a receptacle, a lock cylinder unit receivable within said receptacle and 'having a plug -rotatable therein about an axis, said plug having a keyway, a catch interengaging said receptacle Iand said lock cylinder unit and having a release member disposed in a predetermined path, means including a bore through said plug parallel to said axis for holding an actuator for movement into and out of said path, said bore being spaced from said keyway, and means including Said plug for rotating said actuator about said axis and along said path into operating contact with said release member.

2. A removable lock cylinder mechanism as in claim 1 in which said predetermined path is arcuate.

3. A removable lock cylinder mechanism as in claim 1 in which said -bore is parallel to said keyway 4. A removable lock cylinder mechanism as in claim 1 in which a regular key in said keyway is effective to rotate said plug yand said catch is out of contact with said key but is in a position to be contacted by said actuator to release said latch when said plug is rotated by said key.

5. A removable lock cylinder mechanism as in claim 4 in which said -actuator is a wire separate from but rotatable by said key.

6. A removable lock cylinder mechanism as in claim 1 in which said catch is a spring-pressed device, and cam means are provided for first displacing said device against said spring and then releasing said device to snap into engagement with said lock Icylinder unit when said lock cylinder unit is urged home into said receptacle.

7. A removable lock cylinder mechanism as in claim 1 in which said catch is a spring latch actuated upon movement of said lock cylinder unit axially into said receptacle.

8. A removable lock cylinder mechanism as in claim cylinder against rotation in said receptacle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Shinn 70-368 Jacobi 70-369 Falk 70-369 Briggs 70-369 Jacobi 70-368 Jacobi 70-369 Olson 70-368 Simon 70-368 X Schlage 70-367X Check 70-369 X Russell et a1. 70-371 X U.S. C1. X.R.

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