Improvements in Lock Cylinders

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to lock cylinders that generally include a housing and an angularly displaceable barrel supported within a cylindrical bore of the housing. In some forms of cylinders, both the housing and barrel are intersected by one or more pin recesses, each pin recess being substantially orthogonal to the pivotal axis of the barrel and substantially radially disposed relative to the pivotal axis, the pin recesses defined by axii that in some cylinders are within the same plane. Each pin recess (in an undisplaced barrel) comprises a first portion within the housing and a second portion within the barrel; the opening being plugged to close off the pin holes to capture the pins and springs within.

The barrel includes a longitudinally extended keyway to accept a key, this keyway intersecting each of the pin recesses that support at least a pair of substantially cylindrical moveable that are biased by a compression towards the keyway. When the correct key is inserted, the junctions between the pairs of pins is moved to coincide with the junction between the barrel and housing thus enabling the barrel to be rotated within the housing. The barrel is operably connected to other parts of the lock so that this barrel rotation (in response to key rotation) can be employed to change the state of the lock from, for example, a locked state to an unlocked state.

Lock cylinders are often configured as an independent assembly that can be assembled to another assembly (commonly a lock body). A common form of cylinder assembly is a double cylinder comprising a pair of opposed barrels connected to a common pivotally displaceable cam supported within a common element comprising opposed cylinder housing that are connected by a bridge portion to comprise a double housing. Often the cam has a substantially radially disposed arm that acts as the operable connection between the double cylinder and lock body.

The blade of the key includes a cut for each pair of pins, the cut having a depth to correlate with the length of the associated pins. Different length pins require different depth cuts. When a change of key is required the pins need to be changed so that it is desirable to have a convenient and quick method of replacing pins within the pin recesses that does not detract from the appearance of the cylinder or appreciably lessen the security provided by the cylinder.

Summary of the Invention

According to the invention, there is a housing for a lock cylinder including an offset portion having a side recess enveloped by a cover and occupied by the wing of a connector. In some forms, the side recess is defined by longitudinally spaced sidewalls and a floor.

In some forms, the wing abuts portions of both sidewalls to be restrained against angular and translational relative displacement.

In some forms, the housing is able to be displaced relative to the wing when the cover is removed to facilitate assembly of the housing to the wing

In some forms, the housing has on each side a side recess and the connector has a pair of opposed wings configured to be received by the side recesses.

According to the invention, there is a double housing for a double lock cylinder comprising a pair of opposed housings each sharing the same longitudinal axis, said housings being connected to a single interspaced connector by at least one wing.

In some forms, the connector includes a bridge and two longitudinally spaced pairs of wings.

In some forms, the bridge is configured to a have an end outer surface defined by a radius joined to opposed parallel side walls having outer surfaces separated by the substantially the same distance as the outer surfaces of the sides of the cover.

In some forms, the bridge is configured to comprise profiled laminar walls of substantially constant thickness.

In some forms, the connector is configured to comprise a metal pressing. In some forms, the bridge is configured to includes an aperture to receive a fastener.

In some forms, each housing comprises a substantially hollow axially elongated portion having a bore diameter of between 12 and 13 MM and an outer diameter substantially 17 MM, and the cover has parallel side walls separated by substantially 10 MM, the overall height of the housing is substantially 33.0 MM.

According to the invention, there is a housing for a lock cylinder substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

According to the invention, there is a double housing for a double lock cylinder substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Definitions and Conventions Employed within the Body and Claims

Specification shall be taken to include: a Body [comprising a Title, a Description of Preferred Embodiment/s, an Abstract and a Summary of the Invention] and Claims. The elements relating to the invention claimed within are identified within the

"Summary of the Invention"; these and other elements described within may also be employed within other inventions decribed within to be subject of divisional applications.

This inventions comprise both improvements for lock cylinders and improved lock cylinders. Throughout this specification and claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

Throughout this specification and claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the positional prepositions such as rear, forward are used to assist in description of the preferred embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings and have in general no absolute significance.

Throughout this specification and claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "preferably" or variations such as "prefer" does not mean nor infer that that the inventions described in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments" are necessarily restricted to the form of an integer or collection of integers referred to as preferred.

Throughout this specification and claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the words "wing" embraces both doors, screens and windows. Throughout this specification and claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, lock body is the lock portion fitted within the frame of the wing, the lock body together with a strike plate, a pair of handle sets and a cylinder comprising a typical mortice lock.

Throughout this specification and claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, a "double-cylinder" comprises a substantially conventional double lock cylinder comprising a separate subassembly that includes opposed coaxially supported barrels each operably connected to the same angularly displaceable "first cam" having a "first cam arm" characterized by a "free end" that extends radially to a "peripheral surface" defined in part by a common radial distance from the first cam pivotal axis; and a "clutched-double-cylinder" comprises a double cylinder having opposed barrels each connectable without free movement to the same first cam such that the first cam can be

angularly displaced by a barrel while the other barrel remain undisplaced, the clutched double cylinder includes an operable "clutch" to effect angular coupling between the first cam and a barrel, the clutch may be operated by key insertion; and a "free rotation single cylinder" includes a barrel operably connected with free movement to a first cam to enable the first cam to be displaced by the barrel from an undisplaced disposition to a displaced disposition and subsequently reversed to the undisplaced position enabling key removal and a "free rotation-double-cylinder" is configured such that each barrel is connected with free movement to the same first cam such that the cam is free (between limits) to be angularly displaced while the barrels remain undisplaced - this type of cylinder is commonly used in security door locks in Australia to enable the cam to be displaced by either barrel to a locking configuration and then the barrel to be reverse rotated to the undisplaced position enabling key removal while leaving the first cam in the locking position. In some forms of clutched and free rotation cylinders, one barrel is replaced by a hand operable turn knob. Description of the Figures

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an isometric side view of a double cylinder, Figure 2 is an orthogonal cross-section view through a pin recess axis, Figure 3 is an exploded isometric view of a double cylinder,

Figure 4, is the cross-section through the bridge, Figure 5 is an isometric exploded view of the clutch mechanism. Figure 6 is an exploded isometric view of a barrel construction. Each cylinder 1 includes an angularly displaceable barrel 2 comprising a substantially cylindrical portion 3 defined in part by a barrel axis preferably having at the first end 4 (an external end) a disc-like head 5 and in the vicinity of the opposite end (the second end 15), there is preferably a groove 6 to accept a circlip 7 by which the barrel is retained substantially coaxially within a cylindrical longitudinally elongated housing aperture 8 within a cylinder housing 9 (the ends of the barrel defining adjacent first and second orthogonal [orthogonal meaning at right angles to the housing axis] housing ends 38 and 39 respectively, of the housing - the longitudinal housing axis 34 of the aperture 8 and the barrel axis of the barrel being substantially coaxial. Within the housing 9 are substantially cylindrical pin recesses 10, each said pin aperture extending radially to intersect both the casing and the barrel. Within the barrel 2, extending axial inwardly from an opening 11 in the first end

4, is a longitudinally elongated keyway 12 by which to receive a key. This keyway

intercepts the pin apertures and receives an operating key. The pin recesses that support at least a pair of substantially cylindrical moveable pins 75 that are biased by a compressed compression spring 76 towards the keyway. When the correct key is inserted, the junctions between the pairs of pins is moved to coincide with the junction between the barrel and housing thus enabling the barrel to be rotated within the housing. A recess 13 is preferably in the face of the first end to assist key entry.

In one form of preferred embodiment, the barrel includes at least one longitudinally extended drive pins recess 14 disposed on a side of the axis and preferably as far from the axis as is practical but without intercepting the circlip groove - each of these extending inwardly from an opening in the opposed, second end 15 of the barrel. In another form of preferred embodiment, the barrel includes an axial clutch recess 16 that extends inwardly from the second end 15 to intersect the keyway 12 that is preferably substantially cylindrical. In each of these embodiments, there is at least one transmission member supported in a cam recess 36 located between the second ends of the barrels and by which the barrels can operably connect to a lock body or other mechanism that is to be operated by the double cylinder.

The inventions include a double cylinder comprising two cylinders connected together. The double cylinder includes a double housing 21 comprising the single housings 22 and 23 connected together by a bridge 24 and where the first ends 4 of each barrel are disposed away from the other and where the second ends are disposed towards each other with the cam recess 36 between and adjacent the bridge 24. In well known preferred embodiments, the bridge 24 and each single housing comprise a single element being either a single casting or single machined member. In many types of cylinder, a tapped screw aperture 35 extends transversely through the bridge (in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal axis) to provide passage for a cylinder screw by which the double cylinder is restrained within the lock body that it operates. Between the

In embodiments having a clutch, the clutch mechanism comprises two similar clutch members 25 and 26 joined by an axial fastener 27 each said clutch member comprising a member supported within the clutch recess to mate with clearance within the clutch recess and preferably comprising a substantially longitudinally elongated cylindrical boss 28. Each of the opposed sets comprising a barrel and a corresponding clutch member and the double housing that supports them is configured such that the insertion of a key into one barrel causes both clutch members to be displaced simultaneously in the direction of key insertion while each remains supported within the barrel of its corresponding set. Each cylinder includes means to rotationally couple each clutch member to its corresponding supporting barrel and in some embodiments this is

achieved by each clutch member having one and preferably a pair of radially disposed drive wings 29 that protrude from opposed sides of the boss 28 and that preferably comprise substantially part-cylindrical projections 30 that mate with working clearance within opposed sideway extensions 32 to each clutch recess 16. In clutched double cylinders there is in one form of the invention, a cam 40 supported coaxially by the barrels and between the circlips that preferably comprises a disc-like cam 41 having a radially protruding cam arm 42 including a substantially tangential end surface 42A defined in the industry standard cam by a radius substantially 15 MM - this needing to be accommodated by the cam recess 36 into which the cam is usually withdrawn during insertion of the cylinder into a lock body. The cam has a counter-bore each side to accommodate a cylindrical barrel end 43 of each barrel which extends beyond the circlip groove. Between the opposed counter bores is a web 44 having a profiled cam aperture 45 having a cross-section similar to the cross-sections 16 and 32 together to enable this cam aperture to simultaneously receive the projections and the cylindrical boss 28 whereby to enable the cam and a clutch member to become angularly operably coupled. The clutch members, key, cam and barrels are configured such that a key inserted in one barrel displaces the clutch member in that barrel so that it remains partly within the barrel while becoming partly within the cam aperture while the other clutch member is longitudinally displaced by the first clutch member to be excluded from being within the cam aperture, whereby the barrel with the inserted key is coupled to the cam via the clutch member while the barrel without the key is held uncoupled from the cam. This enable the barrel with the key to be rotated by the key to rotate the cam while the other barrel remains undisplaced.

In some forms, the extensions 32 are holes drilled longitudinally in the second end of the barrel later to be adapted by a hole drilled axially to overlap these holes to manufacture the clutch recess and in other forms, the extensions comprise part of a slot that extends across the end of the barrel that intercepts the clutch recess and extends from opposed sides of the clutch recess.

In some double cylinders not having a clutch where each barrel is operably connected with free displacement to the cam (floating-cam cylinders), each barrel having at least one protruding drive shoulder 46 extending from the second end radially displaced from the barrel axis and in some forms this comprises a longitudinally elongated drive pin 47 supported with a longitudinally elongated pin recess 14 extending inwardly from an opening in the second end of the barrel. In this embodiment, the web described above includes on each side, a profiled recess that accepts a drive shoulder 46 of a corresponding barrel and that is peripherally extended such that the

cam can be rotated a pre-determined amount (that in some cases is 140 degrees) while each barrel remains undisplaced; i.e. the drive recess in this case comprises a peripheral channel or sectorial recess 48 that configured to provide free displacement to the drive shoulder 46. A consequence of this functionality is that the bridge can be strengthened by a substantially laminar bridge web 49 that extends on one side across the cam recess - this element being precluded in clutched cylinders by the need for the cam in clutched cylinders to rotate 360 degrees. This web provides significant extra strength to cast zinc double casings that otherwise may not have adequate strength. For the same reasons, a double housing (for clutched double cylinders) without the bridge web should probably not comprise a single zinc cast member as it would be susceptible to bending by tightening of the cylinder screw and susceptible to other forms of attack.

In some forms of the invention the double cylinder complies with industry standard dimensions with each single housing of the double housing comprising a hollow cylindrical portion 3 extending from a substantially planar orthogonal outer surface 55 having an external diameter substantially 17.00 MM and an offset portion 50 with parallel sides 51 substantially 10.00 MM apart joined by a semi-cylindrical end 52 defined by a longitudinal secondary axis 53 (parallel to the casing axis 34 from which it is disposed by substantially 19.55) and a radius of 5.00 MM referenced from the secondary axis; the cam recess being between 8 and 10 MM wide in a longitudinal direction and the pin recesses being defined by a diameter of substantially 3.1MM with each pin recess within the housing preferably being at least 12 MM long to facilitate the requirements of C4 keys and associated pins. In this embodiment, the casing axis 34 preferably lies in the plane that passes equidistantly between the sides 51 , as does the secondary axis. In some forms of this embodiment, each of the pin recesses have an axis that also lies in this plane - each of these recesses extending inwardly from end 52 to extend (when the barrel is undisplaced) into the barrel - (the undisplaced disposition of the barrel corresponding to the an orientation that enables key insertion and removal). In some embodiments, the double cylinder is configured to provide ready access to the pin recesses to enable pins to be inserted and replaced - this being achieved by configuring the double casing as two portions, a body and a cover. The cover comprising a hollow shell that includes the outer surfaces of the offset portion, namely the faces 55, the end 52 and the two sides 52, the shell extending inwardly a small distance from these surfaces to comprise a thin walled element - importantly, the cover does not include openings to the pin recesses but it does include the bridge web 49 and in one form it includes the external sides and cylindrical surface of the bridge; in one form this shell has a wall thickness of 1.25MM .

( The body of the double casing substantially comprises the balance of the double casing; i.e. a substantially cylindrical member as defined above with an offset portion having parallel sides 51 B separated by less than 10 MM and in one form, separated by 7.4 MM (herein defined as a reduced offset portion 64), an orthogonal outer surface 55B offset by the wall thickness of the shell and in some embodiments, offset by 1.25 MM and a bridge of reduced width having an end defined by a radius of 5.00 - 1.25 MM and pin recesses that extend from openings in the end 52B. In this embodiment the shell preferably has a uniform shell thickness of 1.25 MM.

Double clutched cylinders (comprised of single cylinders of different or the same length) having a machined brass double housing and double floating-cam cylinders (comprised of single cylinders of the same length) having a cast double housing comprised of a body and cover are well known as is much of the other description presented above. An invention included herein provides the capability to configure two single cylinders having cast housings as a clutched double cylinder having removeable covers by providing a bridge of increased strength (an improved bridge), this invention also enabling cylinders of different lengths to be connected.

This invention can also be applied to floating-cam double cylinders and hence the invention can be said to provide a series of cylinders. In this invention, the bridge portion is replaced by a connector 60 that includes a wing 61 that is received by wing recess 62 of the reduced offset portion 64, located adjacent to the second end 66 of the reduced offset portion. Each opposed single housing comprising part of the double housing includes such a wing recess 62 that extends from the end 52B towards the cylindrical portion 3 and the connector includes a wing for each single cylinder.

In some embodiment corresponding to the industry standard double cylinder described above, each wing comprises a substantially laminar member having an outer surface that lies substantially in the same plane as the surface of the reduced offset portion, and in some embodiments, having a thickness of 1.4 MM and a longitudinal length defined by second end 77 that is substantially parallel to but displaced from the housing second end 66 and a first end 78 further displaced from the housing second end and in some cases these distances define a longitudinal width of 8 MM. Within each single housing is a wing recess to receive and mate with the corresponding wing to restrain the wing fixed to the housing so as not to allow any relative displacement - in an industry standard cylinder, this wing recess is substantially 1.4 MM deep. In this embodiment, each housing includes a separate cover that includes the outer surfaces of n__i> _n .4.:.4~.4 _in . C?I» _Λn 4.

the offset portion, namely the faces 55, the end 52 and the two sides 51 , the shell extending inwardly a small distance from these surfaces to comprise a thin walled element - importantly, the cover does not include openings to the pin recesses and it does not include the bridge web 49 nor the profiled shell portion that includes the external side and cylindrical surface of the bridge - i.e. these separate shell are not connected by a portion corresponding to the bridge.

The double housing comprising the connector and opposed housings is further configured to enable the covers to be applied to retain the wings within the wing recesses. In preferred embodiments, the connector comprises a substantially U shaped member having on one end a pair of opposed parallel wings that mate within wing recesses on both sides of the reduced offset portion of a single housing and a second pair of wings on the other end to mate similarly with the second single housing. In one form of this invention, the bridge outer surface width "w1" is substantially 10.0 MM (the same as that of the covers, the cover not enveloping the bridge) but adjacent to the ends of the cam recess at the point where the wings join the bridge portion there are a transition portions 67 where the outer surface of each pair of wings steps inwardly so that the outer surface becomes separated by a reduced "w2" 68, a distance substantially the same as the distance separating the inner walls of the cover.

The connector is preferably further configured such that the bridge is configured to a have an end outer surface 52 C defined by a radius of 5 MM joined to parallel side walls having outer surfaces separated by substantially the same distance as the outer surfaces of the sides of the cover. The bridge is preferably further configured to include return portions 69 to increase the connectors' resistance to torsional and other forms of deformation. Where the cylinder is a floating-cam type, one of these return portions is otherwise configured as the bridge web 49 that limits the angular rotation of the cam. The connector is preferably further configured such the bridge is configured to comprise profiled laminar walls of substantially constant thickness and is preferably further configured to comprise a metal pressing - a part that can be manufactured by pressing out a planar member (and in some industry standard cylinders, from 1.4'MM thick material) and bending it into the desired shape and if need be, case hardening it to increase its stiffness.

There are preferably bosses 70 projecting inwardly from the inside surface of each cover to axially occupy the start of all pin recess 10 except one per cover and located axially with these pin recesses (one in each cover) is a aperture 72 that extends into a screw recess 73 to receive a screw head 71 in the outer surface of the end 52 that is configured so that the assembled screw does not project beyond the general periphery

of the cover - the shank of the screw engaging threadedly in a pin recess. The length of the screw and the length of the bosses are preferably configured to project substantially same distance into each pin recess and preferably only so far as to leave each pin chamber with a length not less than 12 MM. It will be appreciated that an invention described above enables both clutched and floating cam cylinders of different lengths to be joined as a double cylinder and an invention enables the cylinders to be easily repined by removing the caps.

The dimensions of the industry standard euro cylinder are frequently referenced in the above description, this description clearly demonstrating that such a cylinder can be configured as described above and manufactured as described above. However, the inventions within are not limited to such embodiments and the inventions within are applicable to all single and double cylinders.

It is significant that the inventions herein provide an industry standard cylinder comprised on components parts that are both manufacturable and of sufficient strength to perform the functions they are designed for - the invention has recognized the opportunity to manufacture an improved cylinder that addresses outstanding needs and it has provided a product that will perform satisfactorily.

In some forms, each barrel comprises a substantially cylindrical portion 74 and a disc-like barrel head 75 connected to the cylindrical potion 74 by longitudinally elongated protυsions 76 that extend into longitudinally elongated recesses 77 having openings 78 from a substantially othogonal end face 79 of the cylindrical portion as shown in Fig 6. The recesses 77 in one form comprise cylindrical recesses and the protrusions comprise pins substantially comprising cylindrical members having a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the recesses but having longitudinally elongated portions that extend beyond the general diameter to require deformation of the pins and walls of the recesses when the pins are forced into the recesses; this deformation resulting in residual forces whereby the walls of the recesses push inwardly on the pins that themselves exert an outward reaction on the walls of the recess - these forces rise to frictional forces that resist withdrawal of the pins from the recesses. In other forms, the pins have hollow ends 80 and the recesses are configured to have cone like ends 81 surrounded by an annular recess 82 of larger diameter so that during insertion of the pins, the hollow ends encounter the cones to be forced to deform outwardly into the annulus; the hollow ends needing to be inwardly deformed to enable the pins to be removed from the recesses so thereby acting to resist remaoval of the pins.