FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a professional locksmith tool and in particular to a self-adjusting locksmith tool. The tool can be used in locksmith decoding tools, as well as for making sets and kits for the tools, to be used for non _¬ destructive emergency unlocking of locked locks and keyholes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are cases, where a lock should be legally unlocked, but none of the keys are available, for instance when they all have been lost. Typically, in this case, the services of a qualified locksmith are sought. Vehicle locks and house locks in most cases prove to be difficult to unlock because of their complexity and high degree of protection against manipulation with different types of locksmith tools or against the destruction of the lock. In many cases lately the way the orientation of the code plates has changed from predictable to random, makin known locksmith tools inapplicable. Thus, since the code plates may be 7-12 or more, the possibilities for their orientation are progressively high, and economically it is not profitable to manufacture a great number of locksmith tools for one lock model. It also applies to other methods such as the use of anti-decoding cuts at the top and / or bottom of the code plates or at one end thereof. To avoid actions that break the lock or the door, as well as shorten the unlocking time, different decoding unlocking devices must be used.

Many professional locksmith tools are known for the nondestructive unlocking of locks, including some French door locks. Some of them are the so called "probes", containing a body curved at an angle in one end, the tip of which probes the code pins of the lock and raises each of them individually, until it reaches a single turn of the locking tongues of the lock. This is a labour-intensive and unreliable unlocking, and in some cases also impossible.

It is known from BG 2371 U1 a locksmith decoding tool for vehicles, which includes a handle and a decoding end piece comprising a pumping element with a round opening in one end and a carrier, mounted on the pumping element, having round and oblong openings. The carrier contains perpendicularly situated holders and spring pins, mounted freely in the holders. The handle comprises a consecutively mounted swirl, a puller and a power swirl, as the power swirl is connected to the carrier of the decoding end piece, and the swirl is connected to the pumping element of the decoding end piece. The pumping element here is a U-shaped product having a complex wavy profile, which reduces the durability of the product. The tool contains side lifters that put it in working position, the pins are short and the operation of the tool is complicated. In this known tool the connection between the swirl and the pumping element of the decoding end piece is direct by a bolt, which does not allow the swirl to rotate relative to the pumping element, and there is no possibility of rotating the swirl relative to the puller. Also, bolt connections allow self-unwinding.

It is known from the practice a locksmith decoding tool for vehicles, which includes a handle and a decoding end piece comprising a pumping element having a round opening and a carrier connected to the pumping element, as well as a carrier having round and oblong openings along its axis, as the handle comprises an axially arranged power swirl in the form of a cup with an axial neck on the forehead, a bushing with a threaded aperture, the buShing is mounted at its upper end with the possibility of axial and rotary displacement in the cavity of the power swirl, as well as a threaded plug, freely screwed to the threaded aperture of the bushing, further comprising a puller, which is a plug with smooth cylindrical surface with a board, which puller is mounted at the other end of the bushing. The handle also includes a swirl with an opening, in which the lower end with the puller of the bushing is installed, as well as it comprises a cylindrical pusher with a flange, and the pusher located in the swirl opening, so it can slide axially in the swirl, whereas the power swirl, the threaded plug and the puller have a central opening, in which the carrier and the pumping element from the decoding end piece are mounted. This decoding tool has an increased length and weight, making it more inconvenient to operate. There is also a greatly increased risk of irreparable mechanical damages and breaking of the elements of the tool, as well as of the lock, which is being unlocked in case of inaccurate manipulation of the tool.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The problem solved by the present invention is to provide a locksmith tool that ensures convenience in unlocking and operating with automotive and household locks, provided with security mechanisms, where this locksmith tool has increased reliability and is easy to handle.

These and other aims of the invention are solved by a

professional locksmith tool including a handle and a decoding end piece, the decoding end piece comprising: a carrier having a longitudinal axis and a first and second end, and openings arranged longitudinally along the axis at the first end; pins arranged perpendicularly to the axis at the second end of the carrier; at least one pumping element mounted on the carrier.

The handle comprising: an axially arranged power swirl in the form of a cup, a threaded bushing mounted at its upper end in the cavity of the power swirl, a threaded plug freely screwed to the upper end of the bushing, a puller mounted at the other end of the bushing and having an axial stop relative to the bushing, a swirl with a cavity in which the end of the bushing with the puller is mounted. Along the axis of the handle are formed axial openings through the power swirl, the threaded plug and the puller, in which openings are mounted the carrier and the pumping element of the decoding end piece. The handle also includes a retainer fixing the carrier to the power swirl and passing through a round opening located towards the top (away from the handle) of the carrier, as well as two pintles, the first pintle passing through a second round opening of the carrier and is fixed to the threaded plug, the second pintle passing through a round opening of the pumping element and through an oblong opening of the carrier, being fixed to the puller. Thus, an independent rotation of the swirl and bushing relative to the puller can be effected, with a rotation angle reciprocal to the length of the oblong opening of the carrier.

The bushing with the threaded aperture of the handle is located at its upper end directly in the power swirl with the possibility of axial and rotational displacement. The openings at one end along the carrier are arranged successively one oblong and two round Openings, and at the other end of the carrier openings for the pins are transversely provided having coaxial slots alongside each opening, whereas the pin openings being made at equal distances from each other, corresponding to the coding plates of the lock. The decoding end piece also includes holders for pins, each holder having a protrusion, geting into the coaxial slot alongside the opening for the pin of the carrier. Furthermore, two pumping elements are provided, arranged longitudinally on both sides of the carrier, each of the pumping elements after the round opening has arranged successively two oblong openings in series, so that the round opening of the pumping element corresponds to the oblong opening of the carrier and the oblong openings of the pumping elements correspond to the round openings of the carrier. Each pumping element has slots, inclined with respect to the height of the pumping element, where protrusions of the pin holders come through in the slots of the pumping elements. The lateral positioning of the pumping elements also enables the mounting of pins acting in both directions, which solves the problem of the orientation of the code plates imposed by the manufacturers. This, as well as the direct connection of the power swirl with the bushing, eliminates the need for the pusher from the known solutions, which simplifies the tool, makes it lighter and increases its strength.

The decoding end piece also includes two guides having angular profile, mounted on the pumping elements (13) mirror-wise at height, whereas on one arm of each guide a number of pinholes for pins are made at one end along each guide. On the second arm of each guide, at the other end along its length there are made successively from the end one oblong and two round openings, corresponding to the openings of the carrier, and the second arm of each guide being cut from the end side with the pinholes. The guides are fixed, do not move and thus enhance the carrier by making the decoding end piece stronger and more stable. The form of the guides is simple and easy to manufacture, they are more resistant to stress and have a higher strength. Here the pins are located midway along the thickness of the carrier and not on the side of the carrier. This makes it possible to apply pressure to the wall of the code plate, rather than to the code tooth and to help overcome the problem of the orientation of the code plates.

In one embodiment of the invention, the carrier of the decoding end piece has a double T-shaped profile, whose arms are made stepwise along the height of the profile, so that the upper step of one arm is on the side of the lower step of the second arm, the pins openings are made in the vertical beam of the profile along its height, and the oblong and round openings are centered across the middle of the profile vertical beam. Preferably the arm with the pinholes of the angular profile of the guides lies on the upper step of the double T-shaped profile of the carrier and the second arm with the oblong openings of the angular profile of the guides lies on the surface of the pumping elements.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, the inclined slots of the pumping elements have counter inclinations symmetrical with respect to the height of the pumping elements, the inclined slots on each pumping element having the same inclination and the number of inclined slots of the two pumping elements being equal to the number of pins openings on the carrier. This arrangement also enables the mounting of pins, operating in both directions, thus increasing the possibility for decoding of differently oriented code plates.

In a further embodiment the thread of the bushing and the plug has a step in the range of 1.5 mm to 8 mm, preferably in the range of 2 mm to 6 mm, and is at least single-start thread. In a more preferred embodiment, the thread is metric or trapezoidal or square.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the locking device for fixing the carrier to the power swirl is a slotted cylindrical spring pin. This improves the reliability of the fixation, eliminating the risk of self-unwinding of the screw connections.

In another embodiment of the invention, at least the power swirl and the swirl are made of engineering plastics. Alternatively, at least the power swirl and the swirl are made of iron wood. These materials are highly durable and robust, reduce the wear and allow the making of more precise tools, which do not raise the production costs.

The invention also relates to a set of locksmith tools, comprising a toolbox, in which are placed one or more professional locksmith tools of the above described embodiments and a plate for reset of the decoding end piece. Preferably, the set of locksmith tools also comprises a tester key for determining the type of locking device. This extends the scope of application of the locksmith tool for more types of locks, while allowing for compact storage and prevention of accidental damage to the locksmith tools and accessories.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention, in different example embodiments, has been illustrated in the following drawings in which:

Fig- 1 shows an external axonometric view of a professional locksmith tool in one example;

Fig. 2 shows the locksmith tool of Fig.1 in cross-section;

Fig. 3 shows the handle with its elements in axonometric exploded view and in sequence during assembly;

Fig. 4 shows the assembled handle of Fig.3 in cross-section:

Fig. 5 shows in axonometric exploded view the decoding end piece with its elements in sequence during assembly;

Fig. 6 shows the decoding end piece of Fig.5 in assembled form;

Fig, 7 shows the pin holder in axonometric view;

Fig. 8 shows the pin in axonometric view;

Fig. 9 shows a set of professional locksmith tools in a box. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, where a preferred exemplary embodiment is shown.

Fig.1 shows external view of the professional locksmith tool according to the invention in axonometric, which includes a decoding end piece 1 and a handle 2, to which the decoding end piece 1 is mounted. Fig.2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the locksmith tool of Fig.1.

The handle 2 is shown in Fig.3, without the decoding end piece 1. It comprises an axially located power swirl 3 in the form of a cup with an axial neck 4 on the outside of its forhead, having a central axial opening 5, reciprocal to the profile of the decoding end piece 1. In the cavity of the power swirl 3 is

positioned the upper end of an internal mechanism.

The internal mechanism includes a cylindrical bushing 6 with internal thread, the bushing 6 having possibility of axial and rotational displacement relative to the power swirl 3. In the example shown in Fig.1 through Fig.4 the internal mechanism comprises a threaded plug 7 and a puller 8 mounted in the ends of the threaded bushing 6. In this case, the threaded plug 7 is screwed to the upper end of threaded aperture of the bushing 6 and the puller 8 is mounted at the lower end of the bushing 6. The thread of the bushing 6 and the plug 7 has a step in the range of 1 .5 mm to 8 mm, preferably in the range of 2 mm to 6 mm, and is at least a single-start thread. The thread may be metric or trapezoidal or square.

The puller 8 has a smooth cylindrical surface with an axial stop relative to the bushing 6 which in this case is made as a board 9. In the shown embodiment the puller 8 is freely rotatable relative to the bushing 6. In turn, the bushing 6 has a possibility of axial and rotary displacement in the cavity of the power swirl 3. The plug 7 and the puller 8 have coaxial central openings 5 'and 5" analogous to the central axial opening s. In the aligned central openings 5, 5’ and 5” are mounted the pre-stacked elements of the decoding end piece 1. The handle 2 also includes a swirl 10 with a cavity, in this case in the form of a non-through hole, in which cavity is mounted the end of the bushing 6 with the puller 8, which end is opposite to the end with the threaded plug 7. The axial movement of the internal mechanism relative to the swirl 10 is limited, in this case by a presser 11.

The decoding end piece 1 comprises a carrier 12, two pumping elements 13 and two guides 14 ( Fig. 5 ) adapted to be mounted on both sides of the carrier 12. The carrier 12 is a body in the lower part of w ich an oblong opening 15 and two round openings 16 ' and 16” are arranged sequentially toward the top (away from the handle end) thereof. At the top end of the carrier 12 transversely to its lendth have been made openings 17 for pins. Alongside each pin opening there is a slot 18 on the outer side of the carrier 12. The pin openings 17 are made at equal distances from one another, corresponding to the coding plates of the lock. The pumping elements 13 are arranged longitudinally on both sides of the carrier 12. In this example the pumping elements 13 are plates, each having a round opening 19 and then toward the top end arranged successively two oblong openings 20' and 20" in series, reciprocal to the openings 15, 16' and 16” of the carrier 12. Each pumping element 13 has slots 21 inclined in equal manner with respect to the height of the pumping element.

The guides 14 have angularly shaped profile and are located on the pumping elements 13 mirror-wise at height, whereas on one arm of each guide 14 a number of pinholes 22 are made at one end along each guide. On the second arm of each guide 14 at the other end along its length there are made successively from the end one oblong opening 23 and two round openings 24’ and 24”, corresponding to the openings 15, 16’ and 16” of the carrier 12 and the openings 19, 20’ and 20” of the pumping elements 13. The second arm of the profile of each guide 14 being cut from the top end side with pinholes 22.

The decoding end piece 1 further comprises pin holders 25 ( Fig. 7 ) which are located in the pin openings 17 of the carrier 12 and in the pin openings 22 of the guides 14, as well as pins 26 (Fig. 8) placed in the pin holder 25. Via the openings of the carrier 12, the pumping elements 13 and the guides 14, the elements of the decoding end piece Tare fixed and assembled to the handle 2. The axial displacement of the threaded bushing 6 is reciprocal to the length of the oblong opening 15 of the carrier 12. The length of the oblong openings of the carrier 12, of the pumping elements 13 and of the guides 14 may be in the range of 1 .5 mm to 8 mm, depending on the type of the lock. Preferably, the length of the oblong openings is in the range of 2 mm to 6 mm.

In the example of the decoding tip, shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, the carrier 12 has a double T-shaped profile, whose arms are made stepwise along the height of the profile, so that the upper step of one arm is on the side of the lower step of the second arm, the pin openings 17 being made in the vertical beam of the profile along its height, and the oblong 15 and round 16’ and 16" openings are centered across the middle of the profile vertical beam. Furthermore, the arm with the pinholes 22 of the angular profile of the guides 14 lies on the upper step of the double T-shaped profile of the carrier 12 and the second arm with the oblong openings 23 and 24 of the angular profile of the guides 14 lies on the surface of the pumping elements 13. Thus the construction of the decoding end piece 1 becomes very strong and can withstand higher rotational stresses.

In the example of Fig.5 and Fig.6 - the inclined slots 21 of the pumping elements 13 have counter inclinations symmetrical to the height of the pumping elements 13, the inclined slots 21 on each pumping element 13 have the same inclination to the left or to the right and the number of the inclined slots 21 of the two pumping elements 13 is equal to the number of pin openings 17 of the carrier ~ 12. The inclined slots 21 of the pumping elements 13 can be grouped in series according to the coding plates of the locks.

The handle 2 has, in this example, a retainer 27, shown in Fig. 3 - Fig . 4, fixing the decoding end piece 1 to the neck 4 of the power swirl 3 and passing through the first round openings of the carrier 12 and the guides 14, as well as through the first oblong opening 20' of the pumping elements 13. The retainer 27 may be any fastening element, for example but not limited to a screw provided against self-unwinding or a tightly fit axle, where in a preferred embodiment it is a slotted cylindrical spring pin. The handle 2 in this case has two pintles, the first pintle 28 passing through the second round opening 16" of the carrier 12 and is fixed to the threaded plug 7. The second pintle 29 passes through the round opening 19 of the pumping, elements 13 and through the oblong opening 20' of the carrier 12 located at its base, being fixed to the puller 8. The presser 11 passes through the opening 30 in the swirl 10, being pressed against the bushing 6 with no contact with the

elements of the decoding end piece 1. Thus is provided an independent rotation of the swirl 3 with respect to the puller 8, with a rotation angle reciprocal to the length of the oblong opening in the carrier 12.

The elements of the locksmith tool can be made of any

material(s) such as metal, plastic, wood and others adapted to produce precise details. At least the power swirl 3 and the swirl 10 may be made of engineering plastics, for example but not limited to polyamide (PA). The material may also be an iron wood. The use of these materials makes production cheaper. It can also be used for decoration purposes.

An exemplary set of locksmith tools, shown in Fig. 9 comprises a toolbox 31 , in which the set of locksmith tools and accessories is arranged, so that all elements of the kit are collected in one place and conveniently fastened in the box.

In toolbox 31 , one or more locksmith tools according to any of the embodiments described above are suitably located, as well as a plate 32 for reset the decoding end piece 1. The set of locksmith tools may also include a tester key (not shown in the drawings) for determining the type of locking device.

Although the description above contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. Thus, the scope of this invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.