Lock cylinder

Abstract

 A lock cylinder with a cylinder core (8) which is rotatably mounted in the cylinder housing (2), has a key channel (9) and is secured by a snap ring at the inner end and with a closure element hub (4) which is arranged coaxially in front of the end face thereof, consisting of an annular part with a closure element nose (5) arranged radially thereto. The closure element hub (4) consists of two annular parts (29, 30) which are located one behind the other in the axial direction of the cylinder core (8) and are coupled to one another in the region of the closure element nose (5) and the securing snap ring (31) rests in the region of the joint between the annular parts (29, 30).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a lock cylinder with a cylinder core which is rotatably mounted in the cylinder housing, has a key channel and is secured by a snap ring at the inner end and with a closure element hub which is arranged coaxially in front of the end face thereof, consisting of an annular part with a closure element nose arranged radially thereto.

[0002] As is known, with lock cylinders constructed as double profile cylinders a distinction is made between symmetrically shaped lock cylinders of normal length and other types of lock cylinders.

[0003] In symmetrical lock cylinders, the dimension from the threaded bore for the lock cylinder fastening screw to the end faces of the lock cylinder is equal. If a longer lock cylinder half is required, this can be achieved by using extension pieces. In that case, the cylinder cores do not have to be altered. However, if the length of one lock cylinder half is shorter than the normal length of a lock cylinder then it is necessary to use shortened cylinder cores, demanding additional production costs and increased warehousing. In addition, an optimum number of tumblers can no longer be achieved. Shortened cylinder cores may also be necessary with shortened half cylinders.

[0004] It is an object of the invention to provide a lock cylinder of the type under discussion in a manner which is simple to produce such that cylinder cores of equal lengths can be used with a wide variation of varied overall length of the lock cylinders.

[0005] The invention provides a lock cylinder with a cylinder core which is rotatably mounted in the cylinder housing, has a key channel and is secured by a snap ring at the inner end and with a closure element hub which is arranged coaxially in front of the end face thereof, consisting of an annular part with a closure element nose arranged radially thereto, characterised in that the closure element hub consists of two annular parts which are located one behind the other in the axial direction of the cylinder core and are coupled to one another in the region of the closure element nose and the securing snap ring rests in the region of the joint between the annular parts.

[0006] The lock cylinder according to the invention preferably comprises a positive connection between the two closure element noses, in particular a positive connection which consists of a radially lying groove/spring plug-in connection.

[0007] In a particularly preferred embodiment, one annular part is equipped with a projecting annular collar on the flank remote from the annular part so that it can be introduced in a mounting manner into an annular groove of the cylinder housing. The mutually facing broad sides of the closure element noses are preferably provided as spacer surfaces for forming a gap to receive the snap ring between the mutually facing annular part end faces. The two annular parts preferably have different axial lengths and the annular part with the greater axial length contains a coupling co-operating with the face ends of the cylinder cores of a double lock cylinder.

[0008] In a lock cylinder according to the invention the cylinder cores can invariably be equal in length regardless of the overall length of the lock cylinder. The design according to the invention can be used with both double cylinders and with half cylinders. This leads to advantages, in particular with respect to production and storage. The shortened cylinder half can also invariably be equipped with an optimum number of tumbler pins. The above-mentioned advantages are possible because that the closure element hub consists of two annular parts which are located one behind the other in the axial direction of the cylinder core and are coupled to one another in the region of the closure element nose. The cylinder core can then project with its inner end into one annular part by a greater amount than with a cylinder half of normal length. The axial position of the cylinder core is accordingly secured by the securing snap ring arranged in the region of the joint between the annular parts. This means that the cylinder core still projects with its inner terminal portion into the other annular part and therefore helps to support the two annular parts. The closure element noses which are identical in plan complement each other in the region of the joint between the annular parts to form a single nose so that closure elements of locks such as mortise locks can be actuated in conventional manner. Optimum forces on such closure elements can be transmitted by a positive connection between the two closure element noses. For example, the positive connection can consist of a hole/peg coupling. However, a radially located groove/spring plug-in connection can also serve as a positive connection. The advantage of the last-mentioned plug-in connection results in better running of the tumblers and to improve lock closure. The annular part partially penetrated by the cylinder core of the shorter cylinder half is additionally supported by the protruding annular collar of the remote flank, which annular collar dips in a supporting manner in an annular groove of the cylinder housing. This annular part is therefore also supported on both sides and consequently satisfies the condition for stable mounting in combination with a long service life. It should also be emphasised that the mutually facing broad sides of the closure element noses are designed as spacer surfaces to form a gap for receiving the snap ring between the mutually facing annular part end faces. Therefore, it is not necessary to reduce the length of the closure element noses extending in the longitudinal direction of the lock cylinder. Rather, the spacer surfaces of the closure element noses help to form the gap. When the lock cylinder is constructed as a double cylinder, it has proven advantageous to provide the two annular parts with different axial lengths. The annular part with the greater axial length serves to receive a coupling co-operating with the face ends of the cylinder cores. The coupling can be created, for example, such that the closure of one cylinder half is still possible even if the key is inserted and rotated in the other cylinder half. If one cylinder half has a size greater than the normal length, then it will be appreciated that the face end of the corresponding cylinder core is formed by an extension piece which is positively connected to the corresponding inner end of the appropriate cylinder core.

[0009] An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

Figure 1 shows an elevation of a lock cylinder shaped as a profile double cylinder with associated keys, roughly in the normal size, one cylinder half being longer and the other shorter in configuration;

Figure 2 shows an elevation of the profile double cylinder in a magnification of two, broken away in the region of the closure element noses;

Figure 3 shows a greatly magnified illustration of the profile double cylinder, partly in a longitudinal section and partly in elevation;

Figure 4 shows a section along line IV-IV in Figure 3;

Figure 5 shows a section along line V-V in Figure 3;

Figure 6 shows a horizontal section through the profile double cylinder at the level of the longitudinal axis of the cylinder cores;

Figure 7 shows an elevation of a modified design of the closure element hub in which the positive connection between the closure element noses consists of a groove/spring plug-in connection;

Figure 8 shows a section along line VIII-VIII in Figure 7;

Figure 9 shows a partial longitudinal section through the profile double cylinder, wherein the key has entered the longer cylinder half; and

Figure 10 shows an illustration corresponding to Figure 9, wherein the cylinder core of the longer cylinder half is rotated by means of the key and the key is inserted into the shorter cylinder half.

[0010] In the embodiment, the lock cylinder is a profile double cylinder 1. Its cylinder housing 2 comprises a portion 2' with a circular cylindrical cross section and a flange portion 2" extending radially thereto. A recess 3 which runs into the flange portion 2" and serves to receive a closure element hub 4 is offset from the transverse centre plane and issues from the circular cylindrical portion 2'. The closure element hub 4 is a carrier of a closure element nose 5 arranged radially to it.

[0011] The portion extending below the recess 3 is traversed by a threaded bore 6 for receiving a lock cylinder fastening screw which is not illustrated. The offset arrangement of the recess 3 produces a shorter cylinder half K and a longer cylinder half L, measured from the centre of the threaded bore 6 to the corresponding end faces of the cylinder housing 2. The shorter cylinder half K is shorter than that of a profile double cylinder of normal length, whereas the cylinder half L, is longer.

[0012] The cylinder halves K, L have, in the circular cylindrical portion 2', core bores 7 extending in the longitudinal direction thereof for receiving identically shaped cylinder cores 8. Each cylinder core 8 has a key channel 9 and radially orientated bores 10 opening into the key channel. The bores are aligned with housing bores 11 which are sealed in a known manner at the flange end. The bores 10, 11 serve to receive tumbler pins composed of core pins 12 and housing pins 13. Compression springs 14 load the housing pins 13 which, in turn, shift the core pins 12 into the key channel 9. One key channel wall limits the path of immersion of the core pins 12. When the key 15, which is shaped as a flat key, is removed, the key channel 9 is located in the horizontal plane passing through the longitudinal axis of the cylinder cores 8. In a known manner, the key 15 contains the closure indentations (not illustrated) on its broad faces. The closure indentations are selected such that, after insertion of the key 15, the tumbler pins are orientated so that the joint between the tumbler pins 12 and the housing pins 13 is located at the level of the sliding joint of the cylinder core 8. To allow insertion of the key 15 into the key channel 9, the closure indentations are preceded by ramps 16 which run from one broad face of the key shank to the other and are shaped as grooves.

[0013] In the vicinity of its inner face end, each cylinder core 8 is provided with an annular groove 17. The outer face end of each cylinder core 8, on the other hand, forms a collar 18 which has a greater cross section and, as shown in Figure 3, projects fittingly into a greater cross-section portion of the core bore 7. The axial position of the cylinder core 8 of the longer housing half L is secured by a snap ring 19 which projects into the annular groove 17. The snap ring 19 can be introduced through a transverse recess 20 in the longer cylinder half, this transverse recess 20 extending at the level of the circular cylindrical portion 2'. The snap ring 19 rests on the wall, facing the collar 18, of the transverse recess 20.

[0014] A bore 21 communicating with a greater diameter blind bore 22 issues from the inner face end of each cylinder core 8. Its base ends in front of the last tumbler. The key channel 9 opens into the blind bore 22. Grooves 23, 24 of different widths worked into the cylinder core 8 run transversely to the key channel 9 from the free face end of the cylinder core 8 so that the width of the groove 23 is smaller than that of the groove 24. The two grooves lie on a diameter which is orientated at right angles to the longitudinal plane of the key channel 9. The grooves 23, 24 run substantially over half of the blind bore 22.

[0015] An extension piece 25 is coupled to the cylinder core 8 of the longer cylinder half L. This extension piece 25 corresponds in its construction substantially to the inner end of the cylinder core 8. Two diametrally opposed coupling noses 26, 27, which project fittingly into the grooves 23, 24 facing them, pass from the outwardly directed end face of the extension piece 25 in order to be coupled to the cylinder core. Corresponding bores 21', 22' are also worked from the opposing end face of the extension piece 24 in an equivalent manner to those in the cylinder core 8. Grooves 23', 24' lying in the diameter are also provided there.

[0016] Rotation of the cylinder core 8 is transmitted to the closure element hub 4 via a coupling 28.

[0017] In particular, the closure element hub 4 consists of two annular parts 29, 30 which lie one behind the other in axial directions of the cylinder core 8 and are coupled to one another in the region of the closure element nose 5. The securing snap ring 31 for the cylinder core 8 of the shorter cylinder half K extends in the region of the joint of these annular parts 29, 30. The mutually facing broad sides of the closure element noses 5', 5'' are designed as spacer surfaces to form a gap S for receiving the securing snap ring 31 between the facing annular part end faces. As with the cylinder core 8 of the longer housing half L, the securing snap ring 31 dips into the annular groove 17 of the associated cylinder core 8 and secures it against axial displacement. As the closing element hub 4 is formed in two parts, two closure element noses 5' and 5'' exist which form a unit owing to a positive connection. According to Figure 2, the positive connection consists of a peg 32 which projects beyond the joint of the two closure element noses 5', 5'', issues from the closure element nose 5' and projects positively into a cavity 33 of suitable cross section in the other closure element nose 5''.

[0018] Figures 7 and 8 show an alternative positive connection. In that arrangement, the positive connection consists of a radially lying groove/spring plug-in connection 34, 35. The groove 34 issues from the joint between the two closure element noses 5', 5'' and runs in the annular part 30. The spring 35 of the other closure element nose 5' engages with a fit into the groove 34. The length of the spring 35 is almost as great as the length of the closure element nose 5.

[0019] The axially lying lengths of the annular parts 29, 30 are of different sizes. Thus, the annular part 30 is about twice as long as the annular part 29. The longer annular part 30 is equipped with a projecting annular collar 36 on its flank remote from the other annular part 29 and, with the projecting annular collar 36, enters an annular groove 37 of appropriate cross section in the cylinder housing 2. In this way, the longer annular part 30 receives an appropriate mounting. The shorter annular part 29 is completely penetrated by the cylinder core 8 of the shorter cylinder half K. With its face end located on the other side of the annular groove 17, this cylinder core 8 projects partially into an appropriate diameter bore 38 in the longer annular part 30. The bore 38 runs to the hub wall 39 of the annular part 30 and corresponds in size to the bore 40 of the shorter annular part 29. As is shown in particular in Figure 6, the hub wall 39 ends close to the attachment of the annular collar 36.

[0020] The hub wall 39 forms an aperture 41 of non-circular cross section in which there are movably guided two plates 42, 43 spaced apart in parallel. A conical spiral spring 44 spreads the plates 42, 43 apart. The spreading apart is limited by the facing ends of the cylinder core 8 and the extension piece 25. In the spread position, however, the plates 42, 43 engage with the hub wall 39.

[0021] The above-mentioned plates 42, 43, in turn, contain coupling openings 45 for the introduction of two coupling elements 46, 47 displaceably arranged in the axial direction of the cylinder cores. When no keys are inserted, the coupling element 46 projects with its inner end 46' into the coupling openings 45 in the plate 43, while completely filling the opening 45. The inner end 46' of the coupling element 46 is topped by two diametrally located wings 48, 49 of different width which are adapted in their width dimension to the grooves 23, 24 of the cylinder core 8 and produce a rotational connection therewith. The opposing coupling element 47 also forms an inner end 47'. According to Figure 3, however, it does not engage with the coupling opening 45 in the plate 42. It is therefore located in the uncoupled state relative to the hub wall 39. The inner end 47' of the coupling member 47 is also topped by two coupling wings 48, 49 which engage with the grooves 23', 24' of the extension piece 25. The two coupling elements 46, 47 have a central bore 50 for receiving a peg 51 which is aligned with the cylinder core axis and forms a head 52 at both ends. A compression spring 53 located between the coupling elements 46, 47 is therefore capable of displacing only the coupling elements into the stop position relative to the heads 52 of the peg 51. One of the heads 52 can be produced by upsetting.

[0022] The profile double lock cylinder operates in the following manner.

[0023] If the key 15 is introduced into the key channel 9 of the cylinder core 8 of the shorter cylinder half K according to Figure 3, the tumbler pins are set by its closure indentations such that the joint between the core pins 12 and the housing pins 13 passes to the level of the rotational joint of the cylinder core. However, the key tip does not shift the facing coupling element 46. If the cylinder core 8 is now rotated by means of the key 15, the cylinder core 8 entrains the annular part 30 via the coupling element 46 and plate 43. As the annular part 30 is positively connected to the annular part 29, the annular part 29 is also rotationally displaced.

[0024] If a key 15 is inserted into the opposing cylinder core 8 of the longer cylinder half L, the tumblers are similarly set. In the final phase of the insertion movement, the key tip strikes an extension peg 54 which, in turn, displaces the coupling element 47 and positively connects it by its inner end 47' to the plate 42. In the process, the compression spring 53 shifts the other coupling element 46 axially so that it disengages from the plate 43, as can be seen from Figure 9. The cylinder core 8 of the longer coupling half L can now be rotated by means of the key 15, the rotational movement being transmitted via the extension piece 25 to the coupling element 47. As the coupling element 47 is positively connected to the plate 42, the plate 42 also entrains the closure element hub 4.

[0025] However, the case may arise where the key 15 is placed in the cylinder core 8 of the longer cylinder half L and is rotated, as can be seen from Figure 10. An identically shaped key 15 can still be inserted from the opposite side of the profile double cylinder 1. This key sets the tumbler pins in the above described manner. In the final phase of the insertion movement, the key tip of the corresponding key 15 strikes the facing end flank of the coupling element 46 and displaces it axially together with the plate 43 while compressing the conical spiral spring 44 and further compressing the compression spring 53 in the position according to Figure 10. A rotational displacement of the cylinder core 8 of the shorter cylinder half K is now possible with simultaneous entrainment of the coupling element 46. The closure element hub 4 is dragged only when the coupling elements 46, 47 reach a congruent position with their wings 48, 49. The plate 43 then engages, under spring loading, with the coupling element 46 so that the closure element hub 4 is entrained as the rotational movement continues. The rotation is also transmitted to the opposing cylinder core.

Claims

1. Lock cylinder with a cylinder core (8) which is rotatably mounted in the cylinder housing (2), has a key channel (9) and is secured by a snap ring at the inner end and with a closure element hub (4) which is arranged coaxially in front of the end face thereof, consisting of an annular part with a closure element nose (5) arranged radially thereto, characterised in that the closure element hub (4) consists of two annular parts (29, 30) which are located one behind the other in the axial direction of the cylinder core (8) and are coupled to one another in the region of the closure element nose (5) and the securing snap ring (31) rests in the region of the joint between the annular parts (29, 30).

2. Lock cylinder, according to claim 1, characterised in that there is a positive connection between the two closure element noses (5', 5'').

3. Lock cylinder, according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that the positive connection consists of a radially lying groove/spring plug-in connection (34, 35).

4. Lock cylinder according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that one annular part (30) is equipped with a projecting annular collar (36) on the flank remote from the annular part (29) so that it can be introduced in a mounting manner into an annular groove (37) of the cylinder housing (2).

5. Lock cylinder, according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the mutually facing broad sides of the closure element noses (5', 5'') are provided as space surfaces for forming a gap (S) to receive the snap ring (31) between the mutually facing annular part end faces.

6. Lock cylinder, according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the two annular parts (29, 30) have different axial lengths and the annular part with the greater axial length contains a coupling (28) co-operating with the face ends of the cylinder cores of a double lock cylinder.

Drawing