BARDACHENKO CYLINDRICAL LOCK

Abstract

 The invention relates to locking devices, more specifically to cylindrical locks. The inventive lock comprises a body provided with slots, a rotatable cylinder provided with a key channel and slots which are diametrically embodied in the cross-sections thereof, a packet of locking plates which are movably arranged in the cylinder slots in such a way that the locking ends thereof are insertable into the body slots. The inventive structural design makes it possible to reduce the information content of the locking plates of the lock, thereby improving the secrecy and reliability thereof and enabling said lock to re-coded for any coding key combination.

Description

Technical scope

[0001] This invention relates to a field of locking devices, in particular to cylindrical locks for doors of various types.

The Prior Art

[0002] A cylindrical lock is known according to RF Patent Specification No. 2058467, which comprises a housing with a rotatable cylinder therein which has a key channel and a packet of locking plates with profiled key holes. One of the drawbacks of this lock lies in the complexity of its construction and manufacture as well as its unreliable performance.

[0003] Another cylindrical lock is known according to RF Patent Specification No. 2060336, which comprises a housing provided with recesses, and inside the housing a rotatable cylinder which has a key channel and grooves diametrically embodied in the cross-sections thereof, a packet of locking plates that are movably arranged in the cylinder grooves in such a way that the locking ends thereof are insertable into the recesses of the housing, the plates being unidirectionally spring-loaded between their own supporting surfaces and those of the cylinder and having each a key hole. This cylindrical lock is taken as a prototype for the invention.

[0004] The disadvantages of this lock are as follows:

1. The closing of the lock (blocking of the cylinder) is performed by displacing the holes of the locking plates in relation to the cylinder center in different directions for the whole packet of plates, so that the edges of the holes of the different plates describe a stepped profile.

2. The fact that the plates are unilaterally spring-loaded, the operation thereof being thus limited by one direction only, along with the stepped profile formed by the edges of the plate holes significantly reduces the ambiguity of the informational status (position) of the various plates in the closed lock, thus decreasing the security and reliability thereof.

3. Due to the above-mentioned constructional features of the lock and the configuration of the plate holes, each coding position provides for only one kind of "top" or "bottom" location of the plate, thus decreasing the number of possible coding combinations of the packet of plates.

4. The adopted construction of the plate adjustment unit in the cylinder, including the fixed stop of the plates in the housing, makes it complicated to assemble the lock and to re-encode it.

Disclosure of the Invention

[0005] The invention as set forth in this application proceeds from the task of developing an enhanced cylindrical lock by way of the following: The locking plates are longitudinally off-centered in relation to the transverse axes of the plate holes by the length of the locking ends thereof, an additional, oppositely directed spring-load is applied to each plate, and the plates are equipped with elements that define the maximum displacement of the plates to be equidistant in both directions, whereby the amount of information to be obtained about the status (position) of the locking plates is reduced, thus improving the security and reliability of the lock. This is achieved by the claimed invention, which possesses the above-mentioned features of the prototype, yet in contrast to it provides the following: the key channel axis and the transverse axes of the plate holes pass through the center of the rotatable cylinder, the contact edges of the plate holes are symmetrical with respect to the transverse axes thereof, the locking plates are longitudinally off-centered with respect to the transverse axes of the plate holes by the length of the locking ends thereof, an additional, oppositely directed spring-load is applied to each plate, and the plates are equipped with elements that define the maximum displacement of the plates to be equidistant in both directions.

[0006] The fact that the plates are longitudinally off-centered with respect to the transverse axes of the holes thereof ensures that blocking the cylinder does not cause a displacement of the plates in different directions with respect to the center of the cylinder, which in turn precludes the edges of the plate holes from describing a stepped profile. This achievement is further enhanced by the fact that the contact edges of the plate holes are symmetrical with respect to the transverse axes of the holes.

[0007] The bidirectional spring-load of the plates and the fact that the maximum displacement thereof is equidistant in both directions make it impossible to identify the operating direction of the plates. This factor along with said fact that the plate holes do not describe a stepped profile precludes unauthorized access to information about the operating movement and position of each locking plate in the blocked cylinder, thereby increasing the security and reliability of the lock.

[0008] In addition, the fact that the key channel axis and the transverse axes of the plate holes are oriented through the center of the rotatable cylinder allows for the longitudinally off-centered plates to be arranged in code patterns with varying "top" or "bottom" locations. At the same time, the fact that the plates are bidirectionally spring-loaded and that the maximum displacement thereof is equidistant in both directions further enhances the achievement of varying plate locations in every coding position. Thus, the number of possible coding combinations of the packet of plates is increased without changing the uniformity of the plates.

[0009] In order to simplify the construction of the claimed lock, the elements defining the maximum displacement of the plates to be equidistant in every coding position comprise guide pins for the springs and said supporting surfaces of the cylinder, the end faces of the respective pins and supporting surfaces being symmetrical in relation to the center of the cylinder. Thus, elements of the existing construction are used to achieve the objective of the invention. In order to facilitate assembly, said supporting surfaces are constructed in the form of removable U-shaped brackets.

[0010] In addition, every coding position has additional supporting surfaces for the springs that are symmetrical with respect to the center of the cylinder and have grooves to accommodate the plates, the distance between said supporting surfaces being not less than that between the supporting surfaces of the plates.

[0011] Thus, the locking plates in the cylinder are located in the right initial position with due account of varying spring tension.

Brief Description of the Illustrations

[0012] The nature of the invention is described hereinbelow with reference to the following drawings.

Figure 1 is a top view of the lock with sectional elevation.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of A-A (Fig. 1).

Figure 3 is a cross section of the rotatable cylinder corresponding to section A-A (Fig. 1).

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the rotatable cylinder.

Figure 5 shows a locking plate.

Figure 6 shows a supporting bracket.

Description of Preferred Embodiment of the Invention

[0013] According to this invention, the lock comprises a housing 1 with recesses 2, and inside the housing a rotatable cylinder 3 which has a channel 4 for the key 5 and grooves 6 which are embodied in the cross-sections thereof. In the cylinder grooves 6 the locking plates 7 with their holes 8 are movably arranged. Since the locking ends 9 of plates 7 must be insertable into the recesses 2 of housing 1, the grooves 6 of cylinder 3 and the recesses 2 are equally oriented, e. g. diametrically arranged.

[0014] The locking plates 7 have guide pins 10 provided with springs 11 between the supporting surfaces 12 of the plates 7 and the supporting surfaces 13 of cylinder 3. To facilitate assembly, the latter surfaces are embodied in the form of the supporting brackets 14.

[0015] Cylinder 3 also has additional supporting surfaces 15 for the springs 11, those surfaces being symmetrical with respect to the center 0 of cylinder 3 and representing the bottom of cup-like holes (Fig. 3). Cylinder 3 has grooves 16 to accommodate the plates 7, those grooves being also embodied in the surfaces 15 (Fig. 4), and the distance between those surfaces being not less than that between the supporting surfaces 12 of the plates 7.

[0016] The axis 17 of the key channel 4 and the transverse axes 18 of the holes 8 in the plates 7 pass through the center 0 of the cylinder 3. This is due to the surfaces 15 being symmetrical with respect to the center 0 of cylinder 3 and the surfaces 12 being symmetrical with respect to the axes 18 of the holes 8.

[0017] The center lines 19 related to the longitudinal dimensions of the plates 7 (said dimensions being oriented along the operating direction of the plates 7) are parallel to the transverse axes 18 of the plate holes 8 and displaced with respect thereto by distance "a" corresponding to the length of the locking ends 9 of the plates 7. The contact edges 20 of the plate holes 8 are symmetrical with respect to the transverse axes 18 thereof.

[0018] The lock comprises elements that define the maximum displacement of the plates 7 to be equidistant in both directions in every coding position. Said elements comprise guide pins 10, the face ends of which are symmetrical with respect to the axis 18 of the holes 8, i.e. to the center 0 of cylinder 3, and supporting surfaces 13 of cylinder 3 which are also symmetrical with respect to that center.

[0019] Cylinder 3 is connected to the actual locking device 22 of the lock (partly shown). The lock operates as follows:

[0020] The required code is set by operating the locking plates 7. For that purpose, the plates 7 along with the springs 11 are established on the supporting surfaces 15 of the cylinder, and the plates 7 are accomodated in the grooves 6 and 16 of cylinder 3. At the same time, the locking ends 9 of the plates engage with the recesses of housing 1, whereby the rotatable cylinder 3 is locked (blocked). This is achieved without moving (displacing) the plates 7 themselves, but only by virtue of the fact that the plates are longitudinally off-centered with respect to the holes 8.

[0021] At the same time, said symmetrical arrangement of the surfaces 15 precludes any initial displacement of the plates 7 in the opening direction (disengagement with recesses 2 of housing 1), which otherwise might occur due to varying spring 11 tension.

[0022] Thus, the cylinder is locked properly. At that point the transverse axes 18 of the plate holes 8 pass through the center 0 of cylinder 3. This makes it possible to set the code using the plates 7 which are longitudinally off-centered with respect to the plate holes so that the plates are established in a "top" or "bottom" coding location without displacing the contact edges 20 of the plate holes 8 in relation to each other, thus avoiding that a stepped profile be formed therebetween.

[0023] This achievement is further enhanced by the fact that the contact edges 20 of the plate holes are symmetrically arranged with respect to the transverse axes 18 of the holes.

[0024] The lock is opened by inserting the key 5 through channel 4 into the packet of locking plates 7. By virtue of channel 4 and holes 8 being oriented through the center of the cylinder 3, the key 5 engages with the plate holes 8, thus by inserting the key into the holes 8 the plates are shifted, and the locking ends 9 thereof disengage with the recesses 2 of housing 1. At the same time, the supporting surfaces 12 of the plates 7 lift the springs 11 off the supporting surfaces 15 of cylinder 3.

[0025] Cylinder 3 is now unlocked, and by rotating it the lock is opened. For the present lock it is advisable to use re-encodable identification keys, e.g. according to RUS patent No. 2097519.

[0026] The bidirectional spring-load of the plates 7 precludes any unauthorized access to information about the operating direction of the plates. This is reinforced by the fact that in case the plates 7 are maximally displaced by the applied pressure, the face ends 21 of the guide pins 10 will interact with the supporting surfaces 13 of the cylinder, defining the maximum displacement to be equidistant in both directions.

[0027] The fact that the contact edges of the plate holes do not describe a stepped profile in the locked cylinder precludes unauthorized access to information about the position of any locking plate in the cylinder, whereby, in addition to the features stated above, the security and reliability of the lock is increased.

[0028] The use of replaceable coding plates 7 facilitates the process of re-encoding the lock. At the same time, the possibility of using every plate in any of the given coding positions increases the number of possible coding combinations of the lock. A further contribution to the process of re-encoding and assembling the lock is that the plates do not bear against the housing of the lock (or, as given in the presented construction, against the supporting surfaces of the cylinder), since the supporting surfaces are embodied in the form of removable brackets. The lock can be used as locking device for rooms, transportation vehicles of different types, various devices, safes and switches in vehicles.

Claims

1. Bardachenko-type Cylindrical Lock, comprising a housing with recesses and inside the housing a rotatable cylinder which has a key channel and grooves diametrically embodied in the cross-sections thereof, a packet of locking plates that are movably arranged in the cylinder grooves in such a way that the locking ends thereof are insertable into the recesses of the housing, the plates being unidirectionally spring-loaded between their own supporting surfaces and those of the cylinder and having each a hole for the key, characterized in that the axis of the key channel and the transverse axes of the holes of those plates pass through the center of the rotatable cylinder, the contact edges of the plate holes being arranged symmetrically with respect to the transverse axes of those holes, the locking plates being longitudinally off-centered with respect to the transverse axes of the holes by the length of their locking ends, the locking plates being provided with an additional spring-load in the second operating direction thereof and with elements that define the maximum displacement of the plates to be equidistant in both directions.

2. Bardachenko-type Cylindrical Lock in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that for every coding position the elements defining the maximum displacement of the plates to be equidistant in both directions comprise guide pins for the springs and supporting surfaces of the cylinder, each pair of pin end faces and each pair of supporting surfaces being symmetrical with respect to the center of the cylinder.

3. Bardachenko-type Cylindrical Lock in accordance with claim 2, characterized in that the supporting surfaces are constructed in the form of removable U-shaped brackets.

4. Bardachenko-type Cylindrical Lock in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that each coding position has additional supporting surfaces for the springs, the surfaces being symmetrical with respect to the center of the cylinder and having grooves for inserting the plates, the distance between those supporting surfaces being not less than that between the supporting surfaces of the plates.

Drawing