Patent · US Expired

Mechanical lock having a variable key

US4534195A · kind A · utility

1Cited by
10References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 8, 1983
Grant dateAug 13, 1985
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 8, 2003

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T70/7893
  • WIPO fieldCivil engineering
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

The present invention relates to a lock having a key provided with variable key information elements which are adapted to be scanned during rotation of the key around an axis of the lock. The key preferably includes ten (10) cam plates fixedly joined together in pairs for rotation and mounted in pairs on coaxial hollow shafts. Each shaft is driven by a handwheel in an angularly variable manner. Each cam plate has five (5) different radial steps, so that each pair of cam plates correspondingly has twenty-five (25) different possible combinations of angular positions, each of which can be identified by a letter of the alphabet on the respective handwheel. The key combination is legible through a display window. The lock and its key which are of a relatively simple design, allow the key combination to be easily set and readily recalled.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.