A lock assembly includes a plug with a keyway, primary pins aligned with the keyway for controlling rotation of the plug, a sidebar for controlling rotation of the plug, secondary pins adjacent the keyway for controlling movement of the sidebar, and at least one supplemental sidebar control element for controlling movement of the sidebar. The lock assembly is operated by simultaneously manipulating the primary pins, the secondary pins, and the supplemental sidebar control element to place each in a respective position and/or orientation to permit rotation of the plug and to permit sufficient movement of the sidebar to permit rotation of the plug and then applying torque to the plug.

A lock assembly includes a plug with a keyway, primary pins aligned with the keyway for controlling rotation of the plug, a sidebar for controlling rotation of the plug, secondary pins adjacent the keyway for controlling movement of the sidebar, and at least one supplemental sidebar control element for controlling movement of the sidebar. The lock assembly is operated by simultaneously manipulating the primary pins, the secondary pins, and the supplemental sidebar control element to place each in a respective position and/or orientation to permit rotation of the plug and to permit sufficient movement of the sidebar to permit rotation of the plug and then applying torque to the plug.

A key or key blank includes a key blade having a first edge, a second edge, and first and second opposed sides. The first edge has one or more edge bittings to elevate and/or rotate one or more tumbler pins of a lock with a vertically-oriented keyway, and one of the opposed sides has one or more side bittings to elevate and/or rotate one or more tumbler pins of a lock with a horizontally-oriented keyway. Side warding surfaces on the key blank are shaped and positioned to minimize the interference of peaks between the skewed bitting cuts on the key. A lock has a keyway configured for the key having edge bittings to elevate and/or rotate one or more tumbler pins of a vertical lock and side bittings to elevate and/or rotate one or more tumbler pins of a horizontal lock.

A plug assembly including a plug, a sidebar movably mounted on the plug, and a plurality of rack pins seated in the plug. The sidebar is biased to an outer position in which the sidebar extends beyond an outer surface of the plug. Each rack pin includes a key-following leg and a sidebar-engaging leg. The sidebar-engaging leg includes at least one true gate. When a true gate of each rack pin is aligned with the sidebar, the sidebar is free to move radially inward to an inner position.

A lock assembly includes a plug with a keyway, primary pins aligned with the keyway, a sidebar, secondary pins adjacent the keyway, and at least one supplemental sidebar control element for controlling movement of the sidebar. A key blank has a key blade with a primary top edge to receive primary bittings for controlling the primary pins, a rib to receive secondary bittings for controlling the secondary pins, and at least one shuttle pin. The shuttle pin engages a multi-level ridge within the keyway to move the shuttle pin from a retracted position to an extended position in which an end of the shuttle pin actuates the supplemental sidebar control element.

A linearly-actuated lock including a housing, a lock case received within the housing along an axis, and a lock barrel rotatable relative to the lock case between a locked state and an unlocked state. The lock barrel includes tumblers and tumbler springs. The lock further includes a key insertable into the lock barrel to displace the tumblers relative to the lock barrel in a direction parallel to the axis and a sidebar extending through apertures of the lock barrel. The sidebar is engageable with a notch of the tumblers when the sidebar moves radially inward relative to the axis. The sidebar includes a cam surface slidable against at least one of the housing and the lock case when the lock barrel rotates. The sidebar also includes a projection having a single-ramped surface received within the notch of each tumbler when the lock barrel is in the unlocked state.

A plug assembly including a plug, a sidebar movably mounted on the plug, and a plurality of rack pins seated in the plug. The sidebar is biased to an outer position in which the sidebar extends beyond an outer surface of the plug. Each rack pin includes a key-following leg and a sidebar-engaging leg. The sidebar-engaging leg includes at least one true gate. When a true gate of each rack pin is aligned with the sidebar, the sidebar is free to move radially inward to an inner position.

A cylinder lock and an associated key, the lock including a fixed body and a plug which is accommodated within a respective cavity of the body and can rotate with respect to the body. The plug includes a substantially longitudinal compartment for the functional accommodation of a key which includes a grip portion from which an elongated body extends and which is provided with coding grooves and protrusions on its outer surface. Between the plug and the body are respective accommodation channels for translating coding elements, which open onto the substantially longitudinal compartment. The plug includes at least one auxiliary duct which faces the substantially longitudinal compartment and extends at least partially in the body for the sliding accommodation of at least one coding unit that includes at least one pin and at least one conical portion.

The invention relates to a key (1) for locking a cylinder lock, comprising at least one first surface (2) and at least one second surface (2), with sensing positions (4) provided along the longitudinal extent of the key (1), wherein at least one code (3) is provided on the first surface (2) and wherein at least one further code (3) is provided on the second surface (2), the codes comprising control points (6, 6, 7, 7) at the sensing positions (4) that are provided transversely to the longitudinal extent of the key (1) and arranged at certain control heights (5), wherein at least at one sensing position (4) at least one control point (25, 25) has a different dimension, preferably a larger diameter, on the two surfaces than a control point (6, 6, 7, 7) at another sensing position (4). The invention also relates to a lock for such a key and a system made up of at least two locks and at least one key.

A cylinder lock unit includes a housing having an upper part and a lower part that includes a cylindrical bore accommodating a rotatable key plug. A back region of the key plug has a minimum length of 50% of a total length of the key plug with an adjoining front region having a maximum length of 50% of the total length. The front region accommodates at least one side locking mechanism confined entirely within the front region of the key plug that includes a longitudinal row of at least two coded side locking tumblers each interacting with the lower part of the housing wherein each side locking mechanism is movable independently of each other with at least three different code positions for each coded side locking tumbler and a plurality of different code combinations for the at least two coded side locking tumblers in each of the longitudinal row.