A substantially flat key blade extends from a grip portion and has a connecting portion, a major longitudinal bitting portion and a free tip portion. The substantially flat key blade has a cross-sectional profile which, in the major longitudinal bitting portion, is confined within a rectangle having a height, measured in a vertical direction, being at least 2.5 times larger than a width thereof, and extends upwards in the vertical direction from a lower edge surface to an upper edge surface along a vertical mid-plane through the rectangle. A single upper part of the key blade has a relatively small lateral width being no more than 33% of the lower relatively wide part of the key blade and extends obliquely upwards at a relatively small inclinational angle in the interval 3° to 12° relative to a vertical plane.

A substantially flat key blade extends from a grip portion and has a connecting portion, a major longitudinal bitting portion and a free tip portion. The substantially flat key blade has a cross-sectional profile which, in the major longitudinal bitting portion, is confined within a rectangle having a height, measured in a vertical direction, being at least 2.5 times larger than a width thereof, and extends upwards in the vertical direction from a lower edge surface to an upper edge surface along a vertical mid-plane through the rectangle. A single upper part of the key blade has a relatively small lateral width being no more than 33% of the lower relatively wide part of the key blade and extends obliquely upwards at a relatively small inclinational angle in the interval 3° to 12° relative to a vertical plane.

A key system of a lock having a high peaking difficulty when picking is tried by a picking tool, includes three or more rectangular holes formed between pin holes of an inner case to insert rectangular pins, where each of the rectangular pin includes a side bar insertion groove and a fake groove formed to be spaced apart from the side bar insertion groove at an interval to raise the degree of picking difficulty. A quadrangular pin is inserted into the rectangular hole located in the middle among the rectangular holes formed in the inner case to be inserted into the hole formed in an outer case. The side on which the quadrangular pin is located has an escape groove to accommodate the quadrangular pin.

A substantially flat key blade extends from a grip portion along a longitudinal axis and includes a connecting portion adjoining to the grip portion, a major longitudinal bitting portion provided with a row of coded cuts, and a free tip portion. The connecting portion of the key blade is provided with a first selectable abutment surface facing in the forward direction. The first abutment surface is formed as a forward end surface of a longitudinal rib portion located at a lateral side of the upper relatively narrow part of the key blade at a vertical level lying within a vertical range of the bitting portion of the key blade and extending in parallel to the longitudinal axis of the key blade and being confined longitudinally to the connecting portion of the key blade and confined also within the contour of or slightly laterally outside a rectangle of the key blank.

A substantially flat key blade extends from a grip portion along a longitudinal axis and includes a connecting portion adjoining to the grip portion, a major longitudinal bitting portion provided with a row of coded cuts, and a free tip portion. The connecting portion of the key blade is provided with a first selectable abutment surface facing in the forward direction. The first abutment surface is formed as a forward end surface of a longitudinal rib portion located at a lateral side of the upper relatively narrow part of the key blade at a vertical level lying within a vertical range of the bitting portion of the key blade and extending in parallel to the longitudinal axis of the key blade and being confined longitudinally to the connecting portion of the key blade and confined also within the contour of or slightly laterally outside a rectangle of the key blank.

An example lock apparatus generally includes a housing, a latch spindle, a drive spindle, an electronic lock mechanism, and an override mechanism. The latch spindle is mounted for rotation relative to the housing, and is operable to actuate a latch mechanism. The drive spindle is mounted for rotation relative to the housing. The electronic lock mechanism is disposed in the housing, and is operable to selectively couple the drive spindle with the latch spindle. The override mechanism is disposed in the drive spindle, and is operable to selectively couple the drive spindle with the latch spindle.

An example lock apparatus generally includes a housing, a latch spindle, a drive spindle, an electronic lock mechanism, and an override mechanism. The latch spindle is mounted for rotation relative to the housing, and is operable to actuate a latch mechanism. The drive spindle is mounted for rotation relative to the housing. The electronic lock mechanism is disposed in the housing, and is operable to selectively couple the drive spindle with the latch spindle. The override mechanism is disposed in the drive spindle, and is operable to selectively couple the drive spindle with the latch spindle.

A pick-resistant lock assembly may include a housing having a cylindrical opening. The cylindrical opening may have a centerline. The housing may include a plurality of pin cavities intersecting the cylindrical opening. A plug may be rotatably mounted in the cylindrical opening. The plug may include a keyway and a plug axis. A slide bar pocket may be formed within the housing. The lock assembly may include a pin verification mechanism having a slide bar in the slide bar pocket. The pin verification mechanism may be concealed within the housing and may be inaccessible to an attacker inserting a hand tool through the keyway. Other examples may be described and claimed.

A pick-resistant lock assembly may include a housing having a cylindrical opening. The cylindrical opening may have a centerline. The housing may include a plurality of pin cavities intersecting the cylindrical opening. A plug may be rotatably mounted in the cylindrical opening. The plug may include a keyway and a plug axis. A slide bar pocket may be formed within the housing. The lock assembly may include a pin verification mechanism having a slide bar in the slide bar pocket. The pin verification mechanism may be concealed within the housing and may be inaccessible to an attacker inserting a hand tool through the keyway. Other examples may be described and claimed.

Articles of manufacture, machines, processes for using the articles and machines, processes for making the articles and machines, and products produced by the process of making, along with necessary intermediates, directed to a lock and key system.