US2591652A - Two-piece key - Google Patents

Description

April 1, 1952' P. ZIEGLISS TWO-PIECE KEY Filed Oct. 17, 1947 Patented Apr. 1, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TWO-PIECE KEY Peter Ziegliss, Bronx, N. Y.

Application October 17, 1947, Serial No. 780,473

(Cl. l-395) 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a lock and key arrangement and more particularly to a lock in which a separable key may be utilized, that is, a key that may be separated into two parts and the end inserted within the lock to prevent any similar key or master key from being inserted. It is understood that the remaining section of the key may be utilized to both open said lock and to remove the inserted portion of said key.

Most locks are so constructed that a key of a given pattern will open said lock. It is also true that any number of keys of similar pattern may be used to open the same lock or a master or skeleton key might be used to pick the tumblei's and open said lock. But all such known art contemplates the use of a complete key.

It is an object of this invention to utilize a key that is constructed in two parts to open a lock. and in which said key may be snapped together within the lock to form a single key pattern.

It is a further object of this invention to utilize a lock and key arrangement in which the lock may be opened by a single key pattern, but in which the key is made in two separable parts.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a two piece separable key that ts a lock, and makes said lock tamper-proof when one section of said key is inserted.

Otherobjects of this invention may be apparent by reference to the accompanying detailed description and drawings in which Fig. 1 illustrates the separable key.

Fig. 2 illustrates the lock and key.

Fig. 3 illustrates the lock with a portion of the key inserted, and

Fig. 4 illustrates the same lock and key portion with lthe remaining portion of said key.

Referring to Fig. 1 there is illustrated a separable key I0 comprised of two portions II and I 2. The portion I I has a broke nor irregular face I4 that mates with a face I5 of the portion I2. The portion II is also provided with a pair of small spring snaps or catches IB and I1. while i the portion I2 is provided with a pair of snaps or catches I8 and I9. The catches I6 and I8 are aligned to engage, while the catches I1 and I9 are aligned to engage. Referring to Fig. 2 there 1s illustrated a typical barrel lock 20, that may be opened by a solid key -2 I. The pattern of key 2| may be copied in making the key I0, thus referring to Fig. 3 we may see that when the portion II of key I 0 is inserted in the lock 20, it may be pushed in but cannot be removed. The lock 20 having a key piece II within the barrel will not permit an additional key such as 2| to be inserted. The lock 20 thus may not be opened by any key except the remaining portion I2 of key I0. Referring to Fig. 4 it is apparent that the portion I2 of key I0 may be inserted in the lock 20 and the spring snaps or catches, IB-I8 and I 1--I9 will become engaged and the key I0 becomes a single unit and as such may be utilized to open the lock 20 and likewise when portion I2 of key I0 is withdrawn from the lock 20 it will remove the portion II at the same time. The key I0 as illustrated may be cut away or made into separable portions in any manner without departing from the spirit of this invention. It is apparent that although we have i1- lustrated one embodiment of this invention we may likewise form various other types of keys in two or more portions to perform a similar master key lock arrangement. The difference in the use of the term master key being that in this instance it is the remaining portion that is removed from the lock that becomes the master key. It is also apparent that although a key may be duplicated and used by diiierent users it is quite impossible for anyone to duplicate the manner in which the key may be separated and thus the lock may be utilized by one or more persons when desirable or it may be locked by the separable key to prevent its use by other than the one holding the master key.

Various changes and modications may be made to this device without departing from the spirit of this invention and this invention shall be limited only by the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A key for a cylinder lock having ashank made up'oi two complementary mating parts, a spring catch on each part in latching engagement to hold the two parts together, one part being adapted to be unlatched from the other part forseparate insertion in the key passageway of a cylinder lock, and the other part upon insertion in said passageway becoming latched with said one part by said spring catches for actuation of said lock and retraction of the two parts from said passageway.

PETER ZIEGLISS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,573,791 Roethlisberger Feb. 16. 1926 1,696,326 Roethlisberger Dec. 25, 1928 1,728,310 Sundel Sept. 17, 1929 1,807,540 Makranczy May 26, 1931 2,068,936 Unterberg Jan. 26, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 256,167 Italy Dec. 12. 1927

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