Method of increasing the number of different locking combinations

Claim 1

IN A LOCKING INSTALLATION, IN COMBINATION: (A) A PLURALITY OF LOCKS, EACH LOCK HAVING (A) OUTER STATIONARY CYLINDER MEANS; (B) INNER CYLINDER MEANS CONFORMINGLY RECEIVED IN SAID OUTER CYLINDER MEANS FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS, (1) SAID OUTER AND INNER CYLINDER MEANS BEING EACH FORMED WITH A PLURALITY OF RADIAL BORES EXTENDING IN A COMMON PLANE SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID AXIS, THE BORES OF SAID INNER CYLINDER MEANS BEING SIMULTANEOUSLY RADIALLY ALIGNABLE WITH THE BORES OF THE OUTER CYLINDER MEANS BY SAID ROTATION, (2) SAID INNER CYLINDER MEANS BEING FORMED WITH AN AXIAL CHANNEL COMMUNICATING WITH EACH OF SAID BORES THEREIN; AND (C) LOCKING PIN MEANS INCLUDING AN OUTER PIN AND AN INNER PIN CONFORMINGLY MOVABLE IN EACH BORE BETWEEN AN UNLOCKING POSITION IN WHICH A PORTION OF THE INNER PIN EXTENDS INTO SAID CHANNEL, THE REMAINDER OF THE INNER PIN IS CONTAINED IN SAID INNER CYLINDER MEANS, AND THE OUTER PIN IS CONTAINED IN SAID OUTER CYLINDER MEANS, AND A LOCKING POSITION IN WHICH RESPECTIVE INTEGRAL PORTIONS OF SAID OUTER PIN EXTEND IN CORRESPONDING BORE PORTIONS IN EACH CYLINDER MEANS, (1) THE INNER CYLINDER MEANS, PINS, AND CHANNELS IN THE SEVERAL LOCKS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY IDENTICAL, AND THE POSITION OF EACH CHANNEL RELATIVE TO THE ASSOCIATED AXIS ALONG ANOTHER