Programmable lock system

Claim 2

A programmable lock system comprising lock structure means having first and second portions separated by a parting line, lock pin means displaceably mounted within one of said first and second lock structure portions for positioning so as to either block or clear said parting line, and remotely actuatable programming device means operatively coupled to said lock pin means for placing said lock pin means in one of a plurality of selected configurations; key means formed for receipt by one of said first and second lock structure portions in registration with said lock pin means; and key programming means for placing said key means in one of a plurality of selected configurations corresponding to the selected configuration in which sAid lock pin means was placed by said programming device means so that said key means, when in registration with said lock pin means, will position said lock pin means clear of said parting line to permit relative displacement of said first and second lock structure portions, and therefore the opening of said lock.

Claim 3

A programmable lock system as recited in claim 1, wherein said lock pin means are permanent magnets, said key means including permanent magnets programmable by said key programming means to repel at least some of said lock pin means from said parting line.

Claim 4

A programmable lock system as recited in claim 2, wherein said programming device means includes means for selectively positioning said magnetic lock pin means relative to said parting line.

Claim 5

A programmable lock system as recited in claim 3, wherein said programming device means includes magnetic means for selectively positioning one of each pair of said magnetic lock pin means in a neutral position clear of said parting line, the other magnetic lock pin means of said pair being positioned to block said parting line and for displacement out of such blocking position by a properly programmed key means.

Claim 6

A programmable lock system as recited in claim 4, wherein said magnetic means of said programming device means includes a rotatably mounted horseshoe magnet assembly having a pair of magnet structures positioned in spaced relation relative to the axis of rotation of said assembly, each of said magnet structures having a single pole of a first polarity projecting from one side thereof and a pair of poles of the opposite polarity projecting from another side thereof, said magnet structures being shaped and positioned so that one of said pair of poles are in registration with a pair of said magnetic lock pin means at each rotational position of said magnet assembly, one of said poles of each of said pair of poles being closer to the one of said pair of magnetic lock pin means to be placed in said neutral position and being of a polarity to retain said magnetic lock pin means in said neutral position, said programming device means including coil structure means for selectively rotationally positioning one or the other of said pair of magnet structures relative to the associated pair of permanent magnet means by cooperation with said single poles of said magnet structures.

Claim 7

A programmable lock structure as recited in claim 2, wherein said programming device means includes coil means positioned about each of said magnetic lock pin means for selectively polarizing said lock pin means to a predetermined polarity.

Claim 8

A programmable lock system as recited in claim 6, wherein said lock structure includes means for biasing said magnetic lock pin means to a position at which said parting line is blocked.

Claim 9

A programmable lock system as recited in claim 7, wherein said biasing means is a magnetic biasing means including a magnetic member positioned in alignment with each of said magnetic lock pin means and second coil means positioned about said magnetic member for selectively polarizing said magnetic member, said programming device means including means for coordinately polarizing each of said magnetic members and the associated magnetic lock pin means so that said magnetic lock pin means is biased to said blocking position.

Claim 10

A programmable lock system as recited in claim 1, wherein said first lock structure portion is a barrel member having an aperture therein for receiving said key means and a plurality of recesses formed in the peripheral surface thereof; said lock structure means second portion including a cylinder means having an aperture therein dimensioned to receive said barrel member for relative rotational displacement along said parting line, said cylinder means being formed with means for receiving said magnetic lock pin means in registration with said barrel recesses.

Claim 11

A programmable lock system as recited in claim 9, including a second cylinder formed with an aperture For receiving said first-mentioned cylinder for the relative rotational displacement of said first and second cylinders along a second parting line, said first cylinder being formed with a plurality of recesses in the peripheral surface thereof, said second cylinder including means for positioning a further plurality of said lock pin means in alignment with said first cylinder recesses for the selective blocking of the parting line between said first and second cylinders, said lock including remotely actuated programming device means operatively coupled to said further lock pin means for placing said further lock pin means in one of a plurality of selected configurations, at least two key means being provided for programming by said key programming means, one of said key means being adapted to position said first-mentioned lock pin means clear of the parting line between said barrel and said first cylinder, the other of said key means being adapted to position the further lock pin means clear of the second parting line between said first and second cylinders.

Claim 12

A programmable lock system as recited in claim 1, including means for coordinately actuating said key programming means and said programming device means for the coordinate programming of said lock structure means and said key means.

Claim 13

A programmable lock system as recited in claim 1, including a plurality of said lock structure means, and a single remotely located central control means operatively coupled to the programming device means of each of said lock structure means for the remote programming of each of said lock structure means.

Claim 14

A programmable lock system as recited in claim 12, wherein said central control means includes said key programming means and means for coordinately actuating said key programming means, the programming device means of at least a selected one of said lock structure means.

Claim 15

A programmable lock structure as recited in claim 12, including data transmission means for interconnecting said central control means and said lock structure means; central multiplexing and demultiplexing means coupling said central control means to said data transmission means; local multiplexing and demultiplexing means connecting each of said lock structure means to said data transmission means; utilization circuit means associated with and in the region of each of said lock structure means and coupled to said local multiplexing and demultiplexing means; said central control means being adapted to selectively transmit command signals to each of said utilization circuit means along said data transmission means or to receive signals from each of said utilization circuit means.

Claim 16

A programmable lock system as recited in claim 12, wherein each of said lock structure means includes means for sensing the program thereof, said central control means being operatively coupled to the sensing means of each of said lock structure means for detecting the program of each of said lock structure means.

Claim 17

A programmable lock system comprising latch means, lock means operatively coupled to said latch means and including remotely controlled, electrically actuable programming device means for disposing said lock means in one of a plurality of selected configurations; key means formed for receipt by said lock means and disposable in a plurality of configurations corresponding to the configurations of said lock means, said lock means and key means being adapted so that when said lock means and key means are disposed in a corresponding one of said plurality of selected configurations, said latch means being displaceable by the manual manipulation of said key means in said lock means to open said lock.

Claim 18

A programmable lock system comprising latch means, lock means operatively coupled to said latch means and including remotely controlled, electrically actuable programming device means for disposing said lock means in one of a plurality of selected configurations; key means formed for receipt by said lock means and disposable in a plurality of configurations corresponding to the configurations of said lock means, said lock means and key means being adapted so that when said lock means and key means are disposed in a corresponding one of said plurality of selected configurations, said latch means being displaceable by the manual manipulation of said key means in said lock means to open said lock.

Claim 19

A programmable lock system as recited in claim 16, wherein said key means includes permanent magnets programmable in a plurality of magnetic configurations, said remotely actuable programming device means including magnetic circuit means positionable in response to the permanent magnets of said key means to permit the displacement of said latch means by the manual manipulation of said key means.

Claim 20

A programmable lock system as recited in claim 17, including key programming means for placing said key means in one of said plurality of selected configurations and means for coordinately actuating said key programming means and said remotely actuable programming device means for the coordinate programming of said lock means and said key means.

Claim 21

A programmable lock system as recited in claim 18, including a plurality of said lock means, and a single remotely located central control means operatively coupled to the programming device means of each of said lock means and to said key programming means for the coordinate actuation of said key programming means and at least one of said lock means.