Access identification apparatus

Claim 2

In access identification apparatus, (a) a plurality of switch actuating elements, (b) a key having identity shoulders corresponding to selected ones of said elements, (c) means including structure to receive insertion of the key and responsive to movement of said identity shoulders to effect activation of the switch elements corresponding to said shoulders, and (d) a housing and a receptacle mounted on the housing, said receptacle carrying said switch actuating elements to be rocked back and forth between two positions by said structure which includes plates having exterior tangs engageable with said respective elements, said elements rocking counterclockwise as said tangs rotate clockwise, and vice versa.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 including an enabling switch operable in response to movement of the key to enable operation of associated apparatus.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 including a computer associated with said enabling switch to be enabled thereby.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means includes a rotary receiver to receive said insertion of the key.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said receiver comprises a shaft having an axially extending slot to receive the key with said identity shoulders projecting sidewardly free of the shaft.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said ward means includes at least one auxiliary spacer comprising a plate having a through opening to pass the shaft and allow shaft rotation relative thereto, said auxiliary spacer having a stop shoulder to be engageable by the key to block key rotation until a gap on the key registers with said stop shoulder, allowing key rotation when the key is in fully inserted position in the receiver.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 5 including ward means to block turning of the key until it is fully inserted in said receiver.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said means includes a receiver to receive the key, and pawls located on said receiver to actuate the respective switch actuating elements in response to rotation of the key acting to transmit rotation of said identity shoulders to corresponding pawls.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 8 including spacers between the pawls, whereby the identity shoulders on the key may be spaced apart.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the pawls comprise plates containing through openings to pass the receiver in the form of a shaft, and to allow shaft rotation relative to the pawls while the pawls remain centered by the shaft.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the pawls have first shoulders to be engaged by corresponding key identity shoulders in response to key rotation whereby selected pawls will be rotated in response to rotation of the selected corresponding key identity shoulders, and all pawls have second shoulders engageable with corresponding switch actuating elements, whereby the second shoulders on the selected pawls will displace and activate corresponding switch actuating elements in response to selected pawl rotation by the key.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said pawls have sector shaped cut-outs intersecting said first shoulders, to allow rotation of the key relative to those pawls that do not correspond to said selected key identity shoulders.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 12 including spacers between the pawls, whereby the identity shoulders on the key may be spaced apart, said spacers comprising plates having through openings to pass the shaft and to allow shaft rotation relative to the spacers.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the spacers having first stop shoulders to engage auxiliary structure and block spacer rotation, and sector-shaped cut-outs to allow key shoulder rotation during key, shaft, and selected pawl rotation for activation of selected switch actuating elements.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the shaft is mounted for rotation with the key, and relative to the spacers.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 11 including mounting means having a surface blocking rotation of the spacers.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the receiver comprises a shaft having a slot into which the key is insertible with said identity shoulders projecting sidewardly free of the shaft, the pawls and spacers having openings to pass the shaft, and the pawls having shoulders to be engaged by the key identity shoulders.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the shaft has a surface generally normal to the shaft axis, there being means holding said shaft surface in sliding engagement with an auxiliary surface to center the shaft for rotation.

Claim 20

For use in combination with access identification apparatus that includes (a) a plurality of switch actuating elements, and (b) means including structure to receive insertion of a key and responsive to movement of said identity shoulders to effect activation of the switch elements corresponding to said shoulders, and a housing and a receptacle mounted on the housing, said receptacle carrying said switch actuating elements to be rocked back and forth between two positions by said structure which includes plates having exterior tangs engageable with said respective elements, said elements rocking counterclockwise as said tangs rotate clockwise, and vice versa, the improvement comprising (c) the key having identity shoulders corresponding to selected ones of said elements, the key insertible in structure defined by said means to be movable for effecting said activation.

Claim 21

For use in combination with access identification apparatus that includes (a) a plurality of switch actuating elements, and (b) means including structure to receive insertion of a key and responsive to movement of said identity shoulders to effect activation of the switch elements corresponding to said shoulders, and a housing and a receptacle mounted on the housing, said receptacle carrying said switch actuating elements to be rocked back and forth between two positions by said structure which includes plates having exterior tangs engageable with said respective elements, said elements rocking counterclockwise as said tangs rotate clockwise, and vice versa, the improvement comprising (c) the key having identity shoulders corresponding to selected ones of said elements, the key insertible in structure defined by said means to be movable for effecting said activation.

Claim 22

The improvement of claim 19 wherein said key has gaps between said identity shoulders.

Claim 23

The improvement of claim 20 wherein the key has an additional notch registrable with a stop shoulder defined by said structure when the key is fully inserted, to allow turning of the key, the key having shoulders adjacent said additional notch to engage said stop shoulder and block key turning when the key is not fully inserted.

Claim 24

The improvement of claim 19 wherein said identity shoulders are spaced along opposite elongated edge portions of the key.

Claim 25

The improvement of claim 22 wherein the identity shoulders spaced along one elongated edge are staggered relative to the identity shoulders spaced along another elongated edge of the key.

Claim 26

The improvement of claim 19 wherein the identity shoulders are spaced along one edge of the key, the key opposite edge having cuts allowing key insertion into a lock to engage corresponding tumblers.

Claim 27

In access identification apparatus, (a) a plurality of switch actuating elements, (b) a key having identity shoulders corresponding to selected ones of said elements, (c) and means including structure to receive insertion of the key and responsive to movement of said identity shoulders to effect activation of the switch elements corresponding to said shoulders, said means including a rotary receiver to receive said insertion of the key, and pawls located on said receiver to actuate the respective switch actuating elements in response to rotation of the key acting to transmit rotation of said identity shoulders to corresponding pawls, (d) said pawls comprising plates containing through openings to pass the receiver in the form of a shaft, and to allow shaft rotation relative to the pawls while the pawls remain centered by the shaft, the pawls having interior first shoulders to be engaged by corresponding key identity shoulders in response to key rotation whereby selected pawls will be rotated in response to rotation of the selected corresponding key identity shoulders, and the pawls having exterior second shoulders engageable with corresponding switch actuating elements, whereby the second shoulders on the selected pawls will displace and activate corresponding switch actuating elements in response to selected pawl rotation by the key, (e) the pawls also having sector shaped cut-outs intersecting said first shoulders outwardly of said openings, to allow rotation of the key relative to those pawls that do not correspond to said selected key identity shoulders.

Claim 28

In access identification apparatus, (a) a plurality of switch actuating elements, (b) a key having identity shoulders corresponding to selected ones of said elements, (c) and means including structure to receive insertion of the key and responsive to movement of said identity shoulders to effect activation of the switch elements corresponding to said shoulders, said means including a rotary receiver to receive said insertion of the key, and pawls located on said receiver to actuate the respective switch actuating elements in response to rotation of the key acting to transmit rotation of said identity shoulders to corresponding pawls, (d) said pawls comprising plates containing through openings to pass the receiver in the form of a shaft, and to allow shaft rotation relative to the pawls while the pawls remain centered by the shaft, the pawls having interior first shoulders to be engaged by corresponding key identity shoulders in response to key rotation whereby selected pawls will be rotated in response to rotation of the selected corresponding key identity shoulders, and the pawls having exterior second shoulders engageable with corresponding switch actuating elements, whereby the second shoulders on the selected pawls will displace and activate corresponding switch actuating elements in response to selected pawl rotation by the key, (e) the pawls also having sector shaped cut-outs intersecting said first shoulders outwardly of said openings, to allow rotation of the key relative to those pawls that do not correspond to said selected key identity shoulders.

Claim 29

The combination of claim 25 wherein said switch actuating elements are carried by a housing so as to rock counterclockwise as the pawls rotate clockwise, and vice versa.