SmartKey, Secure Key, Lynx/Rielda & U Change

[nblythin]

Hello All,

Been lurking this site for a while now .... a lot of great reading, but I usually don't have much I can offer in the way of assisting others.

Anyways, I've been doing some reading recently on the various user re-keyable locks mentioned above ... well, basically because as someone who has always been a bit mechanically inclined, I find them fascinating. I just love to see how all of these things work. I've read a number of threads on here about SmartKey and the newer Schlage Secure Key. Great info, and some great photos. Keep them coming folks!

I just had a couple of questions I hoped someone might know the answer to:

1. Who was first? Someone had posted that U Change had been around since the 60's ... but when did Rielda come up with theirs?

2. I know that Kwikset (Weiser in Canada) has a "Reset Cradle" to fix a SmartKey cylinder that has been improperly reprogrammed, etc. Do any of the others have a similar method for fixing a borked lock?

Just curious. Any info and/or useless trivia anyone has on the subject is greatly appreciated!

[Phatphish]

1. Who was first? Someone had posted that U Change had been around since the 60's ... but when did Rielda come up with theirs?

I believe a patent was filed Filed: November 21, 1986 and came into force December 15, 1987 as United States Patent 4,712,399.

Not sure about the reset cradle question though.