medeco vending lock

[Schuyler]

Hilarious. The word "c4sino" gets auto-changed to "spam"

[FarmerFreak]

To be clear, Medeco did have driver-based "cam" locks. These were small format and found on spam & telephone vaults. I sold off a dozen or so of these in BST a couple of years ago. Perhaps Global had a kit specifically for those locks, as, if memory serves, the pins weren't standard-issue Medeco pins.

I didn't know that Medeco had a small format (aside from their Keymark product). Do you by chance happen to have any pictures?

The Medeco cam locks have never used the same pins that the regular medecos use. Completely different pinning kit. Groovegrabbers of any kind simply won't work because there isn't a groove to grab. As far as pick resistance goes, I consider the cam lock design to be far superior than the normal design.

How many different heights are there available?

I'll have to double check when I get into work. But I believe that they use depths 3-6. Instead of the normal 1-6. So basically the answer is 4... plus the angles and the fore/aft cuts for Biaxial and M3 systems.

[Schuyler]

I didn't know that Medeco had a small format (aside from their Keymark product). Do you by chance happen to have any pictures?

Small Format may have been a misnomer in this case. Not actually SFIC (medecos only come in LFIC so far as a know), but a literally smaller format than their standard locks.

I should have photos somewhere, I'll try to track them down.

[lockinabox]

To be clear, Medeco did have driver-based "cam" locks. These were small format and found on spam & telephone vaults. I sold off a dozen or so of these in BST a couple of years ago. Perhaps Global had a kit specifically for those locks, as, if memory serves, the pins weren't standard-issue Medeco pins.

The pins for those locks are standard 10 Series pins. The cylinders are essentially a smaller mortise cylinder and have very little in common with cam locks. They have a shear line and use the same top and bottom pins. They use mortise lock cams with 2 set screws that screw into the plug, and two crescent anti-drill inserts. The only thing that is different from a standard 10 series pinning kit is that the springs are much shorter. Of course the sidebar is also shorter because they are 3-4 pin locks.

They are non-catalog custom products primarily used for pay phones. If I remember correctly they use a factory system (pinned and keyed at the factory) so there is no special kit with the shorter springs and sidebars.

Along with the benefits of the Medeco cam lock that Schulyer mentioned earlier, another one is that you cannot determine the cuts of the master key from looking at the change keys because the master holes in the pins are at different heights and angles then the change key. If you wanted to, you could make every angle and cut depth for the master key different than the change key. This makes for a very secure master key system and is especially impressive for a pin and tumbler lock.

Here are some photos of one version of this type of lock:

[FarmerFreak]

Aw it's such a cute little Medeco.

Thanks for the pictures.

[Schuyler]

Thanks for the great pictures lockinabox!

[globallockytoo]

in the pics, where are these holes? I see only grooves, where you can just push, pull or not the pins to allow the sidebar to drop.

[globallockytoo]

and I thought that Medeco cam locks didnt use any driver pins?

[Josh K]

in the pics, where are these holes? I see only grooves, where you can just push, pull or not the pins to allow the sidebar to drop.

This isn't the cam lock, it's essentially a miniature mortise lock with a shear line and rotating pins.

[Josh K]

and I thought that Medeco cam locks didnt use any driver pins?

They don't, as mentioned this isn't a cam lock without drivers.

[globallockytoo]

Thanks. I missed that inclusion.

[Parabellum]

Were the Medeco cam locks produced for vending machines only or was there a variant fitted for door cylinders?

Even though I'm new to locks and lockpicking, I find this lock to be of superior design than the Biaxial, etc., what was the reason that Medeco switched to traditional concept with drivers and shear line?