re-configurable tubular locks

[Rickthepick]

Has anyone come across the 6 pin tubular locks with numbers 1-6 etched around the pins.

They operate using 6 keys and one special key that rotates the center stump. This means that each time the center stump is rotated a different key is required to open the lock.

They are used on fruit machines, id imagine its so that a manager can assign a different key to an employee and control which employee he decided can access the machine.

clever idea but havent got hold of one to dismantle yet

[Rickthepick]

I think youd be able to make a key that would operate all positions if you just removed the locating lugs from it.

[LocksmithArmy]

My mother works where they remove money from the parking meter around the city. she uses a lock like what you have described.
I often get the locks when they change them out, but I have not gotten this one yet.

I do have about 200 locks that have 10 different sets of keys.
a gold key unlocks the cylinder sothat the silver key can open the lock. but if you the cylinder with the gold key and use a differend gold key to unlock the cylinder you must use the corresponding silver key to open the lock... if that makes sence...

like I said I have 200 or so if you are interested in playing with any pm me. I dont think I can get any more keys for them though

[Rickthepick]

yes may be interested if your in the UK. dont fancy paying overseas postage though unless you wana swap for some other bits

[JACKthePICKER]

helpful i always thought the number were for dial in cutting for easy access incase it was lost

[djhobbes]

Is this similar to what you are describing?



If so, this is a "gematic" lock; these locks can can be re-keyed in place. Basically, there are two sets of shear lines in the lock, one allows the cam to be rotated opening the lock and the other allows the top pins to rotate independent of the middle and bottom pins, thereby changing the keying. The locks generally have 8 operating keys and one change key that has no inner spline to rotate the cam. If you open the lock presently with a #1 operating key, you then insert the change key at position 1 and rotate to the position with the number of the key you wish to use. Once you remove the key, your selected operating key will open the lock.

[Rickthepick]

Those are the ones

[NanoDuke]

That's very interesting, djhobbes. Where can you buy such a lock?

[djhobbes]

That's very interesting, djhobbes. Where can you buy such a lock?

These are very specific to the gaming and vending industry. There are a few companies that still sell them I believe. You can find more info here from CompX: http://compx.com/images/fort_dec2007.pdf. I am pretty sure a company called Happ Controls still sells them as well.

[Rickthepick]

had a quick play picking one of these.

problem is if you pick it im not sure it will ever function again, unless you can get all the pins back where they started.

the first pin is a solid pin

[LocksmithArmy]

I had the same notion...
lol
theoretically there are 2 lines of operation... (1 shear line though)
1 line opens the lock to be reconfigured and the other line actually opens the lock

so if you picked it to open the lock... it should be fine... if you pick it to reconfigure the lock... it likely wont work with the same key.. so yo uneed the key that will unlock it now.

it would work... ifyou had alot of time to fix what you messed up lol

[Rickthepick]

im not entirely sure until i can have one and pick/dismantle it.

Sometimes you come across people that have managed to remove their key without fully locking the lock, in that case it would totally screw it up. There has to be something in place to prevent that.