Old padlock idea, new use for the bolt.

[Knowthebird]

I had a very strange series of dreams last night, at one point I was at a wedding playing with three silver locks, cutaway in the middle with a bolt that was thin and hinged like a chain. The key went in the lock, freed the left side of the chain/bolt, and as the key was pulled out it pulled the right side of the chain with it. The chains from the locks could attach to each other and make a litte dragon chain. Wierd I know, but it made me wonder about other uses for the bolt.

I was thinking you could take a padlock, and make the key completely release the bolt. The bolt could have a key cut into the part normally hidden, a rotary disc type key being good for most bolts. You could have workers who u want to have a key to something, but not have it copied, take the lock home, when they get to work, a common key unlocks their lock, and they can use the bolt while they are at work to open things. Or you could hold on to the locks on a rack or something at work or maybe a bank for safety deposit boxes, and the owner/employee has a key to that lock they can carry, if you didnt want anyone at work to have access to the key.

If you wanted something a little crazier, you could make a lock with a key built into it, and it connectes with another lock with a key built into it, they could slide into eachother, and sort of prevent people from knowing the bitting to the keys they have in their possetion or getting them copied.

Dont think their would be much of a market for it, but at the moment im likeing the idea of a lock on a key.

[vov35]

I have no clue what you just said. MSpaint?

[Knowthebird]

Imagine the bolt on padlock, when it pops up, opening the lock, instead of it just coming partial out and spining to take it off of whatever it was locking, the bolt would come completely out of the lock. Then, a key could be grinded or cut into the bolt, where it would normally be hidden when inside the lock. So when the key was put in the lock and turned, the bolt could come completely out, and then the bolt could be used as a key for a different lock.

[Knowthebird]

Quick sketch of the idea...
http://img200.imageshack.us/i/dscn0441f.jpg/

Wierd lock in the dream, sort of...
http://img852.imageshack.us/g/dscn0435.jpg/

[femurat]

It's like having a locked key holder. Nice idea.

Cheers

[vov35]

eh... what advantage does this have over things that have been done already?

[Evan]

@Knowthebird:

While it is a really interesting idea, the body of the lock involved would have to be longer by the additional shackle length required to house the key portion of it entirely within the lock... This would make the locks more expensive to produce... I don't see this becoming a mainstream sort of thing as they would cost much more than standard locks and the key end of the shackle would have to be cast/machined at the factory during production... To change the key/shackle the user of the lock would need to obtain a totally new shackle with the new key end cast/formed on it...

~~ Evan

[Knowthebird]

This does not really have any major advantages, does not solve any major demand, or need mainstream production. It just crossed my mind, the kind of thing I could see myself doing for my own entertainment when Im in a place I can get tools and have a place i can work.

No, I suppose the only things I would try to take from this is it seems their might be some advantage to having a key to be used the key. Well, that sounds stupid like that, but perhaps it lets me think of key restriction in a new way. Like whats to prevent from making a key that can move with the lock some, money of course, but for entertainment purposes the idea probably wont leave my head just yet.

And Im not sure if the lock in my dream has any practical application other then it looked cool. It would probably be better if i thought about the meaning instead of the mechanics. Perhaps there could be an advantage in pulling the bolt through the lock, like a disc which a bar can rotate off of lessing feedback, maybe a bar that was pulled through the lock, maybe tightening up until a certain point before it can release. I dont know yet.

Just thinking online I suppose.

[vov35]

I mean, maybe it could come out to be a more compact version of http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/4 ... AA300_.jpg