Tension Wrenches Hate This New Lock Idea! Click Here to See!

[officergoat]

Now that I've got you with the clickbait subject... I'm Alexandra, new to the forum, and while I'm not an expert picker, I do love inventing cool things and making puzzles and challenges. Let me know what y'all think of one of my ideas that is basically still on the drawing-board.

A complete oversimplification of lock picking a traditional pin tumbler lock involves two parts, tensioning the plug and then manipulating the pins until the lock opens. Most high security features on these types of locks involve special pins that make manipulating them more difficult. So why not make a lock that makes the tensioning much more difficult, if not near-impossible?

I have sketched out a few ideas on paper, and I'm in the process of creating better sketches of each on the computer. I'd like to improve and modify my designs, then create 3D CADs, and eventually 3D print a scaled up working model to continue testing new ideas.

Here is the first of my rough ideas.



The catch bar on the right would keep the plug from turning and keep the pin from being raised as long as tension is placed on the plug. A simple way to defeat this is to raise all the pins up before tensioning, but the catch bar on the left would be forced down and would then catch the plug if you raise the pin too high. Therefore, the only way to tension the plug is to raise the pin to the correct height first and then turn the plug. The pin could be a little smaller than the hole so that the plug will turn just a tiny bit under tension, allowing the catch bar to fully engage. As far as I know, nobody has figured out a way to set all the pins at the proper height before tensioning without using the correct key.

Obviously refining and tweaking needs to happen to make sure that the "sweet spot" where neither catch bar blocks the plug is also at the point where the pins are lined up at the shear line. Plus, once this is developed into a working idea, you could then add other security features like a unique keyway, serrated pins, or split plugs, all of which would just make this lock a nightmare for picking.

I have several other ways I've thought of to stop a lock from being tensioned before picking the pins, and I'm working on drawing them up too. I also need to show other views of this one to better explain it.

Thanks for reading, and I'd love feedback and ideas!

[jwrm22]

Good job! It looks fantastic. I like seeing the new spin on old locks.

[femurat]

If I lift all the pins just a bit the plug is free to turn a little. Then I can pick normally.

Or I'm missing something?

[officergoat]

If I lift all the pins just a bit the plug is free to turn a little. Then I can pick normally.

Or I'm missing something?

My initial drawing is not fully to scale, and needs lots of work. Ideally though, each pin would have to be lifted to a small window that is close to the sheer line. If you include this mechanism on all the pins, it would require you to lift all six pins simultaneously to six different heights, all without using tension.

That is the overall goal, so I'm brainstorming some other ways to accomplish the same goal.

[billdeserthills]

Looks to me like anyone in a hurry could damage those pins blocking rotation of the cylinder

[officergoat]

Looks to me like anyone in a hurry could damage those pins blocking rotation of the cylinder

Any ideas on how to fix that? I want to try both flat and cylindrical locking pins, and could work on making them go further into the plug.

[billdeserthills]

If I lift all the pins just a bit the plug is free to turn a little. Then I can pick normally.

Or I'm missing something?

My initial drawing is not fully to scale, and needs lots of work. Ideally though, each pin would have to be lifted to a small window that is close to the sheer line. If you include this mechanism on all the pins, it would require you to lift all six pins simultaneously to six different heights, all without using tension.

That is the overall goal, so I'm brainstorming some other ways to accomplish the same goal.

I think you have a great idea

[Raymond]

I really like new innovative thinkers, so keep thinking. Here are a couple of comments.

As soon as you insert any key, even the correct one, you will have lifted the lever on the left enough to trigger the catch.

Rekeying this lock will require all new levers adjusted to the bottom pin length unless you carefully balance the bottom pin with the top pin in order to balance all stack heights. Changing everything at every key change will get old real fast.

[pipboujalay]

It is all ways good to see people coming up with me idea's to make locks more secure.

But I have to say I don't think this idea will work. It looks to me like it will prevent a key from being inserted in the lock.

Because the pins are on the far left of the right side catch bar, any upward movement of the pins will cause the catch bar to pivot rather that lift. It will jam against the side of the hole and won't move any further.

The parts of the lock are very small and could move out of position or break with force. It would never open again.

[JohnnyWB]

I like t hat idea and it shows that you are thinking outside the traditional locksmithing box.