Austral Transmission Lock

[GWiens2001]

Austral Transmission Lock

Just received this lock in the mail today.  



Is it just me, or does that keyway not look very straight?



It is intended as a hinderance to picking.  But how to get a key into the non-straight keyway?  Here is the key.





The key is made like a watch band, with jointed sections.  Yes, the key is flexible!



Oh, did I say 'flexible'?  I meant FLEXIBLE!!!



Yeah, that's more like it.  But with the key being that flexible, pushing it into the lock is, as someone once said, is like shooting pool with a rope.   So the key has the rigid frame to give it strength for insertion. 



 Place the key into the keyway like so:



Then slide the key bow towards the lock.  This pushes the segmented key into the lock.



Then, you guessed it... turn the key!



Now the shackle pops out.  (Yes, it does pop, as it is spring loaded.)



With the shackle removed, the plastic cover of the lock body can be removed.



These keys are supposed to be highly susceptible to breaking. 

They have added these metal rings to be installed on the shackle to prevent shimming.





It looks to be the same as the Dixon Transmission Lock.  It comes with a bracket (which I elected not to pay to have shipped, as it is large and heavy), and is used to lock a transmission, so the vehicle can not be stolen.

For those who may be concerned - the key is not blurred because this lock will never be used.  It is for my collection because of the uniqueness of the key.

Hope you like it!

Gordon

[GWiens2001]

Here is a picture from the box showing how this lock is used.



Gordon

[MrWizard]

Gordon

Now that is one of the strangest things I've see yet that cannot become popular as it is too strange.

That key looks like it will last about 10 times before you pull it and half if it is still in the lock.

What does the bracket look like does it bolt to the floor?
You bought this cause it is so strange you had to have it?

Thanks for the warning that I may get called to see one with half a key in the lock!

Richard

[bembel]

Nice lock. The key's flexibility seems to be unlimited, but I'm sure the core configuration has its limitations. Does it really obstruct a lockpick?

P.S. Could you please post a picture of the core (if removable).

[GWiens2001]

@MrWizard - the bracket is just a heavy metal strip about 3/8" thick, 3 inches wide, and 18 inches long. It comes with some heavy bolts to attach it to the floorboard and holes for the shackle to pass through as well.

And yes, the key does not feel durable. I have been gentle when using it. I am glad that when turning the key, it is that hard outer part that is used for torque.

@bembei - yes, it does obstruct picks. Using a flashlight, you can only see one of the 5 pins, and the bend is fairly significant. Unfortunately, this lock is not made to be disassembled.

Gordon

P.S. Yes, I like to collect locks that are unique or unusual in function.

[fgarci03]

What a lock!
Congrats on getting it!

Do you think it's possible to make a custom pick for those? Like curved or something like that?
The bitting on the key looks easy enought to rake open quickly...

I love weird "road apples"!

[l0ckcr4ck3r]

... has the rigid frame to give it strength for insertion. 

Im resisting the temptation for a wise crack

very cool for a collection but as fgarcia03 says, the bitting does look kinda simple to rake.

[GWiens2001]

The biting does look easy to rake or pick. The pick would have to be custom, and likely flexible as well. The keyway is straight for a short distance before it curves upwards, then back downwards. A pick with a fixed curve probably would not be able to get past the straight area, bend up, then down unless it was flexible. Tempted to try making a pick from some firm yet flexible plastic.

Gordon

[MacGyver101]

The biting does look easy to rake or pick.

Ha! Looks like yours arrived first; the tracking info shows that mine arrived this morning. It'll be interesting to see how varied the biting is between locks; I'll post a photo of my key later tonight.

[fgarci03]

The keyway is straight for a short distance before it curves upwards, then back downwards.

Ahhh, I thought it just had one curve!
Yes a flexible pastic! Or springy flexible metal. It would be an amazing pick!

I'll post a photo of my key later tonight.

Can't wait for it

[MacGyver101]

The mailman also brought me a present today.



I found it really surprising that they included a little metal tag that also had the proper biting cut onto it. It's clearly there to make life easier if you're making a copy of these keys... but that suggests that you can order these blanks! (I'd assumed that they'd be a mess to cut on anything other than a dedicated machine, so I figured the cutting would only be done at the factory?!)

[GWiens2001]

I suspect that the thin metal 'shim' cut with the correct bitting is in case part of the key breaks off inside the keyway in the hopes that you can still get the lock open.

As you can see, your bitting also would be easy to rake if the keyway was straight. I think it is important, and the MACS would have to be small. You can probably verify how the key does not appear to be very robust. Too high a MACS would stress the key, likely causing failure.

The pictures I posted with the key is not a straight from the side view like yours is, but more from the bottom angle to show the flexibility of the key rather than the bitting, so the bitting is not quite as flat as the picture makes it look, but it is by no means strenuous.

Thank for posting, MacGyver101.

Gordon