Patent ID: 6546770
Filing Date: 2003-04-15
Classification: E05B,Y10T

Abstract:
A lock assembly, comprising:a barometric lock cylinder for actuating a latch assembly wherein the barometric lock cylinder comprises: a lock body having an axial rotor hole and a plurality of marble sockets radially distributed on an inner surface of said lock body; a plurality of hidden marbles being coaxially placed in said marble sockets respectively; a tubular compound lock core being rotatably and coaxially fitted in said axial rotor hole of said lock body to define a keyway therethrough, said lock core having a plurality of locking holes radially distributed on an outer circumferential surface of said lock core and a plurality of air channels radially distributed on an inner circumferential surface of said lock core for communicating with said locking holes respectively, wherein each of said locking holes is capable of coaxially aligning with said marble sockets respectively; and a plurality of resilient elements being coaxially disposed in said marble sockets respectively for applying urging pressures on said hidden marbles to move inwardly towards said locking holes until an inner portion of each of said hidden marbles is disposed in said respective locking hole and an outer portion of said hidden marble is disposed in said respective marble socket so as to lock up said rotatable movement between said lock core and said lock body; and a barometric key comprising: a key handle having a compressible air bag provided therein; and a key body having a rod liked shape comprising an air conduit longitudinally extended from said air bag and a plurality of airways, which are radially extended outwardly from said air conduit respectively, provided around said key body corresponding to said axial and radial positions of said air channels in said barometric lock cylinder respectively, such that when said barometric key is inserted into said keyway, a predetermined air pressure applied from said key handle is adapted to drive said marbles to move outwardly into said marble sockets correspondingly, so as to unlock the barometric lock cylinder to enable said lock core to freely rotate to control said locking and unlocking of said latch assembly.