Multi-light coded electronic security lock

The invention herein is a terminal having secured access to data in a computer where such data is segregated and separately identified, access to the terminal being had by a tubular key rotating discs therein to interrupt a sustained light stream into a blinking code to be read by a counter transmitting the code read to the computer making the same operational to release and make operational the particular programs or data identified therein, all being subject to the operation of the terminal within a prescribed time span.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of Invention 
Relates to a tubular key controlled operation of a terminal based on the 
coded interruption of a light stream therein as read by a counter adapted 
therewith to make operational a computer program in circuit therewith, the 
program being identified by said code as read by said counter. 
2. Description of the Previous Art 
There is not known presently to be any terminal providing access to secured 
data in a computer by a coded interruption of a light stream generated 
within the terminal and read by a counter having access to a program in a 
computer to make the same operational. 
The applicant in his U.S. Pat. No. 4,322,719 disclosed a coded solid state 
entry device by the use of a tubular coded key engaging a plurality of 
switches to energize a circuit to unlatch tumblers of which a code is read 
which functions to match with an electronic circuit to allow access or 
entry. 
Known also are terminals which are operated by coded plastic cards which 
require card reading machines which in turn are adapted to put a computer 
into an operational mode to perform a specified task. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The invention herein is characterized by its extensive capacity and by its 
simplicity. 
Essentially it consists of a tubular key which rotates a plurality of discs 
which upon rotation cause a coded interruption of a light stream with the 
interruptions being read by a counter which in turn accesses a computer 
and more particularly it accesses identified data or a program which is 
otherwise secured and puts it into an operational mode. 
The invention represents a simplicity in operating parts having only a 
plurality of rotatable discs or wheels having notched peripheries which 
upon rotation provide a coded interruption of a continuous light stream 
passing thereover which interruptions are a coded signal read by a counter 
which to be transmitted by said counter to a computer wherein said code 
will be read to make operational an intended program bearing the same code 
for operation. 
Further the invention is also characterized by its smallness of size, the 
terminal housing said discs being on the order of an inch cube and its 
related parts of correspondingly small size. 
Additionally as to its capacity, said terminal upon housing on the order of 
eleven discs can provide on the order of two billion code combinations and 
a more simplified version having a half dozen discs can provide over two 
thousand code combinations. 
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth 
in the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings 
in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the 
several views.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to the drawings and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, the 
device comprising the invention herein and its related parts are indicated 
generally by the reference numeral 10. In FIG. 1, an electrical connection 
is indicated as being made with a computer 12 by a conduit 13. 
The several parts of the device herein are disposed within a housing 14 
shown to be rectangular in cross section. 
Indicated within said housing and to be more specifically described are a 
terminal 16 having an operational association with a light source 17 and a 
counter 18 of conventional design which is in circuit with said computer 
12. Said light source and said counter respectively have lines 17g and 18g 
running to a power source 17b. 
Although not here shown, a wall of said housing is readily removable for 
access to parts therein. 
Mounted upon the bottom wall 19 of said housing and secured thereto by 
screws not here shown is said terminal 16 which is substantially cubic in 
form having a bottom wall 20, side walls 21 and 22, a top 23 and a front 
wall 24 which extends above said top forming a ledge 24a extending 
thereabove. 
Said terminal 16 is very nicely formed of annodized aluminum as are its 
various parts to be described. The very significant feature of this 
material is that it is neutral to and completely unaffected by any 
electronic or electrical influence or force field. 
Said cubic terminal has formed therein as indicated in FIGS. 3 and 5 a 
substantially circular axial bore 25 which extends from behind the front 
wall to the extent needed and said bore has a forward extension 25a 
reduced in size to provide an aperture 25e through said front wall to 
accommodate a tubular key to be described. 
Also formed underlying said bore and being coextensive therewith is a space 
25b having angled side walls 25c and 25d which intersect said bore below 
the vertical midpoint thereof as shown in FIGS. 4-9. The purpose for this 
will be described. 
Now with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, disposed within said bore vertically 
and laterally thereof are discs or wheels 27-32 as shown in FIGS. 6-12 in 
vertical section and as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 in vertical cross section 
and the same are circular. Disposed in said bore at the outer ends of said 
wheels and therebetween are spacers or washers 33 which provide friction 
free rotation of said wheels and which shield against the passage of light 
therebetween. 
The wheels as presented in the present embodiment are six in number for 
purpose of illustration only and not for limitation. Each wheel has a 
peripheral projection such as 27b and as illustrated in FIG. 7. The 
projections engage the angled wall 25c to align the wheels in a starting 
position and to prevent any rotation of the wheels to the left. 
Each wheel has an axial semi-circular bore such as 27a-32a and in alignment 
said bores receive a key 26 to be described. Each of said spacers has a 
central aperture 33b aligned with said wheel bores as indicated in FIG. 4. 
An important function of said spacers is to provide an absolute light 
proof separation between said wheels. 
Said wheels are coded with each wheel having a segment of the code. Each 
wheel has a very reflective periphery, the wheels being made of a highly 
polished aluminum to be very reflective for which further explanation will 
be given. The code is formed thus. A peripheral portion of each wheel, 
spaced somewhat oppositely its respective peripheral projection 27b-32b 
has formed therein notches 27-32c, d, e and lands f and g therebetween. 
Said notches are non-reflective. The number of notches and lands here 
indicated are for purpose of illustration only. 
Now, with respect to the top 23 as shown in FIGS. 6-12, there is a central 
vertical convex projection 23a having slanted sides 23b and 23c with each 
side having bores 23d and 23e respectively in alignment with said wheels 
27-32. 
In connection with said terminal is said light supply through a fiber optic 
cable 17a running from a conventional light source 17b comprising fiber 
optic lines having individual lines 17a running to each of said bores 23d 
which are in alignment with the respective bores 23e and the fiber optic 
lines 18a for passage of light to the counter 18 as will be further 
described. 
Said individual fiber optic lines 18a form a cable 18a with each of the 
lines thereof forming a passage for transmission of light from the 
respective bores 23e to the corresponding contacts with the counter 18 
which is characterized as a conventional type element which receives a 
light code message from its fiber optic lines and converts the same into 
corresponding electrical impulses which represent the code referred to. 
This is a conventional procedure and its specific operation is known in 
the art and does not require explanation. 
The light through the fiber optic lines is constant. With particular 
reference to FIGS. 6-12, the light in passing through the fiber optic 
lines is a steady stream of light if not interrupted. The reflective 
surface of the periphery of the wheels 27-32 aids in the passage of light 
from the fiber optic lines 17a through the lines 18a. 
With the rotation of the wheels 27-32 said notches and lands, as will be 
further described, pass through and interrupt the light stream passing 
from the fiber optic lines 17a through the lines 18a and thus interrupt 
the otherwise steady passage or streams of light at their respective bores 
and thus the interruptions define the code to cause the computer to become 
operative. Next the formation and further operation of the code will be 
described. 
In the present embodiment, the terminal for purposes of explanation is 
shown having six wheels. The number of wheels which may be used is 
optional and for example with the use of eleven wheels there may be 
provided two billion code combinations. 
Referring now to the tubular key 26 above indicated, this key has a tubular 
handle portion 26a and an operating portion 26b which is reduced 
transversely to be generally semi-cylindrical in cross section which in 
operation is entered into the aperture 25e and disposed into the passage 
25f formed by the alignment of the bores of said wheels and washers. With 
the wheels being in their non-operating position having their respective 
projections 27b-32b engaging the side wall 25c, the projections have 
freedom of movement through the space 25b below said bore 25. With the 
operating portion of the key being semi-cylindrical, it is seen that all 
of the wheels would rotate to the same extent. The key is adapted to 
rotate each wheel to a different precise extent and this is how the code 
is created. 
In viewing said key as seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, an intermediate length 26c of 
the operating portion 26b of said key is segmented as shown in FIGS. 8-12, 
with angular segments as shown corresponding to their respective aligned 
wheels. Each segment is of a specific angular extent whereby each of the 
six wheels, in the present embodiment, is respectively rotated to the 
angular extent of its corresponding angular segment. The pattern of 
movement of said wheels gives rise to a code which has been indicated and 
will be further described. The wheel 27 does not have a corresponding 
segment in the key as it is rotated its full semi-cylindrical extent to 
alert a timer, not shown, in the computer 12 that the key is operative. 
Said key is adapted to provide angular segments to rotate the wheels 28-32, 
said segments being 28c-32c and merely for purpose of illustration, a code 
is here indicated as shown on the screen 12a of the computer in FIG. 1 as 
012321 and the correspondence of the segments in the key will be noted in 
FIG. 5. 
With the insertion of the key 26 into the terminal 16, the wheels are 
respectively rotated and the notches and lands described in the wheels are 
passed through the light stream flowing through the fiber optic lines 
described interrupting said light stream to transmit the code described to 
be transmitted to the counter 18. Each wheel will have its notches and 
lands interrupt the light stream passing thereover for a length of time 
dependent upon the extent to which it is moved in accordance with its 
angular segment. 
As soon as key 26 is inserted into the terminal it interrupts a stream of 
light which is otherwise constant passing from a light source 35a running 
from the power source 17b and passing said light to a receptor 35b which 
is also in circuit with the disk block 17b and the cutting off of the 
light triggers the circuit thus formed to have the disk block transmit a 
signal to a chip in the computer to start a timer to allow a predetermined 
length of time, such as 5-7 seconds, to operate the terminal prior to 
giving an appropriate alarm and/or shutting off the current to the 
terminal closing it down. 
However with the key 26 being operative, the rotation by the key of the 
wheel 27 will alert the timer that a proper entry is being made. The 
rotation of the key will operate the code as has been described and said 
code is transmitted to the counter 18 by operation of the described fiber 
optic circuitry. The light code is read by the counter and converted into 
corresponding electrical impulses to be transmitted to said computer 
wherein said code will be read to make operational the intended program 
bearing the same code for the operation of the intended purpose. 
Transmission is through the conduit 13. 
There is no limit to the functions which may be programmed and put into 
operation through the terminal which is a small piece of equipment and may 
be a cube of one inch capable of having two billion combinations. The 
terminal is essentially the invention herein with its directly related 
parts and the reference to the coded programs in the computer is a direct 
resulting operation of the terminal. 
It will of course be understood that various changes may be made in the 
form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing 
from the scope of the invention herein, which, generally stated, consists 
in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, in the 
parts and combination of parts disclosed and defined in the appended 
claims.