Patent ID: 7581423

Claim:
A protective cover for a keyway disposed on an end surface of a lock, the protective cover comprising: a housing, adapted to be assembled over the end surface, the housing including an opening that surrounds the keyway when the housing is assembled over the end surface; at least one door, disposed in the housing opening, the at least one door having an edge adapted to align with the keyway in a key insertion position, wherein the at least one door is adapted to move away from the keyway when a key is pressed against the at least one door, such that a key opening in the housing opening is provided for insertion of the key into the keyway; at least one door biasing member that engages the at least one door and biases the edge of the at least one door toward the keyway; a pivot member disposed in the housing opening, the at least one door being mounted on the pivot member, wherein the pivot member and the at least one door are adapted to pivot within the housing opening when the key is inserted into the keyway and turned in the lock; and at least one pivot biasing member that engages the pivot member to hold the edge of the at least one door in rotational alignment with the keyway when the keyway is in the key insertion position; wherein the pivot member comprises at least one detent that aligns with and receives at least a portion of the at least one pivot biasing member when the edge of the at least one door is aligned with the keyway in the key insertion position.