Locksmith Glossary

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History of Locks

Securing one's property has long been a concern of people throughout the world. Beyond hiding the objects or constantly guarding them the most frequently used option is to secure them with a device. Early solutions included knots to either detect, like the Thief knot, or hamper, like the Gordian knot.

 

Wooden locks and keys were in use as early as 4,000 years ago in Assyria. The first known lock with a key is a pin lock. The lock is strung on a rope hanging out of a hole in a door. A cylinder of wood with a hole drilled through its axis is the key, the length of the cylinder being the critical factor. Then the key is inserted into the hole and the bolt is pushed the correct distance. To lock the door,they just pulled on the rope to extract the key cylinder and simultaneously pulling the bolt closed. This type of lock is still in use in certain parts of the world. A danger of this lock is a vandal can push the rope into the hole - an ancient equivalent of putting glue into a lock.

 

Early improvements in pin locks included increasing the number of pins to increase security, and changing the orientation of the pins to allow the key to provide the unlocking force instead of a rope. Thus establishing the principles of the modern pin tumbler lock.

 

Next was developed a warded lock that is still used in modern times when the security required is not high and cost is a significant factor. It is the first lock design to have a key recognizable to a modern western person. Lock puzzles were used to obscure the locking mechanism or even provide a nonfunctioning lock for the thief to waste time on.

 

Deadbolt or Deadlock

A deadbolt or deadlock, is a locking mechanism distinct from a spring-bolt lock because a deadbolt cannot be moved to the open position except by rotating the lock cylinder. The more common spring-bolt lock uses a spring to hold the bolt in place, allowing retraction by applying force to the bolt itself. A deadbolt can therefore make a door more resistant to entry without the correct key. A deadbolt is often used to complement a spring-bolt lock on an entry door to a building.

Electronic Card Access

A memory card reader is a device used for communication with a smart card or a flash memory card. A business card reader is a scanning device used to scan and electronically save business cards.

 

A magnetic card reader is a device used to scan cards containing magnetic data strips. A punched card reader is a device used to read holes in punched cardboard cards.

 

Keyless Entry

A remote keyless system is a system designed to remotely permit or deny access to premises or automobiles. There are several RKE systems on the market, including but not limited to KeeLoq by Microchip, HITAG by Philips, and AVR411 by Atmel.

 

In the case of automobiles an RKS performs the functions of a standard car key without physical contact; power door locks can be locked or unlocked from several feet away or even from inside a building. (In this regard, the term "keyless" is a misnomer since the fob acts as an electronic key. Locking it in the car is just as much of a problem as doing the same with a mechanical key.)

 

A remote keyless system can include both a remote keyless entry system (RKE) and a remote keyless ignition system (RKI).

 

Remote keyless systems first began appearing as an option on several American Motors vehicles in 1983, including the Renault Alliance. The feature gained its first widespread availability on General Motors' W-platform vehicles (the Buick Regal, Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme and Pontiac Grand Prix) in 1989.

 

Lock Picking

Lock picking is the art of unlocking a lock by analyzing and manipulating the components of the lock device, without the original key. Although lock picking can be associated with criminal intent, it is an essential skill for a locksmith. Lock picking is the ideal way of opening a lock without the correct key, while not damaging the lock, allowing it to be rekeyed for later use, which is especially important with antique locks that would be impossible to replace if destructive entry methods are used.

 

Usually it is possible to bypass a lock without picking it. Most common locks can be quickly and easily opened using a drill, bolt cutters, a bump key or a hydraulic jack. The hasp, door, or fixture they are attached to can be cut, broken, or otherwise removed. Therefore a lock that offers high resistance to picking does not necessarily make unauthorized access more difficult, but will make surreptitious unauthorized access more difficult. Locks are often used in combination with alarms to provide layered security.

 

Master Key

A master key is intended to open a set of several locks. Usually, there is nothing special about the key itself, but rather the locks into which it will fit. These locks also have keys which are specific to each one (the change key) and cannot open any of the others in the set. Locks which have master keys have a second set of the mechanism used to open them which is identical to all of the others in the set of locks. For example, master keyed pin tumbler locks will have two shear points at each pin position, one for the change key and one for the master key. A far more secure (and more expensive) system has two cylinders in each lock, one for the change key and one for the master key.

 

Larger organizations, with more complex "grandmaster key" systems, may have several masterkey systems where the top level grandmaster key works in all of the locks in the system.

 

A practical attack exists to create a working master key for an entire system given only access to a single master-keyed lock, its associated change key, a supply of appropriate key blanks, and the ability to cut new keys. This is described in Cryptology and Physical Security: Rights Amplification in Master-Keyed Mechanical Locks.

 

Locksmiths may also determine cuts for a replacement master key, when given several different key examples from a given system.

 

Phony Locksmiths

An out-of-state company hires a number of unscrupulous individuals in the area to sub-contract its work using assumed business names, fake addresses and phone numbers. Many times consumers have been over-sold, under serviced, or just plain lied to!

 

Medeco

Medeco's patented lock design requires the angled cuts of a key to elevate and rotate the pins inside the lock in order for a side-bar to drop, allowing the cylinder to turn. The pins are uniquely chisel-tipped which allows them to be rotated by the angled cuts on the key and have a slot along the length of the pin from the sidebar to drop into once the pin has been rotated to its correct orientation.

 

The off-centre chisel tip also allows 2 different offsets to the pin. This makes the keyway very secure. In theory, the number of different key combinations is 2,176,782,336 (6 pins, 6 heights, 3 rotational positions, 2 offsets), which does not include consideration of different keyways. This flexibility makes Biaxial attractive to large masterkeyed institutions.

 

Rekeying

Rekeying normally refers to the ability to change a lock so that a different key may operate it. Rekeying is done when a lock owner may be concerned that unauthorized persons have keys to the lock, so the lock may be altered by a locksmith so that only new keys will work. Rekeying may be done without replacement of the entire lock. Rekeying was first invented in 1836 by Solomon Andrews, a New Jersy locksmith. His lock had adjustable tumblers and keys, allowing the owner to rekey it at any time. Later in the 1850s, inventors Andrews and Newell patented removable tumblers which could be taken apart and scrambled. The keys had bits that were interchangeable, matching varying tumbler configurations. This arrangement later became the basis for combination locks.

 

Transponder Keys

The transponder key uses a miniature transponder which is embedded in the key head. When the key is inserted into the ignition a radio frequency (RF) is transmitted to the key. This in turn energizes the transponder which replies with an ID number. If the ID number is recognized by the on board automobile computer, the ignition and starting system is enabled. If access is attempted without the correct code, critical systems (fuel injection, ignition, etc.) remain inoperable.

 

VATS (Vehicle Anti Theft System)

The ignition key has a "chip" (just a resistor) installed on it, which can be easily seen. When you attempt to turn the ignition ON, the resistance of the chip is measured, and compared to the value stored in the VATS decoder module. If they are the same, a signal is sent to the ECM telling it to fire the injectors (pin F10 for the 1227730 ECM, and pin B6 for the 1227165 ECM). At the same time, the starter enable relay will be energized by the VATS decoder module. If the wrong resistance is read, then the signal will not be sent to the ECM, the starter enable relay will not be energized, and the injectors will not fire. Additionally, a code 46 will be shown. This code will not be stored in the ECM's memory, and is only present while the conditions for a code 46 are present. The module will shut down for 2 to 4 minutes. During this time, any attempts to start the vehicle will not work. If the ignition switch is turned during this time, the timer will restart even if a key with the correct resistance is used.

 

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