REKEYABLE LOCK CYLINDER, REKEYABLE PADLOCK AND METHOD OF REKEYING

摘要

A rekeyable lock cylinder and a padlock with a rekeyable lock cylinder areprovided. The lock cylinder includes a cylindrical core formed to receive akey and an outer casing formed around the core. A keying opening isformed within the casing wall, the keying opening allowing access to pinopenings formed within the core to receive selected pins. In one embodiment,the cylinder core may be provided with one or more reconfigurationchannels. Pins and springs mounted in openings formed in a spring holderconnected to the casing can be removed through the one or more reconfigurationchannels when the reconfiguration channels in the core alignwith assembly openings in the casing and the pin openings in the springholder, thereby allowing the adaptation of the number of pins mounted inthe lock cylinder to the number of cuts provided in the key. In anotherembodiment, an access opening may be formed in the spring holder, and apin may be removed from or inserted into the associated pin openingthrough the access opening without removing the cylindrical core. Theadvantages of the assembly opening and the reconfiguration channelsinclude a greater flexibility and less time consumption in re-keying.