US 12,338,653 B1
Lock cores and keys
Christopher Case, Fishers, IN (US); Douglas McIntyre, Spring, TX (US); and Jeffery Brannum, Lapel, IN (US)
Assigned to Innovate LLC, Houston, TX (US)
Filed by Innovate, LLC, Fishers, IN (US)
Filed on Oct. 11, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/912,733.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/614,728, filed on Dec. 26, 2023.
Int. Cl. E05B 27/00 (2006.01); E05B 27/08 (2006.01)
CPC E05B 27/0042 (2013.01) [E05B 27/0007 (2013.01); E05B 27/083 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An interchangeable lock core and key assembly comprising
a core body having a plurality of pin- and spring-receiving apertures and a plurality of ejector pin-receiving apertures in line with the plurality of pin- and spring-receiving apertures and sized to receive an ejector pin,
a core plug positioned in the core body and having a longitudinal axis, a first end, a second end longitudinally spaced apart from the first end, a side wall extending between the first and second ends of the core plug, a plurality of pin-receiving apertures in line with the pin- and spring receiving apertures of the core body, a keyway, and a core plug insert-receiving aperture positioned in the side wall between the first and second ends of the core plug, the keyway having an opened end positioned on the first end of the core plug and sized to receive a key,
a plurality of pins positioned in the pin- and spring-receiving apertures of the core body and the pin-receiving apertures of the core plug,
a plurality of springs positioned in the pin- and spring-receiving apertures of the core body to urge the plurality of pins towards the core plug,
a core plug insert positioned in the core plug insert-receiving aperture and having a longitudinally extending, tapered surface defining at least a portion of the keyway, and
a key having a bow and a shank coupled to the bow, the shank being positioned in the keyway, the key having bitting configured to interact with the plurality of pins to align the plurality of pins so that the core plug can rotate relative to the core body and a longitudinally extending, tapered surface that aligns with the longitudinally extending, tapered surface of the core plug insert.