16. Install the stopper piece springs, the stopper piece and the locking bar into their places on the side of the cylinder, and hold them. 17. Then slide the profile plate holder/pli- ers (Tool LT224) into the keyway and add the profile plate onto the disc con- troller. Hold the inner cylinder assem- bly in a vertical position and carefully slide the cylinder housing onto the assembly. The stopper piece must be pressed against the cylinder center to make it possible for it to slide into the cylinder housing. 18. When the inner parts are fully inside the housing, the profile plate holder tool can be drawn out from the key- way. Then the cylinder function can be checked by the correct key, and hold- ing the cylinder drum by the finger inside the housing. Cylinder Operation It’s now time to discuss cylinder opera- tion. It may seem odd that we are explain- ing how the Protec2 cylinder operates at this late stage in the game. However, had we done this at the beginning of the ar- ticle, it would have made much less sense to many. Knowing the components and how they work together gives us the in- sight to visualize the cylinder in action. Aſter fully inserting the key into the keyway (either direction), you will turn the key 90 degrees (¼ turn) clockwise or counterclockwise. Now, the zero discs will be rotating 90 degrees together with the key and move one of the return bars toward the other return bar. When the return bars reach each other and are con- nected, the rotation of all discs inside the cylinder drum will stop. At this point, if the discs correspond to the key cut combination, the gates of the discs’ edges are aligned and form a groove for the locking bar to drop down into them The locking bar will then move into the 48 KEYNOTES MAY 2020 Figure 31. Disc heights within the Protec2 cylinder drum are shown. groove and allow the cylinder drum to ro- tate inside the cylinder housing. The cylin- der drum will then start rotating together with the key to operate the lock mechanism (opening or closing the locking device). Both the combination discs and the master discs rotate in the cylinder drum from 0 to 75 degrees depending on the disc number and the cut code. For clockwise operation, the key will turn 75 degrees before starting to turn disc 5. The key will then rotate the disc 15 degrees before the return bars reach each other and the rotation of discs is stopped. For counterclockwise operation, the key turns 45 degrees before the cut contacts disc 5. Then the key rotates 45 degrees to- gether with the disc before the return bars reach each other and stop the rotation. In the locked position, the 0-discs hold the locking bar, the return bars and the combination/master discs in their places. Conclusion It started with a Finnish inventor in the early 1900s and developed into the sophisticated rotating disc tumbler system we know today. For those applications requiring an elevated level of high security, the Abloy Protec2 cylinders may be the answer. Even though we are dealing with 21 discs and 13 additional parts, the cylinder can be easily combinated… if you know how. But, then again, isn’t that true of most locks? So, as has been said, “It’s as easy as loading a PEZ dispenser!” Thanks are extended to Marty Day, re- tired, Abloy Canada and Ray Marquis, vertical market manager at Abloy USA, for information presented in and in prepa- ration for this article. William M. Lynk, CML, CPS, M.Ed., has been a locksmith since 1975 and is the owner of www. ICLSglobal.com. Bill is an IC specialist, an industry author, the subject matter expert on IC for ALOA, and an ALOA ACE instructor, teach- ing classes on interchangeable cores and master keying across the country. He has originated SFIC Technical Manuals for both national and international lock manufactur- ers, and maintains a working relationship with the major lock and security manufac- turers throughout the world. In 2013 and 2015, he was named Keynotes Author of the Year. WWW.ALOA.ORG
