Picking a conventional lock really isn't all that hard to do, especially if you've practiced enough to know the ins and outs of a lock. While there are special locks designed to be harder to pick, those locks are often a little pricey.
Because of this, Canadian inventor Ryan Bowley has gone back to early lock history to develop a new type of residential lock that he claims is almost impossible to pick, yet is still affordable to the average person.
Conventional locks basically work with a key entering tumblers as the key is inserted into a lock. As this happens, the key pushes up against the pins of the tumbler, and once the key is fully inserted, all of the pins will be lined up, providing that it's the right key for the lock. This allows the lock to be turned, and the door opened. The main problem with this system is that it's easy to insert a lock-pick tool to push the pins up into the right position.
When it comes to the Bowley lock, however, pins aren't engaged by the key straight away. Basically, with the Bowley lock, the key has to be inserted all the way, and then rotated 180-degrees, so that it enters the space where the pins are. When the key is rotated, a slot that is cut in the key will enable the key to go around a shield that protects the pins, which will then fall into position, and the cylinder can be rotated. This method is resistant to the bumping technique sometimes used to force locks open since the pins must come down rather than be forced upward, the site notes.
"We also incorporated the pin tumbler mechanism, along with the many combinations of pinning that made it so very great in the first place," says Bowley on the Kickstarter page.
The lock fits almost all standard doors and can be installed in doors with a 60mm or 70mm (2-3/8-inch or 2-3/4-inch) backset. It uses a standard 1-inch dead bolt hole and can accommodate a 1-1/2-inch to 2-1/8-inch hole.
Those interested in the new lock can head to the Kickstarter page, which has currently raised $11,996 of the $373,845 funding goal (Canadian dollars). The lock itself will cost users around $90, or more if the early bird specials sell out, of which there are 1,000 available. The campaign still has 20 days to go, until Dec. 18.
You can also check out the video below for a better look at how the lock works.
Via: Gizmag
