US3822396A - Electric locking and unlocking apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus for locking and unlocking electric lock with a magnetic key code signal recorded on a magnetic card is provided. The apparatus includes a storage device in which a predetermined signal specific to a particular lock associated is preliminarily stored, and the key code signal read out from the card inserted into a read-out device of the apparatus is compared with the predetermined signal at a logic operation device. Coincidence of the both signals at the logic operational device will actuate an associated control device for the electric lock so that the lock will be unlocked or locked depending on the locked or unlocked state of the lock.

Description

llnlted States Patent 1191 Watase et al, 1lnly 2, 1974 [541 ELECTRIC LOCKING ANlD UNLOCldNG 3,445,633 5/1969 Ratner 317/134 APPARATUS 3,500,326 3/1970 Benford 340/164 R 3,688,269 8/1972 Miller 340/149 A Inventors: Fumio Watase; Shunsalm Nalkauclli; 3,696,335 10/1972 Lemelson 340/149 A Seiichi Kodera; Mamorn Namilrawa, w an of Tokyo Japan Primary Examiner.l. D. Miller [73] Assignee: 'lolryo Magnetic Printing Co., Ltd, Assistant f y Moose Tokyo, Japan Attorney, Agent, or Flrm-Wolfe, Hubbard, Leyd1g.

V 't & O Ltd. 22 Filed; r61. 26, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 335,582 [57 ABSTRACT READ OUT TEMPORARY STORAGE CIRCUIT COMPA-RATOR CIRCUIT KEYCODE 2 STORAGE CIRCUIT COMPA- RATOR CIRCUIT sta e CIRCUIT 7 COM PA- An apparatus for locking and unlocking electric lock with a magnetic key code signal recorded on a magnetic card is provided. The apparatus includes a storage device in which a predetermined signal specific to a particular lock associated is preliminarily stored, and the key code signal read out from the card inserted into a read-out device of the apparatus is compared with the predetermined signal at a logic operation device. Coincidence of the both signals at the logic operational device will actuate an associated control device for the electric lock so that the lock will be unlocked or locked depending on the locked or unlocked state of the lock.

1 Claim, 17 Drawing Figures RATOR CIRCUIT CIRCUIT LOCK ori's/1T5fuzcrmc sear cmcun 23 3 STORAGE CIRCUIT \25 4 RATOR C1 RCU 1T KEY-CODE 24-4 H COMPA- KEY-CODE STORAGE CIRCUIT \23'5 PATENTEDJUL 2mm 7 3822.396

SHEET 02 0F 13 412 -"Room"PMEWEUJUL 2 m4 sum '0m 13 PA TENTEDJUL' 2 mm SHEET 08 [1F 13 mO NO mo mo PATENTEUJUL 21914 sum m or 13l OPwwwm PATENTEDJIIL 2 I914 sum 'oaor13 READ-OUT CIRCUIT STORAGE TEMPORARY CIRCUIT I I 2I COMPA- I RATOR Fig. 5

CIRCUIT KEY-CODE STORAGE CIRCUIT COMPA- RATOR q CIRCUIT KEY-CODE STORAGE CIRCUIT COMPA- KEY-CODE STORAGE CIRCUIT ORI'GATE EUECTRIC RATOR CIRCUIT COMPA- RATOR I CIRCUIT KEY-CODE STORAGE CIRCUIT COMPA CIRCUIT LOCK RATOR KEY-CODE STORAGE CIRCUIT CIRCUIT PATENTEDJUL 219:4 3822.396

sum as or 13 Fig. 6

BLINE DE- CODER 581T Bl COUN-TER mewsmm 2 1914-sum 10 or 13 ELECTRIC LOCKING AND UNLOCKING APPARATUS This invention relates to an electric locking and unlocking apparatus wherein an electric lock device is locked and unlocked by a magnetic key code signal recorded on a magnetic card.

While there have been already electric locks in which a light, magnetism or electricity is utilized, these include a special electric or magnetic circuit within a lock mechanism itself and is so complicated in structure and so high in price that these locks have not yet come to be generally used.

Further, in the above referred cases, it has been comparatively easy to make a master key and it has been necessary to simultaneously replace the lock mechanism itself in order to replace the master key with another.

In the apparatus of the present invention, the key is a magnetic card which is so formed that, when a magnetic key codesignal recorded on this card is read out and coincides with a specific signal which is preliminarily provided in the lock mechanism, a locking or unlocking operation can be made.

A main object of the present invention is to provide an electric lock apparatus wherein a key code signal recorded on a magnetic card and a specific signal stored in the apparatus can be readily altered to a new locking or unlocking code without changing the magnetic card or lock mechanism itself when the specific signal stored in the apparatus is changed. in conformity with the key code signal on the card and, further, the locking or unlocking of a plurality of locks as well as a particular lock therein can be concurrently concentrically controlled from a remote place, so that the practicability and security are high.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an electric lock apparatus which has an adaptability to the locking and unlocking with a plurality of different key-code signals and yet the variety of the key code signal can be easily increased without increasing the amount of information given to the lock nor even impairing the security of the lock.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an electric lock apparatus wherein, by reading out a series signal of a key card and comparing the series signal as it is with a comparative signal preliminarily stored in the apparatus, so that the output terminals of the key code storage circuits and the input terminals of the comparator circuits can be minimized in number as requited without requiring a series-to-parallel converter and irrespective of the number of bits of the code signals, whereby the number of component parts to be used in the apparatus can be decreased and the formation of the circuit can be much simplified.

The present inventions shall now be explained in detail with reference to accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1A is a block diagram showing the basic structure of the electric locking and unlocking apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 1B is a block diagram of an embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing an arrangement of a card inserting port and lock mechanism in the present apparatus;

FIG. 3 shows a magnetic card used with the present apparatus;

FIGS. IA-4E are practical circuit diagrams of the first embodiment shown in FIG. IB;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a practical circuit diagram of the second embodiment;

FIG. 7 is an equivalent block diagram to the basic structure shown in FIG. IA;

FIG. 8 is a block diagam of a third embodiment.

FIGS. 9 and 110 are diagrams showing wave forms at the respective parts in the embodiment of FIG. 8 to explain its operation;

FIG. HA is a practical circuit diagram of the third embodiment; and

FIG. 11B shows wave forms at the respective parts in the third embodiment.

In FIG. IA, which showing the basic formation of the apparatus of the present invention, it is a magnetic head to read recorded signals out of magnetic cards, 2 is an amplifier to shape and amplify pulse signals sent from the magnetic head, 3 is a logic operational device to compare pulse signals from theamplifier 2 with signals preliminarily stored in astorage device 4, and 5 is a control device to connect apower source 6 and anelectric lock mechanism 7 with each other in response to the results of the comparison in the logicoperational device 3. More specifically, a predetermined key code signal is recorded on a magnetic recording part I2 of a recording card It as shown in FIG. 3 and the magnetic card 111 is inserted into a magneticcard inserting port 8 provided on awall 9 adjacent a predetermined door I0 as shown in FIG. 2. A recorded signal readingout device for reading the key-code signal out of the magnetic card is provided inside theinserting port 8 so that the signal will be read out. The signal read out is shaped and amplified by theamplifier 2 and is sent to the logicoperational device 3. On the other hand, a signal specific to a predetermined electric lock and separately memorized in the storage device 41 is also sent to the logicoperational device 3 so as to be compared with the key-code signal read out of the magnetic card II. In case the two signals compared in thedevice 3 do not coincide with each other, the signals will stop here and the lock will remain locked or unlocked. In case they coincide with each other, a controlling signal will be generated in thecontrol device 5, which will operate to connect theelectric lock 7 with thepower source 6 so as to lock or unlock the same in such manner that, if the signal fed back from theelectric lock 7 due to the controlling signal shows a locked state of thelock 7, the same will be unlocked and, if said signal fed back shows an unlocked state, thelock 7 will be locked.

Further, in the apparatus according to the present invention, for example, an additional means for allowing thecontrol device 5 to generate the said controlling signal directly may be provided, so that the locking and unlocking operations may be performed without using the magnetic card, In this case, a switch means for operating such additional means may properly be set in a house room so as to render the apparatus convenient. In this case, further, it becomes possible to operate a plurality of electric locks connected to the control device all simultaneously, or a specific one or plurality of such locks, from a central control room.

In FIG. 1B showing a block diagram of a practical embodiment of the present invention, 1A is a magnetic head to readout a key code signal recorded on a magnetic card. IA is a magnetic head to read out a clock signal recorded also on the magnetic card, 2A, 28, 2A and 2B are amplifiers, 2C and 2C are wave-form shaping devices, 2D and 2D are output amplifiers, 3A is a seriesto-parallel converter, 3B is a comparator circuit, 4A is a storage device, 5A is a control device, 6A is a power source device, and 7A is an electric lock.

An example of practical circuitry arrangement of the first embodiment according to the present invention is shown in FIGS. 4A through 415; In the present instance, the apparatus is shown as adapted to the case where the key code signal and clock signal on the magnetic card are respectively comprising 25 bits.

In FIG. 4A, a key-code signal read out by the magnetic head 1A is amplified by theamplifiers 2A and 2B and the wave form of the amplified signal is shaped by theshaping device 2C comprising in the present instance, for example, a monostable multivibrator. The

shaped signal is then applied through theoutput amplifier 2D to KEY input terminal of the series-toparallel converter 3A shown in FIG. 4B. The clock signal read out by the magnetic head 1A in the same manner as in the foregoing is applied, on the other hand, to CLOCK input terminal of theconverter 3A in FIG. 4B.

In FIG. 4B, the respective bits of the key-code signal applied to the KEY input terminal are caused to appear sequentially at the respective terminals M-0l through M-25 in response to the respective pulses of the clock signal, and are then applied respectively to M-Ol to M-25 input terminals of a group of 25 flip-flops in FIG. 4C which forming the comparator circuit 38 together with a group of 25 diodes shown in FIG. 4D as encircled and labeled as 33. FIG. 4C shows only a part of such flip-flops.

In FIG. 4C, by the key-code signal added to the input terminals M-ol to M-25, the flip-flops are operated to store the key-code signal as a group of 25 bit parallel signals. In FIG. 4D, the respective storage elements of thestorage device 4A are representing the respective flip-flops of FIG. 4C as simplified, and output terminals F01 through F50 coincide with the respective corresponding storage elements F0l through F50" of thestorage device 4A in FIG. 4D. Therefore, for example, the output terminal F01 of the flip-flops represents the storage element F01 shown in FIG. 4D.

In FIG. 4D, each of the diodes encircled as 38 is preliminarily connected to either one of even-numbered and odd-numbered sides of the output terminals of the respective flip-flops in accordance with the predetermined key code signal. For example, the leftward most diode in the drawing is connected at its cathode side to either one of the output terminals F01 and F02 of the flip-flops, the leftward second diode is likewise connected to either one of the flip-flop output terminals F03" and F04 and so on. That is, the key-code signal for locking and unlocking the electric lock can be determined by the manner in which the respective diodes are connected to the selective one of the two output terminals of the respective flip-flops.

Further, the diode group 38 is forming an AND gate circuit, which is actuated only when the key-code singal and the predetermined key-code signal are all coincided with each other so that an output will be provided at LS terminal and such output will be transmitted to LS input terminal of thecontrol device 5A in FIG. 4E as locking or unlock signal.

In FIG. 4E, by the locking or unlocking signal applied to the LS input terminal of thecontrol device 5A, a relay RA is operated to lock or unlock the electric lock comprising a solenoid and a mechanical lock mechanlsm.

Detailed explanation of the control device shown in FIG. 4E shall be made in the following. In the present embodiment, a DC voltage of 24V is supplied to a terminal 24VA, and a stabilized DC voltage of 12V is supplied to a terminal R12V. When the magnetic card is inserted in theport 8 shown in FIG. 2, a microswitch provided in said port (not shown) causes a terminal PS to be connected to the earth so that a relay RP will be actuated. Consequently, a contact rp is closed to apply the DC voltage to transistors TR] and TR2 and, at the same time, the DC voltage of 12V is supplied to the respective parts of the present locking and unlocking device through a terminal R12VS" coupled to the contact rp. Further, a reset signal for resetting the respective flip-flops in FIGS. 48 and 4C is provided to a RESET terminal as an output.

The locking or unlocking signal applied to the LS terminal causes the relay RA to be actuated through the transistors TRl and TR2. Consequent thereto, a contact m2 is closed so as to apply the DC voltage of 24V to the electric lock comprising a solenoid connected to an 81 terminal and mechanical lock mechanism so that the lock will be locked or unlocked. A contact ral is of a selfholding type, which holds its operation until the contact m2 opens after the relay RA is once actuated.

When the magnetic card is taken out of thecard inserting port 8 after the electric lock is locked or unlocked, the connection between the terminal PS and the earth is releases. Therefore, the relay RP becomes non-operative so that the contact rp will open to interrupt the power supply to the respective parts of the locking and unlocking device, and the relay RA is also caused to become non-operative so that the contacts ral and ra2 will open, thereby the locking or unlocking operation for the electric lock is completed.

Relay RL is provided for the purpose of determining whether the electric lock is locked or unlocked. It terminal DL is to be connected to the earth when the electric lock is in the locked state. Relay RT is for the purpose of automatically locking or unlocking the lock, a terminal AL of which is to be connected to the earth when the lock is in its unlocked state. (Contacts rl and rt are shown in their locked position in FIG. 4E.) Another relay RD is provided so as to be utilized at the time when the power supply from the source is interrupted. In case the power supply is stopped, the contact rd is caused to be in its leftward position in the drawing so that, when the electric lock is in its locked state, a charge in a condenser C l is supplied through the contact rl to the solenoid of the electric lock so as to unlock the same.

Terminals ML and MR are provided so as to adapt the device to manual locking and unlocking. For this purpose, the terminals are connected through a push-button or the like to the solenoid of the electric lock.

According to the thus formed electric locking and unlocking apparatus of the present invention, the magnetic key code signal recorded on the magnetic card cannot be normally recognized by sight from outside and the forgery and illegal use of the card can be prevented. Further, in case a possibility of the illegal use of the magnetic card is produced by the loss or theft of the card, the security will be able to be again secured by only a simple operation of making the storage device to store an altered new code signal and, at the same time, making a new magnetic card to store a magnetic code signal coinciding with said altered new code signal without requiring such trouble as replacing, adjusting or modifying the lock mechanism at all. Also, in case it is necessary to release a plurality of predetermined locks in an emergency case, a simultaneous unlocking operation will be able to be made at once through the above mentioned control device without making individual unlocking operations with magnetic cards. Thus the electric lock which is very practical and yet high in security can be obtained.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the variety of keys for locking an unlocking a single lock can be increased without increasing the amount of information given to the key.

In the electric lock, as well known, an information of a key code signal is given to a magnetic card or punched card which corresponds to the key, is magnetically or optically read and is compared with a key comparing information preliminarily stored in a storage circuit of the electric lock and, only when they coincide with each other, the lock will be locked or unlocked.

In such electric lock, in order that one lock may be locked and unlocked with a plurality of kinds of keys, such plurality of kinds of keys as change keys for locking and unlocking a specific lock, master keys for locking and unlocking a group of different locks of the change keys, and grand master keys for locking and unlocking a group of different locks of the master keys are prepared, or the kinds of keys are increased.

In the case of thus making a plurality of kinds of keys for one lock, for example, if the total amount of information of the keys is made 30 bits by using five kinds of keys, the amount of information will be divided into five parts for each key and, therefore, the amount of information for each key will decrease. For example, if each key is formed of 6 bits as equally allotted, the predetermined key for each lock can be found out relatively easily at a probability ofV2 11/64 and thus there will be a great problem in the security of he lock.

In order to reduce the probability of the lock being purposely unlocked, the amount of information may be increased instead of dividing and allotting the total amount of information to the plurality of kinds of keys. That is, if the total amount of information is made of 150 bits with five kinds, the probability of the lock being purposely unlocked will be V2 and it will be impossible to find out the predetermined key or master key. However, such large amount as a total amount of information of 150 bits is difficult to make from the size or the like of the magnetic card for recording the keycode signal and has a defect of complicating the formation of such circuit as the comparator circuit in, the electric lock.

After once setting a purality of kinds of keys, in order to increase the kinds, as the amount of information has been divided and allotted, it is necessary not only to change the design of the entire electric lock but also to change the information to be given to all the keys distributed to the users. It is substantially impossible.

In the embodiment in FIG. 5 showing in a block diagram an apparatus in which the above mentioned defects are eliminated, 21 is a code read-out circuit, 22 is a temporarily storage circuit, and 23 is a plurality of keycode storage circuits provided in parallel, which are represented by references 23-1, 23-2 23-5, respectively. 24 is a plurality of comparator circuits provided in parallel, which are represented by references 24-I, 24-2, 24-5, respectively. 25 is an OR gate circuit and 26 is an electric lock which can be locked and unlocked with an electric signal, The code read-out circuit 21 may be provided, as required, with an amplifier in case the output is small and with a shaping circuit or the like in order to shape the wave form.

The above second embodiment of FIG. 5 is formed by fixing a total amount of information irrespective of the increase of the kinds of keys. For example, if the total amount of information is made 30 bits and the kinds of keys are made five kinds, similarly to the foregoing, 30 bits of the total amount of information will be allotted to the respective keys of five kinds and thus five kinds of keys will be made for one lock but the probability of this lock being purposely unlocked with other keys than a predetermined key will be 5/2", it will be substantially impossible to unlock it and the security of the lock will be well secured.

On the other hand, in the circuit formation of the present apparatus, the key-code storage circuits 23 and thecomparator circuit 24 may be respectively increased in response to the number of a plurality of kinds of keys and, in the case of 5 kinds of keys, respectively 5 of these circuits may be set in parallel. The keycode comparing information to be stored in thekeycode storage circuits 23 is formed of 30 bits in the same manner as the key-code information. For example, the information of the individual key is stored in the circuit 23-1, the information of the master key is stored in the circuit 23-2, and in the same manner, the information of the fifth key is stored in the circuit 23-5.

Now, if the key-code information recorded on the magnetic card or the like comes in, it will be read out by the read-out circuit 211 and will be sent to the respective temporarilystorage circuits 22. The key-code information thus read out is temporarily stored in respective saidstorage circuits 22 and is sent out simultaneously to a plurality ofrespective comparator circuits 24 provided in parallel.

In thecomparator circuits 24 having received the key-code information, the key-code information is compared simultaneously in parallel with the respective key-code comparing informations stored in a plurality of the key-code storage circuits 23. That is, in the comparator circuit 24-ll, the key-code information is compared with the key-code comparing information from the key-code storage circuit 23-1. In the comparator circuit 24-2, the key-code information is compared with the key-code comparing information from the storage circuit 23-2. In the same manner, the respective informations are compared simultaneously in parallel.

As a result of such comparison, in case the key-code comparing infonnation coincides with the key-code information, a signal will be sent to theOR gate circuit 5 from thecomparator circuits 24 but, in case it does not coincide, no signal will be generated. Therefore, in

theOR gate circuit 25, if a signal comes from any of thecomparator circuits 24, a locking or unlocking signal will be sent to theelectric lock 26 to lock or unlock it. If no signal comes from any of thecomparator circuits 24, there will be no output from the OR gate circuit and, therefore, the key is discriminated not to be the specific predetermined key and the electric lock cannot be locked nor unlocked.

The example wherein five kinds of keys are prepared from the first has been explained in the above. However, in such case that two kinds of keys are prepared at first and then the kinds of keys are further increased, two key-code storage circuits 23 and twocomparator circuits 24 are respectively set and then the key-code storage circuits 23 and thecomparator circuits 24 may be increased in parallel by the number of the kinds of keys to be increased. Therefore, it is very easy to increase the kinds of keys.

Further, it is possible that respective numbers of the circuits expected to be required in future are set from the first but only the circuit functions of actually not required circuits are retained stopped, so that not only the circuit functions will be recovered in the case of increasing the kinds of keys but also the kinds of keys will be able to be decreased at a later stage.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, the kinds of keys can be easily increased without increasing the amount of information given to the key nor impairing the security.

FIG. 6 shows an exemplary practical circuit of the second embodiment, wherein 21 is a read-out circuit, 23 is a plurality of temporarily storage circuits, 24 is a plurality of comparator circuits, 25 is an electric lock,

' 26 is an addressing circuit for the storage circuits, and

M1 to M5 are respective storing devices of thestorage circuits 23.

FIG. 7 shows an equivalent circuitry block diagram to the basic structure of FIG. 1 for explaining the keycode signal comparison performed in the structure. Generally, when a key-code signal recorded in series on the magnetic card or the like comes in, it will be read out as a series signal in a read-out circuit 71 and the series signal thus read out will be temporarily stored in a series-to-parallel converter 72 and will be converted to a parallel signal. This parallelly converted output is sent to acomparator circuit 73.

On the otherhand, from a key-code storage circuit 74, a key-code comparing signal preliminarily stored therein comes as a parallel output into thecomparator circuit 73 simultaneously with the parallel output of the key-code signal.

Inthecomparator circuit 74, the key-code signal and key-code comparing signal are compared with each other parallelly simultaneously to see whether all the signals coincide. In case they coincide, the signals will be sent to anelectric lock 75 to lock or unlock it.

In such electric locking and unlocking apparatus, as the signals are compared parallelly simultaneously, the output terminals of the series parallel converters and key-code storage circuits and thainput terminals of the comparator circuits are required by the number of the bits of the signals. For example, if the signal is formed of 40 bits, 40 sets of input terminals will be required for the key-code signal and key-code comparing signal in the comparator circuit. Therefore, there arises a defect that the component parts forming each circuit are many and that the circuit formation is thereby complicated.

In the third embodiment of FIG. 8, such defects are eliminated by comparing the key-code signal as a series signal as it is.

In the block diagram showing the third embodiment in FIG. 8, 81 is a read-out circuit, 82 is acomparator circuit 83 is a key-code storage circuit, 84 is a coincidence storage circuit, 85 is an AND" gate circuit, and 86 is an electric lock. As required, the read-out circuit 81 may be provided with an amplifier in case the output is small, or with a shaping circuit or the like in order to shape the wave form.

In FIGS. 9 and 10 showing wave forms at the respective parts in the embodiment of FIG. 7. In particular, FIG. 9 shows wave forms in case the key-code signal and key-code comparing signal coincide with each other and FIG. 10 shows wave forms in case these sig nals do not coincide.

Now, if a signal of a key recorded in series on a magnetic card or the like comes in, it will be read out as a series signal in the read-out circuit 81 and the signal thus read out (exemplified as S in FIG. 9 and S in FIG. 10) will be sent as a series signal as it is to thecomparator circuit 82. Further, a part of the signal read out will be sent as a clock signal to the key-code storage circuit 83 from which a key-code comparing signal S preliminarily stored therein (shown in FIGS. 9 and 10) will be triggered by said clock signal and taken out in the form of a series signal so as to be sent to thecomparator circuit 82.

In thecomparator circuit 82, the key code signal S, (or S and key-code comparing signal S are compared with each other as series signals as they are. As a result of the comparison, in case both signals all coincide, that is, in case the key-code signal is S as shown in F IG. 9, asignal 8;; will be sent to thecoincidence storage circuit 84 from thecomparator circuit 82 and asignal 5,, of a constant level (a low signal here) will be sent to the ANDgate circuit 85 from thecoincidence storage circuit 84.

On the other hand, as an end signal that the key-code signal S, has been all completely read out is given to the ANDgate circuit 85 from the key-code storage circuit 83, an AND with the signal S is taken and, with its output signal, that is, a locking and unlocking signal S, (a high signal here), theelectric lock 86 is locked or unlocked.

Further, in case the signals do not coincide, that is, in case the key-code signal is as shown in FIG. 10, a signal S, having pulses in the non-coinciding part will be sent to thecoincidence storage circuit 84 from thecomparator circuit 82. As saidstorage circuit 84 is so formed as to reverse the polarity only when the signals do not coincide with each other, an output signal S is generated by the signal S and is sent to the ANDgate circuit 85.

On the other hand, an end signal that the key-code signal S has been all completely read out has been given to the AND"gate circuit 85 as described above but the AND with the signal S, can not be taken and, therefore, no output comes out of the AND gate circuit, thus no locking and unlocking signal is given to theelectric lock 86, only a signal S is sent and therefore theelectric lock 86 can not be locked nor unlocked.

In the third embodiment, as a series signal of a key code is read out and is compared as a series signal as it is with a key-code comparing signal preliminarily stored as referred to in the foregoing, there are advantages that the output terminals of key-code storage circuits and the input terminals of comparator circuits can be minimized as required without requiring series-toparallel converters as before and irrespective of the number of bits of signals, that the number of component parts to be used can be decreased and that the circuit formation can be simplified.

FIG. llllA shows a practical circuit diagram of the third embodiment. FIG. llB shows signal wave forms at the respective parts in the circuit of FIG. 11A.

What is claimed is:

11. An electric locking and unlocking apparatus comprising an electrically controlled lock mechanism, a read-out device for reading out signals recorded on a magnetic card, a storage device in which a predetermined signal is preliminarily stored, a logic operational device for comparing an input signal from said read-out device with said predetermined signal from said storage device, a control device for controlling said lock mechanism as activated by a signal from said logic operational device, and a temporary storage circuit inserted between said read-out device and said logic operational device so as to store the signal from the read-out device, said storage device comprising a plurality of keycode storage circuits corresponding in number to a plurality of kinds of keys used so that predetermined keycode signals respectively independent and corresponding to the respective keys, said logic operational device comprising a plurality of comparator circuits to which the output of said temporarily storage circuit and outputs of said key-code storage circuits are given to compare the signal from the magnetic card with the respective key-code signals predetermined and stored in the respective key-code storage circuits, so that said control device will be actuated upon receiving outputs from any one of said plurality of comparator circuits so as to lock or unlock the electric lock.

=l l l= l

Claims (1)

1. An electric locking and unlocking apparatus comprising an electrically controlled lock mechanism, a read-out device for reading out signals recorded on a magnetic card, a storage device in which a predetermined signal is preliminarily stored, a logic operational device for comparing an input signal from said readout device with said predetermined signal from said storage device, a control device for controlling said lock mechanism as activated by a signal from said logic operational device, and a temporary storage circuit inserted between said read-out device and said logic operational device so as to store the signal from the read-out device, said storage device comprising a plurality of key-code storage circuits corresponding in number to a plurality of kinds of keys used so that predetermined key-code signals respectively independent and corresponding to the respective keys, said logic operational device comprising a plurality of comparator circuits to which the output of said temporarily storage circuit and outputs of said key-code storage circuits are given to compare the signal from the magnetic card with the respective key-code signals predetermined and stored in the respective key-code storage circuits, so that said control device will be actuated upon receiving outputs from any one of said plurality of comparator circuits so as to lock or unlock the electric lock.

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