Safe locks: classification, types, types, classes and reviews. Basic types of safe locks Complex locks for safes factories
In most cases, according to the method of opening, locks are divided into key, coded mechanical and coded electronic (although from an engineering point of view, a key is also a carrier of a code). If we talk about locks that have a certificate of conformity, then within the same class all of the listed types of locks have similar characteristics. The differences relate more to the ease of use. Therefore, there cannot be universal recipes for choice. Key locks are cheaper and less prone to breakage due to improper handling - these are the advantages. “Disadvantages” - the key can be lost, or an unaccounted copy can be made from it. Coded mechanical locks have the advantages of key locks, but are somewhat more expensive and difficult to use - an error of ½ division when turning the dial is perceived as entering the wrong code. Electronic code locks are even more expensive, but are extremely easy to use. It is also necessary to remember that if you forgot the code, or an employee who knew it left, then an emergency opening may cost more than a safe. Conclusion - in each specific case, the choice of method of locking the safe must be chosen individually.
Any safe lock must meet two basic requirements - provide a high level of secrecy when unlocking the bolt mechanism and operate reliably for a long time. However, modern locks may have additional functions, opening up new possibilities for using safes. Let's briefly list some little-known options:
- key locks may have a mechanism for recoding to a new set of keys. In this case, when changing users or after losing the key, there is no need to replace the lock;
- The lock can be equipped with a time delay system when opening. Information about this must be located in a visible place. This function protects the user - it is useless to attack a person who cannot open the safe;
- coded electronic locks can block the locking mechanism for a certain period of time after entering the code incorrectly three times - protection against code selection;
- Coded electronic locks can be opened by several code combinations at the same time. This allows the owner of the master code to, at his discretion, allow or deny the opening of the safe to the owners of subordinate codes. In addition, if the lock is equipped with a display, the owner of the master code can check who (with what code) and when (date and time) opened the safe earlier.
List additional features The locks don’t end there - locks can transmit information to security about opening under duress; can connect with alarm system And computer network etc. But this is a topic for another conversation.
The locking system implies high responsibility. Inexperienced owners of metal storage facilities when choosing locking mechanism First of all, they pay attention to its type, which is wrong. There are indeed many attractive modern models with innovative operating principles. But it is not always appropriate to evaluate safe locks from the point of view of the mechanics of their functioning. Much more important is the class of the device, on which the reliability of the system, its burglary resistance and fault tolerance directly depend. However, you should also have an idea about the main classifications.
Basic types of safe locks
On this moment The most common are classic key, code and biometric devices. The advantages of key models include low cost and ease of use. However, this is not the best safe-type lock if you evaluate it based on reliability criteria. Code systems, in turn, are of two types - mechanical and electronic. Accordingly, in the first case the secret is triggered depending on the selected combination of physical elements, and in the second it is read digital code. The mechanical reliability of such systems corresponds to the key mechanisms, but the code system still requires a higher degree of security against bypassing the system's secrets.
As for biometric devices, they work on the principle of identifying a user using unique individual parameters. This could be, for example, a sensory determination of the correspondence of the characteristics of the retina or fingerprint to the embedded sample. However, biometric safe locks are much more expensive than traditional systems.
Mechanical and electronic models - which is better?
The gradual shift away from mechanics in the lock segment has its own logic. Firstly, this is due to a higher level of security. For example, electronic models practically do not require physical keys. That is, the owner does not have to think through extra seats storage Secondly, electronics are always multifunctional and flexible in operation. The same combination safe locks of this type can be programmed for different operating modes depending on security requirements. But despite these advantages, they remain popular and mechanical devices. They are advantageous in that they do not require constant power supply, that is, they are completely autonomous and independent of the power grid. There is another advantage to mechanical locks. They, of course, can fail as a result of breakdowns of the internal filling, but electronic models also have the possibility of malfunctioning software system, which entails additional risks.
Types of key locks
In the segment of key models, lever and cylindrical modifications are most widespread. They differ in their mechanical principle of operation, which as a result involves both operational features. TO strengths lever mechanisms include resistance to force breaking and the use of master keys, the presence of false grooves and, in general, high degree reliability. Cylindrical safe locks are less attractive in terms of reliability. This option is mechanically just as strong, but the locking system itself is not as secure from hacking as compared to lever analogues. On the other hand, they are easy to replace, cheaper in price and easier to maintain.
Safe lock classes
To separate safe locks by class, letter markings are used. Whether a structure belongs to one category or another is determined by the mechanism’s ability to resist various types of influences. Yes, classes entry level A and B provide protection against power tools, and as the level increases, other means of influence are added to these threats. For example, in class C the resistance of the device to thermal tools is already assumed. The most reliable safe locks for safes are marked with the letter D, which confirms the mechanism’s ability to withstand even strong electromagnetic fields. What is also important to consider is that each degree of protection has its own resource endurance. In other words, models of classes A and D are capable of protecting the safe from mechanical and electrical tools, but the cycles of critical impacts will differ significantly.
Nuances of operation
Depending on the type of lock, it is assumed different ways their settings and management. Traditional mechanical devices are almost free of auxiliary adjustments and usually operate in 1-2 operating modes. Electronic devices, as already mentioned, require configuration, and according to various parameters. But in both cases it is assumed that compliance measures are taken maintenance. Typically, repairs to safe locks are made due to excessive blockages and in some cases can be done with improvised means by disassembling and cleaning the internal elements. Electronic models are more susceptible negative impacts moisture and dust, so you should initially protect the place where the safe is used from such factors.
Conclusion
The products that are most trusted among specialists in this field are Elbor, Guardian and Cerberus. These brands produce high-quality, technological, functional and at the same time expensive models. For example, in the lines of these manufacturers you can find a safe lock for a lever-type door costing about 10-12 thousand rubles, which will also protect metal block storage facilities. Owners of mechanisms from the companies “Granit”, “Sapphire” and “Basalt” also point to decent technical and physical qualities of the products, but at the same time note more affordable prices. In general, the Russian segment of locking devices deserves attention from the most different groups consumers.
The lock of the safe is most often the “bottleneck” point of burglary resistance. In addition, the type of lock to some extent determines the ease of use of the safe. The cost of the lock is usually up to 10% of the cost of the safe. In this review, we will look at common types of safe locks, and leave exotic ones aside.
Key
Key locks are the most inexpensive and common. Key locks include lever and cylinder key locks. Level-type locks are easy to use and provide reliable protection from burglary. Their main disadvantage is the need to carry keys with you or store them in a secluded place. Here you can give advice - do not throw the keys in plain sight, they have no place in the general keychain and visible key rings are inappropriate for them. In this regard, safes with key locks are best suited for installation in an office - they have a good price-burglary resistance ratio, and also provide quick access to documents. Cylinder locks the cheapest, but unlike lever ones, they have low burglary resistance - most often, to break in, it is enough to knock out the lock cylinder. This type is commonly used in fireproof safes and metal cabinets - i.e. in cases where protection against hacking is not a priority.
Code
Mechanical combination locks are more suitable for home use - there is no need to carry a key with you all the time, and they are not expensive. There are two types of combination locks: fixed and changeable code. The latter assume, if necessary, the possibility of changing the code combination by the owner of the safe. However, combination mechanical locks have their drawback - they are difficult to operate. Opening a lock takes much longer than a key. And programming a combination mechanical lock is a rather non-trivial task for an untrained user. Therefore, the use of these locks in offices is impractical.
Coded electronic locks have all the advantages, and at the same time, do not have all the disadvantages of coded electronic locks - therefore, it is not surprising that they have become widespread in the modern safe market. All electronic locks have the ability to change the code, and the programming process itself is much simpler than that of mechanical code locks - it is facilitated by light and sound indication. Their only drawback is their energy dependence - you will have to change the batteries from time to time.
Additionally, electronic code locks can be equipped with built-in functions: protection against code selection, opening delay, emergency opening.
Protection against code selection works as follows: if an incorrect combination is entered, the keyboard is blocked for several minutes; if an incorrect code is entered again, the keyboard is blocked again, and in some cases for a longer period of time.
Opening delay function (or Time Lock) - the lock opens only after some time has passed after entering the correct code combination. Those. this feature will also make attackers lose valuable time.
Emergency opening function (or Master Lock) - equipping the combination lock with an emergency key, which allows you to open the door without entering a code. The function is in demand in cases where entering a code combination is impossible - the batteries are low, the code is forgotten, the lock keypad is damaged, etc.
Combination locks of American origin are quite popular in our country: “La Gard” and “Sargent & Greenleaf”. Combination electronic locks made in Germany - Kaba Mauer - are also often used.
Biometric
The last type that we will consider will be locks that use biometric identification technologies - when the retina of the eye, or the papillary pattern of the fingers, is used as a code. To open a biometric lock, just put your finger on a special sensor - the process of identifying and opening the lock will take just a few seconds. This type of lock is the most high-tech and expensive, but also provides the fastest access to the contents of the safe - ideal for gun safes. Biometric locks are programmable and can work in multi-user mode. Moreover, the lock’s memory allows you to store several fingerprints for each user - if you suddenly cut yourself, this does not mean that access to the contents is closed “until the wedding.” I believe that the future lies with this type of lock.
There are four security classes of locks: A, B, C and D. In Russia, A and B class locks are mainly used; security does not directly depend on the type of lock, for example, lever lock Class B is in no way inferior in secrecy to coded electronic ones of the same class.
So, we looked at several types of safe locks - from the simplest key locks to high-tech biometric ones. Each type of lock has its advantages and disadvantages, with the same burglary resistance. Therefore, you should choose a lock based on the expected operating conditions and your financial capabilities.
One of the key points when purchasing a burglar-resistant safe is choosing the type of lock. Safe locks are high-security locks and are designed to lock safe doors or as a deadbolt system lock.Everyone has had to deal with locking mechanisms, and everyone has at least a minimal understanding of this device. However, safe locks have their own characteristics associated with their increased secrecy.
Today, four types of different locks are used in metal cabinets and safes, which differ in design principle:
TO key or conventional (pump-action, lever and cylindrical) - open with a key;
Mechanical codes - by dialing several code numbers;
Electronic – by entering a code on the keyboard;
Biometric – by application of the user’s finger.
Safe key locks the simplest and most affordable of all safe locks. There are key locks pump-action, cylindrical and lever:
This group of locks is the most understandable and familiar to most. There is a lock and a key to it, with the help of which the lock is opened. The higher the secrecy of the locking mechanism, the more difficult it is to open it using special devices (master keys) and selecting a key.
Cylinder locks are named for the cylindrical shape of the lock mechanism. Cylinder locks come with “English” and “computer” keys.
Key locks - their history goes back 200 years, are used for very simple models, have a low price and trouble-free use. A very wide selection of different models: by price, privacy level, size.Key locks are least susceptible to temperature changes and moisture. Simply put, key locks are those locks that are opened with a key. Mechanical key locks are quite reliable, rarely break, have burglary resistance classes and are resistant to tampering. If you are planning to buy a safe with such a lock, remember that the keys to them are often very long, which makes it very difficult to open, but at the same time makes it very inconvenient to carry such a key. Losing a key almost always requires changing the safe's lock, which is difficult and expensive.
If burglary resistance is required high level- level locks are used. Safes with such locks have very thick doors, and the keys are up to 25 cm long, this makes it difficult to open the safe with a master key, but it is not comfortable to carry such a large key, so the key is often placed in a certain place, which is dangerous. The only drawback of a key lock is... the key - after all, you will have to carry it with you or store it, but not just anywhere, but only in a safe place, away from strangers. When in When choosing, pay attention to the following points: Firstly, a good lock affects the cost of the product and a safe equipped with such a lock cannot cost less than $100 in its simplest design.
Secondly, there are a number of locks that are manufactured specifically for installation in safes, and they, in turn, have special certification, which allows them to be used to protect valuables from unauthorized access in safes of different protection classes.
Safe mechanical combination locks
Mechanical combination locks began to be widely used for safes at the end of the 19th century. Mechanical combination locks do not require a key, but you must remember the code, which is undeniably convenient. Here you no longer have to be afraid of losing the key, you just need to remember the code, which is convenient. To open such a lock, you need to dial the correct code combination, most often by repeatedly turning a special knob - the “dial”. Like key locks, mechanical combination locks are unpretentious to environmental operating conditions.
As a result of a more complex lock mechanism, its cost and, accordingly, the price of a safe equipped with a similar lock increases. A safe equipped with a similar lock will cost from $120 – $180 and above.
In order to choose a high-quality lock of this particular category, you should pay attention to its certification. It confirms compliance with the requirements that are set for the locking mechanism of a combination lock and will simplify the task of making the “correct” choice.
Safe combination electronic locks
Electronic locks - invented about 40 years ago
Advantages: they are convenient to use, change codes very quickly, their secrecy is extremely high, theoretically limitless.
There are also quite a few disadvantages: with It should be noted that an electronic combination lock is a very complex mechanism, and therefore very vulnerable, high vulnerability, strict temperature restrictions, high moisture and shock sensitivity, as well as sensitivity to static electricity discharges, as well as a fairly high price for such safes .
Accordingly, the cost of a safe equipped with a high-quality electronic combination lock will be from $200 and above.
Safe biometric locks
Biometric safe locks are the youngest; their mass production began in the late 90s and now they are just beginning to appear on the safe market, so they have little experience in use; today they are installed on low- and medium-cost safes. The operating principle is based on the technology of identifying the owner using a sensor and finger papillary patterns. Thus, the key to the safe is always with the owner and cannot be lost or forgotten. In terms of time to access content, biometric locks are the leaders, surpassing even key locks in their performance. The more sensitive the sensor, the higher the secrecy of the lock, but at the same time, the higher the risk that the lock “will not recognize” the real owner. For example, dirty hands or cuts on fingers can cause unsuccessful identification. To get around this problem, manufacturers equip modern biometric locks with memory for several fingerprints - one fingerprint does not work, identification will take place on the second or third.
You have to pay for high technology - biometric locks are not only the most convenient, but also the most expensive.
Classification of locks for metal cabinets (safes)
Sets four classes of locks for resistance to burglary: A, B, C, D (in ascending order of classes);
Sets the actual number of code combinations (minimum) that are used in each class;
Contains requirements for resistance to criminal opening of the lock;
Gives an assessment of the value of the resistance coefficient of the structure to the applied influences (manipulations);
The fate of independent Scotland was decided at the walls of Stirling Castle in the 13th century. However, modern political scientists believe that the Hollywood story about one of these battles played no less a role in the history of this British territory than the real battle. Mel Gibson's 1995 film Braveheart, although containing many historical errors, reminded the Scots of the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297 and stirred their national consciousness. In July 1999, Queen Elizabeth II inaugurated the first session of the Scottish Parliament, convened following the 1997 popular referendum. It is not for nothing that the Scots themselves, emphasizing the significance of this castle, say: whoever owns Stirling rules Scotland.
However, the history of these places began long before the Stuarts. From a volcanic rock 75 meters high, a panorama opens up to the Forth River meandering at the foot of the mountain, the surrounding fields, hills and forests. This one is strategic important area earth always played important role in the history of central Scotland. There were both Celts and Romans here, who looked from above at the northern lands hostile to them; this rock always stood on the way to the Highlands. Then the Romans left these places. This territory became a crossroads and a place of struggle for four peoples: the Picts, the Scotes, the Britons and the Angles.
It is believed that a unified Scottish kingdom was created after the Scottish king Kenneth MacAlpin (? 858) defeated the Picts here in 843. After this, in the process of assimilation, the Picts merged with the cattle, forming the Scottish people.
After leaving the Palace, you can admire for a long time the huge Great Hall, built by James IV for state receptions and special occasions. This hall is the largest in Scotland, its area 138 by 47 feet, which is larger than even the hall in Edinburgh Palace. Roof structure made of numerous cantilever beams and today, restored according to ancient drawings and engravings, it makes one admire the skill of the architects of the 16th century.
They say that the oldest part of the castle, which includes Big hall, The Old King's House from the time of James IV and the Royal Chapel, rebuilt from time immemorial until 1594, are still inhabited. Here, in the Main Courtyard formed by these buildings, which are connected by numerous passages, the ghost of an ancient soldier is sometimes seen.
From the walls of the castle, where ancient cannons still stand, you can see all the fields of the great battles for the fortress. From here there is a view of the River Forth and the Wallace Monument, the ancient Church of Hollyrood, the cemetery at the foot of the fortress and the city that has long been located near the castle walls.
There is no need to recreate the medieval atmosphere in the town; the road leading from the castle to the town is surrounded by old houses and their ruins. The central street of the city retains its medieval spirit, despite the fact that many houses here were built already in the 20th century, they have retained the style and architecture of the 16th-17th centuries; Without knowing the details, you won’t guess that you’re seeing a remake. For example, in the building called Tolbooth, you can see traces of 18th-century masonry and traces of restoration highlighted in brown brick.
However, walking along the ancient streets, you no longer pay attention to cars, modern signs and road signs symbols of modernity, organically blending into the city of the 18th century, miraculously transferred to the 21st century.
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