Pin Tumbler Locks - What they are and how they work

Pin Tumbler locks are also known as Yale locks because they are manufactured and created by the world-famous Yale brand. Pin Tumbler Lock uses a locking mechanism that utilizes pins of varying lengths to secure the lock and prevent it from being opened by the wrong key. It is well known that cylinder and radial locks usually contain marbles.
 
There are generally two main types of Pin Tumbler Lock that can be found on the market. They are In-Line Pin type (In-line PT) and Radial pin type (RPT). The pins of the RPT are arranged radially and are engaged or unlocked using a circular key. The In-line PT, on the other hand, has pins arranged In a straight Line and uses mostly flat keys.
 
How does the Pin Tumbler Lock work?
A Pin Tumbler Lock consists of a series of piles of marbles that are pressed with the aid of a spring. Each stack needs to be raised properly so that the pins are dislocated at the shear line. If all the pin sets are separated, the mechanism's plug can easily rotate and engage the locking bolt to unlock or lock the door. Because of this design, the wrong key will not be able to be inserted into the locking mechanism, which will make the plug of the mechanism unable to be rotated using the fake key.
 
Pin Tumbler Lock design
The design of the regular Pin Tumbler Lock utilizes the edge of the blade as the primary bite area. Subtle changes and upgrades to the location of Pin Tumbler Lock components have led to a more modern Pin Tumbler Lock design. Examples of the modern design are axial/tubular locks and pit locks.
 
Most pins are mounted in cylinder locks. A cylinder Lock can be identified by its housing and cylindrical holes, which can be inserted with a Pin Tumbler Lock of your choice. But in order for the lock combination to truly work together to lock and unlock the door, the plug inserted must be able to rotate in its cylindrical housing.
 
The Pin Tumbler's locking mechanism consists of a key pin (bottom pin), a drive pin (top pin), a plug, a cylinder, a spring, and a CAM.
 
How safe is a Pin Tumbler Lock?
Our experienced London locksmiths usually recommend Pin Tumbler locks as they are affordable and resistant to extreme weather conditions. They are also good at preventing drilling. But like most locks, they are vulnerable to lock picking, lock picking, key bumping and prying guns. Therefore, it is best to use the Pin Tumbler in combination with other locks for increased security.
 
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