Lock Outs, Lock Picking and General Locksmithing

[mothman]

PHOTO 1


PHOTO 2


PHOTO 3

The padlock in the above photos is a new master padlock as of January, 2007. Older padlocks may differ slightly, but the operation is the same.

The main components of a master padlock are 3 combination wheels, shackle, lever and a dial face. The dial face is numbered 0-39 and is the part used to interact with the user. The dial face controls 3 combination wheels, and each wheel represents a number in the combination for that particular padlock. Since there are 3 wheels, than there are 3 numbers in the combination. When the correct combination is input into the padlock, than the 3 combination wheels will be in a position where the gates on each wheel will line up and allow the lever fence to move into the gate on each combination wheel, far enough to release the shackle latch as the user pulls up on the shackle. Magic! The lock opens.

The drive cam wheel or the third combination wheel is permanently attached to the padlocks dial face and is shown in Photo 3. When you rotate the dial face you are also rotating the cam wheel. On the cam wheel is a protrusion called a drive pin that comes into contact with another drive pin on the second combination wheel. This causes the second combination wheel to rotate with the third combination wheel or cam wheel. On the opposite side of the second combination wheel is another drive pin that comes into contact with a drive pin on the first combination wheel, and this contact causes the first combination wheel to turn at the same rate and direction as the second and third combination wheels. In order for all combination wheels to rotate together, all the drive pins must be in contact with each other. When you first began inputting the padlock combination you want all the drive pins to be in contact with each other or all the wheels turning at the same rate and direction as the dial face, and this is why Master Lock says in the lock opening instructions to turn the dial to the right at least 2 times before stopping at the first number in the combination.

The drive cam wheel is shown in Photo 3, and the first and second combination wheels are shown in Photo 2. The second and first combination wheels are attached to the combination wheel shaft that is permanently attached to the padlock backing plate. Between the first and second combination wheel and on each side, are plastic washers. The plastic washers are used to create distance and smooth action between the wheels. Pressure from a spring is used to keep the first and second combination wheels held together, and a spline in created in the end of the combination wheel shaft to keep the wheels from falling off the combination wheel shaft. The first and second combination wheels are shown attached to the combination wheel shaft in Photo 1.

When the padlock is locked, the shackle is held into place by the padlock lever and a shackle latch. The shackle latch sits in a recess in the shackle. When you pull on the shackle it applies pressure to the shackle latch, and this pressure rotates the padlock lever. A small area of the padlock lever called the fence (not in photo, but is the part of the lever right underneath the end of the lever arrow in photo 3) is the part of the lever that contacts either the edge of the combination wheel or gate. If the padlock is locked, than the fence will come into contact with the outer edge of one or more combination wheels. This will prevent the lever from rotating and allowing the shackle to slip free from the shackle latch. If the correct combination is input into the padlock, than the combination wheels will be in a position where all the combination wheel gates fall almost direction underneath the lever fence. Now when you pull on the shackle the lever will rotate, and instead of the rotation being stopped by the fence coming into contact with the outer edge of one or more combination wheels, the lever fence will be allowed to move into the combination wheel gates, and this will allow enough movement for the shackle to free itself from the shackle latch, and the lock opens.

Be sure and read my other post about finding a lost combination to a master padlock. It can be found here:

http://www.keybitslockandkey.com/losangeleslocksmith/forum/viewtopic.php?t=196