High Security Locking Devices A State-of-the-Art Report 15 U S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Bureau of Standards National Engineering Laboratory Center for Building Technology Environmental Design Research Division Washington, DC 20234 June 1981 Issued January 1 982 Prepared for: Civil Engineering Laboratory Naval Construction Battalion Center Port Hueneme, CA 93040 QC 100 .U56 NO. 81 -2233 1982 NBSIR 81-2233 HIGH SECURITY LOCKING DEVICES A STATE-OF-THE-ART REPORT John S. Stroik U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Bureau of Standards National Engineering Laboratory Center for Building Technology Environmental Design Research Division Washington, DC 20234 June 1 981 Issued January 1982 This work was sponsored by the Defense Nuclear Agency, under Subtask Code B99QAXRB202, Work Unit Code 06. Prepared for: Civil Engineering Laboratory Naval Construction Battalion Center Port Hueneme, CA 93040 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, Malcolm Baldrige, Secretary NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS. Ernest Ambler. Director Table of Contents Page Abstract v Preface vi Acknowledgments vi 1. INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Background 2 1.2 Goals And Objectives 2 1.3 Scope 3 2. REVIEW OF LOCKING DEVICES 4 2.1 General Description of Locks 5 2.2 Types Of Locking Devices 8 2.3 Lock Functions 12 2.4 Lock Grades 14 3. LOCK CLASSIFICATION 20 4. INSTALLATION TYPES 25 4.1 Methods Of Installation 27 4.2 Application 31 4.3 Purpose 31 5. OPERATION TYPES 33 5.1 Keyed Mechanical Operation 35 5.1.1 Warded Locks 35 5.1.2 Cylinder Tumbler Locks 36 5.1.3 Lever Locks 44 5.1.4 Magnetic Locks 46 5.2 Keyless Mechanical Operation 47 5.2.1 Manual And Passive Bolt Locks 48 5.2.2 Wheel Tumbler Locks 49 5.2.3 Coded Cypher Locks 50 5.2.4 Time Locks 51 5.2.5 Exit Devices 52 5.3 Electromagnetic Operation 52 5.4 Electro-Mechanical Operation 53 5.4.1 Manually Encoded 54 5.4.2 Electronical ly Encoded 55 i i i Table of Contents (con't) 5.4.3 Page Personal Characteri si tcs Verification System 58 5.5 Other Systems 59 6. COMPONENT CHARACTERISTICS 63 6.1 Bolt 65 6.2 Strike 68 6.3 Bolt Actuating Mechanism 69 6.4 Obstacle 70 6.5 Key/Code 71 6.6 Materials 73 6.7 73 7. SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATIONS & CONCLUSIONS 75 7.1 Summary 76 7.2 Recommendations 76 7.3 Conclusion 78 REFERENCES 81 GLOSSARY OF TECHNICAL TERMS 85 APPENDICES A. Annotated Bibliography 133 B. Standards And Specifications 139 C. National Organizations 145 D. Locksmith Schools 148 E. Master Keying 149 F. Selection of Materials For Lock Components 156 G. List of Manufacturers 159 IV ABSTRACT An investigation was made of available non-military literature and information on high security, unexposed locking devices used on doors in order to identify and document the present state of the art of these devices and systems. Locking devices were investigated both as overall systems and as sub-system components, with existing categories of lock types presented. A new classification system for locks is also presented as a framework for future research and development. Locks are classified by their installation, oper- ation and component characteristics. Intended to provide an overview of available commercial locking devices for the uninitiated researcher as well as anyone interested in the field of locking device design, the report also makes recommendations for future lock development. A glossary of technical terms is included together wth appendices containing an anotated bibliography, notes on master keying and annotated lists of standards, specifications, organizations and manufacturers. Key Words: Door security; entry control; hardware; locking device classification; lock operation, installation, and characteristics. Certain commercial equipment and sources are identified in this report in order to make it more useful to the reader. Such identification does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the National Bureau of Standards, nor does it imply that the equipment identified is necessarily the best or only available equipment for the purpose described. The points of view or opinions expressed in this report are those of the author or individuals to whom they are ascribed, and do not necessarily reflect the official positions of either the National Bureau of Standards, the Civil Engineering Laboratory or the Defense Nuclear Agency. v ; . , Preface This report, though limited in scope, provides a framework for understanding prime aspects involved in the design of high-security locking devices. In addition to investigating available literature, requests for information were sent to 282 manufacturers and distributors of equipment; 79 companies responded. Follow-up phone calls and visits were made to some users and manufacturers for additional information. Much information on locks is proprietary, therefore many manufacturers and distributors are not willing to submit anything more than catalogue sales information. This information varies widely in detail. Consequently some devices are more elaborately described than others. The reader is advised to pursue more detailed information on particular devices directly with the manufacturers Acknowl edgments In addition to the manufacturers listed in Appendix G, the author appreciates the assistance of the following individuals during the collection of information for this report: Russel Barber, Secret Service; Robert Barnard Department of Defense, Army; Marvin Beasley, Defense Nuclear Agency; Richard Blackmon, Nuclear Regulatory Commission; C. R. Bukholt, Department of Defense, Navy; L. D. Chapman, Sandia Laboratories ; Francis Chase, National Bureau of Standards; Jerry Connally; Lawrence Eliason National Bureau of Standards; Robert Ghetti, Department of Energy; Louis Ganzales, General Electric Tempo; Richard Hudnut, Builders Hardware Manufacturers Assoc. Allen LaPointe, Lockmasters; Milton Madsen, Sandia Laboratories Raymond Moore, National Bureau of Standards; Jake Rabinow, National Bureau of Standards; Bill Reed, Locksmith Ledger; Terry Ruddick, Central Intelli- gence Agency; Robert Ruhf, Department of the Treasury; G. W. Saunders, Underwriters' Laboratory; Harvey Schock; LaDonna Short, Department of Defense Army; Bruce Varnado, Sandia Laboratories; Russ Waller, Department of State; Stan Wakamiya, National Bureau of Standards; Robert Walker, Central Intelligence Agency; Joseph Williams, Sandia Laboratories. Special thanks to Stephen T. Margulis and Roy Clark of NBS for reviewing the manuscript and providing constructive suggestions, to Ana Salazar, Bebee Stroik and Brenda Kefauver for typing and proofreadi ng and Brian Pierman for his encouragement and support. Finally, particular recognition is given to Ken Gray and Hank Self of the Naval Construction Battalion Center (Port Huenene, California), together with Michael R. McWhirder, Cdr USN and Marvin C. Beasley of the Defense Nuclear Agency (Washington, D.C.) who conceived of, encouraged and managed this project. vi 1. INTRODUCTION Given the number of available locking devices, and the resulting confusion this can create for the uninitiated, this report presents the first systematic review of locking devices as a tool for further investigation and research. In prepar- ing this comprehensive examination of the state of the art of high security locking devices, the author has generated a classification system that subsumes the many existing groupings of locks. This lock classification is used as a framework for describing and illustrating the many factors that differentiate locking devices and affect their performance as part of security systems. 1 . This report has seven chapters followed by a glossary of technical terms and appendices. The first chapter describes the origin, goals and specific limitations of the scope of the overall project. The second chapter describes locking devices starting with conceptual approaches and leading to descriptions of operations of components and sub-components of locks. A classification of locking devices in chapter three forms a framework for relating lock design and operation factors. These factors are divided into installation types, operation types and component characteristics. Chapter four describes and illustrates the group of locks listed under Installation Types. The major grouping of locks entitled Operation Types is described and illustrated in chapter five. Chapter six includes descriptions of the lock component characteristics that are often used to differentiate or name particular groups of locks as well as simply explain the design of the component. These are suggestions for further research and development in chapter seven, together with a summary and conclusion. A glossary of technical terms follows, together with appendices on locating of further material 1.1 BACKGROUND Doors are the principal means of unauthorized surreptitious and forced entries into buildings/spaces. Doors are generally the "weak link" in a building security system and offer less penetration resistance than the other structural components except for windows. Thus, the doors on most existing nuclear weapons maintenance and inspection buildings and storage structures offer a much lower level of resistance to unauthorized entry than the structures in which they are installed. Relocking systems are available that will firmly lock the doors in place automatically if the doors are physically attacked. However, most doors are not now equipped with these mechanisms. By contrast, the typical standard high security locking system for the military (consisting of a "high security" hasp and padlock, in most installations) exposes the locking