Tag Archives: technology

Technology of locks, padlock and security products

The most advanced padlock? The one-piece padlock made of special steel!

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There are special cases where it may be better to choose something else, like a marine padlock or one with a long shackle. There are cases where the level of security required cannot justify the cost. But if there are special needs and you can afford the price of a one-piece hardened, case-hardened and anti-corrosion treated steel padlock, this is definitely the most technologically advanced product in the field of mechanical padlocks.
One-piece steel padlocks, such as the Viro Monolith, represent an development of the armoured padlocks. In this case we are not dealing with steel armour which protects a brass body, but the entire body made of special high-strength steel. Continue reading →

5 things you need to know before buying or changing an electric lock

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Locksmiths know them well, as they are one of the most common causes of requests for their intervention. We are talking about electric locks which close the pedestrian gates and access doors. The are easy to use and secure, but far too often they are the source of problems . Problems which can largely be avoided by choosing an electric lock with the following features: Continue reading →

How an electric lock for pedestrian accesses works

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We do it every day. We push the button, the lock of the gate or door opens and we leave home. We don’t normally try to understand how the mechanism works, we are only interested in the fact that it does work. But when something fails, or when we need to buy a new lock, it is important to understand how things work, so you know what to do or what to choose.

In this short video we see what happens inside an electric lock for pedestrian accesses when the electrical pulse is given or the key is turned.

 

You can see the catalogue of Viro electric locks here

The anatomy of a padlock

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A good quality padlock is a small, high precision machine which, despite its small size, consists of many different components. Here we can see the different parts that make up a traditional rectangular Viro padlock (click the image for a larger view):

how_a_padlock_is_madeBesides the rectangular padlock there are also padlocks for chains and for roller shutters, which instead of a shackle use one or more rods:

A Viro padlock for chain A Viro padlock for roller shutterBut there are in fact many different types of padlocks: marine, armoured, monoblock, etc. We have already seen how to recognise a good quality padlock in general terms, in future blogs we will study in detail the characteristics of the various types.
Watch how Viro padlocks are made
You can see the catalogue of Viro padlocks here.

How many different keys exist for a lock?

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A rather widespread rumour tells of how the owners of a famous car, produced by a well known Italian car manufacturer in the 1980s, which was very often white in colour, often opened by mistake someone else’s car with their own key, when confusing it with their own car in a parking lot, maybe when leaving the cinema or a concert.
Maybe it is just an urban myth, but it does make one reflect on an important security issue: how many different keys exist for a given lock? In other words, what is the probability that a person in possession of a key can open another lock of the same type, as well as their own? This is not just a mere curiosity. There are situations in which this can actually happen. For example, there are dozens of mailboxes with the same lock in a large condominium: is it possible that a key can open more than one? Continue reading →