Strange Yale key

[oldbiscuit]

Does anyone have an idea as to what the strange Yale key pictured would be for?

[Dean Nickel]

There are two things that come to mind when I see a notch in the bottom of the key. One it is for removing core of some type such as used with Almont padlock. The other is for a switch lock or some special type lock that needs a special tip. When I look at that one I would lean to the second one. There is one more that it might be, A hotel bypass key for when the customer has locked the door and this is the override key.

[Pschiffe]

There are two things that come to mind when I see a notch in the bottom of the key. One it is for removing core of some type such as used with Almont padlock. The other is for a switch lock or some special type lock that needs a special tip. When I look at that one I would lean to the second one. There is one more that it might be, A hotel bypass key for when the customer has locked the door and this is the override key.

The width of the blank leads me to suspect that it may have been for a cabinet lock of some sort using the old .40" dia. plug and .101" dia. pins.

Pete Schifferli

[Dean Nickel]

I look at it again and I notice that there are 3 or 4 pin chambers, 3 noticeable cuts that is. That would lend itself to the cabinet lock or switch lock idea.

[oldbiscuit]

Your guess is as good as mine guys.I've never seen a Yale blank that long and the extra notch on the top side threw me. But you could be right in that it's a switch key.

[BBE]

Your guess is as good as mine guys.I've never seen a Yale blank that long and the extra notch on the top side threw me. But you could be right in that it's a switch key.

Keys of that length and with that kind of notch were commonly used in Phelps and Simplex time recorder locks. Different keys would have the unnotched portions in different places and the unnotched part would activate the recorder to indicate which key operated the lock. Those locks typically had a spool of paper inside upon which the date and time of operation was recorded along with the indication of which key operated. I would tend to think that key was for a Simplex time recording lock as Phelps was just a little different.
BBE.