More slot machine locks: Jennings, Mills, Ace, Yale, DUO

[David Walz]

I have some more slot machine locks, they need keys.
Jennings & Co Yale locks. A Yale pin tumbler, I have the pinning kit, depths, it's been the same for decades. It's more difficult to separate the back from the front but it can be done.
JENNINGS CLUB CHIEFS Ace locks, I have the pinning kit, with keys. Easy peasy
Mills Bell locks, ever since I took two apart, it's been a breeze. Easy peasy.

[shortrackskater]

My question is...
Who is this man without a body?! He looks Uncle Sam-ish. 

[David Walz]

My question is...
Who is this man without a body?! He looks Uncle Sam-ish. 

That's John Bull, my coffee Toby mug.  He originated in satirical works of the early-18th century and would come to stand for English liberty in opposition to revolutionaries.

[shortrackskater]

That's John Bull, my coffee Toby mug.  He originated in satirical works of the early-18th century and would come to stand for English liberty in opposition to revolutionaries.

He makes a great coffee mug! I see the similarities with Sam as well.

[David Walz]

That's John Bull, my coffee Toby mug.  He originated in satirical works of the early-18th century and would come to stand for English liberty in opposition to revolutionaries.

He makes a great coffee mug! I see the similarities with Sam as well.

 

[David Walz]

This is what I've gotten keyed up today.

7 Yale locks. The Yale locks were troublesome, having no keys, I had to shim the locks and that slowed me down. 
2 Mills locks. The Mills locks are easy peasy now, A unmolested lock is awesome. 
2 ACE locks. Those were a butt nugget as usual, in the past several decades I still haven't mastered having two hands for a three handed job. 

Time for a nap. 

[David Walz]

Interesting fact, I assumed that the Yale lock codes would be indicating the key blank. A example is ODJ 1800. I thought ODJ starting out was the key blank and then I learned that other locks that were different key blanks but the same ODJ prefix. One of those oh 💩 moments. Thankfully most of the locks are the same key blank.

Does that make sense?

[63mini]

 ODJ = Ode D. Jennings the founder.  So, the ODJ locks and keys are strictly for Jennings slot machines.

[David Walz]

 ODJ = Ode D. Jennings the founder.  So, the ODJ locks and keys are strictly for Jennings slot machines.

I don't know, sounds good, however, Yale locks back then were considered very secure, using spool top pins, 6 pin cabinet locks, quality brass, on slot machines, it was a beast. Yale was used a lot in vending machines, automotive, desks, file cabinets,  Rolls Royce, earlier Dodge automotive, padlocks, etc.

I can't locate the codes for the Yale ODJ series, Yale codes are prolific, so I just rekey them, faster, less guess work, and the key blanks don't get waisted.

[63mini]

 Some Jennings "ODJ" locks also have longer barrels on them so, a standard Yale lock will be too short to work on the "Chief" type machine back doors and cashbox.

[63mini]

 Also, to make life easier for you.  I notice that two of your locks are "ODJ 1800".  There is currently an ODJ 1800 key listed on eBay.  Not mine, but you normally do not see matching keys for these locks come up too often.

[David Walz]

Also, to make life easier for you.  I notice that two of your locks are "ODJ 1800".  There is currently an ODJ 1800 key listed on eBay.  Not mine, but you normally do not see matching keys for these locks come up too often.

Also, to make life easier for you.  I notice that two of your locks are "ODJ 1800".  There is currently an ODJ 1800 key listed on eBay.  Not mine, but you normally do not see matching keys for these locks come up too often.

I rekeyed all of the locks, easy peasy, I have experienced codes not working for these old locks, due  being rekeyed, or wrong code. One of the locks had a drill bit broken off, that was a dead soldier. Everything else worked out well, the Mills locks are easy peasy since I have a system now. No butchered cylinders.

So I had: Ace barrel locks, Mills locks, Yale locks, everything is rekeyed, working really good, now I am waiting for the key blanks in the mail box.

[David Walz]

.

[David Walz]

Some Jennings "ODJ" locks also have longer barrels on them so, a standard Yale lock will be too short to work on the "Chief" type machine back doors and cashbox.

The Yale desk locks have different nose lengths. Size is also a factor, it is endless. Other manufacturers could have something, it would take some research.

In 1868, the business was established in Stamford, Connecticut, by Henry R. Towne and Linus Yale Sr., an inventor renowned for creating the pin tumbler lock. Initially known as Yale Lock Manufacturing Co., the company later adopted the name Yale & Towne, with its base in Newport, New York.[3]

[David Walz]

Interesting fact.
Eagle Lock Company was the parent company of Bell locks. Bell locks were the parent company of Mills locks. That's confusing!

[David Walz]

More locks rekeyed.

I just got another shipment of slot machine locks. Each lock manufacture has it's own unique assembly.

Yale locks are a bugger to shim open with the spool pins. They are a six pin lock, which is unheard of today, and the keys are unique.
ACE locks, well they are held together with a pressed pin and if you don't drill the pin just right you are in a world of 💩.
National pin tumbler locks are similar to the Yale.
Mills is not all that bad since I remembered a lot from my youth working on them. The most important thing is making scribe marks for disassembling each lock parts. If not you will be in a world of 💩. The variation of Mills locks is another factor that can cause a hiccup also.
The real challenge is the DUO locks, that is the most difficult lock to make keys for with the opposing tumblers, The hidden wire ring holding everything together, it's a nightmare. I am still trying to re-engineer the lock assembly and my options are limited.

[David Walz]

More locks to be rekeyed continued.

[David Walz]

Today I have everything rekeyed except the DUO locks. The major problem is that the plug has a snap ring holding the plug in housing. I really need to resolve this issue to be more efficient, secure, rekeying these locks.

[David Walz]

Well, I have got a lot of locks rekeyed.

The DUO is the only one that I can't do much with, they are extremely difficult to work on, I just fit a key to the locks. I had to make a fixture to take them apart and a cylinder set up fixture to assembly them.

[David Walz]

A lot of the locks are keyed alike, it's easier to keep everything constant, I have some key blanks coming in so duplicating them will be fast and easy.

This is one fixture to remove the cylinder. You can't remove the cylinder any other way, the lock mechanism is brittle, and will fall apart, I learned it the hard way. 

The other photo is the assembly fixture.