Disc tumbler lock

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The underside of a disc tumbler lock.
The underside of a disc tumbler lock.

The Abloy Disklock or Disc tumbler lock is a lock composed of slotted rotating detainer discs. A specially cut key rotates these discs like the tumblers of a safe to align the slots, allowing the sidebar to drop into the slots, thus opening the lock. Unlike a wafer tumbler lock or a pin tumbler lock, this mechanism does not use springs. From a security standpoint, the disc tumbler lock cannot be bumped. The lock was invented by Emil Henriksson in 1907 and manufactured by Abloy.

The lock is difficult to pick and is sold as a "high security" lock. Picking the lock requires a lot of time, a dedicated, professionally made tool and special expertise, but has been done. The locking mechanism can be also disabled destructively by drilling into the lock to destroy the sidebar. Anti-drilling plates can be installed to prevent this.

In areas of the world where this type of lock has historically been rare or unknown, the term disc tumbler lock is sometimes used to refer to wafer tumbler locks.

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