Medeco strives to lock out criminals

Deadbolts, padlocks, ratchet locks. The Salem-based high-security lock company Medeco makes them all but is constantlyupgrading and inventing new products to keep up with creative break-in methods.

"We make locks that are highly resistant to many different formsof attack: physical force, surreptitious entry, covert entry,picking, drilling, bumping," said Clyde Roberson, director ofinternational sales and field services at Medeco. "The way we keepour reputation as a leader in the field is by continuously makingsecurity improvements."

Roberson said more sophisticated tools and the ability to shareknowledge over the Internet have changed the way criminals breaklocks, and the industry has to constantly work to stay ahead.

In 2009, Medeco discovered a new way people were breaking intotubular deadbolts, used commonly on residential doors, and began acounterattack.

"We had a design change within a week of discovering that attack,that we were actually producing and shipping out," Roberson said.

The new deadbolt lock is designed so that even if somebody triesto break the deadbolt connection, it still prevents the culpritfrom opening the lock. Even if the connection between the cylinderitself and the tailpiece that pulls back the bolt is severed, thepieces remain connected and can't be opened without the key.

Many patents that Medeco files are product improvements orsecurity enhancements. The company also patents brand-newtechnologies, such as key control, which keeps people from makingkey copies without permission. The most recent push is forelectromechanical door locks, which can be controlledelectronically.

Medeco sells its products in 35 countries to customers rangingfrom high-security government clients such as the White House andthe Pentagon to commercial users such as airports, universities andbusinesses. The company also provides residential security, whichis the most likely market for the new deadbolt.

"There are a lot of residences that use Medeco because they havethe same concerns if they give a key out to a contractor, a babysitter, a maintenance person," Roberson said. "If it's a Medeco keyand they give the key out and get it back, they have somereassurance and feel comfortable that nobody has made that key andcould come back later."

Inventors: Glenn Hartman, Salem; Mark Benzie, Roanoke; DanBoadwine, Salem; Clyde Roberson, Salem; Doug Trent, Roanoke; PeterField, Salem.

Assignee: Medeco Security Locks Inc., Salem.

Title: Cylinder lock assembly with a tailpiece rotationallycoupled to the cylinder plug

Patent No. and date filed: 7,895,865; Aug. 14, 2008