Terminology when designing a suited lock system

[brightonkeys]

What is the difference between a 'differ' and a 'submaster' when it comes to designing a suite of locks for, say, a school?

 

Is one advantageous to the other?

 

Is one riskier than the other if a key was lost?

 

I thought I understood all this until someone at the wholesaler rocked the boat! I'm glad they did because it looks like I don't know what I thought I did...

[grahamparker]

Master suites usually follow this pattern.

 

Differ

Sub master

Master

Grand master

Great grand master.

 

You need to break them down.

 

It's like a family tree you start with the master at the top

Then you can have say sub suites a,b,c which have differs 1-4

 

So master fits all

Sub master a fits all in group a (same for b and c)

Differ a1 fits a1 only. Next differ is a2 and so on.

[Mick Friend]

like this

[brightonkeys]

like this

 

 

Drat. That's what I thought. The wholesaler was talking about something else. About a risk where if a differ key was lost all the cylinders would have to be changed but whereas if a submaster was lost that would not be the case.

 

Think I'll need to give him a ring...

[Mick Friend]

yes the higher the tree the more of a problem it is but a single room key no worries a section key on the lower level just change the rooms on that level - most cylinders could then be re-pinned to another sub master key