Time lock

Time lock

:"For the 1957-film, see Time Lock"A time lock is a locking mechanism commonly found in bank vaults and other high-security containers. The time lock is an auxiliary locking mechanism designed to prevent the opening of the safe or vault until the time lock unlocks the safe at a preset time and day, even if the correct combination(s) are known. Modern time locks utilize at least two independent clock mechanisms as a fail-safe system to guarantee the unlocking of the safe or vault in case one of the timers (called movements) fails. Time locks can typically be programmed from 4 to 144 hours.

Time locks were originally created to prevent criminals from kidnapping and torturing the person(s) who knows the combination, and then using the extracted information to later burglarize the safe or vault.

Time locks are not to be confused with time-delay combination locks, which will open at any time with the correct combination, but will not actually unlock until a set delay period elapses, usually less than one hour.


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  • Time lock — Time Time, n.; pl. {Times}. [OE. time, AS. t[=i]ma, akin to t[=i]d time, and to Icel. t[=i]mi, Dan. time an hour, Sw. timme. [root]58. See {Tide}, n.] 1. Duration, considered independently of any system of measurement or any employment of terms… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • time lock — ☆ time lock n. a lock with a mechanism that prevents opening before the set time …   English World dictionary

  • time lock — time′ lock n. mac a lock, as for the door of a bank vault, equipped with a mechanism that makes it impossible to operate within certain hours …   From formal English to slang

  • time lock — noun a lock fitted with a device that prevents it from being unlocked until a set time. ↘a device built into a computer program to stop it operating after a certain time. verb (time lock) secure with a time lock …   English new terms dictionary

  • Time Lock — Infobox Film name = Time Lock writer = Arthur Hailey Peter Rogers starring = Robert Beatty Betty McDowall Lee Patterson Vincent Winter Sean Connery director = Gerald Thomas released = 1957 runtime = 73 min. language = English imdb id = 0051084… …   Wikipedia

  • Time Lock — Filmdaten Deutscher Titel: Timelock Originaltitel: Timelock Produktionsland: USA Erscheinungsjahr: 1996 Länge: 87 Minuten Originalsprache: Englisch …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • time lock — noun Date: circa 1871 a lock controlled by clockwork to prevent its being opened before a set time …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • time lock — noun a lock, typically in on a door in a bank vault, that cannot be unlocked before a specified time …   Wiktionary

  • time lock — noun : a lock controlled by clockwork to prevent its being unlocked before a set time …   Useful english dictionary

  • time lock — a lock, as for the door of a bank vault, equipped with a mechanism that makes it impossible to operate the lock within certain hours. [1865 70] * * * …   Universalium

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