Could you please help me understand the technical (mechanical) difference in a relay functionality that offers a 'locking' or 'interlocking' relay feature setup.

Thank you for your insight.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interlock_(engineering)

For example, in a typical household microwave oven, the switch that disables the magnetron if the door is opened is not an interlock. Rather, it would be considered an interlock if the door were locked while the magnetron is on, and the magnetron were prevented from operating while the door is open.

Locking and/or interlocking normally refers to the functionality of the relay circuit(s) while the relay mechanical construction needed for the circuit might be Latching, Sequence, Impulse, etc ...
https://www.mouser.com/ds/2/357/105A_755-7090.pdf

 

Another typical example in industrial circuits for the interlock function is the reversing relay/contactor, where a contact on each opposing relay is used to prevent the opposite one picking up when one is already energized.
(one small error in the attched dwg is that the P.B.'s would have to be maintained switches)
Max.

 

interesting. can someone provide a better explanation for the question.

 

interesting. can someone provide a better explanation for the question.

One explanation example is the Locking function generally applies to a relay that is self locking in that it does not necessarily require power to stay activated, the interlock on the other hand is generally a safety feature where another function is locked out when the primary or partnered device is active.
Max.