Method and apparatus for key origination
OwnerEric Anthony Perozzielloinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A retainer, that holds a group of precision, off-the-shelf components in relative alignment so as to allow a standard key duplicating machine to function as a key code origination machine is disclosed. A person of ordinary skill in pinning a lock and operating a key duplicating machine is able to practice the invention. An aspect of the invention is that an ordinary, inexpensive key duplicating machine can be converted to code-cutting functionality with minimal cost, requiring no adaptation of key duplicating machine. Also disclosed are methods of positional registration, machine error compensation, and notch shaping.
Claims9
An assembly for adapting a key duplicating machine to transform a key blank into an original key specified by a code, comprising:
- a retainer;
- a plurality of cavities in said retainer, disposed in a longitudinal direction;
- a plurality of slots in said retainer, substantially aligned with said cavities, said slots oriented perpendicular to both said longitudinal direction and to a transverse direction;
- a plurality of pins having a length calculated from said code, installed in said cavities, said slots extended above said pins in said transverse direction;
- whereby said retainer and said pins form a template for said key duplicating machine to trace, and thereby transform said key blank into said original key corresponding to said code.
A system to transform a key blank into an original key specified by a code, comprising:
- a key duplicating machine having a tracer and a cutter;
- a retainer having a plurality of cavities disposed in a longitudinal direction at a predetermined spacing, installed in a master vise of said key duplicating machine;
- a plurality of slots in said retainer, substantially aligned with said cavities, said slots restraining motion of said tracer and said cutter in said longitudinal direction;
- a plurality of pins having a length calculated from said code, installed in said cavities;
- whereby said retainer and said pins form a tracing template for said key duplicating machine to transform said key blank into said original key corresponding to said code.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.