US 4,159,783 AGranted

Selector-dispenser of flat key blanks

AssigneeKis France

InventorSerge Crasnianski

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Abstract

A key blank selector-dispenser comprises a drum having a central axis aperture and several series of radial cells for receiving magazines of key blanks and contained in respective radial planes of the cylinder. The drum is rotatable by an electric motor having an electromagnetic brake. Key blank ejectors for each said series are provided in said aperture and are located in the same diametral plane of the drum. A control panel has a number of slots for insertion of specimen keys equal to the number of said cells. Means actuatable by insertion of a specimen key closes the motor circuit to start the motor. A cam on each series of cells operates a limit contact when a cell having a desired blank comes into the plane of the ejectors to effect stopping of the motor and actuation of the ejector corresponding to the series selected.

Claims15

Dependent claims

In an apparatus for automatic selecting and dispensing a key blank corresponding to a specimen key to be reproduced having

a rotatable drum structure (1)
radial cells (20) in each of which stacked blanks of the same model can be located provided in said drum structure;
and ejector means (27, 28, 32) for ejecting a blank opposite to which a cell, containing blanks of the selected type has been moved by a rotary movement of the drum structure controlled by insertion of a specimen key (40) to be reproduced into a template (35) formed with at least one slot (36) having, in cross-section, a form identical to that of the specimen key,
wherein in accordance with the invention, a number of superposed series of cells (20) are uniformly distributed on the periphery, of said drum structure (1), the cells of said series of cells being in vertical alignment, and each cell being capable to store a magazine (6) containing a supply of key blanks (7, 8) of a same type;
an electric motor (3) is provided connected to rotate the drum;
and a magnetic brake (33) is provided for blocking the motor when the drum has reached a preselected position;
said drum structure being formed with a central axially extending aperture;
a fixed support located within said aperture of the drum, the ejector means (27, 28, 32) being carried by said support and including one ejector device provided for each of said superposed series of cells,
all ejector devices being disposed in a same diametrial plane of the drum;
said template including a control panel strip (35), the number of slots (36) in said strip corresponding to the total number of cells, for introduction of specimen keys (40), said slots being arranged in groups each of which have the number of slots corresponding to the number of superposed series of cells;
means (37) controlled by insertion of a specimen key in a slot for establishing power supply to the motor circuit to start the motor (3), cam means (22) associated with each of said superposed series of cells, a cam operated switch (24) associated with each of said cam means to coact therewith when a selected cell containing a desired blank is brought in front of the ejector devices, and a relay controlled circuit means in which said switch is inserted for cutting off the motor (3), for operating the magnetic brake (33) and for operating the ejector means (27, 28, 32) corresponding to the selected one of said superposed series of cells.

8 more elements

An apparatus for automatically selecting and dispensing a key blank corresponding to a speciment key to be reproduced, comprising

a cylindrical rotatable drum (1) having a central axially extending aperture, said drum being rotatable about a fixed support located with said aperture, said drum being composed of a number of superposed rings defining individual radially-located cells (20) each cell being capable of storing a dispensing magazine (6) containing one or more identical key blanks (7, 8);
an ejector means (27, 28, 32) for ejecting a key blank from said dispensing magazine, said ejector means being fixedly located within said aperture of said drum and including individual ejector devices, at least one of said ejector devices being provided for each superposed ring of cells;
a drive means (3) coupled to said rotatable drum for rotating said rotatable drum relative to said fixed ejector means;
a braking means (32) coupled to said drive means, for quickly stopping rotation of the drum when the drum has reached a predetermined position;
and
a control means including a key pattern sensing means (35, 36, 37) electrically connected to said drive means, brake means and ejector means, which upon insertion of the specimen key, activates the drive means in accordance with the sensed pattern to selectively rotate said drum until the cell containing the required key blanks is aligned with the corresponding ejector device of said ring of cells, said control means being connected to deactivate the drive means and activate the braking means thereby stopping the predetermined cell in aligned position with said ejector device, and, uponactivation of said ejector device ejecting a key blank from said cell.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.