Key cutting machine with key tracing and electronic code cutting duplication modes

A key cutting machine having a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis for cutting a defined bit notch pattern into a key blank having a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis, a length, a blade for receiving the defined bit notch pattern, and a tip, wherein the configuration of the defined bit notch pattern is specified either by a digital data signal or by a bit notch pattern in a blade of a master key having a longitudinal and a lateral axis, the key cutting machine comprising:

• a. a laterally displaceable cutter head including a key follower and a spaced apart cutter wheel;
• b. a motor for rotating the cutter wheel;
• c. a key positioning fixture including
• i. a first key positioning fixture for aligning the longitudinal and lateral axes of the master key with the longitudinal and lateral axes of the key cutting machine, for aligning the master key bit notch pattern and the key blank blade relative to each other and for defining first longitudinal and lateral index positions relative to the master key blade;
• ii. a second key positioning fixture for aligning the longitudinal and lateral axes of the key blank with the longitudinal and lateral axes of the key cutting machine and for defining second longitudinal and lateral index positions relative to the key blank blade;
• d. a longitudinal displacement element for longitudinally displacing the cutter head and the key positioning fixture relative to each other;
• e. a first electronic position sensor for measuring the longitudinal position of the cutter wheel relative to the second longitudinal index position and for generating a cutter wheel longitudinal position signal which defines the longitudinal position of the cutter wheel relative to the key blank blade;
• f. a lateral displacement element for laterally displacing the cutter head and the key positioning fixture relative to each other;
• g. a second electronic position sensor for measuring the lateral position of the cutter wheel relative to the second lateral index position and for generating a cutter wheel lateral position signal which defines the lateral position of the cutter wheel relative to the key blank blade;
• and
• h. a mode control system for selectively operating the key cutting machine in either
• i. an analog mode in which the lateral displacement element is disabled and in which the key follower engages the master key bit notch pattern and laterally displaces the cutter wheel and the key blank blade relative to each other as the cutter head and the key positioning fixture are longitudinally displaced relative to each other to mechanically trace and duplicate the master key bit notch pattern in the key blank blade;
• or
• ii. a digital mode in which the lateral displacement element laterally displaces the cutter wheel and the key blank blade relative to each other in response to the digital data signal and the longitudinal and lateral cutter wheel position signals as the cutter head and the key positioning fixture are longitudinally displaced relative to each other to electronically duplicate the defined bit notch pattern in the key blank blade without reference to the master bit notch pattern.

A key cutting machine having a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis for cutting a defined bit notch pattern into a key blank having a length, a blade for receiving the defined bit notch pattern, and a tip, wherein the configuration of the defined bit notch pattern is specified either by a digital data signal or by a bit notch pattern in a blade of a master key, the key cutting machine comprising:

• a. a laterally displaceable cutter head including a key follower and a spaced apart cutter wheel;
• b. a motor for rotating the cutter wheel;
• c. a key positioning fixture including
• i. a first key positioning fixture for positioning the master key to establish engagement between the key follower and the master key bit notch pattern at a first longitudinal index position to longitudinally align the master key bit notch pattern and the key blank blade relative to each other;
• ii. a second key positioning fixture for positioning the key blank to establish engagement between the cutter wheel and the key blank blade at a second longitudinal index position;
• d. a longitudinal displacement element coupled to the key positioning fixture for longitudinally displacing the key positioning fixture and the cutter head relative to each other;
• e. a position sensor for generating a cutter wheel position signal which defines the longitudinal and lateral position of the cutter wheel relative to the key blank blade;
• f. a lateral displacement element engaging the cutter head for operating in either
• i. an analog mode in which the key follower is laterally displaced by the master key bit notch pattern and the displacements of the key follower laterally displace the cutter wheel and the key blank blade relative to each other as the cutter head and the key positioning fixture are longitudinally displaced relative to each other to duplicate the master key bit notch pattern in the key blank blade;
• or
• ii. a digital mode in which the cutter wheel and the key blank blade are laterally displaced relative to each other by the lateral displacement element in response to the digital data signal and the cutter wheel position signal as the cutter head and the key positioning fixture are longitudinally displaced relative to each other by the longitudinal displacement element to duplicate the defined bit notch pattern in the key blank blade without reference to the master key;
• and
• g. a mode control system for selectively operating the key cutting machine in the analog mode to trace the master key bit notch pattern and to duplicate the master key bit notch pattern in the key blank blade or in the digital mode to reproduce in the key blank blade the bit notch pattern defined by the digital data signal without tracing a master key bit notch pattern.

A method for cutting a defined bit notch pattern into a key blank having a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis, a length, a blade for receiving the defined bit notch pattern, and a tip, wherein the configuration of the defined bit notch pattern is specified either by a digital data signal or by a bit notch pattern in a blade of a master key having a longitudinal and a lateral axis, comprising the steps of:

• a. providing a cutter wheel and a spaced apart key follower;
• b. aligning the key blank blade relative to the master key bit notch pattern or to an index position;
• c. longitudinally displacing the cutter wheel and the key blank blade relative to each other;
• d. measuring the longitudinal position of the cutter wheel relative to the key blank blade and generating a cutter wheel longitudinal position signal to define the longitudinal position of the cutter wheel relative to the key blank blade;
• e. laterally displacing the cutter wheel and the key blank blade relative to each other;
• f. measuring the lateral position of the cutter wheel relative to the key blank blade and generating a cutter wheel lateral position signal to define the lateral position of the cutter wheel relative to the key blank blade;
• and
• g. selecting an operating mode for cutting the defined bit notch pattern into the key blank by operating either
• i. in an analog mode in which the key follower engages the master key bit notch pattern and laterally displaces the cutter wheel and the key blank blade relative to each other as the key follower and the master key blade are longitudinally displaced relative to each other to mechanically trace and duplicate the master key bit notch pattern in the key blank blade;
• or
• ii. in a digital mode in which the cutter wheel and the key blank blade are laterally displaced relative to each other in response to the digital data signal and the longitudinal and lateral cutter wheel position signals as the cutter wheel and the key blank blade are longitudinally displaced relative to each other to electronically duplicate the defined bit notch pattern in the key blank blade without reference to the master key bit notch pattern.

A key cutting machine having a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis for cutting first and second defined bit notch patterns into a key blank having a length, a blade for receiving the first and second defined bit notch patterns, and a tip, wherein the configuration of the first and second defined bit notch patterns is specified either by a digital data signal or by first and second bit notch patterns in a blade of a master key, the key cutting machine comprising:

• a. a first laterally displaceable cutter head located on a first side of the longitudinal axis and including a first key follower and a spaced apart, rotatable first cutter wheel;
• b. a second laterally displaceable cutter head located on a second side of the longitudinal axis and including a second key follower and a spaced apart, rotatable second cutter wheel;
• c. a key positioning fixture including
• i. a first key positioning fixture for positioning the master key to establish engagement between the first and second key followers and the first and second master key bit notch patterns at a first longitudinal index position to longitudinally align the master key bit notch patterns and the key blank blade relative to each other;
• ii. a second key positioning fixture for positioning the key blank to establish engagement between the first and second cutter wheels and the key blank blade at a second longitudinal index position;
• d. a longitudinal displacement element coupled to the key positioning fixture for longitudinally displacing the key positioning fixture and the first and second cutter heads relative to each other;
• e. a position sensor for generating a cutter wheel position signal which defines the longitudinal and lateral position of the first and second cutter wheels relative to the key blank blade;
• f. first and second lateral displacement elements engaging the first and second cutter heads for operating in either
• i. an analog mode in which the first and second key followers are laterally displaced by the master key bit notch patterns and the displacements of the first and second key followers laterally displace the first and second cutter wheels and the key blank blade relative to each other as the cutter heads and the key positioning fixture are longitudinally displaced relative to each other to duplicate the master key bit notch patterns in the key blank blade;
• or
• ii. a digital mode in which the first and second cutter wheels and the key blank blade are laterally displaced relative to each other by the first and second lateral displacement elements in response to the digital data signal and the cutter wheel position signal as the first and second cutter heads and the key positioning fixture are longitudinally displaced relative to each other by the longitudinal displacement element to duplicate the first and second defined bit notch patterns in the key blank blade without reference to the master key;
• and
• g. a mode control system for selectively operating the key cutting machine in the analog mode to trace the master key bit notch patterns and to duplicate the master key bit notch patterns in the key blank blade or in the digital mode to reproduce in the key blank blade the bit notch patterns defined by the digital data signal without tracing bit notch patterns from a master key.

A key cutting machine having a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis for cutting a defined bit notch pattern into a key blank having a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis, a length, a blade for receiving the defined bit notch pattern, and a tip, wherein the configuration of the defined bit notch pattern is specified either by a digital data signal or by a bit notch pattern in a blade of a master key having a longitudinal and a lateral axis, the key cutting machine comprising:

• a. a cutter wheel;
• b. a key follower spaced apart from the cutter wheel;
• and
• c. a mode control system for selectively configuring the key cutting machine to operate in either
• i. an analog mode in which the key follower engages the master key bit notch pattern and laterally displaces the cutter wheel and the key blank blade relative to each other as the key follower and the master key blade are longitudinally displaced relative to each other to mechanically trace and duplicate the master key bit notch pattern in the key blank blade;
• or
• ii. a digital mode in which the cutter wheel and the key blank blade are laterally displaced relative to each other in response to the digital data signal as the cutter wheel and the key blank blade are longitudinally displaced relative to each other to electronically duplicate the defined bit notch pattern in the key blank blade without reference to the master key bit notch pattern.

A key cutting machine having a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis for cutting a defined bit notch pattern into a key blank having a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis, a length, a blade for receiving the defined bit notch pattern, and a tip, wherein the configuration of the defined bit notch pattern is specified either by a digital data signal or by a bit notch pattern in a blade of a master key having a longitudinal and a lateral axis, the key cutting machine comprising:

• a. a cutter wheel;
• b. a key follower spaced apart from the cutter wheel;
• c. a longitudinal displacement element for longitudinally displacing the cutter wheel and the key blank blade relative to each other;
• d. a lateral displacement element for laterally displacing the cutter wheel and the key blank blade relative to each other;
• and
• e. a mode control system for selectively configuring the key cutting machine to operate in either
• i. an analog mode in which the lateral displacement element is disabled and in which the key follower engages the master key bit notch pattern and laterally displaces the cutter wheel and the key blank blade relative to each other as the key follower and the master key blade are longitudinally displaced relative to each other to mechanically trace and duplicate the master key bit notch pattern in the key blank blade;
• or
• ii. a digital mode in which the lateral displacement element laterally displaces the cutter wheel and the key blank blade relative to each other in response to the digital data signal as the cutter wheel and the key blank blade are longitudinally displaced relative to each other to electronically duplicate the defined bit notch pattern in the key blank blade without reference to the master key bit notch pattern.

A method for cutting a defined bit notch pattern into a key blank having a longitudinal axis and a lateral axis, a length, a blade for receiving the defined bit notch pattern, and a tip, wherein the configuration of the defined bit notch pattern is specified either by a digital data signal or by a bit notch pattern in a blade of a master key having a longitudinal and a lateral axis, comprising the steps of:

• a. providing a cutter wheel and a spaced apart key follower;
• and
• b. selecting an operating mode for cutting the defined bit notch pattern into the key blank by operating either
• i. in an analog mode in which the key follower engages the master key bit notch pattern and laterally displaces the cutter wheel and the key blank blade relative to each other as the key follower and the master key blade are longitudinally displaced relative to each other to mechanically trace and duplicate the master key bit notch pattern in the key blank blade;
• or
• ii. in a digital mode in which the cutter wheel and the key blank blade are laterally displaced relative to each other in response to the digital data signal and the longitudinal and lateral cutter wheel position signals as the cutter wheel and the key blank blade are longitudinally displaced relative to each other to electronically duplicate the defined bit notch pattern in the key blank blade without reference to the master key bit notch pattern.