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US 6,134,928 AGranted
Method and apparatus for decoding lock cylinders
OwnerSamuel Kanginventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for decoding locks having a guide member, an alignment member, a reader, and a recording medium, which a guide member is inserted into a lock to open the lock to receive an alignment member which aligns the tumbler members of a lock, thereby permitting a reader to be inserted into the lock, and withdrawn therefrom to cause a displacement of a pivotally connected reader arm which records an image of the lock profile on a recording medium.
Claims13
An apparatus for decoding a lock, comprising:
- a) a guide member selectively positionable in the keyhole of a lock;
- b) an alignment member for insertion into a keyhole of a lock to move lock tumblers against their normally inwardly spring biased positions;
- c) a reader having an arm which is pivotally connected thereto, wherein said reader is adapted for insertion into a keyhole of a lock;
- d) recording means positionable on the guide member and being provided to record the position of said pivotally connected arm of said reader relative to a lock tumbler;
- e) wherein said reader is movable relative to said guide member from a first position through a range of positions;
- and
- f) wherein said recording means records the position of said reader arm relative to said guide member and relative to said lock tumbler;
- and
- g) a recording member comprising a stylus being carried by the arm of the reader and movable therewith to produce an image corresponding to the profile of a key on said recording means.
6 more elements
An apparatus for decoding a lock, comprising:
- a) alignment member for moving the lock tumblers against their normally inwardly spring biased positions;
- b) reader means having an arm which is pivotally connected thereto;
- c) recording means provided to record the position of said pivotally connected arm of said reader means;
- and
- d) guide means for guiding the alignment means and the reader means within the lock, said recording means being carried on said guide means;
- e) wherein said reader means is movable relative to said guide means from a first position through a range of positions corresponding to a keyhole of a lock to be decoded;
- and
- f) wherein the reader means is provided having a body portion having an elongated portion extending therefrom, and wherein the reader means is provided having a cross-sectional thickness corresponding to the keyhole of the lock to facilitate reading of the tumbler positions thereby.
5 more elements
An apparatus for decoding a lock, comprising:
- a) a guide member having a body portion with an arm extending outwardly therefrom for insertion within a lock;
- b) an alignment member having a body portion and an elongated portion extending from the body portion at one end thereof and having a sloped edge portion at the other end thereof for insertion into a lock;
- c) a reader having a body portion with an arm extending therefrom, the reader further including a needle member which is pivotally connected thereto for movement about its pivot axis, there being control means to control the pivot movement of the needle member, said control means comprising a spring member of which one end is connected to the reader body and the other end is connected to the needle member, said spring biasing the needle member into a first position wherein the needle member is aligned with the top portion of said arm, and being provided to be acted upon by a tumbler member when engaged by the needle member to cause a deflection of the needle member against the bias of the spring;
- d) recording means provided to record the position of said pivotally connected arm of said reader, said recording means comprising stylus means disposed in the needle member of the reader;
- and
- e) recording medium for storing an image transcribed by the recording means corresponding to a profile of a key, said recording medium comprising a paper disposed on the guide member;
- f) wherein said reader further includes a slot disposed therein, and wherein said stylus extends through said slot to communicate with the recording medium carried on said guide member.
4 more elements
A kit for decoding a lock comprising:
- a) a guide member;
- b) an alignment member for insertion into a key slot of a lock to move lock tumblers against their normally inwardly spring biased positions;
- c) a reader having an arm which is pivotally connected thereto;
- d) wherein said reader is movable relative to said guide member from a first position through a range of positions corresponding to the tumbler positions of a lock;
- and
- e) recording means associated with said guide member and being provided to record the position of said pivotally connected arm of said reader relative to a lock tumbler through said range of positions;
- f) wherein said recording means comprises a recordable medium, and wherein said kit further comprises a stylus carried by said reader arm for producing an image on said recordable medium.
4 more elements
An apparatus for decoding a lock, comprising:
- a) a guide member selectively positionable in a keyhole of a lock;
- b) an alignment member for insertion into a keyhole of a lock to move lock tumblers against their normally inwardly spring biased positions;
- c) a reader having an arm which is pivotally connected thereto, wherein said reader is adapted for insertion into a keyhole of a lock;
- d) recording means provided to record the position of said pivotally connected arm of said reader relative to a lock tumbler;
- e) wherein said reader is movable relative to said guide member from a first position through a range of positions;
- and
- f) wherein said recording means records the position of said reader arm to record the profile of a key corresponding to a lock being decoded;
- g) wherein said recording means comprises a recordable medium and a recording member comprising a stylus carried by said reader arm for producing an image on said recordable medium.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.