Key duplication apparatus and method
AssigneeMachine Magic, LLC
InventorsJohn S. Titus, William Laughlin, John Evan Bolkcom
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In a method and apparatus for duplicating an original key, the keyway and keycode of the original key are measured and duplicated in a preform. The preform used in the duplication process need not include any keyway or keycode prior to the duplication process and, therefore, a single type of preform may be used in generating duplicates of many different types of keys. The apparatus may be automated to take the measurements of the original key and to cut the duplicate key, thus reducing the possibility of producing a nonfunctional duplicate.
Claims50
A method of making a key from a key preform, comprising:
- producing a control signal indicative of a first keyway of a first key;
- and
- forming a second keyway in the key preform using the control signal indicative of the first keyway.
A system for making a key from a key preform, comprising:
- means for producing a control signal indicative of a first keyway of the first key;
- and
- means for forming a second keyway in a key preform using an edge cutter in response to the control signal indicative of the first keyway.
A system for making a key in a key preform, based on a first key, the system comprising:
- an input device to receive input data related to a first keyway of the first key;
- a controller to store input data received from the input device and to generate shaping instructions using the input data;
- and
- a shaping device coupled to the controller to receive the shaping instructions and to shape a second keyway in the key preform using a cutting tool selected in response to the shaping instructions.
A method of making a key from a preform, comprising:
- producing a control signal indicative of a first keycode and a first keyway of a first key;
- and
- forming a second keycode and a second keyway in the key preform using the control signal indicative of the first keycode and the first keyway.
A method of making a key, comprising forming a keyway in a blank preform using a control signal indicative of a form of a first keyway in a first key.
A system for making a key from a key preform, using a first key, comprising:
- a key holder to hold the first key and the key preform;
- a measuring device to measure a first keycode and a first keyway of the first key;
- a controller to store key measurement data received from the measuring device and to generate shaping instructions using the measurement data;
- and
- a shaping device to shape a second keycode and a second keyway in the key preform according to the shaping instructions, one of the shaping device and the key holder being movable relative the other of the shaping device and the key holder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.