Abstract: The present invention relates to the simultaneous duplication of both the bit notch pattern and shoulder position of a master key onto a key blank. The key blank is longitudinally and laterally aligned relative to a key cutter. A master key is longitudinally and laterally aligned relative to a key follower. The key follower is then longitudinally and laterally displaced relative to the master key to trace the contour of the key master. The key cutter is simultaneously displaced relative to the key blank in an identical manner to reproduce the traced contour of the master key on the key blank and to longitudinally reposition the key blank shoulder to coincide with the relative longitudinal location of the master key shoulder by cutting away a portion of the shank to reduce the length of the shank.

Abstract: A key cutting machine having manual and automatic modes of operation includes a shaft, a pivotal carriage on the shaft with clamps for a master key and a blank key, the master key facing a tracer bar and the blank key facing a cutter. A spring acts between the carriage and the shaft and a latch system, operated by a trigger selectively locks the carriage and shaft for common rotation for a manual key cutting operation in which the force of the spring is disengaged from the carriage or unlocks the carriage and shaft so that the carriage is urged by the spring to bring the master key into contact with the tracer bar and the blank key into contact with the cutting. A drive system axially moves the shaft and the carriage therewith past the tracer bar and the cutter in the automatic key cutting operation.

Abstract: A key cutting apparatus having an arrangement for assuring substantially complete removal of cutting chips. A rotary cutting blade which engages a clamp held key is housed within an outer housing which is connected to a vacuum tube to draw off chips. In the front, in the vicinity where the cutting blade engages the key, a pair of sliding doors are provided, one on each side of the housing. These doors are spring biased forwardly into mating engagement with the front jaw surfaces of the clamp to seal off the two sides while permitting continued forward movement of the cutting blade, under the action of the spring, to effect cutting of the key. A flap may be provided to close off the top of the space between the two doors.

Abstract: A optical profile reader, particularly for key duplicating machines, incorporationg a photoemitter (16) positioned on one side of the profile (11) to be read, and a photodetector (21) facing the photoemitter (16), but on the opposite side of the profile to be read. Stepper motors (5, 8) are included for causing the profile (11) to be read to move orthogonal to the direction of a light beam striking the profile to be read. An electronic circuit controlled by the output signal of the photodetector (21) is also provided. The electronic circuit uses a threshold discriminator (25) set at a value between the values corresponding to the maximum and minimum illumination states of the photodector (21). The threshold discrimination circuit (25) also controls the operation of the stepper motors (5, 8).

Abstract: A key duplicating device includes a movable carriage having a key tracer and a key cutter in mutually spaced relation, the carriage having a drive assembly for shifting the carriage relative to a pair of turrets for holding a key to be duplicated at a tracing station and a key blank to be cut at a cutting station. The device is characterized by each of the turrets including a pair of vises moveably mounted relative to the frame and detented whereby one vise of each turret is aligned at a respective cutting or tracing station and the other vise is displaced from such stations whereby the other vise may be loaded with a key and key blank while the machine is cutting and tracing the blank and key located at the respective cutting and tracing stations.

Abstract: A cam feed attachment and a quick space attachment for a code key and key card coded cutting machine enabling a fifty percent time saving in cutting code or master keys with much less effort and with as high a degree of precision. A thread advancing key moving shaft, collar and turn wheel assembly is replaced by a rotational shaft mounting a compound quick action cam manually rotated by a lever mounted on an adjustably position locked cap. The compound quick action cam key moving assembly quickly moves the key clamp vise from the retracted position where the key is clamped in the advanceable machine key vise to a shallow cam drive portion for manual key advancement for key notch cutting to specific card indicated key notch depth cuttings. The pivotally mounted advanceable machine key vise member is extended through a double range where one or the other of two cam sides of the shallow cam drive portion may be used with the manual rotational direction of control reversed one from the other.

Abstract: An adaptor for converting a conventional straight cut key duplicator into one capable of executing both straight and angular cuts. The angular cuts are necessary in duplicating MEDECO and EMHART type keys. The adaptor mounts to the vise grips of a conventional machine. It comprises a back plate and a front plate that is pivotally mounted to the back plate. A key vise is mounted to the front plate and is adjustable by means of an adjustment screw and a fine adjustment collar. The pivoting motion of the front plate allows for the angular cuts to be made on a key held in the adaptor. A set screw that mates with a plurality of apertures on the back plate holds the front plate in position at the desired angle.

Abstract: A key cutting apparatus for reproducing a pattern key onto a key blank while reproducing the pattern key without the copying errors and wear conventionally found on pattern keys. The cutting apparatus comprises a frame, a space adjusting portion movably attached to the frame, a depth adjusting portion movably attached to the space adjusting portion, and a cutter. A depth code plate and a space code plate are removably fitted to the space adjusting portion.

Abstract: A key manufacturing machine utilizing a drilling assembly adapted to perform a drilling operations including a rotating assembly having a number of attaching block assemblies circumferentially spaced at its top portion. Each of the attaching block assemblies has a setting wheel which includes an integral wheel part and a shaft part, and which is turnable to set a desired position. A number of set screws are each disposed within a corresponding threaded hole on the wheel part of the attaching block assembly to be adjustable to respective depths. A sensing device is utilized to sense the depth of each set screw for controlling the drilling depth during the drilling operation.

Abstract: A key cutting machine capable of duplicating a key blank from a master key and cutting a key blank to form a desired key from a lock manufacturer's code or number governing the depths of the cuts and the spaces between them being formed in the key blank. The key cutting machine having a plurality of interchangeable discs each of which has a plurality of depth cut-outs arranged circumferentially on one of its sides corresponding with the key cut-out depths specified by various key and lock manufacturers and having a plurality of interchangeable spacing keys, each of which has a plurality of longitudinally spaced configurations arranged in various different patterns in accordance with various key and lock manufacturer's code or identifying number.

Abstract: An inexpensive, portable hand-operated code key cutter is disclosed for reliable precision shear cutting of almost all common types of cylinder-lock keys comprising a body, a reciprocating punch, a pivoted hand lever, a cam-set holder movable vertically and laterally on said body and having a carriage for supporting the key blank, a punch rod with ratchet teeth and a driving pawl pivotally mounted on the hand lever near the main pivot axis, pawl-and-ratchet means for preventing retraction of the punch when the hand lever is released, a manual trip lever for releasing the pawls, a pivoted cam lever for lowering the cam-set holder in response to movement of the punch rod, and a cam lock for holding the cam lever in a fixed position during cutting. The house-key code cutter is capable of cutting to close tolerances and is remarkably well suited for use by the typical locksmith.

Abstract: A machine for coding or duplicating a pattern of bits onto a key blank employs a locator block which forms reference slots for receiving a key to be duplicated. A template having a matrix of openings which correspond to possible pre-established bit locations is positioned in registration with the key receiving slots. A depth gauge is employed so that a guide selectively seated in a bit defining cut-out of the pattern key indicates the correct incremental depth of the bit to be duplicated. A cutter having a preestablished relationship to the depth gauge guide is employed to obtain the correct cutting depths for the key blank bits.

Abstract: A pantograph angular bitted key cutting machine is provided which facilitates the replication of angular bitted keys, commonly known as MEDECO.RTM. keys by automatically replicating the position, depth and angularity of each tooth. Accurate angularity, the most difficult of the variables to replicate, is assured by ensuring that the center of rotation of the angular tooth wall is perpendicular to the radius of the cutting head. Two major embodiments are provided. In the first, the cutting head and the guide which aligns with the original key are fixed in the same line. In the second embodiment the guide and the original key are placed directly behind the cutting head and the blank duplicate key.

Abstract: A cavity key duplicating machine having an upright drill which may be moved upward and downward and has an adjustable stroke, an upright guide which may be moved upward and downward together with the upright drill, as well as the left and right vises secured on an upper carriage slidably secured on a lower carriage slidably secured on a base. A ring-shaped stroke adjuster is releasably secured on a pinion shaft rotatably secured on a case, and having an inner pin formed thereof in order that the inner pin can be stopped by a fixed pin mounted on the side of the case when it is rotated by the pinion shaft for the control of the stroke of the upright drill.

Abstract: An automatic key cutting machine having a key carriage can be pivotably moved by means of a torsion spring, and can be moved leftward and rightward along a guide rod by means of a reversible motor as well as a pair of microswitches in order to effect the key cutting automatically. A snap lock is provided on the key carriage for enabling the latter to be locked in such a position that the key blank is moved away from the milling cutter for the convenience of releasing the key sample or securing the key blank on the key carriage.

Abstract: A machine for cutting a contoured edge into a key blank according to a predetermined guide surface. The key blank is mounted in a vise located at one end of a fixture which has means for establishing the guide surface at a second end. The fixture is journaled on a stationary shaft for pivoting about and horizontally sliding along the shaft. A cutting wheel is journaled for rotation on an arbor and is arranged to be engaged by the key blank as the fixture is moved. A stationary stylus is arranged to contact the guide surface to control the pivoting movement of the fixture. A spring urges the fixture to pivot in one direction to cause the stylus to contact the guide surface and the cutting wheel to cut into the key blank in accordance with the guide surface as the fixture slides horizontally along the shaft. The guide surface comprises a series of rotatable disks aligned on a shaft which have successive steps of different depths formed on a portion of the periphery of each disk.

Abstract: A chuck for a tubular key blank is mounted on one end of a plunger which is reciprocatable towards and away from an end mill, and which is also rotatable between a plurality of angularly-spaced positions. An original key is used to reciprocate the plunger so as to push the periphery of the blank into the end mill for distances corresponding to the lengths of notches on the original key, and to turn the plunger to selected angular positions corresponding to the angular disposition of the notches.

Abstract: A key cutting machine formed of a non-movable, horizontal shaft and an L-shaped lever centrally journalled upon the shaft for sliding and pivoting movement. A vise mounted upon the end of the horizontal part of the lever holds a key blank. A stylus mounted upon the vertical end of the lever contacts and moves upon a guide surface. This causes the lever to pivot, to conform to the shape of the guide surface, as it moves in the direction of the shaft. A cutter blade mounted above the vise engages and cuts the blank in accordance with the lever movement. The guide surface is formed by a series of disks which are axially aligned about a horizontal axis that is parallel to the shaft axis. The adjacent disks are arranged in face-to-face contact with each other and are relatively rotatable about their respective axes.

Abstract: A key duplicating machine for tubular keys wherein a key carrier is mounted to axially rotate the tube of the key blank and longitudinally shift the tube for endwise movement into a rotary cutter and rotary indexing to successive cuts.

Abstract: A machine for cutting a key blank edge into a duplicate, predetermined key edge shape, which shape is identified by a code. The blank is clamped within a vise mounted upon one end of an elongated lever which has a stylus mounted upon its opposite end and is centrally journalled upon a fixed shaft for sliding movement along the shaft and for rocking about the shaft. A guide is positioned adjacent the stylus so that as the lever is moved along the shaft, the stylus contacts and moves upon the guide surface in a path parallel to the shaft. The guide surface is formed by clamping together in face to face relationship, a number of substantially identical, narrow, elongated, thin blades, each having a guide edge which is formed with successive steps of predetermined depth and length.