Duplicating machine, particularly for punched and laser keys

Details Duplicating machine, particularly for punched and laser keys Duplicating machine, particularly for punched and laser keys

1996-07-03

1998-11-10

Howell, Daniel W.

Gear cutting, milling, or planing

Milling

With regulation of operation by templet, card, or other...

409208, 409231, B23C 335

Patent

active

058334068

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a duplicating machine, particularly for punched and laser keys.


DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Punched keys and laser keys are known. Punched keys comprise a head and a shank in which a plurality of cavities of shape, dimensions and positions corresponding to the particular key pattern are formed. A key of this type is shown in FIG. 1.
Known laser keys comprise an inner longitudinal step parallel to the shank edges and carrying a pattern. A keys of this type is shown in FIG. 2.
Duplicating machines for these keys are also known. They generally comprises a base on which there are two clamps, one for the original key to be duplicated and the other for the blank key to be cut in accordance with the pattern present on the original key. In a position above the two clamps there is a vertically movable tool-holding carriage provided with an arbor for a cutter and an arbor for a feeler. In the case of punched keys the cutter and feeler ends are frusto-conical, whereas in the case of laser keys the cutter and feeler ends are cylindrical.
A drawback of known key duplicating machines, in particular those for punched keys, is that the various security cylinder manufacturers generally adopt very heterogeneous cavity dimensional characteristics (depth, cut base diameter, taper angle etc.) for keys of their own production, which means that a large number of tools (frusto-conical cutter and feeler) must be available for frequent changing on the basis of the type of punched key to be duplicated. This means that the duplication operations are somewhat slow and laborious.
A further drawback is that to achieve correct key duplication perfect alignment must be achieved between the feeler tip, which acts on the original key, and the cutter tip, which acts on the blank to be cut, this alignment requiring considerable precision in positioning the tools in the respective arbors, with the need to check the positioning.
A further drawback of known duplicating machines is that special implements are generally required for changing the tools, and in particular the cutter, so that the operator has to have them to hand and is obliged to use them, making tool change even more laborious.
A further drawback is that if duplicating worn keys, the key copy obtained is not a faithful reproduction of the new original but of the worn original.
A further drawback is that when the machine is used to duplicate punched keys, aligning the two tools results in them coming into simultaneous contact with the two keys, which can cause the cutter to operate on the blank key (the copy) before the feeler has completely entered the corresponding cavity of the original key, resulting in difficult position centering.
FR-A-2199493 relates to a key duplicating machine comprising a light optical system allowing to determine the orientation of the cavity by checking the maximum reflexion obtained when the optical system lights the bottom of the cavity.
In this device the feeler is adjusted in such a way that its end exceeds for some millimeters the end of the cutter so that the feeler is placed in the cavity of the original key before the cutter touches the blank key.


BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide a duplicating machine for punched and laser keys which allows the tools to be quickly and easily changed in relation to the different types of keys to be duplicated.
A further object of the invention is to provide a duplicating machine which enables the tool change to be achieved rapidly and accurately without having to use any implements.
A further object of the invention is to provide a machine in which any wear of the original key can be precisely and predeterminedly compensated.
A further object of the invention is to provide a duplicating machine in which the cutter can be located in its correct cutting position quickly and without uncertainty.
These and further objects which will be apparent from the following description are attained according to the invention through a

REFERENCES:
patent: 3388619 (1968-06-01), Scheiber et al.
patent: 3684939 (1972-08-01), Perry
patent: 4175898 (1979-11-01), Wood
patent: 4242019 (1980-12-01), Roch
patent: 4426179 (1984-01-01), Jefferson
patent: 4614465 (1986-09-01), Wu
patent: 4687389 (1987-08-01), Santii et al.
patent: 4750850 (1988-06-01), Husted
patent: 5128531 (1992-07-01), Fadel

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