Electro-mechanical system for determining key cuts for tumbler and wafer locks
US6382007B1 · kind B1 · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 19, 2001 |
| Grant date | May 7, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 19, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T70/7797
- WIPO fieldCivil engineering
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
A system for decoding locks having a sequence of spring-urged sliding members such as tumbler pins or wafers includes a probe device having the general contour of a key having a head portion and a straight shank fabricated of electrically insulative material and terminating in a tip portion having an oblique ramp surface. A series of spaced apart electrical conductors embedded within the shank in parallel relationship extend from the head portion to the ramp surface where they emerge as electrical contacts. An electrical circuit which includes an electronic monitoring and display apparatus detects when a given sliding member touches a most distant electrical contact, thereby representing a travel distance. The travel distance is correlated with a particular pin or wafer to produce the key code for the lock.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.