US2724959A - Key - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 29, 1955 J. YOUNG ETAL KEY Filed Feb. 18, 1954 INVENTORS Juuu! yawn 6 United States Patent KEY Julius Young, Detroit, and Benjamin W. Colman, Berkley, Mich., assignors to Pakko Laboratories, Inc., Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application February 13, 1954, Serial No. 411,113

8 Claims. (Cl. 70-408) This invention relates to a key or key blank, and more particularly to a key or a key blank having a handle or grip portion designed in a manner that makes possible reproduction of the key from the handle or grip portion itself.

A principal problem in keys for automobiles, padlocks, door cylinder locks, machine and cabinet locks is the fact that when a key stem is broken in a lock the only way to replace the broken key is to use a second duplicate key as a master key for making more of them, or send to a key service or factory key station for duplicates of the broken key. If a duplicate key is not available then resort to factory key stations for duplicates is a long time delay. The alternative is to remove the lock and replace it with a second lock having a set of new keys therefor.

It is this costly and time consuming failure that is completely avoided by the instant invention that provides a means in the handle or grip portion for duplicating the design of the key stem. It is not necessary to obtain a duplicate key to make others or to go beyond the instant broken key itself for a means of obtaining the duplicate keys. The means to duplicate the broken key stem is the handle or grip portion itself. These advantanges and structural features are among the objects of the invention.

Other features of the construction will become more apparent as the description of the invention unfolds below. For a visual understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing made an integral part hereof, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the key of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a rear side elevational view of the key of Fig. 1.

As shown in the drawing, the key 10, or a key blank, comprises a stem portion 12 and a handle or grip portion 14.

The stem portion 12 consists of a section containing the notches 16, the notch web 18, the lock slide grooves 20, and shoulder stop portion 21.

The handle portion 14 comprises a web portion 22, which may contain the key ring hole 24 or not as desired, and the notches 16, notch web 18', lock slide grooves 20, and shoulder stop portion 21, identical with those of the stem portion 12.

A stop groove 26 is provided in one face of the key handle or grip portion 14 as a stop means or location groove for key cutting machines. It is recommended that these machines be provided with a male form that seats in stop groove 26 so as to properly locate the key master in making duplicate keys. A square cut stop groove 26 is one means of achieving this result, others being half-round or V-shaped grooves, slots, holes, ridges, etc., which may also be embodied in the handle portion "ice 14 to serve as stop or locatingmeans for duplicate key cutting. i

A slight modification of the invention and not illustrated in the drawing is where companion or even separate locks ,are used on a unit such as an automobile. For instance, many cars have one key for the door and ignition locks and a second key for the trunk lock. In such case, the notching of the key stem for the door and ignition locks can be cut into the handle or grip portion 14 of the key 10. for the trunk lock, and similarly the notching of the key stem for the trunk lock can be cut into the handle grip portion of the key for the door and ignition locks.

This arrangement permits one key to provide duplicates for both door and ignition locks and the trunk lock, whether one of the keys is broken or lost.

A slight modification of the key 10, in the direction of lower costs, provides for omitting the lock slide grooves 20 in the handle or grip portion 14, so that only the notches 16 are cut therein. Such a modification is suitable for automobile locks, which are identified by car and model in respect to the proper key blank and grooving. Only the notching and the master locating groove 26 is then required to completely out a duplicate automobile key.

It will be seen therefore that if the key stem 12 is inserted into a lock (not shown) and broken off therein, that a duplicate key can be easily and readily made by using the handle portion 14 as the master for the duplicate, since the handle portion 14 contains all of the elements required to duplicate the key stem 12 of the original key 10.

Having described our invention in the simplest terms, it is to be understood that the details of construction here disclosed may be varied in greater or lesser degree without departing from the essence of the invention.

We claim:

1. A key for a lock having a stem and a handle, said stem having a notched edge, an edge portion of said handle having notches identical with and in the same relationship as the notches in said stem, said handle having a location groove in spaced relation to said edge portion whereby said handle is related to said notched stern as a master therefor.

2. A key for a lock having a handle and a bitted stem, a portion of the handle having bittings identical with and arranged in the same relationship as the bittings on said stem, said handle having locating means in spaced relation to said handle bittings whereby said handle is related to said bitted stem as a master therefor.

3. A key for a lock having a handle and a notched stem, a portion of said handle having notches corresponding to and in the same relationship as the notches of said stem whereby said handle portion is related to the stem as a master therefor.

4. A key for a lock having a handle and a bitted stem, a portion of the handle having bittings identical with and arranged in the same relationship as the bittings on said stern, said handle having a locating groove in spaced relation to said handle bittings whereby said handle is related to said bitted stem as a master therefor.

5. A key for a lock having a handle and a bitted stem, said stem having slide grooves therein extending longitudinally of said stern, a portion of said handle having bittings and slide grooves corresponding to and in the same relationship as the bittings and slide grooves on said stem whereby said handle portion is related to the stem as a master therefor.

6. A key for a lock having a handle and a stem, said stern having slide grooves arranged longitudinally of said stem, a portion of said handle having slide grooves corresponding to and in the same relationship as the slide grooves of said stem whereby said handle portion is related to the stern as a master therefor.

7. A key for a lock having a handle and a stern, said stem having opposed edges longitudinally of said stem, one of said edges being notched, the other of said edges being free of notches, an edge portion of said handle having notches identical with and in the same relationship as the notches on said stem, said handle having locating means in spaced relation to said handle notches whereby said handle is related to said stem as a master therefor.

8. A key for a lock having a handle and a bitted stem, said stern having two opposed edges longitudinally of said stem and having slide grooves arranged longitudinally of said stem on the sides thereof, one of said 4 edges having bittings thereon, the other of said edges being free of bittings, an edge portion of said handle having bittings and slide grooves identical with and in the same relationship as the bittings and slide grooves on said stern, said handle having locating means in spaced relation to said handle bittings and slide grooves whereby said handle is related to said stem as a master therefor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,669,115 Anakin May 8, 1928 1,948,260 Fowler Feb. 20, 1934 2,197,673 Albertz Apr. 16, 1940

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