KEY RECOGNITION DEVICE

1. Key recognition device for recognizing key shaft profiles, particularly of flat keys, characterized by an illuminating optical system for illuminating said key (S) shaft (SA) essentially transversely to the longitudinal axis of said key (S) a) at least on two sides at at least one characteristic measuring location (O) of a predetermined longitudinal coordinate of said key (S) and b) at least on one side across its entire length (1) and width (h), a first imaging optical system for producing an image of the transverse profile through light (L1 ) diffusely reflected generally longitudinally along said key (S) from said shaft (SA) at said measuring location (O), a second imaging optical system for producing an image of the longitudinal profile through light (L2 ) influenced by the entire said shaft (SA), a picture recording unit connected with the output of both said imaging optical systems and an analyzer (80) comparing the measured values of said longitudinal and transverse profiles of said key shaft (SA) with stored measured values of key blanks.