US1674032A - Case for keys and the like - Google Patents

Description

June 19, 1928. 1,674,032

W. R. BUXTON Filed Feb. 8, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Jungle, 192s.

W. R.v BUXTON CASE FOR KEYS AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 8, 1925 A 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i MIM/QW ATTORNEYS Patented June 19, 92`8.

UNITED STATES WARNER E. BUXTON, or LONGMEADOW, MASSACHUSETTS.

`CASE FOR KEYS AND THE LIKE.

y Application filed February This invention relates to improvements in cases for keys or the'like and'is a further development of the invention disclosed 1n United States Letters Patent No. 1,261,692,

u granted to me on April 2, 1918.

According to this patent, the key retaining members are arranged in a single group and, in practice, this slngle group of members would naturally be used to retain all lo sorts of keys, including perhaps keys which are used only infrequently as Well as keys which may be used many times during a single day. Vhen one carries a" large number of keys, it is manifest'that, with the ari rangement described,A the selection of keys. of either class is hampered by thepresence of keys of the other class in the same group.

The general object ofthis invention is the segregation of the key retaining members into a plurality of groups to enable they user to classify his keys on the basis `of the frequency with which they arevused or on any other basis, according tothe Wishes and desires of the user. i

More particularly, it is an object ofthe invention to provide in a key case a number of key retaininor members of a construction such as to enable the userto arrange them into a'plurality of groups or to locate one 3o or more yof them in various locations in the key case to` suit his own convenience.

Another' object of the invention is to provide in a key case having a plurality of groups ofV key retaining members, means for normally holding each group of members and their keys frominovement out of the case, said means arranged so that either group of members can be released for movement into and out of the case without `releasing the other group.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a keycase, improved key retaining members each of 4which is provided with an individual support adapted for attachment to the case,-characterized in that the key holders may be variously located in the case, as desired, and spacedand grouped in vari? ous ways to suit the pleasure of the user.

Another object of the invention is to pro' vide an improved individual support fon a key retaining member, consisting of a `one piece metal stamping, provided with bearing means for pivotally supporting a single key retaining member and other means for attaching it to the ke case. Y

A further object o the invention is to pros, 1923. seria; No.y 617,788.

vide asupport, of the genera-l character just alluded to, which is provided with improved bearing `means to support the keyretaining member for both pivotal and swivelling movement. y

Other' objects and advantages will appear in the following description Yand in the illustrative embodiment of the invention in the accompanying drawings, in which `4 Figs. l and .2 are top` plan and front` pose one of the two groups of keyretaining members;

F 1g. 7 1s a snnilar vlew showing the case open to expose the other group yof key retaining members;

Fig. S is a bottom plan view of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is asectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 7; l A

i0 10 is a vertical sectional view of a F thirda type of key case embodying the in`` vention;

Fig. 11 is aside elevational View of a closed key case like thatV shown in Figs. l2 or 10 illustrating the shape assumed byI the case after it has been in use for some time;

Figs. 12 and 13 are plan views illustrative of two successive steps in the manufacture of one ofthe individual supports "for the key retaining members;

Fig. 14 is an end elevationalI view show-r ing a third step in the manufacture of the support; l

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the completed support; and

Figs. 16 and 17 are fragmentary cross-* 1k sectional and front elevational views, respectively, ,showing the mounting of the supports in the key case and the mounting of the key retaining members in their supports.-

Referring to these drawings;

cording to the broader features ofthe invention, be variously constructed, as desired. f Several different case constructionsl` have the case forming member of the key case may, ac-` lill been illustrated as examples and various other examples will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Likewise the key retaining members, which usually take the form of snap hooks, such as those indicated by le., may be variously constructed, as desired. The broader concepts otthe invention are largely independent ot' structural detail-i and relate more particularly to the segregation ot the key retaining members into a plurality of grou is. Thus, as shown in Figs. 3, 6, and 10, tiere are two groups ol key retaining members A and B and either group may be restrained, or rendered accessible, independently oi the other group by various means, which will hereinafter be described in full detail'.

iVhile this feature of segregating the key retaining members into two or more groups does not necessarily depend on the use o' any particular style ot' sul'iport 'for the key retaining members and the invention can be practised to a, certain extent with various types ot' supports, heretofore used in ordinary key cases, yet greater freedom tor the segregation is allowed by the use ot' an individual support tor each key retaining member. By so doing, one can control the number of units in a group according to his own particular will and' pleasure and, if these individual supports are so constructed as to be readily attached to, or detached trom, the' case by the user, as illustrated, the supports may be placed at any desired lo ations to suit the coi'ivenience and particular ideas otl the user.

In order to illustrate one suitable example of an individual support of the character just mentioned", reference is made to Figs. lf3 to 1T, inclusive. The support there shown may be constructed trom sheet metal b v romparatively simple punch pre-'s and bii'iding` operations. Thus, a blank ol tlat, thin metal having a relatively narrow strip i2() with a pointer prong 2l at one end thereof, is provided with substantially circular ears which are oppositely located at the other end of the. strip. The ears 2:2 are subjected to a punch press operation to produce contravities 23 therein, the surtaces ot which are portionsy oit spherical surfaces. The earifl are then bent upwardly toward one another. .from the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. M to that shown by i'ull lines. and in such a manner that the surfaces ot' the concavities 23 will coincide substantially with the surface of a common sphere placed between them. The strip is then bent backwardly upon itself, as indicated in Fig. lo, and the prong 2l upturned, as shown. rlhe strip 20. bent as shown in Fig. i5, can he applied to the key case in any desired position. as indicated in Figs. 1G and Y17,---the strip being eventually bent into substz-intialij.' U-shaped form and the prong 2l passing through the case to hold the device in place. The end ot this prong 2l may, it desired pass through an opening 2l in the strip 2li and be riveted in place, it a permanent connection is desired.

The concavities 523 form bearing means tor a. key retaining member, such as the snap hook L, and, as shown, are designed to receive an approximately spherical head 25 on the snap hook and permit the latter to swing in a definite arc-like path into and out of the key case as well as swivel in the socket provided by the ears 22. The head E25 is inserted between the ears 22 prior to the bending operation illustrated in Fig. l-i. The swivelling movement, while generallyl desired, is not necessarily essential according to all features ot' the invention. The hook z, is recessed, as at 2G, just below head 25 to provide a substantially cylindrical portion ot suitable width to pass out ol the socket in the space between ears 2.2, which portion can turn about its own axis to permit the swivelling movement. For a l'ull disclosure ot' one example ot' a suitable re taining member reference is made to my U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,439,863 granted December 26, 192:2.

The individual supports, with their key retaining members, may be applied in many ways and in various locationsl to any suitable kind ot' key case of the .same general class as that under consideration. There are, however, several types of key cases which are particularly useful tor the purpose of segregating the keys into groups and which, as is generally desired, have provisions made l'or restraining or releasing each group, when desired.

One ol tliese, key cases is shown in Figs. l to 5 inclusive and will now be described in detail. The case l'orming member consists ot a relatively long strip 3() oi' suitable inaterial, such as leather or the like, which strip is lfoldable along thc lines` 3l', 3Q, 33, and 3l, thus dividing the strip into several scctions. The central section 35, as at present contemplated, constitutes the supporting section 'lfor the key retaining members and groups it and B, oi the individual supports described, are applied at the upper and lower portions, respectively, ot section 35, so that the key retaining members of one group, as A, lie on the front face of this section and the members oi the other group, as B, lie on the back ot' this section. The section 3G constitutes a ilap to overlie and cover the front tace ot sect-ion and is provided with a tl'ap 3i', on which is secured a tast-ener 39, adapted to engage with a fastener 40 on a section il to releasably hold the covering flap in closure toi-ming relation with the front. face ot section rlhe section 4l is adapted to be tolded along line 33 rearwardly and backwardly upon the rear face of section 35 and is provided with a flap 42, which carries a fastener 43, adapted to engage with a fastener 44 on section 36 to releasably hold flap 41 in closure forming relation with the rear` face of section 85. The case, in completely closed position, is shown in Fig. 1 and bot-h groups of key retaining members are then restrained from moving out of the case. By detaching the fasteners 39'and 40, flaps 36 and 37 may be swung to the position illustrated in Fig. 4 to" expose" group A and release the keyretaining members thereof for swinging movement into and out of the case. Meanwhile, group B is restrained, as shown in Fig. 5. To release group B, the fasteners 43 and 44 (Fig. l) are disengaged and iiaps 41 and 42 swing outwardly, which of course, can be done without releasing group A.

A second form of case, having more the appearance of the usual key case, is shown in Figures 6 to 9,V inclusive. This case consists of a strip 45 having a central section 46 and foldable flaps 47 and 48 on opposite f sides thereof. Interengageable fasteners 49 and 5() are provided onthe iiaps and these flaps are ordinarily releasably held together in overlapping relation over the fl'ont face of section 46 bythe* fasteners in the usual manner. The flaps may, however, be folded rearwardly in overlapping relation over the rear face of section 46 and releasably held# in this relation by the same fasteners, which arrangement is illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 and is utilized for a urpose later to be described. overlying t e front face of section 46 is a flap 51 which is secured thereto at its upper edge in a manner such as to permit it to be swung upwardly and then rearwardly into overlying relation with the rear face of section 46, as yshown in Fig. 8, the flap 51 being releasably held in this position by the rearwardly folded flaps 47 and 48. Mounted on flap 5l near its upper and hinged end is a group A of key retaining members. When flap 51 is swung rearwardly as described, this group of key retaining members is carried with the flap and held between it and the rear face of section 46, as best shown in Fig. 9. The key case in Figs. 7 and 9 is shown inverted from the position shown in Fig. 6, for the purposeof bringing the second grou B of key retaining members into operative position. The members of group B are designed for keys which are used only infrequently and they are normally covered by fiap 51 as shown in Fig. 6. The supports for the membersof group B are secured to the bottom of section 46 and the Hap 51 is normally fastened to the base of this section by fasteners 52 to hold the retaining members of group B, and the keys thereon, against movement out of the case. This type of key case, as far as its outward appearance goes, is like the ordinary key case and is operated exactly in the same way, as far as the members of group A are concerned. l/Vhen, however, a. ke

from group B is desired, the flap 51 is raise turned backwardly and fastened by ila-ps 49` and and inverted all as shown in Fig. 9.

A third form of key case is shown in Fig. 10 and this article'is really a double key case made up of two standard key cases, like those disclosed in my first named patent, which have their backs 55 and 56 sewed together in inverted relation bringing the two groups of key retaining members at opposite ends of the case.

With all three styles of key cases described, itis an advantageous feature to have the two groups of key` retaining members at opposite ends of the case. The reason for this arrangement will best appear from Fig.

11, which may be assumed to be a case like that shown in Fig. v10 and one which has been loaded with keys and used for some time.V An ordinary singlekey case tends to bulge at a point about one third Way down from the end at which the key retaining members aie located. dicated` at 57. The case, under such conditions, is thicker at one end than at the other and converges, with relation to the back, from the bulge to that end of the case remote from the key holders. By mounting the two cases back tov back in inverted relation, the bulving of one, near the top, is offset by the bulging of the other near the bottom and, although the covering fla s 58 of each converge with relation to their acks 55 and 56, they are approximately parallel with each other and a case more uniform in thickness from end to end is provided.

Although the key retaining members' have been shown in twooppositely located groups, as is generally desired, the individual support for each member is so constructed that groups or individual key retaining members may be otherwise located as may be desirable. These supportsareadapted for attachment to the case at any convenient point and may be placed on the back of the case or on the flaps thereof, as desired.

The invention is broadly characterized by the provision of meanswhich allow each user wide latitude in arranging the ret-aining members to suit his own purposes and fancy. The invention admits of fleXibilty in disposing the retaining members and offers This bulge is inunlimited opportunity for the user to eX- y,

press his individual ideas as to how a key case should be arranged.

rillie invention has been disclosed herein, in an embodiment at present preferred with detailed variations, for the purposes of illustration but the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description.y f

I claim:4

l.. In a key ease,t a housing for a plurality et groups of key retaining members, said housing having a partition therein, said partition supporting one of said groups of key retaining members, one portion of said housing serving. to restrain from movement and release for movement one group of said key retaining members, and another portion of said housing serving to restrain from movement and release for movement another group of said retaining elements.

2. A key ease comprising, case forming means allording a back and side flaps foldable over the baeli together with a flap connected to the baek along a line transverse to the lines of l'old of the first named flaps, and adapted' normally to lie adjacent one side of4 said back and to be enclosed by the lirst named iaps when the same are folded over the back, a group of key retaining members mounted on the back for swinging movement and normally concealed beneath and restrained from` movement out of the case by the last named flap, and a group of key retaining members mounted on the last named liap and normally restrained from movementout of the ease by said iirst named flaps when. the samel are foldedy over thev nemoaa baek the. last named flap being` movable to lie on; the opposite side of said back and when soh moved carrying the last named group of key retaining members therewith and holding the same between it and the back, thereby exposing` the first named group of, key' retaining members and releasing them for movement into and out of the ease.

3. 'lhe combination in a key ease, of a back, a group of key retaining members mounted near one end and disposed on one face oi" said back, a second group of key retaining members mounted near the other end and disposed on the opposite face of said back, and foldable flaps tor enclosing eaeh of said groups.

.e In a key ease a housing, a plurality of key retaining means mounted thereon, said housing comprising a plurality of ioldable sections one of which serves to restrain -from movement and release tor movement a portion ofsaid key retaining means and another ofwhieli serves to restrain from movement and release for movement the remainder ofthe key retaining means.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

WARNER R. BUX,T()N.

Images