US1691608A - Key case - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 13, 1928.

F. A. KING ET AL KEY CASE Filed Feb. 10, 1927 M am,

A TTORNE Y.

INVENTORS. 2J

Patented Nv.i13,1928.- f v l` j 1,691,608

UNITED sia-Tiasy PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK A, KING AND EMIL BEDFORD, OF GREENFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS T0 EMIL WEISSBROD & SONS, INC., OF GREEITIFIIEILD,v MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS. n i

KEY CASE.

Applcationiled'February 10, 1927. Serial No. 167,091.

Our invention relates to improvements in features of a casev of this 'character is its containers or cases designed to receive and flexibility. Y y hold keys and the like,andconsists essentially y Other objects and advantages will appear of a strip of flexible material, such as leather, inthe course of the following description.

foldable so that the end portions overlap the v7e attain the vobjects and .secure the .adcentral or intermediate portion of said strip, vantages of our invention by the means illusand thus produce an enclosing member or ele# trated in the `accompanying drawings, in ment, a perforated backing attachedv to said which intermediate portion to stifi'en they same and p Figure` 1 a front elevation of a key case 60 serve as a direct support for other parts and which embodiesa practical form of our in members, a plurality of key-holding or -sup vention, the flaps. being open; Fig. 2,7a lrear porting elements consisting in partor includelevation of the backing with v,the rings ating closed rings receivable in the perforations tached thereto by the lock strip; Fig. 3, an in said backing, and a lock strip or strips of elevation similar to the upper part of the 65 thin and flexible material,such as steel,passed elevation shown in thepreceding view, but through said rings, behind said backing, toillustrating a modified form of lock strip; gether with such other parts and members as Fig. 4, a plan of two lock strips which may be may be necessary orv desirable in order to used in place of the single lock strip shown v render the case complete and serviceable in in Fig. 3; Fig. 5, an enlarged, sectional de- 70 every respect, alll as hereinafter set forth. tail illustrating the manner inwhich the pre- One object of our invention is to. produce a ferred lock strip initially is inserted in porcase, of the class described, that is simple and tions of the rings behind the backing, and, comparatively inexpensive in construction, Fig. 6,/an enlarged, sectional detail showing convenient, durable, reliable,- and .withal the normal positions and conditions ofthe highly practical and eliici-ent. lock strip andrings in the completed case.

Another object is to afford means for easily, Similar reference characters designate quickly, and cheaply attaching the key-holdsimilar parts throughout the several views.

ing members to the case proper and fastening In the first view, one of the swivel snap said members thereto or securing them in hooks is omitted to disclose the particular 30 place therein. ,n A type of perforation provided in the backing Heretofore thongs of leather, or of comto receive the ring by means of which the eye bination leather and fabric, have been used of each'hook issupported from and in the as fastening means for the rings which supcase. n i

port or form partsof the key-liolding mein- As illustrated in the first three andlast bers, but such thongs are objectionable beviews, this key case comprises'l av strip of cause, if too thin, they are liable to -be pulled flexible material divided by tw'o vertical out in part or in whole through the perforacreases or bending portions, indicated at 1-1, tions for sai d rings, in the backings, and, if of into a. back 2 and flaps 3 and 4, the two latter sufiicient thickness to avoid thisliability,tlicy being respectively provided rwith male and 9o i lo increase to an objectionable extent the thickfemale parts 5 and 6 of a .glove fastener: a ness' of the cases at their upper ends. A furbacking 7 attached to said back; a plurality ther object is. therefore, to obtain the adof rings 8 from which depend swivel snap vantages, such as simplicity, ease and cbeaphooks 9, there being six of Said rings in the ness of construction, and adaptability genpresent example, but there may be more or 45 erally, for example, of fastening means of less than that number, and a lockstrip 10 by this general character, and at thesame time means ofwhichy said rings are held 'in' place eliminate or avoid the disadvantages of lthe in said backing.

same. Furthermore, Aby using a lock strip The flap 3 is adapted to be folded over onto of very thin and flexible metal we avoid unthe front ofthe backing k7 and the 'rings 8 100 I 55 ClUlY Sellng the case at the top, it being' and hooks 9, andover any key'or keys 'carried Y well understood that one ofthe most desirable by said hooks, and the flap 4 is adapted to be v edges thereof,oppositely-disposed recesses orl i 49 notches 14 there beingas many pairs of folded over onto the outside ot said firstnamed flap, when the female member (i is snapped into engagement with the male member 5, thus inclosing the contents oi the case and securing' the flaps in closed position.` Upon disengaging the fastening members and opening the flaps access is had to the contents 'oit 'the case. structurally and functionally -the'se roldinlgpafrlts and their fastener are not unlike corresponding parts and :tasteners in other key cases, and may be varied to a considerable extent. ,1 y,

The backing 7 is a st'iiening" sheet of fleiible material, such as is commonly used in key-case construction, and is disposed on the inner face ofthe back A2 and secured to .said back` lines of. stitching, oi which further mention will be vmade hereinafter. AvIf desired., one vertical edge .ot thebacking' 7, throughfonft the greater portion offitsrlengtli, may be left unsecured to thebac'k 2 ,to .piovide an yentrance to Vthe space between said back andbacking andthus convert said space into Aa pocket accessibletfrom `the outside.

The hooks 9 are .of 'the ordinary snap and swivel type, and .each has at itsl 'upper end-.an eye-11 with "which is engaged one of the rings 8. Thepresent construction enables the rings 8 to be attached to lthev backing 7 .after sai-d ringshave been attachedto the eyes 11, which is an advantage :because the Ahook units 4can b efmade up complete initially, and then with the utmost- Afacility imounted in place as elements ot the case. To this end thefbacking? has 'sets of upper and under holes, vas 12, connected by slits, as 13, punched therein, and thelock strip v10 is provided.

The .lock .strip 10 has, in the longitudinal notches as, there are ringsS. The maximum width-of the :lock strip 10 is approximately equal to the interior diameterot anyring 8.- Se@ Fig. .5; Whilev thewidth @i Said v100k strip. between'the notches 14 ,in any pair is approxi-V mately equal to the cord ot the arcuate portion, inside, o f-said ring which is behind the backing 7 when the. ring is normally disposedesee Fig. .6. Y

This case being ldesigned Vto .include sinr hooks 9, there must be zi-corresponding number or sets of holes V12an l slits 13. These are located side byfside in thejbacking 7 nearthe upper edge thereof, and. in -each set are two holes 12,0110 v"above the vot-herf,-and a vertical connecting.' slit 13, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

; Each ri-ngfS, with the eye 1-1 of oneof the books 9 yattanhed thereto, is vpushed :through one fof the slits 13 -nntil approximately onehalf of said ring is behind theba'cking 7, and portions of said .ring 'are in :the Iholes 12 at the top and 'bottoin otsai'd slit.` Aff-ter the ring has beenrzpushed throughfthe slit-the edges or' saidfsl-it .'comezftegether againninside for. the ring. The rings 8 having all been inserted and is pressed against the back side :oft the` baskingv 7., .and prevents said rings trombeing drawn completely ou'ftofsard backing.

-Diie to the engagement of the rings 8 with.

the notched portinis ot the strip 10, said strip' is held against'any great amount o1 longitudinal movement. Being sothimand so comparatively narrow in the partst'hat engage 'the rings 8, the strip 10 positions"saidv rings so that onlycoinparatively small por# tiene, of the saine project behind the backing 7. The siti-ip lois fsuliieientlength to tenda short vdistance beyond the outer'most`v rings.

` Alfter the rings 8 have been inserted inthe perforations in the backing 7 and securedby means of `the .lock strip 10, said 'backing .is stitched to the back 2, there being two lines oit stitching' 15 adjacent vto the top and bottom or' said backing, and aline of stitching 16 adjacent to one'lon-gitudinal or vertical edge or' the backing,- also a line of stitching 15 belowY the strip 10, and a short vertical line of stitching 17 adjacent to lthe opposite longitudinal edge of the backing. space `between the vback 2 and the backing Y to be provided, both longitudinal edges of said -backing are stitched lto said back throughout their entire length. The stitching adjaeentto the-ends oi'zthe strip 10` assist Vin. holding said strip against endwise movement to an extent that would cause lthe strip tog-become displaced..relative to any of rthe ringsB, in theevent all oisaid rings were forced inwardly far enough to release -the strip.` n

v Theengageme-nt of the lock strip 10 with the rings 8 is. not suiiiciently rigid, however, to prevent said ringsV from being swung sideways to the extent required.

Keys are engaged with thehooks 9 v larm anner as keys are engaged with the hooks ofother cases, and this case as a vwhole is used in practically 'the saine way as are others. Each hook 9 is swiveled to its-eyeV 1l and therefore free torotate, said eye is loosely held bythe ring 8 above, andsaidring has a certain amount of lateral movement .as herein- .belfore explained,.consequently a key attached to said fhoojk is capable of being turned about in almost .any direction without ybeing :impeded the case, which isan important advantage V-i-n an articleof this kind.V

As shown in..-Fig. 3.,-a'loc'k strip 18 maybe employed in vvplace oftiejlock striplO. The

Itno entrance to the in a simi-v strip 18 is only as wideapproximatel'y asis the strip 10,between the yoppositely .disposed notches 14 therein,Q and said first-named strip has a cross-head 19 at one end. can be passed through the rings 8 without initially pushing said rings so far through the perforations in the backing 7 as is necessary for the strip 10, and the cross-head 19 is adapted to bear against one of the outermost rings and thus positively limit the longitudinal movement of said strip in one direction.

lf desired two of the strips 18 may be employed side by side, with their eross-heads'lQ oppositely disposed, as shown in Fig. 4. In this ease, the strips 18 are passed from opposite directie-ns through the ringsS, until one cross-head 19 is against one-of the outermost rings, and the other cross-head 19 is against the other outermost ring. Thus double, instead of' single, fastening means for the rings is provided'. Vilhen two lock strips 18 are used they may be made of ez-tren'iely thin metal.

lnasmuch as the lock strip permits the greater portions of the rings to project in front of the backing, and also permits said ring to be swungl sideways to some little er;n tent, the upper part of this key case is or may be quite thin as compared with many other key cases. And, in any event, the construction here eliminates undue bulk or thickness through the parts of the lback and backing with which the hey-holding' members are most intimately or closely associated.

Being of hard material and engaged asit# is with or by the rings, the lool; strip can not bev pulled out through the slits 18.

More or less change in the shape, size, construction, aud arrangement of some or all of the parts or" this hey case, in addition to those hereinbefore specifically pointed out, ni ay be made, without departing from the spirit of our invention or exceeding the scope of what is claimed.

Vilhat we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is n 1. In a key case, a flexible back, a perforated flexible backing, rings in the perfora tions in said backing and projecting behind The strip 1S the same, a thin flexible loch strip, rectangu-` lar in cross section, and flat-sided throughout, said strip passing through said ringsbehind said backing, and lines of stitching between said backing and said back outside et' the ends of' said strip to assist in holding the same in place.

2, In a key case, a flexible back, a flexible backing having slits therein far enough below the upper edge thereof to atl'ord space for stitching said jbacking and back together,

having in the longitudinal edges thereof oppositely disposed notches toreceive the rings, when'the latter are drawn forward in said slits, whereby said strip is prevented from becoming disengaged from said rings, and lines of stitching above and below said slits to hold said backing and said bac i together.

` 3. ji. key case comprising a fiexible member consisting of a back and flaps, a flexible backing having slits therein far enough below the upper edge thereof' to afford space for stitching said back and backing together, rings extending through said slits and projecting behind said backing, said rings carrying swivel snap hooks, a thin flexible lock strip passing through said rings behind said backing, said strip being rectangular in cross section and flat-sided throughout, having notches in its longitudinal edges to receive said rings, and of a maximum width approximately equal to the inner diameter of said rings, lines of stitching between said back and backing above and below said slits, and lines of stitching between said back and backing and outside of the ends of said strip to assist in holding the latter against endwise movement.

FRANK A. KING. EMIL BEDFORD.

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