US1912307A - Key retainer - Google Patents

Description

May 30, 1933. Q RAW v"1Q-912,307

KEY RETAINER Filed sept. 8, 1931 Patented May 30, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES RAW, 0F TOLEDO, OHIO KEY RETAINER Application led September 8, 1931.

lo for the purpose of burglarizing the property or for plundering or unlawfully entering property protected by lock and key, entrance has been repeatedly gained in this manner.

In order to appropriately overcome this well known menace to life and property I have devised a small, inexpensive and compact article that is quickly and easily inserted into the key hole from the inside of the room after the door has been locked with key remaining in the lock. The article wedges the key in the lock in a rigid manner so that it is impossible to turn it or to push it out from the outside of the door. It also has a suitable spring tension and is formed 5 so that it could not jar out of the lock, and

is not easily pulled out by children, it is necessary to slightly elevate the end before it can be released, however when this is done it is readily released without difliculty. o The invention possesses further advantages, all of which will be clearly revealed during the course of the following detailed description, illustrated throughout the accompanying drawing, and more fully pointed out in the appended claim.

With direct reference to the drawing:

Figure 1 discloses a partial view of a typical door showing the end of a mortise lock, escutcheon plate and knob, and the device inserted into the key hole in normal relation for use.

Figure 2 is a clear perspective View of the complete device.

My device is made up entirely of spring wire of a suitable gauge. Its :formation com- Serial No. 561,668.

prises straight portion l, one end of which forms a loop as at 2, and the metal continues on forming straight portion 3 which is parallel to portion l as shown.

Within portion 3 the metal is deflected 5 as at 4, and at the extremity of deflection 4 a Z-shaped offset 5 is provided, and from this position the metal takes a straight course 6 and forms handle 7. At the eX- treme opposite end of the device the metal 55 forms a cradle, as indicated at 8.

lVith handle portion 7 and cradle 8 within the hand, portions at 1, 2 and 3 are inserted into the key hole, the body of the key will rest within cradle 8, while portion 5 will engage the bottom of the key hole, thus preventing the key from turning within the lock or from being pushed out from the outside of the door, as clearly indicated in Figure 1. o

One of the outstanding advantages of my invention, and one of no less importance than those heretofore mentioned, is the fact that due to the same being composed entirely of spring Wire the operation of its making is so simple and the cost of material so small, it may be manufactured at an eX- tremely low cost, thus greatly reducing the selling price, which oi course lends great value to the invention from a commercial 7 viewpoint.

While I have hereinabove disclosed, with the aid of the accompanying drawing, one precise embodiment of my invention, I re serve the right to make certain minor changes, such as slight modification in bends, if this becomes necessary during any probable further development of the same for the market, however notwithstanding this fact, a departure from the general principle as embodied would of course be consistently avoided.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

A key retainer of the formation as de- 9 scribed, the said formation comprising tWo spaced parallel straight portions connected at one end thereof, one of the said portions terminating at its free end in a loop, and 5 the said loop to engage around a key shank, the remaining portion at its opposite end being deflected and having an o'set to engage the bottom of a key hole and the end of the offset terminating in a handle portion whereby the aforesaid oil'set may be Withldriwn from its engagement with the key In testimony whereof I hereunto aHiX my signature.

CHARLES RAV.

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