US2171713A

US2171713A - Identification device

Info

Publication number: US2171713A
Application number: US219181A
Authority: US
Inventors: Clyde O Roose
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1938-07-14
Filing date: 1938-07-14
Publication date: 1939-09-05
Anticipated expiration: 1956-09-05

Description

I Sept. 5, 19 39. c, o, ROQSE v 2,171,713

IDENTIFICATION DEVICE Filed July 14. 195

24 3| I I7 4 33 8 3 I4 32 5 I 2. I I 4 INVENTOR. F196 CLYDE o. ROQSE Patented Sept. 5, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to an identification means for automobiles or other periodically licensed or registered vehicles or other articles, and particularly to a device for receiving and per- 5 manently securing identification tags or plates, having identification indicia on one face, to the vehicle or other articles, and is an improvement in the devices disclosed and claimed in my United States Patent No, 2,098,432, issued November 9,

10 1937, and my co-pending application Serial No.

175,055, filed November 17, 1937.

The principal object of the present invention resides in the provision of a simple, inexpensive device comprising a novel identification plate and 18 a receptacle for receiving the plate, the receptacle and plate being arranged to cooperate in a novel manner for locking the plate therein consequent "upon insertion of the plate so that a plurality of identification plates, each having identification go indicia on one face thereof, may be inserted successively in the receptacle and, upon insertion,

become secured therein against removal, with the last inserted plate positioned with its indicia exposed.

5 A further object of the invention is to provide a receptacle for permanently securing a plurality of identification plates therein and which is permanently mounted on the vehicleor other article in such a manner as to facilitate a quick, convenient inspection of the indicia on the last plate inserted in the receptacle for an accurate check of the proper identification of the license of the vehicle or other article.

Another object resides in the provision of a 35 device of this nature which may be conveniently and quickly mounted and attached to a supporting member without the use of special tools and which prevents the subsequent removal of the device from the support after the first plate has Q been inserted in the receptacle without breaking or otherwise destroying the identification plate.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this nature which will permit the easy insertion of identification plates and which will 4'5 cooperate with the plates for constraining movement of the plates when they lie wholly within the receptacle, thus eliminating an undesirable rattle or removal of the plate.

Other objects and advantages will become ap- 50 parent from the following description, wherein reference is made to the drawing, in which:

Fig. l is an elevation of the device mounted'on a supporting panel;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, illustrating the manner in which the plates are secured in place within thereceptacle;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of an identification plate before the indicia is inscribed thereon;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the device before attaching the receptacle thereto;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 of Fig. 1 and illustrating the manner in which a plurality of plates are secured in place within the receptacle; and

Fig. 6' is an enlarged sectional view similar to Fig. 2, illustrating the method in which plates are inserted in the device.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the retaining device, generally indicated by the numeral I, is shown as comprising a rectangular receptacle 2 having side walls 3 and end walls 4 and 5. The top or Window wall 6 of the receptacle is provided with an inspection opening 1 for revealing the indicia on the last identification plate inserted in the receptacle. The receptacle 2, which houses the identification plates and mechanism to permanently secure the plates to the device, and which will be hereinafter described in detail, may be formed of a metallic substance, molded plastic, or molded plastic having a metallic insert or core.

For the purpose of illustration, the receptacle is shown formed of a molded plastic substance or material commonly known as Bakelite, tenite or the like, andmay be conveniently molded in a color to match or harmonize with the surface, such as the grained finished surface of a dashboard of an automobile or other article, to which it is applied. 1

An enclosing or bottom plate 8 of the same material as the receptacle is permanently secured to' the rectangular shaped receptacle 2, substantially flush with the side wall and end walls 4 and 5'thereof, thus providing a closed boxlike receptacle or container for receiving the identification tags or plates. In the event that the receptacle 2 is formed of a metallic substance, the bottom plate 8 may be welded or otherwise conveniently secured to the receptacle 2. In the event the receptacle is formed of a molded plastic material or a metallic core covered with a plastic material, such as cellulose acetate or the like, the bottom plate may be secured thereto by an application of a solvent of the material of the back plate and receptacle applied to the contacting surfaces of the plate and receptacle.

The retaining device in its assembled condition is permanently mounted or secured to the supporting member 9 in any convenient manner,

such as by screws 10, which project through aligned openings in the bottom plate 8 and supporting member 9 and partly into the tapped openings in the back plate l2. The threaded openings in the back plate I 2 are preferably blind or .concealed from one side of the back plate so that the screws I0 cannot be turned or otherwise tampered with from the rear side of the supporting member or panel 9 to remove the device from the support.

Fixedly secured to the bottom plate 8 are a plurality or group of rigid locking pins designated as M and I5, which project from the bot.

tom enclosing plate 8 to the inner surface of the top wall 6 of the receptacle. The locking pins l4 and l 5 both terminate from the inner surface of the top wall 6 of the receptacle a distance at least equal to the thickness of an identification plate to allow the insertion of a single plate therebetween.

.In order to permit the insertion of the identification plate edgewise into the receptacle and parallel to the window with the indicia on the plate exposed toward the window, a slot I! is provided in the end wall 5 of the receptacle below the top surfaceof the locking pins and the inner surface of the window wall 6 of the receptacle an amount greater than the thickness of a single identification plate. As illustrated in Fig. 2, the identification plate when fully inserted in the device lies above the plane of the slot IT in the end wall 5 of the receptacle, and removal of the plate from the receptacle is thus prevented, due to the fact that the plate cannot be aligned with the slot for removal without looking apertures engaging the locking pin l4. The path of the identification plate being inserted through the slot I! is normally obstructed by the locking pin I4, which is of a larger diameter than the pin l5, for purposes later to be described.

Referring'to Figs. 2, 3 and. 6, the identification plates or tags 20 are made of comparatively light gauge resilientv material and are provided with looking apertures 2| and 22 which register with the locking pins l4 and I5, respectively, for locking the plates within the receptacle when the 'plateis fully inserted in the receptacle. The diameter of the. aperture 22 on the leading end of the plate 26 is slightly less than the diameter ofthe pin l4 and of substantially the same diameter as the pin IE, to allow the plate to be passed over the pin l4 without registering therewith but allowing it to register and engage the pin l5 when the plate is fully inserted in the receptacle.

While the locking pin [4, which is nearest to the slot 11 .of the receptacle 2, is illustrated as being of a larger dimension than the locking pin i5 and of a circular cross section, it is be understood that the identification plates 20 may be inserted into the receptacle in the above described manner if the locking pins are of a varied cross section. For example, the locking pin I 4 may be of l a square shape in cross section and the locking pin l5 of an octagon shape in cross section. In this event, the leading aperture 22 of the identification plate is of octagon shape and will be allowed to pass over the pin l4 and into registry with the pin [5.

To prevent tampering or rattling of the plate in the receptacle, downwardly extending resiliently yieldable portions or

fingers

23 and 24 are provided on the identification plates. at the apertures 2I' and 22, respectively, to contact the pins M and 15, respectively, when the tags are fully inserted-in the receptacle and will prevent movement of the plates toward the slot I! in the end wall of the receptacle.

To further prevent this lateral movement of the plate toward the slot, the identification plates 20 are provided with a plurality of

openings

25 and 26 which engage downwardly extending fingers 27 mounted on or integral with the inner top surface 'of the receptacle.

The identification tag 20 is urged against the inner surface of the top wall 6 containing the inspection opening 1 by means of a spring member 30 operating upon the bottom surface of the initially inserted plate. The spring member 30 has a central opening 3! and

end slots

32 and 33. The

end slots

32 and 33 enable the spring 30 to straddle the locking pins l4 and I5 and be guided thereby and are of sufficient size to accommodate the locking pins l4 and I5, respectively. The width of the slot 33 is of less dimension than the diameter of the pin I 4, but is slightly larger than the dimension of the pin l5 with which it registers.

In assembling the device, the receptacle 2 may be secured to the bottom plate 8 having the rigid locking pins l4 and I5 mounted in place, as heretofore described, and then the spring member 30 is placed into the slot l1 and forced into position in the device. Due to the fact that the slot 33 of the spring 30 is of a smaller dimension than the pin I 4, it will be allowed topass over the top of the locking pin l4 and into registry with the pin l5 while the slot 32 will register with the pin M to properly position the spring in place in the receptacle. However, the spring may be first put in place, as illustrated in Fig. 4, and then the receptacle 2 secured to the bottom plate. If it is desired that the screws Ill be included in this assembly, they are placed in the apertures provided for them in the bottom plate 8 and covered with a light transparent surface of Cellophane or other material to hold them in place in the bottom plate 8. The device in this condition may be permanently secured to the vehicle or other article by simply drilling several holes in the supporting member 9 and then placing the assembled device on the support with the screws I0 protruding through their respective openings in the support. The back plate I2 is then placed behind the support and the screws I0 are operated by a screw driver through the opening Tin the receptacle and the central opening 3| of the spring member 30 to secure the device to the support.

To insert the initial plate in the device, the innermost or leading end is placed in the slot. I1 and moved edgewise toward the center of the receptacle. Even though the .top of the locking pin l4 extends above the slot H, the identification plate 20, due to its resiliency, may be guided between the topsurface of the tag and the inner surface of the top wall 6 of the receptacle, as illustrated in Fig. 6. As heretofore described, due to the fact that the leading locking aperture 22 of the tag 20 is of a smaller diameter than the pin I 4, the aperture 22 may be passed over the pin l4 without registering therewith and will register with the locking pin l5.

The resiliently yieldable portions or downwardly extending

fingers

23 and 24 carried by the identification plate will be forced or cammed out of locking position by the rigid locking pins I4 and I5 during the insertion of the plate to allow the plate to be fully inserted'in the receptacle. When the identification plate is fully inserted into the receptacle, the resiliently yieldable por- 'tions 23 and 24fwill return to their normal or locking position inwardly of the receptacle beyond the lockingpins l4 and I5 to prevent removal of the platefrom the receptacle. When the tag is fully inserted in the device, the downwardly extending fingers of the devicewill engage the pins 4 and i5, respectively, while the

openings

25 and 26 will be engaged by'the fingers 21 on the inner surface of the receptac1e.2 to prevent lateral inserted plate passes the pin M, it will contact the lastfully inserted'plate and force it downwardly a sufficient distance against the tension of the spring 30 to allow the newly inserted plate to pass between it and the inner surface of the window wall of the receptacle 2. When the newly inserted plate-is fully inserted in the receptacle, it will contact the plate previously inserted and force it downwardly againstlthe tension of the spring andvcause thejlocking apertures 2i and 22 of the plates 20 to engage the rigid locking pins I4 and I5, respectively. It will be noted that once the plate is fully inserted in the device, removal without noticeable damage to either the plate or the receptacle is prevented.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the plates will be automatically permanently locked within the receptacle without the use of special devices or tools. The present invention may be cheaply manufactured and may be easily and conveniently applied to a vehicle or other article to be identified in such a manner as to facilitate a quick inspection of the indicia on the last plate inserted for an accurate check of the identification of that vehicle or other article.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An identification device comprising a plate having identification indicia on one face thereof and having a locking aperture therein, a receptacle for enclosing said plate and having an inspection window in one wall, said receptacle having another wall with a slot therein for permitting insertion of said plate edgewise into the receptacle and generally parallel to the window with the indicia exposed toward the window, a rigid element within said receptacle and having a portion extending across the path of entry of the plate, said element terminating in spaced relation from the inner surface of the window wall an amount at least equal to the thickness of the plate, resiliently yieldable means carried by the plate and extending from the face thereof opposite from that face which bears the indicia, and being arranged, when in normal condition, to lie in the path of the element and to be displaced thereby during insertion of the plate for permitting relative passage of the said means and element during said insertion, and to return to a position across the path of entry of the plate after passage of said means inwardly of the receptacle beyond the element, said element being receivable in the locking aperture in said plate when the plate lies wholly within the receptacle, and means yieldably resisting movement of the inserted plate away from the plane of the window while the element is in the aperture for permitting introduction of another identification plate through said slot'in overlying relation to the first plate. l

2. An identification device comprising a plate having identification indicia on one face thereof and'having locking apertures therein ad- I jacent'the ends, one of said apertures being of different size than the other, a receptacle for enclosing said plate and having an inspection window in one wall, said receptacle having another wall with a slot therein for permitting insertion of said plate edgewise into the receptacle and generally parallel to the window with the indicia exposed toward the window, locking means including a pair of different size locking pins within said receptacle and arranged to be received in and to fit the locking apertures in said plate, respectively, when the plate lies wholly within the receptacle, the larger pin being nearer to the slot than the smaller pin, and means yieldably. resisting movement of the inserted plate away from the plane of the window while the pins are in the apertures for permitting introduction of a succeeding plate member through. said slot, 1

3. An identification device comprising a plate having identification indicia on one face thereof and having locking apertures therein, a, receptacle for enclosing said plate and having aninspectionwindow in one wall, said receptacle having another wall with a slot therein for permitting insertion of said plate edgewise into the receptacle and generally parallel to the window with the indicia exposed toward the window, looking means including a plurality of different sized locking pins arranged in the receptacle for locking engagement with the aperture of said plate when the plate is fully inserted and operative to lock said plate in the receptacle, and additional means integral with the top inner wall of the receptacle having a portion extending across the path of entry of the plate, said additional means terminating below the surface of the plate which is exposed toward the inspection window arranged to cooperate with the plate when it is fully inserted for constraining the plate from movement toward the slot.

4. An identification device comprising a resilient plate having identification indicia on one face thereof and having locking apertures therein, a receptacle for enclosing said plate and having an inspection window in one wall, said receptacle having another wall with a slot of substantially the same dimension as the thickness and width of the said plate therein for permitting insertion of said plate into the receptacle and generally parallel to the window with the indicia exposed toward the window, locking elements including a pair of different sized pins arranged in the receptacle for engagement with the aperture when the plate is fully inserted and operative to lock said plate permanently in the receptacle, the end of each locking element being in spaced relation to the inner surface of the said window wall an amount less than the distance between the said window Wall and the said slot, means in the recepon one face thereof and having locking apertures therein adjacent the ends, said apertures being of different contour, a receptacle for enclosing and retaining said plate members and having an inspection window in one wall, said receptacle having another wall with a slot therein for permitting insertion of said plate members individually and edgewise into the receptacle generally parallel to the window with its indicia exposed toward the window, locking means including a pair of locking pins of different cross sectional contour within the said receptacle and arranged to be received in the locking apertures in said plates, respectively, when the plate lies wholly within the receptacle, the aperture nearest the leading edge of said plate member being of such contour as to prevent entry therein of the looking pin nearest the slot in the receptacle while permitting entry of the other locking pin when the plate lies wholly within the receptacle, means for yieldably resisting movement of the inserted plate members away from the plane of the window while the locking pins are in the apertures of the plate members for permitting introduction of a succeeding plate member into the receptacle.

6. An identification device comprising a group of plates, each plate having identification indicia on one face thereof and having locking apertures therein adjacent the ends, said apertures being out of alignment, endwise of the plate, a receptacle for enclosing and retaining said plate members and having an inspection window in one wall, said receptacle having another wall with a slot therein for permitting insertion of said plate members individually and endwise into the receptacle generally parallel to the window with its indicia exposed toward the window, a plurality of locking members within the said receptacle and arranged out of alignment with each other endwise of the receptacle so as to be received in the locking apertures in said plates, respectively, when the plate lies wholly within the receptacle, whereby the aperture nearest the leading edge of said plate member can pass the locking member nearest the slot in the receptacle while preventing entry of the last-mentioned locking member thereinto, and can receive only a predetermined one of said locking members and then only when the plate lies wholly within the receptacle, means afiording yieldable resisting movement of the inserted plate members away from the plane of the window while one of the locking members is in its associated aperture of the plate members for permitting introduction of a succeeding plate member into the receptacle.

CLYDE O. ROOSE.