US2271048A

US2271048A - Self-ejecting key

Info

Publication number: US2271048A
Authority: US
Inventors: Spiro Walter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1940-03-18
Filing date: 1940-03-18
Publication date: 1942-01-27
Anticipated expiration: 1959-01-27

Description

Jain. 57, 1942. w. SPIRO I 2,271,048

SELF-EJECTING KEY Filed Mai-ch 1a, 1940 INVENTOR 244 1161" *5) 52 0 WI! M ATTORNE Patented Jan. 27, 1942 UNITED STATES v PATENT OFFICE Application March 18, 5:23;. 324,548

Claims.

This invention relates to keys, and more particularly refers to improvements in keys of the self-ejecting type, comprising means whereby a the key will automatically be ejected from a lock or other mechanism controlled thereby, after either one of two extreme positions thereof has been reached.

It is well known that, after opening or closing a door, one is apt, through inadvertence, frequently to leave the key in the. lock. It is also a common occurrence, for motorists, after turnmodification of the lockor other mechanism.

Another object is to provide, in a key, key

P18. 6 is a sectional view of the same in an enlarged scale, through line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

According to my invention, the key is provided with a normally extended spring-acting abutment member resting against the face of the barrel when the key is inserted in the key slot. and yielding under pressure as the key is advanced within the slot; said abutment member automatically resuming its extended position, and forcibly ejecting the key from the slot, when the key is released, if the barrel has been moved to a position where the key is not retained by the lock structure.

ejecting means of a simple, novel and improvedconstruction, requiring only minor changes in the construction of the key itself, without unduly weakening the key structure, and without increasing the bulk of the key to an objectionable extent.

A further object of the invention is to provide a self-ejecting key readily insertable in a lock of standard construction, said key being automatically ejected from the lock when it reaches either the locked or unlocked position, as may- .Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a lock casing oi ordinary construction, showing the key of Fig. 1 inserted in the lock to turn the barrel from one of its extreme positions to the other;

Fig. 4 is a side view in elevation of a key embodying myinvention in an alternative form;

Fig. 5 is a similar view, partly sectioned to show the construction of the key ejecting means; and

The provision in 'a key, of a spring-acting abutment member automatically ejecting the key from the look when a given position has been reached, is not in a broad sense new. Such constructions as have come to my notice, however, have'proved impractical for some reason or other. In some cases the character of the ejecting means is such as to render the key bulky to an objectionable extent. In other cases the ejecting means is designed so as to require for its application the removal of a sizable portion of the key shank, thus excessively weakening the key structure; while where the key is of small size, constructional limitations effectively prevent its being equipped with the ejecting means altogether.

In the arrangement forming the subject of my invention, the spring-acting abutment member extends'along the back edge of the key shank, and projects outwardly therefrom at least in the plane of theshank, and preferably also trans- 'versely of said plane. In the preferred construction a spring is directly used as abutment member, and this results in an exceedingly simple construction, requiring only the cutting of a narrow longitudinal slot in proximity of theback edge of the key shank, and the insertionotthe coils of the spring .therethrough, said coils encircling the narrow' portion of the shank intervening between the slot and theback edge.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawing, l0 designates the face plate of a lock ll of ordinary construction, for instance the ignition lock of an automobile. The lock is provided with a barrel l2, provided with a key slot l3 opening on the face ll of the barrel,

The key, shown in detail in Figs. 1 and 2, comprises a handle portion l5 and a shank l6 frontwardly extending therefrom, the key being of usual construction, slightly modified for the apthrough, and turning the spring.-I cause all the coils of said spring to eventually p ss through said slot and encircle the bar portion 2i intervening between the slot and the back edge.

In order to provide a. good abutment for the spring, I prefer to cut a straight bottomed notch 22 in the handle portion at the base of the shank, said notch reaching as far as the inner end of the slot 20. By thus extending the seat of the spring within the handle portion, I insure sufilcient room for the spring to contract when the key is in the lock, as shown in Fig. 8, without causing an excessive or permanent deformation of said spring, thus insuring it effective elastic action at all times.

It will be observed that the spring need only be made of very light gauge wire, so that the slot 20 may accordingly be very narrow, necessitating the removal of but a 'small fraction of the material composing the shank. Furthermore the strength of the shank i still less impaired if the slot is cut in close proximity of the back edge, as shown, so as to leave the transversal section of the main portion of the shank as close to the original section as may be consented by the width of the bar portion 2 I. r

Fig. 2 clearly shows that the spring projects outwardly of the back edge of the shank both in the plane of the shank and laterally thereof, so that even though the spring has a relatively small diameter, it will constitut an effective abutment member engaging the face of the barrel when the key is inserted in the look.

It is obvious that the proposed arrangement is of the utmost simplicity and applicable to practically any key by the expenditure of little labor, without entailing any change in the lock, and practically without impairing the strength Of the key. However, if even a small measure of weakening on the key should be objectionable, the original strength of the key, and more, may be restored by making the key of stainless steel or similar material, in place of the relatively soft alloy usually employed.

The arrangement illustrated in Figs. 4 to 6 is somewhat more elaborate than the one just described, although it shares with it the feature of providing the key shank with a yielding abutment member extending along and projecting from its back edge. The key is also in this case composed, as usual, of a handle portion 23 and a shank 24 extending therefrom. Most keys of this character have one or more longitudinal grooves 25, 26, and by utilizing one of these grooves as a guide or passageway for the yielding abutment member I altogether avoid weakening of the key shank such as would be due to the cutting of a through slot.

The part of the handle portion adjacent the back edge of the shank is removed, leaving the remaining part formed with a straight upper edge 21 parallel .to but slightly offset from the back edge 28, the length of said upper edge substantially corresponding to the length of a hollow cylinder or housing 29 fixed thereto by welding or otherwise so as to form an extension of the handle portion 23, symmetrical to the plane thereof. Said housing is closed at the rear, as shown at an, and open at the front to permit the ber 3|, arranged in telescopic relation therewith,

and retractible within said housing.

Said plunger member has a closed front end 12, and is open at the rear, forming with the housing a'continuous longitudinal chamber 33, within which is contained a normally extended compressible spiral spring ll abutting against the rear end of the housing and the front end of the plunger member, said spring normally il ing the plunger member to its extended position, where its front end remains in close proximity of the front end of the shank. The front extension of the plunger member is limited in any suitable manner, for instance, by slightly tuming in the edge of the front end of the housing, and tuming out the edge of the rear end of the plunger member to form abutting flanges 35, 30, respectively.

The front of the plunger member is formed with two depending lugs I1, 38, abutting one against each side of the shank to prevent turning movement of the plungenmember, one at least of said lugs, I1, having its tip end turned in to engage one of the grooves 25 in the shank,

as shown in Fig. 5. This insures a smooth operation of the plunger member during it move ment of retraction and extension. The parts mentioned are so proportioned that the spring 84 preferably rests directly against the back edge 28 of the shank, the whole forming a very compact and effective arrangement. By virtue of this construction the key maintains intact its original strength, and since the diameter of the spring and the housing and plunger member can be made very small, the bulk of the key is not materially or objectionably increased.

Minor constructional details may vary from those shown without departing from the inventive idea; the drawing should therefore b unpassage therethrough of a hollow plunger mem- 76 derstood as being intended for illustrative purposes only, and not in a limiting sense. I accordingly reserve the right to carry my invention into practice in all those ways and manners as may enter, fairly, into the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A self-ejecting key comprising a handle portion and a shank frontwardly extending therefrom, said shank having a tumbler engaging front edge and a back edge and being provided with a longitudinal passageway, and a lock engaging normally extended longitudinally resilient abutment means interlocking with said passageway, said abutment means extending along and projecting rearwardly of said back edge.

2. A self-ejecting key comprising a handle portion and a shank frontwardly extending therefrom, said shank having a tumbler engaging front edge and a back edge and being provided with a longitudinal passageway, and a lock engaging normally extended longitudinally resilient abutment means interlocking with said passageway, said abutment means extending along and projecting rearwardly of said back edge, both in the plane of said shank and laterally thereof.

3. A self-ejecting key comprising a handle portion and a shank frontwardly extending therefrom, said shank having a tumbler engaging front edge and a back edge and being provided with a longitudinal slot, and a normally extended compressible spiral spring having its coils passing through said slot, encircling the portion of said shank intervening between said slot and the back edge of said shank. Y

4. A self-ejecting key comprising a handle portion and a shank frontwardly' extending there-' tion and a shank frontwardly extending therefrom, said shank having a tumbler engaging front edge and a back edge, a longitudinally directed housing member integral with said handle portion, a lock engaging plunger member mounted in telescopic relation to said housing member, ex-

tending along and outwardly projecting from said back edge, and a resilient compression member interposed between said housing member and said plunger member.

6. A self-ejecting key comprising a handle portion and a shank frontwardly extending therefrom, said shank having a tumbler engaging front edge and a back edge, a longitudinally directed housing member integral with said handle portion, a lock engaging plunger member mounted in telescopic relation to said housing member, ex-

tensible from, and slidable within said housing member, said plunger member extending along and outwardly projecting from said back edge, and a resilient compression member interposed between said housing member and said plunger member.

7. A self-ejecting key comprising a handle portion and a shank frontwardly extending therefrom, said shank having a tumbler engaging front edge and a back edge, a longitudinally directed housing member integral with said handle portion, a lock engaging plunger member mounted in telescopic relation to said housing member, extensible from, and slidable within said housing member, said plunger member extending along and outwardly projecting from said back edge, and a resilient compression member interposed between said housing member and said plunger member, the rear end of said plunger member being adapted to engage the front end of said housing member to limit the outward movement of said plunger member.

8. A self-ejecting key comprising a handle portion and a shank frontwardly extending therefrom, said shank having a tumbler engaging front edge and a back edge, a longitudinally directed housing member integral with said handle portion, a hollow lock engaging plunger member mounted in telescopic relation to said housing member, extensible from, and slidable within said housing member, said plunger member extending along and outwardly projecting from said back edge, and a compressible spiral spring within said housing and plunger member, normally retaining said plunger member in its extended position.

9. A self-ejecting key comprising a handle portion and a shank frontwardly extending therefrom, said shank having a tumbler engaging front edge, and being provided with a longitudinal groove, a longitudinally directed housing member integral with said handle portion, a lock engaging plunger member mounted in telescopic relation to said housing member, extending along and outwardly projecting from said back edge, and a resilient compression member interposed between said housing member and said plunger member, said plunger member having two depending lug's at the front abutting one against each side of said shank, one of said lugs extending and riding within said groove.

10. A self-ejecting key comprising a handle portion and a shank frontwardly extending therefrom, said shank having a tumbler engaging front edge and a back edge, and being provided with a longitudinal groove, a longitudinally directed housing member integral with said handle portion, a lock engaging plunger member mounted in telescopic relation to said housing member, extensible from, and slidable within said housi member, said plunger member extending along and outwardly projecting from said back edge,

and a compressible spiral spring within said housing and plunger member, normally retaining said plunger member in its extended position, said plunger member having two depending lugs at the front abutting one against each side of said shank, one of said lugs extending and riding within said groove.

WALTER SPIRO.