US2298304A

US2298304A - Key holder

Info

Publication number: US2298304A
Application number: US364684A
Authority: US
Inventors: Leonidas J Mitchell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1940-11-07
Filing date: 1940-11-07
Publication date: 1942-10-13
Anticipated expiration: 1959-10-13

Description

Patented Oct. lg, 1942 ogeieg KEY HOLDER Leonidas J. Mitchell, Farmdale, Barboursville District, W. Va.

Application November '7, 1940, Serial No. 364,684

(Cl. 'l0- 456) Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in the class of key holders, and its objects, more specifically stated, are as follows:

First, to provide a key holder suitable for carrying in pockets of personal garments, in purses or elsewhere, which would occupy a minimum of space consistent With a high degree of utility and eiciency.

Second, to provide a key holder comprising a minimum number of parts consistent with attractive appearance and faultle'ss' utility.

Third, to provide a key holder that, owing to its general design and operating features, Vwould appeal to the desires, tastes and habits of either men or Women.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specifications, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a view in perspective of my key holder with the flexible casing partly broken away.

Figure 2 is a View in perspective of 'a single loop key ring mounted in a reinforcing plate.

Figure 3 is a View Vin perspective of a do'uble loop key ring mounted in a modified form of reinforcing plate.

Figure 4 is a view in perspective of another modined form of reinforcing .plate and ring.

Figure 5 is an end view in elevation of the reinforcing plate shown in Fig. 2 with the ring removed.

Y Figure 6 is an end' view in elevation of 'the key holder shown in Fig. 1 with the casing in closed position. .o

Figure 7 is a similar end view showing a modi fied form of the exible cover or casing for the key holder. l

Figure 8 isa longitudinal side viev of the key holder shown in Fig. 3 with the casing partly in section. e

Figure 9 is a front elevation of tlie overlapping ends of the key ring showing the tapered formation of said ends. l

Figure 10 is a similar viewshowing the overlapping end portions as reduced along their longitudinal axis.

Figure 11 is a. plan view of the overlapping ends of the ring shown in Fig. I0.'

Referring more particularly to Figure 2, I2 and |2a designate a pair of parallel legs formed by bending a strand of resilient wire intermediate its ends to form a plurality of loops or U-shaped members I5, I6 and 26. The U-shaped member 26 is disposed at substantially a right angle to a plane passing through the legs I2 and I2a.

The U-shaped member I6 has the usual bight portion connected by a leg 3) to one endof the U-shaped member 26. A leg 3| of the U-shaped member I5 is connected to the other end of the U-shaped member 26.

A flat metal plate is bent U-shaped to conform to the shape of the U-shaped member 26 to form a saddle I4 to receive the free ends of the keys 2| when said keys have been placed in the holder. This saddle has its free ends as shown at 32 bent inwardly upon itself and is provided with sockets 34 to receive the respective legs I2 and 39 and the legs I2@l and 3|.

Holes I3 are punched through the inturned 'portions 32 and the arms of the saddle I4, as shown, to receive rivets, staples or cleats 20.

The free ends of the legs I2 and IZa are bent inwardly at right angles to each other and are placed in overlapped relation as shown at II, particularly in Figs. 9, 10 and l1. ln Fig. 9 the free ends are sheared off at an angle so that when the ends overlap the cross sectional area of the overlapped portion will be substantially the same 'as the cross sectional areas of the legs I2 and |2a.

In Figs. 1-0 and 11 is shown a modified form of the overlapped ends in which a semi-circular portion of each free end is cut away. The free ends are overlapped so that the overlapped ends will again have substantially the same cross sectional area as the legs I2 and |2a. Other forms of overlapped ends may be employed for the purpose.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 3 it will be seen that a pair of lkey rings are employed and these rings extend in opposite directions from each other and are supported by the saddle Ida which is a slight modification of the saddle shown in Fig. 2, although substantially the same elements are employed in the key rings such as the pair of legs I2 and |2a, the U-shaped members I5 and I6 and the U-shaped member 26. However, the free ends of the arms of the U-shaped saddle Ida are provided with a pair of inturned portions 35 and 36 spaced from each other with

sockets

31 and 38 to receive the legs I2 and 30, and I2a and 3|. It will be noted that the bight portions of the U-shaped members I6 are in abutting 'relation as are the bight portions of the U-shaped members I5.

The saddle Ida is curved to conform to the curvature of the U-shaped member 26. The inturned portions 35 and 36 of the arms of the saddle are provided With passages I3 to receive rivets 2l) for the purpose of securing the U-shaped members I5 and I6 against displacement and for a purpose which will be presently explained.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 4 it will be seen that a piece of resilient Wire is bent to form a pair of parallel legs 40 and 4I which have their free ends in overlapped relation as shown at IIa. These legs are connected by a U-sliaped member generally designated by the numeral 26a which extends below a plane passing through the legs 40 and 4| and at an obtuse angle to said plane.

A saddle I9 is formed of sheet metal and is provided with a pair of inturned portions 42 at the free ends of the arms of said saddle to receive the legs 40 and 4I. One side edge of the saddle is also provided with inturned portions 43 to form sockets to receive the legs of the U-shaped member 26a which is curved to conform to the curvature of the saddle I9.

As shown more particularly in Figs. 1, 6, 7 and 8 a cover or casing 23 houses the key ring and the saddle and is secured at its side edges to the arms of the saddle by means of rivets 20. I'hese rivets perform the double function of securing the side edges of the coveror casing to the saddle,

In Fig. 7 the ends of the casing 23 are laid in over-lapped relation above the keys and in a sub- Y stantially horizontal position after which the elements of the separable fastener 41 are forced together.

In this type of construction the handles 48 of the keys are located outwardly so that the usual openings in the handles will be received by the overlapped portions II of the ring While the free ends of the keys, as Shown in Fig. 8, Will rest and be supported by the saddle I4 or I4a. The legs I2 and IZa or the similarly positioned legs 40 and 4| of the key ring will act as side rails for aiding in maintaining the keys in position. The keys are inserted by prying open the overlapped ends II of the ring so that the opening in the handle of the key may be received by one of the ends and the key is then moved to a position where it will be free of the other end of the overlapped portion so that the overlapped portion will be permitted to spring back into place due to the tension exerted by the resiliency of the l wire.

While only one rivet is employed for securing the casing or cover 23 to the saddle I9 in Fig. 4, nevertheless, the length of the saddle is such as to prevent movement of the casing when riveted to the saddle.

The casing or cover may be formed of leather or any suitable composition material suitable for the purpose and due to the flexibility of these materials they may be easily bent along the free edges to the position shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

The saddles I4, Ida, or I9 not only perform the function of supporting the free ends of the keys but they also provide means for rigidly holding the legs of the key ring in parallel relation.

Figures 2 and 4 show single key rings, While Figure 3 discloses a double key ring in which the overlapped ends I l of the legs I2 and |2a operate as a holder for the keys when the keys are disposed in parallel position with the inner free ends of the keys resting on the saddle I4a.

I claim:

1. A key holder comprising a piece of resilient wire bent intermediate the ends thereof into a plurality of U-shaped members, and a strip of flat metal curved to form a U-shaped saddle to support the free ends of keys, the ends of the arms of the saddle being bent upon said arms to engage around the legs of a pair of the iirstmentioned U-shaped members, the free ends of the wire being located in overlapping relation and adapted to be separated to receive keys.

2. A key holder comprising a piece of resilient wire bent intermediate the ends thereof into a plurality of U-shaped members and a strip of flat metal curved to form a U-shaped saddle to support the free ends of keys, a pair of the firstmentioned U-shaped members being disposed in parallel relation, the ends of the arms of the saddle being bent upon said arms and provided with spaced sockets to receive the legs of the pair of U-shaped members, the free ends of the wire being located in overlapping relation and adapted to be separated to receive keys.

3. A key holder comprising a piece of resilient wire bent intermediate the ends thereof into a plurality of U-shaped members and a strip of iiat metal curved to form a U-shaped saddle to support the free ends of keys, a pair of the rstmentioned U-shaped members being disposed in parallel relation, the ends of the arms of the saddle being bent upon said arms and provided with spaced sockets to receive the legs of the pair of U-shaped members, the free ends of the wire being located in overlapping relation and adapted to be separated to receive keys, the other U-shaped member being alined with the curved edge of the saddle.

4. A key holder comprising a strand of resilient Wire bent intermediate the ends thereof to form a U-shaped member and a pair of parallel legs, the free ends of the legs being bent inwardly towards each other in overlapping relation, said U-shaped member being located at an angle to a plane passing through the parallel legs, and a saddle formed of a strip of at metal bent into U-shaped formation, the free ends of the U-shaped saddle being bent around the legs, the first-mentioned U-shaped member being disposed in alinement with anedge of the saddle.

5. A key holder comprising a piece of resilient wire bent intermediate the ends thereof into a plurality of U-shaped members and a strip of flat metal curved to form a U-shaped saddle to support the free ends of keys, a pair of the rstmentioned U-shaped members being disposed in parallel relation, the ends of the arms of the saddle being bent upon said arms and provided with spaced sockets t0 receive the legs of the pair of U-shaped members, the free ends of the Wire being located in overlapping relation and adapted to be separated to receive keys, means connecting the in-bent portions of the arms of the saddle to said arms.

LEONDDAS J. MITCHELL.