US241502A - Key-ring - Google Patents

Description

G. W. MILLER.

(No Model.)

Key Ring.

Patented May 17, i881.

jnvew M N. PETERS, Fhohrlithogrzphar, wnmn um ojc.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. MILLER, OF WEST MERIDE'N, CONNECTICUT.

KEY-RING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 241,502, dated May 17, 1881.

Application filed March 26, 1881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. MILLER, of West Meriden, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improved Device for Securing Keys, of which the following is a specification and description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, in which- Figure I is a side view of the flanged disk, showing the rings secured thereto. Fig. II is a transverse section through the disk on a plane passing through its center. Fig. III is a plan view of the disk, showing four rings secured thereto. Fig. IV is a plan View of the disk, showing its flanges; and Fig. V is a side view of the ring as adapted to be used with and secured to the flanged disk.

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap and convenient portable device for securing keys, and for separating them into groups or classes for convenient use, so that any particular or desired key in the whole collection may be quickly and easily found and conveniently used.

Hitherto it has been the practice of persons having a comparatively large number of keys to carry about in the pocket to secure them all to a ring or some device to keep them together. This practice has its advantages in some respects, and yet has its inconveniences in other respects, for although it is desirable to avoid the liability of the loss of keys by separation and isolation by being carried in the different pockets, yet, when the number of keys to be carried in the pocket is exceedingly large, and are all attached to one ring, it becomes a matter of no little difficulty to select from the entire collection any particular or desired key for use, especially if there be a large number of keys of the same character in the collection. Take, for example, a collection of a dozen keys on a single ringwhich isno unusual numberand half of them are what are known as the Yale-lock keys, all closely resembling each other, it is a matter of no little difficulty, oftentimes, to select any particular one from the whole group, and the difficulty sometimes becomes vexatious and annoying.

The object of my invention is to avoid all this trouble and annoyance.

(No model.)

In the drawings, A denotes a disk, which may be of any desired form in its plan, whether rectangular, polygonal, or circular; I prefer the latter form with an annular flange, as 3, projecting outward alittle distance all around on each side at its perimeter, which flange should be somewhat sharp and of a decided shouldered form on the inside, as shown clearly in Fig. II. This disk is provided with a central perforation, 6, with a projecting annular flange, 2, on each side the disk, all around this central perforation, leaving a thin web between the outer flange, 3, and the inner flange, 2. This inner flange, 2, instead of being angular and shouldered, as is the outer flange, 3, is somewhat rounded, as shown clearly in Fig. II.

A spring-ring, 1, preferably of steel, is provided with an opening, as at 4 in Fig. V, and this ring is opened sufficiently to insert the outer flange, 3, in through the opening 4, and the two ends of the ring at the opening will then clasp the web portion of the ring firmly between them, as shown clearly in Fig. II. If the extreme ends of the ring are slightly rounded, the ring will bear upon the web only in a very small place, and will swing into any position very freely and easily. When the disk is thus secured in the ring, as above described, if it is desired to place a key upon the ring, the ends of the latter are pushed or forced over the rounded flanges 2, around the central aperture 6, and into the aperture, so that the ring will then be in the central aperture. The ring may then be turned so as to insert the eye of a key through the opening, and the two ends of the ring are then pulled back over the flanges 2, so as to clasp the web portion of the ring between them, and the key is then secure upon the ring and cannot be lost ofl".

Any desired number of keys may be placed upon a single ring, and any desired number of rings may be secured on a single disk, as shown in the drawings, and when several are placed upon one disk they will freely swing into different positions, either all together, as shown in Fig. III, or any one may be separated from all the others.

Suppose, as is often the case, that a business man carries a large number of keys, some or many of which belong to his oflice. he has quite a number belonging to his house.

Perhaps If he should have a number of rings upon a single disk, it will be readily seen that he could arrange them in groups so that he could very easily find any particular or desired key. For,

example, he could place all his desk-keys upon one ring, all his other office keys on another, and 'all the keys belonging to his residence upon another, and would, of course, in looking for any particular key, more readily and quickly recognize the group it was in than the key itself, and the latter would then be very quickly found.

I prefer to make the disk of steel and harden it, as then it will not be easily abraded by the firm clasping of the ends of the ring upon it.

. Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- The combination, in a device for securing keys, of a perforated disk provided with an annular projecting flange on each side surround- 2o GEO. W. MILLER. Witnesses:

BENJ. PAGE, LEROY O. PARDEE. i

Images