US2596374A - Time-indicating key holdek - Google Patents

Description

May 13, 1952 B. c. cRAPsTER 2,596,374

TIME INDICATING KEY HOLDER Filed Sept. 5, 1950 A III JOHN of Co.

AUTOMUBILES o/ 4o2-|oTHsT.,N.w.

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Snventor 25 Y Bowie Crwpser Gttornegs Patented May 13, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE The invention rentes to f pocket key homeworthetypeuse'dfor' automobile' keys; and more'particularlyi' to time indicating means associated therewith.

It is an objctofthe invention toiprovide such a" key. holder'with a' manually adjustable timel indicating device, whereby the driver when' parking his car at a meter, or in a locality whereip'arking timelimits are prescr'ibed',` can'set the time indica'tor' to 'correspond with the expiration of the parking time, so.` as" to avoidv inadvertent overparking.

Anotherobject is'toV providesuch a Keyholder havingja" pair orrotatablev discs tliereinfor'inf dicatingA the' hour and minutewhen theparking timewill expire;

Af further Objectis to provideakeyholder of this/type in. which each 'of the time indicating discs is provided with' a` diametric groove' or slot whereby thev disc maybe" easily andquicklyiadi justed by inserting the edge of a coin, or the' like, into said groove or slot for rotating. the disc to thev desired adjustment.'

A' stillfurther object is to prcvide'such a key holder comprising a hollow case, the top wall thereof having spacedcircular openings therethrough, said openings'being of larger diameter at their innerends, correspondingly shaped discs of the same' thickness as the'top wall, frictionally rotatable in said openings, and aremovable slide, of the saine thickness as the hollow interior of the case, located therein in holding the discs within the openings.

Another object is to provide a;v key holder of the type referred to in which vthe removable slide is heldv against accidental removal by the cord or `chain carrying the keys.

Itis also an object ofthe invention to provide such a keyy holder with means for containing a coin suitable'for use in a parking meter.

.The above Vobjects together with others which will lbeapparent from thed'rawing and following description, or which may be later referred-to, may be attained by constructing the devicein the manner hereinafter described in detail andillustrated'n' the` accompanying drawing, in which;

l is a-front elevation `of the improved key holder showing the time'indicating means-thereon;

Fig. 2 a longitudinal, sectional view through the key holder;

Fig. 3 a rear elevation;

Fig.r 4`aplan view of the removable slide;

Fig. 5 a longitudinahsection through a key holder provided'with aslightly modified removable slide;

rig.' e a iengiammai`v section tiirough another" form of removable slide;

Fig; 7 an enlarged, fragmentary; sectionalv view of afastener for the key cord or chain; and' Fig. 8' a transverse, sectional viewwthrough'a"4 key-holder withinodified form of rotatable disc.

Referring now more particularly to theeinbodi` ment; of the invention illustrated"inthe drawing, in which similar" numerals referv to similarA parts; throughout, thev improved time indicating key? holder, l to whichl theA invention pertains; includes a dat, hollow case, indicated generally at I0', which may be formed of any suitable-material, preferably a transparent plasticmaterial, ofthe type generally known to 4the tradeaslucite This casev lil" is preferably of elongated; reef tangular'shape,` of' a size to'be conveniently car: riedin the pocket. It should]be"`explainedfthat" for the purpose of clarity' in"illustration" the' de'- vice'is4 shown in tlieidrawingl as larger"thaniull size.

As shown quite clearly inFigsj; 2"and 5i' theA front' or top wall j l 'I ofthe case' IU; islp'referabljy of greaterl thicknessthan' the backfor bottoinw'all I2,- fcr'a purposewhichwillb'e 'understood as' the' description unfolds.

shown inthe drawing, so'astoprovideno sharp edges to cause undue weartoothepocketfin which the device may becarried;

A'spaced pair OfcirCuiaropeningsi 3'ar'e formed through' thefront vifa'llv Il of'itheca'se; and; as* shown in' Figs. 2 fand' 5', 'each of these" openings`v is enlargeciat 4`its `rear or innerend, as indicated at lli; providin'gaV dat' annular shoulderI l 5'.

The timeV indicating devi'ce`compri'ses a"pair' of similar discs I6 and l1, which may be formed; of the same'materialas the case I0, and'each of which isshaped'tol correspondto saidopen-Y ings. These discs arev of a thickness equal tothe thickness ot the front wall'll, offtheca'se; and" each disc has theannu'lar' fiange 'li'fitted'within the enlarged inner end` t4"of`thelopening; and* such as a nickelor penny; which'the driver-will` have handy, particularly ify hevis parking at a` parking meter;

Surrounding the openingy [311er I tl-ie hour discf It, the numerals l tof|2 larestamped orfi'rn-v TheY edges and" corners' of the case are preferably slightly rounded, as

printed upon the surface of the front Wall II of the case. and in the same manner the numerals O to 55 surround the opening I3 for the minute disc I1. If desired, where the case I is formed of transparent plastic material, these numerals may be imprinted upon the fiat annular shoulders I5, so that they will be visible through the front face of the case.

In order to indicate the parking time each disc I6 and I1 has a radial indicator hand or marking 20 on its front face, so that as the discs are rotated the indicator markings 20 may be positioned as desired relative to the hour and minute numerals, to indicate the time at which the parking period will expire.

For instance, as shown in Fig. l, the indicator 23, of the hour disc I5, is pointing to the numeral 4, and the indicator 20, of the minute disc I1, is pointing between the numerals 35 and 40, showing that the parking period will expire at about 4:37.

An elongated, rectangular pocket 2l is located within the case I5, between the front and back Walls II and I2 respectively thereof, and eX- tends throughout substantially the entire area of the interior of the case. This pocket is just slightly deeper than the thickness of the discs I and I'I, in order that in assembling the discs in the case the discs may be slidably inserted through the open end 22 of the pocket and positioned to register with the openings I3 in the front wall II of the case and then pushed upward into said openings.

For the purpose of holding the discs in position in said openings, a slide or iiller 23 is ini serted into the pocket 2l of the case. This slide may be made of any suitable material, preferably a transparent plastic material, and is of such width and thickness as to have a substantially snug, sliding fit within the pocket. In order to permit removal of the slide from the pocket, if desired, the slide may be of such length that one end thereof will extend beyond the open end of the pocket, and this end of the slide may be reduced in width and thickness as indicated at 23a.

Any desired advertising matter, or other legend, as indicated at 24, may be imprinted or stamped upon the back face of the slide or ller, so that it will be visible through the transparent back wall I2 of the case, as shown in Fig. 3. It should be explained that, if desired, such advertising matter may be stamped or imprinted directly upon the back Wall I2, especially where the case is not made of transparent material.

In order to hold the slide or filler 23 against accidental removal from the pocket 2|, so as to retain the parts in assembled position, registering apertures 25, 25 and 21 are formed through the end portions of the front Wall, slide and back wall respectively, for receiving the usual key chain or cord.

Instead of using the conventional key chain, a plastic rope or cord 28 may be threaded through these apertures, to carry the car keys 29. The ends of this plastic rope may be attached to a suitable fastener, indicated at 30 in Figs. l and 1, which may also be made of plastic, or other suitable material. One end 3|, of the plastic rope may be inserted through the bore 32 in said fastener, and cemented or otherwise attached, and the other end 33 of the plastic cord may be inserted through the bore 34 and knotted, as shown at 35. If desired of course,

both ends of the plastic rope may be insertedl through the corresponding bores in the fastener 3d, and knotted as shown at 35.

If it is desired to carry a coin in the key holder, for use in parking meters, a socket 36. ci suitable size and shape to receive a coin, may be formed in the under side of the slide or ller 23, at the inner end thereof, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The reduced fingers 31 are located at opposite sides of the entrance to the socket 35 and provided at their ends with the opposed projections 38, to retain a coin in the socket. The fingers 31 will have sufficient resilience to permit a coin to be pushed between said projections, into the socket.

The adjacent end of the case I3 is cut away, as at 39 in Figs. 2 and 3, to permit a coin to be inserted into the socket of the slide, and the bottom wall I2 of the case is notched, as at 40. to permit the coin to be removed by the iingers.

As shown in Fig. 5, the under side of the slide or filler 23 may be recessed, as at 4I. so that a card or the like, as indicated at 42, bearing advertising matter or the like, may be received therein, whereby the advertising matter will be Visible through the transparent back wall I2 of the case.

Another modification is shown in Fig. 6, in which the transparent slide or filler 23 may have a central pocket or recess 43 to receive a card 44, bearing advertising matter.

In Fig. 7 is shown a slight modication in which the case I0' may be made the same as above described except that the openings I3 for the discs are outwardly tapered and the peripheral edges of the discs are correspondingly tapered, as indicated at IG. The slide or iiller 23 is the same above described and holds the discs in position in the manner explained in detail above.

I claim:

l. A time indicator comprising a flat case having a front wall and a back Wall and a pocket of substantially the same thickness as the front Wall located between said walls, there being a circular opening in the iront wall, said opening being of larger diameter at its inner` end, a correspondingly shaped disc frictionally rotatably mounted in said opening, a plurality of numerals indicating periods of time on the front wall surrounding said opening, a radially disposed indicating marker on the disc, and a removable filler slide snugly fitting in the pocket for holding the disc in frictional contact with the opening.

2. A time indicator comprising a iiat case having a front wall and a back wall and a pocket of substantially the same thickness as the front wall located between said walls, there being a circular opening in the front wall, said opening being of larger diameter at its inner end, a correspondingly shaped disc frictionally rotatably mounted in said opening, a plurality of numerals indicating periods of time on the front wall surrounding said opening, a radially disposed indicating marker on the disc, and a removable filler siide snugly fitting in the pocket for holding the disc in frictional contact with the opening, there being a diametric groove in the disc for insertion of a coin and the like for rotating the disc.

3. A time indicator comprising a at case having a front wall and a back wall and a pocket of substantially the same thickness as the front wall located between said walls, there being a circular opening in the front wall, said opening being of larger diameter at its inner end, a correspondingly shaped disc frictionally rotatably mounted in said opening, a plurality of numerals indicating periods of time on the front wall surrounding said opening, a radially disposed indicating marker on the disc, and a removable filler slide snugly fitting in the pocket for holding the disc in frictional contact with the opening, and means for preventing removal of said ller slide from said pocket.

4. A time indicator comprising a flat case having a front wall and a back wall and a pocket of substantially the same thickness as the front wall located between said walls, there being a circular opening in the front wall, said opening being of larger diameter at its inner end, a correspondingly shaped disc frictionally rotatably mounted in said opening, a plurality of numerals indicating periods of time on the front wall surrounding said opening, a radially disposed indicating marker on the disc, and a removable filler slide snugly tting in the pocket for holding the disc in frictional contact with the opening, there being registering apertures in the front and back walls and the ller slide, and a flexible member located through said apertures for preventing removal of said ller slide from said pocket.

5. A time indicator comprising a flat case having a front wall and a back wall and a pocket of substantially the same thickness as the front wall located between said walls, there being a circular opening in the front wall, said opening ybeing of larger diameter at its inner end, and having a at annular shoulder intermediate its ends, a correspondingly shaped disc frictionally rotatably mounted in said opening, a plurality of numerals indicating periods of time on the front Wall surrounding said opening, a radially disposed indicating marker on the disc, and a removable ller slide snugly fitting in the pocket for holding the disc in frictional contact with the opening.

6. A time indicator comprising a dat case having a front wall and a back Wall and a pocket of substantially the same thickness as the front wall located between said walls, there being a circular opening in the front wall, said opening being tapered and of larger diameter at its inner end, a correspondingly shaped disc frictionally rotatably mounted in said opening, a plurality of numerals indicating periods of time on the front wall surrounding said opening, a radially disposed indieating marker on the disc, and a removable ller slide snugly fitting in the pocket for holding the disc in frictional Contact with the opening.

BOWIE C. CRAPSTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,974,558 Andis Sept. 25, 1934 2,252,487 Bevill Aug. 12, 1941 2,268,032 Hickey Dec. 30, 1941 2,537,598 Mason Jan. 9, 1951

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