US2598615A

US2598615A - Key case

Info

Publication number: US2598615A
Authority: US
Inventors: Snyder Hubert
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-12-14
Filing date: 1946-12-14
Publication date: 1952-05-27
Anticipated expiration: 1969-05-27

Description

H. SNYDER May 27, 1952 KEY CASE Filed Dec. 14, 1946 INVENTOR.

HUM/'7 SA/rdcr BY z/h w ATM/9ND Patented May 27, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

My invention pertains to a key container which is adapted to substantially enclose two keys.

An object of my invention is to provide a key container whose entire exterior surface is smooth and'free from sharp corners and edges in order to reduce the wear on clothing pockets.

A further object of my invention is to provide a container which holds several keys and which provides'means for identifying the keys which are within.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a key container from which a selected key can easily be projected.

Another object of my invention is to provide a key container wherein each of the several keys therein may-easily be removed and different keys put in.

Other objects and a fuller understandingof my invention may be had by referring to the following description and claims and to the drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of the key case with one key extending out of it.

Figure 2 is a face view of the container shown in Figure 1 with the two sections thereof spread out.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along line 44 of Figure 2, and

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along line 55 of Figure 1.

With reference to Figure 1 the container comprises two key sheaths, identified by reference characters I0 and II, which are connected together by a rivet I2 or the like which extends completely through the two sheaths I0 and II from one side to the other. The rivet serves to permanetly hold the two sheaths together but it provides for sufiicient play or looseness that the key sheaths I0 and II can be turned with respect to each other about the rivet I2 as a pivot, as is shown in Figure 2. Thus a much handier device is provided, it being an advantage when trying to unlock a door to have the two sheaths swing 180 degrees from each other, yet when the container is folded for carrying in a pocket it is small and compact.

Preferably, the sheaths I0, I I are formed of plastic material and they are identical except that one of them includes an integral longitudinally extending portion I3 which has a hole I4 through it whereby the container may be connected to a key ring if it is so desired and whereby it may be hung on a nail or the like in the home.

Each key sheath is hollow substantially throughout its length, as is shown by Figures 3 and 4, but at its back end where the connecting rivet I2 is located it is solid, as is shown in Figure 5 where the sheet material forming the sheaths I0, I I is wrapped tightly about the base member N. If it were not solid at the location of the rivet I2 the process of connecting the two sheaths I0 and II together would be apt to crush one or both of the hollow shells. Further, closing one end of each of the sheaths reduces the quantity of dust, dirt and tobacco particles within the container. A longitudinally extending slot I5 is formed in one face of each of the sheaths I0, I I, and this slot terminates short of the front and back ends thereof. At its forward end I6 the slot I5 is slightly enlarged for a purpose which will be described later. Each sheath I0, II is open at its forward end and is open for a short distance down one of its sides as at I8 in sheath I0 and I9 (Fig. 4) in sheath II.

A key 20, having the usual aperture for connecting it to a key ring is connected into a sheath by forcing into the key aperture a plug member 2I which has a threaded hole into it. The plug 2I should be of a soft metal such as brass, aluminum or the like so that it can be forced into the key aperture by placing the plug over the aperture and squeezing with a pair of pliers until it enters the aperture. The key 20 is then dropped into the sheath with its apertured end toward the rivet I2 and a screw 23 is placed with its shank extending through the slot I5 into engagement with the threaded hole in the plug member 2|. The screw is turned until its head 24 which is considerably wider than the slot I5 comes into frictional engagement with the face of the sheath.

The other key 22 is secured in its sheath I I in a similar manner but the head 25 of the screw which holds it in place should have a different configuration than head 24 in order thay they may be readily identified in the dark by feeling them. As shown the screw head 25 is more rounded than head 24, but it is obvious that many other ways of identifying the keys associated with the screw heads may be utilized.

When a key is to be used the operator pushes the screw head toward the enlarged portion I6 of the slot I5 thereby causing the key to slide in its sheath, the frictional forces between the shank of the screw and the sides of the slot I5 being sufficient to keep the key in place yet not being so great as to prevent the key from being pushed out of the open end of the sheath. When the shank of the screw 23 reaches the enlarged portion N of the slot the key will turn easily into the position shown in Figure 1 and it will then be ready to operate a lock.

Preferably, as shown, the slot [8 in sheath ID is on one side of the container and the slot I9 in the sheath I l is on the other side whereby when both keys are extended the one will not interfere with the other when they are operated.

While I have described my invention with a certain degree of particularity it is to be understood that changes may be made in the device shown and described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A container for a key having an aperture comprising, a fiat receptacle for said key open at one end and having a slot extending longitudinally in one of its walls, a plug member adapted to be inserted in the aperture of a key sufficiently tight that there is no relative movement between the key and the plug member, said plug member having a threaded hole through it, and an actuator having an externally positioned head whose diameter is larger than the width of said slot and a threaded shank extending from the said head through the said slot into the interior of said receptacle where it is in threaded engagement with the said plug member for holding the said key in said receptacle, the shank of said actuator frictionally engaging the side Walls of said slot and the underneath surface of said actuator head frictionally engaging the outside face of said receptacle to hold said key with respect to said receptacle yet permit relative motion therebetween when said actuator head is pushed longitudinally with respect to said receptacle. 7

2. The invention set forth in claim 1 further characterized in this: that the said receptacle is open along one of its narrow edges adjacent said open end whereby the said key upon being advanced to its extended position may be turned on the said actuator as an axis to a position angularly related to the said receptacle.

3. A container for a key having an aperture comprising, a fiat receptacle for said key open at one end and along one of its narrow edges adjacent said open end and having a slot extending longitudinally in one of its walls, a plug member adapted to be inserted in the aperture of a key sufliciently tight that there is no relative movement between the key and the plug member, said plug member having a threaded hole through it, and an actuator having an externally positioned head whose diameter is larger than the width of the said slot and a threaded shank extending from the said head through the said slot into the interior of said receptacle where it is in threaded engagement with the said plug member for holding the said key in said receptacle, said actuator being in such frictional engagement with the receptacle that the said key can be easily slid out of and back into said receptacle by a person pushing on said actuator head, yet when said actuator is not being pushed said key and said receptacle will;

frictionally maintain their relative positions.

4. The invention set forth in claim 3 further characterized in this: that the material forming the receptacle is relieved at the location of one end of the said slot whereby the said frictional forces are reduced to facilitate the turning of the key with respect to the said receptacle when.

the key is in its extended position.

HUBERT SNYDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of thisv patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS