US2669113A

US2669113A - Key holder

Info

Publication number: US2669113A
Application number: US246811A
Authority: US
Inventors: Roswell S Gillette
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1951-09-15
Filing date: 1951-09-15
Publication date: 1954-02-16
Anticipated expiration: 1971-02-16

Description

Feb. 16, 1954 R. s. GILLETTE 2,669,113

KEY HOLDER Filed Sept. 15, 1951 my //v (/55 [7 U M m 1 His Q/lbrqgy.

Patented Feb. 16, 1954 7 Roswell :S,i Gillette liiiefia. v nppncstm siitiptigr 15, ts ssi alilvqgzissn 4 Claims. (al. 704456,)

invention r relates to key l-xholde'rstrand in particular to. an improved pocket. key: :case" wherein any'key can be moved to' an in use. position 'ori'removed from the case-and wherein; an unused keys -may :liei within thenca'se insnflat. parallel planes.

- i-Keyfiholdersxtpresent the particularly unique problem of attempting to provide a secure, fiat -containerffor a plura-lityiof keysaKey chains and v I conventional key cases have a plurality ofj-individual key=ho1ding loops plus a supporting tructure; 'I-he loop's generally are either removable,

one or more ata'tim'e, outof the casefor use, for

theyare the non-removable type which generally are rotatable to an in use position; Key loops of-the non removable type unfortunately areapt i-to be pulled out from their supporting structure forop'ene'd-to the extent that keys-mayhecome dislodged-and be lost. Key loops of the removable type, on the'other hand, are usually not easily *removedorreplaced, and in eitherthexremovable or non-reinov'able type, the keys (in storage) db -not lie= in-rie'at, fiat p'aiallel 'plan'ejs -'fo'r "the can; veni'ent removal of the underneath keys; and furthermore, all the k'ey s tend to become en'- tanglea with:"eachbtlier. r

" It is -"an object of thisinvention; therefore, to provide an improved k'ey case wherein keys are supported in sush -a manner that they amhe in .fiat parallel planes againsta'base Whe'nth'ey are in otherthan'the in use position. i 'It is a ifurther object ofithis invention to providean improved keycase wherein'a plurality of keys may besupportedzinrthe'flat co-plaiiars'tonage position in a manner thatv afiordsflconveni'ent access tojany key that is to bemused or removed from the holder. l A

It is a -sti11-further objeetj09this invention to provide .an improved key holding mechanism formed'from a single loop which is'adaptedforuse with a keycase and on which "any: key. ma :be

wmchslwhflei m iding-imr. thesready install'agtion desired.

of keys, insures against their being removed accidentally.

ixFurLther' objects-sand:advantages of this'inventionwill,becomehapparent;and thelinvention will be .Tmo're rclearly :understood" from the following descriptiomrefefling to-the accompanying drawing',"an'd the featuresiof novelty whichcharac- =terizeithisiinvention will be pointed'out with particularity in 'tl'iebiaim's' annexed to, and forming a part of this specification.

- Brieflyjthi's invention-relates toa'key-holding mechanism comprising a single "loopfhaving a mounting portion; key-holding portions extending ,upWardl-yifrom said mounting'zportion, and a key inusefi-portion spaced from and overlying said mounting '=-p'o'rtion andc'extending generally pering a'portion Ofalocking sleev-esh'ownin section;

"While "Figs. "sands "are 'front'eleva'tions of anotner embbdiment' of my iii-proved key case.

Whilethis invention will be described with repect to the limited-"number of embodiments s'howninthedrawing, it is to be pointed out thatth'es'eembodiments have been chosen merely as examples to i1lustrate"morec1ear1y the operating features and principles of this invention.

"in'thedraivving' a"k ey"ca'se I is shown as com- -p' rising a cover "'2 "and a key supp'orting mech- 'anism"3. v f Cover 2,which -is 'ancillary-to my'invention, can bemade of' any "of 'the conventional materials hretdfonefls'edini'the art that'is, itcan be made of a .flat piece ofleathen-or plastic-having dimensions making it suitable for overlap to a buttoning positionyor'itca'n be provided with a'zipper whichwill 'joinfimatchingedges of the material to enclose keys and whey-supporting "structure. YKey-supportingmechanismt in the embodiinfant shown in Fig-.f zicomprises'a based, asecuring-deVice S'; aiidaky loop 6. -Base 'd'fpreferablyfis aplate of metal or any suitable molded plastic. which is adapted to lie in a single plaxie. Since base [serves the primary function i of "providing :"a stiff 'backing "member, its thickness, width, and' -l'ength'aredependent priiiiarilyiluponthe 'ftype and size of the key case Securing deyicegirwhioh is employed-tofasten key loop 6 to base 4, may have various forms. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, for example, the securing device 5 comprises a plate I havin three integral ears 8, 9 and [0. The ears are rolled-over portions of key loop 6, thereby fastening it to plate 1.

Obviously, plate I, which is not a necessary element, can be secured by conventional means, such as by rivets II, to base 4 and cover 2.

My improved key loop 6 comprises a mounting portion i2, key-holding members l3, l4 and the key in use portion [5. In a preferred embodie ment, loop 6 is made from a single strand of a wire having high tensile and resilient properties.

In one form (Fig. 2), mounting portion I2 is an inverted U-shaped section having a base l6 and a pair of legs ll, l8. Mounting portion l2,which is shaped to lie in a plane parallel to base 4, is so constructed (as shown in Fig. 2) that its legs [1, [8 are held by cars 8, III while its base IS is held by' ear 9.

Key-holding members I3, l4 extend laterally away from the mounting portion [2. The length of the key-holding members naturally is dependent upon the type and number of keys to be held by the case. For example, to hold several average sized keys, the length of members l3, I4 should be about three-eighths of an inch, but in any event, their length should be consistent with good design appeal.

The key"in'use" portion I5 of the key loop 5 overlies the mounting portion I2, and it may extend generally perpendicularly from the outer ends of key-holding members l3, l4. Preferably,

the key in use portion 15 is an integral part of I the key loop 6, and its outer tip portion is deflected toward base 4 to lend a smooth contour to the key case.

The key in use portion l 5 illustrated in Fig. 2 is in the shape of an angle having both sides extending, one towards each of the key-holding members 13, i4. One of these sides is cut (bias orotherwise) at a point I9 somewhere between the apex and the key-holding portions-l3, l4. The cut is so positioned that the key is not apt to become disengaged from the loop when the key is in the in use position, in storage position, or when being moved between these positions. With this structure, an intentional efiort is required to engage or disengage a key from loop 6, because the free ends of the loop adjacent cut 19 have a natural tendency, due to the resilience o the wire, to stay in alignment.

The further embodiments of my invention shown in Figs. 3 and 4 relate primarily to a tubular sleeve 20 having an outer diameter smaller than the hole in the head'of a key. Sleeve 20 is positioned over the free ends of the loop 6 at out l9, thereby aligning the free ends and holding them against separation through loss of resiliency in the loop material.

In use, the sleeve 20 shown in Figs. 3 and 4 could be moved, for example, along loop 6 in either direction. One free end (preferably the upper one) could then .be sprung to permit required about-every six months, depending on the quality of material in loop 6' and the irequencyof adding and removing'keys':

In addition to the sleeve 20, Figs. 3 and 4 show other means for securing loop 6' to the case 2'. In each of these figures, a base plate 4 is not employed, but loop 6 is provided with formed eyelets 2|, 2!, through which rivets 22 may be passed to lock the loop 6 directly to case 2'. While this embodiment does not provide the sturdy structure of Fig. 2, it is adequate for some uses.

This improved key holder has filled a need long existing in the art in that it provides a unique structure enabling keys to lie absolutely flat against the base or each other when not in use, and which allows any one of the keys to be moved to the in use position or removed from the holder for use. This is done by moving all keys in front of the wanted key to the other storage leg l3 or l4 or on the loop past the cut I9 and in use position, thus giving the wanted key access to the cut [9 orv in use position. This requires less efiort than untangling the keys on separate loops in the present types of key holders.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Fig. 5, loop 6 is shown having two key-holding positions with the cut I 9" depressed between them so that when either position is used the weight of the holder will tend to close the cut l9" rather than open it.

Modifications of this invention will occur to those skilled in the art, and it is desired to be understood, therefore, that this invention is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but rather it is intended to cover all modifications which are within the true spirit and scope or" this invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A key loop for a key case comprising a resilient wire shaped integrally to form an elongated mounting portion, key-holding portions extending laterally from either end of said mounting portion in substantially parallel side-by-side alignment, and a key in use portion spaced from and overlying said mounting portion and joining the outer ends of said key-holding portions, said key in use portion having a cut at one point therein whereby adjacent sides of said out may be separated to provide for the installation and removal of keys from said loop.

2. A key loop and mounting plate combination for use in a key case comprising a fiat mounting plate having a pair of resilient wires extending laterally therefrom in side-by-side relationship to provide key-holding portions whereby keys may be supported to lie flat and parallel to said mounting plate, and an integral key in use portion overlying said mounting plate and connecting the outer ends of said key-holding portions, said key in use portion having a cut therein to provide for the separation of the adjacent sides of said out in opposition to the resiliency of said wire whereby keys may be installed thereon or removed therefrom.

3. A key loop for a key case comprising integrally an elongated mounting portion, keyholding portions extending laterally from opposite ends of said mounting portion in parallel side-by-side alignment to provide key storage supports whereby a key when not being used may lie absolutely flat and parallel to said mounting portion, and a key in use portion spaced from and overlying said mounting portion, said key in use portion having a pair of'legs interconnecting the outer endsof said key-holding po'rtionsyand said loop having a out along its 5 length to provide for insertion of a key on said loop or easy removal of any key therefrom.

4. A key-supporting device comprising a flat mounting plate, a key loop, and means securing I said loop to said plate, said loop defining a mounting portion lying in one plane, key-holding portions extending laterally one from each end of said mounting portion in side-by-side alignment,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Wood Dec. 30, 1919 Ingraham Jan. 31, 1922 Robbins May 18, 1926 Bailey Nov. 1, 1927 Mitchell Oct. 13, 1942 Kollock Nov. 7, 1944