US2672747A

US2672747A - Key

Info

Publication number: US2672747A
Application number: US122003A
Authority: US
Inventors: Burnie J Craig
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1949-10-18
Filing date: 1949-10-18
Publication date: 1954-03-23
Anticipated expiration: 1971-03-23

Description

March 23, 1954 B, J cRAlG 2,672,747

KEY

Filed Oct. 18, 1949 Patented Mar. 23, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT-OFFICE KEY Burnie J. Craig, Los Angeles County, Calif. Application October 18, 1949, Serial No. 122,003

(01. ill-406) 3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a key.

The general object of the invention is to provide an improved key which includes means permitting the key to be readily tilted so that it may be grasped without difliculty.

Conventional keys comprise a body having generally planar upper and lower faces and the construction is such that when such a key is laid upon a flat surface such as the top of a table it is difficult to pick up the key, and this is particularly difiicult where the fingers are stiff or when the hand is cold. Also, it is almost impossible to pick up such a key when the hand is gloved. Keys are used in connection with automobiles and it frequently happens that the fingers of the person using the key are cold or the hand is gloved so that awkwardness results and the key must be slid to the edge of the table or object on which it rests in order to be grasped.

A more specific object of the invention is therefore to provide a key which is so constructed that by pressing on one portion of the key another portion of the key will be raised so that the key may be readily raised from the surface on which it is lying.

Another object of the invention is to provide a key having a protuberance on each side thereof, the protuberances being so disposed that when one side edge portion or one end edge portion is pushed downwardly the opposite portion will move upwardly.

A further object of the invention is to provide a key having protuberances on each side thereof, with the protuberances disposed symmetrically about the longitudinal axis of the key.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a key having protuberances on each face thereof, with the protuberance on one side complementary to the protuberance on the other side.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the key being picked up;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the key;

Fig. 3 is a central sectional view of the key with parts in elevation, and

Fig. 4 is an end view of the key.

Referring to the drawing by reference characters, the invention is shown as embodied in a key which is indicated generally at H]. As shown the key includes a body portion H and a shank l2. The shank is provided with the usual grooves 13 and notches M, which permit it to properly m and operate a companion lock.

As shown the key body portion includes seven sides of an octagon with the shank Ii. projecting from the eighth side of the octagon. This construction provides the body with two side edges which are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body and shank. The construction also provides an end edge which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body and shank. The key body has plane faces [5 and I6 and has flanged edges H which are shown as perpendicular to the face.

The key shown is provided with a hole 58 by means of which it may be attached to a key ring or chain as desired.

The body portion on each side is provided with a generally pyramidal protuberance ill which has faces 2!) converging to a flat top 2|. The top 2| of each protuberance has side edges and an end edge which are parallel to the associated body edges.

The protuberances l9 are disposed adjacent to the hole I8 and are symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis of the key, which axis, as shown, coincides with a diameter of the hole 53. When the key rests upon a flat surface and the body of the key is rocked to the position shown in Fig. 3 or to the position shown in Fig. 4 such rocking action will take place with one entire edge of the planar top 2| of the protuberance as a fulcrum. Thus there will be no fulcrum point and no marring of the surface on which the key rests will occur. Also, the key when rocked to the position shown in Fig. 3 or 4 will have its body contact the supporting surface in a line contact and there will be no marring which would occur were the contact a point contact.

The key may be lifted readily while in the position shown in Fig. 3, or by applying pressure at the area 24 in Fig. 3 the key may be raised to the dotted line position in Fig. 3, allowing it to be more easily lifted.

In use when the key is disposed on a flat surface S as shown in Figs. 1 and l, the forefinger may be placed as shown in Fig. 1 in engagement with the key at 2'2 and the thumb may be moved under the key as at 23 in Fig. 1. This will allow the key to be raised.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the applicant has provided a novel means by which a key may be quickly picked up.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A. key including a body and a projecting shank, said body having spaced faces, said body having a hole therein, the hole being disposed adjacent to the end of the body which is remote from the shank, said body on each face thereof having a projecting protuberance, each protuberance being disposed remote from the location where the shank joins the key body, each protuberance converging to a rectangular planar top, each protuberance being adjacent to said hole, each side edge of said planar top of each protuberance forming a fulcrum line upon which the key may be turned to bring the edge of the body into engagement with the surface upon which the key rests and the end edge of the planar top of each protuberance which is remote from the shank forming a fulcrum line about which the key may be turned to bring the edge of the body which is remote from the shank into engagement with the surface upon which the key rests, each protuberance rising above the adjacent face of the key a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the key.

2. A key including a body and a shank, said body having substantially planar spaced faces including seven sides of an octagon with the shank forming an extension of the eighth side, the body being arranged so that two sides thereof are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body and shank and so that the end which is remote from the shank is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body and shank, said body having a hole therein, the hole being disposed adjacent to said end of the body which is remote from the shank, said body on each face thereof having a projecting rectangular pyramidal protuberance, each protuberance being disposed remote from the location where the shank joins the key body, each protuberance converging to a rectangular planar top which is parallel to the adjacent planar face of the body, the side edges of each protuberance and of the flat top thereof being parallel to the said two sides of the body and the end edge of each 2 protuberance which is remote from the shank and the flat top edge of each protuberance which is remote from the shank being parallel to said end which is remote from the shank, said end edge of each protuberance being adjacent to said hole, each side edge of said flat top of each protuberance forming a fulcrum line upon which the key may be turned about an axis which is parallel to its longitudinal axis of the body and shank to bring either of the associated entire side edges of the body into engagement with the surface upon which the key rests and the end edge of the flat top of each protuberance which is remote from the shank forming a fulcrum line about which the key may be turned about an axis which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body and shank to bring the associated entire end edge of the body which is remote from the shank into engagement with the surface upon which the key rests, each protuberance rising above the adjacent face of the key a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the key.

3. A key including abody and a projecting shank, said body havin spaced races, said body having a hole therein, said body on each face thereof having a projecting protuberance, each protuberanc being spaced from the location where the shank joins the key body, each protuberance converging to a planar top, each pro tuberance having spaced side edges, each side edge of said planar top of each protuberance forming a fulcrum line upon which the key may be turned to bring one edge of the body into engagement with the surface upon which the key rests, each protuberance rising above the adjacent face of the key a, distance substantially equal to the thickness of the key.

BURNIE J. CRAIG.

'i'teferences Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,244,450 Christoph Oct. 23, 1917 1,692,686 Nichols Nov. 20, 1923 1,816,642 Fetter July 2S, 1981 2,065,29 Simon Dec. 22, 1936 2,065,468 Keil Dec. 22, 1936