US2676373A - Extension key chain - Google Patents

Description

April 27, 1954 w. H. MEEKER EXTENSION KEY CHAIN Filed Nov. 14, 1949 INVENTOR Wil/jam H le/fer dn/mw (5i/M* ATTORNEYS its other end, a key ring be carried. The said length of chain having the length ofthe chain Patented Apr. 27, 1954 2,676,373 EXTENSION KEY CHAIN William H. Meeker, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to Hickok Manufacturing Co. Inc.,

Rochester,

N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 14, 1949, Serial No. 126,954

f 3 Claims.

This invention relates to extension key chains. The extension key chain of the present invention is of-a character so that the effective length of the chain canbe extended when the user has the keys on the ring, which is at one end of the chain inY his hand, as diiering from prior key chains wherein the effective lengthv of the key chain is constant and cannot be extended for utilitarian purposes.

VThe present key chainrconsists of a rather long length of ilexible chain or the like having at one end'the usual snap fastener tovwhich a watch or other article can be detachably secured; and, at upon which keys are to snap fastener at one end and the key ring at the other, passes through a slide block and this slide block has attached to it a length of chain, preferably shorter than the rst mentioned length f chain, and this shorter length of chain has at one end thereof a fastener for detachably securing the' extension key chain, as a whole, to a trouser loop or other means to Vwhich it may be secured.

The extension key chain functions very simply in that the longer length of chain Vto which the snap hookv is attached at one end and the key ring at the other end, may be pulled through the slide block and the eby lengthen the effective with respect to the slide block, depending upon which end of thechain is pulled, Which resultsin the chain intermediate its ends being slid through the slide block with which it is associated. Insteady of sliding the chain through the slide block by pulling on either end of thechain, at opposite sides of the slide block, the chain oneither side of the slide block may be held in the hand and the slide block itself slid along 'the length of the chain luntil the desiredfeiective length of the chain at either-side ofthe slidel block isattained. So, it will be 'seen that the said longer'length of Ythechain can nbe extended by pulling upon either end thereof and thus" extending the effective length of the chain'or thechain may be held stationary and the slide blockm'oved on kand relative to the ychainfand thus also-extending the eiective' length of the chain.

The aforesaid brief descriptionI ofY the present extension key chain`, therefore, differs the invention radically from prior key chains where com-` Y plicated looped formationsare resorted to'and f overlapping of the "same or two or more chains are resorted to. f

With the above in mind, it is'an object of the invention to provide anl extension key chain whereby the effective' length of the key chain may be'affected by eitherpulling one end of the chain4 to lengthen'that end portionV with respect to a slide block or to hold the said chain stationary andvmove or-fslide the slide blockalong the chain to accomplish an; extension of the said chain; f f

' the slide block being capable of movement rela-` s.' ing in. thedirection A l. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken 'sub-`A 2 Another object of the invention is to provide an extension key chain consisting of a tethered slide block anda rather long length of chain that is associated with the said slide block and whichl chain can be moved relative to the slide block or with the same and lengthen the said chain, or the slide block moved with or relative to the said chain. l

Another object of the invention is to provide an extension key chain consisting of a ilexibly tethered slideblock and a key chain associated- With the slideblock and'extending through a portion of the with or relative to the said slide block, and the said cha/in having on opposite ends thereofse-4 curing devices for attachment thereto of various articles such as watches, key rings, etc.

Another object of the invention is to provide anextension key chain consisting of a iiexibly teth" ered slide block and a exible key chain associ'- ated therewith and extending from opposite portions of the slide block, thereby disposingvportions of the key chain outwardly of the slide block and the key chain being capable of being moved relative to or with the slide block and, likewise,

tive to or with the said chain.

Another object of the invention is to provide an extension key chain consisting of `a relativelyfew inexpensive parts that are capable of being quickly associated `to form component elements constituting the extension key chain as awhole and which elements essentially consist of a ilex-V bly tethered slide block and a length of chain associated with the slide block and capable of being slid through the slide block and the said chain having attaching devices at either 'endthereof. With these and other objects in view, the inventionl consists vin the construction and novel combination and karrangement of A parts herein-'- after fully described, illustrated in theraccompanying drawings and( pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that vari ous changes in the form, proportions, and minor i details of construction, within the scope of the,A claims', may be yresorted to'iwithout departing from the spirit 'of or sacrificing any advantages of lthe invention.

' In the drawings:

Fig. l is a view of slightly'in perspective, showing the chain in association with the trousers of the wearer;V

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken lsubi lines 2-2 of Fig. 1

stantially along the of the arrows;v

, looking same and capable of being moved the extension key chainv viewfof one of the-'ele-y slide block and showing a portion of the chain and its :association with the same;'l

Figs. "'5 Aand "6 'are diagrammatic yillustrations disclosing two ways of extending the key chain.

The invention 'will be more readily understood by referring to the several gures of they-drawings in detail wherein like reference numerals in the several gures denote the sarneapartsorelements.

The extension key chain :consists yof :the slide block denoted generally at 6, which slide block has attached thereto a short lengthfof A,chain 1 by means of the ring 3 at one end thereof and the other end of this chain has a detachable fastener 9 attached thereto. A longer length of chain IQ, relative .to `the length of the chain 1, slidingly passes through Va passageway hereinafgter :described rin the Vslide block Vl'lereinafter described, fand this length of chain, at :one -end thereof, has .secured thereto Aa key ring .or the like iIzl, and has secured to its other end a conventional snap .hook I2 which is 4-of the ,type that is ordinarily adapted to be detachably secured to `the loop Y"of a watch or other such article "Ehekey ring -II may ltake the `form-ais described in application, Serial No. .115;864, iled September `15, 1949, or may be aconventional key ring or the like, the key ring as disclosed in Patent 225'I;304, issued September 30, 1941, and, likewise, the -fastener 9 may be identical with .the fastener =.4I Vdisclosed. in the ,said patent rapplication or thefastener `I .disclosed-in the Ysaid patent.;

@bviously :different :types `of fasteners and key rings-can'be l.associated 'with the ends of the vextension key lchain IEB and a different form .of snap hook :or other fastener may be substituted forthesnapfhook ,I 2.

'The ,slide block denotedgenerally `at E Ais substantially 'triangular shaped :outline but, `vof course, may A.well the of other shapes, contours and outlines. .This .slide block consists of two Vsubstantially similarly formed sections I3 and I4, and which sections may be made -of 4plastic material, metal, alloys `of vmetals, for any `.other suitable material and, as illustrated, the Vslide block -is -made -of plastic. Each `section of the slide block has downwardly diverging ,side :walls I5 .and I6 at-the upper Vportions thereof and, at the-flower portions of each Aof .the sections constituting the slide block, V:there 'are walls rII and I-S vconverging toward the .bottom 2Q, yand which bottom .is provided vwith a groove 2-I and :a similar groove 22 is provided in the top of the slide block, :and which Vgrooves .communicate with a similarly V.formed .groove 23 -in .each -of ,the front faces .2.4 ofthe .sections I3 `.and rIll.

The- `inner face ,of .section J3 of the slide block is Y,provided with .raised protuberances 251pref.- erably asemi-spherical.in shape, and which .-protuberances, when .the -two sections .are lbrought together, rest in similarly vformed semi-spherical recesses 26 and serve as .a .means .to vproperly position the two .sections I3 fand I4 ltogether during assembly and to maintain .,them,in.their properly adjusted positions with respf'zct to-.each other. when .assembled together.

`Each'section I3 and I4 o f the slide Ablock is provided .with a transversely extending arcuate channel `or passageway .21, which .passageway is semi-circular in cross section. When the two sections I3 and I4 vare brought `together vand assembled, the passageway formed by lthe .reg-

istering channels is substantially vcircular in transverse outline `and .arcuate longitudinally towards its -ends v.28 .and 29. The passageway entends lat ely downwardgincline towards :its ionen ends, thus allowing the chain I0 to be readily :slidably moved through 'the said passageway when pull is vexerted upon the chain.

The slide block also includes spaced transverserecesses and this web having a circular cut-out l:central .'portion33 which serves as a bearing for .the rfriction plunger shaft 34 which has at one end-thereof -a convex head 35 and, adjacent the other .end 3B thereof, ,there is a circular enlargement 31 which abuts against the upper portions ofthe 'webs of the two sections I3 and I4 in its downward movement, which is the normal position thereof, and whichplunger is `maintainedin this 4position by means Vof :a y coil yspring `S that 'is mounted in the recesses .30 of the Atwo sections. The convex head 35 ispositioned inthe recess .3I and is free .to move therein under the `resiliency ofthe spring S, and this recess 3| intersects the recesses 21 of the two sections midway the length thereof and vpartially projects into the passageway formed by the recesses 2;'I and isadapted to resiliently engage .that portion of ythe chain in the channel immediately opposite vthe end ofthe said plunger in-order to apply friction thereto, and to maintain the chain YIII in any .adjusted or extended position.

The two sections I 3 and `,I4 of the'slide block, as aforesaid, are maintained lin Aregistry :by-the proojections 25 fitting in the recesses l26 :and these two sections are held `together by a metallic .=or other bale 3B which lisidisposed in :the aforesaid .grooves v23 in the opposite .outer :faces .of -each section and, likewise, in the grooves ,2:I in the bottom of veach-ofthe sections and also in .the grooves 22 in the Atop of each of the-sections,:and the ends ofthe bale v39 tand .40 extend outwardly from 'the top ofthe slide blockfinfcontacting:relationship and are teach provided with an 'openin g 4i, and the openings in A.the -two extensions are `.fin-registry and the bale `is held together about thetwo sections-of the slide block bymeans-ofa y hollow rivet L,l't that -is flanged over the ,o,uter;por-

tolerance with respect -to tions ofthe extensions vor `ears of Ithe bale, :see Fig. 3. yThe ring ,Bat theend `of thechain -1passes through the lhollow-rivet and-serves as a means to secure the chain to theslide block.

.Itis to be understood that `if'the ,passageway for vthe chain `in the -slide Ablock is :of .fsufcient the cross sectional ,diameterof the chain, the spring-pressedplunger in V,the vslide .block ,may be 'eliminated fand the frictioning `,effect obtained solely .by 'the Yclose t of the chain inthe channel .or, if desired, fthe chain may be;loose inzthechannel andmerelyfrest there by .gravity and ltlius maintain the 4chain in 'any ldesired 1 extended position.

' W hile. a-chain Ahas beenfreferred :to iherein, Vitis also to be understood ,that exible means-other than a chain may well be utilized. For instance, synthetic vmaterials 1th atare'flexible -could :be yused in `place-,of the'chain `I and/or1the chain rI-II.

-'As ,illustrated :in Fg. 1, lthe fastener 59 fis yattached to v:a trouser Yloop Tand'thusgtetlrers .the extension keychain to the .article .of f-clothing The length of this chain tends .from lthe l.trouser llop-down to a point ladiacent vthe .bottom -of Vthe `pocket opening P in Vthey trousers. The slide block, which is very :ornamental, yand-may consist .of :contrasting colorsdue to ,the combination of the plastic Wbodyzandthe metal bale, is attached by .means of the :ring f8 swinging movement.- .TheEzlongerI-lengthoffchain 'I is such @that :it ex- I0, which has the snap hook I 2 thereon, is looped upwardly to the watch pocket W in the trousers and is attached to a watch or other article, not shown, and the other end of the chain is also looped upwardly and carries the key ring l i thereon and which key ring may be disposed in the rear pocket B of the trousers. Obviously, the portion of the chain carrying the key ring and the key. ring itself, of course, could be inserted in the side pocket P of the trousers.

When it is desired to extend the length of the chain I0 with respect to the tethered slide block as illustrated in Fig. 5, it is assumed here that the slide block 6 is gripped by the fingers and is held stationary and that either portion of the chain opposite the slide block is pulled, it being seen from the dotted line indications in this iigure that the chain l0 can be extended either to the left or right of the slide block by merely holding the slide block in the ngers and pulling on the chain.

With regard to the diagrammatic illustration of Fig. 6 of the drawings, it is assumed, as it was in Fig. 5, that the length of chain 'I is tethered by means of the fastener 9, which is secured to an article of clothing or the like, thus, by pulling either the end of the chain where the key ring l l is attached, or the other end of the chain where the snap hook l2 is attached, and not holding the slide block 6, the tethered chain l, which carries the slide block, will be moved at an angle with respect to the vertical such as shown in the dotted line positions, and the chain I 0 may be extended from either side of the slide block depending upon which chain is pulled. The slide block will only swing as far as permitted by the length of the chain 1 when either end of the chain is pulled and then the chain will slide relative to the slide block and be extended to one of the dotted line positions of Fig. 6.

From the foregoing, it is believed quite clear that the chain I0 may be extended in one or two ways; namely, by holding the ornamental slide block S and sliding the chain through the block or merely leaving the slide block free and, in that instance, the tethered chain 7 will swing or move to a. certain extent limited by the length of the chain 'l and then stop and, by further pulling on either end of the chain, the chain will slide relative to the slide block but, at one time, it will be seen that the chain 'I and the slide block 6 move or swing simultaneously with the chain l0.

The illustration of the use of the extension key chain in connection with trousers is not to be considered as limiting the use of the invention as one may want to use the extension key chain on a vest or other article of apparel. It has already been said that the key ring and the snap hook for the watch and any other such fastener may be substituted depending upon the requirements of the user.

What is claimed is:

1. An extension key and watch chain including a slide block, a suspension chain having a lower end permanently attached to the upper end f of said slide block, the upper end of the chain having a fastener carried thereby for detachably connecting the chain with part of a garment and thereby suspend the chain and block for swinging movement to various positions and also allow the block to be bodily lifted together with the chain, said slide block having a passageway extending transversely therethrough, said passageway being of arcuate form throughout its length and circular in cross section and having its concaved side presented downwardly with opposite end portions thereof diverging downwardly, a chain of greater length than the first mentioned chain having a portion thereof at all times movably passing through the said passageway of the slide block, and securing means at each end of the last mentioned chain providing for attachment of articles thereto, the said longer chain being adapted to be slid longitudinally through the passageway in the slide block by pulling on either end of the said last mentioned chain or by moving the flexibly suspended slide block along the said last mentioned chain when the latter is held stationary.

2. An extension key and watch chain including a slide block, a suspension chain having a lower end permanently connected with the upper end of said slide block, a fastener at the upper end of said chain for detachably connecting the chain with part of a garment and thereby suspend the chain and block for swinging movements to various positions and also allow the block to be bodily lifted together with the chain, said slide block having a passageway extending transversely therethrough, said passageway being longitudinally arcuate with its concaved side presented downwardly, the slide block being formed above said passageway with a vertical socket having its lower end open and communicating with the passageway midway the length thereof, a spring pressed plunger slidable vertically in said socket and urged downwardly and having a rounded head at its lower end entering the passageway, a chain of greater length than the rst chain having at all times a portion movably passing through the passageway and frictionally gripped by the head at the lower end of said plunger, and article holding members at opposite ends of the longer chain, said longer chain being slidable longitudinally through said passageway past said plunger by pulling on either end of the said longer chain or by grasping the block and moving the block along the said chain when the said chain is held stationary.

3. A key chain as dened in and by claim 1 wherein the slide block is formed of two complementary sections, each section having an arcuate channel of semi-circular shape in cross section in the inner side thereof, and which channels when the sections are secured together form an arcuate passageway through the slide block for the longer chain, a securing strip disposed vertically about the block in close fitting engagement with the said complementary sections of the block and having ends forming ears extending upwardly against each other, a hollow rivet passing through said ears and holding the same together, and a ring passing through said rivet and with which the lower end of the suspension chain is connected.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 21,398 Rogers Aug. 31, 1858 210,281 Weston Nov. 26, 1878 307,806 Sailer Nov. 11, 1884 783,741 DOlier Y Feb. 28, 1905 1,190,446 Moore July 11, 1916 1,280,237 King Oct. 1, 1918 1,518,092 Meegan Dec. 2, 1924 1,567,636 Buxton Dec. 29, 1925 2,274,820 Bills Mar. 3, 1942 2,291,089 Okun June 28, 1942

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