US2852930A - Key holder - Google Patents

Description

J. F. THULL Sept. 23, 1958 KEY HOLDER Filed 001;. 20. 1955 FIG. 2

INVENTOR JOHN F. THULL ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 23, 1958 KEY HOLDER John F. Thull, St. Paul, Minn., assignor to Brown & Bigelow, St. Paul, Minn., a corporation ont lviinnesota Application October 20, 1955, Serial No. 541,815

Claims. (Cl. 70-459) My invention relates to key holders wherein a key ring is provided with a means of removably locking the keys to the key ring.

A feature of the invention resides in providing a skeleton-like frame, which can be made of metal or other suitable, tough material which is formed with a closed loop for supporing the keys and which has a key receiving slot which is normally closed by a pair of non-metallic disks. The key supporting member is generally fiat in construction and in addition to having the key receiving slot, is formed with an opening which provides a bearing for the disks which normally close the key receiving slot.

The non-metallic disks form an important part of the invention, owing to their plastic nature which permits the disks to be of any desired color and thus, it is pos sible to imprint indicia upon the exposed face ot the disks, which indicia would appear on either side of the key holder.

A further feature of the non-metallic disks resides in the fact that they can be secured together by cementing the bosses projecting from the inner surfaces of the same with the inner surfaces of the disks engaging against the sides of the metal frame or skeleton of the key holder with sufcient friction to prevent the disks from turning too easily in the bearing opening of the metal frame of the key holder.

Each of the disks is formed with an opening on their outer peripheral edge extending radially toward the axis of the disks and when the disks are cemented together', they rotate on the metal frame. The radially extending apertures or openings are positioned to coincide with each other.

In operating the key holder, the key is inserted onto the key supporting loop by means of a hole in the head of the key `being threaded onto the key holder when the slots in the disks are rotated to expose the receiving end of the key slot of the holder. Then as the key is slid or threaded up into the key receiving slot of the holder, the disks are simultaneously rotated carrying the key to a position where it enters the key receiving loop of the holder. When it is desired to remove the key, the radial slots in the disks are brought into registry with the key receiving; loop and the head of the key is guided out of the key receiving slot of the frame to disengage the key from the key holder.

It is a feature to provide the key receiving slot in the frame or skeleton of the key holder with a hook end at the receiving end of the slot. This hook end acts as a safety means to keep the key from being accidentally disengaged through the key receiving slot if the disks should happen to rotate and carry the head of the key around to the receiving opening of the key slot. To remove the key from the key receiving slot, it is necessary to lift the head of the key, with the opening therein, over said hook end. Thus, it will be apparent that the hook end, at the key receiving end of the slot of the key holder acts to retard the accidental removal of a key and actually restricts the width of the opening at the receiving end thereof.

The various features will be more fully and clearly defined hereinafter.

In the drawings forming part of this speciiication:

Figure l is a perspective View of my key holder showing a key in full lines as it would appear either in inserting the key into the key receiving slot or removing it from said slot. The outline of a key is dotted to show the position which the key would normally assume in the key receiving loop of the holder.

Figure 2 illustrates a side view of the key holder showing the radial openings in the disks positioned to expose the hook end of the key receiving slot.

Figure 3 is a view of the skeleton frame of the key holder with the disks removed therefrom.

Figure 4 is a section on the 4-4 line of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a section similar to Figure 4 with the disks separated from the skeleton of the key holder showing the relative position of the same before the disks are cemented together on the hub bosses.

The key holder A is formed with a skeleton frame 10 which may be stamped from metal or any other suitable material. The frame 10 is formed with a loop 11 on which the keys B are normally carried.

A key receiving slot 12 is formed in the skeleton frame 10 having the restricted opening 13 at the entrance to the slot 12. Av hook end 14 is formed on the framel bounding the slot l2 adiacent the restricted opening 13 which acts to retard the key B from being accidentally disengaged from the slot The frame it) is formed with a bearing opening 15 through which is fitted in the hub 16 of the plastic disk 17. A plastic disk 1S, which is similar to the plastic disk 17, is also provided with a hub portion 19 whichis adapted to be cemented inside of the hub portion 16 to integrally secure the disks 17 and 13 at their hub portions when the respective disks 17 and 18 are attached to the skeleton frame 1) as illustrated in Figure 4.

It is an important feature to form the hubs 16 and 19 short enough so that when therrespective hubs 16 and 19 are cemented together, to integrally seal the disks 17 and 18 together, the respective inner surfaces 20 and 21 of the respective disks 17 and 18 will bear against the surface of the skeleton frame lil with sufficient friction to retard the easy turning of the disks 17 and 18.

The diameter of the disks 17 and 18 is such that the arcuated outer edge 22 of the skeleton frame 10 will follow the saine contour as the peripheral Aedges of the disks 17 and 1S and be ilush therewith. The skeleton frame 10 is formed with an inner arcuated edge 23 which of the same contour as the edge 22 vso as to provide segmental circular portions 22 and 23 with the same axis as the opening 15.

An opening 24 leading from the loop 11 to the key slot 12 permits the kefs B to be received onto the loop 11 or to be disengaged therefrom.

Each of the plastic disks 17 and 18 is formed with a radially extending slot 25, The slots 25 are positioned in line with each other when the disks 17 and 18 are cemented together. Thus, the slots 25 rotate together when the disks lf and 18 are rotated and these slots form the recess in the disks 17 and 18 which expose the opening 13 and the retarding hook end 14, when the disks 17 and 18 are in the position illustrated in Figure l. However, when the disks 17 and .18 :are rotated in the opening 15 on the skeleton frame 10 to a position communicating with the loop 11 then, the lkey receiving slots or openings 12 and 13are closed.

The key holder A is designed to receive .one or more keys B by threading the same on the frame bordering the opening 13 and around the slot 12 and onto the loop 11 while the disks 17 and 18 close the slot 12 and the opening 13 and the opening 24. In this manner the disks 17 and 1S form a locking means to hold the keys E on the loop 11 until it is desired to remove the same from the key holder A. When it is desired to remove the keys from the holder A the radial slots 25 are moved into position to register with the key receiving slot 24 which permits the keys B to be slid alo-ng the frame to the opening adjacent the hook end 14 and as the key is disengaged from the hook end 14, it may be entirely removed from the holder A out of the passage 13.

It is a feature of primary importance to provide a key holder A wherein the skeleton frame 1@ is strong and durable so as to lirrnly hold the keys n on the loop ii. which ordinarily takes considerable wear from the movement of the keys on said loop, However, the locking disks 17 and 1S are preferably formed of plastic material which can be readily cemented together at their axis with the disks frictionally bearing against the metal skeleton of the key holder. This provides locking means of a nonmetallic nature which does not require an extra element such as a rivet to secure the disks together. 1t is important that the disks rotate together so as to keep the slots 25 in line and it is equally important to provide a. key holder with large flat surfaces upon which indicia can be imprinted for identification and advertising. Furthermore, the plastic disks are important because they provide economical means of forming the key holder A with only three parts and it is equally important that the key holder be made attractive Iby using color disks 17 and 18, thereby enhancing the appearance of the key holder. The plastic disks also provide a nonmetalic disk on one end of the key holder which is not inclined to scratch the finish of the instrument panel of the automobile and reducing, to a large extent, the rattle caused by the key holder when hanging free from the keys.

I claim:

l. A key holder including a skeleton metallic frame having a key receiving loop formed on one end, a key receiving slot on the other end leading into said loop. a restricted hook end at the key receiving end of said slot which prevents the accidental disengagement of a key from said key receiving slot and a pair of nonmetallic disks having hub means which are cemented together to integrally attach said disks and rotatably anchor the same in an opening centrally formed in said skeleton metallic frame, said nonrnetallic disks having radial aligned slots for exposing the open end of said kcy receiving slot in Said skeleton frame and to close the same by rotating said disks to move the aligned slots away from said open end, said disks being restrained from free rotation by frictional engagement against said skeleton frame.

2. A key support comprising a skeleton frame, a loop on one end of said frame rfor receiving a series of keys, a key receiving slot formed on the other end of said frame, a pair of disks frictionally position on each side of said skeleton frame adapted to close said key receiving slot, said disks being cemented integrally adjacent their axis and coinciding recesses formed in said disks adapted to expose the receiving end of said key receiving slot and when said disks are rotated to close said receiving end and to carry the keys to said key receiving loop on one end of said frame, said frame terminating in a key retaining hook end to prevent the accidental loss of keys.

3. A key holder having an elliptically shaped skeleton frame formed of metal, a key receiving loop at one end f said frame, a pair of rotatable disks having substantially flat outer surfaces and inwardly projecting hub portions which are joined together with the inner surfaces of said disks frictioually engaging the outer surfaces of said metal frame opposite 4said key receiving loop to restrain the free rotation thereof, said frame having a key receiving slot formed therein with a restricted hook outer end to prevent the loss of keys and radial slots formed in said disks rotatable into registry with the key receiving slot to expose the key receiving end of said frame and to close said slot by the unslotted portion of said disks when the frictionally restrained disks are rotated on said frame.

4. A key holder comprising, in combination, a thin elongated trame having a key retaining loop terminating at one end thereof in a at bearing supporting member having a hole therein, said frame having a circular key guiding loop integrally attached to the key retaining loop thereof and spaced apart from the supporting member of said frame a distance suicient to allow keys which are looped therein to pass through the key retaining loop, a projecting hook at the outer extremity of the key guiding loop to keep keys from falling out, a pair of hubbed circular plastic disks rotatably mounted on each side of said frame in axial alignment with the hole of the supporting member, said disks being cemented together and being frictionally restrained from free rotation against the supporting member of said frame, said disks having a radially extending notch cut therethrough to allow a key to be inserted in said key holder.

5. A key holder consisting of a thin metal supporting framework, said framework including a centrally positioned segmental plate having a hole therein, the segmental plate of said framework having an angular exterior edge and an inner curved edge, the inner curved edge of the plate defining a portion of a circle having its axis coincident with the axis of the hole in the segmental plate, the segmental plate terminating in a first key holding loop, the first key holding loop including a first straight section extending from the segmental plate and a iirst semi-circular section having a radius equal to the radius of the curved portion of the segmental plate and extending from the first straight section, the iirst key holding loop having a second straight section connected` to the first semi-circular section remotes from the iirst straight section and terminating in a semi-circular key guiding loop, the key guiding loop having a free end adjacent the angular exterior edge of the segmental plate and spaced apart to define a key entrance passageway therebetween, the radius of the key guiding loop being equal to the curved portion of the segmental plate, the axis of the key guiding loop being coincident to the axis of the hole in the segmental plate, an interior hook integrally attached to the free end of the key guiding loop to restrain keys from sliding out of the key entrance passageway, a pair of thin circular plastic disks having hubs in abutting engagement with each other rotatably mounted in the hole of the central plate, said disks having a radius equal to the radius of the curved portion of the segmental plate and being cemented together at the abutting surface of the hubs thereof, the inner radial surface of said disks being in frictional engagement with the segmental plate, said disks having a radial notch adapted to receive a key when the disk is rotated so that the notch is in register with the key entrance passageway of said supporting framework.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 168,258 lopson Sept, 28, 1875 221,571 Jepson Nov. 11, 1879 462,465 Berry Nov. 3, 1891 681,894 Swanson Sept. 3, 1901 751,643 Hentgen Feb. 9, 1904 863,297 Lynn Aug. 13, 1907 1,187,471 Ruskin lune 13, 1916 1,593,254 Guthe luly 20, 1926 FOREIGN PATENTS 151,373 Great Britain Sept. 27, 1920'

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