US2928195A - Combination key and picture holder - Google Patents

Description

March.15, 1960 B. 'r. FISCHER comsmnou KEY AND PICTURE HOLDER Filed June 6, 1958 INVENTOR.

BE 2 NAQD T- 'FWSCHEE ATTO QN EYS e I Z,928,l95 cl Patented Mar. 15, 1960 I'his invention relates to key holding devices, that is, devices in the form of fiat, tag-like articles to which are connected key chains on whichonefs keys may be carried, I

I Ordinarily, an article of the type described is used simply: as an identification means or other article that will facilitate identification of the owner in somemanner in the event the keys are lost. In such cases, the article is a rigidly constituted device, having no relatively moving parts, that is, after the identification has been applied thereto the identifying information, whether it be ones license number. or alternatively ones name and address, is more or less permanently retained within'the support provided therefor.

In accordance with the present invention, it is proposed 7 to provide an article' of the class described that will be so designed as to permit a plurality of pictures, identification cards, or the like to be assembled in the device, with each of said pictures or other objects'being individually movable to a position in which it is either individually disposed, or alternatively, exposes another, normally concealed picture or card. I 1

'In other words, in the 'inven'tion 'th'ere is a support frame assembly, having a plurality of compartments, with pictures or cards being normally housed in superposed relation in said compartments. In such aninstance, one or more of the pictures would obviously be concealed. However, in accordance with the invention movement of one picture frame out of its normal position will expose another, underlying pictureframe while said second named frame remains housed in the frame assembly.

Another object is to provide a device of the character I stated which will be of compact, flat formation despite the characteristics thereofdescribed above.

A further object is to facilitate complete removal, of any card or picture frame, whenever desired, for replacementof the same by another card or picture.

Other objects will appear from the'following description, the claim appended thereto,'and from the annexed drawing, inwhich like reference characters Idesignate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is ap'erspective view of a holder according to the invention;

Figure: 2 is a perspective view in which a front frame hasbeen elevated to expose a rear frame;

Figure 3 is a perspective view in which both the front and rear frames have been moved outwardly.

Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal section on line 4--4 of Figure l; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse section on line 5-5 of Figure 1. v V

A support assembly 10 includes a thin, rigid, fiat front plate 11, an intermediate or separator plate 12 (Figure 4) and rear plate 14. All the plates have registering peripheries, the plates in a preferred embodiment having tapering upper end portions.

Formed in the upper end edges of the plates 11, 12,

' verted V-shape.

wardly opening recess 37 (Figures 3 and 4) in which is I 2 notches 16, 18, and 20 respectively. The purpose of these will be. made apparent hereinafter.

Any of various means can be employed for holding the plates assembled with one another. In the illustrated example, there is a marginally extending retaining channel 22, extending along one side of the plates in embracing relation to the several plates, and continuing as at 23 across the bottom edges of theplates, again in embracingrelation to the several plates. 7

In the side portion of the channel 22, and in the several plates, registering .apertures areformed, receiving a'grommet through which extends a key chain 24.

The several. plates are maintained in closely spaced,

' parallel planes by means of' separator pieces 26, 28 (Figure .4).

nThe piece 26 is of U-shape, and opens upwardly. By

- reason of its being of U-shape it is adapted to receive an upwardly movable frame in a manner to be described in detail hereinafter.

"In embracing relatlonto the plates, at the side opposite that where the plates are embraced by the =channelz22,

there-isa channel 30, cooperating with the channel 22 in holding the plates assembled.

a purpose to be made presently apparent.

Formed in the lower portions of the pl tes 11, 12 are rectangular, registered openings 32, 34 respectively.

Awertically movable, rectangular frame 36 is integral with an upwardly projecting tongue 38,; so that there results a support element generally designated 39,- ofin- Said element 39 has a shallow, forsnugly engaged a card 40 which may comprise an iden- 7 along that side to which the key chain 24 is connected.- Piece 28 further extends across the full width of the tification card as shown. Alternatively, of course, a; picture or any other similar article could be engaged in the recess 37. The walls of the recess are undercut as shown in Figure 4 to releasably retain the card in the same.

Secured to the upper end' of the tongue 38 is a button or knob 42, which is normally engaged in the notches provided at the upper end of the device. This'constitutes a handle that is grasped .for the purpose of lifting the element 39, either to theposition shown in Figure 3, or toa completely removed position.

The separator piece -28 constitutes a rear separator piece, and extends along the bottom of the plates, and

tapered upper portion of the device, but does not extend continuously along the side of the device embraced by the channel 30. In other words, separator piece 28 .opens laterally to one side, rather than upwardly as in the case of the separator piece 26.

Designated at 44 is a rectangular,- laterally movable card support element or frame, having a shallow, forwardly opening recess registered with the recess 37 in the housed positions of the frame or elements 39, 44. This form of the frame is also designed to receive a card or picture, as for example the picture 46 engaged firmly in the forwardly opening recess 47 of frame 44 by means of undercut walls of said recess 47.

At one side. there is a forwardly projecting button or I handle 48, which is normally recessed in notches 50 proand 14 are registered, upwardly opening, rectangular vided in plates 11, and12, and in the separator piece 26.

The plates and separator piece are, ofcourse, all secure'ly cemented or otherwise fixedly connected together in a laminated arrangement shown in Figures 4 and 5. Thus, the device may be said to have a laminated construction, with one of. the laminations having an upwardly opening pocket and the other having a laterally opening pocket, sa1d laminations having registering openings so that a frame that is in the laterally opening pocket will Channel 39, however, terminates well above the bottom edgesof the plates, for

- more thantwo if desired.

frame in an upward direction to its Figure 2 position, the

frame in the laterally opening recess is exposed through the registered openings 32, 34'of the laminations.

Ordinarily, the frames 39,44 are fitted with suflicient snugness in their associated pockets as to be frictionally engaged therein. Thus, there is no danger of the frames accidentally falling out of the support '10. Any intentional removal, of course, can be effected by lateral movement of frame 44 or upward movement of frame 39 as shown in Figure 3. The frames can be removed completely, for replacement of the card's or pictures carried thereby. V

In their housed conditions, the frames do not project in any way beyond the periphery of the support. Further, the frame 39 is in concealing relation to the frame 44.

The frame 44 is exposed, however, by elevation ofgtlie' frame 39 as shown in Figure 2. v I

As will be apparent, the device is a fiat, cotnpact'arti- A of the class describe d comprising: a flat sup- -port assembly including a pair of outer plates, an intermediate plate therebetween, and separator pieces interposed between the intermediate plate and the respective outer plates, said intermediate plate defining in cooperation with the outer plates a pair'of superposed pockets, said separator pieces being approximately U-shaped with one being turned 90 in respectto the other whereby one of the pockets is open at one end. and is closed by one of theseparator pieces'at its other end and at both of its sides, the other pocket being open at one side and being closed at its other side and at both of itsends by the other separator piece, one of the outer plates, and the intermediate plate, having registering windows bounded by the U-shaped separator pieces; and card support frames removably positioned in the respective cle, capable 'of carrying a number of cards, and capable,

in fact, of normally concealing one or more cards from view. Of course, only-two frames are shown byway of example, but it will be'understood that there come he The'invention has full adaptability as a key holder, and in addition serves to provide a compact article for carrying a plurality of cards or pictures.

It is believed apparent that the invention is not necessarily confined to the specific use or uses thereof described above, since it may be utilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the invention to be necessarily limited tot-he specific construction illustrated and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles, it being considered that the invention comprehends any minor change in construction that may be permitted within the scope of'the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

pockets in slidable engagement with the respective support pieces and including handles exposed Within said openend and said-open side of thefirst andsecond pockets respectively in the fully inserted positions of thefram'es, imposition to b'egraspec'l by'a user during insertion and removal of therespectiveelem'ents through said open end and open side of their associated pockets, said frames having cardrieceiving recesses registering with the windows in the fully inserted positions of the frames.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS "567,012 Sept. 1, 1,934,497 Nov. 7, .1933 9 2,151,396 June 6, 1939 2,385,778 Evalt Oct. 2, 1945 2,535,255 6, 1950' 2,861,370 'McArthur Nov. 2 5, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 393299 France Oct. 21, 1907 443,302 Great Britain Feb. 26, 1936

Images