US292954A - Assigxob to - Google Patents

Description

UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHNCOLLINS RUSSELL, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO TOBIAS NEW, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

KEY-TAG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 292,954, dated February 5, 1884.

Application filed July 13, 1892. (X0 mndrl.)

vented a new and useful Key-Tag; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, n aking part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved key-tag. Fig. 2 is a side elevation,

with the telescoping portions withdrawn to display the interior imprint, and showing the side of the tag opposite to the side shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 represents a modification.

The object of my invention is to provide a; key-tag which will indicate means for the return of lost keys to the owners, and yet not disclose the business, place of business, or residence of the owner.

As at present used, key-tags will disclose to a dishonest person finding keys the residence or place of business of. the loser, and thereby afford the finder an opportunity to apply the keys for dishonest purposes; or, if the lost key or keys fall into the hands of an honest finder, an edition of a newspaper must be waited for to advertise the loss. The de lay caused inthe latter instance may work great harm to the owner where the lost key is a safe-key, the safe probably containing the owners books or papers wherewith to commence business in the beginning of a day. Moreover, if the tag, as at present used, indicates the individuality of the loser, and the finder thereby becomes aware of the losers financial standing, it is is likely to tempt the cupidity of the finder and lead to extortion in the reward demanded.

Myinventionis designed to overcome these disadvantages of key-tags as at present used; and my invention consists in a key-tag, as a new article of manufacture, bearing. an imprint of a central place of delivery, a state ment of reward to be paid, and a serial num ber individualizing or identifying the owner. In order that those skilled in the art may make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the exact manner in which I have carried'it out.

The tag I prefer to use, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, is composed of two shells, a b, which telescope one within the other at the ends.

WVithin the hollow shells a b is an elastic strip, 6, one end of which is secured within the shell I) andthe other end at the bottom of shell a. The elasticity of strips 1) is such that in its normal condition it draws shell I) over shell 0 and keeps the shells closed and the elastic strip out of sight, as seen in Fig. 1.

On one side of shell a is stamped or imprinteda serial number indicating the ownship of the tag, (see Fig. 2,) and on the elastic strip 1) is stamped or imprinted a central point of delivery-in this instance, for illustration, 252 WVashington st.and a state ment of an amount of reward to be paid on delivery at the place named. If desired, the

i side of the tag opposite to that containing the serial number may have imprinted on it directions as to opening the tag, as seen in Fig. 1. A finder of the keys discovers from the tag that a reward can be obtained by returning them to a certain place-say 252 Washington st. The finder delivers them there, and obtains the rated reward without obtaining the remotest idea as to ownership, and there is no inducement to extort or duplicate the keys before returning them. The person at the place of delivery determines the owner by the serial number, and at once forwards the keys to the owner.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- As a new article of manufacture, a key-tag bearing an imprint of a central point of delivery, a statement of a reward to be paid, and a serial number indicating ownership, sulistantially as set forth.

. JOHN COLLINS RUSSELL.

Witnesses:

S. E. BRYANT, A. STUART.

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