US2976630A

US2976630A - Key-ring-trinket

Info

Publication number: US2976630A
Application number: US719989A
Authority: US
Inventors: Montfort Robert Marie
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1957-03-07
Filing date: 1958-03-03
Publication date: 1961-03-28
Anticipated expiration: 1978-03-28

Description

March 28, 1961 R. M. MONTFORT 2,975,530

KEYRING-TRINKET Filed March 3, 1958 INVENTOR ROBERT MARIE MONTFORT United S te KEY-RlNG-TRINKET Robert Marie Montfort, 27 Rodocanachi St.,

, Marseilles, France This invention relates to a numerical indicating device which is useful as a mileage tally for motorist as well as for many other purposes.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple device having a minimum of working parts, whilst at the same time ensuring that when a series of numbers has been set on the device they cannot readily be accidentally moved.

A further object is to provide such a device in combination with a key-ring, whereby the device becomes more useful to a motorist as an ignition key holder and mileage tally combination.

An example of embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows an elevation of the device, in the form of a key-ring trinket;

Fig. 2 shows a longitudinal section through the device;

Fig. 3 shows a section taken on the plane III--III of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 shows a section taken on the plane IV-IV of Fig. 2. I Generally, the device comprises a substantially tubular body 1 provided with a Window-forming aperture 2. Arranged internally of said body 1 there are a plurality of rings 3 having numerals arranged on the peripheries thereof, said numerals preferably being arranged consecutively around said ring and ranging from zero to nine. The rings 3 are arranged for rotation about a central tubular axle 4.

Each ring is provided with a plurality of recesses 5 in one side thereof, said number of recesses 5 corresponding to the number of numerals arranged around the periphery of the ring, and with at least one tenon 6 on the other side of the ringfrom the recesses 5 and arranged to seat in any one of said recesses.

One end of the tubular body 1 is closed by an outwardly extending flange 7 provided on the central axle 4, said flange being provided, in its surface adjacent one end ring 3, with a similar number of recesses 8, the tenon on said end ring 3 being arranged to seat in any one of said recesses 8.

The other end of the tubular body 1 is closed by a collar 9 arranged on said central axle 4 and co-acting with an inturned portion 10 of said body 1. Arranged between said collar 9 and the last ring 3 situated at that end of the device is a compression spring 11. Said compression spring 11 serves to cause resilient engagement between the rings 3, and between the end ring 3 and the flange 7.

Thus, the device, as so far described, provides a means of ensuring that, once a specific series of numerals has been moved into a position for viewing through the aperture 2, by rotation of the various rings 3, said series cannot be accidentally disturbed, due to the fact that a tenon 6 on each ring 3 will be engaged in a recess 5 in the adjacent ring, and the tenon 6 on the end ring will be engaged in a recess 8 in the outwardly extending flange 7, the compression spring 11 acting to maintain 2,976,630 Patented Mar. 28, 1961 said tenons in their respective recesses. To ensure stronger engagement between the rings more than one tenon 6 may be provided, and, if desired, the number of tenons may correspond to the number of recesses.

The flange 7, in the embodiment illustrated, is provided with an axially extending annulus 12 forming a cylindrical recess 13. Said recess 13 is closed by a hollow plug 14. The contacting surfaces of recess 13 and plug 14 may be screw-threaded.

The bore 15 of the tubular axle 4 opens into the recess 13. The two ends 16 and 17 of a cord 18 (see Fig. l) are passed through the bore 15, one cord end 16 being provided with a plurality of notches 19 and the other cord end 17 being provided with a similar plurality of tenons 20 arranged to engage in said notches 19 The cord end 17 terminates in an anchor 21 arranged to seat in the hollow plug 14.

It will be seen that, by removal of the plug 14, the cord 18 can be withdrawn through the bore 15 of the central axle 4, the two ends 16 and 17 of the cord 18 can then be disengaged and keys 24 or the like placed thereon. When the cord is replaced into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and it will be impossible to accidentally disengage the keys from the cord.

Finally, the annulus 12 may be provided with an integrally moulded arrow 22 arranged to seat in a slot 23 positioned in alignment with the aperture 2.

A device of the above-described nature forms an effective mileage tally, useful for many purposes, particularly by motorists, as well as a key-ring of robust construction from which it is virtually impossible to loose keys. The device is extremely simple to operate and is constructed of a minimum of parts, and is easy and inexpensive to manufacture.

I claim:

The combination of a key-ring and numerical indicator comprising a tubular body having a window-forming aperture therein, a plurality of rings arranged rotatively internally of said body, said rings having a plurality of numerals arranged around the peripheries thereof, a hollow central axle passing through said rings and having an outwardly extending flange at one end thereof, each said ring having parallel end surfaces normal to its axis, the flange having its end surface adjacent the rings plane and normal to its axis, said rings and said flange including a plurality of recesses opening at' a plane end surface and spaced symmetrically on a circle coaxial with the axis, each ring having on its other plane end surface at least one axially projecting tenon disposed at the same radius as the recesses and dimensioned for engagement into a selected recess, a collar arranged about said axle at the end thereof remote from said flange, a compression spring arranged between said collar and the last ring for urging said rings into frictional engagement with one. another and with said flange, an annulus extending axially from said flange and forming a recess, a hollow plug closing in said recess, and a cord, the two ends of which pass through the bore in said hollow axle, one cord end being provided with a plurality of notches and the other cord end being provided with a corresponding plurality of tenons for engagement in said notches, one cord end being provided with an anchor arranged to seat in said hollow plug, whereby, to release a key or keys retained on said key-ring, it is necessary to slide said cords axially through said hollow axle in a direction away from the looped portion of the cords, whereafter it is possible to disengage the tenons and notches provided on said cords in order that one cord may then he passed axially in the reverse direction through said hollow axle to open said looped portion.

(References on following page) Greattinger Nov. 19, 1935 H v. I

Refefences Cited in the file of this patent 2,537,598 Mason Ian 9, 1951 UNITED STA PATENTS 2,785,488 BIOOkS Mar. 19; 1957 1,421,070 Deichmann; June 27, 1922 FOREIGN.PATENTS 1,774,015 Johnson Aug. 26, 1930 5 256,745 Switzerland Mar. 1, 1949