US3112638A

US3112638A - Holder for keys and the like

Info

Publication number: US3112638A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ahmet K Bey
Original assignee: MONARCH TOOL AND MACHINERY CO
Current assignee: MONARCH TOOL AND MACHINERY CO
Priority date: 1962-02-26
Filing date: 1962-02-26
Publication date: 1963-12-03
Anticipated expiration: 1980-12-03

Description

Dec. 3, 1963 A. K. BEY 3,112,638

HOLDER FOR KEYS AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 26, 1962 INVENTOR.

AHMET l BEY ATTY.

United States Patent 3,112,638 HOLDER FOR KEYS AND TEE LEE Ahmet K. Bey, Chicago, 111., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Monarch Tool 8; Machinery (30., a corporation of Illinois Filed Feb. 26, 1962, Scr. No. 175,779 6 Claims. (Cl. 70459) The instant invention relates to devices for holding keys and the like. Particularly, it relates to magnetic devices of the class described.

conventionally, keyholders comprise rings, chains or loops designed to retain the keys together. Frequently the requirement arises to remove a specific key or keys from a holder, more often than others. The requirement is best illustrated in connection with an individual who frequently parks his car in a parking lot and is required to leave the ignition key. Such person does not ordinarily care to leave the remainder of his keys, and desires to separate his ignition key from the remainder, if he normally keeps all of them together.

Because of the inconvenience of frequently hav'mg to separate a specific key or keys from the group with which it is kept when using the conventional key chain or ring or the like, several devices of rather recent origin have been constructed to obviate the annoyance. One device of recent introduction has even been constructed which employs a structure relying on the principles of magnetic force.

In accordance with the instant invention, an improved device of the described class is provided which also relies on the principles of magnetic force, but which constitutes an improvement over prior devices by reason of the enhanced releasable gripping of the portion of the device holding the keys desired to be removed from the others thereof.

It is an object of the instant invention to provide a construction of the class described in which a pair of waffle magnets are employed, together with a soft metallic magnetizable material in which one portion is removable from the other thereof.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device of the class described having a housing or body in which there are a pair of waffle magnets mounted in spaced relationship on a magnetizable magnetic material which reinforces and strengthens the magnetic fields created by the magnets and having fixed on one face of one of the magnets a first member fabricated from magnetizable material which strongly attracts a like member oppositely magnetized to the first member, whereby such like member may be gripped and removed by pulling force With the like member having connected thereto a key or keys desired to be removed or separate from the remainder of the device.

Other and further objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and numerals of reference thereon.

On the drawings: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of an entire device.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of I FIG. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

3,112,638 Patented Dec. 3, 1963 11 and 12. The housing may be fabricated of any suitable material apparent to those skilled in the art.

A frame, generally designated as 13, is provided. The frame 13 shown is rectangular in cross section and is provided with

small extensions

14 and 15 which conform with the contour of the rounded portion 16 of the housing 18 to the end that the frame 13 fits snugly in said housing 1%), wherein said frame is rigidly secured upon assembly of the components with any suitable adhesive material. The opposite end members of the frame 13 are identified by the

numerals

17 and 18. The frame member 17 is recessed at the top, as illustrated at 19, for a purpose which will become apparent hereinafter. The frame member 18 is notched as at 20 for a purpose which will become apparent hereinafter.

Securely mounted in the frame 13 there is a substantially rectangular plate or base 21. The plate or base 21 is fabricated from a magnetizable material, preferably soft steel. The plate or base 21 is referred to hereafter as a magnetic reinforcing member, with the reason therefor to become apparent hereinafter.

The magnetic reinforcing member is preferably wholly retained within the frame 13 to which I prefer to secure it by means of a suitable adhesive applied between its edges and the frame 13. When it is disposed within the frame 13, the integral apertured lug 22 is accommodated by the notch 20 through which it extends outwardly from the housing 10 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

A pair of

waffle magnets

23 and 24 are mounted in spaced relationship within the frame 13. The Wafile magnets are of a type polarized so that the opposite poles of each thereof are aligned through the thickness of the material, rather than longitudinally of the magnetic material as in a conventional magnet. I prefer that the faces of the

magnets

23 and 24 which rest against the magnetic reinforcing member 21 be suitably cemented to the face of the magnetic reinforcing member. The dimensions of the

magnets

23 and 24 are such that they snugly fit within the frame 13 by which they are partially retained as illustrated in the drawings.

In the disposition of the

magnets

23 and 2 on the magnetic reinforcing member 21, the poles of each magnet are disposed in the same direction as the opposite poles of the adjacent magnet. That is to say, the North pole of one magnet and the South pole of the other magnet are each secured adjacent the magnetic reinforcing member 21 while the South pole of the one magnet and the North pole of the other magnet are disposed at the opposite faces of said magnets. By mounting the magnets in the manner described, the magnetic field of each is enhanced many times over the original force of the magnets alone so that the magnetic force created along the adjacent edges of

magnets

23 and 24 is multiplied many times over unaugmented attractive or magnetic force of the magnets alone.

What 1 refer to as an attracting member 25 is secured within the frame 13 on the face of the magnet 24- in any suitable fashion evident to those skilled in the art. The attracting member 25 is fabricated of any suitable magnetizable material, well known to those skilled in the art, such as soft steel. The attracting member is preferably rectangular in cross section with a slightly larger area than the face 31 on which the member 25 is mounted so that it slightly overhangs the magnet as illustrated in FIG. 2. The thickness of the attracting member 25 is such that it is preferably retained within the frame 13 when the components are entirely assembled. It will be appreciated, of course, because of the -material from which it is fabricated, that the attracting original magnet to which it is affixed, to be developed along its exposed edge 32.

What I refer to as a magnetically attractable member is represented by the numeral 26. The attractable member 26 is provided with an apertured end lug 27, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described. The attractable member 26 is fabricated of a suitable magnetizable material, well known to those skilled in the art, such as soft steel. The attractable member 26 is slidable over the exposed face 28 of the magnet 23, and when the device is assembled the attractable member 26 may be inserted and withdrawn through the recess 19. In use, as the attractable member 26 slides across the face 28 of the magnet 23, a magnetic field is set up therein with its polarity arranged opposite to that of the attracting member 25. The area of the attractable member 26 is slightly larger than the face 28 so that there is a slight overhang, as illustrated in FIG. 2. Thereby, as the attractable member 26 is slid over the face 28 toward the attracting member 25, it is magnetically drawn toward engagement with the edge 32 of the attracting member into a strong magnetic grip.

By providing a retainer, such as chain 29, which is adapted to hold a single key (not shown) and which is mounted in the apertured lug 27 as illustrated in FIG. 2, and by providing a retainer, such as key ring 30, mounted in the apertured lug 22, one can connect all of his keys (not shown) to the single housing or body'ltl. A key or keys (not shown) desired to be frequently removed from the rest may be mounted on the chain 29. By exerting outward force on the lug 27 by pulling thereon hard enough to overcome the magnetic attraction between the

members

25 and 26, the attractable member 26 may be removed from the body or housing 10 through the recess 19. When it is desired to reassemble the devicethat is, to put the keys (not shown) on the chain 29, together with the keys (not shown) on the ring one need only to insert the attractable member 26 through the recess 19 over the face 28 with an inward push toward the attracting member 25, and upon engagement of the two,

members

25 and 26 are locked together.

As many changes or substitutions could be made in the above described construction, and as many apparently widely different embodiments of the invention within the scope of the claims could be constructed without departing from the scope and spirit thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as being illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. A holder for keys and the like comprising an openended housing; a magnetic reinforcing member secured in said housing; a pair of magnets secured on one-face of each thereof to said reinforcing member and spaced from each other, the poles of each magnet disposed in the same direction as the opposite poles of the adjacent magnet; a magnetically attracting member secured to the opposite face of one of said magnets; a magnetically attractable member removably mountable on the opposite face of the other of said magnets, whereby the magnetically attractable member can be pulled from an open end of said housing.

2. A holder for keys and the like comprising an openended housing; a magnet reinforcing member secured in said housing; a pair of magnets with one face of each thereof disposed against said reinforcing member, said magnets spaced from each other, the poles of each magnet disposed in the same direction as the opposite poles of the magnet adjacent thereto; a magnetically attract ing member secured to the opposite face of one of said magnets; a magnetically attractable member removably mounted on the opposite face of the other of said magnets, and a lug on said magnetically attractable member and extending through an open end in said housing whereby the magnetically attractable member can be replaceably removed from the housing.

3. A holder for keys and the like as defined in claim 2 in which the housing has only two open ends, and further characterized by a ring holder secured in the open end of said housing opposite said lug.

4. A holder for keys and the like comprising a housing having a pair of open ends; a magnet reinforcing member secured tn said housing and having a first lug extending outwardly of one of said open ends; a pair of Waffle magnets of substantially uniform thickness secured in said housing in adjacent positions with opposite poles disposed adjacent said reinforcing member; a magnetically attracting member secured on the face of one of said magnets opposite said reinforcing member, and a magnetically attractable member removably mounted on the other magnet against an edge of the attracting member, said attractable member having a second lug extending outwardly of the other of said open ends whereby the attractable member can be replaceably removed from the housing.

5. A holder for keys and the like comprising a housing having a pair of open ends; a frame having an end member provided with a notch therein and a recessed end member and secured in said housing; a magnet reinforcing member secured in said frame and having a lug extending from said housing through said frame notch; a pair of Wafile magnets secured to said reinforcing member with opposite poles disposed adjacent to said reinforcing member; a magnetically attracting member secured on the face of one of said magnets opposite said reinforcing member; and a magnetically attractable member releasably magnetically secured to said attracting member and withdrawable and insertable into said housing through said recess.

6. A holder for keys and the like comprising an openended housing; a frame secured in said housing; a pair of wafile magnets secured in said frame in spaced relationship With their poles reversed; a magnetically attracting member secured to a face of one of said magnets; a magnetically attractable member removably mounted against the edge of said attracting member; a key retaining member operably secured at one end of said housing and a key retaining member secured to said attractable member, whereby one key retaining member may be optionally removed and reconnected to the other thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,615,227 Hornik Oct. 28,

2,637,887 Goddman et al. May 12, 1953 2,654,929 Feibelman Oct. 13, 1953 2,975,497 Budreck Mar. 21, 1961

Claims

1. A HOLDER FOR KEYS AND THE LIKE COMPRISING AN OPENENDED HOUSING; A MAGNETIC REINFORCING MEMBER SECURED IN SAID HOUSING; A PAIR OF MAGNETS SECURED ON ONE FACE OF EACH THEREOF TO SAID REINFORCING MEMBER AND SPACED FROM EACH OTHER, THE POLES OF EACH MAGNET DISPOSED IN THE SAME DIRECTION AS THE OPPOSITE POLES OF THE ADJACENT MAGNET; A MAGNETICALLY ATTRACTING MEMBER SECURED TO THE OPPOSITE FACE OF ONE OF SAID MAGNETS; A MAGNETICALLY ATTRACTABLE MEMBER REMOVABLY MOUNTABLE ON THE OPPOSITE FACE OF THE OTHER OF SAID MAGNETS, WHEREBY THE MAGNETICALLY ATTRACTABLE MEMBER CAN BE PULLED FROM AN OPEN END OF SAID HOUSING.