US3442103A - Key holder - Google Patents

Description

y 6, 1969 cs. LE PAGE KEY HOLDER Filed July 25, 1967 INVENTOR GerardT. e'Page BY ATTORNE United States Patent US. Cl. 70-456 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to a multiple key holder. The fastening means for the keys comprises a block pivotally secured to the case and a U-shaped spring clip on the block for retaining the individual keys.

This invention relates to a key holder and, more specifically, to a key holder in which individual keys may be easily removed from and replaced in a key case.

It is highly desirable in a key holder to be able to remove individual keys such as an ignition key for an automobile when parking it in a parking lot or garage, or a home or office key, etc., without disturbing or giving up possession of the rest of the keys.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide means by which individual keys may be easily removed from the key holder.

It is an object of this invention to provide simple and independent means for attaching or detaching a key to a key holder so that the key may be removed with a minimum of twisting or other manipulation.

Other objects of and advantages as well as the construction and manner of use of a device in accordance with my invention will be understood from reading the following specification including the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view of a key holder embodying the invention showing one of the key loops detached from one of the fastening means;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view of one of the fastening means in accordance with my invention and including one of the key loops;

FIG. 2a is a sectional view along the line 2a2a in FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view along the centerline of the fastening means shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged isometric view of a fastening means in accordance with the invention and showing a key loop removed therefrom.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, a key holder embodying the invention is broadly designated in FIG. 1. This may comprise a leather or plastic case 12 having a snap fastener closure 14. To the middle panel of the case is secured a plate 16 by rivet means 18 or the like. The plate 16 has a pair of upstruck ears 20 at its opposite ends respectively and extending between the ears is a rod 22.

Pivotally secured to the rod 22 are a plurality of fastener means 26, each comprising a block 28 of plastic or the like having a bore 30 extending through one end thereof, the bore receiving the rod 22 to mount the fastener in a pivotal relation to the rod. The other end has a central hole 31.

A retaining clip 32 as shown in FIG. 2a has a U-shaped cross-section including side panels 3 4 and center panel 36 which embrace the block 28 on three sides. The two side panels of the clip are apertured at 38 in alignment and also receive the rod 22 to pivotally relate the clip to the rod. The opposite end of the clip from the rod carries a pair of fingers 40 which as shown (FIG. 2) extend into slots 42 in the sides of the block 28. The fingers as shown in FIG. 4 are spaced apart and an enlarged opening 44 is formed adjacent the central panel 36.

The block 28 is formed with a recess 46 in its surface underlying the central panel 26 of the U-shaped clip. The recess 46 receives a spring 48 of wound wire which is held under compression between the bottom of the recess 46 and the under-surface of the panel 36. Thus the spring 48 holds the slip biased in position shown in FIG. 3 so that the opening 44 (FIG. 4) is not in alignment with the loop receiving hole 3 1. To serve as stop means to keep the spring 48 from driving the clip even further to the left as shown in FIG. 3, the end of the central panel 36 is tucked in as at 50 and engages the end of the plastic block 28.

The key loop 60 is formed of resilient heavy wire stock in the shape of a hook having a neck at 62 which may be spread to receive a key, and then will return to the shape shown. The longer end of the hook 60- is formed with an enlarged head 64 (FIG. 5) leaving a reduced neck portion 66.

In operation, from the condition shown in FIG. 5, the loop 60 is made to receive a key. Then the block 28 and the clip 32 are pinched together causing the opening 44 to align with the hole 31. The head 64 of the hook is passed into the hole 31 all the way past the fingers 40. The block 28 and clip 32 may be released so that the clip 32 will spring out to the normal position shown (FIG. 4) with the opening 44 and hole 31 non-aligned. In this condition, the fingers 40 reduce the size of the hole 3 1 and retain the head 64 in the hole of the fastener.

What I claim is:

1. A key holder including (a) a plate having upstruck ears at the opposite sides thereof;

(b) a rod extending between the ears;

(c) fastening means which comprises a block pivotally secured at one end to the rod and having a central hole in the opposite end facing away from the rod and a slot on one side adjacent to the opposite end and intercepting the hole, a retaining clip pivotally attached to the rod and having a finger in the slot the finger movable laterally of the hole and the clip being biased in a first position so that the finger cuts down the area of the opening of the hole.

(d) a key loop having an enlarged head, of lesser dimension than the hole whereby the head fits into the hole and past the finger when the clip is moved away from the first position to a second position but is held in the opening by the finger when the clip is in the cfirst position.

2. A key holder as described in claim 1 wherein the finger of the clip moves along and in the slot as the clip moves from the first position to the second position.

3. A key holder as described in claim 1 wherein the clip is of U-shape and of sheet material and has two side panels by which the clip is pivoted to the rod and a pair of spaced fingers which move in slots on opposite sides of the block respectively, each slot intercepting the hole, and an enlarged opening is formed between its fingers to align with the hole when the clip is in the second position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,896,029 1/1933 Gunther 24-81 3,349,590 10/ 1967 Elsenheimer et al 70456 3,379,041 4/1968 Hanna 70-456 MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT L. WOLFE, Assistant Examiner.

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