US1567636A - Retaining clip for key cases and the like - Google Patents

Description

I Dec, 29 1925.

1,567,636 W. R. BUXTON RETAINING CLIP FOR KEY CASES AND THE LIKE Filed April 5, 1924 J if 24 1 Ill] 3% INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 29, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WARNER R. BUXTON, OF LONGMEADQW, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO BUXTON, IN-

CORPORATED, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA.

CHUSET'IS.

RETAINING CLIP FOR KEY CASES AND THE LIKE.

Application filed April 5, 1924. Serial No. 704,520.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, W'ARNER R. BUXTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Longmeadow, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Retaining Clips for Key Cases and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in retaining clips, such as are used to retain an article in place in the pocket. The invention, while capable of general application, is especially useful for key cases and will be described in connection with this one particular use.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved retaining clip for key cases and the like, characterized in that it is adapted for quantity production at comparatively low cost and for rapid and convenient assembly in the key case or like article.

' According to one feature of the invention, a spring clip is provided, which has a part bent backwardly thereupon and adapted for attachment to the case, and such part is dis posed adjacent an inside face of the key case while the other part-is disposed adjacent an opposite outer face of the case. One or more recesses are formed in said inside face of the case and projections, provided on the first named part, enter such recesses and are held therein by the pressure of the other part of the clip, which presses against the outer face of the key case and tends to draw the projections into the recesses.

By preference, two of such recesses and two of such projections are provided and the outer part of the clip bears against the outside face of the key case at a point intermediate, and preferably centrally between, said recesses.

According to another feature of the invention, the inner part of the clip may be secured to the inner face of the case by interengageable fasteners, such as glove fasteners and the like, for example.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following description and in the illustrative embodiment of the invention in the accompanying drawings, in which,-

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of an open key case embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the manner in which the clip is attached to the lower part of the key case;

Figs. 3 and lare side and rear elevational views, respectively, of a closed key case, shown inverted and in the position which it is adapted to occupy in the pocket;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a modification in the fastening means; and

Fig. 6 is a view of a modified form of clip.

Referring to these drawings, the invention has been shown as embodied in a key case, as an illustrative example of one particular use thereof. The invention is obviously capable of other uses and may be applied to any other suitable articles.

The particular key case shown 15 a comparatively small one having only two key holders it. A case of this type is frequently used for automobile keys and is of such size and shape as to conveniently fit into the vest pocket. l/Vhen the case is thus carried, however, there is danger of it falling out of the pocket, when a person stoops over, and hence the desirability of providing some means to releasably hold it in place.

The particular key case, chosen as a background for this invention, includes a case forming member 10, which is usually a strip of leather or the like, the central portion 11 of which constitutes the back of the case and the end portions 12 of which constitute flaps and are foldable in overlapping relation over the back 11 to enclose the key holders 71.. Suitable means, such as the interengageable fasteners 13 and 1d are provided on flaps 12 for the purpose of detachably securing them together when folded in overlapping relation. The key holders h are suitably mounted in the usual manner on a plate 15 attached, as by eyelets 16, to the inside face of back 11 near one end thereof.

The retaining clip is preferably applied to the opposite end of the back 10 although it may be other vise located, if desired. The clip includes a substantially straight and preferably flat part 20 which is adapted to lie closely adjacent the inner face of back 11 and is preferably disposed centrally thereof. Integral with this part 20 is another part 21, forming the clip proper, which part curves ver the lower edge of back 11 and is bent backwardly thereupon, in curved relation, terminating with a part 22 which presses tightly against the outer face of back 11.

As a means of securing the clip to the key case, the part- 20 and back 11 are provided with interengageable portions, which definitely locate the clip with respect to the key case and hold it from endwise or sidewise displacement. Conveniently, although not necessarily, projections 23 are formed on the part 20 and may be struck out therefrom during the operation of stamping out the metal from which the clip is made. Cooperating with the projections are recesses 24 provided in the inner face of back 11. Conveniently, these recesses may pass en tirely through back 11, as shown, and may be formed by eyelets 25 applied thereto. At least two of the recesses and projections are provided in longitudinally spaced relation and, desirably, one on each side of the terminus 22 of the clip, so that the latter tends to hold each projection with equal force in it recess.

In assembling the clip on the case, the part 22 is sprung away from part 20 sufiiciently to allow the back 11 to be sllpped in therebetween. The part 20 is then moved until projections 23 come into alignment with recesses 24, whereupon the former snap into the latter due to the pressure exerted by part 22 against back 11. In use, the part 22 has to be sprung away from back 11 when the case is to be held in the pocket but, in so doing, the pull necessary on part 22 for this operation tends to prevent projections 23 from leaving the recesses and there is always a force tending to hold the latter elements in engagement.

While the above arrangement has been found sufficient for the purpose, it is readily possible, although slightly more expensive, to provide a more positive connection be tween the clip and case. As shown in Fig. 5, the projections and recesses may consist of male and female snap fasteners 26 and 27, respectively, which are not as readily disengaged.

If still further stability is desired, the part 20 may be made substantially cruciform in shape to provide for three projections 23 and the back 11 provided with corresponding recesses. The part 22 preferably contacts with the adjacent face of part 20 at a point substantially centrally located with respect to the triangularly arranged projections.

The arrangement first described, has, however, proved suitable for the. purpose and it has the advantage of simplicity and low cost of manufacture. All that is necessary is to strike out two projections from the inner part of the clip and apply two eyelets to the case. The clip is, obviously, capable of quick and convenient assembly by relatively unskilled labor. This feature is also desirable because the clips may be sold separately and applied to the case by the user, the cases having provisions made for this purpose in the nature of the eyelets 25 de scribed.

The invention has been disclosed herein, in an embodiment at present preferred, for illustrative purposes but the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description.

Claims:

1. In combination, a spring retaining clip having one part bent backwardly upon another part and yieldingly urged toward the latter, a member to which the clip is to be secured adapted to be inserted between :said parts, and interengageable devices provided on said first named part and one face of said member and yieldingly held in engagement by the pressure of the second named part against the opposite face of said member.

2. In combination with a key case or the like, a spring retaining clip comprising tWo portions one of which is bent backwardly upon the other and which are adapted to be disposed on opposite faces of the case, one of said portions by its spring pressure against one face of the case tending to hold the other portion closely against the other face, and interengageable devices provided on the last named portion and last named face, said devices being provided in longitudinally spaced pairs, and the point of application of said spring pressure being in termediate said pairs.

'3. The combination with a key case or the like, having on one face thereof two longitudinally spaced recesses therein, ofa member having correspondingly spaced projections to enter said recesses and adapted to lie adjacent said face, said member extend ing out of the case and being bent backwardly thereupon to form a spring clip which presses against the opposite face of the key case and holds said projections in said recesses.

4. The combination with a key case or the like, having on one face thereof two longitudinally spaced recesses therein, of a member having correspondingly spaced projections to enter said recesses and adapted 'to lie adjacent said face, said member extending out of the case and being bent backwardly thereupon to form a spring clip tions to enter said eyelets, and a spring clip which presses against the opposite face of portion secured to said member and extend- 1 the key case at a point intermediate said ing outside of the case and having a part recesses. bearing against the opposite face of said 5. The combination with a key case, havback to hold said projections in said eyelets. ing upper and lower eyelets provided in the In testimony whereof I have afliXcd my back thereof, of a member lying adjacent signature. one face of said back and having projec- WARNER R. BUXTON.

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