Abstract:
A key assembly with a releasable shackle allows a key to be attached and released from a closed loop or key chain. The key is similar to convention keys but does not have a closed shackle. A gap is formed in the shackle to define an opening. A gate that can be opened or closed releasable closes the gap. The gate is opened to add or remove the key from the loop. The gate is closed to lock the key on the loop. The gate can be formed in a number of manners including a wire gate, as flexible resilient gate, a hinged gate, or as a cuff.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
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     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
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     THE NAMES OF PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
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     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC 
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     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to keys and devices for attaching keys to key rings. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Keys are used to open locks. Keys are sized to be large enough to operate locks but small enough that they can fit in a pocket. A typical key is about five to nine centimeters (5-9 cm) long. The small size of keys makes keys easy to lose. 
     A typical key has a fixed shackle on its bow. A key ring can be fed through the fixed shackle to secure the key on the key ring. 
     When multiple keys are on a key ring, removing a particular key can be difficult without removing more than just the desired key. Accordingly, there is a need for a key that is removable from a key ring. 
     Several patents show keys with various releasable shackles: for example, Amrhein, U.S. Pat. No. 1,852,950; Rossi U.S. Pat. No. 3,481,169; and Denney, U.S. Pat. No. 4,176,534. Each of the prior-art keys show complicated, expense to make, and difficult to use release mechanism. 
     Accordingly, a need exists for an easy to use and inexpensive to operate key with releasable shackle. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the invention is to provide a key with a releasable shackle that overcomes the disadvantages of the devices of this general type and of the prior art. 
     With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a key assembly for releasably attaching to a closed loop. A closed loop can be key ring or key chain. A closed loop can include an openable ring that is merely inconvenient to open so as to make it effectively a “closed loop”. 
     The key assembly includes a key with many parts shared with a typical key. 
     The key assembly includes a shackle that has a gap. That is the shackle of the key does not form a closed loop. 
     An openable gate acts to span the gap in order to create an openable shackle. The gate is opened to allow the key assembly to be placed on a loop (e.g. a key ring). 
     The gate be a wire gate. The wire gate includes an offset loop wire loop that has been cut. The ends of the cut loop are inserted into two holes drilled into the key. A hole that is closer to the gap is a “proximal” hole. The hole that is farther from the gap is a “distal” hole. The holes are formed from the front through the back of the key or shackle. The holes are formed coplanar with the gate when the gate is in its closed position abutting the shackle or key. The wire gate has a proximal leg that is inserted in the proximal hole. A proximal arm of the gate is connected to the proximal leg. A distal leg inserts in the distal hole. A distal arm connects to the distal leg. The distal arm may connect directly with the proximal arm or an intervening span or piece may be included. The intervening piece can be termed a “shoulder” and can be used to abut the shackle or the bow. The holes can be formed in the bow of the key or in the shackle. The configuration of the holes combined with the flexible resilient material of the gate (i.e. extruded aluminum wire, steel, or resin), tends to cause the gate to move inline with the holes where the gate abuts the shackle or bow to close shackle. The gate can be deflected inward to an open position by applying pressure against it. When deflected, the key can be added or removed from a key ring. 
     In accordance with a further object of the invention, the gap between the shackle and the bow are spaced by a distance that is less than the length of the gate. This allows the gate to span the gap and to releasably close the shackle. 
     In accordance with a further object of the invention, the deflectable gate can be formed by placing a spring-loaded, hinged gate across the gap. A shoulder on the shackle or bow acts as a surface for the hinged gate to abut. A spring in the gate presses toward the hinge and tends to keep the gate closed. The gate has a foot that abuts the shoulder. A notch on the gate or the shoulder can receive a complementary part on the gate or shoulder to help the gate seat in a closed position. To open the gate, force is applied inward against the gate to overcome the action of the spring. 
     In accordance with a further object of the invention, the gate can be made of a flexible resilient material. An example of a suitable material is a flat extruded aluminum wire. The gate is fixed to the bow or shackle on one side and abuts the bow or shackle on its other side. The shape and material of the gate tend to keep the gate closed. The shoulder where the gate abuts and releases from can include a notch to receive the gate when the gate is closed. The end that is fixed to the key can be inserted, screwed, or formed with the material to fasten the gate. To open the gate, the gate is pressed inward to disengage the abutting end from the key and to allow the key to be placed on a ring. 
     In accordance with a further object of the invention, the gate can be formed from two pieces of resilient material. One piece of the gate is fixed to each side of the gap. The pieces of material overlap to close the gap. The pieces are pressed inward to form an opening. 
     In accordance with a further object of the invention, the gate is formed as a cuff. The cuff extends over the shoulder when the gate is in a closed position. A spring urges the cuff to be extended an in a closed position. To open the gate, the spring is compressed by sliding the cuff from the cuff shoulder to expose the gap. The gate can include an internal bushing to allow the gate to be screwed onto an external thread on the shackle shoulder. 
     Other features that are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims. 
     Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a key with a releasable shackle, the invention should not be limited to the details shown in those embodiments because various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention while remaining within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims. 
     The construction and method of operation of the invention and additional objects and advantages of the invention is best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic font side view of a wire gate embodiment of a key assembly according to the invention shown in a closed position. 
         FIG. 2  is rear side view of the wire gate embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a front side view of the wire gate embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  while in an opened position. 
         FIG. 4  is a right side view of the wire gate embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5A  is a top side view of a wire gate. 
         FIG. 5B  is a perspective view of the wire gate. 
         FIG. 6  is a top side view of a wire gate embodiment of the invention with the wire gate inserted in a shackle. 
         FIG. 7  is a top side view of a hinged gate embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a front sectional view of the hinged gate embodiment taken along section line VIII-VIII in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the hinged gate embodiment shown in  FIG. 7  with the gate in an opened position. 
         FIG. 10  is a front side view of a flexible resilient gate embodiment with the gate in a closed position. 
         FIG. 11  is a front section view of the flexible resilient gate embodiment shown in  FIG. 10  shown in an open position and taken along line XI-XI. 
         FIG. 12  is a front side view of a flexible resilient two-piece gate embodiment. 
         FIG. 13  is a sectional front side view of a spring-loaded cuff embodiment. 
         FIG. 14  is a sectional front side view of a hinged shackle embodiment. 
         FIG. 15  is a sectional front side view of a threaded cuff embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIGS. 1-5  show an embodiment of a key  1  with a gate  10 . The key  1  includes a proximal bow  2  and a distal blade  3 . The blade  3  is inserted in a keyhole to unlock a lock, which is not shown. The bow  2  is used to hold and turn the key when the key  1  is being inserted in a lock and when the key  1  is being turned within a lock. The bow  6  includes a bow body  9  and a shackle  6 . The shackle is fixed on one side to the bow body  9 . As shown in  FIGS. 1-2 , a loop  18  is defined by the bow body  9 , the shackle  6 , and the gate  10 , when the gate is in the closed position. The key  1  can be connected to a key ring by threading the key ring through the loop  18 . 
     A preferred embodiment of the gate  10 , also known as a wire gate, is shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B . The gate  10  is preferably made of steel wire but can be made of other flexible, resilient materials such as aluminum or resin. The gate  10  has a proximal leg  11  and a distal leg  12 . The proximal leg  11  is connected to a proximal arm  13  and extends inward from the proximal arm  13 . The distal leg  12  is connected to the distal arm  14  and extends inward from the distal arm  14 . A central shoulder  15  interconnects the proximal arm  13  and the distal arm  14 . 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , a proximal socket  16  and a distal socket  17  are formed in the bow body  9 . The proximal socket  16  and the distal socket  17  are aligned with the gate  10  when the gate is in the closed position; see  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The proximal leg  11  of the gate  10  is inserted in the proximal socket  16 . The distal leg  12  of the gate is inserted in the distal socket  17 . 
     The shackle  6  includes an abutment  7  for the gate  10 . A preferred embodiment of the abutment  7  is an arcuate surface. When the gate  10  is in the closed position, the shoulder  15  of the gate  10  rests against the abutment  7 . 
     To operate the gate  10 , the gate is pressed inward to the position shown in  FIG. 3 . The configuration and materials of the gate  10  cause the gate to tend to return from the open position to the closed position. To insert a key ring into the loop  18 , a key ring is pressed inward against the gate. Once the gate  10  has been passed by the key ring, the gate snaps back to a closed position. The inward angled position of the gate  10  prevents the gate from opening outward. Accordingly, the gate  10  tends to stay closed unless pressed from the outside. To release a key ring, the gate  10  is deflected inward and then the key ring is passed through the open gate. 
     To form the key  1 , a key  1  can be forged with the open shackle  6 . The proximal socket  16  and distal socket  17  can be drilled into the bow body  9 . Then, the proximal leg  11  is inserted in the proximal socket  16  and the distal leg  12  is inserted in the distal socket  17 . 
     In an alternate embodiment of a method of manufacturing, a traditional key has the shackle cut. A proximal socket  16  is drilled in the bow body  9  and a distal socket  17  is drilled in the bow body. Then, the proximal leg  11  is inserted in the proximal socket  16  and the distal leg  12  is inserted in the distal socket  17 . 
       FIG. 6  shows an embodiment where the proximal socket  16  and the distal socket  17  are formed in the bow body  9 . The proximal leg  11  and distal leg  12  of the gate  10  are inserted in the proximal socket  16  and distal socket, respectively. A bow shoulder  8  is formed on the bow body  9 . The abutment  7  is located on the bow shoulder  89 . The gate  10  extends from the shackle to the abutment  7  to form the loop  18 . 
       FIGS. 7-9  show an embodiment of the key assemble that uses a spring-loaded, hinged gate  10 . The gate  10  releaseably connects the shackle  6  to the bow shoulder  8 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , in a closed position, the gate  10  spans from the shackle  6  to the bow shoulder  8  to form a loop  18 . The gate  10  is connected to the shackle  6  with a hinge  20 . The shackle  6  has a notch  29  formed in its distal end. The gate  10  seats on the bow shoulder  8  by having a socket formed from a foot  25  and two lateral walls  25 . A spring assembly  27  is formed by placing a spring  23  on a pin  26 . A proximal end of the pin  26  rests in the notch  29 . The pin  26  has a shoulder  28 . The spring assembly  27  is placed within the gate  10 . The spring assembly  27  presses against a gate-spring abutment  27  and the shoulder  6  to push the gate to a closed position as shown in  FIGS. 7-8 . To open the gate  10  as shown in  FIG. 9 , the gate  10  is pressed downward. 
       FIGS. 10-11  show a flexible resilient gate embodiment. The gate  10  is made of a flexible resilient material, for example, a steel wire or resin piece. The gate  10  is fixed to the shackle  6  and extends to the bow shoulder  8 . The gate includes an embedded portion  31  and an exposed portion  32 . The embedded portion  31  is embedded within the shackle  6 . The tip of the exposed position  32  abuts the bow shoulder  8 . The tip of the exposed portion  32  can seat within a notch in the bow shoulder. The notch includes lateral walls  30  and an abutment  7 . The gate  10  rests against the abutment  7  when the gate is closed as shown in  FIG. 10 . To open the gate  10 , the gate is pressed to unseat the gate from the bow shoulder  8 . The resilient nature of the gate  10  returns the gate  10  to the seated position. 
       FIG. 12  shows an embodiment that includes two gate portions  10 A and  10 B that overlap and release. Each gate portion  10 A and  10 B is made from a flexible resilient material. Gate portion  10 A is embedded within a first shackle  6 A. Gate portion  10 B is embedded within a second shackle  6 B. An exposed tip  22 A of the gate portion  10 A overlaps an exposed tip  22 B of the gate portion  10 B when the gate is closed. To open the gate, the gate portions  10 A and  10 B are flexed to create a gap between the gate portion  10 A and  10 B. The resilient material of the gate portions  10 A and  10 B causes the gate portions to tend to return to the closed position that is shown in  FIG. 12 . 
       FIG. 13  shows a spring-loaded cuff embodiment of the key assembly. In this embodiment, a span between the shackle  6  and the bow shoulder  8  is spanned by a gate  10  that includes a cuff. The gate  10  includes a gate-shoulder cuff  41  that seats on the gate shoulder  8  when the gate  10  is in a closed position. The gate  10  further includes a gate-shackle cuff  42  that rides along the shackle when moving from a closed position to an open position. A spring  23  presses against a gate-spring abutment  22  inside the cuff and against the shackle  6  to urge the gate to a closed position. A shackle flange  43  and a cuff flange  44  prevent the gate  10  from separating from the shackle  6 . 
       FIG. 14  shows an embodiment with a flexible gate  10 . The gate  10  is connected at a proximal end  55  to the bow shoulder  8  with a hinge. The gate  10  is made of a flexible resilient material such as aluminum, steel, or a resin. The distal end  53  of the gate has a barb  54 . The bow body  9  has a recess  50  formed therein with a catch  51 . The recess  50  is wide enough and deep enough to accommodate the distal end  53  and the barb  54 . When the distal end  53  is inserted within the recess  50 , the barb  52  engages the catch  51  to lock the gate closed. To open the gate  10  the gate  10  is squeezed to disengage the barb  52  from the catch  51  and then the distal end  53  is removed from the recess  50 . 
       FIG. 15  shows a threaded cuff embodiment. The gate  10  slides along the shackle  6  to reach the bow shoulder  8 . The bow shoulder  8  has an external thread  16 . The gate includes a bushing  60  that engages the external thread  56  when the gate  10  is in a closed position. The shackle  6  includes a shackle flange  43 . The gate  10  includes a cuff flange  44 . The shackle flange  43  and cuff flange  44  allow the gate to travel along the shackle  6  but not to allow the gate  10  to separate from the shackle  6 . To close the gate  10 , the gate is pulled toward the bow shoulder  8  and then screwed onto the thread  56  of the bow shoulder. To open the gate  10 , the bushing  60  is unscrewed from the thread  56  and the gate  10  is pushed along the shackle  6  and away from the bow shoulder. 
     Although the invention is shown in the several figures and embodiments, the scope of the invention is described by the claims and their equivalents.