Year: 1886

page_text: I, THEODORE WARE HENRY of Sanford, in the county of Orange and State
of Florida, one of the United States of America, travelling auditor for the South
Florida Railway company do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to improvements in key-rings in which three concentric
slotted rings, as bereinafter described, form the only parts; and the objects of my
improvement are, first, to provide a combination key-ring; second, to afford facili-
ties for putting on or threading keys and taking keys off freely after combination
is set or opened without any additional manipulations; third, to provide a key-
ring that is simple in arrangement while not easily disordered, and easily opened,
yet perfectly secure from accidental openings; and, fourth, to provide a combina-
tion key-ring whose combination can only be set or opened by applied force, as
described below, and which cannot be set or opened by the action of any keys
threaded thereon, owing to the peculiar position and arrangement of certain slots
and projections, also described below. I attain these objects by the mechanism
illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which―
Figure 1 is a view of the complete ring as it appears when closed; Fig. 2, the
same when opened or when combination is set, both views enlarged. Fig. 3 is a
surface view of each of the three parts; Fig. 4, transverse sections of the three
parts; Fig. 5, transverse section of the three parts in position, (Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are
reduced nearly one half of actual size;) and Fig. 6, a sectional view of the three
parts in position, enlarged.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
The three rings A ƒ g, B, and C constitute the complete ring, two of which, B
and C, are of same dimensions and precisely alike, except in one particular, as
hereinafter specified.
The rings are to be made of a non-rusting metal.
:
They are of a uniform inside diameter-viz, one (1) inch. Width of B and C,
one-eighth of an inch; width of A, five thirty-seconds of an inch; thickness of
A, B, and C, one twenty-fourth of an inch; outside diameter of B and C, one and
one-fourth inch; outside diameter of A, one and five-sixteenths inch. The right
to manufacture other sizes is reserved.

page_text: A is a flat ring, of dimensions given above; extending above at right angles to
flat surface, and a vertical continuation of the outside edge of which, is a sheath, f,
one thirty-second of an inch thick and wide enough to enclose B and C snugly
with the aid of the flange g, which should be only sufficiently thick where it
connects with f, to insure a strong joint, and extends one twenty-fourth of an inch
over surface of C, where it tapers to a point or edge. Each ring is slotted one
eighth of an inch at an angle of sixty degrees to an extended radius, (see broken
lines Bh, Fig. 3). B and C have a slight projection on their inside edges, (see
Fig. 3,) D and E, at different points, as indicated, to facilitate turning or revolving
them. The outer edges i of slot in the ring A f g must be bevelled as shown in
Figs. 1 and 2, 3 and 6, to facilitate the free movement of keys around it when ring
is closed.
As will be seen from drawings, Afg encloses B and C, the latter two to fit
within former sufficiently tight to require a gentle force applied to projections D
and E to turn or revolve them. B and C by this force thus applied can be turned
or revolved until the three slots are together, when the combination is set or opened,
as shown in Fig. 2. Similar turns until the projections of B and C are at or under
the slot of the ring A closes the ring.
I am not aware that prior to my invention key-rings have been made consisting
of concentric rings slotted as above described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
The key-ring consisting of three cut and slotted rings, two of which are flat and
of the same diameter and provided with slight projections on the inside edge, and
the third ring or sheath enclosing the other two, as shown, and tightly binding
them against accidental displacement, substantially as, and for the purposes herein-
before described, set forth, and illustrated in the drawings annexed.
Dated this twenty-eighth day of August 1886.