Improvements in Rings for Carrying Keys and for other purposes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Nov., 1894-Accepted, 12th Jan., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Rings for Carrying Keys and for other purposes.
I HIRAM ALEXANDER LONG of No. 80 Greenwich Road Greenwich in the
County of London Advertising Contractor 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 the improvements in rings chiefly for carrying keys but
not necessarily confined to that purpose.
As applied to rings for carrying keys a great want exists for a ring where the
key can be quickly and easily put on and removed and at the same time be
practically free from the risk of the accidental escape of the keys from the ring.
Neither the old flat key ring nor the more modern round ring with the long
split achieves the object for though the rings are no doubt free from the chance of
accidental escape the almost universal use of the flat handle to keys renders the
putting on or removal of the key a matter of some difficulty according to the size
and number of the keys.
In my invention I take a ring of the ordinary or required size either round or
flat but made of properly tempered metal such as is generally used for key rings
and cut it by one "short cut or slit as shewn by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. This
slit can be either in the side or from the top and in either case is of about the
angle of 15 degrees. A very slight pressure with the handle of the key at the point
of the cut is all that is necessary to put the key on or take it off the ring which
in practice is done instantly, the spring of the metal effectually closing the
opening immediately the pressure necessary for putting on or taking the key off
is removed.
In order next to prevent the possibility of one of the keys accidentally escaping
from the ring or in any case to reduce such possibility to such a minimum as
practically to constitute it impossible I use a combination of two or more rings two
being amply sufficient. These rings have their cuts splits or slits precisely similar
to the ring described and they may be used either loose, or combined by any common
or well known means of combination, allowing of the putting on or removing the keys
in the way I am about to describe. Having cut or slit the two (or more) rings
in the manner described in order to put on the keys I bring the slits together as
shewn in Fig. 2 with the slits in one straight line.
The operation of putting on or removing the keys is precisely the same as in the
case of a single ring the same pressure required in the case of one ring being
sufficient for two. The two rings if loose being released the slits will fall apart and
it is a practical impossibility (though theoretically possible) for the slits in them to
come together again by accident in such a position and under such circumstances as
would allow of the escape of the keys.
The rings may be either used loose or kept in close combination by any small
slotting or other well known arrangement allowing of their independant revolution
so as to place the slits apart after the keys are put on or removed or they may be
enclosed as it were in a bed made by a third ring similarly slitted & shaped so as or
just to contain the other two and the revolution of the rings may be accomplished
by a small point or projection on the rings so arranged as not to interfere with their
free revolution.

page_text: Having thus.described the nature of my invention and how it is to be used I
declare that what I claim is :-
1. A slit key ring or rings with the short slit as described, as distinguished from
the comparatively long split of other rings of this kind.
2. The use or combination for the purpose mentioned of two or more of such
rings whether used loosely or by any known means of combining or holding them
together without interfering with the principle of the invention.
3. The use of such ring or rings for any other known purpose to which the same
may be applicable.
Dated this 4th day of November 1894.
HIRAM ALEXANDER LONG.