Key ring holder

Claim 1

A key ring holder comprising an elongated metal strip having: a main body portion forming an integral part of said strip; a belt-engaging re-entrant portion having a U-shaped upper end smoothly joining and forming an integral extension of the upper end of said main body portion, said re-entrant portion extending downwardly from said U-shaped upper end in spaced parallel alignment with a first surface of said main body portion and extending along a major portion of the length thereof, the lower, free end portion of said re-entrant portion being jogged inwardly so as to engage said main body portion at a point adjacent the lower end thereof; a second, U-shaped, key-supporting re-entrant portion at the lower end of, and constituting an integral extension of, said main body portion, said second re-entrant portion having a bend portion smoothly joining said main body portion to a free leg portion extending upwardly, said free leg portion being substantially parallel to a second surface of said main body portion, in spaced alignment therewith, and terminating in a plane substantially including the point of engagement of said first mentioned re-entrant portion with said main body portion, said second re-entrant portion forming a relatively shallow hook within which may be supported a key ring, the U shape of said shallow hook defining an opening between said leg portion and said main body portion through which a key ring must pass in order to be suspended in said hook; an enlarged flat section integral with and coplanar with said main body portion, located intermediate the upper and lower ends of said main body portion, and extending from opposite edges thereof to provide sufficient width to prevent twisting of said key ring holder on the belt of a wearer; a pair of lugs integral with and perpendicular to the plane of said second surface of said main body portion of said strip projecting from opposite edges thereof, said second pair of lugs being parallel to each other and located adjacent the upper end of said main body portion; a locking lever in the form of a channel having a web, integral, parallel flanges extending the full length of the web to form a rigid beam, and an end flange to close one end of said channel; mounting means adjacent the closed end of said channel pivotally mounting said locking lever on said pair of lugs, the open side of said channel facing said main body portion with the free end of the locking lever extending into the opening of said hook for resilient impingement against the free leg portion of said hook; and spring means interposed between said main body portion and said locking lever and disposed between said pair of lugs to resiliently bias the free end of said locking lever away from said main body portion toward engagement with said free leg portion of said hook to maintain said opening in a locked condition to preclude the inadvertent release therefrom of a key ring held therein.