5,773,769
`[11] Patent Number:
`[19]
`United States Patent
`
`Raymond
`[45] Date of Patent:
`Jun. 30, 1998
`
`U8005773769A
`
`[54] TWIN LEVER KEY WITH HORIZONTAL
`FINGER PADS FOR CODE TRANSMISSION
`
`3,757,045
`
`9/1973 Brown ..................................... 178/101
`
`[76]
`
`Inventor: Christopher W. Raymond, 619 Cherry
`Valley Rd., Princeton, NJ. 08540
`
`.
`Primary Examiner—P31111 Loomis
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Carole Morris
`
`[21] Appl. No.: 344,128
`.
`NOV' 23’ 1994
`Flled:
`[22]
`Int. Cl.5 ..................................................... H01H 21/86
`[51]
`[52] US. Cl.
`...................
`178/104; 178/102; 178/109
`
`[58] Field 0f Search
`178/101 102
`178/103104105106107 108, 109’
`110. 116/18 26. 200/246, 283’ 553’ 559’
`’
`’
`’
`’
`’
`’ 509’
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`
`US. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`4/1896 Simons ................................... 178/104
`
`.. 178/101
`8/1909 Bogni .....
`....................................... 178/101
`12/1964 Stout
`
`558,617
`932,105
`3,160,705
`
`ABSTRACT
`[57]
`A twin lever key with horizontal finger pads for code
`transmission when used with an electronic iambic keyer in
`Amateur Radio, the index finger and the middle or third
`finger 0f the Operator reSting 0“ the finger Pad5> Whereby
`signals are generated by pressing the finger pads of either of
`the two arms singly or in combination thereof, to produce
`the dot and dash code signals in iambic predetermined code
`sequences. There is no lateral wrist or hand action as is
`typical of the common “paddle key” since the hand is held
`in the horizontal plane and the key is activated by downward
`vertical motion from the fingers. The key may be used for
`code practice, normal continuous wave (cw) operating or
`contesnng‘
`
`9 Claims, 1 Drawing Sheet
`
`
`
`|PR2018—00354
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`US. Patent
`
`Jun. 30, 1998
`
`5,773,769
`
`FIG.
`
`1
`
`
`Emu-'10 O
`
`‘
`
`FIG. 2
`
`
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`|PR2018-00354
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`

`5,773,769
`
`1
`TWIN LEVER KEY WITH HORIZONTAL
`FINGER PADS FOR CODE TRANSMISSION
`
`BRIEF BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`1. Field
`This invention relates to a twin lever mechanical radio
`key used in conjunction with an electronic iambic keyer to
`generate code signals in Amateur Radio, and more particu-
`larly to an improved twin lever radio key.
`2. Description of the Prior Art
`Existing twin-lever radio key units place the finger pads
`in the vertical plane, a common configuration referred to as
`the “paddle”, whereby the mechanical key is activated with
`pressure from the thumb on one lever and the index finger
`on the other lever. This places the hand in the vertical plane
`and requires lateral wrist, thumb and finger action to activate
`the device. This key is used in conjunction with an electronic
`iambic keying device which electronically generates the dot
`and dash signals required for continuous wave (cw) coded
`sequence production when the twin lever key is activated by
`finger pressure.
`Related US. Pat. No. 3,757,045 issued Jan. 12, 1972, to
`William F. Brown, provides a twin-lever configuration
`whereby the finger action is lateral because the finger pads
`at the remote end of the lever arms are in the vertical plane,
`requiring: 1. that the hand be in held in the vertical plane to
`activate the key and 2., a heavy base to stabilize the unit
`when activated by pressure from the fingers. Two separate
`adjustable contact screws are required, as well as an adjust-
`able spring between the levers which biases them to the open
`position against adjustable stops.
`BRIEF SUMMARY
`
`To overcome the problems of the above prior art and to
`provide a more comfortable and economical twin lever key
`to be used with an electronic iambic keyer, the twin lever
`key of this invention employs a unique configuration to keep
`the hand in the flat or horizontal position, eliminates the
`need for a heavy metal base and the need for an adjustable
`spring to bias the contact points to the open position. Each
`key arm is secured by a flat flexible metal strip to machine
`screws and related hard ware, which in turn is affixed to but
`electrically insulated from the base. Separate dot and dash
`wire from the electronic iambic keyer are secured to the two
`key arm electrical connections at the remote ends from the
`finger pads. A single ground connection is provided between
`the two key arms. The finger pads, at the remote ends from
`the electrical connections on said levers, are affixed through
`a thumb screw which also serves as the electrical contact
`point, thus eliminating the need for a separate contact thumb
`screw remote from the finger key pad attachment since, in
`this inventor’s configuration, the two are combined. This
`twin lever key is activated with downward pressure from the
`index and middle or fourth finger, eliminating the use of the
`thumb and all lateral hand or wrist action, resulting in an
`economy of motion and enhancement of comfort. When said
`levers are pressed downward and released by the fingers on
`the respective finger pads, the electrical circuit to ground is
`alternately opened and closed and a predetermined code
`sequence is generated by the electronic iambic keyer.
`Anyone versed in the art of understanding the above
`specifications will recognize that other modifications and
`variations may be made without departing from the scope of
`this invention.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
`
`1.) A side view of one of the levers, showing the finger
`pad, thumb screw contact point, flat flexible metal strip and
`the connecting machine screw and related hardware to the
`base.
`
`10
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`25
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`45
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`2
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`2.) A top view of the key device with horizontal finger
`pads depicting the overall design and proportional dimen-
`sions.
`
`3.) An enlarged side view of the grounded machine screw
`to the base, wire and thumb nut.
`4.) An enlarged side view of the electrically insulated
`machine screw post from the base, insulating washers, flat
`metal flexible strip, lock nut wire and related thumb nuts.
`5.) A quarter view of the key device showing the relative
`dimension and proportions.
`6.) A top view of the electrically insulated finger key pad
`with attached hex nut.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`
`A twin lever key with horizontal finger pads for code
`transmission with both levers hinged at their ends by flat
`flexible metal strips remote from the electrically insulated
`finger pads, said levers being electrically insulated from the
`base but having a common but separate ground post,
`employing thumb screws which serve as the contact point as
`well as adjusts the bias to the open position, which attach the
`finger key pads to said lever key arms, and said levers being
`activated singly or in conjunction with the other by vertical
`downward pressure from the fingers and the release of said
`pressure from the index finger and the middle or third finger,
`which closes and opens the physical and electrical circuit in
`a predetermined code sequence. The key unit is made up of
`the following elements: a base (1), key levers (2), thumb
`screws (3), rivets (4), flat flexible steel strips (6), machine
`screws (7), finger key pads (8), dot or dash wires (9) and
`(11), a ground wire (10), wires to the electronic keyer (12),
`contact points (13), washers (14), hex machine nuts (15),
`fiber electrical
`insulators (16), nylon electrical
`insulator
`sleeve/washer (17), and hex nuts mounted in insulated finger
`pads (18).
`Each lever (2) is grounded by two insulator washers (17,
`16), through a machine screw (7). Athumb nut (4) serves as
`a spacer to raise the key arm (2) off the base(1). A flat
`flexible metal strip (6) which is riveted (5) in two places to
`a slot in the key arm (2), is positioned on top of spacer thumb
`nut (4) and in turn is anchored by a machine screw hex nut
`(15). The dot or dash wire (9,11) is then secured around the
`machine screw (7), by a metal washer (14) and a thumb nut
`(4).The ground machine screw is anchored to the base (1) by
`a thumb nut (4). The ground wire (10) is secured with a
`metal washer (14) and thumb nut (4). Thumb screws (3) are
`adjusted with the bias in the open position through the hex
`nut mounted (18) in the insulated key pad (8). When the
`finger key pads (8) are pressed, either individually or in a
`predetermined sequence with each other, the flat metal strips
`flex and the circuits are closed at the contact points (13) of
`the base (1) and the thumb screw (3) thereby closing the
`physical and electrical circuit, and with the release of said
`pressure, generating a predetermined code sequence. Thumb
`screws (3) are adjusted to a selected open bias position (13)
`which in turn affects the travel to the base (13) and the
`degree of tension in the flat flexible metal strip (6).
`What is claimed is:
`
`1. A twin lever mechanical key unit with horizontal finger
`pads for code transmission when used with an electronic
`iambic keyer, comprising:
`a ground base pad,
`an electrically grounded threaded post with thumb nut
`attached to said base pad,
`two key arms, each having physical and electrical con-
`tacts and an insulated finger key pad,
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`5,773,769
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`3
`said key unit operable by downward finger pressure on
`said insulated finger key pads to close the physical and
`electrical circuit, opening of the circuit being effected
`by release of said pressure, in single or in combination
`of both key arms, thereby generating a predetermined
`continuous wave code sequence.
`2. A twin lever mechanical key unit with horizontal finger
`pads for code transmission when used with an electronic
`iambic keyer, comprising:
`a ground base pad,
`two physical and electrical contacts, and
`two key arms each having an insulated finger key pad,
`each arm being biased by a flat metal flexible strip,
`said key unit operable by downward finger pressure on
`said insulated finger key pads to close the physical and
`electrical circuit, opening of the circuit being effected
`by release of said pressure, thereby generating a pre-
`determined continuous wave code sequence.
`3. A twin lever mechanical key unit with horizontal finger
`pads for code transmission comprising:
`a ground base pad,
`two posts mounted on said base pad but
`therefrom,
`two key arms each mounted by a flat metal flexible strip
`on a different one of said posts,
`two physical and electrical contacts, each mounted on a
`different one of said key arms, and
`
`insulated
`
`10
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`15
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`20
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`25
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`*
`
`4
`two insulated finger key pads each mounted on a different
`one of said key arms,
`said key unit operable by downward pressure on said
`insulated finger pads to close the physical and electrical
`circuit, opening of the circuit being effected by release
`of said pressure, thereby generating a predetermined
`continuous wave code sequence.
`4. A key unit of claim 3, further comprising a third post
`mounted on said base pad and in electrical contact therewith.
`5. A key unit of claim 3, wherein electrically insulated
`finger key pads with countersunk hex nuts are attached on
`the remote end from the flexible metal strip.
`6. A key unit of claim 5, wherein said electrically insu-
`lated finger key pads are mounted with adjustable threaded
`thumb screws which serve as the contact point and adjust the
`bias to the open position.
`7. A key unit of claim 2, further comprising a third post
`mounted on said base pad and in electrical contact therewith.
`8. A key unit of claim 2, wherein electrically insulated
`finger key pads with countersunk hex nuts are attached on
`the remote end from the flexible metal strip.
`9. A key unit of claim 8, wherein said electrically insu-
`lated finger key pads are mounted with adjustable threaded
`thumb screws which serve as the contact point and adjust the
`bias to the open position.
`*
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`*
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`*
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`*
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`|PR2018-00354
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