The Ingenious Invention of the Key Ring and Its Path to Popularity

Weal
5 min readOct 18, 2023

Key rings are an indispensable part of our daily lives, keeping our keys organized and accessible. But have you ever wondered who invented the key ring and how it became such a popular accessory? In this article, we’ll explore the history of the key ring, its inventor, and the factors that contributed to its widespread use.

The Ingenious Invention of the Key Ring: A Tribute to Samuel Harrison

The humble key ring, an everyday item found in almost every household, may not seem like a revolutionary invention. However, its history reveals the impact of a brilliant idea on our daily lives. The key ring, as we know it today, owes its existence to Samuel Harrison, an inventor from Boston, Massachusetts. In 1922, Harrison’s patent for the split key ring marked a turning point in how people managed their keys.

Before Harrison’s innovation, keys were cumbersome to manage. They were often attached to chains or leather straps, which made retrieving a specific key a tedious and time-consuming task. Imagine fumbling through a bunch of keys just to unlock your front door or start your car. It was not only inefficient but also frustrating.

Harrison recognized this problem and sought to find a more practical solution. His…

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