US1810304A - Clamp or clothespin - Google Patents

Description

June 16, 1931. 1 L, H, TAN 1,810,304

' CLAMP OR CLO'IPHESPIN Filed Oct. 12. 1929 x HlNVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented June 16, 1931 g relaxer;

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LOUIS H; TANG-EN, F ,DULUTH', 'MINNESOTA CLAMP on oto'rnnsrin Application file'rl'october .12, 1929.1 Serial lie-[3 9 9,275.

Myinvention relates to clamps including,

spring actuated clothes pins, and has for its object the provision, of an improved spring actuated clamp or clothes pin embodying a safetylock. It has for a further object the provlslon of a spring actuated clamp or clothes pin embodying improvements in means for preventing the twisting of the clamp jaws, and pivot attaching means for 1 preventing the non-radial separation ofthe clamp jaws. WVith these and other objects in View, it consists of the structures, combinations andarrangements of partshereinafter described and claimed.

is a side elevation of the partly completed jaws of one form of my said invention, said jaws in said partly completed state being old in the art. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one '20 form of an, actuating spring which may be embodied'in my said invention, said form of said spring beingold in the art. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of said form of'jaws and form of spring. Fig. 4: is a'perspective view of an improved form of saidspring forming part of my said lnvention. F 1g.i5 1s a s de elevation of said aws and improved form or s rin Fi 6 is a to) lan view of said a a aws and improved form of spring. Fig. 7

isa side elevation of said jaws as furthercompleted, showing said improved form'of spring and ,a'lock. Fig 8 1s a perspective view or" *oneform of said lock, F 1g. 9 1s a side elevation of one "form of mysaid inven- 5 tion, showing a pivot attachlng means. Fig.

10' is an-end elevationof said pivot attaching means, and Fig. 11 1s a top plan viewof my said invention.

In the drawings, 1 and 2 are opposite aws of a clamp, or clothes pin, which are adapted to rock on a. portion 3 of a coiled spring extending transversely between them, the

opposite terminals of which coil are extended parallel with the sidesof said jaws 15' towardthe, biting ends thereof and one of said terminals is bent over the nose of one of said jaws as'at 3*,and the other of said terminals is bent under the nose of the opposite jaw as at 3 whereby said biting ends are normally but yieldingly' held together,

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. .1,

it being old in the art to hold them together by such means and in that manner. Said forwardly directed spring extensions also tend to preserve the parallelism of said jaws against lateral twist or. displacement, but the leverageis such that in a high wind said extensions have been found too weak to preserve such lateral displacement when the clamp is used for pinning heavy clothes on the clothes line. Itherefore prefer to make the outer turns, 3 3 of the coilor"; the spring of greater diameter than the intermediate turns, so that said outer turns will iorm cheek pieces for said jaws approximately concentric with the fulcrum portion of the coil 3 or axis of the rocking movement of said jaws. But if desired said enlarged turns maybe omitted. To open said jaws for the. purpose of inserting the biting ends over the material or object'to beclamped, the rearward endslof thejaws are pinched together manually in opposition to theclcs ingpower of said, spring. The. spring is therefore usually light enough to permit the p opening of the jaws by operatorshaving little manual strength, in which case heavy clothing, or light clothing in strong winds,

rear of the rocking axis of said clamp, which look comprises an angular. plate 4: positioned above said jaw 1 and having a depending flange4 extending through a slot 1 in said jaw. 1 and into a slot 2* in said jaw 2. Said lock is eccentrically pivoted-to said jaw 1 as by the pivot pin 1 and said flange in lockingyposition bears upon; a stop'pin 2 which extends'into its path within said slot 2 ,Since the [clamp may be inverted, I provide a spring of any suitable form, structure or location, as the spring 5,15*,.or 5 ,'so'- positioned asto normally hold said lock in" locking position. Said lockis provided-with a angular "handle portion 4* for manually counterrockingsaid lock on its pivot; in opposition toeither- form 5, 5 or 5 of said lock-holding spring, to unlock said clamp},

When said lock is in looking position, it 1.20

would be possible to force open the biting ends of the jaws thereby lifting the jaws from their normal rocking axis on said coil if no means other than the ends 3, 3, were providedto hold said jaws in rocking position on said coil. I therefore provide retaining means of any suitable structure for that purpose as the clips ,6 and 7, one of which clips passes through said coil and eX- tends over the top of said jaw 1, and the other of which clips extends through saidcoil and under said jaw 2.

In operation, to open said jaws, theraised end of the plate 4 is manually depressed in opposition to the spring 5 (or 5 or 5 which depression causes the flange of saidlock to swing clear of said stop 2". The depressing movement is continued so as to bring the rearward ends of the jaws together and simultaneously open the clamp at its biting end. Upon releasing the rearward ends of the clamp, the jaws are closed by the action of the coiled spring and its free ends, and the look is returned to locking position by said spring 5 (5 or 5") or equivalent.

It will be observed that in Fig. 9, the nose of the clamp is extended much farther forward of the spring terminals 3", 3 than in the other figures, and that in said Fig. 9, the opposite jaws of said clamp are preferably spaced a little from each other forward of said spring terminals to provide an easy entrance. This I regard as also an improvement since in such case, having omitted, or removed, or retracted the lock, it will be practicable to push. the clamp or clothes pin into operative position on the goods to be clamped without requiring the rearward ends of the clamp to be directly pinched together by the operator.

Having now described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A clamp comprising rockable jaws, means for rocking said jaws into clamping position, .an angular. plate positioned above the handle portion of one of said jaws and having a depending flange eccentrically pivoted to and extending through the handle portion of one of said jaws and extend.- ing loosely into the handle portion of the opposite one of said jaws, and a bearing stop positioned in said opposite handle portion and adapted to limit the downward and backward movement of said flange.

2. A clamp comprising rockable jaws, a resilient fulcrum for said jaws, and clips engaging said fulcrum and jaws for holding said jaws in rockable position against said fulcrum.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix I signature.

LOUIS H. TANGEN.

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