CA1286096C - Extensible loop hook fastening device - Google Patents

Abstract

APPLICATION FOR PATENT IN CANADA
TITLE OF INVENTION: EXTENSIBLE LOOP HOOK FASTENING DEVICE
ABSTRACT
This invention pertains primarily to supplementary fastening devices utilizing an elastically extensible loop for fastening the hook of a garment hanger or other hook including device to a clothesline or other generally linear member to which the hook is hooked. These devices may be in the form of a rigid or semi rigid clip in which the effective length of the loop portion of the clip is increasable against the bias of an elastic member and they may also be in the form of a flexible and elastically elongatable loop. In general, an object can be indirectly fast-ened to a linear member by being connected to a hook which is fastened to a linear member by a loop fastening device.

Description

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TITLE OF INVENTION: EXTENSIBLE LOOP HOOK FASTENING DEVICE

ABSTRACT
This invention pertains to improvements in fa~tening devices utilizing a rigid or semi rigid elongated and elast-ically extendible loop or, alterna-tively, a flexible ~tretch-able loop for fastening a hook, such as a garment hanger hook, to a linear member, such as a clothesline.

SPECIFICATION
Technical Field:
This invention relates to fastening devices in the form of an effectively closed loop, in which the effective length of the loop is elastically extensible, for fastening the hook 15 of a garment hanger or other hook including device to a gen-erally linear member such as a clothesline, cable, rod or the like to which the hook is hooked in the normal manner. It also relates to devices, comprised of a hook and an elastic-ally extensible loop, for connecting an object to a linear 20 member. It further relates to a spring device which provides a non linear force-displacement relationship. In addition, it relates to methods for fastening a hook to a linear mem-ber, to methods for pro~iding ~or the installation and remov-al of the fastening device, and to apparatus and methods ~or 25 increasing the extensibility of a flexible loop.

~ack~round Arts A bendable loop hook fastening device is set forth in French Patent No. 1.~00.741 issued to Jacob. A semi rigid 30 loop-type clip for closing the opening of a hook i~ ~hown in U.S. Patent 2,122,309 issued to Beimler. A stretahable link, with two spaced holes, for closing the opening of a garment hanger hook appears in U.S. Patent 2,877,941 issued to Melone. U.S. Patent 822,675 ~hows a rigid loop with a 35 clamping thumb screw for closing the opening o~ a tackle hook. Other devices for connecting a garment hanger hook to a linear member attach to the linear member and then, in turn, suspend the hook from the device itself as, rOr example, in U.S. Patent~ 2,092,121; 2~915~2745 and 3,184,204. Devices which replace or modify a garment hanger hook for~ fastening the hanger to a clothesline are shown in U.S. Patents 1,690,614; 3,048,311; 3,240, 462 and ., '' ."
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4 ~ o34 ~ 902. Devices made for other purposes, but which have some similarity to the structure of my invéntion, include a nose clamp for horses in U.S. Pa-tent 1,047,284; snap hooks in U.S. Patent 382,611 and Swedish Paten-t No. 102462; as well as 5 other devices in U.S. Patents 1, o93,945; 1,618,9~1;
1,797,539; 2,61G,203; 3,115,381; and 4,419,874.

Disclosure of Invention:
i There has long been a need ~or a practical means for fas-10 tening a garment hanger or other hook including device to a ¦ clothesline or other linear member. Garment hangers are j often used ~or holding clothing while it dries after be- -ing laundered. When suspended from a clothesline, garment hangers are often blown by the wind along the clothesline, , 15 particularly when the clothesline has appreciable sag, with ¦ the result that several suspended garment hangers may bunch I together and thereby retard the drying. In gusty winds, sus-pended garment hangers are often blown off the clothe~line.
Some of the previous attempts to solve these problems 1 20 have involved modifications to, or replacement of, the hook ¦ of the garment hanger. In some cases this has resulted in devices which were very limited in the range of diameters of supporting clotheslines which could be accomodated. Nearly always, such devices resul~ed in higher product cost. Such 25 devices also lacked convenience and fIexibility since they could only be used with the particular garment hanger on j which they ~ere installed. Other devices have been made which merely close the opening of a garment hanger hook with- ~-out any capability for frictiona~lly fastening the hook to a 30 clothesline so as to prevent displacement of the hook along ¦
~ ~ the clothesline. Other;attempts at solving these problems t have produced devices which attach to the clothesline and then, in turn, suspend the garment hanger hook from the devi-, ce itsel~. These devices appear to be costly and/or ineffec-i 35 tual at retaining the hook in suspension under adverse condi-, tions. The bendable loop set forth in French Patent No.
j 1.500.741 is a séparate fastening device which does fas-ten a ¦ hook to a clothesline. However, this device is quite limited ~ in the range of hook and clothesline sizes which it can , 1 . .
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accomodate and is also limited in the amount of clamping force which it can exert on the hook and the clothesline.
In order to alleviate problems such as the foregoing, this invention provides a supplementary fastening device in 5 the form of an elastically extensible effectively closed loop for securing the hook of a garment hanger or other hook in-cluding device to a clothesline or other generally linear member when the hook is hooked to the linear member in the normal manner. The loop is arranged and installed to pass 10 over and contact the hook at two locations, one on each side of the linear member, and to pass under the linear member be-tween the two locations where it contacts the hook. This fastening device thus acts to lock the suspended hook to the supporting linear member. This loop-type fastening device 15 may be in the form of a rigid or semi-rigid loop-shaped clip in which the effective length of the loop is elastically elongatable. The loop-shaped clip may have an openable or open section in the loop to facilitate installation. The loop-type fastening device may also be in the form of a 20 flexible and elastically elongatable loop.
I It is therefore an object of the present invention to i ¦ provide a supplementary fastening device for fastening ~he hook of a garment hanger or other hook or similarly curved member including device to a clothesline or other generally , 25 linear member to which the hook is attached by being hooked ¦ to the Iinear member.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a fast- -~
ening device for securing a hook or curved member to a gener-ally linear member, which is lnexpensive to manufacture and j 30 easy to use, and which wiIl tend to prevent a hook, which is ¦ hooked to a linear member, from being unintentionally unhook- ~
I - ed from the linear member and from being displaced from its 1 -¦ desired positlon along~the linear member.
I Another object of this invention i9 to provide a device ! 35 for fastening an object to a linear member, said device being comprised of the combination of a hook and a loop-type ~ ¦~
fastening~device.
It is also an object of this invention to provide methods for fastening a hook to a linear member, for removing a : ' :
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loop fastening device from its fastening position and for providing for the removal of the fastening device.
An additional object of this invention is to provide a spring device which has a non-linear force-displacement'rela-5 tionship for applications, including the fastening deviceherein described, in which it is necessary or desirable to have non linear forces or to avoid high return forces at the upper range of spring displacement.
Other objects and advantages will become apparent and a 10 fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the detailed description hereinafter presented, taken in conjunction with the drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to li]se parts throughout.

15 Brief Description of Drawin~s:
In the drawings:
~ ig. 1 is a plan view of the el~p type elongatable loop ~astening devioe with a generally C-shaped spring provided with thumb and ~inger rests, the movable loop end being'in 20 ths position o~ minimum e~feotive length of the loop, ~ ig. 2 is a plan vlew of the device shown in Fig. 1 with the movable loop end being in the position of maximum effec-tive length of the loop.
Fig. 3 is a fragmentary slde elevational view of the 25 thumb rest end of the loop body o~ the device of Fig. 1.
Fig~ 4 is an end vieW of the thumb rest shown in Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of that portion of the ~
generally C-shaped spring which crosses the loop body of the ~' ' device shown in Fig~ 1.
Fig. 6 i a fragmentary end view, taken from the left, o~
that portion of the C-shaped spring shown in Fig. 5.
~ ig. 7~is a fragmentary end view, as viewed from the right, of that portion of the generally C-shaped spring which pivotally attaches to the body of the device of Fig. 1.
Fig. 8 is~a plan view of the spring~loaded clip of the ` device shown in Figs. 1 and 2, removed from the device.
; Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of the spring loaded clip shown in Fig. 8.
Flg. 10 is~an end view Or the spring loaded clip shown ., ~ 1',.

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~ 36 in Figs. 8 and 9.
Fig. 11 is a side elevational view of the loop fastening device shown in Figs. 1 and 2 installed in its fastening po-~ sition on a garment hanger hook and a clothesline.
I 5Fig. 12 is a plan view of the loop body por-tion of à
i fastening device similar to that shown in Fig. 1, wherein the ¦ loop body has an openable section in the loop.
Fig. 13 is a side elevational view of the loop body shown in Fig. 12-I 10Fig. 14 is an end view of the thumb rest of the loop body j shown in Figs. 12 and 13.
Fig. 15 is a plan view of the loop body portion of a fastening device similar to that shown in Fig. 1 wherein the I loop body has an open section in a portion of the loop.
1~Fig. 16 is a side elevational view of the loop body shown in Fig. 15.
Fig. 17 is a view of the section at the plane indicated by the line 17-17 of Fig. 16.
- Fig. 18 is an end view of the loop body shown in Fig. 16.
20Fig. 19 is a plan view of the loop body portion of a fastening dèvice similar to that shown in Fig. 15 wherein the open section is open to the full effective length of the loop.
Fig. 20 is a ~ide elevational view of the loop body shown in Fig. 19. ~
25Fig. 21 is a plan view of the loop fastening device with a helical spring and finger grip on the spring.
Fig. 22 is a side elevational view of the device shown in ~ I
Fig. 21.
Fig. 23 is a modified perspective view of a flexible and 30 elastically elongatable loop-type fastening device as ~ade generally from stretchable sheet material.
Yig. 24 is a side elevational view of a garment hanger hook which is hooked to a clo~he~line and a loop-type fasten-ing device in an~initial position of installation.
Fig. 25 is a~side elevational view of the hook and cloth-esline as in Fig. 24 with the loop-type fastening device in an intermediate position of installation.
Fig. 26 is a side elevational view of the hook and cloth-esline as in Fig. 24 with th~ loop-type fastening device in a :~

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final intermediate position of installation Figo ~7 is a side elevational view of ~he hook and cloth-esline as in Fig. 24 with the loop-type fastening device in its position of fastening the hook to the clo-thesline.
5 Fig~ 28 is a side elevational view of a flexible and elastically elongatable loop fastening device as made gener-ally of molded stretchable material.
Fig. 29 is a plan view of a flexible and elastically elongatable loop fastening device having s-tructure on which 10 at least part of the loop is mounted.
Fig. 30 is a side elevational view of the device shown in ~ig. 29.
Fig. 31 is an end view of the device shown in Figso 29 and 30.
Fig. 32 is a side view of the device ~hown in Fig. 30 installed on the hook of a garment hanger.
Fig. 33 is a side view of the device shown in Fig. 32 fastening a garment hanger hook to a clothesline.

20 Modes for Carr~in~ Out the Invention:
This invention provides a device, vomprising an elastic-ally elongatable loop, for fastening a hook to a linear mem-ber; for example, a garment hanger hook tc a clo~hesline.
The loop may be of rigid or semi rigid conatruction or the 25 loop may be flexible and elastically elongatable.
Figs. 1 through 11 depict one embodi~ent in the form of a clip having a loop of rigid or semi rigid construction. This clip has a loop body, comprised of side members, 3, forming the sides of the loop, and a fixed loop end, 6, attached to 30 the side members and~forming one end of the loop. The loop is termed rigid or semi rigid because the side members of the loop body do not bend ~ufficiently during use to significant-ly affect the ope~ation of the device. A movable loop end, 7, which effectively forms the other end of the loop and 35 which slide~ back and~forth along the side members, 3, of the loop body, provides means for increasing and decreasing the effective length of the loop. The effective length of the loop is that variable length which extends between the fixed loop end, 6, and the movable loop end, 7. The side members, Rev, Augu8t 1989 6 :

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3, form the sides and side extensions of the loop; the sides of the loop being that variable portion of -the side members which is included in the effective length of the loop as the loop assumes different effective lengths depending on the 5 position of the movable loop end.
A generally C-shaped spring, 8, functions as an elastic force producing member which urges the movable loop end, 7, in a direction of decreasing the effective léngth of the loop.
This C-shaped spring, 8, provides finger rests, 9, and the 10 loop body has a -thumb rest, 10, which allows the device depi-cted in Fig. 1 to be held and manipulated in a manner analo-gous to the manipulation of a hypodermic syringe. When so held, and the finger rests, 9, are squeezed toward the thumb rest, 10, the loop portion of the clip becomes elongated and 15 the C-shaped spring becomes bent as shown in Fig. 2. With the loop thus elongated, the clip can be installed in a fast-ening position on a garment hanger hook, 2~ suspended from a clothesline, 5, as shown in Fig, 11, by reaching over the suspended hook, with the end of the hook pvinting away from 20 the person, passing the end of the hook through the loop pulling the clip toward the person so that the Pixed loop end, 6, of the loop passes between the hook and the clothesline (under the hook but over the clothesline), then moving the clip so that the fixed loop end, 6, moves under the clothes-25 lin0, 5, toward the end of the hook, 2, and finally passingthe end of the hook through the loop, once again, and raising and releasing the cIip in the position shown in Fig. 11. An alternative method of installing the clip is to position the loop on the shank portion, 4, or inboard section of the hook 30 (the inboard section, 4, being that section of the heok which extends from the location occupied by the clothesline, 5, to, and including, the shank of the hook) so that the shank por-tion of the hook passes through the loop before suspending the hook from the clothesline. Then~ after the hook i5 SUS-35 pended from the clothesline, the loop~can be elongated asdescribed above and the clip moved, raised, and released in a fastening position as shown in Fig. 11. It does not make much difference whether the fixed loop endl 6, is on the out-board section, 2, of the hook (that sectio.~ of` the hook which . Rev~ Augus-t 1989 ~2~

extends from the position occupied by the clothesline, ~, to the end of the hook, at 2) or the inboard section, 4, when the clip is in its ~astening position.
Fig. 11 illustrates the means by which this fastening de-5 vice achieves excellent effectiveness and stability in its preferred fastening position. As shown, the ends of the loop contact the outside surface of the hook, 2, at two spaced-apart locations, one such location, at 6, being outboard and the other location, at 7, being inboard o~ the position occu-10 pied by the clothesline, ~. At each of these locations, at 6and 7, the curved outer surface of the hook is substantially inwardly inclined away from the vertical which creates an in-clined ramp effect on these curved sur~aces. These inwardly inclined surfaces react wi-th the tendency of the effective 15 length of the loop to become shorter due to the bias of the spring, 8, and this creates a force which tends to push the loop in an upward direction on the hook. In so doing, this causes the loop to lift up on the undersur~ace of the cloth-esline, 5, and to push it toward the undersurface of the hook.
20 This creates a clamping force which frictionally binds the hook and the clothesline together. If the clothesline was replaced with a much larger diameter supporting rod, such as a typical closet hanger rod, this type of positive clamping action could not be achieved since the loop would either be 25 forced to a position off of the hook, or~ if the hook had a suf~iciently long end section, 2, (which the illustrated hook does not have) the loop would be forced to occupy a position on the hook that was so low that it could no-t take advantage of the substantially inwardly inclined outer surfaces on the 30 upper section of the hook to achieve such positive fastening action. Such positive fastening action thus requires (with typically shaped hooks) that the supporting linear member be comparatively thin with respect to the size o~ the hook.
The meaning of the term "comparatively thin", as used herein 3~ to describe the relative size of the hook and the linear member, is that the hook is o~ such size and shape with respect to the diameter or thickness of the linear member to which it is being Rev~ August 1989 ~.

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fastened that the diameter or thickness of the linear member does not exceed that which will allow the loop to be installed in a fastening position which will e~fectively produce the above described positive clamping and locking action resulting 5 from the loop being installed on the substantially inwardly inclined outer surface of the hook as set forth above.
Figs. 3 and 4 are addi-tional views of the thumb rest, 10, of the device shown in Fig. 1 and show how the ends of the j wire forming the loop body can be bent to form the thumb 10 rest, 10. Figs. 5 and 6 show details of the center section of the C-shaped spring at the location, 11, where it crosses the side members, 3, of the loop body in Fig. 1. As depicted, this fastening device uses a spring loaded clip, 12, to slidably attach the C-shaped spring, 8, 15 to the side members, 3, at this crossing location, 11. In this cas~ the wire in the center section of the C-shaped spring i~ bent so that it forms a generally square cornered raised section, 13, which protrudes between the side members, 3, and is capable of being locked in place by the spring loa-20 ded clip, 12.
The ends of the C-shaped spring, which are bent in small eyelet loops, 14, for pivotal connection to the side members, 3, of the loop body at the pi~otal connection points, 15, are shown, in end view, in Fig, ~. The pivotal connection points, 25 1~, on the loop body are, in this case, formed as small eye-let loops, 1~, in the wire of the side members as shown in ; Figs. 1 and 2.
The spring loaded clip, in its unattached and unloaded state, is shown in three views ln Figs.~8~ through 10. This 30 clip has two outward opening and outwardly biased hooks, 18 and 19, which hook to the raised~section, 13, of the C-shaped spring, 8, and slidably lock it to the side members, 3, of the loop body a9 shown in Fig. 1. When assembled in the fas-tening device, the wire of the spring loaded clip extends 35 outward from one of its hooks, 18, past the side member on its side to a position, 20, outboard of the side member.
~hen the wire is bent in a gene~ally reverse direction 90 as to extend inward and to pass by the opposite side of the same side~member,~ Then, be~ore reaching the middle o~ the loop ~ _g_ ,` ~
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body, the wire is bent generally outward again, at 21, and then is bent generally around the ou-tside of the same side member, at 22, and then the wire extends inward to the center and o~ the ~a~e side o~ the loop body as the hooks, lg and 19, 5 are located where it may be ~ormed into a V-shaped detent, at 7, to form a movable loop end for the fastenlng device which acts to center and align the hanger hook with the longitudin-al axis o~ the loop body. Then the wire contlnues across to, and is be~t around, the o~her side member, as shown, in gen-10 erally the same manner a~ being bent around the first sidemember and then the wire termina~es at the second hook, 19, in the spring loaded clip. This ¢lip thus serves the dual function of movable loop end and o~ an in~erlocking clip to slidably attach the spring to the side members.
1~ The C-shaped spring, 8, used in this fastening device has a unique advantage in that the force which it provides at the crossing location, 11, to urge the movable loop end toward a position of minimum effective length of the loop, as shown in Fig. 1, becomes substantially less at the position of maximum 20 deflection and maximum effective length of the loop, as shown in Fig. 2, than would be the case with a more typical spring, such as a helical t~pe spring in which the force-displacement relation~hip is essentially linear. This allows the person using the ~astening device with a C-shaped spring to hold it 25 in the position of max~mum deflection of the spring, Fig. 2, with less e~ertion during inAtallation and removal of the de-vice in it~ ~a~tening position ~han would otherwise be re-quired. The amount of this reduction in force at maximum de-~lection is determined to some extent by the shape of the C-30 shaped spring. An increase in the degree of curvature inthat portion of the spring ~hich is closer to the crossing location, 11 (Fig. 1), than to the ends of the spring wire, 14, generally~causes a further reduction in the force at maximum deflection of the C-shaped spring.
A modified form of loop body which improves the ease of installing and removing the fastening de~ice in its fastening position, and which can be directly substituted for the loop body in the device of Figs. 1 and 2, is ~hown in Figs. 12 and 13. Here the fixed loop end of the loop body is formed of I
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two overlapping seg~ents, 2~, to create an openable section in the loop. These overlapping segments, which are normally held together by spring pressure ~rom the loop body, can be separated in the directions indicated by the arro-ws in ~ig.
i ~ 13 to open the fixed loop end of the loop body and thereby allow the shank or inboard section of a hanger hook to be in-serted directly into the inner region of the loop without , first passing the end of the hook through the loop as is nec-¦ essary with the device shown in Figs. 1-11. These two mutu-10 ally separable segments, 25, comprise an effectively closed openable section in the loop, located, in this case, in the effectively closed fixed loop end of the loop, which allows the fastening device to be just as effective for fastening a I hook to a linear member as those devices in which there is no ! 15 openable section. Each overlapping segment, 25, may be pro-I vided with a structure, 26, which extends away from the fixed ¦ loop end of -the loop body at an angle, as shown in Fig. 13, ' and which provldes a ramped entry region, 27, at that end of ¦ the loop body~ Thus it can be seen that if the fastening de-20 vice is moved so that the shank of a hanger hook enters the ramped entry region, 2~, with the shank approximately in or I parallel to the plane of the loop body, the device can then ¦ be pushed toward and against the shank causing it to react with these ramped entry structures, 26, ~orcing the overlapp-25 ing segments` 25, apart, and thereby allowing the device to be further moved in the same direction until the shank or in- !
board section o~ the hanger hook enters into the inner region of the loop. In performing this operation, the fastening de-vice is, of course, held so that the movable loop end is in a 30 position of ma~imum effective length of the loop eorrespond-ing to the position shown in Fig. 2. After the shank of the hook is within the~inner region of the loop, the fastening ~-~ device can then be~tilted approximately 90 degreec so that I the plane of the loop body is approximately parallel to the 35 clothesline and the device can then be raised, passing the end of the hanger hook through the loop, and released in a fastening position corresponding generally with that shown in ! Fig, 11, ~
¦ The modified lcop body of Figs. 12 and 13 also permits ~ ~J

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~ 3 the fastening device to be removed from its fastening posi~
tion and directly separated from the hanger hook without sli-pping the loop body off the end of the hangsr hook, In remo-ving this fastening device, the loop is first elongated to 5 correspond with the situation as shown in Fig. Z, the fasten-ing device i9 lowered so that only the shank of the hanger hook remains within the inner region of the loop, and the de-vice is then generally tilted about 90 degrees so that the shank of the hook contacts the side members, 28, and forces 10 the overlapping segments, 25, to separate, thus opening the loop. Then the fastening device can simply be pulled back so that the shank of the hanger hook passes out of the opened section of the loop. It can be seen that each overlapping segment, 25, without the ramped entry structure, 26, forms a 15 generally J-shaped structure with the side member, 28, being the straight part of the "J". That part of each overlapping segment corresponding with the end of the curved part of the "J", 29, can be bent away at an angle from the plane of the loop body, as shown in Fig. 13, to form a ramped exit region 20 to facilitate withdrawing the shank of the hanger hook from , the inner re~ion~of the loop.
Having an openable section at the fixed loop~end of the loop body, as in Figs. 12 and 13, generally requires that the ; ends of the wire or other material forming the loop body be 25 at that end of the loop body. In this case the thumb rest, 30, at the other end of the loop body can be formed by bend-ing and curving the wire between~the side members, 28,~as ' shown in Figs. 12 through 1~
I Instead of having an openable sectlon in the loop, there 30 may be a permanently open section in order to facilitate in-stallation and remo~al of the fastening device. It should be ~noted, however, that even though there may be such a~ open sec-tion in the loop, the result is still that of an effectiv-ely~closed loop insofar as the action of the fastening device 35;on the~ combination of the clothesline and suspended hook is concerned. One configuration of a loop body with an open section~ls~shown in~Figs. 15 through 18. Here the open sec-tion, 32, lS located to~one;side of the fixed loop end, 33.
There lS a structural support member, 34, connecting the two : :, ~
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side members, 35 and 36, near -the open section, 32, to pro-vide strength and stiPfness for the side member, 36, which is on the same side of the loop body as the open section, 32.
This support member, 34, may be curved downward, as shown in 5 Fig. 17, to provide clearance with the suspended hanger hook.
There may also be a short projection, 37~ at or near the end of the side member, 36, which is on the same side as the open section, 32, in order to preven-t the clothesline from slipp-ing off that side member, 36, and into the open section, 32.
lO This loop body may generally be used with a C-shaped spring and movable loop end of a type similar to that describéd pre-viously. It may also be modified as necessary to function with other types of springs such as helical and two-legged springs. As shown in Figs. l~ through l8, this loop body is l5 made from a stamping of sheet metal although other methods of fabrication can be used. These drawings show how the thumb rest, 38, can be made from this material.
A fastening device with the loop body shown in Figs. l5 through l8 can be used by first having the end of the hanger 20 hook, which is su~pended from a clothesline, pointing toward the person using the fastening device. After elongating the loop, as described with reference to Figs. l and 2, the de-vice is moved so that the ~hank or inboard section of the hook enters the open section, 32, and into the inner region 25 of the loop near the fixed loop end, 33. Then the fastening device is simply raised so that the end of the~hanger-hook passes through the inner region of the loop, 39, without the open section, and released in à fastening position correspon-ding generally with that shown in Fig. ll.
The loop body may also have an open section, 41, without a structural support member near the open section as shown in Figs. l9 and 20. In this case some additional ~tif~ness may be provided for the structure by having a support member, 42, between the side members at or near the pivotal connection 35 points, 43, for the C-shaped spring. Additional stiffness may also be furnished by having thicker material in the loop body. Projections, 44, may be provided on the side member next to the open section as limit atops for the movable loop end and to prevent the clothealine from slipping off the side , 1 ~13-,~1 .
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member and into the open section, 41. In addition to being usable with a C-shaped spring, this loop body may also be mo-dified for use with other types of springs. A fastening de-vice with the loop body shown in Figs. 19 and 20 is used in a 5 generally similar ~anner to the device described with refer-l ence to Figs. 15 through 18 except that the hanger hook need ¦ not be oriented in any particular direction.
I Figs. 21 and 22 show a fastening device employing a heli-¦ cal type spring, 46, which acts and is slidable along the ¦ 10 side members~ 49 and 50, of the loop body. This allows the movable loop end, ~7, to move back and forth along the side members to increase or decrease the effective length of the loop. The effective length of the loop is that dis-tance and portion of the loop which lies between the fixed loop end, 15 48, and the movable loop end, 47, and is thus a variable quantity depending on the position of the movable loop end.
The loop body is -that portion of the fastening device which generally includes the fixed loop end and the side members.
The side members, which are ordinarily parallel, are compri-20 sed of the sides, 49, of the effective portion of the loop,which is that variable portion of the side members lying within the effective length of the loop as determined by the position of the morable loop end, 47, and the side extensions, ~0, of the loop which is that variable portion~of the side 25 members extending on the other side of the movable loop end.
In the device shown in Figs. 21 and 22, that portion, 51, of the helical type spring nearest the movab~le loop end is shaped so that it can bei grasped by the fingers and thereby used as a hand hold in manipulating the device. There may be 30 à raissd portion, 52, in the spring to assist in preventing the fingers from slipping along the spring. This fastening device-can be used as follows. After inserting the hanger hook into the inner region of the 1QP~ 53, so that the loop is mounted on the shank porti.on of the hook, and suspending 3~ the hanger hook from the clothesline, pull the hand hold, 51, on the spring to elongate the loop (with the fixed loop end, 48, being held by thel shank of the hook) and~maneuver the fastening device so that the end Of the hook passes through~
the loop and~so that the fastening device is raised and ~ . ' , j ,,"~.I'i . . .

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released into a position corresponding generally with that shown in Fig. 11.
Fig. 23 sho~s an embodiment of this extensible loop fast-ening device in which the loop is flexible as well as elast-5 ically elongatable. This device, 55, can be made from any ofa variety of flexible and elastic materials such as rubber, synthetic rubber, and some of the stretchable rubber-like plastics. It is also possible to make such an elastic loop-type fastening device from a coil or other type of spring 10 which can be stretched in length. The loop, 55, is made of such size, shape, and configuration, considering -the elastic properties of the material used in its construction, that it can be stretched sufficiently in length to allow its being installed on the hook and the linear member without exceeding 15 the normal useful elastic deformation capability of the loop material. The loop must also be constructed so that it will contract sufficiently in length at the end of the installa-tion procedure to grasp the hook and the linear member and con~ine them in their fastened-together position. A handle, 20 57, can be connected to one section of the loop, 55, gener-ally at one end of the loop, which will make it easier to stretch and manipulate the loop, particularly when removing the device from its fastening position, than would be the case without the handle.
Figs. 24 through 27 show a convenient and effective meth-od for installing the fastening device on a garment hanger hook, 59, which is hooked to a clothesline, 5, in the normal I -manner. First the loop, 55, is positioned 80 that the hook, 59, passes once through the loop opening; 56, as shown in 30 Fig. 24. In thls case the hook passes through the loop at a - location, 6~, on the hook which is outboard o~ the position ; occupied by the clothesline, 5. The outboard section, 61, ofthe hook, 59, is that section of the hook which~extends from the~position occupied by the clothesline, 5, to the end, 65, 35 of the hook. Then, essentially by pulling on one section of the loop to stretch it and also moving that section of the loop, the loop is manipulated as shown in Fig. 2~ so that the two strips of loop material, which extend from the above men-tioned locatlon where the h~ook passes through the loop, are ~
1, :
: .

,;,'~'-~

. _ . . ..... . . , ~ ~

caused to extend under the clothesline, 5, (at 62) and then to one side of the hook at a location on the hook which is in-board of the po3ition occupied by the clothesline~ This in-board location on the hook i5 on that portion of the hook 5 which is on the other side of~ the position occupied by the clothesline, 5, from that section containing the end, 65, of the hook. In the example of Figs. 24 through 27, the loop, 5~, has a handle, 57, connected to the loop at that section , of the loop which is pulled and moYed, as described above, in , 10 order to facilitate manipu~ation of that section of the loop.
Duri~g installation of the loop on the hook and the clothes-line, the hook i9 ordinarily held in its position on the clo-thesline by the person installing the fastening device. It may also be held in this position by gravity acting on a ' 15 weight attached to the hook, by inertia, or by any other in-i ternal or externally applied force. After achieving the sit-! uation shown in Fig. 25, the same section of the loop that was pulled and moved previously is further moved around the outside of and aro~nd the other side of the hook (at 63) and !:
20 down under the clothesline, 5, toward the outboard section, 61, of the hook as shown in Fig. 26. Then that same section ` of the loop is further moved so that the loop passes on the end, 65, of the hook, 59, with the end of the hook passing ` through the end, 66, of the loop and, finally, that section 2~ of the loop is raised and released on the outboard section, 61, of the hook as shown in Fig. 27.
The handle, 57, greatly improves the ease with whi~h the ¦ fastening device can be reIeased from its fastening position I for two reasons- First, the handle, 57, present9 a readily ¦ 30 grippable appendage to a device which would, without the han- j dle,~be quite difficult to grasp when tlghtly bound to the i hook,~59, in~its fastening position as shown in Figo 27. Se-¦ cond, the handle~automatically and conveniently differenti-¦ ates which end of the loop was la~ placed on the hook during 35 installation of the fastening device. This is very important because it is this end of the loop which must be removed first from the hook during removal of the fastening device in order to release the loop from its fastening position without ¦~
=ntangling t~he loop in the hook and th= clothesline and . 11.

", ~s .

1~3~'r3~

thereby seriously impeding removal.
One important aspect of the method of usin~ a flexible and elastically elongatable loop fastening device, as presen-ted herein, is that, when in~talled, the loop occupies a po-sition on the hook and the clothesline or other linear member such that it con~aots and ~aps around the outer surface of the hook effectively at two loc~tions on the hook whioh are substantia~y inwardly inclined. This creates an upward com-ponent of the tension forces in the stretched loop to positi-10 vely clamp or bind the hook and the linear member together ina manner similar to that described above with reference to the rigid or semi rigid clip and Fig. 11. Actually, the pri-mary difference between the clip and the flexible loop is that, in the flexible loop, the stiffness constraint of the 15 side members has been rem~ved, allowing the loop to bend around the Iinear member as well as to be installed in the ; position shown in Fig. 27. In order to utilize the substan-tially inwardly inclined outer surfaces of the hook to achie-I ve its positive clamping action on the hook and the linear 20 member, the size of the linear member must be comparativelythin with respect to the size and shape of the hook so that the loop will not be forced to occupy a position so low on the hook that only frictional~forces would be available to retain it in place. Thus the term "comparatively thin" as 25 used herein to describe the size of the linear member has the ; same meaning with regard to the flexible and elastically elongatable loop as to the rigid or semi rigid clip, i.e., I
that the size of the linear member,~ with respect to the size .
and shape of the hool~, does not ex¢eed that size which will 30 allow the flexible and elastically elongatable loop-type fas-tening device to be installed on the substantlally inwardly I inclined outer surfaces of the hook in order to achieve such ¦ positive clamping and binding action of the loop on the hook and the linear member.
The embodiment of the fastening device shown in Fig. 23 i~ readily adapted to being manufactured by being cut from ¦ stretchable, generally rubber-like, sheet material. When the ! fastening~device lS cut from sheet material, the grippability of the handle by the fingers can very conveniently be ', , ~ 2 ~D~3~

increas~d by having the handle, ~7, provided with a cut-out section, 58, as shown in Fig. 23. This additional cut~out can be accomplished during the same cutting operation used to manufacture the fastening device and thereby furnished with 5 minimum increase in manufacturing cost. This fastening de-vice can also be manufactured by being molded together with its handle as a one-piece unit of stretchable, generally rub-ber-like, material. When made in this way, the grippability ; of the handle by the fingers can conveniently be increased by ~ 10 providing the handle, 57, with a raised portion, 69, as ¦ shown in side view in Fig. 28.
I Installation of this fastening device will be facilita-j ted, particularly when used with garment hangers which have ¦ thick hooks, such as those made of plastic, if the device is 15 constructed and shaped so that the two strips of loop mater-I ial which extend from the handle are held in a spaced-apart ¦ relationship. This will make it easier to install the handle ~ end of the loop on the end of the hook during the final phase ¦ of installation. The fastening device shown in Fig, 23 ac-20 complishes the spacing of these parts of the loop by having these two strips of loop material, 67, joined to the handle, ` 57, at suitably spaced-apart locations. Additionally, the section, 68, of the handle, ~7, spanning between the loca-tions where these two strips of loop material, 67, are joined ¦ 25 to the handle, 5?~ has a greater cross sectional area than that of each strip to lessèn the distortion tending to reduce the spacing between these two strips when stretching tension f is placed on the loop during installation. These same meth-ods can be used when the fastening device is produced by a 30 molding process. In addition, when produced by molding, the handle end of the loop can be provided with a thickened or ¦ raised sectlon, 70, in the vicinity~of the location where ~ these two strips of loop matierial are joined to the handle as ¦ shown in Fig. 28. This wiIl provide additional crosslsect-3~ ional area and stiffne0 to hold these two strips of loop material apart when the loop is stretched.
The flexible and elastically elongatable loop-type fast- ¦
ening device can be furnished with a loop lengthening struc- ~ ¦
ture on which at least part of the loop~is ~ounted and which . ~ :

lZ~ 9~

takes up at least par-t of the slack of the loop as shown in Figs. 29 through 33. As shown, the loop, 71,is mounted on such a structure which also serves as a handle, 72. By tak-ing up some of the slack in this manner, -the stretchable 5 length of the loop can be longer than without such a struc-ture which results in an increase in the effective elastic extensibility of the loopO This provides for the accomoda-tion of a greater range of hook and clothesline sizes while providing better elastic clamping action on the hook and -the 10 clothesline. In this embodiment, the loop, 71, is retained on the structure and handle, 72, by an enclosing ring, 73, which for~s an aperture through which the loop extends in lateral confinement at one end of the structure, and by a notch, 74, which forms a retaining support for the loop at 15 the other end of the struc-ture. The structure is shaped to provide finger grasps, 75, to aid in manipulating and pulling it in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 30 to stretch the loop, 71, while installing or removing it.
To use this device, the end of the loop which is in the 20 notched support, 74, can be pulled out of the notch and plac-¦ ed off to one side of the handle, ~2, so as to release tension on the loop and allow the other end of the loop, 76, to be pulled out through the enclosing ring, 73, to create an en-larged loop of slack loop material a-t that end of the handle.
25 This enlarged loop of material is then placed around the neck of a garment hanger hook, 59, by passing -the end of the hook, I 65, through the loop, after which the end of the loop that ¦ was in the notch, 74, is replaced in the notch so that ~the loop fastening device is positioned on the hook, 59t as shown 30 in Fig. 32. Then the hanger~hook is suspended from a cloth-esline, 5, the handle, 72, is pulled down and under the clo-I thesline, 5, and moved so that the end, 65, of the hanger ¦ hook passes through the stretched-ou-t loop near the enclosing ¦ ring,,73, the handle, 72, is raised and released on the out-1 35 board~section of the hook so that the fastening device is in I a position as shown in ~ig. 33. The handle structure, 72, is I of such width that it holds the two strips of loop material I extendinglfrom the enclosing ring, 73, in a spaced-apart re-¦ lationshiplwhen stretching tension is placed on the loop to !

'~`', i-.

3~

facilitate passing the end, 6~, o~ the hook through the loop.
In addition to fastening a garment hanger hook to a linearmember such as a clothesline, as in the examples herein, the loop-type fastening device can be combined with a hook to 5 comprise a connecting device generally capable o~ connecting an object, other than a garment hanger, to a linear member in a manner somewhat analogous to that performed by a snap hook.
To accomplish this, the object can be temporarily or perman-ently attached to a hook, generally to the non-hooked or 10 shank portion of the hook, by means such as bolting, tying, welding, fastening with a snap fastener, by being manufactured as part of the same piece of material as the hook (as in the case of some garment hangers), etc. The exact means by which the ob~ect is attached to the hook is not pertinent to the 15 inventive concept presented herein and any appropriate means for attaching the object to the hook is intended to be inclu-ded within the scope of the claims presented herein. The term "object", as used in the claims, includes a garment hanger as well as any other ob~ect which may be connected to a linear 20 member. The term "hook", as used in the claims, covers all parts of the hook, including any non hboked or shank portion of the hook which may be present. With the object attached to the hook, the hook can, in turn, be hooked to a linear member and fastened to it by mean~ of a loop-type fastening 25 device as described herein to complete the connecting of the object to the linear member The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifi-cations and changes will readily occur to those skilled in 30 the art, it is not intended to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.
For example, in the device shown in Figo 23 and installed in 35 the fastening position shown in Figs. 24-27, it would be possible to rejoin the two strands of loop materlal in the middle section of the loop and still have the device function in suhstantially the same manner as that depicted. Such a modification would be considered to be well within the range 40 and scope of my invention.

, :
~~ ~ Rev. December 1990 .,

Claims (71)

1. A connecting device for connecting an object to a gen-erally linear member, said device comprising the combination of a hook and an effectively closed loop assembled in a par-ticular relative position with respect to each other in con-junction with the linear member to fasten the hook to the linear member with the hook being hooked to the linear member in the normal manner, wherein the effective length of the loop is elastically extensible, wherein there is means for attaching the object, at least indirectly and at least temp-orarily, to the hook, generally to the non hooked or shank portion of the hook, wherein the hook is of such size and shape with respect to the diameter or thickness of the linear member to which it is being fastened that the linear member is comparatively thin with respect to the size and shape of the hook, wherein the assembled relative position of said combination is one in which the hook and the loop occupy a position with respect to each other in conjunction with the linear member, to which the hook is hooked, such that the hook passes through the loop at a first substantially inward-ly inclined location on the hook which is on one side of the position occupied by the linear member and the loop substant-ially and effectively lies on a path which extends from said location where the hook passes through the loop to a location under the linear member, thence around the outer side of the hook at a second substantially inwardly inclined location on the hook which is on the other side of the position occupied by the linear member, thence under the linear member again and, finally, rejoined on the hook on the first mentioned side of the position occupied by the linear member, and wherein the range of elastic extensibility of the loop is sufficient to permit installation of the loop in such posi-tion and also to confiningly grasp the hook and the linear member when in such position, whereby, with the object attached to the hook and the hook fastened to the linear member by the loop, the object can be connected to the linear member by the connecting device.

2. The connecting device of claim 1 wherein the effectiv-ely closed loop is part of a clip having a generally elonga-ted loop of at least semi rigid construction and having means for allowing the effective length of the loop to be elastic-ally extended, and wherein said loop is so constructed and arranged that it is adapted to occupy the installed position and to comprise part of the assembled configuration described.

3. The connecting device of claim 1 wherein the hook is the hook of an ordinary, typical, and complete garment hanger and wherein the object which said device is capable of connec-ting to the linear member is the remaining or body part of the same garment hanger which is for supporting garments.

4. A connecting device for connecting an object to a gen-erally linear member, said device comprising the combination of a hook and a clip having a generally elongated loop of at least semi rigid construction and having means for allowing the effective length of the loop to be elastically extended, wherein there is means for attaching the object, at least in-directly and at least temporarily, to the hook, generally to the non hooked or shank portion of the hook, and wherein the hook and the clip are assembled in a relative position with respect to each other in conjunction with the linear member, to which the hook is hooked in the normal manner, such that the loop contacts the outside surface of the hook at two points, one generally on each side of the position occupied by the linear member, and the remainder of the loop lies between said two points on a path which passes underneath the linear member so that the linear member is confined within the space between the hook and the loop.

5. A method for connecting an object to a generally linear member using a connecting device comprising the combination of a hook and a clip having a generally elongated loop of at least semi rigid construction and having means for allowing the effective length of the loop to be elastically extended, wherein there is means for attaching the object, at least in-directly and at least temporarily, to the hook, generally to the non hooked or shank portion of the hook, the method com-prising the steps of attaching the object to the hook, hooking the hook to the linear member in the normal manner, and put ting the clip in a position with respect to the hook and the linear member such that the loop contacts the outside surface of the hook at two points, one generally on each side of the position occupied by the linear member, and the remainder of the loop lies between said two points on a path which passes underneath the linear member so that the linear member is con-fined within the space between the hook and the loop.

6. A connecting device for connecting an object to a gen-erally linear member, said device comprising the combination of a hook and a clip assembled in a particular relative posi-tion with respect to each other in conjunction with the lin-ear member to fasten the hook to the linear member with the hook being hooked to the linear member in the normal manner, wherein the clip has a generally elongated loop of at least semi rigid construction and the clip has means for changing the effective length of the loop, said means being provided by the loop effectively having two ends which are movable to-ward and away from each other and the clip also has means for elastically biasing the two ends of the loop to move closer together to decrease the effective length of the loop, where-in there is means for attaching the object, at least indirec-tly and at least temporarily, to the hook, generally to the non hooked or shank portion of the hook, wherein the hook is of such size and shape with respect to the diameter or thickness of the linear member to which it is being fastened that the linear member is comparatively thin with respect to the size and shape of the hook, and wherein the assembled relative po-sition of the hook and the clip with respect to each other in conjunction with the linear member is that in which, with the hook hooked to the linear member, each of the two ends of the loop generally contacts the outside surface of the hook at a location on the hook at which said outside surface of the hook is substantially inwardly inclined, one such location being on one side and the other location being on the other side of the position occupied by the linear member, and that part of the loop which extends between each of its two ends generally contacts the undersurface of the linear member at two locations, one generally on each side of the plane of the hook, so as to clampingly lock the hook to the linear member.

7. The connecting device of claim 6 wherein the clip is comprised of a loop body having side members forming the sides of the loop, an effectively closed fixed loop end which is ordinarily fixed with respect to the side members of the loop body and which comprises one of the two ends of the loop, a movable loop end which effectively comprises the other end of the loop and which is generally movable with respect to the side members of the loop body to increase or decrease the effective length of the loop, and an elastic force producing member generally acting on the loop body and the movable loop end to urge these elements in the direction of decreasing the effective length of the loop.

8. The connecting device of claim 7 wherein the clip has generally parallel side members of the loop body, wherein the movable loop end is slidably movable along the side members, and wherein the elastic force producing member is a spring adapted and assembled with the clip so as to generally urge the movable loop end in the direction of decreasing the effective length of the loop.

9. The connecting device of claim 7 wherein the loop body of the clip is made of wire.

10. The connecting device of claim 7 wherein the elastic force producing member of the clip is a generally helical spring acting along the direction of the loop body.

11. A clip for fastening a hook to a linear member when the hook is hooked to the linear member in the normal manner, said clip having a generally elongated loop of at least semi rigid construction and means for changing the effective length of the loop, wherein the loop is comprised of a loop body having side members forming the sides of the loop, an effectively closed fixed loop end which is ordinarily fixed with respect to the side members of the loop body and which comprises one of the ends of the loop, a movable loop end which effectively comprises the other end of the loop and which is generally movable with respect to the side members of the loop body to increase or decrease the effective length of the loop, and an elastic force producing member generally acting on the loop body and the movable loop end to urge those elements in the direction of decreasing the effective length of the loop; wherein the dimensions of the loop and the ratio of the maximum extended effective length of the loop to its width is such as to allow the loop to fittingly accomodate a typically shaped hook, such as an ordinary gar-ment hanger hook, without great excess in the width of the loop, wherein the loop is shaped so that it can occupy a fastening position with respect to the hook and the linear member such that the loop contacts the outside surface of the hook at two points, one generally on each side of the posi-tion occupied by the linear member, and the remainder of the loop lies between said two points on a path which passes und-erneath the linear member so that the linear member is con-fined within the space between the hook and the loop, and wherein the clip has means for conveniently extending the effective length of the loop and has means for moving the clip during installation solely by holding and manipulating the clip with one hand, such means being provided, at least in part, by appropriately positioned holding surfaces for the fingers, all of such finger holding surfaces being positioned outside the space between the side members of the loop body, one finger holding surface being connected so as to act, at least indirectly, on the movable loop end and another finger holding surface being connected so as to act, at least indi-rectly, on the fixed loop end.

12. A clip for fastening a hook to a generally linear member when the hook is hooked to the linear member in the normal manner, said clip having a generally elongated loop of at least semi rigid construction with means for changing the effective length of the loop and means for resiliently bias-ing the loop to reduce the effective length of the loop, wherein the loop is shaped so that it can occupy a fastening position with respect to the hook and the linear member such that the loop contacts the outside surface of the hook at two points, one generally on each side of the position occupied by the linear member, and the remainder of the loop lies be-tween said two points on a path which passes underneath the linear member so that the linear member is confined within the space between the hook and the loop, and wherein the clip has means for keeping the hook in approximate alignment with the longitudinal axis of the loop body.

13. The connecting device of claim 7 wherein said force producing member of the clip is a generally and somewhat C-shaped spring lying generally and approximately in the plane of the loop body, the ends of said spring being pivotally attached to the loop body at pivot attachments which are located on said loop body at a generally somewhat greater dis-tance from the fixed loop end than the movable loop end at the position of said movable loop end which provides the max-imum effective length of the loop, said pivot attachments allowing angular movement of said spring in the vicinity of said pivot attachments in at least the plane of the loop body, said spring extending generally outward from each side of said loop body in the vicinity of said pivot attachments and then bending around so as to cross the side members of the loop body at a crossing location which is generally in the vicinity of the movable loop end, said spring being slidably attached to the side members at said crossing location so as to allow the spring to slide along and in the direction of the side members, said spring acting on the movable loop end in the vicinity of said crossing location.

14. A clip for fastening a hook to a generally linear member when the hook is hooked to the linear member in the normal manner, said clip having a generally elongated loop of at least semi rigid construction and means for changing the effective length of the loop, wherein the loop is comprised of a loop body having side members forming the sides of the loop, an effectively closed fixed loop end which is ordinar-ily fixed with respect to the side members of the loop body and which comprises one of the ends of the loop, a movable loop end which effectively comprises the other end of the loop and which is generally movable with respect to the side members of the loop body to increase or decrease the effec-tive length of the loop, and an elastic force producing mem-ber generally acting on the loop body and the movable loop end to urge those elements in the direction of decreasing the effective length of the loop, wherein the loop is shaped so that it can occupy a fastening position with respect to the hook and the linear member such that the loop contacts the outside surface of the hook at two points, one generally on each side of the position occupied by the linear member, and the loop lies between said two points on a path which passes underneath the linear member so that the linear member is confined within the space between the hook and the loop, and wherein said force producing member is a generally and somewhat C-shaped spring lying generally and approximately in the plane of the loop body, the ends of said spring being pi-votally attached to the loop body at pivot attachments which are located on said loop body at a generally somewhat greater distance from the fixed loop end than the movable loop end at the position of said movable loop end which provides the max-imum effective length of the loop, said pivot attachments allowing angular movement of said spring in the vicinity of said pivot attachments in at least the plane of the loop body, said spring extending generally outward on each side of said loop body in the vicinity of said pivot attachments and then bending around so as to cross the side members of the loop body at a crossing location which is generally in the vicini-ty of the movable loop end, said spring being slidably atta-ched to the side members at said crossing location so as to allow said spring to slide along and in the direction of the side members, said spring acting on the movable loop end in the vicinity of said crossing location.

15. The clip of claim 14 wherein the spring is so constr-ucted and shaped that it provides a non linear force-displac-ement relationship, the force being lower in the high range of elastic displacement than indicated by a linear extrapola-tion of the force-displacement relationship in the initial range of displacement.

16. The clip of claim 11 wherein the loop body has a fin-ger holding surface for the thumb generally at the end oppos-ite to the fixed loop end and wherein there are finger hold-ing surfaces connected with and acting on the movable loop end, the finger holding surfaces being positioned in a manner similar to those on a hypodermic syringe to enable the clip to be held and manipulated in a manner analogous to the man-ner of holding and manipulating a hypodermic syringe.

17. The clip of claim 14 wherein the loop body has a thumb rest at the end opposite the fixed loop end and wherein those portions of the generally and somewhat C-shaped spring which extend outward from each side of the loop body at the crossing location of said spring with respect to the loop body are usable as finger rests or finger holding surfaces, said thumb and finger rests enabling the clip to be held and manipulated in a manner analogous to the manner of holding and manipulating a hypodermic syringe.

18. The clip of claim 14 wherein the spring is slidably attached to the side members of the loop body by an inter-locking clip which interlocks the spring and side members together.

19. The clip of claim 18 wherein the movable loop end is part of said interlocking clip.

20. The connecting device of claim 7 wherein the clip has an openable section in the loop which is adapted to allow the stem or shank of a hook to enter directly into the inner reg-ion of the loop through the opened although normally effect-ively closed openable section during installation of the clip on the hook and the linear member, without first passing the end of the hook thorough the loop.

21. A clip for fastening a hook to a generally linear member when the hook is hooked to the linear member in the normal manner, said clip having a generally elongated loop of at least semi rigid construction and means for changing the effective length of the loop, wherein the loop is comprised of a loop body having side members forming the sides of the loop, an effectively closed fixed loop end which is ordinar-ily fixed with respect to the side members of the loop body and which comprises one of the ends of the loop, a movable loop end which comprises the other end of the loop and which is generally movable with respect to the side members of the loop body to increase or decrease the effective length of the loop, and an elastic force producing member generally acting on the loop body and the movable loop end to urge those ele-ments in the direction of decreasing the effective length of the loop, wherein the loop is shaped so that it can occupy a fastening position with respect to the hook and the linear member such that the loop contacts the outside surface of the hook at two points, one generally on each side of the posi-tion occupied by the linear member, and the remainder of the loop lies between said two points on a path which passes und-erneath the linear member to that the linear member is con-fined within the space between the hook and the loop, and wherein the clip has an openable section in the loop which is adapted to allow the stem or shank of a hook to enter direct-ly into the inner region of the loop through the opened al-though normally effectively closed openable section during installation of the clip on the hook and the linear member, without first passing the end of the hook through the loop.

22. The clip of claim 21 wherein the openable section in the loop is comprised of two overlapping segments which are separable with respect to each other to allow the shank of a hook to enter directly into the inner region of the loop.

23. The clip of claim 21 wherein the openable section in the loop has an entry region which, together with the open-able section, is so shaped and arranged that it causes the openable section to open when the clip is moved so as to bring the shank of a hook into forcible contact with the clip in said entry region, thereby opening the clip and allowing the shank to enter directly into the inner region of the loop.

24. The clip of claim 23 wherein the openable section and entry region is in the vicinity of the fixed loop end of the loop body and the openable section is comprised of two over-lapping segments which are separable in a direction generally normal to the plane of the loop body, and wherein the clip is arranged so that the openable section can be opened by so separating the overlapping segments by forcible contact with the shank of the hook to allow the shank to enter into the inner region of the loop.

25. The clip of claim 21 wherein the openable section has a ramped exit region to facilitate withdrawing the shank of the hook from the inner region of the loop during removal of the clip from its installed position.

26. The clip of claim 21 wherein the openable section in the loop is in the vicinity of the fixed loop end of the loop body to allow the shank of a hook to enter directly into the inner region of the loop.

27. The connecting device of claim 7 wherein the clip has an open section in the loop which is adapted to allow the stem or shank of a hook to enter directly into the inner reg-ion of the loop through the open section during installation of the clip on the hook and the linear member, without first passing the end of the hook through the loop.

28. A clip for fastening a hook to a generally linear member when the hook is hooked to the linear member in the normal manner, said clip having a generally elongated loop of at least semi rigid construction and means for changing the effective length of the loop, wherein the loop is comprised of a loop body having side members forming the sides of the loop, an effectively closed fixed loop end which is ordinar-ily fixed with respect to the side members of the loop body and which comprises one of the ends of the loop, a movable loop end which effectively comprises the other end of the loop and which is generally movable with respect to the side members of the loop body to increase or decrease the effect-ive length of the loop, and an elastic force producing member generally acting on the loop body and the movable loop end to urge those elements in the direction of decreasing the effec-tive length of the loop, wherein the loop is shaped so that it can occupy a fastening position with respect to the hook and the linear member such that the loop contacts the outside surface of the hook at two points, one generally on each side of the position occupied by the linear member, and the re-mainder of the loop lies between said two points on a path which passes underneath the linear member so that the linear member is confined within the space between the hook and the loop, and wherein the clip has an open section in the loop which is adapted to allow the stem or shank of a hook to ent-er directly into the inner region of the loop through the open section during installation of the clip on the hook and the linear member, without first passing the end of the hook through the loop.

29. The clip of claim 28 wherein the open section is lo-cated in the vicinity of and to one side of the fixed loop end of the loop.

30. The clip of claim 29 wherein that side member which is on the same side of the loop as the open section has a projection, generally at the end of that side member, which extends in a direction generally perpendicular to the plane of the loop body to restrain the linear member from slipping off that side member and into the open section of the loop.

31. The connecting device of claim 1 wherein the effec-tively closed loop is, at least for a substantial portion of its length, flexible and elastically elongatable.

32. The connecting device of claim 31 wherein the assemb-led relative position of the combination of the hook and the loop with respect to each other in conjunction with the linear member is that in which the hook passes through one end of the loop opening at the first said inwardly inclined location on the hook which is on one side of the position occupied by the linear member, the loop extends therefrom underneath the linear member, and the hook passes through the other end of the loop opening at the second said inwardly inclined location on the hook which is on said other side of the position occupied by the linear member.

33. The connecting device of claim 32 further comprising a handle which is connected to one section of the loop to serve as a manipulatable appendage for stretching and moving said section of the loop during installation and removal of the loop in and from its installed position with respect to the hook and the linear member.

34. The connecting device of claim 33 wherein the exist-ence of a handle connected to one section of the loop effect-ively results in there being two strips of loop material which extend from said handle section of the loop and wherein those two strips of loop material are positioned in a spaced-apart relationship, said device further comprising means for maintaining an effective amount of spacing between said two strips of loop material at the location where they extend from said handle section of the loop to provide for facile installation of the loop on the end of the hook when stretch-ing tension is placed on the loop

35. A connecting device for connecting an object to a generally linear member, said device comprising the combina-tion of a hook and a flexible and elastically elongatable loop in which the hook and the loop are assembled in a parti-cular relative position with respect to each other in conjun-ction with the linear member to fasten the hook to the linear member with the hook being hooked to the linear member in the normal manner, wherein there is means for attaching the ob-ject, at least indirectly and at least temporarily, to the hook, generally to the non hooked or shank portion of the hook, wherein the hook is of such size and shape with respect to the diameter or thickness of the linear member to which it it is being fastened that the linear member is comparatively thin with respect to the size and shape of the hook, wherein the assembled relative position of the hook and the loop with respect to each other in conjunction with the linear member is that in which, with the hook hooked to the linear member, the hook passes through one end of the loop at a first substantially inwardly inclined location on the hook, said first location being outboard of the position occupied by the linear member, the loop extends therefrom underneath the linear member and continues with both strips of loop mat-erial passing to one side of and over and around the outside of and around to the other side of the hook at a second sub-stantially inwardly inclined location on the hook, said sec-ond location being inboard of the position occupied by the linear member, thence the loop extends back underneath the linear member again and the hook passes through the other end of the loop at an inwardly inclined location on the hook which is outboard of the position occupied by the linear member, generally near to the first said inwardly inclined location where the hook passes through the loop, and wherein the loop is of such size, shape, and elasticity that it can be stretched sufficiently in length to allow its being installed on the hook and the linear member without exceeding its normal useful elastic deformation capability and also that the loop will contract sufficiently in length to confiningly grasp the hook and the linear member, whereby, with the object attached to the hook, the object can be con-nected to the linear member by the connecting device,

36. The connecting device of claim 35 further comprising a handle which is connected to one section of the loop to serve as a manipulatable appendage for stretching and moving said section of the loop during installation and removal of the loop in and from its installed position with respect to the hook and the linear member.

37. The connecting device of claim 36 wherein the exist-ence of a handle connected to one section of the loop effect-ively results in there being two strips of loop material which extend from said handle section of the loop and wherein those two strips of loop material are positioned in a spaced-apart relationship, said device further comprising means for maintaining an effective amount of spacing between said two strips of loop material at the location where they extend from said handle section of the loop to provide for facile installation of the loop on the end of the hook when stretching tension is placed on the loop.

38. The connecting device of claim 37 wherein said means for maintaining an effective amount of spacing between said two strips of loop material is provided by a section of mat-erial which is of the same continuous piece of material of which the loop is made and which spans between the locations where the two spaced-apart strips of loop material extend from said handle section of the loop, said section of mater-ial having a generally greater cross sectional area than that of each strip, thereby providing greater strength in said handle section of the loop to lessen distortion tending to reduce the spacing between said two strips of loop material when stretching ten ion is placed on the loop.

39. The connecting device of claim 36 wherein the handle of the loop has a cut-out section for increasing the grippability of the handle by the fingers.

40. The connecting device of claim 36 wherein the handle of the loop is made of the same continuous piece of material of which the loop is made.

41. A connecting device for connecting an object to a generally linear member, said device comprising the combina-tion of a hook and a flexible and elastically elongatable loop in which the hook and the loop are assembled in a parti-cular relative position with respect to each other in conjun-ction with the linear member to fasten the hook to the linear member with the hook being hooked to the linear member in the normal manner, wherein there is also a loop lengthening stru-cture on which at least a portion of the loop is mounted, such mounting being without restraint on the loop in the di-rection of linear elastic extension of the loop from the loop lengthening structure, whereby a longer loop can be utilized in the device than would be suitable without such loop leng-thening structure and thereby the effective elastic extensi-bility of the loop can be increased, wherein there is means for attaching the object, at least indirectly and at least temporarily, to the hook, generally to the non hooked or shank portion of the hook, wherein the hook is of such size and shape with respect to the diameter or thickness of the linear member to which it is being fastened that the linear member is comparatively thin with respect to the size and shape of the hook, wherein the assembled relative position of the hook and the loop with respect to each other in conjunction with the linear member is such that, with the hook hooked to the linear member, the hook passes through the loop at a first substantially inwardly inclined location on the hook which is on one side of the position occupied by the linear member and the loop substantially and effectively lies on a path which extends from said location where the hook passes through the loop to a location under the linear member, thence around the outer side of the hook at a second substantially inwardly in-clined location on the hook which is on the other side of the position occupied by the linear member, thence under the lin-ear member again, and, finally, rejoined on the hook on the first mentioned side of the position occupied by the linear member, and wherein the loop, when mounted on the loop leng-thening structure, is of such size, shape and elasticity that it can be stretched sufficiently in length to allow its being installed on the hook and the linear member without exceeding its normal useful elastic deformation capability and also that the loop can contract sufficiently in length to confin-ingly grasp the hook and the linear member, whereby, with the object attached to the hook, the object can be connected to the linear member by the connecting device.

42. The connecting device of claim 41 wherein the loop lengthening structure includes an aperture through which the loop extends in lateral confinement away from said structure to form the open, hook-fastening, portion of the loop and wherein that part of the loop lengthening structure which is on the opposite side of the aperture from said open portion of the loop, has a support for the end of the loop, opposite to the open, hook-fastening, portion of the loop, said support being constructed so as to allow intentional dis-mounting of the loop from said support to provide temporary increased slack in the loop.

43. The connecting device of claim 41 wherein the loop lengthening structure is so constructed and combined with the loop that it forms a handle for manipulating the loop during installation and removal of the loop to and from its position of fastening the hook to the linear member.

44. A flexible and elastically elongatable effectively closed loop for fastening a hook to a linear member when the hook is hooked to the linear member in the normal manner and the fastening position is such that the loop contacts the outside surface of the hook at substantially two locations, one such location being on one side and the other location being on the other side of the position occupied by the lin-ear member, and the remainder of the loop substantially lies on a path which passes underneath the linear member so that the linear member is confined within the space between the hook and the loop, said loop being further combined with a loop lengthening structure on which at least a portion of the loop is mounted such that means is provided for increasing the stretchable length of the loop without the necessity for increasing the effective relaxed size of the loop opening for fastening purposes.

45. The combination of the loop and the loop lengthening structure of claim 44 further comprising means for allowing increased slack to be provided in the loop and for allowing such increased slack to be withdrawn from the loop.

46. A method for fastening a hook to a comparatively thin linear member, as exemplified by the comparison in size be-tween a typical garment hanger hook and a typical clothesline, comprising the steps of hooking the hook to the linear member in the normal manner and positioning an effectively closed loop, in which the effective length of the loop is elastic-ally extensible, in a fastening position with respect to the hook and the linear member such that the hook passes through the loop at a first location on the hook at which the outer surface of the hook is substantially inwardly inclined and which is on one side of the position occupied by the linear member and the loop effectively lies on a path which extends from said first substantially inwardly inclined location on the hook to a location under the linear member, thence around the outer side of the hook at a second location on the hook at which the outer surface of the hook is substantially in-wardly inclined and which is on the other side of the posit-ion occupied by the linear member, thence to a location under the linear member again and, finally, rejoined on the hook on the first mentioned side of the position occupied by the linear member.

47. A method according to claim 46 wherein the effective-ly closed loop is part of a clip having a generally elongated loop of at least semi rigid construction and having means for allowing the effective length of the loop to be elastically extended and wherein the method, as restated with greater relevancy to the clip, comprises the steps of hooking the hook to the linear member in the normal manner and positioning the clip into a fastening position with respect to the hook and the linear member such that the loop contacts the outer surface of the hook at two substantially inwardly inclined locations on the hook, one such location being on one side and the other location being on the other side of the posit-ion occupied by the linear member, and the loop contacts the undersurface of the linear member between the locations where it contacts the hook to positively and forcefully clamp the hook to the linear member.

48. A method according to claim 47 wherein, in performing the method, the clip is positioned on the hook so that an inboard or shank section of the hook passes through the loop and the clip is manipulated and moved so that the loop goes under the linear member, the end of the hook goes through the loop, and the clip is moved into and released in the described fastening position.

49. A method according to claim 48 wherein, in performing the method, the clip is first positioned on the hook so that the inboard or shank section of the hook passes through the loop, the hook is then hooked to the linear member, and the clip is then manipulated and moved so that the loop goes Rev. September 1990 under the linear member, the end of the hook goes through the loop, and the clip is moved into and released in the described fastening position.

50. A method according to claim 48 wherein, in performing the method, the hook is first hooked to the linear member, the clip is then moved so that the end of the hook passes through the loop, relatively speaking, the clip is then fur-ther moved so that the loop passes between the hook and the linear member to position the clip with the inboard or shank section of the hook passing through the loop, the clip is then manipulated and moved to that the loop passes under the linear member, so that the end of the hook passes through the loop, and the clip is then moved into and released in the described fastening position.

51. A method according to claim 48 wherein the clip has an openable section in the loop and wherein, in performing the method, the clip is moved with respect to the hook, which is ordinarily suspended from the linear member, so that the inboard or shank section of the hook moves through the open-able section of the loop and into the inner region of the loop, and the clip is moved and manipulated so that the loop passes under the linear member, so that the end of the hook passes through the loop, and the clip is moved into and released in the described fastening position.

52. A method according to claim 48 wherein the clip has an open section in the loop and wherein, in performing the method, the clip is moved with respect to the hook, which is ordinarily suspended from the linear member, so that the inboard or shank section of the hook moves through the open section of the loop and into the inner region of the loop, the clip is moved and manipulated so that the loop passes under the linear member, so that the end of the hook passes through the loop, and the clip is moved into and released in the described fastening position.

53. A method according to claim 48 wherein the manner in which the clip is manipulated as set forth therein includes the act of extending the effective length of the loop by grasping and moving structure connected to one part of the clip while another part of the clip is restrained by contact with the hook, generally that part of the clip which is positioned on the inboard section of the hook.

54. A method according to claim 48 wherein the manner in which the clip is manipulated as set forth therein includes the act of extending the effective length Or the loop by grasping each of two parts of the clip which are movable with respect to each other to change the effective length of the loop and manipulating and moving said two parts with respect to each other so as to extend the effective length of the loop.

55, A method according to claim 54 wherein the clip has a movable loop part which is movable with respect to the prim-ary clip structure to effectively extend the length of the loop and wherein the manner in which the clip is manipulated to extend the effective length of the loop is by generally pressing together structure connected to the movable loop part and structure connected to the primary clip structure.

56. A method according to claim 46 wherein the loop is flexible and elastically elongatable and wherein the method, as restated with greater relevancy to the flexible loop, com-prises the steps of putting the hook on the linear member so that the hook is hooked to the linear member in the normal manner, positioning the flexible and elastically elongatable effectively closed loop on the hook such that the hook passes once through the loop at said first substantially inwardly inclined location on the hook and, after the preceding two steps have been accomplished in an appropriate order, essent-ially pulling one section of the loop to stretch the loop and also moving said section of the loop so as to install the loop in said fastening position with respect to the hook and the linear member.

57. A method according to claim 56 wherein the effective-ly closed loop is combined with loop lengthening structure on which at least part of the loop is mounted and wherein the step of installing the loop in its fastening position with respect to the hook and the linear member is accomplished by grasping, pulling, and moving said loop lengthening structure, using said structure as a handle to move said pulled and moved section of the loop,

58. A method according to claim 56 wherein the effective-ly closed loop is combined with loop lengthening structure on which at least part of the loop is mounted and which provides means for allowing a portion of the mounted part of the loop to be dismounted and to be remounted to provide for increas-ing and for withdrawing the slack in the unmounted part of the loop and wherein the step of positioning the loop on the hook such that the hook passes once through the loop is accomplished by releasing a portion of the loop to increase the slack in the loop, positioning the loop with its in-creased slack on the hook with the hook passing once through the loop, and then withdrawing and removing the increased slack in the loop with the loop positioned on the hook.

59. A method according to claim 56 wherein the step of positioning the loop on the hook with the hook passing once through the loop is accomplished by to positioning the loop at a substantially inwardly inclined location on the hook which is inboard of the position occupied by the linear mem-ber when the hook is hooked to the linear member and wherein the step of installing the loop in said fastening position with respect to the hook and the linear member is accomplish-ed by extending the loop, from said inboard location on the hook, under the linear member and pulling and moving said pulled and moved section of the loop to that the loop stret-ches and extends from under the linear member toward that section of the hook which is located outboard of the position occupied by the linear member and, further, by moving said section of the loop so that the loop passes on the end of the hook with the end of the hook passing through the loop and, further, by releasing said section of the loop on a substant-ially inwardly inclined location on the outboard section of the hook.

60. A method according to claim 59 wherein the loop has a handle connected to it and wherein, in performing the method, the loop is stretched and said section of the loop is moved i as set forth therein by pulling and moving the handle, the handle being connected to the loop at said pulled and moved section of the loop.

61. A method according to claim 56 wherein the step of positioning the loop on the hook such that the hook passes once through the loop is accomplished by so positioning the loop at a substantially inwardly inclined location on the hook which is outboard of the position occupied by the linear member, when the hook is hooked to the linear member in the normal manner, and wherein the step of installing the loop in said fastening position with respect to the hook and the lin-ear member is accomplished by extending the loop, from said outboard location on the hook, under the linear member and pulling and moving said pulled and moved section of the loop so that both strips of loop material extend from under the linear member to one side of the hook at a second substanti-ally inwardly inclined location on the hook which is inboard of the position occupied by the linear member and further, by moving said section of the loop around the outside of and around the other side of the hook and down under the linear member again toward that section of the hook which is located outboard of the position occupied by the linear member and, further, by moving said section of the loop so that the loop passes on the end of the hook with the end of the hook pass-ing through the end of the loop and, further, by releasing said section of the loop on a substantially inwardly inclined location on the outboard section of the hook.

62. A method according to claim 61 wherein the loop has a handle connected to it and wherein, in performing the method, the loop is stretched and said section of the loop is moved as set forth therein by pulling and moving the handle, the handle being at said pulled and moved section of the loop.

63. A method according to claim 62 wherein the step of hooking the hook to the linear member in the normal manner is accomplished before the step of positioning the loop on the hook such that the hook passes once through the loop.

64. A method for providing for an increase in the stretch-able length of a flexible and elastically elongatable loop, placed in a fastening position on a hook and a linear member according to the method of claim 56, in order to increase the effective elastic extensibility of the loop, the method com-prising the step of providing a loop lengthening structure for the loop and mounting at least part of the loop on the loop lengthening structure.

65. A method for providing for the removal of a loop from a position of fastening a hook to a linear member when the loop is installed in such a position by the method of claim 59, the method comprising the step of providing the loop with a graspable manipulatable appendage which is connected to the loop at said pulled and moved section of the loop.

66. A method for providing for the removal of a loop from a position of fastening a hook to a comparatively thin linear member without entangling the loop in the hook and the linear member when the loop is installed in such a position by the method of claim 61. said method comprising the step of provi-ding the loop with a graspable manipulatable appendage which is connected to the loop at said pulled and moved section of the loop, whereby said section of the loop will be positively identified and provided with ready removal means to ensure that that section of the loop can be removed first from the end of the hook and to facilitate its removal during removal of the loop from its fastening position.

67. A method for facilitating installation of a clip, having an effectively closed generally elongated loop of at least semi rigid construction and having means for allowing the effective length of the loop to be elastically extended, into a fastening position with respect to a hook and a linear member when the hook is hooked to the linear member, said po-sition being that in which the loop generally contacts the outside surface of the hook at two points, one generally on each side of the position occupied by the linear member, and the remainder of the loop lies between said two points on a path which passes underneath the linear member so that the linear member is confined within the space between the hook and the loop, the method comprising the step of providing the clip with an openable section in the loop so that the shank of the hook can be inserted directly into the inner region of the loop without first passing the end of the hook through the loop.

68. A method for facilitating installation of a clip, having an effectively closed generally elongated loop of at least semi rigid construction and having means for allowing the effective length of the loop to be elastically extended, into a fastening position with respect to a hook and a linear member when the hook is hooked to the linear member, said position being that in which the loop generally contacts the outside surface of the hook at two points, one generally on each side of the position occupied by the linear member, and the remainder of the loop lies between said two points on a path which passes underneath the linear member to that the linear member is confined within the space between the hook and the loop, the method comprising the step of providing the clip with an open section in the loop so that the shank of the hook can be inserted directly into the inner region of the loop without first passing the end of the hook through the loop.

69. The clip of claim 16 wherein the loop body is made of wire with the ends of the wire being at the end of the loop body having the finger holding surface for the thumb, or thumb rest, and wherein the thumb rest is formed by having the wire at the thumb rest end of each side member bent at generally and approximately a right angle so as to lie gener-ally in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the loop body with the wire extending initially in a direction which is generally at an angle to a direction toward the opp-osite side member, the wire then being bent generally in a curve in that plane so as to follow a generally simple curved path around to said opposite side member, the end of the wire then being bent generally around the end of that side member so as to maintain its position with respect to that side mem-ber, the two ending sections of wire thereby forming a gener-ally ring shaped closed loop in said plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the loop body for the thumb rest.

70. The clip of claim 16 wherein the loop body is made of wire with the ends of the wire being at the fixed loop end of the loop body and wherein the finger holding surface for the thumb, or thumb rest, is formed by having the wire at the thumb rest end of each side member bent at generally and app-roximately a right angle so as to lie generally in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the loop body with the wire extending initially in a direction which is gener-ally at an angle to the direction toward the opposite side member, the wire then being bent generally in curves lying generally in said plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the loop body so as to reach said opposite side mem-ber with the wire being continuous throughout the thumb rest and side members.

71. The clip of claim 18 wherein the spring is bent so as to enter the region of said crossing location from one side of the loop body generally parallel and close to the plane of the loop body, then crossing the first side member of the loop body and then being bent at a generally right angle around that side member and passing through the plane of the loop body on the inside of the loop close to that side member and continuing for a short distance generally normal to that plane, then being bent at a generally right angle so as to proceed therefrom in a direction generally parallel to the plane of the loop body toward the second side member, then being bent at a generally right angle so as to pass through and normal to the plane of the loop body close to said second side member on the inside of the loop and then being bent at a generally right angle around said second side member and then continuing so as to exit the region of said crossing lo-cation generally away from the side of the loop body which is opposite to the side where it entered said region; and where-in the interlocking clip has two outwardly biased hooks with outward facing openings, said hooks being hooked on the por-tions of the spring which are generally normal to the plane of the loop body and are on that side of the plane of the loop body at which the spring passes from the first side mem-ber toward the second side member of the loop body, to slid-ably attach the spring to the side members of the loop body.