GB1599947A - Clip fastening - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO A CLIP FASTENING - (71) We, FRANK BLYTHING a British Subject of 26 Hawkins Close, Southbrook, Daventry, Northamptonshire, NN114 JQ and GEOFERY THOMAS WYKES, a British Subject of Shangrila High Street, Ravensthorpe, Northamptonshire, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- The invention relates to clip fastenings, especially though not exclusively for the securement of clothes to a clothes line.

It is known to provide a fastening for the temporary securement of clothes to clothes lines, such fastenings being known as clothes pegs. Known clothes peg fall largely into two categories a first being a generally cylindrical piece of wood with a pair of arms, known as a "dolly peg". The second type comprises a clip in two halves which are held together in pivotal relationship by means of a metal spring, a jaw being provided at one end of the peg and means to pivotally open the jaw being provided at an opposite end of the peg.

The present invention provides a clip fastening comprising two rigid elongate members aligned one alongside the other and joined one to the other solely by means of a resilient bridge which interconnects said members at points intermediate their ends, the members having on each side of the resilient bridge a pair of mutually confronting surfaces each of which has a series of lateral ribs thereon which enable said members to grip an article therebetween in use.

The bridge can be formed integrally with the elongate members, or can be formed as an insert separate therefrom.

The bridge and preferably also the elongate members are advantageously formed from plastics material, desirably a polyamide material such as nylon.

The bridge can be disposed substantially mid-way along the elongate members, or can be longitudinally offset from the midpoints thereof.

The clip may typically be X- or Hshaped.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a clip fastening according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a clip fastening according to the present invention Figure 3 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a clip fastening according to the present invention.

Referring first to Figure 1, the clip fastening shows therein (which is in the form of a double-ended clothes peg) comprises two rigid elongate members 2 aligned one alongside the other and joined together solely by means of a resilient bridge 2a which integrally interconnects the members at points intermediate their ends 2b. On each side of the resilient bridge 2a the members 2 have a pair of mutually confronting surfaces 3 each of which has a series of lateral ribs 3a thereon which enable the members to grip therebetween for example, an article of clothing on a washing line. The members 2 and the surfaces 3 thus form a pair of jaws 4 at each end of the clip fastening. A recess 5 is formed in the outward-facing surface of each member 2.

In use, when it is desired to secure an article, for instance an article of clothing to a clothes line, one pair of jaws is held between the thumb and forefinger of a user who pushes that pair of jaws i.e. opposed ends 2b of each member one towards the other. The second pair of jaws, at an opposite end of the clip fastening to the first pair, are widened i.e. the opposed ends 2b move away from one another. The second jaws are located over a clothes line and a part of one or more articles of clothing, whereupon the first jaws are released and the second jaws close to grip the clothes and line by virtue of the resilience of the resilient portion 2b. It is to be noted that in the clip fastening shown in Figure 1 the bridge 2a is disposed substantially mid-way along the members 2, so that the first and second jaws are similar in size and configuration; the clip fastening is thus reversible.

The clip fastening shown in Figure 2 is generally similar to that described above with reference to Figure 1, and similar reference numerals are used to denote similar parts thereof. In Figure 2, however, the bridge 2a is longitudinally offset from the mid-parts of the elongate members 2 so that the two pairs of jaws 4a, 4b are not of the same shape and configuration, the jaws 4a being shallower than the jaws 4b. This means that, although the clip fastening is still reversible, the jaws 4b can be used for securement of large articles where as the jaws 4a can be used for securement of smaller articles.

The clip fastening shown in Figure 3 comprises two rigid elongate members 6 aligned one alongside the other and linked at their mid points by a resilient bridge formed by a plastics insert 8. The members 6 are of angular shape and have jaws 10a and lOb which are similar in size and shape.

The clip fastening may be used in a manner identical to that of the clip fastening shown in Figure 1, the jaws of Figure 3 being adapted to accommodate relatively large objects.

In each of the above described embodiments, the clip fastening may be made from any suitable material. Typically the resilient bridge may be nylon, rubber or spring steel. The members 2, 6 can be made of the same material as the resilient bridge or of different materials, provided that they are substantially rigid by virtue of their thickness or otherwise.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A slip fastening comprising two rigid elongate members aligned one alongside the other and joined one to the other solely by means of a resilient bridge which interconnects said members at points intermediate their ends, the members having on each side of the resilient bridge a pair of mutually confronting surfaces each of which has a series of lateral ribs thereon which enable said members to grip an article therebetween in use.

2. A clip fastening as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bridge is formed integrally with the elongate members.

3. A clip fastening as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bridge is formed as an insert separate from the elongate members.

4. A clip fastening as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the bridge is formed from plastics material.

5. A clip fastening as claimed in claim 4, wherein the elongate members are also formed from plastics material.

6. A clip fastening as claimed in claim 4, wherein the bridge is formed from nylon.

7. A clip fastening as claimed in claim 6, wherein the elongate members are also formed from nylon.

8. A clip fastening as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the bridge is disposed substantially mid-way along the elongate members.

9. A clip fastening as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the bridge is longitudinally offset from the midpoints of the elongate members.

10. A clip fastening as claimed in any preceding claim, which is generally Hshaped.

11. A clip fastening as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, which is generally Xshaped.

12. A clip fastening substantially as herein before described with reference to any one of Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (12)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. whereupon the first jaws are released and the second jaws close to grip the clothes and line by virtue of the resilience of the resilient portion 2b. It is to be noted that in the clip fastening shown in Figure 1 the bridge 2a is disposed substantially mid-way along the members 2, so that the first and second jaws are similar in size and configuration; the clip fastening is thus reversible. The clip fastening shown in Figure 2 is generally similar to that described above with reference to Figure 1, and similar reference numerals are used to denote similar parts thereof. In Figure 2, however, the bridge 2a is longitudinally offset from the mid-parts of the elongate members 2 so that the two pairs of jaws 4a, 4b are not of the same shape and configuration, the jaws 4a being shallower than the jaws 4b. This means that, although the clip fastening is still reversible, the jaws 4b can be used for securement of large articles where as the jaws 4a can be used for securement of smaller articles. The clip fastening shown in Figure 3 comprises two rigid elongate members 6 aligned one alongside the other and linked at their mid points by a resilient bridge formed by a plastics insert 8. The members 6 are of angular shape and have jaws 10a and lOb which are similar in size and shape. The clip fastening may be used in a manner identical to that of the clip fastening shown in Figure 1, the jaws of Figure 3 being adapted to accommodate relatively large objects. In each of the above described embodiments, the clip fastening may be made from any suitable material. Typically the resilient bridge may be nylon, rubber or spring steel. The members 2, 6 can be made of the same material as the resilient bridge or of different materials, provided that they are substantially rigid by virtue of their thickness or otherwise. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A slip fastening comprising two rigid elongate members aligned one alongside the other and joined one to the other solely by means of a resilient bridge which interconnects said members at points intermediate their ends, the members having on each side of the resilient bridge a pair of mutually confronting surfaces each of which has a series of lateral ribs thereon which enable said members to grip an article therebetween in use.

2. A clip fastening as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bridge is formed integrally with the elongate members.

3. A clip fastening as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bridge is formed as an insert separate from the elongate members.

4. A clip fastening as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the bridge is formed from plastics material.

5. A clip fastening as claimed in claim 4, wherein the elongate members are also formed from plastics material.

6. A clip fastening as claimed in claim 4, wherein the bridge is formed from nylon.

7. A clip fastening as claimed in claim 6, wherein the elongate members are also formed from nylon.

8. A clip fastening as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the bridge is disposed substantially mid-way along the elongate members.

9. A clip fastening as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the bridge is longitudinally offset from the midpoints of the elongate members.

10. A clip fastening as claimed in any preceding claim, which is generally Hshaped.

11. A clip fastening as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, which is generally Xshaped.

12. A clip fastening substantially as herein before described with reference to any one of Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.