US1218276A

US1218276A - Paper-clip.

Info

Publication number: US1218276A
Application number: US85273814A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fred J Klein
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1914-07-23
Filing date: 1914-07-23
Publication date: 1917-03-06
Anticipated expiration: 1934-03-06

Description

F. .I. KLEIN.

PAPER CLIP. APPLICATION FILED-JULY 23. i914.

1,218,276. 7 Patented Mar. 6,1917.

Inventor, Witnesses:

@ M QM I b im/ew wu;

FRED J. KLEIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PAPEB CLIP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 6, 191".

Application filed July 23,1914. Serial N 0. 852,738.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED J. KLEIN, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the borough of Bronx, in the city of New York, county of Bronx, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Paper- Clips, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to devices for holding sheets and pads of paper, but it is applicable to other purposes wherein objects require to be similarly clamped.

The object of this invention is to provide a reliable paper-clip of simple and inexpensive construction, which will admit objects of a considerable range of thickness and clamp them with the same pressure regardless of the thickness, in which the clamping pressure may be varied, in which the jaws can be released so as to be freely and widely opened, and in which the method of operation will be apparent so that instruction in its use will not be necessary.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings which forms a part of this application- Figure 1 is an isometric view of a clip embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation with one hingelug broken away, showing the clip open, and v Fig. 3 is a similar viewshowing the clip closed.

The clip comprises a base plate 1 forming one jaw of the clip. Hinge-lugs 2 2 are carried by the base plate, and a hinge-pin 3 connects the lugs. A strip of spring sheet metal is folded about midway around the hinge-pin leaving the two ends projecting, the lower end having a downwardly bent lip to form the upper jaw 4 of the clip, and the upper end being formed into a jaw-handle 5 for operating the clip. The spring sheet is slotted through the portion which folds around the hinge-pin and a tongue is left hanging from the end of the slot in the portion forming the j aw-handle to form a pawl 6 for engagement with a ratchet segment 7 which lies in the slot and is carried by the base plate and has the hinge-pin at its center. The end of the pawl normally lies just clear of the ratchet and is sprung down into engagement with the ratchet segment to lock the jaws when clamping. The pawl is conveniently pressed into engagement with because it is more convenient to give the thumb plate such a shape as will indicate that it is a part to be pressed down. It is in contact with the jaw-handle when the chp 1s both open and closed, and the jawhandle belng of spring material serves as a lifting spring for the thumb'plate. Up-

ward movement of the handle and thumbplate away from the upper jaw is limited by a dog 11 on the side of one of the lugs of the thumb-plate, and the jaw is therefore positively lifted by the handle after the pawl has been disengaged. All of the parts except the hinge-pin, as will be seen, are conveniently formed of sheet metal. The clip is arranged for attachment to a back board 12, but such attachment is not essen tial to its use.

The clip is closed by pressing down on the thumb-plate. This brings the upper jaw down on the material to be clamped. Further depression flexes the handle and puts the jaw under such tension as is desired and permits the lip of the thumb-plate to bear down on the pawl and press it into engagement with the ratchet, thereby leaving the jaw locked down whenthe thumb or hand is removed. The clip is opened by first depressing the handle of the jaw slightly to relieve the strain on the pawl and allow it to spring out of engagement with the ratchet. Then the aw can be lifted by the handle unopposed by any spring.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A clip comprising a pair of jaws hinged to each other, a handle of spring sheet metal having an elastic connection with one of the jaws, a pawl carried by the handle, and a ratchet carriedby' the other jaw, the pawl and ratchet being engageable to hold the clip in its clamping position, substantially as described.

2. A clip comprising a pair of jaws hinged to each other, a hinge pin, a handle of spring sheet metal folded around the hinge pin and forming an elastic connection between the handle and one of the jaws, a pawl carried by the handle, and a ratchet carried by the other jaw, the pawl and ratchet being engageable to hold the clip in its clamping position, substantially as described. e

3. A clip comprising a base plate having a jaw, a hinge pin carried by the base plate, a strip of spring sheet metal folded around the hinge pin and forming a jaw and a handle therefor, a ratchet carried by the base plate, and a pawl carried by the handle, the pawl and ratchet being engageable to hold the clip in its clamping position, substantially as described.

4. A clip comprising a pair of jaws hinged to each other, a handle for one of the jaws elastically connected thereto, a pawl carried by the handle, a ratchet carried by the other jaw, and a thumb plate extending over the handle whereby when the jaws are pressed together by the thumb plate the day of July, 1914-.

g, V FRED J. KLEIN. Witnesses:

SAMUEL W. BALCH, GEORGE H. GILMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.