US1971794A

US1971794A - Towel holder

Info

Publication number: US1971794A
Application number: US671780A
Authority: US
Inventors: Panettiere Vincent
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1933-05-19
Filing date: 1933-05-19
Publication date: 1934-08-28
Anticipated expiration: 1951-08-28

Description

Patented Aug. 28, 1934 UNTL STATES @Tirilli l 'Crowes nonnen Vincent Panettiere, Brooklyn, N. Y. [tpplication May 19, .1933, SerialNo. 67h78@ 3 Claims. i (Cl. 2li-ds) This invention relates in general to fastening devices and is more particularly concernedwith means for holding towels and the likes A It is an object of the present invention to provide a fastening device oi the character described, which is especially adapted to `support towels and the like and is so designed and constructed as toclainpingly engage the towel in such a manner as to obviate the possibility of its becoming torn while being used. Y

It isla further object to provide Va holder having means to clampingly engage the towel'in such a manner that the towel will be more rmly gripped asthe pull on the towel is increased.

It is `also an object-to provide adevice of this vcharacter whichisA constructed in such `a way that a towel `or similar articlemay be easily engaged and released, and when engaged will be firmly gripped and held against removal.

Still `another object is to provide-such a device wherein the article secured is iirmly held against removal without having to utilize jteeth or other piercing elements which would have a tendency to tear or otherwise damage the article.

In accordance with the general features of the invention, I provide a frame including a round transverse bar which is rigidly secured thereto. Slidably mounted on the frame is a curved plate which may be moved into and away from the fixed bar. The curved plate projects a greater amount on one side past the plane of the frame than it does on the other. This plate has an inner surface conforming te thatl of the xed bar so that, when the plate is moved into clamping position with the Xed bar, a large clamping surface is operative to hold the towel or other article against slipping. Moreover, by passing the towel end over the sliding plate and then back between the plate and bar, after which the plate s pushed into clamping engagement with the bar, the towel will be firmly held against slippage and there are no penetrating elements to tear or otherwise damage the towel.

The curved plate is secured to the frame in such a manner that it may be slightly tilted relative to the frame. It will be observed that as the pull is increased on the body of the towel or other article, the forces are such as to tend to tilt the plate relative to the frame, this action causing the plate to be more strongly forced against the fixed bar, the clamping forces thereby being increased.

While the invention has been illustrated and will be described in connection with a towel, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art, that the invention is susceptible of many other uses as y' well as i or the purpose of holding a towel.

@ther objects and features of the invention will more fully appear from the following detail description taken in connection with the acccmpanying drawing which illustrates a single einbodiment thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a towel holding device embodying the features oi this invention; i

Figure 2 is a side view of the device showing the clamping instrumentalities in unelamped relation and a towel having its end threaded into the device;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view showing 70 the manner in which the clamping plate is slidably mounted on the frame, taken substantially online III- 111 of Figure l; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the clamping instrumentalities in clamped position on the towel or other article secured therein. Y

As shown on the drawing:

In the illustrated embodiment oi this invention, the device is disclosed as having a frame structure which is preferably formed of a single length of wire. At the mid-point,the single length of wire is bent to define an eyelet l0 by means of which the device may be supported on a. wall or other structure. From this eyelet the sides of the frame ,85 are formed by extending the wire in diverging relation to form legs ll and 12 which are deiiected as shown at 13 and 14 to form parallel end portions which lie in the saine plane. The ends of the

portions

13 and 14 are anchored in a transversely extending bar 15 which is preferably of circular cross-section. When using a fixed bar of circular cross-section, the center lines of the

portions

13 and 14 should coincide with a diameter ci' the bar in orde:n that the bar will symmetrically placed on either side of the frame structure.

Slidably associated with the frame is a sul stantially semi-circular plate 16 which is provided at each end with an elongated aperture l?, A these apertures respectively receiving therethrough the parallel portions i3 and 14 of the frame. It will be observed that the apertures are disposed in alignment between one side of the plate 16V-and its longitudinal center line. With ,.105 this arrangement, as shown in Figure 2, the plate 17 will project a greater amount on one side of the plane of the frame than it does on the other side. Moreover, the inner surface is of this plate, the surface 18 cooperating with the outer 1:10

surface of the bar 15, is of a curvature corresponding to that of the outer surface of the bar 15. This arrangement enables the plate to be moved to clamping position, in which position the plate and bar are in nested relationship with the plate circumferentially engaging substantially 180 of the bar surface.

In using the device of this invention for supporting an article, such as a towel 19, one end of 'the towel is inserted in the frame between the

parallel portions

13 and 14 and overlying the curved plate i6, this inserted end being carried back under` the plate 18 and over the bar 15, as shown in Figure 2. In the unclamped position, the lowermost edge of the plate 18 will strike against the bar 15, when the plate is moved. towards clamping position. Further movement of the plate 1S will cause the plate to shift sufficiently to enable the lower edge of the plate to pass around the bar 15. This shifting is clearly shown by dotted lines in Figure 2. In Figure 4, the plate 1S is shown in fully clamped position with the bar 15.

With the end of a towel or other article clamped in the device, as shown in Figure 4, the force of the body portion of the article causes the plate 18 to irmly grip the end of the towel or article which is disposed over the bar 15 underneath the plate 18. Moreover, if the body portion or" the towel is raised to a position normal to the plane of the frame and a pulling force is exerted during the use thereof, the uppermost edge on the plate will tend to be forced upwardly and the lower edge downwardly, the plate tending to fulcrum at its sliding connection. This action causes the plate to increasingly grip the end of the towel as the pull is increased.

1From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that this invention provides a fastening device which is admirably adapted for use as a towel holder, which is devoid of elements which would pierce and have a tendency to tear or otherwise damage the towel or article being supported in the device; which is so constructed that the towel will be more rmly gripped as the pull thereon is increased; and a supporting device which is so constructed that the clamping instrumentalities may be easily actuated to clamped and unclamped position.

Now, it is, of course, to be understood that although I have described in detail the preferred embodiment of my invention, the invention is not to be thus limited but only insofar as dencd by the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A device of the character described, comprising a wire frame including spaced parallel side portions, a bar secured at its ends to said portions, and a curved plate having its ends slidably connected to said portions for movement into clamped and unclamped relationship with the bar, one side of said plate projecting past the plane of the frame a greater amount than the other side.

2. A device of the character described comprising a wire frame including spaced parallel side portions, a bar secured at its ends to said portions, and a curved plate having apertures adjacent its 100 ends, for slidably receiving said portions, whereby said plate may be moved into clamped and unclamped relationship with said bar, said apertures being disposed in alignment between one side of the plate and its longitudinal center line, ,105 whereby the plate projects past the plane of the frame a greater amount on one side than the other.

3. A device of the character described comprising spaced side members, a bar of circular cross- 110 section interconnecting said side members, a plate slidably supported on said members for movement into and out of surface engagement with said bar, said plate being transversely curved to define a clamping surface for circumferential- 15 ly engaging substantially 180 of the surface of said bar.

VINCENT PANETTIERE.