US2590364A

US2590364A - Bobby pin reconditioning device

Info

Publication number: US2590364A
Application number: US124830A
Authority: US
Inventors: Thomas L Adas
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1949-11-01
Filing date: 1949-11-01
Publication date: 1952-03-25
Anticipated expiration: 1969-03-25

Description

Mafch 25, 1952 2,590,364

T. L. ADAS y BOBBY PIN RECONDITIONING DEVICE Filed Nov.. 1, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet l March 25, 1952 Filed Nov. 1, 1949 T. L.. ADAS BOBBY PIN RECONDITIONING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

Zzgl/20722055 620225 March 25', 1952 T. l.. ADAs 2,590,354

' BOBBY PIN RECONDITIONING DEVICE Filed Nov. 1, 1949v 's sheets-sheet :s

"in place. `by pinching between the ngers is impossible.

Patented Mar. 25, 1952 A'UNITED STATES PATENT orner:

BOBBY PIN RECONDITIONIN G` DEVICE Thomas L. Adas, Chicago,'ll.

Application November 1, 1949, Serial No. 124,830

n (Cl. 871-15) 2 Claims. 1

lMy invention relates Vto a device for re-conditioningvspreadbobby pins and the like.

In applying a bobby pin to the hair, the two Sides are spread apart from their normal mutually contacting relation toreceive between them a tress `of hair which the pin is to hold in place. Though bobby pins are made of tempered metal, in repeated use they soon become sprung so that they fail .to reclose to properly hold locks of hair To restore them to their original set Restoring the sprung pins by use of a pair of pinchers or pliers requires both an adeptness in manipulating the pin and tool and an understanding of the properties of metals which `few bobby pin users possess, and is, in any case,

diicult and tedious.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a very simple, inexpensive, small tool or irnplement by which 'even those least skilled in manipulating tools can easily, rapidly and surely restore spread bobby pins to proper condition for prolonged eicient re-use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of my bobby pin reconditioning implement in open condition .with a badly sprung bobby pin inserted;

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are plan, side elevational and 'fend elevational views of the device of Fig. 1;

Figs. l5, 6 and 7 illustrate progressively the operation and effect of the device of Fig. 1 in re- -storing a spread bobby pin; and

Figs. 8, 9 and 1-0 are plan, side and end views of a. second form of my bobby pin restoring device.

The device of Figs. 1 to 7 comprises .a small base member II, having, on its upper side, two spaced studs or pins I2 and I3 and a pivot stud or pin I4 onwhich a cam lever I5 is swingably mounted. The lever I has a cam portion I6, shaped in accordance with the principles discussed hereinafter. In the example shown in Figs. 1 to 7, the periphery of the cam I6 is an arc centered at the point II.

In this description and in the appended claims, references to the U-bent portion of the bobby pin are intended to designate the more or less semicircular bent yoke portion of the bobby pin and references to the ends of the U-bend or to the ends of the U-bent portion are intended to designate the points at which the ends of the more or less semicircular yoke portion ofthe U Ijoin the more or less straight side legsofthe'U.

A sprung bobby pin Bis laid flat on theupper side of the base I I with its U-'bent yportion between vthe studs I2 and I3 and the cam I6. The pin is placed into contact with both ofthe studs I2 and I3, the stud I2 engaging the pin at about the middle and the stud I3 contacting at about one end of the U-bent portion. The lever I5 is swung toward the bobby pin to bring its cam edge I6 into engagement with the pin near the other end of the U-bent portion as shown in Fig. 5. By continuing closing movement of the lever I5, the cam I6, sliding a little on the bobby pin as it urges the pin against the stud I2, presses the ends of the Ubent portion of the pin together as shown progressively in Figs. 6 and 7. In Fig. 6, the two sides of the bobby pin are in their normal positions relative to each other. If the movement of the lever I5 were reversed at this point, the bobby pin would spring back part way and the sides would again separate a little. However, the closing movement of the lever `I5 is continued until the twosides of the bobby pin, rocking relatively to each other about their point of mutual contact C nearest to the U-bent portion, separate a little at their free ends. Thereafter, upon relieving finger pressure on the lever I5 and permitting it to move reversely, the U-bent portion of the bobby pin springs back suiiiciently to bring the free ends of its sides again into'pressure contact without separating atr their innermost point of contact',i. e., the sides of the pin are again in pressure contact with each other throughout or at spaced The implement of my invention has the advan-A tages of being capable of properly reconditioning bobby pins of all sizes and shapes presently used, and of being so simple, easy and rapid in use that any bobby pin user may properly recondiy tion a large number of bobby pins by means of my device in a very short time. Further, the new device is small and light and well adapted 3 to be carried in a small purse along with the numerous other articles usually found therein.

It has been found that the relative positions of the studs I2 and I3 and of the pivot I4 should be rather close to those shown in Figs. 1 to 7 where the center of pivot I4 is on one side I8 of a right angle, the two sides I8, I9 of which are outwardly tangent to the pins I2 and I3, respectively, at equal distances from the vertex of the angle. In other words, the centers of the studs are on a line which forms an angle of substantially 135 With that extended line from the center of the pivot I4 which is tangent to the stud I2 on the side nearest the stud I3. As already mentioned, the edge of the cam I6 is an arc centered at I1. It will be further noted that the ratio of the distance from the cam center II to the center of the pivot I4 is more than half the radius of the cam. These relationships may be varied a little, provided that, during the closing movement of the ca-m lever I5, the cam I6, acting frictionally on the side of the bobby pin near one end of the U-bent part, urges the bobby pin against the studs I2 and I3, and further provided that, during that portion of the reconditioning operation 4from the stage of Fig. 6 to the final stage of Fig. 7, the pin I3 and the cam I6 press on the bobby pin at substantially the ends of the U-bend of the latter rather than on the sides of the pin at any substantial distance from the ends of the U-bend.

As a specific example, a device of the form shown in Figs. 1 to 7 with the following dimensions has been found to operate excellently on a very wide variety of currently used bobby pins: The studs areone-eighth inch in diameter spaced one-fourth inchbetween centers. The center of the pivot is twentyone sixty-fourths of an inch from the center of the stud I2. The cam has a radius of curvature of one-half inch with its center live sixteenths of an inch from the center of the pivot I4. The ratio of the distance from the pivot center to the center of the cam arc to the radius of the cam arc may vary somewhat but it is considered preferable to keep this ratio between one-half and three-fourths. The overall length may Vary considerably but about three incheswill be found convenient.

The device may be made of various materials. For example, the entire device may be of metal, the parts II and I5, I6 being stamped or otherwise cut from one-eighth inch sheet. The parts II and I5, I6 or either of them mightbe made of a relatively hard and tough sheet of plastic cast or molded with integral studs.

aaeoei Figs. 8, 9 and 10 show a form of my device which may be molded of a hard. tough, thermosetting plastic such as a polystyrene resin. This form of my device is formed entirely of molded plastic except that the pivot for the cam lever 20 is a hollow rivet or eyelet 2l. In place off the two studs I2 and I3 of the device of Figs. 1 to 7, the device of Figs. 8, 9 and 10 has rounded angular boss 22 formed integrally with the base 23 and adapted to engage the U-bent part of a bobby pin at or close to the same points at which the latter would be engaged by the studs I2 and I3 of the device of Figs. 1 to 7. In other respects, the form of the device of Figs. 8, 9 and 10 may be like that of the device of Figs. 1 to 7.

The form of my device shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10 may, alternatively, be made of metal, such as cold drawn aluminum, formed in coining dies.

I claim:

1. A device for reconditioning bobby pins and the like comprising, a base plate having a substantially flat continuous surface, a lever pivoted adjacent anv end thereof to said base plate on an axis norma-l to said surface and for swinging movement closely adjacent said surface, an edge of said lever adjacent said axis being formed as an arcuate cam surface of substantial width extending swbstantially to said continuous surface of said base and generally normal thereto. a pair of spaced abutments xed tosaid base plate and extending substantially normal to said continuous surface, said abutments being spaced from said pivot axis and arranged to dene, with said arcuate cam, a pocket adapted to receive the U-bend of a sprung bobby pin with its leg portions lying at against said continuous surface, said abutments having work-engaging portions lying respectively in the two sides of a right angle, one of the sides olf which passes through the pivot axis, said portions being substantially equidistant from the vertex of said right angle.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 497,116 Brown May 9, 1893 1,435,112 Frederickson et al. Nov. 7, 1922 2,211,528 Tays Aug. 13, 1940 2,268,628 SuSzko Jan. 6, 1942 2,456,532

Perazzo Dec. 14, 1948