US2603846A - Line-attached clothespin - Google Patents

Description

- J y 2 1952 w. c. STYLES 2,603,846

LINE-ATTACHED CLOTHESPIN Filed July 9, 1951 Fig.4

William 6. Styles INVENTOR.

BY wgimwmvizyh Patented July 22, 1952 "UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE William 0. Styles, Steppville, Ala. Application July 9, 1951, Serial No-235,679

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in so-called lineattached clothespins, that is, clothespins when once they are attached to the line, remain constantly in position on the line whereby to obviate the necessity of handling the clothespins over and over or running the risk of misplacing or otherwise losingthe same. More specifically, the invention appertains to a clothespin which is fashioned from a single length of resilient wire which is especially bent between its ends and upon itself to define special adaptations and a unique association and combination of the same.

It will be evident from the preceding general statement of the invention that it is not new in the art to bend a length of wire between its ends and to otherwise bend intermediate and end portions to thus produce a clothespin. As a matter of fact, there are many and various wire clothespins and also numerous ones wherein the clothespin includes an eye or an equivalent part which is intended to remain constantly on the clothesline.

It is an object of the instant invention tostructurally, functionally and otherwise improve upon prior art wire clothespins and, in so doing, to provide one in which manufacturers, users, and others will find their essential requirements and needs fully met, contained and eifectually available. g

Another object of theinvention is, to provide an all wire clothespin which is simple of construction, is susceptible of being turned outon a satisfactory mass production basis, is economical, easy to package and handle, relatively economical and, generally speaking, a novelly unique construction.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawmgs.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is an elevational view showing a fragmentary length or portion of a conventional wire or equivalent clothesline, showing articles suspended thereon for drying and showing a plurality of the improved wire clothespins and the manner in which they are attached to the line and also how they are used.

Figure 2 is a perspective view on a slightly larger scale showing a fragmentary portion of a clothesline and showing one of the improved clothespins and, in addition, showing it in its normally suspended out-of-use position and its 2 Claims. (Cl. 24-439) 2 partly swung up, intermediate or dottedline position, the position assumed before it is flipped axially to take the final position shown in Figure 4.

Figure 3 is an exaggerated elevational view observing the construction seen in Figure 4 in a direction from left to right with the line removed.

Figure 4 is an enlarged side elevation showing a fragmentary portion of the line and the clothespin in the position it takes for purposes of clamping an article on the line. Briefly described, the novel clothespin' is characterized by a single length of wire bent upon itself midway between the ends of the wire, the portions of the wire adjacent to said bend being crossed and thus overlapped and defining an elongated eye and a complemental double-strand shank portion, the latter being disposed at an approximate obtuse angle relative to the lengthwise dimension of said eye, the strands beyond said shank portion both being convoluted into at least one coil and the respective coils being companion jaws and in opposed line-straddling, clothes gripping and retaining positions.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to Figure l, the clothesline which is, of course, conventional is denoted by the numeral 6. Shown suspended and clipped thereon are certain articles, for example, a bed sheet 8 at the left and a towel or the like l0 at the right. Either one or two clothespins will be used, depending on the situation and the discretion of the user, as is obvious. It may be pointed out that the clothespins are preferably attached to remain on the line and are applied in left and right pairs as shown, for example, in Figure 1 where the right-hand one is at the right, and the left-hand one at the left, obviously. Actually, the only thing that is necessary is to alternately apply the attaching eyes of the respective clothespins in order to bring about this left and right paired relationship. Actually, the clothespin is the same in construction, and for this reason a single pin is being described in detail. To this end, the clothespin, as before stated, is fashioned from a single length of Wire having necessary or requisite inherent resilient friction-clamping and retention properties. As a unit, the clothespin is denoted by the numeral 12 and reference is first made to Figure 3, where it will be seen that the length or piece of wire, of proper gauge, is bent exactly midway between its ends, as at M, and is then bent into criss-cross overlapping relationship, as shown at the points I 6 and I8. These several bends M, [6 and I8 define an elongated line-attaching eye 20. The eye is threaded on the clothesline and once the clothespin is applied it is left in position as is common practice with these clamp-types of clothespns. Beyond the crossed portions or bends IS, the strands or end portions of the Wire are bent alongside one another and run' for a slight distance, as noted, for example, at the points 22 and 24 in Figure 4. These bendsdefine what may be best described as a shank 26.1 Thus far, there is an elongated attaching eye 25] and a shank 26, and these two components conjoin in somewhat obtuse angular relationship. The third bending step has to do with the fashioning and final production of a pair of spaced apart or opposed resilient frictionclamping jaws. Actually these jaws or grips are coiled end portions of the Wire, that is, the

coils which are formed by way of the free end portions of the respective strands or ends of said wire. Actually, there could be ,a simple single coil-on each free end. As a matter of fact, it is to be explained that the ends-are formed into a pair of convolutions defining coil-type grips or jaws 28 and 30. Then there are half- coils 32 and 34 formed for strengthening and reinforcing the over-all construction, the terminal ends-of the respective half-coils being denoted at 36 and 38. It follows that'the Clothespin is, as previously stated, characterized by a pair of ringlike or annular jaws each embodying a coil and a half, a shank portion 26 and a line-attaching eye 20. The features zll and 26 areat an approximate-tangent to the jaw-forming coils, as best brought out in Figure 4. ,Theclothespins may be allowed'to hang downfree and loosely-when not in use, as shown'in full lines at the left in Figure 2 In this case, when his necessary to bring the clothespin. into play, the thingto do is to swingit up'bodily through approximately ninety degrees in the arcuate path denoted by the arrow D. Then, with the jaws straddling the clothesline and the'eye still attached,'of course, the entire clothe'spin is given an axial twistso that it rotates around the axis of the line Gin the direction of the arrow E. It then obviously takes the final clothes-gripping position shown in Figure l. What with the pins properly paired and in this last-named position, as shown, for instance, in Figure 1, effective results may be assured.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it

is believed that a clear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled. in this 4 art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

Minor changes in shape, size, materials and arrangement of parts may be resorted to in actual practice without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A wire clothespin of a type which is adapted to be attached and retained constantly on a clothesline comprising a one-piece clothespin fashioned from a single length of flexibly resilient wire bent upon itself midway between the ends of the wire to form an eye sized and shaped to encircle the clothesline and being thus adapted to be slidably and rotatably attached to said clothesline, the portions of the wire adjacent to said eye being crossed and thus overlapped and defining a double-strand shank portion, the latter being disposed at an approximate obtuse angle relative to the lengthwise dimension of said eye, the free end portions of saidwire at points beyond said shank portion each being convolved into at least one circular coil and the respective: coils providing companion jaws which are in opposed line-straddling and clothes-gripping and retaining positions, said shank being disposed at an-approximate tangent to said coils.

2. A wire clothespin of a type which is adapted to be attached and retained constantly on' a clothesline comprising a one-piece clothespin fashioned from a single'length of flexiblyresilient wire bent upon itself. midway between the ends of the wire to form an eye sized and shaped to encircle the clothesline and being thus adapted to be slidably and rotatably attached to said clothesline, the free end'portions of said wire being convolved upon themselves to define apair of duplicate. opposed and aligned line-straddling clothes-gripping jaws, each jaw embodying "a complete circular coil and a stabilizing comple' mental part coil-,'the' latter superimposed against the companion portion of the cooperating complete coil.

-WILLIAM' C. STYLES;

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 353,619 Bergeron Nov. 30,1886

670,306 Bering 'Mar; 19,1901

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