US2718893A

US2718893A - Hat clasp

Info

Publication number: US2718893A
Application number: US392861A
Authority: US
Inventors: Katie F Wagner
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1953-11-18
Filing date: 1953-11-18
Publication date: 1955-09-27
Anticipated expiration: 1972-09-27

Description

Sept. 27, 1955 K, F. WAGNER HAT CLASP Filed Nov. 18, 19 55 INVENTOR. HA 776' E WAG/V51? BY (340%, M r 1 flrranwsrs' UnitedStates Patent 2,718,893 HAT CLASP Katie F. Wagner, Kenmore, N. Y. Application November 18, 1953, Serial No. 392,861 Claims. (Cl. 132-64) This invention relates generally to fastening devices for securing a womans hat in place on the head, and

,more specifically to a new and useful hat clasp designed to replace the conventional hat pin.

For years women have held their hats in place with hat pins of the type comprising a relatively long, heavy and sharply pointed pin which is jammed through the hat and through the hair with the sharply pointed end exposed. Such pins injure and destroy the hat material, and also present a safety hazard because of the exposed pointed end. However, I am aware of no other fastening device which has been sufiiciently satisfactory to achieve any significant degree of success, and while fasteners such as bobby pins sometimes have been resorted to they are not satisfactory in that, for example, they do not have a pleasing appearance, they do not provide good securing action and they tend to weaken as they are used.

Accordingly, a primary object of my invention is to provide a hat clasp which will securely hold a hat on the head, will not damage the hat, and will not injure the wearer or other persons who might come into contact therewith.

A further object of my invention is to provide a hat clasp having a strong securing or anchoring action without undue bulging or bunching of hat and hair, and which is compact and closely fits the head when used.

Another object of my invention is to provide a hat clasp having a pleasing appearance so as to be suitable for wearing on any occasion with any costume.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a practical hat clasp of few parts which can be readily fabricated by conventional means so as to be relatively inexpensive and which is durable and reliable in use.

A hat clasp according to my invention is characterized by the provision of upper andlower leg members pivotally connected adjacent one end thereof to provide relatively small finger tab portions and elongate opposed jaw portions, means biasing the jaw portions toward each other, the jaw portions each carrying teeth directed toward the other, the lower leg member being of greater length than the upper with its jaw portion extending therebeyond and being slightly curved to follow the outline of the head.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of a hat clasp according to my invention will become readily apparent from the ensuing detailed description, taken together with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view showing the manner in which a hat is fastened in place by a hat clasp according to any invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of one embodiment of a hat clasp according to my invention;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the hat clasp of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken about on line IV-IV of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of another embodiment of a hat clasp according to my invention.

Referring now to Fig. l and to the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, a hat clasp according to my invention, generally designated 1, comprises a lower leg member 2 and an upperleg member 3, leg member 2 being placed through the hair 4 and leg member 3 fitting over the hat 5, as illustrated in Fig. 1, with the two leg members cooperating as will become apparent to secure the hat in place on the head.

Leg members 2 and 3 preferably comprise unitary members formed of a suitable material such as metal, although plastics and possibly other materials could be used. The leg members are preferably cut out, as at 6, to lighten the clasp and reduce to a minimum the amount of material used therein, and the cut out portions 6 on the upper leg member 3, which leg member is exposed to view can comprise an ornamental design to enhance the appearance of the clasp. v

Leg members 2 and 3 are each formed adjacent one end thereof with inturned tabs 2' and 3, respectively, which tabs are apertured in alignment to receive a connecting pivot pin 7, whereby leg members 2 and 3 are pivotally connected adjacent one end thereof with said one end forming relatively short finger tabs 8 and 9, re

spectively, for convenience in opening the clasp. The leg.

member portions on the opposite side of the pivot thus comprise jaws. Finger tab 9 can also be formed to provide a setting for a real or simulated precious or semiprecious stone or other ornament, as shown at 10, to further enhance the appearance of the clasp.

A coil spring 11 is fitted around pin 7 and bears at its opposite ends against finger tabs 8 and 9 for biasing the jaw portions of leg members 2 and 3 toward each other whereby the clasp is constantly urged toward closed position.

The lower leg member 2 is adapted to fit through the hair beneath the hat, and is formed adjacent the outer end of its jaw portion with a series of teeth 12 which are inclined or directed inwardly toward the finger tabs 8 and 9, the teeth extending inwardly along said jaw portion for a distance suflicient to provide a good anchoring action in the hair.

whereby to follow the natural contour or curvature of the head and provide a clasp which fits the head snugly with a neat and compact appearance, which gives a maximum anchoring action, and which avoids any discomfort to the wearer.

The jaw portion of leg member 3 and preferably also the finger tab 9 are similarly curved in substantial paral lelism with leg member 2, which arrangement provides for maximum compactness and neatness. Thejaw portion of leg member 3 is formed, in a manner similar to leg member 2, with a series of downturned teeth 13 designed to engagethe hat and designed to intermesh with the teeth 12 of leg member 2 where they overlap.

In addition, it is a particular feature of a hat clasp according to my invention that the lower leg member jaw portion extends substantially beyond the upper leg member jaw portion, such extension being, for example, a third of the length of the upper jaw portion and therefore of a significant nature and being of considerable impor- 'l tance in providing a better anchoring action by reason of v the greater length of the lower jaw portion and in avoiding lumping and bulging at the outer terminal ends of the jaw r portions. Thus, with this feature ahat clasp according to my invention providesa maximum anchoring action taking place over a considerable extent with the lower jaw portion teeth entwining with the hair to secure the clasp therein and with the upper jaw teeth engaging the hat to secure the same to the clasp, all without unduebunching Patented Sept. 27, 1955 Teeth 12 are preferably formed along the side edges of leg member 2, as by 1.3. of hat and hair, as distinguished from fastening devices of the type having jaw portions of substantially equal length with one or two teeth at the ends thereof and designed to .pinch and*thus :clip-together several: pieces of material at-wone .p oint;

If desired, the extent. of teeth 12 ontlegmember-2 can be shortened-toavoid-overlapping withteeth 13 of leg..member 3, as -illustrated in Fig.1 5 Whereinthe-leg membersareof thesame. length but theteeth 12. are

formed only on that part of leg member. 2 which extendsbeyond. leg-.member 3. This construction retains the features of theembodiment of Figs. 2 through 4 while furtheravoiding any possibilityofbunching and provides asstronganchoring action, and may bezpreferable for some types of hair orv ofhatmaterialorwhere maximum simplicityis desired.

In .operation, theclasp is easily fitted. in place by pressing. finger..tabs 8 and. 9. together to open the jaws and sliding the. lowerzleg member. 2into'thehair and the upperlegrnember 3.over the hat until the brim.of;the hatisrsubstantially at the pivot 7. The pressure on finger tabs 8.and 9is-thenreleased and the jaw ofleg member 3 is .biasedtoward-leg. member 2by-spring 11, causing teeth 13.10 bearagainst :thehat to prevent thesamefrom slippingoutof the clasp while teeth 12 engage the hair to prevent the clasp from slippingttherefrom and anchorthe same thereto.

It will beappreciated that teeth. 12 and 13 do not pierce thehat and .thereby this undesirable characteristic of a conventional hat pin is avoided. At. the same time, an extremely strong securingaction is provided by reason of the extended lower jaw portion with its inwardly directed teeth... Also, theclasp follows thenaturalv contour-of the head for maximum comfort to thewearer andto provide an. extremely compact :and neat. appearance, and undue bunching of the hat and hair between the jawsof the clasp is avoided. In addition, vthereare no pointed ends or.. other possibly injurious exposed parts. It will be appreciated that in this particular art such considerations are-.of paramount importance in determining the acceptability of the product.

While. in the embodiments disclosed the ornamentation consists of the cut out design 6 andthe jewel 10, it will be appreciated that a widevariety of ornamentation could be utilized including, for example, embossed designs on the exposed surface, coven'ng theleg member 3 with felt orother material'of different colors or-enameling the same'with diiferent colors, and placing jewels along. the upper surface of legmember 3.- The tab 9 can be jeweled, plain, fur-tipped, initialed, or have any of a number of ornaments or designs thereon.

It will also be appreciated that while thepreferred form comprises metal stampings, the clasp can be made inother ways and of other materials such as, for example, plastic.

Also, while my clasp is specifically designed as a hat clasp, it is also suitable for securing veils and other articles in place. One or more hat. clasps can be used and in positions other than that illustrated in Fig. 1, and because my hat clasp avoids sharply pointed ends and other possibly injurious features it can be safely used to secure hats on children in place of ribbons fastened to the hat and extending under the chin.

Therefore, it will be seen that my invention fully accomplishes the aforesaid objects. While certain embodiments have been illustrated in detaillhercin, it will be appreciated that the inventionis not necessarily limited to such details, and I intend that my invention be defined by the appended .claims.

Having'fully disclosed and completely described my invention,-what I claim as new is:

1. A'hat clasp comprising an elongated upper'leg-member-"and an elongated lower'leg member pivotally interconnected'adjacent one end thereof to provide relatively short-finger tab portions on'one side of the pivotalconnec tion therebetween and relatively long jaw portions on the other side of said pivotal connection, said leg members being pivoted for movement relative to each other about a transverse axis, said lower leg member being adapted to fit through the hair and being curved from one end thereof to the other to followthe contour of a head and said upper leg member jaw portion. being. curved in substantial parallelism with. said lower leg member and being adapted to overlie a hat, spring means biasing said jaw portions toward each other, the lower leg member being of substantially;v greater length than the upper leg member, and.oppositely directed teeth carried by said upper and lower :leg. member jaw portions for-engaging the hat.

and the hair, respectively, whereby to secure the hat to the clasp and the clasprtothe hair, at least someof the teeth on thelower leg'memberbeing disposed beyond the end: of theruppervleg member.

2. A hat clasp comprising elongated upper and lower leg members, pivot means interconnecting said leg members adjacent one-end thereof to enable relative movement therebetween about a transverse axis anddefine relatively short finger tab portions on one side of said pivot means and relatively long jaw'portions on the other. side thereof, the lower jaw portion being adapted to fit through the hair and the upper jaw portion being adapted to overlie thehat, .said lower legmember being curved from one end thereof-to the other to follow-the contour of a head and the upper jaw portion having a curvature substantially corresponding to that of the-lower jaw portion, spring meansbiasing said. leg memberjaw portions toward each: other, the lower leg member being of substantially greater length than the upper leg member, and teeth carried by said upper and lower jaw portions for engaging against the hat and in the hair, respectively, the teeth on said lower leg member jaw portion being directed rearwardly toward saidfinger tab portions to securely anchor the clasp. in the hair, at least some of the teeth on the lowerleg member beingdisposed beyond the end of the upper leg member.

3. A hat clasp for securing a hat in place on a head comprising, a pair of separate elongated leg members pivotally interconnected forrelative movement about a transverseaxis, the pivotal connection between said leg members being adjacent one end thereof to define *a pair of relatively short finger tabs on'one side of said pivotalconnection and a pair of relatively long jaws on. the other side thereof, one-of said leg members being curvedtofollow the contour of a head with the jaw of said' one legmember being elongated substantially beyond the jaw of the other leg member and being adapted to fit through the hair, the jaw of said other leg member being similarly curved and adapted to overlie the hat, coil spring means biasing said jaws toward each other, and multiple teeth arranged along both of said jaws with theteeth on each jaw being directed generally'toward the other jawfor engaging in the hair and against the hat, the teeth of said one leg member jaw being directed rearwardly toward said finger tabs for securely anchoring. the clasp in the hair while the teeth of said other leg member jaw anchor the hat to the clasp.

4. A hat clasp as set forth in claim 3, wherein said teeth are arranged along the outer end portions of said jaws and the teeth of one of said jaws overlap andintermeshed with the other of said jaws.

5. Ahat clasp as set forth in claim 3, wherein the teeth on said one leg member jaw are formed only on the portion thereof extending beyond said other leg member jaw.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,083,614 McPhee June 15, 1937 2,317,207 Marck Apr. 20, 1943 2,510,554 Christie June 6, 1950