US2762102A

US2762102A - Clothespin

Info

Publication number: US2762102A
Application number: US419717A
Authority: US
Inventors: Johnson Bernard
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-03-30
Filing date: 1954-03-30
Publication date: 1956-09-11
Anticipated expiration: 1973-09-11

Description

B. JQHNSON Sept. 11, 1956 CLOTHESPIN Filed March 50, 1954 INVENTOR.

fife/vee Jay/v.60

W, M i AM United States Patent CLOTHESPIN Bernard Johnson, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application March 30, 1954, Serial No. 419,717

2 Claims. (Cl. 24-139) This invention relates to improvements in clothespins and more particularly to a clothespin of the coil spring type.

The invention consists in the structure of my clothespin in which an intermediate loop of the coil spring presses the cloth against one side (usually the top) of the clothes line, and the legs of the clothespin simultaneously laterally press the cloth against opposite sides of the line. The sides of the line under pressure of the legs are arcuately spaced from the side of the line engaged by the loop by more than 90 degrees. Accordingly, my clothespin engages the cloth to the line in a triangle of forces which insures positive retention of the cloth on the line.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a clothespin embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing my clothespin engaged with the clothesline and a piece of cloth.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device of Fig. 2, the cloth being omitted.

Fig. 4 is an inverted plan view of the device of Fig. 2, the cloth being omitted.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the device of Fig. 2, the cloth being omitted.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the clothespin and line show ing the clothespin in its position prior to engaging it with the line.

Fig. 7 is an inverted plan view of the device shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an end view of the device shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 2.

The clothespin comprises a length of resilient wire which may be wound or otherwise formed into a coil spring having downwardly extending legs 11 which cross in an X-shape. The spring is desirably given 1 /2 turns whereby to constitute two coaxial partial coils 12 in side by side relationship, the connection between the coils constituting an intermediate loop 13 terminating at each end in end loop portions having the tangential legs 11.

At the point Where they cross the legs 11 are laterally spaced a distance somewhat less than the normal cross section of the line 14.

The spring is laterally resilient and when applied to a clothes line the legs will be cammed apart to separate the coils 12 somewhat as shown in Figures 3 and 4, thus imposing lateral closing bias on the legs 11.

The clothespin may be applied to the line and intermediate cloth 15 in the manner illustrated in Figs. 6-8. The cloth 15 is first draped over the line 14. The clothespin is desirably held at an angle to the line with its legs crossed over the line as shown in Figs. 6 and 8. From this position the clothespin may be simultaneously rotated through about 45 in a clockwise direction and 2,762,102 Patented Sept. 11, 1956 thrust downwardly against the line to cam or wedge open its coils and shift the pin to its position shown in Figs. 2 and 5 in which the legs laterally embrace the cloth against the line and the intermediate loop 13 engages the cloth against the line. As best shown in Fig. 5 the legs 11 laterally engage the cloth against the line at points thereon which are arcuately spaced from the point engaged by loop 13 in excess of degrees. Thus, the pin engages the cloth against the line in a triangle of forces which resists displacement of the pin from the line in any direction. The lateral resilience of the coil spring maintains pin engagement with the cloth and line, thus insuring positive retention of the cloth on the line.

In its position of use shown in Figs. 2-5 and 9 the legs 11 of the clothespin extend beneath the line from the side of the line on which the coil from which each leg extends is disposed. Accordingly, as best shown in Figure 9, the cloth is snubbed about the under surface of the line. As best shown in Figs. 2-5 the spring coils are at a slight angle to the line. Accordingly, their legs extend beneath and cross beneath the line.

The clothespin may be released from the line simply by pulling it up. It may also be twisted in a counterclockwise direction to slide the legs over the line and cam open its coils to release from engagement with the cloth and line.

The device is extremely simple to fabricate. The clothespins are much smaller than those currently available and many of them can be carried about in an apron pocket. Yet, because of the positive contact of the intermediate loop with the top of the cloth and line and the lateral engagement of the legs with the sides of the cloth and line, under the resilient bias of the spring, a secure interlock of line, cloth, and pin is achieved. The pressure of the legs 11 and loop 13 on the cloth and line will vary depending on the cross section of the line, the specific cloth, the number of coils in the spring, the gauge of the wire and the angle of one leg to the other. To meet specific conditions of use the clothespins may be fabricated accordingly.

I claim:

1. The combination with a clothesline and cloth, of a clothespin comprising a helical coil spring having an intermediate loop and end loop portions, said end loops terminating in tangentially extending legs which cross at a point spaced from said intermediate loop and diverge beyond said point, and space between said divergent legs being open to receive said line and cloth therebetween, said line and cloth being engaged by said pin with the intermediate loop in pressure engagement with said cloth and line, and the legs in lateral pressure engagement with the cloth and line at substantially oppo site sides of said line at points more than 90 arcuately displaced from the point of pressure contact of the intermediate loop whereby the cloth is held to the line in a triangle of forces positively retaining the cloth on the line.

2. The device of claim 1 in which said legs are spaced apart at the point where they cross a distance less than the cross section of the line whereby to be cammed apart when the pin is applied to the line.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 656,724 Matthews Aug. 28, 1900 1,310,587 Summersville July 27, 1919 FOREIGN PATENTS 619,662 Great Britain of 1949