US3030970A - Pivoted spring clamp - Google Patents

Description

April 24, 1962 saw 0 3,030,970

PIVOTED SPRING CLAMP 'Filed June 5. 1959 GOLD,

Ma /1V A INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,030,970 PIVOTED SPRING CLAMP John L. Gold, Price-Rivera, Calif., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Reiner Industries, Inc., a corporation of California Filed June 3, 1959, Ser. No. 817,902 3 Claims. (Cl. 132-48) This invention relates to clamps, and more particularly to two-piece clamps which are spring biased to a normally closed position. Such constructions are of general utility and have widely varied possible uses, but they are herein described, as exemplary of the present invention, in conjunction with their utility as pin curl clips wherein they are employed for clamping a lock of hair to maintain it in a form known as a pin curl.

In recent years there has been evolved a type of twopiece clamp construction wherein the spring means is integral with one of the pieces and wherein the arrangement is such that the spring is eflfective to tend to hold the pieces together at the pivot area as well as to spring bias the clamping jaw portions thereof towards a closed position. Because of this dual function of the spring, and particularly because of the tendency of the spring to hold the parts together much simpler hinge and pivot arrangements resulted so that significant economies have been realized in the fabrication and assembly of such clamps. Moreover, the tendency of the spring to hold the pieces together, in contradistinction to the prior art spring tendency to push the pieces apart at the pivot area, resulted in improved operating characteristics and in longer life of the clamps. For these reasons, two-piece clamps of the type under discussion have become the most popular type, and this is especially true insofar as their usage as pin curl clips is concerned.

It is characteristic of most of the two-piece clamp constructions of the type discussed in the preceding paragraph that the spring element is a tongue member stuck up from one of the two clamp pieces, having its root on one side of the pivot area and extending across the pivot area into engagement with the outer side of the other clamp piece to hold the pieces together and to bias the clamping portions of the two clamp pieces towards closed position. One particular type is characterized in that the spring tongue element has its root in thehandle of one of the two clamp pieces and extends through an opening in the handle of the other clamp piece, across the pivot area and into engagement with the outer surface of the said other clamp piece. In this last mentioned type it has been found to be advantageous and necessary to provide auxiliary means to hold the pieces in assembly since the tendency of the spring tongue to perform this function is generally not strong enough to prevent the clamp pieces from separating from one another and becoming disassembled. This auxiliary means has taken the form of the provision of mechanical holding means in the hinge portion of the clamp, as illustrated for example, in US. Patent No. 2,687,737 issued to J. Schildt on August 31, 1954.

The provision of mechanical holding means in the hinge elements as discussed hereinabove is subject to several disadvantages. Thus, such arrangements may involve a mechanical bending of parts at assembly, which is expensive and which essentially precludes heat treatment of the pieces either prior to or after assembly. Alternatively, complex, expensive and difficult metal punching operations to form spring ears of particularly diflicult configurations and critical tolerances may be required, as is the case in the structure disclosed. in the aforementioned Schildt patent.

The pressent invention relates to improvements in clamps of the type, underdiscussion wherein the possibil- 3,030,970 Patented Apr. 24, 1962 ity of the two clamp pieces becoming disengaged from one another is obviated by means not involving holding means in the hinge or pivot elements. This novel result is accomplished by very slight and simply effected va1iation in the spring tongue of one of the clamp pieces and of the handle portion of the other clamp piece so that the pieces may be easily assembled after heat treatment (if the material used requires such treatment) and so that only very simple and inexpensive die modification is required in the manufacturing process.

The present invention is adaptable to constructions which have so-called open-faced pivot arrangements, i.e. arrangements wherein the pivot area positioning means do not mechanically hold the pieces together and the pieces are in fact held together entirely by the spring tongue. Such open face constructions were attempted and found impractical for the specific spring tongue arrangement here under discussion and the difficulty was solved, prior to the present invention, by providing holding means in the hinge itself, as in the aforementioned Schildt patent.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide improved two-piece clamp constructions having means to prevent separation of the clamp pieces from one another.

Another object of the present invention is to provide improved and simplified two-piece clamp constructions of the type having an integral spring tongue on one of the members for biasing the clamping portions towards closed position and for tending to hold the two clamp pieces in assembly.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide novel and improved clamp constructions of the class described having open-faced pivot arrangements and having cooperating means on the spring of one-piece and on the handle of the other to inhibit separation of the pieces from one another.

Yet another object is to provide two-piece clamp constructions of the type wherein a spring tongue has its root in the handle of one of the clamp pieces and extends through an opening in the handle of the other clamp piece across a pivot area into contact with the said other clamp piece and wherein disengagement of the pieces from one another is inhibited not only by the spring pressure of said spring tongue but also by auxiliary means which do not involve holding means in the hinge or pivot elements. These and other objects and the attendant advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and claims, taken in conjunction with the attached drawing, wherein like parts are indicated by like reference numerals throughout, and wherein FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, as applied to a clamp of the pin-curl clip type;

FIGURE 2 is a central sectional view of the clamp shown in FIGURE 1, in its closed position;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing the clamp in its open position;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the handle and pivot portion of the clamp of FIGURE 1 with parts broken away for clarity of illustration; and

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, illustrating a condition which may exist when a tress of hair is held between the clamping portions of the clamp.

Referring now to the drawings, FIGURE 1 illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the present invention as applied to a clamp in the form of a pin-curl clip. The clamp is comprised of two plate-form sheet metal clamp pieces designated generally as a top piece A and a bottom piece B, it being understood, of course, that such designation is for purposes of identification only, since the orientation of the device is purely arbitrary.

The clamp pieces are generally in the form of elongated plates and each piece is formed to provide a handle portion and a clamping portion. Thus, top clamp piece A comprises a handle portion and a clamping portion 12 which are integral with one another and angularly related to one another as shown. Similarly, the bottom clamp piece B comprises a handle portion 14 and a clamping portion 16. I11 the particular illustrated example, handle and clamping portions 14 and 16 are roughly parallel and separated from one another by an angularly situated intermediate portion 18 although this arrangement is not essential but merely by way of example. It is merely necessary that the handle portions of the two pieces be somehow angularly related to one another so that moving them toward each other will tend to open the clamping portions.

Top clamp piece A is provided with laterally aligned holesor sockets 20 in the area of the bend which defines the juncture between the handle portion 10 and the clamping portion 12, for a purpose to be later described, and the handle 10 thereof is provided with an opening or window 22. The opening 22 does not extend entirely to the said area of bend so that a ledge 24 is formed in the handle, as best seen in FIGURE 4.

Bottom clamp piece B has a pair of spur elements 26 and an integral spring tongue 28 struck up therefrom. The spurs 26 are in the general area of the area of juncture of the handle portion 14 and the intermediate portion 18 and are appropriately laterally spaced to be engageable in the sockets 20 in the top clamp piece A to define the pivot area of the clamp and to provide the pivot means of the clamp, and to prevent longitudinal and lateral displacement of the two clamp pieces relative to one another. Spring tongue 28 has its root in handle portion 14 and extends forwardly beyond the aforementioned pivot area, as shown.

The spring tongue 28 has a downwardly extending projection 30 struck from'it material substantially on its longitudinal center line and slightly forwardly of the plane of the pivot spurs 26. The said projection 30 cooperates with ledge 24 on the handle of the top clamp piece A to' inhibit separation of the two clamp parts from one another, in a manner to be more fully explained hereinafter. Preferably, projection 30 is formed to provide a rearwardly extending point as shown in the drawing.

Assembly of the two clamp pieces A and B is effected by aligning the two pieces longitudinally with the forward end of the spring tongue 28 of the bottom piece B aligned with the opening 22 in the handle portion of the top piece A. The top piece A is then moved rearwardly relative to the bottom piece B, with the free end of the spring entering into said opening 22. The bottom surface of the area of juncture of the handle portion 10 and the clamping portion 12 of top clamp piece A containing the sockets 20 is thus caused to move up the inclined surface of the portion 18 which gradually prestresses the spring 28. This movement is continued, as the spring tongue moves through the window or opening 22, until the spurs 26 and sockets 20 are aligned, at which time the spring pressure of spring tongue 28 pushes the top piece A into the assembled position shown in the drawing, in which spurs 26 extend through sockets 20 to define a pivot area and to prevent longitudinal or lateral displacement of the clamp pieces relative to one another. During the movement of the parts into the assembled position the protuberance 30 moves forwardly of the ledge 24.

Operation of the assembled clamp is typical of such devices and is best understood by a comparison of FIG- URES 2 and 3 of the drawings. With the parts in the normal position of FIGURE 2, pressure applied to handle portions 10 and 14 in directions tending to bring them closer together causes opening of the clamping portions to be effected by the rocking of the clamp pieces upon one another in the pivot area defined by spurs and sockets 26 and 20. During such opening movement the spring tongue 28 is flexed to the position shown in FIG- URE 3. The free end of spring tongue 28 is free to slide on the top surface of the clamping portion 12 of the top clamp piece A. For the purpose of reducing friction attendant to such movement, as Well as for the purpose of assisting entry into the opening 22, the said tongue may be provided with a rounded end portion, as at 32. Release of the handle portions 10 and 14 allows the pressure of the flexed spring tongue 28 to force the clamping portions 12 and 16 to their closed positions (FIGURES 1 and 2) and to maintain them in this position, under pressure.

The above described device, while of general utility, is particularly adapted for use in the hair dressing art, as a pin curl clip. In such usage, it is common to wet the hair and to wind strands thereof into curls. A pin curl clip, as described, is then used to clamp each of such curls, the clamping portions being opened by pressure on the handle portions and placed on opposite sides of the curl. Release of the handle portions allows the clamping portions to grip the curl under pressure. The curl is thus gripped until dry, at which time the clip is removed therefrom.

It should be noted that the opening movement of the clamp requires pressures on handle portions 10 and 14 in a direction tending to hold the clamp pieces A and B against one another so that no' problem of separation of the clamp pieces at the bend area exists in this circumstance. However, with no such pressures involved, but for the present invention, the two clamp pieces could become disassembled from one another if the top piece were lifted to an extent to allow the spurs 26 to become disengaged from the sockets 20. This condition is shown in FIGURE 5, wherein a thick tress of hair H is shown clamped between clamping portions 12 and 16.

It is an important feature of the present invention that structure not involving overhanging hinge means are used to inhibit separation of the clamp pieces even if the spurs and sockets should become disengaged momentarily. The protuberance 30 in spring tongue 28 and the ledge 24 on the handle portion 10 cooperate to perform this function, in a manner which will now be described, and whichis best illustrated in FIGURE 5. As previously explained, normal opening pressures on the handle portions mitigates against separation of the parts and in this condition the protuberance 30 and the ledge 24 are not in proximity to one another, as may be seen by inspec tion of FIGURE 3. In the closed position of the clamp (as in FIGURES 1, 2, 4 and 5), if the pieces are separated at the pivot area, as by an effort to pull them apart,- or as a result of forces due to the material held between the clamping portions 10 and 12, it is apparent that the upper clamp piece A may be raised a sufiicient amount so that the sockets 20 therein might clear the spurs 26 of the lower clamp piece B (as shown in FIGURE 5). In this condition, in order for the two clamp pieces to become disassembled, it would be necessary for the top clamp piece to move to the left relative to the bottom clamp piece since'withdrawal of spring tongue 28 from the opening 22 is necessary for complete disassembly of the pieces. Studyof the drawing, in FIGURES 2 and 4, and particularly in FIGURE 5, will indicate that any attempt to move the clamp pieces relative to one another in a direction tending to withdraw the spring 28 from the opening 22, causes the protuberance 30 to abut against the ledge 24 to prevent movement in such a direction. Actually, such movement cannot even be attempted unless the top clamp piece A is lifted relative to bottom clamp piece B sufficiently for the spurs 26 to clear the sockets 20. Such lifting results in bending or flexing of the spring tongue 28 so that the downward force on the top surface of clamping portion 12 is greater, and so that the bow in spring tongue 28 is flattened. When spring tongue 28 is so flattened the position of ledge 24 is higher relative to the protuberance 30 to make it very difiicult to withdraw the spring tongue through the opening 22. In actual practice such withdrawal practically requires destruction of the parts.

Thus, if the top clamp piece should be lifted relative to the bottom clamp piece sufficiently for sockets 20 to clear the spurs 26, the protuberance 3t} and the ledge 24 cooperate in the above described manner to hold the pieces against longitudinal shifting in a direction which could cause disassembly. When the lifting forces are removed the spring tongue 28, exerting its normal downward pressure, forces the top clamp piece downwardly to again properly seat the spurs and sockets.

From the above it may be seen that the present invention has provided novel and improved two-piece clamp constructions of the type wherein a spring tongue having its root in the handle portion of one of the two pieces, extends through an opening in the handle portion of the other piece, across the pivot area, and into contact with said other piece, to tend to hold the two clarnp pieces in assembled relation and to bias the clamping portions thereof toward closed or clamping position; the improvement comprising novel auxiliary means of great simplicity and eifectiveness for preventing separation and disassembly of the pieces.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible without departure from the spirit of the invention. It is tobe understood that the invention is not intended to be limited by the particular illustrative example shown and described herein, but rather by the scope and language of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A clamp comprising two superposed elongated plates extending longitudinally with each other, having integral handle portions and clamping jaw portions, said plates having correlated pivot means integral respectively with said plates, said pivot means engaging each other and enabling said plates to rock upon each other upon a trans verse axis toward an open position, one of said plates having an integral spring tongue struck from its material, said spring tongue being attached at its root to the handle of said one of said plates and having a free end extending across said axis toward the clamping jaw portions, the handle portion of the other of said plates having an opening therein of a width to allow passage of said spring tongue and of a length extending short of said axis to provide a ledge adjacent said axis defining the bottom of the opening, said spring tongue passing through said opening, the free end of said spring tongue engaging the said other one of said plates to urge the clamping jaw portions towards their closed position, said spring tongue having a downwardly extending protuberance struck from its material within its marginal edges and in an area slightly forward of said axis, said protuberance being of such length that the lowermost extremity thereof is below the uppermost edge of said ledge in the closed position of the clamp, whereby disassembly of the clamp by relative longitudinal sliding movement of the plates relative to one another would be inhibited by abut ment of said protuberance with said ledge in the event that said pivot means should become disengaged in the closed position of the clamp.

2. A two-piece pivoted clamp construction comprising a pair of elongated plates having cooperating pivot means defining a lateral axis about which the said plates have pivoted opening and closing movement relative to one another, superposed angularly related handle portions on one side of said axis and superposed clamping portions on the other side of said axis, the handle portion of one of said plates having an opening therein and the other of said plates having an integral spring tongue having its root in the handle portion thereof and a free end extending through the said opening, across said axis into engagement with the clamping portion of said one of said plates to urge the clamping portions towards their closed position, a downwardly extending protuberance struck from the material of the said spring tongue within the marginal edges of said spring tongue and slightly to the clamping portion side of the pivot means thereof, and a ledge adjacent the axis defining the lowermost boundary of the said opening in the handle portion of said one of said plates, said protuberance being of such length that the lowermost extremity thereof is below the uppermost edge of said ledge in the closed position of the clamp, whereby when the plates are in their assembled and closed position disassembly of the plates by sliding said spring tongue out of said opening is prevented by contact of said protuberance with said ledge if said cooperating pivot means should become disengaged.

3. A clamp according to claim 2, wherein said pivot means comprise sockets on one of said plates and spurs on the other of said plates, said spurs being engaged in said sockets to normally inhibit sliding movement of the plates relative to one another, said protuberance and said ledge being operative to prevent longitudinal movement of the plates relative to one another in the event said spurs become removed from said sockets.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,797,693 Bugge July 2, 1957 2,838,055 Kertesz June 10, 1958 2,898,922 Lyman Aug. 11, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 511,888 Canada Apr. 12, 1955

Images