US3072127A - Non-entangling, self-opening, resiliently closed hair clip - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 8, 1963 A. CALDORA 3,072,127

NON-ENTANGLING, SELF-OPENING, RESILIENTLY CLOSED HAIR CLIP Filed April 22, 195'? a lllli'iiiiimiiiii .55 36 .38 3g I2- 1 [1&5

mmunm ""3 -um lmnn nllllll if I I mm D1 107 100 !0/ 05 /05 INVENTOR Armandcaldafiw ATTORNEY tts arr/2,127 NUN-ENTANGLING, SELF-OPENWG, RESE- IENTLY CLUSED HAIR CLIP Armand Caldera, 2226 W. 42nd St., Brooklyn, N.Y. Filed Apt. 22, 1957, Ser. No. 654,260 2 Claims. (Cl. 132-48) the hair by reason of its inherent resilient action, without the need of prying the legs of the clip apart by the fingernails or teeth.

Another object is to provide a novel hair clip or resilient, ready opening hair closure member which may be readily actuated by pressure between the fingers without prying action and which will snugly grasp the hair without undue pressure thereon.

Another object is to provide a novel hair clip arrangement which will avoid tangling with the air and which may be readily formed from tempered sheet metal mate rials by relatively simple stamping and assembling opera tions.

Still further objects and advantages will appear in the more detailed description set forth below, it being undersood, however, that this more detailed description is given by way of illustration and explanation only and not by way of limitation, since various changes therein may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

In accomplishing the above objects it has been found to be most satisfactory according to one embodiment of the present invention to form a clip either preferably in one piece or as a second choice of two pieces which consists of flat, elongated resilient prongs, which prongs are longitudinally pressed together by their own integral resiliency.

In the preferred form the elongated legs are die punched in one piece or two pieces from a single strip of material and the legs are desirably caused to be superimposed upon each other or preferably fit between one another so as to give a clamping action by reason of the leg of one side being resiliently pressed beyond or between the two legs on the other side.

At the base of the clips desirably the clips are caused to have reversely directed protuberant convex portions which when pressed will result in opening the legs of the clips from one another. The base portion with the reversely projecting portions may be formed integrally by bending the elongated strip of material or it may be formed by interengaging the strips of material so that there will be interconnecting slots and prongs which will tend to hold the legs in clamped position against the hair unless pressure is applied to the junction portion of the clip between the fingers.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specifically described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which fall within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of an elongated strip of Met metal formed to be bent into a one-piece integral hair clip;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view taken upon the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view partly in section showing the metal piece of FIGS. 1 and 2 after it has been bent into a hair clip;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of one leg structure of an alternative two-piece clip arrangement;

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the other leg structure of a two-piece clip device which is designed to be assembled with the leg structure FIGURE 4 to form a complete clip;

FIGURE 6 is a side sectional view illustrating the final clip assembly of FIGURES 4 and 5 when the two elements have been assembled together;

FIGURE 6a is a fragmentary top elevational view of an alternative base construction of the clip;

FIGURE 6b is a side elevational view in section of the base structure of FIG. 6a assembled into a clip.

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of another leg structure of a still further alternative construction;

FIGURE 8 is a top plan view of the other leg structure to be assembled with FIGURE 7 to form the complete clip;

FIGURE 9 is a side sectional view of the combined clip formed by assembling the legs of FIGURES 7 and 8 together.

FIGURE 10 is a top plan view of a one-piece integral clip construction still different from those shown in FIGS. 1 to 9; and

FIGURE 11 is a side sectional view taken upon the line 11-1l of FIG. 10.

Referring to FIGS. l3, the device as stamped out from a sheet of metal consists of two legs A and B which are designed to press against one another as indicated in FIGURE 3 in the final clip which are provided with the slotted portion C to enable reverse bending of the clip and the reversely looped portion D by which the legs upon pressure may be separated into the dot and dash line position, as shown in FIGURE 3.

It will be noted in the form as shown that the legs A and B are of the same width and length and will meet together at their ends 10 as shown in FIG. 3. The base of the leg A at C has the side bridged portions 11 and the central slit portion 12. The base of the leg B directly adjacent the slotted portion C has the loop D with the side legs 13 and 14 and the curved base 15.

The strip as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 may be bent into final clip form as shown in FIG. 3. When this is done the loop D will project through the slotted portion C and the coil 16 will form the end of the clip. The semi-circular portion D as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is caused to project through the slot 12 so that the top of the bulge or bow D will be substantially above the leg A and the circular portion 16.

When one finger is pressed against the bulge 19 op posite the bulge 20 in the directions indicated by the arrow 17 at the bottom and the arrow 18 at the top, the legs will be opened from the solid line position to the dot and dash line position of FIG. 3, permitting a strand of hair to be inserted between the legs. It will be noted that it is not possible to entangle the hair or the hair net and that the hair may be readily slipped out of the clip.

In the embodiment of FIGS 4, 5 and 6, the leg structure E is formed in one piece and stamped from metal while the leg structure F is formed of another piece. When the structures E and F are assembled together, a complete clip, as shown in FIG. 6, Will be formed.

As shown in FIG. 4 the leg structure E consists of the side members 25 with the cross members 26 and 27 and the outwardly extending legs 28. At the base portion 29 a tongue 30 with converging sides 31 is stamped out and caused to project upwardly terminating in the tit 32.

The other leg structure may consist of the side legs 33 and the base 35. The base 35 continues in the upturned portion 36 which has an opening 37 to receive the tit 32.

The downwardly and inwardly turned portion 39 engages the end projection 44 of the member E of FIG. 4.

The assembly is achieved by springing apart the portions 36 and 39 of the upwardly convex portion 38 and placing the projection 44 and tit 32 between the sprung apart portions 36 and 39 so that when they spring back, the tit 32 and projection 44 will engage in the openings 37 and 45.

When assembled together the unit will have a structure as indicated in FIG. 6 with the tit 32 projecting through the opening 37 and the downturned portion 39 having an underturned element 46 under the end at of the leg structure E. The portion 36 will project downwardly and under the cross leg 27 and the two legs will meet at their end portions 28-.

When one finger is placed under the downturned portion 40, as indicated by the arrow 42, and pressure is applied downwardly as indicated by the arrow 43, the lower leg structure F will be moved downwardly to the position indicated by the dot and dash lines in FIG. 6.

To provide that the structure will more certainly stay together after assembly, the projection 44 will extend rearwardly from the end 41 of base portion of the leg structure E and will project through the opening 45 in the downwardly curved portion 39 of the bowed structure 38. This will assure that the legs E and F when once resiliently connected together will not spread. The tongue structure 30 may also be caused to extend reversely, as indicated in the structure of FIG. 6a. In FIG. 6a, the tongue 55 is stamped upwardly from the metal '56 of the base structure 57. It will extend above the slot or opening 58 in the end structure 59. The end structure 59 also has a groove and tongue engagement 60.

When this arrangement is assembled, a device as indicated in FIG. 611 will be formed and in this case, the other leg structure 61 will have an upwardly extending loop 62 with an opening 63 engaging the end 64 of the upwardly extending tongue 55. The downwardly extending portion 65 of the loop 62 will then have an opening 66 through which projects the extension 64} forming a permanent connection. Pressure as indicated by the arrow 67 will then press the lower leg into dot and dash position.

Still another alternative form similar to that of FIGS. 4 to 6b will be in the form shown in FIGS. 7 to 9.

In this structure there will be two leg stampings G and H. G has the side legs 75 and the end piece 76 with the base portion 77 having a slot 78 and a reversely turned portion 79 with an upwardly extending portion 80 terminating in the tit 81.

The other leg structure H will consist of the two side members 82 with the central opening 83 terminating at the ends 84. The reduced width neck 85 terminates in the looped portion 36 having the upwardly ascending portion 87 with an opening 83 and a descending portion 89 with a slot 90.

In assembly the junction portion 91 of the leg H will extend down through the opening 78 in the leg structure G. The bent portion 79 will extend through the slot 99 and the descending portion 89 and its upwardly projecting portion will be locked by the tit 81 fitting in the opening 88.

In the structure of 'FIGS. 7 to 9, by applying pressure as indicated at 91 the lower leg H will be pressed downwardly as indicated by the arrow 92.

In the structure of FIGS. and 11 there is shown a one-piece structure having the side legs 100 and the central leg 101 which join together at 102. The legs are separated by the slots 103 and there will be a hump,

or elevated portion 104 by which the middle leg 161 will project adjacent the base 102 above the slightly bulged down portions 105 of the side legs 10%. The end 106 of the central leg 181 will project upwardly past the end portions 107 of the outer or side legs 1%.

To summarize, either with the one-piece construction of FIGS. 1 to 3 and 10 and 11, or with the two-piece construction of FIGS. 4 to 9, one leg structure will have a bulged portion extending reversely upwardly past the other leg structure through an opening or slotted portion formed in the other leg structure. For example, in the embodiment shown the bulge D of the lower leg structure B of FIGS, 1-3 will project reversely upwardly through the slot 12, and the same is also true of the reversely bulged portion 104 of FIGS. 10 md 11 which projects upwardly beyond the legs lldtl.

In the two-piece constructions the bulged portion 38 will project up through the opening or recess 24 of the upper leg structure so that downward pressure, as indicated at 46, will spread the legs.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 6a and 6b the bulged portion 62 will be projected upwardly through the opening 53 in the base 56 of the upper leg structure so that pressure 67 will separate the legs.

In the structure of FIGS. 7 to 9 the bulged portion 86 will extend upwardly through the recess or opening 78 in the base portion of the lower leg structure G, so that downward pressure 91 will open or spread the legs.

In each instance downward pressure will separate the legs and all need be done is to press the base end of the clip between the fingers.

The resiliency in the embodiments of FIGS. 4 to 9 is supplied by the tongues 30 in FIG. 6, 55 in FIG. 6b and 353 in FIG. 9, in conjunction with the bulged portions 38 of FIG. 6, 62 of FIG. 6b and 36 of FIG. 9. The latching arrangements accomplished by the connections of 32 and 44 in the openings 37 and 45 are substantially the same as those accomplished by the engagement of the elements 31 in the opening 88 and the projection of the tongue 89 through the slot 90 in FIG. 9.

The tongue 55 of FIG. 6b by its end portion 64 will engage the bulged portion 62 and this engagement will be firmly held together by the tab oil which will project into the base of the other leg structure 68.

It is thus apparent that the applicant has provided a simple, easily constructed one-piece and two-piece clip which will be readily engaged by the fingers to separate the legs by merely pressing on the bulged elements of the base portion. Regardless of whether the clip is formed of a one-piece or two-piece construction it will not be necessary to pry the legs apart and the resiliency of the members themselves will result in firmly gripping the hair while readily permitting a separation of the clamping legs. Although the legs are shown as being narrow and elongated in FIG. 1 or as having separated portions, in FIGS. 4, 5, 7 and 8, or as being telescoped in FIG. 10, it is to be understood that these leg structures may be varied with any one of the leg structures being used in any particular base construction.

The important feature of the present invention is that the back hinge connection portions of the one-piece construction as indicated at 16 in FIG. 3, and 102, I04, in FIG. 11, as well as in the two-piece construction, as indicated at lib-4t in FIG. 6 and 69-6-2 in FIG. 6B and 86-90 in FIG. 9, will form a smooth surface substantially without crevices which may be removed through the hair or hairnet without entangling and without catching either upon the hair or any material which may be used, such as a hairnet, to cover the hair.

It will be noted that in all of the constructions Whether one-piece, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, l0 and 11, or twopiece, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 9, the jaw or prong elements at their pivotal connections do not rock on one another but are independently removable upon pressure between the fingers on an up bulge and a down bulge which form convenient finger engaging recesses which will not slip from between the fingers when slippery hair treating fluids have wetted the fingers.

Moreover, the legs, such as A and B in FIG. 1, will be correctly aligned by the slotted connection as indicated at 12-D in FIG. 3 or 104, 105 in FIG. 11, with the result that the prong portions will not tend to wobble sidewise or be subject to lateral displacement.

Referring to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, namely, H63. 1 to 3, it will be noted that the legs A and B are not offset from one another but are directly opposed in the final clip as shown at FIG. 3 with the legs directly contacting each other as indicated in FIG. 3 at as a result of the resilient action of the double S-shaped or s-shaped hinge construction illustrated at the right of FIG. 8 and formed from the central portions C and D of FIGS. 1 and 2.

Between the narrow legs A and B is the bulged or bent portion D which forms the upper side of the 8 or 8 when the clip is in the final form of FIG. 3 said bulging D being relatively narrow but of the same width as the legs A and B and projecting through the slot 12 to form a s mi-circular upwardly projecting member which may be pressed downwardly by the finger at 18.

It will be noted that the side portion 11 containing the slot 12 forms a downwardly bowed portion at 19 forming part of the lower side of the S or 8 which may be pressed upwardly as indicated by the arrow 17 to open the legs of the clip to the dot and dash position shown at the lower side of FIG. 3.

The base portion which forms the hinge gives resiliency as a result of said 8 or S with the interfitting slotted connection of the bulging D through the slot 112.

This S-shaped or 8-shaped junction portion give a maximum curvature which gives resiliency to the structure.

An important feature of the present invention is the fact that the hair will not tend to catch on any sharp edges or projecting portions but when placed between the legs A and B will be stopped by the end of the curve of the bulged portion D and cannot enter the openings of the S-structure or the 8-structure.

The S-structure and the 8-structure are formed from the curves as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 which are bent into the final S-shape or 8-shape which is a bending process which forms the final clip of FIG. 3 from the device of FIGS. 1 and 2.

While there has been herein described a preferred form of the invention, it should be understood that the same may be altered in details and in relative arrangement of parts within the scope of the appended claims.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed:

What is claimed is:

1. A resilient integral one-piece hair clip having superimposed narrow elongated upper and lower legs, each leg having two ends, said legs connected at one end by a hinge structure and free at the other end, said legs being in resilient contact at their free ends and diverging towards their connected ends, said hinge structure being a resilient, 8-shaped, bent portion having a central short longitudinally extending closed slot and a semi-circular, upwardly bulged portion projecting through said slot, the portion of said clip containing said slot being bulged downwardly and said bent portion including a circular end loop beyond said upwardly and downwardly bulged portions, finger pressure on said bulged portions serving to open said legs and the resiliency of said bent portion serving to close said legs.

2. A non-entangling, resiliently closed hair clip having upper and lower legs, each leg having two ends, said upper and lower legs being superimposed, terminating at one end at the same point in resilient contact, and connected at the other end by an integral hinge construction which biases and presses said legs together at said one end and which legs are to be separated to permit insertion therebetween of a lock of hair by opposite downward and upward pressures on said hinge construction and to grasp said lock of hair when released, said hinge construction being composed of a widened integral portion connecting said legs, said widened portion having a central short longitudinally extending closed slot slightly wider than the width of said legs and positioned closer to said one end of one leg than said one end of the other leg, the adjacent portion of said other leg being bent into a circle and into a slightly larger diameter half-circle, which half-circle projects upwardly through said slot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,500,391 Weaver Mar. 14, 1950 2,558,225 Solomon June 26, 1951 2,601,435 Einhorn et al. June 24, 1952 2,622,604 Buckner Dec. 23, 1952 2,638,103 Fuscaldo May 12, 1953 2,638,908 Schildt May 19, 1953 2,699,790 Porteous Jan. 18, 1955 2,795,233 Zore June 11, 1957

Claims (1)

1. A RESILIENT INTEGRAL ONE-PIECE HAIR CLIP HAVING SUPERIMPOSED NARROW ELONGATED UPPER AND LOWER LEGS, EACH LEG HAVING TWO ENDS, SAID LEGS CONNECTED AT ONE END BY A HINGE STRUCTURE AND FREE AT THE OTHER END, SAID LEGS BEING IN RESILIENT CONTACT AT THEIR FREE ENDS AND DIVERGING TOWARDS THEIR CONNECTED ENDS, SAID HINGE STRUCTURE BEING A RESILIENT, 8-SHAPED, BENT PORTION HAVING A CENTRAL SHORT LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING CLOSED SLOT AND A SEMI-CIRCULAR, UPWARDLY BULGED PORTION PROJECTING THROUGH SAID SLOT, THE PORTION OF SAID CLIP CONTAINING SAID SLOT BEING BULGED DOWNWARDLY AND SAID BENT PORTION INCLUDING A CIRCULAR END LOOP BEYOND SAID UPWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY BULGED PORTIONS, FINGER PRESSURE ON SAID BULGED PORTIONS SERVING TO OPEN SAID LEGS AND THE RESILIENCY OF SAID BENT PORTION SERVING TO CLOSE SAID LEGS.

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