US3324864A - Ornamental hair clip - Google Patents

Description

June 1967 D. A. TRIANGOLO 3,

ORNAMENTAL HAIR CL IP Filed Sept. 28, 1964 INVENTOR. DANIEL A. TRIANGOLO m g/M f ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofifice 3,324,864 Patented June 13, 1967 3,324,864 ORNAMENTAL HAIR CLIP Daniel A. Triangolo, Cranston, 12.1., assignor to Danal gewelry (30., Providence, R.I., a corporation of Rhode sland Filed Sept. 28, 1964, Ser. No. 399,599 4 Claims. (Cl. 132-46) The present invention relates generally to a hair clip and is more particularly concerned with the provision of a novel and improved hair clip that is both decorative and functional and which is relatively easy and economical to manufacture.

Hair clips of the type with which the instant invention is concerned have long been used for clamping the hair to maintain it in a formed curl. Although clips of this type have a very definite functional purpose, they are also made, in most instances, so as to have a decorative appearance. Thus, the usual prior art practice has been to use a clip or clamp member, quite often of the general type illustrated in US. Patent Re. 23,163 dated Nov. 1, 1949, and then aflix to the clip, usually by soldering or the like, a decorative member that will be visible when the clip is in use. The practice has, therefore, been for manufacturers of hair clips of this general nature to purchase clips or clamps of the type illustrated in Patent Re. 23,163 as a finding and then perform a subsequent operation wherein an ornamental part is secured to the clip. It will be seen that this conventional practice involves the expense of the clip per se, the expense of the ornamental part, and the expense of the assembly step wherein the ornamental part is secured to the clip.

It is therefore a primary object of my invention to provide a hair clip of the general type above described wherein the ornamental portion forms a part of the clip per se, thus eliminating the necessity of having to secure a separate ornamental member to the clip.

Another important object of my invention is the provision of a decorative and functional hair clip that is much easier and less expensive to manufacture than conventional prior art hair clips of this type.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a hair clip wherein the ornamental member is a part of the Clip per se, but wherein the hair clip is so constructed that the means by which the ornamental member and the clamping arm are pivotally secured to each other is not visible from the front of the clip.

Another object is the provision of a hair clip of the character described that readily lends itself to a wide variety of attractive and decorative appearances and which is highly effective and durable in operation.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description thereof proceeds When considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the instant invention:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a hair clip constructed in accordance with my invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged bottom edge view thereof;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged rear view thereof; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged exploded rear perspective view thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, a hair clip constructed in accordance with my invention is shown generally at 10, said clip comprising an ornamental front plate 12 and a clamping arm 14. The plate 12 is constructed of any desired material, although I prefer to construct it of a metallic material, such as brass or steel. As will be clearly Seen, plate 12 is of elongated shape and may be cut or stamped to any desired configuration in order to enhance the appearance thereof. The front surface 16 of plate 12 may be embossed or engraved as at 18 in order to further enhance the decorativeness and appearances of clip 10.

Adjacent one end of the rear surface 20 of plate 12 there is provided a reversely bent flap 22 that extends integrally from one end of the plate 12. As will be seen most clearly in FIGS. 2 and 4, the fiap 22 is bowed so as to be spaced from rear surface 20, said fiap terminating at its free end in an inner edge 24 that is located closely adjacent rear surface 20. Inner edge 24 is provided with a centrally disposed notch 26, the purpose of which will hereinafter become apparent. Flap 22 is further characterized by a pair of integrally struck rearwardly extending mounting ears 28 and an integrally struck rearwardly extending lug 30 located between the cars 28 and edge 32 of plate 12. It will thus be seen that the entire plate 12, including any ornamentation that may be provided on the front surface thereof, may be easily stamped and formed from sheet metal at relatively low cost.

Turning now to clamping arm 14, it will be seen that said arm comprises a pair of elongated openings 34 blanked therein and a mounting portion 36 at one end thereof. As will be seen most clearly in FIG. 4, mounting portion 36 comprises a base portion 38 having a pair of openings 40 located therein. Said mounting portion further comprises a rearwardly extending grip tab 42 that has integrally struck therefrom an elongated spring tongue 44, said tongue extending through opening 34 and terminating in an inturned lip 46. It will be understood that clamping arm 14 is constructed of suitably tempered metal so that tongue 44 may function as a spring in the manner now to be described.

In order to assemble clamping arm 14 to plate 12, it is simply necessary to position the arm so that openings 40 receive cars 28 therethrough and so that inturned lip 46 is positioned in notch 26 and interengages the under surface of flap 22. With the parts so assembled, the clamp ing arm is pivotally mounted to plate 12, whereupon depression of tab 42 causes arm 14 to lock about its mounting on bowed flap 22 until tab 42 engages lug 30. Thus, the lug 30 functions as a stop means for limiting the open ing movement of clamp arm 14, and it will be seen that the degree to which arm 14 can be opened may be adjusted by reducing the height of lug 30 by bending it rearwardly. It will be understood that as clamping arm 14 moves to open position, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 2, spring tongue 44 is tensioned, whereupon when the clamping arm is released, said spring means will automatically return the clamping arm to closed position. Expressed diflierently, the spring tongue 44 normally biases clamping arm 14 to the closed or full-line position of FIG. 2.

The bowed configuration of flap 22 is important since it facilitates the rocking or pivotal movement of clamping arm 14, and, at the same time, by maintaining the mounted end of the clamping arm in spaced relation from plate 12, a better clamping action is achieved. Since the flap 22 is located entirely behind plate 12, it follows that the means by which arm 14 and plate 12 are pivotally connected is not visible from the front of clip 10, thus insuring that front surface 16 may be a complete and unbroken surface, which is of obvious importance from an appearance standpoint.

It has been found that by constructing my hair clip in the aforedescribed manner, a saving of approximately 50 percent may be effected as compared to the conventional clip of this type wherein a separate ornamental front plate is secured to a clip finding of the type illustrated in US. Patent Re. 23,163. At the same time, my novel and improved clip may comprise substantially the same ornamental appearance as a clip constructed of a separate ornamental plate and a clip finding, and it has been found to be equally durable and effective in operation.

While there is shown and described herein certain specific structure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A hair clip comprising an elongated front plate having a front ornamental surface and a rear surface, an integral reversely bent flap at one end of said plate extending over a portion of said rear surface, said flap being bowed so that the free inner edge thereof is located closely adjacent said rear surface while the remainder of said flap is spaced therefrom, a clamping arm operatively connected to the exposed surface of said flap at approximately the central portion thereof for pivotal movement toward and away from said rear surface, and spring means carried by said arm and engaging said flap for normally biasing said arm against said rear surface, said spring means comprising a tongue struck integrally from said arm, said tongue having an inturned lip at its end hooked beneath the inner edge of said flap, said inner edge having a notch therein receiving said tongue and lip.

2. A hair clip comprising an elongated ornamental front plate having front and rear surfaces, an integral reversely bent flap at one end of said plate extending over a portion of said rear surface, said flap being bowed so that the free inner edge thereof is located closely adjacent said rear surface while the remainder of said fiap is spaced therefrom, a clamping arm operatively connected to the exposed surface of said flap at approximately the central portion thereof for pivotal movement toward and away from said rear surface, and spring means carried by said arm and engaging said flap for normally biasing said arm against said rear surface, said spring means comprising a tongue struck integrally from said arm, said tongue having an inturned lip at its end hooked beneath said flap, said arm having a grip tab that extends rearwardly with respect to said flap at the end of said arm adjacent its mounting on said flap, whereby when said tab is depressed toward said flap, said clamping arm pivots to open position against the action of said spring means, and an integral, rigid lug extending from said flap for engagement by said tab when the latter is depressed, thus limiting the depression of said tab and hence the opening movement of said arm.

3. A hair clip comprising an elongated ornamental front plate having front and rear surfaces, an integral reversely bent flap at one end of said plate extending over a portion of said rear surface, a clamping arm operatively connected to the exposed surface of said flap for pivotal movement toward and away from said rear surface, and spring means carried by said arm and engaging said flap for normally biasing said arm against said rear surface, said spring means comprising a tongue struck integrally from said arm, said tongue having an inturned lip at its end hooked beneath the inner edge of said flap, said inner edge having a notch therein receiving said tongue and lip, said arm having a grip tab that extends rearwardly with respect to said flap at the end of said arm adjacent its mounting on said flap, whereby when said tab is depressed toward said flap, said clamping arm pivots to open position against the action of said spring means, and an integral, rigid lug extending from said flap for engagement by said tab when the latter is depressed,

thus limiting the depression of said tab and hence the.

opening movement of said arm.

4. The hair clip of claim 3 further characterized in that said flap is bowed so that the free inner edge thereof is located closely adjacent said rear surface while the remainder of said flap is spaced therefrom.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,057,366 10/1962 Fink 132-48 3,090,389 5/1963 Eckman 132-41 3,106,214 10/1963 Reiner 13248 3,106,215 10/1963 Grandis et al 13248 3,213,509 10/1965 Reiner 13248 X RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT E. MORGAN, Examiner.

R. L. FRINKS, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A HAIR CLIP COMPRISING AN ELONGATED FRONT PLATE HAVING A FRONT ORNAMENTAL SURFACE AND A REAR SURFACE, AN INTEGRAL REVERSELY BENT FLAP AT ONE END OF SAID PLATE EXTENDING OVER A PORTION OF SAID REAR SURFACE, SAID FLAP BEING BOWED SO THAT THE FREE INNER EDGE THEREOF IS LOCATED CLOSELY ADJACENT SAID REAR SURFACE WHILE THE REMAINDER OF SAID FLAP IS SPACED THEREFROM, A CLAMPING ARM OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO THE EXPOSED SURFACE OF SAID FLAP AT APPROXIMATELY THE CENTRAL PORTION THEREOF FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID REAR SURFACE, AND SPRING MEANS CARRIED BY SAID ARM AND ENGAGING SAID FLAP FOR NORMALLY BIASING SAID ARM AGAINST SAID REAR SURFACE, SAID SPRING MEANS COMPRISING A TONGUE STRUCK INTEGRALLY FROM SAID ARM, SAID TONGUE HAVING AN INTURNED LIP AT ITS END HOOKED BENEATH THE INNER EDGE OF SAID FLAP, SAID INNER EDGE HAVING A NOTCH THEREIN RECEIVING SAID TONGUE AND LIP.

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