US3754307A

US3754307A - Garment clip

Info

Publication number: US3754307A
Application number: US00230691A
Authority: US
Inventors: M Froehlich
Original assignee: DHJ Industries Inc
Current assignee: DHJ Industries Inc
Priority date: 1972-03-01
Filing date: 1972-03-01
Publication date: 1973-08-28
Anticipated expiration: 1990-08-28

Abstract

A garment clip for readily receiving garments formed of very flexible material such as double knit garments and holding them in a firm gripping manner and which can be inexpensively produced by molding of plastic or other suitable material.

Description

United States Patent [1 1 Froehiich, Jr.

[ Aug. 28, 1973 i 1 GARMENT CLIP [75] Inventor: Monroe Froehlicll, Jr., South Salem,

[73] Assignee: Dl-IJ Industries Inc., New York,

[22] Filed: Mar. 1, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 230,691

[52] US. Cl. 24/255 TV [51] Int. Cl A44b 21/00 [58] Field of Search 24/255 TV, 255 GP,

24/255 G, 255 P, 259 FF, 259 GC, 259 PF, 137 A, 137 R, 49 C, 49 CC, 49 CP,138 R, 67.9, 261 F, 261 G, 261 GC, 261 PC, 138 A,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS D25,703 6/1896 Rothert 24/261 PC X Dl91,787 11/1961 Heil 24/255 TV 1,019,256 3/1912 Irvin 24/259 PF 1,637,564 8/1927 Gillette 24/259 PF 2,711,637 6/1955 Wells 24/261 A X 3,214,813 11/1965 Goldman .1 24/137 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 17,564 9/1894 Great Britain 24/259 GC Primary ExaminerDonald A. Griffin Attorney-David S. Kane, Joseph C. Sullivan et a1.

[ 57 ABSTRACT A garment clip for readily receiving garments formed of very flexible material such as double knit garments and holding them in a firm gripping manner and which can be inexpensively produced by molding of plastic or other suitable material.

1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures Patented Aug. 28, 1973 GARMENT CLIP BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION When garments are displayed and/or shipped or stored, it is desirable that portions thereof be maintained in a predetermined position relative to the remaining portions. For this purpose garment clips have been used. Such clips are used in quantity as many clips may be used with respect to a single garment and the clips are often disposed of after use. The clips must be inexpensive and capable of mass production. For this reason, clips for this purpose have been molded of suitable plastic material. Clips of this type, although quite small, must be sufliciently strong to resist breaking in use and be capable of functioning in a proper manner-that is-the clip must provide adequate gripping of the garment portion to which it is affixed. Further, the clip must be readily usable and the gripping portions of the clip must not interfere with the user's ability to place the clip in position on the garment or remove it therefrom.

In my US. Pat. No. 3,462,809 I have disclosed a clip suitable for gripping garments formed of a variety of materials. Since the disclosure therein, however, very flexible and heavy double knit materials have been utilized in the production of garments and the clip shown in U. S. Pat. No. 3,462,809 has been found not entirely suitable for gripping such materials.

A suitable clip for such materials must easily receive the material requiring a clip with the leg portions which are readily separated and having leg surfaces which guide the material into position with a minimum of frictional resistance. Additionally, the clip legs must be capable of developing sufficient inwardly directed forces to maintain the garment material in position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A garment clip of U-shaped configuration having two leg portions joined by a spring loop with the first leg portion having an inwardly offset central flattened surface and terminating in a supporting lip joined to the flattened surface by an inwardly facing arcuate portion and the remaining leg being inclined inwardly toward the first leg and terminating in an outwardly directed receiving lip overlying the flattened surface of the first leg.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged side view of a clip constructed in accordance with this invention and diagrammatically in broken lines there is illustrated the clip when opened to engage with an edge portion of a garment;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the clip shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the clip shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a transverse view in the direction of the arrows in FIG. I.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The garment clip of this invention as shown in the Figs. is molded integrally of a suitable plastic material and consists of

legs

12 and 14 joined by spring loop 16.

The lower leg 14 has an inwardly offset portion 18 which is adjacent the spring loop and joined thereto by a knuckle 20. The offset portion 18 provides leg 14 with an inwardly facing central flattened surface 22.

Leg l4 terminates at an inwardly directed supporting lip 24 which is joined thereto by arcuate portion 26. Arcuate portion 26 faces inwardly and its upper or inner surface 28 provides a guide surface for garments to be received by the clip as will appear below.

The second leg 12 is inclined inwardly towards sur face 22 terminating above such surface near arcuate portion 26. It is straight over its major portion 30 which is joined with loop 16 by a short, straight portion 32. Leg 12 terminates in an outwardly directed receiving lip 34.

To use the clip the user places the edge of garment 36 on surface 22 and slides the garment toward the loop 16. As this is done, leg 12 is forced away from leg 14 into the position shown in phantom in FIG. 1. The receiving lip 34 being outwardly directed readily allows the garment to move toward loop 16 without interference from the end of leg 12. It is noted that the lip 34 terminates in a position such that a part or portion of surface 22 is exposed immediately adjacent arcuate portion 26 so that there is a zone in surface 22 that the garment edge can slide on prior to encountering lip 34. Surface 28 provides a guide surface so that if the garment edge is pressed toward loop 16 with the garment not precisely in the same plane as surface 22, the surface 28 upon being encountered by the garment edge will direct the same easily and with a minimum of resis tance onto surface 22. While this is occurring, the supporting lip 24 aids in bringing the garment into the plane of surface 22. After the garment is in position within the clip, leg 12 is yieldingly urged due to the inherent resiliency in the clip and the loop 16 toward its original position as shown in full lines in FIG. 1 thereby maintaining the garment firmly within clip 10. To remove the garment the user can pull the garment portion taut causing movement of the end of the garment allowing the garment to be easily slid from within.

I claim:

1. A garment clip of generally U-shaped configuration comprising first and second leg portions joined by a spring loop, said first leg portion having an inwardly offset portion adjacent the spring loop providing an inwardly facing central flattened surface and terminating in an inwardly directed supporting lip joined to said central flattened surface by an inwardly facing arcuate portion, an inwardly facing loop flattened surface of said spring loop whereat said first leg is joined thereto, said central flattened surface and said loop flattened surface being parallel with said central flattened surface being longer than each of said loop flattened surface and said inwardly facing arcuate portion and said second leg being inclined inwardly toward said first leg and terminating in an outwardly directed receiving lip overlying said central flattened surface and terminating said second leg portion and said receiving lip overlying said central flattened surface at a point spaced from said arcuate portion whereby a zone of said central flattened surface is exposed.

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