WO1992001406A1 - Corsage fixing device - Google Patents

Abstract

A corsage fixing device (1) has opposed elongate arms (3, 4) extending alongside one another and biased together such that a piece of fabric may be securely gripped therebetween. A mounting member (5) is mounted on one of the arms and has formations (7) for attaching a floral decoration thereto. In use, a portion of clothing such as a jacket lapel or the strap of a dress, or a handbag or the like, is gripped between the two arms such that the device and attached floral decoration are retained on the clothing or handbag.

Description

Corsage Fixing Device

This invention relates to a device for fixing a floral decoration such as a flower or corsage onto clothing.

On formal occasions such as weddings or the like it is common for men to wear a flower on their jacket lapel and women to wear a flower or corsage on their dress. Traditionally, such floral decorations have been fixed in place using a safety pin, or a device incorporating a safety pin (an example of the latter type of device being disclosed in U.K. Patent

Specification 21139674).

The use of a safety pin for fixing the floral decoration to a fabric garment has the inherent disadvantage that the fabric is necessarily punctured by the pin and hence damaged during use. A device disclosed in U.S. Patent 4559675 attempts to overcome this difficulty by providing a two piece "clip together" arrangement in which a portion of the garment is trapped between mating formations on the two pieces of the device. The clip together nature of this device causes the fabric to be "pinched" which may damage the thin cloth of

delicate dresses, and also distorts the line of the cloth whilst the floral decoration is being worn. Furthermore, the device is not useful where thicker fabric is used (such as on the lapel of a jacket or on a handbag). According to the present invention, there is provided a corsage fixing device comprising a first element comprising an elongate portion extending alongside an elongate portion of a second element, said first and second elements being resiliently connected each proximate one respective end thereof, such that said elongate portions are resiliently biased towards one another and can grip a portion of fabric or the like

therebetween, said first element being provided with a laterally spaced mounting member having formations for attaching a floral decoration thereto.

In use, a portion of clothing such as a jacket lapel, strap of a dress or the like or a clothing accessory such as a handbag, is gripped between the first and second elongate elements such that the device and floral decoration is retained thereon.

In a first embodiment of the invention, the first and second elements may comprise a unitary, substantially "U" shaped, member with the face ends of the "U" shaped member being biased together by the resilience of the material. In this embodiment, it is preferred that the unitary "U" shaped member is of a plastics material. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the first and second elements may be pivotally connected to one another with the elongate portions preferably being biased towards each other by means of a spring arranged to act against the first and second elements. The mounting member may be, for example, an

elongate bar arranged to extend generally alongside the first and second elements, or a projection of generally uniform crosssection, such as a circular or triangular cross-section.

It is preferred that the mounting member has a substantially planar outermost surface.

In some embodiments, the mounting member may be rotatably connected to one of the first and second elements such that in use, the position of the floral decoration relative to the clothing can be adjusted by rotation of the projecting member.

Advantageously, the formations for attaching the floral decoration to the mounting member may be ridges or apertures provided on or in the surface of the projecting member, arranged in use to cooperate with pieces of florists wire, which extend from the floral decoration, such that the floral

decoration can be retained securely en the device.

The invention will now be further described in specific embodiments by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a first embodiment of a corsage fixing device according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the device of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of a second embodiment of a corsage fixing device according to the invention; and

Figure 4 is a plan view of the device of Figure. 3. Referring initially to Figures 1 and 2, the corsage fixing device generally designated 1 has a "U" shaped "clip member 2 having opposed elongate portions 3 and 4. An elongate mounting bar 5 is laterally spaced from the elongate portion 4 and is connected thereto by spacer 6. (In some embodiments the mounting bar 5 may be rotatably mounted on the spacer 6. ) The mounting bar 5 is provided wi th a series of hol es 7 al ong its length. In use, the device is attached to a piece of fabric such as a lapel, handbag flap or the like by sliding the edge of the fabric between the opposed elongate portions 3 and 4 of the

"clip" member 2, where the resilience of the material of the "clip" member biases the portions 3 and 4 towards one another, in so doing gripping the fabric. The floral decoration (not shown), which may be a single flower, corsage or the like is attached to the device by means of florists wire fastened through the holes 7 on the mounting bar 5.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, an alternative embodiment of the device is shown. Here, elongate "clip"

elements 8 and 9 are connected at pivot 10, the elements 8 and 9 being normally biased together by the action of the spring. To open the device to allow the fabric piece to be inserted between the elements 8 and 9. The portion 12 of the element 8 is pressed causing the elements 6 and 9 to pivot apart. A mounting disc 13 is fixed to the outermost face of the elongate element 9, with holes 14 being in the outer face 15 of the disc 13. These holes are used to fix the floral decoration onto the device using florists wire in the manner described above. The device may either be made of a relatively inexpensive plastics material, or of a metal, such as a precious metal (typically gold or silver) when the device itself can form part of the decoration.

In use, the device according to the invention enables a floral decoration or corsage to be easily attached to the edge of a garment or accessory without damaging the fabric (where it is fragile). Furthermore, the device may be attached conveniently to a wide range of fabrics having different

thicknesses.

Claims

Claims :

1. A corsage fixing device which comprises a first element

comprising an elongate portion extending alongside an elongate portion of a second element, said first and second elements being resiliently connected each proximate one respective end thereof, such that said elongate portions are resiliently biased towards one another and can grip a portion of fabric or the like therebetween, said first element being provided with a mounting member for said corsage, said mounting member projecting from said first element and having a surface for receiving said corsage laterally spaced from said first element, and means for attaching a floral decoration to said surface.

2. A corsage fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second elements comprise a unitary, substantially "U" shaped member with the free ends of the "U" shaped member being biased together by the resilience of the material constituting said member.

3. A corsage fixing device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second elements are pivotally connected to one another with the elongate portions being biased towards each other by a resilient biasing member.

4. A corsage fixing device according to any preceding claim, wherein the mounting member comprises an elongate bar arranged to extend generally alongside said elements.

5. A corsage fixing device according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the mounting member is in the form of a projection of generally uniform thickness.

6. A corsage fixing device according to any preceding claim, wherein the mounting member has a substantially planar outermost surface.

7. A corsage fixing device according to any preceding claim, wherein the mounting member is rotatable relative to the first element.

8. A corsage fixing device according to any preceding claim, wherein the means for attaching the floral decoration comprise apertures provided through the projecting member.

9. A corsage fixing device according to any preceding claim, which is substantially wholly of plastics material.

10. A corsage fixing device according to any of claims 1 to 8, which has an external surface comprising precious metal.