Abstract:
An adjustable grip clasping device which comprises a post and a catch that clasps the post to hold an entry door open or a cabinet door closed. The catch may be mounted on a door and the post mounted in a door frame or wall baseboard, or the positions reversed. The catch utilizes a clamshell-like clasping mechanism to grip the post, and includes provision for a manual adjustment of the strength of the catch grip to suit an acceptable pull strength for release of the post from the catch. The device is inexpensive to produce, and readily adaptable for a broad range of clasping applications that include temporarily holding and securing light weight objects.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to clasping devices and more particularly, to devices for removably clasping a door or a panel in an open or closed position. 
     2. Background 
     There presently exist a number of different devices for holding an entry door open or temporarily holding a cabinet door closed. Some of these devices utilize a magnetic catch for placement on a door which engages a post or plate that is attached to a wall or door frame. Others use forms of mechanical clasping elements as a catch to clasp a member that is attached to an opposing surface. 
     None of these devices are known to include a capability of easy manual adjustment of the grasping pressure or force applied by a catch to a post. A need for this adjustment capability presently exists for all entry door and cabinet door applications that involve safety considerations, particularly where small children may have access to the doors. Further, many of the currently available devices are highly specialized for use with doors and can not be readily adapted for other temporary grasping needs. This limits their use to few applications. 
     There is therefore a need for a simple clasping device that incorporates an adjustable grip, for use in temporarily holding entry and cabinet doors open or closed. It would also be helpful if such a device was relatively universal in its applications, compared with presently available clasping devices. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is an adjustable grip, clasping device that may be used for a number of different applications. A preferred embodiment of the invention device is described as being applied for holding an entry door open or holding a cabinet door closed. The device comprises two separate elements; a catch that may be attached to a door and a post that may be mounted in a door frame or to a wall baseboard. The catch and post positions may be reversed, depending on the application. The catch utilizes a clamshell-like clasping mechanism to grip the post, and includes provision for manual adjustment of the catch grip strength to suit an acceptable pull strength to release the post from the catch. The device is adaptable for a broad number of applications and is inexpensive to produce. 
     Accordingly, it is a prime object of the present invention to provide an adjustable grip, clasping device for holding entry doors open or cabinet doors closed. 
     Another object of this invention is to provide a clasping device that may be readily adapted to various applications other than doors. 
     A prime advantage of this device over competing door holding devices is its easy manual adjustment of the catch grip on a mating post. 
    
    
     Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from studying the following portion of the specification, the claims and the attached drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention clasping device, particularly showing a catch installed on a door and ready to clasp the end of a post that is installed opposite on a wall; 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of an assembled catch, according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a top end view of the assembled catch, particularly showing the central end opening into the catch and the head of a fastening screw; 
     FIG. 4 is an elevation view of a post according to the present invention, particularly showing an attached wood screw to be used for fastening the post to a wood surface material; 
     FIG. 5 is an elevation view of an alternate post according to the present invention, particularly showing an axial threaded hole in one end for use with a machine screw fastener for fastening the post to a given surface; 
     FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the catch; 
     FIG. 7 is a side elevation view and bottom plan view of the catch base member; and 
     FIG. 8 is a side elevation view and end view of a spherical knob which is a second alternate post according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The invention is an adjustable grip, clasping device which may be typically applied to holding an entrance door open or keeping a cabinet door closed, including also many other applications. 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the preferred embodiment of the device comprises two elements: a receiver catch  1  and a post  2 , with both elements designed to engage the other. Either the catch  1  or post  2  may be mounted on a door and the other element mounted opposite on a wall or other opposing surface. In use, as the door is fully opened, the knob  4  at the end of the post  2  penetrates the end opening of the catch  1 , until the knob  4  is enclosed and grasped by an internal circular ridge in the end opening of the catch  1 . 
     Installation of the invention device is easier than for currently available door holding devices. This is because the catch  1  and post  2  do not need to be exactly aligned. The knob  4  end of the post and the flexible opening of the catch  1  allows for minor degrees of misalignment. 
     The catch  1  comprises a base member  12 , a cylindrical, split collar  8  with grooves  7  cut in its circumference, a spring clasp  6  that fits around the collar  8  in a groove  7  and a fastening screw  17 . 
     The degree of gripping pressure applied by the catch  1  to the post  2  may be adjusted to be loose or tight as required. This is done by manually positioning the spring clasp  6  in a groove  7  which is located nearer to or further away from the catch  1  opening end. Positioning the spring clasp  6  in a groove  7  nearer to the catch opening, will bring the end of the two sections of the collar  8  closer together, exerting more pressure on the knob of the post  2  in a clamshell-like action. This adjustment capability is the most important attribute of the device, providing simple manual adjustment of the catch grasping pressure. Thus, if an entry door needed to be held firmly open to avoid being blown shut by a sudden wind, the catch spring clasp  6  would be adjusted to exert the maximum pressure before pushing the door in place. For normal use, the catch spring clasp  6  would be set for moderate or light applied pressure. 
     Another use could be the installation of the invention device on a cabinet door to secure the door from being opened by a young child. For this application, the device elements would be small in size and partly inset in a cabinet door and its opposing stop surface. Adjusting the catch spring clasp for maximum pressure will produce a device grip too strong for a young child to overcome, yet practical for an adult. 
     Refer now to FIGS. 2 and 3 which are respectively, a side elevation view of an assembled catch  1  and a top end view of the catch  1 , according to the present invention. 
     Two split collar  8  sections are mounted on the base member  12 , with their bottom portion engaging a concentric rim flange which is located on a stepped upper portion of the base member  12 . Several separate grooves  7  are cut in the periphery of the collar sections for adjusting the position of the spring clasp  6  on the collar  8 . 
     The split collar sections, when mounted and held together, create a cavity above the base member  12 , having an opening at the top end of the catch  1 . Because of the attached spring clasp  6 , the catch opening is flexible and able to be forced open sufficient to permit insertion of the knob  4  into the opening and internal cavity. 
     The collar mounting method also creates a longitudinal space or slot  10  between the matching ends of the collar  8  sections. This slot  10  and the collar base flange mounting, facilitate a clamshell-like movement of the collar  8 , which can be made to pivot around the base member flange at one end and close the slot  10  at the catch open end. The more the slot space is narrowed, the greater will be the applied grip of the collar opening on the side of an enclosed post knob  4 . 
     The spring clasp  6  performs two functions. These are holding the collar  8  sections to the base member  12 , and providing for an adjustment of the pressure applied by the collar opening ridge to any inserted post knob  4 . These functions may also be performed by any suitably sized radially expansible and contractable means such as a tightly wound annular spring. 
     The base member  12  includes provision for seating the head  16  of a fastening screw  17 . In the illustration of FIG. 2, the screw is a wood screw intended for fastening the catch to a wood door or wall surface. However, it could have instead been a machine screw and used with a nut to fasten the catch to a metal panel or door. 
     Refer now to FIGS. 4 and 5 which depict alternate embodiments of the invention post  2 . FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of a post  2  that could be used with a wooden door or wall base. The post  2  includes an attached, embedded screw  21  for fastening the post body  20  to an appropriate surface. The post body  20  may be made very short in length if necessary for its intended use. For entry door use, the body  20  would need to be long to allow clearance for an entry door knob. 
     FIG. 5 shows a post  2  that does not include an attached fastening screw. Instead, the post body  20  incorporates an axial threaded hole  22  in its end, providing for a machine screw fastening. 
     A post  2  of the configuration shown in FIG. 5 would probably be used primarily with metal doors or panels, although it could be used with wooden doors or panels that permit through holes for fasteners. 
     Refer now to FIG. 6 which is an exploded view of the catch  1 . The spring clasp  6  is in the form of a common steel split-ring with one helical turn. This is the simplest form of the radially expansible means needed to hold the two sections of the collar  8  together. As can be seen, the collar  8  sections have substantial stepped projecting portions that encircle both ends of the collar  8  inner surface  34  and outer surface  36 . The inner surface  34  becomes the wall of a cavity for enclosing a post knob  4 . The spring clasp  6  fits over the collar outer surface  36  and is manually adjusted to fit in one of the peripheral grooves  7  as needed. 
     The end stepped projections of the collar  8  sections define the collar opening  30  diameter at both ends, and includes a deep internal groove  32  encircling one end of the collar for mounting to the base member  12 . 
     The base member  12  is cylindrical in shape, having a lower portion  24 , a concentric, stepped upper portion  26  and a flange  28  that encircles the upper portion  26 . An axial through hole  14 , having a recessed entry in the top surface of the upper portion  26  is provided for a fastening screw  17 . 
     Refer now to FIG. 7 which shows a side elevation view and a bottom plan view of the base member  12 . The flange  28  is sized and positioned to fit and engage the circumferential groove  32  in the collar  8  sections when the two collar parts are placed on the base member. Thus, the two collar sections are retained by the flange  28  which also provides a pivot for the collar clamshell-like closing action. 
     In FIG. 7, a threaded fastening hole  29  is shown in the base member  12  rather than the through hole  14  shown in FIG.  6 . This axial threaded hole  29  for a machine screw, is included as illustrating an alternate fastening means for fastening the catch  1  to a wall or door. 
     Refer now to FIG.  8 . This shows an elevation view and an end view of a knob  5  that together with a fastening screw performs the functions of a post. A hole  42  having a recessed end  42  to receive a fastening screw, is cut through the center axis of the spherical knob  5 . This knob  5  only, alternate post configuration, would probably be used where it is desirable to have minimal projection of a post above its fastening surface. 
     The catch  1  and post  2  may be made small or relatively large in size, depending on their application. They can be made to fit in recesses in opposing panels, so that only a small amount of the device elements project from panel surfaces. In this manner, the invention clasping device can be useful for quick access, removable panel constructions. 
     There are additional and likely uses for the invention clasping device for which the device can be easily adapted. Some of these applications are: (a), for securing a tool such as a mop, rake or shovel; (b), for temporarily locating and securing a small hanging lamp fixture; and (c), for securing hanging floral baskets. All of these applications require that the secured items be occasionally removed for use or servicing and then replaced. The adjustable grip and easy take apart or replace attributes of the invention clasping device, are fully responsive to the requirements of the foregoing applications. 
     The device parts are fabricated from a rigid, hard material and may be machined or formed, according to the material selected. Due to the small number and simplicity of the device parts, their manufacture is seen as being economic in quantity and therefore, relatively inexpensive. 
     As illustrated and described, the invention device is simple to install and use, economical to produce and may be sized to suit a number of applications requiring temporary, removable attachment of one item to another, besides entry and cabinet door applications. 
     From the foregoing description, it is believed that the preferred embodiment achieves the objects of the present invention. Various modifications and changes may be made to the adjustable grip, clasping device described above which are apparent to those skilled in the art. These alternatives and modifications are considered to be within the scope of the appended claims and are embraced thereby.