Patent Abstract:
A unitary clothespin or multipurpose clamp molded from a resilient plastic material having a hair-pin like configuration comprising a loop for permitting suspension, the loop terminating in a pair of confronting gripping jaws, the jaws being releasably, and pivotally interconnected and being movable between a closed, gripping position in contact with each other and an open, nongripping position not in contact with each other upon the application or. release of a squeezing compressive force upon the loop.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to molded plastic articles such as clothespins for suspending laundry from such as a clothesline, or multipurpose clamps such as bag clips, hobby clamps or ice tongs. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Wooden clothespins of the unitary simple split type and of the double jaw, spring-loaded type are well known. 
     However, the wood in both types is subject to rot and deterioration and the springs of the springloaded type are subject to rust and easy breakage, twist and disassemble and pinch the user. 
     Molded plastic clothespins and clamps are also available. 
     However, most are expensive or complicated in their construction and unreliable in their use and, when used as clothespins, allow the articles which they are intended to hold suspended from such as a clothesline to fall to the ground or floor. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a simple, inexpensive reliable, unitary, clothespin or multipurpose clamp which may be molded as an integral unit fabricated from a resilient plastic. 
     Another object is to provide such a clothespin or multipurpose clamp having a hairpin like configuration to include a loop allowing its suspension from a line or the like and a pair of pivotally related jaws which may be moved between a gripping,confronting position wherein the jaws are in contact with one another and an open position wherein the jaws are separated by the application or release of a squeezing pressure on the loop. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the Clothespin or multipurpose clamp of the invention in an opened, or non-use position; 
     FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the Clothespin or multipurpose clamp of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the Clothespin or multipurpose clamp of the invention in a closed, or use position; 
     FIG. 4 abottom plan view of the Clothespin or multipurpose clamp of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 5 aside elevational view of the Clothespin or multipurpose clamp of FIG. 1, the opposite side being a mirror image; 
     FIG. 6 is an end elevational view as seen from the top of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 7 is an end elevational view as seen from the bottom of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 8 is an end elevational view as seen from the top of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 9 is an end elevational view as seen from the bottom of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view taken on line  10 — 10  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view taken on line  11 — 11  of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 12 is a cross sectional view taken on line  12 — 12  of FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 13 is a broken top plan view of the Clothespin or multipurpose clamp of the invention laid flat to illustrate its inner planar face; 
     FIG. 14 is a top plan view of the Clothespin or multipurpose clamp of the invention in a closed, or use position, with the lower jaws spread apart and ready to accept clothes to be hung; and 
     FIG. 15 is a bottom plan view of the Clothespin or multipurpose clamp of FIG.  14 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A clothespin, or multipurpose clamp embodying the invention, generally indicated by the numeral  10 , is fabricated from a resilient plastic material such as high impact polystyrene or the like. 
     As shown in FIG. 13, clothespin or multipurpose clamp  10  is molded to provide an elongated, substantially rectangular integral unit having a substantially flat, outer face  12  and an inner face  14  which has a flat, central main body portion  15 , a first raised portion  16  extending inwardly from one of its free ends and communicating with one end of main body portion  15 , and a second raised portion  18  extending inwardly from its opposite free end and communicating with the opposite end of main body portion  15 . 
     First raised portion  16  includes, adjacent its outer end, a pair of spaced, parallel rounded projections  20  and  22  which extend across inner face  14  and are separated by a rounded depression  24 . 
     First raised portion  16  also includes, adjacent its inner end and one end of main body portion  15 , a combination locking/pivot member  26  having an annular crowned head  28  which extends across approximately one-half the width of inner face  14  and has an integral locking/pivot pin  30  disposed centrally thereof. 
     Locking/pivot pin  30  extends from a flat inner face  31  of crowned head  28  across inner face  14  of the clothespin and is split for a portion of its length as at  32  for purposes to appear. 
     A semi-circular depression  34  is provided in raised portion  16  immediately below locking/pivot pin  30 , also for purposes to appear. 
     Second raised portion  18  includes adjacent its outer end, a series of spaced, parallel, alternating rounded projections  36  and  38  and rounded depressions  40  and  42  which extend across inner face  14 . 
     Second raised portion also includes, adjacent its inner end, and the opposite end of main body portion  14 , an annular hub  44  which extends across approximately one-half the width of inner face  14 . 
     Hub  44  has a flat inner face  45  and is provided with a central through bore  46  of a diameter complemental to the outer diameter of locking/pivot pin  30  on locking/pivot member  26  of first raised portion  16 . 
     A semi-circular depression  47  is provided in raised portion  18  immediately adjacent hub  44 , also for purposes to appear. 
     In use, the opposite free ends of the clothespin or multipurpose clamp are grasped and raised portions  16  and  18  thereof are brought into a confronting, face-to-face relation, with main body portion  15  now having a curved configuration to form a loop  17  wherein the clothespin or multipurpose clamp assumes a hair-pin like or inverted U-shape as shown in FIGS. 1-4, and FIGS. 14 and 15. 
     At this time, the clothespin or multipurpose clamp now may be suspended from a clothesline C, or the like, with inner face  14  of main body portion  15  and loop  17  resting on the clothesline. 
     Raised portions  16  and  18  now may be inter-engaged, by being moved from the positions of FIGS. 1 and 2 to the positions of FIGS. 3,  4 ,  14  and  15 . 
     Body portions  16  and  18  are interengaged by deflecting raised portion  18  to a position behind raised portion  16 , exerting an inward pressure on outer face  12  in the direction of the arrows a so as to bring locking/pivot pin  30  of locking/pivot member  26  into alignment with through bore  46  of hub  44  and pressing with the fingers on the outer surfaces of crowned head  28  of raised portion  16  and hub  44  of raised portion  18  to snap locking/pivot pin  26  into through bore  46 , with split  32  in pin  26  permitting compression of the pin for easy passage through the bore. 
     Body portions  16  and  18  may be separated by simply reversing the above noted procedure. 
     In the closed configuration of FIGS. 3 and 4, hub  44  is disposed in semi-circular depression  34  of raised portion  16 , annular crowned head  28  is disposed in semi-circular depression  47  of raised portion  18 , and the flat inner faces  31  and  45  of crowned head  28  and hub  44  respectively are resting against each other as shown in FIG. 12, with raised portions  16  and  18  now forming confronting faces of a pair of pivotally interrelated jaws  48  and  50  for firmly gripping miscellaneous items. 
     In the closed configuration of FIGS. 3 and 4, rounded projections  20  and  22  of raised portion  16  of jaw  48  are pressing firmly against the inner face of raised portion  18  of jaw  50  with rounded projection  20  being disposed immediately above rounded projection  36  of portion  18 , and with rounded projection  22  pressing into rounded depression  42  of raised portion  18 . 
     With the clothespin or multipurpose clamp in the closed position of FIGS. 3 and 4, the lower ends of jaws  48  and  50  may be opened or spread apart as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 by applying a squeezing pressure to outer face  12  at pressure points b and c immediately above raised portions  16  and  18  respectively of the jaws to deflect loop  17  inwardly causing the lower ends of the jaws to move outwardly as the raised portions  16  and  18  pivot relative to each other relative to locking/pivot pin  30 . 
     When such squeezing pressure is released, the jaws return automatically to their closed, confronting positions.

Technology Classification (CPC): 3