Improvements in Clasps.
Year: 1894

page_text: ate of Application, 5th Nov., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Aug., 1895-Accepted, 7th Sept., 1895
Improvements in Clasps.
I, RUSSELL TAMERLANE JOY, of 1714, Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, in the County
of Pierce and State of Washington, United States of America, General Manager,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide a new and improved device for clasping
one or more thicknesses of a carriage rug or other article, such as towels, bed-
clothes, etc., for the purpose of holding the same in any required position, either as
a detached clasp for uniting the otherwise free edges of the said rug or article or
as a means of attachment from the end of a flexible connection to a fixed point or
from said connection provided with means for securing its other end.
The improved clasp is provided with a pair of jaws adapted to clasp the fabric
between them and formed or secured on a pair of arms united with each other by
a pivot, the said arms being formed with rearward extensions made of spring metal
and adapted to be locked together so as to securely hoid the jaws in a closed
position by the spring pressure of the armn extensions. The rear end of the one
extension is formed with a hook adapted to be hooked over the other extension to
securely lock the two arms together, to firmly hold the two jaws closed with the
fabric between the jaws. The other extension is also provided at its rear end with
loop having a flexible connection with a screw-eye secured to a fixed part of the
carriage, bedstead, or other device on which the improvement is applied.
at
The jaws may be of various shapes, for example they may be made in the form
of corrugated cups arranged in such a manner that the opposing corrugated edges
overlap one another so as to firmly clasp the material placed between the jaws.
Or the jaws may be formed by coiling the ends of the arins to form discs between
which the material is clasped, the spirals formed being sufficiently elastic to
securely hold the fabric in place at the time the arm extensions are pressed and
locked together. Or the jaws may be formed on the ends of the arms, one being
bent longitudinally and the other transversely, so that the jaws overlap one another
to securely hold the fabric between them.
The locking device for the arm extensions may also be varied, for instance the
one extension arm may he provided with a loop for attachment to the flexible
connection before referred to, the loop being formed into a hook adapted to hook
over the other extension. Or the one extension is provided with a loop for
engaging the flexible connection terminating in a hook adapted to engage a
transversely extending lug formed on the other extension.
The detailed construction of the clasp may. be greatly varied without materially
altering the principle of the invention which consists in clasping the fabric between
the interlocking jaws held on arms with spring extensions to securely press the
jaws towards each other to firmly clamp the fabric in place between the jaws. The
flexible connection between the fixed screw-eye and the clasp proper allows a
sufficient yielding of the carriage robe or rug to accommodate the movements of
the occupant's body at the same time holding the robe sufficiently tight and
smoothly spread over the person so as to require no attention whatever from the
occupant.
Dated this 5th day of Namamshor 1901
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.

page_text: Improvements in Clasps.
I RUSSELL TAMERLANE JOY, Real Estate Broker, of South Orange in the
County of Essex and State of New Jersey, and formerly of Tacoma in the County
of Pierce and State of Washington, United States of America do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
My invention relates to improvements in bed clothes holders, and it has for its
object to so construct the holder that the gripping jaws will not injure the most
delicate quilt, or other bed covering that may be placed between them, and further-
more to provide a means whereby even when the clothes between the gripping jaws
are very thick the jaws may be clamped upon the clothes in an exceedingly
expeditious and convenient manner, and whereby the locking device will lock the
jaws at various distances apart or substantially close together as occasion may
demand.
The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several
parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
Specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts
in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the head portion of the bedstead, illustrating
the application thereto of the bed clothes holder;
Figure 2 is a plan view of the holder in an open position ;
Figure 3 is an edge view of the holder;
Figure 4 is an enlarged side elevation of the upper portion of the holder in locked
position; and
Figure 5 is a side elevation of the upper portion of a holder, showing a slight
difference in the construction of the locking device.
In carrying out the invention the holder proper consists of two arms or
members A and A', which are pivoted together and are provided at one of their
ends with gripping jaws B. Preferably the arms are bowed in opposite directions
at each side of their pivot, but most decidedly at the portion carrying the gripping
jaws, while the arms are preferably longer at the other side of the pivot. The
gripping jaws B consist of a series of leaves 10 arranged at predetermined intervals
apart and having an inward curve, the said leaves being wider at their ends, and
preferably their sides are more or less concave as are also their inner faces. Any
desired number of leaves may be used in the construction of a gripping jaw;
ordinarily, however, the jaw is of a trefoil character, as shown, in the drawings.
The leaves curve from their attachment to the arms in an inward direction, and
their edges are made smooth and rounded or cylindrical in order that they shall not
injure the clothes.
The two jaws are so arranged that the leaves of one jaw will be opposite the
space intervening the leaves of the opposing jaw, as shown in Figure 3, thus when
these jaws are brought together they will effectually clamp or hold the material
that is placed between them, and that without injury to the most delicate fabric.
The armn A at what may be termed the handle end, is provided with a block 11,
plate or lateral extension, which is located upon the inner surface of the arm,
preferably at substantially a right angle thereto. This block or plate may
constitute an integral portion of the arm, or may be attached thereto.
In the upper or front face of the plate a transverse recess 13 is made, and upon
the bottom wall of said recess a series of ratchet teeth 12 is formed, inclined in
d.rection of the arm. A latch 14 is pivoted upon the upper face of the ratchet

page_text: plate 11, and one end, terminating in an eye 15, extends beyond the outer edge of
the plate, while the opposite end is provided with a finger 16, adapted to extend
across the ratchet teeth when the latch is straightened upon the ratchet plate.
An elastic band 17, preferably an endless one, is passed through the eye 15 of
the latch and likewise through the head of a screw-ere 18 when the holder is to be
attached to a wooden head board, the screw being entered into the post of the
board. The handle end of the arm A is carried inward toward the ratchet plate,.
forming a lateral extension 19, which may be flattened as illustrated, and the said
extension terminates in a pawl 20, adapted for engagement with the ratchet
teeth 12, the recess 13 serving as a guide for the pawl and a receiver for the
extension 19.
When the bedstead is made of metal, as shown in Figure 1, a cord 21 is.
substituted for the screw-eye, being provided with a ring 22 at one end, and with.
a snap or hook 23 at the opposite end, whereby the cord may be passed around and
fastened upon the post of the bed.
In the operation of the device the arms A. and A' are separated, thus separating
the jaws B. The clothes having been gripped between the jaws the finger 16
of the latch is removed from over the ratchet, and the arms are then drawn
together, the pawl engaging with the ratchet along which it is slid until the
necessary tension is obtained upon the jaws. The ratchet and pawl are now
locked together by straightening the latch, which will carry the finger 16 over
the extension 19 connected with the pawl. In fact, the holding position of the,
jaws, together with the tension of the latch, hold the latter in locking position.
The gripping jaws instead of being made of plate metal or solid as shown in the
drawings, may be of the same material as the jaws, which are usually constructed
of stout wire; as for example as shown in Figure 5, the handle A¹ may be bent
upon itself to form a substantially vertical loop 26, and at the top of the loop an
eye 27, a space 28 intervening the eye and the straight portion of the handle, so.
that the pawl of the extension arm 19 may be made to enter the eye, producing
one adjustment of the jaws, or enter the space 28 to provide for a second
adjustment, or engage with the handle A', to make a third and final adjustment.
By providing the holder with a ratchet and pawl as a tying device it is evident
that a person possessed of but little strength may force the pawl over the ratchet
until the clothes are gripped, and when the arms are released they will be locked
together, and if the gripping power of the jaws is not then sufficient the pawl.
may be pressed further over the ratchet without inconvenience.
It is evident that while the device is primarily adapted for holding bedclothes.
on a bed, it may likewise be adapted as a towel holder, or for kindred purposes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what.
I claim is:
1. In a bed clothes holder or like device, the combination, with a pair of pivoted
arms, of gripping jaws attached to the said arms at one of their ends, the said jaws.
comprising a series of leaves, the leaves or members of one jaw being placed
opposite the space between the leaves or members of the opposing jaw, substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
2. In a bed clothes holder or similar device, the combination, with a pair of
pivoted arms provided with gripping jaws at one of their ends, of a pawl and ratchet
locking device located at the ends of the said arms, the ratchet being a portion of
one arm and the pawl a portion of the opposing arm, as and for the purpose
specified.
3. In a bed clothes holder or similar device, the combination, with a pair of
pivoted arms provided with gripping jaws at one of their ends, of a ratchet plate
secured to one arın, the ratchet teeth being depressed, a pawl secured to the
opposing arm, adapted for engagement with the ratchet, and a gravity latch.
adapted to extend over the pawl and ratchet, as and for the purpose specified.

page_text: 4. In a bed clothes holder or like device, the combination, with a pair of
pivoted arms provided with gripping jaws at one of their ends, the said jaws con-
sisting of a series of leaves inwardly curved and spaced a predetermined distance
apart, the leaves of one jaw being arranged opposite the space intervening the
leaves of the opposing jaw, a ratchet formed upon one of the said arms, and a pawl
formed upon the opposing arm, both the ratchet and pawl being directed to the
space intervening the said arms, as and for the purpose set forth.
5. In a bed clothes holder or like device, the combination, with a pair of
pivoted arms provided with gripping jaws at one of their ends, a ratchet and pawl
locking device at their opposite ends, and a gravity latch confining the pawl to the
ratchet, of an elastic band connected with the said latch, and fastening devices,
substantially as described, carried by the said band, as and for the purpose
set forth.
6. In a bed clothes holder or like device, the combination of a pair of pivoted
arms, one of which is provided at one end with an eye spaced from the handle or
body of the arm, and the other arm with a hook or pawl adapted to engage either
the eye or the handle of the other arm, substantially as described.
7. In a bed clothes holder or like device, the combination of a pair of pivoted
arms, one of which has one end of its haudle portion bent upon itself to form a
vertical loop, and provided at one end with an eye spaced from the handle or body
of the arm, and the other arm with a hook or pawl adapted to engage either the
eye, or the handle of the other arm, substantially as described.
Dated this 2nd day of August 1895.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents..