Improvements in Clips or Clamps for Suspending Articles in Shop Windows or on Clothes Lines, and for like purposes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 30th Apr.,
1898
[Communicated from abroad by CLARENCE LE GRAND WELLS, of 255, Eighth Street,
Troy, New York, United States of America, Accountant.]
Improvements in Clips or Clamps for Suspending Articles in Shop
Windows or on Clothes Lines, and for like purposes.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:-
Figure 1 of the drawings is a side elevation of the improved clamp hung upon a
supporting rod in position to support a window display.
Figure 2 is an edge view of the same in engagement with and supporting a hat.
Figure 3 is a side view of a modification.
The object of the invention is to produce a cheap, ornamental and effective clamp
adapted to support various articles in a store-window display; and adapted for
various other purposes.
The clamp is preferably formed from a single piece of wire doubled together at
its middle portion, and having the doubled strands of wire twisted together for a
short distance to form the supporting shank A.
The strands diverge from the lower end of the twisted shank, and are given one
or more spiral turns forming the spring-coils A, A. on opposite sides of, and below,
the twisted shank.
The end of each strand is then closely wound into the form of a helical coil A³,
the two coils thus formed being parallel with each other, and being yieldingly held
in engagement with each other by the resilient force of the spring-coils A¹, which
connect the respective helical coils with the twisted shank.
The helical coils form clamping jaws adapted to engage, and yieldingly hold, an
object of moderate thickness inserted between them.
In Fig. 2, I have shown a hat-brim inserted between the jaws, whereby the hat
is supported by the clamp.
The upper end of the shank may be bent to form a hook B adapted to engage a
suitable support, as the rod C which may be part of a window-display rack
When desired, the middle portion of the integral wire may be bent into the form
of a loop or eye A³ adapted to receive a handle A of wood or other suitable material.
After the handle is inserted in the loop, the strands of wire are twisted together to
tightly secure the wire upon the handle.
When thus provided with a handle, the clamp may be forced to embrace the
rod C itself and clamp thereon any thin pliable article, such as a handkerchief.
When the clamp is thus forced upon the rod, the latter occupies the space A³
between the helical clamping coils and the spring-coils, the spring-coils lving partly
above, and the helical coils partly below the rod.
When so used, its operation is similar to that of a clamp for securing clothes upon
clothes-line; and the improved clamp is well adapted for such purpose.

page_text: The extended engaging surfaces of the helical clamping coils prevents injury
to the clamped article.
One of the spring-coils is connected with one end of one coiled jaw, and the other
spring-coil with the diagonally opposite end of the other coiled jaw.
By such an arrangement, the pressure exerted by any two coacting loops in the
jaw-coils is approximately the same as that of any other coacting pair of loops, and
it is impossible for any one loop, or two coacting loops, to penetrate the clamped
material farther than the other loops in the jaws, thereby insuring uniformity of
clamping pressure throughout the length of the jaws.
By locating the spring-coils A directly above the respective jaw-coils, inter-
mediately of their ends, and in close proximity thereto, as shown, the spring-coils
serve to reenforce and support the jaw-coils by engagement therewith during the
clamping operation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:-
1.-A spring-wire clamp comprising a twisted-wire shank, a pair of parallel
helical clamping coils each having a plurality of connected loops, the loops of each
coil lying closely side by side and presenting an approximately continuous bearing
surface, and the loops of the respective coils arranged edge to edge, and a pair of
spring-coils between the clamping-coils and shank connected one to one end of
one clamping coil, and the other to the diagonally opposite end of the other clamping
coil, whereby the combined clamping force of each pair of coacting loops is the same
as that of each other pair in the coiled jaws, substantially as described.
2. In a clamp, the combination with a wire shank, and a pair of parallel helical
clamping coils each comprising a plurality of connected wire loops lying side by
side and presenting an approximately continuous cylindrical surface, the loops of
the respective coils being arranged edge to edge, of a pair of spring-coils connected
cach with one end of a clamping coil, the spring-coils being located directly above
and engagable with the respective clamping coils intermediately of their ends,
whereby the clamping coils are reenforced by the spring-coils in the clamping
operation, substantially as described.
Din 15th day of March 1808
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.