Improvements in Spring Clasps for Holding Letters, Papers, and other Articles.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application. 26th Mar., 1889.
Complete Specification Left, 27th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 1st Feb., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Spring Clasps for Holding Letters, Papers, and
other Articles.
I LOUIS STEINBERGER of 170 and 172 Centre Street, New York City, County and
State of New York United States of America, Artist Inventor, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists in a clasp made of a piece of spring wire bent and crossed
upon itself to form opening and closing frames and adapted to be used for holding
letters or loose papers in the pocket or elsewhere, for carrying attached single or
double tablets with or without memorandum books, for holding books open while
being read or used, and for various other purposes.
The clasp is made of a single piece of spring wire which is endless and bent so as
to form two rectangular frames, the wire being crossed in a free manner in reverse
directions on any of the adjacent sides of the frames to form what may be termed a
running hinge upon which the frame works in opening and closing. Constructed as
described, the two frames constitute a spring clasp that may be opened on or from
any or most of its marginal sides, the double crossing portions of the wire sliding or
adjusting themselves to the marginal side opposite to that at which the force is
applied to open the clasp. In all cases the crossing portions of the wire will be
opposite to the opening and closing margin of the clasp, and will form what may be
termed a self-adjusting hinge to the spring clasp.
Instead of the wire crossing in double or reverse directions it may cross once or
in a single direction from the end of the one frame to the opposite end of the other
frame, the terminal portions of the wire being formed into eye-loops for connection
with the opposite ends of the frames.
L. STEINBERGER.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.
COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Spring Clasps for Holding Letters, Papers, and
other Articles.
I, LOUIS STEINBERGER of 170 and 172 Centre Street, New York, City, County
and State of New York, United States of America, Artist Inventor, 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:
This Invention consists in a clasp made of a piece of spring wire bent and crossed
upon itself to form open and closing frames and adapted to be used for holding
letters or loose papers, in the pocket or elsewhere, for carrying attached single or
double tablets with or without memorandum books, for holding books open while
being read or used, and for various other purposes.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
specification, in which figure 1 represents a perspective view of a spring clasp of my
invention; figures 2 and 3 perspective views of the same as applied under different
positions for holding loose papers; and figure 4 a further perspective view of said
clasp as applied to holding a memorandum tablet or book. Figure 5 is a perspective
view, shewing a modified construction of the clasp; and figure 6 a perspective view

page_text: of the same as applied to holding a series of loose papers. Similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
Referring to figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, of the drawing the clasp there shewn is made
of a single piece of spring wire b of round or any other suitable shape in cross-
section. This wire which is endless or closed at its ends, is bent to virtually form two
rectangular frames A, B, and is crossed in a free or loose manner in reverse
directions on any of the adjacent sides of the two frames, as at c, to form what may
be termed a running hinge that the frames in opening and closing work upon. The
one A of the frames may be made wider than the other one B to facilitate opening the
clasp with the fingers from beneath or one side. Constructed as described, the two
frames A, B, constitute a spring clasp that may be opened on or from any or most
of its marginal sides, the double crossing portions of the wire sliding or adjusting
themselves to the marginal side opposite to that at which the force is applied to open
the clasp. Thus, as shewn in figures 1, 2, and 4, the clasp, which is represented as of
oblong form but might be of square or other shape, has the crossing portions of its
wire situated on one of its longest sides to hold, in direction of the length of the
clasp and within it, a series of loose papers d or attached tablet or memorandum
book e, as shewn in figures 2 and 4, or whatever other article or articles the clasp is
designed to hold. In figure 3 the clasp is represented as having been adjusted to
bring the crossing portion of its wire at one end of it, which provides for the clasp
occupying a position at right angles to that shewn in figures 2 and 4, to hold the
papers or articles d within it. In either and all cases however the crossing portions
of the wire will be opposite to the opening and closing margin of the clasp
and will form what may be termed a self-adjusting hinge to the spring clasp.
Figures 5 and 6 shew a modified construction of the clasp that may be made,
like the one herein before described, of a single piece of spring wire bent to form two
rectangular frames A, B, to hold the loose papers d or other articles within them,
but, in this modification, instead of the wire crossing in double or reverse directions
it only crosses once or in a single direction from the end of the one frame to the
opposite end of the other frame and the terminal portions of the wire form eye-
loops ƒ to, or are otherwise suitably connected with, the opposite ends of the frames..
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A clasp, for loose papers and other materials or articles, constructed of an
endless piece of spring wire bent to form opening and closing clasping frames and
crossed in a free or loose manner in reverse directions upon any of the adjacent
marginal portions of said frames and forming a running hinge adapted to change
its position to different sides or. marginal portions of the frames, essentially as
described.
2. An expansible clasp, consisting of two parallel frames connected at one end
only and movable towards and from each other, the clasp being open at its other
marginal sides and end to receive and clasp a book or other article, substantially as
set forth.
3. An expansible clasp, consisting of two parallel frames connected at one end by
a diagonal arm extending from opposite corners thereof, the clasp being open at its
opposite end and at both sides, substantially as set forth.
4. An expansible clasp, consisting of two parallel frames and two crossed arms
connecting opposite corners of the said frames at one end of the clasp only whereby
the opposite end of the clasp and its opposite sides will be unobstructed to allow of
the insertion of a book or other article, substantially as set forth.
5. An expansible clasp, consisting of two parallel frames formed of a single wire
crossed from opposite corners of the frame at one end of the clasp, the sides and
opposite end of the clasp being adapted to receive a book or other article, essentially
as specified.

page_text: 6. A clasp, consisting of two parallel frames formed of a single piece of wire
crossed at one end of the clasp only to opposite corners of the two frames one frame
being smaller than the other, substantially as described.
Dated December 27th 1889.
L. STEINBERGER.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.
L. STEINBERGER.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.