Year: 1899

page_text: I, EDWARD NAPOLEON LAVEINE, Gentleman, residing at No. 1222, McGee Street,
in the City of Kansas City, County of Jackson, State of Missouri, U.S.A., 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 follow-
ing statement:-
My invention relates to improvements in spring clamps; and it consists of the
novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter shown,
described and claimed.
Figure 1 is a plan view of the preferred form of my improved spring clamp.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of this form of
the clamp. Fig. 4 is a modified form of the spring clamp. Fig 5 is a side
elevation of this modification Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken approxi-
mately on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a plan view of a second modification
of the spring clamp. Fig. 8 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 9 is a plan view
of the lower one of the clamping jaws of this second modification Fig. 10 is an
end elevation of the second modification. Fig. 11 shows the second modification
applied as a cuff holder.
Referring to the preferred form of the device shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3,
and which is technically known as a garment supporter, 1 indicates the lower
jaw which is in the form of a flat plate having a wide end, which end is rolled
into a transversely extending head 2 from which projects upwardly a plurality
of pins 3, and the rear end of this plate 1 is turned at right angles upwardly
and provided with a notch or depression 4. A pair of ears 5 project upwardly from
the sides of the narrow center of the plate 1, and occupying a position immediately
above the plate is the upper jaw 6, which is in plan view a counterpart of the
jaw or plate 1, said jaw 6 being provided with a widened forward end which
has a bead 7 formed on its under side, in which bead is formed a plurality of
apertures for the reception of the pins 3. Integral with the sides of the jaws 6
are the downwardly projecting ears 8 which lie directly against the ears 5, and
a rod 9 pivotally connects said ears, upon which rod is arranged a torsionally
bent coil-spring 10, the same being for the purpose of holding the forward ends
of the jaws together. Adjacent the side edges of the jaw 6 is formed a plurality
of apertures 9" by means of which the device is sewed to a garment, and the
rear end of the jaw 6 is bent upwardly and over to form the hook 10, and pro-
jecting downwardly from the end of said hook onto the jaw 6 is a prong 11.
In the modification shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the spring clamp is shown as
a rubber dam clamp for dentists' use, and in this modification the lower plate 12
is oval in plan view and provided adjacent its left-hand end with a transversely
arranged upwardly extending rib 13, from which projects upwardly a plurality
of pins 14, and in the opposite end of said plate 12 is formed a plurality of trans-
verse slots 15. Projecting upwardly from the sides of the plate 12 is a pair of
ears 16 and positioned immediately above the left-hand portion of the oval
plate 12 is the upper plate or jaw 17, the same being of the same shape but not

page_text: as long as the plate 12, and said upper plate or jaw 17 is provided with a pair
of downwardly pending ears 18 which lie adjacent the ears 16, and a rod 19 passes
through said pairs of ears to pivotally connect the same, there being a coil-spring
located upon this rod 19 similar to the coil-spring 10 previously described.
Formed in the left-hand end of the plate or jaw 17 is the transverse rib or
depression 21, which is provided with a series of apertures 22 which are for the
reception of the pins 14, and the top of this plate or jaw 17 may be ornamented,
as desired.
In the modification shown in Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, the lower jaw of the
plate 23 is elongated and its rear end -is bifurcated, as indicated by 24, the
portions of which bifurcated end are bent or curved downwardly in the form
of a saddle, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 10, and fixed to each of said portions is
an upwardly projecting button 25. In some instances, this bifurcated rear end
may be dispensed with and the lower jaw or plate extended rearwardly a slight
distance, and it may be provided with a single button as shown by dotted lines
in Fig. 7. The forward end of the lower jaw or plate 23 is curved laterally as
indicated by 26, and the extreme end of said laterally curved, portion. is. provided
with the upwardly bent rib 27 which carries a plurality of pins 28, and formed
integral with and projecting upwardly from the jaw or plate 23 is a pair of
ears, 29. J
Arranged immediately above the left-hand end of the plate or jaw 23 is the
plate or jaw. 30, the same being similar in contour to the left-hand end of the
jaw or plate 23, and the end of the laterally bent portion of this jaw or plate 30
is provided with the downwardly bent rib 31 which is provided with a plurality
of apertures for the reception of the pins 28. Ears 32 project downwardly from
the sides of the jaw or plate 30, there being a pin 33 passing through said ears
to pivotally connect the same and a coil-spring is located upon said pin as in the
constructions previously described. The rear end of the plate or jaw 30 is bent
downwardly a slight distance and a depression 34 is formed in the jaw or plate 23
to accommodate this downwardly bent end when the rear end of said jaw or
plate 30 is depressed to elevate the forward end thereof from the forward end of
the jaw or plate 23.
When the preferred form of my improved clamp is in use, it is positioned upon
a garment by either sewing the jaw or plate 6 to said garment, or by engaging
the hook 10 over the edge of the portion of the garment aud when this is done
the prong 11 will assist in retaining the device in position. To open the jaws
to engage another portion of the garment or of a different garment, the rear end
of the hook 10 and jaw or plate 6 are depressed by a slight pressure of the thumb
and finger and in so doing, the ribs 2 and 7 formed on the ends of the plates 1
and 6 will be spread apart and the garment can be clamped between the portions
of the jaws that carry the pins.
The operation of the modification shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, which is a rubber
dam clamp, is obvious, it only being necessary to depress the rear end of the
jaw or plate 17 to elevate the forward end thereof from the forward end of the
jaw or plate 12, and a portion of the rubber dam may be readily clamped between
the ribs 13 and 21 and the pins carried by said rib 13.
In the construction shown in Figs. 7 to 11, inclusive, the device is engaged
upon a cuff by passing the buttons 25 through the button-holes at one end of
said cuff and if said cuff is a link cuff, such as is commonly worn, the device
will, owing to the saddle-shape of the bifurcated end of the lower jaw or plate 23,
adjust itself to the meeting ends of the cuff and said cuff will be held in a natural
and convenient position. To engage the shirt sleeve with this form of the device,
it is only necessary to depress the rear end of the jaw or plate 30, which movement
necessarily separates the ribs 27 and 31. Where an overlapping cuff is held
with my improved device, the plate or jaw 23 having a single button on its rear
end as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 7, is made use of and this single button
is passed through the coinciding button-holes at one end of the cuff.

page_text: It will be noted that the lower or main jaws of my improved spring clamps
are each provided with the row of pins and the upper jaws are so constructed,
that is with the ribs 7 and 31 and depression 14, as that a seat is formed for said
pins, and by providing the jaws or spring clamps of my improved construction
with pins, the parts of a garment or other article that is engaged by said jaws,
are very securely held.
A device of my improved construction possesses superior advantages in point
of simplicity, durability and general efficiency, and is very easily and quickly
adjusted and may be used in a variety of ways.
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. A spring clamp constructed with a lower jaw, an upper jaw pivoted to said
lower jaw, ribs integral with and projecting from said jaws, which ribs engage
against each other, a plurality of pins carried by one of said ribs, and there being
a plurality of apertures formed in the opposite rib for the reception of said pins,
substantially as specified.
2. A spring clamp constructed with a lower jaw, in which lower jaw is formed
a plurality of transverse slots, an upper jaw hinged to said first mentioned jaw,
which jaws are provided with oppositely arranged ribs, the lower one of which
ribs carries a plurality of pins, the opposite rib being provided with a plurality
of apertures for the reception of said pins, substantially as specified.
3. A spring clamp, constructed with a lower jaw, a rib integral with the lower
end of said lower jaw, pins projecting upwardly from said rib, the rear end of
which lower jaw is bent upwardly and provided with a recess, a jaw hinged on
top of the first mentioned jaw, a jaw integral with the under side of the forward
end of said second mentioned jaw, in which rib is formed a plurality of apertures
for the reception of the pins, a hook formed integral with the rear end of said
second mentioned jaw, and a prong projecting inwardly from said hook, sub-
stantially as specified.
4. In a device of the class described, a lower jaw having a laterally bent forward
end, a rib formed integral with said laterally bent end, pins projecting upwardly
from said rib, the rear end of said lower jaw or plate being bifurcated, the por-
tions of which bifurcated rear end are bent into the form of a saddle and pro-
vided with upwardly projecting buttons, a second plate hinged to the first men-
tioned plate, which second mentioned plate is provided with a laterally bent for-
ward end, a rib integral with said laterally bent end, in which rib is formed a
plurality of apertures for the reception of pins, substantially as specified.
Dated the 8th day of September 1899.
HIGDON & LONGAN,
Agents for Applicant.