Patent ID: 7152284

Claim:
A clip for sheet materials comprising: a clip member defining a hinge portion, first and second finger portions extending from the hinge portion, and a ratchet portion formed on at least one of the first and second finger portions, where the clip member is made of resilient material such that the clip member may be deformed from a normally open configuration into a closed position, and the first and second finger portions do not engage each other when the clip member is in the open configuration and the first and second finger portions engage each other when the clip member is in the closed position; and a collar member defining a latch portion, a lever portion, a latch opening, and a housing interior, where the collar member is made of resilient material such that applying a force to the lever portion causes the collar member to deform from a normally engaged configuration to a disengaged configuration, and the latch portion extends into the housing interior through the latch opening when the collar member is in the engaged configuration and is withdrawn from the housing interior through the latch opening when the collar member is in the disengaged configuration; whereby the clip member extends through the housing interior such that when the collar member is in a first position relative to the clip member, the clip member is in the open configuration; when the collar member is in a second position relative to the clip member, the collar member acts on the clip member to place the clip member in the closed configuration; and when the collar member is in the engaged configuration, the latch portion engages the ratchet portion to allow movement of the collar member towards the second position and inhibit movement of the collar member towards the first position, and when the collar member is in the disengaged configuration, the collar member may move between the first and second positions; and the first and second finger portions define first and second gripping portions, respectively; at least one of the first and second gripping portions defines a line notch adapted to receive an edge line of the sheet material; and at least one of the first and second gripping portions defines a line tooth; whereby the line tooth defines at least a portion of a line projection adapted to engage the edge line of the sheet material; the first and second gripping portions define first and second line notches, respectively; the first and second gripping portions define first and second line teeth, respectively; and the first and second line teeth define a line projection adapted to engage the edge line of the sheet material.