US3766613A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fabric and garment clip
Assignee: KUNREUTHER AND MERFELD
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Filing: 1972-10-02
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Granted: 1973-10-23
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Expires: 1992-10-02
Abstract
Abstract A clip for gripping and retaining a substantial range of thicknesses of fabrics and garments is provided, the clip being of unitary structure fabricated from a resiliently deformable material and comprising a generally U-shaped crosshead, a long leg extending horizontally from one side of the crosshead and a short leg extending from the other side of the crosshead angularly disposed toward the long leg with the legs and the crosshead being in a common plane, each of the legs being of irregular contour within the plane and having alternating divergent and convergent sections with respect to center lines passing through the legs. The irregular contours of said legs are preferably such as to dispose sections thereof adjacent the leg ends in parallel relation for linear engagement with opposed fabric surfaces when said legs have been flexed slightly apart, and the irregular contour of said legs further being such that, as the legs are flexed beyond said position to provide parallel leg sections in accommodating increased thicknesses of fabric, there will continuously be at least one point of fabric contact by one leg between at least two spaced points of fabric contact by the other leg until the fabric thickness exceeds the inner diameter of said crosshead.
Inventors
- 👤 K Merfeld
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 19:32
CPC Classifications
A; A44; A44B; A44B99/00; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T24/00; Y10T24/44; Y10T24/44641; Y10T24/44769; Y10T24/44906
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
150 words
A clip for retaining fabrics and garments therein, said clip comprising a unitary body of resiliently deformable material having a U-shaped crosshead, a long leg extending horizontally from one side of said crosshead, and, a short leg extending from the other side of said crosshead and angularly disposed toward said long leg, said legs and said crosshead being in a common plane, each of said legs being of irregular contour within said plane and having, starting from said crosshead, sections which are divergent, then convergent, and then divergent with respect to the center lines passing through said legs, and the angularly disposed leg having further convergent and then divergent sections in general alignment with the second divergent section of said long leg, such that fabrics and garments having thickness up to that about equal to the inner diameter of said crosshead can be gripped and retained between the legs thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
150 words
A clip for retaining fabrics and garments therein, said clip comprising a unitary body of resiliently deformable material having a U-shaped crosshead, a long leg extending horizontally from one side of said crosshead, and, a short leg extending from the other side of said crosshead and angularly disposed toward said long leg, said legs and said crosshead being in a common plane, each of said legs being of irregular contour within said plane and having, starting from said crosshead, sections which are divergent, then convergent, and then divergent with respect to the center lines passing through said legs, and the angularly disposed leg having further convergent and then divergent sections in general alignment with the second divergent section of said long leg, such that fabrics and garments having thickness up to that about equal to the inner diameter of said crosshead can be gripped and retained between the legs thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
A clip as defined in claim 1 wherein the irregular contours of said legs are such as to dispose sections thereof adjacent the leg ends in parallel relation for linear engagement with opposed fabric surfaces when said legs have been flexed slightly apart.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
111 words
A clip as defined in claim 1, wherein the irregular contours of said legs are such as to dispose sections thereof adjacent the leg ends in parallel relation for linear engagement with opposed fabric surfaces when said legs have been flexed slightly apart, and the irregular contour of said legs further being such that, as the legs are flexed beyond said position to provide parallel leg sections in accommodating increased thicknesses of fabric, there will continuously be at least one point of fabric contact by one leg between at least two spaceD points of fabric contact by the other leg until the fabric thickness exceeds the inner diameter of said crosshead.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
A clip as defined in claim 3, wherein throughout the major portion of said flexing to accommodate different fabric thicknesses the fabric is engaged by an elongated section of said long leg, and a point on said short leg intermediate the ends of said elongated section.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
205 words
A clip as defined in claim 1 wherein said center line of said long leg passes through the mid-point of the tip of said long leg and through the mid-point where said center line intersects a plane describing the end of the arc of said crosshead, the configuration of said long leg, beginning at the point of said intersection, comprising a first divergent section, a first convergent section, a second divergent section which is generally parallel to said long leg center line, and a shallow, S-shaped end section having a divergent-convergent-divergent configuration ending in a rounded tip; and, said center line of said short leg passes through the mid-point of the tip of said short leg and through the mid-point where said center line intersects the plane describing the end of the arc of said crosshead, the configuration of said short leg, beginning at the point of said intersection, comprising a first divergent section, a first convergent section, a second divergent section which is generally parallel to said short leg center line, a second convergent section, and a third divergent section which is generally parallel to said second divergent section and to said long leg center line and which ends in a divergent rounded tip.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
112 words
A clip as defined in claim 5 wherein said crosshead is a semicircle; the second divergent section of said long leg is about twice the length of the first divergent section of said long leg and the first convergent section of said long leg is about one-half the length of the first divergent section of said long leg; and, the first divergent, the second convergent, and the third divergent sections of said short leg are about three-fourths the length of the second divergent section of said short leg and the first convergent section of said short leg is about one fourth the length of the second divergent section of said short leg.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
A clip as defined in claim 5 wherein said clip is of uniform, double taper cross section.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
A clip as defined in claim 7 wherein the transverse dimension of said clip legs gradually narrows from said crosshead to the tips thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
A clip as defined in claim 8 wherein said gradually narrowing transverse dimension is provided by further taper of the first and second divergent sections in each of said legs within the plane of the said clip.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-22 | 1977-04-23 | 1977-10-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-22 | 1981-04-23 | 1981-10-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-22 | 1985-04-23 | 1985-10-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |