Shopping cart list holder

Claim 1

A shopping cart list holder device intended for detachable attachment to a handle of a conventional standard shopping cart for holding a shopping list conveniently thereon in a hand-free manner, the holder device comprising, in combination: a first integrally formed arm member having a flat elongated longitudinally extending leg portion terminating at one end in an integrally formed curved semi-circular portion defining a clamping jaw member, the leg portion having a front surface and a back surface; a second integrally formed arm member of a length substantially equal to said first arm member and having a leg portion terminating at one end in a curved semi-circular portion defining a clamping jaw member, the leg portion including a base member bent at an angle to the axis of the leg portion and forming the end thereof opposite said clamping jaw member, the base portion having a front surface and a back surface; means affixing said back surface of said second arm base meMber to said back surface of said first arm member at their respective ends opposed from said clamping jaw members with said second arm projecting downwardly behind said first arm and at an angle rearwardly thereof relative to said first arm with each of said clamping jaw members being disposed in normal spaced apart confronting face-to-face relationship; an aperture in said first arm member leg portion adjacent said C-shaped clamping jaw member configuration; an aperture in said second arm leg portion adjacent said Cshaped clamping jaw member configuration and in general axial alignment with said first arm aperture; an elongated bolt having a threaded shank extending axially through said aligned apertures of said first and said second arm members with the head of said bolt engaging the front surface of said second arm member and with the threaded portion of said bolt projecting outwardly of the front surface of said first arm member; a wing nut threadedly received on said bolt and operable thereon to move said arm members toward and away from each other in a clamping and unclamping manner of said clamping jaw members, this depending upon the direction of rotation of said wing nut relative to said bolt shank; said first and second arm members defining a bracket member with said clamping jaw members thereof adapted to be removably affixed to the handle of the shopping cart with the opposite ends of the leg portion projecting outwardly from the shopping cart handle in a direction normal to the axis of the shopping cart handle; a pair of substantially flat front plate and back plate members disposed in side-by-side relationship, said front plate member of approximately the same size and configuration as said back plate member; said back plate member having a flat front surface, a flat back surface opposed parallel top and bottom edges, and opposed parallel side edges; said front plate member having a flat front surface, a flat back surface, opposed parallel top and bottom edges, and opposed parallel side edges; said back plate member permanently affixed to said front surface of said first arm member forming said bracket and projecting outwardly therefrom and parallel to the plane defined by said leg portion of said first arm member; a piano hinge extending along the joint formed between adjacentmost parallel side edges of said back plate and said front plate and hingedly connecting said front plate to said back plate for rotation of said front plate relative to said back plate between an open position wherein said front and back plates are co-planar, and a closed position wherein said front plate completely overlies said back plate with said front plate front surface disposed in adjacentmost juxtaposition with said back plate front surface; an elongated flat rectangularly shaped flange forming member extending parallel to said hinged side edge of said front plate and affixed permanently to said back surface thereof in a manner overlying said hinged side edge to form therewith a shoulder portion overlying and engaging the adjacentmost back surface of said back plate when said front plate is in the open position, said flange member limiting the open position of said front plate to maintain said front plate co-planar with said back plate when in the open position; a spring biased clip affixed to the top edge of said back plate and extending along a portion thereof and projecting forwardly of said back plate front surface and downwardly from said top edge to overlie a portion of said back plate front surface, the clip adapted for removably affixing to said back plate the shopping list by engaging a top edge of the shopping list beneath the clip to resiliently hold the same to the back plate; an aperture provided in said front plate centrally therof and adjacent said top edge thereof; an elongated flexible cord having one end affixed to said front plate by being tied through said front plate aperture, the opposite fRee end of the cord extending downwardly from said aperture along said front surface of said front plate; and a writing instrument affixed to said free end of said cord for retention of said writing instrument to said front plate; whereby said bracket may be adjustably secured to said shopping cart for holding a shopping list secured to said back plate in a manner projecting above said handle in a hand-free manner with said writing instrument readily available for the marking of said list while shopping.