Clothespin

Claim 1

A clothespin comprising a pair of generally symmetrical, longitudinally, elongated, generally rectangular, block-like non-metallic members each having a longitudinal axis and similarly configured inner and outer surface portions; each of said pair of elongated members including a forward clamping jaw having its inner surface portion adapted for gripping a clothesline and articles to be hangably suspended therefrom when the clamping jaw of one of said pair of members closes into clamping engagement with the corresponding clamping jaw of the other of said pair of members, a tapered tail adapted to be manually engaged for levering said forward clamping jaws open, and an intermediate portion between said jaw and said tail for defining a fulcrum about which each of said pair of members may be pivoted for opening and closing said clamping jaws with respect to one another; metal spring means for pivotally urging said clamping jaws toward one another in a clamping position, said spring means including a coiled hollow body portion intermediate first and second relatively straight elongated end portions; the intermediate portion of each of said pair of members including a transverse lateral groove across the inner surface portion thereof, said groove being generally perpendicular to said longitudinal axis and having a generally semi-circular cross-sectional configuration such that the coiled hollow body portion of said spring means may be houseably received between the correspondingly opposed lateral grooves in the inner surface portions of said pair of elongated members and at least partially concealed therein, the intermediate portion and tail of one of said pair of members having a first relatively straight longitudinal recess in the inner surface portion thereof for receivably retaining and recessably concealing said first relatively straight elongated end portion of said spring means and the intermediate portion and tail of the other of said pair of members having a secong relatively straight longitudinal recess in the inner surface portion thereof for receivably retaining and recessably concealing said second relatively straight elongated end portion of said spring means so that the end portions of said spring means are recessed beneath said inner surface portions and said coiled body portion is at least partially recessed to prevent or at least minimize metal contact with said clothesline and said suspended articles, a first metal clip means for retainably securing one of said pair of members to the coiled hollow body portion of said spring means and a second metal clip means for retainably securing the other of said pair of members to the coiled hollow body portion of said spring means so as to prevent the inadvertent separation of said members and said spring means even under abnormal conditions, each of said members including a three-sided continuous slot formed in the external surfaces of the intermediate portion thereof and extending from one end of said lateral groove in the inner surface portion along the side of said intermediate portion, laterally across the outer surface portion of said intermediate portion directly opposite said lateral groove and along the opposite side of said intermediate surface to the opposite end of said lateral groove, the outer surface slot portion being generally parallel to said lateral groove and perpendicular to said longitudinal axis and said side slots being generally perpendicular to said lateral groove; each of said clip means being an integral piece of resilient metallic material generally configured as a partially opened rectangle when in operative position, said clip means having a relatively straight intermediate clip body, a pair of relatively straight clip sides which are generally perpendicular to said clip body and a pair of clip ends disposed toward one another and generally parallel to said clip body and perpendicular to said clip sides, said body portion being adapted to be receivably retained and recessably concealed within said outer surface slot portion, said clip sides being adapted to be receivably retained and recessably concealed within said slot sides, and said clip ends adapted to be insertably received and retained within the opposite hollow ends of said coiled spring body thereby preventing separation while simultaneously recessing said metal clip means beneath the exterior side and outer surface portions of said members to prevent or at least minimize metal contact with said clothesline and the articles suspended therefrom to prevent rust spots and the like.