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(11) | EP 0 143 083 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Clothes peg |
| (57) The instant invention relates to a clothes peg moulded in one single piece of plastic,
comprising a flat. elongated bar underneath one end of which is found a forked element
inside which the washing is inserted and gripped when on the clothes line. The line is thus intersected crosswise by the aforesaid forked element as there is also provided, at the other end of the bar, a longitudinal side rib which hooks under the line to hold the clothes peg securely in place. |
[0001] 1he instant Application for Patent has for its object a new form of clothes peg with an original gripping action. It costs little to make as it is moulded in one single piece of plastic and there is no need for any spring or similar device to ensure the peg grips, as is the case with conventional clothes pegs.
[0002] The invention substantially consists of a flat, elongated bar underneath one end of which is found a forked element inside which the washing is inserted and gripped when on the clothes line. Thus the line is, in fact, intersected crosswise by the limbs of the aforesaid forked element. The clothes peg is held firm by means of a longitudinal projection at the other end of the bar. After the aforesaid forked element is placed over and across the line the bar is rotated until it goes over the line onto which the afore-mentioned longitudinal projection thus hooks.
[0003] To be more precise, the placing and securing of the peg onto the clothes line requires the following procedure:
- the holding of the peg in the middle of the aforesaid flat bar;
- the insertion of the line on which the washing is hung into the afore said forked element which at this stage is on a vertical plane, perpendicular to the line;
- the rotation of the peg around a vertical axis at an angle greater than 90°, but in anycase sufficient for the bar to go over the line, which is thus intersected crosswise by the limbs of the forked element;
- the securing of the bar beyond and below the line by means of a tooth placed for this purpose at the end of the bar, at the opposite end to the forked element.
[0004] 1he kinetic sequence of the procedure will become more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompa- nving drawings in which for purposes of illustration, but not of limi tation, specific embodiments of this invention are shown.
[0005]
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one preferred arrangement of the
clothes peg in accordance with the instant invention.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of another arrangement of the clothes peg in accordance with the instant invention.
Figures 3 and 4 are two views of the instant clothes peg made by appro priately folding and twisting a piece of wire.
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the instant clothes peg fixed onto the washing hanging on a line.
[0006] With reference to figure 1, the instant clothes peg, moulded in one single piece of plastic, comprises a small, flat bar (1). Under one end of said bar (1) protrudes a forked, "horse-shoe-shaped" element which has on both sides along the point at which it meets the bar (1), two sub-hori zontal, longitudinal ribs (3). Identically placed ribs are also provided at the other end of the bar (1).
[0007] At the ends-of the two limbs of the forked element (2) on both sides of the peg, teeth (2a) are provided. Once the peg is attached to the line said teeth hook under it, preventing the peg from slipping off.
[0008] The holding of the bar (1) is facilitated by the presence of a hooked element (4) placed above the bar itself at the end opposite the one bearing the forked element (2).
[0009] This hooked element (4) also means that the peg may be left hanging securely on the clothes line after the washing has been removed, without any danger of it coming unhooked or being blown off by gusts of wind.
[0010] This element (4), in fact, is provided with a thin, flexible, filiform attachment (4a) on the inside facing tip of its hooking piece. This at tachment (4a) flexes under pressure thus allowing the clothes line to be easily inserted through the eye of the element (4) where it is held until pressure is exerted to remove it.
[0011] Fig. 2 illustrates another embodiment of the peg in accordance with the instant invention, which has two hooked elements (4) on top and two forked elements (2) underneath.
[0012] It should be noted that in this arrangement, the spacing between the two limbs of both forked elements (2) is not equal so that the peg may easily be used on any sized clothes line.
[0013] Number (5) indicates a thin slot found at the centre of the flat bar (1) through which the peg is threaded onto the hanger with which the clothes pegs in accordance with the instant invention, are packed.
[0014] Figures 3 and 4 show how the clothes peg in accordance with the instant invention may be made without the hooked elements (4) by simply folding and twisting appropriately a piece of wire, for example, stainless steel; in figures 3 and 4. numbers (1a),(2a) and (3a) indicate the parts which correspond respectively to the small bar (1), the forked elements (2) and the rib (3) of the plastic examples drawn in figure 1 and figure 2.
1) Clothes peg, characterized by a flat, small bar (1) moulded in one single piece
of plastic underneath one end of which protrudes a forked, horse-shoe-shaped element
(2). Said element (2) has on both sides along the point at which it meets the bar
(1) two sub-horizontal, longitudinal ribs (3). Identically placed ribs are also provided
at the other end of the bar (1). At the ends of the two limbs of the forked element
(2), on both sides of the peg, teeth (2a) are provided. Once the peg is attached to
the clothes line said teeth hook under it preventing the peg from slipping off.
2) Clothes peg as defined in claim 1), characterized by a flat, hooked element (4)
placed above the bar (1) at the end opposite the one hearing the forked element (2).
On the inside of said element's hooking piece, a thin, flexible, filiform attachment
(4a) is provided which flexes under pressure thus allowing the clothes line to be
easily inserted through the eye of the element (4) where it is held until pressure
is exerted to remove it.
3) Clothes peg, as defined in the preceding claims and according to according to another
embodiment, characterized by two hooked elements (4) on top of the bar (1) and two
forked elements (2) beneath it. The spacing between the two limbs of both forked elements
is different.
4) Clothes peg, made by appropriately twisting and folding a piece of wire, characterized
by a central, rectilinear piece of wire with two end forked elements (2a), pointing
downwards, where the wire is folded in such a way as to have a longitudinal section
(3a), protruding from the vertical plane comprising the central piece (la), and provided
to hook under the clothes line.