US3327360A - Accessory clip for drafting instruments - Google Patents

Description

June 27, 1967 R. A. NICHOLS 3,327,360

ACCESSORY CLIP FOR DRAFTING INSTRUMENTS Filed March 25, 1966 ROBERT A. NICHOLS ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,327,360 ACCESSORY CLIP FOR DRAFTING INSTRUMENTS Robert A. Nichols, 11 Chapin St., Binghamton, N.Y. 13905 Filed Mar. 25, 1966, Ser. No. 537,337 2 Claims. (Cl. 24-80) This invention relates to drafting instruments and, more particularly, to an accessory clip which may be attached to a straight edge or a triangle or any fiat drafting utensil of which both sides may be used in guiding the hand to follow a line.

In drafting work, triangles in various shapes are constantly in use, generally guided by a straight edge or another triangle. These devices are usually made of flat sheet stock, either plastic or metal, and are cut to have certain fixed angular configurations.

It is customary to have these triangles most commonly cut at 45-45 and 90 degree, and 60-30 and 90 degree configurations. For easier handling they usually have a cutout in the middle, either of the same configuration as the outside or in a circular or elliptical form. Whichever type is used, a draftsman must turn a triangle from one side to the other in order to utilize a particular angle in a required direction. Since both sides of a triangle are used, it must lay flat on the drafting board in any position and there can be no projecting button or handle aflixed to any side. Consequently, there is no proper gripping surface and often it is very unhandy for the draftsman to turn the triangle from one side to the other. This is particularly true when ink is used in drawing the lines and a slight shifting would result in smearing the work.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a projecting surface for triangles of the above type or for any flat drawing instrument which will enable manual lifting without in any way interfering with the use of any of the sides thereof. In the attainment of this object, use is made of a simple gripping mechanism which may be attached to the rim at the inner side of the cutout in the triangle and which will exhibit a projecting surface for easy lifting in any position without causing shifting of the triangle.

In essence, the invention comprises a clip made of a pair of juxtaposed plates joined at one end to form a narrow flange, the other end being open to slideably fit over the inner side of a triangle. The flange accommodates a loosely fitting stud terminating at each end in .a diskshaped member which extends vertically for the purpose of lifting whenever a change of placement of the triangle is desired by the user.

It is a particular feature of the invention that the attached clip does not interfere with the fiat lying of the drafting instrument to which it is attached, irrespective of the position in which such instrument may be used.

Other objects and features will be apparent from the following description of the invention, pointed out in the appended claims and taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a conventional 45 triangle with accessory clip attached;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the accessory clip;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged prtial view in perspective showing the construction and placement of the projecting lifting member; and

FIG. 4 is a view in perspective of a modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, it is seen from the view in FIG. 2 that the accessory clip comprises a pair of plates 6 and 7 which are bent at an angle and joined in a narrow flange 9. The latter has an opening 10 which slideably accommodates a stud 11 which terminates at each end in 3,327,360 Patented June27, 1967 a disk-shaped member 12 and 12'. The opening 10 is so dimensioned that the stud 11 fits so loosely that upon lifting of the assembly it will fall by its weight as shown in the partial enlarged view in FIG. 3.

The plate members 6 and 7 are preferably of thin, resilient spring stock, the distancce between them being so dimensioned as to be less than the thickness of the body of the triangle to which it is attached so that, in expanding, it will firmly grip both sides thereof. The inner faces may be knurled, as shown at 8, or have a coating of an elastomeric substance to assure firm gripping action. One of the plate members, for example 7, may be cut shorter than the plate member 6, for easier sliding over the body of the drafting instrument.

The modified form of the accessory shown in FIG. 4 is, in essence, a dual clip. The plate members 6 and '7 are longer and are inturned at midpoint and joined to form a base portion 9. In this manner the clamping members extend bilaterally and each end may be clipped over corresponding sides of a triangle. The stud 11 is loosely fitted in a suitable opening in the base portion 9.

It is readily seen that the accessory clip may easily be slipped over any flat body having a thickness which will separate the plates 6 and 7 so that these will tightly grip both surfaces. For example, as seen in FIG. 1, it may be slipped over the sides of a triangle at the inner cutout, facing one of the 45 angles. Solidly placed in this position, when the triangle is lying on a flat surface, the top disk member 12 will be protruding since its corresponding disk member 12' is lying flat on the support on which the triangle is placed. Consequently, the disk member 12 can easily be grasped by the fingers of the user and the entire triangle lifted above the drawing board without any lateral motion. Without the attachment of this accessory the only way the user can lift the triangle is by gripping the outer edge and the inner edge within the cutout. Since such devices are of rather thin construction, there is little gripping surface for the fingers of the user. With the attachment of this accessory in place, however, there is no difliculty whatsoever in gripping the projecting disk and thereby lifting the triangle.

The modified form of the clip shown in FIG. 4 is attached to clamp opposite sides of the triangle as seen in FIG. 1. This dual action results in a firmer hold and enables also the placing of the lifting disk in the center of the triangle for better balance of the weight distribution when lifted from the paper.

It is to be noted that the thickness of the disk 12 and 12' is so dimensioned that any one of these, combined with the thickness of the flange 8, presents a narrower dimension than the body thickness of the triangle at the point where the disk 12 or 12 may touch the paper on which the triangle is placed.

It is also obvious that when the triangle is lifted and turned over the same conditions will prevail, except that when in the first position the disk 12 was on top, in the turned over position, the disk 12' will be on top. In whatever position the triangle is placed, there is always a projecting surface provided by one of the disks of the stud 11 of the clip for easy handling by the draftsman.

What is claimed is:

1. An accessory clip for drafting instruments, such as a straight edge or triangle, providing a projecting surface to enable manual lifting, which comprises:

(a) a pair of in-turned juxtaposed plates joined at one end to form a narrow flange, the other end being open to form clamping members which slideably fit over a desired side of the instrument,

(b) said plates being of flexible springy material for providing a gripping force,

(c) said flange having walls defining an opening,

((1) a stud loosely fitting in said opening and terminating at each end in disk-shaped members,

(e) the combined thickness of said flange and any one of said members being so dimensioned as to be narrower than the body thickness of said instruments, whereby said instrument is permitted to lay fiat on a surface when in use, one of said disk-shaped members resting on said surface and the other projecting above said surface for convenient lifting.

2. An accessory clip for drafting instruments in accordance with claim 1, wherein said pair of juxtaposed plates are in-turned in the midpoint and joined to form a base portion from which bilaterally extend open-ended clamping members which slideably fit over opposite sides of a triangle, said stud loosely fitting in said base portion.

References Cited UNITED 10 WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

D. A. GRIFFIN, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. AN ACCESSORY CLIP FOR DRAFTING INSTRUMENTS, SUCH AS A STRAIGHT EDGE OR TRIANGLE, PROVIDING A PROJECTING SURFACE TO ENABLE MANUAL LIFTING, WHICH COMPRISES: (A) A PAIR OF IN-TURNED JUXTAPOSED PLATES JOINED AT ONE END TO FORM A NARROW FLANGE, THE OTHER END BEING OPEN TO FORM CLAMPING MEMBERS WHICH SLIDEABLY FIT OVER A DESIRED SIDE OF THE INSTRUMENT, (B) SAID PLATES BEING OF FLEXIBLE SPRINGY MATERIAL FOR PROVIDING A GRIPPING FORCE, (C) SAID FLANGE HAVING WALLS DEFINING AN OPENING, (D) A STUD LOOSELY FITTING IN SAID OPENING AND TERMINATING AT EACH END IN DISK-SHAPED MEMBERS,

Images