CLOTHES PEG

Abstract

According to the invention there is provided a peg (10) comprising a first and a second pair of jaws (20 and 22), the jaws being movable between open and closed positions, the peg further including biasing means (30) for co-operation with the jaws for biasing them to their closed positions.

Description

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

THIS invention relates to a peg. In particular the invention concerns a clothes-peg for securing items of clothing to a washing line.

Various types of clothes-pegs are known to anybody who has ever had to secure an item of clothing to a washing line. One example of an existing clothes-peg comprises two wooden legs which are secured to each other with the use of a resilient metal strip. At one end of the clothes-peg the two wooden legs form a pair of jaws which is configured for gripping an item of clothing. At the other end the two legs provide a set of levers which can be used to pivot the jaws into an open position, when a force is applied to the legs by a user, such that a portion of an item of clothing and a small section of a washing line can be located between the jaws. When the user releases the levers, the jaws are closed under the influence of the resilient metal strip, thereby securing the clothes-peg and the item of clothing to the washing line.

In another known type of a clothes-peg two polymeric legs are provided which also form a pair of jaws at one end and a set of levers at the other end for locating the jaws in an open position. As with the wooden peg described above, the jaws of the polymeric legs are also biased to a closed position but instead of a metal strip, a resilient polymeric strip is provided. The polymeric clothes-peg operates in a similar manner as that described above for the wooden clothes-peg.

South Africa is currently experiencing a very rapid growth in the number of townhouse and cluster complexes being developed. A drawback of these new developments is that they are normally relatively crowded and that space is limited. In particular, various owners of units in new developments will attest that they do not have sufficient space on their washing lines for hanging their wet clothing.

Persons living in rural and urban informal settlements will also attest that there is often a demand for sufficient space on which wet clothing can be hung to dry.

It is an object of the present invention to address the above problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a peg comprising a first and a second pair of jaws, the jaws being movable between open and closed positions, the peg further including biasing means for co-operation with the jaws for biasing them to their closed positions.

Preferably the two pairs of jaws are formed by two legs, each leg having a first end and a second end wherein each end includes a gripping formation.

More preferably the two legs define a biasing means cavity in which the biasing means can be located.

Advantageously each leg includes an actuating portion such that when a compressive force is applied to the actuating portions the jaws are located in their open positions.

Typically the actuation portion of each leg is provided by having each leg profiled to form an apex.

Preferably the apexes of the legs lie opposite one another.

Alternatively the actuation portion of each leg is provided by having each leg profiled to form a finger gripping formation.

In an embodiment of the invention the biasing means comprises a resilient polymeric material which is sized for fitting inside the biasing means cavity.

Typically holding formations are provided for securing the biasing means inside the biasing means cavity.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a peg comprising:

• • a pair of legs defining a pair of jaws which are movable between open and closed positions, the legs also defining a biasing means cavity; and
  • biasing means for location inside the biasing means cavity for biasing the jaws to their closed positions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a front view of a peg in accordance with the present invention wherein the jaws of the peg are located in their closed positions;

FIG. 2 shows a front view of the peg of the invention wherein the jaws of the peg are located in their open positions;

FIG. 3 shows a front view of two pegs of the invention in use for securing items of clothing to a washing line; and

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a peg in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a peg in accordance with the present invention, generally indicated with the reference numeral 10. In the description that follows below the operation of the peg will be described in its use as a clothes-peg. It will, however, be appreciated that the use of the peg of the invention need not be limited to securing clothes to a washing line.

The peg 10 comprises a first and a second leg, indicated respectively with the reference numerals 12 and 14. The two legs 12 and 14 are connected to each other at connecting portions 16 and 18 as shown in the drawings. Towards their ends the legs 12 and 14 include gripping formations 20 which are in this embodiment of the invention provided in the form of serrated portions for providing sufficient grip for holding unto an item of clothing. The legs 12 and 14 are configured to face each other such that each corresponding gripping formation 20 define a pair of jaws, indicated respectively with the reference numerals 22 and 24.

As shown, the legs 12 and 14 have the same curved profile and each has an apex 26 which is located toward the centre of its leg. It will be noted that the apexes 26 lie opposite one another. In this embodiment of the invention the apexes 26 will also act as actuating portions as will be described below.

The peg 10 has a biasing means cavity 28 for receiving biasing means 30 which can co-operate with the legs 12 and 14 for biasing the jaws 22 and 24 to their closed position. The biasing means cavity 28 is formed between the two legs 12 and 14 and lies proximate the apexes 26. In this embodiment of the invention the biasing means 30 comprises a resilient polymeric material which is sized for fitting inside the biasing means cavity 28. In order to secure the biasing means 30 to the legs 12 and 14, two holding sections 32 and 34 are provided in which protrusions 36 and 38 can respectively be held securely. Typically the biasing means 30 will be manufactured separately and will be located in position by being slid into the biasing means cavity 28 with the protrusions 36 and 38 being slid into the holding portions 32 and 34 respectively.

Although not shown in the drawings, it is envisaged that the peg 10 could include side panels for attachment to the sides of the peg 10 thereby securing the biasing means 30 inside the biasing means cavity 28.

The legs 12 and 14 of the described embodiment are in the form of solid polymeric pieces. It is however envisaged that with a view of minimising material costs that the legs need not be solid polymeric pieces but may include hollow zones in order to reduce the amount of polymeric material being used.

When it is desired to locate the jaws 22 and 24 in their open positions, a user can apply a compressive force on the apexes 26 as indicated by the arrows 40 and 42 in FIG. 2. As a compressive force is applied the jaws 22 and 24 will move towards their open positions as a result of the particular shape of the legs 12 and 14. With continued compressive force being exerted on the jaws 22 and 24 they will be located in their open positions as shown in FIG. 2.

Simultaneously to the apexes 26 moving towards one another under the influence of the compressive force, the biasing means 30 will become compressed and its protrusions 36 and 38 will move along their respective holding portions 32 and 34 in the directions of the arrows 44 and 46 respectively, in order to accommodate the deformation of the biasing means 30. As soon as the user ceases to exert the compressive force on the apexes 26, the resilience of the biasing means 30 will again urge the jaws 22 and 24 to their closed position.

Referring specifically to FIG. 2 of the drawings, it is pointed out that adjacent each pair of jaws 22 and 24 a wire holding portion, indicated respectively with the reference numerals 48 and 50, is provided in which a portion of a washing line can be held.

FIG. 3 shows two pegs 10.1 and 10.2 in use where a portion of a washing line is held inside the wire holding portion 48 of the peg 10.1. An item of clothing 54 is held inside the jaws 24 of the peg 10.1 as shown. The peg 10.2 in turn grips a bottom portion of the item of clothing 54 with its jaws 22 and holds a second item of clothing 56 in its jaws 24.

FIG. 4 shows a peg 70 in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention. The peg 70 includes two legs 72 and 74 which form a pair of jaws 76 and 78 as well as a biasing means cavity 80. As the peg 70 operates in the same manner as the peg 10 no further description is required. The peg 70 does, however, differ from the peg 10 in that instead of an apex, each leg 72 and 74 includes a finger gripping formation 82 in which fingers of a user, typically the thumb and index finger of the user, may be placed when the user is desirous to locate the jaws 76 and 78 in their open position. Although not visible in the drawings, each gripping formation 82 includes fine ridges for enhancing the grip provided for the fingers of the user.

The peg 70 includes a number of protrusions 84 on the insides of the legs 72 and 74 which define holding formations 86 in which biasing means 88 is held. The legs 72 and 74 also include ridges 90 and 92 for enhancing the strength of the peg 70.

In order to enhance grip on garments to be held, the jaws 76 and 78 each includes teeth, not visible in the drawings. In order to facilitate easier connection unto a washing line or unto a garment to be held, each pair of jaws 76 and 78 includes a pair of lips, 94 and 96 which are shaped as shown and wherein each pair of lips curve away from each other.

It is envisaged that by having jaws 76 and 78 as well as washing line holding portions 98 and 100 which are larger in dimension that those of the peg 10, the peg 70 will be better suited for handling relatively thick garments as well as washing lines of relatively thick diameter. It is also envisaged that the larger jaws 76 and 78 will enable the peg 70 to be secured to a clothes hanger.

The pegs of the invention will typically be produced from a plastics material and will preferably include a form of ultraviolet protection for shielding the pegs against the damaging effects of sunlight.

Although not specifically described above it is envisaged that the first and second legs and the biasing means respectively need not necessarily be separate components but could be unitary construction.

By providing a peg having two pairs of jaws which can secure items of clothing to a washing line, the amount of clothing which can be hung from a washing line can be optimised.

Claims

1. A peg comprising a first and a second pair of jaws, the jaws being movable between open and closed positions, the peg further including biasing means for co-operation with the jaws for biasing them to their closed positions.

2. A peg according to claim 1 wherein the two pairs of jaws are formed by two legs, each leg having a first end and a second end wherein each end includes a gripping formation.

3. A peg according to claim 2 wherein the two legs define a biasing means cavity in which the biasing means can be located.

4. A peg according to claim 2 wherein each leg includes an actuating portion such that when a compressive force is applied to the actuating portions the jaws are located in their open positions.

5. A peg according to claim 4 wherein the actuation portion of each leg is provided by having each leg profiled to form an apex.

6. A peg according to claim 5 wherein the apexes of the legs lie opposite one another.

7. A peg according to claim 4 wherein the actuation portion of each leg is provided by having each leg profiled to form a finger gripping formation.

8. A peg according to claim 3 wherein the biasing means comprises a resilient polymeric material which is sized for fitting inside the biasing means cavity.

9. A peg according to claim 3 including holding formations for securing the biasing means inside the biasing means cavity.

10. A peg comprising:

a pair of legs defining a pair of jaws which are movable between open and closed positions, the legs also defining a biasing means cavity; and

biasing means for location inside the biasing means cavity for biasing the jaws to their closed positions.

11. (canceled)