US2230394A - Portable bobby pin opener - Google Patents

Description

Patented Feb. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. I

PORTABLE BOBBY PIN O ENER.

Joseph Stephen Young, New Orleans, La. a

Application March 21,

4 Claims.

This invention pertains to instruments used for spreading hairpins, and is especially adapted for spreading the conventional hairpin commonly termed bobby pin."

Under the conventional practice of using bobby pins there is dimculty in spreading the tines of the pin, especially when one hand is occupied, for example, to hold the hair in the position to which it is intended to be pinned. Under these circumstances one hand remains available to spread the tines of the pin. As a result of this there is the common practice to wedge the finger nail between the tines, or to bite between the tines. Another practice is to use the garment fabric, or an edge of the dresser furniture, as instrumentalities to spread the tines with one hand. The various disadvantages of these prior art practices are obvious. Finger nails are broken, teeth injured, clothing torn or furniture scarred. The device of the present invention is calculated to obviate these disadvantages.

In its essential elements the invention comprises a member providing a plurality of surfaces disposed in a specific manner with reference to each other. Two surfaces are disposed at an angle to meet along an edge to form a wedge. A third surface provides a guide surface for a tine of the bobby pin and is so positioned relative to the wedge that, as the tine is guided along the surface towards the wedge, the edge of the wedge enters between the tips of the tines. Continued movement of the bobby pin causes the wedge to spread the tines, opposite surfaces of the wedge actuating the respective tines away from each other, and one tine passing between the guide surface and the contiguous surface of the wedge.

This construction can be incorporated into any of several instrumentalities. In the embodiment shown it is made an integral part of a tray for containing hobby pins, the entire structure being such that it can be positioned conveniently on a dressing table in position for ready use as an aid to dressing hair. 1

The invention has been expressed in general terms. For details of construction of the preferred embodiment shown, attention is directed to the accompanying drawing in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device; and

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional elevation taken longitudinally of the device.

As illustrated in the drawing, the device comprises surfaces 8 and I disposed at an angle to each other. The particular angle of inclination 1940, Serial No. 325,205

between the surfaces 6 and I may vary within wide limits without detracting from the contemplated operation of the device. It is of primary importance that the surfaces 6 and I intersect along a line 8forming an edge of a wedge. 5

Cooperating with the wedge formed by the surfaces 6 and I is the guide surface 9 which extends toward the wedge, which-terminates at an edge l0 spaced away from the edge 8. The surface 9 may be diversely disposed within wide limits relative to the respective surfaces 6 and 'l, and relative to the wedge formed by the surfaces 6 and I. To determine more precisely the position of the guide surface 9 relative to the wedge, the surfaces 6 and 1 comprising the wedge may 15 be considered as indicating a direction, in a manner similar to an arrow, see Figure 2. The guide surface 9 is away from the wedge disposed in a position determined by the direction indicated by the wedge so that, as a bobby pin is 20 slid across thesurface 9 toward the wedge it is precisely guided for engagement with the edge 8 of the wedge. The primary importance is that the edge Ill be spaced away from the edge 8 laterally of the wedge formed by the surfaces 6 25 and 1 sufficiently for the edge 8 to pass between the tines of a bobby pin.

In operation the surface 9 is engaged by one tine ll of the hobby pin II, which is shown in dot and dash lines in Figure 2. The bobby pin 30 may engage the surface 9 at any place in its area which is made wide as shown for the purpose. and the pin is thereupon drawn across the surface 8 with the tips l5 and ii of the tines II and I4 directed toward the wedge 8, i. 35 With the bobby pin so guided the edge 8, because of its position relative to" surface 9 and the edge ID, will find position between the tips 15 and IQ of the bobby pin when the pin reaches the wedge. The surface 9 is positioned-relative 0 to the wedge 6, 'I laterally the proper amount to attain this purpose.

As the hobby pin continues movement toward the wedge, the respective edges 6 and I wedge between the tines Ii and i4 and spread them ,5 apart in the manner illustrated in Figure 2. The tine ll passes below the surface I and between the surfaces 1 and ii. The tine it passes above thesurface 6. The surface I! is opposite the surface I and spaced away from it a sufso ncient distance to permit the tine II to pass freely therebetween. The surface I! merges with the surface 9 along the line l0, which may be sharply defined, or may be rounded off to a greater or lesser extent. The detail of construction of I greatest importance is that the edge III is spaced away from the edge 8 longitudinally of the wedge suflicient to permit the tine H to pass freely between the surfaces 1 and H.

faces i and II, which, according to this manner of producing the device, are spaced parallel to each other.

The block is formed with a recess i9 convenient for use as a container. for a supply of bobby pins. Incident to this use, the bottom surface of the recess I9 curves upwardly at 20 toward the top of the block to provide an unbroken surface for ready removal of the bobby pins.

The block may be formed of any suitable material, and may include a lower rest surface 2|. The surface 20 is preferably equipped to prevent its sliding across the surface of furniture on which the device rests. For example, and as shown, a thickness of material 22 with clinging properties may be applied to the under surface 2|. In the incident case sponge rubber has been employed as the material for the element 22.

It will readily be seen that the invention is susceptible of a number of modifications departing from the specific structure shown in the drawing, without detracting from the spirit of the invention or its scope, which is determined by the accompanying claims.

What I claim is:

1. A device for spreading the tines of bobby pins, comprising a pair of fixed surfaces disposed at an angle to each other and meeting along an edge to form a wedge, a cooperating guide This is accomplished surface fixed with reference to the pair of surfaces and disposed away from the wedge in a position indicated by the direction of the wedge, the

guide surface being spaced away from the edge of the wedge laterally of the wedge sufficiently to direct the tines of the pin on opposite sides of the edge of the wedge when a tine is slid across the guide surface, the guide surface being spaced away from the edge of the wedge longitudinally of the wedge suificiently to permit the passage of a tine between the wedge and the guide surface.

2. A device for spreading the tines of bobby pins, comprising a pair of fixed planes disposed at an angle to each other and meeting along an edge to form a wedge, a cooperating guide plane fixed with reference to the pair of planes and disposed away from the wedge, in a position indicated by the direction of the wedge, the guide surface being spaced away from the edge .of the wedge laterally of the wedge sufficiently to direct the edge between the tines of the pin when a tine is slid across the guide plane, and spaced away from the edge of the wedge longitudinally of the wedge sufficiently to permit the passage of a tine between the wedge and the guide plane.

3. In a device as defined in claim 1,'a container for bobby pins attached to the bobbypin spreading device as a unitary mutually associated structure.

4. A bobby pin spreading device, comprising a block, surfaces formed in the block disposed at an angle to each other and meeting along an edge to form a wedge, a guide surface formed in the block extending from the edge thereof and in a position indicated by the direction of the wedge, the guide surface merging with a surface disposed at an obtuse angle, the latter surface disposed opposite and spaced away from one of the surfaces of the wedge.

JOSEPH STEPHEN YOUNG;

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