Clamp

Claim 2

A clamp having a pair of clamping members each having a free edge and joined together along an opposite edge thereof by a flexible web whereby they can be pivoted from an open position in which they are generally aligned in a common plane to a closed position in which their free edges are inwardly pressed toward one another; a latch projecting inwardly of said clamp when closed, one end of said latch being integral with one of said clamping members; there being an opening through the other of said clamping members, one edge of said opening being a keeper interengaging with and securing said latch when said clamp is closed; and flexible bridging means integrally mounted to said clamping members for providing a closed channel between said clamping members and said flexible web, said clamping members, flexible web and latch all being a single integral part in which, when said clamp is fully open with the clamping members generally aligned on opposite sides of the flexible web no portion of the clamp in any plane parallel to that occupied by the clamping members overlaps any other portion of the clamp and the clamp may be molded in a two-piece mold opening and closing in a direction perpendicular to said aligned clamping members.

Claim 3

A clamp having a pair of clamping members each having a free edge and joined together along an opposite edge thereof by a flexible web whereby they can be pivoted from an open position in which they are generally aligned in a common plane to a closed position in which their free edges are pressed together, a latch projecting inwardly of said clamp when closed, one end of said latch being integral with one of said clamping members; there being an opening through the other of said clamping members, one edge of said opening being a keeper interengaging with and securing said latch when said clamp is closed; said clamping members, flexible web and latch all being a single integral part in which, when said clamp is fully open with the clamping members generally aligned on opposite sides of the flexible web no Portion of the clamp in any plane parallel to that occupied by the clamping members overlaps any other portion of the clamp and the clamp may be molded in a two-piece mold opening and closing in a direction perpendicular to said aligned clamping members; said one clamping member having an aperture therein; said latch projecting from an edge of said aperture and having a finger pad on the end thereof, generally parallel to said one clamping member and overlying said aperture.

Claim 4

A clamp having a pair of clamping members each having a free edge and joined together along an opposite edge thereof by a flexible web whereby they can be pivoted from an open position in which they are generally aligned in a common plane to a closed position in which their free edges are pressed together, a latch projecting inwardly of said clamp when closed, one end of said latch being integral with one of said clamping members; there being an opening through the other of said clamping members, one edge of said opening being a keeper interengaging with and securing said latch when said clamp is closed; said clamping members, flexible web and latch all being a single integral part in which, when said clamp is fully open with the clamping members generally aligned on opposite sides of the flexible web no Portion of the clamp in any plane parallel to that occupied by the clamping members overlaps any other portion of the clamp and the clamp may be molded in a two-piece mold opening and closing in a direction perpendicular to said aligned clamping members; said one clamping member having an aperture therein; said latch projecting from an edge of said aperture and having a finger pad on the end thereof, generally parallel to said one clamping member and overlying said aperture.

Claim 5

A clamp as described in claim 2, in which each of said clamping members has a flange projecting away from the plane occupied by said open aligned clamping members and toward said finger pad, said flexible web joining said flanges and being spaced from said plane for holding said clamping members in spaced relationship when said clamp is closed.

Claim 6

A clamp as described in claim 3, in which a rib projects inwardly from each of said clamping members, the ends of said ribs being spaced from both said flexible web and said free edges, the rib on one of said clamping members being offset laterally from the rib on the other of said clamping members; the height of said ribs being such that they overlap when said clamp is closed to form a passage extending endwise of the clamp to receive a support therethrough.

Claim 7

A clamp having a pair of clamping members each having a free edge and joined together along an opposite edge thereof by a flexible web whereby they can be pivoted from an open position in which they are generally aligned in a common plane to a closed position in which their free edges are pressed together, there being an aperture in one of said clamping members, a latch projecting inwardly of said clamp when closed, one end of said latch being integral with said one clamping member along one side of said aperture; there being an opening through the other of said clamping members, one edge of said opening being a keeper interengaging with and securing said latch when said clamp is closed; said clamping members, flexible web and latch all being a single integral part in which, when said clamp is fully open with the clamping members generally aligned on opposite sides of the flexible web, no portion of the clamp in any plane parallel to that occupied by the clamping members overlaps any other portion of the clamp and the clamp may be molded in a two-piece mold opening and closing in a direction perpendicular to said aligned clamping members, a folding connector being provided, said connector having a pair of sections, one on each side of said flexible web and joined by a portion of said flexible web; each of said sections on the end opposite from said flexible web being pivotally connected to the adjacent clamping member and along each side being severed from the clamping members, the portion of the flexible web joining said sections folding oppositely to that joining the clamping sections with the sections folding into the clamp as it is closed to form a passage extending endwise of the clamp to receive a support therethrough.

Claim 8

A clamp having a pair of clamping members each having a free edge and joined together along an opposite edge thereof by a flexible web whereby they can be pivoted from an open position in which they are generally aligned in a common plane to a closed position in which their free edges are pressed together, there being an aperture in one of said clamping members, a latch projecting inwardly of said clamp when closed, one end of said latch being integral with said one clamping member along one side of said aperture; there being an opening through the other of said clamping members, one edge of said opening being a keeper interengaging with and securing said latch when said clamp is closed; said clamping members, flexible web and latch all being a single integral part in which, when said clamp is fully open with the clamping members generally aligned on opposite sides of the flexible web, no portion of the clamp in any plane parallel to that occupied by the clamping members overlaps any other portion of the clamp and the clamp may be molded in a two-piece mold opening and closing in a direction perpendicular to said aligned clamping members, a folding connector being provided, said connector having a pair of sections, one on each side of said flexible web and joined by a portion of said flexible web; each of said sections on the end opposite from said flexible web being pivotally connected to the adjacent clamping member and along each side being severed from the clamping members, the portion of the flexible web joining said sections folding oppositely to that joining the clamping sections with the sections folding into the clamp as it is closed to form a passage extending endwise of the clamp to receive a support therethrough.

Claim 9

A clamp comprising: a pair of clamping members joined together by a flexible web whereby they can be pivoted from an open position, in which they are generally aligned in a generally common plane, to a closed position, in which an item can be held between said clamping members; a folding connector being pivotally joined at one end to one of said clamping members and at its other end to the other of said clamping members; said clamping members including an aperture extending between the pivotal connections of said folding connector to said clamping members such that no portion of said clamping members overlie said folding connector when said clamp is in said open position and said clamp can be molded in a two-piece mold.

Claim 10

A clamp comprising: a pair of clamping members joined together by a flexible web whereby they can be pivoted from an open position, in which they are generally aligned in a generally common plane, to a closed position, in which an item can be held between said clamping members; a folding connector being pivotally joined at one end to one of said clamping members and at its other end to the other of said clamping members; said clamping members including an aperture extending between the pivotal connections of said folding connector to said clamping members such that no portion of said clamping members overlie said folding connector when said clamp is in said open position and said clamp can be molded in a two-piece mold.

Claim 11

The clamp of claim 6 comprising: said folding connector having a pair of sections, one on each side of said flexible web and being joined by a portion of said flexible web; each of said sections on the end opposite from said flexible weB being pivotally connected to the adjacent clamping member and along each side being severed from the clamping members, the portion of the flexible web joining said sections folding oppositely to that joining the clamping sections with the sections folding into the clamp as it is closed to form a passage extending endwise of the clamp to receive a support therethrough.

Claim 12

A clamp comprising: a pair of clamping members, each having a free edge, and joined together along an opposite edge thereof by a flexible web whereby they can be pivoted from an open position in which they are generally aligned in a common plane to a closed position in which their free edges are pressed together; a latch integral with one of said clamping members and a latch engaging keeper integral with the other thereof for holding said clamp in a closed position; said clamping members intermediate said flexible web and said free ends being spaced apart and being resiliently deflectable to permit the clamping pressure of the free ends to be increased with said latch locking to said keeper when said clamping members are so deflected.

Claim 13

A clamp comprising: a pair of clamping members, each having a free edge, and joined together along an opposite edge thereof by a flexible web whereby they can be pivoted from an open position in which they are generally aligned in a common plane to a closed position in which their free edges are pressed together; a latch integral with one of said clamping members and a latch engaging keeper integral with the other thereof for holding said clamp in a closed position; said clamping members intermediate said flexible web and said free ends being spaced apart and being resiliently deflectable to permit the clamping pressure of the free ends to be increased with said latch locking to said keeper when said clamping members are so deflected.

Claim 14

The clamp of claim 8 comprising: one of said latch and keeper including a plurality of teeth spaced transversely of said clamping members and the other of said latch and keeper including teeth engaging means whereby the pressure applied by said clamp when closed can be varied by using different ones of said teeth in conjunction with said teeth engaging means.

Claim 15

The clamp of claim 8 in which said clamping member with which said latch is integral includes an aperture therein, said latch extending inwardly from the edge of said aperture.