Telescoping electric hair curling iron with an integrally molded hair clip actuator

A telescoping electric hair curling iron comprising:

• (a) a molded hollow handle of plastic material having a front opening;
• (b) a longitudinally extending cantilever spring element integrally molded as part of the wall of said handle from the same plastic material thereof;
• (c) a depressible thumb button immediately adjacent the front opening of said handle and integrally molded as part of said cantilever spring element from the same plastic material wherein said depressible thumb button is formed by a downwardly bent forward end of said cantilever spring element;
• (d) an elongated heat conducting means arranged in said handle for telescopic axial movement through said front opening therein between a first position projecting from the front of said handle and a second position substantially enclosed within said handle;
• (e) an electric heat generating element for heating said heat conducting means and fixed within said heat conducting means so as to be telescopically movable therewith relative to said handle;
• (f) an elongated hair gripping means coextensive with and mounted on said heat conducting means for movement toward and away from the surface thereof and axially movable therewith to said first and second positions, a portion of said hair gripping means parallel with the longitudinal axis of said heat conducting means and extending beyond the end thereof cooperating with said thumb button when said heat conducting means is in said first position whereby depression of said thumb button causes said hair gripping means to move toward and away from said conducting means to permit gripping and releasing of hair to be curled;
• (g) an electric swivel cord connector means mounted on the inner end of the heat conducting means within the handle so as to be moveable with said heat generating element by sliding forward into said handle when said heat conducting means is moved to said first position and sliding backwards out of a rear opening in said handle when said heat conducting means is moved to said second position, said swivel cord connector means being adapted to connect to an external electrical source for conveying electricity to said heat generating element.