US 6,154,991 AGranted

Fabric workpiece holder

OwnerJanet F. Duncan, Roger M. Duncaninventors

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Abstract

A fabric workpiece holder is described for holding workpieces for various craft activities such as quilting and embroidery. The workpiece holder consists of a rigid hoop having a circumferential groove on its outer surface, an elastic cord that wraps around the fabric workpiece after it has been draped over the rigid hoop, and engages the circumferential groove on the hoop, and a novel clamp that allows the user to securely tighten the elastic cord, and maintain the tension therein, holding the fabric workpiece to the hoop. A unique feature of the clasp is an indexing ridge on the back surface that engages the groove on the hoop through the fabric. The ends of the elastic cord slide into holes on either side of the clasp and when the cord is tightened the clasp, including the ridge, are pulled toward the hoop. One end of the elastic cord is knotted or otherwise enlarged retaining it in the clasp, and a locking groove is provided on the face of the clasp allowing the user to maintain tension in the elastic cord.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A fabric workpiece holder comprising:

i) a hoop having an outer surface, said outer surface having a groove circumscribing said hoop;
ii) an elastic cord having a first and second end, a length L and a transverse dimension D wherein said length L is not substantially less than the perimeter of said hoop and said transverse dimension D is not significantly greater than the width of said groove, whereby said elastic cord may be wrapped around the perimeter of said hoop in engagement with said groove;
iii) a clasp for securing said elastic cord in tension after said elastic cord has been wrapped around said hoop, said clasp comprising a back face, oppositely disposed first and second clasp ends, and a front face, wherein said back face has an indexing means thereon for engaging said groove;
said first clasp end has a first longitudinal aperture large enough to insertably receive said cord and said second clasp end has a second longitudinal aperture large enough to insertably receive said cord;
and said front face has a cutout portion partially cut through said clasp and intersecting said first and second longitudinal apertures whereby said cord may be inserted through said first and second clasp apertures to form a loop large enough to wrap around said hoop;
said front face further including at least one locking groove sized to slidably receive a portion of said cord in a friction fit;
whereby a fabric workpiece may be draped over said hoop and secured thereto by wrapping said cord around said fabric over said groove and securing said cord in a stretched state with said clasp.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.