Cable clasp

A method of manufacturing a cable clasp, comprising the steps of:

• providing a tail including a free proximal end having an engagement face, the tail further including a distal hinge end opposite the free proximal end, the distal hinge end including a hinge face having a first torsion spring hole extending generally perpendicularly relative to a loop plane;
• providing a head defining a mouth opening into which the free proximal end of the tail is pivotable, the head including a distal hinge end spaced apart from the mouth opening, the distal hinge end of the head including a hinge face having a second torsion spring hole extending generally perpendicularly relative to the loop plane;
• engaging a torsion spring with one of the tail and the head by positioning a first leg of the torsion spring within the torsion spring hole of the one of the tail and the head;
• and
• engaging the other of the tail and the head with the torsion spring by positioning the hinge face of the other of the tail and the head proximate the torsion spring and pivoting the tail relative to the head in the loop plane such that the cable clasp moves towards a closed-loop position and a second leg of the torsion spring passes along the hinge face of the other of the tail and the head and then into the torsion spring hole of the other of the tail and the head.

A cable clasp for supporting an article, comprising:

• a tail forming part of a loop and including a free proximal end having an engagement face, and the tail including a distal hinge end opposite the free proximal end;
• a head forming another part of the loop, the head including:
• a handle including a distal hinge end pivotally connected to the distal hinge end of the tail, the handle defining a proximal mouth opening and a distal mouth opening providing a passageway into which the tail is movable to permit the clasp to move from an open-loop position to a closed-loop position and vice versa, in the open-loop position the free proximal end of the tail being spaced from the passageway, in the closed-loop position at least a portion of the free proximal end being disposed within the passageway, and the free proximal end of the tail passing through the proximal mouth opening to enter the passageway when moving from the open-loop position to the closed-loop position, the handle including:
• a neck;
• a grip connected to the neck opposite the distal hinge end of the handle, the grip including a first grip arm extending generally perpendicularly relative to a loop plane in which the tail moves relative to the handle and a second grip arm extending generally perpendicularly relative to the loop plane, and the first and second grip arms being disposed on opposite sides of the neck;
• and
• a lock connected to the handle and protruding from the proximal mouth opening, the lock including a catch engageable with the engagement face of the tail, the catch and the engagement face being engageable in a lock position to:
• 1) prevent motion of the tail relative to the head in a first direction, and
• 2) permit motion of the tail relative to the head in a second direction opposite the first direction by sliding the catch over the engagement face, and
• the lock and the engagement face being disengageable in a release position to permit motion of the tail relative to the head in both the first and second directions;
• a compression spring biasing the catch towards the lock position;
• and
• a torsion spring connected between the distal hinge end of the tail and the distal hinge end of the handle and biasing the clasp towards the closed-loop position.