Spring-Loaded Jaws

Padded across the sunny balcony planks toward the wire drying rack. Clamped right onto the bottom bar... two wooden jaws with a coiled metal belly! Puzzling biting beast. I prodded the snout with my pole. It didn't budge. Just held the wire in a tight wooden bite. Wait. Levers on the back! I wedged my staff tip between the twin wooden tails and threw my weight down. Squeeze! The jaws popped wide open, slipped free from the wire, and snapped shut straight onto my pole shaft with a loud clack! An automatic wooden clamp. Marvelous grip!