NZ211649A - Quick release fastening for sheet material - Google Patents

Description

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Complete Specification Filed: Class: P/A /?*/*?>. f.'An ?./.<?£. td.% o/.co 15 DEC 1986 Publication Date: P.O. Journal, No: ,..AP..y*Q PATENTS FORM NO. 5 NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT 195 3 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION "COVER SHEET JOINING AND FAST-RELEASE DEVICE" -i- WE ITW FASTEX ITALIA S.p.A. of 10100 Torino,Strada Settimo, 344, Italy, an Italian Corporate body hereby declare the invention, for which -I-/we pray that a patent may be granted to me/us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement (folJowed by page 1 A.) 2 t 1 649 COVER SHEET JOINING AND FAST-RELEASE DEVICE The present invention relates to a device enabling connection and fast release of cover sheets, in particular, for joining two or more camouflage sheets of appropriate size for covering and concealing objects and/or con structions of any dimension.

Camouflage or non-camouflage cover sheets are knovn to be employed for both civil and particularly military purposes for covering objects of all types and sizes, e.g. vehicles, toolboxes, machinery and/or armaments, for pro tecting the same from veather and/or for the purpose of concealment, e.g. from the enemy. Obviously, for obtaining cover sheets of the required shape and size, sheets of standard shape and size are generally employed, these being joined along their respective edges and then lashed and/or supported over the object being covered by means of appropriate supports. Vhen such sheets are used for covering military vehicles or veapons, in the case of military applications, or for covering emergency e.g. fire- 211649 fighting or rescue vehicles and machinery, in the case of civil applications in oil fields and/or on building sites, provision must be made for removing the cover as quickly as possible, while at the same time preventing damage to it and enabling it to be gathered up quickly and stowed and/or stored easily for future use.

The aim oE the present invention is to provide a joining device enabling cheap, straightforward production, reliable use, troublefree assembly and which enables a number of cover sheets to be joined together, in instantly releasable manner, so as to obtain covers of any shape and size whatsoever.

With these aims in view, the present invention relates to a device enabling connection and fast release of cover sheets, in particular, camouflage sheets, characterized in that it comprises a pair of first members formed from a synthetic plastics resin and being arranged to be secured to respective opposite mating edges of two said sheets so as to be in opposed relationship, the two said first members are identical in form and when opposed as aforesaid they each have a disposition which is the reverse of the other, and a second member formed from a synthetic plastics resin and being arranged for connection to rope release means which is movable relative to said sheets, said second member being adapted for location between said sheet edges and sliding engagement with each of said opposed first members so as to releasably hold said first members against separation.

A non-limiting arrangement of the present invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings in which: - Fig.l shows a view in perspective of the device according to the present invention? - Figs. 2 to 7 show plan, elevated and enlarged views of a detail on the Fig.l device; - Figs. 8 and 9 show an elevation and section along line 211649 IX-IX respectively of a further detail on the Fig.l device .

Number 1 in Fig.1 indicates a device enabling connection and fast release of any knovn type of cover sheet, (not shovn for simplicity). The arrangement of device 1 shovn and described herein purely by vay of a non-limiting example is suitable for use on cover sheets having respective edges provided vith connecting ropes 2 consisting of a stranded core 3 covered vith a tubular net sleeve 4 usually made of plastic. According to the present invention, device 1 comprises a pair of identical hook-type members 5, designed to fit opposite each other, in relatively reversed disposition,^ to ropes 2, and a connecting member 6 having an essentially fork-shaped end 7 and being designed to connect integral vith means for releasing the said device 1, the said means consisting of a further rope 8 form ed in the same manner as ropes 2 and arranged sliding be-tveen and parallel to the latter, so as to be located be-tveen the respective opposite mating edges or the said knovn cover sheets (not shovn for simplicity) to vhich ropes 2 are secured integral in any appropriate knovn man ner. As shovn by vay of a non-limiting example in Fig.l, member 6 is essentially parallelepiped, secured to release means 8 vith its longitudinal axis parallel to the sliding axis of the latter, i.e. parallel to the axis of ropes 2, and designed to connect, in reversible manner by means of end 7, the said pair of facing members 5 so as to connect the latter mutually and so join the said knovn cover sheets (not shovn) to vhich members 5 are secured integral by means of ropes 2. . r - A - j ]04l 2. lib*? Both member 6 and the pair of identical facing members 5 on each device 1 are made of plastic, e.g. synthetic pla£ tic resin, the said members 5 comprising respective projecting ends 9 designed to fit one inside the other for 5 defining, as shovn by the dotted line in Fig.1, a continu ous rib 10 designed to mate vith end 7 on member 6. as shovn in Fig.s 2 to 7, the said end 7 is provided vith a longitudinal cavity 11 open at the end facing members 5 and designed to house in sliding manner the said rib 10, 10 the said end 7 comprising at least one flexible axial <0 stop tab 12 defining at least part of one of the side vails on cavity 11 and designed to mate vith a straight end edge 13 on rib 10 for retaining the latter locked by preset force inside cavity 11.

As shovn in Fig.s 1, 8 and 9, end 9 on each member 5 comprises a flat, comb-shaped, longitudinal edge 14 defined by a pair of adjacent teeth 15 projecting crossvise in relation to the longitudinal axis of member 5 coinciding vith the axis of corresponding rope 2, and a number of 20 adjacent, T-shaped, crossvise projections 16 extending perpendicular to and formed integral vith teeth 15, one for each of the latter. The said T projections 16 are S~""\ defined by opposite slanting front faces 18 defining, be-tveen each pair of teeth 15, a corresponding V-shaped coa 25 partment 19 designed to house one of the said T projections 16 on the other of the said tvo facing members 5, in such a manner as to form, once the said projections 16 on one member 5 are housed inside the compartments 19 defined by the said projections 16 on the other member 5, 30 the said continuous rib 10 shovn by the dotted line in 211649 Fig.l and vhich is thus essentially T-shaped in section. For facilitating manual connection of ends 9, e.g. by an operator vearing gloves, projections 16 are preferably provided on one of faces 18 vith respective straight 5 crossvise ridges 17 and respective crossvise grooves 17a designed to mate in sliding manner vith ridges 17. Bach member 5 also comprises a second hook-shaped end 20. opposite end 9, vhich is forced on to the corresponding rope 2 integral vith the corresponding edge on the said 10 cover sheet (not shovn) to vhich member 5 is fitted. In more detail, end 20 presents a certain arount of flexibility vhich, though relatively small, is sufficient to enable it to flex, and defines internally a seat 21 for rope 2, the said seat 21 being slightly more than i8o° 15 and having a diameter slightly smaller than rope 2 so as to ensure the said forced connection betveen member 5 and rope 2 itself. Each seat 21 also has at least one sharp-edged semicircular ridge 22 designed to cooperate by friction vith the corresponding rope 2 housed inside 20 seat 21, in particular vith sleeve 4 covering rope 2, so as to prevent any axial movement of members 5 along ropes 2. Consequently, once each member 5 on device 1 according to the present invention has been forced in any position on to the corresponding rope 2, it remains se-25 cured angularly and axially integral vith the said rope 2 thanks to the action of ridge 22 and the elastic reaction exerted by end 20 as a vhole on the portion of rope 2 housed inside seat 21.

As shovn in Fig.s 2 to 7,cavity 11 is also T-shaped and 30 defined by a pair of essentially rigid longitudinal ribs /.'C -;i ' t'' 2tl<649 G C 24, essentially L-shaped in section and projecting from a main portion 25 on member 6, and by an essentially flat top vail 26 formed integral vith and joining ribs 24 crossvise and having projecting flexible tab 12 on 5 its free end. Ribs 24 define the opposite sides of ends 7 and, by means of respective rounded vings 28 arranged facing each other and parallel vith vail 26, define in cavity 11 a longitudinal bottom opening or slot 29 facing tab 12 and designed to enable projection i6 to be slid 10 Into cavity 11 vhen vings 2 8 are caused to cooperate in sliding manner vith flat edge 14 an each end 9 of facing members 5. The free end of tab 12 is provided vith a rounded ridge 30 designed to engage vith edge 13 consisting of the end edge of projection 16 closest to the 15 open end of cavity 11 vhen members 5 and 6 are mated, the said tab 12 thus retaining projections 16 inside cavity 11 by acting as an axial shoulder for the said projection 16 and ensuring, by means of lateral ribs 24, connection of the tvo facing members 5, the said tab 12 also enabl-20 in9 fast release of member 6 from ends 9 vhich are thus freed and alloved to part vhen axial strain greater than a preset value is exerted on ridge 30 causing tab 12 to flex.

Connecting member 6 is secured to release rope 8 by means 25 of end 32 comprising a C-shaped frame 33, the latter being thinner than the centre portion 25 of member 6 vith vhich it is formed integral and projecting longitudinal^ ly from the said centre portion 25 on the opposite side to ribs 24, and a cover 3^ designed to fit into fratme 33 30 and preferably hinged on to one side of the 2 1 164 9 of a flexible tab 35 formed integral vith side member 36 on frame 33 and vith cover 34 itself. The latter is provided, on inner face 37 designed to cooperate vith top face 38 on frame 33 vhen cover 34 is inserted into the 5 same, vith a projecting rigid prismatic rib 39 designed to cooperate vith rope 8; vith a V-shaped seat 40 having slanting side vails 41 converging so as to taper seat 40 towards rib 39 opposite seat 40; vith a lateral ridge 42 beside flexible tab 35; and with a flexible tab 43 paral 10 lei to ridge 42 and formed on the opposite side to the latter next to edge 44 on cover 34, the said tab 43 having a sharp-edged tooth 45 designed to engage (Fig.5) vith a corresponding seat 46 formed on the bottom face of frame 33 on the opposite side to top face 38 on the 15 same. Ridge 42, on the other hand, is designed to engage vith a corresponding seat <7 on side member 36, whereas frame 33 presents, on cross member 48, a corresponding seat 49 formed on face 38, identical to seat 40 and also defined by opposite diverging side vails 41 tapering to-20 vards a straight groove 50 formed on edge 51 of centre portion 25 of member 5 facing frame 33, the said seat 49 facing the said groove 50. Clearly, by turning cover 34 round side member 36, by bending flexible tab 35 through 180°, faces 37 and 38 are caused to mate, rib 39 is in-25 serted into frame 33 in seat 49 and groove 50, ridge 42 is inserted insile respective seat 47 and tab 43 is inserted inside fra»e 33 next to the side member of the latter opposite side member 36. This causes tooth 45 to engage inside seat 46 so as to lock cover 34 on frame 33 30 and join seats 40 and 49 so as to define a funnel-shaped -X. ; — J .8- 2 L1649 G compartment 53 shaped essentially in the form of a trun cated pyramid. Next to groove 50, cover 34 is preferably provided vith a groove 54 the function of vhich is to act as a side stop for rope 8 once the latter has been 5 inserted under cover 34. For guiding and enabling easy insertion of tab 43 inside seat 46, the side member opposite side member 36 is provided vith a top tab 55 perpendicular to frame 33.

Fran the foregoing description, device l according to the 10 present invention clearly operates as follovs.

After arranging the separate sheets vith their mating edges side by side, members 5 are fitted manually on to respective ropes 2 vhich, as already described, are arranged integral along the edges of the said sheets. After 15 setting up members 5 facing each other, as shovn in Fig.1, the said members 5 are brought together so as to engage opposite ends 9 on the same and insert into compartwents 19 on one member 5 the T-shaped projections IS on the other, talcing care to insert ridges 17 inside grooves I7a_, 20 so as to join the four projections 16 on the tvo opposite ends 9 and font T-shaped rib 10. Release rope 8 is then placed betveen ropes 2, parallel vith the latter and over rib 10, the said release rope 8 then being fitted on to the structure supporting the said sheets in knovn Banner, 25 so as to slide longitudinally in relation to ropes 2.

Rape 8, thus arranged, is then fitted vith member 5 by first threading a portion of the said rope 8 into seat 49 and groove 50 so as to thread it through frame 33. and then clamping cover 34 over the said portion of rope 8, 30 taking care to engage rib 39 vith the portion of rope 3 C \ . 211649 © locked underneath cover 34 and to bring the said portion of rope 8 out of frame 33 through groove 54 tovards groove 50. In like manner, rope 8 is choked inside funnel compartment 53 and pressed against grooves 50 and 54 5 by rib 39 so as to lock member 5 axially and angularly on to rope 8. The latter therefore enters through compartment 53 into frame 33, passes underneath rib 39 and continues through grooves 50 and 54 along vail 26. Final_ ly, member 6, so secured, is pushed by hand in the direc 10 tion of the arrov towards mating ends 9 on members 5, so as to insert rib 10 inside T seat 11 until end ridge 30 on flexible tab 12 reaches edge 13, vhich is thus engaged by ridge 30 so as to lock member 6 axially on to members 5, astride respective ends 9 on the latter. Clearly, under 15 such conditions, any mutual separation of members 5 is pre vented by member 6. In like manner, the cover sheets integral vith members 5 via ripes 2 are joined together as required. By arranging a number of devices 1, as described above, at set intervals along ropes 2 and 8, cover sheets 20 of any length may be firmly joined as required, clearly, for releasing device 1 and therefore dismantling almost instantly the cover sheet produced using devices 1 as described above, rope 6 need simply be pulled in the direction of the arrow, the opposite vay to tab 12 (i.e. to-25 vards end 32) vith sufficient given force to cause the mutual strain on ridge 30 and edge 13 to lift flexible tab 12 and so release the stop holding member 6 on to projections 16. Vhen so freed, member 6, dravn by the pull exerted on rope 8, slides along rib 10 until it is released 30 from ends 9 vhich are thus alloved to separate together " ' r. r 2U649 vith the cover sheets. Clearly, one pull on rope 8 simvQ taneously releases all the devices 1 fitted along the same, in that all the members 6 fitted at regular intervals along rope 8 are simultaneously released from their respective pairs of members 5.

The advantages of the connecting device according to the present invention vill be clear from the foregoing description. By means of a relatively simple set-up and assembly operation, consisting in fitting members 5 and 6 on to ropes 2 and 8, the present invention provides for practically instant removal of camouflage sheets joined using the said device, thus enabling immediate use of the facility or veapon covered by the said sheets. Furthermore, once released, the said sheets are perfectly intact and separate, thus enabling them to be gathered up and disposed of quickly. To those skilled in the art it vill be clear that chances «ay be aaie to the device as described herein vithout, however, departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims 211649

Claims (9)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: Tho olaimc dofining tho invention ore aa follows:

1. A device enabling connection and fast release of cover sheets, in particular, camouflage sheets, characterised in that it comprises a pair of first members formed from a synthetic plastics resin and being arranged to be secured to respective opposite mating edges of two said sheets so as to be in opposed relationship, the two said first members are identical in form and when opposed as aforesaid they each have a disposition which is the reverse of the other, and a second member formed from a synthetic plastics resin and being arranged for connection to rope release means which is movable relative to said sheets, said second member being adapted for location between said sheet edges and sliding engagement with each of said opposed first .members so as to releasably hold said first members against separation.

2. A device according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that the said first members comprise respective corresponding first projecting ends designed to fit inside one another for defining a continuous rib, and that the said second member comprises a longitudinal cavity, open at one end and designed to house in sliding manner the said rib defined by the first ends of the said first members, and at least one flexible stop tab defining at least part of one of the side walls of the said longitudinal cavity and designed to engage with an end edge on the said rib for keeping the latter locked inside the said cavity.

3. A device according to claim 2, characterised by the fact that the said first end on each said first member comprises a flat, comb-shaped, longitudinal edge, defined by at least one AT - 11 - n ' 211649 pair of adjacent, crosswise-projecting teeth, and a number of adjacent, crosswise T projections extending perpendicular to the said teeth; the said T projections being formed integral with the said teeth, one for each of the latter, and being provided with respective ridges and guide grooves; the said T projections being designed to define, together with the corresponding T projections on the other said first member, the said continuous rib and being defined by opposite slanting W" faces so as to define, between each pair of teeth, an 10 essentially V-shaped compartment designed to house one of the T projections of the other said first member.

4. A device according to Claim 2 or 3, characterised by the fact that the said longitudinal cavity of the said second member is T-shaped, formed towards a first end of the said second member and defined by a pair of longitudinal, essentially rigid, L-section ribs, projecting from the said second member, and by a top wall formed integral with the said L ribs, joining the latter crosswise and having the said flexible tab projecting from one end. 20

5, A device according to Claim 4, characterised by the fact that the said flexible tab has a rounded end ridge designed to engage with an end edge of one of the said T • projections for locking the latter inside the said longitudinal cavity, in such a manner as to hold together the said two first members and to raise the said flexible tab, consequently releasing the T projections from the said longitudinal cavity and separating the said first members in each pair, when the said second member is pulled by a force exerted on the said the rope means, in a direction away from said first end of/second member. JIT ~ 12 KA 30 211649

6. A device according to any one of the foregoing Claims characterised by the fact that the said first members comprise respective corresponding second ends, the latter being hook-shaped and designed to be forced on to respective ropes arranged integral along the edges of the said cover sheets, each of the said hook-shaped ends being provided with at least one sharp-edged semicircular ridge designed to engage by friction with the said ropes for preventing the said first members from sliding along the latter.

7. A device according to any one of the foregoing Claims, characterised by the fact that the said second member is provided with an end for connecting the said rope means, the said end comprising a C-shaped frame, formed integral with the said second member and projecting longitudinally from the same; a cover designed to engage inside the said frame and having a guide groove for the said rope means; a funnel-type choke compartment defined, when the said cover is fitted inside the said frame, by a pair of respective V-shaped seats having slanting, converging side walls formed respectively on a cross member of the said frame and on a face of the said cover, the said face being designed to rest on the said frame and the said choke compartment enabling a portion of the said rope means to be inserted and locked on the said frame underneath the said cover; and a groove formed on one edge of the said second member facing the said frame and designed to enable the said rope means to come out from underneath the said cover.

8. A device according to Claim 7, characterised by the fact that the said cover is hinged to the said frame by means of a flexible tab, the said frame having a guide tab fc KA said cover. 13 21X643 t I

9. A device enabling connection and fast release of > i cover sheets, substantially as described and illustrated herein with reference to the attached drawings. O o -fit CAREY 1 PUCAN1S