US2162466A - Clasp - Google Patents

Description

June 13, 1939. P. L. WOOD 2,162,466

CLASP Filed Oct. l5 1937 IN ENTOR.

, Paray Z.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 13, 1939 CLASP Percy L. Wood, Attleboro, Mass assignor to Swank Products, Inc., a corporation of Delaware ' Application October 15, 1937, Serial No. 169,107

'2 Claims. (01. 24-251) This invention relates to a clasp of a type particularly adapted for use in connection with suspenders, garters, or other articles of wearing apparel to be supported by a pull on the part which is attached to the clasp; and the invention has for one of its objects to provide a simple but effective clamping device which has a very strong grip and will be urged into firmer gripping relation by reason. of tension thereon tending to detach it from the part which it engages.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a clasp which will be effective to grip widely different thicknesses of material without being bent out of shape.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a clasp providing a pair of jaws which will be under control at all times by a simple locking member, the locking member controlling the opening as wellas the closing of the clasp.

Another object of the invention is to provide a construction which may omit a spring for moving the jaws into open position with a locking member for moving them to closed position and the utilization of a locking member for accomplishing not only its closing function but also an opening function which the spring previously performed.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the clasp with the locking member in a position between open and closed;

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the jaws in locked position;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. l with the parts moved to cause the jaws to be in open position;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the arrangement of the parts as shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the arrangement of the parts as in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the jaws;

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of the other of the jaws;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the locking member.

Clasps of this general character usually have a spring in addition to the parts which I have illustrated in Figures 6, '7 and 8 for moving the jaws to an open position as is more fully illustrated in Patent No. 1,997,425, dated April 9, 1935, and I have found that I may by re-arranging the construction do away with a spring in such device and thus eliminate the necessity of providing a slot in the locking member for the spring thereby enabling the locking member to perform all of the function necessary in the device which the spring previously performed and serve to better control the movement of the jaws to and from closed position; and the following is a more detailed description of the present embodiment of this invention, illustrating the preferred means by which these advantageous results may be accomplished:

With reference to the drawing, l0 designates one of the jaws which comprises a sheet metal plate II with side walls l2 and a locking lip i3. The other jaw l4 also consists of a sheet stock metal portion IS with side walls l6 and a locking lip l1. Enlargements I8 on the jaws l0 and I9 on the jaw M are provided with openings 20 and 2| for the reception of a pivot pin 22 to pivotally relate the jaws l0 and 14 with the side walls [6 telescoping within the side walls I2 when in this pivoted position. These jaws are freely rockable relative to each other about the pivot pin 22.

The control and locking member 23 is shown in perspective in Fig. 8 and consists of a part 24 which is of a size to slide within and be guided by the side walls l2 at their ends 25, while a further guide is provided by shoulders 26 struck up in the plate H and receiving an offset portion 21 in the sliding part 24 to assist in controlling the sliding movement of this part on the jaw in in its movement relative thereto. The end of this sliding part 24 is rolled over backwardly as at 28 to provide a cam formation having an apex portion 29 and stiffening ribs 30 are provided upon this folded back portion by raising the stock therefrom which serve to contact at this apex location the inner surface 3| of the other jaw l4 and move along this surface from a point perpendicular with the pivot to either side of the pivot toward either ends of the jaws to control the relative position of the jaws, this cam portion being of sheet stock and stifiened as illustrated is resilient and serves to maintain a firm contact with the jaws in substantially all positions of its movement. This locking member is enlarged as at 32 into an attaching portion which is slotted as at 33 so as to receive the bight or loop of a Suspender or the like which it is desired shall be attached to trousers or the like.

In assembly, the locking member is placed within the channel of the jaw ID and then the jaw I4 is placed in position and a pin passed through the openings 20, 2| and is riveted in position, the cam formation being open at its free end receives the pivot pin into its bight or folded portion, as shown in Fig. 4, when the lock ing member is pulled outwardly with reference to the jaws so that the apex portion 29 will by reason of its engagement with the upper or outer end of the jaws cause their lip ends l3 and I! to move toward each other into binding relation and be maintained in this position by the spring of the stock of the cam formation and any pull tending to move the locking member outwardly serves to move the jaws into firmer binding relation.

If release of the parts is desired it is merely necessary to slacken the tension on the locking member 23 and slide it toward the lips l3 and I1 whereby the cam formation will move into line with the pivot releasing its gripping tension and then upon movement to the other side of the pivot, as shown in Fig. 5, will positively open the jaws and maintain them in open position, as shown in Fig. 5, ready for the reception of a grip on another part. The maintenance of the laws in both open and closed'position is under the control of the resilient action of the cam formation which serves not only to control these jaws in both positions of movement but actually influences them resiliently toward both positions.

The attaching member 32 has its shoulder portions 35 in such position relative to the length of the slide or shank portion 24 as to form a limit for the inward movement of the slide as is shown in Fig. 5, so that the jaws move to a position just short of contact between the end 36 of the jaw 14 with this sliding member 23.

The foregoing description is directed solely towards the construction illustrated, but I desire it to be understood that I reserve the privilege of resorting to all the mechanical changes to which the device is susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A clasp comprising a pair of jaw members pivoted together intermediate their ends, a looking member having a part slidable upon the inner surface of one jaw member, and a resilient cam formation with a contact portion slidably engaging the inner surface of the other jaw member, limiting means on said locking member permitting the oam to move from a position where said contact portion is in perpendicular alignment with the pivot and jaws to a position toward either end of the jaws to thereby move the jaws to open or closed position about said pivot point, said resilient cam formation flexing as it is moved toward and from said pivot to compensate for different distances between said contact portion and slide portion and maintaining firm engagement against said jaws at all positions of movement to keep the jaws under control.

2. A clasp comprising a pair of jaw members pivoted together intermediate their ends, one of said jaws providing side lips, a locking member having a part slidable upon the inner surface of the lipped jaw member and guided by said lips, and a resilient cam formation with a contact portion slidably engaging the inner surface of the other jaw member, limiting means on said looking member permitting the cam to move from a position where said contact portion is in perpendicular alignment with the pivot and jaws to a position toward either end of the jaws to thereby move the jaws to open or closed position about. said pivot point, said resilient cam formation fiex-- ing as it is moved toward and from said pivot to compensate for different distances between said contact portion and slide portion and maintaining firm engagement against said jaws at all positions of movement to keep the jaws under control, said cam being the only means for moving said jaws to open position.

PERCY L. WOOD.

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