US2281000A

US2281000A - Locking bridge top stop

Info

Publication number: US2281000A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1942-04-28
Anticipated expiration: 1959-04-28

Description

A. E. cA'RLlLE LOCKING BRIDGE TOP STOP Filed Aug. 11, 1941 INVENTOR ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 28, 1942 2,281,000 LOCKING Baroda TOP s'ror Alfred E. Carlile, Meadville, Pa., assignor to Talon, Inc., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August It, 1941, Serial No. 406,245

7 Claim.

This invention relates to slide fasteners and, in particular, to the provision of a new and improved bridge top stop for slide fasteners.

It is the object of this invention to provide a.

fastener, in addition to the means commonly,

possessed by such bridge top stops wherebythey connect and maintain the upper ends. of the stringer tapes of the fastener, above the rows of the interlocking fastener members, in predetermined slightly spaced relationship.

In the application of slide fasteners to earment placket and other closure openings where it is desired that both ends of the closure opening be closed, a commonconnection, is often provided between the upper ends of the stringer tapes by means of an end fitting commonly known as a bridge top stop secured between and to the adjacent edges of the stringer tapes and by means of which these adjacent edges of the stringer tapes are maintained in predetermined slightly spaced relation with respect to one another.

. While'in practice slide fasteners used on dress placket openings and some other closuropenings have not been provided with looking sliders, it is desirable that some means be provided to prevent the slider from "walking down" from its fully closed position. While automatic lock sliders are used extensively on slide fasteners for many garment closures, their use on fasteners for .dressplackets and the like is objectionable because of the extra bulkiness or thickness of the slider, andalso because of the additional errpense of the automatic locking mechanism. As.

a result of my invention, conventional non-locking sliders may still be used and the slider is nevertheless. held in its fully closed position by the bridge top stop. Thus, accidental opening of such fasteners is prevented without any un desirable projections on the slider and without the expense of other locking means.

Since side dress placket applications require that the closure opening be closed at both ends, it is impossible, with satisfaction, to use any of those prior art top stop constructions which comprise a separate and independent stop mem. her on each stringer adapted to limit upward movement of the slider and ,also,-in some cases, provided with means intended to prevent accidental downward movement of the slider. These known top stop members are unsatisfactory for such dress applications, first, because they provide no common connecting means for the upper ends of the slide fastener stringer tapes. They areunsatisfactory also since they are permitted to tilt, because of their independence of one another, whereby to bind or otherwise become so fouled in the slider, or its parts, as to make it dimcult, and sometimes impossible, to open the fastener without damaging the garment to which the fastener is attached. Since the upper ends of the locking members of the locking bridge top stops are, in each embodiment of this invention,

connected and maintained in predetermined spaced relationship all of the above disadvantages are totally obviated.

Also, according'to this invention, all of the above described disadvantages of theprior art are totally eliminated by the use, with a fastener provided with a relatively flat non-locking slider, of my new and improved bridge top stop construction which, in addition to the tape holding portions is provided with means yieldingly engaging the slider in its uppermost, closed, position and yieldingly connecting it to the stationary bridge top stop whereby accidental opening of the fastener by reason of the above described "walking down of the slider is eflectivelyprevented. 'Since the connection between the bridge top stop and slider is-yielding, it may readily overcome by theapplication of manual force to the slider, in conventional manner, to open the slide fastener. Thus the improved bridge top stop provides controlled resistance to downward movement of the slider from its uppermost locked position, which resistance is sufllcient to prevent accidental opening of the fastener without impairment of the ease of operation of the fastener.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a conventional slide fastener provided with an improved bridge top stop-according to this invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the fastener shown in Fig. l with the slider in section,

and the parts in unlocked position;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the parts in locking position;

Fig. 41s a view in perspective of the :bridge top stop of Fig. 1; v

Fig. is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing a modified form of bridge top stop, according to this invention;

Fig, 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 of the bridge top'stop shown in Fig; 5; I

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Figs. 3 and 5 of a secholding portions ti. Hence, at their lower ends ond modified form of bridge top stop, according .iorced edge l5 which-carries a row of predeterminedly spaced cooperating interlocking iastener members 46 clamped or otherwise secured thereto in known manner. The lower ends of the reinforced edges lb of the tapes M are connected,

in conventional manner, by a suitable bottom end fitting or bottom stop such'as that shown in Fig.

1 and therein designated ii. Slidable along the rows oi the interlocking fastener members it for progressively engaging and disengaging same, for closing and opening the fastener, is a slider generally designated l3.

The slider 88, as shown in Fig. 1, is formed by a pair of similar Wings 69 connected at their upper ends by a wedge forming neck 20. Each wing is provided with marginal guide flanges 2! which cooperate with the inclined side surfaces oi the wedge or neck to form an upwardly diverging, generally Y-shaped, guide channel between the wings l9 for guiding the interlocking fastener members It progressively into and out of interlocking relation as shown, for instance, in Figs. 2 and 3. The forward or outer wing is (not shown in Figs, 2, 3, 5 and '1) is provided with a pair of pull tab supporting lugs 22 in the form of upstanding loops extending outwardly oriorwardly from the wing IS. The slider is provided with the conventional pull tab,generally designoted 23, which is of plate-like form and which isprovided at its outer end with a thong receiving aperture 2. Its inner end is provided with a pair of slots 25 between a central tongue 26 and a pair oi legs 21, each of which legs 211s provided with a projection or trunnion extending toward the tongue 26. These projections or trunnions 28 extend beneath the loop-like lugs 22 and pivotally secure the inner end of the pull tab 23 to the slider I3.

each tape holding portion Si is provided with an inwardly directed extension or projection 33 which, by reason oi its cooperation with the neck or wedge 23 ot the slider, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, may be termed locking members. Since these projections or looking members 33 are spaced substantially from the yielding or resilient bridge member 32', they may be forced apart by the neck or wedge is or the slider in its upward movement, as shown in Fig. 2, with concurrent flexing of the bridge portion 32 as shown in that figure.

a After the neck or wedge 20 01 the slider it, has moved further upwardly. as shown in Fig. 3, these projections or locking members 33 will'return to their normal unstressed relative positions, as shown in Fig. 3. when the locking members or projections 33 are in this position, and when the wedge 23 of the slider I8 is confined therebetween, as shown in Fig. 3, the cooperationbetween the bridge top stop and thewedge 20 of the slider I8 is suflicient to prevent accidental downward movement oi the slider to open the fastener. However, when it is desired to open the fastener, it is merely necessary manually to engage the pull tab 23 of the slider and pull it bridge top stop.

An alternative form of locking bridge top stop,

according to this invention, is shown in Figs, -5 and 6 and is therein generally. designated iii.

This bridge top mp 60 is provided with tape The preferred embodiment of locking bridge top stop, according to this invention, is shown in tion. This bridge portion 32 efie'ctively maintains the spacing between the upper ends of the tape holding portions 3| while, by reason of its 7 flexibility and resiliency, permitting substantial movement oi the lower, or free ends of the tap holding portions M which are of similar section to the above described tape holding portions 3i. These tape holding portions 6| are connected by a transverse neck or bridge portion 42 which is of curved section and thereiore relatively inflexible whereby no substantial flexing oi the tape holding portions ii is permitted. For this reason, the locking projections or looking members 33 comprise inwardly directed somewhat curved tab-like prongs slit from the central part oi. the

tape holding portions ii of the bridge top stop dd; These prong-like locking projections 43,-because oi their fiat section, are extremely springlike and yield readily from their normal unstressed position (Fig.- 6) under the spreading force exerted by the wedge or neck 20 oi'the slider 18 (as shown in Fig. 5) to permit the slider it to be manually pulled up to its uppermost position as shown in Fig. 5. In this uppermost position, the wedge or neck 20 of the slider.

i c is clampingly connected yieldably to the bridge top stop 40 by the clamp-like locking members 43, as shown in Fig. 5. The clamping force oi the locking members 43, in this position, is willcient to prevent accidental downward movement of the slider l3. However. the neck or wedge 13 of the slider l8 may readily be withdrawn from its position between the locking members 43 by the application of slight tension to the pull tab 23 of the slider l8.

, A second modification oithe invention is shown in Figs. 7 and 8, and is therein generally designated 30. It comprises a pair of tape holding portions 3| similar to the above described tape holding portions H of the bridge top stop 40.

These tape holding portions 5| are connected by a transverse neck or bridge portion 52 which.

is substantially inflexible and which is similar to the above described portion 42 of. the bridge top stop so. The locking members, extensions or projections, are designated 53 and are similar to the above described locking projections 33, save that they are somewhat longer and are disposed below the tape holding portions being formed as prolongations of the tape holding portions iii instead or being'cut out therefrom as are the locking members it of the embodiment of 5 and 6. Because of their length and because of their relatively fiat section and their curvature from end to end, these locking members or projections 53 are spring-like and clamplike and are readily spread apart from their normal unstressed position shown in Fig. 8 by upward movement of the neat: or wedge 2c of the slider i i therebetween to the position shown in Fig. F7. in this position, the slider it is yieldingly connected to the bridge top stop by the clamping engagement between the locking members 53 and the inclined side surfaces of the neck or wedge is of the slider it. The clamping iorce exerted by the locking members lid is suiiicient. of course, to prevent accidental separation of the slider it and top stop so while manual application of tension to the pull tab 23 of the slider to will readil cause the neck or wedge til to spread the yielding locking members 53 apart in order that the neck or wedge 2i! oi the slider may pass downwardly therebetween and therebeyond to free the slider from the locking top stop tit.

iirom the above description it will readily appear that I have provided a new and improved locking top stop particularly adapted to dress placket applications and the lilre wherein it is desired to achieve a slide fastened closure which is closed at both ends and which embodies a slide fastener with a flat, non-locking slider, the cooperation oi the bridge top-stop-with the slider providing controlled resistance to opening of the fastener in order effectively to prevent accidental opening of the fastener while obviating the necessity of any undue bulk or expense as a result of the use of locking sliders.

It is, of course, to be understood that the above described structure is merely illustrative and in nowise limiting and that I desire to comprehend within; my invention all modifications included within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I

1. A locking bridge top stop for slide fasteners comprising a pair of connected stringer tape engaging members adapted to maintain the complementary tapes of a slide fastener in predetermined relation, and means on said members engageable with the slider of said fastener in its uppermost position for yieldingly connecting said slider and said top stop to prevent accidental opening of said slide fastener.

2. A locking bridge top stop for slide fasteners comprising a pair of stringer tape engaging members connecting at their upper ends and adapted to maintain the complementary tapes of a fastener in predetermined relation, and means on said members clampingly engaging the neck 0! the slider of the fastener in its uppermost position for yieldlngly connecting said slider and said top stop to prevent accidental opening of said slide fastener.

- 3. In combination with a slide fastener including a pair of stringer tapes each having a row or interlocking iastener members on one edge, and a slider slidable on said rows of interlocking fastener members for progressively engaging and disengaging said fastener members to close and open said fastener; a biidgetop stop comprising a pair of tape holding members connected at their upper ends and secured to adjacent edges of said tapes above the rows of interlocking fastener members for maintaining said upper tape ends in predetermined relation, and means on said top stop cooperating with said slider in its uppermost position for yielrlingly connecting said slider with said top stop to prevent accldental opening oi said fastener.

4. in combination with a slide fastener includ ing apair of complementary stringer tapes each having a row of interlocking fastener members on one edge, and a slider slidable on said rows of interlocking fastener members forprogressively engaging and disengaging said fastener members to close and open said fastener, said slider comprising a pair of wings connected at their upper ends by a neck; a bridge top stop comprising a for maintaining said upmr tape ends in predetermined relation, and projections on said tape holding members yieldingly engaging the neck of said slider in its uppermost position for yield.

ingly connecting said slider with said top stop in the closed position of said fastener to'prevent accidental opening of said fastener.

5. In combination with a slide fastener including a pair of complementary stringer tapes each having a row of interlocking fastener members on one edge and a slider slidable on said rows of interlocking'iastener members for progressively engaging and disengaging said fastener members to close and open said fastener, said slider comprising a pair of wings connected at their upper ends by a neck; a bridge top stop comprising a pair of relatively inflexible tape holding members connected at their upper ends by a relatively inflexible bridge, said tape holding members being secured to adjacent edges'of said tapes above olental opening of said fastener.

6. The combination defined in claim 5, said locking projections being disposed between said tape holding members and comprising yielclable prong-like projections struck out from said tape '7. The combination defined in claim 5, said locking projections comprising downwardlyextending prolongations of said tape holding mamhers forming spring-like spreadaole clamping arms closely engaging the inclined side surfaces. of the slider neck in the uppermost position of the slider.