US2369410A

US2369410A - Skin fastener

Info

Publication number: US2369410A
Application number: US423565A
Authority: US
Inventors: Peter F Rossmann
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1941-12-19
Filing date: 1941-12-19
Publication date: 1945-02-13
Anticipated expiration: 1962-02-13

Description

Feb. 13, 1945.

P. F. ROSSMANN SKIN FASTENER Filed Dec. 19, 1941 FIG-.4.

FIG-ll.

FIG-5.

far

INVENTOR fla TTORNH site Y 2 H .H i m W W M Q A specific object isrto providea simplified skin a fastener thecomponent parts of which are re'-,

Patented Feb. 13, 1 45 Peter'F. ItossinanmSnyder, N. Y., assignor to IrvingRosshWcst range,N.J.

Application December 19, 1941, Serial No. 423,555

7 Claims fastener for temporarily assembling or clamping together perforated sheet material, inparticular M metal sheets orplates preparatory to and tofacilitateariveting operation orother work to be carried out on said material.; i a a i In my co-pendingapplication, Serial No. 384,: 461, filed March 21, 1941,entitledClamping device, I havedescribed a device of i this character comprising essentially a body member or support having an opening preferably equal to theperforations in the sheets to beclamped, a clamping element movable relative to said support and having a pair of resilient legs or prongs provided with 3 shoulders and biased towards each other, and a spreader arranged in fixed relation to said support and projectingthrough said opening. The spreader is interposed between said prongs to 1 hold the same in spaced apart position against 2 their natural bias with the combinedcross-sectional areaof saidprongs and spreader-being substantially equal to and filling said opening l in assembled position. Furthermore, suitable spring means are arranged;

interposed between saidispreader and said clamping element to permit ofmovemerit of said clamping element between two extreme positions, one:

of said positions causing the ends of said prongs 1 r and said shouldersto pass. beyond said spreader and to be operated intoengagement with each other in such a manner astc enablerthe insertion of said prongs through the alignedperforations ofthe pair of sheetstobe clamped; and the other and a firm lockingof said sheets between said support and said shouldersheld in spaced apart position by saidspreader. h i The object of thepresent invention islto provide a number of improved features in a device of the above general character is an-effort to simdesign andimprove the operation there- 3 pllfy the duced to a minimum and can be easily assembled and disassembled for exchange of broken or defective components! l a i Another object is to permitof the use of a heavy clamping force substantially without damageto themetal sheet or other material being "clamped or assembled. j a I h u u p (01. 85-5) he present invention relates toaclamp orskin r in the hands of an unskilled or untrained opera ato'r. h r u p l The above and further objects and advantages of the invention will becomefmore apparent from the following detailed description taken with reference to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification and wherein;

Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a skin fastener constructed in accordancewith the principles of theinvention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional View taken online t 2---g2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a partial view of the improved and simplified clamping element; i

Figure 4 is a perspective: partial View showing the spreader member embodied in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a vertical viewrshowing theiastener in the insertingposition during the operating l cycle and locking elementfor holding Like reference characters the difierent views of the drawing,

having, in the example shown, the shape of'a cup provided with afiange .lO'fat its open end and having a curved or outwardly vaulted bottom pro- {of said positions eausingclamping engagement turn followed by further sectionsjM and 14" bent o outwardly at ia slightangle (about 3), while the i i A further object is the provision of a simplified clamping memberconstructed in such a manner as to enable quick and instant insertion through the perforations in the sheets to beclamped even vided with a central opening therein which is element which. is "shown separately in Figure 3 and according to the improved construction is constituted by. a-unitary wire memberof semicircular'or segmental cross-section (seeFigure 2) bent in Urfashion with the flat surfaces facing each other to form a pair of legs orprongs. The

latter are furthermore shaped in such a manner as to comprise a first pair ofsubstantially para1-

lel sections

12 and 12" adjacent to theirbent end followed by intermediate sections I3 and I3 bent inwardlyatasmallangle (about 15) to the central or symmetry line; Sections l3 and I3 are in lowermost orouter sections I5 and @15' provided withlshoulders orprotuberances l6 and I6 are again substantially parallel and urged or biased towards each other in the normal position as shown in t Figure 3.

Figure dis a perspectiveviewshowing the novel the parts of the device identify like parts in In the drawing,,the numeral l0 indicates the body member or jsuppo'rtof my improved fastener in the ineffective or non-use and in the operative positions by a substantially T-shaped spreader (Figure 4) having a cross-piece I1 and a spreader member I8 interposed between and being in sliding engagement with the fiat inner faces of the prong portions I5 and I5 as shown in Figure -1. The under-surface of the spreader portion I1 is suitably curved to conform to, the inside of the bottom wall of the cup or bodymember I 0. The clamping member I I projects beyond the member I0 and has its upper bent end secured to a head or cap 20 by the aid of a cross-pin 2| passing through diametrical perforations in the cap and embracing the bent upper portion of th prongs. Pin 2| is held in position by a slit resilient annularshaped locking element 23 placed in a circumferential groove of the cap to enable easy assembly and disassembly of the device during manufacture and for the quick exchange of broken or defective parts during use; A coil spring 22surrounding the prongs of member II has its lower end engaging the spreader portion II, the upper end of the spring resting within a recess in the under-surface of and engaging the cap 20. Spring 22 is designed to provide sufiicient clamping force to firmly lock the shoulders I6 and I6 against the under-surface of sheet B in the operative position of the fastener as shown in Figure 1 or against the under-surface of the cup II] in the non-use position of the device. The vaulted or curved construction of the bottom wall of the cup or body member ID enables the employment of a heavy spring to securean adequate clamping or firm locking of the sheets A and B with the fastenerwithout the danger of damage to the'sheets or other piece to be clamped or assembled.

WhileI have shown the support or body memher. I 0 in the form of a cup it will be understood thatthe same may take any other suitable shape such as a u-shapedmetal strip or angle piece or the like, such modifications and variations of the component parts of the device being readily obvious to those skilled in the art.

In use, the cap 20 is pressed towards the cup III by compressing the spring 22 preferably with the aid of a suitable tool such as a toggle device or a plier engaging the upper surface of the cap on the one hand and the under-surface of the flange 10' on the other hand. In this (inserting) position the prong sections I5 and I5 have passed beyond the spreader portion I8 and are operated into engagement with each other in such a manner as to allow of ready insertion of the prongs through the holes in the sheets A and B, as shown in Figure 5 which illustrates the position at the beginning of the insertion cycle. The shoulders I6 and I6 are designed in such a manner as to provide, when in engagement with each other, a slip fit in the perforations and, due to the parallel shape of the lower sections of the rongs I5 and I5, it is clearly seen that the insertion is greatly simplified by providing ready guidance of the prongs through the perforations during the inserting operation. In this position the spreader. .portion l 8- which substantially conforms to the inner faces of the prong sections I4 and. I4 will be readily positioned between the latter, resulting in the prongs remaining properly aligned and preventing lateral movement or canting as .is readily understood.

yond the lower sheet B to cause the sections I5 and I5 and the shoulders I8 and I6 to become spread apart by moving in an upward direction towards the body member upon release of the spring 22 so as to result in a firm looking or clamping of the sheets between the shoulders and the member Hi.

In order to remove the fastener, the spring is again compressed by pressing the cap 20 against the cup I0 thereby operating the prong sections I5 and I5" into engagement with each other and enabling a withdrawal of the prongs from the perforations in a manner readily understood-from the above.

It will be evident from the foregoing that the v -are accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a limiting sense.

At the end of the insertion cycle, that is after I claim:

1. In a clamp for clamping sheets through per forations therethrough, a body member having an outwardly vaulted bearing surface provided with a central opening and engaging said sheets, a clamping element projecting through said opening and having a pair of prongs provided with shoulders and biased towards each other, a spreader in fixed relation to said body and interposed between said prongs, and means including springs means interposed between said body and said element for causing clamping action between said shoulders and said body upon movement of said element towards said body and compression and subsequent release of said spring means.

2. In a clamp for clamping sheets through perforations therethrough, a body member having an outwardly vaulted bearing surface provided with a central opening and engaging said sheets,

a clamping element projecting through said opening, said clamping element being constituted by a unitary wire member bent in U-fashion to provide a pair of resilient prongs having shoulders and biased towards each other, a spreader in fixed relation to said body and interposed between said prongs, and means including spring means interposed between said body and said element for causin clamping action between said shoulders and said bodyupon movement of said element towards said body by compression and subsequent release of said spring means.

3. In a clamp for clamping sheets through perforations therethrough, a body member having an outwardly vaulted bearing surface provided with a central opening substantially equal to the aligned perforations in the sheets to be clamped, said bearing surface engaging said sheets in the clamping position,'a clamping element projecting through said opening, said clamping element being constituted by a unitary wire memberbent in U-fashion to provide a pair of resilient prongs having shoulders and biased towards each other, a spreader in fixed relation-to said body and interposed between said prongs, and means including spring means interposed between said body and said element for causing clamping action between said body and said shoulders uponmovement of said element towards said body by com pression and subsequent release of said spring means.

4. In a clamp for clamping sheets through per forations therethrough, a body. member having an outwardlyvaulted bearing surface provided with a central opening andengaging said sheets,

a clamping element projecting through said opening having a pair of resilient prongs provided with shoulders at the ends thereof and biased towards each other, a spreader conforming to and resting. against the inner surface ofsaid body;

\ said spreader having an extension interposed between said prongs, and means including spring means interposed between said spreader and said body for causing clamping action between said shoulders and said body upon movement of said element towards said body and compression and subsequent release of said spring means.

i 5. In a clamp for clamping sheets through perforations therethrough, a body member having an outwardly vaulted bearing surface provided with a. central opening and engaging/said sheets, a clamping element projecting through said opening having a pair of prongs provided with shoulders and biased towards each other, a spreader frictionally engaging said body and having a portion interposed between said prongs, and

means including spring. means interposed between said spreader and said clamping element for causing clamping action between said body and said shoulders held in spaced-apart position by said spreader portion. y g r i 6. In a clamp for clamping sheets through per- Til forations therethrough, a body member having an outwardly vaulted bearing surface provided with a central opening and engaging said sheets,

a clamping element projecting through saidopen ing, said clamping element being constituted by a unitary wire member bent inU fashion to provide a pair of resilient prongs having shoulders and. biased towards each other, a spreader frictionally engaging said bodyand having a portion interposed between said prongs, and means'ineluding spring means between said spreader and said element for causing clamping action between said body and said shoulders held in spaced-apart position by said spreader portion. t

7. In a clamp for clamping sheets through perforations therethrough, a body member having an outwardly vaulted bearing surface provided with a central opening and engaging said sheets, a clamping element projecting throughsaid open- 20 ing and having a pair of prongs provided with shoulders at the ends thereof and biased towards each other, a spreader conforming to and frictionally engaging the inside of said bearing surface, said spreader having a transverse extension 25 interposed between said prongs, and means ineluding spring means interposed between said spreader and said element for causing clamping action between said body and said shoulders held in spaced-apart position by said extension.

PETER F. ROSSMANN.