US2421791A - Slider for fasteners - Google Patents

Description

June 10, 1947; R. c. LEGAT SLVIDER FOR FASTENERS Filed June 8, 1945 mmvma ifoafer 6. LEG/77 ATTORNEYS Patented June 10, 1947 SLIDER FOR FASTENERS Robert C. Legat, New Britain, Conn., assignor to The G. E. Prentice Mtg. (10., Kensington, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Application June 8, 1945, Serial No. 598,220

This invention relates to separable fasteners of the slide operated type and more particularly to a slider therefor, embodying locking means for preventing unintentional movement of the slider along the fastener.

Many forms of locking devices have been in- 13 Claims." (Cl. 24-205.5)

' so that they can come together and interlock corporated in fastener sliders to automatically prevent unintentional movement thereof after the operator has movedthe slider on the fastener to the position desired. The type of automatic lock which has been the most widely adopted by the art, comprises generally a spring actuated strong and able to withstand without any danger of failure, the severe strains imposed on a device of this type during its usage.

Other objects of the invention as well as the advantages and novel features of construction of the locking slider of this invention will appear from the following description thereof when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a front view of a portion of-a fastener equipped with the slider of this inven-- tion; Fig. 2 is a central, longitudinal cross-section taken along the line 2--2 of Fig. 1 and showing the slider locked in position on the fastener;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating the relation of the lock members and elements when the slider is moved longitudinally downwardly along the fastener; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but with the pull tab and tab supporting loop removed to afford a front view of the parts beneath such loop; Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 'is a plan view of the exterior of a completed blank from which the slider is made; Fig. '7 is a central, longitudinal cross-section taken along the line 1--'! of the slider blank shown in Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a plan view of the interior of the slider blank shown in Fig. 6 and Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the rocking member, detached.

In the drawings, there is shown a. conventional fastener structure having flexible tape stringers l0 and H with rows of interlocking elements I! and I3, respectively, secured to the opposed edges of such stringers and constructed and arranged properly in interfingered relation. The engagement and disengagement of the interlocking elements I2 and "name controlled" by the longi-.

tudinal movement of a slider having a bodyportion provided with a conventional Y-shaped interior channel for guiding the fastener elements into and out of engagement. I

The body portion of the slider comprisestwo wings or plates I4 and I5 which are connected at their upper ends by an integral transverse connecting or neck portion l6. As is shown in Figs. 6 to 8, the plates or wings l4 and I5 and portion it are made from a single piece' of material which after it has been completedto the form shown in such figures, is bent in the region of neck portion It to bring the plates. and|5 and portion it into the form shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. The plate l4 constitutes the outer or front wall of the slider and is disposed in spaced, substantiallyparallel relation to the rear wall or wing 15.- The wings l4 and I5 are provided with lateral guide flanges l1 and I8, respectively, to define the outer margins of the interior channel through which the interlocking elements travel when the slider is moved longitudinally of the stringers. Adjacent to the neck It and. extending through openings 4| and 42 in the wings l4 and I5 is a divider or separator l9 which is wedgeeshaped intermediate the two -wings. -It will thus be seen that wings I4, [5, flanges I1 and i8 and separator 19 define the interior Y-shaped channel composed of a lceneral leg 20 in the lower portion of the slider and two diverging arms 2| and 22 in the upper portionof the slider or in the region .of the separator iii. The portion 43 of the separator l9 which projects through the rear wing I5 is headed over against the exterior surface of such wing. while the portion of such separator which projects through the opening in the front wing I ,4 has integrally formed therewith, a. lug 23 extending longitudinally over the front wing [4 throughout substantially the entire length of the slider. The lug 23 is hollowed or recessed out at 24 to form a loop 25 which spans the central longitudinal portion of thefront wing I4 and is secured at its lower end, at 25, to such wing. Extending through the recess 24 is a transverse portion 21 of a pull tab 28, such transverse portion 21 being positioned intrmediate the loop 24 and a rocker member 29 and having a greater width than thickness (note Figs. 2 and 3). r

Provided in the frontwing [4, in the region thereof, spanned by.the loop 25, is a substantially rectangularly-shaped opening 30 having a width substantially the same as the loop 25 and a length substantially the same as the longitudinal length of the area of wing l4 spanned by the loop 25 or recess 24. Integrally connected with the material of one side of such opening 33 is an inwardly projecting fixed locking member or pin 3|. The pin 3| is formed by leaving a transverse portion of the material of wing |4 when the opening 30 is blanked out and then bending such transverse portion inwardly until it is disposed at right angles to the interior surface of wing 4. The locking pin 3| has a straight edge facing the lower end of the slider and is beveled or inclined at 32 to facilitate movement of such pin over the interlocking elements when the slider is moved on the stringers to interlock such elements and to present a pointed tooth which may readily enter into the space between adjacent elements to lock the slider in position when the latter is released and any strain is placed on the stringers tending to force the slider in a direction to disengage the elements.

Loosely fitted. in the opening 30 is a floating or rocker member 29 of substantially wedge-shaped form and having a substantially rectangularlyshaped, fiat outer surface 33 and side surfaces 34 and 35 disposed at right angles to such top surface. Provided in the side surface 34 of member 29 is a slot orrecess 39 to receive the pin 3| (see Figs. 2 to 4 of the drawings). 38 of recess 36 diverge inwardly and theface 39 of recess 36 inclines'from surface 33 inwardly towards side surface 35, so that the recess 36 at its inner end has a greater cross-sectional area than the cross-sectional area of pin 3|. The cross-sectional area of recess 36 at its outer end is slightly less than the cross-sectional area of pin 3| and the taper of faces 31, 38 and 39 of the recess is such that the'member 29 when supported by pin 3| projects slightly beyond the exterior face of wing M. The end faces 44 and 45 of member 29 are arcuately-shaped and curvedly converge from the ends of outer surface 33 in- .wardly to the inner ends of recess faces 31 and 38. The faces 49 and 45 function in the nature of cam surfaces as will be hereinafter explained. The depth of member 29 is greater than the length of pin 3| so that when the former is moved inwardly as far as it will go on the latter so as to be fully seated thereon, the inner end of member 29 projects inwardly further than pin 3|. The width of member 29 at the outer surface 33 thereof is slightly less than the width of opening 39 and the length of surface 33 is such as to enable member 29 to rock on the pin 3| to a limited extent, the endwalls of opening 3!! forming stops and defining the range of rocking movement of such member (note Fig. 3 of the drawings) The length of member 29 at its inner end, while less than the length of surface 33, is

The faces 31 and 4 faces 31, 38 and 39 of recess 36, the pin 3| affords no restriction to the rocking movement of the member 29 within the range mentioned.

The interior surface of the rear wing I is dished out in the region thereof opposite the member 29 and the inner end of the locking member 3| to provide a shallow longitudinally concave recess 40 extending from the-separator l9 to the outer or lower edge portion of such wing and extending in the direction of its width to the flanges l8, I9 of such rear wing (see Fig. 8).

The dished out interior surface portionof the rear wing |5 which constitutes the recess 40 is thus intermediate the lower edge portion and the upper portion of the interior surface of the rear wing l5, in a longitudinal direction of the slider,

and intermediate the flanges l8, l8 of such wing,

in a transverse direction of the slider (note Figs. 2 and 3 and Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings). The curvature of the recess 40 and its depth-below the pin 3| are such that the space-between its surface and the inner end of pin or locking member 3| is slightly greater than the width of the fastener or interlocking elements. By reason of the recess 40 the interlocking elements may pass freely below the pin 3| when the slider is manually moved through the pull tab 29 longitudinally of the slider, while when any force is applied to interlock or disengage the interlocking elements I2, and I3, the pull tab 28 which is gripped by the operator, will be iclined at an angle to the front wing |4 ofthe slider and the transverse portion 21 thereof will be positioned at that end of the opening 30 which corresponds to the direction of movement of the slider. Thus, if the slider is moved downwardly on the stringers, in a direction to disengage the interlocking elements, the transverse portion 21 of the pull tab will be at the lower end of the opening 30, as is shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. On the other hand, if the slider is being moved upwardly on the stringers to interlock the elements, the portion 21 of the pull tab will be positioned at the upper end of opening 30 during such movement of the slider. As a result of the position of portion 21 of the lifted pull tab, the member 29 will be pivoted or rocked downwardly by such portion to cause an end face 44 or 45 of member 29 to move into a position with respect to pin 3|, where it will prevent the latter from engaging with the interlocking ele greater than the width of the spaces between the a interlocking elements.

It will thus be seen that the construction of the rocking member 29 is such that it is loosely mounted in the opening 30 and on pin 3|, so

ments and will earn the interlocking elements passing through the slider down into the recess 49 where they can freely pass underneath the pin 3|. Thus, in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the member 29 has been rocked about pin 3| by the transverse portion 21 of thepull tab so that end face .44 of member 29 prevents engagement of pin 3| with the interlocking elements passing through the slider in its downward movement on the stringers and cams the elements during such downward movement of the slider down into the recess 40 so that they freely pass under the pin 3|. When the desired position of the slider on the stringers is reached and the pull tab 28 released so that it may assume a position substantially parallel to the exterior surface of wing H (see Fig. 2),

member 29 will return .to its normal condition with respect to pin 3| and due to the tendency of the stringer portions within the slider and between the interior surface portionsof the wing Ii, which are longitudinally separated by the recess III, to return to a straightened condition when the force exerted thereon by end face 44 or 45, is removed, the elements forming part of such stringer portions, will move member-.29 outwardly to-uncover the locking end of pin 3|. In this condition of the parts, the locking end may or may not enter into a space between adjacent fastener elements. Should however, a force be exerted on the stringers tending to straighten them out within the slider or to move the slider in a direction to disengage the fastener elements, the effect of such force will be to further straighten out the portions of the stringers between the aforementioned two longitudinally separated surface portions of wing I5 within the slider and cause the lockin pin 3|, if it has already not done so, to enter into a space between adjacent fastener elements. Thus, the pin 3| through its engagement with a side surface of one of such elements will positively prevent the slider from moving on the stringers in a direction to disengage the elements.

The greater the force exerted on the stringers tending to move the slider in the opening direction, the more positively and securely will the slider be locked or prevented against movement in the opening direction. All that is necessary then to unlock the fastener, is to lift the pull tab 28, thus causing the transverse portion 21 thereof to cam the member 28 downwardly to cover the locking end of pin 3| andforce the elements inwardly away from engagement therewith. When the pull tab 28 is then actuated to move the slider in one direction or the other, the member 29 is again rocked to a position which will prevent engagement of pin 3| with such elements and permitthe latter to pass readily. beneath such pin in the manner explained.

It will thus be seen that the present invention provides a simple and yet effective automatic locking means which does not require the use of springs and which due to its construction will be rugged and will be in no danger of being rendered inoperative during usage of the slider. Furthermore, while I have particularly described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifica-. tions may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim 1. A slider forseparable fasteners comprising a body member having an interior channel, means carried by the slider body and immovable relative thereto to engage with the fastener elements in such channel and lock the slider against movement in one direction, and means associated with said locking means and operable to prevent the locking engagement of said locking means with the fastener elements.

2. A slider for separable fasteners comprising a body member having an interior channel, means carried by the slider body and immovable relative thereto to engage with the fastener elements in such channel and lock the slider against movement in one direction, means operable to prevent the locking engagement of said locking means with the fastener elements, and means controlling the action of said operable means.

. 6 3. A slider for separable fasteners comprising a body member having an interior-channel, a fixed locking member carried by said body member and projecting into such channel to engage with the fastener elements and lock the slider against movement in one direction, a member movably mounted on said body member and con-' 1 structed and arranged to be moved into a position to prevent the lockin engagement of said .locking member with the fastener elements and a pull tab coacting with said movable member and operable to move the latter into the said position. s a

4; A slider for separable fasteners comprising a body member having an interior channel, a

fixed locking member carried by said body member and projecting into such channel to engage with thefastener elements, a floating member having a cam surface movably mountedon said body member and constructed and arranged to be moved into a position in which the cam surface thereof will deflect the fastened elements traveling through the slider out of locking engagement with said locking member, and a pull tab constructed and arranged to move said floating member into the said position on operation of the slider.

5. A slider for separable fasteners comprising a pull tab having a portion positioned intermediate said float unit and said fixed portion, said pull tab'portion coactlng with said float unit to move the latter into said position upon actuation of said pull tab to operate the slider.

6. A slider such as defined in claim 5, in which said float unit is loosely mounted for rocking movement in one direction or the other depending upon the direction of movement of the slider and has a pair of oppositely disposed cam surfaces arranged to be brought alternately into coactive.

relation with said locking member.

7. A slider such as defined in claim 5, in which that wall of the interior channel opposite said fixed locking member is recessed to provide a space therebetween greater than the thickness of the fastener elements.

8. A slider for separablefasteners comprising a pair of plates spaced to receive the interlocking elements of the fastener, a loop-shaped. pull tab support overlying one of said plates, such plate being provided with an opening beneath said support, a fixed locking member extending from a side of said opening into the space between said plates, a float unit positioned in said opening and loosely mounted for rocking movement about said locking member, said fioat unit being constructed and arranged to be moved into a position to prevent the locking engagement of said locking member with the fastener elements,

' and a pull tab having a portion positioned intering walls configured to support said unit on said member with the outer end of said unit projecting into the opening of said support and topermit free rocking movement of said unit within a predetermined range about said locking member.

A slider for separable fasteners comprising a pair of plates spaced to receive the interlocking.elements of the fastener, a loop-shaped pull tab support overlying one of said/plates, such plate being provided with an opening beneath said support, a fixed locking member on one side of such opening and extending from such plate into the space between said plates, said locking member being adaptedto engage with the fastener elements in such space to l k the slider against movement, a float unit positioned in said opening and loosely mounted therein for rocking movement lengthwise of the slider, said float being constructed and arranged to be moved into a, position to prevent the locking engagel ment, of said locking member with the fastener elements, a pull tab having a portion positioned intermediate said float unit and said support and operable to cause such portion to rock said float unit into, such position, and means to limit the range of rocking movement of said floating unit. 11. A slider for separable fasteners comprising a pair of plates spaced to receive the interlocking elements of the fastener, a loop-shaped pull tab support overlying one of said plates, such plate being provided with an opening beneath said support, a fixed locking member extending from a side of said opening at a point intermediate the ends of the opening, into the space between said plates-float unit positioned in said opening and loosely mounted for rocking movement about said locking member, said float unit extending longitudinally of the slider and having a recess in one longitudinal side to receive said locking member, the depth of said fioat unit being greater than the depth of said locking member so as to enclose th'e latter when fully seated on such locking member, a pull tab having a rectangu- ,larly-shaped portion positioned intermediate said float-unit and said support, said pulltab being operable to cause such portion to move said float unit to a position where it prevents said locking member from lockingly engaging with the fastener elements. and. a shallow concavely-shaped recess on the interior surface of said other plate,

the space between the inner wall of such shallow recess and the inner end of said locking member being greater than the thickness of the fastener elements.

12. A slider forl'separable fasteners comprising a pair of plates spaced to receive the-interlocking elements of a fastener, a fixed locking member carried by one of said plates and projecting toward the inner surface of the other plate. said member being adapted to engage with the interlocking elements between such plates to lock the slider against movement, the inner surface of said other plate having two longitudinally separated surface portions adapted to bring the 'interlockingelements into engagement with said locking member, and an intermediate portion positioned opposite the inner end of said locking member and spaced from the latter a distance greater than the thickness of the interlocking elements, a movable member carried by said first mentioned plate and constructed and arranged to be moved into a position to shift the interlocking elements into the space between said locking member and said intermediate portion of the other plate and out of locking engagement with said locking member, and means controlling the movement of said movable member.

'13. A slider for separable fasteners comprising a body member having an interior channel, afixed locking member carried by the slider body and projecting into said channel, said member being adapted to engage with theinterlocking elements in said channel to lock the slider against movement, the wall of such channel opposite said locking member having two longitudinally separated surface portions adapted to bring the interlocking elements into engagement with said locking member and an intermediate portion positioned opposite the inner end of said locking member and spaced from the latter a distance greater than the thickness of the interlocking elements,

a movable member carried by the slider body and Certificate of Correction 7 e Patent No. 2,421,791. June 10, 1947.

ROBERT C. LEGAT It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Column 6, line 22, claim 4, for

fastened read fastener; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this gcgzlrection therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent ce. I

Signed and sealed this 29th day of July, A. D. 1947.

LESLIE FRAZER, First Asaz'ata/nt Uavmnissioher of Patents.

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