US2588893A

US2588893A - Automatic lock slider for slide fasteners

Info

Publication number: US2588893A
Application number: US688213A
Authority: US
Inventors: Sundback Gideon
Original assignee: Talon Inc
Current assignee: Talon Inc
Priority date: 1946-08-03
Filing date: 1946-08-03
Publication date: 1952-03-11
Anticipated expiration: 1969-03-11

Description

/Nl//V70E Gideon Suzzdback March 11, 1952 5. SUNDBACK AUTOMATIC LOCK SLIDER FOR SLIDE FASTENERS Filed Aug. 5, 1946 Fig.5

Patented Mar. 11, 1952 AUTOMATIC LOCK SLIDER FOR SLIDE FASTENERS Gideon Sundback, Meadville, Pa., assignor to Talon, Inc., Meadville, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 3, 1946, Serial No. 688,213

This invention relates to an automatic lock slider for slide fasteners. It is customary to provide slide fasteners with a slider which is normally and automatically locked to the chain or stringers to prevent unintended opening of the fastener, but which is freely movable either to close the zipper or to accomplish intended opening of the fastener. Such sliders usually have a spring-pressed locking point or prong normally held in looking position, blocking the channel in the slider through which the interlocking elements pass. The prong is automatically removed from locking position against the force of the spring whenever the customary handle or pull tab is pulled in the direction tending to open the fastener.

Such known slide fasteners are satisfactory within their inherent limitations, but have several disadvantages. They depend upon the force of the spring to effect locking. Therefore if the slider locks securely, a strong spring is required. Such a spring constantly urges the locking prong so firmly against the interlocking elements of the chain that when the fastener is closed, the prong ratchets roughly over the interlocking elements. This has several undesirable results. It is objectionably noisy. It makes the slider rough to operate. The prong wears on the interlocking element and rapidly wears out its locking point. When used with colored fasteners, the point also removes the paint or chemical finish from the interlocking elements. On the other hand if it is sought to eliminate these disadvantages by using a light spring, the locking action is uncertain and insecure.

One of the objects of the present invention is slider which is certain and secure in its locking action, and in which ratcheting when closing the fastener is greatly reduced or substantially eliminated. More specifically it is an object to provide alocking member which is normally held in an incipient or potential locking position and is moved automatically to locking position whenever the slider tends to open the fastener without opening action of the pull tab.

Another object is to provide an improved form of locking means which engages opposite sides of an interlocking element, as distinguished from the usual locking element which engages only one side.

Another object is to provide 'animproved form of lock slider which will be economical to manufacture and which will have along locking life, it being the fault of many locking sliders that 12 Claims. (01. 24-20514) they soon lose their locking characteristics even though they remain serviceable as non-locking sliders.

Still another object is to provide an improved form of locking element particularly suitable for use in die-cast sliders and which can be readily and cheaply assembled in a die-cast slider body after completion of the casting operation.

Another object is to provide an improved lock slider in which the locking force increases with increasing force tending to open the fastener.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a slide embodying one form of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the bottom end of the slider shown in Fig. 1, drawn on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 3 is a section of the slider on the line 33 fastener of Fig. 2 showing the locking parts of the slider in their normal or neutral position; i

Fig. 4 is a similar section showing the locking parts in locked position; and

Fig. 5 is a, similar section showing the locking parts in unlocked position. 1

Referring to the drawings, the slide fastener consists of a pair of stringers or chains: each including a fabric tape III, to one edge of which is secured a row of interlocking elements I2. The fastener is opened or closed by a slider 14 which embraces both rows of interlocking elements and has a Y-shaped channel 16 (Fig. 2) for the passage of elements through it, a pair of cam faces 18 (Fig. 1) for progressively interlocking the elements when the slider is moved in one direction, and a diamond or wedge 20 for progressively disengaging the elements to open the fastener when the slider is moved in the opposite direction.

The tapes may be permanently secured together at the lower or closed end of the fastener by a. connecting clip 22, called a bottom stop. The slider body is provided with a bail or loop 24 to which is attached a pull tab 26 for moving the slider along the tapes. The slider body, including the ball, is preferably diecast as an integral piece including an upper face or plate 21, a lower plate 28, and a connecting wedge or diamond 20. As so far described the fastener is well known. It is also known to provide various forms of locking devices which automatically prevent unintended opening of the fastener by locking the slider to the chain except when the slider is operated by thepull, in which case it is automaticallyunlocked.

In accordance with my invention I provide an improved locking means including members projecting into the passage 16 from opposite sides,

blocking passage of the interlocking elements and engaging one or more elements on opposite sides simultaneously. The locking members are normally disposed in a neutral position and are automatically moved into locking position whenever any force other than that exerted by the pull 26 tends to move the slider in the opening direction.

A preferred form of construction for accomplishing this is the following. A longitudinal slot 30 is formed in'the slider body, extending through one end of the bail, entirely through a part of the upper plate 21, through the point of the diamond and part way through a portion of the lower plate 28. This forms a slot in the upper plate and a groove in the lower plate, which function as longitudinal guideways for spring arms 36 and 31 carrying

locking prongs

39 and 40. Preferably the spring arms are opposite ends or forks of a Y- ,Shaped spring member 4! which has a tail 42 slidably mounted in a third longitudinal guideway 43 drilled or cast in the diamond. The entire spring member is so formed and disposed that the locking points 39 and normally just touch opposite sides of an interlocking element asindicated in Fig. 3. This is a neutral position, neither locked nor entirely free, but the prongs are held in an incipient 01' potential locking position from which they are moved to locked position whenever the slider tends to move in the openin die rection otherwise thanunder the force of the pull tab. The end of the arm 36 is formed into a hook 44 lying generally within the end of the bail but normally projecting inside the loop as shown in Fig, 3 and'shaped to conform to this portion of the'bail. As shown best in Fig. 3, the part of the slot 30 located in the bail terminates in a sloping surface forming a cam face 45 designed to cooperate with the end of the hook 44 which has a surface parallel to the cam surface and adjacent to it, so that when the slider body is moved to the right as seen in Fig. 4 and the lockin 'sprin is held stationary, the cam face urges the spring arm'and its locking point 39 toward the interlocking elements. The free end of the opposite spring arm 3! is formed with an inclined tip 41 which projects into an inclined hole through the lower face plate 28 of the slider body. One side 48 of thisghole acts as a cam face which, when the slider body is slid to'the right and the sprin arm held stationary, as seen in Fig. 4, forces the locking point 40 toward the interlocking elements. The other side 5.9 of the inclined hole acts as a cam face which, when the spring arm is moved to the right withrespect to the slider body as seen in Fig. .5, moves the locking point 40 out of engagement with the interlocking elements and out of .thejslider passage I8. I

The slider is normally as shown in Fig. 3. The locking points .39 and 40 engage the opposite sides .of the interlocking elements with insufficient force to cause secure looking action, but with just enough force to hold the lockin spring stationary on the chain ii the slider tends to move to the right as seen in Fig. 3, in any opening movement other than that caused by the pull tab. When this occurs, the cam faces 45 and 48 press the locking prongs into the channel it between the interlocking elements as shown in Fig. 4, and lock the slider by blocking passage of the elements through the slider. It will be observed that the force tending to move the slider in the opening direction is increased, the cam faces increase the force with which the locking points are held in contact with the interlocking elements, thus increasing security of the locking action in proportion to the opening force. When the pressure on the slider tending to open the fastener is released, or when the Y-spring is moved to the right with respect to the slider body as seen in Fig. 5, the arms with their locking prongs 39 and 49 under spring tension lift away from the interlocking elements into neutral position as shown in Fig. 3. Whenever the fastener is opened by the pull, the pull occupies the position shown in Fig. 5, the force along the pull having a transverse component represented by the vector 52 and a longitudinal component which is represented by the vector 54. The transverse component flexes the arm 36 and moves the locking member 39 out of engagement with the interlocking elements and entirely out of .the passage IS. 'The longitudinal component slides the spring member 4! to the right from the position shown in Fig. 4 to the position shown in Fig.5. As this occurs the spring arm 31 is flexed by the camfill to move the locking prong 40 out of the slider passage. When the hook '44 has been pushed into the loop far enough to lift the "prongs 3 9 and 40 out of contact with the interlocking-elements the pull tab engages the loop to move the slider. If desired each spring arm may carry a pair of locking

prongs

39 or 40 which simultaneously engage a pair of interlocking elements 12, thus enhancing the security of the-locking action and prolonging the life of the locking members.

When it is desired to close the fastener, the pull is operated in the position .shown in Fig. 1, where it draws the slider in the direction to close the fastener, leaving the locking spring .free. Since the locking element is in the position shown in Fig. '3, the locking points can slide over the interlocking elements, alternately movin between the positions shown in Fig. ,3 and Fig. '5. Due to the fact that the pressure on the elements is very light, .even with the locking points in the position shown in Fig. 5, ratcheting is very light and does not remove the finish from the elements or cause rough operation of the slider.

In practice the slider body may have the slot 30 and guide hole 43 formed by cores or projections in the die in which it is cast, and the slanting hole forming the cam 48 and '50 may either be cored or may be pierced in the finished casting. The spring member 4| may be stamped out of spring material. It is inserted in the finished slider body by sliding it into the open end of the slot, the arm 3'! being flexed sufiiciently to let the inclined end '41 enter the slot '30. The inclined end snaps into the slanting hole, permanently retaining the spring in the slider body.

Thus the slider has a pair of looking members which engage opposite faces of an'interlocking element, the pull disengages one looking element fromthe row of interlocking elements and moves it out of the slider passage, simultaneouslocking member 40 more firmly against the in- ,terlocking elements I2 instead of removing it from them. However the guiding tail 42 may not be necessary in all cases, and in some instances I may omit it.

I claim:

1. A slide fastener comprising in combination, a pair of rows of interlocking elements, a slider having a passage for the rows and adapted when moved in one direction along the rows to interlock the rows toclose the fastener and when moved in the opposite directionalong the rows to disengage the rows to open the fastener, a locking member movable longitudinally in the slider and adapted to project into the passage, means carried by the slider resiliently holding the locking member in a fixed position projecting into the path of the interlocking elements through the passage, and means responsive to engagement of an interlocking element with the locking member and subsequent longitudinal movement of the slider along the rows in the opening direction for moving the locking member further into said path.

2. A slide fastener comprising in combination, a pair of rows of interlocking elements, a slider having a passage for the rows and adapted when moved in one direction along the rows to interlock the rows to close the fastener and when moved in the opposite direction along the rows to disengage the rows to open the fastener, a locking member movable longitudinally in the slider and adapted to project into the passage, means carried by the slider resiliently holding the locking member in a fixed position projecting into the path of. the interlocking elements through the passage and an inclined cam for moving the locking member further into the said path in response to engagement of an element with the locking member and to subsequent longitudinal movement of the slider with respect to the locking member in the opening direction.

3. A slide fastener comprising in combination a pair of rows of interlocking elements, a slider having a passage for the rows and adapted when moved in one direction along the rows to interlock the rows to close the fastener, and when moved in the opposite direction along the rows to disengage the rows to open the fastener, a locking member movable longitudinally in the ing the locking member further into said path in response to engagement of an element with the locking member and to subsequent longitudinal movement of the locking member in one direction in the slider, means for moving the locking member in the opposite direction in the slider and a second inclined cam for moving the locking member out of said path in response to movement of the locking member in the opposite direction.

5. A slide fastener comprising in combination a pair of rows of interlocking elements, a slider having a passage for the rows and adapted when moved in one direction along the rows to interlock the rows to close the fastener, and when moved in the opposite direction along the rows to disengage the rows to open the fastener, a locking member movable longitudinally in the slider and adapted to project into the passage, means carried by the slider resiliently holding the locking member in a fixed position projecting into the path of the interlocking elements through the passage, means responsive to engagement of an element with the locking member and to subsequenglongitudinal movement of the locking member in one direction in the slider for moving the locking member further into said path, means for moving the locking member in the opposite direction in the slider, means responsive to longitudinal movement of the looking member in the opposite direction for moving the locking member out of said path, and a pull tab on the slider for moving the slider in the opening and closing directions, the tab being adapted to move the locking member in said opposite direction in the slider when the tab moves the slider in the opening direction.

6. A slide fastener comprising in combination a pair of rows of interlocking elements, a slider having a passage for the rows and adapted when moved in one direction to interlock the rows to close the fastener and when moved in the 0pposite direction to disengage the rows to Open the fastener, a pair of locking members in the slider adapted to project into the passage from opposite sides, means carried by the slider reslider and adapted to project into the passage,

means carried by the slider resiliently holding the locking member in a fixed position projecting into the path of the interlocking elements through the passage, meansresponsive to engagement of an element with the locking member and to subsequent longitudinal movement of the locking member in one direction in the slider for moving the locking member further into said path, means for moving the locking member in the opposite direction in the slider, and means responsive to longitudinal movement of the locking member in the opposite direction in the slider for moving the locking member out of said path.

4. A slide fastener comprising in combination a pair of rows of interlocking elements, a slider having a passage for the rows and adapted when moved in one direction along the rows to interlock the rows to close the fastener, and when moved in the opposite direction along the rows to disengage the rows to open the fastener, a locking member movable longitudinally in the slider and adapted to project into the passage, means carried by the slider resiliently holding the locking member in a fixed position projecting into the path of the interlocking elements through the passage, and inclined cam for movsiliently holding the locking members in a fixed position projecting into the path of the interlocking elements through the passage, and means responsive to engagement of an interlocking element with the locking member and to subsequent initial movement of the slider in the opening direction for moving the locking members further into said path.

7. A slide fastener comprising in combination a pair of rows of interlocking elements, a slider embracing the rows, a pull tab for moving the slider along the rows either to interlock the rows to close the fastener or to disengage the rows to open the fastener, locking means in the slider adapted to engage one side of an interlocking element, second locking means connected. to the first locking means and adapted to engage the other side of the element, both said locking means being normally in the path of the interlocking elements through the slider and being movable longitudinally of the slider, means connecting the pull tab to the first locking means for moving said first locking means longitudinally of the slider and out of said path, and means responsive to longitudinal movement of said locking means for moving the second locking means out of said path.

8. A slide fastener comprising in combination a pair of rows of interlocking elements, a. slider mbra ing the o s nd having a p ssage hrough the lider or h i e l cking e men s, a-pul for moving the slider along the rows either to interlock; the rows to close the fastener or to open the fastener by disengaging the rows, a pair of connected locking members normally extending into the path of the interlocking elements through the slider, said locking members being movable longitudinally of the slider and being movable into and out of said path, means connecting the pull to one of the locking members for moving the members longitudinally of the'slider and for moving both of the locking members out of the passage, and means responsive to longitudinal movement of the locking members for moving the other locking member out of said path.

9, A slide fastener comprising in combination a pair of rows of interlocking elements, a slider embracing the rows and having a passage through the slider for the elements, a pull for moving the slider along the rows either to interlock the rows to close the fastener or to disengage the rows to open the fastener, locking means in the slider adapted to project into one side of the passage, a' second locking means connected to the first locking means and adapted to project into the opposite side of the passage, both looking means extending normally into the path of the interlocking elements through the slider, means connecting the pull to one of the locking means'for moving both locking means longitudinally of the slider and for moving one locking means out of said path, a cam face on the second locking means and a cam on the slider for moving the second locking means out of said path in response to movement of the locking means longitudinally of the slider,

10. A slide fastener comprising in combination a pair of rows of interlocking elements, a slider embracing the rows and having a passage through the slider for the elements, a pull for moving the slider along the rows either to interlock the rows to close the fastener or to disengage the rows to open the fastener, a spring longitudinally movable in the slider and having a pair of arms ex tending on opposite sides of said passage, a locking member carried by each arm and normally positioned in the path of the interlocking elements through the passage, means connecting the pull to one arm of the spring for moving the spring longitudinally of the slider and for moving one looking member out of the passage, and means cooperating with the other arm of the spring for moving the other locking member out .of the passage in response to longitudinal movement of the spring.

8 V 11. A slide fastener comprisi g i combin tion a pair of rows of interlocking elements, a slider embracing the rows and having a passage extending through the slider for the elements, a longitudinal guide in the slider, a pull for moving the slider along the rows either to interlock the rows to close the fastener or to disengage the rows to open the fastener, a forked member hav-.- ing the tail of the fork slidable in said longitudinal guide and having a pa f es l nt ms extending on opposite sides of said passage, a locking member carried by each arm and normally extending within the passage, means connecting the pull to one of the arms for moving the forked member longitudinally of the-slider and for moving one of the locking members out of the passage, and means cooperating with the other arm to move the other locking member out of the passage in response to longitudinal movement of the forked member.

12. A slide fastener comprising in combination a pair of rows of interlocking elements, a slider embracing the rows and having a passage extending through the slider for the elements, a pair of longitudinal guides in the slider, a pull for moving the slider along the rows either to interlock the rows to close the fastener or to disengage the rows to open the fastener, a resilient arm slidable in one guide, a locking member earried'by the arm and normally held by the resilient arm in said passage, a second resilient arm connected to the first arm and disposed in the second guide, a second locking member carried by the second arm and normally positioned by t se ond a m ithin the pa s g means necting the pull to the first arm for moving the first locking member out of the passage and for sliding the arms in the guides and means responsive to sliding of the arms in the guides for moving the second locking member out of the passa e.

GIDEON SUNDBACK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES rATE Ts Numbe N m Da 2,018,948 Corner Oct. 29, 1935 2,077,360 Gilmore Apr. 13,1937 2,178,949 Brozek Nov. 7; 1939 2,274,723 Morin Mar. 3, 1,942