US2615590A - Snap fastener assembly tool with penetrable sleeve - Google Patents

Description

A. DRITZ Oct. 28, 1952 Fug k1 Jan. 12. 1950 IN V EN TOR. A E THUB 02/7 Z 1477OB/VEYS Patented Oct. 28, 1952 SNAP FASTENERASSEMBLY TQ-QL WITH.

' PENETRABLE SLEEVE Arthur Dritz, Brooklyn, N. n, assig-nor tsioh Dritz &:Sons,.New York, N; Y.,.a partnership Application January 12, 1950, Serial No, 138,160.

1- Claim. 1 The: present invention relates to a simple tool particularly adapted f'oruse in the assembly of conventional snap-fasteners to one another and to the fabric with which they are used.

Snap fasteners of" many specific designs are available, commercially, and'while, the tool'of the present invention is here disclosed with respect to one particular style of snap fastener, it will be apparent. that it can easily, be modified for use with snap fasteners having, different size, shape and-isurfaceconfiguration merely by changing the si'zc,, shape or surface configuration of the tool accordingly.

Snap fasteners/are. composed. of. two mutually cooperabl'e' parts, eachoffwhich is adapted to be fastenedto av piece. of fabricvand to be releasably securabl'e. to the other. For purposes of convenience these two. snap fastener parts will herei'nafter be designated male and female to correspond; with. the. terminology commonly emplayed with the. most prevalent style of snap fasteners. Itisconventional that each of these parts belcomposed. of two elements, one on one side of the fabricv and one on the other, these two.;elements beingsecurable to one another in a (C1. ESQ-20) substantially, non-separable manner so that the mal'e andifemale snap fastener parts may be more or less permanentlysecured to the fabric in any appropriate position. For, purposes. of convenience-these two elements will hereinafter be denominated"top element and bottom element, the top" element generally being the one directed t'owardltheother snapfastener part and the bottom element being positioned on the opposite side of the fabric from the top element.

The snap fastener assembly toolof the present invention constitutes. a unitary structure which may be used to facilitate the: various operations necessary for: securing the-elements'of'both male and female snap fastener parts to one another and to "the fabric. Thus the tool is usable either in the factory in the course of quantity manufacturing or'at home intheicourse-of home dressmaking' or repair, but it is designed primarily for use' at home, since in the factory so many of the individual operations are performed daily that the useof special tools for each operation is economically practical; The'home dressmaker, however, cannot employautomatic machinery for this purpose, nor can she-use a, multiplicity of tools from which a diiferent one must be selected for each operation. Not only is the-investment required in procuring a series of toolsexcessively large; but-the delayandiuncertainty involved in shifting from; one -t'ool; to another andselecting thepropertool is a prime draw-back; The well known lackof mechanicalskill on the part of? those who practice home dressmaking is an other important factor militating' against the a use of separate tools in thehome.

The toolo-f thepresent invention, here specifically illustrated in a number of alternative em.--

hodi'ments', is characterized the fact that it can perform a variety of operations and hence H capable of being used in an eflicientmann'er even-- by persons possessing a minimalamount of mechanical skill or manipulative ability. The to'ol'is specially designedfor the assemblyof both male and'fema'le fastener parts and for the securing of" those parts to the fabric withwhich they are to be associated. It is contemplated that these tools; will be sold in a kit along with asupply of snap fastener elements of a size and shape"corresp'onding, to the tool, the kit thus pre- I sentingiin as ihgle'p'apkage all of the equipment necessary.- to secure the. snap fasteners to g arments or other fabricarticles; The use of. snap fast ne s by'the hpm r sm k a n ampered" by the inability on the part of the average hom'eidressmak rt perf m th n c ss y erations in' a" neat and efficient manner with" the too swhich t o e h ee m de a l b for that purpose; The present invention will go. far tbward'., hc easina th fr qu n y of e snap fasteners. by providing a single tool which is capable. of'performing, all of the. operations involvedIin-snap fastener assembly by simplifying andlcl'arrifyihg the .operations vto be performed;

a ndjbysensuring. that the operations, can be per iormedl without damage to or improper deformatlibn of'the snap fastener parts.

Toithe accomplishment. of the above objects andLsuch QtheI: objects as may hereafter appear thepresentinvention.relates to the construction OLasnapfastener assembly tool as defined-in the appehdedldaimand. as described in the specifi'ation taken together with the accompanying drawings-g, which Eig 1 isan' exploded view of the elements; of

a conventional-femalesnapfastener;

flig. .Z-is an exploded view ot theelements of- .the conventionalgm-ale snap fastener;

Fig. 3 is an exploded View in cross-section showing one embodimentof' the presentzinvem. tiomas itwould be usedin the assembling of the elementst ai-female snap fastener;

- :4- is aview'similar toFig'. 3- but only parin cross-section and showing the tool used in -theyassembling of the elements of a male snap.-

fastener Fig. 5 is a bottom view on an enlarged scale of the tool of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an elevational View partly in crosssection, of a tool similar to that of Fig. 3 but somewhat modified so as to facilitate the penetration of a fabric sheet by the upstanding prongs of thebottom elements of a female snap fastenerpart.

is an elevational view of yet another Fig. '2 embodiment of the tool of the present invention;

Fig. 8 is a bottom view of the tool of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a top view of the tool of Fig. 7;

Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the tool of Fig. '7 in use in the same manner as the tool of Fig. 6; r

Fig. ll is an elevational view, partly in crosssection, showing another way in which the tool of Fig. 7 may be used;

i.-Fig..-l2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line l 2--I2 of Fig. 11 but with the fabric sheet omitted;

Fig: 13 is an elevational view showing another method of use of the tool of Fig. 7;

,. Fig. 1a is a cross-sectional View taken along the line Hihl of Fig. '13;

-Fig; 15 is an elevational view of a modified form of the tool of Fig. 7;

Fig. 16 is a view similar to Fig. 13 but showingthe tool modified by having a resilient sleeve therearound;

Fig. l? is an elevational view of yet another embodiment ofthe present invention, the tool beingused in a manner similar to the tool of Fig. ll.

V In order to appreciate the capabilities and the constructional features vof the tool of the present invention, the steps necessary for securing the snap fastener elements to one another and to the fabric will first'be outlined, it being understood that the fastener elements here specifically described are merely typical, and that various, types of fastener elements could be employed which might require slight design modifications in the tool without departing from the present invention.

The female snap fastener part, disclosed in Fig. 1, comprises a top element 2 and a bottom element ft, the bottom element being defined by a web 6 of metal on" the inside of which a 'plurality ofv upstanding prongs 8 in the form of a ring are provided. The top element 2 is defined 7 bye-n annular ring it of metal or the like having a resilient central opening [2 adapted to releasably engage the male snap fastener part, and by an intured rim Hl surrounding the ring it into which the upstanding prongs 8 of the bottom element '3 are adapted to be bent after those prongs s have been passed through a fabric sheet fiat-the place where the snap fastener part to be positioned. Thus in assembling the female snap fastener part to thefabric 16 two operations are necessary, first the penetration of the fabric it by the prongs 8, and then the pressing together of the top and bottom elements 2 and 4 so thatthe'prongs 3 are bent outwardly into the rim it; thus securing the elements together and to the fabric 16.

- The top element 53 of the male snap fastener is defined by a disc 20- of metal or the like the central portion ofwhichisprojected upwardly to form the button-like projection 22 which is adapted to be releasably received within the opening 120i :th'e'top element 2 of the female snap fastener. The bottom element 24 of the male snap fastener is defined by a. disc 26 of metal or the like provided centrally with an upward projection 28 having an opening 30 therethrough, this projection 28 being adapted to be passed through the fabric sheet 32, to be received inside the button-like projection 22 on the top element 48, and to be bent outwardly within that button-like projection 22 so as to secure the elements l8 and 24 together and to the fabric sheet 32. Thus, in the assembly of the male snap fastener element two steps are necessary, first the penetration of the fabric 32 by the projection 28 on the bottom element 25 and then the securing together of the top and bottom elements 18 and 24 by the deformation of the projection 28 inside the projection .22.

Each of the above steps involve manipulative and operative techniques the difficulty of which varies with the type of fabric employed and the size and rigidity or deformability of the snap fastener elements themselves. The design of the tool of the present invention is adapted to'facilitate all of these operations. In the description of the various tool embodiments hereinafter set forth in detail the same reference'numerals will be used forthose structural characteristics which are common to the various embodiments.

The tool illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 is adapted solely for the assembly of the top and bottom elements of both the male and female snap fastener parts, but is not adapted to facilitate the penetration of the fabric sheets It or 3!! by the bottom elements t or 2 5. It comprises a body 34 here shown as generally cylindrical in shape, one surface of that body being provided with a depression 38 which issubstantially flat so as to conform in size and shape to the top elements 2 and. E8 of the female and male snap fastener parts respectively. For any given snap fastener size these two elements 2 and [8 will be of approximately the same size and shape, and the tool will, of course, accommodate elements of snap fasteners of a smaller size within the depression 36, although without as much of a centering effect as if the elements are of a size exactly corresponding to the particular tool. Preferably centrally located in the depression 36 is theorifice 38 which is of a size and shape adapted to receive the button-like projection 22 of the top element l8 of a male snap fastener part. The body 34 is adapted to be driven in a direction perpendicular to the depression 36, and to that end it is provided with a substantially fiat'surface 40 opposite'and parallel to the depression 36 against which pressure or impact may be directed, as by a press or a hammer.

r The useof the tool in the assembly of the female snap fastener elements will in themain be apparent from an inspection of Figure 3. After the prongs 8 ofthe bottom element 4' of the female snap fastener part have penetrated ,fabric sheet it the top element 2 is placed thereover so that the tips of the prongs 8 are received between the body it and the bent-over rim I l. The tool is then placed on top of this assembly so that the top element 2 is received inside the depression 36, the sides of the depression serving to center the tool on the top element 2 and the bottom of the depression 36 engaging theupper surface of element 2. The tool isthen forced downwardly, as by hitting the flat surface 39 with a hammer or the like, thus causing the prong tips 8 to be bent outwardly into the rim I l and secure the top element 2 to the bottom element ti and to the fabric sheet [5. .-The shape of the depression 36 ensures against undesired deformation of tool ornot.

acre-59o the orifice ingthe tool on the snap fastener whether. the

snapfastener isof exactly the same size as the The disc-like body 24 of thetop elementl't engages with the surface of the depression. 38. When the tool isthen driven downwardly, as by the blow of the hammer on the fiat surface. 44!, the projection28 on. the bottom. element 24 is deformed inside the button-like pro,- jection 22.. on the top element l8, thus securing the top element ill to the bottom element 24 and to the fabric sheet 32, While the configuration of the depression 36 and orifice 38 ensure against undesired deformation of thetop element l8 and particularly of the button-like projection 22, which must fit properly within the. opening I-2 in the female snap fastener part if the fastener is to operate properly.

The too1 of Fig. 6 functions in the same mannenasthe tool of Figs. 3 and 4 in the assembly of the. various. snap. fastener elements. However, the depressionffi is provided, surrounding. the orifice. 38; with aring-shapedorifice 42 of. a shape, width and" clepthsuch. that the-ring of prongs 8 on the botto-melement. .4. of the female snap. fastener part are simultaneously receivable therein. Because of this construction the tool of Fig. 6 can be employed to facilitate simultaneous penetra tion of the fabric sheet It by the prongs 8 by placin the bottom element 4 under the fabric sheet If, positioning the tool .34 above the fabric sheet IS with its ring-shaped orifice 42 in registration with the ring of upstanding prongs 8, and then pressing the tool 34 downwardly, preferably manually, the prongs 8 moving into the orifice 42 and the fabric l6 being pushed down so that it is penetrated by the prongs 8. In this operation pressure is exerted by the tool 34 immediately in-' side and immediately outside of the ring of prongs 8, so that penetration is achieved in a neat and positive manner. It will be noted that, to complete the assembly of the female snap fastener part, the tool 34 need be lifted only enough to permit the top element 2 to be placed in position and then may be brought down on top of the element 2 without any change in orientation.

The tool of Figs. 7 through 14 represent a modification which is somewhat easier to manipulate and is capable of performing additional functions. Here the tool is defined by a head 44 and an elongated upward projection 46 therefrom, that projection 46 defining a narrow handle by means of which the too-l may be manipulated. The bottom surface of the head 44 is provided with the depression 36, the orifice 38 and the ring-shaped orifice 42. jecting handle 46 has a cross-sectional size and shape such that it can fit inside the rin of upstanding prongs 8 in the bottom element 4 of the female snap fastener part. Thus, as illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14, the upwardly projecting handle 46 can be employed to facilialte penetration of the fabric sheet [6 by placing the fabric sheet [6 above the bottom element 4, placing the tool above the fabric sheet l6 so that the handle pro- The upwardly projection 46 is disposed above but'ine'ide the ring ofprongs 8, and then-pressi'ng downwardly with the tool as-s-hown in'Figs. 13 and-14; thusfirmly forcingtha-t portion of the fabric 'sheet lfi disposed inside the prong ring -8- downwardly. If this doesnot cause proper-penetration of. the sheet I6 by the prongs 8, thepoItion-of; the fabric sheet is just outside the ring can be pressed down by the fingers. e i Since the tool is also provided with the r-- shapedorifice 42, it maybe employed to-fa'cilita 'e' penetrationof' the fabric sheet- I 6 by the prongs 8 inthe manner illustrated in'Fi'g. 10, which isbasically similar to the operation disclosed in Fi 6. This embodiment of thetool'is 'usecl for asSemblyof the top and bottom elements in the same manner as the tool of-Figs; 3 and 4'.

It sometimes occurs, because of. special'stiif-' ness of the fabric sheet It, as whenthatsheet is composed-of leather, that neither of the above described means for facilitating penetration. of: that sheet to by the prongs =8 wil1 be effective,, it being necessary instead thateach' prong".beiinv and shape adapted to freely receive an individualv upstanding prong 8 therein; The. use. of this aperture is illustratedinl'figs. 11. and 12.. The fabric sheet If is placed above the bottomelement 4. and the tool is; held with' the handle pro.- jection 46 directed downwardly and: with the aperture 48 in registration with a-given oneiof. the prongs 8. wardly, causing that prong 8 to enter into the aperture 48, the surface so surrounding the aperture 48 forcing the fabric sheet [6 down on all sides of the prong 8, the handle 46 passing between the prongs 8' adjacent to the prong 8 which is received with the aperture 48. This operation is repeated for each of the prongs. It has been found that the use of the aperture 48 is the most practical way of securing the bottom element 4 to a sheet of leather or the like.

The tool of Fig. 7 can therefore be used either to cause the prongs 8 to penetrate the fabric sheet l6 one by one, as in Figs. 11 and 12, or simultaneously as in Figs. 10, 13 and 14, and a choice of two methods of simultaneous penetration is presented.

The tool of Fig. 15 is similar to that of Figs. 7 through 14 except that it does not have the ringshaped orifice 42. Thus in the tool of Fig. 15 the operation illustrated in Fig. 10 cannot be performed.

One drawback to the penetration operations both of Figs. 10 and 13 is that no downward pressure is applied to the fabric sheet 16 between the individual prongs 8. In order to eliminate this disadvantage the handle projection 46 may be surrounded by a sleeve 50 of penetrable resilient material such as rubber (see Fig. 16), the end surface 52 of that sleeve terminating short of the end surface 40 of the projection 46 by a distance less than the height of the'prongs 8. Thus, when an operation similar to that of Figs. 13 and 14 is performed, the upwardly projecting tips of the prongs 8 will penetrate the end surface 52 of the sleeve 50, the unpenetrated portions of that surface passing between the prongs 8 and forcing the fabric down therebetween. The rubber sleeve 50 also constitutes a convenient non-slip grip for manipulating the tool.

The tool is then pushed downit will be noted that the tool of Fig. 6 is, like the tool of Fig. 7, provided with an aperture 48 in the flat surface 46 thereof, so that the former can also be used as illustrated in Fig. 11.

The tool of Fig. 17 is similar to that of Fig. 6 except that it is provided, at its top surface, with an upward projection 45 having an aperture 48 therein, the projection 46 being too short to serve as a handle for the tool but being usable in the manner illustrated inFig. 13, and the aperture 48 being usable as illustrated in Fig. ll.

The use of the various tools here disclosed has been fully explained above. It will be apparent that the tools in their various illustrated embodiments are capable of various uses in conjunction with the assembly of snap fastener parts and the securing of those parts to fabric sheets, the various constructions disclosed each having different advantages and capabilities when compared with the others. All, however, are characterized by a simplicity of construction and by a facility of use which emphasizes their desirability. A single tool can be employed for all of the operations necessary in the assembly of snap fasteners and may in some cases be used in different manners to obtain the same end result so as to accommodate manipulation to theparticular type of fabric to which the snap fasteners are to be secured.

It will be further apparent that many variations may be made in the size, shape and configuration of the tools, and in the existence, arrangement and orientation of the various operative depressions, orifices and apertures, Without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the following claim.

I claim:

A snap fastener assembly tool comprising a head with a narrower handle extending from one face of said head, another face of said head having a depressed shaped surface of a given outer configuration for acting on and supporting the top elements. of male and female snap fasteners of corresponding outer configuration, the outer configuration of said handle at its free end being smaller in all directions than the outer configuration of said depressed surface, thus adapting it to fit inside the ring of upstanding prongs of a correspondingly sized bottom element of a snap fastener, and a sleeve of penetrable resilient material enveloping said handle and abuttable against said head at one end edge and having an end edge terminating short of but close to the front end of said handle, the tips of said prongs thus penetrating said end edge of said sleeve when said handle is fitted inside the ring of prongs.

ARTHUR DRI'IZ.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Gookin June '2',

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