US2621387A

US2621387A - Slide fastener

Info

Publication number: US2621387A
Application number: US644700A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harvey L Williams
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-02-01
Filing date: 1946-02-01
Publication date: 1952-12-16
Anticipated expiration: 1969-12-16

Description

Dec. 16, 1952 2,621,387

H. L'. WILLIAMS SLIDE FASTENER Filed Feb. l, 1946 4 Shggts-sneet 1 INV/mm1; Harz/ey L. Wzllzams By ATTOI? EYS Dec. 116, 1952 H. L. WILLIAMS '2,621,387

SLIDE FASTENER Filed Feb. 1, l1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 6.3 Harvey/L. Wz'ZZz'dms @.MMMW

AT TOKNEYS Dec. 16, 1952 Filed Feb. l, 1946 Eik 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 48 m G6 INVENTOR. E /Yd/wfy. Wz'ZZz'amS ATTORNEYS lWfl- 1.4

E1 INVENTOR.

16, 1952 H. L. WILLIAMS 2,621,387

SLIDE FASTENER Filed Feb. l, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Harvey/L. Wzl/mms ATTORN YS Patented Dec. 16, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SLIDE FASTENER Harvey L. Williams, New York, N. Y. Application February 1, 1946, Serial No.' 644,704)- 2 Claims. 4((31. 24-2ii5.15)

This invention relates to a new type of slider and end stop for use on slide fasteners or zippers.

One object of this invention is to provide slide fasteners capable of 'being locked. To this end the invention provides a novel type of slider and end stop, which may be secured slider to sliderv or slider to end stop.

Another object of the invention is to provide for more complete closing of slide fasteners.

Another object of the invention is to provide for holding slide fasteners in open or closed position so as to avoid accidental closing or opening.

Other objects as well as numerous advantages of the invention will be applied by those skilled in the art from the following specification and the accompanying drawings.

Although in this specication and the accompanying drawings I have shown and described preferred embodiments of the invention and suggested Various alternatives and modications, it should be understood that these are not intended to be exhaustive or limiting of the invention but on the contrary are given for purposes of explaining the invention and principles thereof and the best manner of applying the invention to practical use so that others sleilled in the art may be enabled to modify and adapt the invention and to apply it in numerous forms each as may be best adapted to the conditions of a particualr use.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a view in side elevation of a slider;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same;

Figure 3 is a View in side elevation, showing f two sliders, similar to those of Figures 1 and 2, brought together ready for locking;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the saine;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, showing an improved form of slider;

Figure 6 is a sectional view of the left-hand slider taken on line S- of Figure 5 looking downward;

Figure 7 is a section also taken on line 5 6 but showing the right-land slider looking downward on Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a View in front elevation of the same;

Figure 9 is a plan view, showing the slider of Figures 1 and 2 in position to be looked to an endstop;

Figure 10 is a View in side elevation of the endstop of Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary plan view similar to Figure 9, showing an improved form of endstop;

Figures 12 and 13 are plan views corresponding to Figures 4 and 11, respectively, of modied forms Figures 19 and 20 are'views-sirnilar to Figure- 18, but showing modied bails;

Figures 21 and 22 are fragmentary views showing, respectively, portions of pulls attached to the bails of Figures 19 and 20;

Figure 23 is a plan View of two sliders adapted to be locked together in an approaching relation;

Figure 2li is a View similar to Figure 23 of latching sliders in an approaching relation;

Figure 25 is a plan view, showing the sliders of Y Figure 24 in latched relation;

Figure 25 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 25 of a modiied structure;

.Figures 27 and 28 are views in elevation and plan, respectively, of sliders adapted to be locked in an open position;

Figure 29 is a View in side elevation of a slider adapted to be locked in either open or closed position:

Figurei is' a fragmentary View inside elevation of Cooperating sliders'adapted to be brought together for locking by a link as shown, for example, in Figures 31, 32, 33, and 34 and Figures 31-34 show, respectively, in side elevation, end elevation, plan and perspective, a link adapted to be used in connection with Figure 30.

The simplest form of this type of slider is shown in Figures 1 and 2. On a conventional slider body I is mounted to one side of the center line 2 a bail 3. In this type a hole 4 is located in the bail 3 so that its vertical center line 5 approximately coincides with the vertical face 6 of the nose of the slider.

If two sliders of the designdescribed above are mounted on a single piece of slide fastener chain and the two sliders are then brought together in the closed position indicated in Figures 3 and 4, the relationship of the bail 3 of one slider to that of the bail 3 of the other slider will be such that a bolt, pin, padlock, or other securing device may be inserted through the holes li' in each slider,` thereby preventing them` from' being moved apart until suchv securing? device is: istremoved;

It is to be noted that the center line 2 is also the pitch line of the slide fastener, or in other words the center line running longitudinally along the slide fastener when closed.

It is to be noted that the space 1 between the bails of the respective sliders may be made as snug or loose fitting as required for the particular purpose to which the sliders are intended. In a variation of this slider subsequently described, there is no clearance between the surface of the bails adjacent to the center lines of the sliders.

It is to be noted that the shape of the slider body I as shown in Figures 1 to 4 reflects conventional design for slide fastener sliders in that the nose is usually rounded. Figure shows a modication of conventional slider body design invented for the purpose of securing greater contact between the noses of the sliders and to close the small apertures in the angles between the noses of conventional sliders as indicated at 8 in Figure 4.

I have also found that a particularly tight seal can be secured along the line 9, Figure 5, of the front faces of the two sliders for the slider noses as they are caled conventionally in the language of the slide fastener industry) if they are formed to interroesh one with the other. A tvoical arrangement of this sort is shown in Figures 6 8 in which the front faces III and II of the too plane I2 and the bottom plane I3 of a slider are formed to provide intermeshing tongues and grooves with the same design on the front faces of an identical slider. The groove in the right half of too plane I2 and bottom plane I3 is indicated by I4 and I5. The tongue in the left half of top plane I2 and bottom plane I3 is indicated by I6 and I1. Obviously if two such front faces are abutted against each other as shown in Figure 5. the grooves on the right hand side of the front face of one slider will receive the tongues on the left side of the front face of the other slider, thereby providing a seal along line 9.

My invention is useful not only for locking together two sliders, but also for locking a slider to an end stop. A simple form of such slider similar to those shown in Figures 1 and 2 is shown in Figures 9 and l0 in use with an end stop. In this arrangement plate I8 is secured to the fabric or other material in which the slide fastener is mounted at tbe top end of the slide fastener so that when slider I is moved along the slide fastener chain to the end thereof. with the fastener fully closed, the bail 3 of the slider will be in the same position relative to the bail I9 attached to plate I8 as exists between the two bails 3 of the two similar sliders shown in Figures 3 and 4.

In Figures 9 and 10 plate I8 is rectangular in plan with four holes 2B for attaching to the fabric or other material with which the slide fastener is used. The shape of plate Id, however, is not essential. It might be semicircular or any other convenient shape.

It is also claimed as part of this invention that the shape of the front face 2I of plate I8 might be made of a shape to conform with the front face or nose of the slider. This is shown in Figure 11 where the front face is designated by 22 and is curved to fit the nose of the slider.

An added feature of this invention is the possibility of utilizing inter-meshing members 2 and I8 for example, by the same arrangement of tongues and grooves, I4 and IB in the slider and corresponding grooves and tongues in the front face of plate I3 as are indicated on the front face of the slider in Figures 6 8.

In a more complex form of this invention several balls of the type shown at 3 in Figures 1-4 can be attached to the top plane of a conventional slider so that they would intermesh as shown in Figure 12. This figure shows two slider bodies I, similar to those shown in Figures 3 and 4 upon each of which is mounted two bails 23. In side elevation the inter-meshing of these will appear as does the side elevation in Figures 3 and 4 the hole 24 in each bail being aligned with the hole in each other bail when the sliders are in contact or nearly so along line 25.

While the sliders in Figure 12 are shown with two bails each, a similar arrangement would be possible with two or more bails on each slider symmetrically arranged as indicated. It is desirable, although not essential that these sliders should be identical as shown.

It is evident that plate I8 may likewise be modified so that bail I9 is replaced by two bails which would interrnesh with the two bails on the slider shown in Figure 12. Since the end stop is not identical with the bail in other respects, it is sometimes advantageous to have on it more or fewer balls. Thus the end stop may have one more bail on it than the slider as illustrated in Figure 13. Should the slider have two balls, the end stop would have three balls, or might be made with a single bail inter-meshing with these on the slider. In this ligure the bails attached to the end stop are designated by 26 and the plate to which bails 2% are attached are designated by 2l.

The profile shape of the bail is not material to the inter-meshing secured between bails on two sliders or the bail on a slider and on an end stop. This is illustrated in Figures 14-16. Likewise, the shape or size of hole pierced through the bail is immaterial, providing only that it accommodates the bolt, pin, padlock or other securing device inserted to hold two sliders or a slider and an end stop from coming apart. First, they are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the slider and of the slide fastener. Second, in addition to the functions described above, the bail is positioned to provide a handle by which the slider can be moved along the slide fastener chain.

By placing the bail at a slight angle to the longitudinal center line of the slider a wedging action is created when two sliders of identical design are brought together, nose to nose, or when a slider is brought together with an end stop having a bail at a like angle with the bail of the slider. This is illustrated in Figure 23.

Referring to Figure 23 it will be noted that on each slider body I is mounted a bail 30 at an angle with the center line 2. The vertical plane through the longitudinal center line of the slider at the point where this center line intersects the line forming the contour of the nose of the slider at

points

28 and 23, are at the contacting faces of the bails or even within the thickness of, or slightly beyond, the bails. Thus when the sliders are pushed completely together, the faces of two hails will be in contact with each other and the two surfaces 3l will be pressed closely to each other. The two holes 32 will be aligned with each other also- A similar action will take place if the bail on an end stop plate I8 in Figures 9 and 10 or 21 in Figure 13 is mounted at the same angle as the bail on the slider. The hails thus far described in the application require a pin, bolt, padlock or other device to be inserted into the aligned holes in the overlapped bails. Another feature of the invention provides for automatically locking two sliders together after they have been pushed into contact with each or locking slider to an end plate.

By this feature of the invention the bails are formed with latching means so that the two sliders or the slider and end stop may not be separated from each other by a single force or motion parallel to the length of the slide fastener. In other words it is necessary to apply to the slider or to the end stop or to both sideways, twisting or other force in addition to a force or motion parallel to the length of the slide fastener.

In detail there are many ways in which this securing of one slider to another or of a slider to an end stop may be effected. The methods divide themselves into two classifications. First, is the type of design or device which utilizes the sideways play of the slide on the chain of the slide fastener. This play is a rotational movement in a plane parallel to the top and bottom planes of the slider about a point approximately on the longitudinal center line of the slider and nearer to its small or throat end than to its nose or mouth end. Such an arrangement is illustrated in Figure 24 in a position where the sliders are approaching each other. Such a device is illustrated in Figure 25 after the sliders have been brought in contact with each other and the bails have been locked together.

Referring to Figures 24 and 25 the slider bodies are indicated by l upon which bails 33 are mounted. The nose of each bail '34 and 45 is bevelled so that as the bails approach each other, the one to the right will be deiiected angularly in the direction indicated by arrow 42 and the one to the left will be deflected angularly in the direction indicated by arrow 43. These rotational movements of the sliders are around centers of rotation assumed to be at points il@ and t5. The angular deiiection from center line 2 may be measured as the angle between the center line and a line drawn between point 44 and point 35 on the right hand slider and between point 45 and point 35 on the left hand slider. The end of each bail is formed like a hook on adjacent surfaces 33 and. 39. Notches 3G and 3l' are cut to receive hook or

point

35 and 3 respectively. In the closed position holes 5 and di align themselves so that a side elevation of these bails would be similar to the side elevation shown in Figure 3. As drawn in Figures 24 and 25 faces t8 and i9 of

hooks

35 and 35 are perpendicular to the longitudinal center line of the slider. With such a design a simle twisting movement will disengage the bails and permit the sliders to be separated by a force parallel to the longitudinal axis of the slider. If faces 133 and 49 should be at an angle of less than 90 with surfaces 38 and 3S, as shown in Figure 26, it would be necessary to move the sliders slightly toward each other as well as to impart a twisting movement before the sliders could be disengaged by a force parallel to the longitudinal axis of the slider and the slide fastener. It is evident that the form of notch 36 and notch 37 must coincide with the form of

hook

34 and 35. It is also evident that hook 34 and hook 35 might be formed by acombination of straight and curved surfaces or by a combination of two or more curved surfaces without straight surfaces so long as the effect of inserting a catch into a socket or a hook into a receivingr indentation is used.

It will be noted that in Figures 24-26 a bail mounted parallel to the longitudinal axis of the slider is shown. Such an arrangement would be equally applicable to a bail mounted at a slight angle from the longitudinal axis of the slider as indicated in Figure 23.

Obviously one of the two bails shown in Figures 24-26 could be mounted on an end stop plate such as shown in Figures 9-11 or 13. No sketch has been made showing this arrangement working between a slider and an end stop because of the similarity of action between two sliders as illustrated.

Another arrangement for interlocking the bails of the slider is shown in Figures 17 and 18. Here bails 50 and 5| are mounted on slider bodies of conventional sort. Bail 50 is pierced by hole 54 and on the end of it has a stud 52. Bail 5I is pierced by hole 55 and on it has a stud 53. Figure 18 shows bail 50 and indicates the position of stud 52, hole 54 and the indentation 53A made to receive stud 53. A similar indentation is 1ocated in bail 5I to receive stud 52.

In Figure 17 it will be noted that the right hand slider is deflected as indicated by arrow 56, and the left hand slider is deflected as indicated by arrow 5l, so that there is a substantial angular displacement of the center line on each slider from the center line of the slide fastener itself. For the purpose of illustration this angular displacement is exaggerated over that which would be used in an actual slide fastener. As this figure indicates, if

bails

50 and 5| are so' located that the maximum angular displacement of the slider is secured as stud 52 slides past stud 53 when the sliders approach each other, the studs will fall into the respective indentations provided to receive them, and will be held there by the tendency of the fastener chain to return to its straight condition unless they are disengaged by a twisting motion and a simultaneous motion or force parallel to the longitudinal axis of the slide fastener.

A similar arrangement may be obtained by fastening to the bail a small flat spring so bent that it would engage a recess in the opposing bail when the sliders are brought together, thus forming a spring latch.

It will be noted that the

holes

54 and 55 align with each other, thereby making it possible to insert a padlock or other device to secure the sliders together. These holes may be omitted when the latching means are used.

It will be noticed that the shape of the bail so far as its profile in elevation is concerned is not material to the action of the stud and recess.

It is to be further noted that in all of the arrangements discussed above the addition of a metal, leather or webbing pull is possible by piercing the bail or otherwise providing for the attachment of such a pull. Two arrangements of this sort are shown in Figures 19-22. The inclusion of a pull or handle as indicated in Figures 19 and 20 means that the bail itself need not be used as a handle to actuate the slider when moving it along the slide fastener chain. This pull may also be a padlock 9i? on a chain 9|, the padlock being inserted through holes 54, 6l, etc. when they are brought into alignment.y Also the pull may be slotted and the hails formed so that it can be pressed down over both bails when they are brought together and thus latch them together. This is shown in Figure 20, wherein pull 63 is shown engaged over both bails of cooperating sliders. If further locking is desired a. 'pin or padlock may be inserted through the aligned holes as described in connection with other figures;

In Figure 19 bail 85 is pierced by hole 86 and slot El'. In slot S1 is introduced link 53, to which is attached pull 59. If the slider is being pulled to the right, to open the slide fastener, pull 59 and link B would be in the position shown in the sketch. If the slider was being pulled to the left, to close the slide fastener, pull 59 and link 58 would be at the left hand end of slot 87.

In Figure 2O bail 6B is pierced by hole Si and hole $2. In hole 52 is mounted metal tab pull 63. If the slider is being pulled to the right to open the slide fastener, pull t3 would be in approximately the position shown. If the slider was being pulled to the left to close the slide fastener', pull 63 would be in approximately the position shown by 63h. When the fastener is closed with the bails in overlapping position the bail 63 is moved to position 63e in which it engages the overlapping bail of the cooperating slider or end plate.

It is evident that the exact location, length and dimensions of slot e? and the exact location or size of hole 52 or slot $8 are not essential to the broad invention. Many variations of the position, shape and size of slot 3l or hole E2 or slot B8 might be used on various sliders. As is evin dent from Figures iii-22, the customary pulls used in the slide fastener industry may be used with sliders having hails in which the invention outlined herein are employed.

Figures 27 and 28 illustrate that the type of bail heretofore described may be applied to the -throat end l! or lil of a slider, instead of the nose end l2 or '53. Bail te pierced by hole 5S is mounted on slider 55, extending over the throat end I8. Bail 68 pierced by hole SE is mounted on slider El extending over the throat end "il, Holes and 9 align themselves permitting the sliders to be secured in this position as they were in Figures 3 and l where the balls extend over the nose of the slider.

In a similar manner the arrangement of Figure 5 is also applicable to the adjacent faces of throat ends as at le and 'il in Figures 27 and 28; and the arrangement of Figures 9-11 are also applicable if throat end lll is placed in contact with end stop plate I8 or 2z.

Likewise, the arrangement of Figures 12 and 13 are applicable to balls extending over the throat end of the slider. Similarly the arrangements shown in Figures 23-26 are applicable to the throat end; and the arrangements shown in Figures 17-422 and 26 are also equally applicable when the bail extends over the throat end of the slider as shown in Figures 27 and 28.

In Figure 29 is shown a slider with a bail which will align with an identical slider regardless of whether its nose end or its throat end is brought in contact with the other slider. Obviously this double ended arrangement could be accompanied by a tongue and grooved nose end or throat end (see Figures 6 8); either its nose end or throat end could be used with an end stop such as shown in Figures 9-13; the shape of the profile of the bail in elevation is immaterial as indicated in Figures 14-16; multiple hails could be used regardless of whether this slider was mated with another of identical design at the nose end or throat end, as indicated in Figures 12 and 13; locking devices such as suggested in Figures 24-26 and discussed in the above text relating thereto, could be applied to either or both ends of the slider l'shown inFigureZS; studs and recesses or separately attached springs and recesses could be used on either the throat end or the nose end of the bail shown in Figure 29 as suggested in

Fgures

17 and 18 and in the text above relating thereto; the bail shown in Figure 29 may be slotted or may be pierced with an auxiliary hole so that a pull link or a metal tab pull can be added to the slider as shown in Figures 19-22, the profile of the bail of the slider being adapted to give the desired location, and length or size to the slot or hole.

In Figure 29 slider 'M has mounted upon it bail 'i5 which is pierced by hole 'I6 at throat end 19 and by hole TI at nose end 18. It is evident that if two sliders of identical design were brought together, the two holes over the nose end would align as indicated in Figure 3 or if the throat ends were brought together the two holes indicated by 16 would align as shown in Figure 28.

The usefulness of the slider of my invention is not conned to the possibility of abutting two sliders of identical design nose end to nose end, or throat end to throat end, or nose end to end stop, or throat end to end stop for the purpose of securing one slider to another slider or one slider to the end stop, through the aligning holes.

Many other uses suggest themselves, of which the following are examples:

In a sail cover used on the boom extending aft well beyond the transom of the boat, the sail cover is commonly put in position and secured from a dinghy. If a slide fastener embodying my invention is used running along the bottom of the sail cover with the slider at the extreme outer end of the boom when the cover is closed, a light line may be attached to bail 64 through hole B5 and the other end of the line taken along the boom inboard to a convenient place on the boat. To remove the sail cover, the slide fastener is opened by pulling slider 66 back from the end of the boom to a point where it may be reached from within the boat by pulling on such a line.

As a second example, a reproof curtain in the passageway of a ship or aircraft may be split vertically up the middle but secured to the walls and ceiling of the passageway at its outer edges and top. In the center split of such a curtain a slide fastener may be mounted. When this slide fastener is open, the slider would be at the top of the slit or near the ceiling of the passageway. Above the slide fastener at the extreme top of the slit or near the ceiling of the passageway. shown in Figures 9 and 10. W'hen the fastener is completely open, a slider of the type shown in Figures 27 and 28 would be at the extreme top of the slide fastener with hole S5 aligning with the hole in bail I9 of end stop i8. The securing pin inserted between the aligning holes of the end stop and the slider is made of a fusible alloy which melts at extremely low temperatures, such as Woods metal or Lipowitz alloy or any alloy used to set off sprinkler systems. Should fire sweep through the passageway in which such a curtain is located, the pin securing the slider to the end stop melts. By hanging a weight on the slider the slider closes automatically as soon as the pin is softened so as to release the slider and weight and thereby close the iireproof curtain across the passageway. Slide fasteners of the type which would be thus used may be closed with a pull of from 11/2 to 3 lbs.

It is also to be noted that the openings pierced through the bails shown in Figures 1-29 inclusive need not be circles as shown. This hole may be in the form of a slot through which a key may be'inserted as -illustrated in Figures 30-34. When such key is turned 90 it continues to hold the two sliders, or the slider and end stop, together until it is turned back to a matching position and drawn through the aligned slots.

What I claim is:

l. A slide fastener having a slider provided with a bail positioned close to its center line and a handle for operating the slider positioned on its same side as the bail, a cooperating bail secured at the end of an opening controlled by said slider and adapted closely to overlap the bail on said slider, said bails being adapted to be secured together in said overlapping relation, the slide fastener being of the two-way type and the two said bails being on identical sliders, saidsliders having complementary intertting planes adapted to close the gap in the slide fastener chain between the sliders when the sliders are secured together with their bails in overlapping relation.

2. A slide fastener having opposed sliders on a continuous fastener chain at least one of the planes in both the sliders having complementary intertting contours, whereby they close the gap in the slide fastener chain when they are brought together.

HARVEY L. WILLIAMS.

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