US3089541A - Clip - Google Patents

Description

y 1963 s. D. LOCKSHIN 3,039,541

CLIP

Filed Jan. 16, 1961 INVEN TOR. SAMUEL D. LOCKSHIN ATTORNEY.

3,689,541 Patented May 14, 1963 7 ice Filed Jan. 16, 1961, Ser. No. 82,811 1 Claim. (Cl. 160-633) The present invention relates generally to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in a clip or fastener for a webbing-strip such as is commonly used in connection with tubular furniture and is directed more particularly to the provision of a web fastener which is particularly employed in connection with such webbingstrips which are, as is known, interlaced across the tubular frames of metal furniture, such as chairs, chaise lounges and the like.

It will be helpful to an understanding of my invention to first briefly consider some of the essential points and more important features and aspects thereof, so that same may be kept in mind during the subsequent reading of the detailed description of the practical embodiment of my improvements and of the illustration thereof in the hereunto annexed drawing.

Accordingly, it is first to be noted that my invention may be embodied in any device having a need for he tening strips of Webbing to metal.

The seats, back-rests, leg-rests, and other components of well known present day furniture embody frames having opposite and adjacent side and end tubular members and with somewhat narrow strips or lengths of material transversely arranged as to each other and interlaced as to each other, with opposite ends of said strips being secured to opposite frame members, as the supporting media.

It has been the practice in the manufacture of articles, such as folding chairs made of aluminum tubing, to secure the webbing by looping it about the frame members in various ways.

Such methods have required the exercise of special care and skill and involved considerable time and use of extra and special materials, all resulting in higher costs.

The existing practice in the trade, as exemplified by the known prior art, is to clamp the fasteners to the web. Such means heretofore known all have certain common and obvious objections that, in order to operate them, Web penetration is necessary so as to lead to eventual rupture of the web under the normal stresses and strains of use. 1

The problem has been accentuated by the fact that special machinery is usually necessitated so as to complicate and add to the costs of production as well as the problems of repair.

The ends of the strip material, according to the prior art, have been secured or aflixed to the tubular members by various and numerous methods and means which have been time consuming and costly. Further, in use, the ends of the strips of material too frequently become loosened or ruptured and therefor fail in their supporting function.

In contradistinction, I have devised a novel means whereby these difiiculties and objections are overcome. I accomplish this by the provision of a device which obviates the need for special equipment and eliminates the aforesaid objectionable inconveniences.

The principal objects of this invention are directed to the provision of a means and method of securing the ends of strip material to the tubular frame members of furniture in such manner as to insure a permanent connection.

The novel features of the invention, in a general way, include a device which may be easily and readily slipped over the end of the web without requiring clamping thereof to the web. Said device, at each opposite end of a strip, is connected to the adjacent tubular member of a frame component so that the strip material is maintained in taut supporting condition.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to furnish an improvement in the art which, on the basis of the factors involved, is capable of solving the difficulties involved.

The web fastener hereof merely slips over the end of the web and the web is then snubbed .thereagainst in mannet to preclude the slippage of the fastener and web relative to each other.

By the means hereof, the fastener may be easily adjusted or readjusted and, if necessary, repaired, all without tools.

The nature of the device of the invention is such that the end of strip material is gripped against displacement, and the device is connected or attached to a tubular mem ber easily and readily without the necessity of screws, bolts or the like, all to the end that economy in manufacture results, and the strip material may function as a support Without likelihood of detachment.

Other objects of the present invention are to avoid and eliminate the prior art faults and objections and to provide fastenings which can be quickly and easily applied or removed, which will be inexpensive, and which will actually be stronger and better than fastening means such as heretofore used. 1

Particular objects of the invention are to provide a light and small form of fastening which can be put on or taken oif by hand and which will make a neat connection of the webbing with the frame and be substantially concealed and out of the way.

'It has heretofore been known in the art to use clips of V-shape cross section squeezed on the end of webbing strips and having a hook for engagement in slots provided in the walls of aluminum tubes in making foldable lawn furniture. However, experience with such clips reveals drawbacks in that they do not properly grip certain kinds of webbing having strands of circular cross section.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a clip which overcomes the above drawbacks of prior art clips, but which can be as cheaply manufactured; and it is a further object of the invention to provide a clip which will be durable and which will not readily slip out of place when applied by means of an integral hook to a slot in a tubing frame.

Without intending to place undue limitations upon the scope of the invention beyond what may be required by the state of the prior art, the particular embodiment of the invention may be briefly described as embracing the concept of a slide fastener which is engageable with a flexible webbing strip which is normally made of resilient plastic material such as polyethylyene.

The invention comprehends a particular construction,

arrangement, combination, and relationship of the various elements, components and instrumentalities of a Web fastener as exemplified in the following detailed disclosure.

To make the manufacture of my web fastener a more profitable undertaking, the mechanism embodying the essence of the invention has been engineered in manner as to be simple in its construction so as to expedite economical large-scale production and assembly, the usual complexity of components having been so greatly reduced as to offer a compact design representative of a fundamentally new concept in the combining and coacting of the component parts of such a fastener.

Precision of relative dimensioning of partsas millitates against inexpensive manufacture, simplicity of maintenance and care, and consistency of performance in practical use have been assiduously borne in mind in the development of the present invention.

The characteristic features which I consider to be novel with my invention, as to its construction and organization and as to its methods of operation, will be better understood from a consideration of the following detailed description forming a part of this specification, when read in conjunction with the illustrations in the accompanying drawing, wherein like characters of reference are employed to designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views and in which.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a device for securing to the end of webbing, and embodying the novel features of.

the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view at the line 1-1 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a tubular element with which the device of FIGS. 1 and 2 is connectable, the device being shown as secured to the end of a length of webbing.

With continued reference now to the drawing, which illustrates a typical and preferred embodiment of the invention for the purpose of disclosure and forms a part of this specification, I have shown a fastener clip of the invention.

In the following description and in the appended claims, various components and details thereof will be identified by specific names for purposes of convenience. The phraseology or terminology herein employed is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

It will be understood that the device hereof is to be used on the tubular frame of a chaise lounge or chair or like piece of metal furniture which employs such tubular members in combination with strips of flexible plastic webbing which are interlaced with each other and extend between opposite side rails or end rails of the furni ture components, all of which is well understood and therefore is not herein illustrated in detail.

The fastener clip of the invention is generally indicated by numeral 2 and comprises a generally rectangular body 4 formed of a relatively thin and stiff metal and having a longitudinally-extending elongated slot 6 disposed centrally thereof.

The slot 6 extends for a substantial distance consistent with permitting a width of Webbing to be passed therethrough, as will appear.

Outwardly extending integral ears or prongs 10 are provided at opposite ends of one of the sides of the body 4 and extend outwardly therefrom at sharp angles so as to be aligned as to each other and to provide shoulders 11 for engagement with the front edge of a slot 16 in the tubing as will hereinafter appear, and said ears may be longitudinally ribbed, if desired, for stiffening purposes.

A plurality of teeth 12 spaced equidistantly extend outwardly from the said one side of the body 4 between the opposite ears 10 and 10.

The body 4 is curved transversely into an arcuate configuration so as to accommodate and closely approximate the curvature of the tubular metal with which use is contemplated so as to fit closely against the tubing and the cars 10 are somewhat turned back upon the main portion of the body so as to be more or less radially disposed as shown in FIG. 2.

A tubular member 14 such as of aluminum or the like and forming part of a chair to which the clip 2 is to be connected, will be provided with an elongated slot 16 suitable for receiving the ears 10 of said clip.

The opposite tubular components of the frame structure will, of course, be provided with corresponding slots, such as 16, which will be longitudinally spaced to provide the desired spacing of the interlaced webs which are to extend between the components.

The webs are cut to that length necessary for spanning 5t opposite tubular members with clips at opposite ends thereof connected to opposite tubular members.

The end portion W of a web W is inserted upwardly through the opening 6 of the clip, turned over the teeth 12, and the ears or hooks 10 are engaged in the slot 16 so that the web portion W is securely and rigidly gripped or clamped between the clip and the tubing 14.

With the opposite ends of the web secured by clips to opposite tubular members, any strain or weight on the web is resisted by engagement of the hooks 10 with the edge of the slot 16 of the tubing.

Thus, the end of the web is easily and readily secured to the tubing without the necessity of fastening means, such as screws and grommets or the like, and without the likelihood of the web becoming detached therefrom.

The clip may, of course, be formed with as many hooks as may be desired and will be arranged so that when connected with the tubular member there will be a wedging action of the hooks and edge of the slot in which the hooks are inserted.

The hooks may take various forms and will be such that the weight or pressure on the web will enhance the wedging action of the hook and side of the slot, which is desirable.

With strips of webbing cut to the proper length, and with opposite ends thereof gripped in clips, opposite tubular members may be temporarily positioned by suitable means for inserting the hooks of clips in the slots of the tubes and thereafter the tubes may be positioned permanently so that the Webbing extends therebetween in a taut supporting condition.

The inner edge of the plate will clamp and bind the overreaching end portion of the web against the tubing, with the web being impinged by the teeth 12, and the outer or base edge of the plate will hold and grip the full width of the web with a snubbing action. This snubbing and binding action will increase as tension is applied to the webbing and consequently, the fastener will hold with greater effect as the load is increased.

The fasteners may be applied to the end of the webbing after or before the webbing is assembled on the frame, and this can be entirely a hand operation.

When the fasteners, nested in the ends of the webbing, are applied to the frame, they will securely hold the webbing against all usual or even extraordinary loads but, at the same time, they may be easily removed usually by hand by applying direct lifting pressure to the base edge of the fastener, only sufficient force being neededfor it to snap the shoulder portions of the cars out of interlocked engagement in the tubing slot.

The fasteners are particularly light and small and inexpensive. They do not add bulk to the chair or other piece of furniture. They are substantially concealed or out of sight and they are strong and durable. They provide a secure, concealed connection of the webbing with the chair frame, and they can be both quickly and easily snapped into position or be removed without use of special tools or exercise of any special care or skill.

I believe that an important aspect of my construction which gives me the surprising locking results obtained resides in the use of closed slots such as 6.

Apparently the effect of the closed slot is to grip and deform the webbing longitudinally of the clip While stretching the webbing latitudinally, that is, along the long edge of the ridge. This produces a peculiarly effective type of grip in that, even under stress far in excess of that normally encountered in use, the fibers of the web are compressed against the edges of the slot and provide a locking effect by compression and indentation of the fibers contiguous with the slot edges.

The effect of the above construction as described is considerably superior to other arrangements which have been tried and marketed and although no microscopic examination has been made of the exact effect on the webbing strap produced by my novel coaction of elongated ridges and slots, rigid tests under working conditions leave no room for doubt as to the peculiarly increased holding power of the arrangement. As stated hereinabove, a very important advantage is obtained in that I am enabled to manufacture clips of aluminum rather than the relatively heavy and expensive cadmiumplated steel, which was previously used.

The claims are desired to include Within the scope thereof all of said suitable variations, modifications and equivalents by which substantially the results of the invention may be obtained through the use of substantially the same or equivalent devices or means. Accordingly, limitation hereof should only be made as determined by a proper interpretation of the prior art and the scope of the subjoined claim, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent herein as broadly as possible.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

In a tubularrame furniture construction, a webbingstrip fastening assembly cooperant with a tubular frame member having an elongated slot in its wall of a length in excess of the width of a webbing-strip operative therewith and of a shape operatively to accept ears and an overlying end portion of a Webbing-strip inserted therein and comprising: a fastener operatively securing the webbing-strip to the frame member and including, a relatively stiff resilient clip having an elongated head portion having a substantial arcuate configuration in transverse cross section and including an elongated central slot having a length slightly in excess of the width of the webhing-strip and a pair of integral longitudinally-spaced ear portions extending downwardly and inward-1y from the relatively outboard longitudinal side edge of said head portion and a sawtooth edge at the said outboard side edge intermediate said ear portions of a length corresponding substantially to the width of the webbing strip, the Webbing strip being extended beneath said head portion and through the elongated central slot thereof and over said head portion and being folded over and impinged upon said outboard side edge, the ear portions of said pair thereof and the end portion of the Webbing-strip being insertable into the elongated slot in the wall of the frame member and into the interior of the frame member enabling said fastener to self-lock itself and thereby the webbing-strip to the frame member with said head portion conforming to the outside curvature of the frame member adjacent the elongated slot and to secure itself to the frame member with increasing force as the webbing strip is tensioned.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,582,579 Bedford Jan. 15, 1952 2,856,990 Thomas Oct. 21, 1958 2,974,721 Thomas Mar. 14, 1961

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