US3130465A

US3130465A - Covered separable fastener

Info

Publication number: US3130465A
Application number: US179733A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ryser Ernst
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1957-03-05
Filing date: 1962-03-14
Publication date: 1964-04-28
Anticipated expiration: 1981-04-28

Description

April 28, 1964 RYsER 3,130,465

COVERED SEP ARABLE FASTENER Original Filed May 1, 195? Fig.3

UnitedStates Patent Ofiice 3,139,465 Patented Apr. 28, 1964 3,139,465 (IOVERED SEPAF LE FASTENER Ernst Ryser, Via Turconi, lendrisio, Switzerland, assignor of one-half to Bertrand Vournard, La Granadaonds, dwitzerland Original application May 1, 1957, er. No. 656,306, now Patent No. 3,037,255, dated dune 5, 1962. Divided and this application lvlar. 14, 1962, Ser. No. 179,733 fllaims priority, application Switzerland Mar. 5, 1557 Claims. (Ci. 24295.1)

This invention relates to covered separable fasteners having interlocking fastener members attached to stringer tapes and is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 656,306, filed May 1, 1957, now US. Patent 3,037,255.

It is known to provide at least one or" the stringers of a fastener arrangement with a covering strip which completely covers the fastener members at the outer side thereof when the separable fastener is in a closed condi tion. On the other hand, it is also known to fashion the fastener members with an asymmetric hook-shaped form with respect to a longitudinal center plane of the fastener extending transversely to the stringer plane. The stringer tapes are inserted into the interior of the hooks of these members. The hook ends about which pass the stringer tapes are in this case arranged so that in the closed position of the fastener the two stringer tapes contact each other in the said longitudinal center plane of the fastener at the front side thereof and thus cover the fastener members against being seen from the outside. However, it has been found in actual practice that a one-sided covering of the fastener members does not suffice in many fields of application.

Therefore it is an object of the invention to provide a separable fastener that is covered on both sides.

According to the present invention the fastener members of the separable fastener are symmetrically formed with respect to the stringer tape plane. The arrangement is such that along the longitudinal center plane of the fastener which is at right angles to the plane of the stringer tape at each side of the head of each fastener member, a portion of the stringer tape retained in the latter and associated with this fastener member emerges in such a manner, that when the fastener is closed, the stringer tape leaving the fastener members of one of the rows of members, and the opposite stringer tape leaving the members of the other row make contact in the longitudinal center plane of the separable fastener.

The separable fastener according to the present invention therefore is covered on both sides owing to the above described formation.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a separable fastener having two rows of fastener members anchored to stringer tapes, each stringer comprising two tape portions each of which is attached by an edge bead in the fastener members of the associated rows and emerges at both sides from these fastener members.

When the portion set each stringer tape emerging at both sides from the fastener members remain disengaged and are together secured, for example, to an article of clothing only during insertion of the separable fastener in :0 said article, it may occur that the fastener members of one row, when the fastener is open, are not tightly gripped by the stringer portions and thus are able to move relatively to each other out of the plane of the fastener. \l'hen subsequently individual fastener members have been displaced a sufficient extent out of alignment with the remaining members of the row, the slide fastener can no longer be closed at this point, because, in operating the usual slider, the members will only be urged further out of their position of alignment, which may lead to damaging the fastener.

It is still another object of the invention to overcome including line Ill-ill.

the above disadvantage in that the stringer tapes are folded back over the legs of the associated fastener members and are firmly interconnected immediately behind the legs of the members remote from the head thereof.

In this manner a stringer sleeve is produced which snugly surrounds the legs of the fastener members of each row and prevents adjacent members from mutually moving to an excessive degree transversely to the plane of the fastener.

It is also an object of the invention to produce a separable fastener in which the slider of the fastener comprises two plates which are situated each at one side of the fastener and are interconnected by a central core piece, said plates being also provided with lateral guide members which travel solely on the two stringer tapes. Thereby a smooth quiet travel of the slider is obtained, and the latter is prevented from sticking to the fastener members, which may lead to damaging the fastener.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification of which the accompanying drawings form a part and represent a preferred embodiment of the invention and in which:

FIGURE 1 shows a plan View of a separable fastener covered on both sides in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 shows a plan view of a fastener member of the separable fastener of FIGURE 1 prior to the insertion of the stringer tapes;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view along lines IIII of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view along lines Ill-III of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view along lines 1VIV of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view along lines V-V of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 7 is a sectional View along lines VI'VI of FIGURE 1. a

The separable fastener of FIGURE 1 comprises first and second pairs of

stringer tapes

10 and 12 to which are secured rows of fastener members 14 which are caused to engage with each other through the agency of slider 16 to form an airtight seam along the plane I) of FIGS. 6 and 7. r

The fastener members 14 shown in greater detail in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are in known manner produced by a stamping operation. These members comprise a coupling head 18 which is provided with a recess 20 and a coupling projection 22. Each fastener member 14 has formed thereon two outwardly bent hook-shaped legs 24 and is symmetrically shaped with respect to the plane The lateral surfaces of the coupling head 13 of the fastener member 14 are slightly beveled at the edges.

As shown in the FIG. 2, the coupling heads 18 of the fastener members 14 are not symmetrically beveled with respect to the longitudinal center plane b at their respective sides, but formed so that the inclined surfaces 26, situated at the head side remote of the legs 24 of a fastener member of one of the rows, are somewhat set back with respect to the inclined surfaces 27 provided at the head side facing the legs 24 of a fastener member of the other row. This can be seen in FIG. 7 wherein two fastener members are shown engaged, and the surface Z27 of one fastener is not coincident with the surface 26 of the other fastener.

The coupling head 18 is joined to the legs by a neck portion 23 whose rear surface 39 is straight and from which legs 24 extend substantially at right angles when closed. Each of the legs 24 includes a straight portion 32 and a nose 34.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 7 the

numerals

10a and 10b represent the two parts of one of the stringer tape 19 while 12a and 12!) indicate the two parts of the other stringer tape 12. A row of fastener members 14 is secured to each of the two stringer tapes. The legs 24 of the fastener member 14 form at each side a hook 38 by virtue of straight portion 32 and the nose 34 disposed opposite neck 28 and head 18 (see FIG. 7). By means of these hooks 38 the edge beads 40 of either

stringer tape

10 or 12 are tightly clamped, so that the two stringer parts, say 10a and 10b laterally emerge from the fastener members 14 approximately in the Zone of the coupling axis of the separable fastener. In other words the opposite parts of the two

stringer tapes

10 and 12 contact each other in the longitudinal center plane b (FIG. 7) of the separable fastener extending at right angles to the plane of the separable fastener, when the separable fastener is in closed position.

The two

stringer parts

10a, 16b and 12a, 12b, respectively, which emerge out of the fastener members 14 at the side thereof, are turned back over the legs 24 of the fastener members 14 and are rigidly connected to each other by a quilting seam 42 immediately behind the flat end face 30. The quilting seam serves therefore-to join the stringer parts together at a location immediately behind face 30 and the quilting seam extends longitudinally along the tapes to a position somewhat beyond each

end piece

50 and 52 respectively. Consequently the legs 24 of each row of fastener members 14 are locked in place, each snugly fitting into a sleeve portion formed by the two parts of the stringer tape.

It is understood that a plurality of quilting seams 42 extending parallel to each other could also be used; in place of the quilting seams 42 any other connection, for example, by stitching or adhesive means, could also be provided.

At that end of the separable fastener where the slider 16 is positioned when the fastener is closed, the two

parts

10a, 10b and 12a, 1211, respectively, of the stringer tapes are securely connected to each other each by means of an end piece 50 (FIGS. 1 and surrounding and clamping together the edge beads 40. At the other end of the separable fastener where the slider 16 will be located when the fastener is in open position, the mutually opposite parts a, 12a and 10b, 12b, respectively, of the two stringer tapes are securely connected to each other each by means of an end piece 52 (FIGS. 1 and 6) surrounding and clamping together the edge beads 40. Thereby the rows of fastener members 14 are perfectly closed at their ends; in addition the traveling path of the slider 16 will be limited particularly during opening of the separable fastener, whereby it is practically impossible to open up the fastener to an excessive extent. Since the clamping end pieces 52 immovably fix the two rows of fastener members 14 in their mutual position, at any time the correct interengagement of the co-acting fastener members of the two rows is insured even after the fastener has been opened to its maximum extent.

It is understood that the described arrangement could also be made in case of a separable fastener which is not covered.

The slider .16 of the shown separable fastener comprises two plates 16b each situated at one side of the closure member, which plates are connected to each other by a central core piece 16a. The lateral edges of these plates 16b are provided with guide members 160 facing each other. The inner wall 16d of the guide members 160 is a right angle to the plane of the plates 16b and is also parallel to the flat end face 30 of fastener member 14. As distinctly shown in FIG. 7, the slider "16 exclusively travels along the two

stringer tapes

10a, 19b and 12a, 12b, respectively, and its plates 1612 provided with the guide members 16c surround the fastener members enveloped by the stringer parts.

It is understood that a separable fastener, which is covered only at one side or not at all and in which the stringer parts though also emerging laterally from the fastener members but contacting each other only at one side or not at all in the longitudinal center plane when the fastener is closed, may be provided with a slider of the described kind traveling exclusively upon the stringer tapes.

What is claimed is:

l. A covered separable fastener comprising first and second stringers each consisting of a pair of stringer tapes, said stringer tapes having opposite edge portions, and interlocking fastener members secured in longitudinally spaced relation to said opposite edge portions of said stringer tapes, said stringer tapes defining a stringer tape plane, said interlocking fastener members being symmetrical with respect to the stringer tape plane, said interlocking fastener members each comprising a coupling head, a neck portion narrower than said coupling head, said neck portion including a side surface, and a pair of tape engaging legs, each of said tape engaging legs including a straight portion, a nose portion on said straight portion and a side surface, said tape engaging legs defining a flat end surface for the respective fastener member which is remote from the coupling head and which lies perpendicular to the stringer tape plane, said nose portion extending laterally adjacent said coupling head and directed towards said neck portion, said coupling head cooperating with said nose portion of said tape engaging legs for securing said stringer tapes to said members, said stringer tapes engaging the whole side surface of said neck portion and the side surfaces of said tape engaging legs and being in locked relation therewith, said stringer tapes emerging from both sides of said fastener members laterally of said coupling head and said nose portion to a position midway of the coupling head at the longitudinal center plane of said fastener members and extending at right angles to said first-mentioned plane with said nose portions holding said stringer tapes in engagement with said coupling head, so that with the separable fastener closed the stringer tapes emerging from the fastener member of one stringer is in contact with the stringer tapes emerging from the fastener members of the other stringers, said stringer tapes emerging from each fastener member and enveloping said legs and lying in flat face to face contact with the fastener along said end surfaces thereof and means for joining said stringer tapes to each other in a region immediately opposite said flat end face to retain said stringer tapes in contact therewith to permit a slider to pass thereover.

2. The covered separable fastener of claim 1 in which said joining means is at least one quilting seam.

3. A separable fastener according to claim 1 including a common end piece for connecting said first and second stringers to each other, said common end piece surrounding the edge beads of the stringers at one end, and separate end pieces at the opposite ends of each stringer, each of said separate end pieces connecting together the stringer tapes of the associated stringer by engageably surrounding the edge beads of the stringer tapes.

4. A separable fastener according to claim 1 including 7 a slider on the separable fastener slidable along the stringer tapes emerging from the fastener members.

5. A covered separable fastener comprising first and second stringers, said stringers having opposite edge portions each stringer consisting of a pair of stringer tapes, each of said stringer tapes including edge beads, and a plurality of interlocking fastener members secured in longitudinally spaced relation along said opposite edge portions of said stringers, each of said fastener members comprising a coupling head, a pair of legs extending from said coupling head for engaging said edge beads of said stringer tapes, said pair of legs defining a flat end face remote from said coupling head, said stringer tapes of each stringer emerging from between the coupling head and a respective leg and being turned back over said pair of legs of the associated fastener member, means for fixing the stringer tapes of each stringer in a region immediately opposite said flat end face with said stringer tapes lying flat in face to face relation all along the flat end face defined by said pair of legs and a slider including top and bottom plates positioned each at one side of the fastener, a central core piece connecting said plates in spaced relation and lateral guide members on said plate exclusively movable along the stringer tapes and including inside surfaces extending substantially parallel to the flat end faces of the fastener members and in contact with the stringer tapes extending along the flat end faces of the fastener member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,067,734 Silberman Jan. 12, 1937 6 Feist Dec. 29, 1942 Gould Apr. 20, 1943 Brown Apr. 17, 1951 Kuzmick Sept. 1, 1953 Mullna May 7, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Oct. 7, 1933 Switzerland July 16, 1941 Australia Apr. 12, 1955 Australia May 10, 1955

Claims

1. A COVERED SEPARABLE FASTENER COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND STRINGERS EACH CONSISTING OF A PAIR OF STRINGER TAPES, SAID STRINGER TAPES HAVING OPPOSITE EDGE PORTIONS, AND INTERLOCKING FASTENER MEMBERS SECURED IN LONGITUDINALLY SPACED RELATION TO SAID OPPOSITE EDGE PORTIONS OF SAID STRINGER TAPES, SAID STRINGER TAPES DEFINING A STRINGER TAPE PLANE, SAID INTERLOCKING FASTENER MEMBERS BEING SYMMETRICAL WITH RESPECT TO THE STRINGER TAPE PLANE, SAID INTERLOCKING FASTENER MEMBERS EACH COMPRISING A COUPLING HEAD, A NECK PORTION NARROWER THAN SAID COUPLING HEAD, SAID NECK PORTION INCLUDING A SIDE SURFACE, AND A PAIR OF TAPE ENGAGING LEGS, EACH OF SAID TAPE ENGAGING LEGS INCLUDING A STRAIGHT PORTION, A NOSE PORTION ON SAID STRAIGHT PORTION AND A SIDE SURFACE, SAID TAPE ENGAGING LEGS DEFINING A FLAT END SURFACE FOR THE RESPECTIVE FASTENER MEMBER WHICH IS REMOTE FROM THE COUPLING HEAD AND WHICH LIES PERPENDICULAR TO THE STRINGER TAPE PLANE, SAID NOSE PORTION EXTENDING LATERALLY ADJACENT SAID COUPLING HEAD AND DIRECTED TOWARDS SAID NECK PORTION, SAID COUPLING HEAD AND DIRECTED TOWARDS SAID NECK PORTION, SAID COUPLING HEAD COOPERATING WITH SAID NOSE PORTION OF SAID TAPE ENGAGING LEGS FOR SECURING SAID STRINGER TAPES TO SAID MEMBERS, SAID STRINGER TAPES ENGAGING THE WHOLE SIDE SURFACE OF SAID NECK PORTION AND THE SIDE SURFACES OF SAID TAPE ENGAGING LEGS AND BEING IN LOCKED RELATION THEREWITH, SAID STRINGER TAPES EMERGING FROM BOTH SIDES OF SAID FASTENER MEMBERS LATERALLY OF SAID COUPLING HEAD AND SAID NOSE PORTION TO A POSITION MIDWAY OF THE COUPLING HEAD AT THE LONGITUDINAL CENTER PLANE OF SAID FASTENER MEMBERS AND EXTENDING AT RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID FIRST-MENTIONED PLANE WITH SAID NOSE PORTIONS HOLDING SAID STRINGER TAPES IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID COUPLING HEAD, SO THAT WITH THE SEPARABLE FASTENER CLOSED THE STRINGER TAPES EMERGING FROM THE FASTENER MEMBER OF ONE STRINGER IS IN CONTACT WITH THE STRINGER TAPES EMERGING FROM THE FASTENER MEMBERS OF THE OTHER STRINGERS, SAID STRINGER TAPES EMERGING FROM EACH FASTENER MEMBER AND ENVELOPING SAID LEGS AND LYING IN FLAT FACE TO FACE CONTACT WITH THE FASTENER ALONG SAID END SURFACES THEREOF AND MEANS FOR JOINING SAID STRINGER TAPES TO EACH OTHER IN A REGION IMMEDIATELY OPPOSITE SAID FLAT END FACE TO RETAIN SAID STRINGER TAPES IN CONTACT THEREWITH TO PERMIT A SLIDER TO PASS THEREOVER.