US3145041A

US3145041A - Zipper hook

Info

Publication number: US3145041A
Application number: US165858A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard A Grolig
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1962-01-12
Filing date: 1962-01-12
Publication date: 1964-08-18
Anticipated expiration: 1981-08-18

Description

Aug. 18, 1964 Filed Jan. 12 1962 United States Patent O 3,145,041 ZIPPER HGOK Richard A. Grolig, 6552 N. Damien Ave., Chicago 45, Ill. Filed Jan. 1'2, 1962, er. No. 165,858 4 Claims. (Cl. 294-19) The present invention relates to a novel tool for use in operating slide fasteners, and more specifically to a novel tool for operating slide fasteners of the type frequently used in clothing.

As will be understood, slide fasteners of the type contemplated herein usually include a slide member adapted to force elongated complementary fastener means together when moved in one direction and to spread the complementary fastener means apart when moved in an opposite direction. In addition a tab is usually hingedly connected to the slide member, which tab is adapted to be grasped by the fingers of an operator for facilitating manipulation of the slide member.

Slide fasteners are frequently used in garments at locations which are relatively inaccessible such, for eX- ample, as in the backs of women*s dresses. The present invention contemplates the provision of a tool which is especially suitable for manipulating the slide member of fastener means located at a relatively inaccessible position on a garment whereby to facilitate the operation of such slide fastener.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a novel tool which may be quickly and easily connected to or disconnected from a slide fastener and which is adapted to be used for Operating the slide member selectively in opposite directions. p

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel tool which is of relatively simple and economical construction.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view showing a tool incorporating the features of the present invention operatively connected with a slide fastener;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 2-2 in FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an end portion of a tool incorporating the features of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational View of the tool;

FIG. 5 is a view showing the manner in which the tool may be assembled with or removed from a tab element of a slide fastener; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view showing the tool fully assembled with the tab element of the slide fastener.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by the same numerals throughout the various figures, a tool 10 incorporating features of the present invention is shown in FIG. l assembled with a slide fastener 12 which is adapted to join

opposed portions

14 and 16 of a garment or any other desired article. The slide fastener is of known construction and includes a pair of elongated

complementary means

18 and 20, respectively, securcd to margins of the

garment portions

14 and 16. A slide member 22 is associated with the

complementary means

18 and 20 and, as will be understood, the

complementary means

18 and 20 may include series of complementary individual locking elements which are adapted to be forced and locked together when the slide member 22 is moved upwardly and to be spread apart and disconnected when the slide member' is moved downwardly. A tab 24 is hingedly connected to the slide member 22. In accordance with the usual practice, an aperture 26 is provided through the tab 24 adjacent an outer end thereof.

3,145,041 Patented Aug. 18, 1964 ICC While the device may be formed from various materials including metal and plastic, the preferred embodiment of the present invention which is disclosed herein is formed in one piece from a length of wire. The tool is provided with an elongated handle or body portion 28 which is preferably substantially straight. A loop 30 is formed in the Wire at one end of the handle portion 28, which loop is adapted to receive the finger of an operator and facilitate handling and manipulation of the tool. Connecting means 32 is formed at the opposite end of the handle or body portion 28 for attachment to the tab 24 of the slide fastener in the manner described below.

In the embodiment disclosed herein, the connecting means 32 is formed by first aXially splitting an end portion of the handle or body 28. One-half of the split end portion is bent laterally outwardly to provide a finger 34 projecting transversely in one direction with respect to the handle 28 and substantially perpendicularly with respect to the longitudinal axis of the handle. The outermost end of the section providing the finger 34 may be cut off. However, sufficient material is left so that the finger 34 has a length which will enable it 'to project well through the aperture 26 and the tab 24 when the tool is assembled with the tab.

The remaining half section of the split end portion is bent so as to provide a generally U-shaped

element having legs

36 and 38 connected by a bight portion 40. As shown best in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the legs .36 and 38 are generally parallel to each other and are spaced apart a distance similar to and slightly greater than the thickness of the tab 24 so that the legs are adapted to embrace the tab when the tool is applied to the tab. The bight portion 40 of the U-shaped element is disposed for providing an abutment engageable with an edge of the tab when the tool is assembled with the tab, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6. As shown best in FIG. 4, the U-shaped element extends transversely of the longitudinal axis of the handle portion 28 and is arranged so as to present an open mouth 42 facing laterally in a direction offset substantially from the direction in which the finger 34 projects.

The U-shaped element is integrally joined with the elongated handle or body portion 28 by a section 44 connected with an end of the leg 38. As shown best in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6, the section 44 is defiected laterally from the central axis of the handle or body portion 28 in the direction of the open mouth 42 of the U-shaped element sufliciently so that the U-shaped element is substantially centered with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tool. Furthermore, the length of the section 44 is such that the U-shaped element is substantially axially spaced from the finger 34, and more specifically the upper leg portion 36 of the U-shaped element is spaced from the finger 34 a distance substantially greater than the distance between a longitudinal edge 46 of the tab 24 and an adjacent edge of the tab aperture 26 for facilitating assembly of the tool with the tab in the manner described below.

In order to assemble the tool 10 with the tab 24, the tool should be positioned so that its longitudinal axis extends transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tab 24 as shown in PIG. 5 whereupon the finger element 34 may be inserted through the aperture 26. It will be noted that when the tool is positioned in this manner interference between the leg portion 36 of the U-shaped element and the tab will be avoided. After the finger 34 is inserted through the aperture the assembly may be readily completed by rotating the tool relative to the tab and about the axis of the finger 34 so that the tool is moved from the position shown in FIG. 5 to the position shown in FIG. 6. When the tool is pivoted in this manner, the tab 24 enters through the open mouth 42 ae of the U-shaped element whereupon the tab is embraced by the

leg portions

36 and 38 and engaged by the abutment surface provided by the bight portion til of the U-shaped element. ,The bight portion 49 is located so `as to engage the edge of the tab when the longitudinal axis of the tool is generally aligned with the longitudinal aXis of the tab. It is further to be noted that the section 44 of the tool is defieeted upwardly so that the inner surface 50 of the leg 38 is substantially coplanar with the upper surface of the handle or body portion 28. As a result, the handle portion 28 will he positioned and effectively locked in substantially parallel relationship with respect to the tab 24 in order to provide a substantially rigid extension of the tab which may be more easily grasped and manipulated vby an operator.

When the tool is fully assembled with the tab as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6, the snugly embracing

leg portions

36 and 38, which have substantially fiat

inner surfaces

48 and 50, effectively prevent the tool from rotating relative to the tab and about the central axis of the U-shaped element which extends transversely of the handle portion. At the same time the finger element which is engageable With both the upper and lower edges of the aperture 26 locks the tool against aXial deplacement relative to the tab. VVith the tool thus fiXed relative to the tab, the tool may be either pushed or pulled for opening or closing the slide fastener.

While the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and descrihed hcrein, it is obvious that many structural details may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I clairn as new and desire to secure by letters Patent is:

1. The combination of a tab with an aperture and a tool of the type described for Operating the tab, said aperture having predetermined transverse dimensions and being spaced a predetermined distance from a longitudinal edge of the tab saidtool comprising an elongated Wire member, a finger element having transverse dimensions less than said predetermined transverse dimensions integral with and projecting transversely in a first direction from one end portion of said Wire member for extending intosaid aperture in the tab, and another element integral with said end portion of the Wire member axially outwardly of said finger element a distance at least as great as said predetermined distance and including opposed spaced apart leg portions extending transversely of the Wire member in a second direction offset from said first direction for embracing opposite sides of said tab when the tool is assembled With the tab.

2. The combination of a tab with an aperture and a li' tool of the type clescribed for manipulating the tab, said aperture having predetermined transverse dimensions and being spaced a predetermined distance from a longitudinal edge of said tab, said tool comprising an elongated Wire member having a split end portion presenting two sections, one of said sections being laterally deflected and presenting a finger element having transverse dimensions less than said predetermined transverse dimensions and projecting transversely in a first direction for extending into said `aperture in the tab, and the other of said sections being bent and presenting a generally U-shaped element spaced axially outwardly of said finger element a distance at least as great as said predetermined distance from said finger element and having an open mouth facing transversely in a second direction offset about from said first direction, said U-shaped element being engageable With opposite sides of the tab when the tool is assembled with the tab.

3. A tool for Operating a slide fastener of the type having a slide member with an apertured tab hingedly conneeted thereto; said tool comprising an elongated handle member, a finger element fixed to and projecting transversely in a first direction from a point adjacent one end of said handle member for extending into a tab aperture, and means forming a pair of leg portions joined. by a bight portion to provide a generally U-shaped configuration connected to said one end of said handle member and opening in a second direction transversely of said first direction, at least one of said leg portions having a medial portion disposed along the axis of said handle member in axial alignment With a projection of said handle member and said finger element and projecting to opposite sides of the handle member with the leg portions adapted to engage opposite tab surfaces and With the bight portion engaging a tab edge when the tool is assembled to a tab with the finger element extending into a tab aperture.

4. A tool as claimed in claim 3, wherein both said leg portions project to opposite sides of the handle memher for increased contact with a tab when the tool is assembled thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,056,506 Courson Mar. 18, 1913 1,350,084 Schub Aug. 17, 1920 1,562,034 Mieher Nov. 17, 1925 2,490,739 Nesbitt Dec. 6, 1949 2,502,849 Jennings Apr. 4, 1950 2,854,722 Ruding Oct. 7, 1958 2,887,75.1 Lamb May 26, 1959 2.920,422 Freiberg Jan. 12, 1960

Claims

1. THE COMBINATION OF A TAB WITH AN APERTURE AND A TOOL OF THE TYPE DESCRIBED FOR OPERATING THE TAB, SAID APERTURE HAVING PREDETERMINED TRANSVERSE DIMENSIONS AND BEING SPACED A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE FROM A LONGITUDINAL EDGE OF THE TAB SAID TOOL COMPRISING AN ELONGATED WIRE MEMBER, A FINGER ELEMENT HAVING TRANSVERSE DIMENSIONS LESS THAN SAID PREDETERMINED TRANSVERSE DIMENSIONS INTEGRAL WITH AND PROJECTING TRANSVERSELY IN A FIRST DIRECTION FROM ONE END PORTION OF SAID WIRE MEMBER FOR EXTENDING INTO SAID APERTURE IN THE TAB, AND ANOTHER ELEMENT INTEGRAL WITH SAID END PORTION OF THE WIRE MEMBER AXIALLY OUTWARDLY OF SAID FINGER ELEMENT A DISTANCE AT LEAST AS GREAT AS SAID PREDETERMINED DISTANCE AND INCLUDING OPPOSED SPACED APART LEG PORTIONS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE WIRE MEMBER IN A SECOND DIRECTION OFFSET FROM SAID FIRST DIRECTION FOR EMBRACING OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID TAB WHEN THE TOOL IS ASSEMBLED WITH THE TAB.