US3418700A

US3418700A - Separable fastener for wearing apparel

Info

Publication number: US3418700A
Application number: US560142A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edelman Irving
Original assignee: Maid-Rite Novelty Corp
Current assignee: Maid-Rite Novelty Corp
Priority date: 1966-06-24
Filing date: 1966-06-24
Publication date: 1968-12-31
Anticipated expiration: 1985-12-31
Also published as: SE306192B; DE1610697A1; GB1151685A; NL6708847A

Description

Dec. 31 1968 I. EDELMAN 3,418,700

SEPARABLE FASTENER FOR WEARING APPAREL Filed June 24, 1966 J I I 1' Y/ I I I FIG. 2.

FIG. 3. 28

INVENTOR.

IRVING EDELMAN ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,418,700 SEPARABLE FASTENER FOR WEARING APPAREL Irving Edelman, Franklin Square, N.Y., assignor to Maid- Rite Novelty Corporation, Long Island City, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed June 24, 1966, Ser. No. 560,142 9 Claims. (Cl. 24-201) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In a separable fastener for connecting articles of wearing apparel by way of plastic male and female elements which are to transmit a longitudinally applied force, the female element has flat inner and outer faces parallel to the direction of such force and at least one aperture presenting opposed edges perpendicular to the faces and extending transverse to the force direction, and the male element is generally Z-shaped in cross-section to define a body insertable in the aperture and having opposed shoulders to abut the aperture edges and prevent relative movement in the force direction and further to define first and second projections extending beyond the shoulders at opposite sides of the body to respectively lie against the inner and outer faces of the female element when the body is disposed in the aperture, the first projection being laterally dimensioned for movement through the aperture and the second projection extending laterally beyond the adjacent shoulder, which shoulder has a lip along its edge remote from the second projection to snap past an edge of the aperture during insertion and removal of the body in and from the aperture.

This invention relates generally to a separable fastener for detachably connecting two parts of an article of wearing apparel and for transmitting a longitudinally applied force from one to the other of such parts.

An object of this invention is to provide a separable fastener for the described purpose having two elements adapted for attachment to the respective parts of the article of wearing apparel, and which are easily engageable and disengageable with respect to each other, while strongly resisting the tendency of the applied force to effect disengagement of the elements from each other when in their mutually engaged position.

Another object is to provide a separable fastener which may be economically produced, preferably from plastic materials, as by molding, and which may be easily and inexpensively attached or formed integral with the respective parts of the article of wearing apparel to be detachably connected by the fastener.

A further object is to provide a separable fastener of the described character which affords the possibility of adjusting the relative positions of the parts detachably connected by the fastener.

In accordance with an aspect of this invention, a separable fastener comprises a female and male element for attachment to the parts of an article of wearing apparel to be connected thereby; the female element having generally flat inner and outer faces in planes substantially parallel to the direction of the force to be transmitted by the fastener, such female element defining at least one aperture extending therethrough to open at the faces thereof and presenting opposed edges extending transversely with respect to the direction of the transmitted force and lying in planes substantially perpendicular to the planes of the faces of the female element; and the male element being of plastic material and generally Z- shaped in cross-section to define a body portion insertable into the aperture through the opening of the aperture at the outer face of the female element, such body portion having shoulders along the opposite sides thereof to abut the opposed edges of the aperture, and relatively offset, first and second projecting portions extending beyond the shoulders at the opposite sides of the body portion to respectively lie adjacent the inner and outer faces of the female element when the body portion is disposed in the aperture, the first projecting portion of the male element having a maximum lateral dimension in the direction along the adjacent shoulder which is, at most, equal to the corresponding dimension of the aperture so that the first projecting portion can pass through the aperture during insertion and removal of the body portion, the second projecting portion of the male element constituting means by which the latter is attached to the respective part, and the shoulder of the body portion adjacent the second projecting portion of the'male element having a lip along the edge thereof which is remote from the second projecting portion to engage in back of the inner face of the female element when the body portion is engaged in the aperture of the latter, thereby to yieldably resist outward removal of the body portion from the aperture.

In accordance with a feature of this invention, the female element of the fastener is of elongated, strip-like configuration and has a plurality of transversely directed apertures spaced apart therealong for selective engagement by the body portion of the male element, thereby to permit relative adjustment of the male element with respect to the female element when engaged with the latter.

The article of wearing apparel may be in the form of a brassiere having the parts thereof detachably connected by the fastener in encircling relation to the wearers body so that the fastener forms a releasable closure for the brassiere.

When the fastener forms a releasable closure for a brassiere, particularly at the back of the latter, the female element of the fastener may be conveniently sewed, bonded or otherwise permanently secured to a tape or web extending from the respective part of the brassiere, while the second projecting portion of the male element is attached to another tape or web extending from the other part of the brassiere, with at least one of the tapes being longitudinally elastic, at least ,in part. The second projecting portion of the male element may have laterally directed Wings, in Which case the tape to which the male element is attached is doubled-over at a lateral fold and has an opening in the fold through which the body portion and first projecting portion of the male element extends with the wings being engageable with the fold to connect the male element to the doubled-over tape. Alternatively, the second projecting portion of the male element may have a transverse slot therein through which the respective tape is looped for connection to the male element.

In another application of the separable fastener embodying this invention, the fastener is employed to detachably connect a garter grip to a suspender tab which may depend from a ladys foundation garment. In such case, the female element of the fastener may be conveniently sewed, bonded or otherwise permanently joined to the suspender tab, while the male element of the fastener is integral with the frame of the garter grip.

The above, and other objects, features and advantages of this invention, will be apparent in the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a separable fastener embodying this invention and shown employed as a back closure for 1a brassiere;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 22 on FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a further enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating details of the elements of the fastener which are shown in their mutually engaged positions;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3, but showing the disengagement of the male element from the female element;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the male element of the fastener;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of a tape or web by which the male element of FIG. 5 can be attached to a part of the article of wearing apparel;

FIG. 7 is a view illustrating a modified form of the male element of the fastener and of the meansby which such element is attached to the respective part of an article of wearing apparel; and

FIG. 8 is an elevational view illustrating another embodiment of a separable fastener in accordance with this invention employed for detachably connecting a garter grip to a suspender tab which may depend from a ladys foundation garment.

Refer-ring to the drawing in detail, and initially to FIG. 1 thereof, it will be seen that a separable fastener 10 embodying this invention is there shown employed as a back closure for detachably and adjustably connecting body encircling parts 11 and 12 of a brassiere. Fastener 10 is shown to comprise mutually engageable female and

male elements

13 and 14 which are respectively attached to brassiere parts 11 and 12 by way of tapes or

webs

15 and 16.

Female element 13 is of strip-like configuration and is preferably formed of a plastic material, such as, polypropylene, linear polyethylene, nylon, polyurethane or the like, which is either flexible in the thickness employed, or suitably plasticized, so as to be capable of bowing or flexing in the longitudinal direction. Element 13 has generally flat inner and outer faces 17 and 18 (FIG. 4), and the outer face 18 of the plastic element may have bonded thereto a thin layer of textile fabric, as indicated at 19 (FIGS. 3 and 4).

At least one aperture 20 is punched through element 13 so as to open at

faces

17 and 18. As shown, female element 13 preferably has a plurality of the apertures 20 formed therein at locations that are spaced apart along such element, and each aperture 20 is preferably in the form of a transversely elongated slot presenting opposed edges 21 and 22 (FIG. 4) extending transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the strip-like element 13 and lying in planes substantially perpendicular to the planes of the

faces

17 and 18.

Female element 13 may be secured at its periphery to tape or web 15 by stitching 23 (FIGS. 1 and 2) as shown, or by being bonded directly to tape 15 by heat and pressure or by a suitable adhesive. The entire tape 15, or at least a part thereof between element 13 and brassiere part 11, is preferably longitudinally elastic so that, when

elements

13 and 14 of fastener 10 are mutually engaged, the distance between the ends of brassiere parts 11 and 12 thus connected at the back of the garment is resiliently extensible.

Male element 14 is formed of a plastic material which is preferably relatively rigid, for example, superpolyoxymethylene having a molecular weight of at least 15,000, and which is available commercially under the trade name Delrin. As shown on FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, male element 14 is generally Z-shaped in cross-section to define a body portion 24 having

shoulders

25 and 26 along the opposite sides thereof, and relatively offset projecting

portions

27 and 28 extending beyond

shoulders

25 and 26 at the opposite sides of body portion 24. Body portion 24 is dimensioned to be insertable in any selected one of the apertures 20 through the opening of the latter at outer face 18 of the female element and, when body portion 24 is inserted in an aperture 20,

shoulders

25 and 26 along the opposite sides of the body portion abut the

opposed edges

21 and 22, respectively, of the aperture, as shown on FIG. 3. Further, when body portion 24 is disposed in an aperture 20, projecting portion 27 of the male element lies against inner face 17 of the female element, that is, between female element 13 and the underlying portion of tape 15, as shown on FIG. 3, and the other projecting portion 28 which is relatively offset with respect to projecting portion 27 lies adjacent outer face 18 of the female element and constitutes the means by which male element 14 is attached to tape 16.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated by FIGS. 1 to S, projecting portion 28 has wings 29 (FIG. 5) extending laterally beyond body portion 24, and tape 16 is formed with a bound buttonhole or lateral opening 30 (FIG. 6) through which body portion 24 and projecting portion 27 of the male element can extend. After body portion 24 and projecting portion 27 of the male element have been extended through opening 30, tape 16 is doubled-over about a fold line extending through opening 30 and then secured to itself, as by a lateral line of stitching 31 (FIG. 1), whereby wings 29 of the male element are retained between the fold of tape 16 and stitching 31 for attaching male element 14 to tape 16.

In another embodiment of this invention shown on FIG. 7, the male element 14' of the separable fastener is generally similar to the previously described male element 14 and differs therefrom only in that the laterally enlarged projecting portion 28' which extends from the body portion 24' in opposition to the projecting portion 27' and in offset relation to the latter has a transverse slot 32 through which the tape 16' may be looped for attaching the male element of the fastener to a corresponding part of the garment.

In all instances, the maximum lateral dimension of projecting portion 27 or 27', that is, the width of such projecting portion along the adjacent shoulder 25, does not exceed the corresponding lateral dimension of each aperture 20 so that the projecting portion 27 or 27' can pass through the aperture during insertion and removal of the

body portion

24 or 24. Thus, projecting portion 27 or 27' of the male element constitutes a guiding tongue for facilitating the insertion and removal of the body portion with respect to a selected aperture 20.

As shown particularly on FIG. 4, shoulder 26 of the body portion which is adjacent the projecting portion 28 of the male element is undercut so as to have a lip 33 along the edge thereof which is remote from projecting portion 28 and which engages in back of inner face 17 of the female element when body portion 24 is fully engaged in an aperture 20, as shown on FIG. 3. Thus, the lip 33 is effective to yield'ably resist outward removal of body portion 24 from the aperture 20.

When male element 14 is to be engaged with female element 13, the projecting portion of guiding tongue 27 of the male element is initially inserted, at an angle, into a selected aperture 20 of the female element until shoulder 25 bears against edge 21 of the aperture, as shown on FIG. 4. Then the male element is pressed inwardly, in the direction of the arrow 34 on FIG. 4, so as to rock about the edge 21 of the aperture and thereby press lip 33 past edge 22 until lip 33 exits from the aperture and engages in back of inner face 17 of the female element. When lip 33 engages in back of inner face 17, as shown on FIG. 3, such engagement yieldably resists removal of body portion 24 outwardly from the selected aperture 20 in which the body portion is engaged.

When body portion 24 is thus fully engaged in a selected aperture 20 of female element 13, a force applied longitudinally to fastener 10 in directions parallel to

faces

17 and 18 of the female element, as represented by the arrows F on FIG. 3, is transmitted from one to the other of

elements

13 and 14 and tends to rock male element 14 in the clockwise direction, as viewed on FIG. 3. It is apparent that such rocking of the male element tends to press projecting portion or guiding tongue 27 thereof against inner surface 17 of the female element and thus cannot effect withdrawal of body portion 24 from the selected aperture in which it is engaged.

When it is desired to disengage male element 14 from female element 13, male element 14 is rocked outwardly in the direction of the arrow 35 on FIG. 4 so that lip 33 is pressed outwardly past edge 22 of the aperture and finally freed beyond outer surface 18 of the female element. When lip 33 is thus freed, male element 14 can be withdrawn, in its inclined position, in the direction of the arrow 36 on FIG. 4. Thus, engagement and disengagement of the male and female elements are easily effected and, when such elements are mutually engaged, as described, fastener is capable of transmitting relatively large forces without the possibility of inadvertent disengagement of the elements. Further, female element 13 may be provided with as many spaced apart apertures as desired to permit adjustment of the distance between the body encircling parts 11 and 12 of the brassiere when

elements

13 and 14 are mutually engaged.

Referring now to FIG. 8, it will be seen that a separable fastener 10a constituted by a female element 13a and a male element 14a generally similar to the previously described

elements

13 and 14, respectively, can be employed for detachably connecting a garter grip 37 to a Suspender tab 15a which is, at least in part ,of a longitudinally elastic tape or webbing, and which depends from a ladys foundation garment indicated at 38. In this embodiment of the invention, the male element 14a of the separable fastener may be molded or otherwise formed integrally with the frame 39 of garter grip 37 so as to constitute the means by which such garter grip is detachably connected to Suspender tab 15a at any of the selected positions along the latter defined by the apertures spaced apart in female element 13a.

Although illustrative embodiments of this invention have been described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawing, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A separable fastener for detachably connecting two parts of an article of wearing apparel and for transmitting a longitudinally applied force from one to the other of said parts: comprising a female element of plastic resilient material adapted for attachment to one of the parts and having generally flat inner and outer faces in planes sub stantially parallel to the direction of the force to be transmitted, said female element defining at least one aperture extending therethrough to open at said faces, said aperture presenting opposed edges extending transversely with respect to said direction of the force and lying in planes substantially perpendicular to said planes of the faces; and a male element of plastic material which is generally Z-shaped in cross-section to define a body portion insertable into said aperture through the opening thereof at said outer face and having shoulders along the opposite sides of the body portion having parts thereof spaced apart substantially equal to the spacing of said opposed edges of the aperture to abut said opposed edges of the aperture and thereby prevent movement of said male element relative to said female element in said direction of the force, and relatively offset, first and second projecting portions extending beyond said shoulders at the opposite sides of the body portion to respectively lie adjacent said inner and outer faces of the female element when said body portion is disposed in said aperture, said first projecting portion having a maximum lateral dimension in the direction along the adjacent shoulder which is, at most, equal to the corresponding dimension of said aperture in the direction parallel to said edges of the latter so that said first projecting portion can pass through said aperture during insertion and removal of said body portion, said second projecting portion constituting means for attaching said male element to the other of the parts to be connected and projecting beyond the ends of the adjacent shoulder of said body portion so as to be prevented from entering said aperture, and the shoulder of said body portion adjacent said second projecting portion having a small lip along the edge thereof which is remote from said second projecting portion to snap past an edge of said aperture during said insertion and removal of the body portion and to engage in back of said inner face of the female element when the body portion is engaged in said aperture, thereby to yieldably resist outward removal of said body portion from said aperture.

2. A separable fastener as in claim 1; wherein the plastic material of said female element is relatively more flexible than said plastic material of the male element.

3. A separable fastener as in claim 1; wherein said female element is of elongated, strip-like configuration and has a plurality of apertures spaced apart therealong for selective engagement by said body portion of the male element.

4. A separable fastener as in claim 1; wherein said article of wearing apparel is a brassiere and said two parts thereof encircle the body of a wearer so that said fastener forms a releasable closure for the brassiere.

5. A separable fastener as in claim 4; wherein said female element and said second projecting portion of the male element are secured to respective tapes for connection to said parts of the brassiere, and at least one of said tapes is longitudinally elastic, at least in part.

6. A separable fastener as in claim 5; wherein said second projecting portion of the male element has laterally directed wings, and the tape to which said male element is secured is doubled-over at a lateral fold and has an opening in said fold through which said body portion and first projecting portion of the male element extend with said wings being engageable with said fold to connect said male element to said doubled-over tape.

7. A separable fastener as in claim 5; wherein said second projecting portion has a transverse slot therein and the tape to which said male element is secured is looped through said slot.

8. A separable fastener as in claim 1; wherein said article of wearing apparel is a ladys foundation garment and said two parts of the garment are respectively a garter grip and a suspender tab depending from the garment so that said fastener serves to detachably connect said garter grip to said suspender tab.

9. A separable fastener as in claim 8; wherein said suspender tab has said female element permanently joined thereto and said male element is integral with a frame of said garter grip.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,695,592 12/1928 Kromer 24201 1,792,128 2/ 1931 Stevenson.

1,831,616 11/1931 Zimmerer.

1,851,730 3/1932 Rutherford 24-201 2,466,742 4/ 1949 Roehrl.

2,482,846 9/ 1949 Fox 24-206 2,567,314 9/1951 Baker 24176 FOREIGN PATENTS 247,795 12/ 1947 Switzerland.

BERNARD A. GELAK, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 2235; 128-506