US730389A - Clasp for garment-supporters. - Google Patents

Description

No. 730,389. PATENTED JUNE 9, 1903. B. P. OREWILER.

CLASP FOR GARMENT SUPPORTERS.

APPLIOATION FILED HA3. 7, 1902.

N0 MODEL;

a ve'wtoz No. 730,389. g v

UNITED STATES- iatented June 9, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. OREVVILER, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR ,OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE E. REINBERGER, OF CLEVELAND, OHlO.

. CLASP FOR GARMENT-SUPPORTERS.

srnorrr'onrron forming a of Letters Patent No. 730,389,'dated une 9, 1903.

7 Application filed March 7, 1902. Serial No. 97,0?3. (N d l) To all whom, 212% may concern..- 2

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN OREWILER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ohicagofln the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have'inventeda new and useful Clasp for Garment-Supporters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a novel clasp for garment-supporters of that type which embodies a suspending tape or tapes and one or more clasps for effecting attachment'of the tape to a garment-as, for instance,'a stocking. The clasps usually employedin con-nection with this class of supporters comprehenda loop member having a comparatively wide upper end and a narrow lower or button-rev ceiving end and a button member including a button over which the fabric is placed and subsequently secured by drawing the shank of the button down into the narrow end of the loop. In the practical use of these clasps it was soon found that delicate fabrics were injured by their retention between the button and loop. To overcome this objection, several expedients have been resorted to, the most successfulbeing the provision of an expansible loop member or the use of a rubber or other elastic or resilient button. Both of these expedients are more or less unsatisfactory; and the object of my present invention, therefore, is to produce an inexpensive clasp embodying novel characteristics which render the use of either a divided loop or a rubber or other similar button unnecessary and which, furthermore, will eiiect considerable saving of labor and material in the attachment of the clasp to the tape. ,7

To the accomplishment of this object and others subordinate thereto the invention comprehends the employment of a rigid loop member to which is directly secured a button member composed of a single piece of springwire which forms the button, a yielding shank therefor, and engaging devices for efiecting a sliding engagement between the button and loop member.

In the accompanying drawings, in which I have illustrated several embodiments of the invention, Figure 1 is a front elevation of one form of clasp, showing the button drawn down to effect the retention of the garment. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the subject-matter, of Fig. 1, showing the button member in position to receive the garment and indicating in dotted lines the relative positions of the parts when the button-shank is being forced past the constricted throat of'the loop member. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the subject-matter of Fig. 1, indicating in dotted lines the position of the garment and the open position of the button member. Fig. 4.- is a detail perspective view of a button member having-a protective covering. Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of a slightly different form of clasp. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of still another form in which. both the button and loop members are formed of wire. Fig; Tis a sectional view of the form of clasp shown in Fig. 6, but further illustrating the'manner in which, if de several views.

Having reference more particularly to that form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1,

2, 3,'and 4., 1 indicates the suspending-tape of the garment-supporter attached to the upper end of a loop member 2, provided with a transverse slot '3 at its upper extremity to facilitate the attachment of the tape. The loop member 2 is preferably struck or otherwise formed from sheet metal, and its inner edge defines a longitudinal slot 4, which is widened out at an intermediate point, asindicatcd at 5, for a purposetofbe' explained, and has a comparatively narr'ow'lower end 6, between which and the Wide portion 5 of the slot is formed a constricted throat 7, attention being called to the fact that the narrow lower end of the loop member or of the slot thereinis considerably wider than"the' throat 7. To the loop member thus formed is slidably at- 5 tached a hinged button member 8, preferably formed from a single piece of wire and comprising a spring-ring button 9, open at its lower side, as shown, and provided with a yielding shank formed by the shank members 10 and 11, which are bent back from the ring-button 8 to form the shank and are then extended upwardly substantially parallel with the button and with each other to a point above the wide portion 5 of the slot 4. The button is preferably covered with rubber fabric or the like.

The sliding connection between the button and loop members may be effected in a variety of ways; but by preference the upper ends of the shank members 10 and 11-that is to say, the ends thereof opposite the ringbutton 8-are bent to form transversely-disposed eyes 12 and 13, which encircle longitudinal bars 14: and 15, constituting integral parts of the loop member. These bars 14 and 15 are preferably defined at the opposite edges of the member above the wide portion 5 by providing a pair of longitudinal slots 16 and 17 at opposite sides of the slot 4. It will therefore appear that the longitudinal or sliding movement of the button member will be limited by the contact of the eyes with the opposite ends of the slots 16 and 17, and the parts are preferably so related that when the button member is in its lowest position the fabric engaged thereby will not be drawn down against the lower end of the loop member. The eyes 12 and 13 are sufficiently larger than the bars 14 and 15 to permit the button member to be swung back to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3 when the member has been raised sufficiently to bring the ring-button 8 opposite the wide portion 5 of the slot 4, through "which the button may pass freely.

In attaching the clasp to a stocking or other garment the button member-is swung back to the dotted position indicated and the fabric is laid over the ringbutton. The button member is then swung toward the loop member, and the fabric-covered button is passed through the enlargement 5 of the'slot until further movement in this direction is stopped by the contact of the shank members 10 and 11 with the rear side of the loop member. The button member is now moved downward until the shank of the button is presented to the opposite sides of the constricted throat 7. The application of slight pressure will now cause sufficient contraction of the shank or approach of the shank members to permit said shank to pass the throat and enter the somewhat larger narrow end 6 of the slot. The shank of the button will now expand to its original size; but as the downward movement of the button member will be limited by the contact of the eyes 12 and 13 with the lower ends of the slots 16 and 17 the fabric will not be drawn down against the lower end of the slot 4, and injury to the garment will therefore be prevented. At the same time it will be noted that the button and its shank having been expanded back to their original sizes the button member will now be locked in itsengaging position until sufficient pressure is exerted in an upward direction to again force the shank past the throat '7 when it is desired to release the garment.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a slightly different form, comprehending the mounting of the eyes 12 and 13 upon the inner bars 18 and 19, defined between the slot 4 and the slots 16 and 17, it being observed that this variation of the construction brings the eyes within the limits of the loop member instead of permitting them to project beyond the opposite sides thereof, as in the form first described.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I have shown still another form of the invention. In this form the loop member 2 is made of a single continuous piece of wire and the eyes of the button member encircle the wire constituting the sides of the loop. The longitudinal movement of the button memberis limited by crimps 20 and 21, formed in the wire loop at such points as will limit the movement-of the button memher just as effectively and for precisely the same purpose as in the first form of the invention.

In Figs. 8 and 9 still a different form is shown, in which form,'as in the form shown in Figs. 6 and 7, both the button and loop members are constructed of wire; but the crimp 21 of Fig. 6 is eliminated and the upward movement of the button member is limited by contact with the upper end of the loop. It will be noted, however, that in each of these forms of the invention we find a button member slidably mounted upon a loop member and capable of limited swinging movelnent. We also find a spring-ring button havingashank of greater widththan the constricted throat of the loop and means for limiting the longitudinal movement of the button member, so that the fabric clasped cannot be clamped against the lower end of the loop member to the injury of the garment. Each of these forms is thought at this time to be preferable for some particular class of trade; but I wish to be distinctly understood as reserving to myself the right to effect such changes, modifications, and variations of the illustrated structure as may be comprehended within the scope of the protection prayed.

What I claim is- 1. In agarment-clasp, the combination with r a rigid loop member having a constricted throat intermediate of its ends, of a button member having sliding engagement with the loop member, said button member comprising a button, and a yielding shank of greater width than the throat, whereby said shank is contracted by its passage through saidthroat.

2. In agarment-c1asp, the combination with a rigid loop member formed with a constricted throat intermediate of its ends, of a but ton member having sliding engagement with the loop member and comprising a button and a yielding shank therefor, said shank comprising a pair of relatively movable shank members designed to be pressed toward each other by the opposite sides of the loop when said shank will be contracted against the resistance opposed to such contraction by the resiliency of the spring-ring button.

4. Inagarment-clasp, the combination with a loop member having a constricted throat intermediate of its ends, of a button member comprising a spring-ring button, and shank members formed with terminal eyes engaging 'portionsof the loop member, said shank 3 members being bent to form a button-shank incapable of passing through the throat o the loop without contraction.

5. A garment-clasp comprising a loop member constricted at a point intermediate of its ends to produce a slot having enlargements at opposite sides of a constricted throat, a button member having sliding engagement with the loop member and including a button capable of passing through one of the enlargements of the slot and a button-shank incapable of passing the throat of the loop member without contraction, and means for limiting the longitudinal movement of the button member.

6. In a garment-clasp, the combination with a loop member having a constriction intermediate of its ends to define a slot having enlargements at opposite sides of a constricted throat, of a button member composed of a single piece of wire bent to form a spring-ring button open at one side, and shank members bent to form a yielding shank for the button and provided with terminal eyes slidably engaging the loop member at points remote from the button, the shank being normally of greater width than the throat, and shoulders formed on the loop member and arranged to throat, of a button member formed from asingle piece of spring-wire bent to form a spring-ring button open at its lower side, and shank members bent from the open side of the button to form a yielding shank incapable in its normal condition of passing through the constricted throat of the loop, said shank members being thence bent upwardly and having terminal eyes engaging the loop memher at points above the upper enlargement of the slot, and shoulders for limiting the longitudinal movement of the button member in opposite directions.

8. In a garment-clasp,the combination with a sheet-metal loop member formed intermediate of its ends with a constricted throat and with parallel slots defining longitudinal bars, of a button member having sliding engage ment with said bars and including a button cooperating with the loop member.

9. In a garment-clasp, the combination with a loop member stamped from a single piece of metal, and formed with a transverse slot at one end and with a pair of parallel longitudinal bars, of a button member including a button and having sliding engagement with the longitudinal bars of the button member.

10. In a garment-clasp, the combination with a loop member struck from a single piece of sheet metal and formed intermediate of its ends with a constricted throat, at its upper end with a'transverse tape-receivingslot, and below said slot with a pair of longitudinal slots defining longitudinal bars, of a button having relatively yielding shank members formed with terminal eyes slidably engaging the longitudinal bars of the loop member.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN OREWILER.

Witnesses:

G. H. Rnnvnnnonn, SADIE BARR.

Images