US807403A - Clasp or fastener. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTBD DEC. 12

0. E. SMITH.

CLASP OR FASTENBR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 11

W5 mm 6 V m i fl QW w m. m y m wW UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLASP OR FASTENER- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12, 1905.

Application filed February 11, 1905. Serial 1%. 245.211.

To all whom it ntwy concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENcE E. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Britain, Hartford county, Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clasps or Fasteners, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. I

My invention relates to fasteners, and particularly to that class of fasteners comprising two members which are hooked together and secured against accidental disengagement.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and effective arrangement of parts whereby the article may be economically and rapidly produced and easily and quickly operated.

- While the invention has particular utility in connection with belts and straps, it is by no means limited to this special use, but may be employed whenever a coupling device is needed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the two members of my fastening device as they appear when hooked. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section showing the members in the unlocked position ready for disengagement. Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the members detached. Fig. t is a crosssection on the line X X, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow.

The fastening device will be seen to comprise two members, one of which will for convenience be termed the hook member and the other the eye member. The hook member is provided with a loop A, to which may be secured the fastening-strap. Obviously the form of this loop is immaterial. Projecting forwardly of the loop A is the body B, which carries a rearwardly-extending hook bill C, having at or near its forward side a locking enlargement D, preferably round or ball-like. In the specific form shown in the drawings this enlargement is connected to the body B by means of a contracted neck. The eye member comprises a loop portion A, the function of which corresponds to the function of the loop portion A of the hook member. The eye portion may be formed of wire, bent to form the loop A and the side bars E E and the hook ends F F. These book ends lie against or closely adjacent to one another, and the side bars intermediate the book ends D and the loop A are brought so close together as to form apassage of less diameter than the diameter of the ball-like enlargement D of the hook member. The hook ends F F are arranged in the same plane and when the parts are assembled engage underneath the bill C, while the ball-like enlargement D stands above the plane of the side arms E E, so that the two members will be held against accidental disengagement. As will be seen upon reference to Fig. 2, the eye member shown at an angle relatively to the hook member is not yet inthefinal position. By pressing the eye member downinto the position indicated in dotted lines the side barsE E will spring apart to allow the ball-like head Dto pass through, whereupon they will spring together underneath the head, and thus securely and effectively hold the parts in said engaged position." In Fig. 4 it will be seen how the side bars adjacent the head D engage underneath the same and prevent accidental detachment. This action occurs because normally the space be tween the side arms E E adjacent to the enlargement D is slightly less than the greatest diameter of said enlargement. This arrangement of parts is particularly advantageous for a variety of reasons. It substantially reduces the cost of production and provides two devices which have no separated or free ends which are liable to become entangled with companion parts during the manufacture or use of the same.

That I claim is 1. In a clasp in combination, two cooperative detachable members, a hook borne by one of said members projecting rearwardly, a looking enlargement forward of said hook, the other member comprising yieldingside arms having hooked extremities, said hooks turning toward eachother and arranged to engage the hooked portion of the first mentioned member, the space between said side arms being normally less than the width of the looking enlargement.

2. In a clasp in combination, two cooperative detachable members, one of said members having a broad rearwardly-projecting hook and a locking enlargement carried forwardly of said hook and in line therewith, the other member including two yielding side arms and having hooked extremities arranged to cooperate with the hooked portion of the firstmentioned member, said side arms adjacent to the locking enlargement being arranged to engage on opposite sides thereof and underneath the same when the parts are assembled.

3. The combination of a member having a rearwardly-projecting retaining-bill and a locking enlargement adjacent thereto and for 5. A hook member of a hook-and-eye clasp, comprising, in asingle piece of metal, a body.

portion, means at its rear end for fastening the hook member to a garment or other object, a centrally-disposed hook proper adapted to engage with the eye member of said clasp, and a locking head forward of said hook proper consisting of an enlargement over which the side members of the said eye must be sprung in order to effect an engagement of the two members of the said clasp, the said enlargement connected with the body of said hook member by a contracted neck, all substantially as described.

6. In a hook-and-eye clasp, in combination, a hook member comprising a body portion having a centrally-disposed hook proper elevated above the plane of said body portion, means at its rear end for being attached to a garment, and at its forward end a lockinghead elevated above the plane of said body portion and consisting of an enlargement connected with the said body portion by a contracted neck, of an eye member consisting of a single length of resilient wire bent into loop form, theends of'the wire meeting in one end ofsaid loop, one end of the loop adapted to serve as the bow proper of said eye to engage the hook proper, the side arms of said eye adapted to engage with the locking-head, all substantially as set forth.

Signed at New Britain, Connecticut, this 9th day of February, 1905.

CLARENCE E. SMITH. Witnesses:

GEORGE N. BEARDSLEY, H. A. JoHNsoN.

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