US2748439A - Articulated fastener - Google Patents

Description

June 5, 1956 G. T. OWEN 2,748,439

' ARTICULATED FASTENER Filed June 1.8, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 650/965 TTOl VE/V,

ATTORNEY G. T. OWEN ARTICULATED FASTENER June 5, 1956 Filed June 18, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR GEO/P65 7-. OWE/V,

- 9M 1 WW4 ATTORNEY Uni s The present invention relates to an improved articulated fastener assembly and more particularly an improved fastener element for the assembly.

Articulated fasteners which are more commonly known as slide fasteners or zippers are now in widespread use to provide operative closures for a great variety of objects such as wearing apparel, containers and the like. In fact, the use of slide fasteners is now so common that nearly everyone is familiar with some of their objectionable features. For example, the present form of commercially available slide fastener has numerous closely-spaced sharp edges or contours which have been the cause of many obvious and sometimes embarrassing difficulties, particularly when used on wearing apparel. This will be more readily understood when it is realized that the closely-spaced inter-engaging sharp-edged contours sometimes function to entangle and shear many interfering foreign objects such as loose threads, lint, dirt and other fabrics during the opening and closing operations of the fastener. In the case of loose threads and lint or dirt, such foreign objects gradually accumulate in the spaces between the closely-spaced fastener elements until, at some possibly embarrassing moment, the fastener refuses to open or close and is stuck. Another objectionable feature of the presently available slide fastener constructions is their limited flexibility which is not universal in direction and when used on wearing apparel gives the wearer a corset stay feeling. Also, conventional slide fasteners are machine assembled on a securing tape or backing strip, and in the event of jamming, the entire string of fastening elements secured to the tape must be removed and replaced.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved articulated slide fastener assembly having universal joint flexibility in all directions when fastened and which is therefore particularly suitable for use with wearing apparel to permit a greater latitude of design of the garment and assure contour beauty. 7 Another object of the invention is to provide an improved form of articulated fastener assembly comprising .a pluralityof similar elements having no closelyspaced sharp edges or corners and which operates freely and easily and assures longer life for both the fabric and the fastener.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a novel form of articulated fastener element that is economical to manufacture and which may be individually secured to the meeting edge of a fabric closure without the use of supporting tapes, thus permitting hand assembly and disassembly and enabling the ultimate consumer or wearer to adjust individual elements of the fastener in a manner not possible with conventional machine assembled and tape secured fastener arrangements.

A feature of the invention is the provision of a slide fastener arrangement employing a plurality of identical fastener elements having clip members enabling each element to be individually clamped and secured alternately to opposite meeting fabric edges in alignment with Patent each other when the fabric edges are joined and securedthan the diameter of the ball portion. In such manner,

universal jointflexibility of the articulated slide fastener assembly of the invention in the fastened position is obtained and clearances are provided to minimize jamming while at the same time assuring a reliable closure. A pair of radially projecting clamping wings or clip members extend from the side wall of the socket by means 'of which each fastener element may be individu ally secured directly to the fabric edges to be joined.

Other objects, features and the attending advantages of the invention will be apparent with reference to the following specification and drawings .m which:

Fig. l is a plan view of the articulated slide fastener arrangement of the invention in a partly fastened position and secured to opposite meeting fabric edges;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly in section to show the complementary arrangement of ball and socket portions of the fastener elements in the fastened position;

Fig. 3 is a section through the socket portion and clip member of the fastener element as secured to a fabric edge;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the fastener element;

Figs. 5 through 7 are detail views of one form of slide for use with the fastener of the invention; and

Figs. 8 and 9: are views of a terminal fastener element and its relationship to the fastener assembly.

Referring to Figs. 1 through 4 of the drawings, fabrics 10 and 11 are shown with meeting edegs 12 and 13 to be operatively joined by the articulated fastener of the invention. With the exception of the terminal fastener element to be later described, each of the fastener elements generally indicated at 15 is identical. The fastener elements are secured in alternate succession to fabric edges 12 and 13, respectively, so that as the complementary male and female ball and socket portions of the fastener elements are engaged with each other, the fabric edges 12 and 13 are joined and secured together. Each fastener element 15 is an integral unit including an inverted cylinder or cup-shaped socket portion 16 having an end wall 17 and a stem 18 on which the ball portion 19 is mounted. The stem 18 is centrally positioned in alignment with the cylindrical axis of the socket, and the ball 19 is mounted with its diametrical'axis in alignment with the stem 18 and the cylindrical axis of the socket. A pair of clip ears or wings 20 and 21 extend radially from the side wall of the socket portion 16 by means of which each of the fastener elements 15 may be individually secured to a fabric edge. Any form of pliers or rivet securing tool may be used to securely attach the fastener element to the fabric by forming the concave depression 22 in clip 20 and the complementary depression 23 in clip 21 with the fabric 10 gripped therebetween, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

With particular reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings, it will be noted that the side wall of the cup portion 16 is of such dimension as to form a socket having a depth slightly greater than the radius of the ball portion 19. It should also be noted that the diameter of the socket portion is slightly greater than the diameter of the ball portion to provide a small clearance 25 between the com- Patentecl June 5, 1956 plementary socket and ball when the fastener elements are joined together. Such arrangements assure a free action and universal joint flexibility without impairing the reliability of the fastener as should now be readily apparent. Furthermore, the clearance 25 and the positioning of the ball portion 19 on the stem 18 minimize the possibilities of jamming, since closely-spaced clearances to accumulate dirt, etc. are therefore not present as is the case with the conventional slide fastener constructions.

Referring now to Figs. 5 through 7 of the drawings, the fastener slide generally indicated at 30 may be formed of a single metal stamping having the curved side portions 31-34 and the Y connecting neck portion 35. The curved side portions 31-34 are formed to slidably receive the cylindrical side wall of the socket portion 16 of each fastener element. An operating handle or loop 36 is connected by a strap 37 secured by a rivet 38 to the connecting Y portion 35. The strap 37, which is preferably formed of spring material, is provided with an end portion 40 adapted to be received in the slot 41 to normally be engaged between successive fastener elements and lock the slide 30 in the adjusted position. Upon actuation of the operating handle 36 to move the slide 30, the locking end 40 of the strap 37 is moved outwardly from engagement between the fastener elements, and the slide is free to be moved.

As shown in Figs. 8 and 9 of the drawings, the last or terminal fastener element to be engaged in closing the articulated fastener assembly may be modified to provide for overtravel of the slide and retain the slide on the assembly. For such purpose, the cup-shaped portion 16 is provided with a flange or shoulder portion 42 of greater diameter than the lower opening of the slide 30.

It is believed that the operation and the advantage of the articulated slide fastener assembly of the invention should now be readily apparent from the foregoing description. It will be noted that the fastener element has no sharp-edged interengaging contours or closely-spaced clearances and therefore that jamming and shearing with foreign objects is to a large extent prevented.

Various modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an articulated slide fastener assembly, each of the fastener elements including in combination, a cylindrical socket portion, a stem extending outwardly from the end wall of said socket portion in axial alignment with the cylindrical axis of said socket portion, and a ball portion secured to the end of said stem with its diametrical axis in alignment with the cylindrical axis of said socket portion, said ball portion having a diameter slightly less than the inner diameter of said socket portion, said socket portion having an inner depth slightly more than the radius of said ball portion.

2. In an articulated slide fastener assembly, each of the fastener elements including in combination, a cylindrical socket portion, a clip member extending radially outwardly from the side wall of said socket portion for securing the fastener element to an object to be fastened, a stem extending outward from the end wall of said socket portion in axial alignment with the cylindrical axis of said socket portion, and a ball portion secured to the end of said stem with its diametrical axis in alignment with the cylindrical axis of said socket portion, said ball portion having a diameter slightly less than the inner diameter of said socket portion, said socket portion having an inner depth slightly more than the radius of said ball portion.

3. In an articulated slide fastener assembly having a plurality of substantially identical fastener elements arranged to be individually secured in alternate succession to opposite meeting edges of objects to be joined and fastened, the fastener element including in combination, a cylindrical socket portion, a stem extending outwardly from the end wall of said socket portion inaxial align ment with the cylindrical axis of said socket portion, and a ball portion secured to the end of said stem with its diametrical axis in alignment with the cylindrical axis of said socket portion, said ball and socket portions being positioned and spaced one above the other whereby the ball portion may be complementarily received in the socket portion of a successive fastener element in the assembly, the diameter of said ball portion being slightly less than the inner diameter of said socket portion, the inner depth of said socket portion being slightly more than the radius of said ball portion, and a clip portion extending from said element for securing the element to the meeting edge of an object, said clip portion having a pair of spaced wing members between which the meeting edge of the object may be received and secured.

4. The articulated slide fastener assembly as set forth in claim 2 further characterized in that said clip members have a pair of spaced wing members between which the meeting edges of the object to be fastened may be received and secured.

5. In combination with the articulated slide fastener assembly of claim 1, further including a flange extending about the outer side wall of the terminal socket portion, said flange being adapted to retain the fastener slide and prevent movement of the slide beyond the terminal fastener element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,613,665 Light Jan. 11, 1927 1,709,827 Bauer Apr. 23, 1929 1,820,327 Saunders Aug. 25, 1931 2,193,870 Gross Mar. 19, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS 618,340 France of 1926 703,678 France of 1931 786,833 France of 1935 605,189 Germany of 1934

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