US3066310A - Fastener tape with concealable fastener elements - Google Patents

Description

L. ROSEMAN Dec. 4, 1962 FASTENER TAPE WITH CONCEALABLE FASTENER ELEMENTS Filed April 5, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet l irl-Ill ATTORNEY Dec. 4, 1962 l.. Rosl-:MAN 3,066,310

FASTENER TAPE WITH CONCEALABLE FASTENER ELEMENTS Filed April 5, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 1N VEN TOR Zan 'owgm BY M l 2 ATTORlkIEirV Dec- 4, 1962 l.. Rosi-:MAN 3,066,310

FASTENER TAPE WITH CONCEALABLE F'ASTENER ELEMENTS Filed April 5. 1960 5 Sheets-Sheetl 3 INVENTQR Z210 Fasefgm ATTORNEY f arent .bl Patented Dec. 4l,A 1962 ice 3,066,310 FASTENER TAPE WITH CQNCEALARLE FASTENER ELEMENTS Leo Roseman, 16 Johnson Ave., Newark 2, NJ. Filed Apr. 5, 196i), Ser. No. 20,175 2 Claims. (Cl. 2-265) This invention relates to fastener tape of the general type that includes a strip of fabric having a plurality of superposed plies, layers, or portions between which fastener elements such as wire eyelets are secured by stitches. The fastener elements usually are formed of wire and have base parts, such as loops, and engaging parts, such as eyes, and the base parts of the fastener elements are secured between the superposed plies or portions, for example, between a body portion and another portion that may serve as a cover strip for the fastener elements.

The fastener tape having wire eye fastener elements is adapted to coact with a tape having hook elements to separably interlock with the eye elements thereby providing a complete fastener, and fasteners of this nature frequently are used as garment closures. In one particular application or use of such fasteners, for example, in a brassiere closure, the eye fastener tape has a plurality of spaced rows of eye fastener elements that can be selectively used with the complemental hook fastener elements, but only one row of eye elements is used at one time, the other rows being provided for adjustment of the fastener. Therefore some of the rows of the eye fastener elements are idle and exposed when the fastener is in use, and when the fastener is worn beneath a thin or sheer garment, the idle fastener elements produce unsightly bulges in the garment or are visible through the garment.

Among the objects of the present invention are to provide a fastener tape of this general character embodying novel and improved features of construction whereby idle or unused fastener elements can be easily concealed or rendered invisible or inoperative; and to provide such a fastener tape wherein the fastener elements can be easily and quickly manipulated to locate the engaging portions in exposed operative position outwardly of the edge of one of the superposed portions or cover strip or to locate the engaging parts entirely between the superposed portions of the strip so that said parts are concealed or invisible, and the possibility of accidental connection of a hook to the wrong eye is practically eliminated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fastener tape of this character wherein the fastener elements shall be stitched in a novel and improved manner between the superposed portions of the fastener tape so that certain of the stitches shall serve as guide ways for sliding of the fastener elements into and out of concealed or inoperative position and at the same time securely hold the fastener elements against separation from the fabric strip.

A further object is to provide such a fastener tape wherein the stitches in conjunction with the inherent resiliency and shape of the fastener elements shall yieldingly hold the fastener elements in concealed or invisible position and shall also positively prevent detachment of the fastener elements from the fabric strip.

Other objects, advantages and results of the invention will be brought out by the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a fastener tape embodying the invention showing it in connection with one end of a brassiere strap to cooperate with a hook fastener tape at the other end of the brassiere strap and with all of the rows of fastener elements in exposed and operative position;

FIGURE 2 is a similar view showing the fastener elements of one row in exposed and operative position and the fastener elements of the other rows concealed;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional View on the plane of the line 3--3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional view on the plane of the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary enlarged plan view of a piece of the fastener tape with portions broken away to show one of the fastener elements in operative position and the other in concealed or inoperative position;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 showing the invention embodied in another form of the fastener tape;

FIGURE 7 is a View similar to FIGURE 6 showing a modification of the invention;

FIGURE 8 is a like view showing one of the fastener elements exposed and also showing the manner of pushing a fastener element into concealed position;

FIGURE 9 is a view similar to FIGURE 6 showing another form of the invention;

FIGURE l0 is a fragmentary enlarged plan view of a piece of fastener tape with portions broken away and showing two of the fastener elements in operative position and the other in concealed position; and

FIGURE l1 is a similar view of anotherl form of the invention.

Specifically describing the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURES l through 5, inclusive, the reference character l designates a base strip of fabric superposed upon and secured to which is an auxiliary strip 2 which together form the body portion of the fastener tape. Secured on the body portion of the tape are a plurality of rows A, B and C of eye fastener elements that are disposed in spaced apart relation longitudinally of the body portion. As shown, the fastener elements a of the row A are formed of wire and have base parts or loops 3 and arcuately curved engaging parts 4 connected to the base parts by spaced legs 5 that preferably converge toward each other in the direction of the base parts as best shown in FIGURE 5. The fastener elements a are disposed between the auxiliary strip 2 and one edge 6 of a cover strip 7, while the fastener elements b of the row B are disposed between the cover strip 7 and another cover strip 8 and the fastener elements c of the row C are located between the cover strip 8 and another cover strip 9. The respective edges 6, 10 and 11 of the cover strips are spaced apart longitudinally of the body portion and extend transversely thereof, and the longitudinal edge portions of the cover strips are firmly secured to the body portion by the inturned marginal zones 3 2 of the base strip by lines of stitches 13.

'ihe fastener elements of each row are secured to the fabric strip by lines of stitches 14 that run parallel to the edges of the respective cover strips and between said edges and the base parts of the fastener elements, and each line of stitches includes groups of superposed tying stitches l5 traversing one of the fastener element legs 5 and penetrating the cover strips and the auxiliary strip 2 as best shown in `FIGURES 3 and 4, the stitches thus being covered by the base strip. The lines of stitches 14 are spaced from the edges of the corresponding cover strips so that the fastener elements can ybe pushed inwardly beneath the cover strips as indicated at X in FIGURE 2 and in the lower portion of FIGURE 5, or the fastener elements can be pulled outwardly so as to locate the engaging parts thereof beyond the edges of the corresponding cover strips as shown at Y in FIGURE 2 and at the upper portion of FIGURE 5. The position of the fastener elements are also shown in FIGURE 4 the uppermost fastener elements being in exposed and operative position with an engaging portion beyond the edge 6 of the corresponding v 3 j cover strip, while the fastener elements of the other twO rows are shown in concealed or inoperative positions with the engaging portions entirely beneath the corresponding cover strips.

The invention `also provides for a secure attachment of the fastener elements to the fabric strip but at the same time permits easy and quick andselectiye movementof the fastener elements into either concealed inoperative positions or exposed operative positions. Also, due to the converging relation of thelegs of the fastener elements and the firmness ofthe Vsuperposed ltying stitches, the f astener elements will be yieldingly held in exposed positions as shown at the upper portion of FIGURE 5 or in concealed positions as shown at the lower portion of FIG- AURE 5. When the fastener. elements are in exposed pos1- tion, the inclined legs yieldingly resist pushing of the fastener element into concealed inoperative position, while when the fastener elements are in concealed positions, the arcuately curved engaging portions yieldingly resist accidentalrnovement of the fastener element into operative position. 'l Another form of the tape embodying the invention 1s showninFIGURE 6 where the fastener elements d are disposed in spaced apart relation longitudinally of `a fabric lrbody portion I6 and a cover strip portion ,I7 and are secured to said portions by a line of stitches IS that extends longitudinally of the strip between the edges of the cover'strip 1f'7 and the base loops 3 of the fastener elements with superposed tying stitches i9 traversing the legs of the fastener elements in the same manner as d the tying stitches 1521s hereinabove described. The fastener elements may be manipulated into exposed operative positions or concealed inoperativerpositions in the same manner as above described so that selectively anyrdesired fastener elements can be used in operative position while theother fastener elements can fbe concealed.

FIGURES 7 through ll show fastener tapes embodying modications of the invention. Referring particularly to FIGURE 7, the fastener tape includes a body portion Zt? Aand a coverportion 2i of fabric 'between which are disposed fastenerelements e that include base loops`22 and an engaging portion V23 connected to the base loops b y spaced legs 24 that converge toward each other in the d1- rection of the-base loops. A line of stitches Z extends longitudinally of the strip along the edge of the cover portion 21, including sets of superposed stitches 2,6 at each of opposite sides of each of the fastener elements and other 'stitches 27 disposed perpendicular to the edge 'of the cover portion and close to the base loops of the 'fastener elements, and still other stitches 2S `disposed 1n spaced relation to the edge of thecover portion a distance about equalto the length of the fastener elements as best shown at the left hand side of FIGURE 7. With this construction, the fastener elements can be pushed ibeneath the cover strip and concealed as shown vat the left hand side of FIGURE 7 or can be pulled out from beneath the cover strip to expose their engaging portions as shown at the right hand side of FIGURE 7, in which position Vthe strains on the fastener elements when ythey are connected to complemental hook elements, are assumed by the superposed stitches 26 that are abutted bythe shoulders of the base loops. Obviously, the fastener elements may ybe pushed beneath the cover portion as shown at the right hand side of FIGURE 8 and may be pulled into exposed position by a thumb and an index finger.

Referring to FIGURE 9, the fastener elements f are the same as the fastener elements e but are mounted on -the strips to swing or pivot rather than to slide in a .straight line as in FIGURE 7. In this form of the invention, a line of stitches 29 extends along the edge of the cover strip 30 and penetrates the body portion 31, certain of .the stitches traversing the legs Z4 of the fastener elements. Adjacent one leg-and one base loop of each of the Ffastener elements, there is a group of tying or super- Aposed stitches 32 that traverse the Wire of the fastener accanto elements so that the fastener elements may Ibe exposed as shown at the right hand side of FIGURE 9 or maybe swung about the tying stitches 32 into concealed positlon beneath the cover portion as shown at the left hand side of IFIGURE 9.

In FIGURE 10, there is shown a `different form of fastener element g which is composed of Wire shaped to form an arcuately curved engaging portion 33, parallel legs 33', and inturned end portions 34 that provide parallel base loops whose sides extend transversely of the strip. A line of stitches 35 that connects the edge of the cover portion 36 to the `body portion 37 includes offset stitches 38. that run along the outer sides of the base loops Vanda group of superposed stitches 39 disposed within each, of the |base loops so that the inner ends of the base, loops opposite the engaging portion 33 will `abut the superposed stitches when the engaging portions are pulled into exposed position and thereby take the strains imposed on the fastener elements during use. The fastener elements can be pushed beneath the cover portion and the legs 33 can slide between the stitches V33 and superposed stitches 39, and the superposed stitches will abut the ends of the engaging portion 33 to limit movement of the fastener elements into concealed position.

Still `a diirerent form of fastener element h isshown in FIGURE 11 and comprises a piece of wire shapedto provide an engaging portion 4t?, and parallel legs ,41 extending therefrom and having outturned portions 42 and short inturned endportions 43yproviding base loops with shoulders d3. A line of stitches 4,4 extends along the edge of a cover portion 45 of the rstripand includes offset superposed stitches 46. The tying stitches 46 yoverlie the shoulder end portions 43 and portions of the stitches are disposed within the loops. Thus the outer ends of the tying stitches 46 adjacent theedge of thercover portion and the inner ends of the tying stitchesrgcooperate as abutments for the shoulders 4,3 and the inner ends of the loops, respectively, when the fastener elements are in exposed position, thereby to effectively assumestrains that may be imposed on the fastener elementsV by .complemental hoolr fasteners. The inner ends of the` tying stitches serve as abutments for the shoulders .43 to limit movement of the fastener elements into concealed position beneaththe cover portion as shown at the left hand side of EIG URE 11.

It will be noted that in all forms of the invention, the fastener elements are positively held against movement longitudinally of the edge ofthe Vcover portion but are free for movement transversely of theedge ofthe cover portion selectively into a position ,to conceal thebase portions and engaging portions between the body portions and the cover portions of the tape and into poSitions to expose said engaging portions, .and suchmovement is limited in both directions to prevent excessive exposure of the fasteners and ,also to prevent them from being pushed too far under the coverstrip. In all cases, the fastener elements arermly held against'being pulled off or awayAfrorn the tape under strains that may be irnposed thereon by complemental hook fastener `elements 4during use of the tape lon garments and the like.

The fastener tapes can be securedto garments in any desired and known manner, but for purposes of illustration, the fastener tape shown in FIGURES 1 through 5 inclusive has one end secured as by kzigzagstitching D Yto one end of an elastic brassiere strap E and the otherend of the tape is bound or finished in any desired manner as by another transverse line of zigzag stitches F which secure the various layers or plies of fabric together.

Other modifications or changes in the construction of the tape as well as other uses of the inventionin other 'forms of fasteners, will occur to those skilled inthe art as within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

l. A fastener tape comprising a fabric strip having over-l lapping portions one of which has an edge in superposed relation to the other portion, at least one fastener element having an engaging portion and hase parts slidable between said overlapping portions, said fastener element being formed of wire and having spaced legs connecting said base parts to said engaging portion, and means including stitches traversing each leg and penetrating said strip between each base part and said edge and securing said fastener element on said strip against movement longitudinally of said edge and against detachment from the strip in all directions and providing for limited sliding movement of the fastener element beneath said stitches and between said overlapping portions in each or" opposite directions transversely of said edge selectively into a position to wholly conceal said fastener element between said overlapping portions and into a position to expose only said engaging portion outwardly of said edge for engagement with a complemental fastener element, said stitches being abutted by said base parts and by said engaging portion upon movement of the fastener element into said exposed and said concealed positions, respectively.

2. A fastener tape as defined in claim 1 wherein said engaging portion is curved and disposed between and connected to said legs and said legs converge toward each other in the direction of the base parts providing for coaction of said stitches, said legs and said engaging portion to yieldably hold the fastener element in said positions.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,833,500 Roseman Nov. 24, 1931 2,759,193 Roseman et al Aug. 21, 1956 2,759,194 Rosernan et al Aug. 2l, 1956 2,861,276 Alfandre Nov. 25, 1958

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