US1233216A - Curtain-fastener. - Google Patents

Description

' w.e TEs & R WPBOTTUME,

- cum/um mum.- APPLICATION HLED'NOV. 6.1916.

Patented July 10, 1917.

WITNESSES: I I INVENTQRS @KM.

. v MVMMM.

AITORNEYS are r P WILLIAM GATES, OF NEW HAVEN, AND FRANK W. BOTTUME, OF W'ALLINGFORD, CON- NECTICUT; SAID FRANK W. BOTTUME ASSIGNOR RIGHT TO MARCUS S. BOTTUME, OF MONTOWESE,

OF ONE-HALF OF THE WHOLE CONNECTICUT.

CURTAIN-FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 10, 1917.

AppIication filed November 6, 1916. Serial No. 129,644;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, (1) WILLIAM GATES and (2) FRANK W. Bo'r'rUME, citizens of the United States, residing'at (1) New Haven,

(2) VVallingford, county of New Haven,

State of Connecticut, have invented anlmprovement in Curtain-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to fasteners, with more particular reference to devices for detachably securing the curtains or flaps of vehicle topsto the body of the vehicle and to each other, although itwill be apparent that devices embodying our invention are adapted for many other olifierent uses. Particularly in the case of avehicle, it is well' known that the so-called top'should not only be easily and readily put up and taken down, it often being most desirable toperform theformer operation in the shortest possible period of time, but it is of course to be desired the top when in use he dependably secured and present a sightly appearance.

Heretofore, it has been the most general practice to employ what are known as eye- .fasteners, one of the parts being provided with an eye through which is passed a centrally pivoted elongated metal button on the other member, the button being turned through an arc of about, 90 to effect a clasp in a common and WGll-lHlOWl'L manner. lVhile this is doubtless a. very simple and convenient form of fastening device, it is subject to the objections that due tothe constant vibrations of the vehicle the button is likely to become loose on its pivot and is not infrequently jarred to open position, permitting separation of the connected parts to say nothing of producing an annoylng rattle.

The object of the present invention is the provision of what for the purposes of this description we shall term a curtain fastener which is comparatively simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture,

yet one which may be manipulated easily and quickly and dependably performs its desired. function.

Our invention will be readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, formlng a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a curtain or the like and the body or object to which it is to be attached, the same being equipped with a fastener embodying our invention Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same with the locking member of the fastener in an open position;

i Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 38 of Fig. l;

' Fig. 4 is a rear view ofthe fastener member carried by the curtain or the like when the sameis designed to be attached to. a solid body, or by the outer curtain when two curtaiis are designed to be secured together, an

Fig. 5 is an end edge view of the device as shown in Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, numeral 6 designates a curtain or flap, usually of leather, which it is desired to detachably secure to the part 7, which for the purposes of this description may be considered as a solid body, such as a part of a vehicle body, but which may be another curtain or flap.

Fixed to. the part 7 is a stud or post 8 which is preferably provided with a curved or dome-shaped end 9 and which also is pro vided, with an annular groove or channel 10.

The fastening device proper is preferably stamped from sheet metal and comprises a fiat rear plate 11 and a front plate 12 of corresponding configuration, the latter having in-turned edges 13 to form a narrow chamber between the two plates when assembled. The rear plate ll is slightlysmaller than the front plate 12 whereby, when the two plates are positioned on opposite sides by the dies when this semi-cylindrical portion 7 is struck up-ar e the inwardly directed lips v or lugs 20 and 21 the endsof which are of'the'strip'18 is so dimensioned, and the said chamber, as shown in Fig. 3, so that when the lugs or ears 14, with which the i '1. plate 12 is provided, are forced through the material and bent inwardly to clasp or engage theplate 11, the combined plates are firmly secured to the curtain or flap and to 7 each other.

The rear plate 11 is provided witha preferably circular orifice and the front plate; 12 is provided with a correspondingly posi- 15 tioned orifice 16, the edges of the latter being preferably in-turned like the edges of the plate itself to brace and give strength and rigidity 'to the assembled'partsx The orifices-are'slightly larger than the stud or i Pivoted to the i so post 8, whereby this member of'the fastener maybe readily slipped over or off of said post. or;

front face of the plate 12 at 17 is a metal locking strip 18 having a substantially semi-cylindricalportion 19 struck up near the free end thereof and so dimensioned that it will freely pass over the curved end of the post 8, when the latter has been passedthrough the orifices 15 and 16,"preferably so snugly'fitting over the end of said post as to slightly spring'the metal,

the semi-cylindrical portion 19-of said strip 18- being relatively positioned for this. purpose. Struck down from the sides of the semi-cylindrical portion 19or left fiat by adapted to enter the groove 10 in the post 8. As stated, the semi-cylindrical portion '19 groove 10 and the lips 20 and 21 so relatively positioned, that the metal of the parts is slightly sprung to'firmly' hold the strip '18 in looking position. VWhile friction alone might be sufficient to retain the parts in locking positions under ordinary conditions,

we prefer to provide the plate 12 with a dent orprotuberance 22 and the strip 18 with a correspondingly located small aperture 23, the resiliency of the metal causing the dent or protuberance 22 to pass into the aperture 23 and hold the strip 18 in looking position with sufficient force to prevent accidental dislodgment, yetbe capable of being easily overcome by manual forces when itis desired to unfasten the curtain or vflap.-

' To enhance the spring tension of the looking strip 18, weprovide the plate 12' with a circularly disposed. slot 24 and the endflOf.

the strip 18. with alip 25 passing through said slot and slidably engaging the inner face of the plate 12. When the strip is in locking position, the lip 25 may be yieldingly engaged in a recess 26, and thus still further decrease the possibility of accidental dislodgment.

It is believed that the operation of the device will be' readily understood from the foregoing description thereof. It will be apparent that in the fastening operation the strip 18 is swung to the right, as shown in Fig. 2, the fastening member passed over the pin or post 8, and the strip 18 returned to the position shown in Fig. 1. It will also beclearly apparent that the operation of unfastening the curtain or flap consists in merely swinging the strip 18 to the right and removing the fastener.

WVe have found that a device such as that just described is not only comparatively cheap in cost and easily-and quickly manipulated, but is thoroughly dependable in that the parts cannot be jarred out of locking positions under ordinary conditions, and no amount of wear to which the device might be subjected during the normal life of the curtain or flap could result in producing the objectionable rattle to which we have referred.

Many modifications of minor details of our improvedfastener will doubtless readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art to which it appertains, and we therefore do not desire to limit our invention to the specific construction herein shown and described. I

We claim aS new and desir -to Letters Patentr 1. A fastener comprising a post adapted to be mounted upon one of two articles to be-fastenedtogether and a plate adapted to besecured to the other,-said post being provided with an annular groove and saidplat having an orifice therein adapted to receive said post, and a locking strip pivoted to said secure by plate to slidably oscillate thereon, said strip plates having registering orifices therein adapted to receive said post, and a locking strip pivoted to one of said plates to slidably, oscillate thereon, said strip having an off-set portion adapted to pass over the protruding post and inwardly directed lips adaptedto pass into said groove and engage said post.

r 3. A- fastener comprising a post adapted to be mounted upon one of tWo articles to yieldingly retaining said strip in locking be fastened together and a plate adapted to position.

be secured to the other, said post being pro- In testimony whereof We afiiX our signavided with an annular groove and said tures in presence of Witnesses. plate having an orifice therein adapted to WILLIAM GATES receive said post a locking strip pivoted to I said plate to slidably oscillate thereon, said FRANK BOTTUME' strip having an off-set portion adapted to pass over the protruding post and inwardly directed lips adapted to pass into said groove and engage said post, and means for l/Vitnesses:

R. F. MURRAY, BENJAMIN A. CULVER, MARCUS S. BOTTUME.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

Images