US2495033A - Slider fastener - Google Patents

Description

J. F. SULLIVAN SLIDER FASTENER Jan. 17, 1950 Filed May 4, 1946 m R. a N is p e w J ATTORNEY Registered Jan. 17, 1950 SLIDER FASTENER Joseph F. Sullivan, New Britain, Conn, assignor to The North & Judd Manufacturing Company, New Britain, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Application May 4, 1946, Serial No. 667,460

Claims. 1

This invention relates to slide fasteners and, in particular, to the provision of new and improved interlocking members, elements or scoops therefor.

It is an object of this invention to provide new and improved slide fasteners embodying lightweight scoop constructions of superiorstrength, particularly adapted for production by casting or molding in metal or non-metallic resinous plastic material, hereinafter referred to as plastic material.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such slide fasteners and such scoops wherein recesses or apertures are provided in the scoop head portions whereby the weight thereof is reduced, the uniformity of sectional thickness is substantially increased, and wherein the strength thereof, when produced in plastic material, is considerably improved by the consequent increase in skin surface per unit of volume, and uniformity of curing throughout.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such scoops wherein the sockets or recesses in the head portions provide means for handling the scoops in electro-plating and other finishing or surfacing operations whereafter the web inter mediate the opposed recesses, which would not be plated if holding devices were in contact therewith during a plating operation, may be broken out, or otherwise removed or covered by an ornamental or functional insert in the recess, at one or both sides; which insert may comprise a rhinestone, a plug or insert of ornamental contrasting plastic, or metal, or a wax composition plug or lubricant impregnated insert. a

It is a further object of this invention to provide such scoops wherein the webs intermediate the opposed recesses may be removed to provide apertures receiving a staple or other connection between adjacent scoops, particularly at the lower end of a fastened, for connection of the fastener stringers, and wherein the recesses are adapted for engagement with the locking means of the slide fastener slider for locking the slider.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will appear from the following description, taken with the drawing forming a part thereof, and will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, enlarged plan view of a slide fastener including one form of scoop embodying the principles of this invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary isometric view showing a single fastener member or scoop of the type shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view, similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating the application of an ornamental insert to a socket or recess of the scoop shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of the scoop shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a front view of the scoop shown in Fig. 4.;

Fig. 6 is a section taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 66 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a section taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 'l'! in Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged section taken substantially on the plane indicated by the lines 8-8 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged, fragmentary isometric view illustrating application of the principles of this invention to another illustrative form of scoop;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged, fragmentary front view illustrating application of the principles of this invention to a third illustrative form of scoop; and

Fig. 11 is an enlarged isometric view of the bottom stop shown in Fig. 1, its relationship to the lowermost scoop of the righthand stringer being shown in dash lines.

Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that the illustrative fastener shown in Fig. 1 comprises a righthand stringer l2 and a complementary lefthand stringer H, each stringer being formed by a flexible stringer tape l 4 having an edge reinforcement or bead at one edge with a row of interlocking fastener members or scoops i6 secured thereto in known manner, in predeterminedly spaced relation. The lowermost scoops it are coupled by a bottom end coupling or bottom stop il, in a manner hereinafter described, to connect the lower ends of the stringers.

Slidable on the rows of scoops I6, downwardly toward the bottom stop to open the fastener, and upwardly away from the bottom stop to close the fastener, is the slider it having a lug l 9 to which the trunnions at the inner end of the pull tab 2|] are connected in known manner. The slider body is provided with a conventional upwardly diverging scoop guiding channel (not shown) which is slidably supported by the rows of scoops I 6 and which guides the scoops l6 progressively into and out of engagement in a manner well known in the art, when the slider I8 is moved upwardly and downwardly on the rows of scoops It by the pull tab Zll.

The front face of the slider body is provided with a longitudinal recess 2| receiving the pull tab in its locking position. An aperture 22 leads from this recess 2i into the scoop-guide channel, providing for engagement of the locking prong or projection 23 on the pull tab therethrough into locking engagement with scoops [6 in the channel as hereinafter described. The pull tab 28 is shown in unlocked position in Fig. 1, the locking position thereof occurring when it is flat against the bottom of the recess 2| with the locking projection 23 thereof extending through the aperture 22 into locking engagement with a scoop I6, to prevent movement of the slider with respect to the stringers II and 12.

Details of the scoops it are shown in Figs. 2 to 8 inclusive, wherein it will be seen that the innermost or leg portion of each scoop l6 comprises a pair of legs 24 engaging the edge reinforcement or bead [5 of the stringer.

Extending from this innermost or leg portion 24, 24 is an intermediate or neck portion formed by a vertical web or tongue 25 separating pairs of upwardly and downwardly directed arcuate recesses 28, the inner upright walls of the recesses 26 being defined by the outer side walls of the Web or tongue 25 and the outer sides of these recesses being open. The section of this intermediate or neck portion is substantially cruciform as shown in Fig. '7.

Extending outwardly from the intermediate or neck portion 25, 28 is a head portion of substantailly ellipsoidal or ovoid form, the upper and lower end portions 21 thereof being arcuate and substantially complementary with the recesses 25 and each bisected by a groove 28 disposed longitudinally with respect to the scoop E8, the grooves 28 and the webs or tongues 25 being of substantially equal width and the inner or bottom surfaces of the grooves 28 being substantially flush or continuous with the outer walls of the tongues or webs 25 as shown.

The above described construction provides a scoop comprising a tape engaging inner or leg portion, an intermediate or neck portion having its upper and lower sides defined by pairs of upwardly and downwardly (and laterally) opening arcuate recesses separated by a vertical coextensive web or tongue, and an outer or head portion of ellipsoidal or ovoid form with its arcuate upper and lower portions each intersected by a longitudinal groove or channel with its inner surface substantially coextensive with the outer (upper or lower) surface of the adjacent tongue or web. The arcuate portions separated by the groove are engageable with the recesses of adjacent scoops (and substantially complementary therewith) while the tongues or Webs of the intermediate or neck portions are engageable with (and substantially complementary with) the grooves in the head portions of adjacent scoops. Thus is interlocking connection provided between the scoops l6 of the slide fastener shown in Fig. 1.

The common outer, side or lateral surfaces of the leg portion 24, 24, intermediate or neck portion 25, 26 and outer or head portion 21, 21, 28, 28 may be continuous but, preferably, according to this invention, recesses (or apertures, Figs. 1 and 11) are provided therein (or therethrough) for attainment of various of the objects of this invention.

In Figs. 18 inclusive, the recesses provided are designated 29 and the separating web therebetween, which defines the inner walls thereof, is designated 30 (Figs. 6 and 8). These recesses 29 are of the same general outline as the longitudinal section of the ellipsoidal head. portion 21, 21, 28,

28 but the defining marginal walls 29a thereof converge as they approach the Web 30 (Figs. 6 and 8). Thus, as shown in Figs. 6 and 8, the thickness of the section of the head portion is maintained substantially uniform throughout whereby the skin area thereof is substantially increased over similar but unrecessed portions and, since in molded plastic masses the skin portions are stronger than portions remote from the skin, the strength of the head portion is materially increased by provision of the recesses 29, 30.

As shown in Fig. 7 each leg of the cruciform neck portion is of substantially equal thickness, and as seen by comparison of Figs. 6 and 7, of substantially the same thickness as the head portion. From Figs. 2 and 3 it will likewise appear that the thickness of the leg section also is substantially equal thereto. By this relationship, substantially uniform curing (and strength) is secured throughout the scoop. Since a substantial portion of the scoop volume is represented by the recesses 29, the weight (and cost) thereof is substantially reduced by the provision of the recesses.

These recesses 29, may also cooperate with locking means such as the locking projection or member 23 (Fig. l), aligned therewith, to eflect looking of the slider in predetermined position in the fastener, the inclined recess Walls 2911 being particularly adapted for engagement with the projection 23.

The web 30 may be removed by boring, or otherwise, to provide apertures extending through the scoop heads from side to side (Figs. 1 and 11) for accommodating connecting staples such as I1 for connecting a pair of engaged scoops together (Fig. 1). Alternatively, the depth of the recesses 29 may be so increased as to render the web 30 frangible so that it may be readily punched or broken out for this purpose.

By elimination of the Web 30, which may also be done by increasing the depth of recesses 29 until they meet, the scoops may be strung on wires or other carriers for plating or other surface treatment or finishing.

If desired, as shown in Figs. 3 and 8, an ornamental element such as the Rhinestone 3| may be bonded or otherwise secured in the recesses 29 at one side of the fastener and/or a lubricating unit or element 32 (Fig. 8) secured in one or both sides. This element may, for instance, comprise a plug of lubricating wax composition of high melting point, or a lubricant impregnated porous metal element of composition similar to that of the well known Oilite self-lubricating bearing manufactured by The General Motors Corporation.

The bottom stop I1, as shown in Fig. 11, may comprise a substantially U-shaped staple of round, rectangular or other section, the legs Ila of which may be inserted through the webless recesses 29 of adjacent engaged scoops (Fig. 1) and the leg end portions I'lb bent over against the sides of the scoops l6 as shown in Fig. 11.

In Fig. 9, I have illustrated the application of the principles of this invention to a modified form of scoop described and illustrated in U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,392,684, granted January 8, 1946, to Louis H. Morin wherein the shape of the scoop 33 lends itself to the provision of a recess 35 in each side 34 substantially coextensive in area with the side 34. Alternatively, a further recess or bore 3'! may extend inwardly from the inner surface 36, or the recess 35 may be filled with an insert 40 of either ornamental or functional charactor as described above.

Application of the principles of this invention to another form of scoop also is illustrated in Fig. which shows scoops of the type described, illustrated, and claimed in U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,385,021, granted September 18, 1945, to Louis H. Morin. As therein shown, the sides of the heads of scoops 4| include diamond shaped surfaces 42 in which recesses 43 are provided, according to this invention. These recesses are preferably substantially coextensive with the area of the lateral head surfaces 42 and may extend from opposite sides of the scoop head to any desired extent. If desired, they may be provided with suitable ornamental or functional inserts such as 3| or 32 (Fig. 8).

From the above description it will clearly appear that I have provided a new and improved slide fastener construction embodying scoops having definite cooperative relation with respect to locking sliders therefor, which lend themselves to production with particular advantage by die casting or molding, from metal or non-metallic plastic materials, and which may be provided with ornamentation as desired, or with self-lubricating means because of the provision of material saving recesses as described. It will further appear that, by reason of the recesses provided, the scoops may be readily adapted to permanent connection when engaged to form a bottom end coupling in a slide fastener embodying them by a simple cheap and readily applied staple or coupling member with substantial improvement over the appearance in the fastener which would be achieved with conventional bottom stop staples.

It is, of course, to be understood that the above description is merely illustrative and in no wise limiting and that I desire to comprehend within my invention such modifications as are included within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by U. S. Letters Patent is:

1. A light weight scoop for slide fasteners of the class described including complementary stringer tapes with rows of scoops secured thereon and a slider slidable on said rows of scoops and having locking means including a locking projection, said scoop comprising integral leg, neck and head portions, said leg portion having stringer tape attaching means and said neck and head portions having means interlockingly eneluding rows of interlockingly engageable scoops,-

two adjacent scoops on opposite stringers having bores extending between the lateral sides thereof, and a substantially rigid connecting member extending through said bores and maintaining said scoops in engagement.

3. A scoop for slide fasteners of the class described comprising an integral scoop body including inner stringer attaching, neck, and head portions, said scoop being symmetrical both laterally and vertically, the head portion of said body being ellipsoidal and having its upper end lower portions each intersected by a longitudinal channel, and said neck portion having at its upper and lower sides longitudinal tongues each with its outer surface flush with the adjacent channel and with arcuate recesses at each side of each tongue, said last named arcuate recesses being complementary with said head portions at opposite sides of the intersecting channel whereby the head portions thereof are interlockingly engageable with neck portions of adjacent scoops.

4. A scoop for slide fasteners of the class described comprising an integral scoop body including inner, intermediate and outer portions, said scoop being substantially symmetrical both laterally and vertically, the outer portion of said body being substantially ellipsoidal and having its upper and lower portions each substantially bisected by a groove disposed longitudinally of the scoop body, and the intermediate portion having an intremediate longitudinal tongue with each outer surface substantially flush with the inner surface of an adjacent groove and separating a pair of arcuate recesses at the upper and lower sides of said scoop body respectively, said last named arcuate recesses being complementary with said outer portions at opposite side of the separating grooves whereby the outer portions of adjacent scoops are interlockingly engageable with intermediate portions of adjacent scoops.

5. A scoop as defined in claim 4, wherein said slide fastener includes a slider and wherein said outer portions of said scoop have recesses extending inwardly from opposite lateral sides of said scoop, and said recess at one side of said scoop cooperating with a slider to form slider locking means while both of said recesses perform 12; weight reducing and strength increasing funclOl'l.

JOSEPH F. SULLIVAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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