US2231441A - Clasp - Google Patents

Description

'Feb. 11, 1941. c. D. KAUFMANN CLASP Filed May 15, 1940 m m @M a a Fatented Feb. 11, 1941 I UNITED STATES assign PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims. (01. 24-102) The invention is directed to clasps of the type adapted to be used. for example, in jewelry of various kinds.

The invention includes a base member which may be equipped with Jewels or ornamentations of various kinds when the invention is used for jewelry. Together with the base member there is a bar member mounted to pivot thereon. Between the base member and the bar member, spring means are provided to snap the respective members either into closed or open position with reference to each other, the invention is directed to the construction which produces the snap closing and spring.

Expressed more specifically theinvention includes a pivot pin disposed between the base member and the bar member. The pivot pin is fixed to one member and the other member is adapted to rotate thereon. The other member carries the leaf springs, of whichthere is a plurality in the practice of the present invention; The pivot pin is provided with a flat-sided shank, in the preferred practice of the invention comprising a squared shank with the center of the square coincidental with the center oi the pivot. One end of each leaf spring is fixed to its incident member, and the springs are directed toward the pivot with their opposite ends resting each on a fiat surface of the shank. The terminal edges of the respective springs are disposed on opposite sides of the center of the pin.

With this construction, as the respective members are rotated relative to each other, one spring engages a corner of the shank urging the two members to snap into closed position until the members are rotated to dead center, which in the,

- case of a squared shank is forty-five degrees. That is the spring which extends beyond the center of the pin. The spring which extends short of the center of the pin operates to resist rotation of the two members relative to each other and the resistance increases progressively until the open- 1 spring has attained a position in which it urges the two members to continue to rotate and snap into open position. With the sudden cooperation of the other spring the clasp opens rapidly.

The invention is applicable to Jewelry of various kinds. It can be used, for example, in cuff links and when so employed it ailords a novel manner of operation to be described more fully in detail hereinafter. The invention finds usefulness in various other types of jewelry, including lbiickles for braces. belts, etc., bar pins and the The invention finds application to a wide diversity of things. the accompanying drawing being illustrative of someof its uses. In the drawing, to which attention is now directed,

Figure 1 shows a perspective view or the invention, as applied to 9. end link,

. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional elevation of the cufl link of Figure l in closed position,

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional elevation of the cufl link in partially opened condition,

figure 4 is a perspective view showing the invention as applied to a buckle,

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the invention as applied to a bar pin, and

Figure 6 is a cross sectional elevation taken on a plane longitudinally of the pivot pin.

Viewing the end link descrbed in Figures 1, 2

and 3, it comprises a base member ii and a bar member l2 rotatable relative to each other on the pivot pin it, illustrated in Figure 6. In the practice of the invention shown the pivot pin it is fixed to the base member i I and extends between the prong it. The bar member i2 rotates on the pivot pin i 3.

The pivot pin is provided with a flat-sided abutmerit shank iii which, in the disclosed embodiment. is square with the center of the square coincidental with the center of the pin. The shank I5 is preferably housed within the bar i2, as shown. The bar is provided with the leaf springs it and I i, which are also preferably housed within the bar in the manner shown. One end of each spring l8 and I1 is fixed to the bar l2, the manner of attachment being unimportant. In the embodiment shown the attaching means comprises a pin l8 riveted to the bar i2, the springs l6 and II being attached to the pin I 8 by welding or other suitable means. As clearly seen in Figures 2 and 3 the springs I6 and I! are directed longitudinally of the bar away from the pin I8 and toward the pivot pin I3. The opposite terminal edges l9 and 20 of the respective springs l6 and I! rest normally on a flat surface of the shank l5, as shown, when the link is in a closed position as shown in Figure 2. The respective terminal edges Iii and 20 are disposed on opposite sides of the center line ii of the pivot pin l3.

When the bar 12 is rotated relative to the base member l3 to open the cuff link, the spring I! rests on the surface 2| of the shank l5, which acts as a cam to urge the bar to snap into the closed position shown in Figure 2. This continues until the bar attains dead center, or has been rotated through 45. After the bar has been rotated through 45 the cam action of the shank I5 on the spring I! tends to snap the link in open position.

Meantime the spring I6 tends to hold the link in closed position of Figure 2 and continues to do so until after the bar has been rotated beyond 45. During the rotation of the bar I2 into open position the terminal edge I9 of the spring I6 is in thrust engagement with the surface 22, and the cam action of the shank I5 on the spring I6 tends to rotate the bar I2 in the counterclockwise direction in Figure 3. The spring I6 continues to urge the bar in closed position while the terminal edge l9 climbs toward the remote edge of the surface 22. The resistance to rotation by the spring I6 increases in magnitude until the terminal edge I9 passes the remote edge of the surface 22 and this takes place after the bar I2 has been rotated beyond 45 and is approaching the full 90 open position. This affords a delayed snap in the opening of the link.

The bar member I2 and the base member II are disposed away from the pivot I3 to meet at their respective opposite ends 23 and 2a. The base member I I, in the embodiment shown, comprises the legs 25 and 26 disposed at an angle with reference to each other. The leg 25 being directed to terminate at the pivot pin I3 and the leg 26 being directed to terminate at the end 23 of the bar I2. The bar I2 and the leg 26 meet at an angle less than 90 when the bar I2 rests abutted against the surface 21 of the base member in closed position.

This construction aifords a particular application of the invention to cuff links.

Before washing the hands it is desirable to loosen the cuffs and push back the sleeves. Frequently when the hands are quite dirty the cuffs become soiled while the cuff links are being unfastened. Also, in an attempt to prevent soiling the cuff, the link is loosened and left dangling from one buttonhole. There is a great possibility that the link will fall out and be lost.

A cufi link embodying the principles of the present invention may be removed from one buttonhole of the cuif in a manner to facilitate the link to catch the otherbuttonhole and be securely fastened thereto when the link snaps shut. Thus cuffs can be opened very readily with less danger of the links being lost.

This feature is illustratedin Figures 2 and 3 in which the cuff comprises the meeting edges 28 and 29, with the respective buttonholes 30 and 3| spaced away from the edges. The bar passes through the buttonholes 30 and 3'! whenthe link is in closedpositionr When it is desired to open the cuff without removing the link from the garment the link can be grasped at the bar 26 and pulled away from the buttonhole 3I in the manner illustrated in Figure 3. This will cause the buttonhole to actuate the bar I2 to rotate it relative to the base member I I and it slides out of the buttonhole 3|. As soon as the end 23 of the bar I2 slips completely out of the buttonhole 3| the bar I2 snaps toward the surface 21 to close the link, fasteningthe link in the buttonhole 30. This prevents the link from accidentally falling out of the buttonhole and becoming lost.

When it is desired to open the cuff while the hands are very dirty, pressure of the finger against the end 24 of the base member will cause the link to open sufllclently to slip out of one side of the cufi. As soon as the bar leaves one buttonhole the link will automaticallysnap to closed position.

In Figure 4 the invention is shown as applied to a buckle, for example, for a belt 35. The buckle comprises the base member 36 and the bar member 31 pivoted at 38 and operative in the same' manner as the cuff link. The rings 39. and 40 are attached to the cleats 4| and 42 respectively which project from the base member 36. It will thus be seen that the load is carried by the cleats ll and 42 and is not carried by the bar member 31. The base member 36 provides the face of the buckle.

In Figure 5 the invention is disclosed as applied to a bar pin in which the bar 45 functions to house the spring and is pivoted on the pivot pin 65 which is fixed to the stick pin 46. The rest 41, attached to the bar 44, engages the pin 46 when in closed position.

The invention having been described in detail in a plurality of embodiments, it is now pointed out that it is not limited to the structures shown but ally thereon, a fiat-sided abutment piece fixed to.

one member, a plurality of leaf sp'rings fixed to the other member one end of each leaf spring being attached, the leaf springs being directed away from the point of attachment toward the abutment piece and one end of each spring being.

respectively disposed on opposite sides of the center of the abutment member.

2. A clasp for jewelry or the like comprising a base member, a bar member, and a pivot pin therebetween, the pivot pin providing a flat-sided shank, a plurality of leaf springs coacting with the shank, the pivot being attached to one member with the other member rotating thereon, one end of each leaf spring being attached to the other member and directed toward the pivot with the opposite end resting on the flat-sided shank, the terminal edges of respective springs being disposed on opposite sides of the center of the pivot.

3. A clasp for cuff links comprising a base member, a bar member, and a pivot pin therebetween, the base member and bar member being directed away from the pivot pin disposed with their respective opposite ends making an angle less than a right angle, the pivot pin. providing a flat-sided shank, a plurality of leaf springs coacting with the shank, the pivot being attached to one member with the other member rotating thereon, one

end of each leaf spring being attached to the said cam perpendicular to said springs.

CECIL D. KAUFMANN.

that the accompanying claims determine the scope I I

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