US2960740A - Slide fastener - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 22, 1960 Q A. J. M NAMARA SLIDE FASTENER Filed Jan. 8, 1959 INVENTOR AMBROSE J. M0 NAMARA M H. slim ATTORNEY -Uni d Stews P en ,Thepresentinvention, is directed to a slide fastener, and more particularly to a slide fastener which maybe readily mounted above a seam, and which permits a construction to b'e obtained which in its closed disposition closely simulates a seam.

It has long proved desirable to provide a slide fastener ,which can'be gmounted into a' cloth article, and which when so mounted will closely simulate a seam when in closed" disposition. A variety 'of approaches have now been developedfor the insertion of slide fastenersliiito clotharticles in which the line of stitching joiningthe tapes of the slide fastener to the cloth article are closely adjacent to the elements of the slide fastener.

In the -.copending patent application Serial No. 740,257, filed June 6, 1958, by Philip E. Crystal entitled Slide Fastener there is described a slide fastener which is not provided. with-a bottom stopor clip 'adjacentthe lowerr'nost elements. on the tapes of the slide fastener. Instead, :there is provided a gap below the lowermost, elements on the tapes of the slide fastener which is devoid of elements. A bar tack or metal clip joins the lower- :most ends-f .the tapes togetherandidefin'es th'e'bottom of the gap. The slider of the slide fastener may he slid from the elements of the slide fastener onto the tapes in the gap portion. Thus, the portion of the tapes carrying the slide fastener elements are completely free from the slider so that the lines of stitching joining the tapes of the slide fastener to the cloth article can be easily placed closely adjacent to the elements of the slide fastener. However, it has been found that when the slider of the slide fastener is slid from the elements of the slide fastener into the gap, the slider may become loose from the tapes of the slide fastener.

This invention has as an object the provision of a novel slide fastener.

This invention has as another object the provision of a slide fastener which may be readily installed into a cloth article by lines of stitching which are closely adjacent to the elements of the slide fastener tapes.

This invention has as a further object the provision of a slide fastener in which the slider may be slid completely from the elements of the slide fastener without becoming loose from the tapes of the slide fastener.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention there is shown in the drawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the slide fastener of the present invention with the slide fastener elements thereof in engaged disposition, such view revealing the appearance of the rear face of the slide fastener.

Figure 2 is a view similar to that of Figure 1, but with the slide fastener elements in non-engaged disposition.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

mat ix t es p pie sm nt I rryinste 1'2 lrosedi iit ose d posi with e ce th wie tf fs h p "1 4, llpbn. which "a is 'carriedQ Thus, the welt, s, isfifiefrom s e Nev-126 F gu e. its typical s tio a ie throu ht s p POI tion'of dneioffth'etapes of inventio The i t seq 1 9M11 pr sntin m h of the tapes12and 14 is provided with elements 16.,whieh a .w t s s wths wt tlieslit etaster.l l

As seen partic res 3 and .4, .each 9f the p and 1 g g d 'wi hawel namely we tl t thejsas' 9 tap 12.21. 6 We t!" caseoftfiPe l4. The elements 16comprise curved members. each c'eiv'ed within 7 the. elements" 16 hen are carried, sm le welts .iffdesired, ,so that jsuch elements .may be held; erect T e t f' 1 5mm! a pl e s andvauapth tapes 12 221K114 when the slide,,fastenerelements; 16 are engagedJfThus, when the sl'd'e faste fer lll is 'yiewed nh s g e a i t eslde gw 'chthe f e i e ent -16 ij e .sii tfas ens te em n s' obscured bythe tapes 12" and 14. This enables th fastener 10 to function as a concealed slide fastener. A {top stop- 21* is'pro'vided adjacent-the uppermost fastener elements-oneach of thetap'esk 1 2"aii'd "14.- The-top i e slide stop 21"015 eachof "the tapesf l2 fa'nd' 14-is preferably 1 formed of non-mating slide fastener elements,- such asa 1plurality.of-:nestinguslide' fastener elementst The slider 22 rides on the inner and outer edges of the elements 16 when the slider is engaged with such elements 16. A wide variety of constructions of slider and elements may be utilized in the slide fastener of the pres ent invention. However, the elements and the slider shown in the United States Letters Patent No. 2,738,560, issued March 20, 1956, to Hug are especially suitable.

It is to be noted that the slide fastener 10 of the present invention is not provided with a bottom stop or clip adjacent the lowermost elements 16a on the tapes 12 and 14. Instead, below the lowermost elements 16a on the tapes 12 and 14 there is provided a gap 24 which is devoid of elements, and which has a length appreciably greater than the length of the slider 22.

A strip of plastic 26 is bonded around the portion of the welt 18 which is in the gap portion 24. As shown in Figure 5, the plastic strip 26 is molded to the welt 18 so that the plastic is imbedded within the interstices of the material of the welt 18. A plastic strip 28 is similarly bonded around the port-ion of welt 20 which is in the gap portion 24. Plastic strips 26 and 28 extend the full length of the gap portion 24, and the bottommost ends of the plastic strips 26 and 28 are bonded together at 30. Thus, the gap 24 is defined by the lowermost elements 16a, and the integral portion 30 of the plastic strips 26 and 28 which joins the tapes 12 and 14 together.

The slider 22 may be slid from the elements 16 of the slide fastener 10 onto the plastic covered welts 18 and 20 in the gap portion 24, in which position the slider 22 is completely removed from the elements 16 (see Figure 2). The plastic strips 26 and 28 increase the diameter of the welts 18 and 20 so that the slider 22 is held firmly on the welts l8 and 20 and cannot become loose from the welts 18 and 20. The integrally bonded end portions 30 of the plastic strips 26 and 28 serves as a stop and prevents the separation of the slider 22 from the ends provided across the bottommost ends of the ' tapes 12 and 14 below the integrally bonded end 30 of the plastic strips 26 and 28t0 serve as an additional stop. Moreover, the integrally bonded end portions 30 ofthe plastic strips -26 and 2 8 serve to keep the-tapes 12- and 14 in juxtaposed alignment even when the slider 22 is disposed within the gap'24. The thickness of the plastic strips 26 and 28 on the welts 18 and 20 is approximately equal to-the thickness of the elements 16 carried by such welts 18 and 20. This facilitates the -movement of the slider 22 in the gap 24. e 1

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms wtihout departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to'the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

I claim:

j 1. A slide fastener including a pair of tapes, the innermost edges of said tapes beingwelted for the entire length of the tapes, mating slide fastener elements secured to said welts on each of said tapes, a slider, bridging means securedly' joining said tapes together at the lowermost portions of said tapes, said tapes being provided with a fastener element-free gap intermediate'said bridging means and the lowermost fastener elements carried by said tapes,

said gap having a length appreciably greater than the length of said slider, with said slider being reciprocally movable along'the welts in said gap and along said slide fastener elements, and means secured aroundthe portions of the welt of each of said tapes in said gap and increasing the diameter of said welts to prevent the slider from becoming loose from said. welts when the slider is in said gap.

- 2. A slide fastener including a pair of tapes, the innermost edges of said tapes being welted for the entire length of the tapes, mating slide fastener elements secured to said welts on each of said tapes, a slider, bridging means securedly joining said tapes together at the lowermost portions of said tapes, said tapes being provided with a fastener element-free gap intermediate said bridging means and the lowermost fastener elements carried by said tapes, said gap having a length appreciably greater than the length of said slider, with said slider being reciprocally movable along the welts in said gap and along said slide fastener elements,-and a separate plastic strip bonded around the portion of the welt of each of said tapes in said gap, and extending the full length of said gap, said plastic strips increasing the diameter of said welts to prevent the slider from becoming loose from said welts when the slider is in said gap.

3. A slide fastener in accordance with claim 2 in which said plastic strips are partially imbedded within the interstices of the material of said welts.

4. A slide fastener in accordance with claim 3 in which the bottommost ends of said plastic strips are integrally bonded together, said integrally bonded ends of said plastic strips constituting the bridging means joining the tapes References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,164,488 Behrens July 4, 1939 2,220,136 Marinsky Nov. 5, 1940 2,832,119 Neitlich Apr. 29, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 719,297 France Feb. 3, 1932

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