Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates to a sliding clasp fastener of the open-end
typeJ and is a division of application Serial No. 26~,145 filed October 22,
1976.
The term "open-end type sliding clasp fastener" as used throughout
this specification means a sliding clasp fastener which comprises two
stringers, each stringer having a series of coupling elements secured to an
edge of a carrier tape, the two series of coupling elements being inter-
engaged and disengaged by movement of a slider therealong, and a pair of
interengageable releasably connectable end fittings secured one to each of
the tapes ad~acent the end of its series of elements whereby, when the slider
has been moved to disengage the two series of elements, said fittings may be
disengaged to separate the stringers completely one from the other and then
re-engaged to re-assemble the stringers.
According to the present invention, an open-end type sliding clasp
fastener comprises a pair of interengageable open-end fittings, each fitting
comprising two hooking means positioned one at each side of a plane which
is substantially parallel with the plane of the carrier tapes, the hooking
means of the pair of end fittings being mutually engageable in one longi-
tudinal direction, each fitting ~urther comprising transversely opposed sur-
faces to overlap surfaces of the other ~itting so that, when the two series
: of coupling elements and the pair of end fittings are interengaged, the hook- -.
ing means prevent separation o~ the end fittings laterally of the tapes, th0
~; transversely opposed surfaces of the end fittings prevent separation thereo~
transversely to the plane of the tapes, and the interengagement of the coupl-
: ing elements prevents longitudinal separation in the opposite longitudinal
direction.
The invention of this divisional application may be generally
defined as a sliding cla~p fastener comprising t~o stringers, each stringer
having a series of coupling elements secured to an edge of a carrier tape, the
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two series of coupling elements being interengaged and disengaged by movement
of a slider longitudinally of the stringers, and a pair of interengageable
releasably connectable end fittings secured one to each of the carrier tapes
adjacent an end of the series of coupling elements. Each end fitting comprises
two hooking means positioned one at each side of a plane which is substantially
parallel with a plane of the carrier tapes, both hooking means of the one
fitting being directed away from its associated series of coupling elements
and forming t~o recesses to receive the hooking means of the other fitting,
both hooking means of the other fitting being directed toward its associated
series of co~pling elements and forming two recesses to receive the hooking
means of said one fitting, the hooking means of ~he pair of end fittings being
mutually engageable in one longitudinal direction. Each end fitting further
comprises transversely opposed surfaces formed by side surfaces of the hooking
means, the two hooking means of each end fitting being transversely aligned
and extending beyond transversely opposed sides of a rib defined by the end
fitting toward the other end fitting so that, when the end fittings are inter~
engaged, sides of the two hooking means of each end fitting laterally overlap
the sides of the rib of the other end fitting, the resulting arrangement being
such that, when the two series of coupling elements and the pair- of end
fittings are interengaged, the hooking means prevent sepa~ation of the end
fittings laterally of the carrier tapes, the transversely opposed surfaces o~
the end fittings prevent separation thereof transversely to the plane of the
carrier tapes, and the interengagement of the coupling elements prevents longi-
tudinal separation in the opposite longitudinal direction.
~ The invention provides open-end fittings which are particularly sui~-
; able for fasteners having series o~ individual coupling elements moulded onto
: carrier tapes sinca the fittings may be moulded in tools which open and close
in the same direction as tools employed for moulding the coupling elements.
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In fact~ the tools for the fi~tings may be actuated simultaneously with the
tools for the coupling elements so that the fittings are moulded at the same
time as the coupling elements, thereby a~oiding separate and subsequent
operations to provide open-end fittings on the tapes.
Two embodiments will now be described by way of example only with
reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-
Figure 1 is a front elevation showing the lower end portion of asliding clasp fastener having open-end f:Lttings in accordance with the first
embodiment;
Figure 2 shows perspective v~ws of the opan-end fittings disengaged
from one another, and
Figure 3 is similar to Figure 2 but illustrates the second embodi-
ment.
The embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 is described and claimed
in parent application Serial No. 264,1451 but is believed necessary to
repeat the description herein in order to make the description of Figure 3
completely understandable without reference to any document other than the
present one.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a sliding clasp fastener comprises
2Q two stringers 10 and 11 which each comprise a carrier tape 12 having a series
of discrete coupling elements 13 moulded onto one of its edges. The series
of elements of the two stringers are interengageable and disengageable by
movement of an unshown slider moun~ed on stringer 11 in well-known manner.
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The lower ends of the s~ringers 10 and 11 carry respective open-end
fittings 14 and 15 which are secured to their respective carrier tapes 12
adjacent the lower ends of thc series of coupling elements 13. The open-end
fittings 14 and 15 may be of plastics or metal, conveniently moulded or cast
directly onto the carrier tapes 12, but alternatively they may be made
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separately and then sec-lred to the tapes, for instance~ by welding or clamping~The open-end fitting 14 comprises hooking means in the form of two
hooking portions 16 and 17 which are downwardly directed away from the coupling
elements 13 and form two recesses 18 and 19. In this embodiment each hooking
portion occupies half the thickness of the open-end fitting 14. The hooking
portions 16 and 17 are positioned at each side of a plane coincident with the
plane of the carrier tapes 12 with the two hooking portions offset one from
the other laterally of the carrier tape to present transversely opposed sur-
faces 20, 21 and 21a.
Aboye the hooking portions 16 and 17, two laterally extending projec-
tions 22 and 23 are appropriately shaped on their upper surfaces to engage with
the lowermost coupling element 13 on stringer 11 when the stringers 10 and 11
are assembled.
The open-end fitting 15 comprises hooking means in the form of two
hooking portions 24 and 25 upwardly directed towards the coupling elements and
orming two recesses 26 and 27. As with the open-end $itting 14, each hooking
; portion 24 and 25 occupies half of the thickness ~ the open-end fitting 15
and lies at a respective side of a plane coincident with the plane of the
carrier tapes, and the two hooking portions 24 and 25 are offset one from the
2Q other laterally of the carrier tape 12 to present transversely opposed sur-
faces 28, 28a and 29. The lower end of the open-end fitting 15 has transverse-
ly extending feet 30 Cone only being shown) to provide a stop for the slider
; and prevent it sliding completely off the lower end of the stringer 11. As
particularly seen rom Pigure 1, the lower end portion of the open-end fit- ~:
ting 15 has a concave edge 15a to provide a clearance 15b from the open-end
fitting 14 to enable the lower ends of the open-end fittings 14 and 15 to ~-
move towards one another when the slider is located against the fee~ 30.
The ofset arrangement of the hoaking portions in each open-end fitting, and
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the shape of the hooking portions and their recesses, are designed to enable
the two open-end ~ittings 1~ and 15 to be interengaged as shown in Figure 1
with the hooking portions 16 and 24 lyin~ at one side of the plane of the
carrier tapes 12, and the hooking portions 17 and 25 lying at the other side
of the plane of the carrier tapes. Whilst the hooking portions 16, 17:24,
25 prevent separation of the open-end fittings 14 and 15 laterally of the
carrier tapes 12, the transversely opposed side surfaces 20, 21, 21a.28,
28a~ 29 laterally overlap one another to prevent separation of the open-end
fittings perpendicualrly to the plane of the carrier tapes.
The above described open-end fittings are particularly suitable for
a fastener of which the coupling elements are moulded between mould parts
which move only perpendicularly to the plane of the carrier tapes since the
open-end fittings 14 and 15 can be similarly moulded and thus lend them-
selves to being formed simultaneously with the coupling elements 13. This
obviates the need for a separate moulding operation to provide the open-end
fittings 14 and 15.
Furthermore, the design of the open-end fittings 14 and 15 enable
the stringers 10 and 11 to be assembled in use even when the lower ends of
the stringers are not initially correctly aligned; in other words a greater
extent of misalignment of the lower ends can be tolerated immediately prior
to moving a slider from the open-end fittings to assemble the stringers
when compared with conventional open-end type fasteners.
In the second embodiment illustrated in Figure 3, an open-end fit-
ting 31 comprises two hooking portions 32 and 33 which, in contrast to those
of the first embodiment, are aligned one with the other in a direction per-
pendicular to the plane of the carrier tape 12 and are spaced-apart by the
thickness of a rib 34. Parts of the hooking portions 32 and 33 extend
across and beyond opposite sides of the rib 34 away from the associated
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carrier tape 12 and are positioned at each side of the plane of the carrier
tape. Similarly, a cooperating open-end fitting 35 comprises two hooking
portions 36 and 37 aligned one with the other in a direction perpendicular
to the plane of the carrier tape and spaced-apart by the thickness of a rib
38. Parts of the hooking por~ions 36 and 37 extend across and beyond
opposite sides of the rib 38 away from the associated carrier ~ape 12 to
lie at each side of the plane of the carrier tape.
When the two open-end fittings 31 and 35 are intsrengaged, the
hooking portions of each fitting straddle the rib of the other fittin~, and
the hooking means of both fittings mutually engage at each side of the tapes
with transversely opposed inner surfaces of the hooking portions of one
fitting overlapping transversely opposed sides of the rib of the other fit-
ting. Consequently, the hooking portions 32, 33, 36 and 37 prevent separa-
tion of the open-end fittings 31 and 35 laterally of the carrier tapes 12,
whilst ~he overlap of the hooking portions 32, 33, 36 and 37 and the ribs 3~
; and 38 prevent separation of the open-end fittings 31 and 35 perpendicularly
to the plane of the carrier tapes 12.
This second embodiment is particularly appropriate for a fastener
comprising moulded coupling elements having a slot in their coupling heads
ZO adapted to receive the edge of the opposite tape when the fastener is assem-
bled. The mould arrangement for the elements can thus be adopted to provide
the space between pairs of hooking portions of each open-end fitting.
In further embodiments not shown in the drawings, the hooking por-
tions of each open-end fitting may be positioned at each side of a plane
which is substantially parallel to but is not coincident with the plane of
the tapes. Such an arrangement may be employed for example on a fastener
of which each stringer has a series o coupling elements secured entirely on
one face of a tape. The transversely opposed surfaces ma~ be mutually
inclined laterally to the plane of the tapes.
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