USRE22625E - One-way snap fastener - Google Patents

Description

April 3, 1945. Q J -HUEI ESTER Re 22,625

ONE-WAY SNAP FASTENER Original Filed March 30,- 1942 INVENTOR 7 20a &5 2/" 35 22a 0770 J HuELsTER Reiuued Apr. 3, 1945 p ONE-WAY SNAP FASTENER Otto J. Huelster, Waterbury, Conn., assignor to Scovill Manufacturing Company, Waterbury, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Original No. 2,328,016, dated August 31, 1943, Se-

rial No. 435,728, March 30, 1942.

Application for reissue April 26, 1944, Serial No. 532,895

Claims.

This invention relates to snap fasteners, and more particularly to improvements in that class of device of which the component socket or stud members may be detached one from another only by the application of a pull in one particular direction.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple and rugged snap-fastener socket member having a spring element which may be engaged with the head of a conventional stud in an ordinary manner, but which may not be disengaged to release the stud except in response to a. pull applied to the fastened socket and stud member in a predetermined way.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a socket member of this general character having a split-ring spring element confined in a tapered recess in the body of the socket, and means for holding a portion of the ring in the enlarged rear. end of the recess so that a pull applied immediately above that part or the ring will efiect its expansion and its release from the head of a cooperating stud member, whereas a pull applied to the socket at any other point will cause the ring to move into a constricted part of the recess wherein it cannot expand su-flicientl to release the stud.

It is another object of the invention to provide a. snap fastener stud member which may be disengaged from a socket of the foregoing character more easily than can a stud of conventional design; and, more specifically, to provide a stud having its head deformed from the truly circular shape of a conventional stud in such a way as to facilitate its separation from the one-way detachable socket of the invention in response to a pull applied to the fastened members at the one proper place. I

The foregoing and other objects of the invention, as well as various features thereof, will be more apparent from the following description when considered in the light of the accompanying drawing, in which-- Figure l is a plan view of a socket member constructed in accordance with the invention and secured to a supporting sheet;

Figs. 2 and 3 are sectional views of the socket of Fig. 1 illustrating its detachment from a conventional stud member in response to a separating pull applied at the one proper place;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View, similar to that of Figs. 2 and 3, illustrating the manner in which the socket locks with its cooperating stud to prevent separation of one member from the other when the sheets on which the members are installed are pulled in any but the one desired direction Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional views illustrating another form of socket embodying the invention, the section of the separate figures being taken at to each other;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a fragment of the socket assembly of Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, looking downwardly from the top thereof; and

Fig. 8 is a plan view ofthe stud element of the present invention which is designed for use with the illustrated sockets.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the body Ill of the socket is preferably a one-piece sheet-metal shell comprising a crown portion ll having a central opening I! for receiving the end of a rivet I3 by which the body is secured to a supporting sheet M; a back flange i5 extending more or less abruptly outward from the margin of the crown; and a pcripheral wall I 6 extending forwardly from the back flange, these various portions forming collectively a recess H for receiving the head of a stud member l8, which is here shown installed upon a second supporting sheet IS. The spring element of the assembly is preferably a simple split ring 20 located in the stud-receiving recess I! where it may engage the contracted neck portion 2| of the stud to hold that member and the socket in fastened relation. In accordance with the invention, the recess I! is somewhat larger at its rear than at its forward end, whereby the spring element may have some backward and forward movement therein. This is very simply accomplished in the preferred embodiment by tapering the wall ['6 inwardly from its juncture with the back flange l5 toward its mouth 22, although any other suitable expedient may be adapted to accomplish'the desired result. It is also of importance to note that a portion of the spring ring is always confined within the enlarged rear end of the stud-receiving recess of the socket. Thus in Figs. 1v to 4 the mouth of the shell is inturned as shown to provide a lip 23 which is adapted to hold the adjacent sector of the ring within the enlarged rear end of the studreceiving recess ll while allowing its remaining portions to axially tilt with respect to the shell forwardly or backwardiy in the manner heretofore mentioned.

The above-described socket may be snapped into engagement witha cooperating stud II in the usual way, and this operation is so readily evident as to require neither specific illustration nor description. The constructional features of the socket are such, however, that it cannot be diseng ed from the stud except by the application of a pull to the fastened supporting sheets l4 and is at one particular place. The separating operation is illustratedin Figs. 2 and 8, where it will be observed that a pull upon thesheets immediately above and below the inturned lip 28, as indicated by the arrows, has theefl'ect of force to the fastened socket and stud at any but the one proper place, is illustrated in Fig. 4. There the pull upon the fastened sheets has the effect of tilting the socket and stud in such a way as to cause ring 20 to lie in a constricted part of the stud-receiving recess l'l with its entire periphery engaged by the tapered wall It. When the parts of the fastened members are inthese relative positions it is apparent that ring 20 is not free to expand for the purpose of releasing the head of the stud, and continued pulling of the sheets not only falls of that result, but, on the contrary, can only cause the tapered wall of the shell to bind more firmly against the ring and tighten the hold of that element upon the said head. In order to simplify illustration the pull upon the sheets has been indicated as applied at points diametrically opposite the inturned lip 23 of the socket. It will be evident, however, that the application of a pull to the fastened sheets at any other point along the peripheries of the members except at the one proper opening place will lock the socket upon the stud in the manner just described. Thus, a pull upon the fastened members will always tilt them to such relative positions as to cause the tapered wall 01' the body III to confine the ring 20 and wedge it against the head of the stud l8 whereby to prevent separation of one member from the other, unless that pull is applied at points immediately ovenand under the inturned llp'23.

Another form of socket embodying the invention is illustrated in Figs. and 6, where, for the sake of simplicity, the body portion lie is again a simple sheet-metal shell having a crown lid with a central rivet-receiving opening Ho, and a back flange lie; and its stud-receiving recess ila is again constricted by having its peripheral wall -l in tapered inwardly-the shell in these respects being substantially identical with that 01' the embodiment 01' Figs. 1 -.to 4. In this arrangement, however, the means for holding the spring ring 20a in the desired position are formed on the ring rather than on the shell. Thus, the ends 21 of the split ring are turned downwardly, as is shown in Fig. 5, and rest upon the tapered wall of the shell so that the adjacent sectors of the ring are held in the enlarged rear end of the stud-receiv ing recess while all of its other portions are free to move backwards and forwards therein. The functioning of this device is precisely like that of the one already described. When, for example, a pair of sheets which are fastened together by a socket of this kind and a conventional stud member, are pulled at points immediately above and below the downtumed ends of the ring 20a, that ringiwill expand and release the stud Just as does proper place, the tapered wall Ito of the shell will engage and confine the ring a so that it cannot expand to release the stud, Just as was described in connection-with the device illustrated in Fig. 4.

In this form of the invention it is essential that the downtumed ends of ring 20a be maintained in some definite position in the shell, so that the place for the application of a separating pull to the socket may always be determinate. This is accomplished in the illustrated device by indenting the mouth of the shell to provide a pair of internal lips 28 which are adapted to engage the ends of the ring and hold them in a definite position, although any other suitable expedient may be adopted to achieve the desired result.

It will be evident that in the completed installation the one-way limiting means on the socketnamely, the lip 23 of Figs. 1 to 4, or the downturned ends 21 of the ring and the internal lips 2| of Figs. 5 and 6must be held-in a definite relation to the supporting sheet, and the same thing is true oi'the index mark 29 on, the attaching cap 30 (Fi 7) which indicates the point of application of a separating pull. Thus in both illustrated modifications the crown of the socket and the underside of the cap are provided with a series of tines II which are adapted to dig into the supporting sheet I and thus to hold the socket and cap against rotation on the sheet.

In both of the illustrated embodiments of the socket, its body is a sheet-metal shell which is adapted to be riveted to its supporting sheet, and the spring element is a conventional split ring. While these embodiments have much to commend them in the matter of a simplicity and cheapness of manufacture, it will be evident that the inven- 40 tion may be embodied in other forms. It is only necessary that the body have some means whereby it may be secured to a supporting sheet; that the spring means, whatever its character, shall be I mounted-for limited back and forth movement in the stud-receiving recess; that the recess shall have an enlarged rear portion within which the spring may expand and a constricted portion ad jacent its mouth which is too small to allow sufficient expansion of the spring to release the head of a cooperating stud, and, finally means for holding a portion of the ring within the enlarged rear part of the recess where it may always expand in response to a pull applied immediately above that point.

The socket of the invention may be combined with a conventional form of stud, as is shown in Figs. 2 to 4, inclusive, to provide a one-way detachable snap fastener, as heretofore described. It is of note, however, that the separating action of thiscombination may be fairly stiflf, that is to say, a fairly heavy pull may sometimes be required to snap the truly circular head 24 of the conventionnal stud through ring 20 of the socket in order to release one member from the other. If a softer-acting'fastener is wanted it may readily be gotten by employing a stud of the type shown in Fig. 8 with the socket heretofore described. In

that figure, which is on a very much enlarged scale, it will be observed that the head 24a is flattened or relieved to a very slight extent at each side of that one of its sectors which is intended to underlie, the one-way opening means, i. e., lip 23 of Figs. 1 to 4 or the downtumed ends 21 of Figs. 5 and 6. Preferably the stud is of standard construction, and its head is deformed in such a way as to form a portion 32 which projects slightly beyond a true circlehaving its center coincident with that of the stud head, whereas the immediately adjacent portions 33 are drawn back equally slightly inside of that .theoretical circle. This deformation is so slight as to make no difference in the snapping of the stud into engagement with its socket in the ordinary fashion. It will be apparent, however, that when the projecting portion 32 of the stud head is aligned with the one-way limiting means of the socket, the lip 23, for example, the relieved sectors 33 will be able to pass through the ring 20 more easily than would the comparable, truly circular sectors of a conventional head-that is to say, the split ring of the socket will not have as much frictional engagement in the release 'of the relieved head of the Fig. 8 stud as it would to pass over the circular head of a conventional member. While this deformed head facilitates release of the socket from its stud in response to a properly applied separating pull, it will also be evident that neither the projecting portion 32 nor the relieved sector 33 will prevent the binding and locking together of the members when a pull is applied to them at any point other than immediately over and under the one-way limiting means of the socket, i. e., lip 23 or downturned ends 21.-

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the stud member of Fig. 8 must be installed upon its supporting sheet with the projecting portion 32 of its head so disposed that it will underlie the one-way limiting means of a cooperating socket I when the members are mutually engaged. In order that this established relationship may not be disturbed, the base of the stud preferably has a series of tines 34 which are adapted to dig into the supporting sheet during the setting of the stud so that they may hold the stud against rotation in its normal usage.

Since the invention is capable of embodiment in various forms, it is intended that the foregoing shall be construed in a descriptive rather than a limiting sense.

What I claim is:

1. A snap fastener socket member for use with a stud element of the type which includes a post having an enlarged head portion and a contracted neck, said socket member comprising a body having a recess therein and an opening for admitting the head of such a stud to said recess and an enlarged portion to the rear of said opening, spring means disposed in said recess and being adapted for limited axial tilting movement therein and for expansion to receive the head of a stud, and means on the socket member for cooperation with a part of the spring means for providing the limited axial tilting of the latter.

2. A snap fastener socket-according to claim 1, characterized in that the means on the socket member which cooperates with a part of the spring means for providing the limited tilting of the latter, operates to confin the pivotal portion of the spring means within the enlarged rear portion of the recess.

3. A snap fastener socket according to claim 1, characterized in that said spring means comprises a split-ring element.

4. A snap fastener socket according to claim 1, characterized in that said spring means comprises a split-ring element a portion of which is confined within the enlarged rear part of said recess, while leaving the remaining portions free to axially tilt backwardly and forwardly therein.

5. A snap fastener socket comprising a body element adapted to be secured to a supporting sheet and having a peripheral wall defining a recess with an opening at its forward end for admitting the head of a stud element and with an enlarged portion to the rear of said opening, and a spring element adapted for limited axial tilting movement in said recess and for expansion when disposed in the enlarged portion, to receive or release the head of a stud, and said peripheral wall having portions which slope inwardly and forwardly toward such opening whereby to confine said spring element and limit expansion thereof when said spring element is in a. forward position with respect to said opening.

6. A snap fastener socket member according to claim 5, further characterized in that said spring element is a split ring, and by the provision of means projecting inwardly from said peripheral wall to engage an adjacent part of said ring and to hold it within the enlarged rear portion of said recess.

7. A snap fastener socket member according to claim 5, further characterized in that said spring element is a split ring, and in that the said spring has an offset portion extending towards said opening and engaging said wall whereby to hold the adjacent part of said spring within the enlarged rear part of said recess.

8. A snap fastener socket member according to claim 5, further characterized in that said spring element is a split ring, and has a short end portion which extends forwardly towards said opening and engages said shell to hold adjacent portions of said ring within said enlarged portion of said recess.

9. A snap fastener socket member for use with a stud element of the type which includes a post having an enlarged head portion and a contracted neck, said socket member comprising a body having a recess therein and an opening for admitting the head of such a stud to said recess and an enlarged portion to the rear of said opening, spring means disposed in said recess and being adapted for limited axial tilting movement therein and for expansion to receive the head of a stud, said spring means comprising a split ring, means providing limited axial tilting of said ring in said recess, and means on the socket member for retaining the split of the ring in predetermined position in said socket member.

10. A snap fastener socket member for use with a stud element of the type which includes a post having an enlarged head portion and a contracted neck, said socket member comprising a body having a recess therein and an opening for admitting the head of a stud into said recess, spring means disposed in said recess, means retaining the spring means against displacement from the recess of said member while permitting tilting movement thereof and expansion for reception of the head of a stud, and means on the socket member for cooperation with a part of the spring means for providing limited axial tilting of said spring means in said recess.

11. A snap fastener socket member comprising a body adapted to be secured to a supporting sheet, a spring ring, means on one surface of said body for supporting said spring ring against displacement from said bodywhile permitting free expansion of the spring ring and movement thereof toward and from said surface, and means retaining a part of the spring ring in close proximity to said surface to minimize said movement of said part of the spring ring with respect to said surface.

12. A snap fasiener socket member comprising a body adapted to be secured to asupporting sheet, a spring ring, means on one surface'oi' said 'body for supporting said spring ring againstdisplacement from said body while permitting free expansion of the spring 'ring and movement thereof toward and from said surface, means retainingapartofthespringringincloseproximity to said surface to minimize said movement of said part of the spring ring withv respect to said surface, and the body of said socket member oases gazed, and said sectors ha i outer founded surhaving means retaining the spring ring againstcircumferential displacement on the surface of said body. 1

- 13. A one-way detachable snap fastener installation including a socket member and a cooperating stud member, said socket member comprising a sheet metal shell having means whereby it may be secured to a supporting sheet, a circular wall defining a recessv in said shell with an opening thereto for receiving the stud member, a

split ring spring element confined in said recess,

toward such opening whereby said ring may have limited back and forth movement in said recess, an inwardly projecting, lip on said shell adapted the enlarged rear part of saidrecess and in defining one-way limiting means onsaid socket; and said stud member comprising an upstanding post having a head which is slightly larger in diameter than the inside diameter of said spring said wall being tapered forwardly and inwardly g to engage a sector of said ring to hold'it within element, a contracted neck lying immediately behind said head, means whereby said stud member may be secured to a supporting sheet, said ,element from the socket faces lying slightly inside ofv a circle drawn from the center of the post and coinciding with the major portion of the remaining outer surfaces of the head.

14. A snap fastener installation according to claim 13, in which that portion of the head ar-. ranged between said sectors "and in alinement with the one-way limiting means of the socket. projects slightly beyond the mentioned theoretical circle. v

15. In a snap fastener comprising a stud element and socket member. a socket member adapted for one-way detachment only of a stud element with respect thereto, said socket mem-.

her having a split spring ring for engagement with a stud element in securing-the element against displacement from said socket member, means on the socket member providing expansion of said spring ring sumciently to receive a stud elementand for retaining the ring against displacement from said socket member, said means providing free but limited movement of the spring ring throughout the major portion of the circumference thereof in a direction axially with respect to a stud element arranged in the socket member, and means retaining a portion of the circumference of said spring against said axial movement and forming on the socket member the position of one-way detachment of a 'stud member.

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