US2449167A - Head and socket separable safety fastener - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 14, 1948. 1.1 H. HOPEWELL 2,449,167

HEAD AND SOCKET SEPARABLE SAFETY FASTENER Fi led ma 8. 1946 aINVENTOR z Patented Sept. 14, 1948 HEAD AND soomrr SEPARABLE SAFETY- i FASTENER a a LesterH. HopewelLiBrwk lymNlY.

Application May 8, 194s, SerialNo. 668,275

.3 Claims. (o 2.4 223),

This invention relates to a safety claspparticularly adapted for use in connection-with jewelry or other articles of adornment such as necklaces, bracelets and the like.

It is an object of the invention to provide a clasp in which the parts may be quickly attached and detached, but which provides more than an ordinary degree of safety against accidental detachment.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter. i i

A preferred embodiment of the invention selectedfor purposes of illustration is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the clasp in open position.

Figure 2 is a similar view of the clasp in closed position.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an end view of the clasp in closed position.

The drawings are on a greatly enlarged scale showing the clasp as applied to a necklace. In this case one end of the cord l on which the beads 2 are strung is fastened to a ring 3 formed in one end of a coupling member consisting of a shank 6i, and an enlarged spherical head 5. The other end of the cord 1 is passed through the passage 6 in a plug 1 and is knotted at 8 to anchor this end in the clasp.

The plug 1 seats against a shoulder 8 in the cylindrical body member Ill and is preferably held permanently in position by spinning the ends of the member Ill over the shoulder H of the plug so as to form a retaining flange I2. For all practical purposes the plug functions as an integral part of the body member and may be considered to be a part thereof. It is made separately only as a matter of manufacturing convenience in order to facilitate the drilling of recess l3 hereinafter referred to.

The member ID is provided with a recess l3 of a size to receive the head 5, and in order to provide access to said recess, the outer side wall of the member I is provided with a circular aperture M of slightly larger diameter than the head 5 and opening into the recess l3. Likewise, a slot l5 of a width sufiicient to receive the shank 4 is out in the end wall of the member In and opening into the aperture M and the recess [3.

Surrounding the cylindrical body member Ill is a sleeve it one end of which is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed lugs I1, [1 adapted to engage the shoulder l8, and the other end of which is provided with a fiangeii) adapted to engage il pring 23, The spring also bears against the shoulder 2| ofthe member iii; The sleeve is movablelongitudinally along the member iii forpurposes hereinafter describedtbut is normally,held in retractedposition as shown by the COmIIJIGSSiOII Of5131111210.. t a

The side wall of sleeve I6 is also provided with a circularaperture, 22 ofa diametersimilar to that ofaperture l land adapted to register there- .with; and the'end Wallis; provided with a slot 22' opening into the aperture ,221 register with the slot lilo; i

The sleeve, Iii is rotatable on: the member lil so that in one position of rotation the aperture 22 and the slot 22' of the sleeve may be brought into register with the aperture I l and slot it respectively of the member Iii as shown in Figures 1 and 3, while in other positions of rotation such apertures and slots are out of register as shown in Figures 2 and 4. In Figures 1 and 3 the clasp may be said to be in open position, for the head 5 and the shank 4 may be freely inserted in or withdrawn from the member l0, while in Figures 2 and 4 the clasp may be said to be in closed position for th head 5 of the coupling member is locked in recess l3 by the sleeve IS. The sleeve I6 is made to provide a loose running fit over the member ill, and means are provided to prevent accidental rotation of the sleeve on the member l0. Thus, in the embodiment illustrated, the reduced end portion 23 of member I!) is provided with oppositely disposed fiats 24, 24' which engage the ends of the lugs ll, ll. When it is desired to rotate the sleeve on the member 18 to shift from the open position to the closed position or vice versa, the sleeve is moved longitudinally of the member In against the compression of the spring 20 until the lugs ll, l'l' clear the flats 24, 24, at which time the sleeve may be rotated freely. In either the open position or the closed position, of course, th spring retracts the sleeve to the position shown in the drawings, thus locking the sleeve against accidental rotation.

It will be understood that the invention may be variously modified and embodied within the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A clasp comprising a cylindrical body member, a sleeve surrounding said body member and rotatable thereon, and a coupling member having a shank and an enlarged head, said body member having an interior recess, an aperture through its side wall opening into said recess,

and adapted to and a slot in its end wall opening into said recess and into said aperture, said sleeve having an aperture in its side wall and a slot in its end wall opening into said aperture, the aperture and slot of the sleeve being adapted to register 5 with the aperture and slot of the body member in one position of rotation of said sleeve with respect to said body member to enable the head of said coiipli'ng inmber tobe i nsei t'cl in and withdrawrffrom said recess.

2. A clasp comprising a cylindrical body member, a sleeve surrounding said body member and rotatable thereon, and a coupi-ingzmemberr-havirrg a shank and an enlarged head, said body mam-j rotatable thereon, and a coupling member havlng a shank and an enlarged head, said body member having an interior recess, an aperture through its side wall opening into said recess, and a slot in its end wall opening into said recess and into said aperture, said sleeve having an aperture in its side wall and a slot in its end Wall opening into said aperture, the aperture and [slot fof the sleeve being ada'pted to rgister with 10 the apertureand slot of 'the body member in one position of rotation of said sleeve with respect te said body member to enable the head of said eoupll-ng member to be inserted in and withdr awn'from said recess, said sleeve being movber having an interior recess, an aperture through 45 able longitudinally along said body member,

its side wall opening into said reeesss'ariira siet in its end wall opening into said reeessgazid into said aperture, said sleeve having an aperture in its side Wall and a slot in its end wali 'opening I 20 nal position of the sleeve thereon, and a spring into said aperture, the aperture and slot of the sleeve being adapted to rgiste' w ith the apertui e ozie position f rotation 6f it "respet to 'said bddy "member to enabletiie liead ai ber "to -be inserted in rece'ss, -sai d sleeve bein movable fir'igitudin'ally along said body member, sedan relativ'e rotatio'n between -said sleeve and said body me'nib'er in ong-longitudinal position of *the sleeveitl'ieron p t'iv-e rot-aitionizin anotlier iengitiidiiral positidn of the sli-ive tfil 'eh.

3. A clasp comprlsing'a cylindrical body niemiber,eaisieeve surroundingasaddibddy member and "rinittir ig such-relaiiieans' t'o pi event relative rotation between said sleeve and lsa' idibody member in one longitudi- "nai'p'osition 6f the sleeve thereon While permitting sii'eh relative rotation in another longitudinormally holding said sleeve-dulongitudinali'position to: prevent relative rotation -:-between =said -sleeve:an'd said-body member. 7 I

LESTER H. HQPEWELh REFERENCESCIT ED 'z'l he foli'cwirig refereiic'e's are or lfecoi d i n tl i'e -fil'e of this' patefit:

UNITED STATES PATENTS V Number Name 1 3 42671 Fesler a wJun-e zii, 1 920 2305;234 liratz ss-a Dec. 115,?1942 2,335,000 Edwardsaa-ma

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