Interlocking device for releasably interconnecting the tapes of a slide fastener

Claim 1

AN INTERLOCKING DEVICE FOR RELEASINGLY INTERCONNECTING THE TAPES OF A SLIDE FASTENER ON WHICH ARE SUPPORTED ELEMENTS WHICH ARE SELECTIVELY ENGAGEABLE AND DISENGAGEABLE BY A MOVABLE SLIDER, SAID INTERLOCKING DEVICE COMPRISING A MALE AND A FEMALE ELEMENT ATTACHED TO RESPECTIVE TAPES AND ADAPTED FOR BEING RELEASINGLY INTERENGAGED, SAID MALE ELEMENT INCLUDING A COLUMN PORTION HAVING AN INCLINED FRONT FACE, AN ANCHORING PORTION ABOVE SAID COLUMN PORTION AND PROVIDED WITH A RECESS FOR ACCOMMODATING AN ENGAGING LUG ON ONE OF THE ENGAGEABLE ELEMENTS ON THE OTHER OF THE TAPES, SAID MALE ELEMENT FURTHER INCLUDING A HOOK PORTION OF L-SHAPED BENEATH THE COLUMN PORTION, SAID HOOK PORTION HAVING A GREATER THICKNESS THAN THAT OF SAID COLUMN PORTION TO PROJECT LATERALLY THEREOF AND FORM SHOULDERS, SAID FEMALE ELEMENT INCLUDING SPACED ELEMENTS DEFINING A GROOVE BOUNDED BY AN INCLINED FACE COMPLEMENTARY TO THE FRONT FACE OF THE COLUMN PORTION, SAID GROOVE BEING EFFECTIVE, WITH SAID MALE AND FEMALE ELEMENTS INTERENGAGED, TO ACCOMMODATE SAID COLUMN PORTION OF THE MALE ELEMENT THEREIN WITH THE FRONT FACE THEREOF IN CONTACT WITH THE INCLINED FACE OF THE FEMALE ELEMENT, SAID FEMALE ELEMENT FURTHER INCLUDING A JAW PORTION FOR ENGAGING SAID HOOK PORTION OF THE MALE ELEMENT, SAID MALE AND FEMALE ELEMENTS BEING RELEASABLE ONE FROM THE OTHER THROUGH A SLOT PROVIDED IN ONE SIDE OF THE SLIDER BY PULLING THE MALE ELEMENT LATERALLY AND DOWNWARDLY WITH RESPECT TO THE FEMALE ELEMENT TO DISENGAGE THE HOOK PORTION FROM THE JAW PORTION.