Slide fastener of the invisible type

Claim 2

A slide fastener of the invisible-type comprising: a. a pair of coplanar side-by-side fabric webs with an opening to be closed between them; b. a pair of lines of ladder-type fastener elements each including a series of spaced U-shaped elements having their ends attached to and held in uniform spaced relation by a pair of cords each running the length of the line, each of said Ushaped elements having a central fasteNing head and an enlargement at at least one of its ends, the enlargement extending outward in a direction perpendicular to the adjacent cord, the surfaces of the fabric of the webs to be on the outside of the opening being turned under at the opening and doubled back to present a flat attaching surface on the inside of the opening, the lines being stitched respectively to the attaching surface of the fabric webs adjacent the opening with the heads of the elements facing each other; c. a slider comprising a housing having connecting bottom and side flanks, and a Y-shaped throat receiving the lines of elements, the housing having an open top and flanges extending inward from the side flanks into the U-shaped elements, and groove means in the slider to accommodate and engage the said enlargements, the groove means flaring outwardly to complement the shape of the Y-shaped throat, the housing having an upward post extending up from the center line of the bottom adjacent the wider end of the Y-shaped throat whereby the groove means and enlargements serve to hold the elements and the webs away from the post and thereby reduce wear on the fabric.

Claim 3

A slide fastener as claimed in claim 1 wherein the groove means is in the upper surface of the bottom of the slider and the enlargements ride in the groove means.

Claim 4

A slide fastener as claimed in claim 2 wherein the flanks of the slider terminate short of the webs.

Claim 5

A slide fastener as claimed in claim 1 wherein the groove means have outwardly facing vertical shoulders inward from the flanks against which the enlargements abut.

Claim 6

A slide fastener as claimed in claim 1 wherein the enlargements extend outward on both sides of the leg of each U-shaped fastener that is more remote from the attaching surface and the groove means is formed in both the bottom and the flanges.

Claim 7

A slide fastener as claimed in claim 1 wherein the enlargements outward on the upward side of the leg of each U-shaped fastening element that is more remote from the attaching surface and the groove means is only in the underside of the flanges.

Claim 8

A slide fastener of the invisible-type comprising: a. a pair of coplanar side-by-side fabric webs with an opening to be closed between them; b. a pair of lines of ladder-type fastener elements each including a series of spaced U-shaped elements having their ends attached to and held in uniform spaced relation by a pair of cords each running the length of the line, each of said U-shaped elements having a central fastening head, the surfaces of the fabric of the webs adjacent the opening being turned under at the opening and doubled back to present a flat attaching surface on the inside of the opening, the lines being stitched respectively to the attaching surface of the fabric webs adjacent the opening with the heads of the elements facing each other; c. a slider comprising a housing having connecting bottom and side flanks, and a Y-shaped throat receiving the lines of elements, the housing having an open top and flanges extending inward from the side flanks into the U-shaped elements, the flanks stopping short of the fabric, the housing having an upward post extending up from the center line of the bottom adjacent the wider end of the Y-shaped throat whereby the flanks do not embrace the fabric and the operability of the slider is not dependent on the weight of the fabric, and the slider does not wear the fabric.

Claim 9

A slide fastener of the invisible-type comprising: a. a pair of coplanar side-by-side fabric webs with an opening to be closed between them; b. a pair of lines of ladder-type fastener elements each including a series of spaced U-shaped elements having their ends attached to and held in uniform spaced relation by a pair of cords each running the length of the line, each of said U-shaped elements having a central fastening head, the surfaces of the fabric of the webs adjacent the opening being turned under at the opening and doubled back to present a flat attaching surface on the inside of the opening, the lines being stitched respectively to the attaching surface of the fabric webs adjacent the opening with the heads of the elements facing each other; c. a slider comprising a housing having connecting bottom and side flanks, and a Y-shaped throat receiving the lines of elements, the housing having an open top and flanges extending inward from the side flanks into the U-shaped elements, the flanks stopping short of the fabric, the housing having an upward post extending up from the center line of the bottom adjacent the wider end of the Y-shaped throat whereby the flanks do not embrace the fabric and the operability of the slider is not dependent on the weight of the fabric, and the slider does not wear the fabric.

Claim 10

An article having a slide fastener closure therein comprising: a. a pair of aligned intermeshing lines of plastic fastener elements, each element being of U shape and comprising a pair of legs and a connecting bight with interengaging means at the bights, the interengaging means of one line interengaging the interengaging means of the other line, each line of fastener elements having a pair of cords respectively connecting the ends of the corresponding legs of the elements to space the elements accurately, the openings of the lines of U-Shaped elements facing in opposite directions respectively outward of the lines; b. flexible panels areas in the article on opposite margins of an opening, the lines of plastic fastener elements having the legs along one side secured against and to the article on opposite margins respectively of the opening by lines of stitching, the lines of stitching extending into the material of the article and snugly around the leg of each fastener element more proximate the material, at least one of the lines of fastener elements being secured directly to a panel area of the article itself without the customary intermediate slide fastener tape; and c. a slider comprising a housing having connecting top and side flanks, and a Y-shaped throat receiving the lines of elements, the housing having an open bottom for passage of the lines of stitching, and flanges extending into and being slideable respectively in the openings of the lines of fastener elements; whereby the slider engages only the plastic of the lines of fastener elements without engaging the panels of the article and whereby the dimensions of the parts of the surfaces engaged by the slider is not a function of the thickness of the material of the panel.

Claim 11

An article having a slide fastener closure therein comprising: a. a pair of aligned intermeshing lines of plastic fastener elements, each element being of U shape and comprising a pair of legs and a connecting bight with interengaging means at the bights, the interengaging means of one line interengaging the interengaging means of the other line, each line of fastener elements having a pair of cords respectively connecting the ends of the corresponding legs of the elements to space the elements accurately, the openings of the lines of U-Shaped elements facing in opposite directions respectively outward of the lines; b. flexible panels areas in the article on opposite margins of an opening, the lines of plastic fastener elements having the legs along one side secured against and to the article on opposite margins respectively of the opening by lines of stitching, the lines of stitching extending into the material of the article and snugly around the leg of each fastener element more proximate the material, at least one of the lines of fastener elements being secured directly to a panel area of the article itself without the customary intermediate slide fastener tape; and c. a slider comprising a housing having connecting top and side flanks, and a Y-shaped throat receiving the lines of elements, the housing having an open bottom for passage of the lines of stitching, and flanges extending into and being slideable respectively in the openings of the lines of fastener elements; whereby the slider engages only the plastic of the lines of fastener elements without engaging the panels of the article and whereby the dimensions of the parts of the surfaces engaged by the slider is not a function of the thickness of the material of the panel.