Axial jewelry clasp

Claim 1

Releasably interlockable male and female clasp members for a jewelry band having slender terminals to which said clasp members conform and are respectively attachable, said male clasp member comprising: a wall; a detent projecting axially from one side of said wall; a tongue forming part of said detent; a leaf with a free end constituted by a distal extension thereof folded to overlie said tongue in a normal angular posture relative thereto but being resiliently deflectible to lie flatly against said tongue; said female clasp member comprising: peripheral walls defining a slender tubular body with an internal compartment within which said detent is receivable, and a closure for said compartment having a narrow, elongated, slot straddling the compartment and extending substantially from one wall thereof to the opposite wall, said walls being mutually inclined progressively narrowing the compartment on one side, at least, of the said slot: said detent being insertible into said compartment through said slot when the leaf is deflected to lie flatly against the tongue; said leaf being shorter than the tongue by the thickness of the compartment closure enabling it to pass wholly through the slot and being biased to recover its normal angular posture within the compartment; said tongue being generally the width of said slot and firmly ensconced therewithin and said leaf being generally the same width as said tongue end engaging the mutually inclined walls of the compartment under the bias aforesaid, inhibiting wobbling of the detent relative to the female clasp member; and externally manipulable means being provided for deflecting the leaf in the interior of the compartment to flatten it against the tongue enabling withdrawal of the detent for the compartment through said slot.