Flexible ornamental article and fastener therefor

Claim 2

A fastener for connecting two parts of an elongated flexible ornamental article, comprising a sleeve, which is open at both ends and provided with first bayonet joint means adjacent to each end thereof, two plugs, each of which is provided with second bayonet joint means, which are contained in said sleeve and interengage with said first bayonet joint means, a helical compression spring contained in said sleeve between said plugs for urging said plugs axially apart, and two spring abutment discs, which are axially slidable and mounted in said sleeve axially inwardly of said plugs, said discs being engaged by opposite ends of said spring, each of said plugs being rotatable in said sleeve to disengage its second bayonet joint means from the first bayonet joint means and being subsequently axially movable out of said sleeve.

Claim 3

A fastener as set forth in claim 1, in which said sleeve carries an ornament.

Claim 4

A fastener as set forth in claim 1, in which said first bayonet joint means adjacent to each end of said sleeve comprise a flange formed at the end of said sleeve, said flange formed with at least one radial indentation, the inside peripheral surface of said sleeve being formed with a radially inwardly open opening which is axially inwardly spaced from said indentation, and a slot connecting said indentation and said opening, and said second bayonet joint means of each of said plugs comprises a radial arm, which interlocks with said opening and upon a rotation of said plug in said sleeve is movable in said slot and then axially out of said sleeve through said indentation.

Claim 5

A fastener as set forth in claim 1, in which said first bayonet joint means adjacent to each end of said sleeve comprise a radially outwardly extending flange formed with two radial indentations, which are spaced 180° apart, the inside peripheral surface of said sleeve being formed with two radially inwardly open openings, which are spaced 90° from said indentations, and a slot connecting each of said indentations and a respective one of said openings, and in which said second bayonet joint means of each of said plugs comprise two radial arms which interlock with said two openings, and said two openings of each of said first bayonet joint means adjacent to each end of said sleeve and said arms which interlock with said openings lie on a common axis, which extends diametrically through said sleeve, whereby each of said plugs is pivotally movable about said axis.

Claim 6

A fastener as set forth in claim 1, in which each of said plugs comprises a head and a tubular stem which is smaller in diameter than said head and extends axially therefrom, each of said plugs is formed with an axial bore, which extends through said tubular stem and head and is open at both ends, and each of said heads is provided with said second bayonet joint means of said plug and at that end which is opposite to said tubular stem is formed with a recess, which merges into said bore, and provided with a crosspiece extending across said recess.

Claim 7

A fastener as set forth in claim 5, in which said crosspiece is laterally offset from the axis of said axial bore.

Claim 8

A fastener as set forth in claim 1, in which a crosspin extends diametrically through said sleeve at the center of the length thereof and retains said helical spring in said sleeve.

Claim 9

A fastener as set forth in claim 1 which comprises pistonlike spring abutments which are axially slidable in said sleeve and engage opposite ends of said spring, and spring-retaining means retaining said spring in said sleeve between said abutments.

Claim 10

A fastener as set forth in claim 1, in which each of said plugs comprises a head and a hollow cylindrical stem which is smaller in diameter than said head and extends axially therefrom, and said second bayonet joint means of each of said plugs are carried by said head thereof.

Claim 11

A fastener as set forth in claim 9, in which each of said plugs is formed with an axial bore which extends through said stem and head and is open at both ends and has an enlarged portion at that end of said head which is opposite to said stem.

Claim 12

A fastener as set forth in claim 1, in which said first bayonet joint means adjacent to each end of said sleeve comprise radially inwardly extending projections provided on the inside peripheral surface of said sleeve said discs being urged against said projections by the pressure of the helical compression spring, and said second bayonet joint means of each of said plugs comprise a head disposed in said sleeve and cooperating with one of said discs and means formed in the outside peripheral surface of said head for engaging said projections.

Claim 13

A fastener as set forth in claim 11, in which at least one of said spring abutment discs is provided with a hallmark.

Claim 14

A fastener as set forth in claim 11, in which each of said spring abutment discs has a peripheral surface formed with a helical groove and each end of said helical spring extends into the helical groove of the adjacent spring abutment disc.

Claim 15

A fastener as set forth in claim 13, in which the side of each of said spring abutment discs facing said plugs comprises a rounded surface, and the head of each of said plugs comprises a rounded surface cooperating with the rounded surface of each of said spring abutment discs.

Claim 16

A flexible ornamental article comprising a fastener connecting the ends of said article, which fastener comprises a sleeve which is open at both ends and provided with first bayonet joint means adjacent to each end thereof, two plugs, each of which is connected to one of said parts of said article and provided with second bayonet joint means, which are contained in said sleeve and interengage with one of said first bayonet joint means, a helical compression spring extending in said sleeve between said plugs and urging said plugs axially apart, and two spring abutment discs which are axially slidable and mounted in said sleeve axially inwardly of said plugs, said discs being engaged by opposite ends of said spring, each of said plugs being rotatable in said sleeve to disengage its second bayonet joint means from the first bayonet joint means and being subsequently axially movable out of said sleeve.

Claim 17

A flexible ornamental article comprising a fastener connecting the ends of said article, which fastener comprises a sleeve which is open at both ends and provided with first bayonet joint means adjacent to each end thereof, two plugs, each of which is connected to one of said parts of said article and provided with second bayonet joint means, which are contained in said sleeve and interengage with one of said first bayonet joint means, a helical compression spring extending in said sleeve between said plugs and urging said plugs axially apart, and two spring abutment discs which are axially slidable and mounted in said sleeve axially inwardly of said plugs, said discs being engaged by opposite ends of said spring, each of said plugs being rotatable in said sleeve to disengage its second bayonet joint means from the first bayonet joint means and being subsequently axially movable out of said sleeve.

Claim 18

A flexible ornamental article as set forth on claim 15, in which each of said plugs is connected to one end of said article.

Claim 19

A flexible ornamental article as set forth in claim 15, which comprises two flexible ornamental sections, each of which has one end provided with one of said plugs.

Claim 20

A flexible ornamental article as set forth in claim 15, in which a thread is threaded through a plurality of ornamental elements, each of said plugs comprises a head and a cylindrical stem, which is smaller in diameter than said head and extends axially therefrom, said second bayonet joint means of each of said plugs are provided on said head thereof, each of said stems extends into one of said ornamental elements.

Claim 21

A flexible ornamental article as set forth in claim 18, in which each of said plugs is formed with an axial bore, which extends through said stem and head and is open at both ends and has an enlarged portion at that end of said head which is opposite to said stem, and said thread extends through said axial bore of each of said plugs and comprises two knots, each of which is disposed in one of said enlarged portions.

Claim 22

A flexible ornamental article as set forth in claim 15, in which, a thread is threaded through a plurality of ornamental elements, each of said plugs comprises a head and a tube which is smaller in diameter than said head and extends axially therefrom, each of said plugs is formed with an axial bore, which extends through said stem and said tube along the longitudinal axis thereof, and is open at both ends and has a cross-sectional dimension which is twice the diameter of said thread, each of said heads comprises said second bayonet joint means of said plug, a recess disposed at that end of said head which is opposite to said tube and which merges into said bore, and is provided with a crosspiece for securing the thread, each of said tubes extends into one of said ornamental elements, and said thread comprises two loop-shaped end portions, each of which extends through said bore of one of said plugs and around said crosspiece and back through said bore, and at least one of said ornamental elements, and has a terminal end adhered to said thread.

Claim 23

A flexible ornamental article as set forth in claim 20, in which said crosspiece is laterally offset from the axis of said axial bore.