Snap-fastener setting tool

• US 3,918,140 A
• Filed: 04/29/1974
• Issued: 11/11/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Anthony N. Konstant
• Original Assignee: Anthony N. Konstant
• Inventors: Konstant, Anthony N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Al Lawrence
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Jr., Harold P.
• Application Number:
  US05/464,854
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 29/270,271,278,23H,464,468 24/15C,217,217W,218 145/64
• US Class Current: 29/271
• CPC Class Codes: A41H 37/005 Hand implements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 24/51 including receiving member having cavity and mating member having insertable projection guided to interlock thereby
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45838 having curved or bent engaging section conforming to contour of projection
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53913 Aligner or center
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53943 Hand gripper for direct push or pull

Abstract

Mating snap fasteners adapted for securing a cover to a fixed object, e.g., a boat. One fastener has aperture means disposed concentrically therein and the other fastener contains a concentric hole. A setting tool has a handle, a shank and an extending pin which has a lower end that fits into the aperture means. Insertion of the pin through the hole and into the aperture means facilitates mating the snap fasteners because leverage obtained by moving the handle easily stretches the cover and brings said snap fasteners into alignment. The shank may include a cavity into which the pin upper portion can retract and a spring biasing it to the extended position. In such case, depression of the handle permits the lower end of the shank to press the aligned fasteners into final mating engagement.

Claims

1. In combination, a pair of mating snap fasteners having connecting parts of generally circular shape, one of said fasteners being adapted for mounting to a fixed object and having aperture means disposed concentrically therein and the other of said fasteners being adapted for mounting to a cover or the like and containing a hole disposed concentrically therein and extending completely therethrough, and a setting tool having a handle, a shank connected to said handle, and pin means extending from said shank, said pin means having a lower end sufficiently small to fit into said aperture means and smaller in cross section than the remainder thereof which is larger than said aperture means so that only said lower end thereof can be inserted thereinto, whereby insertion of said pin means through said hole and into said aperture means facilitates the mating of said snap fasteners because leverage obtained by movement of said handle easily stretches the cover and brings said snap fastener connecting parts into alignment.

2. The invention in accordance with claim 1 wherein said shank includes a cavity for accommodating an upper portion of said pin means and said pin is spring-loaded to the extended position so that, after a pair of mating snap fasteners are brought into alignment, depression of the handle effects retraction of said pin means into said cavity and permits the lower end of said shank to press said pair into final mating engagement.

3. The invention in accordance with claim 2 wherein said pin means is cylindrical and has a generally conical lower end.

4. The invention in accordance with claim 3 wherein said shank has an elongated passageway between said cavity and said lower end wherein said pin means is slidingly disposed.

5. In combination, a pair of mating snap fasteners having connecting parts of generally circular shape, one of said fasteners being adapted for mounting to a fixed object and having aperture means disposed concentrically therein and the other of said fasteners being adapted for mounting to a cover or the like and containing a hole disposed concentrically therein and extending completely therethrough, and a setting tool having a handle, a shank connected to said handle, and pin means extending from said shank, said pin means having a lower end of a size sufficiently small to fit into said aperture means, said shank including a cavity for accommOdating an upper portion of said pin means and said pin being spring-loaded to the extended position whereby insertion of said pin means through said hole and into said aperture means facilitates the mating of said snap fasteners because leverage obtained by movement of said handle easily stretches the cover and brings said snap fastener connection parts into alignment, and thereafter depression of the handle effects retraction of said pin means into said cavity and permits the lower end of said shank to press said pair into final mating engagement.

6. The invention in accordance with claim 5 wherein said pin means is cylindrical and has a generally conical lower end.

7. The invention in accordance with claim 6 wherein said shank has an elongated passageway between said cavity and said lower end wherein said pin means is slidingly disposed.

8. The invention in accordance with claim 5 wherein said other of said fasteners is mounted to a tight-fitting cover which must be stretched in order that said snap fasteners can be mated to each other.