Cord lock

• US 4,453,292 A
• Filed: 08/30/1982
• Issued: 06/12/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1982
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Bakker, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shay, F. Barry
• Application Number:
  US06/412,429
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 24/115 G, 24/136 R, 339/254 R, 248/188.5
• US Class Current: 24/115.00G
• CPC Class Codes: F16G 11/101 deforming the cable by moving a part of the fastener
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/3984 Alignable aperture and spring pressed moving element

Abstract

A cord lock is provided for securing or locking a flexible cord or the like. The cord lock has but three pieces, a molded plastic cylinder and a molded plastic piston, and a biasing spring trapped therebetween. Snap-over cammed retaining means are provided for holding the piston and cylinder in assembled relation against the biasing force of the spring. Confronting flats are provided on the outer surface of the piston and inner surfaces of the cylinder to maintain rotational alignment so that a pair of lateral apertures in the cylinder can be aligned with a cross-bore in the piston for movement of a cord or the like therethrough.

Claims

1. A cord lock having only three parts comprising an integrally molded one-piece cylinder of a resilient material having an open end and an integral closed end, said cylinder having a pair of aligned lateral apertures therein for receipt of a cord or the like, a piston axially movable in said cylinder and having a cross bore therein alignable with said apertures, said cylinder and said piston each having two diametrically spaced chordal flats for relative rotational alignment, wherein said lateral apertures and said piston cross bore extend through respective flats, a pair of lead-in lramps formed inwardly of said cylinder'"'"'s open end on said cylinder'"'"'s two diametrically spaced flats, a pair of teeth formed on said piston'"'"'s two diametrically spaced flats adjacent the entering end of said piston, each of said teeth extending outwardly of said respective chordal flats and having a shallow slope on its lower outer portion and an upper shoulder facing away from said entering end, and a spring acting between said cylinder and said piston resiliently tending to move said piston out of said cylinder and to misalign said bore and said apertures to thereby clamp a cord between said cylinder and said piston, wherein said pair of teeth rides in said lead-in ramps as said piston is assembled into said cylinder by being moved axially towards said closed end of said cylinder to cam over said lead-in ramp and said shoulders of said pair of teeth snap into the respective pair of aligned lateral apertures to maintain said cylinder and said piston in assembled relation.

3. A cord lock as set forth in claim 1 wherein said head and the open end of said cylinder are spaced a second predetermined distance from said bore and said apertures whereby when said head and said open end are in contact said bore and apertures are aligned for accepting elongated articles.

2. A cord lock having only three parts comprising an integrally molded one-piece cylinder having an open end and an integral closed end, said cylinder having a pair of aligned lateral apertures therein for receipt of a cord or the like, a piston axially movable in said cylinder and having a cross bore therein alignable with said apertures for receipt of a cord when substantially aligned with said apertures, and a spring acting between said cylinder and said piston resiliently tending to move said piston out of said cylinder and to misalign said bore and said apertures to clamp a cord between said cylinder and said piston, and snap-over retaining means on said cylinder and said piston for axially assembling said cylinder and said piston and for thereafter holding said cylinder and said piston in assembled relation, each of said cylinder and said piston being a cylinder and having a chordal flat thereon providing for relative rotational alignment, said snap-over retaining means including ramp means and retaining shoulder means, and two teeth disposed on two diametrically spaced chordal flats, at least one tooth of said teeth extending outwardly from its chordal flat adjacent the entering end of said piston, said at least one tooth having a shallow slope on its lower outer portion and an upper shoulder facing away from said entering end, said shoulder adapted to engage the margin of one of said lateral apertures to maintain said cylinder and said piston in assembled relation, said piston includes a head at its end remote from the entering end and a cruciform spring positioner extending axially a predetermined distance from said entering end, said spring positioner being snugly fitted within said spring and rib means on the interior wall of said closed end extending into the interior of said spring, said cross-bore and said lateral apertures being axially spaced a predetermined distance from the entering end of said piston and said cylinder closed end, respectively, whereby when said spring positioner and said rib means are in contacting juxtaposition the bore and apertures are aligned.