US3205547A - Device for attaching fabric or similar material to support - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 14, 1965 N. B.RIEKSE 3,

DEVICE FOR ATTACHING FABRIC OR SIMILAR MATERIAL TO SUPPORT Filed June 22, 1962 WM'HIII.

j a INVENTOR.

ill. 15. 9/5/6535 United States Patent 3,205,547 DEVICE FOR ATTACHING FABRIC 0R SIMILAR MATERIAL TO SUPPORT Neil B. Riekse, Detroit, Mich. (3853 Legion Lane, Los Angeles, Calif.) Filed June 22, 1962, Ser. No. 204,564 2'Clai1us. (Cl. 24-243) This invention relates to a device for securing a sheet of fabric, plastic or other deformable material to a supporting surface, preferably in sealed relation therewith, so that the sheet material can be removed whenever desired.

A few of the many possible uses of the device include the sealing of one edge of a shower curtain to a wall of a tub enclosure, the mounting of panels of plastic material for storm windows or other enclosures, and the mounting of protective covers for objects of various kinds.

The general object of the invention is to provide a device which will secure a sheet of deformable material in sealed but removable relation to a supporting surface; which will not injure the material; and which can be readily and easily installed.

A device constructed in accordance with the invention consists of a pair of members, one of which is formed of resilient material with a longitudinally extending recess and with a slot communicating with the recess, the width of the slot being less than that of the recess. The other member includes a recess engaging portion having a width greater than the slot but less than that of the recess so that this portion of the other member can be placed in contact with the sheet of material to be secured and forced through the slot into the recess of the first member thereby retaining the material therein. One of the members is provided with suitable means whereby it may be secured to a supporting surface, preferably in sealed relation therewith.

In the preferred construction to be described herein, one of the pair of members acts as a base member and is provided with a recess having the shape of an equilateral triangle in cross-section, and a base surface adapted to be secured to the supporting surface. One apex of the triangular recess points toward the base surface and the side of the triangular section opposite this one apex is approximately parallel to the base surface. A slot is formed in this opposite side of the triangular recess communicating therewith but having a width less than the recess side so as to form an inwardly facing shoulder on each side of the slot. The slot side walls are tapered and resilient so that they may be spread apart. The other member is an insert member consisting of a strip of non-resilient material having an equilateral triangular cross-section but of area less than that of the triangular recess. This insert member is engageable with the strip of material to be secured and can be forced through the slot and into the recess. During this operation the triangular shape of the insert member functions to spread the resilient sides of the slot apart and, when in the recess, the insert member and material are engaged in interlocked but removable relation with the base member, particularly the inwardly facing shoulders thereof.

Other features and advantages of the construction will appear from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiment thereof disclosed in the accompanying drawings which include the following views:

FIGURE 1, a vertical section through a typical bath tub installation showing the device of the invention employed to anchor one end of a shower curtain;

3,205,547 Patented Sept. 14, 1965 FIGURE 2, a vertical section at a right angle to the View of the structure shown in FIG. 1;

FIGURE 3, an enlarged sectional detail taken as indicated by the line 3-3 of FIG. 1 showing the parts in ex ploded relation; and

FIGURE 4, a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the parts assembled.

A conventional tub installation includes awall 10 at the head end of thetub 12 on which ashower head 14 andshower curtain rod 16 are mounted. When the shower is operated difliculty is usually experienced in positioning theshower curtain 18 so that water does not escape between the curtain and thewall 10 at the head end of the tub. This difficulty can be effectively prevented by employing thedevice 20 of the present invention to removably secure the shower curtain to thewall 10 in sealed relation therewith.

The construction and operation of the device are shown in detail in FIGS. 3 and 4. It consists of a pair ofmembers 22 and 24, which for convenience will be referred to as a base member and an insert member respectively.Base member 22 is formed of extruded relatively resilient plastic material and is provided with abase surface 26 and a longitudinally extendingrecess 28 with an outwardly facingslot 30 communicating therewith, the slot having a transverse dimension less than that of the recess. The other orinsert member 24 has a transverse dimension greater than that of theslot 30 but less than that of therecess 28 so that the insert member can be engaged with the sheet of deformable material, namely theshower curtain 18, adjacent oneedge 32 thereof, and forced through the slot into the recess thereby retaining thecurtain 18 therein.

In the preferred construction shown therecess 28 in thebase member 22 has the cross-sectional shape of an equilateral triangle, theapex 34 of which is located adjacent thebase surface 26, forming a pair of inwardly convergingsidewalls 37 and 38. The leg of the triangle opposite theapex 34 extends substantially parallel to thebase surface 26 and theslot 30 is formed therein, the slot having a width less than the length of the side of the triangle so as to form a pair of inwardly facingshoulders 40 and 41 on each side of theslot 30.Slot 30 is also provided with inwardly convergingsidewalls 42 and 43.

Insert member 24 is also formed with a cross-sectional configuration of an equilateral triangle having an area less than that of therecess 28 but with each side of the triangle having a length greater than the width of theslot 30 and preferably a slightlyconcave portion 44. When the triangular insert member is placed in engagement with theshower curtain 18 and forced into therecess 28, the converging faces 46 and 47 of the insert member act to spread the sides of theslot 30 apart. Due to the resilience of thebase member 22, thecurtain 18 is not injured but yet is securely retained in sealed relation with the base member. Whenever it is desired to remove the curtain, it is relatively easy to withdraw the insert member from engagement in the recess. If desired, one end 50 (FIG. 2) of the insert may be allowed to project from theadjacent end 51 of the base memher and this projecting end of the insert can be grasped and pulled away from the base member, gradually spreading the slot of the base member progressively along its length and withdrawing the insert member from engagement in the recess.

Foolproof assembly of the two members is insured by the equilateral triangular shape of the recess and insert member.

Pressure sensitive adhesive means 52 are preferably employed for securing thebase surface 26 of thebase member 22 to the supportingsurface 10.

The construction illustrated is intended as representative, since the two members of the device may be changed in construction and proportion to suit the particular material to be mounted, and obviously, if desired, either of the pair of members cantbe employed as a base memberin other words,reither can be provided with means Which enable it to be secured to the supporting surface. Therefore such modifications from the construction illustrated as are within the scope of the following claims are to be considered a part of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A device for removably securing a sheet of deformable material such as fabric or plastic to a supporting surface comprising a base member of resilient material having a base surface adapted to be secured to said supporting surface, a longitudinally extending recess formed in said base member, said recess having a sectional configuration of an equilateral triangle with one apex thereof extending toward said base surface and with the side opposite said'one apex extending parallel to said base surface, a continuous slot communicating with said recess along the side opposite said one apex, said slot having v the width of said slot whereby the sheet of material to be secured'can be wrapped around at least one apex of the insert member and said one apex inserted in the slot, the insert member serving as a wedge to spread the side walls of the slot when the insert member and material are pushed through the slot into the recess and into overlapping engagement with saidinwardly facing shoulders, and means for securing the base member to said supporting surface.

2. A device as claimed inclaim 1 wherein the insert member is made of a flexible material.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS DONLEYI I. STOCKING, Primary Examiner; ABRAHAM G. STONE, Examiner.-

Claims (1)

1. A DEVICE FOR REMOVABLY SECURING A SHEET OF DEFORMABLE MATERIAL SUCH A FABRIC OKR PLASTIC TO A SUPPORTING SURFACE COMPRISING A BASE MEMBER OF RESILIENT MATERIAL HAVING A BASE SURFACE ADAPTED TO BE SECURED TO SAID SUPPORTING SURFACE, A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING RECESS FORMED IN SAID BASE MEMBER, SAID RECESS HAVING A SECTIONAL CONFIGURATION OFAN EQUILATERAL TRIANGLE WITH THE SIDE EXTENDING TOWARD SAID BASE SURFACE AND WITH THE SIDE OPPOSITE SAID ONE APEX EXTENDING PARALLEL TO SAID BASE SURFACE, A CONTINUOUS SLOT COMMUNICATING WITH SAID RECESS ALONG THE SIDE OPPOSITE SAID ONE APEX, SAID SLOT HAVING A WIDTH LESS THAN THE LENGTH OF SAID SIDE, THEREBY FORMING A PAIR OF INWARDLY FACING SHOULDERS ONE ONE EACH SIDE OF SAID SLOT, SAID SLOT HAVING INWARDLY CONVERGING SIDE WALLS, AN INSERT MEMBER HAVING THE SECTIONAL CONFIGURATION OF AN EQUILATERAL TRIANGLE SMALLER THAN SAID TRIANGULAR RECESS BUT WITH EACH LEG THEREOF HAVING A LENGTH GREATER THAN THE WIDTH OF SAID SLOT WHEREBY THE SHEET OF MATERIAL TO BE SECURED CAN BE WRAPPED AROUND AT LEAST ONE APEX OF THE INSERT MEMBER AND SAID ONE APEX INSERTED IN THE SLOT, THE INSERT MEMBER SERVING AS A WEDGE TO SPREAD THE SIDE WALLS OF THE SLOT WHEN THE INSERT MEMBER AND MATERIAL ARE PUSHED THROUGH THE SLOT INTO THE RECESS AND INTO OVERLAPPING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID INWARDLY FACING SHOULDERS, AND MEANS FOR SECURING THE BASE MEMBER TO SAID SUPPORTING SURFACE.

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