Hook fastener with spring closure

Abstract

A hook fastener having a closure for closing a hook mouth. A keeper selectively prevents opening of the closure and includes a body having a base and a hook extending from the base to define a gap. The base has an external face and an opening with a mouth intersecting the external face. The closure includes a shaft and a grip, the grip protruding from the shaft through the mouth. A spring urges the closure such that the shaft may selectively extend out of the opening. The keeper is received to rotate upon the external face. A slot in the keeper extends parallel to the mouth, the keeper selectively preventing the user from retracting the closure from the gap.

1 . A hook fastener comprising:
 a body having a base portion and a hook portion extending from an end of the base portion to define a gap between the hook and the base portion;   an external face on the base portion;   a shoulder integral with the body to project from the external face and said shoulder defining an abutment;   an opening formed in the base portion, the opening having a keyhole shaped portion with an elongate mouth intersecting the external face;   a closure having a shaft part and a grip part, the shaft part received in the opening, the grip part protruding from the shaft part through the mouth for manipulation by a user;   a spring urging the closure such that the shaft part extends out of the opening into the gap, and   a keeper received to rotate upon the external face, the keeper having a substantially penannular form and being located between the abutment and grip part, a slot in the keeper extending parallel to the mouth, the keeper preventing the user retracting the closure from the gap, except when the slot is angularly aligned with the mouth and said keeper has a cylindrical inner surface and a cylindrical outer surface and a tab projecting from the outer surface for providing a handle and a projection angularly aligned with the tab and said projection selectively positionable in said mouth.   
     
     
         2 . The hook fastener of  claim 1  wherein the keeper is formed of resilient material and has an inner surface complementary to the external face of the base portion, and said projection extending radially inwardly of the inner surface, and said projection being configured for receipt in the mouth thereby providing a detent for locating the keeper in an angular position in which it prevents the user retracting the closure from the gap. 
     
     
         3 . The hook fastener of  claim 1  wherein the projection and mouth have first respective edges which substantially abut to restrict rotation of the keeper relative to the body in a first direction, and second respective edges which substantially abut to restrict relative rotation of the keeper in a second direction opposite the first direction, wherein at least one of the first and second edges is radiused or chamfered relative to the others of the first and second edges, and the keeper further includes a cylindrical outer surface and a tab aligned with one of said projections, the tab projecting from the outer surface for providing a handle 
     
     
         4 . The hook fastener of  claim 3  further including a D-shaped ring coupling connected to the body and a belt fastened to the ring coupling. 
     
     
         5 . A hook fastener comprising:
 a body having a base portion and a hook portion extending from an end of the base portion to define a gap between the hook and the base portion;   an external face on the base portion, the external face having a first axis;   a shoulder integral with the body to project from the external face, and said shoulder defining an abutment;   an opening formed in the base portion, the opening having a keyhole shaped portion with an elongate mouth intersecting the external face and a cylindrical part coaxial with the first axis;   a closure having a shaft part and a grip part, the shaft part received in the opening to reciprocate parallel to the first axis , the grip part protruding from the shaft part through the mouth for manipulation by a user;   a spring urging the closure such that the shaft part extends out of the opening into the gap;   a ring coupling secured to the body for rotation relative to the body about a second axis inclined acutely to the first axis, and   a keeper received to rotate upon the external face, the keeper having a substantially penannular form and being located between the abutment and grip part, a slot in the keeper extending parallel to the mouth, the keeper preventing the user retracting the closure from the gap, except when the slot is angularly aligned with the mouth and said keeper has a substantially penannular form with an inner surface cylindrical and a cylindrical outer surface and a tab projecting from the outer surface for providing a handle and a projection angularly aligned with the tab and said projection selectively positionable in said mouth.   
     
     
         6 . The hook fastener of  claim 5  wherein the hook portion has a concave face having an apex and the ring coupling includes a transverse arm portion transverse to, and bisected by, the second axis, and wherein the second axis passes through the apex of the concave face of the hook portion. 
     
     
         7 . The hook fastener of  claim 1  wherein the external face forms a narrow neck extending between a head part and a flange both integral with the body, the head part and the flange having respective opposing penannular faces between which the keeper is located. 
     
     
         8 . The hook fastener of  claim 15  further including a D-shaped ring coupling connected to the body and a belt fastened to the ring coupling. 
     
     
         9 . A keeper, comprising, in combination:
 a tubular body member having a substantially penannular form having a first end surface and a second end surface axially spaced from said first end surface, and said first end surface and said second end surface lie in radial planes, and said body member having a cylindrical outer surface and a cylindrical inner surface;   a slot in said body member having a first edge and a second edge, and said slot extending through said body member from said cylindrical outer surface to said cylindrical inner surface and from said first end surface to said second end surface;   a projection on said body member aligned with one of said first edge and said second edge of said slot, said projection extending radially inwardly from said cylindrical outer surface to regions radially inwardly from said cylindrical inner surface.   
     
     
         10 . The arrangement defined in  claim 9  wherein:
 said projection extends from said first end surface to said second end surface of said body member. 
 
     
     
         11 . The arrangement defined in  claim 9  wherein:
 said keeper is resilient. 
 
     
     
         12 . The arrangement defined in  claim 9  and further comprising:
 a tab mounted on said cylindrical outer surface of said body member intermediate said first end surface and said second end surface and said tab extending radially outwardly from said cylindrical outer surface of said body member and said tab providing a handle. 
 
     
     
         13 . The arrangement defined in  claim 12  wherein:
 said tab is angularly aligned with said projection. 
 
     
     
         14 . The arrangement defined in  claim 9  and further comprising:
 a nub extending axially from said first end surface of said body member. 
 
     
     
         15 . The arrangement defined in  claim 12  and further comprising:
 a nub extending axially from said first end surface of said body member. 
 
     
     
         15 . The arrangement defined in  claim 9  wherein:
 said projection has a first projection inner edge and a second projection inner edge spaced circumferentially from said first projection inner edge, one of said first projection inner edge and said second projection inner edge is radiused.