U.S. patent number 3,646,621 [Application Number 05/060,570] was granted by the patent office on 1972-03-07 for mattress structure or the like.
Invention is credited to Restituto R. Fragas.
United States Patent |
3,646,621 |
Fragas |
March 7, 1972 |
MATTRESS STRUCTURE OR THE LIKE
Abstract
A bed structure or the like having a head supporting portion
which is mounted to swing upwardly and downwardly to positions of
different inclination relative to the main part of the bed, and
which is held in its different positions by a spring pressed latch
mechanism, with the latch being releasable automatically to an
inactive condition in response to arrival of the head section at a
predetermined upper position, so that after such release the head
section can swing downwardly without restraint by the latch
mechanism and past one or more of the support positions to a
predetermined lowermost setting. In a double bed structure, two of
the head sections may be provided, and may be mounted for movement
separately to different settings so that two different persons may
have individual control of their different halves of the bed.
Inventors: |
Fragas; Restituto R.
(Huntington Park, CA) |
Family
ID: |
22030344 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/060,570 |
Filed: |
August 3, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
5/617; 5/52 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C
20/04 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47C
20/04 (20060101); A47C 20/00 (20060101); A61g
007/00 (); A61g 007/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;5/66,75,68,91,352
;297/354,363,364,366 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Nunberg; Casmir A.
Claims
I claim:
1. A bed structure or the like comprising a first section on which
the lower portion of a person's body rests, a second section
against which the upper portion of the body rests and which is
mounted to swing upwardly and downwardly relative to the first
section to a plurality of different positions, and latch mechanism
operable as the second section is swung upwardly to support said
second section successively in said plurality of different
positions, said latch mechanism including releasing means
responsive to swinging movement of said second section to a
predetermined upper location to automatically release said latch
mechanism to a condition enabling downward swinging movement of the
second section past at least one of said positions thereof and to a
lower position, said latch mechanism including a latch part and an
element having a plurality of shoulders engageable with said latch
part in said different positions of the second section, said
releasing means including a cam surface formed on said element and
engageable with said latch part beyond said shoulders to deflect
the latch part laterally to a location for passing said shoulders
on downward movement of the second section, there being a first
spring yieldingly urging said latch part in a first direction into
holding engagement with said shoulders, and a second spring
yieldingly resisting said lateral deflection of said latch
part.
2. A bed structure or the like comprising a first section on which
the lower portion of a person's body rests, a second section
against which the upper portion of the body rests and which is
mounted to swing upwardly and downwardly relative to the first
section to a plurality of different positions, and latch mechanism
operable as the second section is swung upwardly to support said
second section successively in said plurality of different
positions, said latch mechanism including releasing means
responsive to swinging movement of said second section to a
predetermined upper location to automatically release said latch
mechanism to a condition enabling downward swinging movement of the
second section past at least one of said positions thereof and to a
lower position, said latch mechanism including a latch part, a
structure having a plurality of teeth forming shoulders engageable
in supporting relation with said latch part in said different
positions of the second section, and a spring yieldingly urging
said latch part against said teeth, said releasing means including
a cam surface beyond said teeth adapted to cam said latch part
laterally when the second section is at said upper location, said
structure having a side surface then engageable with said latch
part to hold it in a laterally deflected condition in which it
cannot engage and be stopped by said shoulders upon downward
movement of said second section, said latch part being movable
slightly farther by said spring when in engagement with said side
surface than when in engagement with said teeth.
3. A bed structure or the like as recited in claim 2, including a
second spring urging said latch part laterally and resisting said
deflection thereof by said cam surface.
4. A bed mattress comprising a first mattress section including a
frame and cushioning material; a shorter second mattress section
connected movably to said first section and also including a frame
and cushioning material; said sections being adapted to be placed
on and be supported by a bed in a condition in which said sections
have top surfaces of a combined length to support the entire length
of a user's body with the lower portion of the user's body resting
on said first section and the upper portion of the user's body
resting on said second section, and with said top surface of said
first section lying essentially in a horizontal plane; hinge means
connecting said frame of the second section to said frame of the
first section for relative upward and downward swinging movement
between a lowered position in which said top surface of the second
section is essentially horizontal and lies essentially in the same
horizontal plane as said top surface of said first section to form
a continuation thereof, and an upwardly inclined position; and
latch mechanism for releasably supporting said second section in
said upwardly inclined position and constructed to transmit load
forces from said frame of the second section to said frame of the
first section and to thereby support said second section in its
inclined position from said first section through said latch
mechanism.
5. A bed mattress as recited in claim 4, in which said cushioning
material of each section includes springs and padding thereabove,
said frame of each section extending essentially about and carrying
the springs of that section.
6. A bed mattress as recited in claim 4, in which said cushioning
material of each section includes springs and padding thereabove,
said frame of each section extending essentially about and carrying
the springs of that section, and there being an outer covering of
the mattress extending about the springs and the frame and across
the upper side of said padding.
7. A bed mattress as recited in claim 4, in combination with a
bedframe on which the mattress is supported.
8. A bed mattress as recited in claim 4, in which said frame of
each mattress section extends essentially along the periphery of
said section at essentially the bottom of said cushioning material
and spaced beneath the plane of said top surface of said first
section.
9. A bed mattress as recited in claim 4, in which said frame of
each mattress section extends essentially along the periphery of
said section at essentially the bottom of said cushioning material
and spaced beneath the plane of said top surface of said first
section, said latch mechanism also being located at essentially the
bottom of said cushioning material and being spaced in its entirely
beneath said plane of said top surface of said first section.
10. A bed mattress as recited in claim 4, in which said latch
mechanism is constructed for release by movement of said second
section of the mattress relative to said first section.
11. A bed mattress as recited in claim 4, in which said latch
mechanism includes releasing means responsive to swinging movement
of said second section to a predetermined upper location to
automatically release said latch mechanism to a condition enabling
downward swinging movement of the second section past said inclined
position in which the latch mechanism can support the second
section.
12. A bed mattress as recited in claim 4, in which said latch
mechanism includes a latch part and a series of shoulders
engageable successively with said latch part to support said second
section in a series of different inclined positions.
13. A bed mattress as recited in claim 4, in which said latch
mechanism includes a latch part, a plurality of shoulders
engageable successively with said latch part to support said second
section in a series of different inclined positions, and spring
means yieldingly urging said latch part to an active latching
position for holding engagement with said shoulders.
14. A bed mattress as recited in claim 4, in which said latch
mechanism includes a latch part and a series of shoulders
engageable successively with said latch part to support said second
section in a series of inclined positions, and releasing means
operable upon movement of said second section to a predetermined
upper location to displace said latch part and said shoulders
relative to one another to a relative orientation in which said
latch part can pass at least one of said shoulders upon downward
movement of the second section.
15. A bed mattress as recited in claim 4, in which said latch
mechanism includes a latch part and a plurality of shoulders
engageable successively with said latch part in said different
positions of said second section, and cam means operable upon
movement of said second section to a predetermined upper location
to deflect said latch part laterally to a location in which said
latch part can pass at least one of said shoulders upon downward
movement of said second section.
16. A bed mattress as recited in claim 4, in which said latch
mechanism includes a latch part and a plurality of shoulders
engageable successively with said latch part to support said second
section in a series of different inclined positions, said latch
part being spring urged in a first direction toward a position for
engaging said shoulders, there being means operable upon movement
of said second section to an upper location to automatically
deflect said latch part laterally in a second direction and to a
location for passing said shoulders on downward movement of said
second section.
17. A bed mattress as recited in claim 4, in which said latch
mechanism includes a latch part and an element having a plurality
of shoulders engageable with said latch part to support said second
section in a series of different positions, there being a cam
surface formed on said element and engageable with said latch part
beyond said shoulders to deflect the latch part laterally to a
location for passing said shoulders on downward movement of the
second section.
18. A bed mattress as recited in claim 4, in which there are two of
said shorter second sections connected to said first section in
side-by-side relation for supporting the upper portions of the
bodies of two persons and movable independently between inclined
positions and lowered positions in which the top surfaces of all
three sections lie in a common horizontal plane, there being
separate latch mechanisms for independently supporting said two
second sections in said inclined positions thereof from said first
section through said latch mechanisms respectively.
19. A bed mattress as recited in claim 18, in which said separate
latch mechanisms include a pair of latch mechanisms associated with
each of said second sections and supporting opposite sides
thereof.
20. A bed structure or the like comprising a first section on which
the lower portion of a person's body rests, a second section
against which the upper portion of the body rests and which is
mounted to swing upwardly and downwardly relative to the first
section to a plurality of different positions, and latch mechanism
operable as the second section is swung upwardly to support said
second section successively in said plurality of different
positions, said latch mechanism including a latch part and a
coacting shoulder which are relatively movable in essentially a
predetermined plane upon upward swinging movement of said second
section and are engageable to support said second section in said
inclined position, and releasing means operable upon swinging
movement of said second section to a predetermined upper location
to automatically displace said latch part and shoulder laterally
relative to one another in a direction moving at least one of them
out of said predetermined plane in which they move upon upward
swinging movement of the second section, and to a relative
orientation in which said latch part and shoulder can pass one
another upon downward movement of the second section.
21. A bed structure as recited in claim 20, in which there are a
plurality of shoulders engageable with said latch part to support
the second section in a series of differently inclined positions
and past all of which said latch part is relatively movable after
said lateral displacement thereof.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to certain unique features of adjustability
which are applicable to adjustable bed arrangements, and some of
which features are also applicable to other similar structures such
as chaise lounges, adjustable chairs, and the like. For simplicity
and clarity of disclosure, the invention will be described
primarily as applied to adjustable beds.
Though there have in the past been devised numerous different types
of adjustable beds, in which a head section of the bed is mounted
to swing upwardly and downwardly between positions of different
inclination, most of these prior arrangements of which I am award
have been structurally rather complex and therefore expensive to
manufacture, and consequently have seen little use beyond the sick
room. Further, these prior arrangements have in most instances been
rather difficult to adjust between their different settings, and
have been structurally so cumbersome as to render them too
unattractive for use in an ordinary home bedroom.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a novel adjustable bed structure or
the like, having a head portion which is adapted to swing between a
number of different settings, and in which the mechanism for
holding the head section in those various settings is extremely
simple, inexpensive to manufacture, and so compact and small in
size as to be virtually unnoticeable as differing visually from an
ordinary nonadjustable bed. Further, the holding mechanism may be
very easily actuable between its various conditions for holding the
head portion of the bed in positions of different elevation or
inclination, preferably without the necessity for actuation of any
special crank or shifting mechanism, or the like.
Desirably, the latching or holding mechanism for retaining the head
rest in its various set positions is operable solely by movement of
the headrest itself. More particularly, the headrest or head
section may be actuated upwardly through a series of different
successive positions, and may be automatically retainable in any
selected one of those different positions, and may ultimately be
releasable for reverse or downward movement past those various
settings and to a lowermost condition in response to arrival of the
headrest at a predetermined upper automatic release location. For
this purpose, there may be provided camming means for deflecting a
latch element to a released position upon such arrival of the
headrest at the specified upper position, with the lateral
deflection of the latch element functioning to so locate it as to
move freely past a series of coacting support shoulders upon
downward movement of the headrest.
As a further feature of the invention, when the bed structure is a
double bed arrangement, it is preferred that there be provided two
separate head sections for use by two different individuals, with
these head sections being adjustable separately to different
settings so that each person may adjust his particular part of the
bed to a selected condition. Each of the two head sections may be
retainable in its different settings by latching mechanism of the
type discussed above, with each being releasable as mentioned in
response to arrival of that particular head section at a
predetermined upper position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The above and other features and objects of the invention will be
better understood from the following detailed description of the
typical embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in
which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an adjustable mattress formed in
accordance with the invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the frame and spring structure of
the FIG. 1 mattress, with the cloth covering of the mattress
removed from the bottom and sides of the mattress in order to
reveal its inner construction;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of the mattress, partially broken
away, taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a further enlarged side view of the hinge and latch
mechanism of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but showing the latch mechanism
as it appears while one of the headrests is being swung upwardly
from its horizontal position of FIGS. 3 and 4;
FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIGS. 4 and 5, but showing the latch
mechanism in the uppermost, substantially vertically extending,
position of the headrest;
FIGS. 7 and 8 are vertical sections taken on lines 7--7 and 8--8
respectively of FIG. 4;
FIG. 9 is a horizontal section taken on line 9--9 of FIG. 4,
and;
FIG. 10 is a section taken on line 10--10 of FIG. 6.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring first to FIG. 1, I have illustrated at 10 a mattress
which may be rectangular in horizontal outline and dimensioned for
support on a conventional bedframe 11 of `double bed` size. The
mattress has a main section 12 extending across the entire width of
the mattress up to a location 13 beyond which two separately
adjustable head sections 14 and 15 may be provided for use by two
different persons using opposite sides of the bed.
In FIG. 2, the main bedframe 11 has been omitted, and the cloth
covering 116 has been broken away across most of the bottom of the
bed, and along its side edges, to reveal the inner construction of
the mattress. As seen in FIG. 2, the main portion 12 of the
mattress has a main essentially rectangular rigid frame 16,
including two parallel rigid opposite side members 17 and 18
interconnected at the foot end of the mattress by a rigid
crosspiece 19. Near their second ends 20, these two side frame
members 17 and 18 are interconnected by a second transverse rigid
frame element 21, extending parallel to member 19 and perpendicular
to interconnected elements 17 and 18. The four frame elements, 17,
18, 19 and 21 are desirably formed of appropriate angle iron stock,
to give the frame maximum rigidity and strength. Near the center of
the width of the bed, crosspiece 21 of the main frame 16 carries
two short rigid frame elements 22 and 23 (FIG. 2), which project
longitudinally of the mattress and parallel to the side frame
elements 17 and 18, and whose ends 24 are aligned transversely of
the mattress with the previously mentioned ends 20 of frame
elements 17 and 18, to coact with those frame elements in mounting
the two head sections 14 and 15.
The head sections 14 and 15 have identical rigid rectangular frames
25 and 26, which are hinged to the ends 29 and 24 of elements 17,
18, 22 and 23 by four individual latching hinge assemblies one of
which is illustrated at 27 in FIG. 4 and the other related figures.
Each head section frame 25 or 26 has two parallel opposite side
elements 28 and 29 interconnected by two parallel transverse frame
elements 30 and 31. As in the case of the various frame members
forming main frame 16, these various frame elements 28, 29, 30 and
31 of the head sections may be formed of appropriate angle iron
stock. The transverse elements 31 of the head sections may
interconnect the two side elements 28 and 29 at a location slightly
forwardly of the extremities 32 of those side sections, so that the
extremities 32 may be free for connection to elements 17, 18, 22
and 23 of the main frame section 16 by the four discussed hinge and
latching assemblies 27.
The main frame 16 carries a large number of conventional coil
springs 33 (FIGS. 2 and 3), which may be secured together in
conventional manner, and supported peripherally by the frame
elements 17, 18, 19 and 21. Extending across the upper side of the
spring assembly, there is provided the usual layer or series of
layers of padding 34, over which a sheet of fabric 116 forming the
mattress cover may be provided, typically with tufting as indicated
at 35 in FIG. 1. The mattress cover 116 and some of the padding 34
may extend downwardly at the sides of the mattress, and the cover
116 may also extend across the underside of the mattress.
The frames 25 and 26 of the two head sections 14 and 15 carry
groups of interconnected coil springs 33' of the same type carried
by the main frame 16, with these springs 33' being supported
peripherally by the frame elements 28, 29, 30 and 31. The padding
34 which extends across the upper side of the springs of the main
section 16 continues toward the head end of the bed to cover the
springs on both of the two head sections 14 and 15, but of course
is interrupted or divided into two halves at the location 35 (FIG.
1) at which the two head sections 14 and 15 meet one another. The
cover material 116 extends downwardly about three sides of the two
head sections 14 and 15 separately, and then across the undersides
of these two sections separately, so that these sections are free
for individual upward and downward swinging movement relative to
the main section 12 and relative to one another.
To describe now one of the four hinge and latch mechanisms 27, as
shown in detail in FIGS. 4-10, the angle iron configuration of the
side frame element 17 of main frame section 16 is illustrated in
FIG. 7, in which element 17 is represented in cross section as
having a horizontal first portion or flange 36 and an upwardly
projecting vertical second portion 37. The height of vertical
portion 37 may be slightly increased near the extremity 20 of
element 17, to function as a portion of the latch mechanism 27.
FIG. 7 also brings out the angle iron cross-sectional configuration
of one of the frame elements 28 of head section 14, with that
element 28 having a first portion 38 which extends horizontally in
the FIG. 4 setting of that head section, and having a vertical
second portion 39 received adjacent vertical portion 37 of element
17. Element 28 is connected to element 17 for upward swinging
movement about a horizontal axis 40, and between the positions of
FIGS. 4 and 6, by extension of a pivot screw 41 (FIG. 7) through
registering apertures 42 in portions 37 and 39 of elements 17 and
28 respectively. As seen in FIG. 4, the lower corner of element 28
may be rounded at 43', to avoid interference with the desired
upward swinging movement of element 28. In the horizontal position
of headrest section 14, the flange 38 of element 28 engages
downwardly against and is supported by horizontal flange 36 of
element 17, in the relationship illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 7.
Vertical portion 37 of element 17 is cut away at its forward edge,
that is, at the edge which faces toward the head end of the bed, to
define a series of latching notches 43, 44 and 45, and latching
teeth 46, 47 and 48, which coact with a spring pressed latch
element 49 to releasably retain element 28 and the remainder of the
associated head section in any of several different positions. The
latch element 49 is mounted to portion 39 of element 28 for
longitudinal sliding movement along an axis 149, and has at one
side a surface 50 which extends parallel to that axis, and at
another side a camming surface 51 disposed at an oblique angle to
surface 50, and also at an oblique angle to axis 149. Latch element
49 may be formed of rigid sheet metal or the like, having a
thickness corresponding substantially to the thickness of vertical
flange 37 of element 17, to be receivable within any of the three
latching notches 43, 44 or 45 of element 17.
As seen best in FIG. 5, the first of the latching notches 43 is
defined at one side by a surface or edge 52, which may extend
horizontally and is engageable by the horizontal undersurface 50 of
latch element 49 in the FIG. 4 horizontal setting of the headrest
section. The other side of the first mentioned latching notch 43 is
defined by an inclined surface or edge 53 which extends parallel to
and closely adjacent the edge or surface 51 of latch element 49 in
the FIG. 4 condition of the latch mechanism, and which acts to cam
element 49 leftwardly as seen in FIG. 5 upon upward swinging
movement of the head section.
When the head section 14 has swung upwardly to a predetermined
inclination, latch element 49 snaps into the second of the latching
notches 44, as indicated in broken lines in FIG. 6. This notch 44
is defined by two edges or surfaces 54 and 55 which extend in
directions corresponding to and are engageable with the two edges
50 and 51 of latch element 49 in the discussed second position of
that latch element, to thereby support the head section in that
inclined setting. Upon further upward swinging movement of the head
section toward the second broken line position of FIG. 6, the latch
element is again deflected along its axis 149 to a retracted
position, by engagement of surface 51 with camming surface 55, to
pass the second tooth 48 and fall into the third latching recess
45. In that next setting of the head section 14, surface 50 of the
latch element engages a coacting surface 56 of notch 45, to support
the head section against downward movement from that second
inclined setting. Upon further upward movement of the head section
and its carried latch element 49, the latter moves into engagement
with a camming surface 57 formed on frame element 17, and is
deflected laterally by that cam surface to the position of FIG. 10,
in which it can move freely downwardly pas the teeth 47 and 48 and
to the initial horizontal FIG. 4 setting, as will be brought out in
greater detail at a later point.
To first bring out the manner in which latch element 49 is mounted
to element 28 of the head section, it is noted that the vertical
portion 39 of element 28 carries at it outer side a vertical
preferably sheet metal element 58, attached to flange 39 in
suitable manner as by a first screw 59 and two additional screws
60. Element 58 contains an elongated guideway 61, dimensioned to
receive the slidably guide latch element 49, to enable the
previously mentioned movement of element 49 along its axis 149. A
coil spring 62 has one end disposed about a reduced width end
portion 63 of latch element 49, and has its opposite end bearing
against an end wall 64 of slot 61, to yieldingly urge the latch
element against the edge of element 17 which defines the teeth 47
and 48 and the intermediate notches. The sliding movement of notch
element 49 is limited in the FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 position by
engagement of a transverse pin 65 carried by the latch element with
an end wall 66 of a slot 67 formed in portion 39 of element 28. Pin
65 may be connected to latch element 49 in any suitable manner, as
by extension through an aperture in the latch element, and rigid
retention in fixed position within the aperture.
The active latching end of latch element 49 is free for slight
lateral deflection away from element 28, and out of the plane of
vertical portion 37 of element 17, to the position of FIG. 10 in
which the latch element can swing downwardly past teeth 47 and 48.
This lateral deflection of the latch element is resisted by a leaf
spring 66, whose end 67 may be connected to parts 28 and 58 by the
previously mentioned screw 59. The second end 68 of the leaf spring
may be turned inwardly to effectively engage the latch element as
illustrated in FIG. 10.
The second latch mechanism 27 at the opposite side of the head
section 14 may be identical with the assembly 27 in FIGS. 4-10, and
interconnects elements 23 and 29 the same way that the illustrated
assembly 27 interconnects elements 17 and 28. Similarly, two
additional identical assemblies interconnect the elements 18 and 29
and the elements 22 and 28, to mount the second head section 15 for
upward swinging movement. If preferred, the two latch assemblies 27
associated with a particular one of the head sections, rather than
being completely identical, may be reversals or mirror images of
one another, so that for example in connection with head section
14, the latch element 49 associated with he vertical web of element
17 may be located at the left side of that web, while the
corresponding latch element 49 associated with the vertical web of
part 23 may be located at the right side of that vertical web, in a
symmetrical but not completely identical relationship.
To now describe the manner of use of the mattress, assume that
first of all the two head sections 14 and 15 are both located in
their horizontal positions, in which the mattress functions as a
conventional mattress. If either of two persons using the two sides
of the bed then desires to elevate his particular head section, for
reading, television viewing or the like, he merely grasps the upper
edge of that head section and pulls it upwardly to the desired
setting. As the head section swings upwardly from the FIG. 4
position through the FIG. 5 position, the two carried latching
elements 49 are deflected in the manner shown in FIG. 5, and
ultimately fall into the first notch 44 to support the head section
rigidly in that inclined first setting. Similarly, the headrest may
be pulled farther upwardly to a second position in which the latch
element is received within the second notch 45, or can be similarly
supported in any number of additional corresponding positions if
additional teeth are provided on the edge of the part which defines
teeth 47 and 48.
If it is desired to lower the headrest from any inclined position
to a horizontal setting, the head section is pulled upwardly to a
position such as that shown in FIG. 6, in which the lower end of
latch element 49 engages the inclined camming surface 57, and is
deflected laterally by that cam surface to the position of FIG. 10.
In this FIG. 10 position, the latch element is free to move
slightly farther toward the main pivotal axis 40 than was possible
when the latch element is received within either of the notches 44
or 45. Thus, as the latch element moves downwardly past notches 44
and 45, the latch part cannot fall into those notches, and is held
in its laterally deflected position by engagement with the outer
side surface 69 of vertical portion 37 of element 17, until the
latch element reaches the initial horizontal position in FIG. 4. In
that position, the latch element can return laterally toward
element 28 and into the lowermost notch 43, which is cut farther
into the material of element 17, to project farther toward axis 40
and receive the latch element even in its position of slightly
greater projection from part 58.
With reference more particularly to FIG. 6, the broken line 70 of
that figure represents the arcuate path which is followed by the
tip end 71 of latch element 49 as it swings downwardly past notches
44 and 45 from the FIG. 6 position to the FIG. 4 position. The
previously mentioned stop pin 76 limits the spring pressed
projection of latch element 49 in the position in which its tip end
is located on the arcuate line 70. During upward movement of the
head section and its latch part 49, the latch element is not
permitted to reach this arcuate line 70, since neither of the
notches 44 and 45 extends far enough into the material of element
17 to permit the tip end 71 of the latch element to reach line
70.
While a certain specific embodiment of the present invention has
been disclosed as typical, the invention is of course not limited
to this particular form, but rather is applicable broadly to all
such variations as fall within the scope of the appended
claims.
* * * * *