PREDRAG SHOPALOVICH
Engineering in Ashland, MA

4130917, Dec 26, 1978

Jan 16, 1978

5/869548

Predrag Shopalovich - Ashland MA

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army - Washington DC

A44B 1932, A44B 1902

242051R

A slide fastener including a first elongated guide member with a longitudlly extending closure edge that is incrementally forced into intimate engagement with a longitudinally extending mating edge of a second elongated guide member in response to movement of a slide member. Opposite longitudinal edges of the guide members are adapted for attachment to the edges of flexible sheets of material that are to be joined. Distributed along the mating edge are a plurality of removable male coupling elements that enter and latch with female coupling elements distributed along the closure edge in response to movement of the slide member. The coupling elements comprise resilient latching portions formed by spaced apart resilient spring legs that are compressed by the female elements during entry thereinto and expand into latching engagement therewith after complete entry. Preferably, the female elements define openings that have smaller dimensions than the spacing between the resilient legs of the latching portions.