Adjustable fasteners for waist bands

An adjustable waist hand fastener disclosed comprises two components, namely, a button and a plate which can be fixed to one end portion of a waist band. The plate has a slot running along it. The button passes through the slot and can be displaced along the slot. The structure is such that the button can be fixed in any one of a number of positions along the slot. The button can be positioned in two or more predetermined positions or be infinitely adjustable. The button can be a one part construction or comprise two parts. When a two part button is used, the stem of one part is pushed through the slot before the two parts are connected together. When a one part button construction is used, the button must be capable of passing through the slot when in an appropriate position of orientation. The other end portion of the waist band includes a buttonhole which the button fits. The fastener enables the length of the waist band readily to be increased or decreased by displacing the button along the slot.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to adjustable fasteners for waist bands. 
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION 
It is sometimes convenient to be able to adjust the length of the waistband 
of a garment. For example, letting it out after a heavy meal can reduce 
the tension on the band and hence make it less uncomfortable. If one 
portion of the waist band is provided with a single button and the other 
portion with a number of button holes, then a degree of adjustment can be 
obtained. However, the unused button holes are always visible, and are 
unsightly. Furthermore, in the position of adjustment when the waist band 
is at its smallest, the unused button holes are in a part of the waist 
band which flaps freely unless several buttons are provided to hold the 
flap in place. The provision of a number of button holes and a number of 
buttons is aesthetically unpleasing and complicate fastening and 
unfastening of the waist band. 
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
The object of the invention is to provide an adjustable fastener which 
permits a waist band to take-up two or more different sizes without the 
necessity of providing more than one button or more than one button hole. 
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an 
adjustable fastener for the waist band of a garment, the fastener 
comprising a plate, a slot in the plate, a button including a stem and a 
head, the stem passing through said slot and being movable along the slot, 
and means for locking the button with respect to the plate in the position 
in the slot to which it has been moved. 
In one form said stem comprises a first part fast with said head and a 
second part connected to said first part by threading, the second part 
including two flats which fit between the bounding faces of said slot and 
prevent said second part rotating with respect to said plate, said first 
and second parts, when screwed together, clamping said plate between them 
so that the button is fixed with respect to said plate. 
In other form there are two rows of teeth on one face of the plate, the 
rows of teeth being one on each side of said slot, said button including a 
second head at the end of the stem remote from the first mentioned head, 
said second head including at least one tooth configured so that it fits 
in the gaps between the teeth of said rows. 
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided an 
adjustable fastener for the waist band of a garment, the fastener 
comprising a plate which can be fixed to the waist band, there being rows 
of teeth along two opposed edges of said plate, a bridging piece 
comprising a central section which spans across said plate between said 
edges, there being a gap between said bridging piece and said plate, and 
two legs which protrude from opposite ends of said central section and 
inter-engage between teeth of said rows thereby releasably to secure said 
bridging piece in its position of adjustment with respect to said plate, 
said bridging piece being flexible in such manner that distortion of said 
bridging piece splays said legs apart out of engagement with said teeth so 
that the position of said bridging piece with respect to the plate can be 
adjusted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
Referring firstly to FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 designates a plate which 
has two holes 12 and an elongate slot 14 therein. The holes 12 receive 
rivets (not shown) which enable the plate 10 to be secured to one of the 
ends of the waist band of a garment. 
FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate a button generally designated 16 which comprises 
two parts designated 18 and The part 18 has a head 22 which is circular in 
plan view (see FIG. 1) and a stem 24 which is co-axial with the head 22. 
The stem 22 has a blind, tapped socket 26 therein. The part 20 includes a 
head 28 and a stem 30. The stem is threaded over part of its length and 
the threading in the socket 26 and on the stem 30 are compatible. The stem 
28 is formed with two flats designated 32 (see particularly FIG. 3). 
Before the plate 10 is riveted to the waist band, the stem 30 is pushed 
through the slot 14 and screwed into the socket 26. The flats 32 are in 
the slot 14 and the distance across the flats 32 is just less than the 
width of the slot. The flats 32 prevent the part 20 rotating with respect 
to the plate 10. When the plate 10 is riveted to the waist band, the head 
28 is trapped between the material of the garment and the plate 10. The 
plate 10 is clamped between the head 28 and the end of the stem 24 when 
the part 18 is tightened onto the non-rotatable part 20. The other end of 
the waist band had a normal button hole in it and this receives the head 
22 to fasten the waist band. 
To enable the effective length of the waist band to be adjusted, the part 
18 is turned so that it unscrews slightly with respect to the head 28 thus 
unclamping the plate 10. The button 16 can then be slid along the slot 14. 
Re-tightening the part 18 onto the part 20 clamps the plate 10 again and 
locks the button in position. The effective circumferential length of the 
waist band from the button hole in one waist band end part to the button 
16 on the other waist band end part can thus be varied. 
Referring now to FIGS. 4 to 7, these Figures illustrate a two part button 
34. The first button part includes a circular head 36 and, a stem 38 
co-axial with the head 36, and the second button part comprises a square 
head 40 and a stem 42 integral with the head 40. The surface of the square 
head 40 which faces the head 36 is formed with one or more elongate 
V-shaped teeth 44. The stem 42 is threaded and the stem 38 includes a 
tapped socket (not shown) into which the stem 42 can be screwed. 
The plate 46 has two rivet holes 48 to enable it to be secured to the waist 
band and a slot 50 with a row of teeth 52 on each side thereof. The teeth 
52 are in a recess in what becomes the hidden side of the plate. 
Before the plate 46 is secured to the garment's waist band, the stem 42 is 
pushed through the slot 50, the stem 42 then being screwed into the socket 
of the stem 38. The head 40 is trapped between the fabric F of the garment 
and the plate 46 (see FIGS. 6 and 7) when the plate 46 is secured to the 
garment. The fabric F holds the head 40 against the teeth 52 so that the 
button 34 cannot be moved along the slot 50. To adjust the position of the 
button 34 with respect to the plate 46, the head 36 is pushed towards the 
plate 46 (see arrow A in FIG. 7) thereby distorting the fabric F and 
moving the teeth 44 of the head 40 away from the teeth 52. The button 34 
can now be slid along the slot 50 and, when it is released, the teeth 42 
re-engaged between other teeth 52 thereby locking the button 34 in its new 
position of adjustment. 
The other part of the waist band, when the embodiment of FIGS. 4 to 7 is 
used, includes a button hole which receives the head 36. 
The head 40 can be replaced by a cross bar with a single tooth. In this 
form the button can be in one piece. To mount it on the plate 46, the 
cross bar is aligned with the slit 50 and pushed through and thereafter 
the button is turned through ninety degrees. 
Turning now to FIGS. 8 and 9, the plate 54 illustrated has teeth 56 along 
two opposed edges thereof. It further has two holes 58 by means of which 
it can be riveted to the garment's waist band. 
A bridging piece designated 60 comprises a central section 62 which spans 
across the plate 54 between the two toothed edges thereof, there being a 
gap 64 between the central section 62 and the plate 54. At each end of the 
central section 62 there is a leg 66 which is at right angles to the 
central section 62. The legs 66 engage between adjacent teeth 56. The legs 
66 are extended inwardly by hooks 68 which engage under the plate 54 and 
prevent the bridging piece 60 being lifted away from the plate. This 
embodiment is used in conjunction with a metal hook (not shown) on the 
other part of the waist band, the metal hook being inserted into the gap 
designated 64. 
The bridging piece 60 is adjusted along the plate 54 by pressing the 
central section 62 towards the plate 54 so that is bows. This splays the 
legs 66 apart to a position in which they are clear of the teeth 56. The 
piece 60 can then be moved along the plate 54. 
Referring now to FIGS. 10 and 11, the button illustrated has two parts 
designated 70 and 72. The part 70 comprises a head 74 and a stem 76. The 
stem 76 has a socket 78 therein (see FIG. 11). The part 72 has a head 80 
and a stem 82, the stem having an enlargement 84 at the free end thereof. 
Between the head 80 and the stem 82 the part 72 is stepped down twice to 
provide two discs 86 and 88. 
The plate shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 is designated 90 and has two holes 92 
which enable it to be secured to a waist band. The plate 90 has a slot 94 
therein which slot includes three enlarged portions 96. The diameter of 
each portion 96 is slightly more than the diameter of the disc 86. The 
width of the remainder of the slot 94 is slightly more than the diameter 
of the disc 88. Therefore, the heads 70,72 are too large to pass through 
the slot 94,96. 
Before the plate 90 is secured to the waistband, the stem 82 is pushed 
through the slot 94 and then inserted into the socket 78. The enlargement 
84 of the stem 76 is a snap-fit in the socket 78. The button is positioned 
so that the larger disc 86 is in one of the enlarged portions 96 of the 
slot 94. When the plate 90 is secured to the waistband, the fabric of the 
waistband holds the larger disc 86 in the enlarged portion 96. When it is 
desired to adjust the fastener, the head 74 is pushed down thereby 
distorting the fabric and shifting the larger disc 86 out of the enlarged 
portion 96. The smaller disc 88 is now in the slot 94 and the button 70 
can thus be slid along the slot to another enlarged portion 96. When the 
button is released, the fabric forces the button back to the position in 
which the larger disc 86 is in another enlargement 96 of the slot. 
In FIG. 12, the plate is designated 98 and has a series of curved sub-slots 
100 which extend away from a main slot 102. A two part button of, for 
example, the form shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 but without the discs 86 and 88 
is used with this plate. The heads 70,72 of the button are also too large 
to pass through the slot 100,102. In use the button is pulled, by the part 
of the waist band that has the button hole in it, in the direction 
indicated by arrow X. To move the button, the tension on the waist band is 
reduced by pushing the two end portions of the waistband together, 
shifting the button along the sub-slot 100 that it is in and into the main 
slot 102, along the main slot, and back into another sub-slot. 
The structure of FIG. 12 provides three positions of adjustment. It will be 
understood that this number can be decreased to two, or increased to four 
or more, by altering the number of sub-slots 100. 
In a further form, which is similar to that described with reference to 
FIG. 12, the button that adjusts along the plate 98 includes an arm which 
protrudes from the button stem and has a hook at the free end thereof. The 
arm is free to pivot with respect to the button about the axis of the 
button stem. The plate is fixed to one end part of the waist band and a 
button to the other. The hook engages with this button to hold the waist 
band closed. The button which passes through the plate can be moved along 
the slot to provide the requisite adjustment.