Patent ID: 7430789

Claim:
In a strap fastener having a body member with transverse side openings therein and defining an enclosure having opposing end openings both formed as narrow slits and including a fork end opening and a longitudinally opposite catch end opening, a fork having a loop for securement to one strap member and a pair of resilient legs for insertion into said fork end opening, each leg defining a transversely turned out foot having a bearing ledge at the leg extremity and an outwardly projecting knee between said loop and said bearing ledge, wherein said knees of said legs project into said transverse side openings in said body member and longitudinally immobilize said fork relative to said body member unless said feet are brought together by resilient deflection of said legs transversely toward each other, and a catch for securement to another strap member, said catch including a pair of hooks to transversely deflect and engage said feet of said fork when said catch is moved into said catch end opening with said fork longitudinally immobilized in said body member, and wherein said body member includes a pair of opposing, outwardly biased, inwardly deflectable arms for forcing said knees of said fork legs toward each other to disengage said feet of said fork legs from said hooks, and said body member defines a longitudinally extending funnel-shaped entry into said enclosure at said catch end opening, the improvement wherein said catch end opening has a mouth with transverse, opposing extremities that narrow in area proceeding in outboard directions outwardly away from said fork legs.