Interlocking apparel closures

Abstract

The interlocking apparel closures for closing slits or plackets in clothing have a first part attachable to one side of the placket (such as a collar, cuff, pocket, pants flies, skirts, etc.), the first part having at least one pair of spaced apart, parallel rails, each rail terminating in a bead lip, the bead lips opposing each other and narrowing the mouth of the channel defined by the parallel rails. The interlocking apparel closures have a second part attachable to the opposite side of the placket opening, the second part having at least one rail terminating in a bead head, the bead head being insertable between the bead lips of the first part to form an interlocking apparel closure. In use, the second part is pressed or snapped into the first part to close the placket.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A placket closure comprising: 
 a first member having at least one pair of spaced apart, parallel rails, each rail having a bead lip; and    a second member having at least one rail having a bead head, the bead head being positionable between the bead lips of said first member in order to form an interlocking engagement; and    means for attaching said first member and said second member to respective sides of a garment placket;    whereby said first member and said second member provide the placket with a releasable closure for opening and closing the placket.    
     
     
         2 . The placket closure according to    claim 1   , wherein said bead head has a diamond shaped cross-section.  
     
     
         3 . The placket closure according to    claim 2   , wherein each of the bead lips has a semi-diamond shaped cross-section, said pair of rails defining a diamond-shaped channel.  
     
     
         4 . The placket closure according to    claim 1   , wherein said bead head has a circular shaped cross-section.  
     
     
         5 . The placket closure according to    claim 4   , wherein each said bead lip has a circular shaped cross-section.  
     
     
         6 . The placket closure according to    claim 1   , wherein said bead head has a rectangular shaped cross-section.  
     
     
         7 . The placket closure according to    claim 6   , wherein each said bead lip has a rectangular shaped cross-section.  
     
     
         8 . A garment comprising: 
 at least one panel of material having a placket, the placket having a first side and a second side;    a first member having at least one pair of spaced apart, parallel rails, each rail having a bead lip; and    a second member having at least one rail having a bead head, the bead head being positionable between the bead lips of said first member in order to form an interlocking engagement; and    means for attaching said first member and said second member to the first side and the second side of the placket, respectively;    whereby said first member and said second member provide the placket with a releasable closure for opening and closing the placket.    
     
     
         9 . The garment according to    claim 8   , wherein said bead head has a diamond shaped cross-section.  
     
     
         10 . The garment according to    claim 9   , wherein each said bead lip has a semi-diamond shaped cross-section.  
     
     
         11 . The garment according to    claim 8   , wherein said bead head has a circular shaped cross-section.  
     
     
         12 . The garment according to    claim 11   , wherein each said bead lip has a circular shaped cross-section.  
     
     
         13 . The garment according to    claim 8   , wherein said bead head has a rectangular shaped cross-section.  
     
     
         14 . The garment according to    claim 13   , wherein each said bead lip has a rectangular shaped cross-section.  
     
     
         15 . The garment according to    claim 8   , wherein said panel of material having said placket forming a portion of clothing is selected from the group consisting of pull over collars, pants flies, sleeve cuffs, skirt flies, dress flies, and pockets.