Automatically locking slider for slide fasteners

An automatically locking slider for a slide fastener which comprises an upper shield and a lower shield connected in spaced parallel relation to define therebetween a channel for the passage of two opposed slide fastener stringers carrying respective rows of interlocking elements, said upper shield having wall surfaces defining a cavity, and an aperture communicating with said channel;

• a yoke attached to said upper shield;
• a pull having a pivotal end received in said yoke for pivotal movement relative thereto;
• and releasable locking means disposed inside said yoke and having a resilient U-shaped structure bearing a locking prong and resiliently biasing same to extend through said aperture to engage at least one of said stringers and thereby lock the slider against movement relative thereto;
• said pull tab being manipulatable in each of two opposite directions to release the locking means and move the slider therealong, said locking means structure having a lug extending into said cavity for movement relative thereto upon flexing of said structure, said lug being arranged to move in abutment with one wall surface of said cavity when the pull tab is manipulated in one direction to release the locking means, and arranged to move in abutment with an opposite wall surface of said cavity when the pull tab is manipulated in the opposite direction to release the locking means thereby correspondingly limiting free longitudinal movement of the locking means.