Snap assembly for securing flexible coverings

A cover gripping assembly for securing a marginal edge portion of a flexible cove to a side member of a frame, said assembly comprising:

• an elongated channel member comprising an inward arcuate sector having a transverse configuration generally in the form of an inwardly facing C and defining a cavity, said inward sector comprising inner and outer segments in opposing relation to defined an open and longitudinally extending throat providing access to said cavity, at least a portion of said outer segment being resilient, and at least a portion of an inner surface of said inward sector being adapted for frictionally engaging said marginal edge portion of the cover;
• attachment means connected to said inner segment of the inward sector for securing said channel member to said side member of the frame;
• grip-enhancing means integral with said outer segment of the inward sector for increasing said frictionally engagement in response to an increase in tension on said cover, said grip-enhancing means causing a body portion of said cover adjacent to said marginal edge portion to be folded back through an angle of at least about 180.degree., and comprising an outward arcuate sector having an outer arcuate portion and a transverse configuration generally in the form of an outwardly facing C, said inner segment of the inward sector being defined in at least in part by a base line for positioning said channel member relative to a supporting surface of said fame side member, said outer arcuate portion of the outward sector being adapted to position a corresponding segment of said folded back cover body portion at a first distance from said base line, an outer surface of said outer segment of the inward sector extending outward to a maximum extent at a second distance from said base line, and the relationship of said first distance to said second distance being such that an increase in tension in said cover body causes the width of said throat to decrease;
• and,
• at least one elongated snap-in member having an outer surface generally congruent with said inner surface of the inward sector, at least a portion of said outer surface being adapted for frictionally engaging said marginal edge portion of the cover, and said snap-in member having a transverse dimension relative to a transverse dimension of said cavity such that insertion of said snap-in member transversely into said cavity causes said inner surface portion sand said outer surface portion to be pressed into frictionally engagement with the marginal edge portion of said cover, and said open throat having a width less than said transverse dimension of the snap-in member by an amount sufficient to cause said snap member to pass through said throat with a snap action for restraining said snap-in member in said cavity.