Method of and apparatus for finishing sliding clasp fasteners

Claim 2

In the production of measured lengths of sliding clasp fastener units having bottom end stops from a continuous fastener chain comprised of a pair of opposed stringer tapes carrying along their respective longitudinal edges two rows of continuously meshed fastener elements, an improved process which comprises holding the fastener chain closely adjacent the longitudinal edges of its stringer tapes along which the rows of fastener elements are secured, feeding the fastener chain intermittently in a horizontal path of movement for a distance corresponding to a selected length of an individual product fastener, discontinuing the feeding of the fastener chain, applying a bottom end stop to the fastener chain adjacent a leading end thereof, and cutting the fastener chain at a point forwardly beyond said bottom end stop.

Claim 3

In the production of measured lengths of sliding clasp fastener units having bottom end stops from a continuous fastener chain comprised of a pair of opposed stringer tapes carrying along their respective longitudinal edges two rows of continuously meshed fastener elements, an improved apparatus which comprises in combination; a feeding means comprising a drive roller and an idling guide roller arranged in vertically opposed relation for driving frictionally therebetween the fastener chain intermittently for a predetermined distance in a horizontal direction, said guide roller having opposite circumferential ribs disposed astride of the two coupled rows of fastener elements and adapted to hold the stringer tapes against the periphery of said guide roller and a continuous circumferential recess defined between said ribs and dimensioned to accommodate said coupled rows of elements; a guiding means located at one end immediately adjacent said feeding means and comprising an elongated panel having opposed parallel guide rails defining therebetween a guide channel dimensioned to conform substantially with the width of said coupled rows of fastener elements; a bottom end stop applying means located immediately adjacent to the other end of said guiding means and comprising a vertically reciprocable punch and a stationary clamping die cooperating therewith for applying bottom end stops to said fastener chain; and a cUtting means located forwardly of said bottom end stop applying means and comprising a vertically reciprocable cutter and a coacting stationary cutter for cutting said fastener chain assembled with bottom end stops to measured individual lengths.

Claim 4

In the production of measured lengths of sliding clasp fastener units having bottom end stops from a continuous fastener chain comprised of a pair of opposed stringer tapes carrying along their respective longitudinal edges two rows of continuously meshed fastener elements, an improved apparatus which comprises in combination; a feeding means comprising a drive roller and an idling guide roller arranged in vertically opposed relation for driving frictionally therebetween the fastener chain intermittently for a predetermined distance in a horizontal direction, said guide roller having opposite circumferential ribs disposed astride of the two coupled rows of fastener elements and adapted to hold the stringer tapes against the periphery of said guide roller and a continuous circumferential recess defined between said ribs and dimensioned to accommodate said coupled rows of elements; a guiding means located at one end immediately adjacent said feeding means and comprising an elongated panel having opposed parallel guide rails defining therebetween a guide channel dimensioned to conform substantially with the width of said coupled rows of fastener elements; a bottom end stop applying means located immediately adjacent to the other end of said guiding means and comprising a vertically reciprocable punch and a stationary clamping die cooperating therewith for applying bottom end stops to said fastener chain; and a cUtting means located forwardly of said bottom end stop applying means and comprising a vertically reciprocable cutter and a coacting stationary cutter for cutting said fastener chain assembled with bottom end stops to measured individual lengths.

Claim 5

An apparatus as defined in claim 2 which further includes a withdrawing means comprising a pair of rollers arranged in vertically opposed relation for withdrawing therebetween said fastener chain which has been assembled and cut to a measured individual length.

Claim 6

An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein one of said rollers is connected in driven relation to said drive roller of said feeding means.

Claim 7

An apparatus as defined in claim 2 further comprising; a pulse wheel, means connecting said drive roller to said pulse wheel for rotating said pulse wheel in synchronism with said drive roller, and a proximity switch coactive with said pulse wheel for sensing rotation of said pulse wheel.

Claim 8

In combination: a. means for advancing a pair of stringer tapes in a longitudinal direction of said tapes for selected distances while said tapes are in a joined condition joined by interengaged fastener elements disposed along a pair of adjacent parallel longitudinal edges of said tapes; b. means for guiding said pair of joined tapes in a direction of advance longitudinal of said tapes; c. a die disposed along the direction of advance of said pair of jointed tapes; d. a punch actuatable to engage said die for affixing bottom end stops to said pair of joined tapes; and e. means for cutting a selected length of joined tapes, having a bottom stop affixed thereto, from said pair of joined tapes after a bottom end stop has been affixed to said pair of joined tapes.

Claim 9

In combination: a. means for advancing a pair of stringer tapes in a longitudinal direction of said tapes for selected distances while said tapes are in a joined condition joined by interengaged fastener elements disposed along a pair of adjacent parallel longitudinal edges of said tapes; b. means for guiding said pair of joined tapes in a direction of advance longitudinal of said tapes; c. a die disposed along the direction of advance of said pair of jointed tapes; d. a punch actuatable to engage said die for affixing bottom end stops to said pair of joined tapes; and e. means for cutting a selected length of joined tapes, having a bottom stop affixed thereto, from said pair of joined tapes after a bottom end stop has been affixed to said pair of joined tapes.

Claim 10

In a combination according to claim 6 further comprising means for withdrawing from said cutting means the selected length of joined tapes having a bottom stop affixed thereto.

Claim 11

In a combination according to claim 7 wherein said withdrawing means comprises a pair of adjacent rollers and means for driving one of the rollers.

Claim 12

In a combination according to claim 6 wherein said means for advancing a pair of stringer tapes comprises: a. a drive roller; and b. a guide roller disposed adjacent said drive roller and having a pair of spaced circumferential portions defining a fastener element clearance space therebetween.

Claim 13

In a combination according to claim 6 wherein said means for guiding said pair of joined tapes comprises a guide member having means defining a guide channel extending along the direction of advance of said pair of joined tapes and dimensioned to receive the interengaged fastener elements disposed on said tapes to guide the direction of advance of said pair of joined tapes.