DEAS 260 :2021  
ICS 61 .040 
 
© EA C 2021                                                                                                                          Second E dition 2021   
 DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  
Zippers  (zips)  — Glossary of terms  
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY  
 
 DEAS 260 :2021  
ii © EAC 2021  – All rights reserved  
 Copyright notice  
This EAC document is copyright -protected by EAC. While the reproduction of this document by 
participants in the EAC standards development process is p ermitted without prior permission from EAC, 
neither this document nor any extract from it may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form for 
any other purpose without prior written permission from EAC.  
Requests for permission to reproduce this docume nt for the purpose of selling it should be addressed 
as shown below or to EAC’s member body in the country of the requester:  
© East African Community  2021 — All rights reserved  
East African Community  
P.O. Box 1096 , 
Arusha  
Tanzania  
Tel: + 255 27 2 162100  
Fax: + 255 27 2162190  
E-mail: eac@eachq.org  
       Web: www.eac -quality.net  
Reproduction for sales purposes may be subject to royalty payments or a licensing agreement.  
Violators may be prosecuted . DEAS 260 :2021  
© EAC 2021  – All rights reserved  iii 
 Contents  Page 
Foreword  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  iv 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  1 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  1 
3 Terms and definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........................  1 
Bibliography  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  12 
 
 DEAS 260 :2021  
iv © EAC 2021  – All rights reserved  
 Foreword  
Development of the East African Standards has been necessitated by the nee d for harmonizing requirements 
governing quality of products and services in the East African Community. It is envisaged that through 
harmonized standardization, trade barriers that are encountered when goods and services are exchanged 
within the Community  will be removed.  
The Community has established an East African Standards Committee  (EASC)  mandated to develop and 
issue East African Standards  (EAS) . The Committee is composed of representatives of the National 
Standards Bodies in Partner States, togethe r with the representatives from the public and private sector 
organizations  in the community .  
East African Standards are developed through  Technical Committees that are representative of key 
stakeholders including government, academia, consumer groups, pr ivate sector and other interested parties. 
Draft East African Standards are circulated to stakeholders through the National Standards Bodies in the 
Partner States. The comments received are discussed and incorporated before finalization of standards, in 
accordance with the Principles and procedures for development of East African  Standards.  
East African Standards are subject to review, to keep pace with technological advances. Users of the East 
African Standards are therefore expected to ensure that they al ways have the latest versions of the standards 
they are implementing .  
The committee responsible  for this document is Technical Committee EASC/TC 061, Textiles, textile products 
and accessories . 
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elemen ts of this document may be subject of patent 
rights. EAC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.  
This second edition cancels and rep laces the first edition (EAS 260:2007 ), which has been technically revised. 
The main ch anges compared to the previous edition are as follows:  
— A clause on normative references has been added;  
— The term “elements interlockable” has been modified to “interlockable components”  DRAFT EAST AFRICA N STANDARD  DEAS 260 :2021 
 
© EAC 2021  – All rights reserved  1 
 Zippers  (zips)  — Glossary of terms   
1 Scope  
This D raft East African  Standard  covers terms or meanings used in the zipper  (also known as zip)  industry . 
2 Normative references   
There are no normative references in this document.  
3 Terms and definitions   
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions  shall apply.  
B 
3.1  
bail or lug  
A portion or portions of the slider to which the pull or pulls are attached.  
3.2  
bead  
a) Separate element zipper — An enlarged section on inner edge of each tape to which scoops are 
affixed.  
b) Continuous -monofilament zipper — An enlarged section of the tape located at the outer edge of the 
continuous interlocking elements and against which the slider flanges bear.  
The bead is optional on continuous -monofilament zippers.  
C 
3.3  
cam  
A portion or portions on the pull that extend t hrough a window or windows to effect a locking action in cam -
lock sliders.  
3.4  
chain  
The assemblages formed by interlocking several elements of two stringers.  
3.5  
chain thickness  
The measurement from front to back of the chain.  DEAS 260 :2021  
2 © EAC 2021  – All rights reserved  
 3.6  
chain width  
The dist ance between the shoulders of the interlocked elements or between the outermost edges of thee bead 
if the bead extends beyond the elements (see Figure 1).  
3.7  
connecting ring   
A device used to secure special pull to bail or lug.  
3.8  
cord  
A strand of m ultiple yarns for use in forming a bead.  
3.9  
crimp  
As applied to a continuous -monofilament zipper, the predetermined formation of the monofilament cross -
section at the point where the continuous -monofilament element is interlocked.  
3.10  
cut-off  
The m easurement of a scoop from the head side to the pocket side of the legs.  
D 
3.11  
diamond  
A wedge -shaped portion of slider between the throats.  
F 
3.12  
fastener, closed -end 
A slide fastener which does not permit the complete separation of the two stringers.   Normally the top end of 
the fastener separates as the slider is lowered, although there is an additional type where the top end are 
permanently joined together by means of a bridge stop (see Figures 1(a) and 1(b)). 
 DEAS 260 :2021  
© EAC 2021  – All rights reserved  3 
 Figure 1 — Closed -end fasteners  
3.13  
fastener, concealed  
A slide fastener with the tapes folded so that on closure neither the slider body nor the fastener are visible 
from the outside of the article.  
3.14  
fastener, length of  
The distance from the top of the slider to the bottom stop, or  box in the case of an open -end fastener, 
measured with the slider in the top position and with the puller in the downward position (see Figure 3).  
3.15  
fastener, open -end 
A slide fastener having a special fitment at the bottom end of each stringer in pl ace of the bottom stop, so 
designed as to permit the two stringers to be completely separated and re -assembled at will when the slider is 
in the full open position.  The special fitment normally consists of a pin permanently fixed to the bottom end of 
one stinger which fits into a box permanently fixed to the bottom end of the other stringer.  
3.16  
fastener, slide  
A fastening device consisting of two flexible, interlocking stringers with or without end stops and a slider so 
arranged that by moving the sli der along the stringers in one direction an opening is formed, and by moving it 
in the other, the opening is closed.  The end which is adjacent to the slider when the device is fully open is 
designated the bottom end.  The other end is designated the top e nd.  
3.17  
fastener, two -way  
A slide fastener fitted with two sliders that operate with equal facility in either direction. This type is available in 
a variety of forms which are illustrated in Figure 2. 
3.18  
fasteners, batch of  
A quantity of fasteners having one design, one performance code and one size.  
3.19  
flanges  
The edges of the slider formed to contain the chain.  DEAS 260 :2021  
4 © EAC 2021  – All rights reserved  
 
 
Figure 2 — Two-way fasteners  
H 
3.20  
head or heads  
The portion of a scoop that engages the pocket.  
I 
3.21  
interlockable components  
a) General — Formed devices affixed along the edge of a pair of tapes, which are interlocked or disengaged 
by the movement of the slider.  
     
  DEAS 260 :2021  
© EAC 2021  – All rights reserved  5 
 a) Basic components                                                       b) Dimensions  
 Figure 3 — Slide fasteners:  Dimensions  
b) Continuous — Continuous -formed -monofilament designed for interlocking and affixed along the edge of a 
tape.  
c) Scoops — Separately formed elements designed for interlocking and affixed along the edge of the tape 
(see Figure 2).  
NOTE  scoops are of many designs but the nomenclature is generally the same for all types.  
 
Figure 4 — Scoop  
K 
3.22  
knuckle  
See crimp.  
L 
3.23  
legs 
The two portions of a portion of a scoop that affix the scoop to the head.  
3.24  
locking device   
A device incorporated  in the slider unit restricting its free movement along the fastener length in on opening 
direction.  The locking device may operate either automatically on release of the puller or by manual pressure 
on the puller.  
M 
3.25  
mouth  
The opening in a slider t hat receives the chain.  
3.26  
mouth width  
The distance between the slider flanges at the point where they bear against the shoulders of the interlocked 
elements or at the outermost edges of the bead if the bead extends beyond the elements.  
P DEAS 260 :2021  
6 © EAC 2021  – All rights reserved  
 3.27  
pin, l ocking  
The projection on a pull that fits between adjacent scoops of a fastener when a pinlock slider is in the locked is 
in the locked position.  
3.28  
pin, retainer  
A tube -like element, similar to the separable pin, attached over the head at the bottom e nd of the stringer 
opposite to the separable pin.  This element is designed to hold the fixed retainer in position.  
3.29  
pin-separable  
A tube -like element attached over the bead at the bottom end of one stringer.  
3.30  
Pocket  
The cavity of a scoop des igned to receive the head.  
3.31 
pull (or puller)  
The fitting attached to the slider to facilitate manipulation  
R 
3.32  
retainer, fixed  
An element permanently attached onto the retainer pin at the bottom of one stringer.  It has an opening 
shaped to fit t he separable pin.  In order to close, the separable pin is passed through the slider body and then 
inserted into this opening.  Thus, the fixed retainer holds or retains the two stringers in alignment for 
interlocking.  
3.33  
retainer, movable  
A movable o r sliding element performing a similar function to that of the fixed retainer, the purpose being to 
permit separation of the two stringers from the bottom, without the necessity of opening the zipper from the 
top.  This element is not removable from the bo ttom (see Figure 5).  
 
Figure 5 — Movable retainer  
3.34  
scoops  
See interlocking elements.  
3.35  
shoulder  
The bearing surface of an interlocking element by which the chain is contained inside the flanges of the slider.  DEAS 260 :2021  
© EAC 2021  – All rights reserved  7 
 3.36  
slider —  
The part that ope ns the zipper when moved in one direction and closes it when moved in the opposite 
direction.  The slider can have single or double pull (or puller) (see Figure 6).  
 
Figure 6 — Sliders  
3.37  
slider, automatic lock  
A slider that provides automatic, positiv e locking action on the chain when the pull is released.  
3.38  
slider, flange lock  
A slider with notches in the flanges of the slider that block the shoulders of the scoops when the stringers are 
pulled apart.  
3.39  
stops —  
The elements at tops and bot tom of chain or stringer that prevent the slider from leaving the chain.  
3.40  
stop, releasing  
 An element attached at or near the top of the stringer on the separable pin side.  This element limits the travel 
of the slider at the open end of the chain u nder normal closing operations.  The slider may be forced beyond it 
when added force is exerted towards the top of the zipper.  Releasing stops are used on zippers of the ‘quick 
release’ or ‘quick’ disassembly’ type (commonly referred to as ‘QR’ or as ‘QD’  zippers) (see figure 7).  DEAS 260 :2021  
8 © EAC 2021  – All rights reserved  
 
 
Figure 7 — Releasing stops  
3.41  
stop, bottom  
A part affixed to both stringers immediately below or over, the chain, holding the two stringers together at the 
bottom and preventing the slider from leaving the chain (see Figure 8). 
 
Figure 8 — Bottom stop  
3.42  
stop, bridge stop  
A part affixed immediately above the chain, holding the tops of two stringers together and preventing the slider 
from leaving the chain (see figure 9).  
 
Figure 9 — Bridge stop  
3.43  
stop top  
A part af fixed between or immediately above the scoops, on either or both stringers, to prevent the slider from 
leaving the chain (see figure 10).  DEAS 260 :2021  
© EAC 2021  – All rights reserved  9 
 
 
Figure 10 — Top stop  
3.44  
stringer  
The tape, bead and element assembly that constitutes one side of a chain.  
T 
3.45  
tape  
A strip of material along one edge of which the bead and scoops are attached or to which continuous -
monofilament elements are attached  
3.46 
tape ends  
The tape extending beyond the stops at either or both ends of the stringers.  
3.47  
tape width, exposed  
The part of the tape extending beyond the shoulders of the scoops to the outer tape edge.  
3.48  
thong hole  
The opening at the end of the pull.  
3.49  
thread, element attaching  
The thread that secures the continuous -monofilament to the type.  
3.50  
throats  
The two openings in a slider that rec eive the stringers.  
3.51  
top stop —  
See stop, top.  
3.52 
trunnions  
The two pivots at the end of the pull that fit into the bail or lug.  
W 
3.53  
windows  
The openings in pin -lock and cam -lock sliders thro ugh which the locking pin and cams, respectively may 
extend.  
Z DEAS 260 :2021  
10 © EAC 2021  – All rights reserved  
 3.54  
zipper  
A slide fastener consisting of interlockable elements each attached to one of the opening edges of two tapes 
and a movable part called a ‘slider’ that spans the interlockable elem ents which when moved in one direction 
causes the elements on one tape to interlock with thee elements on the other tape, and when moved in the 
opposite direction causes the elements to disengage.  
The various types of zippers are:  
(a) Separate -element zipper — A zipper consisting of two rows of interlockable separatelyformed 
elements called scoops, each attached to one of the opposing edges of two tapes (see figure 11 9a)).  
 
Figure 11 a — Principal parts of zippers — Separable element zipper  
(b) Continuous -monofil ament zipper — A zipper consisting of two continuous interlockable configurated 
monofilament elements each attached to one of the opposing edges of two tapes (symmetrical) or one 
side of the tapes at their opposing edges (asymmetrical) (see Fgure 11(b)).  
(c)  Nonseparable zippers — Zippers which have to stringers that are permanently attached to each other 
at their on both ends (see Figure 11 (a) and 11 (b)).  
(d)  Separable zippers — Zippers which are fitted with special components at the bottom of the zipper 
chain as to permit complete disengagement and then re -engagement of the two stringers (see Figure 
12). DEAS 260 :2021  
© EAC 2021  – All rights reserved  11 
 
 
Figure 11 (b) — Principal parts of zippers — Continuous monofilament zipper  
 
 
Figure 12 — Separating part s 
 DEAS 260 :2021  
12 © EAC 2021  – All rights reserved  
 Bibliography  
EAS 260:2007 , Zippers — Glossary  of terms  
 DEAS 260:2021    
 
© EAC 2021  – All rights reserved