Patent GB-442358-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to the manufacture of sliding-clasp fasteners
IPC: A44B19/46
Filed: 1935-03-04
Abstract: 442,358. Sliding-clasp fasteners. REITER, B., 4, Fountayne Road, Stoke Newington, London. March 4, 1935, No. 22932. Convention date, March 5, 1934. Divided out of 442,328. [Class 44] Sliding-clasp fasteners are made by feeding the fastening elements at predetermined spacing to each of a pair of tapes and clamping such elements thereon, top stops also being clamped on the tape, and the two tapes are then adjusted to correct relative position and passed through the slider and thereafter a bottom stop is fitted to secure the bottom ends of the two tapes together. The apparatus shown feeds and clamps a predetermined but variable number of fastener elements on the two tapes, applies the top stops, pulls the two tapes through an automatically positioned slider, applies the bottom connecting stop, and severs the completed and engaged fastener. The elements are clamped on the two tapes 3, 4 by the two pairs of continuously moving toothed wheels 5, 6, the teeth of which in each pair oppose one another, but do not mesh, so that intertooth pockets are formed to receive the elements which are ted trom shoots to lie with their legs in two oppositely facing tooth spaces. The subsequent contraction of these pockets as the point of tangency is reached clamps the legs of the elements on to the tapes. Each tape with elements clamped thereon then passes between a pair of feeler wheels 9 which come together under spring action at a non-fitted length of the tape and so operate a top-stop feeder 11 to apply a top stop to the tape, which stop is clamped by means of the pair of non-meshing toothed wheels 13. Bevel pinions 22, 23 then twist the tapes so that both tapes 3, 4 lie in the same plane and the tapes are passed through a slider 35, being equably moved, and with the elements of the two tapes properly related, by two meshing wheels 33, 34, the teeth of which also mesh with the elements. These wheels 33, 34 are pressed apart by springs and so if the feeding is to be effected, both tapes must be properly positioned on the wheels and under such tension that the spring action is overcome. When the top stops 11a, 12a enter the slider 35 the latter is pulled away and another slider comes into position. A series of fasteners of any required length can be produced, as described below, and when the first element of a succeeding length reaches a feeler device 45 a bottom connecting stop 44 is clamped on the two tapes and the already completed engaged fastener lying at the right of the point 46 is cut off. The tapes may be partly cut by scissor devices 31 operated by feeler wheels 29 prior to entering the slider. The control apparatus for giving a series of fasteners of any required length is shown in Figs. and 4 and comprises ring members 63 mounted on top of the toothed wheels 5, 6 and carried round thereon until a projection 66 encounters a stop 70. A stud 75 can be inserted at any desired point along the ring member and in the course of travel of the ring actuates a tappet wedge 78 which briefly rocks a lever 82 thereby to raise the stop 71 restraining the next ring 63 which is thus released. This second ring in turn briefly rocks the lever 83 to release the third ring which similarly releases the fourth ring and this last ring in turn releases the first ring so that the series of actions continue. The rocking of the levers briefly closes an electric switch whereby a pin is briefly inserted in the feed shoots for the elements ; the resulting brief interruption of the feed of elements gives the spacing between successive fitted lengths of stringers. When a given number of elements has been clamped the machine may be shut down by the tripping of a switch operated by the travel of a non-rotating nut along a screw-threaded spindle extending from the wheel 5. The elements should be arranged so that their heads present the interlocking recess towards the tape spools 1, 2.