Patent GB-1115487-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to sliding clasp fasteners
IPC: A44B19/36
Filed: 1965-07-26
Abstract: 1,115,487. Sliding clasp fasteners. OPTIHOLDING, A.G. 26 July, 1965 [3 April, 1965], No. 31887/65. Heading E2S. A method of continuously mounting sliders on moving interlocked strips in the production of sliding clasp fasteners, each strip comprising tape and fastener elements, comprises the steps of forming slots at predetermined intervals in the strips for the successive engagement of the sliders, the slots each having a transverse portion 5 and an axial portion 6 extending therefrom, transporting the strips to a slider applying area, presenting a said slider to be mounted, in the vicinity of the moving strips so as to be stationary at the time of mounting, and bending the strips so that the plane of the transverse portion of a said slot, in the vicinity of said slider, is inclined to the general plane of the strips and that the edge of the transverse portions, from which the axial portion of said slot extends, becomes aligned with the passages of the slider presented from mounting, after which the portions of the strips on each side of the axial portion of said slot engage the slider to mount the slider on the fastener elements of the strips, the interlocked strips being disconnected along a predetermined length by the passage of the fastener elements of the strips through the passages of the stationary mounted slider. The edges of each slot are reinforced by the application of a strip of plastics material 9 to the strips by a welding process each slot being formed simultaneously with or subsequently to the welding process and as described each slot removes some of the interlocked elements. The interlocked strips can be provided with top and bottom stops at the location of each slot, these stops being provided either by the reinforcing sheet or by the reinforcing sheet and elements in combination. When the top stops are provided they are constructed so that the slider can pass them when it is being mounted onto the strips, so that it cannot be removed. As described the method is carried out in a machine which comprises a conveyor device 15 for pulling the interlocked strips over a pressure plate 16 which is provided with a recess 17 into which the interlocked strips are pressed by each slider in turn. In the recess is a spring loaded base 24, the spring tension being adjustable. The sliders are contained in a magazine 19 from which they are delivered one at a time under the control of a mechanical blocking member 33 to a carriage 25. The carriage 25 has a member 26 which receives the sliders and the carriage is moved, by an electrically controlled rotary magnet 31 via a crank drive 27, to press the slider against the interlocked strips. The slider reaches the strips before a said slot reaches the recess 17 so that it is already in position to engage the slot edge when the slot reaches the recess. The magnet 31 is controlled by a photocell arrangement 22, 23 which is arranged below the recess and which energises the magnet 31 immediately one of the slots passes the photocell arrangement. A second photocell arrangement 34, 35 is provided above the recess and as soon as any slot passes this photocell arrangement the electromagnet 31 is energised to retract the carriage 25 so that the slider can leave the recess to be carried forward by the strips. Reference has been directed by the Comptroller to Specifications 900,183.