GB1604779A - Flexible fastener attachments - Google Patents

Description

PATENT SPECIFICATION

( 11) 1604779 Application No 1291/81 ( 22) Filed 31 May 1978 Patent of Addition to 1474241 dated 4 April 1974 Divided out of No 1604778 Convention Application No.

812875 ( 32) Filed 5 July 1977 in United States of America (US) Complete Specification published 16 Dec 1981

INT CL 31 F 16 B 1/00 Index at acceptance E 2 A CXX ( 54) IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO FLEXIBLE FASTENER ATTACHMENTS ( 71) We, DENNISON MANUFACTURING Co LIMITED, a Company registered under the laws of England, of Colonial Way, Watford, Hertfordshire, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:

This invention relates to flexible fasteners, otherwise referred to as fastener attachments The invention is an improvement in or a modification of the invention the subject of Patent No 1 474 241 which claims separable fastener stock for providing individual fasteners, the stock being made of plastics material and comprising two spaced continuous elongated side members that are joined by at least twelve evenly spaced cross links, each cross link forming a flexible filament The Complete Specification of this Patent will be referred to herein as the parent specification.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, separable fastener stock for providing individual fasteners is made of plastics material and comprises two spaced continuous elongated side members that are joined by a plurality of evenly spaced cross links each forming a flexible filament, one of the side members being proportioned to form, in a separated fastener comprising one cross link and a part of each side member, a bar and the other side member being proportioned to form in a separated fastener a paddle which is generally flat and has a breadth and length substantially greater than its thickness.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a method of providing individual fasteners comprises providing fastener stock according to the first aspect of the present invention and separating individual fasteners from the fastener stock by severing the side members at points between the junctions of the cross links with the side members.

The invention may be carried into practice in various ways but separable fastener stock embodying the invention and its 50 method of manufacture will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a length of a first form of continuous fastener stock; 55 Figure 2 is a front view of an individual fastener formed from the stock of Figure 1; Figures 3 and 4 are sectional views of the fastener of Figure 2 taken along lines 3-3 and 4-4; 60 Figure 5 is a plan view of a length of another form of continuous fastener stock; Figure 6 is a front view of an individual fastener formed from the stock of Figure 5; Figures 7, 8 and 9 are sectional views of 65 the fastener of Figure 6 taken along lines 7-7, 8-8 and 9-9; There is no Figure 10; Figures 11 and 12 are diagrams illustrating alternative ways of storing continuous 70 attachment stock in a canister; Figures 13 and 14 illustrate a method of forming stock according to the invention; Figures 15 to 17 illustrate another method of forming stock according to the 75 invention and then stretching it to strengthen its cross links; and Figure 18 illustrates joinder of short lengths of stock to form overall lengths.

Turning to the drawings, one type of fas 80 tener stock in accordance with the invention is illustrated in Figure 1 The stock 59 is formed by two elongated and continuously connected side members 60 A and 60 B, which are cross-coupled by plastics links or 85 filaments 60 C The side member 60 A is in the form of successively connected cross bars 61 A which are joined to one another at approximately the central axis of the continuous side member 60 A The desired con 90 nection between adjoined cross bars is formed by opposite incisions on the member A to produce in effect a thin filamentary extension between the adjoined cross bars.

The side members 60 A form cross bars as 95 stated and their cross-section thus has dimensions in two directions at right angles which are approximately equal The side ( 21) ( 61) ( 62) ( 31) ( 33) ( 44) ( 51) ( 52) ( 19) 1 604 779 members 60 B by contrast form paddles or tabs 61 B and their cross-section thus has a height dimension which is substantially greater than the thickness dimension (see Figure 3) There is a filamentary extension between adjacent paddles in the same manner as between adjacent cross bars.

Although the paddles shown in Figures 1 to 3 are square or rectangular in front view as seen, for example, in Figure 2, it will be appreciated that they may have other shapes, such as semicircular, circular or triangular, so that the area of the paddle in front view (Figure 2) is substantially greater than its area in cross-section in planes containing the cross link (Figure 3).

The stock 59 is of a plastics material The plastics material is flexible at least in part and is also sufficiently stiff in at least a portion thereof so that a portion thereof may easily be pushed through a needle slot.

The plastics material forming the side members should be easily separated or divided by, for example, rupturing, severing or cutting to provide a plurality of fastener attachment devices but not so easily separable into a plurality of attachment devices that it separates upon being fed into a dispensing apparatus and thus causes jamming of the apparatus.

As used herein and for convenience it is intended that the term plastics be given its broadest meaning as defining any flexible plastics or flexible polymer such as elastomeric materials, thermoplastics and flexible thermosetting resins which those skilled in the art will recognise as useful for the purpose disclosed herein.

Materials which may be used herein include conventional plastics such as nylon, polyurethane, polyethylene, polypropylene and polyvinyl cholride Other plastics suitable for this purpose will be apparent to those skilled in the art It should be understood that combinations of plastics materials may be used as the stock.

In its preferred construction the two side members are parallel to each other and the cross links are parallel to each other In addition, the cross links are spaced an equidistance "d" apart so they may easily be fed into a fastener attaching apparatus in a preset sequence necessary for the regular timed operation of most machines.

As shown in Figure 1 the side members extend beyond the first cross link 60 C so that the first separation of a fastener attachment device shown in Figures 2 to 4 will from the beginning be useful for its intended purpose.

The cross links or the side members of the stock may also be stretched as described in Patents Nos 1 145 455 and 1 162 928 to strengthen plastics materials such as nylon.

The stock 59 may be fabricated by punching or forming apertures 60 D in an extruded sheet of plastics as will be seen later with reference to Figures 13 and 14.

In Figures 2 to 4 there is shown an individual fastener resulting from the separation 70 of one device from the stock, e g by cutting the side members 60 A and 60 B between the first and second cross links at a' and a 2 in Figure 1.

The resulting fastener attachment device 75 61 comprises an end bar 61 A and a paddle 61 B of the same length coupled together by a filament member 61 C In this configuration the cross-section of the end bar is rectangular as is the cross-section of the 80 filament member.

The filament member (as well as the cross link) has a thickness T 2 which is smaller than the thickness T of the end bar (side member) when viewed in the cross-sectional 85 view (see Figure 3) to ensure secure travel through a needle as described in the parent specification and to enable the filament member to be foldable towards and against the cross bar 61 A during insertion of the 90 cross bar through a layer of cloth or other sheet material in the manner described in, for example, Patent No 950 402.

A further embodiment of the fastener stock is shown in Figures 5 to 8 By contrast 95 with the continuously connected side member 60 A of Figure 1, the corresponding side member 64 A has a circular crosssection, as indicated in Figure 7 except at the ends of each cross bar where there is a 100 thin filamentary connection near the base of the side member as further illustrated in Figure 6 at position b-1 of Figure 5 The filamentary connection in the position b-2 for the adjoining head pieces of the upper 105 side member, corresponding to the side member 60 B of Figure 1, is at position b-2.

In Figure 5 the stock is made moulding, for example as shown in Figure 15, in relatively small sections which are then welded 110 together at abutting ends of the side members as shown in Figure 18 In particular, the stock (shown as 59) in Figure 5 comprises side members 63 A and 63 B and cross links 63 C separated from each other by apertures 115 63 D The stock is formed by welding together side members of moulded sections at points 63 E In this manner the continuous, undivided, elongated side members 63 A and 63 B are formed Figures 7 to 9 120 illustrate a fastener attachment device separated from the stock of Figure 5 by severing the side members at points b' and b 2.

The construction of the stock of Figure 5 is such that the end bars 64 A and 64 B are 125 round in cross-section as is the filament 64 C.

More particularly, the cross link 63 C is moulded with a smaller diameter or thickness T 2 than the diameter or thickness T of 130 1 604 779 the side members 63 A and 63 B to ensure that the resulting attachment device 64 will be securely retained within the needle of the fastener attachment apparatus.

It should be understood that the side members and the cross links as well as the resulting end bar and filament may take many shapes, as for example the filament may be round and the end bars rectangular or vice versa.

In Figures 11 and 12 there is shown a container, can or canister in two convenient shapes for storing the fastener attachment stock of this disclosure Figure 11 illustrates at 65 a round canister for storing fastener attachment stock 59 in a roll as shown.

For use, the stock may first be rolled up and placed in the canister 65 by removing the press fit cover 66 A from the canister body 66 B and inserting the roll with a portion of the stock being passed through a feed opening 66 C.

The stock 59 will travel as shown by the arrow when pulled from the canister In Figure 12 there is shown a box-like container 67 in which fastener attachment stock folded back and forth over itself as shown may be stored The container 67 comprises a removable cover 68 A which is coupled to the main storage portion 68 B thereof The cover 68 A is removed for loading of the stock after the stock is folded, e g by removing screws (not shown) holding it in place, and is then replaced to hold the fan-folded stock in place The stock is withdrawn from the container 67 via a slot or opening 68 C and is pulled in the direction as shown by the arrow to feed a fastener attachment apparatus.

Reference may now be made to Figures 13 to 18 which illustrate various methods of fabricating the stock 59 Figures 13 and 14 show an inexpensive and convenient manner for fabricating the stock The stock 59 is formed by providing an extruded continuous strip of plastics 252 from an extruder 250 and then punching out or forming apertures by applying a force to a punching member 255 to move it up and down to form the apertures (leaving the side members and cross links) as the strip moves in a direction to the right of Figure 13 while the strip 252 passes over the table 251 The punched out portions of the strip pass through an opening 253 in the table Stock such as shown in Figure 1 is conveniently formed in this manner although obviously various other shaped stock may also be formed.

In Figure 15 there is shown a method of moulding the stock in a mould 260 by forcing into the mould plastics under pressure into channels formed in the mould top 262 and bottom 264 and then cooling or curing depending upon the plastics used Stock 59 having side members 60 A and 260 B with cross links 60 C is thus formable.

Smaller sections formed in this manner may be joined together by applying heat, e.g from a laser, ultrasonic means or other 70 conventional heating devices as shown in Figure 18, to butt weld the side members 63 A and 63 B of each section together, said side members supporting the cross links 63 C 75 In Figures 16 and 17 there is illustrated the stretching of the cross links 63 C of the stock by puller members 265 and 266 having slots 265 A and 265 B to hold the side members and cross links during the stretch 80 ing operation to strengthen as well as elongate stock made from materials such as nylon exhibiting a crystalline structure and which will be strengthened by stretching.

Conveniently, such crystalline structure 85 materials may be heated during stretching to facilitate stretching.

The continuous stock described may be used in the manner described in the parent specification and in particular it may be dis 90 pensed by the apparatus described and shown in Figures 13 to 22 of the parent specification GB 1474241 modified to employ only one needle or the apparatus described and shown in Figures 40 to 47 or 95 in Figure 48 of the parent specification GB

1474241 to which reference should be made for further details It will be understood that it will be necessary slightly to modify these forms of apparatus in order to accommodate 100 the greater dimension of the paddles compared with a second cross bar as shown in the parent specification.

Attention is directed to Application No.

25769/78 Serial No 1604778 from which 105 this application has been divided.

Claims (6)

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1 Separable fastener stock for providing individual fasteners, the stock being made of plastics material and comprising 110 two spaced continuous elongated side members that are joined by a plurality of evenly spaced cross links each forming a flexible filament, one of the side members being proportioned to form, in a separated fas 115 tener comprising one cross link and a part of each side member, a bar and the other side member being proportioned to form in a separated fastener a paddle which is generally flat and has a breadth and length sub 120 stantially greater than its thickness.

2 Stock as claimed in Claim 1 in which the cross links are uniformly spaced between the side members.

3 Stock as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 125 2 in which the cross section of said cross links is less than that of said side members.

4 Stock as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 or Claim 3 in which the cross links have their molecules reoriented by stretching to 130 1 604779 strengthen them with respect to at least one of said side members.

Stock as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which the stock is formed by moulding.

6 A method of producing individual fasteners which comprises providing fastener stock as claimed in any of the preceding claims and separating individual fasteners from the fastener stock by severing the 10 side members at points between the junctions of the cross links with the side members.

KILBURN & STRODE, Chartered Patent Agents, Agents for the Applicants.

Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by The Tweeddale Press Ltd, Berwick-upon-Tweed 1981 Published at the Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings London, WC 2 A I AY from which copies may be obtained.