GB2172018A - Method and apparatus for sewing slide fasteners to pairs of fabric pieces - Google Patents

Abstract

A slide fastener (1) is sewn to a pair of fabric pieces (2, 2) in a sewing station (5) defined by a double-needle sewing machine (4) with a pair of fastener stringers (32, 33) twisted around in mirror symmetry with respect to the longitudinal centerline of the slide fastener. A slider (8), which is slidable on and along the fastener stringers, is temporarily held by a slider holder (9) disposed downstream of and adjacent to the sewing station (S). As the sewing operation progresses and until after the engagement of the slider (8) with the bottom end-portion of the slide fastener (1), the pair of fastener stringers (32, 33) are automatically progressively uncoupled. The further movement of the slide fastener (1) causes the slider (8) to be forced by the bottom end portion of the slide fastener (1) past the slider holder (9). <IMAGE>

Description

1 GB 2 172 018 A 1

SPECIFICATION

Method and apparatus for sewing slide fasteners to pairs of fabric pieces The present invention relates to a method of, and an apparatus for, sewing a slide fastener to a pair of fabric pieces, such as, for example, of a curtain, a tent or a garment.

Conventionally, for attaching a slide fastener to a pair of fabric pieces on a sewing machine, a slider is manually moved to a bottom end portion of the slide fastener to uncouple a pair of opposed fas tener stringers of the slide fastener except at their bottom end portions. The uncoupled stringers are introduced, as superimposed over the respective fabric pieces, to a sewing station of the sewing machine from a top end portion of the slide fas tener, while the fastener stringers are being twisted in mirror symmetry with respect to the lon gitudinal centerline of the slide fastener so that a pair of initially opposed rows of coupling elements is directed away from one another. The pair of fas tener stringers are sewn by a pair of reciprocating sewing needles to the respective fabric pieces from the top end portion of the slide fastener in the sewing station.

Such conventional sewing practice is disadvanta geous however in that the substantially fully un coupled two fastener stringers are likely to displace 95 from one another in a longitudinal direction due to tensioning forces applied thereto during sewing operation. Because of this relative displacement, the fastener stringers with the fabric pieces sewn thereto cannot be coupled together smoothly and 100 quickly. When fully closed, the slide fastener hav ing such displaced stringers becomes wavy or un dulated, making the fabric pieces become defective from an aesthetic view. The conventional sewing practice is not suitable in applications wherein the 105 pair of fabric pieces have design patterns printed thereon and a mutual matching or alignment of such design patterns across the slide fastener is a major requirement. Due to the reliance on time consuming manual opening of the slide fastener, 110 sewing efficiency is very low. When sewing a remarkably long slide fastener, it occurs likely that a pair of opposed fastener stringers is unintentionally twisted in asymmetry. The fastener stringers sewn to the respective fabric pieces cannot be coupled together smoothly due to occurrence of an objectionable inward bulge of the fabric pieces between the opposed stringers.

Typical examples of the foregoing sewing prac- tice are disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publi- 120 cation No. 47- 16295 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 48-31335.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of sewing a slide fastener to a pair of fabric pieces, the slide fastener 125 including a pair of fastener stringers and a slider slidable on and along the fastener stringers for opening and closing the slide fastener, the slider including a pivotally movable pull tab, said method comprising the steps of: supplying the pair of fab- 130 ric pieces to a sewing station defined by a sewing machine; introducing the pair of fastener stringers, as superimposed over the respective fabric pieces, to the sewing station from a top end portion of the slide fastener, while turning the pair of stringers upside down so that the stringers assume twisted positions in mirror symmetry with respect to the longitudinal centerline of the slide fastener; and sewing the pair of fastener stringers to the respec- tive fabric pieces from the top end portion of the slide fastener in the sewing station, characterized in that the slider is temporarily held in a holding position disposed downstream of and adjacent to the sewing station until after the same is engaged by the bottom end portion of the slide fastener, thereby automatically progressively opening the pair of fastener stringers while said sewing progresses.

According to a second aspect of the present in- vention, there is provided a method of sewing a slide fastener to a pair of fabric pieces, the slide fastener including a pair of fastener stringers and a slider slidable on and along the fastener stringers for opening and closing the slide fastener, the sli- der including a pivotally movable pull tab, said method comprising the steps of: supplying the pair of fabric pieces to a sewing station defined by a sewing machine; partially uncoupling the pair of fastener stringers by moving the slider from a top end portion toward a bottom end portion of the slide fastener; introducing the uncoupled portions of the pair of fastener stringers, as superimposed over the respective fabric pieces, to the sewing station from the top end portion of the slider fastener, while turning the pair of uncoupled stringers portions upside down so that the uncoupled stringers portions assume twisted positions in mirror symmetry with respect to the longitudinal centerline of the slide fastener; and sewing the pair of fastener stringers to the respective fabric pieces from the top end portion of the slide fastener in the sewing station, characterized in that the slider is temporarily held in a holding position disposed downstream of and adjacent to the sewing station until after the same is engaged by the bottom end portion of the slide fastener, thereby automatically progressively opening the pair of fastener stringers while said sewing progresses.

According to a third aspect of the present inven tion, there is provided an apparatus for sewing a slide fastener to a pair of fabric pieces, the slide fastener including a pair of fastener stringers and a slider movable on and along the fastener stringers for opening and closing a slide fastener, the slider including a pivotally movable pull tab, said apparatus comprising: a table; a sewing station defined by a doubleneedle sewing machine mounted on said table for receiving the slide fastener and the pair of fabric pieces on respective superimposed relationship; a first guide disposed upstream of said sewing station for guiding the pair of fabric pieces in lateral spaced relation to said sewing station; and a second guide supported on said table and disposed above said first guide fors upporting the slide fastener with the pair of fastener stringers 2 - GB 2 172 018 A 2 partially uncoupled from a top end portion of the slide fastener, and for guiding the uncoupled por tions of the pair of fastener stringers to said sew ing station so as to turn the uncoupled stringer portions upside down so that the uncoupled stringer portions assume twisted positions in mir - ror symmetry with respect to the lorigitudinal cen terline of the slide fastener, characterized in that said ap-paratus further includes a slider holder dis posed on said second guide adjacent to said sew ing station for temporarily holding the slider, said slider holder yielclably releasing the slider in re - sponse to the engagement of a bottom portion of the slide fastener with the slider, thereby automati cally progressively uncoupling the pair of fastener stringers while said sewing machine is operating.

It is believed possible by means of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for sewing a slide fastener to ta pair of fabric, pieces without occurrence of any difficulty associated with 85 the prior sewing practice.

It is further believed possible by means of the present invention to provide a method and appara tus for sewing a slide fasteners to a pair of fabric pieces, in which a pair of fastener stringers of the slide fastener can be secured neatly to the respec tive fabric pieces without causing relative displace ment during the sewing operation.

It is still further believed possible by means of the present invention to provide a method and ap paratus for sewing a slide fastener to a pair of fab ric pieces efficiently, in which a pair of fastener stringers of the slide fastener with the fabric pieces sewn thereto can be coupled together smoothly and quickly without occurrence of any inward bulge of the fabriG pieces between the opposed stringers.

The invention will be described by way of exam ple with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like references refer to like parts unless 105 stated otherwise, and wherein.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective, partly cut away view of an apparatus embodying the present invention; Figure 2 is an en,larged plan view, partlyin cross 110 section, of a slider holder of the apparatus shown in Figure 1; - Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 111-111 of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along 115 line IV-IV of Figure 2; Figure 5 and 6 are fragmentary plan view, partly in cross section, of the slider holder, illustrating how the slider holder operates; Figure 7 is a fragmentary schematic longitudinal 120 cross-sectional view of a modified slider holder; Figure 8(A) is a plan view of a concealed slide fastener in the initial sewing stage with a slider held by the slider holder of Figure 2; Figure 8(B) is a view similar to Figure 8(A), 125' showing the positional relationship between the concealed slide fastener and the slider holder in an advanced sewing stage; Figure 8(C) is a plan view of the concealed slide fastener with the slider just released from the sli- 130 der holder; Figure 9 is a fragmentary plan view of a pair of opposed fabric pieces coupled together by the concealed slide fastener sewn thereto; 70 Figures 10(A) and 10(B) are views corresponding to Figures 9(A)- and 9(C), respectivelYr showing successive steps of the present sewing method as applied to the sewing of a non-concealed or exposed. slide fastener to a pair of fabric pieces; and 75 Figure 11 is a fragmentary plan view of the opposed fabric pieces coupled together by the exposed slide fastener sewn thereto. Figures 1 through 6 show an apparatus for sewing a concealed slide fastener 1 to a pair of fabric pieces 2, 2 across an opening 3 defined by the fabric pieces 2, 2. - As shown in Figure 1, the apparatus generally comprises a double-needle sewing machine 4 mounted on a table 6 and defining a sewing station 5, a fabric-piece guide unit (not shown) disposed upstream of the sewing station 5 for guiding the fabric pieces 2, 2 in laterally spaced relationship to the sewing station 5, and a slide-fastener guide unit 7 supported on the table 5 and disposed above the non-illustrated fabric-piece feed unit,for guiding the slide fastener 1 as the latter is fed toward the sewing station 5. - The slide- fastener guide unit 7 supports on its upper surface a slider holder 9 for releasably hold- ing a slider 8 of the slide fastener 1, the slider. holder 9 disposed adjacent to the sewing station 5.

The slider holder 9 is -so constructed as to hold the slider 8 by gripping a pull tab 10 of the slider 8. As shown in Figures 2 through 6, the slider holder 9 includes a bracket 12 secured to a slanted elongate guide plate 11 of the slide-fastener guide unit 7 (Figure 1). The bracket 12 supports thereon an inverted U-shaped cover 13 having a downwardly opening groove 14 facing to a slide-fastener guide track 15 defined on the guide plate 11. The slider holder 9 also includes a support plate 16 extending from an end of the cover 13 remote from the sewing station 5 (Figure 1) to overlie the guide track 15. The cover 13 is vertical lyspaced from the guide track 15 to define therebetween a space B (Figure 3) which is large enough to allow theslider 8 to pass through the space B while the pull tab 10 is being held in a recumbent position..

The groove 14 extends through the cover 13 in the longitudinal direction of the guide track 15 and receives a part of a generally Y-shaped gripper 18 with an outwardly flaring bay 17 of the gripper 18 opening toward the sewing station 5 (Figure 1). The gripper 18 is composed of a pair of leaf springs joined together at one end and berit into a Y-shape including a stem or leg 19 and a bifurcated resilient head 20. The closed end portion of the head 20 is complementary in contour with an outwardly flared end 21 of the groove 14. A tension spring 23 is connected at its opposite ends with the leg 19 of the gripper 18 and- a bolt 22 secured to a distal end of the support plate 16 so that the bifurcated resilient head 20 of the gripper 18 is urged against the flared end 21 of the groove 14 to resiliently deform in a direction to narrow the bay 3 GB 2 172 018 A ? 17.

The spring 23 has a spring force large enough to enable the slider holder 9 to hold the slider 8 thereon against a tensioning force applied to the slide fastener 1 until the tensioning force reaches to a predetermined value. When subjected to the tensioning force above the predetermined value, the spring 23 yields, thereby releasing the slider 8 from the slider holder 9. The bolt 22 is coupled with a pair of nuts 24, 24 (Figure 2) for axial move ment so that the force of the tension spring 23 is adjustable with the axial displacement of the bolt 22.

The resilient bifurcated head portion 20 of the gripper 18 includes a pair of opposed grip fingers 80 25, 26 supporting, at their distal ends, a pair of op posed presser pads 27, 28, respectively, the pres qure pads 27, 28 projecting into the bay 17 for gripping the slider pull tab 10 therebetween.

As shown in Figure 1, the guide plate 11 of the slide-fastener guide unit 7 inclines progressively downwardly toward the sewing station 5 and has a pair of parallel spaced guard flanges 29, 30 extend ing along opposite longitudinal edges of the guide plate 11. The guard flanges 29, 30 extend from an 90 upper end of the slanted guide plate 11 toward the sewing station 5 and terminate adjacent to the head portion 20 (Figure 2) of the gripper 18. The portion pf the guide plate 11, which extends down stream of the guard flanges 29, 30, is enlarged widthwise. The guide plate 11 has a lower end 31 facing to the sewing station 5 and supporting thereon a pair of coupling-assembly guides 34, 35 laterally spaced from each other for guiding a pair of coupling assemblies 36, 37, respectively. The coupling assemblies 36, 37 is composed of inner longitudinal edges (not designated) of a pair of op posed fastenr stringers 32, 33 and a pair of rows of coupling elements (not designated) supported on the respective inner longitudinal edges.

The fastener stringers 32, 33 are initially fully coupled and they are progressively uncoupled from one another as the slide fastener 1 is fed to ward the sewing station 5 while the slider 8 is being held on the slider holder 9. The uncoupled 110 fastener stringers 32, 33 are twisted around to direct the coupling assemblies 36, 37 away from each other. The coupling assemblies 36, 37 are then introduced into the coupling-assembly guides 34, 5.

The coupling-assembly guides 34, 35 have a pair of longitudinal grooves 38, 39 defined in inner lower corners, respectively, thereof in confronting relation to each other and extending over the full length of the guides 34, 35 for guiding the coupling assemblies 36, 37 as they pass through the grooves 38, 39 in elected posture. A pair of presser plates 40, 41 is pivotably mounted on the guides 34, 35, respectively, and they are normally urged by a pair of torsion springs 42, 43 to swing in a direction to close the respective grooves 38, 39. The presser plates 40, 41 are pivotally movable, against the force of the springs 42, 43, to swing in the direction indicated by the arrow A (Figure 1) in re- sponse to engagement with the slider 8 held at a connected bottom end portion of the slide fastener 1, thereby allowing passage of the slide fastener 1 through the guides 34, 35.

In the sewing station, there are a pair of parallel sewing needles N, N vertically reciprocably mounted on a sewing machine body (not shown), and a presser foot F mounted on the sewing machine body and having a pair of downwardly opening grooves 44 (one shown in Figure 1) for the passage of the elected coupling assemblies 36, 37. The fastener stringers 36, 37, as they are fed through the presser foot F, are sewn to the opposed edges of the fabric pieces 2, 2 across the opening 3 with a pair of rows of sewing stitches extending along the inner longitudinal edges of the respective fastener stringers 32, 33 adjacent to the coupling elements, Since the slider holder 9 is so constructed to hold the slider 8 by gripping the slider pull tab 10, it is suitable for use with auto-lock sliders which comprise a resilient locking pawl (not shown) operatively connected to the pull tab 10 and normally held in interlocking engagement with the coupling elements to lock the slider on the slide fastener against displacement, the locking pawl being disengaged from the coupling elements when the pull tab is pulled. When sewing slide fasteners with sliders of general or non-auto- lock sliders, the apparatus preferably comprises a modified slider holder 45 shown in Figure 7.

The slider holder 45 includes a bracket 48 secured to a guide plate 46 to overlie the latter in registry with a through-hole 47 defined in the guide plate 46. The bracket 48 includes a recess 49 in which an upper presser finger 51 is movably received. A compression coil spring 50 is received in the recess 49 and acts between the bracket 48 and the presser finger 51 to urge the latter to partly project from the bracket 48 toward a guide track (not designated) defined on the guide plate 46. The slider holder 45 also includes a rocking arm 53 plvotably supported by a pin 52 below the guide plate 46. The rocking arm 53 has, at its one end, a lower presser finger 54 received in the throughhole 47 in alignment with the upper presser finger 51 and normally projecting upwardly beyond the guide track. The other end 55 of the rocking qrm 53 is resiliently connected to the guide plate 40 with a compression coil spring 56 interposed therebetween, so that the lower presser finger 54 is nprmally urged by the spring 56 in the blocking position of Figure 7. The upper and lower presser fingers 51, 54 have a pair of sloped guide surfaces 57, 58, respectively, facing in an upstream direction of the guide track for smooth reception of a slider (illustrated by phantom lines) between the presser fingers 51, 54.

In operation, a fully closed slide fastener (not shown) with a non-autolock slider held near a top or leading end thereof is fed in a direction of the arrow X along the guide track on the guide plate 46. While the slide fastener is being fed, the slider is passed through and is guided by the guide sur faces 57, 58 of the respective presser fingers 51, 54, is caught by the presser fingers 51, 54 and re- 4 GB 2 172 018 A 4 main gripped therebetween until the slider is en gaged by a connected bottom or trailing end por tion of the slide fastener. During that time and up to such engagement, the initially coupled opposed fastener stringers are separated from one-another except the connected bottom end of the slide fas tener by the slider in response to the continued feeding of the slide fastener. The further move ment -of the slide fastener causes the slider to be forced by the connected bottom end portion of the slide fastener past the presser fingers 51, 54 against the combined force of the springs 50, 56.

The manner in which a concealed slide fastener 1 with an auto-lock slider,8 mounted thereon is sown to a pair of fabric pieces 2, 2 on the appara- 80 tus of Figures 1 through 6 is described hereinbe low in connection with Figures 8(A) through 8(Q.

Before the start of sewing work, a pair of fabric pieces 2, 2 is introduced into the sewing station 5 (Figure 1), while a concealed slide fastener 1 is placed on the guide track 15 of the guide plate 11 upstream of the slider holder 9, with the slider 8 held against top end stops (not shown) of the slide fastener 1 to fully close the slide fastener 1. The slide fastener 1 is inserted into the space B (Figure 90 3) between the cover 13 and guide track 15 and then is pulled forwardly in a direction of the arrow _C (Figure 1) toward the sewing station 5 to such an extent that a top or leading end of the slide fas tener 1 reaches the sewing station 5. The slider 8, 95 which has advanced beyond the slider holder 9, is mannually moved toward the slider holder 9 to un couple the respective fastener stringers 32, 33 from I the top end of the slide fastener 1. (This manual - operation of the slider is not necessary when sew- 100 ing a slide fastener wherein a distance between a too end of the slide fastener and a top end of a pair of interengaged rows of coupling assemblies, at which a slider is located, is greater than the dis- tance between the sewing station 5 and the slider 105 holder 9.) The uncoupled portions of the respective fastener stringers 32, 33 are then twisted around in opposite directions to direct the coupling assemblies 36, 37 away from each other, as shown in Figure 8(A). The two twisted stringers 32, 33 are 110 passed though the respective guides 34, 35 with the coupling assemblies 36, 37 guided in the re- - spective grooves 38, 39 in the guides 34, 35, and then are introduced into the sewing station 5 with the coupling assemblies 36, 37 guided -in the 115 grooves 44 in the presser foot F.

Subsequently, the gripper 18 is manually pulled away from the cover 13 against the force of the -tension spring 23. While maintaining -this condi- tion, the pull tab 10 of the slider 8 is forced into the bay 17 in the gripper 18 and then is caught by the -presser pads 27, 28, as shown in Figures 4 and 5. Now, the slide fastener 1 and the fabric pieces 2, 2 are held In the position of Figure 8(A) in which the twisted uncoupled portions of the respective - stringers 32, 33 are superimposed over the respective fabric pieces 2, 2, the sewing-needles N, N and the presser foot F being omitted for clarity.

Then a start button (not shown) is. depressed whereupon the presser foot F and the-sewing needles N, N descend, and the sewing operation starts. Throughout the sewing operation, the sewn article, i.e. the slide fastener 1 - and. the fabric pieces 2, 2 are advanced by the feed dog (not shown) of -70 the sewing machine. Since the slider 8 is locked in position on the slider holder 9, the fastener string ers 32, 32 are automatically progressively uncou pled and sewn to the fabric pieces as the sewing operation proceeds.

As the sl I ide fastener 1 is advanced, the slider 8 is brought into engagement with the connected bottom end portion of the slide fastener 1 where upon the slider 8 is subjected to the tensionling force, applied to the stringers 32, 33 by the feed dog. The further movement of the slide fastener 1 causes the resilient head 21 of the gripper 18 to disengage from the cover 13 against th6 force of the tension spring 23 (Figures 6 and 8(B)). Subse quently, the slider 8 and the pull tab -11 are forced by the bottom end portion of the slide fastener, to move past the presser pads 27, 28 against the resiliency of the head'21 of the gripper 18 (Figure 8(c)).

As the bottom end of the slide fastener 1, where the slider 1 is positioned, reaches the guides 34, 35, the presser plates 40, 41 are angularly moved upwardly (arrows A in Figure 1) by the coupling assemblies 36, 37 against the bias of the torsion springs 42, 43, for thereby allowing the connected bottom end -of the slide fastener 1 td pass through the guides 34, 35 unobstructedly. Subsequently, when the slider 8 disposed at the connected bot- torn end of the slide fastener 1 approaches the _ sewing station 5, a slider detector (not sh own) is sues a command signal to the sewing machine 4 to start back tucking. The sewing threads are cut and the presser foot F is then raised to-terminate the operation of the sewing machine 4. As shown in Figure 8(Q, the-sewing stitches extend from the top or the leading end of th e slide fas tenerl and terminate short of the slider 8 disposed at the con nected bottom or the trailing end- of jhe slide fas tener 1. Upon sliding movement of the slider 8 to the top end of the slider fastener 1, the opening 3 of the fabric pieces 2, 2 are-fully closed, as shown in Figure 9. - -The apparatus of the present invention is especially useful in the sewing of concealed slide. fasteners, as described above. However, it is clear that non-concealed or exposed slide fasteners may be well sewn-with the apparatus of the- invention. Such assembly is illustrated in Figures 10(A) and 10(B).

As shown in Figure 10(A), before being sewn to a pair of opposed fabric pieces,-(not designated), an exposed slide fasfener 59 is opened from its -top end to an extent by moving a slider 60 toward a bottom stop 66 secured to a bottom end portion of the slide fastener 69. The uncoupled stringers 62, 63 are twisted around to direct initially opposed coupling elements 64, 65 away from each other.

- Then a pull tab 61 of the slider 60 is held on the slider holder 9. As the sewing operation progresses, the stringers 62, 63 are automatically pro- gressively uncoupled from one another until the GB 2 172 018 A 5 slider 60 is engaged by the bottom stop 66. The further movement of the fastener stringers 18, 19 causes the slider 60 to be forced by the bottom stop 66 past the slider holder 9, as shown in Figure 10(B) - The exposed slide fastener 59 thus sewn to the pair of fabric pieces is shown in Figure 11, the fastener 59 being fully closed by the slider 60.

In the sewing of the exposed slide fastener 59, the guides 34, 35 and the presser foot F shown in Figure 1 are replaced respectively by a pair of guides and a presser (niether shown) which are modified to have respective guide grooves capable of guiding the coupling elements 64, 65 during the sewing operation.

As described above, according to the present method, since the slider holding station, where two fastener stringers are automatically progressively uncoupled, is disposed adjacent to the sewing station, the uncoupled portion of the respective stringers are relatively short and hence they are unlikely to displace in a longitudinal direction with respect to one another when subjected to a tensioning force during the sewing operation. The fastener stringers free of relative displacement can be sewn neatly to the fabric pieces. Because of automatic uncoupling of the pair of fastener stringers, sewing efficiency is very high even when remarkably long slide fasteners are to be secured. Because of the close positioning of the sewing station and the slider holding position, unintentional asymmetric twisting of the uncoupled stringer portions can be prevented. The stringers with the fabric pieces sewn thereto can be coupled together smoothly without occurrence of any inward bulge of the fab- ric pieces between the opposed stringers.

According to the present apparatus, automatic uncoupling of the pair of fastener stringers and automatic releasing of the slider can be achieved by the slider holder disposed an the fastener guide adjacent to the sewing station. The slider holder is 105 simple in construction and can be manufactured at low cost.

Reference is directed to our co-pending patent application No. 8605258 (Serial No. 2) of even date herewith (230P51554) entitled "Method and apparatus for sewing a slide fastener to fabric pieces".

Claims (20)

1. A method of sewing a slide fastener to a pair of fabric pieces, the slide fastener including a pair of fastener stringers and a slider slidable on and along the fastener stringers for opening and clos ing the slide fastener the slider including a pivot ally movable pull tab, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) supplying the pair of fabric pieces to a sew ing station defined by a sewing machine; (b) introducing the pair of fastener stringers, as superimposed over the respective fabric pieces, to the sewing station from a top end portion of the slide fastener, while turning the pair of stringers upside down so that the stringers assume twisted positions in mirror symmetry with respect to the longitudinal centerline of the slide fastener; 130 (c) releasably holding the slider at a holding position downstream of and adjacent to the sewing station; (d) sewing the pair of fastener stringers to the respective fabric pieces from the top end portion of the slide fastenr in the sewing station while automatically progressively uncoupling the pair of fastener stringers at the holding position as said sewing progresses; and (e) releasing the slider in response to the engagement of the bottom end portion of the slide fastener with the slider.

2. A method according to claim 1, for use with a slider of the auto-lock type normally locked in position on the fastener stringers and released therefrom when the pull tab is pulled, said holding being achieved by gripping the pull tab of the auto-lock slider.

3. A method of sewing a slide fastener to a pair of fabric pieces, the slide fastener including a pair of fastener stringers and a slider slidable on and along the fastener stringers for opening and closing the slide fastener the slider including a pivotally movable pull tab, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) supplying the pair of fabric pieces to a spwing station defined by a sewing machine; (b) partially uncoupling the pair of fastener stringers by moving the slider from a top end portion toward a bottom end portion of the slide fastener; (c) introducing the uncoupled portions of the pair of fastener stringers, as superimposed over the respective fabric pieces, to the sewing station from the top end portion of the slide fastener, while turning the pair of uncoupled stringers portions upside down so that the uncoupled stringers portions assume twisted positions in mirror symmetry with respect to the longitudinal centerline of the slide fastener; (d) releasably holding the slider at a holding position downstream of and adjacent to the sewing station; (e) sewing the pair of fastener stringers to the re- spective fabric pieces from the top end portion of the slide fastener in the sewing station while automatically progressively uncoupling the pair of fastener stringers at the holding position as said sewing progresses; and (f) releasing the slider in response to the engagement of the bottom end portion of the slide fastener with the slider.

4. A method according to claim 3, for use with a slider of the auto-lock type normally locked in position on the fastener stringers and released therefrom when the pull tab is pulled, said holding being achieved by gripping the pull tab of the auto-lock slider.

5. An apparatus for sewing a slide fastener to a pair of fabric pieces, the slide fastener including a pair of fastener stringers and a slider movable on and along the fastener stringers for opening and closing a slide fastener, the slider including a pivotally movable pull tab, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a table; 6 GB 2 172 018 A -6 (b) a sewing station defined by a double-needle sewing machine mounted on said table for receiv ing the slide fastener and the pair of fabric pieces in respective superimposed relationship; (c) a first guide disposed upstream of s.aid sew ing station for guiding the pair of fabric peices in lateral spaced relation to said sewing station; (d) a second guide supported on said table and disposed above said first guide for supporting the slide fastener with the pair of sfastener stringers partially uncoupled from a top end portion of the slide fastener, and for guiding the uncoupled por tions of the pair of fastener stringers to said sew ing station so as to turn the uncoupled stringer portions upside down so that the uncoupled 80 stringer portions assume twisted positions in mir ror symmetry with respect to the longitudinal cen terline of the slide fastener and (e) a slider holder disposed on said second guide adjacent to said sewing station for temporarily holding the slider, said slider holder yieldably re leasing the slider in response to the engagement of a bottom portion of the slide fastener with the slider, thereby automatically progressively uncou pling the pair of fastener stringers while said sew ing machine is operating.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, said sli der hoder including a pair of grip fingers urged to ward each other to arrest the movement of the slider until after the slider is engaged by the bot tom end portion of the slide fastener.

7. An apparatus. according to claim 6, said grip fingers being disposed in a plane parallel to the general plane of the slide fastener.

8. An apparatus according to claim 6, said grip fingers being disposed in a plane perpendicularto the general plane of the slide fastener.

9, An apparatus according to claim 5, said sec ond guide including a guide plate defining thereon a guide track along which the slide fastener is fed, said slider holder including a cover mounted on said guide plate above said guide track and having a groove extending longitudinally of said guide track, said slider holder further including a gener ally Y-shaped gripper having a leg received in said groove and a bifurcated resilient head projecting outwardly from said groove toward said sewing station and lockingly engageable with said slider, and means for urging said gripper away from said sewing station to thereby contract said resilient head.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, said groove having a flared end facing tworad said sewing station, said bifurcated resilient head of said Y-shaped gripper having a connected end por tion complementary in contour with said flared end of said groove.

11. An apparatus according to claim 9, said sli der holder further including a support plate ex tending in alignment with said groove away from said sewing station, and a bolt secured to a distal end of said support plate, said urging means com prising a tension spring acting between said leg of said Y-shaped gripper and said bolt.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, said bolt being adjustably movable for axial displace ment. -

13. An apparatus according to claim 9, said Yshaped gripper including a pair of opposed presser pads disposed at an open end of said bifurcated resilient head.

14. An apparatus according to claim 9, said Yshaped gripper comprising a pair of leaf springs joined together at one end and bent into a Yshape.

15. An apparatus according to claim 5, said seeond guide including a guide plate defining thereon a guide track along which the slide fastener is fed, and a through-hole communicating with said guide track, said slider holder including an upper grip finger resiliently movably disposed above said guide track in registry with said through-hole, and a lower grip finger resiliently movably received in said through-hole and pary projecting into said guide track, said upper and lower grip fingers being resiliently urged toward each other to hold the slider therebetween.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, said slider holder including a bracket mounted on said guide plate above said guide track and havi ng a recess opening to said guide track, said upper grip finger movably retained in said recess, and a compression coil spring received in said recess and acting between said bracket and said upper grip finger to urge the latter toward said guide track.

17. An apparatus according to claim 15, said slider holder including a rocking arm pivotably mounted on said second guide below said guide plate, said lower grip finger being disposed at-one end of said rocking arm, and a compression coil spring acting between said guide plate and the other end of said rocking arm to urge said lower grip finger toward said upper grip finger. 105

18. An apparatus according to claim 15, said upper and lower grip fingers having a pair of sloped guide surfaces, respectively, facing toward an upstream direction of said guide track.

19. A method of sewing a slide fastener to a pair of fabric pieces substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

20. An apparatus substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Printed in the UK for HMSO, D8818935, 7186, 7102. Published by The Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A lAY, from which copies may be obtained.