838,034. Buckle threading apparatus. SCOVILL MANUFACTURING CO. March 28, 1958, No. 10062/58. Class 43 Buckle threading apparatus has means for releasably holding an apertured buckle in position for the threading thereof, means for advancing a length of tape to a position at one side of the buckle threader, means operable in timed relation with the tape advancing means to thread the tape in the form of a loop through the buckle aperture, a tape cutter insertable in the loop and operable to secure the loop and pilot means insertable in the loop in advance of the tape cutter to spread the loop for the insertion of the tape cutter therein. The apparatus is for use with buckles having three eyelets 204, 206, 208, Fig. 30, and comprises a number of cams on shafts 34 and 44 driven by a motor 12 and so arranged as to effect operation of mechanism in timed relationship to effect withdrawal of a length of tape from a supply thereof to thread the tape through eyelets 204 and to cut the portion so threaded from the remainder of the tape to form a fixed loop and to form from the remainder of the tape an adjustable loop by passing the tape once through eyelet 204, once through eyelet 206 and twice through eyelet 208, the ends of the loop being free so that one end can be secured to the garment and the other adjusted to vary the size of the second loop, and to sever the length of tape from the supply. The buckles are stacked on a T bar 220 by inserting the bar through the eyelet 208. The lowermost buckle rests in a slideway 192 and is fed to the threading station, where it is retained in the slideway by a groove 258, rod 284 and spring fingers, by a pusher mechanism comprising a slide 266 reciprocated in the slideway by a crank arm 274 driven from the shaft 44 which has secured thereon a cam 288 for controlling the mechanism for threading the tape into eyelet 204, cams 444, 448 to control the mechanism for cutting the tape to form the first loop, the cam 448 operating a slide with a cutting edge and having pivoted a cutting member 562 and a spreader pilot 560 movable in a recess beneath the slideway 192, the cam 444 pivoting the cutting member and operating a cutter 584 co-operating with a cutting edge of a support member 588 to sever the tape from the supply, a cam 440 to control the mechanism of a second threader 498 for threading the tape through the eyelet 206 after the first loop has been severed. During the forward movement of the slide 266 a reciprocating slide member 66 moves forwardly, the gripping fingers 68, 76 thereof opening through the action of the jaw opening device, a roller 107 on a crank arm engaging beneath the lower jaw, to grasp the leading end of the tape threaded through co-operating pivoted members 126, 136 of the device 112, the jaws closing under the action of a spring 86 when the finger 76 clears the roller 107. The finger 68 is pivoted at 74 to the slide member 66 which reciprocates under control of a cam 50 on a shaft 34 through a crank 52, shaft 56, crank 59 and link 60. The slide member returns to its initial position drawing the tape over a roller 395. As the jaws advance to engage the tape the third threader 380 rises and a tape guide 394 mounted thereon moves out of guide member 190 towards its projected position. The arm 290 on shaft 44 pivots and the tubular member 328 of the first threader begins to descend under the control of the cam 288. A rod movable with the tubular member 328 against spring action carries a presser foot 340 which grips the end of the tape overlying the buckle against the buckle holder the end of the tape being released by opening the jaws 68, 76 by contacting roller 104 and bolt 333 with deflecter plate 331 engages the free end of the tape to prevent entanglement with the mechanism. The deflecter plate urges a deflecter 342 on the first threader in contact with the tape towards the buckle holder to prevent interference with the movement of jaws 68 and 70. Arm 426 under the control of cam 406 on shaft 34 begins to move downwardly, the tubular member 434 engages the tape to withdraw a predetermined length over projected tape guide 394 controlled by the third threader and over guide roller 395, the tape being tensioned by a spring-urged pin 164 and spring 154 acting upwardly on fingers 126, 136, the upward movement of the lower finger 136 being limited by a detent 176. As the tubular member 328 continues to move down the first threader 322, passes through the eyelet 204 forming the first loop, there is also formed a loop 132. When the member is retracted the slide carrying the cutting member 562 together with the pilot 560 begins to move forwardly until the cutting member and pilot enter the loop the pilot slightly ahead of the cutting member to spread the loop. The tubular member 328 begins to retract and the loop is cut. The second cutter 584 severs the tape at the fingers 126, 136 Both cutters retract and the second threader rises to engage one portion of the tape and lift it into contact with the main strip and thread it through eyelet 206. The third threader moves to its maximum retracted upward position and the tape retainer 394 retracts into the guide 190. After the second threader 498 withdraws from the eyelet the tape drops over the eyelet 208 and the cammed part 438 of tubular member 434 engages the free end of the tape to prevent entanglement and rises the third threader 380 descends to insert two thicknesses of tape through eyelet 208 and completes the threading operation. Initiation of the succeeding cycle of operations moves the slide 266 forwardly to eject the next buckle to be threaded from the bottom of the T bar 220, thereby ejecting the threaded buckle along rods 284, 286 to a collecting bin.