Abstract: The space forming apparatus includes at least a pair of fixed grippers disposed in a lower part thereof; a pair of movable grippers disposed with a gap in a front-to-rear direction such that the movable grippers are movable in a vertical direction toward and away from the aforementioned fixed grippers; a knock-out which is provided between the fixed grippers and moves vertically between said fixed grippers and between the movable grippers; and a punch section which is disposed so as to oppose a top end of the knock-out and which moves vertically and independently between the front and rear movable grippers and cuts coupling heads of coupling elements while pressing the coupling heads downward at the time of cutting. These members are accommodated integrally in a single housing having a chain insertion opening provided in a front face thereof.

Abstract: A method for forming ends of a slide fastener chain wherein, coil-shaped fastener elements such as linear fastener elements are attached and sewed to side edge portions of a pair of fastener tapes with sewing yarns as fixing yarns while a core thread is inserted through the fastener elements. The coil-shaped fastener elements are cut off at leg portions, each of which is in contact with the fastener tape, at ends of the fastener elements, so that cut end portions are formed. These cut end portions are pushed inward of the side edge portions, and then, the leg portions and inverted portions thereof are fused to the fastener tapes by heating. As a result, each end of the fastener elements is stabilized, so that the resultant slide fastener is safe.

Abstract: According to the fastener chain, method and apparatus for forming ends thereof, coil-shaped fastener elements as linear fastener elements are attached and sewed to side edge portions of a pair of fastener tapes with sewing yarns as fixing yarns while a core thread is inserted through the fastener elements. The coil-shaped fastener elements are cut off at leg portions, each of which is in contact with the fastener tape, at ends of the fastener elements, so that cut end portions are formed. These cut end portions are pushed inward of the side edge portions, and then, the leg portions and inverted portions thereof are fused to the fastener tapes by heating. As a result, a form of each end of the fastener elements is stabilized, so that the resultant slide fastener is good in safety.

Abstract: The space forming apparatus includes at least a pair of fixed grippers disposed in a lower part thereof; a pair of movable grippers disposed with a gap in a front-to-rear direction such that the movable grippers are movable in a vertical direction toward and away from the aforementioned fixed grippers; a knock-out which is provided between the fixed grippers and moves vertically between said fixed grippers and between the movable grippers; and a punch section which is disposed so as to oppose a top end of the knock-out and which moves vertically and independently between the front and rear movable grippers and cuts coupling heads of coupling elements while pressing the coupling heads downward at the time of cutting. These members are accommodated integrally in a single housing having a chain insertion opening provided in a front face thereof.

Abstract: In the fastener-chain-finishing apparatus, only a knockout among plural members arranged below a fastener-chain-transfer path of a space-forming unit can move up and down but all the other members are not movable. Consequently, the units below the chain-transfer path can be compact. Further, main bodies of movable grippers and a punch of the space-forming unit, which have a length equal to a space-forming length of the fastener chain and are arranged above the chain-transfer path, have end surfaces that are exposed outside and are flush with each other at least on a side of a stopper-attaching unit arranged adjacent to them. As a result, all the operating members of the space-forming unit can be arranged so as to contact with the stopper-attaching members of the stopper-attaching unit.

Abstract: According to the fastener chain, method and apparatus for forming ends thereof, coil-shaped fastener elements as linear fastener elements are attached and sewed to side edge portions of a pair of fastener tapes with sewing yarns as fixing yarns while a core thread is inserted through the fastener elements. The coil-shaped fastener elements are cut off at leg portions, each of which is in contact with the fastener tape, at ends of the fastener elements, so that cut end portions are formed. These cut end portions are pushed inward of the side edge portions, and then, the leg portions and inverted portions thereof are fused to the fastener tapes by heating. As a result, a form of each end of the fastener elements is stabilized, so that the resultant slide fastener is good in safety.

Abstract: According to the fastener chain, method and apparatus for forming ends thereof, coil-shaped fastener elements as linear fastener elements are attached and sewed to side edge portions of a pair of fastener tapes with sewing yarns as fixing yarns while a core thread is inserted through the fastener elements. The coil-shaped fastener elements are cut off at leg portions, each of which is in contact with the fastener tape, at ends of the fastener elements, so that cut end portions are formed. These cut end portions are pushed inward of the side edge portions, and then, the leg portions and inverted portions thereof are fused to the fastener tapes by heating. As a result, a form of each end of the fastener elements is stabilized, so that the resultant slide fastener is good in safety.

Abstract: According to the fastener chain, method and apparatus for forming ends thereof, coil-shaped fastener elements as linear fastener elements are attached and sewed to side edge portions of a pair of fastener tapes with sewing yarns as fixing yarns while a core thread is inserted through the fastener elements. The coil-shaped fastener elements are cut off at leg portions, each of which is in contact with the fastener tape, at ends of the fastener elements, so that cut end portions are formed. These cut end portions are pushed inward of the side edge portions, and then, the leg portions and inverted portions thereof are fused to the fastener tapes by heating. As a result, a form of each end of the fastener elements is stabilized, so that the resultant slide fastener is good in safety.

Abstract: In the fastener-chain-finishing apparatus, only a knockout among plural members arranged below a fastener-chain-transfer path of a space-forming unit can move up and down but all the other members are not movable. Consequently, the units below the chain-transfer path can be compact. Further, main bodies of movable grippers and a punch of the space-forming unit, which have a length equal to a space-forming length of the fastener chain and are arranged above the chain-transfer path, have end surfaces that are exposed outside and are flush with each other at least on a side of a stopper-attaching unit arranged adjacent to them. As a result, all the operating members of the space-forming unit can be arranged so as to contact with the stopper-attaching members of the stopper-attaching unit.

Abstract: In forming an element-free space portion in a continuous fastener chain, legs of a number of metallic fastener elements, which legs exist on one side of the fastener chain are cut by a pair of cutting blades, and then coupling heads of the fastener elements and the legs extending from the coupling heads and existing on the other side of the fastener chain are removed from cores of fastener tapes while being clamped by a punch and a die. Therefore, it is possible to remove the fastener element portions from the fastener tapes without damaging the cores and not to require so high precision in positioning the fastener elements at a cutting station, thus the structure of a slide fastener chain manufacturing machine can be simple and hence the rate of production is improved.

Abstract: Discrete coupling elements of a slide fastener chain are removed by using an apparatus comprising a pair of pressure pads, a punch, cutters, a pair of guides, and a die. To form element-free spaces on the slide fastener chain, coupling elements are removed by clamping interengaged coupling elements by the punch and die, cutting forked legs by the cutter, and removing the cut legs from both sides of the slide fastener chain.

Abstract: A process and apparatus is disclosed for gapping a slide fastener chain to provide an element-free zone at predetermined intervals along a respective fastener stringer. The process essentially comprises cutting a connecting string interconnecting a series of discrete coupling elements secured by sewn seams to a support tape and simultaneously cutting a predetermined member of coupling elements, or alternatively cutting the string and arresting part of the coupling elements, followed by cutting the latter, so as to provide element-free tape zones with the sewn substantially in the form of an arch.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting the presence and position of a reinforcing strip on a continuous slide fastener chain comprises a detecting probe connected to and rotatable with a lever member into and out of the path of the fastener chain travelling undirectionally in an assembling line. The lever member is biased normally counterclockwise with a pressure adjusted to allow the probe to pass through the fabric web of the fastener tape but not through the reinforcing strip. A position detector is operatively associated with the lever member and responsive to the position or operation of the probe for discontinuing the operation of the apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming an element-free gap in a continuous slide fastener chain. In the apparatus, a reciprocating punch blade has cutting edges along opposite sides and is relieved at opposite ends along the cutting edges so as to form a pair of wing portions disposed one on each side of the punch blade. An elongated slot formed in a die for receiving the cutting edges has at its opposite ends a pair of lateral branches disposed one on each side of the elongated slot in opposite relation to the sides of the punch blade on which the wing portions are disposed. The wing portions and the lateral branches jointly serve to protect a pair of coupling elements disposed adjacent to the opposite ends of the space section from being cut by the punch blade.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming an element-free gap or space section in a pair of continuous slide fastener stringers. In the apparatus, a support table has a guide groove for receiving the pair of fastener stringers along a longitudinal path. A pair of guide plates is disposed one on each side of the guide groove and extends thereover toward each other to define with the guide groove a guide channel. A pressure pad is vertically movable around a stationary die in the support table for clamping with the guide plate a pair of tapes. A punch has a sharp cutting edge so that, as the punch is moved toward the stationary die, the cutting edge enters a relatively small clearance between adjacent tape edges to cut a chain of interengaged coupling elements only at tape-side leg portions while the pair of continuous slide fastener stringers is simply placed in and along the guide channel.

Abstract: A self-alignable holder holds a row of coupling elements mounted on a slide fastener stringer tape in alignment with a slot cutter regardless of the size of the coupling elements. The holder includes a base having a slot receptive of the stringer tape, a pair of parallel holding plates movably disposed on the base for laterally sandwiching the row of coupling elements therebetween, a pair of parallel-motion links pivotally connecting the holding plates together, and a pair of supports mounted on the base and pivotally supporting the links so that the gripping edges of the holding plates are equidistant from the longitudinal axis of the slot. Spring means in the base urge the holding plates laterally toward each other for holding the row of coupling elements in longitudinal alignment with the slot axis resiliently with equalized lateral forces.

Abstract: A method of providing a slide fastener chain with gaps free of fastener elements at predetermined interval is disclosed, the method comprising imparting a tendency to the fastener chain to spread the confronting longitudinal edges of its opposed stringer tapes prior to removal of the fastener elements, and maintaining constant tension over a length of the fastener chain, whereby the gaps can be formed accurately at predetermined locations along the length of the fastener chain. A preferred form and construction of apparatus tailored to carry this method into practice is also disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing coupling element residuals from a coupled pair of slide fastener stringers comprises a scraper roll drivable for continued rotation and an idler tumbler roll around which the slide fastener stringers travel for rotating the tumbler roll. The tumbler roll has a radial wing which when the tumbler roll is rotated, brings the coupling element residuals thereon into contact with the scraper roll while it is revolving so as to scrape off the residuals reliably. The tumbler roll has pawl means for engaging the fastener stringers at a predetermined position thereon so as to place the coupling element residuals on the tumbler wing. The tumbler roll is rotatable in response to engagement of the pawl means with the fastener stringers being fed. The apparatus of one embodiment includes stop means for temporarily stopping rotation of the tumbler roll and guide means for guiding the fastener stringers properly onto the tumbler wing.

Abstract: A method of providing a slide fastener chain with gaps free of fastener elements at predetermined interval is disclosed, the method comprising imparting a tendency to the fastener chain to spread the confronting longitudinal edges of its opposed stringer tapes prior to removal of the fastener elements, and maintaining constant tension over a length of the fastener chain, whereby the gaps can be formed accurately at predetermined locations along the length of the fastener chain. A preferred form and construction of apparatus tailored to carry this method into practice is also disclosed.