Abstract: An improved system is described for attaching price tags to garments and for other joining applications using plastic fasteners dispensed through hollow, slotted needles. The system comprises a new method and tool for dispensing fasteners supplied in long lengths, together with improved fastener stock adapted for use therewith and for molding in continuous lengths.

Abstract: An improved system is described for attaching price tags to garments and for other joining applications using plastic fasteners dispensed through hollow, slotted needles. The system comprises a new method and tool for dispensing fasteners supplied in long lengths, together with improved fastener stock adapted for use therewith and for molding in continuous lengths.

Abstract: Apparatus for handling articles of oval cross section during silk screen imprinting and the like. An oval article is engaged at top and bottom by carriages, each slidingly mounted along a diameter of a rotating support. The article is conveyed past a screen printing station to imprint a first face, then shifted across the support diameter. The second face of the article is then transported past the screen for imprinting, followed by release of the article for further processing. The timing of the carriage shift is controlled by a pneumatic assembly, and is limited by a pair of adjustable stops according to the radius of curvature of the article.

Abstract: A label carrier web transport for use in heat transfer decorators and the like, in which labels are optically registered to control web transport. A timing assembly coordinates the rotation of a cam shaft with the actuation and deactuation of clutch and brake assemblies within a metering roll. An optical scanner trained on the web registers a predetermined contrast location to actuate the brake and deactuate the clutch, subject to the presence of an enabling signal from the timing assembly. The metering roll, in combination with a reciprocating label shuttle, provides intermittent web motion to achieve controlled label advance. An alternative label transport system incorporates a capstan web drive in lieu of the metering roll, with a microprocessor to control various machine functions including intermittent web transport.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for duplex electrostatic imaging wherein a toner image is transferred and simultaneously fixed to two sides of a receptor medium using high pressure. The first toner image is created on a dielectric image roller and pressure transferred to a transfer roller moving at an identical surface velocity. A second toner image is subsequently formed on the image roller, and the two images are simultaneously transferred and fused to opposite sides of a receptor sheet at the nip. The image roller advantageously includes a hard, very smooth dielectric surface, while the transfer roller has a moderately smooth, compliant surface. The transfer roller surface preferably comprises an engineering thermoplastic or thermoset material characterized by a relatively low coefficient of friction in order to provide high transfer efficiency to the receptor sheet. The duplex imaging apparatus may be incorporated into electrostatic printers and copiers with suitable adaptations in the image generating stages.

Abstract: A corona charging device including a dielectric-coated elongate conductor embedded in a slot in a conductive member. A high voltage varying potential between the elongate conductor and slotted conductive member induces a glow discharge in a region of proximity of the two conductors. The slotted conductor may act as a grounding member to provide a corona discharge device with respect to a proximate surface. Alternately, the slotted conductor may be maintained at a desired potential to provide a charging device with an automatically limited voltage. The slotted conductor and dielectric-coated conductor may be replaced with alternative structures which provide an equivalent enclosure.

Abstract: The holder is suspended from a surface, such as a ceiling, at a level which is adjustable by a user. As a result, the holder can be lowered to a convenient level for replacement of the advertising material and thereafter raised to an appropriate display level.

Abstract: A power supply circuit suitable for driving a solenoid or similar electronic device. The circuit provides high pulse current, low duty cycle drive signals over wide output voltage and current ranges. The circuit advantageously employs a silicon controlled rectifier to control the recharging current to an output storage capacitor. The use of an SCR as the controlling device provides high efficiency with precise line regulation.

Abstract: Assemblages of fasteners are manufactured as a product by the method of molding assemblages of connected individual fasteners and simultaneously stretching the fasteners while subjecting them to controlled heating. The end members of the fasteners are protected from adverse heating effects.

Abstract: Distortion and chemically resistant heat transfer materials formed by a mixture of at least two interspersed polymers. One of the polymers is a film-forming, multi-aromatic ring condensation product, preferably a saturated aromatic, acid-based polyester. This polymer is reinforced by a second polymer which preferably contains bulky ring structures, such as polymerized rosin esters, but may be essentially linear, for example an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer. The materials may be used as a protective and brightener coating for labels, which are heat activated to transfer them from a carrier to a final substrate such as the face of a package. The labels thus coated exhibit improved resistance to adverse chemicals such as alcohols, oils and detergents. The materials may also be used to provide distortion and chemically resistant inks, and distortion and chemically resistant adhesives.

Abstract: A lightweight picture frame for securely holding a gallery of photographic snapshots or pictures in a vertical position. A mounting panel is included composed of an adhesive coated backing sheet overlaid with a release sheet removeable in preselected areas. The adhesive coating is a pressure sensitive adhesive which secures the snapshots to the mounting panel and permits removal of the snapshots without causing damage to them. The picture frame may include additional panels to provide individual borders around each photograph, and also includes a frame member for securing the panels in a locked position.

Abstract: Dispensing of fasteners by a device which receives an assemblage of the fasteners and is able to expel them individually through, for example, a slotted hollow needle. The dispensed fasteners can be used generally in the attachment of items to one another and, in particular, for the labeling of textile goods and the like with information bearing tags. The device includes a trigger operated feed mechanism and a simultaneously operable expulsion mechanism. Both mechanisms are controlled by the tip of a lever which is proportioned and disposed in the device to execute linear motion. The feed mechanism is disengageable from the remainder of the device to permit clearance of the inserted assemblage or the removal of jams. The feed mechanism additionally is operated by a planar pawl having a tooth that extends into contact with indentations on the periphery of a feed wheel.

Abstract: Assemblages of fasteners are manufactured by molding connected individual fasteners and simultaneously stretching the connected fasteners while subjecting them to controlled heating using an insulated probe. The end members of the fasteners are protected from adverse heating effects.

Abstract: An antistatic chairmat for preventing electrical shocks due to triboelectricity. The chairmat consists of a transparent plastic material and includes an array of semiconductive inserts with a ground connection. The preferred design incorporates a conductive or semiconductive lower layer, and an insulative intermediate layer which may be a printed design, or sheet. The lower conductive or semiconductive layer provides electrical continuity to ground via studs at the bottom of the semiconductive inserts. An alternative antistatic chairmat includes a plurality of semiconductive layers bridged by one or more conductive grounding clips.

Abstract: Dielectric sealing of porous anodized aluminum, in which moisture in the pores of the coating formed by hardcoat anodizing is removed, and the porous anodized surface then impregnated with a water insoluble metallic salt. The impregnant material is a compound of a Group II or III metal with a long chain fatty acid containing between 8 and 32 carbon atoms, saturated or unsaturated. The impregnant material may be applied as a hot melt or in solution; in the former case, any excess material is removed from the surface. The resulting product has excellent resistivity and dielectric properties, and maintains these properties at elevated humidities. As a final step the surface may be polished to provide favorable toner release characteristics during pressure transfer.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling the tension of a web during transport, such as a label-carrying web in a heat transfer labelling machine. The web travels from a supply reel, around a dancer roll and metering roll, through various other web handling devices to another dancer roll, and is collected at a rewind reel. Each dancer roll is linked to a clutch for the corresponding supply or takeup reel, so that each clutch exerts a braking torque determined by the web tension at its dancer roll. Each dancer roll is further linked to an air cylinder to provide a user-determined tension level. The carrier web includes pin holes which are engaged by a pin wheel rotatably mounted to the metering roll, so that the pin wheel swivels when subjected to web tension differentials. Swivelling of the pin wheel opens and closes a valve within the metering roll, thereby providing a variable vent for high pressure air supplied to the supply air cylinder.

Abstract: Multi-purpose labelling making use of composite label structures which can be applied manually or by machine. The composite label structure includes at least an outer label that is temporarily held on an intermediate carrier by a suitable adhesive. The intermediate carrier is in turn releasably adhered to a base carrier.In use of the composite structure, the outer label and intermediate carrier are separated from the base carrier and applied to an item of inventory. The composite of the label and intermediate carrier are then used when the item is subsequently processed, for example, by removing the outer label from the intermediate carrier and transferring it for inventory control or other processes.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for stretching of fastener stock. The stock is of stretchable material and is engaged by members which are spaced apart at an angle and rotate at substantially the same peripheral speed in different planes to stretch the portion of the stock that extends between the members.

Abstract: An electrostatic imaging device including an elongate conductor coated with a dielectric, and a transversely oriented conductor contacting or closely spaced from the dielectric-coated conductor. A varying potential between the two conductors results in the formation of a pool of ions of both polarities near the crossover area. Ions are selectively extracted by means of an extraction potential to form a discrete, well-defined charge image on a receptor surface.