Abstract: A receiving surface is decorated with a metal film in a pattern by applying an area of thin frangible metal to a temporary carrier having a release surface, printing an adhesive in the pattern desired for the metal on either the metal film or receiving surface, the area of the pattern being less than the area of the metal film, pressing and adhering the receiving surface and metal film together with the adhesive therebetween, and stripping away the carrier. The metal over the adhesive remains on the receiving surface to provide the decorative metal pattern and the balance is carried away with the carrier. The receiving surface can be a final surface to be decorated or can be the exposed surface of an ink design heat transfer. In the latter case, a combined heat transfer having both a decorative metal film pattern and a multicolor ink design can be provided by coating the receiving surface, after transfer of the metal film pattern thereto, with a second adhesive over both the metal pattern and ink design.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for providing protective overcoatings to the surface of labels which are spaced apart and removably adhered to the release surface of a carrier web, the method comprising applying to the surface of the labels and to the surface of the carrier web exposed between labels a radiation-curable liquid composition, the composition wetting the surface of the labels to form a continuous film thereover, but not wetting the exposed release surface of the carrier web and forming thereover beads of liquid substantially unconnected to the continuous film over the labels, and thereafter exposing the films to a source of radiation sufficient to cure them to solvent resistant and abrasion resistant layers.

Abstract: A foolproof, electromechanical-logic, ticket reading/writing apparatus for data collection system with magnetically encoded tickets comprises one or more magnetic transducers, a self-aligning ticket entry means, a pivotal platform movable between loading and read/write positions and a motor driven capture and eject mechanism. The tickets are either automatically ejected by the motor after reading/writing or manually releasable if not capable of reading/writing or eject. The ticket is maintained in effective, reliable reading contact with the transducer(s) during reading/writing.

Abstract: A coder for imprinting the tops of crowns, closures or the like which includes a floating print roll which is independently fine turnable to accomodate height variations in the items being encoded, said print roll being lever supported for quick release from an ink metering roll upon being raised by the item to be imprinted. The print roll is rotatably driven by the items to be imprinted and the metering roll and inking roll of the coder are both preferably driven to relieve wear between the inking and metering rolls.

Abstract: A data collection system comprises magnetically encoded tickets and reading/writing/data collection elements -- one or more magnetic transducers -- for reading from (and/or writing on) the tickets together with means for manual input of data onto storage media while selectively maintaining running totals. The tickets are fed into a reading/writing apparatus comprising a self-aligning means, a pivotal platform movable between loading and read/write positions and further comprising a motor driven capture and eject mechanism. The tickets are either automatically ejected by the motor after reading/writing or manually releasable if not capable of reading/writing or eject. The ticket is maintained in effective, reliable reading contact with the transducer(s) during reading/writing.

Abstract: An improved hollow needle is provided for inserting through a material a fastener having a flexible filament with a retaining cross-bar at one end. The improved needle has an end for penetrating the material, a hollow central bore for slidably receiving the fastener cross-bar, a longitudinal slot along one side of the bore for slidably receiving the filament, and an upstanding flange at or adjacent one or preferably both edges of the slot for protecting the material and/or filament from damage during insertion of the fastener.

Abstract: A prepolymer containing unsaturated hydrocarbon groups is prepared and mixed on a roller mill with one or more acrylic ester monomers and various additives to make a coating formulation of a desired viscosity. In general, low viscosity formulations are used for overprint varnishes, on paper or foil, or, with pigments, for certain types of printing inks. Higher viscosity formulations are used to apply thick films on panels, tiles or other bodies. Thin films are cured to hardness by brief exposure to ultraviolet light. Thicker films require more energetic radiation such as plasma arc and electron beam radiation. The prepolymers particularly useful for making such radiation curable coatings are the reaction products of polyether polyols and bis- or polyisocyanates and hydroxy alkenes or acrylic (or methacrylic) hydroxy esters, and, likewise, reactive polyamides modified with dicarboxy alkenes, their anhydrides or esters.

Abstract: A tie or harness for bundling items and having a strap with a tip having guide means to aid in the entry of the strap into a channel of the head of the harness, the guide means also preventing wrong way insertion of the strap into the head as well as providing means for firmly holding a blank used to form the strap tie in order to stretch same.

Abstract: An attachment device comprises a filament having a normally laterally oriented bar at one end and a unitary hollow body member at its other end. The body member has a sidewall, an apertured end wall, a heat sealed end wall opposed thereto and a flange which projects outwardly from the sidewall and functions as a heat sink to permit heat sealing of the end wall without heat deformation of the apertured end wall and the portion of the sidewall adjacent thereto. The aperture in the end wall is large enough to receive the filament and the bar when they are in parallel orientation, but of a width smaller than the length of the bar so as to prevent the withdrawal of the bar from the hollow interior subsequent to insertion. An assembly of attachment devices suitable for use with an attaching mechanism comprises a plurality of such attachment devices and securing means interposed between and connected to the flanges to secure adjacent body members together.

Abstract: A process of manufacturing a non-metallic web in which a fault is marked by means of a metal label, layers of the web are stacked on one another, the web is divided into pieces and the individual pieces, still in their stacks, are inspected by means of a metal detector. The invention is of particular value where the web is a textile material and the pieces after inspection are made up into garments.

Abstract: A new and improved apparatus and method for feeding fastener attachments and stock having a plurality of spaced apart cross links coupled to side members, and severing the side members between adjacent cross members to form fastener attachment devices, i.e., fasteners.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for microelectrophotographing originals by individually charging and exposing to the originals, through an exposure opening and a reducing lens, reduced size microelectrophotographic sheets, comprising an electrophotographic layer (made up of photoconductive particles embedded in an insulator binder) on a conductive base sheet, followed by individually toner developing the exposed microelectrophotographic sheets to form individual, reduced size (e.g. reduction of from 20 to 1 to 3 to 1), direct reading micropositives of the originals, a plurality of which may be removably mounted on a storage sheet for storing the information in a plurality of originals on a single storage sheet. In this way, instantly developed, individual, reduced size, positive microimages of single documents may be obtained one at a time in a single microimaging machine or unit.

Abstract: An attachment device comprising a filament having a laterally oriented bar at one end and a hollow body member at its other end, a wall of said body member having an opening therethrough large enough to receive the filament and the bar when they are in parallel orientation but of a width smaller than the length of the bar so as to prevent the withdrawal of the bar from the hollow interior subsequent to insertion, a self-contained, interlocked attachment thereby being obtained.