Abstract: Closer comprises a cylindrical housing defined by a front end and a rear end, the housing being formed with an axial bore having an enlargement in the front end. An air-driven cylinder is fixedly mounted in the bore and has an axial drive shaft reciprocable therein extending toward the front end and terminating in an impact head normally in an inward position. Reciprocably disposed in the enlargement is an annular trigger loosely surrounding the impact head and normally in an outward position extending down beyond the front end of the housing and movable to an inward position when the housing is lightly depressed over the fastener. An actuator in the housing is moved by the trigger as it approaches its inward position to activate the cylinder and slam the impact head downward to close the fastener. In a modification the cylinder is replaced by a solenoid.

Abstract: A one-piece plastic clip comprises a base plate and a cover plate with a living hinge inbetween. In pre-assembly the plates are held widely open by a temporary unitary strut. The bracelet strap is attached to the base plate by having apertures formed in the strap receive bushings in the base plate which are then flared outwardly to "rivet" the parts together. The struts are then sheared away, and the cover plate is freely hinged. In the final assembly the strap encircles the patient's wrist and the cover plate is brought down over the base plate, pointed projections on the cover plate piercing the free end of the strap and entering the bushings, and staggered ribs augmenting the gripping. The cover plate is then latched closed against the base plate.

Abstract: Attaching machine has readily removable upper and lower tool assembly which can be slid out of the machine frame when tools need to be changed. Tool assembly drive means is automatically connected as the new tool assembly is slid into final position.

Abstract: A heated knife has a motor adapted to drive the knife against a cutting block with the web inbetween. The knife body is metal and has a cutting edge with side surfaces at an obtuse angle to each other. The knife is formed with a lengthwise bore which houses a Calrod capable of heating the knife up to about 950.degree. F. The knife body has relatively thin lateral ears spaced from the heater and which receive support bolts from the opposite ends of a driving yoke by which the motor drives the knife. This arrangement reduces the amount of heat withdrawn from the knife.

Abstract: A setting apparatus directs a reinforcing tape in a perpendicular direction to the path of movement of the fabric. It comprises a machine frame, a support plate, a setting punch and die, a reinforcing tape supply under the plate and tape feeding belt for feeding the tape which is automatically activated by the punch.

Abstract: A mechanical disconnect for the pedal operating rod of an attaching machine comprises a stationary trip slide having a downwardly inclined cam surface and a housing enclosing the trip slide and reciprocable thereon. The housing is connected to the clutch operating rod. The housing also includes a transverse trip spacer pin and a latch having a follower nose engaging the cam and a central L-shaped opening receiving the pin in the horizontal leg of the opening. A spring urges the latch toward the slide. When the pedal is depressed, the latch pulls down the housing so that the clutch activating pull down rod moves away from the clutch dog. Further downward movement of the pedal cams the latch away from the slide so that the spacer pin aligns with the vertical leg of the "L" permitting the housing to pop up and the pull down rod to engage a clutch dog.

Abstract: A vertically moveable upper receiver is suspended on the machine by spring means and has a central vertical cavity therethrough. A pair of opposed springs bias together jaws in the receiver having aligned notches therein which receive the part. The upper tool or punch descends through the cavity, engages the part, drives it out of its notches and downward against the inward pressure of the jaws, the receiver descending through this operation, and the part arrives precisely centered at the setting locus.

Abstract: A pair of superposed inclined feed tracks have slots along their upper and lower walls respectively. Elongate gates with inturned tips are disposed along the tracks and pivoted intermediate their ends on pins. A yoke having an axis intermediate the two pins has outward parallel fingers which are disposed outward of the pins, and as the yoke is turned by a rotary solenoid, first in one direction and then the other, the fingers engage the gates on opposite sides of their pivot pins oppositely and alternately to alternately open and close the respective tracks. A reciprocating pusher pushes the parts into the working ends of the upper and lower dies and a settable counter counts the strokes of the pusher. A circuit causes activation of the solenoid to shift the gates to switch the feed from one feed track to the other track when the counter registers up to the set number of strokes.

Abstract: This woven tape has a beaded edge comprising a plurality of untextured yarns twisted in one direction, the yarns then being cabled in the opposite direction to form a stabilized cable. The cable is covered by two textured wrapping yarns wound in opposite directions. The warp and weft threads of the tape are woven over the covered cable to comprise a sheath.

Abstract: Setting machine for fasteners has a double-acting air cylinder with a toggle linkage for driving down the upper die and an air cylinder for driving a wedge to drive up the lower die. The cylinders are activated to drive the dies together to set the fastener parts as pushers, which have moved the fastener parts into setting position, are retracted.

Abstract: Apparatus grips and pulls zipper chain along from supply to a desired finite length, installing slider on the way. When next gap in chain is detected by a finger which inserts itself into gap and abruptly stops further advance of tape, a cutter closes to cut chain to length. Puller is driven by air cylinder, and back pressure is applied soon after puller starts. This reduces pulling force and eliminates tearing of zipper tape as tape is abruptly stopped.

Abstract: A plastic molded snap fastener including a stud head having solid thin annular base flange and a top, the top and the flange being held in spaced relation by radial ribs preferably in the form of a cross piece, the top being annular but "flattened" on the outer perimeter in the area of the ends of the cross piece. Where the plastic is compatible with the plastic of the fabric, the fastener parts may be molded directly on the fabric. In a modification the base flange is split by a plane perpendicular to the axis of the fastener part. The base fabric is sandwiched between the parts of the flange. This modification is useful where the plastic of the fastener is not compatible with the plastic of the fabric. The invention also includes a mold apparatus for forming the fastener on a strip of fabric wherein core pins on one side of the mold cooperate with spring-pressed ejection pins on the other side and with cavities in the mold retainer plates to shape the parts.

Abstract: A plastic molded snap fastener including a stud head having solid thin annular base flange and a top, the top and the flange being held in spaced relation by radial ribs preferably in the form of a cross piece, the top being annular but "flattened" on the outer perimeter in the area of the ends of the cross piece. Where the plastic is compatible with the plastic of the fabric, the fastener parts may be molded directly on the fabric. In a modification the base flange is split by a plane perpendicular to the axis of the fastener part. The base fabric is sandwiched between the parts of the flange. This modification is useful where the plastic of the fastener is not compatible with the plastic of the fabric. The invention also includes a mold apparatus for forming the fastener on a stip of fabric wherein core pins on one side of the mold cooperate with spring-pressed ejection pins on the other side and with cavities in the mold retainer plates to shape the parts.

Abstract: Molded one-way snap fastener comprises a stud head having a base flange and radial fins extending up from its center to a circular top. The top has downward barbs spaced between the fins. The socket has a base flange and a sleeve having a tapered mouth with a throat and an annular downwardly and outwardly inclined bearing surface above the throat and a cylindrical opening thereabove. The dimensions of the parts are such that once the stud head is inserted into the socket and the barbs pass the throat, they spring out and contact the side walls of the cylindrical opening, immobilizing the stud head in the socket. After that, attempts to unsnap the socket result in the butting of the ends of the barbs into the bearing surface, which because of its downward and outward slope, spreads the barbs causing them more resolutely to defy unsnapping. The fastener must be destroyed to give up its snapped state.

Abstract: A tiltable button comprises a shank and cover or shell. The shank and shell between them have means to prevent relative rotation. In one form the shank has radial recesses and the shell inward deflections which go into the radial recesses. In another form the shank has spokes which go out to a ring over which the shell is crimped, the spokes permitting tilting of the shell but not rotation relative to the shank. Anti-rotation projections are formed downwardly on the bottom of the shank. The purpose of preventing rotation is so that logos and other indicia on the shell will always be right side up.