Abstract: A buckle assembly comprises a plug member and a socket member releasably engageable therewith, the plug member having a pair of spaced resilient arms with engaging grooves and the socket member having engaging ridges formed in its upper and lower surfaces, the arrangement being that the engaging ridges in the socket member are releasably engageable with the corresponding grooves in the plug member at areas relatively close to the center of the buckle body and away from the sides thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a process for forming an amorphous alloy material capable of showing glass transition, which comprises holding the material between frames arranged in combination; and heating the material at a temperature between its glass transition temperature (Tg) and its crystallization temperature (Tx) and, at the same time, producing a pressure difference between opposite sides of the material, whereby the material is brought into close contact against a forming mold disposed on one side of the material. As an alternative, the forming mold is brought into close contact against the amorphous material in a direction opposite to the pressing direction for the amorphous material. By the above processes, precision-formed products of amorphous alloys can be manufactured and supplied at low cost.

Abstract: In an automatic heat-fusible tape pieces attaching apparatus, a plurality of tape cassettes, each including a reel support part rotatably supporting a tape reel and a tape guide part defining a tape guide path extending from the reel support part in a direction of drawing a thermoplactic tape, the tape guide part having pressure rollers sectioning a part of the tape guide path, and a window through which part of the pressure rollers is exposed to the outside from the tape guide part, are detachably supported at predetermined distances on a tape cassette support base situated alongside of a traveling path of the strip and movable along the traveling path for positioning. The support base is moved to position and hold a desired cassette in an extension line of the attaching portion, and the tape is cut off as the tape piece is left on the attaching portion, whereupon the tape is attached to the front surface of the strip by a thermoplastic tape piece fusing means.

Abstract: A hard thin film having fine crystalline ceramic particles dispersed in a metallic matrix phase is disclosed. The production of the film is effected by first depositing a substantially amorphous film on a substrate and then heat-treating the deposited film. Deposition of the film on the substrate is carried out by using a source of evaporation having a composition represented by the general formula: Al.sub.a M.sub.b, wherein M stands for at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ti, Ta, V, Cr, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, W, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu and "a" and "b" respectively stand for atomic % in the ranges of 60.ltoreq.a.ltoreq.98.5 and 1.5.ltoreq.b.ltoreq.40, providing a+b=100. Deposition is effected by a physical vapor deposition process in an atmosphere of an inert gas containing a reaction gas while controlling the feed rate of the reaction gas into a chamber in such a manner that the partial pressure of the react/on gas is kept constant or varied continuously or stepwise.

Abstract: A sintered high-toughness alumina-based composite body consisting essentially of a plate- or rod-shaped corundum or alumina-based compound structure, a fine granular corundum structure, and inevitable impurities.

Abstract: Disclosed is a copolymer represented by the following general formula (1): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 represents a group based on a polymer or a copolymer possessing electroconductivity and inducing coloration or discoloration on being oxidized or reduced, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 represent independently a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 1,000 carbon atoms, A represents a group possessing polarity and exhibiting affinity for ions, and L and M are independently an integer of at least 1, providing that the total degree of polymerization is an integer in the range of 10 to 12,000. The copolymer may be a block copolymer or a random copolymer. This copolymer exhibits electrochromism and, therefore, is useful as a coloring-discoloring material which induces coloration or discoloration on being oxidized or reduced, particularly as an electrochromic substance used in an electrochromic display device.

Abstract: A molded curtain attachment connector for connecting a curtain hanger member and the top edge of a curtain includes a fastener member having a fastener surface releasably engageable with the fastener surface of a surface-type separable fastener member attached to the curtain along a top edge thereof, a hook member integrally formed with the fastener member and adapted to be attached to, and detached from, the curtain hanger member, and a blocking means disposed at the opening of the hook member for preventing another article from entering the hook member through the opening, the blocking means being deformable toward the inside of the hook member when subjected to an external force of a predetermined intensity. The molded curtain attachment connector thus constructed can be manufactured with high production efficiency, facilitates the curtain attaching/detaching operation, ensures smooth opening and closing operation of the curtain, and can be colored in various manners.

Abstract: The formation of a transparent conductive ZnO film on a substrate in accordance with the chemical vapor deposition process is accomplished herein by a method characterized by feeding purified water and an organic metal material for Zn as separately entrained by a carrier gas into a vacuum chamber having a reduced inner pressure, adjusting the gas pressure inside the vacuum chamber to a level in the range of from 1 to 30 Torrs, supplying diborane gas or a compound containing boron or aluminum into the vacuum chamber, heating a substrate disposed inside the chamber to a prescribed temperature, and performing the ensuant formation of a film under the adjusted gas pressure mentioned above. Preferably, the formation of the film on the substrate disposed inside the vacuum chamber is carried out while the substrate is kept irradiated with ultraviolet light.

Abstract: A lock fastener for bags or other receptacles (B) comprises a plug member and a socket member releasably engageable therewith, the plug member having an engaging tongue which is resiliently lockable with the socket member and unlockable therefrom by a means movable toward and away from the plug member and resiliently retractable to its original position upon releasing the plug member 11 from the socket member 12.

Abstract: An outerlining fabric woven of warp threads and a weft thread and including at least two fastener portions composed of a male or a female member of a surface-type separable fastener, and a mesh portion of a predetermined width disposed between the fastener portions to separate them in the widthwise direction of the outerlining fabric, the weft thread being composed of a synthetic resin monofilament having a rigidity greater than that of any of the warp threads. The outerlining fabric is attached to and along the top edge of a curtain, and when the curtain is to be attached to a curtain rail, a series of curtain attachment connector members each having a fastener surface are attached to either of the fastener portions of the outerlining fabric. With the outerlining fabric, the vertical position of the curtain relative to the curtain rail can be changed among at least two positions.

Abstract: A deformed ultra fine grain is comprised of a spherical body and a tail-like projection projecting from the surface of the spherical body. The tail-like projection exhibits a separating effect on the adjacent deformed ultra fine grains and therefore, aggregation of the ultra fine grains is avoided. Bulk quantities of the deformed ultra fine grains are produced by evaporating a metal by a plasma arc in a controlled atmosphere having a gas that combines with the material of the spherical body to form the tail-like projection.

Abstract: An attachment fitting in which several sets of ball chains can be arranged and the attachment is possible over the entire length of the attachment fitting main body. Also, the strength of the main body is improved.A tubular main body has an opening on one end and can be closed on the other end. A slit is provided in the vicinity of the other end through the opening. A connecting member is provided and extends in the longitudinal direction of the main body which is symmetrical to the slit of the main body. Several protruding pieces are formed and jut out from the circumference of the closure so that the aforementioned opening can be shut. The end of ball of several sets of ball chains is fitted into the main body. A connecting rod of ball chain goes through slit. The attachment is closed through the opening by shutting the closure.

Abstract: A slide fastener of synthetic resin which has regularly spaced elements formed and fixed to the edge of fastener tape by the injection molding of the molten mass of the synthetic resin is disclosed. The fastener tape is formed of polyethylene terephthalate and the elements of slide fastener are made of a polymer alloy of polybutylene terephthalate with polypropylene or polyethylene terephthalate.

Abstract: A fastening device for fastening a web-like material to a bag or like garment article comprises a connecting member, a link rotatable relative thereto, a cylindrical retaining member fitted rotatably over the connecting member and having a retaining bar, and a hook member having a J-shaped hook. A retaining pin member is adapted to interconnect the connecting member, the retaining member and the hook member and is resiliently releasable from the retaining member to permit the latter to rotate so that the retaining bar moves out of registration with the J-shaped hook.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a slide-fastener coupling element from a metal wire having a substantially Y-shaped cross section wherein a blank piece is cut or sliced off from the metal wire by a co-action between a cutoff die and a cutoff punch, and substantially at the same time, the metal wire is chamfered along a next cutting line by a chamfering edge so as to form a substantially V-shaped groove extending in and along the peripheral surface of a head portion of the metal wire and the outside surface of each of two opposed leg portion of the metal wire. The next slicing operation produces a blank piece which is already chamfered at its upper and lower peripheral edges extending along the peripheral surface of the head portion and the outside surfaces of respective leg portions of the blank piece.

Abstract: A cloth pick-up apparatus is used which comprises pressing mechanism for a pressing one end of the top cloth piece from the upper side, a catch roller having on a part of its circumferential surface catch needles and movable toward and away from the other end of the top cloth piece, the catch roller being adapted to be driven for rotation to feed the top cloth piece in a direction remote from the pressing mechanism, a feed roller rotatable in timed relation with the catch roller, and a pressure roller movable toward and away from a cloth-piece-feed surface of the feed roller and rotatable in cooperation with the feed roller. The catch roller is rotated touching one end of front face of the cloth pieces with the other end of the cloth piece pressed by the pressing roller so that the upper most cloth piece is caught by the catch needles and, at the same time, is raised.