Abstract: A slider locking or retaining means is provided on a concealed type of zipper fastener at a top end thereof for engagement with an element-guide channel defined between a guide post and an inner side wall of the slider. The inner side wall extends substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis of the slider so that the retaining means is held in pressure engagement with the inner side wall and the guide post respectively when external lateral forces are applied to the fastener tapes. This arrangement ensures that the slider is retained in locked position relative to the fastener in its fully closed disposition.

Abstract: A slide fastener slider is disclosed, which slider comprises an upper wing and a lower wing constituting a slider body and connected together at one end by a neck or wedge. One of the wings is provided with diverging shoulders, while the other is provided with conversely offset shoulders, resulting in an asymmetric wing structure wherein there is formed an open area on opposite sides of the wedge. This open area serves to reduce the tendency of stringer tapes to become creased or wrinkled as and when they arrive at the entrance end of the slider.

Abstract: A slider for heavy duty slide fasteners equipped with a pair of pull tabs pivotally connected to the upper and lower wings of the slider. At least one of the pull tabs has a locking means situated within the width of the pull tab and movable into a position close to and forward of the slider entrance end to engage a top end stop inserted within the Y-shaped guide channel in the slider. The two pull tabs are further provided with an engaging member and a socket member, respectively, both members being snap fittable with each other when the pull tabs are rotated into the locking disposition thereby preventing the locking means from being accidentally forced out of engagement with the top end stop under severe stresses exerted on and around the slider.

Abstract: A slide fastener is disclosed which comprises a pair of stringer tapes of a warp-knitted structure including wales and fastener component parts attached to the tapes. These fastener component parts are made of a thermoplastic material and attached by injection, extrusion, supersonic or high-frequency heating to the stringer tape or tapes. The resulting tape or tapes are provided with the material of the fastener component parts extended into and through the interstices of the knitted structure and further into the wales so as to provide increased stability of the parts against displacement or detachment under severe stresses.

Abstract: A continuous coupling element consists of an elongated filament of a synthetic resin or the like which is formed into a multiplicity of undulations including rows of first and second loops. A series of coupling heads are formed along one longitudinal side of the first loops, and the second loops are arranged along the other longitudinal side of the first loops. Each first loop further includes a pair of shanks which are arranged in substantially parallel spaced relationship in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the stringer tape. The general configuration of the first and second loops is such that they are held in contacting relationship at three dissimilar points for increased positional stability. The continuous coupling element can be fastened to the stringer tape by two rows of stitching, one passing over the shanks of the first loops and the other over the overlapping portions of the second loops.

Abstract: A bridge top end stop for slide fasteners which comprises a body mounted astride the stringer tapes and having its rear end wall offset complementarily in shape to a front end face of the slider. There are provided a pair of spaced-apart tongues formed integral with the top stop body and reduced in thickness so that their upper surfaces lie at a level below an upper surface of the body, and a pair of laterally projecting flange-seats formed on the tongues. The tongues are adapted to be inserted into the throats of the slider and between a slider wing and the stringer tapes with the slider diamond interposed between the tongues and with the projecting flange-seats of the tongues engaged with the flanges of the slider.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing element-free gaps or spaces in a continuous fastener chain. Means are provided for supporting a series of discrete fastener elements formed by die-casting a metal or injection-molding a plastics material and secured to a tape cord with their coupling heads faced upwardly, severing the fastener elements into halves at the coupling heads towards the cord and removing the severed elements completely from the cord without damage thereto. The severing operation is effected by a vertically movable cutter blade adapted to thrust centrally into the coupling heads toward the cord and is immediately followed by the removing operation wherein a pair of removers are moved downwardly to take the severed elements away from the cord when the supporting means are forced out of holding engagement with the fastener elements.

Abstract: A method of producing a ladder-like structure for use as a row of interlocking elements for a slide fastener is disclosed. A pair or pairs of elongated connecting members are advanced in parallel alignment along their length at predetermined intervals. For the pair or pairs of connecting members, a plurality of element-forming spaced strips of a thermoplastic material are fed simultaneously for attachment transversely to the connecting members. The result is to produce a ladder-like structure at increased rate of speed which is suitable for use as a row of fastener elements.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for feeding slide fastener parts from a parts feeder to a parts assembling station, which apparatus is characterized by the provision of linking means for removably connecting a part feed chute between the feeder and the station. The linking means comprise a first chute holder connected to the parts feeder and a second chute holder connected to the assembling station, the first holder having spring-loaded grippers adapted to come into and out of locking engagement with one end fitting of the chute, and the second holder having a spring-loaded positioning pin adapted to lock the other end fitting of the chute into position relative to the second holder.

Abstract: A slider rest is formed on the top of a hollow, generally upright support structure or frame for holding a slider thereon in upside-down disposition with its pull tab telescopically received in a slit extending downwardly from the slider rest. Accommodated within the support structure is a pivotable locking lever having an offset detent at its top end which is movable into and out of engagement with an aperture in the slider pull tab received in the slit. Normally, the locking lever is held in its inoperative position by a retractable stop extending across the slit. Upon insertion of the slider pull tab into the slit, the retractable stop is thereby pivoted downwardly to permit the locking lever to be spring-actuated to its operative position where the detent engages the pull tab aperture and thus locks the slider on the slider rest.

Abstract: An adjustable fastening device broadly comprises a slider and a rack, the slider being slidably mounted astride the rack so as to be releasably locked at any point on the latter for adjustably fastening parts pats of an article, or two separate articles, together. The rack has a pair of transversely registered recesses formed in the respective longitudinal edges thereof to provide a guideway through which the slider can be manipulated to and away from an astride position on the rack.

Abstract: An automatic slider lock mechanism including a locking leaf spring arranged longitudinally over the slider body and having a locking pawl at its rear end which normally projects into the usual Y-shaped guide channel in the slider body for interference contact with rows of interlocking fastener elements passing therethrough. The locking leaf spring includes a neck portion directly overlying the top wing of the slider body and having a fold at its front end arranged in parallel spaced relationship thereto. The fold has a pair of arms extending downwardly therefrom into abutting contact with the top wing, and a pair of flanges project laterally outwardly from parts of the bottom edges of the respective arms to be engaged by respective spring retainers on the top wing. The locking pawl retracts away from the guide channel when a pull is exerted on the pull tab of the slider.

Abstract: A slide fastener element construction having a ladder-like structure of the type which is longitudinally folded on itself to form a finished row of coupling elements. The ladder-like structure basically includes longitudinally parallel spaced-apart base portions, a plurality of pairs of element-forming members projecting in opposed relation inwardly from the base portions, enlarged coupling head portions integral with the element-forming members and located innermost of the structure and bridge portions extending transversely of the structure for connecting the pairs of element-forming members.

Abstract: A slide fastener slider having on its upper wing a hook-shaped lug to which a pull tab is pivotally connected by snap fitting operation. There is also provided on the upper wing a projection spaced apart from the lug and adapted to fit in an opening formed in the pull tab when the latter is moved down into contact with the slider upper wing, thereby preventing the pull tab from becoming displaced relative to the horizontal axis of the slider body.

Abstract: A concealed sliding clasp fastener is described, which fastener is provided with an adjustable end stop movably mounted on interengaged rows of coupling elements and positioned between a slider and a permanently secured bottom stop. The adjustable end stop may be secured by clamping or by fusion to adjacent coupling elements at any desired position on the fastener, after the latter is applied to a garment.

Abstract: An automatic slider lock mechanism including a locking leaf spring arranged longitudinally over the top wing of the slider body and having one end secured to the flared front end of the slider body. A locking pawl formed at the other end of the locking leaf spring yieldably projects into the guide channel in the slider body through an aperture formed in its top wing, the locking pawl retracting from the guide channel when a pull is exerted on the pull tab of the slider. The locking leaf spring has a pair of shoulders engaged by a pair of transversely spaced spring retainers on the top wing of the slider body, and an elongate neck extending forwardly from the shoulders through the spacing between the spring retainers.

Abstract: A slide fastener of the concealed or masked type having a pair of opposed stringer tapes carrying along respective longitudinal edges a row of interlocking fastener elements. The stringer tape consists of a web portion and a marginal edge portion interconnected by a flexing portion which defines an axis of fold along which the tape is folded on itself. The marginal edge portion has alternate wales and grooves, said wales projecting in a direction opposite to those wales formed on the web portion.

Abstract: An elongated stringer tape is fed along a path extending substantially tangentially of a die wheel carrying in its circumferential groove a formed continuous coupling element of a zigzag or helical coil configuration composed of thermally fusible material. The coupling element is held at an elevated temperature by the die wheel. One of the longitudinal edges of the stringer tape becomes received between the shanks of the coupling element as the latter is gradually released from within the die wheel groove, and while the coupling element is partly caught in the groove and is therefore still hot, its shanks are fused to the stringer tape under application of heat and pressure.

Abstract: A tubular suction member is provided which has a suction port at its bottom end and which reciprocates between a first position over a receiving plate and a second position over an open-top receptacle mounted on a rotatable platform. Manufactured slide fasteners or like articles are successively deposited onto the receiving plate and are carried away by the suction member to the second position, where each article is caused to drop into the receptacle. Cam means is provided for arresting the travel of the suction member from its first to second position, the cam means rotating through a preassigned angle during each complete reciprocation of the suction member from its second to first and back to second position, whereby the successive articles dropped into the receptacle are arranged in neat side-by-side relationship therein. The platform can be rotated 180.degree.

Abstract: A carrier tape for sliding clasp fasteners is provided which comprises a weave foundation consisting of warp and weft threads made of filamentary plastics material, and a plurality of inlaid threads interwoven into the foundation and extending longitudinally in parallel with the warp threads. The inlaid threads are greater in denier than the foundation threads and form a multiplicity of ridges which project from and above at least one surface of the foundation and which are spaced longitudinally apart by a predetermined pitch.