Abstract: There is disclosed a one-piece molded fastener composed of plastics material, wherein there is a socket hav ing a through-passage and a head connected by a filament. The head is insertable into the socket in one direction to be non-releaseably gripped by prongs or spring fingers on the inside of the socket. There is a provision on the head for preventing the head from being inserted into the passage through the other end of the socket to a position where it would be releasably gripped by the prongs.

Abstract: There is disclosed a theft-deterrent tag including a pair of elongated tag members movable between open and closed positions relative to each other. The tag includes a pair of frangible stress-sensitive containers each containing dye. Attempted unauthorized removal of the tag will cause the dye to spill onto merchandise positioned between the tag members. Each container is secured to a respective tag member and flexure of the tag member causes fracture. The elongate tag members are movably connected at one end portion and releasably locked at the other end portion to enable the dye to spill on the merchandise and to shield the thief from the dye. An improved magnetically releasable lock can hold the tag members in the closed position.

Abstract: There is disclosed a tag attaching method, particularly a method of pinning tags to merchandise and apparatus for carrying out the method. The illustrated apparatus includes a plunger and a cooperable anvil between which a tag and merchandise are positioned and through which a fastener specifically a pin is driven to attach the tag to the merchandise. While the pin is being driven through the tag and merchandise, a movable pin guiding and crimping member moves relative to the plunger, the tag and the pin. The pin is driven firstly through the tag, secondly through the merchandise, thirdly through the merchandise again, fourthly through the tag again, and fifthly through the tag again, and thereupon the movable pin guiding and pin crimping member is moved again to crimp the pin. A bottom tag in a stack is separated by feeding it toward the pinning zone in one machine cycle and the separated tag is positioned between the anvil and the plunger during the early part of the next machine cycle.

Abstract: There is disclosed a tag attaching method, particularly a method of pinning tags to merchandise and apparatus for carrying out the method. The illustrated apparatus includes a plunger and a cooperable anvil between which a tag and merchandise are positioned and through which a fastener specifically a pin is driven to attach the tag to the merchandise. While the pin is being driven through the tag and merchandise, a movable pin guiding and crimping member moves relative to the plunger, the tag and the pin. The pin is driven firstly through the tag, secondly through the merchandise, thirdly through the merchandise again, fourthly through the tag again, and fifthly through the tag again, and thereupon the movable pin guiding and pin crimping member is moved again to crimp the pin. A bottom tag in a stack is separated by feeding it toward the pinning zone in one machine cycle and the separated tag is positioned between the anvil and the plunger during the early part of the next machine cycle.