US 4,336,220 A · Method of and apparatus for manufacturing a continuous slide fastener stringer

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a continuous slide fastener stringer, comprising the steps of: providing a continuous stringer tape having a plurality of openings along a longitudinal edge thereof at regular intervals of a first distance d; then placing a part of the tape between a pair of mold members defining a number of mold cavities spaced at regular intervals of a second distance D slightly greater than the first distance d; then stretching the part of the tape until the openings in that part are aligned with the mold cavities; then injecting melted synthetic resin material into mold cavities, while the mold members are closed, to form on the part of the tape of number of the injection-molded coupling elements one at each of the openings; and repeating the preceding steps, except the first-mentioned step, for a succeeding part of the tape. An apparatus for carrying out the method includes a frame having the mold members, and stringer tape advancing means, such means effecting suitable stretching of the part of the tape between the mold members so as to align the tape openings with the mold cavities.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A method of manufacturing a continuous slide fastener stringer including a continuous stringer tape and a row of injection-molded coupling elements secured to the stringer tape along a longitudinal edge thereof, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a stringer tape having a plurality of openings in the stringer tape along the longitudinal edge thereof at regular intervals of a first distance;
(b) then placing a part of the stringer tape between a pair of relatively movable mold members defining a predetermined number of mold cavities spaced at regular intervals of a second distance slightly greater than said first distance;
(c) then stretching said part of the stringer tape until the openings therein are aligned with the mold cavities in the mold members;
(d) then injecting melted synthetic resin material into the mold cavities, while the mold members are closed with the openings in said part of the stringer tape aligned with the mold cavities of the mold members, to form on said part of the stringer tape the coupling elements, one at each of the openings;
and
(e) repeating the preceding steps (b), (c) and (d) for a succeeding part of the stringer tape.

3 more elements

An apparatus for manufacturing a continuous slide fastener stringer including a continuous stringer tape and a row of injection-molded coupling elements secured to the stringer tape along a longitudinal edge thereof, the stringer tape having a plurality of openings along the longitudinal edge thereof at regular intervals of a first distance, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a frame;
(b) a pair of relatively movable mold members supported on said frame and defining a predetermined number of mold cavities spaced at regular intervals of a second distance slightly greater than said first distance, said mold members being movable relatively to each other between a first position in which said mold members are fully opened for the passage therethrough of the stringer tape, a second position in which said mold members are half closed to hold only one end of one of the successive parts of the stringer tape, and a third position in which said mold members are fully closed to hold throughout its length said one of the successive parts of the stringer tape;
(c) means supported on said frame both upstream and downstream of said mold members for intermittently advancing tape through said mold members;
(d) means supported on said frame to engage the other end of said one of the successive parts of the stringer tape for stretching said one of the successive parts of the stringer tape, while said mold members are in said second position, until said openings in said one of the successive parts of the stringer tape are aligned with said mold cavities;
and
(e) means associated with said mold members for injecting melted synthetic resin material into said mold cavities, while said mold members are in said third position, to form on said one of the successive parts of the stringer tape the coupling elements, one at each of the openings.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method of and apparatus for manufacturing a continuous slide fastener stringer

Life of this patent

Method of and apparatus for manufacturing a continuous slide fastener stringer

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12