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US 9,839,937 B1Granted
Method of making a powder coated protected prong file fastener
AssigneeSmead Manufacturing Company
InventorsHarold Peter Lindelof, Marvin J. Halfen, David J. Gilbertson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A prong style file fastener, and method of manufacturer, is disclosed which has a protective element to prevent damage to paper documents and personal injury. In one embodiment, the prongs of the fastener are covered with a powder coating which is melted thereon. In the case of the powdercoat covering, the production line uses a cam drive sprocket retractor system to release the line onto a takeup.
Claims7
A method of making a protected file fastener comprising the steps of:
- a. electrostatically charging a plurality of file fasteners which are joined together in a line;
- b. spraying meltable powder coating onto the line from below;
- c. heat treating the line to melt the powder into an overcoating;
- d. moving the line through the heat treatment at a predetermined speed;
- e. driving a supply sprocket drive at the start of the line and a take-up sprocket drive at the end of the line, said take-up sprocket having a central rotational axis, and wherein the line is in synchronization to maintain said predetermined speed and wherein the line of file fasteners are engaged by retractable sprockets on the take-up drive, further including the step of:
- i. on the take up end drive engaging the line on a sprocket drive having retractable sprockets;
- ii. radially retracting the sprockets on the take-up drive after the line has been rotated only a portion of a turn on the sprocket drive, so that the sprockets are radially slideable toward and away from said axis, and wherein said line is removable from the sprocket drive.
4 more elements
A method of making a protected file fastener comprising the steps of:
- a. electrostatically charging a plurality of file fasteners which are joined together in a line;
- b. spraying powder coating onto the line from below;
- c. driving a plurality of file fasteners which are joined together in a line to form a drive belt;
- d. moving the line through a coating station at a predetermined speed;
- e. driving a supply sprocket drive at the start of the line and a take-up sprocket drive at the end of the line, said take-up sprocket having a central rotational axis, and wherein the line is in synchronization to maintain said predetermined speed and wherein the line of file fasteners are engaged by retractable sprockets on the take-up drive, further including the step of:
- i. on the take up end drive engaging the line on a sprocket drive having a plurality of radial slots and radially retractable sprockets;
- ii. radially retracting the sprockets within said radial slots on the take-up drive after the line has been rotated only a portion of a turn on the sprocket drive, so that the sprockets are radially slideable toward and away from said axis, and wherein said line is removable from the sprocket drive.
4 more elements
A method of making a protected file fastener comprising the steps of:
- a. electrostatically charging a plurality of file fasteners which are joined together in a line;
- b. spraying powder coating onto the line from below;
- c. driving a plurality of fasteners which are joined together in a line to form their own drive belt;
- d. moving the line through a coating station at a predetermined speed;
- e. driving a supply sprocket drive at the start of the line and a take-up sprocket drive at the end of the line, said take-up sprocket having a central rotational axis, and wherein the line is in synchronization to maintain said predetermined speed and wherein the line of file fasteners are engaged by retractable sprockets on the take-up drive, further including the step of:
- i. on the take up end drive engaging the line on a sprocket drive having a plurality of radial slots and radially retractable sprockets;
- ii. using a cam follower which engages the sprockets, radially retracting the sprockets within said radial slots on the take-up drive after the line has been rotated only a portion of a turn on the sprocket drive, so that the sprockets are radially slideable toward and away from said axis, and wherein said line is removable from the sprocket drive.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.