FASTENER ATTACHMENT APPARATUS AND METHOD

• US 3,875,648 A
• Filed: 04/04/1973
• Issued: 04/08/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Arnold R. Bone
• Original Assignee: Arnold R. Bone
• Inventors: Bone, Arnold R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moon, Charlie T.
• Application Number:
  US05/347,679
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 29/432.2,432.1,432,450,417,235,526 227/67,71,19 24/150 40/2R,2X
• US Class Current: 29/417
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0419 H-fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 2201/00 Portable tools for labelling or tagging, associated with holders when in use
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 5/00 Labelling fabrics or comparable materials or articles with deformable surface, e.g. paper, fabric rolls, stockings, shoes affixing labels to non-rigid containers B65C3/26; by sewing D05B ; applying marks during shoe manufacture A43D95/14; marking textile materials by attaching tags D06H1/04
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 15/08 formed in integral series but easily separable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 411/92 Staple
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49798 Dividing sequentially from leading end, e.g., by cutting or breaking
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49833 Punching, piercing or reaming part by surface of second part
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4987 Elastic joining of parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49954 Fastener deformed after application

Abstract

Fastener attachment apparatus and method for separating a fastener attachment device comprising two end bars and a filament coupled therebetween from stock comprising two undivided and continuous side members and a plurality of cross links coupled therebetween and dispensing the devices through one or more slotted needles by pushing an end bar of the device through a slot in the needle. In addition there is disclosed a fastener attachment apparatus and method for simultaneously pushing each of the two end bars of a fastener attachment device through two slotted needles with the filament between the end bars extending through the slot of each of the needles and between the needles.

Claims

1. A method of coupling two or more layers of material together which comprises inserting two needles of a fastener attachment device into the material with a portion of the needles extending above and below the layers of material, the needles having slots which are open, the steps of dividing plastic fastener attachment stock comprising two side members having a plurality of cross links coupled between said side members to provide a plastic fastener attachment device comprising a portion of each of said side members forming end bars and a cross link forming a filament, device having said end bars and said filament coupled between said end bars into the slot of said needles such that each end bar is positioned in a needle slot with the filament extending through the slot of each needle, then pushing said end bars through said needle slots while bending the filament with respect to said end bars as the end bars pass through the portion of the needles positioned within the material and the filament engages the material and then forcing said end bars out of said needles below the layers of material to permit them to twist with respect to the filament.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the step of forcing portions of the fastener attachment device into the needles includes the step of positioning the fastener attachment device with respect to the needles such that the end bars thereof are in position to be forced through the needles.

3. The method of claim 1 in which one of the layers of material comprises a button having at least two button holes and in which the needles extend through the button holes.

4. The method of claim 2 in which one of the layers of material comprises a button having at least two button holes and in which the needles extend through the button holes.

5. The method of claim 1 which includes the step of adjusting the position of the needle with respect to the material prior to inserting the needles therethrough.

6. The method of claim 2 which includes the step of adjusting the position of the needles with respect to the material prior to inserting the needles therethrough.

7. A method of coupling layers of material together which comprises dividing fastener attachment stock comprising two plastic side members having a plurality of plastic cross links coupled between said side members to provide a fastener attachment device comprising a portion of each of said side members and a cross link and then inserting a portion of the fastener attachment device through the material.

8. The method of claim 7 in which at least one of the side member portions is forced through the slot of a needle with the cross link extending from the needle slot.

9. The method of claim 8 in which one of the side member portions is positioned above the layers of material and the other of said side member portions is positioned below the layers of material.

10. In a fastener attachment apparatus comprising at least one slotted needle for dispensing a portion of a fastener attachment device therethrough while another portion of the fastener attachment device extends therefrom and means for pushing the fastener attachment device portion through said needle slot, the improvement comprising means for separating a fastener attachment device from fastener attachment stock comprising a pair of plastic side members having a plurality of plastic cross links coupled therebetween, and means for positioning the fastener attachment device after separation from the stock in position so that a portion thereof may be pushed through said needle slot.

11. In a fastener attachment apparatus according to claim 10 which includes means for feeding the fastener attachment stock in position to separate a fastener attachment device therefrom.

12. In a fastener attachment apparatus according to claim 10 in which said apparatus has only one needle.

13. In a fastener attachment apparatus according to claim 10 in which said apparatus has only two needles and in which said means for pushing comprises two pusher members for pushing portions of each of said fastener attachement devices through the slots of each of said needles with portions of each of the fastener attachment devices extending between said needles.

14. In a fastener attachment apparatus according to claim 11 in which said apparatus has only one needle.

15. In a fastener attachment apparatus according to claim 11 in which said apparatus has only two needles and in which said means for pushing comprises two pusher members for pushing portions of each of said fastener attachment devices through the slots of each of said needles with portions of each of the fastener attachment devices extending between said needles.

16. In an apparatus according to claim 11 including means for holding the fastener attachment stock in a compressed configuration for feeding into the apparatus.

17. In an apparatus according to claim 10 including means for forcing the needles through at least one layer of material prior to dispensing the device therefrom.

18. In an apparatus according to claim 12 including means for forcing the needles through at least one layer of material prior to dispensing the device therefrom.

19. In an apparatus according to claim 13 including means for forcing the needles through at least one layer of material prior to dispensing the device therefrom.

20. In the apparatus according to claim 13 in which means is provided for relatively moving the needles with respect to each other to position them for dispensing the fastener attachment devices at different spacings.

21. In the apparatus according to claim 20 including means for pushing the needles through at least one layer of material.

22. In the apparatus according to claim 10 including power means to divide the fastener attachment stock.

23. In the apparatus according to claim 10 in which a handle means is compressed to dispense a fastener attachment device.

24. In the apparatus according to claim 10 in which control means is provided to dispense a fastener attachment device.

25. In the apparatus according to claim 23 in which the control means comprises a valve.