Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
21 94472
DESCRIPTION
METHOD OF MANUFAC~URING SLIDE FASTENER
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a method of effectively
manufacturing a required number of slide fasteners of a
desired kind selectively from various continuous fastener
chains.
BACKGROUND ART
For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publications
Nos. Hei 3-99602 and Hei 4-40902 disclose a method of
successively manufacturing individual slide fasteners by
continuou.sly supplying a contimlous fastener chain, forming
successive space portions, which have a predetermined si~e,
one at every slide fastener length, attaching a set of
slide-fastener-constituting parts, such as a pair of top
stops, a slider and a. bottom stop, to the continuous
fastener chain at every slide fastener length and cutting
the fastener cha.in at every slide fastener length.
Various demands of customers with respect to color
tone, product length and form of slide fasteners cause a
tendency of multiproduct small-quantity manufacturing; in
a production line for successively manufacturing individual
slide fasteners from continuous fastener chains, it is
~1 9~472
necessary to control the quantity of production according
to orders of customers efficiently with high reliability.
In order to cope with these demands, according to
the slide fastener manufacturing method disclosed in
Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publications Nos. Hei 3-99602
and 4-~0902, a required number of slide fasteners are
manufactured by stocking in a fastener chain supply source
a continuous fastener chain, as previously measured in
whole length, and supplying the whole length of the
continuous fastener chain to the production line.
However, since orders of customers are made in numbers
of slide fasteners rather than in whole length of fastener
chain, they should be controlled in terms of numbers of
slide fasteners.
In this conventional manufacturing method, successive
space portions are formed in a necessary length of fastener
chain, the whole length of which is previously measured,
one at every slide fastener length by removing a predeter-
mined length of opposed rows of fastener elements, and the
fastener chain supplied to a space-portion forming station
to form the next space portion therein is measured to have
the slide fastener length.
Meanwhile, in the continuously manufacturing method of
slide fastener as described above, since the fastener chain
traveling through many stations tends to vary in
21 9~'~72
length-measuring conditions, such as tension, a difference
would occur between the measured whole length of the
fastener chain and the measured length of individual slide
fasteners. Although the difference between each adjacent
pair of slide fasteners is very small, the total difference
with respect to the successive slide fasteners is very
large, which would be influential on the actual total
number of slide fasteners.
In other words, assuming that a continuous fastener
chain of a previously measured length corresponding to the
total length of a predetermined number of slide fasteners
is supplied to the production line, the total length of
fastener chain might be short with respect to the length
of the total number of slide fasteners to be actually
manufactured; consequently, the whole length of fastener
chain should be previously set to exceed the total length
of the predetermined number of slide fasteners to supple-
ment an estimated shortage. If the whole length of fastener
chain is previously set to thus exceed, the slide fastener
chain would be more than enough with respect to the total
number of actually manufactured slide fasteners, and such
an excessive part of the fastener chain must be dumped,
thus causing a reduced rate of production. Further, since
the excessive quantity is not constant all the time,
production control would be very laborious and
21 94472
time-consuming.
With the foregoing problems in view, it is a particular
object of this invention to provide a slide fastener
manufacturing method which can efficiently cope with various
demands of slide fasteners, can minimize waste of a fastener
chain for the same kind of slide fasteners and can
facilitate production control.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
In order to accomplish the above object, according to
this invention, there is provided a method of successively
manufacturing individual slide fasteners from a continuous
fastener chain by forming successive space portions in the
fastener chain, which is continuously supplied from a slide
fastener supply source, one at every slide fastener length,
attaching a set of slide-fastener-constituent parts one
after another to the fastener chain and cutting the
fastener chain at every slide fastener length, the method
comprising the steps of: measuring successive slide
fastener lengths of the fastener chain one after another
by measuring means disposed in a space-portion forming
station, and supplying the successive slide fastener
lengths of the fastener chain one after another to the
space-portion forming station; forming in the fastener
chain a number of successive space portions corresponding
2 1 94472
to a predetermined number of slide fasteners in the space-
portion forming station, and intermittently cutting the
fastener chain based on a succession of commands from a
controller; and upon completion of the cutting, automatically
switching over to supplying another continuous fastener
chain for a subsequent production according to the chain
switching commands from the controller.
Further, the method further include~ the step of
automatically connecting, after automatically switching
over to supplying another continuous fastener chain of
different kind for the subsequent production of slide
fasteners, a cut end of the succeeding continuous fastener
chain with a cut trailing end of the preceding continuous
fastener chain. Furthermore, the cutting of the fastener
chain based on a command from the controller is performed
upon termination of forming the second to last space
portion if the distance between the fastener chain supply
source and the space-portion forming station is larger than
the slide fastener length, or upon termination of forming
the last space portion if the distance between the fastener
chain supply source and the space-portion forming station
is smaller than the slide fastener length.
Namely, according to this invention, a desired number
of each of various kinds of slide fasteners are successively
manufactured by supplying a continuous fastener chain to be
21 94472
processed to the space-portion forming station from the
fastener chain supply sourse having plural kinds of contin-
uous fastener chain regardless of the number of slide
fasteners to be manufactured, measuring every slide
fastener length of the fastener chain by length-measuring
rollers, forming successive space portions in the fastener
chain one at every slide fastener length, and automatically
switching over to supplying another fastener chain of
different kind when the number of the formed space portions
reaches the predetermined number of slide fasteners.
Therefore, unlike the conventional method in which
a continuous fastener chain of a length corresponding to
the total length of a predetermined number of slide
fasteners to be manufactured is stocked in a fastener chain
supply source, after the whole length of fastener chain is
previously measured, and in which the length of the indi-
vidual slide fastener is measured again in a space-portion
forming station, it is possible to manufacture a predeter-
mined number of slide fasteners using a minimum length of
fastener chain. Further, since the current fastener chain
being supplied is automatically switched over to another
fastener chain for the next production at the supply
source, it is possible to readily meet the demand for
flexible manufacturing, thus remarkably improving the rate
of production.
- 6 -
21 94472
Furthermore, as the cutting of the fastener chain
based on a command from the controller is performed upon
termination of forming of the second to last space portion
if the distance between the fastener chain supply source
and the space-portion forming section is larger than the
slide fastener length, or upon termination of forming of
the last space portion if the distance between the fastener
chain supply source and the space-portion forming station
is smaller than the slide fastener length, it is possible
to reduce waste of fastener chain to a minimum.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view, generally showing a
succession of stations for manufacturing a slide fastener
according to this invention; and FIG. 2 is a block diagram
showing the manner in which the manufacturing stations are
controlled.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING O~T THE lNV~NllON
A typical embodiment of this invention will now be
described in detail with reference to the accompanying
drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing one example of a
succession of stations for manufacturing a slide fastener,
according to this invention.
According to this embodiment, a fastener chain supply
21 94P~72
unit 10 serves as a fastener chain exchange unit of the
invention. The fastener chain supply unit 10 in this
embodiment has a structure substantially identical with a
tape supply unit disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open
Publication No. Hei 4-144689; therefore, its detailed
structural description is omitted, and the following
description is concentrated upon its operation.
The fastener chain supply unit 10 in this embodiment
includes a plurality of continuous fastener chains Ca - Cn
of different color tones wound respectively on a plurality
of parallel reels as fastener chain cassettes 12 supported
by support brackets 13 standing on a table 11. On the
table 11, guide rollers 13a are disposed for directing the
individual fastener chains Ca - Cn, which are to be
supplied from the respective fastener chain cassettes 12a -
12n, to respective fastener chain delivery lines 14.
Further, in front of each fastener chain delivery lines 14,
a vertical pair of delivery plates 1~ hori~ontally extends
along the fastener chain delivery lines 14 for sandwiching
on upper and lower surfaces of the individual fastener
chain Ca - Cn to guide.
The table 11 is exchangeably mounted on a slide table
lla which is supported on a pair of guide rails 16
extending parallel to the chain cassettes 12a - 12n and
which is slidable along the guide rails 16. The slide
21 94472
.
table lla is moved back and forth along the guide rails 16
in response to the rotation of a ball screw 17 which is
controllably rotated by a control drive unit, such as a
servo motor, based on a command from a controller CP as
shown in FIG. 2.
The controller CP selects a desired fastener chain
cassette 12h from the plural fastener chains 12a - 12n
arranged on the table 11 and then shifts the slide table
lla along the guide rails 16 to bring the delivery plates
15, which guides the fastener chain Ch of the desired
fastener chain cassette 12h, into longitudinal alignment
with a fastener chain processing line CL.
The upper and lower delivery plates 15 are identical
in shape with each other and have each in opposite sides
near its downstream end a pair of cutouts 15a from which
opposed fastener tape surfaces of the fastener chain C are
exposed. In confronting relation to the cutouts 15a of
the upper and lower delivery plates 15, upper and lower
contact feed rollers 17 are disposed which are controllably
moved vertically by actuators, such as non-illustrated
cylinders, and controllably rotated by a rotation drive
unit rotatable in both directions, such as a servo motor,
based on a command from the controller CP and each of which
has centrally in its circumferential surface an annular
groove 17a.
21 94472
As the current fastener chain cassette is switched
over to a desired fastener chain cassette 12h upon receipt
of a cassette switchover command from the controller CP,
the upper and lower contact feed rollers 17 are moved
toward each other to contact the fastener tape surfaces,
which are exposed from the cutouts, to sandwich the
fastener chain Ch from upper and lower sides. At that
time, a connecting portion 15b between the opposite cutouts
15a of each of the upper and lower delivery plates 15 is
received in the groove 17a of the corresponding contact
feed roller 17. The contact feed rollers 17 are thereby
rotated by a predetermined number of rotations to feed the
fastener chain Ch by a desired length forwardly.
In this invention, for manufacturing a scheduled
number of slide fasteners of, for example, red in color,
successive space portions SP corresponding in number to
the scheduled number of slide fasteners SF of the same
kind are formed in a space-portion forming unit 30 ~hile
the fastener chain Ch is fed.
When the number of the formed space portions SP
reaches a predetermined value, a command is issued from
the controller CP to the fastener chain exchange unit 10
so that the red fastener chain Ch being currently supplied
is cut. After cutting, another command is issued from the
controller CP to the fastener chain exchange unit 10 so
-1 O-
21 94472
that the cut red fastener chain Ch is wound back to the
fastener chain cassette 12h and, at the same time, the slide
table lla is shifted to position another chain cassette 12n,
in which a fastener chain Cn of another color tone, such as
blue, in alignment ~ith the fastener chain processing line.
And the blue fastener chain Cn is supplied and is then
connected with the cut end of the previously processed red
fastener chain Ch so that the blue fastener chain Cn is fed
to the space-portion forming unit 30.
At that time, the red fastener chain Ch in which a
predetermined number of space portions SP have been formed
would be waste with respect to the length between the space-
portion forming unit 30 and the fastener chain exchange unit
10, which waste part will be dumped later. Assuming that
the length L of the individual slide fastener to be manufac-
tured is smaller than the length L' of the waste fastener
chain part which is equal to the distance between the space-
portion forming unit 30 and the fastener chain exchange unit
10, i.e. L c L', a command is issued from the controller CP
to the fastener chain exchange unit 10 upon termination of
forming of the second to last of the scheduled number of
space portions SP so that the fastener chain Ch is cut and
is then connected ~ith the succeeding blue fastener chain
Cn, whereupon the last of the predetermined number of space
portions is formed in the fastener chain Ch. To load such
~1 94472
a program in the controller CP is effective in minimizing
the length of the waste fastener chain part.
Otherwise, if the slide fastener length L is larger
than the distance L' between the space-portion forming unit
30 and the fastener chain exchange unit 10, i.e. L > L', a
command is issued to the fastener chain exchange unit 10
upon termination of forming of the last of the scheduled
number of space portions SP so that the length L' of the
excessive red fastener chain Ch is dumped.
Since the distance L' between the space-portion forming
unit 30 and the fastener chain exchange unit 10 is constant
all the time, it is possible to change the setup of opera-
tion of the space-portion forming unit 30 by previously
inputting the length L of slide fasteners of a different
kind, which are scheduled to be manufactured, to the con-
troller CP and comparing the length L' with the distance L.
In this embodiment, when the continuous fastener chain
Ch is cut, a signal is transmitted from the controller CP
to a non-illustrated drive unit of the contact feed roller
17 to rotate the contact feed rollers 17 reversely by a
predetermined number of rotations to feed the fastener
chain Ch backwardly as sandwiched between the upper and
lower contact feed rollers 17, thereby retracting the cut
end of the fastener chain Ch to the distal ends of the
upper and lower delivery plates 1~. Upon completion of
- 1 2 -
21 94472
this retracting, the upper and lower contact feed rollers
17 are moved away from each other to release the fastener
tapes.
Subsequently, the slide table lla is shifted in the
above-mentioned manner to bring the delivery plates 15,
which guide another continuous fastener chain Cn of, for
example, a blue color loaded in the fastener chain cassette
12n corresponding to another kind of slide fasteners to be
manufactured, into alignment with the fastener chain
processing line CL. Now the upper and lower contact feed
rollers 17 are then moved toward each other to contact the
upper and lower fastener tape surfaces, which are exposed
from the cutouts 15a of the upper and lower delivery plates
15, thus sandwiching the fastener chain C from upper and
lower sides. Then, the upper contact feed roller 17 is
rotated forwardly to feed the fastener chain Cn from the
distal ends of the delivery plates 15 to an automatic
fastener chain connecting unit 20 for a subsequent manufac-
turing step described below. The extent of movement of
the fastener chain Cn along the fastener chain processing
line CL is previously set and is determined in terms of
number of rotations of the contact feed rollers.
Upon termination of feeding the fastener chain Cn by
a predetermined length, the upper and lower contact feed
rollers 17 are moved away from each other, based on a
- 1 3 -
2 1 94~ 72
command from the controller CP, to release the pressing of
the fastener chain surface. The continuous fastener chain Cn
is then fed to a first fastener chain gripper 21 of the
automatic fastener chain connecting unit 20 so that the end
of the fastener chain Cn is gripped. The automatic fastener
chain connecting unit 20 of this embodiment is composed of
the first fastener chain gripper 21, which is movable back
and forth by a predetermined distance along the fastener
chain processing line CL while supporting and guiding one
surface of the traveling fastener chain, and a second
fastener chain gripper 22 fixed at a predetermined position
in the fastener chain processing line CL.
The first and second fastener chain grippers 21, 22
are identical in structure except that one is movable along
the fastener chain processing line CL ~hile the other is
fixed. Namely, the first fastener chain gripper 21 is
repeatedly moved to~ard and a~ay from the second fastener
chain grippers 22 along the fastener chain processing line
CL based on a command from the controller CP. This move-
ment is made by the action of a non-illustrated cylinder,
for example.
The first fastener chain gripper 21 is composed of a
movable gripping member 21a and a fixed gripping member 21b,
the movable gripping member 21a being movable toward and
a~ay from the fixed gripping member 21b perpendicularly to
- 1 4 -
2! ~4472
the fastener chain processing line CL by the action of a
non-illustrated drive unit, such as a cylinder. The movable
and fixed gripping members 21a, 21b have in their upper
confronting edges a pair of opposed stepped portions for
sandwiching opposed fastener element rows of the fastener
chain C placed on the upper surface of the first fastener
chain gripper 21.
Further, the first fastener chain gripper 21 is
movable back and forth along the fastener chain processing
line CL by the action of a non-illustrated drive unit,
such as a cylinder, based on a command from the controller
CP to move another fastener chain Cn, with opposed
fastener element rows sandwiched between the stepped
portions, toward the second fastener chain gripper 22
fixed at a position spaced a predetermined distance down-
stream of the first fastener chain gripper 21. The second
fastener chain gripper 22, like the first gripper 21, is
composed of a movable gripping member 22a and a fixed
gripping member 22b, the movable gripping member 22b being
movable toward the fixed gripping member 22b to grip the
opposed fastener element rows at the cut end of the previous
fastener chain Ch.
According to this embodiment, the leading end of the
new fastener chain Cn substituted as described above and
gripped by the first fastener chain gripper 21 is cut along
- 1 5 -
21 94472
the end surface of the first fastener chain gripper 21 by a
first cutting blade 26a. The cut end of the previous
fastener chain Ch is fed forwardly by feed rollers described
below until it is aligned with the end surface of the second
fastener chain gripper 22, and then its opposed fastener
element rows are gripped from opposite sides by the second
fastener chain gripper 22 in the above-mentioned manner.
The confronting ends of the fastener chains Ch, Cn
gripped by the first and second fastener chain grippers 21,
22 are brought into contact against each other when the
first and second fastener chain grippers 21, 22 meet as
the first fastener chain gripper 21 is moved toward the
second fastener chain gripper 22.
Then, a fastener chain end connecting unit 20a is
rendered operative to connect the fastener chains Ch, Cn
end to end. The fastener chain end connecting unit 20a is
disposed in such a position that it is located upwardly of
the position where the first fastener chain gripper 21 is
stopped when the confronting ends of the fastener chains
Ch, Cn are brought into contact against each other. The
fastener chain end connecting unit 20a in this embodiment
is composed of an adhesive film attaching member 24, for
attaching an adhesive film tape 23 having a metallic
surface, and a film cutter 25., as shown in FIG. 1.
The adhesive film attaching member 24 is raised and
- 1 6 -
~1 94472
lowered by a non-illustrated cylinder and is composed of an
adhesive film roll 24a and a film attaching roller 24b. The
fil~ cutter 2~ is disposed downstream of the film attaching
roller 24b and is moved back and forth, together with the
adhesive film attaching member 24, by a predetermined stroke
along the fastener chain processing line CL as a non-
illustrated moving means is driven by a command from the
controller CP. The blade edge of the film cutter 25 is
disposed slightly upwardly of the lower end of the adhesive
film attaching roller 24b.
The adhesive film attaching member 24 for the above-
described adhesive film tape 23 is lowered by a non-
illustrated drive unit, such as a cylinder, so as to press
the film attaching roller 24b against the fastener chain Cn
on the first fastener chain gripper 21, thus attaching the
end of the adhesive film strip 23 to the fastener chain Cn.
The adhesive film attaching member 24 is moved forwardly
along the traveling path of the fastener chain Cn, and the
adhesive film roll 24a attaches the adhesive film strip 23
to the upper surface of the fastener chain Cn as it is moved
from the first fastener chain gripper 21 onto the fastener
chain Ch of the second fastener chain gripper 22, thus
connecting the abutting fastener chains Cn, Ch together by
the adhesive film strip 23. The adhesive film strip 23 is
cut by the film cutter 2~ as the adhesive film attaching
- 1 7 -
21 94472
member 24 is raised.
Each of the first and second fastener chain grippers
21, 22 releases the opposed fastener element rows as the
movable gripping member 21a, 22a are moved away from the
corresponding fixed gripping member 21b, 22b so that the
connected fastener chains Cn, Ch are released. Then upon
receipt of a command from the controller CP, the first
fastener chain gripper 21 is moved away from the second
fastener chain gripper 22 to return to its original posi-
tion. The connected fastener chain C is fed by a predeter-
mined length to the space-portion forming unit 30 as feed
rollers 32 disposed downstream in the fastener chain feeding
direction of the space-portion forming unit 30 are rotated
by a non-illustrated drive unit, such as a motor.
A cutting unit 26 disposed between the first and second
fastener chain grippers 21, 22 for cutting the fastener
chain C is composed of a first and second cutting blades
26a, 26b parallel spaced from each other along the fastener
chain processing line CL and movable toward and away from
the fastener chain perpendicularly to the fastener chain
processing line CL by a non-illustrated drive unit.
In each of the continuous fastener chain Ca - Cn wound
in the respective fastener chain cassette 12a - 12n, when
a fault portion, if any, is cut off, the cut ends of the
separated fastener chain Ca - Cn are connected together by
- 1 8 -
21 94472
a staple. If the connected portion of the individual
fastener chain Ca - Cn is detected by a non-illustrated
detector before it reaches the cutting Wlit 26, the control-
ler CP issues a command upon receipt of a detection signal
from the detector to move the cutting unit 26 to the
cutting position of the individual fastener chain Ca - Cn
so that the fastener chain Ca - Cn is cut at positions
downstream and upstream of the stapled portion simultane-
ously. After the connected portion is cut off, these cut
ends of the separated fastener chain parts are connected
again to each other by the adhesive film strip 23 in the
above-mentioned manner, and then the resulting fastener
chain is fed to the next station, i. e. the space-portion
forming unit 30.
A pair of length-measuring rollers 31 is disposed
adjacent to and upstream in the fastener chain feeding
direction of the space-portion forming unit 30. In this
invention, the length-measuring rollers 31 is one of
components or elements serving as important part of the
invention with respect to the fastener chain exchange unit
10. Namely, the timing to form a space portion is deter-
mined based on a length-measuring signa] issued from the
length-measuring rollers 31. For this purpose, the length-
measuring roller 31 is equipped with a number-of-rotations
detector, such as an encoder, for detecting the number of
-1 9-
21 94~72
rotations of the length-measuring roller 31 all the time
and for transmitting a detection signal to the controller
CP. ~pon receipt of a detection signal, the controller CP
compares the number of rotations with a preset value, and
if it reaches the preset value, the controller CP gives a
rotation stop signal to a non-illustrated drive unit of
the feed rollers 32 to stop the feed rollers 32 and also
an actuation signal to the space-portion forming unit 30
to form a space portion SP by removing a part of the opposed
fastener element rows of the fastener chain C.
The controller CP counts the number of rotation stop
signal or space-portion-forming actuation signal, and when
the counted number reaches a preset value corresponding to
the total number of slide fasteners to be manufactured or
corresponding to one less than the number to be manufactured,
the controller CP gives actuation signals to the respective
non-illustrated actuators, such as cylinders, of the first
and second fastener chain grippers 21, 22 and the fastener
chain cutting unit 26 according to the individual actuation
procedures to cut the fastener chain C.
After the space portion has been formed, the fastener
chain C is moved successively through a bottom stop
attaching unit 40, a fastener chain cutting unit 50, a
slider mounting unit ~0 and a top stop attaching unit 70
so that slide fasteners of a desired kind and of a
-~ O-
21 94472
predetermined length are continuously manufactured. In
FIG. 1, reference numeral 4l designates various kinds of
bottom stop blanks; 42, a bottom stop supply unit for
cutting a desired bottom stop blank and automatically
supplying the cut blank piece to the bottom stop attaching
unit 40; 61, an automatic slider supply unit for selectively
supplying a desired slider of various kinds of sliders; 62,
a slider guide portion; 63, a slider holder; and 64, a
fastener chain feed gripper. The foregoing units or parts
to be used in the slide-fastener-constituent-parts
attaching stations may be of conventional type, and the
individual units or parts disclosed in Japanese Patent
Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 3-g9602 are used in this
embodiment. Therefore their detailed description in
construction and operation is omitted here.
As is understood from the foregoing description, in
this embodiment, all of the actuation timing and procedure
for the individual actuators are determined by the control-
ler CP. FIG. 2 is a block diagram sho~ing the operation
of the controller CP.
In this embodiment, slide fasteners to be manufactured
are of a so-called non-separable type having an ordinary
structure. This invention may be applied also to slide
fasteners of the separable type having a separable bottom
stop assembly. In the latter case, an auxiliary tape
2~ 94472
attaching unit, a hole-in-reinforced-portion forming unit
and a separable-bottom-stop attaching unit, all of which
are not shown, are substituted for the bottom stop attaching
unit ~0 between the space-portion forming unit 30 and the
slider mounting unit 60. Thus various modifications may be
suggested without departing from the principles of this
invention.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION
As is apparent from the foregoing description, this
method successively manufactures a desired number of each
of various kinds of slide fasteners by supplying a continu-
ous fastener chain regardless of the number of slide
fasteners to be manufactured, measuring every slide fastener
length of the fastener chain, forming successive space por-
tions in the fastener chain one at every slide fastener
length, and automatically switching over to supplying
another fastener chain of different kind when the number
of the formed space portions reaches the predetermined
number of slide fasteners. According to this method, unlike
the conventiona~ method in which continuous fastener chains
each having a length corresponding to the total length of a
predetermined number of slide fasteners to be manufactured
is measured and prepared respectively, and in which the
length of the individual slide fastener is measured in a
- 2 2 -
- 21 $4472
space-portion forming station, it is possible to meet the
demand of various kinds, small quantity products and to
manufacture a predetermined number of slide fasteners using
a minimum length of fastener chain without measuring the
total length of the fsatener chain previously, thus
remarkably improving the rate of production.
Furthermore, in this invention, the cutting of the
fastener chain based on a command from the controller is
performed upon termination of forming of the second to last
space portion if the distance between the fastener chain
supply source and the space-portion forming section is
larger than the slide fastener length, or upon termination
of forming of the last space portion if the distance
between the fastener chain supply source and the space-
portion forming station is smaller than the slide fastener
length. It is therefore possible to reduce waste of
fastener chain to a minimum, which further improves
productivity.
- 2 3 -
