U.S. patent number 3,733,657 [Application Number 05/256,890] was granted by the patent office on 1973-05-22 for assembly of attachments and method of manipulating the same.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Dennison Manufacturing Comapny. Invention is credited to Gordon B. Lankton.
United States Patent |
3,733,657 |
Lankton |
May 22, 1973 |
ASSEMBLY OF ATTACHMENTS AND METHOD OF MANIPULATING THE SAME
Abstract
A plurality of attachments, each designed for insertion through
an object and comprising enlarged parts connected by a narrow
elongated section, are formed into an easily handled assembly by
being secured together not only at those ends bearing the part
adapted to be inserted through said object but also at the other
ends thereof, thereby to prevent the individual attachments from
tangling or snarling while they remain a part of the assembly.
Preferably the latter securement is of a type more readily
frangible in torsion than in tension, thereby to facilitate the
separation of a given attachment from the assembly after that
attachment has been operatively associated with said object while
reliably retaining the attachments secured to one another in the
assembly under standby conditions.
Inventors: |
Lankton; Gordon B. (West
Boylston, MA) |
Assignee: |
Dennison Manufacturing Comapny
(Framingham, MA)
|
Family
ID: |
22974025 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/256,890 |
Filed: |
May 25, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/343; 29/450;
40/664; 29/433; 29/453 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65C
7/005 (20130101); G09F 3/14 (20130101); D05B
5/00 (20130101); Y10T 29/49838 (20150115); Y10T
29/4987 (20150115); Y10T 29/49876 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
G09F
3/08 (20060101); G09F 3/14 (20060101); D05B
5/00 (20060101); B65C 7/00 (20060101); A44b
009/00 (); G09f 003/12 () |
Field of
Search: |
;24/15FP,16PB ;206/65
;40/6,24,301 ;283/18,19,20 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Zugel; Francis K.
Assistant Examiner: Dorner; Kenneth J.
Claims
I claim:
1. A clip of a plurality of attached-together attachments each
adapted to be engaged with an object, each said attachment
comprising an object-penetrating part, an enlarged part, and a
narrow elongated section connecting said parts, relatively sturdy
frangible means normally operatively connecting said penetrating
parts to one another in spaced relationship and adapted to be
severed in an attaching device, said elongated sections extending
from said penetrating parts, and securing means interposed between
and connected to said attachments remote from said frangible means
and securing said attachments together, said securing being
comparatively more readily severable than said frangible means and
adapted to be severed externally of an attaching device.
2. The clip of claim 1, in which said securing means is interposed
between and connected to said enlarged parts.
3. The clip of claim 2 in which said securing means is so
constructed as to be more readily severable in torsion than in
tension.
4. The clip of claim 2 in which said securing means comprises a
short, narrow length of material and dimensions such as to have a
substantially greater resistance to breaking when tensioned than
when twisted.
5. The clip of claim 3 in which said enlarged parts comprise
elements arranged essentially parallel to one another with facing
surfaces, said securing means being interposed between and secured
to said facing surfaces.
6. The clip of claim 5, in which said enlarged parts comprise
elements arranged spaced from one another by a given distance and
with facing surfaces, said securing means comprising relatively
wide opposed protrusions from said surfaces the end of which
protrusions are spaced from one another by a distance less than
said given distance, and a relatively thin length of material the
thickness and length of which is such as to have a substantially
greater resistance to breaking when tensioned than when twisted
secured between the ends of said protrusions.
7. The clip of claim 4 in which said enlarged parts comprise
elements arranged essentially parallel to one another with facing
surfaces, said securing means being interposed between and secured
to said facing surfaces.
8. The clip of claim 7, in which said enlarged parts comprise
elements arranged spaced from one another by a given distance and
with facing surfaces, said securing means comprising relatively
wide opposed protrusions from said surfaces the end of which
protrusions are spaced from one another by a distance less than
said given distance, and a relatively thin length of material the
thickness and length of which is such as to have a substantially
greater resistance to breaking when tensioned than when twisted
secured between the ends of said protrusions.
9. The clip of claim 1 in which said securing means is so
constructed as to be more readily severable in torsion than in
tension.
10. The clip of claim 1 in which said securing means comprises a
short, narrow length of material and dimensions such as to have a
substantially greater resistance to breaking when tensioned than
when twisted.
11. The clip of claim 2 in which said enlarged parts comprise
elements arranged essentially parallel to one another with facing
surfaces, said securing means being interposed between and secured
to said facing surfaces.
12. The clip of claim 1, in which said enlarged parts comprise
elements arranged spaced from one another by a given distance and
with facing surfaces, said securing means comprising relatively
wide opposed protrusions from said surfaces the end of which
protrusions are spaced from one another by a distance less than
said given distance, and a relatively thin length of material the
thickness and length of which is such as to have a substantiially
greater resistance to breaking when tensioned than when twisted
secured between the ends of said protrusions.
13. The clip of claim 1, in which said enlarged parts comprise
elements having facing surfaces, said facing surfaces being
adhesively secured to one another.
14. The method of attaching to an object one of a plurality of
attachments which are assembled into a clip by being secured
together at first and second points spaced along their length,
which method comprises:
a. by means of an attaching device freeing the attachment of said
clip at said first point, and engaging said attachment with said
object while said attachment remains secured to said clip at said
second point, and
b. thereafter, externally of said attaching device, separating said
attachment from said clip at said second point.
15. The method of claim 14, in which step (b) is accomplished by
rotating said attachment relative to said clip, thereby to exert a
substantial torsional force on the means securing said attachment
to said clip at said second point.
16. The method of attaching to an object one of a plurality of
attachments which are assembled into a clip by being secured
together at first and second points spaced along their length, said
attachments comprising an object-engaging part, an enlarged part,
and a section connecting said parts, said first point being located
relatively close to said object-engaging part and said second point
being located relatively remote from said object-engaging part,
which method comprises:
a. by means of an attaching device freeing the attachment from said
clip at said first point, and engaging the object-engaging part of
said attachment with said object while said attachment remains
secured to said clip at said second point, and
b. thereafter externally of said attaching device separating said
attachment from said clip at said second point.
17. The method of claim 16, in which step (b) is accomplished by
rotating said attachment relative to said clip, thereby to exert a
substantial torsional force on the means securing said attachment
to said clip at said second point.
18. A clip of a plurality of attached-together attachments each
adapted to be engaged with an object, each said attachment
comprising an object-penetrating part, an enlarged part, and a
narrow elongated section connecting said parts, frangible means
normally operatively connecting said penetrating parts to one
another in spaced relationship, said elongated sections extending
from said penetrating parts, and securing means interposed between
and connected to said attachments remote from said frangible means
and securing said attachments together, said securing means being
comparatively readily severable, and in which said enlarged parts
comprise elements arranged spaced from one another by a given
distance and with facing surfaces, said securing means comprising
relatively wide opposed protrusions from said surfaces the end of
which protrusions are spaced from one another by a distance less
than said given distance, and a relatively thin length of material
the thickness and length of which is such as to have a
substantially greater resistance to breaking when tensioned than
when twisted secured between the ends of said protrusions.
19. The clip of claim 18, in which said securing means is
interposed between and connected to said enlarged parts, in which
said securing means is so constructed as to be more readily
severable in torsion than in tension, and in which said enlarged
parts comprise elements arranged essentially parallel to one
another with facing surfaces, said securing means being interposed
between and secured to said facing surface.
20. The clip of claim 18, in which said securing means is
interposed between and connected to said enlarged parts, said
securing means comprises a short, narrow length of material and
dimensions such as to have a substantially greater resistance to
breaking when tensioned than when twisted, and in which said
enlarged parts comprises elements arranged essentially parallel to
one another with facing surfaces, said securing means being
interposed between and secured to said facing surfaces.
21. The clip of claim 20, in which said clip is constituted by a
one-piece assembly of molded plastic material.
22. The clip of claim 18, in which said clip is constituted by a
one-piece assembly of molded plastic material.
Description
This invention relates to attachments of a type designed to be
inserted through an object, usually with a view to securing two
objects together and quite widely used to secure tags or labels to
garments or the like, and to ways of using them. In particular it
relates to an assembly of such attachments which greatly
facilitates the application of such attachments to the objects with
which they are to be associated.
One form of attachment of the type in question is shown in Bone
U.S. Pat. No. 3,444,597 of May 20, 1969 entitled "Filament Type
Attachment Device and Manufacture of Same," and Kirk U.S. Pat. No.
3,380,122 of Apr. 30, 1968 entitled "Mold for Making an Attachment
Device," the latter disclosing the mold apparatus by which
assemblies of a plurality of such attachments can readily be
formed. Both of these patents are owned by the assignee of this
application. Such attachments comprise an object-penetrating part
at one end thereof, an elongated filament-like section extending
therefrom, and a part at the other end of said filament-like
section which is enlarged relative to the thickness or diameter of
said section. The object-penetrating part is designed to be passed
through a hole in the object with which it is to be associated,
that part then remaining on the far side of said object, the
elongated section passing through the hole, and the enlarged part
remaining on the near side of the object. The object-penetrating
part is capable of passing end-wise through said hole, but after it
has passed through it will assume its normal position substantially
perpendicular to the elongated section and thereby prevent the
attachment from escaping in one direction from the object in
question. Escapement of the attachment in the other direction is
prevented by the enlarged portion.
As is disclosed in the cited patents, attachments of the type in
question are generally provided in the form of an assembly or
"clip" of a plurality of such attachments -- a typical clip
includes 20 attachments. An attaching device or "gun" such as is
disclosed in Bone U.S. Pat. No. 3,103,666 of Sept. 16, 1963
entitled "Tag Attaching Apparatus" and owned by the assignee of
this application is employed to form the hole through the object
with which the attachment is to be associated, sever a single
attachment from the assembly of attachments, and force its
object-penetrating part through the hole which it forms in the
object in question and to the far side of that object.
Attachments of the type in question used in conjunction with
attaching devices such as those shown in the Bone '666 patent have
become extremely widely used in industry, not only for the
attachment of tags and labels to articles to be sold on the retail
market, where the attachments are particularly effective in
preventing unscrupulous shoppers from switching tags -- removing a
tag from a low-priced article, attaching it to a high-priced
article, and then paying only the lower price for the article --
but also for securing any group of objects to one another, such as
securing together a pair of shoes for the right and left feet
respectively. The attachments in question, particularly when used
in connection with attaching devices of the type described, permit
the attachments to be operatively applied at an extremely rapid
rate even by relatively unskilled personnel, thus greating reducing
the costs of tagging, labeling, and securing objects to one another
in general. Indeed, in many commercial areas attachments of the
type in question have virtually supplanted all other attaching
methods.
There is, however, a particular problem which has been presented by
assemblies of attachments as heretofore very widely used. The
individual elongated attachments are secured to one another only at
one end, adjacent the object-penetrating parts. Moreover, in order
for the attachments to perform their desired function the elongated
connecting sections must be at least somewhat flexible. As a result
there is a marked tendency for the attachments in a given clip or
assembly to become tangled, for the elongated connecting sections
of some of the attachments to become wrapped wholly or partially
around similar sections of other attachments in a given clip, or in
adjacent clips when a number of clips are packed together. It is
essential that when a clip is to be used it be readily separable
from the mass of other clips with which it is packaged, and that
when an attachment is to be separated from the clip it not be
tangled with any of the attachments remaining in that clip. It has,
of course, been possible manually to untangle the attachments, and
that is precisely what the users of the millions of these
attachments which have been applied in the past have done, but the
untangling process is troublesome and time-consuming. As has been
indicated, attachments of the type under discussion have been very
widely used despite this drawback, but the inconvenience involved
in the untangling operation has been both a source of aggravation
to the individual operators and, because the untangling operation
involves time, a source of expense to the businesses involved.
It is the prime object of the present invention to devise an
attachment assembly construction which will eliminate the tangling
problem.
It is another object of the present invention to devise a
construction for a clip or assembly of attachments which will
reliably maintain the attachments in proper orientation relative to
one another while they remain a part of the clip, resisting
relatively strong forces tending to move the attachments from their
desired relative positions, while readily permitting the individual
attachment operative use of which is desired at a given moment to
be completely separated from the clip without having to exert any
great force thereon.
It is yet another object of the present invention to secure the
individual attachments of a clip together in such a way that they
can be pulled apart only with great difficulty but can be twisted
apart with relative ease.
It is yet another object of the present invention to devise an
attachment clip in which the individual attachments are not only
secured together adjacent their object-penetrating parts in the
manner taught by the prior art, but are also secured together in a
readily frangible manner adjacent their other ends, and preferably
at their enlarged parts.
It is yet another object of the present invention to so manipulate
a clip of attached-together attachments as to separate the
attachment to be used from the clip at its object-penetrating part
and forcing that penetrating part through the object with which the
attachment is to be associated, as in the prior art, and then so
manipulating the clip as to twist the clip relative to the
partially separated attachment, thereby to effect complete
separation of that attachment from the clip.
Basically, what is done in order to accomplish these ends is to
provide means for securing the attachments together not only
adjacent their object-penetrating parts, as in the prior art, but
also adjacent the enlarged parts thereof, at the opposite ends of
the elongated sections from the object-penetrating parts, the means
for securing the attachments together adjacent the enlarged parts
thereof being sufficiently strong to maintain the attachments in
proper orientation at their enlarged-part ends under normal
conditions of storage and manipulation, but being readily frangible
so that a given attachment, when it is to be used for its designed
purpose, can be separated from the clip at that enlarged-part end
while leaving the other attachments well secured to one
another.
While the attachments remain secured together at their
object-penetrating ends and at their enlarged-part ends they tend
to remain substantially parallel to one another. However, when a
particular attachment has been separated from the clip at its
object-penetrating end it is then free to be moved relative to the
other attachments remaining in the clip, and in particular it may
be rotated or swung relative to those other attachments. Indeed,
the normal operations involved in manipulating a given attachment,
as in securing a tag to a garment or otherwise securing two objects
together, readily lends itself to the positive and purposeful
rotation of the attachment in use relative to the clip.
Accordingly, it has been found very advantageous to secure the
attachments to one another at their enlarged-part ends by means
which resists tension forces relatively strongly but resists
torsion forces relatively weakly. A thin and short filamentary
connection has this characteristic. So does a layer of relatively
weak adhesive. With such a connection between the attachments
adjacent the enlarged-part ends the attachments normally are very
reliably maintained in position as part of the clip, positively
preventing tangling, but each attachment as it is individually used
may readily be separated from the clip without requiring any
separate action on the part of the operator other than a continuous
movement which is part of a normal attaching operation in any
event.
The enlarged parts of the attachments are usually spaced from one
another by a distance such as to militate against the attainment of
such a tension-resistant and torsion-yielding characteristic.
Accordingly, special constructions have been devised for providing
such a tension-resisting and torsion-sensitive connection in the
form of a short thin filament despite the normal appreciable
spacing between the enlarged parts of the attachments on the clip.
These constructions may be formed very readily, at the same time,
and as part of the same process as is involved in the formation of
the attachments of the prior art, to wit, a molding operation often
combined with a stretching operation. Indeed, according to certain
embodiments here disclosed the only modification involved in making
attachment clips according to the present invention as compared to
making them in accordance with the prior art is in the shaping of
the cavities in the molds which are used in any event.
Alternatively, clips may be made in the fashion of the prior art
and the enlarged parts of the clips can then be moved into
engagement with one another and there secured by means of an
appropriate relatively weak adhesive.
To the accomplishment of the above, and to such other objects as
may hereinafter appear, the present invention relates to the
construction and manipulation of an assembly or clip of a plurality
of the attached-together attachments, as defined in the appended
claims and as described in this specification, taken together with
the accompanying drawings, in which,
FIG. 1 is a three-quarter semi-schematic view showing a clip of
attachments constructed in accordance with the present invention
being used in conjunction with an attaching device of the type
shown in the Bone '66 patent, with the needle of that attaching
device about to penetrate an object, all of the illustrated
attachments still being completely secured to one another;
FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the needle of the
attaching device having penetrated the object and the attaching
device actuated so as to sever the object-penetrating part of the
leading attachment from the clip and move it through the needle and
the hole in the object formed by the needle to the far side of said
object;
FIG. 3 shows the attaching device having been withdrawn from the
object and moved away therefrom, the leading attachment now being
associated with that object and rotating with respect to the other
attachments still remaining on the clip;
FIG. 4 illustrates the condition of the parts just after the
condition shown in FIG. 3, with the leading attachment having been
twisted off from the clip while the remainder of the clip moves
away with the attaching device;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary three-quarter perspective view, on an
enlarged scale, of a portion of a clip of attachments in accordance
with the present invention;
FIG. 6 is an end view, on a further enlarged scale, of the
attachments of FIG. 5, the view being taken from the left-hand end
of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view, on a still further enlarged
scale, taken along the line 7--7 of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 but illustrating a modification
of the structure thereof;
FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but showing a modification
thereof;
FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but showing a different
arrangement for securing together the enlarged parts of the
attachments;
FIG. 11 is a front elevational view, on a further enlarged scale,
of the enlarged-part ends of the attachments of FIG. 10;
FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but showing an alternative
embodiment in which the enlarged attachment parts are secured
together by adhesive; and
FIG. 13 is a front elevational view of the enlarged-part ends of
the attachments of FIG. 12.
In the embodiment of FIGS. 5-8 the attachments themselves are, for
purposes of illustration, shown as essentially the same as those
disclosed in the Bone '597 patent. Each attachment comprises a
bar-like object-penetrating part 2 at one end, an enlarged part 4
at the other end, and an elongated filament-like section 6
connecting the parts 2 and 4. Each of the object-penetrating parts
2 is connected to a rod 8 by means of a narrow neck 10. As is made
clear in the Bone '666 patent, and as is shown in FIGS. 1-4, the
attaching gun generally designated 12 is provided with an
object-penetrating needle 14 having a slot 16 along one side
thereof communicating with a slot 16' on the side of the gun
proper. The clip is adapted to be inserted into the gun 12 so that
the rod 8 passes through the gun along with the object-penetrating
parts 2, while the elongated section 6 passes through a slot 18
formed in the side of the gun, until the object-penetrating part 2
of a given attachment is brought in line with the slotted needle
14. Thereafter, when the handle 20 of the attaching device is
squeezed, a plunger engages the end of the object-penetrating part
2 of the leading attachment, causes it to move relative to the neck
10 so as to break the latter, and then pushes the
object-penetrating part 2 out through the needle 14, the elongated
section 6 connected thereto moving along the slots 16' and 16. Thus
in order to associate a given attachment with one or more objects,
generally designated 0, the operator, after he has inserted a clip
of attachments into the attachment device 12, pushes the needle 14
through the object 0, that needle forming a hole in that object in
the event that no hole exists there already. Then actuation of the
handle 20 separates the object-penetrating part of the leading
attachment from the remainder of the clip and pushes that part
through the needle 14 and out the tip of the needle, with
attachment part 2 then assuming a position substantially at right
angles to the surface of the object 0, thus preventing the
attachment from disengaging itself from the object 0 when the
attaching gun 12 is withdrawn, pulling its needle 14 out from the
object 0. This is disclosed in FIGS. 1 and 2.
In the prior art that was the end of the attaching operation. Since
the attachments in the clips of the prior art were secured to one
another only adjacent the object-penetrating parts 2, this left the
leading attachment presumably completely separated from the clip.
However, because the elongated section 6 of that leading attachment
might be tangled with the attachments remaining in the clip, the
operator had to remain aware of this possibility and to be ready to
manually disentangle the leading attachment if that condition
existed.
In accordance with the present invention, the individual
attachments in the clip are secured together not only adjacent
their object-penetrating parts 2, as by the neck 10 and rod 8, but
also by frangible securing means generally designated 22 secured
between the individual attachments adjacent the enlarged parts 4
thereof. The securing means 22 thus holds the attachments in proper
orientation while they remain in the clip, and after the leading
attachment has been severed from the clip at its penetrating part
end and operatively associated with the object 0, the securing
means 22 is then broken in any suitable manner in order to permit
attachments remaining in the clip to be moved away from the leading
attachment now operatively associated with the object 0.
It is most desirable that the leading attachment by very readily
severable from the clip after it has been associated with the
object 0. However, the attaching means 22 must be sufficiently
strong to withstand dislocative forces to which the attachment may
be subjected while it still should remain a part of the clip. Thus
the securing means 22 must be both weak and strong, and that
presents a problem.
That problem has been solved, in accordance with specific aspects
of the present invention, by differentiating between tension and
torsion. While the object-penetrating parts 2 of the attachments
are secured together, the attachments must remain essentially
parallel to one another, and hence the dislocative forces to which
they are subjected will primarily be in tension, either
longitudinal or shear (shear is here considered as analogous to
tension). However, when the object-penetrating part 2 of the
leading attachment has been severed from its neck 10, the clip can
then be twisted or rotated with respect to that leading attachment,
as is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Since rotation of the clip relative
to the leading attachment can take place simply as a part of the
continuous movement of the attaching device away from the object 0
as a part of the attaching operation, if the securing means 22 is
readily susceptible to breaking under torsional forces the leading
attachment may be readily separated from the clip as a part of the
attaching procedure.
One securing structure which has this characteristic is a thin
short filament formed of material sufficiently tough to withstand
tension or such bending as it may be subjected to. By reason of the
shortness of that filament, however, it can be broken relatively
readily when twisted. The normal spacing between attachments in a
clip, usually about 0.04 inch, is far too large to produce a
connecting mans having that characteristic. Accordingly, and as may
best be seen from FIGS. 6 and 7, when the clip is molded or
otherwise formed the enlarged parts 4, on their facing surfaces 24
separated from one another by the distance a which may, as
indicated, be 0.04 inch, are provided with opposing protrusions 26
the ends of which are separated from one another by the small
distance b which may, for example, be 0.005 inch, and a thin neck
or filament 28 is provided between those protrusions 26, which
filament 28, in one embodiment, may have a diameter of 0.005 inch
as well as a length of 0.005 inch. (These values are given with
respect to the attachments formed of molded nylon, where the
elongated sections have a diameter of about 0.020 inch. It will be
appreciated that they are by way of example only, and that
different dimensions and shapes will be applicable depending in
part on the materials used and in part upon the applications
involved and the forces to which the individual attachments are
expected to be subjected during use.)
The protrusions 26 and filamentary neck 28 may be, and preferably
are, integrally formed with the other portions of the attachment
clip in the course of a single molding operation, it being
necessary only to provide cavities in the mold for the protrusions
26 and neck 28 in addition to the cavities already provided for the
other portions of the clip.
The embodiment of FIG. 8 is similar to that of FIG. 7 except that
the protrusions 26' are formed only at the lower half of the
enlarged parts 4 and not at the upper half thereof. This type of
construction can readily be utilized where the cavities in the mold
separate along the axis of the neck 28, by providing cavities for
the protrusions 26' and neck 28 only in the lower mold and not in
the upper mold.
FIG. 9 discloses an embodiment similar to that of FIG. 5 except
that the enlarged parts 4' for the embodiment of FIG. 9 are not
paddle-shaped, as in FIG. 5, but instead are bar-shaped, comparable
to the enlarged parts 2. However, the bars 4' constituting the
object-penetrating parts in FIG. 9 are secured to one another by
securing means 22 comprising protrusions 26 and necks 28 in fully
the same manner as in FIG. 5.
In the embodiment of FIGS. 10 and 11 the enlarged parts 4 of the
attachments, instead of being connected to one another at their
facing surfaces 24, and connected to one another at their lower
edges by securing means 22 connected between the individual
enlarged parts 4 and a rod 30. This arrangement is analogous to
that employed for securing together the object-penetrating parts 2,
except that the securing means 22 for the enlarged parts 4 is more
readily frangible than the necks 10 for the object-penetrating
parts 2. The necks 10 are adapted to be severed by the operation of
the attaching device 12, whereas the securing means 22 are adapted
to be manually severed. Hence the former may be significantly
stronger than the latter. As may best be seen in FIG. 11, it is
preferred that the securing means 22 in the embodiment of FIG. 10
also be more sensitive to torsion than to tension (or shear), and
consequently such securing means 22 comprises, extending up from
the rod 30, protrusions 26a and short thin necks 28a which may,
like the necks 28, have a length and a diameter of approximately
0.005 inch.
While in the illustrated embodiments the securing means 22 engage
and directly connect the enlarged parts 4 themselves, it will be
appreciated that such a relationship is not essential provided that
the securing means are located sufficiently remote from the
securing means at the other end of the attachments -- the rod 8 and
necks 10 -- to maintain the attachments against relative rotation.
For example, the securing means 22 could be located between the
elongated sections 6 near the enlarged parts 4, particularly if, as
is often the case, those elongated sections are thickened in that
area.
FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate yet another embodiment in which the clip
is formed as in the prior art with the enlarged parts 4 initially
unconnected to one another, but in a separate step the facing
surfaces 24 of those enlarged parts 4 are coated with a layer 32 of
relatively weak adhesive, after which the parts 4 are moved into
engagement with one another, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. That
adhesive layer relatively strongly resists tension, but will be
more yieldable to torsion, thus maintaining the attachments in a
non-tangled condition during normal manipulation of the clip itself
while still enabling the leading attachment to have its enlarged
part 4 readily easily separated from the clip after that attachment
has been operatively associated with an object.
As has been indicated, the primary use for an attachment of this
type is to secure two objects together -- e.g., a tag to a garment
or right and left foot shoes to one another -- but it can also be
used in and of itself to be secured to a single object, as a type
of identification or by having appropriate data imprinted on its
enlarged part 4, thereby itself to serve as a label or tag.
Consequently in FIGS. 1-4 the attachments have been shown in
association with only a single object 0, but it will be understood
that the attachment can be, and usually is, used in conjunction
with more than one such objects. Attachments of the type under
discussion are commercially provided with elongated sections 6 of
many different lengths, some rather short and some quite long. The
particular length of the elongated section 6 here disclosed is by
way of example only. Likewise the shapes and sizes of the
penetrating parts 2 and enlarged parts 4 may all be relatively
widely varied.
By means of the construction of the present invention clips of
attachments may be formed with the same facility and relative
inexpensiveness as is the case with comparable attachments now on
the market, yet the clips thus formed will have the very
significant advantage, over those previously available, that
tangling of the individual attachments is virtually completely
eliminated, and, moreover, in its preferred form this has been
accomplished by a structure specifically designed to cooperate with
the normal mode of manipulation of the attachments in the process
of attaching them to objects so that an attachment when once
operatively associated with an object can be completely separated
from the clip without requiring any special action on the part of
the operator other than movements normally associated with the
attaching operation in any event. Indeed, the existence of the
securing means 22 will have the effect of checking whether the
leading attachment has been properly secured to the object 0 -- if
it has not, there will not be sufficient resistance to movement on
the part of that attachment, the securing means 22 will not break,
and the leading attachment will be pulled away from the object 0
along with the attaching gun 12 and the remainder of the clip, thus
positively apprising the operator of an ineffective attaching
attempt.
In certain embodiments the securing means 22 could be made highly
strain-resistant, by increasing its length, thickness and/or using
stronger material, so that the individual attachments may be
associated with different objects 0 respectively, the strong
securing means 22 thus enabling the still-secured-together
attachments to assemble those objects 0 into a batch, the
individual objects 0 thereafter being individually separable from
that batch when desired by breaking the corresponding securing
means 22, as by cutting it with a knife or scissors.
While but a limited number of embodiments of the present invention
have been here specifically disclosed, it will be apparent that
many variations may be made thereunder, all within the scope of the
instant invention as defined in the following claims.
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