GB1591841A - Tool for use in fitting a replacement tooth to a stringer of a sliding clasp fastener - Google Patents

Description

(54) TOOL FOR USE IN FITTING A REPLACEMENT TOOTH TO A STRINGER OF A SLIDING CLASP FASTENER (71) I, INGRID DUPRE, a British Subject, of "Solbakken", Barnet Lane, Elstree, Hertfordshire, do hereby declare the invention for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to the repairing of sliding clasp fasteners.

When a tooth becomes detached from a stringer of a sliding clasp fastener the whole fastener often has to be discarded. An object of the present invention is to render this waste unnecessary by providing a tool which permits manual replacement of individual teeth in a sliding clasp fastener.

With this object in view, the present invention provides a tool for use in fitting a replacement tooth to a stringer of a sliding clasp fastener comprising a magazing including a container plate for receiving and supporting a plurality of bifurcated tooth elements each with one limb above and one limb below said container plate, a spring urging the tooth elements along the container plate for a leading one of said elements to be located at a use position, and a pair of jaws disposed respectively above and below the container plate and adapted, upon being pressed towards each other, to engage each with a respective limb of the tooth element at the use position to press said limbs towards each other for engagement with a stringer to form a replacement tooth thereon.

Preferably the jaws can be constituted by corresponding end portions of a pair of elongate members hinged together at their other ends, for example in a manner similar to a small office stapler.

The device can be used manually to apply a replacement bifurcated tooth element to a stringer of a sliding clasp fastener by arranging the stringer on the container plate with the region thereof requiring tooth replacement in register with the tooth element at the use position, and closing the jaws to press the limbs of the tooth element into engagement with the stringer.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate, dia grammatically, a preferred embodiment, it being understood that the following description is illustrative and not limitative of the scope of the invention. In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the preferred embodiment of the tool of the invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional plan taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a view similar to that of Fig. 3 but showing a tooth element, in a use position, pressed into engagement with a stringer of a sliding clasp fastener; and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing an extractor fork of the tool in use.

A preferred embodiment of tool 10 of the invention is suitable for use with bifurcated tooth elements 11 each comprising side-by.

side limbs 13 connected by a curved head 12, the limbs 13 having respective spikes 14 or other means (not shown) which face one another and enable the toothed element 11 to be firmly attached to a stringer 15 of a sliding clasp fastener as will be described shortly. The tool 10 comprises a first elongate member in the form of a base plate 16, pivotally attached at one end to a magazine 17 and to a second elongate member in the form of an upper actuating member 18. The magazine 17 comprises a spring which serves to urge a plurality of the tooth elements 11, in the form of a clip 19, towards a stop (not shown). This ensures that the leading one of the toothed elements 11 is located at a use position beneath a jaw portion 21 of the upper actuating member 18.The magazine 17 further comprises a container plate 20 along which the tooth elements can slide and which helps their positioning in the magazine 17. This plate 20 will accommodate various lengths and sizes of tooth each of which is disposed with one limb 13 above and one limb 13 below the plate 20 which is gapped in register with the toothed element at the use position. The actuating member 18 can be pressed down for its jaw portion 21 to engage the tooth element 11 at the use position and urge it towards the base plate 16.

In use, a stringer 15, of a sliding clasp fastener, requiring a tooth to be replaced thereon is brought into position as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 with the desired place of tooth replacement on the stringer 15 registering with the toothed element 11 at the use position. The actuating member 18 is then manually urged towards the base plate 16 to cause the head 21 and base plate 16 to act as cooperating jaws which engage with the respective limbs 13 of the tooth element 11 and press them together to cause the spikes 14 to engage firmly into the stringer 15.

If a damaged tooth needs to be removed from a stringer 1S (Fig. 5), this can be effected by use of an extractor fork 22 extending from the hinge end of the actuating member 18.

This fork 22 is also adapted to be used for removing a fastener end stop bar if this should be necessary.

The invention is not limited to the precise details of the foregoing example and variations can be made thereto. For instance, the two limbs 13 of the tooth element 11 can be coated with a contact adhesive instead of having the spikes 14. If the tooth elements 11 are of plastics material, the tool 10 can be adapted to be heated to cause welding of the limbs 13 of the tooth element 11 to the stringer 15 after said limbs have been pressed into engagement with the stringer 15. Other variations are possible within the scope of the following claims.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A tool for use in fitting a replacement tooth to a stringer of a sliding clasp fastener comprising a magazine including a container plate for receiving and supporting a plurality of bifurcated tooth elements each with one limb above and one limb below said container plate, a spring urging the tooth elements along the container plate for a leading one of said elements to be located at a use position, and a pair of jaws disposed respectively above and below the container plate and adapted, upon being pressed towards each other, to engage each with a respective limb of the tooth element at the use position to press said limbs towards each other for engagement with a stringer to form a replacement tooth thereon.

2. A tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the jaws are constituted by corresponding end portions of a pair of elongate members hinged together at their other ends.

3. A tool as claimed in claim 2 wherein one of the elongate members is a base plate and the other is an actuating member.

4. A tool as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the container plate and spring form part of a magazine accommodating a clip of the tooth element.

5. A tool as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the limbs of each tooth element have respective spikes which face one another and serve to locate the element on the stringer by engaging into the latter.

6. A tool as claimed in any preceding claim, in which one of the jaws carries an extractor fork by which a damaged tooth or an end stop of a sliding clasp fastener may be removed.

7. A tool for use in fitting a replacement tooth to a stringer of a sliding clasp fastener substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. accommodate various lengths and sizes of tooth each of which is disposed with one limb 13 above and one limb 13 below the plate 20 which is gapped in register with the toothed element at the use position. The actuating member 18 can be pressed down for its jaw portion 21 to engage the tooth element 11 at the use position and urge it towards the base plate 16. In use, a stringer 15, of a sliding clasp fastener, requiring a tooth to be replaced thereon is brought into position as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 with the desired place of tooth replacement on the stringer 15 registering with the toothed element 11 at the use position. The actuating member 18 is then manually urged towards the base plate 16 to cause the head 21 and base plate 16 to act as cooperating jaws which engage with the respective limbs 13 of the tooth element 11 and press them together to cause the spikes 14 to engage firmly into the stringer 15. If a damaged tooth needs to be removed from a stringer 1S (Fig. 5), this can be effected by use of an extractor fork 22 extending from the hinge end of the actuating member 18. This fork 22 is also adapted to be used for removing a fastener end stop bar if this should be necessary. The invention is not limited to the precise details of the foregoing example and variations can be made thereto. For instance, the two limbs 13 of the tooth element 11 can be coated with a contact adhesive instead of having the spikes 14. If the tooth elements 11 are of plastics material, the tool 10 can be adapted to be heated to cause welding of the limbs 13 of the tooth element 11 to the stringer 15 after said limbs have been pressed into engagement with the stringer 15. Other variations are possible within the scope of the following claims. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A tool for use in fitting a replacement tooth to a stringer of a sliding clasp fastener comprising a magazine including a container plate for receiving and supporting a plurality of bifurcated tooth elements each with one limb above and one limb below said container plate, a spring urging the tooth elements along the container plate for a leading one of said elements to be located at a use position, and a pair of jaws disposed respectively above and below the container plate and adapted, upon being pressed towards each other, to engage each with a respective limb of the tooth element at the use position to press said limbs towards each other for engagement with a stringer to form a replacement tooth thereon.

2. A tool as claimed in claim 1 wherein the jaws are constituted by corresponding end portions of a pair of elongate members hinged together at their other ends.

3. A tool as claimed in claim 2 wherein one of the elongate members is a base plate and the other is an actuating member.

4. A tool as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the container plate and spring form part of a magazine accommodating a clip of the tooth element.

5. A tool as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the limbs of each tooth element have respective spikes which face one another and serve to locate the element on the stringer by engaging into the latter.

6. A tool as claimed in any preceding claim, in which one of the jaws carries an extractor fork by which a damaged tooth or an end stop of a sliding clasp fastener may be removed.

7. A tool for use in fitting a replacement tooth to a stringer of a sliding clasp fastener substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.