MXPA98005414A - Accessories for double ag applicator - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an accessory for use in a double needle applicator comprising a first and a second substantially coplanar "T" bars connected by a filament, said filament being located in the plane of the "T" bars and being longer than the shortest distance (perpendicular) between the bars in "

Description

ACCESSORIES FOR DOUBLE NEEDLE APPLICATOR This application is a partial continuation of the application with serial number 08/632, 672 filed on April 15, 1996 which in turn is a division of the Patent of the United States of America Number: 5,519,976 issued on December 3, 1996. The present invention relates to double "T" -shaped plastic accessories, more particularly to those accessories in which the filament of each accessory is longer than the shortest (perpendicular) distance between the accessories. "T" bars, it remains in the plane of the associated "T" bars and each end of the filament forms an acute angle with a line perpendicular to the "T" bar to which it is attached. The accessories can be supplied in continuously connected stepped form or in parallel accessory fasteners between the connecting rods. The invention also relates to an applicator for dispensing and fastening accessories in the form of a fastener. Applicators are known who dispatch plastic "T" double bar accessories from fasteners with parallel connecting bars, through hollow, separate, parallel, fixed position needles. The applicator described in my United States of America Patent Number: 5,020,713, issued June 4, 1991 and entitled "Assembly of Attachments and Device for Attaching Same" is a good example. Applicators designed to dispatch accessories supplied in a continuous connected staggered form are described in United States Patent Number: 4,533,076 entitled "Dispensing of Attachments" issued on August 6, 1985 to Donald L. Bourque. and in U.S. Patent Number: 5,615,816 issued to Charles Deshenes et al. on April 1, 1997. These patents teach different structures in which the needle holder members are pivoted to make their position be adjustable to allow different sizes of material to be used. However, the apparatuses described in the aforementioned patents are only suitable for commercial use. A significant advance in the technique of double needle applicators designed for non-commercial use is represented by the applicator described in United States Patent Number: 5,205,458 issued on April 27, 1993 entitled "Button Attacher With Variable Needle Spacing. "(Button applicator with variable needle separation). In that applicator, the halves of the housing of the applicator, each of which bears one of the needles, is flexibly connected by a live hinge. Embracing the halves leads the needles closer together so as to quickly and easily alter the separation of the needles to allow the applicator to accommodate buttons of different sizes. Although the applicator of United States of America Patent Number: 5,205,458 easily accommodated different sizes of buttons, that design proved difficult to implement in practice due to manufacturing problems. Specifically, the use of a single material that is molded into parts that are rigid in some areas and flexible in others, proved difficult to achieve. Of particular interest in manually operated double needle applicators is the amount of force that must be applied to the trigger of the applicator in order to dispatch each accessory. Repeated use of the applicator can lead the operator to fatigue. Thus, a significant advantage can be achieved if the force necessary to hold each accessory can be reduced. With respect to accessories supplied in fasteners, where the fittings are attached to a connecting rod, even with conventional needle applicators, at the start of the trigger travel, a relatively large amount of force is required to separate the fitting from its bar Connector When double-ended "T" bar end fittings are involved with parallel connecting bars, the requirement of force at the beginning of the route becomes more significant because both connector bars are conventionally separated from the accessories at the same time. This dramatically increases the peak force required at the start of the run. For attachments on fasteners and those supplied in the form of continuously connected stepped material near the end of the trigger travel, a large amount of force is required to hold the attachment because the filament must be stretched beyond its original length the "T" bars are ejected from the needles and placed on the opposite side of the fabric. This requires a large amount of force because in conventional accessories with stretched filaments, the mechanical stretching of the heated filament during fabrication creates a thin, flexible filament, which is very strong and highly resistant to further stretching. Thus, it would be very advantageous to eliminate the need to stretch the filament beyond its original length as the fitting is held. These problems are addressed in part in the United States Patent Number: 5,579,976 entitled "Improved Double Needle Button Attacher" which was issued on December 3, 1996 to Jack Kalbfeld and myself, and in the division of that case, serial number 08 / 632,672, filed on April 15, 1996, now Patent of the United States of America Number: issued therein, a button applicator with variable needle spacing is described in FIG. which ends of the "T" bar of a conventional fastener-shaped accessory with a stretched filament is separated from the connector bars at different times, reducing the peak force required at the beginning of the travel. The force near the end of the stroke necessary to hold the filament is reduced using a single structured trigger linkage. The linkage has a mechanical advantage that increases at an increasing speed as the path progresses. In that applicator, the flexible housing parts are replaced by a rigid housing defining a cavity into which freely movable members are mounted. These movable members respectively support separate, opposite-oriented needles. Depressed projections accessible from the outside of the housing move the needle holder members to alter the separation of the needles. In order to reduce the peak force required to separate the accessories from the connecting rods, the connecting rods are separated from the ends of the fitting at slightly different times during the firing stroke. In one embodiment, this is achieved by using an ejector or push rods of different length. In another embodiment, the rods are of the same length but are connected to the block that directs the rods to longitudinally deviated positions. In a third embodiment, the needles, with their respective cutting blades, are mounted in longitudinally offset positions within the housing. Attaching a conventional double "T" bar fixture, where the length of the stretched filament is equal to the minimum distance between the "T" bars, requires that the filament be stretched beyond its original length. As the applicator was designed to be used with conventional double "T" bar fixtures in which the length of the filaments is equal to the minimum distance between the "T" bars, a mechanical solution to the problem of force . A triangular linkage associated with the trigger provided a mechanical advantage that increased at an increasing speed, transmitting maximum force towards the end of the travel, as the filament connecting the "T" bars is stretched beyond its original length as the accessory he was holding. However, it has been found that even this trigger linkage does not address an increase in force completely. In the present invention, the force during the initial portion of the ejection path is reduced by cutting the co-rotating bars at different times, as in the apparatus described in U.S. Patent Number: 5,579,976. However, here, needles with different base lengths are used to obtain this result. The increase in force at the end of the stroke is completely avoided by the use of a single belayer configuration in which the filament is longer than the shortest (perpendicular) distance between the "T" bars, so that the filament does not need to stretch beyond its original length as the accessory is dispensed. The filament is in the same plane as the "T" bars, so they can be manufactured using conventional stretch equipment. This structure can be applied to the accessories supplied in the form of a fastener or continuous stepped material. U.S. Patent Number: 5,383,260 issued January 24, 1995 to Charles Deschenes entitled "Fastener Clip Including One or More Fasteners Adapted For Attaching Buttons To A Garment or Like Material" (underwriting fastener that includes one or more insurers adapted to attach buttons to a garment or similar material) teaches the use of a double "T" bar insulator with an unstretched filament in a "U" shape, which lies in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the bars in "T" This structure gives the filament the ability to "expand" its effective length as the fixture is clamped. However, the filament of the accessory disclosed in United States of America Patent Number: 5,383,260 is not mechanically stretched during manufacture. Because the filaments do not stretch, they are not as flexible, thin or strong as conventional stretched filaments. Stretching of this type of filament would not be possible in conventional stretch equipment because the "U" shaped filament does not lie in the same plane as the "T" bars. In my accessory, the filament is longer than the shortest distance (perpendicular) between the "T" bars, and it remains in the same plane as the "T" bars. Therefore, it achieves all the advantages of conventional stretched insurers, including that they are apt to be manufactured using conventional equipment, and at the same time eliminate what is necessary to stretch the filament beyond its original length when the fixture is clamped. Thus, the overall force required to hold the attachment is reduced. Furthermore, in my invention, each end of the filament is attached to the associated "T" bar at an acute angle relative to a line perpendicular to the "T" bar. Thus, the "T" bars deviate with respect to one another in the plane of the accessory. This design more effectively accommodates deflected cutting blades that adapt to separate the "T" bars from their respective connecting rods. Therefore, a first object of the present invention is to provide accessories for a double needle applicator in which the need to stretch the filament beyond its original length when fastened is eliminated. Another object of the present invention is to provide accessories for a double needle applicator in which the filaments are in the plane of the "T" bars, but are longer than the shortest distance (perpendicular) between the "T" bars. " Another object of the present invention is to provide accessories for a double needle applicator wherein each end of the filament is formed at an acute angle with respect to a line perpendicular to the associated "T" bar. Another object of the present invention is to provide accessories for a double needle applicator wherein one "T" bar is offset relative to the other "T" bar. in the plane of accessories. Another object of the present invention is to provide a double needle applicator in which the cutting blades are deflected so as to separate the "T" bars from their respective connecting bars at different times in the travel of the trigger. In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, an accessory is provided for use in a double needle applicator. The accessory has a first and a second "T" bar connected by a filament. The filament is in the plane of the "T" bars. It is longer than the shortest distance (perpendicular) between the "T" bars. The filament has one end. The end is formed at an acute angle relative to a line substantially perpendicular to the axis of the "T" bar to which it is attached. The filament has a first and a second end. Each of the ends is formed at an acute angle relative to a line substantially perpendicular to the axis of the "T" bar to which it is attached. The first "T" bar is offset in relation to the second "T" bar in the plane of the accessory. A double needle applicator is provided to dispatch and hold the accessories. Each of the applicator needles has an associated cutting blade. The cutting blade associated with the first needle is offset relative to the cutting blade associated with the second needle. Preferably, the cutting blades are offset by a distance equal to the distance at which the first "T" bar is offset from the second "T" bar. Each needle includes a base. The base of the first needle is shorter than the base of the second needle.

Preferably, the base of the first needle is shorter than the base of the second needle at a distance substantially equal to the distance at which the first "T" bar is offset relative to the second "T" bar. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an applicator is provided for use with an accessory fastener of the type having a first and a second "T" bars connected by a filament. The applicator includes a housing and a first and a second needle joined to the housing in a separate, generally parallel relationship. Each needle includes a base and an associated cutting blade. The base of the first needle is shorter than the base of the second needle so that the cutting blade associated with the first needle is biased relative to the cutting blade associated with the second needle. The cutting blades can be mounted on or integrated with the bases of the associated needles. Alternatively, each cutting blade may be mounted in the applicator housing, proximate the base of the associated needle. Preferably, one of the "T" bars is offset relative to the other. The base of the first needle is shorter than the base of the second needle at a distance substantially equal to the distance at which the first "T" bar of the accessory is offset relative to the second "T" bar of the accessory . According to another aspect of the present invention, a double needle applicator is provided for use with an accessory fastener located in parallel spaced relationship between the first and second link bars. Each accessory has a first and a second "T" bar connected by a filament. The applicator has a channel along which the fastener moves so that each accessory, in turn, is aligned with the needles. The channel includes first and second portions adapted to receive the "T" bars respectively. The first portion of the channel is offset in relation to the second portion of the channel. The channel also includes a third portion adapted to receive the filaments of the accessories. The third portion extends in a direction other than the direction perpendicular to the first and second portions. The filament of each accessory has one end. The end is formed at an acute angle relative to a line substantially perpendicular to the axis of the "T" bar to which the filament is attached. The filament of each accessory has a first and a second end. Each of the ends is formed at an acute angle relative to a line substantially perpendicular to the axis of the "T" bar to which the filament is attached. The first "T" bar is offset in relation to the second "T" bar in the plane of the accessory.

Preferably, the first portion of the channel is offset in relation to the second portion of the channel a distance equal to the distance at which the first "T" bar is offset with respect to the second "T" bar. For these and other objects that may appear hereinafter, the present invention relates to accessories for use in a double needle applicator and a double needle applicator for use with those accessories as set forth in the following specification and is mentioned in the appended claims, taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which the like numbers refer to like parts and in which: Figure 1 is an exploded isometric view of my accessories in the form of a fastener and an applicator for dispatching them , which shows an accessory fastened on sheets of cloth material; Figure 2 is a top elevational view of the top portion of the applicator housing showing an accessory in the channel; Figure 3 is a side view of the applicator housing showing the feeding mechanism, - Figure 4 is a top view of the applicator housing shown in Figure 3.; Figure 5 is a top view of the applicator housing, showing the point in the ejection cycle where the first "T" bar of the accessory is separated; Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing the point in the ejection cycle after the second "T" bar of the accessory is separated. Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing the ejection cycle at the point where the "T" bars are being dispensed from the needles; Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7 showing the "T" bars as they rotate toward their end positions; Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of cloth sheets showing a fastened accessory; Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 5, of a second preferred embodiment of the applicator in which the cutting blades are separated from the needles; and Figure 11 is a plan view of several conventional accessories in the form of a continuous stepped material; Figure 12 is a plan view of several accessories in the form of continuous step material according to the invention; and Figure 13 is a plan view of the accessories of Figure 12 shown as they would appear inside an applicator. As best seen in Figure 1, the applicator of the present invention designed to be used with the fastener-shaped fittings consists of a. housing, generally designated A, comprising two housing halves in substantially rigid plastic, injection molded, in mirror image, 10, 12 joined together by conventional elements, such as screws, to allow access to the interior of the housing for repairs . Extending outwardly from the interior of the housing, through an opening in front of the applicator, beyond the front surface of the housing, there is a pair of hollow steel needles, 14, 16, each of which is formed in tube-like shape defining a channel with a groove. Although the needles 14, 16 are shown as fixed to the housing, if needles movable mounted needles can be used. The applicator is designed to receive a fastener of accessories, generally designated B, of the double "T" bar type, through the channel 18 that extends vertically through the housing A and opens on the surface 20 of the portion toward ahead of the accommodation. Each fastener B consists of a plurality of substantially parallel plastic fittings. Figure 2 shows the accessories in the form of a fastener. Each accessory consists of a first and a second coplanar, separate, substantially parallel "T" bars 24, 26 joined by a flexible filament 28. The filaments 28 are preferably heated and mechanically stretched during the manufacturing process to make them very flexible , strong and thin. As described in the Patents of the United States of North America Numbers: 4,304,743; 4,183,894; 4,416,838 and 4,429,437 for Paradis. Fasteners are commonly injection molded with 25, 50 or 100 accessories each. In this form, the fittings are mounted at spaced intervals equally between the connecting rods (sometimes known as a runner) 30, 32. The accessories of the present invention are different from conventional accessories of this type because the filament is longer than the shorter distance (perpendicular) between the "T" bars. As referred to herein, the shortest (perpendicular) distance between the "T" bars means the distance between the "T" bars measured along a line (illustrated in dotted line as the lines 33 of FIG. Figure 2) that extend perpendicular to the axis of each "T" bar, when the "T" bars are separated as far as possible with their parallel axes and the "T" bars are deviated in relation to each other as they are. shown in Figure 2, that is, the minimum distance between the deflected "T" bars, parallel. These accessories differ from those described in U.S. Patent Number: 5,383,260 for "Desches" mentioned above because the filaments are stretched and lie in the same plane as the "T" bars, so they can be stretched using conventional equipment. . The fastener of the accessories runs vertically through the applicator along the channel 18 in such a way that each accessory, one at a time, is aligned with the plane of the needles 14, 16. The channel 18 has a shape corresponding to the shape of the accessories and guide the accessories through the housing. The housing holder is positioned in the channel 18 so that the portion 19 of the channel is adapted to receive the "T" bars 24. The portion 21 of the channel 18 receives the "T" bars 26. The portion 23, which connects the portions 19 and 21, is adapted to receive the filaments 28. The applicator may include a mechanism for automatically advancing the fastener along the channel. The fastener is advanced a distance equal to the space between the accessories, to carry the next accessory within the plane of the needles, each time the accessory is activated by pressing the trigger. The advancement mechanism of the accessories includes a separate feeding mechanism for each end of the accessory. Each feeding mechanism consists of a slide 34, 36 movable in a direction parallel to the needles, by activating the trigger 38. Each slide 34, 36 supports a spring-loaded spring-loaded tooth element 40, 42 which, in turn, it engages with a feed wheel 44, 46. The forward movement of the slider 34, 36 causes each associated tooth element 40, 42 to move towards the front of the plunger so that the tooth element is pivots in a counterclockwise direction against a deflection spring, and the tooth at the end of the element moves reciprocatingly on the tooth supported on the associated wheel. As the trigger is released, an internal spring (not shown) causes the slides and the associated toothed elements to move towards the back of the applicator, causing each feed wheel to rotate by the tooth of the element as it is traversed to space the roll a position. Spacing the wheels moves the ends of the attachment, which are enmeshed in the teeth of the wheels, a distance so that the next accessory is aligned with the needles. Anti-reverse rotation parts 48, 50, associated with each wheel 44, 46, prevent the wheels from moving in a clockwise direction, as the slide 34, 36 moves forward. Each part 48, 50 has a spring-loaded tooth toward the associated wheel and has a portion 52, 54 accessible from the top of the applicator to move the tooth away from the associated wheel and release the wheel to allow the clip to be removed from the wheel. Applicator, if necessary.

Each accessory is fed in turn in alignment with the needles at the end of each trigger cycle, as the trigger returns to its initial position. Thus, the next accessory in the holder automatically moves to the firing position at the end of each stroke. Pressing the trigger 38 also causes the "T" bars 24, 26 of the attachment to be pushed through and out of the needles. The needles have slots that face one another to allow the filament 28 to move with the "T" bars, as the "T" bars run down the needles. The "T" bars are pushed through the needles by a pair of push or ejector rods 56, 58. The rods 56, 58 are moved by a linkage mechanism (not shown being driven by the movement of the trigger 38). The trigger is mounted as a pivot in front of the housing A so as to be movable relative to the housing A between a remote extended position of the housing A and a retracted position close to the housing A. The trigger has spring load towards the extended position. the trigger towards the retracted position causes the rods 56, 58 to move forward simultaneously, hook the "T" bars of the aligned fitting and push the "T" bars through the needles 14, 16. In a conventional applicator , at the beginning of the forward movement, the "T" bars are simultaneously separated from their respective connecting rods by aligning the knife blades 60, 62 that extend backwards, from the front to the rear. e the backside of the base of each needle 14, 16. However, in my applicator, the knife blades 60, 62 do not align with each other but instead are deviated in mutual relation so that the ends of Each accessory is separated from the respective connecting bars at different times during the journey. According to the above, the peak force required to separate the ends of the accessories from the associated connecting rods 30, 32 is substantially reduced. Each needle 14, 16 has a sharp point at the end of a tubular metal body, which defines a channel with a groove. Each body extends from a base 64, 66. From each base 64, 66 respectively, the sheet 60, 62 extends with a sharp edge. The edge of the blade 60, 62 acts to separate the "T" bar from the adjacent connecting rod, as the fitting is pushed towards the needles by the rods 56, 58. As best seen in Figures 4 and 5, the base 64 of the needle 14 is shorter in length than the base 66 of the needle 16. Due to this, the blade 60 was deflected in relation to the knife 62 in the plane of the needles by a distance equal to the difference in length between the base 64 and the base 66. This configuration perfectly accommodates the locations deviated from the portions 19 and 21 of the channel 18 corresponding to the deviated position of the "T" bars 24 and 26. Thus, the leaves 60, 62 are they deviate preferably to the same degree as the "T" bars 24, 26. The result of the deflection of the blades 60, 62 is best seen by comparing Figures 5 and 6. Figure 5 shows the ejector rods 56, 58 moving towards forward during the initial portion of the route, as it begins to tighten on the isparador. Because the "T" bar 24 deviates in relation to the "T" bar 26, the rod 58 engages with the "T" bar 26 first and pushes it against the sheet 62 to separate it from the connecting bar 32 before the rod 56 has engaged the "T" bar 24. As seen in Figure 6, as the rods 56, 58 advance towards the needles, the rod 56 meshes with the "T" bar 24 and moves it against the blade 60 to separate it from the connecting rod 30. Thus, the "T" bars are separated from their respective connecting bars at different points in the path. Because the filament 28 is longer than the minimum distance between the "T" bars 24 and 26 (and the portions of the channel 19, 21 are aligned with the needles 14, 16), the filament 28 begins to bow ( Figure 6) as the "T" bars run down the needles.

In conventional double needle applicators, using the conventional accessories, each of the filaments of the accessories, has a length that is equal to the minimum distance between the "T" bars. As a result, as the ejector rods reach the end of their forward movement, the force required to hold the attachment increases dramatically because in order to eject the "T" bars from the needles, and place them appropriately in the more distant side of the fabric, the filament 28 connecting the "T" bars 24, 26 should be stretched beyond its original length. Stretching the filament beyond its original length requires a large amount of force because the stretching of the filaments during fabrication makes them very resistant to further stretching. One solution to this problem is to use a non-stretched filament in a "U" shape of the type described in US Pat. No. 5,383,260 for "Deschenes", so that the effective length of the filament can be expanded as the filament is held. accessory. However, it is not possible to form a filament stretched in this way with conventional stretch equipment because the filament is in a different plane than the "T" bars. This problem is overcome in the present invention by completely eliminating the need to stretch the filament beyond its original length as the fitting is held.

Therefore stretched filaments manufactured in conventional equipment can be used. This result is achieved by manufacturing the filaments that are longer than the shortest distance (perpendicular) between the "T" bars. In this way, as seen in Figure 6, the filament "arches" as the "T" bars run down the needles. The slack in the filament allows the "T" bars to empty the needles, and the front edge of each "T" bar rotates inwards their final positions, as seen in Figures 7 and 8, until they are parallel to the surface of the material, as seen in Figure 9, without stretching the filament beyond its original length. According to the above, an increased force is not required to hold the filament. This result is achieved by manufacturing the filament to extend it in a direction that forms an acute angle with a line perpendicular to the axis of the "T" bars. Thus, each end of the filament is formed at an acute angle with the line perpendicular to the "T" bar to which it is attached. This is clearly illustrated in Figure 2. As shown in Figure 10, needles 14 ', 16' with separate cutting blades 68, 70 may also be used in place of needles with integral blades. Here, the base of the needle 14 'is shown as being shorter than the base of the needle 16' so that the sheet 68 can be located in a position deviated from that of the sheet 70.

Figures 11, 12, 13 illustrate the invention as incorporated in accessories supplied in the form of continuous stepped material, as described, for example, in the Patents of the United States of North America Nos. 4,533,076 and 5,615,816 mentioned above. Figure 11 illustrates three conventional accessories of this type, each consisting of a filament 72, 74, 76 extending between the "T" connecting bars 78, 80, 82, 84; 86, 88 respectively. The accessories are connected end to end. The filaments are perpendicular to the "T" bars and are as long as the shortest distance between the "T" bars. These filaments are stretched. They can be stretched during manufacture in any conventional equipment such as that described in U.S. Patent Number: 4,408,979 issued October 11, 1983 to Russel. Figure 12 shows the applicator of the present invention in the form of continuous stepped material. Each filament 90, 92, 94 is longer than a perpendicular line 96 that represents the shortest distance between the "T" bars and forms an acute angle 98 therewith. Each "T" bar at one end of the fixture is offset from the "T" bar at the other end of the fixture. Each filament is in the same plane as the "T" bars. as seen in Figure 13, when these accessories are placed inside the needles in the applicator, the filaments 90, 92, 94"arc" in a manner similar to the filament 28 as seen in Figure 6, so as to allow the "T" bars rotate to a position adjacent to the cloth sheets (Figure 9). It will now be appreciated that providing a filament with a length longer than the shortest (perpendicular) distance between the "T" bars eliminates the need to stretch the filament beyond its original length as the fixture is clamped. Thus, the required force required near the end of the travel does not increase and the overall force needed to hold the attachment is reduced. By manufacturing the filament to lie within the plane of the "T" bars, conventional stretch equipment can be used to manufacture the accessory. Because the bases of the needles in the applicator are of different lengths, the cutting blades are deflected. Thus, the "T" bar aligned with a needle will separate from its connector bar slightly before the "T" bar aligned with the other needle separates from the other connecting bar. The effect of separating the "T" bars to slightly different positions during the travel of the trigger is to dissipate the required force at the beginning of the stroke and significantly reduce the peak force required to separate the fitting from the connecting rods. Although only a limited number of preferred modalities were described for illustration purposes, it should be apparent that many variations and modifications could be made to them. It is intended to cover all these variations and modifications that are within the scope of the present invention, as defined according to the following claims:

Claims (24)

1. An accessory for use in a double needle applicator comprising a first and a second substantially coplanar "T" bars connected by a filament, said filament being located in the plane of the "T" bars and being longer than the distance shorter (perpendicular) between the "T" bars.

The accessory of claim 1, wherein said filament has an end and wherein said end is formed at an acute angle relative to a line substantially perpendicular to the axis of the "T" bar to which it is attached.

The accessory of claim 1, wherein said filament has a first and a second end and wherein each of the ends is formed at an acute angle relative to a line substantially perpendicular to the axis of the "T" bar to which is united.

The accessory of claim 1, wherein the first "T" bar is offset relative to the second "T" bar in that plane.

The accessory of claim 1, further comprising a first and a second link bar.

6. The accessory of claim 1, provided in the form of continuous stepped material.

7. The accessory of claim 4, in combination with a double needle applicator wherein each of the needles has an associated cutting blade and wherein the cutting blade associated with the first needle is biased relative to the associated cutting blade with the second needle at a distance substantially equal to the distance at which the first "T" bar is offset relative to the second "T" bar.

The combination of claim 7 wherein each of the needles comprises a base and wherein the base of the first needle is shorter than the base of the second needle.

The combination of claim 8 wherein the base of the first needle is shorter than the base of the second needle by a distance substantially equal to the distance by which the first "T" bar is offset relative to the second bar in "T".

10. A double needle applicator for use with accessories of the type having a first and a second "T" bars connected by a filament, the applicator comprising a housing and a first and a second needle extending from the housing, a channel extending through the housing along which the fastener moves, the channel having a first receiving portion of the "T" bar and a second receiving portion of the "T" bar, the first portion being "T" bar receiver of the channel deflected with respect to the second "T" bar receiving portion of the channel.

The applicator of claim 10 wherein the channel comprises a filament receiving portion extending between the first "T" bar receiving channel portion and the second "T" receiving channel portion in a direction other than a line perpendicular to the "T" bar receiving channel portions.

The applicator of claim 10 further comprising a first and a second cutting blade associated with the first and second needles, respectively, the cutting blade being associated with the first deflected needle of the cutting blade associated with the second needle. .

The applicator of claim 12, wherein the cutting blades are mounted on the associated needles.

14. The applicator of claim 12, wherein the cutting blades are mounted in the housing close to the associated needles.

The applicator of claim 12, wherein each of the needles comprises a base and wherein said base of the first needle is shorter than the base of the second needle.

The applicator of claim 15, wherein the base of the first needle is shorter than the base of the second needle at a distance substantially equal to the distance at which the first portion of the "T" bar receiving channel. is deviated from the second portion of the "T" bar receiving channel.

17. The applicator of claim 10, adapted for use with a double "T" bar attachment in which the filament is longer than the shortest distance (perpendicular) between the "T" bars.

The applicator of claim 10, adapted for use with a "T" double bar accessory in which the filament has one end and wherein the end is formed at an acute angle relative to a line substantially perpendicular to the axis of the "T" bar to which it is attached.

The applicator of claim 18, wherein the filament has first and second ends and wherein each of the ends is formed at an acute angle relative to a line substantially perpendicular to the axis of the "T" bar. to which is attached.

20. The applicator of claim 12 adapted for use with the "T" double bar accessory in which the first "T" bar is offset relative to the second "T" bar.

The applicator of claim 20 wherein the cutting blade associated with the first needle is offset with respect to the cutting blade associated with the second needle by a distance equal to the distance by which the first "T" bar is deviated with respect to the second "T" bar.

22. An applicator comprising a housing and first and second needles mounted in the housing, each of the needles comprising a base and associated cutting blade, the base of the first needle being shorter than the base of the second. needle, so that the cutting blade associated with the first needle is deviated from the cutting blade associated with the second needle.

23. The applicator of claim 22 wherein each of the cutting blades is integral with the associated needle.

24. The applicator of claim 22 wherein each of the cutting blades is mounted in the housing in a position spaced from the associated needle.