957,027. Making slide fasteners; shearing; punching. TALON Inc. Nov. 19, 1962, No. 43718/62. Headings B3A and B3W. Apparatus for cutting slide fasteners of predetermined lengths from continuous fastener chain comprising a, cutting punch and die operative to remove a predetermined number of adjacent fastener elements at predetermined spaced apart intervals, means to feed the chain through the apparatus, means for locating the fastener elements of the chain relative to said cutting punch and die, and means on the delivery side of said feed means for cutting the tapes transversely at the spaces formed by the punch and die. The fastener chain C passes from a reel 137, over a driven roller 132 between the punch and die 60, 81 and then over an intermittently driven roller 8. The chain is pressed against the roller 8 by two spring loaded rollers 13 and 14 and between these pressure rollers the chain passes over a roller 18 to form a loop of adjustable length. Lengths F are severed from the continuous chain by a cutter 23. Construction of punch and die mechanism, Fig. 14.-The punch 60 is arranged between a pair of pressure pads 61 and is mounted in a block 62 attached to a slide 21 which reciprocates transversely in a slot 5b in the base 5a of the machine. The pressure pads 61 are loaded by a spring 67 and can move independently of the block 62. The punch 60 has cutting edges 60a and 60b which co-operate with openings 81c and 81d in the die 81. Mounted above the block 62 is a latch 73 which is pivotally attached to a block 71, which in turn is secured to the slide 21. The lower end of the latch has an extension 75 and a projection 76 which cooperates with projections 77 on the pressure pads 61. Construction of severing mechanism.-A knife 23 is arranged between plates 24, 25 which are secured to the slide 21, Figs. 11, 18 and 19, and behind the knife is a block 30 which slides between the plates 24 and 26 and is acted on by a coil spring 34. A block 27 has a part 28 which passes through a slot 29 in the slide 21 and is secured to the frame by screws 22. In the upper surface of the block 27 is a pivoted trigger 40, loaded by a spring 43, and which has a shoulder 47 which engages a part 48 on the underside of the block 30 and holds it in the rearward position against the pressure of the spring 34. A trigger releasing rod 45 slides in a recess in the block 27 and is operated by a screw 57 mounted on the slide 21. Opposite the knife 23 is a stationary anvil 50, Fig. 9. Driving mechanism.-The slide 21 is reciprocated by actuator 124 formed on a member 123 which is pinned to a yoke 121. The yoke is operated by an eccentric 120. The complete machine is driven by a motor in the base 2 which drives a gear-wheel 95 through a belt 94. The gear 95 meshes with a wheel 96 to which is secured the eccentric 120. Also mounted on the wheel 96 is an adjustable throw device comprising a screw 101 and a nut 103 to which is pivoted an arm 105. The arm 105 has fixed thereto a rack 106 which co-operates with a gearwheel to drive the feed wheel 8 through an overrunning clutch. Operation.-Continuous slide fastener chain C passes between the punch and die mechanism and fastener elements and as the slide 21 moves to the left, Fig. 1, the extension 75 enters between adjacent fastener elements to position the chain relative to the die 81 and as the slide continues to move the pressure pads 61 hold the chain against the die. Further movement causes the cutting edges 60a and 60b of the punch to sever the fastener elements centrally of their length and the cut portions are pushed through the die. An end space G and a needle gap NG are thus formed in the chain. Simultaneously with this operation the knife 23 is moved up to the chain and the screw 57 engages the rod 45 which operates the trigger 40 so that the block 30 strikes a sharp blow on the knife 23 so that the chain is severed in a space G.