GB2079799A - Separable slide fastener and method of attaching the same to knit fabrics - Google Patents

Abstract

A separable slide fastener has a pair of warp-knit stringer tapes each with a series of openings 20 for easy attachment to a knit fabric. Each of the stringer tapes 11, 12 includes a reinforcement film 32, 33 bonded to a lower end portion 26, 27 thereof and having a recess 37 which allows some of the tape openings 20 to be exposed for use in attachment to the knit fabric. The recess 37 may be covered with a thin layer penetratable by knitting needles. A separable bottom end stop 28 is injection-molded on the reinforcement films 32, 33 bonded to the stringer tapes 11, 12. The fastener may be knitted integrally with fabric by inserting machine needles through the openings 20 and forming stitches or it may be joined to knit fabric by linking. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Separable slide fastener and method of attaching the same to knit fabrics The present invention relates to a separable slide fastener for use on knit fabrics and a method of attaching such a separable slide fastener to knit fabrics.

A variety of slide fasteners are known which have coarse regions or openings in stringer tapes thereof for venting air or easy attachment to bags or articles of different materials.

Some representative prior art slide fasteners are disclosed in the following patents and publications: U.S. Patent 2,701,222, patented Feb. 1, 1955; Canadian Patent 827,367, patented Nov.

18, 1969; Japanese Utility Model Publication 34-6608, published May 5, 1959; Japanese Utility Model Publication 52-24161 published June 1, 1977; Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication 50-84205, published July 18, 1975; and Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication 51-135709 published Nov. 2, 1976.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a separable slide fastener comprising: (a) a pair of warp-knit stringer tapes each including a first web composed of at least one wale of chain stitches, a second web spaced transversely from said first web with a walefree region therebetween, said second web including a wale of chain stitches extending along said wale-free region in confronting relation to said wale in said first web, said wales of chain stitches being knitted of reinforced threads, and a thread interconnecting said wales of chain stitches across said wale-free region; (b) a pair of rows of coupling elements mounted on said second web of one of said warp-knit stringer tapes which is remote from said wale-free region; (c) a slider movable along said pair of rows of coupling elements for engaging and disengaging the latter;; (d) a separable bottom end stop comprising a box and a box pin extending therefrom, which are mounted on one of said warp-knit stringer tapes at one end thereof, and a pin mounted on the other stringer tape at one end thereof and insertable into said box; and (e) a reinforcement member mounted on each of said stringer tapes at said one end thereof and adjacent to said separable bottom end stop and including first and second portions partly covering said first and second webs, respectively, a third portion contiguous to said first and second portions and partly covering said wale-free region.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of attaching a slide fastener stringer to a knit fabric, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a slide fastener stringer having two tape webs spaced from each other and interconnected by a plurality of longitudinally spaced transverse thread portions; (b) looping said transverse thread portions with a row of loops which constitute a course of a knit fabric; and (c) thereafter, knitting said knit fabric so as to form successive courses.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a method of attaching a slide fastener stringer to a knit fabric on a knitting machine, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a slide fastener stringer having a series of longitudinally arranged openings therein; (b) inserting a series of knitting needles of a knitting machine into said openings in the stringer; and (c) thereafter, knitting a fabric on said knitting needles so as to form successive courses.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a method of attaching a slide fastener stringer to a knit fabric, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a slide fastener stringer having a series of longitudinally arranged openings therein; (b) introducing into said openings a row of loops projecting from and extending along a wale of a knit fabric; and (c) thereafter, interlooping a linking thread with said row of loops projecting through said openings.

According to a fifth aspect of the invention there is provided a method of attaching a slide fastener stringer to a knit fabric, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a slide fastener stringer having a series of longitudinally arranged openings therein, a seperable bottom end stop member, and a reinforced end portion adjacent to said separable bottom end stop member; (b) inserting a series of knitting needles of a knitting machine successively into said openings in said stringer while the stringer is being tensioned with one of the knitting needles being held against said reinforced end portion; and (c) thereafter, knitting a fabric or said knitting needles so as to form successive courses.

According to a sixth aspect of the invention a separable slide fastener has a pair of warpknit stringer tapes each including a first web, a second web, and a connector thread interconnecting confronting wales in the first and second webs laterally together with a coarse wale-free region therebetween; a separable end stop comprises a box and a box pin extending therefrom, which are mounted on one of the warp-knit stringer tapes at one end thereof, and a pin mounted on the other stringer tape at one end thereof and insertable into the box for connecting the stringer tapes together; a reinforcement member is placed on each of the stringer tapes at the end thereof and adjacent to a separable bottom end stop and includes first and second portions partly covering the first and second webs, respectively, and a third portion contiguous to the first and second portions and partly covering the coarse region; thus, the reinforced coarse region is protected against being torn at the stringer tape ends which are subjected to frequent stresses due to repeated manual coupling and uncoupling of the bottom end stop.

According to a seventh aspect of the invention there is provided a separable slide fastener which is attachable to a knit fabric without becoming puckered or wavy.

According to an eighth aspect of the invention there is provided a separable slide fastener which, when attached to a knit fabric, is relatively free from being adversely affected by the stretching of the knit fabric.

According to a ninth aspect of the invention there is provided a separable slide fastener which, when attached to a knit fabric, allows its separable bottom end stop to be coupled and uncoupled smoothly.

According to a tenth aspect of the invention there is provided a separable slide fastener having in its stringer tapes coarse regions along which the slide fastener is attachable to a knit fabric and which are reinforced at ends for protection against being torn under frequent stresses due to repeated coupling and uncoupling of a separable bottom end stop on the stringer tapes.

According to an eleventh aspect of the invention there is provided a method of knitting a separable slide fastener into a knit fabric while the latter is being knitted.

According to a twelvth aspect of the invention there is provided a method of attaching a separable slide fastener to a knit fabric easily on a knitting machine.

The invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown by way of illustrative example. In the drawings:- Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a separable slide fastener according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a point diagram showing lapping movements for a warp-knit stringer tape of the slide fastener shown in Fig. 1; Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a lower end portion of the slide fastener shown in Fig. 1; Figure 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of Fig. 3; Figure 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line V-V of Fig. 3; Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI of Fig. 3;; Figure 7 is a point diagram showing lapping movements for a portion of a modified stringer tape; Figure 8 is a point diagram showing lapping movements for a portion of a modified stringer tape; Figure 9 is a point diagram showing lapping movements for a modified stringer tape; Figure 10 is a point diagram showing lapping movements for a portion of a modified stringer tape; Figure 11 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a lower end portion of a modified separable slide fastener; Figure 12 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line XII-XII of Fig. 11; Figure 13 is a view similar to Fig. 12, showing a modification; Figure 14 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a lower end portion of a modified separable slide fastener; Figure 15 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a lower end portion of a modified separable slide fastener;; Figure 16 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line XVI-XVI of Fig. 15; Figure 1 7 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a lower end portion of a modified separable slide fastener; Figure 18 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line XVIII-XVIII of Fig. 17; Figure 19 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a lower end portion of a modified separable slide fastener; Figure 20 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line XX-XX of Fig. 19; Figure 21 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a lower end portion of a modified separable slide fastener; Figure 22 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line XXII-XXII of Fig. 21; Figure 23 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a lower end portion of a modified separable slide fastener; Figure 24 is a point diagram showing lapping movements for a modified stringer tape; ; Figure 25 is a fragmentary plan view of a separable slide fastener according to another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 26 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view illustrative of the way in which one of the stringers of Fig. 1 is put on a row of knitting needles; Figure 27 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the stringer of Fig. 1 which is knit into a knit fabric on the needle shown in Fig. 26; Figure 28 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view illustrative of the way in which one of the stringers of Fig. 21 is put on knitting needles; Figure 29 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a slide fastener stringer which is differently knit into a knit fabric; Figure 30 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a slide fastener stringer attached to a knit fabric; and Figure 31 is a fragmentary plan view of a knit article having a separable slide fastener attached to a knit garment.

As shown in Fig. 1, a separable slide fastener 10 for use on a garment such as a cardigan having completely separable opposite edges along which the fastener is attachable, comprises a pair of warp-knit stringer tapes 11, 1 2 each including a pair of first and second longitudinal warp-knit webs 13, 1 4 with a wale-free coarse region 1 5 therebetween which is devoid of two wales (Fig.

2). The wale-free coarse region 15, however, may be varied in width by selecting a suitable number of wales to be removed therefrom. As best shown in Fig. 2, the webs 13, 14 have a pair of innermost opposite wales 16, 17, respectively, which include chain stitches of reinforced yarn and are interconnected by a connector thread 1 8 laid in a pattern of 0-0/1 -1 /0-0/1 -1 /0-0/0-0/4-4/3-3/ 4-4/3-3/4-4-/4-4.The connector thread 18 thus laid in includes a plurality of substantially parallel portions 1 9 extending transversely across the wale-free coarse region 1 5, providing a plurality of rectangular openings 20 arranged longitudinally in and along the wale-free coarse region 1 5. The connector thread 1 8 is made of a plurality of foundation threads twisted together. The second webs 14, 14 (Fig. 1) have a pair of beaded edges 21, 22, respectively, each of which is constructed of a reinforced region 1 4a (Fig. 2) of the web 14. A pair of rows of coupling elements 23, 24, which are made preferably of filamentary material, are mounted on the beaded edges 21, 22, respectively, of the webs 14, 14.A slider 25 (Fig. 1) is slidably mounted on the rows of coupling elements 23, 24 for taking the latter into and out of interdigitating engagement to open and close the slide fastener 1 0.

The stringer tapes 11, 1 2 have respective lower end portions 26, 27 on which is mounted a separable bottom end stop 28 including a box 29 and a box pin 30 extending therefrom, the box 29 and the box pin 30 being injection-molded on the end portion 26 of the tape 12, and a pin 31 injection-molded on the end portion 27 of the tape 1 2. The separable bottom end stop 28 is located adjacent to the lower end of the rows of coupling elements 23, 24. The first web 1 3 is narrower than the second web 1 4.

As best illustrated in Figs. 3 through 6, a pair of reinforcement members 32, 33 each in the form of a film are bonded to or otherwise mounted on the tape end portions 26, 27, respectively, each of the reinforcement members 32, 33 including first and second portions 34, 35 disposed on the webs 14, 13, respectively, and a third portion 36 contiguous to and joining the first and second portions 34, 35 and extending across the walefree coarse region 1 5 in overlying relation to the lowermost one of the parallel portions 1 9 of the connector thread 1 8. The third portion 36 is of such a width that there is defined a recess 37 between the first and second portions 34, 35 and through which the wale-free coarse region 1 5 is exposed.The reinforcement members 32, 33 are integrally connected to the box 29 and box pin 30 and the pin 31, respectively.

Preferably, the reinforcement films 32, 33 are first attached, and then the separable bottom end stop 28 is injection-molded integrally with the films 32, 33.

With the reinforcement members 32, 33 thus mounted on the tapes 11, 12, respectively, the pin 31 can be manipulated smoothly into and out of fitting engagement with the box 29, and the tapes 11, 1 2 are protected against rupture at the coarse regions 15, 1 5 which would otherwise occur due to repeated coupling and uncoupling of the separable end stop 28.

Fig. 7 shows a modification in which a pair of connector threads 40, 41 are laid across a wale-free region 39 in patterns of 0-0/ 1-1/0-0/1-1 /0-0/3-3/2-2/3-3/2-2/ 3-3 and 3-3/2-2/3-3/0-0/1-1/0-0/ 1 - 1 /0-0/3-3/2-2, respectively, the connector threads 40, 41 interconnecting a pair of innermost opposite wales 42, 43 of a pair of warp-knit webs (not shown). The connector threads 40, 41 have transverse portions 44, 45, respectively, extending across the walefree region 39.

According to another modification shown in Fig. 8, a pair of warp threads 47, 48 are laid along a pair of innermost opposite wales 49, 50, respectively, each in a pattern of 0-0/1-1. A connector thread 51 is laid in a pattern of 0-0/1-1 /0-0/3-3/2-2/3-3 across a wale-free region 46 with transverse portions 52 extending between the wales 49, 50.

Fig. 9 illustrates a modified stringer tape 54 including a first warp-knit web 55, a second warp-knit web 56 spaced laterally therefrom with a wale-free coarse region 57 therebetween, and a connecting thread 58 knitted in a pattern of 1-0/3-4/3-4/1-0 across the wale-free region 57. The connector thread 58 has stitches or loops 61 incorporated in a pair of innermost opposite wales 59, 60 of the first and second webs 56, 56, respectively and transverse portions 62 extending obliquely across the wale-free region 57. The first warp-knit web 55 is composed of the wale 60 and an additional wale 63 adjacent thereto and remote from the wale-free region 57.

Another modification shown in Fig. 10 comprises a connector thread 65 knitted in a pattern of 3-4/1-0 between a pair of inner most opposite wales 66, 67 of a pair of warpknit webs (not shown), the connector thread 65 having stitches or loops 68 incorporated in the wales 66, 67. The connector thread 65 also has transverse portions 69 extending obliquely across a walefree region 64 between the innermost opposite wales 66, 67.

Figs. 11 and 1 2 illustrate a modified sepa rable slide fastener 71 which includes a pair of lower end portions 72, 73 of warp-knit stringer tapes 74, 75, respectively, on which a separable bottom end stop 76 is mounted.

A pair of reinforcement members 77, 78 in the form of films of a uniform thickness are bonded to the tape end portions 72, 73, respectively. The reinforcement films 77, 78 have a pair of holes 79, 80, respectively, which are substantially registered with walefree coarse regions 81, 82 respectively in the tapes 74, 75. Such holes 79, 8G can be formed as by punching after the films 77, 78 have been bonded to the stringer tapes 74, 75.

Fig. 1 3 shows a modified reinforcement film 84 bonded to a warp-knit stringer tape 85 and including a thin layer 86 overlying a walefree coarse region 87, the thin layer 86 of the film 84 being of a thickness such that it is readily penetratable by a knitting needle when the latter is thrust in, as described later on.

According to still another modification shown in Fig. 14, a pair of substantially Lshaped reinforcement members or films 90, 91 are bonded respectively to a pair of warpknit stringer tapes 92, 93 at and across lower end portion thereof, each film 90, 91 having a transverse portion 96 extending across a wale-free coarse region 99 between a pair of warp-knit webs 97, 98 of each stringer tape 92, 93. Each film 90, 91 also includes a longitudinal portion 100 extending on the web 98. A separable bottom end stop 101 is mounted on the tape end portions and includes a box pin 102 and a pin 103 which are injection-molded on and along the longitudinal portions 100, 100, respectively.Each of the transverse portions 96 has a width which is substantially half the length of the longitudi nal portion 100 so that portions of the walefree region 99 and the tape web 97 are exposed alongside of the longitudinal portion 100.

A modification illustrated in Figs. 1 5 and 1 6 includes a pair of transverse reinforcement members or films 105, 106 of a reduced width bonded respectively to a pair of warpknit stringer tapes 107, 108 at and across lower end portions thereof. Each of the reinforcement films 105, 106 overlies a lowermost transverse portion 109 of a connector thread, which extends across a wale-free region 104 between a pair of webs 110 and 111 of one of the tapes 107, 108.A separable bottom end stop 11 2 that is mounted on the stringer tapes 107, 108 includes a box pin 11 3 having a reinforcement bar 114 integral therewith and injection-molded around an end portion of the tape 107 and a portion of the reinforcement film 105, and a pin 11 5 having a reinforcement bar 11 6 integral therewith and injection-molded around an end portion of the tape 108 and a portion of the reinforcement film 106. The reinforcement bars 114, 11 6 extend across the wale-free regions 104, 104, respectively.

With the modification as illustrated in Figs. 1 5 and 16, the tape ends are more stiffened and more tape surfaces are left exposed at tape end portions.

Figs. 1 7 and 1 8 illustrate still another modification including a separable bottom end stop 118 having a box pin 119 and a pin 120 with which are integrally injection-molded a pair of reinforcement bodies 121, 122, respectively, each in the form of a centrally opened rectangular frame having an opening 1 23. Each of the openings 123, 1 23 is located at a wale-free coarse region 1 24 between a pair of webs 125, 126 of a warp-knit stringer tape 127, the openings 123, 1 23 being positioned adjacent to the lower end of the stringer tape 127.A transverse reinforcement film 1 28 is bonded to each stringer tape 1 27 at its end portion across the wale-free coarse region 1 24 and covers a lowermost transverse portion 1 29 of a connector thread that interconnects the webs 125, 1 26. To prepare the assembly, after the reinforcement films 128, 1 28 have been bonded to the stringer tapes 127, 127, respectively, the reinforcement bodies 121, 122 are injectionmolded on the stringer tapes 127, 1 27. Each of the reinforcement bodies 121, 122 includes a lower transverse portion 1 30 wrapping the lowermost transverse thread portion 1 29 and a portion of the reinforcement film 128, and an upper transverse portion 1 31 wrapping another transverse thread portion 1 32 extending across the wale-free region 124.

According to still another modification shown in Figs. 1 9 and 20, a pair of reinforcement films 134, 1 35 are bonded to a pair of stringer tapes 140, 140, respectively, at lower end portions thereof. Each of the reinforcement films 134, 1 35 has a recess 1 36 which registers with a wale-free coarse regi6n 137 between a pair of webs 138, 139 of one of the stringer tapes 1 40. The reinforcement films 134, 1 35 includes a central bottom portion 141 located adjacent to the recess 1 36 and covering two transverse portions 142, 142 of a connector thread spanning across the wale-free coarse region 137. As best shown in Fig. 20, the reinforcement film 1 34 comprises a pair of layers 143, 144 sandwiching the stringer tape 1 40 therebetween and bonded together at an outer edge 145 and at the central bottom portion 141 in the wale-free coarse region 137. A separable bottom end stop 146 is injectionmolded on the stringer tapes 140, 1 40 after the reinforcement films 134, 1 35 have been bonded to the stringer tapes 140, 140.

Figs. 21 and 22 illustrate still another modification in which a pair of reinforcement films 148, 149 are bonded respectively to a pair of stringer tapes 156, 1 56 and each comprise a U-shaped thick layer 150 having a recess 151 and a thin layer 1 52 disposed in the recess 151 in registry with a wale-free coarse region 1 53 between a pair of webs 154, 1 55 of the stringer tape 1 56. Each of the reinforcement films 148, 149 also includes a central bottom portion 157 adjacent to the recess 151, covering two transverse portions 158, 1 58 of a connector thread extending across the walefree region 1 53. Bonding of the reinforcement films 148, 149 to the tapes 156, 1 56 is followed by injection-molding of a separable bottom end stop 159 on the tapes 156, 156.

The thin layer 1 52 has a thickness such that it will be penetratable by knitting needles as described later on.

According to a modification shown in Fig.

23, a pair of reinforcement films 161, 162 each include a pair of laterally spaced portions 163, 1 64 bonded respectively to a pair of webs 165, 166 of a warp-knit stringer tape 167. The stringer tape 1 67 has a wale-free coarse region 1 68 located between the webs 165, 1 66 and having a lowermost transverse portion 1 69 of a connector thread interconnecting the webs 165, 1 66 across the walefree region 1 68. Each of the reinforcement films 161, 162 also includes a bridge portion 1 70 interconnecting the film portion 163, 1 64 at a position spaced from the lower end of the stringer tape 167, the bridge portion 1 70 covering the lowermost transverse thread portion 169.

A modified warp-knit stringer tape 1 72 shown in Fig. 24 comprises a web 1 73 having a plurality of wales 1 74 juxtaposed thereacross, three of which constitute an edge portion 1 75 for supporting a row of coupling elements (not shown).The stringer tape 1 72 also includes another web 1 76 composed of a single wale 1 77 which comprises chain stitches 1 78 knit in a pattern of 1 -1 /0-0 and reinforced by an inlaid warp thread 179, the web 1 76 being transversely spaced from the web 1 73 with a wale-free coarse region 1 80 therebetween which is devoid of one wale and across which extend a pair of connectorthreads 181, 182 laid in patterns of 0-0/1-1/0-0/1-1 /0-0/3-3/2-2/ 3-3/2-2/3-3 and 3-3/2-2/3-3/0-0/ 1-1 /0-0/1-1 /0-0/3-3/2-2, respectively, and interconnect the wale 1 77 and an innermost one of the wales 1 74 which confronts the wale 177.

Fig. 25 illustrates a separable slide fastener 1 84 of the present invention. The slide fastener 1 84 comprises a pair of warp-knit stringer tapes 185, 1 86 each having a pair of longitudinal wale-free coarse regions 187, 1 88 which are selectively utilized for attachment to a garment.

Figs. 26 and 27 are illustrative of a manner in which the separable slide fastener 10 shown in Figs. 1 through 6 is knit into a knit fabric. First, the slide fastener 10 is uncoupled or separated, and one of the stringers 11 is put on a knitting machine so that a series of knitting needles 1 90 thereof are inserted into the openings 20 in the stringer tape 11.At this time, the end most one of the openings 20 which is adjacent to the reinforcement film portion 36 (Fig. 3) should receive one of the knitting needles 1 90. When thus mounting the stringer on the knitting needles 190, the stringer tape 11 is longitudinally tensioned with the film portion 36 engaged by the knitting needle 1 90 and then starts to be successively placed on the knitting needles 1 90. The film portion 36 therefore serves as a positioning guide. The knitting needles 1 90 may occupy all of the openings 20 or may skip some of the openings 20 depending on the gauge of the knitting machine used.After the stringer is readied on the knitting machine for knitting operation, the knitting machine is operated in the usual manner to knit a row of needle loops 192, or a first course, that are looped with the transverse thread portion 1 9.

The knitting machine is continuously operated to form a knit fabric 193 including a plurality of successive courses 1 94. The slide fastener stringer is thus knit into the knit fabric 1 93.

The stringer tape 1 56 as illustrated in Figs.

21 and 22 can be mounted on a knitting machine by first thrusting or penetrating a pair of knitting needles 196, 1 96 into the thin layer 1 52 of the reinforcement film 1 48 as shown in Fig. 28.

According to a modification shown in Fig.

29, a selvage 1 98 and a row of needle loops 1 99 constituting a first course are first knitted on a knitting machine, and then the stringer tape 11 is put on the knitting machine. Knitting is started again to form a next row of needle loops 200 constituting a second course and looped around the transverse thread portions 1 9. Continuous knitting operation forms a knit fabric 201 having successive courses 202. The selvage 1 98 overlaps and hence conceals a portion of the stringer tape 11 to make a finished knit article look sightly and attractive.

Fig. 30 shows a slide fastener stringer 203 attached along a marginal edge 204 of a prefabricated knit garment 205. The stringer 203 is fastened to the knit garment 205 by a first row of loops 206 extending along a wale 207 through the knit garment 205 and a row of openings 208 defined by transverse thread portions 209 extending across a wale-free region 210 in a stringer tape 212 of the stringer 203. A linking thread 211 in the form of a row of loops or chain stitches is interlooped with the first row of loops 206 projecting through the openings 208 to connect the stringer 203 and the knit garment 205 together. Such linking operation can be carried out by an ordinary knitting machine or a linking machine or looper.

Fig. 31 illustrates a knit article 21 3 including a separable slide fastener 214 identical to the slide fastener 10 as shown in Fig. 1 and a knit garment 217 having a pair of opposed edges 215, 216 on which the separable slide fastener 214 is mounted. The slide fastener 214 is attached to the fabric edges 215, 216 by stitches 218, 218 which are interlooped with non-illustrated loops in the same pattern as shown in Fig. 30.

Although various minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that we wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon, all such embodiments as reasonably and properly come within the scope of our contribution to the art.

Claims (16)

1. A separable slide fastener comprising (a) a pair of warp-knit stringer tapes each including a first web composed of at least one wale of chain stitches, a second web spaced transversely from said first web with a walefree region therebetween said second web including a wale of chain stitches extending along said wale-free region in confronting relation to said wale in said first web, said wales of chain stiches being knitted of reinforced threads, and a thread interconnecting said wales of chain stitches across said wale-free region; (b) a pair of rows of coupling elements each mounted on said second web of one of said warp-knit stringer tapes which is remote from said wale-free region; (c) a slider movable along said pair of rows of coupling elements for engaging and disengaging the latter;; (d) a separable bottom end stop comprising a box and a box pin extending therefrom, which are mounted on one of said warp-knit stringer tapes at one end thereof, and a pin mounted on the other stringer tape at one end thereof and insertable into said box; and (e) a reinforcement member mounted on each of said stringer tapes at said one end thereof and adjacent to said separable bottom end stop and including first and second portions partly covering said first and second webs, respectively, a third portion contiguous to said first and second portions and partly covering said wale-free region.

2. A separable slide fastener according to claim 1, said interconnecting thread including transverse portions extending across said wale-free region between said first and second webs and longitudinal portions laid alternately in and extending along said wales of chain stitches.

3. A separable slide fastener according to claim 1, said interconnecting thread including tranverse portions extending across said walefree region between said first and second webs and stitches meshed with said wales of chain stitches.

4. A separable slide fastener according to claim 1, said interconnecting thread being more rigid than foundation threads of which said first and second webs are constructed.

5. A separable slide fastener according tot claim 1, said reinforcement member having a recess through which said wale-free region is exposed.

6. A separable slide fastener according to claim 1, said third portion of said reinforcement member having an opening therein.

7. A separable slide fastener according to claim 1, said reinforcement member being centrally opened and substantially rectangular in shape.

8. A separable slide fastener according to claim 1, said reinforcement member including a needle-penetratable film of synthetic resin contiguous to said second portion and covering said wale-free region.

9. A separable slide fastener according to claim 1, including a reinforcement body mounted on said one end of each of said stringer tapes and wrapping a portion of said reinforcement member.

10. A separable slide fastener according to claim 9, said reinforcement body having an opening located at said wale-free region of each of said warp-knit stringer tapes.

11. A method of attaching a slide fastener stringer to a knit-fabric, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a slide fastener stringer having two tape webs spaced from each other and interconnected by a plurality of longitudinally spaced transverse thread portions; (b) looping said transverse thread portions with a row of loops which constitute a course of a knit fabric; and (c) thereafter, knitting said knit fabric so as to form successive courses.

1 2. A method according to claim 11, said row of loops defining a selvage of said knit fabric.

1 3. A method of attaching a slide fastener stringer to a knit fabric on a knitting machine: comprising the steps of: (a) providing a slide fastener stringer having a series of longitudinally arranged openings therein; (b) inserting a series of knitting needles of a knitting machine into said opening in the stringer; and (c) thereafter, knitting a fabric on said knitt ing needles so as to form successive courses.

14. A method according to claim 13, in cluding the step of forming at least one course on said knitting needles before said inserting step (b).

1 5. A method of attaching a slide fastener stringer to a knit fabric, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a slide fastener stringer having a series of longitudinally arranged openings therein; (b) introducing into said opening a row of loops projecting from and extending along a wale of a knit fabric; and (c) thereafter, interlooping a linking thread with said row of loops projecting through said openings.

16. A method according to claim 1, said linking thread constituting a row of chain stitches.

1 7. A method of attaching a slide fastener stringer to a knit fabtic, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a slide fastener stringer having a series of longitudinally arranged openings therein, a separable bottom end stop member, and a reinforced end portion adjacent to said separable bottom end stop member; (b) inserting a series of knitting needles of a knitting machine successively into said openings in said stringer while the stringer is being tensioned with one of the knitting needles being held against said reinforced end portion; and (c) thereafter, knitting a fabric or said knitting needles so as to form successive courses.