Zipper
The zipper (English zipper, zipper or even short zip / zip ) is an arbitrarily often be solved closure means, based on the positive principle. It consists of two side panels with staples ( small teeth ) and a slider (Swiss German: slide), with the staples can be hooked into each other and released again. Zippers may be made of not only metal, but also plastic inexpensive today. Similarly, there are waterproof zippers. In the field of clothing and leather goods he is one of the most important parts of closing.
Construction
Each strip has fine metal teeth, brass, nickel silver or aluminum, which are interlocked by a slide during the closing. In modern zippers plastic teeth (usually made of polyoxymethylene) used more and more, which are injected with the injection molding process to the fabric strips. Likewise, zippers with plastic spiral are common.
Of the two helices ( or helices ) of a zipper is a right and a left coiled, so that they fit together well. The helical inclines are reduced in the overlapping region, and for where they are woven into the fabric belt is increased. On a zipper for tents with coarse helix pitch of 2.7 mm is clearly visible with a magnifying glass that spirals can be caught because the two oval helices where they pass through each other, are the most curved and right there at the loop tip, the plastic wire widened by about 50% ( in the direction of the zipper ), as it forms a T- double hook. Alternatively, hold two loops of a helix, the T- hook extensions of a loop top of the other helix and vice versa. This type of hooking of the good cohesion is achieved with great flexibility of the zipper.
Since the cut through the plastic wire shows no cavity, the hook- shaped thickening is achieved by squeezing cross - embossing of the wire. Here, the helix-loop bends a bit, so bends more.
A distinction is made separable and not separable slide fasteners. A special form of the separable zipper is two-way zipper that can be opened at both ends or close. All separable zippers must be carefully attended to.
History
Before the zipper could went on to conquer, garments with lace, ribbons, Nestelbändern, brooches, buttons and knobs were held together.
The zipper was developed in 1851 by several inventors. The Elias Howe patented in 1851 automatic, continuous clothing closure found no practical use. The first practical idea came from the American Whitcomb Judson of Chicago in 1890 and enrolled her in 1892 and 1893 for a patent ( " clasp locker", " Klemmöffner for shoes "). In the same year, the zipper was presented by its inventor at the World Exhibition in Chicago. 1905 was indeed built his production machine ready, but the result is far from practical use.
Only In 1912 the Swede Gideon Sundbäck thanks to some improvements, the customers satisfied after in 1909 he had his ideas for the first time in Germany patented. 1923 acquired Martin Othmar Winterhalter from St. Gallen ( Switzerland ), the patent for Europe, further developed the originally consisting of beads and jaws lock and replaced it with the usual today ribs and grooves. He gave the product's name RiRi ( = ribs and grooves). In his company RiRi in Wuppertal (later and still in Mendrisio ) then the first mass-produced zipper in the world was produced.
For the first time on a large scale zippers were used in 1917 in the U.S. Navy in weatherproof suits of pilots. The general implementation in everyday clothes took place in 1925 and 1935. Since then zips have replaced the buttons in the textile sector in many places.
Since the mid- 1950s, increasingly translated by plastic zippers. These are much more flexible and have a higher strength than metal zippers.
In Germany alone, around 70 million running meters yearly on zippers are produced. The world's largest producer of zippers is the Japanese company Yoshida Kōgyō ( YKK ).
Care
Zippers, which are exposed to the elements, for example in shoes, boots and tents should be cleaned regularly of sand, dirt and other foreign matter and then treated with silicone spray. Thus, the zipper is smooth, and the service life is extended significantly, because dirt particles increase in its zipper wear. Also causes impregnation of the slide fastener based on silicone, and that the strip is sealed in part prevents that water from entering through the tooth or spiral.
Stiff zippers with metal staples can be made common by rubbing with soap, wax or graphite. For zippers with plastic teeth or plastic spiral silicone spray helps to make this unjam. If one takes care to include in particular zippers with plastic spiral when washing always, they are not even stiff. Also metal should be closed, so they do not rub off the laundry unnecessary.
Weaknesses and repair
A weak point of zippers, the slider (Zipper, slide) to the spline connection. Due to sluggish movement of a scruffy / non-lubricated slide fastener of the train on the slide can be so large that this breaks. (possibly due to fatigue fracture ) In the meantime here are also spare Zipper available, which are subsequently placed on the zipper. Another problem of zippers is the manageability of the slide, which is bad tangible for children, people with limited mobility or in use with gloves. This can be by increasing the surface, for example, be attached by straps or loops easier.
Variants
- Variants of zippers
Metal, plastic profile, spiral zipper
Toothless zipper eg in freezer bags