BE1005874A6 - METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING CLOTHING. - Google Patents

Abstract

According to the invention, a number of superimposed layers of fabric are formed from fabrics fed from one or more feed rollers. The overlapping layers of fabric are placed on a sheet of cardboard which rests on a plastic anvil table that is part of a cutting press. An appropriately shaped cutting die is pressed through the overlapping fabrics to cut the pieces of clothing which are stacked and tied into bundles. The packages of different pieces of clothing are collected in a container which is moved sequentially along a number of sewing stations. The sewing operations are carried out at the sewing stations to gradually sew the associated pieces of clothing and form a garment.

Description

Apparel manufacturing method and apparatus

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for manufacturing clothing, in particular for the manufacture of bras and other lingerie articles.

According to the invention, a method of manufacturing clothing is proposed which comprises the operations indicated below: - mounting of a sheet of cardboard on an anvil table of plastic material of a press for cutting the fabric; - feeding one or more strips of fabric from a roll or rolls of fabric; - formation of a number of layers of fabric superimposed from the strip or strips; - placing layers of fabric superimposed on the cardboard sheet; - Positioning of a material cutting die corresponding to a template on the upper face of the fabric layers, a blade or cutting blades of the matrix bearing on the material; - pressurizing the die towards the anvil through the layers of fabric for cutting pieces of clothing of a desired shape beforehand; - lifting of the matrix to separate it from the fabric and removal of the pieces of clothing formed from the cardboard sheet; - Stacking in packages of a number of the pieces of formed clothing, each package containing a predetermined number of pieces of formed clothing; - unstoppable tying of each pack of pieces of formed clothing; - gathering, in a container which collects them, of a predetermined number of packets of associated shaped pieces of clothing necessary for making a garment; - movement of the container in an orderly sequence around a certain number of sewing stations in turn; - execution of a sewing operation at each sewing station to gradually assemble by sewing a number of pieces of formed clothing associated with the sewing stations to make clothes and - examination and packaging of clothing.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the fabric is prepared for cutting - by feeding a wide strip of fabric from a roll by depositing a predetermined length of strip fabric on a table to form a base layer of fabric; - By pulling the strip of the roller and folding the fabric back and forth over the base layer of fabric a number of times chosen beforehand to form the superimposed layers of fabric; - by detaching the strip from an upper layer of the folded fabric, and - by stapling the fabric layers together along a periphery of the fabric layers to secure the fabric layers together securely.

According to another embodiment, the fabric is prepared for cutting by feeding a number of strips of fabric from several rolls of fabric, by superimposing the strips to form the superimposed layers of fabric, and by aligning the strips in the overlapping layers of fabric

According to an additional embodiment, the method comprises the operation of applying an elastic border ribbon to a seam of each garment at a sewing station by carrying out the operations indicated below; - conducted with an elastic border tape of a feed roller; - Passage of the ribbon through a ribbon tensioning device comprising members for frictionally engaging the ribbon for the selective application of a desired tension beforehand to the ribbon as it is drawn from the tensioning device; - Passage of the ribbon through a ribbon folding element which folds the ribbon over itself in the direction of a median longitudinal axis of the ribbon; - feeding folded ribbon to a needle of a sewing machine; - insertion of a seam of a garment between the sides of the folded ribbon immediately upstream of the needle, and - sewing of the ribbon at the seam by stitching through the two sides of the ribbon and the seam of the garment inserted.

According to another embodiment, the method comprises the operation of applying a seam cover tape to a seam of each garment at a sewing station by performing the operations indicated below; - tape feed, seam cover of a feed roller; - folding the ribbon on itself towards a median longitudinal axis of the ribbon; - supply of the folded ribbon to a needle of a sewing machine, - passage of the folded ribbon by a tape guide mounted in the vicinity of the needle and immediately upstream of the needle for the supply of the folded ribbon in correct alignment needle; - brought from a seam of garment to the needle in alignment with the ribbon, and - seam of the ribbon to the seam of the garment.

According to an embodiment to which preference is given, the ribbon is folded by folding on each side of the ribbon inwards towards a median longitudinal axis of the ribbon and by subsequent folding, again, of the ribbon towards the inside in the direction of a median longitudinal axis of the ribbon before the ribbon folded back to the needle of the sewing machine.

The operation can advantageously also include the operation of simultaneously feeding a decorative strip from a needle feed roller and, before sewing the ribbon to sewing the garment, inserting the strip between the folded sides of the ribbon so that the band extends outside the ribbon, after fastening to the garment seam.

According to an additional embodiment, the method includes the operation of applying a seam tape to a seam of each garment at a sewing station by performing the operations indicated below: - supplying seam tape a feed roller; passage of the tape through a tape guide; - Feeding the tape guide tape to two associated needles, spaced from each other, from a sewing machine, the needles being in the vicinity of the tape guide and immediately downstream of the latter; - Feeding the garment seam into a sewing divider comprising elements for separating the free outer ends of garment pieces joined by the seam and for folding the free edges flat against the garment pieces; - brought from the seam to the needles with the ribbon, passage of the seam between the needles, and sewing of the ribbon to the pieces of clothing by covering the seam.

According to another aspect the invention provides apparatuses intended for the application of the method, in substance as it is described below.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description given below of some of its embodiments, taken simply by way of example, with reference to the attached drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a diagram of blocks schematically illustrating a method of manufacturing bras and lingerie articles which corresponds to the invention FIG. 2 is an elevation view, from the side, of a tissue cutting apparatus used for application of the process; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the tissue cutting apparatus; Figure 4 is a detail view in elevation and in section of a portion of the tissue cutting apparatus; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a cutting die used in the tissue cutting apparatus; Figure 6 is a perspective view of another cutting die used in the apparatus; Figure 7 is a perspective view of part of a sewing machine used for the application of the method; Figure 8 is a detailed perspective view showing a part of the sewing machine; FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a part of a sewing machine and of an elastic ribbon tensioning device associated therewith, used for the application of the method; Figure 10 is a detail view in elevation and in section of the elastic tape tensioning device; FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a part of a sewing machine comprising a sewing divider for the application of part of the method; FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a part of a sewing machine comprising a folding element for sewing tape for the application of part of the method; Figure 13 is a perspective detail view showing an outlet end of a ribbon folding member, and Figure 14 is a perspective detail view of a decorative lace supply device for use with the ribbon folding element.

There will be described below, with reference to the drawings, a process for manufacturing bras and other lingerie articles which corresponds to the invention. The different pieces of clothing necessary for making each item of clothing, namely the pieces of body fabric, the pieces of lace and the flanges, are cut from rolls of textile material.

The preparation of the pieces of lace will be described with particular reference to FIGS. 2 to 6. Four strips of lace are brought in from co-operating lace supply rollers 11 which are mounted so as to be able to rotate, at a distance from one of the other, in a support frame 12. Each of the rollers 11 is mounted so as to be able to rotate on a support bar 13 which engages in sliding in complementary holes provided in vertical support elements 14 of the frame 12. These bands 10, drawn from rollers 11, are superimposed and aligned to form four layers of superimposed lace which are mounted in a fabric cutting machine 16.

The fabric cutting machine 16 comprises a plastic anvil table 18 mounted on a support 19, itself supported by a base 20 of the machine 16. Above the anvil table 18 is mounted a press 22, which is mounted so that it can rotate on the base 20 for its displacement between a position (FIG. 2) above the anvil table 18 and a disengagement position (FIG. 3) towards one of the sides of the anvil table 18. This press 22 can be moved vertically to press a cutting die 24 through the fabric placed on the anvil table 18. A difficulty arises with regard to cutting stretch lace, in that given the elasticity of the lace, the knife 24 cannot completely cut the strips of lace 10. In such a case, the worker can cut by hand any part of the strips 10 that have not been properly cut by the knife 24. This however considerably slows the mar manufacturing. As a variant, the force exerted downwards by the press 22 can be increased, so that it is ensured that the knife 24 completely crosses the lace strips 10. A resulting drawback is that the knife penetrates by pressure into the upper face of the anvil table and deteriorate or alter the surface. The useful life of the anvil table 18 is thus shortened to a great extent and, since these anvil tables are relatively expensive, the production cost as a whole is increased. To solve this problem, it is advantageously possible, according to the invention, to mount a sheet of cardboard 25 on the anvil table 18, between the strip 15 and the anvil table 18.

Corrugated sheets have been found to be particularly effective. When the press 22 operates to pass the knife 24 through the strips 10 the knives cross the strips 15 and engages in a sheet of cardboard 25, which protects the anvil table 18 from excessive wear and therefore ensures a significant extension of the life of the anvil table 18.

When the strips 10 have been cut, the press 22 is moved so that it takes up a position of withdrawal and disengagement, such as that in which it has been shown in FIG. 3, and the knife 24 can be moved away from the 10 bands per lift. The pieces of clothing having received their shape formed by the knife 24 can then be removed and the operations can be repeated in order to obtain additional pieces of lace of desired shape. The lace pieces are stacked in bundles, each bundle being loosely tied.

The body tissue pieces are similarly cut; however, in this case, a wide strip of fabric is fed from a feed roller and a predetermined length of fabric is laid on a table to form a base layer of fabric. The strip is pulled from the roll and is folded back and forth over the base layer of fabric, number of times chosen beforehand, in principle 50 times, to form superimposed layers of fabric. When the desired number of layers of fabric have been formed, an upper layer of the folded fabric is detached from the strip. A stapler is then used to secure staples to the periphery of the fabric layers together securely, so that movement of the fabric layers relative to each other is avoided during cutting. The superimposed layers of fabric are then mounted on a sheet of cardboard placed on a plastic anvil table of a fabric cutting press and a matrix corresponding to a template is pressed through the layers of fabric to cut pieces. clothes of a desired shape beforehand. In this way various pieces of body tissue are formed, in a number of desired shapes. The pieces of clothing are stacked in different packages according to their type, packages which contain a predetermined number of pieces of clothing having been cut to the desired shape, and each package is loosely linked.

Suspenders for clothing can also be prepared if necessary, a number of flanges being brought together from spools and being cut to predetermined lengths and a predetermined number of flanges being tied together in bundles.

A desired number of packages of pieces of body fabric, pieces of lace and flanges that complement each other that are needed to make a garment of a particular style are collected in a container. The container is then transferred in orderly sequence around a number of sewing stations in turn. At each sewing station, a sewing operation is carried out with a view to progressive assembly by sewing pieces of garment of determined shape for making. The sewing operations carried out at the various sewing stations depend on the type of garment produced. Figures 7 to 14 show various types of devices used at different sewing stations, all of these devices or some of them being used depending on the type of clothing manufactured.

Referring to Figures 7 and 8, we see that they represent an apparatus for applying a seam tape 30 to a seam of a garment. The seam cover tape 30 is brought from a feed roller (not shown) to a folding device 31. As the tape 30 passes through the folding device 31, it is folded back on itself in the direction d 'a median longitudinal axis, each free lateral edge 32 of the ribbon 30 being brought back by folding inward towards the middle of the ribbon 30, as indicated in the representation of FIG. 8. The folded ribbon is then brought to a group of needles 35 of a sewing machine 36. In this case, the group of needles 35 comprises two needles spaced from each other 37 which can be moved vertically during operation of the sewing machine 36 for the sting. A base element 38, attached to the needles 37, is mounted on the sewing machine 36, below the needles 37, for advancing the material towards the needles 37 for sewing. According to the invention, there is advantageously provided on the base element 38 in the vicinity of the needles 37 and immediately upstream of the needles 37, a ribbon guide 39 which is intended to bring the folded ribbon in correct alignment to the needles 37 for the sewing. The guide 39 has a channel 40, through which the folded ribbon 30 passes. In this way, the ribbon 30 occupies a correct position at the level of the needles 37 and its deviation towards one or the other side of the needles 37 is avoided, so that the worker does not have to handle the tape 30, but can use both hands to bring the seam of the garment to the needles 37, in alignment with the tape 30, to sew the tape 30 to the seam of the garment . This ensures rapid and precise feeding of the ribbon 30 to the needles 37 for fixing it by sewing to the seam of the garment, which advantageously accelerates the speed of the sewing operation, which is also simplified.

If we refer to Figures 9 and 10, we see that they represent an apparatus for applying an elastic border tape 45 to a seam of a garment at a welding station. The elastic border tape 45 is brought from a feed roller (which has not been shown in the drawing) and it passes through a tensioning device 46. The tensioning device 46 has a guide channel 47, through which the tape of elastic border is debited. Inside the guide channel 47 is mounted a spring plate 48 which has a fixed end 49 in the vicinity of an outlet end of the guide channel 47. A screw 51 used for adjusting the spring plate can be brought in. engagement with an upper face of the plate 48 to adjust the vertical movement of the free end 50 in order to adjust the tension exerted by the plate 48 on the ribbon 45 as it is drawn from the tensioning device 46. A cam that can rotate 52 , mounted on the guide channel 47, cam which is actuated by a control lever 53, can be actuated to be brought into engagement with a lower face of the plate 48 and lift the plate 48 to move it to a position of disengagement for which the strip 45 can move freely in the tensioning device 46.

During operation, the ribbon 45 is caused to pass through the tensioning device 46 and through a ribbon folding element 55, in which the ribbon is folded back on itself towards a median longitudinal axis of the ribbon 45. From an outlet 56 of the folding element 55, the folded ribbon is directed towards a needle 58 of a sewing machine 59. A seam of a garment is inserted between the sides of the folded ribbon immediately upstream of the needle 58 and the ribbon 45 is sewn to the seam by stitching through the two sides of the ribbon and the interlocking seam of the garment. By adjusting the screw 51, the tension exerted on the ribbon 45 by the plate 48 can be adjusted to tension the ribbon 45 which is sewn to the garment in the extended state. After sewing, the ribbon 45 can be tightened, thereby giving an elastic edge to the garment. Similarly by actuation of the lever 53, the tensioning device 46 can advantageously be very easily switched from an engagement position, for which a tension is exerted on the ribbon 45, to a disengagement position, for which the ribbon 45 passes freely. in the tensioning device. In this way, two separate sewing operations can be carried out at the same sewing station by rapid switching from one actuation to another.

Referring to FIG. 11, it can be seen that it represents a sewing device from another sewing station. In this case, the device is used to apply a seam cover tape to a seam. A seam cover tape 62 is fed from a feed roller (not shown) into a tape guide 63 which feeds the tape 62 to a group of two needles 54, spaced from each other, by a sewing machine 65. The needles 64 are located in the vicinity of the tape guide 63 and immediately downstream thereof. A serrated garment seam divider 67 is provided, comprising a central dividing blade 68. As a garment seam is brought into the divider 67, the blade 68 separates the free outer edges 70 of the garment pieces 71 joined by the seam 69 and folds the free edges 70 against the pieces of clothing 71. The seam is then brought to the needles 64, at the same time as the ribbon 62, the seam 69 passing centrally between the needles and the ribbon 62 being sewn to the free edges 70, the pieces of clothing 71 covering the seam 69. It will be appreciated that the seam divider 67, advantageously, divides and flattens the seam 69 and that the guide 63 presents the ribbon 62 in correct alignment with the folded needle seam 64 for ensure the precise and rapid sewing of the ribbon 62 above the seam 69.

It will be appreciated that the guide 63 and the sewing divider 67 simplify the sewing operation by leaving the worker hands free to guide the pieces of clothing 71 towards the needles 64.

If we refer to Figures 12 to 14, we see that they represent an apparatus for another sewing station which comprises a sewing machine 75 provided with a needle 7. in this case, the apparatus; folding element 78 for a seam cover tape 79 supplied from a supply reel (which has not been shown in the drawing) to the folding element 78. A ribbon supply element 80 is mounted at an entrance of the folding element 78 and comprises a wire winding having a number of loops, in which the ribbon 79 is moved. Inside the folding element 78, each side of the ribbon 79 is folded inwards towards a median longitudinal axis of the ribbon 79 and is then folded again inwards towards the axis longitudinal median of the ribbon 79, to form a doubly folded ribbon, such as that which is represented at 82 (fig. 13). A garment seam (not shown) is inserted between the folded sides of the ribbon 79 before feeding the seam and needle tape 76 for sewing the ribbon 79 at the seam. In this way, reinforced sewing can advantageously be carried out very easily and quickly at the sewing station. A decorative lace strip 85 can also be laid at the place of sewing, the strip 85 being delivered by a strip supply element 86 having an outlet 87 in the vicinity of a folding element 78. In this way, as the folded ribbon 79 is cut from the folding element 78, the lace band 85 is inserted between the sides of the folded ribbon 79, with the seam of the garment, so that the lace band 85 advances towards the outside of the ribbon 79 when it is attached to the seam of the garment.

In this way a decorative lace trim can advantageously be incorporated very easily and quickly into the seam.

When the garments have passed through the various sewing stations required for making the garment, they are examined and the garments of suitable quality are then packaged.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments which have been described above, but it can include construction variants and modifications of detail.

Claims (9)

1. A method of manufacturing clothing comprising the operations indicated below: - mounting a sheet of cardboard on an anvil table of plastic material of a fabric cutting press; - feeding one or more strips of fabric from a roll or rolls of fabric; - formation of a number of layers of fabric superimposed from the strip or strips; - placing layers of fabric superimposed on the cardboard sheet; - Positioning of a material cutting die corresponding to a template on the upper face of the fabric layers, a blade or cutting blades of the matrix bearing on the material; - pressurizing the die towards the anvil through the layers of fabric for cutting pieces of clothing of a desired shape beforehand; - lifting of the matrix to separate it from the fabric and removal of the pieces of clothing formed from the cardboard sheet; - Stacking in packages of a number of the pieces of formed clothing, each package containing a predetermined number of pieces of formed clothing; - unstoppable tying of each pack of pieces of formed clothing; - gathering, in a container which collects them, of a predetermined number of packets of associated shaped pieces of clothing necessary for making a garment; - movement of the container in an orderly sequence around a certain number of sewing stations in turn; - execution of a sewing operation at each sewing station to gradually assemble by sewing a number of pieces of formed clothing associated with the sewing stations to make clothes and - examination and packaging of clothing. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the fabric is prepared for cutting - by feeding a wide strip of fabric from a roll by depositing a predetermined length of fabric from the strip on a table to form a base layer of fabric; - By pulling the strip of the roller and folding the fabric back and forth over the base layer of fabric a number of times chosen beforehand to form the superimposed layers of fabric; - by detaching the strip from an upper layer of the folded fabric, and - by stapling the fabric layers together along a periphery of the fabric layers to secure the fabric layers together securely. 3. Method according to claim 1 or 2 in which the fabric is prepared for cutting by feeding a number of strips of fabric from several rolls of fabric, by superimposing the strips to form the layers of superimposed fabric, and by aligning the strips in the overlapping layers of fabric. 4. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises the operation of applying an elastic border tape to a seam of each garment at a sewing station by carrying out the following operations: - carried out an elastic border tape of a feed roller; - Passage of the ribbon through a ribbon tensioning device comprising members for frictionally engaging the ribbon for the selective application of a desired tension beforehand to the ribbon as it is drawn from the tensioning device; - Passage of the ribbon through a ribbon folding element which folds the ribbon over itself in the direction of a median longitudinal axis of the ribbon; - feeding folded ribbon to a needle of a sewing machine; - insertion of a seam of a garment between the sides of the folded ribbon immediately upstream of the needle, and - sewing of the ribbon at the seam by stitching through the two sides of the ribbon and the seam of the garment inserted. 5. Method according to any one of the preceding claims comprising the operation of applying a seam cover tape to a seam of each garment at a sewing station by carrying out the following operations: - supplying the tape, cover seam a feed roller; - folding the ribbon on itself towards a median longitudinal axis of the ribbon; - supply of the folded ribbon to a needle of a sewing machine, - passage of the folded ribbon by a tape guide mounted in the vicinity of the needle and immediately upstream of the needle for the supply of the folded ribbon in correct alignment needle; brought from a seam of garment to the needle in alignment with the ribbon, and - sewing of the ribbon to the seam of the garment. 6. Method according to claim 5 characterized in that the ribbon is folded by folding on each side of the ribbon inwards towards a median longitudinal axis of the ribbon and by subsequent folding, again, of the ribbon inwards in the direction of a median longitudinal axis of the ribbon before the ribbon folded back to the needle of the sewing machine. 7. Method according to claim 6 characterized in that it also comprises the operation of simultaneously supplying a decorative strip of a needle feed roller and, before sewing the ribbon to sewing the garment , inserting the strip between the folded sides of the ribbon so that the band advances outside the ribbon, after fastening to the garment seam. 8. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises the operation of applying a seam cover tape to a seam of each garment at a sewing station by carrying out the operations indicated below. : - feed seam tape from a feed roller; passage of the tape through a tape guide; - supply of the tape guide tape with two associated needles, distant from each other, from a sewing machine, the needles being in the vicinity of the tape guide and immediately downstream of it? - Feeding the garment seam into a sewing divider comprising elements for separating the free outer ends of garment pieces joined by the seam and for folding the free edges flat against the garment pieces; - brought from the seam to the needles with the ribbon, passage of the seam between the needles, and sewing of the ribbon to the pieces of clothing by covering the seam. 9. Garment as produced by a process according to any of the preceding claims.