Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B63/00—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on articles or materials to be packaged
  • B65B63/04—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on articles or materials to be packaged for folding or winding articles, e.g. gloves or stockings
  • B65B63/045—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on articles or materials to be packaged for folding or winding articles, e.g. gloves or stockings for folding garments, e.g. stockings, shirts
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B25/00—Packaging other articles presenting special problems
  • B65B25/20—Packaging garments, e.g. socks, stockings, shirts

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a method for automatic folding stockings or tights, that can be used downstream of the machines for steaming and before the machines for final packaging.
• the method in particular, relates to a series of folding steps to obtain stockings or tights multiple folded, with interposition of a cardboard sheet, up to fold it into a rectangular pack with a paper sheet all around.
• the invention relates to an apparatus that carries out this method.
• the invention relates to the layout of a series of conveyors associated to a feeder of a cardboard sheet around which the stockings or tights are folded.
• a first conveyor belt located at the beginning normally, carries the articles, such as steamed stockings or tights, extending unfolded for all the length.
• the first conveyor belt is usually sloped downwards, since the steamed stockings are pulled from the above away from long vertical forms on which they are steamed and are then located at a top level above the machine.
• a second conveyor belt is located at the end of the first conveyor belt and is sloped upwards and next to it, so that the stockings continue their path along the same direction.
• the first conveyor belt is arranged with respect to the second conveyor belt to form a V - shaped cradle, at an angle of about 120°.
• the stockings have a first leaf on the first conveyor belt and a second leaf on the second conveyor belt.
• a cardboard sheets feeder located above the V-shaped cradle puts a cardboard sheet on the first leaf, so that an edge of the latter is located at the V.
• the second conveyor belt reverses the direction of movement so that it moves contrary to the direction of inlet.
• the two leaves, with in the middle the cardboard sheet are drawn by the V-portion of the cradle and, after being folded on each other, they move on a third conveyor belt, located underneath, which proceeds horizontally at the end of the first conveyor belt and along its same direction.
• a further folding station is provided, wherein the ends of the leaves that do not overlap the cardboard sheet are further folded together on the leaves of stockings that overlap the cardboard sheet, without folding the cardboard sheet same.
• the stockings are substantially folded into four leaves creating a rectangular package that is led to further conveyors, which comprise a device that couples the pack to a paper sheet coming from a feeder and that is folded all around the pack same. Then, always in line with the first, the third and fourth conveyor belts, the pack arrives by means of a further conveyor belt to an envelope machine.
• the drawback of such an automatic apparatus is that, except from the second conveyor belt, all the others are on a same line and are bulky. In particular, downstream of the steaming machine before the envelope machine a large area along a line must be available.
• a method for folding hosiery articles and the like, in particular stockings and tights comprises the steps of:
• the last folding step is carried out on a fourth and fifth conveyor belt located downstream of the third conveyor belt after the movement direction reversing step.
• the fourth and fifth conveyor belt move in the same direction opposite to the direction of inlet when the leaves of articles that enclose the cardboard sheet are on the fourth conveyor belt, whereas the ends of the first and second leaves same exceeding the cardboard sheet are on the fifth conveyor belt.
• the fourth conveyor belt then rotates with respect to the fifth conveyor belt that reverses the movement, whereby the pack is formed in a movement towards below between the fourth and fifth conveyor belt that are rotating opposite to each other and push the pack towards a point of overturning.
• the step of overturning is carried out through a sixth conveyor belt formed by two opposite and counter-rotating belts, that catch between them the pack and then rotate integrally up to aligning the pack to an outlet direction again in the same direction of the movement at inlet.
• the pack Before reaching the outlet, the pack is coupled to a paper sheet fed from below up to bringing its middle line to block the direction of outlet, whereby the pack, when proceeding along this direction pushed by a conveyor located at the outlet, causes the paper sheet to fold into two leaves that close the pack within them.
• the pack with paper sheet around it, then, is then located on an envelope machine .
• an apparatus for folding hosiery articles and the like, in particular stockings and tights comprises:
• first and second conveyor belts are arranged as a V-shaped cradle
• the station of last fold comprises a fourth and fifth conveyor belt following an end of the third conveyor belt and located under the first conveyor belt, means being provided for reversing the movement of the fifth conveyor belt and for rotating the fourth conveyor belt for folding further the article between them.
• Integrally to the fifth conveyor belt shielding means can be provided in order to make easier the folding step between the fourth and fifth conveyor belt.
• the means for overturning comprise a sixth conveyor formed by two opposite and counter-rotating belts, that catch between them the folded articles as a pack, means being provided for rotating the sixth conveyor about a central transversal axis for changing the trajectory of the pack and bringing it towards a conveyor located at the outlet.
• a preferred apparatus comprises: - a first portion for conveying the articles according to a direction of inlet towards a first folding point with interposition of a cardboard sheet;
• FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatical elevational view of the lay-out of the conveyors of an apparatus according to the invention for automatic folding stockings or tights ;
• FIG. 6 shows folded stockings with all around a paper sheet and with a cardboard sheet inside, as it results at the exit of the apparatus according to the invention.
• Description of a preferred embodiment In the figures the conveyor belts have been indicated diagrammatically with a cross section longitudinal view, without showing driving means, transmissions, frames, guides. It is clear that a man of the art, without any further search, is capable of making an apparatus according to the invention starting from such figures.
• the conveyor belt 1 is usually sloped downwards, and has an end la at the inlet that is located at the outlet of the stockings coming from a steaming machine, or at a station of manual feeding.
• a second conveyor belt 4 is located sloped upwards with respect to it and next to it so that the stockings 2 continue the path along the direction of inlet 3.
• First conveyor belt 1 at its end lb forms with second conveyor belt 3 at its end 4a a V-shaped cradle 5, at an angle of about 120°.
• a cardboard sheets feeder by means of suction elements 6, located above the cradle 5, is suitable for feeding sheets 7 on first conveyor belt 1, so that an edge thereof is located at the V of cradle 5.
• Second conveyor belt 4 can move both along direction 8, like conveyor belt 1, and in the opposite direction 9. Besides rotating the belt driven about its end 4b it can slightly rise with respect to a third conveyor belt 10, located under cradle 5 and that extends horizontally. Also third conveyor belt 10 can move horizontally according to direction 11 or according to opposite direction 12, in order to carry an article either towards its end 10a or towards its end 10b.
• Fourth conveyor belt 14 moves according to a direction 16 and can rotate according to arrow 17.
• Fifth conveyor belt 15, located just next to the fourth, can move horizontally according to either a direction 18 or an opposite direction 19.
• an overturning unit 20 is provided formed by a sixth conveyor with counter-rotating belts and capable of rotating integrally from a position substantially vertical aligned with the folding point formed between fourth and fifth conveyor belt 14 and 15 up to a substantially horizontal position. In this horizontal position, the overturning unit 20 is aligned with a seventh conveyor 30 formed also by a couple of counter-rotating belts. Under the seventh conveyor belt 30 a feeder 31 of paper sheets 32 is provided as well as an eight conveyor belt sloped upwards 33, suitable for carrying the sheets 31 at the exit of the seventh conveyor belt 30.
• dragging rollers 34 are provided located at the outlet of the article 40 folded as a pack.
• the first conveyor belt 1 sloped downwards carries the stockings 2 steamed and stretched for all the length, according to inlet direction 3.
• Second conveyor belt 4 moves according to direction 8 so that the stockings 2 continue in part a path sloped upwards in the same direction of inlet.
• the feeder 6 located above the V-shaped cradle 5 brings the cardboard sheet 7 on the leaf of the stockings 2 that is on first conveyor belt 1.
• second conveyor belt reverses the direction of movement according to direction 9 and the two leaves of the stockings 2, with in the middle the cardboard sheet 7, are caught by the V leaf of the cradle and, after being folded onto each other, they are moved by third conveyor belt 10.
• conveyor belt 2 rises slightly.
• the stockings 2 folded into two leaves on cardboard sheet 7 achieve the station of last fold by means of the fourth and fifth conveyor belts 14 and 15 that proceed respectively in the directions 16 and 18, always opposite to the direction 3 of inlet.
• the folded stockings 2 stop at a position wherein the leaves with cardboard sheet are located on fourth conveyor belt 14 whereas the leaves ends that are not overlapping the cardboard sheet are located on fifth conveyor belt 15.
• a shield 24 is lowered on the fifth conveyor belt 15 and at the same time the fourth conveyor belt 14 rotates according to arrow 17 for causing the leaves of stockings 2 with cardboard sheet to fold on those without cardboard sheet.
• Fourth conveyor belt 14 continues to rotate along direction 16, whereas the fifth conveyor belt 15 reverses its movement according to the direction 19, causing the stockings 2 to fold again and to form a pack that is caught by sixth conveyor belt 20, which is oriented towards below.
• sixth conveyor belt 20 then rotates overturning the pack formed by the stockings 2 around the cardboard sheet 7 so that it reaches the seventh conveyor belt 30.
• the pack Before reaching the outlet, at conveyor belt 30 (figure 5), the pack is coupled to paper sheet 32 fed from below by conveyor belt 33, on which it has been put by feeder 31.
• the paper sheet 32 is pushed by feeder 33 on a plate 35 up to bringing its middle line to block the direction of outlet of the stockings 2 by conveyor belt 30.
• the pack formed by the stockings 2 when proceeding along that direction causes paper sheet 32 to fold into two leaves and to close the pack within them, also owing to the preliminary rotation of plate 35 in the direction of arrow 36.
• the pack 40 (figure 6) that comprises the stockings 2 with paper sheet 32 around and the cardboard sheet 7 inside, then, is located on an envelope machine 38 by a loading 37 device (figure 5) .

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• 2000
  • 2000-03-24 IT IT2000PI000024A patent/IT1316382B1/it active
• 2001
  • 2001-03-26 EP EP01929455A patent/EP1268281B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2001-03-26 AU AU5622101A patent/AU5622101A/xx active Pending
  • 2001-03-26 AT AT01929455T patent/ATE266572T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2001-03-26 WO PCT/EP2001/003402 patent/WO2001070578A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 2001-03-26 DE DE60103265T patent/DE60103265D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime

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