EP1404913B1

EP1404913B1 - Method and machine for treating textile articles

Info

Publication number: EP1404913B1
Application number: EP02726411A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Carmelo Angelo Cortese
Original assignee: Cortese SpA
Current assignee: Cortese SpA
Priority date: 2001-04-11
Filing date: 2002-04-10
Publication date: 2006-12-27
Anticipated expiration: 2022-04-10
Also published as: EP1404913A1; WO2002084012A1; ITBO20010214A1; ITBO20010214A0

Description

Technical Field

The following invention regards a method and a machine for treating textile articles, in particular women's stockings and the like.

Background Art

It is known that during production the abovementioned textile products undergo a thermal treatment in order to give them a permanent form. In order to perform this thermal process, the articles are fed onto and held taut by special shapes and then subject to a thermal treatment in, for example, special pressurised steam chambers. This thermal treatment gives the fabric a permanent form that permits them to adopt the desired shape.
Automatic machines currently used for treating these textile articles are composed of a turntable bearing such shapes, positioned around the edge of the turntable itself, which the articles are fed onto and by which they are held taut. The rotation of the turntable brings the articles fed on to the shapes inside a boarding chamber, which uses, for example, pressurised steam, and then inside at least one drying chamber. The articles are then removed from the boarding shapes and sent on to the subsequent packaging phases. Boarding shapes are usually solid shapes of a metallic material, most commonly aluminium.
As an example thereof the European patent n° 0 652 319 illustrates a machine for treating socks including a turntable on which multiple pairs of shapes are rigidly distributed peripherally. The turntable is suitable to be actuated stepwise in order to lead the socks through the loading, the treating and the removing station. As the shapes are attached rigidly to the turntable, the machine's function is considerably limited. In particular, this solution somewhat limits the number of shapes that can be used, in order to maintain the machine's dimensions within acceptable limits.
In such boarding machines, the time spent by the shapes inside the boarding chambers is usually limited. The time spent in the boarding chamber is in particular conditioned by the time required for the articles to be fed on to the shapes manually, which, in the case of the stockings, usually requires approximately 5 seconds. The time required to feed the stockings onto the shapes therefore affects the movement in step of the turntable.
In order to obtain the actual duration of the stocking boarding phase, one must subtract the time necessary for opening the boarding chamber, the subsequent introduction of the steam and the finale opening of the chamber from this interval. Therefore, the actual time that the shapes spend in the boarding chamber, in other words the time available for boarding the stockings is not usually more than 2 seconds.
Such a reduced boarding time is sufficient for treating normal quality stockings, however it is not suitable for the boarding of high quality stockings that are manufactured using thicker fibers and therefore require longer treatment times.
On the other hand, it goes without say that an increase in boarding time in the abovementioned machines would result in an unacceptable reduction in productivity.
In order to increase the duration of the thermal treatment on each shape the international application n° WO 96/19609 illustrates an apparatus for the steam fixing of stockings or similar articles, suitable to carry and move a plurality of shapes arranged in pairs, according to a ring path. The shapes, which are turned downwardly and are held upwardly by a pair of chains, are forwarded in a stepwise way into a fixing chamber defined by a straight case suitably fed with steam, inside which a plurality of shapes undergo the fixing treatment. This solution results rather complex in the structure of the fixing chamber as it requires sealing means and opening devices operated intermittently. Nevertheless a considerable waste of energy at the intermittent opening of the fixing chamber can't be prevented.
An alternative solution consists in the stockings to be treated being fed on to detachable supports that are slid, by means of towing devices on to guides attached to the fixed structure of the boarding machine.
This permits the availability of a series of shapes bearing stockings to be treated in a stack area upstream from a boarding station equipped with a large boarding chamber. This series of shapes is then transferred simultaneously from the stack area inside the boarding chamber, in order for the boarding treatment to be performed on the stockings, Once the thermal treatment has been completed, the abovementioned series of shapes is transferred simultaneously inside the drying chamber.
This solution has the advantage of ensuring a longer duration of the shapes inside the boarding chamber, in order to allow perfect boarding. However, it has the disadvantage that the larger dimensions of the boarding chamber require increased steam consumption, with a proportional increase in cost.
The use of a boarding chamber with large dimensions is also subject to the issuance of certain international certificates.
The fact that this kind of boarding machine usually requires more than one operator and therefore has high labour costs should also be considered.

Disclosure of Invention

The aim of the present invention is to resolve the abovementioned drawbacks by devising a method that permits adequate boarding of the textile articles, in particular ensuring an optimal duration of the shapes inside the boarding chamber.
A further aim of the invention is that of supplying a machine for treating textile articles with a simple design, reliable function and with versatile application.
The abovementioned objectives can be achieved by this present invention, using the method for treating textile articles according to claim 1.

Brief Description of Drawings

Description details of the invention shall be further evident in the illustrations of a preferred type of machine for treating textile articles, in the guideline drawings attached and wherein:

Figure 1 illustrates a horizontal view of a machine for treating textile articles using the method in object;
Figure 2 illustrates a section of a vertical transversal plane;
Figures 3 and 4 show a horizontal view and a vertical section of a shape support used by this machine;
Figure 5 shows a horizontal view of an alternative layout of the device in object;
Figure 6 illustrates a horizontal view of an alternative layout for the machine in object;
Figure 7 illustrates a perspective view of a support used in this machine.

Modes for Carrying out the Invention

With reference to such figures, 1 refers to the machine for treating textile articles such as women's stockings and the like. The textile articles are fed on to the relevant shapes 2. The treating machine transports the shapes 2 along a polygonal pathway, which has a rectangular profile, as shown in figure 1.
Along said polygonal pathway, a series of supports 10 are individually brought into step with at least one shape 2. The supports 10 of the shapes 2 are composed of an elongated metal plate 14, which presents longitudinal sides parallel to the vertical assembly plane of the shape 2 and transversal heads 14a for example with a circular profile (see figs. 3 and 4). The plate 14 is assembled on an identically shaped base 15, manufactured for example in wood, by means of which the support 10 slides along the device's platform 5. In a known way the supports 10 can take pairs of shapes 2 which the stockings will be fed on to, to the loading station C.
The supports 10 are guided along each stretch of the polygonal pathway by guides 3 composed of special section bars fixed to the platform 5 in pairs, one behind another in order to engage the said longitudinal sides of the plates 14.
Support towing devices operate on each stretch of the polygonal pathway to be covered together with the supports 10 composed of transversal pushers 21, of which only one example is shown in fig. 1 and 5, linked to conveyors 20, for example with toothed belts, that are enabled in step, with alternating motions, by special motors.
In effect the supports 10 are brought into step, one after another and in reciprocal contact with the said circular profile heads 14a, along the first stretch of the polygonal pathway to be covered, with the shapes 2 positioned parallel to one another on vertical transversal planes to the direction of movement Loading station C, where the textile articles are fed on to the shapes 2, is positioned along this first stretch of the polygonal pathway. The textile articles can be fed onto the shapes 2 either manually or automatically by a loading robot
The shapes 2 advance in step, conducted by the sliding supports 10 on the platform 5 and are guided by the guides 3 in the direction shown by arrow B, until the end of the abovementioned first stretch of the polygonal pathway. At the end of this first stretch, the supports 10 are transferred onto the second stretch of the polygonal pathway, perpendicular to the first, with the shapes 2 positioned on a vertically parallel plane to the direction of movement. With this configuration, the shapes 2 engage station F in which the thermal treatment required for boarding textile articles takes place, for example inside a pressurized steam boarding chamber.
In particular, this invention features a multiple boarding thermal treatment station F positioned along the second stretch of the polygonal pathway, at a right angle to the first stretch along which the abovementioned loading station C is positioned. The multiple boarding thermal treatment station F consists of a series of boarding chambers 8, positioned parallel to one another, each of which is suitable to receive at least one shape 2, for example a pair of shapes 2 . In the case illustrated for example, the multiple boarding thermal treatment station F has three boarding chambers 8.
In effect, the movement in step of the supports 10 along the polygonal pathway positions the relative shapes 2, which the stockings to be treated were fed on to in the loading station C, opposite the abovementioned boarding chambers 8, along the first stretch of the polygonal pathway, The supports 10 of the shapes 2 are then moved simultaneously in a transversal direction, on to the second stretch of the polygonal pathway, in order for the shapes 2 to be introduced into the boarding chambers 8.
Once the thermal treatment has been performed, the boarding chambers 8 are opened and the shapes 2 are transferred simultaneously onto the third stretch of the polygonal pathway, parallel to the first stretch. Along the third stretch of the polygonal pathway a drying chamber A, for example the airflow type, is situated, inside which the shapes 2 are transferred in step.
When discharged from drying chamber A, the supports 10 of the shapes 2 are once more transferred in a perpendicular direction, one after another, along the fourth stretch of the polygonal pathway to reach the starting station of the first stretch of the pathway. At this station, indicated by the letter E, the textile articles are removed from the shapes 2 by known removal devices.
Fig. 5 illustrates an alternative machine layout, which permits the supports to rotate through a right angle, in order to align the shapes 2 in a longitudinal direction to the preset stretch of the polygonal pathway. This rotation comes about thanks to a circular swiveling plate 6, level with the machine's platform 5. The swiveling plate 6 bears a pair of slats, not shown, that guide the supports 10 and form a continuation of the guides 3. In the solution shown, the supports 10 move along the first stretch of the polygonal pathway, to the loading station C, one behind the other along the longitudinal sides of the plates 14. The supports 10 are then transferred, one behind the other, onto the second stretch of the polygonal pathway, following a perpendicular course to the previous one, with the shapes vertically parallel to the direction of movement.
At the end of the second stretch of the polygonal pathway, the abovementioned 90° rotation of the supports 10 takes place, by means of the swiveling plate 6, in order to align the shapes 2 longitudinally in relation to the direction of the third stretch of the polygonal pathway. The abovementioned multiple boarding thermal treatment station F is positioned along this third stretch of the polygonal pathway and in this case is composed of a series of boarding chambers 8, each of which will receive for example a pair of shapes 2 taken by each support 10. In the case shown, the multiple boarding thermal treatment station F has three boarding chambers 8.
A series of supports 10, equal in number to the boarding chambers 8 in the multiple boarding thermal treatment station F, is stacked upstream from the boarding station F, along the abovementioned third stretch of the polygonal pathway. These supports 10 are then transferred simultaneously in a longitudinal direction in order to engage the respective boarding chambers 8, in order to subject the textile articles to the thermal treatment.
Once the thermal treatment is completed, the boarding chambers 8 are opened and the abovementioned supports 10 bearing the treated textile articles are simultaneously transferred in a longitudinal direction, in such a way that the boarding chambers 8 can receive the next batch of shapes 2 on the supports 10. The supports 10 bearing the treated textile articles are then simultaneously transferred in a perpendicular direction along a fourth stretch of the polygonal pathway, in order that the textile articles may be subject to the drying phase in drying chamber A.
It is possible to introduce several batches of shapes 2 on supports 10, positioned side by side along the longitudinal sides, into drying chamber A. The supports 10 maintain their previous position, and therefore remain perpendicular to the direction of movement through drying chamber A. This consents the stacking of a large number of shapes inside drying chamber A, with a consequential considerable increase in the time the shapes 2 pass in drying chamber A.
Once they have been discharged from drying chamber A, once more the supports 10 are rotated through 90° by a second swiveling plate, in order to align the shapes 2 longitudinally in relation to the direction of movement The supports 10 are extracted from drying chamber A individually, in a transverse direction to the direction of movement inside drying chamber A. The supports 10 are then taken back to the first stretch of the polygonal pathway, at the start of which the treated articles are removed from the shapes 2 in the extraction station E.
Fig. 6 shows an alternative layout for the machine in object, constituted by a fixed structure defining a rectangular pathway, along which the supports 10 bearing respective shapes 2 are guided.
As shown in fig. 7, the supports 10 of the shapes 2 are composed of a rectangular metallic plate 14 mounted on sliding blocks 15 that should preferably be manufactured in a plastic material with a low friction coefficient, positioned on the corners of the plate 14.
Due to the presence of the sliding blocks 15, each support 10 slides along the machine's platform 5. In the case illustrated, the supports 10 carry respective shapes 2 for the stockings to be fed on to, mounted on half-moon shaped connectors 12.
The supports 10 are guided along each stretch of the polygonal pathway by guides 3 composed of special section bars fixed to the platform 5 in pairs, in order to form a type of rail that is engaged by the abovementioned sliding blocks 15 of the plates 14. The sliding blocks 15 consent the supports 10 to slide along two perpendicular directions.
Transversal pushers 21 for moving the supports 10 are positioned on each stretch of the polygonal pathway to be followed. The transversal pushers 21 are connected to conveyors 20 by a slider 22, for example of the type with a toothed belt, enabled with an alternating motion by special motors.
For optimal use, the machine should be linked up to an automatic loading device 4 for feeding the stockings on to the shapes 2.
The automatic loading device 4 is composed of a turntable 40 that rotates on a vertical axis and holds a number of loading shapes 41 positioned around its outer edge, which the stockings will be fed on to. If possible, the turntable 40 should be fitted with four pairs of loading shapes 41, positioned at regular intervals. In short, the pairs of loading shapes 41 are positioned around the edge of the turntable 40 at an angle of 90° from one another.
The loading shapes 41 rotate with relation to one another at a hinge, between a retracted position, in which the shapes 41 protrude on the same vertical plane at the stocking loading station C, and a reciprocally approached position, in which the shapes 2 lie on parallel planes in transfer station T for transferring the articles on to the shapes 2 of the treating machine.
The loading device 4 is connected to an oscillating arm 9, by means of which it is possible to rotate the device to a rest position, should manual stocking loading onto the boarding shapes 2 be required.
In actual fact, the supports 10 are moved in step by a first pusher 21 along a first stretch of the polygonal pathway, with the boarding shapes 2 positioned vertically parallel to one another on transverse planes to the direction of movement. Transfer station T, where the stockings are fed on to the shapes 2, is positioned along the first stretch of the polygonal pathway. Inside transfer station T the stockings are fed on to the shapes 2 automatically by the loading device 4.
The boarding shapes 2 progress in step, carried by the supports 10 that slide on the platform 5 and are guided by the guides 3, in the direction indicated by arrow B, as far as the end of the abovementioned first stretch of the polygonal pathway. At the end of said first stretch the supports 10 are transferred in step by a second pusher 21 in a perpendicular direction to the previous one, along the second stretch of the polygonal pathway, with the shapes 2 positioned on a vertical plane parallel to the direction of movement. In this configuration, the shapes 2 engage the multiple boarding thermal treatment station F in which the thermal treatment is performed on the textile articles inside the pressurized steam boarding chambers 8.
Where possible, the multiple boarding thermal treatment station F should be composed of two boarding chambers 8, positioned one next to another, each of which receives a pair of shapes 2. The movement of the supports 10 brings two pairs of shapes 2 to a stack in front of the boarding chambers 8. The supports 10 of these shapes 2 simultaneously transfer the shapes 2 inside the boarding chambers 8.
Once the thermal treatment has been completed, the two boarding chambers 8 are opened and the two pairs of boarding shapes 2 are simultaneously transferred inside drying chamber A, at the start of the third stretch of the polygonal pathway. The plates 14 of the supports 10 have an inclined upper surface, between a pair of lateral panels, in order to drain the condensation produced during the boarding phase.
Inside drying chamber A, the shapes 2 are moved in step on to two rows positioned side by side, by a third pusher 21.
At the end of the third stretch of the polygonal pathway, the supports 10 of the shapes 2 are once more transferred by a fourth pusher 21 in a perpendicular direction, one behind another, along a fourth stretch of the polygonal pathway. On leaving drying chamber A the shapes 2 come to station E in which known extraction devices remove the stockings from the shapes 2.
The method described achieves the desired objective of boarding women's stockings and the like, whilst considerably limiting the device's dimensions. In particular, the method for treating described ensures an optimal duration of the shapes in the boarding and drying chambers, thus permitting the production of better quality textile articles.
One advantage of the machine is that this result can be achieved using an extremely simply manufactured machine that is easy to use and extremely versatile in its application.
Materials adopted for the actual realization of the invention, as well as their shapes and sizes, can be various, depending on the requirements.
Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the scope of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

A method for treating textile articles, in a treating machine comprising a fixed structure at which a series of shapes (2) is carried and moved in an intermittent way, a loading station (C) in which the textile articles to be treated are fed on to said shapes (2), and an extraction station (E) where said textile articles are removed from said shapes (2), characterized in that it comprises the steps of:
(a). introducing, in said loading station (C), said textile articles on to shapes (2) mounted on supports (10) that are slid by guides (3) attached to a fixed structure;

(b). transporting said supports (10) along a polygonal pathway defined by said guides (3) attached to said fixed structure, by means of transversal pushers (21) attached to conveyors (20) operated in alternative motion on each linear stretch of said polygonal pathway;

(c). positioning a batch of shapes (2) mounted on said supports (10), in a stack area upstream a multiple boarding thermal treatment station (F), positioned along a stretch of said polygonal pathway;

(d). simultaneously transferring said batch of shapes (2) mounted on said supports (10) along a stretch of said polygonal pathway, in order to bring said shapes (2) inside said multiple boarding thermal treatment station (F) so that the textile articles are subjected to a thermal treatment;

(e). once the thermal treatment has been completed, simultaneously transferring said batch of shapes (2) mounted on said supports (10) on to a subsequent stretch of said polygonal pathway, in order for said textile articles to undergo a drying phase in a drying chamber (A) inside which said supports (10) of the shapes (2) are placed one behind the other;

(f). removing, in said extraction station (E), the treated textile articles from the shapes (2).
Method according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises the step of positioning said shapes (2) parallel to one another, perpendicular to the direction of movement of said supports (10), along at least a first stretch of the polygonal pathway on which the said textile articles to be treated are fed onto said shapes (2).
Machine for treating textile articles, comprising a fixed structure at which a series of shapes (2) is carried and moved in an intermittent way, a loading station (C) in which the textile articles to be treated are fed on to said shapes (2), and an extraction station (E) where said textile articles are removed from said shapes (2), characterized in that it comprises a polygonal pathway defined by guides (3) attached to said fixed structure; supports (10) on which said shapes (2) are mounted and which slide on said guides (3) along said polygonal pathway; transversal pushers (21) attached to conveyors (20) and which are operated in alternative motion on each linear stretch of said polygonal pathway; a multiple boarding thermal treatment station (F), positioned along a stretch of said polygonal pathway to simultaneously receive a batch of shapes (2) mounted on said supports (10); a drying station (A) situated along a stretch of said polygonal pathway, into which said batch of shapes (2) is stacked following discharge from said multiple boarding thermal treatment station (F).
Machine according to claim 3, characterized by the fact that said multiple boarding thermal treatment station (F) comprises a series of boarding chambers (8).
Machine according to claim 3, characterized by the fact that said transversal pushers (21) connected to said conveyors (20) are kept in step by relative motors.
Machine according to claim 3, characterized in that it comprises an automatic loading device (4) for loading said textile articles on to said shapes (2), composed of a turntable (40) bearing a number of pairs of loading shapes (41) positioned around the edge and rotating in relation to one another between a retracted position, in which the loading shapes (41) protrude on the same vertical plane in said station (C) for loading and checking textile articles, and a position of reciprocal approach on parallel planes in a transfer station (T) on to said shapes (2), said turntable (40) being jog rotating in step equal to the angular distance between said loading shapes (41) in order to carry the same loading shapes (41) in succession to the loading station (C) and said transfer station (T).
Machine according to claim 3, characterized in that said supports (10) of the shapes (2) are composed of a plate (14) mounted on sliding blocks (15), positioned under said plate (14) to engage the guides (3) attached to a platform (5) of said fixed structure.
Machine according to claim 7, characterized in that said guides (3) are composed of section bars attached in pairs to said platform (5) of said fixed structure, in order to create a sort of rail for said sliding blocks (15) of said supports (10).
Machine according to claim 7, characterized in that said plate (14) has an inclined upper surface, between two lateral panels, in order to allow lateral drainage of the condensation produced in the boarding thermal treatment phase.
Machine according to claim 3, characterized in that said multiple boarding thermal treatment station (F) is positioned along a stretch of said polygonal pathway parallel to a first stretch of said polygonal pathway along which said loading station (C) is positioned.