GB1329853A - Manufacture of articles of a substantially sack-like or tubular structure - Google Patents

Abstract

1329853 Making pants E GROS 26 May 1971 [4 June 1970] 26997/70 Heading A3V Pants are made from folded plastics sheet material 19 by the apparatus shown which comprises support members 1 to 6 rotatable stepwise in a direction 8 about an axis 7 so as to bring a garment blank mounted on each to successive operating stations 10 to 13 where respectively elastic bands are applied to the leg openings, an elastic band is applied to the waist opening, the elastic bands are welded in place and the finished pants are pulled off the support member and are turned right side out in the process. The leading edges. 20 of each folded length of material are joined and a leg opening cut and subsequently welding and cutting at an edge 21 provides the side edges of each pair of pants while a triangular cut is also effected in front of station 9 to define the leg openings. Each support member as 6 comprises a dolly element 14 and clamping elements 15, 16, 16' biased so as to close the grooves 17, 18, 18' which house the elastic bands supplied at stations 10 and 11. At stations 10 and 11 the appropriate clamping elements are held apart from the dolly by a cam mechanism so as to receive the elastic bands which are enclosed in a fold of the pants material when the. clamping and dolly elements are subsequently allowed to approach each other under the action of springs and the neck of each enclosing fold is sealed by applying a high frequency electric supply between a live electrode on the clamp element and an earthed electrode on the dolly. A frame 22 is provided with metal fingers which are inserted between the waist of the pants and the dolly and are then withdrawn taking the pants with it while the retention of the leg portions on the dolly during this operation serves to turn the pants right side out. In alternative embodiments adhesives, heat sealing, ultrasonic or cold pressure welding may replace the high frequency method described and the pants may be removed from the support members by compressed air or by applying a vacuum. Suitable materials for the pants include polyvinylchloride, nylon, polyethylene, rayon, paper, woven, non-woven and knitted fabrics and the elastic bands are of rubber. The number of operating stations may be varied and more than one dolly may be used at each station or instead of the turntable device shown an endless conveyer can be used.