GB1460313A - - Google Patents

Abstract

1460313 Folding garments C ARBTER 8 March 1974 [15 June 1973] 10444/74 Heading B8C A device for folding garments includes a frame 4 around which a conveyer 21 having garment suspending clamps 22 runs. The garments are presented to a folding station comprising an arrangement of folding slides and folding plates 5-16 and a counterbearing plate 18 and after folding the garment is tipped into a take-off conveyer associated with fold retaining members for removal. The height of the conveyer 21 may be altered by motor driven screw threaded rods 26 and the frame 24 on which the conveyer is mounted may be moved bodily relative to the frame to alter the distance of the suspended article from the various folding elements. These adjustments enable the device to fold articles of varying sizes. The folding station includes a pair of longitudinal folding slides 5 and 6 and upper and lower transverse folding slides 10, 11 between which is located a counterbearing plate (18), these elements being located between the slides 5 and 6. Slides 10 and 11 and plate 18 are provided with vacuum apertures 13, 15, and 20 respectively, plate 18 is additionally provided with vertically running grooves 19, and slide 11 has a U-shaped cross-section the front wall of which is provided with vacuum apertures 15 and the rear wall of which is in the form of rods 16 slidable in the recesses of the counterbearing plate. Located in front of the transverse folding slides is a longitudinal folding plate 7 comprising a pair of movable apart parts 8 and 9. A transverse folding plate 12, movable from the side into a folding position over the plate 18 is also provided. In use, a garment suspended from clamp 22 hangs initially between the transverse folding slides and the counterbearing plate, which are in line with the longitudinal folding slides, and the parts 8 and 9 of the folding plate 7. Suction is applied to hold the garment against the slides and the plate to allow release of clamps 22. The parts 8 and 9 are then forwarded against the garment and the garment and the slides and plate moved in unison rearwardly, behind the plane of the slides 5 and 6 (see Fig. 6). These slides are then actuated to fold the longitudinal edges of the garment around the plate formed by parts 8 and 9. After this part 8 is lowered and the plate 12 moved across. The lower slide 11 is then forwarded and raised so that the front wall of it folds the lower part of the garment about the front side of the slide 12, the rods of the rear wall being accommodated during upward movement in the recess 19 of plate 18. Part 9 is then raised and slide 10 forwarded and lowered to fold the upper part of the garment over the plate 18 and the front wall of the lower slide 11. Finally the port 10 is withdrawn, as is the slide 12, the lower slide 11 is lowered away from plate 18 and pivoted about a shaft 17 to deposit the folded garment on to a a take-off conveyer.