GB2088425A - A device for smoothing the seams of stocking tips (toes) - Google Patents

Abstract

The device comprises a tubular stocking support 1 which has an orifice zone over which, in use, the stocking tip engages. The orifice zone is constituted by a sleeve 4 which is loaded by a compression spring 5 supported on a flange 3 which is secured to the support 1. The sleeve 4 is axially displaceable within the support 1 relative to the flange 3 and is provided with two or more apertures 6 which are uniformly distributed over the periphery of the sleeve 4. Pairs of spreading elements 8 which are in alignment with the apertures 6 serve to interconnect the sleeve 4 and the flange 3 and upon movement of the sleeve inwardly (as shown) are moved radially outwards through the apertures 6 to engage and stretch the stocking tip thereby smoothing the seam of the stocking tip. In use, the sleeve 4 is caused to be displaced against the force of the spring 5 by the tension in the stocking which is engaged by known clamping devices which are moved along the stocking support 1. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A device for smoothing the seams of stocking tips This invention relates to a device for smoothing the closure seams running along the so-called linking line of stocking tips (toes), and may be used as a separate device or in an assembly of devices, for example with known tip linking and stocking reversing devices.

Stocking tips closed by sewing machines and the like have, as is generally known, a very bulky seam, which leads, when the stockings are worn, to pressure points which are very unpleasant and cause pain in the area of the wearer's toes.

Flattening of the seam is carried out manually, in most cases as a separate operation, with a socalled bow plate, in which the stocking is applied to the bow plate in such a manner that the seam lies transverse to the longitudinal axis of the bow plate, the seam being drawn apart by simultaneous vigorous pulling of the stocking tip in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the bow plate.

Such manual smoothing of the seam is very force-intensive and requires positioning of the stocking, when it is drawn on to the bow plate, such that the seam contacts the flat side of the bow plate which has its end formed to correspond to the shape of a stocking tip. The whole operation requires a considerable amount of time.

In order to counter these drawbacks various mechanical devices have already been developed in which the smoothing of the seam is combined with the turning inside out of the stockings and /or with devices for closing the stocking tips. For example the German Offenlegungsschrift 2 328 831 discloses a seam smoothing device which is moved in a so-called reversing tube. A clamping device, consisting of a pair of arcuate, rubbercoated clamping jaws disposed at the side of the reversing tube and opposite one another, is moved pneumatically against the reversing tube, as a result of which the stocking disposed thereon is pressed against the tube and therefore retained.

The seam smoothing device is pushed out of the reversing tube, and the stocking is stretched in the wale direction as a result of pressure against the stocking tip and the end seam is stretched and thus smoothed out. After retraction of the seam smoothing device the clamping jaws are opened and the stocking is removed.

In a further device, generally known with the so-called sewing-reversing devices of the firm ULTRASONA, the stocking, which has been drawn on to a tube, is stretched by sliding clamping jaws.

After travelling a certain distance the clamping jaws reverse their direction of movement, as a result of which the stocking is moved back in the direction of the tube opening and removed through the tube.

Variations in circumference of the stocking caused by widely varying types of binding and design have different stretching effects on the stockings and lead to different directions of draw distributed along the length of the seam, so that the seam is not completely smoothed out.

In order to make the direction of draw, i.e.

transverse to the seam length, uniform along the entire length of the seam, extensions are provided in various ways on the tube openings of the known devices, for example by applying two oppositely disposed steel plates.

As, however, on one hand, the stocking circumference only rarely conforms exactly to the extended circumference of the tube and, on the other hand, it is only possible to bring the seam exactly into alignment with the plates with great outlay, even this improvement does not enable the complete smoothing out of the seam.

As in the case of the devices mentioned above, it is only the central portion of the seam which is drawn transverse to the seam direction and smoothed out, whilst the ends of the seam which may constitute up to a third of the total seam, length in accordance with size, design, types of binding, etc. are subjected to a decreasing stretching action as they move further from the centre or are not stretched at all and are not therefore smoothed out.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device which enables the seam of stocking tips to be uniformly stretched in the direction of the wale and therefore completely smoothed out, wherein variations in the circumference of the stocking resulting from knitting techniques do not have any disadvantageous effects on the finishing operation and wherein positioning of the stocking tip is no longer necessary.

Accordingly, the present invention consists in a device for smoothing the seam of stocking tips, comprising a tubular stocking support having an orifice zone over which, in use, the stocking tip engages and which is constituted by a sleeve which is spring-loaded on a flange mounted within said support and which is displaceable into the support relative to the flange, said sleeve being provided with two or more apertures, uniformly distributed over the periphery of the sleeve, and being connected to the flange via pairs of spreading elements which are movable radially outwards through said apertures to engage and stretch the stocking tip when the sleeve is caused to move against the spring force.The pairs of spreading elements are formed as hinged elements and are mounted to be movable outwards in a toggle joint manner on the flange and on the displaceable sleeve such that in the case of a varying bearing distance caused by the movement of the displaceable sleeve the hinges of the pair of elements achieve a maximum outward movement in the seam zone of the stocking.

The pairs of spreading elements which are uniformly distributed on the periphery of the sleeve and pivotally fastened to the flange and to the displaceable sleeve and vary in bearing distance when the displaceable sleeve is moved are, as a result of the sleeve retraction, pressed outwardly in a toggle joint manner through the apertures in the sleeve.

The arrangement of the invention ensures in the case of stockings, which are drawn on to generally known tubular constructed stocking supports and which are stretched by clamping and tensioning devices which are also generally known, that the seam of the stocking tip extending along the so-called linking line is uniformly stretched in the wale direction and is therefore completely smoothed out.

In this respect it is not necessary to position the stocking on the stocking support with respect to the position of the stocking tip seam and variations in the circumference of the stockings caused by technological conditions do not have any disadvantageous effect on the smoothing of the seam.

The invention is used in combination with a tubular stocking support as a separate smoothing device, but may also be used with the known tip closing and stocking reversing devices and provides a simple solution of an inexpensive nature for the long-standing problem which has not up to now been satisfactorily solved.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate diagrammatically and by way of example an embodiment thereof, and in which: Fig. 1 is a view of the orifice zone showing the arrangement and mounting of the pairs of spreading elements in the rest position, in section, Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 in the operating position, and Fig. 3 shows the sleeve with a possible arrangement of the apertures.

The device shown in Figs. 1 to 3 serves to smooth the stocking tip (toe) seam extending along the so-called linking line in the case of hosiery. It is advantageously used in combination with a generally known tubular stocking support 1, mounted at one end, and is rigidly connected to the support at the end opposite the mounting and forms its orifice zone 2.

A stocking the tip of which is to be smoothed is drawn over the orifice zone 2 on to the stocking support 1 and thus surrounds the latter.

The orifice zone 2 comprises a flange 3 which is rigidly connected to the stocking support 1 and a sleeve 4 which is mounted to be movable against a compression spring 5 on the flange 3. The periphery of the sleeve 4 has a plurality of uniformly distributed apertures 6 and the sleeve is provided with bearing points 7 for receiving pairs of elements 8 in alignment with the apertures 6.

Two elements 8' pivotally connected together at 9 in a manner of a hinge form a respective pair of elements 8. The flange 3, in a similar manner to the sleeve 4, also has bearing points 7 which act as the second bearings for the pairs of elements 8.

The pairs of elements 8 are mounted such that they are retained in extended condition in the apertures 6 in the rest position, lie with their inner surface on the flange 3 and, when the sleeve 4 is moved inwardly, are bent and therefore moved out through the apertures 6.

In order to smooth the stocking tip seam extending along the so-called linking line, the stocking is placed over the stocking support 1 and gripped and stretched by known clamping devices (not shown) which are moved along the stocking support 1. The longitudinal tensional force exerted on the stocking in this way acts via the stocking tips on the displaceably mounted sleeve 4 and moves the latter in the direction of stretching of the stocking. The movement of the sleeve 4 causes a movement of the pair of elements 8 as a result of which, owing to their rigid mounting in the flange 3, these elements bend outwardly through the apertures 6.

The stocking tip surrounding the sleeve 4 on all sides in a tight manner is thereby, in particular in the zone of the seam, stretched transversely to the seam extension as a result of which the seam is completely smoothed out.

The clamping devices are in this respect provided in an adjustable and reversible power driven manner in the direction of stretching by known means, so that a movement of the sleeve in the direction of stretching and consequently the reversing of the direction of movement of the clamping device only takes place after the previously set counter-force required for complete smoothing out of the seam has been overcome.

The compression spring 5 effects the retraction of the sleeve 4 and therefore also a retraction of the pairs of elements whereupon the removal of the stocking is effected.

Claims (4)

1. A device for smoothing the seam of stocking tips, comprising a tubular stocking support having an orifice zone over which, in use, the stocking tip engages and which is constituted by a sleeve which is spring-loaded on a flange mounted within said support and which is displaceable into the support relative to the flange, said sleeve being provided with two or more apertures, uniformly distributed over the periphery of the sleeve, and being connected to the flange via pairs of spreading elements which are movable radially outwards through said apertures to engage and stretch the stocking tip when the sleeve is caused to move against the spring force.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each pair of spreading elements is constructed as a hinge and is mounted with a varying bearing distance, in the case of movement of the displaceable sleeve, on the flange and on the displaceable sleeve.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pairs of spreading elements are so mounted in the end zone of the stocking support that the hinges of the pairs of elements have a maximum outward movement in the seam zone of the stocking.

4. A device for smoothing the seam of stocking tips, substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.