GB2117809A

GB2117809A - Apparatus for folding clothing

Info

Publication number: GB2117809A
Application number: GB08307488A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Dieter Scholz
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-04-05
Filing date: 1983-03-18
Publication date: 1983-10-19
Also published as: JPS58185200A; GB8307488D0; GB2117809B; FR2524512B1; DE3212630A1; JPS6116200B2; DE3212630C2; FR2524512A1

Abstract

Apparatus for folding washed and smoothed clothing, particularly overalls, comprises an applicator plate and a folding device (13) facing one another in V-shaped manner. In order to eliminate free time on the part of the operator and to improve the efficiency of the apparatus, two applicator plates (11, 12) are arranged in the clothing application and supply area, which are alternately moved from the clothing feed point (A) positioned laterally of the folding device (13) into the V-shaped position opposite to the folding device (13) and from there are pivoted towards the folding device and back again into the V-shaped position, and are then subsequently moved back to the lateral clothing feed point (A). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for folding clothing This invention relates to apparatus for folding clothing, particularly overalls, in which an applicator plate and a folding device are arranged facing one another in V-shaped manner, the lower end of the applicator plate being mounted on a pivot pin and being mechanically pivotable about the latter towards and away from the folding device whilst also being displaceable parallel to the pivot pin between a position sideways of the folding device (clothing feed position) to a position facing the folding device and back again, whilst the folding device has folding members for the mechanical longitudinal and transverse folding of an article of clothing transferred by the applicator plate.

A known apparatus of this type as disclosed, for example, in German Auslegeschrift No. 1730656 is used in laundries for folding washed and smoothed clothing. The efficiency of the apparatus is lower in the clothing application and supply field than that of the operator, which is disadvantageous if the operator can carry out no other activity in his or her free time. The free time results from the fact that after applying an article of clothing to be folded to the applicator plate, e.g.

overalls and the following straightening thereof, the operator must wait until the applicator plate with the overalls is moved into the folding position, the overalls are transferred there to the folding device and the applicator plate has again returned to the clothing feed position.

The present invention aims to provide an apparatus for folding clothing in which the operator's "free time" is at least considerably reduced and simultaneously there is a significant improvement in the efficiency of the apparatus in the clothing application and supply field.

According to the invention, there is provided apparatus for folding clothing, particularly overalls, in which an applicator plate and a folding device are arranged facing one another in V-shaped manner, the lower end of the applicator plate being mounted on a pivot pin and being mechanically pivotable about the latter towards and away from the folding device whilst also being displaceable parallel to the pivot pin between a first position located to one side of the folding device and a second position facing the folding device, the folding device having folding members for the mechanical longitudinal and transverse folding of an article of clothing transferred by the applicator plate, wherein a second applicator plate is provided, the two applicator plates being alternately movable from a clothing feed point at said first position to the second position facing the folding device whereby when one of the applicator plates is at the first position the other is at the second position and vice versa, and when in said second position each applicator plate being pivotally movable towards and away from the folding device.

As a result of the construction of the apparatus according to the invention, the operator's free time is eliminated and the efficiency of the apparatus in the clothing application and supply field is considerably improved. This can be attributed to the fact that through the arrangement of two applicator plates and their alternate use, the mechanical and manual working times largely coincide.

Preferably, the applicator plates are displaceable by an electric motor, with the interposition of a linear chain drive guided at both ends about sprockets, parallel to the associated pivot pins. In a preferred arrangement one applicator plate is friction,ally connected to the upper run of the linear chain drive and the other applicator plate is frictionally connected to the lower run of said chain drive and the electric motor is capable of both clockwise and counterclockwise rotation. This arrangement provides an inexpensive, easy-maintenance and trouble-free drive for the alternating displacement of the two applicator plates from the lateral clothing feed point to the folding device and back again.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the applicator plates are transparent in the clothing application area and a lighting device is provided at said first position to illuminate the complete application area, said lighting device being located behind the applicator plate at said first position.

The arrangement of lighting means on the back of an applicator plate is known from German Patent Specification No. 362815 but not in conjunction with a transparent construction of the complete clothing feed area.

A coat hanger-like device of the kind disclosed in German Auslegeschrift No.2731172 which can be folded up and out and which serves to hold an article of clothing in a hanging manner may be positioned on the upper part of the front of each applicator plate.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which:~ Fig. 1 is a side view of one embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a rear view of part of the apparatus showing the drive means for the alternating displacement of the two applicator plates; and Fig. 4 shows the lower part of one of the applicator plates to a larger-scale and in more detail compared with Fig. 1.

The apparatus shown in the drawings comprises a frame 10, two applicator plates 1 1. 12 and a folding device 1 3. Each of the two applicator plates 11, 12 essentially comprises a rectangular tubular frame 14 arranged on a support 46 and over which is stretched a transparent cloth 15.A coat hanger-like device 1 6, which can be folded up and out for the hanging of an article of clothing (not shown) placed thereon is provided at the upper end of each applicator plate 1 1. 12. The lower ends of the applicator plates 1 1. 12 are mounted on pivot pins 17, 1 8 and can be pivoted about these towards and away from the folding device 13 whilst also being displaceable parallel to said pivot pins 17, 18. For the parallel displacement of the applicator plates 11, 12, guide rails 39 are provided, on which the plates 11, 12 are guided by means of their support 46 using runners 40, 41.The guide rails 39 are mounted by means of bearing brackets 42, 43 on the pivot pins 17. 18. Thus, the applicator plates 11, 12 are not directly mounted on the pivot pins 17. 18 and are instead mounted with the interposing of the support 46, guide rails 39 and bearing brackets 42, 43. In the present case, the pivot pins 1 7, 18 are constructed in two parts.

The applicator plates 1 1. 12 are pivoted by means of working cylinders 1 9, 20 (Figs. 2 and 4), whilst the displacement thereof takes place by means of a linear chain drive 21 guided at both ends around sprockets 24. 25. The working cylinders 1 9, 20 are articulated on the piston rod side to lever arms 44 of the bearing brackets 42. 43 (Fig. 4) and on the cylinder side to a bearing block 45 on the frame 10 (Fig. 2). The chain drive 21 is driven by means of an electric motor 27 which is arranged on a strut 26 on the frame 10 and which can be switched from clockwise to counterclockwise rotation.The sprocket 24 is arranged on the shaft journal of the electric motor 27 while the sprocket 25 is arranged on a shaft 28 which, in per se known manner, is mounted in not shown manner on the frame 10. The applicator plates 11, 12 are frictionally connected to the chain drive 21 by means of the driving webs 29, 30 arranged on said plates and driving straps 37, 38 arranged on the chain drive 21, in such a way that the driving webs 29, 30 are slidingly guided in the driving straps 37. 38 in the pivoting direction of the applicator plates 11, 12 (double arrow 47). The details of the mounting of the chain drive 21, pivot pins 17. 18 and working cylinders 19, 20 are not shown in the drawings, because they are known per se.

For the mechanical longitudinal and transverse folding of an article of clothing transferred to it by the applicator plates 11 or 12, the folding device 13 has so-called folding flaps 31 to 34 which are arranged and mounted on a frame 35 of the folding device 13. They can also be successively moved in per se known manner in the particular folding direction by not shown elements.

At the clothing feed point "A", a lighting device 36 illuminating the complete clothing feed area is arranged on the back of the transparent applicator plate 11 or 12. The transparency and illumination are such that, e.g. on placing overalls on the applicator plate 11 or 12, the operator can see whether the rear part of the overalls are correctly positioned or whether they have to be straightened.

The represented apparatus also has all the further per se known parts and devices required for operating the same and in particular an electro-pneumatic control device for controlling the pneumatic and electrical means thereof.

The apparatus operates in the following way.

An operator places the supplied and not shown article of clothing, e.g. overalls on the applicator plate 11 located in the clothing feed point "A" in such a way that said plate in its shoulder-neck area come to rest beneath the folded-together, coat hanger-like device 16. Immediately following this, the operator flaps up the two shoulder supports of the device 16 in such a way that the article of clothing is held by it, in the same way as by a normal coat hanger, which takes place very rapidly. The remainder of the article of clothing is then straightened by the operator on the applicator plate 11. The aforementioned construction and illumination of the complete clothing feed area of the applicator plate 11 is very advantageous in this respect.

At the end of the clothing application and straightening process, the operator operates a foot switch (not shown) of the electro-pneumatic control means, so that the applicator plate 11 with the article of clothing thereon is displaced firstly parallel to its pivot pin 17 into the V-shaped position opposite the folding device 13 and, when it reaches there, is pivoted about a pivot pin 17 in the direction of the folding device 1 3 in such a way that the applicator plate 11, whilst enclosing the article of clothing, rests on the front of the folding device 13 and can be received by the latter. Simultaneously with the lateral displacement of the applicator plate 11, the second applicator plate 12, which has previously been facing the folding device 13, is moved into the clothing feed point "A" as a result of the drive conditions described hereinbefore.The application of the next article of clothing to the second applicator plate 12 by the operator takes place during the time when the first applicator plate 11 is pivoted towards the folding device 13 and back again (double arrow 47). Tests have shown that the aforementioned manual and mechanical work times largely coincide, so that the operator has virtually no "free time".

The article of clothing supplied to the folding device 13 is held thereon by means of holding members, which are not shown in the drawings, and then after pivoting back the applicator plate 11 is fully automatically longitudinally and transversely folded by sequence-controlled movement of the folding flaps 31 to 34 in per se known manner. Immediately following the activation of the not shown holding members and prior to the pivoting back of the applicator plate 11, the coat hanger-like device 16, following a mechanical folding together of the shoulder pieces thereof, is mechanically extended upwards out of the article of clothing and following the pivoting of the applicator plate 11 is again returned to its basic position. The means for this are not shown in the drawings.

Claims

1. Apparatus for folding clothing, particularly overalls, in which an applicator plate and a folding device are arranged facing one another in Vshaped manner, the lower end of the applicator plate being mounted on a pivot pin and being mechanically pivotable about the latter towards and away from the folding device whilst also being displaceable parallel to the pivot pin between a first position located to one side of the folding device and a second position facing the folding device, the folding device having folding members for the mechanical longitudinal and transverse folding of an article of clothing transferred by the applicator plate, wherein a second applicator plate is provided, the two applicator plates being alternately movable from a clothing feed point at said first position to the second position facing the folding device whereby when one of the applicator plates is at the first position the other is at the second position and vice versa, and when in said second position each applicator plate being pivotally movable towards and away from the folding device.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the applicator plates are displaceable by an electric motor, with the interposition of a linear chain drive guided at both ends about sprockets, parallel to the associated pivot pins.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein one applicator plate is frictionally connected to the upper run of the linear chain drive and the other applicator plate is frictionally connected to the lower run of said chain drive and wherein the electric motor is capable of both clockwise and counterclockwise rotation.

4. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the applicator plates are transparent in the clothing application area and a lighting device is provided at said first position to illuminate the complete application area, said lighting device being located behind the applicator plate at said first position.

5. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein a coat hanger-like device which can be folded up and out and which serves to hold an article of clothing in a hanging manner is positioned on the upper part of the front of each applicator plate.

6. Apparatus for folding clothing substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.