GB2214054A - Method and apparatus for inserting gussets into garments - Google Patents

Abstract

Full panel gussets are sewn into pantihose using a special support 20, Fig 5A over which the pantihose body 10 is drawn and held in a stretched-open state. The support has a base member 21 and two spaced-apart upstanding members 22, 23 pivoted upon the base member. Helped by an auxiliary clamp 30, the body 10 is stretched taut across the gap between the upstanding members 22, 23, Fig 5B and then a strip of pantihose fabric including part of the body seam 18 is removed by a hot wire cutter 35, thus forming edges to which a gusset will be sewn. The upstanding members are thereafter collapsed by pivoting them toward the base member to lay flat and clamp portions of the pantihose fabric bordering the edges 36, Fig 5C, and a piece of gusset material 38 is laid over the support 20, with its edges appropriately aligned with edges 36. The whole arm structure is then moved relative to a sewing machine (40, Figs 7A, 7B), using two linear motions and an intervening rotary motion to create a single continuous seam to form and join a U-shaped gusset into the pantihose body. <IMAGE>

Description

"METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INSERTING GUSSETS INTO GARMENTS" The present invention relates to seaming gussets into garments, and in particular into pantihose.

It is not uncommon for good quality pantihose to incorporate a sewn-in gusset or gore piece in the crotch area. Such gussets are made from knitted, woven, or even non-woven fabric, and serve to make the pantihose more comfortable to wear. Preferably the gusset fabric is made from natural fibre, e.g.

cotton, rather than synthetic fibre, for reasons of hygiene.

Automatic machinery has been proposed and marketed for inserting pantihose gussets. See patent specifications GB-B-2,001,238, GB-B-2,058,856 and US-A-4,220,104 for explanations of such exemplary machinery. Commercial machines corresponding to the disclosures contained in these patent specifications operate very successfully, but the size and shape of gusset which they can insert is limited.

The manufacture of a pantihose garment conventionally commences from a pair of identical knitted leg blanks, which are made on circular knitting machines. From the top end of each leg blank a slit is cut, the slit extending towards the foot for a distance governed by the desired depth of the pantihose body. The two cut edges of one leg blank are then married with the cut edges of the other leg blank and sewn together.

The resulting body seam runs down the middle of the front, through the crotch and up the middle of the back, starting and ending at a waistband formation at the top of the garment. Thereafter, the gusset is inserted automatically employing machinery as noted above. It will be recognised that the top parts of the original leg blanks, when joined in this way, form the body of the pantihose. It will further be recognised that this construction places a limitation on the body size, which is not wholly removed by the inherent elasticity of the knitted fabric. Pantihose made as described may be found wanting in comfort, especially by the larger woman. The body could be enlarged if the individual legs were made with increased stitches in the knitted rows approaching their top ends. In principle this might be feasible, but not in practice.Specially adapted and costly circular knitting machines would be needed.

To increase the girth of a pantihose body, the solution which is adopted involves the use of what is known as a full-panel gusset. Such a gusset is located in the crotch, as is usual, but is much longer than the normal gusset such as may be inserted using equipment as disclosed in the above-mentioned patent specifications. The full panel gusset extends up to the waisuband, and increases the body girth by an amount dependent on its width and elasticity.

In general, the incorporation of a full-panel gusset in a pantihose body is accomplished manually.

Production rates are lower, therefore, than desirable and the potential for spoiling the garments in their manufacture is undesirably great. These drawbacks inevitably are reflected in the retail cost of full-panel gussetted pantihose.

A proposal for automatic insertion of full panel gussets is to be found in US-A-4,524,705.

Gusset-inserting apparatus disclosed in this patent is relatively complex and is felt to be unsuited for incorporating in high productivity machinery such as demanded by the industry.

This invention, therefore, has aimed to develop a method of mechanising the installation of full-panel gussets, primarily in pantihose, but also in similar garments such as pants, and further to provide apparatus for performing the method.

The invention has also sought to devise an improved garment holder which can facilitate operations in the production of full-gussetted garments.

According to the present invention, there is provided a method of inserting a gusset into a garment, comprising the steps of mounting the garment in a stretched open condition on a collapsible support arm structure, as necessary severing the mounted garment to provide edges to which a gusset will be seamed, laying portions of the garment bordering the said edges in a flat state by collapsing the arm structure and clamping the said portions by means of the collapsed arm structure, juxtaposing gusset material with the flattened portions and thereafter effecting predetermined relative movement between the arm and a seamer to generate a seam joining a gusset piece along the said edges of the garment.

Depending on the garment, or at least its form when placed on the support arm structure, the edges to which the gusset will be seamed may already have been provided therein. Severing, e.g.

by cutting the mounted garment to create the edges will not then be necessary. When the garment is a pantihose, it will normally have been made up, by joining together two leg blanks, and will not have free edges at the time it is mounted on the support structure.

Also according to the present invention, in specific relation to pantihose production, there is provided a method of inserting an elongated gusset into a pantihose garment, comprising the steps of mounting the body of the pantihose garment in a stretched open condition on a collapsible support arm structure, severing the body of the mounted pantihose from a waistband thereof to at least its crotch to provide free edges to which an elongated gusset will be seamed, laying portions of pantihose fabric bordering the said edges in a flat state by collapsing the arm structure and clamping the said portions between confronting elements of the collapsed arm structure, juxtaposing gusset material with the flattened portions and thereafter effecting predetermined relative movement between the arm and a seamer to generate a seam joining an elongated gusset piece along the said edges of the pantihose body, whereby a gussetted pantihose is obtained in which the inserted gusset piece extends from the waistband at least as far as the crotch.

The severing step preferably involves the removal of a strip of fabric narrower than, but substantially as long as, the required gusset.

The strip removed from a pantihose garment will include a length of the body seam along which two leg blanks were joined to make the pantihose. A hot wire cutter shaped to the desired form of the strip of fabric may conveniently be employed for creating the edges to which the gusset material will be seamed.

A mechanical, e.g. rotary cutter could be employed instead.

A cutting and sewing machine can be employed for seaming the gusset in place.

The shape of the gusset in the finished garment will depend upon the relative movement between arm and seamer while the seam is generated.

Where an elongated gusset of U-shape is desired, the movement will for example comprise a first linear motion, a rotary motion (to form the "bottom" of the U-shape) and a second linear motion in substantially the same direction as the first motion.

Preferably, the support arm structure in its collapsed state has a shape - when viewed in plan which corresponds to the ultimately-produced gusset.

It will in most cases be smaller than the final gusset, to the extent necessary for proper operation of the seamer. Desirably, the size of the collapsed arm structure will match that of the desired final gusset as closely as possible, so as to support the portions of the garment bordering the aforesaid edges closely adjacent to the edges.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a garment support for a gussetinserting machine, comprising an elongate arm having a generally planar base member and two subsidiary members pivoted to one face of the base member, the two members being spaced apart and extending one alongside the other and, in a first position thereof the two members are upstanding from the base member to coact therewith for supporting a garment drawn onto the arm in a stretched open condition, the two members being pivotable into face-to-face positions with respect to the base member for clamping portions of the garment between themselves and the base member.

The invention further provides a machine for inserting a gusset into a garment, for example a pantihose garment, comprising a seamer, a support for the garment to receive a gusset, and means for effecting a predetermined relative movement between the support and the seamer in use while the seamer is operated to generate a seam about a gusset joining same to the garment, the support comprising an elongate arm having a generally planar base member and two subsidiary members pivoted to one face of the base member, the two members being spaced apart and extending one alongside the other and, in a first position thereof the two members are upstanding from the base member to coact therewith for supporting a garment drawn onto the arm in a stretched open condition, the two members being pivotable into face-to-face positions with respect to the base member for clamping portions of the garment between themselves and the base member, and for exposing to the action of the seamer edges of the garment with which, in use, a gusset material is juxtaposed for seaming.

A gusset inserting machine embodying the invention can comprise a plurality of support arms mounted on a carrier for movement in turn between a loading station and a seaming station; the carrier could be a turntable for example.

Another gusset inserting machine according to the invention can comprise two supports and one seamer; the supports will, in turn, be presented alternately to the operator's position for loading and to the seamer for seaming. Still another machine may comprise two separate supports and associated seamers; such a machine will have one support presented to the operator's position for loading while the other support is presented at its seamer's location for joining the gusset material to the garment mounted on that support, the supports thus alternating between their two respective positions.

The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a partial perspective view of a pantihose garment fitted with a gusset according to this invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective schematic illustration of a garment support according to this invention for use when inserting a gusset into the garment; Fig. 3 is an enlarged end view of the support shown in Fig. 2; Figs. 4A and 4B are enlarged illustrations of part of the support which is circled in Fig.

3; Figs. 5A, 5B and 5C are end views of the support shown in Figs. 2 and 3 at three stages in its operational usage; Figs. 6A, 6B and 6C are perspective views of the support, corresponding to Figs. 5A, 5B and 5C, Figs. 7A and 7B illustrate a seaming operation whereby a gusset is joined to a garment, using a first gusset inserting apparatus according to the invention; Fig. 8 illustrates a second gusset-inserting apparatus according to the invention; and Fig. 9 illustrates a third gusset-inserting apparatus according to the invention.

The accompanying drawings are generally schematic for simplicity and to facilitate an appreciation of the principles of the various aspects of this invention. Actual embodiments of the invention, although featuring the inventive principies herein disclose, may therefore differ quite substantially from what is shown in the drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals are employed for the same or equivalent parts.

The end product which the invention seeks to provide expeditiously is a garment furnished with an elongated gusset. Although not essentially limited to the production of gussetted pantihose, the main thrust of the invention is directed at pantihose manufacture. A gussetted pantihose as obtainable with the aid of this invention is shown in Fig. 1. Pantihose 10 is made in the conventional manner by joining together two legs 11 ("line closing") to form the body 12 of the garment, the body having a waistband 13 and crotch 14.

A full panel gusset 16, which is an elongated U-shape in the finished garment, is inserted into the body 12 inter alia to increase its girth.

The gusset 16 extends from the waistband 13 to at least the crotch 14, and preferably extends somewhat past the crotch as shown. A continuous seam 17 joins the gusset 16 to the body fabric; 18 is part of a body seam formed when line closing the legs 11 together to form the body 12 of the pantihose garment. Any of the usual gussetting materials can be used for the gusset and the invention, of course, is not limited to the use of any particular material.

By this invention, a gusset is inserted into a garment by a method comprising mounting the garment in a stretched open condition on a collapsible support arm structure and, as necessary, the mounted garment is severed to provide edges to which a gusset will be seamed. Portions of the garment bordering the said edges are then disposed in a flat state by collapsing the arm structure and are secured or clamped ready for gusset insertion by means of the collapsed arm structure. Thereafter, a piece of gusset material is juxtaposed with or laid over the flattened portions. Finally, by effecting a predetermined relative movement between the arm and a seamer, a seam is formed joining a gusset piece along the said edges of the garment.

Ordinarily, the garment when mounted on the collapsible support has no free edges to which the edges of the gusset piece can be joined, so such edges are formed after the garment has been mounted on the support.

When inserting an elongated gusset specifically into a pantihose garment, the pantihose legs 11 are first sucked into a suction chamber which retains them out of harm's way during the gussetting operation. The body of the pantihose garment is then placed in a stretched open, everted condition on the collapsible support arm structure, and is severed from waistband 13 to at least the crotch 14 to provide free edges to which the elongated gusset piece 16 will be seamed. Portions of the pantihose fabric bordering the said edges are disposed in a flat state, gusset material is juxtaposed with the flattened body and is seamed to the said edges as described in the last preceding paragraph.

For convenience, the following description refers to the insertion of gussets into pantihose.

Figs. 2 to 7 to be described exemplify apparatus the use of which facilitates the automatic performance of the method outlined above.

The severing step could simply comprise the making of a single slit or cut from waistband to crotch, but it is preferred that this step involves removal of a strip of garment fabric narrower than the required gusset, to ensure that a portion of the body seam 18 is removed before seaming. The strip can have a similar shape to the eventual gusset and can be removed using a hot wire cutter bent to the required shape, which is brought into contact with the pantihose while stretched open upon the support structure. It is preferred that the width of the strip is kept to a minimum, to maximise the fullness of the finally gussetted body.

The actual seaming of the gusset 16 and pantihose garment 10 is accomplished by relative movement between the support structure and the seamer. Either could be moved in a predetermined manner relative to the other, but it is preferred to move the support structure. The pattern of movement will be determined by the shape which the gusset 16 is to have. When the gusset is to have an elongated U-shape, the support structure will execute (i) a first, linear motion to seam along one side of the gusset from the waistband 13 (ii) a second, non-linear motion to seam about the end of the gusset adjacent the crotch 14 and (iii) a third, linear motion to seam along the other side of the gusset, back toward the waistband. The second motion can be arcuate (where a round-ended gusset is involved).Such an arcuate motion is readily obtained by swinging the support structure about an appropriately located axis.

If the gusset is to have parallel sides, then the first and second motions will be in the same direction; the motions wi'.l be in appropriately different, angularly-re3 aed directions where a tapered gusset is to be inserted. Conceivably, the first and third motions might be non-linear in some instances. To produce an elongated gusset having a V-shaped end, the first and third motions will be as described above. The second motion will include a first, generally linear movement leading to the apex of the V. At the apex, there will be an appropriate rotation followed by a second, generally linear movement leading away from the apex. It will be appreciated that the method enables a gusset to be joined to the pantihose body by a single continuous seam.

The collapsible support structure could take a variety of forms depending upon the designer's preferences. For example, it could have the form of two centrally-hinged flaps which, seen end on, present an "X" shape and which can be collapsed to a substantially planar form. When collapsed, portions of the pantihose would be clamped between opposite portions of the flaps located to either side of the hinge.

A presently preferred form of support structure is shown in the drawings and attention is directed now to Figs. 2 to 6. Here, the support structure is an elongate arm 20 comprising a generally planar base member 21 and two spaced-apart upstanding members 22, 23 mounted pivotally one alongside the other on the base member. Together with the base member 21 and, in this instance, a central element 24 depending from the latter, the upstanding members support the body 12 of a pantihose drawn over the arm 20 in a stretched open condition. As will be seen particularly from Figs. 2 and 6, the two members 22, 23 pivot on respective parallel axes 22', 23' which, like these members, extend in the lengthwise direction of the arm 20 and are located equidistantly either side of a lengthwise midline of the base member 21.The arm structure is collapsed using actuators such as camming means (not shown). Opposite pivotal movements of the two members 22, 23 collapse them into confronting face-to-face positions with respect to the underlying base member 21 for disposing and clamping portions of the garment in a flat state. The structure remains in the collapsed state during the actual gusset-inserting operation. The collapsed, clamping disposition of the members 22, 23 can be retained or achieved by spring pressure or by magnetic means, not shown.

Internally, each member 22, 23 desirably mounts movable impaling means 25 which can be caused to protrude through openings located in opposite faces of the member, for securing fabric against displacement on the arm 20. The impaling means, see Figs. 4A, LIB, are points or needles.

For example, and as shown in the illustrated embodiment, the impaling means comprise double-ended needles 26 mounted on pivoted arms. The impaling means are retracted inside the respective support members 22, 23 when the pantihose body is mounted on the arm 20.

To assist mounting the pantihose on the arm structure 20, a suction chamber, or a pair thereof, is associated with the arm. The suction chamber 28 is located beneath the base member 21 and serves to store the legs of the pantihose 10 out of harm's way during the gusset-inserting operation. Moreover, with the aid of the suction chamber, the body 10 can be readily everted in the course of drawing it over the arm 20. The body 10 is loaded onto the arm 20 when the two members 22, 23 are upstanding, as shown in Fig.

5. It will be seen that the body 10 is so mounted that its line closed body seam 18 is arranged in a vertical plane, with a portion of the seam disposed equidistantly between the members 22, 23.

Having thus mounted the body 1 on arm 20, auxiliary clamping means 30 are activated. The auxiliary clamping means 30 comprise a pair of elongate fingers 31 mounted on a movable carrier 32. By means of drive means, not shown, the carrier and fingers are moved in the direction arrowed in Fig. 5A toward the base member 21. The fingers 31 travel toward the base member 21 alongside respective opposite, outwardly-facing sides of the upstanding members 22, 23 to clamp pantihose fabric to the base member 21 adjacent respective pivots 22', 23' of the two members 22, 23. The motion of the clamping fingers 31 draws the alreadystretched pantihose fabric more tautly across the top edges of the upstanding members.

When the auxiliary clamping means 30 have thus clamped the fabric adjacent the pivots 22', 23', the respective impaling means 25 are caused by actuating means, not shown, to project from the members 22, 23, to penetrate the fabric and thereby positively secure it to these members.

Thereafter, the fabric stretched between the members 22, 23 is severed to produce fabric edges to which a gusset piece will be seamed.

Severing means 35 comprises a hot wire cutter configured, in this example, to detach from the pantihose body 10 a strip of fabric including part of the body seam 18. The cutter comprises a loop or 'U" of stiff, electrically heated resistance wire, which is moved into contact with the taut fabric as indicated in Fig. 5B. The strip of fabric removed by means of the cutter 35 extends from the waistband 13 at least as far as the crotch 14 of the pantihose body. It will be understood that the severing means 35 can take other forms as, for example, are known in the art for instance for slitting hose legs before line closing. Waste fabric detached from the body 10 by the severing means can be removed by suction as is known.

After severing the body 10, arm 20 is collapsed by pivoting the members 22, 23 in opposite directions toward the base member 21 until they confront the latter, when each coacts therewith to clamp two doubled layers of pantihose fabric securely in place. Portions of fabric bordering the edges 36 created by the severing means 35 are thus held in a flat state between the coacting members 21, 22 and 21, 23 with the edges exposed beyond the periphery of the collapsed arm structure 20. The impaling means 25 are thereafter retracted and caused to protrude from the respective other faces of the members 22, 23, which are now shown facing upwardly.

A piece of gusset material 38 is then juxtaposed appropriately with the clamped pantihose fabric. Gusset material 38 is laid over the arm structure 20 and is secured against displacement by the upwardly protruding impaling means seen in Fig. 5C.

Figs. 6A to 6C show the manipulation of the body 10 and the juxtaposition of the gusset 38 as described above in relation to Figs. 5A to 5C. It will be seen that the arm structure 20 is generally U-shaped in plan, as is the severed edges 36 of the pantihose body. The round-ended U-shape corresponds approximately to the form of the finished gusset when seamed into the body.

The gusset 38 in Fig. 6C is also shown to be Ushaped but it could be a rectangular strip of material since the preferred seaming operation includes a trimming operation.

The gusset material 38 can be delivered onto the arm structure 20 by hand or by an auto matic gusset dispenser such as is known in the art.

The actual fastening of the gusset 38 to the body 10, by joining its edges to edges 36, is performed by a seamer. This is preferably a cutting and sewing machine 40. The joining operation is illustrated in Figs. 7A and 7B. Central to the operation is a predetermined relative movement between the arm support structure 20 and the sewing machine 40. In the embodiments disclosed herein, the said structure 20 is moved, by drive means D, with respect to the stationary sewing machine 40. The movement comprises three phases.

The first phase is a linear motion of the arm structure 20 in its lengthwise direction. During this movement, the edge 36 and gusset 38 are moved under the sewing machine needle, starting at the waistband and proceeding towards the crotch. The gusset is thereby joined along one of its straight edges to the pantihose body. See Fig. 7A, where the movement is shown from A to B. The second phase is a rotary swinging of the arm structure 20 through 1800. During this movement, the gusset is joined about its round end to the pantihose body, in the vicinity of its crotch. The third phase is a linear motion from C to D, See Fig.

7B, in the same direction as the first phase movement. During this movement, the gusset is joined along its other straight edge to the pantihose body. The sewing machine 40, in combination with the movements of the arm structure 20, result in the gusset being joined by a single continuous seam to the pantihose body.

After the third phase motion is completed the support 20 is swung back through 1800 to the position indicated at A in Fig. 7A. After pulling the gussetted garment from the support, the entire process can be repeated for inserting a gusset into another garment.

Any convenient drive means D can be employed for moving the arm structure 20. Linear movements can, for instance, be attained by a driven pinion and a rack attached to the arm, by means of a lead screw or by other drive arrangements available to the art. The swinging movement can be accomplished by any convenient rotary drive element.

It will be understood from the foregoing that the equipment as described inserts a parallelsided, round-ended gusset into the pantihose body.

By varying the paths of movement in the first and third phases, gussets with non-parallel sides can be inserted. Of course, gussets having differently-shaped crotch ends, e.g. non-arcuate, can be inserted by appropriate design, construction and operation of the drive means D.

The position of the gusset end in the finished garment is dependent upon the manner in which the pantihose body is mounted on the arm structure 20. If the crotch 14 of the body 10 is aligned with the nose 41 of the arm structure, the gusset in the finished garment will terminate at the crotch. The gusset can be caused to terminate beyond the crotch 14, however, if the waistband portion on the top side of the arm structure 20 is positioned further from the nose 41 than the waistband portion on the bottom side of the arm structure. In other words, the garment is mounted with the crotch 14 itself disposed away from the nose 41 and on the top side of the structure 20, when the gusset in the finished garment will extend through the crotch and terminate beyond it. Markings on the arm structure 20 and/or the pantihose body may be provided to assist consistent mounting of the body, and hence consistent finished gussets.

Gusset-inserting machines embodying the invention can comprise one or more arm support structures. For example, one such machine will have two identical arm structures 20 mounted on a carriage so each can be located alternately at a loading station L and a seaming station S.

See Fig. 8. In this example, the arm structures 20 are mounted at the opposite ends of an elongated carriage 45 which can be rotated about a pivot 46 to offer each structure 20 in turn to the two stations. Auxiliary clamping means and severing means as described hereinbefore will be located at the loading station L. With this arrangement, one garment is loaded and prepared for gusset insertion at loading station L while another is being subjected to seaming at station S.

In a variant of the "double-headed" machine of Fig. 8, there will be two structures 20 each having an associated seamer. The respective structures 20 will be movable between loading stations L and seaming stations S. Their loading stations L will be adjacently located, to permit a single operator to load the respective structures 20.

The structures 20 will alternately be positioned at their loading and seaming stations so that while the operator loads a garment on one structure 20, the companion structure is at its seaming station for the garment thereon to have its gusset joined thereto.

Another embodiment is illustrated schematically in Fig. 9. In machine 50, there is a rotary turntable 51 mounting a multiplicity of identical arm support structures 20. As shown, the arm structures 20 are equispaced about the turntable 51.

There are six arm structures 20 in this embodiment, though there could be more or less than six. By rotation of the turntable, each arm structure is moved around a closed path to visit, in turn, each of a plurality of work stations. These include: (1) a loading station L whereat the garment body is placed upon arm structure 20; (2) a severing station C whereat the body is severed to provide edges to which a gusset will be seamed; (3) a clamping station Cl whereat the garment body portions bordering the said edges are laid flat and clamped; (4) a gusset dispensing station G whereat gusset material is deposited on the arm structure in operative juxtaposition to the garment body; (5) a seaming station including a cutting and sewing machine 40; and (6) an unloading or discharge station D.

A rotary gusset inserting machine 50 as exemplified in Fig. 9 places minimal demands on an operator loading the machine and can operate at high productivity rates.

If desired, machine 50 can be associated with automatic loading and unloading devices at stations L and D. Accordingly, the machine 50 can be integrated with another hosiery machine, or with a plurality of other hosiery machines.

The or each companion machine may perform a seaming operation such as toe closing or line closing.

Fig. 9 indicates machine 50 integrated with two other machines M1 and M2 via garment transfer devices T1 and T2 that perform appropriate garment loading, unloading and transfer functions. Machine M1 could be a line closer or a toe closer, and machine M2 could be a toe closer or line closer.

The integration of several hosiery processing machines including a gusset-inserting machine is disclosed in our EP-A-O 219 963 and corresponding U.S.S.N. 903,257 to which attention is hereby directed for further details.

Various modifications will occur to the addressee. For example, the confronting faces of members 20, 21 and 22 utilised for clamping the fabric can be furnished with a soft pad, e.g.

of sponge rubber, to assist clamping.

The gusset piece need not be held by impaling means; for instance, a clamping plate or pad could be used to hold it firmly on top of the support 20. Alternatively, the support 20 could be adapted to hold the gusset piece by suction.

As is known in the art, pneumatic means including air jets and/or suction pipes can be provided at the seamer 40 to ensure that the edges of the garment and the gusset are passed properly into the head of the seamer, and to remove waste trimmings.

Clearly, supports of different lengths and widths may be provided to suit gussets of different sizes.

If desired, a garment label can be sewn to the garment at the same time as the gusset is sewn in place. Such a label could be introduced and clamped with the garment body between the base member 21 and one or other of the other members 22, 23. Alternatively, it could be laid on the gusset piece as the latter is placed on the support 20.

Claims (36)

CLAIMS:

1. A method of inserting a gusset into a garment comprising the steps of mounting the garment in a stretched open condition on a collapsible support arm structure as necessary severing the mounted garment to provide edges to which a gusset will be seamed, laying portions of the garment bordering the said edges in a flat state by collapsing the arm structure and clamping the said portions by means of the collapsed arm structure, juxtaposing gusset material with the flattened portions and thereafter effecting predetermined relative movement between the arm and a seamer to generate a seam joining a gusset piece along the said edges of the garment.

2. A method of inserting an elongated gusset into a pantihose garment comprising the steps of mounting the body of the pantihose garment in a stretched open condition on a collapsible support arm structure, severing the body of the mounted pantihose from a waistband thereof to at least its crotch to provide free edges to which an elongated gusset will be seamed, laying portions of the pantihose fabric bordering the said edges in a flat state by collapsing the arm structure and clamping the said portions between confronting elements of the collapsed arm structure, juxtaposing gusset material with the flattened portions and thereafter effecting predetermined relative movement between the arm and a seamer to generate a seam joining an elongated gusset piece along the said edges of the parlsthose oody, whereby a gussetted pantihose is obtained in which the inserted gusset piece extends from the waistband at least as far as the crotch.

3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the severing step involves removal of a strip of garment fabric narrower than the required gusset.

4. A method according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the severing step comprises use of a hot wire cutter or a mechanical cutter, such as a rotary cutter, which is brought into contact with the garment while stretched open upon the support structure.

5. A method according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein, for inserting an elongated gusset, the relative movement between support structure and seamer includes a first linear motion for seaming along a first side of the gusset, a second motion for seaming along an end of the gusset and a third linear motion for seaming along a second side of the gusset.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the first and third motions are in the same direction, for seaming a parallel-sided gusset into the garment.

7. A method according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the second motion is arcuate for seaming around a curved end of the gusset.

8. A method according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the support structure is an elongate arm comprising a base member and two spaced-apart upstanding members mounted pivotally one alongside the other on the base member and, together with the latter, serving to support the garment in the stretched open condition, and the said structure is collapsed by opposite pivotal movements of the said two members into confronting face-to-face positions with respect to the base member for disposing and clamping the said portions of the garment in the flat state.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the gusset material is juxtaposed with the flattened portions by affixing the material upon the collapsed arm structure.

10. A method of inserting a gusset into a garment such as a pantihose, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. Garments such as pantihose having gussets inserted therein by the method claimed in any of claims 1 to 8.

12. A garment support for a gusset-inserting machine, comprising an elongate arm having a generally planar base member and two subsidiary members pivoted to one face of the base member, the two members being spaced apart and extending one alongside the other and, in a first position thereof the two members are upstanding from the base member to coact therewith for supporting a garment drawn onto the arm in a stretched open condition, the two members being pivotable into face-to-face positions with respect to the base member for clamping portions of the garment between themselves and the base member.

13. A support according to claim 12, wherein the arm viewed in plan has a generally U-shaped form when the said two members are in the face-toface positions with the base member, for use in a gusset-inserting machine adapted to insert U shaped gussets.

14. A support according to claim 12 or claim 13, in association with severing means operable for severing the fabric of a garment disposed in the stretched open condition on the support to establish edges for seaming to a gusset piece, the severing means being operative upon a portion of fabric stretched between the two upstanding members.

15. A support according to claim 14, wherein the severing means is a hot wire cutter which, for example, is adapted to remove a strip of fabric from the garment.

16. A support according to any of claims 12 to 15, in association with two fingers adapted to move toward the base member alongside respective opposite sides of the upstanding members, for clamping garment fabric to the base member adjacent respective pivot attachments of the two members before the latter are pivoted into their clamping positions.

17. A support according to any of claims 12 to 16, wherein the said two members each have retractable impaling means operable to penetrate adjacent portions of the garment and to secure same against displacement when the two members are pivoted into their clamping positions with respect to the base member.

18. A support according to any of claims 12 to 17, wherein the said two members each have impaling means engageable with a piece of gusset material, to secure the latter on the arm in a position juxtaposed witch the garment for seaming the gusset piece thereto.

19. A support according to any of claims 12 to 18, in association with a seamer and means for moving the support along a predetermined path of movement relative to the seamer, in use to enable the seamer to join a gusset piece to the garment by a single continuous seam.

20. A support according to claim 19, wherein the means to move the support is operative to displace it along the path by way of a first linear motion, then through a second motion, and thereafter through a second linear motion, the second motion for example comprising two angularly-related movements in use for producing a gusset having a generally V-shaped end.

21. A support according to claim 20, wherein the second motion comprises an arcuate swinging movement of the support, and the first and second linear motions are in substantially the same direction.

22. A garment support for a gusset inserting machine, substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

23. Use of a garment support according to any of claims 12 to 22 in the method claimed in any of claims 1 to 10.

24. A machine foi .setting a gusset into a garment, for example a pantihose garment, comprising a seamer, a support for the garment to receive a gusset, and means for effecting a predetermined relative movement between the support and the seamer in use while the seamer is operated to generate a seam about a gusset joining same to the garment, the support comprising an elongate arm having a generally planar base member and two subsidiary members pivoted to one face of the base member, the two members being spaced apart and extending one alongside the other and, in a first position thereof the two members are upstanding from the base member to coact therewith for supporting a garment drawn onto the arm in a stretched open condition, the two members being pivotable into face-to-face positions with respect to the base member for clamping portions of the garment between themselves and the base member, and for exposing to the action of the seamer, edges of the garment with which, in use, a gusset material is juxtaposed for seaming.

25. A machine according to claim 24, which is adapted to insert U-shaped gussets and wherein the arm viewed in plan has a generally U-shaped form when the said two members are in the face-toface positions with the base member.

26. A machine according to claim 24 or claim 25, further including severing means operable for severing the fabric of a garment disposed in the stretched open condition on the support to establish edges for seaming to a gusset piece, the severing means being operative upon a portion of fabric stretched between the two upstanding members.

27. A machine according to claim 26, wherein the severing means is a hot wire cutter which, for example, is adapted to remove a strip of fabric from the garment.

28. A machine according to any of claims 24 to 27, further including two fingers adapted to move toward the base member alongside respective opposite sides of the upstanding members, for clamping garment fabric to the base member adjacent respective pivot attachments of the two members before the latter are pivoted into their clamping positions.

29. A machine according to any of claims 24 to 28, wherein the said two members each have retractable impaling means operable to penetrate adjacent portions of the garment and to secure same against displacement when the two members are pivoted into their clamping positions with respect to the base member.

30. A machine according to any of claims 24 to 29, wherein the said two members each have impaling means engageable with a piece of gusset material, to secure the latter on the arm in a position juxtaposed with the garment for seaming the gusset piece thereto.

31. A machine according to any of claims 24 to 30, wherein movement effecting means are adapted to move the support along a predetermined path of movement relative to the seamer, in use to enable the seamer to join a gusset piece to the garment by a single continuous seam.

32. A machine according to claim 31, wherein the movement effecting means are operative to move the support along the path by way of a first linear motion, then through a second motion, and thereafter through a second linear motion.

33. A machine according to claim 32, wherein the second motion comprises an arcuate swinging movement of the support, and the first and second linear motions are in substantially the same direction.

34. A machine according to any of claims 24 to 33 which comprises a pair of identical garment supports and mounting means therefor, the mounting means being adapted to transfer each support in turn between a garment loading station and a seaming station including the said seamer, so that in use one garment can be loaded and prepared for gusset insertion at the loading station while another garment has a gusset inserted therein at the seaming station.

35. A machine according to any of claims 24 to 33, which comprises a severality of identical garment supports and means mounting them for movement around a closed path whereby each, in turn, visits a plurality of work stations, said stations including a loading station, a severing station, a gusset depositing station whereat a piece of gusset material is juxtaposed with the severed garment clamped by the support on which the garment is mounted, a seaming station whereat the gusset is joined to the garment, and a garment unloading station.

36. Gusset inserting machines substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.