US2532008A - Method of manufacturing hosiery - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 28, 1950 R. E. cLAussNER METHOD OF MANUFACTURING HOSIERY 5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Filed July 23, 1949 INVENTOR.

I ROBERT E. CLAUSSNER BY l ATTORNEY.

m lil w Nov. 28, 1950 Y R. E. cLAUssNER 2,532,008

T METHOD oF MANUFACTURING HosIERY Filed July 25, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. ROBERT E. CLAUSSNER El. c,

AT TOR NE Y.

Nov. 28, 1950 R. E. cLAussNER 2,532,008

METHOD oF MANUFACTURING HosIERY Filed July 2s, 1949 5 sheets-sheet s HN 4 yF163 /IO FIG. 4 INVENTOR.

ROBERT E. CLAUSSNER ATTORNEY.

Nov.l 28, 1950 R. E. cLAussNER y 2,532,008

METHOD 01?'l MANUFACTURING HOSIE'RY Filed July 23, 1949 y 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG]y INVENTOR. ROBERT E. CLAUSSNER ATTORNEY Nov.. 28, 1950 R. E. cLAUssNER METHOD OF MANUFACTURING HOSIERY 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 23, 1949 INVENTOR. ROB'ERT E. CLAUSSNER 'TTORNEY- Patented Nov.- 28, 1950 UNIT ED ISTAT ES PATENT GFF ICE vzgzniot ME'rHo oF MANUFACTURING iiosiiinf Robert "E. lalvssnen, Padil'eh, Ky., assigner to Unionspecial Mahine Companmihioago,flll.,

invention pertains to "the esito-f ma-nue 'ac'tu'r'ing stitched aticles,and'mo1e particularly 'to 'the' manufacture of `'hosiery 'from hosiery blanlrsby en iniprovedmethod of and sewing unit for facilitating Vtlie'liandling of suchblanks in the'cou'rseA of 'carrying out'successive operations ivith respect thereto.

tis believedl thatthenatureof the'present in- 'tentioii`will`be better understood 'by'rst outlining the4 mei-,nod employed in many mills today in'themanufacturelof hosiery. Accordingly, a brief` discussion of the most commonpresenteday method of manufacture follows.

' 'It hasheretoforebeen the'practice in' modern hosiery mills for itne *knitting machine operator to'piok'uphosiery'blanks prodncedby a knitting machine and tie them in bundles of onedozen pairs and deposit the bundles,usu`ally threeiin 'numbenin nylon ine'sh bags. The 'bags containing the blanks are trucked -to a stockroonitvhere the sto'clroorn '.gii'l transfers them to sto'ck bins. At this timetne 'stookroom` girl' checksA the nurn- .ber ,of bundles in each bag and th'eicontentsfof occasional tags Vselected vrat random, counting the rnumber oi stockings in each'loundle'oi 'such Yin .a'nt'iling'whichnaslong'teen recognizedasconib'ags' for the purpose' of "checking" the accuracy of ithe knitter who tiedthebiiiidles.

work is required inthelooper -depa-rtinent, gasup'ply ofbundles of blanks is transported from :the stockrooinV to'looper 'inachines'and deposited :there in bannierefromy which theyr are withdrawn Eby looper machine operators (hereinafter referred -to 'as lloopers") ,"asreuuired. A looperunties a Ibag, removes a bundle oi blanksfperforms ousitoniarylooperfoperations in the foot portion of :reach blank,'fo1ds the looped blanks, and returns them' to the bag -tvliinil'l is 'eventually'retied 4"The ietags are then returned tothe stoelfzrooin and fstoredtliere in bins until they are' needed forn the seeming' operation. Recoilnting "of the blanks -usiially'talres place at this time.

bag and' contents are next'taken to -seancing machin-e operators (hereinafter referredto as *seainers) 'who provide Jthe klong "seam in 'the root and leg portions and thenreturn the partialcompleted stockings in the bags to the'stook- 'room girl.

,Following seaming, Vthe `bundles of hosiery; are :ready for Greige inspection. The bags of Vseanied oundles `oi hosiery are oonveyed'to the iGreige inspection 'department andthered'epos'ited in loins. The Greige inspector (hereinafter Vrefered to as inspeot'ori lurl'ties a bag and removes one bundle of fliosiery at'atime, and inspectsthe eained 4hose *in the 'usual manner, segregating ifi fill

Vall-'nrst 'quality' products -'fronr'defe'c-tive products, "after 'Which-they narefagainplaced1in bags and retied. `Defective "hosiery is accumulated Kand taken i to jthe sea-mers *for reworking, after which theyare returned, re-sortedv andireexamined by the inspector. f-Theseihoseare next-reclassified as to quality. llBags of'nallyfinspectedvvzork'are thengatheredandlfirst quality productsare segregated from rreg u1ars, seconda etc. 'The hose are fthen conveyed -to thel dye yhouse stock room'where they are-stored untilY they a-reneeded for -the nextoperation, Awhich is fknown as the f Junn or preshrinking-operation. 'Y :It is vevident from the "foregoing that presentkclay 'practice requires Vrepeated 'placing and 'revmoving of bundles "of partly completed hosiery into i and Yfrom 'the nylon mesh bags, tying and uiitying tnebags, checkingnnd rechecking hosiery in individual. bundles, and moving "the bagsand jtneir'contentsitoandifromstockrooms,ftne looper vmachine department, tlije seaming machine departmentand'tne Grei'ge inspection'department, 'which 'generally occupy VVseparate and distinct areas in a mill. This necessitates `'considerable stitutingan important costfactor.

2"Further, thehosieryblanksfare generally subjected l'to undesirabe `Atwisting, wrinkling y`or crushing due to ltheir being-.placed andtransportedr in 'the mesh'bags; thereby-making itl more 'dilicult" for loopersfand* seanrers to "handle them. 'The'same istrue Whereboxes areemployedto transport bundlesohoseiirom one department ,to another. vTheuseof such'boxesis additionally' objectionable' in that i it Amay `4result *in snag rgingl ofhosiery.

"Another objection Vto conventional nietliods'is that' a seaniing f machine;v may *be outV of adjustmentforseveral days 4before hose having faulty Vv'Stearns resulting if therefrom 'f' are discovered upon examination'by'the inspector. This-may 'be very feostly as vmany dozens vvof hose will have been vimproperly -`sean1ed before inspection indicates that a particularseamingmachine is-out of 4 ad- `us'tment land 'necessary steps are talreni to reiadjustt-he machine.

ElieL method and :apparatus offthisk invention overcome-{the objections' out-lined above and" iatc'ilitatethe manufacture of'hosieryona mass production basis at a substantial-reduction"in'jcosts. It has i-been Yascertainedi-that by grouping certain apparatus in operating units, each unit i compris- -i'n'g a louper -mainline, va -'plurality *of f seami-ng machines and a Greige iinspection table, far 'ranged- Ain r`-predetermined -relationyan'di-by haning, wrinkling or crushing. This permits the stockroom girl to readily check the number of bundles supported by each C-frame and the number of blanks in any bundle without the necessity of handling the individual blanks.

A plurality of C-frames carrying bundles of hosiery blanks is supported on a truck which is rolled to an operating unit where the C-frames, and bundles suspended therefrom, are transferred as required to a supporting rack at the looper machine. The looper removes one bundle of blanks at a time from a C-frame, performs the customary looping operation on the toe and/or heel portion of each blank in the bundle and replaces the bundle on an empty C-frame. It is not necesary for the looper tountie the bundle in carrying out the looping operations.

The looping machine is positioned substantially equi-distantly from a plurality of seaming machines, preferably three. The operators of two of these machines may face in the same direction as the looper while the operator of the third seaming machine may be located rearwardly and to one side of the looping machine and so positioned that the operator thereof normally faces in a direction opposite to that of the looper and the rst mentioned pair of seamers. Substantially directly behind the looping machine is a Greige examining table so arranged that the inspector normally faces a direction opposite to that of the looper.

As work is required by individual seamers, the looper passes C-frames containing bundles of looped work directly to a particular seamer Without either operator leaving her seat. The seamer removes a bundle of Work received from the looper, unties the bundle, seams each blank in the bundle, then reties the hose in a bundle, and places the bundle on another C-frame. The C- frames containing seamed hose are passed by individual seamers to the inspector, as called for. The inspector removes the bundle of seamed hose and inspects the pieces of work in the usual manner. Inasmuch as the seamer passes her work directly to the inspector, and since the inspector keeps pace with the seamers in her unit, it is apparent that the inspector is able to promptly detect faulty seams resulting from a particular seeming machine in the unit being out of adjustment. This permits necessary steps to be taken to adjust the machine and, as a consequence, the number of defective hose is thus maintained at a minimum. Preferably each C-frame carries an identifying tag to indicate which of the three seaming machines of the unit performed the scaming operation on the blanks carried by the frame.

It is a principal object of the invention to effect substantial reductions in the handling of hosiery blanks in the course of converting the same into seamed hose.

Another object of the invention is to correlate,

4 facilitate and expedite looping, seaming, and Greige inspection operations in the manufacture of hosiery on a mass production basis.

Another object of the invention is to permit of prompt inspection of seamed hose, whereby the number of defectively seamed hose may be minimized. This also constitutes a distinct advantage because, by ,arranging for prompt inspection of the output of each seaming machine and identification of each stocking with a particular seaming machine, faulty seams due to misadjustment of a seaming machine are quickly detected. Necessary steps to adjust the machine may then be taken without delay and the number of defective hose is kept at a minimum.

Another object of the invention is to eliminate the possibility of hosiery blanks becoming twisted, wrinkled, crushed and/or snagged in the course of conversion into seamed hose.

A further object of the invention is to eifect savings in labor costs, permit of eiicient use of equipment and materials, and utilize working space to greater advantage than has been heretofore possible in the manufacture of hosiery.

The method of this invention eliminates the need for the nylon mesh bags in the handling of hosiery blanks from the time they leave the knitting machines. Such bags are relatively expensive in initial and upkeep costs and their elimination results in material economies.

The foregoing objects, together with additional objects, as well as the advantages attainable by the practice of this invention, will be readily understood by persons versed in the art upon reference to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a plan of a layout illustrating a recommended arrangement of apparatus embodying a plurality of operating units that may be advantageously employed in the practice of this invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view of one of the operating units shown in Figure 1 and illustrates some of the details of construction of individual pieces of apparatus.

Figure 3 is a plan View of a truck for transporting bundles of hosiery blanks from the knitting department to the looper-seamer department in a hosiery mill employing the invention.

Figure 4 is a view in side elevation of the truck shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view in end elevation of the truck depicted in Figures 3 and 4. Mounted on the truck is a C-frame from which is suspendedA a plurality of bundles of freely hanging hosiery blanks. It will be understood that a large number of such frames may be carried by the truck.

Figure 6 is an enlarged view of a rack adapted to be supported by a looper machine of the unit.

Figure 7 is an enlarged top plan View of one of the seaming machines shown in Figure 2, certain parts being omitted for better illustration.

Figure 8 is an elevational View of the searning machine shown in Figure '7.

Figure 9 is an enlarged View, partly in vertical central cross section and partly in elevation, of a stocking-suspending device employed in connection with the invention, the parts being shown in one relative position.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts amamos Y-thmnghoutitheriseveral L-views, fifa truck generally .tndica'ted-ibynumeral fl 0 :is adapted to transport bundles idf .fho'siery blanks y from .a knitting room a nnillidireotly `rto arl/ooper-seamer vdenartrnent lthe type indicated 2in the layout .fo'f Figure 11. The ltru'ckcomprises' a'skeleton base` Hzzincludlingastretcher i2 of angle iron yconstruction and .mounted'fon swivel casters I3. Extending up fromfbase VIl are four .inclined :tubular supp'cnts2 hi v'that are connected at their .upper endsftofa :channel crossv bar l5. .Projectinglatf 4orally fromfeachv side of cross 'bar lEis .a series of spaced rods aifwhich are :parallel to the -.plan-e tof baseert. The free yend of each rod '1.6 yis lupiturn'ed, 'as indicated at Il in lFiguref. A :C- iirem'e having ia Apair of hooks 21| iis adapted 'etodo'e :readily-:mounted onA and :subsequently re- :mnvedLfromi-each rod it. V.Hosiery blankswZ-Z are :rolled'and tied together at-their .upper or welt mnds'byisoft vicordswor fabric .strips .2.3 tto-obtain. fbundles ioff :blanks .24. AEach bundle preferably 'montains'two dozen blanks. .Eight vbundles'of ihlanksfare adapted `to fbe. suspended Von eachreframe'asshown iin Figure-'5, with `.the individual '-:hlardksfin leach bundle hanging freely.

-i-:Figure ludiscloses diagrammatically a;layout 'Lof a vs'ection of .a vcombined looper-Lseamer-in- "SpectionA department -in a mill land-'illustrates-fa plurality-of .operating units, namely,ive,.ia typifical operating unit layout -being'fshown in greater ifdietail'rinFigure .2. -Each `operating v.unit compnisesfaflooper machine L, Apreferably three :seamingxmac'hines S, and a Greige `inspection -table..l. Each loopen-in the vsection :is :provided with fa chair LC, .each .seaming machine with @a chair SC, and each Minspection .table f with .sa ch'airllC.

l Looper'lmachine L, seaming machines S, and vhinspectiontable I are-grouped to lobtain the larirangernent shown .in-.Figure 2. This grouping ffconstitutes one of the vfeatures-of -the invention and contributes materially to the 'attainment of the objects-of the invention. As will be observed 'an `examination of VFigure 2, the looper -machine is vpositionedsubstantially midwaybeitwe'enapair .of .the seaming machines, `and .the Loperatorsiof lthese machines, whenseated, norfnfally'rifac'e in the same direction. The third yseeming machine `is located Vrearwardly andto oneisideofthe loopers chair LC. The machines :and corresponding chairs vare so positioned with re'spect .to -Jeach other that the looper may pass @bundles-lof :hosiery blanks directly Vto any of the "seaniers,:fas indicated by arrows A, while these voperators freinain seated at their respective-.Ina-

chines. Inspection table -I is located adjacent Vthe third seaming machine and the 'inspectors xfhairf'IC fis `directly rearward of the `position thermally occupied by thelooper. This permits @ready-@passing of bundles of looped and seamed hosiery blanks by any of the seamers `directly to eithe inspector, .as indicated by arrows B.

v41.L=.ooper`machines L may Ybe of any desired Eknownzconstruction adapted to loop the toe Sewing Machine.

tire'fother :side of :the .arm A..li'acnrod-'.28 vnur' turned :at its .freeend 29; and .is 'adapted .to be engaged Vby :hooks 2i lif a ecorresponding-r- :trame 20. previously :loaded with `one or more bundles of ifreely hangingJ-hosiery blanks.

Reference is next had to .Figure f2, 7 andf for .an understandingof vthe construction oiseaming .machines S which are preferably identical. Each :seamingmachinecomprises-a base -30 that supports fa tubular :pedestal v3! on #which 'is mounteda vertically adjustable table 132. Posihtionedxon-the table and overhanging theforward edge thereof viswa cup feed seaming :machine 33 that .includes feed cups y3L! which are rotatable vabout"spaced-apart parallel lvertical axes. Ma chine .33 may 4be the same as Lor similar to. the sewing machine .disclosed in Rubel 'Patent 2,133,229, dated October ll, 1938,*entitled Sew- V`nglvl'aehine, to which-reference may -be had :for :further `details .of construction.

An electric transmitter35,gpreferably of the type illustrated anddescribed :in Le Vesconte et al. 'Patent 2,390,220, dated December 4,'1945, and entitled Sewing-Machine Drive, is mount- :ed :beneath the rearward portionof "table '32 .:Ma-

chine 33 is driven "by electric transmitter 3 5 `rthrough the intermediaryof a vV-belt t5 thatfis `partially `encased in a belt. guard 31.

A pair of foot treadles 39 and 40 is pivotally mounted in base Sii. VAnfadjustable rod means fll'l ioncontrolling theop'eration of `electr-ictrans- :.mitter '35 is conn'ec.ted=at.its lower end to'foot -treadle e@ land at its upper end -to the clutch -.operating-arm of the transmitter. A .flexible cable 42, coated with. a suitable plastic ymaterial, is connected at its lower end to treadlemil .fand-at :its upper xend to la' lever-43 which -coop- V.crateswithdevices (notfshown') :upon actuation :,ofltreadle All Ito-"effect separation of `Ifeed-cups .35i in the marmer .disclosed :in lfiacklander ,Pat- .ent2,043,749pdated June 9, v1936, and entitled Feeding Mechanism vfor Sewing Machines. .fkneefpress-padhfilivrdepends yfrom a bracketwli -thatf'i-s .attached toA pedestal f-.Bland is coupled .to a .chain, connector .d which; upon actuation :uitheflqneefpad coactswithother devices (not shown) toraisean uncurler-(not shown) which is. gprei'erably of'4 a type adapted `-to compensate Ttordoeavier reinforced portions of hosiery blanks, suche-s .thatdisclosed infKucer-a-Patent 2,292,762, .datedAugust 1-1, 1942, andY entitled Overedge 'I"able..}.%2v isV providedfwith. a Y,pair rofrintegral upwardly projecting bosses il andli .Apost .5:19, whichextends throughand V:beyond .boss-M and thetable, `is vertically adinstable.asaallowedbyxaset screw 5G Mounted .on .the :upper fend oi post-9 -is la conventional lthread sta-ndtri b(Figure 2 whichcarries a plurality ofnones of thread 52.

lflR'eferring-.nextto Figures V'I andV 8, arr-acl' vis provided vwhich. comprises a Istraight `lower. ytubvrular. .support 5tv and an fL-shaped f intermediate `tubular .support-l. Tubular supports .5.5 and ,151 .area'diustably secured to post E9 Vby screws .58 andi E'Sgfrespectively. 7Rack 5.5y also includesan ifand/0rheel portion 0f hosiery Ablanks and mayv '65 upstan'ding tubular Ypost et which carries ahori- 'be fthersame as or similar to the machinedisl:closed-Tin De Spain VPatent 2,050,563, dated vAu- 'Igust111,f1936, and Yentitled Looper; Secured itoand-'projecting laterally of' one side of Veach iloo'per .machine is a bar "5 thatcarries an-upstanding tubular post-23 provided with a'ltubuliar' horizontall arm 21 at its upper end (Figure 6).. *Tubular-arm ?21 supports parallel horizonetlrods 28,'t`wo`such rods projecting from one e y,Sitte offthearm'and .a third rod projecting ifrom .zontally arranged .tubular army .Si at .its .upper end.' Secured to and projecting laterally from tubular farrnlil is aplurality 'oi parallel 4horizonta1"rods62, each of 'iihich is upturnedatits free end .53. As .is shown in .Figure '7, a `pair of *rodsfzprojects Ifromone side 'of arm iti, while` tathird `rod'proje'cts v'from the other 'sideof the farm. l' Each rod62is-adaptedto*receive and'support ja C-:ErameV A2t "byfmeans uof -"the hooks'l #carried-mythe-latter trough 65, generally semi-circular in transverse cross section, is supported in a position intermediate feed cups 34 and the lap of the seamer, when seated at her machine S, by devices that will now be described. For this purpose, there is provided a pair of bent rods 65 and that are attached, by welding or the like, to the endporticns of the rear lip of the trough. The trough and its rods are preferably coated with a suitable plastic material to prevent snagging of looped blanks in the course of seaming the same. Rod SS is attached to a T-connector 68 by a screw 59, and the T-connector is, in turn, fastened to post lll by a Screw 'lu (Figure 8). Rod S1 is in like manner attached to a T-connector 'El by a screw (not shown). T-connector 'Il is secured to a post 'l2 by a screw 93. Post 12 is, in turn, held adjustably in the boss d by a set screw lll. This arrangement permits of ready vertical and horizontal adjustment of trough 65 with respect to machine 33.

An inclined tray 'i5 is attached to rod 55 by a bracket '56. As is best shown in Figure 7, the tray is conveniently located to one side of feed cups 3d so that the seamer may drape seamed hosiery blanks thereon. The tray is also preferably coated with a suitable plastic material to minimize the possibility of snagging. hosiery blanks.

The Greige inspection table I may be of any known construction and includes a hosiery iorm 'Il (Figure 2) which is disposed between the iront edge of the table and the inspectors chair, and is pivoted at 'I8 to an arm l. The form and its loI support may be of any of the well-known constructions.

A rack 8d, similar in a number of respects to the rack shown in Figure 6 and including horizontal rods 8i, is secured to one corner of the inspection table. Each rod 8l is adapted to receive a C-frame 2Q or a plurality of stockingsuspending devices Sil, which are best shown in Figure 9. Each device 82 includes a spindle 83 having a hook 8 at its upper end, a slotted tube concentric with the spindle, and a spring 86. The spindle carries a ring 81 that is provided with a series of needless 83, a stripping plate 89, and a needle-protecting shroud Sil that is slidable along tube 85. Each stocking-suspending device may be the same as or similar to the device disclosed in Dunn et al. Patent 2,340,520, dated February 1, 1944.

In the practice of this invention, hosiery blanks produced by a knitting machine are picked up at the knitting machine by the knitter and rolled at their upper or welt ends in bundles, preferably one dozen pairs of blanks to a bundle, each bundle is tied at its upper end by a strip of fabric 23', and suspended on a C-frame 29 by passing the loop of the cord or strip over the lower free arm of the frame. mcdates eight bundles of blanks. Loaded C-frames are placed on rods I6 of truck HJ so that the individual blanks in each bundle hang freely, thereby eliminating the possibility of their becoming crushed, twisted or wrinkled. A checker may easily and quickly count the number of bundles on a particular loaded C-frame and the number of blanks in each bundle without untying the bundles.

After the truck is loaded with from 208 to M6 dozen pairs of blanks, it is rolled from the knitting department into Vthe looper-seamer department, a section of which is shown in Figure 1. There, two loaded C-frames are suspended lfrom apair Each illustrated C-frame accom-v of rods 28 adjacent looper machine L. An empty' C-frame is mounted on the remaining rod 28.v The looper removes a bundle of blanks from a C-frame and loops the toe and/or heel portion of each blank in the bundle with the aid of looper machine L. The bundle remains tied during this procedure. Upon completion of the looping of all blanks in a bundle, the looper suspends the bundle of looped blanks on the empty C-frame with the blanks hanging freely The looper repeats this procedure for each bundle of blanks until eight bundles of looped blanks are placed on the previously empty C-frame.

As work is required by individual seamers, the looper hands a C-frame loaded with bundles of looped blanks to a seamer who places the frame on a rod 62 of rack 55. The seamer removes a bundle of blanks from rack 55, unties fabric strip 23, and deposits the` blanks along trough 65. She then takes one blank at a time and places seaming machine 33 in service, whereupon the blank is passed therethrough and seamed, from the tip of the toe to the top of the welt, along the bottom of the foot and up the back of the leg portion, in the conventional manner. Each looped and seamed blank is then draped over tray 'i5 adjacent the seeming machine 33. When all blanks in a, bundle have been seamed, the seamer collects them from tray l and reties them into a bundle at their upper ends by means of the strip of fabric. Bundles of looped and seamed hosiery are placed on another C-frame mounted on rack 55, and after that C-frame is filled, it is transferred to inspection table I where it s suspended on a rod 8l of rack Sil so that the individual blanks hang freely.

The inspector then unties a bundle of looped and seamed hosiery and inspects each piece of work on form Tl. The inspector classifies inspected products, segregating the products into first quality merchandise, seconda etc. First quality products are mounted on one of the suspending devices 8'2 which is supported on the arm Si of rack 8U. Devices 82, when loaded, are transferred to a rack R (Figure l) adjacent inspection table I. A number of the devices may, if desired, be temporarily suspended from the arm 8l of rack 80. Rack R may be of any suitable construction, preferably having arms with recesses or depressions adapted to receive and retain the hooks Sil of devices 82. When the rack becomes loaded, it is transferred to a cabinet where the hosiery is preset. This cabinet may suitably be of the type known as the Dunn cabinet, disclosed in the patent to Dunn 2,350,021, granted May 30, 1944:.

Inasmuch as an inspector handles work produced by the looping and seaming machines in her operating unit, and since the inspector is normally able to keep pace with merchandise produced by these machines, she can readily and quickly detect products that are defective due to faulty looping or seaming The inspector may bring these to the attention of the operator of the machine where the fault occurred, and if that machine is out of adjustment, necessary steps may be taken promptly to rectify the condition. This greatly minimizes the number of defective hose produced in the mill. Since each inspector is responsible for the output of only a. single looper, the source of looper defects is immediately identied. The inspector also will know from which seamer each C-frame is received and thus identify the source of defective seams. If desired, however, each C-frame may befproyided with a tagidentifyng'it-'with a parrticularfseamingf machine. and;` alsov a particularknittingi machine' tov facilitate; determination of the'- source lofgthe trouble.

Pieces of work that maybe defective in minor respects'. are transferred; tothe monding tableM (Fig-me 1') where-a mender makes thenecessary repairs.Y SuchA merchandise is; then returned to the inspection table; wherei it is re-examined ,and reclassified; It has been found-,that one-mender4 iscapable of repairing the' defective goods producedY by five ofl theA looping andr seaming. units:

sfr-that, asshown in Figure 1', only one menderia providedY for five such units.

From the foregoing, it is believed that the many advantages obtainable by the practice of the present invention will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the art. However, since certain changes may be made in carryingfcutthe above: method Without departing from the scope of" thev invention as defined by the appended operator may pass.A quantities of hosieryblanksA tol each seaming machine-operator While said operators are positioned at their respective machines, looping at least the toe portion of each blank in the bundle, said blanks remaining tied together during such looping, passing a bundle of looped blanks directly to any selected oneof the seeming machine operators, untying the bundleand seaming theblanks at the selectedfsearn ing machine, retying looped and seamed blanks int'o'aT bundle at theseaming'machine and sus pending the bundle adjacent' the seaming ma chine so that the individual looped and seamecl' blanks hang freely.

2.' Ina method of manufacturing hosiery the steps comprising tying predetermined numbersof hosieryblanks, produced" by a knitting machine, at their upper endstto obtain bundles of freely-hanging blanks, trans-porting said bundles directly to a' looper machine of? anl operating' unit that comprisesv said loopermachine and a` plurality vof seaming. machines so arranged with respect -to the looper machine that the looper machineoperator may pass quantities of hosiery blanks1 to each seaming'machine operator Whilev said operatorsare positioned at their respective machines; looping at least the teeI portionof each blank: in the bundle, saidfbl-anks remaining tied. together duringsuch looping; passing: a bundle'V of-A freely hanging looped-blanks. directly to' any selected onev of the seamingfmachine operators,

untying the bundleand seeming the blanks at..

thefA selected seaining. machine, retyingf looped and'seamed 'blanks into` a bundle at the searning machine and suspending the bundle adjacent the seaming machine so that the individual loopedl andlseamed-blanks Ihang freely.

32- In, a1 method of? manufacturing'hosiery the stepsr comprising'transportinga predetermined? number of hosiery blanks tied-togetlfier at their' upper ends toobtainfa bundleof-suchblanksto ai looperfmachine of an operating unitthat come prises saidlooperv machine, a plurality ofv sealn-` ing machinesv so arranged with respect to therv are positioned at their respective machines, andi:

aninspection table, looping the toe portion of` each blankin the; bundle, said blanks remaining tiedtogether during'the looping thereof, passing; the ,bundle oflooped blanks directly to anyselecteA ed `one of the seeming machine operators, unt-ying thebundlie and, seaming the blanks f at the,v selected seaming machine, retying-v looped, and; seam-ed blanks into a bundle at the seamingmaichine, and transferring the bundle of looped'anjd seamed blanks to theginspection table.

4: In: a.: method of manufacturing, hosiery the steps. comprisingtransporting bundles, of freelyn` hanging hosiery blanks tiedzat their upper ends., to a looper machine of an; operatingunit that comprises said looper., maclline, ay plurality of seeming; machines. so arranged W-ithrespeot to.L the looping machine that the looping, machine; operator may. pass bundles of hosiery blanks 150; the operator of any seeming machine, asv rer-` quired, While saidoperators arestationed at their. respective machines, and an inspection tabla. looping. each blank in each bundle, saidbundles remaining intact during such looping, passing.A

bundles of looped blanks from the looper maechine operator directly teoperators ci theseamf.- ing machines, as required, untying each bundle of'looped blanks at acorresponding seaming maa` chine, seaming'each looped blank in the'untied bundle, retying the loopedv and seamed blanks@ into a bundle at `the seamingfmachine, andtransn. ferr-ingthe f bundle: ofv looped and seamed blanks directly-from the seamingmachine to the inspece.V tion table.v

5. In al `method of manufacturing hosiery the,- steps comprisingtying predetermined numbers off hosiery blanks produced-by aknitting machine at. their upper'ends to obtain bundfes of such blau-11:53 transporting said bundles directly to -a looper-ma chine of an operating unit that comprises saith looper machine, a plurality'of seaming machines,` so arranged: with respect to the looper machine that the looper machineoperator may pass bun--v dIes of hosiery blanks to any seaming machine operator while said operators are stationed'Y attheir machines, and aninspectiontable; looping the foot portion of each blank in said bundles",` the bundles remaining tied during said' looping,l

passing bundles of looped blanks from thelooper" machine operator to seaming machine operatorsa as required, untying bundles of looped blanks at; the seaming machines, retying the looped and'.r

seamed blanks into bundles at theseamingma.- chines, and transferring bundles of looped andy seamed blanks directly to the inspection table.

6; In a method of manufacturing hosiery the stepscomprising tying rpredetermined numbers of hosiery blanks at their uppersendsto obtainxbun-.J

dles of such blanks, suspending the bundleson-i *fa support frame so thaty the blanks in each-bundle hang freely, transporting the. suspended bundles', toa looper machine ofk an. operatingV unitithat. comprises said looper machine anda plurality-of Y seaming machines so arranged with respectato the looper machine that the looper machine op* erator'may pass bundles of blanks to each seaming machine operator while said operatorsare' positioned at-their respective machines, loopingj atleastathe toe` portiony of each blanky ineach` bundle at'l the looper machine, said'blanks-'reel` maining tied together during such looping, suspending bundles of looped blanks on a support frame positioned adjacent the looper machine so that the individual looped blanks hang freely, passing bundles of suspended looped blanks from the looper machine operator directly to any selected one of the seaming machine operators, untying bundles of looped blanks and seaming the same at the selected seaming machine, retying looped and seamed blanks into bundles at the seaming machine and suspending such bundles on a support frame adjacent the seaming machine so that the looped and seamed blanks hang freely.

7. In a method of manufacturing hosiery the steps comprising tying predetermined numbers of hosiery blanks at their upper ends to obtain bundles of such blanks, suspending the bundles on a support frame so that the blanks in each bundle hang freely, transporting the suspended bundles to a looper machine of an operating unit that comprises said looper machine and a plurality of seaming machines so arranged With respect to the looper machine that the looper machine operator may pass bundles of blanks to each seaming machine operator while said operators are positioned at their respective machines, looping at least the toe portion of each blank in each bundle at the looper machine, said blanks remaining tied together during such looping, suspending bundles of looped blanks on a support frame positioned adjacent the looper machine so that the individual looped blanks hang freely, passing bundles of suspended looped blanks from the looper machine operator directly to any selected one of the seaming machine operators, untying a bundle of looped blanks at the selected seaming machine and placing the blanks in a trough positioned intermediate the seam-forming elements of the seaming machine and the lap of the operator when seated at that machine, seaming each looped blank, retying looped and seamed blanks into a bundle at the seaming machine and suspending the same on a support frame adjacent the seaming machine so that the looped and seamed blanks hang freely.

8. In a method of manufacturing hosiery the steps comprising tying predetermined numbers of hosiery blanks at their upper ends to obtain bundles of such blanks, suspending the bundles on a support frame so that the blanks in each bundle hang freely, transporting the suspended bundles to a looper machine of an operating unit that comprises said looper machine and a plurality of seaming machines so arranged with respect to the looper machine that the looper machine operator may pass bundles of blanks to each seaming machine operator While said operators are positioned at their respective machines, looping at least the toe portion of each blank in each bundle at the looper machine, said blanks remaining tied together during such looping, suspending bundles of looped blanks on a support frame positioned adjacent the looper machine so that the individual looped blanks hang freely, passing bundles of suspended looped blanks from the looper machine operator directly to any selected one of the seaming machine operators, untying a bundle of looped blanks at the selected seaming machine and placing the blanks in a trough positioned intermediate the seam-forming elements of the seaming machine and the lap of the operator when seated at that machina' seaming each blank, placing looped and seamed blanks on a tray that is positioned to one side of 12V the seaming machine, retying looped and seamed blanks into a bundle at the seaming machine and suspending the same on a support frame adjacent the seaming machine so that the looped and seamed blanks hang freely.

9. In a method of manufacturing hosiery the steps comprising tying predetermined numbers of hosiery blanks, produced by a knitting machine, at their upper ends to obtain bundles of such blanks, suspending the bundles on a support frame at the knitting machine so that the blanks in each bundle hang freely, transporting the suspended bundles directly to a looper machine of an operating unit that comprises said looper machine and a plurality of seaming machines so arranged with respect to the looper machine that the looper machine operator may pass bundles of blanks to each seaming machine operator while said operators are positioned at their respective machines, looping at least the toe portion of each blank in each bundle at the looper machine, said blanks remaining tied together during such looping, suspending bundles of looped blanks on a support frame positioned adjacent the looper machine so that the individual looped blanks hang freely, passing bundles of suspended looped blanks from the looper machine operator directly to any selected one of the seaming machine operators, untying a bundle of looped blanks at the selected seaming machine and placing the blanks in a trough positioned intermediate the seam-forming elements of the seaming machine and the lap of the operator when seated at that machine, seaming each blank, placing looped and seamed blanks on a tray that is positioned to one side of the seaming machine, retying looped and seamed blanks into a bundle at the seaming machine and suspending the same on a support frame adjacent the seaming machine so that the looped and seamed blanks hang freely.

10. In a method of manufacturing hosiery the steps comprising tying predetermined numbers of hosiery blanks at their upper ends to obtain bundles of such blanks, suspending the bundles on a support frame so that the blanks in each bundle hang freely, transporting the suspended bundles to a looper machine of an operating unit that comprises said looper machine, a plurality of seaming machines so arranged with respect to the looper machine that the looper machine operator may pass bundles of blanks to each seaming machine operator While said operators are positioned at their respective machines, and an inspection table, looping at least the toe portion of each blank in each bundle at the looper machine, said blanks remaining tied together during such looping, suspending bundles of looped blanks on a support frame positioned adjacent the looper machine so that the individual looped blanks hang freely, passing bundles of suspended looped blanks from the looper machine operator directly to any selected one of the seaming machine operators, untying bundles of looped blanks and seaming the same at the selected seaming machine, retying looped and seamed blanks into bundles at the seaming machine, suspending such bundles on a support frame adjacent the seaming machine so that the looped and seamed blanks hang freely, transferring bundles of suspended looped and seamed blanks directly to the inspec- 11. In a method of manufacturing hosiery the steps comprising tying predetermined numbers` of hosiery blanks at their upper ends to obtain bundles of such blanks, suspending the bundles on a support frame so that the blanks in each bundle hang freely, transporting the suspended bundles to a looper machine of an operating unit that comprises said looper machine, a plurality of seaming machines so arranged with respect to the looper machine that the looper machine operator may pass bundles of blanks to each seaming machine operator while said operators are positioned at their respective machines, and an inspection table, looping at least the toe portion of each blank in each bundle at the looper machine, said blanks remaining tied together during such looping, suspending bundles of looped blanks on a support frame positioned adjacent the looper machine so that the individual looped blanks hang freely, passing bundles of suspended looped blanks from the looper machine operator directly to any selected one of the seaming machine operators, untying bundles of looped blanks at the selected seaming machine and placing the blanks in a trough positioned intermediate the seam-forming elements of the seaming machine and the lap of the operator When seated at that machine, seaming each blank, retying looped and seamed blanks into bundles at the seaming machine, suspending the same on .a support frame adjacent the seaming machine so that the looped and seamed blanks hang freely, transferring bundles of suspended looped and seamed blanks directly to the inspection table, and suspending such bundles adjacent the inspection table so that the blanks in each bundle hang freely.

l2. In a method of manufacturing hosiery the steps comprising tying predetermined numbers of hosiery blanks at their upper ends to obtain bundles of such blanks, suspending the bundles on a support frame so that the blanks in each bundle hang freely, transporting the suspended bundles to a looper machine of an operating unit that comprises said looper machine, a plurality of seaming machines so arranged With respect to the looper machine that the looper machine operator may pass bundles of blanks to each seaming machine operator while said operators are positioned at their respective machines, and an inspection table, looping at least the toe portion of each blank in each bundle at the looper machine, said blanks remaining tied together during such looping, suspending bundles'of looped blanks on a support frame positioned adjacent the looper machine so that the individual looped blanks hang freely, passing bundles of rsuspended looped blanks from the looper machine operator directly to any selected one of the seaming machine operators, untying a bundle of looped blanks at the selected seaming machine and placing the blanks Cil in a trough positioned intermediate the seamforming elements of the seaming machine and the lap of the operator when seated at that machine, seaming each blank, placing looped and seamed blanks on a tray that is positioned to one side of the seaming machine, retying looped and seamed blanks into a bundle at the seaming machine, suspending the same on a support frame adjacent the seaming machine so that the looped and seamed blanks hang freely, transferring bundles of suspended looped and seamed blanks directly to the inspection table, and suspending such bundles adjacent the inspection table so that the blanks in each bundle hang freely.

13. In a method of manufacturing hosiery the steps comprising tying predetermined numbers of hosiery blanks, produced by a knitting machine, at their upper ends to obtain bundles of such blanks, suspending the bundles on a support frame at the knitting machine so that the blanks in each bundle hang freely, transporting the suspended bundles directly to a looper machine of an operating unit that comprises said looper machine, a plurality of seaming machines so arranged With respect to the looper machine that the looper machine operator may pass quantities of hosiery blanks to each seaming machine operator while said operators are positioned at their respective machines, and an inspection table, looping at least the toe portion of each blank in each bundle, at the looper machine, said blanks remaining tied together during such looping, suspending bundles of looped blanks on a support frame positioned adjacent the looper machine so that the individual looped blanks hang freely, passing bundles of suspended looped blanks from the looper machine operator directly to any selected one of the seaming machine operators, untying a bundle of looped blanks at the selected seaming machine and placing the blanks in a trough positioned intermediate the seam-forming elements of the seaming machine and the lap of the operator when seated at that machine, seaming each blank, placing looped and seamed blanks on a tray that is positioned to one side of the seaming machine, retying looped and seamed blanks into a bundle at the seaming machine, suspending the same on a support frame adjacent the seaming machine so that the looped and seamed blanks hang freely, transferring bundles of suspended looped and seamed blanks directly to the inspection table, and suspending such bundles adjacent the inspection table so that the blanks in each bundle hang freely.

ROBERT E. CLAUSSNER.

No references cited.

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