US2989178A - Hosiery package, and method and apparatus for producing the same - Google Patents

Description

June 20, 1961 E. w. PARKER, JR

HOSIERY PACKAGE, AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING THE SAME Filed Oct. 24. 1956 FIG.

INVENTOR E. w. PARKE R,JR.

United States Patent Filed Oct. 24, 1956, Ser. No. 618,112 Claims. (Cl. 206'79) This invention relates to a novel hosiery package and also to a novel method for packaging articles in pairs as '(vivell as to apparatus whereby such packages can be prouced.

. One field wherein the invention has particular utility is in connection with the packaging of so-called stretc hosiery where, by reason of the unusual nature of the material from which such hosiery are produced, permanent characteristics of elasticity are obtained and such hosiery maybe stressed to unusual limits and will return to normal predetermined size and shape. However, the invention is not limited to this particular field and may be employed with equal facility in connection with other articles of wearing apparel, or the like where, by reason of the inherent characteristics of the item, packaging in a flat state, whether folded or unfolded, is desirable.

Hosiery, generally, is packaged in a flat state. With respect to stretch hosiery, it has been found desirable to package such items in a flat and slightly stressed condition. Modern packaging methods include two forms of such packaging which may be said to. be in relatively widespread use. Each of such forms contemplates the use of comparatively rigid inserts of a size slightly larger than that of the hosiery whereby a flat package in slightly stressed condition is produced.

In one of these forms, each sock or stocking is stressed upon a separate insert and pairs are then secured together. In the other form the first sock is stressed upon a single insert and the second sock is then separately stressed to a slightly greater degree so as to envelop the first sock and insert contained therein. Thus, both socks of a pair are packaged in stressed condition upon a single insert. In both forms of packaging, which, as stated hereabove, are typical of present day commercial practices, the stressed socks with inserts are then folded along a median line so as to reduce the length of the completed package.

The commercial advantages where a single insert is employed, reference being had to space and weight consider-ations, are too obvious to require discussion and it is with a novel form of such packaging that we here are concerned.

Accordingly, it is a major purpose of the present invention to provide a novel package for a complementary pair of articles, such as hosiery or the like, whereby both socks of a pair will be packagedin flat condition, one'within the other, and a single insert will be provided whereby only the outermost sock of the pair will be in stressed condition.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel method of packaging whereby the novel package described hereabove may be produced rapidly and economically without any requirement for skilled labor.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide novel apparatus whereby the instant process maybe carried out.

Further objects of the invention will .be apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Patented June 20, 1961 scale taken on the line 3--3 of FIG. 1, the layers of material being spaced slightly for purposes of clarity;

FIG. 4, a transverse sectional view, similar to FIG. 3, taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5, a diagrammatic elevation of novel apparatus for producing the present package, illustrating the initial position thereof;

FIG. 6, a diagrammatic view similar to FIG. 5, illustrating the first sock in position;

FIG. 7, a view similar to FIG. 6 illustrating the next position of the apparatus with a sock insert partially positioned;

FIG. 8, a view similar to FIG. 7, illustrating the second sock in stressed condition surrounding both insert and first sock;

FIG. 9, a detail sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 10, a detail sectional view taken on the line 10- 10 of FIG. 5.

Briefly stated, the novel package of the present invention comprises a first sock which, if desired, may be provided with a thin flexible insert such as tissue paper or the like, and a second or mating sock mounted in slightly stressed condition upon a rigid insert, the first sock being arranged or disposed within the second sock in flat condition and in superposed relationship with respect to the rigid insert.

Such a hosiery package is illustrated particularly in FIG. 2 of the drawing where the package 10 comprises a first sock 11 disposed in flattened and extended condition with a tissue paper or similar insert 12, the sock 10 being superposed upon a rigid insert 13 of cardboard or the like. The second sock 14 in slightly stressed condition surrounds the insert 12, fitting snugly thereupon, and envelops the first sock and tissue paper insert thus providing a neat, fiat package of pleasing appearance.

If desired, the package thus described may be folded along a transverse median line whereby the toe port-ion is brought into proximity with the open upper extremity and the usual paper rider 15 or the like may be employed to retain the hosiery package in folded condition as illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawing. If desired, an additional paper enclosure, bearing suitable advertising matter, may be employed as indicated at 16 to embrace the folded heel portion of the hosiery and thereby provide a more attractive finished package.

The insert 13 may he formed from suitably relatively st-ifi and light-weight cardboard, or the like, and possesses a conformation resembling that of an extended foot, as well known in this art. Where this insert is provided with a rounded extension intended to accommodate the heel LFIG. 1 .is a plan view-of a pairv of socks packaged in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2, a perspective view of the pair of socks of FIG. 1, prior to the folding thereof along a transverse median line, parts being broken away;

FIG. 3, a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged of the socks, care is exercised in placing the sock upon the insert to provide for proper relationship. However, such an extension is not essential and hosiery may be packaged satisfactorily in accordance with the present method by locating the sock heel centrally of the longitudinal edges of the insert.

Desirably the insert 13 is provided with a transverse and centrally located score line 17 to assist in the ready folding of the sock package to provide the finished article.

There has been illustrated in FIGS. 5 through 10 of the drawing a simple form of apparatus for producing the novel package of the present invention and the steps attendant to the use thereof will be described in detail hereafter. Y 1' Desirably, such apparatus includes a, frame element I20. having a fixed bracket indicated at 21 and having a con formation complementary to and slightly greater than that of the insert 12. The fixed bracket 21 may comprise a pair of spaced arms 22 and 23 of identical conformation fixedly mounted upon the frame element 20; alternatively, the bracket 21 may be of U-shaped transverse configuration formed from a suitable blank of material whereby the arms 22 and 23 are integrally produced. A longitudinal slot 24 is provided in the opposed arms 22 and 23 for a purpose to be described more fully hereafter.

A pivotal lever indicated generally at 25 is mounted upon a pivot 26 located in the frame element 20 and extending through the fixed extremities of the bracket 21, the lever 25 being mounted for pivotal movement into and out of a position between the opposed arms 22 and 23 of the fixed arm 21. Desirably, the lever 25 is of slightly greater length than the bracket 21 and when positioned between the arms 22 and 23 will project therebeyond a slight distance.

The lever 25 is of a configuration complementary to and slightly smaller than that of the insert 12 and comprises a pair of spaced arms 26 and 27 of identical conformation. If desired, the lever 25 may be of U-shaped transverse conformation and formed from a suitable blank of material whereby the arms 26 and 27 will be integrally produced.

A longitudinal slot 28, similar to the slots 24 is provided in the opposed arms 22 and 23 and, if desired, the free extremities of these arms may be provided with slotted portions 29. Similar portions (not shown) may be provided in the extremities of the arms 22 and 23.

The apparatus thus described is inexpensive and may be used with particular ease, requiring no skilled labor to operate. In fact, it has been found in practice that an unskilled employee can package approximately one hundred and fifty dozen pairs of socks during the normal working day.

In use, the lever 25 is pivoted upwardly to the position shown in FIG. 5 of the drawing and a sheet of tissue paper or the like 12 is positioned between the spaced opposed arms 26 and 27 of this lever. A first sock 11 is then placed upon the lever as illustrated in FIG. 6 of the drawing.

The sock covered lever 25 is then pivoted downwardly to a position between the spaced opposed arms 22 and 23 of the bracket 21, see FIG. 7 of the drawing, and the insert 13 of cardboard or the like is placed between the arms 22 and 23 in alignment with the sock 11 upon the lever 25. The second sock 14 is then placed upon the bracket 21 as shown in FIG. 8 of the drawing.

To remove the socks from the apparatus it is only necessary to place finger pressure upon the socks through the slots 24 and exert such pressure in the direction indicated by the arrow 30. Such pressure extends the tip of the insert 12 and toe portion of the second sock 14 beyond the outer edges of the arms 22 and 23 whereupon the toe portions of both socks and the insert may be grasped and the packaged socks illustrated in FIG. 2 may be withdrawn readily from the apparatus.

Following such withdrawal, folding upon the median score line 17 and affixing suitable riders is a particularly simple matter.

It should be understood that the arms 22 and 23 of the bracket 21 and the arms 26 and 27 of the lever 25 are formed from relatively thin stainless steel or other suitable material provided with smooth surfaces whereby any possibility of damage to hosiery is obviated. Thus, even sheer materials may be packaged in the manner described without likelihood of injury. Further, soiling or other damage through excessive handling during the packaging operations is virtually eliminated.

Where so-called stretc materials are employed, a finished package may be produced of particularly attractive appearance without adding to the costs of packaging. Further, instead of placing one sock under given stress to encompass an insert and stressing the second sock to a greater degree to encompass both the first sock and insert therein, only one sock of a package is stressed to the minimum degree required to present the desired smooth appearance.

While the present invention has been described in detail for use in connection with the packaging of hosiery, the invention is by no means limited to this particular field but may be used with equal facility in connection with other types of items produced from suitable flexible materials. In this connection, particular reference is had to gloves, undershirts, etc.

There has thus been described a novel package of improved appearance, together with novel apparatus and method for the production thereof, which may be produced with greater economy and ease than heretofore has been known in related arts. Further, skilled labor is required neither for the production of the novel apparatus nor for the operation thereof.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention, both as to package and apparatus, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the'invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawing and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A hosiery package comprising an insert of relatively stitf material of a conformation corresponding to that of an extended sock, a first sock in extended unstressed condition superposed upon said insert, and a second sock in extended stressed condition surrounding said insert and said unstressed first sock.

2. A hosiery package as set forth in claim 1 where said first sock has a sheet of relatively thin paper therein.

3. A package for a pair of articles of flexible material having a predetermined configuration, said package comprising an insert of relatively stifi flat material having a conformation corresponding to said predetermined configuration, the first article of said pair in extended unstressed condition superposed upon said insert, and the second article of said pair in extended stressed condition surrounding said insert and said unstressed first article.

4. A hosiery package comprising an insert of relatively stiff material of a conformation corresponding to that of an extended sock, a first sock in unstressed condition superposed upon said insert, and a second sock in extended stressed condition surrounding said insert and said unstressed first sock.

5. A hosiery package comprising a pair of socks, a flat insert of relatively stiff sheet material of a shape and size corresponding to but somewhat larger than either of said socks in flat untensioned condition, the first sock of said pair being superposed upon said insert in fiat untensioned condition, said insert and said superposed first sock being enclosed within said second sock of said pair so that said second sock is in extended tensioned condition in enveloping relating to said insert and said first sock.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,973,379 Guggenheim Sept. 11, 1934 2,007,621 Struve July 9, 1935 2,573,827 Bigelow Nov. 6, 1951 2,624,989 'White Jan. 13, 1953 2,696,295 Berry Dec. 7, 1954 2,748,930 Power et 'al. June 5, 1956 2,755,924 Tuttle et al July 24, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 644,296 Germany Apr. 28, 1937

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