US3904090A

US3904090A - Apparatus for folding shirts and similar articles of clothing

Info

Publication number: US3904090A
Application number: US440610A
Authority: US
Inventors: Martin Kannegiesser; Heinrich Knappe
Original assignee: Herbert Kannegiesser GmbH and Co
Current assignee: Herbert Kannegiesser GmbH and Co
Priority date: 1973-02-12
Filing date: 1974-02-07
Publication date: 1975-09-09
Anticipated expiration: 1992-09-09
Also published as: JPS49109693A; DE2306815B2; JPS5220597B2; DE2306815A1; IT1008829B

Abstract

A plurality of shirt folding tables are mounted between two multi-armed turnstiles 17, 18 whose axes of rotation are horizontally offset with respect to each other while being coupled by a universal jointed shaft 23 for simultaneous rotation. By reason of the offset axes the folding tables remain horizontal at all times during their intermittent rotation from one position to the next through a Maltese cross drive arrangement.

Description

United States Patent [1 1 Kannegiesser et al.

[451 Sept. 9, 1975 APPARATUS FOR FOLDING SHIRTS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES OF CLOTHING [75] Inventors: Martin Kannegiesser, Bad Salzuflen;

Heinrich Knappe, Eidinghausen, both of Germany [73] Assignee: Firma Herbert Kannegiusser Kommanditgesellschaft, Vlotho, Germany [22] Filed: Feb. 7, I974 [2l] Appl. No.: 440,610

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 12, 1973 Germany 2306815 [52] US. Cl. 223/37 [5 I] Int. Cl. A41H 33/00 [58] Field of Search .4 223/37 57, 1', 53/21 R,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,948,442 8/l960 Kremer et a] 223/57 3,464 602 9/1969 Romansky 223/57 Primary ExaminerGeo. V. Larkin Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Sughrue, Rothwell, Mion, Zinn and Macpeak [57] ABSTRACT A plurality of shirt folding tables are mounted between two

multi-armed turnstiles

17, 18 whose axes of rotation are horizontally offset with respect to each other while being coupled by a universal jointed shaft 23 for simultaneous rotation. By reason of the offset axes the folding tables remain horizontal at all times during their intermittent rotation from one position to the next through a Maltese cross drive arrangement.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTED SEP 9 SHEEI 1 OF 2 APPARATUS FOR FOLDING SHIRTS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES OF CLOTHING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to apparatus for folding shirts or similar articles of clothing for packing wherein a plurality of folding tables are adapted to rotate in synchronism and the folding elements of this apparatus are actuatable progressively from as the tables move from station to station, the folding devices maintaining a horizontal position during their movement.

2. Description of the Prior Art The disadvantage of the prior art device which is de scribed in German OS 1 760 429 is that a plurality of folding devices, namely at least twice as many as folding stations are guided in a forward stroke plane and in a return stroke plane which is vertically displaced with respect thereto. As a result, this apparatus is especially prone to breakdowns, is cumbersome and involves fairly high production costs.

In the case of the apparatus of the type mentioned initially which is described in German U.M. 7 105 284, six folding devices are displaced in the manner of a roundabout about a vertical center part or axis and are thus conveyed to six folding stations in sequence. The disadvantage of this device is that it requires a fairly large amount of space.

ln the case of these known devices (German OS I 760 429 and German U.M. 7 105 284) the folding processes for folding a shirt or similar article of clothing for packing are effected with the necessary manual assistance in a plurality of folding stations in such a way that each operator situated at a folding station only carries out a part of the total necessary folding and preparation processes and manual operationspossibly in combination with the mechanical activation of a part of the folding elements of the folding devices. Hence the folding of articles of clothing for packing is effected largely manually which constitutes a disadvantage.

Another known device of the type described initially which is similar to the device according to German U.M. 7 l 284 but which enables fully mechanized folding of articles of underclothing is described in German 08 l 964 228. The particular disadvantage of this device is that it requires a fairly large amount of space. A further disadvantage of the above-mentioned known device comprising folding devices displaceable in the manner of a roundabout about a vertical center part or axis (German U.M. 7 105 284 and German OS 1 964 228) is that the folding devices of this apparatus are not readily accessible from all sides, at least from their two longitudinal sides, thereby rendering the fully mechanized folding for packing of shirts or similar articles of clothing having long sleeves-if not impossible then extremely disadvantageous.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention is therefore to provide apparatus of the type mentioned initially which obviates the disadvantages of the known devices. that is, which is not subject to breakdowns, is not cumbersome and does not involve high production costs and furthermore which is designed in such a way that the folding tables are readily accessible from all sides and at the very least from their two longitudinal sides, thereby permitting fully mechanized folding for packing of shirts or other long-sleeved articles of clothing.

The device according to the invention is characterized in that the folding table are arranged at the ends of the arms of at least one multiarmed turnstile adapted to rotate about a horizontal axis.

With this arrangement of the folding devices the apparatus according to the invention has the following advantages:

It requires relatively little charging space and thus does not take up much room.

The folding tables are accessible from practically all sides but especially from their two longitudinal sides, thereby making possible fully mechanized folding of shirts and similar long-sleeved articles of clothing for packing.

The energy required for operating the folding ele' ments of the folding devices can be supplied to these without difficulty. Thus the devices is not prone to breakdowns.

No guide rollers, guide rails and the like are required for guiding the folding tables which constitutes an advantage in as far as the susceptibility of the device to breakdowns and the production costs of the device are concerned.

A further development of the invention provides for the arrangement in parallel with mutual spacing of two multi-armed turnstiles. This constitutes an advantage because it provides especially good mounting support for the folding devices and only minimal forces from the folding devices act on the multi-armed turnstiles.

It is advantageous for the axes of the two multi-armed turnstiles to be horizontally staggered with respect to each other. This is an advantage because it enables the folding devices to be kept in an unchanging horizontal position in an especially advantageous manner during their entire rotational movement.

Another advantage is to provide at least five and at maximum six pairs of arms of the turnstiles, each pair having a folding table attached thereto. This is advantageous because this number of folding tables corresponds to the number of folding stations normally required for folding an article of clothing for packing in equal periods of time and consequently there are no more folding tables than are necessary which has a favorable effect on the production costs of the apparatus.

Another advantage is constituted by the arrangement of the folding tables between arms of the multi-arrned turnstiles arranged in parallel with mutual spacing. This constitutes an advantage because it means that the folding tables are freely accessible, particularly on their longitudinal sides even when two multi-armed turnstiles are provided, the term accessible meaning that there is sufficient room for the sides and sleeves of an article of clothing which has been placed manually on a folding table to hang free and also for the folding elements and their movements.

It is also an advantage for the two armed turnstiles to be joined by means of a drive shaft at their rotating axes, thereby enabling them to be rotated simultaneously. This is an advantage because when two multiarmed turnstiles staggered with respect to each other are provided, it is only necessary for one turnstile to be driven by a drive unit which is advantageous as far as the production costs of the device are concerned.

It is further advantageous for the multi-armed tumstiles to be capable of being driven by a Maltese cross transmission. This is an advantage because this known type of drive means for turnstiles and the like driven in synchronism is relatively free from breakdowns and favorably influences the production costs of the device.

The device having the above-mentioned features according to the invention, is thus substantially more advantageous than the above-mentioned known devices and also enables long-sleeved articles of clothing to be folded for packing fully mechanically in periods of equal duration after being placed manually on the folding tables.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof when reference is made to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a side view of a device comprising two mul' ti-armed turnstiles, the axes of which are horizontally staggered with respect to each other.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view through a device according to FIG. 1 approximately along the line AA of this figure.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of one of the folding tables according to FIG. 1.

The reference numeral in the drawings relate to the following:

shirt (unfolded and not prepared for packing) 10' shirt (folded and ready for packing) 11-16 folding tables 17 turnstile, multi-armed 18 turnstile, multi-armed 19 shaft of 17 20 shaft of 18 21 brackets 22 brackets 23 driving shaft 24 Maltese cross transmission 25 ratchet wheel of 24 26 driver of 24 27 driving pins of 26 28 shaft journals of 29 29 geared motor 30 arrow (direction of rotation of 17 and 18) 31 support 40 ends of the arms of the turnstile 17 41 ends of the arms of the turnstile I8 I Vl folding stations DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The apparatus according to the invention represented in the drawings and intended for the fully mech anized folding of shirts and similar articles of clothing after they have been placed manually on the folding tables consists essentially of the folding tables 11 16, which are secured between two

multi-armed turnstiles

17,18, arranged in parallel with mutual spacing, the axes of rotation of which 19, 20, are staggered with respect to each other. The folding tables 11 16 are arranged at the ends of the arms 40, 41 of the

turnstiles

17, 18, in such a way that they occupy a horizontal position, throughout the rotation of the turnstiles I7, 18.

The shafts 19, 20, of the two

multi-armed turnstiles

17, 18, are rotatably mounted in the supports 31 on the

brackets

21, 22, and are interconnected by means of a driving shaft 23. In this way, when the multi-armed turnstile 17 is being driven in the direction of the arrow 30 by means of the Maltese cross transmission 24, the multiarmed turnstile 18 is simultaneously driven therewith.

The Maltese cross transmission 24 consists essentially of the ratchet wheel 25 and the drive means 26 comprising the driving pin 27 and is arranged in such a way that the ratchet wheel 25 rests on the axis 19 of the multi-armed turnstile 17 and the driver 26 on the shaft journal 28 of the geared motor.

The folding elements for folding the shirt once it is placed on the folding tables 11 16 and the feed devices for accessories, for example, pasteboard inserts, pins, clips, etc., are not shown in the drawings as these may be constructed and arranged in a manner known in itself.

The folding elements are also controlled in a known manner, namely by means of electric and pneumatic circuit components which are not represented in the drawings. This also applies to the control of the Maltese cross transmission 24 and thus the synchronized rotational movement of the folding devices 11 16.

The electric and pneumatic circuits and the Maltese cross transmission control means may be of any type to achieve the desired function of the apparatus and, per se, form no part of the instant invention.

The device operates in the following manner:

The article of clothing,l that is, clothing, shirt 10 which is to be folded for packing, is placed by the operator of the apparatus on the folding table 11 located in the position I as shown in FIG. 1. It is then moved in a synchronized manner to the subsequent positions II-VI where it is progressively folded for packing so that when it reaches position VI it is completely folded (10'), as is also represented in FIG. I.

The folded shirt 10' can be mechanically removed from the position VI or the folding table (16) located in this station and may be transported elsewhere by a conveying device, for example, a conveyor belt which is not shown in the drawings.

As soon as the folding table 11 with the shirt 10 placed thereupon reaches position II and the folding table 16 without the shirt 10' reaches position I, the op erator of the device can place the next shirt which is not shown in the drawings onto the folding device 16. This shirt is then folded and prepared in the same manner as the shirt l0 and removed from folding station VI.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for supporting a shirt or similar article of clothing and moving said shirt or similar article of clothing between a plurality of positions wherein said shirt or similar article of clothing is progressively folded for packaging comprising:

a. a pair of multi-armed, rotatable turnstiles, (17,18) each turnstile having a plurality of arms protruding radially therefrom,

b. a plurality of folding tables (11, 12, I3, 14, 15 & 16), each table pivotally attached to one arm of each turnstile such that each said table remains in a predetermined orientation with respect to said turnstiles throughout the rotation of said turnstiles, and

c. means to rotate said turnstiles.

2. Apparatus according to claim I wherein the two multi-armed turnstiles (17,18) are arranged parallel to each other with mutual spacing.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least five arms protrude radially from each turnstile, and at least five folding tables (11-16) are attached thereto.

6. Apparatus according to claim I, wherein the multiarmed turnstiles (17,18) are rotated by means of a Maltese cross transmission (24).

i I t F I

Claims

1. Apparatus for supporting a shirt or similar article of clothing and moving said shirt or similar article of clothing between a plurality of positions wherein said shirt or similar article of clothing is progressively folded for packaging comprising: a. a pair of multi-armed, rotatable turnstiles, (17,18) each turnstile having a plurality of arms protruding radially therefrom, b. a plurality of folding tables (11, 12, 13, 14, 15 & 16), each table pivotally attached to one arm of each turnstile such that each said table remains in a predetermined orientation with respect to said turnstiles throughout the rotation of said turnstiles, and c. means to rotate said turnstiles.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the two multi-armed turnstiles (17,18) are arranged parallel to each other with mutual spacing.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein shafts (19,20) coincident with the axes of rotation of the two multi-armed turnstiles (17,18) are horizontally staggered with respect to each other.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the shafts (19,20) of the two multi-armed turnstiles (17,18) are interconnected by means of a driving shaft (23) and are thus caused to rotate simultaneously.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the multi-armed turnstiles (17,18) are rotated by means of a Maltese cross transmission (24).