WO2007020669A1 - Device and method for handling tubular knitted articles, such as stockings and socks or the like - Google Patents
Device and method for handling tubular knitted articles, such as stockings and socks or the like Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2007020669A1 WO2007020669A1 PCT/IT2006/000191 IT2006000191W WO2007020669A1 WO 2007020669 A1 WO2007020669 A1 WO 2007020669A1 IT 2006000191 W IT2006000191 W IT 2006000191W WO 2007020669 A1 WO2007020669 A1 WO 2007020669A1
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- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- pick
- tubular
- article
- tubular article
- members
- Prior art date
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Classifications
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D05—SEWING; EMBROIDERING; TUFTING
- D05B—SEWING
- D05B33/00—Devices incorporated in sewing machines for supplying or removing the work
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- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D05—SEWING; EMBROIDERING; TUFTING
- D05B—SEWING
- D05B23/00—Sewing apparatus or machines not otherwise provided for
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D05—SEWING; EMBROIDERING; TUFTING
- D05B—SEWING
- D05B23/00—Sewing apparatus or machines not otherwise provided for
- D05B23/007—Sewing units for assembling parts of knitted panties or closing the stocking toe part
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- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D05—SEWING; EMBROIDERING; TUFTING
- D05B—SEWING
- D05B5/00—Sewing machines for temporarily connecting articles, e.g. pairs of socks
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- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06H—MARKING, INSPECTING, SEAMING OR SEVERING TEXTILE MATERIALS
- D06H3/00—Inspecting textile materials
- D06H3/16—Inspecting hosiery or other tubular fabric; Inspecting in combination with turning inside-out, classifying, or other handling
Definitions
- the present invention relates to methods and devices for handling tubular knitted articles, in particular, although not exclusively, stockings and socks.
- the present invention relates to methods and devices which have the function of correctly orienting tubular articles picked up from a container in which they are placed randomly. State of the art
- semi-finished tubular knitted articles are usually produced by either single or double cylinder circular knitting machines.
- the semi-finished article delivered from the circular machine has an elastic band at one end and an open toe at the opposite end.
- the open toe must be sewn or linked to form the closed toe of the finished tubular article.
- closing of the toe is performed using devices combined with the needles of the cylinder and/or of the dial of the machine. Nonetheless, this requires a specifically designed knitting machine, or a modification to existing machines.
- Machines have also been designed to allow these operations to be performed automatically.
- US-A-5040475 describes complex machinery that picks up individual tubular articles from a container in which they have been placed randomly.
- detection means By feeding the article along a specific processing path, detection means first detect the orientation of the tubular article along the feed path, recognizing whether the toe or the elastic band of the article is the leading end. After this has been detected, the tubular article is placed in an intermediate station, from which it is delivered in one direction or in the opposite direction according to the orientation with which it entered the station.
- the tubular article when exiting the intermediate station the tubular article is always facing in the same direction (i.e. always with the toe being the leading end, or always with the elastic band being the leading end) to be then spread longitudinally and inserted over a transport tube which transfers the tubular article towards a sewing machine.
- This machinery is extremely complex and not very reliable.
- JP-A-7468502 and JP-A-1272801 describe other appliances for handling tubular articles such as stockings or socks for the purpose of suitable orientation thereof.
- US-A-6719577 describes a device, which longitudinally orients individual tubular articles collected from a container, in which they are placed randomly.
- EP-A-1221502 describes a device in which individual socks or other tubular articles are picked up from a container in which they are placed randomly and are then oriented so that they are always positioned with one of their ends facing forwards by means of a specific pneumatic path and using detection systems capable of distinguishing the elastic band from the toe of the article through different characteristics of elasticity of the fabric.
- US-A-5769286 describes a spreading device for longitudinally spreading socks or other tubular knitted articles.
- EP-A-178143 describes a further system for detecting the orientation of a tubular textile article by distinguishing between the elastic band and the toe.
- US-A-5511501 describes complex machinery, which picks up individual tubular articles from a container in which they are placed randomly and separates them, placing each tubular article in a respective container of a smaller size. Subsequently, each article is picked up from the respective smaller container and fed to a specific pneumatic path inside which the tubular article is oriented so that it is delivered from the pneumatic path always with the same orientation.
- US-A-5884822 describes a further device and method for picking up individual tubular articles from a container.
- US-A-5992712 describes yet a further device for picking up individual tubular knitted articles and orienting them appropriately. Similar problems regarding the orientation of tubular articles can be found when feeding stockings or socks to a pressing machine. For example, in the production of women's stockings, the problem exists of inserting each stocking, with the toe already sewn, over a pressing template and for this purpose the individual stockings must be picked up from a container in which they are placed randomly to be inserted over the form. Similar problems also occur in machines for packaging knitwear and hosiery articles, such as stockings and socks. Objects and summary of the invention
- An object of the present invention is to provide a particularly simple, efficient and reliable device to perform orientation of tubular knitted articles, in particular, although not exclusively, stockings and socks, picked up from a container in which they are placed randomly, to be subsequently fed with the correct orientation towards machines, devices or instruments which perform the subsequent processing on said articles, for example and in particular (although not exclusively) sewing or linking of the toe, pressing or the like.
- the object of the present invention is to provide a simple and effective method for correct orientation of tubular knitted articles, such as stockings and socks, picked up individually from a container in which they are placed randomly.
- a first aspect of the present invention relates to a device for handling tubular knitted articles having a first end and a second end comprising in combination:
- a first pick-up member and a second pick-up member for said tubular articles which can be actuated alternatively to engage one end of the tubular articles; > detection means to determine the orientation of the first and of the second end of the tubular article, said first and second pick-up member being controlled to alternatively engage the tubular article according to the orientation of the tubular article detected by said detection means.
- the pick-up members are arranged and designed to engage each tubular article at the level of the first end of the tubular article, typically the elastic band, and to open it. It would also be possible for the pick-up members to be designed to engage the other end, i.e. the toe. The choice depends on the handling operations that must be performed on the tubular article in the subsequent processing steps.
- the edge at which the article is to be engaged is typically elastic when the article is a sock, but it must be understood that this edge could also be non-elastic, for example in the case of women's stockings or components of pantyhose.
- the opposite end can be an open toe, when the function of the device is to feed (with the correct orientation) the articles to sewing or linking means.
- this second end could be a closed toe (sewn or linked), for example when the article is handled to be sent for pressing operations.
- the device according to the invention is useful each time tubular articles having two structurally different ends are required to be fed in a predetermined direction to members, means, devices or machinery for further processing, said articles being picked up from a container in which they are placed randomly or in any case fed to the device with a random and undefined orientation.
- the device according to the invention includes an intermediate station, in which the tubular articles are positioned individually and in sequence in a substantially spread position, with the first and the second end approximately aligned with each other according to the longitudinal extension of the tubular article, said first and said second pick-up member being associated with said intermediate station.
- the detection means can in this case be advantageously arranged and designed to determine the orientation of the first and of the second end of the tubular article when it is in said intermediate station.
- the detection means are arranged and produced to detect whether said first end of the tubular article located in the intermediate station is positioned in proximity to the first or second pick-up member. Moreover, the pick-up members are controlled so that the tubular article is engaged at its first end by the first or second pick-up member at the level of which said first end is positioned.
- the detection means are optical means, capable of distinguishing and discerning the two ends of the tubular article from each other on the basis of the shape of the end.
- the detection means can use a camera interfaced with an electronic processor, or in any case a control unit, equipped with image processing software.
- the detection means can include an arrangement of photocells, such as a linear matrix or array, to identify the form of the end of the article which is interposed between the emitters and receivers of the photocells. Detection can be performed with the article at a standstill or with the article moving, on the basis of the sequence with which the photocells are intercepted by the article, said sequence being determined by the form of the article.
- a linear matrix i.e. a linear array of photocells can be provided, controlled by specific software capable of identifying with which temporal sequence the photocells are obscured when the article is gradually carried over them. This temporal sequence in fact depends on the shape, or form, of the contour of the article which in turn differs between edge and toe.
- optical detection it is preferably configured so that the use of particular measures is not required on the articles, such as strips or bands of fabric in a different color to the body of the article, provided purely for the purpose of allowing discernment between the two ends. In fact, these measures cannot always be implemented due to the type of machinery used to produce the articles and, moreover, increase the cost of the article. Further, the device according to the present invention can still be used with detection means which make use of the aforesaid measures to allow recognition of the two ends.
- a spreading system can be provided to longitudinally spread said tubular articles and longitudinally align the first and the second end of the articles.
- the two pick-up members can be associated with the two ends of the spreading system.
- the spreading device has an inlet for the tubular articles at one of its longitudinal ends and an outlet for the spread articles, which can appropriately be positioned on the side, so that the individual spread articles are delivered in a direction orthogonal to the direction in which they were inserted in the spreading member.
- the delivery direction of the tubular article from the spreading member is independent from the orientation of the article, which has not yet been identified.
- the articles can advantageously be inserted in the spreading system by means of a pneumatic transport duct.
- a conveyor belt is combined with the spreading system to remove the individual tubular articles from said spreading system.
- This can define the base of an inner volume of said spreading system, the tubular articles being inserted in said inner volume.
- each of the pick-up members has opposed engaging elements designed and controlled to engage and move opposite edges of textile material forming a corresponding end of the tubular article away from each other, to open said end.
- a respective transfer device is associated with each pick-up member, arranged and designed to transfer a tubular article engaged by the respective pick-up member towards further manipulator members.
- These further manipulator members are designed and arranged to position each tubular article on a tubular transport member, either directly or after it has passed over a tubular reversing member.
- the manipulator members can include a gripper which receives the tubular articles from one or other of said transfer devices.
- the transfer devices can each include a stretching member designed and arranged to be inserted into the open end of the tubular article, supported by a transfer member which moves the stretching member transferring it towards other manipulator members.
- each stretching member is supported by a respective slide actuated with translational motion, forming part of a respective transfer device.
- the pick-up members can be designed so as to directly perform transfer to further manipulator members, such as a gripper to load the tubular article onto a transport tube or the like.
- a single common stretching device can be associated with the two pick-up members.
- each tubular article is carried to the common stretching device, which can comprise mechanical or pneumatic, or combined mechanical and pneumatic engaging means.
- One or other of the pick-up members is then activated to pick up the tubular article, the end of which has been opened by the stretching device (which is preferably located in an intermediate position between the pick-up members) to transfer the tubular article towards other members, work stations or positions.
- the invention also relates to a device for handling tubular knitted articles having a first end and a second end, comprising: an operating position; associated with the operating position, a first pick-up member and a second pickup member for tubular articles which can be actuated alternatively to engage one or other of the two ends of the tubular articles.
- the device can advantageously include detection means to determine the orientation of the first and of the second end of the tubular article, said first pickup member and said second pick-up member being controlled to engage the tubular article alternatively, according to the orientation of the tubular article detected by said detection means, so that each tubular article is engaged always at the first end notwithstanding its orientation in the operating position.
- the detection means can be arranged and designed to determine the orientation of the tubular article when it is in the operating position.
- a control unit can be provided, programmed to receive information from said detection means and to control actuation of one or other of said first pick-up member and of said second pick-up member according to the information received from said detection means.
- the invention relates to a device for handling tubular knitted articles, such as stockings or socks, with a first end and a second end, provided with two substantially symmetrical pick-up members which can be activated alternatively to engage one or the other of the ends of the article, in combination with detection means to determine the orientation of the article, so that the article is always engaged at one of the two ends by one or the other of the pick-up members, according to the detection implemented by the detection means.
- the pick-up members can each include a pair of fingers which can be inserted into the corresponding end of the tubular article. The end which is engaged by one or by the other of the pick-up members can, for example, the elastic edge of the article.
- a single common stretching device that is, a member which opens, stretches or spreads the end of the tubular article to be engaged by the pick-up members.
- This common stretching device can have a pair of opposed engaging members, mechanical, pneumatic or a combination of mechanical and pneumatic, or of other suitable type, which are arranged and designed to engage and move apart opposite portions of an edge surrounding one or the other of the ends of the article.
- the common stretching device is arranged in an intermediate position between the stand-by positions of the pickup members. Besides being controlled to alternatively engage the tubular article
- the pick-up members can also be designed and controlled to transfer the tubular article thus engaged towards further manipulator members, such as a transfer device, a loading tube, a gripper for subsequent transfer to a loading tube, a manipulator to insert the tubular article onto an inspection, pressing or finishing template, or for other operations, such as those known in the field of manufacturing stockings, pantyhose, tights and other hosiery articles.
- manipulator members such as a transfer device, a loading tube, a gripper for subsequent transfer to a loading tube, a manipulator to insert the tubular article onto an inspection, pressing or finishing template, or for other operations, such as those known in the field of manufacturing stockings, pantyhose, tights and other hosiery articles.
- the tubular articles can be conveyed with any known means through various stations of which the device is composed, such as and typically a single or double spreading station, a reading station, a station where the ends are engaged.
- said transfer is obtained by arranging the tubular article transversely on a continuous conveyor, i.e. composed of a continuous member which moves along a closed path, such as a mat, a belt, a track, a plurality of slats joined to one another on a flexible belt or chain member, or the like.
- the invention concerns a method for handling tubular articles with a first end and a second end, comprising the steps of:
- the method can include the following steps: > arranging in said operating position a first pick-up member and a second pick-up member;
- the first end of the tubular article is engaged and opened by the respective pick-up member.
- the article can also be engaged at the toe and said toe can, for example, be opened.
- the invention relates to a method for handling tubular articles with a first end and a second end, comprising the steps of:
- the method can also include the steps of:
- the method also includes the steps of:
- the first end of the tubular article can be engaged by a common stretching device, and one or the other of at least two pick-up members can be made to cooperate with said end, according to the orientation taken by the article in the work station.
- the invention also relates to a device for handling tubular knitted articles having a first end and a second end, including: a working position; associated with said working position, a first pick-up member and a second pick-up member for the tubular articles, which pick-up members can be activated alternatively to engage one or the other of the two ends of the tubular articles.
- the pick-up members are designed to open the ends of the tubular article which must be engaged by the pick-up member.
- the first pick-up member and the second pick-up member are combined with a common stretching device, which opens, i.e. stretches the end of the tubular article which must be subsequently engaged by the corresponding pick-up member.
- the first and the second pick-up member in said working position are controlled to engage each tubular article in said working position always at the first end, which can be, for example, the edge or the toe of articles in the form of stockings or socks.
- the pick-up members are controlled so that they are always activated selectively and alternatively according to the orientation taken by the articles in the operating position.
- the invention consists of a device which by means of at least two pick-up members, engages each tubular article which is carried to a working position or workstation always at a same end, regardless of the random orientation with which said article is placed in the working position or workstation.
- the pick-up member can be a member which also opens the tubular article at the end engaged by the pick-up member.
- a system to engage the tubular article can be associated with each pick-up member, to subsequently transfer said article to a different workstation.
- this pick-up member can be composed of a member to engage the article once it has been stretched at the end thereof, for example by a common device in an intermediate position between the two pick-up members.
- the pickup member can be composed of a mechanical member which also transfers the tubular article to a subsequent station.
- Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the container for the tubular knitted articles and of the means which pick up individual articles from the container to send them along a pneumatic path;
- Figures 2 and 3 show perspective views of means and devices to perform orientation of the tubular articles;
- Figure 4 shows a plan view of the device in Figures 2 and 3;
- Figure 5 shows a side view according to V-V in Figure 4.
- Figure 6 shows a perspective view of the lower part of the devices in Figures 2 and 3 with parts removed;
- Figure 7 shows a perspective view of the spreading device of the tubular articles
- Figures 8 and 9 show perspective views according to different angles and in different positions of the various members of the transfer devices of the tubular articles and of the gripper which inserts the appropriately oriented tubular articles over the transport tube;
- Figure 10 shows a longitudinal section of the spreading member
- Figure 11 shows an enlargement of a detail in Figure 10
- Figures 12 to 15 show a operating sequence of the spreading device
- Figures 16 to 20 show an operating sequence, with which one of the transfer devices transfers the tubular article to the gripper to allow subsequent transfer to the tubular transport or reversing member;
- Figures 21 and 22 show axonometric views according to two different angles of a different embodiment of the invention
- Figure 23 shows a side view according to XXIII-XXIII in Figure 22;
- Figure 24 shows a longitudinal section of the spreading system to spread the articles in the embodiment according to Figures 21-23 and of a corresponding pick-up mechanism of the articles;
- Figure 25 shows a perspective view of the pick-up mechanism in Figure 24
- Figure 26 shows a front view of the pick-up mechanism in Figure 25;
- Figures 27 and 28 show axonometric views according to two different angles of the spreading system and of the pick-up mechanism in Figure 24 with the pick-up mechanism separate from the spreading system;
- Figure 29 shows an axonometric view, the same as the one in Figure 27, but with the spreading system and the pick-up mechanism in a coupled arrangement;
- Figures 30 show an axonometric view of the device in Figures 21 to 23, wherein the mechanical parts of all the stations have been removed with the exception of the parts of the station for reading or detecting the orientation of the article, limited to the members for moving the articles;
- Figures 31 and 32 show said members for moving the articles in two different operating positions
- Figure 33 shows a perspective view of the stretching members which open the end of the tubular article
- Figures 34 to 39 show axonometric views in various operating positions of the pick-up members, of the respective actuators and of the mechanical elements associated therewith;
- Figure 40 shows a front view of the pick-up members, according to the line XL-XL in Figure 41 ;
- Figure 41 shows a plan view according to XLI-XLI in Figure 40;
- Figure 42 shows a side view according to XLII-XLII in Figure 41 ;
- Figures 43A to 43Q show schematic views representing an operating cycle of the device shown in Figures 21-42. Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention Embodiment in Figures 1 to 20
- FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the container in which the tubular articles are placed randomly to be subsequently picked up, the pick-up means and the beginning of the pneumatic transport path with which the individual tubular articles are sent to the devices provided for their orientation.
- the number 3 indicates a container which receives randomly arranged tubular articles which can, for example, come from a series of circular knitting machines.
- the container 3 can rotate according to the arrow f3 about a vertical axis by means of a motor, not shown.
- the number 5 generically indicates a pick-up device, of known type, which moves vertically according to the double arrow f5 along a vertical guide, at the level of which the inlet 7A of a pneumatic transport duct 7 is positioned.
- the individual tubular articles picked up by the pick-up device 5 are sucked with random orientation through the inlet 7A into the suction duct 7.
- the latter extends to a spreading member which is positioned in a subsequent station of the device, illustrated in detail with reference to the subsequent figures.
- a pneumatic return duct 11 Connected to the pneumatic transport duct 7 is a pneumatic return duct 11 , which transfers, through an unloading device 13, any tubular articles which cannot be further handled, for example, when the pick-up device 5 due to an operating error picks up two tubular knitted articles simultaneously and feeds them to the pneumatic transport duct 7.
- the numbers 105 and 111 indicate gate valves or valves used to open and close the individual branches of the pneumatic paths, and in particular the pneumatic duct 7 and the pneumatic return duct 11.
- the number 103 indicates a connection with a suction line, not shown, for example connected to a suction fan.
- the number 21 indicates as a whole the assembly of the machines, devices and equipment required to orient the tubular articles and transfer them to a tubular transport member 23 or to a tubular reversing member 25.
- the tubular transport member 23 can be part of a more complex machine, optionally with several stations, used to transfer the tubular knitted article to a sewing or linking machine.
- the machine incorporating the transport member 23 and the sewing machine do not form the object of the present invention and, therefore, are not represented.
- the tubular reversing member 25 is employed, as will be more apparent below, when the individual tubular articles fed to the assembly of equipment 21 must be reversed to turn the finished tubular article inside out.
- the number 7B indicates the end of the pneumatic transport duct 7, opposite the inlet 7A ( Figure 1).
- the end section 7B is represented with a rectangular shape, but this is not strictly essential.
- the end 7B of the transport duct 7 terminates at a first end of a spreading device indicated as a whole with 27, inside which each tubular article fed through the pneumatic duct 7 is spread to position the first end (e.g. the elastic band) and the second end (e.g. the toe to be closed) of the tubular article aligned according to the longitudinal extension of the tubular article.
- the internal structure of the spreading device 27 and its operating modes will be described in greater detail with reference to Figures 10 to 15.
- the individual tubular articles inserted onto the spreading device 27 each time with a random orientation (i.e. with the first end or the second end being the leading end with respect to the direction of insertion) are delivered from the side of the spreading device 27 again in a random orientation, but with the aforesaid two ends aligned according to the longitudinal extension of the tubular article.
- the base of the spreading device 27 is defined by a conveyor belt 29, which moves according to the arrow f29 controlled by a motor 30 ( Figure 3).
- a load-bearing structure 31 which also supports the spreading device 27 and the conveyor belt 29, supports a second conveyor belt 33 provided with a movement according to the double arrow f33 in a direction oriented substantially through 90° with respect to the direction f29 of the movement of the conveyor belt 29.
- the motor 35 ( Figures 2 to 4) provides the movement for the conveyor belt 33.
- the conveyor belt 33 is supported by side elements 37, to which the motor 35 is also fastened, which can move towards and away from each other with respect to the conveyor belt 29 below moving in the direction of the double arrow f37 for the purposes described below.
- the lifting and lowering movement of the side elements 37 is provided by an actuator 39 ( Figure 3) of pneumatic, hydraulic or similar type.
- the detection means include a camera 41 (represented schematically only in Figure 4) or another suitable viewing system which, for reasons of economy, is provided only on one side of the conveyor belt 29, but could also be provided on the opposite side. Instead of a viewing system, such as a camera 41 or the like, the detection means could be of another kind.
- systems could be provided which are capable of distinguishing the color of an elastic band or strip surrounding the open toe of the tubular article, and which has a different color from the rest of the fabric of the tubular article.
- the detection means could, for example, include photocells or the like.
- this solution has the drawback of increasing the production cost of the articles.
- a system capable of recognizing the presence of conductive materials, such as a metal thread, inserted in the band surrounding the toe of the tubular article to be closed, could be provided as detection means.
- detection means could be provided which are based on recognition and discernment of the two ends of the tubular article through characteristics of elasticity, thickness, or of another nature, of said article.
- the detection means can be single or double, i.e. present on only one side or on both sides of the conveyor belt 29, although to economize it would be preferably for them to be provided only on one side.
- the transverse conveyor belt 33 positioned over the conveyor belt 29 has the function of translating the tubular article parallel to its longitudinal extension, according to the arrow f33, to take the end closest to the detection means 41 and under said means.
- the surface of the conveyor belt 29 has a coefficient of friction at least slightly lower than the coefficient of friction of the conveyor belt 33, so that when the conveyor belt 33 is taken with its lower branch to press against the tubular article which is located on the conveyor belt 29, the movement imparted by the motor 35 to the conveyor belt 33 causes the tubular article to slide on the upper surface of the conveyor belt 29 until it is under the detection means 41.
- the detection means 41 it would also be possible to move the detection means 41 while the article remains at a standstill.
- the purpose of these detection means 41 is to recognize whether the end of the tubular article positioned under them is the first end (e.g. the elastic band) or the second end (e.g. the toe), in order to communicate the effective orientation of the tubular article on the conveyor belt 29 to a central control unit (indicated schematically with 42 in Figure 4).
- a central control unit indicated schematically with 42 in Figure 4
- the tubular article must be removed from the operating station or position, or intermediate station, in which the spreading device 27 and the conveyor belt 29 are located always with one of its ends being the leading end, i.e.
- two groups of essentially symmetrical members 51 A and 51 B are arranged at the two sides of the conveyor belt 29, which are used to open and stretch the end of the tubular article to be subsequently inserted over one or over the other of the tubular members 23, 25.
- These groups 51 A, 51 B include pick-up and transfer members for the tubular articles.
- the one of said group or pick-up members 51A, 51 B is actuated, at the level of which the end of the tubular article is positioned, which is to be opened and inserted over one or other of the members 23, 25.
- the members and the mechanisms forming the two symmetrical groups 51 A, 51 B are indicated with the same reference numbers followed by the letters A or B.
- Each of the groups 51 A, 51 B firstly has a fixed suction surface 53A, 53B provided on a flat sliding surface 55A, 55B positioned along the side of the conveyor belt 29.
- a respective pick-up means 57A, 57B Arranged over the suction surface 53B is a respective pick-up means 57A, 57B provided with a vertical movement imparted by an actuator 59A, 59B.
- the pick-up means 57A, 57B can thus move towards the corresponding suction surface 53A, 53B and away therefrom.
- the suction surface 53A, 53B and the corresponding pick-up means 57A, 57B with its actuator 59A, 59B form means to alternatively engage the elastic band, i.e. the first end of the tubular article which is brought over the suction surface 53A or 53B to open said end.
- Each group 51 A, 51 B also includes a stretching device, composed in this embodiment of a pair of fingers 61 A or 61 B,
- the fingers 61 A, 61 B are represented in the two different positions, vertical and horizontal respectively, which the fingers take during the operating cycle as will be explained in greater detail below.
- These fingers are in turn supported by respective transfer devices, which transfer the articles engaged by the stretching devices composed of the fingers 61 A, 61 B towards further handling means, as will be described below.
- Figure 8 shows the fingers 61 A and 61 B in various possible positions.
- the fingers 61 A are represented in Figure 8 in their vertical position, while the fingers 61 B are represented in the horizontal and vertical arrangements, in two distinct positions the pair of fingers can take along the front of the conveyor belt 29 to pick up the individual article and transfer it towards a gripper, described below, which inserts the article over one or other of the tubular members 23 and 25.
- the two fingers 61 A, 61 B of each pair can be moved towards and away from each other by means of a piston-cylinder actuator 63A, 63B.
- the pair of fingers, with the respective actuator 61 A, 63A or 61 B, 63B, are supported on a support 65A or 65B movable vertically according to the double arrow f65 controlled by an actuator 67A or 67B (see in particular Figures 5 and 6).
- the piston-cylinder actuator 67A or 67B is supported by a slider 69A, 69B. Integral with the slider is a rack 71 A or 71 B, meshing with which is a pinion 73A, or 73B, keyed on a shaft 75A or 75B, attached to the opposite end of which are the fingers 61 A, 61 B with the respective actuator 63A, 63B which moves them towards and away from each other.
- a vertical lifting and lower movement of the support 65B or 65A controlled by the actuator 67B or 67A besides a lifting and lowering movement of the respective fingers 61 B, 61 A, also causes rotation of the fingers about the axis of the corresponding shaft 75B, 75A.
- the two sliders 69A and 69B are supported (see in particular Figure 6) by respective slides 77A, 77B.
- the two slides 77A, 77B move slidingly along a common guide 79 and their movement is controlled by two parallel threaded bars 81 A and 81 B made to rotate by respective motors 83A, 83B.
- the threaded bars 81 A, 81 B engage in female screws 85A, 85B integral with the slides 77A, 77B.
- the motors 83A, 83B therefore cause movement of one or other of the stretching devices composed of the pairs of fingers 61 A, 61 B according to the double arrow f61 ( Figure 6).
- the slides and sliders form the transfer devices or means which support the pairs of fingers towards the central zone of the device where they transfer the tubular articles to a gripper described below, which then inserts them over one or other of the tubular members 23, 25.
- Each slide 77A 1 77B in turn supports a guide 87A, 87B on which the respective slider 69A, 69B slides.
- This slider is provided with a movement according to the double arrow f69 in a direction orthogonal to the direction of the guide 79.
- This movement according to the arrow f69 is imparted to one or other of the two sliders 69A, 69B by a cam and tappet mechanism.
- This mechanism has a track which forms a cam profile 91 , inside which two idle pins 93A, 93B, integral with respective sliders 69A, 69B, engage.
- the profile of the channel 91 is substantially symmetrical with respect to a vertical median plane and is configured so that a translational movement of one or other of the sliders 69A, 69B with their respective slides 77A, 77B in the direction of the arrow f61 from the position farthest from the median plane to the position closest to the median plane of the device causes the slider 69A, or 69B to move away with respect to the position of the spreading device 27.
- the pair of fingers 61A with the respective members supporting them are represented in two distinct positions, respectively the external side position (on the right in figure 6), and the intermediate or internal position (central in Figure 6).
- the fingers 61 B with the respective members which support and move them are in their external side position.
- Figure 7, 10 and 11 show in greater detail the configuration of the spreading device 27.
- the box structure 150 includes a box structure 150 with a rectangular section, connected to which are the end 7B of the pneumatic transport duct 7 and a suction mouth 151.
- the box structure 150 has a side panel 153 attached to a piston-cylinder actuator 155 supported by the upper horizontal wall of the box structure 150.
- the actuator 155 can control a lifting and lowering movement of the side panel 153 to open and close the box structure 150.
- the conveyor belt 29, runs along the bottom of the box structure 150, in substance defining the lower surface of the compartment or inner volume with rectangular section of the spreading device 27.
- the lifting movement of the side panel 153 allows the tubular article inside the spreading device 27 to be delivered from the side and transferred out of the spreading device by the conveyor belt 29.
- the spreading device has movable pressers 161 actuated by actuators 163 (five in number in the example shown) which have the dual function, described in greater detail below with reference to an operating sequence, of reducing the cross section of the compartment or inner volume of the spreading device 27, reducing the vertical dimension, during the spreading step of the tubular article, and of allowing complete and correct spreading of said article also at its end which is inserted into the spreading device 27 first.
- a screen 165 is arranged between the inside of the spreading device 27 and the suction mouth 151 to prevent the tubular articles penetrating the spreading device 27 from being sucked inside the suction mouth 151.
- the screen 165 is arranged inclined to define a substantially cuneiform volume, arranged at the narrow end of which is a retention member 167, controlled by a piston-cylinder actuator 169 ( Figure 11), provided to retain the end of the tubular article orientated forward with respect to the direction of insertion of the tubular article in the spreading device 27. Due to the configuration of the device, the retention member 167 engages one article at a time. If two tubular articles are accidentally fed into the box structure 150 one of them is engaged by the retention member and the other is carried back by suction and returned to the container 3. Consequently, the device 27 also functions as a separator and not just as a spreading device.
- the screen 165 can be arranged on a surface approximately orthogonal to the direction from which the tubular articles are fed and the retention member can, for example, be composed of a gripper.
- the box structure 150 is supported slidingly in the direction of the double arrow f150 to perform a transverse movement with respect to the direction of movement f29 of the conveyor belt 29.
- This transverse movement according to f150 of the box structure 150 of the spreading device 27 is imparted by a piston- cylinder actuator 171 and its purpose will be described with reference to an operating sequence of the machine.
- tubular members 23 and 25 Arranged in an intermediate position along the front of the conveyor belt 29 are the tubular members 23 and 25, the latter supported by a fixed structure 26, while the tubular member 23 is attached, for example, to a conveyor, not shown, of a machine which loads the tubular articles onto the sewing or linking machine.
- a gripper At the level of the tubular members 23, 25 (which are superimposed and substantially coaxial with each other), is a gripper, indicated as a whole with 180, the function of which is to receive the individual tubular articles picked up from the pair of fingers 61 A or 61 B, stretch the elastic band and insert it alternatively over the upper tubular member 25 or over the lower tubular member 23.
- the gripper 180 has a rotational movement through 180° around a vertical axis, imparted by means of a piston-cylinder actuator 183 supported by a slide 185 which also supports the gripper assembly 180.
- the piston-cylinder actuator 183 controls a rack 187 (see in particular Figure 16), meshing with which is a pinion (not visible) integral with a shaft which supports the gripper 180.
- the linear movement of the piston-cylinder actuator 183 thereby causes rotation of the entire gripper assembly 180 through 180° about the axis A-A ( Figure 9). The purpose of this rotation is to allow the gripper to transfer the tubular article engaged by it (in the manner to be described below) alternatively to the tubular member 25 or to the tubular member 23.
- the slide 185 is provided with a vertical movement according to the double arrow f185 along a vertical guide 188.
- the vertical movement is obtained by means of a transmission belt 189 and a motor 190 arranged at the upper end of the guide 188.
- the movement according to the double arrow f185 allows the gripper to transfer the tubular article to the corresponding end of the tubular member 25 or 23.
- the gripper 180 is composed of two flat jaws 201 supported by brackets
- the two jaws 201 each cooperate externally with a pair of bars 205 which, as shall be apparent below, are used to block the elastic band of the tubular article on the jaws 201.
- the movement of the jaws 201 towards and away from each other is controlled by two piston-cylinder actuators 207, 209. Operation of the entire machine described above is illustrated with specific reference to Figures 12 to 20, in which Figures 12 to 15 show in particular the operating functions of the spreading device 27, while Figures 16 to 20 show the methods with which a tubular article, spread in the spreading device 27 and the orientation of which has been recognized, is loaded on one or other of the tubular members 23, 25.
- the various members and actuators of the device are controlled, to perform the operations described below, by a microprocessor or by a programmable unit indicated schematically with 2 only in Figure 4 and connected to the various actuators, encoders and other means, not described and known, employed on the device to control the various movements.
- An individual tubular article M is picked up by the pick-up device 5 from the rotating container 1 and sucked inside the pneumatic transport tube 7, which leads into the inner compartment of the spreading device 27.
- the suction that transports the tubular article from the inlet 7A of the pneumatic duct 7 inside the spreading device 27 is applied through the suction mouth 151.
- the tubular article M is entering, sucked through the mouth
- the tubular article M is in the spread position inside the volume of the spreading device 27. If two tubular articles are fed inside the spreading device 27 by error, the second tubular article will not be engaged by the retention member 167, thanks to the particularly narrow configuration of the end zone of the cuneiform volume defined by the screen 165 and will therefore be unloaded through the device 13 and the unloading duct 11 into the container 1 through inversion of suction. In fact, in this step suction inside the spreading device 27, a portion of the duct 7 and the pneumatic duct 11 is produced through the suction mouth 103, the gate valve 111 being open and the gate valve 105 being closed.
- the box structure of the spreading device is translated to the left (in the figure) by means of the piston-cylinder actuator 171 to take the position in Figure 14.
- the tubular article M is practically positioned entirely over the conveyor belt 29 which defines the base of the inner compartment of the spreading device 27.
- the presser 161 which is closest to the end of the article M that entered the inner compartment of the spreading device 27 last is lowered to press the article M against the conveyor belt 29 below.
- the box structure 150 of the spreading device 27 can be translated again from left to right (in the figure) by the actuator 171 to be returned to the position in Figure 15.
- suction can also be actuated again through the suction mouth 151 to correctly spread the end of the tubular article M which was previously engaged by the retention member 167 and which may not be perfectly aligned with respect to the longitudinal extension of the article M.
- the side panel 153 of the box structure 150 of the spreading device 27 is lifted by the actuator 155 and the conveyor belt 29 is actuated to transfer the spread tubular article out of the inner compartment of the spreading device 27.
- the tubular article M is translated in a transverse direction with respect to the direction of feed of the conveyor belt 29, by means of the conveyor belt 33 until its end which entered the spreading device 27 last is under the camera 41 or other detection means arranged on one of the two sides of the conveyor belt 29.
- the camera is capable of distinguishing whether the end of the article under it (i.e. the end which entered the spreading device 27 last) is the toe or the elastic band of said article, i.e. if it is the second or the first end of the article.
- the unit 28 controls the subsequent movement of the conveyor belts 33 and 29, which is coordinated to take the tubular article M with its elastic edge at the level of the pick-up means and in particular with its elastic band resting on the suction surface 53A or 53B.
- the tubular article M is in this way transferred from one or other of the symmetrical groups 51 A, 51 B according to the position of the elastic band, which is random as the tubular article is picked up from the container 1 in a random position.
- Figure 16 shows the subsequent step in which the tubular article M has already been positioned with the coordinated movement of the conveyor belts 29, 33, with its elastic band B at the level of the group 51A.
- the tubular article M entered the spreading device 27 with its elastic band facing forward and with the toe P representing the second end of the tubular article downstream of the elastic band B with respect to the direction of feed of the tubular article M inside the pneumatic transport duct 7.
- the tubular article M had entered the suction duct 7 with the opposite orientation, i.e. with the elastic edge B at the back and the toe P at the front, it would have been transferred with the elastic band B at the level of the group 51 B. In the example illustrated the subsequent steps will be performed on the elastic band B by the group 51A. If the tubular article M had been facing in the opposite direction the group 51 B would have been used instead, to perform the subsequent operations.
- the tubular article M is engaged by the pick-up means 53A, 57A, which move reciprocally towards each other with the elastic band B of the article interposed therebetween.
- the opposed edges forming the elastic band B of the article are slightly distanced.
- the fingers 61 A which in Figure 16 are shown parted, are moved towards each other and inserted inside the open elastic band B. Subsequently, the fingers are parted to stretch the band B elastically.
- the jaws 201 of the gripper 180 are moved towards each other, so that a relative vertical movement between the fingers 61 A and the gripper 180 carries these members to the relative position in Figure 18, with the fingers 61 A under the central brackets 203 which support the plates forming the jaws 201 of the gripper 180.
- the tubular article M is transferred with this relative movement from the fingers 61 A to the jaws 201 , the elastic band B being arranged around the jaws 201 of the gripper 180 as shown in Figure 18.
- the jaws 201 of the gripper 180 can open to stretch the elastic band B of the article M until it has a quadrangular cross section as shown in Figure 20.
- the end of the tubular article M composed of the elastic band B is in this way enlarged to a sufficient extent to allow the gripper 180 to transfer the tubular article onto one or other of the two tubular members 23 or 25.
- the overturning movement through 180 degrees which the gripper 180 can perform by means of the actuator 183 allows the mouth of the tubular article to be positioned facing the lower tubular member 23 (position in Figure 20) or facing the upper tubular member 25.
- the tubular article M When the tubular article M is fed from a double cylinder circular knitting machine it is already reversed, i.e. with its inner surface facing outwards. In this case the tubular article M is inserted directly onto the lower tubular transport member 23. If, on the other hand, the tubular article M is fed from a single cylinder circular machine, it must be reversed to take the surface normally on the inside to the outside before it is sewn. For this purpose, the gripper 180 rotates through 180° about the horizontal axis to insert the elastic edge B of the article over the upper tubular reversing member 25, which in a known way reverses the tubular article by means of additional members, not shown. The reversed tubular article is then transferred to the lower tubular transport member 23.
- Figures 21-43 show another embodiment of the device according to the invention.
- the device can be combined with a container for tubular articles, associated with which is a means to pick up the individual articles with a configuration substantially the same as the one shown in Figure 1 described above.
- the container for collection of the articles to be handled and the pick-up members of the articles can also differ from those shown in Figure 1 and be designed according to other criteria known in the state of the art or within the ability of those skilled in the art.
- the only relevant fact is that the articles, preferably already separated one from the other, are fed to the device that performs orientation thereof.
- the members which spread the tubular articles longitudinally, detect their orientation and pick-up the end of the article to be handled are shown in Figures 21 to 42. They will be described in detail hereunder and operation thereof will subsequently be explained on the basis of Figures 43A-43Q. They can be positioned at least partly overlapping the container shown in Figure 1 , in order to reduce the overall dimensions.
- the suction duct 7 ( Figure 1) feeds the individual tubular articles to a device represented as a whole in Figures 21 to 23, and indicated generically with 501.
- This device comprises a conveyor 503 which moves the individual articles forward in steps according to arrow F.
- the slatted conveyor 503 is composed of individual slats 503A, constrained to a flexible member, such as one or more chains, not shown. Strips 503B are fastened to some of the slats 503A to define individual seats for the articles to be moved forward along the path of the device.
- the individual articles fed to the device are also first spread longitudinally, it being understood that each article is spread with the longitudinal extension thereof oriented transversely with respect to the direction of feed F of the conveyor member 503.
- the device 501 has a double station and a double spreading system or device described hereunder.
- the numerals 507 and 509 indicate as a whole the two stations or positions in which the two spreading members that perform longitudinal spreading of each article are located. More specifically, a first spreading system 510, to which the suction duct 7 connects in 7B and the structure of which is described in detail hereunder with reference to Figures 24 to 29, is located in the station 507.
- the connector 7B leads into a compartment with a rectangular cross section 513 which has, at the opposite end with respect to the connector 7B, a shutter 515 having the function of modifying the conformation of the section of passage defined by the compartment 513, constricting it in a specific operating phase.
- the shutter 515 has a shutter element 515A controlled to translate according to the double arrow f515 orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the compartment 513, by means of a piston-cylinder actuator or other suitable actuator shown at 517.
- the shutter 515 has a shape with a semi-circular lower edge, or more generally with a curved and convex cross section, approximately the same as the shape of the semicircular cross section of the end portion 513A of the suction compartment 513.
- the shutter element 515A of the shutter 515 defines with the inner wall of the portion 513A of the compartment 513 a passage with a narrow and shaped cross section, extending approximately in a semi-circumference, which (as will be explained hereunder) tends to flatten the tubular article.
- Integral with the spreading system 510 is a suction mouth 521 , connected to which is a suction duct 523, of which only the initial portion is shown in the drawing.
- a mechanism 525 to pick up the tubular articles which are sucked inside the spreading system 510 and which has the function of pulling each tubular article through the section of passage defined by the inner wall of the end portion 513A of the compartment 513 and by the shutter element 515A described above.
- the mechanism 525 is supported by a slide 527, movable according to the double arrow f525 along a guide 529. Movement of the slide 527 is controlled by a belt 531 operated by a motor 533 and entrained around two pulleys.
- the mechanism 525 is constrained to the slide 527 by means of a piston-cylinder actuator 535 which controls the lifting and lowering movement in a vertical direction according to the double arrow f525X of the mechanism 525.
- the lifting and lowering movement of the mechanism 525 has the function of positioning said mechanism in line with the spreading system 510 and, alternatively, above the latter.
- the mechanism 525 comprises an approximately box-shaped compartment 539, inside which a vacuum can be created by means of suction through an aperture 541 which is connected with a tubular connector 543 through a suction box 543A.
- the tubular connector 543 can be connected to the suction mouth 521 of the spreading system 510. This pneumatic connection is achieved by moving mechanism 525 along with its connector 543 according to the arrow f525 towards the suction mouth 521 and therefore towards the spreading system 5101, to make the elements 510, 525 take the reciprocal position shown in Figure 29.
- suction implemented through the suction duct 523 causes suction through the box-shaped compartment 539, the suction compartment 513 and the duct 7, 7B.
- a grid 545 composed ( Figure 26) of a series of teeth 545A with a front edge (i.e. oriented towards the spreading system 510) inclined with respect to the horizontal.
- a retaining pawl 547 Associated with this grid formed by the teeth 545A is a retaining pawl 547 the movement of which according to the double arrow f547 is controlled by a piston cylinder actuator 549 supported by the mechanism 525.
- a presser 551 Combined with the grid 545 formed of the teeth 545A and of the pawl 547 is a presser 551 , provided with a vertical movement according to the double arrow f551 controlled by a piston cylinder actuator 553.
- the presser 551 has a C-shape open towards the grid 545. The purpose thereof is to retain the tubular article during the spreading or flattening phase, acting thereon with a sufficiently wide surface to prevent the article from being damaged.
- the spreading system 510X located in station 509 cooperates with a simple conveyor belt or mat 563 supported by a supporting structure 565 of the device and provided with a movement according to f563 imparted by a motor 565.
- the conveyor belt 563 is driven about rollers which are supported, together with the motor 565 and the other members transmitting motion to the conveyor belt 563, by side panels 567 which move vertically by means of piston cylinder actuators 569, to allow the conveyor belt 563 to move towards or away from the conveyor 503.
- the conveyor belt 563 moves each individual article longitudinally, i.e. parallel to the extension thereof, in a transverse direction with respect to the direction of feed F of the conveyor belt 503 to take each tubular article inside the spreading system 510X and remove it gradually therefrom when the shutter element, equivalent to the shutter element 515A, is in the substantially closed position and suction continues through the slot it leaves open.
- a station 570 Downstream of the second spreading station 509 (with respect to the direction of feed F of the articles by conveyor 503) is a station 570 for detecting the ends of the tubular article.
- a presser 571 Located in this station is a presser 571 , provided with a vertical lifting and lowering movement according to the double arrow f571 to press against the slats 503A forming the continuous conveyor 503, or to be lifted therefrom.
- the lifting and lowering movement of the presser 571 is controlled by an actuator 573 ( Figure 30) supported by a slide 575 constrained to a belt 577.
- the belt 577 takes its motion from an actuator 579 and imparts an alternate rectilinear horizontal movement, according to the double arrow f575, to the slide 575, to the actuator 573 and finally to the presser 571.
- the presser 571 is therefore provided with a double movement: vertical according to f571 and horizontal according to f575 in a transverse direction with respect to the direction of feed F of the conveyor 503.
- the presser 571 is positioned between two inclined profiles 581 A, 581 B which extend transversely to the direction of feed F of the articles, i.e. parallel to the slats 503 of the conveyor 503.
- the profiles 581A, 581 B are supported by a cross-member 583, in turn supported by piston-cylinder actuators 585 interposed with the fixed structure 565.
- the cross member 583 supports actuator and guide systems 587, to which the profiles 581 A, 581 B are constrained, and which have the function of imparting a movement according to the double arrow f581 to the profiles 581 A, 581 B.
- the profiles 581 A, 581 B can be moved towards and away from each other.
- a detection device which can comprise a camera, the images of which are processed by a suitable image recognition software, or a series of photocells or other means in general suitable to recognize, i.e. to distinguish the two ends of each tubular article inserted in the device from each other.
- This detection system is indicated generically with 590 in the figure, and can be supported by a C-shaped profile, which holds, for example, a series of photoemitters and an opposed series of photoreceivers, between which the end of each article closest to the sensor or detection device 590 is inserted.
- the previously described presser 571 is provided, and for this purpose it is lowered to press the article gently against the conveyor 503 and then, by translating horizontally (arrow f575), to take it to the desired position. This is made possible by the low coefficient of friction with which the slats 503A forming the conveyor 503 are produced.
- the detection device 590 can also use other mechanisms. For example, the two ends of each article could be made recognizable and distinguishable by inserting a specific material in only one and not the other of the two ends.
- a metal yarn, a magnetic thread or the like could be inserted in one of the two ends (preferably the toe to be sewn when the articles being handled are stockings or socks). Recognition of these threads can take place with a capacitive sensor, a magnetic sensor or other suitable mechanism.
- the present invention is not limited to the type of reading or distinguishing mechanism to recognize and distinguish the two ends of each article from each other.
- optical systems capable of recognizing and distinguishing the two ends on the basis of their geometrical conformation are used, as with these systems it is possible to avoid using special materials during production of the articles and therefore the device according to the invention can be more generally used and the manufacturing costs of the articles are reduced, by avoiding the need to carry out special procedures in the production steps upstream.
- each of the slats 503A is provided with an open area through which the subsequent reading operation can be performed to transversely position the article to allow subsequent handling in the station 600 to be described in detail hereunder.
- each slat has suction holes and, at the two ends of the area perforated for suction, two holes for corresponding photocells or other optical readers for positioning the tubular article, which are located under the perforated area 503C of the slats 503A.
- optical readers In place of optical readers, other suitable sensor means can be used.
- the article can be translated transversely with respect to the direction F of feed, to take the desired end to the apertures or slots 503C.
- This is the position the article must be in, to be able to proceed, in the subsequent station 600, with opening of the end of the article and consequently engage it by means of the engaging members of the station 600.
- movement of the presser 571 is controlled so that the end of the article to be subsequently engaged by the pick-up members is always positioned on the apertures 503C.
- the presser 571 will be controlled to take said elastic edge to the perforated area 503C. If the elastic edge is the end recognized by the detection system 590, the presser 571 will move away from the detection system 590. Vice versa, if the end identified by the detection system 590 is the toe, this means that the opposite end must be taken to the perforated area 503C, and therefore the presser 571 will move in the opposite direction towards the detection system 590. If necessary, the presser 571 can perform several repeated movements, lifting up from the article between one movement and the next to avoid moving it in the wrong direction. Once the desired position has been reached with the end of the article over the perforated area 503C, suction can be activated to hold the article in position during the subsequent forward movement of the conveyor 503.
- the first member found in the station 600 is a stretching device 601 ( Figure 33).
- the stretching device 601 is supported by a plate 603 rotating about a vertical axis X by means of a belt 605 controlled by a motor 607.
- the motor 607, and the support of the rotating plate 603, are supported by the fixed structure 565 of the device.
- Located between the plates 603 and the stretching device 601 is a piston-cylinder actuator 609 which provides said stretching device with a lifting and lowering movement according to f601.
- This stretching device cooperates with a suction system, not shown, located in the intermediate area between the upper branch and the lower branch of the conveyor 503, which sucks through the apertures, slots or the like indicated with 503C.
- Each individual article which is positioned with the end thereof at the stretching device 601 can thus be opened by lowering the member 601 , engaging a side of the corresponding end of the article with this member 601 , while the opposed side of material is held on the conveyor 503 by suction.
- the device 601 can be oriented about a vertical axis making it possible to also correctly handle "low cut” socks.
- the mechanisms and the devices forming the two pick-up members which are activated alternatively according to the orientation of the tubular article, to always engage the same end of the tubular article with one or other of said pick-up members.
- this is, for example, a sock
- the pick-up member which is correctly positioned to engage the elastic edge of said sock, forming the end previously stretched or opened by the stretching device 601 is activated.
- the stretching device is disposed between the two pick-up members, it forms a common stretching device or member to cooperate alternatively with one or with the other of the two pick-up members.
- the opening of the edge will be oriented towards one or the other of the two sides of the conveyor 503 according to the orientation with which the article was delivered from the suction duct 7 (toe or edge facing forward).
- a motor 611 is constrained to the fixed structure 565, which motor by means of a belt 613 supplies the movement to a splined bar 615, on which pulleys 617 are coupled.
- These pulleys are torsionally engaged with the splined bar 615 but can slide longitudinally along the axis thereof.
- the pulleys 617 supply the motion to respective belts 619, entrained around the pulleys 617 and also around further idle pulleys 621.
- the pulleys 621 are supported by slides 623 guided along a guide 624 integral with the load-bearing structure 565 and extending parallel to the splined bar 615.
- the slides 623 can slide according to the double arrow f623. They are also constrained by supports 625 to the drive pulleys 617 torsionally engaged with the splined bar 615. Ultimately, therefore, the two belts 619 can move towards and away from each other and also move independently from each other according to the double arrow f623 in a direction orthogonal to the direction of feed F of the articles on the conveyor 503.
- the movement of the individual slides 623 is controlled, independently for each slide, by a piston-cylinder actuator 627.
- Each of the actuators 627 is constrained to the load-bearing structure 565.
- 627X indicates the rod which is rigidly constrained to the respective slide 623.
- Reference number 631 indicates two pick-up members of the articles, each of which is supported by a slide 633 sliding along a guide 635 rigidly constrained to the corresponding slide 623.
- each of the slides 623 which translates orthogonally to the direction F of feed of the articles and of the conveyor 503, respectively supports one of the two pick-up members of the articles, each indicated with 631 , movable parallel to the direction of feed F. Movement of the pick-up members 631 along the guides 635 is indicated in the drawing with the double arrow f631.
- Each pick-up member 631 has a pair of brackets 637, each of which pivots about a respective horizontal axis 637A.
- a respective arm 639A, 639B is integral with each bracket 637.
- the pivoting movement of the brackets 637 is controlled by a piston-cylinder actuator 641 arranged in an intermediate position between two supporting side panels.
- Each of the arms 639A, 639B has, at the lower end thereof, hinged about respective pivoting axes, respective fingers 643A, 643B, The pivoting movement of the fingers 643A, 643B is controlled by a respective piston-cylinder 645A, 645B.
- the oscillating movement of the arms 639A, 639B, in combination with the oscillating movements of the fingers 643A, 643B allows, as will be explained hereunder, insertion of the fingers 643A, 643B of one pair into the open end of a tubular article and subsequent engaging by said fingers of the end of said article.
- the moving apart motion the fingers of each pair causes transverse stretching of the ends of the tubular article.
- a bracket 651 supporting a piston-cylinder actuator 653 is rigidly connected to each slide 633 supporting each pick-up member 631.
- the piston cylinder actuator 653 controls the oscillating movement according to double arrow f655 about a horizontal axis of a unit 655 which supports the tubular article engaged by one or other of the pick-up members 631. More specifically, the unit 655 constrained to one slide 633 cooperates with the unit 631 constrained to the opposite slide 633, as will be more apparent from the description of a complete operating cycle of the device.
- the unit 655 has at the end thereof a gripper member 657, the function of which is to hold the tubular article in an intermediate area between the two ends to prevent it from interfering with other mechanical members when, by means of the pick-up member 631 which engages the first end thereof, said article is transferred e.g. to a pair of jaws 201 of subsequent manipulator members, for example to insert each tubular article onto a transport tube or the like.
- the jaws 201 are represented only schematically and separately from the rest in the figures described herein, and can be substantially the same as and have the same functions as the jaws 201 described with reference to Figures 1 to 20.
- Figure 43A shows a schematic longitudinal section of the spreading system and of the pick-up mechanism 525 when they are coupled to one another.
- the tubular article M such as a stocking or sock, is sucked by the duct 7 through the connector 7B inside the compartment 513 with rectangular section.
- Suction takes place through the tubular connector 543 and the suction box 543A and then through the aperture 541 and the grid 545, as the connector 543 is connected with the suction mouth 521 and with the suction duct 523.
- the article M moves forward according to the arrow fM until knocking against the grid 545 ( Figure 43B).
- Figure 43B Here it is engaged by the retaining tooth or pawl 547 ( Figure 43B).
- the article M has entered the suction duct 7 and then the spreading system 510 with the elastic edge B facing forward and the toe P backward. This orientation is entirely random and depends on how the article has been picked up from the container 1.
- FIG 43C shows the article M extended towards the duct 7 but held by the pawl 547.
- the shutter element 515A is taken to the closed position thereof, in which it defines a narrow and elongated section of passage.
- the presser 551 is lowered for improved retention of the article M ( Figure 43D).
- the retaining mechanism 525 is moved away (arrow f525, Figure 43E) pulling the article M out of the constricted cross section defined by the shutter element 515A.
- suction can be activated through the duct 7 which stretches the article towards the inside of said duct.
- the effect of this operation is to spread the article not only longitudinally, but also, and above all, transversely, thanks to the narrow and elongated shape of the cross section of passage defined by the shutter element 515A.
- the profiles 581A, 581 B center the article correctly with respect to the suction area formed by the holes 503C, positioned under which is a suction mouth, indicated schematically at 504 in Figures 43J-43O. Suction starts in this phase, so that subsequent feed from the station 570 to the station 600 takes place without relative movements between the edge B of the article M and the conveyor 503.
- Figure 43M shows how the fingers 643A, 643B have been inserted in the edge B and are subsequently (Figure 43N) respectively opened to horizontally stretch the edge, which is released both by the suction holes 503C, and by the stretching device 601.
- the article M is engaged in an intermediate point of the longitudinal extension thereof by the gripper member 657 which is on the right (in the drawing). If the article M had been oriented in the opposite direction, the opposed gripper member 657 would have been activated.
- the fingers 643A, 643B are made to pivot from the horizontal position to the vertical position ( Figures 43O-43P) and the pick-up member 631 supporting them is made to translate according to the arrow f631 ( Figure 43Q) to position the edge B of the article M over the jaws 201.
- a subsequent lowering movement allows the edge B to be inserted onto the jaws 201.
- Subsequent handling operations can include loading onto a transport tube, as already described with reference to the embodiment in Figures 1 to 20.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Textile Engineering (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Materials Engineering (AREA)
- Sewing Machines And Sewing (AREA)
- Treatment Of Fiber Materials (AREA)
- Knitting Machines (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims
Priority Applications (6)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
MX2008002350A MX2008002350A (en) | 2005-08-19 | 2006-03-24 | Device and method for handling tubular knitted articles, such as stockings and socks or the like. |
CA002617303A CA2617303A1 (en) | 2005-08-19 | 2006-03-24 | Device and method for handling tubular knitted articles, such as stockings and socks or the like |
BRPI0615176-0A BRPI0615176A2 (en) | 2005-08-19 | 2006-03-24 | device and method for handling tubular knitwear such as long socks and short socks and the like |
US11/913,207 US20090049867A1 (en) | 2005-08-19 | 2006-03-24 | Device and method for handling tubular knitted articles, such as stockings and socks or the like |
EP06728510A EP1915478A1 (en) | 2005-08-19 | 2006-03-24 | Device and method for handling tubular knitted articles, such as stockings and socks or the like |
JP2008526615A JP2009504931A (en) | 2005-08-19 | 2006-03-24 | Apparatus and method for handling tubular woven articles such as stockings and socks |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/IT2005/000496 WO2007020667A1 (en) | 2005-08-19 | 2005-08-19 | Device and method for handling tubular knitted articles, such as stockings and socks or the like |
ITPCT/IT2005/000496 | 2005-08-19 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
WO2007020669A1 true WO2007020669A1 (en) | 2007-02-22 |
Family
ID=36051441
Family Applications (2)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/IT2005/000496 WO2007020667A1 (en) | 2005-08-19 | 2005-08-19 | Device and method for handling tubular knitted articles, such as stockings and socks or the like |
PCT/IT2006/000191 WO2007020669A1 (en) | 2005-08-19 | 2006-03-24 | Device and method for handling tubular knitted articles, such as stockings and socks or the like |
Family Applications Before (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/IT2005/000496 WO2007020667A1 (en) | 2005-08-19 | 2005-08-19 | Device and method for handling tubular knitted articles, such as stockings and socks or the like |
Country Status (10)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20090049867A1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP1915478A1 (en) |
JP (1) | JP2009504931A (en) |
KR (1) | KR20080044885A (en) |
CN (1) | CN101243223A (en) |
BR (1) | BRPI0615176A2 (en) |
CA (1) | CA2617303A1 (en) |
MX (1) | MX2008002350A (en) |
RU (1) | RU2008110469A (en) |
WO (2) | WO2007020667A1 (en) |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN104073979A (en) * | 2013-08-27 | 2014-10-01 | 海宁阳光袜业有限公司 | Sock head sewing device with elastic layers |
US20220312880A1 (en) * | 2019-06-19 | 2022-10-06 | Santoni S.P.A. | Machine for manufacturing boxers |
Families Citing this family (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
ITFI20080055A1 (en) * | 2008-03-20 | 2009-09-21 | Golden Lady Co Spa | "DEVICE AND METHOD TO PLAN AND RECOGNIZE THE ENDS OF A TEXTILE MANUFACTURING, IN PARTICULAR A SOCK" |
ITMI20130050A1 (en) * | 2013-01-16 | 2014-07-17 | Lonati Spa | PROCEDURE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE AUTOMATED CLOSURE OF AN AXIAL END OF A TUBULAR MANUFACTURE AND ITS EXHAUST UNDER REVERSE AND EQUIPMENT FOR ITS EXECUTION. |
ITMI20130296A1 (en) | 2013-02-28 | 2014-08-29 | Lonati Spa | PROCEDURE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE AUTOMATED CLOSURE OF AN AXIAL END OF A TUBULAR MANUFACTURE AND ITS EXHAUST UNDER REVERSE AND EQUIPMENT FOR ITS EXECUTION. |
ITUB20155766A1 (en) * | 2015-11-20 | 2017-05-20 | Golden Lady Co Spa | MACHINE AND METHOD TO IRON TUBULAR MESH MANUFACTURES |
CN109610097B (en) * | 2018-12-14 | 2021-07-09 | 西安理工大学 | Conveying, butt joint and sewing integrated equipment for socks |
CN111621912B (en) * | 2020-05-27 | 2022-03-25 | 华尔科技集团股份有限公司 | Knitting method for knitted vamp |
IT202100017993A1 (en) * | 2021-07-08 | 2023-01-08 | Bipier S R L | DEVICE FOR REVERSING THE ELASTIC EDGE OF TUBULAR TEXTILE PRODUCTS, MACHINE INCLUDING THE DEVICE AND METHOD |
Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5106075A (en) * | 1989-04-04 | 1992-04-21 | Levi Strauss & Co. | Fabric turner |
US5884822A (en) * | 1996-07-09 | 1999-03-23 | Matec S.R.L. | Method and apparatus for picking up and moving tubular articles |
EP1063335A2 (en) * | 1999-06-24 | 2000-12-27 | Conti Complett S.p.A. | Device for feeding correctly orientated socks to a processing station |
US20020061234A1 (en) * | 1999-03-23 | 2002-05-23 | Matecs.P.A. | Method of automatic orientation of tubular articles including stockings |
US20020148864A1 (en) * | 2001-03-21 | 2002-10-17 | Benito Manini | Method and apparatus for longitudinal orientation of hosiery articles |
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---|---|---|---|---|
US5511501A (en) * | 1994-04-05 | 1996-04-30 | Monarch Knitting Machinery Corporation | Method and apparatus for handling flexible objects |
IT1283271B1 (en) * | 1996-03-18 | 1998-04-16 | Essedue S R L | PNEUMATIC FEEDING DEVICE FOR SOCKS, USED WITH PNEUMATIC TRANSPORT SYSTEMS OF AD SOCKS |
JPH1136102A (en) * | 1997-07-10 | 1999-02-09 | Takatori Corp | Treatment and apparatus of stocking fabric |
JP3800591B2 (en) * | 2001-09-07 | 2006-07-26 | ヒロセ電機株式会社 | Card connector |
-
2005
- 2005-08-19 WO PCT/IT2005/000496 patent/WO2007020667A1/en active Application Filing
-
2006
- 2006-03-24 CA CA002617303A patent/CA2617303A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2006-03-24 JP JP2008526615A patent/JP2009504931A/en active Pending
- 2006-03-24 CN CNA2006800302274A patent/CN101243223A/en active Pending
- 2006-03-24 WO PCT/IT2006/000191 patent/WO2007020669A1/en active Application Filing
- 2006-03-24 US US11/913,207 patent/US20090049867A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2006-03-24 KR KR1020087006636A patent/KR20080044885A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 2006-03-24 BR BRPI0615176-0A patent/BRPI0615176A2/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 2006-03-24 RU RU2008110469/12A patent/RU2008110469A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 2006-03-24 MX MX2008002350A patent/MX2008002350A/en unknown
- 2006-03-24 EP EP06728510A patent/EP1915478A1/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5106075A (en) * | 1989-04-04 | 1992-04-21 | Levi Strauss & Co. | Fabric turner |
US5884822A (en) * | 1996-07-09 | 1999-03-23 | Matec S.R.L. | Method and apparatus for picking up and moving tubular articles |
US20020061234A1 (en) * | 1999-03-23 | 2002-05-23 | Matecs.P.A. | Method of automatic orientation of tubular articles including stockings |
EP1063335A2 (en) * | 1999-06-24 | 2000-12-27 | Conti Complett S.p.A. | Device for feeding correctly orientated socks to a processing station |
US20020148864A1 (en) * | 2001-03-21 | 2002-10-17 | Benito Manini | Method and apparatus for longitudinal orientation of hosiery articles |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
CN104073979A (en) * | 2013-08-27 | 2014-10-01 | 海宁阳光袜业有限公司 | Sock head sewing device with elastic layers |
US20220312880A1 (en) * | 2019-06-19 | 2022-10-06 | Santoni S.P.A. | Machine for manufacturing boxers |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP1915478A1 (en) | 2008-04-30 |
RU2008110469A (en) | 2009-09-27 |
MX2008002350A (en) | 2008-04-02 |
WO2007020667A1 (en) | 2007-02-22 |
BRPI0615176A2 (en) | 2011-05-03 |
KR20080044885A (en) | 2008-05-21 |
CA2617303A1 (en) | 2007-02-22 |
JP2009504931A (en) | 2009-02-05 |
CN101243223A (en) | 2008-08-13 |
US20090049867A1 (en) | 2009-02-26 |
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