Apparatus for reversing hose

Apparatus for turning hose such as socks and stockings inside out, consisting of a drive unit with a gripping device which grips the toe of the hose and moves it between a pair of rotatable rollers which clamp onto the hose. A descending blade is arranged to engage the toe of the hose and to advance it through the nip of the rollers turning the sock inside out as it is wrapped around the blade. The blade is introduced as it descends further between a further pair of rotating rollers arranged to remove the hose which has been turned inside out from the blade.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to apparatus for reversing or turning inside out, 
hose such as socks and stockings. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
In hose production, the hose such as a sock has to be reversed, or turned 
inside out, at the end of the manufacturing operation for sewing the front 
end of the sock in the region between the top edge of the toe or "toe-cap" 
and the top surface edge of the sock, which results in a finishing seam 
above the toes when the sock is worn on the foot. The sewing operation is 
usually performed by circular or straight sewing machines, over which the 
sock is suspended in the area to be sewn. 
When sewing is completed, the sock has to be removed from the needles of 
the sewing machine and reversed or turned inside out again to be sent for 
pressing and packing. There are numerous machines for carrying out this 
operation, but they have certain disadvantages in use, due to the 
possibility of error in inserting the sock between the turning components 
of the machine, and there is hence a necessity for manual unjamming; as a 
result there can be numerous rejects. 
Some of the well-known machines also have a complex construction and are 
slow in operation, slowing down the production cycle. 
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of this invention to provide apparatus for reversing hose 
that can remove hose automatically from the sewing machine and reverse it 
or turn it inside out while holding the hose during the entire cycle, thus 
avoiding or reducing the risk of blockages of any nature caused by the 
lack of form of the hose. It is also an object to provide a fairly quick 
working cycle, which does not unduly limit productivity of the sewing 
machine. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
According to the invention there is provided apparatus for turning hose 
inside out, comprising a feed assembly having gripping means arranged to 
grip the toe of a hose and position it between a first pair of rollers, 
means for urging the rollers towards each other to grip the hose and means 
for rotating the rollers in opposite directions. A longitudinally 
displaceable blade is arranged to engage the toe of the hose and to 
advance between the rotating rollers whereby the hose is wrapped around 
the blade to turn it inside out, the blade being introduced as it is 
displaced between a second pair of rotatable rollers, arranged to remove 
the hose which has been turned inside out from the blade. 
These results can be achieved with an automatic machine according to the 
invention for reversing, or turning inside out, hose which comprises a 
feed unit with a gripping means or collet for gripping a hose near the 
seam on the toe to be sewn by a sewing machine, a pair of traversing 
rollers for turning the hose inside out which rotate, which can be clamped 
onto the sock below the collet and can be regulated to rotate in the 
opposite direction, a pair of opposing, flexibly-mounted plates which can 
be moved towards the said sock below the turning rollers, a pair of 
extraction rollers which can be subsequently clamped onto the said hose 
and a device with a blade which can be lowered vertically by means of an 
actuator mechanism, which inserts between the toe of the hose and the hose 
removal, or extraction, rollers, which have a progressive advance. 
In more detail, the drive and feed unit comprises a gripping means, or 
collet which can be traversed from a gripping position above the sewing 
machine to the release position above the turning rollers, and can be 
rotated by means of a cam mechanism between a position with the gripper 
opening plane tangential to the perimeter of the sewing machine and a 
position with the opening plane parallel to the shaft of the turning 
rollers during the traversing operation. The collet is fitted with clamps 
which can be opened by means of a controlled actuator. The turning rollers 
can be covered in a soft material, rubber or similar, with a surface 
providing friction on the sock, where necessary with a knurled or rippled 
surface, and can be clamped together, being supported by levers rotatable 
around pins and actuated by a pair of actuators. A motor can be linked to 
the said rollers by means of belts and transmission gears for rotating the 
turning rollers in opposite directions. 
Similarly, the extraction rollers can be equipped with soft coverings, 
rubber or similar, providing friction on the socks. At least one of the 
extraction motors can be motorized, and one or other of these, or both, 
can be moveable by means of actuators acting on levers, the roller or 
rollers being supported at the end of the levers. The blade device is 
actuated by an actuator, the first stroke of which moves the end of the 
said blade onto position below the contact area of the turning rollers, 
the second stroke moving the end of the blade into position below the 
contact area of the extraction rollers. 
The blade device can have a slight curved section at one end directed 
towards the part of the sock opposite the heel. In an apparatus according 
to the invention, there are also control and regulating mechanisms to 
control the successive movement phases of the collet, closure of the 
turning rollers and approach of the flexible plates, descent of the blade, 
rotation of the turning rollers and subsequent arrest, expansion of these, 
subsequent descent of the blade, approach of the extraction rollers, 
subsequent rotation of these for unthreading the straightened sock, and 
return to the initial position. There are also optical sensor mechanisms 
or similar to register the position of the sock in one or more turning 
phases and to regulate the control mechanisms.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION 
As can be seen from FIG. 1, the apparatus comprises a frame 1, which 
carries a moveable blade 2 actuated by an actuator 3. 
The machine is provided with a feed unit 4, fitted with gripping means 5 
having a fixed jaw 35a and a moveable jaw 35b. Beneath the gripping means 
5 are two rollers 6, 7, provided with a covering of soft elastic material, 
6a, 7a and where appropriate as shown in FIG. 5, provided with a knurled 
surface, depending on the type of hose to be turned. 
Beneath the rollers 6, 7 there is firstly a pair of opposing plates 8, with 
supports 9 rotatable on pins 10, which are actuated by a pair of actuators 
11 and then a second pair of rollers, 12 and 13, one 13 of which can be 
moved towards the other. Like rollers 6, 7, rollers 12, 13 are also fitted 
with a soft covering 12a, 13a. As can be seen more clearly in FIGS. 4, 5 
the rollers 6, 7 are supported by lever arms 14, 15 which are mounted for 
rotatary about pins 16, 17 and actuated by actuators 18, 19. 
Rollers 6, 7 are actuated for rotation by a motor 20, by way of a 
transmission belt 21, a pulley 21a, and a geared transmission 22, 23, 24, 
25, which, on rotation of motor 20, causes simultaneous rotation of 
rollers 6, 7, by shafts 24a, 25a respectively, in opposite directions. 
Roller 12 is also actuated by a motor 26 by means of a transmission belt 
27 and a pulley 27a. Roller 13 can be moved toward and away from roller 12 
by means of a lever 28 and actuator 29. 
The transport assembly 4 is shown in more detail in FIGS. 2 and 3. This 
assembly comprises a pair of guide rods 30, 31 on which a slide 32 
travels, actuated by an associated actuator 33, travels to move the 
gripping means 5. The gripping means 5 is rotatable on pin 34, with a 
fixed 35a and a moving jaw 35b, by means of a servo-actuator 36. The 
assembly 5 is rotatable between the positions shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The 
fixed jaw of collet 5 is connected rigidly to a plate 37 which is linked 
to slide 32 by means of a spring 38, which biases it in a transverse 
position, in contact with an adjusting screw 39. On plate 37 moves a 
roller 40 which can rest against guide 41, and in opposition to spring 38, 
facilitate rotation of gripping means 5 on pin 34, as can be seen in FIG. 
3, when the gripping means is moved towards rollers 6 and 7. 
Operation of this embodiment of the machine according to the invention can 
be seen by referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8 and 9. As can be seen from 
FIGS. 2, 3, the machine is arranged next to a circular sewing machine, 
shown in part at 42, so that when actuator 33 is in the extended position, 
gripper 5 is positioned such that it grips the sock above machine 42 on 
completion of the sewing of the toe section. Actuator 33 then moves (FIGS. 
1, 3) gripper 5 to a position above and between rollers 6, 7, the gripper 
being rotated through 90.degree. following contact of roller 40 against 
guide 41, whilst rollers 6, 7 are in their spaced apart position to 
receive the sock 43 between them. Rollers 6, 7 are then clamped together 
grasping sock 43 below the toe, which, as can be seen in FIG. 6, remains 
with its end part or "toe-cap" in an open position, and is thus in a 
position to receive or accommodate the blade 2 without risk of error. The 
gripper 5 can then open, releasing sock 43 which is gripped firmly between 
the nip of the rollers 6, 7 and returned to the gripping position near the 
sewing machine. Hence the operating cycle of gripper 5 is fairly short as 
it does not involve the gripper 5 waiting for the end of the sock turning 
operating before being able to reposition to grip the next sock, and this 
contributes to the fact that the overall gripping and turning time is less 
than the period generally found with the sewing machine. 
Simultaneously with the rollers 6 and 7, the opposing plates 8 clamp onto 
the sock, as illustrated in FIG. 6. Plates 8 are moved by section 9a of 
supports 9, as can also be seen in FIG. 5. These sections 9a move freely 
on pins 44 and are held resiliently in position by a spring 45, providing 
a slight retention on sock 43. This action can be assisted by a rippled 
surface 8a which may also be provided on the edge of plates 8, 
facilitating release of any twist in the sock. Blade 2 can then descend 
towards rollers, 6, 7, inserting itself between the toe-cap of the sock, 
as can be seen in FIG. 7. Rollers 6 and 7 then start to rotate in the 
direction indicated by arrows F in FIG. 7, while blade 2 continues its 
descent, stopping with its end just below rollers 6, 7 (FIG. 8). 
The leading end 2a of the blade 2 is formed with a slight curve, turned 
towards the back of the sock, to reduce the risk of entanglement of the 
blade in the heel of the sock. The rotation of rollers 6, 7 wraps the sock 
43 progressively around blade 2 above the rollers; in this phase, plates 8 
held flexibly in position by the associated springs 45, exercise a limited 
braking action on the sock, ensuring uniform winding of the sock on the 
blade. When a photo-electric cell type sensor 46, or similar device, 
registers that the sock has been rolled up above rollers 6, 7, as shown in 
FIG. 8, rollers 6, 7 stop and are withdrawn apart by the action of 
actuators 18, 19 on levers 14, 15 and the blade is then further lowered 
below rollers 12, 13. By the action of actuator 29, roller 13 is moved 
towards roller 12, which is set in rotation in the direction of arrow G 
(FIG. 9). The rolled up part of the sock 43a is held back by plates 8 and 
is then forced to unwind entirely until the straightened sock is 
completely unthreaded from blade 2, which can then return upwards, 
preparing for the next cycle of operation. 
The apparatus also comprises control and regulating devices to regulate the 
successive operating phases, which can be of a known type and are not 
described in detail. 
As can be seen from the description, the apparatus is particularly 
efficient as the sock is held during the entire operating cycle, avoiding 
any possibility of error in positioning of the sock due to faulty 
gripping. In addition, the toe or "toe-cap" of the sock is placed above 
the winding rollers, against the blade, and thus does not have to cross 
it, becoming squashed, or at any rate deformed, which might cause 
difficulties in insertion of the blade itself; the "toe-cap" of the sock 
is in fact expanded between the winding rollers as it was set on the 
sewing machine, and it is therefore more accurately positioned for 
receiving the blade. It is also found that the length and stroke of the 
blade are independent of the length of the sock to be turned and therefore 
the same machine can be used to turn short socks or ladies' stockings or 
other hose without any necessity for modification. Numerous variants can 
be introduced for actual production of apparatus according to this 
invention, for example using different motor transmission actuating 
mechanisms from those described, without going outside the scope of the 
invention in its general characteristics.