METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC FOLDING HOSIERY ARTICLES

Abstract: The apparatus for folding hosiery articles comprises: a first conveying portion (1) of the articles (2) according to a direction of inlet (3) towards a point (4, 5) of first folding with interposition of a cardboard sheet (7); a second conveying portion (10) of the articles (2) folded on the cardboard sheet (7) that reverses the direction of movement (12) in opposition to the direction of inlet (3) towards a second folding point (14, 15) wherein the leaves of the articles (2) that exceed the carbdoard sheet (7) are folded onto the leaves that are around the cardboard sheet, thus folding the article like a pack; a third portion (20, 30) for conveying the pack (2) by reversing again the direction of movement in opposition to that of the second portion (12) and again according to the direction of inlet towards a zone of outlet (34). The first, second and third portion are arranged thus as a Z-shaped path, with a reduction of the length of the apparatus to about a third with respect to the prior art.

Description: TITLE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC FOLDING HOSIERY ARTICLES DESCRIPTION Field of the invention The present invention relates to a method for automatic folding stockings or tights, that can be used downstream of the machines for steaming and before the machines for final packaging. The method, in particular, relates to a series of folding steps to obtain stockings or tights multiple folded, with interposition of a cardboard sheet, up to fold it into a rectangular pack with a paper sheet all around. Furthermore the invention relates to an apparatus that carries out this method. In particular, the invention relates to the layout of a series of conveyors associated to a feeder of a cardboard sheet around which the stockings or tights are folded. Description of the prior art Automatic folding and packaging apparatus exist arranged after steaming machines normally comprising a series of conveyor belts. A first conveyor belt located at the beginning, normally, carries the articles, such as steamed stockings or tights, extending unfolded for all the length. The first conveyor belt is usually sloped downwards, since the steamed stockings are pulled from the above away from long vertical forms on which they are steamed and are then located at a top level above the machine. A second conveyor belt is located at the end of the first conveyor belt and is sloped upwards and next to it, so that the stockings continue their path along the same direction. The first conveyor belt is arranged with respect to the second conveyor belt to form a V - shaped cradle, at an angle of about 120°. At a certain point of the progress on such conveyors, which move in the same direction, the stockings have a first leaf on the first conveyor belt and a second leaf on the second conveyor belt. In this situation a cardboard sheets feeder located above the V-shaped cradle puts a cardboard sheet on the first leaf, so that an edge of the latter is located at the V. Then, the second conveyor belt reverses the direction of movement so that it moves contrary to the direction of inlet. This way, the two leaves, with in the middle the cardboard sheet, are drawn by the V-portion of the cradle and, after being folded on each other, they move on a third conveyor belt, located underneath, which proceeds horizontally at the end of the first conveyor belt and along its same direction. At the end of the third conveyor belt a further folding station is provided, wherein the ends of the leaves that do not overlap the cardboard sheet are further folded together on the leaves of stockings that overlap the cardboard sheet, without folding the cardboard sheet same. In this situation, the stockings are substantially folded into four leaves creating a rectangular package that is led to further conveyors, which comprise a device that couples the pack to a paper sheet coming from a feeder and that is folded all around the pack same. Then, always in line with the first, the third and fourth conveyor belts, the pack arrives by means of a further conveyor belt to an envelope machine. The drawback of such an automatic apparatus is that, except from the second conveyor belt, all the others are on a same line and are bulky. In particular, downstream of the steaming machine before the envelope machine a large area along a line must be available. Summary of the invention It is therefore object of the present invention to provide a method for folding stockings or tights that leads to a compact layout of the conveyors so that the distance between inlet of the articles to be folded and outlet of the folded pack is minimum. It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that carries out this method. According to a first aspect of the invention, a method for folding hosiery articles and the like, in particular stockings and tights, comprises the steps of: - at the end of folding a first leaf of the articles on a second leaf and at the passage on a third conveyor belt, reversing the movement of the third conveyor belt in order to move the articles in a direction substantially opposite to that of inlet on the first conveyor belt and substantially under the first conveyor belt; - reaching a station of last fold always in direction opposite to the first conveyor belt and carrying out a last fold substantially below it, obtaining a rectangular pack; - overturning the pack and reversing its movement into the same direction of the first conveyor belt; - reaching a station of coupling the pack with a paper sheet substantially under the point of folding the first leaf on the second leaf. Advantageously, the last folding step is carried out on a fourth and fifth conveyor belt located downstream of the third conveyor belt after the movement direction reversing step. At first the fourth and fifth conveyor belt move in the same direction opposite to the direction of inlet when the leaves of articles that enclose the cardboard sheet are on the fourth conveyor belt, whereas the ends of the first and second leaves same exceeding the cardboard sheet are on the fifth conveyor belt. The fourth conveyor belt then rotates with respect to the fifth conveyor belt that reverses the movement, whereby the pack is formed in a movement towards below between the fourth and fifth conveyor belt that are rotating opposite to each other and push the pack towards a point of overturning. Always advantageously, the step of overturning is carried out through a sixth conveyor belt formed by two opposite and counter-rotating belts, that catch between them the pack and then rotate integrally up to aligning the pack to an outlet direction again in the same direction of the movement at inlet. Before reaching the outlet, the pack is coupled to a paper sheet fed from below up to bringing its middle line to block the direction of outlet, whereby the pack, when proceeding along this direction pushed by a conveyor located at the outlet, causes the paper sheet to fold into two leaves that close the pack within them. The pack with paper sheet around it, then, is then located on an envelope machine . According to another aspect of the invention, an apparatus for folding hosiery articles and the like, in particular stockings and tights, comprises: - a first conveyor belt located at an inlet, suitable for conveying steamed articles extended for all the length; - a second conveyor belt, located at the end of the first conveyor belt and sloped upwards with respect to it, whereby the first and second conveyor belts are arranged as a V-shaped cradle; - means for feeding a cardboard sheet on the first conveyor belt; - means for reversing the rotation of the second conveyor belt; - a third conveyor belt located under the first and the second conveyor belts, - means for reversing the movement of the third conveyor belt in order to move the articles in a direction substantially opposite to that of inlet on the first conveyor belt; - a device of last fold located under the first conveyor belt, suitable for folding the articles into a pack; - means for overturning the pack and for reversing its movement into the same direction of the first conveyor belt; - a station of coupling the pack with a paper sheet substantially under the V-shaped cradle. Advantageously, the station of last fold comprises a fourth and fifth conveyor belt following an end of the third conveyor belt and located under the first conveyor belt, means being provided for reversing the movement of the fifth conveyor belt and for rotating the fourth conveyor belt for folding further the article between them. Integrally to the fifth conveyor belt shielding means can be provided in order to make easier the folding step between the fourth and fifth conveyor belt. Advantageously, the means for overturning comprise a sixth conveyor formed by two opposite and counter-rotating belts, that catch between them the folded articles as a pack, means being provided for rotating the sixth conveyor about a central transversal axis for changing the trajectory of the pack and bringing it towards a conveyor located at the outlet. A preferred apparatus comprises: - a first portion for conveying the articles according to a direction of inlet towards a first folding point with interposition of a cardboard sheet; - a second portion for conveying the folded articles on the cardboard sheet and reversing the direction of movement in opposition to the direction of inlet towards a second folding point, wherein the leaves ends exceeding the cardboard sheet are folded onto the leaves overlapping the cardboard sheet, thus folding the article into a pack; - a third portion for conveying the pack and reversing the direction of movement in opposition to that of the second portion and again according to the direction of inlet towards a zone of outlet. The first, second and third portion are arranged like a Z-path, with a reduction to about a third of the length of the apparatus according to the prior art. Brief description of the drawings Further characteristics and advantages of the method and of the apparatus according to the present invention, for automatic folding hosiery articles and the like, will be made clearer with following description of an embodiment thereof, exemplifying but not limitative, with reference to attached drawings wherein: - figure 1 shows a diagrammatical elevational view of the lay-out of the conveyors of an apparatus according to the invention for automatic folding stockings or tights ; - figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 show four steps of operation of the apparatus of figure 1; - figure 6 shows folded stockings with all around a paper sheet and with a cardboard sheet inside, as it results at the exit of the apparatus according to the invention. Description of a preferred embodiment In the figures the conveyor belts have been indicated diagrammatically with a cross section longitudinal view, without showing driving means, transmissions, frames, guides. It is clear that a man of the art, without any further search, is capable of making an apparatus according to the invention starting from such figures. With reference to figure 1, an apparatus according to the invention for folding stockings or tights provides a first conveyor belt 1 located at an inlet, suitable for conveying steamed stockings 2, or tights, extended for all the length along a direction 3. The conveyor belt 1 is usually sloped downwards, and has an end la at the inlet that is located at the outlet of the stockings coming from a steaming machine, or at a station of manual feeding. At an end lb of conveyor belt 1 a second conveyor belt 4 is located sloped upwards with respect to it and next to it so that the stockings 2 continue the path along the direction of inlet 3. First conveyor belt 1 at its end lb forms with second conveyor belt 3 at its end 4a a V-shaped cradle 5, at an angle of about 120°. A cardboard sheets feeder by means of suction elements 6, located above the cradle 5, is suitable for feeding sheets 7 on first conveyor belt 1, so that an edge thereof is located at the V of cradle 5. Second conveyor belt 4 can move both along direction 8, like conveyor belt 1, and in the opposite direction 9. Besides rotating the belt driven about its end 4b it can slightly rise with respect to a third conveyor belt 10, located under cradle 5 and that extends horizontally. Also third conveyor belt 10 can move horizontally according to direction 11 or according to opposite direction 12, in order to carry an article either towards its end 10a or towards its end 10b. Next to third conveyor belt 10 an unit of last fold follows comprising a fourth conveyor belt 14 and a fifth conveyor belt 15. Fourth conveyor belt 14 moves according to a direction 16 and can rotate according to arrow 17. Fifth conveyor belt 15, located just next to the fourth, can move horizontally according to either a direction 18 or an opposite direction 19. Under fourth and fifth conveyor belt, 14 and 15, an overturning unit 20 is provided formed by a sixth conveyor with counter-rotating belts and capable of rotating integrally from a position substantially vertical aligned with the folding point formed between fourth and fifth conveyor belt 14 and 15 up to a substantially horizontal position. In this horizontal position, the overturning unit 20 is aligned with a seventh conveyor 30 formed also by a couple of counter-rotating belts. Under the seventh conveyor belt 30 a feeder 31 of paper sheets 32 is provided as well as an eight conveyor belt sloped upwards 33, suitable for carrying the sheets 31 at the exit of the seventh conveyor belt 30. Then, dragging rollers 34 are provided located at the outlet of the article 40 folded as a pack. With reference to figure 2, the first conveyor belt 1 sloped downwards carries the stockings 2 steamed and stretched for all the length, according to inlet direction 3. Second conveyor belt 4 moves according to direction 8 so that the stockings 2 continue in part a path sloped upwards in the same direction of inlet. When the stockings 2 are in the desired position at cradle 5, the feeder 6 located above the V-shaped cradle 5 brings the cardboard sheet 7 on the leaf of the stockings 2 that is on first conveyor belt 1. At this point (figure 3) second conveyor belt reverses the direction of movement according to direction 9 and the two leaves of the stockings 2, with in the middle the cardboard sheet 7, are caught by the V leaf of the cradle and, after being folded onto each other, they are moved by third conveyor belt 10. In order to make easier this step, conveyor belt 2 rises slightly. At the end of folding the first leaf of the stockings onto the second and at the passage on the third conveyor belt, which moves according to direction 11, the same reverses the movement in order to move the stockings 2 in the direction 12 substantially opposite to the direction 3 of inlet. The third conveyor belt 10 is lowered slightly rotating about is end 10a, so that its end 10b is aligned with fourth conveyor belt 14. The stockings 2 folded into two leaves on cardboard sheet 7 achieve the station of last fold by means of the fourth and fifth conveyor belts 14 and 15 that proceed respectively in the directions 16 and 18, always opposite to the direction 3 of inlet. The folded stockings 2 stop at a position wherein the leaves with cardboard sheet are located on fourth conveyor belt 14 whereas the leaves ends that are not overlapping the cardboard sheet are located on fifth conveyor belt 15. At this point (figure 4), a shield 24 is lowered on the fifth conveyor belt 15 and at the same time the fourth conveyor belt 14 rotates according to arrow 17 for causing the leaves of stockings 2 with cardboard sheet to fold on those without cardboard sheet. Fourth conveyor belt 14 continues to rotate along direction 16, whereas the fifth conveyor belt 15 reverses its movement according to the direction 19, causing the stockings 2 to fold again and to form a pack that is caught by sixth conveyor belt 20, which is oriented towards below. With reference to figure 5, sixth conveyor belt 20 then rotates overturning the pack formed by the stockings 2 around the cardboard sheet 7 so that it reaches the seventh conveyor belt 30. Before reaching the outlet, at conveyor belt 30 (figure 5), the pack is coupled to paper sheet 32 fed from below by conveyor belt 33, on which it has been put by feeder 31. The paper sheet 32 is pushed by feeder 33 on a plate 35 up to bringing its middle line to block the direction of outlet of the stockings 2 by conveyor belt 30. This way, the pack formed by the stockings 2, when proceeding along that direction causes paper sheet 32 to fold into two leaves and to close the pack within them, also owing to the preliminary rotation of plate 35 in the direction of arrow 36. The pack 40 (figure 6) that comprises the stockings 2 with paper sheet 32 around and the cardboard sheet 7 inside, then, is located on an envelope machine 38 by a loading 37 device (figure 5) . The foregoing description of a specific embodiment will so fully reveal the invention according to the conceptual point of view, so that others, by applying current knowledge, will be able to modify and/or adapt for various applications such an embodiment without further research and without parting from the invention, and it is therefore to be understood that such adaptations and modifications will have to be considered as equivalent to the specific embodiment. The means and the materials to realise the different functions described herein could have a different nature without, for this reason, departing from the field of the invention. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A method for folding hosiery articles (2) and the like, in particular stockings and tights, comprising the steps of: - conveying along a direction of inlet (3), by means of a first conveyor belt (1) located at an inlet, steamed articles (2) extended for all the length; - continuing the movement of said articles (2) on a second conveyor belt (4) located at the end of the first conveyor belt (1) and sloped upwards with respect to it, said first (1) and second conveyor belt (4) creating a V-shaped cradle (5); - when said articles (2) reach a position wherein a first leaf is located on the first conveyor belt (1) and a second leaf on the second conveyor belt (4), feeding a cardboard sheet (7) on the first conveyor belt (1) near the cradle (5) and reversing the direction of movement of said second conveyor belt (4), whereby said first leaf of the articles (2) is folded onto said second leaf and said cardboard sheet (7) and they are brought together onto a third conveyor belt (10) located underneath that proceeds according to said direction of inlet (3); characterised in that it comprises the further steps of: - at the end of folding a first leaf of the articles (2) on a second leaf and at the passage of the folded articles (2) on the third conveyor belt (10), reversing the movement of said third conveyor belt (10) in order to move said articles (2) in a direction substantially opposite to said direction of inlet (3) and substantially under said first conveyor belt (1); - reaching a station of last fold always in direction opposite to said direction of inlet (3) and making said last fold substantially below it, obtaining a rectangular pack (2); - changing the direction of said pack (2) by moving it in said direction of inlet (3); - reaching a station of coupling said pack (2) to a paper sheet (32) substantially under said V-shaped cradle ( 5) ; - at the end of the coupling, outlet (34) of said pack (2) coupled to said paper sheet (32) substantially under said second conveyor belt (4) . 2. Method for folding according to claim 1, wherein said last folding step is carried out on a fourth (14) and fifth (15) conveyor belt located downstream of said third conveyor belt (10) after said reversing the direction of movement, wherein said fourth (14) and fifth (15) conveyor belt proceed in the same direction opposite to the direction of inlet (3) when said first and second leaf that enclose said cardboard sheet (7) are on said fourth (14) conveyor belt and the ends of said first and second leaf exceeding said cardboard sheet (7) are on said fifth (15) conveyor belt, the fourth (14) conveyor belt then rotating with respect to said fifth (15) conveyor belt that reverses the direction of movement, whereby said pack (2) is formed in a movement towards below between said fourth (14) and fifth (15) conveyor belt that rotate opposite to each other and push out the pack (2) . 3. Method for folding according to claim 1, wherein said step of changing the direction of said pack (2) is carried out through a sixth (20) conveyor belt formed by two opposite and counter-rotating belts, that catch between them the pack (2) and then rotate integrally up to aligning the pack (2) to a horizontal direction of outlet (34) again in the same direction of the direction of inlet (3) . 4. Method for folding according to claim 1, wherein before the outlet (34), the pack (2) is coupled to a paper sheet (32) fed from below up to bringing its middle line to block the direction of outlet (34), whereby the pack (2), when proceeding along this direction pushed by a conveyor located at the outlet (34), causes the paper sheet (32) to fold into two leaves that close the pack (2) within them. 5. A method for folding hosiery articles (2) and the like, in particular stockings and tights, comprising the steps of: - conveying said articles (2) according to a direction of inlet (3) towards a first folding point (5) with interposition of a cardboard sheet (7); - conveying said folded articles (2) and said cardboard sheet (7) along a second portion and reversing the direction of movement in opposition to said direction of inlet (3) towards a second folding point (15) where the leafs that exceed said cardboard sheet (7) are folded above the leaves that comprise said cardboard sheet (7), obtaining a pack (2); - conveying said pack (2) towards a zone of outlet (34) along a third portion having a direction of movement opposite to that of said second portion and again according to the direction of inlet (3), - wherein said first, second and third portion create substantially Z-shaped path. 6. An apparatus for folding hosiery articles (2) and the like, in particular stockings and tights, comprising: - a first conveyor belt (1) located at an inlet, suitable for conveying steamed articles (2) extended for all the length along a direction of inlet (3) ; - a second conveyor belt (4), located at the end of the first conveyor belt (1) and sloped upwards with respect to it, whereby said first (1) and second conveyor belt (4) are arranged as a V-shaped cradle ( 5 ) ; - means for reversing the rotation of said second conveyor belt (4); - means for feeding a cardboard sheet (7) on said first conveyor belt (1); - a third conveyor belt (10) located under said first (1) and second conveyor belt (4), - means for reversing the movement of the third conveyor belt (10) in order to move said articles (2) in a direction substantially opposite to that of inlet ( 3 ) ; - a unit of last fold located under said first conveyor belt (1), suitable for folding said articles (2) into a pack; - means for overturning said pack (2) and for reversing its movement into the same direction of inlet (3) ; - a station of coupling said pack (2) with a paper sheet (32) substantially under said V-shaped cradle (5) . 7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said station of last fold comprises a fourth (14) and fifth (15) conveyor belt located to an end of said third conveyor belt (10), under said first conveyor belt (1), means being provided for reversing the movement of said fifth (15) conveyor belt and means for rotating said fourth (14) conveyor belt for folding further the article (2) between them. 8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein integrally to the fifth (15) conveyor belt shielding means (24) can be provided in order to make easier the folding step between said fourth (14) and fifth (15) conveyor belt. 9. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said means for overturning comprise a sixth (20) conveyor belt, formed by two opposite and counter-rotating belts, that catch between it folded articles (2) as a pack (2), means being provided for rotating said sixth (20) conveyor belt about a central transversal axis for changing the trajectory of said pack (2) and bringing it towards a conveyor located at the outlet (34) . 10. An apparatus for folding hosiery articles (2) and the like, in particular stockings and tights, comprising: - a first portion (1,4) for conveying said articles (2) according to a direction of inlet (3) towards a first folding point (5) with interposition of a cardboard sheet (7 ) ; - a second portion (10) for conveying said folded articles (2) with said cardboard sheet (7) and reversing the direction of movement in opposition to said direction of inlet (3) towards a second folding point (15), wherein the leaves exceeding with respect to said cardboard sheet (7) are folded onto the leaves comprising to each other said cardboard sheet (7), folding said articles (2) into a pack; - a third portion (20, 30) for conveying said pack (2) by reversing the direction of movement in opposition to that of said second portion and moving it again according to the direction of inlet (3) towards a zone of outlet (34) , - wherein said first, second and third portion are arranged substantially according a Z-shaped path.

Inventors: MANINI BENITO, MANINI, BENITO
Applicants: MANINI BENITO, S R A S R L, MANINI, BENITO, S.R.A. S.R.L.
Application year: 2001
Main classification: B65B63
IPC codes: B65B25, B65B63