Abstract:
A glove stacking apparatus for preparing a stack of gloves prior to packing into a box, and a method of stacking gloves using a glove stacking apparatus for preparing a stack of gloves prior to packing into a box, particularly ambidextrous disposable hygienic gloves are disclosed. A glove stacking apparatus for lifting and depositing gloves to be stacked comprises a lifting means for lifting each of the gloves. The lifting means includes an attractive glove lifting surface, wherein the lifting means includes within the lifting surface a movable member, the movable member being movable from a first position in which the movable member is substantially flush with the lifting surface to a second position in which the movable member stands proud of the lifting surface in order to help dislodge the lifted glove from the lifting surface. The movable member has a surface that is permeable to air flow through the surface, the glove lifting means including a source of positive air pressure and means to control the application of said positive air pressure through the permeable surface of the movable member in order to control the dislodging of the lifted glove from the glove lifting surface.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    a. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a glove stacking apparatus for preparing a stack of gloves prior to packing into a box, and to a method of stacking gloves using a glove stacking apparatus for preparing a stack of gloves prior to packing into a box, particularly ambidextrous disposable hygienic gloves. 
         [0003]    b. Related Art 
         [0004]    The control of infection of patients in hospitals, clinics, and doctors&#39; surgeries has become an ever more pressing concern with the rise of infectious bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics, in particular methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and  Clostridium difficile  ( C. difficile ). In the United Kingdom alone there are thought to be about 5,000 deaths a year from infections caught in hospitals but some experts believe the number could be as high as 20,000. 
         [0005]    Disposable medical gloves can help prevent cross-contamination, but a problem arises if external parts of the glove touch the same areas of a dispensing container as have previously been touched by hands which are contaminated with harmful micro-organisms. Such external parts of the gloves can then become contaminated prior to contact with a patient, if these external parts are the fingers or palm area of the glove the likelihood of a patient being contaminated is dramatically increased. 
         [0006]    Most gloves used in hospitals and clinics are examination gloves, and these are used in large numbers. Such gloves are supplied not in individual sterile packages, but in relatively inexpensive cardboard dispensing boxes. The size of boxed gloves is an issue owing to the need to minimise the space needed to store gloves, or the size of dispensing apparatus holding boxed gloves. 
         [0007]    Because of the need to enhance infection control, the preferred method of dispensing these gloves is by the cuff, so that the user can only remove the gloves from the container by the cuffs rather than by the glove fingers. Examples of cuff first glove dispensing systems are disclosed in GB 2449087, GB 2457450 and GB 2454753. Gloves are packed in an inexpensive box, made from card material and having a removable cover over an opening, with each glove either packed flat or folded over on itself and with the cuff of each glove being presented towards the opening. 
         [0008]    Although such cuff first glove dispensing systems are helpful in controlling contamination of the finger portions of each glove during dispensing and donning of each glove, a problem arises in how to pack the maximum number of gloves in each box for increased economy. Although it is possible to arrange gloves into a stack by hand, this is time consuming and relatively expensive in a production environment. 
         [0009]    It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for stacking gloves prior to packing in a dispensing box. It is also an object of the present invention to reduce the packing volume of boxed gloves. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    According to the invention, there is provided a glove stacking apparatus for lifting and depositing gloves to be stacked, comprising a lifting means for lifting each of said gloves, said lifting means including an attractive glove lifting surface, wherein the lifting means includes within the lifting surface a movable member, the movable member being movable from a first position in which the movable member is substantially flush with the lifting surface to a second position in which the movable member stands proud of the lifting surface in order to help dislodge said lifted glove from the lifting surface, and the movable member has a surface that is permeable to air flow through said surface, the glove lifting means including a source of positive air pressure and means to control the application of said positive air pressure through said permeable surface of the movable member in order to control the dislodging of said lifted glove from the glove lifting surface. 
         [0011]    Also according to the invention there is provided a method of lifting and depositing gloves to be stacked using a glove stacking apparatus including an attractive glove lifting surface with a glove lifting portion, and a movable member within the lifting surface, the movable member having a surface that is permeable to air flow through said surface, the method comprising the steps of: 
         [0012]    moving the lifting surface so that the lifting surface is above a glove to be lifted; 
         [0013]    with the movable member in a first position in which the movable member is substantially flush with the lifting surface, using the attractive glove lifting surface to pull said glove to the lifting portion; 
         [0014]    moving the lifting surface to a location where gloves are to be stacked; 
         [0015]    releasing the glove from the attractive glove lifting surface; 
         [0016]    moving the movable member to a second position in which the movable member stands proud of the lifting surface in order to help dislodge said lifted glove from the lifting surface; 
         [0017]    applying a positive air pressure through said permeable surface of the movable member in order to control the dislodging of said lifted glove from the glove lifting surface; and 
         [0018]    depositing said dislodged glove at said location and repeating the preceding steps to form said stack of gloves. 
         [0019]    The attractive lifting surface and movable member may be part of a glove placement means, for example including also actuators for controlling the movement of the lifting surface. 
         [0020]    The glove lifting surface may have a permeable glove lifting portion. With the movable member in a first position in which the movable member is substantially flush with the lifting surface, a vacuum pressure is then applied through the permeable glove lifting portion to pull said glove to the lifting portion. The lifting surface is then moved to a location where gloves are to be stacked, following which the glove is released from the attractive glove lifting surface by releasing the vacuum pressure. 
         [0021]    The movable member may, for example, be a downwardly acting piston 
         [0022]    The movable member is preferably moved to said second position after said positive air pressure is applied through said permeable surface of the movable member. The application of the positive air pressure through the permeable surface of the movable member serves, in use, to press a portion of the deposited glove against the glove stack prior to compression of the stack by the movable member. 
         [0023]    Also according to the invention, there is provided a glove stacking apparatus for forming a stack of gloves, comprising: 
         [0024]    a glove placement means for depositing gloves one of top of another for forming said stack of gloves, the glove placement means including a lifting surface with a attractive glove lifting portion and a movable member within the lifting surface, the movable member being movable from a first position in which the movable member is substantially flush with the lifting surface to a second position in which the movable member stands proud of the lifting surface in order to help dislodge said lifted glove from the lifting surface; 
         [0025]    a packing recess for receiving said gloves and for containing said stack as the stack is being formed, the packing recess having a downwardly movable floor; and 
         [0026]    means for moving the floor downwardly so that the stack of gloves continues to be retained within the recess as gloves are added to the stack; 
         [0027]    wherein the movable member is arranged, in use, to compress the stack of gloves within the recess after each glove is deposited. 
         [0028]    Preferably, the compression of the stack of gloves by the movable member provides a motive force for the means for moving the floor downwardly. 
         [0029]    The means for moving the floor downwardly may, in use, be activated to move downwards by pressure from the movable member compressing the stack of gloves. 
         [0030]    The means for moving the floor downwardly may comprise an upwardly acting spring mechanism, the floor being supported by this spring mechanism. The spring mechanism may provide an upwards restoring force against the compression of the stack of gloves by the movable member. The spring mechanism may also be compressible to lower the level of the floor when the stack of gloves is compressed by the movable member, this compression of the spring mechanism serving, in use, to limit a compression force on the stack of glove by the movable member. 
         [0031]    The invention further provides a method of forming a stack of gloves using a glove stacking apparatus comprising a glove placement means having a attractive lifting surface, a movable member within the lifting surface, the movable member being movable from a first position in which the movable member is substantially flush with the lifting surface to a second position in which the movable member stands proud of the lifting surface and a packing recess, said recess having a downwardly movable floor, the method comprising the steps of: 
         [0032]    using the attractive lifting surface of the glove placement means to lift and deposit gloves one on top of another to form said stack of gloves within the recess; 
         [0033]    prior to depositing said gloves moving the movable member from said first position to said second position in order to help dislodge said gloves from said attractive lifting surface; 
         [0034]    moving the floor downwardly as the stack of gloves is formed in order to retain the stack of gloves within the recess as gloves are added to the stack; and 
         [0035]    using the movable member to compress air out of the stack of gloves after depositing each glove on said stack. 
         [0036]    The glove placement means may be used in an apparatus for stacking gloves in a stack which comprises at least one conveyor for transporting said gloves to be stacked, a sensing means for sensing the presence of said transported gloves on said conveyor, a processing means, a stacking station and a glove placement means for moving said transported gloves from said glove conveyor to form said stack at the stacking station, wherein: 
         [0037]    the glove placement means includes a lifting and depositing portion for lifting each of said gloves to be moved from said conveyor and for depositing each of said lifting gloves at the stacking station; and 
         [0038]    the processing means is connected to the sensing means and to the glove placement means for controlling the operation of the glove placement means in accordance with said sensed presence so that, in use, the lifting and depositing portion of the glove placement means lifts gloves from said conveyor and deposits said gloves to form said stack. 
         [0039]    The sensing means may sense additionally the orientation of a cuff portion and/or thumb portion of each of the transported gloves on the conveyor, and the processing means may be arranged to control the operation of the glove placement means in accordance with the sensed orientation so that, in use, the lifting and depositing portion of the glove placement means lifts gloves from the conveyor and deposits the gloves to form the stack with the cuff portion and/or the thumb portion of each glove in a desired orientation with respect to other gloves in the stack. 
         [0040]    The apparatus may comprise additionally a pneumatic system, the pneumatic system being arranged to apply a vacuum to the lifted glove in order to adhere the lifted glove to the lifting portion. 
         [0041]    Preferably, the apparatus comprises means to de-adhere the lifted glove for depositing at the stacking station. 
         [0042]    For example, the pneumatic system may be arranged to apply a positive air pressure to the lifted glove in order to de-adhere the lifted glove for depositing at the stacking station. 
         [0043]    The processing means may be connected to the pneumatic system for controlling the operation of the pneumatic system during the lifting and depositing of the gloves. 
         [0044]    The packing station may comprise a recess in a work surface for containing the stack of gloves as gloves are deposited at the packing station. 
         [0045]    In preferred embodiments of the invention, the lifting and depositing portion includes a lifting surface against which in use the gloves are held when moved and positioned by the apparatus prior to depositing for stacking. 
         [0046]    The lifting and depositing means may include within the lifting surface a movable member, for example a downwardly acting piston. The movable member may be movable from a first position in which the movable member is substantially flush with the lifting surface to a second position in which the movable member stands proud of the lifting surface in order to help dislodge the lifted glove from the lifting surface prior to depositing for stacking. 
         [0047]    The glove placement means may be used in a method of stacking gloves in a stack using a glove stacking apparatus that comprises at least one conveyor, a sensing means, a processing means, a stacking station, a glove placement means, the method comprising the steps of: 
         [0048]    using said conveyor to transport said gloves to be stacked; 
         [0049]    using said sensing means to sense the presence of said transported gloves on said conveyor; 
         [0050]    using the glove placement means to move said transported gloves from said glove conveyor to form said stack at the stacking station; 
         [0051]    wherein the processing means is connected to the sensing means and to the glove placement means for controlling the operation of the glove placement means in accordance with said sensed presence so that the glove placement means lifts gloves from said glove conveyor and deposits said gloves to form said stack. 
         [0052]    When the glove placement means includes a lifting and depositing portion, this may be used to lift each of the gloves to be moved from the conveyor and to deposit each of the lifted gloves at the stacking station. 
         [0053]    The glove placement means may also be used in an apparatus for stacking ambidextrous gloves in a stack with the thumbs of each glove in a desired orientation with respect to each other, at least two glove conveyors for transporting said gloves to be stacked, a glove transfer means, and a glove placement means for moving said transported gloves from said glove conveyors to form said stack, wherein: 
         [0054]    said conveyors includes a first conveying means and a second conveying means, the first conveying means leading to the second conveying means and the glove transfer means being operable to transfer said transported gloves from the first conveying means to the second conveying means; 
         [0055]    each glove has either a left handed orientation or a right handed orientation from the perspective of the glove placement means when removing said gloves from said conveyors; 
         [0056]    the second conveying means is arranged to convey said transferred gloves such that the handedness of each of said gloves transferred to the second conveying means is reversed from a left handed orientation to a right handed orientation or alternatively from a right handed orientation to a left handed orientation as the second conveying means transports said gloves; and 
         [0057]    the glove placement means is operable to move gloves from either of the first or second conveying means depending on a desired handedness of the next glove to be stacked. 
         [0058]    There may be at least two conveyors which are part of a glove transport means for transporting gloves to be stacked and apparatus comprises additionally a sensing means for sensing the orientation of transported gloves, and also a processing means. The sensing means is arranged to sense the orientation of the transported gloves prior to the transfer means. The processing means is connected to the sensing means and is arranged to determine from the sensed orientation the handedness of the transported gloves, this handedness being either a left handed orientation of the glove thumb or alternatively a right handed orientation the glove thumb from the perspective of the sensing means. The processing means is then operable to determine the desired handedness of each of said gloves to be moved by the glove transport means and is connected to the glove transfer means, and is operable to use the glove transfer means to transfer the transported gloves from the first conveying means to the second conveying means to reverse the handedness of a glove when the sensed handedness is not the desired handedness. The glove placement means is operable to move gloves from the second conveying means when the sensed handedness is not the desired handedness or alternatively to move gloves from another one of the conveying means when the sensed handedness is the desired handedness. 
         [0059]    In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the gloves are transported and manipulated individually by the glove placement means. 
         [0060]    The first conveying means is in a preferred embodiment of the invention a single continuous conveyor. It would, however, be possible to form the first conveying means from a series of consecutive conveyors, one passing gloves to the next conveyor in the series. 
         [0061]    The first conveying means is preferably arranged to transport the gloves in a first direction of travel towards the glove transfer means and the second conveying means is preferably arranged to rotate the orientation of the transferred gloves about an axis transverse to the first direction so that said rotated transferred gloves travel in a second direction opposite the first direction. 
         [0062]    The second conveying means may be a belt conveyor arranged in a loop. The second conveying means is arranged to convey the transferred gloves around at least a portion of the loop in order to change the handedness of each of said transferred gloves. 
         [0063]    The rotation of the glove is then effected by the movement of the transferred glove from one side of the loop to an opposite side of the loop. 
         [0064]    The first conveying means may be arranged to transport gloves along a first direction of travel towards a transfer portion of the first conveying means, this transfer portion being proximate the second conveying means. 
         [0065]    The sensing means may be arranged to sense the orientation of each glove with respect to a first direction of travel as transported by the first conveying means. 
         [0066]    The first conveying means and second conveying means are preferably both belt conveyors, each having portions in juxtaposition in a glove transfer region where the glove transfer means acts to transfer the gloves from the first belt conveyor to the second belt conveyor when the handedness of the glove needs to be changed prior to stacking. 
         [0067]    The processing means may be connected to the glove placement means and may also be arranged to control the operation of the glove placement means in the movement of the gloves by the glove placement means away from the conveyors. 
         [0068]    In preferred embodiments of the invention, the glove placement means includes a glove manipulator that comprises a lifting portion for lifting each of the moved gloves from the first and second conveying means. The lifting portion preferably also serves to deposit the glove at a stacking station, in which case the lifting portion is a lifting and depositing portion of the glove manipulator. 
         [0069]    The glove manipulator may include an electrostatic generator for applying an electrostatic charge to the lifted glove in order to adhere this glove to the lifting and depositing portion. The glove manipulator may, however, comprise additionally or alternatively a pneumatic system for sucking the glove to the lifting and depositing portion and preferably also for depositing the glove. 
         [0070]    In preferred embodiments of the invention, the lifting portion of the glove manipulator is an underside or lowermost portion of the glove manipulator. 
         [0071]    The lifting and depositing portion may comprise means for depositing each lifted glove, for example when moved into position with a stack of gloves built up during previous cycles of lifting and depositing gloves. 
         [0072]    In preferred embodiments of the invention, the glove manipulator comprises means for rotating the lifted glove about an axis, which will most commonly be a vertical axis, parallel with a stacking axis of the deposited gloves. 
         [0073]    When the glove is in position for depositing, the glove may then be dropped on top of a stack of gloves being built up by the glove stacking apparatus. Together with the flipping of gloves by the transfer interaction between the first and second conveying means, the facility to rotate a lifted glove about a vertical axis enables the apparatus to position each glove in a desired orientation. In particular, the invention permits control of the orientation of both the thumb and the cuff of each glove deposited in the stack. For example, each deposited glove can be oriented in the same manner, for example with cuffs and thumbs of adjacent gloves all similarly oriented, or in alternate orientations, for example, interfolded so that a glove dispensed from a dispensing container serves to pull partially out from the dispenser the next glove to be dispensed. 
         [0074]    The first and second conveying means may be belt conveyors, each glove being held conformally against the second and/or first conveys and against a lifting surface of the lifting portion as the gloves are moved and positioned by the apparatus prior to depositing for stacking. Ideally the gloves are flattened with fingers and thumb being splayed apart in order to compact the volume of the stacked gloves as far as practicable. 
         [0075]    The glove transfer means may comprise an electrostatic generator for applying an electrostatic charge to the transferred glove in order to adhere said transferred glove electrostaticly to the second conveyor loop. The glove transfer means may, however, comprise either additionally or alternatively, a vacuum pneumatic system for transferring gloves to the second conveyor loop. 
         [0076]    The glove placement means may be used in a method of stacking gloves in a desired orientation with respect to each other, comprising the steps of: 
         [0077]    using a glove transport means comprising a first conveying means and a second conveying means such that gloves are transported along said first conveying means towards said second conveying means; 
         [0078]    using a sensing apparatus to sense the orientation of each of said transported gloves transported by the first conveying means; 
         [0079]    using a processor to determine from said sensed orientation whether or not the sensed orientation of said glove is in a desired orientation for removal from the first conveying means prior to stacking of said glove; 
         [0080]    using a glove transfer means to transfer said transported gloves from the first conveying means to the second conveying means when said sensed orientation is not a desired orientation; 
         [0081]    using the second conveying means to transport said transferred gloves; 
         [0082]    wherein said transfer and subsequent transport of said gloves by the second conveying means has the effect of changing the orientation of said gloves to a desired orientation for removal from the second conveying means prior to stacking of said glove. 
         [0083]    If the sensed orientation of a glove transported by the first conveying means is correct, then the glove is removed from the first conveying means for stacking in a stack of gloves. On the other hand, if the sensed orientation of a glove transported by the first conveying means is incorrect, then a glove transfer means is used to transfer the glove from the first conveying means to the transporting surface of the second conveying means. 
         [0084]    In preferred embodiment of the invention, the first conveying means transports gloves in a first direction, the second conveying means having a transporting surface in opposition to the first conveying means and moving in the same first direction of travel as the first conveying means. 
         [0085]    The sensing apparatus may then sense the orientation of each transported glove with respect to this first direction of travel. 
         [0086]    The transporting surface of the second conveying means may be moved in a loop so that this transporting surface transports the transferred gloves in a second direction opposite to the first direction so that the orientation of transferred gloves transported by the transporting surface is transformed into a desired orientation for stacking. 
         [0087]    The glove placement means may be also be used in an apparatus having a glove transport means for handling gloves to be stacked, comprising at least two glove conveyors for transporting said gloves and a glove transfer means, said conveyors including a first conveyor and a second conveyor, the first conveyor leading to the second conveyor and the glove transfer means being operable to transfer said transported gloves from the first conveyor to the second conveyor, the second conveyor having a conveying surface, a glove transfer portion of said surface being permeable to air flow through said surface, wherein the glove transfer means includes a source of vacuum air pressure and means to control the application of said vacuum air pressure through said permeable glove transfer portion of said conveying surface in order to control the transfer of gloves from the first conveyor to the second conveyor. 
         [0088]    The second conveyor may include a roller around which said conveying surface passes, the roller including at least one air flow channel and the vacuum air supply being applied to said permeable glove transfer portion through said at least one air flow channel. 
         [0089]    The least one channel may include an array of perforations in an outer surface of the roller. 
         [0090]    The conveying surface is preferably a mesh, said mesh being permeable to the air flow. 
         [0091]    The glove placement means may include an apparatus for manipulating gloves presented flat for stacking by a transporting surface, comprising a glove manipulator comprising a lifting portion, said lifting portion having a downwardly directed surface for lifting each of said moved gloves from said transporting surface, and a means for attracting said lifted glove to said downwardly directed surface in order to hold said lifted glove to said downwardly directed surface of the lifting portion as gloves are manipulated for stacking. 
         [0092]    In one embodiment of the invention, the means for attracting a lifted glove to the downwardly directed surface comprises an electrostatic generator for applying an electrostatic charge to a lifted glove in order to adhere the lifted glove to the downwardly directed surface of the lifting portion. 
         [0093]    In another embodiment of the invention, the means for attracting a lifted glove to the downwardly directed surface comprises a pneumatic system for applying a vacuum to a lifted glove in order to adhere the lifted glove to the downwardly directed surface of the lifting portion. 
         [0094]    In one embodiment of the invention, the glove placement means comprises a ground plate to which the electrostatically charged glove is attracted. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a plurality of insulating strands strung over and separated from the ground plate, the strands serving in use to support and separate the electrostatically charged glove from the ground plate. In another embodiment, the invention comprises an insulating plate, the insulating plate having a plurality of perforations through which the electrostatically charged glove is attracted to the ground plate, the insulating plate serving in use supporting and separating the electrostatically charged glove from the ground plate. 
         [0095]    Preferably, the lifting portion has means for discharging the electrostatic charge on the glove prior to said depositing of the glove. Once the electrostatic charge has been discharged, the glove will either fall from the lifting portion or can be readily assisted to fall, for example with a puff of compressed air applied to the interface between the lifting and depositing portion and the glove. 
         [0096]    The lifting and depositing portion may have means for increasing the separation between the charged glove and the ground plate in order to lessen the electrostatic attraction between the glove and the ground plate prior to dropping the glove for stacking. These means may include one or more pins that project downwards of the lifting means, most preferably in areas not covered over by lifted gloves. 
         [0097]    The glove placement means may be used as part of a glove stacking apparatus, comprising a recess in a work surface. The glove placement means is then arranged to deposit glove above the recess for stacking within the recess. The recess may have side walls for aligning gloves stacked one on another inside the recess and a movable floor which can be lowered as said stack of gloves grows so the topmost glove in the stack of gloves is substantially level with the work surface, wherein the apparatus comprises at least one movable flap adjacent an edge of said recess for folding towards the recess a portion of a glove overlapping said edge of the recess. 
         [0098]    The flap is preferably hinged adjacent the edge of the recess. 
         [0099]    Gloves are preferably deposited at the recess such that a portion of the glove is contained by said recess and another portion of said glove overlaps an edge of said recess and lies on said at least one movable flap. The movable flap is then moved to fold towards the recess the portion of the glove that overlaps the edge of the recess so that the glove is contained by the recess. During this process, the flap preferably contacts the stack of gloves formed in the recess in order to help compress the stack of gloves. 
         [0100]    The recess may be substantially square or rectangular. There may also be a pair of flaps on opposite side edges of the recess for folding alternately inwards to the recess, portions of gloves overlapping alternately one or another of the opposite side edges of the recess. 
         [0101]    The glove placement means may therefore be used in a method of stacking gloves using a glove stacking apparatus, comprising the steps of: 
         [0000]    i) moving the movable floor proximate the level of the work surface;
 
ii) placing a first glove to be stacked over the recess, with a first cuff portion of said glove overlapping an edge of the recess;
 
iii) placing a second glove to be stacked over the recess, with a second cuff portion of said glove overlapping an edge of the recess;
 
iv) lowering the recess floor as required to keep the top of the stack of gloves in the recess substantially level with the work surface;
 
v) using at least one movable flap to fold over said first cuff portion inwards towards the recess, so that the first cuff portion is folded over a finger portion of the second glove contained within the recess; and
 
vi) repeating steps ii) to v) to build up a stack of interfolded gloves within the recess.
 
         [0102]    The packing recess may be used with at least one movable flap for folding towards the recess a portion of a glove overlapping said edge of the recess. 
         [0103]    The movable flap preferably has a surface that is permeable to air flow through said surface, the glove stacking apparatus including a source of vacuum air pressure and means to apply said vacuum air pressure through said permeable surface of the movable flap in order to pull said overlapping portion of said glove to the flap prior to folding of said overlapping portion. 
         [0104]    The source of vacuum pressure is separate from the flap so that as the flap folds towards the recess, the application of the vacuum air pressure through the permeable surface is automatically released. 
         [0105]    The means to apply said vacuum air pressure may comprise at least one perforation in a work surface beneath the permeable surface of the movable flap, and most preferably comprises a plurality of such perforations. 
         [0106]    The source of vacuum pressure is preferably arranged to provide a steady vacuum pressure. The application of the vacuum air pressure through the permeable surface then depends on the degree of separation between the movable flap and the means to apply said vacuum air pressure through said permeable surface of the movable flap. As the flap moves towards the recess, the vacuum pressure is therefore automatically released. 
         [0107]    Preferably, the, or each, flap is arranged to fold towards the recess such that, in use, the flap contacts the stack of gloves formed in the recess in order to help compress the stack of gloves. 
         [0108]    The permeable surface of the flap is preferably a mesh, this mesh therefore being permeable to the air flow. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0109]    The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0110]      FIG. 1  is perspective view of an apparatus for stacking ambidextrous gloves including a glove placement means for moving gloves to be stacked, according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention, showing how gloves are transported by a first conveying means, past a machine vision system towards a second conveying means to which gloves may be transferred to reverse the handedness of the orientation of the glove with respect to a glove placement means; 
           [0111]      FIGS. 2 and 3  are, respectively, side and top views of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0112]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a glove placement means having a glove manipulator for lifting gloves from the conveyors and, if necessary, for rotating the orientation of the glove about a vertical axis prior to depositing on a stack of gloves; 
           [0113]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the glove manipulator of  FIG. 4 , showing how a glove is held electrostatically to a lowermost insulating surface of the glove manipulator; 
           [0114]      FIG. 6  is a bottom view of the glove manipulator of  FIG. 4 , showing how the glove is held flat against the insulating surface, which has an array of perforations behind which is a ground plate to which the glove is attracted; 
           [0115]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a glove manipulator for lifting gloves from the conveyors in which the gloves held against an array of insulating strands behind which is a ground plate to which the glove is attracted; 
           [0116]      FIG. 8  is a view from beneath of the glove manipulator of  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0117]      FIG. 9  is a cross-section view of the glove manipulator, taken along line IX-IX of  FIG. 8 ; 
           [0118]      FIG. 10  is an enlarged view of a portion of the cross-section of  FIG. 9  labeled X; 
           [0119]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view, partly cut-away, showing part of an apparatus for stacking ambidextrous gloves including a glove placement means for moving gloves to be stacked according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention, similar to the first but using a vacuum air supply for transferring gloves to the second conveyor and for holding gloves to the underside of a glove manipulator; 
           [0120]      FIG. 12  is perspective view of the first and second conveyors of  FIG. 11  and an adjacent packing station prior to stacking of gloves by the glove placement means; 
           [0121]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the packing station of  FIG. 12  with the glove manipulator ready to deposit a first glove at the packing station; 
           [0122]      FIG. 14  is a view of the glove manipulator of  FIG. 12  after depositing of the first glove at the packing station, showing how a movable member in the form of a plunger descends from beneath the glove manipulator to press a finger portion of the glove into a packing recess; 
           [0123]      FIG. 15  shows the packing station of  FIG. 14  when the glove manipulator has been withdrawn from the packing station to collect a second glove; 
           [0124]      FIG. 16  shows the packing station of  FIG. 15  after the glove manipulator has been withdrawn, with a cuff of the deposited glove extending beyond the packing recess and lying over a first movable flap on one side of the packing recess; 
           [0125]      FIG. 17  shows how, after the deposit of a second glove oriented oppositely with respect to the first glove, but with thumbs on the same side of the packing recess, the first movable flap is rotated about a pivot rod to fold the cuff of the first glove over the finger portion of the second glove; 
           [0126]      FIG. 18  is perspective view showing how the apparatus for stacking gloves may be paired and how two of the glove placement means may be mounted on a frame from above; and 
           [0127]      FIG. 19  is a top view of the paired apparatus for stacking gloves of  FIG. 18 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0128]      FIGS. 1 to 3  show various views of a glove stacking apparatus  1  for stacking gloves with the thumbs in a desired orientation. The apparatus comprises a first conveying means in the form of a first conveyor  2  and a second conveying means in the form of a second conveyor  4 . Both the first and second conveyors have straight loops of belt  3 ,  5 , with an upper surface  7  of the first conveyor  2  travelling in a first direction indicated by arrow  9 . The second conveyor  4  lies atop the first conveyor  2  with a lower portion  11  of the second conveyor belt  5  being opposed to a transfer portion  13  of the first conveyor belt  3 , these portions  11 ,  13  being separated by about 1 mm and moving at matched speeds in the same direction  9  so that an upper surface  15  of the second belt  5  moves in a second direction  17  opposite to the first direction  9 . 
         [0129]    A supply of gloves  6  held within a bin  8  is brought to the vicinity of an upstream end  19  of the first conveyor  2 . The gloves  6  in the bin  8  are not fully ordered but preferably have a cuff end  10  facing towards an open side  12  of the bin  8 , which is positioned above the upper surface  7  of the first belt  3 . 
         [0130]    The gloves  6  in the bin are oriented with the glove fingers  14  and thumb  16  facing generally in a direction parallel with the first direction of motion  9  of the first conveyor  2 . A worker (not shown) may then reach into the open side  12  of the bin  8  and get hold of a glove  6  by the cuff  10  and pull the gloves in the second direction  17  one at a time onto the upper surface  7  of the first belt  3 , such that the fingers drag along the first belt upper surface  7 . 
         [0131]    In doing this, the opposite motions of the gloves  6  and first belt  3  will tend to pull the fingers  14  and thumb  16  of each glove flat with the belt. In the embodiment of the invention, the gloves  6  are disposable ambidextrous medical inspection gloves, although the invention is applicable to other types of hygienic glove. It is not necessary for the thumbs  16  to be positioned on either the right or the left of the glove, as viewed in the direction of motion  9 . A machine vision sensing device  20  under the control of a microprocessor (not shown) is used to capture from above an image of each glove  6 A placed on the upstream end  19  of the first belt  3 . The machine vision sensing device  20  is not described or shown in detail but may include a camera or other light sensing means, a source of illumination such as a flash lamp, one or more scanning or static laser beams or a light curtain. 
         [0132]    The processor determines from the captured image if the thumb  16  is on the left or right of the glove  6 A and also determines if there is a problem with the orientation of the glove, as may be the case if the fingers  14  or thumb  16  are not splayed outwards and are overlapping, or if the cuff  10  is over-folded or under-folded. 
         [0133]    The gloves  6 A then pass to a rejection region  22  of the apparatus. The first belt  3  is a mesh fabric belt having holes of about 4 mm in size. The fabric preferably has insulating properties, for example being formed from a PTFE fabric material. Beneath the rejection region  22  is a valve  23  connected to a source of compressed air (not shown) which under the control of the processor sends a blast of air upwards and to one side of the first belt  3  to eject a misaligned glove off and to one side of the belt, where such rejected gloves are caught by a recycle bin (not shown) for subsequent recycling through the glove stacking apparatus  1 . 
         [0134]    If the gloves are to be stacked in a regular way, and if the gloves are randomly placed on the first belt  3 , with the thumb  16  either to the left or the right relative to the direction of motion, then the processor will determine, on average, that 50% of the gloves are in a correct orientation for stacking, and 50% are not. In the illustrated example, one glove  6 B has reached the vicinity of a downstream end  29  of the first conveyor  2 . This glove has been determined by the processor to be correctly oriented for stacking. Another glove  6 C is shown on the upper surface of the second belt  5 . This glove  6 C was found by the processor to be in the incorrect orientation for stacking by the processor when on the first belt  3  and has been transferred from the transfer portion  13  of the first belt  3  to the lower portion  11  of the second belt  5 , prior to being conveyed by the loop of the second belt onto the upper surface  15  of the second conveyor  4 . This operation has the effect of flipping the glove  6 C through 180° around a horizontal axis at right angles to the direction of motion  9  of the first conveyor  2 , such that the handedness of each of the gloves  6 C transferred to the second conveyor  4  is reversed from a left handed orientation to a right handed orientation or alternatively from a right handed orientation to a left handed orientation as the second conveyor transports the gloves. As will become clear from the explanation below, this then positions the illustrated glove  6 C in a correct orientation for stacking. 
         [0135]    It should be noted that the first and second belts  3 ,  5  in the region  11 ,  13  where these overlap move at the same speed and direction  9  with synchronicity being maintained by a 1:1 drive belt and pulley arrangement  27  connecting the first and second conveyors  2 ,  4 . 
         [0136]    The glove stacking apparatus  1  also comprises a glove placement means  30 , which is here an articulated robot arm  32  that extends away from a first vertical axis pivot  34  towards a second vertical axis pivot  35  on which a glove manipulator  38  is pivotably mounted. In addition to being pivotable about the second pivot  35 , the manipulator has a vertical and rotational axis movement mechanism  40  that extends downwards to an attractive lifting and depositing portion  42  of the glove manipulator  38 , a first and a second embodiment  42 ,  42 ′ of which using electrostatic attraction are illustrated in  FIGS. 4 to 10  and 1 third embodiment of which 142 using a vacuum, or negative pressure, supply is shown in  FIGS. 11 to 19 . 
         [0137]    As will be explained in more detail below, the glove manipulator  38  moves the lifting and depositing portion  42 ,  42 ′ so that this is above the next glove to be stacked, and then lifts and moves this glove either from the first conveyor  2  or the second conveyor  4  and deposits this to one side of the downstream end  29  of the first belt  3  at a stacking station  60 , where the glove  6 B,  6 C is deposited for stacking. 
         [0138]    The gloves  6 C are transferred from the first to the second conveyors by means of a static electricity generator  25  comprising a static generating bar positioned beneath the portion  13  of the first belt  3  opposite the second belt  5 . The charge passes through the air and holes in the first belt mesh to charge up the glove  6 C to be transferred. The second belt  5  is a mesh with an insulating outer surface and with a ground plate (not shown) behind in the region where the glove is transferred. Gloves  6 C once charged are therefore initially electrostatically attracted to the second belt  5  and leave the first belt  3 , which also has an insulating outer surface, to travel around the loop of the second belt  5  to reach the upper surface  15  of the second conveyor  4 . A second static charge electricity generator  33  comprising a static generating bar positioned beneath the upper surface  15  of the second belt  5  then recharges the glove. The charge passes through the air and holes in the first belt mesh to re-charge up the glove  6 C. There is no ground plate behind the mesh of the second belt in this region, and so the glove is free to be attracted to another ground surface, which as explained below is provided in the lifting and depositing portion  42 ,  42 ′. 
         [0139]    The lifting and depositing portion  42 ,  42 ′ of the glove placement means  30  is synchronized with the continuous motion of the belts  3 ,  5  and under the control of the same processor registering the location and portion of each glove  6 A by means of the machine vision system  20 . Alternatively, it would be possible to have a second machine vision system (not shown) to register the position and of the gloves  6 B,  6 C ready for stacking. It should be noted that in the drawing, both gloves  6 B and  6 C are shown for purposes of illustration only in position ready for lifting the by the lifting and depositing portion  42 ,  42 ′. Because the belts  3 ,  5  move continuously at a constant speed, preferably about 300 mm per second, in operation, only one of the illustrated gloves  6 B,  6 C would be positioned ready for lifting at any one time. 
         [0140]    The lifting and depositing portion  42 ,  42 ′ then moves into position above the glove  6 B,  6 C to be lifted. The lifting and depositing portion is rectangular, and is rotated by the movement mechanism  40  so that the long axis of the rectangle is aligned with the long axis of the glove. If the long axis of the glove  6 B,  6 C is not aligned exactly with the length of the belts  3 ,  5 , then this is detected by the image sensing system  20  and the angle of the lifting and depositing portion  42 ,  42 ′ is correspondingly adjusted by the rotational axis movement mechanism  40  to match that of the glove prior to lifting the glove from the belt  3 ,  5 . The movement of the belts  3 ,  5  is continuous so the arm  32  and glove manipulator  38  match the movement of the glove  6 B,  6 C on the conveyor  2 ,  4  while the vertical axis movement mechanism  40  drops the lifting and depositing portion  42 ,  42 ′ on top of the glove. 
         [0141]    As shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the first embodiment of the lifting and depositing portion  42  has a flat under surface  50 , which is made from a thin plate insulating material having an array of circular holes  52 , behind which is an insulated ground plate  54 . Although not visible in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the ground plate  54  is covered over by a thin insulative sheet to prevent direct discharge from a charged glove to the ground plate. 
         [0142]    The gloves  6 B are transferred from the first conveyor to the lifting and depositing portion by means of a static electricity generator  31  comprising a static generating bar positioned beneath the surface of the first belt  5 . The charge passes through the air and holes in the first belt mesh to charge up the glove  6 B. As the lifting and depositing portion comes into proximity with the charged glove, the glove is attracted to the underside  50  of the lifting and depositing portion  42 , which therefore acts as a glove lifting surface having an attractive glove lifting portion. 
         [0143]    As the lifting and depositing portion  42  comes into proximity with the glove  6 B,  6 C to be lifted, the charged glove is attracted to the insulated ground plate  54  and therefore adheres to the outer plate surface  50 . 
         [0144]    The lifting and depositing portion  42  can then remove the glove  6 B,  6 C from the belt  3 ,  5  and deposit the glove at the stacking station  60 . The glove is de-adhered from the lifting and depositing portion by moving the ground plate  54  away from the outer insulative layer  50 . Additionally, the lifting portion also contains an electrostatic generator  56 , the location of which is indicated by dashed lines, aligned with corresponding holes in the outer plate  50  and ground plate  54 . This applies a charge one side of the glove which it has been found can help to collapse the glove and help the glove adhere better to the stack of glove being built up at the stacking station  60 . 
         [0145]    This ground plate is movable in a vertical direction within the lifting and depositing portion  42  and is spring biased to a downwards location nearest the outer layer  50 . Four pins or studs  58  project downwards from the ground plate through the outer layer  50 . When the lifting and depositing portion comes into contact with surfaces at the stacking station  60 , these pins are pressed upwards thereby lifting the ground plate and thereby lessening the attraction of the glove  6 B,  6 C to the ground plate  54  whereupon the glove drops away from the lifting and depositing portion. Although not illustrated, if needed, the manipulator  30  may be connected to a source of compressed air which may be used to send a blast of air through the holes  52  to dislodge the glove from the outer layer  50 . 
         [0146]    The second embodiment of electrostatic lifting and depositing portion  42 ′ works in a similar manner to that described above. In this embodiment, there is no outer layer, but rather a series of parallel insulating threads or strands  50 ′, which serve to separate the glove  6 B,  6 C from the ground plate  54 ′.  FIG. 9  shows the static electricity generators  56 ′ within the lifting portion and the enlarged cross-section view of  FIG. 10  shows the insulative layer  68  on the ground plate  54 ′.  FIGS. 9 and 10  show schematically how the glove  6 B,  6 C is adhered against the parallel insulating threads or strands  50 ′. In this case, the ground plate  54 ′ acts as a glove lifting surface having an attractive glove lifting portion. 
         [0147]    As with the first embodiment, the electrostatic lifting and depositing portion  42 ′ described above has four pins or studs  58 ′ that project downwards from the ground plate  54 ′ through the parallel insulating threads or strands  50 ′. When the lifting and depositing portion comes into contact with surfaces at the stacking station  60 , these pins are pressed upwards thereby lifting the ground plate and thereby lessening the attraction of the glove  6 B,  6 C to the ground plate  54 ′ whereupon the glove drops away from the lifting and depositing portion. 
         [0148]    The packing station  60  shown in  FIGS. 1 to 3  will now be described in more detail. The packing station  60  has a packing sleeve  62 , inset in a work surface  64 . The packing sleeve  62  extends vertically and has a substantially rectangular horizontal cross-section with rounded corners. The sleeve is formed from folded sheet metal, preferably stainless steel. 
         [0149]    The packing sleeve  62  contains a movable base  70  that provides a floor surface and that is slightly recessed to provide a shallow receptacle  75  for receiving gloves being stacked. Prior to stacking of gloves, the floor  70  is initially substantially at the level of the work surface  64  or recessed slightly, for example recessed by between 10 mm to 25 mm. As gloves are stacked on the floor, the movable base  70  drops so that the topmost stacked glove remained substantially at, or just below, the level of the work surface  64 . The next glove to be stacked then lies flat above the previously stacked gloves and surrounding work surface  64 . 
         [0150]    The sleeve walls  65  and base  70  define a recess or receptacle the cross-section of which is less than the flattened extent of the gloves  6 B,  6 C. Portions of the gloves to be stacked therefore overlap edges  67  of the receptacle. In this example, the receptacle  75  is sized such that when the glove fingers  14  are aligned within the receptacle, the glove cuffs  10  will initially extend beyond the bounds of the receptacle. The packing station therefore contains two movable and generally rectangular or square flaps  71 ,  73 , arranged on opposite sides  78 ,  79  of the receptacle  75  which initially lie flat or flush with the work surface  64 . Each flap is pivoted along a straight edge nearest the receptacle, with one of each pair being on adjacent sides of the receptacle so that the paired flaps can fold inwards the overlapping portions of each glove from adjacent sides. 
         [0151]    In use, a glove is placed with the finger portions  14  being fully within the confines of the side walls  65  and with the thumb  16  being on the right hand side of the receptacle  75 , as viewed in the first direction  9 . Optionally, there may be two additional movable and generally rectangular or square flaps  72 ,  74  on a “thumb” side  77  of the receptacle between the two opposite sides  78 ,  79 . Each of these flaps  72 ,  74  is pivoted along a straight edge nearest the receptacle. In the event that the thumb  16  extends beyond the bounds of the receptacle, the thumb  16  may be first folded over by one of the flaps  72 , which then returns to lie flush with the work surface  64 . 
         [0152]    The next glove is then positioned on top of the first glove, with the finger portions  14  again being fully confined by the side walls but oriented at 180° to the first glove so that the cuffs of the first two gloves extend away from one another and overlap opposite sides  78 ,  79  of the receptacle  75 . The thumb  16  is first folded over by one of the flaps  74 , which then returns to lie flush with the work surface  64 . 
         [0153]    The cuff  10  of the first glove to be placed on the work surface  64  is then folded over the finger portion  14  of the second glove, using the other one 71 of the pair of flaps, which then returns to lie flush with the work surface. The thumb  16  may then be first folded over by one of the flaps  72 , which then returns to lie flush with the work surface. 
         [0154]    If there are no flaps  72 ,  74  to fold in thumbs, then the thumbs will gradually fall into the receptacle  75  as the base floor  70  is lowered. 
         [0155]    A third glove is then placed on the second glove, in the same orientation as the first glove was placed. 
         [0156]    The cuff of the second glove to be placed on the work surface  64  is then folded over the finger portion of the third glove, using the other one 73 of the pair of flaps, which then returns to lie flush with the work surface. 
         [0157]    In this way an interfolded stack of gloves for cuff first dispensing from a box dispenser, can be built up automatically. During dispensing, the cuff of the glove being dispensed is gripped and removed from a container (not shown), and as the fingers of that glove are pulled out of the container, the fingers of that glove pull out the cuff of the next glove for dispensing. 
         [0158]    When sufficient gloves have been stacked in the receptacle, for example between about 100 and 150 gloves, the stacking operation is paused, and the receptacle  75  is removed from the packing station  60 , either automatically or manually, and an empty receptacle is put in place at the packing station, and the operation described above is repeated. 
         [0159]    Although not illustrated or described in detail herein, once the gloves are stacked in the receptacle, the stacked gloves may be packed in a box dispenser by placing an open mouth of the box over the receptacle and moving the base  70  upwards to press the stacked gloves into the open box, which may then be closed and sealed. 
         [0160]      FIGS. 11 to 17  show various views of a second embodiment of an apparatus  101  for stacking ambidextrous gloves, according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention. In the second embodiment, features similar to those of the first embodiment are indicated by reference numerals incremented by 100. 
         [0161]    The second embodiment includes a machine vision sensing device (not shown) the same as that described above and has first and second conveyors  102 ,  104  that present gloves to a glove placement means  130  in the same manner as described above. 
         [0162]    The second embodiment  101  differs from the first embodiment 1 in that there is no use of electrostatic transfer means. Instead, a vacuum air supply (not show) is used in the transfer of gloves from the first conveyor  102  to the second conveyor  104 , and is also used to hold a glove to the underside  150  of a pneumatic lifting and depositing portion  142  of the glove manipulator  138 . In this example, the underside  150  of the lifting and depositing portion  142  acts as a glove lifting surface having an attractive glove lifting portion. The vacuum air supply is connected to an air outlet connection  80  at one end of a cylindrical roller  81  in the second conveyor  104  around which gloves  106 C must pass to reach the upper surface  115  of the second mesh belt  105 . The roller  81  is hollow (not shown) and has a number perforations  83  across its width and around its circumference so that when the hollow interior of the roller is connected to the air outlet  80  a vacuum air pressure at the outlet causes air to be sucked through the perforations. This causes a glove  106 C on the first mesh belt  103  to be transferred to the second belt  105  at the roller  81 . 
         [0163]    Prior to this transfer, the glove  106 C is retained to the first mesh belt  103  by a similar vacuum supply that sucks air through the first belt to keep the glove  106 C flat on the belt and so the glove can be conveyed without interference in a 1 mm to 2 mm gap  96  between the belts  103 ,  105 . When a glove is to be transferred to the second conveyor  104 , the vacuum air supply to the first belt is stopped at the same time as the vacuum air supply to the roller  81  is started. When a glove is not to be transferred to the second conveyor  104 , the vacuum air supply to the first belt  103  is maintained and the vacuum air supply to the roller  81  is kept off, so that the glove is conveyed by the first conveyor  102  past the transfer region between the first and second belts. In this case, to ensure that the glove clears the second belt  105 , the vacuum air supply through the mesh of the first belt  103  is preferably provided underneath and beyond the second conveyor  104 . Not shown are valves and a control system linked to the processor for synchronizing the operation of the vacuum air supply to the first belt and the second belt roller with the rest of apparatus. 
         [0164]    The lifting and depositing portion  142  has an internal pressure chamber  84  which is supplied by one or two air hoses  85 ,  85 ′ connected to another air supply via control valves (not shown) which can provide either negative or positive air pressure relative to ambient air pressure. Air passes in to or out from the air chamber through perforations  88  in a flat main plate  150  on the underside of the lifting and depositing portion  142 . A downwardly acting piston  86  is provided in a portion of the main plate  150 . The main plate is generally rectangular with a long axis extending in the same directions as the direction of movement  109 ,  117  of the first and second conveyors  102 ,  104  when the lifting and depositing portion  142  is oriented to collect or deposit gloves. The piston  86  has a flat lower plate  87  which is co-planar with the surrounding main plate  150  when the piston is raised as shown in  FIG. 13 , and which extends below the plane of the main plate when extended, as illustrated in  FIGS. 11 and 15 . Both the main plate  150  and the piston plate  87  have a two-dimensional array of perforations  88 ,  89  subject to the same air pressure from the air chamber  84 . 
         [0165]    If the gloves are to be stacked with the cuffs  110  all facing one way, then the piston  86  is preferably off-centre to one end of the rectangular main plate  150 , as shown in  FIG. 11 . If, however, the gloves are to be stacked with the cuffs alternating in opposite directions, then the piston is preferably centered in the main plate  150 , as shown in  FIGS. 13 ,  14  and  15 . In both cases, when a glove is picked up by the lifting and depositing portion  142  a vacuum or negative pressure is applied to the chamber  84  as the main plate  150  is brought down against a glove on one of the conveyors. The air flow into the perforations then pulls the glove off the conveyor and onto the under surface of the lifting and depositing portion  142 . The glove is preferably picked up with the finger portion  114  (which include the thumb  116 ), in contact with the retracted piston lower plate  87  and with the cuff portion adhered by the vacuum to the adjacent main plate  150 . 
         [0166]      FIG. 12  shows the adjacent packing station  160  prior to stacking of gloves by the glove placement means  130  in the packing receptacle  175 .  FIG. 13  shows the glove manipulator  138  positioned ready to deposit the first glove  106  in the packing receptacle  175 , with a negative pressure being supplied to the internal chamber  84  through an air supply line  85 . 
         [0167]      FIG. 14  is a view of the glove manipulator  138  after depositing of the first glove at the packing station  160 , showing how the piston  86  descends from beneath the lifting and depositing portion  142  to press a finger portion  114 ,  116  of the glove  106  into the packing recess  175 . When the lifting and depositing portion  142  is ready to deposit the glove  106 , the vacuum from air line  85  is switched off and a positive pressure is supplied to the internal chamber  84  through air line  85 ′. At the same time, a negative pressure is continuously provided through other air lines  90 ,  90 ′ (see  FIG. 11 ) which lead to an array of perforations  91  in a work surface  164  beneath two movable and generally rectangular or square PTFE mesh flaps  171 ,  173 , arranged on opposite sides  178 ,  179  of the receptacle  175 . In this way, the glove  106  is both pushed off and pulled from the lifting and depositing portion  142 . This pneumatic action of the apparatus helps to press the glove flat against the surfaces of the packing station  160 . It will generally still be the case, however, that air is trapped inside the glove, particularly the glove finger portion  114 ,  116 . 
         [0168]    Before the lifting and depositing head is withdrawn upwards, the piston  86  is therefore actuated downwards by means of a pneumatically driven actuator  92  to compress the finger portions of the glove  106 . This pressure helps to drive out air trapped inside the glove, thereby compressing and flattening the stack of gloves with a consequent reduction in the height of the stack of gloves. As this process is repeated for each glove that is deposited, the multiple compressions of the growing stack of gloves helps to ensure that the flexible glove material does not rebound to let air creep back into the stack. The final height of the complete stack of gloves is thereby minimized so that the maximum number of interfolded gloves can be provided to the end user within each completed pack. The end result is that it is possible to pack 100 or more disposable interfolded nitrile or latex gloves of standard thickness (rated at 9 Newton&#39;s tear strength) inside a card material box having external dimensions of about 130 mm wide by 120 mm deep by 130 mm high. The invention also permits 200 disposable interfolded nitrile or latex gloves of thinner thickness (rated at 6 Newton&#39;s tear strength) inside a card material box having external dimensions of about 130 mm wide by 120 mm deep by 165 mm high. The card material may be cardboard, a plastic card material or any other suitable disposable thin sheet material. 
         [0169]    The compression of the growing stack of gloves by the piston is also used in an automatic way to control the downward movement of the moveable floor  170 . Pressure from the piston  86  causes the floor  170  to move down in a controlled manner during glove stacking such that the topmost stacked glove remains substantially at, or just below, the level of the work surface  164 . Because the piston downward movement is fixed, and because the resulting downward movement of the floor is driven purely by the piston pressure, floor moves only as far as is necessary to depending on the height of the glove stack. 
         [0170]    The floor may be supported by an upwardly acting spring mechanism  97 , with an associated ratchet mechanism permitting only downward movement of the floor under the piston pressure. 
         [0171]    After this depositing and compressing stage, the lifting and depositing portion is lifted, as shown in  FIG. 15 , after which the glove manipulator  138  is withdrawn from the packing station  160  to collect a second glove  106 ′. 
         [0172]    The flaps  171 ,  173  are then used to fold portions  110  of the second last deposited glove extending beyond the bounds of the recess in towards the recess so that the cuff of this glove is folded over the finger portion of the last glove to be deposited. It should be noted that because the vacuum supply is completely separate from the body of the flaps, there is no need to cut or reduce the vacuum air supply to the perforations  91  in the work surface  164 . As soon as the flaps begin to move away from the perforations, the vacuum pressure through the mesh is automatically reduced and then cut so that the gloves are no longer held tightly to the mesh surface of the flaps. Keeping the vacuum supply separate from the flaps is therefore a particularly helpful aspect of the invention and provides several important benefits. First, the weight of each flap  171 ,  173  is minimized and the construction is simplified as there is no need to provide additional air flow channels to or within the body of the movable flap. Second, because the weight of each flap is minimized, it is easier to move the flap rapidly in either direction, thereby speeding up the packing process and further simplifying the construction of the apparatus. Thirdly, the vacuum airflow is automatically released when the flap  171 ,  173  moves away from the perforations  91 , which avoids the need to switch the vacuum flow on and off or even to provide a positive air flow to the flaps to help dislodge the gloves from the flaps when these have moved fully over the recess. This is a real advantage when gloves are being stacked at a rate of about one glove per second. It is therefore preferred that vacuum pressure applied to the perforation is continuous and constant. 
         [0173]      FIG. 16  shows the packing station  160  after the glove manipulator  138  has been withdrawn, with a cuff  110  of the deposited glove  106  extending beyond the packing recess and over a first movable flap  171  on one side  178  of the packing recess  175 . 
         [0174]      FIG. 17  shows how, after the deposit of a second glove  106 ′ oriented oppositely with respect to the first glove  106 , but with thumbs  116 ,  116 ′ on the same side of the packing recess  175 , the first movable flap  171  is rotated  93  about a pivot rod  94  to fold the cuff  110  of the first glove over the finger portion  114 ′,  116 ′ of the second glove  106 ′. The other flap  173  is mounted on a similar rod  94 ′ and moves in the same way to fold over the cuff  110 ′ of the second glove after a third glove (not shown) has been deposited on the stack in the same orientation as the first glove  106 . In this way, an interfolded stack of gloves is built up, with the stack being repeatedly compressed by the piston  86  after the deposit of each glove. 
         [0175]      FIGS. 18 and 19  show how the various embodiments of the apparatus  1 ,  101  for stacking gloves described above may be paired into two side-by side production lines and how two of the glove placement means  30 ,  130  may be mounted on a frame  95  from above. This arrangement is particularly efficient, because a worker at the starting end  19  of the first conveyor  2 ,  102  may use both hands at the same time to place a glove on each of the first conveyors. 
         [0176]    The invention therefore provides a convenient apparatus and method for stacking gloves prior to packing in a dispensing box. 
         [0177]    Modification and substitutions by one of ordinary skill in the art are considered to be within the scope of the present invention, which is not to be limited except by the allowed claims and their legal equivalents.