Patent ID: 8438761

Claim:
A method for operating at least two spreader clamps for receiving and holding in pairs pieces of cloth from one or more charger stations and for spreading out the pieces of cloth before they are delivered to a conveyor, which conveyor has a first centerline for receiving large-sized pieces of cloth and at least two outer centerlines arranged on either side of said first centerline for receiving small-sized pieces of cloth, the method comprising selecting for a batch of pieces of cloth whether the at least two spreader clamps first spread a piece of cloth about an outer centerline for small-sized pieces of cloth or about the first centerline for large-sized pieces of cloth, feeding a piece of cloth to the pair of the at least two spreader clamps, moving the at least two spreader clamps so as to be situated in relation to the centerline selected, initiating movement of the spreader clamps to either side of the centerline selected to spread the piece of cloth about the selected centerline before the size of piece of cloth is detected and ascertaining during the spreading about the centerline selected if the piece of cloth being spread is a large-sized piece or a small-sized piece, wherein if an outer centerline is selected and it is ascertained that a piece is a large-sized piece of cloth, moving the at least two spreader clamps so that the piece of cloth is spread about said first centerline and if the first centerline is selected and it is ascertained that the piece of cloth is a small-sized piece of cloth, moving the at least two spreader clamps so that the piece of cloth is spread about one of said outer centerlines.