Method and apparatus for assembling a fabric strip to a knitted article

A method for assembling a fabric strip to a knitted article, wherein said knitted article exhibits an end portion ending with a basically circular open border destined to be joined to said fabric strip, and wherein said fabric strip is basically ring-shaped and exhibits a first welt destined to be joined to said open border of the end portion of the knitted article, the method comprising the following steps:

• arranging a device for preparing a knitted article, comprising at least a loading form provided with at least an outer loading surface developing around a first central axis and ending with a basically circular first edge;
• at least partially loading a knitted article onto said at least one loading form, wrapping at least an end portion of the knitted article outside the loading form so that the end portion adheres to said outer surface and at a certain distance from the first central axis, and so that the open border lies beyond the first edge and protrudes inwardly from the first edge towards said first central axis;
• arranging a device for preparing a fabric strip, comprising at least loading members configured for receiving outside a fabric strip destined to be assembled to the knitted article and for placing the fabric strip around a second central axis;
• at least partially loading a fabric strip onto said loading members, wrapping the fabric strip outside the loading members so that the fabric strip adheres to the loading members at a greater distance from said second central axis than the respective distance of the end portion of the knitted article from the first central axis, and so that the first welt protrudes inwardly from the loading members towards said second central axis;
• mutually positioning said loading form and said loading members, wherein said step of mutually positioning comprises the following steps:
• aligning said loading form with respect to said loading members, so that said first central axis is basically coincident with said second central axis;
• introducing the loading form into an inner space of the loading members, placing the portion of knitted article wrapped outside the loading form in front of the fabric strip wrapped around the loading members, so that the fabric strip surrounds outside the end portion of the knitted article and lies concentrically with respect to the latter;
• letting the first welt of the fabric strip overlap and match the open border of the knitted article and basically in contact with it;
• taking the fabric strip out of the loading members so as to move it onto the loading form, keeping the mutual position taken by the first welt of the fabric strip and by the open border of the knitted article, the fabric strip being placed on the loading form outside the outer portion of the knitted article;
• joining the first welt of the fabric strip to the open border of the knitted article, so as to obtain an assembled, one-piece knitted article.