Method and hybrid device for folding textile products of different sizes

A hybrid device for folding textile pieces of a plurality of sizes comprising:

• a) a first retractable infeed bed having an endless conveyor that transports textile pieces of a plurality of sizes from an outfeed of a textile finisher;
• b) a large piece retractable infeed bed having an endless conveyor, operating from an operating position wherein the hybrid device is configured to fold a plurality of large size textile pieces to a retracted position wherein the hybrid device is configured to fold a plurality of small size textile pieces;
• c) a large piece sensor beam positioned above the large piece retractable infeed bed and configured to detect a profile of the large size textile pieces;
• d) a plurality of large piece folding devices positioned in line at an exit end of the large piece retractable infeed bed;
• e) a plurality of small piece draping bars spaced apart on an endless chain, the endless chain configured to rotate in a carousel manner;
• and
• f) a deflector positioned at an exit end of the first retractable infeed bed and configured to drape the small sized textile pieces at a midpoint of the small textile pieces across one small piece draping bar of the plurality of small piece draping bars.

A method of folding textile pieces of a plurality of sizes comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a hybrid folding device for folding textile pieces of a plurality of sizes having:
• i. a frame supporting an infeed conveyor bed, a large textile piece folding portion, and a small textile piece folding portion;
• ii. a selector configured to operate the hybrid device in either a large textile piece folding mode or a small textile piece folding mode;
• iii. a large piece sensor beam configured to detect a profile of a large size textile piece;
• and
• iv. a counter configured to count a plurality of small size textile pieces;
• wherein the large textile piece folding portion comprises a plurality of folding devices;
• and
• wherein the small textile piece folding portion comprises a deflector and plurality of small piece draping bars spaced apart on an endless chain;
• b) positioning a textile finisher in communication with the infeed conveyor bed of the hybrid folding device;
• c) selecting either the large textile piece folding mode or the small piece folding mode;
• d) feeding the large textile piece into the textile finisher such that textile pieces exiting the textile finisher are fed directly into the hybrid folding device;
• e) detecting the profile of the large size textile piece, imparting the plurality of primary folds on the large size textile piece at primary fold locations based on the profile of the large size textile piece;
• f) receiving folded large size textile pieces having a plurality of primary folds out of a discharge end of the hybrid folding device;
• g) feeding the plurality of small textile size pieces into the textile finisher such that textile pieces exiting the textile finisher are fed directly into the hybrid folding machine;
• h) draping the plurality of small textile size pieces via the defector onto the plurality of small piece draping bars;
• i) counting the number of small textile size pieces on each one of the plurality of draping bars and rotating the endless chain once a predetermined number of small size textile pieces has been reached on one of the plurality of draping bars;
• and
• j) receiving a plurality of stacks of draped small size textile pieces from the hybrid folding device.