Method and apparatus for opening, positioning and loading socks on forms

Abstract

An apparatus for automatic loading socks on forms (1) comprises a suction unit (20) at the entry, a carousel (10) with several stations, a sock positioning unit (30), a sock tucking up unit (40) and a withdrawing and loading robot (50). The carousel has heads (11) carrying elongated supports (12) on which socks (2) are put partially or completely. The heads (11) rotate integrally to the carousel (10) carrying the elongated supports (12) through four following stations and respectively a station at the entry (2) for opening the socks and putting them onto the elongated supports (12), a positioning station (3), a tucking up station (4) and a withdrawing station (5). The socks are widened at the entry by means of suction counter rotating rollers, whereas the tucking up step is carried out by means of tangential friction rollers counter rotating and the loading step is carried out by means of a two stations robot with arms capable of raising and lowering as well as of rotating to load the socks on the steaming forms, by means of fingers that are widened and then approached with respect to each other.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.