Process for removing separating thread from a web of knitted garment portions or the like

Process for removing the separating thread that is between garment portions, the garment portions having been manufactured in the form of a continuous web of garment portions, with each garment portion having a finished edge and an unfinished edge, and each garment portion finished edge being joined to the unfinished edge of the neighboring garment portion by separating thread, and the separating thread being of the type to be destroyed by heat, said process comprising:

• moving the web through a heating zone generally along a particular direction;
• heating air to a temperature sufficient to destroy the separating thread and blowing the heated air from a source above the surface of the web against a surface of the web to define the heating zone and controlling the air flow so as to form a stream of heated air that is concentrated over a relatively short length of the web along the particular direction and over the entire width of the web and the entire stream being controlled to blow in a direction that is obliquely transverse to the particular direction of the web and such that the heated air is aimed to strike the finished edge of each of the garment portions that is joined by separating thread thereby initially destroying the separating thread on the finished edge of each previously joined garment portion such that the separating thread recedes from the finished edge and the residue of the separating thread remains on the unfinished edge of each previously joined garment portion.