Seambusting apparatus and method

Apparatus for opening and flattening a seam of a tubular garment having mating edges of fabric joined together along an elongated seam line, comprising:

• an elongated buck having a convex outer upper surface adapted to support the seam with the mating fabric edges thereof outboard, said buck having a lower region provided with longitudinally spaced orifices connectable to a source of pressurized gas to collectively provide downwardly directed gas jets which, when said tubular garment is dressed on said buck with said seam atop said convex upper surface, apply a radially outwardly and downwardly directed force against the lower section of said tubular garment from the interior thereof, pulling said seam dressed atop said convex upper surface tightly thereagainst to maintain it in said dressed position during said seam opening and flattening operation, and
• an iron having a sole plate including a central elongated bottom surface region terminating at a forward edge in a pointed nose configuration to spread apart and thereby open the mating fabric edges of a seam when moved forwardly thereover along the seam line thereof, said central elongated bottom surface region having a length substantially less than the length of said buck and being concavely configured to correspond to said convex outer buck surface for overbusting a seam, which is sandwiched therebetween with the mating edges thereof adjacent said sole plate, by pressing said edges to form an angle along said seam line which substantially exceeds 180.degree.,
• said convex and concave surfaces each having a radius of curvature of less than approximately 2 inches and more than approximately 1/2 inch to facilitate appreciable overbusting and avoid spring-back while minimizing criticality in alignment of said seam line on said buck.

Apparatus for opening and flattening a seam of a tubular garment having mating edges of fabric joined together along an elongated seam line, comprising:

• an elongated buck having a convex outer upper surface adapted to support the seam with the mating fabric edges thereof outboard, said buck having a lower region provided with longitudinally spaced orifices connectable to a source of pressurized gas to collectively provide downwardly directed gas jets which, when said tubular garment is dressed on said buck with said seam atop said convex upper surface, apply a radially outwardly and downwardly directed force against the lower section of said tubular garment from the interior thereof, pulling said seam dressed atop said convex upper surface tightly thereagainst to maintain it in said dressed position during said seam opening and flattening operation, and
• an iron having a sole plate including a central elongated bottom surface region terminating at a forward edge in a pointed nose configuration to spread apart and thereby open the mating fabric edges of a seam when moved forwardly thereover along the seam line thereof, said central elongated bottom surface region having a length substantially less than the length of said buck and being concavely configured to correspond to said convex outer buck surface for busting a seam which is sandwiched therebetween with the mating edges thereof adjacent said sole plate.