Glove turning and blocking process and apparatus

A process of turning and blocking a stitched inside out glove of leather or similar material which comprises the steps of:

• mounting said glove, in an inside out condition, on a fixed skeletal hand having finger mounting members of rod-like form and relatively small diameter, with the finger mounting members extending inside and substantially to the ends of the fingers of the glove;
• moving tubular mandrels, of relatively larger diameter, over the respective glove finger bearing finger mounting members so as substantially to surround the glove fingers;
• exerting thrust on the glove finger ends;
• gripping the wrist portion of the glove in clamping means adapted to move longitudinally of the skeletal hand;
• moving said clamping means and wrist portion of the glove gripped thereby towards said tubular mandrels and thereby turning the hand portion of the glove to its right side out condition;
• supplying a jet of air down the inside of said tubular mandrels between the end of the tubular mandrels and the finger portions of the glove;
• heating the tubular mandrels;
• continuing the moving of the clamping means and wrist portion of the glove away from the fixed skeletal hand so as to turn the finger portions of the glove onto the tubular mandrels;
• increasing the thrust on the glove finger ends as the glove finger ends are turned;
• releasing the clamping means and withdrawing it from engagement with the glove;
• and removing the turned glove from the tubular mandrels by blow-off with air.