Belt loop folder and feed apparatus

Apparatus for folding and presenting a drop type belt loop for attachment to a garment, comprising

• a base plate;
• drop plate means connected to move vertically relative to said base plate and biased upwardly;
• said drop plate means being provided with a laterally disposed receiver immediately forward of said base plate for belt loops moving endwise thereto;
• folding means comprising a pair of laterally spaced stationary tongues connected to said base plate and extending across the bottom of said receiver, and a pair of folding tongues connected to said drop plate means and extending therefrom across said receiver;
• said folding tongues being spaced upwardly and outwardly of said stationary tongues;
• stabilizer means being provided with a pair of laterally spaced jaws extending across said receiver and being spaced vertically in alignment with said stationary tongues;
• first means for moving said stabilizer means toward said receiver to clamp a belt loop during folding between said jaws and stationary tongues, and for moving said stabilizer means away from said receiver to release a folded belt loop;
• second means for simultaneously moving said receiver and folding tongues downwardly relative to said stationary tongues and thereafter moving said folding tongues toward each other below said stationary tongues thereby folding the upper and lower loop ends under the belt loop between said stationary tongues with the upper loop end extending past the fold of the lower loop end;
• one of said folding tongues being disposed in vertical alignment with one of said stationary tongues thereby clamping the folded loop ends therebetween;
• and
• means for moving the stationary and folding tongues forwardly thereby moving a folded belt loop transversely to its length to a stitching station of a tacker for attachment to a garment.