Mechanism for stacking and accumulating stacks of flat flexible articles

In apparatus for sequentially fabricating pillowcases or like products and including means for sequentially doffing the finished pillowcases from said apparatus;

• the combination therewith of a mechanism for sequentially receiving, stacking and accumulating a plurality of stacks of predetermined numbers of the finished pillowcases comprising:
• longitudinally-extending frame means defining an entrance end positioned adjacent said doffing means of said fabricating apparatus and an exit end for said mechanism, and defining at said entrance end an article stacking section having a longitudinal dimension for effecting pillowcase stacking, and defining at said exit end a stack accumulating section having a longitudinal dimension for containing a plurality of stacks of pillowcases;
• a plurality of bar holders positioned in said mechanism for sequentially receiving a predetermined number of the pillowcases in draped-over superimposed position on each of said bar holders at said entrance end of said mechanism as they are received from said doffing means of said fabricating apparatus to form separate stacks of the pillowcases;
• selectively-driven conveying means movably mounted on said frame means in said stacking and accumulating sections and carrying each of said bar holders in spaced-apart relation for selective movement of each of said bar holders sequentially and longitudinally through said mechanism (1) from said entrance end through said stacking section to said accumulating section, (2) incrementally through said accumulating section to said exit end in a plurality of incremental longitudinal distances each of which is less than the longitudinal dimension through said stacking section and (3) back to said entrance end;
• and
• control means connected with said conveying means for (1) counting the pillowcases sequentially received on an empty one of said bar holders at said entrance end of said mechanism, (2) actuating said conveying means after counting a predetermined number of the pillowcases and deactuating said conveying means after said stack bar holder has been carried through said stacking section to said accumulating section and each of the previously stacked bar holders has moved forward one of the incremental distances in said accumulating section and an empty one of said bar holders has been carried to said entrance end of said mechanism, and (3) sensing a stacked bar holder arriving at said exit end of said mechanism and stopping operation of said mechanism until at least said bar holder at said exit end of said mechanism has been emptied of the stack of pillowcases.