Apparatus for separating knitted garment pieces

An apparatus for separating knitted garment pieces such as collars, bands, plackets, and the like, in a continuous fabric strip joined one to the other by a separator thread having a melting point substantially less than the melting point of the thread from which the pieces are knit comprising:

• (a) a continuously moving belt conveyor adapted to receive and convey a strip of the pieces with each piece being connected to the next by a separator thread;
• thread;
• (b) first heat source means for gradually heating the strip while being conveyed in a first zone of extended travel to a temperature near the melting point of the separator thread to cause said separator thread to soften;
• (c) second heat source means for rapidly heating the strip in a second zone of short travel forming an extension of said first zone to bring said strip to the melting point of said separator thread to cause said separator thread to melt and each leading piece to separate from the next successive piece and the residue of the separator thread to shrink into the body of the respective said piece to which the separator thread was originally joined;
• and
• (d) means for tensioning the strip throughout its travel through said first and second zone of travel to cause the pieces to gradually and increasingly separate in the direction of travel as said separator thread softens under the influence of said first and second heat source means.