Cloth ply folding and sewing apparatus and method

A method for forming a generally Z-shaped folded ply of material, comprising the steps of:

• (1) holding one end of the ply with a holding means;
• (2) moving a first plate across one surface of the ply to provide a first folding surface while the ply is held by the holding means;
• (3) moving a second plate across the first plate along a path substantially parallel to the first plate but spaced apart from the first plate with the ply held therebetween to form a generally Z-shaped fold;
• (4) removing the first and second plates from within the fold;
• and
• (5) releasing the holding means to allow removal of the ply.

An apparatus for forming a coin pocket in a ply of material, comprising:

• (a) a folding station for forming a generally Z-shaped ply of material, comprising:
• means for holding one end of a length of material provided from a supply roll,
• a substantially flat first folding plate movable between a flat position and a second position adjacent the top surface of the material,
• a substantially flat second folding plate adjacent the bottom surface of the material movable between a first position and a second position along a path substantially parallel to but spaced apart from said first folding plate,
• means for moving said first folding plate between said first and said second positions,
• means for moving said second folding plate between said first and said second positions to force the material of the ply to be displaced, thereby forming a folded region in the material, and
• means for cutting the folded material to form a separate folded ply;
• (b) a gripping and transfer means, comprising:
• gripping means for grasping a folded ply at said folding station and movable from a first position operatively associated with said folding station to a second position operatively associated with a sewing station and to a third position operatively associated with a stacking station,
• means for sensing a folded ply when said gripping means are positioned at said folding station, and
• means responsive to said folded ply sensing means for moving said gripping means from said folding station to said sewing station at a first rate, for moving a folded ply through said sewing station at a sewing rate, and for moving a sewn folded ply from said sewing station to said stacking means at a third rate;
• (c) a sewing station for sewing a folded ply moved therethrough by said gripping means at said sewing rate to form a sewn pocket;
• and
• (d) a stacking station, comprising:
• a stacking surface for holding a stack of folded plies,
• stack height sensing means for sensing the relative heights of the ends of the stack of folded plies on said stacking surface, and
• tilting means responsive to said stack height sensing means for tilting said stacking surface so that the top of the stack of folded plies presents a relatively flat stacking surface for a folded ply presented for stacking by said gripping means.

An apparatus for forming a coin pocket in a ply of material, comprising:

• means for folding the material in a generally Z-shape to form a folded region;
• means for sewing said folded region to form a coin pocket on the ply;
• and
• means for stacking a plurality of folded plies to form a stack of folded plies.

Apparatus for stacking a plurality of substantially flat workpieces having one end thicker than another end, comprising:

• a stacking surface for holding a stack of workpieces;
• stack height sensing means for sensing the relative heights of the ends of said stack of workpieces on said stacking surface;
• and
• tilting means responsive to said stack height sensing means for tilting said stacking surface in response to ply build-up at one end of said stack so that the top of said stack of workpieces presents a substantially flat stacking surface for a workpiece presented for stacking.

A method for stacking a plurality of substantially flat workpieces having one end thicker than another end to form a stack of workpieces, comprising the steps of:

• (1) presenting the workpiece to a stacking surface with a workpiece moving means by pulling the workpiece along a path across the stacking surface;
• (2) releasing the workpiece from the moving means on the top of the stacking surface;
• (3) transferring the workpiece from the stacking surface to the top of a stack;
• (4) lowering the stack to allow the moving means to move back across the top of the stack to on a return path obtain another workpiece;
• (5) releasing the stack to tilt;
• and
• (6) raising the stack to contact with the underside of the stacking surface to tilt the stack to compensate for uneven height of the ends of the stack.