US 4,871,161 A · Separating and feeding garment parts

Abstract

Apparatus for the seriatim separation and feeding of garment parts from a shingled stack of the parts to a predetermined destination. Comprising the apparatus is a picker head containing a depending array of needles adapted to positively engage the leading edge of the uppermost part on the stack. The picker head is supported for arcuate motion in the course of effecting separation of the engaged first part, and is arcuately displaced at a high rate of acceleration to aid in overcoming the resistance to separation between the first and second parts in the stack. Following separation, the separated part is transferred to a second location at which the head is withdrawn from the transferred part. Operable concomitantly with part separation by the picker head is a hold down clamp for applying a predetermined downward force on the remaining stacked parts while a vacuum force is being applied from underneath for retarding this displacement in the course of the engaged part being separated.

Claims27

Dependent claims

Apparatus for the seriatim removal of parts of garment material from a shingled stack of the parts and feeding the removed parts to a predetermined destination, said shingled stack having a top part and remaining parts beneath the top part, each part in the stack having a top portion, a bottom portion, a leading edge portion and a trailing edge portion, said apparatus comprising:

support surface means forming a support surface for supporting at least a portion of the stack including the parts to be removed from the stack at a predetermined position on said support surface;
hold down means for exerting a clamping force against the trailing edge portion of the top part operable for holding remaining parts while the top part is being removed;
and,
engagement means for effecting a gripping engagement with the top part and imparting a rapid acceleration thereto to remove the engaged top part from beneath the hold down means and away from the remaining parts in the stack.

1 more element

Apparatus for the seriatim removal of parts of garment material from a shingled stack of the parts to a predetermined destination, said shingled stack having a top part and remaining parts beneath the top part, each part in the stack having a leading edge, a trailing edge, a top surface and a bottom surface and arranged in a shingled fashion in the stack such that the leading edge of each part in the stack extends beyond the leading edge of any underlying part in the stack, said apparatus comprising:

a support surface for supporting at least the top part and some of the remaining parts in the stack as the stack is advanced toward a predetermined position for separation;
an engagement means suspended above the support surface and operable for removably attaching itself to the leading edge of the top part, imparting a rapid acceleration to the top part and the remaining parts in the stack, moving the top part from the stack to the predetermined destination, disengaging itself from the leading edge of the top part, and returing to the predetermined location for removing the next top part in the stack;
and,
a hold down means for exerting a clamping force against the trailing edge of the top part during separation of the top part from the remaining parts in the stack.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Separating and feeding garment parts

Life of this patent

Separating and feeding garment parts

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims27