US 5,134,947 A · Method and apparatus for forming and everting a work product

Abstract

An overlock stitch is formed by sewing machine (11) (FIG. 1) into a work product (34) and the work product is accelerated away from the sewing machine so as to stretch the thread chain (FIG. 5). The stretched thread chain is cut by cutter (40), and the leading thread chain (43) recoils back toward the hollow chaining tongue (21) and is drawn into the chaining tongue by the stream of air (26) created by vacuum canister (52) (FIG. 6). The next work product draws the leading thread chain out of the hollow chaining tongue and the sewing machine captures the leading thread chain in the stitch. Transfer conveyor (15) (FIG. 1) moves the work product (34) into alignment with everter tube assembly (106), grippers (109) and (110) grip and open one end of the work product (FIGS. 9-14), and air drawn through the everter tube assembly everts the work product. The gripper tube assembly opens along its lower portion (FIG. 16) and drops the work product.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A method of forming tubular garment parts comprising:

advancing segments of garment material in a folded configuration with upper and lower plies each having an unstitched peripheral edge in series through a sewing machine;
forming stitches through a portion of the unstitched peripheral edges of the upper and lower plies of the segments of garment material to form inside out tubular garment parts having at least one open end;
moving each garment part in series away from the sewing machine and out of the way of a subsequent oncoming segment of garment material;
opening the upper and lower plies of each garment part at said at least one open end of the garment part;
creating a negative air pressure between the opened upper and lower plies of each garment part and at said at least one open end in order to evert the garment part;
and
releasing each everted garment part for moving to a collection of previously everted garment parts.

4 more elements

Apparatus for forming tubular garment parts comprising:

conveyor means for advancing a segment of garment material in a folded configuration with upper and lower plies each having an unstitched peripheral edge through the sewing machine for forming stitches through a portion of the unstitched peripheral edges of the upper and lower plies of the garment material to form a tubular garment part having at least one open end;
an everter tube assembly;
means for moving the garment part away from the sewing machine and out of the way of a subsequent oncoming segment of garment material with the open end of the garment part positioned in alignment with said everter tube assembly;
gripper means for separating the upper and lower plies of the garment part at the open end of the garment part at a position adjacent said everter tube assembly;
means for inducing a stream of air to flow between the separated upper and lower plies, through the open end of the garment part and into said everter tube assembly in a direction that everts the garment part;
and
means for releasing the garment part from said everter tube assembly for moving to a collection of previously everted garment parts.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for forming and everting a work product

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for forming and everting a work product

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14