Method and apparatus for inspecting and grading garments

A garment inspecting apparatus for inspecting a garment, the apparatus comprising:

• a mounting member formed of translucent material arranged to mount at least a portion of a garment thereon;
• a light emitter positionally aligned closely adjacent said boarding member to emit light through a predetermined portion of a garment mounted thereon;
• a light detector positionally aligned with said light emitter to detect either the presence or absence of light traveling from said light emitter;
• a controller in electrical communication with said light detector and arranged to determine the presence and absence of defects in a predetermined portion of a garment responsive to electrical signals representative of the presence or absence of light received from said light detector;
• and
• means positioned downstream from said light emitter and said light detector for sorting an inspected garment into one of a plurality of predetermined quality groups.

A garment inspecting and grading apparatus for inspecting a hosiery garment, the apparatus comprising:

• a base;
• a plurality of mounting members rotatably connected to said base for mounting at least leg and gusset portions of a hosiery garment thereon;
• at least one light emitter positionally aligned closely adjacent said mounting member and mounted to said base for emitting light through a predetermined portion of a leg of a hosiery garment during reciprocal and vertical movement along a leg of a hosiery garment mounted on at least one of said plurality of mounting members;
• at least one light detector positionally aligned with said at least one light emitter for detecting either the presence or absence of light traveling from said at least one light emitter;
• a controller in electrical communication with said at least one light detector and arranged to determine the presence and absence of defects in a predetermined portion of a garment responsive to electrical signals representative of the presence or absence of light received from said light detector;
• and
• means positioned downstream from said light emitter and said light detector for sorting an inspected garment into one of a plurality of predetermined quality groups.

A garment inspecting apparatus for inspecting a stitch line of a garment, the garment inspecting apparatus comprising:

• a mounting member positioned to mount at least portions of a garment to be inspected;
• a shadow-forming member positioned adjacent said mounting member and a stitch line of a mounted garment;
• a light source positioned to emit light along at least a portion of stitch line of a garment so as to cause a shadow to be formed on said shadow-forming member;
• and
• at least one detector positionally aligned with said shadow-forming member to detect the presence and absence of light positioned on said shadow-forming member so that presence and absence of defects in a stitch line of a garment are thereby determined.

A garment inspecting apparatus for inspecting a stitch line of a hosiery garment, the garment inspecting apparatus comprising:

• a pair of elongate and spaced-apart boarding members arranged to mount a pair of legs of a hosiery garment thereon;
• means positioned closely adjacent said pair of mounting members for sewing a stitch line in legs of a hosiery garment mounted on said pair of boarding members;
• a shadow-forming board member positioned adjacent a stitch line of a hosiery garment;
• a light source positioned to emit light along at least a portion of a stitch line of a hosiery garment so as to cause a shadow to be formed on said shadow-forming board member;
• and
• a light detector positionally aligned with said board member to detect the presence and absence of defects in a stitch line responsive to a shadow formed on said board member so that presence and absence of defects in a stitch line of a hosiery garment are thereby determined.

A garment sewing and inspecting apparatus for inspecting a toe portion of a leg of a hosiery garment, the garment inspecting apparatus comprising:

• at least one elongate mounting member arranged to mount a toe portion of a leg of a hosiery garment thereon;
• means for sewing a stitch line into a toe portion of a leg of a hosiery garment;
• a shadow-forming board member positioned adjacent a stitched toe line of a hosiery garment;
• a light source positioned to emit light along at least a portion of a stitched toe line of a hosiery garment so as to cause a shadow to be formed on said board member;
• and
• a light detector positionally aligned with said board member to detect the presence and absence of defects in a stitched toe line responsive to a shadow formed on said board member so that presence and absence of defects in a stitched toe line of a hosiery garment are thereby determined.

A method of inspecting a stitch line of a garment comprising:

• emitting light closely adjacent a stitch line of a garment mounted on a mounting member while forming a shadow of the stitch line;
• directing a gas toward the stitch line so as to cause a defect in the stitch line to be more easily recognized;
• detecting the presence and absence of defects in the stitch line responsive to a shadow representative of the presence and absence of defects in the stitch line of a garment;
• and
• grading and sorting a garment into at least one of a plurality of predetermined quality groups responsive to detecting the presence or absence of defects therein.