Apparatus and method for automatically feeding tubular articles, particularly hosiery, to a sewing machine adapted to close the tubular articles at one of their axial ends

A method for automatically feeding tubular articles, particularly hosiery, to a sewing machine which is adapted to close the tubular articles at one of their axial ends, comprising the steps of:

• fitting an axial end of an article, provided with a border which is thicker than at least one adjacent portion of the article, on grip means which can be actuated in order to engage said axial end so as to support said article and produce a spacing of two diametrically opposite regions of said axial end transversely to an axial extension of the article;
• supporting said article in a substantially vertical arrangement by virtue of said grip means, with the axial end of the article engaged by said grip means arranged above the remaining part of the article;
• inserting a portion of the article, arranged below said border, in a first slit-like passage which is formed by means for supporting the article and is narrower than the overall thickness of said border;
• tensioning in a downward direction the article inserted in said first slit-like passage;
• inserting the portion of the article located directly below said border, with the article thus supported and tensioned, along a second slit-like passage arranged substantially horizontally and formed between the pair of feeder guides of a sewing machine.