Hosiery toe closing apparatus and method

A hosiery toe closing apparatus, comprising:

• a hosiery toe closing machine including a first sewing head and a second sewing head, each sewing head having a sewing needle and a toe seam width guide attached to the respective sewing head;
• the first sewing head, having a maximum thread guide width of 5 mm;
• and
• the second sewing head having a maximum thread guide width of greater than 5 mm,
• wherein when the first sewing head sewing needle pulls a thread around the maximum thread guide width of the first sewing head, a first, narrow seam is sewn, and wherein when the second sewing head sewing needle pulls a thread around the maximum thread guide width of the second sewing head, a second seam is sewn over the first seam that is wider than the first seam.

An apparatus for closing a toe of a hosiery blank having a toe pouch with an edge and a hosiery top portion with an edge, comprising;

• a hosiery toe closing machine including a sewing head having a sewing needle;
• and
• a toe seam width guide having a maximum thread guide width greater than 5 mm, the toe seam width guide attached to the sewing head,
• wherein when the sewing needle pulls a thread around the maximum thread guide width of the toe seam width guide, the hosiery toe is closed with a wide, visible seam, and
• wherein the seam is sewn into a course of yam beyond the first two courses of yarn at the toe pouch edge and at the hosiery top portion edge.

An apparatus for closing a toe of a hosiery blank having a toe pouch with an edge and a hosiery top portion with an edge comprising:

• a hosiery toe closing machine including a sewing head having a sewing needle;
• a toe seam width guide having a maximum thread guide width greater than 5 mm, the toe seam width guide attached to the sewing head;
• a hosiery blank alignment means for aligning the edge of the toe pouch and the edge of the hose top portion in juxtaposed relationship for sewing underneath the sewing head;
• and a first sewing head, a second sewing head, and a conveyor for automatically transporting the hosiery blank between the first sewing head and the second sewing head;
• wherein when the sewing needle pulls a thread around the maximum thread guide width of the toe seam width guide, the hosiery toe is closed with a wide, visible seam.

A method for closing a toe of a hosiery blank, comprising:

• providing a hosiery toe closing machine comprising a first sewing head having a sewing needle and a toe seam width guide having a maximum thread guide width of 5 mm, and a second sewing head having a sewing needle and a toe seam width guide having a maximum thread guide width of greater than 5 mm;
• sewing a first, narrow seam with the first sewing head;
• and
• sewing a second seam over the first seam that is wider than the first seam.

A method for closing a toe of a hosiery blank, the hosiery blank having a toe pouch with an edge and a hosiery top portion with an edge and each edge comprising a plurality of courses of yarn, the method comprising:

• providing a hosiery toe closing machine comprising a sewing head including a sewing needle and a toe seam width guide having a maximum thread guide width greater than 5 mm, the toe seam width guide attached to the sewing head;
• pulling a thread with the sewing needle around the maximum thread guide width of the toe seam width guide;
• and
• sewing the seam into a course of yarn beyond the first two courses of yarn at the toe pouch edge and at the hosiery top portion edge to close the hosiery blank toe with a wide, visible toe seam.

A method for closing a toe of a hosiery blank, the hosiery blank comprising a toe pouch with an edge and a hosiery top portion with an edge, the method comprising:

• providing a hosiery toe closing machine comprising a sewing head including a sewing needle and a toe seam width guide having a maximum thread guide width greater than 5 mm, the toe seam width guide attached to the sewing head, and a hosiery blank alignment means;
• aligning the edge of the toe pouch and the edge of the hose top portion in juxtaposed relationship for sewing underneath the sewing head;
• and
• pulling a thread with the sewing needle around the maximum thread guide width of the toe seam width guide to close the hosiery toe with a wide, visible toe seam.

A method for closing a toe of a hosiery blank, the hosiery blank having a toe pouch with an edge and a hosiery top portion with an edge, the method comprising:

• providing a hosiery toe closing machine comprising a hosiery blank conveyor means, a hosiery blank alignment means, a first sewing head including a first toe seam width guide having a maximum thread guide width of 5 mm, and a second sewing head including a second toe seam width guide, the maximum thread guide width of the second toe seam width guide being in the range of 6-10 mm;
• placing the hosiery blank on the hosiery blank conveyor means;
• conveying the hosiery blank to the first sewing means;
• aligning the edge of the toe pouch and the edge of the hose top portion in juxtaposed relationship for sewing underneath the first sewing head;
• sewing together the edge of the toe pouch and the edge of the hose top portion with the first sewing head in a first, narrow seam to close the hosiery blank toe;
• conveying the hosiery blank to the second sewing head;
• and
• pulling a thread around the maximum thread guide width of the second toe seam width guide to sew with the second sewing head a second seam over the first seam that is wider than the first seam to further close the hosiery blank toe.