Machine for spreading out and loading flat clothing articles

A machine for spreading out and loading flat clothing articles, comprising:

• a frame (10) supporting at least one conveyor belt (30) moving in a loading direction (D), and having a loading end (30a);
• a protective cover (11) frontally covering said loading end (30a) of the conveyor belt (30);
• first and second loading stations (1, 2) adjacent to first and second side ends of said protective cover (11);
• a pair of first spreading clamps (4a, 4b) moved independently by driving means along a guide rail (8) transverse to said loading direction (D) of the conveyor belt (30) between a receiving position, in which said first spreading clamps (4a, 4b) are adjacent to one another in said first loading station (1) for catching respective contiguous corners of a first flat clothing article (A1) manually loaded by a first operator (P1), and a spread out position, in which the first spreading clamps (4a, 4b) are separated from one another holding said first flat clothing article (A1) spread out with respect to said loading end (30a) of the conveyor belt (30);
• a pair of second spreading clamps (5a, 5b) moved independently by driving means along said guide rail (8) between a receiving position, in which said second spreading clamps (5a, 5b) are adjacent to one another in said second loading station (2) for catching respective contiguous corners of a second flat clothing article (A2) manually loaded by a second operator (P2), and a spread out position, in which the second spreading clamps (5a, 5b) are separated from one another holding said second flat clothing article (A2) spread out with respect to said loading end (30a) of the conveyor belt (30);
• and
• deposition means for depositing an upper end of said first and second flat clothing articles (A1, A2) on the conveyor belt (30) from said spread out position of the first and second spreading clamps (4a, 4b;
• 5a, 5b);
• wherein said protective cover (11) is movable and has a pressing edge (12) at a lower end, and driving means move the protective cover (11) between a free passage position, in which said pressing edge (12) is at a distance from the frame (10) sufficient to allow the passage of the first and second flat clothing articles (A1, A2) held and moved by the first or second spreading clamps (4a, 4b;
• 5a, 5b) between their receiving and spread out positions and insufficient to allow the access of the hands of the operator (P1, P2) to dangerous areas of the machine, and a retaining position, in which the pressing edge (12) is applied against the frame (10) catching therebetween the first or second flat clothing article (A1, A2) spread out and held by the first or second spreading clamps (4a, 4b;
• 5a, 5b) in their spread out position and supporting the first or second flat clothing article (A1, A2) while said deposition means act.