CA2115093A1 - Process and apparatus for the fully automatic laying and folding of elongated textiles - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT

In the process and apparatus for fully automatic laying and folding elongated textiles such as stockings, panty hose and the like, four folding conveyors withcirculating silicone coated belts are used. The textile is transported from a first folding conveyor to a second folding conveyor which have the same running direction. Once the textile reaches a predetermined position, a card laying arm takes a wrapping card from a wrapping card magazine and places the card onto the textile. The second folding conveyor and a third folding conveyor positioned in parallel thereto are raised by means of a hydraulic device. The textile and the wrapping card are pulled-in between the second and third folding conveyors which are now operated in their opposite running directions. The textile is delivered 1/3 folded onto a fourth folding conveyor which is equipped with eight circulating silicone transport belts. The remaining folding operations take place on the fourth folding conveyor and are performed by first, second and third folding rakes, the third rake being adjustable. The third rake can be reoriented by 180° to produce end folding in left hand or right hand direction. The positioning of the textile on the folding conveyors is controlled by means of photo-detectors. After folding is complete, the textile is transferred onto a transport conveyor which has a deceleration and acceleration function. The eight circulating, silicone coated belts of the transport conveyor deliver the folded textile to a packaging station at the transport speed thereof. Seven stripping fingers are associated with the transport conveyor which prevent the textile becoming entangled therein. The whole apparatus and process is electronically controlled and, thus, provides the advantage of higher efficiency and speed compared with conventional machines.

Description

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR TIIE FULLY
AUTOMATIC LAYING AND FOLDING OF ELONGATED TEXTILES
The invention relates to a process for the laying and folding of elongated textile goods such as panty hose, stockings and the like in conjunction with a wrapping card and, where appropriate, an insert card and to an apparatus for realizing the process.
Conventional installations for semi-automatic or automatic folding of elongated textile goods to be packed, for example panty hose, stockings and the like involve a large number of operations which do not satisfy today's output demands. The speed of the folding and laying with conventional machines is no longer satisfactory.
The process in accordance with the invention and the apparatus for execution thereof compared with conventional processes and apparatus has the advantage that it is faster, more efficient and more variable than conventional processes and machines. This is due, among other things to the use of variably adjustable photo-detectors and also to the possibility of folding rake conversion. It is possible to switch from right hand folding to left hand folding by simple repositioning of a folding rake. Also advantageous is the use of an electronic speed control of the folding belt. This prevents slipping of different stocking fabrics in conjunction with a wrapping card and is controlled by the electronic control. It is a further advantage that the cycle speed can be appropriately reduced or increased for the different stocking types to be laid and packed.
After manufacture, elongated textiles such as hosiery, e.g. panty hose, stockings and the like, are generally taken up by an appropriate installation which dries the textiles and inspects them for material and colour flaws. If satisfactory, the textile is transferred by way of a transfer installation to a folding apparatus.
The folding apparatus in accordance with the present invention includes two folding stations which permit the fully automatic folding and transport of different types 2~ of elongated textiles. Panty hose, stockings or the like arriving from the drying and inspection installation, preferably with the foot end in working direction, are picked-up by a first folding conveyor which has a circulating endless transport belt that is preferably silicone coated. The pick-up by the first folding conveyor is performed by way of an upstream photo-detector in conjunction with an electronic controller and an electric motor controlled thereby. The first folding conveyor transports the elongated textile goods to a second circulating folding conveyor initially located at the same height. Slipping or stretching is excluded in accordance with the invention by r~ .i. 1 J ~

preferably operating the conveyors at uniform speed and by providing both with asilicone coating. The transfer or placement operation on the first and second folding conveyors is electronically controlled dependent on the length of the textile to be folded.
When the textile is at a predetermined location on the second folding conveyor as S detected by the upstream photo-detector, the second folding conveyor and a third folding conveyor are pneumatically raised and also pneumatically opened. In this position, the electronic controller triggers the lowering of a wrapping card by way of wrapping card laying arm onto the textile supported on the end of the first folding conveyor. At the --same time, the running direction of the second and third folding conveyors is reversed 10 so that the textile is pulled in between these folding conveyors and fed in a partly folded condition to a fourth folding conveyor having a plurality of endless, circulating and preferably silicone coated transport belts. Two adjustable photo-detectors are associated with the fourth folding conveyor and determine the position of the textile thereon. The thick end of the textile is then folded in with a first folding rake positionedat the start -15 of the fourth folding conveyor. The panty hose is folded again with a second folding rake and a last fold is carried out with a third folding rake to complete the folding of the stocking. -The folding direction of the third folding rake can be reversed from left hand folding to right hand folding and vice-versa by rotating the third folding rake by 180.
20 This has the advantage that the colour and the quality of the textile can be visible rom outside a transparent bag wherein the textile is packed when only a double fabric layer is on top of the wrapping card, while an equally desirable, more powerful colour tone is :.
visible if the textile is folded in the opposite direction. In addition, the repositioning of ~ :
the third folding rake in accordance with the invention also allows the use of a ~ :
25 transparent window insert in the packaging.
The elongated and folded textile is transferred to a transport conveyor which is ~- ~
located at the same height and in the same plane as the third folding conveyor. The ;
function of this transport conveyor in accordance with the invention is to permit electronically controlled deceleration and acceleration of the arriving folded textile. This 30 depends on the weight of the folded textile. The transport conveyor also has the task of transferring the folded textile to a subsequent packaging conveyor at the transport speed of the latter.

J ~ ~

The invention will now be f`urther described by way of example only and with reference to the attached drawings, wherein Figures 1 to 4 are schematic illustrations of different folding stages in the first folding step;
Figure 3a is a schematic illustration of the use of an insert card;
Figures 5, 6 and 7 are schematic illustrations of the second, third and fourth .
folding steps;
Figure 8 is another schematic illustration of the fourth folding step wherein the folding is carried out in a direction opposite to the folding direction illustrated in Figure 7;
Figure 9 is a side view of an apparatus in accordance with the invention;
Figure 10 is a top view of the embodiment shown in Figure 9;
Figure 11 is an enlarged side view of the first folding station of the embodiment :.
shown in Figure 9;
Figure 12 is a front view of the embodiment shown in Figure 11;
Figure 13 is a side view of the embodiment shown in Figure 11 when the card .
laying mechanism is in the wrapping card inserting position;
Figure 14 is a cross-section through the embodiment shown in Figure 16 taken along line XIV-XIV;
Figure 15 is a cross-section through the embodiment shown in Figure 16 taken along line XV-XV;
Figure 16 is a side view of the embodiment shown in Figure 11 when the second and third folding conveyors are transporting the 1/3 folded textile to the fourth fold;ng :
conveyor;
Figure 17 is top view of the embodiment shown in Figure 16;
Figure 18 is a side view of the second folding station of the embodiment shown in Figure 9;
Figure 19 is a section through the end portion of the second folding station shown in Figure 18;
Figure 20 is a top view of the embodiment shown in Figure 18;
Figure 21 is a cross-section through the embodiment shown in Figure 20 taken at the location of the holding pin; and Figure 22 is a cross-section through a portion of the drive and deflection rollers of the fourth folding conveyor and the transport conveyor illustrating the surface structure of the rollers.
The folding apparatus includes first and second folding stations 5 and 46 and a S transport conveyor 61. The first folding station 5 has first, second and third folding conveyors 1, 2 and 3 with endless circulating transport belts. The second folding station 46 has a fourth folding conveyor 4 and a transport conveyor 61. The transport belts of the folding conveyors are coated on the surface with silicone in this embodiment. This is advantageous in that it prevents slipping of the textile to be transported on the transport belts and, thus, provides a reliable positioning thereof. Furthermore, stretching of the textile between the folding conveyors is substantially prevented so that no folds are produced. In addition, the pick-up of the textile by the fourth folding conveyor 4 is smooth. The circulating, endless transport belts of the folding conveyors 1 to 3 are held in position by a special guide arrangement on the drive and deflection rollers 6 of the conveyors to prevent them from running off the rollers. For this purpose, a web 7 is provided on the other side of the transport belts which runs in a complementary groove 8 of the drive and deflection rollers 6 of the folding conveyors 1 to 3 (see Figures 12, 14 and 15). A pneumatic cylinder 11 is provided in accordance with the invention for the raising and lowering of the input ends of the second and third folding conveyors 2 and 3. The cylinder is connected to the conveyors 2 and 3 by means of a ball andsocket joint 13 and a ball and socket bearing mounted on a shaft 14 of the third folding conveyor 3. A supply air line 15 for the cylinder 11 is also provided. The first folding conveyor 1 is driven by way of an electric motor and a mitre gear transmission combination 16 having an output shaft 17. A chain sprocket 18 is mounted on the shaft 17 and is connected by way of a chain 19 with a smaller chain sprocket 20 mounted on drive roller 6. The second and third folding conveyors 2 and 3 (see Figures 9, 11, 13 and 15) are driven by chain sprockets 22 and chains 23 in conjunction with a small electric motor 21. A toothed belt drive 24 (see Figures 10, 15 and 17) which drives a second shaft 25 is located on the drive shaft 6 of the third folding conveyor 3. A spur wheel 26 is located on the opposite side of the second shaft 25. This wheel engages a second spur wheel 27 on a drive shaft 6 of the second folding conveyor 2 and, thus, - ` "~ 1 I c-j l) 'J
s drives its transport belt and the one of the third folding conveyor 3 in opposite directions.
'. A wrapping card laying station 28 is included in a preferred embodiment of the apparatus in accordance with the invention. This wrapping card laying station 28 has a 5 wrapping card magazine 15 and a wrapping card laying arrn 29 which is reciprocatible by a cylinder 30 for the picking up of a wrapping card 10 from the magazine lS by means of four suction cups 32 (see Figures 9, 11, 12 and 16). Four vacuurn houses 33 (only two shown in Figures 11, 13 and 16) are connected with the four suction cups 32 which are in turn connected with a vacuurn pump 34. This vacuum pump 34 is 10responsible for pick-up of the wrapping card 10 by means of the four suction cups 32. .-The laying arm 29 with the sucked-on wrapping card is moved toward the coated transport belt of the first folding conveyor 1 and a textile 31 positioned thereon in horizontal orientation. As seen in Figures 11 and 12, the wrapping card laying arm 29 is rotatably affixed to a rotary cylinder drive 35. The rotary cylinder drive 35 with lS proximity switches 37 is located on a mount 36. The electric switches 37 control the end positions of the rotary cylinder drive 35. The rotary cylinder drive 35 is counteracted by spring force (two tension springs 38) which overcomes the inertia of the cylinder. Upon rotation of the rotary cylinder drive 35, the force of the cylinder is transferred to the laying arm 29 via a toothed belt 39 tensioned around toothed belt 20 rollers 40. The appropriate swivel angle of the laying arm 29 in relation to the rotary cylinder drive 35 is achieved by the transmission ratio of the two toothed belt rollers 40.
Once above the first folding conveyor 1, the holding arm mechanism is linearly movable in the direction of the second and third folding conveyors 2 and 3 by means of a second cylinder 41 so that the wrapping card 10 is forced between the intake rollers of the 25 second and third folding belts. A holding plate 42 mounted on the laying arm mechanism 29 holds the wrapping card 10 in position under the pressure of a tension spring 43 in order to prevent an inserted card jurnping back.
In the first folding step as shown in the schematic drawings of Figures 1 to 4 and 3a, the first and second folding conveyors 1 and 2 are positioned in series and at the 30 sarne height and initially run in the sarne direction so that the textile is transported onto the second folding conveyor by movement of the first folding conveyor. In accordance with the invention, the elongated textile is then transported to a predetermined position controlled by an upstream photo-sensor 9 (see Figure 9). At the same time, a wrapping card 10 is picked-up by the suction cups 32 of the wrapping card laying arm 29 and positioned onto the textile on the first folding conveyor 1 by rotation in opposite directions of the wrapping card laying arm 29 and the rotary cylinder drive 35. When the card 10 is in contact with an elongated textile supported on the first folding ~ :
conveyor 1, the suction is stopped and the wrapping card 10 released. Due to thematerial of the textile and the type and thickness of the wrapping card board, the wrapping card has a tendency to jump again after the suction has been stopped.
However, the holding plate 42 holds the wrapping card 10 in position and prevents it from doing so. After insertion of the wrapping card 10, the second folding conveyor 2 is operated in a reversed direction (left hand direction in Figure 13) so that the textile with the inserted wrapping card 10 resting on it is pulled in between the second folding conveyor 2 and the third folding conveyor 3. The textile is folded over the wrapping card for the first time when it is pulled in between the second and third folding -conveyors 2 and 3. The folding length in this folding step is adjustable by appropriately positioning the photo-detector 9. To ensure correct insertion of the wrapping card between the second and third folding conveyors 2 and 3, the conveyors which are pivotally supported on a shaft 6a are raised by the pneumatic cylinder 11 and the input -end of the top folding conveyor 2 is moved away from the lower folding conveyor 3 by a pair of smaller pneumatic cylinders 12 mounted on the third folding conveyor 3. The second and third folding conveyors 2 and 3 open when the laying arm 29 is swung down. After insertion of the wrapping card or insert card and the textile, the second and third folding conveyors are closed again pneumatically and the textile with the inserted wrapping card is transported in correspondingly folded form between the second and third folding conveyors to the following folding station 46. The stocking or the like is now folded by 1/3 over the wrapping card (see Figures 1 to 4). This ends the first folding step of the textile.
The thickened end of certain elongated textiles, e.g. pantyhose, stockings etc.,necessitates a further step in accordance with the invention, namely a brief opening of the second and third folding conveyors after the textile with the inserted wrapping card 10 is pulled in, in order to reduce the pressure on the two input rollers 6 of the second and third folding conveyors. This reduction in pressure is required since the elastic ~ -!i -.1 1 .) i) ~J

waist band of stockings and the like forms a thickened section. This thickened section results in untidy folding and in knocking of the top folding conveyor 2 when the elastic waist band passes the conveyor if the second and third folding conveyors are permanently closed. The second and third folding conveyors 2 and 3 close again after S this operation. The short opening and closing operation is effected by a control program running on an electric controller 44 and in combination with the force of the tension spring 45 and the two pneumatically operated cylinders 12 which are permanently attached to the third folding conveyor 3.
Turning now to Figures 9, 10 and 18 to 20, the second folding station 46 10 includes the fourth folding conveyor 4 which is driven by way of a small electric motor 51. This axially installed motor 51 is connected with a chain wheel 53 via the shaft 52.
The chain wheel 53 is connected with a smaller chain wheel 55 by way of a chain 54.
That chain drives the fourth folding conveyor 4 by way of the motor 51. The fourth folding conveyor 4 has eight individual spaced apart endless circulated transport belts 47 15 which are also coated on the surface with silicone. Each individual transport belt 47 is centred on the corresponding drive or deflection roller, each of which possesses eight raised sections 48 to thus prevent the transport belts 47 from running off (see Figure 22). The fourth folding conveyor 4 has two speed settings. Two photocells 49 and 50 are located under the transport belt and in the center of the latter for the control of the 20 speed settings in combination with the electronic controller 44. The position of the photo-detectors 49 and 50 can be adjusted manually in accordance with the length of the elongated textile to be folded. The first photo-detector 49 is responsible for slowing down the stocking, while the second photo-detector 50 ends transport of the stocking on the fourth folding conveyor exactly at its location. The stocking arrives at the start of 25 the fourth folding conveyor 4 at a higher speed and is reduced to a lower transport speed after passing the first photo-detector 49. This is intended on the one hand to prevent slipping of the textile with the wrapping card 10 and, on the other hand, to guarantee exact positioning of the textile. This is adjustable. The second folding station 46 further includes first, second and third rakes 56, 57 and 58 of a type and construction 30 well known to persons skilled in the art of textile folding machines.
In a preferred laying and folding apparatus in accordance with the invention, the folding rake 56 is used for oversi~ed textiles. This folding rake is either generally present in the apparatus or can be retrofitted. The first folding rake 56 has the function of first folding in the panty portion of the textile (see Figure 5). The second folding rake 57 once again folds in the panty portion (see Figure 6). If no oversized textiles are processed, the second folding rake 57 assumes the function of the first folding rake 56.
5 End folding is performed by the third folding rake 58 which, like to the two previous rakes, swivels upwards to complete the last fold (see Figure 7). ~ -This system can be varied by converting the third folding rake 58 in such a way that it is reoriented axially at the same location, i.e. it is then located off-set by 180 on the opposite side and folds the stocking in a left hand folding operation as illustrated in Figure 8. In its first orientation as illustrated in Figure 7, the third folding rake 58 produces a right hand fold. The preferred form of the respective folding direction is determined by the needs of the user.
A stop pin 59 is provided at the third folding rake 58 (see Figure 20). This stop pin is pneumatically extendable by a cylinder 60 from a position to the side of the third folding rake to a position directly above that folding rake and is vertically reciprocatible to temporarily hold the folded textile 31 with the inserted wrapping card 10 in order to prevent displacement of card and textile. In the extended position, the pin 59 is located spaced apart parallel and at right angles to the eight transport belts 47 (see Figure 21).
The pin 59 moves in vertically upward and downward in accordance with the folding belt cycle. These movements of the pin 59 are also controlled by the electronic controller 44. The movements of the stop pin 59 are necessary in order to temporarily hold the textile and wrapping card together in this position and then to release them again.
The first folding step carried out on the first, second and third folding conveyors 1 to 3 can also be carried out without the insertion of a wrapping card 10. In that case, -a reciprocatible insert card is used instead of the wrapping card which pushes the stocking between the second and third folding conveyors 2 and 3 (see Figure 3a). The remainder of the folding process takes place as shown in Figures 4 to 8. This method is chosen if folding with a wrapping card 10 is not desired.
A transport conveyor 61 is positioned in process direction behind the fourth folding conveyor 4 and at the same height. This conveyor also consists of eight endless circulating silicone coated transport belts 62 and is used for either decelerating or ',;

:~1 ; !
:

;;~ accelerating the arriving folded textile in order to bring it to the transport speed of a subsequent packing installation. This depends on the weight of the folded stocking.
~; The speed of the transport conveyor 61 is controlled by means of a variable speed DC
~;. motor 63. Centering of the eight transport belts on the acceleration or deceleration belts ; 5 61 takes place in the same way as for the fourth folding belt 4 (see Figure 22). Seven " stripping or overrun fingers 65 (see Figure 20) are located one each between adjacent .~ transport belts 62 at the transition from the fourth folding conveyor 4 to the transport conveyor 61 and at the output end of the transport conveyor. The position and shape (Figure 19) of these fingers prevent parts of a textile becoming caught between the ~. 10 transport belts 62 and the drive and deflection rollers 66 which would lead to destruction of the textile. The elongated textile is fully folded at this point and can be packed.
Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the scope of the invention which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (6)

1. An apparatus for fully automatic laying and folding elongated textiles to be packed using one of a wrapping card and an insert card, comprising a first folding station including first, second and third folding conveyors for producing a first fold in an elongated textile around one of the wrapping card and insert card, the conveyors respectively having endless circulating transport belts with a silicone coated surface;
a wrapping card laying station including a wrapping card magazine and a wrapping card laying arm for sequentially taking a wrapping card from the wrapping card magazine and pushing the wrapping card between the second and third foldingconveyors, the wrapping arm having pneumatically operated suction cups for picking up and holding the wrapping card, being rotatable by a rotary cylinder arrangement over a predetermined swivel angle between a wrapping card pick-up position wherein the wrapping card laying arm is opposite the card magazine and a wrapping card inserting position wherein the wrapping card laying arm is closely adjacent the first folding conveyor and an intake end of the second and third folding conveyors having means for horizontally moving the wrapping card laying arm towards the second and third folding conveyors when the in wrapping card inserting position to insert the wrapping card between the second and third folding conveyors at the intake ends thereof and having a holding plate for preventing the wrapping card jumping out from between the second and third folding conveyors when the suction cups are deactivated in the insertion position of the wrapping card laying arm;
a second folding and laying station including a fourth folding conveyor having aplurality of spaced apart parallel endless, circulated silicone coated transport belts, guide means for guiding the transport belts in parallel on a drive and a deflection roller of the fourth folding conveyor, a dual speed electric motor drive controlled by repositionable first and second photo-detectors for detecting the position of the textile on the fourth folding conveyor, at least two folding rakes arranged in series for sequentially folding the textile, and a pneumatically actuated holding pin associated with one of the folding rakes for temporarily holding the wrapping card and the textile during folding of the textile for preventing slipping of the folding card and the textile, a folding direction of the textile being reversible by repositioning a last of the folding rakes by 180°;
a transport conveyor equipped with a plurality of endlessly circulating siliconeelectric motor driven transport belts, guide means for guiding the transport belts in parallel over a drive roller and a deflection roller of the transport conveyor and stripping or overrun fingers respectively positioned one each between the transport belts for preventing the textile becoming entangled in the transport conveyor, the speed of the transport conveyor being controlled to appropriately accelerate or decelerate the textile to the speed of a packing apparatus positionable in series to the folding apparatus; and an electronic controller for controlling the operation of the folding and transport conveyors depending on signals produced by the photo-detectors.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guide means is a web provided on an underside of each of the circulating endless transport belts of the first, second and third folding conveyors and a complementary circumferential groove in each of the drive and deflection rollers of the respectively transport belts.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the apparatus further includes a third photo-detector positioned upstream of the first folding conveyor for detecting when the textile has reached a predetermined position on the second folded conveyor while the first folding conveyor and the intake end of the second folding conveyor are at the same level and the first and second folding conveyors have the same running directions, first lifting means for vertically reciprocating the intake ends of the second and third folding conveyors relative to the first folding conveyor and second lifting means for vertically reciprocating the intake end of the second folding conveyor relative to the third folding conveyor, and an electric motor for driving the transport belts of the second and third folding conveyors in respectively opposite direction by way of a chain and sprocket drive, the electric controller operating the first and second lifting means when the third photo-detector signals that the textile has reached the predetermined position for raising the intake end of the third folding conveyor to the level of the first folding conveyor.

4. A process for laying and folding an elongated textile to be packed using one of a wrapping card and an insert card, comprising the steps of:

a. feeding the elongated textile in a flat condition onto a first folding conveyor and a second folding conveyor positioned in series and at the same height and running in the same direction;
b. stopping the second folding conveyor when the textile has reached a predetermined position on the second folding conveyor wherein a first preselected fold line of the textile is positioned at an intake end of the second folding conveyor and raising the second folding conveyor above the height of the first folding conveyor and raising a third folding conveyor which is positioned in parallel below the second folding conveyor to the same level as the first folding conveyor whereby a gap is created between the intake ends of the first and second folding conveyors. The second and third folding conveyors being connected to run in respectively opposite directions;
c. placing a wrapping card onto the textile and between the intake ends of the first and second folded conveyors;
d. reversing the rotation of the second and third folding conveyors so that the textile and the wrapping card are pulled-in between the second and third folding conveyors whereby a first end of the textile which was fed onto the second folding conveyor in step a is folded over the wrapping card;
e. feeding the textile onto a fourth folding conveyor having a plurality of spaced apart parallel transport belts, the fourth folded conveyor running in the same direction as the third folding conveyor;
f. stopping the fourth folding conveyor and folding a still unfolded second end of the textile first onto the first end and then onto the folded portion of the textile enclosing the wrapping card using at least two folding rakes having prongs respectively positioned in the space defined between the transport belts of the fourth folding conveyor; and g. feeding the folded textile onto a transport conveyor operated at the speed of subsequent processing equipment.

5. A process according to claim 4, including the first step of closing the gap between the second and third folding conveyors after the wrapping card has been inserted therebetween.

6. A process according to claim 5, wherein the textile includes a thickened region and the process includes the further step of briefly lifting the intake end of the second folding conveyor relative to the third folding conveyor to facilitate passage of the thickened region and preventing damage of the second and third folding conveyors.