WO2006114800A1

WO2006114800A1 - Machine and method for folding textile articles

Info

Publication number: WO2006114800A1
Application number: PCT/IT2005/000242
Authority: WO
Inventors: Francesco Lonati
Original assignee: Santoni S.P.A.
Priority date: 2005-04-27
Filing date: 2005-04-27
Publication date: 2006-11-02

Abstract

A machine (1) for folding textile items (3), preferably women's stockings, comprising handling means (10), generally conveyor belts operating on the items (3) during the whole folding operation, equipped with folding means (20) comprising in their turn at least one pair of handling elements (29) mutually getting nearer one another so as to fold the textile items (3). Said machine (1) is characterized in that it further comprises holding means (30) for the textile items (3), associated above with at least one of said folding means (20) so as to compress or pull at least one portion of the items (3) during the folding operation, thus preventing the formation of creases and curls on said items (3).

Description

MACHINE AWD METHOD FOR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a machine for folding textile items.

In particuILar, the invention advantageousl^y applies to the packaging process of women's stockings , more precisely of tights or stay-ups, which will be explicitly referred to in the following description, though without losing its general character.

It is known that devices for automatically packaging stockings are arranged downstream from the dye fixing and ironing step and comprise a folding machine and devices fo:r putting said stockings into envelopes and for labeling the latter.

Known machines for folding stockings comprise first of all a folding station. Said station is rαade up of a series of .handling elements, generally conveyor belts, operating in pairs. The various pairs a_ere basically arranged as a cascade and each pair is made up of two belts arranged so as to form a sort of V. Once the stocking to be folded lies stretched on a pair of belts, the angle inside the vertex of tlxe V is narrowed so a.s to bring the belts nearer aπid thus make folding effective. Now the stocking can get through the vertex of the V and reach the following belt so as to be further folded or to reach the following packaging steps .

On the whole the stocking has undergone three folding steps, the first one being carried out around an intermediate sheet, generally a piece of cardboard. Known machines are further equipped with a ha.ndling system, the latter being also generally made up of conveyor belts, operatively connected at its inlet and outlet to the folding station and designed to convey the stocking to the other packaging steps . However, the machines for folding stockings sis described above have important drawbacks .

First of all, in most cases folding is not uniform due to a series of creases and curls forming on the stocking, especially when during the first folding tlhe intermediate sheet is not always stiff. This results in a lack of effectiveness also in the steps fol lowing folding, since packages are squatter and less aes- thetical .

Moreover, traditional machines can fold only a small number of textile items, which is practically limited to conventional tights. As a matter of fact, st ay-ups are too short to be folded onto the piece of car-dboard and have a rubberized upper surface, which due to its high thickness hinders the operation of known auto- matic devices. Moreover, stockings made of fabrics such as microfiber fabric, being very sensible ^"to electrostatic forces, are more easily subject ^"to creases and curls.

Under these circumstances, the technical task underlaying the present invention is to conceive a method and a machine fox folding stockings that can basically oϋo- viate the drawbacks above. Within said technical tas2<, an important aim is to conceive a method and a machi-eαe for folding stockings that enable a uniform foldi_ng without creases and curls, in particular in the stodging portion folded around the intermediate sheet . A further aim of the present invention is to suggest a method and SL machine for folding stockings that c≡in apply to a wider variety of items comprising for instance stay- Tips and fabrics such as microfiber fabric. Another aim of the invention is to provide a method and a machine for folding stockings that can carry oxαt a first quaL ity control, i.e. remove from the foldimg line items with a false starting position. A further aim of the pzresent invention is to enable high operating speeds and thus allow an efficient connection fco devices performing the following steps of the packaging process. A final aim of the invention is to provide a machine for folding stockings that can be cartr- ried out simply and with a globally low cost.

These and other aims that will be more evident from the following description are achieved! according to the present invention by a method and a machine for folding stockings in accordance with the appended claims .

The invent ion will now be disclosed in further detail thanks to the drawings, which are mere non-limiting examples of an embodiment thereof.

- Figure 1 is a schematically overall front view of the machine for folding stockings d_n a preferred embodiment ;

- Figure 2 a is a top view of the feedimg station, in which the stay-up is in a first posit ion;

- Figure 2 ID is a top view of the feedimg station, in which ttie stay-up is in a second posi tion;

- Figure 2 c is a top view of the feeding station, in which trie stay-up is in a third posit ion;

- Figure 3 is a front view of the folding area of the machine _r in which the stocking lies on the first pair of handling elements;

- Figure 4 is a front view of the folding area of the machine, in which operate means for ^positioning an intermecϋiate sheet;

- Figure 5 shows a front view of the folding area of the machine, in which the stocking is getting down from the first to the second pair of handling elements ;

Figure 6 is a front view of the folding area of the machine, in which the stocking has achieved its descent onto the second pair of handling elements;

Figure 7 sixows a front view of the folding area of the machine, in which the stocking lies on the second pair off handling elements;

Figure 8 shows a front view of the folding area of the machine, in which the stocking has started the last folding step;

Figure 9 shows a front view of the folding area of the machine, in which operate means for feeding envelopes;

Figure 10 stiows a front view of the folding area of the machine , in which the stocking has achieved its last folding;

Figure 11 stαows a front view of the folding area of the machine, in which the stocking is going to be wrapped up in the envelope;

Figure 12 shows a front view of the folding area of the machine , in which the stocking is ready for the following packaging step;

Figure 13 shows a schematic sequence of the folding - G -

steps executed by ttie machine on a pair of tights; - Figure 14 shows a schematic sequence of the folding steps executed by the machine on a pair of stay- ups .

With reference to the figures mentioned above, a machine 1 for folding stockings 3 according to the invention comprises handling means 10, preferably conveyor belts, which operate on the stockings 3 during the whole folding process and are equipped with folding means 20.

Said folding means 20 comprise at least one pair of handling elements 29, cjenerally also conveyor belts. A preferred embodiment of the machine 1 comprises two pairs of handling elements 29 arranged as a cascade, as can be seen in Figiαre 1. In particular, the first pair is made up of the handling element 21 and of the element 22, whereas the second pair is made up of the element 23 and of the element 24 (Figure 3) . In each pair the two rαandling elements 29 are placed as a sort of V and move around an axis lying on the plane of motion of the corresponding belt and perpendicular to the direction of motion. Thus, when the stocking 3 is conveyed on one of these pairs, the two handling elements 29 get nearer one another, reducing the width of the angle inside the vertex 26, 27 of the V, so as to carry out the folding operation (as can be seen by comparing the mutuaH position of belts 23 and 24 in Figures 7 and 8) . Sa id folding is achieved in the process of descent of tlie stocking on the following belt through the vertex 26, 21 of said V, which is helped by the combined movement of the belts of the handling elements 29 of said pair.

Advantageously, in the first pair, in which the stocking 3 is placed with its toe 4 on the belt 22 and its opposite end 5 on the belt 21 (Figure 4), the handling element 22 moves so that it£3 end 22a on the vertex 26 of the V can shift verticalILy with respect to the end of the other handling element 21 of said pair, so as to help the passage through the vertex 26 of the V of the thicker portion of the stocking 3, generally the bodice 5' for tights 3' ancL the silicone-coated edge 5" for stay-ups 3" . Said movement of the end 22a of the belt 22 with respect to the belt 21 can be seen by comparing their position in Figures 4 and 5. According to the invention, the machine further comprises holding means 30, which are preferably counter- belts associated above with the handling elements 29 for preventing the formation, of creases and curls on the stocking 3 during the various folding operations. They carry out said function by compressing and pull- ing at least one portion of the stocking 3, which is inserted between the handling element 29 and the corresponding holding counter-belt 30 for a given time interval during the folding operation. Preferably, compression is obtained by placing the counter-belt 30 nearer the corresponding belt 29 , whereas traction is obtained by actuating belt 29 and corresponding counter-belt 30, whose movements have the same direction and the same end point, for phase-shifted time intervals .

Advantageously, the holding means 30 are associated with the handling means 29 so as to enable movements of vertical translation and/or pitching with respect to the latter, which movements sllow them to execute at best their holding and compressing function but especially to vary the mutual distance - even in one portion only - so as to help the passage between them and the stocking 3, especially wtien getting in. In order to ensure a suitable functionality of the machine 1, the holding means 30 a_cτe associated with at least one belt 22 of the first pair, with the belt 24 and with a portion of the belt 23 of the second pair, and with the belt 25 fixing wj_ th the corresponding counter-belt 35 the last folding operation of the stocking 3. In a preferred embocfliment , however, they are associated with all accessible areas of the folding path, i.e. with all areas in which the presence of the counter-belts 3 O does not jeopardize the handling of said stocking 3. Therefore, as shown in F^*igure 1, the holding means 3 O are associated for instance also with the end portion of the belt 23. Conventionally, the folding process obtained with the synchronized motion of the various handling elements 29 and of their holding means 30 is different depending on whether the item to be folded is a pair of tights 3 ' or of stay- ups 3", due to theiar different length. In parrticular, a pair of tights 3 " undergoes three foldin<g operations: the first one, in which the toe 4 is folded onto the following portion, takes place on the first pair of handling elements 29, the second one, in which the bodice 5' is folded onto an intermediate stocking 3 portion, takes place during the descent of said bodice 5' from the belt 21 to the belt 23, and the third one, in which the two portions of tights 3" prreviously folded are folded by halves, takes place on thie second pair and is fixed by the belt 25 and by the corresponding counter-belt 35 (Figure 13) . On ttie other hand, the stay-up 3" being shorter, it is folded twice, i.e. there is no folding of the edge 5"^" onto an intermediate portion, in the descent from the belt 21 to the belt 23 (Figure 14) .

A peculiar feature of the folding process executed on the stocking 3 consists in that the first folcϊing operation, i.e. the one taking place thanks to trαe first pair of handling elements 29, is carried out around a sheet 41, generally a. piece of cardboard. Therefore, as shown in Figure 1 , the machine 1 comprise s means for positioning 40 the sheet 41 in the stocking 3 portion in which said first folding should take place, preferably made up of an arm 45 with two suct__on caps 46 taking up the sheet from a feeder 44 and la.ying it with its front edge on the vertex 26 of the V built by the first pair of handling elements 29.

Advantageously, the means for positioning 40 thxe sheet 41 have lateral guides 42 keeping the sheet 41 stiff during the folding operation, thus preventing the formation of creases and curls in the stocking 3 portion involved, and compression elements 43, rolls for instance, acting upon the sheet 41 so as to prevent a mutual sliding with tlie stocking 3 when passimg over to the following pair of handling elements 29 . Preferably, in order to obtain a higher compression said compression elements 43 are located downstream from the suction caps 46, not as shown in Figure 4. The elements shown until now are connected to one another and to the other components of the machine 1 through a conventional frame 2 and are further handled by conventional actuating means and motors, for instance step-by- step motors and therefore not described in further detail .

The frame 2 supports a series of handling means 10, operatively associated with one another, which - as was said before and as can be infernred from Figure 1 - convey the stocking 3 from the feeding station 17 to the area in which the handling elements 29 with their holding counter-belts 30 carry out the folding operation, and then to the area in which stockings are placed in envelopes and labeled aind then eventually packaged.

Advantageously, the handling means 10 described above comprise means for pressing 13 the stocking 3 during the displacement.

In a preferred embodiment of the machine shown in Figure 1, said pressing means 13 are crounter-belts associated above with all handling means 10 of the feeding path 12 and placed downstream from the folding area, obviously only unless the coupling between said handling means 10 and said counter-belts 13 jeopardizes the correct handling of the stocking 3. As an alternative, as shown in Figures 2a to 12, the pxessing means 13 can be fixed plates made of metal and associated above with the handling means LO, both downstream and upstream from the area in which the folding steps take place. In this case the plates are pireferably placed at a given distance from tlie handling means 10 above which they are placed so as to interact with the stocking 3 only if the latterr during handling is going to take an unsuitable position or slαape .

Tlie pressing means 13 enable a compression of the stocking 3 both before the folding operation C Figures 2a-2c) , so as to reduce the formation of crea_ses and CT-irls, and after the folding operation (Figures 3-12), so as to improve the effectiveness of the packaging pzrocess and the appearance of the finished product . As was said above, therefore, upstream from tϊxe folding means 20 the machine 1 is connected to a feeding station 17 for stockings 3 through handling means 10. IJE the item to be folded is a pair of tights 3' the feeding process is automatic; as a matter of fa_ct they get out of the fixing and ironing machine read;y to be folded. Conversely, stay-ups 3" are placed manually in pairs by an operator. Both items 3', 3" are preferably located in the feeding process with their toes 4 pointing towards the following stations of the machine 1 and their edges 5', 5" towards the feeding station 17.

Moreover, before being folded stay-ups 3 ^■" undergo a pre-folding operation of a lateral portion of their upper edge Ξ5" onto itself by means of a tipping element 18, pireferably a spatula, so as to adapt the width of the stocking 3" to the width of the sheet 41 around which the first folding operation is carried out (Figures 2a, 2b and 2c) .

Advantageous Iy, before starting the folding operation the position, of the stocking 3 is detected!! by sensors 14 associated with the handling means 10 (Figure 1) . Said sensors 14 have three functions: fd_rstly, they enable to position the stocking 3 correctly on the first pair of handling elements 29; secondly, they give the time for all operations to be executed on the machine 1; suad eventually, they allow to detect if a stocking 3 is positioned incorrectly. In the latter case, when the stocking 3 reaches the fi xst pair of handling elements 29, it is conveyed by "the belt 22 beyond the \7 until it reaches a containe :r 16 placed beyond said belt 22, as can be seen in Fi_gure 1, and it is therefore excluded from the folding path. Moreover, further sensors can be arranged ins ide the machine for coordinating the operation and the time se- quence of the various parts.

The sensors 14 are associated with a conventional control system, which is therefore not disclosed in further detail. Preferably, said control system is equipped with a user interface with monitor and keyboard, thus enabling tlαe operator to set the variabiles characterizing the folding process, such as the t^pe of stocking 3, for instance tights 3' or stay-ups 3", and the operating time intervals of the holding mea.ns 30 with respect to the handling means 29, depending on the fabric the stocking 3 is made of and on the effect to be obtained.

Downstream from the two pairs of handling elements 29, the folding of the stocking 3 is achieved by wrapping the latter in an envelope 48, basically made of paper, on which the stocking 3 model and its brand can be stamped. Thus, near trie exit of the belt 25 the machine 1 comprises means for feeding envelopes 47, preferably made up of an arm 49 with suction caps 50, which take up the envelope 48 and position it correctly, as shown in Figures 8, 9 and 10.

Now the stocking 3 wrapped up in the envelope 48 is conveyed by the handling means 10, preferably equipped with pressing means 13 _r towards the enveloping and .Labeling means, basically known and therefore not cue- scribed and disclosed in further detail. In a preferred embodiment of the machine 1, in the enveloping area the stockiing 3 is introduced into a transparent plastic sheet 54, basically folded in two halves, so that the base of the envelope 48 is in contact with the fold of sa.id sheet 54 (Figures 13 and 14) . Then, the envelope -Ls created by heat-sealirxg the . lateral edges of the t transparent sheet 54 according to predefined sizes. Advantageously, during said operation abutting means are used for preventing the stocking 3 from jutting out and being also heat -sealed together with the sheet 54 and thus spoilt .

The packaging of the stocking 3 is achieved by closing with a label thαe last envelope portion still open, after being suitably shaped so as to improve the aes- thetical appearrance of the final package . The working of a preferred embodiment of the machine 1 disclosed above will now be describee! through the steps characterizing the corresponding method for folding stockirxgs 3.

The folding process begins by positioning the stocking 3 on the handling means 10, by orientiixg on the conveyor belt the toe 4 towards the folding means 20 and the opposite end 5 towards the feeding station 17 (Figures 2a-2c) . During this step, when the item 3 to be folded is a stay-up 3", the lateral portion of the upper edge 5" is pre-folded by means of a tipping element, so as to adapt the stocking 3" si ze to the size of the sheet 41 on which the last foldirxg is executed. Then the handling means 10, preferably equipped with compression counter-belts 13, convey the stocking 3 towards the folding area.

During this step the position of the stocking 3 is detected by sensors 14, so as to place i-fc correctly on the folding means 20, to give the actuating times for the various elements cooperating in the folding operation 20, 30 and to select stockings 3 positioned incorrectly. If tlie sensors 14 detect faults in the position of the stocking 3, the latter j±s transferred from the first p>air of handling elements 29 beyond the element 22 reacliing a container 16 and "thus being excluded from the folding operation. Otherwise, the conveyor belts of the first pair 21, 22, Λtfhose movement is controlled on the basis of the parameters set in the control system, place the stocking 3 so that only the toe 4 portion of the stocking 3 that is folded onto the sheet 41 lies on the element 22. Then the combined movement of the elements 21, 22 and of the holding counter—belt 32 is actuated for different time intervals defined by the control system, so as to pull and compress the stocking 3 and thus remove creases and curls, if present.

The means for positioning the sheet 40 now take up said sheet 41 and place it on the stocking 3 portion lying on the handling element 21, so that a.n end of the sheet 41 basically coincides with the vertex 26 of the V formed by the elements 21, 22. The end point of the belt of the element 22 is inverted, i.e. said belt 22 pushes the stocking 3 towards the handling element 21 so as to start zLts descent towards the handling element 23 and thus fold the toe 4 onto the sheet 41. Preferably, during- this step the sheet 41 is kept stiff by the latenral guides 42 located on the means for positioning the sheet 40. Moreover, the compression elements 43 associated with said positioning means 40 are actuated, thus preventing the sheet 41 and the stocking 3 from mutually sliding spoiling the folding operation.

Once the toe 4 of the stocking 3 folded onto the sheet 41 has got down onto the handling element 23, it is conveyed by said belt 23 so as to be distant from the handling element 24 and to allow also the opposite end 5 to get down onto said element 23. If the item to be folded is a pair of tights 3', after a given time the control system induces an inversion of the end point of the movement of the belt 23 so as to fold the bodice 5' onto itself.

Advantageously, during the descent of the bodice 5' of the pair of tights 3' or of tlαe edge 5" of the stay- ups 3" onto the element 23, trie end 22a on the vertex 26 of the V of the element 22 is temporarily lifted with respect to the end of the other handling element 21 of the pair, thus helping its passage through the vertex 26 of the V, as can be seen by comparing the position of the first pair of handling element 29 in Figures 4 and 5.

Now the elements 23, 24 are actuated, thus enabling a stocking 3 portion to get in between the element 24 and the corresponding counter- ϊ>elt 34. In particular, at the beginning of this step the stocking 3 is positioned so that the sheet 41 wholly lies on the element 23 and has an end on the vertex 27 of the V built by the second pair of handling elements 29. While the stocking gets in between the element 24 and the corresponding counter-belt 34, the opening between the two elements 23, 24 is temporarily- widened, so as to help the passage of the stocking 3 (note the position of the belts 24 and 24 in Figures 7 and 8) . Then, a stocking 3 portion is blocked by the element 23 and by the corresponding couinter-belt 33, while the element 24 and the corresponding countesr-belt 34 , which house the remaining stocking 3 portio n, continue a preset micrometric stroke and generate a traction of said stocking, thus eliminating creases and curls , if present .

Then, the control system of the machine 1 shifts the elements 23 , 24 so as to reduce the width o f the angle inside the vertex 27 of the V built by sad.d elements 23 , 24 , in order to start the last folding operation (Figure 8 ) . While said elements 23 , 24 are Ihandled and the stocking 3 is thus folded, the latter- is pulled thanks to the combined action of said element 24 and of the corresponding counter-belt 34 .

The folding of the stocking 3 is achieved by getting it out in an offset position of the elements 23 and 24 and therefore further pulling it between the belt 25 and the corresponding counter-belt 35 , wh& re it also undergoes mechanical compressions . Before getting the stocking 3 onto the belt 11 , the belt 25 and the corresponding counter-belt 35 can rotate ba. sically of 180 ° , should it be necessary to place the stocking 3 upside down for the packaging operation .

While the stocking 3 ^' is engaged between t lhe belt 25 and the corresponding counter belt 35 , t lie control system controls the means for feeding env^~elopes 47 , whose suction cups 50 take up an envelope 48 from a feeder 55 and place it between the handling means 25 and the handling means 11, preferably so thiat half the envelope 48 lies where the stocking 3 gets out of the belt 25 (Figures 8-11) .

Now the belt 25 and the corresponding counter-belt 35 are actuated, so that the stocking 3 gets out and gets into the errvelope 48 and, after the latter has been released by the means for feeding envelopes 47, proceeds on the belt 11 towards the enveloping and labeling area forr the final packaging. Advantageously, the movement of the stocking 3 on the belt 11 is characterized by a compression preferably executed by a counter-belt 13 (Figure 12) . The invention has important advantages.

First of all, it enables to fold the stocking more uniformly with great advantages as far as product appearance and. quality are concerned, thanks to the combined functionality of the handling elements and of the corresponding holding means .

Secondly, ttαe presence of a system enabling to vary temporarily the mutual distance between the various handling eleτnents and between the latter and the corresponding holding means during stocking passage allows to fold stocking of any thickness. A f -urther advantage of the inventzLon is to give the possibility of folding stay-ups , characterized by a higti thickness in the edge area and by a shorter length than tights , which can be mainaged thanks to the system made up of the holding means associated with the handling elements . Said system further allows to fold stockings made of special fabrics , such as mi - crof iber fabric , which are easily subj ect to creases and curls due to their high sensilbility to electrostat ic forces .

Last but not least , other important advantages are provided by the machine control sys tem, which is very flexible and enables to fold a wide variety of stocking models at high speed, since J.t can manage the automatic folding of more stockings simultaneously . Finailly, the machine allows to impr~ove the appearance of the finished product thanks to "the pressing means operrating on the stocking also in "the last packaging steps .

In practice , any material and size cran be used depending on needs . Moreover, all details can be replaced by other technically equivalent element s .

Claims

1. A machine (1) for folding textile items (3) comprising handling means (10) for said textile items

(3) , equipped with folding means (20) for said textile items (3) , characterized in tha^~fc it further comprises holding means (30) for said textile items (3) , associated witht at least one of said folding means (20) so as to prevent the formation of creases and curls on said textile item (3) during said folding operation.

2. The machine (1) according to claim 1, in wtiich said holding means (30) are designed to compress at least one portion of said textile item (3) during said folding operation.

3. The machine (1) according to claims 1 or 2, in which said holding means (30) axe designed to pull, at least one portion of said textile item (3) for a given time inteirval during said fold.in.cj operation.

4. The machine (1) according to any of the preceding claims, in which said folding means (20) comprise at least one pair of handling eleτnents (29) definin_g a folding path, designed to get mu-tually nearer so as to fold said textile items (3) .

5. The machine (1) according to claim 1, in wnich said handling elements (20) move around an axis lying on the plane of motion of said textile items (3) and perpendicular to the direction of motion.

6. The machine (1) according to claim 5, in. which said folding means (20) comprise at least two psiirs of handling elements (29) arranged as a cascade.

7. The machine (IL) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises means for positioning (40) a sheet (41) in the area of said textile items (3) in which a first folding operation occurs, and in that said means for positioning (40) said sheet (41) have lateral guides (42) designed to prevent latereQ displacements of said sheet (41) during said first folding of said textile item (3) .

8. The machine (1) according to claim 7, iα which said means for positioning (40) said sheet (43L) have compression elements (43) acting upon said sheet (41) so as to prevent its mutual sliding with said textile item (3) during said first folding operation.

9. The machine (I) according to any of the preceding claims, in which said holding means (30) are associated above with said handling elements (29) .

10. The machine (1) according to claim 9, iα which said holding means (30) are associated with sad_d handling elements (29) so as to enable translational and pitching movements with respect to said handling elements (29) , thus -varying the mutual distance and help the passage oi£ said textile items (3) .

11. The machine (1) according to any of the preceding claims, in which said handling means (10) are conveyor belts.

12. The machine (1) according to any of the preceding claims, in which said holding means (30) for said textile items (3) are counter-belts.

13. The machine (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a feeding station (17) for said textile items (3), operativelLy associated with said handling means (10) and equipped with a tipping element (18) designed to pre-fold sm upper edge of said textile items (3) .

14. The machine (1) according to any of the preceding claims furthe.tr comprising means for pressing (13) sai_d textile items (3) during the displacement thereof, associated with, at least one of said handling means (10) .

15. The machine (1) according to claim 14, characterized in that said pressing means (13) are fixed platess made of metal _

16. The machine (1) according to claim 14, characterr- ized in that said pressing means (13) are counters- belts.

17. The mach-Lne (1) according to claim 16, character"- ized in that said pressing means (13) are placed in all accessible areas of said feeding path (12) and of said folding path..

18. The machine (1) according to any of the preceding claims further comprising at least one sensorr (14) associated with said handling means (10) and a path for excluding from the folding operation (15) incorrectly positioned text-Lie items (3), associated with said folding means (2O) and actuated by said sensor (14) .

19. The machine (1) according to any of the preceding claims further comprising means for feeding envelopes (47) , designed to wrap up said textile items (3) downstream from said folding means (20) .

20. The machine (1) according to any of the preceding claims further comprising enveloping means equipped with at least one heat-sealing device and associated downstream from said handling means (10) .

21. A method fo.tr folding textile items (3) comprising a step in which a. first portion of a textile items (3) is folded onto a. second portion of said textile item (3), characterized in that it further comprises a step in which a mechanical action -is exerted onto at least one of said portions of said textile items <3) for a given time interval during said folding step, so as to prevent the formation of creases and curls.

22. The method according to claim 21, characterized in that said step in which a mechanical action is exerted onto at least one of said portions of: said textile item (3) comprises a step in which at least one of said portions of said textile item (3) is pulled.

23. The method according to claims 21 or 22, characterized in that said step in which a mechanical action is exerted onto at least one of said portions of said textile item (3 ) comprises a step in whiclti at least one of said portions of said textile item C 3) is compressed.

24. The method according to any of the cl aims 21 to 23, characterized in that it comprises a step in which said two portions of said textile item (3) are pulled for a given time interval during said folding step, so as to prevent the formation of creases and curls.

25. The method according to claims 21 or 24, characterized in that it further comprises a step in which said first portion of said textile item (3) is folded onto itself, lading an end portion of said first portion onto an intermediate portion of said first portion, before said step in which said first portion of said textile item (3) is folded onto said second portion of said textile item (3) .

26. The method according to claim 25, characterized in that said step in which said first portion of said textile item (3) is folded onto itself comprises a step in which a sheet i's taken up by means for feeding said sheets (40) , a step in wlhich said sheet (41) is inserted between said end portion and said intermediate portion of said textile L tern (3) , and a step in which the lateral edges of sadLd sheet (41) are guided during said step in which said sheet is inserted (41) .

27. The method according to any of the claims 21 to

26, characterized in that it fϊurther comprises a step in which said second portion of said textile item (3) is folded onto itself before said step in which said first portion of said textile item (3) is folded onto said second portion of said tex±ile item (3) .

28. The method according to a.ny of the claims 21 to

27, further comprising a step in which said textile item (3) is moved along said feeding path (12) towards said folding steps, and a step in which said textile items (3) is folded on at least one portion of said feeding path.

29. The method according to smy of the claims 21 to

28, further comprising a step in which a lateral portion of the edge of said textile items (3) is pre- folded before said folding stejps.

30. The method according to any of the claims 21 to 29, characterized in that it further comprises a s tep in which the position of said textile item (3) is detected by sensors (14) before said folding steps.

31. The method according to claim 30, comprising a step in which textile items (3) that are positioned incorrectly are exc luded from said folding steps cLαir- ing said step in which the position of said text ile item (3) is detected.

32. The method according to any of the claims 21 to 31, further comprising a step in which said text ile item (3) is wrapped, up in an envelope (48) after s .aid folding steps .

33. A method for automatically packaging text die items (3) comprising a method for folding said text die items (3) according to any of the claims 21 to 31.