APPARATUS FOR FINISHING MEN'S SOCKS AND THE LIKE

Technical Field

The present invention concerns a method and an apparatus for finishing textile articles such as men's socks and the like.

Background Art

It is known that men's socks and other similar textile articles are subjected to a number of finishing treatments during the production step to give the socks suitable features. In particular, men's socks are subjected to a heat treatment with pressure steam.

To carry out this treatment, the socks are inserted and stretched on special forms, by which the socks are then brought step by step into the working stations of an apparatus. To carry out the heat boarding process, socks are inserted into an autoclave supplied with pressure steam. The boarding autoclave generally consists of a pair of opposite shells, predisposed to define a boarding chamber inside which pressure steam is supplied; in use the shells clamp on the forms and steam under pressure is supplied into the chamber for a predetermined time, necessary to perform the boarding treatment. At the exit from the autoclave, socks are sometimes subjected to a drying step, usually carried out by hot air, in order to eliminate residual moisture. The socks are then extracted from the forms and sent to the next packaging step.

An apparatus for finishing textile articles such as men's socks and the like of this type is disclosed, for example, in European patent EP 1 604 057.

A problem in the aforementioned field is the need to ensure sufficient time for articles to remain within the autoclave without compromising the plant's productivity. In fact, it is known that the quality obtainable by heat treatment depends on the adequate stay of textile articles inside the steam pressure autoclave. An increase in autoclave stay time however results in a corresponding extension of the total time of the finishing treatment and consequently in a decrease in the productivity of the apparatus. It should be noted that a reduction in production costs is essential, since men's socks are generally a product of large-scale consumption. In practice, the autoclave stay time is determined by the pitch feeding of the forms, linked in turn to the time necessary for inserting the articles into the forms.

This disadvantage is particularly evident in the case of men's socks and other textile articles usually made of yarns having a relatively high linear density. A higher linear density of yarns than, for example, those used for women's socks, clearly entails the need for more boarding time.

In order to overcome this disadvantage, the use of apparatuses using multiple boarding chambers has been proposed, namely to contain a plurality of forms to be treated simultaneously. For example, it is possible to provide a number of forms upstream of the autoclave and then introduce them simultaneously into the multiple boarding chamber defined by the autoclave. This solution, however, makes the apparatus more complex both from a constructive and a functional point of view.

Patent Application WO 02/08401 1 discloses an apparatus for finishing women's socks having a steam boarding station comprising a pair of boarding chambers arranged in line along said closed path according to the feeding direction of the transport devices which carry the forms. The transport devices proceed with a double pitch in such a way that at each step a pair of forms is inserted into the pair of boarding chambers arranged in line. At the end of the boarding step, the two forms are simultaneously extracted from the two boarding chambers. In this way, the time of the forms inside the boarding chambers is substantially doubled.

However, this solution does not satisfy the need of adequately controlling the heat treatment parameters, in particular by differentiating it according to the features of the articles.

Disclosure

The task of the present invention is to solve the aforementioned problems, devising an apparatus which allows to optimally perform the finishing of textile articles such as men's socks and the like, in particular by ensuring an adequate heat boarding treatment of the articles.

Within such task, a further scope of the present invention is to provide an apparatus allowing to control the heat boarding parameters according to the features of the textile articles to be treated.

Another scope of the invention is to provide an apparatus which allows for obtaining high productivity.

Another scope of the invention is to provide a device with a simple constructive and functional design, with surely reliable functioning, versatile use and relatively economic costs.

The cited scopes are reached, according to the present invention, by the apparatus for finishing textile articles such as men's socks and the like according to claim 1 .

The apparatus according to the invention comprises a steam boarding station comprising a first boarding chamber and a second boarding chamber arranged in line according to the feeding direction of transport devices predisposed to move at least one respective form on which the textile articles to be treated are inserted in use.

Advantageously, said first boarding chamber and said second boarding chamber are supplied with pressure steam independently from one another so as to independently adjust the boarding treatment parameters. [17] Preferably, the first boarding chamber works at a first pressure and at a first temperature and the second boarding chamber works at a second pressure and at a second temperature.

[18] The transport devices are operated at pitch along a closed path extended on a substantially horizontal plane.

[19] Preferably, said closed path is defined on a flatbed of the apparatus.

[20] Preferably, said closed path is substantially polygonal or elliptical.

[21 ] According to an advantageous aspect of the invention, between said first boarding chamber and said second boarding chamber, at least one intermediate station is defined wherein said transport devices pause at a room temperature and pressure.

[22] Preferably, said first boarding chamber and said second boarding chamber are respectively constituted by a pair of opposite shells which are predisposed to be tightened by a closure device on said forms transferred at pitch by said transport devices inside the boarding chambers.

[23] Preferably, said shells are carried by respective frames hinged below said flatbed on axes arranged longitudinally to the feeding direction of said transport devices so as to be tiltable between an opening position and a closure position of said boarding chambers.

[24] Preferably, said closure device comprises a crank-connecting rod mechanism, predisposed to synchronously control the movement of said frames carrying said shells.

[25] Preferably, said control mechanism comprises a crank member articulated to a connecting rod member and rotatable on a shaft parallel to the axes of said frames, upon actuation of a motor member.

[26] Preferably, said crank member is predisposed to rotate alternately by 180°, so as to move said connecting rod member between a raised top dead centre configuration and a bottom dead centre configuration.

[27] The present invention also relates to a method for finishing textile articles such as men's socks and the like, comprising the steps of: operating at pitch along a closed path a plurality of transport devices predisposed to move at least one respective form on which textile articles to be treated are inserted in use; bringing each transport device in succession into a first boarding chamber disposed along said closed path, to perform a first steam boarding treatment; transferring said transport device in succession into a second boarding chamber arranged, in line, downstream of said first boarding chamber along said closed path according to the feeding direction of said transport devices to perform a second steam boarding treatment.

[28] Advantageously, the method provides to transfer said transport device, at the exit from said first boarding chamber and before the entry into said second boarding chamber, in an intermediate station at which said transport device pauses at room temperature and pressure.

Advantageously, the method provides to supply with pressure steam said first boarding chamber and said second boarding chamber in independent manner from one another, so as to allow adjusting in independent manner the temperature and pressure parameters of said first steam boarding treatment and of said second steam boarding treatment.

Description of Drawings

Details of the invention shall be more apparent from the detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus for finishing textile articles according to the invention, illustrated for indicative purposes in the attached drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the apparatus according to the invention;

Figures 2 and 3 respectively show a rear view and a side view thereof.

Best mode

With particular reference to such Figures, the apparatus for finishing textile articles such as men's socks and the like is indicated in its entirety with 1 . The apparatus 1 is provided with a framework 2 which shapes a flatbed 3 extended on a plane substantially horizontal. On the flatbed 3 there is a closed path substantially polygonal along which sides the different working stations of the apparatus are arranged. Along the cited polygonal path, the forms 4 on which are inserted in use the socks to be treated are brought at pitch into the above-mentioned working stations. Obviously, it is possible to give the cited closed path a shape different from the represented one, for example an elliptical shape.

In the illustrated case, the forms 4 have the shape of a foot profile and are mounted in pairs on transport devices 5 predisposed to be operated in synchronous manner by handling means 6, known per se. The transport devices 5 respectively comprise a support member 7 to which a cited pair of coplanar forms 4 is fixed in removable manner. The support member 7 is mounted on skates 8, slidable on guide means 9 associated with the flatbed 3 of the apparatus.

The apparatus 1 is provided with a steam boarding station 10 arranged along a side of the cited polygonal path of the forms 4. According to the present invention, the boarding station 10 comprises a first boarding chamber 1 1 and a second boarding chamber 1 2 arranged in line according to the feeding direction of the forms 4.

Between the first boarding chamber 1 1 and the second boarding chamber 12 at least an intermediate station 20 is defined wherein the forms 4 pause at room temperature and pressure for a stabilization step of the treatment, as specified in the following.

Each boarding chamber 1 1 , 12 is suitably made up of a pair of opposite shells 13, predisposed to be tightened by a closure device 14 on the forms 4 brought at pitch into the boarding chambers 1 1 , 12. The shells 13 are carried by respective frames 15 hinged interiorly to the flatbed 3 of the apparatus, on axes arranged longitudinally to the feeding direction of the forms 4, in such a manner as to be tiltable between an opening position and a closure position of the boarding chambers 1 1 , 12.

The closure device 14 comprises a crank-connecting rod control mechanism 16 predisposed to control in synchronous manner the movement of the frames 15 which carry the shells 13. More precisely, the control mechanism 16 is made up of a crack member 17 articulated to a connecting rod member 18. The crank member 17 is rotatable on a shaft parallel to the axes of the frames 15 upon actuation of a motor member 19. The crank member 17 is predisposed to rotate alternately by 180°, in continued manner, to a direction and to an opposite direction. Further to such rotation, the connecting rod member 18 is mobile between a raised top dead centre configuration of and a bottom dead centre configuration.

The functioning of the apparatus for finishing textile articles according to the present invention is easy to understand from the preceding description.

The textile articles to be treated, in particular men's socks and the like, are inserted by hand or by an automatic loading apparatus onto the forms 4 resting on a loading station. In the illustrated case, at each stop at a loading station a pair of socks is inserted onto the two forms 4 carried by a single transport device 5. However, it is possible to provide that a different number of forms is associated with the transport device, for example a single form, shaped or straight. In the following, reference will be made to the forms 4 meaning that the textile articles, not shown in the Figures, are inserted thereon.

After insertion of the socks on the forms 4, the pitch feeding is operated, making the transport devices 5 engage in sequence the steam boarding station 10. In particular the transport devices 5 bring in succession the forms 4 into the first boarding chamber 1 1 , where a first step of the treatment through pressure steam occurs. To this aim, after the entry and stop of the single transport device 5 into the first boarding chamber 1 1 , the closure device 14 commands the closure of the opposite shells 13; the shells 13 are sealingly tightened on the forms 4, to allow the insertion of the pressure steam into the chamber.

At the end of the first step of the boarding treatment, the shells 13 of the first boarding chamber 1 1 are opened for allowing the exit of the forms 4, while in suitable step relationship, the subsequent transport device 5 brings another pair of forms 4 into the first boarding chamber 1 1 .

At the exit from the first boarding chamber 1 1 , the forms 4 stop in the intermediate station 20 interposed between the first boarding chamber 1 1 and the second boarding chamber 12. At this station, the textile articles inserted onto the forms 4 are partially cooled, thus stabilizing the heat pressure steam treatment performed in the first boarding chamber 1 1 , before entering the second boarding chamber 12 for a second heat treatment step, for example with more pressure than in the first chamber 1 1 .

The apparatus according to the invention thus reaches the scope of performing in an optimal way the boarding of textile articles such as men's socks and the like, in particular ensuring an adequate heat boarding treatment of the same articles.

This result is achieved thanks to the inventive idea of providing two steam boarding chambers arranged in series, predisposed to be engaged in series by the forms carrying the textile articles to be treated. This obviously increases the overall stay time of textile articles inside the boarding chambers, at the same pitch feeding of the forms which carry the textile articles.

A prerogative of the apparatus according to the invention is the fact that it is possible to control the heat boarding parameters according to the features of the textile articles to be treated. As a matter of facts, it is possible to differentiate the treatment in the two boarding chambers, being independent from one other, varying, for example, the steam pressure and/or the temperature in each of them.

Ultimately, the apparatus according to the invention allows significantly improving the quality of the textile articles, in particular by making them more elastic, thanks to the increase in lasting of the boarding process, while ensuring a high degree of productivity, due to the fact that this increase is obtained by dividing the boarding treatment into two steps. In practice, at each step, two different form support devices carry the socks into the first and respectively into the second boarding chamber.

This result is particularly advantageous in the case of men's textile articles which are made of yarns having a relatively high linear density and therefore require a longer boarding treatment.

Another feature of the invention is the fact that between the two steam boarding steps of the textile articles, within the two subsequent boarding chambers, there is an intermediate step at room temperature and pressure, which makes the heat treatment performed in the first boarding chamber and the most effective subsequent heat treatment in the second boarding chamber more stable.

The apparatus described by way of example may be subject to numerous modifications and variations depending on the different requirements. In particular, it is possible to provide that the forms are moved at pitch in a manner different from the one described, for example by means of chain or belt means driven by special motor members.

In practice, the used materials as well as the size and shape may vary according to the needs.

Should the technical characteristics mentioned in the claims be followed by reference signs, such reference signs were included for the sole purpose of increasing the understanding of the claims and thus they shall not be deemed limiting the scope of the element identified by such reference signs by way of example.