METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PAIRING MEN'S SOCKS

Technical field

[01] The present invention relates to a method for pairing men's socks, as well as an apparatus for implementing this method, intended for use in association with machines for finishing said men's socks.

Background of the invention

[02] In the sector of the production of textile articles, that men's socks and other similar textile articles are subjected to a series of finishing treatments intended to give the socks proper characteristics as it is known. In particular, men's socks are generally subjected to an ironing or boarding treatment by means of pressurized steam. To perform this treatment, men's socks are inserted and stretched on special forms which are carried out stepwise through a series of operating stations where, for example, pressing and/or boarding by means of pressurized steam is carried out.

[03] Automatic machines which are capable of carrying out said finishing treatments for men's socks are therefore known. Said machines generally provide for a loading station for men's socks on respective forms, for a series of operating stations where the treatment of men's socks inserted on the forms is carried out, as well as for an extraction and unloading station for treated men's socks from the forms.

[04] The finishing forms are usually constituted by a shaped plate of metal material, for example aluminum, forming an elongated portion from which extends a terminal portion shaped according to the profile of the foot; in particular, this terminal portion shapes the profile of the heel.

[05] An apparatus for finishing textile articles such as men's socks and the like is shown for example in European patent EP 1 604 057 and in the patent application WO 2018/069806.

[06] The finishing apparatus provides for a station, wherein the textile articles, after being treated, are extracted from the forms on which they are inserted by means of a special extraction device and sent to the exit. A known type of extraction devices used in the apparatuses for finishing men's socks comprises a pair of extractor belts carried by respective frames, oscillating, relative to each other, between a mutual opening position and a closed position wherein the extractor belts themselves are arranged facing each other, on a substantially vertical plane, so as to engage the shapes bearing the socks to be extracted from opposite sides.

[07] An extraction device of this type is shown for example in US patent application 4,658,995.

[08] Outgoing from the extraction station of the finishing machine, the men's socks must be suitably paired to be then packaged in the desired manner. Currently the pairing of the socks is generally carried out manually by staff. This obviously entails an expenditure of labor, which affects the production cost of men's socks, in itself a mass-market product that has limited sales prices and therefore limited profit margins. It should be noted that more than one operator is often required to follow the production rate of current finishing apparatuses, for example two side by side operators, with a further increase in the cost of labor.

[09] It is also complained that the manual pairing of men's socks exposes to the risk of errors, for example an inaccurate alignment of the paired socks, degrading the value of the package.

[10] Therefore, apparatuses have been proposed which are capable of automatically pairing men's socks before they are packaged.

[11] Patent application EP 1 293 434 shows a method for automatically feeding a sock packaging machine, according to which the socks are picked up in pairs from respective pairs of finishing forms and transferred to belt conveyors which advance the socks themselves along converging paths. Said belt conveyors cooperate with respective devices for recording the reciprocal position of the socks to ensure their mutual alignment. The belt conveyors make the socks overlap each other at an area of convergence of said paths.

[12] However, the known solutions do not fully satisfy the need of the automatically pairing of men's socks outgoing from the finishing machine.

Disclosure

[13] The present invention aims at solving the mentioned problems by devising a method and an apparatus which perform the automatic pairing of the men's socks outgoing from a finishing machine in an optimal way.

[14] Another object of the invention is to provide a method and an apparatus that ensure the correct alignment of the paired men's socks.

[15] Still another object of the invention is to provide a method and an apparatus that enable the pairing of a programmed number of men's socks.

[16] A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for the pairing of men's socks of simple constructive and functional conception, provided with reliable operation, versatile in use, and having relatively economic cost.

[17] Said objects are achieved, according to the present invention, by the method and apparatus for pairing men's socks according to claims 1 and 3.

[18] The apparatus for pairing men's socks is suitable for being associated with a finishing machine.

[19] The apparatus for pairing men's socks comprises a first work plane arranged at a station for the output of the men's socks from said finishing machine, suitable for receiving at least a first men's sock and a second men's sock side by side, and a means suitable for making selective advance of said men's socks on said first work plane to align the tip of the men's socks with respect to a fixed reference.

[20] Advantageously, said first work plane is arranged horizontally at said output station for the men's socks outgoing from the finishing machine.

[21] Advantageously, the apparatus comprises a second work plane underlying said first work plane.

[22] Said first work plane and said second work plane define a flat work surface at the top.

[23] Preferably said second work plane is made up of a conveyor belt, which has a fixed horizontal position and extends longitudinally in a downwardly inclined section, said inclined section being capable of transferring the paired men's socks on an output belt.

[24] Preferably said output belt has a fixed horizontal position and is made in continuity with said inclined section of belt.

[25] According to an embodiment of the invention, said second work plane is capable of being moved stepwise in a lowered position.

[26] Advantageously, the apparatus comprises means for translating said first work plane to deposit said men's socks aligned on said second work plane underlying said first work plane.

[27] Preferably said means suitable for making selective advance of said men's socks on said first work plane comprise a first conveyor belt and a second conveyor belt arranged side by side on a horizontal plane, longitudinally to said first work plane, and adapted to be independently operated by respective motor members.

[28] Said conveyor belts are capable of acting under pressure on said men's socks fed on said first work plane.

[29] Preferably, said fixed reference comprises sensor members arranged near the front end of said conveyor belts.

[30] Preferably, said sensor members comprise a pair of photocells arranged respectively near the front end of said first conveyor belt and second conveyor belt.

[31] Preferably, said first work plane is arranged in substantial alignment with a horizontal output plane of said men's socks outgoing from said output station of the finishing machine.

[32] Preferably said horizontal output plane of said men's socks outgoing from said output station of the finishing machine is defined by the end sections of a pair of extractor belts which are arranged on substantially horizontal overlapping planes.

[33] Advantageously, said first work plane is capable of translating horizontally, on command of a motor member, between a backward position close to said output station of the finishing machine and an advanced position, in which said first work plane makes free the space above said second work plane.

[34] Preferably, said second work plane comprises a conveyor belt, which is wound on rollers carried rotatably by a frame and is actuatable by a relative motor member.

[35] According to an embodiment of the invention, said frame of the second work plane is sliding by means of special slides on lateral guides integral with a fixed frame.

[36] Preferably, an output conveyor belt is arranged downstream of said second work plane.

[37] According to an embodiment of the invention, said output conveyor belt is movable in vertical direction according to the position assumed by said work plane at the end of the operating cycle.

[38] The invention also relates to a method for pairing men's socks outgoing from a finishing machine for said men's socks, comprising the steps of arranging at least a first men's sock and a second men's sock side by side on a first work plane arranged horizontally at an output station for the men's socks outgoing from said finishing machine; performing selective advance of said men's socks on said first work plane to align the tip of the men's socks with respect to a fixed reference; translating said first work plane to deposit said men's socks aligned on a second work plane underlying said first work plane.

[39] Advantageously, the method provides for repeating the previous steps to pair at least a second pair of men's socks with said men's socks deposited on said second work plane; transferring said paired men's socks from said second work plane to output means.

[40] According to an embodiment of the invention, the method provides for moving stepwise said second work plane in a lowered position, after depositing on it said aligned men's socks.

Description of drawings

[41 ] The details of the invention will become clearer from the detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus for pairing men's socks, illustrated only by way of non- limitative example in the accompanying drawings, where:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the apparatus for pairing men's socks according to the present invention;

Figures 2 and 3 show a side view and a plan view of the apparatus in question;

Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the apparatus for pairing men's socks in a subsequent operating step;

Figure 5 shows an enlarged view of the detail A of Fig. 4;

Figures 6 and 7 show a side view and a plan view of the apparatus corresponding to the operating step of Fig. 4;

Figures 8, 9 and 10 show respectively a perspective view, a side view and a plan view of the apparatus for pairing men's socks in a further subsequent operating step;

Figure 11 shows a perspective view of a different embodiment of the apparatus for pairing men's socks according to the present invention;

Figure 12 shows a perspective view from the rear of the apparatus for pairing the men's socks of Fig. 1 1 ;

Figure 13 shows a side view of the same apparatus;

Figures 14 and 15 show a perspective view of the same apparatus in different operating steps;

Figure 16 shows an enlarged detail of Fig. 14.

Best mode

[42] With particular reference to these figures, the reference number 1 indicates the apparatus for pairing men's socks according to the present invention. The pairing apparatus 1 is suitable of being associated with a finishing machine, for example an ironing and/or boarding machine, known per se and not shown in the figures. The finishing machine is able to move a plurality of ironing and/or boarding shapes through a series of operating stations in which the treatment of the socks is carried out. In particular, the pairing apparatus 1 is arranged at the exit from a device 2 for the extraction of the men's socks, operating at an output station for the socks treated by the finishing machine.

[43] The extraction device 2 comprises a support structure 20 holding a first frame 21 and a second frame 22 oscillating, hinged at an upper end according to parallel horizontal axes and respectively bearing a first extractor belt and a second extractor belt 23, which are wound on a respective pair of rollers, rotated by said frames 21 , 22.

[44] A motor member 24, associated with the support structure 20, is able to make synchronous advance of said extractor belts 23. A further motor member 25 is able to operate said frames 21 , 22 in relative angular rotation with respect to each other, between a mutual opening position and a closed position in which the extractor belts 23 are arranged facing each other for a stretch, on a substantially vertical plane, so as to engage on opposite sides at least a pair of forms bearing respective socks to be extracted. The motor member 25 acts on the frames 21 , 22 by means of tie rods 26.

[45] The extractor belts 23 extend on the top in respective end sections 27 which, wrapping on suitable rollers, are arranged on substantially horizontal overlapping planes. In practice, men's socks are extracted on a vertical plane from the templates of the finishing machine and, following a path that folds at 90°, exit the extraction device 2 on a horizontal plane.

[46] The apparatus 1 has a frame 10 which bears in the upper part a first work plane 11 arranged horizontally at the output station of the men's socks treated by the finishing machine. The work plane 11 defines a flat work plane at the top. As specified in the following, in an operating step this flat work plane is arranged in substantial alignment with the horizontal output plane of the socks outgoing from the extraction device 2, so as to receive said socks. [47] The first work plane 11 is able to translate horizontally between a backward position close to the extraction device 2 and an advanced position. The translation of the first work plane 1 1 is actuatable by a motor member 12 by means of suitable transmission means 13. The motor member 12 is held by the frame 10. The first work plane 11 is guided sliding along the opposite longitudinal sides on respective guides 14 which are in turn integral with the frame 10.

[48] On the first work plane 11 a first pressure belt 15 and a second pressure belt 16 are arranged to act under pressure, arranged side by side on a horizontal plane, longitudinally to said first work plane. The pressure belts 15, 16 are capable of being operated independently by respective motor members 17 to selectively advance the men's socks on the first work plane 11 , so as to align the tip of the socks themselves with respect to a fixed reference. Preferably, said fixed reference is made up of special sensor members 18, for example photocells, arranged respectively near the front end of the pressure belts 15, 16 (see detail A of Fig. 4 enlarged in Fig. 5).

[49] A second horizontal work plane 31 is arranged below the first work plane 11 , suitably made up of a conveyor belt which winds on special rollers carried rotatable by a frame 30 and it is actuatable by a relative motor member 32. This conveyor belt defines a flat work plane at the top.

[50] According to a first embodiment of the invention, the second work plane 31 is adapted to be moved stepwise in a lowered position as the socks are paired. For this purpose, the frame 30 of the second work plane 31 slides on a pair of lateral guides 33, integral with the frame 10. The vertical movement of the frame 30 is controlled by a motor member 34 which rotates a shaft 35 integral, at the opposite ends, with pulleys which engage flexible members 36 for transmitting motion to respective slides 37 connected to the frame 30 and sliding along the side guides 33.

[51] An output conveyor belt 41 is arranged downstream of the second work plane 31 , according to the direction of advance of the conveyor belt defining it, which winds on special rollers held rotatably by a frame 40 and it is actuatable by a relative motor member 42.

[52] According to the aforementioned first embodiment of the invention, the output conveyor belt 41 is movable in a vertical direction according to the final position of the second work plane 31. For this purpose, the frame 40 of the output conveyor belt 41 is sliding on a pair of lateral guides 43, integral with the frame 10. The movement of the frame 40 is controlled by a motor member 44 which rotates a shaft 45 integral with the opposite ends to pulleys which engage flexible members 46 for transmitting motion to respective slides 47 secured to the frame 40 and sliding along the lateral guides 43.

[53] The operation of the apparatus for pairing men's socks is easy to understand from the description above.

[54] The pair of men's socks S exiting the extraction device 2 of the finishing machine is fed to the first work plane 1 1 of the apparatus 1 , arranged horizontally aligned with the end sections 27 of the extractor belts 23 (see detail in Figures 1 , 2 and 3).

[55] The socks S advance on the first work plane 1 1 driven respectively by the pressure belts 15, 16 which act under pressure on said socks and are operated independently by the respective motor members 17. In this way, the selective advance of the men's socks S is carried out on the first work plane 11 , so as to align the tip of the socks with respect to a fixed reference, constituted by the sensor elements 18, in practice respective photocells arranged near the front end of the pressure belts 15, 16 (see detail A enlarged in Fig. 5).

[56] Basically, the advancement of each sock S on the first work plane 11 stops when the tip is detected by a respective photocell 18, achieving said alignment.

[57] The translation of the first work plane 1 1 is then controlled by actuation of the motor member 12 (see figures 4, 6 and 7). More precisely, the first work plane 1 1 is moved from the rear position close to the extraction device 2, below the pressure belts 15, 16, to the advanced position which allows the deposit of men's socks S aligned on the second work plane 31 , underlying the first work plane 1 1. In the advanced position the space above the second work plane 31 is in fact made free, so that the aligned men's socks S may settle by gravity on said second work plane 31.

[58] In said first embodiment of the invention, after depositing the pair of men's socks S aligned on the second work plane 31 , the same second work plane movement is controlled stepwise in a lowered position (see again Fig. 6). The movement is operated by the motor member 34 which, through the flexible transmission members 36, moves the frame 30, which supports the second work plane 31.

[59] A subsequent operating cycle, similar to the one described, may be operated at this point to pair a second pair of men's socks with the men's socks already present on the second work plane 31.

[60] In particular, it is possible to provide for a plurality of successive work cycles until reaching a programmed number of men's socks placed side by side in ordered stacks.

[61] At this point, the actuation of the conveyor belt constituting the second work plane 31 is controlled, so as to transfer the paired men's socks S on the output belt 41. For this purpose, the output conveyor belt 41 is previously arranged at the same height as the second work plane 31 , i.e. in mutual alignment on a horizontal plane, so that the output conveyor belt 41 receives the socks S advancing on the second work plane 31. The paired socks S are then sent, in a known way, to the means which make their packaging (see Figures 8, 9 and 10). The vertical movement of the output belt 41 enables in particular said output belt to be brought to the level where the devices intended to receive the socks are placed.

[62] In Figures 1 1 to 16, a different embodiment of the apparatus for pairing men's socks according to the present invention is illustrated, having a simplified structure.

[63] As in the embodiment described above, the pair of men's socks S outgoing from the extraction device 2 of the finishing machine is fed onto the first work plane 11 , where the socks themselves advance, driven respectively by the pressure belts 15, 16.

[64] The selective advance of the men's socks S on the first work plane 11 stops when the tip is detected by the sensor members 18, in practice, respective photocells arranged near the front end of the pressure belts 15, 16, aligning the socks themselves (see Fig. 14 and the enlarged detail in Fig. 16).

[65] The translation of the first work plane 11 into the forward position is then commanded, making free the space above the second work plane 31 , underlying the same first work plane 11. This allows the aligned men's socks S to settle by gravity on said second work plane 31 (see Fig. 15).

[66] The second work plane 31 is made up of a conveyor belt which has a fixed horizontal position and extends longitudinally in a section 38 inclined downwards. This conveyor belt is actuatable by the relative motor member 32.

[67] The described operating cycle is repeated until the programmed number of men's socks paired in ordered stacks has been reached on the conveyor belt making up the second work plane 31.

[68] At this point, the actuation of the conveyor belt constituting the second work plane 31 is controlled which, through the inclined section 38, transfers the men's socks paired onto the output belt 41. The output belt 41 has a fixed horizontal position and is preferably made in continuity with the inclined section 38 of the conveyor belt constituting the second work plane 31.

[69] The apparatus according to the present invention therefore achieves the aim of optimally performing the automatic pairing of men's socks outgoing from a finishing machine.

[70] This is possible thanks to the inventive idea of feeding the pair of men's socks outgoing from the extraction station at the same time with a work plane on which the socks advance independently to align the tip of the socks with respect to a fixed reference. In particular, the advancement of the socks is controlled by pressure belts which are operated independently by respective motor members.

[71] A prerogative of the apparatus object of the invention is given by the fact of ensuring the correct alignment of the paired men's socks. In particular, it is possible to pair a programmable number of men's socks, keeping the correct alignment between them.

[72] A further advantage offered by the apparatus in question is that it presents great constructive and functional simplicity. [73] The apparatus for pairing men's socks described by way of example is subject of numerous changes and variations according to different needs.

[74] In the practical embodiment of the invention, the materials used, as well as the shape and the dimensions, may be modified depending on requirements.

[75] Should the technical features mentioned in any claim be followed by reference signs, such reference signs were included strictly with the aim of enhancing the understanding of the claims and hence they shall not be deemed restrictive in any manner whatsoever on the scope of each element identified for exemplifying purposes by such reference signs.