Background Art New kinds of packaging, in addition to the conventional packaging of socks that provides for the joining of a pair of socks by means of stitches or by means of a self-adhesive band, have become widespread in recent years and their diffusion is increasing. One of these new kinds of packaging is based on the use of a support, generally made of die-cut cardboard, which is shaped like a sock that is flattened on its plane of symmetry and on which the two socks of a same pair are fitted in succession.

These supports are appreciated because they have a low cost and at the same time keep the socks of a same pair together and support them on displays.

However, the operation for fitting the socks on the support, which is performed manually, is awkward and affects significantly the overall production costs of the socks.

It should be noted that since the support is made of die-cut cardboard, it can bend easily during the application of the socks, making the operation more difficult and consequently increasing the time required to complete it.

Disclosure of the Invention The aim of the present invention is to solve the problems described above, by providing a machine that makes it particularly quick and easy to arrange manufactured articles, particularly socks, on packaging and display supports, reducing the times, and therefore the costs, required by this operation.

Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a machine that effectively avoids deformations of the supports during the operation for fitting the manufactured articles thereon.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine that is structurally simple and highly reliable in operation.

This aim and these and other objects that will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a machine for facilitating the arrangement of manufactured articles, particularly socks, on packaging and display supports, characterized in that it comprises: a main structure, which supports a magazine that is suitable to support a stack of substantially flat supports, means for supporting and locking one of said supports in a position that is suitable to receive a manufactured article by fitting it thereon, and transfer means, which can be actuated to transfer cyclically one of said supports from said magazine to said supporting and locking means.

Brief description of the Drawings Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the machine according to the invention, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic top plan view of the machine according to the invention; Figure 2 is a schematic sectional view of Figure 1, taken along the line II- II; Figure 3 is a sectional side view of an operating situation of the machine according to the invention, taken along the line III-III of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a side elevation view of another operating situation of the machine according to the invention; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a different embodiment of the packaging and display support;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the support of Figure 5 with a sock fitted thereon; Figure 7 is a perspective view of the support of Figures 5 and 6 with a pair of socks fitted thereon at the end of the packaging operation.

Ways of carrying out the Invention With reference to the figures, the machine according to the invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 1, comprises a main structure 2, which is provided with means for resting on the ground and supports a magazine 3 that is suitable to support a stack 4 of substantially flat supports 5, means 6 for supporting and locking one of the supports 5 in a position in which it is suitable to receive a manufactured article, particularly a sock, by fitting it thereon, and transfer means 7 that can be actuated in order to transfer cyclically one of the supports 5 from the magazine 3 to the supporting and locking means 6.

More particularly, the magazine 3 comprises a base plate 8, which forms a substantially horizontal supporting surface for a stack 4 of supports 5 which are superimposed and arranged on planes that are substantially parallel to the supporting surface formed by the base plate 8.

The machine comprises means for moving the base plate 8 along a substantially vertical direction in order to move the support 5 that lies at the upper end of the stack 4 of supports 5 to a preset height regardless of the height of the stack 4 of supports 5.

The base plate 8 is supported so that it can slide along a pair of vertical guides 9a and 9b, which are fixed to the main structure 2. The movement means comprise a motor, preferably constituted by a step motor 10, which is supported by the main structure 2 and is connected, by means of its output shaft, to a threaded shaft 11, which has a vertical axis and mates with a female thread formed in a block 12 that is rigidly coupled to the base plate 8.

The actuation of the step motor 10, by virtue of the screw-and-nut coupling provided between the threaded shaft 11 and the block 12, causes the lifting

of the base plate 8 along the guides 9a and 9b with height increments that are each equal to the thickness of a support 5, or the descent of the base plate 8 along the guides 9a and 9b in order to allow to load onto the base plate 8 a new stack 4 of supports 5.

Conveniently, there are means for positioning the supports 5 on the base plate 8 in order to keep the supports 5 correctly positioned on such base plate 8.

The positioning means preferably comprise at least two vertical pins 13a and 13b, which are mutually parallel, and are fixed at their lower end to the main structure 2, and pass through appropriately provided holes of the base plate 8. The supports 5 have reference holes 14a and 14b, which can be engaged by the pins 13a and 13b when the stack 4 of supports 5 is arranged on the base plate 8, so that the various supports 5 of the stack 4 are positioned correctly and the support 5 that in each instance is located at the upper end of the stack 4 can be removed from the free upper end of the pins 13a and 13b.

The transfer means comprise an arm 15, which can move on command between the magazine 3 and the supporting and locking means 6. The arm 15 is provided with grips means that can be activated or deactivated on command in order to engage or disengage one of the supports 5.

More particularly, the arm 15 comprises a first element 16, which is hinged, at one of its ends, to the main structure 2 about a substantially horizontal pivoting axis 17, and a second element 18, which is connected to the opposite end of the first element 16 and supports the grip means, which can engage the supports 5.

The grip means comprise at least one suction cup 19, which can be actuated so as to engage the upper face of the support 5 that is arranged at the upper end of the stack 4 of supports 5 in the magazine 3.

Preferably, the grip means comprise two suction cups 19, which are mounted on the second element 18 of the arm 15.

The second element 18 is fixed to a pair of guiding bars 20a and 20b, which are parallel to the pivoting axis 17 and are supported, so that they can slide along their axes, by the first element 16 of the arm 15. The first element 16 of the arm 15 supports a fluid-actuated cylinder 21, which is orientated so that its axis lies parallel to the guiding bars 20a and 20b and is connected, by means of the stem of its piston, to the second element 18 of the arm 15. The actuation of the fluid-actuated cylinder 21 causes the translational motion, in one direction or in the opposite direction, of the second element 18 with respect to the first element 16 of the arm 15 in the direction set by the orientation of the guiding bars 20a and 20b.

The arm 16 can rotate on command about the pivoting axis 17 by means of another fluid-actuated cylinder 22, in which the body is pivoted to the main structure 2 and the stem of its piston is connected to the first element 16 of the arm 15.

The supporting and locking means 5 comprise two rods 23a and 23b, which face each other on a substantially vertical plane. At least one of the rods 23a and 23b can move on command toward the other rod in order to lock the support 5 arranged between the rods 23a and 23b by the transfer means 7.

The rods 23a and 23b have, starting from their lower end, a first portion that lies substantially vertically and a second portion, proximate to their upper end, that is inclined with respect to the first portion so that the portion of said rods 23a and 23b that is designed to engage the support 5 adapts to the shape of the support 5, which substantially corresponds to the shape of the manufactured article that it is meant to support.

The shape of the rods 23a and 23b and the arrangement of the second element 18 can vary according to the shape of the supports 5.

If the manufactured article or articles that must be carried by the supports 5 are constituted by socks, each support 5 is preferably shaped like a sock flattened on its plane of symmetry.

Conveniently, the portion of the rods 23a and 23b that is meant to engage the support 5 is shaped and sized so as to be contained within the dimensions of the support 5 in the vertical plane at which the rods 23a and 23b face each other.

In the illustrated embodiment, the rod 23a is fixed, at its lower end, to the main structure 2, while the rod 23b is fixed, at its lower end, to a block 24, which is in turn fixed to a pair of guiding bars 25a and 25b, which are orientated horizontally and at right angles to the pivoting axis 17. The guiding bars 25a and 25b are supported, so that they can slide along their axes, by the main structure 2. The block 24 is connected to the stem of a fluid-actuated cylinder 26, which is supported by the main structure 2 and is orientated so that its axis is parallel to the axis of the guiding bars 25a and 25b. The actuation of the fluid-actuated cylinder 26 causes the rod 23b to move toward the rod 23a or away from it. The stroke of the rod 23b toward the rod 23a can be adjusted appropriately, so as to adapt it to the thickness of the support 5 that is meant to be locked between the rods 23a and 23b.

The first element 16 of the arm 15, by way of the actuation of the fluid- actuated cylinder 22, can move from a first position, in which the suction cups 19 rest on the upper face of the support 5 located at the upper end of the stack 4 of supports 5 in the magazine 3, to a second position, in which the suction cups 19 are arranged, with their grip surface on the support 5, on a substantially vertical plane in alignment with the space between the pair of rods 23a and 23b, and vice versa.

The second element 18 of the arm 15, by way of the actuation of the fluid-actuated cylinder 21, can move on command along a substantially horizontal direction, imposed by the orientation of the guiding bars 20a and 20b, with respect to the first element 16 in order to insert the support 5, engaged by the suction cups 19, between the pair of rods 23a and 23b, as will become better apparent hereinafter.

Advantageously, there are first means for sensing the elevation of the

support 5 located at the upper end of the stack 4 of supports 5. The first sensing means are preferably constituted by a photocell 30, which is mounted on the main structure 2, proximate to the magazine 3, and emits a beam, which is orientated horizontally and is located at a level that corresponds to the elevation sought for the support 5 located at the upper end of the stack 4 of supports 5, against a reflector plate 31, which faces the photocell 30 on the opposite side with respect to the stack 4 of supports 5.

The photocell 30 is functionally connected to the motor 10. Substantially, when the beam of the photocell 30 is unbroken and therefore is reflected by the reflector plate 31, this means that the support 5 located at the upper end of the stack 4 lies below the intended elevation. For this reason, the photocell 30 activates the motor 10, which lifts the base plate 8 until the support 5 located at the upper end of the stack 4 interrupts the beam emitted by the photocell 30, stopping the motor 10. In this manner, every time the support 5 located at the upper end of the stack 4 of supports 5 is removed, the motor 10 is actuated so as to lift the base plate 8 by a step that corresponds to the thickness of a support 5, placing a new support 5, located at the upper end of the stack 4, at the intended elevation in order to engage it with the suction cups 19 of the arm 15.

Conveniently, there are also second sensing means for sensing that the support 5 arranged on the supporting and locking means 6 has been covered by a manufactured article. The second sensing means are preferably constituted by another photocell 32, which is mounted on the main structure 2 and is orientated toward a reflector plate 33, which is applied to the outer side of the rod 23a on the portion of said rod that engages the support 5. The photocell 32 is designed to activate the actuation of the arm 15 in order to transfer a support 5 from the magazine 3 to the rods 23a and 23b only after a support 5, with the manufactured article or articles fitted thereon, has been removed from the rods 23a and 23b, as will become better apparent hereinafter.

The packaging and display supports may have different shapes depending on the type of manufactured article to be supported. If the manufactured articles are constituted by socks, the packaging supports comprise a sheet- like body, made for example of cardboard, which is die-cut or cut in a shape that reproduces the contour of a sock flattened on its plane of symmetry. In this body, as shown in Figure 1, there are reference holes 14a and 14b meant to be crossed by pins 13a and 13b.

As an alternative or in addition to the holes 14a and 14b, it is possible to provide cutouts 40, as shown in Figures 5 to 7, which illustrate a different embodiment of the packaging and display support, generally designated by the reference numeral 5a.

The cutouts 40, which may optionally replace the holes 14a and 14b, are meant to allow the potential buyer of the socks to assess the consistency of the socks by touching the regions of the socks located at the cutouts 40.

Advantageously, if the support 5a is designed to package long socks, its body may be constituted by two portions joined by a fold line 41, so that it can be folded along said line 41 after fitting the sock or socks thereon, as shown in Figures 6 and 7. In this manner, the support 5a can have limited dimensions, which facilitate its arrangement on the displays. Optionally, the two folded portions of the support 5a can be kept joined by a band 42.

Preferably, the support 5,5a has, at its end that lies opposite the end meant to receive the toe of the sock or socks, a hook-shaped portion 43, so that it can be hung onto the display without requiring the use of other supporting means.

The operation of the machine according to the invention is as follows.

Initially, by way of the actuation of the motor 10, the base plate 8 is lowered and a stack 4 of supports 5, fitted onto the pins 13a and 13b, is loaded thereon.

At this point, the motor 10 is actuated in the opposite direction so as to lift the base plate 8 until the support 5 located at the upper end of the stack 4

reaches the elevation set by the photocell 30.

At this point, the arm 15, which during the preceding operations was arranged on a substantially vertical plane so as to avoid hindering the operations for loading the magazine 3, is rotated about the pivoting axis 17 by way of the actuation of the fluid-actuated cylinder 22 until it rests with the suction cups 19 on the upper face of the support 5 arranged at the upper end of the stack 4. Then the suction cups 19 are activated and engage the support 5, and the fluid-actuated cylinder 22 is actuated in the opposite direction, returning the arm 15 into the vertical position, so that the support 5 is removed from the magazine 3 and is arranged on a substantially vertical plane in alignment with the space between the rods 23a and 23b, while the rod 23b is moved away from the rod 23a.

At this point the fluid-actuated cylinder 21 is actuated and, by performing the translational motion of the second element 18 with respect to the first element 16 of the arm 15, inserts the support 5, engaged with the suction cups 19, between the rods 23a and 23b. The rod 23b is then moved toward the rod 23a by way of the actuation of the fluid-actuated cylinder 26, firmly clamping the support 5 between the rods 23a and 23b. The suction cups 19 are then deactivated so as to disengage from the support 5, and the fluid- actuated cylinder 21 is actuated in the opposite direction with respect to before, returning the second element 18 of the arm 15 into the initial position.

The support 5, arranged between the rods 23a and 23b, is retained firmly on a substantially vertical plane by the rods 23a and 23b. The operator can thus rapidly fit one or more manufactured articles, for example a pair of socks, onto the support 5. It should be noted that the operation for fitting the manufactured article or articles on the support 5, by virtue of the fact that the support 5 is firmly locked between the rods 23a and 23b, is extremely quick and easy, since the support 5 is in an ideal position to receive the manufactured article or articles and any deformation of the support 5 during

the operation is prevented.

At the end of the operation, the fluid-actuated cylinder 26 is actuated again and moves the rod 23b away from the rod 23a, releasing the support 5, which is removed, together with the manufactured article or articles fitted thereon, by the rods 23a and 23b by extraction from above.

It should be noted that the operation for fitting the manufactured article or articles on the support 5 retained by the rods 23a and 23b and the subsequent removal of the support 5 with the manufactured article or articles from the rods 23a and 23b cause the reflector plate 33 to be covered and then uncovered, enabling the supporting and locking means 6 to receive a new support 5.

In the meantime, the motor 10 has positioned, at the elevation set by the position of the photocell 30, a new support 5, which is located at the upper end of the stack 4 in the magazine 3, and before or after enabling the supporting and locking means 6 to receive a new support 5, the arm 15 and the suction cups 19 have been actuated so as to pick up the support 5 from the magazine 3.

Immediately after enabling the supporting and locking means 6 to receive a new support 5, the fluid-actuated cylinder 21 is actuated again so that the new support 5 is inserted between the rods 23a and 23b. At this point the operating cycle of the machine continues as described.

In practice it has been observed that the machine according to the invention fully achieves the intended aim and objects, since it makes it particularly quick and easy to fit manufactured articles, particularly socks, onto packaging and display supports, reducing the times, and therefore the costs, required by this operation.

The machine thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventive concept; all the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.

In practice, the materials used, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.

The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. MI2001A001101 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.