GB2027331A - Machine for manufacturing pantie-hose with a gusset - Google Patents

Abstract

A machine for manufacturing pairs of tights with gussets utilises two separate preformed tubular hose and a gusset. The machine comprises a plurality of gripping and manipulating facilities each of which includes a pair of units each unit in turn comprising two arms 1, 2, pivotally connected at their one ends and carrying at their other ends, in cantilevered fashion, respective fixed jaws 4, 6 and associated movable jaws 5, 7. Each unit may be folded about the pivotal connection 32 between its arms to swing the fixed jaws adjacent one another so that, with the movable jaws 5, 7 swung away a tubular hose may be slipped over the closely adjoining fixed jaws and, after clamping by means of the movable jaws 5, 7, may be slit longitudinally between the two portions gripped between said jaws and the respective units moved back to unfolded positions so that projecting marginal portions of the severed regions of the two hose are overlapped one with the other and with projecting marginal portions of the rhombic shaped gusset, the overlapping marginal portions being thereafter united by sewing. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Machine for manufacturing pantie-hose with a gus set THIS INVENTION relates to the manufacture of so-called pa ntie-hose or tights.

It is well known that there is a great demand for pantie-hose or tights, hereinafter referred to as tights, made of nylon or the like. These tights are generally manufactured by forming separately two portions, each in the form of a knitted stocking, and subsequently cutting the two stocking portions and sewing them together in an appropriate manner, using cutting and sewing machinery to provide the finished tights. More particularly a cutting and sewing machine is used to unite the two distinct stocking portions which are to form the tights, by sewing together overlapped edges of the two stocking portions along a median and longitudinal incisions previously formed in the two stocking portions.By this method however, no addition of any gusset in the pubic-sacral region is provided,forthe known method relies on elasticity of the fabric to adapt the tubular shape of the product to the more complex one of the female body when the tights are worn.

It is an object of this invention to provide an automatic machine for manufacturing tights especially with such gussets, which has numerous advantages as compared with the known machines used for manufacturing tights without such gussets.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a machine for manufacturing pairs of tights with respective gussets utilizing, for each pair of tights, two separate, preformed tubular hose parts, the machine comprising means for supporting two said preformed tubular parts in a predetermined manner, means for slitting each said hose part over a predetermined distance, from one open end thereof over a predetermined distance, means for opening out the slit open end part of each said hose part, to place the edges resulting from the slit substantially in one plane, and for supporting the hose part in the last-mentioned position with marginal portions adjoining said edges projecting beyond said means for supporting the hose part in the last mentioned position, means for supporting a fabric gusset piece with its edges substantially coplanar and with marginal portions thereof adjoining the edges of the gusset piece projecting from the means for supporting the gusset piece, the arrangement being such that with the two hose parts and the gusset portion so supported, said supporting means can be so disposed as to place in overlapping relationship, appropriate parts of said marginal portions of the two hose parts and the gusset piece, the machine further including a sewing unit operable to join said hose parts with one another and with the gusset piece by sewing seams along said overlapping portions.

One advantage of a machine embodying the invention is that it allows the rapid and economical manufacture of tights which have such a gusset and are thus better adapted to fit the wearer than known machine-produced tights without such gussets.

Furthermore, utilizing a preferred form of machine embodying the invention it is possible to make tights having flat seams, which tights are thus more elegant and saleable than known machine produced tights. A further advantage of the preferred form of the machine is that it allows the panty part of the tights to be made larger in relation to the leg parts, and commensurate in size with said leg parts, because the fabric does not have to be trimmed along a cut effected in advance.

Another advantage of the preferred form of the machine is that it may have a very large rate of output. These and further advantages and characteristics of preferred embodiments of the invention will be better understood from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, given by way of example, and in which drawings:: Figure lisa plan view of part of a machine embodying the invention, the part in question comprising means for gripping and manipulating preformed tubular hose parts to be united to form tights, Figure 2 is a front elevation view of the means of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a side view of the means of Figure 1, Figure 4 is the view in section along line A-A in Figure 3;; Figure 5 is an elevation view of gusset supporting means forming another part of the machine, Figure 6 is a plan view of the gusset supporting means of Figure 5, Figure 7 is a plan view of the means of Figure 1 in another position thereof having tubular hose parts fitted thereon, Figure 8 is an elevation view of gripping and manipulating means in the position shown in Figure 7, Figure 9 is a partial plan view corresponding to Figure 1 but showing the gripping and manipulating means with tubular hose parts gripped thereby and already cut along a longitudinal incision, Figure 10 is an elevation view corresponding to Figure 9, Figure 11 is a side view corresponding to Figures 9 and 10, Figure 12 shows part of the gripping and manipulating means together with the gusset supporting means and a sewing unit, during sewing of a gusset to one slit and opened out tubular hose part, Figure 13 shows the gripping and manipulating means together with the gusset supporting means and sewing unit at a stage in which sewing of the two hose parts and the gusset together is substantially completed, Figure 14 is an elevation view corresponding to Figure 13, Figure 15 is a plan view of the gripping and manipulating means in a closed attitude and with the finished product still gripped thereby, Figure 16 is an elevation view corresponding to Figure 15, Figure 17 is a side view corresponding to Figure 15 and 16, Figure 18 is a plan view of the gripping and man ipulating means in a closed attitude with the product no longer gripped and being drawn off the means, Figure 19 is an elevation view, corresponding to Figure 18, Figure 20 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a variant of a machine incorporating components corresponding to those illustrated in Figures 1 to 19, Figure 21 is a plan view illustrating part of this variant machine and corresponding approximately to Figure 9, Figure 22 is a side elevation view corresponding to Figure 21, Figure 23 is an end elevation view corresponding to Figures 21 and 22, Figure 24 is a diagrammatic side elevation view showing another part of the variant machine of Figure 20, Figure 25 is an end elevation view of the part of the machine shown in Figure 24, Figure 26 is a plan view of the machine part shown in Figures 24 and 25, and Figure 27 is a view, partly in plan and partly in section along the line B-B in Figure 24, of a detail.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3, a machine for forming a pair of tights from two separate, preformed, tubular hose parts includes gripping and manipulating means for supporting the hose parts whilst an upper portion of each hose part is slit longitudinally, and for opening out said upper portions after slitting, whilst gripping the same, during stitching of a gusset and stitching of the two hose parts together.

More particularly, the gripping and manipulating means comprises two independent articulated units, each unit comprising two arms 1,2 pivotally connected with one another, each arm bearing a respective jaw fixed with respect to the respective arm and a respective movable jaw 7 pivotally mounted on the respective arm, for movement between a closed position in engagement with the fixed jaw and an open position in which it is widely separated from the fixed jaw.

As shown in Figure 1, each arm 1,2 with the jaws carried thereby together forms a generally elongate structure, the direction of elongation being substantially perpendicular to the pivotal axis X of the pivotal connection 32 between the two arms 1,2 of the respective unit. Each arm 1,2 has a tubular portion which is inclined slightly with respect to the respective axis X, said tubular portion forming a bearing for journals secured to the respective movable jaw 5 or 7, so that the pivotal axis of each movable jaw 5,7, corresponds to the longitudinal axis of the respective said tubular part of the respective arm 1,2.The overall arrangement is such that the two independent units may be arranged relative to one another as shown in Figure 1 with the pivotal axes X, X of the two units lying in a common vertical plane but slightly inclined relative to the horizontal in opposite directions as shown in Figure 1 and coinci dent with the two arms of each unit extending in opposite directions from one another by lying substantially in a common horizontal plane parallel with the axis X-X, this common plane being the corresponding common plane in which lie the arms of the other of the two units in this position.The units are so formed that in this position the gripping and manipulating means is symmetrical about the vertical plane containing the axes X, X and is also symmetrical about the vertical plane containing a horizontal axis Y-Y, perpendicular to the vertical plane containing axes X, X and extending midway between the two units.It witi be noted that in this position, with the jaws closed, the movable jaws 5,7, lie on top of their respective fixed jaws 4,6 and that over the portions thereof relatively remote from the axes X, X the edges of the jaws of each unit which adjoin the jaws of the other unit extend longitudinally parallel with and close to the axis Y-Y whereas over regions adjacent the axes X, X said edges are inclined relative to the axes X, X and Y-Y, the respective said edges of the respective jaws diverging, in the direction towards the axis X-X, away from the adjoining jaws of the other unit, to define, in the region of the intersection of axes X, X and axis Y-Y, a gap of generally rhombic shape.In the position shown in Figure 1 and with the jaws in a closed position, the last mentioned edges of said jaws and the portion of the jaws bounding said edges, lie substantially in a further common horizontal plane. As will be evident from Figure 2, the last mentioned edges of the jaws correspond substantially to the regions of contact between each fixed jaw and the respective movable jaw in the closed position of the jaws, over which regions of contact, in operation of the device, the material of the tights to be formed is gripped.

The two units may be moved away from one another out of the positions shown in Figure 1,and furthermore, each unit may be moved, by relative pivotal movement of the two arms 1,2 of the unit about the axis of the respective pivot 32, to a folded position, as shown in Figures 8 to 11, in which the two arms of each unit extend closely adjacent one another and parallel with one another in the same direction away from the pivot 32. As will be clear from Figure 7, the fixed jaws 6,4 of each said unit are connected with their respective arms 2 only at the free ends of the latter, each fixed jaw being cantilevered from the respective arm and extending from adjacent the free end of the respective arm in the direction towards the axis X-X of the respective pivot, to the free endof the respective fixed jaw.

Thus, with the unitsjin said folded condition and with the jaws in open positions in which the movable jaws are swung away from the fixed jaws, it is possibleto slip overthe generally parallel and closely adjacent fixed jaws 4,6 of each folded unit the open upper part of a respective preformed tubular hose part as shown in Figure 7, so that the open upper edge of the respective hose part lies closely adjacent the junctions of the respective fixed jaws with the respective arms.

Each tubular hose part so fitted may then be stretched, by means not shown, so that the fabric of the hose part is stretched tightly across the gap defined between the edges, furthermost from the arms 1,2 of the unit, of the jaws 4,6 of the unit and is also drawn tautly over the side faces of the jaws 4, 6 of each unit which face away from one another (see Figure 8). The movable jaws 5,7 of each unit are then swung, as indicated by the arrows in Figure 8, into their respective closed positions in which each movable jaw lies on the side of the respective fixed jaw which is further from the other fixed jaw of the respective unit and clamps the material of the stretched hose part along the cooperating edges of the respective fixed and movable jaw. This is the position illustrated in Figures 9, 10 and 11.The fabric 22 stretched between the respective edges of the two fixed jaws of each folded unit is then slit longitudinally, as indicated at 21 in Figure 10, from the upper end of the respective tubular hose part down to a position closely adjacent the axis X-X and each unit is then moved to its unfolded position whilst keeping the fabric of the respective hose part trapped between the fixed and movable jaws of the respective unit, the units also being separated from one another.

As shown in Figure 12, each unit thus affords, projecting beyond the cooperating edges of the fixed and movable jaws thereof, which edges are now disposed substantially in a single plane, a margin of the fabric of the hose material, along which margin seams will be sewn to connect a gusset portion and the other hose part with the hose part so gripped.

The machine also includes gusset supporting means for supporting a gusset of fabric, of substantially rhombic shape, in the appropriate position in relation to the outstretched hose part while the gusses is stitched to the hose part. Referring to Figures 5 and 6, this gusset supporting means comprises a crank member 8 pivotally connected at its upper end, to the machine frame 18, for pivoting about a vertical axis Z, the bracket including an arm extending generally horizontally from this pivotal connection to a downwardly extending vertical member from the lower end of which a further horizontally extending arm extends to a position on the axis Z at which position the last mentioned arm supports a plate 9 for relative pivotal movement between the last mentioned arm and the plate 9 about the axis Z.The plate 9 is secured to a shaft which is connected via a transmission comprising gears 12,13, 14 and 15, chains, tooth belts or racks 16 and 17 and a shaft 11 rotatably mounted in the cranked member 8, with a shaft 10 extending along the axis Z and fixed to the machine frame 18, the arrangement being such that the cranked member8 may be moved pivotally, relative to the machine frame 18, about the axis Z but that during such pivotal movement the plate 9 will remain fixed with respect to the machine frame 18.

The plate 9, of rhombic shape in plan, extends generally horizontally and is carried at the lower free end of a shaft pivotally mounted in the lower horizontal arm of the cranked member 8.

In operation the plate 9, together with a similarly profiled plate 29 serves to hold in position a similar shaped but slightly larger fabric gusset piece (see Figure 12) during stitching of the gusset piece to the outstretched tubular hose part by means of a movably mounted arm sewing unit, indicated at 38 in Figure 12, the transmission provided between the plate 9 and the shaft 10 allowing the cranked member 8 to be swung about to afford the sewing unit access to the areas to be stitched without disturbing the plate 9. A vertically reciprocable arm 28 has the function of carrying the plate 29, which is preferably a free plate similar to the plate 9, in order to deliver to the plate 9 a fabric gusset taken from a store and laid on the plate 29 for carrying to the plate 9.Once the plate 29 has been raised to clamp the gusset, with a marginal portion projecting beyond the edges of the plates all around the latter, the lower plate 29 is held in position relative to the upper plate 9 by magnetic attraction, by suction or some other convenient means. When the sewing step has been completed the arm 28 is operated once more to recover the free plate 29. The plate 29 may, if desired, be a disposable member made of paper, cardboard or the like.

The cranked member 8, orthe member 18 to which it is connected, is advantageously movable in a vertical direction to permit or facilitate the movement of the units with their arms 1, 2.

As shown in Figure 12, the parts of the clamping edges of the clamping jaws 4 to 7 which are inclined with respect to the axis X-X, and the marginal parts of the outstretched hose part projecting from said edges in this region define an obtuse angle which is complementary with the obtuse angle of the rhombic shaped fabric gusset. The last mentioned gusset is supported by the plates 9, 29 in such a position that the projecting marginal portions of the rhombic gusset which define the obtuse angle of the latter lie contiguous with the corresponding marginal portions of the stretched tubular hose parts in the obtuse angle included between the clamping edges of the jaws of the unit and overlap the last mentioned marginal portions.With the gusset held thus, the sewing unit 38 is advanced as indicated by the arrows to stitch the rhombic gusset to the outstretched hose part along a seam extending midway between the inclined edges of the clamping jaws and the adjacent opposing edges of the rhombic shaped plate 9. The sewing unit is then drawn back to permit the second articulated unit, with the second slit and stretched hose part supported thereby, to be moved into the position illustrated in Figure 13 in which the projecting marginal portions of the two hose parts which extend longitudinally perpendicular to the axes X-X are overlapped one with the other and the as yet unstitched remaining two marginal portions of the rhombic insert are overlapped with the margi nal portions of the second hose part projecting from the inclined clamping edge portions of the clamping jaws of the second articulated unit. The overlapping but as yet unstitched edge portions of the two hose parts and of the second hose part and the rhombic insert are then joined, using the sewing unit 38, by a seam formed by a single traverse of the sewing unit 38 between the respective positions thereof illus trated at the top and the bottom of Figure 13. This operation completes the manufacture of the pair of tights.

The arm sewing unit 38 is of a type having a plural ity of needles and is guided for transfer and move ment by known means.

The slitting of the appropriate part of the tubular hose parts prior to stitching of the same is effected by known means for cutting the two tubular hose parts separately along the respective median planes B-B (Figure 8). The placing, guiding and stretching of the tubular hose parts on the fixed jaws 4, 6 prior to clamping and slitting is also effected using known means. Means is also provided for counting and withdrawing the finished tights from the two articulated units.Thus, after the sewing step described with reference to Figure 13, and after the sewing unit has been moved out of the way, the two units, without separation one from the other, are simultaneously moved into their folded positions, as indicated in Figures 15 to 17, the movable jaws 5,7 moved into their open positions, as indicated in Figures 18 and 19 and the finished tights drawn downwardly off the fixed jaws 4, 6, as indicated in chain dotted lines in Figure 18. The pair of tights drawn off then proceeds to counting, packing, etc. stations, not shown, while the two units proceed to a station at which further pre-formed tubular hose parts are drawn thereon, to commence the repetition of the cycle described.

The inclination of the axis X of each unit with respect to the horizontal is preferably variable at will by appropriate rotation of the respective pivot 32.

The distance between the fixed jaws 4,6 of each unit when the unit is in the folded position is preferably adjustable at will, for example by rotation of the pivot 32, in order to adjust the width of the zones of the hose material which, after the longitudinal slitting step, will project beyond the respective edges of the jaws for overlapping with, and stitching to, corresponding marginal parts of the other hose part or the gusset.

The gusset pieces are delivered to the plate 29 as required, either by means for preparing the gusset pieces in their finished shape and for storing them piled up or by means arranged to convey a continuous tape of appropriate fabric stretched longitudinally and transversely and driven longitudinally, rectilinearly in steps through a station in which, at each step, a gusset piece is cut or otherwise taken out from a median zone of the tape and delivered to the plates 9,29. In this case, preferably, the appropriate zone of the tape is clamped between the plates 9,29 before the respective gusset piece is severed from the tape, the bracket 8 and plate 9 being, for example, mounted for vertical movement towards and away from the conveying zone of the tape.

In the arrangement shown in Figure 20, the units for holding the hose parts, opening the latter out after slitting the same and retaining the hose parts during stitching to one another and to the gusset pieces are of substantially the same form as described with reference to Figures 1 to 19, the units being mounted on appropriate conveying means for circulating each unit around a closed path, the units being arranged in two groups with each group being circulated around a respective path parallel with the path of the other group, the two units which cooperate with one another during formation of one particular pair of tights being disposed in different said groups. In each unit, one of the two arms 1,2 is fixed to the respective conveying means whereas the other arm is connected with the respective convey ing means only via the respective pivot 32 and the fixed arm.The units are arranged to be circulated around their respective conveying paths intermittently in the direction indicated in Figure 1 by the arrow P, the fixed jaws 6 of the units extending from the points of their connections with the respective arms 2, 1 in the direction of the arrow P towards the free ends of the fixed jaws 4,6. (The novablejaws 5, 7 have been omitted in Figure 20 in the interests of clarity).

In the arrangement of Figure 20, however, the means for holding the rhombic gusset pieces in place whilst the latter are stitched to the hose parts differs from that described with reference to Figures 5 and 6. In the arrangement of Figure 20, the gusset clamping means comprises two distinct types of clamping device, one type, indicated at 51, being carried on the conveying means of one of said two groups of units, a plurality of such units 51 being provided, and the other type, indicated at 52, being stationary and being disposed in a sewing station through which both conveying paths pass.

Each clamping device 51 has two flat jaws pivotally connected with the conveying means for pivoting about an axis extending in the conveying direction, each said jaw having its free end defined by two equal straight edges which meet in an obtuse angle corresponding to the obtuse angles of the rhombic gussets, said edges corresponding in length with the respective edges of the rhombic gussets and these two edges being interrupted by respective slots or openings 53 formed in the flat jaws.The clamping device 52 also comprises two flat jaws mounted for pivoting about an axis extending parallel with the conveying direction through the sewing station, each of the jaws of the clamping device 52 having at its free end two outwardly extending limbs which terminate in respective outer edges the relative inclination of which corresponds with the obtuse angle of the rhombic shaped gussets to be handled.

The arrangement is such that with a clamping device 51 disposed in the sewing station, the jaws of either device may be pivoted about their respective axes to pass through the jaws of the other, i.e. the two limbs of a jaw of the clamping device 52 are able to pass through the two slots 53 formed in the respective jaws of the device 51, without the jaws of either clamping device striking those of the other.

In operation, at respective stations upstream of the sewing station a clamping device 51 mounted on the conveying means associated with one group of units receives, and firmly clamps, a rhombic gusset piece supplied thereto, the gusset piece being clamped so that the inclined free edges of the clamping device 51 lie adjacent to and parallel with the corresponding edges of the gusset piece, but the gusset piece projects by a marginal seam portion slightly from said free edges of the clamping device, the remainder of the gusset piece lying, of course, closer to the pivotal axis between these jaws than said projecting marginal seam portions.Meanwhile, a unit of the group associated with the other conveying means duly receives a tubular hose portion thereon and, poss ibly in a succession of stations, supports the hose portion whilst the latter is slit, then moves into the unfolded position to open out the respective hose portion, substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 to 19, and the unit, carrying the stretched out hose portion and the clamping device 51 carry ing the rhombic gusset clamped therein, both move into the sewing station with the appropriate projecting marginal portions of the gusset overlapping the appropriate projecting marginal portions of the respective hose portion.The overlapping marginal portions are then connected by means of a seam sewn by a sewing unit, corresponding to that already described, it being understood that during this phase the jaws of the stationary clamping unit 52 are swung back out of the conveying path. Once the sewing of the rhombic gusset to the first hose part has been completed, the jaws of the clamping device 52 are closed so that the limbs thereof pass through the slot 53 in the jaws of the clamping unit 51 to engage and clamp the gusset portion, the slots 54 defined between the two limbs of the respective jaw of unit 52 receiving the central limb, defined between the two slots 53, of the respective jaw of the clamp device 51.With the gusset piece now firmly clamped by the jaws 52, the jaws of the clamping device 51 are opened and swung away from the conveying plane and the clamping device 51 conveyed away from the sewing station while a unit of the group associated with the same conveying means as the devices 51, the last mentioned unit carrying, in a slit and stretched out attitude, a second tubular hose part which has been previously applied and operated on in the manner already explained, this second hose portion being juxtaposed with the other hose portion and the gusset portion in the sewing station so that the protective marginal edge portions of the stretched out second hose part overlap the respective marginal portions of the first tubular hose portion and the gusset portion and these marginal portions again connected by a seam sewn by the sewing unit, in substantially the same way as described with reference to Figures 1 to 19. The jaws of the clamping unit 52 are now opened and swung away from the conveying plane and both units, bearing the now formed pair of tights being conveyed downstream of the sewing station to positions where the units are moved again to their folded positions, the finished tights drawn therefrom, etc. in the manner described previously, to prepare the units for a further operating cycle.

Figure 1 also illustrates schematically a mounting device, for tubular hose portions, which device has the function of shaping the profile of the stitched seam ultimately to be formed connecting the hose portion wiih a corresponding hose portion and a gusset portion and also of varying, according to the fabric type, the width of the marginal portion which projects from the respective edges of the jaws of one of the units during sewing to the corresponding other hose portion and gusset portion with which it will form ultimately a finished pair of tights, the mounting device also making it easy for an operator to ensure that the tubular hose portions are appropriately applied to the fixed jaws of the respective units, without it,being necessary for the operator to draw the tubular hose portions directly onto the jaws of said units.

The mounting device comprises two supports 61, one for the units of each of said two groups, each support 61 being, for example, constructed of metal rod or wire. Each support 61 is preferably mounted for movement into and out of the conveying path of the respective group of units, for example, as shown in Figure 20, being mounted at the downstream end of an upper horizontal conveying run and being reciprocable rectilinearly in a direction parallel with the conveying direction, as indicated by the arrows, into and out of the conveying path.

Each support 61 is elongate in the direction of such rectilinear reciprocation thereof and is carried by a mounting member, (not shown), the support being secured, adjacent the end R of the support 61 which is furthest upstream in the conveying direction P of the upper conveying run, to said mounting member, the support 61 being cantilevered from said mounting member and having its opposite end S unsupported.

Each support 61 may comprise, as shown, two wire loops, the two loops being symmetrical with one another about a median plane lying between the loops and indicated at Q in Figure 3, the two loops, being, over most of their extent, relatively close to the plane Q but being more widely separated from one another, and from the plane Q, over a side T of the support. Furthermore, part of the two loops which define said side T of the support preferably diverge progressively from one another, and from the plane Q, from the end S of the support 61 towards the end R thereof.As best shown in Figures 21 and 23, each support 61 is mounted with its plane Q substantially coincident with the plane of symmetry of the units, in a folded condition, of the respective group proceeding along the upper conveying run, the arrangement being such that each frame 61, when disposed in its operative position furthest upstream in the upper conveying run, is able to pass without obstruction longitudinally between the adjoining fixed jaws of each unit, in the folded condition, of the respective group conveyed longitudinally over the support.

The devices 61 operate as follows. With each device 61 in its most downstream position in which it is withdrawn out of the conveying path of the respective group of units, the operator draws onto each support 61, from the end S towards the end R, the open end part of a respective tubular hose part.

The dimensions of each support 61 are such that the material of the tubular hose part is held in a stretched condition over the support 61, the open end of the tubular hose part being extended in a generally triangular shape, as viewed in the longitudinal direction (see Figure 23). The support 61, thus fitted with tubular hose parts, are then moved into their most upstream positions, and the arrangement is such that the free ends of the fixed jaws of the next unit in the respective group proceeding along the upper conveyor run will enter the open end of the hose part stretched on the respective support 61 and so the fixed jaws are fully inserted, (the movable jaws having been kept, up to this point, in their open positions). The insertion of the fixed jaws into the tubular hose parts may advantageously stretch the latter further.The movable jaws 5,7 then move to their closed positions to grip the fabric of the hose part and the tubular hose part is slit longitudinally, as described hereinbefore, whereafter the respective unit is moved further in the upper conveying run to strip the hose part off the support 61, which is then returned to its downstream loading position to receive a further tubular hose part.

Figures 24 to 27 illustrate a part of the apparatus, disposed in the sewing station, for guiding and drawing flat in overlapping relationship the marginal edge parts of the two hose parts to be connected by sewing. This part of the apparatus includes a baffle 71 having an S shape in cross section, the bends of which baffle are designed to receive and guide the two marginal edge parts 72-73 of the hose parts to be sewn together. Air suction ducts 74, 75 are provided for drawing air in through perforate portions of the bends of the S-section baffle, as shown in Figure 25, thereby serving to extend the edge portions 72,73 from the respective clamping edges (not shown) of the respective jaws 4, 5 or 6,7, the suction applied via the two ducts 74 and 75 thus stretching the marginal edge portions 72,73 in parallel but opposite directions.It will be noted that the middle of the S-section baffle extends substantially in or only slightly above the plane in which the fabric passes through the operative part of the sewing unit, indicated at 78, the ducts 74 and 75 being disposed respectively above and below this plane. There are also provided, respectively above and below the sewing plane, ducts 76 and 77 which blow air in directions towards the sewing plane and towards the sewing unit, thereby blowing the upper edge 72 downwards and forwards towards the sewing unit and the lower 73 upwards and forwards towards the sewing unit, an air cushion being provided between the fabric and the needle plane 82 of the sewing unit, to achieve correct advancement of the fabric into the sewing unit 78.The fabric guiding and air blowing and sucking unit described may be arranged to be pivotable about the axis of the needle 81 of the sewing unit, or where the latter has more than one needle, about a median axis between the needles.

To facilitate correct entry of the edges 72, 73 into the sewing unit at the beginning of every sewing operation, there is provided an additional air suction duct 80, in the stuffing box hood 83 of the sewing unit, that is to say, immediately downstream with respect to the needles 81. The commencement of the application of air pressure to the ducts 76 and 77 and of partial vacuum to the ducts 74,75 and 80 are controlled by means, not shown, according to the part of the sewing operation which is in course, and to the shape of the seam to be sewn, for example rectilinear or curved.

Figures 24 to 27 also illustrate features designed to ensure satisfactory automatic starting and carrying out of the operation of stitching the overlapping edges of the fabric to be joined. According to one such feature, the needle plate 82, the front edge 82' of which projects for a few millimetres upstream (in the sewing direction) of the needles 81 and with said plate 82, the surrounding plate 82', can be lowered to allow the device 71 to 76 to guide the edges of fabric to be sewn under the foot 83 of the sewing unit. The sewing unit includes a double stuffing box foot comprising a front foot 83 connected with a rod 84 whereby the foot 83 may be raised, and a rear foot 86 independent of the front foot.The front foot 83 is connected with the suction duct 80 and in operation cooperates with fabric drawing jaws 85, while the rear foot 86, which engages plate 82 and in operation cooperates with fabric drawing jaws 87, serves, with the latter, to draw the sewing thread chain, even when the front foot 83 is lifted.

Where, in the embodiment of Figures 1 to 19, the free plate 29 is held against the plate 9 to clamp the gusset piece therebetween pneumatically, this may be effected by connecting with a vacuum pump or the like an axial passage formed through the shaft to which plate 9 is secured and by which plate 9 is mounted in bracket8,thisshaftterminating below this plate and the passage being exposed below plate 9.

It will be appreciated that in the embodiment of Figures 20 to 23 it is not essential that the supports 61 be movable out of the conveying path of the units.

If desired, for the sake of simplicity, these supports may be fixed in their operative positions.

Claims (21)

1. A machine for manufacturing pairs of tights with respective gussets, utilizing, for each pair of tights, two separate, preformed tubular hose parts, and a respective gusset portion, the machine comprising means for supporting two said preformed tubular parts in a predetermined manner, means for slitting each said hose part over a predetermined distance, from one open end thereof over a predetermined distance, means for opening out the slit open end part of each said hose part, to place the edges resulting from the slit substantially in one plane, and for supporting the hose part in the lastmentioned position with marginal portions adjoining said edges projecting beyond said means for supporting the hose part in the last mentioned position, means for supporting a fabric gusset piece with its edges substantially co-planar and with marginal portions thereof adjoining the edges of the gusset piece projecting from the means for supporting the gusset piece, the arrangement being such that with the two hose parts and the gusset portion so supported, said supporting means can be so disposed as to place in overlapping relationship, appropriate parts of said marginal portions of the two hose parts and the gusset piece the machine further including a sewing unit operable to join said hose parts with one another and with the gusset piece by sewing seams along said overlapping portions.

2. A machine according to claim 1 which comprises a plurality of gripping facilities each of which comprises two identical units independent of one another arranged so that they can be disposed symmetrically with respect to one another about a vertical longitudinal plane, each of said units com prising two arms, a first one of which is fixed to a driven element and the second of which is pivotally connected to the first for movement with respect thereto through 1800, whereby said second arm can be placed either extending in the opposite direction from the first, from the respective pivot, in an unfolded condition of the unit or in superimposed parallel relationship with the first in a folded condition of the unit, said arms carrying respective clamps each including a flat fixed jaw and a flat movable jaw mounted to allow it to swing to the outside away from the respective fixed jaw about the respective arm, the two fixed jaws, when in directly opposing positions, defining respective spaced apart flat surfaces for stretching a tubular hose part thereon and the two movable jaws being provided for clamping against said fixed jaws the interposed fabric of said hose part.

3. A machine according to claim 2 in which the pivotal axis of the arms of the two units of each gripping facility are suitably inclined with respect to the horizontal plane and to one another to form an obtuse angle, of magnitude changeable at will, the vertex of which is on the plane of symmetry, so as to ensure that the jaws carried by one arm of the unit are co-planar with those carried by the other arm of the unit when the unit is in its unfolded condition, the inclination of said pivotal axes of the arms of said units being adjustable at will by rotation of the respective pivots connecting said arms.

4. A machine according to claim 3 wherein the operative edge of each of said jaws is made up of two lines forming an obtuse angle therebetween, the longer of which lines corresponds to the seam portion between the two stocking hose parts in the finished tights and the shorter of which corresponds to the seam portion between the respective hose part and the gusset portion in the finished tights, the arrangement being such that the sewing of half the gusset to one hose part is performed at a sewing station while said one hose part is held in open attitude by one said gripping facility and that the sewing of the two hose parts together and of the second hose part to the gusset can be performed with the two hose parts held by respective said units of the gripping facility in open attitude at the sewing station.

5. A machine according to any of claims 2 to 4 in which the distance between the fixed jaws of each said unit in the folded condition thereof is adjustable at will by rotation of the pivot connecting the arms of the unit.

6. A machine according to any preceding claim comprising two groups of gripping facilities, the units making up one such group being of a different number than the units making up the other said group.

7. A machine according to claim 6 in which there are twice as many said units in one said group as in the other said group.

8. A machine according to any preceding claim including gusset gripping and manipulating means comprising a generally C-shaped bracket disposed vertically above the sewing plane and pivotally connected at its upper end to the machine housing, the bracket carrying at its lower end a horizontal plate having a shape complementary with that of the gus set, the bracket being arranged to be pivotable about a vertical axis passing through the ends of the brac ket and to be movable upwardly and downwardly vertically, the plate being pivotable with respect to the bracket but being arranged to remain fixed with respect to the machine housing as regards its orientation about said vertical axis, the machine further comprising a vertically movable arm disposed below the sewing plane and carrying a free horizontal plate of a shape similar to that of the first mentioned plate, for carrying, during an upwards stroke of the vertically movable arm, the free horizontal plate having a gusset portion laid thereon to convey the latter upwardly to the plate carried by said C-shaped bracket, and subsequently to recover the free plate after sewing of the gusset.

9. A machine according to claim 8 in which the lower, free plate is held close to the upper plate carried by the C-shaped bracket during the sewing of the interposed gusset portion by means of magnetic attraction, or is held close to the upper one during the sewing of the interposed gusset by means of a partial vacuum created by suction means connected with an axial passage extending through the shaft on which the upper horizontal plate is carried and supported at the lower end of the C-shaped bracket, said shaft and said axial passage being exposed on the underside of the upper horizontal plate.

10. A machine according to claim 8 or claim 9 wherein said upper horizontal plate is coupled with the machine housing via a suitable transmission to allow the C-shaped bracket to be rotated in a horizontal plane without moving said upper plate which is carried at the lower end of the C-shaped bracket, thereby to permit translation of a sewing machine.

11. A machine according to claim 9 or claim 10 wherein said gusset carrying lower plate is of the disposable type made of paper, plastic or the like.

12. A machine according to any preceding claim including means for forming said gusset portions from a continuous tape stretched longitudinally and transversely, and including means for conveying said tape longitudinally beneath the sewing plane with an intermittent feed motion and means for removing, from a median portion of the band, respective gusset portions after clamping of the latter between said two plates.

13. Apparatus for positioning the gussets in a machine which produces pantie hose with gussets wherein the machine includes a plurality of movable gripping devices and a fixed gripping device, all having wide, flat jaws the head of each of which comprises a free edge constituted by two inclined at an obtuse angle equal to the largest angle of the rhombic gusset to be applied, and with such a sides development so as to engage the gusset over the whole length of the latter, the jaws heads of said gripping devices being oppositely oriented to jointly make up the perimeter of said rhombic gusset and being provided gusset and being provided with through staggered openings to allow their overlapping and interpenetration.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13, in which each of said movable gripping devices is fixed to the conveying means for the units of one group of units for gripping and manipulating hose parts making up the article, and interposed between two of said units, while the other is located movable at the sewing station; means being provided to control, at different times, the closing and the opening of said gripping means in phase with the holding and releasing of a gusset, starting from a movable gripping means until the complete sewing of half a perimeter of the gusset has been carried out, and successively, from the fixed gripping means to make the sewing of the other half perimeter of said gusset.

15. Apparatus for use in fitting tubular hose parts on the gripping and manipulating units of a machine which produces pantie hose with gusset, said apparatus comprising at least two supports for the two hose part gripping and manipulating units, said supports having a hollow rhombic shape with the base open where the edges are suitably outlined; said supports, having their bases one in front of the other, being either fixed or translating and being designed to get pass through between the jaws of the respective folded unit to draw on the latter a tubular hose part previously slipped in the support, and then, to stretch and keep the hose part firmly in place by closing the movable jaws of the unit upon the fixed jaws and finally to slit the hose part longitudinally.

16. Apparatus for the guiding of the fabric edges to be sewn, in a machine for manufacturing pantie hose with gussets, the apparatus comprising an S shaped baffle into the loops of which the edges to be sewn slide overlapped; two sucking ducts positioned laterally with respect to said baffle and on opposite sides of the sewing plane; two blowing ducts overlapping said baffle on opposite sides to the sewing plane and inclined in the direction of the fabric advancement; a sucking duct disposed within the stuffing box.

17. Apparatus according to claim 16 wherein said baffle and the associated ducts can oscillate horizontally around a vertical axis passing through the mean position of the needles of the associated sewing units and in which means is provided to control the air capacity in said ducts.

18. A needles plate for a sewing unit in a machine for manufacturing pantie hose with gussets, the needles plate comprising a first plate with front part projecting upstream of the needles of the sewing unit by a few millimetres and which can be lowered together with the surrounding zone.

19. Astuffing boxfor a sewing unit in a machine for manufacturing pantie hose with gussets and comprising a front foot anchored to a vertically movable rod and provided with a suction duct connected to fabric grippers and a fixed rear foot, independent from the front foot and engaged further fabric grippers.

20. Apparatus for use in the manufacture of tights as hereinbefore defined and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in any one or more of the accompanying drawings.

21. Any novel feature or combination of features described herein.