Apparatus for manipulating the hinged frames of machines for pressing knitted garments

Abstract

 The frame comprises two side segments (3, 3) hinged to the end of a middle segment (1) by hinges (5) located at the shoulders, the said two side segments being able to intersect each other during symmetrical transverse movements of carriages (9A, 9B) to which the ends (3X) of the said segments (3) are hinged; the middle segment (1) is smaller than the width of the body of the knitted garment and moves parallel to itself as the lateral segments intersect, until it emerges from the ribbed lower edge (B) of the knitted garment (M).

Description

[0001] When pressing knitted garments, use is made of frames which serve to give the body (and frequently also the sleeves) the correct shape in order that the garment can then be steamed so as to distend its fibres, after which the garment will undergo the actual pressing operation.

[0002] As is known to those working in the industry, the fixed frame of the body creates difficulties of application. Specifically, after being pressed, the pullover or other knitted upper-body garment - in which the ribbed lower edge is narrower than the chest - must undergo a sort of deformation by the operator, tending to stretch the ribbed edge so that the frame can be withdrawn; this at least in some degree destroys the effect of the pressing and makes it necessary to restore the garment to the requisite size and appearance.

[0003] On belt machines this problem has been solved by moving together the sides of the frame, which for this purpose comprises two lateral rods or segments which define the sides of the body and part of the shoulders; after pressing, these rods are moved transversely relative to the belt symmetrically towards the centre of the pullover and allow the pullover to be drawn off by the advancing of the belt which pulls away the pullover by the mere fact that the latter is resting on it; meanwhile the frame stays in the same position relative to the machine frame, except for the transverse reduction due to the movement of the rods, which then move in the opposite direction for the pressing of the next garment. This operation, linked as it is to the advance of the belt, does not allow for those small adjustments by the operator designed to improve quality, before the pullover undergoes the pressing operation; this is due to the fact that the pullover and the frame are separated and moved away from each other only by the action of the belt and the advance of the pullover on this belt.

[0004] In hinged presses the above problem remains unsolved to this day, in that complete rigid frames are used, their withdrawal from the pullover (after pressing) being the job of the operator, who is obliged to hold the pullover steady with one hand while at the same time withdrawing the frame with the other hand, forcing and deforming the ribbed edge in the process; the operator must then readjust and reshape the pullover before folding and packaging.

[0005] The principle object of the invention is to remedy the above-indicated problems, making it possible to withdraw the frame from inside the body of the pullover without rubbing it along the sides of the body or stretching the pullover (and therefore without deforming the ribbed lower edge) and without having to arrange for the pullover to be advanced in order for the frame to be withdrawn. The most obvious advantage is in conventional hinged presses in which the mobility of the frame offers the same effect as would be obtained in belt presses (in which withdrawal is effected by the relative movement of the frame connected to the machine and the pullover on the moving belt), with the advantage that the withdrawal takes place with the pullover stationary, thus allowing the operator to do any necessary touching up of the garment after pressing, in order to improve its quality. An advantage is also achieved with belt machines because the withdrawal is no longer done by moving the frame, fixed to the machine, relative to the pullover travelling on the moving belt, but while the pullover remains stationary on the stationary belt.

[0006] The invention also gives a new lease of life to the old hinged machines, which belt machine technology has been supplanting because of increasing demands for productivity, despite the poorer quality: this is because with the invention these hinged machines can attain the productivity levels of the most up-to-date belt machines and yet at the same time ensure that superior level of quality which those working in the trade recognize in hinged machines, because of the possibility they offer of making those final adjustments important for quality purposes after pressing.

[0007] Again, the invention overcomes the quality failings of the most up-to-date belt machines, because these machines enable the frame to be withdrawn while the pullover is stationary, thereby allowing the operator to make any adjustments before the belt carries the garment under the press for pressing.

[0008] These and other objects and advantages will be obvious from the text which follows.

[0009] The subject of the invention is an apparatus for manipulating frames comprising multiple jointed components for knitted garments that are to be pressed on belt machines and on hinged machines. In this apparatus the frame comprises two side segments which are hinged to the ends of a middle segment by hinges located at the shoulders, which two side segments are able to intersect each other during symmetrical transverse movements of their ends remote from their ends hinged to the middle segment; which middle segment is smaller than the width of the lower end of the knitted garment, and it moves parallel to itself as the side segments intersect, until it emerges from the lower ribbed edge of the knitted garment.

[0010] The ends of the side segments remote from the ends hinged to the middle segment are advantageously pivoted to two respective carriages that can move on parallel guides and are so shaped as not to interfere with each other and kinematically connected so as to perform symmetrical excursions including passing each other in opposite directions.

[0011] The two carriages can be engaged on the two parallel sides of a flexible annular member, such as a belt, a timing belt or the like.

[0012] For the drive means, on each of the two carriages there may be an actuator capable of causing its respective segment hinged to the carriage to execute angular movements; the two actuators are driven simultaneously. These two actuators may consist of geared-down worm drives, each being hinged to its respective carriage and to a lever attached to the side segment or directly to the latter. Similarly the flexible annular member may be motorized, in order to drive the two carriages synchronously with the two actuators or as an alternative to these. Preferably, indeed, both carriages may be driven by the same actuators, with the actuation of the two side segments.

[0013] Each of the component segments of the frame may be of adjustable dimensions so that the distance between the hinges of each segment can be varied, to provide different configurations defined by retention means consisting of spring-action stops or equivalent means. In particular the middle segment may comprise a central portion and two end portions able to move in a telescopic manner relative to the central portion.

[0014] A fuller understanding of the invention will be gained from the description and attached drawing, which latter shows a practical, non-restrictive example of an embodiment of the invention. In the drawing:

Figs. 1 and 1A show in isolation a frame consisting of three segments and an enlarged detail of Fig. 1;

Figs. 2 and 2A show a detail of Fig. 1 indicated by the arrow FII, enlarged and in two positions;

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 show the apparatus combined with a belt machine, in the pressing position, in an intermediate position midway through the operation of removing the frame, and in a position showing the frame withdrawn from the knitted garment;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 shows a view on the plane marked VII-VII in Fig. 3, much enlarged;

Figs. 8 and 9 show a side view of an embodiment in which the apparatus is jointed, with the frame lowered on the pressing surface and raised to facilitate placing a knitted garment on the frame; and

Figs. 10 and 11 show two perspective views equivalent to Figs. 8 and 9.

[0015] The frame consists of three shaped segments 1, 3, 3, forming the perimeter of the body of the pullover or other knitted upper-body garment, and may be made from round steel bar; the middle segment 1 defines the shoulders and is adjustable, with a central component 1A and two outer components 1B that are telescopically movable and held in discrete positions by spring-action stops 1C, e.g. ball-type, engaging in recesses 1E. The two side segments 3 can also be adjusted in the same way. The middle segment 1 may have a third lengthening system in the centre, in addition to lengthening systems 1B and the like, and similar to these, for modifying the profile of the frame at the neck. The middle segment 1, and in particular its outer components, are hinged to the two outer segments 3 by means of two hinges 5, which are located on the shoulders at roughly the point where the sleeve is attached, being closer in than the transverse dimension of the knitted garment M at the chest and separated by a distance less than the dimension of the lower ribbed edge B or fringe (Fig. 3). The two free ends 3X of the segments 3 remote from the hinges 5 are hinged by pins 7A, 7B to two carriages 9A, 9B that run along two guides 10A, 10B transversely to the belt N of a belt-type pressing machine. The two carriages 9A, 9B are arranged on two parallel planes, and are connected by a timing belt 12, which can run around two idle sprockets. These parts together form the side towards which the quadrilateral of the frame closes and act as a chassis. The two carriages 9A, 9B are shaped so as not to interfere with each other and so as to be able to pass each other when travelling in opposite directions. Attached to the pins 7 and hence to the segments 3 are two levers 14A, 14B that can be moved angularly by two geared-down worm drives 16A, 16B which are similarly pivoted on the carriages 9A, 9B. Translational movement of the two worm drives of the actuators 16A, 16B tilts the two levers 14A, 14B, and consequently tilts the two side segments 3, about the pivots 7A, 7B and thereby also rotates the side segments 3 about the two hinges 5 at the shoulders defined by the middle segment 1; since the two side segments 3 are rigid, they transmit a translational motion to the carriages 9A, 9B, setting up an equilibrium system of opposing forces that cause the carriages 9A, 9B to travel along the guides 10A, 10B in opposite directions to each other but not interfering with each other, since they lie in two parallel planes. Because of the translational movement of the two carriages 9A, 9B, the latter meet and pass each other, continuing till they reach positions remote from their starting positions (see Figs. 3 and 5); the two side segments 3 tilt away from a "vertical" position to a "horizontal" position, ending approximately on the path of the two carriages 9A, 9B. During their movement the two segments 3 intersect in an X shape; this can be done by exploiting the flexibility of the material, or by slightly tilting the axis of rotation of one of the two hinges 7A, 7B, which causes a slight deviation of one of the two segments 3 out of the plane of the belt to a parallel plane sufficiently close to allow it to pass over the other segment. As the two segments 3 proceed with their symmetrical angular movement, the middle segment 1 defining the collar and shoulders moves parallel with itself towards the guides 10A, 10B, eventually emerging from the pullover M (Fig. 5). Since the distance between the two hinges 5 and therefore the length of the segment 1 is less than the width of the lower edge B of the pullover M, its emergence does not spoil the good appearance of the pullover that has just been achieved. In the configuration shown in Fig. 5 the knitted garment M can be removed in the usual way as from a hinged machine or by movement of the belt N in the direction of the arrow fN in Fig. 5.

[0016] By reversing the movement of the drives of the actuators 16A, 16B, the direction of displacement of the carriages 9A, 9B is reversed and the frame 1, 3, 3 executes a reverse movement and returns to the starting position (Fig. 3), ready to receive a new garment for pressing.

[0017] The entire mechanism 25 of the chassis - including the guides 10A, 10B, the motion mechanisms and the frame - can be rotated about the pin 22 (Figs. 8 to 11) of the drive roller of the belt N of the pressing machine (or about a transverse axis), for example by a cylinder 24; this will raise the frame 1, 3, 3 off the pressing plane to facilitate arranging a new garment on the frame.

[0018] The mobile frame system 1, 3, 3 for the bust can be combined with sleeve widening systems of known type, such as that forming the subject-matter of an earlier intellectual property document of the same holder, so that the whole of the garment is immobilized for pressing.

[0019] The device described can also easily be applied to so-called hinge presses, with the advantages already mentioned.

[0020] It will be understood that the drawing shows only an example purely as a practical demonstration of the invention, which invention can be varied in its shapes and arrangements without thereby departing from the scope of the concept underlying the invention. The presence of any reference numerals in the appended claims is for the purpose of facilitating the reading of the claims with reference to the description and drawing, and does not limit the scope of the protection represented by the claims.

Claims

1. Apparatus for manipulating frames comprising multiple jointed components for knitted garments that are to be pressed on belt machines and on hinged machines, characterized in that it comprises two side segments (3, 3) which are hinged to the ends of a middle segment (1) by hinges (5) located at the shoulders, which two side segments (3) are able to intersect each other during symmetrical transverse movements of their ends (3X) remote from their ends hinged to the middle segment, which middle segment (1) - whose extension is less than the width of the body of the knitted garment - moves parallel to itself as the side segments (3) intersect, until it emerges from the lower ribbed edge (B) of the knitted garment (M).

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that the said ends (3X) remote from the ends hinged to the hinges (5) of the middle segment (1), are pivoted by pins (7A, 7B) to two respective carriages (9A, 9B) that can move on parallel guides (10A, 10B), the said carriages being so shaped as not to interfere with each other and being kinematically connected so as to perform symmetrical excursions including passing each other in opposite directions.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2, characterized in that the two carriages (9A, 9B) are engaged on the two parallel sides of a flexible annular member (12), such as a belt, a timing belt or the like.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 2, characterized in that it comprises, on each of the two carriages (9A, 9B), an actuator (16A, 16B) capable of causing its respective segment (3) hinged to the carriage to execute angular movements, the two actuators being driven simultaneously.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 4, characterized in that both actuators (16A, 16B) consist of geared-down worm drives, each being hinged to its respective carriage (9A, 9B) and to a lever (14A, 14B) attached to the side segment (3) or directly to the latter.

6. Apparatus according to at least Claim 3, characterized in that the flexible annular member (12) is motorized in order to drive the two carriages (9A, 9B).

7. Apparatus according to Claim 2 or 3, 4 or 5, characterized in that both carriages (9A, 9B) are driven by the actuators (16A, 16B), with the actuation of the two side segments.

8. Apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that the segments (1, 3, 3) are of adjustable dimensions so that the distance between the two hinges (5, 5; 5, 7A; 5, 7B) can be varied, by a telescopic arrangement, to provide different configurations defined by retention means consisting of spring-action stops (1C) or equivalent means.

9. Apparatus according to Claim 8, characterized in that the middle segment (1) comprises one central portion (1A) and two end portions (1B) able to move in a telescopic manner relative to the central portion.

10. Apparatus according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the frame (1, 3, 3) can be raised off the pressing plane by pivoting a mechanism (20) that includes the two guides for the carriages, about a transverse axis.

11. Apparatus for manipulating the hinged frames of machines for pressing knitted garments; the whole as described above and as illustrated by way of example in the appended drawing.

Drawing