GB2129408A

GB2129408A - Feeding fabrics to welting machines

Info

Publication number: GB2129408A
Application number: GB08328626A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen Whitehouse; Gary Eary; Paul Kilmar; David Green
Original assignee: Corah Ltd
Current assignee: Corah Ltd
Priority date: 1982-10-26
Filing date: 1983-10-26
Publication date: 1984-05-16
Also published as: GB8328626D0; GB2129408B

Abstract

An apparatus which prevents the edge of a fabric from curling under the fabric before the edge is welted comprises an air jet (16) which forms a cushion of air beneath the fabric edge as the fabric is moved to the welting machine (14) by a conveyor (12). The air jet (16) is switched on and off in response to the fabric workpiece passing sensors (24), (26). A plate (18) with upturned edge (22) helps to contain the cushion of air. The apparatus allows a welt to be stitched on fabric such as single jersey fabric which has a tendency to curl at the fabric edges, without the additional steps which normally have to be taken and which render the welting process highly inefficient. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements relating to welting The present invention relates to the welting of fabric and particularly to the welting of fabrics such as single jersey fabrics which exhibit a natural fabric curl.

In the production of knitted garments in which garment panels are cut from blank fabric pieces and then seamed together to form the final garments it is normal practice to stitch a welt on one or more of those edges of the garment panels which form free edges in the finished garments. To this end an operator places the fabric panels on a conveyor which carries each panel to a welting machine which stitches a welt on the panel as the latter passes the machine. Unfortunately, however, certain types of fabric such as single jersey fabric have a tendency to curl at the fabric edges which, as will be appreciated, makes the stitching of welts on such fabrics extremely difficult. Although it is not impossible to provide such welts the additional steps which have to be taken to ensure that the welt is correct render the welting process highly inefficient and cost ineffective.

The present invention seeks to improve the efficiency of a welting process for fabrics exhibiting a natural curl.

Accordingly, the present invention provides apparatus for inhibiting curling of an edge of a fabric of the type having a natural tendency to curl, during feeding of the fabric to a welting machine, to enable welting of said edge to be effected, the apparatus comprising means for directing a jet of air towards said fabric edge in a direction to cause said fabric edge to uncurl or to inhibit curling of said edge and means for sensing the position of the leading edge of said fabric and controlling the jet of air in dependence thereon.

The use of an apparatus according to the present invention in combination with a welting machine and a conveyor for conveying fabric panels to the welting machine enables panels of fabrics exhibiting a natural tendency to curl to be welted automatically, thus increasing the efficiency of the welting process for such fabrics.

The present invention is further described hereinafter by way of exampie, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure lisa simplified diagrammatic side elevation of an embodiment of an apparatus according to the present invention viewed in the direction of arrow A of Figure 2; and Figure 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of the apparatus of Figure 1.

The drawings diagrammatically illustrate an apparatus 10 which is located adjacent a fabric conveyor 12 upstream of a welting station 14 at which one edge of successive fabric panels carried on the conveyor are welted. Arrow B indicates the direction of movement of the conveyor 1 2 and thus the fabric panels carried by the conveyor.

The apparatus 10 is located alongside the immediately upstream of a support plate 18, the latter lying in the plane of the conveyor with the longitudinal axis of the air jet 16 conveniently extending substantially horizontal and perpendicular to the direction of movement of the conveyor. The air jet 1 6 conveniently lies in the plane of the conveyor and is preferably provided with a number of openings on its upper surface through which pressurised air is forced, the air being fed to the jet 1 6 along an air line 20.The plate 18 has an upturned edge 22 which effectively serves to contain air from the air jet 16 between the plate 1 8 and a fabric panel when the latter is conveyed over the plate 1 8. In normal operation the major portion of the fabric panel is supported on the conveyor with the edge region adjacent the edge to be welted overlying the air jet 1 6 and plate 18 as the fabric panel is carried past the apparatus 10 by the conveyor 12.

When fabrics such as single jersey fabrics, which exhibit a natural tendency to curl at fabric edges; are used each fabric panel is placed on the conveyor in an attitude such that the natural curl of the fabric is exhibited as a tendency for the leading edge of the fabric panel to turn under. The fabric is then carried by the conveyor 1 2 towards the apparatus 10 and welting station 14. At this stage of the operation pressurised air is supplied to the air jet 16 so that as the leading edge of the fabric panel passes over the air jet 16 a cushion of air is forced beneath the edge region of the fabric adjacent the apparatus 10, thus preventing the leading edge of the panel from turning under. The upturned edge 22 of the plate 1 8 serves to retain this cushion of air to improve its effectiveness.

Continued movement of the fabric panel brings its leading edge over a first sensor 24 which can be of any suitable form. This sensor is coupled to a control switch which controls the flow of pressurised air along the air line 20 to the jet 16 and arms the switch in readiness to cut off the air supply. Continued movement of the fabric panel leading edge beyond the apparatus 10 brings it over a second sensor 26 which is also coupled to the control switch and, on detection of the panel leading edge, actuates the switch to cut off the air supply to the jet 1 6. At this point (or immediately before or after) the leading edge of the fabric is engaged by the welting machine 14 which welts the adjacent side edge of the panel in the normal manner.As the trailing edge of the fabric panel passes over the sensor 24 the latter actuates the control switch to switch on the air supply to the jet 1 6 in readiness for the next succeeding fabric panel. The switching on and off times of the air jet can be adjusted in relation to the position of the fabric if desired.

An additional plate 28 is supported above the plate 1 8 overlapping the downstream edge of the latter. This plate 28 is provided with an upstanding edge wall 30, adjacent the edge wall 22 of the plate 1 8, which is curved towards the horizontal at its upper downstream edge region 31 to ensure that the leading edge corner of the fabric panel does not fold back on itself as a result of the action of the cushion of air between the fabric panel and the plate 1 8. A further generally flat plate (not shown in the drawings) is positioned generally co-planar with and above the plate 1 8 to restrict upward movement of the edge region of the fabric panel under the action of the air cushion.

The pressure of the air supplied to the jet 1 6 can be controlled to suit the weight of the fabric being welted and, where necessary, an additional boost of pressurised air can be provided by means of a further air line 32. This is conveniently located in the angle formed by the plate 18 and its upstanding edge 22 and enhances the action of the air cushion provided by pressurised air from the jet 16.

Claims

1. Apparatus for inhibiting curling of an edge of a fabric of the type having a natural tendency to curl, during feeding of the fabric to a welting machine, to enable welting of said edge to be effected, the apparatus comprising means for directing a jet of air towards said fabric edge in a direction to cause said fabric edge to uncurl or to inhibit curling of said edge and means for sensing the position of the leading edge of said fabric and controlling the jet of air in dependence thereon.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said air jet means is positioned so as to direct a jet of air beneath said fabric adjacent said edge and further comprising means for inhibiting flow of air away from said fabric edge to maintain a cushion of air beneath said edge.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said inhibiting means comprises a substantially planar surface arranged to form a lower boundary for said air cushion and wall means arranged to form a lateral boundary for said air cushion adjacent said fabric edge.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1,2 or 3 further comprising means for restricting movement of said fabric edge under the action of said air jet to prevent said edge folding back on itself.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4 wherein said controlling means is operable to cut off said air jet when said leading edge reaches a preselected position relative to said welting machine.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said preselecting position is adjustable.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 or 6 wherein said air jet is cut off immediately before said edge is engaged by said welting machine.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 or 6 wherein said air jet is cut off as said edge engages said welting machine.

9. Apparatus for inhibiting curling of an edge of a fabric of the type having a natural tendency to curl, during feeding of the fabric to a welting machine to enable welting of said edge to be effected, the apparatus being constructed and arranged to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.