Method and a device for advancing essentially rectangular pieces of cloth to a feeder

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and a device for advancing essentially rectangular pieces of cloth ( 5 ) to a feeder ( 60 ) comprising securing of a piece of cloth in securing means ( 31 ) that are configured on a rail conveyor ( 30 ); wherein the rail conveyor with the piece of cloth is transported in a direction of conveyance ( 16 ) on an endless conveyor rail; and wherein the rail converter with the piece of cloth is transferred to the feeder ( 60 ). Hereby reduced operator time is accomplished, while simultaneously an increase in capacity is achieved compared to the prior art advancement devices.

1 . A method of advancing essentially rectangular pieces of cloth ( 5 ) to a feeder ( 60 ) comprising securing of a piece of cloth ( 5 ) in securing means ( 31 ) that are configured on a rail conveyor ( 30 ); wherein the rail conveyor ( 30 ) with the piece of cloth ( 5 ) is conveyed in a direction of conveyance ( 16 ) on an endless conveyor rail; and wherein the rail conveyor ( 30 ) with the piece of cloth ( 5 ) is advanced to a feeder  60 ; and wherein the piece of cloth  5 ) is transferred to the feeder ( 60 ), characterised in that a section of an edge on the piece of cloth ( 5 ) is found and that the section of the edge is straightened, following which the section of the edge is mounted in the securing means ( 31 ).  
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the piece of cloth ( 5 ) is transferred from a transfer position ( 14 ) configured in an inlet station ( 12 ) to the securing means ( 31 ) in that the securing means ( 31 ) are conveyed in between two parallel sandwich conveyor belts ( 17 ) configured in the direction of conveyance ( 16 ) of the inlet station; and that the straightened edge of the piece of cloth ( 5 ) is mounted in the securing means ( 31 ) in the transfer position ( 14 ) by the advancement by the sandwich conveyor belts of the piece of cloth from a position of introduction ( 13 ) configured in the direction of conveyance ( 16 ) opposite the transfer position ( 14 ).  
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1  or  2 , characterised in that the piece of cloth ( 5 ) is conveyed on the endless conveyor rail ( 21 ) with the straightened edge of the piece of cloth transversally of the direction of conveyance ( 16 ) or essentially transversally of the direction of conveyance ( 16 ).  
   
   
       4 . A method according to any one of claims  1 - 3 , characterised in that the piece of cloth ( 5 ) is transferred from the securing means ( 31 ) on the rail conveyor ( 30 ) to the feeder ( 60 ) in that the straightened edge on the piece of cloth ( 5 ) is conveyed in between a superjacent ( 63 ) and a subjacent conveyor belt ( 64 ) configured at an end of a bar ( 65 ), which bar is arranged transversally to the direction of conveyance ( 16 ) on the feeder ( 60 ).  
   
   
       5 . A method according to any one of claims  1 - 4 , characterised in that a plurality of pieces of cloth ( 5 ) are mounted on each their rail conveyor ( 30 ), and that each rail conveyor with a piece of cloth is subsequently taken onto the endless conveyor rail ( 21 ), where the rail conveyors with pieces of cloth form a buffer storage.  
   
   
       6 . A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the rail conveyor ( 30 ) with the piece of cloth ( 5 ) is conveyed out of the buffer storage for being fed to the feeder ( 60 ).  
   
   
       7 . A method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the rail conveyor ( 30 ) with the piece of cloth ( 5 ) is conveyed onto a section of the conveyor rail ( 26   b ) and is conveyed to another feeder ( 60 ).  
   
   
       8 . A device for advancing essentially rectangular pieces of cloth ( 5 ) to a feeder ( 60 ) comprising a rail conveyor ( 30 ) with securing means ( 31 ), said rail conveyor being configured to convey essentially rectangular pieces of cloth on a conveyor rail ( 21 ) in a direction of conveyance ( 16 ) between an inlet station ( 12   a ,  12   b ) and the feeder, characterised in that the securing means ( 31 ) are configured for securing a piece of a straightened edge of the piece of cloth ( 5 ); and that the securing means ( 31 ) are configured in such a manner as to run between two parallel sandwich conveyor belts ( 17 ) configured in the direction of conveyance ( 16 ) of the inlet station; and that the securing means are configured to take over the straightened edge of the piece of cloth ( 5 ) at a transfer position ( 14 ), which transfer position ( 14 ) is configured in the direction of conveyance opposite the position of introduction ( 13 ).  
   
   
       9 . A device according to  claim 8 , characterised in that the securing means ( 30 ) are a pair of conveyor clamps arranged on the rail conveyor ( 21 ) at a distance from each other and along an axis (X) which is perpendicular to the direction of conveyance ( 16 ) of the rail conveyor ( 30 ) or is essentially perpendicular to the direction of conveyance ( 16 ) of the rail conveyor.  
   
   
       10 . A device according to any one of claims  8 - 9 , characterised in that the conveyor clamps ( 30 ) are configured for securing the straightened edge of the piece of cloth ( 5 ) in a position transversally to the direction of conveyance ( 16 ) or essentially transversally to the direction of conveyance ( 16 ).  
   
   
       11 . A device according to any one of claims  8 - 10 , characterised in comprising a buffer area (32 a ,  32   b ), said buffer area being configured in the direction of conveyance ( 16 ) on the conveyor rail ( 21 ) between an inlet station ( 12   a ,  12   b ) and said feeder ( 60 ).  
   
   
       12 . A device according to any one of claims  8 - 11 , characterised in comprising a buffer area ( 28   a ) configured on the conveyor rail ( 21 ) between the feeder ( 60 ) and the inlet station ( 12   a ,  12   b ).  
   
   
       13 . A device according to any one of claims  8 - 12 , characterised in that the conveyor rail ( 21 ) comprises one or more switchings ( 27 ).