Guides for folding machines

Abstract

An apparatus for automatically folding garments is described. The apparatus has a frame, a garment support, a tucker plate, a guide, and a means for transporting a garment along the tucker plate. The garment support is supported by the frame and has a first surface for supporting the garment and an opposing second surface. The tucker plate is also supported by the frame and is transversely spaced from the opposing second surface of the garment support. The guide is also supported by the frame. The guide is associated with the tucker plate and located adjacent the garment support so as to engage a portion of a folded edge of the garment supported on the first surface of the garment support.

1 . An apparatus for automatically folding garments, the apparatus comprising:
 a frame;   a garment support supported by the frame, the garment support having a first surface for supporting a garment and an opposing second surface;   a first tucker plate supported by the frame, the first tucker plate transversely spaced from said opposing second surface;   a first guide supported by the frame, the first guide associated with the first tucker plate and located adjacent the garment support so as to engage a portion of a folded edge of a garment supported on the first surface of the garment support; and   a means for transporting the garment along a length of the first tucker plate.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a second tucker plate transversely spaced from the first tucker plate and the second surface of the garment support, the first and second tucker plates aligned along opposing first and second edges of the garment support. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the first guide is located between the first tucker plate and the garment support. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  further comprising a second guide associated with the second tucker plate and located adjacent the garment support and between the second tucker plate and the garment support. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the first guide is located adjacent an edge of the garment support, and the second guide is located adjacent an opposing edge of the garment support. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first guide is attached to the frame and is adjustable along a plane transverse to a plane of the garment support. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first guide is attached to the frame and is adjustable along a plane parallel to a plane of the garment support. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first guide comprises a rigid bar having a first end and a second end joined by an intermediate segment. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the first end of the first guide is associated with a receiving end of the garment support and is angled from a terminal end inwardly relative to the garment support. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the intermediate segment of the guide is substantially linear and parallel to an edge of the garment support. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the intermediate segment terminates at the second end, the second end associated with a transition between the means for transferring the garment along a length of the first tucker plate and a means for further transferring the garment along a length of the folding apparatus. 
   
   
       12 . An apparatus for automatically folding garments, the apparatus comprising:
 a longitudinal folding zone wherein opposing side portions of a garment are automatically folded inwardly as a garment traverses from an entry end of the longitudinal folding zone to a delivery end of the longitudinal folding zone;   a garment support within the longitudinal folding zone, the garment support having a first surface for supporting the garment and an opposing second surface;   a first tucker plate transversely spaced from the second surface of the garment support; and   a first guide located at the delivery end of the longitudinal folding zone, the first guide cooperating with the garment support to maintain a longitudinal fold of at least one of the opposing side portions of the garment.   
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  further comprising: a hand-off point at the delivery end of the longitudinal folding zone, the hand-off point receiving the garment from the delivery end of the longitudinal folding zone and transferring the garment to a further folding apparatus zone, a portion of the guide located within the hand-off zone. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 12  further comprising a second guide located at the delivery end of the folding zone, the first and second guides associated with opposing sides of the garment support. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the first guide comprises an elongated rod having a first end joined to a second end by an intermediate segment, the first end located at the receiving end of the longitudinal folding zone and angled inwardly from a terminal end inwardly towards the garment support. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the intermediate segment of the first guide is substantially linear and generally parallel to an edge of the garment support. 
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the first guide is located between the first tucker plate and the garment support. 
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the first guide is associated with the first tucker plate and is located adjacent the garment support so as to engage a portion of a folded edge of a garment supported on the first surface of the garment support. 
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 12  further comprising:
 a second tucker plate transversely spaced from the first tucker plate and the second surface of the garment support, the first and second tucker plates aligned along opposing first and second edges of the garment support; and   a second guide located at the delivery end of the longitudinal folding zone, the second guide cooperating with the garment support to maintain a longitudinal fold of at least one of the opposing side portions of the garment wherein the first guide is associated with the first tucker plate and located adjacent the garment support and between the first tucker plate and the garment support, and the second guide is associated with the second tucker plate and located adjacent the garment support and between the second tucker plate and the garment support.   
   
   
       20 . An apparatus for automatically folding garments, the apparatus comprising:
 a frame;   a garment support supported by the frame, the garment support having a first surface for supporting a garment and an opposing second surface;   a first tucker plate supported by the frame, the first tucker plate transversely spaced from said opposing second surface;   a first guide supported by the frame, the first guide adjustable relative to the garment support along first and second transecting planes and locatable adjacent the garment support so as to engage a portion of a folded edge of a garment supported on the first surface of the garment support.