Apparatus and method for seaming hosiery blanks

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR THE SEAMING AND EVERSION OF TUBULAR HOSIERY BLANKS HAVING A WELT AT ONE OPEN END THEREOF AND A TOE FORMING PORTION AT THE OTHER OPEN END THEREOF ADAPTED TO BE CLOSED BY SEAMING TO FORM THE TOE OF THE HOSIERY, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING (A) SEAMING MEANS FOR FEEDING THE TOE FORMING PORTION OF THE TUBULAR HOSIERY BLANK ALONG A PREDETERMINED LINE AND FOR SEAMING AND CLOSING THIS TOE FORMING PORTION, (B) MEANS OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID SEAMING MEANS FOR SUPPORTING THE TUBULAR HOSIERY BLANK WITH THE TOE FORMING PORTION DISPOSED WITH ITS LONGITUDINAL EXTENT GENERALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE PREDETERMINED LINE OF FEED OF SAID SEAMING MEANS, SAID SUPPORTING MEANS INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE ELONGATE FORM HAVING A FREE END OVER WHICH THE TUBULAR HOSIERY BLANK IS ADAPTED TO BE DRAWN WELT FIRST AND HAVING A GENERALLY AXIALLY EXTENDING OPENING THEREIN COMMUNICATING AT ONE END THEREOF WITH THE FREE END OF SAID FORM, AND (C) MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH THE OPENING IN SAID FORM FOR CREATING A PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL THEREIN TO DRAW THE SEAMED TUBULAR HOSIERY BLANK THROUGH THE FORM, SEAMED END FIRST, TO EVERT THE HOSIERY BLANK.