Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
92 words
In combination, a draping conveyor having a narrow upper margin over which individual flatwork pieces can be draped in longitudinally spaced relation with at least the lower portions thereof exposed, a sewing station positioned opposite a section of said draping conveyor, and a pair of sewing machines on the opposite lateral sides of said draping conveyor at said sewing station and positioned so that operators in front of said sewing machine may grasp respectively the two exposed portions of the flatwork piece hanging down from the upper margins of said draping conveyor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
92 words
In combination, a draping conveyor having a narrow upper margin over which individual flatwork pieces can be draped in longitudinally spaced relation with at least the lower portions thereof exposed, a sewing station positioned opposite a section of said draping conveyor, and a pair of sewing machines on the opposite lateral sides of said draping conveyor at said sewing station and positioned so that operators in front of said sewing machine may grasp respectively the two exposed portions of the flatwork piece hanging down from the upper margins of said draping conveyor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
114 words
The combination of claim 1 wherein there is provided flatwork piece draping means for sequentially placing individual flatwork pieces on the upper margins of the conveyor so each flatwork piece has a fold at one end thereof and the portions thereof on opposite sides of the fold hang down from the upper margin of the conveyor where such portions are exposed, said flatwork piece draping means draping each flatwork piece over the upper margins of the conveyor so the fold therein is located on one side of the conveyor and said portions thereof extending from the fold extend around the upper margins of the conveyor and hang down therefrom on the opposite side thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
159 words
The combination of claim 1 wherein there is provided flatwork piece draping means for sequentially placing individual flatwork pieces on the upper margins of the conveyor so each flatwork piece has a fold at one end thereof and the portions thereof on opposite sides of the fold hang down from the upper margin of the conveyor where such portions are exposed, said flatwork piece draping means including flatwork piece feeding means extending generally to a draping station at a point elevated from the upper margins of said draping conveyor where it drops the leading edge portion of a flatwork piece below one side of the upper margins of said draping conveyor, and flatwork piece engaging means for positioning a portion of the flatwork piece which has been dropped on one side of the upper margin of said draping conveyor to the other side of the draping conveyor while the feeding means continues to operate to form a fold therein.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
81 words
The combination of claim 3 wherein said flatwork piece engaging means has a first position where it pushes said portion of said flatwork piece to said other side of the draping conveyor and a second position which permits the end portion of the flatwork piece which has been folded on said other side of said draping conveyor to once again drop on said one side of the draping conveyor, so there are formed confronting engaging portions of the flatwork piece involved.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
133 words
The combination of claim 4 wherein there is combined with the flatwork piece handling apparatus flatwork piece severing means movable in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of said flatwork piece feeding means, said flatwork piece severing means being operable to move from one side to the other of said feeding means to the other of said feeding means to sever a complete flatwork piece from the portion behind the same, sensing means responsive to a given position of the flatwork piece adjacent to said drapery conveyor for effecting the stoppage of said feeding means and the initiation of the movement of said flatwork piece severing means across the flatwork piece and sensing means responsive to the completion of the severance operation for effecting the operation of said feeding means again.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
210 words
The combination of claim 1 wherein there is provided flatwork piece draping means for sequentially placing individual flatwork pieces on the upper margins of the conveyor so each flatwork piece has a fold at one end thereof and the portions thereof on opposite sides of the fold hang down from the upper margin of the conveyor where such portions are exposed, said flatwork piece draping means including flatwork piece feeding means extending generally to said draping station at a point elevated from the upper margins of said draping conveyor where it delivers the same to said draping conveyor, and flatwork piece severing means movable in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of said flatwork piece feeding means, said flatwork piece severing means being operable to move from one side to the other of said feeding means to sever a complete flatwork piece from the portion behind the same, sensing means responsive to a given position of the flatwork piece adjacent to said draping conveyor for effecting the stoppage of said feeding means and the initiation of the movement of said flatwork piece severing means across the flatwork piece, and sensing means responsive to the completion of the severance operation for effecting the operation of said feeding means again.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
79 words
The combination of claim 1 wherein there is provided means for immovably holding each flatwork piece with respect to the narrow upper margin of the draping conveyor at said sewing station, whereby each of said portions of each flatwork piece hanging down from said upper margins of said draping conveyor can swing freely of the other of same for a limited distance with assurance that the position of the upper portion of the draped sheet will not be disturbed.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
66 words
The combination of claim 1 wherein there is provided means for imparting intermittent movement to said draping conveyor so the flatwork pieces are sequentially carried from said draping station to said sewing station, and sensing means at said sewing station for initiating movement of said draping conveyor after both of said portions of said flatwork pieces have been moved a given distance through said sewing machines.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
60 words
The combination of claim 1 further combined with a flatwork sheet folding station at a point beyond the sewing station, the folding station having means for engaging said exposed portions of the flatwork pieces delivered thereto and forming a fold therein in a direction parallel to the fold formed by the draping of the flatwork piece on said draping conveyor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
199 words
In combination, a pair of draping conveyors each having a narrow upper margin over which individual flatwork pieces can be draped at draping stations in longitudinally spaced relation in a manner where each flatwork piece has a fold at one end thereof with portions thereof on opposite sides of the fold hanging down from the upper margins of the associated draping conveyor where such portions are exposed; a folding machine for folding flatwork pieces fed thereto, the folding machine having a pair of inlet stations at which flatwork pieces on said draping conveyors are respectively delivered, and flatwork piece receiving and folding means for respectively receiving and folding at least once the flatwork pieces delivered to said inlet stations and feeding them to a common outlet station; and a separate sewing station between each of said draping stations and the associated inlet station of said folding machine, each sewing station including a pair of sewing machines on opposite sides of said draping conveyor thereat, said sewing machines being positioned so that operators in front of said sewing machine may grasp respectively the two exposed portions of the flatwork piece hanging down from the upper margins of said draping conveyor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
199 words
In combination, a pair of draping conveyors each having a narrow upper margin over which individual flatwork pieces can be draped at draping stations in longitudinally spaced relation in a manner where each flatwork piece has a fold at one end thereof with portions thereof on opposite sides of the fold hanging down from the upper margins of the associated draping conveyor where such portions are exposed; a folding machine for folding flatwork pieces fed thereto, the folding machine having a pair of inlet stations at which flatwork pieces on said draping conveyors are respectively delivered, and flatwork piece receiving and folding means for respectively receiving and folding at least once the flatwork pieces delivered to said inlet stations and feeding them to a common outlet station; and a separate sewing station between each of said draping stations and the associated inlet station of said folding machine, each sewing station including a pair of sewing machines on opposite sides of said draping conveyor thereat, said sewing machines being positioned so that operators in front of said sewing machine may grasp respectively the two exposed portions of the flatwork piece hanging down from the upper margins of said draping conveyor.