Hose everting method and apparatus therefor

Claim 1

An improved method of processing a knitted sleeve-like item formed as an elongated sleeve with open longitudinal extremities, which comprises: first drawing an elongated sleeve over a cylindrical mounting tube having a free end whereby the leading end of said sleeve receives said free end; then continuing drawing said sleeve until the following end of said sleeve passes a means for resisting sliding on said mounting member; then drawing said sleeve from said leading end in the reverse direction so that said sleeve is drawn back over itself, whereby movement of said sleeve about its following end towards said free end of said mounting member is retarded by said sliding resisting means, until said leading end is drawn beyond said free end of said mounting tube; then stitching said leading end closed; and then providing a suction through said mounting tube and allowing said sleeve to be drawn into said mounting tube, closed leading end first.

Claim 7

A device for use in the processing of knitted hose comprising: means for mounting an elongated sleeve comprising a cylindrical mounting tube having a first and second end, said first end being a free end adapted for being received by a leading end of a tubular sleeve; means for drawing said elongated sleeve forward and backward on said mounting means by the leading end of said sleeve; means for resisting sliding of the following end of said sleeve when said leading end is being drawn backward on said mounting means, said sliding resisting means being disposed on said mounting tube at a position between its first and second ends; associated means for clamping said leading end for stitching closed an end of said sleeve, said clamping means being disposed forward of said free end of said mounting tube; means for providing suction through said mounting tube at said free end of said mounting tube; and said sleeve drawing means comprising two spaced apart pairs of fingers rotatably mounted on slideably mounted gripping assembly, said two pairs of fingers being disposed on opposite sides of said mounting tube and each being rotatable through at least 180°, and means for moving said pairs of fingers between a position between said sliding resisting means and said second end of said mounting tube to a position forward of said free end of said mounting tube.

Claim 8

A device for use in the processing of knitted hose comprising: means for mounting an elongated sleeve comprising a cylindrical mounting tube having a first and second end, said first end being a free end adapted for being received by a leading end of a tubular sleeve; means for drawing said elongated sleeve forward and backward on said mounting means by the leading end of said sleeve; means for resisting sliding of the following end of said sleeve when said leading end is being drawn backward on said mounting means, said sliding resisting means being disposed on said mounting tube at a position between its first and second ends; associated means for clamping said leading end for stitching closed an end of said sleeve, said clamping means being disposed forward of said free end of said mounting tube; means for providing suction through said mounting tube at said free end of said mounting tube; and said sleeve drawing means comprising two spaced apart pairs of fingers rotatably mounted on slideably mounted gripping assembly, said two pairs of fingers being disposed on opposite sides of said mounting tube and each being rotatable through at least 180°, and means for moving said pairs of fingers between a position between said sliding resisting means and said second end of said mounting tube to a position forward of said free end of said mounting tube.