Abstract: An apparatus for orienting sock blanks or the like so that the open toes of the blanks can be sewn closed includes a device for turning the sock inside out, a sock rotation device for grasping the sock and rotating it until sensors detect that the sock is in the proper orientation, a sock transfer device for taking the sock from the sock rotation device toward a sewing machine, and sock guiding and positioning mechanisms for feeding the sock into the in-feed nip of the sewing machine.

Abstract: An apparatus for orienting sock blanks or the like so that the open toes of the blanks can be sewn closed includes a device for turning the sock inside out, a sock rotation device for grasping the sock and rotating it until sensors detect that the sock is in the proper orientation, a sock transfer device for taking the sock from the sock rotation device toward a sewing machine, and sock guiding and positioning mechanisms for feeding the sock into the in-feed nip of the sewing machine.

Abstract: An apparatus for orienting open-toe sock blanks includes a tube for receiving a sock blank sleeved thereover such that the open toe end of the blank extends beyond the end of the tube, a clamping mechanism for engaging the blank against the tube and for rotating the blank about the tube, a sensor system for detecting one or more predetermined features on the toe end of the blank so that the blank can be rotated to a proper orientation for sewing the toe end closed, and a spreader device that moves into the open toe end of the blank and spreads the toe end into a flattened orientation so that overlying edge portions of the open toe end are generally aligned with each other, and then moves away from the tube to remove the blank from the tube and transport the flattened toe end into an automatic sewing machine for sewing the overlying edge portions of the toe end together.