Abstract: An apparatus and method of removing a small number of flexible objects, such as circular knit hosiery blanks from a mass of randomly arranged flexible objects, depositing the flexible objects on a turntable in spaced apart relation, removing individual flexible objects from the turntable, conveying the individual flexible objects to a sensing location, sensing the orientation thereof, returning to the turntable any flexible objects that are not properly positioned for the sensing of the orientation thereof, conveying the flexible objects which have had the orientation thereof determined along one of two alternate paths of travel determined by the orientation that has been sensed and the orientation desired at the delivery point, delivering the properly oriented blanks to a transfer location, transferring the blanks to a further processing apparatus, and further processing the flexible objects.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of removing a small number of flexible objects, such as circular knit hosiery blanks from a mass of randomly arranged flexible objects, depositing the flexible objects on a turntable in spaced apart relation, removing individual flexible objects from the turntable, conveying the individual flexible objects to a sensing location, sensing the orientation thereof, returning to the turntable any flexible objects that are not properly positioned for the sensing of the orientation thereof, conveying the flexible objects which have had the orientation thereof determined along one of two alternate paths of travel determined by the orientation that has been sensed and the orientation desired at the delivery point, delivering the properly oriented blanks to a transfer location, transferring the blanks to a further processing apparatus, and further processing the flexible objects.

Abstract: The inductance value of air-core coils are adjusted using automated methods and inexpensive, noncomplicated apparatus. Adjusting tools are provided which displace coil turns in a linear motion with respect to the coil centerline. Specifically, the coil turns can be displaced by sliding perpendicularly to the coil centerline or by rotating a group of coils in order to modify the coil inductance. The adjusting tools used and the method of coil-turn displacement allow the automated method to reincrease the inductance of a coil in the event that displacement causes an over-decrease of inductance.

Abstract: Improvement in the manufacture of panty hose wherein instead of making the panty portion of the panty hose on one machine, known as a Line Closer, and of closing the open toe foot portions of the panty hose on another machine, known as a Toe Closer, to make the panty hose, the panty hose is now made entirely upon an apparatus which combines the functions of both machines to make the panty hose. The apparatus includes an attachment to be used in conjunction with a Line Closer in which the latter makes the panty portion of the panty hose in the usual way from the welt portions of a pair of hosiery blanks having open welt, leg and open toe foot portions and in which the attachment then automatically transfers the hosiery blanks from the Line Closer to itself and sews closed the open toes of the foot portions to make the panty hose.