Abstract: A laundry article is drawn by a tensioning conveyor with a tensioning gripper which has gripped said laundry article at a corner in a tensioning direction over a narrowing channel, the base of which is convex in the tensioning direction. Optical sensors arranged on the channel detect the rear end of the laundry article, which is then gripped by a clamping unit at the end thereof. A detectable edge which slides along a guide plate is aligned so that it is detected by a sensor on a first edge gripper which is then moved downwards along an approximately perpendicularly aligned pivot arm until the sensor detects the corner at the lower end of the edge. Subsequently, the pivot arm is swiveled to a horizontal transfer position, and the laundry article with the detected edge is placed on a removal conveyor, an impact edge being advanced.

Abstract: A laundry article is drawn over a support surface by a positioning gripper and is set down there so that the rearmost tip comes to rest on an edge plate and the remainder on a transverse conveyor which moves the laundry article to a corner gripping apparatus. The latter is then moved to the edge plate, optical sensors located above said edge plate registering edge points of the laundry article. The position of the corner is determined whereupon the corner gripping apparatus approaches the tip determined and a corner gripper is advanced from the gripping edge so that a lower jaw thereof grips under the edge plate. An upper jaw is then lowered onto the corner of the laundry article. The corner gripper is then withdrawn so that the corner is clamped between the upper jaw and the lower jaw of the corner gripper.

Abstract: For automatic gripping of a corner (71) of a laundry article (70) the latter is drawn over a support surface by a positioning gripper and is set down there so that the rearmost tip comes to rest on an edge plate (17) and the remainder on a transverse conveyor (16) which moves the laundry article (70) transversely to a corner gripping apparatus (12). The latter is then moved transversely to the edge plate (17), optical sensors (32) located above said edge plate registering edge points of the laundry article (70). For determining the position of the corner (71), interpolation is then effected between those registered edge points which are closest to a front gripping edge (27) of the edge plate (17) whereupon the corner gripping apparatus (12) approaches the tip determined and a corner gripper (24) is advanced from the gripping edge (27) so that a lower jaw (25) thereof grips under the edge plate (17). An upper jaw is then lowered onto the corner (71) of the laundry article (70).

Abstract: For aligning and gripping an edge (72) of a laundry article (70), the latter is drawn by a tensioning conveyor (34) with a tensioning gripper (35) which has gripped said laundry article at a corner (71) in a tensioning direction over a narrowing channel (43), the base (44) of which is convex in the tensioning direction. Optical sensors arranged on the channel (43) detect the rear end of the laundry article (70), which is then gripped by a clamping unit at the end thereof. By lowering the channel (43), a detectable edge (72) which slides along a guide plate (55) is aligned so that it is detected by a sensor (58) on a first edge gripper (56) which is then moved downwards along an approximately perpendicularly aligned pivot arm (53) until the sensor (58) detects the corner (73) at the lower end of the edge (72).

Abstract: A clamp (11) for gripping an individual piece of linen has two jaws (17a,b) which point in a hook shape towards one another and end in rectangular clamping surfaces (20a,b), which in each case have a depth of between 1 mm and at most 5 mm, preferably between 2 mm and 3 mm, between a front clamping edge (19a;b) and a rear edge (21). The front surfaces (20a;b) of the jaws (17a,b) are in the form of contact surfaces having a high coefficient of friction. Mounted on the inside of one jaw (19b) is a strip (22) which projects beyond its clamping surface (20b) and whose front forms a contact surface (23) extending at least to the other clamping surface (20a). A separator moreover has a gripper which grips pieces of linen in a container and moves to a transfer position where a piece of linen (27) is accepted by the clamp (11).