Abstract: A method for sewing an open end of a tubular textile item so as to make the toe of a sock or of a leg of a stocking, comprising the steps of: loading a tubular item onto a preparation mold, and flatten it to define a first side and a second side; pulling the end portion of the first side so that is elongated, with respect to the end portion of the second side, of a determined length; by keeping the end portion of the first side pulled, simultaneously blocking the two sides so as to make them as one piece; by keeping the two sides blocked, releasing the end portion of the first side, taking the preparation mold out of the tubular item, and simultaneously placing the end portions of the two sides to sewing devices, so as to make a closed toe of the tubular item.

Abstract: The linking device (9) includes a first bowed needle (17) mounted on a first shaft (13) and a second bowed needle (19) mounted on a second shaft (15). The first shaft (13) and the second shaft (15) are mutually inclined to each other and are controlled in order to pivot alternatingly around a pivot axis (A-A) of the first shaft (13) and a pivot axis (B-B) of the second shaft (15), respectively. The first shaft (13) is rigidly coupled to a first pin (27) pivoting therewith; the second shaft (15) is rigidly coupled to a second pin (31) pivoting therewith; and a slider (35) is slidingly mounted on the first pin (27) and on the second pin (31).

Abstract: An automatic device (1) for orienting tubular textile items (3) on blocks (2), comprising a block (2) for receiving the textile item (3) having a reference (4) with respect to which the item (3) is to be oriented for reaching a pre-established operating position with respect to the block (2), orientation means (9) for shifting the item (3) on the block (2) for bringing it in the pre-established operating position, a detection element (13) for determining the initial position of the reference (4) when the textile item (3) is loaded onto the block (2), with respect to the pre-established operating position, and processing means connected to the detection element (13) and acting upon the orientation means (9) for orienting the textile item (3) and bringing it in the pre-established operating position.

Abstract: The device comprises a tubular member (377) on which a tubular knitted article (M) is disposed and an operating head (1432) positioned in front of an end of the tubular member, comprising a plurality of contact members (1467; 1447, 1453).

Abstract: The device comprises a loading member (3) onto which the tubular knitted article (M) is loaded, and a pick-up member to engage the open toe of the article. The pick-up member has a plurality of elements (13) to engage the toe of the article, arranged about the axis of the loading member, which can take a circular or polygonal configuration and a substantially rectilinear flattened configuration to pick up the article from the loading member and insert it in a guide or in a guillotine (61) of a sewing machine.

Abstract: An automatic sewing device (1), particularly for hosiery knitting machines, characterized in that it comprises a supporting arm (2, 3, 4) for an oscillating means (7, 8), which comprises at least one first oscillating assembly (7), constituted by a semicircular ring, and at least one second oscillating assembly (8), constituted by a second semicircular ring, a means (11, 12) for actuating the oscillating assemblies which is suitable to produce at least one open position, in which the oscillating assemblies substantially form a ring which has the same size as the needle cylinder (24) from which it picks up a hosiery item at the end of the knitting process, and at least one closed position, in which the oscillating assemblies close the hosiery item in a semicircular arrangement, ready to be sewn, in a sewing station, the support being movable from at least one position for gripping the hosiery item from the needle cylinder to at least one position for applying the hosiery item to the sewing station.

Abstract: The method comprises the steps of: generating a curve (PF) which approximates the profile of one end (P) of an article; processing said curve to determine whether it approximates the profile of said first or said second end.

Abstract: The device comprises: a tubular member (15) with an inlet end and an outlet end (15A), associated with suction means and inside which a tubular article (T) is sucked towards the outlet end; a moving pick-up element (21, 23) to engage a first end (P) of the tubular article (T) and remove it from the tubular member, said pick-up element which can be moved towards the outlet end; a shaped block (43), cooperating with the inner wall of the tubular member (15), to define a constriction with variable conformation at the outlet end of the tubular member. The constriction is suitable to define a narrow and elongated section of passage of the tubular article, in which said tubular article is forced to take a spread arrangement at least at the second end.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device for handling tubular knitted articles having a first end and a second end, comprising in combination: a first pick-up member and a second pick-up member (51A, 51B) for the tubular articles, which can be actuated alternatively to engage one end of the tubular articles; detection means to determine the orientation of the first and of the second end of the tubular article and a control unit. The two pick-up members are controlled to alternatively engage the tubular article according to the orientation of the tubular article detected by said detection means.

Abstract: The machine comprises: at least one tubular member (377) to transport the articles (M); a container (301) in which said articles are placed in bulk; pick-up members (305) to pick up individual articles from said container; a feed path of the articles; detection means (329) to identify the orientation of the articles along said path; a stretching device to stretch open an end of an article and load said article onto said tubular member. Also provided are members (341) to discard articles oriented with the first end farther forward than the second end with respect to the direction of feed of the article along said path, and to feed toward said stretching device articles oriented with the second end farther forward than the first end with respect to said direction of feed.

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: A device for precise placement of the toe of a hosiery item during automated insertion in the conveyor of a sewing machine for closing the toe, composed of two laminas arranged side by side on a substantially horizontal plane so as to form therebetween a passage for a portion of the hosiery item proximate to the opening of the toe to be closed; the device comprises, proximate to the inlet of the passage, tensioning elements, arranged below the pair of laminas to engage a portion of the toe of the hosiery item, hanging at the toe opening to be closed with two flaps of the opening facing each other and actuated in order to tension the hosiery item downwardly during insertion in the passage.

Abstract: A sewing method and apparatus, for closing the axial end of a tubular article, such as a hosiery toe, consisting in moving the article along a guiding path, formed by two adjacent laminas faced by a sewing head, in two opposite directions so as to make the article advance with respect to the sewing head during formation of a first stitched seam, retracting the article to return upstream of the sewing head after formation of the first stitched seam, and make the article advance again during formation of the second stitched seam, to close the article by two sewing lines, using a single sewing head.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for closing the toe of a hosiery blank includes a hosiery toe closing machine including a sewing head having a sewing needle and a toe seam width guide. The toe seam width guide has a maximum thread guide width greater than 5 mm, preferably in the range of 6-10 mm. When the sewing needle pulls a thread around the maximum thread guide width of the toe seam width guide, the hosiery toe is closed with a wide, visible seam. The hosiery toe closing machine can include a first sewing head having a maximum thread guide width of 5 mm, for sewing a first, narrow seam, and a second sewing head having a maximum thread guide width greater than 5 mm, allowing a second seam that is wider than the first seam to be sewn over the first seam. The toe seam width guides are adjustably attached to the sewing heads for adjusting the effective thread guide width in the respective sewing heads and thereby provide corresponding adjustments to the relative widths of the first and second seams.

Abstract: A holder for holding sewing articles, such as stockings and socks includes a formed wire device having opposed generally parallel, spaced apart tines, the distal ends of which are covered with soft polymer tips for engaging a portion of an article to be sewn. The formed wire tines are integrally joined to spaced apart handle parts which include connecting legs extending in reverse bends to a second bend in an opposite direction which defines an arcuate hook part and provides a channel between the hook part and the connecting legs for receiving a portion of the end of an article to be sewn while another portion of the end is hooked over the distal ends of the holder tines. Articles to be sewn, such as stockings and socks, may be conveniently held by the holder while embroidery work and the like is applied to part of the upper end of the article.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically feeding tubular articles comprising elements for feeding an article, which are adapted to fit an axial end of the article which is provided with a border thicker than at least one adjacent portion of the article on grip means which can be actuated in order to engage within the axial end so as to support the article in a substantially vertical arrangement and in order to produce a spacing of two diametrically opposite regions of the axial end transversely to the axial extension of the article. The apparatus also comprises elements for supporting the article, which form a first slit-like passage arranged substantially horizontally and adapted to receive a portion of the article that is arranged below the border. Elements for tensioning in a downward direction the article inserted in the first slit-like passage are also provided.