Method for the automated production of t-shirts

Abstract

The present invention relates to a set of items comprising stiff templates ( 120 - 122 ), counter-templates ( 123 ) and hollow punches ( 124 - 126 ) appropriately adapted for producing T-shirts, and their fully automated production process, by means of the above-mentioned set of members.

1 . A set of elements comprising stiff templates for the chest, for the back and for the sleeves, counter-templates for the sleeves and corresponding hollow punches for cutting a fabric in the shape of a chest, back and sleeves, said set of elements specifically prepared to form a T-shirt. 
     
     
         2 . A set of elements prepared to form a T-shirt, comprising:
 at least one stiff chest template shaped substantially like the chest of the T-shirt, said chest template being adapted to contain, hold and transport a stretched out piece of fabric shaped like the model of the chest of the T-shirt;   at least one stiff back template shaped substantially like the back of the T-shirt, said back template adapted to contain, hold and transport a stretched out piece of fabric shaped like the model of the back of the T-shirt;   at least two stiff sleeve templates shaped substantially like the open sleeves of the T-shirt, said sleeve templates adapted to contain, hold and transport a stretched out piece of fabric shaped like the model of the open right and left sleeves of the T-shirt, respectively;   at least two stiff sleeve counter-templates shaped complementary to the curvature of the stiff sleeve templates;   at least one hollow chest punch having a shearing outline adapted to obtain, from a fabric, stretched out on the stiff chest template, a piece of fabric shaped like the model of the chest;   at least one hollow back punch having a shearing outline adapted to obtain, from a fabric, stretched out on the stiff back template, a piece of fabric shaped like the model of the back;   at least one hollow sleeve punch having a shearing outline adapted to obtain, from a fabric, stretched out on the stiff sleeve template and adjacent sleeve counter-template, a piece of fabric shaped like the model of the open sleeves;   wherein   the stiff chest template and back template are slightly larger with respect to the dimensions of the corresponding hollow chest punch and back punch;   the stiff sleeve templates are slightly larger with respect to the corresponding hollow sleeve punch at the ends of the sleeves and of the side edges, while they are slightly smaller than the corresponding sleeve punches at the curvature, which will be assembled with chest and back;   each stiff sleeve template consists of two semi-templates that are symmetrical with respect to the line of symmetry, which are mechanically restrained to each other and can be overlapped by overturning (or closing like a book);   at each curvature, which will be assembled with the sleeves, the stiff chest template and back template each have a movable portion adapted to retract by a distance no greater than the thickness of the respective stiff chest template and back template.   
     
     
         3 . The set of elements according to  claim 1 , wherein the stiff templates and the counter-templates are made of a stiff material able to resist the shearing by means of hollow punches, preferably may consist of a thermoplastic laminate such as for example polyoxymethylene. 
     
     
         4 . The set of elements according to  claim 1 , wherein the stiff templates and the counter-templates have the same thickness, preferably ranging between 3 and 20 mm. 
     
     
         5 . The set of elements according to  claim 1 , wherein the stiff templates have, on the upper surfaces, the ones supporting the fabric, and on the side surfaces, at the curvatures of the sleeves, a system for retaining a fabric to said surfaces; said retaining system preferably consists of a rough covering or is obtained by means of air suction. 
     
     
         6 . The set of elements according to  claim 1 , wherein the stiff templates and counter-templates are planar. 
     
     
         7 . A process comprising the use of at least one set of stiff templates and corresponding hollow punches and counter-templates according to  claim 1 , said process for obtaining the production, preferably completely automated, of T-shirts; said process wherein chest and back of the T-shirt are joined to each other by gluing with a suitable adhesive means so that the sleeves are joined to the chest and back by gluing with suitable adhesive means. 
     
     
         8 . The process according to  claim 6 , comprising: arranging the set of stiff templates and counter-templates on a set of pallets; said arrangement provides that each stiff template of the sleeves is arranged on a pallet together with the corresponding counter-template and the initial position of the counter-template is adjacent to the corresponding stiff template; the initial position of the movable portions of the stiff templates of chest and back is not retracted;
 placing a bolt of fabric, wrong side up, onto at least one set of stiff templates and counter-templates as described above; preferably said placement occurs in such a way that the fabric adheres to the stiff templates and counter-templates in a well stretched out manner and without forming folds (for example, by means of a roller or by means of an air jet);   cutting the fabric on the stiff templates by means of corresponding hollow punches;   retracting the movable portions of the stiff templates of the chest and of the back and separating the counter-templates from the stiff templates of the sleeves to obtain first and second curls;   distributing an adhesive means on the side edges and on the upper edges of the chest and back and of the side edges of the sleeves and on the first and second curls;   superimposing the stiff template of the chest on the stiff template of the back, or vice versa, to obtain the chest/back template sandwich and to obtain the formation of the body of the T-shirt by means of gluing the side edges with the side edges and of the upper edges of the chest with the upper edges of the back, respectively, and superimposing the symmetrical semi-templates of the stiff templates of the sleeves, to obtain the sleeves template sandwiches and to obtain the formation of the tubes of the sleeves by means of gluing the side edges of a same sleeve to each other;   coupling the chest/back templates sandwich with the sleeves template sandwiches to obtain the gluing of the first curls with the second curls.   
     
     
         9 . The process according to  claim 7 , wherein said adhesive means is of microdots type, for example single-component water-based polyurethane or rubber-based cyanoacrylate. 
     
     
         10 . The process according to  claim 7 , wherein, after the cutting of the fabric, aesthetic hemming are performed of the lower edges and of the rounded edges, at the collar, chest and back and of the end edges of the sleeves. 
     
     
         11 . The process according to  claim 7 , also comprising typical and known steps of affixing stamp, label, logo or print or affixing a sweat guard. 
     
     
         12 . A T-shirt, obtained from the process according to  claim 7 , said T-shirt comprising:
 gluing, between chest and back to the shoulders and sides, respectively;   gluing, to the sleeves and between the sleeves and the chest and the back respectively.   
     
     
         13 . The T-shirt according to  claim 12 , also comprising
 needle-and-thread aesthetic hemming of the edges of the hole for the head to pass through;   needle-and-thread aesthetic hemming at the end edges of the sleeves and of the chest and back.