Machine and method for boarding tubular knitted articles

Abstract

The machine comprises in combination: at least one tubular boarding form ( 5 ) with a longitudinal axis (B-B); a heat treatment chamber ( 15 ), the tubular boarding form ( 5 ) being insertable in, and extractable from, the heat treatment chamber ( 15 ); a pick-up device ( 71 ) to take tubular knitted articles (M) and load them on the tubular boarding form ( 5 ).

1 . A machine for boarding tubular knitted articles, the machine comprising:
 at least one tubular boarding form comprising a longitudinal axis;   a heat treatment chamber, the at least one tubular boarding form being movable such that the at least one tubular boarding form is insertable in and extractable from the heat treatment chambers,   a pick-up device for picking up a tubular knitted article and loading the tubular knitted article on the at least one tubular boarding form;   a final boarding and removing unit for removing tubular knitted articles from the at least one tubular boarding form, wherein the final boarding and removing unit comprises a pair of adjacent and opposite conveyor belts defining a path for removing the tubular knitted articles from the at least one tubular boarding form.   
     
     
         2 . A machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one tubular boarding form comprises an extractor extractable from and retractable in an end of the at least one tubular boarding form. 
     
     
         3 . A machine according to  claim 2 , wherein the extractor has a flat shape. 
     
     
         4 . A machine according to  claim 2 , wherein the pair of adjacent and opposite conveyor belts and the extractor are configured and controlled such that when the extractor is extracted from the at least one tubular boarding form with the tubular knitted article partially lifted by the extractor from the at least one tubular boarding form, the pair of adjacent and opposite conveyor belts pinch and press the tubular knitted article between the extractor and the the pair of adjacent and opposite conveyor belts. 
     
     
         5 . A machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one tubular boarding form is carried by a conveyor configured and controlled so as to insert the at least one tubular boarding form into, and extract the at least one tubular boarding form from, the heat treatment chamber. 
     
     
         6 . A machine according to  claim 1 , further comprising an angular orientation device for angularly positioning the at least one tubular boarding form. 
     
     
         7 . A machine according to  claim 1 , further comprising another tubular boarding form to provide a plurality of tubular boarding forms. 
     
     
         8 . A machine according to  claim 7 , wherein said plurality of tubular boarding forms are carried by a common conveyor. 
     
     
         9 . A method for boarding a tubular knitted article, the method comprising the following steps:
 inserting a tubular knitted article to be boarded on a tubular boarding form;   heat-treating the tubular knitted article when the tubular knitted article is arranged on the tubular boarding form;   engaging the tubular knitted article via a pair of opposite conveyor belts pressed against each other;   removing the tubular knitted article from the tubular boarding form via the pair of opposite conveyor belts and performing a final boarding step of the tubular knitted article by pressing the pair of opposite conveyor belts against each other.   
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the step of engaging the tubular knitted article via the pair of opposite conveyor belts comprises the steps of:
 lifting the tubular knitted article from an end of the tubular boarding form via an extractor housed in the tubular boarding form, the extractor being extractable from the tubular boarding form; and   pressing the pair of opposite conveyor belts against each other with the extractor and the tubular knitted article interposed between the pair of opposite conveyor belts.   
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the extractor has a flat shape. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 10 , wherein the tubular boarding form is carried by a conveyor configured and controlled so as to insert the tubular boarding form into, and extract the tubular boarding form from, a heat treatment chamber. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 10 , further comprising providing an angular orientation device for angularly positioning the tubular boarding form. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 10 , further comprising providing another tubular boarding form to provide a plurality of tubular boarding forms. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein said plurality of tubular boarding forms are carried by a common conveyor. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein said common conveyor comprises a carousel rotating around a carousel axis, the carousel axis being parallel to longitudinal axes of the plurality of tubular boarding forms. 
     
     
         17 . A machine according to  claim 3 , wherein the opposite conveyor belts and the extractor are configured and controlled such that when the extractor is extracted from the at least one tubular boarding form with the tubular knitted article partially lifted by the extractor from the at least one tubular boarding form, the opposite conveyor belts pinch and press the tubular knitted article between the extractor and the two opposite conveyor belts. 
     
     
         18 . A machine according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one tubular boarding form is carried by a conveyor configured and controlled so as to insert the at least one tubular boarding form into, and extract the at least one tubular boarding form from, the heat treatment chamber. 
     
     
         19 . A machine according to  claim 8 , wherein said common conveyor comprises a carousel rotating around a carousel axis. 
     
     
         20 . A machine according to  claim 18 , wherein the carousel axis is parallel to longitudinal axes of the plurality of tubular boarding forms.