Harold D Stone

US Patent:

59542446, Sep 21, 1999

Filed:

Sep 9, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/150443

Inventors:

William H. Nichol - Hopkinsville KY
Harold L. Stone - Mount Airy NC

Assignee:

William H. Nichol, Jr. - Hopkinsville KY

International Classification:

D06C 1500

US Classification:

223 60

Abstract:

An apparatus for processing socks in nested pairs includes the frame and a plurality of processing stations which may include a trimming station, a pressing station, a printing station, and a doffing station as well as a nesting station. The nesting station includes the frame, an assembly mounted to the frame for supporting and positioning a second sock to be disposed in an overlying relationship with the first sock but with both socks being an extended generally flatten condition. The nesting assembly further includes an assembly mounted to the frame for supporting the first sock in an extended, generally flatten condition including an arrangement for retaining the first sock with the one end thereof and an open condition sufficient to receive the second sock in a generally extended and flatten condition and an assembly mounted to the frame for directing the first sock into an overlying relationship with a second sock resulting in the outer surface of the second sock being in contact with the inner surface of the first sock, thereby nesting the sock.