Method for feeding laundry items to a mangle or similar

Abstract

Laundry items (10) are spread out by a spreading device (11), thereby extending the front edge (18) of each item (10). A front edge strip (20) extending from this front edge (18) is then transferred to a discharge bar (27), which places the edge strip (20) onto a feed conveyor (12) that feeds it to a mangle. The front edge of the laundry item (11) extended by the spreading device (11) typically has some residual sag. Especially with larger laundry items (10), this can cause the discharge bar (27) to collide with the edge strip (20) as it descends, impairing the quality of the mangle. The invention provides for positioning the discharge bar (27) far enough away from the edge strip (20) before it descends, so that the edge strip does not collide with the discharge bar (27) as it descends.This allows the discharge bar (27) to take over the edge strip (20) with straight front edge (18) and thus feed the laundry item (10) to the mangle and place it into the same.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for feeding laundry items to a mangle or the like according to claim 1. Laundry items, especially so-called flat laundry items such as bed linen and table linen, are fed from so-called feed machines to a mangle or other laundry machine, for example, a folding machine. In this process, a front edge of the respective laundry item, running transversely to the feed direction, is stretched or spread, thereby spreading the laundry item out.

[0002] To stretch the front edge of the laundry, feed machines are equipped with a spreading device with at least one pair of spreading clamps consisting of two spreading clamps. The spreading clamps can be moved apart perpendicular to the feed direction to spread the front edge. The laundry must be stretched out gently. To achieve this, the spreading clamps spread the front edge only far enough to almost eliminate the sagging of the front edge, leaving a small amount of residual sag.

[0003] WO 2018 / 105363 A1 discloses a feeding machine in which, after the laundry item has been spread out by moving two spreading clamps of a spreading device apart, a lay-down bar is moved at a distance below a spread-out front edge and an adjoining edge strip of the laundry item. When the spreading clamps are subsequently opened, the edge strip falls uncontrollably onto a lay-down area of ​​the lay-down bar. The edge area, which was stretched during the spreading process, contracts, which can lead to the edge strip resting on the lay-down area of ​​the lay-down bar with creases.

[0004] DE 10 2017 000 620 A1 discloses a similar approach. However, in this case, the feeder machine places the front edge and the adjacent edge strips of the spread-out laundry not on a delivery bar, but on a band-type ironer's ironing belt. However, after the spreader clamps open, the edge strip of the spread-out laundry also falls uncontrollably onto the ironing belt.

[0005] EP 0 794 279 B1 discloses a method for feeding laundry items to a mangle, in which an edge region, in particular an edge strip, originating from the stretched front edge of the laundry item is first laid down on a placement area of ​​a placement bar, and from the placement bar the laundry item is transferred with the edge region to a feed conveyor, which transports the spread out laundry item to the mangle, preferably also feeds it into the mangle. To receive the respective laundry item, the placement bar is moved under the edge strip that is still held stretched in front of the spreading clamps. In this known feed machine, when the placement area of ​​the placement bar is moved down under the edge strip, the residual sag of the front edge of the laundry item comes into contact with a region of the front edge strip originating from the lowest central point of the residual sag, thereby increasing the sag.With such an increased sag, the front edge of the laundry is then fed into the mangle or the like, which impairs the quality of the ironing as creases can form or form during the ironing process.

[0006] WO 2021 / 239368 A1 discloses a feeder machine in which the laundry item, spread out by the spreading clamps of a spreading device, is first clamped below the extended edge strip while hanging from the spreading clamps. For this purpose, the support bar has a transverse edge that can be moved next to a fixed abutment running transversely to the feed direction. After the spread laundry item is clamped between the transverse edge of the support bar and the abutment, the spreading clamps are opened and the edge strip of the laundry item is pneumatically blown in the feed direction onto the deposit area of ​​the support bar. The clamping of the laundry item between the abutment and the transverse edge of the support bar is then released, and the front edge of the laundry item is clamped onto the support bar by a clamping bar.This type of transfer of the stretched front edge with the subsequent edge strip of the laundry item to the depositing area of ​​the depositing bar is relatively complex and requires additional process steps due to the repeated clamping of the laundry item.

[0007] The invention is based on the object of creating a method for feeding laundry items to a mangle or the like, which leads to improved mangle quality, in particular avoids an increase in the sagging of the front edge of the laundry item when feeding it to the mangle or the like.

[0008] A method for achieving this object comprises the measures of claim 1. This method provides that the deposit bar, for receiving the laundry item from the spreading clamps, is moved at a vertical distance below the front edge and / or the edge strip of the laundry item. As a result, the deposit bar does not come into contact with the laundry item when moved against the feed direction under at least the front edge. In particular, due to the residual sag, the middle, lowest point of the front edge and, if applicable, the adjoining middle region of the edge strip do not come into contact with the deposit bar when the latter is moved against the feed direction at a vertical distance below the lowest point of the residual sag.This means that when the delivery bar is lowered, the sagging of the front transverse edge of the laundry item is no longer increased under the edge strips of the laundry item running transversely to the feed direction.

[0009] The method also provides that after the depositing area of ​​the depositing bar has been moved down below the front edge strip or edge area of ​​the laundry item, the distance of at least the depositing area of ​​the depositing bar to the front edge strip of the laundry item is reduced to such an extent that the front edge of the laundry item and the edge strip extending therefrom rest completely, preferably over the entire surface, on the depositing area of ​​the depositing bar.

[0010] It is preferred if the placement bar is moved with only one placement area, onto which the edge area, in particular the edge strip, of the respective laundry item is to be placed, at a distance below the edge strip of the laundry item. This is sufficient to ensure that when the placement bar is moved below the edge strip of the laundry item, in particular the placement area of ​​the placement bar does not touch the laundry item, which could increase the sag of the front edge of the laundry item still held by the spreading clamps of the spreading device.

[0011] The method is preferably designed such that the placement bar is moved at such a distance below the edge strip or edge area of ​​the laundry item that the placement area can be moved along the lowest point of the residual sag of the front edge that still exists or remains after the front edge has been extended without touching the laundry item. This ensures that even the lowest point of the sagging edge of only the adjoining front edge strip is not affected by the placement bar, and in particular, the placement bar does not increase the sag during the transfer or acceptance process of the laundry item.

[0012] As soon as at least the front depositing area of ​​the depositing bar has moved at a distance below the edge strip of the laundry item, without touching the edge strip, an advantageous embodiment of the method provides for the distance between at least the depositing area of ​​the depositing bar and the front edge strip of the laundry item to be at least reduced, preferably eliminated entirely. The front edge strip of the respective laundry item is placed on the depositing area of ​​the depositing bar. The edge strip of the laundry item lies flat on the depositing area of ​​the depositing bar. The residual sag of the front edge of the laundry item is not increased when the edge strip is placed on the depositing area of ​​the depositing bar.

[0013] A preferred further development of the method is conceivable in which, after the placement area of ​​the placement bar has been lowered below the front edge area of ​​the laundry item, the distance of at least the placement area of ​​the placement bar from the front edge area of ​​the laundry item is reduced to such an extent that at least a large portion, preferably at least 70%, of the front edge and / or the front edge strip of the laundry item lies on the placement area. This prevents warping of the laundry item, in particular of the front edge strip thereof, when the adjacent corners of the front edge of the laundry item are released from the spreading clamps.Because at this point a large part of the front edge strip is already resting on the deposit area of ​​the deposit bar and this may be fixed there by negative pressure, the laundry item can no longer move or warp on the deposit area when the spreading clamps are released, which could lead to undesirable creasing when the edge strip is deposited on the deposit area of ​​the deposit bar.

[0014] Preferably, the method is designed such that the distance of at least the placement area of ​​the placement bar from the front edge strip or edge area of ​​the laundry item, which is also held at adjacent corners of the front edge by spreading clamps of the respective spreading clamp pair, but is already spread, is changed by pivoting or lowering and subsequently raising the placement bar. In this way, it is possible to sufficiently space the placement area of ​​the placement bar from the front edge and / or the edge strip before lowering it below at least the edge strip of the stretched-out laundry item, in order to ensure that even deeper residual sags of the front edge of large laundry items are not affected by the placement bar.

[0015] According to an advantageous embodiment of the method, the depositing bar is pivoted about a pivot axis that follows the depositing area in the feed direction and is located behind the depositing area. As a result, when the depositing bar pivots about the pivot axis, the depositing area is lowered, increasing the distance between the depositing area and the edge area, which is still held by the spreader clamps but is already extended. This distance can then be reduced again by pivoting the depositing bar in the opposite direction.

[0016] Alternatively, it is conceivable to increase and decrease or eliminate the distance between the deposit area and the edge strip not by pivoting the deposit bar, but by moving it up and down.

[0017] It is particularly advantageous if, after the edge strip of the laundry has been placed on the depositing area, the depositing bar, while maintaining its raised or pivoted-up position in which it has taken the laundry from the spreading clamps, is moved together with the laundry in the feed direction and the laundry is then transferred to the feed conveyor. Consequently, the depositing bar, or at least its depositing area, only needs to be lowered or pivoted down before the edge strip of the laundry is taken from the spreading clamps. This movement must be reversed after the edge strip has been placed on the depositing area of ​​the depositing bar. The laundry can then be deposited from the depositing bar onto the feed conveyor before or after the depositing bar has been lowered or pivoted again.

[0018] A preferred embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing, in which: Fig. 1 a spatial view of an input machine, Fig. 2 a schematic side view of the input machine with a deposit bar shortly before the takeover of a laundry item from spreading clamps, Fig. 3 a view of the input machine according to the Fig. 2 before placing a front edge strip of the laundry item on a feed conveyor, Fig. 4 a schematic front view of a laundry item stretched out by the spreading clamps with a residual sag, and Fig. 5 a schematic representation of the movement sequences of the deposit bar when taking over the edge strip of the laundry item from the spreading clamps.

[0019] The figures show an example of a possible device for carrying out the method according to the invention, namely a device designed as an input machine.

[0020] The device shown serves to feed stretched or spread-out laundry items 10 to a mangle (not shown in the figures) or another laundry treatment machine, for example, a folding machine. The laundry items 10 are preferably so-called flat laundry, such as bed linen and table linen.

[0021] The device essentially comprises a spreading device 11, a depositing strip 27 and at least one feed conveyor 12, which transports the respective laundry item 10 spread out by the spreading device 11 in the feed direction to the mangle or the like and / or feeds it into the same. Fig. 2 and 3show a feed conveyor 12, which is formed from two belt conveyors 14 and 15 arranged one after the other in the feed direction 13. It is conceivable that the feed conveyor 12 has only a single belt conveyor 14 or more than two belt conveyors 14 and 15. The arrangement, the course and the design of the belt conveyors 14 and 15 can also be different from the embodiment of the Fig. 2 and 3 differ.

[0022] The spreading device 11 has at least one pair of spreading clamps consisting of two preferably identical spreading clamps 16, which hold two adjacent corner regions, preferably corners 17, of a front edge 18 of the respective laundry item 10, extending transversely to the feed direction 13. Each spreading clamp 16 has a clamping mouth 19 open at the front, into which the corners 17 or corner regions of the front edge 18 of the laundry item 10 can be inserted in the feed direction 12. An opposite, rear end of each clamping mouth 19 is therefore closed. This lower end of each clamping mouth 19 thus lies on the side of the deposit bar 27.

[0023] In the embodiment of the Fig. 1 and 2 The clamp jaws 19 are slightly inclined so that they rise slightly in the feed direction 13. It is also conceivable that the clamp jaws 19 of the spreader clamps 16 are aligned horizontally.

[0024] By means of the elongated clamp mouths 19, the spreading clamps 16 hold an edge region extending from the front edge 18, in particular an edge strip 20 of the respective laundry item 10 running transversely to the feed direction 13.

[0025] The spreading clamps 16 of each pair of spreading clamps are carried by carriages 21, which can be moved together and apart on and along a horizontal rail 22 running transversely to the feed direction 13. When the spreading clamps 16 are moved together, the corners 17 or corner regions of the front edge 18 of the laundry item 10 are inserted into the clamp mouths 19 of the same or taken up by them. When the spreading clamps 16 are moved together, there is still a relatively large sag 23 of the front edge 18 of the laundry item 10 between them. By moving the spreading clamps 16 apart, the front edge 18 of the laundry item 10 is stretched out and / or spread, thereby spreading the laundry item 10.

[0026] In order not to subject the item of laundry 10, in particular the front edge 18 thereof, to excessive mechanical stress when stretching out, the spreading clamps 16 are only moved apart to such an extent that the front edge 18 still has a - albeit slight - residual sag 24. The lowest point of the front edge 18, which is located approximately in the middle between the spread apart spreading clamps 16, is located at a vertical distance 25 below an imaginary horizontal connecting line 26 through the clamp mouths 19 of the two spreading clamps 16 of the respective spreading clamp pair.

[0027] As a result of the elongated clamp jaws 19 of the spreading clamps 16 extending in the feed direction 13, the edge strip 20 forms between the spread spreading clamps 16, which, like the front edge 18 of the stretched-out laundry item 10, sags by the residual sag 24. Thus, not only the front edge 18 sags between the spread spreading clamps 16, but also the edge strip 20.

[0028] The depositing strip 27 runs transversely to the feed direction 13 and thus parallel to the spreading device 11. In the feed direction 13, the depositing strip 27 is arranged behind the spreading device 11. The depositing strip 27 has a depositing table 28. At least this depositing table 28 of the depositing strip 27 extends over the entire working width of the device, and is in particular wide enough to at least correspond to the width or length of the front edge 18 of the largest items of laundry 10. A front part of an upper side of the depositing table 28 forms a depositing area 29 for the extended edge strip 20 of the item of laundry 10. At least this depositing area 29 can be designed for pneumatically fixing the edge strip 20. For example, the depositing area 29 is designed to be permeable to air and can be subjected to negative pressure from the interior of the depositing table 18.

[0029] The deposit table 28 of the deposit bar 27 is pivotable about a horizontal pivot axis 30 and movable in and against the feed direction 13 between the spreading device 11 and the feed conveyor 12, in particular the first belt conveyor 14 thereof, along a preferably horizontal path. For this purpose, the deposit bar 27 has a carriage 31, which is movable by a corresponding drive along at least one, preferably horizontal, rail 32 extending in the feed direction 13. Furthermore, the deposit table 28 is pivotable about the pivot axis 30 relative to the carriage 31 by at least one pressure cylinder 33 (see FIG. Fig. 2 , 3 and 5). Alternatively, it is also conceivable to move the deposit table 28 up and down under the carriage 31 and / or to raise or lower the deposit table 28 under the carriage 31. By pivoting or raising or lowering the deposit table 28, the distance of the deposit table 28, in particular its deposit area 29, to the underside of the spreader clamps 16 can be increased. As a result, at least the deposit area 29 of the deposit table 28 can be moved under the spreader clamps 16 at a greater distance from the spreader clamps 16 ( Fig. 2 ). This increased distance can be adjusted to take up the sagging edge strip 20 delimited by the front edge 18 of the laundry item 10, so that the deposit area 29 is located just below the lowest point of the remaining sag 24 ( Fig. 2 ).

[0030] The Fig. 4 shows the laundry item 10 spread out by the spreading clamps 16 of the spreading device 11. The residual sag 24 of the front edge 18 and the edge strip 20 of the laundry item 10 extending therefrom can be seen, as well as the distance 25 of the lowest (central) point of the residual sag 24 to an imaginary connecting line 26 between the spreading clamps 16.

[0031] After the edge strip 20 of the laundry item 10 has been taken over, the depositing bar 27, which has been pivoted or raised again for this purpose, can be moved in the feed direction 13 towards the mangle or another laundry treatment machine. The travel path is so large that the depositing bar 27 passes over the feed conveyor 12, in particular the frontmost belt conveyor 14 thereof, with a free transverse edge 34 of the depositing table 28 pointing towards the spreading device 11 passing closely over an upper run 35 of the feed conveyor 12, in particular its belt conveyor 14. The depositing bar 27 is in a depositing position of the edge strip 20 of the laundry item 10 onto the upper run 35 ( Fig. 3 ).

[0032] The method according to the invention is explained below with reference to the device shown as an example in the figures, in particular the feed machine: The method according to the invention involves feeding laundry items 10 to a mangle or other laundry treatment machine, for example a folding machine. This feeding takes place with the device shown in the Fig. 1 bis 3 shown device, which in technical jargon is referred to as an input machine.

[0033] The laundry item 10 is spread out by the spreading device 11 of the device. The spread out laundry item 10 is then placed on the depositing bar 27, which transfers it to the feed conveyor 12, particularly placing it thereon with the edge strip 20. The feed conveyor 12 then transports the spread out laundry item 10 to the mangle or the like and feeds it into the same.

[0034] The laundry item 10 to be spread by the spreading device 11 is inserted into the adjacent corners 17 of the front edge 18, which runs transversely to the feed direction 13, into the moving spreading clamps 16 of a pair of spreading clamps. This insertion can be carried out mechanically or manually. Particularly with manual insertion, the corner 17 is inserted more or less precisely into the clamping jaws 19 of the spreading clamps 16. It may happen that not exactly the corners 17 are inserted into the clamping jaws 19, but rather adjacent areas. In this case, the spreading clamps 16 contain not exactly the corners 17, but rather corner areas. When corners 17 are referred to below, this includes corner areas of the respective laundry item 10.

[0035] After hanging the laundry item 10 in the compressed spreading clamps 16 ( Fig. 1 ), the front edge 18 of the laundry item 10 still has a relatively large sag 23. This sag 23 is reduced by the spreading device 11 by moving the spreading clamps 16 of the respective spreading clamp pair apart. To protect the laundry items, the spreading clamps 16 are only moved apart so far that the front edge 18 still has a small residual sag 24. The deepest point of this residual sag 24 is in the middle or at least approximately in the middle between the spreading clamps 16 of the spreading clamp pair, specifically below the imaginary connecting line 26 between the spreading clamps 16 or the adjacent corners 17 of the front edge 18 of the laundry item 10. The maximum residual sag 24 is then at a distance 25 below the imaginary straight horizontal connecting line 26 ( Fig. 4 ).

[0036] As a result of the insertion of the corners 17 or the adjacent corner areas of the front edge 18 of the laundry item 10 into the elongated clamp mouths 19 of the spreading clamps 16, which extend in the feed direction 13, an edge strip 20 extending from the front edge 18 is formed between the spreading clamps 16 of the respective spreading clamp pair. Fig. 2 and 3 The clamp jaws 19, which are open at the front, rise slightly towards the feed conveyor 12 or the depositing bar 27. Alternatively, the clamp jaws 19 can also run horizontally, as shown in the Fig. 5 is shown. Then the edge strip 20 runs horizontally. Due to the residual sag 24 of the front edge 18 of the laundry item 10 spread out by the spreading clamps 16, the edge strip 20 also sags accordingly, preferably approximately in the middle, and also has the distance 25 to the connecting line 26 or to a straight horizontal or slightly rising connecting plane between the spreading clamps 16. The residual sag 24 or the distance 25 interferes when the edge strip 20 of the laundry item 10 is taken over from the depositing area 29 of the depositing bar 27 or when transferred to the depositing area 29 of the depositing bar 27, if for this purpose the depositing area 29 of the depositing bar 27 is moved under the edge strip 20 ( Fig. 2). In particular, when transferring the edge strip 20 to the depositing area 29 of the depositing bar 27, there is a risk that the front edge 18 and preferably also the edge strip 20, especially in the area of ​​the deepest point of the residual sag 24, will be pushed back against the feed direction 13, as a result of which the front edge 18, when it lies on the depositing area 29, does not run in a straight line or at least almost in a straight line, as intended, but in an arcuate manner, which would impair the ironing quality or folding quality of the laundry item 10.

[0037] According to the invention, at least a front part of the depositing strip 27, in particular the depositing area 29 of the depositing strip 27, is pivoted down or lowered before moving under the edge strip 20 of the laundry item 10, which is still held by the spreading clamps 16 with the residual sag 24. This temporarily increases the distance of at least the depositing area 29 of the depositing strip 27 from the spreading clamps 16. As a result, the depositing area 29 reaches so far, in particular deeply, under the edge strip 20, in particular its deepest point in the area approximately at the middle of the residual sag 24, that the depositing point 29 can be moved under the still slightly sagging edge strip 20 without touching the edge strip 20 and the front edge 18 of the laundry item 10.Preferably, this distance is increased to such an extent that it is greater than the maximum distance 25 to be expected in the area of ​​the deepest point of the sag 24 to the imaginary straight connecting line 26, even with larger items of laundry 10. This ensures that for items of laundry 10 of any size, the deposit strip 27, in particular its deposit area 29, does not collide with the deepest point of the respective edge strip 20 having the residual sag 24, and in particular does not touch the deepest point of the residual sag 24 of the front edge 18 of the item of laundry 10.

[0038] As soon as the lay-down bar 27, in particular its lay-down area 29, has moved completely under the edge strip 20 of the laundry item 10 sagging in the middle, the lay-down table 28 is pivoted upwards about its pivot axis 30 or the entire lay-down bar 27 is raised. This occurs at least far enough that the lowest point of the residual sag 24 rests on the lay-down area 29, but preferably far enough that the residual sag 24 of the front edge 18 and / or the edge strip 20 is eliminated and in particular the entire edge strip 20 lies on the lay-down area 29 of the lay-down bar 27 and / or on the imaginary connecting line 26 or the straight connecting surface between the clamp mouths 19 of the spreading clamps 16.Then, the edge strip 20 is located on the depositing area 29 of the depositing table 28 in such a way that the front edge 18 of the laundry item 10 runs straight or at least approximately straight, wherein the deviation from the straight course corresponds at most to the distance 25, preferably is smaller than the distance 25.

[0039] After the edge strip 20 lies ideally straight on the depositing area 29 of the depositing table 28 in the manner described above, the edge strip 20 is preferably secured pneumatically to the depositing area 29, for example, by suction. The spreading clamps 16 are then released from the corners 17 or corner areas by opening the clamp jaws 19 and, for example, moving the spreading clamps 16 apart, so that the clamp jaws 19 release the corners 17 or the corner areas of the laundry item 10.

[0040] Subsequently, the depositing table 28 is moved in the feed direction 13 to the feed conveyor 12, in particular the front belt conveyor 14 and over the same, and the edge strip 20 is deposited on the feed conveyor 12, in particular the belt conveyor 14, namely its upper run 25.

[0041] The edge strip 20 can be deposited from the depositing bar 27 onto the feed conveyor 12 in the position in which the edge strip 20 was deposited onto the depositing area 29 of the depositing bar 27. This is the position that corresponds to the pivoted-up or raised position of the depositing bar 27 after it has been lowered beneath the edge strip 20 still held in the spreading clamps 16. In this case, only before the depositing area 29 of the depositing bar 27 is lowered again beneath the sagging edge strip 20 of the next item of laundry 10 is the depositing table 28 with its front depositing area 29 either pivoted down to increase the distance to the spreading clamps 16 and / or the edge strip 20, or alternatively, the entire depositing table 28 is lowered.

[0042] Alternatively, it is also conceivable for the downward pivoting or lowering of the depositing area 29 and / or the depositing bar 27 to occur already for depositing the edge strip 20 from the depositing bar 27 onto the upper run 35 of the feed conveyor 12, in particular its first belt conveyor 14. Then, in this downward pivoted or lowered position, the depositing bar 27 can be immediately moved under the sagging edge strip 20 of the next item of laundry 10, specifically at the increased distance from the spreading clamps 16 and / or the sagging edge strip 20 held in the spreading clamps 16, without touching the latter. List of reference symbols:

[0043] 10 Item of laundry 11 Spreading device 12 Feed conveyor 13 Feed direction 14 Belt conveyor 15 Belt conveyor 16 Spreading clamp 17 Corner 18 Front edge 19 Clamp mouth 20 Edge strip 21 Carriage 22 Rail 23 Sag 24 Residual sag 25 Distance 26 Connecting line 27 Deposit strip 28 Deposit table 29 Deposit area 30 Swivel axis 31 Carriage 32 Rail 33 Pressure cylinder 34 Cross edge 35 Upper run

Claims

1. A method for feeding items of laundry (10) to a mangle or the like, with two adjacent corner regions of a front edge (18), running transversely with respect to the feeding direction (13), of the respective item of laundry (10) being clamped in two adjacent spreading clamps (16) of a spreading device (11), the front edge (18) being stretched out by the spreading clamps (16) holding the adjacent corner regions being moved apart and, in the process, the item of laundry (10) being spread out and the item of laundry (10), with an edge strip (20) emerging from the stretched-out front edge (18), being accepted onto a depositing region (29) of a depositing strip (27), which is movable in and counter to the feeding direction (12), wherein in order to accept the respective item of laundry (10) from the spreading clamps (16), at least one portion of the depositing strip (27) is moved at a distance under at least the edge strip (20) of the item of laundry (10), and the depositing strip (27) transfers the item of laundry (10) to a feed conveyor (12) transporting the latter to the mangle or the like, characterized in that, after the lowering of at least the depositing area (29) of the depositing strip (27) under the front edge (18) and / or edge strip (20) of the item of laundry (10), the distance is reduced at least to such an extent that the front edge (18) and / or the edge strip (20) rests on the depositing area (29) of the depositing strip (27).

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the depositing strip (27), preferably a depositing area (29) of same, upon which the edge strip (20) of the respective item of laundry (10) is deposited, is moved at a distance, in particular a vertical distance, under a region of the edge strip (20) of the respective item of laundry (10) that sags the furthest, in particular a central region.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, the depositing strip (27), in particular its depositing area (29), is moved at such a distance, preferably a vertical distance, counter to the feeding direction (13) under the edge strip (20) of the item of laundry (10) that in the process the depositing area (29) can be moved under the lowest point of the front edge (18) still having a residual sag (24) after the front edge (18) has been stretched out by the spreading device (11), preferably without touching the front edge (18) and the sagging edge strip (20) emerging from the latter.

4. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, after the depositing region (29) of the depositing strip (27) has been moved down under the front edge (18) and / or the edge strip (20) of the item of laundry (10), the distance, preferably the vertical distance, at least of the depositing region (29) of the depositing strip (27) from the front edge (18) and / or from the edge strip (20) of the item of laundry (10) is eliminated, with the residual sag (24) of the front edge (18) and / or of the edge strip (20) of the item of laundry (10) also being eliminated and / or reduced at least to a large extent.

5. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the distance of at least the depositing region (29) of the depositing strip (27) from the front edge (18) and / or the edge strip (20) is changed by the pivoting or the lowering and lifting of at least the depositing region (29) of the depositing strip (27).

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the pivoting of the depositing strip (27) takes place about a pivot axis (30), preferably a horizontal pivot axis (30), and / or the pivot axis (30) runs transversely with respect to the feeding direction (13).

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the preferably horizontal pivot axis (30) follows the depositing region (29) as seen in the feeding direction (13) and / or lies at or in the vicinity of an end of the depositing strip (27) opposite the spreading device (11).

8. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, after the edge strip (20) of the item of laundry (10) has been deposited onto the depositing region (29) of the depositing strip (27), the depositing strip (27), while maintaining the position in which it has accepted the edge strip (20), is moved with the item of laundry (10) in the feeding direction (13) and preferably the item of laundry (10) is subsequently transferred from the depositing strip (27) onto the feed conveyor (12), in particular its upper strand (35).

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