Linen spreader equipment

Abstract

The present invention relates to a conveyor (30) for determining a machine direction (MD), a pair of spreader clamps (20) movable toward each other in a direction perpendicular to the machine direction (MD) and movable away from each other to spread a linen strip (L), at least one charging station for feeding each corner (C) of a leading portion (L1) of the linen strip (L) to each of the spreader clamps (12, 12'), and a transfer beam (70) for transferring the spread linen strip (L) from the at least pair of spreader clamps (20) to the conveyor (30), the transfer beam (70) having a leading end (72) and a trailing end (74) and arranged to move back and forth in the machine direction (MD) between a forward position and a retracted position, the leading end (72) of the transfer beam (70) being arranged to move back and forth in the machine direction (MD), the leading end (72) of the transfer beam (70) being ... the linen spreader device includes a transfer beam (70) arranged in a region below the spreader clamp (20) in a position above the linen spreader clamp (22), the transfer beam (70) being configured to be temporarily held by a portion of the linen piece (L) when the transfer beam (70) moves from the forward position toward the retracted position; an elongated lateral abutment structure (50) having an abutment surface (F) for holding a portion of the linen piece (L) between the tip end (72) of the transfer beam (70) and the abutment surface (F); and a pressurized air outlet (4) for directing the leading portion (L1) of the linen piece (L) onto the transfer beam (70) when the linen piece (L) is released from the spreader clamp (22), the transfer beam (70) including a body (76) and the tip end (72) being movable between the body (76).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a linen spreader device. [Background technology]

[0002] In linen spreader machines, the transfer of the spread linen strips suspended from two spreader clamps to the moving surface of the conveyor is often accomplished by using a moving transfer beam that extends transversely to the direction of movement of the conveyor surface, which can be referred to as the machine direction of the machine.

[0003] The transfer beam is arranged to move in the aforementioned machine direction between a forward position and a fully retracted position. In the forward position, the leading end of the transfer beam is located in the area below the two spreader clamps. When the transfer beam is in this position, the spreader clamps are controlled to release their grip on the corners of the suspended linen strip, causing the leading portion of the linen strip to fall flat onto the upper surface of the transfer beam by the simultaneous application of laterally directed air puffs.

[0004] The transfer beam is configured to temporarily hold the leading portion of the linen strip as the transfer beam is moved in the machine direction from an advanced position to a fully retracted position where the leading end of the transfer beam is above the moving conveyor surface. This movement brings an additional portion of the linen strip into contact with the moving surface of the conveyor. The temporary hold on the leading portion is released before the transfer beam reaches its fully retracted position, causing the leading portion of the linen strip to slide off the transfer beam and fall onto the moving conveyor surface. For this sliding to occur, the transfer beam is accelerated or otherwise moved away from the leading portion of the linen strip. The remaining portion of the linen strip is then pulled onto the conveyor by the moving conveyor surface.

[0005] The linen strip is then moved forward by the conveyor for further processing, laid flat and spread on the conveyor surface, and the transfer beam returns towards its forward position.

[0006] Although the present invention finds particular application in industrial laundry situations where the linen pieces are washed laundry that is fed to an ironing roller by the conveyor described above, the present invention may also find other application, such as when the linen pieces are fed directly to a folder for folding the linen pieces. As used herein, the term linen applies to, but is not limited to, towels, bed sheets and other fabrics.

[0007] Examples of devices that operate as described above are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,521, WO 2009 / 076,958, JP 8-324858, WO 2007 / 134,601 and JP 4,358,820, the latter two of which each include a pair of feeder clamps. Charger An example of a station is also disclosed, in which each feeder clamp delivers one corner of a linen piece to each of two spreader clamps. The present invention is applicable to any type of feeder clamp, such as those disclosed in WO 2005 / 049,911 or WO 2016 / 162,334, which is configured to deliver two corners of a linen piece to each of two spreader clamps. Charger It can be used with the station.

[0008] In some known devices, the transfer beam temporarily holds the leading portion of the laundry by suction, as disclosed in JP 8-324858 and WO 2009 / 076958, or the transfer beam may include a series of clamping devices arranged along the length of the trailing end of the transfer beam for this purpose, as shown in JP 4,358,820.

[0009] In Japanese Patent No. 4,358,820, the transfer beam is arranged in its forward position so that a portion of the linen strip is held between the leading end of the transfer beam and the abutment surface defined by the abutment structure. At this point, the spreader clamps release their grip on the corners of the linen strip and pressurized air is applied to direct the released leading portion of the linen strip forward onto the upper surface of the transfer beam. The clamping device on the transfer beam is then activated to temporarily hold the leading portion of the linen strip, the transfer beam is moved away from the abutment surface in the machine direction, and the clamping device releases the leading portion so that the linen strip is finally fully conveyed and advanced by the conveyor.

[0010] As can be appreciated, this linen transfer generally requires that the linen pieces lie flat on the conveyor surface without folds. However, occasionally the spreader clamps receive and grip very large portions of the linen fabric at the corners of the linen pieces, which can cause the leading portion of the linen piece that comes to rest on the transfer beam to appear creased. These creases often remain when the linen pieces are transferred to the conveyor and then to the ironing / folding device, which means that this particular linen product must be returned to the device again, reducing the overall efficiency of the device.

[0011] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is, inter alia, to provide an improved device over the prior art, which makes it possible to avoid undesirable folds in the leading edge of the linen. Summary of the Invention

[0012] The first aspect of the invention may find use independently of or in conjunction with the second aspect of the invention described herein. According to the first aspect of the invention, a linen spreader apparatus is improved by providing a novel design of the abutment structure for the spreader boom, making it possible to hold the linen pieces with uniform pressure along substantially their entire width.

[0013] The second aspect of the invention may find use independently of or in conjunction with the first aspect of the invention. According to the second aspect of the invention, a linen spreader apparatus is improved by providing a novel construction of the spreader boom, whereby the width of the spreader boom as seen in the machine direction can be adjusted.

[0014] The use of a pressurized air outlet according to claim 1 can be considered optional.

[0015] Preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent claims. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a top view of the linen spreader apparatus of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 2a] 2 is a perspective front view of the charger station of the linen spreader apparatus with a piece of linen advancing along a path into the interior of the apparatus of FIG. 1; [Figure 2b] 2 is a perspective front view of the charger station of the linen spreader apparatus with a piece of linen advancing along a path into the interior of the apparatus of FIG. 1; [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the linen spreader device of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are top views of a linen spreader device having gates positioned in the linen path, the gates shown in closed and open positions, respectively. [Figure 5] 1A and 1B are top views of a linen spreader device having gates positioned in the linen path, the gates shown in closed and open positions, respectively. [Figure 6] 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the step of transferring the linen piece to the transfer beam, with the majority of the linen fabric being held by the spreader grips; [Figure 7] 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the step of transferring the linen piece to the transfer beam, with the majority of the linen fabric being held by the spreader grips; [Figure 8]4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the step of transferring the linen piece to the transfer beam, with the majority of the linen fabric being held by the spreader grips; [Figure 9] 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the step of transferring the linen piece to the transfer beam, with the majority of the linen fabric being held by the spreader grips; [Figure 10] 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the step of transferring the linen piece to the transfer beam, with the normal portion of the linen fabric being held by the spreader grips; [Figure 11] 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the step of transferring the linen piece to the transfer beam, with the normal portion of the linen fabric being held by the spreader grips; [Figure 12] 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the step of transferring the linen piece to the transfer beam, with the normal portion of the linen fabric being held by the spreader grips; [Figure 13] 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the step of transferring the linen piece to the transfer beam, with the normal portion of the linen fabric being held by the spreader grips; [Figure 14] 14 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the steps of transferring the linen pieces of FIGS. 6-13 from the transfer beam to the conveyor; FIG. [Figure 15] 14 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the steps of transferring the linen pieces of FIGS. 6-13 from the transfer beam to the conveyor; FIG. [Figure 16] 14 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the steps of transferring the linen pieces of FIGS. 6-13 from the transfer beam to the conveyor; FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] The invention will now be described in more detail below with reference to preferred embodiments.

[0018] FIG. 1 is a top view of the linen spreader device 1 of the present invention, showing four rollers, each for carrying a respective piece of linen inside the housing H of the device 1. Charger Includes Station 10.

[0019] Figure 2a is shown on the left side of Figure 1 Charger 1 shows a perspective front view of the station 10. Charger Station 10 generally comprises a pair of feeder clamps 12, 12', each gripping a respective corner C of the same piece of linen L, and a lifting device 14 for raising the pair of feeder clamps 12, 12' to move the hanging piece of linen L up along a path P into the interior of a housing H. The piece of linen may be, by way of example only, a towel or a bed sheet, and the length of apparatus 1 between two opposing sides 2 of housing H defines the maximum width of the linen that can be spread by apparatus 1.

[0020] Figure 2b shows the feeder clamps 12, 12' in their raised position where a pair of spreader clamps (not shown) movable along the supporting elongated rail take over the linen strips L from the pair of feeder clamps 12, 12', each of which then grips one portion S (see Figure 2a) of each of the above-mentioned corners C. Multiple pairs of spreader clamps, such as two pairs, may be mounted to move along the support rail, for example as shown in WO 2016 / 162,334, to each take over one linen strip L at a time within the apparatus and subsequently deliver the linen strips L to the spreader boom in the manner described herein.

[0021] As is conventional, the pair of spreader clamps are then moved away from each other to spread the linen strip L received from the pair of spreader clamps, and the spread linen strip L suspended from the spreader clamps is then transferred forward using a retractable elongated transfer beam 70, shown in Figure 3. The transfer beam 70 has an upper surface on which the rear portion of the linen L is placed to lie flat, where it is held for a short period while the transfer beam 70 is moved to the right in Figure 3 towards a fully retracted position above the belt conveyor 30. The belt conveyor 30 is positioned and configured to advance the spread linen strip L in the machine direction MD for further processing. The transfer beam 70 and the supporting elongated rails 20 for the spreader clamps 22 both extend transversely to the machine direction MD between two opposite sides of the apparatus 1, one side being designated 2 in Figure 3 and typically located at the front of all of the apparatus 1. Charger It is understood that the conveyor 30 functions for the station 10. In most cases, the conveyor 30 is a belt conveyor with parallel ribbon loops that define a plane of movement.

[0022] The transfer beam 70 is positioned to move back and forth in the machine direction MD between an advanced position and the fully retracted position described above. Figure 3 shows one embodiment of the transfer beam as the transfer beam 70 moves left towards its advanced position. Charger One of two spreader clamps 22 located at station 10 is shown, the other spreader clamp (not shown) is positioned along rail 20. Charger Move towards Station 10.

[0023] In its forward position, the transfer beam 70 has a tip 72 positioned in a general area below the two spreader clamps 22, positioned against an abutment surface F of an elongated abutment structure 50 extending between two opposing sides 2 of the device 1.

[0024] When the transfer beam 70 is in this fully forward position, the two spreader clamps 22 are controllable to release their grip on the suspended linen strip L, so that the leading portion of the linen strip L falls flat onto the upper surface of the body 76 of the transfer beam 70 under the action of the high-pressure air flow exiting the row of air nozzles 4 of the tubular structure T extending between the two opposite sides 2, while the trailing portion of the linen strip L remains suspended and engaged between the tip 72 of the transfer beam 70 and the abutment surface F of the abutment structure 50, as will be further explained below. In order to increase the frictional hold on the linen strip L, the abutment surface F and the opposite surface of the tip 72 may be provided with a suitable surface coating, such as a rubber material.

[0025] The transfer beam 70 is clamped by vacuum applied through the array of openings 86 and / or by clamping devices in the form of elongated clamping structures 80 (as shown) to the leading portion of the linen strip L as the transfer beam 70 is moved from its forward position to the right in FIG. 3 toward a fully retracted position in which the leading end 72 of the transfer beam 70 is positioned a maximum distance to the right of the leading end 31 of the conveyor 30. of Temporarily held vinegar This movement causes a further portion of the linen strip L to be drawn onto the moving surface of the conveyor 30.

[0026] The temporary hold of the leading portion of the linen strip L by the transfer beam 70 is released by an actuator acting on the elongated clamping structure 80, or by the release of a vacuum, or the like, before the transfer beam 70 reaches its fully retracted position, at which point the speed of movement of the transfer beam 70 towards its fully retracted position increases relative to the moving conveyor 30, causing the leading portion of the linen strip L to slide off the transfer beam 70 and fall onto the moving surface of the conveyor 30. The remainder of the linen strip L is then lifted onto the conveyor 30 by the moving conveyor surface.

[0027] In some special cases, the width of the linen strips L fed to the device 1 may be symmetrical about the longitudinal centerline CL of the conveyor 30 (see FIG. 1) so that for the required final positioning of the linen strips L on the conveyor 30, the outward spreading of the linen strips L is such that the spreader clamps 22, when the linen strips L are spread, Charger In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, some or all of the Charger The path P (see FIG. 2a) of movement of the linen L by the feeder clamps 12, 12' in the station 10 can be closed automatically when the hanging linen piece L reaches the inside of the housing H, under the rails 20 supporting the spreader clamps 22, 22'. This is because, according to one aspect of the invention, Charger This is achieved by providing the abutment structure 50 with several gates, preferably arranged in pairs, in some or all of the stations 10. Figure 2a shows one such pair of gates 55, 56 in a closed position, while in Figure 2b the gates 55, 56 have each been turned to an open position which allows the linen pieces L hanging to enter the interior area of ​​the device 1. Once the linen pieces L have entered the interior of the device 1, the gates 55, 56 are closed again, whereby they are in the position also shown in Figure 3. This allows the gates 55, 56 to Charger The area of ​​the station 10 may also define part of the aforementioned abutment surface F, against which the rear part of the linen piece L may be held by the tip 72 of the transfer beam 70 .

[0028] In the above-mentioned special case, the provision of the gates 55, 56 as described above ensures that when the spreader clamp 22 releases the linen strip L, its rear portion is temporarily held along its entire width between the transfer beam 70 and the abutment surface F. In other words, the pulling force from gravity on the leading portion of the linen strip L is the same along its entire width transverse to the machine direction MD. This ensures that when the leading portion of the linen strip L is subsequently positioned on the surface of the transfer beam 70 by the air blow from the nozzle 4, the leading end of the linen strip L will be positioned along a straight line.

[0029] The closed (first) and open (second) positions of the two gates 55, 56 are shown in Figures 4 and 5, respectively, and also show the path P of the suspended linen L into the interior of the apparatus 1. Each of the gates 55, 56 is rotated about an axis 57 by a respective actuator 58, although other configurations are easily conceivable. Preferably, as shown only in Figures 3 and 5, the gates 55, 56 also include a nozzle 4 for discharging air when the gates 55, 56 are in their closed position. In this way, the leading portion of the suspended, unfolded linen strip L can be subjected to the aforementioned air blast along its entire extension across the machine direction MD. For this purpose, the gates 55, 56 may be hollow and supplied with pressurized air, which exits through a row of nozzles 4 or an elongated slit (not shown) defining a single nozzle 4 formed in each of the gates 55, 56. Alternatively, a separate tubular structure (not shown) with such air nozzles 4 can be attached to the gates 55, 56. The nozzles 4 of the gates 55, 56 may be aligned with the row of nozzles 4 in the remaining abutment structure 50 in one embodiment (not shown).

[0030] Turning now to a second aspect of the present invention, which may find use independently of the aforementioned first aspect of the invention, and now again referring first to Figure 3, which illustrates how a transfer beam 70 according to the second aspect of the invention may be configured to have a variable effective width W (see Figure 1) measured between its leading end 72 and its trailing end 74, i.e., a controllable width W parallel to the machine direction MD. Specifically, the transfer beam 70 may have a body 76 having a trailing end 74, from which the leading end 72 may be moved by a connector bar 73 configured to move in and out of the body 76 by any suitable actuator (not shown) disposed inside the body 76. The tip 72, which is an elongated integral structure connected to the aforementioned connector bar 73, may be biased towards a normal position adjacent the main body 76, whereby actuation of an appropriate actuator of the transfer beam 70 will move the tip 72 parallel to the machine direction MD to a desired position some distance from the main body 76, as shown in Figure 3, because the transfer beam 70 is configured to temporarily hold the leading portion of the linen strip L by means of an elongated clamping structure 80 located at the rear end 74 of the transfer beam 70 as the transfer beam 70 moves from the forward position towards the fully retracted position, for reasons which will be explained below and which are particularly relevant, but not exclusive to this.

[0031] Typically, the body 76, together with its leading end 72 and trailing end 74, extends along the entire width of the device 1 between the two opposing sides 2. In Figure 1, the transfer beam 70 is shown with its leading end 72 adjacent the body 76, and the aforementioned effective width W is at its minimum value; see also, e.g., Figure 13.

[0032] 6 shows a corner C of the linen strip L that has been received by one of the spreader clamps 22 as described above. As shown schematically in FIG. 6, the spreader clamp 22 in this case holds a substantially backward-folded portion of the linen strip L (along the fold S), which may be the result of an operator introducing excess fabric into the feeder clamps 12, 12', as shown schematically in FIG. 2a. In such a special case, when the spreader clamp 22 releases the linen strip L and a relatively large leading portion L1 driven by the air jet A falls onto the transfer beam 70, the transfer beam may not accommodate the full extent of the leading portion L1. This results in a fold being formed when the leading end L3 of the linen strip L hits the bracket 82 holding the clamping structure 80, and the fold will usually remain there even after the linen strip L is deposited on the conveyor 30. Alternatively, part of the relatively large leading portion L1, including its leading end L3, may fall onto the trailing end 74 of the transfer beam 70 and prevent the subsequent deposition of the linen pieces L onto the conveyor 30. This may be the case, for example, if the transfer beam 70 is configured to be temporarily held by a vacuum applied through the row of openings 86 instead of by the clamping structure 80.

[0033] By incorporating sensors, detection of the fabric load held by the spreader clamps 22 may be performed and subsequently analyzed, whereby the actuators of the transfer beam 70 described above may be actuated as shown in Figure 6 to move the tip 72 of the transfer beam 70 away from the body 76 as the transfer beam 70 is moved from its retracted position towards the abutment structure 50. When the tip 72 reaches the abutment surface F, the movement is controlled so that the body 76 stops moving.

[0034] Figure 7 shows the leading end 72 of the transfer beam 70 holding a portion of the trailing portion L2 of the linen strip L against the abutment structure 50. Figure 8 shows the leading portion L1 lying flat against the body 76 of the transfer beam 70, released from the spreader clamp 22 and positioned by the air flow exiting the outlet nozzle 4 while the trailing end 72 of the transfer beam 70 is still holding on to the trailing portion L2.

[0035] Next, as shown in FIG. 9, the clamping structure 80 is actuated to hold the leading end L3 of the linen piece L against the upper surface of the body 76.

[0036] By way of example only, the sensors described above may be included in the spreader clamps 22 and may detect the extent to which the two jaws of each spreader clamp 22 move together.

[0037] 10 to 13 show the operation of the device 1 in the normal case, where no excess fabric held by the spreader clamps 22 is detected, i.e. the tip 72 of the transfer beam 70 is not stretched / moved from the body 76. It should be noted that the movement of the tip 72 relative to the body 76 also follows the tip 72 being normally biased by a spring towards the extended position shown in FIG. 3, whereby the body 76 in such normal case may be locked in position by a lock included in the transfer beam 70 until it has been sufficiently advanced towards the abutment surface F and the tip 72 is fully pressed towards the body 76, preferably until the linen piece L has been deposited on the conveyor 30. The locking function may be provided by actuator(s) which move the tip 72 to the desired position.

[0038] 14 to 16 show the following steps performed to place a piece of linen on the conveyor 30, in which the transfer beam 70 is normally moved towards its fully retracted position shown in FIG. 16, with the tip 72 positioned adjacent to the body 76 immediately after leaving the abutment surface F. In FIG. 14, the transfer beam 70, still held onto the linen piece L, normally moves to the right at essentially the same speed as the conveyor 30, and when a sufficient length of the linen piece L has been pulled onto the conveyor 30, the clamping structure 80 moves to release the leading portion L1 of the linen piece L, as shown in FIG. 15, and following this, the movement of the transfer beam 70 is controlled so that the leading portion L1 of the linen piece L completely disengages from the transfer beam 70 and slides onto the conveyor 30, as shown in FIG. 16, after which the transfer beam 70 retracts towards its advanced position, assuming the configuration shown in FIG. 7 or 10, depending on the signals received from the sensors described above.

[0039] In the fully retracted position of the transfer beam 70 shown in Figure 16, the leading end 72 is always moved to a position adjacent the body 76 that typically corresponds to the minimum transfer beam 70 width W. In that position, the trailing end 74 is typically always the same distance from the leading end 31 of the conveyor 30.

Claims

1. a conveyor (30) for determining the machine direction (MD); a pair of spreader clamps (22) movable toward each other in a direction transverse to the machine direction (MD) and movable away from each other to spread the linen strips (L); at least one charger station (10), each charger station (10) feeding a respective corner (C) of a leading portion (L1) of the linen strip (L) to each of said spreader clamps (22); an elongated transfer beam (70) extending transversely to the machine direction (MD) for transferring the spread linen strip (L) from the pair of spreader clamps (22) to the conveyor (30), the transfer beam (70) having a body (76) and a tip end (72) and arranged to move back and forth in the machine direction (MD) between an advanced position and a retracted position, the tip end (72) of the transfer beam (70) being arranged in an area below the spreader clamps (22) in the advanced position, the transfer beam (70) being configured to temporarily hold a portion of the linen strip (L) by applying a vacuum through openings (86) provided in the transfer beam (70) or by a clamping structure (80); an abutment structure (50) extending transversely to the machine direction (MD) and having an abutment surface (F) for holding a portion of the linen piece (L) between the tip end (72) of the transfer beam (70) and the abutment surface (F); a pressurized air outlet (4) for directing the leading portion (L1) of the linen piece (L) onto the transfer beam (70) when the linen piece (L) is released from the spreader clamp (22); The linen spreader device (1) is characterized in that the tip portion (72) is movable between the body (76) and the tip portion (72), and a portion of the linen piece (L) is held on the body (76) and the tip portion (72) when the transfer beam (70) moves from the forward position toward the retracted position.

2. 2. The linen spreader device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the transfer beam (70) includes one or more actuators for moving the tip (72) to and from the body (76).

3. one or more gates (55, 56) movable between a first position and a second position; the gates (55, 56) define a portion of the abutment surface (F) in the first position; 3. The linen spreader device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the movable gate (55, 56) comprises one or more of the pressurized air outlets (4).

4. The linen spreader device (1) of claim 3, wherein the charger station (10) includes a pair of feeder clamps (12, 12') that feed a corner (C) of the leading portion (L1) of the linen piece (L) to the spreader clamp (22), and the second position allows the feeder clamps (12, 12') to move the linen piece (L) along a path (P) into a housing (H) of the linen spreader device (1), and the first position blocks the path (P).

5. The linen spreader device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the body (76) comprises an elongated clamping structure (80) arranged at the rear end (74) of the body (76).

6. The linen spreader device (1) of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the tip portion (72) is biased toward a position away from the main body (76), and movement of the main body (76) opposite the machine direction (MD) moves the tip portion (72) against the bias to a position adjacent to the main body (76), and the linen spreader device (1) includes a lock for temporarily locking the tip portion (72) in a position adjacent to the main body (76) while the transfer beam (70) is moving toward the retracted position.

7. A linen spreader device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising a plurality of pairs of said spreader clamps (22).

8. A method for operating a linen spreader device (1) according to claim 4, comprising: positioning the corners (C) of the leading portion (L1) of the linen strip (L) in the feeder clamps (12, 12') of the charger station (10); feeding each one of said corners (C) to each one of said spreader clamps (22); moving the tip (72) between the body (76); moving the transfer beam (70) to an advanced position of the tip (72) to hold a portion of the linen strip (L) between the tip (72) and the abutment surface (F); Releasing the linen piece (L) from the spreader clamp (22); Optionally discharging air from the pressurized air outlets (4) of the gates (55, 56); temporarily holding a portion of the linen piece (L) on an upper surface of the transfer beam (70) while moving the transfer beam (70) from the advanced position towards the retracted position; moving the tip (72) adjacent the body (76) before the transfer beam (70) reaches the retracted position; A method of operating a linen spreader device (1) comprising:

9. A method for operating a linen spreader device (1) as described in claim 8, characterized in that it includes an initial step of moving the linen pieces (L) along a path (P) into the housing (H) of the linen spreader device (1) by the feeder clamps (12, 12') with one or more of the gates (55, 56) in the second position, and then moving one or more of the gates (55, 56) to the first position.

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