Claims
- 1. A method for removing a releasable size indicator from a garment hanger, the garment hanger comprising:a body having at least one web for removably securing a size indicator to the body, the web having a fixed latch and a pivoting latch; and a size indicator having finger means for engaging the fixed and pivoting latches such that the size indicator is secured on the web during normal use, but wherein the size indicator may be released from the web when the pivoting latch is pivoted out of engagement with the finger means of the size indicator; the method comprising: (a) feeding the garment hanger to an indicator removal station; (b) supporting the garment hanger at the indicator removal station for removal of the size indicator; (c) depressing the pivoting latch to pivot the same out of engagement with the finger means to release the size indicator from the web; (d) collecting the released size indicator; (e) removing the garment hanger from the indicator removal station; and (f) repeating steps (a) to (e) for each of a plurality of hangers sequentially fed to the indicator removal station, wherein at least one of the foregoing steps is automated.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the feeding comprises feeding the garment hanger on a feeding rail to the indicator removal station.
- 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the supporting comprises supporting the garment hanger at the indicator removal station at a location on the feeding rail.
- 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the supporting comprises supporting the garment hanger at the indicator removal station at a location remote from the feeding rail.
- 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the depressing comprises actuating a cylinder having a pin attached thereto, the pin engaging the pivoting latch upon actuation of the cylinder.
- 6. An apparatus for removing a releasable size indicator from a garment hanger, the garment hanger comprising:a body having at least one web for removably securing a size indicator to the body, the web having a fixed latch and a pivoting latch; and a size indicator having finger means for engaging the fixed and pivoting latches such that the size indicator is secured on the web during normal use, but wherein the size indicator may be released from the web when the pivoting latch is pivoted out of engagement with the finger means of the size indicator; the apparatus comprising: (a) means for feeding the garment hanger to an indicator removal station; (b) means for supporting the garment hanger at the indicator removal station for removal of the size indicator; (c) means for depressing the pivoting latch to pivot the same out of engagement with the finger means to release the size indicator from the web; (d) means for collecting the released size indicator; (e) means for removing the garment hanger from the indicator removal station; and (f) means for repeating the release and collection of size indicators for each of a plurality of hangers sequentially fed to the indicator removal station.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein means for feeding comprises means for feeding the garment hanger on a feeding rail to the indicator removal station.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the indicator removal station is located at a location on the feeding rail.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the indicator removal station is located at a location remote from the feeding rail.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the means for depressing comprises a cylinder having a pin attached thereto, the pin engaging the pivoting latch upon actuation of the cylinder.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/043,346 filed Jan. 11, 2002 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,499,634, which is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/827,072 filed Apr. 5, 2001 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,378,744, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/479,170, filed Jan. 7, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,264,075. This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/186,449 filed Jul. 1, 2002, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/255,135 filed Feb. 19, 1999 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,421,910, which is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/875,508 filed Feb. 2, 1996 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,289,569.
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