GB1035253A - Circular knitting machines and methods of producing knitted fabrics on such machines - Google Patents

Abstract

A fabric is produced on a circular machine having double loops formed by drawing loops of two courses simultaneously through loops of a succeeding course. This is achieved by first forming stitches by all of the needles with the loops being drawn over the normal sinker ledge or over the backs of the sinkers. In either case the sinkers are then operated to ensure that the loops are brought in front of the sinker hooks Ph. The needles are then raised so that alternate needles clear their hooks and the intervening needles retain their loops B within their hooks. A yarn is then fed to all of the needles over the backs of the sinkers, Fig. 3, (not shown), or over the sinker hooks, Fig. 5, (not shown), and the needles operated so that the alternate needles form stitches whilst the intervening needles form loops F together with the previous course loops B. The needles are then p raised, Fig. 4, (not shown), (such that the loop F rides up the sinker hook Ph as the sinker is withdrawn and remains in the needle hook whilst the loop B is cleared below the latch. The sinker is then withdrawn and the loops pass in front of the sinker hooks whereafter a further yarn is knitted to produce a succeeding course. This causes the loop F which has been tucked for one course to be drawn together with the yarn of the succeeding course through loops B of the previous course. A course having double loops formed from the combined loops F and those of the new yarn is thereby formed. To achieve the separation of the loops the sinker cams are modified as illustrated in Fig. 6, (not shown), and involves additional cams P1 and P4 whereby the sinkers are advanced, and a cam P6 which withdraws them to cause the loop F to ride up the sinker hooks. Alternatively the loops may be drawn over the top of the sinker hook and in a recess thereon and subsequently the sinkers may be advanced to separate the loops as illustrated in Fig. 13 or Fig. 17, (not shown). Where the needles cylinder is adjusted for quality control the needle cam can be simultaneously adjusted to maintain the correct relationship between the top of the sinkers and the needles when the needles are raised to clear their old loops B but to retain the loops F within their hook.