GB2131838A

GB2131838A - Stitch casting-off means in a knitting machine

Info

Publication number: GB2131838A
Application number: GB08328771A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Helmut Irmscher; Eva Korner
Original assignee: Kombinat Textima VEB
Current assignee: Kombinat Textima VEB
Priority date: 1982-12-14
Filing date: 1983-10-27
Publication date: 1984-06-27
Also published as: DD212060A1; CH661541A5; GB2131838B; DE3336781A1; GB8328771D0

Abstract

A flat knitting machine comprises a plurality of knitting carriages arranged to circulate in one direction and each provided with a casting-off rod (1) for the depression of the preceding row of knitting and, adjacent the casting-off rod, with a constrainedly guided stitch-forming element (3) which is constructed as a wheel, is arranged for finishing the shape of the stitches at about the height of the needle return part in the region behind the comb equalisation of the needles (2) of needle bed pairs, and which is movable into and locatable in a setting exactly in the middle between the comblets of the two needle beds of each pair or at the edge of the comblet of one of the beds of each pair. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Stitch casting-off means in a knitting machine The present invention relates to a knitting machine and has particular reference to stitch casting-off means in a flat knitting machine with knitting carriages circulating in one direction. It is however also applicable to round knitting machines.

In DE-AS 1 223 985 there is disclosed a stitch stripping-off device in a manual flat knitting machine with needle beds arranged in roof shape, which device comprises a casting-off rod and a wheel for holding down stitches. This wheel is arranged to precede the casting-off rod and forcefully presses down the uppermost row of stitches before upward advance of the needle.

However, this device has the disadvantage that from the point at which the formation of the stitches takes place, the casting-off rod is no longer effective. Due to friction and other factors, distortion of the stitches may occur and thereby an uneven stitch pattern.

It is also known from DE-AS 1 275 248 to provide, alongside a casting-off rod in a manual flat knitting machine, a wire loop which is connected with the casting-off rod of the opposite direction and, following the casting-off rod in direction of motion of the feeder plate, effectively presses against the start of the knitware where the neeldes are drawn back behind the casting-off comb. Again in this arrangement friction results from wiping of the wire loop along the newly formed stitches and has the consequence of obliquely pulling the stitches. Moreover, it is usable only for the manufacture of R/L knitware.

There is therefore a need for stitch casting-off means which ensures a uniform, clean stitch pattern up to the knitware edge in the case of diverse smooth or patterned knitwares produced on one or two needle beds.

According to the present invention there is provided a knitting machine comprising a plurality of knitting carriages arranged to circulate in one direction around needle bed pairs of the machine and each provided with stitch casting-off means, each stitch casting-off means comprising a casting-off rod arranged on the respective carriage to act on the stitches of the preceding row during a stitch-forming operation and to extend from a zone of initial expulsion to a zone of comb equalisation of the needles of the beds, and a stitch-forming wheel disposed adjacent the associated casting-off rod and arranged to finish the shape of the stitches substantially at the height of return portions of the needles and in the region behind the comb equalisation zone.

Such an arrangement may be able to secure a distortion-free stitch formation in the manufature of one-bed and also two-bed knitware as well as complicated patterns with handknitting character.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, adjoining the casting-off rod extending from the initial expulsion to the comb equalisation of the needles and serving for pressing down of the preceding row of knitting, there is disposed a stitch-forming element, which is constructed as a wheel and arranged to finish the shape of the stitches at about the height of the needle return part in the region behind the comb equalisation of the needles. This stitch-forming element is preferably resettable in height in accordance with the desired closeness of the knitting and resiliently mounted for the evening-out of irregularities in the knitting. It can have a friction lining to ensure secure entrainment.

For constrained guidance of the stitch-forming element, a base body thereof can be provided with pins which are arranged circularly at the spacing of a needle pitch and engage between the comblets of the needle bed.

For acting on the mesh of double-sided knitware or on R/L knitware, the stitch-forming element may be pivotable into and locatable in a setting exactly in the middle between the comblets of the two needle beds of each needle bed pair or a setting at the edge of the comblet of one of the two needle beds.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of stitch casting-off means in a knitting machine embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is a cross-section, to an enlarged scale, of a stitch-forming element of the casting-off means; Fig. 2a is a cross-section along the line I-I of Fig. 2; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the stitch-forming element with pins; Fig. 4a is a view of the stitch casting-off element in its setting for processing of two-bed knitware; Fig. 4b is a view of the stitch casting-off element in its setting for the processing of onebed knitware; and Fig. 5 is a view of a pivot device of the stitchforming element.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a knitting machine comprising a plurality of knitting carriages 4 (Fig. 5) arranged to circulate in one direction around a plurality of pairs of needle beds 20 (Figs. 3, 4a and 4b) with needles 2 and comblets 19. Arranged on each knitting carriage is stitch casting-off means comprising a casting-off rod 1 and a stitch-forming element 3, which is constructed as a wheel and serves for finishing the shape of the stitches in the region behind the comb equalisation of the needles 2.

The casting-off rod 1 is so mounted on the knitting carriage that it acts during the stitchforming operation on the stitches of the preceding row, from the initial expulsion up to the comb equalisation of the needles 2. The element 3 is disposed immediately adjacent to the rod 1 and reaches its lowest setting adjacent to the range of action of the nose of the needle return part. It is mounted by a hub 5 thereof in a fork 6, which is fastened to a pin 7. The pin 7 is guided in a base body 8 and bears against this body through a spring 9. The base body 8 is fastened by means of screws 10 in a groove 11 of a pivot device 21, screws passing through eiongate holes 12 in the body 8. The element is thus able to resiliently slide over the knitware without damage even in the case of unevennesses in the knitware.In addition, the desired closeness of knitting can be set by way of a variation in the height of the element 3. The setting of the element 3 and thereby the instantaneous closeness of knitting can be read off by way of a scale and a Vernier (not illustrated).

In order to avoid canting of the element 3 during the knitting operation, the pin 7 is shaped at its end as a square member 14, which is guided in a groove 1 5.

The element 3 consists of a base body 1 6 with a friction lining 1 7 disposed at its circumference.

For the avoidance of friction between the newly formed stitches and the element 3, this can be driven constrainedly. For this purpose, the basebody 1 6 is provided at the spacing of the needle pitch with a circular arrangement of pins 18, which engage between the comblets 19 of the needle bed 20. The element 3 is pivotable, according to the kind of knit to be processed, into a setting exactly between the comblets 1 9 of the two needle beds 20 of each pair or into a setting at the edge of the comblets of one of the needle beds of each pair. For this purpose, the entire stitch casting-off means is displaceably mounted on the respective carriage 4 by a pivot element 22. The pivot element 22 is connected through a bolt 23 with an arm 24 fastened to the knitting carriage. The setting of the stitch casing-off means or of the element 3, respectively, is manually effected before the start of the knitting operation through displacement of the pivot element 22 and the location thereof by means of a clamping screw 25 against the bolt 23.

Claims

1. A knitting machine comprising a plurality of knitting carriages arranged to circulate in one direction around needle bed pairs of the machine and each provided with stitch casting-off means, each stitch casting-off means comprising a casting-off rod arranged on the respective carriage to act on the stitches of the preceding row during a stitch-forming operation and to extend from a zone of initial expulsion to a zone of comb equalisation of the needles of the beds, and a stitch-forming wheel disposed adjacent the associated casting-off rod and arranged to finish the shape of the stitches substantially at the height of return portions of the needles and in the region behind the comb equalisation zone.

2. A knitting machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein each stitch-forming wheel is resettable in height in accordance with a desired closeness of knitting and is resiliently mounted to even-out irregularities in the knitware.

3. A knitting machine as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each stitch-forming wheel is provided with a friction lining to ensure secure entrainment.

4. A knitting machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each stitch-forming wheel is provided on a base member thereof with pins which are arranged in a circle at a spacing corresponding to the pitch of the needles so as to be engageable between comblets of the needle beds to effect constrained guidance of the wheel.

5. A knitting machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each stitch-forming wheel is selectively movable into and locatable in a setting centrally between comblets of the needle beds of each pair and a setting adjacent to the comblets of one of the needle beds of each pair.

6. A knitting machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.