US1916676A - Holder and needle for knitting machines - Google Patents

Description

July 4, 1933. LANGE 1,916,676

HOLDER AND NEEDLE FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Sept. 24, 1931 vz u 5\ 62 INVEVNTOR.

George longs Patented July 4, 1933 UNITED STATES GEORGE LANGE; OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK HOLDER AND NEEDLE FOR KNITTING MACHINES I Application filed September 24, 1931. Serial No. 564,767.

This invention relates to knitting machines and accessories therefor, and 1s partmularly directed to an improved holder and needle tachablymounting the needle on the holder,

whereby in the event of breakage ofa needle the same may be replaced, thus obviating wasteof the holders, as in prior construction, wherein the needle is rigidly embedded Within the holder.

A further object of this invention is to provide improved needle holders having means for preventing loosening of the needles even after prolonged use, and means to align the adjacent holders whereby the needles are maintained in even height entirely around the cylinder.

A still further object of this invention is to provide individual holders for the needles whereby said holders serve to define the spaces between the needles, thus insuring an equal spacing of the needles entirely around the cylinder.

Another object of this invention is toprovide an improved holder of the character de- 0 scribed which may be readily and easily stamped from an elongated strip of sheet metal, with high economy of manufacture, and which shall be strong andrugged in construction, and an improved knitting needle easy to assemble therewith, and having means to prevent turning of the needle with respect to the holder, which shall be easy to assemble or mount on the knitting machine cylinder,

and yet practical and eflicient to a high dem clamps 22 resting ,on said surface 21 and havree.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention. accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will,

be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the following claims.

ln'the accompanying drawing, in which ed a knitting needle 12, embodying the invening the cylinder for rotation on a shaft. The

is shown one of the various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention, I

Fig, 1 is a radial cross-sectional view of a portion of a cylinder of a circular knitting machine on which are mounted holders and needles embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevational outer view of the structure shown in Fig.1;

Fig; 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3-45 of Fig. 1, showing also (in dotted?v lines) a portion of the needleprior to attachment to the holder; f

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional View taken on line 4-14 of Fig. 1;

F ig. 5 is a perspective view of my improved knitting needle; and r l Fig. 6 is a perspective view of my improved holder.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, 10 designates a cylinder of the usual type used in circular knitting machines, as for example,

the Thompkins machine. lldesignates my improved holders in each of which is mounttion. The cylinder 10 comprises a vertical annular wall portion 13 from which extend inwardly the spokes 14 provided with a suitable central bearing (not shown) for mountwall portion 13 of the cylinder is provided adj acentthe top thereof with a flange 16 having a cylindrical surface 39-and an upwardly and inwardly inclined undersurface 17 Extending from the bottom of said annular cylindrical wall 13 outwardly therefrom, is an annular stepped portion 19 and an outwardly extending flange 20 having an upper surface 21. The holders 11 are mounted on the cylinder 10 by means of a plurality of sectional 90 ing through openings, 23 through each of which extends a stud screw 24 having a screw threaded end portion 25 engaging the threads 26 of a screw threaded opening formed in said wall 13. The clamps are placed in edge to edge relation with respectto one another, and'are each provided with an inner upwardly and outwardly inclined surface 28,v an annular leather strip or liner 29 being interposed between the inclined surface 28 of the clamps 22 and the rear inclined edges of the holders, referred to hereinafter.

Each holder 11, shown in detail in Fig. 6 of the drawing, is made preferably of sheet metal stock and may be stamped from an elongated strip of hard metal. The holder 11 is provided with an inner edge portion adapted to contact the outer surface 36 of the cylindrical wall portion 13 below the inclined edge 17. Extending from said edge 35 is adownwardly and rearwardly inclinededge portion 37 adapted to contact said und-ersurface 17 of said flange 16. Extendin upwarly from said edge portion 37 is a vertical edge portion 38 adapted to contact said outer surface 39 of said flange 16. Said holder 11 is further provided with a rear vertical edge 40 substantially parallel tothe edges 35 and 38 and extending above the upper end of the edge 38 to form an extension 41, which may have an upper curved edge 42. It will be noted that the portion 41 of the holder extends above the upper edge of the cylindrical wall portion 13 of the cylinder 1.0. The

; holder 11 is further formed with a rear, clownwardy and inwardly inclined surface 30 extending from the vertical edge 40 and adapted to be contacted by the leather strip or liner 29. The holder may also be formed with a horizontal bottom edge 43 and an ear 44 bent to one side thereof, and inclined to the plane of the holder, as clearly shown in Fig. 6, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear. The holder may also be provided with a transverse circular through opening 45 and a circular recess 46 concentric with said opening 45, on one side of said holder only, forming an annular flange 47 having surface 48, which forms the bottom of the recess, and a cylindrical surface 50. Formed on said side of the holder 11 is an enlongated straight groove 49 substantially tangent to and communicating with said recess 46. Said groove 49 is parallel to edges 35 and 38 of the holder, and may be of substantially square cross-section. The knitting needle 12 shown in Fig- 5,

i may have the usual shank 51 and downwardly extending curved beard portion 52 at the upper end of the shank. At the lower end of the shank, however, is provided a curved looped portion 53 extending substantially in the plane of the beard 52 and opposite the latter. The needle 12 may be mounted on the holder 11 by merely forcing the same vithin the groove 49 and recess 46. It will be noted that the loop portion 53 may be fitted into the recess 46 to rest against the surface 48 and press outwardly againstthe cylindrical surface 50. As illustrated in ,Fig. 3 the diameter of the loop portion 53 be somewhat in excess of the diameter of the recess 46. The dotted lines in Fig. 3

show said loop portion in cross-section before pressing the same lnto the recess. The curved surfaces of the loop, permits the same to be constricted upon pressing the same inwardly into the recess, thus providing a strong outward pressure within the recess whereby the needle may be held within the groove and recess by a tight frictional fit.

removed from the holder by merely engaging an upper portion of the needle and pulling the same away from the holder. It will be noted that the loop portion of the needle serves to prevent turning movement of the, needle with respect to the holder. sired, instead of loop portion 53, any other suitably shaped foot-extension may be provided at the lower end of the needle shank.

Each holder preferably mounts one needle. so that the holders serve to space the needles? Since the holders may be made from a single strip of metal they may be readily made of similar thickness thus insuring uniform spacing of the needles. Preferably the hold:

ers taper or increase in thickness radiallyoutward so that said holders may be mounted.

entirely around the cylinder and contact one another. In mounting the holders with the needles on the machine, each holder serves.

to press the needle of the next adjacent holder within its groove to prevent looseness of the needle, the diameter of the needles'being substantially equal to the depth of the groove 49 and recess 46, for this purpose.

The bent ear or extension 44 of each er serves to engage the tab of the next adjacent holder,to insure maintenance of all of the holders on an equal level, even if the leather liner 29 varies in pressure against the hold-.

ers.- Thus, if the liner does not press against one holder, as hard as against another, the next adjacent holder will serve to lift the first holder by means of the interengaging cars 44 whereby all of the holders will be pressed upwardly against the undersurface 17 of the flange 16. Obviously, if desired, the ear extensions 44 may be formed on the inclined edge 30, it being a dominant feature of'the invention to have each holder en: I gage the holder next adjacent thereto and press upwardly thereon.

It will now be understood that with my im proved construction, looseness of the needles is effectively prevented, even after prolonged use, notwithstanding pressure on the needles during the knitting operation. Furthermore, should one of the needles break, said needle is replaceable and the holder is not wasted, thus saving the expense of a new holder, Since each'needle is mounted on a holdseparate holder, it is not necessary, as in constructions used heretofore, wherein a plu rality of needles are embedded in the holder, to discard the latter, when only one of the needles break, thus effecting further economy in use. Furthermore, my improved holder obviates the use of soft alloys, or the necessity of molding operations, as in prior. constructions.

As illustrated in Fig. 6, each holder 11 may be formed with a notch in the rear wall 40 thereof, having a curved inner edge, for receiving an elongated coiltension spring 62 extending entirely about the cylinder and engaging all of the holders to retain the same against falling out when one or more of the holders are being removed. Thus when one of the clamps 22 is loosened for the purpose of replacing a holder or needle, the spring 62 retains adjacent holders in place. When the spring 62 is employed, the'tab or car 44 may be omitted since the spring serves also to press the holders against the cylinders and aligns said holders to retain the holders and knitting needles at a uniform level.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in theembodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A knitting machine accessory comprising a substantially flat holder comprising a single piece of metal having a recess in a side face thereof and a knitting needle frictionally engaging within said recess.

2. A knitting machine accessorycomprising a substantially fiat holder having an edge adapted to contact the cylinder of a knitting machine, and being provided with a groove in one side face thereof and a knitting needle having a portion extending within said groove. 1

A knitting apparatus of the character described comprising a rotary cylinder having a flange formed with an annular undersurface, a plurality of needle holders mounted thereon, having portions engaging said undersurface, and means on each holder for pressing an adjacent holder against said undersurface. I

4-. In knitting apparatus of the character described, a circular cylinder having an outwardly extending flange formed with an undersurface, a plurality of holders each having an edge contacting said undersurface, and an upwardly and outwardly inclined edge, a clamp having means for pressing against said inclined edges, and a projection on each holder adapted to contact an adjacent holder for pressing the same against said undersurface.

5. A knitting apparatusof the character described comprising a plurality of substantially flat holders contacting one another, one of said holders having a groove on a face thereof, and a needle within said groove adapted to be retained within said groove by the next adjacent holder.

6. A knitting machine accessory comprising a flat holder made of a single piece of metal having an edge, and being formed with a groove on one of the flat side faces thereof for frictionally receiving and retaining a portion of a knitting needle.

7. A holder for a knitting machine comprising a substantially flat member having a groove in one face thereof adapted to re- V ceive a knitting needle, and an inclined tab extending therefrom adapted to press against the tab of a similar holder placed against said first holder.

8. In combination, a flat holder made of a single piece of metal having a circular recess, and. an elongated groove on one of the side faces of said holder communicating with said recess, and a knitting needle having a shank portion frictionally received within said groove, and a. circular portion extending from said shank received w1th1n said recess.

7 9. A knitting machlne comprising a cylindrical portion, a flat holder having an inner edge adapted to contact said cylinder, a needle having a shank portion, a beard at one end of said shank, and a foot extension at the other end of said shanlg-said holder having a recess in aside face thereof frictionally receiving a portion of said shank and said foot extension. V

10. A knitting machine comprising a cylindrical portion, a flat holder having an inner edge contacting said cylindrical por tion, a knitting needle having a shank portion, a beard at one end of said shank portion, and a foot extension at the other end of said shank portion, said holder having a recess in a side face thereof for receiving a portion of said shank portion and said foot extension, said beard and foot extension being disposed in a common plane and oppositely to one another. I V

11. A knitting apparatus of the character described comprising a plurality of holders having contacting faces, one of said holders having a groove on the faces thereof lying against the face of the next adjacent holder, and a knitting needle within said groove.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GEORGE LANGE.

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