US1970072A - Knitting machine - Google Patents

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US1970072A
US1970072A US468168A US46816830A US1970072A US 1970072 A US1970072 A US 1970072A US 468168 A US468168 A US 468168A US 46816830 A US46816830 A US 46816830A US 1970072 A US1970072 A US 1970072A
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yarn
lever
feeder
needles
cam
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US468168A
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Bentley Percival Arthur
Manger Charles Frederick
Wainwright Carlyle Herbert
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    • DTEXTILES; PAPER
    • D04BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
    • D04BKNITTING
    • D04B9/00Circular knitting machines with independently-movable needles
    • D04B9/10Circular knitting machines with independently-movable needles with two needle cylinders for purl work or for Links-Links loop formation

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  • the invention in so far as its features appertaining to mechanism are concerned, is particularly applicable to, although not limited to, circular knitting machines of the type that is characterized by having superposed needle cylinders within corresponding cam boxes and means to produce relative rotation and rotary reciprocation of the cylinders and cam boxes.
  • This type of machine is examplified in the specifications of British Letters Patent Nos. 15008/ 1900; 24290/1912; and 171,483.
  • an auxiliary yarn is supplied to half, or thereabouts, of the needles in the needle circle but not to the remainder of the needles and it is usual to float this yarn behind those needles which are not required to knit it into the fabric.
  • a further disadvantage of this meth- ,od is that it is impossible to perform halfround splicing in ribbed fabric as any attempt to float the yarn behind the needles will only result in its being knitted into the work.
  • An object of the present invention is to overcome both these disadvantages.
  • a feature of the invention is'a method of knitting by machine wherein during the knitting of at least one part of the work an auxiliary yarn is knitted in with the main yarn'at a certain portion of each course of the knitting, which method comprises as a characteristic step severing the auxiliary yarnbetween its supply'and the work at the completion of the knitting of said portion of each, course.
  • the invention comprises also as a feature a seek or other article of wearing apparel wherein a splicing or other portion including an auxiliary yarn, begins and ends with a rib wale'.
  • a splicing or other portion including an auxiliary yarn begins and ends with a rib wale'.
  • Another object of the invention aims at the reduction to a minimum of the length of the loose ends of thread which appear on the surface of the. knitted fabric at the portions where the knitting in of an auxiliary yam begins and ends.
  • a feature of the invention consists in an alteration of the timing of the sinkers in a manner explained hereinafter whereby the usual yarn trapping. and'cutting devices of the machine can be located nearer to the needles than has heretofore been possible.
  • Figure 1 illustrates diagrammatically in front elevation at V circular knitting machine of the superposed cylinder type having applied theretov yam-feeding mechanism according to the present invention
  • FIG 2 shows in plan most of the parts shown in Figure 1;
  • FIG. 3 is a side elevation of parts shown in Figures 1 and 2;
  • Figures4 and 5 are adjustable cams hereinafter referred to;
  • Figures 6 and 7 are diagrams of knitting operations hereinafter referred to; i j 1 Figure 8 shows, in side elevation, a known kind of sinker;
  • FIG. 9 is a similar view of a sinker modified in accordance with the present invention.
  • Figure 10 shows, in plan, a portion of a sinker 11o sleeve and sinker ring, and certain of the sinkers mounted in the tricks of the latter;
  • FIG 11 is a sectional elevation of parts shown in Figure 10, showing also the cam for operating the sinkers;
  • Figure. 12 is a detailed view, particularly in section and on a larger scale than that of Figures 1, 2, and 3, of the prop lever and associated parts shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3;
  • Figure 13 is a diagram illustrative of a method according to the present invention of knitting a tubular article in a portion of which an auxiliary yarn is knitted with the main yarn.
  • Figures l4, l5 and 16' are diagrams illustrative of the manner in which a splicing yarn is fed to the needles; 7
  • Figures 17 and 18 are diagrams illustrating a later stage of the operations shown by Figures 14, and 16, in which stage the yarn has just been released by the trapper;
  • Figure His 9 detail, on a scale larger than that of Figures 1. 2 and 3, of the stitch cams and part of the mechanism for adjusting them;
  • Figures and 21 show certain of the parts of Figures 3 and 2, respectively, but on a larger scale and in positions different from those in which they are shown in said earlier figures;
  • Figures 22, 23 and 24 show, respectively, in plan, side elevation, and end elevation and on a larger scale than that of Figures 20 and 21, a combined yarn cutting and trapping device hereinafter described.
  • the feeder 26 can swing about its pivot 24 from an inoperative position (full lines in Figure 2) to an operative position (dotted lines in that figure) which is determined by an'adjustable stop in the form of a bolt 30 threaded through a lug 32 on the plate 22.
  • an inoperative position full lines in Figure 2
  • operative position dotted lines in that figure
  • the yarn-delivery end of the feeder 26 lies behind a cutting and trapping device indicated generally at 34 which is located close to the needles and which is more particularly described hereinafter.
  • the yarn extends from the delivery end of the feeder to the trapper 34 and is in the range of the needles in the hooks of which it is engaged as the needles descend the stitch cam, As the needles take the yarn, the trapper opens to release the yarn-end and that piece of the yarn which extends from the trapper to the first needle to take the yarn will be a loose end. In order to keep this loose end short, the trapper must be placed close to the position where the needles take the yarn. In prior constructions, however, it has been impossible .thus to place the trapper because the trapper would interfere with the sinkers which at one stage of their operation are projected outwardly relatively to the needle cylinder into the position where it is desirable to place the trapper. .To overcome this difliculty,
  • the timing of the sinker-operation, in the present construction has been altered, the sinkers being moved inwardly at an earlier stage of their operation than has been usual heretofore.
  • the extent of this early inward movement of the sinkers is some nine-tenths of their total inward movement, the remaining one-tenth of the inward movement, to hold the loop, occurring at the usual timing of the machine.
  • the relative positions of the combined yarncutting and trapping device 34, the needles, and the yarn feeder 26 are indicated in Figure 14 at a time in the operation of the machine when the feeder 26 has been swung'into position for feeding to the needles a splicing yarn 140 which is to be knitted into the fabric formed by the main yarn 142.
  • the splicing yarn 140 has been received by a rib needle 144, see also Figures 15 and 16, which has also received the main yarn 142, the splicing yarn 140 being still held by the device 34.
  • the device 34 retains its hold on the end of the splicing yarn 140 until the rib needle 144 has drawn loops of the main and splicing yarns through the previously-formed loop 146 of the main yarn, and until the loop 146 has been knocked-over into the position shown in Figures 17 and 18 when the device 34 releases the splicing yarn as indicated in Figure 1'7. It will be noted from an inspection of Figure 17, that the placing of the device 34 close to the needles results in a loose end 148 of splicing yarn of but little length.
  • the reference numeral 48 indicates the lie of the yarn 50 from a rib needle 44 to a preceding frame needle 46 at the point where the co-operating sinker 36 moves inwardly, and it will be noted that the loo yarn at this point is low enough for the nib 52 of the sinker safely to pass over it.
  • Figure '7 shows the relative position of the parts shown in Figure 6 after the needles, by rotation of the needle cylinders, have advanced a distance equal approximately to the space between'two adjacent needles. In this position, the lie of the yarn beis swung about its pivot 24, into and out of operative position, by connections from a cam 60 ( Figure 1) on a running shaft 62 of the machine.
  • connections include a bellcrank lever 64 loosely mounted upon a shaft 65 journalled in the bracket 18, one arm of which lever is coupled to the feeder by a connecting link 66, and the other arm of which is operatively connected, as by a push-rod 68 ( Figure 3), with a lever '70 ( Figures 1 and 2) which carries or has formed on it a follower '71 adapted to engage the cam 60.
  • the connection between the feeder 26 and the link 66 is constituted by a slot in the link against the end of which slot the tail-end of the feeder tends to be maintained by a spring '72 extending between pins on the feeder and the plate 22 respectively. -By this means the feeder is moved yieldingly into its operative position and a certain amount of lost motion is permitted between the lever 64 and the feeder for a purpose hereinafter explained.
  • a second cam '74 mounted on the shaft 62 adjacent the cam 60 is a second cam '74 engaged by a follower '77 on a-lever '76 which is connected with the stitch cams 150( Figures 19 and 20) for the frame needles to move the stitch cams when the needles receive the auxiliary yarn so as to slacken the stitches by variation of the lengths of the loops.
  • the connections between the stitch cams and the lever '76 ( Figure 1) comprise a lever consisting of two arms each fast upon the shaft 65, one end of which lever is coupled to'the lever '76 by a push rod 78 -and the other end of which overlies a lug on a short lever 82.
  • the lever 82 is pivoted upon a screw 84 ( Figures 19 and 20) carrier in a block which can slide in a. guideway in a bracket 88 fixed to a stationary part of the machine.
  • the stitch cams 150 are supported upon a part 152 which is attached to the block 90 and are normally held in raised position by a pair of springs 154 each connected at its upper end to the bracket 88 and at its lower end to the part 152.
  • the part 152 is secured to the block 90 by means of a screw 153 which passes through a slot 155 in the part 152 and is screwed into the block 90.
  • the stitch cams 150 are lowered when the cam '74 lifts the lever '76, as the lifting of this lever raises the push rod '78, turns the lever 80 counterclockwise as seen in Figure 1 and depresses the left-hand end of the lever 82.
  • the right-hand end of the lever 82 bears against a shoulder 86 on the bracket 88 with the result that as the lever 82 thus turns counter-clockwise, it turns about its point of engagement with the shoulder 86 as a fulcrum and thus depresses the block 90 to which it is pivoted and consequently also depresses the part 152 which carries the stitch cams.
  • Each of the cams 60, '74 on the shaft 62 is adjustable as to its effective length to vary, respectively, the number of needles which shall receive the auxiliary yarn and the number of stitches which shall be slackened.
  • each cam is in two portions arranged side-byside on the shaft, so that by shifting the portions relatively around the shaft and securing them in adjusted position the effective length of the cam surface,'which is on the periphery of the cam, can be varied.
  • Each of the followers '71, '77 is wide enough to engage the cam surfaces of both portions of the cam to which it appertains.
  • the adjustable cams 60, 74 are shown in greater'detail in Figures 4 and 5, from which itwill be apparent that the two portions 60, 60 and '74, '74 of each cam are each secured to the shaft by screws and bolts 92, 94 and 96, 98 respectively, which can be slackened to permit relative angular adjustment of the two cam portions 60, 60 or-'74, '74 about the shaft 62 and then tightened again to maintain the adjustment-
  • the action of the earns 60, 74 upon their followers '71, '77 is determined by the usual control drum 100 ( Figure 1) of the machine, upon which drum are cam projections 102 which as the drum rotates engage and move a lever 104 which is coupled by a connecting link 106 to mechanism for bringing each follower into and out of operative relation to its cam.
  • the lever '76 is mounted to swing about two axes, of which one is parallel with the axis of the shaft 62 to allow the lever to be moved by the cam '74, and the other is at right angles to that axis to permit the lever to be moved sidewise out of range of the cam.
  • the lever is pivoted between ears 110 on a stud-shaft 108 ( Figure 1) mounted to turn in the machine frame and on one of said ears there is another pair of ears 112 between which is pivotally connected one end of the connecting link 106.
  • a projection 102 on the control'drum 100 engages the lever 104
  • the stud-shaft 108 is turned to bring the follower '77 on the lever '76 into the path of its cam '74.
  • the lever '70 (which is pivoted between stationary ears 114) is brought into engagement with its cam 60 by the removal from under it of a prop-lever 116 ( Figure 3) which is pivoted at 118 and is connected with an arm 120 ( Figure 2) on the stud-shaft 108.
  • the connection between the prop-lever 116 and the arm 120 consists of a closely-wound spiral spring 122 which acts as a strut when the arm 120 is moved in one direction but can yield, if need be, when the arm is moved in the opposite direction.
  • the spring 122 is .connected at one end directly with the prop-lever 116 and at the other end to an upstanding pin 121 ( Figure 1) on the arm 120.
  • This spring 122 acts as a safety device to prevent breakage of parts or undesired alterations of the timing of the machine should the arm 120 be moved by any cause at an inappropriate time in the-machine cycle.
  • the part of it which engages the under side of the lever 70 is constituted by a bolt 124 threaded into a part of the lever and adapted to be locked in adjusted position by a lock-nut threaded upon it.
  • the i lever 104 is maintained in engagement with the drum 100 by the action of aspring 101 ( Figure 2) acting upon an arm 103 projecting from one of the ears 110 on the stud-shaft 108.
  • mechanism is provided for shifting the follower 77 into and out of operative relationship with the cam 74 for the purpose of controlling the operation of the stitch cams.
  • the follower 71 which servesto control the operation of the feeder for the auxiliary yarn, remains in operative relationship with a second cam but is prevented from following the contour of that cam by reason of the fact that the prop lever is disposed beneath the lever for that follower.
  • the trapper 34 which in the present construction is a combined trapper and cutter adapted first to trap and then to cut the yarn, as in the corresponding device disclosed in the specification of our British Letters Patent No. 280,612, comprises three main portions, see Figures 22, 23 and 24, namely a body portion 158, a movable blade 160, and a stationary blade 162.
  • the body portion 158 is secured to the plate 22 ( Figures 20 and 21) and the movable blade 160 is received in a guideway formed for it in the sloping front face of the portion 158, the fixed cutter 162, which is fastened to the portion 158, as by screws, serving as a cover for that guideway.
  • the movable blade 160 has formed in it two slots viz.
  • the blade 160 is then retracted by its operating mechanism and first the yarn is trapped between the bed of the guideway in the body portion 158 and the surface 174 ( Figure 22) of the blade 160 above and on the other side of its cutting edge 170, and then the yarn is cut by the cutting edges 170, 1'72.
  • the trapper and cutter are operated for trapping and cutting the yarn as just described, by
  • the mechanism for operating the trapper and cutter comprises the lever 126.
  • This lever is pivoted at 127 on the plate 22 and normally is held in a lower position by a spring 129 connecting the lever with a pin projecting from the post 20. In this lower position, which is that in which the lever is shown in Figure 3, the lever 126 holds the blade 160 in its retracted or yarn-trapping position.
  • Plvotally mounted upon the lever 126 at 125 is a spring-controlled latch l28whichnormally is maintained by its spring in the position shown in Figure 20 in which the latch abuts against a pin 131 ( Figure 21) projecting from the lever 126.
  • the latch 128 has formed upon it acam surface 130 which is engaged by an arm 132 ( Figure 21) extending from the feeder 26 as the feeder swings to inoperative position.
  • the passage of the arm 132 beneath the cam surface 130 causes the lever 126 to be raised to project the blade 160 to a position in which the yarn extending from the feeder to the needles can pass into the slot 168 in the blade 160.
  • the spring 129 pulls the lever 126 down again, with the result that the yarn is trapped and cut as previously described by the consequent retraction of the blade 160.
  • the latch 128 yielding to permit the arm 132 to pass by it during this movement so that the lever 126 is not operated at this time. This is desirable, as the yarn should be held trapped until the needles have obtained control of the yarn.
  • the blade 160 is projected to release the yarn-end by a connection from the lever 64, which lever can move slightly beyond the position necessary to bring the feeder 26 into its operative position by reason of theflost motion, before referred to, in the connections between the feeder and the lever 64.
  • the connections from the lever 64 for projecting the blade 160 comprise a cam piece 134 on the lever 64 adapted to engage one end of a lever 135 pivoted at 137 on the plate 22, the other end of which lever underlies the forward end of the lever 126.
  • Figure 13 is a diagram illustrative of methods of knitting according to the present invention.
  • the fabric knitted from the main yarn is indicated at 200, while the portion containing the auxiliary or splicing yarn which is knitted in with the main yarn is indicated at 202.
  • the splicing yarn is knitted in with the main yarn from, say, the position 204, the knitting of both main and splicing yarns continuing until the position 206 is reached when the splicing yarn is cut and trapped.
  • Knitting with the main yarn continues in the direction of the arrow until the position 204 is again arrived at when the splicing yarn is reintroduced and isknitted in with the main yarn until it is cut and trapped again at position 206. This operation is repeated until the portion of the work is completed where halfround splicing is required, As already pointed out, this method of knitting does not call for the presence of yarns floated behind those needles which do not knit such yarns into the fabric, and furthermore enables ribbing to be effected without a splicing yarn in any given part (say 201) of a course of knitting in which course at another part (say 203) a splicing yarn is introduced.
  • Figure 13 is illustrative of another method according to the invention, previously referred to herein, inwhich method the beginning and finishing ends 208, 210 alone of a portion of a course of knitting including both main and auxiliary yarns are knitted each by a rib needle 212 and 214, respectively, of the machine.
  • the loops 216, 218 which, of course, are each composed of a portion of the main yarn and a portion of the auxiliary yarn-are drawn to the inner side of the article by the action of the rib needles 212, 214, whereas in the older method where such loops are formed by frame needles they are drawn to the outer side of the article with the consequent disadvantage hereinbefore pointed out.
  • Figure 13 is essentially diagrammatic and that the needles 212, 214 (which are diagrammatically represented merely as hooks) are not necessarily in positions in which they are situated at any particular instant in the knitting operation.
  • a knitting machine the combination with a series of needles, of a. series of sinkers cooperating with the needles in the formation of knitted fabric, mechanism for operating the sinkers, a yarn feeder, and a yarn trapping device located so closely adjacent the needles and the yarn feeder as to normally interfere with said sinkers, said device cooperating with said feeder in the presentation of a yarn to the needles, the mechanism for operating said sinkers serving to impart to all of said sinkers an inward movement in advance of the normal inward movement to permit the contiguous disposition of the yarn trapping device, the feeder and the needles without interference with said sinkers.
  • alternate sinkers of the series of sinkers are each provided with but a short nib to avoid liability of damage to the yarn upon inward movement of such sinkers.
  • a yarn feeder In a knitting machine, a yarn feeder, mechanism for moving said feeder into and out of yarn-feeding position, a yarn trapping and cutting device, means directly controlled by said feeder for actuating said device to trap and cut the yarn as the feeder moves away from yarnfeeding position, and means controlled by said mechanism for actuating said device to release the yarn after the feeder has arrived in feeding position.
  • a knitting machine wherein the operative connection between the first-named lever and the prop-lever is constituted by a spiral spring the turns of which are in contact with each other so that the spring serves as an unyielding connection between said parts when transmitting motion in the one direction, but can yield, if need be, when transmitting motion in the opposite direction.
  • a rib knitting machine comprising a series of needles including frame needles and rib needles adapted to knit a main yarn into a fabric composed of a plurality of courses, yarn feeding means for feeding, only to a group of adjacent needles of said series, an auxiliary yarn to be knitted together with the main yarn into the fabric by said group of needles, yarn trapping and cutting means for operating upon said auxiliary yarn, and means acting automatically so to operate said yarn feeding means and said yarn trapping.
  • a movable feeder, a yarn cutting and trapping device, and mechanism for actuating said feeder and device comprising a spring operatively connected with the feeder for moving the feeder into feeding position, a lever, operative connections between said lever and feeder arranged on movement of the lever in one direction tomove the feeder to idle position and on movement of the lever in a reverse direction to permit the spring to move the feeder to feeding position, operative connections between the yarn trapping and cutting device and the feeder arranged on movement of the feeder to idle position to actuate the said device to cause it to trap and cut the yarn, and operative connections between "said device and the lever arranged on movement of the lever in said reverse direction to actuate said device to cause it torelease the yarn but not until after the feeder has been moved by the spring into feeding position.

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Description

Aug. 14, 193 P. A. BENTLEY ET AL KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 15, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet l II l Aug. 14, 93 P. A. BENTLEY ET AL KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 15, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 14, 193 P. A. BENTLEY ET AL KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 15, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug. 14, 193 P; A. BENTLEY ET AL KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 15, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 m M w m Aug. 14, 1934.
P. A. BENTLEY ET AL KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 15 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug. 1934- P. A. BENTLEY ET AL 1,970,072 I KNITTING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed July 15 1930 EEEEmcEEF:
Patented Aug. 14, 1934 KNITTING MACHINE Percival Arthur Bentley,
Charles Frederick -Manger, and Carlyle Herbert Wainwright, I
Leicester, England Application July 15, 1930, Serial No. 468,168
In Great Britain July 27, 1929 s Claims. (01. 66-14) This invention concerns improvements in or relating to knitted articles and to methods of and machines for producing the same.
The invention, in so far as its features appertaining to mechanism are concerned, is particularly applicable to, although not limited to, circular knitting machines of the type that is characterized by having superposed needle cylinders within corresponding cam boxes and means to produce relative rotation and rotary reciprocation of the cylinders and cam boxes. This type of machine is examplified in the specifications of British Letters Patent Nos. 15008/ 1900; 24290/1912; and 171,483. In half-round splicing, an auxiliary yarn is supplied to half, or thereabouts, of the needles in the needle circle but not to the remainder of the needles and it is usual to float this yarn behind those needles which are not required to knit it into the fabric.
advantageous in that there are left inside the fabric loose threads which have to be cut out by hand in a later stage of the manufacturing operations. A further disadvantage of this meth- ,od is that it is impossible to perform halfround splicing in ribbed fabric as any attempt to float the yarn behind the needles will only result in its being knitted into the work. An object of the present invention is to overcome both these disadvantages.
A feature of the invention is'a method of knitting by machine wherein during the knitting of at least one part of the work an auxiliary yarn is knitted in with the main yarn'at a certain portion of each course of the knitting, which method comprises as a characteristic step severing the auxiliary yarnbetween its supply'and the work at the completion of the knitting of said portion of each, course.
:By the employment of this method of machin knitting the necessity does not-arise for the cutting by hand or otherwise of loose threads after the knitting operation proper is finished; anda method of knitting by machine as above defined, wherein the beginning and finishing ends alone of a portion of a course which includes an auxiliary yarn are knitted by rib needles of the machine. I
An advantage of such a method of knitting is This method, however, is disthat the ends of the auxiliary yarn are upon loops drawn to the inside of the work and thus are not liable to be pulled out in subsequent handling of the work. In methods as heretofore practiced these ends were on loops made by the frame needles, that is to say loops drawn to the outside of the work, consequently rubbing or handling of the work tended to draw the loops outwardly far enough to expose these ends and thus detract from the appearance of the finished article.
The invention comprises also as a feature a seek or other article of wearing apparel wherein a splicing or other portion including an auxiliary yarn, begins and ends with a rib wale'. The advantage of this characteristic is that loose ends of the auxiliary yarn are unlikely to be exposed on the outer side of thework for the'reason prev iously explained.
Another object of the invention aims at the reduction to a minimum of the length of the loose ends of thread which appear on the surface of the. knitted fabric at the portions where the knitting in of an auxiliary yam begins and ends. In pursuance of this object a feature of the invention consists in an alteration of the timing of the sinkers in a manner explained hereinafter whereby the usual yarn trapping. and'cutting devices of the machine can be located nearer to the needles than has heretofore been possible.
A description in greater detail of methods according to the invention and a-convenient construction of mechanism capable of performing such methods will now be described, by way of example, reference being made to'the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in 'which:
Figure 1 illustrates diagrammatically in front elevation at V circular knitting machine of the superposed cylinder type having applied theretov yam-feeding mechanism according to the present invention;
Figure 2 shows in plan most of the parts shown in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a side elevation of parts shown in Figures 1 and 2;
Figures4 and 5 are adjustable cams hereinafter referred to;
Figures 6 and 7 are diagrams of knitting operations hereinafter referred to; i j 1 Figure 8 shows, in side elevation, a known kind of sinker;
Figure 9 is a similar view of a sinker modified in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 10 shows, in plan, a portion of a sinker 11o sleeve and sinker ring, and certain of the sinkers mounted in the tricks of the latter;
Figure 11 is a sectional elevation of parts shown in Figure 10, showing also the cam for operating the sinkers;
Figure. 12 is a detailed view, particularly in section and on a larger scale than that of Figures 1, 2, and 3, of the prop lever and associated parts shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3;
Figure 13 is a diagram illustrative of a method according to the present invention of knitting a tubular article in a portion of which an auxiliary yarn is knitted with the main yarn.
Figures l4, l5 and 16' are diagrams illustrative of the manner in which a splicing yarn is fed to the needles; 7
Figures 17 and 18 are diagrams illustrating a later stage of the operations shown by Figures 14, and 16, in which stage the yarn has just been released by the trapper;
Figure His 9; detail, on a scale larger than that of Figures 1. 2 and 3, of the stitch cams and part of the mechanism for adjusting them;
Figures and 21, show certain of the parts of Figures 3 and 2, respectively, but on a larger scale and in positions different from those in which they are shown in said earlier figures; and
Figures 22, 23 and 24 show, respectively, in plan, side elevation, and end elevation and on a larger scale than that of Figures 20 and 21, a combined yarn cutting and trapping device hereinafter described.
In Figures 1 and 3 the upper and lower needle cylinders are indicated at 14 and 16 respectively, it being assumed that the machine is of that particular kind of the type of machines above indicated in which kind the needle cylinders rotate within stationary cam boxes. Upon a bracket 18 secured to the machine frame is mounted a post 20 at the upper end of which is carried a plate 22 upon which at24 (Figure 2) a feeder 26 is pivoted. This feeder is for feeding to the needles an auxiliary yarn 140 (Figure 14) which at certain parts of the knitted fabric is knitted in with the main yarn 142. The feeder 26 can swing about its pivot 24 from an inoperative position (full lines in Figure 2) to an operative position (dotted lines in that figure) which is determined by an'adjustable stop in the form of a bolt 30 threaded through a lug 32 on the plate 22. In its inoperative position the yarn-delivery end of the feeder 26 lies behind a cutting and trapping device indicated generally at 34 which is located close to the needles and which is more particularly described hereinafter. When the feeder 26 moves to its operative position, i. e. to the left (Figure 2) in the present construction, the yarn extends from the delivery end of the feeder to the trapper 34 and is in the range of the needles in the hooks of which it is engaged as the needles descend the stitch cam, As the needles take the yarn, the trapper opens to release the yarn-end and that piece of the yarn which extends from the trapper to the first needle to take the yarn will be a loose end. In order to keep this loose end short, the trapper must be placed close to the position where the needles take the yarn. In prior constructions, however, it has been impossible .thus to place the trapper because the trapper would interfere with the sinkers which at one stage of their operation are projected outwardly relatively to the needle cylinder into the position where it is desirable to place the trapper. .To overcome this difliculty,
, the timing of the sinker-operation, in the present construction, has been altered, the sinkers being moved inwardly at an earlier stage of their operation than has been usual heretofore. The extent of this early inward movement of the sinkers is some nine-tenths of their total inward movement, the remaining one-tenth of the inward movement, to hold the loop, occurring at the usual timing of the machine. This alteration of the timing of the sinkers, which obviously allows the trapper to be placed much closer to the needles than has been possible heretofore, is illustrated by Figure 10, wherein the sinkers 36 at the location 38 have been moved inwardly in their tricks in the sinker ring 40 beyond their normal position which is indicated by the dotted lines at the outer end of each sinker.v Figure 11 shows the alteration that is made to the sinker-operating cam 42 to bring about this early inward movement of the sinkers, the dotted line 44 showing the configuration of the cam in prior machines. The relative positions of the combined yarncutting and trapping device 34, the needles, and the yarn feeder 26 are indicated in Figure 14 at a time in the operation of the machine when the feeder 26 has been swung'into position for feeding to the needles a splicing yarn 140 which is to be knitted into the fabric formed by the main yarn 142. At the instant illustrated, the splicing yarn 140 has been received by a rib needle 144, see also Figures 15 and 16, which has also received the main yarn 142, the splicing yarn 140 being still held by the device 34. The device 34 retains its hold on the end of the splicing yarn 140 until the rib needle 144 has drawn loops of the main and splicing yarns through the previously-formed loop 146 of the main yarn, and until the loop 146 has been knocked-over into the position shown in Figures 17 and 18 when the device 34 releases the splicing yarn as indicated in Figure 1'7. It will be noted from an inspection of Figure 17, that the placing of the device 34 close to the needles results in a loose end 148 of splicing yarn of but little length.
When plain knitting is being performed, the modified timing of the sinkers just described has no adverse effect upon the work, but in rib knitting there is a tendency for the yarn to be damaged if the advantage gained by early inward movement of the sinkers is to be availed of to its fullest extent, 1. e. by making the early inward movement a large proportion of the total inward movement. The reason for this tendency is as follows: In rib knitting the sinkers, owing to their early inward movement, hold the rib loop before the rib needle ascendsor has completed its ascent of the stitch cam. In one-andone rib knitting, the lie of the yarn from a rib needle to a frame needle which precedes it in the direction of rotation of the needles, at the pointwhere the sinkers move inwardly, is lower than the lie of the yarn at the same point between a frame needle and a preceding rib needle. Consequently, while at the forward side of a rib loop the nib of a sinker will safely pass over the yarn, at the rearward or trailing side of the loop, the nib of a sinker is liable to engage and split the yarn. This will be clear from a consideration of Figures 6 and 7, in which the direction of rotation of the needle cylinders is indicated by the arrows. In Figure 6, the reference numeral 48 indicates the lie of the yarn 50 from a rib needle 44 to a preceding frame needle 46 at the point where the co-operating sinker 36 moves inwardly, and it will be noted that the loo yarn at this point is low enough for the nib 52 of the sinker safely to pass over it. Figure '7 shows the relative position of the parts shown in Figure 6 after the needles, by rotation of the needle cylinders, have advanced a distance equal approximately to the space between'two adjacent needles. In this position, the lie of the yarn beis swung about its pivot 24, into and out of operative position, by connections from a cam 60 (Figure 1) on a running shaft 62 of the machine. These connections include a bellcrank lever 64 loosely mounted upon a shaft 65 journalled in the bracket 18, one arm of which lever is coupled to the feeder by a connecting link 66, and the other arm of which is operatively connected, as by a push-rod 68 (Figure 3), with a lever '70 (Figures 1 and 2) which carries or has formed on it a follower '71 adapted to engage the cam 60. The connection between the feeder 26 and the link 66 is constituted by a slot in the link against the end of which slot the tail-end of the feeder tends to be maintained by a spring '72 extending between pins on the feeder and the plate 22 respectively. -By this means the feeder is moved yieldingly into its operative position and a certain amount of lost motion is permitted between the lever 64 and the feeder for a purpose hereinafter explained.
Mounted on the shaft 62 adjacent the cam 60 is a second cam '74 engaged by a follower '77 on a-lever '76 which is connected with the stitch cams 150(Figures 19 and 20) for the frame needles to move the stitch cams when the needles receive the auxiliary yarn so as to slacken the stitches by variation of the lengths of the loops. The connections between the stitch cams and the lever '76 (Figure 1) comprise a lever consisting of two arms each fast upon the shaft 65, one end of which lever is coupled to'the lever '76 by a push rod 78 -and the other end of which overlies a lug on a short lever 82. The lever 82 is pivoted upon a screw 84 (Figures 19 and 20) carrier in a block which can slide in a. guideway in a bracket 88 fixed to a stationary part of the machine. The stitch cams 150 are supported upon a part 152 which is attached to the block 90 and are normally held in raised position by a pair of springs 154 each connected at its upper end to the bracket 88 and at its lower end to the part 152. For the purpose of adjustment, the part 152 is secured to the block 90 by means of a screw 153 which passes through a slot 155 in the part 152 and is screwed into the block 90. By the connections above described, the stitch cams 150 are lowered when the cam '74 lifts the lever '76, as the lifting of this lever raises the push rod '78, turns the lever 80 counterclockwise as seen in Figure 1 and depresses the left-hand end of the lever 82. The right-hand end of the lever 82 (see Figure 19) bears against a shoulder 86 on the bracket 88 with the result that as the lever 82 thus turns counter-clockwise, it turns about its point of engagement with the shoulder 86 as a fulcrum and thus depresses the block 90 to which it is pivoted and consequently also depresses the part 152 which carries the stitch cams.
Each of the cams 60, '74 on the shaft 62 is adjustable as to its effective length to vary, respectively, the number of needles which shall receive the auxiliary yarn and the number of stitches which shall be slackened. To this end each cam is in two portions arranged side-byside on the shaft, so that by shifting the portions relatively around the shaft and securing them in adjusted position the effective length of the cam surface,'which is on the periphery of the cam, can be varied. Each of the followers '71, '77 is wide enough to engage the cam surfaces of both portions of the cam to which it appertains. The adjustable cams 60, 74 are shown in greater'detail in Figures 4 and 5, from which itwill be apparent that the two portions 60, 60 and '74, '74 of each cam are each secured to the shaft by screws and bolts 92, 94 and 96, 98 respectively, which can be slackened to permit relative angular adjustment of the two cam portions 60, 60 or-'74, '74 about the shaft 62 and then tightened again to maintain the adjustment- As shown, the action of the earns 60, 74 upon their followers '71, '77 is determined by the usual control drum 100 (Figure 1) of the machine, upon which drum are cam projections 102 which as the drum rotates engage and move a lever 104 which is coupled by a connecting link 106 to mechanism for bringing each follower into and out of operative relation to its cam. In the construction described, the lever '76 is mounted to swing about two axes, of which one is parallel with the axis of the shaft 62 to allow the lever to be moved by the cam '74, and the other is at right angles to that axis to permit the lever to be moved sidewise out of range of the cam. To
permit these movements, the lever is pivoted between ears 110 on a stud-shaft 108 (Figure 1) mounted to turn in the machine frame and on one of said ears there is another pair of ears 112 between which is pivotally connected one end of the connecting link 106. When a projection 102 on the control'drum 100 engages the lever 104, the stud-shaft 108 is turned to bring the follower '77 on the lever '76 into the path of its cam '74. At the same time the lever '70 (which is pivoted between stationary ears 114) is brought into engagement with its cam 60 by the removal from under it of a prop-lever 116 (Figure 3) which is pivoted at 118 and is connected with an arm 120 (Figure 2) on the stud-shaft 108. The connection between the prop-lever 116 and the arm 120 consists of a closely-wound spiral spring 122 which acts as a strut when the arm 120 is moved in one direction but can yield, if need be, when the arm is moved in the opposite direction. The spring 122 is .connected at one end directly with the prop-lever 116 and at the other end to an upstanding pin 121 (Figure 1) on the arm 120. This spring 122 acts as a safety device to prevent breakage of parts or undesired alterations of the timing of the machine should the arm 120 be moved by any cause at an inappropriate time in the-machine cycle. In order that the effective length of the prop-lever may be varied for adjustment purposes the part of it which engages the under side of the lever 70 is constituted by a bolt 124 threaded into a part of the lever and adapted to be locked in adjusted position by a lock-nut threaded upon it. The i lever 104 is maintained in engagement with the drum 100 by the action of aspring 101 (Figure 2) acting upon an arm 103 projecting from one of the ears 110 on the stud-shaft 108.
It will be appreciated from the foregoing description that mechanism is provided for shifting the follower 77 into and out of operative relationship with the cam 74 for the purpose of controlling the operation of the stitch cams. The follower 71, which servesto control the operation of the feeder for the auxiliary yarn, remains in operative relationship with a second cam but is prevented from following the contour of that cam by reason of the fact that the prop lever is disposed beneath the lever for that follower. By the simple expedient of connecting this prop lever with the follower associated with the stitch cams, both followers may be simultaneously rendered operative or inoperative.
The trapper 34 which in the present construction is a combined trapper and cutter adapted first to trap and then to cut the yarn, as in the corresponding device disclosed in the specification of our British Letters Patent No. 280,612, comprises three main portions, see Figures 22, 23 and 24, namely a body portion 158, a movable blade 160, and a stationary blade 162. The body portion 158 is secured to the plate 22 (Figures 20 and 21) and the movable blade 160 is received in a guideway formed for it in the sloping front face of the portion 158, the fixed cutter 162, which is fastened to the portion 158, as by screws, serving as a cover for that guideway. The movable blade 160 has formed in it two slots viz. a slot 166 in 'which engages the end of a lever 126, Figure 20, which .actuates the cutting and trapping device as presently will be described, and a slot 168 of which one side 170 (Figure 24) forms the cutting edge of the blade. The co-operating cutting edge of the fixed blade 162 is indicated at 172 in Figure 24. When the feeder 26 swings to inoperative position (i. e. downwardly in Figure 21) to cease the supply of splicing yarn to the needles, the combined movement of the needles and of the feeder 26 places the yarn in the slot 168 of the blade 160. The blade 160 is then retracted by its operating mechanism and first the yarn is trapped between the bed of the guideway in the body portion 158 and the surface 174 (Figure 22) of the blade 160 above and on the other side of its cutting edge 170, and then the yarn is cut by the cutting edges 170, 1'72. The
end of the yarn leading through the \feeder 26 to the yarn supply is held by the trapper until the splicing yarn again is knitted intothe work,
The trapper and cutter are operated for trapping and cutting the yarn as just described, by
connections from the feeder 26 and for releasing the yarn by connections from the bell-crank lever 64 (Figures 1 and 20) that actuates the feeder. The mechanism for operating the trapper and cutter comprises the lever 126. This lever is pivoted at 127 on the plate 22 and normally is held in a lower position by a spring 129 connecting the lever with a pin projecting from the post 20. In this lower position, which is that in which the lever is shown in Figure 3, the lever 126 holds the blade 160 in its retracted or yarn-trapping position. Plvotally mounted upon the lever 126 at 125 is a spring-controlled latch l28whichnormally is maintained by its spring in the position shown in Figure 20 in which the latch abuts against a pin 131 (Figure 21) projecting from the lever 126. The latch 128 has formed upon it acam surface 130 which is engaged by an arm 132 (Figure 21) extending from the feeder 26 as the feeder swings to inoperative position. The passage of the arm 132 beneath the cam surface 130 causes the lever 126 to be raised to project the blade 160 to a position in which the yarn extending from the feeder to the needles can pass into the slot 168 in the blade 160. After the arm 132 in its travel is clear of the latch 128, the spring 129 pulls the lever 126 down again, with the result that the yarn is trapped and cut as previously described by the consequent retraction of the blade 160. When a splicing yarn is to be introduced into the work, the feeder 26 is moved from. its inoperative position (full lines in Figure 2) to its operative position (Figure 21), the latch 128 yielding to permit the arm 132 to pass by it during this movement so that the lever 126 is not operated at this time. This is desirable, as the yarn should be held trapped until the needles have obtained control of the yarn. When the yarn-end has thus been taken care of, the blade 160 is projected to release the yarn-end by a connection from the lever 64, which lever can move slightly beyond the position necessary to bring the feeder 26 into its operative position by reason of theflost motion, before referred to, in the connections between the feeder and the lever 64. The connections from the lever 64 for projecting the blade 160 comprise a cam piece 134 on the lever 64 adapted to engage one end of a lever 135 pivoted at 137 on the plate 22, the other end of which lever underlies the forward end of the lever 126. This cam piece 134 as the lever 64 nears one limit of its movement (1. e. the movement towards an observer of Figure 20) engages the lever 135 and causes that lever to turn about its pivot and raise the lever 126 thus projecting the blade 160 and releasing the yarn end previously held by the trapping device 34.
Figure 13 is a diagram illustrative of methods of knitting according to the present invention. In Figure 13, which indicates diagrammatically part of a tubular article, such as a' sock, the fabric knitted from the main yarn is indicated at 200, while the portion containing the auxiliary or splicing yarn which is knitted in with the main yarn is indicated at 202. In this method of knitting the splicing yarn is knitted in with the main yarn from, say, the position 204, the knitting of both main and splicing yarns continuing until the position 206 is reached when the splicing yarn is cut and trapped. Knitting with the main yarn continues in the direction of the arrow until the position 204 is again arrived at when the splicing yarn is reintroduced and isknitted in with the main yarn until it is cut and trapped again at position 206. This operation is repeated until the portion of the work is completed where halfround splicing is required, As already pointed out, this method of knitting does not call for the presence of yarns floated behind those needles which do not knit such yarns into the fabric, and furthermore enables ribbing to be effected without a splicing yarn in any given part (say 201) of a course of knitting in which course at another part (say 203) a splicing yarn is introduced.
Figure 13 is illustrative of another method according to the invention, previously referred to herein, inwhich method the beginning and finishing ends 208, 210 alone of a portion of a course of knitting including both main and auxiliary yarns are knitted each by a rib needle 212 and 214, respectively, of the machine. By this method the loops 216, 218which, of course, are each composed of a portion of the main yarn and a portion of the auxiliary yarn-are drawn to the inner side of the article by the action of the rib needles 212, 214, whereas in the older method where such loops are formed by frame needles they are drawn to the outer side of the article with the consequent disadvantage hereinbefore pointed out. It will be appreciated that Figure 13 is essentially diagrammatic and that the needles 212, 214 (which are diagrammatically represented merely as hooks) are not necessarily in positions in which they are situated at any particular instant in the knitting operation.
The method of knitting just described will result in the formation of a sock or other article in which as a result of the operation of the rib needles 212, 214, there will be formed in the article a rib wale at the positions 204, 206 which correspond, with the ends of a portion of the article wherein an auxiliary yarn has been knitted in with the main yarn.
We claim:---
1. In a knitting machine the combination with a series of needles, of a. series of sinkers cooperating with the needles in the formation of knitted fabric, mechanism for operating the sinkers, a yarn feeder, and a yarn trapping device located so closely adjacent the needles and the yarn feeder as to normally interfere with said sinkers, said device cooperating with said feeder in the presentation of a yarn to the needles, the mechanism for operating said sinkers serving to impart to all of said sinkers an inward movement in advance of the normal inward movement to permit the contiguous disposition of the yarn trapping device, the feeder and the needles without interference with said sinkers.
2. A knitting machine according to claim 1, wherein alternate sinkers of the series of sinkers are each provided with but a short nib to avoid liability of damage to the yarn upon inward movement of such sinkers.
3. In a knitting machine, a yarn feeder, mechanism for moving said feeder into and out of yarn-feeding position, a yarn trapping and cutting device, means directly controlled by said feeder for actuating said device to trap and cut the yarn as the feeder moves away from yarnfeeding position, and means controlled by said mechanism for actuating said device to release the yarn after the feeder has arrived in feeding position.
for moving said first-named lever into engagement with its associated cam, and by reason of said operative connection, withdrawing said prop-lever from under the other lever, to operatively associate said other lever with its cam.
6. A knitting machine according to claim 5, wherein the operative connection between the first-named lever and the prop-lever is constituted by a spiral spring the turns of which are in contact with each other so that the spring serves as an unyielding connection between said parts when transmitting motion in the one direction, but can yield, if need be, when transmitting motion in the opposite direction.
7. A rib knitting machine comprising a series of needles including frame needles and rib needles adapted to knit a main yarn into a fabric composed of a plurality of courses, yarn feeding means for feeding, only to a group of adjacent needles of said series, an auxiliary yarn to be knitted together with the main yarn into the fabric by said group of needles, yarn trapping and cutting means for operating upon said auxiliary yarn, and means acting automatically so to operate said yarn feeding means and said yarn trapping. and cutting means that the auxiliary yarn is fed to said group of needles including a rib needle at each end of the group, and after having been knitted into the fabric thereby, is trapped and cut in readiness again to be fed to said group of needles during the operation of said group in the formation of the next succeeding course of the fabric. Q
8. In a knitting machine, a movable feeder, a yarn cutting and trapping device, and mechanism for actuating said feeder and device comprising a spring operatively connected with the feeder for moving the feeder into feeding position, a lever, operative connections between said lever and feeder arranged on movement of the lever in one direction tomove the feeder to idle position and on movement of the lever in a reverse direction to permit the spring to move the feeder to feeding position, operative connections between the yarn trapping and cutting device and the feeder arranged on movement of the feeder to idle position to actuate the said device to cause it to trap and cut the yarn, and operative connections between "said device and the lever arranged on movement of the lever in said reverse direction to actuate said device to cause it torelease the yarn but not until after the feeder has been moved by the spring into feeding position.
- PERCIVAL ARTHUR BENTLEY.
CHARLES FREDERICK MANGER. CARLYLE HERBERT WAINWRIGHT.
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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3949571A (en) * 1974-11-29 1976-04-13 Hampshire-Designers, Inc. Elastic yarn binder and cutter

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3949571A (en) * 1974-11-29 1976-04-13 Hampshire-Designers, Inc. Elastic yarn binder and cutter

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