US2088799A - Flat knitting machine - Google Patents

Description

I 3, 1937. P. LIEBERKNEGHT FLAT KNITTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 10, 1954 Patented Aug. 3, 1937 PATENT- OFFICE FLAT KNITTING MACHINE Paul l eberknecht, Einsiedel, near Chemnitz. Germany Application September llll, 1934, Serial No. 743,438-

lln Germany May 2, i934 2 Claims.

My invention relates to flat knitting machines, and more particularly to improvements in the knocking-over combs of such machines.

Such improvements relate to machines in 1 which a fresh piece of fabric shall be knitted to an existing piece along a line positioned intermediate the two edges the existing piece. This is efiected by knitting the first course of the new fabric to the selected course of the existing fabric,

for instance, to a course at its centre. The existing fabric is placed on the frame needles of the knitting machine with the selected course by means ofa transfer bar, so that its two ends hang down from the needles in the shape of the w letter V (inverted) in front and at, the rear of the selected course. The transfer bar is then removed, the first course of the new fabricis sunk and divided, the knocking-over comb is moved into inactive position, that portion of the existing fabric which hangs down at the rear of the 20 selected course, is folded over so that both portions together hang down in front, the knocking-over combis returned into active position, and the new fabric is finished by knitting its courses in the usual manner.

This procedure involves certain difficulties in flat knitting machines as designed heretofore because the rear portion of -the existing fabric hung .on the frame needles is not easily disposed of in such manner that damage to the frame needles and seizing of the sinkers are avoided, and the folding-over of the fabric onto thebacks of the frame needles causes loss of time and may lead to damage to the needles.

It is an object of my invention to eliminate the 35 aforesaid drawbacks.

To this end, I so mount the knocking-over comb'that it is displaceable with respect to the sinker bar, for instance, by attaching it to a rocker, or a set of rockers, which is fulcrumed on a fixed part of the machine, and I provide means, such as a spring, for pulling the knocking-over comb toward the sinker bar, in combination with means such as a lug on one of the rockers, or on each rocker, for limiting the movement of the knocking-over comb toward the sinker bar.

By these means, and independently of any other movements the knocking-over comb performs in the usual way, it is adapted to be displaced in forward direction into inactive. position for all positions of the needle bar, together with but independently of, the needle bar, and in the active position of the knocking-over comb' so much clearance is provided between the needle bar, the

bar is secured, on the one hand, and the knocking-over comb and its rocker, or rockers, on the other hand; that the rear portion of the fabric i hanging on" the frame'needles and facing the sinker bar, is not seized or otherwise interfered with, and a pullirig device can be attached to this portion. i

In the drawing aflixed to this specification and forming part thereof a knocking-over comb embodying my invention, and its accessories, are illustrated diagrammatically by way of example.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a partly sectional elevation showing the knocking-over comb in its inactive position, and

Fig. 2 is a similar elevation showing the knocking-over comb in its active position.

Referring now to the drawing, l is a part of the machine frame, for instance, its head bar, 2 is the sinker bar, and 3, 4 are the jack and dividing sinkers in the bar. 5 is the needle bar, with the frame needles 6. A-bracket i3 is secured to the lower side of the needle bar 5 by screws l4, and a link i5 is pivotally connected to the bracket l3 at l6 for moving'the needle bar 5 in the usual manner. 1

The knocking-over comb ii is arranged between the sinker bar 2 and the needle bar 5, and

is attached'to the upper ends of rockers l8 which are fulcrumed at iii in brackets 20 secured to the base of the head bar I by screws 2|. One of the rockers l8--or all the rockers-is equipped with a lug 22 adapted to bear against the vertical flange of the head bar I for limiting the movement of the rocker or rockers, toward the sinker bar 2.

A spring 23 tends to pull the rocker toward the head bar I but is prevented by a stronger spring 24 which is attached to the'rocker ill at one end while its other end is attached to a locking lever 25 fulcrumed at 26. A pawl 21 is pivoted on the locking lever at 28 and, in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, engages behind a check 29 on the frame of the machine. The pull of the stronger spring 24 overcomes the pull of the weaker spring 23 and the rocker or rockers M are held away from the bar I with its luz 22.

When the pawl 21 is thrown out, as shown in Fig. 2, the spring 24 loses its tension and the spring 23 now pulls the rocker Hi to the left until its lug 22 is arrested by the vertical flange of the 5 head bar I.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The fabric 30a, 30b to whose selected, in the pres-- ent instance, central, course 300 the new fabric is to be connected, is transferred to the frame needles 6 in the active position of the needle bar 5 and the knocking-over comb l'l. When the fabric is on the frame needles 6 with its selected course 300, the operation of knitting the courses which make up the new fabric, is begun from the selected course 300. The pawl 21 is thrown out and the spring 23 now pulls the rocker, or rockers, l8 toward the head bar I until the lug 2i bears against the vertical flange of the bar. as shown in Fig. 2. It will appear from this rigure that the knocking-over comb I! and the rocker, or rockers, I 8 are arrested by the lug 22 at such a distance from the sinker bar 2 and the vertical flange of the head bar I, that there is ample clearance between these parts, so that not only the rear portion 30b of the fabric. is not interfered with but that also a pulling device (not shown) may be connected to the rear portion.

After the first course is knitted to the course 300 and before the needle bar 5 is elevatedinto sinking position, the knocking-over comb 11 together with the needle bar 5 again is moved forward. In this position the rear portion 30b is moved in forward direction, and thereupon the needle bar 5 and the knocking-over comb I! are returned together into operative position and the needle bar 5 is lifted into the sinking position, whereupon the further knitting of the fabric portion from .one row of loops to the'other takes place.

It is understood that the knocking-over comb i9 may be operated in the manner described, without displacing the needle bar, and I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown' and described for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a flat knitting machine, a sinker bar, a needle bar, a knocking-over comb mounted for displacement with respect to said sinker bar between said sinker bar and said needle bar, means for pulling said knocking-over comb toward said sinker bar, means for limiting the movement of the knocking-over comb toward the sinker bar so as to arrest the knocking-over comb at a distance from the sinker bar, means for pulling away said knocking-over comb from said sinker bar into inactive position, and means for locking it in inactive position.

2. In a flat knitting machine, a sinker bar mounted on a fixed part of the machine, a needle bar, a. rocker tu lcrumed on the fixed part, between said sinker bar and said needle bar, a knockingover comb on said rocker, a spring for pulling said rocker toward said sinker bar, a lug on said rocker adapted to engage the fixed part for limiting the movement of the knocking-over comb toward the sinker bar so as to arrest the knocking-ov'er c'omb at a. distance from the sinker bar, means for pulling away said knocking-over comb from said sinker bar into inactive position, a. spring which is stronger than the first-mentioned spring and connects said last-mentioned means to said rocker, and a pawl for locking said lastmentioned means in the position in which said knocking-over comb is inactive.

PAUL LIEBERKNECH'I'.

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