US2223072A - Knitting machine and method - Google Patents

Description

NOV. 26, 1940. v LQMBARD] 2,223,072

KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed July 9, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR- Vincmt Lombardi,

ATTORNEY.

Nov. 26, 1940.

v. LQMBARDI 2,223,072

KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed July 9, 1935 4 Sheets-Shae; 2

INVENTOR, zlmantfl mbamdi,

ATTORNEY.

NOV. 26, 1940. v LCMBARD] 2,223,072

KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed July 9, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 i I I 49 INVENTOR,

K'mcemtLmnlrM-J,

BY 7 M 44%..

ATTORNEY.

V. LOMBARDI KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD Nov. 26, 1940.

Filed July 9, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR, M Lombardi; BY WM /M m mmwm mm M/ Q "W .6

ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 26, 1940 UNiTED STATES PATENT 'OFFICE KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD Application July 9, 1935, Serial No. 30,451

31 Claims. (Cl. 66-42) This invention relates to knitting machines and methods, and particularly to knitting mechanisms and procedures adapted for use in the production of design fabrics and to certain correlated inventions and discoveries appertaining thereto.

An object of the invention is the provision of simple and readily constructed mechanisms which are adapted for the production of fabrics embodying 'various of a large number of attractive designs.

A more specific object is the provision of improved mechanism for the production of design fabrics by beard needles.

Another more specific object is the provision of improved means for the selective control of auxiliary knitting elements such as sinkers, dial needles, and other auxiliary elements of various types.

Another object is the provision of improved means for selectively operating needles or other knitting elements.

A further object is the provision of mechanisms adapted for use with fine-gage machines.

Still another object is the provision of simple and effective procedures whereby various feature or design fabrics may be formed with particular case and efficiency.

An additional object is the provision of improved elements utilizable for knitting operations.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts and the several steps and the relation and order of one or more such steps with respect to each of the others thereof all of which will be exemplified hereinafter and the scope of the-application of which will be indicated inthe-claims.

For a fuller-understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a small scale diagrammatic plan view of a knitting machine embodying the invention; i

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a greatly-enlarged somewhat diagrammatic horizontal section along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a somewhat diagrammatic side view illustrating a manner of operation;

Fig. 5is a downwardly extended view similar to Fig. 2 on an enlarged scale and illustrating certain operative positions;

Fig. 6 is a similar view illustrating other operative positions;

Fig. '7 is a view of a portion of Fig. 4 on a larger scale;

Fig. 8 is a detail view showing two needles and pressers utilized;

Fig. 9 is a somewhat diagrammatic side view 10 of the needles and sinkers;

Fig. 10 is a detail horizontal section along the line llL-lll of Fig. 5;

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view of the mechanism of Fig. '7, looking outwardly; v

Fig. 12 is a view similar to the upper port1on of Fig. 5 showing a simpler form of construction;

Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of construction;

Fig. 14 is a somewhat diagrammatic side view 20 of the needles and sinkers of Fig. 13;

Figs. 15 and 16 are views similar to Figs. 4 and 9 respectively, showing another modification;

Fig. 17 is a view similar to Fig. 12 showing another modification;

Fig. 18 is a similar view showing another modification;

Fig. 19 is a similar view showing another moditypes of fication; e

Figs. 20 and 21 are views similar .to Figs. 10 and 7 respectively, showing another modification;

and

Fig. 22 is a fragmentary view'similar to Fig. 4,, showing a supplemental arrangement. v

The production of design fabrics on heard needle machines has always involved the use of complicated operating means. Moreover in many instances such means have been so constructed that their use was unsatisfactory from a practical, standpoint due to tendencies toward breakage of the more frangible parts. Furthermore, it has been difiicult to construct operating mechanisms so that they will be adapted for design formation on fine-gage machines, wherein as many as twenty to forty needles an inch are often utilized. While various suggestions toward overcoming one or another of the foregoing dimculties have been made, the fact remains that latch needles are still commonly relied on for the practical production of design fabrics. Furthermore, in order to adapt the usual beard needle knitting machine to produce design fabrics, it has been considered necessary to utilize needle-selecting means, and independent presser-selecting means. Moreover, in

the use of both beard needles and latch needles,

there are many instances wherein the operations of sinkers, of needles positioned differently from the main needles, or of other auxiliary knitting elements should'be controlled in accordance with the manner in which the main needles are controlled; but where such control has been effected, it has ordinarily been brought about by a duplication of control mechanisms, which added greatly to the complication and expense of the operation and the machine and which lacked the desired positiveness of operation, and which were in many cases unadapted for use in fine-gage ma-' chines.

Again there have been distinct limitations the selection of needles or other knitting ele-- ments to perform design operations, due to lack of positiveness of control and due to unsatisfactory formation of the parts.

With the foregoing and other considerations in view, the present invention in various of its aspects contemplates the provision of a simple and eifective procedure and of simple and effective means so arranged that there is a minimum tendency toward breakage of parts, whereby beard 'needles may be so manipulated as to produce any of a wide variety of design fabrics, including tuck-stitch fabric, welt-stitch fabric, and interlock fabrics such as those disclosed in my Patents Nos. 1,541,230 and 1,728,293, among others; and also contemplates the provision of improved means whereby sinkers, auxiliary needles, and other auxiliary knitting elements may be effectively controlled in response to a selective needle movement without duplication of selecting means for the production of a wide variety of stitch manipulations, including those above indicated; and furthermore contemplates the provision of especially positive and effective means for the production of design fabric, particularly on fine-gage machines. Likewise the invention contemplates the provision of improved knitting methods.

Among the features of the invention are the provision of mechanism including beard needles and including also beard pressers which are uperated as a result of the operation of the needles; the provision of simple mechanism whereby auxiliary knitting elements may be selectively controlled, and more particularly may be controlled in response to the operation of the needle-controlling means; the provision of selecting means which operates in a particularly positive manner; the avoidance of complicated operating means; and the provision of mechanism which will operate with certainty and eflectiveness even when the needles are very closely spaced.

In accordance with the invention, there may be provided beard pressers which are operated directly by the needles or by certain ones thereof, or by elements which act on such needles, so that the operation of a beard presser or a plurality of beard needles will be dependent upon the operation of a particular needle. In accordance with the invention also there may be provided means which are utilizable in a beard needle machine, a latch needle, or other type of machine to operate auxiliary knitting elements selectively in any of a variety of desirable ways in accordance with the operation of the means which ac tuates the needle or other main knitting element, 7

and in a direct and simple manner.

By means of the invention there may be produced fabrics of many desirable types including those disclosed in my Patent Nos. 1,541,230,

Such a procedure is highly effective in the formation of interlock or double interlock fabric (as,

described in my Patents 1,541,230 and 1,728,293) in a particularly simple manner. All that is necessary is to advance a plurality of adjacent beard needles to a yarn-receiving level to receive yarn, to retract the same, and to press their beards while being retracted at certain stages; and to place only alternate or otherwise spaced ones of said needles on a yarn-receiving level to receive yarn, and to retract them without pressing the beards at other stages.

The utilization of mechanism such as contemplated by the invention enables the production of a wide variety of design fabrics, including those above indicated, on a beard needle machine, and also permits a large number of desirable variations inknitting operations to be obtained with ease and certainty.

While the invention is exemplified as embodied in a circular knitting machine having a rotatable needle cylinder, it will be understood that the bed on which the needles or other controlled elements are carried may be of any desired shapeor form and may be stationary or movable as desired. If the bed is movable, actuating means carried on a stationary support will be utilized, whereas if the bed is stationary actuating means which revolve about or otherwise move past the bed in manners well known in the 7 art may be utilized.

The particular mechanism exemplified in Figs. 1-11 embodies a stationary annulus 24, carrying cams, pattern members and other actuating mechanism, and a rotatable bed 25 of cylindrical form providing about its periphery a see ries of vertical slots 26 which may if desired be very closely spaced, as for example 30 'or more to the inch. In each of a multiplicity of these slots, and ordinarily all of them, there is disposed for vertical sliding movement a needle 21. As will be seen, the cylindrical bed and the actuating mechanism are mounted for relative movement in a direction extending longitudinally (in this case circumferentially) of the bed, and the needles are mounted for movement in a direction extending longitudinally of the needles but laterally of the bed. Each of the needles is formed with a spring beard 28 of the usual type adapted to be pressed inwardly for knitting. As exemplified, vertically slidable beard pressers 29 are provided in the slots for this purpose. As will be understood, when a beard presser is operative, the beard of a needle which has just received a new yarn while in an advanced position may be pressed by the beard presser upon its retraction, so that a body yarn lying upon the front of the needle will ride over the beard and against a loop to be knitted; whereas, when the beard presser is not operative, the body yarn will slide under the beard and be held therein along with the sired designs.

during the retraction of the needles when they are in an advanced position, but to ride beneath the cam 39 when they are not in an advanced position. In order to prevent the presser from being pulled downwardly by the friction of the needle-beard or by other action, the presser is formed with a projection 3| adapted to extend over the cam 39. The pressers are retained within the slots 21 by means of an annular spring 33 which fits in a recess 34 in the outer edge of the presser. The recess 34 is longitudinally extended so as to permit the desired sliding movement of the presser, the shoulders at the top and bottom of the recess acting'to provide positive limits to the longitudinal movement of the pressers. Each presser is provided with a portion 35 which is held against its needle to retain the upper portion of the needle shank against the rear wall of its slot under the influence of the retaining spring 33. As will be seen, the portion 35 is so formed as to permit the presser to rock upon it as a pivot at such portions of the operation as may be desirable for the production of the do- In the present instance, in order to facilitate the production of design fabric, such for instance, as interlock fabric, there are utilized two types of needles as indicated at 210. and 21b (see Fig. 8), these being arranged in alternation .in the present instance; and two types of beard pressers 29a, and 29b are associated with the needles 21a and 21b, respectively. The beard pressers 21a and 21b of each pair are united by a pin 31. The beard presser 29a extends downwardly and has a. lower surface 38 which is adapted to be engaged by a surface 39 on the needle 21a toward the end of the advancing movement of the needle. The presser 29b is shorter and is advanced only as a unit with the presser 29a. Accordingly, when one (21a) of the pair of needles withwhich the pair of beard pressers is associated is advanced, the pressers willbe advanced; whereas when the other (21b) of the needles is advanced, the beard pressers will not be actuated. Thus a highly desirable selective control may be effected and needles may be permitted to receive a yarn and knit, or receive a yarn without knitting, as desired for the production of an interlock fabric as described, for instance, in my Patents Nos. 1,541,230 and 1,728,293 (and 1,728,294), or of welt-stitch,- tuck-stitch, or other design fabrics.

While needles constructed and operated in any desired manner may be utilized for the positioning of beard pressers in accordancewith the invention, the needles 2'; are exemplified as constructed and operated in a manner such that needle operation is facilitated and made particularly positive. This feature of theinvention is applicable to both beard and latch needles and to other knitting elements whereinsimilar problems apply. As exemplified, the needles 21a are provided with lower ends 40 which are movable inwardly so as to pivot at a point 4|, and the shank of the needles is narrowed at 42 to permit bending at this point during the inward movement, the top of the needles being held fully within the slot bythe portions 35 of the pressers. Selection of the needles 21a before each yarn feed at which selection is desired is'obtained by the provision of a rotary pattern member 44, .having selectively disposed about its periphery a multiplicity of actuators 45 which are removably held between plates 45 and 46', as will be seen from Figs. 5 and 10. Whenever there is an actuator member 45 this will engage the end 40 of the needle during the relative movement of the needle bed and the actuator mechanism and the actuator member will press the end inwardly.

The rotary pattern member, in the present instance, is in the form of a pattern wheel having 5 slots 41 in which the actuators 45 are held and which may receive the ends v4|) of the needles to drive the wheel during the relative movement of the needle bed and the actuator mechanism. The wheel may be gear-driven, if desired. A cam 48 is provided to assure that the ends 49 will be in an outward position when the wheel 44 operates. As will be seen, theneedles 21b do not extend downwardly to the portion of the machine where the pattern wheel 44 is operative, and a single pattern wheel may, accordingly, be utilized to make the selections even in a fine-gage machine. Each of the ends 49 on the needles 21a carries a butt 48 which, as exemplified, is shaped in a particular manner, the construction being claimed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 76,754, filed April 28, 1936. This butt, when the end is in its normal outward position, is engaged by a cam 49 to advance the needle a desired distance. The butts 48' and the cam 49 preferably have outwardly-sloping cooperating surfaces to insure against slipping.

The needles 21a and 211: are formed, respectively, with mainbutts. 59a and 59b adapted to be engaged by a cam 5|. The cam 5| has a lower surface 52 which is adapted to partially advance the needles to a position where'the butts 48' on the needles 21a will be engaged by the cam 49 if theirends 49 are not pressed inwardly, and which are adapted to. advance the needles to a point for further selective action. It is to be noted that the butts 59a are shorter than the butts 59b and are pointed as indicated at 53. v The cam 5| is formed with a slot 54 adapted to receive the butts 50a which ride up the surface 40 52 to the slot. However, the cam 49 is steeper than the cam 5|, so that when a butt 48' is engaged by the cam 49 the needles will be moved rapidly upwardly and will clear the slot 54, as will be clear from Figs. 4, 7, and 11. The butts 59b of the needles 21b are so long that they will clear the slot. Those needles 21a whosebutts enter the slot 54 will be drawndownwa-rdly by an inclined portion 55 of the slot, whereas the needles 21b and those needles 21a. which were passed by the pattern wheel and acted on by the cam 49, will ride upwardly on an upper portion 55 of the surface of the cam 5|. Accordingly, as the needles leave the cam 5|, all of the needles 21b" will be in an advanced position and certain of the needles 21a will be in an advanced position, while others of the needles 21a will be in a re-. tracted position.

Those of the needles 21a which are advanced;

pass the yarn, thus providing for a welt-stitch fabric, or, when the positioning of the needles or some of the needles in the sections a and b or c and d are reversed at the next yarn feed, for the production of an interlock fabric. By means of the usual stitch-cam, such as shown a at 51, the needles are retracted to a position indicated in Figs, 2 and 8 after reception of 7 pressed will cast loops.

yarn from a yam-carrier 58, the retraction being sufiicient so that the needles whose beards are A cam 59 is provided to restore the needles. As will be apparent, the butts 48' are unaffected by these cams.

The beard pressers are retracted by a cam 60 acting against butts 6| on the beard pressers. The selecting action of cam 49 may be eliminated at such portions of the operation as may be desirable for the production of the desired designs. This may be accomplished by mounting the cam on a rod 62 carrying an arm 63 which is held against a pattern chain 64 by means of a spring 65. Protuberances 66 on the pattern chain will move the arm 63 to withdraw the cam 49 from operative position. When the cam is thus withdrawn, no knitting will occur, but the needles 21b will continue to catch the yarn so that gathered efiects may be produced. As will be apparent, needles which are similar to the needles 21, except that their yarnmanipulating portions carry a latch, rather than a beard, may be advantageously used in many instances, and needle-operating mechanism of the character indicated may readily be utilized to actuate these or other suitable types of knitting elements in accordance, with this feature of the invention. As will also be apparent certain of the subsidiary features may be utilized in machines wherein the needles are all of the same type.

There are many instances where a difierent sinker operation will be required in difierent parts of the fabric as when difierent manipulations of a yarn are desired in parts of a fabric where the knitting of a certain yarn occurs and in parts where this yarn is unknitted, or when a yarn is to be knitted tightly and loosely in diiferent parts of the fabric, or when some other variation is desired. In the embodiment exemplified in Figs. 1-11, there is provided an arrangement whereby an auxiliary yarn may be formed into hanging loops, such for instance asused in toweling at the same time as a main yarn is knitted, but where the hanging loops will not be formed where the main yarn is unknitted. In the particular arrangement exemplified the yarn carrier 58 is formed to feed a. main yarn 61 and a supplemental yarn 68, and adjacent to each needle there is provided a main sinker 69 and a supplemental sinker 10. Pins 31 connecting the pressers are extended beyond one of the pressers, as indicated at 1|, so that they may enter notches 12 on a pair of supplemental sinkers 10. The main sinkers 69 are cut away to provide notches 13 to permit reception and movement of the pins. A cam 14 acts on the lower end of the pressers to swing them outwardly during their upward movement so that the pins 31 and their extensions will enter the notches 12. The sinkers 69 and 10 are normally manipulated'by butts 14' and 15 fitting. into a sinker cam groove 16 of the usual type, as indicated in Fig. 3.

The butts 14' on the main sinkers 69 are of the same extent as the width of the cam groove, but the butts on the supplemental sinkers 19 are of less extent so that these sinkers may be independently moved. The notches 13 in the sinkers are of sufficient extent so that in the present in stance these sinkers will not be efiected by a movement of the pressers which will cause a de- 1 sired inward movement of the supplemental sinkers. A cam 11 is provided to act on those pressers which have been advanced to move them inwardly directly after the passage of the yarn carrier and the inward movement of the cam sinkers by the cam groove. In operation whenever the pressers are advanced by the action of the needles 21a the pressers will be swung by the cam 14 so that their pins 31 will enter the notches 12 at the end of their advancing movement. After the reception of a yarn by the needles, the cam- 11 will move the pressers inwardly to advance the supplemental sinkers 10. In order to free the sinkers from the pressers so that these parts may thereafter be independently controlled, there is provided a cam 18 which draws the pressers downwardly just enough so as to move the pins out of the notches. It is to be observed that the needles and pressers are advanced somewhat more than would otherwise be necessary in order to allow for this slight retracting movement. This retracting movement may be very slight, but is exaggerated in the drawings for the sake of clarity. The sinkers should be so formed, as with bends, or should be so set in the sinker slots, that the frictional resistance will be suflicient to prevent the immediate withdrawal of the supplemental sinkers after the removal of the pins from the notches. After this retracting movement, the retraction of the needles by the stitch cam, the operation of the pressers by the cam 30, the withdrawal of the sinkers by the. cam groove, and the final retraction of the pressers by the cam 60 may be carried out in a manner, which will be readily apparent.

Preferably the pressers are formed with holes 19 for the reception of the pins and the pins are frictionally set in these holesso as to permit pins of different lengths to be pressed through the holes of one or more pressers as desired.

It will be appreciated that the supplemental sinkers may be omitted throughout the machine or at desired portions of the machine in accordance with the requirements of aparticular case.

As will be apparent, while the provision of this sinker control feature is advantageous in many instances, it may readily be omitted without affecting the advantages attained by the other feaures of the invention. For example, there is shown in Fig. 12 a desirable simple form of construction which may be similar in every respect to that shown in Figs. 1-11 except that the pins, as indicated at 310, are disposed at a lower point of the pressers, and the supplemental sinkers, as well as the cam 11 and the notches in the main sinkers 690 are omitted. The needle-operated pressers may be made shorter and the cam 18 may be omitted. This arrangement has a wide utility in the many fields in which no supplemental control is desired. The pins may be set at any desired point.

There are mam; instancesin which compactness of mechanism and simplicity of operation are of less importance than flexibility of the operation and variability in the stitch production. In such instances it is desirable that each needle be independently controlled. For this purpose there may be utilized a construction such as exemplified in Figs. 13 and 14 wherein a series of similar beard needles 21:! are provided on a bed 25d. Each needle is. provided with an independent presser 29d similar to the presser 29a, except that it is unconnected with any other presser. The construction may be such that the pressers will not aifect the sinkers, a sinker arrangement such as utilized in Figs. 1-11 may be utilized, or other suitable arrangement may be provided. In the particular construction exemplified, the pressers are formed with holes 19d and individual to the needles. has a plurality of stepped cam-engaging surfaces short pins 31d are provided in the holes of certain of the pressers. The main sinkers 69d are provided with notches 82 for the reception of these pins, and presser-operating cams 'lld, 'Ild, 18d, 30d and 60d are provided. The cam groove 16d is provided with an additional recess 88 to permit the movement of the sinkers under the influence of the cam 11d. In the exemplified embodiment, those pressers which are formed with pins 31d, as at the left-hand side of Fig. 14, actuate the sinkers to provide for a looser knit, whereas those pressers which are not provided withpins, as at the right-hand side of Fig. 14, do not actuate the sinkers even whenthe pressers are advanced, so as to provide a tighter knit at those portions of the fabric knitted by needles equipped with pinless pressers. As above indicated, all of the pressers, or none of them, may be provided with pins, or any other suitable arrangement may be utilized. Likewise pressers may be arranged in units, only one presser of the unit being actuable by its needle, as hereinafter described, for example.

As exemplified, the needles 21d are actuated by mechanism such as shown in my co-pending application, Serial No. 720,921, filed April 1'7, 1934, now Patent No. 2,025,463 comprising rockers 84 Each of the rockers 85 and 86 at its lower end adapted to cooperate -with the cam 81 to advance the rocker and the needle. If the rocker is in the position shown by dotted lines, neither surface will be engaged and the rocker will not be moved. If the rocker is'in the position shown in full lines, the surface 85 will be engaged and the rocker will be moved enough to partially advance the needle. If the rocker is in the position shown in dot and dash lines, the surface 86 will be engaged and the rocker will be moved enough to fully advance the needle. Only in the latter case will the presser be advanced sufliciently to be engaged by the cam 30, whereas a yarn will be received by the needle whether it is in a partially advanced or in a fully advanced position. Thus the needle will knit and the sinker GM will be advanced by the presser only when a needle is fully advanced. In order to set the rockers, they may all be swung to the position shown in dotted lines, as by a suitablecam 81', and then acted on by a pattern wheel 88 wherein actuators are selectively disposed in slots 89 and 90. As exemplified these slots are provided in two rows to facilitate operation in finegage machines, the slots being staggered so that an actuator in an upper slot will swing one rocker and an actuator in a lower slot will swing a successive rocker. Actuators 9| and 92 of different lengths are provided, the shorter actuators being provided where a rocker is to be swung to a position shown in full lines and the longer actuators being provided where a rocker is to be swung to the position shown in dot and dash lines. If no actuator is provided, the rocker will remain in the position shown in dotted lines. The pattern wheel is driven by means of a gear 83 meshing with the rockers.

As will be apparent, rocker mechanism such as facilitate the actuation thereof by a patternwheel of the type shown as for use in fine-gage machines. In instances, however, where the gage is coarser or where a pattern wheel may be of finer gage, or where other selecting means, such for instance as a pattern wheel similar to the pattern wheel 88, may be utilized, needles of the character shown at 21c and 211) may be ararranged in any desired manner. In Figs. 15 and 16, there is shown an arrangement adapted for production of interlock fabric wherein the unknitted yarn may float back of two wales, and where other variations may be formed. The operation will be readily apparent from these figures, the needles 21a and 21b being arranged as indicated, and a pin 3'! running in each instance from a presser 29a, in one direction or the other, to a presser 29b. The pattern wheel in this instance will be formed with slots so arranged that wherever a needle 2laoccurs, it may be pressed by an actuator.

As will be apparent, if, for example, two or more needles 21b with associated pressers 29b are provided between successive needles 21a with associated pressers 29a, and the two or more pressers 2% connected, as by a pin 31, to move with a single presser 29a, three or more pressers may be actuated as a single unit by one needle of a group, when desired.

Pressers may be arranged to operate in response to the needle movement in a variety of manners. For example, instead of being arranged as above exemplified, they may be arranged as indicated in Fig. 17 wherein the pressers 29c are disposed for pivotal movement on a retaining spring 94. In this instance, the needles 21c are mounted on a bed 25 and may be operated by mechanism such as above described in any other suitable manner. Pairs or groups of pressers may be worked by only one needle of a pair or group, or independent pressers may be individually worked. If independent pressers are utilized, each needle is provided with a projection 95 which bears against a surface 96 on the presser to swing it into the path of a cam 91 whereby it is held in beard pressing position during the retraction of the needle. If pressers operating in units are utilized, the projections 95 will be formed only on those needles which are designed to cause the presser operation.

As above disclosed, the invention may be utilized for the control of auxiliary knitting elements whether or not the main needles are beard needles. For example, in Fig. 18 there is exemplified a construction wherein latch needles 2' are provided in the slots of the needle bed 251. Control elements 29!, which may be operated by the needles, as for example in the manner in which the pressers 29 or the pressers 29d are operated, are provided. These may be operated in units of two or more, or individually as desired, and are arranged to operate sinkers 69f by means of pins 31! entering notches. Hill in the sinkers. These sinkers are of a character commonly used for the production of hanging loops in toweling, and are arranged with a portion llllm adapted to be projected between yarns lflln and llilp in the well known manner so that when the needle is retracted the yarn I0ln will be drawn over the portion Ililm and will form a longer loop than the yarn Hp. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the sinkers will be retained in position during a proper portion of the retraction of the needles. When a ranged that their pins will only enter the notches when the needles have been advanced to casting level, and will not enter the notches when the needles are advancd to a tucking level; or may be arranged to enter the notches when the .needles which exercise the control are at one of two casting levels to which they may be advanced. A selective operation of the needles may be efiectuated in any desired manner, as for instance any of the manners and by any of the mechanism herein exemplified, or in a manner and by mechanism such as exemplified in my co-pending application, Serial No. 720,921, now Patent No. 2,025,463 hereinabove referred to, or by other suitable mechanism, to obtain the desired efiect.

In instances wherein it is desired to omit the special sinker operation, or the beard pressing operation, or both, during certain portions of the operation of the machine, any of the cams I7, 30, etc., may be made adjustable, so that they may be rendered inoperative either manually or by automatic means. In Fig. 18, there is exemplified an arrangement wherein the cam TI! is mounted on a rod I Mr which may be operated by mechanismwhich includes a pattern chain and which is similar to the mechanism for operating the rod 62 for the control of the cam 49.

Various other types of auxiliary knitting elements may be similarly operated in accordance with the invention. In Fig. 19, there are shown needles 21g which may be of a character shown in Figs. 1 -11 and operated by similar mechanism, or may be of other character and/or otherwise operated. As exemplified, the needles are mounted on the bed 25g and are provided with butts I02 which, as the needles are advanced, move a lever I03 upwardly; This lever I03 is pivoted upon a member I04 which is adjustably mounted as indicated and carries at an outer end an operating arm I05. Each operating arm I05 carries the end of the shank of a dial needle I01 in a fork I08. Each dial needle is provided with a butt. I09 which when the arm I05 and the dial needle are in an elevated position, will be engaged by the cam IIO to advance the dial needle for knitting. Cams III are provided to raise the operating arms and the dial needles prior to the operation of the needles 27g. Accordingly, when a. cylinder needle 27g is advanced after the passage of the cam III, it will raise the left-hand end of the lever I03 and lower its right-hand end together with the arm I05 and the dial needle I01. In this situation,

the needle 27g will be operative and the needle I07 inoperative. When, however, a needle -2Ig is not advanced after the passage of a cam I I I, the arm I 05 and the dial needle I01 will remain in an elevated position, the butt I09 of the needle I07 will be engaged by the cam H and. the

needle I01 will be advanced, so that this needle,

rather than the needle 21g will be operative.

Needles such as shown in Figs. 1-11 or other knitting elements may be readily operated in a variety of different manners, the lower ends of the needles being differently formed in certain cases. In Figs. 20 and 21, there is shown an arrangement wherein the needles which operate the pressers, as indicated at 271111, are formed with short butts N2 of the usual type and is provided a cam II adapted to raise the short butt needles but permitting these to be selectively pressed behind it. For the latter purpose there is provided a pattern wheel II6 which is obliquely disposed in the present instance and arranged to selectively press the butts of the short butt needles to cause them to ride beyond the cam II5. Accordingly these short butt needles which are engaged by actuators II! on the pattern wheel will move behind the cam II5, whereas those which enter empty slots on the pattern wheel will ride up the surface of the cam H5. As will be seen, the pattern wheel is juxtaposed with this cam surface. In order to facilitate the movement of the needles or of the cam, as the case may be, the rear of the cam H5 is recessed as at H0 to permit the lower ends of the needles to spring outwardly after they have passed the operative surfaces of the cam.

In various instances, it is desirable that all of the needles be placed in a retracted position during certain periods of operation, or that all the needles be in a fully advanced position, or that none of the needles be in a fully advanced position during certain periods, and that there is exemplified in Fig. 22 a construction wherein adjustable cams II 9 andv I20 are provided between the cam 5| and the yarn feed and stitch cam 51. By the adjustment of the cam IIS to the dotted line position, all of the needles 21 may be fully advanced regardless of the operation of the pattern wheel 44. By the adjustment of the cam I20 to the dotted line position, all of the needles 2'! may be placed in a retracted position and by the adjustment of this cam to the position shown in dot and dash lines, those needles which have been advanced by the cam 5| may be partially retracted if desired. The cams II9 and I20 may be manually operated, or may be operated automatically in any well known or suitable manner, as for instance, by pattern chain arrangements of the nature indicated in Fig. 5. Certain subject matter disclosed but not claimed herein has been claimed in my copending application Serial No. 76,754, filed April 28, 1936, now issued as Patent No.. 2,124,304, dated July 19, 1938'.

Since certain changes in the construction set forth and in the carrying out of the above method, which embody the invention, may be made without departing from its scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

The invention claimed is:

1. Knitting mechanism comprising a bed and actuator means, said bed and said actuator means being relatively movable, a series of beard nee-,

individual to said needles, means to selectively position the needles, means to position the beard pressers in accordance with the positioning of at least certain of said needles, means to operate the beard pressers in accordance with the positioning of the beard pressers, and means to operate said auxiliary knitting elements in accordance with the positioning of the beard pressers.

2. Knitting mechanism comprising a bed and actuator means, said bed and said actuator means being relatively movable, a series of beard needles on said bed, means to selectively place needles at two levels, and means to cause needles when placed at one of said levels to pass a yarn carrier without receiving yarn and to cause certain needles when placed at the other of said levels to receive a yarnand knit and to cause certain other of said needles when placed at said other of said levels either to receive a yarn and knit or to receive yarn without knitting depending on whether or not associated ones of said certain of said needles are placed at said other of said levels.

3. Knitting mechanism comprising a bed and actuator means, said bed and said actuator means being relatively movable in a direction longitudinal of said bed, a series of beard needles on said bed, a beard presser unit movable substantially laterally of said bed and adapted to control the beards of a plurality of adjacent needles, and means to move said unit in response to the operation of a given one of said needles.

4. Knitting mechanism comprising a bed and actuator means, said bed and said actuator means being relatively movable, a series of beard needles on said bed, a series of beard pressers, means to impart longitudinal selective movement to said needles, means to impart longitudinal movement to the beard pressers in accordance with the movement of only certain ones of the selected needles, and means to operate only those beard 1 pressers which have been moved longitudinally.

5. Knitting mechanism comprising a bed and actuator means, said bed and said actuator means being relatively movable, a series of slots in said bed, a plurality of needles movable longitudinally in said slots, a series of auxiliary knitting elements, a series of control elements for said auxiliary knitting elements, said control elements being individual to and adapted to be engaged by at least certain of said needles and being movable to operative position therewith and thereby, means forming a part of said actuator means to selectively impart longitudinal 5 movement to said needles, and means forming part of said actuator means to cause those of the control elements which are in operative position to engage and to move said auxiliary knitting elements.

6. The method of forming. a design fabric embodying a plurality of yarns which comprises selectively placing needles on only two levels and causing certain ofa plurality of adjacent needles placed at one of said levels to receive yarn, but not to knit when certain other of said plurality of adjacent needles are at the other of said levels, no yarn beingreceived by those of said plurality of adjacent needles which are at said other of said levels, and causing all of said plurality of adjacent needles to receive yarn and to knit when all of said plurality of adjacent needles are placed at said one of said levels.

7. The method of forming a design fabric which comprises selectively placing a series of 75 needles on one or another of two'levels, selecmanipulating portions, said shanks being nar- 8. Knitting mechanism, comprising a bed and 1 0 .actuator means, said bed and said actuator means being relatively movable, a series of beard needles on said bed, a series of beard pressers for pressing the beards of said needles, each beard presser comprising a beard pressing portion and shank portion, each shank portion being formed with a longitudinally extended recess in the outer edge thereof, presser retaining means extending thru said recesses, means to selectively impart longitudinal movement to said pressers to position the same, cam means to operate the positioned pressers, and means to prevent escape of the pressers from the cam means.

9. Knitting mechanism comprising a bed and actuator means, said bed and said actuator means being relatively movable, a series of needles on said bed, said needles having yarn-manipulating portions, at least certain of said needles being provided with elongated shanks having in-' wardly movable ends, means providing for pivoting upon the bed during such inward movement, means to prevent outward movement of the yarn-manipulating portions, said shanks being narrowed at a point between said ends and said yarn-manipulating portions to permit bending when an end is swung in, means forming part of said actuator means to selectively press said ends inwardly, and'means forming part of said actuator means to operate said needles in accordance with the operation of said selecting means. 40

10. Knitting mechanism comprising a bed and. actuator means, said bed and said actuator means being relatively movable, a series of needles on said bed, said needles having yarn-manipulating portions, 'at least certain of said needles being provided with elongated shanks having inwardly movable ends, means providing for pivoting upon the bed during such inward movement, means to prevent outward movement of the yarn- 50 rowed at a point between said ends and said yarn-manipulating portions to permit bending when an end is swung in, rotary pattern mechanism forming part of said actuator means and arranged to selectively press the ends of the needles inwardly, and means forming part of said actuator mechanism to operate said needles in accordance with the operation of said rotary pattern mechanism.

11. Knitting mechanism comprising a bed and actuator means, said bed and said actuator means being relatively movable, a series of needles on said bed, said needles having yarn-manipulating portions, at least certain of said needles being provided with elongated shanks having inwardly movable. ends, means providing for pivoting upon the bed during such inward movement, means to prevent outward movement of the yarn-manipulating portions, said shanks being narrowed wardly, means forming part of saidactuator means to operate said needles in accordance with 75 v the operation of said selecting means, and means to render said operating means inoperative when desired.

12. Knitting mechanism comprising a bed and actuator means, said bed and said actuator means being relatively movable, a series of needles on said bed, said needles having a yarn-manipulating portions, at least certain of said needles being provided with elongated integral shanks having inwardly movable ends, means providing for pivoting upon the bed during such inward movement, means to prevent outward movement of the yarn-manipulating portions, said shanks being narrowed at a point between the said ends and said yarn-manipulating portions to permit bending when an end is swung in, means forming a part of said actuator means to selectively press said ends inwardly, means forming a part of said actuator means to operate said needles in accordance with the operation of said selecting means, a series of control elementsindividual to said needles and operable therebyin accordance with theoperation thereof, a series of auxiliary knitting elements, and means to actuate said control elements in accordance with the operation of the control elements by said knitting elements, said actuation of said control elements controlling the operation of said auxiliary knitting elements.

13. Knitting mechanism comprising a bed and actuator means, said bed and said actuator means being relatively movable, a series of knitting elements carriedby said bed, certain of said knitting elements being of one length and others of said knitting elements being of another length, means forming part of said actuator means to move all of the knitting elements of one length and selected ones of the knitting elements of another length in a desired manner, and means also forming part of said actuator means to select lfthose knitting elements of said other length which are to be moved.

14. Knitting mechanism comprising a bed and actuator means, said bed and said actuator means being relatively movable, a series of beard nee- .Q dles carried by said bed, beard pressers individual to said needles, certain of said needles being of one character and others of said needles being of another character, means forming part of said actuator mechanism to advance all the needles of one character and to advance selected ones of the needles of another character, means forming part of said actuator mechanism to select which ones of said needles of another character are to be advanced, and means to cause a plurality of beard pressers to be advanced when a needle of said other character is advanced but not to be advanced when a needle of said other character is unadvanced.

15. Knitting mechanism comprising a bed and 1 actuator means, said bed and said actuator means being relatively movable, a series of knitting elements on said bed, certain of said knitting elements having butts of one character and other of the knitting elements having butts of another character, and a cam forming a part of said actuator mechanism and being formed with a cam surface and with guide means adapted to receive butts of one character when they butts of the other character when they move along said cam surface and to guide said butts of one character to a desired position.

. 16.. Knitting mechanism comprising a bed and actuator means, said bed and said actuator means being relatively movable, a series of knitting elemove along said cam surface but not to receive ments on said bed, butts on said knitting elements, a cam having a cam surface adapted to engage said butts, a slot in said cam constituting an interruption in said surface and adapted to receive at least certain of said butts, and means to act on certain of said knitting elements to prevent their butts being received by said slot.

17. Knitting mechanism comprising a bed and actuator means, said bed and said actuator means being relatively movable, a series of knitting elements carried by said bed, a cam having an obliquely disposed operative surface in the path of relative movement of portions of at least certain of said knitting elements, and a pattern wheel rotating in a plane parallel to said surface and in juxtaposition thereto and arranged to selectively press toward said bed said knitting elements out of the path of relative movement of said cam.

18. Knitting mechanism comprising a bed and actuator means, said bed and said actuator means being relatively movable, a series of knitting elements carried by said bed, a cam having an angularly disposed operative surface in the path of relative movement of. portions of at least certain of said knitting elements, a pattern wheel disposed at an angle corresponding to the angle of said surface and in juxtaposition thereto and arranged to selectively press said knitting elements out of the path of relative movement of said cam, and resilient means tending to hold said portions in the path of relative movement of said cam, said cam being recessed so as to permit the selected portions to move freelypast it after they have passed said surface.

19. Knitting mechanism comprising a bed and actuator means, said bed and said actuator means being relatively movable in a direction longitudinal of said bed, a series of beard needles on said bed, a plurality of beard-Dresser units movable substantially laterally of said bed and each containing a plurality of beard pressers for pressing the beards of a group of needles, and means to move each of said units along with one of the needles of the group controlled thereby.

20. Knitting mechanism comprising a bed and actuator means, said bed and said actuator means being relatively movable, a series of beard needles on said bed, a series of beard pressers for pressing the beards of said needles, each'beard presser comprising a beard-pressin portion and shank portion, each shank portion being formed with a recess in the outer edge thereof, presser-retaining means extending into said recesses, said recess being extended longitudinally a distance greater than the width of the presser-retaining to operate the positioned pressers, and meansadapted to extend laterally of the cam means when the cam means operatively engage the pressers to prevent escape of the pressers from the cam means.

22. Knitting mechanism comprising a bed and actuator means, said bed and said actuator means being relatively movable, a series of knitting elements movable transversely of saidbed, butts on said knitting elements, a yarn feed, a plurality of successive cam surfaces spaced in the direction of knitting element movement and adapted to engage said butts and arranged to be operative in positioning the needles in connection with the passage of said yarn feed, and means to cause the butts on certain knitting elements to be engaged by one of said cam surfaces after having been engaged by the other of said cam surfaces, and to permit the butts of other of said knitting elements to pass from said one of said cam surfaces into the space between said cam surfaces without being engaged by said other of said cam surfaces.

23. Knitting mechanism comprising a bed and actuator means, said bed and said actuator means being relatively movable, a series of knitting elements carried by said bed, certain of said knittin elements being of one length and others of said knitting elements being of another length, means forming part of said actuator means to move all of the knitting elements of one length and selected ones of the knitting elements of another length in a desired manner, means also forming part of said actuator means to select those knitting elements of said other length which-are to be moved, and a series of control elements arranged in groups each group being adapted to be operated by one of said knitting elements of another length.

24. Knitting mechanism comprising a bed and actuator means said bed and said actuator means being relatively movable, a series of beard needles carried by said bed, certain of said needles being of one length and others of said needles being of another length, a cam forming a part of said actuator means to advance all of the needles of one length a given extent and selected ones of the needles of another length a similar extent, and means also forming a part of said actuator means to select those needles of said other length which are to be moved.

25. Knitting mechanism comprising a series of longitudinally movable beard needles, a beardpresser unit movable by and with only one of a plurality of said needles to beard-pressing position and adapted to press the beards of each of said plurality of said needles when so moved, and

means imparting a beard-pressing action to said unit when in said position.

26. Knitting mechanism comprising a bed and actuator means, said bed and said actuator means being relatively movable, a series of beard needles mounted forsliding movement on said bed in a given direction, a series of beard pressers mounted for sliding movement in a similar direction, means to cause the beard pressers to press the beards of the needles when in an advanced position, said beard pressers and said needles being so formed and arranged that a part of each of at least certain oi said needles will bear against a part associated with one or more beard pressers to cause the associated beard presser or pressers to be advanced when the needle is advanced but that no parts of the needles will bear against the beard pressers to retract the same during the retraction of the needles, and means forming part of the actuating means to selec-.

tively advance the needles and to retract the same and to retract the advanced beard pressers.

2'7. Knitting mechanism comprising a bed and actuator means, said bed and said actuator means being relatively movable, a series of beard needles mounted for sliding movement on said bed in a given direction, a series of beard pressers mounted for sliding movement in a similar direction, means to cause the beard pressers to press the beards of the needles when in an advanced position, means forming part of said actuator mechanism to selectively advance said needles and to retract the same, means comprising mutually abutting portions on at least certain of the needles and at least certain of the beard pressers to cause the advance of one or more beard pressers when individual ones of at least certain of said needles are advanced, and means acting at a time other than the beard pressing operation to retract the advanced pressers.

28. Knitting mechanism comprising a needle bed, a series of lnstrumentalities movable on said bed, a series of main sinkers, auxiliary sinkers associated with at least certain individual ones of said main sinkers, means to selectively operate said instmmentalities, means to operate said main sinkers, and means responsive to the operation of said instrumentalities to selectively operate said auxiliary sinkers.

29. Knitting mechanism comprising a bed, a series of slots in said bed, a pluralityof needles movable longitudinally in said slots, a series of sinkers, a series of control elements for said sinkers, said control elements being individual to and adapted to be engaged by at least certain of said needles and being movable to operative position directly thereby, means to selectively impart longitudinal movement to said needles, and means to selectively operate said sinkers in accordance with the positioning of said control elements, the last-mentioned means comprising means adapted to engage those control elements which have been moved to operative position and to cause the same to engage and operate said sinkers.

30. Knitting mechanism comprising a bed and actuator means, said bed and said actuator means being relatively movable, a series of slots in said bed, a plurality of beard needles movable longitudinally in said slots, a series of sinkers, a series of control elements for said sinkers, said control elements being individual to at least certain of said needles and being movable to operative-position therewith, means to selectively impart longitudinal movement to said needles, and means to selectively operate said sinkers in accordance with the positioning of said control elements, said control elements being in the form of beard pressers.

31. Knitting mechanism comprising a bed and actuator means, said bed and said actuator means being relatively movable, a series of needles movable on said bed, means forming part of the actuator means to selectively control the operation of the needles, 9. series of auxiliary knitting elements extending at a substantial angle to said needle bed, a series of control elements individual to at least certain of said needles and individually responsive to the movement thereof, said control elements being adapted to control the actuation of said auxiliary knitting elements, and each of said control elements being adapted to be engaged by its needle during the movement thereof and to be moved directly thereby andbeing also adapted after being so moved to engage at least one of said auxiliary knitting elements to actuate the same, and means to operate said control elements after being so moved.

VINCENT LOMBARDI.

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