US3386268A - Stitch cam adjustment and indicator means - Google Patents

Description

L w P 2 I M 5 I w m .m A. mm m F P. HQ 4 6 i m Q Leonard A. Beckenstein fiw 111 4 ATTORNEY June 4, 1968 L. A. BECKENSTEIN STITCH CAM ADJUSTMENT AND INDICATOR MEANS Filed Nov. 1, 1965 WITNESS way, 56/45664 United States Patent 3,386,268 STITCH CAM ADJUSTMENT AND INDICATOR MEANS Leonard A. Beckenstein, Farmingdale, N.Y., assignor to The Singer Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Nov. 1, 1965, Ser. No. 505,853 4 Claims. (Cl. 66-54) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for accurately indicating the setting of a knitting machine cam is disclosed as utilizing a position able cam post provided with a pair of acutely cut notches, one thereof accommodating the end of an adjustment screw, and the other accommodating the push rod of an indicator.

This invention relates in general to knitting machines and in particular to cam adjusting apparatus therefor.

The invention provides apparatus for indicating precisely the setting of a knitting machine earn, the degree of accuracy of such indication being determined and limited solely by the accuracy of the indication means itself. In a presently preferred form of the invention as may be included in a circular knitting machine, indicators so cooperate with respective earns that adjustability of such cams is enhanced.

The need for indicators for determinin the settings 'of knitting machine cams is well established. See, for example, United States Patent No. 3,123,991, Mar. 10, 1964. Prior practice for providing such indications falls into two categories. In the first category, an adjustable element such as a screw having indicia thereon directly positions the cam, and a cam-set reading is taken by comparing said indicia with respect to a reference. In the second category an adjustable screw directly positions simultaneously both the cam and the input member of an indicator, having a movement, whereby such indicator reflects the setting of the cam since both the cam and the indicator are driven by the same element. The disadvantage to both these techniques is that oftentimes the cams in question do not follow their respective positioning screws (whereas the indications may follow the screws), with the result being that such indications are too coarse, and either, or both, low quality knitted cloth results or the setting-up for knitting is difficult and time consuming. The invention adopts a modification of the second of the above prior art techniques, and in so doing provides camset indications which are virtually faultless.

Rather than give the cam-set adjusting screw the twofold purposes of directly driving both the cam and its related indicator, the present invention employs the adjusting screw solely to adjust the position of the cam, and (as opposed to the prior art) uses the cam to operate the indicator. In this way, the indication is forced to reflect truly the setting of the cam, being limited in accuracy only by the accuracy of the indicator itself.

In more detail, the invention, as may be employed in a circular knitting machine, provides an adjustable cam and indicator combination wherein each cam of the machine is supported on a respective post that is adapted to be slidably positioned within a slot in a respective cam section. The post is provided with a pair of notches, each of which presents an inclined face to a respective abutting member. The first abutting member constitutes the cam adjusting screw which, when urged against the inclined face of its respective notch, causes the cam supporting piece, i.e. the post, to be slidably positioned within its slot, whereby it positions the cam. The second abutting "ice member is a spring loaded push rod that forms part of and operates a dial-type indicator. Since both abutting members exert countertorques on the cam supporting piece about an axis that passes between the notches, the tendency of the cam supporting piece to rotate and bind within its slot like a wedge is minimal, and attendantly the post is relatively freely movable translationally in its slot, and adjustment thereof is relatively easy.

A principal object of the invention is to provide improved apparatus for indicating the setting of a cam as may be employed in a knitting machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for indicating with high precision the setting of a cam as may be employed in a knitting machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus that employs a knitting machine cam to indicate its own setting.

Another object of the invention is to provide a camindicator combination wherein the cam is easily adjusted, and wherein the indicator assists to afford such easy adjustment.

Another object of the invention is to provide in combination with the adjustable cams of a circular knitting machine respective indicators for indicating directly the settings of those cams.

The invention will be described with reference to the figures, wherein:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are respectively front and rear elevational views 'of a cam section embodying the invention,

FIG. 3 is an exploded view, in perspective, that is useful in understanding the details of'construction of an indicator actuation scheme which is according to the invention, and which may be employed in a circular knitting machine,

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the cam section of FIGS. 1 and 2 taken along lines 4-4 thereof, and

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a portion of a circular knitting machine depicting the arrangement of parts thereof with which the apparatus of the invention cooperates.

Referring now to the figures, a circular knitting machine has cam sections 14 that support respective stitch and raising cams 10 and 12. Each stitch cam 10 is provided with a flange 16 that is adapted to seat within a longitudinal slot 18 in a generally cylindrical piece or post 20. The cams 1t) rigidly secure to their respective cylindrical posts 20 by means of respective screws 22, and the posts 20 are slidably positionable within respective generally cylindrical channels 24 provided within the cam sections 14. The raising cams 12 rigidly secure to their respective cam sections 14 by means of screws 26, and are not relatively positionable with respect to such sections.

Cut into each stitch cam supporting post 20 are a pair of notches 28 and 30 which provide inclined faces 32 and 34, the face 3-2 for use in indicating the depth of stitch setting, and the face 34 for varying such setting. Stitch depth adjusting screws 36 are threaded into respective cam sections 14, and are each provided with a tapered tip 40 that is adapted to bear against a respective notch face 34. The posts 20, with their respective attached stitch cams 10 are axially urged upward into contact with the tips 40 of respective stitch depth adjusting screws 36 by means of respective compression springs 42 that seat within recesses 44 in the cam sections 14. Since each cam 10', when assembled with a respective post 20, forms an integral unit with such post, direct movement of this post is the full equivalent of direct movement of the cam. The tension in the springs 42 is maintained by means of screws 46 that secure a plate 47 to the section 14. Respective compression springs 48 for exerting axial forces on the screws 36 seat within recesses 50 and serve to lock the screws 36, once set, in place. By adjusting a screw 36 so as to compress its respective springs 48, the screw tip as bears against the concerned notch face 34 to urge the respective post 20 downward, whereby the spring 42 further compresses, and whereby a deep setting of the stitch cam 13 is had; by adjusting the screw 36 to relieve ension in the spring 48, the reverse occurs.

Referring now in particular to FIG. 4, a dial indicator 52 for use in determining the setting of the cam 10 has a movement with a push rod 54 that is supported in a journal 55, such push rod 54 being adapted to bear against the face 32 of the notch 23. Secured to the free end of the push rod 54 is a pin 56 to which is secured the end 57 of a coil spring 59. The other end of the spring 59 is anchored by means of a screw 61 to the back of the indicator 52; and the pin 56 cooperates with a worm drive 62 that is rotatably supported both in a journal 63 and in an aperture 65 in a face member 67. The push rod 54 is restrain d from rotating about its own longitudinal axis by means of a pair of members 58 that define a slot in which the pin 56 may move. The face member 67 is provided with cam-set representative indicia, and a pointer 60 is supported by the worm drive 62 and rotatably positionable thereby with respect to the indicia on the indicator face member 67. A lens 69 covers the face member 67 of the indicator 52.

A push on the rod 54 to the left (looking at FIG. 4), as may result from lowering the depth of the cam 10, has the effect of causing the pointer 60 to rotate with respect to a neutral location on the face member 67, whereby the spring 59 stretches; raising the depth of the cam 10 has the effect of returning the pointer to its neutral location and releasing the tension in the spring 59. Since the indicator push rod 3 is in direct contact with the post 20 that rigidly supports the cam Iii), the cam-set reading provided by the indicator is as accurate as the indicator itself; and whether the screw 36 is effective in positioning the cam is irrelevant as far as the accuracy of the cam-set indication is concerned. This is to say that when slop or stickiness etc. cause the post 2% and its supported cam to sit at one location with respect to the cam section 14 even while the screw 3-6 is being turned, the indicator pointer likewise sits at one location with respect to the indicia on its face 67; and only when the cam gets positioned does the indicator pointer 60 accordingly position to reflect the cam setting.

As above noted, the indicator 52 works to provide smooth adjustability of the cam 10 by working to prevent the post 20 from binding within its channel 24. This feature is brought about by the fact that while the screw 36, in cooperation with the spring 32, works to exert a counterclockwise torque on the post 20 (looking at FIG. 4), the push rod 5 and its cooperating spring 59 work to exert a proportionate clockwise torque on the piece 20, whereby non-binding movement of the post 20 is urged to be translationally along the length of the channel 24.

Referring now to P16. 5, a circular knitting machine that includes the cam-set indication means of the invention has a cylinder 70 which is fixedly secured (by means of screws 71) to a ring gear 72, which in turn is rotatably driven by a gear drive 74. The gear drive 74 is supported by a stationary leg member 76 that fixedly supports an outer ring member 8%. A cam retaining ring 82 bolts to the outer ring 80 by means of screws 84; and the outer ring 80 and the cam retaining ring 82 together form a raceway 86 to accommodate a flange bearing 88 on the ring gear 72. The cam sections 14 bolt to the stationary cam retaining ring 82 by means of screws 90, and as is known the rotatable cylinder 70 is provided with slots 92 for respectively slidably housing therein latch needles 94. Hence, the needles 94 are rotatably carried by the cylinder 70 with respect to the stationary cam sections 14.

In this embodiment of the invention each needle 94 has a pair of spaced apart butts 96, 93 which provide a female part 100 that is adapted to accommodate the stitch and raising earns 10, 12 as male members for successively lowering and raising the needles. Depending on the setting of each of the cams 10, as indicated by each of the indicators 52, the course of travel for the needles is determined. The needles 94, travelling in their respective cylinder slots 92 past yarn feed stations 102, knit with yarn fed to the needle hooks 104 by a yarn carrier 106. The yarn carrier 166 is held stationary by means of a carrier ring 108 that is itself held fixedly to a sinker cam ring 119 by means of a screw 112. The sinker cam ring 119 couples to the stationary outer ring 8% by means not shown.

Cooperating with the needles are sinkers 114 which, like the needles 94, slidably ride in slots in a sinker rest ring 116. The sinker rest ring 116 is fixedly held to the cylinder 70, and is rotatable with the cylinder 70. Hence the needles 94 and their cooperating sinkers 114 have rotational phases that are relatively fixed with respect to each other and therefore they rotate in unison during the generation of cloth 118. To and from movement of the sinkers 114 in their respective slots is afforded by sinker cams 124? that fixedly secure to the sinker cam ring by means of screws 122, and ride as male members within female notches 124 in the sinkers 114.

While the invention has been described in its presently preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the words which have been used are Words of description rather than of limitation and that changes within the purview of the appended claims may be made without departing from the true scope and spirit of the invention. For example it is well within the scope of the invention to employ the instant cam-set indication scheme with a double raceway knitting machine, whether employing cams as illustrated herein or conventional cams.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what is claimed herein is:

1. Apparatus for use in indicating the setting of a knitting machine cam comprising section means having a slot therein, elongated means positionable in said slot and adapted to support rigidly said cam, said elongated means being provided with first and second notches each having a face that is cut at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said elongated means, means abutting said face of said first notch for urging said elongated means along said slot, an indicator having a spring loaded movement and an actuating push rod in cooperation therewith, said rod being adapted to abut so against said face of said second notch that the push rod of said indicator counterurges said elongated means along said slot.

2. Apparatus for use in indicating the setting of a knitting machine cam comprising section means having a slot therein, elongated means positionable in said slot and adapted to support rigidly said cam, said elongated means being provided with first and second notches each having a face that is cut at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said elongated means, means abutting said face of said first notch for urging said elongated means along said slot for varying the setting of said cam, dial indicator means comprising a push rod supported thereby, a worm drive operable with said push rod, a pointer movable by said drive, resilient means for urging said push rod toward the exterior of said indicator means, and means for so supporting said indicator means that said push rod abuts against said face of said second notch in a way that places said resilient means under increasing tension when said cam is provided with an increasingly deep setting.

3. Apparatus for use by a circular knitting machine of the independent needle type having a plurality of cams for regulating the course of travel of a plurality of needles thereof comprising a plurality of cam sections each provided with a sleeve having an elongated opening along its length, respective elongated cam support pieces positionable within said sleeves, means securing said cams to respective cam support pieces through said elongated openings in respective cam sections, said cam support pieces being each provided with first and second notches, said notches each having a face cut at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of its respective support piece, adjustable means for each of said cam support pieces abutting said face of said first notch for urging said support piece along its sleeve, indicators cooperating with respective support pieces, and each indicator having a spring loaded movement and an actuating push rod in cooperation with the movement, said rod of each indicator being adapted to abut so against said face of said second notch of its respective cam support piece that said rod counter-urges its respective support piece against the urging of its respetcive adjustable means.

4. Apparatus for use by a circular knitting machine of the independent needle type having a plurality of cams for regulating the course of travel of a plurality of needles thereof comprising a plurality of cam sections each provided with a sleeve having an elongated opening along its length, respective elongated cam support pieces positionable within said sleeves, means securing said cams to respective cam support pieces through said elongated openings in respective cam sections, said cam support pieces being each provided with first and second notches, said notches each having a face cut at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of its respective support pieces, adjustable means for each of said cam support pieces abutting said face of said first notch for urging said support piece along its sleeve, dial indicators cooperating with respective support pieces, and each indicator having a push rod supported thereby, a Worm drive operable with said push rod, a pointer movable by said drive, resilient means for urging said push rod toward the exterior of said indicator means, and means for so supporting said indicator that said push rod abuts against said face of said second notch of its respective cam support piece in a way that places said resilient means under increasing tension when its respective cam is provided with an increasingly deep setting.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 172,989 2/1876 Franz 6654 2,573,782 11/1951 Zeruneith 6657 XR 2,941,383 6/1960 Mishcon 6654 3,013,418 12/1961 Hill 6657 3,076,327 2/1963 Coile 6654 3,068,674 12/1962 Bittler 6654 3,123,991 3/1964 Schmidt 6654 FOREIGN PATENTS 547,522 9/1956 Italy. 366,623 2/ 1963 Switzerland.

ROBERT R. MACKEY, Acting Primary Examiner.

RONALD FELDBAUM, Examiner.

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