US3768278A

US3768278A - Sheath knitter

Info

Publication number: US3768278A
Application number: US00226082A
Authority: US
Inventors: A Latella
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-02-14
Filing date: 1972-02-14
Publication date: 1973-10-30
Anticipated expiration: 1990-10-30

Abstract

A sheath knitter which produces an ornamental cord which consists of a core thread with an open mesh loosely knitted sheath by introducing a core through a knitting head while feeding the knitting needles with material mounted on a superstructure connected to the cams that drive the needles.

Description

United States Patent [191 Latella Oct. 30, 1973 SHEATH KNITTER [76] Inventor: Anthony S. Latella, 64 Bently Rd., Ce a rew i. [22] Filed: Feb. 14, 1972 211 Appl. No.: 226,082

[52] U.S. Cl. 66/9 A, 66/125 R [51] Int. Cl D04b 9/44 [58] Field of Search 66/9 A, 125, 13,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1900 Wardall 648,347 4/1941 Brillhart 66/9 A FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Primary ExaminerW. C. Reynolds Assistant Examiner-Andrew M. Falk AttorneyNorman N. Popper et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A sheath knitter which produces an ornamental cord which consists of a core thread with an open mesh loosely knitted sheath by introducing a core through a knitting head while feeding the knitting needles with material mounted on a superstructure connected to the cams that drive the needles.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures Great Britain 660/125 1 SHEATH KNITTER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention ---'I his invention relates generally to making knitted cords, and particularly to making ornamental knitted cords formed about a cord thread.

2. Prior Art Modern packaging has created a demand for ornamental ribbons and cords. Among the ornamental cords produced has been the core thread with a knitted SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It has been found that it is not necessary to arrange a pair of rotating feed spools to supply the core thread and the thread for the knitted sheath, but rather that a single revolving spool can supply thread to run revolving knitting needles while a core thread is passed through the revolving spool, and between the knitting needles, producing a knitted sheath on a core thread by a simple direct operation. With this apparatus ornamental knitted sheath on core threads are producable at high rates of speed, without complex apparatus, with minimum apparatus down time for replacing exhausted spools, without frequently adjusting delicate thread tension guides, with a vast reduction in down time due to thread breakage. I

THE DRAWINGS These objects and advantages as well as other objects and advantages are attained by the device shown by way of illustration in the drawings in which:

F IG. 1 is an elevational view of the sheath knitter;

FIG. 2 is a partial vertical sectional view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a top needle cam;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of a bottom needle cam; and

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of a portion of a core with a knitted sheath.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A mounting 11 is provided for a bottom spindle 12. A hole in the end of the mounting 11 receives the threaded lower end of the spindle 12, which is rigidly secured to the mounting 11. A cam-housing 13 is rotatably mounted on the spindle. A belt track 14 is provided at the bottom of the housing 13 to receive a belt 15 to rotate the housing on the spindle 12. The spindle l2 and the housing 13 are rotatably connected together by a bearing 16.

The housing 13 has a central bore 17 that receives a pair of cooperative cams: a top cam 18 and a bottom cam 19. The bottom cam 19 is retained in the bore 17 by the bearing 16, the top cam 18 is retained in the bore 17 by a top bearing 20, which will be later more particularly referred to. The top cam 18 is secured against rotation by the set screw 21, and the bottom cam 19 is secured against rotation by the set screw 22. Together with the

cams

18, 19 define a continuous cam track 23 on their external surface, that causes a plurality of knitting needles to rise and fall and to perform a knitting operation, as will be further described.

The upper end of the spindle 12 has four coaxial needle tricks 24 disposed at from each other; each trick receives a conventional knitting needle 25, each having a bottom, offset end 26 serving as a butt in the cam track 23. An elastomeric ring 27 is seated in an annular channel 28 in the top of the spindle l2; and this assembly defines a knitting head.

The cam-housing 13 is capped by the cover 29 which is rigidly secured to the housing 13 by screws (not shown). The top bearing 20, is rigidly secured to the cover 29, and the bearing 20 receives the upper end of the spindle 12, upon which the top of the housing 13 rotates. The rotation of the housing 13 carries with it the

cams

18, 19 which influence the butts which are the offset ends 26 of the needles 25, causing them to rise and fall successively as they traverse the cam track 23 and perform the well known knitting operation. (e.g. Stover 2,364,560; Ford 2,257,458).

The cover 29 supports upwardly extending columns 30 which hold at the top, a deck 31. The cover 39 also supports a lower thread guide 32 positioned and angled to direct a thread toward the needles 25. On the deck 31 is a top spindle 33 which has a bore 34, which is co,- axial with a bore 35 in the bottom spindle 12. The top spindle 33 receives a spool of thread or strand 36 which passes through an upper guide 37, down through a guide-passage 38 in the deck 31 to the lower threadguide 32.

A pulley 39 is attached to the mounting 11 to receive a thread or strand 40 which is introduced into the bore 34, passes between the needles 25, and down through the bore 35. From the pulley 39 it proceeds to a takeup spool (Not shown).

When the core thread 40 leaves the pulley 39 and is wound onto a take-up spool and when the belt 15 drives the housing 13, the needles 25 knit a sheath about the core-thread forming an ornamental cord 41. Thus the core thread 40 may be a silver filament core with an open, loose, mesh, gold, knitted sheath, forming an attractive ornamental cord. The source of the core strand 40 is stationary.

Reference has been made previously to a core strand; it is to be understood that this may be a multifilament thread, a monofilament thread, a braided strand, or a knitted strand in each case the present invention provides a surrounding knitted sheath about the core strand, whatever its nature.

Aside from the ability to form an ornamental sheathed cord, the apparatus produces a cord which, by virtue of distinctive color strands used, may be applied to distinguish a product to which it is applied from other products to which different color strands. have been applied as markers. Other uses may be found, such as shielded electrical conductors, if the knitted sheath is closely knitted.

For purposes of illustration the drawings have shown a knitted head with several knitting needles. It is to be understood that knitting head with up to perhaps thirty needles can be substituted. For purposes of illustration the source of supply for the strand 36 has been shown to be a spool upon which the strand is wound. It is to be understood that a cone, tube or any other type of holder upon which the strand 36 can be wrapped can be mounted upon the deck 31.

What is claimed 1. A sheath knitter comprising:

a. a knitting head assembly,

b. a stationary first spindle with a central bore in the knitting head assembly,

0. the knitting head assembly freely rotatable on the spindle,

d. a second spindle with a central bore attached above and rotating with the knitting head assembly,

e. the central bores arranged generally coaxially,

f. means to drive the knitting head assembly on the first spindle,

g. a spool of knitting strand material carried on the second spindle,

h. means'to conduct the knitting strand material to the knitting head assembly,

i. core strand material passed through the bores and the knitting head assembly whereby a knitted sheath is formed about the core strand by the knitting head assembly as it is driven.

2. A sheath knitter comprising:

a. the device according to claim 1,

b. a pulley below the central bore in the first spindle over which the core thread with the knitted sheath may be led to a take-up spool.

3. A sheath knitter comprising:

a. the device according to claim 1,

b. a pair of complementary, biased-track carns defining a continuous cam track disposed in the knitting head assembly surrounding the first spindle.

4. A sheath knitter comprising:

a. the device according to claim 1,

b. a pulley below the central bore in the first spindle over which the core thread with the knitted sheath may be led to a take-up spool,

c. a pair of complementary, biased-track cams defining a continuous cam track disposed in the knitting assembly surrounding the first spindle.

Claims

1. A sheath knitter comprising: a. a knitting head assembly, b. a stationary first spindle with a central bore in the knitting head assembly, c. the knitting head assembly freely rotatable on the spindle, d. a second spindle with a central bore attached above and rotating with the knitting head assembly, e. the central bores arranged generally coaxially, f. means to drive the knitting head assembly on the first spindle, g. a spool of knitting strand material carried on the second spindle, h. means to conduct the knitting strand material to the knitting head assembly, i. core strand material passed through the bores and the knitting head assembly whereby a knitted sheath is formed about the core strand by the knitting head assembly as it is driven.

2. A sheath knitter comprising: a. the device according to claim 1, b. a pulley below the central bore in the first spindle over which the core thread with the knitted sheath may be led to a take-up spool.

3. A sheath knitter comprising: a. the device according to claim 1, b. a pair of complementary, biased-track cams defining a continuous cam track disposed in the knitting head assembly surrounding the first spindle.

4. A sheath knitter comprising: a. the device according to claim 1, b. a pulley below the central bore in the first spindle over which the core thread with the knitted sheath may be led to a take-up spool, c. a pair of complementary, biased-track cams defining a continuous cam track disposed in the knitting assembly surrounding the first spindle.