US3791173A

US3791173A - Method and apparatus for forming random stripe in knitted garments

Info

Publication number: US3791173A
Application number: US00237277A
Authority: US
Inventors: T Furr
Original assignee: Oxford Industries Inc
Current assignee: Oxford Industries Inc
Priority date: 1972-03-23
Filing date: 1972-03-23
Publication date: 1974-02-12
Anticipated expiration: 1991-02-12

Abstract

A dial and cylinder circular knitting machine wherein yarns are continuously fed to the needles at most of the pairs of needle cam sections revolving about the needles while at selected ones of the other pairs of cylinder cam sections the knitting movements of the short cylinder needles are arrested and no yarn is fed to the needles at these pairs of cam sections. When a colored stripe is to be knitted in the fabric the selected pairs of the cylinder cam sections are adjusted to cause the short cylinder needles to knit and yarn of a different color is fed to the needles at the adjustable cylinder cam sections.

Description

United States Patent 9 Furr [ METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING RANDOM STRIPE IN KNITTED GARMENTS [75] Inventor: Tommy R. Furr, Oakboi-o, NC.

[73] Assignee: Oxford Industries, Inc., Atlantic,

22 Filed: Mar. 23, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 237,277

[52] US. Cl 66/20, 66/25, 66/38,

' 66/57, 66/140 R [51] Int. CL... D04b 9/06, D04b 15/32, D04b 15/60 [58] Field of Search..... 66/20, 19, 25, 38, 50 R, 57,

[ 1 Feb. 12, 1974 5/1928 France 66/20 Primary Examiner-James l(ee Chi Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Jones, Thomas & Askew [5 7] ABSTRACT A dial and cylinder circular knitting machine wherein yarns are continuously fed to the needles at most of the pairs of needle cam sections revolving about the needles while at selected ones of the other pairs of cylinder cam sections the knitting movements of the short cylinder needles are arrested and no yarn is fed to the needles at these pairs of cam sections. When a colored stripe is to be knitted in the fabric the selected pairs ,of the cylinder cam sections are adjusted to cause the short cylinder needles to knit and yarn of a difierent color is fed to the needles at the adjustable cylinder cam sections.

6'Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEDFEB 12 1974 SHEET 2 BF 2 Ill In rll W 'FIG ii I 1 53m 'FIG 1 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING RANDOM STRIPE IN KNITTED GARlVmNTS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION While knitting colored stripes at random intervals in coarse knitted fabrics has been accomplished by the relatively slow speed knitting machines with relatively cumbersome equipment, the high speed knitting machines which function to knit fine fabrics, such as circular dial and cylinder knitting .machines, have been capable of knitting only one color, or when yarns of different colors are used to supply the machine, the col ored stripes formed in the knitted material are formed upon every cycle of the machine and the stripes are uniformly spaced throughout the material. Thus, the functions of the high speed circular knitting machines are limited to knitting only solid color material or material with stripes uniformly spaced along the material.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly described, the present invention comprises a method and apparatus for forming colored stripes in knitted fabrics at random spacing along the length of the fabric. One or more of the pairs of cam sections for the cylinder needles of a circular dial and cylinder knitting machine is adjustable to arrest the knitting movement of alternate ones of its cylinder needles, and the color yarn fed to the adjustable cam sections is cut and held at the cam section while the knitting movement of the needles is arrested. When in this condition, the stripe is not knitted in the material. When the cam sections are actuated to reciprocate all of the cylinder needles as the cam sections revolve about the cylinder needles, the colored yarn is fed to the needles to knit the stripe in the material.

Thus, it is an object of the present invention to 'provide a method and apparatus to rapidly and inexpensively knit colored stripes in knitted fabrics.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a portion of a circular dial and cylinder knitting machine.

FIG. 2 is a view of the face of a pair of cylinder cam sections, showing a pair of the sections having a movable segment in the upper cam track.

FIG. 3 is a view of the face of a pair of cylinder cam sections without the movable segment in the cam track.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now in more detail to the drawing, in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, FIG. 1 illustrates a segment of a dial and cylinder knitting machine which includes a series of dial cam sections 1 1 which are placed in an annular arrangement and are rotatable in the direction indicated by arrow 12 about a vertical axis. A series of cylinder cam sections 14 are also placed in an annular arrangement about the knitting machine and rotate in unison with the dial cam sections 11. A plurality of knitting needles are located in the slots formed by the dividers l5, and

2 yarn from a supply 16 is located above and is revolvable with the rotating portion of the knitting machine and is fed to the knitting needles at the moving cam sections 11 and 14.

As is illustrated in FIG. 3, the cylinder cam sections are arranged in

pairs

14a and 14b, and the pairs of cam sections are duplicated in series about the knitting machine. As illustrated in FIG. 3,the cylinder cam sections revolve about the knitting needles in the direction indicated by arrow 18, and the needles, which do not revolve, are caused to reciprocate by following the upper and

lower cam tracks

19 and 20 which are formed by the cylinder cam sections. Alternate ones of the needles follow upper cam track 19 while the other alternate needles follow the lower cam track 20. Each pair of

cylinder cam sections

14a and 14b forms a portion of the

cam tracks

19 and 20, and the

cam tracks

19 and 20 are continuous and extend entirely about the knitting machine. Alternate ones of the knitting needles (not shown) have protrusions which are inserted in the cam track 19 and the other alternate knitting needleshave protrusions which follow the cam track 20. Each pair of

cylinder cam sections

14a and 14b comprise in its upper cam track 19 a clearing cam surface 21, a knitting cam surface 22, and a guide cam surface 23, and in its lower cam track 20 a clearing cam surface 25, a knitting cam surface 26, and a guide cam surface 27. The clearing and knitting surfaces 21 and 22 are out of phase with the clearing and knitting

surfaces

25 and 26, so that the knitting needles which follow cam track 19 are out of phase with the knitting needles that follow cam track 20.

As is illustrated in FIG. 2, certain ones of the pairs of the cylinder cam sections are modified so as to include a movable segment in the upper cam track 19.

Cam Sections

14c and 14d have a lower portion that is substantially identical to the lower portions of cam sections 143a and 1412 so that the long knitting needles following the lower cam track 20 will have a continual reciprocating motion as the cam sections revolve about the knitting machine. The upper portions of the

cam sections

140 and 14d are modified in that cam section 140 includes a cam pivot rod 29 connected at its inner end to a movable earn segment such as lever 30. Cam pivot rod extends through and to the outside of cam section 140. The movable cam segment 30 is pivotal on the end of cam pivot rod between its solid line or upwardly inclined position and its broken line or laterally extending position. When the cam segment 30 is in its solid line position, its upper surface defines a clearing portion 31 of the cam track while the knitting portion 32 and guide portion 33 are formed on the opposite sides of the clearing portion 31. When the cam segment 30 is moved to its dashed line position, the clearing portion 31 of the upper cam track 19 in the portion thereof defined by

cylinder cam segments

14c and 14d substantially disappears. The knitting movements of the short needles following the upper cam track of

segments

14c and 14d will therefore be arrested.

As is illustrated in FIG. 1, cam pivot rod 29 protrudes outwardly of cam segment 14c, and collar 35 is clamped on the protruding end of the pivot rod. Lever 36 is rigidly connected to collar 35 and extends toward cam section 14d. Collar 35 is adjustable with respect to cam pivot rod 29 by means of setscrew 38.

Cylinder cam sections

14b and 14d as well as most of the other cylinder cam sections include means for adjusting the amplitude of the needle strokes and therefore tightening and loosening the knitted stitches of the fabric being knitted. The needle stroke adjusting means 39 comprises a boss 40 connected to the outside upright surface 41 of the cam section, and a tube 42 extending out from the boss. Rod 44 extends through tube 42, and its inner end terminates adjacent the upright surface 41 of cam section 14b. Follower bar 45 engages the inner end (not shown) of rod 44, and the inner end of rod 44 has a cam surface that engages a protrusion of the follower bar 45 and causes the follower bar 45 to reciprocate upon the rotation of rod 44.

The upper end of follower bar 44 is turned inwardly at 47 over the upper end of cam section 14b and engages the upper end of vertical cam shaft 46. An overhanging tab 48 is connected at one of its ends to the inwardly turned upper end 47 of vertical cam shaft 46, and compression spring 49 is seated on the upper end of cam section 14b and biases the overhanging tab 48 and vertical cam shaft 46 in an upward direction toward the bottom surface of the upper portion 47 of follower bar 45. Adjusting screw 50 is threaded through overhanging tab 48 and compression spring 49 into theupper surface of cam section 14b and limits the upward movement of vertical cam shaft 46.

As is illustrated in FIG. 3, vertical cam shaft 46 extends through a vertical bore 51 in cam section 14b.

Cam segments

52 and 53 of cam section 14b are rigidly connected to vertical cam shaft 46 and reciprocate therewith. The vertical cam shaft of cam section 14a is connected to

cam segments

54 and 55 in the lower portion of cam section 14a. Thus, the vertical cam shafts of

cam sections

14a and 14b function to move the knitting portions of the cam tracks 19 and downwardly with respect to the clearing portions and guiding portions thereof, thus increasing the amplitude of the knitting needles following both the upper and

lower cam tracks

19 and 20, and causing the knit structure to be more closely knitted.

As is illustrated in FIG. 1, the needles stroke adjusting means 57 of cam section 14d is similar to the needle stroke adjusting means 39 of cam section 14b. In addition, collar 58 is rigidly connected to rod 44 by means of setscrew 59, protruding arm 60 is rigidly connected at one of its ends to collar 58, and swinging arm 61 is connected at one of its ends to the outer end of protruding arm 60. Swinging arm 61 extends from protruding arm 60 substantially parallel to rod 44 back toward the vertical outside surface of cam section 14d. The lengths of swinging arm 61 and lever 36 are such that when rod 44 rotates in a counterclockwise direction in tube 42, swinging arm 61 will revolve upwardly to engage and pivot lever 36, thus rotating cam pivot rod 29 of cam section 140. This causes the cam segment 30 (FIG. 2) which tends across from the face of cam section 14c into the face of cam section 14d to swing from its laterally extending dashed line attitude to its upwardly inclined full line attitude. When swinging arm 61 moves in the opposite direction with rod 44, coil tension spring 62 connected to setscrew 38 pulls lever 36 back around to its lower position, and the cam segment 30 on the face of the

cam sections

140 and 14d moves back to its dashed line position.

Swivel arms 64 are connected to the outer ends of rods 44 of cam segments 14b and most of the other cylinder cam segments in series about the machine which are not illustrated. Swivel arms 64 are of a uniform thickness, while swivel arms 65 connected to the adjustable cam sections 14d includes a thin portion 66 and a thick portion 68, the function of which will be explained more fully hereinafter.

Cam chain assembly 70 is arranged to control upper and lower cam pins 71 and 72, cam plate 73, and other cam control elements that are not illustrated in the drawing but which are conventional on circular knitting machines. Cam chain assembly 70'is advanced by one chain link upon each revolution of the knitting machine, and the chain links control the positions of cam pins 71 and 72 and cam plate 73. For instance, the thinner or lower chain links 75 of cam chain 74 cause lower cam pin 72 to protrude, while the larger or higher links 76 cause the lower cam pin 72 to retract and the upper cam pin 71 to protrude. In a similar manner, the lower and higher chain links 77 and 78 of cam chain 79 cause cam plate 73 to reciprocate in a vertical direction between lower and higher positions. The chain links of cam chain 74 have three thicknesses, the high chain link, the low chain link, and the intermediate chain link. Thus, upper and lower cam pins 71 and 72 have three positions. When the lowest or thinnest chain link of chain 74 is at the top of cam chain assembly 70 and controls the positions of upper and lower cam pins 71 and 72, lower cam pin 72 protrudes and engages the lower portion of all of the swivel arms 64 and 65 of the knitting machine as the cylinder cam sections revolve and pass cam pin 72, and all swivel arms 64 will be tumbled or swiveled to an inclined attitude opposite from the attitude illustrated in FIG. 1. This causes cam segment 30 (FIG. 2) to be positioned in the dashed line attitude so as to arrest the reciprocation of the alternate short knitting needles following cam track 19. Thus, the clearing movements and knitting movements of the short knitting needles no longer occur as the

cam sections

14c and 14d move past the knitting needles, and the short knitting needles do not knit. In addition, the tumbling of the swivel arms allows the follower bar 45 and vertical cam shaft 46 to be moved in an upward direction under the bias of coil compression spring 49, thus moving

segments

52, 53, 54 and 55 of the upper and lower cam tracks 19 and 20 in an upward direction so as to increase the amplitude of reciprocation of both the long and short knitting needles, and the knitted fabric will have a loose knit. Thus, a loose knit garment without a colored stripe is knitted.

When the cam chain assembly 70 is advanced and a medium height chain link is at the top of cam chain 74 and controls the positions of the upper and lower cam pins 71 and 72, the upper portions of swivel arms 64 will be engaged by upper cam pin 71 and the swivel arms 64 will be tumbled or swiveled back to the positions illustrated in FIG. 1. The swivel arms 65 will not be engaged by either of cam pins 71 or 72 and will not be tumbled but will remain in the positions opposite from that illustrated in FIG. 1. Thus, the intermediate position of the upper and lower cam pins 71 and 72 causes the downward movement of vertical cam shaft 46 of each cam section 14b, thus causing a change in the amplitude of movement of both the long and short needles controlled by the upper and lower cam tracks 19 and 20, thus causing a tight knit to be formed.

When a high chain link moves to the top of cam chain 74 upper cam pin 71 will protrude to engage the upper thin portion 66 of swivel arm 65 so as to tumble or swivel the swivel arm to the position illustrated in FIG.

1. This causes swinging arm 61 connected to rod 44 to swing up into engagement with lever 36 of cam section 14c. Lever 36 rotates cam pivot rod 29, which in turn pivots cam segment 30 from its dashed line position to its full line position as illustrated in FIG. 2. This causes

cam sections

14c and 14d to reciprocate the short needles which follow cam track 19, causing these needles to knit as

cam sections

14c and 14d revolve about the knitting machine. Thus, a tight knit stripe will be knitted.

The yarn, such as yarn 80 from yarn supply 16 is guided through a series of yarn guides 81, 82, and 83 toward the cam sections at the knitting needles. As the yarnemerges from yarn guide 83, it is positioned where the knitting needles can protrude from the slots between the dividers with an upward clearing movement so that the hooks'of the knitting needles grasp the yarn, and then the knitting needles can move in a downward direction through their knitting movement. The yarn 80 which is fed to the needles reciprocated by

cam sections

14c and 14d is cut and held by cutter assembly 85 when the knitting movement of the short cylinder needles has been arrested. Cutter assembly 85 includes bracket 86 attached to one of the dial sections 11, cutter 88, actuating arm 89, oscillating pin 90, oscillating base 91, and cam follower arm .92.-Oscillating base 91 oscillates about stub shaft 94 which extends through the oscillating base 91 into L-shaped bracket 95. L-shaped bracket 95 is connected to stanchion 96 which is supported by platform 98 from cam sections 14d. Collar 99 of bracket 95 is positioned high enough along stanchion 96 about swivel'arm' 65 so that the tumbling of the swivel arm will not be encumbered by the collar.-In addition, collar 99 allows the height of fed to the knitting needle during the time when the bracket 95 to be adjusted so that the cam follower arm 4 92 can be accurately engaged by cam plate 73. Coil tension spring 100 is connected to actuating arm 89 and causes cam follower arm 92 to pivot about stub shaft 94 until oscillating base 91 engages stop tab 101. When cam chain 79 advances to place a thick or high chain link in control of cam Plate 73, the cam plate 73 will move in an upward direction so that its surface 102 engages the roller 103 at the end of cam follower arm 92 and causes oscillating base 91 to oscillate about stub shaft 94 away from stop tab 101, thus stretching coil compression spring 100 and pulling actuating arm 89 i to open the cutter 88 to the position illustrated in FIG.

1. When the cam follower arm 92 passes beyond cam plate 73, coil tension spring 100 will snap the assembly back so that cutter 88 will snap shut and cut and hold the yarn 80 if the yarn was located in the bite of the cutter. If the yarn was not located in the bite of the cutter, the cutter will snap closed and the yarn will continue to feed from the source of yarn 16 to the needles at the cam sections. i

As is illustrated in FIG. 1, a grounding device 105 is positioned in the path of the yarn 80 and functions to terminate the operation of knitting machine 10 through appropriate circuitry (not shown) when the yarn 80 is being fed from the source of yarn 16 to the cam section. The grounding device comprises a metal wand 106 which is looped at its end to form a yarn guide and the yarn is fed through the loop. The other element 107 of the grounding device is placed in the path of wand 106 when the wand is moved by the feeding yarn so that when the two

elements

106 and 107 contact each knitting machine functions to knit a stripe of contrasting color in the material being knitted. When the stripe is not to be knitted and the cutter assembly 85 functions to cut the yarn 80, the lever 36 will have pivoted back to the position illustrated under the bias of coil tension spring 62, which opens microswitch 110. This causes grounding switch 105 to be armed again. If the cutter assembly 85 malfunctions and the ,yarn 80 is not cut, the yarn would tend to continue to befed to the needles and would tend to wedge between the divider 15 and dial sections 11 and eventually damage the knitting machine. Thus, grounding switch 105 which is closed during the feeding of yarn functions to terminate the operation of the knitting machine in the event of the malfunction of cutter assembly 85, and no damage to the machine will occur due to the continuation of the feed of yarn 80.

OPERATION When circular knitting machine. 10 is in operation and is functioning to knit a fabric without a stripe, the swivel arms 64 and 65 (FIG. 1) will be oriented in an inclined attitude opposite from that illustrated, and cam'segment 30 (FIG. 2) of

cylinder cam sections

140 and 14d will be in its laterally extending dashed line position. This causes the short alternate ones of the cylinder needles at cam sections 140 and 144 to have their clearing and knitting strokes arrested. In addition, the cutter assembly 85 will have cut the yarn 80 and will hold the end of the yarn ready for the arrested cylinder I needles. When the knitting machine is in thiscondition,

cam chain 74 of cam chain assembly 70 has one of its lowest links controlling the positions of upper and lower cam pins 71 and 72, while cam chains 79 will have one of its lower links controlling the cam plate 73.

As the knitting machine operates, the cam chain assembly will advance until an intermediate link of cam chain 74 controls the positions of upper and lower cam pins 71 and 72. The intermediate position of upper cam pin 71 causes swivel arms 64 to tumble to the attitude illustrated in FIG. 1, causing a tight knit to be formed in the material being knitted. Swivel arm 65 will not be tumbled.

Upon further advancement of cam chain assembly to a position where a high cam chain link of cam chain 74 controls the positions of upper and lower cam pin 71 and 72 and a high cam chain link controls the position of cam plate 73, upper cam pin 71 is moved to its innermost position by the high chain link, swivel arms 65 tumble to the positions illustrated,(FIG. 1) and cam segment 30 (FIG. 2) moves from its dashed line position to its full line position, thereby causing the short alternate ones of the knitting needles which follow cam track 19 to move through their clearing movements and their knitting movements, causing these needles to knit as

cam sections

14c and 14d revolve about the cylinder needles. When cam follower arm 92 is oscillated by cam plate 73, cutter 88 will release yarn 80. Thus, as the alternate needles of

cam sections

140 and 14d begin to knit, the yarn is released to the needles and the colored yarn 80 is knitted into the material. The contrasting color of yarn 80 with respect to the other yarns causes the machine to knit a stripe in the material.

After the stripe has been knitted for one or more revolutions of the knitting machine and the cam chain assembly has advanced, a chain link of intermediate height on cam chain 74 will control upper and lower cam pins 71 and 72 while a high cam link will elevate cam plate 73 again. The intermediate positions of upper and lower cam pins 71 and 72 will cause swivel arms 65 to tumble to the inclined position opposite from that illustrated in FIG. 1 and swivel arms 64 will remain in the position illustrated in FIG. 1. Thus, cam segment 30 (FIG. 2) will move back to its dashed line position so as to arrest the reciprocation and knitting of the short needles controlled by cam track 19 as the

cam sections

140 and 14d revolve about the cylinder needles. The placement of cam plate 73 in its up position causes cutter assembly 85 to be reactivated, whereupon cutter 88 opens and snaps shut to receive and cut the yarn 80 and functions to hold the yarn 80 ready for the arrested cylinder needles. Thus, no more colored yarn 80 is fed to and knitted by the arrested cylinder needles and the colored stripe is no longer formed in the fabric.

In the event that cutter assembly 85 should malfunction, grounding switch 105 functions to terminate the operation of the knitting machine so that the yarn 80 will not continue to be fed to the needles and become entangled in the knitting machine.

While this invention has been described in detail with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention as described hereinbefore and as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a camming mechanism for a circular knitting machine including dial needles and cylinder needles, the dial needles and cylinder needles each including two sets of cam tracks rotatable about a vertical axis around the needles for reciprocating the needles, the improvement therein of one of the cam tracks for the cylinder needles including at least one pivotal cam segment with a first position for reciprocating alternate ones of the cylinder needles so the needles knit, and with a second position for substantially arresting the reciprocation of alternate needles so the needles do not knit, both of said cam tracks for the cylinder needles including reciprocatable cam segments with first positions for shortening the strokes of the needles to form va tight knit and second positions for lengthening the strokes of the needles to form a loose knit, and cam segment control means constructed and arranged to pivot said pivot cam segment to its first position for reciprocating alternate ones of the cylinder needles and to position said reciprocatable cam segments in their first positions to shorten the strokes of all of the cylinder needles when said pivotal cam segment is in its first position.

2. The camming mechanism of claim 1 and further including yarn feed means for feeding yarn to the needles as the needles are caused to reciprocate by the movable portion of said one of said cam tracks and for terminating the feeding'of yarn to the needles as the reciprocation of the needles is arrested by the movable portion of said one of said cam tracks, a grounding switch for terminating the operation of the knitting machine in response to yarn being fed to the needles engaging said pivotal cam track, and a disarming switch for disarming said grounding switch when said pivotal cam section is in its first position.

3. In a circular knitting machine including two sets of needles, a camming mechanism including two cam tracks for each set of needles with the cam tracks of each set of needles arranged to reciprocate alternate ones of the needles of its set, the improvement therein of one of said cam tracks including at least one changeable section for selectively reciprocating or substantially arresting the knitting movement of its needles, and yarn feed means for feeding yarn to said needles at the changeable section of said one of said cam tracks when the needles are reciprocated by the changeable section and for terminating the feeding of yarn to said needles at the changeable section of said one of said cam tracks when the knitting movement of the needles is arrested, grounding means for terminating the operation of said knitting machine in response to the feeding of yarn to the needles at the changeable section of said one of said cam tracks, and disarming means for disarming said grounding means when the needles are reciprocated by the changeable section of said one of said cam tracks.

4. In a circular dial and cylinder knitting machine including a series of cylinder 'cam sections revolvable about cylinder needles and defining upper and lower cam tracks, with the cylinder cam sections arranged in pairs with the pairs of cylinder cam sections constructed to cause alternate ones of the cylinder needles to move through the portion of the lower cam track of the pairs of cam sections in an upward clearing movement and in a downward knitting movement and the other ones of the cylinder needles to move through the portion of the upper cam track of the pairs of cam sections in an upward clearing movement and in a downward knitting movement out of phase with the needles moved by the lower cam track, the improvement therein of at least one of said pairs of cylinder cam sections including arresting means for arresting the upward clearing movement of the needles moving through the portion of the upper cam track of the said at least one pair of cam sections, said arresting means comprising a pivotal cam segment pivotally supported by one of the cam sections of the said at least one pair of cam sections with its distal end extending into the other cam section of the said at least one pair of cam sections and forming a segment. of said upper cam track, said pivotal cam segment being pivotable between a generally laterally extending attitude in which it does not move its needles through their upward clearing movements and an upwardly inclined attitude in which it does move its needles through their upward clearing movements, movable cam means in the cam sections of the other pairs of cam sections for shortening and lengthening the amplitude of the cylinder needles in both the upper cam track and the lower cam track, and control means constructed and arranged to pivot said pivotal cam segment of the said at least one pair of cam sections to its upwardly inclined attitude and to move said movable cam means in both the upper and lower cam tracks to their positions to shorten the amplitude ofthe needles when said pivotal cam segment is positioned in its upwardly inclined attitude in response to the revolution of said cam sections about said knitting machine.

5. In a circular dial and cylinder knitting machine including a series of pairs of cylinder cam sections revolvable about the cylinder needles and which form upper and lower cam tracks for reciprocating the cylinder needles, the improvement therein of at least one of said cam sections including a pivotal cam segment positioned in one of said cam tracks, a cam pivot rod connected at one of its ends to said pivotal cam segment and extending through and out of said cam section, a cam actuating lever connected to the outer end of said cam pivot rod, means for pivoting said cam actuating lever as the cam actuating lever revolves with its cam section about the cylinder needles to move the pivotal cam segment between a first position which causes the needles to move upwardly through their clearing movements and a second position which causes the needles not to move upwardly through their clearing movement, yarn feed means for feeding yarn to the needles caused by said cam segment in its first position to move upwardly through their clearing movements and for terminating the feeding of yarn to the needles caused by said cam segment in its second position not to move upwardly through their clearing movements, and means for terminating the operation of said knitting machine if yarn is fed to the needles not moved upwardly through their clearing movements by said cam segment.

6. A method of forming stripes in a knitting garment or the like as the garment is knitted on a circular dial and cylinder knitting machine comprising continuously revolving a plurality of pairs of cam sections about a plurality of long and short knitting needles to cause knitting movements of the needles, feeding yarns to the needles at most of the pairs of cam sections revolving about the needles while the knitting movements of the short cylinder needles are arrested and no yarn is fed to the short cylinder needles of at least one pair of cylinder cam sections as the at least one pair of cylinder cam sections passes about the needles, and intermittently actuating the knitting movement of and feeding yarn of a different color to the short cylinder needles at the at least one pair of cylinder cam sections as the at least one pair of cylinder cam sections passes about the needles, and arresting the knitting movements of and terminating the feeding of yarn to the short cylinder needles at the at least one pair of cylinder cam sections as the at least one pair of cylinder cam sections passes about the needles, and terminating the revolving of the pairs of cam sections about the knitting needles in response to the arresting of the knitting movement of the short cylinder needles at the at least one pair of cylinder cam sections and the continuing to feed yarn to the arrested short cylinder needles.

Claims

1. In a camming mechanism for a circular knitting machine including dial needles and cylinder needles, the dial needles and cylinder needles each including two sets of cam tracks rotatable about a vertical axis around the needles for reciprocating the needles, the improvement therein of one of the cam tracks for the cylinder needles including at least one pivotal cam segment with a first position for reciprocating alternate ones of the cylinder needles so the needles knit, and with a second position for substantially arresting the reciprocation of alternate needles so the needles do not knit, both of said cam tracks for the cylinder needles including reciprocatable cam segments with first positions for shortening the strokes of the needles to form a tight knit and second positions for lengthening the strokes of the needles to form a loose knit, and cam segment control means constructed and arranged to pivot said pivot cam segment to its first position for reciprocating alternate ones of the cylinder needles and to position said reciprocatable cam segments in their first positions to shorten the strokes of all of the cylinder needles when said pivotal cam segment is in its first position.

2. The camming mechanism of claim 1 and further including yarn feed means for feeding yarn to the needles as the needles are caused to reciprocate by the movable portion of said one of said cam tracks and for terminating the feeding of yarn to the needles as the reciprocation of the needles is arrested by the movable portion of said one of said cam tracks, a grounding switch for terminating the operation of the knitting machine in response to yarn being fed to the needles engaging said pivotal cam track, and a disarming switch for disarming said grounding switch when said pivotal cam section is in its first position.

4. In a circular dial and cylinder knitting machine including a series of cylinder cam sections revolvable about cylinder needles and defining upper and lower cam tracks, with the cylinder cam sections arranged in pairs with the pairs of cylinder cam sections constructed to cause alternate ones of the cylinder needles to move through the portion of the lower cam track of the pairs of cam sections in an upward clearing movement and in a downward knitting movement and the other ones of the cylinder needles to move through the portion of the upper cam track of the pairs of cam sections in an upward clearing movement and in a downward knitting movement out of phase with the needles moved by the lower cam track, the improvement therein of at least one of said pairs of cylinder cam sections including arresting means for arresting the upward clearing movement of the needles moving through the portion of the upper cam track of the said at least one pair of cam sections, said arresting means comprising a pivotal cam segment pivotally supported by one of the cam sections of the said at least one pair of cam sections with its distal end extending into the other cam section of the said at least one pair of cam sections and forming a segment of said upper cam track, said pivotal cam segment being pivotable between a generally laterally extending attitude in which it does not move its needles through their upward clearing movements and an upwardly inclined attitude in which it does move its needles through their upward clearing movements, movable cam means in the cam sections of the other pairs of cam sections for shortening and lengthening the amplitude of the cylinder needles in both the upper cam track and the lower cam track, and control means constructed and arranged to pivot said pivotal cam segment of the said at least one pair of cam sections to its upwardly inclined attitude and to move said movable cam means in both the upper and lower cam tracks to their positions to shorten the amplitude of the needles when said pivotal cam segment is positioned in its upwardly inclined attitude in response to the revolution of said cam sections about said knitting machine.