US3913357A

US3913357A - Dial operated stocking toe closer

Info

Publication number: US3913357A
Application number: US424431A
Authority: US
Inventors: Francesco Lonati
Original assignee: LONATI COST MECC
Current assignee: Costruzioni Meccaniche Lonati Di Lonati Francesco & Figli (ettore Fausto Tiberio) SNC; LONATI COST MECC
Priority date: 1972-12-29
Filing date: 1973-12-13
Publication date: 1975-10-21
Anticipated expiration: 1992-10-21
Also published as: CS164238B2; DE2364315A1; GB1427819A; FR2216819A1; JPS4994961A; ES421769A1; IT969189B

Abstract

Control device in forming the stocking tip on circular knitting machines, comprising a coupling inserted in the mechanical drive by means of which the dial associated with the needle cylinder is thereby rotably driven. This coupling can selectively restrain the angular relation between the needle cylinder and the dial to either an in-phase relation or to an out-of-phase relation. The coupling can also be operated for releasing the dial from the rotation of the needle cylinder.

Description

United States Patent Lonati Oct. 21 1975 [54] DIAL OPERATED STOCKING TOE CLOSER 3,838,583 lO/l974 Rume et al. 66/95 3,84l,ll3 101974 L k tl 1 1 ..6695 {75] Inventor: Francesco Lonatl, Brescia, Italy 126580 51969 fi z i 66195 [73] Asslgnee: i f g i gfiga FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS a c 0 ore,

279,857 lO/l969 U.S.S.R 66/95 Fausm T'bem) Italy ll,696 10/1909 United Kingdom 66/24 122] Filed: Dec. 13, 1973 Primar Examiner-W. C. Re nolds 21 A LN 424,431 Y Y l 1 PP 0 Assistant Examiner-A. M. Falik [30] D Foreign Application Priority Data [57] ABSTRACT .29 ['1 .1 5264 72 1 6C .972 m y Control device in formmg the stocking up on circular knittin machines com risin a cou lin inserted in 52 [1.5.0. 66 95 g P g P g E Int llllllllll H 0043 15102 the mechanical drive by means of which the d1al asso 581 Field of 5m.j..IIIIIIIL'IIIIIIIIIIIIII."56/95, 21, 24 culled l the F l is ably dr1ven. Thls couphng can selectlvely restrain the angu- [56] References Cited lar relation between the needle cylinder and the dial to either an in-phase relation or to an out-of-phase re- UNITED STATES PATENTS lation. The coupling can also be operated for releasing the dial from the rotation of the needle cylinder. t. XCITC 1 1 l l l 4. 2,863,309 l2/l958 Larkin 66/95 4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Oct.21,1975 Sheetlof3 3,913,357

US. Patent 0a. 21, 1975 Sheet 2 of3 3,913,357

DIAL OPERATED STOCKING TOE CLOSER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a control device in forming or closing the stocking tip on circular knitting machines, where this tip forming or closing operation is accomplished by rotating the needle cylinder only (with respect to the dial associated therewith) through an angle other than 360 and more particularly a device by which the circular knitting machine dial is first temporarily stopped, while the needle cylinder is rotating through a predetermined angle for closing the tip of a stocking being made, and then restarted to rotate concurrently with the cylinder, but being angularly outof-phase relative to the latter by the predetermined angle through which the cylinder was rotated.

In known circular knitting machines the stocking tips are closed by causing the needle cylinder to rotate relative to the dial either through a full rotation of 360, or through a rotation other than 360. In the former case, there is no risk of an angular phase difference between the cylinder and dial, since the dial will disengage only for a complete revolution of the cylinder. However, when the needle cylinder rotates relative to the dial either more or less than 360, restarting the dial creates a problem, since the dial is angularly displaced with respect to the cylinder. To overcome this problem, prior art devices provide a temporary disengagement of the dial from the needle cylinder. The known devices provide means for axially moving on a supporting shaft a pinion, so that this pinion selectively meshes or not with a driven pinion for driving or not driving the dial. According to the prior art devices, the dial is driven by the needle cylinder through a pinion which connects the dial with the cylinder. The pinion is mounted on a shaft along which it is slidably mounted. When the needle cylinder must be disengaged from the dial, the pinion is axially shifted along said shaft. It is therefore clear that when the pinion is again moved to a position in which it connects the cylinder with the dial it is practically impossible to have the dial in the exactly desired angular position in respect of the needle cylinder. This phase displacement renders the prior art devices unreliable in operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a device of the above design, which is of a simple structure and easy and inexpensive to manufacture, as well as effective and reliable in operation because of entirely avoiding any possibility of incorrectly positioning the dial relative to the cylinder, as a result of a possible lifting and successive lowering of the machine dial support.

It is another object of the invention to provide a device for selectively retaining the angular relation between the dial and the needle cylinder to either an inphase relation or to an out-of-phase relation.

According to the invention, there is provided a control device for forming or closing a stocking tip on a circular knitting machine by rotating a needle cylinder relative to a dial through an angle other than 360. The control device includes a needle cylinder having a ring gear fast therewith. A gear wheel keyed on a first shaft meshes with the ring gear. A second shaft is positioned concentric to the first shaft and carries a pinion keyed thereon. A gearing system rotatably connects the pinion with the dial associated with the needle cylinder of the circular knitting machine. Two shaped elements are concentrically coupled to the first shaft and partially overlie each other, one of the elements being secured to the first shaft, and the other being movable and rotatable with respect to the first element. The surfaces of the two spaced elements which face the second shaft each comprise circular rings, and each circular ring has a slot radially extending relative to the first shaft. A shaped body member is provided keyed to the second shaft and serves as a seat for a slide key movably positioned in the seat, the seat opening to the circular rings of the two shaped elements where the slots are formed. A slide key control member is provided for controlling the slide key movement between a first position where the slide key is inserted in one of the slots restraining the shaped body member to the shaped elements, and hence the needle cylinder to the dial, and a second position where the slide key is maintained away from the slots and the dial is released from the needle cylinder.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For better understanding the structure and operation of the device according to the invention, a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described, as shown by way of example, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical sectional view of the device, taken along line [-1 of FIG. 3, with the constituting members thereof arranged for phased rotation of the needle cylinder and dial of a circular knitting machine;

FIG. 2 is again a schematic sectional view showing a portion of the device under dial stop conditions;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary schematic sectional view taken along line IIIIII of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is another fragmentary schematic sectional view of the device taken along line lVlV of FIG. 2, wherein the dial support plate has not been shown for simplicity,

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing two shaped elements in exploded position; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the two shaped elements in assembled position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the drawings, a portion of a circular knitting machine is schematically shown. More particularly, a needle cylinder 1 carries a ring gear 2, and a gear wheel 3 meshes with said ring gear 2 and is keyed on a vertical shaft, on the top end of which, as guided on a support plate 5 of the ordinary dial 6 associated with the needle cylinder 1, a pinion 7 is keyed and rotably drives said dial by means of gears 8a, 8b, and 80.

As it will be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the shaft having the gear wheel 3 and pinion 7 keyed thereon is separated by comprising two shaft portions or sections, the lower section 9 of which carries the gear wheel 3 keyed thereon and constantly rotates as the cylinder 1 is rotating, and an upper section 10 coaxial with the restrained to the first section 9, and having said pinion 7 keyed thereon. Two

shaped elements

11 and 12, shown in detail in FIGS. 5 and 6, partially overlying each other, are attached to the top end of said lower shaft section 9. More particularly, the element 11 is directly keyed on the shaft section 9, while the element 12 can be selectively attached on the element 11 at one of a plurality of positions angularly rotated relative to said element 11. In the embodiment shown, the element 11 has adjacent the shaft section 9 a projecting extension 11A only partially extending thereabout, and a radial slot 13 is formed in this extension 11A, as clearly shown in FIG. 3. The shaped element 12, attached on element 11 by means of screws, is of annular configuration and has a projecting extension 12A, on which a radial slot 14 is formed. Still referring to FIG. 3, it will be particularly seen that said

slots

13 and 14 are on concentric and different circular crowns or rings, and the slot I4 is angularly spaced apart relative to slot 13.

At the radially outer free end of the slot 14 on element 12, the free end of an elongated plate 15 extends, substantially parallel to the shaft portion or section 9 and secured on a sleeve 16 which is freely axially movably mounted on said shaft section 9.

Under the rest conditions shown in FIG. 2, the sleeve 16 is downward displaced and the upper end of plate 15 is retained below the bottom of slot 14. A control member is effective on said sleeve 16 and comprises a lever 18 which in turn is connected to and operated, through a kinematic arrangement not shown for simplicity and readily devisable by those skilled in the art, by suitable cams carried on the cam cylinder or drum which is part of the circular knitting machine to which the device is applied.

Thus, the upward movement of the sleeve 16 can be programmed, the positioning of the upper end of plate 15 corresponding thereto in register with the corresponding slot 14 (FIG. 1), for the purpose to be hereinafter set forth.

A shaped body member 19 is keyed to the lower end of the shaft section and has an axial cylindrical cavity in which the upper end of the shaft section 9 is accomodated and centered (FIG. 1). The body member l9 has a seat 19A formed therein, in which a slide key 20 is accomodated and vertically movable for engagement in either slots l3, 14 of said elements ll, 12. This slide key 20 is held downward pushed by a spring 21 and is upward movable through control members comprising a lever 22 which is also connected to and driven (as readily devisable by those skilled in the art and for simplicity not shown in the drawings) by said cam drum or cylinder of the circular knitting machine.

The elements ll, 12, slots l3, l4, and body member 19 with slide key 20 substantially form an axial joint for connection between said two

shaft portions

9, 10 so that, when said joint is engaged, the rotary motion is transmitted from the needle cylinder 1 to the dial 6 for simultaneous rotation thereof.

Particularly, it will be appreciated that when the slide key 20 of body member 19 keyed on the shaft section 10 is engaged in the slot 13 of element 11 (FIG. 1), the dial 6 is in phase with the needle cylinder 1 and rotates concurrently therewith to make, for example, the edge of the stocking being made. During this process stage, the plate on the lower sleeve 16 is held upward displaced. so as to overlap the radially outer free end of the slot 14 on the element 12 and obstruct the same for preventing the key from engaging by mistake in said slot.

Thus, in case the support 5 of dial 6 is lifted and then lowered again, there is no possibility of changing the phasing of the dial relative to the needle cylinder.

When, on completion of the stocking manufacture, it is required to close the tip thereof by rotating the cylinder 1 through an angle having an amplitude other than 360, then the dial should be temporarily released from the needle cylinder, while the latter moves through the predetermined angular rotation.

in order to stop the dial, the cam cylinder or drum of the circular knitting machine causes through the lever drive 22 the upward movement of key 20, so that the joint or coupling is disengaged, as shown in FIG. 2, while at the same time the plate 15 is downward moved for complete free access to the corresponding slot 14.

Thus, the dial ceases to rotate, while the needle cylinder angularly moves for closing the stocking tip and also rotably drives the shaft section 9.

Following the predetermined rotation of the needle cylinder, the key 20, as released by the lever 22 (still operated by the cam cylinder or drum), moves downward back and engages in the slot 14 of the element 12 keyed on the shaft section 9, so that the needle cylinder and dial can jointly rotate until stocking completion. Because of the angular displacement of the slot 14 relative to slot 13, the dial is out-of-phase with respect to its original position on the needle cylinder.

The process requires that the dial be out-of-phase in order to close the stocking tip, because the closure is formed by rotating the needle cylinder 1 through an angle other than 360 while the knitting machine dial 6 is temporarily stopped, and then restarting the dial to rotate concurrently but out-of-phase with the needle cylinder.

Just before stocking completion and prior to starting the manufacture of a new stocking, the machine cam cylinder or drum will provide for controlling the key 20 to lift, so that the coupling is disengaged. Then, the key 20 can be moved back to engage in the central slot 13, resulting in the correct phase displacement of the dial relative to the needle cylinder.

Finally, it should be noted that a friction element 23 is preferably associated with the body member 19 keyed on the shaft section 10, this friction element 23 being fast with a lever 24 operable to move it on the outer cylindrical surface of said body member 19 to readily brake the rotation thereof along with the dial rotation.

The described device is also advantageous in that, by providing for suitable controls on the cam drum, the key 20 can be moved to disengage the shaft coupling and stop the dial for all the time its operation is not required in the stocking manufacture to avoid continued wear thereof and members carried thereon, such as cutting members.

What I claim is:

l. A control device for forming or closing a stocking tip on a circular knitting machine by rotating a needle cylinder relative to a dial through an angle other than 360, comprising:

a needle cylinder having a ring gear fast therewith;

a gear wheel meshing with said ring gear;

a first shaft having said gear wheel keyed thereon;

a pinion;

a second shaft concentric to said first shaft, said pinion being keyed to said second shaft;

gears rotatably connecting said pinion with the dial associated with the needle cylinder of the circular knitting machine;

two shaped elements concentrically coupled to said first shaft and partially overlying each other, one of said shaped elements being secured to said first shaft and the other being selectively movable and rotatable with respect to said one shaped element, the surfaces of said two shaped elements facing said second shaft each comprising circular rings each ring having a slot radially extending relative to said first shaft;

shaped body member keyed to said second shaft and having a seat;

a slide key movably positioned in said seat, said seat opening to said circular rings of said two shaped elements, where said slots are formed; and

a slide key control member for controlling the slide carried on said first shaft and axially freely movable thereon;

an elongated plate carried on said sleeve and extending substantially parallel with said shaft, a free end of said plate extending to the radially outer edge of that slot of said shaped elements which is on one of said circular rings more external to said first shaft than the other slot;

an operable member connected to said sleeve for controlling the axial movement of said sleeve between a first position, where said plate is superimposed to said radially outer edge of said slot, and a second position where said plate is spaced apart from said radially outer edge of said slot.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said slide key control member and said operable member are connected by a kinematic arrangement to a drum of the circular knitting machine to which said device is applied.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

a brake means for bearing against the outer peripheral surface of said shaped body member, said brake means being connected to a kinematic arrangement opera'ble for controlling the movement of said brake means on and away from said peripheral surface of said shaped body member.

l IF t t

Claims

1. A control device for forming or closing a stocking tip on a circular knitting machine by rotating a needle cylinder relative to a dial through an angle other than 360*, comprising: a needle cylinder having a ring gear fast therewith; a gear wheel meshing with said ring gear; a first shaft having said gear wheel keyed thereon; a pinion; a second shaft concentric to said first shaft, said pinion being keyed to said second shaft; gears rotatably connecting said pinion with the dial associated with the needle cylinder of the circular knitting machine; two shaped elements concentrically coupled to said first shaft and partially overlying each other, one of said shaped elements being secured to said first shaft and the other being selectively movable and rotatable with respect to said one shaped element, the surfaces of said two shaped elements facing said second shaft each comprising circular rings each ring having a slot radially extending relative to said first shaft; a shaped body member keyed to said second shaft and having a seat; a slide key movably positioned in said seat, said seat opening to said circular rings of said two shaped elements, where said slots are formed; and a slide key control member for controlling the slide key movement between a first position, where said slide key is inserted in one of said slots restraining said shaped body member to said shaped elements and hence the needle cylinder to the dial, and a second position where said slide key is maintained away from said slots and the dial is released from the needle cylinder.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, including a sleeve carried on said first shaft and axially freely movable thereon; an elongated plate carried on said sleeve and extending substantially parallel with said shaft, a free end of said plate extending to the radially outer edge of that slot of said shaped elements which is on one of said circular rings more external to said first shaft than the other slot; an operable member connected to said sleeve for controlling the axial movement of said sleeve between a first position, where said plate is superimposed to said radially outer edge of said slot, and a second position where said plate is spaced apart from said radially outer edge of said slot.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, further comprising: a brake means for bearing against the outer peripheral surface of said shaped body member, said brake means being connected to a kinematic arrangement operable for controlling the movement of said brake means on and away from said peripheral surface of said shaped body member.