WO2016006012A1

WO2016006012A1 - Hosiery machine head

Info

Publication number: WO2016006012A1
Application number: PCT/IT2015/000181
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mario CAPRA
Original assignee: Mamytex Di Capra Mario Sas
Priority date: 2014-07-10
Filing date: 2015-07-09
Publication date: 2016-01-14

Abstract

The present invention relates to a hosiery machine head (1) configured to perform an entire series of machining operations on socks, such as creating designs on the toe (32) and/or the heel of a sock or doing cable stitch knitting or working with an elastic yam within given zones inside the sock, and much more. In particular, the machine head (1) enables the production of a shoe liner comprising a toe (32), a heel, and a middle portion (31), characterised by the fact that the said middle portion comprises an elastic edging/border (30) knitted during the creation of the said middle portion (30).

Description

DESCRIPTION

"HOSIERY MACHINE HEAD".

Tech nical field

The present invention relates to a hosiery machine head which is particularly suitable for performing an entire series of machining operations on socks, such as creating designs on the toe and/or the heel of a sock or doing cable stitch knitting or working with an elastic yarn within given zones inside the sock, and much more.

Background Art

As it is known, at present, one very important component of hosiery machines is the machine head, which comprises an outwards stroke knitting triangle (also known as the casting-off triangle) and a return stroke knitting triangle (also known as the heel triangle). Between the two triangles, there is a yam guide device whose task is to feed in the yarn during the knitting.

When making, for example, an invisible sock (otherwise known as or a shoe liner - i.e. sock without the leg section, which ends below the ankle, remaining hidden inside the shoe), the machine works with an outwards and return motion and the head features a cylinder equipped with a plurality of needles which go up and down, knitting while being moved according to the shape of the cams present on the lower plate so that one needle selection makes an upper heel and the other a lower heel. Indeed, the movement of the needles is managed by cams, which push and pull the needles horizontally.

In greater detail, when one starts machining to produce an invisible sock, on the outwards stroke all the needles move up to take hold of the yam, including an elastic yarn, while on the return stroke, one moves up and the other does not, working therefore in an alternating fashion, and the machining proceeds for a given number of oscillations (i.e. rounds of forwards and backwards knitting) until the edge is finished. To enable such machining, there are two sliders that send the needles up and down and are located after the two components known as triangles, whose task is to manage the movement of the needles. In practice, the machining proceeds with alternating needles for half of the cylinder, plus some needles on each side for making the edge of the invisible sock. Once the edge portion has been made, the machining continues and the heel must be made. Each triangle features a right-hand and a left-hand picker, which allow the knitting to be increased one stitch at a time on each side. Furthermore, there is a central casting- off picker, whose task is to cast off two stitches at a time in traditional machines, while in more up-to-date machines, there are two casting-off pickers so the stitches are cast off one at a time on each side and the machine can be programmed to follow an ever-decreasing knitting route consisting of an outwards and return motion.

Once the heel is finished, the two pickers stop moving (either the raising and stop pickers or the two casting-off pickers in newer machines). At this point, the machine continues working, knitting the middle portion, and once said portion is finished the toe must be made and therefore the pickers are started off again, to cast on stitches. To make the toe using the same number of needles, it is necessary to set the machine so that it does not cast on stitches on each round, setting it instead, to cast on on one round and then do rounds without casting on, etc. Next, for the second part of the toe, the machine must be set to perform the same sequence so as to cast on and off in a regular fashion, thereby creating a linear weft line. Finally, to finish the edge, the machining must continue with the same sequence as for the other (elastic) edge portion, but in reverse. If an invisible sock is desired with an annular edge all the way around, a number of stitches left unfinished in the first edge must be joined with the corresponding stitches in the second edge; otherwise, if no stitches are left unfinished, the elastic part will consist of two portions, one at the toe and the other at the heel.

In particular, on existing machines of the mechanical kind, the oscillation of the cylinder is driven by a geared section and therefore there is a clearly defined shift which depends on the area of toothing present. This situation limits the machine's operating possibilities since if, for example, a user wants to create an oscillation consisting of one and a half rounds, instead of a half round or a full round, this is not possible with existing machines.

Furthermore, the commonly known machines of a mechanical kind do not allow selections to be made, unlike more up-to-date machines and machines of the electronic kind, which are equipped with software which allows the needle height to be programmed and managed; indeed, in a mechanical machine, the needles are arranged according to a "one up, one down" sequence and are forced to remain in the same position, thereby limiting operating possibilities. As mentioned, machines of a mechanical kind have operating limits; indeed, they cannot make selections, they do not have the three cylinder needle modes, i.e. needle in working mode, needle in unload mode, and needle held mode. Furthermore, they cannot perform drop stitching during the outward and return strokes, only in the outward stroke.

In addition to the above, there is, at present, considerable need to be able to produce, for example, invisible socks with designs with colours in both the outward and return strokes but it is only possible in the outward stroke and the yarn is cut, leaving small portions of yarn inside, which is aesthetically unpleasant and may also be annoying as such portions can tickle or itch the user's skin, in addition to unravelling very easily, thereby mining the garment. Furthennore, there is considerable need to be able to perform machining operations which feature special cabling or machining operations which feature various elastic combinations all the way around the sock, but, at present, the presence of elastic is only possible on the edge.

Existing mechanical and electronic machines have the considerable drawback that they cannot perform the same machining operations during the outward and return strokes because the yam has to be cut.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of this invention is essentially to solve the problems of the commonly known technique, overcoming the drawbacks described above by means of a hosiery machine head which is structurally simple, extremely simplified and very functional and which can perform machining operations not only during the outwards stroke but also during the return stroke for alternating machining operations.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a hosiery machine head which machines elastic around the entire opening of an invisible sock for certain sizes (for people with shoe sizes over 37), to perform drop stitching plus colour, i.e. to select the desired yam when there are least two yams, and to perform cabling and designs and make elastic inserts. A further object of the present invention is to have a hosiery machine head which has a smaller number of components, with reduced risk of breakage and machine downtime and with improved productivity.

A still further object of the present invention is to have a hosiery machine head which does not require particular maintenance, has lower operating costs, and offers a drastic reduction in work required by highly specialised personnel.

A still further object of the present invention is to have a hosiery machine head which can curb the management and maintenance costs therefor, thereby allowing greater and diversified productivity.

A still further but not final object of the present invention is to produce a hosiery machine head which is easy to manufacture and works well.

These aims and others besides, which will better emerge over the course of the present description, are essentially achieved by means of a hosiery machine head, as outlined in the claims below.

Brief Desc ri ption of D rawings

Further characteristics and advantages will better emerge in the detailed description of a hosiery machine head according to the present invention, provided in the form of a non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows, schematically and in a three-dimensional view, a hosiery machine head according to the present invention;

Figure 2 shows, schematically and in a three-dimensional view, the upper part of the head in Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 shows, schematically and in a three-dimensional partial section view, the machine head in Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 shows, schematically and in a three-dimensional view, a component of the upper part of the head in Figure 2;

Figure 5 shows, schematically and in a three-dimensional view, a detail of the component in Figure 4; Figure 6 shows, schematically and in a three-dimensional view, a second component of the upper part in Figure 2;

Figure 7 shows, schematically and in a three-dimensional view, a first element located beneath the upper part of the head in Figure 1 ;

Figure 8 shows, schematically and in an exploded view, a second element located beneath the first in Figure 7;

Figure 9 shows, schematically and in a three-dimensional view, the middle portion of the head in Figure 1 ;

Figure 10 shows, schematically and in a three-dimensional view, a component of the middle portion of the head in Figure 9;

Figure 11 shows, schematically and in a three-dimensional section view, the component of the middle portion of the head in Figure 10;

Figure 12 shows, schematically and in a three-dimensional view, the lower part of the head in Figure 1 ;

Figure 13 shows, schematically and in a three-dimensional, partially exploded view, the base of the head in Figure 1 ;

Figure 14 shows, schematically, the middle portion of an invisible sock made with the machine head according to the present invention;

Figure 1 shows a configuration diagram of the hosiery machine head in question for machining in a first zone during the outwards stroke;

Figure 16 shows a configuration diagram of the head for machining in a second zone during the outwards stroke;

Figure 17 shows a configuration diagram of the head for machining in a third zone during the outwards stroke;

Figure 18 shows a configuration diagram of the head for machining in a fourth zone during the outwards stroke;

Figure 19 shows a configuration diagram of the head for machining in the fourth zone during the return stroke; Figure 20 shows a configuration diagram of the head for machining in the third zone during the return stroke;

Figure 21 shows a configuration diagram of the head for machining in the second zone during the return stroke;

Figure 22 shows a configuration diagram of the head for machining in the first zone during the return stroke;

Figures from 23A to 23H show, schematically, the sequence of machining zones for the production of the middle portion of a shoe liner made with the head according to the present invention;

Figures from 24A to 24B show, schematically, the sequence of machining zones for the production of a design made with the needles in an anticlockwise setup in the outwards stroke and in a clockwise setup in the return stroke;

Figure 25 shows a configuration diagram of the head for producing a design during the outwards stroke;

Figure 26 shows a configuration diagram of the head for producing the design in figure

25 during the return stroke.

With reference to the aforesaid figures, and in particular Figure 1 , n.l denotes a hosiery machine head according to the present invention.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

The hosiery machine head 1 in question is essentially composed of a resting plate for the triangles 2 on which four knitting units 3 are airanged, the said units being reciprocally spaced apart, and a spacer element 4 which serves to support and uphold a yam guide support 5. At the centre of the resting plate for the triangles 2, there is a cylinder 6 present on which a crown for sinkers 7 is located, as shown in Figure 8. Underneath, on the resting plate for the triangles 2, there are at least two spacers 8 located, which are engaged, at the end thereof, with an anchorage plate 9 on which selection cams 10 and actuator units 1 1 are housed. Underneath, on the anchorage plate 9, there is toothed belt 12 envisaged, with a rotor, which serves to rotate the cylinder. Similarly, the cylinder handling can be actuated by means of a ring motor.

According to the present embodiment, engaged on the yarn guide support 5 there is a central yarn guide holder block 13 positioned diametrically opposite the spacer element 4 which collaborates therewith to uphold the support and there are two lateral yam guide holder blocks

14 present, located orthogonally with respect to the bloek 13, as shown in Figure 2.

More specifically, the yarn guide support 5 has at least three yarn guide units, of which the central yam guide 13 is similar in structure to those already available but operates differently since it works on both the outward and the return stroke, performing needle 'held back'

'unloaded' and 'out-of-working' or 'idle' operations, wherein the needle does not pick up any yarn in either direction.

In addition, with the central yam guide 13 with the two holes (for stretch fibre down and cotton up), it is possible to select the needle after unloading it so that, for example, its takes up the stretch fibre or the stretch fibre and cotton, thereby performing an operation that the existing machines cannot perform. Indeed, for example, when making the heel of a sock liner, existing machines are unable to select the yam and are, instead, forced to take up both yarns (stretch fibre and cotton) and if they take up just one, the other remains present in the form of a loop which is separate from the knitted fabric.

Furthermore, if, for example, during machining, a vertical line is desired in which - for one stitch - the needle only takes up the stretch fibre and leaves the cotton, this is possible with the head according to the present invention, while it is unthinkable with machines according to the commonly known technique.

According to the present invention, the support 5 comprises, in addition to the central yarn 13, two lateral yam guides 14a and 14b, each of which are used to manage an elastic yam so that it can be used when machining the said elastic yam together with the yam in the central yarn guide without cutting it and working on both the outward and return strokes.

One extremely important machining operation which the head in question allows is the creation, during the production of a shoe liner, of an elastic edging 30 knitted along the middle portion 31 so as to obtain a whole elastic border around the entire opening. To create this edging, the following machining must be carried out. Once one has finished making, for example, the toe 32 with its elastic edge 32a in an essentially known way, when starting the middle portion of the invisible sock, one must make the edging together with the middle portion and therefore, in more detail, when the work is proceeding in the outwards stroke, the elastic yam is taken up, for example, from the yam guides 14a, then the work begins, and all the needles move up to take up the yarn, while the elastic yarn is only taken up by a small, limited number of needles, and then the oscillation continues (outwards stroke) and, at the last stitch, the elastic yam is taken up from the other yam guide 14b, again for a limited number of stitches. Once the machining is finished, an elastic edging (elastic border) has been created along the centre line area of the invisible sock. Indeed, when knitting the middle portion of the invisible sock, the machine works the central part with yam from the central yam guide 13 and on the lateral border, the machine takes the elastic yam from one or the other lateral yam guides, in an alternating fashion, to create the edging with an elastic machining operation. Furthermore, in addition to the elastic yam, the lateral yam guides 14a and 14b also carry other yams, to allow designs to be made.

In addition to the above, the selection actuator units 11 can be eight/twelve/sixteen in number depending on the machining operations to be performed; in the present embodiment they are twelve in number and are stmctured so as to be able to select on both the outward and the return strokes. Indeed, the shaping of the push rod 25, shown in Figure 12, is such that it allows both the outward and return strokes to be selected, with the selection being managed and controlled by electronics which envisage three levels for each needle, namely needle "idle", "held", and "unloaded",

In the present machine, there are no longer casting-on or casting-off pickers since the needle operations are managed by computer.

In accordance with the present embodiment, inside the resting plate for the triangles 2, there is a shaped cam 15 whose task is to lower the sub-needle 51 and the relative stick 52 (selector) to bring them back into the selection position. In more detail, the needle 50 remains separate during the downstroke and lowers independently when it meets a knitting triangle 16 from the knitting units 3, or the needles return to the starting position (for departure) by the force of gravity so as to be selected from time to time for any kind of instruction.

Moreover, the knitting triangle 16 works both on the right-hand and the left-hand wall and has a corresponding countercam 26.

Normally the knitting triangle 16 and the countercam 26 work in a coupled fashion, with a very small space separating them in order to allow the passage of a needle butt, as shown in Figure 9.

The entire structure is driven by a helical ring 20 with a step motor 21.

Each downstroke is independent in terms of structure and motor, which acts on a helical ring which imparts an oscillating movement to the triangles and cam for the formation of the stitch. If the distance is increased, the stitch is larger, while if the distance is decreased, the stitch is smaller.

When the needle has to go into the idle position, the triangle 16 is lifted so that the needles can move through without being managed. The triangle is managed by a piston 161 , which raises and lowers a plate 160 which moves the said triangle 16 away.

The movement of the triangle 16 away from the corresponding countercam 26 thereof is very important as it ensures the knitting does not deform while the elastic edging/border is being made in the middle portion of the invisible sock.

In greater detail, the knitting triangle 16 comprises a first operating strip in which the triangle is envisaged to lower solely the needle assisted it its task by levelling cam 27, shown in Figure 9, while a second operating strip envisages that the cam 15 works to lowers the sub-needle and relative stick (selector), while a third strip envisages with selection cam 10 is envisaged to raise the selector, the sub-needle and, consequently, the needle. In the present embodiment, the shape of the cam 10 in the third strip is symmetrical, as shown in Figure 13

Furthermore, the cams 15 move in vertical motion, and no longer horizontally (as in the machines according to the commonly known technique) and therefore only one type of needle butt is used; indeed, there is only one needle size, unlike in existing machines (which envisage the presence of two/three needle sizes). In accordance with the present embodiment, the selection cams 10 envisaged in the third band are raising cams of the fixed kind 100 or of the mobile kind 101 and the mobile ones can be removed, resulting in reduced machining operations.

In particular, the fixed and mobile cams allow special machining operations to be performed such as jacquard designs, mesh, and other patterned designs.

The machine head 1 in question, in correspondence with the sinker guide cover 70, shown in Figure 8, has a sinker push cam 71 and a corresponding countercam 72 envisaged to guide the sinkers 7, i.e. to guide and control the sinker return push motion; this way, the movement of the sinkers is made to follow a precise, clearly defined route which ensures precise, regular knitting machining.

In addition to the above, at the spacer 4, there are two cutters 17 envisaged, suitable for cutting the yam. In particular, one cutter will work on the outward stroke and the other will work on the return stroke, when the yarn has to be cut. Furthermore, there are two suction nozzles 18, one for each cutter, to suck up the scraps of yarn. In addition, there are two grippers 19 envisaged, which are used to cut and grip the elastic yam and are arranged respectively next to each nozzle. More specifically, the cutters, nozzles, and grippers are located on a yam cutter disc 20 which features a tooth 20a which is designed to cut in both directions, i.e. on the outward and the return stroke.

With the hosiery machine head according to the present invention, it is possible to make an invisible sock essentially composed of a heel and a toe which are mutually connected by a middle portion which features the opening through which the user's foot passes, with a continuous elastic border also made on the middle portion made during the production. This way, it is possible to produce an invisible sock provided with a knitted elastic border also for invisible socks in sizes over 37, which is not possible with machines according to the commonly known technique, which involves joining the two portions of the elastic border by joining the two ends together during machining. This machining method limits the range of sizes of invisible socks as the upper part of the middle portion is reduced to practically zero. In addition to the above, with the present machine it is possible to shape the middle portion 30 of an invisible sock so as to create, for example, a curved side (PI ), shown in Figure 14, so that the sock does not protrude from the edge of a shoe, in the case of particularly low-sided shoes, and therefore the invisible sock can also be worn with very open and low-cut shoes. Furthermore, it is possible to create an opening in the toe for when open-toed shoes are worn. In addition to the above, with the hosiery machine head according to the present invention, it is possible to carry out any kind of machining in the middle portion of the invisible sock, such as pictures, curves, the presence of elastic portions, elastic inserts not only on the edge, machine stitches, multiple colour combinations and more.

After the predominantly structural description, the invention in question will now be outlined. To better understand the production process to produce an elastic border along the middle portion of an invisible sock, the legend below identifies the operations of the individual components of the machine head and the interaction between them, as shown in the figures. H-HEIGHTS

HO Position of the selector to be selected - Needle idle;

HI Height of the needle for tuck stitch;

H2 Height of the unloaded needle (coloured yam pick-up for design);

IT3 Height of the unloaded needle (stretch fibre yarn only pick-up);

H4 Height of the unloaded needle (stretch fibre yarn and cotton pick-up);

S- SELECTION UNITS

51- S5-S9 Selections during outward stroke (anticlockwise) before yam pick-up (also used in selection for heels)

S4-S8-S12 Selections during return stroke (clockwise) before yam pick-up

(also used in selection for heels)

56 Selects needles during outwards stroke (anticlockwise) for mesh before yam pick-up

57 Selects needles during return stroke (clockwise) for mesh before yam pick-up

52- S3-S10-S1 1 Used for selections for coloured designs, mesh, Jacquard, etc.

C- NEEDLE LOWERING CAMS CI Lowering cam for needles for right-hand elastic

C2 Lowering cam for needles for knitting (heel)

C3 Lowering cam for needles for knitting (leg)

C4 Lowering cam for needles for left-hand elastic

C5 Lowering cam for needles for right-hand elastic pick-up alignment 27

C6 Lowering cams or needles for left-hand elastic pick-up alignment 27

C7 Cam for unloading knitting from needles in zone Z3 for right-hand elastic. Cam for raising needles to take up the first right-hand coloured yarn from yard guide G4 101

C8 Cam for raising needles to take up the second right-hand coloured yarn from yard guide G5

100

C9 Cam for raising needles to take up the second left-hand coloured yarn from yard guide G6 100

CI O Cam for unloading knitting from needles in zone Zl for left-hand elastic. Cam for raising needles to take up the first left-hand coloured yarn from yard guide G7 101

G- YARN GUIDE

Gl Yam guide for left-hand elastic

G2 Central yam guide (stretch fibre and cotton)

G3 Yam guide for right-hand elastic

G4 Yam guide unit for first right-hand colour

G5 Yam guide unit for second right-hand colour

G6 Yarn guide unit for second left-hand colour

G7 Yam guide unit for first left-hand colour

Z - NEEDLE ZONES

Zl Needle zone for production of side A with elastic Gl and yam guide G2

Zl Needle zone for production of side B with yam guide G2

Z3 Needle zone for production of side C with elastic G3 and yam guide G2

Z4 Zone for needles which are not used in the production of invisible socks

P-EDGINGS PI The upper edging between the toe and the heel will take the desired shape as a result of the selections made during both the outward and return strokes, regardless of whether it is the left- or right-hand side.

P2 With the selection made in the portions of knitting in Zl and Z3, an anatomical shaping effect and elasticity can be achieved, as is desirable, and also these operations are carried out regardless of the zones, i.e. Zl and Z3, and are achieved by making selections for both the outward and return strokes.

The hosiery machine head according to the present invention envisages the following process for the production of the middle portion of an invisible sock:

1. a first needles outward phase, shown in Figure 15, with the creation of a first zone (Zl) with anticlockwise machining in which the following steps occur:

- Selection SI : the needles are selected by the selection unit all at height HO;

- Selection S5: the needles are selected by the selection unit all at height H3;

- Selection S6: certain needles are selected to remain at height H3 and take up the stretch fibre yarn from the yam guide G2, while the remaining needles are selected at height H4 and take up the cotton and stretch fibre yarn from the yarn guide G2;

- Cam C3: the needles are all lowered and realigned at the same height;

- Selection S9: certain needles are selected at height HO and hold the yams taken up by the G2, while the remaining needles rise to 'held height' HI and take up the elastic from the yam guide Gl ;

- Cam C4: the needles are all lowered and realigned at the same height;

from this point onwards through to the start of the return stroke, the needles will remain in this position; the various selection units encountered along the rotation stroke will maintain the HO position;

2. a second needles outward phase, shown in Figure 16, with the creation of a second zone (Z2) with anticlockwise machining in which the following steps occur:

- Selection S5: the needles are either selected at height HO or they rise to height H3; - Selection S6: certain needles are selected to remain at height H3, which take up the stretch fibre yam from the yam guide G2, while the remaining needles are selected at height H4 and take up the cotton and stretch fibre yarn from the yam guide G2 (this selection allows mesh knitting effects to be created in the outward stroke);

- Cam C3: the needles are all lowered and realigned at the same height;

- Selection S9: the needles are selected by the selection unit at height HO;

3. a third needles outward phase, shown in Figure 17, with the creation of a third zone (Z3) with anticlockwise machining in which the following steps occur:

Selection SI : certain needles are selected at height HO and others unload the knitting at height H2;

Cam C5: the needles (which have risen to H2) are lowered to take up the elastic from the yam guide G3;

Selection S5: certain needles are selected at height HO, while the remaining needles rise to height H3;

Selection S6: certain needles are selected to remain at height H3 and take up the stretch fibre yam from the yam guide G2, while the remaining needles are selected at height H4 and take up the cotton and stretch fibre yam from the yam guide G2 (depending on the machining, the needles coming from height H2 may also be raised);

Cam C3: the needles are all realigned at the same height;

Selection S9: the needles are selected by the selection unit all at height HO;

4. a fourth needles outward phase, shown in Figure 18, with the creation of a fourth zone (Z4) with anticlockwise machining in which the following steps occur: Selection S 1 : the needles are selected by the selection unit all at height HO;

Selection S5: the needles are selected by the selection unit all at height HO;

Selection S9: the needles are selected by the selection unit all at height HO;

in this non-working phase, the Cam C3 rises and the Cam C2 lowers;

5. a first needles return phase, shown in Figure 19, with creation of the fourth zone (Z4) with anticlockwise machining in which the reversal of the travel direction does not start when the last needle in Z4 reaches the anticlockwise starting point but when the last Z3 needle arrives, in which the following steps occur:

- Selection SI 2: the needles are selected by the selection unit all at height HO;

- Selection S8: the needles are selected by the selection unit all at height HO;

- Selection S4: the needles are selected by the selection unit all at height HO;

6. a second needles return phase, shown in Figure 20, with the creation of the third zone (Z3) with clockwise machining in which the following steps occur:

- Selection S8: certain needles are selected at height H3 and others unload the knitting at height HO;

- Selection S7: certain needles are selected to remain at height H3 and take up the stretch fibre yarn from the yarn guide G2, while the remaining needles are selected at height H4 and take up the cotton and stretch fibre yarn from the yarn guide G2;

- Cam C2: the needles are all lowered and realigned at the same height; - Selection S4: certain needles are selected at height HO and hold the yarns taken up by the G2, while the remaining needles rise to 'held height' HI and take up the elastic from the yarn guide G3;

- Cam CI : the needles are all lowered and realigned at the same height and from this point onwards through to the start of the return stroke, the needles will remain in this position all the time; the various selection units encountered along the rotation stroke will maintain the HO position;

a second needles return phase, shown in Figure 21, with the creation of the third zone (Z2) with clockwise machining in which the following steps occur:

Selection S 12: the needles are selected by the selection unit all at height HO;

Selection S8: the needles are either selected at height HO or rise to height H3;

Selection S7: certain needles are selected to remain at height H3, which take up the stretch fibre yarn from the yarn guide G2, while the remaining needles are selected at height H4 and take up the cotton and stretch fibre yarn from the yarn guide G2 (this selection allows mesh knitting effects to be created in the return stroke);

Cam C2: the needles are all lowered and realigned at the same height;

Selection S4: the needles are selected by the selection unit at height HO and from this point onwards through to the start of the return stroke, the needles will remain in this position all the time and the various selection units encountered along the rotation stroke will maintain the HO position;

a fourth needles return phase, shown in Figure 22, with the creation of the first zone (Zl) with clockwise machining in which the following steps occur:

- Selection S 12: certain needles are selected at height HO and others unload the knitting at height H2;

- Cam C6: the needles which have risen to H2 are lowered to take up the elastic from the yarn guide G3;

- Selection S8: certain needles are selected at height HO, while the remaining needles rise to height H3; - Selection S7: certain needles are selected to remain at height H3 and take up the stretch fibre yarn from the yarn guide G2, while the remaining needles are selected at height H4 and take up the cotton and stretch fibre yam from the yam guide G2 (depending on the machining, the needles coming from height H2 may also be raised);

- Cam C2: the needles are all realigned at the same height;

- Selection S4: the needles are selected by the selection unit at height HO and from this point onwards through to the start of the return stroke, the needles will remain in this position all the time; the various selection units encountered along the rotation stroke will maintain the HO position.

Furthermore, the machine head envisages a production process to produce a design on an invisible sock/sock and the legend below identifies the operations of the individual components of the machine head and the interaction between them, as shown in the figures.

H-HEIGHTS

HO Position of the selector to be selected - Needle idle;

HI Height of the needle for tuck stitch;

H2 Height of the unloaded needle (coloured yam pick-up for design);

H3 Height of the unloaded needle (stretch fibre yam only pick-up);

H4 Height of the unloaded needle (stretch fibre yam and cotton pick-up);

S- SELECTION UNITS 1 1

51- S5-S9 Selections during outward stroke (anticlockwise) before yarn pick-up (also used in selection for heels)

S4-S8-S 12 Selections during return stroke (clockwise) before yam pick-up

(also used in selection for heels)

56 Selects needles during outwards stroke (anticlockwise) for mesh before yarn pick-up

57 Selects needles during return stroke (clockwise) for mesh before yam pick-up

52- S3-S 10-S1 1 Used for selections for coloured designs, mesh, Jacquard, etc.

C- NEEDLE LOWERING CAMS

CI Lowering cam for needles for right-hand elastic 16 C2 Lowering cam for needles for knitting (heel) 16

C3 Lowering cam for needles for knitting (leg) 16

C4 Lowering cam for needles for left-hand elastic 16

C5 Lowering cam for needles for right-hand elastic pick-up alignment 27

C6 Lowering cam for needles for left-hand elastic pick-up alignment 27

100

CIO Cam for unloading knitting from needles in zone Zl for left-hand elastic. Cam for raising needles to take up the first left-hand coloured yam from yard guide G7 101

G- YARN GUIDE

Gl Yam guide for left-hand elastic 14a

G2 Central yarn guide (stretch fibre and cotton) 13

G3 Yam guide for right-hand elastic 14b

G4 Yarn guide unit for first right-hand colour 14b

G5 Yam guide unit for second right-hand colour 14b

G6 Yarn guide unit for second left-hand colour 14a

G7 Yarn guide unit for first left-hand colour 14a

E-GRIPPER FOR ELASTIC 19

El Cuts and grips left-hand elastic Gl

E3 Cuts and grips right-hand elastic G3

T- CUTTER 17

Tl Cut yams from yarn guides G2 G4 G5

T3 Cut yams from yam guides G6 G7

B-SUCTION NOZZLE 18 Bl Suction of yams G2 G4 G5

B3 Suction of yams G6 G7

The hosiery machine head according to the present invention envisages the following process for the production a design which may be located in any zone of the shoe liner (toe, heel, or middle portion):

a. a needles outward phase, shown in Figure 25, with the creation of a design with anticlockwise machining in which the following steps occur:

- Selection SI : certain needles are selected at height HO, others at height HI (which will be selected for the colour);

- Selection S2: the needles intended for the first colour are selected at height H2 and take up the right-hand yam with the first colour G4, while the others remain at height HI ;

- Cam C5 : all the needles used for the design are realigned;

- Selection S3: the needles intended for the second colour are selected at height H2 and take up the right-hand yam with the second colour G5, while the others which had previously taken up the first colour remain at height HI ;

- Cam C2: all the needles used for the design are realigned;

- Selection S5: the needles which were used for the colour are selected at height HO and the others rise to height H3;

- Selection S6: certain needles are selected to remain at height H3 and take up the stretch fibre yam from the yam guide G2, while the remaining needles are selected at height H4 and take up the cotton and stretch fibre yam from the yarn guide G2;

- Cam C3: the needles are all lowered and realigned at the same height;

- Selection S9: the needles are selected by the selection unit all at height HO;

a needles return phase, shown in Figure 26, with the creation of a design with clockwise machining, in which the following steps occur:

- Selection S I 2: certain needles are selected at height HO, others at height HI (which will be selected for the colour); - Selection S I 1 : the needles intended for the first colour are selected at height H2 and take up the right-hand yarn with the first colour G4, while the others remain at height HI ;

- Cam C6: all the needles used for the design are realigned;

- Selection S10: the needles intended for the second colour are selected at height H2 and take up the right-hand yarn with the second colour G5, while the others which had previously taken up the first colour remain at height HI ;

- Cam C3: all the needles used for the design are realigned;

- Selection S8: the needles which were used for the colour are selected at height HO and the others rise to height H3;

- Selection S7: certain needles are selected to remain at height H3 and take up the stretch fibre yam from the yam guide G2, while the remaining needles are selected at height H4 and take up the cotton and stretch fibre yarn from the yarn guide G2;

- Cam C2: the needles are all lowered and realigned at the same height;

- Selection S4: the needles are selected by the selection unit at height HO;

Thus the present invention achieves the objects set.

The hosiery machine head according to the present invention offers high efficiency for all applications which require special machining operations in the creation of a sock and in particular of an invisible sock, such as mesh machining, the production of designs, including therein jacquard-type designs, since it is possible to use more yams in machining with an alternating motion than is possible with machines according to the commonly known technique. In particular, the machine head in question allows a selection in which one or two yams can be taken up separately, which is unachievable with machines according to the commonly known technique. Furthermore, the head makes it possible to have two elastic yams, one on the right and one on the left, with the possibility of choosing to take up one or the other, an operating mode which is unachievable with machines according to the commonly known technique. Advantageously, the head in question makes it possible to create designs during both the outward and return strokes since it is possible to use a coloured yam in the both outward and return strokes, and the background yarn is always present, together with the coloured yarn in both the outward and return strokes, while - at present - the coloured yarn is only used in the outward stroke while the return stroke is performed with a single yam, namely the background yam, with the result that the design is broken up by lines.

Furthermore, the machine head according to the present invention is very flexible and easily manageable since said head is structurally simple and extremely simplified with respect to existing machines and, indeed, the presence of the pickers is no longer envisaged, the needles all have the same butt, and the selection units are of the electronic kind, with the result that the head is very functional and able to carry out machining operations not only during the outward stroke but also during the return stroke, proceeding in an alternating fashion.

In particular, it is possible - as explained in technical terms - to machine elastic around the entire opening of an invisible shoe, for certain sizes (for people with shoe sizes over 37), in addition to performing drop stitching plus colour, i.e. to select the desired yam when there are least two, and furthermore to make elastic inserts in preset zones, even limiting the latter to inside the knitting.

Moreover, with the head according to the present invention, the amount of stitches which can be used to feed the elastic is doubled and, furthermore, there are more possibilities for other yams, allowing machining to be performed with particular colours and embroidery details. Furthemiore, elastic can be added to any part of the sock and elastic inserts can be made in any point, such as, for example, an insert to make the invisible sock adhere better to the foot in the plantar arch area.

A further advantage offered by the head in question originates from the fact that such head allows a choice of stitches to cast off, as desired, unlike in the commonly known technique, where the pickers manage the number of stitches cast off according to a regular pattern.

In addition, the hosiery machine head features a decidedly smaller number of components, with reduced risk of breakage and machine downtime and with improved productivity. In addition, the elements comprising the head do not require any particular maintenance operations, resulting - therefore - in lower machine operating and maintenance costs and, therefore, in greater operability.

A further advantage of the head is that it offers an improvement in the processing conditions of hosiery machines and an improvement in maintainability, with consequent reduction in the servicing times and an extension of the maintenance intervals, thereby allowing the machine greater productivity.

A further but not final advantage of the present invention is that the said system proves to be remarkably easy to use and structurally simple, and works well.

Naturally, further modifications or variants may be applied to the present invention while remaining within the scope of the invention that characterises it.

Claims

1) A hosiery machine head characterised by the fact that the said machine is essentially composed of:

- a resting plate for the triangles (2) on which four knitting units (3) are arranged, the said units being reciprocally spaced apart, and a spacer element (4) which serves to support and uphold a yarn guide support (5),

- a cylinder (6) on which a crown for sinkers (7) is located, positioned at the centre of the resting plate for the triangles (2),

- at least two spacers (8) located beneath the resting plate for the triangles (2) and engaged, at the end thereof, with an anchorage plate (9) on which selection cams (10) and actuator units (1 1) are housed,

- a toothed belt (12) with rotor positioned beneath the anchorage plate (9) which serves to rotate the cylinder,

- selection actuator units ( 1 1 ), which can be eight/twelve/sixteen in number, depending on the machining operations to be performed, and are structured to be abl e to make sel ections on both the outward and return strokes, the said units having shaped push rods (25 ) whose configuration allow s both the outward and return strokes to be sel ected, with the selection b eing managed and controlled by electronics which envisage three l evel s for each needle, namely needl e "idle", "held", and "unloaded",

- a shaped cam (15) positioned inside the resting plate for the triangles (2) which serves to lower the sub-needle and relative stick (selector) in order to be brought back into the selection position so that the needle remains separate in the downwards stroke and lowers autonomously upon encountering a knitting triangle (16) or returns to the initial (start) position by the effect of gravity so that it can be selected, as needed, for any kind of instruction,

- selection cams (10) of a mobile (101) and/or fixed (100) type. 2) A hosiery machine head according to Claim 1, characterised by the fact that each knitting triangle (16) works on both the right-hand wall and the left-hand wall and has a corresponding countercam (26) and each triangle knitting (16) and corresponding countercam (26) operate in a coupled fashion with a very small space separating them in order to allow the passage of a needle butt and are driven by a helical ring (20) with a step motor (21) which imparts an oscillating movement to the triangles and cam for the formation of stitch, each triangle being managed by a piston (161) which raises and lowers a plate (160) which moves the said triangle away from the countercam (26) and when the needle has to go into the idle position, the said triangle is lifted so that the needles can move through without being managed.

3) A hosieiy machine head according to Claim 1, characterised by the fact that the said triangles (16) comprise a first operating strip in which the triangle is envisaged to lower solely the needle, while a second operating strip envisages that the cam (15) works to lowers the sub-needle and relative stick (selector), while a third strip envisages that the selection cam (10) which features a symmetrical shape works to raise the selector, the sub-needle and, consequently, the needle.

4) A hosiery machine head according to Claim 1 , characterised by the fact that the cams (15) move vertically which means only one needle butt is employed, thereby allowing only one needle size to be used.

5) A Hosiery machine head according to Claim 3, characterised by the fact that the selection cams (10) are or either a mobile (101) or fixed (100) type and the mobile ones can be removed, thereby reducing the range of machining operations, the said fixed and mobile cams being envisaged to perform special machining operations such as designs, jacquard designs, meshes and other patterns.

6) A hosiery machine head according to Claim 1, characterised by the fact that engaged with the said yam guide support (5) is a central yam guide holder block (13) positioned diametrically opposite the spacer element (4) and which collaborates therewith to uphold the support and the two lateral yam guide holder blocks (14) located orthogonally with respect to the block (13) which, in addition to the elastic, also hold other yarns which allow the production of designs, the said central block (13) works on both the outwards stroke and the return stroke, performing needle 'held back' 'unloaded' and 'out-of-working' or 'idle' operations, wherein the needle does not pick up any yarn in either direction, in addition to the fact that with the central yarn guide (13) with the two holes, the lower one being for the stretch fibre and higher for the cotton, the needle can be selected after it has been unloaded, so that it can pick up the stretch fibre or the stretch fibre and the cotton.

A hosiery machine head according to Claim 1, characterised by the fac that each of the said two lateral yam guides (14a and 14b) are used to manage an elastic yam so that it can be used when machining the said elastic yam together with the yam in the central yam guide without cutting it and working on both the outward and return strokes. A hosiery machine head according to Claim 1 , characterised by the fact that at the spacer (4) the following are present:

- two cutters (17), suitable for cutting the yarn, wherein when the yam has to be cut, one cutter will work on the outward stroke and the other will work on the return stroke;

- two suction nozzles (18), one for each cutter, to suck up the scraps of yarn;

- two grippers (19), which are used to cut and grip the elastic yarn and are arranged respectively next to each nozzle.

A hosiery machine head according to Claim 1, characterised by the fact that during the production of a shoe liner, the following can be created:

- an elastic edging/border (30) knitted along the middle portion (31) so as to obtain a whole elastic border around the entire opening;

- a vertical line in which, for at least one stitch, only the stretch fibre is taken up and the cotton is left,

- the middle portion with a lateral curve (PI) so that the shoe liner does not protrude from the edge of a shoe with particularly low sides;

- an opening at the tip for open-toed shoes; - any kind of machining in the middle portion of the shoe liner, such as designs, curves, the presence of elastic portions, elastic inserts not only on the edge, machine stitches, multiple colour combinations, etc.

- a design in which a coloured yarn is machined with a background yarn in both the outwards stroke and the return stroke.

0) A shoe liner of the type comprising a toe (32) and a heel and a middle portion (31) characterised by the fact that the said middle portion comprises an elastic border portion (30) knitted during the creation of the said middle portion (31).

1) A procedure for creating an elastic edging/border in the middle portion of a shoe liner characterised by the fact that the said procedure comprises the following phases after the creation of the toe in a commonly known manner:

- when the middle portion (31) of the shoe liner is begun, the elastic edging/border (30) is created together with the middle portion, therefore: when the machining is performed on the outwards stroke, the elastic yam in the lateral yam guide (14a) is taken up, work begins and all the needles move up to take up the yam and the elastic yam is only taken up for a limited number of needles, the pendulum motion (outwards stroke) continues and in the last stitches, the elastic yam is taken from the other yarn guide (14b), also for a limited number of stitches, and once the outward stroke is finished, the return stroke is performed in reverse so that when the knitting is carried out for the middle portion of the sole, the central part is made using the yarn from the central yam guide (13) and the lateral edge is made by taking the elastic yarn from one or the other of the lateral yarn guides, in alternating fashion, in order to create the edging border with an elastic machined section.

1 2) A procedure for making the middle portion of a shoe liner characterised by the fact that the said procedure comprises:

a. a first needles outward phase with the creation of a first zone (Zl ) with anticlockwise machining in which the following steps occur:

- Selection SI : the needles are selected by the Selection unit, all at height HO; - Selection S5: the needles are all selected at height H3;

- Selection S6: certain needles are selected to remain at height H3 and take up the stretch fibre yam from the yam guide G2, while the remaining needles are selected at height H4 and take up the cotton and stretch fibre yam from the yam guide G2;

- Cam C3: the needles are all lowered and realigned at the same height;

- Selection S9: certain needles are selected at height HO and hold the yams taken up by the G2, while the remaining needles rise to 'held height' HI and take up the elastic from the yam guide G 1 ;

- Cam C4: the needles are all lowered and realigned at the same height;

from this point onwards through to the start of the return stroke, the needles will remain in this position all the time and the various selection units encountered along the rotation stroke will maintain the HO position;

b. a second needles outward phase with the creation of a second zone (Z2) with anticlockwise machining in which the following steps occur:

- Selection S 1 : the needles are selected by the selection unit all at height HO;

- Selection S5: the needles are either selected at height HO or they rise to height H3;

- Selection S6: certain needles are selected to remain at height H3, which take up the stretch fibre yam from the yarn guide G2, while the remaining needles are selected at height H4 and take up the cotton and stretch fibre yam from the yam guide G2 (this selection allows mesh knitting effects to be created in the outward stroke);

- Cam C3: the needles are all lowered and realigned at the same height;

- Selection S9: the needles are selected by the selection unit at height HO;

c. a third needles outward phase with the creation of a third zone (Z3) with anticlockwise machining in which the following steps occur: - Selection SI : certain needles are selected at height HO and others unload the knitting at height H2;

- Cam C5: the needles (which have risen to H2) are lowered to take up the elastic from the yam guide G3;

- Selection S5: certain needles are selected at height HO, while the remaining needles rise to height H3;

- Selection S6: certain needles are selected to remain at height H3 and take up the stretch fibre yam from the yarn guide G2, while the remaining needles are selected at height H4 and take up the cotton and stretch fibre yam from the yam guide G2 (depending on the machining, the needles coming from height H2 may also be raised);

- Cam C3: the needles are all realigned at the same height;

- Selection S9: the needles are selected by the selection unit at height HO;

d. a fourth needles outward phase with the creation of a fourth zone (Z4) with anticlockwise machining in which the following steps occur:

- Selection SI : the needles are all selected at height HO;

- Selection S5: the needles are all selected at height HO;

- Selection S9: the needles are all selected at height HO;

- in this non-working phase, the Cam C3 rises and the Cam C2 lowers;

e. a first needles return phase with creation of the fourth zone (Z4) with anticlockwise machining in which the reversal of the travel direction does not start when the last needle in Z4 reaches the anticlockwise starting point but when the last Z3 needle arrives, in which the following steps occur: - Selection S12: the needles are all selected at height HO;

- Selection S8: the needles are all selected at height HO;

- Selection S4: the needles are all selected at height HO;

f. a second needles return phase with the creation of the third zone (Z3) with clockwise machining in which the following steps occur:

- Selection S12: the needles are selected by the selection unit all at height HO;

- Selection S8: certain needles are selected at height H3, while others remain at height HO;

- Selection S7: certain needles are selected to remain at height H3 and take up the stretch fibre yam from the yam guide G2, while the remaining needles are selected at height H4 and take up the cotton and stretch fibre yam from the yam guide G2;

- Cam C2: the needles are all lowered and realigned at the same height;

- Selection S4: certain needles are selected at height HO and hold back the yams taken up by the G2, while the remaining needles rise to 'held height' HI and take up the elastic from the yam guide G3;

- Cam CI : the needles are all lowered and realigned at the same height and from this point onwards through to the start of the return stroke, the needles will remain in this position all the time and the various selection units encountered along the rotation stroke will maintain the HO position;

g. a third needles return phase with the creation of the second zone (Z2) with clockwise machining in which the following steps occur:

Selection S12: the needles are selected by the selection unit all at height HO;

Selection S8: the needles are either selected at height HO or they rise to height H3;

Selection S7: certain needles are selected to remain at height H3, which take up the stretch fibre yarn from the yam guide G2, while the remaining needles are selected at height H4 and take up the cotton and stretch fibre yam from the yarn guide G2 (this selection allows mesh knitting effects to be created in the return stroke);

Cam C2: the needles are all lowered and realigned at the same height;

h. a fourth needles return phase with the creation of the first zone (Zl) with clockwise machining in which the following steps occur:

- Selection S I 2: certain needles are selected at height HO and others unload the knitting at height H2;

- Selection S8: certain needles are selected at height HO, while the remaining needles rise to height H3;

- Selection S7: certain needles are selected to remain at height H3 and take up the stretch fibre yarn from the yam guide G2, while the remaining needles are selected at height H4 and take up the cotton and stretch fibre yarn from the yam guide G2 (depending on the machining, the needles coming from height H2 may also be raised);

- Cam C2: the needles are all realigned at the same height;

- Selection S4: the needles are selected by the selection unit at height HO and from this point onwards through to the start of the return stroke, the needles will remain in this position all the time and the various selection units encountered along the rotation stroke will maintain the HO position;

) A procedure for creating a design in a shoe liner characterised by the fact that the said procedure comprises:

a . a needles outward phase with the creation of a design with anticlockwise machining in which the following steps occur: - Selection S I : certain needles are selected at height HO, while others remain at height HI and will be selected for the colour;

- Cam C5: all the needles used for the design are realigned;

- Selection S3: the needles intended for the second colour are selected at height H2 and take up the right-hand yarn with the second colour G5, while the others which had previously taken up the first colour remain at height HI;

- Cam C2: all the needles used for the design are realigned;

- Cam C3: the needles are all lowered and realigned at the same height;

- Selection S9: the needles are all selected at height HO;

b. a needles return phase with the creation of a design with clockwise machining, in which the following steps occur:

- Selection S 12: certain needles are selected at height HO, while others remain at height HI and will be selected for the colour;

- Selection SI 1 : the needles intended for the first colour are selected at height H2 and take up the right-hand yarn with the first colour G4, while the others remain at height HI ;

- Cam C6: all the needles used for the design are realigned;

- Selection S10: the needles intended for the second colour are selected at height H2 and take up the right-hand yam with the second colour G5, while the others which had previously taken up the first colour remain at height HI ; - Cam C3: all the needles used for the design are realigned;

- Selection S7: certain needles are selected to remain at height H3 and take up the stretch fibre yarn from the yam guide G2, while the remaining needles are selected at height H4 and take up the cotton and stretch fibre yam from the yarn guide G2;

- Cam C2: the needles are all lowered and realigned at the same height;

- Selection S4: the needles are all selected at height HO.