CH648070A5 - Knitting machine with electromagnetic needle selection - Google Patents

Abstract

The knitting machine comprises a plurality of guilloche selectors (5) housed so as to slide in the tilt selectors (4). The guilloche selector is moved mechanically into a position for picking up stitches by means of a fixed cam track (26) and returned to its first position, after having been selected, by a fixed vertical cam (47). The electromagnetic selection station determines two positions of the selector (32). Two types of lower selectors (29a) act on the same three-position tilt selector (4) and comprise their own bearing faces (64a) which determine the "three track" selection, that is to say knitting, picking up, and not in use. <IMAGE>

Description

** ATTENTION ** start of the DESC field may contain end of CLMS **.

CLAIMS 1. Knitting machine with electromagnetic selection of needles, with transfer of stitches, comprising needle beds, arranged in pairs, provided with grooves in which needles and selectors provided with heels are housed, the heels of the needles being able to be positioned level or above the needle bed, the heels of the selectors can be positioned in different levels with respect to the needle bed and in different positions along the grooves, and comprising electromagnetic selection means cooperating with sliding members to enable them to occupy distinct positions, as well as fixed vertical cams acting on rocker selectors and releasing the rocker selectors after selection, these being or not retained by the sliding member, characterized in that it comprises selectors- guilloche (5) housed sliding in the rocker selectors (4), fixed mechanical means (26a, 26b, 43a, 43b, 44a, 44b, 45, 46 a, 46b, 47a, 47b) housed on the knitting carriage making it possible to operate the guilloched selectors (5), in that the rocker selectors (4) are orientable in three positions, and in that two lower selectors (29a, 29b) juxtaposed forming the sliding members, each movable in two distinct positions, are assigned to each of the rocker selectors (4).

2. knitting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the guilloche selectors (5) is provided with a heel (66) with two functions, one for disengaging the needle, the other for picking the needle.

3. Knitting machine according to one of claims 1 or 2, ca acted in that the fixed mechanical means of movement of the guilloched selectors consist of a fixed cam path (26a, 26b) acting on all the heels ( 25) of the guilloché selector (5) appearing in its path.

4. Knitting machine according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the lower selectors (29a, 29b) juxtaposed are separated by partitions made of non-magnetic material.

5. knitting machine according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that each of the two lower selectors (29a, 29b) juxtaposed is provided with a bearing face (64a, 64b) whose height is different, the bearing faces (64a, 64b) cooperating with the ball selector (4) assigned to said two lower selectors (29a, 29b).

The present invention relates to a knitting machine according to the preamble of claim 1.

The state of the art already knows machines or devices of this kind.

Swiss Patent No. 618484 describes a knitting machine in which the needles are extended by two superimposed strands, one of which, flexible and provided with a heel, can be drowned and kept drowned by an electromagnetic selection for the purpose of disabling work the needle in the current row or temporarily drowned by the action of one or more pressers on one or more of the tracks formed by the alignment of the heels of guilloche selectors manually preselected for the purpose of picking meshes. this solution gives complete satisfaction both in its design and in its use, it should be noted that knitting says three tracks, namely, training, picking and off work in the same row and the same knitting system is limited, for each item, the combinations given by the manual distribution of the selector-guilloche heels in one or the other of the tracks.

Increasing the possibilities of combinations using the same system would be equivalent to increasing the number of tracks. Such a modification would entail disadvantages such as enlarging the cam holder, lengthening the needles and needle grooves, an increase in the number of vertical cams, an increase in the number of control elements of said vertical cams and a programming complexity which means that it cannot be considered.

Obtaining, with this system, a possibility of selecting three integral tracks, that is to say, for each needle, independently of one another, in each knitting system and in each row an individual selection, would impose on the manufacturer to provide a track by needle housed in the needle bed and by knitting system or material impossibility of extension of the system.

German patent No 1962787 describes a knitting machine in which the plates are joined to the needles by a ball joint.

Several plate presses are housed in the same groove as the needle. They allow to drown the heels of needles in places, so that said heels can be put out of reach of the locks.

The plurality of plate presses and the ornate shape of the needle bed are major drawbacks of space and manufacturing. Knitting three integral tracks is not possible without the use of two selection stations, one downstream of the knitting system, the other downstream of the maximum ascent ramp of a needle seen in the direction movement of the selection members relative to the knitting system; the design of the system would be too complicated.

Swiss Patent No. 622566 describes an electromagnetic device for selecting the needles of a knitting machine. A pair of antagonistic electromagnets form a channel through which selection organs pass. The device is symmetrical with respect to the axis of travel of the selection members and symmetrical with respect to the plane of the pair of electromagnets passing through the selection poles. This device is designed to be operational in the two directions of movement of a knitting carriage on a straight machine.

It defines two distinct positions of the selection members depending on whether one or the other of the electromagnets is excited. This solution is very satisfactory and fulfills its function even at the high knitting speeds that the hosiery is used to using.

In addition, it allows the manufacturer to produce all the current gauges (machine finesse) by the fact that thanks to its high selectivity the distance of the consecutive selection members can be chosen practically without restriction.

The object of the invention is to create a simple knitting machine, with reciprocating movement of carriages or needle beds combining the advantages of selecting a traditional knitting machine with those of electromagnetic selection on the fly, authorizing three-track knitting in an integral manner, greatly increasing the knitting possibilities by reducing the number of selection elements and using downstream of a knitting system a single electromagnetic selection station defining, via - diary of the selectors, the three positions of the desired needles, namely: knitting, picking and out of work.

The solution proposed by Invention is that described in the characterizing part of claim 1.

The accompanying drawings show, by way of example, an embodiment of the knitting machine, object of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a bed illustrating a culling selection.

Fig. 2 a schematic representation of a knitting lock, comprising the vertical cams and the selection stations also integral with a knitting carriage.

Fig. 3 a fraction of fig. 2, on a larger scale, illustrating different selections.

Fig. 4 a partial section similar to FIG. 1, illustrating a selection out of work.

Fig. 5 is a plan view along arrow C in FIG. 4.

Fig. 6 a partial section similar to FIG. 1 illustrating a knitting selection.

Fig. 7 a plan view along arrow D in FIG. 6.

Bed 1, in fig. 1, is one of the needle beds of a straight knitting machine which generally comprises two needle beds

in pairs, roof-shaped. This needle bed 1 comprises a plurality of grooves 2 parallel to each other. In each groove are housed a needle 3, a selector-rocker 4 and a selector-guilloché 5. The needle 3 is composed of two strands, an upper strand 6 provided with a heel 7 and a foot 8, and a lower strand 9 constituting the base of the needle. The groove 2 is deepened towards the rear, on the right in the figure, and thus forms two sliding surfaces 10, 1 1 on which the lower strand 9 and the foot 8 slide. The needle 3 also comprises a hook 12 and a retaining nose 13. The lower strand 9, used to guarantee good support of the needle in the position of maximum advance of the needle 3, mesh transfer position, can be used as a brake element of the needle in its groove.It moves, for each movement of the needle 3, between the turns of a braking spring 14 housed under a needle cover band 15 and in a groove 16 formed in the needle bed 1 perpendicular to the grooves 2.

Permanent disengagement of the needle is obtained manually by embedding the heel 7 in the groove 2, the retaining nose 13 passing under a wire 17, will keep the needle in this position as long as a manual movement has not been done.

The selector-rocker 4 is pivotally mounted on an axis 18, integral with the needle bed 1. It comprises an upper strand 19 and a lower strand 20 forming between them a fork in which the guilloched selector 5 is guided. The lower strand 20 is supported on the upper strand 6 of the needle 3, between the retaining nose 13 and the foot 8. The selector ball 4 further comprises a feeler 21, diametrically opposite the fork, relative to the pivot axis 18. A safety wire 22, integral with the needle bed 1 defines an extreme position of said rocker selector. The selector-guilloche 5 can slide longitudinally over a distance delimited by the nose 23 acting either on the notch 24 or on the side of the heel 25 of the selector-guilloche 5. This heel 25 cooperates or not with cam tracks 26, d 'as described below.

An auxiliary bed 27 is mounted on the bed 1, in the extension of the grooves 3. It comprises a plurality of grooves 28, the number of which is twice the grooves 3 of the bed 1.

In the grooves 28 slide lower selectors 29a and 29b, placed alternately in juxtaposition and retained vertically by wires 30, 31, integral with the auxiliary needle bed. An upper selector 32 is mounted on each lower selector 29a resp. 29b.

Each lock 1 is assigned a lock 33 shown in FIG. 2. It consists of a first knitting device 34 and a second knitting device 35. Each lock 33 is provided with fixed cams 36. The drop cams 37, as well as the alignment cam 38 and the cam mesh transfer 39 are movable in a plane parallel to the lock. Only the ascent cams 40 and the mesh transfer cams 41 are movable in a plane perpendicular to the lock. They can be selectively placed in a distant or close position, relative to their needle bed. These positions are only modified for work in transfer of meshes. Two fixed vertical cams 42 (fig. 1) are allocated to each knitting device. These are fixed vertical cams 42a and 42b for the knitting device 34 and fixed vertical cams 42b and 42c for the knitting device 35, the fixed vertical cam 42b being designed to cooperate with the two knitting devices.

A cam path 26a, 26b (fig. 2) is assigned to each knitting device. This path is formed by the upper cams 43a and 43b and the lower cams 44a and 44b. Each cam path 26 comprises at its entry and exit funnels 45, an ascending part 46a and a descending part 46b, seen in the direction of movement of the locks.

In addition, a fixed vertical cam 47 (fig. 1) is assigned to each knitting device. The vertical cam 47a is assigned to the knitting system 34 and the vertical cam 47b to the knitting system 35.

Cams 42a, 42b, 42c are located on the same path, cams 47a and 47b are located on another path parallel to the first named.

Each knitting device is directly preceded, seen in the direction of operation of the locks, by a selection station as shown in FIG. 2. When the locks move in the direction indicated by the arrow A, the selection station 48 precedes the knitting device 34 and the selection station 49 precedes the knitting device 35. When moving in the opposite direction, the selection station 50 precedes the knitting device 35 and the selection station 49 precedes the knitting device 34. The selection station 49 is designed to cooperate with the two knitting devices 34, 35, depending on the direction of travel of the locks.

A selection station 48, 49, 50 as shown in FIG. 3 comprises a base plate 51 on which are mounted two identical selection half-stations 52, 53, to form the selection channel in which the selectors 32 run. This device is designed to work in one direction or the other. We consider, in the context of this example, that the selectors 32 move relatively relative to the device, in the direction indicated by the arrow A.

The selection channel includes a tapering entry, limited by sides 55, 56 and by a selection point defined as being the narrowest point of the channel, located between the poles 57, 58 of the electromagnets (not shown) and a widening outlet, limited by the selection point and the flanks 61, 62.

In order to be able to freely select each needle either in the formation of meshes, or out of work, or in picking, a selection is made here at two distinct positions of the selectors 32, two of which are assigned to each needle. The two positions are reached if one or the other of the electromagnets is energized and pulls the selector located in the narrowest place of the channel against its pole 57, respectively 58. This selector then follows the flank 61, respectively 62 and it is pulled by magnetic bonding out of the longitudinal plane of symmetry of the station.

The upper selector 32 is mounted on the lower selector 29a, 29b (fig. 4 and 6). The latter must therefore follow the movements of the first and it slides in one or the other of the two distinct positions described above. The left end of the lower selector 29a comprises a bearing face 64a located at the upper level to be counted from the bottom of the groove 28.

Juxtaposed and separated by a non-magnetic partition 72 is the lower selector 29b. Its left end comprises a bearing face 64b located at the lower level to be counted from the bottom of the groove 28.

The two lower selectors 29a and 29b can act on the same rocker selector 4 thanks to a lateral widening 73 of the nose 67 (fig. 5 and 7) located opposite the left ends of the lower selectors.

We describe the principle of needle selection in three tracks related to the drawings. The locks move in the direction of arrow A, the selectors 32 are in a working position. They were thus arranged by the selection station 48, during the previous passage of the locks, in the opposite direction. The fixed vertical cam 42a presses, against a spring effect of the spring 65 and of the upper strand 6 of the needle 3 on all the lower heels 66. As a result, each rocker selector 4 rotates around its axis 18, and the nose 67 of said rocker selector is located above the left end of the lower selector 29a, respectively 29b. The selection station 48 moves the upper selectors 32 into the two distinct positions; the upper selectors 32a with lower selectors 29a are out of work (fig. 4), the upper selectors 32b with lower selectors 29b are in the process of formation, and the upper selectors 32c with lower selectors 29a or 29b are being picked. Once the selection has been made, the fixed vertical cam 42a is exceeded. Under the action of the spring 65 and the upper strand 6, the rocker selectors 4 tend to return to their position according to FIG. 1.

The lower selectors 29a, the upper selectors 32 of which are selected at 32a, will have their left ends advanced so that the noses 67 will abut on the bearing faces 64a, thus preventing their rocker selectors 4 from returning. The heels 7 of the corresponding needles 3 will remain embedded in the needle bed 1 and will thus be in position 7a in FIG. 3. The lower selectors 29b, whose upper selectors 32 are selected at 32b, will have their left ends advanced so that the noses 67 will abut on the bearing faces 64b (fig. 6). Thus, their rocker selectors 4 return to a middle position where they no longer press on the upper strands 6 so that the respective heels 7 come out of the needle bed 1 and will be supported by the cams of the knitting device 34. See position 7b of fig. 3.The corresponding needles 3 will form stitches.

The lower selectors 29a (or 29b), whose upper selectors 32 are selected at 32c, will have their ends rceulés so that they are out of reach of the noses 67 (fig. 4). Thus, their rocker selectors 4 return to the position shown in FIG. 1, this under the pressure of the spring 65. These rocker-selectors 4 no longer press on their needles which are therefore taken care of by the knitting device. The heels 25 of the corresponding guilloche selectors 5 follow the cam path 26a (FIG. 3). They undergo an ascent in the ascending part 46a, such that their lower heels 66 are pushed in the path of action of the fixed vertical cam 47a. According to the same principle as the vertical cam 42a, it presses on the lower heels 66. The heel 7 of the corresponding needle is temporarily submerged and takes the position 7c of FIG. 3.

Once released by the vertical cam 47a, the descending part 46b returns the selector-guilloché 5 to its position shown in FIG. 1 and the heel 7 enters the cam path and it is knocked down by the drop cam 37. The needles thus selected will make thread picking. The same process takes place for the next knitting device, in this case, the knitting device 35, by means of the fixed vertical cam 42b of the selection station 49 and the fixed vertical cam 47b.

Claims (6)

1. Knitting machine with electromagnetic selection of needles, with transfer of stitches, comprising needle beds, arranged in pairs, provided with grooves in which needles and selectors provided with heels are housed, the heels of the needles being able to be positioned level or above the needle bed, the heels of the selectors can be positioned in different levels with respect to the needle bed and in different positions along the grooves, and comprising electromagnetic selection means cooperating with sliding members to enable them to occupy distinct positions, as well as fixed vertical cams acting on rocker selectors and releasing the rocker selectors after selection, these being or not retained by the sliding member, characterized in that it comprises selectors- guilloche (5) housed sliding in the rocker selectors (4), fixed mechanical means (26a, 26b, 43a, 43b, 44a, 44b, 45, 46 a, 46b, 47a, 47b) housed on the knitting carriage making it possible to operate the guilloched selectors (5), in that the rocker selectors (4) are orientable in three positions, and in that two lower selectors (29a, 29b) juxtaposed forming the sliding members, each movable in two distinct positions, are assigned to each of the rocker selectors (4). 2. knitting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that each of the guilloche selectors (5) is provided with a heel (66) with two functions, one for disengaging the needle, the other for picking the needle. 3. Knitting machine according to one of claims 1 or 2, ca acted in that the fixed mechanical means of movement of the guilloched selectors consist of a fixed cam path (26a, 26b) acting on all the heels ( 25) of the guilloché selector (5) appearing in its path. 4. Knitting machine according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the lower selectors (29a, 29b) juxtaposed are separated by partitions made of non-magnetic material. 5. knitting machine according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that each of the two lower selectors (29a, 29b) juxtaposed is provided with a bearing face (64a, 64b) whose height is different, the bearing faces (64a, 64b) cooperating with the ball selector (4) assigned to said two lower selectors (29a, 29b). The present invention relates to a knitting machine according to the preamble of claim 1. The state of the art already knows machines or devices of this kind. Swiss Patent No. 618484 describes a knitting machine in which the needles are extended by two superimposed strands, one of which, flexible and provided with a heel, can be drowned and kept drowned by an electromagnetic selection for the purpose of disabling work the needle in the current row or temporarily drowned by the action of one or more pressers on one or more of the tracks formed by the alignment of the heels of guilloche selectors manually preselected for the purpose of picking meshes. this solution gives complete satisfaction both in its design and in its use, it should be noted that knitting says three tracks, namely, training, picking and off work in the same row and the same knitting system is limited, for each item, the combinations given by the manual distribution of the selector-guilloche heels in one or the other of the tracks. Increasing the possibilities of combinations using the same system would be equivalent to increasing the number of tracks. Such a modification would entail disadvantages such as enlarging the cam holder, lengthening the needles and needle grooves, an increase in the number of vertical cams, an increase in the number of control elements of said vertical cams and a programming complexity which means that it cannot be considered. Obtaining, with this system, a possibility of selecting three integral tracks, that is to say, for each needle, independently of one another, in each knitting system and in each row an individual selection, would impose on the manufacturer to provide a track by needle housed in the needle bed and by knitting system or material impossibility of extension of the system. German patent No 1962787 describes a knitting machine in which the plates are joined to the needles by a ball joint. Several plate presses are housed in the same groove as the needle. They allow to drown the heels of needles in places, so that said heels can be put out of reach of the locks. The plurality of plate presses and the ornate shape of the needle bed are major drawbacks of space and manufacturing. Knitting three integral tracks is not possible without the use of two selection stations, one downstream of the knitting system, the other downstream of the maximum ascent ramp of a needle seen in the direction movement of the selection members relative to the knitting system; the design of the system would be too complicated. Swiss Patent No. 622566 describes an electromagnetic device for selecting the needles of a knitting machine. A pair of antagonistic electromagnets form a channel through which selection organs pass. The device is symmetrical with respect to the axis of travel of the selection members and symmetrical with respect to the plane of the pair of electromagnets passing through the selection poles. This device is designed to be operational in the two directions of movement of a knitting carriage on a straight machine. It defines two distinct positions of the selection members depending on whether one or the other of the electromagnets is excited. This solution is very satisfactory and fulfills its function even at the high knitting speeds that the hosiery is used to using. In addition, it allows the manufacturer to produce all the current gauges (machine finesse) by the fact that thanks to its high selectivity the distance of the consecutive selection members can be chosen practically without restriction. The object of the invention is to create a simple knitting machine, with reciprocating movement of carriages or needle beds combining the advantages of selecting a traditional knitting machine with those of electromagnetic selection on the fly, authorizing three-track knitting in an integral manner, greatly increasing the knitting possibilities by reducing the number of selection elements and using downstream of a knitting system a single electromagnetic selection station defining, via - diary of the selectors, the three positions of the desired needles, namely: knitting, picking and out of work. The solution proposed by Invention is that described in the characterizing part of claim 1. The accompanying drawings show, by way of example, an embodiment of the knitting machine, object of the invention. Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a bed illustrating a culling selection. Fig. 2 a schematic representation of a knitting lock, comprising the vertical cams and the selection stations also integral with a knitting carriage. Fig. 3 a fraction of fig. 2, on a larger scale, illustrating different selections. Fig. 4 a partial section similar to FIG. 1, illustrating a selection out of work. Fig. 5 is a plan view along arrow C in FIG. 4. Fig. 6 a partial section similar to FIG. 1 illustrating a knitting selection. Fig. 7 a plan view along arrow D in FIG. 6. Bed 1, in fig. 1, is one of the needle beds of a straight knitting machine which generally comprises two needle beds ** ATTENTION ** end of the CLMS field may contain start of DESC **.