CN111826786A

CN111826786A - Method for producing a knitted mesh fabric on a circular knitting machine

Info

Publication number: CN111826786A
Application number: CN202010084979.0A
Authority: CN
Inventors: L·毛里齐奥; A·毛罗
Original assignee: Santoni SpA
Current assignee: Santoni SpA
Priority date: 2019-04-16
Filing date: 2020-02-10
Publication date: 2020-10-27
Anticipated expiration: 2040-02-10
Also published as: EP3956505A1; TW202104701A; WO2020212818A1; CN111826786B; EP3956505B1; IT201900005900A1

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a mesh knitted fabric in a circular knitting machine, the method comprising: the needle-holding cylinder (2) and the circular sinker holder (4) are rotated in a first direction of rotation, moving the selected transfer sinkers (9, 10) towards the central axis (X-X) of the machine and the respective forward positions; -raising and then lowering the needles (3) located beside the selected transfer sinkers (9, 10) in the forward position, while the needle-holding needle cylinder (2) and the circular sinker-holder (4) rotate in a first direction of rotation and pass through the yarn feeding system, the textile yarn fed by the yarn feeding system being loaded onto the noses (15) of the selected transfer sinkers (9, 10), thus making elongated expansion loops; -a needle-holding cylinder (2) and a circular sinker holder (4) rotating in a second direction of rotation opposite to the first direction of rotation, moving the selected transfer sinkers (9, 10) radially away from the central axis (X-X), raising the needles (3) to a withdrawal position towards respective rear positions, so as to disengage the expanded stitches from the lug (15) into the heads (3A) of the needles (3), continuing to rotate in the second direction of rotation until passing through the yarn feeding system, and then lowering the needles (3) when the selected transfer sinkers (9, 10) are respectively in the rear positions.

Description

Method for producing a knitted mesh fabric on a circular knitting machine

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a mesh knitted fabric on a circular knitting machine, and to a circular knitting machine for carrying out said method.

In particular, the present invention relates to the sequence of movements of the mechanisms (needles and sinkers) of a circular knitting machine for manufacturing knitted fabrics in meshes.

For example, the present invention relates to circular knitting machines (intarsia machines or diamond machines) configured to produce fabrics with intarsia patterns, enterprises being able to produce mesh knitted fabrics.

Background

Circular knitting machines are known which comprise a needle-holding element (needle-holding cylinder and/or needle-holding plate) on which one or more successive needles are arranged along a circular path (circular bed), and means apt to control the movement of the needles in order to form the knitted fabric. The knockover sinkers are arranged in radial seats, which are annular bodies (sinker seats) surrounding the needle-holding needle cylinder and cooperate with the needles to make the knitted fabric.

When performing a particular design with a circular knitting machine, it is known to make a mesh knitted fabric.

Document GB449404 discloses a circular knitting machine provided with sinkers between the needles and on which expansion coil loops (insertpitch rings) are formed. At least one of the sinkers comprises a projecting side portion configured for moving the moving expansion coil loop onto an adjacent needle, thereby forming a mesh in the knitted fabric.

Document GB377794 discloses a circular knitting machine equipped with an unfolding device having a pair of blades arranged on either side of a sinker, and configured to unfold the stitch and arrange it on one or two adjacent needles.

Document GB410831 discloses a circular knitting machine comprising sinkers provided with an upper hook or a pair of hooks placed on the sides of a traditional sinker. The hooks are configured and moved to transfer the expanded loops onto a pair of adjacent needles and create a mesh fabric in the fabric. When the hook has to be operated, the selector jack moves the sinker in which the hook is integrated. The selector jack comprises a swing arm provided with butts which interact with a plurality of cams belonging to an actuating device.

For example, in EP1620590 to the same applicant, a circular knitting machine (intarsia machine) for manufacturing a fabric with an intarsia pattern is disclosed.

Intarsia is a knitting technique that enables patterns to be obtained in the same course using yarns of different colors. The technique of intarsia is commonly used to create colour patterns. As far as the carpentry technique is concerned, it seems like a jigsaw puzzle to piece together different colors and materials. Unlike other multi-color knitting techniques, only the "active" color is on the designated stitch and the yarn does not knit to the reverse side. When the color of a given row changes, the old yarn will be hung.

Disclosure of Invention

In the frame of a circular knitting machine as described above, the applicant has found that there are some drawbacks.

First of all, the applicant has observed that the above known knitting machine for making mesh knitted fabrics and the method of making mesh knitted fabrics that this known knitting machine can carry out do not allow making complex fabrics with different mesh areas from each other.

In particular, the applicant has observed that some of said known machines are not able to select individually the elements designed to make the meshes, since these elements are guided by the triangles and must perform all the same movements during each revolution of the machine. As a result, the number, arrangement and other characteristics of the mesh to be made are predetermined and difficult to modify.

The applicant has further observed that said known machines are not able to produce fabrics with meshed areas in a quick and flexible manner.

In this case, the object of the invention is, in various aspects and/or embodiments, to propose a method for producing a meshed knitted fabric and a circular knitting machine capable of producing meshed knitted fabrics with the most different characteristics. .

Another object of the invention is to propose a method for manufacturing a meshed knitted fabric and a circular knitting machine capable of manufacturing a meshed knitted fabric which allows flexibility in manufacturing different fabrics according to the characteristics of the fabric. Open works to be obtained on fabrics.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing a meshed knitted fabric and a circular knitting machine which are capable of manufacturing highly complex meshed knitted fabrics in a relatively short manufacturing time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a meshed knitted fabric and a circular knitting machine capable of manufacturing a meshed knitted fabric, whereby also more patterns and/or effects of the knitted fabric can be obtained, for example without the need to reconfigure the machine itself or parts of it from a mechanical point of view.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a circular knitting machine configured for the production of fabrics with an intarsia pattern (intarsia machine or diamond machine) which is also capable of producing mesh knitted fabrics according to the above mentioned objects.

These and other possible objects, which will become better apparent from the following description, are substantially achieved by a method for manufacturing a meshed knitted fabric and by a circular knitting machine for manufacturing a meshed knitted fabric according to one or more of the appended claims. Various combinations are also possible in combination with the preceding claims, according to the following aspects and/or embodiments.

In the present description and in the appended claims, the words "upper", "lower", "above" and "below" refer to the orientation of the machine during normal operation, with the central axis of rotation in a vertical position and the tip of the cylinder needle facing upwards.

In the present description and in the appended claims, the words "axial", "circumferential" and "radial" relate to the central axis.

In the present description and in the appended claims, the words "inactive", "back-off" and "fall-off" relate to the position and function of the needle, respectively. In particular, in the inactive position, the needles are in a fully lowered or retracted position in the needle-holding needle cylinder, so as not to hook the yarn fed by the yarn-feeding system to form loops. In the withdrawal position, the needles are in an inactive raised position, hooking the textile yarn supplied by the yarn feeding system, without dropping the loops of knitting inside their needles. In the shedding position, the needles are in a fully raised position in order to catch the textile yarn supplied by the yarn feeding system and shed the loops of knitting on their shank.

Some aspects of the invention are listed below.

In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a circular knitting machine.

In one aspect, a circular knitting machine comprises:

a needle holding needle cylinder and a circular sinker seat which have a common central axis;

a plurality of needles mounted on the needle-holding cylinder, movable along the longitudinal development thereof and having a needle head arranged around a central axis to define a circular needle bed;

a plurality of knockover sinkers mounted on the circular sinker holder, movable in a radial direction with respect to the central axis, and having jaws configured to engage with needles to produce the knitted fabric;

a plurality of transfer sinkers mounted on the circular sinker seat, disposed beside the knockover sinker, movable in a radial direction with respect to the central axis, and having lug for engaging with the needle to produce a mesh knitted fabric;

at least one yarn feeding system associated with the respective group of needles, with the respective group of knockover sinkers and with the respective group of transfer sinkers, to feed at least one textile yarn to the circular needle bed;

wherein the needle-holding needle cylinder and the circular sinker ring are rotatable about a central axis relative to the yarn feeding system.

In one aspect, the machine is configured for manufacturing a mesh knit fabric and/or for carrying out a method of manufacturing a mesh knit fabric.

In one aspect, the method comprises or the machine is configured to:

i. -rotating the needle-holding needle cylinder and the circular sinker holder around a central axis (X-X) radially driving selected ones of said transfer sinkers towards the central axis (X-X) and towards respective advanced positions; raising and then lowering the selected portion forward to some needles next to the transfer sinkers, while the needle-holding needle cylinder and the circular sinker holder rotate and move through said at least one feed system, the textile yarn fed by said feed system being loaded onto the noses of the selected transfer sinkers, thereby making elongated expansion loops;

rotating the needle-holding cylinder and the circular sinker holder around the central axis (X-X) to radially actuate the selected transfer sinkers to move radially towards the respective rear positions and away from the central axis (X-X); raising the needle at least to the withdrawal and/or knockover position in order to strip the expanded stitches from the lug into the head of the needle and continuing the rotation until the at least one yarn feed system is turned and then lowering the needle with the selected transfer sinkers in respective rear positions;

wherein step i is performed while the needle-holding needle cylinder and the circular sinker holder are rotating at least in a first direction of rotation, and step ii is performed while the needle-holding needle cylinder and the circular sinker holder are rotating in a second direction of rotation opposite to the first direction of rotation; or wherein step i is performed while rotating the needle-holding needle cylinder and the circular sinker holder in a first direction of rotation and then in a second direction of rotation opposite to the first direction of rotation, and step ii is performed while rotating the needle-holding needle cylinder and the circular sinker holder in the first direction of rotation.

In other words, when the needle-holding cylinder and the circular sinker hub rotate with an alternating rotary motion, the textile yarn is padded one or more times on the lug of the transfer sinker selected for making the expansion loops, and then the expansion loops located on the lug are placed in the needle.

The applicant has found that the present invention is able to solve the above-mentioned problems associated with the prior art, thus obtaining the intended objects.

The applicant has first found that the present invention is able to produce extended stitches by means of an alternating motion of the machine by working to produce highly complex mesh knitted fabrics in a relatively short time.

The applicant has also found that the present invention enables various types of mesh knitted fabrics with different characteristics to be manufactured through a specific choice of transfer sinkers required to manufacture the meshes to be manufactured.

In fact, the applicant has found that the machine according to the invention is highly flexible, since it allows to switch from the way of making one knitted fabric to another in a quick and relatively simple manner.

Other aspects of the invention are listed below.

In one aspect, the circular knitting machine is an intarsia machine, i.e. a machine configured for making fabrics with an intarsia pattern (intarsia machine or rhomboid machine).

In one aspect, the circular knitting machine is configured for alternating rotational motion.

On the one hand, circular machines, for example in the case of intarsia knitting machines, comprise at least two-feed systems, or at least four-feed systems, which work with selected needles over an arc of reciprocating rotary motion about a central axis.

In one aspect, the at least two-feed systems cooperate by rotating in two directions to form each row of knitting.

In one aspect, at least one motor is operatively connected to the needle-holding cylinder and the sinker seat to rotate them about the central axis.

In one aspect, a cam and/or other type of device is disposed about the needle-holding barrel to translate rotational motion of the needle-holding barrel into axial motion of the needles.

On the one hand, the machine comprises at least one selector facing the circular needle cylinder transversely, which can select, directly or indirectly on command, the respective set of transfer sinkers.

On the one hand, the selected transfer sinker is selected by means of the selector.

In one aspect, the at least one yarn feeding system is spaced from the corresponding selector by a circumferential distance.

In one aspect, the needle-holding cylinder and the circular sinker jack are rotatable about a central axis with respect to the selector.

In one aspect, the knitting machine comprises a plurality of selectors, for example: each placed on a yarn feeding system operatively associated with a different selector.

In one aspect, to make the mesh, the yarn feeding system is offset angularly with respect to the corresponding selector, for example by an angle of 90 ° to 180 °.

In one aspect, the set of knockover sinkers and the set of transfer sinkers, operatively associated with the yarn feeding system and the selector, have an angular extension, for example. Less than or equal to 180 °, such as 90 ° or less, such as 45 °.

In one aspect, the knitting machine comprises a four-way yarn feed system angled (i.e. 90 °) with respect to each other and four needle selectors angled (e.g. 90 °) with respect to each other. Wherein each yarn feeding system is angularly offset, for example by 90 °, with respect to the respective selector in order to make the meshes.

In one aspect, each yarn feed system includes a yarn nozzle.

In one aspect, the yarn nozzle is movable between an operating position and a rest position.

In the working position, on the one hand, the mouth is located radially outside the needle cylinder, so that the needles can capture the textile yarn.

In the rest position, on the one hand, the yarn mouth is located radially inside the needle cylinder to prevent the needles from hooking the textile yarn.

In one aspect, transfer sinkers are arranged on one side of at least some of the knockover sinkers.

In one aspect, the transfer sinkers help to form respective expansion loops.

In one aspect, right and left transfer sinkers are provided on both sides of at least some of the knockover sinkers, i.e. the side of each knockover sinker is a pair of transfer sinkers and each pair of transfer sinkers contributes to the formation of one expansion coil.

In one aspect, each transfer sinker or each pair of (left and right) transfer sinkers cooperates with a single needle or a pair of adjacent needles to form a respective expansion loop.

On the one hand, the right transfer sinker and the left transfer sinker are arranged and the knockover sinker and a single knockover sinker are alternately used, namely the right transfer sinker and the left transfer sinker are not arranged.

In one aspect, the transfer sinkers have respective lug noses which are offset to one side relative to the respective knockover sinkers.

In one aspect, the right transfer sinker and the left transfer sinker have respective noses which are biased to one side towards the opposite side of the respective knockover sinker and are placed, for example, above the respective knockover sinker. In one aspect, the tab noses are configured for loading and extending an expansion loop and disposing it on a respective single needle or on two respective adjacent needles of respective knockover sinkers on opposite sides and forming the mesh. By using two transfer sinkers together with one knockover sinker, a larger, better mesh can be made, so that a balanced knitted fabric is obtained without twisting or wrinkling.

In one aspect, each knockover sinker with transfer sinker, or a knockover sinker with right transfer sinker and a knockover sinker with left transfer sinker, is accommodated in a respective recess together with the transfer sinker, or with the right transfer sinker and the left transfer sinker.

In one aspect, each knockover sinker fitted with a transfer sinker, or with a right transfer sinker and with a left transfer sinker, slides radially in a respective groove with respect to said transfer sinker.

In one aspect, the transfer sinker, or the right transfer sinker and the left transfer sinker, slides radially in the respective groove and with respect to the respective knockover sinker.

In one aspect, each individual knockover sinker is received in a respective groove so as to slide radially therein.

On the one hand, the selected transfer sinker is selected by the selector facing transversely to the circular needle bed, the transfer sinker being able to cooperate directly or indirectly on command with each transfer sinker of a set of transfer sinkers.

In one aspect, step i. is performed only in the first direction of rotation, wherein the textile yarn is loaded at least twice to the noses of selected transfer sinkers so as to form double widening loops in sequence at least on the first and second yarn feed systems.

According to one aspect of the preceding aspect, step ii performs this operation only in the second direction of rotation, wherein the double expansion loops located on the lug are disengaged on the second feeding system.

According to the description of the two preceding aspects, when the needle-holding cylinder and the circular sinker carrier rotate in a first direction of rotation, the textile yarn is loaded on the transfer sinkers on a first yarn-feeding system and again on a second yarn-feeding system to the same transfer sinkers to make two elongated expansion loops. Then, when the needle-holding cylinder and the circular sinker holder rotate in the second direction of rotation, the two elongated expansion loops drop off on the second yarn-feeding system into the needle head.

Viewed from another aspect, before step i is carried out, the needle-holding cylinder and the circular sinker carrier are rotated in a first direction of rotation and then in a second direction of rotation, the textile thread is loaded at least twice onto the noses of the selected transfer sinkers, and a double-widening stitch is made on the same thread-feeding system.

According to an aspect of the preceding aspect, step ii is performed while rotating the needle-holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat in a first direction of rotation, wherein the double expanded coils located at the lug are disengaged from the lug on the single feed system.

According to the description of the two previous aspects, when the needle-holding needle cylinder and the circular sinker carrier rotate in a first direction of rotation, the textile yarn is loaded onto the transfer sinkers on the yarn feeding system and then again onto the same transfer sinkers on the same yarn feeding system, while the needle-holding needle cylinder and the circular sinker carrier rotate in a second direction of rotation, so that two elongated expansion loops are formed. Then, when the needle-holding cylinder and the circular sinker hub rotate in the first direction of rotation, the two elongated expansion loops are dropped into the needle head on the same yarn feeding system.

In one aspect, prior to step i, the method comprises (or configures the knitting machine to):

-moving the set of needles, the set of knockover sinkers and the set of transfer sinkers upstream of the respective selector with respect to the first direction of rotation, with the transfer sinkers in the following position;

-activating the selector;

-rotating the needle-holding cylinder and the circular sinker hub around the central axis and in the first direction of rotation, so as to select at least a portion of the transfer sinkers of a set and move them towards the central axis and respective advanced positions.

In one aspect, in step ii, the needles do not catch the textile yarn from said yarn feeding system while rotation continues to said at least one yarn feeding system. Thus, the needles do not make loops by only contributing to the mesh.

In one aspect, the yarn nozzle of the yarn feeding system is moved to a stationary position so that the needles do not catch the textile yarn from the yarn feeding system.

In one aspect, in step ii, the needle hooks another yarn to make a stitch in cooperation with the knockover sinker while the rotation continues to the at least one yarn feeding system. In this variation, the needle may make a loop in addition to facilitating a mesh.

In one aspect, the nozzle of the yarn feeding system is maintained in an operative position to allow the needle to hook additional textile yarn from the yarn feeding system.

In one aspect, step ii comprises (or the knitting machine is configured to):

-the selected transfer sinkers are radially moved away from the central axis in an intermediate position by keeping the needles in the inactive position and/or in a position below the withdrawal position (i.e. in a position in which the needles are not able to take the yarn);

-raising the needle at least in the withdrawal position, with the nose of the selected transfer sinker lying alongside the needle head;

-further moving selected transfer sinkers radially from the central axis to said rearward position to drop an expanded coil on the lug nose into the needle;

-continuing the rotation until passing through the yarn feeding system without the needles taking the textile yarn from the yarn feeding system, or bringing the needles to the drop and/or withdrawal position and taking the further yarn from the yarn feeding system, in order to produce the loops in cooperation with the knockover sinkers;

-lowering the needle when the selected transfer sinker is in the backward position after the removal of the expansion loops.

In one aspect, the needle-holding cylinder and the circular sinker holder rotate in the second direction of rotation until the group of needles, the group of knockover sinkers and the group of transfer sinkers move back upstream of the respective selector.

In one aspect, in steps i and ii, all of the transfer sinkers of a set of transfer sinkers are selected to produce a mesh knitted fabric.

According to another aspect, in steps i and ii, only some of the transfer sinkers of the set of transfer sinkers are selected to produce a partial mesh knitted fabric.

In one aspect, moving the selected transfer sinker radially away from the central axis at the central location comprises: -moving the transfer cam to catch and deflect the heel portions of said selected transfer sinker.

In one aspect, further moving the selected transfer sinker to the rearward position comprises: moving the auxiliary transfer cam to deviate the heels of said selected transfer sinkers from the trajectory.

On the one hand, once the set of needles, the set of knockover sinkers and the set of transfer sinkers are moved back upstream of the respective selector, if the needles do not hook the textile yarn from the yarn feeding system and do not knit a stitch, the selector is kept in the inactive position and the needle-holding cylinder and the circular sinker holder are rotated in the first direction of rotation, keeping each transfer sinker of the set of transfer sinkers in the backward position until the passage through the yarn feeding system, while the transfer sinkers are kept in the backward position and the needles are kept in the lowered position, so that it is possible to eliminate the stitch-resetting operation sequence.

On the one hand, once the operating sequence without any stitch has been reset, the stitches are made with the textile yarn fed by the yarn feed system by raising and then lowering the needles to restore the direction of rotation of the needle-holding cylinder and the circular sinker holder to the original direction, in cooperation with the knockover sinkers, until the group of needles, the group of knockover sinkers and the group of transfer sinkers are moved back again upstream of the respective selector with respect to the first direction of rotation.

In one aspect, once the set of needles, the set of knockover sinkers and the set of transfer sinkers are moved back upstream of the respective selector, the method comprises:

-keeping the selector in the inactive condition;

-keeping each transfer sinker of a set of transfer sinkers in a rear position, rotating the needle-holding cylinder and the circular sinker holder around the central axis and in a first direction of rotation.

-raising and then lowering the needles to make the stitches in cooperation with the textile yarn fed by the yarn feeding system and with the knockover sinkers, while the needle-holding cylinder and the circular sinker holder rotate in a first direction of rotation until passing through the yarn feeding system;

-reversing the direction of rotation of the needle-holding cylinder and the circular sinker holder, by raising and then lowering the needles so as to make stitches in cooperation with the knockover sinkers associated with the textile yarn fed by said yarn feeding system, the needle-holding cylinder and the circular sinker holder being rotated in the second direction of rotation until the set of needles, the set of knockover sinkers and the set of transfer sinkers are again moved back upstream of the respective selector with respect to the first direction of rotation.

In one aspect, the knitting machine includes at least one guide ring operatively associated with the circular sinker holder, wherein the circular sinker holder is rotatable relative to the guide ring and about a central axis.

In one aspect, each knockover sinker has a heel that engages a first guide in the guide ring and rotates about the central axis. Wherein the first guide is configured for radially moving the knockover sinker along the corresponding radial groove when the circular sinker holder rotates around the central axis with respect to the guide ring.

In one aspect, each transfer sinker has a butt which engages or can engage with a second guide in the guide ring and rotates about the central axis, wherein the second guide sets a plurality of trajectories for the transfer sinker. Wherein the second guiding means are configured to radially move the transfer sinkers when the circular sinker holder rotates relative to the guide ring and around the central axis.

In one aspect, the machine includes a selector jack in operative communication with each transfer sinker, wherein the selector jack is movable, e.g., wobbled. In a radial plane between a rest position and an operating position in which the selector jack acts directly or indirectly on the transfer sinker, so as to deviate the butt of the transfer sinker from the trajectory of the second guide.

In one aspect, each knock-off sinker has a loop piece nose configured to cooperate with the needles to produce a loop stitch.

In one aspect, the machine includes a selector in operative communication with each knockover sinker, wherein the selector is movable, e.g., oscillating. In a radial plane between a rest position and a working position in which the selector jack acts directly or indirectly on the knockover sinkers so as to follow the trajectory of the first guide.

On the one hand, the selector laterally faces a circular sinker holder relative to the fixed guide ring, which can act under control on the selector jack and is configured to allow the selector jack to be switched from the rest position to the operating position.

In one aspect, the machine comprises a plurality of pushers, each associated with a selector and a transfer sinker or a knockover sinker.

On the one hand, in the working position, the selector butts against the pushers, which are configured to butt against transfer sinkers or knockover sinkers.

In one aspect, the guide ring includes a third guide member extending about the central axis and defining a plurality of tracks.

In one aspect, each pusher has a heel which can engage with the third guide or can engage with it.

In one aspect, the guide ring includes a circular track extending about a central axis.

In one aspect, the base of each selector jack, for example each selector jack, is slidingly engaged in a circular track so as to rotate together with said at least one transfer sinker or knockover sinker.

Further features and advantages will become more apparent from the detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the method for manufacturing a mesh knitted fabric and a preferred embodiment of a circular knitting machine for manufacturing a mesh knitted fabric according to the invention.

Drawings

The present description is described below for illustrative and therefore non-limiting purposes, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: :

figure 1 shows a portion of a circular knitting machine according to the invention, in which some parts have been omitted in order to better show the other parts;

figure 2 shows an exploded view of an assembly of a plurality of elements belonging to the machine of figure 1;

figure 3 shows the assembly of figure 2, with a plurality of elements coupled to one another;

figure 4 shows an exploded view of a different assembly of elements belonging to the machine of figure 1;

figure 5 shows the assembly of figure 4, with a plurality of elements coupled to one another;

figure 6 shows a schematic plan view of the portion of the machine comprising the guide ring of the previous figures;

figures 7A to 30A schematically show plan views of the knitting machine of the previous figures, in which the respective operating steps are indicated in a schematic way;

fig. 7B to 30B show a particular part of the knitting machine of the preceding figures in an operating step corresponding to fig. 7A to 30A.

Detailed Description

With reference to the above figures, the reference numeral 1 designates as a whole a part of a knitting head of a circular knitting machine according to the invention. The circular knitting machine shown is a machine (intarsia machine or diamond machine) configured for making fabrics with intarsia patterns. The circular knitting machine comprises a frame, not shown since it is of known type, which constitutes the supporting structure of the machine and on which the head 1 is mounted.

The knitting head 1 is equipped with a needle-holding needle cylinder 2 with a plurality of needles 3 mounted on the needle-holding needle cylinder 2 and also with a control device, not shown, apt to selectively actuate said plurality of needles 3 in order to ensure the production of the fabric. The needle-holding cylinder 2 is usually mounted in a vertical position to the frame so that the plurality of needles 3 are arranged vertically and project beyond the upper edge of the needle-holding cylinder 2. The needles 3 have a needle head 3A, the needle head 3A being arranged around a central axis "X-X", defining a circular bed.

As is known, the needle-holding cylinder 2 has a plurality of longitudinal grooves provided on the radially outer surface of the needle-holding cylinder 2. Said longitudinal grooves are arranged around a central axis "X-X" (vertical) of the needle-holding needle cylinder 2 and extend parallel to said central axis "X-X". Each longitudinal groove houses a respective needle 3 and a respective drive chain comprising a plurality of flat parts. Actuation cams are arranged around the housing of the needle-holding cylinder 2 and face the radially outer surface of said cylinder 2 and thus the longitudinal grooves and the drive chain. These drive cams are defined, for example, by plates and/or grooves arranged on the inner surface of the housing.

In one embodiment, said housing such as the drive cam is substantially stationary, while the needle-holding cylinder 2 is rotated (continuously or alternatively in both directions) about the central axis "X-X" by means of a suitable motor, so as to generate a relative rotational movement between the drive chain and the drive cam and to transform the rotational movement of the needle-holding cylinder 2 into an axial movement of the plurality of needles 3, so as to produce the knitted fabric by means of said needles 3.

The machine also comprises a circular sinker seat 4 arranged around the needle-holding cylinder 2 and having a plurality of radial grooves 5 and auxiliary radial grooves 6, said radial grooves 5 and auxiliary radial grooves 6 opening at the radially inner edge of the circular sinker seat 4, i.e. towards the central axis "X-X". The radial grooves 5 and the auxiliary radial grooves 6 are arranged alternately in the circumferential direction of the circular sinker seat 4, i.e. two auxiliary radial grooves 6 are by each radial groove 5 and two radial grooves 5 are by each auxiliary radial groove 6. The circular sinker seat 4 is moved in rotation about the central axis "X-X" together with the needle-holding cylinder 2, for example by the same motor.

A suitable device (not shown) feeds the knitting yarn at one or more feed points (called feed system) usually arranged above the needle-holding needle cylinder 2. The illustrated circular intarsia knitting machine comprises four-way yarn feeding systems, each configured for working together with a respective group of needles 3 on an arc of reciprocating rotary motion (for example a 90 ° arc) about a central axis "X-X". The four-way feed system cooperates by rotating in both directions to form a knitted course.

Each feed system has a mouth 7 (which can be seen in schematic form in figures 7A-30A) constituted, for example, by an eyelet through which the yarn passes in order to be directed towards the needles 3 on the needle cylinder. Each yarn feeder 7 is movable between a working position and a rest position. In the working position, the mouth 7 is located radially outside the cylinder for the needles 3, so as to allow the needles 3A of the needles 3 to catch the textile yarn (fig. 7A-24A). In the rest position, the mouth 7 is located radially outside the cylinder of the needles 3 and is raised from the cylinder of the needles 3 to prevent the head 3A of the needles 3 from hooking the textile yarn (fig. 25A-29A).

Each radial groove 5 houses a first assembly consisting of a plurality of metal flat parts which can slide radially in the respective radial groove 5 and can slide with respect to each other. The first assembly, as better shown in fig. 2 and 3, comprises a knockover sinker 8, a right knockover sinker 9, a left knockover sinker 10, two pushers 11 (one of which is associated with the right knockover sinker 9 and the other with the left knockover sinker 10), and a selector jack 12 for each of the pushers 11.

The knockover sinker 8 comprises a body in the shape of a horizontal flat strip oriented with the radial grooves 5, i.e. in the radial direction, and a vertical flat upright formed from the horizontal flat strip. When the first assembly is properly mounted on the machine, a jaw 13, having a shape known per se, is arranged at the upper end of the vertical flat upright and directed towards the central axis "X-X". The knockover sinker 8 further comprises a flat butt 14, said flat butt 14 extending vertically upwards from the horizontal flat bar and being distanced from the radially outer end (with respect to the central axis "X-X") of the horizontal flat bar. The knockover sinkers 8 are made of a single flat metal part (e.g. a cutting part). The jaws 13 of the knockover sinkers 8 are configured to cooperate with the needles 3 for making plain knitted fabric.

The right transfer sinker 9 comprises a main body in the shape of a horizontal flat bar and a vertical flat upright formed from the horizontal flat bar. At the upper end of the flat upright portion, a tab nose 15 is provided. When the first assembly is properly mounted on the machine, the tab nose 15 extends like an arm towards the central axis "X-X" and is offset to one side with respect to the lying plane of the corresponding body. The right transfer sinker 9 further comprises a flat butt 16 extending vertically upwards from the horizontal flat bar, and the right transfer sinker 9 is placed at the radially outer end (with respect to the central axis "X-X") of the horizontal flat bar. The right transfer sinker 9 is made of a single flat metal piece (e.g. cut, stamped and/or bent part).

The left transfer sinker 10 comprises the same elements as the right transfer sinker and is identical or corresponding in structure to the right transfer sinker 9, except that the corresponding lug 15 is offset towards the opposite side with respect to its body. The right and

left transfer sinkers

9, 10 thus have respective lug noses 15 which are laterally displaced in opposite directions relative to their bodies and have the knockover sinker 8 located therebetween.

When the first assembly is properly mounted in the respective radial groove 5, the right and

left transfer sinkers

9, 10 are arranged on opposite sides of the respective knockover sinker 8 (fig. 3). The right transfer sinker 9 and the left transfer sinker 10 show respective lugs 15, said lugs 15 being directed to one of the opposite sides of the knockover sinker 8 and being located above the jaws 13 of the corresponding knockover sinker 8. Furthermore, the heel 14 of the knockover sinker 7 is located radially between the heel 16 and the lug 15 of the

respective transfer sinker

9, 10. The two tabs 15 are configured for loading and extending an expansion coil (interpitch) and are arranged on a single needle 3 or on two adjacent needles 3 on opposite sides of the respective knockover sinker 8 and form a mesh. In a variant embodiment, a single lug can be constructed to load and extend the corresponding expansion coil and arrange it on a single needle 3 or on two adjacent needles 3.

The two pushers 11 of the first assembly are identical to each other. Each push tab 11 comprises a horizontal flat bar and a flat heel 17, said heel 17 being located at the radially outer end of the horizontal flat bar with respect to the central axis "X-X" and extending vertically upwards. The pusher 11 also has an abutment surface facing the central axis "X-" X and configured to abut against the

respective transfer sinker

9, 10. The abutment surface of the pusher 11 is located in the vicinity of the heel 17 of said pusher 11, i.e. adjacent to said radially outer end of the horizontal flat bar. The push plate 11 is also made of a single flat metal part, such as a cutting piece. When the first assembly is properly mounted to the respective radial groove 5 (fig. 3), the horizontal flat bar of each pusher 11 is in contact with and below the flat bar of the

respective transfer sinker

9, 10, and the abutment surface faces the radially outer end of the

respective transfer sinker

9, 10. The knockover/terry sinker 8 is located between the right transfer sinker 9 and the

left transfer sinkers

9, 10.

Each of the two selector jacks 12 is a metallic, substantially flat element which extends mainly vertically when it is properly mounted in the knitting machine. The selector jack 12 has a base 18, which base 18 has a rounded profile and is configured to oscillate about an axis tangential to a horizontal circumference, the center of which lies on the central axis "X-X". The selector jack 12 lies in a radial plane and oscillates in this radial plane. The selector jack 12 also has, at a distance from the base 18, a butt 19, which is directed towards the central axis "X-X" and is configured to act indirectly on the

respective transfer sinker

9, 10 through the respective pusher 11. The selector jack 12 also has teeth 20 located on the edge of the flat element radially opposite the butt 19 and directed radially outwards, i.e. on the opposite side with respect to the central axis "X-X". Said heel 19 has a protruding portion structured and dimensioned for abutting against a radially outer end of the horizontal flat bar of the pusher 11 of the first assembly.

Each selector jack 12 oscillates (oscillating) in a radial plane between a rest position and a working position. In the rest position, the butt 19 of the selector jack 12 is in a radially outer position and it is not in contact with the corresponding pusher 11. In the active position, the selector jack 12 rotates about the central axis "X-X", the butt 19 of the selector jack 12 being in a radially inner position and configured to abut and push against the corresponding pusher 11 towards the central axis "X-X". The pusher piece 11 is configured to sequentially push the

transfer sinkers

9, 10. The switching of the selector 12 from the rest position to the working position is caused by the selector 21 (fig. 6, 7A-30A and 7B-30B), which selector 21 acts on the teeth 20 of the selector 12, and the structure will be described in more detail below. In the example embodiment there are four selector jacks 21 (fig. 6) which are stationary with respect to the housing and are arranged at the same angle (for example 90 ° with respect to each other) around the circular sinker holder 4. In particular, each selector 21 is located at a yarn feeding system.

Also, the knockover sinkers 8 are pushed by the corresponding pushers 11 'and by the corresponding selector jacks 12', which are similar to the pushers 11 and the selector jacks 12 as a whole. Accordingly, reference may be made to the same elements with the same numerals having an apostrophe added thereto. The selector jack 12 'has a base 18' and a butt 19 'at a distance from the base 18', said butt 19 'being directed towards said central axis "X-X" and being configured to act indirectly on the respective knockover sinker 8 through the respective pusher 11'. The selector jack 12' also has a tooth 20' located at the edge of the flat element radially opposite the butt 19 ' and directed radially outwards, i.e. on the opposite side with respect to the central axis "X-X". The heel 19 'has a projecting portion configured for abutting against a radially outer end of the horizontal flat bar of the push plate 11'. Each pusher 11 'also has a respective heel 20' and a respective abutment surface configured for abutment against the respective knockover sinker 8. The knock-out sinker 8 also has a loop nose (spring)22 for cooperating with the needle 3 to make a loop stitch. It can be observed that the position of the teeth 20 'of the selector jack 12' differs from the position of one tooth 20 of both selector jacks 12, so that the selector 21 can activate either the (catch) teeth 20 'or the teeth 20', depending on whether the first assembly should form holes or terry stitches in the fabric.

Each auxiliary radial groove 6 houses a second assembly also consisting of a plurality of metal flat parts which can slide radially in the respective auxiliary radial groove 6 and also slide with respect to each other. This second assembly, as better shown in fig. 4 and 5, comprises a single knockover sinker 8, a corresponding pusher 11 'and a corresponding selector jack 12', which are identical or substantially identical to the knockover sinkers, pushers and selector jacks described above and therefore they will not be described again here, and the same reference numerals have been used in fig. 4 and 5 for them or for some of them as in fig. 2 and 3. The selector 21 can also interact with the second assembly in the same way as described above for the knockover sinkers 8 of the first assembly.

The knockover sinker 8 with the right transfer sinker 9 and the left transfer sinker 10 is replaced by a single knockover sinker 8, i.e. without the right transfer sinker 9 and the left transfer sinker 10.

A guide ring 23 (see fig. 6) made of one or more parts is operatively associated with the circular sinker seat 4. The guide ring 23 is coaxial with the central axis "X-X" and stationary like a housing, i.e. the circular sinker seat 4 can rotate around the central axis "X-X" relative to the guide ring 23. The selector 21 is stationary with respect to the guide ring 23 and faces transversely the circular sinker holder 4 and the circular needle cylinder, and the selector 21 can act on command indirectly with the

transfer sinkers

9, 10 and the knockover sinker 8. The needle-holding cylinder 2 and the circular sinker jack 4 can rotate about a central axis "X-X" with respect to the yarn feeding system and with respect to the selector 21.

In the illustrated embodiment, the guide ring 23 is located above and below the circular sinker seat 4 (fig. 7B-30B), and the guide ring 23 has a plurality of guides extending around the central axis "X-X" and configured to engage with the metal parts of the first and second assemblies described above. These guides are kept at a distance from the grooves by, for example, a triangle.

The butt 14 of the knockover sinker 8 of each first assembly and the butt 14 of the knockover sinker 8 of each second assembly are fitted into the first guide 24 on the guide ring 23. Said first guide 24 is configured for radially moving the knockover sinkers 8 along the respective radial groove 5 and the respective auxiliary radial groove 6, when the circular sinker holder 4 rotates with respect to the guide ring 23 and about the central axis "X-X".

With reference to fig. 6, the first guide 24 has some width radially corresponding substantially to the size of the heel 14 of the knockover sinker 8, these portions alternating with other wider portions. The larger (wider) portion is intended for use by the heel 14 with respect to the central axis "X-X", defined along a respective radially outer path and a respective radially inner path. As a result, the first guide 24 defines a first track 25 and a second track 26, the first track 25 defining the radially outer path of the wider portion and the second track 26 defining the radially inner path of the wider portion. Two paths in the wider portion are located upstream and downstream of each yarn feeding system and each selector 21.

The butts 16 of the right and

left transfer sinkers

9, 10 of each first assembly engage into the second guide 27 on the guide ring 23. The second guide 27 is located in a radially outer position with respect to the first guide 24, i.e. the second guide 27 surrounds the first guide 24. The second guide 27 comprises a plurality of paths defining a substantially circular radially outer track 28, a substantially circular radially inner track 29, and a plurality of transitions 30 (fig. 6) between the radially outer track 28 and the radially inner track 29.

The butts 17, 17 'of the pushers 11, 11' engage into the third guide 31 on the guide ring 23. The third guide 31 also extends around the central axis "X-X" and defines a plurality of tracks. In particular, said third guide 31 defines a radially outer trajectory 32 and a plurality of radially inner trajectories 33 arranged one after the other around the central axis "X-X". The radially outer track 32 of the third guide 31 is located radially further outward with respect to the second guide 27, i.e. the radially outer track 32 surrounds the second guide 27. Each of the radially inner tracks 33 is arcuate and has both ends connected to the radially outer track 32 of the third guide member 31. Each radially inner track 33 is separated from the radially outer track 32 of the third guide member 31 to be close to the central axis "X-X", and then separated from the central axis "X-X", and is again connected to the radially outer track 32 of the third guide member 31. Said radially inner tracks 33 overlap the second guide 27, i.e. they define a part of the transition portion 30 of the second guide 27. In the embodiment shown there are 8 radially inner tracks 33. The radially inner path 33 is located upstream and downstream of each four-way yarn feeding system and each selector 21.

The bases 18, 18 'of all the selector jacks 12, 12' are housed in a circular track 34 extending around the central axis "X-X" so as to slide thereon. The circular track 34 is arranged outside the guide ring 23 and delimits the outermost part of the track 32 radially outside the third guide 31, i.e. the guide ring 23 surrounds the third guide.

Each selector 21 is of the known magnet or piezoelectric type and comprises a plurality of blades (levels)35, said blades 35 being arranged one above the other and being able to move together between a first position (for example a high position) and a second position (for example a low position). In the first position, the blade is at a distance from the teeth 20, 20 'of the selector jack 12, 12' so that the selector jack 12, 12 'does not activate the teeth 20, 20' in its rest position. In particular, in the first position, the teeth 20, 20' are located between the plurality of blades 35. In said second position, the blade 35 is activated with the teeth 20 of the selector 12 in conjunction with the

transfer sinkers

9, 10 and/or with the teeth 20' of the selector 12' in conjunction with the knockover sinker 8, the blade 35 moving in front of the selector 21 when the circular sinker jack 4 rotates about the central axis "X-X" with respect to the guide ring 23, moving the selector 12, 12' from the rest position to the working position.

As shown in fig. 6 and fig. 7A-30A, the guide ring 23 comprises four movable transmission cams 36 and four fixed auxiliary transmission cams 37, which are configured to act on and deflect the butts 16 of the

transfer sinkers

9, 10.

An electronic control unit, not shown, is operatively connected to the motor or motors that cause the rotation of the needle-holding needle cylinder 2 and of the circular sinker jack 4, and in turn to the selector 21 and to other drive units, as well as to other components of the knitting machine. Which is constructed/programmed for commanding the motor or motors and the selector 21 and the other drive units, and other components of the knitting machine. In particular, the electronic control unit is configured/programmed to selectively oscillate the blade 35 of the selector 21 in order to move the selector jack 12, 12' in particular from the rest position to the working position.

When making the other meshes described below, each feed system with its mouth 7 is configured to act with a corresponding group of needles 3 over an arc, with a

corresponding transfer sinker

9, 10 and knockover sinker 8, and with a selector 21, said selector 21 being laterally offset (by a circumferential distance), for example by 90 ° with respect to said feed system. The movable transfer cam 36 and the fixed auxiliary transfer cam 37 work together with the respective yarn feeding systems and with the respective selector 21.

For the sake of simplicity, fig. 7A-30A show a yarn feeding system (yarn mouth 7), a selector 21 acting with the yarn feeding system and offset by 90 ° with respect to the yarn feeding system, a movable transfer cam 36 and a fixed auxiliary transfer cam 37 cooperating with the yarn feeding system and the selector 21. Fig. 7A-30A further show the set of needles 3, the knockover sinkers 8, the

transfer sinkers

9, 10, which interact with the feed system (yarn mouth 7) and the selector 21, and the

transfer cams

36, 37. The set of needles 3, the knockover sinkers 8 and the

transfer sinkers

9, 10 extends over approximately 45 °. On command, the selector 21 can indirectly trigger the

transfer sinkers

9, 10 and each knockover sinker 8 of the set.

In use of the invention and according to the invention, to form a portion of a plain knitting course (fig. 7A-15A and 7B-15B), the set of needles 3, the respective sets of knockover sinkers 8 (of the first and second assemblies as described above) and the sets of knockover sinkers 9, 10 (of the first assembly as described above) are upstream of the respective selectors 21 with respect to a first counterclockwise direction of rotation (fig. 7A and 7B). The needle 3 is in the lower position (fig. 7B) and the

transfer sinkers

9, 10 and the knockover sinker 8 are in the rear position.

The needle-holding cylinder 2 and the circular sinker jack 4 start to rotate in a first anticlockwise direction without oscillation of the selector 21, so that the selector jacks 12, 12' of the

transfer sinkers

9, 10 and of the knockover sinkers 8 are not contacted by the blade 35 and remain in their rest positions. The butts 17, 17 'of the pushers 11, 11' follow a radially outer trajectory 32 of the third guide 31. The butt 16 of the right and

left transfer sinkers

9, 10 of each first assembly follows a radially outer trajectory 28 of the second guide 27 and, consequently, the lug noses 15 of the

respective transfer sinkers

9, 10 are maintained in a position radially distanced from the central axis "X-X, i.e. in a rearward position or rest position in which they do not interact with the thread forming the stitch.

The heel 14 of the knockover sinker 8 follows a portion of the second trajectory 26 and a portion of the first trajectory 25 of the first guide 24, causing a radial movement of said knockover/terry sinker 8. The knockover sinkers 8 travel backwards or forwards along the respective radial direction, while the needles 3 are lifted and then lowered, so as to form the loops of the textile yarn fed by the yarn feeding system, while the needle-holding cylinder 2 and the circular sinker jack 4 rotate in a first direction of rotation until they pass through said yarn feeding system (figures 8A, 8B, 9A, 9B, 10A, 10B).

The needle-holding cylinder 2 and the circular sinker holder 4 rotate in a first counterclockwise direction of rotation by an angle of about 180 ° and form a stitch until the position of fig. 10A is reached, after which the needle-holding cylinder 2 and the circular sinker holder 4 start the opposite direction of rotation. The needle-holding cylinder 2 and the circular sinker jack 4 are therefore rotated about the central axis "X-X" in a second clockwise direction of rotation, simultaneously lifting the needles 3 and subsequently lowering the needles 3 in order to form a stitch in cooperation with the knockover sinker 8 by the textile yarn fed by the yarn feed system (fig. 11A-14A and 11B-14B), until the group of needles 3, the group of knockover sinkers 8 and the group of

transfer sinkers

9, 10 are again rotated upstream of the selector 21 with respect to the first counterclockwise direction of rotation (fig. 15A and 15B).

Currently, the direction of rotation of the needle-holding cylinder 2 and the circular sinker holder 4 is changed again (fig. 16A and 16B). To form a part of the knitting course of the mesh, the control unit commands the selector 21 (controlled by software) to move the blades 35 of the first group from the first position to the second position and vice versa, so as to activate only the selector 12 of the

transfer sinkers

9, 10 moving in front of said selector 21. The

transfer sinkers

9, 10 are triggered by the selector 12 and moved to the working position, in which the selector 2' of all the knockover sinkers 8 are not triggered and remain in their rest position. All or part of the

transfer sinkers

9, 10 of the group are thus selected by the selector 21.

So as to activate only the selector jack 12 of the

transfer sinkers

9, 10 moving in front of said selector 21. The

transfer sinkers

9, 10, which are activated by the selected sinker 12, are moved to the working position, while the selector jacks 12' of all the knockover sinkers 8 are not activated and remain inside them. A rest position. Thus, all or part of the

transfer sinkers

9, 10 in the set are selected by the selector 21.

For the sake of simplicity, with reference to the pair of selector jacks 12 of the first assembly, said selector jacks 12 push the two pushers 11 respectively towards the central axis "X-X" so as to deviate the butts 17 of the pushers 11 in a radially internal trajectory 33 of the third guide 31, the radially internal trajectory 33 being located downstream of the selector 21 and consequently pushing in sequence the first and

second transfer sinkers

9, 10. The butt 16 of the first and

second transfer sinkers

9, 10 travels along one of the transitions 30 of the second guide 27 and enters the radially inner trajectory 29 of the second guide 27 and rotates according to it according to a preset angle of rotation described in the anticlockwise direction by the circular sinker jack 4 and the needle-holding needle cylinder 2. During this travel, the first and

second transfer sinkers

9, 10 move radially towards the central axis "X-X" and towards the respective forward position, while the needle 3 remains in the low position (fig. 17A, 17B). Therefore, the pusher 11 passes through the radially inner path 33 of the third guide 31, returns to the radially outer path 32 of the third guide 31, and pushes the selector 11 back to the rest position.

At the same time, the needles 3 are operatively associated, or associated with pairs of

transfer sinkers

9 and 10, with two needles 3 raised and then lowered, if necessary together with other needles 3 to be operated on a given feed system without extending the expansion loops, while the needle-holding cylinder 2 and the circular sinker jack 4 rotate in said first direction of rotation and pass over the feed system to load the textile yarn fed by said feed system, forming elongated expansion loops, onto the noses 15 of the selected transfer sinkers 9, 10 (fig. 18A, 18B, 19A, 19B, 20A, 20B). In other words, when a pair of

transfer sinkers

9 and 10 of said first assembly reaches the yarn feeding system, a knitted loop is formed with extended expansion loops (which will form a mesh) which are loaded onto the respective lug 15 instead of onto the jaw 13 of the respective knockover sinker 8. During this movement, the movable transfer cam 36 remains in the rest position and does not interact with the butts 16 of the

transfer sinkers

9, 10.

The anticlockwise rotation continues until the knockover sinker 8 and transfer

sinkers

9, 10, the group of needles 3 passes the movable transfer triangle 36 (fig. 21A and 21B).

Now, the movable transmission cam 36 is moved to the active position and the counterclockwise direction (first rotation direction) of the needle-holding cylinder 2 and the circular sinker holder 4 is stopped and starts to reverse (fig. 22A and 22B).

In the subsequent clockwise rotation (second direction of rotation) of the circular sinker holder 4 and the needle-holding cylinder 2 (fig. 23A-26A and 23B-26B), the selected

transfer sinker

9, 10 is moved away from the central axis "X-X" again. In particular, during the anticlockwise rotation, the heels 16 of the first and

second transfer sinkers

9, 10 first follow a portion of the radially internal trajectory 29 of the second guide 27, while keeping the needle in the inactive position, and then are deflected by the movable transfer cam 36, in the active position, and on the transition portion 30, which transition portion 30 corresponds to an intermediate position between the backward and forward positions of the

transfer sinkers

9, 10. At the same time, the needle 3 is raised to the withdrawal position so that the lug 15 of the selected

transfer sinker

9, 10 is located beside the head 3A of the needle 3, and the beak 7 is moved to the respective rest position (fig. 25A and 25B).

The butts 16 of the first and

second transfer sinkers

9, 10 are now deflected by the fixed auxiliary transfer cams 37 on the radially outer trajectory 28 of the second guide 27 and move the selected

transfer sinker

9, 10 into the rear position in order to drop the expanded stitch on the lug 15 into the head 3A of the needle 3 (fig. 26A and 26B). Continuing the clockwise rotation while the needles 3 are low, the group of needles 3,

transfer sinkers

9, 10 and knockover sinkers 8 passes through the yarn feed system, without the needles 3 catching the textile yarn, because the mouth 7 is in the rest position. The needle-holding needle cylinder 2 and the circular sinker jack 4 rotate in the second direction of rotation until the group of needles 3, the knockover needle sinker group 8 and the group of

transfer sinkers

9, 10 move upstream of the corresponding selector 21, lowering the needles 3 and transferring the

sinkers

9 and 10 in the rear position (fig. 27A and 27B). At the above clockwise rotation, the needle 3 does not form any loop, but helps to hook and detach the expanded loop of the tab nose 15 into the tip 3A of the needle 3, thereby making a mesh.

Once the group of needles 3, the group of knockover sinkers 8 and the group of

transfer sinkers

9, 10 have moved to the respective rear, above the selector 21, the rotation will stop and reverse again. The selector 21 is kept in the inactive position, the needle-holding cylinder 2 and the circular sinker holder 4 are rotated by about 180 degrees in the first counterclockwise direction of rotation (fig. 28A-30A and 28B-30B), the

transfer sinkers

9, 10 are kept in the backward position, the needles 3 are lowered to the inactive position, the nozzle 7 is placed in the rest position, to reset the operating sequence without making any stitches. Now, after moving the yarn feeder 7 back to the working position, the above-mentioned working mode can be resumed, as shown in fig. 10A, 10B.

In a variant of the method according to the invention, during the clockwise rotation (second direction of rotation) of the circular sinker holder 4 and of the needle-holding cylinder 2 as described above and shown in fig. 23A-26A and 23B-26B, the mouth 7 is not moved to the rest position and the needles 3 pick up another yarn in order to make a stitch in cooperation with the knockover sinker 8. Thus, in this variant, in addition to contributing to the increase in mesh, the needles 3 will also form loops. As a result, the sequence of operations need not be reset without making any coils, i.e., following the sequence of fig. 28A-30A and 28B-30B, but can be restored directly from the fig. 10A, 10B.

In a further embodiment, which is not shown in the drawing, double expansion loops are formed on the lug noses 15 of the right and

left transfer sinkers

9, 10.

In one embodiment, double widening stitches are formed by cooperating the needles 3 and the

transfer sinkers

9, 10 with a first yarn feeding system and a second yarn feeding system located downstream of the first yarn feeding system. When the needle-holding cylinder 2 and the circular sinker jack 4 rotate in a first direction of rotation, the textile yarn is loaded onto the lug 15 of the selected

transfer sinker

9, 10, first on the first feed system and second on the second feed system. Thus, in this step, the needle-holding cylinder 2 and the circular sinker seat 4 rotate at an angle greater than 180 °, for example higher than 270 °. Then, the needle-holding cylinder 2 and the circular sinker seat 4 rotate in opposite directions and, when they rotate in the second direction of rotation, the two elongated expanded stitches are dropped in the head 3A of the needle 3 at the second system of feed (i.e. the first system of feed they encounter after the opposite rotation).

In a different embodiment, double widening stitches are made by cooperating the needles 3 and the

transfer sinkers

9, 10 with a single feed system. The textile yarn is loaded onto the

transfer sinkers

9, 10 on the single-feed system, while the needle-holding needle cylinder 2 and the circular sinker holder 4 rotate in a first direction of rotation and are then loaded again onto the

same transfer sinkers

9, 10 on the same feed system, while the needle-holding needle cylinder 2 and the circular sinker holder 4 rotate in a second direction of rotation. The needle-holding cylinder 2 and the circular sinker jack 4 again reverse direction, while they are still rotating in the first direction of rotation, the two elongated expansion loops are dropped into the heads 3A of the needles 3 of the single-feed system.

In order to make the terry stitch into a fabric, the control unit commands the selector 21, by means of the loop noses 22 of the knockover sinkers 8 of the first and second assemblies, to move the second set of blades 35 from the first position to the second position and then according to the programmed angle of the needle-holding cylinder 2 and the circular sinker jack 4 and vice versa. Thereby triggering the specific selector jack 12' of the knockover sinker 8. The selector jacks of the

transfer sinkers

9, 10 are not triggered but remain in their rest position.

For the sake of simplicity, the single selector jacks 12' of the knockover sinkers 8 are supplemented, said selector jacks 12' pushing the respective pusher 11' towards the central axis "X-X", so that the butt 17' of the pusher 11', immediately after passing through the selector 21, deviates downwards from the radially internal trajectory 33 of the third guide 31 and then pushes the corresponding knockover sinker 8 in its radial direction.

A radial pushing force is exerted when the knockover sinker 8 is in one of the widest parts of the first guide 24 and moves the knockover sinker 8 from the first trajectory 25 to the second trajectory 26 of the first guide 24, i.e. the triangular radial pushing-in knockover sinker 8 of the first guide 24 when it is desired to form a plain stitch, as described above. The loop noses 22 of the knockover sinkers 8 thus cooperate with a pair of needles 3 (in a known manner, which is not described further here) to form a loop stitch. This mode of operation can be achieved when the circular sinker seat 4 is rotated in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.

The invention has important advantages both from a structural and functional point of view.

In fact, with the method according to the invention, it is possible to easily work the required selector and/or auxiliary selector so as to produce complex plain, mesh and/or terry cloth knitted fabrics, with the most different functions of the fabric on the same machine and with great flexibility and speed.

The machine according to the invention allows to make mesh and/or terry stitches and other types of patterns at high speed, thus significantly reducing the manufacturing time of complex tubular knitted fabrics.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a mesh knitted fabric in a circular knitting machine,

wherein the circular knitting machine comprises:

a needle-holding needle cylinder (2) and a circular sinker seat (4) having a common central axis (X-X);

a plurality of needles (3) mounted on a needle-holding needle cylinder (2) movable in the longitudinal direction thereof and having a needle head (3A) arranged around a central axis (X-X), defining a circular needle bed;

a plurality of knockover sinkers (8) mounted on a circular sinker seat (4) and movable in a radial direction with respect to said central axis (X-X) and having jaws (13) configured for cooperating with the needles (3) to produce a knitted fabric;

a plurality of transfer sinkers (9, 10) mounted on the circular sinker seat (4) and located beside the knockover sinkers (8), able to move in a radial direction with respect to said central axis (X-X) and having lugs (15) configured to cooperate with the needles (3) to make a mesh knitted fabric;

at least one yarn feeding system associated with the corresponding group of needles (3), the corresponding knockover sinkers (8) and the corresponding transfer sinkers (9, 10) to feed at least one textile yarn to the circular needle bed;

wherein the needle-holding needle cylinder (2) and the circular sinker seat (4) can rotate around a central axis (X-X) relative to the yarn feeding system;

wherein, the method comprises the following steps:

i. -rotating the needle-holding needle cylinder (2) and the circular sinker holder (4) around a central axis (X-X), radially driving selected ones (9, 10) of said transfer sinkers (9, 10) towards the central axis (X-X) and towards respective advanced positions; raising and then lowering selected portions of the group of needles (3) forward to some needles (3) next to the transfer sinkers (9, 10), while the needle-holding cylinder (2) and the circular sinker jack (4) rotate and move through said at least one feed system, the textile yarn fed by said feed system being loaded onto the noses (15) of the selected transfer sinkers (9, 10), thereby producing elongated expansion loops;

-rotating the needle-holding cylinder (2) and the circular sinker holder (4) around the central axis (X-X) to radially actuate the selected transfer sinkers (9, 10) radially towards the respective rear positions and away from the central axis (X-X); raising the needle (3) at least to the withdrawal and/or knockover position, so as to strip the expanded stitch from the lug (15) into the head (3A) of the needle (3) and continue its rotation until the at least one yarn feed system is turned, then lowering the needle (3) with the selected transfer sinkers (9, 10) in respective rear positions;

wherein step i is performed while the needle-holding cylinder (2) and the circular sinker seat (4) are rotating in at least a first direction of rotation, and step ii is performed while the needle-holding cylinder (2) and the circular sinker seat (4) are rotating in a second direction of rotation opposite to the first direction of rotation; or wherein step i is performed when the needle-holding needle cylinder (2) and the circular sinker seat (4) rotate in a first direction of rotation and then in a second direction of rotation opposite to the first direction of rotation, and step ii is performed when the needle-holding needle cylinder (2) and the circular sinker seat (4) rotate in the first direction of rotation.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the selected transfer sinker (9, 10) is selected by means of a selector (21) facing transversely to the circular needle bed, which can act under control, acting directly or indirectly on each transfer sinker (9, 10) of the respective set of transfer sinkers (9, 10), respectively; wherein the at least one yarn feeding system is circumferentially spaced from the corresponding selector (21); wherein the needle holding needle cylinder (2) and the circular sinker holder (4) are rotatable around a central axis (X-X) with respect to the selector (21).

3. The method of claim 2, comprising, prior to step i:

-moving the set of needles (3), the set of knockover sinkers (8) and the set of transfer sinkers (9, 10) upstream with respect to the first direction of rotation of the respective selector (21), with the transfer sinkers (9, 10) in a rear position, with respect to the first direction of rotation;

starting the needle selector (21);

-rotating the needle-holding cylinder (2) and the circular sinker hub (4) around the central axis (X-X) and in said first direction of rotation, so that at least some of the transfer sinkers (9, 10) of the set of transfer sinkers (9, 10) are selected and moved radially towards the central axis (X-X) and the respective forward position.

4. A method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein in step ii, the needles (3) do not pick up textile yarns from the yarn feeding system or, in cooperation with a knockover sinker (8), pick up another yarn to form loops, before continuing rotation until the at least one pass of the yarn feeding system.

5. The method of claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein step ii comprises:

-moving the selected transfer sinkers (9, 10) radially to an intermediate position, away from the intermediate axis (X-X), by keeping the needles (3) in the inactive position and/or below the withdrawal position;

raising the needle (3) to a withdrawal position so that the nose (15) of the selected transfer sinker (9, 10) is located beside the head (3A) of the needle (3);

further moving the selected transfer sinkers (9, 10) as radially as possible away from the central axis (X-X) to a rearward position for disengaging the expanded loop from the lug (15) into the head (3A) of the needle (3);

the rotation is continued until passing through the yarn feeding system without the needle (3) catching the textile yarn from the yarn feeding system, or bringing the needle (3) to a knockover and/or knockover position, or catching another yarn from said yarn feeding system, cooperating with a knockover sinker (8) to form a stitch.

After the expanded loop is released, the needle (3) is lowered when the selected transfer sinker (9, 10) is in the backward position.

6. Method according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the yarn mouth (7) of the yarn feeding system is moved to a rest position so that the needles (3) do not catch the textile yarn from the yarn feeding system; or wherein the mouth (7) of the yarn feeding system is kept in a working position so that the needles (3) take up further textile yarns from the yarn feeding system.

7. Method according to claim 4, 5 or 6, as appended to claim 2 or 3, wherein the needle-holding cylinder (2) and the circular sinker holder (4) are rotated in the second direction of rotation until the group of needles (3), the group of knockover sinkers (8) and the group of transfer sinkers (9, 10) are transferred back upstream of the respective selector (21).

8. Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein in steps i and ii all transfer sinkers (9, 10) of the set of transfer sinkers (9, 10) are selected to make a mesh knitted fabric, or wherein only some transfer sinkers (9, 10) of the set of transfer sinkers (9, 10) are selected to make a partial mesh knitted fabric.

9. The method of claim 7, comprising:

the needle selector (21) is in a non-operating state;

the needle-holding cylinder (2) and the circular sinker holder (4) are rotated in a first direction of rotation so that each transfer sinker (9, 10) of the set of transfer sinkers (9, 10) remains in the rear position until passing through the yarn feeding system, while the transfer sinkers (9, 10) remain in the rear position and the needles (3) remain in the lowered position, in order to reset the operating sequence without making any stitches.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising:

the needle holding needle cylinder (2) and the circular sinker seat (4) rotate along the second rotation direction until the group of needles (3), the group of knockover sinkers (8) and the group of transfer sinkers (9, 10) return to the upstream of the needle selector (21) in the first rotation direction; the needle-holding needle cylinder (2) and the circular sinker seat (4) rotating in opposite directions, the yarn-feeding system feeds the textile yarn by lifting and then lowering the needles (3) in cooperation with the knockover sinkers (8), producing the loops.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising:

the needle selector (21) is in a non-operating state;

rotating the needle-holding needle cylinder (2) and the circular sinker holder (4) around a central axis (X-X) and in a first direction of rotation, while each transfer sinker (9, 10) of a set of transfer sinkers (9, 10) is held in a rear position;

the needle (3) is lifted and then lowered, the needle holding needle cylinder (2) and the circular sinker seat (4) rotate along the first rotating direction until passing through the yarn feeding system, the yarn feeding system is matched with the knockover sinker (8) to feed textile yarns to manufacture coils,

the needle holding needle cylinder (2) and the circular sinker seat (4) rotate along the second rotation direction until one group (3), one group of knockover sinkers (8) and one group of transfer sinkers (9, 10) return to the upstream of the corresponding needle selector (21) in the first rotation direction again, the needle holding needle cylinder (2) and the circular sinker seat (4) rotate in opposite directions, and the yarn feeding system is matched with the knockover sinkers (8) to feed textile yarns by lifting and then lowering the needles (3) to manufacture coils.

12. A method according to claim 5, wherein the selected transfer sinker (9, 10) is radially distanced from the central axis (X-X) to an intermediate position comprising: -moving the transfer cam (36) to catch and deflect the heel (16) of said selected transfer sinker (9, 10).

13. Method according to claim 5 or 12, characterized in that moving the selected transfer sinker (9, 10) further to the rear position comprises: -moving the other transfer cam (37) to catch and deflect the heel (16) of said selected transfer sinker (9, 10).

14. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that each of the knockover sinkers (8) is placed beside a pair of transfer sinkers (9, 10), and each pair of transfer sinkers (9, 10) contributes to the formation of one expansion coil.

15. A circular knitting machine comprising:

a plurality of transfer sinkers (9, 10) mounted on the circular sinker seat (4) and located beside the knockover sinkers (8), movable in a radial direction with respect to said central axis (X-X) and having lugs (15) configured to cooperate with the needles (3) to produce a mesh knitted fabric;

at least one yarn feed system operatively associated with the respective set of needles (3), with the respective set of knockover sinkers (8) and with the respective set of transfer sinkers (9, 10) to feed at least one textile yarn to the circular bed;

wherein the circular knitting machine is adapted to:

I. -rotating the needle-holding needle cylinder (2) and the circular sinker holder (4) around a central axis (X-X) to drive the selected transfer sinkers (9, 10) of said set of transfer sinkers (9, 10) towards the central axis (X-X) and the respective front positions; raising and then lowering some of the needles (3) next to the transfer sinkers (9, 10) of the group of needles (3) selected in the forward movement, while the needle-holding cylinder (2) and the circular sinker jack (4) rotate and move past said at least one feed system, the textile yarn fed by said feed system being loaded onto the noses (15) of the selected transfer sinkers (9, 10), thus producing extended loops;

-rotating the needle-holding cylinder (2) and the circular sinker jack (4) around the central axis (X-X), radially actuating the selected portions of the transfer sinkers (9, 10) of said set of transfer sinkers (9, 10) to move away from the central axis (X-X), raising the needles (3) at least to the withdrawal and/or knockover position, so as to pad the expanded stitches withdrawn from the lug (15) into the needles (3A) of the needles (3), and continuing the rotation until the passage of said at least one yarn-feeding system, and then lowering the needles (3), while the selected transfer sinkers (9, 10) are in the respective rear position;

wherein step i is performed while the needle-holding needle cylinder (2) and the circular sinker seat (4) are rotating in at least a first direction of rotation, and step ii is performed while the needle-holding needle cylinder (2) and the circular sinker seat (4) are rotating in a second direction of rotation opposite to the first direction of rotation; or wherein step i is performed while the needle-holding needle cylinder (2) and the circular sinker seat (4) are rotating in a first direction of rotation and then in a second direction of rotation opposite to the first direction of rotation, and step ii is performed while the needle-holding needle cylinder (2) and the circular sinker seat (4) are rotating in the first direction of rotation.

16. Circular knitting machine according to claim 15, comprising at least one selector (21) facing transversely to the circular bed, said selector (21) being able to act under control, directly or indirectly, on each transfer sinker (9, 10) of the respective group of transfer sinkers (9, 10); wherein the at least one yarn feeding system is circumferentially spaced from the corresponding selector (21); wherein the needle holding needle cylinder (2) and the circular sinker seat (4) can rotate around a central shaft (X-X) relative to the needle selector (21); wherein the transfer sinkers (9, 10) are selected by the selector (21).

17. The circular knitting machine of claim 15 or 16, wherein the knitting machine is configured to:

-moving the selected transfer sinkers (9, 10) radially away from the intermediate axis (X-X) along a central position by keeping the needles (3) in the inactive position and/or below the withdrawal position;

raising the needle (3) at least to the withdrawal position so that the nose (15) of the selected transfer sinker (9, 10) is located beside the needle head (3A);

-further moving the selected transfer sinkers (9, 10) radially away from the central axis (X-X) to said backward position, so as to knockover the expanded coil located on the lug (15) to the head (3A) of the needle (3);

18. Circular knitting machine according to claim 16, characterized in that for the manufacture of said meshes, said yarn feed system is angularly offset with respect to the corresponding selector (21).

19. Circular knitting machine according to claim 16 or 18, wherein the set of needles (3), the set of knockover sinkers (8) and the set of transfer sinkers (9, 10) operatively associated with the yarn feed system and with the selector (21) have an angular extension.

20. Circular knitting machine according to one of claims 16, 18 or 19, wherein the knitting machine comprises four yarn feeding systems, which are angularly offset from each other, and four selector jacks (21), which are angularly offset from each other, and wherein each yarn feeding system is angularly offset with respect to a respective selector jack (21) for the purpose of making a mesh.