CN115142183A - Needle selection device and method of flat knitting machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides a needle selection device and a method of a flat knitting machine. The speed of carriage travel can be increased by needle-drawing knitting without increasing the size of the portion required for needle selection. A plurality of step positions are provided as shown in (a), and knitting needles divided into two groups A and B according to the shape of the tail parts (3A and 3B) of the selectors (2A and 2B) as shown in (B) are arranged at the same step position. By returning the knitting needles belonging to the group a, the knitting needles of the group B are made non-selective empty needles, and needle selection for 1 × 1 draw knitting can be performed. Since the adjacent knitting needles belong to different groups A and B, the knitting needles are not returned simultaneously, and the interval of the knitting needles having the returned butts (1) for needle selection at the same step position is widened, so that the needle selection by the needle selection actuator can be performed even when the traveling speed of the carriage is high.

Description

Needle selection device and method of flat knitting machine

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a needle selection device and method for a flat knitting machine that selects a plurality of knitting needles arranged in parallel on a needle bed in accordance with a motion.

Background

A flat knitting machine uses a carriage that reciprocates in a longitudinal direction along the surface of a needle bed to drive knitting needles arranged in parallel on the needle bed to knit a knitted fabric or the like. The needle bed has a needle groove extending in an advancing and retreating direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction and slidably accommodating the knitting needle. The knitting needle has a hook which is a tip on the needle bed side in the advancing/retreating direction and a driving butt which can change the projecting state from the needle groove to the surface of the needle bed. The carriage carries a cam system that operates on a drive butt protruding from a needle groove to actuate a knitting needle. The operation of the knitting needle for knitting the knitted fabric is based on the knitting, tucking, and floating, and sometimes the transfer or the like is used in combination. The cam system includes a needle selector for selecting a knitting needle in accordance with a motion (see, for example, patent document 1). The knitting needle of patent document 1 has a selector for selecting a needle at the trailing end in the advancing and retreating direction. The selector sets a butt for needle selection protruding from the needle groove to the surface of the needle bed as a selected needle portion at one of a plurality of step positions set in the forward and backward direction. The needle selecting device includes a return mechanism and a needle selecting actuator. In the needle selection actuator, the return mechanism acts on the return portion of the selector, and determines whether or not the selection is non-selection, based on whether or not the selector butt returned so as to protrude from the needle groove is pressed alone and sinks into the needle groove. In the needle selection actuator, when the interval between the knitting needles to be selected becomes narrow, the switching time of the needle selection becomes shorter. Therefore, if the step positions of the selector butts are the same for the adjacent knitting needles, the traveling speed of the carriage must be made low, and therefore the number of steps is increased, and the step positions of the selector butts are sequentially different for each knitting needle.

A flat knitting machine includes two needle beds arranged opposite to each other as two needle beds, and can knit a rib fabric or the like having a front side stitch and a back side stitch, or can knit a tubular fabric by feeding a yarn so that the fabric knitted on each needle bed is continuous at both ends of a knitting width. Knitting of a tubular knitted fabric having 1 bed in each needle bed was performed by 1x1 pull knitting (with one hand pulling out 1236565wire) using every 1 needle in each of the front and rear needle beds. For example, the odd-numbered needles of the front needle bed are mainly used for knitting the front side knitted fabric, and the even-numbered needles of the rear needle bed are mainly used for knitting the rear side knitted fabric. The front and rear needle beds are used for transferring and rib knitting, etc. by setting a knitting needle of the other needle bed, which is opposed to a knitting needle for knitting of one needle bed, as an empty needle. When knitting a 2-layer or more knitted fabric on at least one needle bed, a draw knitting with an increased number of empty needles is performed without performing a 1x1 draw knitting.

[ Prior art documents ]

[ patent document ]

[ patent document 1 ] International publication No. 2007/074944

Disclosure of Invention

[ problem to be solved by the invention ]

In the needle selection of patent document 1, the advancing and retreating direction of the needle selection butt with respect to the selector is set to one of a plurality of different step positions, so that the traveling speed of the carriage can be increased, and the knitting speed can be increased. However, in the fine gauge (124661254012472) in which the parallel pitch of the knitting needles is small, the interval of the knitting needles having the selector butts at the same position is shortened, and there is a possibility that there is no margin for selection. In such a case, increasing the number of stages to cope with the increase in the number of stages leads to an increase in the range in which the butt for needle selection is provided, and thus to an increase in the size of the needle selection device and the carriage on which the needle selection device is mounted. When the carriage is enlarged, the weight increases and it becomes difficult to travel at high speed.

In the draw knitting, a knitting needle used for knitting and an empty needle not used for knitting are provided, and therefore, compared with the full knitting (32207so as to be used) in which a knitted fabric is knitted using all the adjacent knitting needles, a stitch becomes large. In order to knit a fine loop knitted fabric also in the draw knitting, the parallel pitch of the knitting needles needs to be made small. In order to prevent the traveling speed of the carriage from being reduced even if the parallel pitch is reduced, it is necessary to increase the number of stages of positions of the needle selecting butt, increase the number of knitting needles interposed between the knitting needles at the same stage position, and increase the size of a portion necessary for needle selection.

The invention aims to provide a needle selection device and a method for a flat knitting machine, which can realize high-speed running of a carriage through needle drawing knitting without enlarging the part required for needle selection.

[ MEANS FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS ] to solve the problems

The present invention provides a needle selection device of a flat knitting machine capable of selecting a needle for a needle-drawing knitting, the flat knitting machine including:

a needle bed having needle grooves arranged at a predetermined pitch in a longitudinal direction;

knitting needles accommodated in the respective needle grooves and provided with selectors; and

a carriage reciprocating in the longitudinal direction of the needle bed,

the selector has a selected needle part to be selected and a return part for returning the selected needle part to a state where needle selection is possible,

the needle selection device of the flat knitting machine is characterized in that,

in connection with the knitting needles,

the knitting needles are divided so as to belong to any one of a plurality of groups based on a combination of a knitting needle and an empty needle which become targets of needle selection in the needle drawing knitting,

the shape of the return portion of the selector of the needles belonging to each group is made different,

are arranged in such a manner that knitting needles belonging to different groups are received in adjacent needle grooves,

the needle selection device of the flat knitting machine comprises:

a return mechanism for acting on a return portion of the selector only for the knitting needles belonging to one group to return the selected needle portion to a state in which needle selection is possible; and

the needle selection actuator acts on the selected needle portion of the selector of the returned knitting needle, and individually determines whether or not to select the knitting needle.

In addition, in the present invention, it is characterized in that,

the selector has, as the selected portion, a selector butt that can project from the needle groove to the outside of the needle bed at one of a plurality of step positions set in the forward and backward direction in which the needle groove extends.

In addition, in the present invention, the method is characterized in that,

the knitting needles are divided into two groups,

the needles belonging to one and the other of the two groups and having the same position of the section of the selector are arranged adjacent to each other.

In addition, in the present invention, it is characterized in that,

the knitting needles are divided into two groups,

the segment positions of the selector are set to an odd number,

the selector segment positions and the respectively different groups of needles are arranged alternately next to one another.

Further, the present invention provides a needle selecting method for a weft knitting machine comprising a needle bed in which needle grooves are formed at a constant pitch in a longitudinal direction and a carriage reciprocating in the longitudinal direction of the needle bed,

knitting needles are divided into a plurality of groups based on a combination of knitting needles and empty needles to be selected in the split knitting,

the shape of the returning section for returning the knitting needles to enable needle selection is different in each group,

are arranged in such a manner that knitting needles belonging to different groups are received in adjacent needle grooves,

only the knitting needles belonging to the group to be selected in the draw knitting are returned based on the shape of the returning section, and then the returned knitting needles are individually selected.

[ Effect of the invention ]

According to the present invention, knitting needles are divided into a plurality of groups based on a combination of knitting needles and empty needles that are targets of needle selection in the draw knitting. The returning mechanism is caused to act on the returning section so that the selected needle section of the selector can select a needle belonging to one group, and the returned needle is individually selected by the needle selecting actuator. Since the needle of the other group does not return by the return mechanism, the needle becomes a non-selected empty needle even if the needle selection by the needle selection actuator is not performed, and the needle selection for the needle drawing knitting can be performed as a whole. The knitting needles adjacent to the knitting needle for needle selection belong to different groups, and therefore do not return at the same time as the knitting needle for needle selection. Since the interval between the knitting needles that are returned to perform needle selection is increased, the traveling speed of the carriage can be increased, and an increase in the size of the portion required for needle selection can be avoided.

Further, according to the present invention, the return mechanism can return the selector of the knitting needle belonging to the returned group to a state in which the selector butt for needle selection provided in the selector projects from the needle groove, as a target of needle selection by pressing of the needle selection actuator.

Further, according to the present invention, the knitting needles belonging to the two sets having the butt for needle selection at the same step position are arranged adjacently. Since the return mechanism returns the knitting needles of one group and does not return the knitting needles of the other group, the needle selection actuator can select only the returned knitting needles, thereby enabling needle selection for 1 × 1 bar knitting.

Further, according to the present invention, since the selector is disposed so that the stage positions and the belonging groups of different knitting needles are alternately adjacent to each other, if only one of the two groups of knitting needles is returned, the needle selection for the 1 × 1 pull-knitting can be performed. In the 1 × 1 draw knitting, the interval between the adjacent knitting needles at the same step position can be set to 2 times the odd number of the step positions. Since the adjacent knitting needles are different in the step position, it is possible to return all the knitting needles and select needles for the full knitting.

Further, according to the present invention, the knitting needles are divided into a plurality of groups based on the combination of the knitting needle to be selected in the draw knitting and the empty needle, and the knitting needles belonging to one group are returned to be able to be selected to perform the needle selection. Needle selection for the needle-drawing knitting can be performed by making the empty needle outside the needle selection target without returning the knitting needles of the other groups. Since the adjacent knitting needles belong to different groups, it is not necessary to continuously select the knitting needles, the interval between the knitting needles to be selected can be increased, the traveling speed of the carriage can be increased, and the increase in size of the portion required for needle selection can be avoided.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view showing a state of a selector butt 1 in which selector positions 1), 2), 3), 4), 5), 6), 7), 8) divided into two groups a and B are arranged, and a side view of the selectors 2A and 2B, in a simplified manner in example 1 of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view showing a state where the selectors 2A and 2B of fig. 1 are returned by the return cams 4A and 4B, and a partial plan view showing the arrangement of the return cams 4A and 4B and the needle selection actuator 5.

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing a cam arrangement including the needle selector 10 having the return cams 4A, 4B and the needle selection actuator 5 of fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan view showing a side view of the selectors 22A, 22B and a configuration of the return triangles 24A, 24B, 24C in embodiment 2 of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a schematic plan view showing a state of the selector butts 1 in which the selectors 2A, 2B divided into two groups a, B are arranged in the stage positions 1), 2), 3), 4), 5), 6), 7) in example 3 of the present invention in a simplified manner.

[ Mark Specification ]

1. Needle selecting butt

2A, 2B, 22A, 22B selector

3A,3B,23A and 23B tail

4A, 4B, 24A, 24B 24C return triangle

5. Needle selection actuator

6. Needle selection claw

10. Needle selector

20. Gear-selecting jack control mechanism

25A, 25B return butts

30. Control triangle

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, fig. 1 to 3 relate to embodiment 1 of the present invention. The vertical direction in the plan view is the advancing/retreating direction of the knitting needle in which the needle groove extends, the upper side indicates the needle bed gap side, and the lower side indicates the tail side of the needle bed. The horizontal direction is the longitudinal direction of the needle bed, and is a direction in which needle grooves for housing knitting needles are arranged in parallel. The side view shows the vertical direction in the same manner as the plan view, and the left side is a direction of the front surface side of the needle bed, and the right side is a direction of the back surface side of the needle bed. Examples 1 and 3 show the arrangement of the stage positions of the selector butt 1 in groups a and B as shown in fig. 1 (a) and 5. Fig. 1 (B) shows selectors 2A, 2B for knitting needles belonging to groups a and B, respectively. The selectors 2A, 2B are the same in that any of the step positions 1), 2), 3), 4), 5), 6), 7), 8) has the butt 1 for needle selection as the selected portion, but the tails 3A,3B as the return portions have different shapes. The selectors 2A and 2B can be used in place of the selector 11 for the knitting needle 1 shown in fig. 4 of patent document 1. In the drawings of the present application, corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and overlapping description may be omitted. For convenience of explanation, parts not shown in the drawings to be explained may be referred to by reference numerals shown in other drawings.

[ example 1 ]

In example 1 shown in fig. 1 (a), the segment positions are set to 8 segments, and a group a and a group B are alternately arranged in the same segment. In example 1, needle selection for 1 × 1 stitch knitting is exclusively performed by returning only one of the groups a and B to enable needle selection and not returning the other. The combination of the groups A and B returned from the front and back needle beds respectively may be any of the groups A and A, the groups B and B, the groups A and B, and the groups B and A. If it is set so that only the group a can be selected but the group B cannot be selected in one needle bed, the selector butt 1 of the group a becomes the same stage position, for example, stage position 1) 2 times as many as the number 8 of stages, that is, every 16 th. That is, the interval between the selector butts 1 at the same step position is 16 times the parallel pitch of the knitting needles. Even if only the B-group needle can be selected, the interval of the selector butts 1 of the B-group is also 16 times the parallel pitch of the knitting needles.

In embodiment 1, the selector 2A of the knitting needles belonging to the group a is substantially the same as the selector 11 of patent document 1, and the selector butt 1 is provided at any one of the stage positions of 8 stages. The tail portion 3A becomes a return portion. The selector 2B of the knitting needle belonging to the group B is the same as the selector 2A with respect to the selector butt 1 as the selected needle portion, but the shape of the tail portion 3B as the return portion is different. That is, the tail portion 3B is formed shorter than the tail portion 3A and is formed deeper on the bottom surface side. In example 1, the needle selector shown in patent document 1 can be used in addition to the return cam.

The selectors 2A and 2B include a combination of a needle main body having a hook at a tip thereof which advances and retreats with respect to a needle bed gap and a jack having a driving butt, and a selection jack which controls a protruding state of the driving butt from a needle groove, as in the selector 11 shown in fig. 4 of patent document 1, and form a knitting needle as a whole. In the selectors 2A and 2B, an ascending butt 2A and a descending butt 2B protruding from the needle groove are provided at positions in the trailing direction and the needle bed gap direction from the range where the needle selecting butt 1 is provided, and a tip portion 2c is provided at the tip in the needle bed gap direction. When the selectors 2A and 2B are in the needle selection state, the leading end portion 2c pushes up the select jack in the needle bed gap direction by the action of the cam on the raising butt 2A.

Fig. 2 explains the operations of returning and selecting the selectors 2A and 2B. Fig. 2 (a) and 2 (B) show a state in which the return cams 4A and 4B are caused to act on the tail portions 3A and 3B of the selectors 2A and 2B to return to a state in which needle selection is possible, and a state in which needle selection is not caused by return, by solid lines, and broken lines, respectively. In a needle-selectable state as shown by a solid line, the selector butt 1 protrudes from the needle groove toward the front side of the needle bed. The needle selection actuator 5 shown in fig. 2 (c) is a carriage that travels along the surface of the needle bed, and is provided on a cam plate that faces the surface of the needle bed. The needle selection actuator 5 is provided with the number of selector claws 6 corresponding to the step position. The needle selection claw 6 is electrically driven by, for example, a solenoid, and can switch the needle selection butt 1 in a state of pressing back or not. If the selector butt 1 in a needle-selecting enabled state is not pressed, the state of needle selection is achieved, and if pressed, the state of non-needle selection is achieved. The unreturned knitting needles are all in a non-needle-selecting state. The return cams 4A and 4B are mainly mounted on the carriage facing the front side of the needle bed, but face the back side of the needle bed. Therefore, the carriage has a portion extending from the front side to the back side outside the trailing end of the needle bed, and the return cams 4A and 4B are provided in this portion. The return cams 4A and 4B function to push up the tail portions 3A and 3B of the selectors 2A and 2B from the back side to the front side of the needle bed. The return cam 4A is disposed at a position closer to the trailing end side in the advancing/retreating direction than the return cam 4B, and the height of the position where the tail 3A is pushed up is higher than the height where the return cam 4B pushes up the tail 3B. As shown in fig. 2 (c), the return cams 4A and 4B are arranged in parallel in the forward and backward direction, and can push up the tail portions 3A and 3B independently of each other. In example 1, the needle selection for the 1 × 1 needle drawing knitting is returned by pushing up only one of the return cams 4A and 4B.

Fig. 3 shows a cam arrangement on a cam plate facing the front side of the needle bed by the carriage, which includes the needle selecting device 10 having the return cams 4A and 4B of fig. 2 as the return mechanism and having the needle selecting actuator 5. This triangle arrangement is the same as fig. 1 of patent document 1 except for the return triangles 4A and 4B. The needle selecting device 10 performs 2-step needle selection by pushing up the raising butts 2A of the selectors 2A, 2B by the raising cams 11, 12 having different heights in the needle bed gap direction by the two needle selecting actuators 5. For example, when the carriage is moved leftward in the drawing with respect to the knitting needle near the middle position of the return cams 4A and 4B on the left side in the drawing, the first needle selecting actuator 5 causes the selector butt 1 to receive the needle selection by the selector claw 6. When the selector butt 1 is not pressed by the needle selector 6, the needle selection state is achieved, the raising butt 2a is pushed up by the low raising cam 11, and the tip end portion 2c pushes the selector jack up to the intermediate-height H position. In the second needle selecting actuator 5, only the first selected selector butt 1 is targeted for needle selection. When the needle is selected by the second needle selecting actuator 5, the raising butt 2A of the selector 2A, 2B is pushed up by the high raising cam 12, and the leading end portion 2c pushes the select jack up to the position a of the highest height. The select jack not pushed up by the selectors 2A, 2B stays at the B position of the base position. The lowering cam 13 acts on the lowering butt 2B to return the selectors 2A and 2B to the base position at which the selector butts 1 can be selected by the needle selection actuator 5.

The presser and the cam of the needle jack control mechanism 20 control whether or not the driving butt provided to the jack protrudes from the needle groove to the front side of the needle bed by pressing the needle jack. The driving butt protruding from the needle groove is acted by the driving cam 30 to actuate the knitting needle. When the driving cam 30 is a knitting cam, three positions of the needle jack can be selected corresponding to the stitch formation, tuck, and float. Although only one needle selection actuator 5 is provided on both right and left ends, the first needle selection is performed when the carriage travels in one direction to become the rear side and to be separated, and the second needle selection is performed when the carriage reverses to travel in the other direction to become the front side, as in patent document 1.

[ example 2 ]

Fig. 4 (a) and 4 (B) show side configurations of selectors 22A and 22B for performing 1 × 1 needle selection similar to example 1, and fig. 4 (C) shows a plan configuration of return cams 24A, 24B, and 24C as return means. The return cam 24C that performs the return operation is provided on the back surface side of the needle bed in the same manner as the return cams 4A, 4B of embodiment 1, and is pushed up so as to temporarily return both the tail portions 23A,23B of the selectors 22A, 22B. The tail portions 23A,23B have return butts 25A, 25B as portions protruding to the front side of the needle bed at different positions in the advancing and retreating direction. Return cams 24A and 24B for performing the release operation are provided on the front side of the needle bed, and can press the return butts 25A and 25B, respectively, to sink into the needle groove as shown by the broken line. In the state shown by the broken line, the needle selection claw 6 cannot be pressed. By pressing one of the return cams 24A, 24B, one of the corresponding tail portions 23A,23B can be sunk into the needle groove, and the return can be cancelled to make non-needle selection.

The return butts 25A and 25B have a large projection amount, and even in a state of sinking into the needle groove, the tip projects more toward the front side of the needle groove than the flat portions of the returned tail portions 23A and 23B. Alternatively, the tail portions 23A and 23B of example 2 may be formed in a shape in which the shape of the tail portions 3A and 3B of example 1 is inverted vertically, that is, the length in the advancing/retreating direction is different, and the amount of projection of the needle groove to the front surface side is different. Instead of the shapes of the tails 3A and 3B in example 1, the shapes of the tails 23A and 23B in example 2 may be inverted up and down.

[ example 3 ]

Fig. 5 shows, as example 3, an arrangement of a selector butt 1 different from those of examples 1 and 2. In embodiment 3, the same selectors 2A, 2B as those in embodiment 1 or embodiment 2; 22A, 22B or return triangles 4A, 4B;24A, 24B, 24C. The needle selecting butt 1 is arranged with 7 stages having an odd number of positions, and the a and B groups are alternately arranged in the adjacent needle grooves, and the stage positions are also arranged in a stepwise staggered manner. Since the groups a and B are arranged alternately at the same step position, the interval between the knitting needles to be selected in the 1 × 1 draw knitting can be expanded to 2 times the odd number of the step positions, that is, to 14 as the product of 2 as the number of the groups and 7 as the number of the steps, by returning only one of the groups. If the number of stages is even, even if the a-group and the B-group are alternately arranged, the knitting needles belonging to the same group are arranged at the same stage position by the number of stages, and the interval between the knitting needles is only the number of stages and is not 2 times that in the case of the odd number. This embodiment 3 utilizes return triangles 4A, 4B;24A, 24B make two sets of selectors 2A, 2B;22A and 22B are returned simultaneously, needle selection for all-needle knitting can be performed. However, in the needle selection for the all-needle knitting, the interval between the adjacent knitting needles at the same step position is 7 corresponding to the number of steps.

The embodiments 1, 2, and 3 described above are applied to a weft knitting machine including: a needle bed having needle grooves provided at a predetermined pitch in a longitudinal direction; knitting needles accommodated in the respective needle grooves and provided with selectors 2A, 2B;22A, 22B; and a carriage that reciprocates in the longitudinal direction of the needle bed. Selectors 2A, 2B;22A and 22B include a butt 1 for needle selection serving as a selected needle portion to be subjected to needle selection, and tail portions 3A and 3B serving as returning portions for returning the selected needle portion to a state in which needle selection is possible; 23A, 23B. The needle selector of the weft knitting machine includes a return mechanism and a needle selection actuator 5. The needle selection actuator 5 performs needle selection by pressing the needle selection butt 1 with the needle selection claw 6. However, the present invention can also be applied to a device for needle selection by electromagnetic adsorption and release as a needle selection actuator. Such a needle selection actuator has an armature provided at the tail of the selector as a selected needle portion. The selected needle part is adsorbed on the adsorption surface, the state that the selector floats in the needle groove is in a return state, and the state that the selector is released from adsorption and sinks in the needle groove is in a needle selection state. However, if the state of the suction and floating in the needle groove is the needle selection state and the state of the suction and sinking in the needle groove is the non-needle selection state, the adsorption and release of the armature can be performed in the same manner as the non-pressing and pressing of the selector claw 6 with respect to the selector butt 1. In the selector to be subjected to the needle selection by the electromagnetic method, if returning portions having different shapes are provided in a plurality of groups, butts similar to the raising butt 2A and the lowering butt 2B of the selectors 2A and 2B of example 1 are provided, and the returning mechanism is divided into a group a and B to cause the armature to be attracted to the attracting surface, the needle selection can be basically performed by the needle selector similar to that of fig. 3. For example, in the needle selecting device disclosed in international publication No. 2011/027543, since the armature provided at the tail of the selector is provided at 2 stages in the advancing and retreating direction, the present invention, which returns in two groups, can be applied, and the interval between the knitting needles to be selected can be further increased.

In short, the needles belong to the tails 3A,3B which become the return; 23A,23B are different in shape. In each embodiment, the knitting needles belonging to different groups are accommodated in adjacent needle grooves. Including return triangles 4A, 4B; the returning mechanisms 24A, 24B, and 24C cause only the knitting needles belonging to one group to act on the returning portion to return the selected needle portion to a state in which needle selection is possible. The needle selection actuator acts on the selected needle portion of the returned knitting needle to individually determine whether or not to select the knitting needle. Since the needle of the other group does not return by the return mechanism, the needle becomes a non-selected empty needle even if the needle selection by the needle selection actuator is not performed, and the needle selection for the 1 × 1 needle drawing knitting can be performed as a whole. In the case of a needle-out knitting for knitting a 2-layer or more knitted fabric on at least one needle bed, the knitted fabric may be divided into a plurality of groups based on a combination of a knitting needle to be selected and an empty needle. For example, one needle bed may be divided into 2 stages, the other needle bed may be divided into 1 stage, three groups may be divided when knitting a knitted fabric by a needle draw, and four groups may be divided when both needle beds are divided into 2 stages. Further, the present invention can be applied not only to a two-bed flat knitting machine but also to a four-bed flat knitting machine including two front and back needle beds, each of which is a two-bed needle bed, in which knitting needles are divided into a plurality of groups for needle-drawing knitting. In short, adjacent knitting needles belong to different groups, and the interval between the knitting needles that return to perform needle selection is increased, so that high-speed traveling of the carriage can be realized. Since the interval from the knitting needle to be selected to the knitting needle belonging to the same group at the same step position and to be selected next is increased, an increase in the size of the portion required for needle selection can be avoided.

Claims (5)

1. A needle selecting device (10) of a weft knitting machine capable of selecting a needle for a pull knitting, the weft knitting machine comprising:

a needle bed having needle grooves arranged at a predetermined pitch in a longitudinal direction;

knitting needles accommodated in the respective needle grooves and provided with selectors (2A, 2B 22A, 22B; and

a carriage reciprocating in the longitudinal direction of the needle bed,

selectors (2A, 2B, 22A, 22B) each have a needle selection unit (1) to be selected and a return unit (3A, 3B,23A, 23B) for returning the needle selection unit (1) to a needle-selectable state,

the needle selection device (10) of the flat knitting machine is characterized in that,

with regard to the knitting needles,

the knitting needles are divided so as to belong to any one of a plurality of groups (A, B) based on a combination of a knitting needle and an empty needle which become targets of needle selection in the needle drawing knitting,

the shape of the return portions (3A, 3B,23A, 23B) of the selectors (2A, 2B 22A, 22B) of the needles belonging to each group (A, B) is made different,

are arranged so that knitting needles belonging to different groups (A, B) are accommodated in adjacent needle grooves,

the needle selection device (10) of the flat knitting machine comprises:

a return mechanism (4A, 4B, 24A, 24B, 24C) for acting on the return portions (3A, 3B,23A, 23B) of the selectors (2A, 2B 22A, 22B) only for the knitting needles belonging to one group (A, B) to return the selected needle portion (1) to a state in which needle selection is possible; and

a needle selection actuator (5) that acts on the selected needle section (1) of the selector (2A, 2B 22A, 22B) of the returned knitting needle and individually determines whether or not to select the knitting needle.

2. The needle selector (10) of a weft knitting machine according to claim 1,

the selector (2A, 2B, 22A, 22B) has a selector butt (1) as the selected needle portion, which can protrude from the needle groove to the outside of the needle bed, at one of a plurality of step positions set in the forward and backward direction in which the needle groove extends.

3. The needle selector (10) of the weft knitting machine according to claim 2,

the knitting needles are divided into two groups (A, B),

the needles belonging to one and the other of the two groups (A, B) and having the same position of the sections of the selector (2A, 2B 22A, 22B) are arranged adjacent to each other.

4. The needle selector (10) of the weft knitting machine according to claim 2,

the knitting needles are divided into two groups (A, B),

the segment positions of the selector (2A, 2B 22A, 22B) are set to an odd number,

the segment positions of the selectors (2A, 2B 22A, 22B) are arranged alternately adjacent to the needles of the different groups (A, B) to which they belong.

5. A needle selecting method of a weft knitting machine comprising a needle bed in which needle grooves are formed at a predetermined pitch in a longitudinal direction and a carriage reciprocating in the longitudinal direction of the needle bed,

knitting needles are divided into a plurality of groups (A, B) based on a combination of knitting needles and empty needles which become targets of needle selection in the needle drawing knitting,

the shapes of returning parts (3A, 3B,23A, 25A, 25B) for returning the knitting needles to be capable of selecting needles are different in each group (A, B),

are arranged so that knitting needles belonging to different groups (A, B) are accommodated in adjacent needle grooves,

based on the difference in the shape of the returning sections (3A, 3B,23A,23B, 25A, 25B), only the knitting needles belonging to the groups (A, B) to be selected in the needle selection knitting are returned, and then the returned knitting needles are individually selected.

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