EP0209486A2 - Knitting machine with an electro-magnetical needle selection - Google Patents

Abstract

Electromagnetic selection stations (48) cooperate with sliding members (29a, 29b) to allow them to occupy two distinct positions. The sliding members (29a, 29b) are assigned in pairs to each of the needles (3). Fixed vertical cams (42, 47) act on rocker selectors (5) and release them after selection, these being or not retained by the sliding member (29a, 29b). The rocker selectors (5) can be rotated in four separate positions. Each pair of sliding members is composed of a first lower selector (29a) and a second lower selector (29b) juxtaposed, each movable in two distinct positions so as to produce the four positions of the rocker selectors (5). The needles (3) can therefore be individually controlled in the picking position, in the out of work position, in knitting position in normal stitch and in knitting position in elongated stitch.

Description

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

The state of the art already knows machines of this kind in which the sliding selection members can occupy two distinct positions: yes and no.

Swiss Patent 648,070 describes such a knitting machine in which each needle can be selected electromagnetically according to the so-called "three-track" technique, in order to execute different designs or shapes of articles. Therefore, the needles can be controlled individually in the working position, in the picking position and in the out of working position.

To this end, the sliding members, each movable in two distinct positions by the electromagnetic selection stations, are arranged juxtaposed in pairs and assigned to a needle by means of a tilting selector.

In Swiss patent 641,852, the sliding members are assigned to each needle by means of a tilting selector, but the sliding members can occupy three distinct positions.

In the two cases mentioned, the tilting selectors are arranged so as to obtain three distinct positions corresponding to the three desired needle positions.

The design of this solution for "3 tracks" does not in any case allow the addition of an additional "track".

The purpose of the present invention is to have an additional possibility of selection by means of the appropriate selection members, for example for making a machine allowing knitting of elongated stitches at will so that that the additional length thus obtained favors the transfer of stitches from one bed to another, particularly at the selvedges and twists.

Swiss patent 448,358 describes a mechanical device applied to rectilinear knitting machines, which comprises drop cams having two stepped working faces with which the heels of the keys actuate the needles which can be brought into contact at will by a known selection mechanism . The heels engaged with one of the two stepped faces are intended for the formation of ordinary or normal meshes, the heels engaged with the other face, for the formation of elongated meshes.

The provision of an additional selection possibility, according to the invention, can also be used to make a machine which makes it possible to incorporate into the "3-track" positions already known per se, an additional position in the form of a "mesh transfer" position. .

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

• La fig. 1 est une vue en coupe d'une fonture, illustrant une sélection "cueillage";
• la fig. 2 une représentation schématique d'une serrure de tricotage à deux dispositifs de tricotage, comprenant les cames verticales, les cames de chute à étage et les postes de sélection également solidaires d'un chariot de tricotage;
• la fig. 3 une fraction de la fig. 2 à une plus grande échelle, illustrant différentes sélections;
• la fig. 4 une coupe partielle semblable à la fig. 1, illustrant une sélection "hors de travail";
• la fig. 5 une vue en plan selon flèche C dans la fig. 4;
• la fig. 6 une coupe partielle semblable à la fig. 1, illustrant une sélection "tricotage en maille allongée";
• la fig. 7 une vue en plan selon flèche D dans la fig. 6;
• la fig. 8 une coupe partielle semblable à la fig. 1, illustrant une sélection "tricotage en maille normale";
• la fig. 9 une vue en plan selon flèche E dans la fig. 8;
• la fig. 10 une vue simplifiée d'une aiguille dont le talon est mis en prise avec l'étage reculé de la came de chute pour "tricotage en maille normale";
• la fig. 11 une vue simplifiée correspondant à la fig. 10, mais où le talon est en prise avec l'étage avancé de la came de chute pour "tricotage en maille allongée".

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

• Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a bed, illustrating a "culling"selection;
• fig. 2 a schematic representation of a knitting lock with two knitting devices, comprising vertical cams, step cams and selection stations also integral with a knitting carriage;
• fig. 3 a fraction of fig. 2 on a larger scale, illustrating different selections;
• fig. 4 a partial section similar to FIG. 1, illustrating an "out of work"selection;
• fig. 5 is a plan view along arrow C in FIG. 4;
• fig. 6 a partial section similar to FIG. 1, illustrating a selection "knitting in elongated mesh";
• fig. 7 a plan view along arrow D in FIG. 6;
• fig. 8 a partial section similar to FIG. 1, illustrating a selection "knitting in normal mesh";
• fig. 9 a plan view along arrow E in FIG. 8;
• fig. 10 a simplified view of a needle, the heel of which is engaged with the retracted stage of the drop cam for "normal knitting";
• fig. 11 a simplified view corresponding to FIG. 10, but where the heel is engaged with the advanced stage of the drop cam for "elongated knitting".

Bed 1 in fig. 1, is one of the needle beds of a straight knitting machine which generally comprises two needle beds arranged in pairs, in the form of a roof. This needle bed 1 comprises a plurality of grooves 2 parallel to each other. In each groove 2 is housed a needle 3 linked to a key 4, a selector-rocker 5 and a selector-guilloche 6. The key 4 is composed of a flexible strand 7 provided with a heel 8 in the middle as well as a foot 9 located at the far end of the needle3. The groove 2 is deepened towards the rear, on the right in FIG. 1, and thus forms two sliding surfaces 11, 12 on on which slide the needle 3 and the foot 9. The needle. 3 also includes a hook 13 with a pallet 14 in a known manner. The key 4 is provided with a retaining nose 15.

A permanent out of work of the needle is obtained manually by embedding the heel 8 of the key 4 in the groove 2, the retaining nose 15 passing under a wire 16, will maintain the key 4 in this position and the needle inactive until a manual move has been made.

The selector-rocker 5 is pivotally mounted on an axis 18, integral with the needle bed 1. It comprises an upper strand 19 and a lower strand 20 forming between them a fork in which the selector-guilloche is guided 6. The lower strand 20 takes support on the flexible strand 7 of the key 4, between the retaining nose 15 and the foot 9. The rocker selector 5 also comprises a feeler 21, diametrically opposite the fork with respect to the pivot axis 18. A wire 22, secured to the needle bed 1 defines an extreme position of said rocker selector 5. The guilloché selector 6 can slide longitudinally over a distance defined by the nose 23 acting either on the notch 24 or on the side of the heel 25 of the selector-guilloché 6. This heel 25 may or may not cooperate with cam tracks 26, in a manner described below.

An auxiliary bed 27 is mounted on the bed 1, in the extension of the grooves 2. It comprises a plurality of grooves 28, the number of which is twice the grooves 2 of the bed 1. In the grooves 28 slide organs in the form of a first lower selector 29a and a second lower selector 29b, placed alternately in juxtaposition and retained vertically by wires 30 and 31, integral with the auxiliary needle bed 27. An upper selector 32 also belonging to the sliding members is mounted on each lower selector 29a resp. 29b.

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

A cam path 26a, 26b (fig. 2) is assigned to each knitting device. This path is formed by the upper cams 43a and 43b and the lower cams 44a and 44b. Each cam path 26 comprises at its entry and exit funnels 45, an ascending part 46a and a descending part 46b, seen in the direction of movement of the locks. In addition, a fixed vertical cam 47 (fig. 1) is assigned to each knitting device. The vertical cam 47a belongs to the knitting device 34 and the vertical cam 47b to the knitting device 35 (FIG. 2).

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

Each of the selection stations 48, 49, 50, as shown in FIG. 3, comprises a base plate 51 on which are mounted two identical selection half-stations 52, 53, to form the selection channel in which the upper selectors 32 pass. This device is designed to work in one direction or in the other. We consider, in the context of this example, that the upper selectors 32 move relatively relative to the knitting device in the direction indicated by the arrow A. The selection channel comprises a tapering entry, limited by flanks 55 and 56 and by a selection point defined as being the narrowest point of the channel situated between the poles 57 and 58 of the selection electromagnets (not shown) and a widening outlet, limited by the point of selection and flanks 61 and 62.

In order to be able to select freely and without restriction each needle, either in the out-of-working position, or in picking, or in the formation of normal stitches, or in the formation of elongated stitches, a selection is made here at two distinct positions of the upper selectors 32, two of which are assigned to each needle 3. The two distinct positions are reached if one or other of the selection electromagnets is energized and pulls the upper selector 32 located in the narrowest part of the channel against its pole 57 , resp. 58. Then, this selector follows the flank 61 resp. 62 and it is pulled by magnetic bonding out of the plane of longitudinal symmetry of the selection station.

The upper selector 32 is mounted on the lower selector 29a, resp. 29b (fig. 4, 6 and 8). The latter must, therefore, follow the movements of the first and it thus occupies one or the other of the two distinct positions described above. The left end of the lower selector 29a comprises a bearing face 64a located at the upper level from the bottom of the groove 28, connected by a flexible strand 68 to the central part 70.

Juxtaposed and separated by a non-magnetic partition 72 is the lower selector 29b. Its left end comprises a bearing face 64b located at the lower level to be counted from the bottom of the groove 28. In addition, a lateral widening 69 added at this same end, in the direction of the lower selector 29a, makes it possible to influence the level of the bearing face 64a of the lower selector. 29a.

The two lower selectors 29a and 29b can act on the same rocker selector 5 thanks to a lateral widening 73 of the nose 67 (fig. 5, 7 and 9) located opposite the left ends of the lower selectors 29a and 29b.

We describe the principle of selecting needles in "four tracks" in relation to the drawings.

Suppose, considering figs. 1 and 3 that the locks move in the direction of arrow A, the selectors 32 are in a "working" position. They were thus arranged by the selection station 48 during the preceding passage of the locks, in the opposite direction. The fixed vertical cam 42a presses, against a spring effect of the spring 65 and of the flexible strand 7 of the key 4, on all the lower heels 66 of the guilloché selectors 6. As a result, each rocker selector 5 rotates about its axis 18 and the nose 67 of said rocker selector 5 is located above the left end of the lower selector 29a rest. 29b. The selection station 48 moves the upper selectors 32 to the two distinct positions.

Once the selection has been established, the fixed vertical cam 42a is exceeded under the action of the spring 65 and the flexible strand 7 of the key 4, the rocker selectors 5 tend to return to their position according to FIG. 1.

The lower selectors 29a and 29b, the upper selectors 32 of which are selected at 32a, have their left ends advanced so that the noses 67 abut on the bearing faces 64a of the lower selectors 29a which in turn are supported on the lateral widening 69 of the lower selectors 29b, thus preventing their rocker selectors 5 from returning (FIG. 4). The heels 66 of the corresponding wedges will remain embedded in the needle bed 1 and will thus be in position 8a in FIG. 3. The corresponding needles 3 will remain out of work.

The lower selectors 29a, whose upper selectors 32 are selected at 32a, will have their left ends moved back, the lower selectors 29b, whose upper selectors 32 are selected at 32b, will have their left ends advanced, so that the noses 67 will abut on the bearing faces 64b (fig. 6). Thus their rocker selectors 5 return to a middle position where they no longer press on the flexible strands 7 of the key 4 so that the respective heels 8 come completely out of the needle bed 1 and will be supported by the cams of the knitting device 34 but above all by the stepped drop cams. See position 8c in fig. 3. The corresponding needles 3 will form elongated stitches.

The lower selectors 29a, whose upper selectors 32 are selected at 32b, will have their left ends advanced, the lower selectors 29b, whose upper selectors 32 are selected at 32a, will have their left ends moved back, so that the noses 67 will abut on the bearing faces 64a (fig. 8) lowered due to the flexible strand 68 of the lower selectors 29a. Thus, their rocker selectors 5 will return to a second middle position where they still partially press on the flexible strands 7 of the keys 4 so that the respective heels 8 partially leave the bed 1 and will be supported by the cams of the knitting device 34. See position 8b in fig. 3. The corresponding needles 3 will form normal or ordinary stitches.

The lower selectors 29a and 29b, whose upper selectors 32 are selected at 32b, will have their left ends moved back so that they are out of reach of the noses 67 (FIG. 1). Thus, their rocker selectors 5 will return to the position shown in FIG. 1, this under the pressure of the spring 65. These rocker selectors 5 no longer press on their keys 4 which are therefore supported by the cams of the knitting device. The heels 25 of the corresponding guilloched selectors 6 follow the path of the cams 26a (FIG. 3). They undergo an ascent in the ascending part 46a, such that their lower heels 66 are pushed in the path of action of the fixed vertical cam 47a. According to the same principle as the vertical cam 42a, it presses on the lower heels 66. The heel 8 of the corresponding key 4 is momentarily drowned and takes the position 8d of FIG. 3.

Once released by the vertical cam 47a, the descending part 46b returns the selector-guilloché 6 to its position shown in FIG. 1 and the heel 8 of the key 4 fits into the cam path and it is knocked down by the fall cam 37. The needles thus selected will make thread picking. The same process takes place for the next knitting device, in this case, the knitting device 35, by means of the fixed vertical cam 42b of the selection station 49 and the fixed vertical cam 47b.

By a judicious combination of the proper position of the selector switches which make pairs and by acting on the same needle, one obtains four distinct positions of each selector-rocker and of this fact also four selected positions of the needle of a single passage of the knitting device.

In principle, it is immaterial for the idea of the invention that instead of the individual selection of the needles forming elongated stitches, one can also choose another application of the individual selection thus created, for example by combining in the same lock and in the same course of needles the four positions: knitting, picking, out of work and transfer of stitches and that without any restriction.

Claims (8)

1. Knitting machine with electromagnetic selection of needles, with transfer of stitches comprising needle beds, arranged in pairs, provided with grooves in which are housed needles and selectors provided with heels, the heels of the needles being able to be positioned at level or at -above the bed, the heels of the selectors can be positioned in different levels relative to the bed and in different positions along the grooves, and comprising electromagnetic selection stations cooperating with sliding members to allow them to occupy two distinct positions, the sliding members assigned in pairs to each of the needles, as well as fixed vertical cams housed on a knitting carriage acting on rocker selectors and releasing the rocker selectors after selection, these being or not retained by the sliding member, characterized in that the rocker selectors (5) can be oriented in q ure distinct positions, and in that lower selectors (29a, 29b) forming the sliding members, and each movable in two distinct positions are arranged so as to produce said four positions of rocker selectors (5). 2. Knitting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that each pair of sliding members is composed of a first lower selector (29a) and a second lower selector (29b) juxtaposed which cooperate so as to obtain the four selector switch positions (5). 3. Knitting machine according to claim 2, characterized in that each first lower selector (29b) is provided with a bearing face (64b) cooperating with the rocker selector (5) assigning one of the four positions of the rocker selector (5). 4. Knitting machine according to claim 2, characterized in that each first lower selector (29b) has on one side a lateral widening (69) directed to the second lower selector (29b). 5. knitting machine according to claim 2, characterized in that each second lower selector (29a) is provided with a bearing face (64a) cooperating with the rocker selector (5) assigning one of the four positions of the rocker selector (5). 6. knitting machine according to claim 2, characterized in that each second lower selector (29a) comprises a flexible branch (68) which cooperates at one end with the lateral widening (69) of the first lower selector (29b) and with the corresponding selector-rocker (5). 7. knitting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that one of the four positions of the rocker selector (5) gives the needle (3) a position in which the heel (8) of the needle acts on cams sorting. 8. Knitting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the heels (8) of the needles (3) can be positioned in three distinct positions relative to the needle bed (1), two of which are above the latter.

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