EP1099786B1 - Method and device for transfering stitches on a knitting machine - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for transferring stitches on a knitting machine by means of transfer elements and a stitching device for a flat knitting machine and at least one needle bed for carrying out the method.

In known methods of looping stitches, the needles that hold the stitches to be looped are deployed so far that the stitches slide over the open tongue or slider of the needle to a heel on the needle shaft. There, the mesh is spread by a spreading spring, so that it can then be taken up by a needle of the opposite needle bed or even by Umhängefingern. Such methods are for example in the DE-OS 24 43 231 and the EP 0 103 033 A1 as well as in the EP 0 959 162 A with reference to a knitting machine with slider needles. A very similar device with Umhängeplatinen describes the DE-OS 16 35 965 ,

The known methods have the disadvantage that a large needle ejection is necessary. The necessary cams require correspondingly wide knitting locks. In addition, the wide Nadelaustrieb leads to a reduction in the production speed of the knitted piece.

From the GB-A 1 110 695 is a hand-operated cover device for hand knitting apparatuses known which has a plurality of rigidly arranged transmission members with which lying on the needle tongue mesh can be taken.

The main drawback of the known methods for industrial knitting machines, however, is that the stitches are pulled out and spread far out of the stitching prior to transfer to an adjacent needle or cape finger, which can cause delicate stitches to burst the stitch. The stitched stitches are also increased by the Umhängevorgang, which is visible in smooth knit in Gesamtgestrickbild and thus limits the quality of the knitted piece.

The present invention has for its object to provide a method and apparatus for transferring stitches, which avoids a higher yarn load and an increase in the production times of the knitted fabric.

The object is achieved by a method having the features of claim 1.

For the placement of the stitch on the tongue or the slider needle movements are required at most, as they are also necessary for normal stitching process. The usual in the known methods further expulsion of the mesh transferring needle is omitted here so. Nevertheless, in the method according to the invention, too, the stitch is sufficiently tensioned by the needle tongue or the needle slider, so that the tip of the transfer element can be inserted into the stitch. It However, no additional spreading of the stitch is made in comparison to the other, not umgehängten stitches, so that there is no significant increase in the stitched stitches, which would be seen later in the knitted image.

For the placement of the mesh there are different possibilities. The stitch can be placed on the closed tongue of the needle by a needle advancing and then needle retraction movement. It is sufficient that the needle is driven so far only that the mesh is behind the open tongue. However, the stitch may also be placed on the open tongue of the needle by a needle advancing movement. Both with open and closed tongue, the mesh is stretched enough to pierce the transfer element in the mesh can.

When using slider needles, the stitch can be placed over the closed slider by a needle advancing movement with the slider open, followed by a needle retraction movement with the slider closed. It then results in similar conditions for the Umhängevorgang as when placing the stitch on the closed tongue of a latch needle.

The method according to the invention can be applied both to flat knitting machines and to circular knitting machines.

The Maschenumhängevorrichtung invention has the features of claim 5. With this Blattfederspitze it is possible to stab into the held on the tongue or the slide mesh. The leaf spring dips into the thread space of the needle and moves between the legs of the stitch ...

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In a preferred embodiment, the transfer elements may comprise a tip formed by two leaf springs, one leaf spring being slidable over the left side and the other leaf spring slidable over the right side of the needle tongue or needle pusher and insertable between the loop legs. In such an embodiment of the tip, the mesh is detected symmetrically on the left and right of the needle shaft, whereby the acquisition of the mesh on the transfer element is even safer. After the withdrawal of the needle out of the loop, the two leaf spring elements spring together and together form the tip of the transfer element.

In a capping device for a flat knitting machine, the transfer elements can be longitudinally displaceably mounted in at least one bar arranged above the at least one needle bed of the flat knitting machine. For this purpose, the at least one bar can be provided with grooves in which the transfer elements are mounted longitudinally displaceable, wherein the transfer elements have the same mutual distance as the needles of the at least one needle bed. This ensures that each needle is assigned a transfer element exactly.

If the at least one needle bed of the flat knitting machine is not mounted longitudinally displaceable, the at least one bar can be mounted longitudinally displaceable on the knitting machine. As a result, a lateral displacement of the stitches is possible by the transfer operation. In the case of longitudinally displaceable needle beds, the bars with the transfer elements can also be fixedly arranged.

In multi-bed flat knitting machines, it is advantageous if at least one bar with transfer elements is provided for each needle bed of the flat knitting machine. The barre can be provided over its entire length with transfer elements or even only in sections. In addition, it is of course possible to provide for each needle bed several bars in those areas in which Umhängevorgänge should be made.

The transfer elements can preferably be controlled by control cams, similar to the needles of the flat knitting machine, in which projections arranged on the transfer elements engage. It is expedient if these cams are arranged on the carriage or carriages for needle control of the flat knitting machine. There is then no separate drive for the selection of the transfer elements required.

Hereinafter, looping operations according to the inventive method and a preferred embodiment of a transfer element of a device according to the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawing.

Fig. 1a - 1f

Teilquerschnitte durch das vordere und hintere Nadelbett einer Flachstrickmaschine mit einer erfindungsgemäßen Umhängevorrichtung mit unterschiedlichen Nadel- und Transferelementstellungen während der Übernahme einer Masche auf das Transferelement nach einem erfindungsgemäßen Verfahren;

Fig. 2a - 2c

einen Teilquerschnitt durch das vordere Nadelbett einer Flachstrickmaschine mit einer erfindungsgemäßen Umhängevorrichtung mit unterschiedlichen Nadelpositionen und Transferelementpositionen bei der Übergabe einer Masche auf eine Nadel des vorderen Nadelbetts;

Fig. 3a - 3c

Teilquerschnitte durch das vordere und hintere Nadelbett einer Flachstrickmaschine mit einer erfindungsgemäßen Umhängevorrichtung mit unterschiedlichen Nadel- und Transferelementpositionen während des Übergebens einer Masche auf eine Nadel des hinteren Nadelbetts;

Fig. 4a - 4c

Teilquerschnitte durch das vordere und hintere Nadelbett einer Flachstrickmaschine mit einer erfindungsgemäßen Umhängevorrichtung mit verschiedenen Transferelementpositionen während der Übergabe einer Masche von einem Transferelement auf ein anderes Transferelement;

Fig. 5

einen Teilquerschnitt durch das vordere Nadelbett einer Flachstrickmaschine mit Schiebernadeln und einer erfindungsgemäßen Umhängevorrichtung;

Fig. 6

einen Teilquerschnitt durch das vordere Nadelbett einer Flachstrickmaschine mit einer erfindungsgemäßen Umhängevorrichtung bei Übernahme einer auf einer geöffneten Zungennadel liegenden Masche auf ein Transferelement;

Fig. 7a, 7b

Detailansichten eines Transferelements;

Fig. 8

schematische perspektivische Darstellung der Maschenübernahme durch das Transferelement gemäß Fig. 7.

Show it:

Fig. 1a - 1f

Partial cross sections through the front and rear needle bed of a flat knitting machine with a capping device according to the invention with different needle and transfer element positions during the acquisition of a stitch on the transfer element according to a method of the invention;

Fig. 2a - 2c

a partial cross section through the front needle bed of a flat knitting machine with a capping device according to the invention with different needle positions and transfer element positions in the transfer of a stitch on a needle of the front needle bed;

Fig. 3a - 3c

Partial cross sections through the front and rear needle bed of a flat knitting machine with a capping device according to the invention with different needle and transfer element positions during the transfer of a stitch to a needle of the rear needle bed;

Fig. 4a - 4c

Partial cross-sections through the front and rear needle bed of a flat knitting machine with a capping device according to the invention with different transfer element positions during the transfer of a stitch from one transfer element to another transfer element;

Fig. 5

a partial cross section through the front needle bed of a flat knitting machine with slide needles and a capping device according to the invention;

Fig. 6

a partial cross section through the front needle bed of a flat knitting machine with a capping device according to the invention upon adoption of a lying on an open latch needle mesh on a transfer element;

Fig. 7a, 7b

Detailed views of a transfer element;

Fig. 8

schematic perspective view of the mesh takeover by the transfer element according to FIG. 7.

Fig. La shows the front needle bed 1 and the rear needle bed 2 of a flat knitting machine. In the front needle bed 1 latch needles 3 and in the rear needle bed 2 also latch needles 4 are mounted longitudinally displaceable. About the needle beds 1 and 2 with the needles 3 and 4, transfer elements 5 and 6 are arranged for transferring stitches. In the example shown, the needle 3 holds a stitch 7 in its thread space 33, which is formed by needle hook 31 and the closed needle tongue 32. The transfer element 5 assigned to the needle 3 is part of a stitch transfer device 150, which is not shown in greater detail here. The transfer element 5 has a tip 51 with a breast surface 53. In Fig. La, the needle 3 is in its home position, d. H. the mesh 7 is due to the action of the fabric take-off in the direction of the arrow 71 at the tee-off ground 11 of the front needle bed 1 at.

In Fig. 1b, the needle 3 has been expelled in the direction of the arrow 300, so that the needle tongue 32 has been opened by the mesh 7 and the mesh 7 is now on the needle shaft behind the open tongue 32.

Subsequently, as shown in Fig. 1c, the needle 3 is retracted in the direction of the arrow 301 until the loop 7 closes the tongue 32 when sliding forward on the needle 3 again and comes to lie on the closed tongue 32. This position is shown in FIG. 1d. The needle 3 has been withdrawn in the direction of the arrow 301 so far that the stitch is just before its knock-off position (transfer position). The mesh 7 is now through the needle head with the closed Tongue 32 stretched so far that the transfer element 5 can be expelled in the direction of arrow 500 and pushed into the mesh 7. The tip 51 of the transfer element 5 thereby slides laterally past the back of the tongue 32 and into the thread space 33 (FIG. 1 a) of the needle 3 so far that it protrudes on the inside of the legs of the loop 7.

Subsequently, the needle 3 is withdrawn in the direction of arrow 301 in its basic position and thereby the mesh 7 released (Fig le). At the same time, the transfer element 5 is driven so far in the direction of the arrow 500 until the loop 7 rests against the chest area 53. The mesh 7 has now been taken over by the transfer element 5.

If the loop 7, which now hangs on the transfer element 5, should temporarily not participate in the knitting process, the stitch transfer element 5 can be withdrawn in the direction of arrow 501 so that the loop 7 continues to hang on the tip 51, but the tip 51 hangs behind the center axis 100 the knitting machine is located. In addition, the transfer element 5 can be displaced laterally over the needle 3 by half a pitch, so that the needle 3 can continue to participate in the knitting process without the loop 7 located on the transfer element 5 hindering the knitting process (FIG. 1f).

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 now show the transfer of the stitch 7 hanging on the transfer element 5 onto the same needle 3 or another needle of the same needle bed 1 (Fig. 2), onto the needle 4 of the opposite needle bed 2 (Fig. 3) and on an opposite transfer element 6 (Figure 4).

In Fig. 2a, the stitch transfer element 5 has been driven in the direction of the arrow 500 in its transfer position for needles 3 of the same needle bed 1. The needle 3 is driven so far in the direction of the arrow 300 until the needle hook 31 in the mesh transfer element 5 is immersed in the region 52 and thus is in the region of the tip 51. By this process, the needle hook 31 slides through the legs of the mesh 7 therethrough. According to FIG. 2b, the stitch transfer element 5 is subsequently completely withdrawn in the direction of the arrow 501, so that the loop 7 now hangs on the needle 3. Subsequently, the needle 3 moves in the direction of arrow 301 back to its basic position, so that the loop 7 hangs in the needle hook 31 and abuts the tee-off ground 11 (Fig. 2c).

In the transfer operation of the loop 7 shown in FIG. 3 onto the needle 4 of the opposing needle bed, the needle 4 according to FIG. 3 a is driven in the direction of the arrow 400 so far that it dives with its needle hook 41 into a section 52 of the stitch transfer element 5 which extends in the transfer position for needles of the opposite needle bed. In this process, the needle hook 41 also slides through the legs of the loop 7. Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 3b, the transfer element 5 is retracted in the direction of the arrow 501 so that the loop 7 now hangs solely on the needle 4. The needle 4 is subsequently retracted (FIG. 3 c) in the direction of the arrow 401 into its basic position so that the stitch 7 rests against the bottom of the rear needle bed 2.

When transferring the stitch 7 from the transfer element 5 to an opposite transfer element 6, both transfer elements 5 and 6 are driven in the direction of the arrows 500 and 600 as far as shown in FIG. 4 so that the stitch transfer element 6 penetrates the section 52 of the stitch transfer element 5 dips and thereby passes with its tip 61 through the legs of the mesh 7. Subsequently, according to FIG. 4b, the stitch transfer element 5 is completely withdrawn in the direction of the arrow 501, so that the loop 7 now hangs solely on the transfer element 6. According to FIG. 4c, the transfer element 6 can then be withdrawn so far in the direction of the arrow 601 are that the mesh 7 while still hanging on the top 61, the tip 61 but is located behind the central axis 100 of the knitting machine. If the needle 4, which is associated with the transfer element 6, take part in the further knitting process, but the loop 7 is held on the transfer element 6 for some time, then the needles 4 and the transfer element 6 can be offset from one another by half a pitch, so that the stitch 7 the Austriebsraum the needle 4 is free.

Fig. 5 illustrates the acquisition of the mesh 7 of a needle 35. The slider 35 of the needle 30 and thus also the thread space 36 are closed. The needle 30 has been retracted so far in the direction of arrow 331 that it is in the transfer position, d. H. the mesh 7 rests on the closed slide 35. The transfer element 5 has been driven so far in the direction of the arrow 500 that its tip 51 pierces into the thread space 36 and thus between the legs of the stitch 7. By this insertion of the tip 51 of the transfer element 5 in the thread space 36, the transfer method according to the invention and the capping device according to the invention can be used both for tongue and for needle needles.

Fig. 6 shows a further variant of the acquisition of a stitch 7 through the stitch transfer element 5 for latch needles 3. The needle 3 is driven in the direction of arrow 300 in its stitch transfer position in which the stitch 7 now comes to rest on the open tongue 32. Also in this position, the mesh 7 is stretched. In addition, a space is formed between the open tongue spoon 32 and the needle shaft. In this space, the transfer element 5 has been driven in the direction of arrow 500 with its tip 51. The tip 51 thus now pierces between the legs of the mesh 7 and thus can take over the stitch.

FIGS. 7a, 7b and 8 illustrate a preferred embodiment of a transfer element 5. FIG. 7a shows the side view and FIG. 7b shows the top view of the transfer element 5. FIG. 7b illustrates that the tip 51 of the transfer element 5 is actually a double tip of two Leaf spring elements 51 and 51 'is. At the top, the leaf spring elements 51 and 51 'abut each other. In their rear area, they enclose a cavity 52 into which the needle head of a needle 3, 4 can dip in order to take over the loop 7 hanging on the transfer element 5. On the chest surface 53, the mesh 7 is supported after the acquisition. The transfer element 5 also has a solid shaft 54 which can be longitudinally slidably guided in a groove of a bar, not shown, and driven by a control cam.

Fig. 8 illustrates in perspective view the acquisition of the mesh 7 of the needle 3 by the transfer element 5. The tip 51, 51 'of the transfer element 5 protrudes into the thread space of the needle 3 inside.

Claims (10)

1. Method for transferring stitches (7) on a knitting machine by means of transfer elements (5, 6), wherein a transfer element (5, 6) is associated with all needles (3, 4, 30) on which stitches (7) are intended to be transferred and wherein the stitch (7) to be transferred, which is held in the needle (3, 4, 30), is positioned on the needle latch (32) or, when using slide needles (30), on the needle slider (35), by needle raising and/or withdrawal movements as are necessary for normal stitch formation without further raising of the needle which transfers the stitch, characterised in that the tip of the transfer element (5, 6), which is arranged so as to be longitudinally displaceable, is subsequently inserted into the yarn chamber (33, 36) and into the stitch (7) by advancing the transfer element (5, 6) and the needle (3, 4, 40) is then pulled out of the stitch (7) so the stitch (7) is suspended solely from the transfer element (5, 6) and is available for transfer onto the same or another needle (3, 4, 30) or another transfer element (5, 6).
2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the stitch (7) is positioned on the closed latch (32) of the needle (3) by an advancing needle movement and subsequent needle withdrawal movement.
3. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the stitch (7) is positioned on the open latch (32) of the needle (3) by an advancing needle movement.
4. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that, when using slide needles (30), the stitch (7) is positioned by an advancing needle movement for an open slider (35) and, for a closed slider (35), by a subsequent needle withdrawal movement over the closed slider (35).
5. Device (7) for transferring stitches on a flat knitting machine comprising at least one needle bed (1, 2) for carrying out the method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, having latch or slide needles (3, 4, 30) from which stitches (7) are intended to be transferred and with each of which needles a transfer element (5, 6) is associated and having cams for the needles (3. 4, 30), the cams for the needles (3, 4, 30) being designed such that the stitch (7) to be transferred, which is held in the needle (3, 4, 30), is positioned on the needle latch (32) or, when using slide needles (30), on the needle slider (35), by needle raising and/or withdrawal movements as are necessary for normal stitch formation without further raising of the needle which transfers the stitch, the transfer elements (5, 6) being mounted so as to be longitudinally displaceable in at least one bar arranged above the at least one needle bed (1, 2) and a drive for the transfer elements (5, 6) being provided, characterised in that the drive for the transfer elements is designed such that the tip of the transfer element (5, 6), is subsequently inserted into the stitch (7) by advancing the transfer element (5,6) and the cams of the needles are designed such that the needle (3, 4, 30) is pulled out of the stitch (7) so the stitch (7) is suspended solely from the transfer element (5, 6) and is available for transfer to the same or another needle (3, 4, 30) or to another transfer element (5, 6) and in that the transfer elements (5, 6) have a tip which is formed from at least one leaf spring (51, 51') and can be inserted into the yarn chamber (33, 36).
6. Device according to claim 5, characterised in that the at least one bar is provided with grooves in which the transfer elements (5, 6) are mounted so as to be longitudinally displaceable, the transfer elements (5, 6) having the same spacing from one another as the needles (3, 4, 30) of the at least one needle bed (1, 2).
7. Device according to either claim 5 or claim 6, characterised in that the at least one bar is mounted on the knitting machine so as to be longitudinally displaceable.
8. Device according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterised in that at least one bar with transfer elements (5, 6) is provided for each needle bed (1, 2) of the flat knitting machine.
9. Device according to any one of claims 5 to 8, characterised in that the transfer elements (5, 6) can be activated via cams with which projections arranged on the transfer elements (5, 6) engage.
10. Device according to claim 9, characterised in that the cams are arranged on the carriage(s) for controlling the needles of the flat knitting machine.

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