EP1127970A1 - Method and flat bed knitting machine for making seamless tubular knitwear - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a knitting machine comprising two needle beds (1, 2, 43, 44) for guiding knitting needles (3), means for selecting said knitting needles (3), carriages (4, 40) for moving the selected knitting needles and members guiding (10) the knitting thread (52). The method consists in arranging the needle beds (1, 2, 43, 44) so that the needles (3) of a needle bed (1; 43) in their normal knitting travel do not cross the needles of the other needle bed (2; 44), in moving the carriages in one direction along each needle bed (1, 2, 43, 44), the displacement directions of said carriages (4, 40) along their respective needle beds being opposite relative to each other and in transferring the thread (52) from the needles (3) of one needle bed (1, 43) to those of the other needle beds (2, 44), each time said thread (52) reaches the end of the selected needles (3).

Description

The present invention relates to a method for forming a seamless tubular knit on a loom straight knitting including two needle guiding knitting needles, means for selecting these knitting needles, carts for moving needles knitting patterns and guide members knitting yarn, as well as a straight knitting machine for the implementation of this process.

Classic straight knitting looms could allow knitting of tubular items without sewing, subject to certain modifications, including articles formed of two tubular elements joined in one single tubular, like pants. However, they do not not allow to produce such items with knitting tight enough to make a pants fabric. They don't also do not allow production under conditions economically viable, both the speed of production would be scaled down. Circular looms neither allow nor produce two tubular elements side by side, nor to produce tubular elements of variable diameters, or depends on the homogeneity of the knitting, for example by varying the tension on the wire, tightening of the meshes, etc.

The object of the present invention is to produce a seamless tubular knitting on a straight knitting machine, likely to remedy, at least in part, the disadvantages mentioned above.

To this end, the present invention has first of all for subject a process for forming a seamless tubular knit on a straight knitting machine of the aforementioned type, as defined by claim 1.

Preferably, this process relates to the formation of two tubular bodies then joined into a single tubular body, allowing for seamless pants.

This invention also relates to a knitting loom for the implementation of the knitting process, such as defined by claim 3, as well as pants underpants or tights obtained by the implementation of this process.

This invention has the advantage of allowing the manufacture in attractive economic conditions of a new product. Knitted pants or underpants without sewing whatever the size, is indeed an article unknown, since we did not know how to achieve it so far.

Note that one of the advantages of the process which is the subject of the invention, lies in the fact that the diameter of the tubular parts of this item may vary so as to give it the desired shape.

Indeed, as we will realize during from the description which follows, the knitting process according to the invention cannot be implemented on a classic straight knitting machine, but requires a new concept of rectilinear profession, explaining that only by imagining a new knitting concept, radically different from that usually used in straight knitting looms, which the invention has could see the light of day. It was indeed necessary to create a concept allowing knitting two separate knitting tablecloths, one on each bed by joining them continuously by a transfer of knitting yarns from one needle bed to another, thus allowing the formation of a tubular element without sewing. From this principle, it becomes possible to imagine the simultaneous production of two tubular elements side by side, which can then be combined into a single element tubular by selecting the needles separating the two tubular elements.

La figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'un métier à tricoter selon la première forme d'exécution;

la figure 2 est une vue en coupe transversale selon la ligne II-II de la figure 1;

la figure 3 est une vue en élévation latérale de la figure 1;

la figure 4 est une vue partielle à plus grande échelle d'un détail de la figure 1;

la figure 5 est une vue de dessus de la figure 1, illustrant uniquement le système de transfert des guides-fils;

la figure 5a est une vue agrandie d'un détail de la figure 5;

la figure 5b est une vue en perspective de la figure 5a;

la figure 6 est une vue en élévation de la figure 5;

la figure 6a est une vue d'un détail de la figure 6;

la figure 6b est une vue de dessus du détail de la figure 6a;

la figure 6c est une vue agrandie d'un détail de la figure 6;

la figure 7 est une vue de dessus partielle de la figure 1 ne montrant que les organes relatifs au réglage de la largeur du tricot tubulaire;

la figure 7a est une vue agrandie d'un détail de la figure 7;

la figure 8 est une vue partielle de dessus d'un détail d'un chariot de commande des aiguilles de tricotage, montrant un dispositif de déplacement de ce chariot par rapport à son mécanisme d'entraínement;

la figure 9 est une vue en élévation latérale du métier à tricoter selon la seconde forme d'exécution;

la figure 10 est une vue selon X-X de la figure 9;

la figure 11 est une vue de dessus de la figure 9;

la figure 12 est une vue selon XII-XII de la figure 9;

la figure 13 est une vue selon XIII-XIII de la figure 12;

la figure 13a est une vue de dessus de la portion agrandie de la figure 13;

la figure 14 est une vue de dessus de la figure 13;

la figure 15 est une vue semblable à la figure 14 d'un second poste de transfert de fil;

la figure 16 est une vue agrandie d'un guide-fil;

la figure 17 est une vue d'une variante du guide-fil illustré par la figure 16.

The invention will be better understood by referring to the description which follows as well as to the appended drawings which illustrate, schematically and by way of example, two embodiments of the method which is the subject of the present invention, relating to two forms execution of the trade also object of this invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a knitting machine according to the first embodiment;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view along line II-II of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a partial view on a larger scale of a detail of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a top view of Figure 1, illustrating only the wire guide transfer system;

Figure 5a is an enlarged view of a detail of Figure 5;

Figure 5b is a perspective view of Figure 5a;

Figure 6 is an elevational view of Figure 5;

Figure 6a is a view of a detail of Figure 6;

Figure 6b is a top view of the detail of Figure 6a;

Figure 6c is an enlarged view of a detail of Figure 6;

Figure 7 is a partial top view of Figure 1 showing only the members relating to the adjustment of the width of the tubular knit;

Figure 7a is an enlarged view of a detail of Figure 7;

Figure 8 is a partial top view of a detail of a knitting needle control carriage, showing a device for moving this carriage relative to its drive mechanism;

Figure 9 is a side elevational view of the knitting loom according to the second embodiment;

Figure 10 is a view along XX of Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a top view of Figure 9;

Figure 12 is a view along XII-XII of Figure 9;

Figure 13 is a view along XIII-XIII of Figure 12;

Figure 13a is a top view of the enlarged portion of Figure 13;

Figure 14 is a top view of Figure 13;

Figure 15 is a view similar to Figure 14 of a second wire transfer station;

Figure 16 is an enlarged view of a thread guide;

FIG. 17 is a view of a variant of the wire guide illustrated in FIG. 16.

The knitting loom illustrated in Figure 1 is a rectilinear loom comprising two needle beds 1, 2, which form either two parallel planes or as shown in this Figure 1, the planes of these beds form an angle between them acute such that knitting needles 3, in their normal knitting stroke, do not cross, like illustrated by figure 2.

It is specified that only the parts of the trade necessary to the understanding of the invention have been shown. The usual parts of this type of profession, well known skilled in the art and who are not part of the The present invention has therefore not been shown. It is in particular the case of the needle selection mechanism knitting 3, as well as the control cam mechanisms needles integral with the carriages.

A plurality of carriages 4 are arranged along the beds 1, 2. These carriages 4 are integral with a chain or drive belt 5. This drive chain 5 forms a closed loop by turning around two discs 6, rotatably mounted around two shafts respective verticals, one of which 7 is visible in the figure 1. The carts, integral with this drive chain 5, therefore always move in the same direction. In the example described, this sense is that of arrow F, so these carts 4 pass successively from one bed 1 to another bed 2 and vice versa.

A guide rail 8 forms a closed loop, the plane is parallel and located above the closed loop, formed by the drive chain 5. Sliding supports 9, illustrated in more detail by FIGS. 6a, 6b, are engaged with guide rail 8 and are susceptible to slide freely along this rail. A thread guide 10 is suspended from each sliding support 9. For this purpose, the upper end of the wire guide 10 ends in a hooking element 10c of semi-circular shape, while that the sliding support 9 has a longitudinal groove hook 9a open at both ends, for allow the hooking element 9a to come out from the rear of this longitudinal groove 9a and of entering from the front, considering the direction of movement of the sliding support 9.

Each carriage 4 carries a bracket 11 whose arm horizontal 11a extends just below the guide rail 8. This horizontal arm 11a constitutes a slide in which two pushers, an upper pushbutton 12 and a lower pusher 13 are slidably mounted, each of these pushers being secured to a pin 12a, respectively 13a. The role of these pushers 12, 13 is to push the sliding supports 9 and wire guides 10 along the rail 8. The upper pusher 12 ends with a oblique part 12b intended to push the wire guides during of the wire guide transfer operation, as will see later.

The knitting loom also includes transfer 14 of the thread guides 10 from a bed of needles knitting 3 associated with one of the needle beds 1, 2 with a bed of needles knitting 3 associated with the other of these needle beds 1, 2. Each of these transfer members 14 has two parts 14a, 14b (Figure 5a), forming between them a groove of guide 16, each of the two parts being integral with a arm 15a, 15b of a suspension member 15 (Figure 1). The end the guide groove 16 is closed by a retractable valve 16a, retained by a spring 16b and serving to retain the wire guide 10 during its transfer from a bed of knitting needles 3 from one of the beds in bed of knitting needles 3 on the other side of the needle beds.

The wire guides 10 comprise, along their rod, a guide portion 10a whose section is ovalized to facilitate guiding in the guide groove 16. The top of this guide portion 10a has a projection 10b intended to come into contact with the upper face of the transfer member 14, thereby defining the vertical position of the wire guide 10. Advantageously, the upper face of the transfer member 14 is shaped as a cam to lift the thread guide 10 during transfer and thus put knitting needles 3 out of reach and to bring it back to its original level after the transfer.

As can be seen in Figure 1, four transfer members 14 are arranged along the needle beds 1 and 2. The two transfer members 14 arranged at the two ends are oriented so that the ends of their guide grooves 16 look inward, this is say they face each other. The suspension organs 15 of two other transfer members 14 located between those of ends are both integral with a drive member 17 intended to orient them angularly, as will see later. As can also be seen in the figures 1, 6 and 7, each of the suspension members 15 is also connected to an adjustment nut 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d in taken with a threaded rod 19 comprising four sections 19a, 19b, 19c, 19d, threads with inverted steps compared to others. One end of this threaded rod 19 is integral with an adjustment member 20, which can advantageously to be a stepper motor. The role of this body adjustment 20 is in particular to adjust the spacing between the transfer device 14.

The adjustment nuts 18a, 18d carry an arm 77a, respectively 77d, while the adjusting nuts 18b, 18c each carry two arms 77b, respectively 77c.

Each arm 77a, 77d located at one end of the beds 1, 2 carries a cam 21a, 21b (Figures 1 and 7) intended to engage with a pin 13a of the pusher 13. Each arm 77b, 77c located in the middle part of the needle beds 1, 2 is associated with two cams 21c, 21f, respectively 21st, 21d intended to come into engagement with this same pin 13a, for the purpose which will be explained later.

As shown in the enlarged view of Figure 7a, the cam 21d, carried by the arm 77c, is integral with the end an arm 81, articulated at the end of the arm 77c. A transmission belt 78 connects a pulley 79, integral of the shaft of the drive motor 17, to a pulley 80 integral with the articulation axis of the arm 81. Thus, the cam 21d carried by the arm 81 can be brought in two positions, an active position illustrated in phantom in FIG. 7a and an inactive position illustrated in lines continuous in this same figure 7a. The other cams 21a-21f are operated in the same manner as described above for cam 21d.

Each end of the guide rail 8 ends in a greatly enlarged part 8a, 8b. At the entrance and at the output of each of these enlarged parts two more cams or less superimposed 22a, 22b, 22c, 22d are arranged to engaging with the pins 12a, 13a of the pushers 12 and 13. The role of cams 22a, 22c located at the entrances of respective widened parts 8a, 8b, is to separate the pushers 12, 13 to clear the center of each of these parts widened 8a, 8b to allow wire feed wire guides from two sets of four coils 23 (in this example) each carried by a rotary creel 24 secured to a tree 25.

A bevel gear transmission connects this shaft 25 to the shaft 26 of a drive gear motor M located at each end of the loom and which, by two belts of respective transmission 27 also drive the trees 7 of the discs 6 around which the drive chain passes 5 of the trolleys 4. The axes 25 of the canters still carry each a reference 28 engaged with a transmission belt 29. A transmission shaft 30 transmits the movement received by the belt 29, using a transmission belt 31 to a rotary thread guide 32. Thanks to this arrangement, the relative speeds of the creel 24 and the wire guide rotary 32 can be controlled so that the different threads do not intermingle.

Figure 8 also illustrates a device for moving relative between the carriage 4 and the drive chain 5. For this purpose, the carriage 4 is connected to the chain drive 5 via a slide 33 integral of the carriage 4 and of a slide 34 integral with the drive chain 5. A servomotor 35 is used to make turn a worm screw 36 in engagement with the slide 34 to move it along the slide 33. The feed of the servomotor is produced by a power rail 37 with which a wiper 38 comes into sliding contact.

Since knitting needles 3 do not not cross, it is necessary to provide organs for retention of the knitting during knitting. Such bodies 39 are visible in Figure 4. We can see that they are made up like a sort of comb allowing the knitting needles 3, as well as the knitting yarns. These holding members 39 each rest on a bar of support 39b. As seen in Figure 4, the parts 39a holding members which extend above the respective upper edges of the needle beds 1, 2 are thinned, thus leaving a place for the formation of the meshes of the knitting when lowering knitting needles 3 in the guide grooves of the respective needle beds 1, 2.

It is thanks to these holding members 39 that it is possible to increase the clamping force on the so as to produce a knit with denser stitches.

Figure 16 illustrates a detail of the guide parts of the wire guide 10 which each have a free ring 10e held between two annular stops 10d. This free ring 10th has a diameter significantly larger than that of the thread guide rod 10, but less than that of the two 10d ring stops, so it is free to move between these stops 10d. Thanks to this arrangement, the thread guide 10 can rotate relative to the direction of the wire 52. This is how when the thread guide 10 is transferred from a sewing to another by the transfer members 14, it makes a rotation of 180 ° but, thanks to the free ring 10th which retains the wire 52, the rotation of the wire guide 10 does not effect on wire 52 which can rotate relative to the wire guide 10 to keep the same orientation defined by the position of the wire feed spool.

The mode of implementation of the knitting loom which just described is as follows:

To explain this operation, we will follow a wire guided by a wire guide 10 from the moment this last one is at the exit end of the guide groove 16 of the transfer member 14 which is located at the end right side of bed 1 looking at Figure 1. At the end outlet of this guide groove 16, this thread guide is retained by the valve 16a. When a sliding support 9, pushed onto the guide rail 8 by the pushers 12, 13 integral with the bracket 11 fixed to the carriage 4, arrives at plumb with the outlet of this guide groove 16, it meets the attachment member 10c of the wire guide 10 retained at the outlet of this guide groove 16 by the valve 16a. This attachment member 10c penetrates from the front of the groove hook 9a until it stops against pushers 12, 13 which drive the sliding support 9 the along the guide rail 8. From this moment, the wire guide 10 advance with its thread as the movement of the carriage 4 opposite the needle bed 1.

During its movement, the knitting cams (not shown) of the carriage 4 engage with the needles 3 which follow one another along needle 1, making so up and down these knitting needles the wire presented to them by the wire guide 10.

When the thread guide 10 arrives in front of the next transfer 14, that is to say in the example chosen, the second of the four transfer members 14 starting from that located at the right end of needle bed 1 in the figure 1, its guide portion 10a meets the entry of the groove guide 16 of this second transfer member. Simultaneously, the pin 13a meets the cam 21d (FIG. 7) which withdraws pusher 13 slightly back, thereby releasing the rear end of the hooking groove 9a of the support sliding 9, only the pusher 12 remaining, by its part inclined 12b, in contact with the wire guide 10.

The guide portion 10a of the wire guide 10 being engaged in the guide groove 16 of the transfer member 14, the thread guide 10 changes direction, while the support sliding 9, in engagement with rail 8, continues to follow a trajectory parallel to needle bed 1. Thanks to its face inclined 13b, the pusher 13 can thus give an impulse to the wire guide 10 when it comes out of the hanging groove 9a of the sliding support 9, from behind it. This impulse from the inclined face 12b of the pusher 12 a to push the thread guide 10 into the groove of guide 16 of the transfer member 14, until it abuts the check valve 16a, or it waits to be taken up by another carriage 4 pushing another support sliding 9.

As for the carriage 4 and the sliding support 9 which come to separate from the wire guide 10 engaged in the transfer 14, it continues its movement along the bed 1 in the direction of arrow F. Immediately after having left the second transfer member 14 from the end right side of bed 1 (figure 1), the sliding support 9 driven by the carriage 4 passes opposite the third transfer member 14, rotated 180 ° around the member of suspension 15, so that the trajectory of the guide groove 9a of the sliding support 9 passes through the outlet end of the guide groove 16 of the member transfer 14, driving the guide wire 10 waiting at this end.

The same knitting process as described above unwinds until thread guide 10 meets the entry of the guide groove 16 of the fourth member of transfer 14 which is located at the left end in the figure 1 of the needle bed 1. Simultaneously, the cam 21a (FIG. 7) spread the pusher 13 using the pin 13a and the inclined portion 12b of the pusher 12 gives the thread guide 10 a impulse to transfer it to the needle bed 2.

The carriage 4 then arrived at the left end (figure 1) of the needle bed 1 and it is now driven by the chain 5 towards the needle bed 2 by turning around the disc 6. As for the sliding support on rail 8, it addresses the part widened 8a of the guide rail 8. At the beginning of this enlarged part, the pins 12a, 13a of the pushers 12 and 13 meet two cams 22a which remove these pushers 12 and 13 towards the outside of the loop 8a in order to release the center and allow passage of knitting yarn passing from the rotary thread guide 32 to the thread guides 10.

Once the carriage 4 completes its rotation, the pegs 12a, 13a meet a cam 22b (Figure 7) which returns the pushers 12 and 13 to their initial position, so that when the hooking groove 9a of the support sliding 9 passes just below the exit of the groove guide 16, the hooking member 10c of the wire guide 10 is introduced into this hooking groove 9a and is driven along the rail 8, with the sliding support 9, by pushers 12 and 13.

Taking into account the transfer of the knitting yarn without cutting of this yarn, a bed of knitting needles 3 from one of needle beds 1, 2 to the bed of knitting needles 3 on the other of these needle beds, constantly turning in the same direction, a tubular knit is formed and, as there are two pairs transfer members 14 arranged along the needle beds 1 and 2, two elements of tubular knits can thus be formed side by side, which can advantageously constitute the two legs of pants of underpants or tights without sewing. Once the leg length is reached, just select knitting needles 3 se between the two transfer members 14, using conventional selection means, not shown because that they are not part of the present invention.

At the same time as selecting the knitting 3 mentioned above, the two are rotated by 90 ° transfer members 14 using the motors 17, so that the wire guides 10 can no longer engage in the guide grooves 16 and that only the transfer members 14 placed at the two ends of the needle beds 1, 2 are still in service. Therefore, the two knitting elements tubular forming the legs of the pants of the pants or the sticky are joined in a single tubular element forming the top of pants, underpants or tights. Simultaneously, since each knitting yarn made from this moment the full width of the needle beds and no longer only over half of this width, drive-reduction motorcycles M will train the canters 24 at speeds reduced by half.

Since the speed at which the carriages 4 are driven by the endless drive chain 5 is constant, the servomotors 35 associated with each carriage 4 reduce or increase movement speed of these carriages 4 to allow synchronization. In fact, in the example described, each creel 24 carries four supply coils 23 of knitting yarn, which corresponds with four threads per knitted leg and eight threads when knitting the top of the pants. Given the increases and decreases in the width of the knit, it can be necessary to change the speed of the carriages 4 to take the wire guides 10 at the exit of the transfer 14.

However, before carriage 4 begins to rotate around the drive discs 6 to come to work with the opposite needle bed, the servomotor 35 must put back the carriage 4 in zero position, i.e. in the position where it is neither ahead nor behind compared to the reference distance between the carriages 4.

When knitting needles 3 are selected to increase or decrease the diameter of the element (s) knitted tubular, it is necessary to modify the positions of the transfer members 14 so that they follow these diameter changes. This adjustment is carried out by the worm 19 and the stepper motor 20. Due to reversals of the threads of the different sections 19a, 19b, 19c, 19d of the worm, when knitting the two pants legs, following the direction of rotation of the screw 19, the transfer members 14 delimiting two by two the two legs of the pants are close together or apart others. Similarly, when knitting a single tubular element forming the top of the pants, where the two organs of transfer 14 located in the middle part of the needle beds 1, 2 are taken out of service, as explained above, both transfer members 14 located at the ends of these needle beds 1, 2 are close or distant from each other according to the direction of rotation of the adjusting screw 19.

In a variant illustrated in FIG. 17, for avoid winding the wire 52 around the rotating wire guide, when it follows the tubular shape of the knit and changes thus orientation relative to the portion of wire located between the movable thread guide 10 and the thread guide 32, you can also use a tubular wire guide 10 '. Thread 52 goes in through one end of the 10 'wire guide tube and comes out by the other end. Such a 10 'wire guide can therefore change orientation with respect to fixed thread guide 32 without the wire is not wrapped around it. Such a 10 'wire guide can advantageously include two discs 10'f and 10'g, one 10'f used to support the wire guide 10 'on a carriage (not shown) and the other to be engaged with a transfer arm (not shown).

The second embodiment will now be described in relationship to Figures 9 to 15. Several of the modifications described in relation to this embodiment can be used in the previous embodiment. Of even, several of the elements described in relation to the first embodiment can be used in the second form of execution.

The fundamental difference between these two forms of execution lies in the fact that instead of moving around in a horizontal plane, the carriages 40 according to the second embodiment move in two vertical planes, so that this form of execution requires twice as many carts than the first form of execution. Another difference notable is located in the canters for the power coils in knitting yarn.

Figure 9 shows an endless drive chain 41 forming a closed loop around two wheels 42 with axles horizontal pivoting. A second identical chain forms a second parallel loop, arranged on the other side of the two vertical needle beds 43, 44, as seen in particular in Figure 10. The carriages 40 are connected each one of the chains 41 by an axis 40a transverse to this chain, allowing them to pivot. These carts 40 each still carries two guide pins 40b, intended coming into engagement with two guide rails 45 arranged at both ends of the closed loop described by carriages 40. These carriages 40 therefore have three points of guide, the axis 40a and the pins 40b, so that, thanks to the guide rails 45, they can move from the upper horizontal part of their trajectory at the lower horizontal part, constantly staying in a horizontal position as well going up and down bottom of their trajectory as bottom up.

Unlike the previous embodiment where the wire transfer from one needle bed to another is done by transferring the wire guides, in this embodiment, only the wire is transferred, the wire guides 46 being integral carriages 40. As illustrated in Figures 13, 13a and 14, the wire guide 46 is fixed to the carriage 40 by a pillar 47 around which a tubular body 48 pivots. This body tubular 48 ends with a pinion 49 at its lower end and by a wire retaining element 50 constituted by a member provided with four radial notches 50a reminding a Maltese cross at its upper end. Pinion 49 meshes with a reference 49a pivotally mounted on the carriage 40. The upper end of the pillar 47 carries a locking member 51 of knitting yarn 52. This locking member 51 is pivotally mounted on this pillar 47 and is normally applied against a stop 53 secured to an arm 53a itself integral with pillar 47. A return spring 54 tends constantly to keep the locking member applied against the stop 53.

Transfer stations 55 (Figures 12, 13, 14 and 15), like transfer organs 14 of the first form are four in number to be able to transfer knitting yarn from one needle to another, each time end of the knitting stroke, corresponding to the half a serving of tubular knit. The two posts of transfer 55 located in the middle part of the needle beds can be taken out of service to allow knitting of the pants top. As in the case of transfer organs 14, the transfer members 55 of the second form are engaged with 19 ', 19 "adjustment screws, controlled by 20 ', 20 "motors, to vary the width knitting.

Each transfer station 55 has two racks 56 located on the respective paths of the two references 49a. A release cam 57 is still arranged on the trajectory of a portion 51a of the locking member 51 knitting yarn 52, on the side where this yarn should be free from thread guide 46 to be transferred to the other needle bed. In the example described, this release cam 57 is located at left referring to figure 13.

The frame of this transfer station 55 also comprises two transfer slides 58, 59, each carrying two stops 58a, respectively 59a intended to limit their strokes respective. Two actuators 60 serve to operate these slides from one stop to the other and vice versa. The free end of the transfer slide 58 is still attached to a pusher 58b provided with an opening for the passage of the other slide 59. The pusher 58b can be moved by transfer slide 58 to a surface stop 55a secured to the frame of the transfer station 55.

FIGS. 9 to 11 also show a device for creel for feeding knitting yarns by making them always turn in the same direction, here that of watch hands (figure 11) and allowing turn the knitting yarns around two axes of rotation respectively during the knitting of the pants legs, then around a single axis when knitting the pants top.

This creel device comprises, supports for vertical spools 61, each of which carries a spool 62 of wire 52. Each vertical support 61 rests on a support surface 63 while it is guided at the top by a guide rail 64. This guide rail forms, as illustrated in FIG. 11, two small oval loops included in a large oval loop. The two small oval curls are intended to guide the coil supports 61 during the pants leg knitting, while the large loop is intended to guide them during knitting from the top of the trousers.

Each vertical support 61 comprises a connecting member 65, slidably mounted in a vertical groove 66 (figure 9). A slide 67 secured to guide pins 67a engaged with guide grooves 67b and actuated by a crank mechanism 82, serves to move the organ 65 in this vertical groove 66.

The internal end of this connecting member 65 is shaped to selectively engage organs flexible drive 68, 69, 70 (Figure 9, 10), forming three endless loops, like guide rail 64, in passing around wheels 71 pivoted around vertical axes 72, 73, 74, 75. The axis 72 is connected to a gear motor 76 also connected to one of the guide and drive wheels 42 chain 41. This gear motor 76 allows to vary the drive speed of the axis 72, depending on whether the supports 61 rotate according to the two small loops of the rail guide 64 or according to the large loop, i.e. they are engaged with the drive members 68, 69 or with the drive member 70.

As in the previous embodiment, the carriages 40 are connected to the drive chains 41 by a servo control system as illustrated in figure 8, to vary the speed of the trolleys compared to that of the drive chains 41.

To explain the operation of this second embodiment, we will start from a carriage 40 moving in the direction of the arrow F ₁ (FIG. 12) and arriving at the transfer station 55 which is located towards the left end of the beds. 43, 44. This part of the knitting loom is illustrated in more detail by FIGS. 13 and 14 to which reference may be made. The carriage 40 which moves in the direction of arrow F ₁ , carrying the thread guide 46 which drives the knitting yarn 52 is about to arrive at the transfer station 55, while the carriage 40 which moves in the direction of the arrow F ₂ carrying the yarn guide 46 empty of knitting yarn also arrives at the transfer station 55.

Arriving at this transfer station 55, the reference 49a of the wire guide 46 moving in the direction of the arrow F ₁ meets the rack 56 which rotates the wire retaining member 50 in the direction of the arrow F ₃ (Figure 13a). Almost simultaneously, the part 51a of the locking member 51 of the knitting yarn 52 (FIGS. 13, 14) meets the cam 57 which turns this locking member 51 against the tensile force of the spring 54, so that the locking member 51 rotates in the direction of the arrow F ₃ (FIG. 13a), releasing the radial notch 50a and thus releasing the knitting yarn 52.

As soon as it is released, the knitting yarn 52 is then moved by the pusher 58b against the abutment surface 55a and the slide 59 closes the space in which the knitting yarn is trapped, as shown in lines interrupted in FIG. 14. The wire is then positioned to be taken in a radial groove 50a of the wire retaining member 50 which is moved in the direction of the arrow F ₂ , as illustrated by FIG. 14. Almost simultaneously, the rack 56 meets the reference 49a which rotates the retaining member 50 of the knitting yarn 52 by 90 ° in the direction of the arrow F ₃ , which is locked by the locking member 51.

The same transfer operation is then carried out in the opposite direction when the carriage 40 which moves in the direction of the arrow F ₂ has reached the transfer station 55 'which is located in the middle part of the needle beds 43, 44. The station 55 'transfer differs from station 55 of Figure 14 only in that to transfer the knitting yarn 52 from needle 44 to needle 43, it is the slide 59' with an arm 59'b at 90 ° which must pull the wire 52 'from right to left instead of pushing it from left to right as does the pusher 58b of figure 14. The rest of the operations is the same so that one can refer to the figure 14.

Symmetrical operations are performed on the wires knitting, knitted on the right half of the needle beds 43, 44. When the pants or pantyhose legs are finished and you have to go over the pants, both transfer stations 55, 55 'located in the middle of the beds 43, 44 are taken out of service and the transfer of the wires to knitting 52 only takes place at the two ends of the beds 43, 44.

The coils 62 are moved on the creel by following the movement of the wire guides 46 driven by the carriages 40. During the knitting of the trouser legs, the organs 65 of the supports 61 of the coils 62 are connected to flexible drive members 67, respectively 68 and are guided according to the two small elongated loops formed by guide rail 64. When knitting the top of the pants, the connecting members 65 are connected to the member flexible drive 70 by the actuating members 67 and then describe a single elongated trajectory.

In the two embodiments described above, each bed is made in one piece. In a variant not shown, we could use needle beds in two parts that can move laterally one with respect to the other according to a system known in straight knitting looms. Thanks to this type of bed, after knitting the two tubular parts, we could join the two needle parts to knit the common tubular part corresponding to the top of the pants.

Claims (13)

Method for forming a seamless tubular knitted fabric on a straight knitting machine comprising two needle beds (1, 2, 43, 44) for guiding the knitting needles (3), means for selecting these knitting needles (3), carriages (4, 40) for moving the selected knitting needles (3) and guide members (10, 10 ') of the knitting yarn (52), characterized in that the needle beds (1, 2, 43, 44) are placed so that the needles (3) of one needle bed (1; 43) in their normal knitting course do not cross the needles of the other needle bed (2 ; 44), said carriages (4, 40) are moved in one direction along each needle bed (1, 2, 43, 44), the directions of movement of said carriages (4, 40) along their respective needle beds being opposite one compared to each other and the thread (52) is transferred from the needles (3) of one needle (1, 43) to those of the other needle (2, 44), each time said thread (52) reaches the end of the needles ( 3) selected. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that that we first select two sets of needles (3) on each needle (1, 2, 43, 44), opposite one of the others, the needles (3) of the two series of each needle bed being separated from each other by unselected needles, we knit two tubular elements side by side in transferring the thread (52) from one needle bed (1, 43) to another (2, 44) each time it reaches one end of one said series of needles selected, then once reaches the desired length for said tubular elements side by side, we select the needles (3) separating said two sets of needles for joining said tubular elements side by side and form only one tubular element. Straight knitting machine for processing the method according to claim 2, characterized in that it has two needle guards (1, 2, 43, 44) knitting (3) defining needle trajectories according to which the needles (3) of a needle bed (1, 43) do not cross the needles of the other needle bed (2, 44), means for selecting at least one series consecutive knitting needles (3) on each needle bed to engage them with drive cams integral with carriages (4, 40), guide means (6, 42) and drive (5, 41) of these carriages for move in one direction with respect to said series needles (3) selected from each needle (1, 2, 43, 44), from the beginning to the end of this series of needles and for pass them from the end of a series of selected needles at the start of the same series or the other series of needles selected and means to pass the wire knitting (52) needles (3) of a needle bed (1, 43 to those of the other bed (2, 44) at the end of each series of selected needles. Knitting machine according to claim 3, characterized in that said guide means (6) of said carriages (4) form a closed loop extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to said needle beds (1, 2). Knitting machine according to claim 3, characterized in that said guide means (42) of said carriages (40) form two closed loops in two planes parallel verticals. Knitting machine according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that said means for passing the knitting yarn (52) needles (3) of a needle (1, 43) to those of the other bed (2, 44) at the end of each series of selected needles have thread guides (10) detachably connected to engaged slides (9) with a portion of a guide rail (8) parallel to said needle beds (1, 2, 43, 44) and organs (12, 14) to separate the wire guides (10) of said slides (9) and for the engage with slides (9) located on a portion said guide rail (8) parallel to the other needle bed. Knitting machine according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that said means for passing the knitting yarn (52) needles (3) of a needle bed (43) to those of the other bed (44) at the end of each series of selected needles have gripping elements (50) knitting yarn (52), guide means (41) of these gripping elements (50), forming two segments each parallel along one of said needle beds (43, 44), means (57) for releasing said knitting yarn (52) from said gripping means (50) engaged with said segment along one of said needle beds (43, 44), means (55) for transferring the knitting yarn (52) released to an element gripping (50) engaged said parallel segment along the other of said needle beds (43, 44) and means (49, 49a, 56) for engaging said knitting yarn (52) with said gripping element (50) to which it has been transferred. Knitting machine according to one of claims 3 to 7, characterized in that it comprises means (39) for retain knitting on each of the needle beds (1, 2, 43, 44) at against movement of the needles (3) relative said beds. Knitting machine according to one of claims 3 to 6 and 8, characterized in that said thread guide (10) comprises at least one ring (10c) of substantially larger diameter that of the wire guide (10) disposed between two annular stops (10d) of diameters greater than that of said ring (10c). Knitting machine according to one of claims 2 to 9, characterized in that it comprises supports (24, 61) coils (23, 62) mounted on guide means (25, 64) according to closed loop trajectories, means of training (M, 76, 68-70) being intended to train these supports according to said trajectories in synchronism with the displacement of said wire guides (10, 46). Knitting machine according to one of claims 2 to 10, characterized in that each of said carriages (4, 40) is connected to a flexible drive element (5, 41) by through means (34, 35, 36) capable of moving these carriages (4, 40) in a parallel direction said flexible drive element (5, 41). Knitting machine according to one of claims 2 to 11, characterized in that the thread guide (10 ') is a tubular element open at both ends including the conduit tubular is used for guiding the wire (52). Trousers, underpants or tights obtained by putting work of the method according to claim 1.

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