EP1599625B1 - Knitted fabric, method and device for producing said fabric - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus of the genera specified in the preambles of claims 1 and 9.

Knitwear of the type of interest here, in particular those which are produced on a circular knitting machine, has in common that they have or require at least one basic knitted fabric made of thread material. The character of such a knit fabric is essentially characterized by the type of thread material used and the provided in each case binding within the base knit. For knitwear of the garment sector also have special requirements for wearing properties such as water absorption, softness or pliability. The term thread material here includes all commercially available yarns, which consist of one or more, elongated or endless thread.

The comfort of a knit garment increases with its softness. In knitwear of all types produced to date, which are made from yarns containing predominantly natural staple fibers or blends thereof with man-made fibers, the softness of the fabrics largely depends on the yarn structure and the spinning process used to make it. The purpose of the spinning process is to arrange the staple fibers together by imparting rotation so as to form a yarn whose essential feature is the absorption of tensile forces.

Extremely soft knits can be made neither from traditional ring yarns nor from so-called unconventional yarns such as rotor yarns, bundle yarns or wraps because yarns always have twists and bundles, which leads to a noticeable stiffness in the fabric. At most classic Ringgam provides mesh with pleasant wearing properties. The desire for extremely soft knitwear can therefore not be met with the known types of yarn. This also applies if, in order to achieve special properties, additional feed or plush threads ( DE 28 04 068 A1 . DE 197 07 053 A1 ) embedded in a basic knit or the yarns or knitted fabrics are equipped in a special way.

As knits with extremely soft surfaces, in particular so-called high-pile or artificial fur goods are known ( DE 30 21 303 A1 ). In the production of these goods, fibers fed by a carding unit are combed into the knitting needles by means of a special combing roller. In such knitted fabrics, the fibers do not form a continuous thread, but only tufts projecting from the left side of the fabric. The production of basic knits such. B. Right / left goods alone with such tufts is not possible.

It is also known in this context ( US-A-3,877,254 ), Staple fibers first with the aid of a radial hook having, rotatable disc and a brush associated therewith to form hairpin-shaped loops. According to a first variant, these loops are then inserted directly into the hooks of latch needles of a knitting machine and thereby processed into meshes so that the individual loops overlap in the knitted fabric and form a coherent Kulierstrickware. According to a second variant, the loops are spun with the aid of a pneumatic spinning device, optionally with the additional use of an auxiliary thread, into a yarn which is wound onto a supply reel and can be used at a later time to produce a knitwear. A very similar purpose is served by other known methods and devices ( GB-A-1 538 924 ), by means of which staple fibers are processed into a cord or cord-like thread material. For this purpose, an endless sliver is first stretched in a drafting and then fed to a stationary needle cylinder in which two to four knitting needles are mounted movable up and down to produce this with the type of warp knitting a consisting of one or two wales yarn. In order to avoid that the sensitive fiber material tears on the way from the drafting to the knitting needles, with the help of at least one arranged between the drafting and the needle cylinder, mechanical rotary member and preferably with the help of an additional mechanical false twisting spinner a number of rotations granted, wherein the rotary member ensures at the same time that the knitting needles are wrapped in the manner required in the warp knitting technique of the formed thread material.

It has also been tried to produce by special measures in spinning soft twisted yarns. The softness of a yarn, however, are limited by spinning technology, because with decreasing rotations in the yarn, the tensile strength is lost.

Another annoyance is the relatively high cost of fine yarns. These increase disproportionately with the fineness, so that the production of a soft, stretchable knitted fabric in this direction cost limits are set. In addition, the threads used are presented to the knitting machines in the form of coils, which are produced in processes separate in time and space from the knitting, which also influences the production costs.

Based on this prior art, the invention has the object to shorten the production process and to provide a method and an apparatus for producing a comfort-enhancing knitwear based on staple fibers, the handle without the use of special thread materials or plush or lining threads, without the integration of additional tufts and without special equipment od. Like. Extremely soft.

To solve this problem, the characterizing features of claims 1 and 9 serve.

An essential feature of the method and apparatuses according to the invention is that the knitting machine is not supplied with a customary yarn or yarn or the like described in the introduction, but a fiber structure consisting of untwisted staple fibers arranged parallel to one another and immediately before entry into the knitting point, d. H. produced on the knitting machine itself.

An essential feature of the knitwear produced by the methods and devices according to the invention is that they consist of a thread material which is not yarn. Rather, the knitwear according to the invention are made directly from a fiber structure, which is formed from untwisted and substantially parallel staple fibers. This results in a knit fabric with extreme softness.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a stitch-forming thread for the knitwear according to the invention is made of two components, namely the fiber structure according to the invention and a preferably parallel and untwisted to this ongoing auxiliary thread. The auxiliary thread can be a monofilament or multifilament, wherein the multifilament can also be provided with real protective rotations. Regardless, the auxiliary thread is expediently chosen such that the character of the knitwear is predominantly characterized by the component consisting of the fiber structure.

The inventive method and the device according to the invention are preferably based on stretching a fiber structure formed in the manner of a sliver before the stitch formation in a drafting to the desired fineness and then to process directly or after a suitable for knitting technical reasons pretreatment to mesh. The latter can be done, for example, with a flat or circular knitting machine, which can be configured as a right / right, right / left or left / left circular knitting machine. Issuing this, various variants are proposed according to the invention.

A first variant according to the invention is present when the staple fibers emerging from the drafting system arrive in a spinning device as fiber structure in which they are spun into an unconventional yarn (eg bundle yarn or cover yarn). As a result, the fiber structure is solidified in order to be able to transport it over long distances to the knitting point of a circular knitting machine. However, it does not depend on the achievement of a maximum tensile strength, but on the maintenance of the desired soft grip.

The same applies to a second variant, in which the emerging from the drafting fiber stream is spun from a twisting body to a temporary, really twisted classic yarn z. B. is rotated in a spinning tube and transported therethrough to a knitting point or to a knitting point associated thread guide. A soft grip is created because the real turns on the short distance between the thread guide and the end of a spinning tube and the knitting point are resolved by the false-twist effect again. The resulting knit is then extremely soft and comfortable to the touch.

Finally, another variant provides that, in addition to the fiber structure, an auxiliary thread runs in at the knitting point. The auxiliary thread is preferably fed in front of the pair of delivery rollers of the drafting system. He goes through the exit roller pair and participates in the formation process of the temporary yarn. The combined thread material consisting of the fiber stream and the auxiliary thread forms stitches, which in turn have an extremely soft hand, in particular because there are no twists between the auxiliary thread and the fiber stream, ie. H. Fiber structure and auxiliary thread parallel in the stitches.

Further advantageous features of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims.

• Fig. 1 eine Masche einer Maschenware in Draufsicht;
• Fig. 2 ein erfindungsgemäßes, aus einem Faserverband bestehendes Fadenmaterial;
• Fig. 3 ein erfindungsgemäßes, aus einem Faserverband und einem Hilfsfaden (Monofilament) bestehendes Fadenmaterial;
• Fig. 4 ein Fadenmaterial analog zu Fig. 3, bei dem der Hilfsfaden jedoch aus einem Multifilament besteht;
• Fig. 5 einen schematischen Schnitt durch die Strickstelle einer Rundstrickmaschine in einer Ausführung für die Verarbeitung langstapeliger Fasern;
• Fig. 6. einen der Fig. 5 entsprechenden Schnitt durch die Strickstelle einer Rundstrickmaschine in einer Ausführung für die Verarbeitung kurzstapeliger Fasern;
• Fig. 7 einen schematischen Schnitt durch die Strickstelle einer Rundstrickmaschine in einer Ausführung mit Spinnorganen bekannter Art;
• Fig. 8 einen schematischen Schnitt durch die Strickstelle einer Rundstrickmaschine in einer Ausführung mit einem Drallorgan zur Erzeugung eines temporären Garnes;
• Fig. 9 einen schematischen Schnitt durch die Strickstelle einer Rundstrickmaschine in einer Ausführung mit mehreren, hintereinander geschalteten Drallorganen;
• Fig. 10 einen schematischen Schnitt durch die Strickstelle einer Rundstrickmaschine in einer Ausführung mit einem Förderrohr für einen Hilfsfaden;
• Fig. 11 den Grundriß einer erfindungsgemäßen Rundstrickmaschine;
• Fig. 12 einen vertikalen Teilschnitt durch die Rundstrickmaschine nach Fig. 11; und
• Fig. 13 einen Fournisseur für Hilfsfäden bei der Rundstrickmaschine nach Fig. 12.

The invention will be explained in more detail by means of exemplary embodiments. Show it:

• Fig. 1 a mesh of a knitted fabric in plan view;
• Fig. 2 an inventive yarn material consisting of a fiber structure;
• Fig. 3 an inventive thread material consisting of a fiber structure and an auxiliary thread (monofilament);
• Fig. 4 a thread material analogous to Fig. 3 in which the auxiliary thread consists of a multifilament;
• Fig. 5 a schematic section through the knitting point of a circular knitting machine in an embodiment for the processing of long staple fibers;
• Fig. 6 , one of the Fig. 5 corresponding section through the knitting point of a circular knitting machine in an embodiment for the processing of short staple fibers;
• Fig. 7 a schematic section through the knitting point of a circular knitting machine in an embodiment with spinning members of known type;
• Fig. 8 a schematic section through the knitting point of a circular knitting machine in an embodiment with a twisting member for producing a temporary yarn;
• Fig. 9 a schematic section through the knitting point of a circular knitting machine in an embodiment with a plurality of serially connected swirl members;
• Fig. 10 a schematic section through the knitting point of a circular knitting machine in an embodiment with a conveying tube for a thread auxiliary;
• Fig. 11 the outline of a circular knitting machine according to the invention;
• Fig. 12 a vertical section through the circular knitting machine Fig. 11 ; and
• Fig. 13 a feeder for auxiliary threads in the circular knitting machine Fig. 12 ,

In Fig. 1 a mesh 1 of a knitted fabric of known type is shown. It consists of a thread material 2 and has the usual, z. B. for a right / left knit fabric typical binding points 3.

In Fig. 2 is an inventive, according to the manufacture of knitwear Fig. 1 suitable thread material 4 is shown. It consists of a thread in the form of a continuous or a like a conventional thread endlessly produced fiber structure 5, which is formed by staple fibers 6, which are undiluted and substantially parallel to the longitudinal extent of the thread material 4.

The fiber structure 5 after Fig. 2 has no strength in itself. Surprisingly, however, it has been shown that the fiber structure 5 is obtained by the indentation points 3 within a mesh 1 sufficient strength, in particular tensile strength and thereby for the production of knitted fabrics such. B. of knitted garments is well suited.

If an external force acts on a knitted fabric made with the fiber structure 5, the staple fibers become jammed in the bonding points 3 and absorb force via the frictional engagement. The stitches 1 and the knitted fabric formed from them are then as strong as a knitted fabric made of yarn. An important difference for the invention lies in the softness of the handle. The handle of a knitwear, which consists of thread material 4, which in turn is formed from a fiber structure 5, is unsurpassed soft.

A similar, although not so soft handle is achieved when a thread material 7 is used, which consists of a combination of the fiber structure 5 and an endless auxiliary thread 8 (FIG. Fig. 3 ) consists. The character of the thread material 7 is expediently also embossed here by the staple fiber strand 5. This is especially true when the fiber structure 5 dominates in the mass ratio fiber structure 5 / auxiliary thread 8. Particularly good properties are achieved with a mass distribution of, for example, 70% fiber structure 5/30% auxiliary thread 8.

The auxiliary thread 8 can for example consist of a monofilament ( Fig. 3 ) or from a multifilament 9 ( Fig. 4 ) consist. Also conceivable are combinations of the fiber structure according to the invention with an auxiliary thread 8 in the form of a yarn of staple fibers, for. As a ring yarn, rotor yarn, bundle yarn or Umwindegarns, etc., but in this case, the mass ratio fiber strand 5 / auxiliary thread 8 should preferably be sufficiently large so that the desired soft handle of the knitwear according to the invention is not affected by the auxiliary thread 8 and 9 respectively. Because all knits 1 with a fiber structure 5 as described above should be distinguished by a particularly soft handle according to the invention, which significantly differs from the handle of knitwear made of yarns.

The return torque in the knitted fabric is zero when using the fiber structure 5 or virtually zero for combinations of fiber structure 5 / auxiliary thread 9. The mesh legs of mesh 1 therefore do not appear crooked, but completely symmetrical.

The method of preparation for the fiber structure 5 according to the invention can in principle be chosen freely. One possible production is z. B. in that the cross sections of slivers (Lunten), the od of a drafting. Like. Come, be reduced by applying further drafting to a suitable value for knitting. Under a "sliver" is coarse, not twisted and od in cans. Like. Well-held sliver understood. Alternatively, the fiber composites 5 can also be produced from card slivers and brought to the desired final fineness with draw frames.

Important for the purposes of the invention is that the fiber structure 5 after Fig. 2 In contrast, for example, to high-pile goods forms a continuous (endless) thread that is used for stitching and z. B. the production of a standard base knit in the form of a smooth right / left knit fabric can serve. The application of other weave patterns is possible as with the use of yarns. Both long staple fibers (eg wool) and short staple fibers (eg cotton) as well as fibers from other than textile materials, eg. As metal or plastic fibers are used.

For producing a knitted fabric with the described thread material 4 or 7 can serve according to the invention devices, which are described below with reference to Fig. 5 to 13 be explained in more detail and may be referred to, for example, as a spun-knit devices.

Fig. 5 shows the invention using the example of a circular knitting machine with a needle cylinder 11 of very small diameter (eg 1 ") .This circular knitting machine is particularly suitable for the processing of long staple fibers and for the production of knitwear which can be used, for example, as a dressing material Fig. 5 serves as a thread material 4 according to a fiber structure Fig. 2 , which is continuously fed from conventional output rollers 12 of a schematically indicated by the reference numeral 14 drafting a yarn guide 15. The thread material 4 consists of the untwisted and substantially parallel fibers 6 accordingly Fig. 2 and is processed immediately after its production in the drafting system 14, ie without intervening winding process to mesh. The yarn guide 15 leads the yarn material 4 to a schematically indicated knitting point 16, at which it is driven by expelled knitting needles 17, z. As usual latch needles, which are slidably mounted in grooves of the needle cylinder 11, recorded and analogous to Fig. 1 is processed into stitches.

At the side facing away from the output rollers 12 of the thread guide 15 and on the back of the needles 17, a suction element 18 is arranged. The emerging from the drafting 14 fiber strand 5 is sucked by the suction element 18 through the yarn guide 15 against the needle cylinder 11 and immediately processed as stitches. The distance of the thread guide 15 of the needles 17 is only a few millimeters. The stitch formation is made possible by the fact that the thread material 4 is first sucked by the suction 18 and placed radially to the needle cylinder axis and stretched so that it detected by the knitting point 16 in a thread receiving position raised knitting needles 17 and their deduction in the Maschenbildungs- or .Making position can be processed into stitches.

It arises in this way a knitted fabric, which is composed of meshed thread material 4. However, the thread material 4 is not a yarn although it is made entirely of staple fibers. Such a fabric is soft and also cheap to manufacture because the actual spinning process is eliminated.

The Fig. 6 shows a section through the knitting point of a circular knitting machine corresponding Fig. 5 , but for the processing of short staple fibers. The structure is therefore similar Fig. 5 However, the Absugswalsen wear 12 Ausgangsriemchen 19. This allows the distance from a last in the direction of the circular knitting machine, formed by the Ausgangsriemchen 19 terminal point 20 for the fiber strand 4 to the thread guide 15 and a stitch formation (Kulierstelle) very small and especially the same or smaller than the staple length of the fibers 6, as required for proper stitch formation. The device knits a very soft and also cheap knit, because the actual spinning process is eliminated.

While FIGS. 5 and 6 knitting with a fiber material 4 after Fig. 2 show, the embodiment is after Fig. 7 directed to a device for processing a thread material 21, which is referred to as unconventional yarn. An unconventional yarn is understood by a person skilled in the art to be a yarn which has twists that deviate from classical rotations, such as those arising in ring or selfactor spinning. An advantage of such a thread material 21 is in particular that after it in comparison with the fiber material 4 after Fig. 2 an increased tensile strength can be given. The thread material 21 is then suitable for being transported over greater distances, as is generally desired in large circular knitting machines (needle cylinder diameter eg 30 "or more) or at least in circular knitting machines whose needle cylinders have larger diameters than those based on the FIGS. 5 and 6 have described micro-circular knitting machines. With the thread material 21, it is possible to choose the distance between the output rollers 12 of the drafting system 14 and the knitting point 16 larger than in FIGS. 5 and 6 is indicated.

The Fig. 7 shows a section through the knitting point 16 of a circular knitting machine for the processing of short staple fibers by means of spinning devices of known type. Between the drafting 12 and the knitting point 16 is for spinning a unconventional yarn 21 certain spinning member 22, of which the yarn 21 in a tube 23rd is directed to a yarn guide 24, here through the outlet end of the tube 23 is formed. The mouth of the tube 23 or the thread guide 24 is in turn the suction element 18 according to FIGS. 5 and 6 across from.

The coming out of the drafting 12 fiber strand 4 is spun here to an unconventional yarn 21, the z. B. may be a bundle yarn or Umwindegarn. The spinning process is adjusted so that, although a sufficiently strong yarn is produced. The achievement of maximum strength is not desired. The achieved strength needs only be so great that the thread material 21 over distances of z. B. 50 to 100 cm can be transported through the tube 23 to a knitting point 16, as is desirable in the mentioned larger circular knitting machines.

The result is a sufficiently soft knit. The production is cheaper, because this knitting process in comparison to the classic approach, a shortening occurs because the coils is eliminated.

The embodiment according to Fig. 8 relates to a device by means of which first a "temporary" yarn 25 is produced. As a "temporary" this yarn 25 is therefore called because real, classic rotations arise in the yarn, which are completely degraded according to the invention before the immediate reaching the Kulierstelle.

The Fig. 8 shows a section through the knitting point 16 of a knitting machine analogous to Fig. 7 , However, with a twisting member 26 for generating the temporary yarn 25 between the drafting unit 14 and the knitting point 16 is in the embodiment, a swirl member 26, in the interior of compressed air 27, a swirl air 28 is generated, which sucks the emerging from the drafting 14 fiber structure and spun to the temporary yarn 25. The temporary yarn 25 is real twisted and classic in character. It enters a spinning tube 29 in which it rotates at high speed. The spinning tube 29 opens into a yarn guide 30, which may also be formed by the circular knitting machine facing the end of the spinning tube 29.

On the route between the yarn guide 30 and a schematically indicated Kulierstelle 31, the real rotations of the temporary yarn 25 are reduced almost to zero, so that the actually processed in the fabric yarn material 32 is not made of a yarn. The thread material 32 has rather as in Fig. 2 practically no twists, so that the in Fig. 8 Proposed procedure corresponds to the known false-twist principle.

The spinning tube 29 is in turn the suction 18 opposite.

A device of this kind provides analogous to FIGS. 5 and 6 An extremely soft knit, which is also cheap, because the classic spinning process is bypassed and no coils is provided.

Advantages of in Fig. 8 used false twist principle also consist in that the transported in the spinning tube 29 yarn 25 meets all strength requirements and can be transported over long distances, while the finished fabric has all the advantages of the basis of the Fig. 2 described Fiber Association 5 provides. The reverse rotation of the temporary yarn 25 to zero or almost zero occurs automatically on the way to the yarn guide 32 of the Kulierstelle 31, so that preferably no special measures for the reverse rotation are provided. Experiments have shown that it is sufficient if the yarn guide 30 z. B. 5 to 7 mm in front of the Kulierstelle 31 and thus the free thread path or the distance between the yarn guide 30 and the Kulierstelle 31 is smaller than the case in the individual case staple fiber length in the fiber structure 5.

The Fig. 9 shows a section through the knitting point 16 of a knitting machine in an embodiment with a plurality of successively connected, substantially identical swirl members 26a, 26b and 26c. Their application is preferably provided when the output rollers 12 of the drafting system 14 are far away from the knitting point 16 as a result of the overall geometry. Between each two consecutive swirl members 26a and 26b or 26b and 26c is the generation a vortex necessary compressed air flow 27 a, 27 b and 27 c preferably via vents 33, z. B. a gap on the relevant pipe 29, discharged to the outside.

It is according to the invention, when the swirling members 26b and 26c, which follow the first swirling member 26a, are designed as rotating, mechanically acting rotary tubes which rotate at high speed. Successive twist elements 26b, 26c, together with spinning tubes 29, can accordingly Fig. 9 at an angle to each other.

The twist elements 26a to 26c are z. B. all pressurized with compressed air and generate the vortex 28 ( Fig. 8 ). It is then energetically useful to stagger the required to drive the vortex 28 compressed air streams 27, 27b and 27c. The compressed air flow 27a is then less strong (eg 0.2 bar) than the compressed air flows 27b and 27c (eg 3 to 4 bar). In this case, the central swirl element 26b can be subjected to a maximum air pressure, while the swirl element 26c located in the immediate vicinity of the knitting point 16 is operated with an average air pressure. If such a device is set in motion, first all swirling elements 26a, 26b and 26c are acted on by a compressed air flow 27a, 27b and 27c. If a stationary operating state is reached, the pressure loss streams 27a, 27b can be reduced or made completely zero. The compressed air flow 27c remains fully turned on in any case.

In Fig. 10 Finally, a section through the knitting point 16 of a knitting machine in an embodiment with a yarn guide tube 34 for a thread auxiliary thread 8 according to Fig. 3 shown. Thus, the knitting point 16 according to the invention a fiber material 7 is supplied, according to Fig. 3 in addition to the fiber structure 5 additionally contains the auxiliary thread 8. The auxiliary thread 8 can be fed to the knitting point 16 via a further thread guide lying next to the thread guide 30 or at a location between the exit rollers 12 and the twist element 26. A preferred embodiment is when the auxiliary thread 8 is fed via the yarn guide tube 34 immediately before the exit rollers 12 of the drafting system 14, such as Fig. 10 shows. This embodiment is advantageous because it makes the entire spinning and knitting safer against yarn breakage.

The Fig. 11 shows the outline of a circular knitting machine 35 with the needle cylinder 11. The drafting units 14 are arranged distributed in three groups 14.1, 14.2 and 14.3 to the cylinder 11 of the circular knitting machine 35. Each group 14.1 to 14.3 has a drive 37.1 to 37.3, which is suitably synchronized with the drive of the needle cylinder 11, not shown. Each group 14.1 to 14.3 of drafting units 14 is associated with a corresponding number of cans 38 which od the fiber material in the form of a. Like. Included. Will with the auxiliary thread 8 ( Fig. 10 ), so each individual drafting a group 14.1 to 14.3 a corresponding number of supply spools for the auxiliary thread 8 is assigned. Each drafting system 14 of a drafting system group 14.1 to 14.3 is also assigned to a respective system or knitting point 16 of the circular knitting machine 35.

Between such peripheral regions of the needle cylinder 11, which with knitting points 16 (FIG. Fig. 5 ), larger dead zones 39 may be arranged in which the circular knitting machine 35 has no or at least no knitting points 16 used in the spinning knitting. This serves the purpose of the provided with active knitting 16 peripheral portions over a limited angular range α of z. B. extend 60 ° to avoid too strong changes in direction in the thread path between the drafting groups 14.1 to 14.3 and the associated knitting points. Is in Fig. 11 are each indicated by two outer lines 40a, 40b, which define the furthest outermost thread paths (eg, spinning tubes 29 in FIG Fig. 8 ) describe. Between these two lines 40a, 40b are the yarn paths for the coming of the remaining drafting of each drafting group group 14.1 to 14.3 thread materials 4 and 7 respectively.

For the Paxis that would mean that in a large circular knitting machine only about half of the existing usual knitting 16 or knitting systems is available. But that is in terms of the achievable with the thread material 4 to 7 Price advantages of secondary importance. Alternatively, it would be possible to increase the diameter of the needle cylinder 11 in order to accommodate a larger number of usable knitting systems at its periphery.

The Fig. 12 shows a roughly schematic, vertical partial section through an inventive device according to Fig. 10 with a circular knitting machine 41, which is designed in the embodiment as a right / left circular knitting machine. The circular knitting machine 41 with the needle cylinder 11 stands on the hall floor. There is a passage 42 which serves to operate the needle cylinder 11. The passage 42 is defined by a group of cans 38 (FIG. Fig. 11 ), in which there are the Lunten, which z. B. designed as conveyor belts transport devices 43 are guided to the drafting devices 14. The drafting devices 14 are operated by a working platform 44, which is located above the passage 42, and are connected via the yarn guide tubes 34 and Fournisseure 45 with supply spools 46 containing the auxiliary threads 8. This arrangement results in a bow-shaped passage 47, in which an operator can move.

Depending on the design, a fiber structure coming from a drafting system 14 is fed via pipes 23 (FIG. Fig. 7 ) or spinning tubes 29 (FIG. Fig. 8 to 10 ) led to a knitting point 16. Incidentally, the suction member 18 is provided, in which a separator 48 is integrated, which serves to start the knitting machine 41, as explained below.

The suction elements 18 of the knitting points 16 are preferably connected to a central suction 49. This absorbs thread remnants or fibers, which occur during startup or during production as a departure.

Since the knitting machine 41 is preferably a large circular knitting machine which produces a knitwear having a very large circumference, which may be even more remarkable when the dead zones 39 (FIG. Fig. 11 ) are present, the trigger is preferably laid in such a case in a basement floor 50 so that the machine remains operable. Between the yarn guide tubes 34 and the supply spools 46 are the Fournisseure 45. These allow easy starting a circular knitting machine of the type described.

Each feeder 45 owns Fig. 13 preferably a pressure roller 51 and a drive roller 52 which is coupled to a drive 53 via a freewheel 54. In the gap between the pressure roller 51 and the drive roller 52, an auxiliary thread 8 is guided.

The drive 53 is adjusted so that the delivery speed of a feeder 45 is less than the delivery speed of the associated drafting system 14. This ensures that the feeder 45 in the sense of a positive delivery device, the transport speed of the auxiliary thread 8 in the yarn guide tube 34 so long checked until the auxiliary thread 8 has safely entered the exit rollers 12 of the associated drafting system 14. Thereafter, and during high-speed knitting, the transport speed of the auxiliary thread 8 in the yarn guide tube 34 is determined by the exit rollers 12, in which case the freewheel 54 is effective and the auxiliary thread 8 is withdrawn from the associated supply spool 46 by the exit rollers 12.

• Die Nadeln 12 des Nadelzylinders 11 werden zunächst nicht ausgetrieben und befinden sich alle in Rundlaufstellung. Die Hilfsfäden 8 sind in die Fournisseure 45 eingelegt worden. Die Spinnorgane 22 bzw. die Drallorgane 26 sowie die Streckwerke 14 laufen mit einer zur Nadelsylinderumdrehung synchronen Geschwindigkeit. Allerdings werden aus den Kannen 38 noch keine Lunten durch die Transporteinrichtungen 43 angeliefert, die als Luntenstopps wirken.

The devices of the type described, which can also be referred to as a spinning knitting machines are z. B. started as follows:

• The needles 12 of the needle cylinder 11 are not expelled initially and are all in the concentric position. The auxiliary threads 8 have been inserted into the Fournisseure 45. The spinning elements 22 or the twisting elements 26 and the drafting devices 14 run at a speed synchronous to the needle cylinder rotation. However, from the cans 38 still no Lunten delivered by the transport devices 43, which act as Luntenstopps.

Initially, the feeders 45 are started, their delivery speeds are smaller than the delivery speeds of the output rollers 12 of the associated drafting units 14. As a result, the auxiliary threads 8 pass through the feeders 45 and through the thread guide tubes 34 into the drafting arrangements 12 and via the spinning devices 22 and twist elements 26 to the knitting points 16, where they are sucked by the suction elements 18 and arranged radially to the needle circle of the needle cylinder 11. After all knitting points 16 are supplied with auxiliary threads 8, the drafting units 14 and the Fournisseure 45 are stopped. The present in the suction 18 and held auxiliary threads 8 are now capped by means of the separation devices 48, that is cut short behind the knitting needles 17, and simultaneously the needle cylinder 11 and the drafting devices 14 are set in synchronism with a preselected gear ratio in motion, so that the needles 17th Although be expelled, but for the time being only the auxiliary thread 8 record. The spinning knitting machine now knits in a conventional manner a so-called. Sack, which is absorbed by the trigger. If the knitting process then progresses so far that the trigger works properly, the drafting devices 14 are supplied by switching on the transport devices 43 sequentially and / or in parallel with Lunten. By "sequential" is understood that the drafting systems 14 not at the same time, but z. B. in the circumferential direction of the needle cylinder 11 are turned on one after the other to avoid irregularities and clogging by the fibers in the area of the needles 17 when starting the circular knitting machine.

It creates a knit of hitherto unknown softness in the grip.

The invention is not limited to the described embodiments, which can be modified in many ways. In particular, the described method can be applied in analogous adaptation in flat knitting machines or circular knitting machines with still standing needle cylinder and rotating lock shell. It is clear that instead of a circular knitting machine with only one font (for example needle cylinder 11), a circular knitting machine with a further font (for example a dial) can also be used. Furthermore, in Fig. 11 the dead zones 39 are filled with further drafting device groups 14, if the space available on a circular knitting machine allow this and no disturbing, arranged on the circumference of the needle cylinder supports od. Like. Are present. In this way, each existing knitting system could be assigned a drafting system 14 with the associated and described elements. Finally, it should be understood that the various features may be applied in combinations other than those described and illustrated.

Claims (26)

1. Method for the production of a knitted fabric having stitches which are formed from thread material (4, 7) which comprises staple fibres (6), the thread material (4, 7) comprising a continuous fibre web (5) in which the staple fibres (6) are not twisted and disposed essentially parallel to each other, the thread material (4, 7) being produced by a drafting arrangement (14) and being processed immediately to form stitches by a circular knitting machine which is provided with knitting needles (17) and at least one knitting position (16), characterised in that the thread material (4, 7) is spun by a spinning device (22, 23, 26, 29) between output rollers (12) of the drafting arrangement (14) and the knitting position (16) of the knitting machine to form an unconventional or temporary yarn (21, 25).
2. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the fibre web (5) is spun in a spinning device (22, 23) to form an unconventional yarn (21) and is processed in this state to form the stitches (1), a strength which suffices precisely for transport thereof from the drafting arrangement (14) to the knitting position (16) being given to the yarn (21) by the spinning process.
3. Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the thread material (4, 7) emerging from the drafting arrangement (14) is spun in the spinning device (26, 29) to form a temporary yarn (25) with real twists, is transported in this state to the knitting position (16) and then, before it is processed to form the stitches (1), is changed back by the false twisting effect into a fibre web consisting essentially of non-twisted fibres (6).
4. Method according to claim 3, characterised in that the yarn (25) is left to itself between a thread guide (30) and the knitting position (16) and consequently is changed back into the non-twisted state.
5. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the thread material (4, 7), before the beginning of a knitting process, is laid by suction transversely over a path to be described by needles (17) of the knitting machine and is retained in this position, and in that the knitting process is then begun by the needles (17) being moved along the path and thereby being moved out for receiving the thread material (4, 7).
6. Method according to claim 5, characterised in that one end of the thread material (4, 7), held by suction, is cut off at the latest after the start of the excursion of the needles (17).
7. Method according to one of the claims 1 to 6, characterised in that a thread material (7) is used, the fibre web (5) of which is provided with an additional auxiliary thread (8).
8. Method according to claim 7, characterised in that the knitting process is started by firstly only the auxiliary thread (8) being processed to form stitches until the knitted fabric has a preselected length, and in that only then is the thread material (7) formed from the fibre web (5) and the auxiliary thread (8) processed to form stitches.
9. Device for the production of a knitted fabric, comprising a circular knitting machine provided with knitting needles (17) and at least one knitting position (16) for processing a thread material (4, 7) supplied thereto to form stitches (1) and a mechanism for supplying the thread material (4, 7) which comprises a drafting arrangement (14) for production of the thread material, characterised in that, between the drafting arrangement (14) and the knitting position (16), a spinning device (22, 23; 26, 29), which is intended for spinning the thread material (4, 7) emerging from the drafting arrangement (14) to form an unconventional or temporary yarn (21), is disposed.
10. Device according to claim 9, characterised in that a thread guide (24, 30) is disposed between the drafting arrangement (14) and the knitting position (16).
11. Device according to claim 9 or 10, characterised in that a suction element (18) is disposed on one side of the needles (17) orientated away from the thread guide (24, 30).
12. Device according to claim 10 or 11, characterised in that the spinning device for the production of an unconventional yarn (21) has a spinning element (22) and a pipe (23) connected thereto, which pipe ends at the thread guide (24, 30) and guides the yarn (21).
13. Device according to claim 10 or 11, characterised in that the spinning device for the production of a temporary yarn (25) has at least one twisting element (26) and a spinning pipe (29) connected thereto, which spinning pipe ends at the thread guide (24, 30).
14. Device according to claim 13, characterised in that the spinning device comprises a plurality of twisting elements (26a, 26b, 26c) which have the same direction of rotation.
15. Device according to claim 14, characterised in that the twisting elements (26a, 26b, 26c) are operated with air pressure, a central twisting element (26b) being operated with the highest air pressure, a twisting element (26a) which is close to the drafting arrangement (14) being operated with the lowest air pressure and a twisting element (26c) which is close to the thread guide (30) being operated with an average air pressure.
16. Device according to claim 14 or 15, characterised in that the twisting element (26a, 26b) which is close to the drafting arrangement (14) and the central one are able to be paused after the spinning of the temporary yarn (25).
17. Device according to one of the claims 12 to 16, characterised in that a vent (33) is assigned to at least one spinning pipe (23, 29).
18. Device according to one of the claims 9 to 17, characterised in that it has a means for supplying an auxiliary thread (8) to the thread material (7).
19. Device according to claim 18, characterised in that the means comprises a supply pipe (34) which is disposed in front of the output rollers (12) and supplies the auxiliary thread (8) to the spinning device.
20. Device according to one of the claims 9 to 19, characterised in that the knitting machine is a circular knitting machine, on the circumference of which a plurality of drafting arrangement groups (14) are disposed.
21. Device according to claim 20, characterised in that dead zones (39) which are free of active knitting positions (16) are provided on the circumference of the circular knitting machine.
22. Device according to one of the claims 11 to 21, characterised in that a separation device (48) is assigned to the suction element (18).
23. Device according to one of the claims 9 to 22, characterised in that a can (38) containing a sliver is assigned to the drafting arrangement (14) and a transport mechanism (43) for the sliver is provided between the can (38) and the drafting arrangement (14).
24. Device according to one of the claims 19 to 23, characterised in that a purveyor (45) is disposed between the supply pipe (34) and a supply coil (46) for the auxiliary thread (8).
25. Device according to claim 24, characterised in that the purveyor (45) has a pressure roller (51) and a drive roller (52) provided with a freewheel (54).
26. Device according to claim 25, characterised in that the drive roller (52) is driven at a lower circumferential speed than the output rollers (12).

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