EP3754077B1 - Method and knitting device for plating on a knitting machine equipped with compound needles - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method and a knitting device for circular knitting of plated knitted fabric with compound needles.

Both circular knitting machines, on which compound needles are used, and circular knitting machines, with which knitted fabric is manufactured, are known prior art in many different embodiments.

the DE69024050T2 shows a circular knitting machine with an enclosing and knocking-over sinker running diagonally downwards, which also holds a ground and plush thread during kuling. The procedure disclosed is intended to eliminate the need for adjustments in the event of yarn or stitch density changes. It is also stated that compound needles can be used instead of the latch needles shown.

the GB294199 shows a knitting device for plating with latch needles. The knitting device comprises a knock-over and enclosing sinker, on the knock-over edge of which the stitches are formed. During plating, the knitting device should be able to swap over the position of two yarns that already come to rest in the hook area. For this purpose, the knitting device has special, additional sliders that can bend the needle and tilt the knock-over and enclosing sinker by a small angle and move it further. The knitting device shown is not set up to make the insertion of two yarns into the hook area of a compound needle more reliable.

However, it has been shown in practice that inserting more than one thread into the hook of compound needles causes difficulties due to the lack of latch action. The latch flap is understood to mean the closing movement of the latch towards the hook, through which yarns which are adjacent outside of a hook area are optionally introduced from the latch into the hook area. Experience has shown that compound needles are therefore not used to produce plated knitwear.

the DE4131508A1 shows, among other things, the production of a plush knit with compound needles and insert sliders. The insertion slider is intended to enclose the two yarns in an insertion area and serves as a knock-over edge at least for the plush thread.

None of the aforementioned documents discloses a method, a knitting machine or knitting tools such as sinkers for producing knitted fabric on a circular knitting machine equipped with compound needles. In the present invention, plated knitwear is to be understood in particular as meaning knitwear that has no handles that protrude beyond the surface of the basic knitted fabric. Knitwear with such protruding handles is referred to as plush.

Proceeding from the stated state of the art, it is the object of the present invention to specify a method and a knitting device in order to be able to reliably produce plated knitwear with high productivity on a circular knitting machine equipped with compound needles.

In the method according to the invention, at least two yarns are introduced into the hook area of a compound needle. A thread guide of the prior art can be used for this purpose. A sinker is moved in relation to a knock-over edge, which is immovably arranged on a cylinder and extends in a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction, so that the sinker, by means of a guide means for separately guiding the yarns, is used to guide at least one of the yarns further in the direction of the needle shank of a compound needle in inserts the hook portion of the compound needle, keeping the yarns separated in the process. The sinker moves parallel in the longitudinal direction and vertically in the height direction, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal and transverse direction, to the knock-over edge, so that the guide means performs a movement that follows at least one yarn at least in sections. Preferably, at least one elastic and at least one inelastic yarn is placed in the hook area of a compound needle.

Due to the movement of a guide means according to the invention, all yarns are reliably caught by the hook of the compound needle and also maintain the required sequence or position in relation to the or the other yarns. In addition, the following movement does not cause the elastic yarn in particular to be unnecessarily deflected from its path, so that there is no undesired swinging. This means that the required sequence or position of the yarns relative to one another remains, even at high production speeds received even more reliably. By using compound needles, a higher production speed can also be achieved than with latch needles.

The sinker preferably follows the yarn at least in sections or at least until the yarns are securely caught by the hook of the compound needle. The subsequent movement is to be understood in such a way that the sinkers move on a path, so that the guide means arranged on the sinker moves at least temporarily along a path which corresponds to the path of at least one of the yarns or at least closely approximates it. With reference to a machine frame as a fixed point, a thread guide is arranged in a stationary manner in the machine. The yarns run from their last deflection point on the thread guide, at least mostly diagonally downwards to the point where the stitch formation takes place. The web on which the yarns run diagonally downwards and are replenished is often stationary. This means that the yarns under tension do not appear to move in relation to the machine frame. In contrast to this, the needles and sinkers are moved past the thread guide by the rotary movement of the cylinder and the sinker carrier. The needles also carry out an expulsion and retraction movement in a direction parallel to the cylinder axis in order to catch the yarns with their hooks as they slide past. According to the invention, in addition to their rotational movement imposed by the sinker carrier, the sinkers perform at least one propulsion movement designed in such a way that the path of movement of the guide means of the sinkers follows the path of at least one of the yarns running diagonally downwards and the path of movement or the trajectory of the guide means corresponds in sections to the path of the yarns . Since the yarns are at least partially guided by the guiding means of the sinker and, in particular, are introduced further into the hook area of the compound needle, the stationary path of at least one yarn is preferably not a straight path from the thread guide to the stitch-forming point, but points at the first contact position with the guiding means of the sinker at least one deflection point, which is not formed when the guide means of the sinkers are not in engagement with the yarn.

Plating can be understood in particular as a knitting process in which at least one elastic yarn and at least one inelastic yarn are used in order to produce a very stretchable knitted fabric, in particular for the sports sector. The formation of a plush knit is not the subject of the present invention. as cotton is considered an inelastic yarn, for example, while elastane, for example, is considered an elastic yarn for the purposes of the present invention.

The hook area of a compound needle is understood as a space that is partly bounded by the inside of the hook and the top of the needle shaft and partly by an imaginary line running from the point of the hook of the needle, parallel to the direction of movement of the needle, to the upper edge of the needle needle shaft is running. A needle can catch a yarn arranged in this space with its hook during its withdrawal movement and form a stitch.

The knock-off edge extends in a longitudinal direction and in a transverse direction. In the longitudinal direction, the knock-off edge has a greater extent than in the transverse direction. The knock-off edge can be designed in one piece with the cylinder or else designed as a separate component and immovably connected to the cylinder.

The follow-up movement can be linear or pivoting, i.e. curved. Combinations of these can also be advantageous.

After the movement, in which the sinker follows the at least one elastic yarn or at least one inelastic yarn at least in sections, the sinker moves back in the longitudinal and vertical direction so as not to touch any yarn when the stitches are cast off. Such a movement is not possible, particularly when forming a plush, since the plush stitch has to be held by the sinker when knitting. This additional period of time, in which the sinker can perform movements, allows a flexible movement of the sinkers compared to pile formation with sinkers and, for example, the sinker can be pulled back prematurely in order to make it easier or at least not to hinder the knocking off of the stitch. The sinker can be withdrawn during kuling or already withdrawn since contact with the yarns is not required to form a plush stitch.

A hold-down means can be retracted, that is, put into operation. Hold down is also often referred to as containment. Boards that perform the hold down or containment function are accordingly often referred to as containment boards. The need to hold down the stitch results from the fact that the stitch that would otherwise be carried along by the needle when it is driven out produces an uneven stitch pattern. The entrainment based on friction does not take place evenly. The holding-down means can be on the circuit board or on another circuit board be arranged. The retraction of the holding-down means can be completed when the compound needle begins to take the stitch hanging on the compound needle with it as it ejects. The hold-down means can be extended when the compound needle has reached its upper reversal point. In the extended state, the hold-down means can no longer have any function, ie no longer have any contact with yarns. If it is arranged on an additional sinker, the hold-down means can be moved in the longitudinal direction from the inside or from the outside over the hook area of the compound needle. By arranging an additional sinker in the knitting system, the sinker, which has the guide means, can be moved more flexibly in terms of time and space and thus, for example, the movement following a yarn can be coordinated even better with the path of the respective yarn.

After the compound needle has been fully expelled, the hold-down means and the guide means are moved back so that yarns can again be inserted into the hook area of the compound needle and moved from the hook of the compound needle to the knock-over edge

The knitting device for plating with compound needles according to the invention has a cylinder with an immovably arranged knock-over edge which extends in a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction, compound needles, at least two yarns and at least one sinker. The sinker has a guide means for separately guiding the at least two yarns. The sinker is movably arranged relative to the knock-over edge in a parallel longitudinal direction and in a vertical vertical direction, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal and transverse direction, to move at least one yarn further with a movement following the yarn in the direction of the needle shank in the hook region of the compound needle by means of the guide means to be introduced and kept separate from the at least one other yarn (4, 5). The knitting device preferably has at least one elastic yarn and at least one inelastic yarn.

The arrangement according to the invention of a sinker with a guide means, on the one hand, securely catches all of the yarns by the hook and, on the other hand, maintains the required sequence or position in relation to one or the other. In addition, the following movement does not cause the elastic yarn in particular to be unnecessarily deflected from its path, so that there is no undesired swinging. The required sequence of the yarns is thus maintained even more reliably, even at high production speeds. By dividing the discount function on a fixed element and the hold-down and insertion function on at least one separate element, a standstill of the blanks during the crouping is not predetermined and they can be moved flexibly not only in terms of space but also in terms of time.

The guide means on the board can be formed by an end edge of the at least one board. In each phase of movement of the at least one board, the edge at the end can have edge sections that are parallel to the vertical direction. Rises and/or depressions can be arranged between the edge sections, which guide the yarns and/or keep them separated. In particular, 3 or more yarns can also be introduced through the sinker into the hook area and kept separate.

The at least one board may include hold down means formed by an edge of the at least one board. The edge, which can form the hold-down means of the at least one blank, can run parallel to the knock-off edge when the at least one blank is in the advanced state.

The hold-down means can be formed on at least one additional board. The additional sinker can be arranged to be movable in the longitudinal direction from the outside or from the inside via the hook area of the compound needle.

Fig. 1

Figur 1 zeigt in symbolischer Darstellung ein erfindungsgemäßes Stricksystem zu einem bestimmten Zeitpunkt des Maschenbildungsvorgangs.

Fig. 2

Figur 2 zeigt das Stricksystem aus Figur 1 zu einem zweiten Zeitpunkt.

Fig. 3

Figur 3 zeigt das Stricksystem aus Figur 1 zu einem dritten Zeitpunkt.

Fig. 4

Figur 4 zeigt das Stricksystem aus Figur 1 zu einem vierten Zeitpunkt.

Fig. 5

Figur 5 zeigt das Stricksystem aus Figur 1 zu einem fünften Zeitpunkt.

Fig. 6

Figur 6 zeigt das Stricksystem aus Figur 1 zu einem sechsten Zeitpunkt.

Fig. 7

Figur 7 zeigt das Stricksystem aus Figur 1 zu einem siebten Zeitpunkt.

Fig. 8

Figur 8 zeigt das Stricksystem aus Figur 1 zu einem achten Zeitpunkt.

Fig. 9

Figur 9 zeigt ein abgewandeltes erfindungsgemäßes Stricksystem mit einer zusätzlichen Platine, die von aussen über den Hakenbereich der Schiebernadel greifen kann.

Fig. 10

Figur 10 zeigt ein weiteres abgewandeltes erfindungsgemäßes Stricksystem mit einer zusätzlichen Platine, die von innen über den Hakenbereich der Schiebernadel greifen kann.

The knitting device can include devices for initiating the movements of the knitting tools such as compound needles, sliders and sinkers such as cams and means for driving the cylinder. Likewise, yarn guides and other yarn-supplying units can be included in the knitting device.

1

figure 1 shows a symbolic representation of a knitting system according to the invention at a specific point in time of the stitch-forming process.

2

figure 2 shows the knitting system figure 1 at a second time.

3

figure 3 shows the knitting system figure 1 at a third time.

4

figure 4 shows the knitting system figure 1 at a fourth time.

figure 5

figure 5 shows the knitting system figure 1 at a fifth time.

6

figure 6 shows the knitting system figure 1 at a sixth time.

7

figure 7 shows the knitting system figure 1 at a seventh time.

8

figure 8 shows the knitting system figure 1 at an eighth point in time.

9

figure 9 shows a modified knitting system according to the invention with a additional circuit board, which can reach over the hook area of the compound needle from the outside.

10

figure 10 shows a further modified knitting system according to the invention with an additional sinker which can reach over the hook area of the compound needle from the inside.

figure 1 shows a symbolic representation of a knitting system 1 according to the invention at a specific point in time of the stitch-forming process. The compound needle 3 has knocked off a stitch and has already started the budding movement. The board 6 is in the maximum retracted position. In the hook of the compound needle 3, an elastic yarn 4 and an inelastic yarn 5 are accommodated, which have just before been knitted to a certain stitch length. The inelastic yarn 5 lies below the elastic yarn 4 and still touches the knock-over edge 2. The hook area 7 of the compound needle 3 is symbolized by a curly bracket. In this state, the hook area 7 of the compound needle 3 is completely closed by the hook 15, the needle shaft 9 and the slider 16. The circuit board 6 includes at her in the figure 1 left end a guide area 8, on which two parallel to the longitudinal direction L edge sections 11 and 12 are given as an example. With the parallel to the longitudinal direction L edge portions 11 and 12 are in the figure 1 Board 6 shown formed two depressions, which are each limited by an increase. In addition, on the plate 6 there is a hold-down means 10 which is formed by an edge of the plate 6 pointing downwards in the vertical direction H. The longitudinal direction L, the vertical direction H and the transverse direction Q are symbolized by a coordinate system.

the Figures 2 to 8 show the knitting system 1 of the figure 1 only in other states of the knitting process. The coordinate system and some reference symbols are therefore not shown and explained again in these figures.

In figure 2 the compound needle 3 has continued its expulsion movement, so that the yarns 4 and 5 are no longer held down by the hook 15 on the knock-over edge 2. The sinker 6 is advanced in order to hold down the yarns 4 and 5 with its edge 13 before they are taken up by the compound needle 3 .

In figure 3 the compound needle 3 has ended its ejection movement and has reached its upper maximum position. Yarns 4 and 5 have the hook area of compound needle 3 leave and are held down by the edge 13 of the board 6. The yarns 4 and 5 have overcome the jaw rise of the needle 3 so that the slider 16 can close the hook area 7 so that the yarns 4 and 5 can be knocked off via the slider 16 and the hook 15.

In figure 4 the compound needle 3 has started its retraction movement and the sinker 6 is in its retracted position, so that yarns 4 and 5 can again be introduced into the hook area 7 of the compound needle 3 .

In figure 5 the compound needle 3 has continued its retraction movement and the sinker 6 is extended so far that the sinker 6 begins to touch the yarn 4 with its guide means 8 .

In figure 6 It can be clearly seen that the sinker 6 is further extended to the left in the longitudinal direction L and has also approached the knock-off edge 2 in the height direction H. In this position, sinker 6 secures yarn 4 in hook area 7 and also keeps yarns 4 and 5 separate.

In figure 7 Finally, the hook area 7 with the two yarns 4 and 5 is closed by the slider 16 and the two yarns 4 and 5 are closed in the correct order or the correct position relative to each other in the hook 15 of the compound needle 3 due to the advanced retraction movement of the compound needle 3 lying.

In figure 8 the compound needle 3 has reached its maximum retracted position and knocked off the last stitch. The sinker 6 is already in the retracted position, so that it no longer covers the hook area 7 in the vertical direction and could therefore not impede the knocking off.

In figure 9 a modified knitting system 1 according to the invention is shown with an additional sinker 14, which can engage in the longitudinal direction L from the outside over the hook area 7 of the compound needle 3.

figure 10 shows a further modified knitting system 1 according to the invention with an additional sinker 14, which can engage in the longitudinal direction L from the inside over the hook area 7 of the compound needle 3. Reference List 1 knitting device 2 starting edge 3 slider needle 4 elastic yarn 5 inelastic yarn 6 circuit board 7 Compound needle hook area (3) 8th Board guiding means (6) 9 needle shaft of compound needle (3) 10 holding means 11 edge section on the circuit board (6) 12 edge section on the circuit board (6) 13 Edge on the board (6) which forms the hold-down means (10). 14 additional circuit board 15 hook 16 slider L longitudinal direction Q transverse direction H height direction

Claims (12)

1. Method for plating using compound needles on a circular knitting machine, in which method at least two yarns (4, 5) are inserted in the hook region (7) of a compound needle (3), and in which method at least one sinker (6) is moved in relation to a cylinder in such a manner that the at least one sinker (6) by means of a guiding means (8) guides at least one of the yarns (4, 5) into the hook region (7) of the compound needle (3) further in the direction towards the needle shank (9) and hereby keeps the yarns (4, 5) separated, characterized in that the cylinder comprises an immovably disposed knock-over edge (2) which extends in a longitudinal direction (L) and a transverse direction (Q), and in that the sinker (6) moreover moves in the longitudinal direction (L) and the height direction (H), the latter being perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (L) and the transverse direction (Q), towards the knock-over edge (2) such that the guiding means (8) performs a movement which at least section-wise tracks at least one yarn (4, 5) .
2. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that at least one elastic yarn (4) and at least one non-elastic yarn (5) are inserted in the hook region (7) of a compound needle (3).
3. Method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the sinker (6), after the movement that at least section-wise tracks the at least one elastic yarn (4) or at least one non-elastic yarn (5), moves back in the longitudinal direction (L) and the height direction (H), so as not to contact any yarn when the loops are knocked over.
4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, after a loop has been knocked-over, a holding-down means (10) is moved across the hook region (7) of the compound needle (3) in the longitudinal direction (L) from the outside or from the inside.
5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, once the compound needle (3) has risen to its uppermost position, the holding-down means (10) and the guiding means (8) are moved back such that yarns (4, 5) can be inserted into the hook region (7) of the compound needle (3) and moved towards the knock-over edge (2).
6. Knitting device (1) for plating using compound needles, comprising a cylinder, compound needles (3) and at least one sinker (6) which has a guiding means (8) for separately guiding at least two yarns (4, 5), characterized in that the cylinder comprises an immovably disposed knock-over edge (2) which extends in a longitudinal direction (L) and a transverse direction (Q), and in that the at least one sinker (6) is disposed so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction (L) and in the height direction (H) relative to the knock-over edge (2) so as to be able to guide, by means of the guiding means (8), at least one yarn (4, 5), by way of a movement tracking the yarn (4, 5) further into the hook region (7) of the compound needle (3) in the direction towards the needle shank (9) and keep the said at least one yarn (4, 5) separated from the at least one other yarn (4, 5).
7. Knitting device (1) according to Claim 6, characterized in that the guiding means (8) is formed by an end-side edge of the at least one sinker (6), said end-side edge in each phase of movement of the at least one sinker (6) comprising edge portions (11, 12) that are parallel to the height direction (H), and elevations and/or depressions that guide and/or keep separate the yarns (4, 5) are disposed between the edge portions (11, 12).
8. Knitting device (1) according to one of the preceding Claims 6 to 7, characterized in that the knitting device (1) comprises a holding-down means (10) .
9. Knitting device (1) according to Claim 8, characterized in that the holding-down means (10) is disposed on the at least one sinker (6), and in that the holding-down means (10) is formed by an edge (13) of the at least one sinker (6).
10. Knitting device (1) according to Claim 9, characterized in that the edge (13) that forms the holding-down means (10) of the at least one sinker (6), in the advanced state of the at least one sinker (6), extends parallel to the knock-over edge (2).
11. Knitting device (1) according to Claim 8, characterized in that the holding-down means (10) is formed on at least one additional sinker (14).
12. Knitting device (1) according to Claim 11, characterized in that the additional sinker (14) is disposed so as to be movable across the hook region (7) of the compound needle (3) in the longitudinal direction (L) from the outside or from the inside.

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