EP3960920A1

EP3960920A1 - Knitting mechanism for knitting jacquard knitted fabric on circular knitting machine, knitting method using the same, and sinker for use in the same

Info

Publication number: EP3960920A1
Application number: EP21192556.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Tomoyuki Furukawa; Jun Tsujigo; Hiroyuki Watanabe
Original assignee: Precision Fukuhara Works Ltd
Current assignee: Precision Fukuhara Works Ltd
Priority date: 2020-08-31
Filing date: 2021-08-23
Publication date: 2022-03-02
Anticipated expiration: 2041-08-23
Also published as: JP7483257B2; JP2022040970A; CN114108168A; EP3960920B1; TW202223188A

Abstract

Provided are a sinker that is unlikely to cause the positions of a plating yarn and a ground yarn to be reversed unintentionally, and a knitting mechanism using the sinker. In a knitting mechanism with which plating knitting can be performed on a circular knitting machine, a sinker has a first transition surface (42, 42B) and a second transition surface (43, 43B) on a sinker top thereof. Either a first route (61, 61A) or a second route (62, 62A) is selected as a movement route for the sinker. The first route (61, 61A) brings the first transition surface (42, 42B) into the closest proximity to a knitting needle when the knitting needle is being lowered, and allows the knitting needle to be lowered in this state to the lowest point of a movement route of the knitting needle. The second route (62, 62A) brings the second transition surface (43, 43B) into the closest proximity to the knitting needle when the knitting needle is being lowered, and allows the knitting needle to be lowered in this state to the lowest point of the movement route of the knitting needle. Thus, during plating knitting on the circular knitting machine, knitting can be performed by interchanging positions of a first yarn (71, 71A) and a second yarn (72, 72A).

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a knitting mechanism for knitting a jacquard knitted fabric through plating knitting on a circular knitting machine, as well as a knitting method using the knitting mechanism, and a sinker for use in the knitting mechanism.

2. Description of Related Art

Conventionally, a plating knitting method is known in which, for example, two yarns, a ground yarn and a plating yarn, are fed to a knitting needle and aligned and knitted together to thereby form a single stitch with the two yarns. This method enables a knitted fabric to be knitted in which loops of a face yarn appear on a face side thereof, loops of a back yarn appear on a back side thereof, and therefore, the loops on the back side and the loops on the face side are composed of different yarns.
On the other hand, a method for knitting a jacquard knitted fabric using a needle selector is generally well known. This method enables freedom in the design of the pattern appearing on the face side of the knitted fabric by selecting a route from knit, tuck, and welt routes for each knitting needle using the needle selector for knitting needles.
Recent years have seen a demand for higher quality knitted fabrics, and accordingly, there is a growing need for lighter and flatter knitted fabrics with more freedom in pattern design. As one method for knitting such a knitted fabric, plating jacquard knitting that enables freedom in the design of the pattern appearing on the face side of a knitted fabric by performing plating knitting and interchanging the positions of the two yarns during the plating knitting has conventionally been practiced.
For example, US Patent No. 1977590 discloses a knitting mechanism that changes yarn positions using a plurality of types of sinkers. This mechanism uses a plurality of types of sinkers to interchange the positions of the yarns.
As used herein, a sinker top refers to a horizontal upper surface of a sinker that faces upward and that is in contact with a yarn when, in ordinary single-knit knitting, a hook of a knitting needle has caught the yarn and the knitting needle has then been lowered to the lowest point of a movement route of the knitting needle, and the distance between the knitting needle and the sinker top determines the size of a loop. A sinker nose is formed integrally with the sinker top and is located above and spaced apart from the sinker top. The sinker nose is a portion that protrudes forward, that is, toward the center of a needle cylinder. The needle cylinder is a circular member that houses knitting needles of a circular knitting machine. The sinker nose forms a groove (sinker throat) between the sinker nose and the sinker top. The sinker throat serves to hold down an old loop when the needle moves up and down. A sinker butt formed at the rear of the sinker is engaged with a groove of a sinker cam, and the rotation of a sinker dial that houses the sinker causes the sinker to move forward and rearward due to the sinker butt being guided by the fixed sinker cam. Here, the direction in which the sinker butt protrudes is defined as an upward direction, and the opposite direction is defined as a downward direction. With respect to the sinker as a whole, the direction in which the sinker butt is formed is a rearward direction, and the opposite direction is a forward direction.
Moreover, for example, Japanese Patent No. 6696035 discloses a knitting mechanism that employs a special sinker and a needle selector for knitting needles. This mechanism changes the timing of lowering the knitting needle relative to the timing of pressing the sinker once to select whether or not to push in the position of the ground yarn, thereby changing the positions of the two yarns. Whether the ground yarn is to be placed into the sinker throat or to be pushed by the sinker nose to change the positions of the yarns is selected.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The knitting mechanism disclosed in US Patent No. 1977590 necessitates a plurality of types of sinkers per single circular knitting machine, which increases the number of components and the cost. In addition, if a space is allowed for the plurality of types of sinkers to be accommodated therein, the space for knitting needles decreases accordingly, resulting in a reduction in gauge, and thus, there is a problem in that a demand for higher-gauge, higher-density knitted fabrics cannot be fulfilled.
On the other hand, according to the knitting mechanism disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 6696035 , the positions of the yarns in the hook are manipulated at or above the height of the sinker nose, and there is a long distance to the sinker top, where a loop is to be formed. Thus, until the two yarns descend to the sinker top, the positions of the yarns are unstable, and switching between the positions of the two yarns is likely to occur, or in other words, the yarn positions are likely to be reversed unintentionally. In addition, since the yarns are moved significantly as in the case where, for example, the ground yarn is pushed by the sinker nose, a load is applied to the yarns and thus produces vibrations, which also may cause the positions of the yarns to be reversed unintentionally.
In view of these problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a knitting mechanism for plating jacquard knitting that is performed by interchanging the positions of a ground yarn and a plating yarn during plating knitting, the knitting mechanism being capable of fulfilling a demand for knitting a high-gauge knitted fabric without increasing the number of types of sinkers, and being less likely to cause the positions of the plating yarn and the ground yarn to be reversed unintentionally, as well as a sinker using the knitting mechanism.
A knitting mechanism of the present invention is a knitting mechanism for performing plating knitting on a circular knitting machine, the knitting mechanism enabling knitting to be performed by interchanging positions of a first yarn and a second yarn,

wherein the knitting mechanism has knitting needles that move up and down, and sinkers that move horizontally forward and rearward perpendicular to the knitting needles,
the sinkers each have a first transition surface and a second transition surface on a sinker top, the first transition surface being a surface that transitions forward from a first height that is a height of the sinker top to a second height that is different from the first height, and the second transition surface being a surface that transitions forward from the second height to the first height,
each sinker individually follows either a first route or a second route as a movement route thereof,
the first route brings the first transition surface into the closest proximity to a corresponding one of the knitting needles when the knitting needle is being lowered, and allows the knitting needle to be lowered to the lowest point of a movement route of the knitting needle while the first transition surface remains located in the closest proximity thereto, and
the second route brings the second transition surface into the closest proximity to the corresponding one of the knitting needles when the knitting needle is being lowered, and allows the knitting needle to be lowered to the lowest point of the movement route of the knitting needle while the second transition surface remains located in the closest proximity thereto,
so that, during plating knitting on the circular knitting machine, knitting can be performed while interchanging the positions of the first yarn and the second yarn.

In the present invention, "high" refers to an upper side in the vertical direction, and "low" refers to a lower side in the vertical direction. The sinker top is a horizontal surface that faces upward and is basically at a constant height. This height is referred to as the "first height". In the present invention, the first transition surface and the second transition surface are provided on the sinker top. As with a typical sinker for a single knit circular knitting machine, the sinker top opposes a sinker nose lower surface and is parallel to the sinker nose lower surface. The first transition surface transitions forward from the first height to the second height that is different from the first height. For this reason, the first transition surface can be considered to be an inclined surface or a curved surface that transitions from the sinker top to the second height. The second transition surface can be considered to be an inclined surface or a curved surface that transitions forward from the second height to the first height. Thus, in a front-rear direction, the higher side of the first transition surface and the higher side of the second transition surface are opposite to each other. Moreover, the second height is lower than the height of the sinker nose lower surface. This prevents or mitigates the occurrence of a situation in which the first transition surface or the second transition surface comes into contact with a loop and thereby obstructs the movement of the loop.
In the present invention, either the first route or the second route is selected for each sinker. Some sinkers follow the first route, while the other sinkers follow the second route. In the case where a sinker follows the first route, the sinker moves so that the first transition surface thereof comes into the closest proximity to the knitting needle. After that, the sinker is kept at that position until the knitting needle is lowered to the lowest point of the movement route. In the case where a sinker follows the second route, the sinker moves so that the second transition surface thereof comes into the closest proximity to the knitting needle. After that, the sinker is kept at that position until the knitting needle is lowered to the lowest point. When the first or second transition surface is in the closest proximity to the knitting needle, a portion or the entirety of the first or second transition surface is located within a region between adjacent knitting needles. When the knitting needle catches a yarn and reaches the lowest point of the movement route, a loop is formed by the hook of the knitting needle and the sinker top that is adjacent to the knitting needle. In the case of the first route, the second yarn moves to the lower side on the first transition surface in the front-rear direction, the knitting needle is then lowered, and a loop is formed in a state in which the first yarn is located on the opposite side to the side to which the second yarn has moved. In the case of the second route, the second yarn moves to the lower side on the second transition surface in the front-rear direction, the knitting needle is then lowered, and a loop is formed in a state in which the first yarn is located on the opposite side to the side to which the second yarn has moved. Since the lower side of the first transition surface and the lower side of the second transition surface are opposite to each other, the positions of the yarns in the hook of the knitting needle are the reverse of those in the case of the first route. Thus, loops are formed such that the positions of the first yarn and the second yarn in a loop that is formed in the case of the first route are the reverse of those in a loop that is formed in the case of the second route.
With the above-described configuration, during plating knitting, the positions of the first yarn and the second yarn can be interchanged, and the first yarn and the second yarn are guided to the front side or the rear side at positions relatively near the sinker top. Therefore, the likelihood of the positions of the two yarns being reversed unintentionally can be reduced even further. Moreover, the load applied to the yarns by, for example, the sinker pushing the yarns can be reduced, and the amount of movement of the yarns can be reduced. Therefore, the likelihood of the positions of the yarns being reversed unintentionally can be reduced even further.
The knitting mechanism has a sinker cam capable of guiding each sinker to the first route or the second route, and a needle cam that guides each knitting needle.
With this configuration, the sinker is guided to one of its possible movement routes, the first route and the second route, by the sinker cam, and the knitting needle is guided to its movement route by the needle cam. The movement route of the knitting needle causes the knitting needle to move up and down. The knitting needle moves up and down in synchronism with the movement of the sinker such that the knitting needle is lowered in a state in which the first transition surface or the second transition surface is in close proximity thereto, and then, after the lowest point of the movement path of the knitting needle is reached, the knitting needle is raised again. The sinker cam does not need to guide the sinker along all the movement routes that can be followed by the sinker. For example, a configuration is also possible in which a structure that enables the sinker to follow either of the first route and the second route is adopted, and the sinker is guided to one of these routes by a sinker selector.
It is preferable that the knitting mechanism has a sinker selector that selects either the first route or the second route for each sinker as the movement route thereof.
In the present invention, essentially, any methods for selecting the sinker movement route can be used. However, it is preferable that the knitting mechanism has a sinker selector that imposes no limitation on the size of a pattern and the like. Note that it is possible, however, to increase, for example, the types of cams and the types of sinkers having sinker butts corresponding to the cams, thereby enabling the selection of the first route or the second route even without a selector, and the knitting of a pattern by interchanging the positions of the first yarn and the second yarn during plating knitting.
Moreover, in the knitting mechanism, the knitting needles have a fixed movement route.
The knitting mechanism of the present invention makes it possible to select, using a knitting needle selector, conventional three movement routes, that is, knit, tuck, and welt routes for portions where the knitting needle is lowered after having been raised to receive a yarn, and thereby incorporate a different knit structure, such as a mesh structure, for example. In that case, the knitting needles all follow the same movement route except where the movement route varies among knit, tuck, and welt routes. When such a pattern that involves the knitting needle selector is not to be knitted, all the knitting needles can follow the same movement route, and the positions of the first yarn and the second yarn can be interchanged, and plating jacquard knitting can thereby be performed, by simply selecting the sinker movement route.
For example, a configuration may be adopted in which the first transition surface is an inclined surface that is higher on a front side than on a rear side, and the second transition surface is an inclined surface that is lower on a front side than on a rear side, so that when the sinker follows the first route, a loop is formed in which the first yarn is located on a front side and the second yarn is located on a rear side, and when the sinker follows the second route, a loop is formed in which the first yarn is located on the rear side and the second yarn is located on the front side.
With this configuration, a protrusion is formed on the sinker top, and the first transition surface and the second transition surface are formed on the protrusion. Moreover, the first transition surface is formed on a rear portion of the protrusion, and the second transition surface is formed on a front portion of the protrusion. In the case of the first route, the sinker is controlled so as to be guided forward so that the first transition surface comes into close proximity to the knitting needle. On the other hand, in the case of the second route, the sinker is controlled so as to be guided to a position rearward of the position to which the sinker is guided in the case of the first route so that the second transition surface comes into close proximity to the knitting needle. Thus, the positions of the yarns in the hook can be changed to reverse the positions of the yarns of a plated loop to be knitted in the front-rear direction.
In the knitting mechanism of the present invention, a sinker nose is located above the first transition surface and protrudes from a rear side toward a front side, and a front end of the sinker nose is formed so as to be located rearward of a front end of the first transition surface.
With this configuration, the front end of the sinker nose is located above a rear portion of the first transition surface in the vertical direction. If a needle cylinder of the circular knitting machine is viewed from a direction of a tangent to the circumference thereof, when the hook of the knitting needle is lowered to a position near the sinker nose in the knitting process, there is a space in front of the sinker nose within a region in the hook of the knitting needle. In the present invention, before the hook of the knitting needle passes the height of the sinker nose upper surface, the sinker has moved to a position at which the first transition surface or the second transition surface is located immediately beside the knitting needle. The wording "immediately beside" here means a region between adjacent knitting needles. In other words, the wording "immediately beside" means a position at which the knitting needle overlaps the first transition surface or the second transition surface as viewed from the direction of a tangent to the circumference of the needle cylinder of the circular knitting machine. After that, the sinker is kept at that position until the knitting needle reaches the lowest point of the movement route. Therefore, during the lowering of the knitting needle in which a yarn is caught, the yarn passes through the above-described space and is automatically guided to the front side. Thus, the distance between this yarn and the yarn guided to the rear side increases, and the likelihood of the positions of the two yarns being reversed unintentionally decreases.
Another configuration may also be adopted in which the first transition surface is an inclined surface that is higher on the rear side than on the front side, and the second transition surface is an inclined surface that is lower on the rear side than on the front side, so that, when the sinker follows the first route, a loop is formed in which the first yarn is located on the rear side and the second yarn is located on the front side, and when the sinker follows the second route, a loop is formed in which the first yarn is located on the front side and the second yarn is located on the rear side.
With this configuration, a depression is formed on the sinker top, and the first transition surface and the second transition surface are formed on the depression. Moreover, the first transition surface is formed on a rear portion of the depression, and the second transition surface is formed on a front portion of the depression. In the case of the first route, the sinker is controlled so as to be guided forward so that the first transition surface comes into close proximity to the knitting needle. On the other hand, in the case of the second route, the sinker is controlled so as to be guided to a position rearward of the position to which the sinker is guided in the case of the first route so that the second transition surface comes into close proximity to the knitting needle. Thus, depending on whether the movement route of the sinker is the first route or the second route, the positions of the yarns in the hook can be changed to reverse the positions of the yarns of a plated loop to be knitted in the front-rear direction.
It is preferable that an angle of inclination of the first transition surface with respect to a horizontal plane is equal to an angle of inclination of the second transition surface with respect to a horizontal plane.
In the present invention, for example, when the second height is higher than the first height, the protrusion on which the first transition surface is an inclined surface that is inclined forward and upward and the second transition surface is an inclined surface that is inclined forward and downward is present on the sinker top. In this case, the second yarn is guided by the first transition surface to a rear end of the first transition surface, or the second yarn is guided by the second transition surface to a front end of the second transition surface. These positions are at the first height, which is the same as the height of the sinker top. On the other hand, when the hook of the knitting needle passes a portion near the height of the sinker top, the first yarn is guided toward the second yarn by the first transition surface or the second transition surface. The second yarn is already located at the rear end of the first transition surface, or the front end of the second transition surface, which is at the first height, and the first yarn is guided to a position that is adjacent to the second yarn on the transition surface side thereof. If the angle of inclination of the first transition surface with respect to the sinker top is equal to the angle of inclination of the second transition surface with respect to the sinker top, whether the first route is selected or the second route is selected, the height of the first yarn is substantially the same, and the length of a loop of the first yarn that is formed by the knitting needle performing stitching from this height to the lowest point of the movement route is also the same. Since the first yarn is adjacent to the second yarn, even though the position of the first yarn relative to the second yarn in the case of the first route and the position of the first yarn relative to the second yarn in the case of the second route are opposite to each other in the front-rear direction, the length of a loop of the first yarn is substantially the same whether the sinker follows the first route or the second route.
It is preferable that the knitting mechanism of the present invention has a yarn carrier that feeds a first yarn and a second yarn to each knitting needle, wherein the second yarn is fed so as to be located below the first yarn, and is guided to the first transition surface or the second transition surface earlier than the first yarn.
With this configuration, the knitting mechanism of the present invention includes the yarn carrier, and the second yarn is fed so as to be located below the first yarn. Thus, the second yarn reaches the first transition surface or the second transition surface earlier than the first yarn, and is guided to the lower side on the first transition surface or the second transition surface in the front-rear direction. The second yarn is guided by the first transition surface or the second transition surface formed on the sinker top, which means that the second yarn is guided on the sinker top. Then, as the knitting needle is lowered, the first yarn is also guided to the first transition surface or the second transition surface. The first yarn is guided by the first transition surface or the second transition surface to the lower side in the front-rear direction at a later timing than the second yarn, and is positioned adjacent to the second yarn, which has already been guided. Accordingly, the positions of the yarns are guided on the sinker top, and the hook of the knitting needle is lowered to a position below the sinker top in a state in which the yarns remain in the respective positions without significantly moving. Thus, the positions of the yarns are fixed, and little room is left for the positions of the yarns to be reversed unintentionally. As a result, the likelihood of the positions of the yarns being reversed unintentionally is low.
Preferably, 2-feeder repeat plating knitting is performed in which the second yarn is fed into a hook of the knitting needle at a first feeder, and the first yarn is fed into the hook of the knitting needle at a subsequent feeder.
In order to prevent the positions of the yarns from being reversed unintentionally, at the first feeder, the knitting needle is raised to feed the second yarn into the hook of the knitting needle, and then, the hook of the knitting needle is temporarily lowered to a position near the sinker top. At the subsequent feeder, the knitting needle is raised again. At this time, even though the knitting needle is raised, the second yarn is held down by the sinker nose lower surface and is in the state of being caught by the opened latch of the knitting needle at a position near the sinker top, and thus, the second yarn is guided to the lower side on the first transition surface. Meanwhile, the first yarn is fed into the hook at an upper position. Thus, the position of the first yarn and the position of the second yarn can be separated from each other, and the likelihood of the positions of the yarns being reversed unintentionally can be reduced even further. Since 2-feeder repeat plating knitting is performed, the knitting needle is not lowered to the lowest point of its route at the first feeder. This prevents an old loop from coming off the knitting needle (i.e., prevents knock-over). After the second feeder, the knitting needle is lowered to the lowest point of its route, and the old loop is knocked over.
Another configuration is conceivable in which 1-feeder repeat plating knitting is performed in which, at every feeder, the first yarn is fed into the hook of the knitting needle from a position higher than that of the second yarn, and the second yarn is fed into the hook of the knitting needle from a position lower than that of the first yarn.
With this configuration, since the first yarn and the second yarn are inserted at a single feeder, the positions of the two yarns are closer to each other, and the likelihood of the positions being reversed unintentionally increases. However, the number of feeders is increased, and the production can thus be improved. This configuration is effective under knitting conditions, such as the type of the yarns, the stitch density, and the like, that are unlikely to cause the positions of the yarns to be reversed unintentionally.
A knitting method of the present invention is a plating jacquard knitting method in which the above-described knitting mechanism is used.
Thus, knitting can be performed using a knitting method for performing plating knitting on a circular knitting machine, the method including performing knitting by interchanging positions of a first yarn and a second yarn while the circular knitting machine is in operation, using knitting needles that move up and down and sinkers that move horizontally forward and rearward perpendicular to the knitting needles,

wherein each sinker has a first transition surface and a second transition surface on a sinker top, the first transition surface being a surface that transitions forward from a first height that is a height of the sinker top to a second height that is different from the first height, and the second transition surface being a surface that transitions forward from the second height to the first height,
either a first route or a second route is selected for each sinker as a movement route thereof,
the first route brings the first transition surface into the closest proximity to a corresponding one of the knitting needles when the knitting needle is being lowered, and allows the knitting needle to be lowered in this state to the lowest point of a movement route of the knitting needle, and
the second route brings the second transition surface into the closest proximity to the corresponding one of the knitting needles when the knitting needle is being lowered, and allows the knitting needle to be lowered in this state to the lowest point of the movement route of the knitting needle,
so that knitting can be performed using the knitting method with which the positions of the first yarn and the second yarn can be interchanged during plating knitting on the circular knitting machine.

Moreover, knitting can be performed using a knitting method that uses the above-described knitting mechanism.
A sinker of the present invention is a sinker for plating jacquard knitting, the sinker including a sinker nose and a sinker top, wherein a sinker nose lower surface of the sinker nose is a horizontal surface that faces downward and that opposes the sinker top and is parallel to the sinker top, and the sinker top has a first sinker top that is a horizontal surface that faces upward and that is located below and opposes the sinker nose lower surface and is parallel to the sinker nose lower surface, a second sinker top that is a horizontal surface that faces upward and is located at a first height that is the same as a height of the first sinker top, the second sinker top being spaced apart forward from the first sinker top, a first transition surface that is connected to a front end of the first sinker top and that transitions forward from a first height that is the height of the first sinker top to a second height that is lower than the sinker nose lower surface and is different from the height of the first sinker top, and a second transition surface that transitions forward from the second height to the first height, a front end of the second transition surface being connected to the second sinker top.
In general, a sinker for use in a single circular knitting machine is in the form of a thin plate, and is constituted by a sinker base portion having a sinker base portion lower surface that is a horizontal surface that faces downward; a sinker butt protruding upward from a rear portion of the sinker base portion; and a sinker front portion that is formed extending upward and forward from an upper front end of the sinker base portion. A sinker nose is formed at a top portion of the sinker front portion. The sinker nose has a shape that protrudes forward. A sinker top is formed below the sinker nose while being spaced apart from the sinker nose. In such a typical sinker, basically, the sinker top is a horizontal surface that faces upward. Also, basically, the entire sinker top is at a constant height. Moreover, basically, the sinker top and a sinker nose lower surface oppose each other and are parallel to each other.
In the sinker of the present invention, the sinker nose is constituted by a sinker nose upper surface, the sinker nose lower surface, and a sinker nose transition surface. The sinker nose lower surface is a horizontal surface that faces downward. The sinker nose transition surface is formed between the sinker nose upper surface and the sinker nose lower surface in the vertical direction (height direction) and is located within a height range at or lower than a height of the sinker nose upper surface and at or higher than a height of the sinker nose lower surface. Here, "high" refers to an upper side in the vertical direction, and "low" refers to a lower side in the vertical direction.
In addition, in the present invention, the sinker top has the first sinker top on the rear side and the second sinker top on the front side. The first sinker top and the second sinker top are horizontal surfaces that face upward. The entirety of the first and second sinker tops are at the same height, which is the first height. The first sinker top opposes the sinker nose lower surface and is parallel to the sinker nose lower surface. The first transition surface and the second transition surface are formed between the first sinker top and the second sinker top, the first transition surface transitioning forward from the first height to the second height that is different from the first height, and the second transition surface transitioning forward from the second height to the first height. The second height is lower than the height of the sinker nose lower surface.
A sinker of the present invention is a sinker for plating jacquard knitting, the sinker including: a sinker base portion having a sinker base portion lower surface that is a horizontal surface that faces downward; a sinker butt protruding upward from a rear portion of the sinker base portion; a sinker front portion extending upward and forward from a front portion of the sinker base portion; a sinker nose formed at a top portion of the sinker front portion, the sinker nose being constituted by a sinker nose upper surface, a sinker nose lower surface that is a horizontal surface that faces downward, and a sinker nose transition surface that is formed between the sinker nose upper surface and the sinker nose lower surface and is located at or higher than a height of the sinker nose lower surface; a first sinker top that is a horizontal surface that faces upward and that opposes the sinker nose lower surface and is parallel to the sinker nose lower surface; a sinker throat transition surface that is formed between the sinker nose lower surface and the first sinker top; a second sinker top that is a horizontal surface that faces upward and is located at a height that is the same as a height of the first sinker top; a first transition surface that transitions forward from the height of the first sinker top to a second height that is lower than the sinker nose lower surface; and a second transition surface that transitions forward from the second height to the height of the second sinker top.
With this configuration, the height of the first sinker top and the second sinker top is the first height, the first transition surface transitions forward from the first height to the second height, and the second transition surface transitions forward from the second height to the first height. A front end of the first sinker top is connected to a rear end of the first transition surface, and a front end of the second transition surface is connected to a rear end of the second sinker top. Therefore, there is a transition from the front end of the first sinker top at the first height to the front end of the first transition surface at the second height via the rear end of the first transition surface at the first height. Also, there is a transition from the rear end of the second transition surface at the second height to the second sinker top at the first height via the front end of the second transition surface at the first height.
The sinker of the present invention may also have a configuration in which the sinker nose upper surface is a horizontal surface that faces upward, and the sinker nose transition surface is located at or lower than a height of the sinker nose upper surface.
With this configuration, the sinker nose transition surface is formed within a height region at or lower than the height of the sinker nose upper surface and at or higher than the height of the sinker nose lower surface. Therefore, the sinker nose transition surface does not have a portion where the height of the sinker nose transition surface is higher than the height of the sinker nose upper surface or lower than the height of the sinker nose lower surface. Thus, unlike, for example, a sinker for double fleece knitting or a sinker for pile knitting, the sinker has no steps on the sinker nose upper surface or the sinker nose lower surface. The sinker nose upper surface is a horizontal surface that faces upward and is uniformly at a constant height, with no portion at a locally different height.
A third sinker top is formed between the first transition surface and the second transition surface, the third sinker top being a horizontal surface that faces upward, and both a front end and a rear end thereof being located at the second height.
The first transition surface and the second transition surface are inclined surfaces, curved surfaces, or the like that are inclined in mutually opposite directions. In the present invention, each sinker is controlled to bring the first transition surface or the second transition surface closer to the knitting needle. In this manner, the first transition surface or the second transition surface is positioned immediately beside the knitting needle. If fine settings for this control of the sinker are not feasible, it is desirable that the first transition surface and the second transition surface are provided slightly spaced apart from each other. For this reason, it is preferable that the third sinker top whose front and rear ends are both at the second height is provided between the first transition surface and the second transition surface. The front end and the rear end of the third sinker top are connected to the rear end of the second transition surface and the front end of the first transition surface, respectively, without a level difference therebetween. Since both the rear end of the second transition surface and the front end of the first transition surface are at the second height, the front and rear ends of the third sinker top can be at the second height. The third sinker top may have any shape between these two ends, but is preferably a horizontal surface that faces upward, which is unlikely to affect the loop formation. In this case, a protrusion is formed on the sinker top by the first transition surface, the second transition surface, and the third sinker top. It is preferable that the entire third sinker top is located at a position below the sinker nose lower surface. If the position of the third sinker top is higher than the sinker nose lower surface, a protrusion larger than the sinker throat is formed on the sinker top by the first transition surface, the third sinker top, and the second transition surface. In this state, there is a possibility that a loop will touch the sinker when going over this protrusion and may therefore be adversely affected.
In the present invention described above, it is preferable that the sinker nose is located above the first transition surface and protrudes from a rear side toward a front side, and a front end of the sinker nose is formed so as to be located rearward of a front end of the first transition surface.
This configuration is preferred in the case where the first route of the sinker is selected, and the rear side of the first transition surface in the front-rear direction is the lower side. In the knitting process, when the first transition surface is positioned immediately beside the knitting needle, and the hook of the knitting needle is lowered to a position near the sinker nose afterward, the front end of the sinker nose is located within the range of the first transition surface in the front-rear direction. When viewed from a direction of a tangent to the circle of the needle cylinder of the circular knitting machine, the front end of the sinker nose located within the hook of the knitting needle protrudes forward from a rear end of the hook and approaches the knitting needle, but does not overlap the knitting needle, creating a space between the sinker nose transition surface and the knitting needle, the space connecting a space above the sinker nose upper surface to a space below the sinker nose lower surface. Thus, a guide path that guides forward the first yarn fed into an upper portion can be formed within the hook. In this manner, as the hook is lowered, the first yarn can be even more reliably guided to a position forward of the second yarn via the guide path. The load, which may be applied to the yarns by, for example, the sinker pushing the yarns, is not applied to the yarns, and the likelihood of the positions of the two yarns being reversed unintentionally can be reduced.
In addition, the sinker of the present invention may have a configuration in which a selecting portion is formed and provided rearward of the sinker base portion.
With this configuration, the selecting portion can select the movement route of each sinker from the first route and the second route operated by the sinker selector in accordance with the operation of the sinker selector.
According to the present invention, when plating knitting is performed on a circular knitting machine, either a first route or a second route is selected for each sinker as a movement route thereof while the circular knitting machine is in operation, so that the position of a first yarn and the position of a second yarn in a hook of each knitting needle can be interchanged using a first transition surface and a second transition surface of the sinker. This can be realized using only one type of sinkers without increasing the type of sinkers and without incurring an extra cost. Moreover, the present invention can fulfill the demand for knitting a high-gauge knitted fabric. Furthermore, the present invention can provide a knitting mechanism that is unlikely to cause the positions of the first yarn and the second yarn to be reversed unintentionally, as well as a sinker for use in the knitting mechanism.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic overall view of a circular knitting machine of Embodiment 1.
FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a knitting mechanism of Embodiment 1. Hatching that indicates a cross section of well-known portions is omitted.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of a sinker of Embodiment 1.
FIG. 4 is a movement line diagram illustrating movement routes of the sinker and a knitting needle of Embodiment 1.
FIG. 5 shows schematic diagrams illustrating the positions of yarns in a hook during lowering of the knitting needle when the sinker of Embodiment 1 follows (A) a first route and (B) a second route.
FIG. 6 is a movement line diagram illustrating movement routes of a sinker and a knitting needle of Embodiment 2.
FIG. 7 is an enlarged side view of a sinker of Embodiment 3.
FIG. 8 shows schematic diagrams illustrating the positions of yarns in a hook during lowering of a knitting needle when the sinker of Embodiment 3 follows (A) a first route and (B) a second route.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, the details of the present invention will be described using specific embodiments thereof. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments below.

Embodiment 1

In the present embodiment, plating jacquard knitting is performed using a single knit circular knitting machine M such as that shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 shows a cross section of a portion around a knitting portion of the present embodiment. The single knit circular knitting machine M has a similar configuration to that of a conventional typical circular knitting machine. The single knit circular knitting machine M has a needle cylinder 9 that houses a knitting needle 8, and a sinker dial 10 that houses a sinker 1. The knitting needle 8 moves up and down, and the sinker 1 moves horizontally forward and rearward perpendicular to the knitting needle 8. The needle cylinder 9 that houses the knitting needle 8 is rotated by power transmitted from a driving motor, and a butt 83 of the knitting needle is guided by a needle cam 91 fixed to the circular knitting machine, thereby allowing the knitting needle 8 to move up and down. Similarly, the sinker dial 10 that houses the sinker 1 is rotated in synchronism with the needle cylinder 9, and thus, the sinker 1 moves forward and rearward as guided by a sinker cam 101 fixed to the circular knitting machine. Then, a yarn is fed from a yarn carrier 12 to the knitting needle 8, the knitting needle 8 moves down to below a sinker top 4 (FIG. 3), and, when the knitting needle 8 performs stitching (reaches the lowest point of the movement route), a loop is formed by the yarn being caught by a hook 81 of the knitting needle 8 and the sinker top 4 of the sinker 1 adjacent to the knitting needle 8. As with a sinker 1 of a typical single knit circular knitting machine, the sinker 1 of the present invention is in the form of a thin plate, and includes a sinker base portion having a sinker base portion lower surface that is a horizontal surface that faces downward, a sinker butt 102 (FIG. 2) protruding upward from a rear portion of the sinker base portion, and a sinker front portion 2, the sinker front portion 2 being integrally formed with the sinker base portion and extending upward and forward from an upper front end of the sinker base portion.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged side view of the sinker 1 of Embodiment 1 of the present invention. A sinker nose 3 is formed at the top of the sinker front portion 2. The sinker nose 3 has a shape that protrudes forward. The sinker top 4 is formed below the sinker nose 3 while being spaced apart from the sinker nose 3. As with a typical sinker, the sinker top 4 is a horizontal surface that faces upward. Also, as with a typical sinker, the entire sinker top 4 is at a constant height. Moreover, as with a typical sinker, the sinker top 4 and a lower surface of the sinker nose 3 oppose each other and are parallel to each other. The above-described portions are formed as a single unit, rather than being formed separately and connected together.
In the sinker 1 of the present invention, the sinker nose 3 is constituted by a sinker nose upper surface 31, a sinker nose lower surface 33, and a sinker nose transition surface 32, as with a raceway sinker of a typical single knit circular knitting machine. The sinker nose upper surface 31 is a horizontal surface that faces upward. The sinker nose lower surface 33 is a horizontal surface that faces downward.
Sinkers 1 of the circular knitting machine M of the present embodiment have only one type of shape. The sinker 1 of the present embodiment is shaped such that a protrusion is formed on the sinker top 4. A first transition surface 42 and a second transition surface 43 are formed on this protrusion. The first transition surface 42 is an inclined surface that is inclined forward and upward. The second transition surface 43 is an inclined surface that is inclined forward and downward. A first sinker top 41 is provided rearward of the protrusion of the sinker top 4. In addition, a second sinker top 44 is provided forward of the protrusion of the sinker top 4. The first sinker top 41 and the second sinker top 44 are horizontal surfaces that face upward. Also, the entirety of the first and second sinker tops 41 and 44 are at the same height (this height is referred to as a "first height"). Moreover, a third sinker top 45 is formed between the first transition surface 42 and the second transition surface 43. In the present embodiment, the third sinker top 45 is a horizontal surface that faces upward. The entire third sinker top 45 is at a constant height (this height is referred to as a "second height"). The second height is different from the first height. In the present embodiment, the second height is higher than the first height. The first sinker top 41 and the sinker nose lower surface 33 oppose each other and are parallel to each other. A sinker throat is formed by the sinker nose lower surface 33, the first sinker top 41, and a sinker throat transition surface 34 that is formed between the sinker nose lower surface 33 and the first sinker top 41. Between the first sinker top 41 and the second sinker top 44 is formed the first transition surface 42, the first transition surface 42, extending from a front end of the first sinker top 41, transitioning from the first height at a rear end thereof to the second height, which is different from the first height, at a front end thereof, in a direction from a rear side toward a front side. Also formed is the second transition surface 43, the second transition surface 43 transitioning from the second height at a rear end thereof to the first height at a front end thereof, and to a rear end of the second sinker top 44, in the direction from the rear side toward the front side. The second height is lower than the height of the sinker nose lower surface 33. The reason for this is that, if the second height is at or above the height of the sinker nose lower surface 33, the protrusion on the sinker top closes the sinker throat and is highly likely to obstruct the movement of yarns. The angle between the first transition surface 42 and the first sinker top 41 and the angle between the second transition surface 43 and the second sinker top 44 are equal to each other. Accordingly, the angle of inclination of the first transition surface 42 with respect to a horizontal plane is equal to the angle of inclination of the second transition surface 43 with respect to a horizontal plane. Thus, a loop formed on the first transition surface 42 and a loop formed on the second transition surface 43 have substantially the same size.
The first transition surface 42 and the second transition surface 43 are linearly inclined surfaces. However, in the present invention, the first transition surface 42 and the second transition surface 43 may also be curved surfaces. The object of the present invention can be achieved unless these transition surfaces are horizontal surfaces.
The sinker nose transition surface 32 has no portion that is located below the height of the sinker nose lower surface 33 in a height direction, which is the vertical direction. Thus, an unnecessary movement transmitted to the yarns is minimized, and thereby the likelihood of the positions of the yarns being reversed unintentionally is reduced. Moreover, the sinker nose transition surface 32 has no portion that is located above the height of the sinker nose upper surface 31. In the present invention, the sinker nose transition surface 32 can be positioned at a higher level than the sinker nose upper surface 31 so as to easily guide the plating yarn, for example. However, the sinker of the present invention is not a sinker for making fleece or pile, for example. That is to say, unlike a sinker for making fleece or pile, the sinker of the present invention does not have a plurality of steps on the sinker nose upper surface. It is preferable that the sinker nose upper surface is constituted by a single horizontal surface.
In the present embodiment, the sinker nose lower surface 33, the first sinker top 41, and the second sinker top 44 have no portions that are inclined as in a sinker for making fleece or pile. The sinker throat transition surface 34 is formed within a range from the height of the sinker nose lower surface 33 to the height of the first sinker top 41. Thus, the sinker throat has a straight shape. However, in the present invention, the sinker throat transition surface may also have, for example, a portion that is located above the height of the sinker nose lower surface 33 or a portion that is located below the sinker top 41.
FIG. 4 is a movement line diagram illustrating movement routes of a knitting needle and a sinker of Embodiment 1. Plating jacquard knitting is performed by repeating the processing at a first feeder IF and a second feeder 2F. Needle cams 91 (FIG. 2) provide different routes for the first feeder IF and the second feeder 2F. Thus, a movement route 5 of the knitting needle 8 at the first feeder IF and a movement route 5 of the knitting needle 8 at the second feeder 2F are different from each other. With regard to the needle cams 91, identical needle cams 91 are arranged every two feeders. That is to say, the knitting needle 8 follows the same movement route every two feeders. Thus, all knitting needles 8 repeat the movement routes at the first feeder IF and the second feeder 2F in a 2-feeder repeat manner.
Sinker cams 101 (FIG. 2) provide different movement routes for the first feeder IF and the second feeder 2F, and, at the first feeder 1F, all of the sinkers 1 are allowed to follow the same movement route 6 using identical sinker cams 101. At the second feeder 2F, the sinkers 1 can follow two types of movement routes, a first route 61 and a second route 62.
In the present embodiment, in order to prevent the positions of the yarns from being reversed unintentionally, plating jacquard knitting is performed using a 2- feeder arrangement. At the first feeder 1F, a ground yarn 72 (second yarn) is fed to the knitting needle 8. The route is as follows: first, the knitting needle 8 is raised to release an old loop from the inside of the hook 81 (FIG. 5), then, the knitting needle is lowered, the ground yarn 72 is fed and inserted into the hook 81 of the knitting needle, and subsequently, the sinker 1 is advanced, thereby placing the ground yarn 72 in the sinker throat. After that, at the second feeder 2F, the knitting needle 8 is raised again, and a plating yarn 71 (first yarn) is fed to the knitting needle 8. At this time, the ground yarn 72 is held down, and thereby prevented from ascending, by the sinker nose lower surface, and therefore the ground yarn 72 remains near the sinker throat.
After that, the sinker 1 follows either the first route 61 or the second route 62 as a movement route 6 thereof. The first route 61 of the sinker 1 is a movement route that brings the first transition surface 42 to a position immediately beside the knitting needle 8. In this case, the sinker 1 is kept at a position that is slightly forward of the position of the sinker 1 when following the second route 62. In this manner, during the lowering of the knitting needle 8, the first transition surface 42 is located in the closest proximity to the knitting needle 8. Then, the knitting needle 8 passes immediately beside the first transition surface 42 and reaches the lowest point of the movement route 5 of the knitting needle 8 (i.e., performs stitching). The second route 62 of the sinker 1 is a movement route that brings the second transition surface 43 to a position immediately beside the knitting needle 8. In this case, the sinker 1 is kept at a position that is slightly rearward of the position of the sinker 1 when following the first route 61. In this manner, during the lowering of the knitting needle 8, the second transition surface 43 is located in the closest proximity to the knitting needle 8. Then, the knitting needle 8 passes immediately beside the second transition surface 43 and reaches the lowest point of the movement route 5 of the knitting needle 8. Thus, an old loop comes off the knitting needle, and a plated loop is formed as a result of the processing at the first feeder F1 and the second feeder F2. In the present embodiment, the knitting needles are configured for an all-knit pattern, and all the knitting needles follow the same movement route in a 2-feeder repeat manner. However, instead of an all-knit pattern, a pattern containing typical tuck and welt stitches can also be knitted. In that case, some of the knitting needles may follow a tuck route T or a welt route W, but the knitting needles all follow the same movement route except where the route varies into the knit, tuck, and welt routes.
FIG. 5 shows schematic diagrams illustrating the positions of yarns in the hook 81 during the lowering of the knitting needle 8 when the sinker 1 of Embodiment 1 follows (A) the first route 61 and (B) the second route 62. The wording "in the hook 81" refers to a region typically surrounded by the hook 81 and the latch 82 of the knitting needle 8.
In the case of the first route 61, the ground yarn 72 is guided to a rear side, which is a lower side. Then, the plating yarn 71 is located forward of the ground yarn 72. Thus, in the case of the first route 61, plating knitting is performed with the plating yarn 71 located on the front side and the ground yarn 72 on the rear side, as shown in FIG. 5(a3).
In the present invention, the ground yarn 72 comes into contact with the first transition surface or the second transition surface earlier than the plating yarn 71, and is guided to the lower side on the first transition surface or the second transition surface. Subsequently, the plating yarn 71 is guided into the hook 81, the knitting needle is lowered, causing the plating yarn to come into contact with the first transition surface or the second transition surface, and the plating yarn is then guided to the lower side on the first transition surface or the second transition surface. Due to the difference between the timings of the yarns being guided to the first transition surface or the second transition surface, the yarns can be controlled without the positions thereof being reversed unintentionally.
In the present embodiment, while the knitting needle 8 is moved upward and downward, the sinker 1 is kept at such a position that, as the knitting needle 8 begins to be lowered, the sinker nose 3 is inserted into the hook 81 of the knitting needle 8 from the rear side toward the front side as shown in FIG. 5(a1). Above the first transition surface, the front end of the sinker nose 3 is located rearward of the front end of the first transition surface. Therefore, a guide path is formed in the hook 81 by the sinker nose transition surface 32, the guide path automatically guiding the plating yarn 71 forward while the plating yarn 71 descends. Thus, as shown in FIG. 5(a2), the plating yarn 71 is guided forward along the guide path, while the ground yarn 72 is guided rearward, and consequently the distance between the two yarns is increased, thereby reducing the likelihood of the positions of the yarns being reversed unintentionally.
On the other hand, the second transition surface 43 is an inclined surface that is inclined forward and downward and is inclined rearward and upward, and, in the case of the second route 62, as shown in FIG. 5(b2), the ground yarn 72 is guided toward the front side, which is the lower side. Then, the plating yarn 71 is located rearward of the ground yarn 72. Thus, in the case of the second route 62, plating knitting is performed with the ground yarn 72 located on the front side and the plating yarn 71 on the rear side, as shown in FIG. 5(b3).
In this manner, the positions of the ground yarn 72 and the plating yarn 71 can be interchanged by selecting the movement route 6 of the sinkers 1 from either the first route 61 or the second route 62 for each sinker 1. With regard to the movement of the sinker 1 and the knitting needle 8, after the knitting needle 8 catches a yarn, the sinker 1 moves so that the first transition surface 42 or the second transition surface 43 of the sinker 1 is positioned immediately beside the knitting needle. During this movement, the sinker 1 and the knitting needle 8 move smoothly without small fluctuations in speed or a movement in an opposite direction. The movement has a substantially constant speed and imposes little load on the yarns. After that, the knitting needle 8 is lowered to the lowest point of the movement route (i.e. performs stitching). During this movement as well, the sinker 1 is at rest, and the knitting needle 8 is lowered smoothly without small fluctuations in speed or a movement in an opposite direction. The movement of the knitting needle 8 here also has a substantially constant speed, and the sinker 1 does not move until stitching is performed. The above-described smooth movement reduces the likelihood of the positions of the yarns being reversed unintentionally.
In the present embodiment, a sinker selector is used. In addition, a selecting portion is provided rearward of the sinker base portion. The sinker selector is provided above this selecting portion. The sinker selector enables the selecting portion to select the movement route 6 of each sinker from the first route 61 and the second route 62 in accordance with the operation of the sinker selector. Thus, the positions of the ground yarn 72 and the plating yarn 71 can be interchanged, and plating jacquard knitting can thereby be performed.
Note that the present invention is not limited to the present embodiment. For example, although the protrusion on the sinker top 4 has a trapezoidal shape in the present embodiment, it goes without saying that a protrusion with a triangular or semicircular shape is also within the scope of the present invention. Also, for example, the configuration of the present invention is an essential configuration for performing plating jacquard knitting during the operation of a circular knitting machine, the plating jacquard knitting being performed by interchanging the positions of the plating yarn 71 (first yarn) and the ground yarn 72 (second yarn) while performing plating knitting, and it is apparent that a configuration obtained by making a certain change to this essential configuration according to the type of a knitted fabric to be knitted is also within the scope of the present invention. An example of such configuration may be that in which any of knit, tuck, and welt can be selected for the knitting needle 8 using a typical knitting needle selector. The knitting needle selector makes it possible that an even greater variety of knitted fabrics can be knitted. In the present invention, the position of the sinker during the lowering of the knitting needle to the lowest point is important, and the selection of knit, tuck, or welt does not have an effect on the position of the sinker. Therefore, a configuration can be embraced within the scope of the present invention with or without a knitting needle selector.
In addition, a configuration can be embraced within the scope of the present invention even when the configuration does not include any configuration disclosed in the present embodiment. For example, in the present invention, if the first transition surface and the second transition surface are directly connected to each other, the third sinker top 45 does not need to be provided.
Furthermore, it goes without saying that when the configuration of the present invention is modified without affecting the plating jacquard knitting according to the present invention, for example, when a meaningless groove or protrusion is added thereto, the thus modified configuration is also within the scope of the present invention.

Embodiment 2

FIG. 6 is a movement line diagram illustrating movement routes of a sinker 1 and a knitting needle 8 of Embodiment 2. In the present embodiment, plating jacquard knitting is performed with a 1-feeder arrangement. According to the present embodiment, even though the likelihood of the yarn positions being reversed unintentionally is higher than that of Embodiment 1, the number of feeders is greater. Therefore, the present embodiment is advantageous when it is desired to increase the production of knitted fabric under the condition that a yarn, a pattern, or the like that is intrinsically unlikely to cause the yarn positions to be reversed unintentionally is used.
In the present embodiment, the knitting needle routes are such that, at every feeder, all the knitting needles 8 move up and down along the same movement route 5A. In the present embodiment, a plating yarn 71A is fed to the knitting needle 8 from a position that is higher than that of a ground yarn 72A on the movement route of the needle. The ground yarn 72A is fed to the knitting needle 8 from a position that is lower than that of the plating yarn 71A. The sinker 1 (with the same configuration as that shown in FIG. 3 of Embodiment 1) is temporarily retracted rearward after the knitting needle 8 is raised, and the ground yarn 72A is fed to a portion near the sinker top 4. Subsequently, the sinker is advanced, and the second yarn is placed into the sinker throat. Then, the movement route of the sinker 1 branches into a first route 61A and a second route 62A. On the first route 61A and the second route 62A, the positions of the yarns are similar to those shown in FIG. 5, and the positions of the yarns can be interchanged.

Embodiment 3

FIG. 7 is a side view of a sinker 1B according to Embodiment 3. In the present embodiment, unlike Embodiments 1 and 2 above, the protrusion on the sinker top 4 or 4A is not formed, but a depression 45B is formed instead. A sinker top 4B has a first sinker top 41B that is located rearward of the depression 45B, and a second sinker top 44B that is located forward of the depression 45B. The depression 45B has a first transition surface 42B that transitions forward from a first height at a front end of the first sinker top 41B to a second height that is lower than the first height. The depression 45B also has a second transition surface 43B that transitions forward from the second height to the first height at a rear end of the second sinker top 44B. Moreover, a third sinker top 45B is formed between the first transition surface 42B and the second transition surface 43B. The third sinker top 45B is a horizontal surface that faces upward, the entire horizontal surface being at the second height.
FIG. 8 shows schematic diagrams illustrating the positions of yarns in the hook 81 during the lowering of the knitting needle 8 when the sinker selector of Embodiment 1 is used, the sinker 1 is replaced by a sinker 1B of Embodiment 3, and the sinker 1B follows (A) the first route 61A and (B) the second route 62A. In the present embodiment, the first transition surface 42B and the second transition surface 43B are inclined in opposite directions to the directions in which the first transition surfaces 42 and 42A and the second transition surfaces 43 and 43A of Embodiments 1 and 2 are inclined. Therefore, the positions of the yarns on each movement route of the sinker 1B are the reverse of the positions of the yarns of Embodiments 1 and 2. Moreover, in the present embodiment, in the case of the first route, which causes the knitting needle to come into close proximity to the first transition surface 42B, unlike Embodiments 1 and 2, a positional relationship in which a sinker nose 3B is inserted into the hook 81 is not realized, and a guide path that guides the plating yarn forward is not formed in the hook 81 by the sinker nose 3B.
The present invention is not limited to the foregoing embodiments. Any configurations that meet the technical idea of the present invention recited in the claims are within the technical scope of the present invention even if those configurations are somewhat different from the foregoing embodiments.

List of Reference Numerals

1, 1B: Sinker
2: Sinker front portion
3, 3B: Sinker nose
31: Sinker nose upper surface
32: Sinker nose transition surface
33: Sinker nose lower surface
34: Sinker throat transition surface
4, 4B: Sinker top
41, 41B: First sinker top
42, 42B: First transition surface
43, 43B: Second transition surface
44, 44B: Second sinker top
45, 45B: Third sinker top
5, 5A: Knitting needle movement route
T: Tuck route
W: Welt route
6, 6A: Sinker movement route
61, 61A: First route
62, 62A: Second route
71, 71A: First yarn (plating yarn)
72, 72A: Second yarn (ground yarn)
8: Knitting needle
81: Hook
82: Latch
83: Butt
9: Needle cylinder
91: Needle cam
10: Sinker dial
101: Sinker cam
102: Sinker butt
11: Sinker selector
12: Yarn carrier

Claims

A knitting mechanism for performing plating knitting on a circular knitting machine, the knitting mechanism enabling knitting to be performed by interchanging positions of a first yarn (71, 71A) and a second yarn (72, 72A) while the circular knitting machine is in operation,
wherein the knitting mechanism has knitting needles (8) that move up and down, and sinkers (1, 1B) that move horizontally forward and rearward perpendicular to the knitting needles (8),

the sinkers (1, 1B) each have a first transition surface (42, 42B) and a second transition surface (43, 43B) on a sinker top (4, 4B), the first transition surface (42, 42B) being a surface that transitions forward from a first height that is a height of the sinker top (4, 4B) to a second height that is different from the first height, and the second transition surface (43, 43B) being a surface that transitions forward from the second height to the first height,

each sinker (1, 1B) follows either a first route (61, 61A) or a second route (62, 62A) as a movement route thereof,

the first route (61, 61A) brings the first transition surface (42, 42B) into the closest proximity to a corresponding one of the knitting needles (8) when the knitting needle (8) is being lowered, and allows the knitting needle (8) to be lowered in this state to the lowest point of a movement route of the knitting needle (8), and

the second route (62, 62A) brings the second transition surface (43, 43B) into the closest proximity to the corresponding one of the knitting needles (8) when the knitting needle (8) is being lowered, and allows the knitting needle (8) to be lowered in this state to the lowest point of the movement route of the knitting needle (8),

so that, during plating knitting on the circular knitting machine, knitting can be performed by interchanging the positions of the first yarn (71, 71A) and the second yarn (72, 72A).
The knitting mechanism according to claim 1, which has a sinker cam (101) capable of guiding each sinker (1, 1B) to the first route (61, 61A) or the second route (62, 62A), and a needle cam (91) that guides each knitting needle (8).
The knitting mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, which has a sinker selector (11) that selects either the first route (61, 61A) or the second route (62, 62A) for each sinker (1, 1B).
The knitting mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein all of the knitting needles (8) have a fixed movement route.
The knitting mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which has a yarn carrier (12) that feeds a first yarn (71, 71A) and a second yarn (72, 72A) to each knitting needle (8), wherein the second yarn (72, 72A) is fed so as to be located below the first yarn (71, 71A), and is guided to the first transition surface (42, 42B) or the second transition surface (43, 43B) earlier than the first yarn (71, 71A).
The knitting mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first transition surface (42, 42B) is an inclined surface that is higher on a front side than on a rear side, and the second transition surface (43, 43B) is an inclined surface that is lower on a front side than on a rear side, so that, when the sinker (1, 1B) follows the first route (61, 61A), a loop is formed in which the first yarn (71, 71A) is located on a front side and the second yarn (72, 72A) is located on a rear side, and when the sinker (1, 1B) follows the second route (62, 62A), a loop is formed in which the first yarn (71, 71A) is located on the rear side and the second yarn (72, 72A) is located on the front side.
The knitting mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a sinker nose (3, 3B) is located above the first transition surface (42, 42B) and protrudes from a rear side toward a front side, and a front end of the sinker nose (3, 3B) is formed so as to be located rearward of a front end of the first transition surface (42, 42B).
The knitting mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein an angle of inclination of the first transition surface (42, 42B) with respect to a horizontal plane is equal to an angle of inclination of the second transition surface (43, 43B) with respect to a horizontal plane.
The knitting mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein 2-feeder repeat plating knitting is performed in which the second yarn (72) is fed into a hook of the knitting needle at a first feeder, and the first yarn (71) is fed into the hook of the knitting needle (8) at a subsequent feeder.
The knitting mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein 1-feeder repeat plating knitting is performed in which, at every feeder, the second yarn (72A) is fed into a hook of the knitting needle from a position higher than that of the first yarn (71A).
A plating jacquard knitting method in which the knitting mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 10 is used.
A sinker (1, 1B) for plating jacquard knitting, the sinker (1, 1B) comprising:
a sinker base portion having a sinker base portion lower surface that is a horizontal surface that faces downward; a sinker butt (102) protruding upward from a rear portion of the sinker base portion; and a sinker front portion extending upward and forward from a front portion of the sinker base portion,

wherein the sinker front portion includes:
a sinker nose (3, 3B) formed at a top portion;

the sinker nose (3, 3B) being constituted by a sinker nose upper surface (31), a sinker nose lower surface (33) that is a horizontal surface that faces downward, and a sinker nose transition surface (34) that is formed between the sinker nose upper surface (31) and the sinker nose lower surface (33) and is located at or higher than a height of the sinker nose lower surface (33),

a first sinker top (41, 41B) that is a horizontal surface that faces upward and that opposes the sinker nose lower surface (33) and is parallel to the sinker nose lower surface (33),

a sinker throat transition surface (34) that is formed between the sinker nose lower surface (33) and the first sinker top (41, 41B),

a second sinker top (44, 44B) that is a horizontal surface that faces upward and is located at a height that is the same as a height of the first sinker top (41, 41B),

a first transition surface (42, 42B) that transitions forward from the height of the first sinker top (41, 41B) to a second height that is lower than the sinker nose lower surface (33), and

a second transition surface (43, 43B) that transitions forward from the second height to the height of the second sinker top (44, 44B).
The sinker (1, 1B) for plating jacquard knitting according to claim 12, wherein the sinker nose upper surface (31) is a horizontal surface that faces upward, and the sinker nose transition surface (34) is located at or lower than a height of the sinker nose upper surface (31).
The sinker (1, 1B) for plating jacquard knitting according to claim 12 or 13, wherein a third sinker top (45, 45B) is formed between the first transition surface (42, 42B) and the second transition surface (43, 43B), the third sinker top (45, 45B) being a horizontal surface that faces upward, and both a front end and a rear end thereof being located at the second height.
The sinker (1, 1B) for plating jacquard knitting according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the sinker nose (3, 3B) is located above the first transition surface (42, 42B) and protrudes from a rear side toward a front side, and a front end of the sinker nose (3, 3B) is formed so as to be located rearward of a front end of the first transition surface (42, 42B).
The sinker (1, 1B) for plating jacquard knitting according to any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein a selecting portion is provided rearward of the sinker base portion.