GB1173001A - A Mechanism for use with a Knitting Machine - Google Patents

Abstract

1,173,001. Knitting machines; spinning and twisting machines and processes. J. C. DOUGHTY. 14 Nov., 1967 [11 Oct., 1966], No. 45375/66. Headings D1C; D1D and D1F. In apparatus for marling or twisting yarns into composite yarn prior to feeding the latter to the knitting elements of a knitting machine, single or composite yarn(s) drawn from initial package(s) is/are augmented by yarn(s) drawn from successive further package(s) and the rotation of the package support(s) is/are determined and controlled, so as to achieve regulation or variation in such factors as colour pattern, bulk, texture, count, twist value and direction, in the composite final or intermediate yarn(s), and/or throughout speed or rate of yarn consumption by the machine, in accordance with the operating requirements of the knitting machine and the fabric it is producing. Examples of yarn include braid ribbon, knitted cords or strips, slub, elastic, metal or metallised yarns and yarns of man-made fibre, wool, silk and cotton. The variation in twist may be controlled automatically e.g. from pattern tapes, cards or chains at the main control position of the machine. A reciprocating motion, derived from such parts as the cam box carriage, yarn feeder or sinker operative mechanism of the machine, may be converted into a unidirectional rotary movement of package supports. In the apparatus shown associated with a flat knitting machine, movements of carriage 30 is transmitted through "bow" 29 and spring-plunger coupling 28 to a slider 26 which moves along a bar 27 to move correspondingly endless belts 16 and 21' connected thereto by coupling block 20 and entrained around rotary pulleys 17 and 22 and separate grooves in a pulley 18. At the extremity of each reciprocatory movement of slider 26, a roller 35 on a finger piece 34 engages a cam face 36 of adjustably positioned cam member 33 thereby rotating cam shaft 32, in one direction at one extremity and in the reverse direction at the other extremity. This rotation is transmitted through lever 37, linkage 38, a pair of levers 39 and 40, to advance or retract pairs of pulleys 41 and 42 and thus force a run 24 or 25 of the belts into driving engagement with one side or the other of pulley 15 so that layshaft 12 is continuously rotated in one direction, as are the package supports such as 6 driven therefrom by pulley 13 and belt(s) 14 or cross-belt(s) (not shown). In the arrangement shown in Fig. 4, yarns withdrawn from, say three, static or rotating packages 45 pass through, say four, axially aligned bores 53 in package supports 51 and are enjoined by or twisted with yarns supplied successively from packages 55. Each support is driven, through belt (or cross belt) and pulley, by an individual, manually or automatically reversible, electric motor 58 (which may be preset to a particular speed characteristic). The motors may be individually or collectively subject to overriding speed control by signal(s) derived, for example, from a tachogenerator, as at 60, or photo-electric device(s) (not shown) measuring the speed of final yarn 63 fed to the machine, and operating through eddy-current couplings. All the mechanical and/or electrical drives shown may be replaced by pneumatic or hydraulic transmissions (not shown).