GB2139651A

GB2139651A - Flat knitting machines with stitch-slipping means

Info

Publication number: GB2139651A
Application number: GB08411395A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Helmut Irmscher
Original assignee: Kombinat Textima VEB
Current assignee: Kombinat Textima VEB
Priority date: 1983-05-09
Filing date: 1984-05-03
Publication date: 1984-11-14
Also published as: DD215345A1; GB2139651B; GB8411395D0; DE3413782A1; CH663432A5

Abstract

The machine comprises a plurality of needles (1), each of which is actuated through a double- armed rocker (2), a crank slide plate (4) with slide pieces (6) and a pin fastened at a crank sheave (3) supported and driven through shafts. To provide additional possibilities for the drive of the needles (1) in stitch hand-over setting and stitch take-over setting, switchable cams (14, 16, Fig. 4) corresponding to the width of a knitting system are arranged, for the stitch hand-over or stitch take- over, in place of the rail opposite the switchable slide pieces (6) so as to serve for the generation of an additional or modified movement of the plate (4) and thereby of the knitting needle (1). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Flat knitting machines with stitch-slipping means The present invention relates to a flat knitting machine, especially a machine with means for slipping stitches from the needles of one needle bed to the needles of the other needle bed.

In a known flat knitting machine with nee dle drive through cranks, the actuation of the needles according to pattern takes place by way of plates fastened at a rocker. The plates are provided with a foot which is guided in a track formed by guide elements. This track is composed of a continuous rail, opposite which are switchable slide pieces. Together, these slide pieces result in the width of a knitting system. The slide pieces can be brought out of action according to the desired needle movement. If all slide pieces are lowered, then the foot of the plate is not held, the rocker cannot transmit movement to the needles, and the threads form floats. When all slide pieces are disposed in action, the associated needle forms a stitch.

Although this needle actuation according to pattern permits the working of stitches, loops and floats in a row, it does not permit slipping of stitches from the needles of one needle bed to the needles of the other needle bed. The generated drive movements of the needles are not sufficient for this purpose.

It would therefore be desirable to enlarge the pattern possibilities on flat knitting machines, the needles of which are driven by means of crank drive means, so that apart from patterns with stitches, loops and floats in a row, the production of slip-stitch patterns may also be possible by arranging for driving of the needles into a stitch hand-over setting and a stitch take-over setting.

According to the present invention there is provided a flat knitting machine comprising a plurality of knitting systems with a plurality of knitting needles arranged in needle beds, rocker means drivable by crank drive means to displace the needles, slide plate means coupled to the rocker means and movable along a guide track to determine the displacement path of the needles, and guide means to guide the slide plate means along a selectable one of a plurality of different guide tracks individually associated with different displacement paths of the needles, the guide means comprising a plurality of slide elements positionable in operative positions to determine guide tracks for the slide plate means and a plurality of cam means arranged in juxtaposition to the slide elements and positionable in operative positions to provide two further such guide tracks respectively associated with a needle displacement path for take-over of stitches by the needles and a needle displacement path for hand-over of stitches by the needles, each cam means corresponding to the width of one of the knitting systems.

In a preferred embodiment the machine has a needle drive through cranks, in which each needle is actuated through a two-armed rocker, a crank slide with a slide block and a pin fastened at a crank sheave supported and driven through shafts. Switchable cams corresponding to the width of a knitting system are arranged, for the stitch hand-over or stitch take-over, opposite the slide pieces for the generation of an additional or modified movement of the plate and thereby of the knitting needle. Preferably, a knitting system with cams for stitch take-over follows a knitting system with cams for stitch hand-over to make possible the slipping of the stitches from the needles of the one needle bed onto the needles of the other needle bed and conversely, wherein a cam for the stitch take-over each time is disposed opposite a respective cam for the stitch hand-over.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic elevation of the needle drive in a flat knitting machine; Figure 2 is a view showing the movements of a plate foot of the machine during patterning; Figure 3 is a diagram showing the additional movement of the plate foot required for stitch hand-over and stitch take-over; and Figure 4 is a view of cams, for the guidance of the plate foot for stitch hand-over and stitch take-over, in a knitting machine embodying the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Fig. 1 a needle drive arrangement in a flat knitting machine, wherein each needle 1 is driven individually through a rocker 2 from a crank sheave 3. For the needle movement according to pattern in full drive-out setting, catch setting or non-drive-out setting, a plate 4 with a foot 5 is connected to the rocker 2 and is guided, with freeing of the pivot axis D, in a track formed of switchable elements 6.

The elements 6 comprise a rail 7 and slide pieces 8, 9 and 10. The foot 5 of the plate 4 runs through the elements 6 in a track 11 for the forming of a stitch, in a track 1 2 for the forming of a catching loop and in a track 1 3 in the case of a plain stitch.

However, as is evident from Fig. 3, these movements do not make possible transfer of the stitches from the needles of one needle bed to the needles of the oppositely disposed needle bed. The hatched areas must be compensated for through additional or modified movements of the foot 5 of the plate 4 and thereby of the needle 1. To make these movements possible, the rail 7 is constructed as a switchable cam arrangement (Fig. 4). The foot 5 of the plate 4 runs along cams 14 in a track 1 5 for the switch hand-over and along cams 1 6 in a track 1 7 for the stitch take-over. For this purpose, a knitting system with cams 1 6 for stitch take-over is disposed exactly opposite a knitting system with cams 1 4 for stitch hand-over in the knitting machine. To enlarge the pattern possibilities of the knitting machine, a knitting system with cams 1 6 for stitch take-over advantageously follows a knitting system with cams 14 for stitch hand-over.

When stitch-slipping does not take place, stitches, loops and floats can nevertheless be produced simultaneously in a row by reason of the switchable arrangement of the cams 14 and 16. In a place of a combination of individual knitting systems for stitch-slipping and knitting, it is also feasible to provide separate systems for stitch-slipping and knitting.

Claims

1. A flat knitting machine comprising a plurality of knitting systems with a plurality of knitting needles arranged in needle beds, rocker means drivable by crank drive means to displace the needles, slide plate means coupled to the rocker means and movable along a guide track to determine the displacement path of the needles, and guide means to guide the slide plate means along a selectable one of a plurality of different guide tracks individually associated with different displacement paths of the needles, the guide means comprising a plurality of slide elements positionable in operative positions to determine guide tracks for the slide plate means and a plurality of cam means arranged in juxtaposition to the slide elements and positionable in operative positions to provide two further such guide tracks respectively associated with a needle displacement path for take-over of stitches by the needles and a needle displacement path for hand-over of stitches by the needles, each cam means corresponding to the width of one of the knitting systems.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1, the knitting systems and cam means being so arranged that a system with cam means for providing one of the two further guide tracks is disposed adjacent to a system with cam means for providing the other one of the two further guide tracks thereby to permit needle displacement for transfer of stitches from needles of one needle bed to needles of another needle bed, a cam of the cam means of the first-mentioned system being arranged opposite a cam of the cam means of the second-mentioned system.

3. A knitting machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.