GB2164361A

GB2164361A - Circular knitting machine

Info

Publication number: GB2164361A
Application number: GB08518839A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Fulvio Sangiacomo
Original assignee: SANGIACOMO OFF MEC
Current assignee: SANGIACOMO OFF MEC
Priority date: 1984-08-13
Filing date: 1985-07-25
Publication date: 1986-03-19
Also published as: IT1180375B; GB8518839D0; GB2164361B; IT8405189A0; ES8607436A1; ES545722A0

Abstract

A circular knitting machine, e.g. a four-feed machine for inlaid patterned hose, has electronic programmed control of the cylinder drive whereby signals indicative of the angular position of the cylinder are derived during both rotary and reciprocatory knitting and are used to influence electronic needle selection units, there being as many such units as yarn feeds and the units being arranged (e.g. intermediate the feeds) so as to be associated with different feeds in the two directions of reciprocation. The selection units may each be divided into two sections 10a, 20a at different levels and acting on respective jacks 14, 24, one section selecting needles for knitting and the other needles for inlaying. A yarn-cutting mechanism which is also under electronic programme control is further disclosed. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Circular knitting machine The present invention relates to circular hosiery knitting machines with several feeds and in particular to circular machines with four feeds for the manufacture of patterned hose such as inlaid hose made by reciprocating rotary motion. Each feed station in the machine is provided with a first selector unit which can select, using a first set of under needles or selector jacks, those needles which are to knit and shed the hose and a second selector unit designed to select the needles for drawing the inlaid stitches using a second set of selector jacks.The first and the second selector units and the corresponding selector jacks are positioned on two different levels and are controlled electronically by an electronic processing means or computer in order to select the needles individually during reciprocal rotary motion of the cylinder and in any angular position of the same.

The manufacture of hose of the inlaid or "Argyle" type is well known with the use of several yarns of different colour fed to different feed stations and worked individually in such a way as to obtain differently coloured, combined and/or interworked areas within the resulting fabric in accordance with a predetermined design or effect.

Thus, for example, British Patent Specification No. 790,141 describes a circular knitting machine, in particular a circular machine with four feeds for the manufactuire of hose with a multicoloured or inlaid pattern, together with a method for the manufacture of a similar type of hose with reciprocating rotary motion of the cylinder.A machine of this type essentially comprises a cylinder with needles, means for the feeding of yarn to each feed station, means for controlling the rotary and reciprocal movements of the cylinder with respect to the feed stations and a plurality of sets of selector jacks placed in vertical alignment with the needles on the cylinder in such a way that every feed station is associated with at least one set of the said selector jacks and means for selection of the corresponding selector jacks which must work with the cylinder in both directions of the reciprocating rotary motion.

The means for selecting the jacks and the needles are typically mechanical or in the form of pin or cam drums which are subjected to intermittent rotary motion and which engage the jacks with interposed slot and/or lever actuating members. Because of their nature, mechanical means of this type are incapable of providing the desired accuracy and speed in the selection and individual control of needles and always require complete rotations of the drum synchronously with the movements of the cylinder so that the selection can be made and repeated in sequence, and are therefore very bulky and complex.The machine described in the abovementioned British patent specification, like all similar machines of similar design and purpose, must include at least two separate selector units for each feed station or at least groups of means capable of selecting the needles first in one direction and then in the opposite direction during the reciprocating rotary motion of the cylinder.

On the other hand a previous patent by the present applicant has provided a system for the command and control of circular hosiery knitting machines which provides for the use of electronically controlled means capable of activating such members and/or controlling these functions of these machines in relation to the rotation and angular position of the cylinder, the rotation and position of which is identified from one moment to another by means of an electronic processing means such as a computer. A system of this kind has subsequently found practical application in a device to control the cylinder of circular machines and to detect their angular position at every moment and process the signals deriving therefrom in accordance with a knitting program placed in the electronic computer controlling the operation.The said device has been the object of another patent by the same applicant and makes it possible for the motor and therefore the cylinder to be set and programmed for different rotation speeds without any break in continuity, for the reciprocating rotary motion of the cylinder to be programmed without the need for complete rotation through 360 , for effecting reversal of the direction of rotation at will when the cylinder is in any angular position and for programming accelerations and decelerations of the cylinder in accordance with the most appropriate curves. In practice the electronic control system makes possible the individual selection of needles without restraints or limitations imposed by the direction or angle of rotation of the cylinder and the concatenation of means of selection and the means controlling them.

On the basis of this the main object of this invention is to provide an improved circular knitting machine, for example a circular machine with four feeds, for the manufacture of hosiery with a pattern or inlay comprising as many selector units for the needles as there are feed stations, each selector unit being controlled electronically and being capable of selecting needles individually during either forward or reverse reciprocating rotary movement on the basis of signals indicating the instantaneous angular position of the cylinder.

Another object of the invention is to provide a circular hosiery knitting machine with several feeds of a more simple, functional and compact design in comparison with traditional machines, which is capable of a greater output of fabric for more convenient use of the machine itself.

Thus, according to the present invention there is provided a circular hosiery knitting machine with a plurality of yarn feeds, such as with four feed stations, for the manufacture of patterned or inlaid hose comprising a cylinder having needles and driven in either continuous rotary motion or reciprocal motion by means of a motor drive controlled by a programmed electronic processing means or computer capable of providing signals for locating the angular position of the cylinder at any moment and cams controlling vertical movements of the se lected needles at every feed station, characterised in that there are provided as many needle selector units as there are feed stations, each selector unit being associated with one feed station and controlled electronically for individual selection of the needles during both the forward and the reverse reciprocal rotary motion of the cylinder on the basis of signals indicating the angular position of the cylinder, said selector units comprising selectors for control of selector jacks placed in vertical alignment with the needles and acting in association with activating and deactivating cams, each feed unit selecting one feed in one direction of the alternating movement and another feed in the opposite direction.

Also according to the present invention there is provided a circular hosiery knitting machine with a plurality of feeds, such as four feed stations, for the manufacture of patterned or inlaid hose comprising a cylinder having needles and driven in either continuous rotary motion or reciprocal rotary motion by a motor drive controlled by a programmed electronic processing means or computer capable of providing signals for locating the angular position of the cylinder at any instant, and cams controlling vertical movements of the selected needles at every feed station; characterised in that there are provided the same number of first needle selector units, one for each feed station, and such are adapted to select the needles on the cylinder which must draw and shed stitches in the patterned hose, and as many second needle selector units, one for each feed station, and adapted to select the needles on the cylinder which must take the inlaid stitches in the patterned hose, are associated with the said feed stations, the said first and second selector units being controlled electronically for independent selection of the needles during both the forward and the reverse travel of the reciprocal rotary movement of the cylinder and on the basis of signals determining the angular position of the cylinder; and first selector units having selectors for controlling a first set of selector jacks placed in vertical alignment with the needles and having at least one butt acting in association with cams activating and deactivating the first set of selector jacks while the second selector units having selectors for controlling a second set of selector jacks placed in vertical alignment with the needles and having at least one butt acting in association with other cams activating and deactivating the second set of selector jacks.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic side elevation of a circular knitting machine according to the invention complete with the yarn cutting plate and serration; Figure 2 is a vertical cross-section through part of the cylinder of the machine of Figure 1 and showing the needles and corresponding displaceable jacks or selectors, and Figure 3 illustrates the cams for the jacks or selectors and needles in developed plan view.

A circular hosiery knitting machine is illustrated in the drawings having a cylinder 1 bearing a plurality of needles 2 which are vertically guided in grooves provided in the cylinder and act in association with plates or sinkers 3 mounted on a supporting ring or sinker head 4 which is attached to the cylinder for making hose. Cylinder 1 is rotata bly mounted on the frame or bed plate 5 and may have placed above it a plate 6 which rotates with the cylinder and is designed to carry horizontal needles or hooks, for example, for making a double edge.

The rotation of cylinder 1 and plate 6, when provided, is controlled by a motor drive which may be for example of the type described in a previous patent or Application No. 8426105 by the present applicant. The motor drive 8 drives cylinder 1 in either continuous rotary motion or reciprocating motion at variable speeds in both cases without any break in continuity through control of the power supply to the motor. As described in the earlier abovementioned patent, the motor drive may advantageously be controlled by an electronic processing means or computer, not shown, which contains the program for the manufacture of a particular article and which is able through the use of detectors to determine the angular position of the cylinder at any instant and to provide appropriate signals for execution of the manufacturing program and to activate the various machine functions.

The circular machine in question, which is designed particularly although not exclusively for the manufacture of inlaid hosiery, comprises four feed stations A-B-C-D each with corresponding yarn guides 9, see Figures 1 and 3, for the provision of at least the same number of different yarns for knitting. Now in accordance with the present invention all the said feed stations are associated with the same number of initial selector units 10a10b-10c-10d, that is one for each feed station, and these are designed to select the needles 2 on cylinder 1 which must draw and shed the stitches, as required. Likewise feed stations A-B-C-D are associated with the same number of second selector units 20a-20b-20c- 20d which are designed to select the needles 2 on cylinder 1 which must draw stitches in the fabric as required and/or define the patterns in the resulting hose.

The first and the second selector units are controlled electronically on the basis of signals reaching the electronic processing means or computer which indicate the instantaneous angular position of the cylinder and make it possible to select needles 2 individually during either the forward or reverse movement of the cylinder when this rotates with a reciprocal motion to form the inlaid hose. The machine is therefore provided with a needle selector control for each feed station so that the needles can be selected individually in both one direction of rotation of the cylinder and the other - thereby simplifying the entire structure of the machine.

The first and second selector units may, however, be operated so as to make any other selection which goes beyond the specific manufacture of inlaid hosiery but which enables the machine to be used for the manufacture of all other types of hosiery in accordance with an appropriate operating program placed in the electronic computer with controls the machine.

As illustrated diagrammatically in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings, the first selector units 10a-10b- 10c-10b are placed on one level of the cylinder and are attached to a first plate or platform 11 which surrounds the cylinder while the second selector units 20a-20b-20c20d are located at a lower lever and are attached to a corresponding second plate or platform 21. The machine is therefore of particularly compact construction, but it is still open for access and maintenance of the cylinder and its accessories.

Every needle 2 on cylinder 1 is provided with a butt 2' which acts in association with control cams 12, which are provided round the cylinder in known manner, corresponding to each feed station A-B-C-D, see Figure 3, and are designed to move the selected needles until they reach the yarn and draw stitches at the feed station in question.

For the selective control of needles 2 by selector units 10a-10b-10c-10d, each of these comprises a plurality of selectors 13 of, for example, the rocking pivotable or slotted type, which can be moved individually with respect to the needles by appropriate means under the control of the electronic computer which controls the operation of the machine. A first set of selector jacks 14 which are aligned vertically with needles 2 of the cylinder and act on these by means of the return jacks 15 is mounted on cylinder 1 at the level of the said first selector units.Selector jacks 14 are of the type which pivot or rock on an intermediate fulcrum 16 and have teeth 14' on which the selectors 13 of the abovementioned selector units act and, beneath, a butt 17 and an appendage 18 which are designed to act in association with cams 19-19' which respectively activate and deactivate the jacks or sinkers provided at each feed station A-B-C-D as shown in particular in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings. The arrangement of the cams is symmetrical and such that each jack 14 becomes operative when it is pushed towards the cylinder by one of selectors 13 and following cam 19 by means of corresponding appendage 18 moves the needle across the return jack 15 and shed knitted stitches.

This takes place when the cylinder rotates in both one direction and the other.

Similarly in the case of the selective control of needles 2 by second selector units 20a-20b-20c20d, each of these comprises plurality of selectors 23 which can be moved by appropriate means controlled by the electronic computer of the machine.

A second set of selector jacks 24 is mounted on cylinder 1 at the level of the said second selector units and the selector jacks 24 are aligned vertically with needles 2 of the cylinder and act thereon through the agency of return jacks 25 which extend behind the jacks associated with the first selector units. Selector jacks 24 are also of the type which pivot or rock on an intermediate fulcrum 26 and have teeth 24' on which the selectors 23 of the abovementioned second selector units act and, be neath, a butt 27 and an appendage 28 which are designed to act in association with cams 29-29' which activate and deactivate the selector jacks provided for each feed station A-B-C-D.Again in this case the arrangement is such that every selector jack 24 follows cam 29 with its corresponding appendage 28 when it is pushed towards the cylin der by one of selectors 13 - 23 and through the agency of return jack 25 moves the needle to form inlaid stitches in the patterned hose. This takes place when the cylinder rotates in both one direction and in the opposite direction.

Needles 2 on the cylinder can therefore be selected individually by electronically controlled means to draw and shed stitched or to make inlaid hose at each of the feed stations and while the cylinder is making both forward and reverse movements, the means for selecting the needles for making one or other type of hose being placed on different planes without interfereing with each other and being therefore capable of being used for any other selection.

Another improvement relating to the circular machine described above concerns the yarn cutting serration 30 provided or mounted on plate 6 which is provided in accordance with the invention with at least one movable cutter 31 controlled by an actuating mechanism 32 so that it is bought towards the serration into the operating position or moved away to an inoperative position. A movable cutter 31 with a corresponding suction head may be provided for every feed station or for several feed stations at the same time and in such a way that it can be activated or deactivated directly or indirectly under electronic control. Activation is bought about on the basis of the stages in the making of the hose so that the yarn is cut only when necessary and not when it is not necessary even if the yarns are picked up by the serration while the hose is being made with reciprocal motion.

Claims

1. A circular hosiery knitting machine with a plurality of yarn feeds, such as with four feed stations, for the manufacture of patterned or inlaid hose comprising a cylinder having needles and driven in either continuous rotary motion or reciprocal motion by means of a motor drive controlled by a programmed electronic processing means or computer capable of providing signals for locating the angular position of the cylinder at any moment and cams controlling vertical movements of the selected needles at every feed station, characterised in that there are provided as many needle selector units as there are feed stations, each selector unit being associated with one feed station and controlled electronically for individual selection of the needles during both the forward and the reverse reciprocal rotary motion of the cylinder on the basis of signals indicating the angular position of the cylinder, said selector units comprising selectors for control of selector jacks placed in vertical alignement with the needles and acting in associa tion with activating and deactivating cams, each feed unit selecting one feed in one direction of the alternating movement and another feed in the opposite direction.

2. A circular hosiery knitting machine with a plurality of feeds, such as four feed stations, for the manufacture of patterned or inlaid hose comprising a cylinder having needles and driven in either continuous rotary motion of reciprocal rotary motion by a motor drive controlled by a programmed electronic processing means or computer capable of providing signals for locating the angular position of the cylinder at any instant, and cams controlling vertical movements of the selected needles at every feed station; characterised in that there are provided the same number of first needle selector units, one for each feed station, and such are adapted to select the needles on the cylinder which must draw and shed stitches in the patterned hose, and as many second needle selector units, one for each feed station, and adapted to select the needles on the cylinder which must make the inlaid stitches in the patterned hose, are associated with the said feed stations, the said first and second selector units being controlled electronically for independent selection of the needles during both the forward and the reverse travel of the reciprocal rotary movement of the cylinder and on the basis of signals determining the angular position of the cylinder; said first selector units having selectors for controlling a first set of selector jacks placed in vertical alignment with the needles and having at least one butt acting in association with cams activating and deactivating the first set of selector jacks while the second selector units having selectors for controlling a second set of selector jacks placed in vertical alignment with the needles and having at least one butt acting in association with other cams activating and deactivating the second set of selector jacks.

3. A circular machine as claimed in claim 2, in which the first set of selector jacks and the second set of selector jacks are independent and placed on two different levels in the cylinder, the first set of selector jacks being coordinated with the needles directly or through the return selector jacks, the second series of selector jacks being coordinated with the needles by means of the return selectors which extend vertically as far as the needles passing behind the first set of selector jacks and the corresponding return selectors, the first and the second selector units being located at the level of the correpsonding first and second series of selector jacks.

4. A circular machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the cylinder is overlain by a plate having at least hooks or sets of needles in which a yarn cutting serration is mounted on the said plate, and in which the said serration in association with at least one cutter which can be moved by means of an actuating mechaisn towards the serration into an operating position and away from the serration into an inoperative position, all such being controlled directly or indirectly by the electronic computer in such as way that the cutter is in the cutting position when cutting is resquired and immediately moves away from the ser ration to prevent the cutting of yarns which should not be cut but which may come to lie in the serrations during manufacture with alternating motion.

5. A circular machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the selector jacks are placed on a fulcrum in an intermediate position and are moved into an inactive position by cams shaped for effecting radial movement working in association with an appendage placed on every sinker.

6. A circular knitting machine constructed and arranged to operate substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.