GB548713A - Improvements in and relating to knitting machines - Google Patents

Abstract

548,713. Knitting-machines. COTTON, Ltd., W., WILDERS, G., and LYNAM, J. E. April 19, 1941, No. 5077. [Class 74 (ii)] The speed regulating apparatus of a straight-bar or other knitting-machine comprises a speed controlling member 12 controlled manually to determine the normal working speed and automatic control means operating upon the member 12 to give at least two different speed reductions from the speed set by the manual control. The automatic control may effect speed reduction for one course, as for fashioning, speed reduction for a number of courses, as for plating, and reduction to a still lower speed for welt-turning or carrier-changing. Automatic stop mechanism operated by the machine pattern mechanism may also be provided. The automatic control means may be constructed as a unit. The speed control member 12 is in the form of a quadrant engaging a pinion 11 which rotates the commutator of a variable brush commutator motor 10; the pinion is spring-biased in a speed increasing direction so that an arm 13 of the quadrant is held up against an adjustable stop 25 upon a rod 15 forming part of the manual control. The rod 15 is secured to a lever operated by the usual power rod of the machine. The arrangement permits the quadrant being rotated in speed-reducing direction by the automatic control without interfering with the manual control. The quadrant 12 supports a sleeve 26 mounted upon a longer sleeve 27 in turn mounted upon a rod 28 of the automatic control; the sleeve 27 is arranged between an adjustable stop 29 on the rod 28 and a slidable collar 30 urged by a spring 33 against the end of the sleeve 27. The automatic control means, which operates by moving the rod 28, comprises a shaft 35 having left and right handed worms 36, 37 and a cam 39. Plungers 42, 43 are moved by pattern controlled means, e.g. from the timing chain, to engage the worms 36, 37, and a truck 51 is also pattern controlled so as to be movable into and out of the path of the cam 39. The cam 39 and truck 51 serve to reduce the machine speed for a single course as, e.g. in fashioning; the worms 36, 37 are used for very low speeds as, e.g. during welt turning, the arrangement permitting the decrease and increase in speed to be effected gradually throughout the whole of a single course. The plungers 42, 43 are mounted upon a sliding block 40 connected by a link 49 to a bell-crank lever 50 which bears against a lever 31 to which the rod 28 is secured. The truck 51 is slidably mounted upon the lever 31. Stop motion. A cam 38 is provided upon the shaft 35 and acts through a lever 58, rod 59, and lever 60 to operate a stop switch 81. The lever 58 is normally held away from the cam 38 by a catch 62 which is tripped at the appropriate time, e.g. at the completion of a stocking blank, by a lever 63 under pattern control.