GB628526A - Improvements in knitted fabrics and machine and method of knitting the same - Google Patents

Abstract

628,526. Knitting-machines. SCOTT & WILLIAWS, Inc. Nov. 17, 1944, No. 22880. Convention date, Nov. 13, 1943. [Class 74 (ii)] A circular machine for knitting stockings is provided with two or more feeders 89, 94 with knitting cams so arranged that during reciprocatory knitting in forming the heels and toes, the needles knit at each feeder in each direction of movement. At the same time needle selection during narrowing and widening is such that in widening, a group of needles added during the knitting of one or more courses divides a group of needles which were narrowed together. In a machine having two feeders, the knitting cams comprise a central cam 9, forming the first stitch cam in each direction of reciprocation, second stitch cams 12, 13 and guard cams 10, 11. The stitch cams 12, 13 serve also as first clearing cams in the opposite direction of reciprocation, and the second clearing cams are movable cams 14, 15. A link 20 connects the cams 14, 15 so that when one is moved by the needles to an inoperative position the other cam is moved to an operative position. One set only of widening pickers 47 and narrowing pickers 45, 46 is provided for lowering and raising the needles, so that change in the number of needles can occur only at each second course. During rotary knitting, the position of the cams remains constant, knitting occurring at both feeders. At the commencement of reciprocatory knitting, the position of the movable clearing cams is reversed so that the needles can knit in the opposite direction of reciprocation. At the same time the sinker cap oscillates to maintain the cam raceway of the sinker cap in timed relation with the needleactuating cams. The long butt instep needles are raised to and lowered from an inoperative position, at the beginning and end of reciprocatory knitting, by switch cams. Narrowing of the fabric during reciprocatory knitting is effected by the narrowing pickers 45, 46 pivotally mounted on swivel housings 52, 53 and connected by a linkage 61, raising the leading operative needles at the beginning of each reciprocatory movement to an inoperative position. Two or more steps may be provided on each narrowing picker and pattern controller cams 66, 67 move the pickers to a position to select either two or more needles. A widening picker 47 returns the needles to an operative position and pickers which return either three or four needles may be fitted to the machine. In narrowing and widening, the pickers are controlled by patterning mechanism so that the number of needles removed from or added to the active needles can be varied. The stocking knitted by a two feeder machine consists of yarns Y, Y<SP>1</SP>, knitted in alternate courses 172, 173, during rotary knitting, and has two courses 175, 176, Fig. 31, of one yarn alternating with two courses 177, 178 of the other yarn during reciprocating knitting. Specifications 12722/13, [Class 74 (ii)], 355,062, 473,924 and 628,590 are referred to.