GB782784A - A method and device for counting courses in knitted fabric - Google Patents

Abstract

782,784. Testing fabrics. MARVEL SPECIALTY CO. Sept. 15, 1955 [Oct. 22, 1954], No. 26386/55. Class 42 (2). [Also in Groups XIX and XXXVII] The loop courses in knitted fabric are counted by extending the fabric to a tension whereat the intertwined end portions of side-by-side yarn course loops are extended into a series of parallel course-defining ridges on one side of the fabric, and passing a ridge-impulse course-counting mechanism across and in contact with the ridges. Fabric tensioning. As shown, Fig. 1, the fabric 10 to be examined is placed across rubber-. faced rollers 8, 9 and is held against roller 8 by a spring loaded roller 14 while roller 9 is manually turned clockwise to tension the fabric. Roller 9 is held against reverse rotation by a ratchet and pawl mechanism. Roller 8 is carried by a sleeve loose on a shaft 3 but is restrained from rotation by a spring 23 acting on a lever 11 fixed to the sleeve. When the fabric tension is such that the loops are extended to the desired extent without the yarns being stretched, it causes lever 11 to move sufficiently to close a switch 12 while a second arm 21 of lever 11 depresses a pawl 20 to lock roller 9 against further forward rotation. Course counting. Closure of switch 12 starts an electric motor driving a crank shaft 39 which, through a crank pin 41 and slotted lever 42, reciprocates a casing 28 along a plate 26 beneath the fabric 10. A nipple 30 projecting from casing 28 cortacts the fabric and successive course ridges on the lower surface of the fabric enter a cross groove in the nipple face and depress a plunger 35, Fig. 7, each pulsation of plunger 35 breaking contacts 33, 34 in a circuit 63. The pulses in circuit 63 are used to operate a counting mechanism. A disc on shaft 39 has a conducting segment which, together with a cooperating brush, is placed in circuit 63 and operates to transmit pulses to the counting mechanism only when the casing is moving from left to right, Fig. 1. At each break in circuit 63, a solenoid 54, Fig. 8, is de-energized to allow a spring-loaded pawl 53 to advance a ratchet wheel 51 by an amount determined by an adjustable stop 56. Ratchet wheel 51 is mounted on a shaft 49 which also carries a pointer indicating the total count on a dial on the top of the casing 2, Fig. 1. During return movement of casing 28, a sector-shaped plate 59, Fig. 5, on shaft 39 engages a disc 60 on the pointer shaft 49 and rotates it until a flat 61 on the disc reaches the dotted line position when the pointer will have been zeroized ready for the next count.