IL110293A

IL110293A - Method for joining two edges of a knitted tubular article

Info

Publication number: IL110293A
Application number: IL110293A
Authority: IL
Original assignee: Fabritex Srl
Priority date: 1993-07-29
Filing date: 1994-07-12
Publication date: 1998-03-10
Also published as: JPH0768065A; TW304996B; ITFI930150A1; SK88594A3; EP0636724A3; RU94027581A; KR960010625B1; CZ182094A3; RU2093624C1; CA2128550C; EP0636724B1; DE69402375T2; IT1262486B; EP0636724A2; JP2791938B2; DE69402375D1; CN1103905A; IL110293A0; CZ281466B6; ES2102797T3

Abstract

Method for carrying out the restitching of the tip of a manufactured tubular knitted product, particularly the closing of the toe of a sock, comprising the initial phase of producing a sock (5) finishing on the side of the toe (51) remaining open, said method comprising the following operating phases: - moving away the plate (10); - raising the knitting needles (2), with the sinkers (3) closed; raising the said knitting needles (2) once again, with the sinkers (3) open, until the stitches (4) are arranged above the nose (30) of the sinkers (3); - picking up the said stiches (4) and retaining them; - lowering the needles (2); - transferring the sock (5) out of the textile head of the machine (1) at a predetermined distance from the latter; - overturning the sock (5); - transferring the stitches (4) of a first half-row (x) onto the corresponding stitches (4) of the second half-row (y); arranging the stitches (4) of the said first and second half-rows (x,y) along a circumferential arc, at a constant angular distance, with a predetermined pitch in relation to the selected restitching fineness; - restitching the pairs of stitches (4) thus arranged and making one or more closing knots; - executing the cutting of the restitching thread; - returning the sock (5), with the toe (51) thus restitched, into the straight position and discharging it. <IMAGE>

Description

'TU S ΛΊΊΟ ν£3Π V) ΠΊΙ^Ρ 'JKi v *m>ni> ίΐΰ'ϋ Method for joining two edges of a knitted tubular article FABRITEX S.R.L.

C. 94259 110293/2 "Method for joining two edges of a knitted tubular article upon completion thereof".

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention refers to a method for operating the union of two edges of a knitted tubular article, such as the linking, that is the formation of the hook-up of the stockings toe, upon completion of the article knitting.

BACXROUND OF THE INVENTION Italian Patent No. 1,265,881 discloses a method for joining the two edges of a knitted tubular article such as a sock, comprising the initial step of manufacturing the article by beginning from the elastic hem and finishing on the side of the toe which is left open, by means of a circular machine, which method includes the following additional operating steps: - disposing the last-to-form stitches of a first semirank onto the knitting needles of a second semirank of stitches through a 180° overturning thereof about a diametral axis of the needles cylinder, so that the pairs of stitches of the first and second semiranks will result in retained position on the needles of the second semirank; - lowering the needles of the second semirank, with the sinkers being open, so as to move the stitches of the first and second semiranks to a level beneath that of the sinkers; - lifting the needles of the second semirank, with the sinkers being closed, so that the corresponding pairs of stitches of the first and second semiranks will result retained by the sinkers in a predetermined position relative to the stem of the respective needles; - lifting farther the needles of the second semirank, with the sinkers being open, until all the corresponding pairs of stitches will reach the operating level of the transfer means of the first semirank, so as to have the stitches retained by said means; - lowering the needles of the second semirank so as to have the article released from the knitting needles and the stitches of the first and second semiranks picked up by said transfer means; - disposing the article, with the thus removed stitches, at a predetermined distance from the knitting cylinder; - disposing the thus transferred stitches so as to have them angularly equidistant, with a circular pitch being preset according to the required degree of hook-up fineness; - linking the corresponding pairs of stitches thus disposed to form a chain and, upon completion of the linking operation, making one or more knots for closing the chain; - cutting the linking thread; - releasing the thus joined pairs of stitches of the first and second semiranks to allow the article to be removed in its final, right side out condition.

It may be useful to point out that a stitch is intended in its retained position when it is fitted on a latch needle and at a level between the needle beard hook and the free end of the latch, the latter being in its fully open condition.

The operating method indicated above implies carrying out the above mentioned linking operation with the sock in its right side out condition. This reguires special care and accuracy in the execution of the hook-up as this is made on the outer side of the article toe. Moreover, it is necessary to insert the terminal length of the linking thread inside the article after the execution of the chain closing knots to prevent it from being visible on the finished product.

SUMMARY AND OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The main object of the present invention is to overcome the above mentioned drawbacks and provide an operating method which makes it simpler to close the toe of a knitted tubular article, especially of sock type, while enabling the obtainment of a finished product of good quality.

This result has been achieved, according to the invention, by adopting a method comrising the initial step of manufacturing a knitted tubular article of sock type by starting from the elastic hem and finishing on the side of the toe which is left open, by means of a circular machine, which method includes the following additional operating steps : - moving the plate away from the knitting head of the machine; - lifting the knitting needles, with the sinkers being closed, so that the stitches of the last-to-knit rank, that is, the one of the sock toe, will result retained by said sinkers in a position corresponding to the region of removal of the respective needles; - lifting farther said needles, with the sinkers being open, so as to dispose the stitches of the last rank above the sinkers nib; - removing individually said stitches from the relevant needles and retaining them; - lowering the knitting needles so as to clear the sock toe out of the knitting head of the machine; - transferring the sock, with the stitches of the last rank thus retained, out of the knitting head of the machine, at a predetermined distance therefrom; - turning the sock inside out, so as to have it, in its everted condition, with the elastic hem thereof being disposed at a suitable distance from the toe; - transferring the stitches of a first semirank onto the corresponding stitches of the second semirank, through a 180°-overturning thereof about a diametral axis of the circumference delimited by the last-to-knit rank of stitches, so that each stitch of the first semirank will result juxtaposed and coaxial to the corresponding stitch of the second semirank: the term "semirank" referring to a plurality of stitches adjacent and belonging to one edge of the article toe; - disposing the thus associated stitches of said first and second semiranks along an arc of circumference, at constant angular distance whose pitch is chosen in relation to the desired hook-up fineness; - hooking-up the thus disposed pairs of stitches and, upon completion of the hook-up operation, making one or more knots for the closing thereof; - transferring the sock, with the stitches of the last rank thus retained, 'out of the knitting head of the machine, at a predetermined distance therefrom; - turning the sock inside out, so as to have it, in its everted condition, with the elastic hem thereof being disposed at a suitable distance from the toe; - transferring the stitches of a first semirank onto the corresponding stitches of the second semirank, through a 180"-overturning thereof about a diametral axis of the circumference delimited by the last-to-knit rank of stitches, so that each stitch of the first semirank will result juxtaposed and coaxial to the corresponding stitch of the second semirank: the term "semirank" referring to a plurality of stitches adjacent and belonging to one edge of the article toe; - disposing the thus associated stitches of said first and second semiranks along an arc of circumference, at constant angular distance whose pitch is chosen in relation to the desired hook-up fineness; - hooking-up the thus disposed pairs of stitches and, upon completion of the hook-up operation, making one or more knots for the closing thereof; - cutting the linking thread; - moving the article, with the toe thus linked, back to its right-side out, that is, final condition, and unloading it.

The advantages deriving from the present invention lie essentially in that it is possible to automatically make said hook-up, without breaking off the production of the knitting machine and with the sock being disposed in everted condition, so as to carry out the linking operation for the formation of said hook-up inside the article, and avoiding to handle the terminal length of the hookup thread after the cutting thereof; that said hook-up may be carried out with any suitable degree of fineness, so as to achieve a finished product of optimum quality.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other advantages and characteristics of the invention will be best understood by anyone skilled in the art from a reading of the following description in conjunction with the attached drawings given as a practical exemplification of the invention, but not to be considered in a limitative sense, wherein: - Fig. 1 shows schematically a circular machine to carry out the method according to the invention, upon the formation of a sock; - Pig. 2 shows the machine of Fig. 1 when the sock is completed, with the plate being lifted up; - Pig. 3 shows in detail a needle of the knitting cylinder and the corresponding stitch of the last-to-knit rank, with the respective sinker being closed; - Fig. 4 shows the needle of Fig. 3 upon the lifting thereof with the respective stitch in correspondence of the region where it is removed, and with the relevant sinker being closed; - Fig. 5 shows the needle of Fig. 4 upon the lifting thereof to a further extent, with the relevant sinker being open and with the respective stitch being disposed above the sinker nib; - Pig. 6 shows the needle and the stitch of Fig. 5 upon the predisposition thereof for the removal of the stitch; - Fig. 7 shows the needle of Fig. 6 at the end of the lifting thereof to allow the removal of the respective stitch; - Fig. 8 shows the needle of Fig. 7 upon the lowering thereof for leaving the respective stitch; - Fig. 9 shows the needle of Fig. 8 in its fully lowered position, with the corresponding stitch fully clear of the knitting members; - Fig. 10 is a schematic view showing the sock with the not yet linked toe at the end of its moving away from the knitting machine; - Fig. 11 shows the sock of Fig. 10 upon its predisposition for the turning inside out thereof; - Fig. 12 shows the sock of Fig. 11 in its turned inside out condition; - Fig. 13 shows the sock of Fig. 12 upon the step of overturning the stitches of the first semirank of the toe; - Fig. 14 shows the sock of Fig. 13 upon the linking of its toe; - Fig. 15 shows the sock with linked toe upon the turning right-side out thereof and the unloading thereof in right side out condition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Reduced to its basic structure, reference being made to the figures of the attached drawings, a method for carrying out the linking of the toe of a sock, according to the invention, including the initial step of making a knitted tubular article such as a sock (5) by starting from the elastic hem (50) and finishing on the side of the toe (51) which is left open, by means of a circular machine (1), comprises the following additional operating steps : - moving the plate (10) away from the knitting head of the machine (1) (Fig. 2); - lifting the knitting needles (2), with the sinkers (3) being closed, so that the stitches (4) of the last-to-knit rank, that is, the ones of the toe end of the sock (5), will result retained by said sinkers in a position corresponding to the region where the respective needles (2) are removed (Figs. 3 and 4); - lifting farther said needles (2), with the sinkers being open, so as to dispose the stitches (4) above the nib (30) of the sinkers (3) (Fig. 5); - removing individually said stitches (4) from the relevant needles (2) and retaining them (Figs. 6 - 8); - lowering the needles (2) so as to release the toe (51) of the sock (5) from the knitting head of the machine (1) (Fig. 9); - transferring the sock (5), with the thus retained stitches (4) of the toe (51) out of the knitting head of the machine (1), at a predetermined distance therefrom (Fig. 10); - turning the sock (5) inside out, so as to have it, in its everted condition, with the elastic hem (50) thereof disposed above the toe (51) (Figs. 11 and 12); - transferring the stitches (4) of a first semirank (x) onto the corresponding stitches (4) of the second semirank (y), through a 180°-overturning thereof about a diametral axis of the circumference delimited by the last knitted rank of stitches, so that each stitch (4) of the first semirank (x) will result juxtaposed and coaxial to the corresponding stitch (4) of the second semirank (y) (Fig. 13); - disposing the thus associated stitches of said first and second semiranks (x,y) along an arc of circumference, at constant angular distance, whose circular pitch is chosen according to the desired hook-up fineness; - linking the thus disposed pairs of stitches (4) and, upon completion of the linking operation, making one or more knots for the closing thereof (Fig. 14); - cutting the linking thread; - moving the sock (5), with the toe (51) thereof thus linked, back to its right-side out, that is, final condition, and unloading it (Fig. 15).

Advantageously, according to the invention, provision is made for transferring the stitches (4) of the first semirank (x) onto the corresponding stitches (4) of the second semirank (y) upon the disposition of all said stitches (4) of the last rank onto corresponding means (6) provided for moving them away from the knitting head of the machine (1) and for the subsequent overturning of the stitches (4) of the first semirank (x) .

Moreover, prior to said linking operation, provision is made for advantageously transferring the stitches (4) onto a front of hook-up spines (7). Advantageously, in case the number of stitches (4) of the first semirank (x) is different from that of the stitches (4) of the second semirank (y), the stitches (4) which result excluded from the said association will be linked all the same.

According to the invention, and with reference to Figs. 10 - 15 of the attached drawings, the turning inside out and subsequent turning right-side out of the sock (5) are advantageously operated by a pneumatic everter hose (8) coaxial to the sock (5) and driven into a preset reciprocating motion in the direction of its longitudinal axis (a-a), so as to allow for the introduction thereof within the sock (5) on the side of the toe (51) to hook up, that is engage, the edge of the elastic hem (50), and respectively for the removal thereof to evert the sock (5) with the elastic hem (50) thus engaged.

The same hose (8) is intended to operate the aspiration of the finished sock (5) by acting on the toe (51) thereof, so as to allow the simultaneous turning right-side out and unloading thereof in its final condition (see Fig. 15).

Practically, all the construction details may vary in any equivalent way as far as the shape, dimensions, elements disposition, nature of the used materials are concerned, without nevertheless departing from the scope of the adopted solution idea and, thereby, remaining within the limits of the protection granted to the present patent for industrial invention.

Claims

o o O WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. ) Method for operating the linking of the toe of a knitted tubular article, especially the closing of the toe of a sock, comprising the initial step of making the sock by starting from the elastic hem and finishing on the side of the toe which is left open, by means of a circular machine, and comprisings the following additional operating steps : - moving the plate away from the knitting head of the machine; - lifting the knitting needles, with the sinkers being closed, so that the stitches of the last-to-knit rank, that is, the ones of the tip portion of the toe of the sock, will result retained by said sinkers in a position corresponding to the region where the respective needles are removed; - lifting farther said needles, with the sinkers being open, so as to dispose the stitches above, the nib of the sinkers; o - removing individually said stitches from the relevant needles and retaining them; - lowering the needles so as to release the toe of the sock from the knitting head of the machine;0 - transferring the sock, with the thus retained stitches of the toe out of the knitting head of the machine, at a predetermined distance therefrom; - turning the sock inside out, so as to have it, in its everted condition, with the elastic hem thereof disposed above the toe; - transferring the stitches of a first semirank (x) onto the corresponding stitches of the second semirank (y), through a 180°-overturning thereof about a diametral axis of the circumference delimited by the last-to-knit rank of stitches, so that each stitch of the first semirank (x) will result juxtaposed and coaxial to the corresponding stitch of the second semirank (y); - disposing the thus associated stitches of said first and second semiranks (x,y) along an arc of circumference, at a constant angular distance, whose preset circular pitch is chosen according to the desired hook-up fineness; - linking the thus disposed pairs of stitches and, upon completion of the linking operation, making one or more knots for the closing thereof; - cutting the linking thread; - moving the sock, with the toe thereof thus linked back to its right-side out, that is, final condition, and unloading it.

2. ) Method according to calim 1, comprising also the transfer of the stitches of the first semirank (x) onto the corresponding stitches of the second semirank (y) upon disposition of all said stitches of the last semirank onto corresponding means provided for the removal thereof from the knitting head of the machine and for the subsequent evertion of the stitches of the first semirank (x) .

3. ) Method according to claim 1, wherein prior to said linking operation provision is made for transferring the stitches onto a front of hook-up spines .

4. ) Method according to claim 1 wherein in case the number of stitches of the first semirank (x) is different from that of the stitches of the second semirank (y), the stitches which remain excluded from the said association will be equally linked.

5. ) Method according to claim 1 wherein the turning inside out and subsequent turning right-side out of the sock are operated by a pneumatic everter hose coaxial to the sock and driven into a preset reciprocating motion in the direction of its longitudinal axis (a-a), so as to allow for the introduction thereof within the sock on the side of the toe in order to hook up, that is engage, the edge of the elastic hem, and respectively for the removal thereof to evert the sock with the elastic hem thus engaged.