IT202000018658A1 - SINKER FOR KNITTING MACHINE, KNITTING MACHINE WHICH USES SUCH SINKER, AND METHOD OF CREATING A KNIT STITCH WITH SUCH SINKER - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a special structure of a sinker for a knitting machine, a knitting machine, in particular but not only a circular inlay knitting machine with reciprocating motion of the needle cylinder, a method of making a knit stitch with this sinker, and a patterned terry knitwear article produced by a knitting machine using said sinker.

A preferred but not exclusive field of application? relating to the production of uppers for shoes, particularly but not necessarily on circular inlay machines with pi? falls with needle cylinder animated by reciprocating motion.

How do I know the plate? an organ in the form of a shaped blade which contributes with the needle to the formation of the knit stitch.

AND? known the use of circular knitting machines of the type mentioned above that can? present the drawback, especially in the case of small diameters, of limiting the number of shoe upper models that can be made.

The technical task proposed by the present invention is, therefore, that of making possible the production of a wide range of models of a knitwear article with a knitting machine even of small dimensions.

Within the scope of this technical task, a purpose of the invention is that of providing a sinker structured in such a way as to create, even with a small knitting machine, a knitwear article with several areas of smooth knit joined together which may also have a selectable area of thickened knit inside them, particularly but not necessarily a selectable area of terry knit.

Another purpose of the present invention? provide a sinker that can be used in a small diameter inlay circular knitting machine having more? drops and a needle cylinder animated by reciprocating motion to make a shoe upper, in particular in patterned sponge.

The technical task as well as? this and other objects are achieved by a sinker for knitting machines, characterized in that it has a body with a variable configuration comprising a first shaped plate and a second shaped plate which are coplanar, structurally independent and movable with respect to each other, where the first slat has a first butt for taking the movement and at least one first plane for killing the stitch and the second slat has a second butt for taking the movement and at least one second plane for killing the knit stitch, where the first and second lamella have the same maximum thickness and at least one portion with reduced thickness, where the first and second lamella intersect in correspondence with their reduced thickness portion, and where the sum of the value of the reduced thickness of said first and second lamella ? not higher than the value of the maximum thickness of said first and second lamella. In one embodiment said portions with reduced thickness of said first and second plate can have the same thickness. In one embodiment, at least one of the first and second slats has a sorting bead.

In one embodiment, at least one of the first and second slats has a rest plane for the knit stitch.

In one embodiment said first and second plate have mating portions of linear sliding guide.

In another embodiment said first and second lamella are mutually constrained with the possibility of relative motion rotary or compound linear and rotary.

In one embodiment, at least one of said first and second slats has a flexible hooking finger which can be released to a retaining clip in a reference position.

In one embodiment said first and second plates are metal plates produced by chemical photo-etching of flat plates. The present invention also discloses a knitting machine equipped with such a sinker.

In a way of realization, the knitting machine ? circular, the cylinder of the needles and the crown are coaxial and integral and have an alternating rotary motion, and above the crown with radial slits? a cover is mounted which can swing with respect to the crown around the axis of the crown, said cover presenting a first track in which the first bead for gripping the radial movement of the first blade along the radial gap engages and a second track in which the second bead engages of the radial movement of the second blade along the same radial gap, and at least one of the first and second tracks has selectable paths.

Paths can also be selected for single plates.

In one embodiment, at least one of the first and second tracks has path selection cams interacting with said at least one selection bead.

The present invention also discloses a method for making a knit stitch with such a circular inlay knitting machine, where the sinker operates on at least two yarns and ? programmed to selectively form a plain knit stitch on the first or second knocking plane by selectively advancing said first or second strip towards the needle cylinder and a terry knit stitch on the first and second knitting plane by advancing towards the cylinder needles said first and second lamella in a synchronized manner.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become more evident from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the sinker, of the knitting machine and of the method for making a stitch according to the invention, illustrated by way of example and not in limitation in the drawings attachments, in which:

figure 1 shows a perspective view from above of the crown of the sinkers of a four feed circular inlay machine; figure 2 shows a perspective view from below of the crown cover of the sinkers of figure 1;

figure 3 shows a vertical section of the crown of the sinkers of figure 1 with the sinker in position for the formation of a smooth stitch;

figure 4 shows a vertical section of the crown of the sinkers of figure 1 with the sinker in position for forming a terry stitch;

Figure 5a is a side elevation view of the sinker in position for forming a plain knit stitch;

figure 5b shows a perspective view of the plate of figure 5a; figure 5c shows a section of the plate along the line 5c-5c of figure 5b;

Figure 6a is a side elevation view of the sinker in position for forming a terry stitch;

figure 6b shows a perspective view of the plate of figure 6a; figure 6c shows a section of the plate along the line 6c-6c of figure 6b.

With reference to the cited figures, a sinker 1 which can be used in a knitting machine is shown.

In the following we will refer to a circular inlay knitting machine comprising a rotating needle bed formed by a cylinder 20 having circumferentially some axial guide grooves for the needles, a crown 21, 22, 30 having radial slits in which the sinkers 1 slide, and four falls on each of which ? mounted at least one thread guide (striper) for feeding the thread to the needles in the formation of the stitch, where each feed comprises a cam system for operating the needles in the stitch, loop or bridle position.

Obviously the field of application also extends to a double needle bed circular machine, to one or more? falls, or to a flat knitting machine.

The crown 21, 22, 30 ? fixedly mounted on the head of the needle holder cylinder 20 and comprises a crown element 21 outside the cylinder, a crown element 22 inside the cylinder, and a lower ring 30 blocked in position by special brackets 31.

The crown 21, 22, 30 for the plates 1 ? coaxial and integral in alternating rotation with the cylinder 20.

The sinkers 1 slide radially one for each slit of the crown 21, 22 and, as known, each cooperate with a corresponding needle for forming and knocking down the knit stitch.

Above the crown 21, 22, 30 ? mounted a cover 23 of the sinkers 1.

The cover 23 ? oscillable with respect to the crown 21, 22, 30 around the axis of rotation of the crown 21, 22, 30 and the needle holder cylinder 20.

The alternating oscillation of the lid 23 with respect to the crown 21, 22, 30, as we will see, ? functional to the radial movement of the sinkers 1 to and from the needle cylinder 20 in the vicinity? of the working positions depending on whether in one direction of rotation of the needle cylinder 20 or in the opposite one.

The platen 1 has a body with a variable configuration comprising a first shaped plate 2 and a second shaped plate 3 coplanar, structurally independent and movable with respect to each other.

The first plate 2 has a first heel 4 for taking over the movement and at least a first plane 5 for knocking down the knit stitch.

The second plate 3 has a second butt 6 for taking over the movement and at least one second surface 7 for knocking down the knit stitch.

The first lamella 2 and respectively the second lamella 3 have the same maximum thickness and at least one portion 2a and respectively 3a with reduced thickness.

The first blade 2 and the second blade 3 intersect at their reduced thickness portion 2a, 3a.

The sum of the value of the reduced thickness of the first lamella 2 and of the second lamella 3 ? not greater than the value of the maximum thickness of the first blade 2 and of the second blade 3.

The reduced thickness portions 2a, 3a of the first blade 2 and of the second blade can have the same thickness.

At least one of the first blade 2 and the second blade 3, in particular the second blade 3, has a selection bead 8. In the specific case, the first blade 2 does not have a selection bead because? as we will see in the favorite application? always selected, while the second platen 3 pu? be selected or not.

It is not excluded that in other applications also the first lamella 2 may have a sorting bead.

At least one of the first plate 2 and the second plate 3 has a rest plane 9 of the knit stitch.

In the case shown, only the first plate 2 has a rest surface 9 for the knit stitch, but it is not excluded that in other applications also the second plate 3 can provide a rest surface for the stitch.

The knit stitch created, through a selective movement of the first plate 2 with respect to the needle, can? be moved from the first demolition plane 5 to the rest plane 9 where its voltage is at least partially discharged.

The first blade 2 and the second blade 3 can have mating portions 10, 11 which act as a guide for reciprocal linear sliding.

The first blade 2 and the second blade 3 also have perimetric edges which extend longitudinally in the radial direction and slidably engage suitable walls 27 of the crown 21, 22, 30 which ensure the guide of the platen 1 in the radial direction.

At least the selectable blade 3 has a flexible finger 24 provided with a hooking terminal 25 which can be released to a retaining catch 26 in the deselected state.

The retainer 26, obtained from a notch in the ring 30, ensures, as we will see, that there is no unwanted selection of the second blade 3.

The flexible finger 24, in addition to the function of hooking and braking, also has the function of sliding guide for the lamella 3 in the radial gap of the crown of the sinkers.

The first blade 2 and the second blade 3 are advantageously metal blades produced by chemical photo-etching of flat plates. This process allows you to obtain plates with a very precise contour and very thin thickness, especially in the areas with reduced thickness.

The lid 23 has a first track 28 in which the first bead 4 for gripping the radial movement of the first blade 2 along the radial gap of the crown is engaged and a second track 29 in which the second bead 6 is engaged for gripping the radial movement of the second blade 3 along the same radial gap.

At least one track between the first track 28 and the second track 29 has selectable paths.

In the case illustrated, only the second track 29 has two selectable paths 29a, 29b.

The second track 29 which has selectable paths 29a, 29b ? equipped with path selection cams 32.

There are two selection cams 32, one operative for each direction of oscillation of the lid 23.

The two selection cams 32 are suitable for selectively interacting, during an oscillation of the lid in one direction or the other, with the second grip heel of the movement 6 provided by the second blade 3.

The cover 23 ? moved in both directions of oscillation by a pneumatic piston 34 which animates an oscillating lever 35 operatively connected to the lid 23.

To select one of the two paths 29a or 29b of the second track 29, the selection bead 8 of the second slat 3 interacts with a selector device 36 of the traditional type provided for each of the four feeds.

The selector device 36 has a group of independently oscillating selection levers 37, each engageable with the selection heel 8 of the second blade 3 of a corresponding platen 1 positioned in a radial gap of the crown 21, 22, 30. The plates 1 sequences in the crown 21, 22, 30 differ from each other in the height position on the second blade 3 of the selection heels 8 which form a diagonal, as illustrated in figure 1, to allow the electronic selection of the sinkers 1.

By way of example, four oscillating levers 37 are shown which are used to actuate the second plates 3 of four consecutive sinkers 1.

The first track 28 has a single path comprising a cam-shaped portion 28? having a variable radial distance from the axis of the lid 23 and an arc-shaped portion 28?? centered on lid shaft 23.

The first blade 2 remains radially immobile when the first bead 4 for gripping the movement travels the arc 28?? and moves radially when the first heel 4 for gripping the movement travels the cam 28?.

Does the first path 29a of the second track 29 include a cam-shaped section 29a? having a variable radial distance from the axis of the lid 23 and an arc-shaped portion 29a?? centered on lid axis 23.

The second blade 3 remains radially immobile when the second bead 6 for gripping the movement travels the arc 29a?? and moves radially when the second movement grip heel 6 travels along the cam 29a?.

Does the second path 29b of the second track 29 comprise only an arc-shaped portion 29b? centered on lid axis 23.

The second blade 3 remains radially immobile when the second bead 6 for gripping the movement travels along the arc 29b?.

The oscillating lever 37 has a rest position and a working position.

In the rest position the oscillating lever 37 does not move the selection bead 8. In this circumstance the second bead 6 for taking over the movement remains in the second path 29b of the track 29 in which the second blade 3 is not? selected.

In the working position, the oscillating lever 37 slightly moves the selection butt 8. In this new circumstance the fixed cam 32, when it intercepts the second motion gripping butt 6, deflects it towards the first path 29a of the track 29 in which the second lamella 3 ? selected.

Advantageously with the platen 1 ? It is possible to comfortably perform a plain knit stitch or a terry knit stitch with two threads A and B, and consequently with the knitting machine described above you can? produce a knitwear article, in particular but not limited to a shoe upper, in patterned terry cloth. In fact, during the working of the same row of stitches with the two threads A and B, the sinker 1 can? selectively form a plain knit stitch or a terry knit stitch.

The formation of the smooth stitch with the two threads A and B takes place as follows.

The lid 23 is swung in one direction with respect to the crown 21, 22, 30.

Selector 36 ? programmed not to operate the selection lever 37 which remains in the rest position.

The second lamella 3 consequently does not ? selected and remains radially immobile since the second butt 6 for gripping the movement travels along the second path 29b. The retention of the second lamella 3 in the unselected state? secured by hooking the terminal 25 of the flexible finger 24 to the stop 26.

The first plate 2, on the other hand, performs a radial movement towards and from the cylinder of the needles 20 due to the sliding of the first grip heel of the movement 4 along the cam 28? of the first track 28. The smooth stitch is created with the two threads A and B on the first knocking down plane 5 and is then moved to the rest position on the rest plane 9 positioned at a lower level by moving the first slat 2.

The formation of the terry stitch with the two threads A and B takes place as follows.

The lid 23 is swung in one direction with respect to the crown 21, 22, 30.

Selector 36 ? programmed to operate the selection lever 37 which goes into the working position.

The second plate 3 is consequently selected and, upon disengaging from the abutment catch 26, performs a radial movement towards and from the needle cylinder 20 due to the sliding of the second grip heel of the movement 6 along the cam 29a? of the second route 29a of the second runway 29.

Also the first plate 2, always selected, performs a radial movement towards and from the cylinder of the needles 20 due to the sliding of the first grip heel of the movement 4 along the cam 28? of the first runway 28.

The radial movement of the first blade 2 and of the second blade 3 ? synchronized as the 29th cam? what about cam 28? are aligned in the same angular position.

The terry stitch is created with yarn A on the first knitting plane 5 and the second yarn B on the second knitting plane 7.

Once the work is finished, the second slat 3 is automatically deselected waiting to be reselected in a next stitch formation row or on the return row or on other feeds.

Advantageously, in working on the tufts, the formation of the stitch, smooth or terry, takes place both clockwise and counterclockwise and on all the feeds envisaged by the circular inlay machine.

Advantageously, the plate 1 enters a single gap of the crown 21, 22, 30 but with the possibility for the two plates 2, 3 to slide independently in the formation of the mesh and there? helps to increase the models of shoe upper or other knitwear that can be produced with a small diameter circular inlay machine.

The sinker for making a knit stitch in a knitting machine like this? conceived ? susceptible to numerous modifications and variations, all falling within the scope of the inventive concept; moreover all the details can be replaced by technically equivalent elements. In practice, the materials used, as well as? the dimensions may be any according to the requirements and to the state of the art.

Claims (12)

1. Platen (1) for a knitting machine, characterized in that it has a body with a variable configuration comprising a first shaped plate (2) and a second shaped plate (3) coplanar that are movable independently of each other, where the first plate (2) has a first butt (4) for gripping the movement and at least one first knocking plane (5) of the knit stitch and the second plate (3) has a second butt (6) for gripping the movement and at least a second knocking plane (7) of the knit stitch, where the first and second slat (2, 3) have the same maximum thickness and at least one portion (2a, 3a) with reduced thickness, where the first and second slat (2, 3) intersect in correspondence with their reduced thickness portion (2a, 3a), and where the sum of the value of the reduced thickness of said first and second lamella (2, 3) ? not greater than the value of the maximum thickness of said first and second lamella (2, 3). 2. Platen (1) for a knitting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said reduced thickness portions (2a, 3a) of said first and second plate (2, 3) have the same thickness. 3. Sinker (1) for a knitting machine according to any preceding claim, characterized in that at least one of the first and second plates (2, 3) has a sorting butt (8). 4. Platen (1) for a knitting machine according to any preceding claim, characterized in that at least one of the first and second plates (2, 3) has a rest surface (9) for the knit stitch. 5. Platen (1) for a knitting machine according to any preceding claim, characterized in that said first and second plate (2, 3) have mating portions (10, 11) of linear sliding guide. 6. Platen (1) for a knitting machine according to any preceding claim, characterized in that at least one selectable plate (3) has a flexible hooking finger (24) which can be released to a retainer (26) in the deselected state. 7. Platen (1) for a knitting machine according to any preceding claim, characterized in that said first and second plates (2, 3) are metal plates produced by chemical photo-etching of flat plates. 8. Knitting machine, characterized in that it comprises at least one sinker (1) in accordance with any preceding claim. 9. Inlay circular knitting machine according to the preceding claim, in which the needle cylinder (20) and the crown (21, 22, 30) are coaxial and integral and exhibit an alternating rotary motion, in which above the crown (21 , 22, 30) with radial slits ? mounted a lid (23) swingable with respect to the crown (21, 22, 30) around the axis of the crown (21, 22, 30), said lid (23) having a first track (28) in which the first bead engages (4) for gripping the radial movement of the first blade (2) along the radial gap and a second track (29) in which the second gripping heel (6) for the radial movement of the second blade (3) along the same gap is engaged radial, and in which at least one of the first and second tracks (28, 29) has selectable paths (29a, 29b). 10. Inlay circular knitting machine according to the preceding claim, characterized in that at least one of the first and second tracks (28, 29) has cams (32) for selecting the path (29a, 29b) which interact with said at least one selection bead (8). 11. Process for making a knit stitch with a circular inlay knitting machine according to any one of claims 9 and 10, characterized in that the sinker operates on at least two threads (A, B) and ? programmed to selectively form a smooth stitch on the first or second knocking plane (5 or 7) by selectively advancing said first or second strip (2 or 3) towards the needle cylinder (20) and a stitch sponge-like on the first and second knocking plane (5, 7) by synchronously advancing said first and second slat (2, 3) towards the needle cylinder (20). 12. Shoe upper in patterned terry cloth made with a process according to the previous claim.