JP2000355861A - Yarn-feeding unit for automated weft knitting machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a yarn-feeding unit that can reduce the fluctuation of the knitting yarn tension in a weft knitting machine that is caused by the movement of yarn-feeding position as much as possible and permits the production of knitted fabric of high quality. SOLUTION: This yarn-feeding unit 100 is equipped with a tension device and a clew detector to guide the knitting yarn pulled out of the yarn feed package in the longitudinal direction of the weft knitting machine 10. Two or more tension devices are integrated in parallel, a single clew detector that commonly works for individual tension devices is attached to constitute the objective yarn-feeding unit. The knitting machine is provided with at least one yarn-feeding unit so that the total number of the tension devices may become equal to that of the yarn-feeding lines and one or more of yarn-feeding units are arranged near the midsection of the weft knitting machine.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a yarn feeding device for a flat knitting machine, and more particularly, to a yarn feeding device provided with a tension device and a yarn ball detector, and for knitting a yarn pulled out from a yarn feeding body. The present invention relates to an improvement in a yarn feeding device of a flat knitting machine for guiding in a front-rear direction.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Actuators such as linear motors provided individually for each knitting needle based on preset knitting data,
Alternatively, in an automatic flat knitting machine in which a knitting needle is automatically driven by a carriage or the like, a knitting yarn pulled out from a yarn feeder mounted on a yarn feeding stand on the machine is fed to a yarn feeding device disposed above the knitting machine. Through the yarn feeder.

Conventionally, a yarn feeding device of the above-described automatic flat knitting machine is configured as shown in FIG. That is, a plurality of yarn feeders 90 corresponding to the plurality of yarn feeders 40 mounted on the flat knitting machine 10 are provided independently of each other. It is arranged so as to be located substantially above the body 40. In addition, each yarn feeding device 90 is configured to control the knitting yarn 4 pulled out from the corresponding yarn feeding body 40.
The knitting yarn 40a is individually guided from the rear side to the front side (front-rear direction) of the flat knitting machine 10 in a direction orthogonal to the width direction of the flat knitting machine 10. ing.

[0004] Generally, a flat knitting machine is provided with the same number of yarn feeders as the maximum number of yarn feeders used in the flat knitting machine in order to be able to cope with various knitting. However, the maximum number of yarn feeders used here is a number determined by the number of yarn feeders of the flat knitting machine and the type of knitting yarn used for knitting. That is, the maximum number of types of yarn feeders that can be used is determined by the number of yarn feeders, and the number of yarns to be supplied from one yarn feeder is determined by the type of knitting yarn. The number is determined by the type of yarn.

Further, in an automatic flat knitting machine, knitting yarns drawn out from a yarn supplying body have yarn balls due to entanglement of knots and yarn wastes, thereby preventing knitting errors and the like from occurring. For this reason, a yarn ball detector is attached to each of the yarn supplying devices, and the presence of the yarn ball is automatically detected.

[0006]

By the way, in the conventional yarn supplying apparatus, when the knitting yarn is supplied directly from the yarn supplying apparatus to the yarn supplying port, there is a problem that the tension fluctuation of the supplied knitting yarn increases. .

That is, in the flat knitting machine, the angle between the knitting yarn and the yarn feeding device or the yarn feeding port between the yarn feeding device and the yarn feeding opening, that is, the bending angle of the knitting yarn, fluctuates due to the movement of the yarn feeding opening. In this case, in the above-mentioned conventional configuration, there is a yarn feeding device that is disposed over a wide range in the width direction of the knitting machine and is disposed at a distance from near the center of the knitting machine. However, in the knitting yarn supplied from such a yarn supplying device, the fluctuation of the bending angle is very large. For this reason, the fluctuation of the tension due to the change in the frictional resistance between the knitting yarn and the yarn feeding device or the yarn feeder becomes very large.

Further, a difference in the tension of the knitting yarn occurs when the yarn feeder moves toward or away from the yarn feeding device. The tension difference between the courses is also very large.

As a result, in the conventional yarn feeder, a very large tension difference occurs in the knitting course or in each course,
As a result, a difference occurs in the size of the formed stitches, which leads to a decrease in the quality of the knitted fabric to be knitted.

[0010] As described above, the yarn feeding devices in the conventional automatic flat knitting machine each include a yarn ball detector individually, and each yarn feeding device itself is large in the width direction. I have. In an automatic flat knitting machine, the maximum number of used yarn feeders is very large, and may be about 40 in some cases. Therefore, if the same number of yarn feeders as the maximum number of yarn feeders are provided, even if such many yarn feeders are simply collected near the center of the knitting machine, the distance between the yarn feeders located at the both ends is It is relatively large, and the above problem still occurs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and has as its object to knit a high-quality knitted fabric by minimizing fluctuations in the tension of a knitting yarn due to movement of a yarn feeder. An object of the present invention is to provide a yarn feeding device in a flat knitting machine that enables the yarn feeding.

[0012]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention comprises a tension device and a yarn ball detector, and the knitting yarn pulled out from the yarn supplying body is moved in the front-rear direction of the flat knitting machine. A yarn feeding device for a weft knitting machine for guiding, in which two or more tension devices are integrated in a parallel state, and a single yarn ball detector common to each tension device is attached to form a yarn feeding unit. The gist of the invention is that one or more yarn feeding units are provided so that the total number of tension devices is at least the same as the number of yarn feeding ports, and the one or more yarn feeding units are arranged near the center of the flat knitting machine. And

[0013] The number of the tension devices per yarn supply unit may be set so that the number of the one or more yarn supply units is equal to or less than the number of yarn supply ports.

Further, the yarn feeding device may be provided with a guide member for guiding a plurality of knitting yarns drawn from each tension device of each yarn feeding unit in a longitudinal direction of the flat knitting machine.

[0015]

According to the above construction, by using a common yarn ball detecting device in each yarn feeding unit, a plurality of tension devices are arranged at extremely close positions, and the yarn feeding device having a plurality of tension devices arranged side by side is compact. Be transformed into Therefore, if this yarn feeding device is arranged near the center of the knitting machine, even if the total number of tension devices is the same as the maximum number of yarn feeders used in the flat knitting machine, each tension device is moved by the center of the knitting machine. The knitting yarn drawn from the yarn feeder that can be mounted on the flat knitting machine can be supplied to the yarn feeder from a position closer to the center of the knitting machine. Therefore, the fluctuation in the tension of the knitting yarn due to the movement of the yarn feeder can be reduced, and the quality of the knitted fabric to be knitted can be prevented from deteriorating.

Further, if the number of the tension devices per yarn supply unit is set so that the number of the one or more yarn supply units is equal to or less than the number of yarn supply ports, the number of the yarn supply units per yarn supply unit can be reduced. Since the number of tension devices is increased and the separation distance from the center of the knitting machine can be reduced, the fluctuation in the tension of the knitting yarn due to the movement of the yarn feeder can be reduced.

Further, the yarn feeder is provided with a guide member for guiding a plurality of knitting yarns drawn out from each tension device of each yarn feeder unit in a longitudinal direction of the knitting machine. All the knitting yarns supplied to the yarn feeder from near the center are in contact with each other due to the crossing of the position of the yarn feeder, or the fluff is entangled with the contact, which adversely affects the knitting. Can be prevented.

[0018]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an automatic flat knitting machine provided with the yarn feeding device of the present invention.
And a needle bed 12 supported by a frame (not shown) positioned inside the needle bed. The needle bed 12 is provided with knitting needles (not shown) mounted in parallel in the longitudinal direction.

Above the main body 11, a plurality of rails 22 are arranged in parallel between the boxes 13 on both sides at intervals in the front-rear direction of the knitting machine 10. On each of the rails 22, a yarn carrier 21 is supported back and forth so as to be able to reciprocate in the longitudinal direction.
The boxes 13 and 13 contain a drive motor such as a servomotor for reciprocatingly driving the endless belt 23 connected to the yarn carrier 21, a pulley, and the like.
By rotating these, the yarn carrier 21 is rotated.
Is driven back and forth.

With these configurations, the weft knitting machine 10 drives the knitting needle forward and backward based on the knitting data set in advance, and also converts the knitting yarn 40a drawn from the yarn supply mechanism 30 into
The yarn is supplied to the knitting needles through the yarn feeder 21a of the yarn carrier 21 to knit the knitted fabric. The knitting needle is driven by an actuator such as a linear motor provided individually for each knitting needle, a carriage, or the like. Further, the advance and retreat movement of the knitting needle and the reciprocal movement of the yarn carrier 21 are controlled by a knitting control device 14 built in the flat knitting machine 10.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the yarn supply mechanism 30 includes a yarn supply stand 31 on which the yarn supply body 40 is placed, and stays 32a and 32b provided on both sides of the yarn supply stand 31.
And a yarn feeder 100 supported by the pair of support beams 34 and 34 and disposed near the center of the flat knitting machine 10. In addition, the yarn supply stand 31 is supported by a support 31a provided upright on the rear side of the flat knitting machine 10.

The yarn supply mechanism 30 includes a plurality of guide bars 35, 35... Arranged above the row of the yarn supply bodies 40 mounted on the yarn supply stand 31.
A plurality of yarn guides 35 a are provided on the guide bar 35 so as to correspond to the yarn feeder 40 placed on the yarn feed stand 31. Accordingly, the knitting yarn 40a drawn from the yarn supplying body 40 is turned by the yarn guide 35a and guided to the yarn supplying device 100.

Further, between the pair of support beams 34, 34, a support bar 33 is erected closer to the front end side than the center of each support beam 34, and by this support bar 33,
The yarn feeding device 100 is mounted and supported. The member indicated by reference numeral 36 in the drawing is a tensor, and the yarn guide 3
The knitting yarn 40a guided from 5a prevents loosening or the like in the process of reaching the yarn feeding device 100.

FIGS. 3 to 7 show the structure of the yarn feeding device 100. FIG.

As shown in the figure, the yarn supplying device 100 is composed of a plurality of yarn supplying units 110, and each of the yarn supplying units 110 is supported by a support bar 33 via a bracket 50. Each of the yarn supply units 110 includes a plurality of (eight in the illustrated example) tension devices 120 and a yarn ball detection unit 130.

The yarn feeding device 100 includes a yarn guide 150 corresponding to each yarn feeding unit 110 and a bracket 5.
It is fixed at 0. This yarn guide 150 is
Each tension device 120 of the corresponding yarn supply unit 110
And a knitting yarn 40a that has passed through the tension device 120.
Guided by 1.

In the illustrated example, for simplicity, the yarn supplying device 100 is described as being composed of two yarn supplying units 110. The number of the yarn feeding units 110 is such that the total number of the tension devices 120 is at least
The number may be the same as 1a. However, the tension device 120
It is preferable that the total number of the yarn feeders 21a is greater than the number of the yarn feeders 21a. Further, the total number of the tension devices 120 is the same as the maximum number of the yarn feeders 40 used in the weft knitting machine 10, or preliminary, More is more preferable. Therefore,
Considering this, the number of the yarn feeding units 110 in the yarn feeding device 100 is arbitrarily set based on the number of the tension devices 120 per one yarn feeding unit 110.

Each tension device 120 includes an arm 121
a ceiling spring 121 rotatably supported by a support shaft 124 via a, and a tension adjusting member 123 connected to an arm 123a via a coil spring 122.

A yarn guide 121b is attached to the tip of the top spring 121, and a knitting yarn 40a pulled out from the yarn feeder 40 and guided through the yarn guide 35a and the tensor 36 is used as the yarn guide 121b. It is passed through and guided.

The tension adjusting member 123 includes a ratchet wheel 123a and a lever 123b formed integrally with the ratchet hole 123a.
The rotation is prevented by 23c.

With these configurations, the top spring 121 is urged upward by the coil spring 122 via the arm 121a, and applies tension to the knitting yarn 40a via the yarn guide 121b. Further, the urging force of the coil spring 122 on the top spring 121 can be changed by rotating the ratchet wheel 123a by the lever 123b, whereby the magnitude of the tension applied to the knitting yarn 40a is adjusted.

In the illustrated yarn feeding unit 110, the tension devices 120 having the above-described configuration are arranged in parallel with one set of eight tension devices, and are integrated. Here, the term “integration” means that a single support is supported by a common support member. That is, the support shaft 124 of each tension device 120 is connected to all the tension devices 120, 120.
, And the top spring 121 of each tension device 120, the tension adjusting member 123, and the like are supported by the cover member 125 via the support shaft 124.

The member denoted by reference numeral 140 in the figure is a thread brake. This thread brake 140 is used when the top spring 121 jumps up due to, for example, thread breakage, and the knitting thread 40a reaching the yarn guide 121b. Thread brake 14
0, and the withdrawal of the knitting yarn 40a on the upstream side is stopped.

Each of the yarn supply units 110 is provided with a corresponding one of the yarn ball detection units 130 (FIGS. 3 and 6). The yarn ball detection unit 130 includes a plurality (eight) of yarn introduction members 138 corresponding to the tension devices 120 of the yarn supply unit 110. A guide member 136 and a lever 135 are provided in front of each of the yarn introduction members 138.

Each of the yarn introduction members 138 and the guide members 136 are
At the same position in the width direction as the corresponding tension device 120, it is fixed to the cover member 139 of the thread ball detection unit 130. Each of the levers 135 is positioned adjacent to the corresponding guide member 136 at an L-shaped rotating member 137.
Are rotatably supported on a common shaft 133 via one of the arms 137a.

The other arm 1 of each rotating member 137
37b is a leaf spring 134 fixed to the case member 139.
Is in contact with This leaf spring 134 is
9 and a base extending in the width direction, and each rotating member 1.
37 and a protruding portion protruding at a position facing the second arm 137b.

In the state shown in FIG. 3 or FIG. 7A, the protruding portion of the leaf spring 134 is moved toward the cover member 139 from the natural state by the other arm 137b against the spring force. It is held in a pressed state.

Further, each protruding portion of the leaf spring 134
It is in contact with the common detection lever 131a. This detection lever 131a extends in the width direction of the case member 139,
The contact portion 131a1 with which the leaf spring 134 contacts each protruding portion.
And support portions 131a2 extending downward from both ends thereof,
131a2, and a support member 13
The lower end of 1a2 is rotatably supported by the case member 139 (FIGS. 6 and 7). Also, the detection lever 131
In a, one support portion 131a2 is in contact with a detection needle of a single limit switch 131 that is a thread ball detector.

The member denoted by reference numeral 132 is the shaft 13.
3, which is rotatably supported. By rotating the dial 132, the distance between the guide member 136 and the lever 135 is adjusted.
This interval is set appropriately according to the type of the knitting yarn 40a.

The operation of the yarn ball detecting unit having the above configuration will be described with reference to FIG.

First, the knitting yarn 40 pulled out from the yarn supplying body 40 and guided through the yarn guide 35a and the tensor 36
“a” passes through the yarn introduction member 138, passes between the guide member 136 and the lever 135, and is drawn out in the direction indicated by the arrow k.

During knitting, the knitting yarn 40a to be pulled out
If no yarn ball exists in the lever 135, the knitting yarn 40a
7A without passing through the guide member 136 and the lever 135, and the lever 135 is maintained in the state of FIG.

When a yarn ball is present in the drawn-out knitting yarn 40a, the yarn ball of the knitting yarn 40a is caught on the lever 135 when passing between the guide member 136 and the lever 135, and the lever 135 The moving member 137 is shown in FIG.
Rotate to the state of (b). At this time, the rotating member 13
With the rotation of 7, the protruding portion of the leaf spring 134 is displaced in a direction away from the cover member 139 by the spring force, and rotates the detection lever 131a.

The ball of the knitting yarn 40a is
Is rotated to the position shown in FIG.
And the rotating member 137. However, at this time, since the rotation amount of the rotation member 137 is small, the displacement amount of the protruding portion of the leaf spring 134, that is, the detection lever 131a
Is small, and the limit switch 131 is not operated.

However, the thread member causes the rotating member 13
When the arm 7 rotates to the state shown in FIG.
7b and the projecting portion of the leaf spring 134
7, the spring force of the leaf spring 134 acts in the rotation direction of the rotation member 137. For this reason, the protruding portion of the leaf spring 134 is
7b without being disturbed by the detection lever 131a.
Is rotated. As a result, the limit switch 131 is operated by the support portion 131a2 of the detection lever 131a, and the ball of the knitting yarn 40a is detected.

Such an operation is performed by the detection lever 131a.
Are common to all the protruding portions of the leaf spring 134, so that each of the knitting yarns 40a passed through each of the tension devices 120
Is executed when any one of the thread balls exists. The signal from the limit switch 131 is used for an alarm or a stop signal of the knitting machine.

As described above, in the yarn feeder according to the present invention, a number of tension devices provided in accordance with the number of yarn feeders are unitized into a set of a plurality, and the yarn balls provided for each unit. Since the number of detectors is not one in one conventional tension device, but is a single one common to each tension device provided in the unit, each unit is made compact, and the entire yarn feeder is provided. The device is made compact. Therefore, by arranging this yarn feeding device at the center of the flat knitting machine, it is possible to greatly reduce the tension fluctuation of the knitting yarn due to the movement of the yarn feeding port.

The yarn supplying device of the present invention preferably has a guide member for guiding a plurality of knitting yarns drawn out from the yarn supplying device in a longitudinal direction of the flat knitting machine.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the yarn feeding device 10
A guide member 160 is attached to each of the pair of support beams 34 for supporting the zero. A plurality of guide wires 16 are provided between the two guide members 160.
Are extended. Then, the knitting yarns 40a drawn out from the tension devices 120 via the yarn introduction holes 151 are separately guided by the guide wires in the front-rear direction of the flat knitting machine.

According to this configuration, when the positions of the yarn carriers 21 intersect, for example, in FIG. 1, the yarn carrier 21 located on the right side of the yarn carrier 21 moves to the position indicated by the dotted line with respect to the yarn carrier 21 located at the center. Also in this case, it is possible to prevent the knitting yarn 40a from becoming entangled with the contact.

That is, as in the present invention, when all the knitting yarns are pulled out from the same position in the front-rear direction and from a position close to the width direction, the number of times of contact of the knitting yarns 40a increases, and Is likely to be entangled,
The above configuration can prevent this.

The number of the guide wires may be appropriately set in consideration of the movement range (knitting range) of the yarn carrier according to the mode of knitting, the position where the knitting yarn is pulled out from the yarn feeding device, and the like. That is, knitting yarns that do not intersect during knitting can be guided between the same guide wires because the above-described problem does not occur. Therefore, the number of guide wires does not always need to be equal to the number corresponding to the yarn feeder.

In the above embodiment, the number of tension devices per yarn supply unit is eight. However, the present invention is not limited to this.
Further, if the number of tension devices per yarn supply unit is increased, the yarn supply device can be made more compact. However, if it is too large, the weight of one yarn supply unit becomes too large, and the support member and the like must be made strong. Therefore, it is preferable to set the number appropriately in consideration of this point.

Further, as described above, the number of yarn feeding units in the yarn feeding device may be set to one or more appropriate numbers in consideration of the maximum number of yarn feeders used in the flat knitting machine.
The number of the yarn feed units is preferably equal to or less than the number of the yarn feeders, and more preferably half or less than the number of the yarn feeders.

Further, the present invention is not limited to any of the above, and can be variously modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0057]

According to the yarn feeding apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the fluctuation in the tension of the knitting yarn due to the movement of the yarn feeder during knitting, thereby knitting a high-quality knitted fabric in a flat knitting machine. can do.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view showing an embodiment of a flat knitting machine provided with a yarn feeding device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing an embodiment of a yarn supply mechanism in a flat knitting machine provided with the yarn supply device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view showing one embodiment of the yarn supplying device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing one embodiment of the yarn supplying device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged view of the yarn supplying device in one embodiment of the yarn supplying device of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a front view showing an embodiment of a yarn ball detection unit in the yarn supplying device of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a yarn ball detection operation in one embodiment of the yarn ball detection unit in the yarn supplying device of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic front view showing a flat knitting machine provided with a conventional yarn feeding device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Weft knitting machine 20 Yarn carrier 21a Yarn feed port 30 Yarn supply mechanism 40 Yarn supply body 40a Knitting yarn 50 Bracket 100 Yarn supply device 110 Yarn supply unit 120 Tension device 121 Ceiling spring 124 Support shaft 125 Cover member 130 Thread ball detection unit 131 Limit Switch (thread ball detector) 131a Detection lever 160 Guide member 161 Guide wire

Claims (3)

[Claims] A tension device and a thread ball detector;
A yarn feeding device of a flat knitting machine for guiding a knitting yarn pulled out from a yarn feeding body in a front-rear direction of a knitting machine, wherein two or more tension devices are integrated in a parallel state and a single unit common to each tension device is provided. To form a yarn feeding unit, and to provide one or more yarn feeding units so that the total number of tension devices is at least the same as the number of yarn feeders, and the one or more yarn feeding units are flat knitting machines. A yarn feeding device in an automatic flat knitting machine, wherein the yarn feeding device is disposed near a central portion of the yarn feeding device. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the number of the tension devices per one yarn supply unit is set such that the number of the one or more yarn supply units is equal to or less than the number of yarn supply ports. A yarn feeding device in the automatic flat knitting machine described in the above. 3. The yarn feeding device according to claim 1, further comprising a guide member for guiding a plurality of knitting yarns drawn from each tension device of each yarn feeding unit by dividing the yarn in the front-rear direction of the flat knitting machine. A yarn feeding device in the automatic flat knitting machine according to claim 1 or 2.