JP2005113367A - Flat knitting machine having at least one needle bed - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a flat knitting machine having a sinker capable of pulling down different sized stitches by the most suitable way. <P>SOLUTION: The flat knitting machine having at least one needle bed (4) is equipped with a sinker (1) set swingably in a limited range along a movable needles (7) and between the needles, controllable by a carriage cam and having at least one stitch-pulling down and/or stitch-push out face (11, 12, 13, 13.1, 13.2), wherein a spring element (2) receiving cam action acts on each sinker (1) and gives the sinker (1) a spring force changing direction and strength according to the swinging position of the sinker (1). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention is a flat knitting machine having at least one needle bed, and is provided with a needle movable in the longitudinal direction and swingable within a limited range between the needles and can be controlled by a carriage cam. And a sinker with at least one stitch lowering and / or stitch extrusion surface.

  Such sinkers for flat knitting machines are known, for example, from EP 0 387 797 and EP 0 424 717. The sinker of the flat knitting machine described in European Patent No. 02389797 is a stitch lowering element and an extruded piece of the stitch at the same time, and the sinker of the flat knitting machine described in European Patent No. 0424717 performs only the stitch lowering function. , Jointly with a stitch extrusion piece fixedly provided on the needle bed. However, both of these known flat knitting machine sinkers have the same disadvantages. That is, with both sinkers, it is impossible to pull down different sized stitches at different depths in the gap of the mouth, but such pulling down provides a reliable holding function for large stitches and small stitch sizes. Required for tensile loads that are not too high. Furthermore, both known sinkers reliably hold very large stitches so that they cannot be moved sufficiently large into the tooth gap. Another disadvantage of the known sinker is that the sinker does not take a predetermined state once the carriage cam action on the sinker is finished.

  From French Patent No. 1207319 there is known a stitch extruding piece which has a stitch retaining key and is supported in a swingable manner. This swinging movement of the stitch extruding piece is introduced by a translationally movable sliding piece provided under the center of rotation and under the stitch retaining key. Therefore, the sliding piece is subjected to the action of the control curve on the cam plate. This stitch extruded piece has the advantage of having a relatively large swing angle. This is made possible by a sliding piece. On the other hand, this sliding piece requires a special groove in the needle bed between the grooves provided for the needle. This known structure is therefore only suitable for flat knitting machines with a large needle pitch. In the case of very close needle spacing, this solution is no longer used. Furthermore, with this known stitch extruded piece having a stitch retaining function, different processing of stitches of different sizes is not possible.

  European Patent No. 0567282 shows a swingable stitch extruding piece having a stitch retaining key for a flat knitting machine driven by individual needles. Here too, the swinging movement of the stitch extruding piece is introduced by a sliding piece which translates. Since the sliding piece is frictionally coupled to the needle, only the movement in the same direction as the needle can be performed. Here, for example, the stitch retaining function and the stitch pushing function according to the stitch size are not changed.

  The problem on which the present invention is based is to improve a flat knitting machine of the type mentioned first so that the pulling down of different sized stitches is possible in an optimal manner.

  In the flat knitting machine of the first type, this problem is that according to the present invention, a spring element that can receive the action of a cam acts on each sinker, and the spring element depends on the swinging position of the sinker. A spring force of varying direction and strength is exerted on the sinker. Due to the action of the spring element, the sinker does not stay fixed in the respective swinging positions, but can come off in a limited range by the tension of the knitting yarn acting on at least one stitch pulling surface. In this way, an optimal pulling function can be exerted for stitches of different sizes. When pulling very large stitches, the sinker stays in the lowest swing position, but when pulling small stitches, the sinker will resist the spring force from the lowest position because of the short stitch leg tension. It can swing upward.

  Another advantage is obtained if the sinker is brought steplessly by the spring element to any arbitrary swing position within the swing range of the sinker. Since the size of the individual stitch of each course is known in advance, it is meaningful to move the sinker so that the maximum stitch appearing on the course is pulled down with the spring force optimal for it. Therefore, the maximum closing position of the sinker can be set before each course. Thereby, it is avoided that an unnecessarily large spring force is exerted on the stitches of the course.

  The spring element exerts a spring force that acts against the closing movement of the sinker downwards at the position where the sinker is fully swung upward, and the sinker swings upward at all other positions of the sinker. A spring force acting against movement can be exerted. The spring element thus ensures a complete open position of the lotus car as well as a pulling position of the different sized stitches.

  Furthermore, the spring element can be configured to have a stopper surface that limits the movement of the sinker against the spring force. This ensures that the pull-down function is maintained even when the lotus swings upward.

  In a preferred embodiment, the spring element has a substantially U-shaped bending spring portion, the free leg side of which is bent outwardly against the sinker. At this time, the spring element is provided so as to be movable with respect to the needle bed by the cam, and the movement of the spring element can start the swinging motion of the sinker. The spring element is preferably not guided by the needle bed itself but by a sliding piece bed provided above the needle bed. Thereby, a flat knitting machine having a very fine needle pitch can also be provided with a stitch lowering device according to the invention.

  In order to enable a stepless swinging motion of the sinker, a spring element is provided on the sliding piece bed in a stepless manner and movable within a limited range. The guide can be configured such that when the cam does not act on the spring element, the spring element is frictionally fixed to the sliding piece bed at any position in its travel. Thereby, even when the sinker is not subjected to the action of the carriage cam, the spring element and thus the sinker always maintain a predetermined position.

  Another critical advantage is obtained if the working surfaces of the spring elements in the sinker are spaced less than the at least one stitch pull-down and / or stitch extrusion surface with respect to the axis of rotation of the sinker. As a result, the swinging movement of the stitch lowering sinker is performed in a relatively short movement stroke of the spring element. Therefore, the sinker swings so as to enter the gap between the mouths, so that the stitch larger than the sinker according to the prior art can be pulled down.

  For convenience, in a flat knitting machine with two needle beds, the sinker is dimensioned so that it does not protrude beyond the vertical intermediate plane between both needle beds in the oscillating position. In that case, it is not necessary to pay attention to the position of the sinker before the needle bed swing. Reverse needle bed swinging is possible even when the sinker is closed.

  In the first configuration, the sinker has at least one stitch pull-down surface and at least one stitch extrusion surface. Accordingly, the sinker has a stitch lowering function and a stitch pushing function. In another variant, the sinker has at least one stitch pull-down surface and cooperates with a stitch extrusion piece fixedly provided on the needle bed.

  Another advantage is obtained if the sinker has a plurality of stitch down surfaces for single and double needle bed knitting. In the two-needle bed knitted fabric, the stitches are pulled down by the stitch-lowering sinker of the needle bed facing the stitches. Therefore, generally, a height position different from that at the time of lowering the stitch of one needle bed knitted fabric where the stitch lowering sinker pulls down the stitch of its own needle bed is necessary with respect to the tooth gap. Now, if a plurality of stitch lowering surfaces are provided, the sinker is remarkably suitable for both one-needle bed knitting and two-needle bed knitting. In this case, it is advantageous if a plurality of stitch-reducing surfaces are provided at different peripheral locations of the sinker, at the same or different peripheral locations.

  Furthermore, when one stitch is released from the stitch lowering surface at the lowest place, the additional stitch lowering surface can also perform a fixing function. In this case, the stitch is captured by one of the plurality of surfaces.

  The plurality of stitch pull-down surfaces can have a substantially radial orientation with respect to the rotation axis of the sinker.

The rotation axis of the sinker is preferably provided above the needle stem. This means also improves the stitch lowering effect of the sinker. This is because when the rotational axis is provided on the needle bed relatively far upward, the stitch lowering surface captures the stitch better at the lower swing position.

  A preferred embodiment of a flat knitting machine according to the present invention is described below with reference to the drawings.

  The cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 shows a stitch lowering and stitch pushing (forming) device 100 of a flat knitting machine. A needle bed 4 is shown in the flat knitting machine, and a needle 7 is guided in a groove 41 of the needle bed so as to be movable in the vertical direction. The groove bottom is labeled 42. The needle bed 4 has a groove 43 for receiving the sinker guide piece 3 on the front end surface, and the sinker 1 is guided by the sinker guide piece 3 so as to be swingable. For this reason, the sinker guide piece 3 has a circular notch 31, and the circular portion 14 of the sinker 1 fits into the notch 31. Thus, the sinker can swing around the rotation axis 18 in a range limited to the arrow direction D and the reverse arrow direction D ′. The swing motion is limited in the same manner by the sinker guide piece 3. The stopper surface 33 of the sinker guide piece 3 limits the opening movement of the sinker 1 in the arrow direction D, and the surface 34 limits the downward movement in the arrow direction D ′. The needle bed and the sinker guide piece 3 are connected through a wire 44 that extends through the needle bed over the entire length. The pull-down wire 45 for stitches is passed through the long holes 19 in all the sinkers 1.

  The sinker 1 has a functional surface 11 for stitch formation, that is, stitch extrusion, a working surface 12 for pulling down a stitch of a needle bed knitted fabric, and a needle bed facing each other in the case of a two-needle bed knitted fabric in a flat knitting machine having two needle beds. Have different working surfaces 13, 13.1, 13.2 for lowering the stitches. The swinging movement of the sinker in the arrow direction D or D ′ is started by the spring element 2. The spring element 2 is guided by a needle bed 4 to a sliding piece floor 6 provided above. Therefore, the sliding piece floor 6 also has a vertical groove 61, and the spring element 2 is inserted into the vertical groove 61. The spring element 2 has a U-shaped bending spring portion having leg sides 22 and 24. The free leg side 24 is bent outward at a portion 25. This portion 25 causes the spring element 2 to act on the sinker 1. In the fully open position of the sinker 1 shown in FIG. 1, the portion 25 hits the surface 16 of the sinker 1. On the other hand, when the sinker 1 swings in the direction D ′, the surface 17 of the sinker 1 receives the action of the spring element portion 25. This occurs due to the movement of the spring element 2 in the groove 61, as also shown in FIGS. This movement is started by a carriage cam of the flat knitting machine, and this cam acts on the butt 21 of the spring element 2. The sliding piece bed 6 is coupled to the needle bed 4 by a coupling bar piece 5. For this reason, the connecting bar 5 has two bevel-shaped portions 51 and 52, which are in the needle bed 4 and the sliding piece floor 6 and fit into appropriately formed grooves. The movement of the spring element 2 is limited via a wire 63 that is passed through the elongated hole 23 of the spring element 2. The moving motion of the spring element 2 is converted into the rotational motion of the sinker 1 via the part 25. In order to minimize the movement of the spring element 2 necessary to initiate the necessary movement of the sinker 1, the portion 25 of the spring element 2 has a smaller distance than the distance between the stitch pull-down surface 12 and the rotation axis 18 of the sinker 1. It acts on the sinker 1 with respect to the rotation axis 18.

  Unlike FIG. 1 in which the sinker 1 is shown in the non-operating position, FIG. 2 shows the sinker 1 in a fully closed position, in which the stitch pull-down surface 12 of the sinker 1 pulls the stitch 9 of the needle 7. Detained. Therefore, the sinker 1 is swung in the rotational direction D ′ until the surface 16 abuts against the stopper surface 34 of the sinker guide piece 3. In order to start this rotational movement of the sinker 1, the spring element 2 is moved forward in the direction of the arrow X to the maximum. In order to start this rotational movement of the sinker 1, the spring element 2 is moved forward in the direction of the arrow X to the maximum. The part 25 of the spring element 2 now acts on the surface 17. However, the sinker 1 can move upward in a limited direction in the arrow direction D against the spring force of the spring element 2. However, FIG. 2 shows the position of the sinker 1 relative to the large stitch 9, and the stitch 9 does not pull the sinker 1 upward against the spring force.

  On the contrary, FIG. 3 shows the device according to FIG. 2 when pulling down the small stitch 9. The sinker 1 is now swung upward against the force of the spring 2 in the opposite direction of the arrow D ′. The swinging movement is limited by the spring element 2 itself. The free leg side 24 of the U-shaped bending spring 2 is now in contact with the other leg side 22. Therefore, further pushing up of the sinker 1 by the stitch 9 is prevented.

  The spring element 2 is guided with friction in the groove 16 of the sliding piece floor 6. Thus, when the cam no longer acts on the spring element 2, the spring element maintains its position at each sliding piece position. As a result, all the spring elements 2 and thus the sinker 1 can also be held in a predetermined swing position.

FIG. 4 schematically shows the control curve formed for the butt 21 of the spring element 2 by the cams 85, 86, 87. The cams 85, 86, 87 are attached to a cam device plate not shown here. The cam 86 is fixedly coupled to the cam device plate, but the cams 85 and 87 are movably provided on the cam device plate, and this movability is indicated by bidirectional arrows K _V , K _A and K _{V ′} , K _A. It is indicated by _′ . The cams 85, 86, 87 are moved over the sliding piece bed 6 which is likewise not shown here. The butt 21 of the spring element 2 is moved forward in the arrow direction X (FIGS. 1 to 3) by the side surfaces of the cams 85 and 87, and moved backward in the arrow direction Y (FIG. 1) by the cam 86. Accordingly, the sinker 1 is also operated by the cam 85, i.e. brought to the closed position and brought to the non-operated position by the cam 86. The non-operation position is a fixed swing position of the sinker 1 as shown in FIG. Therefore, it is not necessary to movably support the cam 86 on the cam device plate. When the spring element 2 is in the foremost position (FIG. 2), stitches of different sizes can be pulled down by the functional surface 12 as a pulling surface. However, the smaller the stitch, the greater the spring force that acts on the stitch. Since the size of the stitch is known in advance for each course, it is meaningful to lower the stitch that appears at the maximum with the optimum force. This can be done by moving the cams 85, 87 according to the double arrow. For example, when the cam 85 is moved stepwise in the direction of the arrow K _A and the cam 85 passes by the butt 21 of the spring element 2, the spring element no longer takes the foremost position but takes the intermediate position. can do. The same is true for cam 87. This means the following: That is, the spring element 2 is moved in the direction of the arrow X (FIGS. 2 and 3) by the stepless movement of the cams 85 and 87, so that the portion 25 of the spring element 2 is spaced from the rotation axis 18 by the surface 17 of the sinker 1. The force generated by the spring leg sides 24 at this interval can be applied to the stitches 9 that come into contact with the functional surface 12 with the optimum strength for the relevant stitch size. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the cam 85 is advanced so far that a very large stitch can be pulled down, while the cam 87 is in an intermediate position, so that the sinker 1 pulls down the stitch of an intermediate size. Can.

  Since the spring element 2 is guided to the sliding piece bed 6 by frictional coupling, the spring element 2 maintains the position once taken even if the cams 85, 86, 87 no longer contact the spring element. When the butt 21 of the spring element 2 leaves the control cam device, each subsequent cam and thus the cam 87 in FIG. 4 determines whether the functional surface 1 of the sinker 1 is in the operating position.

  FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the arrangement of the sinkers 1 on the needle bed 4, and the sinkers 1 are rotatably supported by the sinker guide pieces 3. The spring element 2 acting on the sinker 1 can also be clearly seen. It can also be seen that the sinker 1 is arranged to the right of the needle 7.

  FIG. 6 shows a stitch push-down device 200 of a flat knitting machine having two needle beds 4, 4 '. In the illustrated example, each of the needle beds is provided with sinkers 1, 1 ', spring elements 2, 2' and needles 7, 7 'as shown in FIG. This means that the stitch lowering device 101 of the second needle bed 4 ′ is the same as the stitch lowering device 100 of the needle bed 4. In a knitted fabric in which stitches are formed by both needle beds 4, 4 ', that is, a so-called two-needle bed knitted fabric, the operation of the stitch pull-down surfaces 12, 12' is limited. Therefore, in order to reliably pull down the stitches in the two-needle bed knitted fabric, the sinker 1 of the front needle bed 4 has additional functional surfaces 13, 13.1, 13.2, and the sinker 1 'of the rear needle bed 4' It has additional functional surfaces 13 ', 13.1', 13.2 '. These functional surfaces capture the stitch 9 'on the needle stem of the opposing needle 7, 7' and hold the stitch 9 'when the needle 7, 7' moves forward. In the example according to FIG. 6, the functional surface 13 of the sinker 1 of the front needle bed 4 captures the stitches 9 ′ of the needles 7 ′ of the rear needle bed 4 ′.

  FIG. 7 shows the stitch pulling device 102 having the spring element 2 that matches the spring element shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, but the sinker 10 is formed to be different from the sinker 1. Unlike the sinker 1, the sinker 10 does not have a stitch extrusion surface. The sinker 10 cooperates with a fixed stitch extrusion piece 50 having a stitch extrusion surface 55. The sinker 10 is shown at a position corresponding to FIG. 3, and the stitch lowering surface 12 ″ of the sinker holds the stitch 9 ″ at this position. The sinker 10 is also provided with further working surfaces 13 ", 13.1", 13.2 "for a two-needle floor knitting.

  2 shows a cross section of a needle bed of a flat knitting machine according to the invention with a sinker in a fully open position.   2 shows a cross-section corresponding to FIG. 1 of a flat knitting machine with a sinker in a fully closed position.   1 shows a cross section corresponding to FIG. 1 of a flat knitting machine having a sinker in an intermediate position.   Fig. 3 shows a schematic diagram of a control curve of a cam for moving the sinker of the flat knitting machine according to Figs.   The figure which looked at a part of needle bed of the flat knitting machine by FIG. 2 from diagonally forward is shown.   2 shows a cross section of two needle beds of a flat knitting machine with a sinker according to FIG.   FIG. 4 shows a cross-section corresponding to FIG. 3 of a flat knitting machine having a stitch lowering sinker and a fixed stitch extrusion piece.

Explanation of symbols

1,1 ', 10 sinker 2,2' spring element 4,4 'needle bed 7,7' needle 11 stitch extrusion surface 12, 13, 13.1, 13.2, 13 ', 13.1', 13. 2 'stitch down surface

Claims (17)

  A flat knitting machine having at least one needle bed (4, 4 ') and provided so as to be swingable within a limited range between the needle (7, 7') movable in the longitudinal direction and the needle And at least one stitch lowering and / or stitch pushing surface (12, 13, 13.1, 13.2, 12 ', 13', 13.1 ', controllable by a carriage cam (85, 86, 87). 13.2 ') with sinkers (1, 1', 10), each sinker (1, 1 ', 10) can be acted upon by cams (85, 86, 87). The spring element (2, 2 ') acts, and the spring element (2, 2') responds to the swinging position of the sinker (1, 1 ', 10), and the spring force whose direction and strength change is changed to the sinker ( 1,1 ', 10) A flat knitting machine characterized by   The sinker (1, 1 ', 10) is brought steplessly by the spring element (2, 2') to any swing position within the swing range of the sinker (1, 1 ', 10). The flat knitting machine according to claim 1, wherein the flat knitting machine is characterized.   The spring element (2, 2 ') acts against the downward closing movement of the sinker (1, 1', 10) at a position where the sinker (1, 1 ', 10) is completely swung upward. A spring force acting against the upward swinging motion of the sinker (1, 1 ', 10) is exerted at all other positions of the sinker. Or the flat knitting machine of 2.   4. The flat knitting machine according to claim 1, wherein the spring element (2, 2 ') has a stopper surface that limits the movement of the sinker against the spring force.   The spring element (2, 2 ') has a substantially U-shaped bending spring portion, and the free leg side (24) of this bending spring portion is bent outwardly, so that the sinker (1, 1', 10) The flat knitting machine according to claim 1, wherein the flat knitting machine is in contact with the flat knitting machine.   The spring element (2, 2 ') is provided so as to be movable with respect to the needle bed (4, 4') by the cam (85, 86, 87), and the movement of the spring element (2, 2 ') is the sinker (1 , 1 ', 10). The flat knitting machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the swinging motion is started.   7. Transverse element according to claim 6, characterized in that the spring element (2, 2 ') is guided by a sliding piece bed (6, 6') provided above the needle bed (4, 4 '). Knitting machine.   8. The transverse element according to claim 7, characterized in that the spring element (2, 2 ') is provided on the sliding piece bed (6, 6') in a stepless manner and movably within a limited range. Knitting machine.   When the cam (85, 86, 87) does not act on the spring element (2, 2 '), the spring element (2, 2') rubs against the sliding piece bed (6, 6 ') at any position in its travel. The flat knitting machine according to claim 7 or 8, wherein   The working surface (16, 17) of the spring element (2, 2 ') in the sinker (1, 1', 10) is at least 1 with respect to the rotation axis (18) of the sinker (1, 1 ', 10). Characterized by a spacing smaller than one stitch pull-down and / or stitch extrusion surface (12, 12 ', 13, 13.1, 13.2, 13', 13.1 ', 13.2') 10. A flat knitting machine according to claim 1.   In a flat knitting machine with two needle beds (4, 4 '), the sinker (1, 1', 10) is in a vertical position between the needle beds (4, 4 ') in the swing position. 11. Flat knitting machine according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the sinker (1, 1 ') is dimensioned so that it does not protrude beyond (8).   The sinker (1, 1 ') has at least one stitch pulling surface (12, 12', 13, 13 ', 13.1, 13.1', 13.2, 13.2 ') and at least one stitch extrusion surface. The flat knitting machine according to claim 1, wherein the flat knitting machine has (11).   The stitcher (10) has at least one stitch-lowering surface (12 ″, 13 ″, 13.1 ″, 13.2 ″) and is a stitch extrusion piece fixedly provided on the needle bed (4, 4 ′). The flat knitting machine according to claim 1, wherein the flat knitting machine cooperates with (55).   The sinker (1, 1 ', 10) is provided with a plurality of stitch pull-down surfaces (12, 12', 12 ", 13, 13 ', 13", 13.1, 13.1 for one and two needle bed knitted fabrics. 14. The flat knitting machine according to claim 1, wherein the flat knitting machine comprises: ', 13.1 ", 13.2, 13.2', 13.2").   Plural stitch lowering surfaces (12, 12 ', 12 ", 13, 13', 13", 13.1, 13, 1 ', 13.1 ", 13.2, 13.2', 13.2") 15. The flat knitting machine according to claim 14, characterized in that are provided at different peripheral locations of the sinker (1, 1 ', 10), at the same or different peripheral locations.   Multiple stitch down surfaces (12, 12 ', 12 ", 13, 13', 13", 13.1, 13.1 ', 13.1 ", 13.2, 13.2', 13.2") The flat knitting machine according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that has a substantially radial orientation with respect to the axis of rotation (18) of the sinker (1, 1 ', 10).   The flat knitting machine according to one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the axis of rotation (18) of the sinker (1, 1 ', 10) is provided above the needle stem.

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