US1078681A - Circular-knitting machine. - Google Patents

Description

H. A. HOUSEMAN.

:OIRGULAR KNITTING MACHINE.-

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APPLICATION FILED 33.14, 1913.

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Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

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HARRY A. HOUSEMAN', FHILADELPHIA PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 STANDARD PENNSYLVANIA.

CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINE.

Uriginal application filed May 17, 1912, Serial No. 697,861.

Serial No. 748,281.

Specification of Letters Yatent.

Patented Nov. 18, 1913. Divided and this application filed February 14.,

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY A. HoUsnMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Circular-Knitting Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyin drawings,

which form a part of this speci cation.

As is well known, it is customary, in circular knitting machines, to effect the length ening or shortening of the stitches by changing the relative vertical positions of the knitting cylinder and cam cylinder. Usually the non-rotatable element (which on some machines is the cam cylinder and on others the needle cylinder) is thusmaised or lowered. This operation should be effected with the greatest possible nicety and at the same time with the utmost certainty. It is also desirable to maintain the vertically movable cylinder absolutely level at all times and to provide means for adjusting it to such an exact level without interfering with the lifting and depression. mechanism.

It is the object of my invention to provide means for effecting the operations and adjustments above mentioned.

In the drawings, which represent a preferred embodiment of my invention Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the knitting head with my invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a plan View of the main features of my invention.

As fully shown and described in Patent No. 903,190 issued to me November 10, 1908, cl is the non-rotatable needle cylinder and 2' the rotatable cam. cylinder located within the needle cylinder. The needle-cylinder, by means hereinafter described, is supported from the spider 0 projecting upward from the bed-plate Z) of the machine. The needle cylinder has slots 6 extending from the inner periphery outward. These slots contain the needles 7, which are operated from needle levers g pivoted on the comb h.

Threaded in the spider a are screws 110 (which may be three in number as shown) carrying pinions' 111- meshing with an internal rack or gear 112 resting on the spider 0. Supported on the axles of the pinions 111 are parts 113 secured to the needle cylinder. By imparting a rotary movement to the gear 112, the screws 110 are rotated, thereby moving. the needle cylinder vertitaln adjustment of the vertical position of the needle cylinder is secured. Further, by lifting gear 112 out of engagement with the screws, any one of them can be independently turned a distance of one or more pinion teeth. This is of special advantage in case the needle cylinder should not be absolutely level, as it can be leveled perfectly by independently adjusting one or more of the screws. The gear 112 may beturned automatically by means of any suitable mechanism, as, for example, by the mechanism set forth in my a plication filed May 17, 1912, Serial No. 69 ,861. This .mecha nism forming no part of my present invention, I have simply shown that part thereof more immediately connected with the gear 112, namely, a bracket 114 secured to the gear, and a rod 115 pivoted to the bracket the upper bed plate Z2. When the rod] 15 is moved in-the direction of its length, 0h gear 112 will be turned in one direction or the other, thereby lifting or depressing the needle cylinder. The rod 115 may be provided with one or more adjustable pieces 117 each carrying screw 119 whose axis is parallel to the axis of the rod 115 and which may be operated automatically by a suitable lever (not shown) at the proper time as fully set forth in my said application. It will be understood that if the rod is pushed forward by the lever striking the head of the screw, the gear 112 will be turned in the direction to lift the needle cylinder. The extent to which-the needle cylinder will lift may be governed by adjusting the piece 117 on the rod 115, or more conveniently and accurately by turning the screw 119. The extent to which the needle cylinder may be depressed is governed by a screw 220 against which an abutment 221, secured to the gear 112, is adapted to strike on the return movement of the gear 112. The screw the spider 0.

engages the grooved head of the screw and holds the crew in its adjusted position.

The subyect matter of this case is fully and slidable in a bearing in a standard'oncally. By this means a very fine and cer- 220 is adjustable in a bracket 222 secured to A spring-"pressed detent 223 disclosed in the application filed by me May 17, 1912, Serial No. 697,861, of which this case is a division.

Having now fully described my invention, what 1 claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a circular knitting machine, the

combination with the .needle cylinder and cam cylinder, one of which is now-rotatable, of a support, pinions rotatable on their axes but not bodily rotatable, said pinions having threaded shafts and bein interposed between the non-rotatable cylin er and the support, the threaded shafts engaging one of the last named members atpoints located on different radii of the nonrotatable cylinder, a gear engaging the pinions, and means to actuate the gear thereby turning all the pinions on their axes and effecting a vertical movement of the non-rotatable cylinder. l 1

v 2. In a circular knittin machine, the combination with the need e cylinder-andcam cylinder, of a support, a plurality of pinions having threaded shafts engaging the support, one of said cylinders having pro jections resting on the axes of the pinions, a 'gearren'gaging the pinions, and means to actuate the gear thereby turning all the pinions and effecting a vertical bodily move-' ment of the last named cylinde'r.

3. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with the needle cylinder and cam cylinder, of a support, a plurality of pinions interposed between the support and one of the cylinders and having threaded shafts engaging one of the last named members, a rotatable gear engaging all the pinions, whereby when the gear is turned the last named cylinder is raised or lowered, and complementary members, one fixed and the other on thegear, adapted to abut one against the other and limit the downward movementv of the vertically movable cylinder, one of said complementary members being adjustable to vary the limit of'downward movement of the vertically movable cylinder.

4. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with the needle cylinder and cam cylinder, of a support, a plurality of pinions interposed between the sup ort and one of the cylinders and having t readed shafts engaging one of the last named members, a rotatable gear engaging all the pinions, wherebywhen the gear is turned the last named cylinder is raised or lowered and a device connected with and adapted to actuate the gear.

5. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with the needle cylinder and cam cylinder, of a'plurality of devices, located on different radii of the cylinders, connected with'and adapted to be actuated to move vertically one of said cylinders, and means for simultaneously and uniformly operating all of said device's, said devices being each operable, independently of each otherand of said operatingmeans, to vertically move the part of the cylinder connected therewith, whereby said adjustable cylinder may be either leveled by the differential adjustment of said devices or raised or lowered bodily taneous operation.

t In testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set my hand, at Phila., Pa, on this 11th day'of February, 1913.

. HARRY A. HOUSEMAN. Witnesses: W. P. BRooKnRMANN, J r., A. R. DOUGHERTY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

by their simul-.

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