US1145375A - Yarn-changer for double-feed automatic circular-knitting machines. - Google Patents

Description

J. LAWSON.

YARN CHANGER FOR DOUBLE FEED AUTOMATIC CIRCULAR KNITTiNG MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3. 1913.

1,145,375. Patented July 6, 1915.

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I. LAWSON.

YARN CHANGER FOR DOUBLE FEED AUTOMATIC CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES.

v APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3.19I3. 1,145,375, Patented July 6, 1915.

/ 2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

FRONT UNITED STATES JOHN LAWSON, or CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAND.

YARN-CHANGER FOR DOUBLE-FEED AUTOMATIC CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J u-ly 6, 1915.-

Application filed February 3, 1913. Serial No. 745,804.

To (171 20710222 it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN Lawson, a citizen of the United States, residing at Central Falls, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Yarn-Changers for Double-Feed Automatic Circular-Knitting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

In a-co-pending application for patent filed by me in the U. 5. Patent ()tiice, Serial X0. 703.628, I have shown and described a double-feed circular knitting machine for automatically producing seamless stockings.

My present invention relates to yarnchangers for knitting machines of the class above referred to, but more especially, however, to knitting machines in which the needle-carrying cylinders are revoluble, and in which the tubular portions of the stockings are knitted from a plurality of independently arranged main' threads or doublefeed knitting, as it may be termed. In knittingmachines of this last-named type the threads are usually introduced at diametrically opposite points and provided with means for knitting both threads simultaneously during certain parts of the stocking.

A serious .iibjoc to the usual manner of employing a swondary knitting-thread is due to the fact that the thread is ke t moving in the plain threml-guide or eye, the thread at the same time also engaging the front of the sinkers and moving back and forth thereagainst when it is thus normally idle or non-knitting, as when the cylinder is reciprocating in producing the heel and toe parts. Such resulting action upon the thread causes excessive wear and abrasion. In case the thread is of fine silk or lisle fiber, the percentage of loss and imperfect product becomes of even greater consideration.

The object of the invention forming the subject of this application for U. S. patent is to provide an automatically controlled yarn-changer device for the secondary threads of double-feed knitting machines: the" construction and arrangement of said device being such that the yarn-changer 1s caused to place its thread (the secondary thread) in position for knitting action relatively to the needles at predetermined times concurrently with positioning the corresponding knitting cams and sinker-retract My invention is well adapted to be employedin double-feed knitting machines, thereby more rapidly producing the leg portions of plain stcckingsait also may be used in knitting the foot portions of plain knits ted stockings.

In knitting machines for the production of split-foot stockings, wherein the sole of the foot portion is knitted from a heavier or different thread than is used in the upper part, my invention is particularly advantageous in that the yarn-changer and its thread are caused to be automatically moved bodily out of knitting position and held stationary while the cylinder-is reciprocating in producing the heel and toe portions from the other knitting thread. At the commencement of the split-foot part (the cylinder still moving in a reciprocatory manner) the yarn-changer is moved bodily to place its thread downward into knitting position to cooperate with the other knitting-thread or threads; at the same time, too, the secondary knitting and sinker-cams are automatically positioned to convert the last-named thread into courses connecting with the other part of the foot:

In the two accompanying sheets of drawings illustrating my improved yarn-changer connected with certain portions of an automatic circular knitting machine, Figure 1 represents a partial end elevation, viewed from the left. the parts being in the normal 4 knitting position; Fig. 2 is a vertical crosssectional view, in enlarged scale, taken substantially on line 2'2 of Fig. 3; Fig. 3 is a top plan view, some of the parts being omitted; Fig. 4 is a partial top plan view showing the position of the secondary sinker-cam when the secondary knittingthread is. inactive, and Fig. 5 is a partial side elevation.

It may be, stated in advance that the general type of knitting machine represented, except as to the inclusion of improvements, is substantially like that shown in Hemphills U. S. Patent- No. 933,443, of September '7. 1909. The following is a brief description of portions of the said knitting machine, 'and including a more detailed description of the yarn-changer forming'the subject of the present application for patent.

pivotally mounted lever Z, in connection "iilll a vertical link Z jointed to the opposite.

rentl'y with the act of moving the secondary thread downward into knitting position. lhis lastnamed movement is effected by nieans' of an arm member u connected to Ai'al'tlfl'OllTtllB needles while the secondary thread is thus inactive:

5 The mainframe (at-together with the top and extending upward from the rod 7 70 table a of the machine have the various" to engage an. arm 'of'the yarn-changer A. knitting instrumentalities mounted. thereon; v lhus it will be apparent that the secondary for example, a revoluble needle and sinkerthread. is automatically positioned for knitv carrying cylinder N a horizontal main camting action whenever the lever l bears upon 10 shafts arranged tomove in the arrow dithe cam-lugs f, and is normally inactive 7-5 rectioii in a step-by-step manner, a main when the shaft 8 in its movements permits cam-block D with itsknitting-cai is, and a the lever to drop from-the lugs onto the normally stationary hinged latch-guard H plain surface or barrel 7' oi the cam C surmounting theneedle-cylinder etc. 'The spring zf connected totlie yarn-changer 5 latch-guard is extended at the right, said causes the latter to automatically place its 83 -eXtension being provided with movable thread upward out of knitting, actionyarn-guides a for the niain tliread 2?; said (see "dotted line position Fig. 2) upon the yarn-guides being disposed above the camenga ement ot' the lever I with tlie'surface block D. 1X substantially fiat plate B is f ot the cam a spring t encircling the located within the needle-row, said plate berod 1 serving at the same time to insure the 8 ing secured to the latclrguardand movable downward movement of the latter. bodily with it. "The plate Bfniaybe pro- Means for moving the secondary .camvided on its upper face with a mechanically block D toward and from the needlecylinactuated yarn-holder or binderll adapted der ma be effected by means of a suitably t to retain the main thread if when the latter actuated horizontal link at jointed to a piv- 99 is temporarily inactive or floating) The oted lever 11-, in turn jointed to a crossbinde'r device is or may be actuated or con head a carrying a pair of guided laterally trolled by means of an elongated suitably separated rods nlfixed to the block I), sub- I driven slotted lever Z: pivoted to tlie 'latclistantially as shown in Figs; 1, 3 and guard. A thread-severing device having The secondary knitting-tlireadt is posi 9-5 cutting jaws, indicated at'l'l Fig. 3, adapttioned downward for action. concurrently.

ed to be actuated by said lever is may be with the action of suitably timed mechaemployed for obvious purposes. nism for placing the secondary sinker-cam At a point diametrically opposite the said i; outward to successively position the thread-guides u is located my improved in- 'sinkers 0 while the thread is introduced to dependently operable yarn-changer device the needles in passingthat point. At the A for the secondary thread 15 see Figs; 1, same time, too, the mechanism connected 2, and 3. The said yarn-changer properlis with the sliding block 1). moves the latter connected to and capable of movement inward so as to cause its knitting-cams to 4,0- bodily with the latcl'r-guard; the co'iistruc-- engage the needles and convert the thread tion and arrangement being such that the into connected stitches. r

secondary thread may be' automatically 'The secondary thread t 'is moved out of moved into and out of knitting action 'atknitting action through the medium of said predetermined points while the latch-guard spring 2 simultaneously with the down- =45 is in the normally dropped position The ward movement of the vertical rod Z? and yarn-changer A' is pivoted to a lug h of theits extension 14 said downwardmovement 'guard, the thread-carrying end "of the of the rod Z at the same time permitting former being adapted to swing in a transthe spring 6 to press the secondary sinkerverse gap or recess w formed in the guard rain 5 inward to its limit and'cause the H. Means? represented for-"moving the -i sinkers to travel in a'path concentrically yarn-changer to place the secondary thread with the cylinder at that pointu See Fig. 4,

in knitting position consist of a cam C sewhich represents the cam and sinkers in the cured to-said shaft 5, said cam having suitinward position. The 'mechanism for conable'peripherally arranged lugs these lattrolling the movements of the cam-block E5E ter, when engaged by the free end 7 of the. D is'tinied so as to move the block out-- H The inner end portion of the secondary thread; 72 (when inactive or floating) may end thereof and to the rear end of a swingting horizontal upper lever Z impart vertical r movement to the guided spring-pressed rod be held or. retaiiied by a mechanically ac- 2 Z vertically supported on the free end of. tu'at'ed binder H mounted on said plate B lever Z .v The upper end 7* of rod Z is substantially as represented'in Figs.2 and 3. beveled or wedge-sha 'ie and arranged to en- Ihe movements of the swinging binder gagewith and retract the 'sprii ig-pressed or clanipingarm H 'niay be effected through 0 secondary sinkercam e outward concurthe medium of said lever}: and suitable con 13 nections adapted to be actuated by a cam (not shown on the main cam-shaft s. I

I claim as my invention: L. The combination in a knitting-machine,-

. of a revoluble knitting-cylinder provided with needles and sinker-s, a pivoted latch-guard normally positioned above the cylinder, a yarn-changer or feeder pivoted to the latchguard, said yarn-changer carrying a secondary' knitting yarn, a radially movable horizontal secondary sinker-cam disposed with respect to the needles and sinkers, means engageable with the yarn-changer and sinkercam for, simultaneously moving them into the respective normal knitting positions, and means for automatically moving the last-named elements to place the secondary yarn in an inoperative position. i

2. In an automatic double-feed knitting machine having. a revoluble needle and sinker-carrying cylinder, ,2; main yarn feeder, and instrumentalities adapted to convert a yarn carried by itinto: knitted courses of stitches, the combination there-. with ofa suitably mounted'movablev yarnchanger adaptedto .carry a secondary yarn disposed" diametrically opposite said yarnfeeder, movable knitting-cams'located below the yarn-changer, a secondary" sinker-cam, means for moving the latter inward and outward, and means for causing the yarnchanger to automatically place its yarn in knitting position simultaneously with the act of moving said sinker-cam outward.

3. A circular knitting-machine, having, combination, a main cam-shaft, a needlecylinder provided with needlesand sinkers, a inovable' secondary sinker-cam, knittingcams and devices cooper-able therewith for knitting a secondary yarn, a movable latchguard having an open recess therein, a swinging yarn-changer device for the secondary yarn' having, a member thereof adapted to pass through said recess in placing its-yarn in the knitting and non-knittin positions, a clamping-arm I-li movable boc ily with the latch-guard for holding the secondary yarn stationary in the non-knitting position while the needle-cylinder is 1 reciprocating, and instrumentalities actuated fromsaid main cam-shaft for automat-' ically placing in the idle or inoperative po- ;sitions the said secondary sinker-cam, the secondary knittin' .yarn-chan er, an .at the same time causing -cams, and-the secondary the said 0 amping-arm to engage and hold the secondary yarn, substantially as described. y

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of two' witnesses. JOHN LAWSON.

.Witnessesf GEO. H. REMINGTON, CHARLES C. REMINGTON.

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