US1158072A - Rib-knitting machine. - Google Patents

Description

Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

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RIB KNITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.3. 19M, LMWF, Patented 0ct.26,1915.

3 SHEE S-SHEET 2 H. W. NIERMEYER.

I RIB KNITTING MACHINE.

APR.3. I9I4 Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

SHEETS SHEET 3 D A TNW AW WW WAWA nw dv AWA EW WATUQWJW WQ HENRY'W. NIIJRMEYER, or UTICA, NEW YORK.

RIB-KNITTING Maciimn Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 3, 1914. Serial No; 829,400.

of producing a tubular fabric comprising the two and two Swiss rib with means for disengaging a given number of needles and the pattern mechanism comprising the well i known chain trip motion and measuring machines so that at a predetermined point a set of cams will be brought into action to project the needles that are out of action while the two and two Swiss rib is being produced so that the machine will instantly be changed from that style of fabric so as to make a one and one ribbed fabric to give a larger diameter to the fabric tube as it'is being produced.

Another ob ect 1s to provide means which may be applied to any of the wellknown circular latch or spring needle rib knitting machines now in use so that they may produce the two and two swiss and the one and one ribbed fabric, by manipulating the needles in such a manner as to dispense with every third needle in the dial and cylinder while knitting two and two and to'again bring these needles into action when it is desired to knit one and one fabric.

The fabric made with one and one, and two and two ribbed knitting is very, desirable for ladies shaped garments. The two and two ribbed knitting is contracted and light, formin the waist, while the one and one ribbed knitting forming the top and bottom portion of the garment is larger and heavy.

Heretoforepthe knitting of ribbed fabric I with thin and contracted waist portions has been accomplished by various ways as for instance: tight and loose knit fabric. This causes a tight fabric at the waist liiae,or,

waist portion is by change of y arns, cutting out the heavy yarn and splicin in the fine yarn as the it. ment a more desirable fabric is produced with less difiiculty and 'no changing of yarn or length of stitch is necessary.

Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

With my improve- The change from one to the other style of fabric is accomplished by a common pattern mechanism. '7

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 IS a view of a knitting machine with my improvement applied thereto. Certain parts are shown in section with portions broken away in order to clearly portray the invention. Fig, 2 1s a detail of the pattern mechanlsm. Flg. 3 is a top plan skeleton view showing mechanism for operating the dial chain commonly used on circular knitting needles looking down in the direction of the arrow of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view intended to illustrate the manner in which the cylinder cams are arranged to operate the needles. Fig. 5 are parts of the trip' mechanism for actuating the topneedle cams of. the cylinder.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the trip piece which cooperates with the parts shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail of a lug for holding the lovers which operate the cam ring. Fig. 8

is a detail intended to illustrate the manner in which the cam actuating rings are placed one upon the other. Fig. 9 also shows the cam actuating rings with links and connectin cams attached thereto. Fig. 10' is a detail of the housing ring. Fig. 11 is a detail .of the fabric made by the machine. I

1 is a circular base plate which supports the knitting mechanism, being cut out at 2 to receive the housing 3 which extends upward at 4 and surrounds the cam mechanism. Adjacent thereto are section pieces 5 circular in form to hold the section cam ring 6 in position.

7 is a cylinder slotted in the usual manner to properly guide the needles and is secured to the part 1 by suitable screws.

The housing 4 is bored to receive posts 8,

which also act as guides for the rings generally indicated by 99, passing up through slots 10 and supporting the frame 11 which carries the supply of yarn and other mechanism suspendedtherefrom in a well known manner.

12 is a circular plate which is cut out at 13 to receive the cams 1-1 for actuating the dial needles. Rings 15 and 16 are carried thereby, 16 having pivotedly connected therewith links 17, while the ring 15 has pivotedly secured thereon links 18. The plate 12 has pivotedly secured near its hub by means of a shoulder screw 19 a long lever 20 having an overhanging adjustable piece 21 screwed to its end. Said lever is slotted at 22 to receive a pin extending up from the ring 16 which also .passes through a slot in the lever 21 which is also pivotedly secured to the plate at An adjustable piece is secured to the lever 2-1 near its end to properly cooperate with the trip mechanism. The ring 15 is actuated by a similar lever mechanisnnthe lever 27 being pivotedly secured to the plate 12 at 28 and slotted at 29 to receive the pin 30 while the lever 31 is pivotedly secured to the plate 12 at 32,.having a slotted end which also engages the pin 30.

By means of the two lever mechanisms above described two sets of cams are actuated to manipulate the long needles carried by the dial to produce the different fabrics. hen the cams 33 are in the position shown in Fig. 3 the needles carried by the dial are in action to produce the one and one rib fabric. When it is. desired to change from the one and one fabric to the two and two Swiss ribbed fabric the pattern mechanism is brought into position to actuate the le vers 21 and 21 so as to turn the ring to a position which will draw thecams 33 inward sufliciently to cause the long needles to make a tuck or royal stitch, that is to say. the stitch is held upon the latch so as not to cast off of same while the machine is making one stitch course, after which the ring 16 is given an additional movement by the levers 21and24 cooperating with the pattern mechanism to draw the cams 33 to their innermost position as represented. by dotted lines.see Fig. 3,at which time the long needles travel in substantially a concentric path having no knitting movement, and remain in this position while the short needles make one stitch course. In order to remove the tuck or royal stitch which has been retained by the long needles during the one course of knitting, I provide a set of cams 34 pivotedly secured to the plate 12 in suitable recesses cut therein. These cams are actuated by the links 18 and'the ring 15.

A movement is given to the ring 15 by the levers 27 and 31 toproject the cams 34 to the dotted line position,see Fig. 3,so that the long needles as they pass by same will be projected so the loops will drop behind the latch of the needles and as the needles are drawn back'loy the cam face 35 the stitch is cast off from the needles. The cams 31 instantly return to their initial position shown in the full line,see Fig. 3, after they have served the purpose of projecting the needles to assist in casting off the stitch, at which time the long needles of the dial are inactive because of the concentric path 36 cooperating with the needles so there will be no projecting movements given to the same while the machine is producing the two and two Swiss rib fabric. The dial is provided with the usual dial plate cams 11 forming a path 37 for the short needles. It will be seen that these cams are arranged in such a manner as to give knitting movements to the needles which are used when knitting both styles of fabric herein described. These cams are attached to the dial plate 12 in a well known manner having a slight adjustment to regulate the throw of the needles. The sectional cam ring 6 carries the usual cams forming the needle grooves in the well known manner, the parts forming the cams being made in suitable sections of such form as to give action to the needles performing the knitting function.

38 represents guard cams for the short needles of the cylinder.

39 is a movable cam carried by the stem -10 which extends upward and terminates in a projection -11 having a bevel end 12. Secured to the part 41 is an adjusting block 43 also provided with a bevel end 14 having slots 15 through which screws 46 pass to secure it to the part 11. Said screws enter the apertures 47 in the part 11. The adjusting block 13 is tapped out at 48 to receive screws -19 for the purpose of adjusting it vertically on the part 11. while the screws :6 secure' it in position. By this means I am able to regulate the position of the cam 39 in order to move the needles as desired to produce the different stitch effects. Cooperating with the parts 41 and 13 is a screw 50 carried by an angle bracket 51 which is slotted at 52 and provided with a clamping-screw 53 to secure the screw 50 in position. The angle bracket 51 has an extension 54 provided with apertures 55 through which screws 56 pass to secure it to the ring 96. The spring 58 is located underneath the stem 10 to lift the cam plate 39 and keep it under vertical tension so that the cam plate 39 will return to its highest or initial position as soon as the screw 50 is moved out of contact with the blocks -13 and 41. There are several of these cams 39 with their cooperating devices as above described, according to the number of yarn feeds carried by the machine. The relation of these cams in combination with the dial cams will be described more fully hereinafter.

59 represents the path for the top set of needles carried by the cylinder while 60 represents the path for the bottomset or long cylinder needles.

61 represents guard cams for the long cylinder needles.

62 are combination lift-up and draw-down cams acting upon both sets of cylinder needles. I

63 is a combination draw-down and guard cam for both sets of needles and is shaped at 6-1 so as to form a slot 65 between it and the cam 62 to remove and replace needles. The latch 66 is pivotedly secured at 67 to the plate 62 in such a manner as to close the opening 65 to prevent the top set of short needles falling into the bottom path of the long needles.

It has been found in practice that in machines constructed for use with two sets of needles, one set operating in a path above the other, it has been difiicult to arrange the cams so that the needles might be removed or replaced without inconvenience and the open slo-t has been found impracticable in use on account of the needles dropping from one path to the other causing damage to the machine. I have entirely overcome thls fault by applying a latch 66 which is seated in a recess in the cam 62 having a spring 68 acting against the wall of the recess which holds the latch. 66 in the full line position shown in Fig. 4. When a needle is removed or replaced the cylinder is turned so that the needle groove of same will aline with the opening 65 so that the butt of the needle will come in contact with the inclined edges of the latch and move it to the dotted line position permitting the needle to pass the same. Thus I have provided means which entirely overcome the possibility of damaging the machine 'by overcoming the danger of the needles getting displaced.

69 are; ordinary lift cams for the top or short needles while 7 0 are adjustable lift cams for the bottom or long needles and are pivotedly secured at 71 to the cam ring 6.

Cam plates 72 form the bottom wall of the needle path 60 while cams 73 are combination lift and guard cams. An opening 74 is provided to receive the lifting cams'ZO when moved to the dotted line position,see Fig. 4. Lift cams 75 are pivotedly secured at 76 to the cam ring 6 and lie in the full line position shown in Fig. 1.

Mounted on the top 77 of the housing 4: is a ring 78 slotted to receive the posts 8 for guidance in their circular reciprocating movement. I make use of three similar rings as is clearly shown in Figs. 8 and 9, one placed upon the other so that each may have an independent movement being actuated by separate and independent means, that is to say, either of the three rings may be shifted in either direction without affecting the others. The bottom ring is Provided with downward projecting ears 79 having pivotedly secured thereto at 80 links 81 connected to the cams 7 Fig. 9 is intended to illustrate same in its lowest position as shown in Fig. l. The pin 82,-see Fig. 8,- passing through a slot similar to slot 83 of the rings is secured to the ring 78 and cooperates with the levers 81 and 85 by means of elongated slots therein. The lever 85 is pivotally secured at 86 to the cam ring 6.

from the full line position to the dotted line position,see Fig. 4,-for the purpose hereinafter stated. The ring 91. resting upon the ring 78, is provided with depending ears 92 having pivotally secured thereto at 93 links 94 connected tothe cams 70. The pin 95 is secured to the ring 91 and passes through slot 83 and cotiperates with a pair of levers not shown 'but identical with 8+ and 85 which will be operated by the pattern mechanism. The top ring 96 is provided with a stud 97 coiiperating with levers 98 and 99. The adjusting piece 100 is secured to the lever 98, and pin 101 is secured to the lever 99 projecting therefromso as to travel in the path of the trip mechanism for ac tuating the same, the purpose of the strip or the difference in the length of each lever is to give a double movement to the cam. that is to say, when the short projection coiiperates with the trip device the ring will be moved a short distance to bring the screw 50 to the dotted line position,see Fig. 1.- moving the cams 39 downward sufficiently to cause the needles to draw a longer stitch. As the trip mechanism contacts with the top block of the lever the screw 50 is brought to the full line position shown in Fig. 1 depressing cams 39 to their fullest extent making a still,longer stitch. The object of this step movement is to make the change from one style of fabric to the other gradually. that is to say, in order to change from the one and one to two and two fabric it has been found desirable to depress the needles part way while knitting one course. then depress to the desired depth while making the next course, continuing so while making the two and two fabric. It is well known that a longer stitch must be made while making the two and two fabric than when making the one and one fabric. When changing from two and two to oneand one fabric the pattern mechanism is caused to actuate the levers 99 and 100 to shift the ring '96 so as to move the screw 50 out of engagement with the blocks 43 and 11 allowing the springs 58 to return the cams to their initial high position for the purpose of knitting the one and one fabric. The posts e0 having the cams 39 secured thereto operate in suitable sockets in a well known manner. The housitig at is cut out as at 102 to give freedom for movement of the links 81 and 94; and is also slotted at 103 for the pins 104 carried by the cams and 7 5 to operate therein. The cam ring 6 is also slotted as at 105 to permit the pins 104 t move therein.

I make use of common pattern mechanism which may be briefly described as follows: The wheel 106 is rotated and secured to the shaft 107 operating in bearings 108 having a chain wheel 109 carrying the usual measuring chain 110. Said chain is provided with cam links 111 which cooperate with the arm 112 of the lever pivoted at 113 while the other arm having a projection at 111 is arranged so as to liftand hold the ratchet pawl 115 out of full engagement with the ratchet wheel 116. It will be understood that the wheel 117 carried by the lever 118 pivoted at 119 gives movement to the pawl 115 because of its co-acting with the usual cam carried by the cam ring 6. The pattern mechanism is supported by the bracket 120,

consisting of several chains 121 carrying the usual cam links for the purpose of actuating,

the levers 122 upon their pivots 123 so as to lift the plungers 124 which operate in bearings 125 and carry' disks 126 which cooperate with thevarious cam actuating levers as before described The operation of. the machine is as follows: The machine is put into rotary motion carrying the usual yarns for making the cloth. The wheel 106 is turned by the fabric, operating the chain 110, while the wheel 117 is actuated once for each revolution of the machine as the cam 111 lifts the lever 112 so as to disengage the pawl 115. The ratchet wheel 116 is caused to rotate operating the chains 121 so that the high links thereof will engage and lift the levers 122 so as to lift one of the disks 126 to engage the short end of the lever 24 to retract the cams 33 part way so as to make the royal or tuck stitch during one stitch course. During the next stitch course the disk 126 is lifted higher to engage the long end of the lever 21 to retract the cams 33 to the dotted line position,see Fig. 3. Simultaneously with this cam movement another disk similar to 126 is brought into engagement with the short end of the levers 99 and 100 so as to shift the ring 96 bringing the screw 50 to the dotted'line position on the part -11 depressing the cam 39 part way. At the next stitch course and simultaneously with the action of 'the cams 33 to their full retracted position the last named disk is brought into engagement with the long end of the levers 99 and 100 to move the rings 91, 96 so as to bring the screw 50 on top of the block 4-3, depressing the cams 39 to the fullest extent, at the same time the action takes place on the cams 33 and 70. At the next stitch course the pattern mechanism operates another disk similar to 126 to engage the lever 27 while still another disk similar to 126 engages the levers 8% or 85 to shift the ring 78 so as to lift the cam to the dotted line position, see Fig. 4,and remain in this position for one stitch course to remove the stitches from the dial and cylinder long needles. By confining the movement of these cams to but one welt course of knitting of the long needles I overcome the liabilityof making a continuous rundown or imperfect work, Immediately as the one course is knit while the cams 75 are in the lifted position the mechanism is again tripped so as to shift the same to their initial position. \Vhen the point has been reached in the making of the fabric where it is desired to reverse from the two and two to the one and one rib fabric the mechanisms above described are again actuated to the positions shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

It should be understood that needle latch openers are necessary to properly carry out my invention.

- Referring to the fabric produced by the machine, shown in Fig. 11, AA indicates the one and one ribbed fabric on top and bottom, while BB indicates the two and .two ribbed fabric. The long dial needle loops are indicated by D, while the long cylinder needle loops are indicated by C. The tuck stitch course is indicated by the loops D and C. The loops C and D are cast off the needles at theibeginning of the two and two ribbed fabric and when these needles are again put into action the loops C and I) are formed to again make the one and one ribbed fabric.

It should be further understood that I do not limit my invention to the specific detail of mechanism described and shown herein as it is manifest that slight variations and changes in the construction of the various parts may be made without departing from the scope of the appending claims.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. In a knitting machine adapted to make tion of the dial needles; intermediate connections between the rings and the cams; a trip device for actuating the rings and a pattern mechanism for actuating the trip device; and an independent trip device coacting with the rings for shifting the dial needle cams to effect the dial needles simultaneously with the change effected on the cylinder needles.

2. In a knitting machine adapted to'make fabrics of different types, a dial and a cylinder, each having needles, the shanks of recurrent dial and cylinder needles shaped sons to be controlled by movable cams adjacent the dial and cylinder whereby the knitting of said needles may be changed independent of the other dial and cylinder needles. and trip mechanisms operated by an adjustable pattern device or devices, arranged to change knitting from one and one to two and two fabric and vice versa.

8. The combination in a knitting machine adapted to make rib fabric of different types at predetermined intervals a cylinder and dial carrying needles; recurrent needles thereof being longer than the others, needle cams and cam actuated mechanism including rings and levers and intermediate connections for changing the action of the recurrent cylinder and dial needles and tnip mechanism co-acting with said levers to effect the different types of knitting.

4. The combination in a knitting machine with a cylinder of two sets of needles therefor; a dilil carrying two sets of needles, each third needle of the dial and cylinder being longer than the others so as to travel in a different path; a series of movable cams for the long needles of the dial and cylinder; link connections for the cams respectively; rings adjacent the cylinder and dial for actuating the links and cams; trip levers connected to the rings carrying stepped contacts to co-act with the trip mechanism to move the needle cams of the dial and cylinder step by step to effect a gradual change in the knitting from one and one to two and two ribbed fabric; a pattern mechanism controlled by the fabric to actuate the trip mechanism to effect a change in the action of the dial and cylinder needles simultaneously.

5. The combination in a knitting machine for making different types of rib fabric, with the dial and cylinder, two series of needles carried by the dial and cylinder recurrent needles thereof being operated by separate cams of the dial and cylinder. certain of said cams being movable independent of the other cams, means connecting with and operating said movable cams of the dial and cylinder to put the recurrent needles into and out of knitting action at intervals to change the type of fabric being knitted.

(3. In a knitting machine adapted to make rib fabric of different types at predetermined intervals, a dial and cylinder: needles therefor: cams for actuating said needles, recurrent needles of the dial and cylinder being longer than the others, shiftable cams forming paths for the long needles of the dial; and means for shifting said cams whereby said needles are put in and out of action automatically, other cams relatively stationary forming paths for the short needles of the dial: and other shiftable cams forming paths for the long and short needles of the cylinder actuating connections for the shiftable needle cams of the dial and cylinder, and a trip device therefor co-acting with a pattern mechanism.

7. In a knitting machine adapted to make rib fabric of different types at predetermined intervals: comprising a needle cylinder and dial, needles in said cylinder and dial, recurrent needles thereof being longer than the others, actuating cams for the needles of the cylinder and dial, said cams being arranged to form separate cam paths for the long and short needles including shiftable tuck cams and shiftable cast-off cams for the long needles, and other shiftable cast-off cams for the short cylinder needle, to effect the stitch, and means for shifting the cams.

8. In a knitting machine adapted to make rib fabric of different types at predetermined intervals, comprising a needle cylin der and dial, needles in said cylinder and dial, recurrent needles thereof being longer than the others, shiftable cams for the long needles and other shiftable cams for the short needles of the cylinder, controlling means for shifting the cams and long needles at intervals so as to hold a series of knit loops during one knit course; and again shift said needles entirely out of action: said shifting movement being effected step by step, including means for adjusting the step by step 'movements, and a pattern mechanism therefor.

9. In a knitting machine adapted to make rib fabric of different types at predetermined intervals, comprising a needle cylinder and dial, recurrent needles of the. cylinder and dial being longer than the others, cams forming paths for actuating the needles: shiftable cams.in said paths arranged to be shifted so that said long needles Will tuck at one course andv cast-01f is knitted and a step by step shifting device at another course and Will further keep the controlled by a pattern mechanism.

long needles of the cylinder and dial out of action While knitting one type of fabric: means to reverse the shifting of said cams and the long cylinder and dial needles into knitting action When another type of fabric HENRY W. NIERMEYER.

WVitnesses:

JOHN P. WEIs, JOHN W. KANE.

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