US1403105A - Pressing and sustaining means for spring-beard needles - Google Patents

Description

A. M. PIGEON.

PRESSLNG ANDv SUSTAINING MEANS FOR SPRING BEARD NEEDLES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.6. 1919.

l ,4 3,15 Patented Jan. W, 11922,

15 jofl ALBERT M. PIGEOIT, OF ITORRISTOV l l', PENNSYLVANIA.

ERESSING AND SUSTAINING IrIEANS FOR SPRING-BEARD NEEDLES.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

, Patented Jan. it), 19232.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT M. PIGEON, a citizen of the United States, residing at llorristown, in the county of Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pressing and Sustaining Means for Spring- Beard Needles, whereof the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to knitting machines, and more especially to knitters in which spring beard needles are employed such, for example, as the type shown and described in the U. S. patent, Serial, lilo. 1,266,045, granted to me under date of May 1 1-, 1918.

Heretofore in the operation of such machines considerable trouble has been experienced through the fracture of the needle beards owing to lateral flexure under pull occasioned by enlargements, knots or other irregularities in the yarn. If the beards were not directly broken by the lateral strain thus produced, fracture was sure to result from retraction of the needles during stitch formation, either by theengagement of the deflected beards with the top of the needle cylinder adjacent the needle grooves, or by the hooking of the beards about the associated web holders. this diliiculty, T have provided means for positively sustaining the beards of the needles against such lateral flexure at the critical period, i. e., at thetime when the tips of the descending needle beards are passing over the yarns during the feeding of the latter.

A further diiiiculty heretofore met with in the employment of springbeard needles, was to insure the feeding of the yarn positively beneath the tips of the beards. This obstacle I overcome by preventing bowing of the yarn away from the needle shanks during feeding, so that engagement beneath the beards is positively assured during retraction of the needles in stitch formation.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. I, is a fragmentary sectional view through the needle cylinder of a circular knitter, and its appendages. conveniently illustrating my in 'vention. V

Fi II, is a perspective view of one of the improved beard pressers which I employ.

Fig. HT, is a detail sectional view on an enlarged scale showing the relative positions In order to obviate of the presser, yarn, and the end or tip of the needle beard at the time of passing the yarn prior to the drawing of a loop.

Fig. TV, is a diagrammatic plan view showing the relative positions of the needle, the co-operative beard presser, and the associated web holder.

Referring first to Fi I, it will be noted that the general characteristics of the structure are identical with those of Figs; I and ill, of the patents cited. This structure includes a needle cylinder herein indicated by the numeral 1, and shown as formed with the usual longitudinal grooves 2, within which are slidably supported the needles 3. Said needles are of a standard type having the spring beards indicated at l.

Mounted in the groove 2 with each needle 1 is a beard presser 5, having near its lower end a notch 6, which is engaged by a spring band 7. This band is common to the entire series of pressers, serving asa general and universal retainer and also preventing vertical movement of the pressers during the operation of the needles. The pressers adapted to be rocked about the fulcrum afforded by a curved bulge Sthereon, under the actuation of the cam. 9, operative against their tops, (see Fig. III). Each of said pressers is formed with an inclined upper cam surface or edge 10, adapted to engage the needle heard to gradually depress the same when the needle is drawn downwardly to form the stitch. Adjacent this cam edge, at one side. the presser has an extended offset projection 11 (preferably integral) upward and forward from the inclined surface 10 to a point substantiall just above the lower end of said surface 10 and substantially at (i. e., as shown, a little above) the level of the upper end of said surface 10. This projection 11 has the configuration clearly shown in Figs. 1, IT and HT, and is adapted, primarily, to sustain or steady the beard against lateral :liexure as will be presently explained. The tip of the extension is rounded as at 12, for a purpose later set forth herein.

Associated with the needles are individ" ual web holders 13, which are mounted for horizontal reciprocation in appropriate slots formed in a dial ring 1 1, attachedto the top of the needle cylinder 1. Said web holders are of the usual type, and are actuated by means of a cam ring 15, in a manner clearly set forth in the patent referred to.

In operation, the yarn Y (see Figs. I and IV) is lald against the shanks of the needles, and the latter are retracted or drawn downward to form stitches, under the control of cams of any approved type (not shown). During their descent, the tips of the needle beards 4 pass over the yarn, and are immediately thereafter depressed by engagement with the cam inclines 10, of the pressers 5. Were it not for the support afforded the beard #lby the projection 11 about at and after its first engagement with the yarn Y, any knot or other enlargement K in the yarn (Fig. IV) would act (owing to th-e relative motion of the yarn indirated by the arrow) to deflect the beard 4 laterally and hook it about the adjacent web holder, andconsequently break it during further retraction of the needle.

Referring now to Fig. III, it will be seen thatthe rounded tip 12, of the projection 11, of the beard presser facilitates the passage of the yarn behind the same during feeding. As a consequence the yarn subsequently reeves into the inter-space between the presser 5 and the needle shank, and is thus prevented from bowing outwardly and away from said shank during the descent of the needle to form a fabric loop, so that positive feeding beneath the beard 4: is assured.

From the above it will be seen that by the present invention I have overcome two of themost'serious drawbacks (previously referred to) which heretofore prevented the more general adaptationof spring beard needles to knitting machines more especially designed for fine gauge work.

While I have herein-shown and described my invention asbeing applied to a circular knitting machine, it is to be understood that I do not wish to 'be so limited since it may be incorporated with equal advantages in machines of the straight or bar type.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Ina knitting machine, the combination of a spring beard needle, means for depressing the needle beard, and means for sustaining the beard against lateral 'fleirure by the yarn at and after its first engagement with the yarn, as wellas during depression by said depressing means.

2. In a knitting machine, the combination of a spring beard needle, means for dean inclined beard-depressing upper surface,

and an extended lateral beard'support proecting upward and forward from said surface at one side'thereof for SLlStttlIllIl the 7 7 l3 needle; beard against lateral fleXure by the yarn at and after its first engagement with the yarn.

a. A spring beard needlepresser having an inclined beard-depressing upper surface,

and a lateral beard support pro ecting upward and forward from said surface, at one side'thereof, to a point substantially just above the lower end of said surface and substantially at the level of its upper end, for sustaining the needle beard against lateral flexure by the yarn during feeding.

5. A spring beard needle presser having an inclined bearddepressing upper surface, and a lateral beardsupport' projecting upward and forward from said surface, at one side thereof, to a rounded tip substantially just above the lower end of saidsurfaie and above the level of its upper end, for guiding the yarn behindthe presser and sustaining the needlebeard against lateral flexure during feedin 6. A spring beard needle presser having an inclined beard-depressing upper surface, and an extended laterally offset beard support projecting upward and forward from said surface, at one side thereof, for sustaining the needle beard against lateral fieXure by theyarn at and after its first engagement therewith. V

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this fourth day of December, 1919/ ALBERT M. Prenon.

"Witnesses: i V 4 J AMns' H. BEL E. L. FULLERTON.

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