US1406254A

US1406254A - Needle cylinder for knitting machines

Info

Publication number: US1406254A
Application number: US478579A
Authority: US
Inventors: Herbert T Ballard
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1921-06-18
Filing date: 1921-06-18
Publication date: 1922-02-14
Anticipated expiration: 1939-02-14

Description

H. T. BALLARD.

NEEDLE CYLINDER FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED .IUNE'I8. I92I.

Patented Nb.14, 1922.

UNITED STATES HERBERT r. BALLARD, or Nonnrsr'owN, PENNSYLVANIA.

NEEDLE CYLINDER FOR .'KNITTING MACHINES.

Speccaton of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 14, 1922.

Application filed. June 18, 1921. Serial No. 78,579.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Hnnnnr T. BALLARD, a citizen of Great Britain, residing in Norristown, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Needle Cylinders `for Knitting Machines, of which the iollowing is a specification,

My invention relates to needle cylinders for knitting machines and especially to that type of cylinder which has an annular series of sinkers or web-holders secured thereto around the top, these sinkers alternating with the needles and consisting of steel bits set into radial grooves in the top of the cylinder and being hooked so as to catch and retain the sinker wales of the knitted web as the needles rise.

lThe object of my invention is to so mount the sinkers upon the cylinder top that they will be lirmly and positively held in their predetermined positions but at the same time will be readily releasable so that a bent, broken or otherwise injured sinker may be quickly and easily removed. This object l accomplish in the manner hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. l is a vertical sectional view. of a knitting machine needle cylinder equipped with sinkers mounted in accordance with my invention;

F ig. 2 is a similar View of the cylinder and sinlrers in disassociated relation, and

Fig. 3 is a similar view of a certain sleeve and nut employed in connection with the cylinder and sinkers shown in Fig. 2.

Referring, in the first instance, to Fig. l, l show a needle cylinder l, threaded at la at its lower end to screw into the bed plate of a knitting` machine, and equipped at its top with sinkers 2 which are retained in position by meansAo-f a sleeve 3 centrally disposed within the cylinder l.k For purposes of clarity and to avoid confusion in the showing, only the two sinkers at diametrically opposite sides of the cylinder are illustrated in the drawing.

The upper end of the cylinder l is provided with a series of radial slots or grooves 4- (Fig. 2), each of which receives one of the sinkers 2 and provides side bearings therefor. Each sinker 2 is provided with a downwardly depending tail 2*1 the rear face ci which abuts against the inner face 5 of the top of the cylinder whereby radial bearing is provided for the sinkers. To insure this radial bearing by forcing the sinkers radially outward, the inner face of each sinker is bevelled, as shown at 2b, Fig. 2, and coperating with the bevelled faces of the sinkers is the outer face of an outwardly llaring head 6, (Fig. 3) on the sleeve 3 which is disposed within the cylinder. Preferably, the inner tace of the head 6 is bevelled as shown in Figs. l and 2, so that it will not interfere with the free delivery of web from the needles. The lower end of the sleeve 3 projects downwardly below the bottom of the cylinder l and is threaded for the reception of a retaining nut 7. The upper tace of this nut bears against the lower face of the bottom of the cylinder and, as it is tightened upon the threaded lower end of the sleeve 3, serves not only to retain the sleeve in position but also imparts the necessary downward pull to it which results in the firm maintenance of the Haring head 6 against the bevelled inner faces of the sinlrers. Thus the rigid mounting of the sinkers is insured. The lower edge of the nut 7 is preferably provided with a pair of diametrically opposite notches, as shown, so that it may readily be engaged by a screw driver or equivalent tool, and thereby manipulated.

lhould any of the sinkers become bent, broken or otherwise damaged, its replacement is but a simple matter. The nut 7 is unscrewed from the bottom of the sleeve 3 and the latter is removed, vertically. The sinkers are thus exposed and any of them may be lifted from its place. To again assemble the parts it is merely necessary to lower the sleeve to position and replace its nut.

While my invention is designed especially for use in connection with needle cylinders of relatively small diameter and is partic-` ularlyV applicable to such use, it is not limited in this manner, as it can readily be adapted for use with cylinders of larger size without departure vfrom the spirit of my invention.

Y l claim:

l. The combination of a radially slotted needle cylinder, sinkers set in the slots, said sinlrers having bevelled inner faces, a sleeve disposed within said cylinder, a flaring head on said sleeve engaging the bevelled inner faces of the sinkers, and releasable means for imparting downward pull to said sleeve.

2. rThe combination of a. radially slotted threaded lower end of said sleeve and bearing against the lovvei` face of the bottom of the cylinder.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my naine to this specification.

HERBERT T. BALLARD.