US1497466A - Circular-knitting machine - Google Patents

Description

June '10 T924} 15491456 J. WALTHER CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed NOV. 17. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 10, 1924.

J. WALTHER CIRCULAR KNITTING MAORI Filed Nov. 17. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 la -I [72 212% Zak ribbed fabric.

Patented June id, 1924.

a r i PATENT orric' CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINE.

Application filed November 17, 1923. Serial no. 875,361.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, JonaNNns lVALrimn. a citizen of the German Republic, residing at (illlell'lflltZ. Germany. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Circular-lnitting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to circular knitting n achines and consists in the provision of an auxiliary needle cylinder arranged above the ordinary cylinder so that it can be moved axially into and out of position for cooperating with the latter in producing ribbed fabric. The change-over from plain to ribbed fabric may be effected automatically, for instancein an automatic sock knitting machine, for which purpose a transfer ring is fitted inside the principal cylinder so that it can be adjusted aXially'there-in, the ring being provided with a plurality of prongs adapted to enter the loops behind the needles and hold them while the needles of one cylinder are withdrawn and replaced by those of the other cylinder.

Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a vertical section of the two needle cylinders, the auxiliary cylinder being shown in the position it occupies when not in use, I

Fig. 2 is a partial plan of the principal needle cylinder,

Fig. 3, a view of the needle employed in the auxiliary cylinder, and

Fig. 4, a view showing how these needles enter the loops at the change-over from plain to ribbed fabric.

Figs. 5 to 16 illustrate by alternate front and side views. the position of the elements during the different operations.

The ordinary needle cylinder 14- ot' a circular knitting machine is supplemented by a needle cylinder 1 which is arranged above the principal cylinder and adapted for axial adjustment so that it can be lowered into and raised out of position for cooperating with this cylinder in the production of Fig. 1 shows the auxiliary cylinder in inoperative position, it being suiiiciently'distanced from the cylinder 14 for enabling the work of the latter to be readily supervised. .Vhen the cylinder 14 is used alone. a plain fabric is produced. When ribbed fabric is to be knitted, the cylinder 1 is lowered through the thread guide ring 9, and the needles ll of this cylinder, which are operated by cams 10 in the usual manof one cylinder to those of the other. ring 5 is guided axially inside the cylinder i l and is operated through the medium of another ring which is connected by means of uprights 3 to lugs 2 on the ring 5. The lugs 2 guide the ring 5 in the upper part of the cylinder 14. The ring 5 isformed with upright prongs 6 of U-shaped cross section which coincide with the needle grooves of The the cylinder and which thus embrace the needles at the back and at the two sides. The prongs are pointed and adapted, when the ring is raised, to enter the loops suspended on the needles. Normally the pron {ZS are held below the upper edge of the needle cylinder, out of the stitch-forming zone. The number of prongs depends on the nature of the ribbing. 'In the case of one plain and one purl, there is a prong 6 for every other needle, as shown in the drawings. Moreover, the needles 13 which work in the prongs are fitted either with double butts or with a single butt arranged at a different altitude from the butts of the adjacent needles 12, as the needles 13 have to be put out of action and replaced by the needles 11 of the cylinder 1 when the change-over to ribbed work is effected. The needles 11 are arranged in the cylinder 1 accordingly.

The needles l1 differ from the ordinary needles in that they are formed with pointed instead of the usual rounded heads, and with a slightly projecting latch, as shown in Fig. 3. Owing to this construction of the needle, the latch will be engaged and opened by the loop 7 as the latter slide-s over the inclined face of the needle head upon the lowering of the cylinder. 1 into operative position. Fig. 1- shows this engagement of the loops with the needle head.

During the plain knitting, the cylinder 1. is raised, as previously described, and the needles 12 and 13 are all in operative position, as shown in Figs. 5 and When the ribbed knitting is to commence. the ring 5 is raised, and the prongs 6 then enter the loops hanging on the stems of the needles 13, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. After the prongshave entered the loops, the needles 13 are withdrawn and lowered into inopera tive position, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10. Thereupon the needle cylinder 1 is lowered into operative position, and the needles 11 then enter the prongs 6 and also the loops suspended thereon, the needle latches being opened, as previously explained, to admit the loops into the hooks. The position of the elements is then as shown in Figs. 11 and 12. The ring 5 is now restored to the normal position, and the ribbed knitting can proceed with the elements situated as shown in Figs. 18 and 14. A return to plain knitting is etlected in the same manner, the ring 5 being first raised, as shown in Figs. 15 and 16, so as to pass the prongs 6, tliroughfthe loops suspended on the needles. 11= .for"holding them while these needles. are withdrawn and the needles 13 restored to operative position. Then the ring 5 is retracted whereupon the plain knitting can recommence.

The invention may be applied to any existing circular knitting machine.

I claim:

1. In, a circular knitting machine, the combination with the ordinary needle cylinder, of an auxiliary needle cylinder arranged above the former cylinder. so that it can be moved axially into and out of position of cooperation with the same for the production of ribbed fabric, a ring guided axially in the ordinary cylinder, and prongs arranged on said ring and adapted to enter the loops suspended on the needles when the ring is raised and hold them while needles of one cylinder are replaced by nee dles from the other cylinder. i

2. In a circular knitting machine the 1 combination with the ordinary needle cylinder, 01 an auxiliary needle cylinder ar ranged above the former cylinder so that it can be moved axially into and out of p0:

sition of cooperation with the same 'for the production of ribbed fabric, a ring guided axially in the ordinary cylinder, and prongs of U-shaped cross-section arranged on said ring so as to coincide with the needle grooves and embrace the needles at the back

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