US1609454A - barratt - Google Patents

Description

- v w. T. BARRATT FEED MECHANISM FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 6, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec; 7, 1926. 1,609,454

w. T. BARRATT FEED MECHANISM FOR CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINES iled O t 6. 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet z Dec. 7 1926. 1,609,454

w. T. BARRATT I FEED MECHANISM FOR CIRCULAR, KNITTING MAQHINES Filed Oct. 6, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 1,609,454 w. T. BARRATT M .FEED MECHANISM FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 6, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 fag/4% Patented Dec. 7, 1926.

; teeters WILL AM 'IL-BAERATE; 0F snnmneron, VERMONT-,; e;ss{ie en T0; c-nantnss. i'i ioE,

ANNIE GODZEB; A

DECEASED.

' r rnnnivisonamsi/r eon cine tin ALEXANDER J. coarse it:s'non-m ees or enemies- CODE-EB,

ULARgKi'iirTiiie raiioiimns'.

*Appnm-ion fiiea October 6, 1925; serial m. 60,760."

This invention'relates to improvements in yarn feed mechanisms for circular knitting machinesand is particularly an" improve ment upon the yarn feed mechanism disclosed in" United 1,191,648 issued States Letters Patent No. to me on July '18,"-1916.

-The object of the invention 1s to-provide a feed for yarn which can be" used in" feed-' ing yarn such] as is employedin knitting bathing suits and the like, iii-which the yarn is of soft character'andhas a large numfroin;

. In the in ention illustratedand described injsaid Letters Patent the yarn feed mechanism is entirely practicable-where the yarn is of a' comparatively hard and more finisl 'ed t where the yarn s softand character," b"

has fiiie filaments projecting therefrom,

these filament-s. are caught by the'sinlzers of the sinker wheel and are carriedaroujmlbetween the sinkers and time when the yarn is feeding-thus causing a the sinker cam at a not supposed to be great'deal of trouble and interfering with the pertectwork of the machine. I

' lnth'e feed arn passes through a liistrated in b 11 of said patent,

n echanisinot said patent the tension device as iland when av strand" of yarn is not beingi'fed to-the needles, it is held stationary by the said tension device, but when it; is fed to the needles, it is pulled through the tension device, which only holds the yarn by suilicient where "a hard to hold izhesa-ine stationary when ittisnot being fed to the machine, but it is not friction,- and this is finished yarn isguse'd su'liicient to hold a yarn n position when it is not being fed to the needles, which is of a soft character with "the projezting lilainents referred to, for intliat' case the yarn so that it cannot the tension device as when 1t is supposed invention holds the operation, positively be pulled along as hereinb'et'ore deof operation. This ated by the device of his inventionth" clamp'theyarn while it is being cut a'nato free the yarn at the proper time'to; allow "it t0 be fed to the/needles by the sinkers and thereafter to be fed tothe needlesuntilit 1s time to be cutoff again.

" In so far as the ya'rii'guides are concerned 7 and the mechanism which operates them, the devieeot this invention is substantially the same as the device torthe same purpose'disclosed'in said Letters'Patent It is the devicefor clamping andifreein the yarn,-in conibination'with the yarn'guid'es and their operating:mechanisms which constitutes the principal-novelty of this ir'ivention. r

- The invention consists in' the "improved n'iechanisinand devices for' automatically controlling the/feeding of (the yarn to the needles, and] especially for automatically clamping the-yarn which'is out QZE operation as it'is being Ciltfliltl for a utoinatically freein gsaid" yarn to allow it to feed-at the proper tinie in the operationot tlie 'machine. The invention further: consists in the improved mechanism for severing the-Lyarn and for holding the f ee'endof -tl 1e'-yarn which hasbeen severed adjacent to'thecu-tters in an inoperative position until the proper time comes in'the operationbfthe inachine-ior it-to be releaseds The invention further consists in the com:- bination arrangement of parts setforth in tlieiollowing specification and pa rtieii larly pointed out in the claims-thereof.

lieferring to thedriWin'gmw Figure liisa sectional leWationilliistra-b ing portion of a'circulark nitting machine embodying two conical needle cylinders with my improved 7 Y yarn feeding mechanism shown inconnection therewith.

Fig. 2 is a'tront' elevation viewed froin the right of Figure 1, and illustrating" a part of the yarn feeding portion" of the mechanism whichoperatesthe guides, and also operates the yarn clamping mechanism;

I Fig. 3 is a plan View illustrating they'arn guides and yarn clamping' mechanisins.

occupied thereby when the yarn is clamped so that it cannot feed.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation similar to- F igure 4, illustrating the clamp in the position occupied thereby when the yarn is free to feed Fig. 6 is a side elevation similar to Figs. 4 and 5, showing the clamp in position to allow the yarn to feed and it being held in' said position by a different means from that shown in Fig. 5, namely, av stopshaft.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view ofv the stop shaft for holding the yarn clamps out of clamping position. 7.

Fig- 8 is a detail sectional elevation illustrating the mechanism for severing the yarn in its relative location to the needle cylinders.

Fig. 9 is an elevation of a portion of the mechanism for operating the yarn guides and the yarn clamps as viewed in the opposite direction from Fig. 2, that is, from the rear of the feed mechanism looking outwardly from the needle cylinders and with the slide which operates the yarn guide and cutter mechanisms shown in section.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of a portion of the yarn guide and clamping mechanisms as viewed from theright of Fig. 2.

Fig. 11 is'a sectional elevation taken on line 11-11, Fig; 3, illustrating the yarn guides and in connection therewith the yarn cutting and holdingmechanisms.

Fig. 12 is a sectional plan taken on line 1212, Fig. 11, and in addition to the mechanism shown in Fig. 11, a portion of the sinker wheel is illustrated in connection therewith.

Fig. 13 is a detail sectional elevation taken on line 1313, Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a front elevation of one form of sinker.

Fig. 15 is aTfront elevation of another form of sinker.

Like numerals refer to like ,parts throughoutthe several views of the drawings.

In the drawings, 22 is the lower needle cylinder which is fast to a running ring 23, rotatably supported upon a bed plate 24. A gear 26 is fastened to the running ring 23 and is driven by a pinion, not shown in the drawings, butoperated by the mechanism described in said Letters Patent. An upper needle. cylinder 33 is fastened to a gear 34, which in turn is fastened to a run ning ring 35, said running ring being constructed to rotate in an upper bed plate 36. The upper cylinder is rotated by means of the gear 34, which in turn is rotated by means of a pinion not shown in the drawings. The lower cylinder 22 is provided with a set of spring needles 39, and these are the primary needles. Said needles are adapted to slide in grooves 40 formed in the periphery of the primary cylinder 22. Each 146 which engage cams 47 fast to the brackets 48 and thus a reciprocatory motion is imparted to the upper needles in a manner wellknown to those skilled in this art.

The prin'iaryneedles are pressed to cast off their old loops by a stationary presser, and the secondary needles are pressed to cast off their loops by a rotary presser, all in a manner well known to those skilledin this art.

The sinkers 50 and 51 are illustrated in detail in Figs. 14 and 15 respectively. These sinkers are mounted upon a sinker wheel 52which is fastenedto, and is rotatable with a gear 53, said gear being rotatably mounted upon a stud 54, fast to a bracket 55, which in turn is adjustably fastened to a bracket 56 by means of a set screw 57, the bracket 56 being fastened to the bed plate 24. The gear 53 has a rotary motion imparted thereto by the needles 39 into which the teeth of said gear mesh. The detail construction of this sinker wheel and the general manner of its operation is fully illustrated in United States patent issued to me August 27, 1907, N 0. 864,354. iVhen the sinker wheel is rotated by the gear 53, a reciprocatory motion is imparted to the sinkers 50 and 51 by a sinker cam 58 fast to the stud 54, whereby the same are moved in and out between primary needles 39, in a manner well known to those skilled in the art, and the yarn is thus fed to the primary needles, which take said yarn and feed it to the secondary needles inthe usual manner.

In this embodiment of my invention there are two yarn guides 60 and 61, see Figs. 1,

3, 11 and 12. The yarn guide 60 consists" of a thin strip of metalfastened by a screw 62 to a hub 63. Said yarn guide is fastened as a whole to a rock. shaft 64 adapted to, rock in suitable bearings in a bracket 65, which in turn is fastened to the bed plate 24. To the opposite end of the rock shaft 64 is fastened a rocker arm 66, and this rocker arm is connected by a link 67 to an arm 68 fast to, a rock shaft 69 journalled in the bracket and having fastened thereto at its opposite end another arm 70 which bears against a cam plate 71. The link 67 is made adjustable longitudinally thereof by means of a right and left hand adjusting nut 67 which engages correspondingly piece of metal screw-threaded ends of two' rods, forming as a whole the link 67,

shaft having fastened "atits opposite end a rockerarm 87, to which is attacheda link 88, the lower end of said link, Fig. 2, being pivotally; connected to an arm 89 whichj, in turn,

, isfastened to a rock shaft90 journalledto rock in bearings provided-in the bracket-65, and to the other-end of the shaft 90, f-and adjacent to the primary cylinder 22, is fastened an arm- 91,,the ,free end of which is adapted to-bear against the cam plate 74 It will befseentha-t if rotary motion is imparted to the yarn guide cams 71 and 7 a rocking motion would be imparted to the arms and 91, to therocl; shafts 69 and and to the arms 68 and 89 respectively,

thusthrough the links 67 and8 8 a rocking motion Will befimparted tothe arms 66 and 87 respectively and to their rock shafts c4 and: 86, and thus to the respective yarn guides 60 and 61. I V, A-rotary member 92,13igs. 1,9 and 10, is

fastened to the, collar 72, and this rotary m'ember has a-plurality of arms 93, 93,ex-

tending radially therefrom, and hence said arms are fastto the cams 7 4cand'71; An'in- 102 and a cross by a screw 10% to the bracket 65.

termittent'rotary' motion is imparted =to--.the member" 92 and hence to the cams -71 and 7 1 by means movable with the primary cylinder 22, saidineans consists preferably of a'slide 9st, see Fig. 1.'

The slide l t-is slidable in ways formed in abraclzet 95, which is fastened byfa. clamp 96 andscrew 97 tothegear 26,-it being'understood that the gear 26, run1'1ing ring 23, and the-primarycylinder 22 arefastened rigidly together and constitute in effect one piece.

gagcment with the cam plates 71. and 74 respectively by springs 27 and 28 ,whichare fastened at one end to the bracket 65 and atthe other end to arms 29 and 30fitastened to collars 31 and 82, u "hiehin'turn are taste'ned respectivelyto the rock sh afts 6-1 and A yarn 98mins troma-bobbinconstituting a yarn supply, not shown in the drawings, through an eye 99 on 1 "5991310112113 'yitliLg-lildfi 100; which'consists o't two arms 101 and bar "103, 111 which the eye Thearm 102 rs fastened T? t 1 10m 1e 99 is positioned.

117 1117' and upwardly through an eye118 there- .7 thence through an eye 119' 'in'the right angle bracket and through eyes 120,, 121 and 122,

at its lower end to the rod 128'.

is fiatted oft" at 132 The arms 70 and91 are each held in'ennected by a=-link-1361to an arm fastened to a. rock sh'ai tf138,

arm 137 is mounted to rock in the bracket 65.- mg motion s imparted to the rock shait138 tutes a stop for the clamp e3 6 99 the 9 8" extends downwardly 1a springfclamp 'plate'106, the rear endof which is fastened to a rocker arm. 107, pi oted at 107" to the bracket 65. The yarn 98 runs from the eye105 through an eye 108 adjacent the rear end'of'the clamp plate 106 and from the eye 108 the yarn'98runs through'an eye 109 in a right anglefbracket 110, which isiasten'ed to" the bracket 65.

Fromthe eye 109 th e yarn'9 8'runs through an eye- 111" and eyes 112 and 113 provided on, theyarn' guide 60! From the eye 113 the yarn 98 runs to thefneedles. v

A yarn 114: runs'through an eye 115 in the yarn'guide 100,'thence downwardly and through an eye 116 in a springclampplate then along underneath the clamp plate I which ar'eprovided in the yarn uide 61; The rear en'd'ofthe clamp L plate 117 is pivotedto the bracket 6 5by alrocjker arm 123 and screw 123C:

i The upper portio-ii'of' theili'nfk 67 has an arm 12 1 fastened thereto an'd'a rod 125 extends upwardly fronrthe outerend'of said arin tofenga ge the underside of clamp plate the yarn 106 duringeertani tnnes ln 'the operation o't'the feed 'device, and-a spring 126 is connected at its upper end to theyarn (clamp plate 106 An arm 127 is fastenedto the link BSfandhas a rod-128 fast'thereto, withits and at its lower jendto the rod 125; 7

upper endadapted to engage the yarn-clamp plate 117. A spr-ingf129-is connected upperend to thetyarn clamp plate 117 and stop shaft130, shown in detail in Fig. 7, is. rotatably mounted in a bracket 131. Fig, 2, and projects beneath the spring clamp plates 106 and 117. Saidstop shaft tlatted-o'ff" portion 132 is provided witha notch 13 1011 its rearedge. The flatte doii portion 132 is positionefdbeneath the spring clamp plate-106. The tiatted ofi portion 133 extends beneath the spring clamp plate 117,

as will be seen-in Fig. A rocking'motion s imparted to the stop'shatt130 byan' a'rm and at 1-33 and the rim 135 which'is fa stened thereto. and isfcoin The t A rock byan-arm 139 whichisfastenedto the rock shaft 138 and 1 11,- which is of the slide 991. The stop shaft constiplates 106' and 117.

-A spring 142,13ig'. 2, is fastened; at its upper end to -,tl;ie'bracltet 65,2ind at itslower end to the arm 137." stop plate 143,

has a cam-shapedupper edge 7 engaged at certain t-HUGS 1n the operation of the device by the outer end v fastened to the bracket 65, limits the distance to which the arm 1.37 can be moved upwardly by the spring 142. The arm 137 is held downwardly in the position illustrated in Fig. 2 during certain times in the operation of the device by a stop lever 144, see Figsf2 and '10. This lever is pivoted at 145 to the bracket 65 and'has a vertical arm 146 terminating at its upper end in a hook 147, which at certain times in the operation of the device, hooks over the upper edge of the arm 137 and holds it in the position illustrated in Figs; 2 and 10. The lever 144 also has a horizontal arm 148, to which one end of a spring 149 is attached, the upper end of said spring being attached to the bracket 65. he lever 144 is rocked upon its pivot 145 to disengage the hook 147 from the arm 137 by any one of the arms 93, 93 during the intermittent rotary motion of the rotary member 92, as will be seen by reference to Figs. 9 and 10, that is, as one arm 93 moves downwardly, it will engage the outer end of the horizontalarm 148 of the lever 144 and push it downwardly until the hook 147 is disengaged from the arm 137 allowing it to be moved upwardly by the spring 142.

Itwill be understood that when one of the yarn guides carries its respective yarn out of operative position relatively to the needles, said yarn is cut off and clamped by its respective spring clamp plate, that is, the yarn 98 will be clamped by the spring clamp plate 106 when the yarn is being out. It is evident that if it were clamped before it is cut, the yarn would be broken by the continued circumferential movement of the V needles with which it is in ergagement.

The severing of the yarn is performed by a cutting mechanism illustrated in Figures 8, 11 and 12 and consisting of a stationary cutter blade 151 which is fastened to a vertical stationary shaft 152 which is fastened to a bracket 153, which in turn, is fastened to another bracket 153 which is fastened to the underside of the upper bed plate 36, see Fig. 8. A movable cutter 154 is fastened to a hollow shaft 155 mounted upon the stationary shaft 152.

A rocking motion is imparted to the hollow shaft 155 and the movable cutter 154 by an arm 156 which is fastened to said hollow shaft and is provided with a slot 157, through which one arm 158 of a bell-crank lever 159 projects. The bell-crank lever 159 is pivoted at 160 to the bracket 153 and has a rocking motion imparted thereto by a link 161, the upper end of which is pivotally connected to an arm 162 of said bell-crank lever, and the lower end of which is pivotally connected to the arm 137. Another arm 163 is fastened to the sleeve 155 and has a spring plate 164, constituting a yarn holder, attached thereto. This spring plate, when the parts are in the positions illustrated in Fig.

fastened to a cam 12, bears against the free end of the yarn 98 and holds it against an inclined face formed on one end of ablock 166, which is wheel 52. H Y

A spring 168 encircles the shaft1152- between a collar 169 which is fastened to the plate 167 of the sinker and pulling the link 161 downwardly, will rock the bell-crank lever 159, and through the arm 158 of said bell-crank lever'and the arm 156 on the hollow shaft 155, the cutter blade 154 will. be moved to cooperate with the cutter blade 151 and cut the yarn which may be interposed between said blades.

The cutter blade 151 is'held in an open position by the spring .142, which tends to move the arm 1 37, link 161 and arm 162 up wardly. v

At the same time that the cutterblade 154 is moved to cut the yarn, the spring holder arm 164 will be moved in the'direction to hold the yarn-98 against the inclined end 165 of theblock 166. Thus it will be seen that each yarn, as it is cut, will he held at its free end by the holder 164 at one side of the sinkers which are operating to insert'the yarn between the needles and will be clamped by its respective clamp plate on the opposite side of said sinkers from the holder 164.

It will be understood that the spring hold ing arm 164 holds the free end of the yarn against the stationary member 166 to prevent the free end from snapping or flopping around or missing the sinkers when its respective yarn guide is lowered to change the color. If theyarn were left to hang free from the end of its yarn guide, it would make the action somewhat uncertain when the yarn guide is suddenly lowered to feed it into the sinkers, and it has been found that unless the free end of the yarn is held, an occasional press-off will occur and result 111 bad work and loss of time.

When using certain kinds of yarn, the holding arm 164 would hold the yarn tight enough without the use of the clamping plate 106, or 117, as the case may be, but with wool or worsted yarns, having long strong fibers sticking out, the holding arm 164 would not be sufficient, for the. reasons that the sinkers spinning swiftly around would draw the fibers down and pinch them between themselves and the sinker wheel cap and draw the thread out of the holder and wind it around the sinker wheel and clog it up, causing it to throw out and stop the is held against the inclined stationary member or. blockil ifi by'the spring i,so9,454

machine. It, therefore, became necessary to add: the clamps I106 and117 to, obviatevthis trouble. I r I I The general operationofthc mechanism hereinbefore specifically described isqas follows Assuming the parts; to be in the ;rel-

ative positions illustrated.inFigures. 1,2,3, 14., 8,9, 10, 11,12 and 1a vyarn98 has been severed, .imdits free end face 165v ofthe holding plate 164,;and with the cutter 154 in closed position, the yarn 98 is also clamped by the clamping plate 106 against the bracket 65. The stop-shaft130 is int-he positionshofi n in Fig. 4with the flat portion 132 thereof -,--para;llel to vthe olamping plate 106- and spaced aparhtherefro n. Theyarn guidea61 is in lowered operative positionw-ith the yarn 114-, feeding. to theneedlesiand free "from the spring holding plate,164-,- the cutters and the clamping-plate 117 ,which is held up by i of the stop-shaft 130 is parallel ,to, the clamp plate lliand, is -spaced apart, therefrom. a

therod 1-28. The flat portion 133 Assuming that-the -slide 94 now moves, in the direction -of"th6;LB QW-,;Fig- 9, t e i ferent. parts will 1 Joe. operated as {f0ll0:W St' .The, cam. plate 71 frees the ,arrnfid and allows it .tobe; shaft 69, in the' direction ,of; the arrow c, Fig.

tithes m ng th a a igflti pver yl V gathe link 67 and arm 5 ewiei y,

oanclrocking the shaft. 64 to move theLyarn- .guide 60 downwardly into operative ,position. v At thesame time,.- the-130d, 125 lifts, the

. clamp plate 1106. and "frees the yarn. ,from

the arm en ge :98 and 114 free to feed.

, the pressure-of said clamping plate as shown ,of theiarm 137,. through the link,161,.rocks thearm 3158 toward theright. Fig. v8, ,and .opens the cutter-blade 154andreleases the yarn 98-from the pressure p 1.64. .At 3 the -same time the link 136 rocks 7 1 the arm. 135 and thus rocks the stop shaft oflthe holding arm 1:30 to'the position illustrated in .6,

with the corner 130 positioned. to hold the cla p plates 106-and 11 7 up-and th'eyarns -,The guide arms, are now ,both in the lowered position, 1 the cutter 154 is open, the

- 164, is thrown -ba'ck, and the holding arm clamping plates 106 .and "117 are raised,

Now as the slide 94 continues, itamov-ement in the direction of the arrow q', I-Fig;,9,,thc

' t this timethe. =yarnguide 60 is raised outof operation; the

rocked, together with the rock I allowing the clamping downwardly by the spring 129,%Fig. 2, and

guide, adapted to feedyarn to akn'itt ng machine, mechan sm to move said throw on thecam plate 74 will engage the arm Q1, rock the shaft ;90 in a direction opposite to that of the arrow 0, and lower the arm 89,.th'e link88, ,arm 87 and rod128,Fi g. 2. Thiswill rock the shaft 86 and raise the yarn guide 61 to the upperposition and'at the sametime allowthe clamping platen? to rest againstv the corner 130" of they stop shaft 130,--and thelfneedle correspondingto the needle39, Fig. 11, will carry the yarn 114 between thecu tters l5l and 154, ready to be severed.

The slide 94 now vengageswthe cam shaped uper edge portion 141. of-the arm-139,1? igs. 9 and -1 0, and pushes it down, together with the arm 137, through the rock shaft 138, to

'.v:l1ich both of said arms arel fastened, until the hook 147, snaps over the ,arm .137 and holds it and the arm 139 down, asin Figs. 2 and 10. VVhenjthe arms-137 and 139 are moved downwardly, as just described, the link v16 1 actuates.thebell-crank'lever 159, Fig. 8, to move the cutter blade 1,54into closed position, and [atthat time, the yarn 114 will be severed-and at the samet'imeits free i end will be. pressed bylthe-spri g holding 164 against thefinc lined end "165 of the stationary member orblocklfifi. At the same time the downward 1 movement of the arm 137,.through the link .136,.Fig. 2, will move the arm 135. downwardly and r'ock the stop shaft 130 fromthelposition shown in Fig. 6 to the position shownin Fig. 4, thus plate 117, to be pulled thereby clamp the yarn 114 toj the bracket 65, while at the same timethe clamping plate 98 to feedto the needles.-

The slide 94 maybe actuated at predeterminedtimesghy themechanism described in said Letters Patent to engage and operate the rotary member 92and the arm139with the resultant operations performed by the mechanism hereinbefore described, or the saidslide may be positioned, out of thepath of-the arms-'93 .and'9 flandjthe arm 1.39, as may bedesired,.and.thus stripes of prede- 106 is in elevatedpositionto allow the'yarn 'termined widths and, cclors may be knitted.

When the slide again ,operatesflthe rotary uncmber 92,, as .hereinb'efore described, the

yarn guide (iljwill be loweredjaiid the yarn guide 60 will be raised. the other' parts operating ashereinbefore describe'd. j

I elaini :--1 v 1. feed mechanism for a circular knit ting. machine having, in cor ibination. a yarn the. needles of yarn guide into and out of operative position relatively to] needles, and ,means independent ,of. the yarn guide to intermit' tently clamp said yarn between the yarn supply and said yarn guide "to prevent-its me e .t rou h.sai zymai ec ting machine having, in combination, a yarn guide adapted to feed yarn to the needles of i move said yarn guide into and out of operative position relatively to said needles, means to sever said yarn between said needles and guide, and means independent of the guide to clamp said yarn between the yarn supply and said yarn guide when the yarn is being severed.

4. A feed mechanism for a circular knitting machine having, in combination, a yarn guide adapted to .feed yarn to the needles of a knitting machine, mechanism adapted to yarn yarn 'move said yarn guide into and out of opera;

tive position relatively to said needl s, means independent of said yarn guide to clamp said yarn between the yarn supply and said yarn guide when said yarn guide is out of operative position, and means to operate said clamping means to release said yarn when said yarn guide is being moved into operative position.

5. A feed mechanism for a circular knitting machine having, in combination, a yarn guide adapted to feed yarn to the needles of a knitting machine, mechanism adapted to move said yarn gu1de into and out of operative position relatively to said needles, means independent of said yarn guide to clamp said I yarn between the yarn supply and said yarn guide to prevent its, being fed through sai d yarn guide, and means to operate said clamping means to release said yarn when said yarn guide is in operative position.

6. A feed mechanism for a circular knitting machine having, in combination, a'yarn guide adapted to feed yarn to the needles of a knitting machine, mechanism adapted to move said arn guide into and out of operative position relatively to said needles,

, a clamp member independent ot said yarn Iii! guide adapted to clamp said yarn between the yarn supply and said yarn guide to prevent its being fed through said yarn. guide, and means operated by said yarn guide moving mechanism to move said clamping member into and out of clamping position.

7. A feed mechanisnrfor a circular knitting machine having, in combination, a yarn guide adapted to feed yarn to the needles of a knitting machine, mechanism adapted to move said yarn guide into and out of operafeed mechanism for a circular knit tive position relatively to said needles, a clamping member independent of said yarn guide adapted to clamp said yarn between the yarnsupply and said yarn guide'to prevent its being fed through said yarn guide, means operated by said yarn guide moving mechanism to move said clamping member into and out of clamping position, a stop, and mechanism to alternately position said stop to preventthe said clamping member from being moved into clamping position and to allow it to be moved into clamping position;

8. A feed mechanism for a circular knitting machine having, in combination, a yarn guide adapted to feed yarn to the needles of a knitting machine, mechanism adapted to move said yarn guide into and out of operative position relatively to said needles, a stationary member, a clamping member pivoted theretoand provided with guide eyes to guide a yarn between it and said stationary member, and means to actuate said clamping member to alternately press the yarn against the stationary member and release it from such pressure.

9. A feed mechanism for a circular knitting machine having, in combination, a yarn guide adapted to feed yarn tothe needles ot a knitting machine, mechanism adapted to move said yarn guide into'and out of operative position relatively to said needles, a stationary member, a clamping member pivoted thereto and provided withguide eyes to guide a yarn between it and said stationary member, means to actuate said clamping member to alternately press the yarn against the stationary member and release it from such pressure, a stop shaft, and mechanism" to alternately rock said stop'shatt to prevent said clamping member from being moved into clamping position and to allow it to be moved into clamping position.

10. A feed mechanism for a circular knitting machine having, in combination, a yarn guide adapted to feed yarn to the needles of a knitting machine, mechanism adapted to move said yarn guide into and out of operative position relatively to said needles, a stationary member, a clamping member pi voted thereto and provided with guide eyes to guide a yarn between it and said stationary member, means to actuate said clamping member to alternately press the yarn against the stationary member and release it from such pressure, a stop shaft having a portion thereof flattened and positioned beneath said. clamping member, and mechanism to alter nately rock said stop shaft into position to be engaged by said clamping member and thus prevent it from being'moved into clamping position and theninto position to allow the clamping member to be moved into clamping position. Y

11. A feed mechanism for a circular knit ting machine having, .in combination, a pair of yarn guides each adapted to feed yarn to the needles of a knitting machine, mechanism to alternately move saidyarnguides into and out of operative positionrelatively to said needles, and ineansindependent of said yarn guides to'c'la np theyarn'of each of said yarn, guides respectively between the yarn supply and its respective yarn guide when the latteriis out of operative position to prevent the yarn from being fed therethrough.

12. A feed mechanism for a circular, knitting machine'having, in coinbination,-a pair of yarn guides each adapted to feed yarn to the needles of a ,knitting machine, mechanisin to alternatelymove sai'd yarn guides into andont of operative position relatively to said" needles, means to sever each of said yarns between said needles and its respective yarnguide, and means independent of said yarn guides to clanip'the yarn otneach of said yarn guides, respectively between theyarn' supply and itsrespective yarn guide whenthe yarn is being severed.

18. A feed mechanism for a circular knitting machine having, in combinatioma pair oi yarn guides each adapted to feed yarn to the needles of a knitting machine, mecha nism to alternately move said yarn guides into and out of operative position relatively to said needles, means independent of said yarn guides to clamp the yarn of each of said yarn guides respectively between its respective yarn supply and its yarn guide when the latter is out of operative position, and means to operate said clamping means to release each of said yarns when its respective yarn guide is being operated to move it into operative position.

14. A feed mechanism for a circular knitting machine having, in combination, a yarn guide adapted to feed yarn to the needles of a knitting machine, mechanism adapted to move said yarn guide into and out of operative position relatively to said needles, a sinker wheel and sinkers, means to clamp said yarn in advance of the point where it is fed to the needles by said sinkers, and means to hold the free end of said yarn beyond said point.

15. A feed mechanism for a circular knitting machine having, in combination, a yarn guide adapted to feed yarn to the needles of a knitting machine, mechanism adapted to move said yarn guide into and out of operative position relatively to said needles, means to sever said yarn between said needles and yarn guide. means to clamp said yarn in advance of the point where itis fed to the needles, and means beyond said point to hold the free end of said yarn after it has been severed. V

16. A feed mechanism for a circular knitting machine having, in combinatioma yarn guide QXlHPlLOCliO teed yarn to theineedles of a-knitting nacl-iine,-mechanism adapted to move said yarn guide into and out of operative position-relatively to said needles, a sinker wheel and sinkers adapted to insert yar-n lbGtWC-QH the nee'e les, means to sever tionary member after it has been severed.

11 A feed mechanism for a circular knitting i' nacliine' having, in combination, a yarn guide adapted to feed yarn to the needles of a' knitting machine, mechanism adapted "to move said-yarn guide into and outlet operative position relatively to said needles,

sinker wheel andlsink'ersadapted to insert yarn between the needles, means to sever 'tli'e'yarnibeyond the p'oint where it is inserted between the needles. by, the .sinkers and embodying, a'stationar-y 1' cutter blade and a movable" cutter blade, =means to hold the tree end of the yarn against a stationary member after it has been severed, and other means adapted to clamp the yarn when it is being severed and positioned in advance of the point where the sinkers insert the yarn between the needles.

18. A feed mechanism for a circular knitting machine having, in combination, a yarn guide adapted to feed yarn to the needles of a knitting machine, mechanism adapted to movewsaid yarn guide into and out of operative position relatively to said needles, 'means to sever said yarn between the nee dles and the yarn guide andcomprising a stationary cutter, a movable cutter adapted to co-operate therewith, means to rock said movable cutter toward and awayv from the stationary cutter, a spring holdingarm con-.

nected to and operable with said movable cutter, a stationary member against which the free end of the yarn may be held by said holding member when the yarn is being severed by the cutters, and means to clamp the yarn in advance of the point where it is fed to the needles.

19. A feed mechanism for a circular knitting machine having, in combination, a pair of yarn guides, each adapted to feed yarn. to the needles of a knitting machine, mechanism to alternately move said yarn guides into and out of operative position relatively to said needles, means to clamp the yarn of each of said yarn guides respectively in advance of its respective yarn guide when it is out of operative position, and other means to simultaneously hold the free end. of said yarn beyond its yarn guide.

20. A feed mechanism for a circular knitting machinehaving, in combination, a pair of yarn guides, each adapted to feed yarn to the needles'ot a knitting machine, mechanism to alternately move said yarn guides into and out of operative position relatively to said needles, means to clamp the yarn of each of said guides respectively in advance of its respective yarn guide when it is out of operative position, other means to of yarn guides, each adapted to feed yarn to the needles of a knitting machine, mechanism to alternately move said yarn guides into and out of operative position relatively to said needles, means to sever each ofsaid yarns when its yarn guide is moved out of operative position, means to clamp the yarn of each of said yarn guides respectively in advance of its respective yarn guide when it is out of operative position. and other means to simultaneously hold the free end or" said yarn beyond its yarn guide.

22. A feed mechanism for a circular knitting machine having, in combination, a pair of yarn guides each adapted to feed yarn to the needles of a knitting machine, mechani m to alternately move said yarn guides into and out of operative position relatively to said needles, a sinker wheel and sinkers adapted to insert yarn between the needles, means to sever each of said yarns, when its yarn guide is out of operation, beyond the point where it is inserted between the needles by the sinkers, means to clamp the yarn of each of said yarn guides respectively in advance of the point where it is inserted between the needles by the sinkers when the yarn guide is out of operative position, and other means to simultaneously hold the free end of said yarn beyond said point.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM T. BARRATT.

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