US1775497A - Knitting machine - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 9, 1930.

F. PILKINGTON KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 8, 1929 Patented Sept. 9, 1930 PATENT OFFICE FRANK PILKINGTON, OF- PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA KNITTING MACHINE Application filed April 8,

My invention relates to knitting machin cry, and more particularly to full-fashioned knitting machinery for hosiery and the like.

In knitting machinery of the above iden- I6 tified type comprising a plurality of sinkers adapted to successively advance behind a transversely moving yarn carrier, it has previously been the practice to use a yarn guide of material such as steel or-thc like, gener- 10 ally comprising a tubularmembermounted at, and protruding beyond, the lower end of the yarn carrier through -which the yarn or thread is led. In normal operation of the knitting machine, the sinkers, whose top edges are slightly above the level represented by the lower end of the guide tube, are caused to'recede within a sinker bed prior to return movement of the yarn carrier. However, in

actual practice, due to sticking of the sinkers within the sinker bed, or for other mechanical reasons, it sometimes happens that a sinker fails to return to its withdrawn position, with the result that the yarn carrier in its reciprocatory motion brings the lower .end of the guide tube into contact with the upper edge of the abnormally advanced sinker to bend or fracture the same and consequently temporarily disable the knitting machine.

Due to the fact that the sinkers are generally of comparatively thin sheet-like material, as thin sheet-steel, the guide tube, being of steel or other shock-resistant material, readily deforms or fractures one or more 5 sinkers so engaged, thereby necessitating shut-down of the machine in order that the damaged sinker or sinkers may be removed and replaced. Itwill be apparent that reduction of the time lost to'production due to an accident of the above character is highly desirable and will result in improved efliciency of the machine. Y

. In accordance with my invention, the guide 5 member carried by the yarn carrier com- 1929.' Serial No. 353,361.

the same shock which is sufficient to fracture the guide member.

For a further understanding of my invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing, in which: Y

Fig. 1 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of a knitting machine.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective View of the parts shown in Fig. 1 in another position.

Fig. 3 is a front view of a yarn carrier and guide tube. I

Fig. 4 is a side view of the same.

Fig. 5 illustrates the guide tube.

Fig. 6 illustrates an element of a knitting machine.

Referring to Fig. 1, there is illustrated an enlarged View of a part of a knitting ma chine, specifically a full-fashioned hosiery knitting machine, comprisin a sinker bed D within which alternately dlsposed sinkers A and dividers B are adapted to reciprocate transversely of bed D by means (not shown). At the front face of the sinker bed D,a pluralityof needles C are individually disposed between extending noses a and b respectively of corresponding sinkers and dividers. Below the extending noses a, b, is disposed a row of knock-over bits K.

A yarn carrier H, adapted to-movelongitudinally of the sinker bed and transversely with respect to the sinkers and the dividers, comprises a flat strip (Figs. 3 and 4) of metal or any suitable material, preferably curved in contour at its lower end and comprising a gradually deepening slot or groove h, at the lower and deeper end of which isv drilled an aperture or recess within which the hollow yarn guide member G is disposed. As may be readily noted from Fig. 1, the yarn or thread T passes over the outer front surface of the guide carrier into the gradually deepening groove 72. and through passage 9 within guide tube G, which lays the thread in front of needle C upon the extended noses a, b, of the sinkers and-dividers.

In the present instance, I provide a guide member of hard, comparatlvely brittle or frangible material such as glass, porcelainor the like, preferably in the shape of a hollow tube inserted within the lower end of the yarn carrier and protruding a short distance therefrom. The tube, Fig. 5, may be similar in dimensions and proportions to the well known steel or metal guide tubes, the internal diameter of course depending upon the size of the yarn or thread used. For example, and without limiting the scope of my invention, the internal diameter of the guide tube in the specific machine illustrated may range between .064 and .071 inches, the external diameter depending upon the necessary mechanical strength required. Since the shock transmitted to the guide tube may vary for different types of machines, depending upon the size of the sinkers, it shall be understood that the guide tube may protrude varying distances beyond the end of the carrier in order to vary the mechanical leverage thereon.

In operation, as the yarn carrier H advances toward the left, the sinkers A (Fig. 6) successively advance one after the other to follow the carrier as illustrated in Fig. 2. During advance of the sinkers A the thread T is engaged by upwardly extending shoulders s forming a part of the sinkers, to form loops around individual pairs of needles. Since the knitting operation per se comprises no part of my invention, and since the sinkers, etc. cooperate in a manner well-known in the art, further description of the knitting operation is believed to be unnecessary other than to mention that when the carrier H has reached the end of its travel, the sinkers A all being in their advanced positions, dividers B advance simultaneously between the sinkers to form loops around each needle, and the needles are thereupon depressed to draw the newly formed loops with them and to cooperate with the sinker bed D and knockover bits K to complete the row.

Prior to return of the yarn carrier H towards the right. the sinkers A are normally withdrawn within the sinker bed to the positions illustrated in Fig. 1. However, if for some reason. an individual sinker, due to gumming, binding or for other reasons, should fail to be withdrawn within the sinker bed, the lower end of the guide tube G would contact with the upper. edge an of the sinker to cause fracture of the frangible tube guide, without damaging or injuring the sinker so engaged. Accordingly, when such an accident happens it is merely necessary to dismount and replace the yarn carrier with a spare assembly part on hand for such an emergency, after which the machine may be started up again when the offending sinker has been loosened and is free to operate normally.

For the purposes of easy replacement of the guide tube within the carrier, the tube may be secured Within the bore or recess formed in the lower end of the carrier by shellac or the like, so that it may be readily freed and removed uponheating, or by application of a solvent. The advantages of a brittle frangible material for the guide member where damage to the comparatively expensivesinkers is to be avoided, are at once apparent, as compared with a shock resistlike, but in addition the low shock resistance.

of the tube is a practical insurance against damage to the sinker members due to abnormal operation thereof.

It shall be understood that my invention is not limited to the specific type of knitting machine herein illustrated, but is applicable to 'any textile machine wherein a yarn carrier or the like is caused to move transversely of operating members which normally move out of the path of contact with the carrier, and which would be damaged by abnormal contact therewith.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a knitting machine comprising a sinker bed, a plurality of sinkers movable with respect to said bed and a yarn carrier coacting with said sinkers, of a yarn guide mounted on said carrier comprising a member of comparatively frangible material which fractures in event of engagement of a sinker therewith.

2. The combination with a knitting machine comprising a sinker bed, a plurality of sinkers movable with respect to said bed and a yarn carrier coacting with said sinkers, of a yarn guide mounted on said carrier comprising a tubular member of glass or the like which fractures in event of engagement of a sinker therewith.

3. The combination with a knitting machine comprising a sinker bed, a plurality of sinkers movable to advanced positions beyond said bed, and a yarn carrier coacting with said sinkers normally out of contact therewith, of a yarn guide mounted on said carrier comprising a tubular member of comparatively frangible material such that abnormal contact between said guide and a sinker results in fracture only of said guide.

4. The combination with a full-fashioned knitting machine comprising a sinker bed, a plurality of sinkers movable to advanced positions beyond said bed,,and a yarn carrier adapted to advance ahead of said sinkers, of a yarn guide mounted at the lower end of Ill said carrier and; protruding therefrom, said guide comprising a hard brittle member of comparatively fragile material whereby abnormal contact between one of said sinkers and said guide tube results in fracture of said tube instead of deformation 0r fracture of said sinker.

FRANK PILKINGTON.

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