US1790940A

US1790940A - Island

Info

Publication number: US1790940A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1931-02-03
Anticipated expiration: 1948-02-03

Description

2 Sheets-Sheet l M- C. MILLER KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec.

Feb. 3, 1931.

M. c. MILLER KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 11, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2" a HlllIilll\llllmllllllHllHlllNHl i \IIIIHHLIH'IH'HIIllllllllllillllll z b P 7 m 0 F55 lllllllllllllllllllllllll L? Patented Feb. 3, 1931 UNITED STATES MAX 0. MILLER, OF CUMBERLAND, RHODE ISLAND KNITTING MACHINE Application filed December 11, 1925. Serial No. 74,726.

The invention relates to knitting machines and more particularly to two-bed, straight knitting machines.

One object of this invention'is to produce a new and improved two-bank machine which will knit finer gauge goods than has been feasible heretofore in machines of this type while maintaining the amount of yarn between the end needles of the beds equal to the amount between any two needles in the same bed.

Another object of the present invent-ion is to provide in a two-bed machine a novel and improved means for knocking over the loop 1 as it is formed by the needle, and for holding down the same as the needle rises.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism of the type above described, capable of presenting to certain of the needles a varying knock-over, thereby causing the needles associated therewith to draw loops of varying lengths.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a novel'and simple mechanism for causing the web holders todraw down and hold properly the length of loop taken by their corresponding needles as the needles are being projected over the work.

It is of great importance in knitting on both banks of a two-bank machine, especially in fine gauge work, to maintain vthe amount of yarn between the end needles of the beds equal to the amount between any two needles in the same bed. The inventor is not familiar with any existing form of knock-over and web holder suited for use in a two-bank machine with which it is possible to make the distance from knock-over to knock-over in the two beds small enough for fine gauge fabric, limitations on gauge in these machines having been reached rather because of the amount of yarn necessary between end needles than in any required thickness in needle or portion slotting construction.

The reason that it has not been possible to make this distance from knock-over to knockover and from bed to bed shorter is that the knock-overs have been designed to operate at m a greater or less angle to each other, thereby making it necessary to have a certain amount of space between them for their movements. Accordingly a feature of the present invention consists in a novel and improved knockover and web holder so designed and operated as to require a minimum of space between the needle beds. The knock-over surfaces in the present construction are parallel and need be separated only by a distance necessary to allow the passage of the Web holder hooks which it has been shown by demonstration need be only .020 inches long for fine gauges. The Web holders are arranged to operate on parallel planes thus maintaining the knockover surfaces at all times a minimum distance apart.

In two-bed machines knitting fabric in which parts are knitted of varying thickness of yarn, especially machines adapted for knitting hosiery,it is desirable that the needles take more yarn and make looser loops in that portion of the fabric in which the heavier yarn is feeding than in the portion where the lighter yarn is feeding. When the toe of the stocking is to be made of heavy yarn and the foot of lighter yarn, a comparatively simple adjustment of the needle cams may be made to vary the length of loop taken by all of the needles. But in case the stocking is designed with a double sole and the line between the sole, made with heavy yarn, and the top of the foot or instep, made with lighter yarn, comes about in the middle'of the needle beds, a simple adjustment of the needle cams will not cause the desired variation in the length of the loops since it is necessary to cause a portion only of the needles in each bank to draw shorter loops while the others continue to draw long loops.

Another feature of the present invention, therefore, is directed to causing only a portion of the needles to draw more or less yarn which is attained in this instance by varying the position of the knock-overs associated therewith.

In machines to which the present invention relates, as the needles rise above the work, the web holders should be retracted slightly below the line of the needles so that the Web holder hooks will draw down the old loops firmly to the back line of the needlesto prevent/them from rising. It is desirable that web holders and knock-overs on which short loops are being produced be adapted to draw a lesser distance than those on which long loops are being produced, for if the loops are not drawn down far enough they will not be. properly held by the web holder hooks; and if too far the yarn will break. A further feature of the invention consists in the provision of means by which this result can be secured.

Other features of the invention consist in the devices, combinations and arrange--. ment of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The features of the present invention and the advantages attained thereby will be readily understood by those skilled in the art from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

A preferred form of the invention as embodied in a two-bed straight knitting machine employing latch needles is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig..

1 is a cross section of so much of the machine as is necessary to show the new features; Fig. 2 shows in a somewhat diagrammatic manner the web holders and their control bars with the knock-over portions of the web holders set alike; Fig. 3 is a reproduction of Fig. 2, except that the knock-over portions of the web holders are varied; Fig. 4 is a side elevation with one needle bed removed, the view being taken on the vertical center line; Fig. 5 is a detailed side elevationof the web holder cam slide viewed from the outside; and Fig. 6 is a detail view of the web holder draw down cams.

The machine herein disclosed embodying the present invention is a two-bed machine of the usual Lamb .construction having two banks of needles set at an incline to each other, with butts on the needles, and cams arranged above the beds to actuate the needles.

Referring to the drawings, the needle beds are indicated at 1 and 2 and have needles indicated at 3 and 4 mounted on them to reciprocate at an angle to each other. A yarn eye 5 .is provided to reciprocate above the needles,

and the web holders are indicated at 6 with kinockover hooks b.

The needles are provided with butts 4a which project above the'needle beds into engagement with needle-actuating cams of ordinary construction. The bars 8 and 9 mounted lengthwise above the needle beds form guides for the needle cam slide 10 which carries the stitch cams 11 and 11a and the raising cam 12. These cams arethrown into and out of contact with the butts 4a to actuate the needles by means of devices of usual construction indicated at 10a, 10b and 100,

surfaces a and hold-down and are adjustable in the usual manner to cause'thetneedlesj to draw down more or less yarn, depending upon the degree of tight-- ness or looseness with which the full course is to be knitted.

The web holders 6 are pivotally mounted at a on the sliders 6 to move up and down between the beds and are arranged in two banks corresponding to the needle banks with the knock-over surfaces of the opposing web holders separated only by the distance necessary for the clearance of the web holder hooks b. The motions of the web holders in the two banks parallel each other so that the two series of knock-overs may be held at all times a minimum distance apart. Slots cut at the apex of the needle beds serve to guide the web holders accurately between the needles.

The knock-over surfaces are normally held ers along part of its length, the rest being cut away to permit certain of the web holders to swing on their pivots as the support bar 13 is withdrawn. When in thecourse of a knitting operation it is desired to cause certain of the needles to make smaller loops to accommodate smaller yarn, the control bar 13 is moved back guided by the engagement of the slots Z) with the pins 15 to permit the knock-overs associated with these needles to fall away from the center line. In this manner by varying the position of the knock-over, the effective drawn-down stroke of the needles beyond the knock-over surfaces is diminished and shorter loops will be formed.

The web holder sliders 6 are mounted to reciprocate vertically in slots in the web holder beds 7, being held in place by

bars

17 and 18. They are provided with short or long butts b for engagement with the web holder operating cams, short butts for those sliders actuating web holders with variable knock-overs, and long butts for the other sliders. Web holder cam slides 19 are mounted to slide in grooves in the

bars

17 and 18, being connected with the driving mechanism of usual construction through the link 20. a

The other function of the web holders, which have been described. as presenting knock-over surfaces, is to prevent the finished loops on the knock-overs from rising with the upward thrust of the needles. A hook I) is formed at the upper end of the knockover surface of the web holder to serve this purpose. As the needle begins its upward motion the web holder is retracted slightly below the line of the needles, so that the loop is caught firmly on the hook and drawn down to its proper position on the shank of the needle. The amount of movement. the

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with needles drawing shorter loops.

hook 6 makes beyond the back line of the needles should be carefully regulated in accordance with the length of loop drawn, for if the web holder is not drawn down far enough, the loop will not be held on the hook, and if too far, the yarn will break. A simple adjustment of the draw-down action of the whole bank of web holders may be obtained by arranging the

bars

17 and 18 for an up-and-down movement to change the position of the cam slide 19. The present construction also provides for an adjustment in the same bed between those web holders which are handling long loops and those with the variable knock-overs which are associated To this end two sets of draw-down

cams

21 and 21 are carried on each Web holder cam slide. 19 pivotally mounted one over the other on pins 22, so that cam 21 will act to draw down the short butts while cam 21 comes in con-- tact only with the long ones. Control pins 23 positioned to come in contact with projections a limit the swinging movement of the cams, but may be withdrawn to permit the cams to move out of contact with the slider butts by means of mechanism placed on the rear or outer side of the web holder cam slide. There are four of these control pins, the two upper pins being arranged to extend over the projections a on the draw down cams 21 and the two lower pins being arranged to extend below the projections a. ofthe earns 21. A lift cam 32 is mounted to slide on a ledge 31 fastened to the web holder cam slide 19, and is provided with a pin which projects through a slot 33 in the slide, so that the operation of the slide. will cause the cam to be shogged back and forth in the path of the butts b to cooperate first with one and then with the other set of drawdown cams.

Each pin 23 extends backward through the cam slide and through a sleeve or cylinder 27 fastened to the slide, and has at its rear end a lever arm 24 carrying at its free end a small pin 25. The sleeve or cylinder 27 has a cam surface a engaging a set screw form ing a radially extending lug 2Gon the control pin 23. When the control pin is re volved by means of its lever arm, the lug riding on the cam surface a causes the pin 23 to retract out of engagement with the web holder draw-down cams against the force of a combination tortion and compression spring 28 provided to hold the pin 23 in position. The upper control pins are actuated from the pattern mechanism of the machine through connections which include a plate 34 mounted on a rock shaft 42 to come in contact with the small pin 25 on the lever 24, lever arm 40fastened to the shaft, and link 41 to actuate the lever. The lower control pins are operated by a similar series of connections including the plate or bar 35 mounted on the rock shaft 43 which is rocked by means of lever arm 38 and link 39.

Assuming now that it is desired to knit a stocking commencing at the toe, the web holders 6 will all be positioned with their knock-over surfaces in line so that the needles will take an equal. amount of yarn is to be knitted, that is, a stocking in which the sole or bottom of the foot, has the same weight as the toe, while the top of the foot or instep is knitted of lighter yarn, it is desirable to knit the instep portion somewhat tighter. Since the line between the sole and the instep usually comes about in the middle of the beds, that portion of the bed upon which the tight instep fabric is to be knitted should be capable of drawing a shorter loop. Therefore, when this point has been arrived at in the knitting, the web holder control bar 13 is caused to retract, permitting the web holders associated with the instep needles to fall back, thus varying the position of the knock-overs to reduce the size of the loops drawn by these needles. In this Way it is possible to knit as loose a sole as necessary to accommodate heavy yarns while taking full advantage of the improved line gauge construction to knit more tightly the lighter yarns used for the instep portion.

The draw down earns 21 and 21 on 'the web holder cam slide 19 are acted upon by flat springs 29 mounted in'pins 30 on the cam slide and tend to hold the cams in the position indicated at X in dotted lines at the left of Fig. 5. While the same weight of yarn is being used on all the needles and the needles are all drawing the same length of loop all of the control pins 23 may be in retractedposition so that the

cams

21 and 21 can move as they are engaged by the butts of the web holder sliders or the lower control pins may be in advanced position to restrain the movements of the cams 21 in one direction. Assuming that a web holder cam slide is moving in the direction of the arrow in Figs. 4 and 5 the butts of the cam holder sliders as they pass beneath the

cams

21 and 21 at the left of F ig.'5 will either be depressed sli htly by the cam 21 in case the cam is hel from movement by a pin 23 or will pass by the cam without being depressed in case the cam is free to move. After passing the cams 21 and 21' the butts of the sliders will. engage the cam 32 and the corresponding web holders will be lifted. The butts of the sliders engaging with the

cams

21 and 21 at the right of Fig. 5 will swing the cams intothe position indicated in dotted lines, in which position the surfaces e of the cams will act on the butts. to depress the sliders and web holders. The cams will swing against the pressure of the springs 29 into'contact with a stop pin Z and assume the position indicated at Y in Fig. 5.

During the knitting of a double sole a portion of the needles in each bank draw longer loops than the remaining needles, as has been explained. At this time while the web holder cam slide is moving in the direction of the arrow in Figs. 4 and 5, the

draw down

cams

21 and 21 at the left of Fig. 5 are held in the position in which they appear in dotted lines. Cam 21 which operates on the sliders with the long butts is held from movement by the engagement of its projection a with a control pin 23 so that the long butt sliders are depressedand the web holders associated with the needles making long loops draw down their loops the desired distance preparatory to the upward thrust of the needles. This movement of the web holders with relation to the formation of the knitting wave is clearly hown in Fig. 4 which illustrates the position taken by the needles and web holders with the cams in the position shown in Fig. 5.

Due to the fact that the variable knockovers are set for the formation of small loops on a portion of the'bed, the cam 21 in the position disclosed at X, Fig. 5, has been released by the withdrawal of its control pin 23 from engagement with the projection a, so that it will slide over the short slider butts without depressing their web holder hooks beyond the back line of the needles associated therewith. In this manner, it is assured that no undue strain will be placed on the shorter loops while theremaining web holders are drawing down the long loops. When either bed is inactive, both control pins 23 are withdrawn, permitting the leading cams to slide over the butts to prevent the web holder hooks from being drawn below the line of the needles and thus to eliminate anyundue strain on the loops.

The set of cams 21 and 21' acting to draw down the butts immediately after they have passed over the lifting cam 32, are swung not retract-ed beyond the back line of the needles at this point in the operation.

While it is preferred to employ the specific construction and arrangement herein described and illustrated embodying vention in a two-bank, straight latch needle machine adapted for the production of hosiery, it should be understood that this construction and arrangement is not essential to the broadest scope of the invention and may be varied or modified as found desirable or best suited for the construction and operation of any machine in which any feature of the invention is embodied.

What is claimed is:

1. In a two-bed straight knitting machine, the combination with two banks of independently operating needles of two banks of independently operating Web holder elements corresponding to the two needle banks and operating on substantially parallel planes, actuating cams for the web holder elements, and parallel beds in which the web holder elements are supported to cooperate with the actuating cams.

2. In a two-bed straight knitting machine, the combination with two banks of independently operating needles of two banks of independently operating web holder elements, the web holders of each bank having their knockover surfaces substantially parallel to those of the web holders in the other bank, actuating cams for the web holder elements, and parallel beds in which the web holder elements are supported to cooperate with the actuating cams.

3. In a two-bed straight knitting machine, the combination with two banks of independently operating needles of corresponding banks of independently operating web holder elements operating in'substantially parallel planes and having the knock-over surfaces in one bank substantially parallel tothe knock over surfaces of the other bank with the web holder shanksofi'set to bring them into close proximity, actuating cams for the web holder elements, and parallel beds in whichthe web holder elements are supported to cooperate with the actuating cams.

4. In a two-bed straight knitting, machine, the combination with two oppositely inclined banks of independently operating needles of two corresponding banks of indepe ently operating web holders interposed between the needle banks to operate in substantially parallel planes and having the knock-over surfaces in one bank substantially parallel to the knock-over surfaces of the other bank,

the insliders for the web holders, actuating cams for-the sliders to control the movement of the web holders, and parallel beds in which the sliders are supported to cooperatewith-the actuating cams. p

5. In a knitting machine, the combination of a series of needles, web holdersto coop-v erate with the needles,'means for moving. part of the web holders to cause certain of the needles to draw shortloops, and means for termined in accordance with thelength of loop drawn by the corresponding needles.

7. In a two-bed straight knitting machine, the combination of a bank of needles,;corresponding web holders having knockover surfaces, and means to move the knockover surfaces of part of the web holders toward and away from the needle bank to vary the size of the loops drawn by the corresponding needles without altering the size of the loops formed by the remaining needles.

8. In a two-bed straight knitting machine, the combination of a bank of needles, corresponding web holders, means for imparting a lengthwise movement to the web holders, and control bars to swing part of the web holders laterally toward and away from the needle bank to vary the size of the loops drawn by the corresponding needles. I

9. In a two-bed straight knitting machine, the combination with two banks of needles of corresponding banks of web holders operating on parallel planes and adapted to slide across the line of the needles, sliders for operating the web holders pivotally connected thereto to permit transverse movement of the web holders, and cams for actuating the sliders.

10. In a two-bed straight knitting machine, the combination with two oppositely inclined banks of needles of web holders adapted to slide across the line of the needles, web holder sliders with butts pivotally connected to the web holders to permit transverse movement of the web holders, a cam slide, a lifting cam acting on the butts to slide the web holders across the line of the needles, and draw-down cams for retracting the web holders.

11. In a two-bed straight knitting machine, the combination with two oppositely inclined banks of needles of web holders adapted to slide across the line of the needles, web holder sliders having some long and some short butts, a cam slide, a lifting cam acting on the butts to slide the web holders across the line of the needles, and draw-down cams so arranged as to retract the web holders operated by the sliders with short butts a less distance than those operated by sliders with long butts.

12. In a two bed straight knitting machine, the combination with two oppositely inclined banks of needles, of web holders, web holder sliders with butts, a cam slide, a lifting cam acting on the butts to. move the web holders, draw-down cams for retracting the web holders, and control pins for positionin the draw-down cams to vary the limits 0 the retracting movement of the web holders.

13. In a two-bed straight knitting machine, the combination with two oppositely inclined banks of needles of web holders adapted to slide across the line of the needles, web holder sliders having some long and some short butts, a lifting cam acting on the butts to slide the web holders across the line of the needles, draw-down cams, and control pins for positioning the draw-down cams to retract the web holders operated by the sliders with short butts a less distance than those operated by sliders with long butts.

14. In a two-bed straight knitting machine, the combination with a series of needles of web holders associated therewith, a plurality of sets of web holder stitch cams each to actuate certain of the web holders and having diflerent points of maximum down pull, and means for reducing the down pull of one set from its maximum to prevent undue strain on the loops held by the web holders so controlled during certain phases of the knitting operation.

15. In a knitting machine, the combination with the needles, of web holders provided with knock-over surfaces and a Web holder actuating member for each web holder provided with a butt and pivotally connected to the web holder to permit an adjustment of the web holder transversely of its length.

16. In a two bed straight knitting machine, the combination of a series of needles, a corresponding series of web holders provided with knockover surfaces against which the loops are formed by the needles and hooked portions to hold down the needle loops, means,

for lmparting a lengthwise movement to the Web. holders to hold down the needle loops, and means for moving a portion of the web holders laterally to cause the corresponding needles to draw varying lengths of loops.

17. In a two bed straight knitting machine, the combination of a series of needles, a corresponding series of web holders provided with knockover surfaces against which the loops are formed by the needles and hooked portions to hold down the needle loops, sliders pivotally connected to the web holdershadapted to impart a lengthwise movement thereto to hold down the'needle loops, and means for moving a portion of the web holders laterally about their pivots to cause the corresponding needles to draw varying lengths 6f loops.

18. In a straight knitting machine, the combination of a series of needles, a corresponding series of webholders cooperating with the needles movable to reform the loops held on the needle shanks to the backs of the needles, means for causing all the needles of the series to drawone length of loop, actuating means for the web holders, means for causing a portion of the active needles in the series to draw loops of a diiferent length while I maintaining constant the length of loops drawn down by the remaining active needles of the series, and means for varying the loop reforming movement of that portion of the webholders only corres onding to the needles drawing loops of a di erent length.

19. In a two bed straight knitting machine, the combination with a series of needles, web holders associated therewith, cams for operating the web holders, and means controlling the position of the cams to render the cams operative and inoperative to operate the web holders.

20. In a straight knitting machine, the combination with the needles and means cooperating therewith to knit in either direction 30 including web holders, cam means for operating the needles, and web holder cams for operating the web holders, of means controlling the position of the web holder cams to render operative certain of the web holder cams to hold down the loops during the advancing movement of the needles.

21. In a knitting machine, the combination with a series of needles, of a series of elements provided with loop knockover surfaces, said elements being movable to position said surfaces at either of tw levels for the purpose of causing the respective needles associated {with said elements to draw long or short 2%. In a knitting machine, the combination with a series of needles of a series of web holders provided with knockover surfaces, said web holders being movable to position the said knockover surfaces at either of two levels to cause the needles associated with the said web holders to draw long or short loops, and means for varying the movement of the web holders to hold down the loops on the needle shanks to correspond with the ength of loop formed on said knockover suraces.

23. In a knitting machine, the combination with a series of needles of a series of web holders provided with knockover surfaces,

means for moving the web holders to position the knockover surfaces at either of two levels for the purpose of causing the needles associated therewith to draw long or short loops, and means for varying the movement of the web holders to hold down the loops during the advancing movement of the needles to correspond with the length of loop drawn down over the knockover surfaces.

In testimony whereof I have signed my no name to this specification.

MAX 0. MILLER.