US1828878A - Circular knitting machine - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 27, 1931.

O. SEIFERT CIRCULAR KNITTING IACHINE Filed July 27, 1928 s Sheets-Shoot 1 ....H.... kw

Oct. 27, 1931. o. SEIFERT 1,823,373

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O. SEIFERT CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 27, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 rays.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE OTTO SEIFERT, OF BUBGSTADT, GERMANY, ASSIGN-OR TO MZARATTI SOCIETE mom OFGENEVL'SWITZEBLAND, A COMPANY OF SWITZERLAND CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Application filed July 27, 1928,, Serial No.

The present invention relates to improve- -ments in or relating to circular warp-knitting machines.

Technical circles have been for some timepatent specifications of the last thirty years but although the most varied constructions have been proposed no practical satisfactory results have been obtained. The prior constructions have been so complicated, and have presented so many difficulties in operation, that the advantages of a tubular knitted article, which are equal to those of the flat variety, have notbeen realized.

The present invention has for its object to provide a circular warp knitting machine which is simple in construction and eflicient in operation and in which any tendency to entanglement of the threads with one another or with parts of the machine is avoided.

According to the present invention I pro: vide a circular warp knitting machine in which the warp bobbins are so mounted and disposed with respect to two thread guide rings and a needle carrying ring that the two warps are led entirely separately to their respective thread guide rings, and thence to the needles, a clear space free of fixed or moving parts beingv left between the threads of the two warps.

The warp bobbins are preferably mounted on an annular-member or ring connected to their respective thread guide rings so as to form therewith two annular closed units. These units are caused to execute rotary movements in opposite directions soas to cause the threads of the two warps to form crosses which may be engaged by the needles. These rotary movements are preferably intermittent back and forth movements. The forward movements of the two guide rings executed in opposite directions cause corresponding threads of 5 the warps to form crosses which are engaged by'the needles on their downward movement and the backward movements cause a partial separation of the threads so as to allow more space between the threads for the passage of the needles on then-upward movement. -It follows that the 295,764, and in Germany August 1, 1927.

backward steps must be less than the forward steps by an amount equal to'one needle space so that there is a resultant net forward movement of the two rings in opposite directions. Any resulting loosening of the threads is compensated by the provision of an elastic take-up for the fabric so as to keep the fabric continuously under tension. During the stitch formation the fabric is firmly clamped by a pressure ring so that the take updevice will not drag at the threads during stitch formation. For coarse materials this pressure ring is quite smooth, the provision of slots or raised parts on its surface not being necessary. The machine is also preferably provided with a variable speed gear so that a speed of operation may be chosen to suit the kind of material (i. e., degree of coarseness of the threads) and the division of the machine.

Owing to the unobstructed passage of the warps from the bobbins to the thread guide rings the threads can be'fed to the needles without damage even if the most. delicate threads are employed.

In order that the invention may be well understood, a preferred embodiment thereof is illustrated in the accompanying drawings showing in:

Fig. 1 a partial cross section through a, circular knitting machine embodying this invention.

Figure 2 a plan thereof;

Figure 3 the arrangement of the step movement in elevation;

Figure 4 the same in plan;

Figures 5, 5:1,"6, 6a, 7 and 7a L116 different positions ofthe two thread guide rings, of

a the threads themselves; and the needles opposite them; m

Figure 8 a needle lead with needle ring and take-off ring in cross section;

Figure 9the same in elevation; Figure 10 the device for alteration of the speed, partly in section;

Figure ll'the control level in side elevation and the displaced position thereof;

Figure 12 the take-updevice for the article, under themachine;

movably mounted. On these working rings. 2 and 19. which are toothed, are fixed the Figure 13 the article stretcher and leading late p Figure 14 is part of the article delivery frame in plan vlew; 1

Figures 15 and 16 show the needle take-oft and pressure rings opposite one another in two positions.

Description On the column 1, Figures 1 and 2, is the main support 2. On this in turn the take- off ring pair 3 and 4 is firmly fixed; the ring 4 is constructed of a relatively hard material such as bronze or steel. On the main support 2 are the bearings 5, in which the pins 6 may be set into up" and down motion by eccentrics not shown. The pins 6 (see also Figures 8 and 9) carry the needle ring 7 on which the .needle leads-8 With-the fused in needles N are fixed. t

On the column 1 the running rollers 13 for the'lower working ring 12 and the running rollers for the upper working ring 19 are I thread bobbin cartiers 11 or18, and on these intern the thread guide rings 10 and 17, so that these two groups form two ring bodies, completely separated from oneanother, but Hosted in and rigid.

The thread bobbin carriers 11 and 18 carry bobbin brackets 14 and 21 respectively in which bobbins 15 and 22 are rotatably and removaly mounted. The bobbins are preverted from a too rapid unwinding by brake levers 9 and 23 pivotally mounted on the carr ers 11 and 18 frictionally engaging the bobb ns by means of suitable shoes on one side of the pivot and being provided on the other side of the pivot with weight pans 16 and 24.

By varying the weights in the pans 15 and 24 the braking effect on the bobbins can be adjusted. The brake levers are also provided with extensions having rollers at their extremities to serve as guides for threads Fu and- F0 running from the lower and upper bobbins to the respective guide rings 10 and 17. By this means a correct tensioning of the threads on their way from the bobbins to the guiderings can be obtained.

The two working rings 12 and 19 are each provided with a peripheral gear, that on the lower ring 12 meshing with a gear wheel 31 fixed on a vertical shaft 32 and that on the upper ring 19 meshing with a double gear J heel 36 (see Fig. 3) The double gear wheel 36 is also in mesh with a gear wheel 35 fixed on the shaft 32. Thus it will be seen that upon rotation of the shaft 32 the two. rings 12 and 19 are rotated in opposite directions.

In order to provide for an intermittent or step by step movement of the working rings 12 and 19 the shaft 32 has keyed thereto a lever 38 which is linked by pins 39 and 41 with a second lever 38a keyed to a vertical on a shaft 43 which by a suitable source of power. The shaft 26 shaft 26 coaxial with the shaft 32. On the pin 41 a double gear wheel 29/30 is rotatably mounted and meshes on the one side with a gear wheel 28 fixed to the shaft 26'and on the other side with a wheel 31. Rotatably mounted :on the pin 39 is a sleeve carrying a rod 40 connected to an eccentric 42 mounted is continuously rotated carries at its lower extremity a worm wheel 25-which meshes with a worm 24 fixed to a shaft 23' which is also continuously rotated through a suitable gear box which will be hereinafter described.

It follows that owing to the oscillation of centric 42 the shaft 32 can be made to rotate in the opposite sense to that in which the shaft 26 rotates during a portion of the stroke of the pin 39. Thus it will be apparent that any motion from a uniform motion to a back and forth step by step motion can be imparted to the rings 12 and 19. The uniform motion is obtained by making the eccentricity of the eccentric 42 zero.

On the shaft 44, journalled in the supporting column 1, Figures 10 and 11, are the loose and fast wheels 45 and 46 and also the manifold gear wheel 48, consisting in the figure of three graded wheels joined together. Each of these graded wheels meshes with particular toothed wheels 49, 50 and 51 provided with key grooves'and mounted on the shaft 52. The shaft 52 itself has a hollow in which the locking pin 53 with the bolt 54, which the levers 38, 38a the speed of rotation of the extends along the shaft 52 for, the whole breadth of the three wheels 49, 50 and 51 is adjustably mounted. The-bolt 54, according to the adjustment of the'position of the pin, grips one of the wheels 49, 50and 51. In a recess of the bolt 54 is the control lever 55, likewise movable in a slot 56, in proximity to the column 1. This slot 56 has transverse slots 57 according to the widthof the wheels 49, 50 and 51, in which slots the control lever may be placed as a catch lever. 58 and 59 are driving wheels which transmit the step motion to the toothed ring through the shaft 23. Fixed to the main support- 2 is a bracket 60 in which the shaft 52 is mounted, Figures 12, 13 and 14. 61 is a stretching bar which,

with the help of the stretching plate 62 and its slit 63, stretches the tubular goods so as to be flat and ofdouble thickness. 64 are the take up rollers of which each is pressed against the other by powerful pressure springs 78 which may be tightened by means of screws 79. These two rollers 64 are disposed m the frame, 65, which is rotatably 7 frame 65. On an extension of this the pulley wheel 72 is screwed which by means of a cord or bolt 73 is connected with the pulley wheel 7 4 of the eccentric shaft 52. On the extension '75 of the frame 65 is attached a heavy weight The threads Fa of the supply spools 15 run over the rollers of the brake lever 9 to the lower thread guide ring 10 and through the opening of this to the needles N (Figures 1 and 2, or 5, 5a, 6 6a, 7 and 7a) the upper threads F of the supply spools 22 run over the rollers of the brake lever 23 to the upper thread guide ring 17 and thence similarly to the needles N. v

In Figs. or 5a it may be clearly seen how the threads F0 or Fu pass through the thread guide rings 17 or to the need es. The, upper thread guide ring move in the d rection of the arrow 0', the lower thread guide ring moves in the direction of the arrow U. The threads receive thereby a certain obliquity. In the oblique position of Figures and 5/1. the needles N have passed in between, through the two groups of threads and are about to move downwards again, as the arrow ind cates. In Figure 6 or 6a the thread guide rings haveexecuted a side movement in Figure 6 for example, 1% needle spaces. the upper ring to the left, the lower ring to the right. Due to this displacement, the wo thread groups have formed the so-called thread crosses X, which are now underneath the needle hooks H. Upon downward movement of the needles N inthe direction of thearrow the crosses X are caught and drawn through the old stitch already on the needles. and prepared ior anew stitch, whereby upon further downward movement of the-needle the old stitch is pushed over the'h'ead of the need e and removed. After this has occurred the thread guides move back again a little. in Figure 7 or 7 a, half a needle space. The needle N, again moving upwards, now has sufiicient space to move. safely through the threads of the two thread groups as the hatched portion indicates. If the backward movement had not occurred, the space for the passage throughof the needles would have been only as big as the cross hatched portion shows and this has the result that one or both of the thread groups he too thick over the head of the needle, and upon the up- .ward movement of the needle may easily come to lie behind the needle heads which would give rise to faulty stitches. The finer The thread guides work therefore according to the following scheme Lower ring 10 Forward movement 1% g 1 1% 1 Backward movement J N 1 Forward movement +11 1 +156} 1 1 Backward nmvemeut "{Y t Forward movement 1 1 1 l 1 mmum'n Backward movement I Also naturally the step movement can be varied, therefore more or less backward movement can be given. Always, however,

Forward movement 1V 1 Hukwurd movement ,5; Forward movement. +11, 1

1 Net 11a; kwal'd movement forward 1% 1 movement X With coarser division the backward movement must go to 0, so that a step-by-step movement results, thus Forwa rd movement 1 lackuard nmvement 0 1 aif Forward movement 1 1 Paekward movement 0 \Vith coarse division a constant continuous velocity or movement can even be attained. The step movement takes place since the continuous rotation of the wheel 28, Figs. 3 and 4-, is produced through the worm 24- and the worm wheel 25, and the reciprocating rotation of the wheel 28 and once in opposition thereto. The .wheel 29 is then rotated on the wheel 28 back and forth, causing an' add tion to, or subtraction from. the movement. The greater the swinglng movement by the eccentric-"the greater is the rotation and the greater the forward-and backward movements. The wheel transmission ratio is so chosen that the difference between the adding and subtracting movement is always 1.

As is clear from Figure 1, the twothread groups pass completely separated to the thread guides, therefore no group obstructs the others in any way. Each bobbin of a group can be exchanged, without the necessity of interfering with the thread system of the other groups. This makes it possible very easily to thread or to change torn threads or complete bobbins. 1

The needles themselves are embedded in groups in' leads, which amount in breadth to a multiple of the width of the needles. This has the advantage that the needles are seated securely and are more easily accessible and replaceable. The formation of the stitches requires certain time according to'the kind of material and the division of the machine and,

therefore, the machine is arranged with a change speed gear. In Figures 10 and 11 for example a three-speed gear is shown.

According as the bolt 54 is moved by means of the control lever 55, the wheel 49, 50 or 51 is connected to the shaft 52 by means of the pin, and this, on account of the different transis firmly pressed by the springs 78 and screw 79. and is tightly stretched by means of the weight 76. The rollers are automatically secured against backward rotation by means of the worm wheels 69 or the pertaining worm 70. The rollers are actuated in the figure by the worm wheel 69, worm 70, wheel 72, belt 7 3 and wheel 74 from the eccentric shaft, but may also be driven by other mechamsm.

If the article has not been so stretched by the rollers' and the weight that the belt is slack, the worm on the worm wheel is not rotated. The rollers on the frame will descend by reason of the weight with each stitch and the simultaneous stretching. This descent will go on until the belt has received sufiicient tension to enable it to set the worm or worm wheel and rollers in rotary motion. The result is that the frame is raised so much that the pull of the belt on the worm is in operation, and so under the influence of the weight 76 and so, with constant tension, an up and down motion of the frame occurs, and a uniformly thick article is obtained just the same whether the article is long or short stitched. The difference in length of stitch is mainly regulated by the weight 76 only The regulation of the bobbins serves principally merely to give to the threads a certain tension when leading them to the needles.

So'that the article W may be correctly struck oif (removed), the pressure ring 80 is provided which, at the appropriate instant, presses down from above on the article and holds this firmly until the newly formed stitches have slipped under the needle tongues. Then the pressure ringrises by an amount so that the operation of the take-up or of the stitch lengthening can take effect.

I claim:

1. In a circular warp'knitting machine, two series of warp bobbin carriers arranged annularly with respect to two thread guide rings and spaced axially with respect to one another, each series of we bobbin carriers being mounted on an ann ar member connected to the corresponding thread guide ring so as to form therewith an annular closed unit, a needle carrying ring, means for leading the two warps entirely separately to their respective thread guide rings and thence to the needles so as to leave a clear space free of fixed or moving parts between the threads of the two warps, and means for causing each of said units to execute back and forth step by step movements during each complete stitch forming operation, the movements being such that for each unit the forward step exceeds the backward step by one needle space, the forward direction for the two units be'ng in opposite senses.

2. In a circular warp knitting machine, two series of warp bobbin carriers arranged annularly with respect to two thread guide rings and spaced axially with respect to one another, each series of warp bobbin carriers being mounted on an annular member connected to the corresponding thread guide ring, so as to form therewith an annular closed unit, a needle carrying ring, means for leading the two warps entirely separately to their respective threaded guide rings and thence to the needles so as to leave a clear space free of fixed or moving parts between the threads of the two warps, means for causing said units to execute oppositely directed rotary movements and adjusting means for varying the movements of said units so as to be uniform, intermittently progressive or intermittently back and forth step by'step movements during each complete step formation as desired. I

3. In a circular warp knitting machine, two series of warp bobbin carriers arranged annularly with respect to two thread guide rings and spaced axially with respect to one another, each series of warp bobbin carriers being mounted on an annular member connected to the corresponding thread guide ring, so as to form therewith an annular closed unit, a needle carrying ring, means for leading the two warps entirely separately to their respective thread guide rings and thence to the needles so as to leave a clear space free of fixed or moving parts between the threads of the two warps, means for causing said units to execute oppositely directed rotary movements, and adjusting means for varying the movements of said units so as to be uniform, intermittently progressive or intermittently back and forth step by step movements as desired, said adjusting means comprising an eccentric of variable eccentricity co-operating with an oscillatable lever, the motion of which is superposed on to that of a continuously driven member.

In witness wliereof I aflix my signature.

OTTO SEIFERT.

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