US1837101A - Knitting machine - Google Patents

Description

D 15, 1931- N` A. BERNER 1,837,101

KNITTING MACHINE med March 12, 1951 .4 sneetspsneet 1 /NveA/Td Il ENQ/Mw Dec. 15, 1931'. N, A, BERNER 1,837,101

KNITTING MACHINE Filed. March 12, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 l )162, Bernd /Nvcmvll D. l5, Nl A BERN'ER I KNITTING MACHINE Filed llarh 12, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 'Dem 15', 1931;

N. A.' BERNER '1,837,101'

KNITTIHG UACHINE Filed Max-ch' 12, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 .J--. QQ@ I QQ ya Patented Dee. 1s, 1931 y PA'rsNror-FICE i A t UMTED STATES Nine-ANTON Damn.. orres'romom ammi, .Assioma Iro Ax'rIEBoLAGET ran. `rmaeeoxra.var-oon mmm. or smoxnonm swrmmr, A conomrron or marine uomini Appiceann mea mais, 1931; serielle; 522,102, um ni sweden laren a2, 1930. l

This invention relates to knitting machines` of that type, `which are provided with a' carriage Areciprocating above needle-beds and by means of locks or other controlling mem- 5 bers shifts the needles while'Y reciprocated. In machines ofthis type the stroke of the carriage generally is predetermined and besides the shiftin of 'the members ywhich effect the changing o the` yarnl and pattern, `the shifting of the locks, etc., is effected just atV the turning-points of the carriage deter-V mined by the constantv length of its stroke. If such a machine operates with a less breadth of the knitted article Vthan the one, for which the machine generally is intended, the length of the stroke, evidently, is unnecessarily great, resulting in a: lossjoftime, which renders the production not sofeconomical as de sired. 1j p This disadvantage is removed through the present invention according to whichA the length ofthe stroke of the carriage maybe chan ed as desired and adapted to the breath and the position oftheknittedarticle. The changing of yarn and pattern, Athe shifting of the locks, etc., is effected automatically at the return points of the carriage determined bythe lengthofthe stroke. The position of the return points, which may be varied within comparatively great limits, is

determined by adjustable abutments provided Y in the path of the carriage.

"Knitting machines according to the present invention comprise a carriage recipro-` cate-d above needle beds'adapted'by means of actuating .members to shift. the needlesin the beds, a returnldevice controlling vthe receprocating movement ofthe carriage/1. which ren turn-device is' provided betweenthe driving 4* devices of the knitting machineand the carriage, 'adjustable abutments ,co-operating with the return-device, so that VtheV ope-ration of the latter is controlled automatically by the position of the ,abutme`nts, and motion i transmitting members between the 'return-de-V vice and devices shitin the members' ofthe machine acting during t e knitting operation such as locks, yarn-changing means, pattern' devices and so on), so Vthat the said-acting members, `when necessary, are automatically?.

shifted through the influence of the shifting at or near end of the stroke arbitrarily chosen. V

The inventionalso com rises certain details, more closely describe `in the following description inconnection with the descrip;

tion ofl a form of execution of the'inven- 1 tion shown in the accompanying drawings. i

' Fig. `1 1s a sldevlew of the main members of. the machine. Fig; 2 shows substantially the same membersrin'a plan view. Fig. 31s an endvlew of the machine; 4 1s a cross section on the line w-a of Figjjl. Fig. `5 `shows a part of a Lpatf ternicard. Fig. 6 is a plan view of a carry-` Y ing plate ofthe carriage. Fig."7 shows a part of the motion transmitting means for the actuating of the locks.` `FignSshows a detail of the attern mechanism belonging to the same. igs. `9.[10 and llshow details of the the motionltransmitti'ng mechanism acting.

upon the locks. Fig..12 shows diagra1n111at1-` The machine is driven inasuitable manner by a source of power, for instance an electric-,motor 2, Fig. 2, connected to aswitchf Y box13,y bhwhich the velocity is suitably re- Y duced.V Y Yesaid switch-box also permits the changingautomatically to different velocities according to the type of knitting operation and the nature ofthe yarn used in the machine.' The motion is transmitted from the switch-box to'anendlesschain 5pas'sing round two sprocket wheels V4, one of which is fixed to an outgoing shaft of the switch-box. The chain 5`acts upon a return device 6, which lis adapted to reciprocate between two abutments 42, fixed in an adjustablemanner on f two guiderods 43 which areV parallel to the chainparts and uide the return device. Y The return device, w 'ch preferabl isprovided with rollers runningon the gulde rods 43, is connected toV the V'carriage l Vby means of a crankMandalink 45, Figs. 1, 2 and 4, which thnssis caused `to partakein'the recipdently, is .altered and besides the stroke of the carriage 1 may be located to any part' of the guide rods, for instance to the one end of the machine or to the other or to the centre of the-machine'. This is ofaspeciallygreat importance, ybecause the length of'v stroke of the carriage and the zone in which the movement takes place may be Wholly adapted 't'o the conditions `most suitable in each case.

For that reason'any idle'running:practically is excluded. I

' As the return device 6, While moved, strikes the one or the other abutment 42, its coupling mechanism is caused to operate, so that the return-devicey is connected either tothe upper or'to'the lovver part of the chain 5l During thesaid coupling opera-tion also the crank 441s turned through a certain distance, for instance half a revolution, whereby the return-ing of the carriage at its endfpositions takes place in a soft manner, owing to the fact that the advancing vof the carriage is continued through a certain distance and is retarded, after the return device has struck the abutment. A Worm Wheel 107 is fixed to 'L' f Y vthe shaft of the crank 44 and engagesl a'vvorm Wheel 108, slidably but not rotatablymounted on ther shaft 7, the said Worm lvvheel- 108 being positively Vcarried with the return device duringY `its reciprocatingV movement.

" Owing to this arrangement the shaft 7 isv rotated throughV a certain"` angle, for instancefhalf a revolntion,4 atleach time thel carriage turns, the said rotating movement being used for shifting the different parts of i the machine operating during the knitting operation, which thus are acted upon at each time the carriage turns, independent of the position of the turning points. v

A sprocket Wheel v65'isV fixed to the shaft 7 and rotates by means of a chain 8 a sprocket Wheel 11 fixed tothe shaft 9, Fig. 2 a`nd`4. The diameters of the sprocket Wheels 11 and 65, preferably, are so adapted, that they sprocket Wheel 11 is rotated through a Whole revolution, as they sprocket Wheel 65 is rotated through half a revolution. A second sprocket Wheel 46 is `fixed ,tor shaft 9, F ig. 4, which by means of a chain 12 rotates'a sprocket Wheel'13 fixed to the shaft'14.'l t Preferably, the lengths of the .diameters Y of thev sprocket wheels 46 and 13 are equal, so.

that the said Wheels arev rotated at the same angular velocity. A number of camdiscs 10 areiX'ed-toI` the shaft 9, the object of which is to feed forward the so-called pattern cards' 19,14`i'gs. 4 and 5. The said feeding is effected by one or 4more cranks 47, Which are swingably mounted on a shaft'48 and by rmeans ofav link system 49 are connected With onelor more cranks 50. The said cranks 50 are swingably mounted on a shaft 51, carrying a polygonal drum 52, over Which the pattern cards 19 pass'. Crank 50 is provided With a pawl 109, engaging a ratchet Wheel .110 fixed to the shaft 51. Crank 47 is provided with a roller 72,- Which is forced against the disc 10 by a spring device (not shown) acting upon the link system. Through this arrangement, evidently,an intermittent forward movement is f imparted to thepattern'cardslQ at each time the carriage turns, independently of the pos1t1on of the turning point.

A number of cam discs 15 are iXed to the shaft 14. Links 16 bear'against the said cam discs and are connected to the cranks 18 by links 53, Fig. 4. The said cranks 13l are fixed to a shaft 59 and provided With projections 60, adapted to enter into holes 61, Fig. 5,'provided in the ,cards 19, Aso that the links 16 alternatelyoccupy a vertical and aislanting position. If there is no hole for a projection, as the cards 19 pass, the corresponding link 16 Wil cccnpy a slanting position as shown'l by dotted lines in F ig. 4. other hand a projection enters into a hole in the cards, the corresponding link 16 will occupy avertical position. E he links 16, which are guidedby cranksv54 and springs 105, are

adapted when occupying a vertical position, as

to co-operate with pins 20, Which are provided on cranks y66, fixed to shafts 55,

Fig. 4. Cranks 22, Fig. 3, also fixed to the shafts 55, are connected by links 2.3 with cranks 24fixed to shafts 25 which extend"longitudinally of the carriage 1 and relatively to which the carriage is slidabie.' A rotating motion, evidently, is imparted'to theV shafts 25 under certain circumstances, vvhich motion vis transmitted to the locks of the carriage (centre cams, side cams, cardigan catches andso on). Through this arrangement the locks are shifted each time the carriage turns independent of the position ofthe turning points. In Figs. 7, 10 and 11 ksome examples of the mechanisms are shown by which` the rotary motion of the shafts 25 vis, transmitted to the so-called centre cams. Cranks 94 and 95 are slid- If on the gg:

ably but 4not rotatably mounted on the shafts 25 and positively guided by the carriage 1. As the shafts 25 are rotated, the said cranks act upon the centre cams 92 and 93, F ig. 6, so that their position is shifted. The crank 96, Fig. 11, fixed to one of the shafts 25, shifts in a similar manner the cardigan catch 98 and, besides, is adapted to act upon the two centre cams 92 and 93 simultaneously. Figs. 6 and 7 shov.7 an example of the mechanism transmitting the rotary motion of the shaft 25 to the so-called side cams. f Toothed bevel-.Wheels 86 and 91 are slidably but not rotatably mounted on the shafts 25 and positively Qguided ,by the carriage, so that they partake in VitsI reciprocating motion. The

said bevel- wheels Vdand 9,1 engage bevelf wheels and, fixed toy the, shafts S4-and 89, Fig, 6to which toothed,bevel-secters-8? and 88 are fixed. The' saidgsectorsengage racks, provided oir-the sidecams 82 and-87.

As the shaftsQ are rotated,i the motioinfevi-` dently, istransmitted to the I,sideacains 82 vund.

according to the same systenuas described above. The patern device proper Vmay `be of a known type for which-:reasonitis not described. Y For instance, it may be mentioned that the needlesjare acted upon by needledividers' 81, Fig. 8, which arev swingably mounted on pins 80 andbymeansiof links 111 are connected with cranks 112, provided on sha ts 27, to which rotary motion is imparted substantially in the same mannera'sv to the'l sha-135325.V .1f

One may proceed in' a substantially equal manner, if the machine` should operate vat dif,- ferent velocities fordi'erent kinds 'off knitting or with'dierent kinds. o yarns, which require a. greater or lessivelocity.: In such-a.r case the holes of cards,

type shown vin Fig. 5, lcontrol a system of 1 cranks .and links in substantially `the same manner as describdabove.' The `movements thus effected are nsedfor thechanging of the ratio of gearing.

The movement necessaryrfor thechanging of the yarn may bederived for instance from the shaft 14, which for that purpose may be provided with cam discs (not shown in the drawings), which act upon a .linkand lever arm system 28, 29, 30 and 31. Fig. 3. The

intermittent motion of the saidl'liuk and lever arm system is transmitted in'any Y'suitablenianner to shafts 37, .Whichare rotatablyjournaled in supports 67, Figs. 1 and` 2, provided at the ends of thevmachine. Cranks 38,'Fik1s;

1 and 4, are slidably butnot rotatably-mounted on the shafts 37 and. positively the carriage` 1, so that they: poi-take in its reciprocating, motion. Y Vx 1 Thesaid cranksV 38 act as a kindof corr veyers. which, as the shafts are rotated move the yarn-carrier slides 39 and 40, which' are movable on guide rods .69. ,Two yarnf carrier slides of the said'type are provided on each guide rod, one ortho` Vot-heryottheV same being caused to move bythe cranks '38,

dependent loir-the great-ness offthe'Ia-ngle through which they are turnedf,Coiisequelfxt-` ly the yarn-carrier slides partake the re-` ci procating movement of thezcarri age accord ing to a Ycertain `predetelniined.order. Bent fied, However,

-. tion vwith the chain 5 to itslowersubstantially of'the.

guided by arms l"70.are fixed ttheyarn-carrierl slides,

above the needles? iny the needle beds 73.V Inthe, above description Athe most impor-` tantlmovements of the machine' and examples of the means for effecting the `same are specithcre `are also: orA may be other movementsgvhich maybe derived according tosubStantiaIlythe same principles, as stated above, foi-Which reason a more particnlarestatement of the same seems to be superfluous..

, The mode of operation of the machine may be substantially clear from the above specification. For the gaining of a bettersurveyabilitya recapitulation of the mode'of op-` eration is left below V First the; abutments 42 are adjusted into positions on the guide-rods 43 determining thelength of stroke and the positions of the turnpointsdesired. Then the desired ratio oifj gearing is effected in the switchv box 3 the motori?. being then started. The said motor rotates oneof the sprocket Wheels 4 and thus moves thechain 5, which' through suitable means carries with itself the return def. vicewhich, as Vsoon asit arrives at the abutments 4:2,automatically changes the connec- .from its upperV part part and' vice versa, sothat the return-device will run toand fro along ltheV amplitude determinedbythe positions of the obutments. The carriagel partakes in the motion ofthe return-device, a soft change of the motion of the turn points being, however, effected owing to the described crank-V and flink-connection `44 45, between `the returnf device and the carriage described above. At

oa ch time the return-device turns,`the Worm.-V

wheels .107 Vand 108 transmit a,V certain rotary motion for instance half a revolution) to the shaft 7 which in it-s turn transmits motion to chain 8,.shaft 9, chan12and shaft 14,. .As

the shaft '9 has been rotated through one revolution, which takes place each time the re-V turn-device and the carriage turns, .the camdisc 10 acts upon the crankand link-system- 47 49 and 50, so` that the drum 52 is'rotated and the cards 19 are fed forward. If during the said feeding operation nohole passes the projection 60 of the crank 18, the latter isheld` in the positionindicated the dotted lines in, Fig. 4. Consequently, also the link 16 is held in the position indicated b v the dotted lines and for that reason does-not (5o-oper-` ate with the pin 20 ofthe crenk. For that reason the link 16V acted upon by thecam-disc 1,5will onlynnove upwards'and downwards Without,turning-thc crank 66. i If, onithe otherhaHd, the projection (3()v engages ahole` prrwided in the card 19, the-crank- 18 as Well as fthe link i6` occupies the `verticalgposition indicated by the full lines,vin which casethe latter enga-ges the pin 20 of thecrank. As

`the cam-disc 15 moves the link 16 upwards,

the crank 66 and consequently also the shaft is rotated which results in the crankand link- system 22, 23 and 24 being'l acted upon for rotating the shaft 25. Consetpuently the crank 18 constitutes a kind of fee ing mechanism whichcontrols the transmissionof motion. All shafts 25 are rotated in the same manner. The cranks 94 and 95, Figs. 7, 10 and 1l, which are slidably but not rotatably mountedon the shafts 25 and arev positively guided by the carriage l during the said movement act upon the centre cams 92V and 93, Fig. 6, so that their position is fixed. The crank 96, Figs. 7 and 9, fixed to one of the `shafts 25, adjust in a similar 'manner the Ycardigan catch 98 and besides is adapted to act upon the centre cams 92 and 93 first mentioned simultaneously, Figs. 10 and 1l. Also the side cams 82 and 87 are adjusted by the shaft 25. Owing to the factthat the bevelwheels 86 and 91 positively guided by the carriage, rotate the toothed wheels 85 and 90, the shafts 84 and 89 and the toothed sectors 83 and 88, which move the side cams 82 and 87 through their engagement with' the same. f v

If the machine is provided witha pattern e device, it may be shifted in substantially thesame manner through the provision of a set of'pattern-cards extending along the whole machine. lf the pattern-device is constituted by the needle-divider shown' in Fig. 8, it is shifted by the shafts 27 in the manner stated above. Y

The changing of yarn and velocity is effected in the stated manner and therefore is not repeated here. l

' Also other 'operations may, as stated, be effected in a substantially corresponding manner and the number of operating members is varied in accordance with the work to be made.k j Y In the above specification only one camdisc. one crank, one link and so on has been mentioned for the sake of clearness, but, evidently, there is generally a series of such members.

Finally, it may be mentioned, that all the vmotion transmitting members may be arranged and combined in many other manners, and the invention, evidently, is not limited to the form o f execution described above and shown in the drawings, which form of execution only serves to illustrate the principle of therinvention. The essential thing is, that the stroke of the carriage is variable with regard to its length as well as toits position and that the shifting of the members ofthe machine determined by the different kntting operations is effected automatically, substantially at the same time as the carriage returns and independently of the length of the stroke and the positionv of the same.

I claim:

' f1. Knitting machine comprising a ca rriage, means for reciprocating said carriage aboveneedle beds, actuating members in said carriage adapted to shift the needles, a return-device adapted to control thereciproeating movement of the carriage and provided between the driving devices of the machine and the carriage adjustable stops cooperating with thereturn-device, so that the operation of said return-device is automatically controlled by the positions of said stops, and motion transmitting members provided between the return-device, and said actuating members operating during the knitting operation (such as locks, yarn changingdevices, pattern devices and so on) so that the said members, when necessary, are shifted automatically by the return-device at or near the chosen end points of the variable stroke.

'2. Knitting machine comprising a carriage, meansy for reciprocating said carriage above Vneedle-beds, actuating members in said carriage' adapted to shift the needles in the beds, arreturn-device adapted to control the reciprocating movement of the carriage and provided between the driving devices of the machine and the carriage, adjustable stops co-operating with the return-device, so that the operation of said return-device is automatically controlled by the positions of the said stops, an endless driving member which belongs to the driving devices of the machine', coupling'members provided on said return device for connecting the latter with the one or theother of the parts of said endless driving member running in opposite directions as the return-device is acted upon by the adjustable stops, andv motion transmitting members provided between the returndevice and said actuating members operating during the knitting operation (such as locks, yarn changing devices, pattern devices and so on), so thatthe said members, when necessary, are shifted automatically by the return device at or near the chosen end points of the variable stroke.

3. Knitting machine as claimed in claim l, characterized by motion transmitting members provided, between the return-device and the carriage, said motion transmitting members being adapted to be automatically shifted, as the return-device is acted upon by the adjustable stops and thereby effect a'relative movement between the return-device and the carriage, in order that the returning of the latter may take place in a soft manner.

4. A form of execution of knitting machines as claimed in claim l, characterized by the fact thatthe motion transmitting members between the return-device and the actuating members are arranged to impart in a predetermined manner a. rotary mot-ion to a number lof rotatable shafts, which extend through the carriage, slidable relatively to the shafts, actuating members positively guided by the carriage being slidably but not rotatably mounted on the shafts and adapted t to shift the locks,l yarn changing device, pattern device and so on.` n

5. Knittin :machine as claimed in claim 1, characterize by the fact that all actuating members or a part of the same consists of cranks. Y A

6. Knitting machine as Claimed in claim l,

characterized by the fact that the motion transmitting members between the return device and the actuating members are controlled by feeling mechanisms, adapted to co-operate with control cards or the like.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature. l Y

NILS ANTON BERNER.

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