US1860265A - Yarn cutter and clamp for knitting machines and method of operating same - Google Patents

Description

May '24, 1932. v A. E. 'PAGE' 1,860,265 YARN CUTTER AND CLAMP FOR KNITTING MACHINES AND METHOD OF OPERATING SAME Filed y 19. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 llllllllllllllllIlIlIII INVENTOR. ALBERT E.PAGE

May 24, 1932. PAGE Y 1,860,265

YARN CUTTER AND CLAMP FOR KNITTING MACHINES AND METHOD OF OPERATING SAME Filed July 19, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,INVENTQR. E 777 Y ALBERT E. PAGE 779 y 72:29 aiiarzzeys zrmmwnd vm May 24, 1932.

A. E. PAGE YARN CUTTER AND C LAMP FOR KNITTING MACHINES AND METHOD OF OPERATING SAME I5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 19, 1927 764 INVENTOR.

ALBERT E. PAGE 6y his ail-drags Mad-171M Patented May 24, 1932 TES UNITED STA eriSsuE PATENT OFFICE ALBERT E. PAGE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO SCOTT & WILLIAMS, INOOR- POBATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A GORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS YARN CUTTER AND CLAMP FOR KNITTING MACHINES AND METHOD OF OPERATING Application filed .Tuly 19,

This invention relates to cutters and clamps for knitting machines and more particularly to a method of operating a high splicing cutter and clamp for circular knitting machines having a dial. Cutters and clamps heretofore used for sectional splicing yarns have been located inside the needle circle below the throatplate in order that the yarn may get into the clamp as quickly as possible; In machines having dials there is not room inside the needle circle for a cutter and clamp at that level, and it is one purpose of the present invention to produce a cutter and clamp for sectional splicing which is adapted to be used in machines having dials. Another object of the invention is to provide a method of inserting the yarn which is quick and positive.

According to this invention the cutter and clamp may be set above the level of the needles at the throatplate in such a manner as not to interfere with the dial. The clamp causes insertion of the yarns by its own movement by forming a loop in the yarn and then offering that loop to the needles. According to this method the yarn finger is lowered to its feeding point before it is time to insert the yarn, and the cutter is raised from its normal position to a higher one before the yarn is inserted. This is done in such manner as to form a slack in the yarn and when it is time to insert the yarn, the cutter and clamp is merely dropped down nearer the yarn finger, thus throwing a loop of yarn in the path of the needles. The yarn is removed from the needles and given to the cutter and clamp by raising the yarn finger tonon-feeding position, the raising of the cutter and clamp occurring before or after the removal of the yarn, as desired.

In the drawings the invention will be shown in the well known Scott & Williams type of seamless hosiery machine in which the needle cylinder revolves and the cam cylinder is stationary, but it should be understood that the method and mechanism are both applicable to other 'typesof machines.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a seamless ribbed hosierymachine showing the new high splice SAME 1927. Serial No. 206,986.

cutter and clamp and the mechanism operating it;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the head of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of a portion of the head of the machine showing t-he'cutter and clamp;

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the cutter and clamp;

Fig. 5 is a plan view from below partially in section showing the cutter and clamp before ithas operated on the yarn;

' Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 after the I yarn has been cut and clamped;

Figs. 7 to 12 are views of successive operations looking at the throatplate from the front of the machine, Fig. 7 showing the splicing yarn finger feeding to the needles;

Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the yarn finger lifted and holding the yarn in the jaws of the cutter and'clamp; I

Fig. 9 is a similar view after the yarn has been cut and clamped;

Fig. 10 is a similar View showing the yarn finger lowered to operative position but the cutter and clamp raised;

Fig. 11 is a similar view showing the'cutter and clamp ofl'ering a loop of yarn to the needles;

Fig. 12 is a similar view lets go of the yarn;

just as the clamp Fig. 13 is a side elevation corresponding to Fig 8, while Fig. 14 is a side elevation to Fig. 11.

Referring to the drawings, there is the usual needle cylinder 260 with independent latch needles N" vertically movable therein, yarn fingers F pivotally mounted on a stud 554 on the latch ring 550 which in turn is pivoted on the upright bracket 401 on the bedplate B of the machine. These yarn fingers are adapted tobe lifted out of action and dropped into action by the usual thrust rods 460 operating from cams on the surface of the main pattern drum 120, as usual. Suspended above the needle cylinder 260 by means of a bracket 15 fastened on the latch ring 550 is a dial spindle d carrying a dial D which may carry secondary knitting instrucorresponding ments (not shown) and the ordinary cutter c and clamp c if desired (Fig. 2)

In order to cut and clamp successfully yarns which are thrown into and out of action frequently at borders of predetermined segments of the fabric such for instance as in the case of split foot stockings or high splicing at the heel, it is necessary :to rovide a special cutter'and clamp.

' been heretofore known.

. arns, being actuated ,by

the cutter and clamp Hereto ore, these cutters and clamps for sectional splicing have been of the general type shown in the atent to Robert W. Scott No. 1,274,338 dated July of cutter the splicing yarns areinserted by bringing the yarn finger into feeding positionthe cutter and. clamp being set at a pointbelow the level of the needles as they pass the throatplate. In any circularknitting machine having a dial, such for example as the machine shown in the U. S. Patent of Robert W. Scott No. 1,641,554, there is-not sufficient room above the dial for the sectional splicing cutter and clamp such as has In the example shown ing outside the yoke 550. he cutter and clamp which the cutting blade 784 and the clamping blade 785 project inwardly and downwardly over the needles. Between and on either side of the cutting and clamping blades are guide members'7 86 held fixedly in the frame by a cover plate 787. (Figs. 4, 5, and 6.) The cutting and clamping blades have hooked forward ends to catch the yarns, the inner edge of the cutting blade be'n sharpened. These two blades sl1de longitu 'nally of the frame in cutting, clamping and releasing the 77 pivoted at X on the cutt'erbracket 7 67 and connectedto the feet 7 84' and 7 85 of the blades. The operating lever is actuated by the following mechanism from a peripheral cam 296 on the usual sinker. ring revolving with the needles. There is a swlnging arm 778 carrying a finger 783 engaging the cam 296 and a wire 779 connected to the operating lever 777 and passin through the free .end of the swinging arm 778. wire is a collar 7 82 and there is a spring 780 tending to hold the finger 783 against the cam 296, the spring bracket 7 67 and a collar 781 on the wire 779 near its mid-point. This spring serves to open the clamp and cutter when permitted by the cam 296.

' When the machine is knitting portions of the stocking where sectional splicing is not bein done the sectional cutter and clamp can raised out of action from the main pattern drum- 120 by a rearwardly extending arm 768 on the bracket 7 67 This arm 7' 68 is 30, 1918. With this type in the drawings the y new sectional splicing cutter and clamp is carried by a bracket 767 pivoted on an extension of the stud 5541 of the latch ring proper consist of a slotted frame 794 from' an operating lever- On the end of the being stretched between connected to a thrust rod 769 pivoted to one arm of a cam lever 770 mounted on a stud 450 on the frame of the machine. Thefree end of this cam lever lies in one of the cam paths on the main pattern drum 120. When the c'anrlever 770 rides up on a cam 501 or 502 on the main pattern drum, the cutter and clamp is lifted out of operative position. Except during sectional splicing the sectional splicing yarn is held by the main cutter and clamp and 0.

It is necessary that the sectional cutter does not operate except during sectional splicing. For this purpose there is a lug 793' on the latch ring 550 lying just in front of the opgerating lever 777 between the pivot point of in its upward travel will bear against the lug 793 and will be moved about its pivot X, thereby shifting the wire 779 to put the collar 782 in a position such that swinging of the arm 7 7 8' caused by the cam 296 will be inefi'ective to move the wire 779 and the lever 777.

In such position, the cam 296 does not operate the cutter and clamp." This prevents yarns in the inactive yarn fingers from being severedfby this cutter while out ofaction.

According to the embodiment of the invention being described, the yarn is fed to the needles by dipping the clamp downwardly. The position of the cutter and clamp is above the needles at the throatplate and above the feeding level of theyarn fingers. The lowerv most position of the cutter and clamp is determined by means of an adjusting screw 771 on the forward end of the cutter bracket and resting on top of the latch ring opposite the usual throatplate 559. To raise and dip the I the clamp, thus pushing the loop ofyarn If down into the path of the needles.

The sectional splicing yarn finger may be. actuated through its thrust rod 460 by mechanism such as shown and described in the patent to Robert W. Scott dated July 30, 1918 Number 1,274,338. I

To insure that the endsof the sectional splicing yarns which have been out 01f do not project downwardly between the needles and thus come through to theright side of the 7 finished fabric, a brush 788 is placed near the needles at the knitting point, this brush tending to sweep the ends of the yarns inside the needle circle. In order that this brush may be taken out of action when the sectional splicing cutter and clamp goes out of action the'brush is pivotally mounted on a bracket 789 having a lug 7'90 lying in the path of a downwardly projecting arm 791 of the cutter bracket 7 67. There is a spring 792 tending to hold the brush in position and the parts are so adjusted that when the cutter bracket 767 is raised out of action by a cam on the main pattern drum, this downwardly depending projection 791 of the cutter bracket 7 67 will cause the brush 788 to be pulled out of contact with the circle of needles.

Having now described the construction of the novel parts of the invention, the operation of the device will be set forth. Assuming that a stockingis being knit from toe to top, the starting up course, loopers rounds and toe are made in the usual manner. The next piece of fabric to be made is the foot which has a spliced sole. At this point the main pattern drum 120 is racked ahead and the cam lever 770 drops off the cam 501. The spring 780 pulls the yarn cutter bracket 767 down until its adjusting screw 771 rests on the latch ring bracket 550 in which position the cutter and clamp are down in their lower position over the needles. The arm 791 also allows the spring 792 (Fig. 3) to swing the brush 788,

into position for action. The same movement of the main pattern drum 120 causes the thrust rod controlling the splicing yarn finger to drop down and the splicing yarn to be fed to the needles beginning on the sectional needles having low butts in the well known manner. (Fig. 7). After the segment of the needles knitting the sole of the stocking have taken the yarn, the splicing finger is lifted out at the last medium butt needle and the splicing yarn is raised into and caught inside the hooked forward ends of the cutter blade 784 and clamping blade 785. (Figs. 8 and 10). At this point the finger 783 of the swinging arm 778 comes in contact with the leading end of the peripheral cam 296 causing the lever 777 to withdraw the cutter blade 784 and the clamping blade'785 into the guide'members 786 cutting and clamping the yarns (Fig. 9).

When the revolution of the needle cylinder brings the first needle which is to receive the splicing yarn on the next course about 1 inches away from the splicing finger, that splicing finger is dropped down into operative position y its thrust rod 460 and simultaneously the cam 773 on the dial spindle causes the cutter and clamp to be raised about A of an inch. This raising of the cutter and clamp could have been caused before the yarn finger was raised, if so desired. This movement draws an extra length of yarn between the yarn finger and the cut-' ter and clamp. At this moment the yarns are passing above the needles at the throatplate. The adjustable link 774 rides ofi' the cam 773 on the dial spindle 03 just in time for the cutter and clamp to drop down and throw a loop in front of the first needle which is to take the splicing yarn (Figs. 11 and 13). The finger l 83 then rides off the peripheral cam 296 and the yarn is released to be knit in (Fig. 12). This loop-throwing yarn cutter and clamp is so active that it is not necessary to separate the needles into diflerv clamp and the eye of the yarn finger is greater than the spacing between said portion and eye, and'that therefore a loop of yarn exists between them and extends into the path of the needles. The manipulation of the yarn finger and clamp previous to their arrival at their respective yarn inserting positions are for the purpose of drawing such a length of yarn between them.

The cycle of operations just described continues until the heel is reached at which point the cam lever 77 0 rides up on to its heel'cam 502 which raises the cutter and clamp and the bracket 767 entirely above the latch ring bracket 550 making it possible to manipulate any gap closing ring. This raising of the sectlonal cutter and clamp preferably takes place just before the high splicing yarn finger is lifted out in order that the regular cutter 0 and clamp a mounted on the dialcap may cut and hold the sectional splicing yarn until sectional splicing is resumed. The raising of the cutter and clamp also swings the brush 7 88 away from the needle circle and pushes the lever 777 until the finger 783 cannot 0perate the sectional cutter. It might be noticed also that this lifting of the cutter and clamp also causes the adjustable link 774 to be withdrawn from contact with the cam 773 on the dial spindle thus obviating any possibility of the link catching on the cam during reciprocating knitting in the heel or Q on the foot and will be obvious to anyone skilled in the art- The advantages of this novel method of and mechanism for inserting yarn will be obvious to those skilled in the art, and I do not wish to be limited in the uses to which it may be'put.

What I claim is:

' 1. A method of inserting yarn for knitting which" comprises first lowering toward its feeding point a yarn finger containing the yarn and then offering that yarn to the needles by movement of a clamp holding the yarn. p

2. A method of inserting yarn for knitting which comprises first lowering toward its feeding point a yarn finger containing the yarn and then offering that yarn to the needles by dipping a clamp holding the yarn.

3. A method of inserting yarn for knitting which comprises first lowering to its feeding point a yarn finger containing the yarn, then forming a loop in the yarn and offering that loop to the holding the yarn.

4. A method of inserting yarn for knitting which comprises first moving a yarn finger V ger and then dipping the clamp and finger into a loop in the path 0 toward its feeding position and-then bringing a clamp nearer theyarn finger in such manner as to throw the yarn between the the needles.

'5. Amethod of splicing yarns in knitting in which the yarn finger raises the yarn into a cutter and clamp located above the throatplate, and in the same course the yarn is fed to the needles by first lowering the yarn finclamp.

6.- A method of splicing in knitting in which the yarn is taken out of action-an put into a cutter and clamp at one point in a of yarn into the path of the *ping the clamp.

course by raising the yarn finger and in the same course the yarn is fed to the needles by drawing slack in the yarn, by means of raising the clamp and lowering the yarn finger to feeding position vand then throwing a loop needles by dip- 7. A method of inserting a yarn for knitting which comprises drawing between a yarn finger and a yarn clamp a yarn portion longer than the spacing between the yarn engaging portion of the clamp and the eye of the yarn finger when said elements are in their respective yarn inserting positions, and putting said portion in the path of the needles in the form of a loop by movement of said elements toward their yarn inserting po- .sitions.

8. A method of inserting a yarn for knitting which comprises manipulation of a yarn finger and. a yarn clamp to draw between them a length of yarn and to put said length of yarn in the path of the needles in the form.

needles by movement of a clamp 4 f a bight of the yarn to and to throw a loop Lseeaeo of a loop when said yarn finger is in its vyarn y relative movement therebetween and put- 1 ting said yarn in the path ofthe needlesby movement ofthe yarnclam toward said needle path while said yarn ger is in its yarn feeding position. 7

10. In aknitting machine, a series of needles, a yarn finger movable to and from its yarn feeding position, a yarn clamp adapted to receive and clamp the yarn when moved from said needles by said yarn finger, means for operating said clamp and said yarn finger, said means being adapted to move said clamp and finger to draw a length of yarn between them and to move said finger to its yarn feeding position and then to move said clamp, position, to put said length ofyarn in the path of said needles. I I

11. A circular knitting machine having a circle of needles and a splicing yarn finger adapted to feed yarn to a group of said needles, in combination with a cutter and clamp for said yarn and means adapted during each of ,a plurality of courses to actuate said cut-v dip the clamp to cause be ofiered to theneedles during eachof said courses.

12. A circular knitting machine having a rib dial, a circle of c linder needles and a splicing yarn finger a apted to feed yarn to a group of said needles, in combination with a cutter and clamp for said yarn mounted above the dial and means dapted during each of a plurality of courses to actuate said ter and clamp and to d cutter and clamp and to dip the clamp to a level above the dial to cause a bight of the yarn to be offered to the needles.

13. A circular knitting machine havin a dial, a circle of cylinder needles and a sp ic- I ing yarn finger adapted to feedv yarn to 'a group of said cylinder needles, in combination with a cutter and clamp for said yarn and means adapted during each of a plurality of courses to actuate said cutter and clamp of yarn into the path of the cylinder needles by a dipping movement of the clamp.

14. A circular knitting machine havin a rib dial, a circle of cylinder needles an a splicing yarn finger adapted to feed yarn to a group of said cylinder needles,

in combiand nation with a cutter and clamp for said yarn and. means adapted during each of a plurality of courses to ac'tuatesaid cutter and clamp and to throw the yarn between the clamp and finger into a loop in the path of the needles in advance of the clamp by dipping said clamp.

15. A circular knittingmachine-havin a rib dial, a circle of cylinder needles an a splicing yarn finger adapted to feed yarn to a group of said needles, in combination with a cutter and clamp for said yarn and means adapted during each of a plurality of courses to actuate said cutter and clamp for said yarn and to raise and lower the clamp to cooperate with said yarn finger in ofi'ering yarn to the needles at a level below the clamp, and means for moving said cutter and clamp out of active position and for rendering them inoperative when so moving.

16. A circular knitting machine having a circle of needles, a splicing yarn finger adapted to feed yarn to a group of said needles and a cutter and'clamp to receive the yarn when moved from the needles by said finger, in combination with means for eifecting relative movement between said clamp and yarn finger during each of-a plurality of courses to draw a length of yarn between them and for moving the clamp to offer that length of yarn to the needles by dipping the clamp.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification. ALBERT E. PAGE.

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