US1893528A

US1893528A - Manipulating holder for needles or the like

Info

Publication number: US1893528A
Application number: US428276A
Authority: US
Inventors: Emil W Winkler
Original assignee: Textile Machine Works
Current assignee: Textile Machine Works
Priority date: 1930-02-14
Filing date: 1930-02-14
Publication date: 1933-01-10
Anticipated expiration: 1950-01-10

Description

Jan. ,10, 1933. w, WlNKLER I 1,893,528

MANIPULATING QOLDE-R FOR NEEDLES OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 14. 1930 INVENTOR: 22m wmwz i; BY

:4TTORNE Patented Jan. 10, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicn EMIIL W. WINKLER, F WYOMISSING, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR. TO'TEXTILE MACHINE WORKS; 0F WYOMISSING, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORIPORATION- OF, PENNSYLVANIA- MANIPU'LATING HOLDER FOR;NEEDLES OR. THE. LIKE Application. filed February-14, 1930. Serial No.'428,276.

This invention relates to gripping tools, and-more particularly to one adapted to grip or hold knitting machine needles.

After knitting machine needles have been formed and hardened, they are inspected and straightened. This has heretofore been done by holding the butt end of a needle betweenthe fingers of one hand and manipulatingthe various-needle parts with a pair of pliers, held in the other hand, until properly shaped and aligned. It will readily be understood, that constant grip-ping and turning of the needle butts in this manner causes soreness and injury to the fingers. In order to prevent this, I have provided a novel mechanical device for holding the needles, which greatly facilitates their manipulation, and which is simple in construction and operati'on.

The invention comprises the novel elements, features ofconstruction and arrangement of partsin operative relationship as herein exemplified by one embodiment.

The above and other objects, as well as attendant advantages of the invention, will become more readily apparent from the fol lowing detailed description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which::

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the device or gripping tool ofmy invention, and shows certain parts thereof in retracted position, to permit of the application of a knitting machine needle.

Fig 2 is a vertical sectional view, taken as indicated by the arrows 22 on Fig. 1, and illustrates the manner in which a needleis gripped orheld by the device.

Fig. 3 isan enlarged fragmentary detail view of parts shown in Fig. 2, but illustrating the same retracted into needle receiving position, like Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is afragmentary detail'sectional view of the needle holding end, and on a still larger scale than Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary-sectional view, taken as indicated by the arrows 55 on Fig. 2, and of the same scale asv Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing, indicates a base member orsupport whose lower end 11 is provided with a set screw 12a=ndis-shaped for adjustable and convenient mounting to a fixed element, such as a rod 13 forming part-of'a knitting machine. The upper end 14 of the support 10 is provided with a cavity 15which accommodates'the rear end ofa shouldered screw or bolt 16- that extends through an aperture 17, of somewhat greater. diameter than the bolt, and is threaded 'into the rear end of a needle holder or gripping device, generally indicated at- 18-. A coil spring 1611. is mounted onthe screw 16, as

shown, which functions to normally retain the needle holder 18- yielda-bly against the support 10, and permits the holder tobe freely turned and tilted relative to the-latter.

Asindicated in Fig.2 the end of member- 19 into which bolt 16 is-threaded andlthe coil spring 16a, aswell asthe shoulder on bolt 16, areof greater diameter than aperture-.17 and thus: prevent inadvertent detachment of member 19 from support 10.

Various types of desirable needle holders may bedevised and used in connection with the support 10 'to-carr-y out the invention, and for illustrativepurposes I have shown one which essentially consists of' a member 19 and a sleeve 20 slidably mounted thereon. These parts cooperate, and are suitably shaped at their forward endstoseat and vfirmly-hold the'butt end 21 ofa knitting machine needle- 22. The-member 19is-providedwith a countersunk aperture 23 and a V-shaped aligning groove 24 for properly seating the end 21 of the needle 22, while the upper forward part 25; of the sleeve 20'is-provided with an adjustable contact element, such as a. screw- 26 adapted tobear against'and hold the end 21' in its seated position. This, screw is regulated to compensatefor diflerences in sizes of the needles. The sleeve part 25, in which the screw 26 is mounted, is split or slotted, soas-to permit of'wear compensating adjustments of thescrew threads.

Sleeve 20 is also provided with a guide-slot 27 which cooperates with the head of a movement-limiting screw 28, on the member19, to permit of relatively aligned needle disengaging movements of the sleeve and at the same time afford a, connection between memher 19 and the sleeve for united rotative movement.

A spring 29 acting through a plunger 30 whose stem 31 bears against the front depending end of sleeve part 25, normally retains the sleeve in the needle engaging position shown in Fig. 2.

In order to facilitate the removal ofthe needle butt 21 from the aperture 23, a leaf spring32 is secured to the member 19 by the screw 28, which bears against the lower extremity of the needle butt and normally forces it upwardly against screw 26, or out of the aperture 23 when the sleeve 20 is retracted.

A transverse guide groove 33 is provided in member 19, to facilitate the insertion of the needle butt into the aperture 23, as illus trated in Fig. 3. When the sleeve 20 is fully retracted, it strikes against and is stopped by the base part 14, and when so retracted its forward depending end 25 acts as an abutment and guide against and along which the needle butts may be placed and moved when insert-v 1 ing a needle in the holder.

In order to secure a needle in place as shown in Fig. 2, it is merely necessary to retract the sleeve 20 until it strikes against base part 14, insert the butt end 21 into the aperture 23, press it downagainst the spring 32Vuntil it rests in groove 24, and permit the sleeve 20 to automatically move forward, until stopped by screw 28, at which time screw 26 will bear against and hold the needle butt in the position shown.

The holder 18 may then be manipulated to revolve the needle, or tilt it, as indicated by the dot-and-dash center lines of Fig. 2. The sleeve 20 being provided with a knurled part at to afiord convenient grasping of the holder for such desired movements.

Of course the needle gripping device or tool herein set forth may be changed and modified in various ways, and changes may be necessary and desirable in order to vary its adaption, it is therefore to be understood that the invention is limited only by the prior art.

I claim:

1. A device of the character described, comprising a relatively fixed member; needle holding means movably joined therewith, said means including two coactively mounted needle gripping elements one of which is provided with a needle butt mounting aperture; means normally maintaining the other element in position to engage and retain a needle butt in said aperture; and means urging the needle butt out of the aperture when said retaining element is disengaged from said needle butt.

2. A needle holding tool comprising; a needle holding element provided with an aperture for receiving the butt-end of a needle; and a needle engaging slide movable on said element and overlying said element adjacent the aperture therein for gripping a needle between said slide and said element.

3. A needle holding tool comprising; a needle holding member having an aperture for receiving the butt-end of a needle; a sleeve mounted on and movable axially of said member; needle engaging means on said sleeve adapted on axial movement thereof to overlie said member adjacent the aperture therein; means for moving saidsleeve axially of said member to position the needle engaging means thereof for engaging and retaining a needle butt in said aperture; and cooperating means on said sleeve and said member for limiting the said axial movement of said sleeve to align the needle engaging means thereof relatively to said aperture in said member.

4:. A needle holding tool comprising; a support; a needle holding element secured to said support, said element having an aperture remote from said support for receiving the butt-end of a needle; and a member movable relatively to said element into engagement at one end thereof with said support to position the other end thereof adjacent the aperture in said needle holding element for contacting engagement by the butt end of a needle to guide said butt end into said aperture.

5. A needle holding tool comprising; a support; a needle holding element secured to said support, said element having an aperture re mote from said support for receiving the buttend of a needle; means mounted on said element and biased to a position overlying the aperture therein for engaging and retaining a needle butt end in said aperture, said means being retractable to a position adjacent said aperture for releasing the needle butt; and means for ejecting a needle on retraction of said engaging means.

6. A needle holding tool comprising; a needle holding member having a transverse aperture for receiving the butt end of a needle and a longitudinal groove for receiving a portion of the shank of said needle, said groove extending from said aperture to one end of said member so that the remaining portion of the needle projects beyond said end to permit operations to be performed on said projecting portion; and means movable along said member to a position overlying said member adjacent the aperture therein for engaging the needle near its butt end to grip said needle against said member.

7. A tool of the character described comprising an adj ustably fixed arm and a needle gripping extension flexibly mounted in said arm and having. a movable member adapted in one position to facilitate introduction of a needle and in another position to fixedly clamp the same.

8. A tool of the character described comprising an adjustably fixedarm anda needlegripping extension flexibly mounted in said arm and having a movable member adapted in one position to facilitate introduction of a needle and in another position to fixedly clamp the same; and needle ejecting means normally operative in said first mentioned position.

9. A tool of the character described comprising an adj ustably fixed arm and a needle gripping extension flexibly mounted in said arm and having a movable member adapted in one position to facilitate introduction of a needle and in another position to fixedly clamp the same; and resilient means normally moving said member to said gripping position.

10. In combination with a needle holder having a needle holding member and needle gripping means movable relatively to said member for gripping a needle between said means and said member; a support having an aperture; and means for flexibly mounting said needle holder on said support including fastening means extending freely through the aperture in said support and secured to said needle holding member.

11. In combination with a needle holder having a needle holding member and needle n gripping means movable relatively to said member for gripping a needle between said means and said member; a support having an aperture; and means for flexibly mounting said needle holder on said support including I fastening means extending freely through the aperture in said support and secured to said needle holding member; and means for preventing detachment of said fastening means from said support.

12. A needle holding tool comprising: a

needle holding element provided with an aperture for receiving the butt-end of a needle; and a needle engaging member associated with said element and movable in a plane at an angle to the axis of said aperture to overlie said element for gripping a needle between said element and said member.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

EMIL WV. WINKLER.