US1912474A - Circular knitting machine - Google Patents

Description

June 6, 1933. A. R. COLE ET AL 1,912,474

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 20, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 6 35 W 20 E 'gi June 6, 1933. A. R. COLE ET AL CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 20, 1931 I hz 4 June 6, 1933. R COLE ET AL l,12,474

'CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 20, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 as w I June 6, 1933. A R. COLE ET AL CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 20, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented June 6, 1933 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALFRED REYME'S COLE AND BERNARD THORNTON COLE, 0E LEICESTER, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS TO WILDT AND COMPANY, LIMITED, OF LEICESTER, ENGLAND, A BRITISH COMPANY CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Application filed January 20, 1931, Serial No. 509,995, and in Great Britain January 25, 1980.

This invention consists in improvements in or relating to knitting machines and to a method of knitting. By means of the present invention openwork efiects can be produced in the fabric in a novel and improved manner with the aid of what are commonly known as pelerine stitches.

Hitherto, in frame knitting machines a pelerine stitch has been produced with the aid of a pelerine point or points by inserting the latter into a needle-joining loop and then drawing the point or points outwardly away from the fabric in order to draw out a long needle-joining loop, and finally placing that loop.

(a) Over a needle to one side (when a single point is used) by moving the point towards the fabric and at the same time shogging it sideways in order to pass the loop on to a needle to one side, or

(Z2) Over two adjacent needles (when two convergent points are used together) by first raising the points simultaneously into the loop in order to expand it laterally, and then moving the points back towards the fabric to place the enlarged loop over two adjacent needles.

According to the present invention, a method of forming a pelerine stitch is characterized in that the needle-joining loop that is eventually to be passed over a needle or needles is first drawn to the required length as the yarn is fed to the needles by passing the yarn over a pelerine instrument that at that time is spaced from the verge of the needle-bed a distance corresponding to the required length of the loop.

Means according to the present invention for producing a pelerine stitch comprises in combination a bed for the pelerine instrument which is mounted in the machine so as to remain in fixed, or substantially fixed, relationship with respect to the needle-bed, particularly as to its distance from the verge of the needle-bed, and in which the pelerine instrument slides in a direction transverse to the paths in which the needles move at a fixed distance above or beyond the said verge.

The foregoing and other features of the invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of some preferred embodiments, read in conjunction with the accomanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan View of a machine having an attachment for producing pelerine stitches according to the present invention and shows only those parts necessary for understanding the invention;

Figure 2 is an elevation of the parts shown in Figure 1, the additional needle-depressing cam having been omitted for the sake of clearness;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 4;

V Figure 4 is a Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an elevation of the additional needle-depressing cam and associated parts looking from the left-hand side of the corresponding parts in Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a diagram showing the relative positions of the knitting cams and the additional depressing cam;

Figures 7, 8 and 9 show respectively three successive steps in the formation of a pelerine stitch;

Figure 10 is a section similar to that shown in Figure 3 of a modified form of the invention;

Figure 11 is a plan of the parts shown in Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a section, also similar to that plan of the parts shown in of Figure 3, of a still further modification of the invention;

Figure 13 is a plan of some of the parts shown in Figure 12; and

Figure 14 is a detail showing a method of adjusting the stops on the sinker cover.

Like reference numerals indicate like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring first of all to Figures 1 to 6,

it is to be observed that the form of the invention here shown is applied to a circular knitting machine having a rotating needlecylinder, indicated at 10. A stationary camboX is shown at 11 and the usual sinker-ring at 12 and the sink cover at 13.

The bed for the pelerine instruments is indicated generally by the reference numeral 14 and is supported from the sinker-ring 12 in the following manner:

As shown more clearly in Figure 3, a groove is cut or otherwise provided on the inside of the sinker-ring near its face in order to accommodate a ring 15 that is held in place by screws such as 16 spaced at intervals around the sinker-ring 12. The bed 14 is formed in two halves divided diametrically as shown in Figure 1 and these two halves are held together by clamping plates 17 and screws 18. The screws pass through slots in the clamping plates 17 extending circumferentially of the machine so that the two halves of the bed 14 can be adjusted circumferentially in order to bring the pelerine instruments into correct alignment over the tricks in the sinker-ring 12 and exactly centrally in the needle spaces. Each half of the bed 14 is supported from the ring 15 by means of pillars 19 which may be disposed in groups at intervals or otherwise disposed around the machine. Each pillar is flat in a radial plane and extends upwardly in a line parallel with a trick-wall of the sinker-ring, thus leaving spaces between adjacent pillars for sinkers to slide between in their normal manner.

In the example illustrated two diametrically opposed groups of pelerine instruments 20 are provided, the purpose of these instruments being to produce openwork clocks for hose and half-hose; and in order to enable the instruments to be inserted in tricks provided for their reception'in the bed 14 a coverplate 21 secured to the bed by screws 22 is provided.

Each pelerine instrument may comprise two fiat strips assembled and movable in company side-by-side in atrick in the bed 14 and the innermost ends of the strip are splayed outwardly as indicated at 23; or each instrument may, if so desired, be formed of a single piece, or may be fashioned by any other means. The strips 20 have upstanding lugs 24 for a purpose to be described later, and at their outer ends they are formed with butts 25 arranged at various heights, five heights being indicated in Figure 3, it being understood that any number may be substituted if desired.

For selecting the instruments 20. three selector levers 26 are provided pivoted at 27 in the bed 14, and are arranged so that their free ends, when moved inwardly, will engage the outer extremities of these instruments which have butts 25 at corresponding heights. Normally, the selectors 26 are urged outwardly from the axis of the machine by the centrifugal force induced by the rotation of the machine and are selectively moved inwardly by means of an abutment 28 projecting from the upper end of an endwise1noveable rod 29.

The rod 29 slides in a bracket 30 secured to a fixed portion of the machine and is urged downwardly by a spring 31 that surrounds the rod 29 and is in compression between the upper bearing for the rod 29 in the bracket 30 and a collar 32 secured to the rod.

It will he understood that as the selectors 26 revolve around the axis of the machine in company with the bed 14 the height of the abutment 28 will determine which of the selectors 26 is to be operative in each revolution of the machine. The height of the abutment 28 is controlled by studs 33 that can be inserted in any desired sequence in a ratchet-ring 34. The latter is mounted to rotate about a fixed spindle 35 and is formed with teeth on its periphery which are engaged by a pawl 36.

The pawl 36 is pivotally mounted at 37 in a swinging arm 38 that also pivots about the spindle The inner end of the arm 38 carries a cam-follower 39 which is engaged on each revolution of the machine by a cam 40 that is carried round in company with the needle-cylinder 10. The needle-cylinder and the cam 40 are rotatable around the axis of the machine in the direction of the arrow in Figure 1 and Consequently each time the cam 40 passes the cam-follower 39 the arm 38 will be rocked in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure l and will thereby cause the pawl 36 to advance the ratchet-wheel 34 through one tooth space. Each time the wheel 34 is thus racked on, a ditlerent stud 33 will be brought beneath the rod 29 in order to control the height of the abutment 28. In the example shown (see Figure 2), studs of only two different heights are illustrated and the third or lowermost position of the abutment 28 will be attained when the foot of the rod 29 is lowered on to the surface of the ratchetwheel 34.

A dividing cam 41 is mounted on a fixed part in order to divide the lugs 24 of the selected and unselected instruments 20 and to advance the selected instruments to their full inward position. A return-cam 42 is also provided to engage the projections 24 of those instruments that have been selected and to return them outwardly in a manner to be described later. An additional needle-depressing cam 43 in the form of a plunger-cam car ried at the end of a slider 44 (Figures 1 and projects through the outer wall of the cambox and is normally pulled by a spring 45 in a direction to withdraw it from the cam-box.

The slider 44 is guided in a block 46 secured to a fixed part of the machine and at its outer -end is engaged by one extremity of a bellcrank 47 pivoted at 48 in the block 46. The other arm of the bellcrank 47 is pivotally connected at 49 to a plunger 50 that is controlled from any desired patterning mechanism in order to determine when the cam 43 is to be operative or inoperative upon the needlebutts.

The operation of the mechanism so far described is as follows lVhen the parts have reached a position corresponding to that illustrated in Figure 1, a selector 26 on one side of the machine (the middle selector in this case) will have been pushed inwardly by the abutment 28 and will in its turn have pushed inwardly those pelerine instruments having butts 25 at a height to be engaged by that selector. This first inward movement does not project the splayed ends 23 far enough to overlie the tops of the needles. Immediately following this first selection of the instruments the needledepressing cam 13 will lower the needles and they will remain lowered during their movement around the axis of the machine corresponding to the distance between the lines A, A1 in Figures 1 and 6. As will be seen from Figure 6, after the needles have passed the position corresponding to line A the dividing cam ll commences to operate to advance still further those pelerine instruments that have been moved forwardly by the selector 26 and the instruments will be fully advanced above the tops of the needles by the time that the position corresponding to the line A1 has been reached. The yarn is fed to the needles from 7 point approximately indicated by X in Figures 1 and 6, and as the needles descend the stitch cam, the yarn will be laid over the have been advanced. drawn comparatively rapidly so that their pelerine instruments where such are provided, and on each side of the instruments the yarn will have been drawn down by the de- Thus, as the pelerine inheight above the needles, an enlarged waleloop will be drawn over each such inwardlypro ected instrument instead of over the sinker as would normally have been the case 'if the instrument had not been pro ected to receive the yarn.

After the position of the maximum ad vance inwardly of the pelerine instruments has been reached, the needles will enter the sti ch-cam system and when they arrive at a position indicated by the line B in Figures 1 and 6, the return-cam 42 commences to act to withdraw the pelerine instruments that They are first withsplayed ends pass, with respect to the waleloop 51 (Figures 7, 8 and 9) from the position shown in Figure 7 to that shown in Fig);v

.ure 8. A pause is then made in the withdrawal of the instruments and at this stage the Wale-loop 51 will have been expanded laterally in both directions to its maximum extent. During this period of pause the sinkers may be slightly advanced in the customary manner and the drawn-ofi' mechanism pulling on the knitted fabric will assist in be-llying the loop 51 so that it passes to the outside of two adjacent needles 52. It will be appreciated that not only does the pelerine instrument expand its loop, as shown in Figure 8, but it also draws it outwardly from a position inwardly of the needle-circle to a position =outside that circle. Consequently, the two adjacent needles 52 which will lie inside the expanded loop will be raised, during the pause in the outward movement of the-instrument through the loop 51 whereupon the cam 42 acts to withdraw the pelerine instrument further in order to extract it from the loop 51 which now falls on toand embraces the needles 52. It is very desirable that the withdrawal of'the instrument from the loop and the resulting transference of the loop to the needles should be performed while the needle latches are held open. In knitting the next course the loop 51 will, as shown in Figure 9, be interlocked with the outer stretches of the two adjacent needle-loops thus leaving a distinctive opening in the fabric structure.

A similar operation occurs in connection with the pelerine instruments on the opposite side of the machine and as is usual in knitting pelerine stitches a course in which the pelerine instruments are active is followed by a plain course of knitting in which they are inactive.

It is not essential that the bed for the pelerine instruments should be supported from the sinker-ring as described above. For instance, it may be mounted to rotate on the sink-er cover, as indicated in Figure 10, in which the same reference numerals have been employed to designate the needle-cylinder, the sinker-ring, the sinker cover and the bed for the pelerine instruments. In order to drive the bed 14 in company with the needlecylinder a bracket 153 is fixed to the sinker cover 13 and has its movement limited by stops 154: in the manner usual with hose and half-hose machines. The bracket 153 carries a spindle 55 journalled in it and having pinions 56 and 57 secured to the spindle. The pinion 57 meshes with a gear-ring 58 attached to the sinker-ring 12, and the pinion 56 meshing with a ring of gear-teeth provided on the bed 1 1. It will be understood that the sinker-s cover 13 remains relatively stationary with respect to the sinker-ring. Consequently, relative rotation of these parts will, through the pinions 56* and 57 and spindle 55 cause the bed 1 1 also to partake of the same relative rotation with respect to the sinker-cover 13. In the type of machine under consideration the sinker-cover is intended to be held stationary during round knitting and it will be so held by engagement of the bracket 153 with one of the stops 154. During reciprocating knitting the bracket 153 can oscillate between the spaced stops 154 as is customary in hose and half-hose machines. In the description applied to Figures 10 and 11 only those parts have been referred to which differ from the previously described construction.

Similarly, Figures 12, 13 and 141 illustrate a further modification of the invention, in which the sinker-ring 12 has secured to it, by means of screws 60, a ring 61. Attached to the latter is an upstanding ring 62 formed with vertical slots for the passage through them of the outer ends of the pelerine instruments.

Projections 53 for the sinker cover drivers (which correspond to the projection of the bracket 153 in the example illustrated in Figure 11) will lie inside the ring 6 The latter is slotted circumferentially between the positions occupied by the two sets of pelerine instruments to enable adjustable stops 54 to be inserted through them into engagement with the projections 53. From Figure 13 it will be seen that there are two sets of spaced projections 53 and these are a secured to the sinker-cover 13 in the manner illustrated in Figure 14 which is intended to show that screws 63 engaging with the cover 13 pass through slots in the. circumferentially-disposed portions of the projections 53 so that the latter may be circumferentially adjusted.

Assuming that in Figure 13 the two solid sectors 64 represent those portions of the ring 62 which are slotted to receive the outer ends of the pelerine instruments, and that the parts are rotating in the direction of the arrow in Figure 13, it will be necessary to remove the stops 5 1 before the portions 64: can pass them. The stops 54 are, therefore, made adjustable, that is to say, they are mounted to slide radially of the machine and any preferred timing mechanism is employed to withdraw them one at a time so that neither of them is withdrawn from en- 21 81119I1l) with its )ro ection 53 while the D D J other is disengaged from its associated projection, In other words, as the right-hand portion 64 approaches the right-hand stop 54 the latter will be withdrawn but the lefthand stop will still be in engagement with its projection 53. As soon as the part 64 has passed the right-hand stop the latter will be re-introduced to engage its projection 53 and the left-hand stop will then be with drawn to permit the passage of the part 64.

A convenient means for withdrawing the stops 54 in the requisite timed sequence is afforded by means of sector-cams 65 which are secured to the ring 61 by screws 66 and Vwhich en a e )ins 67 de iendin from the b O b sliding stops 54. As will be clearly understood from Figure 13 these cams 65 serve to withdraw the stops 54 before the parts 6-1 reach the stops.

If it is desired to retain the abutment 28 at a particular height, for example, at the height of the top selector 26 irrespective of any adjustment that might otherwise be made through the agency of the studs 33, a rod 167 is provided which engages and holds up, the abutment 28 at the required height.

This rod 167 is controlled from any convenient and preferred form of patterning mechanism.

Moreover, if it is desired at any time to arrest movement of the wheel 34-, a rod 68 can be employed which is capable of vertical movement under the influence of cams on the control drum to detain, by means of engaging notch 69, the oscillating arm 38 from swinging about its pivot 37 so that the camfollower 39 is held clear of the cam 40.

By an inversion of the parts which will be readily understood by those skilled in the manufacture of knitting machines, the invention can be equally well applied to a circular machine having a stationary needlecylinder and a revolving cam-box, and this inversion is to be understood as included within the present scope of the appended claims.

Furthermore, the invention is to be understood as including as an attachment to an existing machine means for producing a pelerine stitch comprising the bed for the pelerine instruments, means to support it from the needle-cylinder or from a part between which and the needle-cylinder there is no relative rotation about the axis of the machine together with the necessary selectors and actuating cams.

I claim 1. For a circular knitting machine the combination of a needle bed, needles therein, a bed for pelerine instruments, a sinkerholder and means to secure the pelerine instrument bed to the sinker-holder.

2. For a circular knitting machine the combination of a needle bed, needles therein movable sinkers, a sinker-holder, a bed for pelerine instruments, a carrier for the pelerine instrument bed supported on the sinker-holder and spaced pillars constituting a support for the pelerine instrument bed and extending in a direction transverse to that of the sinker movements, the spacing of the pillars being such as to permit the sinkers to slide between adjacent pillars.

3. For a circular knitting machine the combination of a needle bed, needles therein, a sinker-holder, movable sinkers therein, a bed for pelerine instruments, spaced pillars operatively connecting the pelerine instrument bed with the sinker holder and extending in a direction transverse to that of the sinker movements, the spacing of the pillars being such as to permit the sinkers to slide between adjacent pillars.

a. For a circular knitting machine the combination of a needle bed, needles therein, a sinker-ring, movable sinkers therein, a bed for pelerine instruments, an annular recess in the region of the inner edge of the sinkerring, a carrier received in said recess and constituting a support for the pelerine instrument bed and spaced pillars interconnecting the latter with the carrier and extending in a direction transverse to that of the sinker moven'ients, the spacing of the pillars being such as to permit the sinkers to slide between adjacent pillars.

5. F or acircular knitting machine the combination of a needle bed, needles therein, a bed for pelerine instruments comprising a plurality or" segmental portions the inner boundaries of which are spaced from the axis of the machine and means for interconnectsaid segmental portions to permit relaadjustment between them in a circum- 6. F or a circular knitting machine the combination of a needle bed, needles therein, r-holder. movable sinkers therein, a ,i-cover, abed for pelerine instruments supported above said cover and a gearcoupling between said pelerine instrument bed and the needlecylinder.

7. For circular knitting machine the combination ot a needle bed, needles therein, a sinker-holder, movable sinkers therein, a bed for pelerine instruments rotatable about the a of the machine and supported above the sm'Ier-holder, and a geared operative connection between the pelerine instrument bed and the needle-cylinder.

8. For a circular knitting machine the combination of a needle bed, needles therein, a sinkenholder, movable sinkers therein, a bed for pelerine instruments rotatable about the axis of the machine, a ring of gear-teeth movable therewith, another ring of gear-teeth movable with he needle-cylinder, coupling pinions meshing with said rings of teeth and mounted on opposite ends of a spindle, and a bearing for said spindle supported by the sinker-holder.

9. For aeircular knitting machine the combination of a needle-bed, needles therein, a sinker-holder, movable sinkers therein, a bed for pelerine instruments rotatable about the axis of the machine and supported above the sinker-holder, and arigid operative connection between the pelerine instrument bed and the needle-cylinder, said rigid connection being outside the sinker-holder.

10. For a circular knitting machine the combination of a needle bed, needles therein, a sinker-holder, movable sinkers therein, arelativelv stationary sinkencover, a bed for pelerine instruments rotatable about the axis of the machine above the sinker-cover, two spaced stops for said cover, cooperating pairs of projections on the cover, of which each pair cooperates with a stop and means to move the stops alternately into and out of engagement with an associated projection whereby when one stop is freed from its pro ection the other will be in engagement with its projection.

1. For acircular knitting machine the combination of a needle bed, needles therein,

sinln ,eve

a sinker-holder, movable sinkers therein, a relatively stationary sinker cover, a bed for pelerine instrument-s rotatable about an axis of the machine above the sinker-cover, two

one of the stops from cooperation with its projection and then to release it before engaging the next stop.

12. For a knitting machine the combinaion of a needle bed, needles therein, a bed for pelerine instruments, pelerine instruments therein movable in paths transverse to those in which the needles move and having butts arranged at various heights, and selectors one for each height of butt and/or movable in the direction in which the instruments slide.

13. For a circular knitting machine the combination of a needle bed, needles therein, a bed for pelerine instruments, pelerine in struments therein movable in paths transverse to those in which the needles move and having butts arranged at various heights, selectors one for each height of butt and all movable in the direction in which the instruments slide, an abutment to engage the selectors, there being relative rotation about the axis of the machine between the selectors and the abutment, and means to adjust the abutment and bring it into engagement with any one or more of the selectors at will.

14:. For a circular knitting machine the combination of a needle bed, needles therein, a bed for pelerine instruments therein movable in paths transverse to those in which the needles move and having butts arranged at various heights, selectors one for each height of butt and all movable in the direction in which the instruments slide, an abutment to engage the selectors, there being relative rotation about the axis of the machine between the selectors and the abutment, means to adjust the abutment and bring it into engagement with any one or more of the selectors at will, and means to hold the abutment at aposition to engage any one of the selectors irrespective of the adjustment in height which would otherwise have been made to the abutment by the normal adjusting means.

15. For a knitting machine an attachment comprising an annular or segmental bed for pelerine instruments having in it radial tricks for the reception of said instruments, a supporting ring adapted for operative connection to a sinker-holder, and spacing members for holding the bed and supporting ring at a fixed distance from one another.

16. For a circular knitting machinethe combination of a needle bed, need'lestherein, a sinker-ring, movable sinkers therein, a bed for pelerine instruments, an annular recess formed in the region of the inner edge of the sinker-ring, acarrier in said recess and means to support the pelerine instrument bed on said carrier.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification.

ALFRED REYMES COLE. BERNARD THORNTON COLE.

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