US1925932A - Circular knitting machine - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 5, 1933. A. E. PAGE ET AL 1,925,932

' CIRCULAR .KNITTING MACHINE I Filed Feb- 1s, 1.951 Shee'ts-Slieet 1 INVENTORS ALBERT E. PAGE FRANK R. PAGE Sept. 5, R933 A. E. PAGE El AL.

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 16, 1931 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS ALBERT E. PAGE FRANK R. PAGE.

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CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE FiledFeb. 16, 1931 7 $heets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS ALBERT E. PA

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81.9 INVENTORS ALBERT E. PAGE FRANK R. PAGE w 11933 A. E. PAGE ET AL GIRCULAR KNITTING MACHIEEE? Filed Feb. 16, 1931 m yammws a ALBEW E, FRANK R A. E. PAGE ET AL,

EIRCULAR KBIITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 16, 1931 7 $heets-Sheet 7 INVENTORS ALBERT E. PAGE FRANK R. PAGE WWW Patented Sept. 5, 1933* 1 UNITED STATES omcoum KNITTING moms Albert E. Page and Frank R. Page, Brooklyn,

N. Y., assignors to Scott & Williams, linearporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation oi Massachusetts Application February 16, 1931. Serial No. 516,249

" 19 Elaima (oi. iii-c) This invention relates to selecting mechanism for knitting machines and more particularly pattern selecting for circular knitting machines by means of pattern indications such as lugsf cams or other elements of varied heighth. The pattern selections can beemployed to cause the movements of knitting instrumentalities such as needles, sinkers, jacks or pressures, to produce changes in stitch, color, texture or shape of the fabric. One object of the invention is to increase the variety of selections obtainable in the modern circular knitting machine. Another object of the invention is to provide condensed pattern means which can be combined with the main 115 controlling mechanism of the machine in an advantageous manner.

The novel selecting mechanism is here shown and described (as applied to the selection of sinkers or web-holders for the purpose of producing clocking effects in seamless hosiery. These clocking effects are produced through drawing extra long loops intermittently on selected sinkers, by means of shoving such sinkers in sooner than usual and causing the stitch to be knocked over on top of the neb of the sinker instead of on the usual knocking-over ledge. Such a method of making a pattern effect is shown in the U. S. patent to George E. Ellis No. 697,078 dated April 8, 1902.

The selection of the sinkers is obtained by a sinker selecting cam which is moved radially into and out of operative relation with selecting butts on the tails of the sinkers and is moved v verticallyto select as between the butts. The selecting movements of the cam are obtained from a series of pattern indications on a pattern disc rotatably mounted on the shaft of the main pattern drum. In order to increase the number of selections obtainable "from the disc, in the series of indications has been condensed by eliminating cam surfaces and making the indicating surfaces contiguous. In other words, the level surfaces corresponding to the butt levels are closely adjacent and are not separated by the usual sloping surfaces to move the indication-reading element from one level to another. lIhe mechanism which transmits he selections are moved from the level of one indication to another by independent means. The pattern disc is racked from either a cam on the quadrant or a cam on a gear which drives the quadrant and this cam also gives the sinker selecting cam all its movements.

in the drawings: 4 Figure l is an elevation, from the left side,

of a Scott 8: Williams circular knitting machine with revolving needle cylinder, showing the sinkers, the selecting cam, pattern disc and associated mechanism according to the invention, the view showing the parts after completing the pattern in the foot, i. e., when the knitting is about on the line 1-1 of Figure 12;

Figure 2 is an elevation from the rear of the machine showing the pattern means which select the sinkers;

Figure 3 is a view similart o Figure 1, showing the selecting cam pressing selected sinkers radially inward, the view showing the parts while knitting a double line of clock stitches in the leg, 1. e., about on the line 33 of Figure 12;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing the selecting cam retracted by a low cam on the main pattern drum and the pattern disc pawl idling over the blank space in the disc teeth just before the main pattern drum advanced the disc, the view being taken when the knitting is about on the line 4-4 of Fig. 12;

Figure 5 is a plan view of part of the sinker cam cap with the sinker selecting cam pressing against the flange of the sinker cam cap, as in Figure 1; the arrow indicating the direction of movement of the sinkers;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing the selecting cam below the outside sinker ring and pressing the selected sinkers radially inward as in Figure 3;

Figure '1 is a view similar to Figures 5 and 6, showing the selecting cam retracted radially out of contact with the butts on the sinkers as in Figure i;

Figine 8 is a view ,from the left side of the machine, showing the quadrant cam for operating the sinker selectingmechanism and the main drum control associated therewith, the pattern drum being shown dotted; the parts being shown in full lines in their positions when the quadrant is at the uppermost end of its stroke, and in dotted lines at the moment when the rock shaft actuating finger comes into contact with and is moved by the solid portion of the quadrant cam;

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic View from the rear of the machine indicating the actuating connections of the needle cylinder, quadrant, pattern drum, pattern disc and sinker .,selecting cam;

Figure 10 is a detail of the quadrant cam and rock shaft actuating finger as seen from the right side of the machine at the momentshown in dotted lines in Figure 8;

Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 10, showing the quadrant cam just before the ac} tuating finger drops off the cam at the end of the cyple. of operation of the rock shaft;

Figure 12 -is a view of part of a stocking 0on tainin'g' a clocking pattern made on the machine shown in Figures 1 to 8; while I Figure 13 is a detail view of a modified cam means for actuating the rock shaft.

As shown in the drawings, the usual Scott & Williams revolving needle cylinder machinesuch for'instance as shown in the patent to Robert W. Scott No. 1,152,850 dated September 7, 1915-has the usual main pattern drum 120, a circle of cylinder needles N and sinkers S associated therewith, the latter being carried in slots in the outside sinker ring or bed 295 and further guided bythe inside sinker ring 297. There is the usual sinker cam cap 300 having a depending flange 301 forming the outer wall of the cap. The needle cylinder 260 is carried in the head of the machine, being sup-- ported in the usual bed plate B below which extends the fabric tube 280, as usual. The needle cylinder is driven in the usual manner as shown in the above-mentioned Robert W. Scott Patent 1,152,850 and there is the usual quadrant 75 driven from the usual plate gear 60 (Fig. 9) the quadrant and gear each completing a cycle of movement in four complete revolutions of the needle cylinder as usual. The main pattern drum 120 is racked intermittently from the movement of the quadrant as controlled by a pattern chain, all in the usual manner as shown in the above-mentioned Robert W. Scott Patent 1,152,850. 'It will therefore be obvious that the racking of the main pattern drum bears a definite timed relation to the revolution of the needle cylinder, as heretofore.

On the ordinary pattern drum or disc a large part of the periphery of the drum is cocupied by sloping surfaces whose sole function is to cam thereader or follower from one desired level to .another. According to this invention improved independent mechanism is provided for raising and lowering the follower thus eliminating the camming surfaces and permitting a large number of pattern selections on an unusually small periphery where many changes are required. According to the pres-- ent invention the maximum number of changes are obtained without having to rearrange all the other selections on the machine and the condensed pattern is coordinated with the rest of the machine in an ingenious manner.

The example of the invention shownln the drawings is adapted to produce a clocking effect at each side of the stocking as shown in Figure 12. This cleckng effect is composed of stitches having extra long loops such as shown in Figure 1c of the above-mentioned Ellis Patent 697,078. To cause these extra long loops the selected sinkers are inserted by means of sinker selecting cam 800 before the needles are drawn down at the knitting point The sinkers have flat tops to their nebs and the loops are drawn over the nebs s as shown in Figure 3. This variation of stitch is caused every fourth revolution of the needle cylinder in the embodiment shown in the drawings. The sinkers are actuated by the usual cam paths in the sinker cam cap 300 in order to hold the fabric down and the upstanding butts 802' are the butts used for the ordinary manipulation of the sinkers.

For selecting the sinkers on which drop stitch effect is desired, each sinker has a depending tail 801 at its rear, having one or more selecting butts 802 at its lower end facing outwardly. This tail 801. projects below the outside sinker ring 295 and the outside sinker cam cap 300, and the butts 802 are below the outside sinker cam cap 300. .In the'drawings the tails do not project radially outward as far as the outside of the vertical flange 301 of the-outside cam cap 300. The tails of the sinker lie in the lower part of the radial slot 294 of the ring 295 in which the sinkers move. Wherever a drop stitch effect is desired there is a butt 802 on a tall 801.

The sinker selecting cam 800 is shown as consisting of a horizontal plate or finger 800 whose thickness is slightly less than the vertical depth of one of the selecting butts 802 on the tail of a sinker. This selecting cam is pivotally mounted on the bedplate B and swings radially inward into operative contact with the selecting butts 802 of the sinkers, or radially out of contact with them. The inward position of the selecting cam when a butt 802 comes in contact with it by means of a wiping action causes the sinker to move radially inward to aweb-holding position (Fig. 3). In this position the stitch will be drawn over the top of the neb s'. The selec tion between the sinkers can be obtained by having butts at different levels on different sinkers and varying the vertical elevation of the selecting cam. The mounting for the cam comprises a horizontal tail 806 from the mid point of which a pin 805 projects downwardly. This pin 805 is fixed in the tail. The support for the pin is a socket 823 in a bracket 803 on the bedplate B of the machine, and this is supplemented by a stationary arm 825 of a vertical post 804 on the bracket 803, the arm 825 being above the socket. The pin moves up and down in the arm 825 and socket 823 as the cam 800 is raised and lowered. The cam 800 is normally springpressed radially inward by a tension spring 807 stretched between the tail 806 and a pin 807' on the bed plate B.

For the purpose of withdrawing the selecting cam 800 from contact with the operating butts of the sinkers or whatever other element may be opposite its operating face according to the vertical level on which it finds itself, the following mechanism is provided to work against the spring 807. There is a trigger or trip plate 808 whose lower end is pivotally mounted on the bed plate 13 and whose upper end swings above the bed plate in a plane approximately tangential to the sinker cam cap 300. The trip plate normally leans away from the needle cylinder and is supported at its upper end by a support plate 812 on the bed plate B. The swinging of the trip plate is transmitted to the cam 800 by a horizontal pin 809 projecting toward the vertical pin 805 which forms the pivot for the cam 800, this horizontal pin contacting with a ver: tical pin 811 projecting downwardly from the tail 806 of the cam 800. The horizontal pin 809 lies radially outward of the vertical pin 811 in out 0! contact @with the sinkers (Fig. 7). This withdrawing the cam 800 from mechanism which also performs other functions in actuating this condensed selecting mechanism. This other mechanism includes a nearly vertical lost motion or lifter rod 813 pivoted at its lower end to a rock lever 815 mounted on a rock shaft 820, the lever 815 projecting from the rockshaft 820 at such an angle that when the rock shaft is turned by its actuating mechanism the lifter rod 813 will be raised. As shown in Figure 1, before the lifter rod is raised its upper end underlies a nose 81s on the outer side of the trigger 808. The rod is adjustable in length. An upward movement of the lost motion rod 813 is calculated to tip the trigger 808 radially inward until its nose 814 is clear of the rod 813, thus permitting the lifter rod to move upward further without causing additional movement of the selecting cam 800.

The lifter rod 813 has this additional movement because it plays an important part in the vertical or selective movements of the cam 800 and in the changing or racking of the pattern disc which carries the series of pattern indications for the sinker selections. This function of the lifter rod will be explained in connection with the other mechanism affecting the transmission of the selections of the series of pattern indications to the sinker selecting cam 800.

The lifter rod is raised and lowered by a reciprocating element which is shown in Figures 1 to 8 as the rock shaft 820'a1ready referred to, the lifter rod 813, being linked to the rock lever 815 which is in turn fastened to the rock shaft 820. The rock shaft 820 is supported on an end bracket 827 carried on the end of the shaft '76, the upper end of this bracket being attached to the usual lower thrust bar guide or comb 451. The bracket 827 carries the rock shaft 820 on a rearwardly extending arm 828, ending at a point slightly above the lower end of the main portion of the bracket. There is a set screw 829 carried by the lower end of the bracket on the outside of the bracket underlying the rock lever 815 and determining the lowermost position of the lifter rod813.

The rock shaft 820 constitutes the common element for actuating both the pattern disc carrying the series of pattern indications and also the sinker selecting cam 800, the various functions which this rock shaft performs being separated and controlled in an ingenious manner. In Figs. 1 to 8 of the. drawings the reciprocatory motion of the rock shaft is obtained from cam 'means mounted on the quadrant of the machine by a short lever 831 fastened on the rock shaft. This short lever 831' has a pin 832 adapted to ride on the cam. In the example shown in the drawings this cam is identified with a reference number 833. The cam 833 is in the form of a shoe and is fastened on the rear of the quadrant 75 at a point nearly diametrically opposite the tooth sector of the quadrant (Figure 8). The rock shaft is so located with reference. to the shaft 76 on which the quadrant is mounted, and the shoe cam 833 is fastened on the quadrant at such a point that when the shoe cam is at the lowermost point of its reciprocation-as shown in solid lines on Fig. 8-

the pin 832 is separated from the shoe cam by a short distance. The shoe cam is ofsuch a length that when it is at the uppermost end of its stroke the pin 832 is still riding on its U surface and, therefore, thepin does not ride ed the camexcept when the cam is in its lowermost position. In order that the pin may ride up onto the cam at the beginning or forward end of the latter, that forward end has formed on it a bevel 834, and the relation of the pin and the cam at the moment when the pin is riding up onto this beveledsurface is shown in Figures 8 and 10, the dotted showing in Figure 8 being the one which shows the parts after the pin has ridden up the bevel 834. As can be seen by comparison of the solid and dotted line showings of Figure 8, the pin 832 does not he very much below the surface of the cam when it first meets the beveled surface 834. The surface of the shoe cam gradually ascends from the end of the bevel 834 to the tail of the cam thus causing the lifter rod 813 to rise and fall gradually as the cam on the quadrant oscillates up and down. Since the first part of the upward movement of the lifter rod 813, retracts the sinker selecting cam 800, as already described, it will be obvious that the first part of the sloping surface of the cam 833 met by the pin 832 i. e; the bevel 834 causes the withdrawal of the sinker selecting cam from contact with the butts on the sinkers. In the case of the machine shown in the drawings the sinker selecting cam 800 is withdrawn almost immediately after the pin 832 finishes'its movement up the bevel 834. The remainder of the operative surface of this cam 833 serves to actuate the pattern disc carrying the series of pattern indications and the means which transmit the selections to the sinker selecting cam 800. v

The timed relation of the revolutions of the needle cylinder and the cycle of movement of the rock shaft is important. It will be apparent that, since the cycle of movement of the quadrant isequal to a whole number of complete revolutions of the needle cylinder, the time at which the sinker selecting cam 800 is moved into and out of operative relation with the selecting butts on the sinkers can be controlled accurately with relation to the revolution of the needle cylinder.- In the drawings the invention is shown employed in making the clocking pattern at only two places, one on each side of the stocking, therefore, it is necessary to have selecting butts on the sinkers for only a few sinkers on each side of the stocking. The invention is equally applicable-to designs all around the stocking, it being necessary in this latter case to have a space equal to say only five sinkers corresponding to the back of thestocking to permit insertion and withdrawal of the sinker selecting cam.

When using the quadrant earn 833 to operate the rock shaft 820 it will be obvious that the position of the forward or beginning end of the shoe cam determines not only the moment at which the lifter rod 813 begins to rise, but also the moment at which it is dropped or released at the end of its cycle of movement. In order to make any clock pattern such as shown in Figure 12, the sinker selecting cam 808 must be inserted so as to wipe the small group of sinkers shortly before completion of the fourth revolution and before those sinkers reaches a position corresponding to the center of the knitting. Likewise cam 800 'must not be retracted until after the sinkers have passed the center of the knitting. To accomplish this, the shoe cam 833, Fig. 8, is provided with .a lost motion device shown in Figures 8, 10, 11. By means of this lost motion device it is possible to separate each retraction andinsertion of the sinker selecting cam 800 more or less than four revolutions of the needle cylinder from the next retraction and insertion. It is also possible to make allowance for certainother considerations which will be treated later.

This lost motion device consists essentially in means for delaying the moment when the pin 832 rides up on the surface of the cam 833, and for making the pin stay on the cam to the full length of the cam-and beyond the bevel 834 when the cam is moving in the return or downward direction. These means consist of a cam extension piece 835, slidably mounted longitudinally of the cam face by means of two screws 836 passing through slots in'the extension into the cam proper. There is a tension spring 837 between the extension piece and the cam proper solocated as to tend to keep this extension piece extended out beyond the bevel. The surface of the cam extension piece is at the level of the cam proper. As shown in Fig. 10, when the cam approaches the pin 832 the pin pushes back the extension piece against the tension of the cam spring 837 until the pin meets the bevel 834 of the cam proper'when it rides up onto the cam thus causing a turningv movement on the rock shaft 820. lifting the rod 813 and a retraction of the sinker selecting cam 800. When the cam 833 is on its return movement in the direction of the arrow in Figure 11, the extension piece is in its operative position as shown in Figure 11, and the pin 832 will ride out on the extension of the cam thus formed andv will drop oil the. cam later than it would have dropped on" if allowed to ride down to bevel 834.

It will bet noted that while the formation of the bevel 834 shortens the period of time be-' tween retraction of the sinker selecting cam and insertion of the same, about four revolutions of the needle cylinder later, the extension piece 835 delays the reinsertion and thus this lost motion device constitutes means for delaying the time of removal and insertion of the sinker selecting cam as well as for varying the exact length of timerelatively to the needle cylinder revolutions-that the sinker selecting cam is out of operative position, according to which alteration is desired.

In considering the exact shape of cam necessary for the proper timing of the sinker select- .ing cam, it should be noted that since the pin 832 has diameter and is'not a knife edge, the

moment in which it rides up onto the surface.

of the cam from the bevel 834 is not exactly one revolution of the needle cylinder prior to the time that the pin would start down the bevel I, again. In addition, it should be noted that the point on the circle of knitting instrumentalities where it is desired that the selecting cam be inserted and withdrawn may not be the point on the circle of needles which is opposite the selecting cam at the moment when the quadrant cam 833 meets the pin 832. For example, let us as sume that it is desired to insert and withdraw the sinker selecting cam when the five sinkers on the exact rear of the stocking are opposite the sinker selecting cam. The moment that the quadrant is at the uppermost end of its stroke-and the quadrant cam 833 at its lowermost position-those five sinkers in the ordinary Scott 8: Williams circular. knitting machine with revolving needle cylinder are directly opposite butts on the sinkers.

the top center knitting cam. This top center knitting cam is circumferentially spaced nearly 180 from the point on the circumference of the machine where the sinker selecting cam is located and, therefore, the quadrant cam 833 should not make contact with the pin 832 until the cam has made an upward movement corresponding to nearly 180 of revolution of the needle Y cylinder. release of the sinker selecting cam 800 must similarly be delayed.

A modified form of cam for operating the rock shaft 820 is shown in Figure 13. In this modification the cam is mounted on either the revolving plate gear or .revolving gear 60 which drives the quadrant (see Figure 9)..

These gears revolve once for every four revolutions of the needle cylinder 260, their cycle of movement therefore being of the'same length as the quadrant. As shown in Fig. 13 this is designated by the reference number 844. The effect on the rock shaft is similar to the effect of the quadrant cam 833 but the beginning and ending of the reciprocation of the rock shaft are caused by opposite ends of the cam instead of the same end as in the case of the quadrant cam 833.

We will now describe the condensed series of pattern indications. There is a pattern disc 810 mounted on the main pattern drum shaft 76 between the main pattern drum and the end bracket 827 and there is ratchet wheel 838 on the same shaft fastened to .the pattern disc. The disc and wheel are free to turn on the shaft 76 but are .restrained from unintentional movements by a friction brake 841 on the bracket 827 bearing against the side of the disc 810. Around the periphery of the disc 810 equally spaced slots 840 cut across the edge and in these slots are placed the series of pattern indications 817 consisting of jacks of different heights corresponding to the'levels of the various selecting In the drawings four heights of jacks or indications are shown. the highest being intended to hold the sinker selecting cam above the level of the highest butt. (See Fig. 1.)

The selections of the pattern jacks or indications 817 are transmitted to the sinker selecting cam 800 by a selecting rod or pattern follower 816 which reads the pattern indications. The upper end-of the selecting rod 816 is bent toward the center of the machine to form an arm 821 underlying an adjusting screw 822 on the tail 806 of the selecting cam 800. This adjusting screw is held in contact with the rod 816 by a compression spring 824 on the vertical arm 805 carrying the selecting cam. This compression spring lies above a collar 826 on the arm 805 and under a stationary arm 825 on the post 804. As already mentioned, the lifter rod 813 plays an important part in the vertical movements of the sinker selecting cam 800. For this purpose the lifter rod 813 and the selecting rod 816 are fastened together by a lost motion connection comprising a slot 818 cut 1ongitudinally in the upper end of the lifter rod and-a screw 819 on the selecting rod passing through that slot. The lifter rod and the select-.

On its stroke downward the ing rod are spaced apart by means of a sleeve 819' on the screw 819 to permit operation of related parts. The length of the slot 818 is such that when the lifter rod 813 has been raised far enough to cause withdrawal of the sinker selecting cam 800 out of operative relation with the first tooth beyond the blank space. With the. butts on the sinkers, continued upward movement of the lifter rod will cause raising of the selector rod 816. This raising of the selector rod takes the lower end of the rod out of contact with such pattern indications 817 as happen to be under the foot of the thrust rod. At the same time it causes the vertical movement of the reader cam.

The teeth on the ratchetwheel 838 are equal in length to the space from the center of one 7 slot to the next, so that each racking of one tooth means advancing the disc one indication. To rack the wheel 838 around, a pawl 830 is mounted on the end bracket 827 by an intermediate link. The pawl being located on the underside of the ratchet wheel it is normally retracted by gravity, its exact position being de-' til termined by a set screw 849 on the lower end oi the bracket. The pawl is actuated by a set screw 850 on an arm on the rock lever underlying the pawl (Figs. 1 and 2). The set screw is so adjusted that the movement of the pawl turns the ratchet wheel forward one tooth, which is equivalent to one pattern indication.

Where in the specification and claims the expression contiguous occurs, it is intended to mean that the selecting levels or surfaces are closely adjacent but not in actual contact and are not separated by camming surfaces for the element which reads the indications corresponding to the butt levels oi the sinkers.

The construction of the machine having been described, its operation will now be set forth, assuming that it is going to make a clocking pattern such as is shown in Figure 12 and the stocking being knit from top to toe. This description of the operation will begin with the knitting when at the line ie-i of Figure 12, just before the pattern is begun. At this moment the mechanism is in the position shown in Fig ure 4, where the sinkers are all operating in their normal manner by means of their upstand ing butts 802' and the sinker selecting earn 800 is retracted. It is held in this retracted position by means of the trigger 808, the liiter rod 813 being held in its uppermost position by the lever 845 on the main pattern drum which is riding wheel 828 under the influence of the lower endor tail of the shoe cam 833 on the quadrant, this vertical reciprocation not aflecting the selecting cam 800.

When it is time to begin the pattern, the main pattern drum is racked, thus bringing into contact the spring 843 on the main pattern drum and the pin 842 on the ratchet wheel 888. This turns the ratchet wheel until the pawl can catch on the first tooth beyond the blank space 839 and the ratchet wheel begins to be racked forward once every four revolutions. The pattern drum having thus started the pattern disc into action and the finger or lever 8&5 on the main pattern drum having fallen on the end of the low cam, the shoe cam 833 on the quadrant carries forward all the operations of selection. The rack on the main pattern drum which causes this finger 845 to drop off the low earn 848 is the same rack which brought thepin 842 and the spring 843 into contact and turned the ratched wheel until the pawl could catch on I the construction shown in the drawings the clocking begins about the third rack of the ratchetawheel after the blank space and then one or two single clock effect stitches are made before the diamond shape is begun.

As soon as the selector rod 816 is dropped down onto the first blank space after the group of high pattern indications corresponding to the toe and welt, the full cycle of operations of the rock shaft begins. The riding of the pin 832 up onto the shoe or quadrant cam 833 over the bevel 834 on the cam causes the rock shaft to turn sufficiently to swing the trigger 808 to the right and retract the sinker selecting cam from operative relation with the sinker butts, this occurring just after the sinkers for making the clocking design shown in Figure 12 have passed the sinker selecting cam. As the pin 832 continues to ride up the sloping surface of the quadrant cam 833, the lifter rod 813 continues to rise until the screw 819 meets the lower end of the slot in the rod when the sinker selecting cam is raised until it is above the selecting butts 802 on the sinkers and the lower end of the reader element or selecting rod 816 is out of contact with all the'pattern indications on the pattern disc 810. Continued movement of the pin on the surface of the quadrant cam causes the rock shaft to turn still further, till the pin just reaches the end surface 833a permitting the pawl to rack the ratchet wheel forward one tooth and bring the next pattern selection under the selecting rod 816. As the quadrant cam makes its backward movement, the selector rod 816 is lowered into contact with this new indication, thus in efiect transmitting the selection to the sinker selecting cam, and as the pin 832 rides out on the extension piece 835 of the quadrant cam 833 and drops ed, the sinker selecting cam 800 swings radially back into operative relation with the selecting butts of the sinkers at the new level. This occurs just before the sinkers for making the clocking design reach the sinker selecting cam. This cycle of operation is repeated for four revolutions of the needle cylinder and the end of the cycle finds the parts in the position shown in Figure 3. The exact position of the series of pattern indications illustrated in Fig-- ure 3 corresponds to the line 3-3 on Figure 12.

At the heel the high cam 847 of the main pattern drum 120 acts on the main drum lever 845 to rock the rock shaft and both retract and raise the sinker selecting cam and also to prevent the pawl 830 from racking the pattern disc 810. When the heel is finished and the.

main pattern drum is racked around, the drum is racked around again, the finger 84:5 drops ofi the high cam 84? on the main pattern drum and continuation of the, pattern ensues. At the end of the pattern the parts find themselves in the position shown in Figure l where the pattern disc is being racked around. with the sinker selecting cam connected to the highest pattern indication 817 where it contacts with the depending flange 301 01 the sinker cam cap 300. Whenever the pin 832 rides along the reader cam 833, the racking of the ratchet wheel is repeated until the pawl reaches the blank space 839 and about this time the main drum reader 845 rides up onto the high cam 846, keeping the selecting mechanism out of action during the making of the toe and the Walt.

Various modifications of this invention will invention may be used in a machine occur to those skilled in the art which do not depart from the scope of our invention. This where it is not necessary to retract the sinker selecting cam before moving it from one level to another.

We claim:

1. In a circular knitting machine, a series of knitting instrumentalities, a selecting cam for said knitting instrumentalities, a series of contiguous pattern indications therefor, and pattern control means having cam surfaces thereon and means to rack the pattern control means,

in combination with an actuating element adapted to rack said series of pattern indications having a cycle of movement bearing timed relation to the racking of the pattern control means, and a control finger for said actuating element operated from said pattern control means.

2. A circular knitting machine having, a revolving cylinder in the head of the machine, a series of knitting instrumentalities carried by said cylinder, pattern control means-having cam surfaces thereon, a series of pattern indications for selection of said knitting instrumentalities and an element to actuate said series of indicatons, in combination with means racking said pattern control means and actuating element in cycles equal to complete revolutions of the cylinder, and a finger operated from the cams on said pattern control means being adapted to cut of! part of the cycle, of operation of said actuating element.

3. In acircular knitting machine, a revolving cylinder in the head of the machine, a series of knitting instrumentalities revolving with said cylinder, a cam-for selecting said instrumentalities, a series of pattern indications for said cam and means to move said cam into and out of operative position, an element adapted to read said pattern indications and fix the level of the selecting cam, and means to move the reader eie rent out of and into contact with pattern indications and to actuate said selecting cam moving means, in combination with an element to actuate said series of indications, pattern control means having cam surfaces thereon and means moving the said pattern control means and said actuating element in cycles equal to complete revolutions of said cylinder, and a control finger for said actuating element operated from the cam surfaces on said pattern control means adapted to permit said actuating element to withdraw the selecting means from operative relation with the knitting instrumentalities, but not allowing same to return to operative position.

4. In a circular knitting machine, a series of knitting instrumentalities, a cam ior selecting same, a series of pattern indications for said cam and an element to read said pattern'indications and fix the level of the selecting cam,

in combination/with an actuating element for said transmitting means and said series of indications having reciprocatory movement and the cycle of operaton of said actuating element comprising disconnecting the transmitting means from the series of pattern indications, advancing the series of pattern indications and connecting the transmitting means to the new indication, and pattern control means adapted to prevent the actuating element from causing the transmitting means to be connected to the new pattern indication.

5. In a circular knitting machine, a series of knitting instrumentalities, a cam for selecting same, a series of pattern indications for said cam and an element to read said pattern indications and fix the level of the selecting cam, in combination with an actuating element for said transmittin'g'means and said series of indications having reciprocatory movement and the cycle of operation of said actuating element comprising disconnecting the transmitting means from the series of pattern indications, advancing the series of pattern indications and connecting the transmitting means to the new indication, and pattern control means adapted to prevent the actuating element from causing the transmitting means to be connected to the new pattern indication, but permitting the taking-place of that portion of the cycle which advances the series of pattern indications.

6. In a circular knitting machine, a series of knitting instrumentalities, a selecting cam therefor having a plurality of operative positions and a series of pattern indications therefor, in combination with a common actuating element for said cam and series of pattern indications, and means actuated by said actuating element adapted to start movement of said cam out of and into operative position and to rack said series vby diflerent parts of the movement of said actuating element.

7. In a circular knitting machine, a series of knitting instrumentalities, a selecting cam therefor having a plurality of operative positions and "a series of pattern indications for said instrumentalities, in combination with means for transmitting the selections of said indications to said cam, means for advancing said series of indications and stopping the advance at the end of the series, a pattern drum whose cycle of movement is longer than that of the series of indications, together with other means on the pattern drum adapted to stop the advance of the series of indications at any point designated by the pattern drum or to start the advance at that point or at the beginning oi the series.

8. In a circular knitting machine, a revolving series of knitting instrumentalities, and a nonrevolving selecting cam therefor having a plurality of operative positions, in combination with a reciprocating cam for actuating said selecting cam, and means on said reciprocating cam for giving one end of said cam one effective length when moving in one direction and another eftective length when moving in the other direction.

9. In a circular knitting machine, a series of knitting instrumentalities, butts on said instrumentalities at difierent levels, a selecting cam therefor capable of being moved from one butt level to another and into and out of operative relation at eachlevel, and a series of pattern indications corresponding to the butt levels, in combination with indexing means for and an element to read said pattern indications,

means to retract said selecting cam out of operative relation with said butts and-an actuating element having reciprocatory movement adapted to operate the selecting cam retracting means with one part of its movement and by a subseneaacea cam therefor capable of being moved from one butt level to another and into and out of opera= tive relation at each level, and a series of pattern indications corresponding to the butt levels, in combination with means to retract said selecting cam out of operative relation with said butts, and an actuating element having reciprocatory movement adapted to operate the selecting cam retracting means with one part of its movement and by a subsequent part or its movement moving the series of indications.

11. In a circular knitting machine, a series of knitting instrumentalities, selecting butts thereon in different positions, a selecting cam for said butts, means to move the selecting cam out of and into operative relation with the butts, and a series of pattern indications corresponding to the butt positions; in combination with an element to read said pattern indications and fix the level of the selecting cam,'indexing means for said series of pattern indications, means adapted to move the reader element out of and into contact with pattern indications and to actuate said selecting cam moving means, and an element adapted to cause actuation of the indexing means and the reader element means.

12. In a circular knitting machine, a series of knitting instrumentalities, selecting butts thereon at different levels, 'a selecting cam for said butts and means adapted to move said cam into and out of operative position; in combination with a series of pattern indications corresponding to the butt levels of said knitting instrumentalities, an element to read said pattern indications and move the selecting cam vertically, indexing means for said pattern indications, an element adapted toactuate the selecting cam moving means and the reader element, and unitary means adapted to actuate the indexing means and the reader element.

13. In a circular knitting machine, a series of knitting instrumentalities, selecting butts thereon at different levels, a vertically movable selecting cam mounted to move radially into and out of operative relation with said butts,

an intermittently racked series of contiguous pattern indications for said knittinginstrinnentalities, a reader element for said pattern indications, means adapted to move the selecting cam into and out of operative relation with the butts and to move it vertically and also to move the reader element; in combination with. unitary means adapted to actuate the reader element and rack the series of pattern indications.

14. In a circular knitting machine, a series of knitting instrumentalities, a selecting cam therefor having a plurality of operative positions and a series of pattern indications for said selecting cam; in combination with an element to rad said pattern indications and fix the operative position of the selecting cam, indexing means ing to the butt levels of said knitting instrumentalities, an element to read said pattern indications and move the selecting cam, vertically, indexing means for said pattern indications, and a single actuating means for said cam, said series of pattern indications and said reader element, said actuating means being adapted to cause disengagement of said cam from said instrumentalities and said transmitting means from said series of indications prior to advancing anmentalities; in combination with an element to read said pattern indications and move the selecting cam vertically, indexing means for said pattern indications, an element adapted to actuate the selecting cam moving means and thereader element, and unitary means adapted to actuate the indexing means and the reader element.

17. In a circular knitting machine, a series of knitting instrumentalities, selecting butts thereon in difierent positions, a selecting cam having radial movement toward and away from said butts, means to cause such movement, and a series of contiguous pattern indications for the knitting instrumentalities and corresponding to the selecting butts; in combination with an element to read said pattern indications and move I said pattern indications and move the selecting cam vertically, indexing means for said pattern indications, an element adapted to actuate the selecting cam moving means and the reader element, and unitary means adapted to actuate the indexing means and the reader element.

19. In a circular knitting machine, a series of knitting instrumentalities, a selecting cam for said instrumentalities having a movement into and out of operative position distinct from its selecting movement, and a series of contiguous pattern indications for said cam; in combina tion with means to move said cam into and out of operative position, an element adapted to read said pattern indications and fix the level of the selecting cam, and actuating means adapted to cause the cam means to move the selecting cam radially out of operative position,

- other of said series of indications into operative move the reader element out of contact with the pattern indications, advance a new indication into operative position, and then allow said reader element to read the new pattern indication.

ALBERT E. PAGE. FRANK R. PAGE.

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