US1938673A - Feed mechanism for knitting - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 12, 1933. H. SWINGLEHURST FEED MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 9, I932 Dec. 12, 1933.

H. SWINGLEHURST FEED MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 9, 1932 Iill 5 L11 0'0 fiwenlor lei r27" Dec. 12, 1933. H. SWINGLEHURST FEED MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 9, 1932 Patented Dec. 12, 1933 FEED MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Harry Swinglchnrst, Orange, N. J., assignor to Scott a Williams, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 9, 1932. Serial No. 597,721

20 Claims. (CL 66-133) This invention pertains to knitting machines,being concerned with devices for feeding yarns to the knitting instrumentalities, and 1 especially relating to feeding means of the kind 5 designed to permit yarn interchange or the substitution of one yarn for another at the feed point. Modern knitting machines, particularly hosiery machines, are commonly provided with a plurality of independent yarn guides, often as many as six, adapted respectively to deliver yarn of different size, quality, material, color, etc., for use either singly or in appropriate combination or relation in knitting difi'erent parts of a stocking, the several yarn guides usually being selectively controlled by appropriate pattern mechanism, for example, such as disclosed in the patent to Scott, No. 1,152,850, dated September '1,

In the attainment of pattern effects in the knitted structure (the term pattern effects being here employed as inclusive inter alia of such contrasting areas as high splices above the heel-reinforced or spliced heels, soles, etc.) it is common to have recourse to the expedient of plating a body or facing yarn upon a backing orfsplicing yarn in definite relation, and/or to substitute one yarn for another, the initial taking of such backing or substituted yarn necessarily occurring accurately in a certain predetermined wale or upon a definite needle at each successive course in order sharply to define the border of the desired patterned area. To secure such accuracy of taking of the entering yarn by a selected needle of the it is essential that the delivery eye of; the yarn finger move to a delivery position very close to the needle circle in order to splice the yarn accurately in between adjacent needles, Commonly the latch or guard ring orequivalent structure of the machineis cut awayat the feed point to produce a throat opening within which the active yarn finger or fingers is located,

and usually this throat opening hasa fioor or throat plate serving as a support upon which the active yarn guide rests with its delivery eye in a predetermined horizontal plane and close to the needle row'. In passing fromthe ,active yarn guide eye to the needle hooks, the 'yarn reeves over the edge of this floor or'throat plate so that .such edge actually defines the delive y point for any given yarn. v

Since practical considerations make it necessary to give the individual yarn guide fingers some substantial lateral width, it is evident that when more than one such guide finger is used,

the actual point of yarn delivery varies according to the guide which atany given time is in operative position. For plating any given yarn upon another, such as a bodyor facing yarn or yarns on a splicing or backing yarn, this relation is taken advantage of to produce the different lead angles necessary to cause one yarn to enter the needle hook in accurately spaced relation to the other yarn so as to be plated thereon with certainty, but when it is desired to use more than one suchsplicing or backing yarn alternatively, the above-noted relation causes difliculty in that the delivery points for the several splicing or backing yarns are not ordinarily the same, and

thus the accuracy-of plating the body or facing yarn with one such splicing yarn, for example, may be destroyed. I am aware that-it has heretofore been"pr0posed to provide the latch ring or its equivalent with a yarn feed opening having a flaring mouth and so to dispose the several yarn guide members behind the ring as to cause the yarn from any guide which is active to enter the feed opening through such flaring mouth so as to deliver to the needles from a single predetermined point, but this arrangement makes no provision for desirable difference in feed point between a body or facing yarn and the splicing or backing yarn, nor would it be practicable in most modern hosiery machines where limitations of space are often controlling.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide for the accurate delivery to the needles, from substantially the same delivery point, of any ofa plurality of yarns, for instance, two splicing or backing yarns which are used alternatively in the production, for example, of contrasting patterning areas in the knitted fabric. In particular the present invention provides for the permissive use of yarn feeding devices of a generally well known type in knitting hosiery, wherein a body or facing yarn has associated therewith, at different parts of a stocking, either one, respectively, of a plurality of other yarns knitted as backing or splicing yarns in plated relation to the facing or body yarn. For example, the body orfacing yarn may be plated over a backing or splicing yarn to produce a tapered high splice, and over a second backing or splicing yarn in knitting a reinforced sole. I

Thus the invention may be found useful in making spliced structures of a general type such, for example, as that illustrated in the patent to Page, No. 1,726,410, August 27, 1929 or that illustratedin the patent to Paquette, No. 1,723,881,

August 6, 1929; or the split-foot structure disclosed in the patent to Scott, No. 1,159,873, November 9, 1915.

While reference has been made to the plating of a single facing or body yarn over a backing or splicing yarn, it is to be understood that the invention is equally applicable when a plurality of facing or body yarns are employed, as is often done, and wherein one of such body yarns is knitted in plating relation to another, both being simultaneously plated over the splicing or backing yarn. Further, it is to be noted that when two yarns are fed in plating relation, each yarn is plated relatively to the other, so that either yarn may be considered as a plating yarn, and this term is to be understood with the meaning herein.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be described more fully hereinafter and will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the appended drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view, partly in section, of a knitting machine of known cons'truction showing in particular novel features of yarn feed mechanism in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary horizontal section substantially on the line l -1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view similar to Fig.1, but showing the splicing or backing yarn guides in relatively reversed position, one of the guides bebroken away;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the parts positioned as shown in Fig. 3;

Figure 4 is a section on the line i -4 of Figure 4;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 3, but showing a modified construction;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 5;

4 and 5 but illustrating a still further modification;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary detail view of one of the splicing guides of Fig. 8 viewed from the inside of the needle circle;

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view showing in plan the course of a single body or facing yarn and one of the splicing or backing yarns as they pass from their respective guides to the needles;

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 11 but showing the first splicing or backing guide out of action and broken away, and the second splicing or backing guide in action;

Fig. 13 is a side elevation of a needle hook showing the relation of the yarn as delivered thereto by the guides of Fig. 11; and

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 13, showing the relation in the needle hook of yarns fed as in Fi 12.

Referring to the drawings, the present invention is here illustrated for convenience in description and by way of example as embodied in a machine of the general type more fully disclosed in the patent to Scott No. 1,159,873, dated November 9, 1915, which prescribes sectional splicing mechanism of broad utility and in substantially parallel planes.

capable, if desired, of producing a plurality of distinct spliced areas circumferentially of the knitted tube, for example, in split foot knitting, and in the following description parts disclosed in said patent are designated by the same numerals as employed therein. It is to be understood that whether the present invention be applied to a machine such as shown in the above patent or not, the machine in which it is embodied will comprise the usual knitting instrumentalities and actuating means, and that proper pattern controlled devices will be provided for determining the proper sequence of operation of the knitting instrumentalities and for moving the several yarn guides into and out of action. Acceptable means for moving the yarn guides into and out of action is disclosed in the patent to Scott just referred to.

In the present drawings the numeral 552 (Figs. 1 and 2) designates the pivotal support for the latch ring bracket carrying the latch ring 550, such latch ring having the usual throat opening provided with a floor or throat plate 559, which constitutes a support for the active yarn guide or guides. The latch ring bracket is furnished with the upstanding part 555 which carries the shaft or pivot member 554 upon which the several yarn fingers F F F etc. are. pivoted so that they may swing vertically The several yarn fingers are provided with springs F conveniently anchored to the pivot member 552 and tending to pull the several yarn fingers downwardly into active position where their delivery eye portions rest upon the throat plate 559. The web holder bed 295 (Fig. 2) is provided with peripheral, segmental cams 296 and 296 (Figs. 2 and 4) disposed in different horizontal planes and such cams are adapted to actuate motion transmitting levers 601 and 602 respectively, pivotally supported to move in horizontal planes, all as more fully described in the aforementioned patent to Scott, No. 1,159,873. The several yarn fingers are moved out of active position by means of the thrust bars 460 460*, etc., such thrust bars at their lower endsresting upon a suitable cam drum (not herein shown but described in the aforesaid patent) having cams properly arranged to move the thrust bars up and allow them to drop in suitable sequence. The upper portions of these thrust bars pass through a fixed guide comb 462 by means of which they are guided in their movements. The thrust bar 460 corresponds to the yarn finger F and the thrust bar 460* corresponds to the yarn finger F and the thrust bars just mentioned are furnished respectively with projecting lugs a and b adapted to cooperate with the levers 601 and 602 respectively, under certain conditions of operation. The several yarn guide fingers are provided with guide eyes E E E etc., near their free extremities, such guide eyes exemplifying any suitable means for locating the delivery point of the yarn leading from the.

yarn finger and in fact constituting the yarn guides proper. In the present instance and by way of example, the guide eye E is intended to carry a splicing yarn y (Fig. 11),-the guide eye E is intended to carry a second splicing yarn 11 (Fig. 12) ,-and the guide eye E carried by the third finger F is designed to carry a body or facing yarn 11 In accordance with the presence invention, the yarn finger F which together with the other fingers is pivoted on the shaft or pivotmember. 554, is provided with a bearing opening 1 (Fig. 1*) which is preferably countersunk inwardly from opposite faces, and the adjacent surfaces of this yarn guide finger F are beveled or reduced in thickness so as to permit the=finger to swing laterally, as well as to rock in the vertical plane; To the rear of its pivotal axis the finger F is furnished with a tail 2, to which is secured one end of a spring 3 whose other end is anchored to a fixed bracket 4 conveniently secured to the upper end of the part 555. This spring constantly tends to swing the guide eye end of the finger F to the left, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3, respectively.'

Preferably the forward part of the finger F is provided with upper and lower cam surfaces ,6 and 5 respectively, (Figs. 2, 4 and 4), and if desired the finger F may be provided with complemental cam surfaces, although such surfaces on one of the cooperating fingers are usually sufiicient.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the yarn finger F is down in its operative position with its eye portion resting upon the throat plate 559, this position of the yarn finger being permitted by the descent of its thrust bar 460". In thus descending, and as shown in Fig. 2, the lug a of this thrust bar has been brought. into the plane of the lever 601.

which at this time is shown as engaging a low into and out of action for sectional splicing by or inactive portion of the earn 296 on the web holder bed 295; -At the same time the thrust bar 460 has been raised, thus throwing the finger F up to its inoperative position. The yarn finger F which carries the body or facing yarn is down'in its active position, while the yarn fingers to the right of the yarn finger F as viewed in Fig. l, and shown in broken lines are raised to the inoperative position. With the parts thus positioned, the splicing yarn y (Fig. ll) will pass from the yarn guide eye E around the corner '7 of the throat opening and will enter the book of needle 11. (as shown in Fig. 13) at the outer part of the hook, while the body or facing yarn 1 passing from the guide eye E will engage the edge of the throat plate at a point somewhat spaced from the corner 7 and V by, through the lug a, to swing the upper end of the thrust bar 460*, thus moving the yarn finger F temporarily into inactive position so that the splicing yarn 11. will cease to be taken by the needles. This motion of the yarn guide finger F into and out of action during a portion of a knitted course may be caused to take place with great accuracy by the arrangements just described, all as set forth more fully in the Scott Patent No- 1,159,873, above referred to.

forward end of the finger F? to the left, as viewed in Fig. l and thus into the path of movement of the forward end of the finger F but if the downward movement of the finger F takes place concomitantly with the upward movement of the finger F the cam surface 5 of the finger F, by engagement with the upper part of the finger F will crowd the finger F to the right so as to avoid interference between the fingers as they pass. As soon as the finger F is free to do so, it will swing (by the influence of the spring 3)- until its guide eye E is disposed in the vertical plane of movement of the guide eye E and as the finger F reaches its feeding position where it rests upon the throat plate 559, 'its guide eye will occupy substantially the same identical position that the guide eye E occupied when the latter .was in feeding position. Thus, as shown in Fig. 12, the splicing yarn y will now pass around *the corner 7 of the throat opening and will enter the needle hooks, as shown in Fig. 14 in the same relation to the body or facing yarn g as did the splicing yarn y from the guide eye 13. Thus the-new splicing yarn y will cooperate in the same way with the body yarn 1 to produce a fabric wherein the body yarn is accurately plated over the splicing yarn. As above described in reference to the finger F the finger F may be thrown the operation of the cam 296 'on the web holder bed 295, acting through the lever 602 on the lug b. Whenever the splicing yarns are to be exchanged and the finger F rises, the cam surface 6 of such finger will be acted on by the finger F so as to crowd the finger F laterally into its normal plane to prevent interference of the.

fingers as they pass. Furthermore, it is to be noted that if the finger F be left down in its normal feeding position when the finger F is lowered to feeding position, the latter will crowd the finger F out of its way as it descends so that'both guide eyes E and E will be in normal feeding position at once, resting on the throat plate 559. It is also possible to make sectional spliced areas employing the respective splicing yarns, each such spliced area extending through a portion of the same course the, fingers F and F being under control of the cams 2963 and 296 respectively on the web holder bed.

Obviously, if it be desired, as is common, to use a plurality of body yarns plated one on the other, for example, a second body yarn in addition to the yarn y another of the yarn guides,

for instance the fifth guide (not shown) from the left hand side of the throat opening (Fig. 11) may be placed in delivery position to feed its yarn simultaneously with the yarn 1,1 and the flselected splicing or backing yarn.

Referring to Figs. 5 to 7 inclusive a second embodiment of the invention is illustrated wherein corresponding parts are designated by the 'same reference numerals as above employed,

but in this arrangement the'finger F always remains ina plane substantially parallel to the finger F However, the guide eye'portion 8 of the finger F is made as a separate independent part from the body portion of the finger and is pivoted thereto by means of a pivot pin or equivalent device 9 (Fig. 6), which, when the finger is in its operative position, is preferably substantially vertical. A spring 10 secured at its opposite ends to the-body of the finger F and tothe part 8 respectively, urges "the part 8 to the left, as viewed in Figs. 5 and .7, thus tending to place the guide eye E in the plane of movement of the finger F To prevent interference, between the guide eye portions'of fingers F and F, the part 8 is provided with cam surfaces 13 and 14 and preferably the finger F is furnished with complemental cam surfaces 11 and 12, the cam surfaces acting in the same way as those previously described to crowd the part 8 of the finger F laterally out of the way of the finger F as the fingers are moved into and out of operative position. With this arrangement, when the finger F is in delivery position, its guide eye E occupies substantially the same identical position on the throat plate as the guide eye E of the finger F when the latter is in its operative position, so that accurate plating of the body yarn over either splicing yarn is assured in the same way as with the preferred construction of Figs. 1 to 4.

In Figs. 8 to '10 a still further modification is illustrated wherein the guide eye portion 15 of the finger F is made as a separate part but is connected to the body portion of the finger F by means of a spring member 16, such spring member being biased to swing the part 15 laterally into the normal plane of movement of the finger F The part 15 may be provided with a cam surface 1'7 and the finger F may be furnished with cam surfaces similar to those shown in Figs. 6 and 6* above described, such cam surfaces acting to prevent interference between portions of the fingers F and F as such fingers are moved into and out of action.

While I have herein disclosed certain desirable embodiments of means for securing the desired result, that is to say, for insuring accurately similar feed of any of a plurality of yarns, I wish it to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to these specific constructions, nor ,by the specific purpose or function of the yarns so fed, nor necessarily to the employment of but one laterally moving guide-but is to be regarded as broadly inclusive of any equivalent means whereby the same or similar result is attained, and that changes in size, proportion and shape of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is also clear that the invention is not necessarily to be applied to a machine of the particular type herein disclosed or specifically referred to, but is applicable in its broader aspect to any knitting machine wherein a plurality of independently movable yarn guides are employed.

I claim:

1. Yarn feeding mechanism for knitting machines comprising a guide for a body yarn, a pair of guides for other yarns, and means to move either of said latter guides at will relatively to the body yarn guide intoa common feeding position, whereby to ensure like association of either of said other yarns with the body yarn.

2. Yarn feeding mechanism for knitting machines comprising a guide for a facing yarn, a pair of independent guides for backing yarns, means operative to support said latter guides side by side in position to deliver. their yarns simultaneously but at different lead angles, and means operative to move either of said backing yarn guides at will into a common plane substantially normal to the row of needles and parallel to individual needles and to a given point in such plane at a predetermined distance from the needles, whereby to ensure like association of either backing yarn with the facing yarn.

3. Yarn feeding mechanism for knitting machines comprising independently movable yarn guides operative at will simultaneously to feed each of a plurality of yarns to the needles from different delivery points and with different lead angles respectively, means operative to remove one of said guides from its delivery position so as to throw its yarn out of action, and means operative to cause another of said guides to shift from its first delivery position to that of the yarn guide which has been so removed.

4.'Yarn feeding mechanism for knitting machines comprising a pair of guide members independently'movable in planes substantially parallel to the needles, each having a yarn delivery eye, a member constituting a support for each of said guide members when in operative yarn feeding position, said supporting member having an edge over which the yarn passes from the active guide to the needles, and means operative to move either of said guide members alternatively so as to position its guide eye at substantially the same spot relative to said support, whereby the yarn from either eye passes over the same point on the edge of the support on its way to the needles.

5. Yarn feeding mechanism for kniting machines of the kind having yarn guides arranged in a series extending along the needle row, said machine comprising a member having a feed throat opening provided with a fioor whose inner edge is disposed closely adjacent to the needle row and over which yarn reeves in passing to the needles, and means operative alternatively to place either of a group of the yarn guides in active delivery position upon the floor of said throat opening, while moving other guides of the group out of action, the delivery end of any guide of said group when in active position being at substantially the same distance from the inner edge of the fioor and at the same distance from the lateral end of the throat opening, whereby yarn from either guide will reeve over the same point on said inner edge of the fioor in passing to the needles.

6. Yarn feeding mechanism for knitting machines comprising a guide for a body yarn, a pair of guides for plating yarns, all of said guides being mounted to permit swinging movement to and from operative position in substantially parallel planes, a member having a feed throat opening provided with a floor over an edge of which the yarn reeves on its way to the needles, and means to cause the delivery ends of each of said plating guides to occupy a common position in the throat opening when delivering yarn to the needles, whereby each plating yarn will reeve over the same point on the edge of said floor, thereby ensuring similar association of each plating yarn with the body yarn in the knitted fab- IlC.

7. Yarn feeding mechanism for knitting machines comprising a plurality of yarn guide fingers, means providing a substantially horizontal pivotal axis for each of said fingers, one at least of said fingers being pivoted to swing laterally as it is rocked upwardly or downwardly about the axis of its pivot from inoperative to operative-position, and constantly acting means tending to swing said yarn finger so as to carry its delivery end substantially into the osition previously occupied by an adjacent finger when the latter was in its delivery position.

8. Yarn feeding mechanism for knitting machines comprising a plurality of independently movable yarn guide eyes each adapted to occupy erative position.

9. Yarn feeding mechanism for knitting machines comprising a plurality of movable yarn guide fingers each having a yam delivery end, the delivery end portion of one finger being movable relatively to the finger proper, and means tending to cause said movable delivery end to swing into the yarn delivery position of the delivery end of an adjacent guide when the latter is in its inoperative position.

10. Yarn feeding mechanism for knitting machines comprising a plurality of yarn guide fingers each having a yarn delivery end, the delivery end portion of one finger being hinged to swing laterally relatively to the plane of movement of the finger proper, and means for swinging said hinged end laterally as the finger is moved from inoperative toward its operative position.

11. Yarn feeding mechanism for knitting machines comprising a pair of yarn guide fingers mounted for movement in substantially parallel planes from inoperative to operative position,

means tending'to move the delivery end portion' of one of said fingers into the normal delivery position of the second finger, and cam means on one .of said fingers operative as the second finger is moved to its delivery position to remove the delivery end of the first finger from said position.

12. Yarn feeding mechanism for knitting machines comprising a pair of yarn guide fingers mounted to permit them to swing in substantially parallel vertical planes, resilient means tending to move the delivery end portion of one finger laterally into the normal delivery position of the second finger as the first finger is swung toward its operative position while the second finger is in inoperative position, and

means operative to restore the delivery end portion of the first finger to a plane parallel to the body portion of the second finger as the second finger is moved to its delivery position.

13. Yarn feeding mechanism for knitting machines comprising a pair of yarn guide fingers each having a yarn delivery-end, means for moving said fingers to and from yarn delivery position, the delivery end portion of one finger at least being-movable laterally relatively to the finger proper, and spring means tending to move said delivery end portion laterally as the finger proper is moved toward its operative position.

14. Yarn feeding mechanism for knitting machines comprising a plurality of movable yarn guide fingers each having a yarn delivery end, and means for moving the fingers to and from delivery position, the delivery end portion 0! one finger at least being connected to the body 'portion of the finger by a resilient yielding member which is biased to move said delivery end portion laterally of the finger proper asthe latter moves toward its operative position.

15. Yarn feeding mechanism forknitting machines comprising a plurality of movable yarn guide fingers each having a yarn delivery end, means for moving the fingers toward and from delivery position, the delivery end portion of one finger at least being hinged to swing laterally relatively to the finger proper, and spring means tending to swing said end portion laterally as the finger is moved toward its operative position.

16. Yarn feeding mechanism comprising a pair of yarn guide fingers mounted to permit them to swing in substantially vertical parallel planes; means tending to move the delivery end portion of one finger laterally into the normal delivery position of the end portion of the second finger as the first finger is moved into its operativeposition, and cam means carried by one at least of said fingers for crowding the delivery end portion of the first finger laterally back into a plane parallel with the second finger as the second finger moves toward delivery position.

1'7. Yarn feeding mechanism for knitting machines comprising a pair of yarn guide fingers mounted to permit them to move in substantially parallel planes, spring means tending to move the delivery end portion of one of said guide fingers laterally into the plane of the other finger, and cam means carried by one finger at least and operative as the fingers are moved relatively from operative to inoperative position and vice versa to restore said delivery end portion of .the first finger to a plane substantially parallel with that of the second finger.

18. Yarn feeding mechanism for knitting machines comprising a pair of yarn guide fingers pivoted to permit them to swing in substantially parallel planes in moving from operative to inoperative position, yieldable means tending to move the delivery end portion of one finger laterally into the plane of the second finger, and

cam means comprising opposed inclined surfaces on one of said fingers at least operative to move the delivery end portion of the first finger out of the plane of the second finger as the latter'is moved toward delivery position.

19. Yarn feeding mechanism for knitting machines comprising a series of movable yarn guiding fingers which in idle position lie in planes substantially parallel to the needles, pivot means for one at least of said fingers, said latter finger having a bearing opening so shaped as to permit the finger to rock in a plane radial to the axis of the pivot and also to swing laterally with respect to said radial plane, means constantly tending to swing said finger laterally whereby to cause its delivery end to lie substantially in the plane of an adjacent finger, means constraining the latter finger to move always in the same plane, means to move the several fingers independently toward and from operative position, and means operative as said pivoted finger is rocked to carry its delivery end to inoperative position to move the delivery end of the pivotal finger out of the plane of said adjacent finger.

20. Yarn feeding mechanism for knitting machines comprising means operative to cause three or more yarns to be delivered simultaneously, all from different points relative to the descending needle hooks at the knitting wave, and alternatively acting means operative to cause one of a pair of said yarns to be removed from delivery position and to cease feeding and concomitantly to shift the second of said pair of yarns to the delivery point previously occupied by the yarn which was removed, whereby to insure similarpositioning of either selected one of said pair of yarns with reference to a third yarn in the knitted fabric.

HARRY SWINGLEHURST.

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