US1984656A - Circular knitting machine - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 18, 1934.

F. W. ROBINSON CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed June 4, 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 18, 1934.

F. W. ROBINSON CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 4, 1927 Dec. 18, 1934. F W. ROB|NSON 1,984,656

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed June 4, 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 DBC. 18, 1934. F Wl ROB|NSQN v 1,984,656

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed June 4', 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 M WLM WM Dec. 18, 1934. F. W ROBINSON 1,984,656

C IRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed June 4, 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Dec. 18, 1934- F. w. ROBINSON CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE l,9s4,656 y Fild June 4, 1927 6 Sheets-*SheetI 6 Patented Dec, 18, 1934 TE j,

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Frank Wells Robinson, Reading, lia., assignor to Schuylkill Hosiery Mills, Inc., Reading, lla.

Application June f4, 1927, Serial No. 196,418

9 Claims.

One object of this invention is to afford a novel circular knitting machine having a splice trimmer and binder, a yarn changer and binder, and a novel construction and arrangement of a rotatably and radially movable striping thread nger, provided with a movable nger tip, to place the striping yarn in its proper plating position, and wherein novel means are provided .to prevent the striping thread being wrapped around, other than the selected needles, so that the needle latches will not chafe or sever the striping thread.

A further object of this invention is to devise in a circular knitting machine, a novel construction and arrangement of a movable nger tip, *and novel means to actuate it to cause a wrapping arm tobe placed in the proper position.

A further object is to provide' a novel construction and arrangement of a guard having an inclined or bevelled portion to protect the stripingA yarn from the latches of the needles, and to insure that the striping yarn is taken only by selected striping needles.

With the aboveand other objects in View, as will hereinafter more clearly appear, my invention comprehends-.a novel construction and arrangement of a circular knitting machine.

It further comprehends a novel construction and arrangement of an organized machine having correlated therein a vertical striping mechanism, a splice binder, a yarn binder, and a novel construction and arrangement of a guard which is normally positioned inside 'of the path of the needles.

It further comprehends a novel construction and arrangement of a yarn positioning element effective vto cause plating yarn or yarns to be wrapped around selected needles.

It further comprehends a novel construction and arrangement of a guard.

Other novel features of construction and advantage will hereinafter more clearly appear in the detailed description and the appended claims.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, I have shown in the accompanying drawings, typical embodiments of it, which, in practice, will give satisfactory and reliable results. It is however, to be understood that the variouskinstrumentalities of which my invention consist can be variously arranged and organized, and that my invention is not limited to the exact arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities, as herein set forth.

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a portion of a circular knitting machine embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional View showing on an enlarged scale the means for positioning the wrapping yarn.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows. i

Figure 4 is a section on line 4--4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5--5 of Figure 2. 10

Figure 6 is a sectional detail on an'enlarged scale of a portion of Figure l, bringingout more clearly the tension device for the movable finger tip.

Figure 7 is a sectional elevation showing more particularly the yarn binder and trimmer. y

Figure 8 is a section taken substantially on line 8 8 of Figure 1.

Figure 9 is a top plan View of a novel construction and arrangement of a guard embodying my invention.

Figure 10 is a top plan view of an adjustable plate, on which the guard seen in Figure 9 is adjustably mounted.

Figure 11 is a top plan view of the machine showing more particularly the yarn change binder.

Figure 12 is a side elevation of a lever seen in Figure 11. n

Figure 13 is a top plan view of the lever seen 30 in Figure 12.

Figure 14 is a section taken substantially on line 14-14 of Figure 11.

Figure 15 is an elevation of a combined binder and cutter member of the yarn binder and trimmer mechanism.

Figure 16 is a side elevation of a movable binder member.

Figure 17 is an elevation of a cutter for the yarn binder and trimmer. 40

Figure 18 is a side elevation of a portion of the yarn severing and binding mechanism of the yarn change binder.

Figure 19 is a side elevation of the guard, showing certain of the needles in wrapping position, and also showing the pivotal points of the latches of the needles, at the bevelled or inclined portion of the guard, as located below the top edge of said bevelled portion, so that the yarn is protected from such needle latches.

Figure 20 is a sectionalelevation of a circular knitting machine in which another embodiment of striping mechanism embodying my invention is employed.

CTI

Figure 21 is a section on line 2l-21.of Figure 20.

Figures 22, 23 and 24 are diagrams showing dilerent stages of the knitting operation.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings- In my prior Patent No. 1,502,486, dated July 22, 1924, I have described and broadly claimed a novel construction and arrangement of a yarn change binder for circular knitting machines which is substantially the same as that disclosed herein.

In my prior Patent No. 1,577,364, dated March 16, 1926, I have described and broadly claimed a novel construction and arrangement of a yarn binder and trimmer which is substantially the same as that disclosed herein.

In my description of the construction and arrangement of the yarn change binder and the yarn binder and trimmer, I have therefore shown and described such mechanisms with only suiiicient detail for those skilled in this art to understand them, when considered with reference to my prior patents aforesaid.

I have also indicated such portions of a well known type of circular knitting machine as are necessary to illustrate my invention.v The needle cylinder 22 is of the well known rotary type, carrying a circular series of needles 23 to which the vertical movements incident to ordinary knitting are imparted by fixed cam mechanism; the latter as well as other commonly used knitting parts being omitted since their showing is not required for the proper setting forth of the invention.

The striping needles are selectively positioned by the jacks 23 which are constructed and operated in the well known manner and slidable in the needle grooves to independently raise the needles, and pattern controlled mechanism is provided to govern the selection of the striping needles.

The striping mechanism In my present invention I disclose a novel construction and arrangement of a striping mechanism.

The frame of the machine has rising from it a post 24, see Figure 11, which carries the usual type of bracket, not shown, in which is fixed a stationary shaft 25 on which is xed a cam 26. This cam` cooperates with a striping thread guide element 27 which is in the form of a movable nger pivotally mounted at 28, in the slot 29, of a carrier 30, see more particularly Figure 6, which carrier is fixed by means of a suitable fastening device, to the lower end of a vertical rock shaft 31. A spring 32 is interposed between the rear end portion of the nger tip 27 and the carrier 30.

This rock shaft 31, see more particularly Figure 2, is rotatably carried by a lever 33 which is fulcrumed at 34 in a disc 35, having a sleeve 36 which is rotatably mounted on the stationary shaft 25 and retained in position vertically byA means of a set collar 37, carried by said shaft 25.

The rock shaft 31 is encircled by a spring 38, one end of which bears against the lever 33 while its opposite end engages a pin 39 carried by the rock shaft 31. l

The lever 33 is guided in a slot 40 in atop disc 41 xed to the disc 35, in any desired manner to rotate in unison therewith. The slot 40 also opens through the periphery of the disc 41,

The upper end of the lever 33 is provided with a head 42, which at its inner peripheral portion is provided with an upwardly extending rod 43 which carries a ball 44, which travels in an annular groove 45, in a cam block 46, slidable on but keyed at 114 to the shaft 25, see more particularly Figure 11. The inner wall of the annular groove 45 is cut away to form the curved clearance portion 47.

The cam block 46 has secured to it a curved plate 48 which is provided with a laterally extending slot 49 through`which fastening devices 50 pass, which as illustrated, are in the form of screws in threaded engagement with the cam block. This plate 48, at one end, is laterally deflected as at 51, and a cam member 52 is deiiected from the plate and is in the path of a lateral projection 53 on the rod 32. This lateral projection `53 is, as illustrated, in the form of a flag which is adapted to wipe against the inner face of the cam 52. The outer face of the cam block 46 in proximity to the cam member 53, is inwardly deflected as at 54, see Figure 3.

The lever 33 is provided with an upward eX- tension 55 which serves as a stop which cooperates with the flag 53 to limit the extent or partial rotation of the shaft 31 in one direction under the influence of the spring 38.

56 designates the conventional latch ring of the knitting machine which is supported in the usual manner. A spring 106, see Figure 2, bears against a lever 33 above its pivot 34, and serves to normally keep the yarn guide in its retracted position at the inside of the needle cylinder 22.

57 designates a plate, see more particularly Figure 10, which is provided with slots 58, through which pass fastening devices' 59, see more particularly Figure 11, which are in threaded engagement with the latch ring 56 so that this plate is circumferentially adjustable on the top face of said latch ring.

60 designates a guard, which as illustrated, is in the form of a curved bar which is supported by means of an upwardly extending portion 61 which is laterally bent asat 62, see Figure 2, and provided with an elongated slot 63, see Figure 11, through which passes a screw 64 which is in threaded engagement with the latch ring so that the guard 60 may be positioned a desired distance from the inner periphery of the latch ring.

The top edge of the free end of the guard 60 is bevelled or inclined downwardly as at 65, see more particularly Figure 7.

The yam change binder I have illustrated herein a yarn change binder corresponding to that disclosed in my prior Patent No. 1,502,486. The construction includes a hook which is directly suspended over the yarn which is out of knitting action, and when a change of yarn is to take place, the yarn nger The binder is now in position to receive the yarn which is to come out of knitting action. The yarn finger which carries such yarn, first rises to such a position that the yarn is brought out of its knitting position. The binder then closes and the yarn is severed.

Cir

For carrying out this operation, the latch ring 56 has secured to it a bracket 66. This bracket carries a rod 67 on which a lever 68 is loosely mounted and is provided with a depending enlargement having an operating cam face 69 with which cooperates the forward end of a cam controlled lever, not shown, but which will be clear from my patent aforesaid, the cam being controlled by the pattern drum of the machine.

The lower end of the lever 68 forms a clamping or binding member 70, see more particularly Figure 18, and is bifurcated to provide a knife 71, see Fig. 7. 72 is `a movable knife, see Figures 1 and 18, which is pivoted between the binder and the knife 71. At its upper end it is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 73 which is connected with-an arm 75 provided With a slot 76 through which passes screws 77 which engage the arm 78, fixed to the bracket 66, so that the arm can be adjusted to vary the action of the knife. The lever 68 is normally maintained in its downward position by means of a spring 79.

The upper end of the lever 68 forms a cam face against which is adapted to bear the forward end of a manually actuated lever 80, fulcrumed on the bracket 66.

8l designates a hook which is pivotally supported at its inner end and which overhangs the yarn fingers 82, each of which is loosely mounted and normally maintained in its downward position by means of suitable springs 83.

The splice binder and trimmer The bracket 66 has journalled in it a rock shaft 84 to which is connected a rock arm 85, which is actuated in a similar manner to that described in my prior Patent No. 1,577,364, and is controlled by a cam connected to or forming a part of the pattern drum.

The rock shaft 84 is provided with a spring 86, the tendency of which is to retain said rock arm in its down position. 87 is a binder and cutter member, see Figure 15, fixed to the bracket 66, provided with a slot 88, and having its lower end forming a cutting edge.

89, Figs. 7 and 17, is a lug fastened to the i movable cutter or knife 93 and is slidably mounted on the end of the rock shaft 84 which latter has a rock arm 90 effective to raise the member 89 against the tension of the spring 91. A spring 92 retains the movable binder member 89 in sliding engagement with the binder member 87. The movable cutter or knife 93, best seen in Figure 7; and 94 is a movable binder or clamping member. Both of these members 93 and 94 are slotted to permit the rock shaft 84 to pass through them and provide the proper clearance.

The movable binder 94 has a pin 95 which passes into a slot 96 in the member 93. The lower ends of the binder member 87, and of the knife 93, have hooked edges so that a positive clamp is provided for the yarn -prior to the shearing of the yarn.

A lever 97, fulcrumed in the bracket 66 has its outer end forming a splice finger 98. A spring 99 tends to retain this lever in the position to which it has been moved.

In the modification seen in Figures 20 and 21, I have shown another embodiment of positioning element for the striping thread, and since the cooperating mechanism is similar to that already described, I have identified corresponding parts by the same reference characters.

In this embodiment, a lever 33 has pivoted to its bottom ange at 100, a plate 104, 101 are fastening devices which pass through slots 102 of a striping thread guide carrier 103, and engage the plate 104. This guide carrier has a plurality of circumferentially spaced, depending, and apertured thread guides 105. The rock shaft 31 has fixed to it an arm 107 which passes between lugs 108 rising from the guide carrier 103 so that the rocking of the shaft 31 will cause a lateral movement of the guide carrier 103 and the positioning of the plating yarn between guides 105.

A spring 106 is inserted between the plate 104 and the lower flange of the lever 33 so that in the operation the thread guides will be moved downwardly during the revolution of the striping thread finger when the rear end of the plate 104 is cooperating with the cam 26.

It will be understood that the operation of the striping mechanism, which is described in connection with the embodiment shown in Figures 20 and 21 is similar to that already described, With reference to Figures l, 2, and 6, as to its cycle, the main difference being that a plurality of striping thread guides 105 are employed.

As before explained, the disc 35 is provided with a sleeve 36. This sleeve 36 has iixed'to it a desired number of arms 109 which are connected to a sleeve 110, loosely mounted on the shaft 25 below the cam 26 and retained in assembled position by means of a fastening device lll, such as for example, a washer and a screw. i

The sleeve 110 has extending from it a forked arm 112 4which embraces a lug 113 on the needle cylinder so. that the striping thread finger will f be revolved during the operation of circular knitting, and will be oscillated during the knitting of the heel and toe.

The operation of the striping mechanism is controlled bythe positioning of the cam block 46 which is slidably mounted on the shaft 25, but is keyed to it by means of a key 114. The lower end of the key 114 is fixed to the cam block 46 in any desired manner, and its upper end is fixed to a sleeve 115 which is controlled .by a rock arm actuated by a cam on the pattern drum in a similar manner to that described in connection with my prior Patent No. 1,428,- 398, patented September 5, 1922, and to which reference may be had for a detailed description of the construction and operation of such mechanism.

It will, of course, be understood that any desired number of striping thread fingers can be employed, each having a movable element to place the striping arm in plating position, and in Figure 5, I have shown the construction as adapted to employ two of such striping thread lingers, although it will be apparent that any desired number may be employed, depending upon ther number of strips which are to be knitted into the stocking.

The operation of my novel circular knitting machine will now be apparent to those skilled in this art and is as follows:-

The operation of the striping mechanism The cam block 46 is controlled in a similar manner to that described in my prior Patent No. 1,428,398, by` means of a pattern controlled rock arm, the pattern having lugs of different heights in order to vary the movement of the cam block 46 as may be desired.

The striping thread carriers or iingers 30 are revolved in unison with the needle cylinder during the knitting of the circular paths, and during the knitting of the heel and toe oscillates in the usual manner.

As a striping thread finger revolves, the ag 53 on a rock shaft 31 is partially rotated against the tension of its spring 38 by the cam 52 so that the rock shaft will be turned, and due to the contour of the cam 52 the movable striping element, such as the movable finger tip 27, brings the striping thread into position to be wrapped around the selected needles. It will thus be seen that the movement of the rock shaft 31 in one direction is caused by the cam 52 and in the opposite direction by the spring 38. This movement of the rock shaft controls the position of the plating yarn. The cam 52 seen in Figure 3 rocks the flag to bring' the yarn around the needles. The ball 44 and the track 45 causes the yarn to move outwardly beyond the needles and the movement of the flag 53 caused by the cam 52 causes the yarn to Wrap the needles due to its swinging movement, the yarn being laid across the face of the needles. As soon as the rear end of the striping thread movable element 27 comes in the path of the stationary cam 26, such movable element will be rocked on its fulcrum so that the wrapping arm is placed in proper plating position.

The striping yarn is fed to one or more needles selected from a group of needles forming a portion of the circle of needles and the striping yarn contacts with and is guided by the guard 60. The. yarn guides pass the yarn from within to outside the circle of latch needles.

The guard has a yarn guiding surface to ensure proper positioning of the yarn to prevent its being caught in the throat of the latch.

In Figures 22, 23 and 24, I have shown different stages of the knitting operation.

In these gures the yarn cooperates with the needles 23, and the guard 60. The knitting point is shown at 116 and the fabric at 117. In Figure 22 the yarn 115 is passing beneath the guard to the knitting point. In Figure 23 it is passing over the guard to the knitting point; and in Figure 24 the yarn has been hooked around a needle and passes over the guard to the knitting point.

The yarn thus floats over the guard and in contact with it.

The operation of the guard The guard 60 is adjustably mounted and can have any desired location with respect to the needles so long as the yarn is protected from the latches of the needles. This guard is adjustably mounted so that it can be circumferentially or laterally adjusted, and for the purpose of illustration, I have shown the guard as. within the circle of the needles although it may have in practice, any desired position.

It will be seen more clearly from Figures 1 and 19 that the selected needles which have been raised into position to receive the striping thread, have the pivotal points of their latches passing beneath the bevelled or inclined portion 65, so that the yarn is protected from the latches of the needle. This is clearly shown in Figure 7. This inclined portion is extended in proximity to the knitting point where the needles are lowered by the stitch cam to make the stitch. It will be seen that the yarn at this time is held up in the hook of the needles so that the latches cannot touch the yarn While the needles are moving downwardly to make the stitch. The needles which are to be wrapped are raised above the guard.

This guard prevents the chang or severing of the striping thread by the needle latches. The guard also holds the striping yarn at an elevation so that it is taken only by the selected raised striping needles; and said guard therefore cooperates with the yarn guide in the striping operation.

The operation of the yarn binder and trimmer is well known to those skilled in this art and will be understood by reference to my prior Patent No. 1,577,364, to which I have hereinbefore referred, so that a detailed description is believed to be unnecessary.

The operation of the yarn change binder is well known to those skilled in this art and will be clearly understood by reference to my prior Patent No. 1,502,486.

The high splice finger 98 is operated in the usual and well known manner.

It will be apparent that during the plating operation the thread guides cause the striping thread to be wrapped around the selected needles. The guard 60 prevents the striping thread from engaging at the Wrapping point with any but the needles which have been selected for the plating operation, and also has the function of protecting the striping thread from being chafed or severed by the latches of the needles at the knitting point. The selected needles have their hooks above the guard in position to receive the yarn.

In accordance with my present invention, the design of the plating can be varied toa greater extent than if it were not present.

In this invention one is not limited to the stroke of the striping thread guide, as any desired number of needles may be selected with movement of the thread guide finger determined by the iiags 53.

It can readily be seen that due to the action of the ag 53 and its cam the thread guide is caused to pass before a certain number of needles which represent the throw or scope of the thread guide. In this invention one is not limited to the needles that lie within the scope of the thread guide. Certain of these needles within the throw or scope of the thread guide are selected by any well known means, for example, such as disclosed in my Patent No. 1,428,398 and only these needles receive the striping yarn.

It will also be apparent 'that the striping thread guide, in Figure 21 for example, may have any desired number of thread carrying guides so that any desired number of striping threads may be grouped in the plating operation as may be desired.

It will now be apparent that I have devised a new and useful circular knitting machine which embodies the features of advantages enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description, and while I have, in the present instance, shown and described preferred embodiments thereof which will give in practice satisfactory and reliable results, it is to be understood that these embodiments are susceptible of modification in various particulars without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacricing any of its advantages.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:-

1. A striping yarn guide for circular knitting machines, comprising a vertical lever fulcrumed intermediate its ends, a vertical shaft rockable in said lever, a striping yarn guide element pivoted for up and down movement to the lower end of the shaft, a cam block coaxial with the needle cylinder and having an annular cam groove engaged by an upward projection at the top of the lever, whereby, during each rotation f the needle cylinder said lever is rocked to cause movement of the yarn guide element radially from a normally retracted position to active position at the outside of the needle cylinder of the machine, a xed edge cam also coaxial with the needle cylinder adapted, while the yarn guide element is in its advanced position to swing the same downward to place into feeding relation to selected striping needles, and an arcuate portion on the cam block aforesaid adapted to cooperate with a lateral projection at the top of the shaft aforesaid to cause the yarn guide element to be swung horizontally to wrap the yarn about the striping needles.

2. A striping yarn guide for circular knitting machines, comprising a vertical lever fulcrumed intermediate its ends, a vertical shaft rockably supported by said lever, a striping yarn guide finger pivoted for up and down movement to the lower end of the shaft, a cam block coaxial with the needle cylinder of the machine, and having an annular cam groove engaged by an upward projection of the lever, whereby, during each rotation of the needle cylinder, said lever is rocked to cause the yarn guide element to be moved radially from a normally retracted position to active position at the out side of the needle cylinder, an edge cam also coaxial with the needle cylinder adapted while the yarn guide finger is in its advanced position to swing the same downward to bring the striping yarn into feeding relation to selected striping needles, and an arcuate portion on the cam block adapted to cooperate with a lateral projection at the top of the shaft aforesaid to cause the yarn guide finger to be swung horizontally to wrap the yarn about the striping needles, and means whereby the cam block may be moved axially of the needle cylinder out of cooperative relation with the lever and the lateral projection on the rock shaft.

3. In a knitting machine, a needle cylinder, a striping yarn guide comprising a yarn feed element in the form of a lever normally within the needle circle above the needle tops, said feed element being pivotally supported for up and down movement, means to move the feed element radially outward of the needle circle and then swing it downward to bring its feed end below the level of the needle hooks, and means operative thereafter to move the feed element circumferentially of the needle cylinder for placement of the striping yarn under the hooks of predetermined needles.

4. In a knitting machine, a needle cylinder, a striping yarn guide comprising a` vertical supporting lever fulcrumed near its upper end for swinging movement radially of the needle cylinder, a vertical rock shaft journalled in the supporting lever, a yarn feed finger pivoted for up and down movement to the lower end of the vertical rock shaft and normally supported by the latter within the needle circle above the needle tops, cam means for swinging the supporting lever to move the feed finger and position its feed end beyond the needle circle, cam means to swing the feed finger downward when positioned beyond the needle circle as aforesaid, and cam means to swing the feed ngerfcircumferentially of the ,needle cylinder for placement of the striping yarn under the hooks of predetermined needles. j

5. In a knitting machine, a rotating needle cylinder, a striping yarn guide rotating bodily with the needle cylinder, said striping yarn guide comprising a vertical lever fulcrumed intermediate its ends for swinging movement radially of the cylinder, a Vertical rock shaft journalled in the lever, a yarn feed finger pivoted for up and down movement to the lower end of the rock shaft and normally supported by the latter within the needle circle at a level above the needle tops, a non-rotative cam axially of thecylinder cooperating with the upper end of the lever to move the feed finger radially outward of the needle cylinder and position its feed end beyond the needle circle, another non-rotative cam axially of the needle cylinder to swing the feed finger downward to bring its feed end below the level of the needle hooks, and a cam surface associated with the first ofthe aforesaid cams cooperating with a lateral projection on the vertical shaft to swing the feed finger circumferentially of the cylinder for placement of the striping yarn under the hooks of predetermined needles.

6. In a knitting machine, a needle cylinder, a striping yarn guide comprising a yarn feed element in the form of a lever normally within the needle circle at a level above the tops of the needles, saidelement being pivotally supported for up and down movement, means to move the element radially outward of the needle cylinder to bring its feed end beyond the needle circle, and then to swing it downward on its pivot to bring its feed end below the level of the needle hooks,

means to thereafter move the element circumferentially of the needle cylinder and place the striping yarn under the hooks of predetermined striping needles elevated above others in the cylinder, and yarn supporting means for cooperating with the feed finger to insure taking of the yarn only by the striping needles.

7. In a knitting machine,a needle cylinder, a striping yarn guide comprising a yarn feed element in the form of a lever normally within the `needle circle above the needle. tops, said feed element being pivotally supported for up and down movement, means to move the feed element radially outward of the needle circle and then swing it downward to bring its feed end below the level of the needle hooks, means to thereafter move the feed elementcircumferentially of the needle circle and place the striping yarn under the hooks of predetermined needles elevated above others in the cylinder, and a segmental guard circumferentially of the cylinder to hold the yarn elevated at a level to insure its being taken only by the striping needles.

8. In a knitting machine, a needle cylinder, a

striping yarn guide comprising a yarn feed element normally positioned within the needle cylinder above the level of the needle tops, said element being pivotally supported for up and down movement and provided with a number of horizontally-arranged laterally spaced feed eyes for as many different striping yarns, means to move the element radially of the needle cylinder to bring its eyes beyond the needle circle and to then swing it downward to bring its eyes below thel level of the needle hooks, and means to thereafter move the finger circumferentiallyv of the needle circle for placement of the striping yarns under the hooks respectively of predetermined striping needles.

9. In a knitting machine, a needle cylinder, a striping yarn guide comprising a vertical supporting lever fulcrumed near its upper end for swinging movement radially of the needle cylinder, a vertical rock shaft journalled in the supporting lever, a horizontal lever plate pivoted for up and down movement to the lower end of the supporting lever, a feed member with a number of eyes for as many different striping yarns, guided for lateral sliding movement on the lever plate and normally occupying a position within the needle circle at a level above the needle tops, an actuating arm for the feed member securd to the lower end of the vertical rock shaft, means for swinging the supporting lever to radially move the feed member and position its eyes beyond the needle circle, and to then swing the plate lever downward on its pivot to bring the feed eyes below the level of the needle hooks, and means to thereafter turn the vertical rock shaft, and to shift the feed member circumferentially of the needles for placement of the striping yarns under the hooks respectively of predetermined striping needles.

FRANK WELLS ROBINSON.

Images