US2017673A - Knitting machine - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 15, 1935. s z 2,017,673

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 20, 1933 1.2 fl y- 12 In 'IIIIIIIIII' I- S BYZ ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 15, 1935 was I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ippuaai ilm zz gs sfifaio. 657,595 6 Claims. (01. 66-63) In these channels are reciprocatingly mounted; knitting needles, which are either operated di- 16. rectly by means of jacks or sinkers, or/and, op-

tionally, by helpers. These jacks and helpers are provided with projecting butts or extensions, adapted to be actuated and governed by cams or blocks, intended to operate the needles, in engage- 20, ment with the jacks, so as to produce different forms of stitches, loops or patterns in the knitted material.

In straight and circular knitting machines,

the needles merely reciprocate, but do not change 25 their position, relative to their respective beds.

In the links and links type, the beds are disposed in one plane and are adapted to move longitudinally relative to one another, and the needles, equipped with hooks at both ends, are

30. adapted to not only reciprocate in their respective beds, but to transfer from one bed to the other. It is quite obvious that during the bodily movement of the beds, the needles must be drawn into their respective beds, otherwise the needles would 35 interfere with one another, resulting in breakage of either the needles, or of the comb portions of the bed edges, which are adjacent to one another. The knitted material produced by the machine exerts, through its own weight, a pull upon the 40 needles, thereby causing them, if not otherwise prevented, to project beyond the adjacent edges of the beds, which may result in damages similar to those stated above.

The principal objects of the present inven- 45 tion are to provide in a knitting machine means for controlling the movements of the needles, so as to prevent them from being pulled out of the bed by the weight of the knitted material or by the movement of the beds, or by the combined ac- 50 tion of the weight and the bed movement, and to hold the needles in their retracted position, unless intentionally operated by the pattern, blocks or cams, actuating the sinkers or helpers.

A further object of my invention is to provide be in combination with the beds of a links and links type knitting machine, means, whereby the jacks or sinkers, operating the needles, are held under constant tension.

'Another object of this invention is to so arrange said sinker tension means, that the sinkers are held under greatest tension when the needles are retracted within thebed, so that their outer hooks substantially coincide, and are in alignment with the comb edge of their respective beds.

Another object of my invention is to provide similar resilient'helper engaging means in the bed of links and links type machines, when such helpers are employed.

A still further object of my invention is to pr vide sinkers and helpers having resilient bodies, adapted to frictionally engage the walls of the kggooves or channels, provided for them in the Still another object of my invention is to so construct said resilient sinker and helper engaging means, as to assure an individual engagement of each of the sinkers or helpers, independently of all other sinkers mounted in the bed.

The foregoing and still further important objects of my invention will become more fully apparent from the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, showing typical illustrations of a links and links knitting machine and specific arrangements, whereby the aforesaid objects are achieved. These illustraso tions, while showing preferred forms of my invention, are by no means intended to restrict me to the actual construction disclosed, but are intended merely to indicate some of the possible ways, whereby the desired results may be obtained. In the drawing Figure 1 illustrates a partial plan view of two reciprocatingly mounted beds of a links and links machine, equipped with my resilient sinker and helper engaging means.

Figure 2 is an enlarged, vertical cross-sectional view through a bed, taken on line 2--2 of Figure l, and showing a needle, a sinker and a helper, all held in one of the channels of the bed.

Figure 3 is a partial plan view of a spring mem- 46 ber employed in connection with the bed.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a partial plan view of a spring holding plate, as employed with a bed.

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 66 of Figure 5. a

Figure 7 is an elevation of a jack or sinker of my preferred construction.

Figure 8 is a bottom view thereof.

Figure .9 is an elevation of a helper, of my new construction, and

Figure 10 is a bottom view thereof.

Referring now specifically to the drawing, numerals l0 and I I denote two oppositely mounted beds of a links and links type machine, which beds are adapted to bodily move relative to one another, as indicated by double arrow I. Each bed is provided with a plurality of channels or grooves 12. The thicknesses of the beds are usually reduced at l3, just sufiicient to permit the visibility and accessibility of the needles. A still deeper recess I4 is formed adjacent to reduced portion l3, while leaving marginal ridges l 5, which take the form of guide prongs l6, disposed between two adjacent grooves or channels l2. The row formed by these prongs, constitutes a comb-like edge structure. The rest of the bed body is usually left at its original thickness, as indicated at I! in Figure 2.

In order to provide for the improvements in accordance with my invention, I prefer to mill out, transversely to the direction of channels i2, inner recesses I8 and outer recesses l9, which former recesses are provided with marginal seating faces 20 and 21, while the outer recesses are equipped with seats 22. One edge of faces 20 of inner recesses l8 extends below an undercut, indicated at 23, into which under-cut fits a tapered edge 24 of a holding plate 25, secured by means of screws 26 to the recessed portion of the beds. A similar holding plate 21 is adapted to cover outer recesses l9. Between holding plates 25 and 21 and the seating faces of recesses l8 and I9, there are provided resilient ribbons 28, which are divided by means of slots 29 into individual spring strips 30, which latter are so disposed above grooves or channels l2 of the beds, that each individual spring strip is caused to register with, lay over and engage its corresponding individual channel, as clearly seen in Figure 1.

The construction of sinker or jack 3| and helper 32 is such that their entire bodies are concealed below the upper surfaces of the beds, except for their projecting butts or extensions 33 and 34, respectively, which latter are adapted to be engaged by cams, patterns or cam-plates, not shown, by means of which they are operated in reciprocating fashion within their respective channels or grooves l2. The front portion 35 of the sinker is somewhat elevated above the tapering portion of its body, so as to provide means for accommodating and for engaging unlatched hook 36 of a needle 31. Accordingly, this elevated portion 35 is provided with a needle hook receiving recess 38, a downwardly directed tooth 39, and a forwardly projecting extension 40, the latter equipped with a horizontal lower surface. Tooth 39 holds hook 36 against disengagement from recess 38, as long as the needle operates within channel I2. The moment, however, the needle reaches lower recessed portion M of the edge of the bed, the needle drops and may be released from the sinker, while being transferred to the opposite bed.

It is essential that during the movement of the beds, the needles are retained in the position shown in Figure 2. In the event the needles should project beyond the adjacent edges of the bed during such movement, they may catch against one another, and either bend or break, or cause the breakage of the comb, formed by projections 16, at the edge of the bed. Spring ribbons 28, through their individual spring strips 30, engage the elevated portions 35 of the sinkers and exert their greatest tension against the latter when the outer hooks of the needles are flush or in alignment with the adjacent combedges of the bed. This function may be readily observed from Figure 1. The milled-out recesses l8 are primarily intended to expose elevated portion 35 of the sinkers to the influence of spring ribbons 28. If such recesses would not have been provided, the action of the individual spring strips 30, against the individual sinkers, would be impossible. For similar reasons, recesses l3 at the outer ends of the beds are provided, so as to permit tensional contact of spring ribbons 28' with the exposed upper edges of helpers 32. By holding the sinkers under increased tension, through individual spring leaf 30 of ribbons 23, when the needles are held flush with the edge of the bed, a pull exerted upon the outer hooks of the needles by the weight of the knitted material is effectively counteracted, and the needles are retained within their respective channels and m are prevented from unintentionally moving. One of the essential requirements of knitting machines resides in the fact that both sinkers and helpers are retained in their respective positions, into which they are forced by the action of the cams or pattern blocks, by means of which they are operated. This is particularly necessary in machines of this type, when some of the needles are to be held idle in their channels during certain intervals, while some other needles are continued in operation. It is also essential that neither the needles, nor sinkers or helpers are moved in their beds, due to the momentum imparted to them by, and when released from the action of the cams or blocks. In order to assure their immediate stoppage of their movement, when thus released, I have so constructed the sinkers and helpers, as to cause them to frictionally engage the walls of their respective grooves or channels. This is accomplished by grinding out or otherwise reducing their bodies, as indicated at M and 42, respectively, so as to render them resilient, and to cause them to bear with one face against one wall, and with the other face against the opposite wall of the channel, in the manner indicated by arrows in Figures 8 and 10-, respectively.

It is quite obvious that this special construction of the sinker and helper is optional and not absolutely essential, since both the sinker and helper are held by their respective spring ribbons 28 and 28' against just such accidental, or unintentional movement. However, I prefer to employ the resilient body construction, particularly for the sinker, the beneficial function of which becomes most important during the position of the sinker at either of the ends of spring leaf 33, when the latter does not exert a sufficient pressure against the elevated portion 35 of the sinker. At those positions the sinker is prevented from moving by its own pressure against the groove walls. I

Referring particularly to the sinker construction shown in Figures 7 and 8, the arrows indicated in the latter figure denote the manner in which the sinker is flexed. It will be observed thatthe ground-out portion 4| extends over the major portion of the sinker body, and that its or pattern cam. The function of the latter is to operate the sinker, and thereby the needle, in the bed-grooves. When the needle is to be brought forwards into a stitch-forming position, that is to the edge of the bed, the sinker engaging the needle must be. pushed by the loc in that direction. During this forward push the body of the sinker is, so to speak, compressed in the direction from the butt-end towards its needle-engaging end, whereby the frictional engagement between the unreduced sinker portions and the groove walls is increased.

While the sinker is temporarily retained in its pushed-out position, having been, for instance, momentarily released by the grooves or cams of the lock, the frictional engagement between the sinker and the groove-walls continues. This fact is of particular importance during operating periods when elevated portion 35 is not in frictional engagement with spring ribbon 28. During such periods, I depend entirely upon the resiliency of the sinker and its engagement with the groove walls,'for preventing its unintentional movement.

After reaching the edge of the bed, the needle, having formed a stitch, is drawn backwards by the sinker. This backward movement of the sinker is caused by the operation of the lock and constitutes a pull by the lock groove upon the butt. Through this pulling operation, the sinker body becomes straightened or stretched, whereby the frictional engagement between the sinker and the walls of the bed is eliminated.

From the foregoing it becomes quite evident that the forward movement of the sinker enhances the frictional engagement between the sinker and the groove walls, while during its backward run the sinker is freed from the walls of the groove. Due to these dual functions of the sinker, the needle is prevented from freely moving in the direction towards the edge of the bed, or at a time when the weight of the unfinished goods may cause a pull upon the needle, while during its backward motion the needle is allowed to operate freely, whereby the machine is caused to operate easier and at a considerable saving of power. Moreover, the temporary release of the sinker tends to facilitate the formation of the next new stitch by the needle, which would be impossible if the sinker would exert a permanent drag upon the needle.

As the lock releases the sinker, the latter reverts to its wall-engaging position.

In production of the sinker a ribbon of steel, from which the sinkers are stamped out, is first ground out between the future butts and the needle engaging ends, whereafter the sinkers are blanked out, finished and hardened. Through the hardening process the sinkers assume a slight curvature which is sumcient to produce the desired friction against the wall grooves when the sinkers are freed from the lock, to produce an increased friction when the sinkers are pushed forward, and to eliminate friction entirely when the sinkers are being pulled.

The sinker described above is primarily intended for the use with links and links machines or any other knitting machines having horizontally disposed, reciprocating beds in which it is impractical to employ gravity devices for keeping the needles from pulling out of their grooves. However, the application of such sinker shall not be limited to the particular use indicated, as it may be employed in connection with other types of knitting machines.

While I have shown and described specific forms of my invention, be it understood that changes and improvements may be made therein, and that the basic idea of providing individual spring leaves for sinkers and helpers in the manner described, may be arranged in diiferent ways to that shown in the drawing and described in the specification, and that the use of the sinker and helper bodies may be altered to meet various conditions arising from different designs of links and links type machines. It is also obvious that helpers may be omitted from such machines, and only sinkers used, and that consequently, the helper tension arrangement may be omitted. I therefore reserve for myself the right to make such changes and improvements as may become necessary in the application of my invention to various types of machines, without departing from the basic principle of my invention, as set forth in the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. In a needle bed of knitting machines, a recess formed transversely to the needle grooves of the bed, a resilient ribbon operatively held in said recess and divided into individual spring strips, each strip adapted to engage a sinker or helper operating in the needle grooves.

2. The combination with a needle bed of a knitting machine, provided with a plurality of needle grooves, needles, sinkers and helpers operatively mounted in said grooves, the needle, sinker and helper of each groove in cooperation with one another, said bed provided with recesses disposed transversely to said needle grooves, of resilient ribbons operatively maintained in said recesses and divided into individual spring strips, the latter adapted to individually engage said sinkers and helpers, and are intended to prevent them, and the needles, from unintentionally moving within the grooves, unless intentionally operated, said sinkers and needles adapted to frictionally engage their respective groove walls.

3. The combination with a needle bed'of a knitting machine, as set forth in claim 2, said sinkers having a reduced body portion, rendering them resilient.

4. Thecombination with a needle bed of a knitting machine, as set forth in claim 2, said helpers having a reduced body portion intended for rendering them resilient.

5. In a slotted needle bed of a knitting machine, knitting instrumentalities operatively mounted in the bed slots, resilient means disposed transversely to the slots and over substantially the entire length ofthe bed and divided into a series of individual, bowed, resilient elements, each of the elements adapted to individually cooperate with one of the instrumentalities, and means provided in said needle bed for removably accommodating said resilient means.

6. In a slotted needle bed of a knitting machine, as setforth in claim 5, said knitting instrumentalities comprising resilient, longitudinal members having a reduced body portion between its ends and adapted to normally bear under tension against the walls of the bed slots, and to move freely within the latter when subjected to a pulling action.

ANTON S'I'RELZ.

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