US2112478A - Knitting machine with rectilinear needle beds - Google Patents

Description

Marh29,193s. MCM/RO 1 v 2,112,478

KNITTING MACHINE WITH RECTILNEAR NEEDLE BEDS Filed May 2l, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 JA/ VEA/ Taf M. 'd vera M. CAVERO March 29, 1938.

KNITTING MACHINE WITH RECTILNEAR NEEDLE BEDS -Filed My 21, 1955 4'shee'ts-sheet 2 .RR N

w lll 1 JANE/v70@ M Can/e140 March 29, 193s. M, CAW-:RO 2,112,478

KNITTING MACHINE WITH RECTILNEAR NEEDLE BEDS .Filed May 2l, 1935 4 Shee'lzs--SheefI 3 wen/roe M Ca vero March 29, 1938. M. cAvi-:Ro I 2,112,478

KNITT'ING MACHINE WITH RECTILNEAR NEEDLE BEDS Filed May 2l, 1935 4 SheeliS--Sheeil 4 66 inumviiax 7 VvE/V706 M. Ca verov By l Patented Mar. 29, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KNITTING MACHINE WITH RECTILINEAR NEEDLE BEDS Application May 21, 1935, Serial No. 22,606 In France May 25, 1934 3 Claims.

reciprocating strokes of the carriage relatively to the needle bed, by means of a transmission which is of simple construction, since it is only composed of an endless chain, of a finger secured on this chain and of a vertical slide rigid with the carriage and in which said iinger extends.

(b) The decreases or increases are automatically obtained by causing to act, on the needles, push-bars, of variable lengths arranged according to the generatrices of a cylinder having a horizontal axis. It therefore suffices to move this cylinder towards the needles for pushing those adapted to operate, then after releasing, to cause said cylinder to angularly move in order to obtain another decrease or another increase.

(c) In the particular case concerning the manufacture of berets, the cylinder acting on the needles is subjected to similar angular displacements separated by returns to an initial position; these strokes are counted by a pawl and ratchet device which, after stoppage of the cylinder, controls, in its turn, the number of strokes to which the carriage is subjected, with a different threadthrower and relatively to the needle bed.

The invention is illustrated by way of example, y in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the device for controlling the system for effecting the increases and decreases.

Figs. 2 and 3 are an elevation and a cross section, made according to line A-A of Fig. 2, showing the system for driving the knitting cams carriage and the thread-throwers.

Figs. 4 and 5 are a plan view and a vertical section, made according to line B-B of Fig. 4, showing the mechanism controlling the incre-ases and decreases as well as the operation of the thread-throwers.

Fig. 6 is a side view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4.

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate the device for braking the drum effecting the increases and decreases.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the knitting machine forming the subject-matter 55 oi the invention, comprises a. rectilinear needle bed I, provided with needles 2. Above this needle bed l and parallel thereto is arranged a double guide race 3. The cross section of this guide race is in the shape of a double T, one of the lower branches being bevelled (Fig. 3). Moreover, in the upper face of this guide race is provided a groove l also serving as guide for a link 5, the function of which will be indicated later on.

The lower guide race allows rectilinear reciprocating movements of the carriage 6 which carries knitting cams adapted to act on the needles 2 for the formation of the stitches. This carriage 6 is moreover so devised that it can drive either of the carriages l, 8 carrying the thread-throwers. These carriages. l, 8 are guided by the upper guide race, between abutments 9.

For actuating the thread-throwers, the lower carriage 6, which is held in contact with its guide slide by an adjustable wedge I 0, is provided, on its front face, with vertical lugs I I. Between these lugs II is pivoted, on a horizontal pin I2, a driving dog I3. rI'his dog I3 has a lower butt, so that it can angularly move only by moving away from the guide race 3. This angular displacement takes place in opposition to the action of springs i4 attached to the carriage 6. In these conditions, this do-g I3 will be able to drive or not drive the thread-throwers by coming in engagement with a iinger I5 provided on each of said carriages 'I and 8. This finger I5 is curved forwardly and downwardly. Its end has, on either side, bevelled portions forming inclines (Fig. 4). Said ngers are respectively pivoted about a hori- Zontal pin I6 in a transverse mortice of the corresponding carriage "I, 8. They are provided with a lower extension Il which coincides with the upper groove I of the guide race 3. This extension I 'l passes through the corresponding carriage l, 8, through a suitable opening; the lower face of the extension l Il being obliquely cut. Springs I8, attached on the upper face of the carriages l, 8, act on the fingers I5 for holding them in lowered position.

The driving carriage 6 receives reciprocating rectilinear displacements relatively to the needle bed I, but the driving control has a continuous movement of rotation in the same direction. The driving mechanism is, for that purpose, constituted as follows (Fig. 2):

A hand wheel actuates., by means of a toothed wheel I9 and a pinion 2li, an endless chain 2I stretched between pinions 22, 23.

This chain 2l is arranged parallel to the guide race 3 of the carriage 6. At one point of this chain 2l is laterally mounted a roller 24 provided l race 3 with the carriages 5, 1 and 8 sliding therewith cheeks. This roller 24 extends in a vertical groove 25 formed in a vertical plate 26 rigid with the carriage 6. This plate 25 thus forms a slide for the roller 24 and its guide cheeks. In these conditions, the carriage 6 is driven in one direction when the roller 24 moves with the upper stretch of the endless chain 2|. At the end of the stroke, the roller 24 moves about the corresponding pinion whilst it lowers in the groove 25. The roller 24 thus comes on to the lower stretch of the endless chain 2|, which drives it in the reverse direction at the same time as the adjacent carriage 6. At the end of the stroke, the same operation takes place over again in the reverse direction for restoring the roller 24 to its highest position, on the upper stretch of the driving chain 2|.

The knitting machine forming the subj ect-matter of the present invention has been more particularly devised for automatically forming increases and decreases, as is common practice for the manufacture of Basque berets. With the means already described will therefore be combined other means which will allow of obtaining the desired result and Will be described hereinafter.

For moving in the needle bed I the needles 2 which. must operate or not, use is made of a rotary cylinder 21, the axis of which is parallel to the needle bed I and which can also receive displacements moving it towards or from the needles 2. On the periphery of this cylinder 21, and mounted on cross members 28, are provided blades 29 rof diierent lengths, according to the i number of needles to bel simultaneously operated.

Thigv operation takes place when the cylinder 21 is moved towards the needles 2, the corresponding blade 29 acting as a push-piece for moving said needles 2 in the divisions of the needle bed I. Above the needle bed I there is shown the guide on. The lower carriage carries knitting cams 8| of the construction well known in the art and adapted to cooperate with the shoulders 2 of the needles 2. In the position shown in Fig. 1, the shoulder 2 lies outside the path of the traversing knitting cams 8| which, therefore, do not act upon the needle 2. Only when the needle is pushed forward by the blade 29, the shoulder 2 is brought to cooperate with the cams 8l, there- .by imparting the knitting movements to the needle 2. According to the different lengths of the blades 29, variable numbers of needles are pushed forward so as. to be actuated by engagement of their shoulders 2' with the cams 8I.

The movements for bringing the cylinder 21 towards the needles 2 and moving it away therefrom are obtained by mounting the ends of the shaft of said cylinder on two similar levers 39 journalled about a lowershaft 3|, which is cornmon thereto. One of these levers carries a roller 32 on which acts a rotary cam 33 (Fig. 1). The shaft of this. cam 33 is actuated from the driving transmission of the cam carriage. To the action of the cam is opposed that of a spring 34 tending to restore the cylinder 21 towards the needles 2. f

The intermittent rotation of the cylinder 21 is obtained by means of the following mechanism:

The cylinder 21 is loosely mounted on the shaft supporting the two angularly movable levers 33. At one of its ends, the cylinder is. rigid with a ratchet 35. Two pawls 31, 38 engage with the teeth of this ratchet 3B. I'he pawl 31 is mounted on a plate 39 journalled on the shaft 35 of the cylinder 21, while the pawl 38 is mounted on the lever 30.

Adjacent to the plate 39 is arranged a second plate 43 carrying the pivot pin of a pawl 44 and formed with two inclines 40, 4| adapted to act upon pins 42 mounted upon the pawls 31, 38 (Figs. l and 4). The pawl 44 cooperates with a ratchet 45 loosely mounted on the shaft 35 of the cylinder 21. This ratchet 45 is rigid with a disc 4'6 carrying two side cams. 41, 48, the function of which will be explained later on (Fig. 6).

On the shaft of the cylinder 21 is also carried a pulley 49, to which is attached a cable 50 carrying a freely hanging counterweight 5I.

With the cam 48 of the disc 46 engages a contact iinger provided on a rocking lever 53 of the third order. The free end of this lever 53 extends between two driving abutments 54 provided on the link 5. This link 5, which is subjected, on the other hand, to the action of a spring 55, is arranged in the longitudinal groove 4 formed in the upper part of the guide race 3 of the carriages. The. link 5 has two wedges 56 (Fig. 5) which are received in the abutments 9 and can (when the link 5 is moved in the suitable direction) alternately come out of the latter. On each of the upper carriages 1 and 8 is mounted a thread thrower 82 (or yarn guide) leading the yarn 83 to the needles. The fingers I3 and I5 are automatically disconnected at the end of each stroke in the following manner: When the carriage 1 (or 8) strikes against the abutment limiting its movement, the linger I3 moving with the lower carriage is pushed back by the beveled edge of the finger l5 (see Fig. 4) against the action of the spring I4 and slides past the nger I5. When the carriage 6 has completed its movement and comes back on the return stroke, the nger I3 engages the other side of the finger I5 and takes the carriage 1 (or 8) along. Of course, the spring I4 must be strong enough to provide for secure driving of the upper carriage 1 (or 8) along the guide track, but it allows the finger I3 to swing back and jump over the finger I5 when the upper carriage is arrested by its abutment. When the carriage 8 brings back the thread-thrower 1 or 8 it drives, in contact with the abutment 9 from which the Wedge 56 is released, the catch I1 is lifted. The nger I5 is angularly moved about its axis. The driving dog I3 of the carriage 6 then leaves the thread-thrower against the corresponding abutment 9.

The other cam 41 of the disc 45 acts on an arm 51 mounted on a rocking lever 53. This lever 58 is pivoted on a shaft 59 at right angles to that of the blade-carrying cylinder 21, so that its oscillations take place parallel. to the latter. A spring 59 holds the arm 51 in contact with the driving cam 41. On this lever 58 is mounted an abutment 50 angularly movable about a shaft 5I parallel to the shaft of the cylinder 21. lever 8l) is limited by an abutment 62 against which a spring 63 tends to maintain the contact. The said abutment lever 60 terminates in a beveled portion cooperating with another abutment 64 mounted on the blade-carrying cylinder 21.

'I'hese latter arrangements are adapted to allow the counterweight 5I to restore the cylinder 21 to an initial position after it has been subjected to angular displacements of denite amplitudes.

The upper end of the lever 58 is bevelled and is normally located in front of the pawl-carrying plate 39 causing the cylinder 21 to rotate.

On one of the cylinder-carrying levers 30 is The downward stroke of this abutment moreover provided an abutment 55 adapted to come in engagement with a catch on the cylinder 21. For this arrangement can be substituted in order to avoid shocks, two cams 66 and 66 (Fig. '1) carried by the cylinder 21 and cooperating with a pivoted braking lever 61 replacing the xed abutment. This lever 61 is provided with a lug 68 lfor securing in position a fork-piece 39 terminating a rod 1U. This rod 1li is subjected to the action of two springs 1i, 12, of different power, bearing on either side of a lug 13 of the frame secured on the lever 3G. One of these springs 1| bears on the fork-piece 59, and the other 12 is retained by adjusting nuts 14 screwed on the screw-threaded portion of the rod 1i).

The operation of this knitting machine is as follows:

As previously indicated, the carriage 6 receives rectilinear reciprocating movements above the needle bed l, and actuates either of the threadthrowers 1, 8.

At each end of the stroke, the cam 33 acting on the roller 32 presents to the latter its flat portion, so that the spring 34- angularly moves the two levers 3i] carrying the cylinder 21. The cylinder 21, which is prevented from rotating by its pawls 31, 38, brings its blade 2S in contact with the needles 2 and moves, relatively to the needle bed I, those which are to operate. The number of the latter varies according to the length of the blade 29 carried by the cylinder 21. This consequently allows obtaining the desired increases or decreases.

The cam 33, continuing its movement, moves the levers 30 in reverse direction, so that the plate 39 engages with the rear abutment 58. This plate 39 pivots and actuates the driving pawl 31 which causes the angular displacement of the cylinder 21 and the permutation of the blades 29 adapted to act on the needles 2. The other pawl 38 acts as a stop.

'I'his operation takes place over again at each stroke of the carriage 6. When a part of the article is finished, for instance after executing a palm in the case of the manufacture of a beret, the abutment 64 carried by the cylinder 21 has come in contact with the bevelled end of the abutment B0. This contact has caused the transverse oscillation of the abutment lever 58. The plate 35 no more strikes the lever 58 but the latter has moved in front of the second pawl-carrying plate 43. 'I'his plate 43 has, therefore, struck against the lever 53 and the angular displacement to which it has been subjected from this fact, has, by means of the pawl 44, moved the ratchet l5 to the extent of the tooth. 'Ihis ratchet 45 will, therefore, count the successive palms or parts which Will be knitted. When the plate 43 is angularly displaced, its inclines 4U, 4i act on the pins 42 of the pawls' 31, 38 for lifting them from the teeth of the corresponding ratchet 36. The cylinder 21, which has thus been released, is moved backwards, by the counterweight 5l, until the abutment 66 of the cylinder 21 stops by engaging with the abutment carried by lever 30. In practice and in order to avoid shocks, the abutment on cylinder 21 is formed by an inclined cam 66 and a stop cam portion 66 (Fig. '1) and cooperates with a resilient braking lever 61, as above described (Fig. 8).

The parts having resumed their initial positions, a new cycle of operation can take place over again.

When the necessary number of palms has been knitted and counted, the cam 41 of the disc 46 comes in engagement with the arm 51. 'I'he abutment lever 53 cannot therefore come back in front of the plate 39 carrying the pawls 31, 38 actuating the cylinder v521. This lever 58 is, on the other hand held stationary in front of the plate 43 actuating the counting disc 46.

The cam 33, by actuating the levers 33, Will therefore at each alternate stroke, angularly move the disc 46 to the extent of one tooth. At the same time,the other cam 48 has pushed the lever 53, and this has caused the link 5 to longitudinally move in the groove of the guide frame 3.

The movement of the wedges 53 has thus released at the end of its stroke the. thread-thrower which was primitively moving. The other threadthrower has, on the contrary, been coupled with the carriage 6 which now drives it in its turn.

The movement of this thread-thrower continues f during all the time the disc 46 angularly moves, this disc d6 receiving successive displacements until it reaches again its inward position. At the end of the movement, the. cams 41, 48 move away from the levers 51 and 53, the stop lever 5B returns therefore to its initial position, as well as the link 55, this ensuring again the permutation of the thread-throwers 1, 8.

I claim:

1. A ilat knitting machine, specially for the manufacture of berets and other fancy articles comprising a number of similar parts, having a needle bed, sliding needles on said needle bed, yarn guides reciprocable above said needles, a rotatable cylinder, means for imparting to said cylinder a reciprocating movement towards and away from said needles, means mounted on said cylinder and adapted to push needles from an inoperative into an operative position, a ratchet mounted on said cylinder, a plate pivotally mounted on said cylinder, a pawl mounted on said plate and cooperating with said ratchet, an abutment member pivotally mounted on the machine and adapted to engage and rock said plate at the return strike of the cylinder so as to advance said ratchet and cylinder by a step, a second pawl preventing backward movement of said ratchet, a second ratchet rotatably mounted on said cylinder, a second plate pivotally mounted on the cylinder, a third pawl mounted on said second plate and engaging said second ratchet, a cam mounted on said cylinder and adapted to shift said abutment member away from said rst plate and in the path of the second plate, a spring tending to return said abutment member to its initial position, means on said second plate adapted to release said first and second pawl when said second plate is rocked by said abutment member, and means tending to move said cylinder back to its initial position.

2. A flat knitting machine as claimed in claim 1, comprising a disc mounted on said second ratchet, and a second cam provided on said disc and adapted to retain said abutment member in its shifted position.

3. A fiat knitting machine as claimed in claim 1, comprising a disc mounted on said second ratchet, a second cam provided on said disc and adapted to retain said abutment member in its shifted position, means for releasing one of said yarn guides and for actuating another yarn guide, and a third cam provided on said disc and adapted to actuate said last mentioned means.

MICHEL CAVERO.

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