US2168754A - Stop mechanism for knitting machines - Google Patents

Description

Aug 8, 1939. J. wAcHsMAN ETAL 2,368.754

STOP MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 27, 193e BY @5M f Patented Aug. 8, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFHCE STOP MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Jacob Wachsman and Michael Wachsman,

Brooklyn, N. Y.

This invention relates to improvements in stop mechanisms for knitting machines of the type in which the bobbins are placed near the foot of the machine and the knitted fabric is rolled up into an overhead take olf device which is placed above the knitting mechanism. In such machines it is desirable that the stop mechanisms, also called detector units, be placed high above the take off device to provide suicient lengths of yarn to be knitted into the fabric after the machine has been stopped because of some accident tothe yarn.

The present invention has for its object to provide an overhead support for the detector units and includes certain improvements whereby portions of said support may be moved aside for the sake of accessibility in removing the knitted fabric from the machine and for other purposes. Another object is to provide means for preventing the yarn from falling into the knitting mechanism because oi breakage or because the machine has been stopped to remove the roll of fabric.

Accordingly the invention is embodied in a stop mechanism for knitting machines which is characterized by that the individual stop or detector units are mounted upon an overhead support part of which may be swingable or movable with relation to the machine for the purpose set forth. In the accompanying drawing illustrating the invention Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a knitting may chine equipped with a stop mechanism according to this invention.

Fig. 2 is a side View of a detector unit for stopping the machine when the yarn breaks or a knot occurs therein.

Fig. 3 is a detail plan View illustrating the manner in which part of the unit support may be moved aside.

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing a modification.

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views of parts shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Fig. 1 is an outline perspective view of the knitting machine drawn from a photograph of the actual machine which is well known to the art. It is not necessary to enter into a detailed description of the construction and operation of the machine. It is suicient for the purpose of understanding this invention to identify the machine by its general framework I which supports the knitting or needle cylinder mechanism 2. The framework includes a post 3 having an overhanging arm 4 for supporting the take` off 5 in which the fabric 6 is rolled up into a roll 1.

As indicated the fabric leaves the needles knitted into a tubular form which is thereafter rolled into a roll I. The bobbins 8, only one is shown, are supported in a suitable manner at the foot of the machine. III indicates the handles for operating the usual clutch, not shown, whereby to stop the machine and start it again. Heretofore the yarn passed from the bobbins to the needle mechanism direct. Attempts have been made to provide stop mechanisms between the 10 bobbinsy and the needles but they have not been successful because they never provided sufficient yarn to be knitted into the fabric by the momentum of the machine after the power had been cut off. 15

In accordance with our invention we provide a framework l2 mounted on top of the overhanging arm il. The framework may consist of crossed braces I3 which carry the detector unit ring I4. VUpon the latter there are mounted as many detector units l5 as there are bobbins. Each, unit consists of a box I6 having contact springs Il adapted to be engaged by contact heels I8 of the pivoted knot detector lever I8 and the pivoted end detector lever 20. The box carries a wire connector 2| and a xed electric circuit terminal 22. When a knot occurs in the yarn the knot detector leverl is pulled down and closes the circuit inside the box as will be understood. Similarlywhen the yarn breaks or runs 30 out, the end detector lever 2G rises by gravity and likewise closesthe circuit. The operations of the detector levers and unit are well known in the art. The yarn passes through a suitable eye plate or like member 25 in which a knot-is 35 caught.

When therefore a knot occurs or the yarn runs out a well known stop control mechanism indicated at 26 is actuated and its lever 2l knocks against a handle I@ so that the usual clutch, not 40 shown, is operated to stop the machine. The U. S. Patent 1.345,455, February 16, 1932, to Jacob Wachsman discloses fully a type of stop control which may be used as indicated at 26.

Each unit may be adjusted circumferentially 45v as the framework indicated at I2 and I3. The ring I4 may be made of stiif or springy material and is conveniently split as at 40, Fig. 3, and the two parts 4I and 42 adjacent the split may be moved aside whereby to form. an open space in front of the fabric roll 'l so that the latter may be conveniently removed and whereby the yarns passing between the detector units and the bobbins are kept free and not tangled.

The stop mechanism as a whole may consist of the two rings I4 and 3435, which is preferable because itis desirable that the detector units be placed as high as possible to provide a long run of the yarns, and the ring 34-35 is of advantage in that it catches the falling thread or yarn and keeps it free from the adjacent threads or yarns so that broken ends may be attended to quickly. The ring 34-35 being supported by the springs 33 yields to the weight of the yarn or the pull thereof when loose ends are tied together and thus facilitates the work.

There may be local conditions where it is desirable that the detector unit ring I4 alone is desired or where the operator likes to have said ring placed lower. Whatever the height of the ring may be it is desirable that the portion thereof which is immediately in front of the roll 'I be arranged to be moved `aside for access to the roll. A ring I4 in position at about the level of the fabric roll 'I is not illustrated it being obvious that in such position the operator simply takes hold of the two parts 4I and 42 and swings them aside into the positions shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. He now has room enough to reach in and remove the roll I or otherwise attend to the machine.

If the ring I4 is supported at some height above the roll I and therefore ordinarily out of reach, the parts 4I and 42 may each be provided with a handle 43 which may b e grasped by the operator to move the parts aside. Preferably some means such as the arms 44 carrying spring clips 45 will be provided to engage the parts 4I and.42 to hold them in open position. If the installation includes the ring 34-35 which may also be of springy material, the handles 43 will pass down inside the ring 34-35 as shown in Fig. 1 and then both rings will `be opened by using the handles 43. When the roll 'I or other matterhas been attended to the two parts 4I and 42 are easily released from the spring clips by the operator taking hold of the handles and move the parts together again. At the joint of the ring or rings there may be an overlapping stop tongue 46.

Fig. 4 illustrates a modification in which the ring I4 is formed with two arms 5I) and 5I which are pivoted upon a suitable ringy supporting framework 52. Each arm. has a short lever 513 and the tWo levers are connected by links 54 to a two-armed lever 55. Either one of the pivots of the arms 50 and 5I may then be providedl with a gear 56 which meshes with another gear 5l upon a shaft 58. This shaft will extend down within reach of the operator and have a handle 59 for operation thereof. When the ring is to be opened the shaft 58 will be rotated and through the aforesaid means the two parts of the ring 5D and 5I will be moved aside. The construction shown in Fig. 4 is of advantage when the ring operating means should preferably be located at one side of the machine. In this case the arms 44 may be dispensed with. Fig. 6 illustrates how the joints 40 and 36 in the rings may be closed. One part of the ring may have an overlapping tongue 60 to be caught between overhanging lugs 6I on the other part for good closure.

Although the invention has been described in connection with a stop motion support which is ring formed, it will be understood that the same idea of moving a part of such support aside for purposes of accessibility applies also to supports having other forms. It should also be noted that Fig. 1 shows only one arm 44 for the sake of clearness and that in this figure the arm is shown as being straight and not curved as in Fig. 3. The illustration of the detector unit I5 in Fig. 1 is wholly conventional.

We claim:

l. A stop mechanism for knitting machines which include a rotatable knitting mechanism, a bobbin placed below the latter, an upright post having an overhanging arm extending in over the knitting mechanism and a take off device suspended from said overhanging arm; said stop mechanism comprising a detector unit under the control of the yarn passing from the bobbin to the knitting mechanism. and adapted to cause stoppage of the knitting machine when a yarn breaks or a knot occurs therein, a ring carried by said overhanging arm for supporting the detector unit in normal operative position with relation to the knitting mechanism, part of said ring being movable with respect to another part thereof and means for moving said movable part of the ring to remove the detector unit from its said normal operative position whereby to gain access to the said take off device.

2. A stop mechanism, for knitting machines which include a rotatable knitting mechanism, a bobbin placed below the latter, an upright post having an overhanging arm extending in over the knitting mechanism and a take oif device suspended from said overhanging arm; said stop mechanism comprising a detector unit under the control of the yarn passing from the bobbin to the knitting mechanism and adapted to cause stoppage of the knitting machine when a yarn breaks cr a knot occurs therein, a detector unit supporting ring secured to the overhanging arm, a yarn catching ring suspended from the unit supporting ring to catch the yarn falling from the unit,v a part of each of said rings being movable with respect to said rings and means for moving said movable ring parts to one side to remove the detector unit from a normal operative position on said machine to gain access to said take off device.

3. A st op mechanism for knitting machines which include a rotatable knitting mechanism, a bobbin placed below the latter, a nonrotatable upright post, an over-hanging arm extending from s aid post in over the knitting mechanism and a rotatable take off device suspended from said overhanging arm; said stop mechanism comprising a detector` unit under the control of the yarn passing from. the bobbin to the knitting mechanism and adapted to cause stoppage of the knitting machine when a yarn breaks or a knot occurs therein, a nonrotatable framework for supporting the detector unit over the take off device, the yarn passing from the bobbin to said detector unit and thence to the knitting mechanism.

4. A stop mechanism for knitting machines which include a rotatable knitting mechanism, a bobbin placed below the latter, a nonrotatable upright post, an overhanging arm. extending from said post in over the knitting mechanism and a rotatable fabric take off device suspended from said overhanging arm; said stop mechanism comprising a detector unit under the control of the yarn passing from the bobbin to the knitting mechanism and adapted to cause stoppage of the knittingmachine when a yarn breaks or a knot occurs therein, a detector unit supporting ring, means for securing the latter to the said overhanging arm above the said take off device and a bracket attached to the detector unit and adjustably secured to the said ring.

5. A stop mechanism for knitting machines which include a rotatable knitting mechanism, a bobbin placed below the latter, a nonrotatable l l5 upright post, an overhanging arm extending from said post in over the knitting mechanism and a rotatable take oi device suspended from said overhanging arm; said stop mechanism comprising a detector unit under the control of the yarn passing from the bobbin to the knitting mechanism and adapted to cause stoppage of the knitting machine when a yarn breaks or a knot occurs therein, a framework secured to said overhanging arm above the same, a detector unit supporting ring secured to said framework, a bracket on said ring for adjustably supporting the detector unit circumferentially of the ring and a yarn catching ring suspended from the unit supporting ring tol catch the yarn falling from the detector unit.

JACOB WACHSMAN.

MICHAEL WACHSMALN.

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