US2182493A - Knitting machine - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 5, 1939.

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Filed 001:. 6, 1936 17 Shees-Sheet 11 NVENTOR ORNEYS Dec. 5, 1939. F, LAMBACH' I 2,182,493

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I'NVENTOR (r EYS * Patented Dec. 5, 1939 UNITED STATES 2,182,493 KNITTING MACHINE Fritz'Lambach, Bellevllle, N. J., assignor to Robert Reiner, Incorporated, a corporation of New Jersey Application October 6, 1936, Serial No.-164,24

, In Germany July 15, 1936 24 Claims. (Cl- 66-82) The present invention relates to improvements in knitting machines, and more particularly to improvements in a heeling machine of the general description which includes two banks of needles movable as a unit for knitting the lower heel or heel flap portions of. a full-fashioned stocking blank, and having yarn measuring sinkers and webholders cooperating with each of said banks of needles.

The machine is constructed and arranged to knit the lower heel or heel flap portions onto a full-fashioned stocking blank, in which the leg portion including the high heel sections, and the foot portion, are knitted in a continuous operation upon another machine. This stocking blank is then transferred to the heeling machine herein disclosed by topping a' connecting course between the high heel sections and the foot section of the blank onto the two banks of needles, the foot portion of the blank being "stretched rearwardly between the sinkers and webholders while the gusual take-up tension is applied to the leg portion of the blank. After the knitting of the first course, the foot is withdrawn from between the sinkers and webholders and folded forwardly to avoid interference with the continued take-up action of the machine, and

the knitting of the heel flaps is then continued in the usual manner as on the ordinary'fullo fashioned legger- It is a principal object of the present invention to provide in a machine of this general description having two separated needle banks and their associated knitting elements operable simultaneously for knitting fabric sections into the body of a knitted fabric blank, novel and improved means for controlling the operation of the yarn feeding and knitting elements to produce knitother, so that at the end of the first or connect-' ing course, theyarn carriers will stand at the outer limits of their travel to permit the withdrawal from the rear. side of the needles and folding over of the foot portion of the fabric.

It is a further object of the invention to providea novel and more fully automatic mecham'sm for controlling the operation of. the webholder elements during the initial stages of knitting the heel tabs onto a combination blank, and particularly .during the operations of topping a stocking blank onto the machine, knitting the first or connecting course, and removing from between the webholders and sinkers and folding forwardly of the foot portion of the fabric.

It is another object of. the invention to provide an indicator device which will be'of assistance to the operator in bringing the machine to the precise starting position necessary for topping a new blank onto the machine, for turning the machine to the position at which the topping bar should be withdrawn, and also for bringing the machine to the correct stopping position to permit the withdrawal of the foot portion of. the blank from the rear side of the needles.

With these and other objects in view, a principal feature of the present invention consists in the provision of mechanism for driving the yarn carrier and slur-cock assemblies associated with each bank of needles simultaneously in op- .posite directions toward and away from each other, so that at the end of the first knitted course, the machine may be stopped with the yarn carriers at the limit of their outward or spreading movement to permitwithdrawal and, folding over of the foot portion of the blank without the necessity of interference with or cutting of the feeding yarn.

Another feature of the invention consists in the provision of mechanism controlled automatically as the machine is moved to starting position for tensioning the webholder elements'forwardly against the needles to facilitate in the topping of the stocking blank onto the machine, for returning the webholder elements to active operation during the knitting of the first course, and for again tensioning the webholder elements forwardly to permit the withdrawal of the foot portion of the blank from between the sinkers and webholders. 1

The several features of the invention consist also in the devices, combinations and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, which together with the advantages tobe obtained thereby will be readily understood by one skilled in the art from the following description drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of the left half of the machine; Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation of the right half of the machine; Fig. 3 is a View in rear elevation of the left half of the machine as shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a view in rear elevation ofthe right taken in connection with 'the accompanying is a top plan view of the left half of the machine; Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the right half of the machine; Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 1'! of Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8--8 of Fig. 1; Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 2; Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on the line Ill-Ill of Fig. 2; Fig. 11 is an end elevation looking from the right of the machine as indicated in Fig. 2; Fig. 12 is a detail view partly in section illustrating particularly the pattern lever for controlling the operation of the webholder elements; Fig. 13 is a detail view partly in section illustrating the pattern operated control mechanism for operating the stop switch of the machine; Fig. 14 is a detail view partly in section illustrating particularly the pattern control mechanism for shifting the cam shaft for narrowing; Fig. 15 is a somewhat diagrammatic view of the stocking blank topped onto a'transfer bar; Fig. 16 is a detail view partly in section to illustrate the steps of the operation of topping the blank onto the machine; Fig. 17 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating a subsequent position of certain of the parts shown in Fig. 16,

at a later stage of the transfer operation; Fig. 18 is a view similar to Figs. 16 and 1'7 illustrating the parts in position at the completion of the transfer operation; Fig. 19 is a somewhat dia grammatic view illustrating the loop structure of the fabric course which is transferred onto the needles of the heel; Figs. 20 to 25, inclusive, are diagrammatic views illustrating the successive steps of transferring the stocking blank onto the needles of the heel, the knitting of the first course thereon, and the subsequent folding forwardly of the foot portion of the fabric, Fig. 20

representing the relative position of the needle and needle Wale loops of the fabric blank subsequent to the transfer, Fig. 21 showing the relative positions after the kinking of the new fabric of the first fabric course about the needle shanks; Fig. 22 showing the relative positions of the parts subsequent to the pressing operation; Fig. 23 showing the position of the new loop as drawn through the fabric loop of the blank topped onto the needles as the needles move downwardly to the knockover position, and Figs. 24 and 25 illustrating successive steps in the operation of folding forwardly the foot portion of the fabric; Fig. 26 is a detail sectional view illustrating particularly a forward movement of the needles and webholder elements in which the foot portion of the fabric may be disconnected from its auxiliary take-up, and thereafter folded forward clear of the machine; Fig. 27 is a fragmentary view in front elevation illustrating the starting position of the carriers preparatory to the knitting of the first course; Fig. 28 is a similar view showing the position of the carriers at the outward limit of their travel at the end of the first course, and in which'the foot portion of the fabric has.been folded forwardly; Fig. 29 is a detail sectional view illustrating particularly the operation of the sinker slur-cock carriers during active operation of the machine; Fig. 30 is a plan view of the sinkers and a sinker actuated cam to form a knitting wave; Fig. 31 isa sectional plan view showing the dividers in their fully advanced position to re-measure the yarn; Figs. 32 to 35, inclusive, are a series of substantially identical detail sectional views illustrating the catch bar movement; Figs. 36 to 39 inclusive, show the operation of the needles half of the machine as shown in Fig. 2; Fig.

to form loops; Fig. 40 is a sectional view showing the relative position of the needle bar, sinker head and narrowing machine during the narrowing operation; Figs. 41 to 47, inclusive, are a series of detail sectional views illustrating successive relative positions of needles and transfer points during the narrowing operation; Fig. 48 illustrates the positions of the transfer loops at the completion of the narrowing operation; Fig. 49 is a somewhat diagrammatic view showing the completed heel about to be cast off from the machine; and Fig. 50 is a view of the complete stocking blank with the lower heel or heel flap sections knitted thereto.

The heeling machine herein disclosed as embodying in a preferred form the several features of the present invention, is similar inmany respects to fiat full-fashioned knitting machines of ordinary description havin spring beard needles movable as a unit with elation to a fixed press edge, cooperating yarn measuring sinkers, and webholders. narrowing mechanism and pattern chain control mechanism similar in construction and mode of operation to such mechanisms employed in a full-fashioned legger for controlling the opera- I tion of the machine in knitting and shaping the heel flaps. In order to adapt applicants machine specifically for the operation of knitting the lower heel or heel flap sections into a combination full-fashioned stocking blank, .each of the two .knitting sections of the machine in the preferred form, comprises two banks of needles for knitting simultaneously the two heel flap sections, space being provided between the needle banks of sufficient width to receive the intervening instep portion of the blank.

The combination full-fashioned stocking blank on which the heeling operation is to be performed, as best shown in Fig. 15, preferably comprises a leg portion 60 including the high heel sections 62 and 64, and a foot portion 66 knitted integrally with the leg, the lower heel or heel flap portions being omitted, so that the entire blank may be produced in a single continuous knitting operation upon one machine. Between the high heel sections and the sole, a separating line is made by stopping the reinforcement carriers over two courses on each side of the blank. Aloose course is then worked in the first reinforced course in the sole for transfer to a looper at a latter stage in the manufacture of the stocking. For the operation of transferring the combination blank described to the heeling machine, the blank as 'shown in Fig. 15, is placed on a transfer bar 68 having two transfer point sections and 12' which are engaged in the'lastreinforced course of the high heel sections. The stocking blank is now topped onto the heeling machine so that the foot portion of the blank extends rearwardly beneath the sinkers and above the webholders,'

while the leg portion is tensioned forwardly by the usual take-up mechanism for the knitting of the first or connecting course of the lower heel or heel flap sections of the stocking blank. With this method of knitting the heel fiaps into a connecting course of the previously knitted blank, it is necessary after the knitting of the first course, to withdraw from the machine and fold back the foot portion of the fabric to prevent interference with the operation of the knitting elements and the fabric take-up during the subsequent knitting of the heel flaps.

The several features of the present invention are directed specifically tocertain improvements The machine is provided with v in the structure and mode of operation of a. heeling machine of the general type described for knitting heel flaps to a combination blank to permit of the more rapid and efficient operation of the machine particularly for topping the combination blank onto the machine, and for thereafter removing and folding forwardly the foot portion after the knitting of the first or connecting course of the heel flaps.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the heeling machine disclosed comprises a series of transverse frames 14 connected by the usual frontrail 16 and head rail 18. The several cooperating knitting instrumentalities are driven'from a main cam shaft 80 extending throughout the machine length, from a motor 82 (see Figs. 1, 3 and 5) mounted on the rear of the machine. The motor- 82 is connected to drive a hand wheel shaft 84 by means of a sprocket chain 86 which passes around a sprocket 88 on the armature shaft 90 of the motor and sprocket 92 on the hand wheel shaft 84. The hand wheel shaft 84 is in turn connected to drive the cam shaft 80 at a relatively slow rate by means of intermeshing gears 94 and 95 carried respectively on the hand wheel shaft 84 and cam shaft 80.

The present machine is provided with pattern mechanism which may be of ordinary description, comprising preferably a pattern chain 96 (see Figs. 1 and 7) which passes over a pattern drum 98 and around idler rollers I00 and I02. v A stepby-step movement is imparted to the pattern chain with each revolution of the main cam shaft 80 by means of a pawl lever I04 pivotally supported co-axially with the drum 98 and having mounted thereon a pawl I06 arranged'for engagement with a ratchet I08 formed integrally with the drum 98. A reciprocating movement is imparted to the lever I04 and pawl I06 during each revolution of the cam shaft by means of a cam actuated lever IIO (see Fig. 7) which is pivotally supported at 2- on a rearwardly extending bracket H4, and carries intermediate its length a roller II6 arranged for engagement with a cam II8 on the cam shaft 80. A tension spring I20 acts to move the cam lever H0 and pawl lever I04 upwardly maintaining the roller H6 in engagement with the cam H8.

The machine disclosed in the drawings comprises two knitting sections, each having two separated banks of spring beard needles I22 which are supported on a needle bar I24 extending the length of the two sections, so that all of the needles are moved as a single unit. Associated with each knitting section is a webholder supporting bar I26 (see Figs. 2 and 9) having mounted thereon two groups of webholders I28 cooperating with the groups of needles above described. Each webholder bar I26 (see Figs. 2 and 9) is supported for vertical and forward and back swinging mov ments by means of two downwardly extending arms I30 pivotally mounted on forwardly extending levers I32 secured to a rock shaft I34. The present machine is also provided with yarn measuring sinkers I36 and dividers I38 (see Fig. 9) which are supported for movement in a sinker bed I39 secured to the head rail 18, and are controlled by means of sinker jacks I40 and a catch bar I42 con sructed and arranged to operate in the usual manner for knitting on a full-fashioned cotton type machine. a 1

The needle bar I24 is supported for vertical movements with relation to the webholder elements i28 (see Figs. v8 and 9) by means of rearwardly extending lever arms I44 secured to the vertical needle motion rock shaft I46, and at their rear ends pivotally secured to downwardly extending lugs I48 formed on the needle bar I26. Rocking movements are imparted to the shaft I46 by means of a downwardly extending cam lever I50, (see Fig. 8) which is provided with a cam roll I52 arranged for engagement with the usual knitting or narrowing cams on the cam shaft 80. Forward and back movements are imparted to the needles through cam actuated connections from the main cam shaft which include a downwardly extending arm I56 secured to the needle bar I24 pivotally connected at its lower end to a forwardly extending link bar I58 which is in turn connected through a pin and slot connection to the in-and-out needle motion cam lever I60 carried on a shaft I62 and provided at its lower end with a cam roll I64 for engagement with the usual knitting and narrowing cams on the shaft 80.

In order to permit the topping of the combination full-fashioned stocking blank above described, onto the machine, so that the foot portion thereof extends rearwardly over thewebholders and beneath the sinkers, it has been found desirable to provide means for moving the webholders forwardly with the needles away from the stationary portions of the machine including the head rail 18 and sinker bed I39. In accordance with one feature of the present inven-,

tion, mechanism is provided which is controlled by the pattern mechanism of the machine, and.

operates when the machine is brought to starting position and again after theknitting of the first course, to tension the webholder elements forwardly against the needle bed so that they will move with the needles away from the machine as the needles are rocked outwardly by the operator. The forward and back movement of the webholder bar I26 is preferably controlled by opposing spring tensions provided by a tension spring I66 (see Fig. 9) connected at one -end to one of the supporting arms I30 for the webholder bar I26, and at its other. end to a stationary hook I68 mounted on the rear of the machine, and a forwardly extending tension spring I10 connected at one end to a supporting arm I30 for the webholder bar I26, and at its forward end to a vertically extending control lever I12. For the normally rearward or retracted position of the control lever I12, the spring I10 is held under a relatively low tension so that the webholder bar is maintained in afully retracted vertical operating position as shown in Fig. 9, under the influence of the spring I 66. A forward movement of the control lever I12 will now operate to increase the tension exerted by the spring I10 sufficiently to overcome the tension exerted by the spring I66, so that the webholder bar I26 is tensioned forwardly against the needle bar I24.

The control lever I12 as best shown in Figs. 2 and 9, is fixedly mounted at its lower end on a rock shaft I14 carried in supporting brackets I16 and I18 on the front rail 16. A cam lever I80 also secured to the rock shaft I14, is provided with a cam roller vI82 axially movable on a roller stud I84 into operative engagement with a webholder control cam I86. The cam I86 as control lever I12 forwardly only for an angular position of the cam shaft which corresponds exactly to the starting position of the machine

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