US2216099A - Selvage knitting needle for looms of the double fill loop type - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 24, 1940. uc s 2,216,099

SELVAGE KNITTING NEEDLE FOR LOOMS OF THE DOUBLE, FILL LOOP TYPE Original Filed Sept. 29. 1938 1 JQnihan Lucas E'a tented 2"}, 1940 g UNlTEDs'lA-TES SELVAGE 2,210,099 KNITTING NEEDLE FOR LOOMS OF THE; DOUBLE FILL LOOP TYPE v Jonathan Lucas, Savannah, Ga.

Original application September 29, 1938, Serial Divided and this application August 4, 1939, Serial No. 288,440

4 Claims.

This invention relates to the knitting or looping needle employed in locking the selvage of the cloth produced by the loom, which forms the subject matter of my pending application, Ser. No. 232,449, filed September 29, 1 938, of which the present application is a division.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a knitting needle adapted to form an element of the mechanism of a loom of that type in which a carrier draws a double weft loop through the shed, the function of the needle being to loop them one into the other, thus forming selvage.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a latch needle for the purpose described, having a bifurcated guide between the prongs of which the end of the latch descends when in fully open position, the purpose of the guide being to draw the loop below the end of the latch so that it will assuredly close the latch upon the rearward stroke of the needle.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the following description of a preferred and prac tical embodiment thereof proceeds.

In the drawing, throughout the several figures of which the same characters of reference have been employed to designate identical parts:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the knitting needle with a loop lying across the open latch, the loop moving rearwardly toward the guide;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the loop beneath the guide, the needle going forward to catch the next loop;

Figure 3 is a similar view in which the needle is in the beginning of its reverse movement;

Figure 4 is a similar view showing the needle moving in a rearward direction, with the first loop having passed from under the guide, being in the actof closing the latch and being shed over the newly formed loop; and

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the working end of the needle, the base portion being omitted.

Referring now in detail to the several figures, the numeral I represents the warp yarns constituting the lower side of the shed, 2 being the web adjacent the line of beat-up. the lay is indicated by the reference character 3 and carries the reed 4.

The foregoing elements are characteristic of any loom, but the loom to which the present invention appertains is of that type in which a carrier 5 enters the shed from one side, catches the loop of a double weft thread 6, at center of shed, and draws the latter through the shed positioning the bight i of the loop at one side of the shed when the carrier reaches its limit of outward movement. By reference to my pending application hereinbefore identified, it will be ascertained that the carrier 5 has a double billed jaw 8 capable a locked of lifting out of the nose portion 9 of the carrier, elevatingwith it the loop I, and releasing said loop. In this type of weaving, it will be readily understood that unless the loop is in some way locked at the side of the web to form a selvage, it will draw into the fabric, permitting the weaving to disintegrate.

Although the knitting needle which forms the subject matter of this divisional application is adapted to perform in conjunction with any loom of the double weft loop carrier type, it is herein illustrated in connection with a loom which produces a very tight looped selvage. It will be readily understood from Figure 1 that in the absense of any other instrumentality, if the jaw 8 of the carrier were to releasethe loop 1, the loop would be extremely large, and produce a loose selvage. It will also be understood that the carrier must be of considerable size, in the interest of sturdiness, freedom from vibration, and in order for it to be able to carry the mechanical contrivances which contribute to its operation, and which are fully disclosed in the parent application. Consequently, it is impossible to reduce the size of the carrier to the point where the loop carried thereby is small enough to produce a tight selvage. It, therefore, becomes necessary to transfer the loop from the carrier to another device which will form it into a small loop, before the needle engages it. Said device comprises a pin l0 which projects from the lay 3 in a position to enter between the sides of the loop when the lay moves forward to beat up the fill. To facili-- tate the entrance of the pin l0 between the sides of the loop, the carrier is so shaped that one strand of the loop is above the other, which in conjunction with the upward movement of the lay insures that the pin enters middle of the loop, all as shown in Figure 1.

The carrier and lay are so synchronized that the carrier releases the loop when the pin III is in a position within the loop so that the tensioning of the free end 6 of the loop by the tensioning means of the loom, and which are not shown in this divisional application, draws the loop against the pin, as shown in Figure 2, making a small loop. This is done prior to the moment of the beat-up and before the crossing of the shed.

The numeral l i represents a cam plate which is between the selvage and the knitting needle and the function of which is to depress the loop 1 to the plane of the web, and to catch the upper strand of it into a notch ii at the moment of beat-up for a purpose which is fully explained in connection with the loomof the parent application, and which is not particularly relevant to the exposition of the present invention.

The knitting needle, which as a whole is designated by the reference character l3, reciprocates along the outer side of the cam plate II, and co.

parallel to: the warp of the shed. The knitting needle comprises a shank it having a hook I! atprovided with a guide IS in the form of a forwardly directed hook, theforwardly extending portion 20 of which is spaced from the shank, de-- fining a recess 2 I. The forwardly extending portion 20 is bifurcated as at 28 in Figure 2, forming prongs 22 and 23 which are of sufficient length to embrace the free end of the latch l6, asis clearly shown in Figure 5. The end of the latch is slightly below the plane of the upper.

faces of the prongs 22 and 23, and the forward end of said prongs are provided with a cam curvature 24 so that when a loop rides upon the latch l6 it will be guided downwardly by the cam curvature of the prongs into the recess 2|, which is below the level of the free edge of the cam, and the loop will be retained in said recess until, upon the retrogressive movement of the needle, the loop engages the back of the latch, swings the latch to closed position, and thus escapes from the recess 2| and over the end of the needle. In the needle of an ordinary hosiery machine, for example, such a precaution as the guide I9 is not essential, for the loop in the hosiery machine is maintained in close, tensioned relationship to the shank of the needle by the sinkers or bitts which flank the needle on both sides. In connection with a loom of the double weft looptype, the conditions are altogether different, however, for in the first place the yarns employed are usually relatively coarse and tend to form a stiff round loop, and furthermore, in the absence of the guide, there is nothing to hold the sides of the loop in close tensioned relationship to the shank of the needle. Consequently, in the absence of the guide, there is the liability that the loop upon the retrogressive movement of the needle will slide above the latch without closing it, instead of contacting the back of the latch.

The operation of the knitting needle will be readily understood from a contemplation of the figures. It will be assumed that one loop shown in Figure 1- is already on the needle, the needle moving forwardly, and the loop sliding backwardly upon the open latch. Figure 2 shows that in the still further forward movement of the needle, the guide has performed its function, and-the loop is seen retained in the recess beneath the guide, from which it cannot escape except by closing the latch. In the particular loom illustrated in Figure 2, the lay is bringing the new loop toward the needle at the same time the needle is approaching the new loop. In Figure 3 the needle has entered the new loop. It is at its extreme forward movement, and about to begin its retrogressive movement. The new loop will now move forward into the hook, while the original loop will move forward, closing the latch upon the hook. Figure 4 shows a position of the needie in which the new loop is in the hook and the original loop is pushing-the latch towards closed position. The next movement, which while not illustrated, is readily understood, is that the latch will close upon the hook so that the original. loop will be shed over the hook and over the loop which is retained by the hook.

While I have in the above description disclosed what I believe to bee. preferred and practical embodiment of "the invention, it will be understood to those skilled in the art that the specific construction of the guide is by way of example. and not to be construed as limiting the scope of of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A needle for inter-looping yarns, comprising a hook, a shank, and an intermediate latch actuated by the currently formed loop to open and close it, a guide on the shank disposed alongside thereof and positioned to engage the currently formed loop in its traverse out of the hook and along the latch, and providing a continuously curved cam surface in proximity to the tip of the latch when in open position extending from a point above to a point below the latch, whereby the currently formed loop is guided below the guide surface in its passage beyond the tip of the latch.

2. A needle for inter-looping yarns, comprising a hook, a shank, and an intermediate latch actuated by the currently formed loop to open and close it, a guide on the shank disposed alongside thereof and positioned to engage the currently formed loop in its traverse out of the hook and along the latch, the guide terminating in a cam surface juxtaposed to the tip of the latch in open position and curving from a point above the tip of the latch adjacent thereto to a point below the tip of the latch away from the end thereof, whereby the currently formed loop is guided below the guide surface in its passage beyond the tip of the latch.

3. A needle for looping selvage of woven fabric comprising a hook, a shank, and an intermediate latch actuated by the currently formed loop to open and close it, a guide on the shank disposed alongside thereof and positioned to engage the currently formed loop in its' traverse out of the hook and along the latch, and providing a continuously curved cam surface in proximity to the tip of the latch when in open position extending from a point above to a point below the latch, whereby the currently formed loop is guided below the guide surface in its passage beyond the tip of the latch.

4. A needle for looping selvage of woven fabric comprising a hook, a shank and an intermediate latch actuated by the currently forrned loop to open and close it, a guide on the shank disposed along the side thereof and positioned to engage the currently formed loop in its traverse out ofthe hook and along the latch, the guide terminating in a cam surface juxtaposed to the tip of the latch in open position and curving from a point above the tip of the latch adjacent thereto to a point below the tip of the latch away from the end thereof, whereby the currently formed p is guided below the guide surface in its passage beyond the tip of the latch.

JONATHAN LUCAS.

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