US2329822A - Straight bar knitting machine - Google Patents

Description

p 1943- T. c. BROMLEY arm. 2,329,822

STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 25

Sept. 3. T. c. BROMLEY ETAL- 2,329,822

STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 25, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I nveniors I Thomas afiromlqya flrthar J/wl'tlaud,

Sept. 21, 1943. Q BRQMLEY ETAL 2,329,822

STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 25, 1942 3 Sheets- Sheet 3 F I IO In ventors Thomas Gflromlqy (1 1 B flrtlzur Jkortland,

Patented Sept. 21, 1943 UNITED STATES STRAIGHT BAR KNITTINGMACHINE Thomas Charles Bromley and Arthur Shortland, Leicester, England, assignors to Mellor Bromley and Co. Limited, Leicester, England Application November 25, 1942, Serial No. 466,892 1 In Great Britain October 20, 1941 15 Claims. (01. 66110) This invention is concerned with Cottons Patent and other straight bar knitting machines. In such machines, for the operation of loop transference and particularly for the operation of fashioning, it is necessary to interrupt the draw for one course so that while the points take and transfer the loops the carriers and slurcock remain stationary at one end of their traverse. In machines as hitherto constructed the draw cam is mounted on a short horizontal shaft which extends from front to rear of the machine and is driven by bevel gearing from the main cam shaft which extends lengthwise of the machine. For fashioning the main cam shaft is shogged endwise to move the ordinary knitting cams out of operation and to bring into operation the transfer cams mounted thereon; this shogging also disengages a dog clutch so that the drawcam is disconnected, Simultaneously a brake is applied to the draw-cam shaft so that the drawcam is brought to a standstilland the movement of the draw-bar and the oscillation of the drawlever which is connected thereto is interrupted. This interruption in the rotary motion of the draw-cam has certain disadvantages and an attempt .has been made to overcome them by so arranging matters that the draw-cam continues to rotate and the draw-lever to oscillate, and by providing a coupling for mechanically disconmeeting the draw-lever from and re-connecting it to the parts of the draw mechanism which it serves to reciprocate. Considerable difficulty has been experienced in so designing this coupling that it functions satisfactorily and an object of the present invention is to provide a construction whereby the draw may be interrupted for fashio-ning, which is not subject to the disadvantages of known constructions. I I

To this end the present invention providesin a Cottons patent or other straight bar knitting machine Coulier ordraw mechanism of the type comprising a rotatable draw-cam and a draw bar or lever (this member last mentioned will usually, in constructions according to this invention, be a lever and is therefore hereinafter referred to as such) carrying .a-truck or other cam follower normally engaging said cam, characterised by means for disengaging the cam and the truck whereby the cam continues to revolve but the draw-leverv remains stationary. Preferably the draw-cam is mounted on the main cam shaft to be shogged therewith and the disengagement and engagement of the cam and follower is effected by the shogging movement of said shaft. Therefore the present invention as viewed from another aspect provides a Gottons patent or other straight bar knitting machine-, having the drawcam mounted on vthe main; shaft cam to be shogged therewith and a draw-lever carrying a truck or other cam follower normally engaging th draw-cam,.wherein the arrangement is such that when the cam .shaftis shogged for transferring or fashioning the draw-cam is disengaged from the truck. II p In some cases it may be found desirable to provide means for retaining the draw-lever in the position occupied by it at the moment of disengagement. For this purpose the cam shaft may be provided with a plain cam .which,. when the draw cam is shogged out of engagement with the cam follower. is itself shogged into engagement with said followeror with another follower on the draw-lever. I I The foregoing and other features of thein vention are embodied in the'constructions which will nowbe described asexam'ples with reference to the accompanying drawings in which I Figure 1 is a perspective View of one Coulier or draw mechanism according to this invention; Figure 2 is a section therethrough, but also incorporating a plain cam for the purpose hereinafter specified; f f

Figure 3 is a section through an alternative Coulier or draw mechanism according to this invention, while II I I Figures 4 and 5 are respectively views of the faces of a draw cam and acontrol camincorported therein; I

Figure 6 is'a view of a part of the face of a modified draw cam that may be incorporated therein; I

Figure '7 ,isa perspective view showing the connection of two draw levers according to this invention to certain draw mechanism. I

In all of these constructions only the Coulier or draw mechanism is illustrated, since the other parts of the Cottons or other straight bar knitting machine are well known .andneed no description or illustration herein'fand in all of these constructions the draw cam I0 is mounted on the main cam shaft ll ofthe machine so as to be shogged therewith, This draw-cam l0 operates a draw-lever l2 which in certainconstructions according to this invention extends substantially horizontally from frontto rear of the machine across the cam face and has its free end [2' connected in anysuitable manner to the parts of the draw mechanism which are to be reciprocated. Intermediate its pivot, I3 and its free end l2 the said draw-lever. l2 carries a truck or camfollower M for engaging the draw-cam. Preferably the draw-cam I is what is known as a box cam, that is to say a cam having a cam track I0 formed in one end face thereof into which cam track the cam follower I4 (preferably a truck on a horizontal spindle secured to the lever I2) projects so that the draw-lever I2 is moved positively in each direction. It will be appreciated that when the cam shaft II is shogged in one direction (i. e. to bring the fashioning cams into operation) the draw-cam I0 is carried with it so that the truck I4 disengages from the cam track Ill. This shogging movement is effected at one end of the draw, when the truck is engaged with a concentric portion of the track III. The arrangement may be such that, at this moment, the draw-lever I2 is at the bottom of its downward swing so that there is no tendency thereafter for the lever to move and it will be correctly positioned for the subsequent re-engagement of the draw-cam with the truck. In many cases, however, it will be found desirable to provide means for positioning the draw-lever I2, as for example in a construction wherein the drawlever extends above the top of the cam shaft.

To this end it is preferred to provide, on the cam shaft II and at the opposite side of the draw-lever I2 from the draw-cam III, a plain cam I5 which when the draw-cam I0 is disengaged from its truck I4 is simultaneously moved into contact with another truck IS on the drawlever I2 so that during the ensuing revolution of the cam shaft II the plain cam I5, beingcoaxial with the shaft, maintains the draw-lever in the correct position. It is preferred that this plain cam shall also be a box cam having the radius of its track I5 the same as that of the concentric portion of the track I0 in the drawcam III which is occupied by the first mentioned cam follower I4 at the moment of shogging, the draw-lever being provided with a truck (I4, I6) at each side.

The draw cam III may be driven through any suitable gearing. If it is driven at the same speed as the cam shaft I I then a complete oscillation of the draw lever I 2 for each revolution of the cam shaft II results, and the mechanism is suitable for machines having two knitting cycles for each revolution of the cam shaft. It has been elected, however, to illustrate the gearing I! as half speed gearing 'so that the draw cam I0 rotates at half the speed of the cam shaft II, and, when thus arranged the mechanism is suitable for knitting machines having one knitting cycle per revolution of the cam shaft. The plain cam I5 is shown in Fig. 2 as being fixed to the cam shaft II to rotate and to shog there- 'with. The draw cam I0 together with one of the driving gears is mounted to rotate on a boss I8 of one of the standards 33 of the machine, and it is shoggedby means of a collar I9 which is fixed to the cam shaft II and is located between a face on the cam and a plate 20 attached thereto. I

In the modification shown in Figs. 3 to 6 the draw cam III! has a track IIfl' shaped as shown in Fig. 4 (and consisting of two intersecting loops) to give one draw motion for each revolution and to give a complete oscillation of the draw lever I2 in two revolutions, the said draw cam being driven preferably at cam shaft speed through gearing indicated at IT and being shogged by a collar I9 secured to the cam shaft II and located between a face on the draw cam and a plate 20v secured thereto. It will be seen that the looped track 0' intersects itself and it is therefore necessary to provide a switch or filling piece 2| so as to divert the truck I4 into the correct part of the track at the crossing. This switch III has two arcuate surfaces 2Ia, 2Ib and is movable between positions in which the surface 2Ia bridges a part of the track and is continuous with the surfaces'a thereof as shown in Fig. 4, and a position in which the surface 2 lb bridges another part of the track and is continuous with the surfaces b thereof as indicated by the chain dotted line in Fig. 4. This movement of the switch or filling piece 2| is effected by means of a control cam 22 (Figs. 3 and 5). This control cam is driven at half the speed of the draw cam III) and is provided with an eccentric track 22 (Fig. 5) in which a truck 23 on the switch 2| runs, the said switch being suitably guided in the draw cam III] to move radially on the face thereof. Therefore this control cam 22, rotating at half the speeds of the draw cam H0, moves the switch 2| between its two extreme positions at the appropriate times. It will be appreciated, however, that the switch 2| must dwell in each of its extreme positions while the cam follower I4 is passing along its face 2Ia or 2Ib as the case may be, and therefore the track 22' in the control cam 22 must have a dwell or concentric portion at its maximum and minimum throw. This period of dwell must be more than half the angular movement of the draw cam III] that is required for the truck I4 to move over the switch 2|. Therefore, while in Fig. 4 the said draw cam movement is indicated by :0", in' Fig. 5 each period of dwell is indicated by :1:/2+. Conveniently the control cam 22 is driven by means of an internal gear 24 attached to it, a station- 'ary sun gear 25 secured to the boss I8 of the standard 33, and a planet pinion 26 meshing with the two said gears and carried by a stud 2'! projecting from the draw cam III].

In the modified construction of draw cam H0 shown in Fig. 6 the control cam 2'2 is dispensed with and the switch 2| is movedbetween its two extreme positions by a feeler 28 which is adapted to be interposed alternatively into two portions of the cam track. I III. In Fig. 6 the truck I4 is shown as moving in the direction of the arrow along that portion of the cam track III] which is of decreasing radius. In so doing it has raised the feeler 28 about itspivot 29 and has lowered the switch 2i to its appropriate position through the medium of lever 30. It will now be seen that a portion of the feeler 28 blocks that part of the cam track III! which is of progressive increasing radius so that when on continued rotation of the cam III] the truck I4, moves along said portion it will make contact withthe feeler 28 and will depress it about its pivot 29 until the upper flank of the feeler is flush with the surface 0 of the track, which movement of the feeler will elevate the switch 2| until the surface .ZIb thereof is continuous with the track surface I).

The free end of the draw lever I2 may be connected by any suitable mechanism to those parts which it has to reciprocate. It will be appreciated, however, that the movement of said free end is in a direction at substantially right angles to this reciprocation and the connected mechanism must be such as to efiect conversion of motion along one path into motion along a. path at right angles thereto. For example the drawlevcr may be connected to a vertical reciprocate.-

ble rack meshing with a pinion driving a rack which reciprocates lengthwise of the machine. Alternatively such pinion may drive a helix' or screw thread by means of which the necessary reciprocation lengthwise of the machine is effected. 7 In one arrangement within the scope of this invention, illustrated in Fig. '7, there are two spaced draw-cams l and a draw-lever 12 for each, the cams It being so arranged that when one draw-lever !2 is at the top of its swing the other is at the bottom. The free ends l2 of these draw-levers l2 are connected by suitable flexible connecting means which extend upwards from each free end, over a guide, and then horizontally lengthwise of the machine between the two guides. Advantageously said connecting means comprises a chain 3! and each guide consists of a sprocket 32. In such construction plain cams may be unnecessary. The levers may be located at each end of the machine, or one at each end of the centre section, or both.

In another construction (not shown) according to this invention the draw-lever extends substantially vertically upwards from a pivot below the level of the cam shaft and at its upper end is provided with a quadrant of gear teeth which mesh with a pinion rotatable about a horizontal axis extending lengthwise of the machine. This pinion drives a screw thread or helix by which the reciprocating parts of the draw-mechanism are reciprocated.

i We claim:

1. In a Cottons Patent or other straight bar knitting machine, Coulier-or draw mechanism comprising a continuously rotatable draw cam, a draw member displaceable thereby, a cam follower connected to said draw member for causing the cam to move said draw member, and means for disengaging the rotating draw cam and the follower whereby the draw member remains stationary while the cam continues to rotate.

2. In a straight bar knitting machine, Coulier or draw mechanism comprising a rotatable draw cam and a follower therefor which cam and follower are separable by relative shogging during rotation of the cam to interrupt the draw, and a draw member displaceable by the cam through the medium of the follower.

3. Coulier or draw mechanism for a straight bar knitting machine of the kind having a shogging cam shaft, comprising a rotatable draw cam on said cam shaft and shogging therewith, a draw member displaceable by the draw cam, and a cam follower on the draw member for engaging the cam in one shogged position of the latter but disengaged from the cam in another shogged position thereof.

4. In a Cottons patent or other straight bar knitting machine, Coulier or draw mechanism of the type comprising a rotatable draw cam, a draw member movable thereby, and a cam follower connected to the draw member and engaging the cam: having in combination means for disengaging the cam and follower, and means for retaining the draw member in the position occupied by it at the moment of disengagement of the cam and follower.

5. In the Coulier or draw mechanism of a straight bar knitting machine, the combination of a draw member movable to and fro, and two rotatable cams displaceable selectively during rotation into association with it-a draw cam for moving said member and a plain cam for holding said member stationary while the draw cam is not associated with it.

6. In the Coulier or draw mechanism of a straight bar knitting machine having a shogging cam shaft, the combination of a draw member displaceable to and fro in the draw, a cam follower' carried thereby, a draw cam' rotatable about thecam shaft and shogging therewith into and out of engagement with the follower, means for driving the draw 'fcam'at a predetermined speed-in relation to that of the cam shaft, and a plain cam shogging with the cam shaft and draw cam for positioning the "draw member when the draw cam is shogged out of engagement with the follower. Ii

In- 'the' Coulier or draw mechanism of a straight bar knitting machine of the kind having a rotatable, shogging, cam shaft, the combination of a draw cam continuously rotatable while the cam shaft rotates, acam follower for engaging said cam, a draw membencarrying the follower and displaceable by the cam, through the medium of the follower, to make the draw, and means for shifting the cam and follower into and out of engagement as the cam-shaft shogs in one direction or the other so that when they are disengaged the draw member remains stationary although the cam continues to rotate.

8. In the Coulier or draw mechanism of a straight bar knitting machine of the kind having a rotatable main cam-shaft, the combination of a rotatable draw cam having a cam track for producing two draws for each revolution of the cam, means for driving said cam continuously, while the camshaft rotates, at half the speed of said shaft, a cam follower for engaging said track, a draw member carrying the follower and movable to and fro by the cam, and means for effecting relative movement between cam and follower to bring them out of operative relationship and to cause the draw member to remain stationary while the cam continues to rotate.

9. In the combination'claimed in claim 8, a rotatable plain cam, a follower on the draw member for engaging the plain cam, and means for bringing the second follower and the plain cam into contact, to position the draw member, when contact between the first follower and the rotating draw cam is interrupted.

10. In the Coulier or draw mechanism of a straight bar knitting machine, the combination of a continuously-rotatable draw cam, a cam track thereon for producing one draw motion for each revolution of the cam, a cam follower for engaging said track, a draw member carrying said follower and movable to and fro by the cam through the medium of the follower, and means for disengaging the cam and follower while the cam rotates so that the draw member remains stationary.

11. A combination according to claim 10, wherein the cam track intersects itself, and having a movable filler for passing the follower across the intersection.

12. In the combination claimed in claim 10, and end face on the cam at which face the track is formed, which track consists of two intersecting loops, and means for passing the follower across the intersection.

13. In the Coulier or draw mechanism of a straight bar knitting machine, the combination of a continuously' rotatable draw cam having an )end face, a cam track at said end face for proand fro by the cam, means for disengaging the follower and track, a filler movable on the cam to guide the follower across the track intersecq tion, a rotatable control cam having an eccentric track for moving said filler, and means for driving thecontrol cam at half the speed of the draw cam.

14. In the Coulier or draw mechanism of a straight bar knitting machine having a rotating cam shaft, the combination of two draw members movable to and fro transversely of the axis of said shaft, a flexible connection connecting said members and reciprocatable thereby, guide means for guiding said connection in a path parallel to said axis, two rotatable draw cams on said shaft,

one for each said member, having cam tracks for moving said members simultaneously in opposite directions, a cam follower on each member for engaging the track of the associated cam, and shogging means for simultaneously disengaging both followers from their tracks.

15. In the Coulier or draw mechanism of a straight bar knitting machine having a shogging camshaft, the combination of a rotatable draw cam, a draw lever movable to and fro thereby, a follower associated with the draw lever, for engaging the cam, and means for disengaging the cam and follower as the cam shaft shogs.

THOMAS CHARLES BROMLEY. ARTHUR SHOR'I'LAND.

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