US2345698A

US2345698A - Circular knitting machine

Info

Publication number: US2345698A
Application number: US460429A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bromley Thomas Charles; Shortland Arthur
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1941-10-20
Filing date: 1942-10-01
Publication date: 1944-04-04
Anticipated expiration: 1961-04-04

Description

April 4, 1944. T. c. BROMLEY ET AL ,CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheei 1 Filed Oct. 1, 1942 l/VVENTORS,

April 4 1'. c. BROMLEY ETAL 2,345,698

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed 001:. l, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 jwmmmzwwjw April 1944- 'r. c. BROMLEY EI'AL CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 1, 1942 I/Vl/f/V 70/95 w .1 a m K n 1.:

Mm; m2

ATTORNEY Patented A r. 4, 1944 CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE,

Thomas Charles Bromley and Arthur vShortland, Leicester, England Application October 1 1942, Serial No. 460,429

In Great Britain October 20, 1941 13 Claims. (Cl. 66150) This invention relates to circular knitting machines of the kind adapted to produce tubular knitted fabric or strings of articles with pouches.

The invention is applicable with advantage to circular rib knitting machines for producing the application thereto of one form of the im-' ribbed or partly ribbed articles of footwear in the proved tensioning means including a circular knitting of which difficulty is normally experiseries of fabric engaging members, enced in producing clear rib'kni'tting following Figure 2 is a detail plan view depicting the the formation of a pouch. This is so, for instance, layout of the said members, in the knitting of a rib top following the forma- Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 illustrattion of a toe pouch. It is found that 'due to the ing another example embodying a single fabricunequal pull of the take-up mechanism on the engaging member, h work, owing to the presence of a pouch formed Figure 4 is a plan viewpartly in section takenimmediately preceding production of rib fabric, I on the line IV-IV of=Figure Sshowing this mem-, loop accumulation or tucking is apt to occur 5 her and also the carrier disc upon which it is. when rib knitting is commenced after formamounted, and 4 tion of the pouch. Figures 5 and dare two views somewhat similar Accordingly, the principal object of the presto Figures 3 and 4 respectively showing a modie.- ent invention is to provide improved means defication in whicha single fabric engag signed to obviate the foregoing disadvantage by her is actuated through the medium of rack and tensioning the work after formation of a pouch. pinion mechanism. 4 It is principally the intention to apply the in- Like parts are designated by similar reference. vention to circular knitting machines of the characters throughout the drawings. double axially opposed needle cylinder type In Figure 1, the upper portion of the bottom or adapted to produce articles comprising rib tops, plain cylinder of themachine is indicated. at 2, leg and foot portions, and heel and toe pouches whereas the lower portion of the axially opposed as the result of continuous operation. The in rib cylinder component is shown at 3. In accord-, vention may, however, be usefully applied to other e W th u to y pr e, the machine i circular knitting machines of the kind conequipped with inside sinkers or web holders, such cerned--rib and plain. as 4, which are mounted within a sinker ring or Broadl considered, the improved tensioning bed 5 secured to the .bottom or plain cylinder 2. means include a fabric engaging member or The sinkers or web holders are operatedby cams members which or each of which is adapted, upheld in position by a sinker cup 6 of conventional On being engaged with an appropriate portion of form. This cup has a curved surface 6a to supthe work during the formation or after the comport the fabric f as it leaves the needles portions pletion of a pouch, to move as knitting proceeds of which latter are indicated diagrammatically suchwise as to enable its operative extremity to at l. A cylindrical part 8 constituting a verge is conform to the path followed by the fabric as it mounted within the lower end of and adapted to leaves the needles. rotate with the rib cylinder 3. The verge 6 is The principal aim, then, is the provision of a adjustable axially for which purpose it is carried fabric engaging member or members which or by a centraltube 9 movable up and down within each of which, when in engagement with'a porthe rib cylinder, e. g., by a lever (not shown) tion of the knitted fabric following a completed under suitable automatic control. But although pouch, has a movement, in addition to being it is movable axially, the verge tube '9 is fixed so moved bodily in a direction necessary to apply far as rotary movement is concerned. A ball tension to the work between the pouch and the bearing 'lfl'is accordingly provided in the manner knitting needles, whereby the operative end of shown between the verge and the verge tube and the member closely follows the aforesaid path the latter issecured at its lower "end to the ball and thereby effectively tensions the work as it is I ,race cover H. The underside of the verge is re'- drawn off the needles through the needle cylincessed at 8a. der, or the appropriate needle cylinder, as the In accordance with the present invention a case may be. circular series of fabric engaging elements 12' Particular illustrative examples of the invenlocated on the inside of the needle circle is protion as applied to a machine of the characteristic vided. These elements are inth'e form of "levers type having superimposed rotary needle cylinders pivotallymo'unted at theirinn'er ends in an ape.

will now be described with reference to the accompanying' drawings, wherein,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of so much vof the said machine asis necessary to illustrate ponent concentrically therewith and is slidable through the verge tube 9 for causing the fabric engaging elements l2 to apply tension to the work in the required manner, and for restoring the carrier to its normal inoperative position at appropriate times. For the sake of convenience in illustration, the carrier 13 is shown in two halves in Figure 1, the left-hand half being raised with the fabric engaging elements in their normal inoperative positions and the right-hand half being depressed with the said elements in.

contact with the fabric Secured to the underside of the verge 8 is a longitudinally grooved cam part I! of downwardly tapered form having a slightly outwardly curved surface. An axial hole I8 is formed in this cam part to enable the rod Hi to pass downwardly right through it, the lower portion of the 'hole being reduced and made square at |8a to afford support and guid- V ance for the said rod. The cam part l1, moreover, is formed with a series of radially disposed grooves I 9 each for accommodation of the upper end of one of the pivoted fabric engaging elements l2. That is to say, in their normal inoperative positions, the, elements l2 project up through the grooves l9 with their rear edges l2a in contact with the outwardly curved backs: or bottoms of the grooves I9. As will be seen in Figure 1, the said grooves are of uniform depth but, owingto the form of the cam, part H, are inclined so as to converge in a downward direction towards the central longitudinal axis a of the machine. .The upper, i. e., operative, ex-

tremities of the lever-like elements l2 may conveniently be formed to provide spatulate presser feet lZb for engagement with the work (see Figure 2). Between their ends the elements are notched or recessed for reception of an annular spring band 20 which surrounds the elements and serves to maintainwtheir rear edges In in engagement with the backs or bottoms of the grooves 19. The rear edge [2a of each element is curved suchwise as to provide a cam formation for contact and co-operation with the outwardly curved back or bottom of the corresponding groove in the cam part 11. The carrier I3 is normally held up in contact with the bottom of the cam part at such a height or level that the presser feet l2a are disposed well up in the recess 8a beneath the verge 8-clear of the fabric ,1. as shown at the left-hand side of Figure 1.

When, however, the rod [6 is caused to nove downwards through the central verge tube 9 and the cam part H, the rear edges in of thefabric engaging elements l2 slide over the curved backs or bottoms of the corresponding grooves [9 with the result that the elements are permitted to turn on the pivot ring l4 under the influence of the'annular spring band 29, whereby the presser feet swinginwards and are thus enabled to con form closely to the contour of the sinker cup 6 as they come into contact with and apply tension to the work. Duringsuch downward movement.

of the rod [5 the elements I2 are withdrawn from the grooves l9 and consequently from the control of the cam part [1, whereupon their inward turning movement is arrested by reason of their rear edges coming into contact with the backs or bottoms of the grooves I30. in the carrier I3, as shown at the right-hand side of Figure 1.

Conversely, as the rod Hiis raised again, the fabric engaging elements i2 re-enter the grooves l9 and are gradually cammed out against the spring action until they assume their inoperative positions. The rod I6 is adapted to be automatically operated and controlled from the main timing or controlling mechanism of the machine,

a or from a subsidiary mechanism controlled by or from the main mechanism, for example through the medium of levers or/and linkage or equivalent intermediate connections. The rod and the associated operating and controlling means are preferably loaded, e. g., by spring means, so as to enable the tension to be yieldingly applied.

When restoring the carrier l3 to its normal raised position, care must, of course, be taken to ensure that the presser feet l2a do not drag upon and thereby cause damage to the fabric 1.

To guard against this the presser feet may themselves be made yieldable.

ward movement of the rod.

In the further example illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, a single fabric tensioning member 2| of mainly rectangular form is employed. As shown in Figure 4, however, the serrated operative extremity 2|a of this member is curved and splayed outwardly and bent downwards somewhat. The member is slidably mounted upon a carrier disc 22 which latter is secured to the lower end of a square section operating rod It. The carrier disc may (as shown) or may not itself also be adapted to function for fabric tensioning purposes. able tensioning member 2! is forked at 2th to accommodate the rod 16 and the said member is arranged to slide between a pair of screws 23 (or equivalent) appropriately disposed on the carrier disc 22. As will be seen in Figure 3, the operating rod 15 passes up through a square hole formed in a washer 24 secured to'the underside of the axially adjustable verge 8, so that the tensioning member 2| is maintained in correct relation to pouch fabric being knitted. As in the previously described example, the verge is provided with a co-axial verge tube 9 and the operating rod extends up through this tube and is subject to suitable automatic control. Se.- cured to the verge 8 is a cam or like part such as 25 which extends through a slot 2lc in the slidable tensioning member 2!. Normally the last mentioned member and it carrier disc 22 are located closely beneath the verge in the recess 8a with the tensioning member projected well beyond the inner wall ofqthe sinker cup 6 as indicated in full lines in Figure 3. Immediately upon a pouch being knitted, however, the operating rod l5 together with the carrier disc 22 is lowered to bring the fabric tensioning member 2! into engagement with and to apply tension to the appropriate portion of the knitted fabric 1, whereupon the said member is simultaneously caused to slide radially inwards by action of the cam or like part 25 within the slot 2 la. The lowered position of the disc 22 is indicated in dot-and-dash lines in Figure ,3.

Alternatively, they- .may be moved clear of the fabric prior to up- The inner end of the slidassaess To enable the described movements to take place, the forward portion of the :carrier disc 22 has formed thereinan open-ended slot 22a to receive the cam or like part '25. Thus,by reason of the rod being lowered the fabric engaging member 2| has imparted thereto a compound movement the initial stage of w'hich'br'ings it into engagementwith the work after which the member, still sliding inwards until it is just within the inner wall of the sinker cup '6, conforms to the pathfollowed by the fabric leaving the needles. Upon the partsbeing restored to their inoperativeposition by raising the operating rod, the slidable fabric engaging member 2| is automatically projected radially outwards,by the cam Y or like part '25, in readiness for further use. To effect the required sliding movements of the fa ric engaging member, in a positive mannergthe cam or like part may, as shown, be so shaped as to have a straight inwardly inclined portion 25a, a downwardly directed portion 25b and an intermediate curved portion 250.

According to the still further example illustrated in Figures 5 and -6, the fabric tensioning means comprise a single member '26 which-is adapted to be actuated by a suitably controlled operating rod 21 through the medium of rack and pinion mechanism. The tensioning member 26 is attached to two parallel guide bars '28 and 29 which are supported between spaced "carrier discs 3'!) and 31 secured upon the operating rod 21. The guide bars 28 and29 are arranged to slide between pairs of small ,rollers 32 carried by the spaced discs. Moreover, at its inner end each of the guide bars is formedwith 'a shoulder 33 designed to come into contact with one of the rollers 32 to limit outward sliding movement of the 'tensioning member 26 at 'appropriate'time's. The operating rod 27 extends vertically downwards into the bottom or plain cylinder 2 .of the machine through a verge tube 34 mounted coaxia'lly upon the adjustable top verge "8 associated with the top or rib cylinder 3. A guide rod 35 depending from the said verge and extending through the

carrier disc

30 and 3| .serves to prevent turning motion of the latter and thereby maintains the slidable tensioning member 26 in correct relation to pouch fabric being knitted.

A nut 35 which is screwed onto the lower end of the verge tube 34 is located beneath the top verge 8 for a purpose hereinafter to be explained. The underside of the said top verge is recessed at 8:1 and normally accommodates the carrier discs and tensioning member. The inner side of the guide bar 29 is toothed to provide a rack for co-operation with a pinion 31 mounted to turn freely upon the operating rod 21. A .screw 38 formed integrally with or rigidlysecured to this pinion 3! is engaged with a nut 39 having a "multi-start thread. As will be seen in Figure 5. this nut is pinnedby means of a cotter pin Al to the lower end of the operating rod 21. The construction and arrangement is such that upon the operating rod being depressed the

carrier discs

30 and 3! arelowered until the tensioning member 26 rests on the fabric. Further depression of the rod will thereupon cause the nut 3.9 with multi-start thread to rotate the screw 38 and hence also the pinion 31 so that the tensioning member 25 will slide radially inwards to follow the path of the fabric. When, however, the carrier discs and the tensioning member are again restored tonormal inoperative position .within the recess .81; in the top verge, by raising the operating rod .21, the pinion 31.

ities of which are directed towards the needles,

a common carrier-for said members, means for moving the carrier axially Within the needle cylinder, and means for effecting inward radial movement of said members on the inside of the needle circle, conjointly with axial movement of the carrier, as knitting'proceeds, whereby the operative extremities aforesaid have imparted to them a compound movement conforming with the path followed by the work as it leaves the needl'es, for the purpose of applying tension to said work.

2. In a circular knitting machine 'of the kind herein referred to, in combination, a cylinder,

needles in said cylinder, a sinker ring associated with the cylinder, arcuate inside sinkers mounted in said ring, a sinker cup forholding cams for operating the sinkers, said cup having a curved fabric-supporting surface, a circular series of fabric tensioning members the operative ends of which are normally directed towards the needles, a carrier wherein the said members are,

pivotally-mounteda rod movable axially within the needle cylinder and to which the carrier is attached, a relatively fixed cam part having therein longitudinal grooves "through which the fabric tensioning members extend, and spring means for normally maintaining the said members in contact with the cam part, the construction and arrangement being such that when the rod is moved axially in the appropriate direction within the needle cylinder to effect application of tension to the work as it is drawn off the ne'edles, the rear edges of the fabric tensioning membersslide over the backs of the aforesaid grooves with the result that the members are permitted to turn the influence of the spring meanssu'chwise that their operative ends swing inwards and thereby have a compound movement conforming with the contour of the fabric-supporting sur- "face of the sinker cup,

for the purpose herein specified.

3. In a circular knitting machine of the kind herein referred to, in combination, a plain needle opposed rib needle cylinder, said cylinders, a sinker ring cylinder, an axially carried by the'said ciated-with the rib plain cylinder, a verge assomovable along the'cyli-nde'r axis and to which the carrier is attached, a cam part secured to the underside of the verge and gitudinal grooves through which the fabric tensioning members extend, andgspring means for normally maintaining the said members in "con- Consequently, further upward movement 10f cylinder, arcuate inside sin'kers provided in the sinker ring, a sinker cup for holding cams for operating the sinkers, said cup having therein lon-' tact with the cam part, said cam part being formed with an axial hole through which the operating rod extends, the construction and arrangement being such that when the operating rod is moved downwards to effect application of tension to the work as it is drawn off the needles, the rear edges of the fabric tensioning members slide over the backs of the aforesaid grooves with the result that the members are permitted to turn under the influence of the spring means suchwise that their operative ends swing inwards and thereby have a compound movement conforming with the contour of the fabric-supporting surface of the sinker cup.

4. In a circular knitting machine of the'kind herein referred to, in combination, a cylinder, needles in said cylinder, a fabric tensioning memher the operative extremity of which is directed towards the needles, a disc upon which the said member is slidably mounted, a rod which carries the disc and is movable along the cylinder axis, means for moving the rod axially within the needle cylinder, and means for effecting inward sliding movement of the tensioning member radially n .th'efinsideof the needle circle, conjointly with movement of the rod in such a direction as to apply tension tothe work, as knitting proceeds,

cylinder, an axially opposed rib needle cylinder,

needles operable in said cylinders, a sinker ring carried by the said plain cylyinder, a verge associated with the rib cylinder, arcuate inside sinkers provide in the sinker ring, a sinker cup for holdforked and its outer operative extremity directed towards the needles, a disc having thereon a pair of elements between which the fabric tensioning member is arranged to slide, a rod which carries the disc and is accommodated in the forked end of the said member, means for moving the rod axially along the cylinder axis, and a cam which is secured to the verge and extends through the slot in the fabric tensioning member, said cam being so formed for co-operation with the said member as to effect an inward sliding movement of the same radially on the inside of the needle circle, conjointly with movement of the rod in such direction as to apply tension to the work, as

whereby the operative extremity aforesaid has'imparted toit a compound movement conforming with'the path followed by the said work as it leaves the needles. v

'5. In a circular knitting machine of the kind hereinreferred to, in combination, a cylinder, needles in said cylinder, a sinker ring associated with the cylinder, arcuate inside sinkers provided in said ring, a sinker cup holding cams for operating the sinkers, said cup having a curved fabric-supporting surface, a fabric tensioning' member the operative portion of which is .di

rected towards the needles, a disc upon which said member is slidably mounted, a rod which carries the disc and is movable'along the cylinder axis, means for moving the rod axially within the needle cylinder, and relatively fixed cam means adapted for co-operation with the fabricfl tensioning member suchwise as to effect an in ward sliding movement of the same radially on the inside of the needle circle, conjointly with movement of the rod in such direction as to apply tension to the work, as knitting proceeds, whereby the operative extremity aforesaid has imparted to it a compound movement conform-- ing with the contour of the fabric-supporting surface of the sinker cup.

6 In a circular knitting machine of the kind herein referred to, in combination, a cylinder, needles in said cylinder, a fabric tensioning memher which has its inner end forked and its outer operative extremity directed towards the needles, a disc having thereon a pair of elements between which the fabric tensioning member is arranged to slide, a rod which carries the disc and is accommodated in the forked end of the said member, means for moving the rod axially along the cylinder axis, and means for effecting inward sliding movement of the tensioning member radially on the inside of the needle circle, conjointly with movement of the rod in such a direction asto apply tensionto thework, as knitting proceeds,

whereby the operative extremity aforesaid has imparted to it a compound movement conforming withthe path followed by the said work as-it leaves the needles.

7; In a circular knitting machine of the kind herein referred to, in combination, a plain needle knitting proceeds, whereby the operative extremity aforesaid has imparted to it a compound movement conforming with the contour of the fabricably mounted, a rod which carries the disc and is movable along the cylinder axis, means for moving the rod. axially within the needle cylinder, and rack and pinion means which are so arranged between the rod and the slidable member as to be adapted to effect an inward sliding movement of the same radially on the inside of the needle circle,

conj'ointly with movement of the rod in such directionas to apply tension to the work, as knitting proceeds, whereby the operative extremity aforesaid has imparted to it av compound movement conforming with the contour of the fabric-supporting surface of the sinker cup.

9. In a circular knitting machine of the kind herein referred to, in combination, a cylinder, needles in said cylinder, a sinker ring associated with the cylinder, arcuate inside sinkers provided in said ring, a sinker cup holding cams for operating the sinkers, said cup having a curved fabricsupporting surface, a fabric tensioning member the operative end of which is directed towards the needles, parallel guide bars to which said mem-' her is attached and one of which bars is toothed to provide a rack, spaced carrier discs between which said guide bars are slidably supported, an operating rod movable within and axially with respect to the cylinder, apinion which is mounted to rotate freely upon the rod and adapted for cooperation with the aforesaid rack, a not which is secured to said rod, and a screw which rotates with the pinion and co-operates with the nut,

the construction and arrangement being such which fabric is supported and caused to follow an inward path as it leaves said needles, a movable fabric engaging member the operative extremity of which is directed towards the needles, a carrier for said member, means for moving the carrier axially within the needle cylinder to bring the fabric engaging member into engagement with the work and thereupon to cause said member to apply tension to the same, and controlling means for effecting inward radial movement or" said member on the inside of the needle circle, conjointly with said axial movement of the carrier, as knitting proceeds, whereby after being engaged with an appropriate portion of the work the operative extremity aforesaid has imparted to it a compound downward and radially inward movement conforming with the aforesaid path followed by the work, for the purpose described.

11. In a circular knitting machine of the kind herein referred to, in combination, a cylinder, needles for operation in said cylinder, a sinker ring associated with the cylinder, inside sinkers mounted in said ring, a sinker cup for holding cams for operating the sinkers, said cup having a fabric-supporting surface whereby fabric is caused to follow an inward path as it leaves the needles, a movable fabric engaging member the operative extremity of which is directed towards the needles, a carrier for said member, means for moving the carrier axially within the needle cylinder suchwise as to bring the fabric engaging member into engagement with the work and thereupon to cause said member to apply tension to the same, and controlling means for effecting inward radial movement of said member on the inside of the needle circle, conjointly with axial movement of the carrier, as knitting proceeds, whereby after being engaged with an appropriate portion of the work the operative extremity aforesaid has imparted to it a compound downward and radially inward movement conforming with the contour of the fabric-supporting surface of the sinker cup, for the purpose described.

12. In a circular knitting machine of the kind herein referred to, in combination, a cylinder, needles in said cylinder, a pivotaliy mounted fabric engaging member the operative extremity of which is directed towards the needles, a carrier for said member, means for moving the carrier axially Within the needle cylinder, and means for effecting inward radial movement of said member on the inside of the needle circle, conjointly with axial movement of the carrier, as knitting proceeds, whereby the operative extremity aforesaid has imparted to it a compound movement conforming with the path followed by the work as it leaves the needles, for the purpose of applylng tension to said work.

13. In a circular knitting machine of the kind herein referred to, in combination, a cylinder, needles in said cylinder, a slidably mounted fabric engaging member the operative extremity of which is directed towards the needles, a carrier for said member, means for moving the carrier axially within the needle cylinder, and means for effecting inward radial movement of said member on the inside of the needle circle, conjointly with axial movement of the carrier, as knitting proceeds, whereby the operative extremity aforesaid has imparted to it a compound movement conforming with the path followed by the work as it leaves the needles, for the purpose of applying tension to said work.

THOMAS CHARIES BROMLEY. ARTHUR SHORTLAND. a