US2357361A - Elimination of the cumulative effect of expansion and contraction in knitting machines and the like - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 5,- 1944. SCHMIDT ELIMINATION OF THE CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION IN KNITTING MACHINES AND THE LIKE- Flled Jan 11 1941 INVENTOR I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,RvaZ Schmidfi BY ATTORNEY.

Sept. 5, 1944. P. SCHMIDT 2,357,351

ELIMINATION OF THE CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION IN KNITTING MACHINES AND TH IKE led Jan. ll,

Fi 1941 Sheets-Sheet 2 F a-Q45;

, i9 27 1 55 g Z6 3 1 f, if 5 0 INVENTORZ ATTORN EY.

Patented Sept. 5, 1944 ELIIVIINATION OF THE CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION IN KNITTING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Paul Schmidt, Wytheville, Va., assignor to Textile, Machine Works, Wyomissing, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application January 11, 1941, Serial No. 374,032.

25 Claims. (01. 66-82) This invention relates to straight knitting machines like machines having elements,'such as sinkers, knockover bits and needles cooperating in use andywhose coaction is apt to be impaired by relative displacement of their supporting members; such as the center bed and needle bars and more particularly to novel means for main,-

taining' cooperating knitting mechanisms or parts in the exact relative positions in which they were initially set upon displacement of their respective supporting members relative to each other when. contracted or expanded by variations in temperature.

Full-fashioned knitting machines have been made to include a relatively large number of knitting sections so as to obtain the utmost outa put of which such machines are capable. At the same time, an increasing difliculty has been experienced in maintaining the needles central withrespect to the spaces between the sinkers and dividers. It has been determined that the cau'se'ofthis difficulty is the expansion and contractionof certain sectional longitudinal .membersnoi .the'machine when in use, notably the center-bed sections of the machines. When assembled, :the*-needles are carefully centered each .between a sinker and divider.

When the machine is in operation, however, temperature variations may cause certain parts to expand or contract, so that' the assembled positionof the parts is disturbed. For example, the sinker-heads are mounted on relatively long supporting members which aresubject to expansion and contraction; and this causesdisplacement of thesinkers and dividers, relative to the needles. Th result of this relative movement is imperfect fabric loops, especially in the knitting sections nearer the ends of the machines. I Y

It is an object of my invention toprovide means for avoiding the indicated and other similar-'difliculties. 1

Itz'is a further object of my invention to providewza n arrangement in a full-fashioned knittingimachinerwhereby expansion or contraction of theecentere-bed'; sections does not materially afl'ect'aithe positions of the sinker-heads.

Another reason why expansion or contraction of the sections of the center-bed, and sections of certain other. longitudinal members, have caused trouble, "is-"that the effects are cumulative The expansion of 'one section is transmitted to the next so that the displacement of the center-bed,

or other relatively long multiple section member increasesimthe directions toward the ends of It is a further object of my invention to providean arrangement whereby any variations in the length of one. center-bed section, or multiple section members, due to temperature variations,

.will not be transmitted to an adjacent section.

- With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent from the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiment of my improvements disclosed in the accompanying drawings, my invention resides in the multisection knitting machine having the novel elements, features of construction and arrangement of parts in cooperative relationship as herelnafter more particularly pointed out in the claims.

An arrangement according to the invention comprises a full-fashioned.-multi-section knitting machine having spaces between adjacent sections of the center-bed and connections for uniting the center-bed sections in such a way that expansion of one section of the center-bed does not affect another.

A full-fashioned knitting machine within the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of said machine, parts being omitted and parts being broken away for purposes of illustration;

Fig. 2 is a detail view on an enlarged scaleshowing a portion of Fig. 1 including adjacent ends of two center-bed sections and the connections between them; I i

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig'. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the parts shown in Figs. 2 and 3. In the drawings and description, only the means necessary to a complete understanding of the invention have been specifically set forth; further information as to the construction and operation of other related, usual and well known knitting machine elements, mechanisms, etc., may be found in one or more of the following publications.

1. Pamphlet entitledFull-Fashioned Knitting Machinespublished and copyrighted by theTextile Machine Works, Reading, Pennsyl- Vania, in 1920.

2. Thre catalogs on full-fashioned knitting machines, published and copyrighted by the tween two of the needles 22.

which forms a supplement to the above noted 1940 Textile Machine Works Knitting Machine Catalog, and which booklet is published and copyrighted by Textile Machine Works, in 1940.

4. Pamphlet entitledKnitting Machin Lecturespublished by the Wyomissing Polytechnic Institute, Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, in 1935.

In the machine shown in the drawings, Ill are heavy transverse frame members at the ends of the machine, commonly called end frames, and

l I are heavy transverse frame members at spaced points intermediate the end frames I0, commonly called center frames. End and center frames l and II respectively, carry the weight of the other parts of the machine and are heavy castings adapted to this purpose. End and center frames l0 and" H are rigidly connected by longitudinal frame members one of which is shown at l2 in Fig. 1. The end and center frames carry a cam shaft l3 and a needle shaft ll, the latter supporting needle bars l5 by means of arms or levers 20, shown in Fig. 1. Vertical and horizontal movements are imparted to the needle bars I5 by the cam shaft l3 and cam lever connections (not shown).

Supported on members In and II is also a center-bed [6 made in sections I! which are bolted as shown at I6 to the upper portions of frames [0 and II and assist other longitudinal frame members in tying the end and center frames l0 and II together. Sections I! have sinker-heads I9 fixed thereon, one sinker-head to each knitting section. As best shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the sinker-head slidably carries sinkers 2i and dividers 23 the sinkers and dividers being arranged, except as to the end sinkers in each bed, so as normally to lie each one midway be- The sinkers 2| are slurred forward by means of jacks 24, the jacks being operated by a slur cam 30 carried by a cock box 40 mounted for reciprocation on a guide bar 34. During the slurring movement of the sinkers 2| the friction of the cock box 40 on the guide bar 34 is increased, thereby causing an increase in temperature in the guide bar. This increase in temperature is transmitted to the sections ll of the center-bed on which the sinkerhead I9, guide bar 34, the cock box 40 and other associated parts are supported, thereby causing the center-bed sections to expand. In the standard full-fashioned knitting machine, the sections I! are placed so as to abut each other, whereupon expansion of one of the center-bed sections I1 is transmitted directly to the adjoining center-bed sections. v

The needle bars IS, on th contrary, are not subject in use to any action which would raise materially their temperature and, consequently, the temperature of the shaft I4 remains substantially at that of the surrounding'atmosphere and does therefore not elongate as do the 1001: formed on the needles is noticeably lowere Similarly, where the knitting machine is subjected to a temperature below that of the normal room temperature, the center-bed sections l1 contract from their assembled positions,

In the machine shown in the drawing, means are provided whereby the expansion or contraction of the individual sections ll of the centerbed are so compensated or neutralized that there is no material displacement of the sinker-heads 19. To this end, not only are the sections 11 assembled initially with a space 25 between them but the center frames II have cast-in spaces or splits 26 one in'each member II and intermediate the bolts l8 by'which the member II is fastened to adjacent ends of sections I! of the center-bed l6. Spaces 26 extend some distance on each side of the center-bed l6 (Fig. 3) so that th portions on opposite sides of a space 26 may bend toward away from each other under compression or tension before the unit stresses are higher than the ordinary longitudinal members of the machine can withstand. However, as pertained in sufllcient degree.

center-bed sections. Therefore the needles 22 1 materially displaced from their proper positions midway of the needles and the quality of the In the standard full-fashioned knitting machine, usual carrier rod brackets 21 are secured to the center-bed l6 and where one of the brackets 21 is positioned over the ends of adjacent sections ll, of the center-bed [6, the bracket 21 is secured to each of the adjacent sections as by bolts 28. Consequently, unless some means were adopted to prevent it, the thrust due to th expansion of one section I! would be imparted to the next section through the brackets 21 and the effect desired from the spaces 26 thereby largely prevented. Therefore, I have shown the brackets 21 as provided with slits 29 running upward from their lower edges to a point above the upper edge of center-bed'IG and in alignment with the spaces 25.

Similarly, sections ll of center-bed I6 have bracket arms 3|, best shown in Fig. 3, which extend rearwardly from the vertical portion 32 of a section I! and which carry at their rear ends sections 33 of the guide bar 34 for the cock boxes 40. As hereinbefore set forth, the guide bar 34 is subject to a large amount of friction, whereby its sections 33 increase in temperature and expand, which action, in the usual machine, tends to displace the transverse frame members II in the same sense as the expansion of the center-bed l6. Consequently, the connections between sections 33 would also transmit a cumulative thrust from one section II of the centerher to the next if no precaution were taken to prevent it. Therefore, I have shown the ends of two adjacent sections 33 as spaced at 35 (Fig. 4), in the same plane as a space 26; and screws spaces 35 and 26. It will be seen that, due to spaces 26, 26, 29 and 36, each section I! of center-bed i6 and each section 33 of guide bar 34 is free to expand individually from its center towards its ends and there is no place along the machine at which a sinker-head I9 is displaced by transmission of the expansion of one section IT or to another.

Preferably, the spaces or splits 26 in the center frame members H are of such an extent as not. to interfere .with the free expanding and contracting movements of the center-bed sections Of course, the improvements specifically shown and described by which I obtain the above results, can be changed and modified in various ways without departing from the invention here in disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

What I claim is:

1. A multi-section full-fashioned knittingmachine having transverse frame members having interior spaces permitting the members to yield to a force exerted there-against longitudinally of the machine, and aligned longitudinal sections for supporting moving members of the machine and subject to length variations, said sections connected to said members on opposite sides of said spaces and normally spaced to prevent transmission of the length variation of one section to the next.

2. .A multi-section full-fashioned knitting machine having transverse frame members and aligned longitudinal sections for supporting moving members of the machine and subject to length variations due to variations in temper ature of moving parts of the machine in heat conductive relation thereto, said sections being connected to said members with their ends. in spaced relation and said members being so formed asto yield to the variations in length of said sections.

3. A multi-section full-fashioned knitting machine having aligned longitudinal sections spaced at their adjacent ends to permit said sections to vary in length, and supporting transverse frame members to which the adjacent ends of said sections are attached, said frame members having splits providing spaces intermediate their points of attachment to said sections permitting compression of said members when said sections change length in response to operating temperatures.

4.- A multi-section full-fashioned knitting machine having aligned center-bed sections spaced at their adjacent ends to permit said sections to vary in length, supporting transverse frame members to which adjacent ends of said sections are attached, and brackets attacched to adjacent ends of different center-bed sections, said frames and said brackets both having splits intermediate their points of attachment to said sections.

5. A multi-section full-fashioned knitting machine having alignedcenter-bed sections spaced at their adjacent ends to permit said sections to vary in length, and supporting transverse frame members having internal splits in the planes of the spaces between said sections.

6. A- multi-section full-fashionred knitting maat their adjacent ends to permit said sections to expand, transverse frame members for supporting said sections, and bracket members connected to said ends on opposite sides of the spaces therebetween and having splits extending between said points of connection.

8. A multi-section full-fashioned knitting machine having aligned center-bed sections spaced at their adiacent ends to permit said sections to expand, transverse frame members for supporting said sections and each connected to adjachine having aligned center-bed sections, transcent ends of two center-bed sections and having an internal split intermediate the points of connection to said ends, and bracket members connected to said ends and each having splits extending intermediate the points of connection to said ends.

9. A multi-section full-fashioned knitting machine having transverse frame members, aligned center-bed sections connected to said frame-members so that spaces are normally provided between the ends-of adjacent sections, brackets so connected to said sections as to normally prevent transmission of movement from one to the other, and aligned guide bar sections connected to said center-bed sections so that spaces are normally provided between the ends of adjacent sections of the guide bar, said members being so formed as to yield to the expansion and contraction of said sections.

10. A multi-section full-fashioned knitting mavchine having transverse frame members and aligned longitudinal sections subject to' length variations, said sections being connected to said members with their ends in spaced relation and said members being so formed as to yield to the variation in length of said sections.

11. A multi-sectionfull-fashioned knitting machine having aligned longitudinal sections spaced at their adjacent ends to permit said sections to vary in length, and supporting transverse frame members having internal splits in the planes of the spaces between said sections.

12. A multi-section full-fashioned knitting machine having aligned longitudinal sections, transverse frames having supports for connection to adjacent ends of said sections, said section ends and supports being spaced intermediate the points of connection of saidsection ends.

13. A multi-section straight knitting machine having transverse frame members each provided with one or more yieldable parts, and one or more longitudinally extending sectional frame elements subject to length variation, said elements being connected to said yieldable parts in such manner that the latter move to the extent of variation in length of said frame elements.

14. a mu'lti-section straight knitting machine having a transverse member provided with a plurality of yieldable parts and a longitudinally ex- I tending sectional frame element having sections directly connected with said yieldable parts, said member parts and element normally immovable in use except for thermally responsive changes.

. 15. A multi-section straight knittingmachine having transverse members each provided with integral yieldable parts, and a longitudinally extending sectional frame means, sections of which are rigidly connected with said yieldable parts;

said member parts and means normally immovable in use except for thermally responsive changes. I 16. A member adapted for use as a transvers portion of the frame of a straight knitting machine and partly split to provide yieldable portions.

17. A member adapted for use as a transverse portion of the frame of a straight knitting machine and having an internal split to provide yieldability which is bridged by a plurality of parts of the member to limit the amount of yield of portions thereof separated by the split.

18. In a multi-section straight knitting machine including a rigid frame of longitudinal and transverse frame members, two of said transverse frame members being relatively spaced to pro vide for only a set of two knitting sections therebetween and a sinker head for each of said two knitting sections supported from said rigid frame, the improvement comprising a longitudinal machine element having its opposite ends supported by said two transverse frame members, said sinker heads and said longitudinal element immovable in use except for thermally responsive changes, needle bar means associated with said sinker heads and actuating means therefor, and means associated with said longitudinal machine element and said two transverse frame members for promoting proper alignment between said sinker heads and said needle bar means during knitting operations.

19. In a multi-section straight knitting machine including a rigid frame of longitudinal and transverse frame members, two of said transverse frame members being relatively spaced to provide foronly a set of two knitting sections therebetween and a sinker head for each of said two knitting sections supported from said rigid frame, the improvement comprising a longitudinal machine element having its opposite ends supported by said two transverse frame members, said sinker heads and said longitudinal machine element immovable in use except for thermally responsive changes, needle'bar means associated with said sinker heads and actuating means therefor, and means associated with said longitudinal machine element and said transverse frames for promoting proper alignment between said sinker heads and said needle bar means during knitting operations.

20. In a multi-section straight knitting machine having transverse supporting frame members in general normally immovable in use, two

' of said transverse frame members being relatively spaced to provide for only a set of two knitting sections between each two adjacent frame members and each knitting section including a sinker head, the improvement comprising a, longitudinal machine member subject to thermally produced changes in length having sections the ends of two of which rest'intitially in spaced relation to each other on one of said transverse frame members and move toward and away from each other in response to said changes but remain free of substantial motion transmitting contact irrespective of changes in length produced by normal operating and atmospheric conditions.

21. A multi-section straight knitting machine having transverse supporting frame members in general normally immovable in use and having yieldable parts, certain of said transverse frame members being spaced to provide for only a set of two knitting sections therebetween and each knitting section including a sinker head, a longitudinal machine member subject to thermally produced changes in length having sections, the ends of two of which rest on and are fixed to said yieldable parts on one of said transverse frame members in relatively movable relation to each other, the sections on said one transverse frame member normally maintaining said relatively movable relation so that one section of said machine member is free of any substantial effect from the expansion of the other.

22. In a multi-section straight knitting machine in combination, transverse supporting frame members in general normally immovable in use and having yieldable parts, certain of said transverse frame members' being relatively spaced to provide for only a'set of two knitting sections therebetween and each knitting section including a sinker head, a longitudinal machine member subject to thermally produced changes in length having sections the ends of two of which rest on and are fixed to said yieldable parts in relatively movable relation on one of said transverse frame members, the said yieldable parts of a transverse frame member between knitting sections moving in opposite directions to each other upon expansion and contraction of sections of said longitudinal member connected thereto.

23. In a multi-section straight knitting'machine including a generally rigid frame of longitudinal and transverse frame members, said transverse frame members being relatively spaced to provide for only a set of two knitting sections between two adjacent transverse frame members and a sinker head for each of said two knitting sections supported from said rigid frame, the improvement comprising a longitudinal machine ,element having its opposite ends supported by said two transverse frame members, said sinker heads and saidlongitudinal machine element subject to thermally produced changes in use, needle bar means associated with said sinker heads and actuating means therefor, and means machine having fabric forming mechanisms supported on a generally stationary frame, the combination of transverse frame members each forming part of said frame provided with yieldable parts, and longitudinally extending frame sections subject to length variation, said sections being connected to said yieldable parts in said manner that the latter move to the extent of vanation in length of said frame sections, the adjacent ends of the sections moving in opposite directions from each other.

' PAUL SCHMIDT.

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