US2368686A - Knitting machine attachment - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 6, 1945, R. H. sPERzEL KNITTING MACHINE ATTACHMENT Filed July l5, 1945 V ATTORN EYS Patented Feb. 6, 1945 KNr'r'nNG afrTAcmuEN'rn l. Robert H. spel-zel, New Haven,'cn.,assignort The Whitney Blake Company, Hamden, C onn., a corporation of Connecticut. j

.Application Julyis, 1943, serial 10.494330Y 1s claims. (cies-166) This invention relates to machines for knitting covers on electric wires and cables,'and more para ticularly to means for preventing the making of a faultily covered product.

In the coveringv of electric wires by knitting, it sometimes occurs vthat although the threads do not break, the knitting operation'becomes faulty so that the covering, instead of being neat and tight, is loose and has loops of thread extending' from the covering.

Heretofore, attempts have been made to dete when the knitting machine 'was' not properly functioning to provide the desired covering, butl these for one reason or another .have not ybeen satisfactory in operation and use.

'Ihe problem has been solved. however',y by they to detect the breaking of threads) is operated by a feeler which is held in the path of the advanc- 1 ing covered wire and which hasa barb or fang positioned to catch any looped threads which pro` ject from the knitted cover as a result of a stitch being lost or the covering otherwise being loosely knitted. l

According to the present invention, the feeler is yieldingly urged toward the advancing -covered wire. and its barb or fang is positioned slightly back of its outer or guiding edge so that the cle-` y tector will operate on wires of diierent diameters and regardless of changes inthe diameter of the wire, and will not shut oi Vthe machine unless loops from a loose part of the covering catch onto the barb.

Further, according tothe present invention, the

feeler is so mounted and controlled that when'a' loop is caught on the barb, the feeler iscarriedupwardly in the direction of travel of the Wire and then suddenly -moves upwardly and away from the wire and at the'same time causes the circuit to the machine stopping mechanism to be closed. The provision of the feeler so that it will move in the direction of the wire and then in ad-v vance of the wire and away from it avoids, the danger of the covering being ripped and the threads broken by reason of the barbs engaging the loops of the threads.

lation of the feeler?, receding'movement ofy the'ifeeler, and at time causes the vcircuit torbe-closed. z

The'device of 'thepre'sent inventionym made asv an attachment to existing. machinesiny -completes f the V vwhich case, as shown,the yfeeler-and switch-are,

l' and then upwardly through the guide Ixancl the In the form of the invention herein illustrated l are made in one piece and the snap action mo'vements of the feeler and switch are controlled by a spring which is placed under tension during the iirst part of the movement of the feeler and which, upon moving across the center\ .of oscil- 65 Dened that due to some trouble other-'than the mounted on a. block suitably supported onla part of the machine so that the .endot thehfe ler i is in position tdengage `the advancing wi en' closed by a covering ofkiiitted.fabridV vOther features nd-'ffadvantagcs Wi1lherein after appear. Y if In the accompanying drawing whic one form Tof this'inventlone" .Figure '1 is ari elevatiom'v partly in "section, knitting-'machine showingthe presentiventio attached theret'ol i f Fig.'2 isha plan vievv'o'f'the` `attachinent.v f-fth f presentinvention. -1 `r; ,7- Fig'; 3- Iis a' 'side 'view`,partly insectionfofcthex attachment of they present 'inventlonshowinggthei feelerlevr in operated-position fand showingfits relation to the guide tubeofl the knittinggfma-. chine.' 1,' y Q Y., fria; 41s a verticaigsecuon taken fon newline 4 4 of Fig. 3*l i As shownv in-y theaccompanyinghdrawing, thef knitting machine 'comprises va -mainl framernem` ber vI Il havingasuitable bracketli anda. memberV I21`which Hcarries'gi'ihe yarn guides- I3.- The elecff tric wire or cable onto which` a coverpis knitted is guided upwardly through a, guideztube I (another guide I5 spaced from the guide'tube I4, and finally'passes upwardly and outr vof,the machine through a guide tube'l and overa guide I1 to a reel- (not shown)A upon which it is wound. The knitted covering which is made lby the'operations ofjthe needles I 3a in the llsllaly manner passes` thru the space I8betvl/'eenfthe guide tube I4 and the guide I5 aroundithe wire guidetubelj y g 'Suitable detectors I9 Aare provided with vmeans overwhich the threads tobe knitted .pass So that in case a thread should break a switch is operated to close acircuitincluding thel wire 2li `whiclris, connected to stophmechanism i'or the machine in `the well known jm'annerl so `that the knitting mechanism will vl,automatically 'stop and thereby signalthe attendantfwho can. repair the break and start thefmachine-operating again.'`

In the operation of vthese knitting machines, one attendant oroperator usually takes care of a', fairly largenumber of machines, and it has hapein ima-reign lice. @Waterlinie difieultv mdiafelr dette, e, and; indieningto', the. f l @1i-"the: @over is. improperly knitted; Y

whichfislmcuntd;Onasuitahleblock. chedfb anvsuitablemeanaas bv atenuar su al, post.; 24; forming part ofthe 1 ina Therestlitcnsttutes"thesnvportfor tiieeuide Us Aethua mede. the. devieefofi the ersten-t eveneensea'beifmishdesenattechf t te, rxistne-1141.ach.mesi@mit itshoule be unld' Stgo that interresantinventionmax beiapf menv-diflerentweys-tethemachinesi salieuiltedrchthe block-2:2:

' 2. soa toiextendintosthe-V shaped it and hasevfshapednotchMatas 4maar.. yatspring 28 anchoredat 253011,-,

\. i nrtie'g an ot the 1er/t! is., positipn @engage l the, able Q'indicateddn dotted, lines. in,y Fig. 1. tu

llis;yieldiiifgly.y urged against the cable-A sp *Y y '2x81 theslotl Jin thef lever permit. 1i nece sarylongitudinal: reellementlof the permise@ S0.. 10na;as the.0vering .is... properly, formed and.- tight.; o5

` y moutandcause.theifeeler" t@ rapiglamevedjzunwardlv.Yandaway frein- 1' advancingwirey sc asntoU disengage `the loop-` 7c.n 1 an. prevent the` covering@ from beine, rimedi lsition undergf-the, influence of 1 the spring 28g (see -fthe.ascendingcable. 4.0 f

"Irf its nemer operating position., 4:,

aJ contact M ,which-A is connected by a wire 35 t0 thefwirelthroughone of the posts of a detector device L9, thusV closing. the circuit to the stop mechanism for the machine and causing the machine., to; be'lstopped. The stopping of the may chine will indicate. to the operator that something i s,wrong, 'andwhen theoperator inspects the machineand observes that the. `feelerv 2l has been raised, hewi1l be advised that the'machine stoppedy because of a. fault in the knitted cover- Byl providing the snap spring 28, the switch portion of the. feeler is keptin engagement with. the contact 3 4; .even though the loop in the threadwhich caused the feeler to be operated broken.VA When the operator has corrected the fautly: operation which resulted in the tripping ofthefvfeeler 2|, thefeeler is returnedby manual operationHto-the1 position shown in Fig. 1 in which it remainaso long-as the covering on the wire. is sufliciently-tight andclosevtov prevent the formationr 0I, 19ans- It-'shouldbenote thatgthe normal contact betweenthewirecoverlng and the fseeler is at the rounded` nosey 30; and'that the bar -32 is set slightly behind its-v roundednos'e; Hence, there 'is noy danger of the "barb'32v getting into the loopsy of threads ofv a` properlyv knitted covering,A anditis only when projecting loops or'faults are f ormedfthat the barb can. be engagedand caught onto.

event of an; improper operation of: the machine resulting intan imperfectly knitted covering, only 4thatportion ofithwirebetween the `feeler 2| and the` knitting needles need, be removed or discarded, for the feeler will detect thejimproper eoveringbefore the'wire actually leaves the machine.

Thus, ai'substantialr saving. in material is ef fected by the present invention in additionto a saving-,of the production time of the machine whichvwould otherwise-be 10st by the making of much faultycovering unobserved by the oper.`v ator, andtime. saved in making repair to 'the C Ovel'ngf Variations and modifications may be made within theI scope of this invention and portions offtheimprovements may be used without others. .I. c1aim: w 1', In, a machine for knitting a fabric covering-on electric wires and Icables, mechanism for knitting. a covering about the wire; means for guiding'and advancing the covered wire axially and away from'the'knitting mechanism; a circuit connected withumeansffor stopping the ma- 'chine; avndxnfieans:l including a slidable and pivotally mounted feeler in' thepath of the covered wireand actuatedl by beingiencountered by a 'fault inthe coveringof theadvancing Wire to move-longitudinally with the wire, and a switch connected'` in said circuit and operated by the movementy of said-feeler 'about the pivot therefor to'controlthecircuit and cause the mechanism to vstop'- when the lfeeler is actuated.

2. In; a machine for knitting a fabric covering`v on electric Wires and cables, mechanism for knitting axcovering. about the wire; means for guiding and advancing the covered wire axially and-away from the'. knitting mechanism; a circuit connectedwith means for stopping the machine; Iand-means including a slidable and pivotallymounted feeler in the path of the covered wire.y and actuated by being-encountered by a Withthe use of the present invention, in the.

miic in .the covering of .the .advancing` wire l to wire and having its normal position `controlled thereby.

3. In a machine `for, applyin'gfa fabric "cover- -ingfto electric wires .and cables, mechanism -for forming :a .covering about :the wire; means for guidingiand .advancing the :covered wire axially and K away vtrom: 1 the cover-forming mechanism; :a circuit yconnected with Imeans 'ifor stopping the machine;4 `and f means includingl Aa vfeeler the traveling 'longitudinally with 'the wirevupon be- :ing: yeiicounteredjfby Va fault :in the `co'veringfof the advancing wire and :moving away ffifom lthe i wire incident to such trave1,.:andf-a v*switch* con-4 nected ins'aid vcircuit andv 1operated inl response t'o the vmovement Aof l'said "feeler, .to control the 'circuit fand ca-use the'mechanism.gto-stop4 when the feelerl is actuated. v f l.

v4. Infa: machine `for. applyingV a fabric'V covering fon electric wiresy andv cables; 'mechanism vvfor forming a fabric .covering abotthe wirefmeans for fguiding :and-advancing thecovered wire-'away from" the' lcover-forming hfrnech'an'ism; a circuit f .connected with means-:forstopping the machine;

means .including a feeler in .the .path-ofthe `covered wire 'and -actuatedby'and .traveling vwith the wire-upon" being encountered byga fault in the' covering of the :advancing wire, andviaswitch connected in said. circuity .and operated? :by zsaid' freeler "to'conti'oll the *.circuitand,l cause the "mechanism to stopf whenvthe feeler is actuatediand a :spring venergized by the lmovement ci the feeler a`s"t"travelsfwith the wire Vandl adapted touauto- |matically move the'feelerupwardly-'and away v"from the cable lwheny the feeler has traveled a `prex'ieter'min'ed `amount. 4

5; Infa v-'machine'for valszplyin'gl 'a vfabric vcovering onv electric wires' andfcab'les, mechanism for forming a vcovering.about :the='wire; means for lguiding 4and advancing theV covered 1:wire away 'trom tlewcoverforming mechanism; a circuit connected with meansdorstdpping the machine; means including affeel'er 1in` the path of the 'covered'Ywire-and actuated by and 'traveling with 'the wire' -upon :being encountered by a fault in v the covering lof the advancing wire,and a switch 'connected :in `said circuit fand; operated by said v4feeler'.tolcontroi'thecircuitandcause the vmechanism vto stopwhen1 thefee'lerisA actuated; and a springyieldinglyurging ythe'ieeler toward the wireand energizedtbylthe movement ofthe-feeler as it'travels'- with the'wire-so as to automatically move the 'feele'r lupwardly and `away from the wire whenI the @feeler hasftraveled a";predetei"- mined-amount.

tor-guiding andad'van'cingfthe covered=wire away from .the cover-forming mechanism: a Acircuit connected with means-forstoppingv the machine;

.the feelery upwardly and vaway `fromfthe wireV when the vfeeler has traveled a predetermined f amount.y f

7. Inama'chinefor applying a covering to an electric wire `or cable, 'mechanism 'for forming a covering about the ywire; means for guidingv .and :advancing the/covered wire axially and away `from the cover-formingmechanism; a movable feeler in thepath of the covered wire and actuated by being encountered ,by a. fault in the covering of 'theadvancing wire` to move longitudinally with the wire; and a switch operated `by said feelerto control acircuitand cause an alarm to vEhe given when the `feeler is' actuated,

is path ofthe covered-wire*l and actuated by and 4 fadvances' Van'dreleasng .the erating ,theswitcn ysaid feeler moving with the vfault asf the'fwire fault' incidentI :to op- 8. Forl machines radapted to form activering .about electric wires andcables and havingmeafns -for guidingan'dadvancing the covered 'wire away from thecover-'forming kmechanism and avCilQixit connected :with means for stopping the machine, an' attachment comprising apivoted'feeler yieldingly mounted to project into the path of the covered wire-:and `movable by the coveredwire uponencoun'tering a fault-in the `"covering ofr'the advancing wire; yand a yswitch connectedin said circuit and operated by the movement of isaid feeler to control the circuitand causethemech anism to stop whenthe feeler is actuated."l

9. In a machine forapplying a'covering'onan lelectric wire and cable, fmechanism for: forminga covering about-the wire; means for guiding'l and *advancing the covered wire away from the covervforming mechanism; andfmeans including a feeler in the path of the coveredA wire'and actuated .by ybeing engaged Eby a fault in the covering of the Y becomes disengaged from the feeler.

10. For machines v'adapt'ed'to apply a'cov'ering I about electric wires and cables and having means -for guiding and advancing. thecovered wire away from the covering-applying mechanism, an attachment comprising a pivotally lmounted 'feeler in the fpathof the covered wire and actuated-by being encountered by a fault 'in the' covering of the advancing wire, said feeler moving in the direction of lthe advancing vwire and away from the wire to release the fault to prevent damage to the cover; and means operated incident to the lmovement of said feeler to indicate when the feeler is actuated.

l1. In a machine for applying a fibrous covering von Velectricwires and cables, mechanism for forming aibrous covering about the wire; means lfor 'guiding and advancing the 'covered wire away from the cover-forming mechanism; a circuit connected with means for stopping the machine;

and` means including a feeler urged into engagegment with the covered vwire .and having a barb Vmeans vincluding a feeler vin theV path of thecovered wire vand actuated b'y and traveling 'with the wire'upon"beingenoountered'by a fault in'. "thecoveringfof the adyan'cing wire; anda switch connected 'in said circuit'and operated :by4 said "ieelerftolcontrolthe circuit-:and cause the rmechal nism` toi stop1'whenthe vfeeler isy actuated; and g, mmf-action spring adapted. to rapidlyVA move spaced fromthe wireadapte'd to catch onto faults vin the covering of the advancing'wire and beY actuated thereby, and a switch connected in said circuit 'and operated lby said feeler to control the circuit and cause the mechanism to stop when 'the feeler is actuated.

12. In a machine Yor applying a fabric covering on electric wires and cables, mechanism for forming a covering about the wire; means for guiding and yadvancing the'covered wire away from the cover-forming mechanism; a circuit r connected with means'for-stopping the machine:

- and means including a feeler having a smooth surface yieldinglyurged against lthe advancing wire and a barb spaced from said smooth surface i and adapted to catchorto projecting loops of thread caused by a fault in the covering of the,

wire to. be actuated thereby, 'and a switch connected in said circuit rand operated by said feeler to control the circuit and cause the mechanism to stop when the feeler is actuated.

13. For machines adapted to form a fabric covering about electric wires and cables and having means for guiding and advancing the covered' wire away from the cover-forming mechanism, an attachment comprising av feeler having a smooth edge surface yieldingly urged against the advancing wire, and a barb spaced from the smooth edge surface and adapted to catch onto projecting loops of thread caused by a fault in the covering of thev wire to Ibe actuated thereby;

' and a switch operated :by said feeler to control a circuit and cause'an alarm to be given when the feeleris actuated. 1 f Y l l14. A detector for a .wire or cable covering machine comprising a base adapted to be mounted on the machine adjacent the covered wire; cover- Afaultdetectingmeans including a feeler having -a longitudinally extendingv elongate aperture t therein; pivot means mountedon the base and extending through the aperture to slidably Vand pivotally mount the feeler thereon; and resilient means engaging the back of thefeeler to yieldingly slide the Aieeler toward and into the path of the advancingcovered wire to be engaged rby faults in the cover thereon, the engagement of the faultsfmoving the feeler in the direction' of:

the advancing wire and about the pivot, said movement of the feeler energizing the resilient f means to cause the feeler tosnap away from the wire after a lpredetermined movement of the feeler to release the. same from the fault and prevent damage to the wire.

15. A detector for a wire or ca-ble covering machine comprising a base adapted to be mounted "on the machine adjacent the cable-covering means; cover-fault detecting means including a feeler having a longitudinally .extending elongate aperture therein; pivot means mounted von the base and extending through the aperture ato slidably and pivotally mountthe feeler thereon; `resilient means engaging `the back of the feeler to yieldingly slide the feeler toward and in to the path of the advancing covered wire to be engaged by faults in the cover thereon, the engagement of the faults moving the feeler in the direction of the advancing wire and about the pivot, said f movement of the feeler energizing the resilient means to vcause the feeler to snapv away vfrom the wire after a predetermined movement of the feeler to release the same from the fault and prevent damage to the wire; .and'means operated in response to the movementof the feeler for indicating the detection of a fault in the cover.

16. A detector for a wire or cable covering ymachine comprising a base adapted to be mounted on the machine adjacent the cable-covering means; cover-fault detecting means including a feeler having-a longitudinallywextendingelon- -gate aperture/therein; pivot-means mountedcn the base andextending through the aperture to slidably andpivotally mount'the feeler thereon;

resilient means engagingthe back of the n-feeler to yieldingly slide the'. feeler toward vand into the path of the vadvancingcovered vkwire to beengaged by faults in the cover thereon, the engagement of the'faults moving thefeeler inthe directionof the advancing wire and, about the pivot, said movement of thefeeler energizing the resilient means to cause the feeler to snap away Yfrom the wire after a predetermined movement -of the feeler to vrelease the same from the fault feelerhaving a longitudinally extending elongate aperture therein; pivot means 'mounted on the base and extending through the aperture. to slidably and pivotally mount the `'feeler thereon; resilient means engaging'the back of the feeler to yieldingly slide'the .feeler toward and into the A, path of the advancing covered wire'to be engaged by faults in the cover thereon, the engagement of the faults moving the feelerin the direction l ofthe advancing wirev and about the pivot, 'said movement ofthe feeler energizing the resilient means lto cause the feeler t'o snap away from the wire after a predetermined movement'of the feeler to release the same from the fault and prevent damage to the wire; and switch means operated in response to the movement fof the feeler for controlling a circuit, said resilient means ,holding the switch means in operated position though the fault may be released by the feeler.

18. vA detector for a wire or cable covering mat chine comprising a sbase adapted to be mounted on the machine adjacent the covered wire; coverfault detecting means including a feeler having a longitudinally extending elongate aperture therein; pivot meansfmountedon the'base and extending through the aperture to slidablyk and pivotally mount the feeler thereon; and resilient means engaging the back 4of the feeler to yieldingly slide the feeler toward and into engagement with the wire, means on the feeler spaced from the wire-engaging part thereof and projecting into the rpath of the advancing covered -wire to be engaged by faults in the cover thereon, the sliding movement of the feeler enabling the detector l to operate .on wires of different diameters, the engagement of the faults moving the feeler in the direction of the 'advancing' wire and'about the pivot, said movement of the feeler energizing the' resilient means to cause the feeler to snap away from the wire after a predetermined movement of the feeler to release the same from ythe fault and prevent damage to they wire.

ROBERT H. SPERKZEL.

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