US2375475A - Circular independent latch needle knitting machine - Google Patents

Description

y 8,1945; v H. H. HOLMES ET AL 2,375,475

CIRCULAR INDEPENDENT LATCH NEEDLE KNITTING MACHINE Filed May 7, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY! May 8 1945. HOLMES ET AL 2,375,475

CIRCULAR INDEPENDENT LATCH NEEDLE. KNITTING MACHINE Filed May 7, 1943 Sheets-Sheet 2 A Tram/5% Patented May 8, 1945 omoULAn INDEPENDENT m'ron KNITTING MAomNE NEEDLE Henry Harold Holmes and, John Cyril Herbert Hnrd, Leicester, England, assignors to Wildt British company and- Company Limited Leicester, England, a

Application May 7, 1943, Serial No. 486,051 In Great Britain May 8, 1-942 11 Claims. (Q1. 66--14) This invention relates to circular independent latch needle knitting machines, and has reference to those of the double axially opposed needle cylinder type having latch needles adapted to operate in each cylinder.

The invention is intended for application prin cipally to circular knitting machines of this type including two opposed, e. g., superimposed, needle cylinders with double-ended needles operated by means of sliders, such needles being adapted to be transferred from one needle cylinder to the other as and for purposes well known by those skilled in the art.

The invention has for its aim the provision of improved means for opening the needle latches in machines of the type referred to, and is applicable both to revolving needle cylinder machines and to stationary cylinder machines.

More particularly the invention has for its object to provide improvements in latch opening means of a previously proposed form adapted to present or oppose a latch opening edge or edges to the needles in one'cylinder, and a similar edge or edges to needles in the opposite cylinder, in the path of the' needle latches at a location or locations where needles are advanced so that by reason of such advance closed or partly closed be regulated whereby the latch opening edges presented thereby were in position to be engaged by closed or partly closed needle latches.

In practice, however, it was found that the cam had to be very skillfully adjusted to regulate the sinkers or web holders to a nlcety, since otherwise troubles wer certain to arise. instance, if the sinkers or web holders were so regulated as to move in a little too far, then, in

passing by the lateral latch opening projections,

the appropriate needle hooks would have been broken, damaged or. at least badly worn. In similar circumstances, damage to or wear of the said'projections was also likely to occur. It, with a view to obviating these dangers, the sinkers or web holders were regulated to leave a small clearance between the projections and the needle hooks, there was the risk that the free ends of closed latches would miss the projections and consequently fail to be opened. And the only satisfactory way of eliminating or minimising this risk would have been to provide theneedles latches were brought into engagement with the opposing edge or edges and were opened.

In one embodiment of the previous proposal the latch opening edges were constituted by a circular series of lateral projections respectively on sinkers, web holding bits or sinker-like elements arranged alternately with the needles. Thus. in a knitting machine having inside or outside holding down sinkers or web holders each of the latter was provided with one of such pro jections having chamfered or bevelled opposite I edges so thata circular series of projections was formed which provided thin circumferentially extending latch opening edges for thep'lain needles and the rib needles respectively. The said edges engaged between hooks and the free ends or spoons of the latches of needles with closed latches.

For example, in a machine of the specific character aforesaid furnished with so-called inside sinkers or web holders, the latch opening edges were provided by lugs or like lateral projections on the heads or hook-like ends of these instrumentalities, and the cam whereby the latter were moved inwards, e. g., at the or each location where needles were advanced to clear, was adjustablyarranged so as to enable the inward movement of the sinkers or web holders to with suitably extended latches.

The improvements provided by the present invention have as their primary aim to obviate the foregoing difllculties in latch opening arrangements such as those hereinbefore particularised. 1

According to this invention the latch opening edges are provided on a circular series of instrumentalities th appropriate portion or the whole of each of which is enabled to yield or be displaced at the or each location where latches are to be opened.

The idea is that whenever a needle is advanced, as for example for clearing after knitting, or for restoration to a normal position after casting off, or inreadiness for transference, the hook or the appropriate hook of said needle shall be brought into rubbing contact with the latch opening portion of. the companion instrumentality which latter, however, will thereupon yield or be displaced to permit the hook to pass behind it .easiliy without definite obstruction, In this way,

the latch opening portion of the instrumentality closely follows the contour of the forward curve of the needle hook so as to be in the most favourable position for engagement between the latter and the spoon of the associated latch. The opening of needle latches can consequently be effected reliably and without damage to or undue wear on either needles or latch opening instrumentalities. As will be appreciated, therefore, the actual relationship, within limits, between the latch opening portions and the needle importance since, in hook, in order .to pass by one of will automatically function to camthe portion l [outwards and'hold it inits correct latch opening position. But

to enable these desirable results to be. achieved it is,

so positioned at the or each location where closed or partly closed needle latches are to be opened, that their operative portions will be slightly behind the forward or free ends of the corresponding needle hooks. Moreover, the instrumentalities concerned must not exert more than a light pressure upon-the hooks, since otherwise undue wear would take place and the object of the inventionwould be defeated.

From the foregoing description it will be appreciated that it is within the scope of the invention to make only the operative portion of each latch opening instrumentality yieldable. For instance, the said portion may consist of 2,375,475- H I I I, I a separate trick suitably formed in the r of course, essential that the latch-opening instrumentalities shall be But in all casesinvolving the use of specially provided sinker-like latch opening instruments both theinside or, outside sinkers or web holders and the said instruments may be provided with similar butts for accommodation in a'common sinker cam track whereby the two sets of in strumentaiities are operated'coniointly. ,Or' the butts on the sinkers or web holders and the latch. opening instruments may be located in respectively diflerent planes for reception in separate cam tracks.

In order that the invention may be'more clearly understood and readily carried into practical effect, a particular illustrative example thereof applied to a circular links and links machine of the superimposed rotary needle cylinder type furnished with inside sinkers or web holders Y drawings, wherein,

an initially separate element which is movably mounted on the instrumentality and controlled by spring means.

Preferably, however, the machine itself is so constructed as to present to the instrumentalities at the or each latch opening location a yieldable,

e. g., yieldingly mounted, part against which said instrumentalities can push and yield when urged to do so by the hook; of advancing needles.

The latch opening instrumentalities may be constituted either by sinkers or web holders furnished with lateral projections, or by separate sinker-like elements specially provided for the purpose in view. But whether they consist ofloop-forming elements the primary function of which is to sink yarn into loops between the needles or act solely for latch opening purposes, I they are nevertheless in the nature of thin plate-' like elements arranged alternately with the I needles,'i. e., so that each element operates between two adioining needles.

According to one embodiment of the invention the latch opening instrumentalities consist of inside sinkers or,web holders furnishedon' their heads or hook-like ends with lugs or like lateral projections which are formed to provide thin latch opening edges, and, at the or each'knitting location of the machine, a part of or associated -with the customary sinker cams is yieldingly mounted.

' similar liders 5 in the, top cylinder.

In a modification, there may be provided in 'each trick in the sinker bed or carrier in addition to an inside sinker or web holder of conventional form a somewhat similar sinker-' like instrument which, however, has neither a belly nor a nib or n se but is provided with a lateral latch opening projection. Alternatively,

the latch opening instruments may be accommodated in separate tricks in the said bed or carrier.

According to a still further embodiment of the invention, the latch opening instrumentalities consist of outside sinkers having latch opening projections on their bellies immediately beneath formed for latch opening purposes will now be described, withreference. to the accompanying Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of so much of the said machine as is necessary to illustrate the yieldingly mounted cam part for engagement with the sinkers,

Figure 2 depicts a portion'of the cam system of the machine the cams being shown as viewed in the direction of the arrow A in Figure l, i. e., from inside the cam boxes and with the sinker cup and bottom needle cylinder removed for the sake of clarity,

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view showing more clearly the action of the yieldable cam part upon a simker during the opening of a needle latch, Figure 4 is a detail perspective view illustrating one of the latch opening edges engaged between the hook and the spoon of the latch of a needle. Like parts are designated by similar reference characters throughout the drawings.

Referring to Figure i, it will be seen that th machine comprises a rotary bottom (plain) needle cylinder I, a superimposed rotary top (rib) cylinder 2, independent double-ended latchneedles such as I for operation in these cylinders, needleactuating sliders 4 in the bottom cylinder and The machine is also furnished with arcuate inside sinkers, such as 8, which are formed with operating butts 6a and work slidably in tricks 1a in a sinker brass I fitted within the upper end of the bottom cylinder I. Each of the sinkers 8 is provided on its head with, a lateral projection 8 having chamfered opposite edges sa and 8b for open- 3. That is to say, the latch opening edge 8a is for engagement at appropriate times between the nibs or noses thereof, and at the or each I knitting location a cam part in or on the sinker cam cap is yieldingly mounted. Here again, in-

stead of being provided' directly on the outside sinkers, the latch opening projections may alternatively be provided on separate blade-like instruments each of which is mounted either in the'same trick as the corresponding sinker or in the hook Ia and the spoon of the latch 9 of the needle when the latter is operating in the bottom cylinder i (as shown in Figures 3 and 4),

whereas the edge 8!) is for similar engagement between the other hook 3b and the spoon of the associated latch 10 at such times as the needle is operating in the top cylinder 2. The top and bottom sinker cam rings H and II respectively are fixed one above the other with-a butt track l3 between them, and are interposed between the sinker brass I and the conventional stationary sinker cup ll. A littlein advance of the plain and rib knitting cams l5 and H5 at the knitting location K (or at each knitting location if there is more than one), the-butt track i3' rises. at "a so that by reason of the. sinker butts 6a travelling therealong the sinkerst are moved onwards to permit plain needles to draw loops over them, whereupon the said track, after extending horizontally to a point coincident with or just beyond the knocking-over int P, inclines downwardly again at lib so that where the needles rise to clear, the sinkers are moved inwards to cause their nibs to engage the knitted web and hold it down in the usual way. Consequently, the projections s on the sinkers are in position to present latch opening edges to the needles at appropriate times. In accordance with the present invention there is provided in association with the top sinker cam ring II, at the point where opening oi needle latches is to be effected, a movably mounted cam part H which is arranged for action on the sinker butts 6a and yet is capable of yielding to a small extent in an upward direction to permit slight outward movement of any sinker whose latch opening projection 8 is acted upon by a needle hook. At a location immediately above the clearing cam their portion l8 (see Figure 2) in the bottom cam box the top sinker cam ring H is chamiered or bevelled outwards at lla from its upper edges for a suitable distance circumferentially so as to provide a recess is (Figure 1) having a back sloping forthem while their butts are passing the recess in the said cam.

What we claim then is:

1. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, axially opposed needle cylinders, independent latch needles operable in each of said cylinders, latch opening means constituted by a circular series of lateral projections on instruments associated with-the needles, said projections being so formed and arranged with respect to the needle circle as'to oppose latch opening edges to the operative ends of the needles in the cylinders respectively, and means for advancing needles during knitting so that by reason oi such advance closed latches are brought into engagement with the opposed latch opening edges and are opened, at leastthe operative portion of each of said instruments being enabled to yield to facilitate passage of a hook of an advancing needle behind the lateral projection of said instrument during opening of the relevant latch, for the-purpose herein specified.

2. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, axially opposed needle cylinders, independent latch needles operable in each of said cylin- 4 ders, latch opening means constituted by a circuwardly from the inside of the upper edge of the said ring to form a knife-like lower. edge lib. The movable cam part II, which has an inclined front face lid and a straight lower edge llb, is fitted slidably in the recess is with the said lower edge projecting downwards from the knife,

edge llb aforesaid. The extent to which the movable cam part normally projects beneath the knife edge depends, of course, on the required amount of inward movement to be imparted to the sinkers 6. This cam part is also formed with a tenon or key-like portion lie and the bottom sinker cam ring I2 is grooved or key-w'ayed vertically as indicated at l2a to receive it. In this way, the cam part I1 is enabled to be moved up and down slightly in the recess l9. Projecting from the back of the tenon or key-like portion llc near the bottom thereof is a horizontally disposed lug l'ld which, as shown in Figure 1, extends through aslot lla formed in the wall of the sinker cup I. A screw 20 having a compression spring 2l attached to it is screwed into a tapped hole 22 formed in the top of the sinker cup ll', this spring extending vertically downwards within the slot Ila and bearing at its lower end upon the mg ":1. By reason of this construction, therefore, the cam part II is enabled to yield, and the position normally occupied thereby is adjustable by manipulation oi the screw 20 to determine the amount of inward movement to be imparted to the sinkers 6 for latch opening. The position of the yieldable cam part is in dicated in chain lines in Figure 2,-and in Figure 3 the form 01' this cam, as viewed from the side, is shown to best advantage.

Instead of providing a yieldable cam, a similar result may be achieved by so forming the sinker butt track l3 that the sinkers arev moved in a little more than is necessary for latch opening purposes and by relieving, i. e., recessing, the'appropriate sinker cam portion at the or each latch opening location so that when a needle is advanced the hook' thereof will hug the latch opening projection on the corresponding sinker and force the latter outwards slightly, such utward movement being permitted; by the recess in the cam. But in this case tension or friction is imposed on the sinkers to exercise some control over lar series of lateral projections on instruments associated with the needles, said projections being so formed andarranged with respect to the when urged to'do so by reason of the passage of needle circle as to oppose latch opening edges to the operative ends of the needles in the cylinders respectively, mean for advancing needles during knitting. so that by reason of such advance closed latches are brought into engagement with the 0pposed latch opening edges and are opened, and,

at the location where latches are to be opened,

a yieldable part against which the latch opening instruments can push and yield when urged to do so by reason of the passage of advancing needle hooks behind the lateral projections of said instruments, for the purpose herein specified.

3. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, axially opposed needle cylinders, independent latch needles operable in each of said cylinders, latch opening means constituted by a circular series of lateral projections on instruments associated with the needles, said projections being so formed and arranged with respect to the needle circle as to oppose latch opening edges to the operative ends of the needles in the cylinders opposed latch opening edges and are opened, cam

means for exercising control of the instruments and for projecting them into an operative position at the location where latches are to be opened, and, associated with said calm means at this location,a yieldable part against which the latch opening instruments can push and yield advancing needle hooks behind the lateral pro jections of said instruments, for the purpose herein specified.

4. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, axially opposed needle cylinders, independent needles of the latch type operable in each of said cylinders, latch opening means constituted by a circular series of lateral projections on sinkers arranged alternately with the needles,

said projections being sor formed and arrangedwith respect to the needle circle as to oppose lat'ch opening edges to the operative ends of the needles in the two cylinders respectively, cam means for actuatin the sinkers and causing their lateral 3 I brought into opening edges and are 1 the sinkers can push and projections to assume an operative position at the location where needle latches are to be opened,

1 means for advancing needles duringknitting so that by reasonoi' such advance closed latches are engagement with the opposed latch opened, and, associated with the aforesaid cam means ing location, a yieldable cam part against which yield when urged to by passage of advancing needle hooks behind the lateral projections on said sinkers, for the purpose herein specified; I

5. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, axially opposedplain andrib needle cylinders; independent double-ended latch needles for 5 operation in said cylinders, sliders in each of said cylinders for actuating the needles, a circular series of inside sinkerstarranged alternately with the needles, said sinkers having thereon lateral projections so formed and arranged with respect Q to the needle circle as to oppose latch opening edges to the operative ends of the plain and the rib needles respectively, cams foractuating the sinkers and causing their lateral projections to assume an operative position at the location where Y needle latches are to be opened, means for advancing needles so that by reason of such ad- Vance closed latches are brought into engagement with the opposed latch opening edges and are opened, and, associated with the sinker cams needles, said sinkers being formed with operating butts and having thereon lateral projections so formed and arranged with respect to the needle circle as to oppose latch opening edges tothe operative ends of the plain and the rib needles respectively, sinker cam rings-disposed one above the other with a track between them for reception of the butts, this track being so designed as to actuate the sinkers and cause their lateral 50 projections to assume an operative position at the location where needle latches are to be opened, means for advancing needles so that by reason of such advance closed latches are brought into engagement with the opposed-latch opening edges 55 and are opened, and, in association with the top sinker cam ring, at the latch opening location, a-movably mounted cam part which protrudes into the aforesaid track for action on the sinker butts and is capabl of .yielding'in an upward direction to permit of slight outward movement of any sinker whose latch opening projection is acted upon by an advancing needle hook during opening of the associated latch, for the purpose herein specified. Y

'1. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, axially opposed plain and rib needlev cylinders, independent double-ended latch needles for operation in said cylinders, sliders in each of the latter for actuating the needles, a circular series of inside sinkers arranged alternately with the needles, said sinkers being formed with operating butts and having thereon lateral projec- 'the operative ends of the plain and the rib needles respectively, a sinker cam ring formed with a at the latch openrecess the back or which slopes forwardly from the inside oi the upper edge of said ring to form a knife-like lower edge, a further sinker cam ring disposed beneath the first mentioned ring suchwise as to provide a track for reception or the butts, this track being so designed as to actuate the sinkers and cause. their lateral projections toassume an operative position at the location where needle latches are to be opened, means Jior advancing needles so that by reason of such advance closed latches are brought into engagement with the opposed latch opening edges and are opened,,and a movably mounted cam part which is fitted slidably inthe recess in the top sinker cam ring with its lower edge projecting downwards from the aforesaid knife-like edge for contact with the sinker butts, this part being adapted to yieldin an upward direction to permit of slight outward movement of any sinker whose latch opening projection is acted uponby an ad= vancing' needle hook during opening of the associated latch, for the purpose herein specified. 8. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, axially opposed plain and rib needle cyl- 1 inders, independent double-ended latch needles for operation in said cylinders, sliders in each of the latter for actuating the needles, .a circular series of inside'sinkers arranged alternately with the needles, said sinkers being formed with operating butts and having thereon lateral projections so formed and arranged with respect to the needle circle as to oppose latch opening edges to the operative ends of the plain' and the rib,

the needles, a circular series 40 lateral needles respectivelynsinkercam rings disposed one above the other with a track between them for reception of the'butts, this track being so designed as to actuate the sinkers and cause their projections to assume an; operative position at be opened, means for advancing needles so that by reason of such advance closed latches are brought into engagement with the opposed latch opening edges and are opened, a movably mounted cam part in association with the topzsinker cam ring at the latch opening location, said part protruding into the track for actlon on the sinker butts and being yieldable in an upward direction to permit of slight outward movement of any sinker whose latch opening projection is acted upon by an advancing needle hook during open- 1 ing of the associated latch, for the purpose herein specified, a spring for controlling the movable cam part, and an adjusting screw in engagement with said spring.

9. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, superimposed rotary needle cylinders, independent double-ended latch needles for operation in said'cylinders, sliders in each of the latter for actuating the needles, a sinker bed associated with the bottom needle cylinder, a'circular series of inside sinkers arranged in said bed alternately withthe needles, said sinker's beingfurnished with operating butts and having thereon lateral projections so formed and arranged with respect to the needlecircle as to oppose latch'opening edges to the operative ends of the needles in the tions so formed and arranged with respect to the needle circle as to oppose latch opening edges to of'needle latches -15 0 to and bottom cylindersrespectlvely, a sinker cup, sinker cam' rings interposed between the sinker-bed and the sinker cup and disposed one above the other witha track between them for reception of the butts, the top sinker cam ring having therein a recess at a point where opening be 'eilected, and the track the location where needle latches are to being so designed as to actuate the-sinkers and cause their lateral projections to assume an operative position at the aforesaid location, means for advancing needles so that by reason of such advance closed latchesare brought into engagement with the opposed latch opening edges and are opened, a cam part which is slidabl'y mounted in the recess in the top sinker cam ring with its lower edge projecting into the track for action on the sinker butts, a compression spring which is accommodated within the sinker cup and arranged to bear downwardly upon a portion of the slidable cam part, and a screw for adjusting the spring, the construction and arrangement being such that the said cam part is capable of yielding in an upward direction to permit of slight outward movement of any sinker whose latch opening projection is pressed upon by an advancing needle hook during opening of the associated latch, for the purpose specified.

10. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, superimposed rotary needle cylinders, independent double-ended latch needles for operation in said cylinders, sliders in each of the latter for actuating the needles, -a sinker 'bed associated with the bottom needle cylinder, a circular series of inside sinkers arranged in said bed alternately.

with the needles, said sinkers being furnished with operating butts and having thereon lateral projections so formed and arranged with respect to the needle circle as to oppose latch opening edges to the operative ends of the needles in the top and bottom cylinders respectively, a sinker cup, sinker cam rings interposed between the sinker bed and the sinker cup and, disposed one above the other with a track between them for reception of the butts, said track being so designed as to actuate the sinkers and cause their lateral projections, to assume an operative position at the latch opening location, means for advancing the needles so that by reason of such advance closed latches are brought into engagement with the opposed latch opening edges and are opened, anda movably mounted cam part which protrudes into the aforesaid track for action on the sinker butts arid is capable of yielding in an upward direction to permit of slight outward movement of any sinker whose latch opening projection is acted upon by an advancing needle hook during opening of the associated latch, for the purpose herein specified.

11. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, axially opposed needle cylinders, independent latch needles operable in each of said cylinders, latch opening means constituted by a cir cular series of lateral projections on instruments associated with the needles, said projections being so formed and arranged with respect to the needle circle as 'to oppose latch opening edges to the operative ends of the needles in the cylinders respectively, means for advancing needles during knitting so that by reason of such advance closed latches are brought into engagement with the opposed latch opening edges and are opened, a

cam part at the latch opening location for action upon the aforesaid instruments, and a spring for controlling said cam part, the construction and arrangement being such that the latter is capable of yielding to permit of slight displacement of any sinker whose latch opening projection is pressed upon by an advancing needle hook during opening oi! the associated latch, for the purpose specified.

HENRY HAROLD HOLMES.- JOHN CYRIL HERBERT HURD.

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