US2395815A - Knitting machine - Google Patents

Description

Mafch 5, 194s.`

T. S. HAYHURST KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 13, 1944 I l. l

7 Sheets-Sheet 1 x "IIL El INVENTOR Thomas 1S Hayl'zursf ATTORNEY March 5, 1946.

KNITTING MACHINE '7 sheets-sheet s Filed April 13, 1944 INVENTOR' omas S.

.Ha hui-s @mimi March 5, 1946. T. s.'l-l/AYI-uJFzsA'r` l KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 13, 1944 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR v T/mas S. Hay/zum?? T. s. HAYHuRs-r KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 15. 1944 March 52 1946.

7 Sheets-Sheet 6 l Patented Mar. 5, 1946 'PATENT oFFic/E- Km'r'rmo MACHINE Thomas S. Hayhurst, Belle Harbor, N. Y., assigner I l to Max Nydegger, Summit, N. J.

Application Aprl'l, 1944, Serial No. 530,762 l,

1i claims.

The present invention relates to an improvev ment in knitting machines. Objects of said invention have been among others to provide improved stitch length change mechanism adapted for knitting machines more particularly of the links-links orknit-purl type; to provide effective means for making stitch length changes simultaneously on a plurality of individually 'operated knitting sections of4 a multiple machine; and to provide means which permit exact duplicationv of any given set of stitch lengths in making other units of product and/or at other operating times.

One embodiment of my invention in a form adapted for use in an automatic multiple links knitting machine and as described in the following specication is illustrated in the appended drawings in which:

Figurell is a front elevation of a knitting ma-y chine embodying the improved stitch length change mechanism;

Figure 2, a view partly in plan and partly in horizontal section of parts at the right-hand end of the machine as viewed in Figure 1; l

Figure 3, an enlarged transverse vertical section on the line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4, an enlarged fragmentary view o n the line 4-4 of Figure 2 showing the control links l associated with the automatic stitch length con-1 trol mechanism;

Figure 5, an enlarged end elevation' of part of the left end of the machine shown in Figure 1;

Figure 6, an enlarged plan view of parts of the l left end portion of the machine shown in Figure 1 with some parts removed and som broken away;

Figure 7, an enlarged front elevation, with parts in longitudinal vertical section and other parts broken away, showing more clearly jacquard shaft actuating devices at the left .end of the machine shown in Figure 1, jack positioning devices and stitch length setting devices;

Figure 8, atransverse vertical section on the line 8-8 of Figure '1: and

Figure 9, a horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Figure 8.

In the arrangement, as shown in the drawings, the stitch cams, as 34 and 35 are mounted to reciprocate endwise in front and rear stitch cam Aguides or housings 3B and 31 respectively, Figures 2-and 6; and for eiecting stitch length change, said housings are controllably movable either singly or together towardv and away from the knitting off or opposed edge portions of their respective needle beds. `Devices for effecting this 5 number of different stitch lengths.

(01.66471) l ate with control means whereby movement -of said housings or either of them may take place I from any one to any other of a plurality of diff ferent positions representing a corresponding Means are also provided which permit adjustment to produce stitches of many different lengths in either bed within practicable maximum limits.

The stitch cams, as 34 and 35, Figure 2, are operatively connected to rods 40 which are actu yatedby a reciprocating arm 43 mounted to slide longitudinally ofthe machine on a xed support and guide bar 4B. 'Arm 43 is reciprocated by a chain 53 connected to opposite portions of one 15 end of said arm and driven from a driving sprocket 05 mounted on a spindle 66. o

The front and rear stitch cam housings 36 yand 31 respectively, as seen more clearly in Figures 2, 3 and.6, are mounted to be adjusted toward and from the inner edges of their respective needle beds to vary the length of stitches by the extent of said movement. This result follows because it produces a like adjustment between said edges and the front and rear stitch cams respectively which are mounted in said housings. The latter are biased toward the edges of their vrespective needle beds by tension springs |04, each having one end secured near one end of one -of said housings and the other end secured to an adjacent end of the other housing.

To facilitate the adjustment just described, said housings `36 and 31 are supported at their ends to slide obliquely, Figure 6, l. e. with a combined endwise and in-and-out displacement in rela- 35 tion to fixed guides, shown in the form ci guide plates |05 having angularly disposed guide sur-v faces |06. Oblique edge faces of wedges |01 extending from the inner edges of housings v36 and 31 slidably engage said guide surfaces |08. It

o will be clear from the foregoing that, if a suitable force is, applied against adjacent ends of said housings to displace them longitudinally, they will also move outwardly against tension of said' springs |04 which hold said Wedges |01 against 45 the guide surfacesV |00; and that in such more I0 ment of the stitch cams inrelatlon to their respective beds forthe purpose above stated, each housing is provided with a, buifer plate |08, Figure 6, having outer contact faces |09 ,which lie opposite the path of movement of exposed end `movement are conveniently arranged to cooper- Il portions of a set of longitudinally adjustable pins v conditions being the same.

in radiallyarranged recesses in a quadrant shaped head or carrier I fixed at the upper end of a shaft ||2.

Inner end portions of said pins are provided with micrometer threads to permit accurate endwise adjustment thereof in their respective rec'esses to vary the`extent to which the outer ends of said pins project beyond the peripheral face of carrier To facilitate this adjustment and insure accuracy thereof, said respective pins |||i are provided with correspondingly spaced or graduated markings ||0a on their peripheral surfaces and are releasably secured by set screws IIllb in any desired extended position. This arrangement permits a wide range of stitch length variation to meet various pattern requirements.

In the preferred form shown, Figure 6, the

A markings 2, 3'," etc., are arranged in a spiral v sequence so that each is clearly visible and may therefore be brought into exact register with ilducial markings |||lc carriedby the bevelled curved peripheral surface of carrier Where the markings I Illa on each pin I It denne the same increments of adjustment as the markings on each other pin, stitcholength conditions can be accurately controlled and reproduced touobtain uniform results in different lots of goods, other Assuming that the pms un. of each set thereof have been adjusted with their outer ends extending the required distances Vbeyond the periphery escano IIII, two such sets of four each being mountedl selective auch :engineman contro:

As lseen in Figures 8 and 9, a selector or stop carrier in the form'of a plate |23 is mounted on spindle to move up and down therewith. A mid portion of said plate rests on an annular shoulder |24 of spindle IIB where it is secured by a nut |25. An end'portion (left Figure 9) of,A

. |30. As seen in Figure-9, an inward extension of carrier the outer ends of any selected pairA of said pins aromoved into and out of operative relation to the several contact faces |09 by rotat.- ing shaft ||2 which actuates carrier I I I. If by this angular movement, a more extended pin en gaging one of the faces |09 is replaced by a less extended pin, a corresponding retractive movementof one of said housings 33 and 3'| is eil'ected by springs |04. If the replacement is in the opposite sense, the outer end of a more extended pin'.l

bears cam-like against one of said'faces |89 and forces and holds one of the housings 38 and 31 farther from the other until a subsequent change is effected. Likewise, corresponding pins' in. each set may be adjusted to'eifect the saine extent of change in the positions of both housings.

Automatic stitch length crainteV i' For effecting a predetermined rotation of shaft ||2 automatically. said shaft is journaled'in va bracket i i3, Figures 5,' 7, Sand 9. and has i'lxed to its lower end a fork 4 having spaced arms, endportions of which, Figure 8,provide-guide jou-mais foravertically slidable' spindle l I3, Figures 'l and 8. The lower end of said spindle B is supported to slide freely in Aan arcuate path on' the top surface of a l shaped upright linkv I I3,A

"5 0 upwardly disposedrack |44, Figure 8.

. said rack |44 and also a downwardly disposed rack A at the left end otis'elector plate |23 provides 'a vertically arranged stop shoulder. |3| presenting a. vertical face in stepped and aligned relation to said faces |23: and a similar extension at the opposite end provides stop shoulder I 32 presenting a vertically arranged face in stepped and aligned relation to said faces |30. Thus, stop shoulder |3I and stop lug. faces |29 provide a series of three vertical stop faces' at the slotted end of.

plate |23; and stop shoulder |32 and stop lug faces |33 provide a series of three vertical stop laces at the Other end 0f said plate |23.

As seen in Figures 7, 3 and 9, actuating devices 'for imparting endwise motion to the selector plate |23'in its several operative positions and thus to rock xfork' II4 and rotate shaft II2, include parts mounted in ahousing supported on posts |33 and having spaced walls |34 and |35. Inner wall |34 is provided with-spaced'axially aligned slots |36 (dotted Figure 8) and outer wall |35 with a lower slot |31 at its right end, Figure 8, and an upper slot |33 at its left end. In a lower portion of the space between walls |34 and |35 is a lower slide plate |39 provided with inwardly extending bosses |40 on which are mounted cam rollers |4| engaging the periphery of a cam |42 fixed on shaft 3. V:slide plate |33 also carries on a portion of its upper edge a pusher arm |43 which extends hori-` zontally through lower end slot |31 and into position to engage one or another of the stop faces |30, |32 on selector plate |23 depending on the position of'said plate.l Another portion of the upper edge of slide plate' |39 is provided with 8.11

Apinion |43 journaled on a'shaft |48 engages m on the lower ease of an upper sims plate m.

the 'bottom end of which is pivotally'secured to a lever Ill at. iid.A Said lever ||`|l isnxed to andj.-

selector plate.

turns with a stitch len h contro ft H3 gt ha actu above described. cam |62 revolves with rotation ated in any suitable manner, as by automatic con-A trol devices including control'linlrs 883 and 304, v-

Figures 2 and d, connected to rock said shaft i I Q 'A Figure 8, has one end iournaled inthe frame at |2| and the other end pivotally connected to an lever m 'is actuated by shan ile to move link proper supporting relation to spindle H5.A i

ruim@ increments to and from a heul` trai-or inoperative angular position. An arm |20,

7|!v v upper endportion of link ||8 at |22. Thus, when Y IIB vertically. the latter remains upright and kin L In operation ofthe stitch length change Apusherarm |43 extending horizontally from said -lower edge of upper plate |43 has a portion projecting through said upper end slot |33 in wall |33. Said arm is thus supported and guided in said upper slot |33; and its free 'end portion is positioned to engage one or another oi' the stopfaces |23. |3| of the stops at the left. Figure 9. on se lector plate |23 depending on the position of said devices s of shaft 3 to impart periodic to and iro motion sifmultaneously in'opposite directions to said lower slide plate. |33 and said upper slide plate' |43. re

spectively, and consequently to the pusher arms |43 and |49 carried thereby, With cam |42 in the positionshown in Figures 3 and 9. the slide plates |33 and |43 are in their extreme end positions. lie. with pusher armison slide plate |39 spaced at the maximum distance from pusher ann la@ on -slide 'plate |481; When shaft 8' is rotated to brins cam |42. A186" from theillustrated position,

arm |43 is spaced` the minimum distance from pusher arm |49.

To effect a'predetermined angular setting of In automatic operation suitable control mechanism causes upright link ||6 to be moved downwardly'from the normal or inoperative position shown in Figure 8 to a selected one of different predetermined operative positions by rotation of control shaft ||9. This brings a, predetermined stop face on said selecto-r plate |23 into the path of horizontal movement of one of said pusher arms |43 and |49. Said plate is thereupon moved endwise in the direction of movement of the en gaged pusher arm. l

As shown in Figures 6, 8 and 9, at the last preceding stitch length setting,` the selector plate |23 was moved to its extreme left end posit1on, Figure 9, which brought carrier into the end position shown in Figure 6. This setting resulted when selector plate |23 was operatively positioned at the next lower step from the normal inoperative position shown in' Figure 8, and so that pusher arm |49, on its periodic outwardmovement toward 'the left, engaged stop face I3|, Figure 9. Thereafter, control shaft |I9 was rotated back to its initial inoperative position, thus said last mentioned pair will be displaced and said next pair will be brought into operative po- -sition by a suitable clockwise (Figure 6) moverestoring selector plate |23 to its inoperative level or position but leaving the carrier in posi`v ment of carrier III. For this purpose, the con.-

trol devices bring selector plate I23 to a position two steps below that shown in Figure 8 and such that the end of pusher arm |43, in its next move to the right, will engage the lower stop face |30 to move selector plate |23 toward the right, Figure 8. Obviously, the extent of movement of said plate tothe right dependson which of-.the stop faces |30, |32 is brought into position to be en gaged by pusher arm I 43. To move selector plate I 23 in the opposite direction (left) to dierent positions-the pusher armv |49v in moving to the left will selectively engage -the stop faces |29, 3| by proper controlledk vertical positioning of said selector plate.

The stitch length change mechanism above described is of relatively simple constructionand well adapted to control the position of a plurality of stitch cams operating simultaneously as a group overl` different portions of a single needle bed or in parallel groups over opposed beds. It is Vnoted that the cam housings remain at each position of adjustment until a different stitch length is required; and changes may be made to take effect in a course beginning at either end of the needle bed.

The above described mechanisms are also shown and described but not independently claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 530,761. flied herewith and of which thepresent application is in eii'ect a division.

I claim:

1. In a knitting machine having a'needle bed.

being supported to slide in relation to said needle bed, the combination oi spring means for biasing said housing toward one edge of said needle bed, and means for imparting combined longitudinal and transverse movement to said housing against..

the resistance of said biasing means to change the position of said stitch 'cam in relation to said edge of the needle bed and thereby to change the length of stitch formed by operation of said stitch cam in knitting.

2. In a knittingl machine having a needle bed, a stitch cam housing and awstitch cam mounted to slide longitudinally therein, said cam housing being supported to'slide in relation to said needle stitch cam is changed by operation of said housing actuating means.

3. In a knitting machine having a'needle bed,A

a stitch cam housingand a stitch cam mounted to slide longitudinally therein, said cam housing being supported to slide in relation to said needle bed, the combination of housing actuating means for imparting combined longitudinal' and transverse movement to said housing to change the position of said stitch cam in relation to said edge of the needle bed, including a plurality of housing positioning members movable into and out of operative relation to said housing, and means for moving said members to bring one or another thereof into said operative relation to said housing.

I4:. In a knitting machine having a needle bed. a slidably mounted stitch cam housing, a stitch cam carried thereby, a stop member having an obliquely disposed guiding surface, and a spring arranged and adapted to bias said housing toward an edge of said needle bed and against said mounted on said head and arranged and adaptedl toeffect sliding movement of said housing from oneposition to another andto retain said housing in such new position.

5. In a knitting machine having a yneedle, bed, a slidably mounted stitch cam housing, a stitch cam carried thereby, a stop member having an v obliquely disposed guiding surface, land a spring arranged and adapted to bias said housing toward an edge of said needle bed and againstsaid guiding surface, the combination of a rotatable head, means for rotating said head from and to diiferent angular positions in relation to said housing,

and -a plurality of longitudinally adjustable spacing members mounted in radial relation on said head and arranged and adapted to severally engage and variously position said housing.

- 6. In a knitting machine having a needle bed, a slidably mounted stitch cam housing, a stitch cam carried thereby, a stop member having an obliquely` disposed guiding' surface, and a spring arranged and adapted to bias saidhousing toward an edge of said needle bed and against said guidingsurface. the combination of a yrotatable head. means for rotating said head from and to different a'ngularpositions in relation to said housing, ya plurality of longitudinally adjustable spaca stitch cam housing and a stitch cam'mounted to slide longitudinally therein, said cam housing l directions, and means for moving the selector o n. a carrier actuating device arranged --and 4` s ins members mmmted in radial relation pa,

,head when said member is rotated on its threads, and each-marking representing a predetermined .pying a predetermined position oi adjustment in stitch lengths, the combination o! a selector member operatively connected to rotate said head `into the path oi.' movement of one oi' said pushers whereby said selector is moved in a direction imparting periodic movement to said carrier acgaged by said carrier actuating device.

assaut 9.- Sti tch change mechanism for knit- J.iillg machines including a rotatable head, a stop j "carrier operatively connected thereto and having stop portions ,arranged in stepped relation thereon, a carrier actuating arm arranged and adapted to engage said stop portions, means .tor reciprocating said arm toward and from said stop por,- tions, a. vertically adjustable link, a spindle operatively connected to said stop carrier and arranged with an end portion bearing on a portion of said link, and means for moving said link vertically to bring one or another of said stop portions on the -carrier into position to be engaged by said can'ier actuating arm.

10. Stitch length change mechanism for. knitting machines including a link, means for adhead and arranged and adapted to severallygpen gage and variously position said housing. each of said, members beingthreaded in said head. and having spaced markings movable with said member toward and from an edge portion oi said stitch length setting of said member when occu'- lo relation to said edge portion of the housing.

'1. In a knitting machine havingamstitch cam housing slidably adjustable to change the length o! stitches formed in operating a stitch cam car` ried thereby and a-rotatable head arranged and llil adapted to move said housing and. retain the same in diierent positions or adjustment for diiierent adapted to slidably bear on a portion thereof, and movable with said link, a stop carrier mounted on diilerent predetermined extents in opposite disaid spindle and having at its opposite ends stop rections, said selector having opposed sets of Ystop faces arranged inA stepped relation, a reciprocatable pusher for engaging Aeach setot stop faces, means for imparting periodic reciprocating motion to said pushers simultaneously in opposite tions, anair of carrier actuating members each arranged and adapted to reciprocate toward and.

25 means forv actuating said arms to engage one or another of said stops and thus to move said carrier.

1l. In a knitting machine. the c'ombinationof member to bring a stop face of one of said sets to rotate said head.

8. .Stitch length change mechanism for knitting machinesincluding a rotatable head, a stop carrier operatively connected thereto and having stop portions arranged in stepped relation there- 30 edge thereof and needles mounted in said grooves and movable through said openings, a stitch cam guide extending across said needle bed'and ar- -ranged and adapted for adjusting movement toward and from said edge of the needle bed, a plu- 35 rality of stitch cams slidably supported onsaid guida,v means for effecting adjusting movement of said stitch cam guide, means for varying,4 the extent or said adjusting movement, and means adapted to engage'saidstop portions, means for tuating device toward and Ifrom saidnstop portions, and means ior moving said carrier to and from different positions in relation to said carrier actuating device to bring one. or another of said stop portions thereon into position to be en- THOMAS s.

justing said link endwise. a spindle arranged and members extending therefrom in opposite direcfrom the stops at one end of said carrier, and

a needle bed having needle grooves opening at one for reciprocating said 'titch cams in relation to

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