US2519875A

US2519875A - Straight knitting machine

Info

Publication number: US2519875A
Application number: US7807A
Authority: US
Inventors: Emil J Berger; Howard K West
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1948-02-12
Filing date: 1948-02-12
Publication date: 1950-08-22
Anticipated expiration: 1967-08-22

Description

' g- 1950 E. JTBERGER El'AL 2,519,875

STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 12, 1948 11 Sheets-Sheet 1 X 59 9a 39 50 i jfl' WITNESSES I INVEN TOR s: Emil l Bergez &,

Q. Q v I 'HawamiLWesfi, By W ['W Q ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 22, 1950 E. J. BERGER ETAL STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 12, 1948 11 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VENTORS 5% n \WN I N NvNRN WITNESSES i m mm H mm A 70 5 Y B Aug. 22, 1950 E. .J. BERGER ETAL 2,519,875

STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 12, 1948 ll Sheets-Sheet 3 FfCi 3.

Jlld

P f. INVENTORS'. 7 Emmi Beryezw Howard K Wesf, B y W A TTORNE YS.

2, 1950 E. J. BERGER ETAL 2,519,875

STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 12, 1948 11 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS'. EzzzzZJI Bagel an [foam/MK M932,

ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 22, 1950 E. J. BERGER EI'AL 2,519,875

STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 12, 1948 ll Sheets-Sheet 5 I N VEN TOR 1171171 5e1yep ward 1i M952;

%W. By WW TTORNEYS.

ITNESSES A 1950 E. J. BERGER ET'AL 2,519,875

STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 12, 1948 11 Sheets-Sheet 6 5. 1 4672 W a Q 40 P d 39 j 5? I" W j a; 1 v r I w v; l

. INVENTOPS'. 522217 J. Berger & Howamff. W981,

W I TNESSE ATTORNEYS.

Aug 9 1950 E. J. BERGER rm, 2,519,875

STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 12, 1948 11 Sheets-Sheet '7 ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 22, *1950 E. J. BERGER ET AL STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINE- 11 Sheets-Sheet s 17 114 F1 Ja I Filed Feb. 12, 1948 WITNESSES Aug. 22; 1950 .E. J. BERGE'R ETAL 2,519,875

STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 12, 1948 11 Sheets-Sheet 9 fax vzg 4Z1 WITNESSES I INVENTORS'.

0a. .W I f/fllI/dl'ili Wm;

BY W W W ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 22, 1950 E. J. BERGER ErAL 2,519,875

STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 12, 1948 ll Sheets-Sheet l0 BY Wm A TTORNEYS.

22, 1950 E. J. BERGER EI'AL 2,519,875

STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 12, 1948 1 11 Sheets-Sheet 11 Patented Aug. 22, 1950 2,519,875 STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINE Emil J. Berger and Howard K. West, Lansdale,

Pa., assignors to Dexdale Hosiery Mills, Lansdale, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February 12, 1948, Serial No. 7,807

7 Claims.

This invention relates to knitting machines, and has reference more specifically to straight stocking knitting machines of the type disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 2,331,528 granted to Howard K. West, one of the present applicants, on October 12, 1943, wherein a series of cover points cooperate with beard-less hook needles in stitch formation.

In connection with a machine of the kind referred to, we aim to provide mechanism whereby, upon startin of the machine, a welt bar is automatically positioned in operative relation to the needles to receive the first course of the knitting, and after its hooks have engaged the loops of such course, released to the pull Of a yielding draw oif means; and mechanism whereby the actuating means for the cover points is rendered inactive with said points positioned out of the way of the needles and of the hooks of the welt bar during formation of the initial course of the knitting.

A further aim of our invention is to provide for the automatic retraction of the cover points from its normal operative relation to the needles as the cam shaft is shifted in the narrowing phases of the knitting when loop transfer between adjacent needles is to take place.

Another object of our invention is to minimize frictional action of the stitch forming instrumentalities upon the knitting yarns to reduce chaffing and ruptures, and. thereby enable the operation of the machines at higher speeds and the employment of much finer yarns than heretofore practicable.

How the foregoing and other important advantages are realized in practice will appear from the following detailed description of the attached drawings wherein, Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of a straight knitting machine conveniently embodying our invention.

Fig. 2 shows the machine in top plan.

Fig. 3 is a broken out view in plan like Fig. 2 with certain parts omitted to expose parts which would otherwise be concealed.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of a machine taken as indicated by the angled arrows IVIV in Figs. 1 and 2.

Figs. 5 and 6 are cross sectional views like Fig. 4 with various parts differently positioned.

Figs. 7 and 8 are fragmentary views in cross r section corresponding to Figs. 5 and 6 with certain parts in still other positions.

Fig. 9 is a cross section like Figs. 4-6 showing how the cover points are withdrawn during the fashioning phases of the knitting.

Fig. 10 is a cross section taken as indicated by the angled arrows X--X in Fig. 1 showing the welt bar positioned in readiness to receive the initial course of the knitting.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary broken out view in plan looking as indicated by the angled arrows XIXI in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a detailed section taken as indicated by the angled arrows XII-XII in Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a view in plan like Fig. 11 showing the welt bar with its hooks engaging the initial course of the knitting.

Fig. 14 is a detail view in cross section taken as indicated by the angled arrows XIVXIV in Fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary detail view in end elevation looking as indicated by the angled arrows XV-XV in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 16 is a detail section taken as indicated by the angled arrows XVI-XVI in Figs. 1 and 2.

Figs. 17, 18 and 19 are detail views in section taken as indicated respectively by the angled arrows XVII-XVII, XVIII-XVIII and XIX-XIX in Figs. 2, 15 and 16.

Fig. 20 is an enlarged fragmentary detail cross section showing the cooperative stitch forming elements of our improved machine.

Fig. 21 is a fragmentary view in elevation looking as indicated by the angled arrows XXI-XXI in Fig. 20.

Fig. 22 is a fragmentary view in horizontal section taken as indicated by the angled arrows XXII-XXII in Fig. 21; and

Figs. 23-28 are fragmentary sectional views like Fig. 20 showing the stitch forming elements in successive positions which they assume during a stitch forming cycle.

. The needle bar of the illustrated machine is actuated, through interposed connections (not-shown), from the cam shaft indicated at 3!, the needles 32 having the form of hooks as in the West patent hereinbefore mentioned.

Cooperative with the needles in the formation of the fabric loops are butted sinkers 33 and auxiliary butted sinkers or dividers 34 which are slidable horizontally in individual transverse slots of the sinker head 35, and therein retained by the usual verge plate 3:; and knockovers 31 which are anchored in a bar 38 adapted to be actuated in the usual way through interposed connections (not shown) from the cam shaft 3|. Also as in the West patent supra, individual cover points 39 serve in lieu of the usual spring beards of the needles, these being secured in a separate bar 40 with supporting arms 4! at opposite ends thereof fulcrumed on studs 42 projecting laterally from slides 43. At their bottoms, the arms ll have arcuate notches 44 in concentric relation to the fulcrum studs 42 to clear stop pins 65 on upwardly and inwardly extending extensions 43a of the slides 43. By virtue of this construction, the point bar it can be swung upwardly and outwardly as] indicated in dot and dash lines in Fig. 5 when access to the needles is desired or necessary. By means of set screws 46 arranged to contact the pins 4 5, it is possible to accurately adjust the operative level of the points 39 relative to the needles as will be readily seen from Fig. 14. The slides '43 are confined to endwise movement in sleeve guides 4'! which are fulcrumed on a horizontal rock shaft 43 whereof the ends are 'journalled'in the side frames 50 of the machine. In accordance with our invention, the slides 43 are connected by a horizontal tie bar 5! whereof the opposite ends are secured, as instanced in'Figs. l6 and i8, by screws 52 to blocks pendant fromfsaid slides through clearance slots B ithe bottoms of the guides 4'1. The spring belts shown at-55 in Figs. 2 and 3 have their ends secured at 58 to the tie bar 5| and are trained about pulleys 5'! on the front bed 58 connecting theside frames 53 at the top to urge the slidestS'ihward of the machine and so maintain rollers 59 free 'on the studs 42 of the slides engaged with upstanding cam projections 66. In accordance with our invention the projections 62] are secured, with capacity for adjustment, to: the'tops of the side frames 50. As shown,'the cam projections es have horizontal portions 690 which, see Figs. 15 and 19 are slotted as at 6] for passage of the shanks of cap screws 52 which take laterally into the side frames 50. Adjustment is facilitated by means of set screws 63 which are threadedly engaged in lugs affixed to the side frames and which bear against the rear edges of the horizontal portions 60a of the cam projections 6i.- as best seen in Fig. 15.

Clamped to the rock shaft 48 iFigs. l-fi) is a pendant arm 65 with a roller 56 thereon adapted to run in contact with the periph ry of a rotarycam 61 on the cam shaft 3| during ordinary knitting, and in contact with the periphery of an adjacent cam 68 when said shaft is, shifted toward the observer in Figs. 4-6 for narrqwing. A spring lil pulls upon the arm 85 to. keep the roller Bil yieldingly engaged with the cam (51 or the disk 68 as the case may, be. Thus by action of the parts just described, the rock shaft E8. is. oscillated with consequent impartation of up and down movements to the cover oint bar, 40,. As shown, the arm 65 is formed in two sections 65 and 652) which are connected by a; knuckle joint with the pivot as II. The lower end of the section 65a is slotted as at 7.2. to receive the upper end of section 6522, and the two: are yield-ingly held in the normal relation in which they. are illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 7 by a spring H1. However, this relation of the sections 55a and 652) can be varied slightly to; change the angularity of the guides 41 and hence of the slides 43 by adjustment of a set screw (:3 which is threaded into the section 65c and which engages the sec-- tion 65b somewhat above the pivot It as shown.

The required outward movements are imparted to the point bar 40 through mechanism including a lever 15 which isfulc'rumed, at. 16. on a bearing bracket Tl 'afiixed at its/top to the bed as and at the bottom to a'suppiementn frame member 18. The upper arm of lever 15 contacts a roller supported by a plate 8i which is clamped between the bar 5: connecting the two guides 61 and to a block 32 (see Figs. 2 and 1'1), which is notched laterally to freely engage the rock shaft it. The bar 5i is apertured and the plate 8| slotted as at 53 for passage of the shanks of cap screws which take into the block 62. It is thus possible to adjust the roller 89 relative to the guides 4'1, such adjustment being facilitated by a set screw 85 which is threaded into the block 82 from the front and which bears against the rear edge of the plate 8i. The lower arm of lever 75 carries a roller 85 wherewith contacts the upper arm of another lever '8'! with fulcrum support at 88 on supplemental frame 18, the lower arm of the latter lever in turn carrying a roller 93 which is adapted normally to run on a circular idling disk 51 on cam shaft 3i. When the cam shaft 35 is shifted endwise for fashioning, another rotary cam 92 thereon is brought into the plane of the roller So to actuate the lever 8'1 with resultant impartation of outward movement to the slides 43 through the medium of the lever ":5 as and for a purposelater explained. 'The spring shown at9'3 acts upon the lever 87 to maintain the roller in engagement either with the disk 9| or the cam 92 as the case may be.

From Figs. 1 and 4-8 it will be observed that lug '95 projects laterally from the sections 650 of lever 65 immediately above the pivot l i, which lug during the normal operation of said arm avoids the nose of a'trip element 96 pivoted on the bracket 17. By means of a link 9?, the trip element 96 is coupled with a short arm 98 afiixed to another rock shaft 99 in the upper frontal part of the machine; A second short arm 163 (see also Fig. 10) is in turn coupled by another link 10! with a spring-biased finger :92 on a rock shaft H13 in the lower frontal part of the machine adjacent a shaft IE4. This shaft I94 carries a cam drum, I05 with ratchet teeth iii-5 arranged to be picked intermittently by pawiing mechanism (not shown) said drum being provided with a campro'jecti'onlfl'l for actuating the finger l 02 as hereinafter noted.

In accordance, with our invention, the shanks of the needles 3 are swaged as at 32c and thereby spread to a width (see Figs. 21- and 22) substantiallyequal to that of the intervals between adjacent sinkers 33 and dividers 34, and incidently hollowed out for considerable distance for capacity to receive the tips of the points 39 incident to stitch formation. The sinkers 33 (Fig. 20-). have yarn receiving throats 3.3a but are devoid of. the usual forward tongue projections at the bottom and terminate at their front ends in substantially vertical edges 33b. The dividers 34 likewise have upper yarn receiving throats at 34a, but are devoid of the usual upper ni'os and are further characterized by: straight and substantially vertical edges .49 between said. receiving throats and the usual lower throats 340. As usual, however, th dividers 3 4 have forwardly projecting tongues 34d at the bottom. The points 39 are longitudinally fluted as at 39 and, like the swaged portions 32 of the needle shanks, are made to a width substantially equal to that of the intervals between adjacent sinkers and dividers. The purpose and advantages of these special constructions will also be later brought out.

In order to facilitate application of the welt bar I09 (Figs. 10-13) for engagement of its hooks lit! with the starting course of each stocking blank, the machine is provided with supporting 5 mile III which are screwed fast to the bed 58. Eorwardly projecting skids II2 attached to end extensions 39a. of the wel tbar I59 at the bottom are adapted to rest on the rails II I and, as shown, are tapered in cross section to determine slight downward tilting of the welt hooks III]. By cooperation with the end extensions IBQaof the welt bar I09, fixed guards H4 along the outer sides of the rails I Ii, assist in guiding said bar as it is slid inwards of the machine toward the needles 32 as far as permitted by engagement of said end extensions with upstanding stop projections Il5a of a pair of retracting elements I which are disposedlongitudinally of the outer sides of said railsbetween the latter and the guards. The elements'l I5 are constrained to endwise movement in slots H6 formed in lateral projections IIIa, H lb of the rails H! see Figs. 11 and 12, and are yieldingly drawn outward by tension springs I'I'I'. Qutward movement of the elements I I5 is limited by engagement of stop shoulders I'I-5b thereon with the lateral projections ills; of the rails I I I.

The welt bar I59 is automatically moved intooperative position as in Fig. 10 relative to the needles 32 by means including a pair of thrust elements in the form of bars I25 which are arranged longitudinally of the inner sides of the rails III and normally rest on top of the bed 58 as shcwn in Fig. 14 with stop shoulders I 26a at their bottom edges engaged with the inner edge of said bed. The outer ends of the thrust bars I29 are pivotally co nected at I2I to arms I22 fixed to another rock shaft 1123 which has rotati've support in fixed bearing brackets I24 on the bed 58. Also affixed to the shaft 523 is a crank arm I25; from which a hook element I 25 is hung. The spring at I2'i tends to keep the hook element I26 normally withdrawn from the path of a lateral stud I28 on the arm Idea of a lever I311 medially" fulcrumed on a fixed center I 3i. The lever I30 is subject to a spring I32 and its other arm I- 3I lb carries a roller E33 arranged to be acted upon by another rotary cam I34 on cam shaft 3 I. Upon movement of the shaft so counterclockwise, a spring finger I35 thereon by cooperation with a pin' I36 "on the hook element E25 swings said element inward to engage with the stud I28 of lever I 38. Thus, as the lever i529 is actuated by the cam I t l, the bars I28 are thrust inward as in Fig. 10 with the result that by coaction of sloped cam notches at i282) with fixed studs l3! extending laterally from the rails i I I, the forward ends of said bars are raised to engage the end projections Inert of the welt bar its from behind. As the movement continues, the welt bar It!) is pushed inward until the welt hooks I it are positioned between the needles 32 in readiness to receive the first courses of fabric loops drawn by said needles. During the advance of the welt bar I59, a spring finger I38 dispaces the inner end of the adjacent thrust bar I which in turn contacts one end of the welt bar I88 and shifts the latter so that the other end thereof bears against the contiguous guard IHI as in Fig. 11. In this way, the hooks II!) of the welt bar are accurately positioned on center with the. intervals between the needles 32. Each thrust bar 23 is provided with a flexible projection I38 arranged to react with the corresponding stud i 3 'i to limit the rise of the bar as it is thrust forward.

Qperation In preparation for the knitting of a. stocking blank, the welt bar its is slid inwardly on the rails l I. I; by hand untilit is intercepted byencounter of its end projections with the stops 5a of the retracting elements II5 which are normally held fully withdrawn by the springs I'I'I. In being so placed, the uards H4 serve as guides to approximately center the welt bar on the rails I I I in a manner which will be readily understood from Figs. 11 and 13 of the drawings. The machine is thereupon started and the thrust bars I20 moved inward when the ratchet wheel I06 is *pawled to advance the cam rise I01 on drum I05 beneath the finger I92 as in Fig. 5. In consequence, the finger i2 is raised and through the link IBI and the arm Iilii causes impartation of a partial anti-clockwise movement to the shaft 99 which is attended by actuation of the flexible finger I35 to shift the hook element 'l26 into the path of the stud I22? on the: lever I33. Upon actuation of the lever I39 by the rotary cam I3 3, the hook element lid is drawn downward and, through the arm we and I22 on shaft I23", causes the thrust bars I23 to be moved inward, with attendant advance of the Welt bar I09 to the position in which it is shown in- Fig. 10. Lifting of the finger id; by the rise l d! on drum I05 as just explained, is also attended by clockwise turning of the trip element from the normal position of Fig. l to the position of Fig. 5. Consequently, when the arm is moved by encounter of the hump Bid or rotary cam 61 with the roller 66, the projection 95 on the section 65a of said arm is brought into contact with the trip element 96 as in Figs. 6 and 8 to detain the upper section 65a of said arm and so prevent operation of the point bar which will thereforeremain inactive in raised position out of the range of the needles 32. Before completion of the current rotation of cam shaft 5i, the needles 32, the sinkers 33 and the dividers 35 will be operated and the initial course C of the stocking blank formed over the hooks lid of the welt bar as in" Figs. 10 and 11 whereupon the ratchet IE6 is again picked and the m5 rotativcly for advancement of its cam lug I ill from be neath the finger H32. As the finger Hi2 drops, the shaft 99 will be reversely turned with resultant retraction of the flexible tongue Hi5 from the hook element 25 and the latter withdrawnfrom the stud I28 of the roller arm i fi by the spring I21, whereby the trip element 96 is restored to its normal position as in Fig. 4'. The spring Ill thereupon immediately acts to re-set the sections 65a and iii-5b of the roller arm 55 in their normal relationship in which they are illustrated in Fig. l. During the reverse turn of the shaft 95% as above, the thrust bars I29 are restored to the normal position of Fig. 14 by in fluenceof the spring I2; onarm I22, and the welt bar I99 released to the action of retracting elements H15. By the pull of the springs ill upon the elements M5, the welt bar It!) is drawn outward with its hooks engaging the course C as in Figs. 13 and 14. From then on the knitting proceeds norma ly until suiiicient fabric for the welt of a. stocking has been knitted, whereupon the machine is stopped for turning of the welt in the usual way. However, at some time duringthe early stages of this phase of the knitting, the attendant is. obliged to connect the usual take up. straps Mil (Fig. 13) to the welt bar me before the shoulders II5b on the detents H5 reach the lateral extension II is of the rails Iii.

In normal knitting, the needle bar 36 is moved up and down and in and out relative to the sinkersv and dividers d-ur-i-ng single rotations ofthe cam shaft 3t exactly the samemanner as I set forth in the West patent. The guides 41 are concurrently rocked about the shaft 48 as a center to raise and lower the cover point bar 40 by action of the rotary cam 61 upon the roller arm 65. At the same time, the slides 43 which carry the cover point bar 43 are reciprocated longitudinally through the medium of the part by action of the rotary cam 9! upon the roller arm 81. In Fig. 20, the cover points 39 are elevated to the maximum extent, the knock-overs 31 fully retracted, the needles 32 fully raised and the sinkers 33 fully advanced to sink freshly fed yarn Y between alternate needles. With the needles still high, the cover points 33 descend to the position of Fig. 23. In Fig. 24, the dividers 34 have been advanced to further apportion the yarn Y between the needles 32 and the latter moved laterally into pressure contact with the cover points 39. In Fig. 25, the needles and the cover points 39 are moving down together in i contact with each other and at the same rate, the points passing down through the loops of a previously formed fabric course on the needles with the sinkers and dividers still advanced and the kinks of the freshly fed yarn Y still held in the sinker and divider throats. In Fig. 26 the sinkers and dividers are fully retracted while the needles are still moving down and receding from the cover points 39 which have begun to rise. Fig. 27 shows the needles 32 all the way down with the loops of the freshly laid yarn drawn through the loops of initial course C still restrained by the points which continue upward, with concurrent advance of the knock-overs 31. Fig. 28 shows the completion of the titch forming cycle with the loops of the new fabric course pushed over the tops of the needles by the knockovers 31. It is to be particularly noted that at no time do the cover points 39 engage the usual presser edge at a, pressure contact between the needles and the points during the stitch formation being maintained through mutual yielding of these element made possible by their inherent flexibility and novel construction. It is to be especially noted further that while the sinkers 33 are being advanced, they are steadied by reason of the presence of the thickened portions of the needle shanks and of the points 3-; between them and the tongues of the dividers as best seen in Figs. 26 and 21. Thi has the effect of preventing vibration and attendant fatigue of the metal of the sinkers and dividers upon impact of their butts with the verge plate 38, thereby precluding ruptures and breakages of these elements such as frequently occur in machines of ordinary construction. During retreat of the sinkers and dividers a the stitches are being drawn it will be seen that by virtue of absence of the usual nebs of these elements, the friction upon the yarn is reduced to a minimum. This is obviously advantageous in that it precludes chafing and ruptures of the yarn, and thereby not only enables production of fabrics from very fine yarns, but favors operation of the machine at higher speeds than practical heretofore.

The hereinbefore described welt bar controlling mechanism, and the new sinkers and dividers per so, have been made the subjects of separate applications.

Having discussed our invention, we claim:

1. In a straight knitting machine, a bar with a series of hook needles, a bar with needle-hook cover points to cooperate with the needles in stitch formation; supporting means forv the Point bar rockable about a horizontal axis; means for rocking the point bar supporting means including,

a. rotary cam; a spring biased follower arm arranged to be actuated by the cam, said arm being formed in two sections connected by a knuckle joint; and means operative at predetermined times during the knitting to break the knuckle joint of the arm and to prevent its actuation by ing the trip element into the path of the lug when actuation of the point bar is to be prevented. V

3. The combination according to claim 1,- in which the knuckle joint breaking means includes a trip element pivoted on a fixed center and having a nose normally out of the path of a projection on one of the sections of the follower arm beyond the knuckle pivot, and wherein the means for operating the trip element moves it about its pivot to bring its nose into the path of the lug when actuation of the point bar is to be prevented.

- 4. In a straight stocking knitting mach ne, a bar with a series of hook needles; a bar with needle hook cover points to cooperate with the needles in stitch formation; a substantially horizontal slide for supporting the point bar; a guide for the slide fulcrumed for oscillatory movement about a horizontal axis; a fixed stop abutment constantly engaged by the slide to limit its inward movement in respect to the needles during normal knitting; means for yieldingly maintaining the slide normally engaged with the stop abutment; means for oscillating the guide for movement of the cover points into and out of operative relation to the needles in stitch formation; and means automatically operative during fashioning phases of the machine to retract the slide for withdrawal of the points, when in raised position, out of the way of the needles.

5. In a straight stocking knitting machine, a bar with a series of hook needles; a bar with needle hook cover points to cooperate with the needles in stitch formation; a substantially horizontal slide for supporting the point bar; a guide for the slide fulcrumed for oscillatory movement about a horizontal axis; a fixed stop abutment normally engaged by the slide to limit its inward movement in respect to the needles; means for yieldingly maintaining the slide engaged with the stop abutment; means for oscillating the guide for movement of the points into and out of operative relation to the needles in stitch formation, including a follower arm, and an endwise shiftable shaft with a rotary cam thereon for normally actuating the follower arm; and means automatically operative during fashioning phases when the shaft is shifted to move the cam out of the plane of the follower arm, including a rocker arm and another rotary cam on the cam shaft moved into the path of the rocker arm to actuate it when said shaft is shifted as aforesaid.

6. In a straight knitting machine, a bar with a series of book needles; means for imparting up and down and press movements to the needle bar; a bar with a corresponding series of flexible needle hook cover points; and means operative during each stitch forming cycle to move the point bar from a retracted position for presentation of its points, with freedom to yield, at

sinkers in stitch formation, said needles havin 10 shank portions equal in width to that of the intervals between sinkers; and a series of vertically-movable needle hook cover points likewise of a width corresponding to that of the intervals between sinkers, whereby as the needles and the cover points are moved into cooperative relation and the sinkers are slurred forwardly, the sinkers are prevented from vibrating upon impact of their butts with the verge plate.

EMIL J. BERGER. HOWARD K. WEST.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,770,578 Lohs July 15, 1930 2,007,798 Gastrich July 9, 1935 2,195,907 Verbeek Apr. 2, 1940 2,331,528 West Oct. 12, 1943 2,431,160 Bitzer Nov. 18, 1947