US2787147A - Knitting machine - Google Patents

Description

April 2, 1957 c. H. wAlNwRlGHT ETAL 2,787,147

KNITTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 20, 1955 April 2, 1957 c. H. wAxNwRlGHT ET AL 2,787,147

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 2o, 1955 5 sheets-sheet 2 April 2, 1957 c. H. wAlNwRlGHT ETAL KNITTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 20. 1955 vApril 2, 1957 c. H. wAlNwRlGHT ET AL 2,787,147

KNITTING MACHINE Filed sept. 20. 1955 5 sheets-sheet 4 `April 2, 1957 c. H. wAlNwRlGHT ET AL 2,787,147

KNITTING MACHINE Filed sept. 2Q, 1955 5 sheets-sheet 5 YARN United States Patent O KNITTING MACHINE Carlyle Herbert Wainwright and Alfred Woodward Kent,

Leicester, England, assignors to The Bentley Engineering Company Limited, Leicester, England Application September 20, 1955, Serial No. 535,439

13 Claims. (Cl. 66.144)

The present invention relates to circular knitting machines land particularly to means for increasing the patterning capabilities and production rate of such machines. While certain features of the invention are applicable to machines of other types, the invention is of a special value in hosiery machines having coaxial needle cylinders with double 'ended needles operable in either cylinder and transferable from one cylinder to the other to produce either plain knit fabric or rib knit fabric with different rib patterns as desired.

In knitting hosiery, it is necessary to provide a number of successive yarn changes. For example, it is desirable to use one yarn for `a draw thread, other yarn for the top portion of the stocking, yarn of different color or weight for the Ileg and additional yarns for the high splice heel, toe, loopers edge etc. If it is desired to produce a pattern, for example multicolor horizontal stripes, still additional yarn changes are required. Moreover, it is desirable to have two feeding stations so that two courses can be knit each revolution of the machine thereby increasing the rate of production. It has accordingly been proposed to provide a plurality of yarn feeding lingers which are movable into and out of feeding positions. However, in circular knitting machines, particularly :small diameter machines of the kind used for knitting seamless hosiery, the space available around the needle cylinder is severely limited. This restricts the number of yarn fingers that can as a practical matter be provided on the machine and thereby limits the patterning capabilities of the machine.

It isan object of the presentinvention materially to increase the rangeof patterns that can be produced by a circular knitting machine by making it possible to knit plain fabric and any Variety of plain or fancy rib and at the same time to feed any of a dozen or` more yarns. For example, it is possible in accordance with the invention to produce, in string work, socks having a welt, a 2 x 2 rib top, broad rib leg and instep and plain knit heel, sole and toe with iive horizontal stripes of different colored yarn of one weight in the top and live horizontal strips of different colored yarn of another weight in the leg or foot. Alternatively, ten stripes, each of a dierent color, can be provided in the top, leg or foot. The rib fabric of the top and the leg can be made with vertical ribs of any desired widths or with fancy rib such as Links-Links fabric, the latter being produced by selectively shifting needles from one cylinder to the other during the knitting operation. Alternatively, the leg portion can be made of plain knit fabric. Moreover, the invention makes it possible not only to produce la wide variety of patterns but also to achieve a high rate of production by knitting substantial portions of the article by two feed knitting.

In accordance with the invention this versatility and high production is achieved by the combination and cooperation of coaxial needle cylinders, two circumferentially spaced yarn feeding stations each having a plurali-ty of fingers for feeding yarn to the needles of both Y cylinders, a high capacity knot tier for supplying different yarns successively to a Finger at one of the feeding stations and coordinated controls for feeding yarns of the same kind and at the same time .at the other feeding stations.

The invention further provides an improved high capacity knot tier capable of handling a large number of yarns, for example l0, and having a plurality of selectors which are operable in such manner as to feed any of the yarns or more than one yarn at a time as desired.

The objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully understood fnom the following description and claims in conjunction with the accompanying dr-awings in which:

Fig. l is a front perspective View of a knitting machine in accordance with the invention having coaxial needle cylinders, two yarn feeding stations, each having a plurality of movable yarn fingers, means for selectively moving the yarn lingers into and out of feeding position, a knot tier and associated selectors for snpplying any of a plurality of yarns to one of the yarn feeding fingers and control mechanism comprising a main pattern drum and three pattern chains of which two are shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 2 is a front perspective view supplementing Fig. l and showing a lower portion of the machine including the third pattern chain and associated mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a perspective View tof a knot tier and selector mechanism with portions broken away and certain parts omitted for the sake of clarity.

Fig. 4 is a further perspective View of the knot tier as seen from the same direction but having other portions broken away to show certain parts omitted or obscured in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective View showing one of the yarn feeding lingers and associated selecting mechanism for tlre second feed.

In order to simplify and thereby clarify the drawings, certain parts of the machine which are in themselves well known are omitted and other parts are shown schematically.

In the drawings there is Ishown by way of example, a small diameter circular knitting machine of the kind used for knitting hosiery. The machine has a frame 1 and superposed coaxial needle cylinders 2 and 3 which are rotatable continuously in one direction, yas in knitting the top and leg portions of ia sock, and are also oscillatable, as when knitting heel and toe pockets.. The needles used are double ended with hooks at opposite ends and are operable in either cylinder and transferrable from one cylinder to the other during the operation of the machine. The needles are customarily operated by sliders having butts engageable with cams provided in an upper cam box 4 and lower cam `box 5 and controlled by suitable selecting mechanism. When all of the needles are operating in the lower cylinder, plain knit fabric is produced. When selected needles or groups of needles are in .the upper cylinder and intervening need-les are in the lower cylinder, the lmachine piioduces rib knit fabric of any desired kind depending on the needle distribution. By selective transfer of needles from one cylinder to the other during the operation of the machine, it is possible to produce fancy rib such as that known as Links-Links fabric. As machines of this type are well known, the needle cylinders and associated needle selecting and operating mechanism are indicated schematically in Fig. l.

Yarn is fed to the needles in either or both needle cylinders as desired at two feeding stations which are circumferentially spaced from one another and are referred -to |as the main or front feed and the back feed. The

yarn feeds and needle operating means are co-related to 3 feed and knit yarn fed at each station so that when both feeds are used, two courses are knit in each revolution of the needle cylinders. At each yarn feeding station, there is provided a plurality of yarn feeding lingers which are individually movable into and out of yarn feeding position by a suitable selecting mechanism. One of the yarn fingers and associated selecting mechanism is illustrated in Fig. 5 and described more fully below, it being understood that the others are of like construction and operate in like manner. A yarn change is effected by moving one lingers into operating position and moving another one out, the number of possible changes being dependent on the number of lingers available. When, as in the present instance, there are two feeds and the diameter of the machine is small, the number of ngers that can be provided at each feed is restricted, for example, to ve or six lingers. The patterning capabilities of the machine are thus limited.

In accordance with the invention, the patterning capacity of the machine is materially increased while still retaining the high rate of production resulting from the use of ltwo feeds and other desirable characteristics of the machine such as its ability t-o produce a sock or other article having portions formed of plain knitting and integral portions formed of different types of rib knitting. This is achieved by the use of a high capacity knot tier which selectively supplies any of ten yarns to yone of the yarn feeding fingers of the machine, .for example a finger at the main feed, and by coordinating the control of the knot tier, the yarn lingers at the main and back feeds and the main pattern drum, which controls the operation of the machine including the manipulation of the needles.

In addition to the main pattern drum 7, which is shown in Fig. 1 as having two portions 3 and 9, the control mechanism comprises three pattern chains 11, 12 and 13 (see also Fig. 2). The three chains operate in synchronism of one another and each makes one movement for each revolution of `the machine. Chain ll controls the racking of the main pattern drums 8 and 9 and `also the selection of yarn lingers at the main feed. Chain 12 controls two selectors of the knot tier shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Chain 13 controls the selection of yarn fingers at the back feed.

Pattern chains 11 and 12 run on the same chain wheel 15 which is moved intermittently `once each revolution of the machine, for example by mechanism like that described below in conjunction with chain 13. The main pattern drum 7 is racked by a pawl 16 which is continually oscillated by suitable mechanism and is adapted to engage the teeth of a rack wheel 19 fixed to the pattern drum. The pawl 16 is normally held out of engagement with the rack wheel 19 by means of a pin 21 which projects laterally from the pawl and is engaged by an arm of a lever 22 which is pivoted coaxially with a shaft 23 and has another arm Z4 which follows the left hand track of the pattern chain 11. When the :arm 24 of the lever 22 rides up on a stud provided :at the left hand side of chain 11, the pawl 16 is allowed to engage a tooth of the rack wheel 19 thereby advancing the main pattern drum.

The sections 8 and 9 of the main pattern drum 7 are provided with a plurality of cams or cam tracks engageable by suitable cam 'followers by means of which the operation of the machine is automatically controlled. Thus for example, an arm 26 of a cam follower 27 is engageable with cams provided on the drum 8 while a second yarm-23 of the cam follower is connected by means of a link 29 and other suitable connections to a part that is to be controlled. Similarly, a cam follower arm 3.1 lixed on the shaft 23 is adapted to engage cams on the drum 9. By means of a plurality of such followers, the drums `8 and 9 control the cycle `of operation of the machine including speed changes, the shifting of movable teams controlling the operation of the needles etc. Such control in itself is well known and hence does not require further description.

Pattern chain 11 also controls the selection Iof yarn lingers iat the main feeding station. This is accomplished by means of an arm 33 which follows the yright hand track of chain 11 and is fixed -to a sleeve 34 which is freely rotatable on the shaft 23. Another arm 35 fixed on the sleeve 34 is adjustably connected by a link 36 and bell crank 37 to a `selector bar 38. When the arm 33 rides up on a stud provided at the right hand side of chain 11, the selector bar 38 is moved in the direction of the `arrow 39 a distance corresponding to the height of the stud. Any movement of the selector bar 38 from its idle position causes the yarn changing mechanism at the main feed to operate and the position to which the selecto-r bar is moved determines which of the yarn lingers is introduced. Thus the yarn linger selection at the main feed is controlled by the height of the lugs on the right hand side of chain 11 and their position on the chain. As the `selecting mechanism is like that described in more detail below in conjunction with the back feed further description here is believed unnecessary.

The pattern chain 12 controls the selection of yarn by a high capacity knot tier 40 (Figs. 3 and 4) which supplies yarn to one of the fingers at the main yarn feed. The yarn tier 4t) comprises yarn selecting mechanism 41 and knot tier mechanism 42 which latter is known per se, for example, from United States Patent 1,624,792, Iand is hence `shown schematically in dotted lines in Fig. 4. The selecting mechanism 41 comprises a plurality of yarn fingers 44, ten such lingers being shown in Fig. 3. The fingers 44 are individuallyswingable about a shaft `4S supported by a stationary frame 46, the lower portions of the lingers being guided by a comb 47. When a finger 44 is swung downwardly to operative position from the idle position shown in Fig. 3, a yarn carried by `an eye 48 at the lower end of the finger is brought into the path of a scoop 50. The scoop, driven by ra quadrant bevel gear 51 and meshing pinion 52, then makes a partial rotation, carrying the newly selected yarn together with the running yarn into the tying bill 53 of the tying mechanism 42 which ties the two yarns together.

The yarn fingers 44 of `the knot tier selecting mechanism 41 are normally held by individual springs 54 in the idle position shown. Selective movement of the lingers to operative position is effected by an actuator bar 55 and two selector arms 56 and 57. The actuator bar 55 extends parallel to the shaft across the entire bank of lingers 44 and is continually rocked about a spindle 58 by ya suitable driving mechanism which is illustrated in Fig. 4 as comprising an arm 59, link 61 and segment 62. The selector arm 56 is fixed on a shaft 66 which is rotatably supported by the `stationary frame 46 and is also longitudinally slidablc. The selector armi57 is similarly fixed on a tubular shaft 67 which is coaxial with the shaft 66 and likewise rotatable and slidable in a longitudinal direction. An enlarged head portion 68 is provided at the outer end of the selector arm 56 while a similar head portion 69 is carried by a laterally offset portion 71 of the selector Iarm 57. `By longitudinal movement of the shaft 66, the head 63 of the selector arm 56 can be brought into position between the actuator bar and any of the yarn fingers of the group `designated x in Fig. 3. ln like manner the shaft 67 is movable longitudinally to bring the head 69 of selector arm 57 into position between the .actuator bar 55 and any of the yarn fingers of the group ldesignated y. As illustrated in Fig. 3, `there are live lingers in each group. The proportions and relation of the actuator bar, selector arms and fingers is such that when the head portion of a selector arm is positioned between the actuator bar and a yarn finger, oscillation of the actuator bar depresses the selected yarn linger against the action of its spring from idle to operative position. A tension spring 72 act-ing between the two shafts '66 and 67 normally holds both the selector arms in the idle positions shown in Fig. 3 in which they do not engage any lof the lingers.

aymara?- Lateral movement ofthe selector arms 56 and 57 toractuate the 'selected ones `of the yarn fingers 44 is controlled by the pattern chain 12. A bell crank lever 75 which is coaxial with the shaft 23 (Fig. l) has an arm 76 which follows the left hand track of the chain 12. An upwardly projecting arm 77 of the lever 75 is adjustably connected by a link 78, bell crank 79 and link 80 (see also Fig. 3) with a swingable arm 81 pivoted on the frame 46 at 82 and having a downturned end portion engageable with a clamp 83 fixed on shaft 66 which carries the selector arm 56. When the arm 76 rides up on a lug provided at the left hand side of chain 12, the link 80 is moved in the direction of the arrow S4, thereby sliding the shaft 66 toward the right as viewed in Fig. 3 and bringing the head of the selector arm 56 into alignment with one or another of the yarn fingers 44 of the group x. By having the lugs of live different heights, the selector can be caused to actuate whichever linger of this group is desired.

In like manner, a bell crank lever 85 (Fig. l) pivoted coaxially with the lshaft 23 has an arm 86 which follows the right hand track of the chain 12. An upwardly projecting arm 87 of the bell crank 85 is adjustably connected by means of a link 88, bell crank S9 and link 90 (see also Fig. 3) with a lever 91 which is pivoted on the frame 46 at 92 and has a downturned end portion engaging a clamp 93 fixed on a shaft 67 which carries the selector arm 57. When the follower arm 86 rides up on a lug provided at the right hand side of chain 12, the link 90 is moved in the direction of the arrow 94 thereby shifting the shaft 67 and selector arm 57 to the left as viewed in Fig. 3 to bring the head 59 of the lselector into alignment with one or another of the fingers of group y depending on the height of the lug. Since the control of selectors 56 and 57 is independent of one another, one being controlled by lugs on the left hand side of chain 12 and the other by lugs `on the right hand side, it is possible to select a finger of group x or a finger of group y or alternatively a finger from each group simultaneously.

The yarn or yarns selected by the knot tier are indicated by pointers 96 and 97 cooperating with an indicator plate 98. The pointer 96 is carried by the shaft 66 while the pointer 97 is carried by the shaft 67. When the selectors are in the idle positions shown in Fig. 3 both pointers are at zero. As successive yarn selections are made, the pointers 96 and 97 are moved respectively in yopposite directions from the zero point and indicate on the plate 98 the yarn or yarns selected.

The pattern chain 13 controls the selection of yarn fingers at the rear feed. tion of the machine and can if desired run -on the same chain wheel `as chains 11 and 12. However, for convenience it has been shown running on a chain wheel 101 rotatable on a shaft 102 rotatably supported by the frame. The chain wheel 1111 is driven from an eccentric 103 on a running shaft 194 through a yoke 10S, bell crank 106 and link 107 connected to an arm 108 fixed on shaft 102. A second arm 109 fixed to shaft 102 carries a pawl 11i) that engages a rack wheel 111 fixed to the chain wheel 101. The movement of the yoke 105 by the eccentric 103 is thus transmitted through the described linkage to move the chain wheel forward one step each revolution of the running shaft 104.

The right hand track of the chain 13 is followed by a lever 113 pivotally supported by a shaft 114. The lever 113 is connected by a link 115 (see also Fig. l), arm 116, shaft 23, arm 117, link 118, bell crank 119 :and link 120 with a cam lever 121 pivotally supported at 122. A cam portion 123carried by the lever 121 is provided with a stepped cam slot 124 in which is engaged a pin on a longitudinally movable selector bar 125 controlling the back feed mechanism. Longitudinal movement of the bar 125 is thus controlled by lugs of selected heights on chain 13.

Mechanism controlling the operation of the back feed is illustrated in Fig. 5. A racking frame 126 is swingable about a shaft 127 and is continuously oscillated in timed relation with the machine by means of a connecting rod 128 and a crank 129 xed on a running shaft of the machine. The racking frame 126 carries a shaft 130 which is parallel to the shaft 127 and pivotally supports a plurality of pawls 131 of which only one is shown in full. The pawls 131 are thus oscillated bodily about the shaft 127 and are adapted to engage rack wheels 132 rotatably supported on that shaft. However, when there is no chain stud under the lever 113 (Fig. 2) controlling the selecting bar 125, tails 133 on the pawls 131 engage the upper level 134 of the selector bar and the pawls are thereby prevented from engaging their rack wheels.

Each rack wheel 132 has alternately high and low teeth.

It makes one move each revolu- A low tooth can be engaged only when the pawl tail drops to a low level 135 of the selector bar. A high tooth of the rack wheel can be engaged when the pawl tail rests on an intermediate level 136 of the selector bar. A rack wheel 132, a cam 138 for operating a yarn finger, and a cam 139 for operating a trapper are attached together forming a unit and there is a separate such unit for each yarn finger. As illustrated in Fig. 5, each yarn finger 140 is pivotally supported by a shaft 141 and -is swingable in one vdirection yby a spring 142 and in the opposite direction by a lever 143 swingable on a shaft 144 and having a nose portion 14S engaging the cam 138. To simplify the drawings only one yarn finger and one control unit are shown, it being understood that there are a plurality of such lingers, for example, five, and a corresponding number of control units. There is also a unit comprising a rack Wheel and cams for operating movable cams in the cam boxes 4 and 5 for introducing or withdrawing the back feed. All of these units are mounted side by side upon the shaft 127 but rotate on it independently as selected. rThe cams are arranged in relation to the rack wheels so that a low tooth is engaged by the paWl to bring feed finger into action and a high tooth is engaged to take the linger out `of action. When the selector bar 125 is moved longitudinally by the control mechanism described above, so as to present a low level of the selector lbar to a pawl, the corresponding yarn linger will be introduced. lf the intermediate level of the selector -bar is presented to all of the other pawls which control the yarn fingers, the particular finger which happens to be operative at the time will be withdrawn because a high tooth of its rack wheel will be within reach of the pawl, while the others will be unaffected. lf the intermediate level of the selector bar is presented to all of the pawls the back feed will be withdrawn from operation.

The selection of yarn fingers at the back feed is thus controlled by the height and spacing of the lugs provided on chain 13, there being a different height corresponding to each of the yarn fingers at the back feed. As chain 11 controlling the racking of the main pattern drum and the selection of yarn iingers at the main feed, chain 12 controlling the two selectors of the knot tier and chain 13 controlling the selection of yarn lingers at the back feed are all moved in predetermined timed relationship of one another, precise coordination of the two feeds, the knot tier and the operation of the needles is assured. Thus for example, in knitting socks having horizontal stripes of different colors in the top portion, and also in the foot, one of the ngers at the main feed is used .for feeding yarn from the knot tier while others are used for other yarns for body portions of the sock, heel, toe, high splice, etc. One of the lingers at the back feed is used for draw thread while others are threaded with yarns corresponding to certain of the yarns supplied to the knot tier. By operation of the selecting and tying mechanism as described above, the knot tier supplies different yarns one after another to produce horizontal striping. If yarns of the same weight are to be used throughout the striped Y 7 t areas, it is possible to haveten different colors of stripes. Alternatively live of the ngers may be supplied with yarn of one weight to produce stripes in the top portion of a sock and the other five fingers supplied with yarns of a different weight for striping in the leg or foot.

During the knitting of wider stripes, a back feed finger carrying the same yarn as that currently supplied by the knot tier is introduced so that the rate of production is doubled. Although there is a lag between the time the knot tier makes a new selection and the time the newly selected yarn reaches the yarn linger by which it is fed to the needles, the control mechanism herein described makes it possible to coordinate the introduction of a new yarn by the knot tier and the introduction of a corresponding yarn at the back feed for two feed knitting so that precise timing is achieved.

lt Will thus be seen that the present invention greatly increases the patterning capabilities of a circular knitting machine while at the same time providing a high rate of production. While the invention has been described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing by way of example a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that it is not limited to the precise machine herein shown,

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. In a circular knitting machine, a main yarn feeding station, a second yarn feeding station, a plurality of yarn lingers at each of said stations, said fingers being movable into and out of feeding position, selecting means for each of said stations to move selected fingers into feeding position, a knot tier and associated selector for supplying any of a plurality of yarns to at least one of said lingers, means for supplying yarn to the remaining lingers, a plu-- rality of pattern chains, sensing means actuated by said chains and connected to said selector of the knot tier and to the selecting means for said stations to detcrn'tine which yarn is supplied by the knot tier and which lingers are in feeding position .and means for moving all of said chains in timed relation with one another thereby coordinating the selection of yarns to produce a predetermined pattern.

2. ln a circular knittinnr machine, a main yarn feeding station, a second yarn feeding station, circumferentially spaced from said main station, a plurality of yarn iin gers at each of said stations, said ngers being movable into and out of feeding position, selecting means for each of said stations to move selected fingers into feeding position, a knot tier and associated selector for supplying any of a plurality of yarns to at least one of said lingers, means for supplying yarn to the remaining lingers, a main pattern drum for controlling the operation of the machine, means for racking said drum, a plurality of pattern chains, sensing means actuated by said chains and operatively connected to said racking means, said selec tor and Said selecting to control the racking of said main pattern drum, the selection of yarn by said knot tier and the positions of said lingers, and means for moving said chains in timed relation with one another, thereby coordinating the operation of said main pattern drum and the selection of yarns to produce a predetermined pattern.

3. A circular knitting machine according to claim 2, in which one of said lchains controls the racking of said main pattern drum and the selection of fingers at the main feeding station, a second chain controls the selection of yarn by said knot tier and a third chain controls the selection of lingers at said second feeding station.

4. in a circular knitting machine, a main yarn feeding station, a second yarn feeding station circumferentially spaced from said main station, a plurality of yarn lingers at each of said stations, said lingers being movable into and out of feeding position, selecting means for each of said stations to move selected lingers into feeding position, a knot tier for supplying any of a plurality of yarns to at CTA least one of 4said lingers, said knot tier having a plurality of movable yarn holding elements, a pair of selectors, one of said selectors acting on certain of said elements and the other of said selectors acting on other of said elements to move said elements into position for their respective yarns to be taken by said knot tier and fed to one of said fingers, a main pattern drum for controlling the operation of the machine including the knitting of yarns fed by said fingers, means for racking said drum, a plurality of pattern chains, sensing means actuated by said chains and connected to said racking means, said selectors and said selecting means to control the racking of said main pattern drum, the selection of yarn by said knot tier and the positions of said lingers and means for moving said chains in timed relation with one another, thereby coordinating Vthe operation of said main pattern drum and the selection of yarns to produce a predetermined pattern.

5. A circular A(hitting machine according to claim 4, in which both of said selectors of the knot tier are controlled by one of said chains, said chain having a series of right hand lugs acting on one of said sensing means to control one of said selectors, and a series of left hand lugs acting on another of said sensing means to control the other of said selectors.

6. ln a circular knitting machine, a plurality of yarn feeding fingers, a knot tier for supplying any of a plurality of yarns to one of said lingers, said knot tier having a plurality of movable yarn holding elements, a pair of selectors, one of said selectors acting on certain of said elements and the other of said selectors acting on other of said elements to move said elements into position for their respective yarns to be taken by said knot tier and fed to said finger, a pattern chain having a series of left hand lugs ofdiflerent heights, and a series of right hand lugs ol different heights, sensing in position, to be actuated by said left hand lugs and operatively connected to one of said selectors, and sensing means, in position to be actuated by said right hand lugs and operatively connected to the other of said selectors to move said selectors to positions to select predetermined ones of said yarn holding elements depending on the height of said lugs, and means for moving said chain in timed relation with the operation of said machine.

7. ln a circular knitting machine, a yarn feed, a knot tier for supplying rainy of a plurality of yarns to said yarn feed, said knot tier having tying mechanism, `a plurality of movable yarn lingers comprising two groups, cyclically operating means for actuating said lingers, a pair of seilectors, one. of said selectors being movable into position between said actuating means and yarn lingers of one of said groups to :actuate a selected one of said fingers and the other of said selectors being movable into position between said actuating means and yarn lingers of the other of `said groups to actuar-e selected ones of said latter fingers, a pattern chain having two laterally spaced series of lugs of different heights, means in position to be actuated by lugs of one of said series and operatively connected to one of said selectors to move said selector to positions to select predetermined ones of said fingers depending on the height or said lugs, lmcans in position to be actuated by lugs of the other of said series and operatively connected to the other of said selectors to move said selector to positions to select predetermined ones of `said tin-gers depending on the height of said lugs, means for carrying yarn from selected fingers to said tying mechanism, and means for moving said chain in timed relation with the operation of said machine.

8. ln a circular knitting machine, a yarn feed, a knot tier for supplying `any of a plurality of yarns to said yarn heed, said knot tier comprising tying meolanism, a plurality ot' movable yarn fingers comprising two groups, cyclically operating means for iactuating 4Said lingers, a plurality of selectors, oie of said selectors being moyablle into selected positions between said actuating means 4and yarn iin-gers of one of said groups, and another of said selectors being movable into selected position between -said actuating means and yarn fingers of said other group to actuate a selected one of said fingers upon operation of said actuating means, and means for moving said selectors t-o selected positions in timed relation with the operation of said machine.

9. In a circular knitting machine, a yarn feed, a knot tier for supplying any of a plurality of yarns to said yarn feed, said knot tier comprising tying means, scoop means for carrying yarn to said tying means, `a plurality of yarn lingers s'wingable about a common axis between an inoperative position and an operative position in which yarn held by said fingers is caught by said scoop means and carried to said tying means, a plurality of selectors for selectively swinging said fingers between inoperative and operative position, each of said selectors comprising an arm swim-gable about an axis parallel to said finger axis and movable laxially in positions to engage selected ones of said fingers, one of said arms being axially movable through `a predetermined range to engage selectively lingers of one group and another of said selectors being axially movable through another range to engage selectively -ngers of another group, means for moving said selectors axially to selected positions in timed relation with the operation of said machine, land means for swinging said |arms to actuate said fingers after they faire moved to selected positions.

l0. Mechanism according to claim 9, in which said arms )are carried by coaxial shafts mounted for rotational and axiall movement.

11. Mechanism according to claim in which each of said shafts carries indicating means cooperating with a common scale to indicate which yarn has been selected.

12. A circular knitting machine comprising coaxial rotatable needle cylinders, two circumterentially spaced yarn feeding stations, a plurality of yarn fingers at each of said stations for feeding yarn to needles in both of said cylinders, said fingers 'being movable into and out of feeding position, selecting means for leach of said stations to move selected fingers into feeding position, a knot tier for supplying any of a plurality of yarns to at least one of said fingers, said knot tier having a plurality of yarn 'holding elements, a plurality of selectors, one of said selectors acting on certain of said elements, and another of said selectors acting on other of said elements to move said elements into position for their respective yarns to be taken by said knot tier and fed to one of said fingers, and pattern means controlling the operation of said machine including said selecting means and said selectors to produce rib knit articles each having more than five circumferential stripes knit of different yarns.

13. A circular knitting machine accordi-ng to claim 12 Iin which said pattern means comprises a main pattern duim, means for racking said drum, `a plurality of pattern chains, sensing means actuated by said chains and operatively 'connected to said racking means, said selectors and said selecting means to control the racking of said main pattern drum, the selection of yarn by said knot tier and the positions of said fingers and means for moving said chains in timed relation with one another.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,698,533 Larkin lan. 4, 1955 2,720,092 Oberholtzer Oct. 11, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 408,769 Great Brit-ain Apr. 19, 1934

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