US2829509A - Attachments for hand knitting machines - Google Patents

Description

April 8, 1958 J. Q. FRIEDMAN ATTACHMENTS FOR HAND KNITTING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 8, 1956 fWiQ W his ATTORNEY A ril 8, 1958 J. Q. FRIEDMAN ATTACHMENTS FOR HAND KNITTING MACHINES v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 8. 1956 WWN INVENTOR T o wvl kilil' (ii/2 Qfilhzmam BY hi3 ATTORNEY ATTACHMENTS non HAND KNITTING Claims. ((11. 66-760) This invention relates to knitting machines inlgeheral, and more particularly to a device attachable to aknitting machine and adapted to move the knitting cam box by means of electric current.

Knitting machines of known construction include an elongated frame with aneedle bed and a knitting cam box which is manipulated in its tracks back and forth by the operator who also determinesthe extent of the oscillatory movement of the cam, depending on the dimensions of the knitting. Such manual work is tiresome to the operator and the speed of the cams movement is rather limited. i i

Accordingly, the principal object of the invention is to provide a device including a motor which is attachable to a hand knitting machine to move the knitting cam at a desiredspeed.

'Another object of the invention is to provide an attachment of the above character which is relatively simple in construction, of light weight, andwhich is adapted to serveas a support for the knitting machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above character which includes means for controlling the extent of oscillatory movement of the knitting cam.

A yet further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above character which is fully automatic and requires attention of the operator only when a change in the velocity and extent of travel of the knitting cam is desired.

I achieve these objects by the provision of an elongated attachment secured to the underside of a knitting machine, which includes a traveling arm coupled with the knitting cam box and driven by a reversible electric motor forming part of the attachment. I also provide adjustable stop members which determine the extent of movement of the knitting cam by actuating a switch which controls the direction of rotation of the reversible motor. The entire attachment with the motor is of such size and shape as to fit into a relatively small portable receptacle.

Other objects, features and attributes of the novel device will become apparent in the course of the following description of the preferred embodiment which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the receptaclefor a hand knitting machine and novel attachment, and of the pedal which controls the electric motor of the drive;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the knitting machine connected with the novel attachment, removed from the receptacle and turned for 180; v

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the attachment disconnected from the knitting machine;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged top view of the right-hand end of the device shown in Fig. 3; and

Fig. .5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 in Fig. 4.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, and first to Unitd States Patent 2,829,509 Patented A r. s, 1953 Fig. 1, there is shown a receptacle for the knitting machine 11 having a traveling cam box 12 provided with a knob 13 for manual operation thereof. The machine 11, which forms no partof this invention, is connected with the novel attachment 14, the latter including an electric motor 15 of the reversible type, and an opera rive connection with the knitting cam box 12.

The attachment or driving support 14, which is shown attached to the knitting machine 11 in Fig. 2 and disconnected therefrom in Fig. 3, comprises an elongated metallic rod 16 which is the main structural member of the novel device and to which are attached two brackets 17a, 17b connecting the support 14 with the knitting machine 11 on the one hand, and with the receptacle 10 or with a working table (not shown) on the other hand. The rod 16 also carries a second pair of brackets 18a, 18b at the respective longitudinal ends thereof which support the other elements of the attachment including the motor 15. t I

A shaft 19 which passes through the brackets 17a, 17b has one longitudinal end slidably and rotatably received in the bearing 20a (see Fig. 2), while its other end extends through a bearing 20b and is pivotally attached, for example by means of a cotter pin 24, to the projecting arm 22 of a double pole double throw switch 21 which is encased in the projecting portion 23 of the bracket 18b; The member 23 also supports the hearing 20b. Shaft 19 carries two stops 25a, 25b which consist of hollow sleeves 26a, 26b freely slidable on the shaft, and radial studs 27a, 27b received in tubes 28a, 28b of resilient rubber-like material. The annuli 29a, 2915 are secured to the shaft 19 by means of screws 30, 30b and coil springs 31a, 31b are inserted between the respective members 25a, 29a and 25b, 29b.

A threaded shaft 32 is rotatably mounted in a bearing 33a connected with the bracket 18a, and in a bearing 3311' which is supported by the bracket 34 attached to the supporting rod 16. The shaft 32 extends through the bearing 33b and is connected to the disc 36a of the clutch 35, whose disc 36b is connected to the drive shaft of the reversible motor 15. The clutch includes a pad 37 of resilient material between the discs 36a, 36b. The traveling member 38 has a sleeve 39 provided with an internal bearing (not shown) which travels along the shaft 32 when the latter is rotated by the motor 15. The member 38 also includes an arm 40 which radially projects from the sleeve 39 and has its free end coupled with the cam 12 of the knitting machine 11 (see Fig. 2).

Cable 41 connects the motor 15 with a plug 42 (see Fig. 4), and a second cable 43 connects the motor with a rheostat type pedal 44 (see Fig. 1), such as is commonly used for actuation of electric sewing machines and similar appliances. 1

In Fig. l, the flaps 45a, 45b forming part of the knitting machine 11 are folded inwardly over the adjacent rows of knitting needles 46 to reveal the elements of the novel attachment 14. When the machine is in use, the flaps are pivoted outwardly (see flap 45a in Fig. 2). The operator then starts the motor by depressing the pivot plate 47 forming part of the pedal 44, whereupon the rotating shaft 32 causes the member 38 to travel back and forth therealong together with the cam box 12 between the stops 25a, 25b. The coil springs 31a, 31b absorb the shock when the arm 40 of the member 38 strikes against the respective rubber coated radial studs 27a, 27b. By way of example, when the freely slidable sleeve 26b (see Fig. 4) whose rubber coated stud 27b is engaged by the arm 40, compresses the coil spring 31b and causes it to bear against the fixed annulus 29b, the shaft 19 moves toward right and throws over the switch 21 which in turn reverses the motor 15. The extent of reciproeating travel of the cam box 12 and of member 38 is thus controlled by the fixed annuli 29a, 2915 which may be adjusted as desired by means of screws 30a, 3%. Clutch 35 absorbs the shock when the motor is suddenly reversed and the rotating shaft 32 then carries the coupling member 38 togetherwith the cam box 12 in the opposing direction.

The brackets 17a, 171) which, as best shown in Fig. 2, are provided with holes for reception of suitable fastening members, may be attached to the receptacle 10v (see Fig. l), or to the top of a working table when the assembly is removed from the receptacle, as is shown in Fi 2.

Certain changes and modifications in the arrangement of parts and constructional details will readily occur to persons skilled in the art, and I therefore do not desire to be limited to the exact detail-s of the embodiments shown and described, the scope of the invention being defined in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a knitting machine having a plurality of knitting needles and a knitting cam box movable in the longitudinal direction of said machine above said needles, a device attachable to the underside of said machine including an elongated structural member, fas

tening means for connecting said structural member with the underside of said knitting machine, an electric motor of the reversible type attached to one end of said structural member, control means associated with said motor for varying the rotational speed thereof, a first shaft connected with said structural member in spaced parallelism therewith for limited movement in the axial direction thereof, switch means operatively connected with said motor for reversing same and with one end of said first shaft, means defining a pair of stops on said first shaft, a second externally threaded shaft supported by-said structural member, said second shaft being parallel with and spaced from said first shaft and operatively connected with said motor, an internally threaded sleeve on said second shaft adapted to travel along said second shaft when the latter is rotated by said motor, and an arm projecting from said sleeve and connected with said cam box of said knitting machine between said stops, said stops being in the path of said arm and adapted to reverse said motor by actuating said switch means when engaged by said arm.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein said stops each include a first tubular member on said first shaft, fastening means for releasably connecting said first tubular member with said first shaft, a second tubular member slidably mounted on said first shaft, a radial stud extending from said second tubular member, and a resilient element between said first and said second tubular memher.

3. The structure of claim 1, wherein said shafts extend the full length of said knitting machine.

4. The structure of claim 1, wherein a clutch is provided between said second shaft and said motor, said clutch including a resilient cushion for taking up the shock when said motor is reversed by said switch means.

5. An attachment for a hand knitting machine including an elongated structural member, a first and a second bracket at the respective longitudinal ends of said structural member, a first shaft supported in said brackets and extending the full length of said structural member, said first shaft being slidable in said brackets, an electric motor of the reversible type attached to said first bracket, a double pole double throw switch operatively connected with said motor for reversing the direction of its rotation and to one end of said first shaft and responsive to the longitudinal movement of said first shaft, a pair of stops on said first shaft, each of said stops including a first tubular member, means for releasably connecting said first tubular member with said first shaft, a second tubular member slidable on said first shaft, a radial projection extending from said second tubular member, and a resilient element between said first and said second tubular member, said attachment further including a second externally threaded shaft rotatably mounted in said brackets and parallel with said first shaft, one end of said second shaft being connected with and rotatable by said motor, an internally threaded sleeve on said second shaft adapted to travel along said second shaft when the latter is rotated by said motor, and a radial arm extending from said sleeve, said projections of said stops being in the path of said arm when said sleeve travels back and forth along said second shaft upon rotation of said motor.

No references cited.

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