US2870618A

US2870618A - Take-up mechanism

Info

Publication number: US2870618A
Application number: US421276A
Authority: US
Inventors: Rudolph E Zeruneith
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-04-06
Filing date: 1954-04-06
Publication date: 1959-01-27
Anticipated expiration: 1976-01-27

Description

Jan. 27, 1 959 R. E. ZERUNEITH" TAKE-UP MECHANISM Filed April 6, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 44 L hi JNVEN TOR.

1959 R. E. ZERUNEITH 2,

TAKE-UP MECHANISM Filed April 6, 1954 s Sheets-Sheet 2 77/ 73 INVENTOR.

Hide/p4 E Z ez uric/7% Fig.3. BY

1959 R. E. ZERUNEITH 2,

TAKE-UP MECHANISM Filed April 6, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. 5 U DOLPH E. ZEiFU/VE/Tl/ United States Patent TAKE-UP MECHANISM Rudolph E. Zeruneith, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application April 6, 1954, Serial No. 421,276

Claims. (01. 66-152) The present invention relates to the art of knitting and more particularly to a fabric take-up mechanism for a knitting machine to uniformly feed or advance the fabric and to uniformly apply tension to the fabric as it is produced by the knitting machine.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a spring. driven fabric takeup mechanism for a knitting machine wherein the mechanism has a fabric take-up roll which is rotated bythe de-energization of an intermittently energized spring and in which the fabric takeup roll is held against retrograde movement as the spring is energized. In such an arrangement the power of the spring is preferably applied to the roll through a roller type of one-way clutch while the'roll is preferably held against retrograde movement by a similar oneway clutch, with the spring being intermittently energized by power taken from the knitting machine. Theroll may be driven by a spring urged circular rocker arm encircling the roll and having uni-directional clutching means interposed between the rocker arm and the roll, while the roll may be locked against retrograde movement by a fixed check ring encircling the roll and having uni-directional clutching means interposed between the check ring and the roll, and the spring may be intermittently energized by a reciprocating rod interposed betweenthe rocker arm and a power driven eccentric cam.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a spring driven fabric take-up mechanism for a knitting machine wherein the mechanism has a pre-energized spring acting through a fabric take-up roll to continuously apply uniform tension to the fabric as it is made by the machine and as it is advanced by the take-up mechanism and wherein the take-up roll is rotated to advance or feed the fabric by the de-energization of the spring which is intermittently further energized from any suitable power source. Furthermore the pre-energization of the spring may be varied while the machine is in operation.

It is also an object to provide a fabric take-up mechanism for a knitting machine wherein the mechanism has an oscillatable member to drive a fabric take-.up, and wherein the length of the power stroke'of said member is automatically variable depending upon the rate of fabric production by the machine and dependingupon the tension of the fabric.

It is also anobject to provide a take-up of the type set forth wherein the take-up roll has a hand wheel fixedly associated therewith and wherein the take-up roll driving means is releasably connected to the hand wheel, whereby the driving means may drive the take-up roll through the hand wheel'or whereby the driving means may be disconnected from the hand wheel for manual rotation of the take-up roll in either direction. Rotation of the hand wheel in either direction will provide for tension on the fabric and for withdrawal of the fabric from the take-up as may-be necessary at times'during the nnaratinn of the machine.

2,870,618 Patented Jan. 27, 1959 With theseand other objects in view as mayappear in the specification, this invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be-hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings in which like reference characters refer to like parts:

Figure -1 is a perspective view of the new take-up in position on the bed plate of a circular knitting machine.

Figure 2 is a'view in elevation of the driving endof the take-up with the hand-wheel removed.

Figure 3 is a view inelevation of theoppos'ite or driven end of the take-up.

Figure 4 is aplan view of the take-up with the driving'and retrograde =c1utches shown in section on a plane passing through the axes of the take-up rolls.

Figure "5 is an enlarged view in section taken generally on line" 55 ofFigure 4 showing the pin and roller one-way driving clutch, and showing themanner of supplying "power to the take-up from the'knitti ng machine.

Figure "6is anend view'partially in'section of the power' take-off for actuating the take-up.

Figure 7 is an enlarged view in section taken" generally on'line 77 ofFigure 4 showing the pin and roller one-way clutch to prevent retrograde movement of the take-upv Figure 8* is a diagrammatic view'showingthe eccentric used to impart rapid actuations to thetake-up' drive spring.

The take-up mechanism of the'present invention may be referred to as a'spring driven take-upfor the reason that an intermittently loaded or energized spring is used therein for the: take-up action. While sucha;spring driven take-up mayhave general applicatio-nupon any sheet-like material for the feeding and/or the tensioning thereof, the present take-up is preferably illustrateditdn connection with a circular knitting machineof the". type disclosed in my application Serial No. 81,440, filed March 15, 1949 (on which Patent No. 2,705,410 issued .on April 5, 1955), wherein it is to be used to feed. and to apply tension to a continuously formed knitted fabric tube. It will be understood that thepresent take-up maylbe used instead of the take-up shown on that machine. The construction of the machine need be described onlyas it relates to the present invention and this will be'done as the specification proceeds, particularly describing the manner of supplying power to the take-up from the. control shaft of the machine.

The spring take-up, indicated generally at 10 in Figure 1, is shown on the upper side of a lower circularbed plate 11 of a circular knitting machine,'in position to receive and to act upon tubular fabric 12 as it. istproduced by the machine. The take-up'ltl extendsgenerallv di metrically of the bed plate 11 above a diametrically positioned opening 13 in the bed plate through which the fabric is adapted to be fed .upon. leaving the take-up. Thefabriccomes into. contact with cylindrically shaped rotatable take-

up rolls

14, 15 and, 16, parallel to each other and generally parallel to. the opening 13, which extend across the bed 11 between spaced supporting

brackets

17 and 18, the brackets being suitably secured to the bed 11 on opposite sides of said. opening 13. The

rolls

14, 15. and 16 may be suitably knurled, or otherwise formed, to provide for frictional engagement with the fabric.

The. center roll 15, having axially extending trunnion shafts 19 and'Zt) extending through suitable. bearing apertures formed in the brackets 17 and 13, is rotatably sure. on the fabric passing between .the rolls. .The trunnion shaft 19. on. the ri ht hand side of the take-1m.

encirclingshouldered block engaging pins.

viewing Figure 4, extends beyond the bracket 17 to receive a driving clutch, a retrograde clutch, and a hand wheel, while the shaft 20 extends beyond the bracket 18 to receive a gear for driving the roll 14.

The driven roll 14, having-axially extending

trunnion shafts

21 and 22 extending through suitable bearing apertures formed in bracket-supported

slidable blocks

23 and 24, may be spring-urged toward the driving roll 15 by tensioned springs 25 acting upon the blocks. The

blocks

23 and 24 of rectangular shape are movable lengthwise of the brackets in suitable U-shaped slots formed in their forward ends, Figure 4," the open slot ends being covered by members 26 suitably secured to and forming a part of the said brackets. The springs 25, in suitable apertures extending through the members 26, maybe adjustably compressed against the

blocks

23 and 24 by screws 27 threadedly engaged in the apertures, the springs The trunnion shaft 22 on the left hand side of the roll 14, Figure 4, extends beyond the bracket 18 sufiiciently to have a gear 28 keyed thereon, the gear 28 meshing with a gear -29 keyed on trunnion shaft 20 of the roll 15'whereby .the; roll 14 may be rotated by rotation of the roll 15.

The roll 16, having axially extending trunnion shafts .30 and 31 in suitable bearing apertures formed in supporting

arms

32 and 33, is so mounted that by moving the 'said supporting arms the roll 16 may be moved toward and away from the center roll 15. When moved toward the roll15, the roll 16 is in active fabric feeding-position and when moved away from the roll 15, the roll .16 is in idle position. The

arms

32 and 33, which support the trunnions and 31 in bearing apertures formed'at one corner of their generally triangular shape, are apertured atan adjacent corner to receive therein the opposite ends of a transversely extending rod 35. Collars 34 secured on .therod 35 position the arms32 and 33 adjacent the inner roll 16', in its active position of Figures 2 3 and 4; will be'spring urged toward the roll 15 by the spring urged

blocks

36 and 37 acting through the

arms

32 and 33, and

in this position the roll 16, in contact with the fabric between itself and the roll 15, will be rotated to guide the: fabric thereover toward the opening 13 and will be the outer long faces of dog sides 41 come into movement limiting contact with the .UPper faces of the

brackets

17 and 18. again placed in active position by returning the

dogs

37 and 38 to their positions of Figures 2 and 3.

In order to rotate the roll 15 to take up and to tension the fabric 12, its extending trunnion shaft 19 is encircled by and is operatively related to a pair of one-way roller clutches, one clutch being intermittently active to turn said shaft 19 and roll 15to feed and to tension the fabric while the second clutch acts to prevent retrograde tensioned-fabric-movement of the shaft 19 and roll 15 when the first clutch is inactive. .The clutches are adapted to act upon the shaft 19 through a hand wheel 45 suitably secured to the end of the shaft by key ways and key 46 and by set screw 47. The hand wheel is releasably secured to a circular plate 48 (of approximately the diameter of the hand wheel) by means of a knurled headed screw 49 threadedly engaged in an aperture extending through the hand wheel; the end of the screw 49 having a cylindrical pin 50 adapted to enter and snugly fit within one of a series of spaced notches 51 formed in the outer peripheral face of the plate 48. The plate 48 is secured to an inner clutch member 52 on the shaft 19 and rotatable in relation thereto, which inner clutch member is'preferably of smaller outer diameter than the plate '48, by a number of spaced screws 53; the plate 48 when the pin 50 is withdrawn from engagement with the plate 48. The inner clutch member 52 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinally ex tending V-sha'ped grooves 54 formed in its outer peripheral face, each groove being adapted to receive therein a pair of adjacently disposed axially aligned rollers 55, each of which is spring-urged into contact with encirclingouter clutch rings 58 and 61 by the individual pins 56 backed by individual compression springs 57; the pins 56 and spring 57 being seated in suitably angled 'apertures'formed in the inner clutch member 52 beneath each roller 55, adjacent the bottoms of the grooves 54. The series of rollers adjacent the bracket 17 are encircled by a stationary outer clutch ring '58 whichis secured against rotation by a fixed pin 59 extending from the bracket 17 into a snugly fitting slot 60 in the outer periphery of the ring 58; the inner clutch member 52 having rotational clearance within the ring 58. The rollers 55 fit snugly between the inner clutch member 52 and the stationary outer clutch ring 58, the relationship being rotated to keep the fabric in contact with the lower side of rotating roll 15. The

arms

32 and 33 are maintained in the positions of Figures 2, 3 and 4 in which the roll 16 is held in active position, by means of L-shaped

dogmembers

38 and 39 pivotally mounted on the

arms

32 and 33 for contact with the upper surface of the

brackets

17 and 18. The

dogs

38 and 39, having long sides 40 and short sides 41 of generally rectangular shape, are rotatable about headed pins 42 suitably secured adjacent to the third corners of the

arms

32 and 33, the pins 42 passing through the

dogs

38 and 39 at approximately the intersection of their sides. When the

dogs

38 and 39 are in thepositions illustrated, the end faces of sides 41 are in 'arm supporting contact with the upper faces of brackets tact with the under surface of the

brackets

17 and 18 in the notches 44. When it is desired to lower roll 16 to its inactive position, the

dogs

38 and 39 are turned .90 degrees by raising their long sides 40 from the horizontal to the vertical whereupon the roll 16 and the arms 32 and such that the inner clutch member 52 may rotate in a in clockwise direction because the rollers 55 will be urged toward and will jam between the longer ones of the sloping surfaces of the V-shaped recesses or grooves 54 and the inner surface .of the stationary outer clutch tation is possible because in that direction the rollers 55 will not tend to jam since they are urged toward the spring-loadedplungers or pins 55. The series of rollers 55 adjacent the plate 48 are encircled byan outer clutch ring 61 which 'in turn is encircled by a rocker-ring 62; the

I a set screw 63 or by any other suitable means.

ring 61 (which may be of harder material than the material of rocker 62) being secured to the rocker-ring 62 by The relationship of the rings 61 and- 62 to the inner clutch memher 52 and the rollers 55 is the same as that between the inner clutch ring 58, the memberj52 and the rollers 55 (so it need not again be described) and it will permit the inner clutch member 52 to be rotated in counterclock- 'wise direction by the rocker ring 62(and the clutch ring 61)' when the rocker ring'62 is itself rotated in counter? clockwise direction (Figure 5); the stationary clutch ring It will be obvious that the roll 16 may be t '58 permitting such rotation of the member 52. When the which at this time will be retained against clockwise movement by the fixed or stationary clutch ring 58.

The inner clutch member 52 and the outer stationary clutch-ring 58 (together with the rollers 55 between them) constitute a stationary unidirectional overrunning retaining clutch, to retain the roller against the pull of the tensioned fabric 12 between it and the needlebank. The inner clutch member 52. and the outer movable clutch-ring 61 and rocker-ring 62 (together with the -rollers55 between them) constitute a unidirectional overrunning roller-advancing or take-up clutch to tension the fabric 12.

The rocker 62 is adapted to be rapidly oscillated for relatively short distances by a reciprocating rod 64, one

end of which is positioned within a suitable aperture formed in a rocker arm 65 extending from one side of the rocker 62 and'by a precompressed spring'66, one end of which encircles a pin in a rocker-arm 67 extending from the other side of the rocker 62. The rod 64, as it moves toward the rocker 62, will turn the rocker 62 clockwise,

during which time the spring 66 will be further compressed so that when the rod 64 is free to move away from the rocker 62 the spring 66 will turn the rocker 62 counterclockwise. Each counterclockwise movement of the rocker 62 will be transmitted to the shaft 19 to turn the roll 15 to take up the fabric. During the time that the rod 64 turns the rocker clockwise, the retrograde turning effect of the tensioned fabric on the roll 15 and shaft 19 is counteracted by the action of the fixed ring 58 on the member 52. The rod 64, having its other end slidably-mounted in a boss 68 secured to the bed 11 of the machine, is moved by an eccentric 69 mounted off center in the end of a vertical rotating shaft 70, Figures 5 and '8. The eccentric 69, which may freely rotate on its mounting pin 71, rotates with the shaft 70 within an aperture in the boss 68, the boss 68 having a bearing 72 in the aperture for the end of the shaft 70. The other end-of spring 66 encircles the free end of a stud 73 suitably anchored, as by threaded engagement, at the proper 'control shaft, herein designated as 75, Figures 5 and 6,

and also shown in my aforementioned Patent No. 2,705,410. Shown at 76, on the shaft 75, is the slidable Geneva wheel actuator used in the machine shown in my aforementioned patent to actuate the cylinder racking mechanism. The present control shaft 75, longer than the one of said machine, is rotatably mounted in needle hearings in a new bracket 77 adapted to be secured to the underside of the upper bed plate of the machine (not shown). Within the bracket 77 a worm gear 78, fixed to the end of the control shaft 75, is in engagement with a spiral gear 79 fixed to the upper reduced end of the takeup shaft 70. The gear 78 is secured to the shaft 75 by a key 80 in suitably formed keyways and by a lock nut 81 in threaded engagement with the end of the shaft 75 while the gear 79 is secured to the shaft 70 by suitable keyways and keys and by a lock nut 82. The upper end of the shaft 70 is preferably rotatably mounted in spaced bearing 83, suitably maintained within the bracket 77. The ratio between

gears

78 and 79 is preferably such that the take-up shaft 70 rotates at approximately twice the speed of the control shaft 75. This speed is desirable in order that the rocker 62 may be oscillated at such a rapid rate that its take-up action is practically continuous de- 6 spite the in-Vbetween time outs 'for re-energizing the spring 66.

The one-way roller clutches of the type illustrated in the drawings will intermittently rotate the roll 15 and will lock it against retrograde movement but it will be understood that any other type of uni-directional clutch may be used in place of the illustrated clutches without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and furthermore it is not essential that both clutches be of the same type.

I In the operation of the take-up, an end of the fabric 12-is inserted downwardly between the

rolls

14 and 15 and up between the roll 15 and the roll 16 in inactive position. The fabric is then pulled taut around the underside of roll 15 whereupon roll 16 is moved to active position. A preliminary setting-of tension on the spring 66 is made by turning the nut 74. If there is any slack in the fabric between the take-up and the needles, it may be removed by turning the hand wheel in a counterclockwise direction and this may be done when the machine is operating or when it has stopped. Then upon starting the machine, with the hand wheel 45 locked to plate 48 by the screw 49, the tension on spring 66 may be adjusted with nut 74 to provide for the proper running tension desired on the fabric and for the proper rate of feed of the fabric. The control shaft 75 will turn the take-up shaft to rotate the eccentric 69 to reciprocate the rod 64. As the rod 64 moves to the left, Figure 5, it will angularly displace the rocker 62 clockwise relative to the clutch member 52 which is locked against clockwise rotation.

The maximum movement of rod 64, Figure 8, takes place when the rod is in contact with eccentric 69 for a full rotation of the shaft 70, and this maximum movement of the rod 64 is transmitted to rocker 62 only when the rocker 62 is in contact with the rod 64 at the moment that rod 64 reverses direction for movement to the left, Figure 5. It will be seen that the rod 64 may serve as a limit stop for the counterclockwise movement of rocker 62 but it will be understood that the rocker 62 does not always turn to its limit stop as when the tension already on the fabric is such that spring 66 does not rotate rocker 62 its full travel stroke. The length of driving stroke of rocker 62, with a pre-set compression of spring 66, will vary with the tension already on the fabric and the length of the return stroke of rocker 62 will accordingly vary even though the rod 64 continually has a full length driving stroke to turn rocker 62. Accordingly, rocker 62 will always be returned to zero stroke position so that the pre-energized spring 66 will always be additionally energized to the same extent regardless of the length of the driving stroke of rocker 62 (and regardl'ess of the amount the additional energization has been dispatched by the driving stroke of rocker 62).

As the rocker 62 is driven counterclockwise, during the return movement of rod 64 to the right, Figure 5, it will turn the member 52 therewith to turn the roll 15 to take up the fabric and at the same time to apply tension thereto, the degree of tension corresponding to the tension of spring 66. The fabric is now under tension and as rocker 62 becomes ineffective (during the time it is moved clockwise by rod 64) to turn roll 15, the fabric will tend to rotate the roll 15 in clockwise direction. However such retrograde movement will be stopped by the ring 58 which prevents clockwise rotation of roll 15 at any time but permits counterclockwise rotation of roll 15 for the time that rocker 62 is driving the roll 15. Continued reciprocation of the rod 64 causes the take-up to feed and to extending axially from one end of said roll, a hand wheel secured to said shaft, an intermittently active pre-energized spring, an operative releasable connection between said spring and said hand Wheel, said spring turning said roll in one direction through successive arcs of rotation with the power stored in said spring, means operatively connected to said hand wheel to prevent retrograde motion of said roll, and means to re-energize said spring during its inactive periods, said hand Wheel being adapted to turn said roll in either direction of rotation upon release of said connection.

2. A spring driven take-up for the fabric of a circular knitting machine, said take-up having a rotatable roll in contact with the fabric to tension and to advance the fabric as it is produced by the machine, a trunnion shaft extending axially from one end of said roll, a hand wheel secured to said shaft, an oscillatable rocker encircling said shaft, an operative releasable connection between said rocker and said hand wheel, a pre-energized spring operatively connected to move said rocker in one direction of its oscillatable movement to turn said roll in one direction through an arc of rotation with the power stored in said spring, a ring member encirclingsaid shaft, said ring mem- 8 cylindrical member being releasably secured to said hand wheel, an oscillatable rocker adjacent said hand wheel and encircling said cylindrical member for substantially half its length, a plurality of rollers interposed between said rocker and said cylindrical member to turnthe latter member in one direction when said rocker is turned in the same direction, said rollers permi'tting'said rocker to turn in the opposite direction without moving said cylindrical member, a pre-energized spring connected to turn said rocker in said same direction to move said roll in said one direction through an arc of rotation with the power stored in the spring, a ring member encircling the remaining half of said cylindrical member between said rocker and said roll, said ring member being non-rotatably seher being operatively connected to said hand wheel to prevent retrograde movement of said roll, and a reciprocating rod operatively connected to move said rocker'in the other direction of its oscillatable movement to re-energize said spring, said hand wheel being operative to turn said roll in either direction of rotation upon release of said connection. 7

3. A spring driven take-up for the fabric of a circular knitting machine, said take-up having a rotatable roll in contact with the fabric to tension and to advance the fabric as it is produced by the machine, a trunnion shaft extending axially from one end of said roll, a hand wheel secured tosaid shaft, an oscillatable rocker encircling said shaft, an operative releasable connection between said rocker and said hand wheel, a pre-energized spring operatively connected to move said rocker in one direction of itsloscillatable movements to turn said roll in one direction through successive arcs of rotation with the power stored in said spring, a ring member encircling said shaft, said ring member being operatively connected to said hand wheel to prevent retrograde movement of said roll, and a reciprocating rod operatively connected to move said rocker in the other direction of its oscillatable movements to re-energize said spring, said hand wheel being operative to turn said roll in either direction of rotation upon release of said connection. I

4. A spring driven take-up for the fabric of a circular knitting machine, said take-up having a rotatable roll in contact with the fabric to tension and to advance the fabric as it is produced by the machine, a trunnion shaft extending axially from one end of said roll, a handwheel secured to said shaft, a cylindrical member rotatable on said shaft between said hand wheel and said roll, said.

cured to a fixed part of the machine, a plurality of rollers interposed between said ring member and said cylindricalmember to prevent rotation of the latter member in said opposite direction while permitting rotation'thereof in the said one direction, and a' reciprocating rod connected to move said rocker in said opposite direction to re-energize said spring, said hand wheelbeing operative to turn said roll in either direction of rotation when said cylindrical member is released from said hand wheel.

5. A fabric take-up including a rotatable roll in contact with the fabric'to tension and advance it, an arcuately oscillatable unidirectional overrunning take-up clutch arranged frictionally to drive said roll in its takeup direction when said clutch is turned in the take-up direction and to release said roll when turned in the opposite direction, a unidirectional overrunning retaining clutch having one stationary clutch member and arranged frictionally to engage and stationarily to retain said roll whenever the fabric is tensioned by said roll and said take-up clutch is turned in its aforementioned opposite direction and to release said roll whenever said take-up clutch isturned in its take-up direction, each of said clutches being capable of frictional engagement at every position thereof, a continuously revolvable eccentric arranged intermittently to turn said take-up clutch through small arcuate displacements in its aforementioned opposite direction and a spring arranged to be loaded by such displacements of said take-up clutch and to tend to turn said take-up clutch in its take-up direction whenever said eccentric is not turning said take-up clutch in its aforementioned opposite direction.

' References Cited in the file of this patent V UNITED STATES PATENTS I