US3182471A

US3182471A - Striping device for a knitting machine

Info

Publication number: US3182471A
Application number: US70318A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fried Benjamin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1960-11-18
Filing date: 1960-11-18
Publication date: 1965-05-11
Anticipated expiration: 1982-05-11
Also published as: BE612515A

Description

May 11, 1965 B. FRIED 3,182,471

STRIPING DEVICE FOR A KNITTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 18, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. BLWJZM/N FRIED BY /@4 3 am y 1965 B. FRIED 3,182,471

STRIPING DEVICE FOR A KNITTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 18, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 iNVENTOR. AE/VflM/N FP/ED May 11, 1965 B. FRIED STRIPING DEVICE FOR A KNITTING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 18, 1960 uvwszv-roa BEAUZM/N FR/ED BY M 330116! United States Patent 3,182,471 STRHPING DEVECE FOR A KNITTING MACHENE Benjamin Fried, 2375 Arthur Ave, Bronx, NX. Filed Nov. 18, 1960, Ser. No. 749,318 Claims. (Cl. 66-35) This invention relates to knitting machines, and more particularly to a striping device for producing stripes of contrasting color or texture in knit cloth.

In its more specific aspects, this invention is concerned with multiple feed knitting machines of the type having a rotatable needle cylinder formed with axially extending grooves in the circumference thereof, and a plurality of needles axially reciprocable in respective grooves between a position in which the hooked end portion of the needle axially projects from the groove to take yarn from a yarn carrier, and a retracted position. Yarn is fed to the needles from yarn guides at a plurality of stations on the machine frame along the circumference of the cylinder, and the needles are guided by cams so as to be in the projecting position for taking yarn from the guides when they reach the stations While the cylinder rotates. A course of stitches is knit at each station and extends in a low pitch helix through the tubular base fabric produced.

Since circular knitting machines are usually arranged with their cylinder or dial axis upright, the term horizontal will be employed hereinafter to refer to elements extending coursewise of the fabric. The term vertical will be applied to elements extending transversely at substantially right angles to the courses of the cloth. The position of needles in which their hooked ends project axially from a cylinder groove will be referred to accordingly as the upper position, and the retracted position as the lower position It will be understood, though, that thi invention is not limited to any specific orientation of the apparatus or the product in space.

To produce a vertical stripe it has been previously proposed to wrap a yarn about a selected needle whenever it reaches its upper position to take yarn for knitting the basic fabric. It has been suggested to pass a blade-shaped yarn guide back and forth in a radial direction past the needle. The blade also rotates with the needle cylinder and is obliquely inclined relative to the cylinder radius in such a manner that its axially extending front edge is circumferentially offset from the rear edge. During radially outward movement of the blade of the known device, the blade passes between one side of the selected needle and an adjacent needle. During the inward return stroke it passes between the other side of the selected needle and the other adjacent needle. The needles are commonly made of spring steel and are resilient. When engaged by the blade they are in their upper position and thus capable of yielding in a circumferential direction to permit passage of the blade.

The afore-described known device for producing vertical stripes on a circular knitting machine is inherently limited to relatively coarse cloth. Sixteen needles per inch constitute the approximate limit of fineness to which the known device can be applied with consistent success. In finer fabrics the circumferential spacing of the needles is so close that a yarn cannot be passed between adjoining needles by an obliquely inclined blade without interfering with proper operation of the knitting machine. Because of the close needle spacing and the unavoidable deviation of the needles from a perfectly straight shape, the blade cannot be relied upon to enter the same gap between adjoining needles during each cycle. Multiple defects are produced and make the device impractical for fine fabrics.

It is one of the primary objects of this invention to overcome the limitations of the known method of making 3,182,471 Fatented May 11, 1965 vertical stripes in knit cloth, and to provide a knitting machine which will produce vetrical stripes in fabric of any desired fineness, such as -cut or higher, without an inherent upper limit of fineness.

Another object is the provision of a knitting machine which will produce a variety of vertical stripes in the same fabric, the stripes varying not only in width but also in texture.

A further object of this invention is to provide a knit ting machine in which a selected needle is deflected from the normal needle path and wherein a yarn carrier passes between the deflected needle and the normal needle path to feed a yarn to the deflected needle.

In one embodiment of the present invention, as applied to a knitting machine having a plurality of needles arranged in a cylindrical configuration, selected needles are deflected radially from the cylindrical configuration, at the yarn pickup position. At this point a yarn carrier passes between the deflected needle and the cylinder defined by the needles to feed a yarn of a different color to the deflected needle. This yarn forms the stripe in the fabric. By deflecting more than one adjacent needle, stripes of different widths can be formed. Since the yarn carrier does not pass radially between adjacent needles the needles can be positioned very close to each other to provide a fine knit.

Some knitting machines have a plurality of knitting needles arranged to lie in a plane and extend radially, the

- needles commonly being used in conjunction with a plurality of axially extending needles which define a cylinder. While the embodiment of the invention disclosed herein is shown in connection with the cylindrically arranged needles, the principles of the invention could a well be applied to the needles radially arranged in a plane.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the figures thereof, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of a circular knitting machine equipped with a preferred embodiment of the striping device of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a detail of the apparatus of FIG. 1 in perspective view on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 3 illustrates the apparatus of FIG. 1 in fragmentary radial section;

FIG. 4 shows a detail of the apparatus of FIG. 1 in plan view;

FIG. 5 is another detail view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 in axial section;

FIG. 6 shows the apparatus of FIG. 1 in radial section;

FIG. 7 shows a detail of the knitting machine of FIG. 1 in axial section; and

FIG. 8 shows a modified embodiment of a knitting needle for the striping device of the invention in side elevation.

Referring now to the drawing, and initially to FIG. 1, there is shown a preferred embodiment of the striping device of the invention as applied to a circular knitting machine of the multiple-feed latch needle type commonly employed for the rapid production of cloth for jersey apparel. The machine which is shown in an exploded perspective View has been illustrated only to the extent required for an understanding of this invention.

The needle cylinder 1 of the knitting machine has been largely broken away so as to reveal other elements of the mechanism. It will be understood that his mounted in the usual stationary knitting machine frame and that it rotates continuously about a vertical axis in the frame during operation of the machine. The cylinder includes wall of the Cylinder. Since the detail structure of the cylinder is well known in itself, and not per se relevant tending radially outward from the shank 4, 4' and pivoted thereon for movement in an axially extending plane. The latch 6 when closed to cooperate with the hooked por tion 5, '..forrns a closed eye to retain a yarn 7 therein.

Axial movement of the needles is actuated in a known manner by cams cooperating with the butts 8 on the needle shanks 4. The cams also radially retain the needles in their respective slots 2.

For the sake of clarity, the slots 2 have been shown to berrelatively widely spaced from each other, and other dimensional relationships have been intentionally distorted for the same reason. Actually, thirty or more needles are arranged side by side in corresponding individual slots along each inch of cylinder circumference, and the cylinder diameter is of the order of two feet or more. The walls of the slots in the cylinder serve as a guiding means for the needles.

The cylinder needles which are made of spring steel or similar resilient metal have straight shanks, and the axial movement of their shanks defines a needle raceway having the shape of a hollow cylinder which includes the slots 2. The hook portions 5 of the majority ofthe needles 3 are aligned with the shanks 4. Except for the butts 3, these needles are straight. Only two straight needles 3 are shown in FIG. 1 in the upper and lower position respectively.

One needle 3 is seen to have a hook portion 5 which is arcu-ately bent out of alignment with the shank portion 4' in a radially inward direction. The needle 3' receives yarn 7 from a yarn carrier 9. The'carrier which is seen on an enlarged scale in the perspective view of FIG-2 is a flat plate having three openings 10 for the passage of yarn, only one of which is shown to be utilized in FIG.

1. The carrier is fastened to a bracket 11 which is axially adjustable on a support arm 12, and can be fixed in the adjusted position by a set screw 13. The arm 12 radially extends from a wheel 14.

The mounting of the yarn carrier 9 on the wheel 14 is better seen from FIG. 3 which illustrates a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1 in radial section through the wheel 14. The support arm 12has a radially elongated opening 15 through which a screw. 16' passes to secure the arm 12 to the rim of the Wheel 14. FIG. 3 also shows the hook portions of a straight needle 3 and of a bent needle 3' in the upper position in which the hook portion of the bent needle 3is deflected radially inward firom the I 7 into the clear space between the end of the hook 5' and the back of the hook 5. The Width of this space is of the order of one quarter of an inch with conventional latch needles.

Reverting again to FIG. 1, the knitting machine of the invention is seen to be equipped with four substantially

identical wheels

14, 14a, 14b, and 140 which are independ-' ently rotatable on a shaft 16. The shaft is a part of the stationary machine frame. tion of the device, the wheels are directly superimposed on each other and the lowermost wheel 14 is held in proper axial position by a loose collar 17 secured to the shaft 16 by a set screw 18. It will be understood that yarn carriers similar in structure and function to. the yarn car- In the assembled condirier 5 may be afiixed to. the several wheelsso as to provide guidance for as many striping yarns 7 as desired.

The arrangement'illustrated is well suited for a sixty-four feed knitting machine and striping yarns maybe fed to each station by sixty-four yarn carriers distributed over the four

wheels

14, 14a, 14b, and Me as required to prevent interference. The number of wheels can be increased further if desired to accommodate an even larger number of yarn carriers for striping yarn. A large gear 19 is fixed on the shaft 116 and remains stationary with the shaft 16. V i

A four armed cross member 2% is axially secured on the shaft 16. below the gear 1 by a collar similarto the collar 17 but not visible in FIG. 1, and freely rotatable on the shaft. 'I he'cross member 20 carries four plates 21 respectively mounted on the four arms of the cross member, and a pinion 22 mounted on each plate 21 meshes with the gear 19. V

The mounting of the pinions 22' on the cross member 20 is better seen in the fragmentary plan view of FIG. 4 which shows a portion of one of the arms of the cross memberztl with the corresponding plate 21. The plate has two slots 23 through which :screws 24 pass to secure the plateto the cross arm. The slots 23 are circumfer entially elongated relative to the gear 19to permit precise circumferential positioning of the yarn carrier 9 relative to the cylinder 1; The pinion 22 is rotatably supported by a shaft 25 which is fixed on the plate 21. The gear 19 and the pinion 22 have a pitch ratio of .6421 so that the pinion revolves once while the needle cylinder, which rotates jointly with the cross member 20, moves from one feed station to the next in the 64-feed machine selected for the purpose of illustration.

As seen in FIG. 1, a pin 26. is eccentrically fastened in the pinion-22 and one end of a link 27 is pivotaily supported on the pin 26. The other end of the link 27 carries a rod 28 the free endofwhich engages a slot 29 in one of the spokes 35) of the wheel 14; Details of this structure are better seen in FIG. .5 in axial section. One end of the rod 27 is fixedly secured to the link'27. The other end .31 is of reduced diameter and hasan axial bore which receives a screw'32. A washer mounted on the screw 32; urges the spoke against a shoulder on the rod 28 and thus fixes the wheel. 14 to rod 28. The linkage described imparts to the wheel 14 a dual motion. It is composed of the movement of the cross member 2% about the cylinder axis which is actuated. by means presently to become apparent, upon which is superimposed the reciprocating movement of thelink 27. relative to the cross member 20 caused by rotation of the pinion 22 about its axis. 7

Each of the arms of the cross member 2t) carry a plate 21, a pinion 22, a link 27 and a rod 28 connected to one of the wheels 14-, 14a, 14b, and 14;, but much of the duplicated structure has, been omitted to avoid crowding of the drawing. The stroke length of the reciprocating rotation of a wheel 14 can be varied substantially by changing the point'of attachment of the rod 28 to the wheel. In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1, four identical pinions. 22 have been illustrated, but it will be obvious to those skilled in the .art that different striping patterns may be produced by employing pinions of-different diameter, and that further modifications are available by changing dimensional relationships withoutv departing from the spirit and scope. of this invention. It independent movement of the four wheels (or of any other plurality of wheels) is desired, the Wheels have to be arrangedin such a'manner that the rods 28 may freely pass through the openings between the spokes 30 of lower wheels, as is readily apparent from FIG. 1. FIG. 6 shows the apparatus of FIG. .1 in radial section on a level below the large gear 19. The cross member 20 is seen on the shaft 16. The screws 24 which hold the plates 21 to each of thearms of the cross member are visible. The ends ofthe arms are cut out to form cylindrical grooves 34 with rounded edges which loosely engage four cylindrical rods 35. The rods are mounted in axial alignment on chordal bars 36 fastened to the inside of the needle cylinder 1 which is shown without its needle slots. The knit cloth 37 passes between the walls of the grooves 34 and the rods 35 with so little friction as not to interfere with the downward movement of the material under its own weight. With normal engineering practice of proper lubrication of all friction surfaces, the forces required for actuating the rotation of the cross member are very small. If extremely fine fabrics of 'very light weight are to be handled, antifriction bearings may be employed as needed to hold the contact pressure between the rods and the grooves 34 sufficiently low to prevent any snagging of the cloth. The drive arrangement shown in FIG. 6 is preferred because of its great simplicity over known mechanisms for driving yarn carriers in unison with the needle cylinder of a knitting machine which depend on more complex linkages.

The rods 35 are connected to and driven with the needle cylinder at a speed equal to the speed of the needle cylinder. The construction and operation of these rods 35 is explained in detail in US. Patent 3,018,645. The cross member 20 is loosely connected to the moving rods 35 through the fabric, since the rods 35 are positioned in the recesses in the ends of the arms 20. Thus, the cross member 20 rotates with the rods 35 and the needle cylinder.

Rotation of the cross member 20 causes the pinion 22 to roll around the periphery of the stationary gear 19. The wheel 14, being linked to the cross member 26 through the pinion 22 and link 27, rotates with the cross member and the needle cylinder. The rotative movement of the wheel 14 has superimposed upon it the oscillating motion effected by the rotating pinion 22 and the link 27. This oscillating motion causes the yarn guide 9 to sweep back and forth past the bent needle with which this guide is associated, the guide 9 rotating with its associated needle to continually supply yarn to that same needle.

The method by which yarn is taken by the curved needles 3 is illustrated in FIG. 7 which shows an axial section through the periphery of the needle cylinder of FIG. 1, and associated elements. A bent needle 3' is shown in fully drawn lines in its upper position in which its hook 5' and latch 6' entirely clear the groove 2 in the needle cylinder 1. The shank 4' of the bent needle 3' is confined in its groove 2 by two earns 38 and 39 which are mounted on the stationary machine frame in the usual manner. While, for the sake of clarity, the cams have been shown radially spaced a substantial distance from the cylinder 1, they actually hug it closely to retain the needles in their slots. Their radially extending cam faces engage the butt 8 of the needle 3 to actuate axial movement of the needle 3' when the cylinder rotates in the frame. The back of the needle 3' elastically abuts against the upper edge of the groove 2 at least during the axial movement of the needle 3. The edge portion of the cylinder 1 thus acts as a guide for the radial movement of the hook portion 5' during axial shank movement.

The bent needle 3' illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 7 may be replaced by any other needle the hook portion of which can readily be guided in a radially extending path during the axial needle movement. An example of another needle suitable for the purpose is shown in FIG. 8 in side elevation. The needle 3" has a hooked terminal portion 5" which is pivoted to the shank portion 4 by a pivot pin 42. Under normal operating conditions the two hingedly connected portions of the needle 3" are rigid. Radial movement of the hook portion 5 of the needle 3" in an inward direction is actuated by the weight of the knitted cloth and the tension of the yarn 7 very much in the same manner as the hooked terminal 6 end portion 5' of the needle 3 is deflected by its own resilience.

FIG. 7 also shows a stationary yarn guide 40 which is fixedly mounted on the machine frame and has an eye 41 for passage of a thread from which the basic fabric is made as is well known. Abutment against the lower edge of the yarn guide 40 prevents closing of the latch 6 of the needle 3 during upward needle movement. The dimensions of the needle 3' and of its latch 6' are selected in such a manner, and the yarn guide 40 is so positioned that the yarn guide also prevents closing of the latch 6. It has no other function relevant to the striping arrangement of this invention. The path of the hooked terminal portion 5' of the needle 3 is indicated in the showing of the portion 5' in broken lines.

The

cams

38 and 39 are shaped in such a manner that the needles 3, 3' reach respective upper positions for yarn taking 64 times during each revolution of the needle cylinder 1, and there are sixty-four stationary yarn guides 40 each associated with one of the upper needle positions around the circumference of the cylinder. As many as sixty-four striping devices each carrying at least a single yarn may be associated respectively with the sixtyfour feeds of the basic fabric. The number of bent needles cannot be less than the number of vertical stripes that it is desired to produce, but more than one bent needle may be arranged for cooperation with a single yarn carrier 9 and the reciprocating stroke of the yarn carrier may be increased to extend a stripe over the several bent needles.

The afore-described apparatus operates as follows:

During operation of the knitting machine the needle cylinder 1 is rotated about the axis of the shaft 16 by the main drive of the knitting machine (not shown). The cylinder entrains the cross member 20 and thereby moves the pinions 22 about the circumference of the large gear 19 causing them to rotate 64 times during each revolution of the needle cylinder 1. The eccentric pins 26 on the pinions 22 actuate reciprocating rotary movement of the connected wheels 14 about the shaft 16 during each revolution of the pinion 22. The stroke of this reciprocating movement can be adjusted by radially shifting the upper end of the rod 28 in the slot 29. The yarn carrier 9 moves in unison with the wheel 14, and thus moves circumferentially back and forth relative to the needle cylinder 1 sixty-four times during each revolution of the needle cylinder.

It will be recalled that there are sixty-four stationary yarn guides 40 mounted about the circumference of the needle cylinder 1, each corresponding to one feed. The cam assembly which elevates the needles is shaped with sixty-four peaks angularly aligned with the stationary yarn guides for knitting the base fabric. Because of the synchronization of the yarn carrier 9 with the cylinder 1, the yarn carrier 9 will be in the same position relative to a bent needle 3' whenever that needle is elevated to its upper position by the

cams

38, 39.

While the hooked terminal portion 5 of the needle moves between the radially deflected upper position and the lower position in which the hook portion 5' is forced into alignment with the straight needles 3, and back to the radially deflected upper position, the yarn carrier 9 swings in a circumferential arc back and forth past the radial plane of the needle 3'. The radial alignment of the needle 3' with the arc of movement of the yarn carrier 9 is such that the yarn 7 is guided into the radial clearance between the needle 3 in its upper position and the line of the straight needles in such a manner that the yarn will be caught in the hook of the needle 3 during the down stroke of the latter as clearly seen in FIG. 7. During this downward movement of the bent needle 3', the yarn carrier 9 is circumferentially spaced forward or backward of the needle 3' so that the yarn 7 extends from one of the openings 10 obliquely across J the path of the hook and downward into the knitted cloth.

During each axially reciprocating movement of the shank i' of the bent needle 3/,- the hooked end portion 5 reciprocates radially inward and outward, and the yarn '7 simultaneously reciprocates circumferentially back and forth relative to the needle 3'. These combined movements result in the yarn 7 being wrapped about the shank of the needle 3 during the normal knitting cycle and being tied into the base fabric. A vertical stripe extending along a single wale of-the cloth is thus pro duced. It appears on both sides of the cloth.

The apparatus illustrated has great versatility in the patterns produced. By varying the' circumferential stroke of theyarn carrier 9, a yarn 7 may be wrapped about more than one needle. replaced by others having a pitch diameter which is one thirty-second of the pitch diameter of the gear 19, the yarn carrier 9'will complete only one circumferential stroke between two feeds, and the thread will-extend obliquely across the path of the hooked end portion 5' from the yarn carrier 9 in a forward and downward direction at one feed station, and in a backward'and downward direction at thenext feed station. Instead of being wrapped in a full circle about a Wale of the base fabric, the vertical stripe yarn '7 is tied into il'lQbZtSC fabric, in semicircular loops.

The number of vertical yarns 7 may be increased by mounting a plurality of brackets ll with the associated yarn carriers 9 on the same wheel 14 as far as space permits, and to supplement them by yarn carriers similarily arranged on the second, third, and fourth wheel. The yarn guides associated with the respective wheels may be made to reciprocate in cycles of diiferent timingand over strokes of ditferent lengths by suitably select-- ting the respective pinions and points of engagement between the respective motion transmitting rods 28 and slots 29.

The striping device of the invention is not limited in its application to fabrics of relatively coarse structure produced 'on knitting machines having a limited number of feeds. The number of needles per inch in the needle cylinder 1 has no bearing on its operativeness or the reliability of its functioning. 1 Multiple feed knitting maproduced by cutting and knotting yarns if thehorizontalstripes are to be separated by a number of courses greater than the number of the available thirty-two feeds. This limitation as to number of feeds does not exist with the striping device of the present invention. The striping device does not limit. the spacing of horizontal stripes which could otherwise be obtained. The elimination of cutting and knotting removes an important source of operating difficulties. .Automatic' devices are available.

for performing the cutting and knotting operations, but they make the apparatus more complex, more costly to build and to operate. Relatively frequent machine stoppagesare virtually unavoidable, for example, because of the dulling of cutting knives. of even the best types of such knives between sharpenings is limited.

A knitting machine provided with a vertical striping: arrangement according to this invention is thus capable of high production rates and is not subject to frequent maintenance operations when producing complex vertical and horizontal stripe patterns on knitted. goods.

When the pinionsZZ ar The useful life It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that this invention is not limited to any particular type of knitting machine nor to latch needle machines. 7 Spring needles or any other type of needles could be employed, and needle movements could be actuated in any desired manner.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosure relates to only a preferred embodiment of the invention and that it is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for the purpose of the disclosure which do not constitute departures from the-spirit and the scope of the invention set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1.. in a knitting'machine having a needle cylinder, a

plurality of elongated needles positioned in the needle cylinder andeach having ahook portion and a shank portion; at least one of said needles being adapted to have the hook portion thereof move radially-to a position radially disposed from the remaining needles when said one needle is moved to a yarn-receivingposition, the hook portions of said remaining needles moving substantially in the paths of the respective shank portions during longitudinal movement of said shank portions; and a yarn carrier mounted on the machine for oscillating movementalong a circular-path concentric with the needle cylinder; said carrier beingassociated with said one needle-so as to be oscillated pastsaid one needle.

2. In a knitting machine having a needle cylinder; a plurality of needles positioned on the cylinder and having hook and shank portions; atleast one. of said needles being bent in such'a manner that when the hook portion thereof is moved longitudinally out of the needle cylinder said hook portion moves radially to a position radially disposed from the cylinder defined by the remaining needles; said remaining needles being substan-' tially straight; a yarn carrier mounted on the machine for movement along a circular path concentric with the needle. cylinder, and a linkage mechanism connected to the yarn carrier for oscillating said yarn carrier back and forth past said .one needle; said yarn carrier being positioned to move between said one needle and the cylinder defined by said remaining needles.

3. In a knitting. machine, in combination, a plurality of elongated needles each having a shank portion and a hook portion; a needle cylinder formed with a plurality of axially extending grooves receivingsaid needles for guiding longitudinal movement of the respective shank portions of said needles. in substantially parallel paths; guide means integral with the needle cylinder for guiding the hook portion of a selected one of said needles during said longitudinal movement of the shank portion thereof in a path extending radially, relative to said. needle cylinder, the hook portions of the remainder of-said plurality of needles moving substantially in the paths of the respective shank portions during the longitudinal movement of said shank portions and a'yarn carrier mounted on the machine for oscillating movement along a circular path concentric with the needle cylinder, said path extending between said one needle and the remaining needles.

4. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a needle cylinder formed with a plurality of circumferentially spaced axial grooves, said grooves jointly defining a needle raceway; a plurality of knitting needles, each needle having a shank portion and a hook portion, said shank portion being guided in a respective oneof said grooves, each said needle being axially movableinthe respective groove between a projecting position in which the hook portion thereof axially projects from'said groove and. a retracted position in which said'hook portion is withdrawn from said projecting position toward the respective groove, one of said needles being bent, said" hook portion of said one needle radially extending from said needle raceway when'said one needle is insaid projecting position thereof,

the other ones of said needles being substantially straight and the hook portions thereof extending substantially in alignment with said raceway when said other needles are in the respective projecting positions thereof, and a yarn carrier mounted on the machine for oscillatory movement along an arcuate path concentric with the needle cylinder, said carrier being adapted to apply a yarn to said one needle.

5. In a knitting machine as set forth in claim 4, said one needle being of resilient material.

6. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a needle cylinder formed with a plurality of circumferentially spaced axially extending grooves, said grooves jointly defining a needle raceway; a plurality of knitting needles, each needle having a shank portion and a hook portion, said shank portion being guided in a respective one of said grooves; actuating means for actuating axial movement of said needles in the grooves between respective projecting positions in which the respective hook portions thereof axially project from the respective grooves and respective retracted positions in which said hook portions are withdrawn from said projecting position toward the respective groove, one of said needles being bent in such a manner that the hook portion of said one needle radially extends from said needle raceway when said one needle is in the projecting position thereof, the other ones of said needles being substantially straight, the hook portions of said other needles extending substantially in alignment with said raceway when said other needles are in the respective projecting positions thereof, and a yarn carrier mounted on the machine for oscillatory movement along an arcuate path concentric With the needle cylinder, said path extending between said one needle and said other needles.

7. In a knitting machine, in combination, a plurality of elongated needles each having a shank portion and a hook portion; a needle cylinder formed with a plurality of axially extending grooves receiving said needles for guiding longitudinal movement of the respective shank portions of said needles in substantially parallel paths; guide means integral with the needle cylinder for guiding the hook portion of a selected one of said needles during said longitudinal movement of the shank portion thereof in a rotating path extending radially relative to said needle cylinder; a yarn carrier for feeding yarn to the hook portion of said one needle; said yarn carrier being mounted on the machine for oscillatory movement along an arcuate path concentric with the needle cylinder; and actuating means for actuating joint radial movement of the hook portion of said one needle and substantially tangential reciprocating movement of said yarn carrier relative to said one needle.

8. In a circular knitting machine, in combination, a frame; a needle cylinder rotatable relative to said frame about an axis and formed wiht a plurality of axially extending grooves; a plurality of elongated needles each having a hook portion and a shank portion received in a respective one of said grooves for axial movement of said shank portions in substantially parallel paths; guide means integral with the needle cylinder for guiding the hook portion of a selected one of said needles during said longitudinal movement thereof in a radially extending path; a yarn carrier for feeding yarn to the hook portion of said one needle; said yarn carrier being mounted for movement along a circular path concentric with the needle cylinder; actuating means for actuating synchronized longitudinal movement of the shank portion of said one needle, radial movement of the hook portion thereof, and reciprocating movement of said yarn carrier relative to said cylinder toward and away from a position of circumferential alignment with said one needle when said cylinder rotates relative to said frame.

9. In a knitting machine having a rotating needle cylinder, a fixed shaft mounted on the machine concentric with the needle cylinder, support means, a yarn guide secured to the support means, said support means being mounted on the shaft for rotative movement relative thereto in such a manner that said guide moves along a circular path concentric with the needle cylinder, and a drive and linkage mechanism interconnecting the shaft and the yarn guide, said drive and linkage mechanism being such that rotation of said yarn guide about said shaft effects an oscillation of said guide, said oscillation being superimposed on said rotation.

10. In a knitting machine having a rotating needle cylinder, a fixed shaft mounted on the machine concentric with the needle cylinder, a drive gear secured to the shaft, support means, a yarn guide attached to the support means, said support means being mounted on the shaft for rotative movement thereabout in such a manner that said guide moves along a circular path concentric with the needle cylinder, and a linkage mechanism interconnected between the drive gear and the yarn guide for oscillating said yarn guide as said yarn guide is rotated about the shaft.

11. In a knitting machine a needle cylinder having therein a plurality of longitudinal slots, a plurality of needles mounted in said slots for longitudinal movement from retracted positions to extended positions, one of said needles being adapted to flex radially out of alignment with its respective slot when said one needle is moved to said extended position, a stationary shaft positioned on the axis of the needle cylinder, a drive gear secured to the shaft, a yarn carrier mounted for rotation about the shaft so that said carrier moves on a circular path concentric with the needle cylinder, and a linkage mechanism interconnecting the drive gear and the yarn carrier for oscillating said carrier as said yarn carrier is rotated.

12. In a knitting machine having a needle cylinder having therein a plurality of longitudinal slots, a plurality of needles mounted in said slots for longitudinal movement from retracted positions to extended positions, one of said needles being adapted to flex radially out of alignment with its respective slot when said one needle is moved to said extended position, a stationary shaft positioned on the axis of the needle cylinder, a drive gear secured to the shaft, support means mounted on the shaft for rotation thereabout, a yarn carrier mounted on the support means, said carrier extending to a position between the flexed one needle and the cylinder defined by the remaining needles, and a pinion and linkage mechanism interconnecting the stationary gear and the yarn carrier for superimposing an oscillating movem e nt upon the rotative movement of said yarn carrier.

13. In a machine having a rotating needle cylinder, a stationary shaft positioned on the axis of the needle cylinder, a gear secured to the shaft, a wheel rotatably mounted on the shaft, a yarn carrier attached to the wheel for feeding a yarn to needles in said needle cylinder, a rotating member mounted on the shaft axially adjacent to the gear, a pinion mounted on the rotating member and meshed with the gear, and a link interconnecting the wheel and a point on the pinion, said point being eccentric so that the wheel is oscillated to oscillate the yarn carrier as the pinion is rotated.

14. In a knitting machine having a rotating needle cylinder, a stationary shaft positioned on the axis of the needle cylinder, a plurality of needles mounted on the needle cylinder, a gear secured to the shaft, a rotating cross member mounted on the shaft below the gear, a wheel rotatably mounted on the shaft above the gear, a yarn carrier attached to the wheel and positioned inside the cylinder defined by the needles, a pinion rotatably mounted on the cross member and meshed with the gear, a pin eccentrically attached to the pinion, a rod attached to the wheel, and a link interconnecting the pin and the rod so that rotation of the pinion oscillates the wheel to thereby oscillate the yarn carrier, said rod being ad- 1 i justable in position on the wheel to adjust the amplitude of oscillation of said wheel and yarn carrier.

15. In a knitting machine, a rotating needle cylinder having a plurality of spaced longitudinal slots, a plurality of needles positioned in the slots and movable from retracted positions toextended positions, said needles having hook portionswhich are extended longitudinally from the slots when said needles are in said extended positions, at least one of said needles being adapted to move radially inward to space the hook portion thereof from the cylinder defined by the slots when said one needle is in its extended position, a stationary shaft positioned on the axis of the needle cylinder, a gear secured to the shaft, a rotating cross member mounted on the shaft below the gear, a wheel rotatably mounted on the shaft above the gear and having therein a radial slot, a yarn carrier attached to the wheel and positioned for movement along a circular path between. the radially displaced one needle and thecylinder defined by the remaining needles, a pinion rotatably mounted on the cross member and meshed with the gear, a pin eccentrically attached to the pinion, a rod extending through the slot in the wheel and attached thereto, and a link interconnecting the pin and the rod for oscillating the wheel and the yarn carrier as the pinion is rotated, said rod being adjustably positioned in the slotin the wheel for v adjusting the amplitude of oscillation of the wheel and the yarn carrier, said yarn carrier being positioned to oscillate past said one needle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,697,488 1/29 Ames 66-36 1,841,249 l/32 Larkin 6 6--25 1,902,870 3/ 3 3 Levin 66-25 1,911,698 5/33 7 Levin 6625 2,070,170 2/ 3 7 Lombardi 663 6 2,194,485 3/40 Steinmueller 66--36 2,373,126 4/45 Lombardi -3 66135 FOREIGN PATENTS 11,934 1906 Great Britain. 352,543 4/30 Great Britain. 354,805 8/31 Great Britain. 7

44,87 4 10/ 88 Germany.

RUSSELL C. MADER, Primary Examiner. LEYLAND M. MARTIN, Examiner. I

Claims

1. IN A KNITTING MACHINE HAVING A NEEDLE CYLINDER, A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED NEEDLES POSITIONED IN THE NEEDLE CYLINDER AND EACH HAVING A HOOK PORTION AND A SHANK PORTION; AT LEAST ONE OF SAID NEEDLES BEING ADAPTED TO HAVE THE HOOK PORTION THEREOF MOVE RADIALLY TO A POSITION RADIALLY DISPOSED FROM THE REMAINDING NEEDLES WHEN SAID ONE NEEDLE IS MOVED TO A YARN-RECEIVING POSITION, THE HOOK PORTIONS OF SAID REMAINING NEEDLES MOVING SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE PATHS OF THE RESPECTIVE SHANK PORTIONS DURING LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT OF SAID SHANK PORTIONS; AND A YARN CARRIER MOUNTED ON THE MACHINE FOR OSCILLATING MOVEMENT ALONG A CIRCULAR PATH CONCENTRIC WITH THE NEEDLE CYLINDER; SAID CARRIER BEING ASSOCIATED WITH SAID ONE NEEDLE SO AS TO BE OSCILLATED PAST SAID ONE NEEDLE.