US3286546A - Cam construction - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 22, 1966 M. PHILIP 3,286,546

CAM CONSTRUCTION Original Filed April 20, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR [Harris Plaza}? BY JMHYGM ATTORNEYS Nov. 22, 1966 M. PHILIP 3,286,546

CAM CONSTRUCTION Original Filed April 20, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Nov. 22, 1966 M. PHILIP 3,286,546 CAM CONSTRUCTION Original Filed April 20, 1962 3 SheetsSheet 5 v 200 M Z/f zit .5.

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS United States Patent f 3,286,546 CAM CONSTRUCTION Morris Philip, 2519 Grand Ave., Bronx, N.Y. Original application Apr. 20, 1962, Ser. No. 189,125, now Patent No. 3,147,605. Divided and this application June 12, 1964, Ser. No. 374,563

12 Claims. (Cl. 74-567) This invention relates to cam constructions and more particularly to a cam construction used in a knitting machine.

This application is a division of copending application Serial No. 189,125, filed April 20, 1962, now Patent No. 3,147,605.

More specifically, this invention is directed to an improved cam plate or cam lever used in a circular knitting machine which during the rotation of the machine contacts an element of a knitting station to cause a change at the knitting station. Such levers, or cam plates, have a carnming surface at their forward extremity for contacting the element to be moved. The distance between the carnming surface and the element to be moved must normally be carefully adjusted, so that the carnming surface will impart sufficient movement to the movable element, but disengage from the movable element at the appropriate time. If this distance is not carefully adjusted, the cam plate either does not perform its function or is liable to breakage by abutting part of the machine which it cannot move.

According to the present invention, this disadvantage is minimized :by providing a cam construction comprising a supporting section, a cam section having a carnming surface adjacent its forward end, and means resiliently securing said cam section to said supporting section for movement in a direction transverse to said carnming surface. Preferably, stop means are provided for limiting rearward movement of said cam section.

According to an illustrated, exemplary embodiment of this aspect of the invention, there is provided a cam plate having opposed longitudinal edges, the forward portion of said plate defining a cam section having a carnming surface near the forward extremity thereof and the rear portion of said plate defining a supporting section for support ing said cam section. The plate has a lateral cut-out therethrough intermediate said sections, with the cut-out extending inwardly from one of said longitudinal edges but terminating short of the other of said longitudinal edges to provide a relatively narrow, longitudinal portion on said plate defining a connecting strip. The connecting strip is resilient and pivotally connects the cam section to the supporting section.

These and other aspects and objects of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a fragmentary top elevation of a circular knitting machine of the type wherein the needle banks are stationary and the knitting cams rotate;

FIG. 2 shows a fragmentary vertical elevation, partially in section, taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1. This figure shows the counter chain in the position causing the pawl to rotate the counter chain;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of one embodiment of a cam plate;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a second embodiment of a cam plate;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 4 showing how the cam section is secured to the supporting section of the cam plate;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of a third embodi- 3,286,546 Patented Nov. 22, 1966 meat of a cam plate and shows the cam plate positioned over a portion of a knitting machine;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary diagrammatical plan view of a portion of a knitting machine and the cam plate of FIG. 6 showing the resilient movement of the cam section during operation of the machine.

In the drawings, there is no figure which shows a circular knitting machine in its entirety. Such complete circular knitting machines are well known in the art and, therefore, in order to avoid undue complication in the drawings, there are only shown, in diagrammatic form, those portions of the machine with which the present invention is directly concerned.

As is well known, circular knitting machines comprise two general types. In one type of machine, namely, the cam-rotating type, needle bed or beds are stationary while the yarn-feeds and knitting cams rotate. In the other type of machine, namely, the needle-rotating type, the yarn-feeds and knitting cams are stationary while the need-1e bed or beds rotate. In each type of machine there is relative rotation between the needles and the knitting cam-s. Although the present invention is applicable to both types of machines, the invention will be particularly described in connection with the cam-rotating type of multifeed circular knitting machines.

It will be further appreciated that both types of ma chines may have only one needle bank, which is generally a cylinder bank, or may have two needle banks, namely, a cylinder bank and a dial bank. The instant invention is not directly concerned with the operation of the needles. Therefore, these have not been illustrated nor described. Furthermore, the dial bank and its associated cams and other parts have been omitted, the drawings merely diagrammatically showing a portion of the cylinder cam ring.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the machine comprises a stationary frame (not shown) which supports a stationary annulus 10, within which there is rotatably mounted the turntable 11. On the turntable 11, there is mounted, for movement therewith, the cylinder cam ring 12, which includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart cylinder knitting cam sections, only two cam sections 13A and 138, being shown. It will be understood that each cam section has associated therewith a yarn-feed (not shown), so that each cam section is considered a knitting station. By way of example, a machine of the type illustrated employs twenty knitting stations, .i.e., twenty knitting cams and their associated.

yarn-feeds. The illustrated machine is of the stationary needle, rotating-cam type, and the turntable is rotated in the direction of arrow 11A by the main machine drive (not shown). The needles (not shown) do not rotate.

A support 14 is secured to the stationary annulus 10 by means of bolts 15, support 14 providing the support for the control mechanism. The pattern-control mechanism comprises a drum 16 fixedly mounted on shaft 17 for rotation therewith. Shaft 17 is rotatably jou'rnalled in support 14.

On shaft 17, between support 14 and drum 16, there is fixedly mounted a ratchet wheel 18 having a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart ratchet teeth 19 around its periphery.

On support 14 there is mounted an outwardly extending shaft 28, and one end 33 of each of levers 29, 30, 31 and 32 is journalled about shaft 28. Each of levers 29 through 32 extends laterally beyond drum 16 and is superposed thereover, so that the free end of each lever is on the other side of the drum from end 33. Each of levers 29 through 32 is provided with a downwardly depending sensing stud 34, said stud being positioned over the drum 16.

Mounted around the periphery of the drum 16 are a plurality of endless pattern chains 35, 36, 37 and 38, one pattern chain being positioned under each lever, so that pattern chain 35 is mounted under its corresponding lever 29, pattern chain 36 is mounted under its corresponding lever 30, etc. The pattern chains are mounted about the drum in any conventional manner, the drum having circumferentially spaced-apart guides, or sprockets, 39 about its periphery, so that the chains rotate with the drum 16. The structure of pattern chains is well known in the art and need not be described further herein, except to point out that each chain, for example, comprises a plurality of links of different heights, such as high link 40 and low link 41. Each time the drum 16 rotates an angular distance equal to the spacing between the teeth of the ratchet wheel 18, another link is positioned under the sensing stud 34 of the appropriate lever.

Means are provided for selectively stepwise rotating the ratchet wheel in timed relation to the rotation of the turntable, and, therefore, in timed relation to the rotation of the rotating knitting stations thereby rotating the drum 16 and the pattern chains thereon to control the operation of the machine and the various knitting operations. Although this control means is partially illustrated in the accompanying drawings, this means does not form part of the present invention, and is fully described and claimed in said copending application Serial No. 189,125, now Patent No. 3,147,605. Lever 29 and pattern chain 35 are part of this control means.

The manner in which the levers 30, 31 and 32 effect the changes in the operation of the machine has been diagrammatically illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a detailed description not being necessary because such structure is well known in the art. In FIG. 2, the means associated with lever 30 for changing knitting patterns has been shown in phantom. A vertical bracket 80 is secured to support 14, and bracket 80 is provided with two hori zontal guide rings 81 and 82, which vertically guide a rod 83, the lower end 84 of rod 83 resting upon the free end 85 of lever 30. A collar 86 is secured to rod 83 beneath guide ring 81, and a compression spring 87 is mounted between collar 86 and guide ring 81 to bias rod 83 downwardly toward end 85 of lever 30. At the upper end of rod 83, there is fixedly secured a cam lever, or cam plate, 88, having a camming surface 89.

The cylinder cam ring 12 includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart knitting cam sections, only two sections, namely sections 13A and 133 being diagrammatically shown. Cam section 13A constitutes the first knitting station, and cam section 13B constitutes the last knitting station.

Projecting outwardly from each knitting cam section are levers 91 and 92, lever 91 being positioned above lever 92. When lever 30 is in the low position, as when a low link of chain 36 is under the sensing stud of lever 30, cam plate 88 is at such a height that its camming surface 89 will engage lever 92 on the knitting cam section which passes camming surface 89 during the rotation of the turntable 11. When camming surface 89 engages lever 92, the latter will be urged inwardly to effect an actual change in the knitting cam.

When a high link in chain 36 is positioned under the sensing stud of lever 30, lever 30 will be elevated to in turn elevate rod 83 and cam plate 88 to an upper position, at which position the camming surface 89 will be at the level of lever 91, so that lever 91 will be actuated when a knitting cam section passes the camming surface 89.

The manner in which levers 91 and 92 effect changes in the cams in the knitting cam sections is well known. It is therefore not considered necessary to illustrate or discuss the internal structure of the cam sections. Chain 37 and lever 31 are used to control rotation of a star wheel 102 by means of elements 107, 109, 110, 112, 117, 118 and 119'. This structure is fully described in said copending application Serial No. 189,125, now Patent No. 3,147,605, and is described and claimed in my application Serial No. 374,564, filed concurrently herewith, entitled.Star Wheel and Method of Setting Same. It is also not considered necessary to discuss in detail the purpose or structure of any of the other pattern-control chains or the mechanisms which they operate, since these are also conventional in the art.

It will be appreciated that, although the pattern chains have been described as being comprised of only high and low links, in many instances more than two sizes of links can be used. This is also conventional. In the illustrated, exemplary embodiment, pattern-control chain 36 produces a change in the knitting cams. Pattern-control chains can also be used to control the speed or rotation of the turntable, the severing or addition of yarn, stitch tighteners, etc. In the illustrated, exemplary embodiment, cam plate 88 does not rotate, while the knitting stations do rotate; and, when cam plate 88 is moved to a particular elevation, such as shown in FIG. 2, or cam plate 88 is at a level with lever 91, each knitting station passing thereby will have its lever 91 actuated by camming surface 89.

It will be appreciated that, according to the setting of the control means, pattem-control chain 36 can control lever 30 so as to effect all the knitting stations or some of the knitting stations as more fully described in said copending application Serial No. 189,125, now Patent No. 3,147,604.

The preceding description has been primarily directed to an exemplary means for utilizing the cam plate construction of the present invention, and the latter will now be described in detail.

Referring specifically to FIGS. 3 through 7, the cam plate 88 comprises a forward portion defining a cam section 200 and a rear portion defining a supporting section 201. The cam section 200 has an inclined camming surface 202 at its forward extremity, said surface effectuating the movement of levers or slides such as 91 and 92, previously described. The supporting section is provided at the rear thereof with a rectangular hole 203 therethrough for mounting cam plate 88 near the top of rod 83 by means of a bolt (see FIG. 2).

The cam section is secured to the supporting section by a resilient connecting strip 204 integral with the cam section and the supporting section. The cam plate 88 has a lateral cut-out 205 intermediate the cam section and the supportingsection, said cut-out extending laterally from one longitudinal edge 206 of the cam plate 88 toward the other longitudinal edge 207, but terminating short thereof, to provide a relatively narrow longitudinal portion on the cam plate which defines said connecting strip 204. The cam section, the supporting section, and the connecting strip all lie in the same plane. Cam plate 88 may be made from a single piece of flat metal stock, with connecting strip 204 being spring tempered to provide its resiliency.

Except for the connecting strip 204, the forward edge 208 is always spaced apart from the rear edge 209 of the cam section, so that a force acting on camming surface 202 will tend to urge the cam section rearwardly in the direction of arrow 210 against the resilient action of connecting strip 204, which resiliently biases the cam section forwardly. Preferably, to provide means for limiting rearward movement of the cam section, a stop means is provided and, in the form illustrated in FIG. 3, the stop means is provided by forming the forward edge 208 of the supporting member with the forwardly extending projection 211, which projects in the area of the cut-out "toward the rear edge 209 of the cam section. This projection 211 is formed by forming cut-out 205 in a generally triangular shape, the cut-out increasing longitudinally as the cut-out extends laterally from edge 206. In the illustrated embodiment, the projection 211 extends into the area of the cut-out near longitudinal edge 206. It is apparent that the projection can be positioned at some other location (not shown) in the area of the cut-out.

Referring to FIG. 7, lever or slide 91 is shown in the position where it contacts the camming surface 202 as turntable 11 rotates in the direction of arrow 11A. This position of slide 91 and cam section 200 is shown in solid lines. As the turntable continues its rotation, camming surface 202 moves slide 91 inwardly, and the cam section moves rearwardly a small distance against the resilient action of connecting strip 204. The positions of cam section 200 and slide 91 at this point are shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 7. In normal operation, the connecting strip 204 is sufficiently strong to permit camming surface 202 to urge slide 91 to its inward position without the cam section being moved rearwardly to its maximum extent. If cam plate 88, when mounted on the machine, is positioned a little further inwardly than necessary, the resiliency of connecting strip 204 will permit the cam section 200 to be moved rearwardly a little further during its camming operation.

It will be appreciated that, if cam plate 88 were made of a single solid piece of steel, without cut-out 205, as has been done in the prior art, a maladjustment in the spacing of camming surface 202 relative to slide 91 would not permit the cam section to move rearwardly. Under these circumstances, either the slide 91 or the cam plate would be severely damaged or broken. This occasionally actually occurs in the prior art. It is apparent that the prior-art construction required very careful adjustment of the spacing between the cam plate and slide 91. Because of the freedom of movement of cam section 200 relative to the supporting section 201, the cam plate 88 of the present invention need not be as accurately positioned as does the prior-art cam plate.

In FIG. 3, the connecting strip 204 integral with the sections of the cam plate provides the means for pivotally interconnecting these sections, as well as means for resiliently urging the cam section forwardly. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the resilient means and pivoting means are separate. In this embodiment, cam section 200A and supporting section 201A have generally the same shape of the corresponding portion of the plate 88 shown in FIG. 3. However, cam section 200A is not integral with supporting section 201A. Support1ng sect1on 201A is provided near longitudinal edge 207A with forwardly extending spaced-apart opposed lugs 212 for receiving therebetween a rearwardly extending lug 213 on the corresponding edge of cam section 200A. A pintle 214 passes through lugs 212 and 213 to pivotally secure cam section 200A and supporting section 201A to each other. Lugs 212, lug 213 and pintle 214 define a hmge means interconnecting the cam section 200A and supporting section 201A. To the lateral extrem ty of lug 212 is fastened a transverse bar 215, which l1m1ts the movement of cam section 200A away from the forward edge 08A of the su orting section.

2 To resiliently iirge cam section 200A in a forward direction, a compression spring 216 is interposed between the forward edge 208A of the supporting section and the rear edge 209A of the cam section. The compresslon spring 216 lies in the area of the cut-out 205A, which is provided by spacing apart the forward edge 208A of the supporting section from the rear edge of cam section 200A. Projection 211A, which is defined by the forwardrnost lateral extremity of the supporting section 201A, provides a stop means for limiting rearward movement of the cam section 200A.

The modification of FIG. 4 functions in the same manner as does the structure shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment similar to that of FIG. 3, except that the supporting section is narrower than that shown in FIG. 3. In this embodiment, the supporting section comprises a narrow strip 217 integral with cam section 200B, the connecting strip or portion 204B being the forward portion of supporting section 217. In this embodiment, there is no cut-out, as such, since there is no portion of the supporting section behind the rear edge 209B of the cam section. To provide stop means for limiting rearward movement of the cam section 2003, a vertical rod 218 is mounted in the stationary annulus 10 of the machine, said rod extending upwardly to the plane of cam section 200B in such a position that the exterior surface of rod 218 is normally spaced rearwardly of the rear edge 209B of the cam section.

The cam plate 88 may, for example, be a steel plate two to ten inches long, one to three inches wide, and about one-eighth to one-quarter of an inch thick. The space or clearance between projection 211 and the rear edge 209 of the cam section 200 may be between about one-sixteenth and three thirty-seconds of an inch. It will be appreciated that, by using such relatively heavy steel stock, the connecting strip 204 will not easily yield and therefore urge the camming surface 202 forwardly with sufiicient force to produce the proper camming action on a lever such as lever 91.

It is apparent that this invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein, and the description is to be interpreted in an illustrative, and not in a limiting, sense.

I claim:

1. A cam construction, comprising a supporting section, a cam section having a camming surface adjacent its forward end, means resiliently securing said cam sec tion to said supporting section for movement in a direction transverse to said camming surface, and stop means for limiting rearward movement of said cam section.

2. A cam construction according to claim 1, wherein said stop means includes a projection on said supporting section extending toward, but spaced apart from, said cam section.

3. A cam construction according to claim 1, wherein said sections lie in substantially the same plane and said securing means comprises a resilient connecting strip interconnecting said sections.

4. A cam construction according to claim 3, wherein said connecting strip is integral with said sections.

5. A cam construction according to claim 4, including a projection on said supporting section extending toward, but spaced apart from, said cam section to provide a stop means limiting rearward movement of said cam section.

6. A cam plate having opposed longitudinal edges, the forward portion of said plate defining a cam section having a camming surface near the forward extremity thereof and the rear portion of said plate defining a supporting section for supporting said cam section, said plate having therethrough a lateral cut-out intermediate said sections, said cut-out extending inwardly from one of said longitudinal edges toward, but terminating short of, the other of said longitudinal edges to provide a relatively narrow longitudinal portion of said plate defining a connecting strip connecting said cam section to said support ing section for pivotal movement toward and away from sa d supporting section, said connecting strip being reslhent and resiliently biasing said cam section forwardly.

7. A cam plate according to claim 6, wherein the forward edge of said supporting section has a forwardly extending projection thereon in the area of said cut-out, said projection extending adjacent to, but normally spaced apart from, the rear of said cam section to define a stop limiting rearward movement of said cam section.

8. A cam plate according to claim 7, wherein said projection is adjacent said one longitudinal edge and said cut-out increases in area in a direction from said one longitudinal edge toward said other longitudinal edge.

9. A cam construction comprising a cam section having side edges and a forward edge defining a camming surface, a straight elongated supporting section whose longitudinal axis is substantially parallel to the axis of said cam section, and means resiliently securing the rear of section includes hinge means and a spring normally urging said cam section away from said supporting section.

11. A cam construction according to claim 9, wherein said securing means comprises a resilient connecting strip integral with and interconnecting said sections.

12. In combination, a cam construction and an element 10 to be periodically moved by a camming surface of said cam construction, said cam construction comprising a supporting section, a cam section having a camming surface adjacent its forward end, means resiliently securing said cam section to said supporting section for movement in a direction transverse to said camming surface, and means for causing relative movement between said element and said camming surface to periodically cause said camming surface to contact said element for eifecting movement of said element, said resilient means permitting less precise adjustment of the spacing between said element and said camming surface.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,909,138 5/1933 Vollmer 74-567 1,972,510 9/1934 Antonietta 74567 FOREIGN PATENTS 641,393 5/1962 Canada.

FRED C. MATTERN, JR., Primary Examiner.

W. S. RATLIFF, JR., Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A CAM CONSTRUCTION, COMPRISING A SUPPORTING SECTION, A CAM SECTION HAVING A CAMMING SURFACE ADJACENT ITS FORWARD END, MEANS RESILIENTLY SECURING SAID CAM SECTION TO SAID SUPPORTING SECTION FOR MOVEMENT IN A DIRECTION TRANSVERSE TO SAID CAMMING SURFACE, AND STOP MEANS FOR LIMITING REARWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID CAM SECTION.

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