US3318111A

US3318111A - Apparatus for knitting pockets on a full-fashioned knitting machine

Info

Publication number: US3318111A
Application number: US559495A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jonquet Pierre
Original assignee: Simon SARL
Current assignee: Simon SARL
Priority date: 1966-06-22
Filing date: 1966-06-22
Publication date: 1967-05-09
Anticipated expiration: 1984-05-09

Description

3,318,111 FASHIONED E. SBMON May 9, 1967 APPARATUS FOR KNITTING POCKEI'S ON A FULL KNITTING MACHINE Filed June 22, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig] Fig.5

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APPARATUS FOR KNITTING POCKETS ON A FULE-FASHIONED KNITTING MACHINE Filed June 22, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 f/VVE/VTO/EI EDOUARE. slMoN, deceased b PIERRE JONQUET Attorney /)7 charge 0 H76 est A 7'TOE/VE VS May 9, 1967 E. saw/mm 3,315,111

APPARATUS FOR KNITTING POCKETS ON A FULL-FASHIONED KNITTING MACHINE Filed June 22, 1966 4 SheetB Sheet 3 Fig.3

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APPARATUS FOR KNITTING POCKETS ON A FULL--FASHIONED KNITTING MACHINE Filed June 22, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 /NVE'/V TOE:

E bow/nab SIMON, disceased by PDEEEE IouquE-T A tier/1e flmfiaye of the estate A TTOENE Y5 United States Patent Ofifice 3,318,111 APPARATUS FOR KNITTING POCKET S ON A FULL-FASHIONED KNITTING MACHINE Edouard Simon, deceased, late of Troyes, Aube, France,

by Pierre Jonquet, legal representative, 1315 Rue Paul- Dubois, Troyes, Ache, France, assignor to Etabllssements Simon 5A., Troyes, Auhe, France, a French company Filed June 22, 1966, Ser. No. 559,495 4 Claims. (Cl. 66-89) This is a continuation-in-part of application Serial No. 211,335 filed July 20, 1962, now abandoned, and relates generally to the formation of body bulge receiving pockets in selected portions of articles knit on a flat bed or fullfashioned Cotton type knitting machine. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for forming fashioned pockets or cups spaced inwardly from the opposite side edges of a garment blank. The pocket is formed by a partial pressing process in which partial courses of gradually varying lengths are knit by means of an improved presser blade arrangement.

It is known to form heel pockets or tabs in full-fashioned hosiery by knitting on groups of the needles adjacent opposite edges of the hosiery blank while the remaining needles in the center are maintained in an inoperative or non-knitting position. In some cases, the central group of needles have been maintained in a non-active position by means of sectioned presser bars. In other instances, all the needles are moved through a non-pressing path of travel and pressing of groups of the outermost needles is accomplished by means of a pair of movable presser plate elements, or by means of narrowing point type beard presser elements. However, the use of these known types of needle pressing devices has been limited to the knitting of particular types of pockets, mainly heel pockets in hosiery, and they have not been found satisfactory for forming pockets of a wide variety of shapes and sizes.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for forming fashioned pockets which is adaptable for use in the formation of pockets having a wide variety of different sizes and shapes so that the proper pocket can be knit to fit the required need.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of knitting fashioned pockets by which relatively large pockets may be knit with the shape required to properly fit any body bulge without undue pressure thereon. The size and shape of the pocket knit in accordance with the present method may be easily varied by repeating the basic knitting cycle (knitting partial courses of gradually decreasing length and courses of gradually increasing length) the required number of times.

The objects of the present invention are accomplished by providing three needle presser blades and pattern control means for moving the blades between a superposed position and a substantially side-by-side position. When the presser blades are superposed, the minimum length of short partial course is knit and when the blades are moved into .a substantially side-by-side position, the maximum length of partial course is knit. The movement of the presser blades between the two extremes may be carried out in any predetermined cycle so that the progressive length of the successive partial courses may be increased or decreased in the desired manner to form a pocket adapted to fit any of the bulges or protuberances of the body.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which-- 3,3 18,1 11 Patented May 9, 1967 FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the needle bed of a full-fashioned knitting machine, illustrating the knitting instrumentalities and the three superposed pressing blades in engagement with the needles;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary isometric view of a portion of one section of the knitting machine and showing the manner in which the needle pressing blades of the present invention are supported;

FIGURE 3 is a somewhat schematic plan view of one section of the knitting machine, illustrating the manner in which the movement of the two pressing blades is coordinated with the path of travel of the yarn carrier;

FIGURES 4, 5 and 6 are successive schematic views showing the positions of the three pressing blades at different stages of the knitting cycle during the formation of the pocket; and

FIGURE 7 is a schematic view illustrating the manner in which a particular type of pocket is formed by successively decreasing and then increasing the length of the partial courses throughout four cycles.

As best shown in FIGURE 1, the conventional parts of the knitting machine include spring beard needles 103 which are suitably supported at their lower ends in a needle bed 103a. The needle bed 103a is normally moved in a substantially vertical motion by conventional means to cause the beards of the needles 103 to engage the presser edge 104 of a presser bar 105 and close the same as the needles move downwardly during each knitting cycle. The yarn f is fed toithe needles by yarn carriers, only one of which is shown at 118 in FIGURE 1. The knitting instrumentalities also include sinkers 111 and knockover knits 111a which cooperate with the needles 105 in the usual manner to form stitch loops, such as that indicated at m.

The improved partial pressing means of the present invention includes three pressing blades, a first pressing blade 100 (FIGURES 2 and 3), a second pressing blade 101, and a third pressing blade 102. The front ends of the

blades

101 and 102 are fixed on the rear ends of

respective brackets

106, 107 which are supported for longitudinal sliding movement along a shaft 108. The

brackets

106, 107 are fixed against rotational movement on the shaft 108 by any suitable means, such as key ways, not shown. ,The front end of the first blade 100 is fixed on the rear end of a bracket 117; the front portion of which is fixed on the shaft 108, as by a set screw 117a (FIG- URES 2 and 3). Thus, the lateral position of first blade 100 is fixed, relative to the row of needles, and remains in alignment with a group of needles at the center of the needle section while the

blades

101, 102 are supported for lateral movement along the needle row. The

blades

101, 102 may be moved between a superposed position above the first blade 100 and a substantially side by-side position, relative to the center or first blade 100.

During the knitting of a fashioned pocket, the blades 100-102 are moved rearwardly during each knitting cycle, in the direction of the arrow h in FIGURES 1 and 2, so that their inner pressing edges engage the needles and deflect them into position where their beards willengage the presser edge 104 and close the hooks as they are lowered to form stitches. This rearward needle pressing motion of the blades 100-102 is accomplished by supporting the shaft 108 in the upper ends of levers 109, 109a (FIGURES 2 and 3), the lower ends of which are fixed on a rock shaft 110. The rocking motion is imparted to the shaft 110 by means of a lever 10% which is suitably connected thereto at its upper end and its lowerend is provided with a cam roller 1090 which rides on a cam C (FIGURE 3) during the formation of the fashioned pocket. The cam C is fixed on the main drive shaft AC 3 which rotates in timed relationship to operation of the knitting machine.

The needle pressing edges of the plates 100102 are supported at the proper height to engage the fronts of the needles 103, as shown in FIGURE 1, by means of a roller 112a (FIGURE 2) which is supported on the forward end of a lever 112 and the rear end of which is fixed on the shaft 108. The roller 112a engages support plate B (FIGURES 2 and 3) which is mounted on the frame of the machine at the proper level to control the height of the presser blades 100-102 as they move into and out of their pressing motions toward and away from the needles 103.

The rear ends of

guide arms

113, 114 slidably penetrate downwardly extending portions of the

respective brackets

106, 107 and their front ends are fixed on

respective guide rods

115, 116. Control links 115a, 116a (FIG- URE 3) operatively connect the

respective guide rods

115, 116 to respective internally threaded

control nuts

115b, 116b. The control nuts 115b, 1161; are supported on a stop screw spindle having oppositely threaded portions 115e, 1160. The nuts 115b, 116k are also provided with

respective carrier stops

115d, 116d that are adapted to be engaged by respective stop buttons 118b, 118a, supported on a yarn carrier rod 118C and on which the yarn carrier 118 is mounted. The yarn carrier rod 1180 is reciproca-ted back and forth in the usual manner and in timed relationship to operation of the knitting machine so that the stop buttons 118b, 118a engage the

respective stops

115d, 116d and limit the length of travel of the yarn carrier 118.

During the knitting of a pocket, stepped rotation is imparted to the oppositely threaded portions 115e, 116s of the screw spindle by any suitable pattern control means, not shown. The screw spindle rotating means may be of the type shown in US. Patent No. 2,489,658, which includes a pattern controlled pawl and ratchet mechanism that is operated by the pattern chain of the machine. Upon stepped rotation of the oppositely threaded portions 115e, 116a and corresponding inward or outward movement of the

nuts

115b, 116b, a corresponding amount of inward or outward lateral movement will be imparted to the

respective plates

101, 102, by means of the control links 115a, 116a, and the previously described connection with the

brackets

106, 107. Thus, the number of needles pressed by the blades 100-103 corresponds to the number of needles which are fed the yarn f by the yarn carrier 118. As the

blades

101, 102 move outwardly from above the blade 100, the length of travel of the yarn carrier 118 is correspondingly increased and as the blades 101, .102 move inwardly, the length of travel of the yarn carrier 118 is correspondingly decreased.

By utilizing three blades, one fixed and the other two movable between a superposed position with the fixed blade and a position where they move into substantially side-by-side position on opposite sides thereof, the partial courses in the fashioned pocket can be varied from a length equal to the width of all three blades to a length equal to the width of only a single blade. Therefore, the gore or suture lines (formed by the joined together ends of the decreased and increased partial courses) can extend over a greater range than would be the case if only two blades were utilized. In the present invention, the fashioning can be reduced to one-third the total available fashioning width. On the other hand, in the prior types of devices where only two blades are utilized, the fashioning can be reduced to only one-half the total width of the fashioning area available.

It is to be understood that during the knitting of the partial courses in the formation of a pocket, only those central needles engaged by the forward ends of pressing edges of the

presser blades

100, 102 will be active and forming stitch loops and the remaining needles on opposite sides are maintained inactive, hold their stitch loops and do not knit. There are several ways by which pressing of the outermost inactive needles can be prevented. For example, the normal knitting path of the needles may be modified so that they do not move against the presser edge 104 of the presser bar 105 in their downward stroke. In this modified needle motion, the needles are not moved rearwardly a sufficient distance to engage their beards with the presser edge 104 as they are moved downwardly and therefore, only those needles moved rearwardly a sufiicient distance by the pressing blades -102 will have their beards closed and form stitch loops. The needle motion may be modified to accomplish this by any suitable mechanism, such as that disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,489,658.

The method and apparatus of the present invention may be utilized in forming partial courses of varying lengths to form a wide variety of different shapes and sizes of fashioned pockets in any of several different types of garments. In order to more clearly understand the operation of the apparatus of the present invention, the method will be described in connection with the type of pocket shown in FIGURES 47. This particular type of pocket has been found to be suitable for use in the lower portion of the front panel of a mans brief-type under-garment, such as that disclosed in copending application Serial No. 397,773.

In FIGURE 4, it is assumed that one end of the garment blank has been knit to the point where the pocket is to be formed in the central portion. The last full course of the garment blank, before beginning the knitting of gradually decreasing partial courses, is made between A and F. The first knitted partial course of the pocket is made between B and E with the

blades

100, 101 nd 102 in substantially side-by-side relationship, with the stitch loops held on idle needles between A, B and E, F, as schematically shown in FIGURE 4. As knitting of the pocket continues, the

blades

101, 102 are gradually stepped inwardly to gradually decrease the lengths of successive partial courses until the blades reach the superposed position shown in FIGURE 5, at which time a partial course of minimum length is knit between C and D. As knitting of the pocket is continued, the

blades

101, 102 move outwardly in a step-by-step manner, thereby gradually increasing the lengths of the partial courses and joining the ends thereof to the ends of the previously knit partial courses of decreasing length, until the last course is knit with the blades in the substantially side-byside relationship schematically shown in FIGURE 6, at which time a partial course of maximum width is knit between B and E. The formation of a single group of partial courses of gradually decreased length and a single group of partial courses of gradually increased length will form a small pocket or bulge in the fabric. In order to obtain a sizeable pocket, it is necessary to repeat the above-described decreasing and increasing cycle a number of times.

The pocket schematically shown in FIGURE 7 includes four decreasing and increasing cycles, as indicated at I, II, III and IV. As a specific but non-limiting example, the first portion of the garment blank is knit with the required fashioning to the course extending between A and F, which is knit on 124- needles. The first course of the pocket, extending between B and E, is knit on 104 needles. The travel of the thread carrier and overall width of the presser blades are reduced by two needles on each of the decreasing partial courses during the knitting of 16 successive courses so as to reduce the knitting width to 40 needles when the course between C1 and D1 is knit. At this time, the presser blades are superposed and disposed between C and D to complete the first decreasing cycle.

The travel of the yarn carrier and the overall width of the presser blades are then increased by two needles on each of the sides of each partial course so that at the knitting of the 32nd course, between B1 and E1, 104 needles are again in action. This completes the knitting 0f the first increasing cycle with the presser blades in substantially side-by-side condition and extending between B and E. It is understood that as the gradually increasing courses are knit, the endmost loops are joined to the endmost loops of the corresponding decreasing courses in the previous sec-tion to form suture or gore lines therebetween.

Upon completion of the first Section I, it may be desirable to knit two courses the complete width of the fabric, extending between All and F1. The outer portions of these two courses, as indicated by the lines extending between A1, B1 and E1, F1, are joined to the previously held stitch loops between A, B and E, F. The preceding steps are repeated in the knitting of Sections II, III and IV to form corresponding cycles of decreasing and increasing partial courses in each section. Upon completion of the knitting of the pocket, the full course A to F is knit and then the remaining portion of the garment blank is completed.

Although the movement of the movable blades 1111, 102 has been described as being symmetrical, i.e., moving outwardly and inwardly by equal amounts, it is to be understood that the blades may also be moved in uneven amounts to produce non-symmetrical pockets, if desired.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

What is claimed:

1. In a multiple section full-fashioned knitting machine, each section including a needle presser bar, a row of spring beard needles, said needles being movable adjacent one side of said needle presser bar to at times impart a pressing motion to all the needles in unison during each knitting cycle and at other times to prevent pressing of the needles, and means for feeding yarn to the needles to form a selvedged width of fabric; the combination therewith of means for forming a pocket in a central portion of the fabric comprising (a) three needle pressing blades operable upon a central group of adjacent needles to move the same into engagement with said presser bar and to close the beards thereof,

(b) means for supporting one of said needle pressing blades in a fixed position longitudinally of said row of needles and for moving the other two needle pressing blades in a selective step-by-step manner between a superposed position with said one needle pressing blade and a position adjacent opposite sides of said one blade where all three blades are in a substantially side-by-side position, said blades being engageable with increasing and decreasing numbers of adjacent needles in successive courses, said selective step-bystep movement of said other two needle pressing blades occurring between the knitting of successive courses, and

(c) means for restricting the longitudinal travel of said yarn feed means to a distance corresponding to the number of adjacent needles operated upon by said needle pressing blades and to thereby form successive partial courses of varying lengths that correspond to the number of needles engaged by said needle pressing blades.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said needle pressing blades are each substantially the same width.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said support means (b) comprises (1) a support shaft extending parallel to and spaced forwardly of the row of needles,

(2) a bracket fixed on said support shaft and supporting said one needle pressing blade, and

(3) a pair of brackets supported for longitudinal movement along said support shaft and adjacent opposite sides of said fixed bracket, said movable brackets each supporting one of the other needle pressing blades.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3 including (4) a pair of guide rods extending parallel to and spaced forwardly of said support shaft,

(5) a guide arm connected to each of said guide rods and having free rear ends slidably penetrating portions of said pair of brackets, and

(6) means connected to said guide rods for imparting longitudinal stepped movement thereto in opposite directions to thereby impart like movement to said movable needle pressing blades.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,515,667 11/1924 Esche 1- 66187 1,798,804 3/1931 Parker 66-187 2,132,135 10/1938 Taylor 66-88 2,222,154 11/ 1940 Noble 66-98 2,475,447 7/1949 Colton 66-89 3,252,306 5/ 1966 Bentley et al 66101 XR FOREIGN PATENTS 148,443 9/ 1952 Australia. 581,361 7/1933 Germany.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

W. C. REYNOLDS, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A MULTIPLE SECTION FULL-FASHIONED KNITTING MACHINE, EACH SECTION INCLUDING A NEEDLE PRESSER BAR, A ROW OF SPRING BEARD NEEDLES, SAID NEEDLES BEING MOVABLE ADJACENT ONE SIDE OF SAID NEEDLE PRESSER BAR TO AT TIMES IMPART A PRESSING MOTION TO ALL THE NEEDLES IN UNISON DURING EACH KNITTING CYCLE AND AT OTHER TIMES TO PREVENT PRESSING OF THE NEEDLES, AND MEANS FOR FEEDING YARN TO THE NEEDLES TO FORM A SELVEDGED WIDTH OF FABRIC; THE COMBINATION THEREWITH OF MEANS FOR FORMING A POCKET IN A CENTRAL PORTION OF THE FABRIC COMPRISING (A) THREE NEEDLE PRESSING BLADES OPERABLE UPON A CENTRAL GROUP OF ADJACENT NEEDLES TO MOVE THE SAME INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID PRESSER BAR AND TO CLOSE THE BEARDS THEREOF, (B) MEANS FOR SUPPORTING ONE OF SAID NEEDLE PRESSING BLADES IN A FIXED POSITION LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID ROW OF NEEDLES AND FOR MOVING THE OTHER TWO NEEDLE PRESSING BLADES IN A SELECTIVE STEP-BY-STEP MANNER BETWEEN A SUPERPOSED POSITION WITH SAID ONE NEEDLE PRESSING BLADE AND A POSITION ADJACENT OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID ONE BLADE WHERE ALL THREE BLADES ARE IN A SUBSTANTIALLY SIDE-BY-SIDE POSITION, SAID BLADES BEING ENGAGEABLE WITH INCREASING AND DECREASING NUMBERS OF ADJACENT NEEDLES IN SUCCESSIVE COURSES, SAID SELECTIVE STEP-BYSTEP MOVEMENT OF SAID OTHER TWO NEEDLE PRESSING BLADES OCCURRING BETWEEN THE KNITTING OF SUCCESSIVE COURSES, AND