US3381501A - Yarn controlling and severing means for knitting machines - Google Patents

Description

y 7, 5 A. E. KAESE ETAL 3,381,501

YARN CONTROLLING AND SEVERING MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed NOV. 5, 1965 F41. E1 .L fl a7 42 4/ 2 ELSE-E;

7 E1, 25 4 I k TLLE- E.;. 7 37 36 f 7/ United States Patent Office 3,381,501 Patented May 7, 1968 3,381,501 YARN CGNTRGLMNG AND SEVERING MEANu FUR KNITTING MACHINES Arthur E. Kaese, West Lawn, and Henry E. Zondlo, Lincoin Park, Pa, assiguors to Textile Machine Works,

Wyomissing, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filled Nov. 3, 1965, Ser. No. 506,233 3 Claims. (Cl. 66-434) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLUSURE Yarn severing means for a circular knitting machine including a toothed annulus rotatable with the needle cylinder of the machine, a cutting element spaced from the yarn feeding means of the machine and cooperating with the teeth of the annulus, a guard member overlying the teeth of the annulus for preventing the yarn from engaging the teeth between the feeding means and a position intermediate the feeding means and the cutting element and means at the intermediate position for withdrawing the yarn, extending from the first and last needles to knit the yarn, radially inwardly into a tooth of the annulus adjacent the first and last needles to be carried thereby to the cutting element for severance.

This invention relates to circular knitting machines and more particularly to means in such machines for controlling the position of the yarns for severance close to the last needle to knit the yarns when they are removed from knitting position and close to the first needle to knit the yarns when they are returned to knitting position.

In present circular knitting machines and particularly such machine having a plurality of stations for knitting ladies seamless stockings, the yarns employed are introduced into and removed from knitting action by yarn feeding means and, following both the introduction and removal of each yarn, it is severed close to the fabric. The yarn severing means commonly employed is carried on the dial mechanism used for forming turned welts on the stockings, and includes a toothed annulus adapted to rotate with the dial and needles of the machine, and a separate cutting element cooperating with the teeth of the annulus for severing the yarns of each station. A suction tube is also associated with the cutting element at each station for holding the severed ends of the yarns extending from the feeding means following their removal from knitting position and for removing the waste ends of yarns following severance when the yarns are again returned to knitting position.

Normally when a yarn is removed from knitting position the yarn is carried by the last needle to knit it into a tooth of the annulus spaced from the trailing the last needle and then as the needle and annulus continue to rotate the yarn is carried beneath the suction tube and to the cutting element Where it is severed between the yarn stitch on the last needle and the feed finger for the yarn. The end of the yarn extending from the feed finger is thereupon withdrawn into and held in the suction tube. When the yarn is again returned to knitting position, the yarn is carried by the first needle to knit into a tooth of the annulus which is closely adjacent to the first needle and is then carried thereby to the cutting element for severance between the suction tube and yarn stitch on the first needle, following which the waste end of yarn is withdrawn through the suction tube to a collecting point.

In the normal operating position of the dial the distance between the upper surface of the annulus and the stitches on the first and last needles, which are held at the level of the throats of the sinkers at the time the yarn is severed, is such that the ends of yarn extending from the stitch formed by the first needle is approximately one-quarter of an inch in length and the yarn end extending from the stitch formed by the last needles is approximately three-eighth of an inch in length. Main yarn ends of such length are not considered objectionable inasmuch as such main yarn changes are made at only a few spaced points in the stocking. However, where a reinforcing yarn is also incorporated with the main yarn to form a reinforced portion in the stocking and the reinforcing yarn is severed close to both the first and last needles to knit it in each reinforced course, concentration of the yarn ends of the usual normal length at opposite sides of the reinforcement make an unsightly appearance in the finished stockings and are therefore objectionable.

Heretofore in order to reduce the length of the reinforcing yarn ends, the dial mechanism was designed for movement to a lower position in relationship to the sinkers the dial mechanism remaining in the lower position during the knitting of the reinforced area. This reduced the length of the severed yarn ends adjacent the ingoing side of the reinforcement to approximately one-eighth of an inch. In order to also reduce the length of the severed reinforcing yarn ends adjacent the outgoing side of the reinforcement a finger was provided which was moved in timed relationship to the rotation of the needles to engage the yarn, extending between the last needle to knit the yarn and the feed finger for the yarn, and move it to a position in which a portion of the yarn extended radially and inwardly of the last needle to cause this needle to draw the yarn into a tooth of the annulus adjacent there'- to. While the movable finger operated to accurately position the yarn for severance when the width of the rein forcement remained constant, where the reinforcements varied in width it was necessary to provide additional means for retiming the movement of the finger at intervals which not only made the mechanism more complicated and ditficult to control but also greatly added to the cost of the mechanism.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a circular machine, which may include a dial lowering mechanism for the purposes previously mentioned, the machine having means to knit both main and reinforcing yarns in a tubular fabric, and means for controlling the position of the main and reinforcing yarns for severance close to the first and last stitches formed of the yarns, which will overcome the above mentioned and other objections encountered in prior known devices.

Another object of the invention is to provide a circular knitting machine with means for severing yarns fed to the fabricating means of the machine including an annulus rotatable with the fabricating means and having peripheral teeth into which the yarn is drawn by the first and last needles and is carried thereby to a cutting element cooperating with the teeth of the annulus and spaced from the feeding position of the yarns in the direction of rotation of the fabricating means. The machine also has means for positioning the yarns for severance which means includes a guard member adapted to overlie the teeth of the annulus to prevent engagement of the yarns therein between the feeding position of the yarns and a position intermediate the yarn feeding position and the cutting element, and means adjacent the intermediate position for moving the yarns radially and inwardly of the first and last needles, to knit the yarns, into a tooth of the annulus adjacent said first needle and said last needle.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent from the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, the invention resides in the novel elements, features of construction and cooperation of parts, as hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan View of a portion of a circular knitting machine having yarn positioning means according to the instant invention incorporated therein;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line and in the direction of the arrows 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to a portion of FIG. 1 illustrating the operation of the positioning means when a yarn is to be severed adjacent a first needle to knit the yarn;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but illustrating the operation of the positioning means when a yarn is to be severed adjacent a last needle to knit the yarn; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line and in the direction of the arrows 5-5 of of FIG. 3.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a portion of a circular machine for knitting tubular fabric for ladies stockings and the like including a needle cylinder, a portion of which is shown at in FIG. 2, having slots for slidably mounting a circular series of latch needles 11 and sinkers, one of which is shown at 12 in FIG. 5, which are mounted for radial movement relative to the needles in a conventional manner. The machine is also provided with dial mechanism 15 including a bed member 16 (FIG. 2) having radially extending slots 17 for slidably mounting transfer bits 20, an outer cam ring 21 and cams 22 which are movable between active and inactive positions, the cam ring and earns acting on butts 23 of the transfer bits to move the transfer bits in timed relation to the needles during formation of turned welt portions of the stockings in a common manner. The outer cam ring 21 and earns 22 are mounted on a stationary dial cap 25 which is mounted in the dial housing (not shown) and the bed member 16 is secured to one end of a shaft 26 which is mounted in the dial housing for operation to rotate the bed member and dial bits with the needle cylinder and needles.

The machine shown, which is adapted for multifeed knitting, is provided with a main knitting station 27 having guide fingers 30 for feeding both main and reinforcing yarns to the needles 11 thereat, and an auxiliary station 31 having guide fingers 32 for feeding main and reinforcing yarns to the needles at the latter station. The fingers 30 and 32 at stations 27 and 31 are moved between active positions to feed their yarns to the needles and inactive positions by pattern means (not shown) in a usual manner.

During the knitting of a stocking, the guide fingers 30 and 32 for the main yarns at the main and auxiliary knitting stations 27 and 31, respectively are operated to move the yarns into and out of knitting positions according to a predetermined sequence in a common manner. When a main yarn is removed from knitting position, the yarn is severed closely adjacent to the circle of needles and to the last stitch formed thereby. When the yarn is returned to knitting position it is again severed close to the circle of needles and to the first stitch to be formed thereby. Also, where a second yarn is to be interknit with the main yarn at one of or at both of the knitting stations in order to reinforce the stocking as in a reinforced sole portion, the second yarn is moved to and remains in knitting position and this yarn is then severed close to the stitches formed by the first and last needles in each reinforced course knit at the station or stations.

The yarn severing means shown is the of type generally shown in United States Patent No. 2,824,436, and includes an annulus 35 having peripheral teeth 36 which is positioned between the bed member 16 and the cam ring 21 (FIG. 2). The annulus is provided with means cooperating with certain of the transfer bits 20 as set forth in said Patent No. 2,824,436 to cause the annulus to rotate with the bed member. Cooperating with the upper edges of the teeth 36 for severing yarns of the main station 27 engaged in the teeth is a cutting element 37 (FIGS. 1 and 3). A cutting element 40 ,(FIG. 1), similar to the cutting element 37, is provided for severing the yarn of the auxiliary station 31 engaged in the teeth of the annulus.

Intermediate the guide fingers 30 at station 27 and the cutting element 37 is a yarn controlling device 41 including a foot member 42 which is secured to the upper surface of dial cap 25 by screws 45 (FIG. 2). The foot member 42 has a lower surface 46 which is spaced above the upper surface of the cap 25 and which merges with a downwardly extending outer lip 47. The lower surface of the lip is spaced from the upper surface of the annulus 35 and the lip extends along an arc slightly beyond and concentric to the outer periphery of the teeth 36 from a point 56 adjacent guide fingers 30 to a point 51 adjacent the cutting element 37 (FIGS. 1 and 2). The foot member 42 is apertured to receive the lower end of a suction tube 52 which is connected to a vacuum pump or the like (not shown) for creating a continuous flow of air between the lip 47 and annulus 35 and between the surface 46 and dial cap 25 and into the open end of the tube for purposes hereinafter set forth. A rib 55 projecting downwardly from the lower surface 46 of the foot member 42 and extending from an end surface 57 of the foot member to the suction tube 52 acts to separate the yarns extending from the inactive guide fingers 30 to the suction tube to prevent the inactive yarns from becoming twisted on each other. A plate 69 secured to the upper surface of the foot member 42 by one of the screws 45 (FIG. 1) has a pointed tip or end 59 which acts to separate and hold some of the inactive yarns at one side of the rib 55 and to hold others of the inactive yarns at the opposite side of the rib.

A yarn controlling device 61 is also provided between the guide fingers 32 at station 31 and the cutting element 40, the device 61 being identical in structure to the device 41, except that the plate 60 is omitted, with like parts of the two devices having like identifying reference characters. In the device 61, which controls the yarns of only three guide fingers of the station 31, the rib 55 is sufficient to separate the yarns when their guide fingers are in inactive positions and the function of the plate is not required.

Normally, when a guide finger is raised from active to inactive position at one or the other or at both stations 27 and 31 to remove its yarn from knitting po sition the yarn is carried by the last needle to knit it into a tooth 36 of the annulus 35 spaced from and trailing the last needle. Thereupon, as the needles and annulus are rotated the yarn is carried by the annulus beneath the foot member 42 and suction tube 52 to the cutting element associated with the station for severance close to the stitch on the last needle. The end of the yarn extending from the guide finger is then withdrawn into and held by the suction tube. When the yarn is again returned to knitting position, the yarn is carried by the first needle into a tooth of the annulus at or closely adjacent to the first needle and the yarn is then carried by the annulus to the cutting element for severance close to the stitch on the first needle after which the waste end of yarn is removed by the suction tube to a collecting device. By severing the yarns in this manner the yarn ends extending from the first stitches to be formed are considerably shorter than the yarn ends extending from the last stitches to be formed. While this difference in length of the yarn ends connected to the first and last stitches knit with main yarns is not objectionable since main yarn changes are made at only a few points in the stocking, the longer yarn ends extending from the last stitches of the reinforcing yarn in each reinforcing course are unsightly in appearance and objectionable.

In order to control the position of the yarns for severing so that the yarn ends extending from the first and last stitches to knit the yarns are of the same length, in accordance with the instant invention, means is provided at each of the stations for withdrawing both the ingoing and outgoing yarns into a tooth of the annulus closely adjacent to the first and last needles respectively. The means provided for this purpose at station 27 comprises a guard member 65 which is formed integrally with or otherwise secured to the outer cam ring 21. The guard member 65 overlies the annulus and has a lip 66 projecting downwardly to cover the teeth 36 of the annulus from an end surface 67 adjacent the guide-fingers 30 to an end surface 70 which is on a substantially radial line extending between the center of the cylinder and the center of the opening of the suction tube 52.

In operation with the yarns of the inactive guide fingers 30 held in the suction tube 52 as indicated in FIG. 1 and at A in FIG. 3, when one of the guide fingers is moved to active position the yarn thereof is taken by the first needle to knit the yarn, indicated at 71 in FIG. 3, and as the needle 71 is moved through its knitting motion to form its stitch, the yarn is carried in a forward or counterclockwise direction beneath the foot member 42 and along the lip 66 of the guard member 65 which at this time acts to hold the yarn out of the teeth 36 of the annulus. Also at this-time the suction tube 52 acts to take up slack in the end of the yarn extending from the first needle. When the needle 71 passes the surface 70 of the guard member the yarn extending therefrom is immediately withdrawn radially inwardly by the suction tube and into engagement with a tooth of the annulus. At this time the needle 71 has completed its stitch forming movement and the yarn end extends from the stitch formed by the needle 71, which is held at the level of the throats of the sinkers, into a tooth of the annulus and to the suction tube, as shown in FIG. 5. The yarn end is then carried by the annulus to the cutting element 37 for severance.

When the guide finger is again moved to inactive position to remove its yarn from knitting position, the yarn after being taken by the last needle to knit it, indicated at 72 in FIG. 4, is carried beneath the foot member 42 and along the lip 66 of the guard member 65. As the needle 72 continues to carry the yarn in the forward direction the air flowing beneath the foot member draws the yarn toward the suction tube 52 and the yarn is then drawn radially inwardly into a tooth of the annulus as the needle 72 passes the end surface 70 of the guard member 65, the yarn at this time extending along a line B between the finger 30 and the needle 72. The yarn is then carried by the annulus to the cutting element 37 for severance and the end of the yarn extending from the inactivated guide finger is withdrawn into and held in the suction tube 52.

When a guide finger 30 for a reinforcing yarn is moved to active position at station 27 and then remains in op eration for a plurality of courses to form a reinforced portion in the stocking as above set forth, the yarn ends connected to the stitches, formed of the yarn by the first and last needles to knit the yarn in each course, are controlled and severed in the same manner as above set forth in connection with severing of the yarns when moved between active and inactive positions. During this severing of the reinforcing yarn, the yarn moves back and forth across the inactive yarns held by the suction tube as it is carried to the cutting element 37 by the first and last needles and at this time the rib 55 acts to hold the reinforcing yarn out of engagement with the inactive yarns thereby preventing the reinforcing yarn from twisting the inactive yarns on each other.

A guard member 75, similar to the guard member 65,

is also provided for controlling engagement of the yarns of the station 31 with the teeth 36 of the annulus 35 for severance by the cutting element 40, the guard member having a downwardly projecting lip, similar to the lip 66 of the member 65 which covers the teeth 36 of the annulus 35 from an end surface 76 adjacent the guide fingers 32 to an end surface 77 which is on a radial line extending between the center of cylinder and the center of the opening of the suction tube 52 associated with station 31.

It is believed to be obvious from the foregoing description that the mechanism of the invention acts to control the positions of the both ingoing and outgoing yarns for severance in a manner to provide yarn ends of the same length adjacent the stitches formed by the first and last needles to knit the yarns. Also Where a yarn is employed to reinforce courses of a stocking fabric and the length of such reinforced courses are varied, the mechanism of the invention will always position the yarn connected to the stitches formed by first and last needles for severance in the same manner irrespective of the number of needles forming the reinforced courses. It will also be obvious that where it is desired to further reduce the length of the ends of the reinforcing yarns, the mechanism of the invention may be combined with means of the type disclosed in application Ser. No. 258,741 of Arthur E. Kaese, co-inventor of the instant invention, filed Feb. 15, 1963, Patent No. 3,352,307 issued May 24, 1966, for lowering the dial mechanism from its normal operating position to a position closer to the sinkers during formation of the reinforced courses It will be understood that the improvements specifically shown and described by which the above described results are obtained can be changed and modified in various ways without departing from the invention herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A knitting machine having a rotatable cylinder, a circle of needles in said cylinder, sinkers cooperating with said needles, means for feeding yarns to said needles, means for moving said feeding means from an inactive position to an active position to feed said yarns to said needles to be knitted thereby into fabric stitches, means Within said circle of needles for severing said yarn adjacent the first and last needle to knit said yarn, said severing means including an annulus rotatable with said cylinder and having peripheral teeth ext-ending into close proximity to said circle of needles and adapted to engage the yarn extending from said first and last needles, and a cutting element spaced from said feeding means and cooperating with the teeth of said annulus to sever the yarn engaged therein, in combination with means for controlling engagement of said yarn extending from said first and last needles with said teeth of said annulus including a guard member having an outer surface overlying said teeth of said annulus and acting to prevent said yarn from engaging said teeth of said annulus between said feeding means and a position intermediate said feeding means and said cutter element, an end surface on said guard member extending inwardly from said outer surface along a line substantially radial to the center of said circle of needles and defining said intermediate position and means at said intermediate position for withdrawing said yarn inwardly of said needle circle along said end surface of said guard member to engage said yarn extending from said first and last needles into teeth of said annulus adjacent to said first and last needles.

2. In a machine according to claim 1 in which said means for withdrawing said yarn inwardly into said teeth of said annulus comprises suction means including a foot member overlying a portion of said teeth of said annulus and said guard member, and a suction tube connected to said foot member of said radial line inwardly of said end surface on said guard member, said suction tube being adapted to cause air to flow inwardly of said circle of needles between said foot member and said annulus and along said end surface of said guard member to withdraw said yarn into a tooth of said annulus at said intermediate position.

3. In a knitting machine having a rotatable cylinder, a circle of needles in said cylinder, sinkers cooperating with said needles, yarn feed means including a plurality of fingers for feeding a plurality of yarns to said needles, means for moving said fingers from inactive positions to active positions to feed said yarns to said needles to be knitted thereby into fabric stitches, means Within said circle of needles for severing said yarns adjacent the first and last needle to knit said yarns, said severing means including an annulus rotatable with said cylinder and having peripheral teeth extending into close proximity to said circle of needles and adapted to engage the yarns extending from said first and last needles, and a cutting element spaced from said feeding means and cooperating with the teeth of said annulus to sever the yarns engaged therein, in combination with means for controlling cngagement of said yarns extending from said first and last needles with said teeth of said annulus including a guard member overlying said teeth of said annulus and acting to prevent said yarns from engaging said teeth of said annulus between said fingers and a position intermediate said fingers and said cutter element, means at said intermediate position for Withdrawing said yarns inwardly of said needle circle to engage said yarns extending from said first and last needles into teeth of said annulus adjacent said first and last needles, said last named means including a foot member overlying a portion of said annulus and said guard member, and a suction tube connected to said foot member, means on said foot member for separating said yarns of said inactive fingers, and means on said foot member for guiding the yarns of certain of said fingers when moved to inactive position to one side of said separating means to be held by said suction tube and for guiding the yarns of others of said fingers When moved to inactive position to the other side of said separating means to be held by said suction tube.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,222,892 12/1965 Moyer 66-145 X 3,224,230 12/1965 Dusik et al. 66145 3,234,761 2/1966 Stahl 66140 3,252,307 5/1966 Kaese 66-434 FOREIGN PATENTS 593,152 5/1959 Italy. 649,228 11/1962 Italy.

W. CARTER REYNOLDS, Primary Examiner.

Images