US3609996A - Method of and apparatus for making narrowed knitwear on flat-bed knitting machines - Google Patents

Abstract

A METHOD OF MAKING NARROWED KNITWEAR ON A FLAT BED KNITTING MACHINE IN WHICH THE ENTIRE NARROWING OPERATION TAKES PLACE DURING A RETARDED RETURN STROKE OF THE KNITTING CARRIAGE, AND NARROWING DEVICE FOR A FLAT-BED KNITTING MACHINE WITH A PLURALITY OF NARROWING HOUSING FIXEDLY MOUNTED ON THE THREAD GUIDE BRIDGE OF THE KNITTING MACHINE, GROOVED SHAFTS, CAM DISCS AND ECCENTRICS SLIDABLY AMOUNTED ON THE GROOVED SHAFTS, AND A DRIVE INCLUDING A SLIDE AND A SERIES OF CONNECTING LINKS FOR DRIVINGLY CONNECTING THE DISCS AND ECCENTRICS TO THE NARROWING NEEDLES IN THE NARROWING HOUSINGS FOR RESPECTIVELY LIFTING AND LOWERING AND LATERALLY OFFSETTING THE NEEDLE.

Description

Oct. 5, 1971 lRMSCHER ETAL 3,609,996

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING NARROWED KNITWEAR ON FLAT-BED KNITTING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 17, 1968 FIG. 1

FIG. 4

\ ML INVENTORS HELMUT IRMSCHER HARALD KUHNRICH BY 7M6 724$ ATTORNEYS Oct. 5, I971 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING NARROWED KNITWEAR Filed Dec. 17, 1968 H. IRMSCHER FIG. 3

ET AL ON FLAT-BED KNITTING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 O 29 ROTATEIQG NARROWING FING SHAFT NEEDLES 7 NARROWIN THREAD GUIDE KNTTING LEFT BRIDGE TRANSPORT mc NEEDLES PUNCHED CLUTCH NARROWING TAPE SHAFT NEEDLES READER CLUTCH I ECCENTRIC 5 25 1235 NARROWING- ROTATING INVENTORS CONDENSER R'GHT F'NGER HELMUT IRMSCHER I THREAD GUIDE HARALD KUHNRICH CARRIAGE BRIDGE TRANSPORT REVERSAET BY R N DECELE 0 7714a 77 52 ATTORNEYS 3,609,996 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING NARROWED KNITWEAR ON FLAT-BED KNIT- TING MACHINES Helmut Irmscher and Harald Kuhnrich, Karl-Marx-Stadt,

Germany, assignors to VEB Fahrradwerk Elite- Diamant, Karl-Marx-Stadt, Germany Filed Dec. 17, 1968, Ser. No. 784,411 Int. Cl. D04b 7/10 US. C]. 66-70 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method of making narrowed knitwear on a flat bed knitting machine in which the entire narrowing operation takes place during a retarded return stroke of the knitting carriage, and a narrowing device' for a flat-bed knitting machine with a plurality of narrowing housings fixedly mounted on the thread guide bridge of the knitting machine, grooved shafts, cam discs and eccentrics slidably mounted on the grooved shafts, and a drive including a slide and a series of connecting links for drivingly connecting the discs and eccentrics to the narrowing needles in the narrowing housings for respectively lifting and lowering and laterally offsetting the needle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a narrowing device and to a method of making narrowed knitwear on flatbed knitting machines, and more particularly, to a device in which the narrowing is effected by narrowing needles arranged in a so-called narrowing housing.

Flat-bed knitting machines are known in which a support carrying the narrowing device is arranged aside from the feeder sled on the sled rails. The narrowing device is provided with a guide block and a corresponding guide groove or path on which a sled or carriage is mounted. The carriage in turn is equipped with a shaft carrying a gear, an intermediate gear, a rack and a guiding plate with a guiding rail which carries a reciprocal member carrying the so-called narrowing shoes.

The movement of the narrowing shoes, the offsetting of the needle bed and the movement of the knitting needles during the narrowing process are effected by a shaft arranged transversely to the needle beds in the frame of the knitting machine, which shaft carries several fixedly arranged cam discs. These cam discs are connected via linkages, angle levers, racks etc. to the respective member to be moved. The drive of the above-mentioned shaft is effected by means of the main drive shaft of the knitting machine to which it is connected by a clutch and controlled by the master or pattern device. The various cam discs effect the movement of the supports with the narrowing device, the advance and retraction of the knitting needles, the movement of the narrowing needles, and the offsetting of the needle bed during the narrowing operation.

As is apparent from the above, this narrowing device is extremely complicated and cumbersome. More specifically, the movement of the narrowing shoes is only possible through the intervention of very many intermediate members, such as shafts, gears, racks, and levers, in view of the very unfavorable arrangement of the shaft with the cam discs in the machine frame. Moreover, the needle bed has also to be offset during the narrowing operation. Therefore, the entire narrowing device is very viable to breakdowns, a large material expense is necessary, and the exact adjustment and mounting of the various parts is difficult. Furthermore, with such a device it is only possible to narrow the knitwear on one side, and to narrow only very loose knitwear, in view of the employment of narrowing shoes.

There is furthermore known a narrowing device in which the narrowing housing with the narrowing means and the control members for the lifting, lowering and offsetting of the narrowing means are displaceably arranged on a guiding rail above the needle beds. In this instance, the control curves or members for the lifting, lowering and offsetting of the narrowing means are located at the feeder carriage or an auxiliary carriage. The lowering and lifting of the narrowing means during the narrowing operation is effected by a corresponding movement of the narrowing housing, and the offsetting is effected by a cam controlled, vertically reciprocable slide arranged at the carriage, which slide offsets the housing during the narrowing operation by one needle pitch each. The narrowing means are formed by narrowing shoes.

The disadvantage of this arrangement, however, consists in that it requires for the narrowing housing a special guiding rail above the needle bed, and in that in addition to control members for the lowering, lifting and offsetting of the narrowing shoes, special control discs or cams are required at the feeder carriage or auxiliary carriage, and in that the narrowing housing has to be moved along during the entire narrowing operation. Furthermore, with this arrangement of the narrowing device, a long and heavy carriage and thereby a large lost-motion and great power losses result. Since the narrowing operation is carried out during the knitting operation, the narrowing can be carried out always only on one side of the knitwear and the knitting speed can only be relatively low. In view of the employment of narrowing shoes, only very loose knitwear can be narrowed.

Furthermore, flat-bed knitting machines with a lateral loop transfer device have become known, in which there is provided for each knitting needle at the respective needle axis a narrowing needle having its own support. Each narrowing tool consists of a coat or sleeve in which two relatively displaceable sinkers and a narrowing needle (eyelet portion with tiltable hook) are arranged. The one sinker displaces the narrowing needle in the direction of the needle movement, whereas the other sinker turns the hook-shaped end of the narrowing needle. For purposes of offsetting the narrowing tools, special offsetting sinkers are provided which are arranged on guiding plates provided with oblique slots through which the offsetting sinkers are in engagement with the narrowing tools. The entire narrowing operation, including the offsetting operation, is controlled by separate systems mounted on the carriage. The narrowing operation is carried out during the knitting.

In view of the provision of special needle beds for the narrowing tools, which needle beds have to be in exact alignment with the needle beds of the knitting needles, the narrowing device is easily subject to disturbances and failure. Moreover, an extremely precise assembly is necessary. Special difficulties arise in connection with the lateral displacement of the narrowing tools due to the employment of offsetting sinkers, which frequently leads to a jamming of the sinkers and thereby to disturbances in the narrowing operation. Also this narrowing device requires an extremely complicated and solid, long carriage. As mentioned above, the great lost motion of the carriage and thereby a considerable power loss will result.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a narrowing device and a method for producing narrowed knitwear, which will overcome the abovementioned disadvantages of the heretofore known narrowing devices and methods.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a narrowing device in which a minimum of elements and masses is to be moved; a device which requires a minimum of material and assembly costs, while permitting the highest possible efiiciency in knitting.

A still further object of the invention consists in that the narrowing housing and the arrangement of the narrowing housing in the flat bed knitting machine are such that they permit an accurate and fast execution of the narrowing process.

Also, it is an object of the invention to provide a method for producing narrowed knitwear which makes it possible to narrow the knitwear simultaneously on both sides.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The narrowing device according to the present invention is characterized primarily in that the narrowing housing is fixedly connected to the thread guide bridge of the knitting machine and in that cam discs and lateral offsetting eccentrics are slidably arranged in narrowing housings on grooved shafts, said cam discs and eccentrics being connected to the narrowing needles via a slide, connecting links and a connecting rod.

In accordance with the invention, the production of narrowed knitwear is effected in such a way that the entire narrowing process including the offsetting of the narrowing needles is carried out during the return of the carriage, during one revolution of the grooved shafts extending through the narrowing housing with its slidably arranged cam discs and lateral offsetting eccentrics. The drive of the carriage is controlled in such a way that the same has a time period of reversal corresponding to the time period required for the narrowing process. After completion of the narrowing process, the narrowing housings are moved along by the carriage of the knitting machine by one or more needle pitches in the direction toward the center of the needle bed, depending on the number of the narrowed loops.

The narrowing process is initiated by the control device of the knitting machine via a clutch and a gear motor. The clutch connects the motor with a transmission which cooperates with the eccentrics and grooved shafts controlling the movement of the knitting needles, so that a synchronous movement of the narrowing needles and the knitting needles releasing and receiving the loops of the knitwear, is effected. The return of the thread guide bridge with the narrowing housing to its starting position is carried out by the carriage of the knitting machine by a clutch rendering ineffective the locking means of the thread guide bridge.

The invention will become more readily apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof shown, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a cross section through a needle bed of a fiatbed knitting machine and through a narrowing device according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a section taken along the line IIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end view of a knitting machine with the narrowing device according to the invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 2 showing an more detail the clutch for unloading the bridge;

FIG. 5 is a section taken along the line V-V of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a section taken along the line VIVI of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 diagrammatically illustrates the control sequence during the narrowing process when carried out on the apparatus according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in detail, the knitting machine illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 comprises two needle beds 1, 1, with knitting needles 2, 2 respectively, which are actuated during the narrowing operation through the intervention of push rods 3, 3', levers 4, 4' and eccentrics '5, 5. The levers 4, 4 are pressed against the eccentrics 5, 5' by springs 6, 6', respectively.

Narrowing needles 7, 7 in alignment with the knitting needles 2, 2' respectively, are arranged above the needle beds 1, 1, the narrowing needles 7, 7' being provided in narrowing housings 8, 8 respectively. These housings 8, 8 are fixedly mounted on a thread guide bridge 9. This bridge 9 in turn is slidably mounted on thread guide rails 10, 10" which are fixedly connected with the machine frame (not shown) of the knitting machine. Bridge 9 is furthermore provided with a gear rack 11 which is slidably arranged in bearings 12 (see FIG. 2) and is drivingly connected to a Geneva stop 13 via a gear 14. The Geneva stop 13 is driven through the intervention of an actuating disc 15 which is drivingly connected to an advancing wheel 34 via a transmission 33, and via a transmission 48, reversing wheel 45, and a transmission 47 with the advancing wheel 46.

In the following description reference is made to the showing of FIG. 2. It is to be kept in mind that this figure represents a cross section through one narrowing housing of one needle bed only and that an identical narrowing housing is to be found on the opposite side of line AA shown in FIG. 1.

A grooved shaft 16 with a key 17 extends through the narrowing housing 8 in guiding means 39 and 40. Between one housing wall 37 of the two housing walls 37, 38 and the guiding means 39, an offsetting eccentric 18 is slidably mounted on the grooved shaft 16, whereas an offsetting eccentric 19 is arranged between the housing wall 38 and the guiding means 40. Furthermore, control discs 21, 25 and 26 are slidably mounted between the guiding means 39 and 40. As will be evident from FIG. 2, the guiding means 39 and 40 sit in walls 35 and 36 which together with a connecting leg 41 form an inner housing. A slide 20 is arranged within this inner housin and is slidably journaled in guiding grooves of the Walls 35 and 36. A connecting rod 23 is rotatably connected to the slide 20. The wall 35 has fixedly connected thereto a lever 27 which extends through an oblong hole 22a of a connecting rod 22. The two connecting rods 22 and 23 are adapted to actuate a connecting link 24 which in turn has connected thereto the narrowing needle 7. Slide 20, lever 27, as well as the connecting rods 22 and 23 are pressed against the control discs 21, 25 and 26 by return spring 42.

OPERATION OF THE DEVICE The production of narrowed knitwear is effected in the following manner. During the normal knitting operation, the carriage 32 of the knitting machine is reciprocated in the customary, well-known manner. If the knitwear is to be narrowed, the control device 30 consisting of a punched tape, punched tape reader and magnets issues control commands. This is accomplished by the electro-magnets which are energized in accordance with the predetermined program of the punched tape. The punched tape is traced by the punched tape reader, one track actuating the left pair of narrowing housings, the other actuating the right pair of narrowing housings. By punching the tape accordingly it is possible to narrow symmetrically and asymmetrically. The narrowing process is being carried out while the carriage is at a standstill, in the reverse. The deceleration of the reverse of the reversible motor necessary for this procedure is determined by the capacity of a condenser. During this time period of retarded or decelerated movement of the carriage, the control device 30 also initiates the connection of a motor 28 to a transmission 31 via a clutch 29 to thereby actuate the eccentrics 5 and 5' and the shafts 16, 16' (keeping in mind that the arrangement is symmetrical to the line AA in FIG. 1). The knitting needles 2, 2 are brought into a corresponding gripping position for the narrowing needles 7, 7' through the intervention of the eccentrics 5, and the push rods 3, 3'. The actuation, i.e., rotation of the shaft 16 (16') brings about the execution of the narrowing process. First, the slide 20 (and 20) is displaced in axial direction of the knitting needles 2, 2' by means of the control disc 21 (21). In view of the combination and the shape of the control discs 25, 26, 26) (see FIGS. 5 and 6) the narrowing needles 7, 7 via the two rods 22, 23, (22, 23) the lever 27, (27') and the connecting link 24 (24') carry out a lifting and simultaneously a rotative movement so that the eyelets of the narrowing needles 7, 7' respectively move into the hook portions of the knitting needles 2, 2. The narrowing needles 7, 7 take over the loops from the knitting needles 2, 2' and are lifted during the. further movement of the control discs 25 and 26 (2?, 26') in cooperation with the rods 22, 23 (22', 23) and the connecting links 24, (24) above the combs 0f the needle bed. In this position, the lateral offsetting of the narrowing needles 7, 7 is effected by the offsetting eccentrics 18 and 19, (18 and 19) depending on the design of the latter, by at least one needle pitch.

Upon further movement of the control discs 25, 26 (25, 26'), the narrowing needles 7, 7' are lowered again and with their eyelets grasp the loop receiving knitting needles 2, 2. Subsequently, the narrowing needles move upwardly again, release the knitting needles 2, 2' with the transferred loops and return to their starting position in view of the action of the lateral offsetting eccentrics 18, 19 (18, 19) and the control discs 21 (21), the return of the members 20, 22, 23, 27, (20', 22, 23, 27) being effected by return springs 42, 42. The narrowing housing is not offset. The knitting needles, now without a loop, through the intervention of a rotating finger arranged at the feeder carriage are pressed out of the range of the feeder. The rotating fingers obtain their command for this action from the control device 30. The total just-described narrowing process takes place during one complete revolution of the grooved shaft 16 (16').

Following completion of the narrowing operation, the carriage 32 resumes its movement. During this movement the carriage actuates the Geneva stop 13 by means of the transporting wheel 34 via the transmission 33, with its fixedly arranged actuating disc 15 and thereby also moves the narrowing housing by one or more steps equalling one or more needle pitch. The advance of the narrow ing housing 8, 8 by the Geneva stop 13 is always effected in the direction towards the center of the needle bed.

Upon completion of the knitwear, the thread guide bridge is automatically transported by the sled or carriage towards the outside. The locking of the transport of the thread guide bridge by the Geneva stop 13 is removed by a clutch (not shown) arranged on the shaft of the Geneva stop 13.

The description given above was concerned with a narrowing device on one side of a pair of needle beds. It is possible to arrange the same device, including motor, clutches, etc. also on the other side of the pair of needle beds, as illustrated in FIG. 3. In this way, it is possible to make narrowed knitwear either only on one side or simultaneously on both sides of the needle bed. 'When making narrowed knitwear simultaneously on both sides of the needle bed the thread guide bridges with one stroke of the carriage can be switched simultaneously to the inside. This requires that one of the two bridges is moved in a direction opposite to the direction of the carriage. The switching counter to the direction of the carriage is effected by the reversing wheel 45, and the advancing wheel 46 together with the transmission gears 47 and 48. The initiation of the narrowing process on both sides is then likewise effected by the control device which simultaneously actuates both clutches 29.

Summarizing the invention, in view of the design and arrangement of the device in accordance with the invention, and the method explained above, the execution of the narrowing process is effected with a movement of a minimum of masses. The utilization of the thread guide bridge as a support for the narrowing housings eliminates the heretofore necessary and customary transport devices, such as spindles, and the like. The direct support of the narrowing tools at the location where they perform their work, makes it possible to adjust the entire device precisely. Therefore, knitwear can be narrowed simultaneously on both sides and the actual knitting process can be carried out with normal, not reduced knitting speed.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the scope of the invention is solely determined by the attached apparatus and method claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a flat-bed knitting machine having needle bed means, a plurality of knitting needles mounted for reciprocation on the needle bed means, a yarn guide bridge mounted adjacent the needle bed means, a plurality of narrowing housings fixedly connected to said bridge, a drive shaft passing through said housings, in each of said housings a first non-circular control disc mounted on said shaft for rotation with said shaft, a slide mounted for sliding in the axial direction of at least some of the knitting needles, the first control disc being in engagement with the block so as to move the block in said axial direction when the shaft is rotated, a second noncircular control disc and a third non-circular control disc each mounted on the shaft for rotation with the shaft, two rods arranged on opposite sides of and operatively connected to the block, bridging the rods a member carrying narrowing needles, and means operatively connecting each of said second and third non-circular control discs to a respective one of said arms for rotating the narrowing needles as the shaft is rotated to move the slide.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said knitting machine comprises a knitting carriage, means for driving said carriage, control means drivingly connecting said carriage driving means to said narrowing housings for moving the latter by a distance corresponding to a desired number of spaces between adjacent needles toward the center of said needle bed means.

3. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said knitting machine includes a clutch, a gear motor, and a transmission drivingly interconnected and cooperating with said non-circular control discs and said shafts for coordinating the synchronous movement of said knitting and narrowing needles.

4. The combination according to claim 1, which includes locking means for locking said bridge in a certain position, and clutch means for unlocking said locking means to thereby permit return of said bridge and narrowing housings to their starting positions.

5. The combination of claim 1, further comprising a fourth and a fifth control disc each mounted on the shaft for rotation therewith, each of said fourth and fifth control discs having a non-planar surface, said non-planar surfaces being operatively connected to said opposite sides of the block for periodically laterally offsetting the block and therewith the narrowing needles upon rotation of the shaft.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 575,395 l/1897 Granz 667O 3,220,220 11/ 1965 Imon 66-76 3,248,903 5/1966 Coppo 66-70 3,349,576 10/1967 Borne 66-64 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,408,516 7/1965 France 66-76 RONALD FELDBAUM, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 66-76

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