US3668902A - Cylinder, sinkers, needle - Google Patents

Abstract

An element affixed to the top of a needle cylinder to cover at least the upper portions of some or all sinker slots and thereby provide the needle cylinder with a smooth upper edge for part or all of the circumference. Sinkers ride in the lower uncovered portions of sinker slots to which an element has been affixed. Sinker portions extend over the upper surface of the element and extend downwardly to engage the lower sinker slot portions from the needle cylinder interior. Alternatively sinkers may ride in the lower portions of covered slots by extending from exterior the needle cylinder directly to the slots. A needle or needles with a large head but narrow shank may be inserted in the needle cylinder at the portion where the element covers sinker slots.

Description

United States Patent Sanders 1 1 June 13, 1972 [54] CYLINDER, SINKERS, NEEDLE 2,945,368 7/ 1960 Fried ..66/1 15 [72] Inventor: Charles J sanders 203 30th street 3,221,521 12/1965 MlShCOl'l ..66/107 Brooklyn, 11232 FOREIGN PATENTS R APPLlCATlONS 1 Filed: April 30, 1968 9,960 1910 Great Britain ..66/l07 315,055 7/1929 Great Britain... ...66/l15 [211 App! 725274 815,677 10/1951 Germany ..66/8 Related U.S. Application Data OTHER PUBLICATIONS [63] fglZlHI-liillOlldn-pflfl of Ser. No. 347,944, Feb. 27, Gama-Primed Application No. 1,193,194, Reinanz 52 us. c1 ..66/54, 66/107,66/115, pmwy T Reym'ds 66/121 TR 1 [51] Int. Cl ..D04b 15/06, D04b 15/24 [57] ABS CT [58] Field of Search ..66/ 107, 108, 8, 104, 121, 38, An element afiixed to the top of a needle cylinder to cover at 66/201, 108 A, 54, 1 15 least the upper portions of some or all sinker slots and thereby provide the needle cylinder with a smooth upper edge for part 5 R f r Cited or all of the circumference. Sinkers ride in the lower uncovered portions of sinker slots to which an element has been UNITED STATES PATENTS affixed. Sinker portions extend over the upper surface of the element and extend downwardly to engage the lower sinker 460,50?) 9039: galVlS 22 13; 81 or portions from the needle cylinder men. Alternatively 46609 12/1 9 g y sinkers may ride in the lower portions of covered slots by exl 8 Berry i g exterior the needle cylinder i y to the slots. 1,282,880 1918 Montague et a1. 66/ 107 x A needle or needles with a large head but narrow shank may 1,779,554 10/1930 M11161 ..66/1 be inserted in the needle cylinder at the portion where the 1,862,021 6/1932 Lawson et a1. 66/ 107 X mem covers sinker Slots. 1,882,430 lO/l932 Lawson ..66/8 2,596,535 5/1952 Curtis ..66/107 X Claims, 23 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUN 1 3 m2 l I l INVENTOR.

Illllllllllll FIG.8

3 uh 11 I II PRIOR ART B F I L 7 sum 10F 3 CHARLES J. SANDERS PII fil SHEET 2 OF 3 PATENTEDJUN 1 3 am INVENTOR. CHARLES J. SANDERS SHEET 3 BF 3 PATENTEDJun 1 3 m2 FIG. l8

FIG. l2

INVENTOR. CHARLES J. SANDERS l CYLINDER, SINKERS, NEEDLE The present application is a' continuation in part of my copending application Ser. No. 347,944 filed Feb. 27, 1964, but adds matter not disclosed in parent application.

The present inventions relate to improvement of cylinders also at least'one type of sinker and also a knitting needle. It is well known that conventional cylinders as used in sinker top knitting machines are provided with conventional individual radially extending sinker guiding open gap aperture tracks in the head of the cylinder and cuts in the cylinder in which knitting needles reciprocate, a cut to an open gap respectively, and a conventional grooved sinker ring, a groove to an open gap respectively, and a conventional cap cover common to all sinker rings and well known conventional means to carry out formation of knitted stitches, it is also well known that a portion of a sinker is required to be in each gap and a portion of the same sinker in its aligned groove respective to said gap, it is also well known that if a sinker is removed no knitting can be done the open gap preventing it, it is also well known that the mere removal of needles from a cylinder cut does not change the gauge of the cylinder or that-of the gauge of the distance apart of the sinkers.

My inventions overcome the inadequacies of the prior art, my inventions providing an all purpose cylinder and teach constructions of various types of all purpose cylinders, by the use and application of my various inventive elements, the said inventive elements enabling the gauge distance between sinkers, at the head of the cylinder to be manually set up and arranged so that a different gaugedistance between spaced apart pairs of sinkers or various different gauge distances than the cut of the cylinder are obtained, as set forth in this and my parent application, wherein the same subject matter is disclosed. j

The drawings of the cylinder(s) the normal and special sinkers and the element(s) with or without female apertures therein are shown in both this Continuation in Part application and my said parent application, however the drawings of sheet No. 3 of this present continuation application are modifications of those drawings of the said parent application, for the same subject matter.

y the BRIEF SUMMARY AND OBJECTS It is universally well known that conventional cylinders of the sinker top type require that a sinker must be in each conventional sinker slot gap in the head of the cylinder or no knitting can be done.

lt is the object of the present invention to provide to at least a portion a knitting machine cylinder head, the improvements of a smooth top edge periphery element suitably affixed to the cylinder head to provide all or at least a portion of the outer edge periphery of the cylinder periphery with a smooth top edge periphery element(s),

slot apertures therebelow or abutting said smooth top edge periphery element(s).

Another object provides for a Normal sinker, which is constructed by simply cutting out of a conventional type sinker a portion of the body portion and a portion of the throat portion sufficient material to allow for reciprocation of the Normal type sinker, obvious that since this Normal sinker as seen in FIG. 18(47a) is constructed from a conventional sinker any suitable well known conventional means can be used for its operation.

Another object and improvement disclosed herein, relates to co-operating parts, enabling the successful operation of the altered" gauge or differently or mixed gauge cylinder, in this respect I have, therefore, devised new types of sinkers to be used with or without conventional sinkers when desired.

These sinker .apertures, which are formed by the stationing of a smooth top periphery element above predetermined sinker slots, provide a sinker aperture from which a sinker can be removed or a sinker inserted according to predetermined plan and these sinker apertures provide a smooth top periphery element over which a knitted stitch could be drawn and formed.

suitably affixed the said cylinder head, and cylinder sinker Another object and improvement of the present invention also provides that smooth top edge periphery element(s) can ferentially, the smooth top edge periphery element(s) set forth and described herein, also form a correlated part of my invention.

Another object and improvement of the invention provides for a Special sinker which is constructed by simply stamping out or cutting out material from a conventional type sinker, so that an extending portion thereof bridges across a smooth top edge periphery and then has a portion thereof of said extending portion adopted to be located in a cylinder slot aperture abutting or therebelow the said smooth top edge periphery element, obviously since this Special sinker is constructed from a conventional sinker any suitable conventional universally well known means can be used in the well known manner of conventional operation for sinkers having one or two nebs or fingers.

Another object and improvement of the invention also provides that such smooth top edge periphery element, can be of a laterally extending linear length less than the full circumference of the cylinder head and the invention also provides that if desired there can be a multiplicity of said smooth top edge periphery elements spaced a predetermined distance apart and at least one conventional sinker slot gap with a universally well known conventional sinker in said gap(s) therebetween each distanced spaced apart smooth top edge periphery element suitably mounted or affixed the cylinder head and the invention also provides that the said smooth top edge periphery elements can be constructed with or without apertures therein.

Another object and improvement of the invention also provides, for use if desired, a Large Hook Knitting needle with a latch wider than the cut of the cylinder the said large hook knitting needle adapted for use only when a smooth top edge periphery element is present, it being understood that conventional large hook needles can be used if desired.

In Sheet 1 of the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a segmental perspective view of a conventional cylinder head with conventional open sinker slot gaps (3) showing a conventional sinker in one of the slots integrally connected to the sinker is a butt.

FIG. 2 is a segmental sinker is removed and a smooth top edge element is mounted on the area of which the sinker was removed.

FIG. 5 is a perspective schematic illustrative view, showing the relationship of a knitting needle to a smooth top edge element when in a cut of the cylinder of the machine in front of the element, apertures are shown, which act as sinker guiding tracks.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the head of a cylinder which has been cut to provide at least one smooth top edge, of a periphery portion (FIG. 2) (4), this could be used in a single purpose machine. It is a modified form of a correlated part of the invention insofar as a cylinder head is concerned, but not particularly recommended as it has no cylinder sinker slot guiding aperture tracks situated thereat below or abutting the smooth edge periphery and therefore could only be used as a single purpose machine as aforesaid. But it does graphically illustrate one example of a set-up of a large hook needle relative needle cuts and small hook needles.

FIG. 7 is another modified form of a correlation of the part of the invention, more specifically set forth in the specificatron.

FIG. 8 shows a conventional all the needles and sinkers muster, it being well known that predetermined needles can conventionally be manually removed from a conventional cylinder.

FIG. 9 illustratively depicts a smooth top edge periphery element and one needle out and one sinker out, a l X I set up of sinkers and needles obtained by removal of every other needle and sinker which results in a gauge at the head of the cylinder of half the amount of needles and sinkers, thereby altering the gauge at the head of the cylinder only because of the presence of a smooth top edge periphery element according to the invention(s) can this be done. (The dots signify needles or sinkers removed out). A smooth top edge periphery element 7b is present.

Also, in FIG. 9 is depicted a two needle out, one needle in, and two sinkers out, one sinker in set up which instantly discloses and suggests that sinkers and needles can be removed to make any gauge distance between needles and sinkers desired. A smooth top edge periphery element 78 is present.

FIG. 9A, F, G and H illustratively schematically depicts various set ups of needles and sinkers showing various gauge distances between sinkers. For example, II shows six different gauge distances in a linear area of, say for example, an eight cut machine. Each gauge would be any distance and each single needle or sinker shown could be various groups of needles and sinkers of the same gauge distance apart, or groups of any gauge, or any single gauge of any desired division(s) of the cut of the cylinder. A smooth top edge periphery element is present.

FIG. 10 is a schematic illustrative perspective view of a seethrough, cut through fragmental portion of a portion of a cylinder head showing a manner of applying suitable material to a cylinder head to supply a smooth top edge periphery element to the sinker slots in said cylinder head, and thereby form sinker guiding aperture tracks situated thereat below the smooth top surface of the cylinder.

FIG. 11 is simply a suitable sinker of which the throat and neb has been ground off so it can be used as a greased temporary filler, to position poured lead or other suitable binding or filling material suitable to sustain, hold and anchor a smooth top edge periphery element to a cylinder head as shown and described herein. Such a ground off sinker forms no part whatsoever of the inventions, but it teaches how to construct such lead filling and holding element.

FIG. 12 is a plan metal band, adopted to encircle the periphery of a conventional cylinder and provide a smooth edge periphery along the top of the cylinder, this band can be constructed with or without apertures. It is shown without apertures as the cylinder slots below such a band are formed into sinker guiding aperture tracks when only the upper periphery of the cylinder, is provided by such a smooth to edge periphery element; also, the cylinder apertures being both abutting and below such band or abutting such band at the rear of said band, which forms a continuous smooth top edge periphery element suitably affixed the head of said cylinder.

FIG. 13 is simply a suitable temporary filler sinker slot which could be made of, say, ceramic, slate or carbon and forms no portion of the invention if it is desired to fill in the upper portion of sinker slot gaps by welding or brazing metal to create and construct smooth top edge periphery elements or hold suitable metal or metal strips to form smooth top edge periphery elements which would have cylinder sinker guiding aperture backs situated below the smooth periphery of the top of the cylinder head.

FIG. 14 shows a Smooth Top Edge Periphery Element 43 suitably afiixed a cylinder head to provide cylinder sinker guiding slot apertures formed of conventional sinker slots 3. The said apertures abutting the said element at the rear thereof as shown in the drawing which also depicts a needle set up and shows the small hook needles in welt position as the large hook needle is shown in reciprocating motion no sinkers are shown for clarity.

FIG. 15 is a fragmental, schematic illustrative perspective view showing a cut through see through portion of a cylinder head showing one of the various manners of suitably applying and affixing a portion of a smooth top edge periphery element so as to provide at least a outer edge of a smooth top edge periphery element to at least one sinker slot and a linear extending portion of at least the outer edge periphery of said cylinder so as to form a cylinder sinker slot aperture situated below or abutting said smooth top edge periphery element at the rear thereof.

In FIG. 16 are shown conventional needles in relation to the Special Large Hook needle according to a correlated part of the invention.

In FIG. 17 is shown an oversized drawing schematic illustrative perspective drawing of a segmental part of a cylinder head with a smooth top edge periphery element and inwardly, rearwardly extending sinker guiding aperture tracks. Yarn appears in hooks of needles and in relation to sinkers.

' In the said FIG. 17 is shown a Special Sinker 12, with ajack 50. This sinker does not require the jack 50 so it can perfonn its greater conventional forward motion to place the yarn on its upper finger or neb if or when desired, so there are numerous well known other manners of doing so.

FIG. 17A is a modified schematic illustrative side view of a normal sinker shown in a see though cut through portion of a portion of a cylinder head.

FIG. 17B are shown modified schematic illustrative side views of a Special sinker shown in a see through cut through, fragmental portion of a cylinder head(s) showing modified Special Sinkers 12A 12B 12C and 12D with a portion thereof in see through end views of said cut off cylinder portion.

FIG. 18 is a schematic illustrative perspective segmental view of a cylinder head depicted on a conventional two part cylinder as shown in FIG. 7 showing a schematic relationship of a conventional sinker ring to a cylinder and a schematic relationship of a conventional cap cover which can either have one or two conventional sinker cam tacks there is also shown a normal sinker having a portion thereof extending through one of the sinker guiding aperture tracks below the smooth top edge periphery element of the cylinder.

FIG. 19 is fragmental, schematic illustrative perspective view showing a cut through see through portion of a sinker head(s) showing some of the various manners of suitably applying and affixing a portion of a smooth top edge periphery element so as to provide at least the outer edge of a smooth top edge periphery element to a plurality of sinker slots in a linear extending portion of at least the outer edge periphery of said cylinder so as to form rewardly extending sinker guiding aperture tracks thereat below and/or abutting at the rear of said smooth top edge periphery element.

FIG. 20 is a fragmental, schematic illustrative perspective view showing a cut through see through portion of a cylinder head showing one of the various manners of suitably applying and affixing a portion of a smooth top edge periphery element to a multiplicity of adjacent sinker slots and a linear extending portion of at least the outer periphery edge of said cylinder so as to form inwardly extending cylinder sinker guiding aperture tracks situated below or abutting said smooth top edge periphery element at the rear thereof.

To avoid constant repetition, describing again any part once described and shown and indicated, when such part, even if it is shown again in a different size, shape or form, is not necessarily again described and indicated when its purpose is the same as that of the original part once described, indicated and shown, any shown indicia is considered as shown in any drawing and any part once described is considered as included in the specification even it if its not again recited, when it is again shown in a different drawing. However, when thought necessary, it is again described and/or indicated in a drawing, any single part showncan either be one or a group of such parts, the drawings and description thereof form a material part of this disclosure.

The average, ordinary mechanic knows it is entirely within the skill of the art to know the various manners in which high, low or medium butts on long or short single or. double butted needles, with or without jacks or with or without jacquard means, are set up and operate. This is old art. LEXIGRAPHY lexigraphy TheWORD:

FEMALE, in mechanics, designates a hollow part or an orifice, shaped to receive an inserted part.

APERTURE designates, an opening, hole,passage,gap,cleft, or vent. In mechanics, generally an open space between two or four right lines, but not necessarily right lines.

TI-IEREAT designates, at that place. BELOW designates, under in place, beneath, under, underneath. ABUTTING designates, adjacent,neighboring, next, next to it, against, touching at the end.

SITUATED designates, having a given site, place or location. SLOT designates, a narrow opening, as a keyway in a piece of machinery. for example, the term generally used to describe the sinker guiding aperture tracks in which a portion of a sinker reciprocates, however the term slot has been missapplied in at least one patent to cut out vacant areas in the sinker itself, however the the words cylinder sinker slots or sinker slots when used in the sense of a sinker guiding track whether or not it has a female aperture portion situated thereat below abutting a smooth top edge periphery element, suitably affixed the cylinder head according to the invention(s) means a sinker guiding aperture track.

TRACK designates, a course or path, say such as an aperture between two walls of the element or cylinder used to guide a sinker and prevent lateral side motion of the sinker. PORTION designates a part,which though not actually separated from the whole, is considered by itself.

GROOVE a channelin a sinker ring in which a portion of a sinker reciprocates by conventional means.

in a lower place, Syn.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION As the inventions herein dsiclosed present a wide departure from orthodox practices and acceptances, although only universally well known conventional mechanisms are used in conjunction with the present inventions which operation of such conventional parts, such as cams, sinkers, needles and needle relating apparatus, which herein are used in exactly the same manneras used conventionally say, for over the past twenty to over 60 years and the sinker and needles used in the present invention are also used in exactly the same manner as conventionally used therefore, as the operation of such conventional parts are well known. The details of such conventional parts need not be shown or described.

However, since a wide variety of conventional parts can if desired by used-with the present invention as conventional camming in either one raceway or tiers of raceways and conventional needles such as high, low or medium, single or double butt needles, with or without conventional jacks, and/or conventional pattern or jacquard parts which selectively place predetermined needles in conventional knit, tuck or welt or knit or welt positions, which conventional operation of such conventional needles, jacks and camrning is so well known that there is no need to recite either their mode of operation, what they are or what they do or show or describe their construction, the following patents, the numbers stated herewith fully describes such well known conventional mechanisms.

Here areshown some patent numbers for individual control of needles.

of fine count size yarn, preferably a conventional Plus long and short needles and dual or triple cam systems described in other patents mentioned herein.

It is universally well known that in all conventional sinker top cylinders having conventional sinker slot open gaps in the head of the cylinder, the distances apart of pairs of sinkers are subject to the space gauge distance apart of the conventional sinker slots gaps cut into the head of the cylinder and there must be provided a sinker which has a portion thereof in each sinker slot and a portion of the same sinker in a groove of a universally well known conventional grooved sinker ring (not shown) which surrounds the cylinder, a sinker to a sinker groove respectively.

Together with herein disclosed correlated inventions there is disclosed herein a means whereby the gauge of a cylinder head, can be altered whenever desired to a different gauge" other than the cut of the cylinder, and adifierent gauge other than the cut of the sinker slots in the cylinder head. Accordingly there is also disclosed a means whereby a smooth top edge periphery element(s), suitably affixed to the head of the cylinder to provide at least a portion of the outer periphery edge thereof of the cylinder headwith a smooth top edge periphery element at least a portion thereof adapted to provide a smooth top periphery element between pairs of sinkers spaced further distance apart than the gauge distance of the cut of the cylinder and at least one unoccupied cylinder sinker slot aperture therebelow or abutting at least a smooth top edge periphery portion between pairs of distanced spaced sinkers spaced apart further distancesthanthe sinker slot apertures, and at least one unoccupied sinker slot aperture therebelow or abutting said further distanced spaced apart pair of sinkers. The said distanced spaced apart sinkers manually allotted to predetermined cylinder slot apertures according to predetermined plan, thereby altering the gauge distance between sinkers at the head of the cylinder, as the cut of the cylinder remains as of its original cut.

Another improvement disclosed herein, relates to cooperating parts, enabling the successful operation of the altered gauge or differently or mixed gauge cylinder head, in this respect I have devised new types of sinkers, a Special Sinker and/or a Normal Sinker to be used with or without conventional sinkers, to produce certain fabrics which conventional sinkers used of themselves would be unable to produce. Because such conventional sinkers must be confined to its sinker slot gap conventionally cut into the head of the cylinder and cannot be removed therefrom as the remaining open gap would not permit knitting to be done, and therefore no alteration of gauge distance between sinkers can be done on such conventional sinker head with conventional sinkers, and therefore knitting can be done according to the gauge and/or altered gauge, only when-the improvements of the invention are used, with varied needle and sinker set ups as shown in FIGS. 8 9 wherein, the letter 8" meaning sinkers, the letter N meaning needles, the dots sinkers and needles out, see drawings, Sheet 3, FIG. 9 and FIG. 9A. The line 78 across, the element.

It is possible in conjunction with my other improvements to draw and form loops of large size of coarse count yarns, while on conventional needles in the conventional fine gauge portion of the altered cylinder (if a portion of the cylinder is altered as described herein to at least on different gauge other than the cut of the cylinder) form conventional stitches machine having needle control cams in two or more tiers of raceways as shown in the following patents are preferred as the best individual control for drawing stitch length is provided by such conventional plurality of cam tracks or raceways, see patents in regard to dual or triple track or raceway cam systems U.S. Pat. Nos.

2,260,579 swing cams for high and low butt needles 1,087,954 needles of different lengths and a host of others.

The correlated inventions disclosed are illustrative and not limited to the particular shape or size or one particular mode of operation, the inventions can be used on either a stationary or rotating cylinder type machine, the size or shape ofany part or any element, such as sinkers, needles, smooth top edge periphery element(s) which are shown and described are shown in the drawings in various sizes and shaped and can be changed in size or shape according to whatever size or shape of any degree desired without departing from the inventions, sizes are to be made according to the construction of whatever size or type machine is being constructed.

In disclosing my inventions it is also disclosed that a cylinder ofa knitting machine capable of knitting jersey" fabric need not necessarily have conventional elongated open sinker slots in the cylinder head periphery, for with my improved new type sinkers, shown and described herein which form a correlated part of my invention, wherein at least a portion of the cylinder head, according to part of the present invention, comprises a means (smooth top edge periphery element) to alter the gauge of the cylinder head, at the periphery of the cylinder, by altering the Muster set up of sinkers as, for example, shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 9A to predetermined gauges, by removing predetermined conventional sinkers and also removing predetermined conventional needles from the cylinder and providing a smooth top edge periphery element according to a correlated part of the invention. The said smooth top element is operatively positioned relative the conventional sinker slots wherein the conventional sinker slots are to be provided with a smooth top edge periphery (see Drawing Sheet No. I, FIGS. 3, 5, and 7) Drawing Sheet No. 2, FIG. 17 and FIG. 18, Drawing Sheet No. 3, which teaches how a continuous or partial strip, preferably metal, can be suitably affixed a cylinder head as shown by FIG. 14, FIG. 15, FIG. 17A, FIG. 17B and FIG. 19. Such strip shown on Drawing No. 1, FIG. 12 (43) (the smaller sizes thereof in the drawings) thereby forming a conventional sinker slot 3 into a longitudinally extending aperture 9 adopted to receive a predetermined portion of a sinker, these sinker apertures in a cylinder also form a correlated part of my invention.

These cylinder sinker slot apertures, which are formed by stationing of a smooth top periphery element above predetermined sinker slots, provide a sinker guiding aperture from which a sinker can be removed or a sinker inserted according to predetermined plan and these sinker guiding apertures provide a smooth top periphery element over which a knitted stitch could be drawn and formed if desired.

To enable the combined mechanisms, to produce new type fabrics, wherein loop sizes of stitches and yarns could be knitted on the same cylinder in stitch formations wherein the widest apart differential degrees of yarn sizes and loop sizes can be knitted either singly or simultaneously on a cylinder altered to a different gauge" or mixed gauges" than the cut" of the cylinder, it was necessary to devise an entirely different type of knitting needle so constructed that in a fine gauge cylinder, the needle could draw and hold stitch sizes which would be possible to be made in a coarse gauge cylinder, and form these stitches of a yarn size "unknittable" on the conventional knitting needles 19 in the fine gauge machine and my improved (large hook knitting needle with a hook and latch portion wider than the "cut of the cylinder) operating in an altered portion of the cylinder, and a thin stem equal to the "cut" of the cylinder FIG. 16 (68)(69) can also be used with conventional knitting needles.

Throughout the industry it is well known that a yarn that is of a large count size too coarse or such bulk that it cannot be normally knitted on the gauge or cut, whatever gauge or cut of the cylinder is therefore called "unknittable yarns, subject to the distance between needles can be layed in, the rule being if it is too heavy or coarse in count for the needles that it can cause needle breakage do not lay the yarn in or try to knit it, viz. a hawser cannot be knitted on a fine or coarse cut knitting machine. Therefore the fact that various gauges can be mustered" in the same cylinder if a portion(s) of the gauge is, for example, say 12 gauge, a fine yarn that can be knitted on that portion(s) must be used in the feed" allocated to those 12 gauge portions. This does not prevent such fine yarn from being knitted or layed in on the coarse gauge portions, say of 6 gauge portion or 3 gauge portion in the same cylinder. However, the yarn in the feed to be knitted on the 6 gauge portion can, subject to yarn size, be layed in, (not knitted) on certain needles in the 12 gauge portion(s) and knitted on the 6 gauge or 3 gauge portions in the same cylinder. However, when the complete cylinder head is altered to a different gauge, a yarn suitable to that gauge should be used. However, as stated, a fine count yarn can be knitted on a coarse gauge, subject to the strength of the fine yarn. If one wishes to avoid not purchasing or using heavy count yarns they need only double, triple or increase the ends" of the fine yarn to whatever size they wish to use, as is common practice in the industry when using fine yarns on coarse cut cylinders.

A Feed includes all the necessary parts of well known conventional apparatus to carry out knitting operations, such as yarn feeds adopted to the size of yarn being used. Feeds" adapted to feed yarn at one height or different heights from the same feed by using one or two yarns in the same feed" if desired, well known conventional apparatus to cause needles to knit or tuck and other needles to remain idle in welt position, or on plain machines simply knit on whatever muster of needles, sinkers and Smooth Top Edge Periphery Element(s) used in the set up gauge or muster" see Drawing Sheet 3 (FIG. 9 and FIG. 9A) in regard to how to set up" the sinkers and needles for any gauge or muster desired.

An element summarized in a single term, or any needle, sinker or jack shown is capable of being a group of such element(s), whether a, b, or c moves first, is not the important part of the invention or if turned on their side or upside down.

Any conventional type of high, low or medium butt, can be used on sinkers or cams striking parts of the sinker, or jacks, as conventionally known and used to cause any sinker move forward to greater distance than others or sinkers rest while others move forward, so that those sinkers which move further forward and have yam placed on a projection or finger of the sinker can be utilized for the purpose of supplying a larger sinker wale which as well known, results in a stitch being larger. It is immaterial whether some of the patent numbers herein mentioned for moving sinkers or jacks so as to bring forward a sinker are sometimes used only to lengthen the sinker wale or to supply a length of yarn.

U.S. PAT. NOS. FOR SINKER CONTROL 697078 various butt projection control for sinkers 2,337,153 sinker and jack means to project forward. 1,890,880 sinker and jack means to push forward 1,758,899 to effect the inward throw of sinker. 2,076,902 to effect inward throw of certain sinkers 1,831,129 effect inward throw of butts by tails. 2,091,638 effect the movement of butts to different channels.

21 15929 inward movement of sinker by jack.

901839 various blocks on sinkers to push forward.

2374857 flopper cam which brings the sinker forward to knit on top of nibs.

2080377 sinkers for plush with upper finger and other patents too numerous to mention.

BRITISH PATENTS 241392 special sinker larger wales longer stitiches 327120 jacks for sinkers 344483 method to project and retract sinkers to produce long loops (sinker wales) So it is seen there is no dearth of universaly well known art regarding sinkers and their movement and use.

There are various patent numbers mentioned herein which set forth and described the well known conventional mode of administration suitable for utilizing the present inventions and conventional parts used therewith. Since the control of needles and control of sinkers function in the same manner as universally known and operated by conventional parts, there is no need to show, describe or to further explain their manner of forming stitches or courses of knitting, with this in mind, and that fact that all the views of the drawings are illustrative and not limited in detail:

FIG. 1 is a segmental perspective illustrative view, of a conventional cylinder head 2 with conventional sinker slots 3 showing a conventional sinker 6 which has a portion thereof in a universally well known sinker ring (not shown) which surrounds the cylinder and conventional cam apparatus (not shown) used to operate sinkers and needles according to feeds and predetermined plan as set forth in such patents shown is utilized when using the parts of the present invention with conventional parts.

FIG. 2 is a segmental perspective illustrative view of FIG. 1, but with a smooth top edge periphery element 78 according to a correlated part of the invention superimposed on the periphery of the cylinder head 2 to provide at least a portion of the cylinder head with a smooth top edge periphery portion, a conventional sinker must be in every conventional sinker slot which flanks both side ends of the element 78 which obviously provides a plurality of sinker slot gaps 3 with a smooth top surface at least the edge 7B thereof suitable to draw a stitch of yarn over when a needle (FIG. is in a needle cut of a cylinder, obviously as many as such elements as desired can be arranged around the circumference of the cylinder and one or more conventional sinkers and conventional needles 19 can be in the cylinder between each spaced apart smooth top edge periphery element. Therefore it is not necessary that an element be made in a ring form of a material which can easily be formed into a ring form. In fact, some may consider it advantageous if it is not in a ring form for this permits the use of conventional sinkers, but also restricts the distancing apart of sinkers to the particular size of the linear distance of one or more sinker slots covered by such element, since a needle FIGS. 5 (15) is in a position aligned with such migrate manually removable element FIG. 2, FIGS. 4 and FIGS. 5 and such a needle may be of the type shown in Drawing Sheet 2, FIG. 16 (68)(69) which is a large hook needle as previously described herein, and can be independently controlled by suitable apparatus as shown by patents, the numbers of whichare set forth herein. If however, only one type of gauge distance is present, generally the conventional needles utilize the single raceway cam system, more common to such sinker top machines than the dual or triple raceway track cam system. (See patent numbers shown herein in regard to conventional dual or triple cam systems.)

FIG. 3 is a segmental perspective illustrative view of the head 2 of a conventional cylinder 2 on which is mounted a smooth top edge periphery element of sufficient linear length 8 to completely surround the periphery of the cylinder, the abutting ends of the elements are suitably joined together. smooth top edge periphery elements are suitably joined. The smooth top edge periphery element shown in FIG. 3 is provided with suitable elongated apertures 9 in which is shown a segmental part of an improved sinker 12 according to the invention termed a special sinker" 12 the aperture (s) in the smooth top edge periphery element" constitute another part of the invention(s) such an element can be formed by a strip of suitable material, preferably metal, stamped out and then hot or cold rolled shaped to form such an element. It is to be noted that at the rear of the element an aperture is not allocated to each cylinder sinker slot which suggests and shows that element(s) having common apertures for a plurality or multiplicity of cylinder sinker slots might also be constructed. The portion of a special sinker in such an aperture also suggests the part of the lower portion of the special sinker seen jutting through and out of the element aperture could very well be constructed so that it juts out from the inside of the cylinder to the outside of the cylinder through the cylinder slot aperture comprised of the portion of the cylinder sinker slot 3 therebelow the element. For example, in FIG. 7 is also shown apertures formed of cylinder sinker slots therebelow the element.

In FIG. 5 (I4) is a partial portion of an element such as shown in FIG. 3. The apertures 9 are also present in this element which can be used to provide a plurality of adjacent sinker slots with a smooth top edge periphery element. The Special Sinkers FIG. 17 (12) and/or the Normal Sinkers (FIG. 17) (47) which are a very important part of the invention(s) can be used whenever there are cylinder sinker slots in which a portion of a Special and/or Normal sinker can be inserted and part of the body portion of these sinkers according to the invention in a groove in a conventional sinker ring (not shown) which surrounds the cylinder. The Special and/or Normal sinkers can be placed in any predetermined groove or any cylinder sinker slot aperture aligned with its respective groove, regardless of the distance apart between pairs of sinkers when the complete circumference of the cylinder head is provided with a Smooth Top Edge periphery element having female see clear through cylinder sinker slot apertures, the Smooth Top Edge Periphery Element 14 shown in FIG. 5 has cylinder sinker slot female apertures therein which aligned with the cylinder sinker slots of the cylinder, it provides only a portion of the cylinder head 27 with a smooth top edge periphery element, either or both a Special and/or a Normal Sinker can be used therewith. However, as it only provides for a portion(s) of the cylinder head, the conventional sinker slots 3 flanking both sides of portional element, FIG. 5 (14) must each be provided with a conventional sinker. Therefore, when using such Smooth Top Edge Periphery elements as FIG. 5 (14) Special and/or Normal and conventional sinkers can all be used combined in a predetermined set up muster" of sinkers and needles, or only a portion of the complete cylinder can be set up with say one element such as FIG. 5 (14) constructed to any linear length desired, the remainder of the cylinder head having conventional sinkers in conventional sinker slots, preferably a large hook knitting needle, FIG. 5 (15) of either a conventional type or improved type according to the invention can be used.

In FIG. 4 is shown a Smooth Top Edge Element as explained and shown in FIG. (2). This element is made from a strip of flat metal shaped as shown and can be suitably affixed to the cylinder head or mounted on a cylinder and held at the bottom of the cylinder by the flange, FIG. 4 (7A). It is used as described for the use of such element in regard to FIG. (2).

In FIG. 6 is shown a cylinder head constructed with a smooth edge portion 16. It is not recommended, as it would obviously be a single purpose cylinder, but it does depict how the arrangement (muster) of a large hookknitting needle is in a cylinder cut flanked by a cylinder cut on at leas one or both sides thereof without a needle in the cut. There are the distance equal to at least two sinker slots at each smooth top of the cylinder as shown in FIG. 6, a cylinder so constructed could not be used if all the open cylinder sinker slot gaps were closed, as the Special and Normal sinkers and neither could conventional sinkers be used. But it is shown as it dramatically shows that such a cylinder could be constructed, but it is not considered as an advance or advantageous over say, a migrate element, FIG. 2 or FIG. 4 or FIG. 5 which can be removed and placed in any area about the cylinder by removing needles and sinkers and then supplying a Smooth Top Edge Periphery Element. At such place of sinker and needle removal, see FIGS. 9 and FIGS. 9A, the dots representing needles (N) and sinkers (s) removed from the cylinder and grooved sinker ring. The FIGS. 9 and FIG. 9A only examples of any distance apart of sinkers relative the smooth top edge periphery element represented by the horizontal line 78 in the FIGS. 9 and 9A. Any group of any single or group of the same gauge between sinkers and needles shown can be of any gauge" for the whole of the cylinder or any portion or part thereof, the amount of needles drawn, removed or sinkers removed to make a desired gauge" depend upon the cut of the cylinder. For example, needless to state, a fine cut cylinder would require more needles to be drawn out (removed), to say make a fine cut cylinder into an altered say four gauge" cylinder head distance between sinkers than would a coarse gauge cylinder so altered. As previously stated, when a smooth top edge periphery element is suitably affixed to provide at least the outer edge periphery of complete circumference of the head of the cylinder with a Smooth Top Edge Periphery having cylinder sinker slot apertures therebelow or abutting the said element and a sinker(s) of the Special type 12 and/or the Normal type 4 is used as described, any desired gauge can be assembled (mustered) for any portion or portions of the complete cylinder. Naturally the gauge distance as for minute distance measurement between distanced apart sinkers would be subject to the cut of the cylinder. In short, for example, gauge" set up for a complete cylinder that would not divide into the final amount of needles remaining one or two of the gauges may require to be say one, two or more needles and sinkers wider or narrower apart, to make the gauge" for the whole of the machine, if the desired gauge does not divide." In short, there is explained herein matter which should be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art to whom this disclosure is addressed. This is only done because of the fact that so unique and unorthodox are these inventions, and such a wide departure is it from the old accepted practice in that it is necessary to have cylinders for each cut desired and machines must be used according to cut" therefore many elementary things are explained. This is why numerous patent numbers have been mentioned, so that it is understood that whatever type of conventional parts or type of conventional knitting shown in such patents, the inventions are not curtailed in the least, and any conventional laying in or warp threads or loop or plush cloth of yarns, subject to the distance of gauge" between sinkers and needles can also be done. Those desiring more information on the subject are directed to patent numbers for wrap threads US. Pat. Nos.

1,702,608 thread wrapping 2,104,232 thread wrapping 2,294,917 thread wrapping and others, such mundane, well known conventional practices of the knitting and operation of parts therefore, as shown and described in the patent numbers herein shown can be used when using the improvement(s) of the present invention. However since a plurality or multiplicity of various gauges can be arranged in the same cylinder, and preferably the type of machine used should be equipped with a plurality or multiplicity of feeds as herein previously described, what a feed" consists of, and each different type of yarn count or size of yarn is fed its respective gauge by its respective feed, wherein the needles are independently controlled by suitable conventional cams or conventional jacquard mechanisms as described in the various well known patent numbers of which are shown herein, it will be instantaneously recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art that a whole new field of endless variety of new type fabric design of various gauge construction in the same fabric has been opened by the disclosing of the present inventions.

In Sheet No. 2 of the drawings FIG. 16 is shown conventional needles 65, 66, 67 and conventional jacks 58, 59 on which preferably there should be short butts, the butts on jack 71 should preferably be long, the butt 60 on the large hook knitting needle 68 should preferably be a long butt, the butt 6] should preferably be a short butt on the needle 69 is a side view of the large hook, shown quite large to show the extreme possibilities between sizes of hooks which may be used depending on the gauge set up "muster of the needles and sinkers, the spoon 63 should be of the size suitable to insure good knitting by the needle. It is noted, in the instance shown it is wider than the stem of the needle 68, the stem constructed to fit the cut of the cylinder. Such a needle as disclosed by the invention thereof is possible to be utilized only when suffcient gauge" distance between spaced apart distanced sinkers to permit its use. Any suitable hook size on any needle conventional, or according to the invention, can be used subject to the gauge distance between distanced spaced apart sinkers, but this does not preclude that the same conventional needle used in the fine cut of the cylinder may also be used in an altered" gauge portion of the cylinder head between distanced spaced apart sinkers, but if a coarse count yarn too heavy or bulky for the conventional needle to normally knit into needle loop wales, it would then be advisable to use a knitting needle such as shown in FIG. 16 (68) (69) constructed according to the invention. Besides the suitable cam systems shown in the patent numbers for dual and triple cams arranged in tiers the cam system shown in German Pat. No. 1,132,678 shows an old popular system for utilizing such needles with or without jacks. This is a triple cam system and has been also known to be provided with jacquard arrangements. It is to be noted that the cams therein are two cams on a common point and are superimposed so that they can welt, knit or tuck on predetermined set Up of needles, long or short butt sizes or long or short or medium length needles, since the operation of such cams are old and well known the details of their manipulation need not be given, as it is common knowledge throughout the industry and commonly used when individual selective needle control is done by jacquard means a single track raceway system can also be used or needles with long or short butts either or both can be used, naturally the scope of fabric construction is more limited the less versatile the conventional apparatus used.

All the universally well known conventional knitting operations in all its forms, such as laying in yarns, tucking or welt (no knit) stitch formations can be carried out by either and/or both the Special and Normal Sinkers, the conventional operation of any Special or Normal sinker or needle is not affected in the least by the presence of a smooth top edge periphery element, conventional parts operate in conventional manner. Such conventional operation of feeding yarn either on the top surface of nebs or below nebs is universally well known, however the patent numbers stated herein of well known patents, the patent numbers of which are stated herein, show all the well known cams by which such sinker movement is done, such patents date back to over fifty years ago in many cases, so there is no need to recite such matters, however, a brief description of such is herein tendered.

The manner in which fine and coarse "gauge" knitting is simultaneously carried out is easily seen when viewing the drawings of FIG. 17 and FIG. 14 and further described herein. Those of ordinary skill in the art of constructing, setting up and operating circular knitting machines of the sinker top type, to which this invention is most concerned, will note that in FIG. 17, is shown a Special Sinker 12 and a Normal Sinker 47 as described herein, a cylinder head 2 a smooth top edge periphery element having a smooth top edge 78 which provides at least the outer edge periphery of the cylinder with a smooth top edge therebetween the said Special and/or Normal Sinkers regardless of how distant apart are the pairs of sinkers.

In the drawing FIG. 17, only one each of the Special Sinker 12 and/or Normal Sinker 47 are shown for clarity, there could be a group( s) or the full cylinder of either or both types close I .13 ly related or distantly spaced apart, according to any desired needle and sinker gauge" (see Drawings Sheet 3, FIG. 9 and FIG. 9A, as fully explained in this specification).

In the said FIG. 17 is shown Special Sinker 12 which has a butt 45 a portion of the body portion which extends across the periphery of the cylinder 8 then continues to extend downward within the circle of the cylinder then extends outward in the cylinder sinker slot aperture therebelow and/or abutting the smooth top edgeperiphery element the said Special sinker is seen here with two (51 and 53) conventional nebs or fingers thereon, the finger 51 to be conventionally fed yarn and 53 hold it, when a larger sinker wale is desired and as is universally well known causes a larger stitch and needle wale loop to be formed when the needle draws down the yarn the neb 51 supporting the sinker wale in the conventional s banner.

in FIG. 17 is shown fine count yarn 29 in FIG. 17 and coarse count yarn 52 in FIG. 17, the fine count yarn in the hook of needles 19and the coarse count yarn about to be knitted in the hook 15, when knitting both large and small needle loop wales, the coarse count yarn is confined to the large hook needles 15 which are generally therebetween and flanked by a group of small hook needles 19 on each side of a large hook needle, the ratio of feed should be say that of 1 large stitch to say three or four or more small stitches to balance the fabric and avoid smash ups. I

In the said FIG. 17 only one Normal sinker 47 is shown, there could be a group(s) or the full cylinder could be supplied with the same, the needles and the sinker are shown placed far apart (for clarity) they could be in pairs of different gauge or all the same gauge at the head of the cylinder (see Sheet 3 drawings FIG. 9 and FIG. 9A herein), the Normal Sinker has a butt and a neb 49 and a throat portion in which a portion of the outeredge 7B of the Smooth Top Edge Element lS seen.

In FIG. 17A is shown a cut through, see through, end view of a portion of a cylinder head, showing a Normal sinker 47 with a butt 45 and a throat with neb portion 49, the body portion 47 thereof extending through a cylinder sinker slot aperture 9 and jutting outwardly from the aperture and terminating at the end of the sinker 47A the smooth top edge periphery element 43 is suitably mounted on the top of the cylinder head, afi'ixed in such position, preferably by spot welding FIG. 19) 54. It will be noted that when the sinker reaches the innermost of its reciprocating positions in which it is shown, a portion of the smooth top edge periphery element partially extends into part of thethroat area of the Normal Sinker, below the neb 49 as a portion 47 of the body is in the cylinder sinker slot aperture, therebelow the Smooth top Edge Periphery Element.

When knitting both large and small knitted needle wale loop, coarse gauge" portion(s) of the set up muster of nee dles 15 are used to produce the large loop of coarse count yarn, preferably a Special sinker, FIG. 17 (12) to aid in causing a large sinker wale to be produced should be the type of a Special sinker 12 adjacent a large hook knitting needle 15. The small hook knitting needle 19 is used to knit the small needle wales of fine yarn 29 preferably the type of sinker being the Normal sinker 47, however, if using only one type of either the Normal sinker or the Special Sinker it is well known that by providing Sinkers with conventional low butts 46 and other conventional sinkers with high butts 45 the high butt sinkers can be moved further inward than the low butt 46 sinkers so that the high butt sinkers are fed the coarse count yarn 51, a low 46 or high butt 45 can also be on selected jacks, among the patents, the patent numbers of which are shown herein, there are many which show and describe the use of high and low butts on jacks and/or Sinkers.

The various well known conventional manners of moving certain sinkers more inward than others are set forth in prior art patents, the Patent Numbers of which are herein set forth show and teach that such movement of Special sinkers so as to cause a feed to place the yarn on the upper surface of the neb,

to cause the sinkerwale to become larger than if the yarn were fed to the extending body portion of the Special Sinker is common practice in the industry.

Many patents regarding such movement of Special Sinkers have been issued, some showing the use of high and low butts on the sinkers and suitable cams therefor, others showing the use of projections on'the backs of Special Sinkers and a cam adopted to move them inward stationed on the sinker ring and others using jacks 50 to move the sinker inward when desired, the average mechanic acquainted with sinker top circular knitting machines is familiar with such procedures as they are commonly used in the art to causea sinker to form more yarn into the sinker wale when it is fed to the sinkers and needles, such yarn being fed to form a longer or large sinker wale which because of the height of the neb of the sinker also forms a larger needle loop.

In the drawing, FIG. 17, the jacks 50 are only shown because some mechanics prefer jacks and the two raceway tracks required for such, rather than the high 45 or low 46 butt manner, but it is also well known that such jacks are unnecessary as numerous patents show other well known manners such as a cam on the sinker ring cap cover (nr t shown) adopted to engage a high body portionof the rear of the Special Sinker, however, when all the sinkers are of the same type a jack is useful in that respect.

In FIG. 17B (12A) (12B) (12C) is shown the Smooth Top Edge Periphery Element 43 suitablyaffixed to the cylinder and situated on a shoulder, the element periphery should preferably extend slightly higher than the cylinder periphery and the outer edge periphery thereof and face of the element should preferably be flush with the face of the cylinder head so as to be flush with the cylinder sinker slot apertures therebelow, if the Smooth Top Edge Periphery Element is set slightly further in on the shoulder the cylinder should be chamfered off so no sharp comers exist, in the drawings, FIG. 14, FIG. 15, FIG. 19, the element is seen so that the shoulder is visible however, it is preferred that the Smooth Top Edge Periphery Element is flush with the face of the cylinder head as shown in FIG. 7.

In the said FIG. 178, FIG. 14, FIG. 15, FIG. 19, the Smooth top edge periphery element 43 iss'hown in various sizes and in FIG. 17B the element 43 is simply shown suitably affixed to the cylinder face, in this case it is recommended that the thickness of the element 43 simply affixed the face of the cylinder head, should not be greater than say one sixty-fourth of an inch, and should extend as deep as the raceway (not shown) would allow the needle to recede in the cut 18 to its greatest depth, so if a hook was broken off of a needle or the needle broken at its upper portion it would not interfere with the element the lower portion of such an element should be chamfered so it should meet the face of the cylinder.

The Smooth Top Edge Periphery Elements can be suitably affixed to the cylinder in various manners, they can be spot welded, welded or brazed thereto (not recommended), soldered thereto, preferably by low heat solder, or force fitted but only if a ring, the best manner of affixing such a Smooth Top Edge Periphery element such as 43 is to solder it as shown in FIG. 15 (56), FIG. 17B (56) while spot welding is preferred when the element(43) is on the top of the cylinder only, in FIG. 20, it will be noted the cylinder head shows a slight flange 2A at the rear of the Smooth Top Edge Periphery Element which aids in holding such an Element 43 when affixed solely to the cylinder head periphery, needless to state, on the coarse cut cylinders the elements could be pinned or held by countersunk screws, however, soldering is preferred to affix the elements as the over flow reaches into the cylinder slots and forms'a solid mass which prevents the walls of the slots from bending in case of a smash up or sinker breakage.

In FIG. 1 l is shown a (gypsy) sinker of which the throat has been ground off, before soldering this should be lightly greased and radially slid into the cylinder slot, solder does not adhere to a greased surface, the (gypsy) sinker is then removed, batches of such (gypsy) sinkers can be used at one time.

In FIG. 13 is shown a suitable temporary material such as ceramic, slate, carbon or such that can withstand intense heat, this can be placed in a cylinder slot, when constructing a cylinder as shown in FIG. so that it would be provided with a smooth top by welding or brazing to fill in the sinker slots 3 above the temporary material 44, thereby providing the slot with a smooth top edge 7B and providing a cylinder sinker slot aperture 9 say this would be a cut and cover method of constructing a cylinder having a smooth edge periphery, but it is not recommended, for obvious reasons, it being much more serviceable and easier to provide the Smooth Top Edge Periphery Elements 43 as shown in FIG. 15, FIG. 178, FIG. 19 and solder them, as they could be easily renewed should there be any damage to them whatsoever.

In FIG. 14 is shown a smooth top edge periphery element 43 that completely surrounds the outer surface of the cylinder head, as it provides a wall to the outer part of the conventional sinker slot gaps and seals the gaps 3 off, which thereby then become cylinder sinker guiding aperture tracks at the rear of the front wall of the sinker guiding aperture track(s) 9 at least the outer edge periphery of this front wall 43 of the cylinder head is a smooth top edge periphery element 78, a similar element is shown in FIG. 7 but which has cylinder sinker slot apertures therebelow the element as well and likewise FIG. 17B (12D) wherein a Smooth Top Edge Periphery Element 43 is shown suitably affixed to the outer face of the cylinder head, wherein it will be noted that the Special Sinker 12D has a narrow extending body portion, which extends across the periphery top of the cylinder, then continues to extend downward 10A and terminates in a cylinder sinker aperture guiding track at the rear of the wall of the element (cylinder head) the area 11 provides ample space for the sinker to reciprocate without interfering with the wall, in either FIG. 14, FIG. 7 or FIG 17B (12D), this indicates and instructs that a cylinder having walled off sinker apertures which would act as guiding tracks at the rear of the wall, could easily be constructed, as such is seen and taught in the very drawing of FIG. 14, wherein the cylinder sinker slots 3 are seen at the rear of the element 43 which provides such wall. Such a construction as described for a cylinder head, having cylinder sinker guiding apertures at the rear of a wall having a smooth top edge periphery at least to the outer edge thereof and having needle cuts" at the front face ofthe cylinder, would require a type of Special Sinker as shown in FIG. 17B (12D), these Special Sinkers are a very important correlated part of the inventions, for they supply the key to the use of such smooth top Edge Periphery Elements, when a see clear through cylinder Sinker slot aperture is not present, however, when a see clear through sinker slot aperture 9 is present, it does not indicate that a Special Sinker, as shown in FIG. 17B (12A) or (12C) or FIG. 10 or FIG. 17 is required for any Special Sinker having a portion thereof which would not protrude from a see clear through aperture therebelow the element could easily be made.

The Special Sinker FIG. 17B (128) shows a portion of the body portion thereof extending through the aperture 9 therebelow the element 43 then extending upward 10A, then outward across the top periphery of the cylinder, it has an area space 11 to allow for reciprocation of the sinker and removal thereof by sliding it outward from the same manner it was obviously manually slid into the cylinder sinker slot aperture.

The area 11 in all the sinkers allow ample space for reciprocation, and easy manual removal to be relocated in any vacant aperture to change the gauge distance between pairs of sinkers.

In FIG. 19 is shown a sinker guiding aperture track portion 9A aabutting thereat the rear of the smooth top edge periphery element 78 and there is a female aperture 9 situated thereat below the said smooth top edge periphery element 78 which extends inwardly beyond the rear of the at least to the rear of the inner edge of the said element and there continues as a sinker guiding aperture track.

It is not recommended that individual female sinker guiding should terminate a solid wall as lint would quickly accumulate and the sinker portion therein such an aperture so blocked off would be unable to work, it could be constructed according to the applicants teachings but it is not recommended, this is why it is preferred to use such construction wherein there is either a female see through sinker aperture track or the most preferred type that of where there is a female aperture portion therebelow below thereat said element and continues extending rearward radially toward the center of the cylinder as a sinker guiding open gap aperture track portion at the rear of the said female aperture portion,but according to the invention(s) the sinker guiding aperture could be that of a continuous radially extending female aperture or a female aperture as shown in the drawing of FIG. 3 wherein female apertures suitable to guide a sinker are shown in the element which surrounds the head of the cylinder.

In FIG. 17B are shown the types of special sinkers the downward extending portions which extend downward as 10A) 10B) 10C) (10D) should always allow room for reciprocation, all the drawings are illustrative and not necessarily limited to their exact size or shape as shown in the drawings.

The smooth top edge periphery elements, 7, 8, 14, 20, 55, and 43 A, B, C, D, E, F, F, and 43 G, all have one thing in common, and that is, as seen in the drawings, they each provide a smooth top continuous edge 7B) to at least the outer edge periphery of that portion of the laterally extending portion of the cylinder head, or the full circumference of at least the outer edge of the cylinder soo provided with said element(s) the said element(s) as seen in the drawings, are clear of crevices, encumberances or outwardly extending projections that would interfere with the formation of knitted loops being drawn by a knitting needle, whereat the gauge at the head of the cylinder is altered as described herein to a different gauge than the cut of the cylinder, the drawings also show that the face of the cylinder, whereat said stitches are drawn, is also clear of crevices, encumberances or outwardly extending projections that would interfere with the formation of knitted loops when a large size count yarn, which would normally be unknittable, unless the cylinder is so provided with said element(s) and there are less sinkers per unit of measure than cuts in the cylinder, whereat the head of the cylinder is so altered.

When a migrate element, such as shown in FIG. 4 (7) or in FIG. 5 I4 is utilized, it should be so affixed or mounted on the head of the cylinder, so that the said element, when desired can be removed or stationed at a different area about the circumference of the cylinder, either the flange 7A of FIG. 4 (7) or some other suitable means, can be used to say, temporarily anchor such a migrate element, the said flange if used, simply placed below the bottom of the cylinder, however the fact that such elements can be migrate or other of the elements shown may be also removable, does not prevent them from being permantlyly affixed to provide the head of the cylinder with such smooth top edge periphery element(s).

In FIG. 18 there are some conventional parts which have not yet been explained as well as parts of the invention already explained, conventional parts in FIG. 18 fitted to fit the invention are; a cap cover 102. the cut out space in the cap cover which houses a raceway, the cut out space 104 which houses a raceway, 103 the housing to which cams are suitably anchored, 106 the conventional sinker ring with conventional grooves therein in which sinkers reciprocate, 107 an anchor screw to suitably anchor the sinker ring to the pedestal 24 on which conventionally a sinker ring rests, a conventional two part cylinder a single cylinder not in two parts can also be used the two part cylinder useful in lining up according to muster the sinkers and knitting needles, conventionally this lining up is done by moving the sinker ring, the advantage of being able to move the cylinder head to line up sinkers with vacant spaces is when every other needle is drawn and every other sinker is drawn, the spaces can be even.

While a particular embodiments of the present invention has been herein illustrated and described, it is not intended to limit the inventions to such disclosure, but changes and modifications may be made therein and thereto within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

' 1. In a sinker top circular knitting machine, a cylinder, FIRST PORTIONS of said cylinder having operatively associated therewith conventional means to carry out conventional knitting in the conventional manner, SECOND POR- TIONS of said cylinder, each of said second portions provided with a smooth top edge periphery element which provides a smooth edge periphery above at least the periphery edge above at least one gap of at least one sinker slot conventionally cutinthe head" of the cylinder, a knitting needle operatively positioned in the cylinder at each smooth top edge periphery element, the said needle at each smooth element operatively adapted to draw a longer knitted stitch of a bulk size yarn count UNKNITIABLE by the needles in said first portions of said cylinder which draw a knitted stitch size according to the CUT of the cylinder, of a count size yarn conventionally adopted to the CUT of the cylinder.

2. A claim as in claim I and said Smooth Top Edge Periphery Element adapted to provide a linear portion of at least the outer periphery edge of said cylinder with a smooth top edge periphery element between spaced apart sinkers, the cylinder sinker slot apertures therebelow or abutting said element.

3. A claim as in claim I and said Smooth Top Edge Elements with apertures therein.

4. Ina circular knitting machine, a cylinder, the head of said cylinder comprising first and second portions, conventional needle cuts in said first and second portions of said cylinder, first" and second needles in predetermined of said needle cuts a needle to predetermined needle cut respectively and other cuts without needles, conventional sinker slots located in the periphery head" of said cylinder, each of said sinker slots providing a sinker slot gap in the periphery edge of said cylinder, a first portion of sinkers, in said sinker slots comprised of predetermined type sinkers adoptedto form conventional size stitches according to the needle cut of the said'cylinder, and knitting needles in said first portion of said cylinder head also adopted to form conventional size stitches according to the cut" of the cylinder, said conventional size stitches between spaced apart first sinkers spaced according to the cut .of said cylinder, said second portion of said cylinder head comprising at least one smooth top edge periphery portion equal in circumferential linear length to the distance of at least two of said needle cuts in said first portion of said cylinder, predeterminedly spaced apart distancedsecond sinkers operatively associated said smooth top periphery, said second sinkers in predetermined spaced apart wider distance than said first sinkers each pair of distanced spaced apart sinkers having therebetween a knitting needle adopted to draw a longer knitted stitch over the smooth top periphery of said second Portion than the said lrst needles in said first" cylinder portion.

5. A special sinker comprising a portion of a body portion thereof adopted to reciprocate in a grooved sinker ring surrounding a cylinder, at least one butt portion (45) or (46) at least one throat portion (25) at least one neb or finger portion (51), an extending portion of said body portion (12) adapted to reciprocate in an aperture situated below therebelow a smooth top edge periphery element, a narrow further extending portion (A) of said extending portion adopted to extend upward within the circle area of said cylinder at right or oblique angle to said body portion (478), the said extending portion then continuing to extend at right or oblique angle rearwardly directionally towards said butt portion (45), said narrow extending body portion and said body portion thereby forming an open end elongated vacant spaced area in said sinker (ll) surrounded on three sides by said sinker portions, said rearward extending portion having the said throat portion (25) and the said neb or finger portion (51), said elongated spaced area (11) adapted to allow space for a smooth top edge periphery element portion suitably affixed to at least the outer edge of the head of said cylinder, when said sinker is manually slid into the sinker slot aperture the upper rearward extending portion 10 extending across the top periphery of said smooth top edge element (78), the body portion (47B) therebelow said smooth top edge periphery element in the cylinder aperture and the body portion (47) in the groove of said ring, said spaced area of said sinker (11) of sufficient size to permit reciprocation of said sinker and so that manual removal of said sinker without interference to said periphery element can be accomplished.

6. In combination a Normal Sinker and a Smooth Top Edge Periphery Element 7B) suitably afiixed to a cylinder head (2) to provide at least a portion of the outer periphery edge of said cylinder with a smooth top edge periphery element (7B), said smooth top edge periphery element having cylinder sinker slot apertures (9) therebelow said element, said Normal Sinker comprising a body portion 47 a butt portion (45) or (46), a throat portion 25 and a neb or finger portion 49 a first portion of said body portion adopted to reciprocate in a groove of a sinker ring surrounding said cylinder, a second portion of said body portion adopted to reciprocate in a cylinder sinker slot aperture therebelow said element, at least a portion of the outer periphery edge portion of said element located in said throat of said sinker at predetermined time during reciprocation of said sinker when said sinker is positioned in a groove of said ring.

7. In a sinker top circular knitting machine, a cylinder, conventional sinker slots in the head of said cylinder, an element with a smooth top edge of sufficientlinear length, to encircle the periphery of said cylinder head and provide a smooth edge top periphery'to the cylinder edge and above each gap area of each sinker slot, thereby forming elongated apertures in the said cylinder head," special sinkers" with a portion thereof adopted to surround a portion of said smooth edge element located above each gap and a portion of said surrounding portion adopted to reciprocate in its respective sinker slot aperture, predetermined of said special sinkers integrally provided with at least one finger on a higher plane than the body of said sinker, an opening in said surrounding sinker portion to provide for easy manual removal of the sinker, to alter the gauge of the cylinder" head" by further distancing predetermined sinkers from each other, the said smooth top edge element providing a smooth edge periphery, whenever a sinker is removed.

8. A claim as in claim 7 and predetermined of said special sinkers each having a portion thereof in predetermined distanced apart apertures, and sinker apertures without sinker portions therein between each pair of distanced apart sinkers, a portion of said element encircling the said periphery of said cylinder head adopted to provide a continuous smooth edge surface, between each pair of said distanced sinkers and the outer edge and face of said element clear of projections, encumbrances or crevices which would interfere with knitted stitch formation.

9. In a circular sinker top knitting machine, a cylinder, conventional sinker slots in said cylinder, a predetermined multiplicity of said sinker slots provided with a smooth top edge periphery element a predetermined portion of at least one sinker slot below said smooth top edge periphery element" thereby providing at least one sinker slot aperture at least one NORMAL TYPE sinker according to a'correlated part of the invention, having a predetermined portion thereof in said at least one aperture, said at least one NORMAL TYPE sinker manually moveable to a different sinker slot aperture located below said smooth top edge periphery element."

10. A claim as in claim 9 and a predetermined portion of each aperture situated thereat the rear of said element, the face of said cylinder and said element whereat said sinker slot apertures are located below said element, clear of encumbrances, projections or crevices which would interfere with smooth top edge 1 formation of knitted stitches regardless of the distance apart between pairs of sinkers and regardless of the quantity of apertures, therebetween pairs of distanced spaced apart sinkers without sinker portions in said apertures, the apertures at the rear of the element being radially extending sinker guiding open gap aperture tracks the outer terminal portion thereof prefaced by a female aperture portion abutting said element.

11. A claim as in claim 9 and a predetermined portion of each aperture situated thereat the rear of said element the face of said cylinder and said element whereat said sinker slot aperture(s) are located below said element, clear of encumbrances, projections or crevices which would interfere with formation of knitted stitches regardless of the distance apart between pairs of sinkers and regardless of the quantity of female aperture(s) therebetween pairs of distanced spaced apart sinkers without sinker portions in said apertures, the apertures below said element female apertures abutting said element, each female aperture between a pair of upright walls of said cylinder, the said walls and its respective aperture thereby forming cylinder sinker guiding aperture track(s) adapted to prevent lateral motion of a sinker.

12. A special sinker having a portion of a body portion (12) thereof adapted to reciprocate in a grooved sinker ring surrounding a cylinder, said sinker having at least one butt portion 45 or 46 at least one throat portion 25 at least one neb or finger portion 51 and a narrow arm portion adapted to extend across the pinnacle top periphery of a cylinder head having a continuous laterally extending smooth surface provided by a smooth top edge periphery element clear of projections, gaps, slots, crevices or encumberances, the top periphery edge of said element forming the said pinnacle of said cylinder head, a portion of said narrow extending arm portion then further extending downward 10A) at oblique or right angle either or both to provide said sinker with a vacant space area l1 said vacant space area of sufficient size adapted to permit reciprocation of said sinker relative to said element 7B) the said element 7B) located in said sinker space area, the said downward extending narrow sinker portion of said sinker within the cylinder circle area 10A) in front of said smooth top edge periphery element, a portion of said space area in said sinker adapted to permit manual removal of said sinker without interference to said smooth top edge periphery element, a portion of said further extending portion 10A) of said special sinker adapted to reciprocate in a cylinder sinker guiding aperture track abutting at the rear of said smooth top edge periphery element.

13. A claim as in claim 12, and a further portion of said body portion of said Special sinker (12B) adopted to reciprocate in a cylinder sinker slot aperture (9) as covered by therebelow said smooth top edge periphery element.

14. In a circular knitting machine, a cylinder, a smooth top edge periphery element suitably fixed to the head of said cylinder, to provide a smooth top edge periphery, to at least the outer circumferential periphery edge of said cylinder, said cylinder head comprising spaced apart cylinder sinker slot apertures abutting said smooth top edge periphery element.

15. A claim as in claim 14, and apertures in said smooth top edge periphery element.

16. A claim as in claim 14, and said cylinder sinker slot apertures adopted to receive a portion of a sinker therein.

17. A claim as in claim 14, and cylinder sinker slot apertures abutting therebelow said smooth top edge periphery element.

18. A claim as in claim 14, and said cylinder sinker slot apertures, elongated apertures at the interior surface of said cylinder head.

19. A knitting machine cylinder 2 having conventional needle cuts 18 in the outer face of the cylinder, the top of the head of said cylinder having a continuous latitudin -ally extending smooth outer edge periphery 7B and cylinder sinker guiding aperture tracks 9A located at the interior surface of said cylinder 20. A claim as in claim 19 and Special Sinkers having a portion thereof adopted to reciprocate in said sinker guiding aperture tracks, said Special sinkers having a portion thereof which extends outwardly across the smooth pinnacle top outer edge periphery of the cylinder head (66).

21. In a circular knitting machine having a conventional grooved sinker ring and other well known conventional parts to carry out conventional knitting, the improvements of, in combination, a cylinder, said cylinder having a cylindrical wall, the lower portion of said wall having an extending cylindrical face portion having well known needle cuts therein and an upper portion of said wall having a smooth top outer edge periphery surface and at least a portion of said wall having at least one sinker guiding track, at least a portion of said sinker guiding track located in said wall therebelow said smooth top outer edge periphery surface of said wall, and at least one N ormal sinker, said Normal sinker comprising a body portion, a butt portion, a throat portion and a finger or neb portion, a portion of said Normal sinker body portion adopted to reciprocate in a groove in said grooved sinker ring and a portion of said Normal sinker body portion adopted to reciprocate in a cylinder sinker guiding track in a portion of said wall therebelow said smooth top outer edge periphery of said wall, the bottom surface of said finger or neb of said sinker at higher level than the level of said smooth top edge periphery surface of said wall, said throat portion of said Normal sinker of sufficient area to permit reciprocation of said Normal sinker without interference to said smooth top outer edge periphery of said wall portion of said cylinder, said butt portion of said sinker adopted to provide contact surface when reciprocating said sinker.

22. In a circular knitting machine having a conventional grooved sinker ring and other well known conventional parts to carry out conventional knitting, the improvements of, in combination, a cylinder, said cylinder having a cylindrical wall, the lower portion of said wall having an extending cylindrical face portion having well known needle cuts therein and an upper portion of said wall portion having a smooth top edge periphery surface and a cylindrical rear portion located at the interior surface of said cylinder, said cylinder rear portion having at least one cylinder sinker rear guiding track, at least one Special Sinker, said Special Sinker having a body portion, a butt portion, at least one neb or finger portion and a narrow extending body portion, a portion of said sinker body portion in a groove in said sinker ring, said narrow extending body portion extending across the top of said smooth top edge periphery wall of said cylinder, then said narrow portion extending downward within the circle of said cylinder then a portion of said extending portion having a portion thereof in a cylinder sinker rear guiding track in said rear cylindrical portion of said cylinder, said at least one finger portion of said Special Sinker adopted to aid in forming sinker wales, said butt portion adopted to provide a sinker contact surface when reciprocating sinkers and an area in said Special Sinker adopted to permit reciprocation of said sinker without interference to a smooth top edge periphery portion of said cylinder in said area of said Special Sinker.

23. In a circular knitting machine having a conventional grooved sinker ring and other well known conventional parts to carry out conventional knitting, the improvements of, a cylinder having an extending cylindrical face portion having well known needle cuts therein and an upper portion of said cylinder having a wall having a smooth top edge periphery surface and at least a portion of said wall having at least one see clear through sinker guiding track aperture therebelow said smooth top outer edge periphery surface of said wall and said wall having an extending cylindrical rear portion, said cylinder rear portion at the interior surface thereof having at least one cylinder sinker rear guiding track, said rear guiding track aligned with said see clear through see through sinker guiding track aperture therebelow the outer edge periphery of said wall.

24. A claim as in claim 23, and a SpecialSinker, said Special Sinker having a body portion with a butt portion thereon and a narrow extending portion with a throat and neb portion thereon, a portion of said sinker body portion adopted to reciprocate in a groove in said grooved sinker ring and a portion of said body portion extending through said see clear through sinker guiding track aperture therebelow the outer periphery edge of said wall, and a narrow portion of said extending body portion extending upward within the circle of said cylinder then extending rearward across the top of said smooth top edge periphery of said wall toward said butt portion, said body portion and said extending portions forming a sinker area surrounding a portion of said wall on three sides, said area of sufficient size to permit reciprocation of said sinker without interfering with said portion of said wall within saidarea of said sinker, said neb portion held on a higher plane than the top surface of said sinker by said throat portion, said butt portion adopted to provide a contact portion when reciprocating-said sinkers.

25. A claim as in claim 23, and a Special Sinker, said Special Sinker having a body portion, a butt portion, at least one neb or finger portion and a narrow extending body portion, a portion of said sinker body portion in a groove in said sinker ring, and a portion of said body portion located in said clear through sinker guiding track aperture therebelow said smooth top outer edge periphery surface of said wall of said cylinder, said narrow extending body portion extending across the top of said smooth top edge periphery wall then said narrow extending portion of said sinker extending downward within the circle of said cylinder then a portion of said extending portion having a portion thereof in a cylinder rear guiding track in said rear cylindrical extending portion of said cylinder, said at least one finger portion of said Special Sinker adopted to aid in forming sinkerwales, and said sinker with a portion to provide sinker contact surface when reciprocating sinkers and said sinker area in said Special Sinker adopted to permit reciprocation of said sinker without interference to a smooth top edge periphery portion of said cylinder in said area of said Special Sinker. p 26. A claim as in claim 23, and said cylinder a two individual part cylinder, an individual upper cylinder portion and an individual lower cylinder portion, said upper portion of said cylinder having said smooth top edge periphery surface wall and said upper portion having said sinker rear guiding track and said see through sinker guiding track, said lower portion of said cylinder having said needle cuts, said upper portion of said cylinder suitably positioned and suitably anchored to said lower portion of said cylinder.

27. In a circular knitting machine having a conventional grooved sinker ring and other universally well known conven tional partsto carry out conventional knitting operations, the improvements of, in combination, a cylinder, said cylinder comprising a cylindrical wall, the lower portion of said wall comprising an extending cylindrical face portion having well known needle cuts therein and an upper portion of said wall having a smooth top outer edge periphery surface and at least a portion of said wall having at least one sinker guiding track, at least a portion of said sinker guiding track located in said wall therebelow said smooth top outer edge periphery surface of said wall and at least one Normal sinker, said Normal sinker comprising a body portion, a butt portion, a throat portion and a finger or neb portion, a portion of said Normal sinker body portion adopted to reciprocate in a groove in said grooved sinker ring and aportion of said Normal Sinker body portion adopted to reciprocate in a cylinder sinker guiding track in a portion of said wall therebelow said smooth top outer edge periphery, the bottom surface of said finger or neb of said Normal sinker at higher level than the level of said smooth top edge periphery surface of said wall, said throat portion of said Normal Sinker of sufficient area to permit reciprocation of said Normal Sinker without interference to said smooth top outer edge periphery of said wall portion of said cylinder, said butt portion of said sinker adapted to provide a contact surface when-reciprocating said sinker and said wall portion of said cylinder having an extending cylindrical rear portion, said cylinder rear portion having at least one cylinder sinker rear guiding track, at least one Special Sinker said Special Sinker having a body portion, a butt portion, at least one neb or finger portion and a narrow extending portion, a portion of said Special Sinker body portion in a groove in said grooved sinker ring, said narrow extending portion of said body portion extending across the top of said smooth top edge periphery wall of said cylinder, then said narrow sinker portion extending downward within the circle of said cylinder, then a portion of said narrow extending portion having a portion thereof in a cylinder sinker rear guiding track in said rear cylindrical extending portion, said neb or finger portion of said Special Sinker adapted to aid in forming sinker wales, said butt portion adapted to provide a sinker contact surface for use when reciprocating sinkers and said combination also comprising at least one Special Large Hook knitting needle having a hook and upper portion thereof, wider than the cut of said cylinder, the lower shank portion of said Special Large Hook knitting needle adopted to reciprocate in a cut in said cylinder.

28. A method of altering the gauge of a cylinder head of a sinker top circular knitting Machine, said method comprising the steps of, the first step, providing a conventional sinker top cylinder which is conventionally provided with conventional even spaced apart needle cuts per inch, a knitting needle conventionally to each cut in said cylinder, conventional sinker slots conventionally equal to the cut of said cylinder, each sinker slot providing a gap in the. periphery head of said cylinder, conventional sinkers in the conventional manner in each of said sinker slots, the second step, removing knitting needles from perdetermined cuts in said cylinder and also removing sinkers in accordance to predetermined plan relative said removed needles, each removed sinker thereby leaving a gap in the periphery edge of said cylinder, the third step, providing a smooth top edge periphery element portion to each area of said needle and sinker removal, thereby providing a smooth top edge periphery wherever a gap previously existed in the periphery head in said cylinder, the said smooth top edge element portion between remaining sinkers, distancing the remaining sinkers so as to provide less sinkers per unit of measure than prior to said alteration, thereby altering the gauge of said cylinder head.

29. A method of constructing alterable gauge cylinder head(s) for circular knitting machines, said method including the following steps: I

Step 1. Providing a conventional universally well known knitting machine cylinder, and conventional grooved sinker ring therewith, said cylinder having conventional well known radially extending open gap area space apertures in the head of said cylinder, and conventional needle cuts in the lower outer cylindrical face portion of said cylinder.

Step 2. Providing a suitable material adapted to be suitably affixed said cylinder head, to provide at least a portion of the outer terminal periphery of the upper open space area of each of said radially extending open gap apertures with a laterally extending measure of said material adapted to provide at least the outer periphery edge of said cylinder, with a suitably constructed continuous laterally extending smooth top surface element having no crevices therein or protrusions extending outwardly therefrom, the said affixed material thereby forming female sinker slot aperture areas formed of a portion of said open space area of at least a portion of the outer terminal area of each of said radially extending open gap apertures into female aperture portion(s) situated thereat below abutting said continuous laterally extending smooth top surface periphery element, each of said female apertures adapted to receive a portion of a sinker therein, or if desired to alter the gauge at the head of the cylinder, manually placing sinker portion(s) in predetermined of said female aperture(s), and having predetermined of said female apertures without sinker portion(s) therein, thereby having less sinkers per unit of measure than needle cuts per unit of measure between pairs of distanced spaced apart sinkers at a laterally extending portion of said cylinder so altered, the

a portion of said smooth top edge periphery element.

Step 3. Providing a predetermined quantity of sinkers in an amount either equal to the quantity of said grooves and apertures or less sinkers than the amount of grooves and apertures there being a sinker to a groove and its respective aperture and apertures and grooves without sinkers when the less quantity of sinkers are used, each of said sinkers having a portion of the body portion thereof manually placed in a groove in said sinker ring, a portion and of said body portion of said sinker extending radially 30. A method of constructing a selective alterable gauge cylinder head for sinker top circular knitting machines, said method including the following steps:

Step 1. Providing a conventional universally well known 10 knitting machine cylinder, having conventional well known radially extending gap open space area individual sinker guiding apertures therein adapted to provide guiding means for sinker portion(s) in the head of said across the smooth top surface of said smooth top edge periphery element affixed said cylinder head, and then a portion of said extending portion continuing to extend downward within the area space circle of said cylinder cylinder, a conventional grooved sinker ring and conven- 15 f a P Pontinuing PP 0f said tional needle cuts in the lower outer cylindrical face porsmker termmatmg a extendmg 8 p p ti f id 5inker space area of a said individual gap aperture, the walls of Step 2. Providing a metal band having a continuous smooth sfild gap P f adopted W Side edge and outer face thereof, the said metal band formed of Sald Smkers, the g g of head 9 531d y f i a i l l m and applying and Suitably ffi i 2O whereat there are apertures without sinkers therein said circular element to the circumferential periphery thefeby altered f a dlfferem gauge f thee": of the face portion of said cylinder, to provide at least the upper cylinder f smooth P edge p p fy element face portion of said cylinder with a continuous laterally q p to Provide 5 9 Surface Over Yvhlch to rm extending Smooth top edge periphery element, the said stitches regardless of the distance apart of sinkers and the radially extending gap open Space area individual aper quantity of apertures without sinker portions therein tures having at least a portion of the outer terminal porbetween 5am distanced apart sinkerstion of each of said area space apertures abutting at least

Claims (30)

1. In a sinker top circular knitting machine, a cylinder, ''''FIRST PORTIONS'''' of said cylinder having operatively associated therewith conventional means to carry out conventional knitting in the conventional manner, ''''SECOND PORTIONS'''' of said cylinder, each of said ''''second portions'''' provided with a ''''smooth top edge periphery element'''' which provides a smooth edge periphery above at least the periphery edge above at least one gap of at least one sinker slot conventionally cut in the ''''head'''' of the cylinder, a knitting needle operatively positioned in the cylinder at each ''''smooth top edge periphery element,'''' the said needle at each ''''smooth element'''' operatively adapted to draw a longer knitted stitch of a bulk size yarn count ''''UNKNITTABLE'''' by the needles in said first portions of said cylinder which draw a knitted stitch size according to the ''''CUT'''' of the cylinder, of a count size yarn conventionally adopted to the ''''CUT'''' of the cylinder.

2. A claim as in claim I and said Smooth Top Edge Periphery Element adapted to provide a linear portion of at least the outer periphery edge of said cylinder with a smooth top edge periphery element between spaced apart sinkers, the cylinder sinker slot apertures therebelow or abutting said element.

3. A claim as in claim I and said Smooth Top Edge Elements with apertures therein.

4. In a circular knitting machine, a cylinder, the ''''head'''' of said cylinder comprising ''''first'''' and ''''second'''' portions, conventional needle ''''cuts'''' in said ''''first'''' and ''''second'''' portions of said cylinder, ''''first'''' and ''''second'''' needles in predetermined of said needle ''''cuts'''' a needle to predetermined needle cut respectively and other cuts without needles, conventional sinker slots located in the periphery ''''head'''' of said cylinder, each of said sinker slots providing a sinker slot gap in the periphery edge of said cylinder, a ''''first'''' portion of sinkers, in said sinker slots comprised of predetermined type sinkers adopted to form conventional size stitches according to the needle ''''cut'''' of the said cylinder, and knitting needles in said first portion of said cylinder head also adopted to form conventionaL size stitches according to the ''''cut'''' of the cylinder, said conventional size stitches between spaced apart ''''first sinkers'''' spaced according to the ''''cut'''' of said cylinder, said second portion of said cylinder ''''head'''' comprising at least one smooth top edge periphery portion equal in circumferential linear length to the distance of at least two of said needle cuts in said first portion of said cylinder, predeterminedly spaced apart distanced ''''second sinkers'''' operatively associated said smooth top periphery, said ''''second sinkers'''' in predetermined spaced apart wider distance than said ''''first sinkers'''' each pair of distanced spaced apart sinkers having therebetween a knitting needle adopted to draw a longer knitted stitch over the smooth top periphery of said ''''second Portion'''' than the said ''''first'''' needles in said ''''first'''' cylinder portion.

5. A special sinker comprising a portion of a body portion thereof adopted to reciprocate in a grooved sinker ring surrounding a cylinder, at least one butt portion (45) or (46) at least one throat portion (25) at least one neb or finger portion (51), an extending portion of said body portion (12) adapted to reciprocate in an aperture situated below therebelow a smooth top edge periphery element, a narrow further extending portion (10A) of said extending portion adopted to extend upward within the circle area of said cylinder at right or oblique angle to said body portion (47B), the said extending portion then continuing to extend at right or oblique angle rearwardly directionally towards said butt portion (45), said narrow extending body portion and said body portion thereby forming an open end elongated vacant spaced area in said sinker (11) surrounded on three sides by said sinker portions, said rearward extending portion having the said throat portion (25) and the said neb or finger portion (51), said elongated spaced area (11) adapted to allow space for a smooth top edge periphery element portion suitably affixed to at least the outer edge of the head of said cylinder, when said sinker is manually slid into the sinker slot aperture the upper rearward extending portion (10 extending across the top periphery of said smooth top edge element (7B), the body portion (47B) therebelow said smooth top edge periphery element in the cylinder aperture and the body portion (47) in the groove of said ring, said spaced area of said sinker (11) of sufficient size to permit reciprocation of said sinker and so that manual removal of said sinker without interference to said smooth top edge periphery element can be accomplished.

6. In combination a Normal Sinker and a Smooth Top Edge Periphery Element (7B) suitably affixed to a cylinder head (2) to provide at least a portion of the outer periphery edge of said cylinder with a smooth top edge periphery element (7B), said smooth top edge periphery element having cylinder sinker slot apertures (9) therebelow said element, said Normal Sinker comprising a body portion ( 47 ), a butt portion (45) or (46), a throat portion ( 25 ) and a neb or finger portion ( 49 ), a first portion of said body portion adopted to reciprocate in a groove of a sinker ring surrounding said cylinder, a second portion of said body portion adopted to reciprocate in a cylinder sinker slot aperture therebelow said element, at least a portion of the outer periphery edge portion of said element located in said throat of said sinker at predetermined time during reciprocation of said sinker when said sinker is positioned in a groove of said ring.

7. In a sinker top circular knitting machine, a cylinder, conventional sinker slots in the ''''head'''' of said cylinder, an element with a smooth top edge of sufficient linear length, to encircle the periphery of said cylinder ''''head'''' and provide a ''''smooth edge top periphery'''' to the cylinder edge and above each gap area of each sinker slot, thereby forming elongated aPertures in the said cylinder ''''head,'''' ''''special sinkers'''' with a portion thereof adopted to surround a portion of said smooth edge element located above each gap and a portion of said surrounding portion adopted to reciprocate in its respective ''''sinker slot aperture, '''' predetermined of said special sinkers integrally provided with at least one finger on a higher plane than the body of said sinker, an opening in said surrounding sinker portion to provide for easy manual removal of the sinker, to alter the ''''gauge of the cylinder'''' ''''head'''' by further distancing predetermined sinkers from each other, the said smooth top edge element providing a smooth edge periphery, whenever a sinker is removed.

8. A claim as in claim 7 and predetermined of said special sinkers each having a portion thereof in predetermined distanced apart apertures, and sinker apertures without sinker portions therein between each pair of distanced apart sinkers, a portion of said element encircling the said periphery of said cylinder head adopted to provide a continuous smooth edge surface, between each pair of said distanced sinkers and the outer edge and face of said element clear of projections, encumbrances or crevices which would interfere with knitted stitch formation.

9. In a circular sinker top knitting machine, a cylinder, conventional sinker slots in said cylinder, a predetermined multiplicity of said sinker slots provided with a ''''smooth top edge periphery element'''' a predetermined portion of at least one sinker slot below said ''''smooth top edge periphery element'''' thereby providing at least one ''''sinker slot aperture'''' at least one NORMAL TYPE sinker according to a correlated part of the invention, having a predetermined portion thereof in said at least one aperture, said at least one NORMAL TYPE sinker manually moveable to a different sinker slot aperture located below said ''''smooth top edge periphery element.''''

10. A claim as in claim 9 and a predetermined portion of each aperture situated thereat the rear of said element, the face of said cylinder and said element whereat said sinker slot apertures are located below said element, clear of encumbrances, projections or crevices which would interfere with formation of knitted stitches regardless of the distance apart between pairs of sinkers and regardless of the quantity of apertures, therebetween pairs of distanced spaced apart sinkers without sinker portions in said apertures, the apertures at the rear of the element being radially extending sinker guiding open gap aperture tracks the outer terminal portion thereof prefaced by a female aperture portion abutting said element.

11. A claim as in claim 9 and a predetermined portion of each aperture situated thereat the rear of said element the face of said cylinder and said element whereat said sinker slot aperture(s) are located below said element, clear of encumbrances, projections or crevices which would interfere with formation of knitted stitches regardless of the distance apart between pairs of sinkers and regardless of the quantity of female aperture(s) therebetween pairs of distanced spaced apart sinkers without sinker portions in said apertures, the apertures below said element female apertures abutting said element, each female aperture between a pair of upright walls of said cylinder, the said walls and its respective aperture thereby forming cylinder sinker guiding aperture track(s) adapted to prevent lateral motion of a sinker.

12. A special sinker having a portion of a body portion (12) thereof adapted to reciprocate in a grooved sinker ring surrounding a cylinder, said sinker having at least one butt portion ( 45 ) or ( 46 ) at least one throat portion ( 25 ) at least one neb or finger portion ( 51 ) and a narrow arm portion ( 10 ) adapted to extend across the pinnacle top periphery of a cylinder head having a continuous laterally extending smooth surface provided by a smooth top edge periphery eLement clear of projections, gaps, slots, crevices or encumberances, the top periphery edge of said element forming the said pinnacle of said cylinder head, a portion of said narrow extending arm portion then further extending downward ( 10A) at oblique or right angle either or both to provide said sinker with a vacant space area ( 11 ) said vacant space area of sufficient size adapted to permit reciprocation of said sinker relative to said element ( 7B) the said element ( 7B) located in said sinker space area, the said downward extending narrow sinker portion of said sinker within the cylinder circle area ( 10A) in front of said smooth top edge periphery element, a portion of said space area in said sinker adapted to permit manual removal of said sinker without interference to said smooth top edge periphery element, a portion of said further extending portion ( 10A) of said special sinker adapted to reciprocate in a cylinder sinker guiding aperture track abutting at the rear of said smooth top edge periphery element.

13. A claim as in claim 12, and a further portion of said body portion of said Special sinker (12B) adopted to reciprocate in a cylinder sinker slot aperture (9) as covered by therebelow said smooth top edge periphery element.

14. In a circular knitting machine, a cylinder, a smooth top edge periphery element suitably fixed to the head of said cylinder, to provide a smooth top edge periphery, to at least the outer circumferential periphery edge of said cylinder, said cylinder head comprising spaced apart cylinder sinker slot apertures abutting said smooth top edge periphery element.

15. A claim as in claim 14, and apertures in said smooth top edge periphery element.

16. A claim as in claim 14, and said cylinder sinker slot apertures adopted to receive a portion of a sinker therein.

17. A claim as in claim 14, and cylinder sinker slot apertures abutting therebelow said smooth top edge periphery element.

18. A claim as in claim 14, and said cylinder sinker slot apertures, elongated apertures at the interior surface of said cylinder head.

19. A knitting machine cylinder ( 2 ) having conventional needle cuts ( 18 ) in the outer face of the cylinder, the top of the head of said cylinder having a continuous latitudin -ally extending smooth outer edge periphery ( 7B ) and cylinder sinker guiding aperture tracks ( 9A ) located at the interior surface of said cylinder

20. A claim as in claim 19 and Special Sinkers having a portion thereof adopted to reciprocate in said sinker guiding aperture tracks, said Special sinkers having a portion thereof which extends outwardly across the smooth pinnacle top outer edge periphery of the cylinder head (66).

21. In a circular knitting machine having a conventional grooved sinker ring and other well known conventional parts to carry out conventional knitting, the improvements of, in combination, a cylinder, said cylinder having a cylindrical wall, the lower portion of said wall having an extending cylindrical face portion having well known needle cuts therein and an upper portion of said wall having a smooth top outer edge periphery surface and at least a portion of said wall having at least one sinker guiding track, at least a portion of said sinker guiding track located in said wall therebelow said smooth top outer edge periphery surface of said wall, and at least one Normal sinker, said Normal sinker comprising a body portion, a butt portion, a throat portion and a finger or neb portion, a portion of said Normal sinker body portion adopted to reciprocate in a groove in said grooved sinker ring and a portion of said Normal sinker body portion adopted to reciprocate in a cylinder sinker guiding track in a portion of said wall therebelow said smooth top outer edge periphery of said wall, the bottom surface of said finger or neb of said sinker at higher level than the level of said smooth top edge periphery surface of said wall, said throat portion of said NorMal sinker of sufficient area to permit reciprocation of said Normal sinker without interference to said smooth top outer edge periphery of said wall portion of said cylinder, said butt portion of said sinker adopted to provide contact surface when reciprocating said sinker.

22. In a circular knitting machine having a conventional grooved sinker ring and other well known conventional parts to carry out conventional knitting, the improvements of, in combination, a cylinder, said cylinder having a cylindrical wall, the lower portion of said wall having an extending cylindrical face portion having well known needle cuts therein and an upper portion of said wall portion having a smooth top edge periphery surface and a cylindrical rear portion located at the interior surface of said cylinder, said cylinder rear portion having at least one cylinder sinker rear guiding track, at least one Special Sinker, said Special Sinker having a body portion, a butt portion, at least one neb or finger portion and a narrow extending body portion, a portion of said sinker body portion in a groove in said sinker ring, said narrow extending body portion extending across the top of said smooth top edge periphery wall of said cylinder, then said narrow portion extending downward within the circle of said cylinder then a portion of said extending portion having a portion thereof in a cylinder sinker rear guiding track in said rear cylindrical portion of said cylinder, said at least one finger portion of said Special Sinker adopted to aid in forming sinker wales, said butt portion adopted to provide a sinker contact surface when reciprocating sinkers and an area in said Special Sinker adopted to permit reciprocation of said sinker without inter-ference to a smooth top edge periphery portion of said cylinder in said area of said Special Sinker.

23. In a circular knitting machine having a conventional grooved sinker ring and other well known conventional parts to carry out conventional knitting, the improvements of, a cylinder having an extending cylindrical face portion having well known needle cuts therein and an upper portion of said cylinder having a wall having a smooth top edge periphery surface and at least a portion of said wall having at least one see clear through sinker guiding track aperture therebelow said smooth top outer edge periphery surface of said wall and said wall having an extending cylindrical rear portion, said cylinder rear portion at the interior surface thereof having at least one cylinder sinker rear guiding track, said rear guiding track aligned with said see clear through see through sinker guiding track aperture therebelow the outer edge periphery of said wall.

24. A claim as in claim 23, and a Special Sinker, said Special Sinker having a body portion with a butt portion thereon and a narrow extending portion with a throat and neb portion thereon, a portion of said sinker body portion adopted to reciprocate in a groove in said grooved sinker ring and a portion of said body portion extending through said see clear through sinker guiding track aperture therebelow the outer periphery edge of said wall, and a narrow portion of said extending body portion extending upward within the circle of said cylinder then extending rearward across the top of said smooth top edge periphery of said wall toward said butt portion, said body portion and said extending portions forming a sinker area surrounding a portion of said wall on three sides, said area of sufficient size to permit reciprocation of said sinker without interfering with said portion of said wall within said area of said sinker, said neb portion held on a higher plane than the top surface of said sinker by said throat portion, said butt portion adopted to provide a contact portion when reciprocating said sinkers.

25. A claim as in claim 23, and a Special Sinker, said Special Sinker having a body portion, a butt portion, at least one neb or finger portion and a narrow extending body portion, a portion of said sinker body portion in a groove in said sinker ring, and a portion of said body portion located in said clear through sinker guiding track aperture therebelow said smooth top outer edge periphery surface of said wall of said cylinder, said narrow extending body portion extending across the top of said smooth top edge periphery wall then said narrow extending portion of said sinker extending downward within the circle of said cylinder then a portion of said extending portion having a portion thereof in a cylinder rear guiding track in said rear cylindrical extending portion of said cylinder, said at least one finger portion of said Special Sinker adopted to aid in forming sinker wales, and said sinker with a portion to provide sinker contact surface when reciprocating sinkers and said sinker area in said Special Sinker adopted to permit reciprocation of said sinker without interference to a smooth top edge periphery portion of said cylinder in said area of said Special Sinker.

26. A claim as in claim 23, and said cylinder a two individual part cylinder, an individual upper cylinder portion and an individual lower cylinder portion, said upper portion of said cylinder having said smooth top edge periphery surface wall and said upper portion having said sinker rear guiding track and said see through sinker guiding track, said lower portion of said cylinder having said needle cuts, said upper portion of said cylinder suitably positioned and suitably anchored to said lower portion of said cylinder.

27. In a circular knitting machine having a conventional grooved sinker ring and other universally well known conventional parts to carry out conventional knitting operations, the improvements of, in combination, a cylinder, said cylinder comprising a cylindrical wall, the lower portion of said wall comprising an extending cylindrical face portion having well known needle cuts therein and an upper portion of said wall having a smooth top outer edge periphery surface and at least a portion of said wall having at least one sinker guiding track, at least a portion of said sinker guiding track located in said wall therebelow said smooth top outer edge periphery surface of said wall and at least one Normal sinker, said Normal sinker comprising a body portion, a butt portion, a throat portion and a finger or neb portion, a portion of said Normal sinker body portion adopted to reciprocate in a groove in said grooved sinker ring and a portion of said Normal Sinker body portion adopted to reciprocate in a cylinder sinker guiding track in a portion of said wall therebelow said smooth top outer edge periphery, the bottom surface of said finger or neb of said Normal sinker at higher level than the level of said smooth top edge periphery surface of said wall, said throat portion of said Normal Sinker of sufficient area to permit reciprocation of said Normal Sinker without interference to said smooth top outer edge periphery of said wall portion of said cylinder, said butt portion of said sinker adapted to provide a contact surface when reciprocating said sinker and said wall portion of said cylinder having an extending cylindrical rear portion, said cylinder rear portion having at least one cylinder sinker rear guiding track, at least one Special Sinker said Special Sinker having a body portion, a butt portion, at least one neb or finger portion and a narrow extending portion, a portion of said Special Sinker body portion in a groove in said grooved sinker ring, said narrow extending portion of said body portion extending across the top of said smooth top edge periphery wall of said cylinder, then said narrow sinker portion extending downward within the circle of said cylinder, then a portion of said narrow extending portion having a portion thereof in a cylinder sinker rear guiding track in said rear cylindrical extending portion, said neb or finger portion of said Special Sinker adapted to aid in forming sinker Wales, said butt portion adapted to provide a sinker contact surface for use when reciprocating sinkers and said combination also comprising at least one Special Large Hook knitting needle having a hook and upper portion thereof, wider than the cut of said cylinder, the lower shank portion of said Special Large Hook knitting needle adopted to reciprocate in a cut in said cylinder.

28. A method of altering the gauge of a cylinder head of a sinker top circular knitting Machine, said method comprising the steps of, the first step, providing a conventional sinker top cylinder which is conventionally provided with conventional even spaced apart needle cuts per inch, a knitting needle conventionally to each cut in said cylinder, conventional sinker slots conventionally equal to the cut of said cylinder, each sinker slot providing a gap in the periphery head of said cylinder, conventional sinkers in the conventional manner in each of said sinker slots, the second step, removing knitting needles from perdetermined cuts in said cylinder and also removing sinkers in accordance to predetermined plan relative said removed needles, each removed sinker thereby leaving a gap in the periphery edge of said cylinder, the third step, providing a smooth top edge periphery element portion to each area of said needle and sinker removal, thereby providing a smooth top edge periphery wherever a gap previously existed in the periphery ''''head'''' in said cylinder, the said smooth top edge element portion between remaining sinkers, distancing the remaining sinkers so as to provide less sinkers per unit of measure than prior to said alteration, thereby altering the gauge of said cylinder head.

29. A method of constructing alterable gauge cylinder head(s) for circular knitting machines, said method including the following steps: Step 1. Providing a conventional universally well known knitting machine cylinder, and conventional grooved sinker ring therewith, said cylinder having conventional well known radially extending open gap area space apertures in the head of said cylinder, and conventional needle cuts in the lower outer cylindrical face portion of said cylinder. Step 2. Providing a suitable material adapted to be suitably affixed said cylinder head, to provide at least a portion of the outer terminal periphery of the upper open space area of each of said radially extending open gap apertures with a laterally extending measure of said material adapted to provide at least the outer periphery edge of said cylinder, with a suitably constructed continuous laterally extending smooth top surface element having no crevices therein or protrusions extending outwardly therefrom, the said affixed material thereby forming female sinker slot aperture areas formed of a portion of said open space area of at least a portion of the outer terminal area of each of said radially extending open gap apertures into female aperture portion(s) situated thereat below abutting said continuous laterally extending smooth top surface periphery element, each of said female apertures adapted to receive a portion of a sinker therein, or if desired to alter the gauge at the head of the cylinder, manually placing sinker portion(s) in predetermined of said female aperture(s), and having predetermined of said female apertures without sinker portion(s) therein, thereby having less sinkers per unit of measure than needle cuts per unit of measure between pairs of distanced spaced apart sinkers at a laterally extending portion of said cylinder so altered, the said element adapted to provide a smooth surface over which to form a knitted stitch by a knitting needle in a cut, between pairs of spaced apart sinkers, regardless of the distance apart between said pairs of sinkers or quantity of female apertures without sinker portions therein between said distanced pairs of sinkers.

30. A method of constructing a selective alterable gauge cylinder head for sinker top circular knittiNg machines, said method including the following steps: Step 1. Providing a conventional universally well known knitting machine cylinder, having conventional well known radially extending gap open space area individual sinker guiding apertures therein adapted to provide guiding means for sinker portion(s) in the head of said cylinder, a conventional grooved sinker ring and conventional needle cuts in the lower outer cylindrical face portion of said sinker. Step 2. Providing a metal band having a continuous smooth edge and outer face thereof, the said metal band formed into a circular element and applying and suitably affixing said circular element to the circumferential periphery face portion of said cylinder, to provide at least the upper face portion of said cylinder with a continuous laterally extending smooth top edge periphery element, the said radially extending gap open space area individual apertures having at least a portion of the outer terminal portion of each of said area space apertures abutting at least a portion of said smooth top edge periphery element. Step 3. Providing a predetermined quantity of sinkers in an amount either equal to the quantity of said grooves and apertures or less sinkers than the amount of grooves and apertures there being a sinker to a groove and its respective aperture and apertures and grooves without sinkers when the less quantity of sinkers are used, each of said sinkers having a portion of the body portion thereof manually placed in a groove in said sinker ring, a portion and of said body portion of said sinker extending radially across the smooth top surface of said smooth top edge periphery element affixed said cylinder head, and then a portion of said extending portion continuing to extend downward within the area space circle of said cylinder and a portion of said downward continuing portion of said sinker terminating in a said radially extending gap open space area of a said individual gap aperture, the walls of said gap aperture(s) adopted to prevent lateral side motion of said sinkers, the gauge of the head of said cylinder whereat there are apertures without sinkers therein thereby altered to a different gauge than thecut of the cylinder, the said smooth top edge periphery element adapted to provide a smooth surface over which to form stitches regardless of the distance apart of sinkers and the quantity of apertures without sinker portions therein between said distanced apart sinkers.

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