US3740972A - Patterning wheels for weft knitting machines - Google Patents

Abstract

A rotary pattern wheel which effects selection of knitting instruments having butts in a weft knitting machine. Axis of wheel is inclined to these instruments and provided with tricks so inclined to radial planes of the wheel as to be parallel to said instruments. Each trick accommodates a bit having at least one protuberant butt-engaging formation, the bits being so arranged that their formations either act or do not act upon butts. The bits are supported by a common pivot ring so that each bit is turnable about this ring to selectively move a buttengaging formation thereon to an operative or an inoperative position.

Description

[451 June 26,1973

PATTERNING WHEELS FOR WEFT KNITTING MACHINES Inventor:

Filed:

Appl. No.: 135,017

Terence Francourt St. Clair Langham, Leicester, England Assignees Kroy Knitting Developments Limited, Leicester, England Apr. 19, 1971 Foreign Application Priority Data May, 2, 1970 Great Britain.. ...21,180/70 US. Cl 66/50 A Int. Cl D0411 15/76 Field of Search 66/25, 50 A, 156,

References Cited UNITED. STATES PATENTS Mishcon et a1. 66/156 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 176,236 3/1922 Great Britain 66/50 A 218,848 7/1924 Great Britain 66/50 A 311,898 5/1929 Great Britain 66/25 Primary Examiner-Wm. Carter Reynolds Attorney-Larson, Taylor and Hinds [5 7] ABSTRACT A rotary pattern wheel which effects selection of knitting instruments having butts in a weft knitting machine. Axis of wheel is inclined to these instruments and provided with tricks so inclined to radial planes of the wheel as to be parallel to said instruments. Each trick accommodates a bit having at least one protuberant butt-engaging formation, the bits being soarranged that their formations either act or do not act upon butts. The bits are supported by a common pivot ring so that each bit is turnable about this ring to selectively move a butt-engaging formation thereon to an operative or an inoperative position.

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' saw I; or 4 35 FIG 26 26 v PATTERNING WHEELS FOR WEFT KNITTING MACHINES This invention relates to pattern wheels for both circular and flat weft knitting machines.

In particular, the invention is concerned with pattern wheels of the kind adapted to effect, for patterning purposes, automatic selection of individually movable needles or associated needle actuating and/or controlling instruments, e.g. jacks or sliders, all of which are hereinafter generically referred to, where appropriate, as knitting instruments. Such a pattern wheel is arranged with its axis appropriately inclined to the associated knitting instruments in a plane tangential or parallel to the circle or line of knitting instruments as the case may be. The wheel is provided with a circumferential series of tricks which are so inclined to radial planes of the wheel as to be parallel to the knitting instruments and are regularly spaced apart at the same pitch as the latter. Each wheel trick accommodates a bit which has at least one formation, and the bits can be so arranged that their formations either act or do not act upon butts on the knitting instruments, whereby the needles are selectively either caused to move from a retracted position to or towards an advanced position or are simply not so moved. For example, the needles may selectively knit and miss-knit or selectively knit, tuck and miss-' knit as required. Needles knit when they are advanced to or towards a clearing position under the action of butt-engaging formations on the instruments, miss-knit when the instruments are not acted upon by formations, and tuck when they are advanced, under the action of formations on the instruments, to or towards a position intermediate the normal non-knitting position and the clearing position. The pattern wheels are usually arranged to mesh with the knitting instruments so as to be driven by them, but may be independently driven in time with the knitting machine. Pattern wheels of this form will hereinafter be referred to as pattern wheels of the kind referred to.

The invention is applicable to circular knitting machines both of the rotary needle cylinder type and of the rotary cam box type. In the former case, the pattern wheels are provided at stationary locations around the rotary needle cylinder or, in the case of a machine of the double axially opposed needle cylinder type, around the lower one of the two rotary needle cylinders, as the case may be, and in the latter case they are carried by a rotary cam box structure so as to travel around the stationary needle cylinder or the lower one of the stationary needle cylinders, as the case may be.

The invention is applicable to various types of flat knitting machines. Such a machine customarily has two opposed needle beds and a longitudinally traversible cam carriage furnished with cams or locks for operating the knitting instruments. Amongst the flat knitting machines to which the invention can be applied may be mentioned Lamb-type machines having the two needle beds relatively arranged at 90 and each disposed at an angle of 45 to the horizontal, and also Iinks-and-links, i.e., purl stitch, machines having the two beds in a common horizontal plane.

The invention has, in fact, been devised primarily in connection with circular knitting machines.

The object of the present invention is to provide, in or for a weft knitting machine, an improved pattern wheel of the kind herein referred to designed to enable the patterning program to be readily changed as required.

According to the invention, the bits of such a pattern wheel are supported in their tricks by means of a common pivot element suchwise that they are each turnable about this element to selectively move the or each butt-engaging formation thereof to an operative or inoperative position as desired, whereby with the wheel in use, the knitting instruments with which the said wheel is associated are either acted upon and advanced under the action of formations on the bits or not so acted upon.

Where, for example, the needles of the machine are required to knit and miss-knit only, each bit will be provided with a single butt-engaging formation, but where i a facility for tucking is additionally required, each bit will have two such formations. Thus, in the former case, each bit will, in practice, he turnable between two positions one in which the knit formation can act upon a butt of a knitting instrument either directly to cause a needle to clear or to initiate such clearance preparatory to knitting, and another in which the formation cannot engage the butt of a knitting instrument so that the needle miss-knits. In the latter case, each bit is turnable between three positions one in which the knit formation is operative, one in which the tuck formation acts upon the butt of a knitting instrument so that the needle tucks, and another in which both formations are inoperative so that the needle concerned missknits. Turning of the bits to arrange their formations according to a required patterning program can be performed simply and quickly by hand or, as is preferred, by means of a suitable bit-manipulating device designed for this purpose.

Preferably, where the pattern wheel is arranged to mesh with the knitting instruments so as to be driven by them, the bits of the wheel not only control the patterning but also act as the driving means of the wheel by meshing with the instruments.

In implementing the invention, each bit may be formed with a central hole, and the common pivot element, which extends through these holes may be a ring which is accommodated in a circumferential groove provided in the pattern wheel and intersecting the tricks. Thus, the pivot point of each bit is within the confines of the wheel.

The or each butt-engaging formation of each bit may conveniently project laterally from one side face thereof.

I In order that the invention may be more clearly understood and readily carried into practical effect, a specific constructional example thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein,

FIG. 1 is a detail vertical sectional view of so much of the knitting head of a circular multi-feed knitting machine of the rotary needle cylinder and dial type as is necessary to illustrate one of the improved pattern wheels applied thereto, 7

FIG. IA is a detail sectional view of a peripheral portion of the pattern wheel shown in FIG. 1, and depicts more clearly the knit/miss-knit bit in position in the wheel,

FIG. 2 is a detail plan view illustrating in purely diagrammatic fashion, a few of a circular series of the pattern wheels arranged around the rotary needle cylinder of the machine there being one such wheel per feed,

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 are face, edge and plan views respectively of a knitlmiss-knit bit,

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are similar face, edge and plan views respectively of a knit/miss-knit/tuck bit,

FIGS. 9, 10, l1 and 12 are four detail sectional views each of a peripheral portion ofa pattern wheel in which are fitted bits either of a different form or differently arranged as compared with the bit depicted in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 1, it will be seen that the illustrated machine includes a rotary needle cylinder 1 which is formed with tricks, such as 2, in each of which is accommodated a vertically slidable knitting needle 3 of the latch type. The needle is furnished with an upper operating butt 4 and a lower patterning butt 5. Surrounding the cylinder 1 is a conventional stationary cam box 6 of annular form in which are fitted cams, such as 7 and 8, for action upon the operating butts 4 of the needles. In the particular well-known type of machine illustrated, the patterning butts 5 of the needles 3 are acted upon simply to advance these needles sufficiently to move their operating butts 4 into the range of cams in the cam box 6 by means of which the needles are ultimately caused either to clear and knit, or to tuck, as the case may be. That is to say, in this case action upon the patterning butts 5 only initiates the desired behavior of the needles. It is, however, to be clearly understood that each needle may alternatively only have one butt in which instance action on these single butts directly causes needles to clear and knit, or to tuck, according to requirements.

Rotatable together with the needle cylinder 1 is a horizontal dial 9 which is formed with radial tricks 10 each for accommodation of a dial needle (not shown). The conventional stationary dial cam cap 11 is fitted with cams, such as 12 and 13, for action upon butts on the dial needles.

In accordance with the present invention, there are mounted upon a stationary annular support 14 surrounding the lower end of the needle cylinder 1, at regular intervals therearound and one in advance of each feed, a circular series of pattern wheels PW each of which is of the simple form shown in FIG. 1. Each wheel PW is arranged for rotation about a central axle a which is secured in a bush 15 set in a bracket 16. This bracket has an outwardly extending lug 16a adapted to be secured in position by a single screw or bolt 17. Each bracket 16 is, in fact, slidably engaged, for adjustment radially in a slideway 18 which is fixed to the annular support 14 by screws 19, and each screw or bolt 17 extends through a slot 20 in the corresponding lug 16a and is screwed into a tapped hole in the said annular support.

Each pattern wheel PW, moreover, is mounted upon and surrounds a central flanged boss 21 between which and the axle 15 are interposed anti-friction bearing means 22. As previously explained the axis of rotation of each wheel is inclined with respect to the needles 3.

As will be seen, the said wheel comprises an upper annular plate 23, the central circular aperture in which is indicated at 23a, and a lower annular base part 24 which seats upon the flange 21a of the boss 21. A knurled circular nut 25 which extends, with clearance, through the circular aperture 23a is screwed down on to a screw-threaded upper portion 21b of the boss 21 suchwise as to clamp the base part 24 firmly down on to the flange 21a. The upper annular plate 23 and the base part 24 define between them a circumferential slot 26 the inner end of which is enlarged at 26a whilst the outer end 26b thereof, suitably deepened, communicates with a circular series of radial tricks 27 cut in the periphery of the base part. The rotational axis of the wheel PW is so appropriately inclined to the vertical that these tricks 27 are parallel to the knitting needles 3 and are regularly spaced apart at the same pitch as the latter. Each trick 27 accommodates a relatively thin bit 28 which is generally square in shape and is furnished with at least one butt-engaging formation such as that indicated at 29 in FIG. 1. The peripheral margin of the underside of the upper annular plate 23 is recessed at 231) to accommodate the upper portions of the bits 28. The plate 23 is detachably secured to the lower annular base part 24 by means of screws 30, and when the said plate is in position, after setting of the bits 28 in accordance with the patterning program required, it bears down upon the top edges of the said bits and thereby maintains them in correct alignment.

The tricked lower base part 24 is formed in its upper surface, near to the periphery of the pattern wheel PW, with a relatively deep circular groove 31 which is regularly interrupted by and intersects the tricks 27 and opens into the outer deepened portion 26b of the slot 26. In this groove 31 is seated a ring 32, e.g. fashioned from a length of round section wire, this ring constituting a common pivot element for the bits 28. Each bit has therein a generally central circular hole 33 to en able it to be supported upon the ring 32. It is important that the diameter of each circular hole 33 shall substantially exceed the cross-sectional diameter of the material of which the ring 32 is formed.

The bits 28 are clamped down upon the pivot ring 32 by means of the annular plate 23, but even when this plate is removed to enable a change in the patterning program to be made, the bits will be prevented from too easily rising and turning out of control by virtue of the fact that any upward vertical displacement of the ring 32 tends to be thwarted by the bits which are, of course, inclined with respect to radial planes of the wheel.

In the particular illustrated example of the invention, a knit/miss-knit bit, like that shown at 28 in FIG. 1 and also in detail in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, is generally square in shape with part 28 cut away so as to form an extension 34 from one edge thereof at one corner, the inner free margin of this extension being bent substantially at right angles to the plane of the bit to provide the taillike knit formation 29.

A knit/miss-knit/tuck bit, on the other hand, whilst being generally of a square shape has portions of its body 28 slit and partially cut away as at 28 inwardly from two opposed edges thereof, the bit adjacent to these locations being bent at right angles to the plane of the bit body so as to form tail-like knit and tuck" formations 36 and 37 which are respectively disposed in two spaced parallel planes all as more clearly shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8. This knit/miss-knit/tuck bit, more over, is also formed with notches 38 for receiving formations 36 and 37 on adjacent bits when the latter are turned to relevant positions.

When in an operative position, a butt-engaging formation 29, 36 or 37 will project outwardly from the periphery of the pattern wheel PW and be disposed in a plane which is at right angles to the tricks 27. When no such formation of any particular bit 28 is in an operative position, then a generally flat plain portion 35 only of the bit will project from the periphery of the wheel whereby the butt of a knitting instrument, i.e., the patterning butt 5 of the needle 3 in FIG. 1, will idly slide along this flat portion without being engaged and raised so that the needle miss-knits. In the case of bits 28 like that shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, the periphery of the wheel PW adjacent to the appropriate sides of such bits will require to be suitably relieved so that the tuck formations 37 clear the wheel when moved to their inoperative positions.

In each of FIGS. 1 and 9, the knit/miss-knit bit 28 furnished only with a knit formation 29 and a flat plain portion 35 is turnable about the pivot ring 32 to either of the two positions P and P indicated in these two figures. Similarly, in each of FIGS. 10, 11 and 12, the knit/miss-knit/tuck bit furnished with knit" and tuck" formations 36 and 37 as well as with a flat plain portion 35 is turnable to one of the three positions P, P and P indicated in these three figures.

In all cases, the upper annular plate 23 of the wheel has to be temporarily detached from the lower annular base part 24 to permit of turning of the bits 28 according to the patterning program required.

As will beappreciated, in all of the illustrated examples, portions of the bits 28 to whichever positions they are turned, protrude outwardly from the periphery of the pattern wheel PW after'the fashion of gear teeth arranged to mesh with the needles 3. By virtue of this arrangement, therefore, the needles drive the wheel.

The purpose of FIG. 2 is to show, in a purely diagrammatic fashion, how the improved pattern wheels PW, one to each feed of the machine are arranged around the needle cylinder 1.

The components of the improved pattern wheel may be made of any appropriate metallic and/or plastics materials.

I claim:

1. For a weft knitting machine equipped with individually movable knitting instruments having butts, a rotary pattern wheel for effecting, for patterning purposes, automatic selection of the knitting instruments, said wheel being disposable with its axis inclined to the knitting instruments and being provided with a circumferential series of tricks which are so inclined to radial planes of the wheel as to be parallel to the knitting instruments, said tricks being regularly spaced apart at the same pitch as the knitting instruments and each accommodating a bit having at least one protuberant butt-engaging formation, these bits being so arranged, according to patterning requirements, that their formations either act or do not act upon butts of the knitting instruments to advance the same; said pattern wheel being characterized in that the bits are supported in their tricks by means of a common pivot element so that each such bit is turnable about this element to selectively move a butt-engaging formation thereon to an operative or an inoperative position, as desired, said bits being knit/miss-knit/tuck bits, each of which are provided with a butt-engaging knit formation, and each turnable between the three positions, viz one in which the knit formation is operative, another in which the tuck formation can act upon a butt of a knitting instrument and yet another in which both formations are inoperative.

2. A pattern wheel according to claim 1, wherein the bits, to whatever positions they are turned protrude outwardly from the periphery of the wheel thereby being adapted to mesh with and be driven by knitting instruments.

3. A pattern wheel according to claim 1, wherein each bit has therein a central hole and the common pivot element which extends through these holes is in the form of a ring accommodated in a circular groove which is so provided within the wheel as to intersect the trick.

4. A pattern wheel according to claim 1 comprising an upper annular plate having therein a central aperture, and a lower annular base part which has formed therein the bit-receiving tricks and is arranged to seat upon a flange of a central boss between which and a fixed axle are interposed bearing means, the said base part being clamped down upon the flange by a nut located, with clearance, within the aforesaid central aperture, and the upper plate being detachably secured by screws to the base part and adapted, when in position after setting of the bits in accordance with a patterning program, to bear down upon the top edges of the bits to maintain the latter in correct alignment.

5. A pattern wheel according to claim 1, wherein each knit/miss-knit/tuck bit is generally of square shape and has portions of its body slit and partially cut away inwardly, from opposite edges thereof, the bit adjacent to these locations being bent at right angles to the plane of the bit body so as to form tail-like knit and tuck formations which are respectively disposed in two spaced parallel planes and both of which project laterally from one and the same face of the bit.

6. A pattern wheel according to claim 5, wherein the relevant edges of each knit/miss-knit/tuck bit have formed therein notches to receive knit and tuck formations on adjacent bits when the latter are turned to certain positions.

Claims (6)

1. For a weft knitting machine equipped with individually movable knitting instruments having butts, a rotary pattern wheel for effecting, for patterning purposes, automatic selection of the knitting instruments, said wheel being disposable with its axis inclined to the knitting instruments and being provided with a circumferential series of tricks which are so inclined to radial planes of the wheel as to be parallel to the knitting instruments, said tricks being regularly spaced apart at the same pitch as the knitting instruments and each accommodating a bit having at least one protuberant butt-engaging formation, these bits being so arranged, according to patterning requirements, that their formations either act or do not act upon butts of the knitting instruments to advance the same; said pattern wheel being characterized in that the bits are supported in their tricks by means of a common pivot element so that each such bit is turnable about this element to selectively move a buttengaging formation thereon to an operative or an inoperative position, as desired, said bits being knit/miss-knit/tuck bits, each of which are provided with a butt-engaging knit formation, and each turnable between the three positions, viz one in which the knit formation is operative, another in which the tuck formation can act upon a butt of a knitting instrument and yet another in which both formations are inoperative.

2. A pattern wheel according to claim 1, wherein the bits, to whatever positions they are turned protrude outwardly from the periphery of the wheel thereby being adapted to mesh with and be driven by knitting instruments.

3. A pattern wheel according to claim 1, wherein each bit has therein a central hole and the common pivot element which extends through these holes is in the form of a ring accommodated in a circular groove which is so provided within the wheel as to intersect the trick.

4. A pattern wheel according to claim 1 comprising an upper annular plate having therein a central aperture, and a lower annular base part which has formed therein the bit-receiving tricks and is arranged to seat upon a flange of a central boss between which and a fixed axle are interposed bearing means, the said base part being clamped down upon the flange by a nut located, with clearance, within the aforesaid central aperture, and the upper plate being detachably secured by screws to the base part and adapted, when in position after setting of the bits in accordance with a patterning program, to bear down upon the top edges of the bits to maintain the latter in correct alignment.

5. A pattern wheel according to claim 1, wherein each knit/miss-knit/tuck bit is generally of square shape and has Portions of its body slit and partially cut away inwardly, from opposite edges thereof, the bit adjacent to these locations being bent at right angles to the plane of the bit body so as to form tail-like knit and tuck formations which are respectively disposed in two spaced parallel planes and both of which project laterally from one and the same face of the bit.

6. A pattern wheel according to claim 5, wherein the relevant edges of each knit/miss-knit/tuck bit have formed therein notches to receive knit and tuck formations on adjacent bits when the latter are turned to certain positions.

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