US3772487A

US3772487A - Stop motion apparatus for knitting machines

Info

Publication number: US3772487A
Application number: US00277871A
Authority: US
Inventors: N Levin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-08-04
Filing date: 1972-08-04
Publication date: 1973-11-13
Anticipated expiration: 1990-11-13

Abstract

Stop motion apparatus for knitting machines, yarn creels, or the like having a lengthwise extending U-shaped base and having a plurality of drop wire stop motion boxes attached to the base, the boxes, each of which have a lengthwise extending open ended U-shaped housing, are in spaced parallel relation inside and between the sides of the base with the bottom of the base commonly covering the open sides of the housings and the sides of the base commonly covering the open ends of the housings. Yarn guiding eyelets are each formed of a length of wire coiled upon itself to provide a yarn aperture and an extending pair of spaced arms of the wire, each eyelet being removeably attachable to a housing by its arms which commonly extend through an opening in the bottom of the housing and which individually extend through openings in the side walls of the housing.

Description

United States Patent [191 Levin Nov. 13, 1973 STOP MOTION APPARATUS FOR KNITTING MACHINES [22 Filed: Aug. 4, 1972 211 Appl. No.: 277,871

[52] U.S. Cl ZOO/61.13, ZOO/61.18, 66/163 [51] Int. Cl B65h 25/14 [58] Field of Search ZOO/61.13, 61.14, 200/6l.l8; l9/0.25; 28/51; 66/161, 163; 139/353-358 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,521,265 7/1970 Bancroft 200/6l.l8 X

Rl9,069 2/1934 Wachsman ZOO/61.18 X 2,144,124 1/1939 Rozyskie ZOO/61.18 2,109,605 3/1938 Wachsman 200/6l.l8 X 1,778,097 10/1930 Wachsman ZOO/61.18 2,335,979 12/1943 Wachsman ZOO/61.18 X 3,442,237 5/1969 Causby et al. 200/61J18 X 2,938,972 5/1960 Bryson ZOO/61.18

3,343,008 9/1967 Bancroft 200/6l.l8 X

Primary Examiner-J. R. Scott [57] ABSTRACT Stop motion apparatus for knitting machines, yarn creels, or the like having a lengthwise extending U- shaped base and having a plurality of drop wire stop motion boxes attached to the base, the boxes, each of which have a lengthwise extending open ended U- shaped housing, are in spaced parallel relation inside and between the sides of the base with the bottom of the base commonly covering the open sides of the housings and the sides of the base commonly covering the open ends of the housings. Yarn guiding eyelets are each formed of a length of wire coiled upon itself to provide a yarn aperture and an extending pair of spaced arms of the wire, each eyelet being removeably attachable to a housing by its arms which commonly extend through an opening in the bottom of the housing and which individually extend through openings in the side walls of the housing.

10 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures l7g' 20f 77 25 22 73 23 "4209 5 A\ 20f 21f 6 f 266 L t t 5 26 ,y

PAIENIEH um 13 4975 SHEET 2 BF 2 STOP MOTION APPARATUS FOR KNITTING MACHINES The present invention relates generally to the art of knitting and more particularly to stop motion apparatus for use with knitting machines or the like wherein a plurality of individual drop wire stop motion boxes are provided for a like plurality of individual yarns.

Individual drop wire stop motion boxes, each complete in itself, have heretofore been provided on knitting machines, the boxes being of the type wherein the drop wire falls by gravity when the yarn runs out thereby to cause the machine to stop. Such stop motion boxes are individually mounted upon the machine, their drop wires had little or no protection from entan glement with slack yarns and they were provided with porcelain yarn eyelets which occupied an excessive amount of space. i

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide stop motion apparatus for a plurality of individual yarns including a plurality of spaced drop wire stop motion boxes which are formed in conjunction with a common base and cover member therefor, in which the cover member prevents slack yarn from becoming entangled with the drop wires, and in which yarn eyelets are provided of coiled wire in a minimum of space.

With the above and other objects in view which will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, the present invention resides in the novel elements of construction and arrangement of parts of the stop motion apparatus illustrated and as hereinafter particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a plurality of vertically extending individual drop wire motion boxes'of the present stop motion apparatus disposed in spaced relation within and extending crosswise of a horizontally extending common U-shaped channel base member and cover for the boxes, according to the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the stop motion apparatus of FIG. 1 showing the manner in which individual stop motion boxes are secured to their common cover,

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the stop motion apparatus of FIG. 1 showing the common electrical connection between the individual stop motion boxes,

FIG. 4 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, on line 4-4 of FIG. 2 through the U-shaped channel housing of one of the drop wire stop motion boxes, showing the construction within the housing and showing the attachment of the stop motion box to the base member and common cover for the boxes,

FIG. 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 of FIG. '4 showing the manner of pivotally mounting the drop wire itself in the housing of the stop motion boxes,

FIG. 6 is a sectional view on line 6-6 of FIG. 4 also showing the manner of pivotally mounting the drop wire,

FIG. 7 is a sectional view on line 7-7 of FIG. 4 through the U-shaped housing of .a stop motion box showing the manner in which the yarn guide eyelets are mounted therein, and

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the individual parts, in perspective, of a drop wire stopmotion box and associated parts of the present invention.

In the drawings, each of the drop wire stop motion boxes, indicated generally at 10, of the present apparatus, has an open ended U-shaped channel 11, of suitable electrically conductive material, formed with similar sides 11a, 11b and with front 110, the rear of the housing being open. A centrally disposed aperture 1 1d is formed in the front of the housing and a pair of spaced parallel slots lle, lle are also formed therein between the aperture and the upper end llf of the housing, the slots extending through and crosswise of the front of the housing. Each side 11a, 11b of the housing is provided with a pair of vertically aligned and spaced similar apertures 1 lg, 1 lg, the apertures in each side being horizontally aligned with the corresponding apertures in the other side and also with slots lle, 1 le. The housing is further provided with an aligned pair of open

ended slots

11h, 11h, formed in sides 11a, 11b and extending upwardly a relatively short distance from end 11k of the housing.

Extending within aperture 11d in the housing is the circular undercut portion 12a of a shouldered and apertured washer 12 of suitable non electrical conductive material. A screw 13 of suitable length extends through the aperture in washer 12, the underside of the head 13a of the screw being in contact with the exposed shouldered portion of the washer so that the screw is physically spaced and electrically insulated from the housing by the washer, the screw itself extending into and through the housing.

Disposed on the screw inside the housing is a rectangularly shaped strip 14, of suitable electrically insulating material, having an aperture 140 of suitable size adjacent one end thereof and through which the screw extends. The insulating strip extends downwardly from the screw to a point adjacent end 11k of the housing, the strip lying adjacent to the inner face of front 1 1c of the housing with its longitudinal edges in close proximity to the inner faces of the housing sides 1 la, 1 1b. Next on the screw in contact with strip 14 is a flat relatively thin apertured washer 15, preferably of suitable electrically insulating material,

Then, following washer 15 on the screw and in contact therewith is a relatively thin and flexible strip 16 of suitable electrically conductive material, of the same general rectangular size and shape as strip 14, and having an aperture 16a of suitable size adjacent one end thereof through which the screw extends. The other end of strip 16 may be angled at 16b away from strip 14. The washer 15 acts to space the

strips

16 and 14 to permit flexing of the former strip toward and away from the latter strip. Next on the screw, in contact with strip 16, is a flat apertured washer 17 of suitable electrically conductive material, followed by a nut 18 also of suitable electrically conductive material, the nut being threaded and tightened on the screw to clamp the parts thereon together against the inner face of front of the housing, as appears in FIG. 4, with the free end of the screw extending well beyond the rear opening of the housing.

Also on housingll of each box is a pair of vertically spaced similarly formed

yarn eyelets

19, 19, extending horizontally outwardly from face llc between aperture 11d and end 11f of the housing. Each eyelet, generally similar in configuration to the coiled end portion of a common safety pin, is formed of hardened spring wire coiled upon itself to provide a central aperture 190, and spaced arms 19b, 19b of suitable length extendingangularly therefrom, the ends of the arms being offset and terminating with the aligned relatively'short stub portions 19c, 190. The manner of mounting each of the eyelets on the housing will be understood by reference to FIG. 7. The arms 19b, 19b are brought closer to each other by compression about the central wire coil until the stubs 19c, 190 are close enough to be thrust through a slot 1 Re, and thereafter the arms 19b, 19b are permitted to spring apart with the stub ends entering an opposed pair of

apertures

11g, 11g. The eyelets 19 are retained in fixed position by the action of the walls of slot lle on arms 19b, 19b and by spring tensioned action of the arms in retaining the stubs in the

apertures

11g, 11g. Arms 1%, 1% are of sufficient length to

position apertures

19a, 19a in spaced relation to face 110 of the housing.

Apertures

19a, 19a are vertically aligned and a yarn Y passes therethrough and through another pair of adjacently disposed and aligned eyelets, to be described.

Each housing 11 is also provided with a pivotally mounted drop wire 20 of suitable electrically conductive material and which has the irregular configuration shown in FIG. 8. The drop wire, at one end thereof, has a spaced aligned pair of

base members

20a, 20a separated by a U-shaped striker member 200, the base members being adapted to be placed in spaced slots 11h, lllh of the housing. The wire extends at right angles to the base members at the ends thereof to provide spaced parallel upright arms 20d, 20s, and it will be noted that the aforementioned parts of the drop wire are in a common flat plane. Arm 20d terminates a short distance from base 20a while arm 20e continues for a suitable distance before extending at right angles to form cross arm 20f above striker 20c, cross arm 20f being generally parallel to bases 20a, 20b. Cross arm 20f continues for a suitable distance, preferably extending beyond arm 20d, before turning upwardly at right angles to form arm 20g, arms 20g and 20e extending in opposite directions from the ends of cross arm 20f. Arm 20g then continues for a suitable distance before turning at right angles to form cross arm 20h in spaced parallel relation to cross arm 20f, cross arm 20h preferably extending a short distance beyond the end ally retained therein by a self tensioned spring keeper.

21. The keeper, of relatively thin electrically conductive spring material, has an offset portion 21a midway between a pair of

aligned ends

21b, 21b. The portion 21a is compressed to place the ends thereof in the slots 11h (below bases 20a, 20b of the drop wire) afterwhich the keeper is released from compression so that the ends are self retained in thehousing by the spring action of the material of which it is formed. The keeper ends do not extend the fulllength of slots 11h in the housing so that the drop wire bases are loosely retained in the slots above the keeper.

The boxes W are individually mounted vertically in spaced parallel relation within a common lengthwise extending base and cover member 22 of suitable electrically conductive material, FIG. 1. The cover and base, of U-shaped channel formation, is disposed so that its

sides

22a, 22b are horizontally spaced with the boxes 10 disposed adjacent the inner face of bottom 22c of the base and cover. The bottom is provided with a series of spaced holes 22d through which screws 13 of the boxes 10 extend. Each screw 13 also extends through an apertured stand off 23 formed of suitable non electrically conductive material and provided with a shoulder 23a, the shoulder being inserted into aperture 22d from the outer face of bottom 220. Each screw 13 also extends through a suitable aperture 24a of a series of spaced apertures formed in a lengthwise extending strip 24 of suitable electrically conductive material. A nut 25 is then threaded and tightened on each screw 13 to hold each box'l0 in place within the side walls of channel 22 with the open side of each housing 11 against inner face of bottom 22c, stand off 23 and strap 24 at the same time being secured between nut 25 and the outer face of bottom 220. The dimensions of base and cover 22 are such that appropriate portions of its three sides extend around the open top, bottom and rear sides of the housing 11 of each box 10 to completely cover the same thereby to enclose the parts within the housings. The parts upon each screw 13 and the screw itself are electrically insulated from the housing of each box 10 and from base 22 while the screws 13 of the series of boxes are electrically connected by the strap 24.

Channel 22 is provided in its

sides

22a, 22b with pairs of porcelain yarn guiding

eyelets

26, 26a which are aligned with each other and with the aligned eyelets 19 of each box 10. Yarns Y extend vertically through the aligned eyelets in the channel and in the boxes. Each yarn Y supports the drop wire in each box 10 in the generally upright position of FIG. 4 with cross bar 20f of the drop wire in contact with yarn Y between

eyelets

19, 19 and cross bar 20h in contact with yarn Y between upper eyelet 19 and eyelet 26a. In this position of the drop wire its striker 20c isspaced from strip 16. Drop wire 20 leans against and is held inits generally upright position by yarn Y so that should the yarn run out, the drop wire 20 will move downwardly by the force of gravity to its dotted line position in which position its striker portion 200 will make electrical contact with strip 16 thereby closing an'electrical circuit. The circuit is suitably connected to the machine using the yarns Y to stop the machine when any of the yarns run out of a box 10.

It will be noted that the base and cover 22 may be of any desired length, that any desired number of the boxes 10 may be supportedly placed in the base and cover, that the upper side of the base and cover prevents entanglement of slack yarn with the drop wires and that all of the boxes may be operatively positioned upon a yarn creel, upon a knitting machine or the like, by the mere positioning of the base and cover.

I claim: I g

1. Yarn controlled stop motion apparatus having a lengthwise extending generally U-shaped base member, and a plurality of individual drop wire stop motion boxes attached to said base member, each of said boxes having a lengthwise extending generally U-shaped housing, said housings being spaced and extending crosswise of said base member between the side walls of the U-shape thereof, each said box having yarn passing therethrough and having a drop wire element in the housing thereof, said element being supportingly maintained in a first position by said yarn passing through said box and being movable by gravity to a second position in the absence of said supporting yarn, an electrical circuit wherein said element serves as a switch, said circuit being open when said element is in its said first position and being closed when said element is in its said second position.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said housings are open ended, wherein said side walls of said base member are disposed to commonly cover said open ends of said housings, and wherein the bottom side of the U+ shape of said base member is disposed to commonly cover the open sides of the U-shape of said housings.

3. Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein a threaded member extends through the bottom side of the U-shape of each of said housings, wherein each of said threaded members also extend through said bottom side of said base member, wherein said threaded members serve to attach said stop motion boxes to said base member, wherein said threaded members are electrically insulated from said housings and from said base member, and wherein said threaded members are electrically connected.

4. Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein at least one yarn guiding eyelet is supportedly attached to each of said housings, wherein said bottom side of each of said housings is provided with at least one crosswise extending slot, wherein the side walls of the U-shape of each of said housings are each provided with an aperture, wherein each of said eyelets is formed of a length of wire coiled upon itself and having a pair of arms of said wire extending therefrom, and wherein said arms of said eyelet extend through said slot in each said housing to the interior thereof with the ends of said arms extending through said apertures.

5. Apparatus as in claim 4 wherein said base member extends horizontally and said housings extend vertically, wherein each of said housings is provided with a vertically aligned spaced pair of said eyelets, wherein said upper and lower positioned side walls of said base member are each provided with yarn guiding eyelets in vertical alignment with said pair of eyelets in each of said housings, and wherein a yarn is adapted to pass through each pair of said eyelets in each of said housings and through said eyelets aligned therewith in said base member.

6. Apparatus as in claim 5 wherein a drop wire is pivotally supported in each of said housings in such manner as to be rockable between a pair of positions, wherein said drop wire is so disposed as to be held in one of its said pair of positions by said yarn in contact therewith, and wherein said drop wire is movable by gravity to the other of its said pair of positions when said drop wire is no longer held by said yarn.

7. Apparatus as in claim 6 wherein said drop wire is provided with a pair of horizontally extending cross arms, wherein one of said cross arms is so disposed as to be in contact with said yarn extending between said pair of eyelets on each of said housings, and wherein the other of said cross arms is so disposed as to be in contact with said yarn extending between the upper one of said last named pair of eyelets and said eyelet in the upper side wall of said base member.

8. Apparatus as in claim 5 wherein each of said housings is provided with a spaced pair of vertically extending open ended slots formed in its side walls at the lower ends thereof, wherein said drop wire is pivotally disposed in said slots, and wherein a self tensioned keeper member extends between and is positioned in said slots thereby to retain said drop wire therein.

9. The combination of a yarn guiding eyelet and a support therefor, said support having at least three sidesarranged in U-shape configuration and having openings in each of its said sides, said eyelet being formed of a length of wire coiled upon itself to provide an aperture for the passage of yarn therethrough and to provide a pair of spaced arms of said wire extending therefrom, said eyelet being attachable to said support in such manner that its arms extend through said opening in the bottom side of the U-shape of said support to the interior thereof with the ends of said arms projecting individually through said openings in the spaced sides of the U-shape of said support.

10. The combination set forth in claim 9 wherein said yarn aperture is spaced from said bottom side of said support, wherein said arms are spring urged away from each other, and wherein the size of said openings and the size of said wire are such that said eyelet is attached to said support so that there is substantially no movement of said yarn aperture relative to said support.

Claims

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said housings are open ended, wherein said side walls of said base member are disposed to commonly cover said open ends of said housings, and wherein the bottom side of the U-shape of said base member is disposed to commonly cover the open sides of the U-shape of said housings.

9. The combination of a yarn guiding eyelet and a support therefor, said support having at least three sides arranged in U-shape configuration and having openings in each of its said sides, said eyelet being formed of a length of wire coiled upon itself to provide an aperture for the passage of yarn therethrough and to provide a pair of spaced arms of said wire extending therefrom, said eyelet being attachable to said support in such manner that its arms extend through said opening iN the bottom side of the U-shape of said support to the interior thereof with the ends of said arms projecting individually through said openings in the spaced sides of the U-shape of said support.