US3783647A

US3783647A - Knitting machine needle

Info

Publication number: US3783647A
Application number: US00267409A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Torrant; C Benson
Original assignee: Torrington Co
Current assignee: EXELTOR Inc A CORP OF CANADA
Priority date: 1972-06-29
Filing date: 1972-06-29
Publication date: 1974-01-08
Anticipated expiration: 1991-01-08
Also published as: IT989325B; CA988733A; DE2330474A1; GB1365476A; JPS4948952A

Abstract

A butt section made of flat stock is fused to a hook and blade section made of wire stock. The fusion is made along longitudinal portions of the two sections.

Description

United States Patent Torrant et al.

[451 Jan. 8, 1-974 4] KNITTING MACHINE NEEDLE OTHER PUBLICATIONS [75] Inventors: James Peter Torrant; Carl F.

Benson both of Torrington Conn Handbook, 5th American Society, 1962; p. 8.20. TS 227. A 5h 1962. [73] Assigneez The Torrlngton Company,

Torrington, Conn. Primary Examiner-W. C. Reynolds [22] Flled' June 1972 Assistant Examiner-A. M. Falik [21] App]. No.: 267,409 Att0rneyDavid W. Tibbott et al.

[52] US. Cl. 66/123 51 Im. Cl D04b 35/02 7] TRACT [58] Field of Search 66/119, 123; 163/2,

163/3 A butt section made of fiat stock 1s fused to a hook and blade section made of wire stock. The fusion is [56] References Cited made along longitudinal portions of the two sections, UNITED STATES PATENTS 2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 621,950 3/1899 Stewart et al 66/123 I8 j 1 L PMENTEU 81974 a w wt w.

KNITTING MACHINE NEEDLE This invention relates to knitting machine needles. More particularly, this invention is a novel knitting machine needle made from flat stock and wire stock.

The demand for fabrics made by knitting machines is continuously increasing. To satisfy this increasing demand, manufacturerers insist that knitting needle makers provide knitting needles that will last under continuously increasing knitting machine needle speeds.

It has been found that under certain conditions, if the knitting needle butt section is made from flat stock, the needle can be made more uniformly, accurately and stronger with more latitude to form the very complex butt configurations required to meet knitting machine pattern cam requirements and because of is solid rectangular cross-section, can operate better than other needles as they are reciprocated in slots formed in a knitting machine cylinder or knitting head. However, it has also been found that it is more desirable to make the hook and blade section of the needle from wire stock. The wire stock makes a better hook edge than flat stock. If flat stock were used for the hook and blade section, the hook often breaks much quicker than when wire stock is used. I

For many years, those skilled in the art of knitting needle making have been working diligently to devise means for connecting the flat stock butt section to the wire stock hook and blade section and still maintain sufficient strength for the needle to last under knitting needle machine operating conditions. However, in the past, these efforts have been unsuccessful.

We have invented a new knitting needle made from wire stock and flat stock which will work successfully under modern knitting machine operating conitions.

Our new knitting machine needle comprises a flat stock butt section and a wire stock for the hook and blade section which two sections are fused together along overlapping longitudinal portions of both sections. Preferably, the length of the fused portion should be at least fifteen times the thickness of the butt section.

The invention, as well as its many advantages, may be further understood by reference to the following detailed description and drawings in which:.

FIG. 1 is a side view of the needle;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the needle of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 1, our new knitting machine needle includes a flat butt section 10 which is fused by welding or other fusion methods to a wire stock hook and bladesection 12. The hook and blade'section includes a blade 14 with a hook 16 located at one extremity of the blade. Latch 18 pivots about pivot 20 as the knitting needle is reciprocated in the knitting machine.

FIG. 2 shows clearly that the wire stock blade 14 is fused to a reduced height portion 22 of the. flat stock by fusion means such as welding 24. The thickness of the weld is exaggerated in FIG. 2 for clarity.

The reduced height portion 22 flows into the remainder of the flat stock butt section 10 through a curved 10 portion 26. The fusion 24 of the longitudinal portion of the blade section 12 is substantially equal to the length of the reduced height portion 22 of the flat stock butt section 10. Preferably, the length of the fused portion 24 should be at least times the thickness 30 (see 5 FIG. 3) of the flat stock butt section 10.

In operation, the knitting machine needle reciprocates in the same direction as its longitudinal axis. As the needle reciprocates, it is subjected to great tension and compression in the same direction as the reciprocating motion of the needle.

Modern needles are often as thin as 0.011 inches. If the extremity of the hook and blade section 12 were fused to the extremity of the flat stock section 10, the needle would quickly fail because such welds are weak 25 under stresses. However, by providing thelong lap joint 24, the fusion is along a direction parallel to the axis of the knitting needle; and, therefore, parallel to the needle reciprocal motion. This provides a much larger fusion area and thus greater strength to resist bending,

tensional and compressive loads in knitting needles.

The curve section 26 in the flat stock butt section 10 eliminates any sharp corner at the junction of the wire stock blade 14 and the flat stock butt section 10. We have found that under some circumstances, the projection of sharp comers causes earlier fatigue failure than occurs when sharp comers are eliminated by the provision of curve 26.

We claim:

1. A knitting needle comprising:

a flat stock butt section having a longitudinal portion of reduced height connected to the remainder of the butt section by a curve formed on the butt section; and

a wire stock hook and blade section, a longitudinal portion of the blade section being fused to the reduced height portion of the butt section for a length at least equal to the length of said reduced height portion of the butt section.

2. A knitting needle in accordance with claim 1 wherein:

the length of the fused portion is at least 15 times the thickness of the butt section.

II i

Claims

1. A knitting needle comprising: a flat stock butt section having a longitudinal portion of reduced height connected to the remainder of the butt section by a curve formed on the butt section; and a wire stock hook and blade section, a longitudinal portion of the blade section being fused to the reduced height portion of the butt section for a length at least equal to the length of said reduced height portion of the butt section.

2. A knitting needle in accordance with claim 1 wherein: the length of the fused portion is at least 15 times the thickness of the butt section.