US464586A

US464586A - pepper

Info

Publication number: US464586A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1891-12-08
Anticipated expiration: 1908-12-08

Description

(No Model.) 3 Sheets--Sheet 1.

W. H. PEPPER & A. T. L. DAVIS.

STRIPING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

No. 464,586. Patented Dec. 8, 1891.

22; ATTORNEY.

3 Sheets-Shert 2.

W. H. PEPPER & A. T. L. DAVIS.. STR-IPING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

No. 464,586. Patented Dec. 8, 1891.

(No Model.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet; s.

W. H. PEPPER 8v A. T L. DAVIS. STRIPING MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

IIo. 464,586. Patented Dec, 8.

UNITED-{STATES 'ATENT Eric- Swain-1min; TEYPEY?KNDAWEB'PT- L iJ AF W JAKE frtteen'rmr.

inmrstnnn,

" ST'RIPI'NG M ECHANISM FoRicN-wTiNGt'MACHl'N ES;

srncrmeA IoN forming part of Letters Patent 1%. 464,586,dated December 8,1891;

Application filed April 14, 1891. Serial No. 388,917. m mdev it has been a usual and common practice to first knit withathread'or yarn of one color and then with a thread or yarn of a different color, one thread'or yarn' being broken off as the other-is fed-in; -lh'e result'i's that solidcolored stripes alternate with each other.

' The present improvements consist in meeh anis'm for feeding in the threads oryarns and for breaking off on'ethread or yarn when the other thread o'r yarn is fed in.- 1

More specifically-the present invention con- 1 sists =in improvements upon the stripingthread-feed:mechanismset forth in the British Patent No.- 4,293, dated December 10, 187-5, granted to Nathaniel 'Marsliall and Edwin Ilewitt. In thatpatent two differently-cob ored-threads from which the stripes are formed are conducted to the needles between two sta tionary gripping-.jaws and an intermediate. automatically controlled movable grippingv jaw, the two'thread's' passing on opposite sides of the movable -jaw,and' thence through a leading-in thread-eye common to both of the needles. Ordinarily one of the'threads (hereinafter called the striping-thread) is clamped between the movable jaw and one of Y the fixed-jaws, so that'only the other thread (hereinafter called the main thread) is fed to the needles. =When, however, a stripe is to be formed, the movable gripping-jaw is caused to move at the properinstant, (by the action of constant-ly-mov'ii-ig mechanism,) so 0 as to release the stripingthread and immediately thereafter to clamp the inainthread against the other stationary jaw. Agbr'ief interval occurs betweenthc release of the striping-thread and the clamping of the main thread, during which both of the threads are free to be fed to the needles. During this interval rotary "twister, through whichi hothv threads pass in traveling from the leading-in.

thread-eye tothe' needles, acts. This rotary:

twister causes't'he two threads-tube twisted together, so 'thatthe striping-threadis carried to'theneedles bythe main thread.- Asisoon as the striping-thread is being taken by the: needles the further feeding of the-main thread is stopped by itsbeing gripped by tlle action otits station'ary'jaw and the movable jaw. 1 1? main threadis then broken olf-by-the action-of the knitting-mael'iine" etweenthe jaws and; the needles W hen a s-u' fficie-nt width oft-stripe;

has been knitted with the striping-thread, the.

movable jaw is automaticallymoved. in the opposite direction, so that the main thread'is released'and ag'ain' fed'to theneedl'es andthe stri pin g-fthread is clamped and -='broken off: Subsequently to the date --of this Marshall and. IlewittBritish patent it was discovered that the employment "of a rotary twister'is unnecessary inorder to insure the feeding in 0f the threads; since it was found that. under proper conditionsone lthread will be carried into'theneedles by -th-e frictional con tact therewith ofth eother thread. The fr-ic-' tion'al eon-tactbetween the threads'can be alone relied upon if'the threads or yarns-are of a high grade of wool, having arough fibrous snrface, and if the threads 'are ofinferior grades of \vool'or are of smooth fiber-it is suf fieient toslacken the thread to be fed in,and

thus relieve it of tension, to insureone thread being fed in by the frictional contact therewith of v the other thread. Examples "Oren: cular-knitting machines wherein 'frictiona l cont-act and frictional contact aided by slackening are relied upon to feed in threads tothe needles may be found described and set forth in British Patent No. 4,685, dated November 19, 1878, and granted to Henry Clarke, and in British Patent No. 1,788, dated J an uarylO, 1884, and granted to John lL'Oooper and Wil ham .1. Ford. Now the present improved feed mechanism employs the movable and stationary jawsof the Marshall and Ilewitt British patent and after .the release of one thread carries it to the needles by't-he frictional contact therewith of the'other thread.

The improvements consist in the construction of the feed mechanism, the central featurc of which is that the movable jaw does not pass directly and by a single movement from the position where it clamps one thread to the po ition where it clamps the other thread, but makes a dwell or pause between these two positions, so that ample time and obportunityis given for the moving thread before it is clamped to carry in to the needles the previouslystationary and inactive thread. The movable jaw takes two distinct steps in passing from one clamping position to the other clamping position.

The present improved feed mechanism may be applied o any type ot' circular-knitting machine; but for convenience of illustration and, description they will be set forth as applied to an ordinary circular-knitting machine 'for knitting tubular ribbed fabrics wherein latch-needles are employed and wherein the :0 needle-holdersarc stationary and the needleactuating cams rotate.

The present llnpIOVClllOlliS are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure] isaside view of thehead of a circalar-knitting machine equipped with the present improvements, only so much of the usual parts of the machine being shown as will enable the improvements to be clearly understood. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a side view of the same, looking-at the machine in a direction at right angles to the point of view in Fig. 1. Figs. tand 5 are details of the mechanism which immediately effects the operation of the movable jaw, two different positions of the parts being represented. Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views of the gripping-jaws, differentpositions thereof being represented. Fig. 8 is an outside vicwof the guide-plate carrying the leading-in threadeye. Fig. 9 is an inside view of the same. Fig. 10 is a horizontal section thereof, Fig. 11 is a detail view'showing a modification of the gripping-jaws.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 10 of the drawings, 5 A is the usual head-plate of the machine. B is the constantly-rotating cylinder or ring which operates the cylinder-needles. C is the stationary needle-cylinder. D is the stationary dial needle-plate, and E is the constantlyrotating dial cam-plate which actuates the dial-needles and which moves in unison with the cam ring or cylinder B by reason of its rigid connection therewith through the spindle a, cross-bar b, and pillars c c. F is the 5 threadguide plate provided with the leadingin thread-eye G, said plate being rigidly sccured on, so as to rotate with, the dial camlilato E.

Rigidly secured to the rotating cam cylinoo der or ring 15 is a bracket ll, having an outwardl-y-eitending horizontal. platel, the upper flat face of. which is in substantially the same plane as the thread-eye G. This plate I carries two threadguide plates (Z e, having thread-guide eyesfg, respectively, for the two threads. The thread which passes through the eyef, will be hereinafter considered and I tion,onegripping-jaw of the movable gripper as a ntutiet'ol" fact, and it is quite immaterial.

with which thread the broader or the narrower stripes are formed. Each of the thread-eyes l g is shown as located in a separate guideplate. This is not essential, but is a convenient arrangement as preventing the threads from becoming entangled on their Way from thethread-bobbins to the needles. As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the two threads extend frongs 4i their respective eyes f and g to the leading-in thread-eye G at an acute angle to each other, and both threads enter the thread-eye G at arr acute angle to the thread-guide plate F, so that each thread in passing through the thread-eye is drawn over one at least of. the marginal edges of the thread-eye.

in passing in a direct line from the eyef to the o3 e (l the main thread .r (see Fig. 6) passes alongside and in the vicinity of the grippingface oi the outer stationary gripping-jaw J, and the striping-t1: read 1 in passing in a direct qs line from the eye g to the eye G passes along side and in the vicinity of the gripping-face of the inner stationary gripping-jaw K. 0011- scqucntly when either thread is free to be fed in to the needles it suffers no retardation or friction by reason'oi' passing over and incontact with an edge of its corresponding stationary gri p 'iing-jaw. Located between these two stationary gripping-jaws J and K and movable from one to the other is a movable gripper I having two gripping faces or jaws, one of which co-operates with the gripping-face of the jaw J and the other of which co-operates with the gripping-face of the jaw K. The two gripping faces or jaws of the movable gripper constitute in effect two independent gripping jaws, one of which coacts with the jaw J and the other with the jaw K. As a matter of convenience both movable jaws are formed on opposite faces of a single moving part that is, on the gripper L. lhemovable gripper L has three positions: first, an outer po sition when it is in contact with the outer gripping-jaw .l, as shown in Fig. 2; second, an nner position when it is in contact-with the inner gripping-jaw K,as shown in Fig. .7, and, third, an intermediate position when it is out of contact with both gripping-jaws, as shown in Fig. 6. \Vhen in the tirstoroutermost posigrip's'andclamps the main threadzapreventin g 5 it from being fed to the needles. ,Whcn it is in the innermost position, its other gripping-jaw grips and clamps the striping-thread y, preventing it from being fed to the needles; but when it is in its intermediate position it is out of contact with both threads,so that both threads are free to be fed to thg needles and neither comes in contact with the movable jaw. This relative arrangement of the threadeyes and gripping-jaws so that each thread when released by the movable gripper passes fromthe outer eye (f or g) to the leading-in eye G without being drawn over an edge of one of the jaws and without the presence of a special moving mechanism for effecting this result constitutes one of the features of the present invention. It will be seen that the effect of the movement of the jaws on the threads is to cause them to be fed alternately to the needles, each thread carrying the other in to the needles in turn, the mode of operation in these respects and the resultant effect upon the fabric being the same as in the Marshall and Hewitt British patent above referred to.

The movable gripper L is carried on the inner end of a horizontally swinging or oscil lating lever-arm M, which is pivoted at h to the plate I. The outer end of this movable gripper-arm fits and rests in a notchor recess t in the upper end of a vertically swinging or oscillating lever N, which is pivoted at m to the bracket ll. The lever N below its pivot m is branched or forked, having, as shown, two separate branches or arms n and 0. Between these two arms is a short rotary shaft 0, which extends horizontally and radially to the axis of the machine, This shaft'is journaled in the bracket H and in an arm 19, extending outwardly and downwardly therefrom, as shown in Fig. 1. Carried by this shaft and rotating therewith is a cam R, which is located directly between the two armsn and 0. Co-operating with the outer camshaped periphery of the cam P are two boaring-studs 1", carried on the inner faces of the arms n and 0, respectively. Each stud r is carried on the lower end of a flat spring 8, which is riveted at its upper end to the arm and the lower end of which is adjustable to and from the cam P by means of a set-screw t, whereby wear on the lug oron the cam may be taken up. The shaft 0, and consequently the cam P, rotates only in a single direction and is moved step by step, a quadrant at a time, (by instrumentalities hereinafter described,) so that the cam occupies four different positions, one of these positions being shown in Fig. 4 and the next succeeding position in Fig. 5. The cam has four

principal points

1, 2, 3, and 4. Point 1 is farthest from the center or axis of the shaft. Point 2 is diametrically opposite point 1 and is nearest to the center, while points 3 and 4 are diametrically opposite to each other, equidistant from the center, and at a distance from the center between the distances of the

points

1 and 2. When the cam occupies the position shown in Fig. 4, the lug of arm it rests on point 1 and the lug ofarm 0 rests on point 2, and consequently the movable gripping-arm M occupies the position shown in Fig. 2,with the movable gripper L in contact with the outer fixed gripping-jaw J. When the cam is moved one step or quadrant, it then occupies the position shown in Fig. 5, with the two lugs r resting on or opposite to the two intermediate points 3 4 of the cam. The movable gripper-arm M then occupies the intermediate position shown in Fig. 6, with the movable gripper L between the fixed jaws J and K. The next step of the cam, it will be understood, brings the point 1 against the log on arm 0, thereby causing the movable jaw to come in contact with the inner fixed jaw K, as shown in Fig. 7. The third step reverses the position of the cam shown in Fig. 5, so that the movable jaw again occupies its intermediate position, while the fourth and last step brings the parts back to the position shown in Fig. 4. The construction and mode of operation of the cam therefore cause the movable jaw L to take two distinct steps in passing from one fixed jaw to the other. The cam also holds the arms at and o positiveiy in their several positions, so that the movable jaw cannot be ,moved accidentally, but only by the rotation of the cam, whereby the threads are firmly clamped and prevented from being accidentally fed to the needles at improper times.

The movements of the cam are effected properly and at the properintervals by means of a star-Wheel Q, fixed to the shaft 0, an intermittently-moving pattern-chain R, the movements of which are timed with those of the knitting mechanism, and two tappet-pins S S, which are moved into and out of the path of the star-wheel by the pattern-chain and in termediate devices.

The pattern-chain is operated by any of the well-known means which are capable of giving to it an intermittent step-by-step movement, and it carries a series of cam projections T, suitably disposed so as to impart the desired pattern to the knit web. I

The two tappet-pins S S are both carried by a horizontally-sliding plate U, which is capable of sliding to and from the axis of the machine. This plate has two positions-an outer (normal) position, in which the pins S S are out of the path of the star-wheel Q, as shown in Fig. 1 and in full lines in Fig. 2, and an inner position, in which the pins S are .in the path of the star-wheel, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The plate U is maintained in its outer normal position and is moved thereto when displaced by means of a spring V, and it is moved to its inner position by the operation of the cam projections T on the pattern-chain. Pivotally connected at u with a fixed bracket W is an elbow-lever X, the upper arm n of which is connected with the plate U, while its lower horizontal arm '20 extends into the path of the cam pro jeciions T on the traveling pattern-chain. When one of the cam projections T encounters the arm to of lever X, the two tappetpins Sare moved into the path of the starwheel Q.

The star-wheel has four projecting and substantially radial arms 2. When the starwheel in its rotation encounters the tappetpins S, one of the arms .2 encounters the first .the movable jaws occupy their intermediate heretofore been adopted. tact of one thread upon the othcralone has pin, whereby the star-wheel and cum I are moved one quadrant or step. .\u interval then occurs, the duration o[ which is determined by the distance between the two pins S, and then the next arm encounters the second pin 5, thus moving the cam lanot her quadrant or step. Each cam projection 'l on the pattern-chain has a Hat upper surl'acc,on which the arm 11' of the lever rests, and the speed of the pattern-chain is such thatwhcn the plate l is moved inward both piush Sremain in the path of the starovheel until both have been encountered by arms of the star wheel, and the pins are again moved out of the path of the star-wheel by the action of the spring before the staravheel again approaches the vicinity of the pins S. The result of this arrz'ingement is that the star; wheel is always moved two steps, one after i the other, there being a dwell or pause bei tween these two steps. The motion of the, star-wheel is communicated to the movable l gripper, (as hereinbefore set forth,) so that l the movable gripper when moved is always moved two steps in passing between the two Tsved jaws, and therelis a d wellor pause while i position. During this dwell r pause both threads are free to be fed in to the needles, and the pause is of sufiicient duration to enable the moving thread to carry the hitherto idle thread to the needles. This pause is al ways of uniform duration, so that the thread being fed in is carried in with certainty and uniformity.

The present improvements also include l means for insuring the drawing in of one thread by the other. Three methods have The frictional conbeen utilized; but this is reliable only when rough-fiber yarns are employed. For smoother threads the twister of the Marshall and l lewitt 1 British patent has been used, and a third method has been to slacken the thread to be fed in so that it may bedrawn in by frictional contact, as in the Cooper and Ford llritish patent. Now the present invention provides for certainty in feeding in the idle thread by frictional contact therewith of the moving thread, bya special shaping of the leading-in threadcye (i, and the location of the threadguide eyes f and g relatively thereto. The construction of the thread-eye is shown in det-ail in Figs. 8, .J, and 10. The tl'lrcad-eye (it is formed with a groove 5 on its outer edge and with a similar groove 6 on its inner edge. These two grooves are diametrically opposite each other and are so arranged relatively to the direction of the threads that the threads pass along and in the groove 5 in entering the thread-eye and along and in the groove 6 in emerging from the thread-eye. Consequently, since both threads 1i n these grooves and are thereby always close together, the moving thread always carries the idle thread in when thelatter is released. 1 y reason of the grooves in the thrcad'cye and the location of the thr ad-eyes[and y relatively thereto and to eachotherthe outer thread .r is drawn over the inner thread 1 in the groove 5, while the inner thread 1 is drawn over the outer thread .1 in the groove 3. (onsequenth each thread is equally cllieicnl in drawing in the other to the needles.

in Fig. it a slightly-modified construction of the gripping-jawsis shown. in this modilicatiou the cent 'al jaw .l, having two gripping-faces, is stationary, while the two outer jaws i. I." are carried by the movable grip- [)lllg-fll'lll M and are each in turn brought into contact with the central fixed law, The mode of operation is identical with that of the ar-,

rangcnient of the jaws already described.

We claim as our in vcntionl. The thread-guide plate of a knitting-machine, havinga leading-in thread-eye, through which two t hrends pass,and movable and fixed gripping-jaws for each of said threads, said movable jaws acting to release one thread, then to dwell or pause to permit the feeding in ot' one thread by the other, and then to grip the other thi' ead, in combination with means for causing said movable jaws to take two distinct steps in passing from the position where one thread is gripped to the position where the other thread is gripped, subst-alr *tially as set forth.

distinct steps in passing from the position where one thread is gripped to the position where the other thread is gripped, in coinbination with means for imparting to said movable gripping-arm a stcp-by-stcp movement, substantially as set forth.

1;. The thread-guide plate of a knitting-machine, having a leading-inlthread-eyc, through which two threads pass, two stationary gripping-jaws, and a movable grippingarm having two gri sping l'aees or jaws ooactiiig ith said stationary gripping-jaws, the two pairs of jaws thus formed acting upon said threads, respectively, sa d movablearm being movable from one lived jaw to the other and said movable arm talaing two separate and distinct steps in passing from one fixed jaw to the other, in combinati n with means for giving to said movable grippingarm a step-by-step movement, substantially as set forth.

-l-. The movable gripper-arm M and the forked lever cooperating therewith, in combination with the rotary cam having a stepby-step rotary movement, located between the arms ol' said lever, substantially as set forth.

5. The movable gripper-arm M and the forked lever cooperating therewith, in combination with the rotary cam having a stepby-step rotary movement, each movement or step being through a quadrant of a circle, and

by a movable gripping-arm, which takes two said cam having, points 1, 2, 3, and 4, as described, whereby said arm M is moved back and forth two steps at a time, substantially as set forth.

6. The movable gripping-arm M, the forked lever N, the rotatable shaft 0, the cam I on said shaft and between the arms of said lever, and the star-wheel Q on said shaft, said starwheel having four arms z z, in combination with the two tappet-pins S S, which are moved simultaneously into and out of the path of said star-wheel, and means for moving said pins into and out of the path of said starwheel, substantially as set forth.

7. The leading-in thread-eye G and the two thread-guide eyes f and 9, so located that the threads pass from said guide-eyes to said leading-in eye G at an acute angle, substantially as set forth.

8. The thread-guide plate of aknitting-machine, havingaleading-inthread-eye, and the two thread-guide eycsf and g, so located that 1e threadspass therefrom to the leading-in t tread-eye at an acute angle to each other and to the thread-guide plate, in combination with gripping-jaws located between said threads, and a gripping-jaw on the opposite side of each thread, substantially asset forth, whereby when neitherthread is gripped both threads pass directly from the guide-eyes t0 the leading-in eye without any friction due to the gripping-jaws, substantially as set forth.

9. A thread-guide plate for a knitting-machine, having a leading-in thread-eye, and thread-guide eyes located so that the threads pass therefrom to the leading-in thread-eye at an acute angle to the guide-plate, and said leading-in

eye having grooves

5 and 6 on its outer and inner faces in the path of the threads, whereby said threads are maintained in said grooves in contact with each other, substantially as set forth.

' In testimony that we claim the invention above set forth we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM II. PEPPER. ALBERT L. DAVIS. Witnessess:

LEROY M. GoULn, llARRIE D. BROWN.