Classifications

• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
  • D04B—KNITTING
  • D04B9/00—Circular knitting machines with independently-movable needles
  • D04B9/42—Circular knitting machines with independently-movable needles specially adapted for producing goods of particular configuration
  • D04B9/46—Circular knitting machines with independently-movable needles specially adapted for producing goods of particular configuration stockings, or portions thereof
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
  • D04B—KNITTING
  • D04B15/00—Details of, or auxiliary devices incorporated in, weft knitting machines, restricted to machines of this kind
  • D04B15/88—Take-up or draw-off devices for knitting products
  • D04B15/92—Take-up or draw-off devices for knitting products pneumatic
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
  • D04B—KNITTING
  • D04B7/00—Flat-bed knitting machines with independently-movable needles
  • D04B7/30—Flat-bed knitting machines with independently-movable needles specially adapted for knitting goods of particular configuration
  • D04B7/32—Flat-bed knitting machines with independently-movable needles specially adapted for knitting goods of particular configuration tubular goods

Definitions

• Knitting machine for the production of tights
• the present invention refers to a knitting machine, and more particularly to a knitting machine for the production of tights, pantihoses and similar articles of manufacture.
• the usual technique provides for the separate production of two equal leg portions which are subsequently cut and sewn together to form a complete tight. This process requires time and the result is a tight with a seam running across the body of the finished article. Attempts have been made to solve this problem by means of machines able to produce the complete finished article, i.e. avoiding the subsequent sewing of the two leg portions together.
• Background art
• the invention relates to a machine improved with respect to that described in Italian Patent application No. FI 91 A 26 filed 31.01.91) and in the corresponding foreign patent applications, including European Patent Application No. 92830027.6 filed 24.01.1992 (publication n. 0552588; U.S. Patent No. 5.226.297 filed 28.01.1992; Canadian Patent application No. 2.060.343-7 filed 30.01.1992; People's Republic of China Patent application No. 92100666.7 filed 30.01.1992; Japanese Patent application No. 9.457/92 filed 22.01.1992; USSR Patent application No. 5010968.12 filed 30.01.1992 and others.
• the knitting machine described in the said preceding patents for the production of tights (pantihose) and the like, comprises: a central moving element capable of rotating about its central axis; two epicy ⁇ loidal moving elements mounted symmetrically on the said central moving element and rotating about their own shafts which are out of alignment with the central axis; on each of the said epicycloidal moving elements, a rectilinear double needle plate; along each needle plate, rectilinear guide means for chain sections comprising travelling links with textile components - including cams, selectors and thread guides - capable of interacting with needles and under- needles of the corresponding rectilinear double needle plate; means of causing the rotation of the said two epicycloidal moving elements for the knitting of each of the two legs on the corresponding double needle plate while the central moving element is stationary; curved guide means to supplement in an annular way the rectilinear guide means for the said travelling links around the rectilinear double needle plates of each epicycloidal moving element; means of causing the rotation of the said central
• the object of the invention is to simplify the preceding machine, to make it more efficient as a textile machine and to improve it, as will be clearly understood from the following text, particularly by eliminating the intermediate segment of double needle plates.
• the machine according to the invention can also produce individual articles in the form of socks or stockings (in addition to tights) and in fact the simplified machine may be dedicated to the production of these articles only.
• the said two epicycloidal moving elements are carried by supports which are longitudinally slidable on the said central moving element - comprising a platform - to carry the two double needle plates, butted against each other and aligned with each other, to form an extended double needle plate for knitting the body, while the said rectilinear guides for the travelling links carried by the said slides on the epicycloidal moving elements are designed to fit together and provide the guide for the chain sections along the said extended double needle plate;
• - selection means are provided to exclude from the operation, in each of the two double needle plates of the epicycloidal moving elements, during the formation of the legs, certain needles at the ends designed to be butted against each other in the joining of the two double needle plates; the said needles are brought into operation at the time of joining and formation of the extended double needle plate, so as to start the operation with the fabrics joined, and to continue it and form the body with all the needles;
• the double needle plates are advantageously mounted slidably on guide means orthogonal to them; in this way a limited temporary separation of the needle plates may be obtained, particularly at the end of the production of the body along the double hem at the waistline, to facilitate the removal of the finished article when it is released from the needles.
• the said curved guide means are flexible, to follow the needle plates during their temporary separation.
• it is advantageous to make the chain sections comprising links which are hinged together in very long vertical axes without play and which are consequently vertically rigid, and the said links form carriages with wheels with horizontal axes and grooves interacting with the said rectilinear guide means and with the said curved guide means.
• Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are schematic views of various phases of the production of an article in the form of tights (pantihose) ;
• Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are highly diagrammatic perspective views of the previously mentioned stages and portions of the machine in the said stages of production;
• Figs. 7 and 8, 9 and 10, and 11 are highly diagrammatic plan views of the principal components of the machine at various stages of an operating cycle;
• Figs. 12, 12A, 13, and 14 are schematic sections - that in Fig. 12 being more complete and Figs. 12A, 13, and 14 being enlarged and partial - of two configurations of the operating areas with needle plates and needles for the formation of the seams, the configuration for tubular knitting and the configuration for the release of the finished article;
• Figs. 15 and 16 are functional diagrams for identification of the various sections of the needle plates with needles in operation at the various stages of a cycle for forming an article;
• Figs. 17 and 18 are diagrammatic perspective views of components of the machine at two stages of production, for the formation of the legs and of the body respectively;
• Figs. 19, 19A and 19B show a vertical section in a plane orthogonal to the plane of symmetry of the double needle plates and two partial enlargements of Fig. 19;
• Figs. 20, 20A and 2OB show a vertical section in a plane of symmetry of the double needle plates aligned and separated for the formation of the legs, and two partial enlargements of Fig. 20;
• Figs. 21, 21A and 2IB are similar to Figs. 20, 20A and 20B, but with the needle plates butted against each other in the configuration for the formation of the body;
• Figs. 22, 23 and 24 are a further partial enlargement of Fig. 19 as an enlarged section approximately through XXII-XXII in Fig. 20A, and sections, similarly enlarged, approximately through
• Figs. 25 and 26 are further partial enlargements of Figs. 20 and 21;
• Fig. 27 shows a local vertical section approximately through XXVII-XXVII in Fig. 2IB;
• Fig. 28 shows, in a diagrammatic view and vertical section and separately, components designed to separate the needle plates and bring them back together;
• Figs. 29 and 30 show horizontal sections at an intermediate level of two of the needle plates for the formation of a leg, and of the extended needle plate;
• Figs. 31, 32 and 33A, 33B show schematic plan views at the level of the inlet components of a pneumatic tensioning system in the configurations of the double needle plates in which they are approaching and butted against each other to form double needle plates for the working of the body, and two partial enlargements of Figs. 31 and 32;
• Fig. 34 shows an enlarged local horizontal section approximately through XXXIII-XXXIII in Fig. 19B;
• Figs. 35, 36 and 37 show a partial horizontal section approximately through XXXV-XXXV in Fig. 19, with the components in these illustrated in the two configurations for the working of the legs and body respectively, and an enlarged detail of Fig. 36;
• Fig. 38 shows separately, in vertical section, some of the components shown in Figs. 35 and 36;
• Figs. 39, 39A and 40 show a partial vertical section which illustrates the principal driving components, an enlarged detail of Fig. 39, and a section through XL-XL in Fig. 39A;
• Fig. 41 shows a vertical section of a detail of the components for removing a curved section of chain track
• Figs. 42, 43, 43A and 43B show a horizontal section at various levels of a section of chain with travelling links and of the corresponding guide means, in a configuration for the knitting of a leg, and - at a reduced size - of two coupled sections of chain and of the corresponding guide means in a configuration for the knitting of the body, with two enlarged portions of Fig. 43; and
• Figs. 44 to 49 show various geometrical views and sections of parts of a section of chain with travelling links for the knitting components, and in meshing relationship with a driving ring gear. Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention
• Figs. 1 to 16 illustrate in a highly schematic way the operating principle of the machine in question, to make an article M as illustrated in Fig. 3, the sequence of production stages being indicated in Figs. 1 to 3.
• MG indicates the legs
• MB indicates the body or corset
• BB the double hem - usually elastic - at the waistline
• P indicates the lines of seams or closure of the tubular fabric to form the toes, which are formed with a certain shaping obtained by progressive insertion of needles after the formation of the initial seam line B with intersecting needles
• C indicates a seam line similar to the lines P, which is formed at the crutch or area of joining of the two legs MG for the start of formation of the body or corset MB.
• the seam lines P of the toes and the seam line C indicated above extend transversely in the finished article, as already specified in the above-mentioned preceding patents.
• Two pairs of rectilinear needle plates 1, 2 and 3, 4 are provided for the formation of the two legs MG, with the needles inclined upwardly and together as shown in Figs. 12 to 14; in this way a seam line such as P and C may be formed by the interaction of the needles of the two needle plates to engage a single thread simultaneously; tubular knitting is then continued with the needles of one needle plate which operate independently of the needles of the other needle plate, and with threads F which at any time are engaged only by the needles of a single needle plate, as shown in Fig. 13.
• This textile method is well known, but will be described in greater detail with reference to Figs. 12 to 14.
• each pair of needle plates 1, 2 and 3, 4 is made to rotate about its axis X-X and Y-Y respectively, while the two axes are relatively remote from each other.
• the two needle plates of each pair form part of an epicycloidal moving element which comprises a support indicated schematically by 6 for the needle plates 1 and 2, and by 8 for the needle plates 3 and 4.
• the two epicycloidal moving elements with the two supports 6 and 8 rotate together with the pairs of needle plates 1, 2 and 3, 4 for the formation of the corresponding leg MG.
• - sections of chain indicated schematically by 12 and 14, are provided, and each of them is guided along an annular trajectory with sections of rectilinear guides 16-18 corresponding to the individual needle plates, each section of chain moving along its annular path in a configuration which is kept stationary on average during the rotation of the corresponding needle plates about the corresponding axes X-X and Y-Y; in this way the tubular fabric is formed with the textile components carried by the individual chains 12 and 14 respectively.
• the numbers 16A, 16B and 18A, 18B indicate two curved sections of the tracks for the chains 12 and 14, which connect the rectilinear sections 16 and 18 respectively of the said tracks, parallel to and slightly outside the corresponding needle plates 1, 2 and 3, 4 respectively.
• the two curved sections 16A and 18A can be removed from operation, for example and in particular downwards, for the purposes stated below.
• This joining and butting together of the pairs of needle plates 1, 2 and 3, 4 is obtained by the sliding of the epicycloidal moving elements 6 and 8 respectively on guide means provided on a central moving element 20, comprising a platform which is indicated in Figs. 7 to 11; the joining and butting together of the needle plates take place with an orientation of the needle plates such that the two hitherto inactive groups of needles Cl of the various needle plates are joined.
• the joining and butting together of the pairs of needle plates 1, 2 and 3, 4 by movement of the epicycloidal moving elements 6 and 8 respectively on the guides of the platform 20 forms an extended double needle plate from the needle plates 1, 3 and 2, 4 respectively;
• the guides 16 and 18 are butted against each other and together with the sections 16B and 18B form a track around this extended double needle plate for the chain sections 12 and 14;
• the chain sections 12 and 14 are butted against each other to basically form a continuous chain which extends around the extended rectilinear double needle plate 1, 3; 2, 4, the curved parts 16A and 18A of the chain tracks being excluded.
• the two groups of needles Cl form a group of needles as indicated by C2 in Fig. 16.
• the needles and the textile components cover the whole of the front B (Fig. 16) to form a tubular fabric of size greater than that of the legs, in other words to form the body or corset MB; in practice, the annular extension (twice B) of the article in the area MB corresponds to the sum of the four areas G and the four areas Cl of the needles of the four needle plates 1, 2 and 3, 4.
• the terminal finish BB is also formed in a conventional way and in practice consists of a double elastic hem or other equivalent, after which the article is released.
• the opposing needle plates are guided along guide means which are perpendicular to the plane of symmetry of the pairs of needle plates such as l, 2 and 3, 4 respectively, by the method which will be described subsequently.
• the curved sections 16A, 16B and 18A, 18B of the guides for the chain sections 12 and 14 are made flexible, to follow the expansion (which is very limited) between the two opposing needle plates.
• This flexibility of the curved sections 16A, 16B and 18A, 18B is accompanied by a substantial rigidity in the vertical plane of the chain sections 12, 14, for example by the method illustrated subsequently. In this way relative movement is permitted between the extended needle plates 1, 3 and 2, 4 which rotate about the axis Z-Z and the pair of chain sections 12 and 14 which are retained in a substantially stationary position.
• the number 51 indicates in a general way a frame on which are mounted two large-diameter bearings 53 and 55, normally of the roller type; the bearing 53 supports a platform 57 so that it can rotate about a central axis (corresponding to the axis Z-Z in the preceding diagrams) , this platform being the principal component of the central moving element rotating about Z-Z.
• This platform 57 (corresponding to 20 in the preceding diagrams) , by means of slotted apertures 57A and rectilinear guide means 57B (normally in the form of ball bearings) engages, slidably along a di ⁇ eter passing through the central axis Z-Z, two suppor - 59 for the epicycloidal moving elements 6 and 8 described previously; these two supports 59 are slidable so that they can be moved together and apart on the platform 57; the two supports 59 forming part of the epicycloidal moving elements 6 and 8 are moved together and apart as shown by the double arrow f59.
• Each support 59 has mounted on it by means of bearings 61 a tubular column 63 which is integral with a pinion 65 at its base.
• each tubular column 63 has at its top one of the two pairs of needle plates such as 1, 2 and 3, 4 in the initial diagrams.
• a free-running pinion 73 which engages with the upper internal toothing of the driving ring 67.
• Each of the free- running pinions 73 engages with a corresponding pinion 75 carried by a shaft 77 mounted on the corresponding support 59 parallel to and independent of the tubular column 63; at the upper end, the shaft 77 carries (Figs. 20, 21, 37) a pinion 79, which engages with an idle wheel 81.
• a free-running sleeve 83 provided with toothing 83A engaging with the toothing of the idle wheel 81 is mounted on the tubular column 63 by means of bearings; in the upper part, the sleeve 83 has toothing 85 (formed by a set of rollers sunk into an annular slot in the sleeve) and involute toothing 87 for the purposes stated below.
• the transmission 73, 75, 77, 79, 81, 83A is made in such a way that the sleeve 83 rotates in the opposite direction to the tubular column 63, to drive the corresponding chain section (such as 12, 14) in such a way as to keep it substantially in a stationary position, while the tubular column 63 rotates and causes the double needle plates of the corresponding epicycloidal moving element to rotate when the two legs are to be formed.
• the platform 57 is locked with a suitable key, and the motor 71 with the pinion 69, which acts on the external toothing 67A of the ring 67, produces a rotation such that the two pinions 65 cause the two tubular columns 63 to rotate in one direction, while the corresponding sleeves 83 are made to rotate in the opposite direction.
• each of the two epicycloidal moving elements 6 and 8 engages with a profiled needle plate support member 91, which then rotates together with the tubular column 63 during the formation of the legs MG.
• Each of these profiled support members 91 has a large, substantially wedge-shaped central recess 91A, and engages rigidly with four cylindrical guides 93 (Figs. 21A, 23) projecting horizontally and on opposite sides from the central portion of the profiled member 91, to support slidably (on opposite sides of the profiled member 91) supporting bodies 95, which are also profiled, for the needle plates and for the rectilinear sliding guides of the two chain sections.
• each of the two supporting bodies 95 engages at their tops with the two needle plates 97 inclined towards each other and upwards, for the needle beds and for other textile components of a substantially conventional type.
• Each of the two supporting bodies 95 forms two opposing rectilinear guides 99, horizontal and parallel to the needle plates 97, which correspond to the guides 16 and 18 in the initial diagrams;
• these rectilinear guides consist of rectilinear projections 99 facing in opposite directions, in other words one upwards and one downwards, on each side, and consequently on each of the supporting bodies 95; these projections are in the form of blades, in other words prisms, and are used to guide wheels 101 on the chain sections 102, equivalent to 12 and 14.
• each travelling link 103 of the chain sections 102 see also Figs.
• Each chain link 103 is extended vertically to carry the wheels 101 with horizontal axes spaced apart and operating on the two opposing projections 99 and to form joints 105A and 105B (upper and lower) with vertical axes and spaced apart, for connection to adjacent links 103.
• the links 103 have, externally with respect to the axes of the vertical joints 105A, 105B and with respect to the guide planes defined by the projections 99 and the wheels 101, bearing blocks 103A which can make contact with the corresponding bearing blocks of the adjacent links along the rectilinear sections of the path of the chain sections as identified by the projections 99 of the rectilinear guides parallel to the needle plates; these bearing blocks 103A have adjusting screws. With these arrangements all play is eliminated both in the horizontal direction and in the vertical direction of the chain sections, with the design of the links with the joints 105A, 105B separated and with the adjustable bearing blocks 103A between the links.
• each chain link 103 has a roller 107 with a vertical axle, which is mounted so that it projects downwards adjacent to a wall 109 formed by the link itself; a limited gap is formed between the said wall 109 and the said roller 107; this gap is positioned substantially within the geometrical plane delimited by the prismatic projections 99.
• a curved strip 111 which extends between the two profiled bodies 95, to complete the guide for the chain section 102 between the said projections 99 which interact with the wheels 101, engage with the two supporting bodies 95 - which are movable with respect to each other along the guides 93 - in the plane in which the projections 99 lie;
• this curved strip 111 is deformable, to provide the connection in any configuration of joining or withdrawal - always relatively limited - between the profiled bodies 95 and consequently between the needle plates 97;
• the strip 111 operates only to guide the links 103 of the chain sections 102 in the radial direction, in other words horizontally, being enclosed between the rollers 107 and the walls 109 of the links 103 which are located along the connection formed by the curved strip 111, while the rigidity of the chain in the vertical direction is ensured by the structure of the links 103 of the chain as described above.
• connection formed by the strip 111 is that which is located outside the needle plates extended by the coupling of the pairs of needle plates 97, which correspond to the needle plates 1, 2 and 3, 4 in the initial diagrams; essentially, each curved guide 111 corresponds to the guide 16B and 18B in the initial diagrams.
• the ends of a further flexible strip guide 113 (corresponding to the curved guides 16A and 18A in the initial diagrams) engage with two pieces 115, which are hinged (see in particular Figs.
• the curved connecting strip 113 may be removed from the operation by lowering, as disclosed previously in the diagrams in the initial figures wi-ch respect to the curved connections 16A and 18A, when the needle plates 97 are aligned and butted against each other in alignment to form the extended needle plates for working the body.
• each of the links 103 of the chain sections 102 has a horizontally movable elastic tooth capable of interacting with the toothing 87. More particularly, each link 103 has formed in it a transverse prismatic seat which slidably houses a tooth 123; the said tooth 123 has externally a roller 125 and internally a wedge-shaped part 123A capable of penetrating between the profiled teeth 87 of the toothing 87 formed by the sleeve 83.
• the tooth 123 is pushed outwards by a spring 127 hooked to a pin 129 which is engaged with the link 103 and passes through the housing for the tooth 123 within a slot 131 formed in the said tooth 123; the wheel 125 of each tooth 123 can interact with a wall 91C formed by a frame 9IE integral with the profiled member 91; this frame 91E extends from opposite sides of the member 91 to form the two walls 91C, which act on the wheels 125 of the elastic teeth 123 to push them and position them exactly in engagement with the toothing 87, with respect to which the walls 91C remain in a fixed position, regardless of the movements which the chain section 102 formed by the links 103 may undergo as a result of the movements of the supporting bodies 95 and consequently of the projections 99 and of the chains 102 along the horizontal guides 93. Regardless of the more or less close relative position of the supporting bodies 95 and consequently of the chains 102 formed by the links 103, the teeth 123 are always in engagement with the chain toothing 87
• the transmission between the ring 67 and the pinion 65 causes the rotation of the tubular column 63, and consequently the whole assembly carried by the profiled member 91, also forming the walls 91C, rotates in one direction, while the transmission 73, 75, 79, 81, 83A causes the sleeve 93 and consequently the toothing 87 to rotate in the opposite direction.
• the chain toothing 87 rotates in the opposite direction in such conditions that, by the effect of the engagement of the teeth 123 with the toothing 87, the chain section 102 (formed by the links 103) runs in the opposite direction on the guides formed by the rectilinear projections 99 and by the curved strips 111 and 113, thus remaining in a substantially fixed position in space, while still adapting to the relative configuration of the guides with which the chain section is slidably engaged.
• the needle plates 97 are fitted on the profiled member 91 as stated previously, by means of the corresponding supporting bodies 95, and therefore the two needle plates 97 (which correspond to the pairs of needle plates 1, 2 and 3, 4 in the initial diagrams) also rotate together with the tubular column 63.
• the chain section formed by the links 103 carries the textile components designed to interact with the selection needles and under-needles and the other elements combined with the needle plates 97.
• the number 133 indicates in a general way an electromagnetic selector for the control of the under-needles while the number 135 indicates the cam and cam follower for the operation of the heels of the needles, with an arrangement known per se.
• the relative movement between the needle plates and the chain section causes the relative sliding of the textile elements such as 133 and 135 with respect to the needle plates 97 and the needles connected to them; in this way the necessary conditions are obtained for the operation of the needles and the selection required for the partial and increased needle elevation cDerations, in order to obtain the formation of the article.
• the two supports 59 with the elements connected to them are separated from each other along the guides 57A of the platform 57 which remains stationary; in the separated configuration of the two supports 59, the gears 65 and 73 are engaged and caused to rotate by the driving ring 67.
• each column 63 a suction tube 141, which rotates with the tubular column 63 and which can slide with respect to it in the axial direction by the method staced below;
• this suction tube 141 has at its top a connecting profile 141A for a suction slot 14IB extending under the two needle plates 97 and between them, to house the article during the formation of the corresponding leg MG and to keep it under tension by mechanical means of a known type or preferably by means of a suction current of air which creates a suction current from a manifold 143 through a flexible duct 145 which is curved to join a cavity 59A of the corresponding support 59 and from this cavity inside the suction tube 141 through slots 63E in the tubular column 63 and gridded slots 141H in the suction tube 141; in this way the article being formed is kept pneumatically under tension and held against the gridded slots 141
• the suction tube 141 is open at the lower end and is fitted with a connecting sleeve 141L and with a shutter 147 with flat sectors or equivalent; the two shutters must remain closed during the formation of the article and therefore, when suction is to be applied for pneumatic provision of tension through the manifold 143 and the flexible ducts 145, while one of these two shutters 147 must be open for the suction, conveyance and removal of the finished article through a corresponding suction tube 141, following interruption of the suction from the manifold 143 and the ducts 145; the pneumatic force for the removal is exerted through a connector 149 for the pneumatic conveyor, which is located at the position which each support 59 for the rotating epicycloidal moving elements must have assumed during the formation of the body or corset, for the mutual approach of the axes X-X and Y-Y of the two epicycloidal moving elements 6 and 8 and for the formation of the body; each connector 149 can be elevated by actuators 150 and is connected to a duct
• the two supports 59 of the two epicycloidal moving elements 6 and 8 must be brought towards each other with their axes X-X and Y-Y towards the central axis Z-Z of the machine about which the platform 57 can rotate by the method stated below.
• the movements of the two supports 59 in the direction of the double arrows f59 are produced by a method stated below.
• the article which is wider than the two legs MG, must also be kept under tension; it is therefore necessary to provide pneumatic tensioning which is substantially uniform over the whole extension of the extended needle plates formed by the butting together of the needle plates 97.
• the suction tubes 141 and the corresponding profiles 141A and slots 14IB are lowered, this being permitted by the presence of the cavities 91A formed by the profiled members 91; the lowered configuration of the suction systems 141, 141A, 14IB is illustrated in Figs. 21, 21A, 26.
• Each of the two suction tubes 141 which can slide axially within the corresponding column 63, carries (see in particular Figs. 25, 41, 42) a rack 171 parallel to the corresponding tube 141, which engages with a gear wheel 173 carried by a shaft 175A; this shaft is slidably coupled to a coaxial shaft 175B; the two shafts are carried by the two supporting bodies 95.
• the two shafts are integral with crank discs 176 on whose eccentric pins 177 the links 119 are pivoted.
• the lowering of the corresponding suction tube 141 causes the return of the members 115 about the axis defined by the pins 117, and consequently the lowering, at the correct time, and the withdrawal of the corresponding flexible strip track 113 which is located at the ends of the needle plates 97 which are butted against each other when the two supports 59 are joined.
• These withdrawal movements of the curved tracks 113 are made simultaneous with the lowering of the suction slots 141A, 14IB and of the suction tubes 141, so that the pneumatic tensioning of the article can be provided during the formation of the body.
• a motor 201 switched on at the correct time, drives, through a bevel gear 203 and an axial geared or friction clutch 205 (controlled by an actuator 206 carried by the fixed structure 1) , a vertical shaft 207 which runs beside the central axis Z-Z of the machine.
• the shaft 207 runs to two gearboxes 209, 211 constructed with pairs of helicoidal gears 213, 215 with orthogonal axes; each gearbox 209 and 211 causes the rotation of a horizontal shaft 217 and 219 respectively.
• the two shafts 217 and 219 extend from opposite sides of the boxes 209, 211 respectively, with two sections in the form of a reverse threaded bar; to each of the two reverse threaded bars there is coupled a corresponding threaded bush, 221 for the shaft 217 and 223 for the shaft 219.
• the bushes 223 are directly integral with the supports 59 so as to move them along the guides 57B of the platform 57.
• the threaded bushes 221, coupled to the lower shaft 217 (see Fig.
• the lower shaft 217 forming the two reverse threaded bars can move the blocks 231 between the two plates 233 to bring them together or apart, simultaneously with the joining and separating of the two supports 59 which are traversed along the ball race guides 57B of the bushes 223.
• the two plates 233 have cams with through slots 241, which are designed to cause the raising and lowering of the suction tubes 141 and of the elements connected to them, and in particular the suction slots 141B; this provides the transverse movement of the blocks 231 driven by the shaft 217 simultaneously with the movement of the supports 59 by the shaft 219.
• the cams 241 by means of the rollers 228 interacting with them, cause the lowering of the suction tubes 141 and of the elements connected to them and consequently the suction slots 14IB and the racks 171, to provide the operations described previously.
• the reverse movement of withdrawal of the two epicycloidal moving elements causes the reverse movement of the mouths 14IB and of the racks 171 and consequently the return of the curved guides 113 to the raised horizontal position for the activation of the operation of the chain sections for the formation of the legs.
• an actuator 251 is provided (Figs. 39, 39A, 40) with two sliders 253 slidable in housings 254 on the frame 51; two corresponding pins 255 are slidable on the platform 57; the two pins 255 form part of a moving element 257 slidable on the platform 57 and pushed towards the actuator 251 by a spring 258 so that terminal toothing on an appendage 257B engages with the internal upper toothing of the ring gear 67.
• the actuator 251 When the actuator 251 is activated, it pushes the two sliders 253 into the sockets of the pins 255, locking the platform 57, while the pins 255 and the moving element 257 are pushed by the sliders against the action of the spring 258, disengaging the toothed appendage 257B from the internal upper toothing of the ring gear 67. Thus the platform 57 is locked and the ring gear 67 can rotate.
• the actuator 251 ceases, the sliders 253 are withdrawn from the sockets of the pins 255 and the moving element 257 pushed by the spring 258 causes the toothed appendage 257B to engage with the ring gear 67 whose rotation causes the platform 57 to rotate.
• the platform 57 can therefore start its rotation at the correct time when the needle plates 97 have been joined and butted against each other with the mutual approach to the axis Z-Z of the two epicycloidal moving elements 6 and 8, including the supports 59 and the elements connected to them. Simultaneously with this, the two epicycloidal moving elements and with them the tubular columns 63 interrupt the rotation, while the sleeves 83, owing to the separation of the gears 65 and 73 from the driving ring 67, remain free.
• the rotation of the platform 57 causes the rotation of the extended double needle plates formed by the butting together of the needle plates 97, in other words of the needle plates 1, 2 and 3, 4 in the initial diagrams.
• the straight guides 99 of the supporting bodies 95 for the needle plates 97 are also butted against each other, and the two chain sections 102 formed by the links 103 and indicated by 12 and 14 in the initial diagrams are butted against each other; the extension of the sliding guides of the links 103 of the chain 102 is now formed by the straight edges 99 and by the flexible curved tracks 111 which remain external to the butted pairs of straight edges; this extension is greater than, or rather corresponds to the sum of the chain sections 102, so that in practice a continuous chain is formed along the track which now surrounds the extended double needle plate formed by the method stated.
• two arms 307 which may be moved by corresponding actuators 309 and each of which carries a further sector of internal toothing 311; these two sectors 311 are moved from a removed position to a position of combination with the toothed internal sectors 303, to form a continuous internal ring gear 303, 311, 303, 311 after the two epicycloidal moving elements 6 and 8 and consequently the two supports 59 have been approached and joined together.
• the said internal ring gear 303, 311 can interact with the roller toothing 85 of the two sleeves 83.
• the sleeves 83 When the platform 57 starts its rotation, the sleeves 83 are moved in the direction of rotation of the platform 57 and thus roll, with their roller toothing 85, inside the internal ring gear 303, 311, causing the sleeves 83 to rotate in the opposite direction to the platform; the external toothing 87 of the sleeves 83 therefore also rotates in the opposite direction to the platform.
• the number of teeth in the internal toothing 303, 311, 303, 311 is equal to the number of links in the chain formed by the sum of the two chain sections 102 indicated by 12 and 14 in the initial diagrams, and consequently to the number of chain links 103 of the chain formed after the joining of the two epicycloidal moving elements 6 and 8.
• the toothing 87 causes the continuous chain formed by the two chain sections 102 to slide in the opposite direction, so that the needle plates rotate and the continuous chain formed by the two chain sections is held against the rotation; thus the needle plates slide in front of the knitting elements carried by the links 103 of the chain, to permit the knitting of the body or corset MB and subsequently of the terminal elastic hem BB, to then permit the release of the finished article and its suction through one of the suction tubes 141, whose shutter 147 has been opened to activate the suction for pneumatic removal of the completed article, which is drawn from the other suction tube 141 which is cut off from the tensioning suction.
• each of the tubular columns 63 there is a further operating tube 401, which is slidable axially, but independently of the suction tube 141, inside t * e tubular column 63; this operating tube 401 is also provided with slots next to the gridded slots 14IC of the suction tube 141, to provide suction through the cavity 59A of the support 59 for the pneumatic tensioning of the article during knitting.
• Each of the operating tubes 401 terminates below in a ring 403 which is fitted with bearings inside a block 405 which can move transversely along tubular guides 407 carried by a frame 409.
• the blocks 405, and consequently the rings 403, can therefore follow the movements of approaching and withdrawal of the two epicycloidal moving elements 6 and 8, while they can be moved upwards and downwards by an operating system described below, which acts on the frame 409.
• This frame 409 has a central core 411, which is engaged, on roller bearings 412, with the upper end of a cylindrical slider 413 which can slide within the central column 239 rising from the base of the frame 1.
• This cylindrical slider 413 has at its bottom a threaded bush 415, which is engaged in a vertical threaded shaft 417, rotated by a bevel gear 419 driven at the correct time by an actuator; the slider 413 and consequently the threaded bush 415 can slide but cannot rotate with respect to the column 239, and therefore the rotation of the threaded shaft 417 causes the raising and lowering of the cylindrical slider 413 and with this of the frame 409 and of the blocks 405 and consequently of the rings 403 and of the operating tube 401 which move upwards and downwards under the control of the actuator acting on the gear 419.
• each of the two operating tubes 401 has a cross-piece 421 in the form of a T, extending parallel to the needle plates 97.
• each cross-piece 421 engages, via columns 423, two sliders 425, which are guided in a vertically slidable way in suitable guides formed at the lateral ends of the profiled supporting member 91 mounted on the corresponding tubular columns 63, 63A.
• Two pairs of links 427 are hinged on each slider 425 and form articulated connecting parallelograms between the slider 425 and the supporting bodies 95 which carry the needle plates 97 and which slide on the horizontal transverse guides 93.
• the movement of the sliders 425 under the control of the operating tubes 401 causes, in a symmetrical way and for all the supporting bodies 95, a movement of withdrawal and approach and thus a corresponding movement of the needle plates 97.
• the movements of the sliders 425 may be combined, possibly by providing on the sliders racks 425A which engage with pinions 429 made integral in rotation by shafts 431.
• Knitting elements carried by the travelling links 103 of the chain sections 102 and designed to interact with the needles carried by the needle plates will now be described. It must be stated initially that the knitting elements are substantially of a know type and operate in a way known to those skilled in the art. These knitting elements may be extended to obtain special working, such as the formation of designs and patterns on the fabric of the legs and also on the fabric of the body, which is produced as a uniform fabric which is not traversed by the seams between two joined articles, as is the case in conventional tights.
• the textile elements of the machine - in the components of the needle plates, such as the needles and the under-needles or selectors (jacks) , and in the components carried by the travelling links of the chain section - may be such that the article can be shaped in an anatomical way, for example by forming longer stitches in the back part of the garment as worn, by an appropriate variation at the correct time of the position of some of the needle-lowering cams, in other words of the stitch-forming cams, in order to increase the rear dimensions in the area of the gluteus.
• reinforcing gusset and/or reinforced heels may also be provided by the use of "beating" thread guides, in other words thread guides operated so that they enter the thread supply position and leave this position cyclically, in association with appropriate means of thread cutting at the start and end of the formation of rows of stitches with double thread.
• thread guides operated so that they enter the thread supply position and leave this position cyclically, in association with appropriate means of thread cutting at the start and end of the formation of rows of stitches with double thread.
• the numbers 501 and 502 indicate the needles of the needle plates 1 and 2, to which are hinged small levers or jacks 503, 504 with concealed lugs for lowering the needles under the action of stitch cams such as 506 and 507;
• the numbers 508 and 509 indicate under-needles or selectors, with selection lugs interacting with the magnetic selectors 133 and with a lifting cam such as 511 to select the needles in various ways (1:1; 1:2; 1:3, or to form patterns).
• the numbers 513 and 515, 515A indicate movable thread guides for supplying thread to the needles. All these mechanisms are known per se. In Fig.
• the needle 501 is shown in the highest position where it has to remain during the subsequent formation of the interlacing; the needles 501 are disposed with a 2:1 selection, or with other selections; the remaining needles (not illustrated) of the same needle plate are also raised and then descend under the stitch- forming cam, taking the thread from the thread guide 513.
• the needle 502 of the opposite needle plate 2 is shown in the phase of descent under the action of the stitch cam 506 and takes the thread from the thread guide 515; all the other needles of the same needle plate operate in the same way.
• the needles 502 also in a 2:1 selection or equivalent, physically knit the joining interlacing between the two parts of what will be the tubular fabric to be formed subsequently; the needles 502 are shown in the phase of descent under the action of the stitch cam 506; they therefore have the lugs of their corresponding oscillating jacks 504 in the active position.
• the needles 502 also deposit the thread of the thread guide 501 (which is raised) on to the shanks of the needles 515, thus forming a joining interlacing such as P or C.
• the other needles excluded from the 2:1 selection are not raised and therefore remain inactive in this phase.
• Fig. 13 shows the formation of the tubular fabric with its two sides MG1 and MG2, each of which is formed on one of the two opposing needle plates.
• Fig. 14 shows the -formation of the part of the elastic hem BB at the border of the body MB; inside the tube MB, there will be seen two other tubes which form the said hem BB.
• This process is also part of the known art; the said hem is normally formed, because of the exclusion of two out of three or three out of four needles (or another selection) from the operation, in such a way that the first needles hold the bushes located on them, while the progressive working of the others forms the pockets which constitute the hem BB.
• the needle plates 1 and 2 are slightly separated from each other to facilitate the dropping of the finished article, at the moment when the hem BB is released by the needles which have formed it. It is to be understood that the drawing shows only an example provided solely as a practical demonstration of the invention, and that this invention may be varied in its forms and arrangements without thereby departing from the scope of the guiding concept of the invention. The presence of reference numbers in the enclosed claims has the purpose of facilitating the reading of the claims with reference to the description and to the drawing, and does not limit the scope of protection represented by the claims.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Textile Engineering (AREA)
• Knitting Machines (AREA)
• Socks And Pantyhose (AREA)

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Publications (1)

Family

ID=11350507

Family Applications (1)

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Citations (3)

• 1993
  • 1993-06-23 IT IT93FI000118A patent/IT1265873B1/it active IP Right Grant
• 1994
  • 1994-06-16 TW TW083105442A patent/TW257804B/zh active
  • 1994-06-21 CA CA002163452A patent/CA2163452A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1994-06-21 JP JP7502630A patent/JPH08511835A/ja active Pending
  • 1994-06-21 WO PCT/IT1994/000087 patent/WO1995000689A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1994-06-21 KR KR1019950705873A patent/KR960703182A/ko not_active Abandoned
  • 1994-06-21 SK SK1590-95A patent/SK159095A3/sk unknown
  • 1994-06-21 CZ CZ953440A patent/CZ344095A3/cs unknown

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