JP5543780B2 - Flat knitting machine and its yarn feeding method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a flat knitting machine for knitting a knitted fabric by supplying knitting yarn to a knitting needle performing a knitting operation, and a yarn feeding method thereof.

  Conventionally, in a flat knitting machine, a knitting needle arranged in parallel with a needle bed is selectively driven by a cam mounted on a carriage that runs along the needle bed to knit a knitted fabric. In the V bed type flat knitting machine, the pair of needle beds are arranged in the front-rear direction so as to face each other across the mouth. The tooth opening extends in the left-right direction of the flat knitting machine, and each needle bed is inclined such that the side of the tooth opening is high and the distance from the tooth opening is low. The knitting needles that are selectively driven in each needle bed advance and retreat into the mouth, and receive a knitting yarn from above the mouth to form a stitch. The knitting yarn to be fed to the knitting needle is supplied to the knitting needle from a yarn feeding port provided in a carrier such as a yarn feeder that runs along a yarn path rail installed above the mouth. By providing a plurality of carriers and selectively entraining them with a carriage, the knitted fabric can be knitted by switching the knitting yarns.

  FIG. 3 shows an example of the arrangement of cams mounted on the carriage. Two sets of cam systems 2 and 3 are mounted on the base plate 1 of the carriage, for example, on the left and right sides of the center line 1a. Each set of cam systems 2 and 3 includes knitting cams 2a and 3a for driving knitting needles and needle selection cams 2b and 3b for needle selection, and the left and right have the same configuration. The number of cam systems mounted on the carriage may be one set or more than three. A plurality of sets of cam systems may have the same configuration or different configurations. The knitting needles driven by the cam systems 2 and 3 configured as described above are latch needles, and hooks are provided at the tips that advance and retreat into the mouth and open and close with the latches, and a butt for needle selection is provided at the tail end side. It is done. A driving bat on which the knitting cams 2a and 3a act is provided between the front end and the tail end of the knitting needle.

  The knitting cams 2 a and 2 b guide the knitting needle driving bat along the butt passage 4. In the needle bed, needle grooves extending in a direction corresponding to the top and bottom as shown in FIG. 3 are formed so as to be arranged at a constant pitch in the left and right direction as shown in FIG. Each knitting needle is accommodated in a needle groove, and slides and displaces in the direction in which the needle groove extends in the needle groove. The butt passage 4 is formed between the upper edge of the needle raising cam 5 and the lower edge of the needle guide cam 6. On both sides of the bat passage 4, stitch cams 7 and 8, which are also referred to as degree mountains, are arranged.

  For example, it is assumed that the carriage travels so that the main plate 1 moves to the right indicated by the arrow 1R. When the knitting needle reaches the yarn catching position 4a by the guidance of the butt passage 4, the knitting yarn is supplied to the hook of the knitting needle from the yarn feeder 9 of the carrier that precedes the yarn catching position 4a by the advance amount X0. The driving bat of the knitting needle guided along the butt passage 4 starts to descend again at the yarn catching position 4a after moving to the horizontal shoulder section 4c after passing through the central chevron section 4b. In the knitting needle that is on the left side of the yarn catching position 4 a and has already been fed, the drive bat is pulled down along the slope of the stitch cam 8. During this lowering, the old loop in which the knitting yarn is captured in the hook and the knitting needle is locked on the needle stem side is knocked over. When knocking over, the hook closes with a spatula. If there is a knitting needle that forms a stitch by receiving yarn earlier than the yarn catching position 4a, the hook of the knitting needle at the yarn catching position 4a is caught by the hook of the succeeding knitting needle. The knitting yarn extending from the finished knitting yarn to the preceding yarn feeder 9 is captured. If there is no knitting needle that receives the yarn before the knitting needle at the yarn catching position 4a, the knitting needle at the yarn catching position 4a becomes the knitting end on the entry side and is fed from the old loop that is locked to the needle stem side of the knitting needle The knitting yarn extending to the yarn mouth 9 is captured by the hook.

  The carrier is entrained by engaging with entraining pins that appear and disappear from the carriage. The yarn feeder 9 of the carrier that is carrying the carriage is stationary at the yarn feeding position 9a relative to the cam system of the carriage. The yarn feeding position 9a is ahead of the yarn catching position 4a by the advance amount X0.

  When a plurality of carriers are switched and used for the control of the carriage entrainment pins, each yarn feeder 9 may occupy the same space near the tooth mouth and interfere with each other. If the carrier used before switching is retracted outside the knitting width and then the carrier used after switching is taken, interference can be avoided, but the travel distance of the carriage becomes long. In addition, like a knitted fabric of an Intarsia pattern or a Jacquard pattern, a plurality of carriers are kept within the knitting width near the boundary where a section knitting with a knitting yarn from each carrier ends and repeatedly used. In such a case, the carrier cannot be retracted outside the knitting width. In order to keep a plurality of carriers within the knitting width and to enable switching, the yarn feeder 9 needs to be movable up and down in the direction of hanging from the carrier (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In addition, a carrier that swings and displaces the yarn feeder 9 and switches between yarn feeding and retraction is also used (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

If the carrier does not move along with the carriage but can run on its own, it is expected that the traveling of the carriage required only for carrier switching can be omitted and the productivity can be improved. A patterning mechanism of a flat knitting machine that knitting an intarsia pattern or the like while switching and using a plurality of self-propelled carriers during traveling of a carriage is also disclosed (for example, see Patent Document 3). . In the fourth column, lines 5 to 16 of Patent Document 3, the portion corresponding to the yarn feeder 9 is “upper and lower slidable”, and “coil spring” is always urged for upward elasticity, It moves up and down a little when necessary depending on the handle. " This description refers to FIG. 8 of Patent Document 3, etc., and keeps the yarn feeder used for knitting a plurality of sections of the intarsia pattern at a high position by spring bias to avoid interference and use it for knitting of each section. It is interpreted that only the yarn feeder that performs is lowered by vertical movement.
Japanese Patent No. 3434370 International Publication No. 02/079556 Pamphlet Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-54150

  It is preferable that the height of the carrier in the yarn feeder 9 of the carrier for supplying the knitting yarn for causing the hook of the knitting needle to be entangled is low even above the knitting needle because the knitting yarn does not run out. However, there is a possibility that a problem may occur that the knitting needles that use the knitting yarn extending from the yarn feeder 9 that is stopped at the time of knitting such as the Intarsia pattern and the jacquard pattern accidentally eat the knitting needles for knitting. . The vertical movement mechanism of the yarn feeder 9 as in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 is provided to prevent such a problem.

  However, if the vertical movement mechanism of the yarn feeder 9 is provided, the structure of the carrier becomes complicated and the manufacturing cost increases. In addition, in a self-propelled carrier such as Patent Document 3, an increase in weight due to the provision of a vertical movement mechanism also increases a load for driving traveling.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a weft knitting machine and a yarn feeding method thereof that enable proper yarn feeding without moving the yarn feeder up and down.

In the present invention, a plurality of tracks are provided above the needle bed side of the needle bed on which the knitting needles are arranged side by side, and a carrier having a yarn feeder is self-running in each track, and is driven by a carriage that runs along the needle bed. From a position lower than the height at which the knitting yarn can be captured in the hook of the knitting needle, or from a position captured by the hook of the knitting needle that has previously been fed, In a flat knitting machine that pulls out and knits the knitted fabric while supplying yarn from the yarn feeder,
The height of the carrier yarn feeder is higher than the height at which the knitting yarn can be captured by the hook of the knitting needle so that it does not interfere with the knitting needle that advances into the tooth mouth during knitting even if the carrier yarn feeders of different tracks intersect. Is also set high ,
By controlling the traveling speed of the carrier within one course of knitting, the amount of advance of the carrier with respect to the position of the knitting needle that receives the yarn is set to be less than the knitting needle at the end of the knitting width. And a control device that adjusts the height of the knitting yarn to be fed to the knitting needle from the yarn feeder so that the height can be captured in the hook. This is a flat knitting machine.

Further, in the present invention, the control device adjusts the advance amount of the carrier so as to increase with the knitting needle that supplies the knitting yarn to the hook next to the section in the knitting width where the knitting needle that does not supply yarn continues. It is characterized by that.

  In the present invention, the control device adjusts the advance amount by changing the speed of the carrier with respect to the carriage.

Further, according to the present invention, the knitting yarn can be captured in the hook of the knitting needle while the knitting needle performing the knitting operation by moving back and forth from the needle bed to the tooth opening with the flat knitting machine is sequentially shifted to one side of the needle bed . Knitting from a yarn feeder above the tooth opening that is higher than the height that can be pulled out from a position lower than the height or from a position captured by the hook of the knitting needle that has received yarn earlier . When knitting a knitted fabric by supplying yarn,
The advancement amount of the yarn feed port that precedes one side of the needle bed with respect to the knitting needle is set so that the yarn biting height of the knitting needle that receives the yarn feed becomes a height that can be captured in the hook . This is a yarn feeding method for a flat knitting machine, wherein the yarn is adjusted so that it is larger than the knitting needle at the end on the inlet side of the knitting needle within the knitting width excluding the knitting needle.

According to the present invention, the height of the self-propelled carrier is set to a height that does not interfere with the knitting needles that advance into the tooth opening during knitting even if the yarn feeders of the carriers of different tracks intersect. Even when used, interference with the knitting needle can be avoided. Since the yarn feeder becomes higher, it is possible to make it difficult to cause a problem that a knitting needle that uses the knitting yarn extending from the paused yarn feeder for knitting is accidentally eaten. Further, even if contact is made due to interference between the yarn feeders, no damage is caused, and there is no problem in knitting. With the knitting needle at the knitting end on the entry side of the knitting width, the advance amount of the carrier is small, so that the yarn feeder at the high position approaches the knitting needle and the knitting is performed at a position lower than the hook from the old loop locked to the needle stem side. Even when the yarn is pulled out, the knitting yarn having a height that can be caught in the hook can be eaten by the hook while it is raised to the yarn feeder at a high position. With respect to the other knitting needles within the knitting width, since the advance amount of the carrier is increased, the height of the knitting yarn to be eaten by the hook can be made lower than the height of the yarn feeder, thereby enabling yarn feeding. Even if the carrier is provided with a vertical movement mechanism and the yarn feeder is not moved up and down, the yarn can be fed. Therefore, the cost can be reduced and the load when driving can be reduced.

Further, according to the present invention, the advance amount of the carrier is adjusted so as to increase in the section where the knitting needles that do not feed yarns continue within the knitting width, so that the knitting needles that feed yarns rise to the yarn feeder at a high position. In the middle , the hook can be fed with a knitting yarn having a height that can be captured in the hook . To reduce the height of the knitting yarn, does not require the use of needles that are not used for knitting, the knitting yarn by adjusting the advancing amount of the carrier can Rukoto is trapped within the hooks.

  In addition, according to the present invention, since the advance amount of the carrier is adjusted by changing the speed according to the traveling of the carriage that drives the knitting needle, the knitting yarn can be supplied appropriately according to the knitting operation of the knitting needle.

Further, according to the present invention, the advancement amount of the yarn feeder with respect to the knitting needle is set to the end on the entry side of the knitting width so that the yarn biting height at the knitting needle receiving the yarn feed becomes a height that can be captured in the hook . Since the adjustment is made so that the knitting needle within the knitting width excluding the knitting needle is larger than the knitting needle, the yarn can be fed without moving the yarn feeder up and down.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a basic concept of a yarn feeding method of a flat knitting machine as one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a simplified electrical configuration of the flat knitting machine 20 capable of supplying knitting yarn according to the yarn supplying method shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of cams conventionally mounted on a carriage.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Yarn feeder 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 10f, ..., 10s Yarn feeding position 11, 11a, 11b, 11s Knitting yarn 12, 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f, 12s Knitting needle 14 Old loop 20 Flat knitting machine 21 Needle bed 22 Tooth mouth 23 Carriage 33 Carrier 40 Control device 41 Main controller

  FIG. 1 shows a basic concept of a yarn feeding method of a flat knitting machine as one embodiment of the present invention. (A) shows the reference | standard which sets the advance amount of a yarn feeder with respect to the knitting needle in the middle of the knitting width. (B) shows the reference | standard which adjusts the advance amount which a yarn feeder precedes with respect to the knitting needle | hook of a yarn supply object so that the yarn bite height may become appropriate according to knitting conditions.

  As shown in FIG. 1A, when the concept of the present invention is applied, the knitting yarn 11 is knitted with the knitting needle 12 even if the height of the yarn feeder 10 is higher than the appropriate height of the yarn feeder 9 serving as a conventional reference. This hook can be captured in a state close to the conventional level. For example, in the conventional example of FIG. 3, it is based on the fact that when the knitting needle at the yarn catching position 4a is fed from the yarn feeder 9 at the yarn feeding position 9a preceding by the advance amount X0, proper yarn biting is realized. FIG. 1 (a) shows that the advance amount X2 of the yarn feeder 10 is set to the yarn feeder 9 even if the knitting yarn 11 is fed to the knitting needle 12 from the yarn feeder 10 which is higher than the reference of the conventional yarn feeder 9 by y. If the advance amount X0 is increased by x, the knitting yarn 11 has the same inclination. The knitting yarn 11 extends from the hook of the knitting needle receiving yarn before the knitting needle 12 to the yarn feeders 9 and 10, for example. However, the optimum amount of advance that provides an appropriate yarn bite height varies depending on the knitting conditions relating to the knitting needle 12. The knitting needle 12 is not limited to a latch needle driven by a cam as shown in FIG. 3, but may be a compound needle disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent No. 2946323.

  When a plurality of yarn feeders 10 are used, a plurality of tracks on which the yarn feeders 10 run are arranged. If the yarn feeders 10 traveling on different tracks can cross each other, the range of the space through which the yarn feeders 10 pass is widened by the tooth mouth even if the yarn feeders 10 are allowed to contact each other to the extent that they are not damaged. It becomes easy to interfere with the knitting needle that advances. By making the height of the yarn feeder 10 higher than the conventional yarn feeder 9 by y, it is possible to avoid interference between the yarn feeder 10 and the knitting needle that advances into the tooth mouth when passing through the tooth mouth.

  In FIG. 1B, when knitting a section in which the knitting needles 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f,..., 12s are knitted, the knitting needles 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f,. It shows that it is preferable to vary the optimum advance amount based on the knitting conditions. When knitting the section of the knitting needles 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f,..., 12s by moving the yarn feeder 10 to the right, the knitting needle 12a at the left end is the entry side. Such a knitting course to the right is performed following the knitting course to the left. The carriage reverses the traveling direction as indicated by reference numeral 13. When the hook is advanced to the tooth opening in the right knitting, the stitch formed in the left knitting transitions from the hook to the needle stem as the old loop 14 in the left end knitting needle 12a.

  The knitting yarn 11a supplied from the yarn feeder 10 at the yarn feeding position 10a is transferred to the needle stem in order to form a new loop stitch on the hook of the knitting needle 12a at the left end at the beginning of knitting rightward. The old loop 14 is drawn. Since the old loop 14 is locked to the needle stem of the knitting needle 12a, the position where the knitting yarn 11a is pulled out is lower than the position of the hook of the knitting needle 12a. Also when the knitting yarn 11 is fed from the yarn feeder 10 that is advanced by the advance amount X2 as shown in FIG. 1A to the knitting needle 12a, the position at which the knitting yarn 11 is pulled out becomes low, so that the height of the yarn biting is also low. turn into. When the height of the yarn eater becomes low, the yarn is fed to the side of the needle stem where the old loop 14 is locked by the knitting needle 12a, and is knocked over together with the old loop 14 without being caught in the hook. There is a risk that the knitting yarn 11 may be broken by being caught. Therefore, for the knitting needle 12a at the input end, the advance amount X1 at the yarn supply position 10a is set smaller than the advance amount X2 at the yarn supply position 10d with respect to the intermediate knitting needle 12d, and the knitting yarn 11a is set high. It is preferable to feed the yarn at the position. In the knitting needle 12a at the knitting end on the entry side of the knitting width, the advance amount X1 of the yarn feeding position 10a is small, so that the yarn feeding port 10a at the high position approaches the knitting needle 12a and Even if the knitting yarn 11a is pulled out at a low position with respect to the hook, the knitting yarn 11a can be eaten by the hook at an appropriate height in the middle of ascending to the yarn feeder 10 at a high position.

  Following the entry side knitting needle 12a, the knitting needles 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f,. The captured knitting yarn is supplied to the hook. Accordingly, the yarn feeder 10 is advanced so that the yarn feed position 10d of the advance amount X2 as shown in FIG. To change the advance amount X1 of the yarn supply position 10a with respect to the knitting needle 12a at the knitting end to the advance amount X2 such as the yarn supply position 10d with respect to the knitting needles 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f,. It can be realized by changing the speed of self-running. However, it is difficult to instantaneously change the advance amount from X1 to X2 with respect to the knitting needle 12b adjacent to the entry-side knitting needle 12a. Accordingly, when entering the knitting needles 12b, 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f,... That form the stitches continuously, the advance amount is changed from X1 to X2 by continuous speed control of the carrier.

  When the knitting yarn 11s is fed to the hook of the knitting needle 12s after the unused knitting needles 12e, 12f,... Continue, the advance amount X3 at the yarn feeding position 10s is made larger than X2. In FIG. 1 (a), the portion corresponding to the length of the knitting yarn 11 up to the hook of the knitting needle that has already been fed on the left side of the knitting needle 12 extends, so the advance amount of the portion corresponding to the right side remains X2. If it does, the height of the knitting yarn supplied to the knitting needle 12 will become high. In order to surely feed the knitting yarn 11s to the hook of the knitting needle 12s, it is necessary to make the advance amount X3 of the yarn feeder 10 at the yarn feeding position 10s larger than X2.

  In FIG. 1A, when the knitting yarn 11 is used for the first time in setting up or the like, the left end of the drawing is held by, for example, a gripper provided at the end of the needle bed. The holding height of the knitting yarn 11 at the end of the needle bed is lower than the holding height of the knitting needle 12 on the entry side during the repeated knitting at the needle stem. When the knitting yarn 11 is first fed to the knitting needle 12, the advance amount of the yarn feeder 10 is the distance between the holding position of the knitting yarn 11 at the end of the needle bed and the knitting needle 12 which is the end on the entry side of the knitting width. Set according to. When the height of the knitting yarn 11 to be fed is increased, the advance amount is decreased, and when the height is decreased, the advance amount is increased.

  FIG. 2 shows a simplified schematic electrical configuration of a flat knitting machine 20 capable of feeding knitting yarns according to the yarn feeding method shown in FIG. The flat knitting machine 20 has a needle bed 21 extending in the left-right direction in the figure. The needle bed 21 is provided so as to make a pair in front and rear. The front and back needle beds 21 face each other with an interval between them, and the middle is a mouth 22. Although not shown, the needle bed 21 has a large number of knitting needles arranged at a constant pitch. The selective driving of the knitting needle is performed while the carriage 23 on which the cam is mounted reciprocates along the needle bed 21. A carriage rail 24 that guides the traveling of the carriage 23 is also provided at or near the needle bed 21. Driving of the carriage 23 along the needle bed 21 is driven by a motor 25 via a timing belt 26. As the motor 25, for example, a servo motor is used. A pulley 27 is attached to the output shaft of the motor 25, and an endless timing belt 26 is wound around the pulley.

  The yarn feeder 10 hangs down from a carrier 33 which is guided by a track of a carrier rail 31 installed above the tooth mouth 22 and self-runs from side to side. The height of the yarn feeder 10 can be made higher than a conventionally appropriate height. If the height of the yarn feeder 10 is increased, even when a plurality of carrier rails 31 are arranged and the yarn feeder 10 is used for each carrier rail 31, it is possible to cross each other to avoid interference between the yarn feeders 10. In addition, it is possible to avoid interference between the yarn feeder 10 and the knitting needles that advance into the tooth mouth 22. Although only one yarn feeder 10 is shown in the figure, a similar carrier 33 can be guided on the back side of the carrier rail 31, for example. In this case, the tracks on which the carrier 33 is self-propelled are provided on both sides of one carrier rail 31. A plurality of similar carrier rails 31 can be arranged in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface.

  The carrier 33 can be driven by driving a timing belt 36 with a motor 35. A pulley 37 is attached to the output shaft of the motor 35, and a timing belt 36 is stretched over the pulley 37. When a plurality of carriers 33 are used, the same configuration may be used for each carrier 33. Since the carrier 33 does not include a mechanism for moving the yarn feeder 10 up and down, the carrier 33 can be reduced in size and weight, the load on the motor 35 can be reduced, and the carrier 33 can be run at high speed. As the motor 35, a servo motor or a stepping motor can be used.

  The yarn feeding method as shown in FIG. 1 can be realized by traveling control of the carriage 23 and the carrier 33 by the control device 40. The control device 40 performs overall control of the flat knitting machine 20 and includes a driver 42 of a motor 25 that drives the carriage 23 and a driver 43 of a motor 35 that drives the carrier 33. The main controller 41 sets a plurality of knitting courses for running the carriage 23 based on the pattern data of the knitted fabric knitted by the flat knitting machine 20, and determines the knitting needles used for knitting for each knitting course. Further, the main controller 41 controls the drivers 42 and 43 to cause the carriage 23 and the carrier 33 to travel so that each knitting needle used for knitting has an appropriate advance amount at the timing of yarn digging. .

  Further, in FIG. 1B, the advance amount at the yarn feeding positions 10a, 10d, and 10s of the yarn feeder 10 is changed from X1 to X2 and further to X3 in one knitting course, but is changed from X1 to X3. It is also possible to change from X3 to X2. Any change in the advance amount can be realized by changing the speed of the yarn feeder 10.

Claims (4)

A plurality of tracks are provided above the top of the needle bed where the knitting needles are arranged side by side, and a carrier having a yarn feeder is self-propelled in each track, and is sequentially driven to the mouth by a carriage that runs along the needle bed. The knitting needle that moves forward and backward to perform the knitting operation is pulled out from a position lower than the height at which the knitting yarn can be captured in the hook of the knitting needle, or from a position captured by the hook of the knitting needle that has received yarn earlier. In a flat knitting machine that knits a knitted fabric while supplying yarn from the yarn mouth,
The height of the carrier yarn feeder is higher than the height at which the knitting yarn can be captured by the hook of the knitting needle so that it does not interfere with the knitting needle that advances into the tooth mouth during knitting even if the carrier yarn feeders of different tracks intersect. Is also set high ,
By controlling the traveling speed of the carrier within one course of knitting, the amount of advance of the carrier with respect to the position of the knitting needle that receives the yarn is set to be less than the knitting needle at the end of the knitting width. And a control device that adjusts the height of the knitting yarn to be fed to the knitting needle from the yarn feeder so that the height can be captured in the hook. A flat knitting machine. The control device adjusts the advance amount of the carrier so as to increase with a knitting needle that supplies a knitting yarn to a hook next to a section in the knitting width where a knitting needle that does not supply yarn continues. The flat knitting machine according to claim 1.   3. The flat knitting machine according to claim 1, wherein the control device adjusts the advancement amount by changing a speed of the carrier with respect to the carriage. A position lower than the height at which the knitting yarn can be captured in the hook of the knitting needle while the knitting needle performing the knitting operation by moving back and forth from the needle bed with the flat knitting machine sequentially to one side of the needle bed , Alternatively, the yarn is pulled out from the position captured by the hook of the knitting needle that has received the yarn earlier, and the knitting yarn is fed from the yarn feeder above the tooth opening that is higher than the height at which the knitting yarn can be captured by the hook of the knitting needle . When knitting fabric
The advancement amount of the yarn feed port that precedes one side of the needle bed with respect to the knitting needle is set so that the yarn biting height of the knitting needle that receives the yarn feed becomes a height that can be captured in the hook . A yarn feeding method for a flat knitting machine, wherein the yarn is adjusted so as to be larger with respect to a knitting needle within a knitting width excluding the knitting needle than with respect to a knitting needle at an end on the entry side of the flat knitting machine.

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