US2217521A - Knitting machine - Google Patents

Description

M. c. MILLER KNITTING MACHINE 3 Sheds-Sheet 1 Filed May 29, 1937 QNN QWN.

INVENTOR R Z M BY 22-! MM W ATTORN EYS Oct; 8, 1940.

M. c. MILLER" KNI'J' TING MACHINE a Shets-Sheet 2 Filed May 29, 1957 Oct. 8, 1940. M. c. MILLER 2,217,521

KNITTING MACHINE Filed May 29, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ,wa 5 BY *aJ W I ATT NEY Patented Oct. 8, a

KNITTING MACHINE Max 0. Miller, Cumberland, B. 1., minor to Knitting Machine Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application May 29, 1937, Serial No. 145,498 so, Claims. (01. as-as) The present invention relates to improvements in welt mechanism for flat knitting machines,

and more particularly to improvements in takeup mechanism for engaging with and tensioning the fold of welt fabric away from the needles.

The invention is herein disclosedin a preferred form as embodied in a full-fashioned machine having automatic devices for setting up an initial course of welt fabric, and for thereafter turning the welt, together with take-up mechanism including a welt wire for each knitting section and take-up devices associated therewith which are automatically tripped into -active,operation prior to the turning of the welt. With this construction and arrangement of the weltturning mechani'sm, it is necessary for the operator to lay in the welt wires and attach them to the usual fabric take-up straps after commencing the new set. Experience has shown that in the operation of 0 high speed full-fashioned machines of either the single or multiple section type :1 which the operator has the care of a relatively large number of knitting sections, the operator has not a sufficient amount of time in which to lay in the welt wires and to attach the usual fabric take-ups thereto during the knitting of the initial courses of the welt fabric, with the result that the machine must be stopped or an assistant employed to assist in this operation.

:10 It is a principal object of the present invention to provide novel and improved welt fabric take-up mechanism including supporting and actuating means for the take-up wires constructed and arranged for fully automatic operation to :5 engage with and take up the knitted fabric without the necessity of any particular attention on the part of the operator after the commencing of the new set.

It is more specifically an object of the present invention to provide mechanism for laying in and supporting the welt wires which will enable these wires tobe placed in position during the knitting of a previous set at some stage in the operation when more time is available, and thereafter to be operatively connected with fabric take-up means operating in the usual manner to tension the fabric away from the needles.

It is a further object of the invention to provide supporting and actuating devices for the 50 weltwires and the take-up means associated therewith, constructed and arranged for auto- \matic operation to engage the take-up means with and to move the welt wires into active operation during the knitting of the welt fabric.

5 With these and other objects in view, as may hereinafter appear, the several features of the invention consist also in the devices, combinations and arrangement of parts which together with the advantages to be obtained thereby will be readily understood by one skilled in the art from 5 the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a partial view in front elevation of a fiat fullfashioned knitting machine, only so much of the machine being shown as is believed necessary to ill illustrate the connection of the present invention therewith; Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2- -2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail 'view of the hook portion of the wire pendant take-up illustrated in Fig. 2; Fig. 4. is a detail 15 view of the parts shown in Fig. 3 looking from the left; Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of the picot bar and welt wire support secured thereto; Fig. 6 is a detail plan view illustrating substantially the parts shown in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a detail view in front elevation of portions of the fabric take-up mechanism illustrated in Fig. 2; and

Figs. 8 to 14 inclusive, are a series of partial views on an enlarged scale looking from the left, illustrating. particularly the relative positions of the 25 needles, the narrowing machine including the picot bar and welt wire support and welt wire take-up, during the successive stages of the operation to engage the take-up with and move the welt wire into engagement with the welt fabric. 80

The machine disclosed in the drawings comprises a. flat full-fashioned multiple section knitting machine which may be of ordinary descrip-- tion, and is provided with an automatic welt turning mechanism which is substantially iden- 35 tical except as hereinafter set forth, with that set forth in applicant's copending application Serial No. 726,285, filed May 18, 1934. The knitting instrumentalities of the machine, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, include a series of spring 49 beard. needles 20 for each knitting section, supported on needle bars 22 for movement with relation to a fixed press edge formed on the sinker bed 24, knockovers -26 and yarn measuring sinkers 2B. The machine is also provided with the usual narrowing machine frame including the vertically movablenarrowing machine support bar 30 having secured thereto brackets 32 for the narrowing point rods 34 and narrowing point units 36. Thereis also provided with each section of the machine, a picot bar 38 carrying picot points 40 and rotatably mounted on a picot rod 52 which is supported in the usual manner in brackets (not shown) for vertical movement with the narrowing machine support rod 30. The 55 work table of the machine is shown at 44 mounted on the usual transverse machine frame members SJ The welt turning mechanism for the machine, comprises a welt hook bar 50 for each section of the machine, having vertically arranged welt hooks 52,.and supported for movement toward and away from the needles on a pendant 5| which is pivotally supported above the needles on a pivot shaft 56. The shaft 56 is in turn supported for vertical movement on supporting lever arms 58 mounted to turn on a shaft 60. For supporting certain operating mechanisms of the machine, and more particularly the welt shaft 56, upwardly extending brackets 62 are provided at spaced intervals along the machine length rigidly mounted at their lower ends on the: work table 44. Inasmuch as these mechanisms as thus far described, are fully illustrated and described in applicants copending application above referred to, and form specifically no part of the present invention, no further description or illustration thereof is believed necessary.

In carrying out the present invention, a fabric take-up mechanism is provided having a number of novel features of construction and mode of operation to enable the welt wires to be laid into the machine prior to the commencing of a new set, and subsequently to be brought into active operation automatically during the knitting of the welt fabric to engage with and take up the fold of welt fabric. The instrumentalities employed for these purposes in the preferred form of the invention illustrated, comprise supporting means for the welt wires constructed and arranged to support the welt wires in a position which will not interfere with the operation of the various knitting instrumentalities of the machine including the pendant welt bar, above described, and an. auxiliary fabric take-up device which is constructed and arranged to engage with and move the welt wires away from their supports to engage with and tension the fold of welt fabric away from the needles, and subsequently after the knitting of a sufficient amount of additional fabric, to cause the welt wires and fabric engaged thereby to be operatively connected with and wound upon the usual fabric take-up rolls of the machine. The auxiliary take-up, having delivered the welt wires and fabric supported thereon to the fabric rollers, may then be returned to inoperative position and can be utilized in the knitting of the next succeeding set without any necessity on the part of the operator for first clearing the fabric take-up rollers of the previously cast-off set. To further facilitate in the operation of the device, it is contemplated that a spare set of welt wires will be employed which may be laid in on their supports during the latter stages of the knitting of the set and before the welt wires utilized in knitting the previous set are removed from the machine.

In accordance with one feature of the invention, supporting means are provided for the welt wires, constructed and arranged to permit the laying in of the welt wires on their supports during the knitting of a previous set, in such a position that they will not interfere in any way with the operation of the various cooperating mechanisms of the machine, and may subsequently be brought into active operation during the knitting of the weltfabric, without the necessity of further individual attention on the part of the operator.

As best shown in Figs. 2, 5 and 6 of the drawings, two welt wire supporting brackets 10 are rigidly secured to each picot bar 39, one being mounted adjacent each end of the bar. The brackets 10 are provided with recesses 12 to .receive the welt wire 14 which is provided adjacent each end thereof with a reduced portion in the form of an annular groove 16 arranged to fit within the recess 12. The brackets 10 are mounted in an inverted position on the outer or forward face of the picot bar 98, so that when the picot bars 39 are swung upwardly to their inoperative position, the open ends of the recess I2 will face upwardly to permit the operator conveniently to drop the welt wire into its holder. Each of the brackets 10 is slotted to receive a spring lock latch 18 pivotally supported on a pin 80, and provided with a V-shaped'cam surface arranged 'to project across the slot I2. A small compression spring 82 seated in a recess in the bracket 10, tends to maintain the latch 18 in a fully advanced position against a stop pin 84 to prevent the falling out of the welt wire 14 when the picot bar 99 with the'brackets I0 is swung forwardly and down to its operative position. With this construction and arrangement of the welt wire support, it will readily be seen that the welt wire 14 may be laid into its holders 12 at any time during the knitting of the previous set after the picot bar 38 has been raised to its inoperative position, and while so supported, will not interfere with the operation of the various cooperating mechanisms of the machine, and more particularly with the movement of the welt bar 50 and pendant 54 to engage with and remove from the needles the initial course of welt fabric. When the picot bars 38 are now swung downwardly to their operative positions in the usual manner for the knitting of the picot or halfway special welt course, the welt wires are at the same time moved into position for subsequent engagement by the take-up, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

The fabric take-up mechanism illustrated as embodying in a preferred form certain features of applicant's invention, comprises the usual fabric take-up rollers 99, one being provided for each knitting section of the machine rigidly secured to a take-up shaft 92 rotatably mounted in stationary brackets 94 on the transverse frames 46. The shaft 92 may be tensioned by any convenient means as, for instance, by means of weights 9|, take-up strap 93 and pulley 95, connected to turn with shaft 92 by pawl 91 and ratchet 99 (see Fig. 1), to impart a rotatable take-up tensioning strain to the fabric take-up rollers 90.

In accordance with one feature of the invention, a novel take-up device is employed to engage with and tension the welt wires 14 against the fabric, and thereafter to cause the welt wires and fabric attached thereto, to be connected with and rolled onto the take-up rollers 90. The welt wire take-up, as best shown in Figs, 1 and 2, comprises a pair of resilient wire pendants 96 for each knitting section, which are rigidly secured at their upper ends to a welt wire take-up shaft 98 supported at intervals along the length of the machine by extension brackets I00 adjustably supported on a fixed shaft I02 mounted on the overhead brackets 62. Each of the wire pendants 96 is adjacent its lower end sloped ranged to be moved rearwardly and to be sup- 1 with and rolled .orito the usual take-up rollers receive a hook I04 which is provided with a pin I08 by means of a small tensionspring IIO adjacent. the hub portion thereof, with a lug connected between the tail of the hook I04 and I60 for engagement with a notched tail portion a bracket II2 on the wire pendant 96. The I62 formed on'one of the grabs I50. A-torsion bracket 2 also carries a pivot pin II4 which spring I64 coiled about the pivot pin I54 and provides a pivotal support for a locking latch secured at one end to a collar I66 thereon (see member II6 having a curved contact surface II8 Fig. 1), and at its other end to the hub of the for engagement with the welt wires I4. .The latch lever I52, tends normally to maintain the latch member I I6 is held yielding-1y in operative lever in latching position. A stop screw I63 supposition by means of a small compression spring ported on an arm of the latch lever I52 is ar- I20 seated in a recess formed in the wire pendant ranged for engagement a ainst the sl ve hub 96. For controlling the operation of the wire for the idler roller I26 .to limit the rearward pendants 96, there is secured to the rock shaft m v ment of the latch lever I52 under the pies 98, a downwardly extending arm I24 which i sure of its spring. The forward movement of tensioned forwardly by means of a take-up strap the pendant take-ups 06 and lever arm I24 under I26 passing over an idler roller I28, being con-- the influence of the take-upstrap is limited nected at one 'end to the arm I24, and at its y he en a ement of the lever arm I24 with a other end to a weight I29. stop screw I'I0 supported on an upward exten- .Thewire pendants are constructed and sion I12 of the stationary bracket I56.

The operation may be briefly described as follows: I

ported in close proximity to the needles for en- Let us assume that the fabric has been pressed gagement with the welt wires I4 by means of a latch mechanism which comprises a latch lever I30 pivotally supported on a bracket I32 secured to the adjustable supporting arm I00, and is pro-- vided at its forward end with a hook arranged th pendant ta -ups 96 ar in th positi for engagement with a lug I34 on the lever arm shown in dotndh lin wi h I24. .At its rear end the latch lever I30 is prograbs I50 not in their locked position as shown in vided with a pin I36 for engagement within a. Sol d l es in y' e o of the act t a slot formed by the looped upper end of a link I38. The link I38 extends downwardly through with the lever I24. The spare set of welt wires an aperture formed in the usual picot coverplate I4, at this time, are all in position in their sup- I40, and has screw-threadedto its-lower end an ports e machine iS pped at t time adjustable lock nut I42 which is arranged during the downward movement of the narrowing their respective rolls 90, the operator, prepares machine in forming the picot, to engage against the turned welt mechanism for action, as dethe under side of the cover plate torelease scribed in the copending welt application. The the latch and permit the movement of the pendpendant take-ups 96 and lever or levers I24 are ant take-up members 96 away from the needles, now swungforward manually into their solid line as more fully set forth in connectionwith the position, Fig.- 2,'where they are locked in posifollowing description of the operation of the detion by the latch or latches I30. The take-up vice. A tension spring I44 secured at one end rollers 90 and grabs I50 secured thereto, are now 90 in the ordinary manner. During this time the to the bracket I32 and at its other end to a collar turned to the solid line position shown in Fig. 2,-

I46 on the link I38, tends to-swingthe latch lever I30 in a clockwise direction as shown in Fig. 2; into latching position, this movement being limited by the engagement of a stop screw I48 on the latch lever, with a forward extension of the bracket I32.

Further in accordance with the present invenin which they are held by the engagement of the lug I60 on latch lever I52 with the notched tail I62. The machine is now put into power operation, the welt pendants functioning a described in the copending application, to form the fabric set-up and to take up the fabric as it is knitted. After a short length of welt fabric counterweight take-up pendant lever I24 and and without taking the'prev'ious .set of fabrics oil tall carries a stop screw I58. for' engagement with Y which is held yieldingly in position against a stop the control lever I24. The lever I52 is provided off and that it is wound around the fabric rolls the upper screw I58 of the lever I52 is in contact 1 tion, mechanism is provided which is rendered has been formed and before it is necessary to operative during the continued knitting of the stocking blank, to disconnect the welt wires I4 and fabric held thereon, from the pendant takeups 96, and to cause the fabric to be engaged form the picot or half-way special welt course, the operator, following the customary procedure in full-fashioned machines, manually turns down the picot bar to the position shown in Fig. 9.

90. ,To this end, a hook-shaped grab I50 is chine then causes the narrowing machine on rigidly secured to each end of the take-up roller which the picot bar is supported, to move down- 90 associated With each knitting section to enward to commence the forming of the picot gage with and receive-the welt wire I4 from course. As the narrowing machine makes this the pendant take-up hooks I04. The take-up downward movement,rthe welt wires I4 engage roller shaft 92 and rollers 90 with the grabs I58, the rearwardly sloping lower ends of the pendant are nor ally h in a predetermined u ar take-ups 96 as shown in Fig. 10. As these wires position against the pressure of the usual akeare flexible, they will, upon continued downward upstraps and weights associated therewith, by movement of the narrowing machine and welt means of a latch mechanism which is arranged wires I4, be forced outwardly in'the' direction of to be t pp y the forward movement of the. the arrow, Fig. l0, so that the welt wires will encontrol lever I24 when the knitting of the fabric gage th and fold upwardly t hooks m4 has progressed far enough to bring the welt wires against the pull of their springs I I0, illustrated in I4 supported by the pendant take-ups into posi- Fig. 3, and so snap' by the lower end of these tion to be engaged by the grabs. This trip mechhooks allowing the take-ups 96 to return again At the proper time the pattern chain of the maanism comprises an upwardly extending lever I52 into the position shown in Fig. 11. During this which is pivoted at its lower end on a. pin I54 first or loop taking down movement, the narrowona stationary bracket I56, and atits upper end ing machine does not move downwardly far enough to engage stop nut I42 on the link I38 with the guard rail I40, and so does not actuate and disengage the latch I30 from the lug I34 of the lever I24, Fig. 2. The narrowing machine then lifts from the Fig. 11 position to a position where the welt wires almost contact the lower surface of the latches H6, but without any effect thereon. In this intermediate position, the narrowing machine restsa moment as is customary to permit a lateral movement of the picot point bars before the narrowing machine continues its second and more extended downward movement, which movement now causes the guard rail I40 to engage with and depress the stop nut I42 and link I38, to disengage the latch I30 from the lug I34, thereby permitting the welt wires I4 to be acted upon by the take-up cord I26, in this manner positioning the hooks I04 against the welt wires I4, as shown in Fig. 12. Continued upward movement of the narrowing machine incidental to the transfer of the loops now on the picot points to the needles, causes the welt wires I4 to assume the position shown in Fig. 13, the latches II6 spring-seatedly holding them in this position while the continued upward movement of the narrowing machine causes the welt wires to snap out of their supporting slots I2 past the spring-seated lock latches I8. The welt wires now assume the'position shown in Fig. 14, to engage with and tension the fabric beneaththe welt hooks 52. This doubling of the welt fabric and thetakingover of the fabric take-up action by the welt wires I4, takes place before the welt pendants have reached the end of their outward or fabric take-up movement, so that, for at least some few courses, the welt hooks 52 and the welt wires I4 both act to take up the fabric. Shortly thereafter, the welt hooks reach the end of their outward movement and the welt wires I4 alone take over the action of taking up the fabric.

As in ordinary practice, the operator, after, forming the picot course just described, manu.-"

ally turns up the picot bars into the position shown in Fig. 2, doing this at any time during the knitting of the leg but before the first narrowing machine leg shaping movement. After they have been so turned up, the operator, manually and while the machine is knitting, lays into the supporting slots I2, a spare set of welt wires I4 which are the wires that are going to be used in the next set. These welt wires I4 will in no way interfere with the ordinary motion of the narrowing machine, as the picot bars which support them will not be turned down again until the next set.

When sufficient fabric has been knitted, the

pendant take-ups 96 and the take-up arm or arms I24 will reach the position shown in dotandadash lines in Fig. 2, in which they have just started to contact the upper adjusting screw of the latch lever I52. As morefabric is knitted, the lever I24 acts against the latch lever I52 to disengage the lug I60 from the tail I62 of the grab I50, so that the regular fabric take-up counterweight, not shown, is permitted to turn the take-up rolls 90 in a clockwise direction (see Fig. 2), thereby causing all the grabs I50 to assume the dot-and-dash position shown in Fig. 2. These grabs I50 engage with the take-up wires I4, and as the pendant take-ups 96 continue to take up the fabric, cause the take-up wires I4 to be cammed out of their hooks I04 and spring-pressed lock latches H6 at about the time the welt wires are immediately above the axes of the take-up rolls 90, the inner curve of the grabs I50 being so formed as to gradually bring the welt wires and fabric in contact with the outer circumference of the fabric rolls 90. The pendant take-ups 96 released from engagement with the welt wires I4, move outwardly to an inoperative position determined by the engagement of the lever arm I24 with the stop I58, as shown in dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 2. The fabric during continued knitting is wrapped around take-up. rolls 90 as in ordinary practice.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiment shown, and that various deviations may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims,

What is claimed is:

1. In a flat knitting machine having welt turning mechanism associated therewith, the combination with a welt wire, of a support on which the welt wire'is located in position for subsequent engagement with the welt fabric, a fabric take-up, and means for imparting positioning movement to the take-up and to the support to operatively connect the take-up with the welt wire.

2. In a flat knitting machine having a welt turning mechanism, the combination with a welt wire, of a support for the welt wire, fabric takeup means including hook elements for engaging the welt wire, and means for imparting relative positioning movement to the take-up means and support to engage the hooks with the welt wire while held on said support and for thereafter moving the welt wire to take up the fabric,

3. In a fiat knitting machine having a narrowing frame and welt turning mechanism associated therewith, the combination with a welt wire, of a support for the welt wire on the narrowing frame, a fabric take-up, and supporting means on which the take-up is movable to engage with and draw the welt wire against the welt portion. of the fabric,

4. In a fiat knitting machine having a narrowing frame and welt turning mechanism associated therewith, the combination with a welt wire, of a. support for the welt wire on the narrowing frame, a fabric take-up, and means for imparting relative positioning movements to the narrowing' frame and take-up to operatively connect the take-up with the welt wire.

5. In a flat knitting machine having a series of needles and cooperating knitting elements including a narrowing frame and welt turning mechanism associated therewith, the combination of'a picot bar, pivotal supporting means on the narrowing frame on which the picot bar is movable into and out of operative position, a welt wire, and a welt wire support mounted 'to move as,a unit with the picot bar.

6.'In a fiat knitting machine having a series of needles and cooperating knitting elements including a narrowing frame and welt turning mechanism associated therewith, the combination of a picot bar, pivotal supporting means on the narrowing frame on which the picot bar is movable into and out of operative position, a welt wire, and a welt wire-support on the picot bar comprising'holders and latches associated therewith for positioning the welt wires.

'7. In a fiat knitting machine having a series of needles and cooperatingknitting elements including a narrowing frame anifwelt turning mechanism associated therewith, the combination of a picot bar, pivotal supporting means on the narrowing frame on which the plcot bar is movable into and out of operative position, a welt wire,

and a welt wire support comprising holders supported integrally with the plcot bar slotted to receive a welt wire and spring latches for retaining the welt wiresin the recesses.

8. Inc. fiat knitting machine having a series of needles and cooperating knitting elements including a-narrowing frame and welt turning mechanism associated therewith, the combination of a plcot bar supported for movement on the frame into and out of operative position, a welt wire, a support mounted on the picot bar on which the welt wire is located for subsequent engagement with the welt fabric, a fabric take-up, and a take-up support on which the take-up is movable to engage with and draw the welt wire against the welt portion of the fabric.

91 In a flat knitting machine having a series of needles and cooperating knitting elements including a narrowing frame and welt turning mechanism associated therewith, the combination of a plcot bar supported for movement on the frame into and out of operative position, a welt wire, a

welt wire support movable with the plcot bar,

fabric take-up means including hook elements for engaging the welt wire, and supporting and guiding means for the take-up arranged for the operative position of the plcot bar and welt wire support to engage the hooks with and move the -welt wire against the welt portion of the fabric.

10. In a flat knitting machine having a series of needles and cooperating knitting elements including a narrowing frame and welt turning mechanism associated therewith, the combination of a plcot bar pivotaliy mounted on the frame for movement into and out of operative position, a welt wire, a support for the welt wire movable with the picot bar and arranged for the operative position of the bar to position the welt wire on that side of the welt bar remote from the needle series, fabric take-up means including hook elements for engaging the welt wire, and supporting and guiding means for the take-up arranged for the operative position of the picot bar and welt wire. support-to engage the hooks with and'move the welt wire against the welt portion of the fabric.

11. In a hat knitting machine having welt turning mechanism associated therewith, the

combination with a welt wire, of a support on which the welt wire is located for subsequent engagement with the welt fabric, a fabric roller take-up, intervening take-up means including welt wire engaging members. actuating means for operatively connecting said intervening takeup to tension the welt wire against the fabric, and means for-automatically transferring the welt wire and fabric engaged. thereby from said intervening take-up welt wire engaging members to the fabric roller take-up,

12. In a flat knitting machine having a series of needles and welt turning mechanism associ ated therewith, the comibination with a welt wire, of a support on which the welt wire is located in position for subsequent engagement with the welt fabric, a pendant fabric take-up comprising a pivotal support located above the needles, re-

- silient take-up members supported therefrom ara latch forlocking the roller take-up out of operation, and connections actuated from said pendant take-up to release the latch.

13. In a flat knitting machine having welt turning mechanism associated therewith, the combination with instrumentalities for setting up and for taking up the welt fabric as knitted, a main fabric take-up, an intermediate take-up arranged to take up a fold of welt fabric, means for rendering said intermediate take-up operative and said instrumentalities inoperative to take up the fabric, and means for rendering said intermediate take-up inoperative and said main take-up operative to continue said fabric takeup action.

14. In a flat knitting machine having welt tuming mechanism associated therewith, the combination with instrumentalities for setting up and for taking up the welt fabric as knitted, a main fabric take-up, an intermediate fabric take-up take-up operative to continue said fabric take-up action.

15. In a flat knitting machine having welt turning mechanism associated therewith, the combination with instrumentalities for setting up and taking up the welt fabric as knitted, a welt wire, an intermediate fabric take-up connectible with the welt wire to take up a fold of welt fabric, a mainfabric take-up, and means for rendering said intervening take-up inoperative and said main take-up operative to take up the welt wire and fabric attached thereto.

16. In a multiple section flat full-fashioned knitting machine having a welt turning mechanism associated therewith, the combination with instrumentalities for setting up and taking up thewelt fabric as knitted, a welt wire for each knitting section, an intermediate fabric take-up for each section connectible with the welt wire to take up a fold of welt fabric, a main fabric takeup for each section, and means for rendering said intermediate take-ups simultaneously inoperativeand for rendering said main take-ups simultaneously operative to take up the welt wires and fabrics attached thereto.

1'1. In a fiat knitting machine having welt tuming mechanism associated therewith, the combination with instrumentalities for setting up and taking up the welt fabric as knitted, a wait wire, an intermediate fabric take-up connectible with the welt wire to take-up a fold of the welt fabric,

ative to take'up the welt wire and fabric attached thereto.

18. In a flat knitting machine having welt turning mechanism associated therewith, the combination with instrumentalities arranged to set up and to take'up the welt fabric as knitted, a support into which the welt wire can be laid prior to the time it is required, a main fabric take-up, an intervening fabric take-up, actuating means for operatively connecting said intervening take-up with the welt wire and for tensioning the welt wire against the fabric, and means for rendering said intervening take-up inoperative sitioning movement to the support and take-"up,

means to engage the take-up with the welt wire and for thereafter moving the welt wire to take up a fold of welt fabric, and control means for rendering said last mentioned means operative to cause the welt wire to take up the fabric during the continued take-up action of said instrumentalities.

20. In a fiat full-fashioned knitting machine "arranged for knitting welt fabric, a fabric take-up device including a welt wire and take-up means connected thereto, a support into which the welt wire can be laid prior to the time that it is required, and means for relatively moving the support and take-up means to operatively connect the welt wire with the take-up means while held in said support, said support and welt wire having surfaces disposed transversely of said ,welt wire for operative engagement to control the lengthwise poshaion of the welt wire. 7

21. Ina flat full-fashioned knitting machine arrangedfor knitting welt fabric, a welt wire having formed therein annular groove portions, 2. weltwire support comprising slotted supporting elements engaging with said annular grooves, a fabric take-up means including welt wire engaging members engageable with said grooves, and means for relatively moving the support and take-up means to operatively connect said welt wire engaging members with the groove portions of said welt wire and to take up the fabric;

22. In a flat knitting machine arranged for knitting welted fabric, the combination with a narrowing frame, of a welt wire, a fabric take-up connectible with the welt wire, means for supporting the take-up in position to receive the welt wire, and means controlled by movement of the narrowing frame to cause the take-up to take up the fabric.

23. In a flat knitting machine adapted for knitting welted fabrics, the combination with a narrowing frame, of a welt wire, a support for he welt wire and the narrowing frame, a fabric take-up connectible with the welt wire, means for. supporting the fabric take-up in position to receive the welt wire from the support, and means controlled by a clipping movement of the narrowing frame to operatively connect the welt wire .with the take-up.

24. In a flat knitting machine adapted for knitting welted fabrics, the combination with a narrowing frame, of a. welt wire, a support for the welt wire on the narrowing frame, a fabric take-up connectible with the welt wire, means for supporting the fabric take-up in position to receive the welt wire from the support, means controlled by a dipping movement of the narrowing frame to operatively connect the welt wire with the take-up, and thereafter to cause the welt wire and take-up to take up the fabric.

25. In a flat knitting machine having a series of needles and welt turning mechanism associated therewith, the combination with a welt wire, of support on which the welt wire is located for subsequent engagement with the welt fabric, a fabric take-up comprising a pivotally mounted swinging supported thereon for engagement with the welt wire, and latching means for retaining the'welt wire in engagement with said take-up members, and means for imparting relative movement to the support and take-up to operatively connect the welt wire from the support with said take-up.

27. In a flat knitting machine having welt turning mechanism associated therewith, the combination with a welt wire, of a support on which the welt wire is located for subsequent engagement with the welt fabric, a fabric take-up, and means for imparting relative positioning movement to the take-up and support to operatively connect the take-up with the welt wire, and thereafter to remove the welt wire from said support.

28. In a multiple section flat full-fashioned knitting machine having a welt turning mechanism associated therewith, the combination with a welt wire for each section, of a support associated with each knitting section on which the welt wire is located, fabric take-up means associated with each knitting section, means for simultaneously imparting relative positioning movements to the take-ups and supports associated with the several knitting sections to operatively connect the take-ups with the welt wires, and means for simultaneously resetting said fabric take-up means in position for said relative positioning movements.

29. In a multiple section flat full-fashioned knitting machine having a welt turning mechanism associated therewith, the combination with a welt wire for each section, of a support associated with each knitting section on which the welt wire is located, fabric take-up means associated with each knitting section, positioning means for said take-ups including latching means, means for simultaneously imparting relative positioning movements to said supports and to said take-ups under the control of said latching means to operatively connect the take-up with the welt wire, and means for simultaneously resetting said fabric take-ups in latched position.

30. In a multiple section fiat full-fashioned knitting machine having a welt turning mechanism associated therewith, the combination with a weltwire for each section, of a support associated with each knitting section on which the welt wire is located, fabric take-up means associated with each knitting section, locating means for said take-ups including latching means, means for simultaneously imparting relative positioning movement to the supports and take-ups under the control of said latching means to operatively connect the take-ups with the welt wires and for releasing said latching-means to engage the Welt wires against the fabric, and means for simultaneously resetting said fabric take-ups in latched position.

31. In a fiat knitting machine arranged for mechanically turning the welt, a welt bar, a welt wire, a welt wire support mounted independently ,of and movable with relation to the welt bar into was 5 connect the take-up with the welt wire to tension the fold of welt fabric.

32. In a flat knitting machine arranged for mechanically turning the welt, the combination with a needle series, a welt bar,-and means for inparting a draw-oi! action to the welt bar to take up the fabric,

movable with relation to the welt bar into which the welt wire can be laid in advance of the time it is required, fabric take-up means, and automatic means for imparting relative positioning movement to the take-up and support to operatively connect the take-up with the welt wire to tension the fold of welt fabric during continued take-up of the welt bar.

33. In a flat knitting machine arranged for mechanically turning the welt, a welt wire, a support on which the welt wire is positioned, fabric take-up means, and means for automatically imparting relative positioning movement to the takeup and support to operatively connect the take-up with the welt wire, said support and take-up being constructed and having the relative movement thereof arranged to cause the welt wire to be positively and continuously supported and controlled at all times by said support and take-up. 34. In a flat knitting machine arranged for mechanically turning the welt, awelt wire, a support on which the welt wire is positioned, fabric take-up means, means for automatically imparting relative positioning movement to the takeup and support to operatively connect the takeup with the welt wire, said support and take-up being constructed and having the relative movement thereof arranged to cause the'welt wire to 9 be positively and continuously supported and controlled at all times by said support and take-up, and including restraining means to prevent endwise movement of the welt wire in its support.

35. In a flat knitting machine arranged for mechanically turning the welt, a welt wire, a support on which the welt wireiLpositioned, fabrictake-up means, and means for automatically imparting relative V positioning movement to the take-up and support to op'eratively connect the take-up with the welt wirewhile held in said support, andrestraining me v of said support and take-up to prevent endwise movement of the welt wire.

38. In a flat knitting machine arranged for turningtheweltowe M D- taneously resetting said fabric take-ups in posiated with each port on which the welt wire is positioned, fabric take-up means including welt wire engaging I hooks, and means for automatically imparting relative positioning movement to the take-up and support to operatively connect the take-up with the-welt wire, said support and take-up being constructed and having the relative movement thereof arranged to cause the welt wire to be positively supported and controlled at all times by said support and take-up, and including rea welt wire, a welt wire support straining elements associated with the take-up hooks having a resilient action to hold the welt nism associated therewith, the combination with a welt wire for each section, of a support associated with each knitting section on which the welt wire is located, fabric take-up means associated with each knitting section, means for simultaneously imparting relative positioning movements to the take-ups and supports associated with the several knitting sections to operatively connect the take-ups with the welt wires, said supports and take-ups being constructed and having the relative movement thereofarranged to cause the welt wires to be positively and continuously supported and controlled at all times by said supports and take-ups,.and means for simultion for said relative positioning movements.

38. In a flat, knittingv machine arranged for mechanically turning the welt, the combination with a welt wire, of a support into which the wire can be laid prior to the time that it is required, restraining means for holding the welt wire in its support, a fabric-take-up, and means for imparting relative positioning .movement to the take-up and support to operatively connect the take-up with the welt wire, and thereafter to remove the welt wire from the support;

39. In a flat knitting machine arranged for mechanically turning the welt, the combination with a welt wire, of a support into which the welt wire can be laid prior tothe time when it is required, and movable to locate the welt wire in active position, restraining means for holding the welt wire in its support, a fabric take-up, and means for imparting relative positioning movement to the take-up and support to operatively connect the take-up with the welt wire, and thereafter toremovethewelt wire fromthe sup-- MAZC. mm.

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