US2498092A - Pattern mechanism for knitting machines - Google Patents

Description

1950 A. E; PAGE ET AL PATTERN MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 17, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet l Feb, 21, 1950 A. E. PAGE ET AL 2,498,092 PATTERN MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed April 17, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 21, 195% A. E. PAGE ET AL PATTERN MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 17, 1946 as v 8 llnlnlur 25 Feb. 23, 1950 A, E. PAGE ET AL PATTERN MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed April. 17, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I /or #37 5 f page Patented Feb. 21, 1959 PATTERN MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Albert E. Page and Frank R. Page, Laconia, N. H., assignors to Scott & Williams, Incorporated, Laconia, N. H., a corporation of Massachusetts Application April 17, 1946, Serial No. 652,866

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a pattern mechanism for a knitting machine and has particular reference to the provision of an auxiliary pattern mechanism controlled from the main pattern drum and adapted to secure additional controlling action.

As will be evident from the following description, the main object of the invention is the provision of a pattern mechanism adapted for the attainment of control action beyond that normally attained in a knitting machine. The auxiliary pattern device which is added to the main pattern mechanism may serve as the sole control for various elements of the machine or may serve for the joint control of certain elements in conjunction with the main pattern drum, i. e., certain elements may be controlled by the main pattern drum at certain times and by the auxiliary pattern drum at other times.

The foregoing object of the invention, as well as additional objects particularly relating to details of construction and operation, will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the portion of a circular knitting machine including the pattern mechanism and the various actuating devices therefor;

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the same;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on the surface the trace of which is indicated at 33 in Figure 2-;

Figure 4 is a left hand elevation of the same matter;

Figure 5 is an elevation showing a ratchet for control of the auxiliary pattern device together with guarding means for the teeth thereof; and

Figure 6 is a vertical section showing the auxiliary cam drum and a typical element controlled thereby.

There will first be described certain conventional elements of the drive and pattern mechanism of a circular knitting machine in order to furnish a background for the description of the novel features of the invention.

Loose and fast pulleys 2 and 4, respectively, are provided in conventional fashion for belt drive of the machine. The shaft of the pulley carries small gears I9 and I2, the former being of smaller diameter than the latter. The gear IE! is connected to the shaft through an overrunning clutch (not shown) in conventional fashion.- The second gear I2 is journalled on the shaft and carries one element of a clutch M, the

other element of which is splined to the shaft and may be moved lengthwise thereof to clutch the gear l2 to the shaft. The gears l0 and I2 are in mesh with bull gears 6 and 8, of appropriate diameters, which are secured to a shaft ii. The use of the two sets of gears of different ratios makes possible change in the speed of operation by engagement or disengagement of the clutch Hi and by the presence of the overrunning clutch which permits overrunning operation of the gear l0 when the drive is effected through the gear l2.

The shaft ll includes acrank l8 joined by a connecting rod 20 to a gear segment 22 provided with a hub 23 which is journalled on a shaft 2%. The segment 22 meshes with a pinion 26 journalled on a shaft 28. A second pinion 30 journalled on this shaft meshes with the bull gear 6. The pinions 26 and 30 are, respectively, provided with clutch elements 32 and 34 so that they may be selectively clutched to the shaft 28 by axial movement of a clutch member 36 splined to the shaft 28 and arranged to be controlled by cam means on a cam "5 carried by the shaft IT. The usual handle 38 has an overrunning clutch connection with the gear 30 to permit manual turning of the machine when desired. The shaft 28 carries the bevel gear 40 which meshes with the bevel gear 42 connected to the needle cylinder 44.

By reason of the arrangement so far described, when the gear 30 is clutched to the shaft 28, the needle cylinder is rotated, and, at this time, the shaft it makes one revolution for every four revolutions of the needle cylinder. When, on the other hand, the clutch 36 engages the pinion 26 with the shaft 28, the needle cylinder is reciprocated in such fashion that a rotation of the shaft ll corresponds to a complete reciprocation of the needle cylinder.

An arm 46 of the hub 23 of the gear segment has pivoted to it at 48 a pawl lever 50, a roller 52 on which is arranged to engage a suitable ratchet 54 carried by the main cam drum 56 which is mounted on a shaft 58, engagement being maintained by a conventional spring arrangement. As will be evident, this pawl then has a complete stroke in every four revolutions of the needle cylinder.

A hub 60 journalled on the shaft 24 is provided with an arm 62 provided with a roller 64 arranged for engagement with the upper rear surface of the pawl lever 50. This hub 60 also carries a gear segment 66 meshing with a gear segment 68 carried by a shaft 10. The hub of the gear segment 68 carries an arm H provided with a follower l2 engageable by lugs on the main pattern chain 14 which is carried by a sprocket 16 connected to a gear 18 driven by a pinion '80, which, in turn, is connected to a ratchet 82 arranged to be advanced step by step by a pawl 84 pivoted to a lever 85 which is oscillated during the operation of the machine by engagement by the pivot pin 48 of the oscillating arm 46. The chain is thus advanced one third link for every four revolutions of the needle cylinder or for every complete reciprocation of the needle cylinder, the advance of the chain occurring once for each rotation of the shaft IT.

By reason of the control of the follower l2 by the lugs on the pattern chain, the pawl lever 59 is rendered selectively active so as to determine the times of advance of the main cam drum.

Journalled on the shaft H is a lever 88 to which is pivoted a pawl 90 arranged to drive a ratchet 82 on the main cam drum. The lever 88 is acted upon by a cam 95 carried by the shaft 28 so that the pawl 9% is given one stroke upon each revolution of the needle cylinder. Ihe ratchet 92, however, is not provided with a complete set of teeth and, consequently, for the most part, the pawl 90 effects no advance of the main cam drum. However, when the teeth of the ratchet 92 bear a proper relationship with the teeth of the ratchet 54, an advance of the main cam drum may be followed by one or more further advances due to the action of the pawl 99, these advances taking place upon each revolution of the needle cylinder. In this fashion the main cam drum may be advanced a step corresponding to four revolutions of the needle cylinder, or, following such an advance, may be given one or more quick advances for single successive rotations of the needle cylinder.

To the extent so far described, the mechanism is conventional, and in knitting machines embodying this construction, the main cam drum effects control through levers or push rods of the various elements of the machine such as cams, yarn fingers and the like, the machine being, of course, usually provided with auxiliary pattern devices such as chains or trick wheels for the proper control of various parts for striping, wrapping, plating or other operations, which auxiliary devices are started or stopped by the action of cams on the main cam drum.

It has been found, however, that the main controlling action ailorded in this fashion does not always sufilce for the control actions which are required. In accordance with the present invention, therefore, there is provided an auxiliary pattern drum under the control of the main pattern drum operating in conjunction therewith and/ or as an auxiliary thereto.

The shaft H carries a double lobed cam 9G acting on a follower roller carried by an arm 98 of a lever B pivoted at N32 to the frame and connected to a link HM, the rear end of which is provided with a pull-type pawl Hit. The pawl H33 cooperates with a ratchet W8 shown in particular in Figure 5. This ratchet is provided with a full set of teeth about its circumference, but is so arranged that the various teeth may be selectively guarded by means of small blocks indicated at i it so as to present to the pawl a discontinuous tooth arrangement. The ratchet N98 is connected to a shaft are which carries an auxiliary cam drum 1 42.

The cam drum H2 carries a second ratchet H6 provided with a full set of equally spaced teeth. Acting upon this ratchet is a pawl H8 carried by a lever I26 pivoted at I21, the lever being urged downwardly by a spring 124 and the pawl being urged in engagement with the ratchet by a spring 122. The lever 12B is provided with a follower I26 arranged to be acted upon by cams 28 on the main cam drum.

Pivoted on a shaft I30 are a series of levers which may take various forms; for example, some of these levers, as indicated at I32, are arranged over the auxiliary cam drum to be acted upon by cams thereon and are arranged through links 34 to control various elements of the knitting machine.

Other levers, such as indicated at 536, may extend downwardly in front of the auxiliary cam drum and may be provided with arms such as 538 arranged to operate push-rods such as which are also arranged to be acted upon by cams on the main cam drum. The respective cams on the auxiliary and main cam drum are indicated at 52 and it. Certain of the rows of cams on the main cam drum or on the auxiliary cam drum may, of course, act upon push-rods or levers which are not subject to actuation by the other cam drum. It will not be necessary, in connection with the present invention, to refer specifically to the parts which are controlled by these cam drums; it will sumce to state that these parts may consist of various cams, yarn fingers, control levers, etc. which are required to be actuated at various times in the complete cycle of operation of the machine.

The operations which are secured through the auxiliary cam drum may be described as follows:

So long as the main cam drum, which is stepped about as heretofore described, is sta tionary, the auxiliary cam drum will also be stationary if a. guarded portion of the ratchet I08 is beneath the path of the pawl H36 which is continuously oscillated by the cam 96 so as to have a complete stroke for every two rotations of the needle cylinder. Several alternative conditions may thereafter arise.

As an advance of the main cam drum occurs which does not cause an actuation of the pawl H8, the auxiliary cam drum will remain stationary, and controlling action may be effected in such steps of the main cam drum by the main cam drum alone.

If, however. a cam acts upon the follower I26, the auxiliary cam drum will be advanced one tooth by the pawl MB; In an advance of the main cam drum under these conditions, controlling acticns may be effected by both the main cam drum and the auxiliary cam drum. Furthermore, by the proper location of a cam I28 on the main cam drum, the timing of the advance of the auxiliary cam drum may be effected so that, for example, a movement of a machine part by the auxiliary cam drum may occur at a somewhat different time in the rotation of the needle cylinder than a movement of some part efiected by a cam on the main cam drum. If the advance of the auxiliary cam drum by the. pawl 5 i8 serves to bring another guarded portion of the ratchet H38 below the pawl 106, there will thus be imparted to the auxiliary cam drum merely a single step. It may be pointed out that the advance of the main cam drum is relatively slow, occurring for example, through the time of more than one rotation of the needle cylinder. By action of a suitable cam on the main cam drum, however, a quick movement of the auxiliary cam drum may be made to occur.

However, with conditions otherwise similar to those just described, the advance of the auxiliary cam drum may bring an unguarded tooth under the pawl I06. If this occurs, then the oscillation of the pawl I06 may impart an additional step to the auxiliary cam drum even though the main cam drum remains stationary. Thus, in effect, the auxiliary cam drum not only serves toadd extra control steps to those which may be secured through the main cam drum, limited in number by the circumference thereof, but the auxiliary cam drum may be responsible for controlling actions which may be desired between advances of the main cam drum effected bythe pawl lever As will be evident therefore, a substantial increase in both the number of possible control steps is possible as well as a greater flexibility in the time when the controlling steps occur. The various ratchet teeth on 54 and 92 and the arrangement of the'gua-rds on the ratchet 108 may be so related as to secure a great variety and freedom of actions. In particular, it may be noted that, by the use of multiple step cams at I28, the auxiliary drum may be advanced through partial or full steps thus providing for still greater variety of operations.

In general, it is desirable that the auxiliary cam drum should have its series of movements completed before the main racking pawlmoves forward to take another tooth to move the main pattern drum or at least another tooth which will bring a control earn 128 to act on pawl l I8:so that the pattern drums cannot get out of time; with each other despite manual advances which may be imparted to the main cam drum.

One advantage of the present invention is that the movement of the main cam drum which starts a stepping action of the auxiliary cam drum may always be used to obtain some movement of the machine parts and there is no excess movement of the main cam drum when the auxiliary cam drum has completed its operation. The auxiliary cam drum can be started as many times as there are movements of the main pattern drum sufiiciently long to operate the starting pawl I I8 forthe auxiliary cam drum.

While cam drums have been specifically referred to as the patterning devices, it will be evident that the principles of the invention'may be applied to other cyclically operating patterning devices such as chains or the like. It will thus be evident that variations in the embodiment of the invention may be made without departing from the scope thereof as defined in the following claims.

What we claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a knitting machine, a primary pattern device, a cyclically operating main pattern device, means for imparting advancing steps to said main pattern device under control of said primary pattern device, said means being additionally manually controllable for effecting periodic advance, at a maximum frequency, of the main pattern device independently of said primary pattern device, a cyclically operating auxiliary pattern device, means controlled by the main pattern device for initiating movement of said auxiliary pattern device, additional means for advancing the auxiliary pattern device after its movement is initiated by the'main pattern device, and means insuring that the auxiliary pattern device shall finish each of its movements prior to a subsequent initiation of its movement by the main pattern device when the latter is advanced at said maximum frequency, so that said pattern devices cannot get out of time.

2. In a knitting machine, a primary pattern device, a cyclically operating main pattern device, means for imparting advancing steps to said main pattern device under control of said primary pattern device, said means being additionally manually controllable for effecting periodic advance, at a maximum frequency, of the main pattern device independently of said primary pattern device, a cyclically operating auxiliary pattern device, means actuated by advances of the main pattern device to impart advancing steps to said auxiliary pattern device, means operating after at least certain of the last mentioned advancing steps to impart to the auxiliary pattern device further advancing steps, and means insuring that such further advancing steps of the auxiliary pattern device are completed prior to a further advance thereof by the action of the main pattern device when the latter is advanced at said maximum frequency, so that said pattern devices cannot get out of time.

ALBERT E. PAGE. FRANK R. PAGE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in th file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,236,770 Scott Aug. 14, 1917 1,627,337 Page May 3, 1927 1,666,794 Scott et al. Apr. 17, 1928 1,713,353 Scott et al. May 14, 1929 1,956,990 Lawson May 1, 1934 1,980,103 Shuford et al Nov. 6, 1934

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