US2799148A - Knitting machine control mechanism - Google Patents

Description

July 16, 1957 Filed March 10. 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 W FIG. I

2 a 1 0 m! "I a July 16, 1957 c. AUTON 2,799,148

- KNITTING MACHINE CONTROL MECHANISM Filed March l0, 1955 3 Shets-Sheet 3 hired States Patent fiice KNITTING MACHINE CONTROL MECHANISM Clifford Anton, Maiden, N. C., assignor to Hemphill Company, Pawtucket, R. 1., a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 10, 1955, SerialNo. 493,358 6 Claims. (Cl. 66- -8) This invention relates to an improvement in operational controls of a knitting machine and, in particular, of a circular, independent needle, knitting machine having a needle cylinder which is capable of rotation and recipro cation. Such a machine will be made the basis of this description.

In this type of machine, there are numerous cams and other mechanisms which are moved into and out of operation at predetermined times. Such motion is usually derived from a drum having a periodic step-by-step turningmotion, or from a constantly rotating part. It occasionally happens that neither the periodic turning of the drum nor the rate of rotation of the constantly rotating part is suited for the desired control.

For example, in a circular, independent needle, knitting machine of the single feed type for the manufacture of solid color Argyle hosiery, it is necessary usually to alter the angular relation'of the cylinder to its drive a number of times in order to bring different groups of needles within range of the single set of knitting cams for knitting, consecutively, the several patterns around the stocking. This is commonly called cylinder indexing and is done through the agency of a clutch by which the cylinder is disconnected from its driving mechanism and is connected again after its drive has turned through the required number of degrees to so position the groups of needles which are to knit the next part of the pattern that they will pass through the knitting cams. While the cylinder is being indexed, all rotating parts except the cylinder continue to rotate. i

In addition to cylinder indexing, it may be necessary to raise a group of needles of varying number to an inactive position before knitting is resumed. This can be done only when the cylinder is in motion. It has been customary to raise such needles by means of a cam which is movable into and out of needle butt engaging position by levers operated from a conveniently positioned rotating drum or disc. It frequently happens that the turning of this drum while the cylinder is being indexed consumes so much of a revolution of the drum that the remaining part is insufficient to permit the cam to raise the required number of needles. A drum which turns at a lesser speed might be provided but this complicates the machine and adds to its cost, or the knitting might be interrupted long enough to permit the cam to function properly but this would reduce the productive capacity of the machine. To avoid these undesirable complications, the device of this invention provides a simple, inexpensive and effective means.

One form is shown in the drawing, of which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a part of a circular, independent needle, knitting machine to which the invention has been applied;

Figure 2 is a similar side elevation; Figure 3 is a plan view of a part of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a view of a part of Figure 2; and Figure 5 is a side elevation of a part of Figure 4. For the purposes of this description, it will be assumed 2,799,148 Patented July 16, 1957 2 that cylinder 1 is rotated and reciprocated by the usual means, that there is provided means for indexing the cylinder by 90, 180 and 270 degrees, and that prior to the resumption of knitting after indexing, it is necessary to raise some needles to an inactive position above the knitting cams.

For this last purpose, a raise cam 2 is provided. This cam is pivotally mounted as at 3 so that it may be swung from the inactive position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to an active needle butt engaging position adjacent the cylinder. To this end, arm 4, forming a part of the cam assembly, is connected to a rod 5 which in turn connects with one end of a bell crank 6, the other end of which is attached to a rod 7. Rod 7 terminates at rocker 8, the other end of which overlies a drum 9 provided with cams 10 by which rocker S can be rocked.

When rocker 8 rides upon the surface of drum 9, cam 2 will be in its retracted, inoperative position, as shown in Fig. 2. When rocker 8 is raised by a cam 10, raise cam 2 will be swung into its operative position. To keep it there, a latch is provided. This consists of a rod 11 pivoted in a fixed bracket1'2 so that it can engage a collar 13 on rod 7 when rocker 8 is riding upon a cam 10 and prevent the rocker from dropping on to the surface of drum '9 when cam 10 moves away from it. In this way, raise cam 2 may be held in its operative position as long as desired.

To trip latch 11 so that cam 2 will become inoperative, the following means'may be employed. As best shown in Fig. 5, latch 11 is L-shaped and one arm 14 is pivotally mounted in bracket 12, so that it can turn. Attached to arm14 is a bracket 15 which also. canturn in a vertical plane. Pivotally mounted in bracket 15 so that it can turn in a plane at a right angle to the turning plane of bracket 15 is a holder '16 for a finger 17 (see Fig. 3). This finger extends to 'a point overlying a shaft 18. It will be assumed that shaft 18 will make one counterclockwise revolution for two revolutions of cylinder 1, or one revolution for each reciprocatory stroke of the cylinder. Mounted on shaft 18 is a sleeve 19 carrying a collar or a disc 20 which could be a cam or a gear, for example. Alongside disc 20 on sleeve 19 is a helix 21.

2 Finger 17 is urged away from disc 20 and towards the beginning end of helix 21 by a spring 22. Its movement in this direction is limited by a stop 23 on bracket 15 which engages. a set screw 24 in a sleeve 25 which is a part of the pivotal mounting of finger 17. By adjusting sleeve 25 tip 26 of finger 17 may be made to overlie any part of the track formed by the convolutions of helix 21.

While cam 2 'is idle, finger 17 will assume the position just described and will also be held above helix 21 by a spring 27 (Fig. 2) attached to rocker 8 and some rigid part of the machine. When rocker 8 rides up onto a cam 10, raise cam 2 is swung into operative position and latch 11 will be caused by spring 28 to engage collar 13 to lock cam 2 in that position. Also, finger 17 will be swung so that its tip 26 falls between the convolutions of helix 21 which it will follow as shaft 18 turns. As the other end of the helix is approached, a stud 29 adjacent the edge of disc 20 engages the underside of finger 17 and lifts it out of engagement with helix 21, whereupon it will snap over to its original position respecting the helix. Also, the raising of finger 17 will disengage latch 11 from collar 13 and this will permit rocker 3 to drop onto drum 9 and swing raise cam 2 away from the cylinder. Thereafter, latch 11 will rest against the side of collar 13 as shown in Fig. 2 and will maintain finger 17 out of contact with in needle raising position for considerably longer than that depending upon the number of convolutions possessed by helix 21 and the point at which finger 17 is caused to engage it.

By loosening the set screws shown in Figure 3, the sleeve 19 may be slid endwise or turned on the supporting shaft 18 to provide an adjustment for the exact time that the arm 17 will be engaged by the stud 29 with respect to the rotating cycle of the shaft 18.

Stated more broadly, this simple and inexpensive means permits a constantly rotating part to be utilized to operate another part for a period of less or more than one revolution of the rotating part without aifecting any other function which the rotating part may have, or the productive capacity of the machine.

Obviously, this invention may have other forms and may be utilized in other knitting machines and for many purposes other than that described. Its scope is restricted only to that of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a circular independent needle knitting machine having a slotted needle bearing cylinder, needles movably mounted in the slots of said cylinder, said needles having operating butts, the combination of a cam adapted to be moved into and out of engagement with said butts, means for so moving said cam, said means for moving being controlled by a mechanism which comprises a latch, a movable latch releasing member, a cyclically moving pin adapted to operate said latch releasing member, and a helix adapted to guide said releasing member to a position where it will be engaged by said moving pin.

2. In a circular, independent needle, knitting machine having a rotatable needle cylinder, a rotatable shaft, a helix surrounding said shaft and rotatable therewith, a collar fixed to said shaft adjacent said helix, a stud projecting from said collar, an arm overhanging said helix, and means for causing said arm to engage said helix to move said arm into engagement with said stud.

3. In a circular, independent needle, knitting machine having a rotatable, slotted needle bearing cylinder, and needles with operating butts movably mounted in the slots of said cylinder, a needle operating cam movable into and out of engagement with said operating butts, means for moving said cam into butt engaging position, and means for moving said cam out of engagement with said butts, said last mentioned means comprising a rotatable shaft, a helix turning with said shaft, and a control arm adapted to be moved by said helix.

4. In a circular, independent needle, knitting machine which comprises a rotatable, slotted needle bearing cylinder, and needles having operating butts movably mounted in said slots, the combination of a needle operating cam movable into and out of engagement with said operating butts, means for moving said cam into butt engaging position, and means for moving said cam out of engagement with said butts, said last mentioned means comprising a rotatable shaft, a helix turning with said shaft, a movable arm, an arm operating member adapted to engage said arm as it is moved by said helix, and means for causing said arm to engage said helix.

5. The invention according to claim 4 and wherein said means for moving said cam out of engagement with said butts also includes a spring and latch and said latch is releasable by said arm operating member acting upon said arm.

6. The invention according to claim 2 and wherein said helix may be adjustably positioned with respect to said shaft.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 653,562 Scott et al July 10, 1900

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