US3120115A - Means for controlling yarn in knitting machines - Google Patents

Description

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING YARN IN KNITTING MACHINES Filed March 24, 1960 1954 B. 'r. R. REYMES-COLE 4 Sheets- Sheet 1 In vemor BERNARD THORMUN REYMES REYMEF-(DLE a mag WM MEANS FOR CONTROLLING YARN IN KNITTING MACHINES Filed March 24. 1960 1964 B. T. R. REYMES-COLE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 1964 B. -r. R. REYMES-COLE 3,120,115

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING YARN IN KNITTING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Marh 24. 1960 F i 6. /n vembr a BER/0WD THORNTON REYMES RBMQ'L'OLE 5 mam} W Af/OIZLeZS 1964 B. 'r. R. REYMES-COLE 3,

MEANS FOR CONTROLLING YARN IN KNITTiNG MACHINES Filed March 24, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent 3,12%,2t MEWS FER CONTRQLLTNG YARN IN KNITTENG MACHINES Bernard Thornton Re /mes Reymes-Cole, 29 Station Road,

Desford, Leicester, England Filed Mar. 24, 196i), Ser. No. 17,361 Claims priority, application Great Britain lvlar. 25, 1959 4 Claims. (Cl. 66-425) This invention is for an improved method and means for controlling yarn in knitting machines and has for one of its objects to provide a particularly simple and Micetive form of yarn control. A further object is to facilitate the incorporation in knitted fabric of free or loose lengths of yarn which are not readily susceptible to being controlled.

The control of yarn in knitting machines is ordinarily achieved by guide members for example feeders, guide eyes, arid similar members which are arranged to engage the yarn and may be required to be moved to vary the path of the yarn from time to time. In many cases the required movement of yarn guide members which is performed mechanically entails accurate timing in relation to other moving parts and requires the provision of actuating mechanism. The invention envisages an extremely simple and effective way of controlling and guiding a yarn which does not require complex actuating mechanism and controls the yarn in a gentle, eflective and positive manner.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a method of controlling a yarn in a knitting machine according to which the yarn is caused to come within the influence of a localized air stream by which the yarn is deflected in a required manner and retained against undesired movement while being permitted readily to be withdrawn from the air stream as and when needed. Con veniently the air stream is caused to deflect the yarn in such manner that its advancement to a take-up point can be accurately guided and during such advancement it is held taut by drag applied to it by the air stream. The method may conveniently be used for controlling the guidance of an othewvise free length of yarn to the needles of a knitting machine and consequently an important application of the invention is its use for controlling presentation to the needles of a severed length of yarn or a loose float to enable such yarn length or float to be readily incorporated in the knitted fabric.

Preferably in practicing the invention the localized air current is produced by suction, although it could alternatively be produced by projection of air from a nozzle. Thus in applying the method to the operation of a circular knitting machine a localized air current may be set up at a suitable position to act on an uncontrolled length of yarn extending from the needles and draw it outwardly from the needle circle so as to cause it to be suitably directed, if desired by engagement with intervening guiding means, for subsequent feeding to the needles. Such control may be secured by having an opening in a part of the machine positioned outwardly of and relatively close to the needle circle, for example in a latch guard plate, through which opening air is withdrawn to produce a localized air stream running outwards across the needle line and into the opening. It is found that in this way a loose end of yarn, or an uncontrolled bight of yarn such as a float, can be very effectively controlled in a simple and gentle manner with certainty, by be ng taken up by the air stream and Withdrawn by it outwardly of the needles so as to be held tau-t and maintained in such controlled state while being taken up by the needles, being caused to be presented correctly to the needles either by the line of its approach towards them or by an intervening deflecting member over which it is caused to pass to direct 3,120,115 Patented Feb. 4, 1964 it to the needles. The air current produced by suction in effect grasps the yarn without damage thereto and continues to draw it in taut condition while it is being taken up.

The invention further provides in a knitting machine means for producing a localized air stream in the neighbourhood of the need-1e line for controlling a length of yarn extending from the needles. Conveniently such means is such that the air stream is so positioned that a length of free yarn on being released from a controlling or guiding means is caused to come within the influence or" the air stream and to be immediately contnolled there by. If necessary a yarn control element may be arranged to act on the yarn to move it into the range of the air stream before the yarn is released for control by the air stream.

In a convenient construction the means for creating a localized air stream is formed by an opening in a part of the machine close to and on the yarn feeding side of the needle line and connected to a suction source. As applied to a circular knitting machine such opening may be formed in a latch guard plate and positioned somewhat in advance of a feed point at which needles are positioned to receive the yarn. The opening may be elongated or may have associated with it on one or both sides a recess extending in the general direction of the needle line along which air is drawn to the opening, so that the yarn is caused to pass along the recess on its way to the needle while remaining controlled by an air current exerting a drag on the yarn. By this means a severed end of yarn can be controlled accurately up to a point very close to that at which its extremity can pass to the needles.

The means provided by the invention is particularly suitable as applied to a circular knitting machine for enabling cut ends or uncut long floats of yarn to be laid 'or knitted in with the fabric being produced during the normal operation of the machine as explained more fully later.

The improved method and apparatus in accordance with the invention will now be described more particularly, by *way of example, in its application to a circular knitting machine as illustnated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a general elevation view, with certain parts omitted and others broken away, showing a circular knitting machine of orthodox type fitted with apparatus used in carrying out the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of part of the machine as seen looking down from above the needle cylinder;

FEGURE 3 is a side view of the parts in FIG. 2 partly in central cross section as seen from the right of that figure;

FIGURE 4 is a diagram showing part of the paths of the needles;

FIGURE 5 shows diagrammatically the path of the sinkers;

FiGURE 6 is an enlarged view at the mouth of the nozzle; and

FIGURES 7 to l3 show diagrammatically in plan view various stages in the control of a formed float of yarn to enable it to be taken up in the knitted fabric.

The machine selected for illustration and shown in FIG. 1 is a circular knitting machine of Scott and Williams type and generally orthodox construction adapted for knitting ladies hose, as will be readily understood by persons skilled in the art of knitting machinery. It comprises a base or table 15 carrying a main frame 16 which supports a main driving shaft 17 and cylinder bed plate 18. The needle cylinder shown at 19 is driven by gear Wheel 20 on shaft 17 to rotate anticlockwise as seen from above. Supported by a bracket 21 from the bed plate 18 is a sinker cam ring 22; Above this is the usual latch guard ring 23 which 'is pivoted at its rearward part, on the left of FIG. 1, to a supporting bracket 24 so that it can be raised when required for access to the interior of the top of the cylinder. The latch guard ring carries centrally at low level within it a stationary trapper plate or disc 25 supported by a bracket arm 26 and For feeding yarns to the needles the machine has a group of yarn feeders 28, FiG. 2, including a splicing yarn feeder which is brought into and out of operation in orthodox manner and when operative is rendered active and inactive during each cylinder rotation at variable timed intervals. The known mechanism by which this is achieved comprises a control drum 29 racked round at appropriate times and having a segment acting to hold the feeder inoperative until required, a earn 30 on main shaft 17 and related fol-lower mechanism for rocking a lever 31 to introduce and withdraw the feeder, a slide bar 32 carrying lever 31, and a cam 33 on a rack wheel 34 for shifting slide bar 32 to vary the timing of introduction and withdrawal of the feeder to alter the width of splicing as required for instance for shaping the splicing 'of a cuban or in a spliced foot bottom near the toe and heel ends. The same mechanism acts on other instrumentalities to control the action of an orthodox trapping and cutting device mounted on the trapper plate.

The trapping and cutting device comprises a knife arm 35' and trapper arm 36, FIG. 2, mounted to rock together on a pivot 37, FIG. 3, a fixed spring blade 38 and a guide finger 39. The knife and trapper arms are rocked by means of a link 40, a lever 41 passing through a slot in post 27 and a plush rod '42 operated by the mechanism aforesaid land co-operating with a separate segment or segments on the drum 29 whereby the cutter and trapper is held open when not in use. The known parts of the machine also include a spring controlled take up lever 43 mounted at the top of a'post 44, and fixed yarn guides 45 and 46. The take up lever serves to remove any slackness in the splicing Yarn between it and the needles.

For practicing the present invention other parts are fitted to the machine as follows. Firstly a suction nozzle 47 is fitted to the lower part of the latch guard ring and opens on to an elongated slot or mouth 48 formed in a plate 49 secured to the intert-ior of the latch guard ring. The suction nozzle 47 is connected by a flexible pipe '50 to a source of suction, such as the inlet of'an air pump 50 or a vacuum cleaner cylinder. The plate 49, FIG. 6, has the lower edge of its slot 48 formed with a small hump 51 and is partly masked by a small thin plate 52 secured to and spaced slightly inwardly from the plate 49. Thus plate52 .provides a narrow yarn guiding slot 53 and a yarn controlling projection 54. Other special parts provided for practicing the invention comprise additional needle and jack operating cams some of which are shown at 55, 56 and 57 in FIG. 1, a modified sinker track to provide for related variation in sinker operation, and variable float length control means.

The float length control means is provided to measure the length of a float of yarn between the ends of a part course such as is knitted when splicing part way round a hose, or when otherwise knitting part courses say for part shaping purposes, and is shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. This control means comprises a measuring finger 58 on one end of an arm 59 which extends in a recess under the'trapper plate 25 and is secured to the bottom end of a spindle 60 mounted to turn in bearings in the trapper plate 25 and the bracket arm 26. The upper extremity of the finger 58 is formed with a notch 61 and small hook 62. On the upper end of spindle 60 is secured an arm 63 having acam face 64 engaged by a rounded end lobe 65 on a lever arm 66 pivoted at 67 to the bracket arm 26. The lobe 65 and cam face 64 are maintained in engagement by a tension spring 68 and their shaping determines the required variations in setting of the arm 59. The lever arm 66 has a tail '69 coupled by a link 70 to an upstanding lever '71 pivoted at 72 to a fixed part and having its lower end engaged by a projection 73 on the slide bar 32. The lower end of =lever 71 is held against this projection by a spring 74 anchored at 75 to the bracket arm 26.

It may now be explained that the machine selected for purpose of illustration of the invention has been adapted to enable cut ends or un-cut floats of yarn to be laid in with the fabric being produced during the normal operation of the machine with the rotation of the cylinder being continued uninterruptedly. To enable this to be carried out in a simple and effective way use is made of a novel method of controlling the cut ends or un-cu-t floats by means of a localized air stream which draws them taut and holds them extending in an appropriate direction to enable them to be taken up by the needles as required. To this end the nozzle 47, is positioned close to the needle circle at a short distance ratherless than a quarter of the circumference thereof beyond the feeding point, and in a the neighbourhood of the position'of the nozzle 47 the action of the needles is modified so that they are all lowered to about sinker level after they have passed the stitch and raising cam at the knitting station and just before they reach the mouth 48 of the nozzle 47. FIG. 4 illustrates the paths of the needle hooksas seen from outside the cylinder in the region of the mouth 48 of the nozzle and shows them all at the lowered level indicated at 76 as they pass the nozzle mouth 48. It is noted that the latter is slightly above the tops of the needles when at this level. The lowering of the needles to this level is effected by the needle cam 55, FIG. 1. 'As soon as the needles have passed the nozzle mouth 43 they divide into two streams, certain spaced needles (every third one in the example shown) being raised as at 77 by their jacks and a jack cam (not shown). The remaining intervening needles are lowered still further to the level indicated at 73 by the needle cam 56 which misses the butts on the needles raised by their jacks. Subsequently, the raised needles are lowered as at 79 by needle cam 57, and all of the eedles are raised by a further jack cam (not shown) as indicated at 80 up to tucking height at which they remain until brought round to the knitting station once again. Simultaneously with the modified action of the needles, the sinkers are withdrawn by a slight hump in the sinker cam track causing the tops of the sinkers to move out and in as shown at 31 in FIG. 5, which shows diagrammatically by parallel lines 32 the path of movement of the tops of the sinkers. The withdrawal and return of the sinkers at 81 is timed to occur as certain of the needles are being raised at 77 and lowered at 79 in FIG. 4, this being the stage at which yarn ends or floats are being laid in on the eedles from the nozzle mouth 48.

In the operation of the machine the suction nozzle 47 when connected to an operative suction source causes a stream of air to be withdrawn across the needle line at the position at which the needles are lowered as at 76 in FIG. 4. This will cause any loose lengths of yarn on the inside of the needle circle to be drawn across it and towards the nozzle mouth 43 and if long enough they will enter the nozzle proper and be held taut by the stream of air imposing drag on them. it will be evident that this manner of control of loose lengths of yarn can be applied usefully in a number of ways in the operation of a knitting machine to ensure desired control of free yarn portions for which purpose relatively complicated mechanisms would otherwise be necessary. The method of air flow control can obviously be used at various positions'in the a needle circle depending on the purpose for which it is needed. The manner in which an un-cut float of yarn is incorporated in the fabric being knitted is a particularly useful example which will now be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 13.

In the procedure of FIGS. 7 to 13 a splicing thread is being incorporated in rotary knitted fabric over a part only of the needle circle indicated by the double line 83. The float which extends between the ends of each part course is indicated at 84. This float commences to be formed from the last stitch in the part course as the needle carrying it moves away from the feeder indicated at 85 after the latter has been withdrawn. The yarn extending from the fabric, while held taut by the take-up lever 43, is caused to pass over the plate 25 and catch over the hook 62 of measuring finger 58 and then be deflected by the finger under the trapper plate until the stage is reached, as in FIG. 7, that the feeder is again active to commence knitting the next part course. At this time the length of float is fixed by the pick up of the yarn by the needles and the path of the float extending between that point and the end of the previous part course. This is in fact measured by the position of the measuring finger 58. As the cylinder continues to turn, the float 84 becomes slack and passes off the hook 62. being drawn by the air stream partly into the nozzle 47. As knitting proceeds the float becomes drawn into loop 86 in the nozzle and held therein as indicated in FIG. 9. In FIG. 10 further turning of the cylinder has caused the arms of the loop 86 to become reversed in position with the last formed end of the float leaving the nozzle and in FIG. 11 the float is comrnencing to be laid into the needles that have been raised at 77, these being the needles on which the part courses have been knitted. The laying in of the float continues through an intermediate stage indicated in FIG. 12 to the final stage of FIG. 13 at which the last portion of the float is being laid into the needle hooks of the last few needles of the part course in the needle are 33.

When the float 84 is first taken into the nozzle mouth it passes through the right hand part of the slot 48 as seen in FIG. 6 and is caused at the stage of about FIGS. 10 and 11 to move under the mask plate 52 and enter the yarn guiding slot 53 for presentation to the needles at a low feeding level and at a predetermined angle. The yarn is drawn through such slot until near the stage of FIG. 13 at which time the last portion of float is retarded by the hump 51 and projection 54 to prevent it from being released prematurely to the needles and particularly at the last few needles. The measuring of the required length of float 84 is varied to correspond to the length of the needle arc in which part course knitting is performed by adjustment of the measuring finger 58 by the mechanism described for controlling movement of the arm 59. Thus it will be seen that the cam 33 which is racked round to vary the width of splicing by operation of the slide bar 32 causes simultaneous adjustment of the measuring finger 58 by the projection 73 on the slide bar engaging "id turning the lever 71 to vary the position of measuring finger appropriately.

The position of the arm 59 may be varied to vary the setting of the finger 58 between a point close to the main knitting station near the feeders 2S and a point about 120 beyond that station. in the setting shown in the drawings and settings further removed from the knitting station the finger 58 causes the float 84 to be immediately presented to the air stream. Shorter floats on the other hand are carried to the air stream by the rotation of the needle cylinder.

The modified action of the needles and sinkers at the region of the nozzle mouth 43 as above described causes the float '84 to be laid in the fabric by being taken up at short intervals without being knitted. This occurs because the float is fed into the hooks of the needles raised at 77 and then lowered by them while the sinkers are withdrawn whereupon the sinkers move inwardly to hold the yarn under their nibs thereby ensuring that the yarn float is passed behind the remaining intervening needles. The float is carried on the needles in this way and permanently held in the fabric at the next course of knitting.

Instead of laying the yarn in thus, it could obviously be knitted in by varying the control of the needles near the nozzle mouth 48 to cause them to have knitting action, or the needle and sinker control 'at that region may be such as to cause the yarn to be engaged and held on all of the needles so as to be knitted in with the next course of yarn at the main knitting station.

When loose ends of yarn are required to be incorporated in the fabric for example at the commencement and ending of a splicing area or whenever some other yarn change occurs, the action of the improved yarn control ling means is very similar to that already described. Thus the air stream passing through the nozzle mouth 43 impinges on the last formed portion of fabric on all of the needles in turn and any loose ends such as those which extend from the needles to the trapping and cutting device at a yarn change or several ends of floats (when these are cut as soon as formed) which extend from the needles will on coming into the range of the air stream be drawn thereby outwardly of the needle circle and held in conrolled manner by its drag. The loose ends are then fed to the needles as raised at 77 and Worked into the fabric as described in connection with un-cut floats. Likewise if desired loose ends may be knitted into the fabric as aforementioned.

An air stream as aforesaid may be cut off except at such times as it is required, for example, during yarn changes and during knitting of spliced areas or part course areas of fabric. It is particularly useful for the control of yarns of nylon or other man made fibre of fine denier such as are used in manufacture of stockings or other garments. By suitable control of the air current operation it may be caused to be eflective only during certain courses of knitting enabling floats or loose ends from one or more courses to be incorporated into the fabric at the same course of knitting.

Another useful application of an air stream as aforesaid is to take up slackness in a yarn and preserve its tautness for introduction to the needles, particularly in cases in which a variable take up is needed as in reciprocator-y knitting on a circular machine. In such cases the air stream may be caused to deflect excess length of yarn as a loop into a tube or cavity.

What I claim is:

1. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with a movable needle cylinder having a series of needles, a

knitting station, and means for feeding a yarn to said needles, of means for causing an uncut yarn float formed between part courses to be knitted into the fabric, the last-mentioned means including means for lowering the needles as they pass a portion of their path removed from said knitting station, means for creating a localized air stream flowing outwardly across the needle circle for moving said uncut yarn float to the outside of the needle cylinder at said portion of the needle path including a latch guard plate having an opening at a position in advance of a feed point at which needles are positioned to receive yarn, and a source of suction connected to said opening, means for guiding said uncut yarn float and holding the same at a closely controlled predetermined angle relative to the needles for being progressively drawn from said air stream and knitted into the fabric, and a float measuring finger adjustable within and around the needle circle and adapted to pick up said uncut yarn float and cause it to be deflected into a bight of measured length.

2. Ina circular knitting machine, the combination with a movable needle cylinder having a series of needles, a knitting station, and means for feeding a yarn to said needles, of means for causing an uncut yarn float formed between part courses to be knit-ted into the fabric, the last-mentioned means including means for lowering the needles as they pass a portion of their path removed from said knitting station, means for creating a localized air stream flowing outwardly across the needle circle for moving said uncut yarn float to the outside of the needle cylinder at said portion of the needle path including a latch guard plate having an opening at a position in 7 advance of a feed point at which needles are positioned to receive yarn, and a source of suction connected to said opening, means for guiding said uncut yarn fioat and holding the same at a closely controlled predetermined angle relative to the needles for being progressively drawn from said air stream and knitted into the fabric, mechanism for'varying the width of part courses so as to vary the length of floats formed in predetermined relation to the length of the part courses, a float measuring finger adapted to pick up said uncut yarn float and cause'it to be deflected into a hight of measured yarn, and means responsive to said mechanism for varying the Width of part courses for adjusting said finger within and around the needle circle.

3. In a circular knitting machine, the combination with a movable needle cylinder having a series of needles, a knitting station, and means for feeding a yarn to said needles, of means for causing an uncontrolled length of yarn, having at least one end extending from the fabric, to be knitted into the fabric, the last-mentioned means including means for lowering the needles as they pass a portion of their path removed from said knitting station, means for creating a localized air stream flowing out- Wardly across the needle circle for moving said length of yarn to the outside of the needle circle at said portion of the needle path including suction means at a position in advance of a feed point at which needles are positioned to receive yarn, and guide means providing a restricted passage at the mouth of said suction means for guiding said length of yarn as it issues from said nozzle and holding the same at a closely con-trolled predetermined angle relative to the needles for being progressively drawn from said air stream and incorporated into the fabric.

4. The circular knitting machine defined in claim 3 wherein the mouth of said suctionvmeans is elongated horizontally, close to and on the outer side of the needle circle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,269,757 Davis Ian.'l3, 1942 2,424,033 Hilker et al. July 15, 1947 2,996,903 Levin Aug. 22, 1961 3,050,970 Billi Aug. '28, 1962 V FOREIGN PATENTS 580,501 Great Britain Sept. 10, 1956

Claims (1)

1. 3. IN A CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE, THE COMBINATION WITH A MOVABLE NEEDLE CYLINDER HAVING A SERIES OF NEEDLES, A KNITTING STATION, AND MEANS FOR FEEDING A YARN TO SAID NEEDLES, OF MEANS FOR CAUSING AN UNCONTROLLED LENGTH OF YARN, HAVING AT LEAST ONE END EXTENDING FROM THE FABRIC, TO BE KNITTED INTO THE FABRIC, THE LAST-MENTIONED MEANS INCLUDING MEANS FOR LOWERING THE NEEDLES AS THEY PASS A PORTION OF THEIR PATH REMOVED FROM SAID KNITTING STATION MEANS FOR CREATING A LOCALIZED AIR STREAM FLOWING OUTWARDLY ACROSS THE NEEDLE CIRCLE FOR MOVING SAID LENGTH OF YARN TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE NEEDLE CIRCLE AT SAID PORTION OF THE NEEDLE PATH INCLUDING SUCTION MEANS AT A POSITION IN ADVANCED OF A FEED POINT AT WHICH NEEDLES ARE POSITIONED TO RECEIVE YARN, AND GUIDE MEANS PROVIDING A RESTRICTED PASSAGE AT THE MOUTH OF SAID SUCTION MEANS FOR GUIDING SAID LENGTH OF YARN AS IT ISSUES FROM SAID NOZZLE AND HOLDING THE SAME AT A CLOSELY CONTROLLED PREDETERMINED ANGLE RELATIVE TO THE NEEDLES FOR BEING PROGRESSIVELY DRAWN FROM SAID AIR STREAM AND INCORPORATED INTO THE FABRIC.

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