CZ9904027A3 - A device for controlling needles for knitting machines for hosiery or the like - Google Patents

Abstract

The needle control device for knitting machines for the production of hosiery comprises a lock support surface (2) facing the needle support element (3), on which at least one throw-off lock (4) is arranged, the profile (5) of which is arranged with an inclination relative to the direction (6) of movement of the needle support element (3) relative to the lock support surface (2) during operation of the knitting machine. The profile (5) of the ejector lock (4) is engageable with the elbow (8a) of the needles or the needle displacement elements which protrude from the needle support element (3) towards the support surface (2) of the locks. The ejector lock (4) is supported by the support surface (2) of the locks so that it can rotate about a first axis (9) which is substantially perpendicular to the surface of the part of the needle support element (3) which is always facing the support surface (2) of the locks and can rotate on command about the first axis (9) to change the inclination of said profile (5) with respect to said direction (6) of movement.

Description

Needle control devices for hosiery knitting machines or the like

Technical field

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a needle control device for knitting machines for the manufacture of hosiery or the like, comprising a lock support surface that faces the needle support element and carries at least one ejector lock having a profile arranged inclined to the direction with which the needle support element it moves relative to the lock support surface, wherein the ejection lock profile engages the needle nipple or needle displacement elements extending from the needle support element towards the lock support surface, the needle support element having grooves arranged on its side facing the lock support surface mutually parallel and substantially perpendicular to said direction of movement, wherein a needle is slidably mounted in each groove, and wherein the ejection lock profile is designed to generate needles movement in respective grooves of the needle carrier element after gripping the yarn in the feed in place of the machine to form new knitting stitches, discarding previously formed knitting stitches.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known that hosiery or the like knitting machines are generally constituted by a needle support element, which may be either substantially flat or cylindrical, depending on whether the machine has a straight or circular pattern. The needle support element faces the lock support surface, which carries a large number of needles locks for operating the knitting machine.

More precisely, a plurality of parallel grooves are disposed on the side of the needle support element facing the support surface of the locks, with a needle and optionally a needle displacement element located in each of these grooves. The needles and some needle displacement elements are provided with nodes that extend from the needle support element toward the lock support surface and can extend into the paths formed by the locks. During operation of the knitting machine, the needle support element is actuated relative to the lock support surface in one direction, so that the needles of the needles or needle displacement elements extend into tracks whose portions are appropriately inclined relative to the direction of movement to cause the needles to reciprocate in the respective grooves of the needle support element. This reciprocating movement causes the needles to grasp the yarn being fed at the feeding point of the machine and form the loop of the knit.

A lock that determines the movement of the needle after the needle grasps the yarn at the feed point of the machine is called a ejection lock because it causes the movement of the needle to form a new knit loop by discarding the previously formed knit loop.

The ejection lock profile is intended to engage the needles of the needles or needle displacement elements and is inclined relative to the direction of movement of the needle support element relative to the lock face of the locks to achieve this needle movement.

In a single cylinder circular knitting machine in which the needle support element is formed by a needle cylinder, the ejector lock, which is arranged directly behind the feed point of the machine, causes the needles inside the grooves formed in the side surface of the needle cylinder to decrease. at the delivery point.

In many stocking knitting machines, the ejector lock is installed on a sinker which, on command, moves relative to the support surface of the locks in a direction parallel to the direction of the grooves accommodating the needles to allow the range of needles to change when creating new knitting loops, and to allow the length of the knitting stitch length to be changed.

In other knitting machines, the ejector lock is mounted on the support surface of the locks and the variation in the length of the knitting stitches is achieved by moving the needle support element relative to the support surface of the locks parallel to the direction of the grooves in which the needles are accommodated.

The profile of the ejection locks currently used in hosiery knitting machines has a relatively large inclination relative to the direction of movement of the needle support element relative to the support surface of the locks. This high inclination is necessary because in forming long knitting stitches, the yarn must rest on a reduced number of retractable sinkers or portions of the needle support element in order to reduce the friction that hinders the yarn slip when creating new stitches. If this friction is too high, the yarn may break or the stitches formed previously in the same row of knitting may be stretched and stretched. This high inclination required to form long knitting stitches does not make it possible to increase the working speed of the knitting machine, since otherwise the ejection lock and the contra-angle will wear quickly and the contra-angle of the needles or the contra-angle of the needle feed elements could break.

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It is an object of the present invention to solve the above problem by providing a needle control device for knitting machines for making hosiery or the like that allows to increase the working speed of the knitting machine, especially when making knits with short stitches.

Within this aim, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device that allows the productivity of knitting machines to produce hosiery while at the same time reducing the wear of the needle knuckles or needle shifting elements and the ejection lock.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device that can be installed in many types of knitting machines for making knitted goods or the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object is achieved by a needle control device for knitting machines for hosiery or the like, comprising a lock support surface which faces the needle support element and carries at least one ejection lock having a profile arranged with a inclination to the direction in which the needle support element it moves relative to the lock support surface, wherein the ejection lock profile engages the needle nipple or needle displacement elements extending from the needle support element towards the lock support surface, the needle support element having grooves arranged on its side facing the lock support surface mutually parallel and substantially perpendicular to said direction of movement, wherein a needle is slidably received in each groove, and wherein the ejection lock profile is designed to generate needles movement in respective grooves of the needle carrier element after gripping the yarn in the feed The present invention is based on the fact that the ejection lock is supported by the support surface of the locks so that it can rotate about a first axis substantially perpendicular to the surface. a portion of the needle support element that is always facing the support surface of the locks and can rotate upon command about the first axis to vary the inclination of said profile relative to said direction of movement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of the invention illustrated, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 shows a plan view of part of the invention; hosiery knitting machine, of which only a part is shown for simplicity; FIG. 2 shows a part of the device of FIG. 1 as viewed from the side facing the needle cylinder of the knitting machine; FIG. 3 shows a section along line III-ΠΙ of FIG. 2, FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a portion of the lock support surface as viewed from the side facing the needle cylinder with the ejection lock in the first position, and FIG. 5 the same portion of the lock support surface as in FIG. 4 with the ejection lock in the second position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in the drawings, the device 7 according to the invention comprises a lock support surface 2 that faces the needle support element 3. and carries at least one ejection lock 4 whose profile 5 is inclined relative to the movement direction 6 of the needle support element 3. relative to the support 2. locks.

The needle carrier element 3, depending on the type of machine on which the device according to the invention is to be installed, may be substantially flat, in the case of flat knitting machines, or cylindrical and may consist of a needle cylinder of a circular knitting machine as shown or may also be formed by a lock plate of a circular knitting machine made with a needle cylinder and a lock plate.

On the side of the needle support element 3 facing the support surface 2 of the locks, grooves 7 are arranged parallel to each other and perpendicular to the direction of movement 6. In the illustrated case, which concerns a circular knitting machine, the grooves 7 are formed in the side surface of the needle cylinder and are parallel to the axis 3a of the needle cylinder.

Inside each groove 7 is a needle 8, which can be slidable in the groove 7, and is provided with a knee 8a extending from the groove 7 and intended to engage the profile 1 of the ejection lock 4.

It should be noted that the movement of the needle 8 in the respective groove 7 can be achieved by means of a needle displacement element, which is co-located with the needle 8, instead of engaging its knee 8a with the ejector lock 4 and the other locks connected to the lock support surface. within the corresponding groove 7, and which is also provided with an elbow intended to engage the profile 1 of the ejection lock 4 and other locks mounted on the support surface 2 of the locks.

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If the knitting machine provided with the device according to the invention is formed, for example, as a two-cylinder circular knitting machine, the needle displacement elements are formed by sinkers or retractable sinkers which, when engaged with their locks arranged on the lock support surface, the same groove of the needle knitting machine.

According to the invention, the ejection lock 4 is supported by the lock support surface 2 so that it can rotate about a first axis 9 that is substantially perpendicular to the surface of a portion of the needle support element 3, which is always facing the lock support surface 2. The ejection lock 4 rotates about the first axis 9 on command to change the inclination of the profile 5 with respect to the direction of movement 6.

The rotation of the ejection lock 4 about the first axis 9 by a predetermined angle can be achieved by means of a conventional actuator, for example a stepper motor, installed, for example, on a support surface 2 of the locks whose output shaft is connected to the ejection lock 4.

The ejection lock 4 is preferably pivoted about the first axis 9 by means of a pivot pin 30 with respect to the sinker 10 arranged on the support surface 2 of the locks so that it can slide in parallel with the grooves 7.

More specifically, in FIG. 1 it is shown that in the support surface 2 of the locks there is formed a bearing part 11 in which the sinker 10 is mounted, which can move slidingly parallel to the grooves 7. The ejector lock 4 is provided on the sinker 10.

The sinker 10 can be moved in a known manner parallel to the grooves 7, in the example shown, parallel to the axis • ♦ ♦ «·

3a of the supporting element 3 in the form of a needle cylinder for changing the length of the stitches of the knitted fabric.

In addition to pivoting against the sinker 10 about the first axis 9, the ejection lock 4 may also be pivotable about the second axis 12, which is substantially parallel to the first axis 9, with a portion spaced from the first axis 9 relative to the carrier portion 13 2 locks.

The pivoting of the ejection lock 4 relative to the portion 13 of the lock support surface 2 is carried out by means of a pivot pin 14 slidably mounted within the bearing portion 15 formed in the portion 13 of the lock support surface 2. The bearing portion 15 is made elongated in a direction parallel to the direction of movement 6 in order to rotate the ejection lock 4 about the first axis 9 each time the position of the sinker 10 changes in a direction parallel to the grooves 7, i.e. each time the length changes stitches knit.

In fact, by the connection formed between the ejection lock 4 and the sinker 10 and between the ejection lock 4 and the portion 13 of the lock support surface 2, the inclination of the profile 6 of the ejection lock 4 relative to the direction of movement 6 changes accordingly. More specifically, the inclination of the profile 5 of the ejection lock 4 increases as the sinker 10 moves in a direction that increases the length of the stitches of the knit.

In this way, a greater inclination of the profile 5 relative to the direction of movement 6 is achieved automatically when longer knitting loops are formed, and a lesser slope is achieved when shorter knitting loops are formed.

For the sake of completeness, it should be added that a counter-lock 16 is further mounted on the sinker 10, the profile 17 of the counter-lock 16 facing the profile 5 of the ejection lock 4.

By means of the device 7 according to the invention, due to the possibility of varying the inclination of the profile 5 of the ejection lock 4 relative to the direction 6 of movement of the needle support element 3 relative to the ejection lock 4, it is possible to adapt the inclination of the profile 5 to different types of knitting which can be produced by a hosiery knitting machine goods or the like.

Especially when making very long stitches when a greater slope is needed, the ejector lock 4 assumes the position shown in Fig. 4 in order to reduce the friction used to create new stitches on the retractable sinkers or in any case where the yarn rests laterally relative to 5, in order to allow faster operation of the knitting machine without excessive wear of the needles 8a of the needles 8 or the needles of the needle shifting elements and the ejection lock 4.

In practice, it has been found that the device 1 according to the invention fully fulfills the intended aim and tasks, since by allowing the inclination of the ejection lock profile 4 relative to the movement direction 6 of the needle support element X relative to the lock support surface 2 according to production requirements. on which the device 1 according to the invention is mounted, and to reduce wear on the needles 8 or the needle shifting elements and the ejector lock 4 itself.

A further advantage is that it is possible to reduce the degree of yarn tension when forming the stitches of the knit.

Although the invention has been described for use in a single-cylinder circular knitting machine, it can in any case also be advantageously used in other hosiery knitting machines or the like, as explained above.

Numerous modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the invention, which are within the scope of the inventive concept. All components can be replaced by their technical equivalents.

In practice, it is possible to use materials and adjust the dimensions according to requirements and according to the state of the art.

Claims (6)

PATENT CLAIMS A device for controlling needles for knitting machines for making hosiery or the like, comprising a lock support surface (2) that faces the needle support element (3) and carries at least one ejector lock (4) having a profile (5) arranged with inclination to the direction (6) by which the needle support element (3) moves relative to the lock support surface (2), the profile (5) of the ejection lock (4) being engageable with the needle nipple (8a) or needle displacement elements extending from the needle support element (3) towards the lock support surface (2), the needle support element (3) having grooves (7) arranged parallel to each other on its side facing the lock support surface (2) and substantially perpendicular to said movement direction (6), wherein a needle (8) is slidably mounted in each groove (7), and wherein the profile (5) of the ejection lock (4) is intended to create movement of the needles (8) in respective grooves (7) of the needle support element (3) after gripping the yarn at the feeding point of the machine to form new knitting stitches, discarding previously formed knitting stitches, characterized in that the ejection lock (4) is supported by the lock support surface (2) such that it can rotate about a first axis (9) that is substantially perpendicular to the surface of a portion of the needle support element (3) that is always facing the support surface (2) of the locks and can rotate upon command about the first axis (9) ) for varying the inclination of said profile (5) relative to said direction of movement (6). Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the ejector lock (4) is pivotable about a first axis (9) relative to the sinker (10) carried by the lock support surface (2) so that it can slide in a sliding direction substantially parallel with the grooves (7), the sinker (10) being movable upon command relative to the support surface (2) of the locks in said direction to change the length of the stitches of the knitted fabric. 12 ···· Device according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the ejection lock (4) is connected by a part remote from the first axis (9) to the lock support surface (2) pivotally around a second axis (12) parallel to the first axis (9), for rotating the ejector lock (4) due to the movement of the sinker (10) in said sliding direction relative to the lock support surface (2). Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the needle support element (3) is formed by a needle cylinder of a circular hosiery machine or the like. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the needle support element (3) is formed by a lock plate of a circular knitting machine for the manufacture of hosiery or the like with a needle cylinder and a lock plate. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the needle displacement elements are formed by the sinkers of a two-cylinder circular knitting machine for the production of hosiery or the like.