US1430836A - Automatic stitch-controlling means for knitting machines - Google Patents

Description

4 0. F. OAKES.

AuToM/mc STITCH coNTRoLuNG MEANS son KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED IUNE 24| 1919.

' Patented Got. 3, 1922.

0. F. OAK'ES. AUTOMATIC STITCH CONTROLLING MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24, 19191 1,430,836, .Patented 0mm-1922.

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To all fio/lam it may concern.'

Be it lmovvn that l, Uwnn F. Ganas, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State oit Massachusetts, have invented certain neurr and useful improvements in Automatic 5"titch-Controlling1 llflcans for lnitting Machines, oft 1which the following is a speciliczi ion.

This invention relates to knitting machines and is intended to provide a simple automatically controlled mechanism or attachinegt capable ot being; applied to various forms oin knitting machines as they are already made and used for the purpose of Widening or narrowing the knitted article by intermittently and progressively changing' the length ot the stitches termed in the article being knitted7 such lcr example as a tubular sleeve shown in my former Patent No. 1254722, dan. 29, 1918.

To this end the invention consists, generally speaking7 in the combination With the usual rota-ry cam plate which throws inthe needles successively tor the lmittine' operatiom cita needle retracting` cani Whose relative position to the cam plate may he varied to vary the length of different courses of stitches, and an automatic intermittently acting mechanism for shifting` said retracting,` cam to different positions of adjustment. at any predetermined intervals7 provision heing made to vary the starting point ofthe needle cam and also to vary the extent ot its intermittent adjustment.

For convenience l have shown in the ac ccmpanyingi` drawings the manner in which the principle oil. this invention may he applied to an ordii'iary dial machine, but it 'will he understood that the same principle oit control and operation is equally applicable to other types of circular knitting machines Well.

ln the drawings l have shown only so much of the Well-known construction of the knitting machine itself as is necessary to a complete understanding of the construction and operation of my automatic attachment therefor.

Figure. l

is a vertical plan viewv showing` a portion oi the circular needles with the rotary cam plate and the relation of my at# tachinent therc o! Figure 2 is a detail slimvinsv a vertical. section oit the ii'atchet Wheel and the intermittently acting` shitting cam hy Vwhich the JEANS FOB ELTETTIN MAC-HNES.

1919. Serial No. 308,323.

adjusting movementsoi' the retracting cam are effected.

`Figi/nre 3 is a bottom plan vieiv shoivingf lil jure 4. is a detail. showing' in. side elevathe automatic controlline means lav which the intermittent action of the shittinig/ g'` cam is etliected.

Figure 5 shows a modified form of intermittent shittingcam hy which the change from the large diameter to the small vdiameter or vice versa is eii'ectec gradually instead of at a single step.' Y f ln. the practice oimy invention as applied to a circular knittingl machine of thedial type, according` to the torni illustrated in the drawings, the `stationary bed plate a is provided With the radial grooves a for receiving the radially arranged needles e2 which perform the knitting` operation.

th circular cani plate having` on its under si 1e the usual gear ring` 3v loy which the cam plate is rotated by the usual driving' gear (not shown). The cam plate b is also protyid il with the dependin peripheral tlanrge e l kb which the proper point is provided with the' inv-.iardly projecting swell b4 which engages the hutts a3 of the needles to throw 'l needles in toivard the center in the knittina` operation.

@n the underside of `the cam plate adjacent tothe swell l# is mounted the retractinlu. cani c which performs the usual lunction of the retracti c cam lout which, in this case,7 is mounted not only to permit adjustment relative tcthe tain plate nearer to or 1"" rther from the center, hut also is so arranged and coordinated with other parte of tlielmechanisni constituting `my automatic attachment that its relative `position toward or awa-y from the center may he varied either at each revolution or as many times as desired dur ing` one revolution vor only after a. series of revolutions of the cam platey in the manner hereina .ter to be described.

lt Will loe understood that the nearer to the center the came is supported the less will. he the distance through `which the needles are successively retractedor drawn into the needle plate hy successive engagement ot' the needles with the retracti'ng cam. lt will also he ululerstood that the less the needles are retracted from their full inward .there the `hed or needle plate is mounted iasose m the high point and a sudden jump ofi' to the low point oil the cam.

@n the other hand, a continuous chain of tapered sleeves or other articles may be knit by proceeding from the small to the large diameter or vice versa and then gradually returning from the large diameter to the small diameter and from the small diameter to the large diameter again. In such case We have a gradual rise to the high point and a gradual descent on the other side to the lovv point as illustrated in cam 0 shown in Figure 5.

`What I claim is:

l. In a tubular knitting machine, the coinbination with a circular series ot` needles, oit a needle-retracting element inovably mounted on the cam plate to be automatically adjusted nearer to or farther from the centre thereof, a positioning lever operatively connected with said retracting element, a rotatable positioning cam operatively related to said lever, a ratchet and paivl ior intermittently rotating said cam step by step, a pavvlactuating member mounted independently of the cam plate and movable into active or inactive position to engage and actuate said pawl to progressively vary the position ot the retracting element on different rotations of the cam plate, substantially as described.

2. In a tubular knitting machine, the combination With a circular series of needles, of a needlemetracting element movably mounted on the cam to be automatically positioned at different distances from the centre of di'erent rotations of the cam plate, a positioning lever therefor having adjustable operative engagement therewith, a rotatable cam positioned to engage the opposite end oit' said lever, a ratchet connected with said cam, a ratchet-actuating paivl and a pawlactuating member arranged to be shifted into operative relation with said paWl on any predetermined revolution of the cam plate in order to progressively position the retracting element, substantially as de scribed.

3. ln a tubular knitting machine, the combination with a circular series of needles, a needle-retracting element movably mounted to assume different positions 'with relation to the centre olf' the cam plate, a positioning lever arranged to have operative connection With said retracting element, said lever being provided with a plurality ot selective ulcral points to vary its action upon the retracting element, an intermittently rotated cam cooperatively related to said lever to swing the lever` about its 'fulcrum step by step, a ratchet and paivl for actuating said earn, a paWl-actuating member and automatic controlling means by which said pavvlactuating member is rendered active on a predetermined revolution of the cam plate and is rendered inactive upon other revolutions ot the cam plate, substantially as described.

ln testimony whereof I have afixed my signature.

i OWEN F. OAKES.

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