US2084732A - Flat knitting machine - Google Patents

Description

June 22, 1937. J. HAINES, JR 2,084,732

FLAT KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 13, 1934 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 F I" H 1 w I a q{ t 1 I FJGJ.

J a g l ra i a i Q5 3 I 1 x INVENTOR:

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June 22, 1937. .1. HAINES. JR

FLAT KNITTING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 mwszv oza; .Irsepiz flames J21;

TORNEYS.

Filed Dec. 13, 1934 June 22, 1937. HNNES, JR 2,084,732

FLAT KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 15, 1954 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG H ME Ii 12/ 6b 05 11 Y m1 1jj1\ m :,1l

70 66 J1 11' 62/ g} 10a 5. 11 gA 65 3 22 AFT k WITNESSES: 1 N V EN TOR:

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June 22,' 1937. J. HAINES. JR

FLAT KNITTING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 13, 1954 mm w W mm n h x w w w .H. QQ .J AWN Y QNLN mm! Q w N Q E 0 d mm am am 8 Ha 1 tin w E mQNLN June 22, 1937. H E JR 2,084,732

FLAT KNITTING MACHINE I Filed Dec. 15, 1954 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 v 1W Q 1 112/ FIG. A?

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June 22, 1937. J. HAINES. JR

FLAT KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 15, 1954 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 FIG. 3T.

INVENTOR: flsejoh Mines J1,

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WITNESSES:

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June 22, 1937.

J. HAINES. JR

FLAT KNITTING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed Dec. 13, 1934 mmvrox- Josepiz jfaz'zzes J11,

ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 22, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE 7 2,084,732 FLAT KNITTING MACHINE Application December 13, 1934, Serial No. 757,273

6 Claims.

In flat knitting machines of the kind with which 10 my invention is particularly concerned, the various sub-mechanisms necessary in the production of fashioned articles like stocking leg blanks and stocking feet, are motivated from a longitudinally-extending cam shaft (which I will hereinafter term the mainshaft), and the orderof their performance is determined, through suitable interposed connections, by a timing chain. While the timing chain satisfactorily served the purposes for which it was designed in the conventional form of flat knitting machine wherein many of the settings and adjustments were manually effected, the advent of means, such as disclosed in U. S. Patents Nos. 1,850,520; 1,851,209; 1,826,660; and 1,822,169, distributed at different points along the machine for effecting the aforementioned settings and adjustments automatically, gave rise to the need for a more flexible timing means capable of determining the sequential performance of the various sub-mechanisms of the machine with greater accuracy and precision than possible of attainment with the timing chain alone.

In the main, my invention is directedtoward fulfilling the above noted deficiency. This object I realize in practice, as hereinafter more fully disclosed, through provision of an auxiliary shaft i extending lengthwise of the machine inparallelism with the main shaft, and having actuating instrumentalities thereon in proximity to the respective parts or mechanisms which are to be operated or controlled.

A further aim of my invention is to provide simple and reliable means whereby the auxiliary,

shaft is intermittently racked under governance of the usual timing chain of the knitting machine through motion derived from the main shaft, with determination of operative phases of the control instrumentalities on said shaft during which the sub-mechanisms of the machine are caused to perform their allotted functions in proper sequence for the production of complete stocking blanks. The chain may thus be broadly regarded as a "primary timing means, and the auxiliary shaft as a secondary" timing means, and they will be so referred to in certain of the claims hereunto annexed.

From the detailed description which follows, it will be apparent that my invention is adaptable with attainment of the foregoing advantages. to 5 loggers and footers, as well as to single unit full fashioned stocking machines.

In the drawings, Figs. I and Ia, taken together, show the rear elevation of a flat knitting machine embodying my invention.

Fig. II is a cross section of the machine taken as indicated by the arrows II-II in Fig. Ia.

Fig. III is a fragmentary detail illustration viewed as indicated by the arrows I[IIII in Fig. II.

. Fig. IV is a fragmentary detail illustration viewed as indicated by the arrows IVIV in Fig. II; and

Fig. V is a detail section taken as indicated by the arrows VV in Fig. IV. 20

Fig. VI is a fragmentary view partly in elevation and partly in section taken as indicated by the arrows VI-VI in Fig. I.

Fig. VII is a fragmentary view looking as indicated by the arrows VII-VII in Fig. VI. 25

Fig. VIII is a detail section taken as indicated by the arrows VIII-VIII in Fig. VI.

Fig. IX is a fragmentary cross section of the machine taken as indicated by the arrows IX-IX in Fig. I.

Fig. X is a fragmentary view looking as indicated by the arrows X-X in Fig. IX.

Fig. XI is a detail section taken as indicated by the arrows XIXI in Fig. X.

Fig. XII is a fragmentary view looking as indicated by the arrows XII-XII in Fig. IX.

Fig. XIII is a fragmentary cross sectional view of the machine taken as indicated by the arrows XIIIXIII in Fig. Ia.

Fig. XIV is a view looking as indicated by the arrows XIV-XIV in Fig. XIII.

Fig. XV is a fragmentary cross section of the machine taken as indicated by the arrows XV-XV in Fig. Ia.

Fig. XVI is a view looking as indicated by the arrows XVI-XVI in Fig. XV; and

Fig. XVII is a fragmentary perspective view showing one of the needle bars of the machine and the parts for controlling the size of the loops formed by the needles.

The flat knitting machine chosen for the purposes of illustration herein is of the Cotton type such as is ordinarily used in the production of full fashioned hosiery, and generally speaking, said machine is of standard or conventional conwork, and to each of which are secured pendant carrier fingers l0 whereby yarns are fed to the needles of the several knitting sections I. The friction box rod of the machine, indicated at I I, has mounted thereon a series of friction boxes 12, one for each yarn carrier rod. These friction boxes I2 are of a type having upper. and lower friction shoes 13 bearing against the friction box rod l l, and leaf springs l4 adapted, when compressed, toexert pressure upon said shoes and thereby cause the box to travel along with said rod, each friction box being moreover provided as ordinarily, with a slide bolt l5 for connection to one of the carrier bars 8. The means for reciprocating the friction box rod I! may be of known construction and has not been illustrated. Also after common practice, the needle bars 6 are pivotally supported at the ends of horizontal arms it which reach inwardly from a longitudinal shaft [1 at the upper frontal portion of the machine. The shaft l! is journaled in suitable bearings on the cross frames 2, and rocked by coaction of a pendant roller arm l8 thereon with a rotary cam on the main shaft l9, whereby the needles 1 are moved up and down relative to the sinkers 20 and the knockovers 2| during the formation of fabric loops from yarns fed as aforesaid. Incident to their up and down movement, the needle bars 6 are swung on their pivotal connections with the arms l6 so that the beards of the needles I are closed by pressure against the beard closing ledge at 22 in Fig. II. This pressing movement is obtained in each knitting section I through cooperation of a rotary press cam 23 on the main shaft l9 with a roller 24 at the end of an arm 25 fast on a second longitudinal rock shaft 26 alongside the rock shaft l1, said arm 25 being releasably coupled, by means of a latch link 21, with an arm 28 pendant from said needle bar. The shifting of the yarn carrier rods 8 is variously limited by end stops 29 (Figs. I and Ia) which are shifted under the influence of the usual screw-actuated narrowing heads'30 at opposite ends of the machine. Furthermore, as customary, the machine is fitted with an endless timing chain 3| which is trained about end sprockets 32 and 33 to travel horizontally along the front of the machine, and which is intermittently progressed by suitable means, not shown, in the usual manner.

For the purpose of directly controlling the various mechanisms of the machine, I have provided a secondary timing means in the form of an auxiliary shaft 34 which extends longitudinally of the back of the machine from one end thereof to the other in parallel relation to the main shaft l9, it being journaled at intervals in bearings 35 on the machine framework. variously allocated on the auxiliary shaft 34 in proximity to the respective parts or mechanisms which are to be timed, are control instrumentalities havi g, in this instance, the form of rotary cams 35, 37, 38, 39, 40 and 4| which will be further referred to later. Intermittent rotative movement is imparted t0 the auxiliary shaft 34 through picking of a ratchet wheel 42 thereon by a pawl 43 on an arm 44 which is free'on saidshaft, and which is oscillated by virtue of being coordinated with the on the auxiliary shaft 34 and positioned intermediate the pawl arm 44 and the ratchet wheel 42. Thus, as each of the chain lugs 46 passes the finger 41, the sectoral pawl guard 53 is swung clockwise in Fig. II to permit picking, each time, of one tooth of the ratchet wheel 42, with attendant impartation of rotative movement to a corresponding extent to the auxiliary shaft 34. In the present instance, the chain Si is provided with as many lugs 46 as there are teeth on the ratchet wheel 42 so that the auxiliary shaft 34 is turned through a full revolution to predetermine a complete knitting cycle of the machine in a manner later on explained. It is to be understood that the machine is provided with fashioning mechanism, automatic stop mechanism, etc., which are subject to the chain 3!. These mechanisms may all be of the well known conventional forms and have been omitted from the drawings to avoid complicity of illustration.

The cams 36 on the auxiliary shaft 34, I utilize, for example, to control selection as betweemthe several yarn carriers 10 by actuation of the friction boxes l2 associated respectively with said rods, through duplicated interposed means comprehensively indicated respectively by the numeral 54 in Fig. I. As shown in Fig. II, each of the means 54 includes a bell crank lever 55 which is fulcrumed on a fixed bracket of the machine framework, and which, on its short extremity, carries a roller 56 that engages a side face cam groove in the corresponding cam 36 on the auxiliary shaft 34. The longer extremity of the bell crank lever 55, on the other hand, is pivotally connected to the lower end of a vertically-reciprocative bar 51 whereof the upper end is slidably guided in a yoke member 58 free on a section 59a of a divided shaft 59 extending horizontally of the machine adjacent the friction box rod II. From Fig. II it will be observed that the bar 51 is formed at its upper end with a toothed rack 60 which meshes with a spur pinion 6! on the corresponding section 590. of the shaft 59. Splined to the shaft section 59a with capacity to slide endwise thereon,

is asleeve 62 having at one end, a miter pinion 63 that meshes with a companion miter pinion 64 whereof the axis member 55 is journaled in bearing lugs 56 on the friction box l2, see Figs. III and IV. Secured to the axis member 65 is a disk cam 61 with a flattened face 6141 hearing on the leaf spring l4. As shown in Fig. IV, the sleeve 62 has a circumferential groove 68 embraced by a lateral bracket piece 69 on the friction box rod II for movement with the friction box I2 and secured to said bracket piece is a plate 10 with a downwardly bent portion 13a adapted to normally overreach a circumferential projection 'H on a collar 12 secured to the shaft section 59a. The sleeve 62, it will be observed from Figs. II-IV has an integral arm 13, which, by means of a link 14 is coupled with the slide bolt I5 of the friction box I2. With this arrangement, it will be seen, that as the rotary cam 36 is revolved, the radial offset 36a of its side groove will cause actuation of the bell crank lever with attendant lifting of the bar 51 whereby the shaft section 59a will be turned clockwise in Fig. II through a part rotation. The movement thus induced in the shaft section 59a will be communicated, by the bevel gear pinions 613 and 64, to the disk cam 61 with incidental compression of'the leaf spring I I and pressure coupling of the friction box I2 with the friction box rod II, as well as shifting of the slide bolt I5 of the friction box into engagement with the notched projection I5- (Fig. III) on. a predetermined carrier rod 8. Accordingly, as the friction box rod II is shifted, the friction box I2 and the corresponding yarn carrier rod 8 will follow suit and feed yarns to the needles I ofv the several knitting sections I. It is to be understood in this connection that the rotary cams 36 are placed in different angular positions on the auxiliary shaft 34 so that the yarn carrier rods 8 will be selectively operated as desired. The function of the plate 18 and the cooperating projection II on the collar I2 is to normally hold the friction box I2 against accidental movement with the friction .box rod II. However, when the shaft section 59a is turned as above explained, the projection 'II of the collar I2 will be .rotatively advanced beyond the province of the downturned end 18a of the plate I8, so that the friction box I2 is permitted to follow the dictates of the friction box rod II. Per se, the

yarn carrier selecting mechanism above de-.

scribed forms no part of the present invention, it being fully covered in U. S. Patent No. 1,850,520 hereinbefore referred to.

The rotary cams 31 on the auxiliary shaft 34, I employ to respectively control automatic means I6 (Figs. I and Ia) for selectively actuating the duplicate sets of end stops 29 for the yarn carriers 8, one of such mechanisms being shown in detail in Figs. VI and VIII. As usual, the end stops 29 are in each case mounted for independent swinging movement on a pivotal axis I8 carried by the screw-actuated follower nut I9 of the narrowing head 38 at the corresponding end of the machine. Each of the automatic means I6 comprises a shaft 8| which is journaled in ,and dash lines in Fig. VIII when the axis I8 is turned. To the end of the shaft 8| is aifixed a spur gear 85 which meshes with a spur gear 86 free on a stud 81 projecting from the follower nut I9. A miter pinion 88 secured to the gear 86 meshes with a miter pinion 89. on a longitudinal shaft 98 having journal support in outwardly reaching bearing arms 9| of fixed brackets 92 on the machine framework. The pinion 89 is keyed to the shaft 98 with capacity to slide therealong. in following the movements of the nut I9, which latter has a forked projection engaging a circumferential groove 95 in the hub of said pinion, see Fig. VII. Secured to the shaft 98 is a ratchet wheel 96 which is arranged tobe intermittently picked by a spring-influenced pawl 91 on a lever 98 free on said shaft. As shown, the lever 98 is coupled, by means of a downward link 99, with the longer extremity of a bell crank lever I88 fulcrumed at I8I to a fixed bracket I82 on the longitudinal 5 of the machine framework. The shorter arm of the bell crank lever I88 (Fig. VI) carries a roller I83 which engages the side face groove 31a of the rotary cam '31 on the auxiliary shaft 34. The groove 31a of the cam 31, it will be noted, has several circumferential rises 31b which are instrumental in rocking the bell crank lever I88, and' through the previously described connections, picking of a tooth of the ratchet wheel 96 on the shaft 98 at each actuation. The motion thus induced in the shaft 98 is transmitted, by the bevel gears 88 and 89 and spur gears 85 and 86 to the shaft 8| on the follower nut I9 carrying the drum collars 83 for actuating the swingable end stops 29 for the yarn carrier rods 8. In practice, the collars 83 are set upon the shaft 8| such that the projecting heads of the securing screws 82 are variously positioned circumferentially to predetermined successive actuation of the end stops 29 in any desired sequence. The above described end stop control mechanism corresponds to that featured in Patent No. 1,851,209 hereinbefore referred to.

The rotary cam 38 on the auxiliary shaft 34,

I utilize for controlling the operation of a high heel splicing or plating mechanism which is comprehensively designated by the numeral I85. This mechanism is located about midway of the length of the machine as shown in Fig. I, and is illustrated in detail in Figs. IX, X, XI and XII. As shown, the mechanism I85 comprises a pair of ratchet wheels I86 and I8! which are supported, for independent rotation by a fixed bracket I88 on the machine framework. On their outer sides the ratchet wheels I86 and I8? have stepped annular flanges I89 and III! respec tively which constitute variable abutments for step screws III and H2 on the two rods 8a and 8b for the carriers I8a and I8b which serve splicing or plating yarns to the needles 'I incident to the knitting of the high heel reinforces of the stocking blanks B, (Fig. XII). The ratchet wheels I 86 and I8! are adapted to be independently rotated clockwise in Fig. IX by pawls H3 and 4- respectively, said pawls being pivotally connected to levers H5 and H6 fulcrumed for independent swinging movement on a shaft III in the bracket I88. At their lower ends the arms H5 and H6 are provided with adjustable stud projections H8 and H9 to cooperate with cam blocks I28 and I2I on the slur cock bar I22 of the knitting machine. Thus, as the slur cock bar I 22 moves in one direction the cam block I28 will actuate the pawl arm I I5, and when said bar moves in the opposite direction, the'cam block I2I will actuate the pawl arm II6. Accordingly, during each complete reciprocation of the slur cock bar I22, the ratchet wheels I86 and I 81 are successively moved to the extent of one tooth,

thereby bringing the different steps of their annular flanges I89 and H8 into position to be engaged by the stop screws III and H2 on the yarn carrier rods 8a and 8b for the purposes of tapering or otherwise giving the high heel splicing an ornamental configuration. Secured to opposite ends of the shaft III are levers I25 and I28, whereof the ends are connected by a cross bar I2I which underlies the pawls H3 and III. As shown in Fig. IX the arm I26 has a horizontal extremity I28a which is coupled,

by means of a vertical link I28, with the horizontal arm I290. of a bell crank lever I29 fulcrumed on a fixed bracket I30 of the machine framework, see Figs. I and IX, the vertical arm I29b of said bell crank lever carrying a roller I3I to cooperate with the cam 38 on the auxiliary shaft 34. A coiled spring I32 serves to maintain the roller I3I in yielding contact with the cam 38. From Fig. IX it will be observed that the cam 38 has two lateral rises 38a and 38b. With the cam 38 resting in the position of Fig. IX and the roller I3I in engagement with the rise 38a, the pawls H3 and I I4 will be permitted to pick the ratchet wheels I06 and I01 through a circumferential extent corresponding to that of the stepped flanges I09 and H0 of ,said ratchet wheels incident to formation of the high heel areas. When the roller I3I rests upon the blank portions of the cam 38, the arms I25 and I26 are retracted and the pawls H3 and H4 held away from the ratchet wheels I06 and I01 by the cross bar I21. When the cam 38 on the auxiliary shaft 34 is advanced so that the lateral projection 38b thereof engages the roller I3I, the pawls H3 and H4 will be permitted to complete the racking cycle of the ratchet wheels I06 and I01 and thereby restore the mechanism I05 to starting position.

The cam 39 on the auxiliary shaft 34 serves to govern the functioning of means I35 for controlling the length of the fabric loops, this means being shown in detail in Figs. XIII, XIV and XVII. The usual loop regulating shaft of the knitting machine is indicated at I36 in Figs. XIII and XVII, the same having secured to it a finger I31 which operates as a stop for the arm 25, thereby to limit the approach of the roller 24 on said arm with the press cam 23 on the main cam shaft I9 of the machine and thereby correspondingly limit the inward movement of the needles I 1 in predetermining fabric loops of normal size.

The usual loop regulating lever is indicated at I38. The bifurcated component I38a of the loop regulating lever I38 is free on the shaft I36 and carries a roller I39 which cooperates with another cam I40 on the main shaft I9. As shown in Fig. XIII, the roller I39 revolves' on an axis pin I 4i having eccentric ends engaged in the bifurcations of the lever component I38a. The other component I38b of the regulating lever I38 is secured to a shaft by set screws, and is subject to a tension spring I42. This spring I42 acts to maintain a master adjusting screw I43 in the lever component I38b in contact with the lever component I38a, and in turn to maintain the roller I39 of the latter component in engagement with the cam I40. Aflixed to one end of the axis pin I4I of the roller I39 on the regulating lever component I380, isa bevel pinion I45 which meshes with the larger bevel gear wheel I46. This gear wheel I46 is secured to the upper end of a shaft I41 which is journaled in a bearing I48 at the end of a rod I49 reaching from one side of the regulating lever component I38a. An arm I50 at the lower end of the shaft I41 is fitted with a pair of rollers I5I and I52 roller I52 on the arm I50. The pawl is pivoted I on a stud let into the side of the cam wing I53, and arranged to pick ratchet teeth on the circumferential ridge I55 of the sleeve, said ratchet teeth corresponding in number to the stops I60. The pawl I62 is actuated by the cam 39 on the auxiliary shaft 34 through means including a lever I63 with a roller I65 at one end thereof engaging the side groove 39a in said cam, said groove having a number of circumferential rises 39b. As shown, the lever I63 is fulcrumed, at a point intermediate its ends, on a bracket I66 secured to the longitudinal 5 of the machine framework, and its lower end is coupled, by

means of a link I61, with a motion-transmitting rocker arm I68 free on a shaft I69 which is suitably supported between certain of the transverse frames 2 of the machine framework. The upper extremity of the rocker arm I68 is in turn coordinated, through a link I10, with the stud I62a on which the pawl I62 is pivoted. During the rotative movement of the cam 39 on the auxiliary shaft 34, each of its circumferential rises 39b causes the ratchet wheel I55 to be picked one tooth. The function of the cam wing I53 is to swing the roller arm I50 clear of the stops I60, thereby to enable stepping about of the sleeve I51 by the pawl I62 incident to substitution of one stop for another. Such movement of the arm I50 is of course attended initially by rotation of the gear wheel I46 in one direction; but as the cam wing I53 returns to the normal illustrated position, the spring I6I induces counter rotation of the gear wheel, which movement is limited by engagement of the arm I50 with the newly presented stop I60. As a consequence of its coordination with the arm I50 through the gears I45 and I46, the eccentric axis I4I of the roller I39 on the regulating lever component I38a is rotated each time to a different angular position from that previously occupied, so that the loop regulating shaft I36 is' swung through a corresponding angle with predeter mination of larger or smaller loops by the knitting instrumentalities of the machine in the known manner.

The cam 40 on the auxiliary cam shaft 34, I utilize for controlling the functioning of the means (Figs. XV-XVII) on the machine for determining loose courses, as may be required in different points in the knitting of the stockings, for example, at the initiation of a new "set, or crosswise of the heel tabs. Ordinarily, such loose course means is caused to function by swinging of a hand lever I12 and resultant shifting of a roller I13 of an arm I15 affixed to the loop regulating shaft I36 into the province of a rotary cam I16 on the main shaft I9. This shifting is effected automatically in the present instance through the medium of a lever I11 which is fulcrumed intermediate its ends, at I18, on a bracket I19 secured to the longitudinal 5 of the machine framework, said arm carrying a roller I adapted to cooperate with the side of the cam 40 on the auxiliary shaft 34, which cam, as shown in Fig. XVI is provided with one or more lateral projections 40a as may be required.

The cam II on the auxiliary shaft 34 serves 5 to automatically control the split slack means on the machine (Figs. XV-XVII) which determines- 15 complished automatically through means including a lever I85 which is similar to the lever III already described, andfulcrumed at I86 to another bracket I8I on the longitudinal 5 of the machine framework, said lever I85 being pro- 20 vided with a roller I88 within the range of a lateral projection Ala. of the cam 4| on the auxiliary shaft.

l The loose course and split slack means just described, per se, constitute the subject matter 26 of U. S. Patent No. 1,822,169 hereinbefore referred to.

In practice, the cams 36'4I are preferably so designed and so set on the auxiliary shaft 34 as to determine, during each rotative phase of said 30 shaft under the dictates of the timing chain 3|, :1 knitting cycle incident-to which the different sub-mechanisms of the machine, to wit: the yarn carrier selecting mechanism, the' yarn carrier, end stop mechanism, the heel reinforce control 35 mechanism, the loop length regulating mechanism, the loose course mechanism, and the split slack mechanism, are caused to function automatically in the proper sequence for the production of a set of complete stocking blanks. In

40 this connection, it is to be understood that any well known means may be used for automatically stopping the machine after the knitting of an initial course to enable application of the welt bars, after the welt fabric has been knitted to 5 permit turning and closing of the welt, and after the completion of each set of blanks.

- Obviously additional cams may be provided on the auxiliary cam shaft 34 for controlling parts or mechanisms other than those herein shown 50 and described by way of examples. Among such other mechanisms may be included automatic back-racking means such as featured'in a copending application Serial No. 409,197, filed on November 23, 1929, by Wilbur I. Tebo, and yarn 5 carrier stop block control means such as featured in U. S. Patent No. 1,881,373.

While I have particularly illustrated and described my invention with relation to a full fashioned legger, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that its embodiment in full fashionedfooters will be attended by advantages equal in all respects to those which have been pointed out elsewhere herein. 7

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 55 1. A multi-section flat knitting machine comprising a plurality of mechanisms which cooperate to simultaneously produce a plurality of fabric blanks, including yarn carrier mechanism and loop length determining mechanisms 7 differently allocated along the machine, and a loop regulating shaft from which said loop length mechanisms are operated; a main shaft from which all of the mechanisms are actuated; separate timing devices directly associated with all 15 of the mechanisms and positioned in accordance with the allocation of the mechanisms; and a continuous auxiliary rotary shaft connecting said a timing devices and adapted to operate the same in a predetermined sequence during each knitting cycle of the machine.

2. A multi-section fiat knitting machine comprising a plurality of mechanisms which cooperate to simultaneously produce a plurality of fabric blanks, including yarn carrier mechanism common to the machine sections and loop length 10 determining mechanisms individual to the machine sections and a loop regulating shaft from which said loop length determining mechanisms are operated; means for actuating all of said mechanisms; separate timing devices directly associated with all of the mechanisms; and a continuous rotary shaft common to said individual timing devices for operating the same to control the actuation of the mechanisms by the actuating means.

3. A multi-section flat knitting machine comprising a plurality of mechanisms which cooperate to simultaneously produce a plurality of fabric blanks including yarn carrier mechanism common to the machine sections and loop length determining mechanisms individual to the machine sections, and a loop regulating shaft from which said loop length determining mechanisms are operated; means for actuating all of said mechanisms; 9. primary timing means; and an auxiliary timing means controlled by the primary timing means including separate timing devices directly associated with all of the mechanisms, and a continuous rotary shaft common to said individual timing devices for operating the same to control the actuation of the mechanisms by the actuating means.

4. A flat multi-section full-fashioned knitting machine comprising a plurality of mechanisms which cooperate to simultaneously produce a plu- 4O rality of similar stocking blanks, including yarn carrier mechanism common to the machine sections and loop length determining mechanisms individual to the machine sections, and a loop regulating shaft from which said loop length determining mechanisms are operated; means including a main cam shaft for actuating all of said mechanisms; separate timing cams directly associated with all of the mechanisms; a'continuous auxiliary shaft carrying said cams; and means whereby the auxiliary cam shaft is operated from the main cam shaft.

5. A flat multi-section full-fashioned knitting machine comprising a plurality of mechanisms which cooperate to simultaneously produce a plurality of similar stocking blanks, including yarn carrier mechanism common to the machine sections and loop length determining mechanisms individual to the machine sections, and a loop regulating shaft from which said loop length determining mechanisms are operated; means for actuating all of said mechanisms including a main longitudinal shaft; a main timing means ineluding a chain; separate rotary timing devices directly associated with all of the mechanisms; a continuous auxiliary longitudinal shaft connecting the rotary timing devices; and coordinating means whereby said auxiliary shaft is operated from the main shaft under control of the chain.

6. A flat multi-section full-fashioned knitting 7 machine comprising a plurality of mechanisms which cooperate to simultaneously produce a plurality of stocking blanks including yarn carrier mechanism common to the machine sections and loop length determining mechanisms individual to the machine sections, and a loop regulating shaft from which said 100p length determining mechanisms are operated; a main longitudinal shaft for actuating all of the mechanisms; a main timing means including a chain; separate rotary timing devices directly associated with all of the mechanisms; a continuous longitudinal auxiliary shaft common to said rotary timing devices; and

JOSEPH HAINES, JR.

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