Patent ID: 6023949
Filing Date: 2000-02-15
Classification: D04B

Abstract:
A circular machine for knitting or hosiery with a device for tensioning the knitted fabric, comprising at least two tensioning rollers which are arranged below the needle work area of the machine, said tensioning rollers being arranged horizontally and facing each other, first actuation means being provided which act on at least one of said tensioning rollers to turn it about the corresponding axis in order to tension the knitted fabric which is formed by needles of the machine and passes between said at least two tensioning rollers, the machine further comprising first detection means for detecting the degree of tension of the fabric in a region of the portion of fabric that lies between the needle work area and said tensioning rollers, said first detection means being operatively connected to said first actuation means in order to vary or maintain the rotation rate of said tensioning rollers as a function of the detected tension degree and of a preset tension degree, and between the needle work area and said tensioning rollers three guiding rollers are provided which are arranged so that their axes are parallel to the axis of said tensioning rollers and are supported by a supporting frame so that they can rotate about their own axes, said guiding rollers comprising two mutually spaced guiding rollers and an intermediate roller whose axis is spaced from the imaginary plane that passes through the axes of said two guiding rollers, said guiding rollers forming, for the knitted fabric, a portion of a path with a loop which is stretched by said intermediate guiding roller, said intermediate guiding roller having a supporting structure which is configured such that said intermediate guiding roller is movable with respect to said supporting frame in a direction which is substantially perpendicular to said imaginary plane, and said first detection means comprise a load cell interposed between said intermediate roller and said supporting frame.