Patent ID: 7152435
Filing Date: 2006-12-26
Classification: D04B

Abstract:
1. A weft knitting machine having moveable sinkers, in which a needle bed is formed such that a large number of needle plates are arranged in a direction toward an area for knitting a knitted fabric, on a base stage that is disposed facing the area for knitting a knitted fabric, the needle plates are formed so as to have a small plate thickness at end portions on a side of the area for knitting a knitted fabric, needle grooves whose width becomes large on a side of the area for knitting a knitted fabric are formed between the needle plates, a knitting needle is accommodated in each of the needle grooves, and a movable sinker is accommodated at each of end portions of the needle grooves in which the width becomes large, and in which while letting a carriage travel back and forth on the needle bed along the area for knitting a knitted fabric, the knitting needles are selectively moved forward into and backward from the area for knitting a knitted fabric, so that a knitted fabric is knitted by an interaction with the movable sinkers, wherein the end portions, on a side of the area for knitting a knitted fabric, of the needle plates have recess portions for supporting the movable sinkers such that the movable sinkers can be swingingly displaced, and wherein the movable sinkers have support portions that are supported by the recess portions, passive portions that are driven following a back and forth displacement with respect to the area for knitting a knitted fabric, and operation portions that operate as sinkers with respect to the area for knitting a knitted fabric when a back and forth displacement with respect to the passive portions is converted into a swinging displacement with the support portions serving as supporting points, the passive portions being biased by spring force so that the operation portions move forward into the area for knitting a knitted fabric, the weft knitting machine, comprising: a sinker jack that is accommodated in each of the needle grooves, can be displaced forward into and backward from the area for knitting a knitted fabric, is engaged with the passive portion of the movable sinker at an end portion, has a butt projecting in a direction away from the base stage of the needle bed on a side of a base portion extending in a direction away from the area for knitting a knitted fabric with respect to the end portion, and has a groove that extends in a direction of the back and forth displacement in a middle between the end portion and the base portion and in a middle of the needle groove in a depth direction thereof; a passing-through member that passes through each of the needle plates in a direction along the area for knitting a knitted fabric, and is inserted into the cutout portion of the sinker jack and thus regulates the sinker jack so as to be slidingly displaced without moving away from the needle groove; a drive mechanism that is provided on the carriage, and is capable of selectively driving the sinker jack, by acting on the butt of the sinker jack, to move backward from the area for knitting a knitted fabric such that the operation portion of the movable sinker is withdrawn from the area for knitting a knitted fabric; and an interlock mechanism that is provided in a position away from the area for knitting a knitted fabric, within a range in which the sinker jack is displaced back and forth, in each of the needle grooves, and that interlocks, at a backward position so as to restrain the back and forth displacement in the needle grooves, the sinker jack driven by the drive mechanism so as to move backward.