Patent ID: 7634921
Filing Date: 2009-12-22
Classification: D04B

Abstract:
1. A knitting apparatus for forming a tubular-shaped knitted covering for a paint roller having pile extending from an outer surface of the covering, the apparatus comprising: a dial knitting arrangement mounted in a frame defining a vertically oriented axis of rotation and having a cylinder mounting arrangement for optionally receiving a cylinder operatively disposed along the axis of rotation with the cylinder being operatively mounted to the frame below the dial knitting arrangement such that the tubular-shaped knitted covering passes though the cylinder mounting arrangement, regardless of whether or not the cylinder is mounted on the cylinder mounting arrangement, after being at least partially formed by the dial knitting arrangement; the dial needle knitting arrangement having a dial, a plurality of dial needles operatively disposed in the dial, a dial cam box disposed adjacent to the dial and operatively connected to the dial needles, a backing yarn feeding arrangement, and a pile yarn feeding arrangement; the dial being rotatably mounted for rotation about a vertical axis of rotation, having a periphery thereof disposed about the axis of rotation, and having a plurality of substantially radially directed dial needle slots opening in an upward direction; the dial cam box being non-rotatably mounted above the dial, and having a downwardly facing and opening dial needle cam track therein; the dial needles each having a body thereof disposed in a respective dial needle slot of the plurality of dial needle slots, a hooked end thereof that is outwardly extendable beyond the periphery of the dial, and a dial needle cam lobe extending upward from the dial needle body beyond the dial needle slot and into sliding engagement with the dial needle cam track, such that rotation of the dial causes the dial needles to be selectively movable radially within the dial needle slots through interaction of the dial needle cam lobes with the dial needle cam track; the backing yarn and pile yarn feeding arrangements being operatively disposed adjacent the periphery of the dial and adapted for feeding the backing yarn and pile yarn to the dial needles along selected segments of the periphery of the dial.