Patent GB-189166-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and applicable to circular knitting machines
IPC: D04B9/38
Filed: 1921-06-23
Abstract: 189,166. Lacey, W., and Widdowson, T. June 23, 1921. Circular machines.-Relates to the production of stockings &c. with plain knit heels and toes, and with tuck and/or drop stitches in the leg and for foot, or with imitation or mock seams. The needles have either high butts a or low butts h and some of the high butted needles have additional 'high butts 6a, while some the low butted needles have additional low butts 6<b>. The single butted needles 5<a>, 5<b> rise on an incline 2<b> of the stitch cam, but the needles 5<c> only or needles 5<c> and 5<d> may be prevented from so doing by engagement of the butts 6<a> or the butts 6a and 6<b> with a radially-movable cam 4. If this occurs at each course the double-butted needles affected do not knit and drop-stitch fabric is made, but the cam 4 may be taken out of action at intervals to give tuck-work or mixed drop-stitch and tuckwork effects. The cam 4 may be integral with a member carrying a roller 4b mounted on an axle 7, the pivot portion of which is eccentric to the portion carrying the roller. The cam projects through a, radial gap in a flange 8 of the rotary cam-box, and is attached by a screw 13 to a member 12 carrying pins 15, springs 16 on which tend to hold the part 12 against a pivoted catch 14. The cam 4 is moved out to engage the butts 6<a>, or the. butts 6<a> and 6b, by means of a spring- controlled plunger 18, the stepped upper end 20 of which strikes the roller 4<b>. The plunger 18 rests on the stepped end of a rod 24 which is movable horizontally in slotted bearings 25 against a spring 26 by the impact of a cam on a lever 27 actuated by a pattern-controlled arm. The rod 24 can be raised in its bearings 25 by an arm 31 carrying an adjustable supporting screw 30 and operated by a pattern wheel 33, the rims on which cause the plunger 18 to operate the needles 5<c> from time to time to make tuck-work. The height cf the step 24<a> is sufficient to bring the needles 5d also into action. The cam 4 may be taken entirely out of action by the operation of a pin 39 on the catch 14, the stepped end 23 of which retires to allow the springs 16 to withdraw the cam 4. To permit of the production of plain fabric, the leg chain 40 is arranged to control the heel and toe chain 56 by means of a peg 44 which operates a lever 44<a> when the leg has been knitted, and allows a pawl 49 to drop into a ratchet 50 and drive a shaft 51 carrying a sprocket 55 on which the chain 56 is mounted. A peg on the chain 56 then acts on a lever 57 and lowers an arm 58 carrying a pawl 59, which then drives a ratchet 60 fixed to a sleeve 61 mounted on the shaft 51. The sleeve 61 carries a cam 62 which holds out the pawl 42 driving the chain 40, and also carries cams 65 which control the change-motion clutch arm 66. During the knitting of the heel or toe, the arm 66, by means of link work attached to it, holds a striker in the path of the catch 14 and prevents the cam 4 from engaging the needles, a plain fabric being thus knitted. The striker may be retained in this position by a pattern controlled spring pin after the arm 66 has moved away. This permits of the production of a tubular fabric, for example a stocking foot which is half plain and half patterned. If the spring pin is dispensed with the cam 4 remains operative during the production of the foot. If only one needle is provided with an additional butt an imitation seam is produced. This needle may be placed in action during the formation of the heel foot bottom and toe as described above. In a modified arrangement the plunger 18 is put into action by a bell crank acted on by the leg chain. This permits patterned work to be commenced at any part of the leg. The cam 4 continues in operation until the heel is reached when the catch 14 is released by a pattern controlled pin.