Patent GB-487858-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to knitting machine and process
IPC: D04B11/06
Filed: 1936-11-05
Abstract: 487,858. Knitting-machines. WILDMAN MFG. CO. Nov. 5, 1936, No. 30137. Convention date, Dec. 14, 1935. [Class 74 (ii)] A straight-bar machine for knitting the leg, heel tabs, and foot portion of a full fashioned stocking includes an W step loop transfer bar mounted on the narrowing frame with means for operating the bar to remove fabric from and hold it apart from the instep needles during the knitting of the heel tabs and then to restore the loops to the needles for the knitting of the foot. The invention is described as applied to a machine cf the type disclosed in Specification 411,517, the instep bar 5 with its immediate operating means being carried by a tie rod 8 of the narrowing frame 47 that is operated by members 46f, 48, 49 from a cam 49x on the main shaft a. As shown in Figs. 1 and 5 the bar 5, with its transfer points 6, is carried by a frame 7-13 that is pivotally mounted between arms 11 on a shaft 10 rotatably mounted in arms 9 extending upwardly from the tie rod 8. The rod 8 also supports a transfer frame control shaft c provided with cams c<1> .... c<5>, Figs. 1 and 3, and driven by gearing from pawl and ratchet mechanism 55-58 that is loosely mounted on the rod and is operated through a link connection 51 and a roller arm 46b from an axially movable cam 46 on the main shaft. The ratchet 58, Fig. 11, is provided with four teeth spaced 90‹ apart and the action of the pawl 55 thereon is further controlled by a masking shield 61 that is movable under control of a rod 64 and a lever 65 bearing on a notched cam 67 on a control shaft b. To effect the transfer the instep transfer bar is lowered by the narrowing frame 47, to receive the loops shed by the knocking over bits, and then raised thereby to a position immediately above the knocking over bits whereupon a further upward movement is imparted to instep transfer frame by the action of a cam c<2> on a lever 22 pinned to the shaft 10. During this latter movement, the transfer frame 7-13 is sprung to one side, to position the transfer points 6 between the needles, by a timing screw 21 on a cam c3 engaging ono of the frame arms 7 and subsequently the points 6 are passed to the rear of the needles by the action of the cam c<3> on an adjustable plate 17, the frame 7-13 finally returning to normal position to bring the points 6 into line with the needles. On the next downward movement of the narrowing frame, the instep transfer bar moves with it until arrested out of range of the advancing needle bar by a forked arm 32 straddling the rod 13. The arm 32 is normally loosely mounted on a rod 29, but is coupled thereto during this latter movement by a cam c<1> engaging a lever 25 and releasing a spring urged block 28. During the knitting of the heel tabs the transfer bar is held at the same level by the arm 32 and is swung away from the needles by the action of the take-up. On completion of the heel tabs and when the frame 47, at the end of a further dip, returns the narrowing points to racking level, the shaft c is again rotated and the cam c<2> raises the transfer frame to a position above the needles. At the same time a cam c<4> engages a pin 39 on a plate 40 carried by one of the arms 7 and pulls the transfer frame to the bearded side of the needles for the restoration of the loops. The racking movements of the narrowing points 44 are stopped during the transfer of the instep loops by a cam c<5> engaging a lever 41 on a shaft 42 and operating a shield 11a to disable the pawl 44f which normally drives the screw shaft 44b. The heel tabs may be turned outwardly and impaled on the needles for the knitting of the foot or they may be left hanging free during the latter operation and a round course formed on the needles beyond the ends of the instep scries before the instep loops are replaced. The machine may be provided with a divided needle bar of the type described in Specification 471,455. Specification 487,930 also is referred to.