Patent GB-888190-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to circular knitting machines and methods of knitting thereon
Inventor: BRANSON HERMAN RAY
IPC: D04B9/46
Filed: 1959-12-30
Abstract: 888,190. Knitting-machines. SCOTT & WILLIAMS Inc. Dec. 30, 1959. No. 44296/59. Class 74 (2). In changing from single to multi-feed knitting on a circular machine the auxiliary yarn a is introduced and knitted with the main yarn m over a few wales w-4-w-9 of a course, it is then tucked on alternate needles whilst being knitted on the intervening needles, as illustrated in wales w-10-w-15 of Fig. 8, whereafter the main and auxiliary yarns are knitted separately at their feeders to produce multi-feed knitting. The knitting in of the end of the auxiliary yarn avoids an eyelet at the commencement of multifeed knitting. In the fabric illustrated in Fig. 8 the yarn w is a welt yarn which is knitted at the main feeder and is substituted by the yarn m at that feeder on commencement of the leg portion of a stocking. The change-over to multifeed knitting occurs in the same course in which the welt yarn is replaced. To enable the end of the auxiliary yarn to be so knitted in, the needles are provided with butts of various length, one group D having short butts whilst the immediately following small group E has alternating short butts and butts which are a little longer. The following group F has short butt needles alternating with needles which have butts a little longer than either of the butts of Group E, whilst the next group of needles G have medium butt needles. The needle cams 126, 127 at the auxiliary feeder are also adapted to be moved into and out of operative position and are employed in conjunction with a twolevel upthrow cam 82. After knitting yarn at the main feeding station 120 the needles are raised by cam 82 such that the longer butt needles of group E pass up to the yarn receiving level 201 of cam 82 and take yarn whilst the short butt needles of the group ride up only to the low level 202 of cam 82. Simultaneously the cams 172, 126 are gradually inserted but such that neither length butts of group E engage cam 127 although the longer butts of group E engage stitch cam 126 and are lowered. In neither case have these needles been cleared and the short butt needles of group E pass cam 126 without being lowered. As the longer butt needles of this group are lowered, however, they draw the auxiliary yarn down into the hooks of the short butt needles. The short butt needles of the following group F pass in a similar manner to those of group E but the long butt needles of group F are raised by cam 127 and clear their loops and knit under cam 126. All of the needles of group G knit by being cleared and passing under cam 126 whereafter two feed knitting continues. The needles of groups retaining their loops previously formed at the main feeder and having a length of auxiliary yarn in their hooks now approach the main feeder and as the sinkers withdraw the length of auxiliary yarn moves outwardly with the sinkers whereafter the previous course loops are clear below the latches of the needles. The main yarn is fed to these needles and the inward movement of the sinkers positions the initial length of auxiliary yarn back in the hooks of the needles whereafter the main and auxiliary yarns are knitted together, as shown, over wales w-4 to w-9 of Fig. 8. The alternate needles of group F having cleared and knitted at the auxiliary feed the main yarn is now fed to all of the needles of group F so that alternate tuck stitch formation is produced over the next few wales w-10 to w-15, the following needles having already knitted at the auxiliary feed merely take yarn and knit at the main feed. During the passage of needles of group G past the auxiliary feed the cams 126, 127 are fully inserted so that continuous rotary knitting now produces two courses for each revolution. The needles may be similarly operated when multi-feed knitting is to cease so that the end of an outgoing yarn is suitably locked in the fabric without causing an eyelet to appear.