Patent GB-661852-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to a stocking blank and heel therefor and method and apparatus for knitting the same
IPC: D04B9/46
Filed: 1946-06-24
Abstract: 661,852. Knitting. MILLER, I. L June 24, 1946 [July 9, 1945], No. 18865/46. Class 74 (ii). In a spring beard needle straight-bar knitting machine there are provided a pair of narrowing point units operable to control the press of selected needles of the series of needles to cause selected groups of end needles to knit and the needles of the intervening group of the series to hold their loops, means for actuating the narrowing point units with the knitting. instrumentalities of the machine in a knitting cycle in which the needle series is moved as a unit away from the normal press edge, to render the needles not affected by the narrowing point units inactive, means for imparting stepping movements to the narrowing point units lengthwise of the needle series between said knitting cycles, to vary the number of needles in the intervening inactive group, means to control the position of outer and inner yarn carrier stops lengthwise of the needle series and pattern means to effect the actuation of the machine for the knitting of shaped heel areas having selvedge edges continuously formed with the leg and foot. During the knitting of tapered heel gores (e.g. a, b, c) by forming, in each case, a first long course followed by successively shorter courses, the path of the needles is modified so that they do not touch the normal presser edge 174; and the right- and left-hand sets of narrowing points, to be used as pressers, are brought in rapidly, up to the appropriate one of stops, by a stallable electric motor, for the first course and thereafter stepped outwardly under pattern control, after each course. Any of the gores may, however, be knitted starting with the shortest course and thereafter knitting successively longer courses by bringing into operation needles at the suture edge of the gore. The inner carrier stop housings can be moved rapidly inwardly, by another stallable electric motor, to the appropriate one of co-operating stops. The outer carrier stop housings are normally positioned from the pattern chain of the machine, through the usual racking controls; but they can also be positioned rapidly by a stallable motor. In knitting the successively shorter courses of a heel gore formed by the first method, the narrowing points are stepped outwardly one needle index after the knitting of each course; and the inner carrier stop units are moved outwardly two needle indexes after alternate courses, the yarn carriers forming the inner edges of the heel gores always stopping over a divider. The outer carrier stops are racked outwardly two needle indexes every four courses to widen the fabric periodically at the selvedge during the knitting of the first and intermediate heel gores. The knock over bits 180 are resiliently actuated, by reason of pin-and-slot connections 383, 381 and springs 378, 374, so that they can adjust themselves to the different motions of the needles. The bits are allowed to advance, under the action of the springs 374, when followers 400 ride on to the low parts of stepped cams 396, moved along the machine through connections from the machine cam-shaft. The nibs 360 of the bits are operative only for the short time during which the needles move rearwardly and upwardly from the knockover level, to re-position and hold down the fabric at this time. Thus, comparatively little strain is put on the held loops of the instep fabric. The knock-over bits are also allowed to advance at the start of a narrowing operation and engage the sinker loops, to assist in the final transfer of needle loops from the narrowing points to the needles. The take-up tension is released during heel knitting, the knock over bits taking the place of the usual fabric take-up. The sinkers have each a recess 118, to permit passage of the yarn carrier. The dividers 120 may be pointed or chamfered at 122 and, in addition to the usual throat 124, have a notch 126 to catch the yarn during the formation of the widened selvedges. Heel fabric.-By means of the series of tapered gores (e.g. a, b, c) on each side, the blank is fashioned without loop transference. The apex of each succeeding gore is positioned a few wales outwardly of the preceding gore. The inner edge of each gore (formed by the junction of successively shortened heel courses with a following long connecting course) may be knitted ith alternate plain and tuck loops in successive courses, Fig. 46, or with all true loops, Fig. 47, to form a less marked suture line. In carrying out the two needle widenings at the selvedges, the yarn is laid in such a manner that a loop is formed upon both inner and outer of the two added needles, during the reverse course of yarn laying from the widened selvedge, by wrapping the yarn around the selvedge needle. The widening may be carried out as in Fig. 50, the loop formed on the inner of the two added needles being tucked in the first or widened course and tucked again, together with the second loop formed in the reverse course, a true loop being formed as the carrier again returns to the selvedge or as in Fig. 49, a true loop being formed in the reverse course of knitting, away from the widened selvedge edge. The corresponding courses of heel fabric may be knitted simultaneously for left- and right-hand heel gores, or each gore on one side may be knitted one course in advance of the corresponding gore on the other side. An occasional course (e.g. one following each successive right and left gore) may be knitted across the entire width of the fabric.