Patent GB-646283-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in circular knitting machines, knitted fabrics and articles produced therefrom
IPC: D04B9/10
Filed: 1945-10-31
Abstract: 646,283. Knitting. CLARKE, E. W. Oct. 31, 1945, No. 28870. Convention date, July 14. [Class 74 (ii)] A co-axial needlecylinder knitting. machine is provided with pattern - con. trolled mechanism for transferring selected needles from one cylinder to the other, during knitting, to form inwardly facing stitches and outwardly facing stitches in predetermined sequences in each of selected courses and selected needle wales, and instrumentalities co-operating with the needles to draw longer loops of one of a plurality of threads fed than of another, to form portions of terry fabric. Needles in the upper and lower cylinders are actuated by sliders 36, 39 having knitting butts 37, 41 and transfer butts 38, 42. All needles in the upper cylinder are transferred to the lower cylinder, by a cam 55, at each revolution of the machine. Selected needles are re-transferred to the upper cylinder by associated jacks 64; these jacks are rocked to an operative position by a pattern drum 68, acting through lever 69 on variably positioned butts 74, and are then raised by a cam 65, carrying with them sliders 39, so that their butts 42 engage a transfer cam 56. A neutralizing cam 83 rocks out (when desired) selected jacks 64, before they are engaged by the cam 65 (e.g. the jacks associated with the sole needles of the sock of Fig. 3). The cam 83 is adjustable vertically, under the control of the main pattern drum; and jack tails 84, on which it acts, are of varying length. When the same needle selection is desired for a number of courses (as when knitting a length of rib work), butts 85 or 86 on the jacks may be engaged by cams after the jacks have been neutralized bv cam 83, but before the action of cam 65. The cams are under the control of the main pattern drum. The drum 68 is rocked round as the cylinders revolve. Terrying bits 91, which co-operate with the lower cylinder needles, are slidably mounted in grooves in a disc 92 rotating with the upper needle cylinder. As the dial 92 rotates, the bits 91 are cyclically projected and retracted by a cam-track 105 on a stationary plate 98. When projected they enter between a terry thread T from a feeder 58 and a body thread B from a feeder 59, so that the body thread will be drawn over surfaces 61 and the terry thread over bits 91. The dial 92 is resiliently supported and is movable vertically to adjust the length of the terry loops. Different groups of terrying bits may have butts of different length. The accurate plating of the two threads may be controlled by the angular position of the plate 98 and the shape of the cam track 105. The verge, which co-operates with needles in the upper cylinder, is in two sections 118, 119. That section 118 on the sole side is carried by the upper needle cylinder, which may be raised by a cam on the main pattern drum (when, for example, the foot of a sock is to be knitted), so that the section 118 is raised out of the way of the bits 91 then to be operated; but this section 118 may be raisable independently of the cylinder. So that non- terry fabric may be knitted all round the cylinder, a movable section 104 of the bit cams is raised from operative position, to render the bits 91 inoperative, as the verge section 118 is lowered and vice versa. The other section 119 of the verge is carried by the bit dial 92 and remains at constant level. To produce terry fabric on the instep side of the machine also, the verge section 119 may be provided with openings for projection of the bits. To position the bit cams properly for each stroke of reciprocatory knitting, the frictional drag between the dial 92, a bearing-plate 95 on which it rests and the cams, is made such that the plate 98 oscillates through an adjustable angle as the dial 92 oscillates with the needle cylinders. The machine may be of the multi-feed type. The sock of Fig. 3 comprises a selvage, welt, or other anti-ravel structure 29; a top 21 of, for example, rib fabric or fabric incorporating elastic thread; links-links leg and instep portions 22, 23; and terry high splice 24, heel 25, sole 26, toe band 27 and toe 28. Fig. 9 depicts a portion of fabric at the junction of leg, instep and high splice. The terry thread may extend throughout the fabric, as shown, or only through the terry parts. The links-links pattern may be an " all-over " pattern or may be confined to selected areas. The terry loops may be provided in spaced wales or spaced courses. The toe may have terry loops on the lower side only. Reference has been directed by the Comptroller to Specification 567,620.