Patent GB-799636-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to circular knitting machines
IPC: D04B15/88
Filed: 1955-09-14
Abstract: 799,636. Knitting-machines. MORETTA, G. Sept. 14, 1955 [March 30, 1955], No. 26255/55. Class 74 (2). The fabric take-down mechanism for a circular machine comprises a hollow cylindrical body 13 on the top of which is seated a cap 22. The body and cap are raised within a tube 10 extending within the needle cylinder to a position in which the initial portion of the fabric knitted on the machine can pass to within the cylindrical body, the cap being raised from the body to enable the fabric to enter into the interior of the body. The cap is then released and the supporting means for the body collapsed so that the fabric is gripped between the top end of the body and the edge of the cap and tensioned by the weight of the body and cap. To raise the body and cap to the fabric receiving position a lazy tongs device is positioned at the bottom of the tube 10 which is slotted at opposite sides to accommodate the arms of the device when collapsed or partly so. The top of the lazy tongs device supports a platform 40 and is coupled to a sleeve 39. The bottom of the device carries a weight 53a in the form of a ring and is coupled when in its lowered position by a hook 51, pivoted to the lower arms of the device, which engages a corresponding hook 52 on the bed of the machine. Cords 56 are attached to the lazy tongs device and are coupled to a drum 60 which is operated from the main cam drum of the machine to be coupled with the drive shaft 5. Upon actuation of the cam drum the drum 60 operates to wind the cords up and raise the lazy tongs device. The action of the device is to initially cause its upper end to extend upwardly within the tube 10 and causes the sleeve 39 to extend up above the platform 40. In its fully extended position, a lever 46, pivoted to one of the lower arms of the device, causes the hook 51 to become disengaged from the hook 52 and simultaneously locks the device in an extended position by causing a notch in its lower edge to engage over a pin 47 on the other lower arm of the device. Continued take-up of the cords by the drum 60 causes the lazy tongs device as a whole to be raised until the body has been raised to its uppermost position. Further movement of the lazy tong device causes the sleeve 39 to press against a sleeve 29 coupled by a catch 32 to a spindle 15 depending from cap 22. A coil spring 30 surrounds the spindle 15 and is compressed as the sleeve is raised by the lazy tongs device, such movement being transmitted through catch 32 and spindle 15 to raise cap 22. The drum 10 is then disconnected from the drive shaft 5 and is held stationary by a pawl and ratchet mechanism such that the body and cap are held in their raised and separated positions until the initial portion of the fabric has entered between them into the interior of the body. The drum is then released, releasing the lazy tongs which collapses and is re-engaged with the hook 52. The cap 22 falls to grip the fabric and both it and the body are then supported from the fabric. After completion of the fabric such as a stocking, the catch 32 engages the platform 40 to release the spindle from the sleeve 29 and the fabric may be withdrawn merely by pulling it, causing the cap to rise but without the gripping effect caused by spring 30.