Patent GB-998274-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to hand-operated knitting machines
Inventor: BOENIGER FRED
IPC: D04B39/00
Filed: 1961-07-13
Abstract: 998,274. Knitting machines. STYNER & BIENZ A.G. July 13,1961, No. 25425/61. Heading D1C. [Also in Division H2] A hand-operated flat bed knitting machine has, mounted on the cam lock 3, movable guide elements 20 which co-operate with the needle butts 2<SP>1</SP> and are controlled by manually set electromagnetic switching means on the lock. A pinion 5 on the lock 3, which is driven by a rack 5<SP>1</SP> on the needle bed, drives through gearing, a rotor 12 rotatably mounted on a spindle 15 and carrying twelve electromagnets 17 each with a pivoted armature 19. Between each electromagnet 17 and spindle 15 is an axially displaceable rod 20 spring biased to a raised position where it lifts the associated armature 19 off the pole 22 of its electromagnet. When an electromagnet 17 is energized, it attracts its armature 19 and hence depresses the corresponding rod 20, a transverse pin 23 on the rod is guided into a groove 24 formed in a head 25 secured to spindle 15. As rotor 12 rotates pin 23 slides in groove 24 lowering rod 20 until the lower end 20<SP>1</SP> of rod 20 extends through the carriage base 29 into the path of the butt 2<SP>1</SP> of one knitting needle 2 so as to push that needle forwards. During reciprocation of the car riage, the needles are operated by movable and fixed needle lifting cams 30, 30<SP>1</SP> and needle lowering cams 31, 32, 33. Moving through passages 34, 35, 36, 37 cam 30 spring biased to its operative position is raised tp its operative position by an electromagnet 41. Cam 31 is also biased to its operative position and is lowered to its inoperative position by an electromagnet 50. Cams 32, 33 slid along guides 54, 55 and are manually adjustable together to vary the size of the stitches formed. The electromagnets 17, 41, 50 are connected in a switching system, Fig. 8, having a terminal switch with fixed contacts 66 and 68 and movable contact 67 spring biased towards contact 66. An adjustable cam 70 at each end of the needle bed has faces 71, 72 which respectively engage and lift pin 69 further to engage contact 68. Electromagnet 73 is then energized to actuate a lever and pawl 77 co-operating with a ratchet wheel 76 which is moved one tooth and with it an exchangeable unit 80 having contacts 81 and a metal base 84 and containing a coaxial metal cylinder 85 which connects the disc 84 to contacts 81. Leaf spring contacts I-XV carried on bracket 87 engage the surface of unit 80, contacts XV engaging base 84. Current flows from contact XV to any contact IXIV which engages a contact 81. Contacts I-XII are each connected to a leaf spring contact I<SP>1</SP>-XII<SP>1</SP> of a set of thirteen contacts which are carried on bracket and engage contact rings of an annular plate 16 mounted above rotor 12. Electromagnets 17 are connected to the twelve inner rings of plate 16 on which contacts I<SP>1</SP>-XII<SP>1</SP> engage, the outermost ring being connected through spring contact XIII to a manual selector switch 90. Switch 90 comprises a manually rotatable spindle 91 carrying a notched wheel 92 with five detents engageable with a spring biased pawl 93 and cams 94, 95, 96 to control contacts 97, 98, 99. Contacts 97, 98 are located between contacts 102,103 and 104,105 respectively and contact 99 is located adjacent contact 106 connected to contact XIII which it may engage. When switch 90 is in the "off" position electromagnet 41 is energized to lift cam 30 and lock 3 may be moved back and forwards without affecting the needles. In position N, contact 97 engages contact 103 contacts 98, 99 remaining neutral so that electromagnet 50 is energized and cam 31 is lowered to active position. In position F, (heel knitting) contacts 97, 98 engage contacts 103,105 and contact 99 is neutral so that electromagnets 41, 50 are energized and cam 30 is out of action and cam 31 is in action. In position M switch 90 and contacts 97, 98, 99 are neutral, cam 30 being in active position. In position AUTOM, contacts 97, 98, 99 engage contacts 102,104,106 electromagnets 17, 41, 50 being connected to the switch formed by unit 80 and contacts 86 the energization of the electromagnets being controlled by the template. As the lock traverses the needle bed, if the contacts I-XII of set 86 are each engaged by a contact 81 of unit 80, all electromagnets 17 are energized, electromagnets 41 and 50 are not energized and cam 30 is inactive. The guide rods 20 on rotor 12 are moved by armatures 19 and lowered into operating position at edge 108 of cam 30<SP>1</SP> to engage butts 2<SP>1</SP> of all needles 2. The needles to be selected are determined by the presence of corresponding contacts 81. The engaging surfaces of the rods 20 may be flat or grooved.