Patent GB-861093-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in multi-feed circular knitting machine
IPC: D04B9/56
Filed: 1957-05-03
Abstract: 861,093. Knitting. CRAWFORD CO. Inc., H. E. May 3, 1957 [May 22, 1956], No. 14240/57. Class 74 (2). A rotating cylinder circular machine has, at each of a plurality of knitting stations, a separate and distinct set of stitch cams which cause all needles to draw stitches at each station with continuous rotation of the needle cylinder and all active needles to draw stitches at each station on each stroke of reciprocatory knitting. Associated with main and auxiliary yarn feeding stations 37, 40 are sets of needle cams 110-112 and 120-122. Associated with each set of cams is a pair of narrowing picks 126, 127 and 131, 132, respectively; and between the sets of cams are widening picks 138, 142. For each needle there is a selector jack J, the upper end of which is rocked outwardly by one or other of cams 81, 82, 83, to bring a step 91 on its lower end into the path of one or other of jack-raising cams 65, 66, 67, to be raised by the cam concerned unless the lower end of the jack has again been rocked out by one or other of patterncontrolled selector fingers 76, 75, 77, 78, 79, aligned with a bottom butt 90 and frangible butts 88, 87, 86. The butt 87 is broken off all jacks associated with the instep needles. On the last course of rotary knitting before the heel, finger 78 is rendered operative, together with a needle raising cam 155. All the heel needle jacks will have their lower ends swung out by the fingers 78, to miss cam 67 and remain in an active lower track P-26, Fig. 9; but the instep needle jacks will rise up cam 67, to land their needle butts on cam 155, which will lift them into a high inactive track P-1. In both directions of reciprocation, during heel narrowing, the cam 66 raises the jacks between the knitting stations, to cause the needles to pass above the leading stitch cam of the second knitting station and into the path of the associated leading narrowing pick, which picks the leading needle of the heel group out of action. For widening, the widening picks are also rendered operative, each to engage and lower the first two of the inactive needles ; thus, at each passage of the needles through a knitting station, there is a net gain of one active needle before the needles knit at that station. At the end of widening, a downthrow cam 156 is moved into operation on a forward stroke of the machine, to bring the instep needles into operation. The toe pocket is knitted similarly, except that the selector finger 79 is used instead of the finger 78. At the first or make-up course the finger 75 engages butts 88, which have been left on alternate jacks only, and causes those jacks to miss cam 65, so that their needles miss yarn Y (which is taken and knitted by the intervening needles only) but take and knit yarn Y-1. As the jacks approach cam 67, finger 77 is rendered operative, to cancel out the effect of cam 82 on alternate jacks, so that only intervening jacks will ride up cam 67. The hooks of alternate needles thus follow a path P-17, and the hooks of intervening needles a path P-18. At the second revolution, dial transfer bits 175 are advanced over the hooks of the needles in path P-17 and yarn Y is laid over the hooks of these bits, which are then retracted so as not to take yarn Y-1. Fingers 75, 77 are now rendered inoperative, so that the jacks rise over cams 65 and 66, and the machine knits two feed. At the end of the welt, finger 77 is brought in to cause alternate jacks to miss cam 67, and the bits 175 are protected over the hooks of the corresponding needles, which have been brought to the low path P-17. These lowered needles are now raised by a cam surface 160, their hooks pass through the loops on the bits and the bits are retracted to leave their loops on these needles. All jacks will then pass over cam 65 and all needles will take and knit yarn Y. The machine thereafter knits the leg " two-feed." There are interchangeable yarn fingers at each feed.