Patent GB-488426-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to circular knitting machines
IPC: D04B9/00
Filed: 1937-01-06
Abstract: 488,426. Knitting-machines; changespeed epicyclic gearing. CLARKE, A. V., CLARKE, A. E., and CLARKE, A. L. Jan. 6, 1937, No. 410. [Class 74 (ii)] [Also in Group XXIV] A circular knitting - machine having (a) a needle bed and relatively movable cams or other operating means, (b) a second instrument bed for an arcuate or circular series of instruments (e.g. needles) arranged to cooperate with the needles of the first bed, (c) relatively movable cams or other means for operating said instruments, and (d) driving means for effecting relative movement between each bed and its associated operating means in knitting and for moving the second bed into and out of register with the first bed, comprises means for driving at a high speed for circular knitting, a lower speed for reciprocating knitting and /or for other operations such as transferring needles in an opposed cylinder machine, and a still lower speed for moving the second bed. The speed change may be effected by incorporating change-speed gear, e.g. epicyclic gear, in the drive. The speed changes may be automatically controlled from the timing or control drum or chain of the machine. The invention is shown applied to a superposed cylinder machine. (1) Circular knitting. The main shaft 60, which carries bevel gearing driving the bottom cylinder, is driven through gears 87, 88, from a lay shaft 61 which is driven by a pulley 65 connected by dogs to a sleeve 62 which is loose on shaft 61 and carries a sun wheel 63 meshing with a planet pinion 70 rotating with a planet pinion 71 meshing with sun wheel 72 keyed to shaft 61. The stub shaft 69 carrying pinions 70, 71 is carried by a disc 68 loose on shaft 69 and carrying a pawl 75 engaging with the teeth of a ratchet wheel 73 keyed to shaft 61. The epicyclic gear rotates solid. Gear 88 fast on shaft 61 meshes with gear 87 loose on shaft 60 but connected thereto by a sliding dog clutch 86 controlled from a drum 89. 2 (a) Reciprocating knitting. The end of a pivoted lever 94 moves to interpose a bluffing sleeve 74 between pawl 75 and ratchet wheel 73, and disc 68 is prevented from rotating by engagement of a projection 76 thereon with a catch 77 formed on the end of a pivoted lever 97. The levers 94, 97 are controlled in timed relationship by projections on a disc 90. Since the disc 68 is held, the epicyclic gear operates to reduce the speed of the shaft 61. A drive from shaft 61 to shaft 60 is effected via gear 84 and gear 81 which carries a crank 82 which oscillates a quadrant 83 meshing with gear 85 dogged to shaft 60 by clutch 86. (2)(b) Transferring needles. The epicyclic gear operates as in 2(a), but the clutch 86 is dogged to gear 87, not to gear 85. (3) Moving the top cylinder. The disc 68 is allowed to run loose, the epicyclic gear being thus rendered inoperative, and drive being g transmitted to shaft 60 via gear 64 keyed to sleeve 62, an idler pinion (not shown), large gear 79, shaft 80, a pinion 80<1>, crank gear 81, . quadrant 83, and gear 85. This results in movement of the cylinder to the inoperative position (see Specification 485,925). For movement to the operative position the drive to shaft 60 is from crank gear 81 via gears 84, 88, 87. The large gear 79 is provided with a free-wheel device so that shaft 80 may overrun gear 79 during reciprocating knitting or transference of needles. The disc 90 is racked by a sliding, spring-restrained pawl 102 intermittently pressed forward by a cam 104 secured to gear 81, and its rotation is controlled by a bell-crank lever 101 co-operating with a chain racked by a pawl-and-ratchet 108, 109. According to the Provisional Specification the speed changes may be effected by using an electric motor in the drive.