Patent GB-959279-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to circular knitting machines
IPC: D04B15/58
Filed: 1960-09-07
Abstract: 959,279. Knitting machines. FRANZ MORAT G. m. b. H. Sept. 7,1960 [Sept. 7,1959], No. 30844/60. Heading D1C. In a cylinder and dial knitting machine, a thread-guiding eye 1 is movable in a substantially straight line at an acute angle to the general plane of a thread guiding element 18 disposed above the rib-needle bed and in front of the cylinder needle bed, the thread guiding eye having three positions i.e. a middle position when knitting normally or when out of operation, a bottom position for introducing thread to the needles and a top position away from the needles for guiding the thread into cutting and clamping means, (as shown). The eye 1 is at the lower end of a vertical rod 2 displaceable non-rotatably in a casing 3 and encircled by helical springs 12,13 which engage at their ends respectively flanged bushes 10,11 on rod 2 and end pieces 8, 9 of casing 3 to maintain rod 2 and hence eye 1 in their middle position. In this position, a magnet armature 14 on rod 2 is in its neutral position relative to a double acting magnet 15 by which the rod may be raised and lowered against springs 12 and 13 guided meanwhile by a bush 9a. Casing 3 is secured to a holder 17 whose inclined surface 17<SP>1</SP> is adjustably secured to the steel element 18 pivoted on a holder 26 secured to the dial. The end 18a of element 18 is shaped to a point to prevent the needle latches from engaging the thread guide. At the other end 18b of element 18 is a thread-guiding eye 20 which feeds the thread 27 normally knitted by both needle beds to the needles. The bottom surface 18c of element 18 starts near eye 1 and merges curvilinearly with the front surface 18d, c of element 18 on which is secured a knife 21 and adjacent which is an adjustable clamping spring 22. A small hump 18f is formed on surface 18c behind the bottom end 22a of spring 22. Thread 28, Fig. 2, runs from the front through eye 1, over the edge 18g between surfaces 18e and 18c and behind hump 18f adjacent thread 27 to the knitting needles. When the thread 28 is to be brought out of operation, the top winding of magnet 15 is energized briefly to raise rod 2 and hence clamp thread 28 lightly between the eye 1 and bush 9a. The pull on the thread as it continues to be knitted pulls it over the hump 18f and into engagement with the cutting edge 21a and under spring 22, the continued pull severing the thread. Meanwhile eye 1 has returned to its normal position. When thread 28 is to be brought into operation, the bottom winding of magnet 15 is briefly energized and to bring eye I to the bottom position 1b Fig. 2, so that the dial needles engage the thread between clamp 22 and eye 1 to pull out the severed end, the thread moving behing hump 18f. Meanwhile eye 1 again returns to its normal position. As shown, Fig. 5, an alternative threadguide casing, which requires very little space, has a conical end piece 30 containing an axially movable bush 31, and rod 2 is enlarged conically below eye 1 to ensure clamping of the thread when the eye is raised. The casing and the magnet 15 may be of flat rectangular cross-section to save space. The casing 3 is adjustably secured to a support 33 which is pivoted to an arm 34 vertically adjustable on a pivot 25 in a holder 26 secured to dial 50 so that the entire thread guiding device can be swung out of operation. A thread guiding device is provided at each knitting point as well as magnets 60, 61 to operate the dial needle cams-and a pattern wheel acting on the cylinder needles. All threads may be fed through movable eyes. The arrangement may be used to produce a two thread one and one edge on interlock material and also material comprising coloured stripes.