Patent GB-764527-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in hand knitting appliances
IPC: D04B7/08
Filed: 1953-02-04
Abstract: 764,527. Knitting-machines. STEINHOF, K., [trading as STEINHOF APPARATEFABRIK, K.]. Feb. 4, 1953 [Feb. 18, 1952; Sept. 4, 1952; Dec. 20, 1952], No. 3135/53. Class 74 (2). A hand-knitting appliance with independent latch needles which co-operate . with a cam lock having a central needle retracting cam 101, has sinkers 80 housed in slots between and parallel to the needle tricks, the front stepped edges of the sinkers being swung downwardly by springs 97 to knock over the loops and take down the fabric. At the appropriate times, the sinkers are swung in the reverse direction, against the action of their springs, by a cam 93 fixed to the lock-plate 94. The step of the sinker edge is formed as a hook 81. The lower part 95 of the cam is in cross-section, in the form of circular arc about sinker pivot axis 91 as centre, so as to avoid point contact only between sinker and cam. As the sinker is swung upwardly, the curve of the upper part 82 of the edge causes the mid-point thereof to recede by the amount 100 and a flank 102 or 103 on the centre needle retracting cam 101 allows the needles to advance slightly. Yarn tension is thus reduced, but finally the needles are drawn back'sharply by the point 105 of the cam, to draw the thread close to the lower edge 83 of the sinker; small irregularities of thread tension are thus corrected and it is ensured that the hook 81 of each sinker shall catch the associated loop. The cam 101 is adjusted, under control of a spring 115, by means of a rotatable disc 112 formed with a cam slot 111 of generally spiral form but having locating notches 114 in which a pin 110 on the cam rides. Sufficient space for the passage of needle heels is left between cams 43, 44 and the upper edge of the lock-plate, so that needles may be put out of operation by being advanced as well as by being retracted. Cams 33, 34 are carried on pins 172 operated by knobs 31, 32 and are located in operative or inoperative position by spring-pressed balls 175 engaging in one or other of grooves 177. By rendering either of the cams inoperative, the complete needle cycle may be spread over two traverses of the lock and thus courses may be knitted of differently coloured yarns. The outer end of the other needle raising cam 34 may end in a point 122, to reduce the danger of needles jamming. The point 122, against which needles might still jam, is itself screened by a sheet metal deflector 126. The outer end of this deflector is bent down through 90 degrees at 130 and shaped as in Figs. 9 and 10, so that needle butts will either lift the deflector sufficiently to allow them to pass under it and down the flank 121 of the cam, or move along the turned down end 130 and on to the flank 120 of the cam. To prevent the entry into the lock of displaced needles, inoperative in either the advanced or the retracted position, similar, but double deflectors 160 may be provided, one at each end of the lock, spanning the space between bars 117, 155. Bristles 181, 181<SP>1</SP> hold down the needle latches. The last course of loops drawn may be unravelled loop by loop by bringing the needle hooks somewhat behind the front sinker edges, unhooking the yarn end from the outermost sinkers and pulling on the yarn until the preceding loop is lifted into the needle hook and the loop concerned is unravelled.