Patent GB-1136385-A (GB)
Title: Knitting machine
IPC: D04B15/36
Filed: 1966-01-12
Abstract: 1,136,385. Knitting - machines. J. C. DOUGHTY. 28 Dec., 1966 [12 Jan., 1966], No. 1365/66. Heading D1C. The needles of a circular or flat bed machine are capable of being operated by needles or other elements in the same bed but positioned in remotely and laterally spaced tricks or by elements positioned in a carrier separate from the needle bed. In one arrangement the needles of a group 22 are connected in reverse order to repeater elements of a group 21 positioned in adjacent tricks of a needle bed. The needles are first operated by cams operating on the needle butts to cause a first row of knitting to be affected and subsequent movement of the cams in the same direction of movement causes the repeater elements to be similarly actuated by butts thereon engaging the cams. Since however the needles are connected to the repeater elements in reverse order it follows that the needles will operate in a reverse sequence. Since the yarn guide is caused to reciprocate backwards and forwards in timed relationship with the needles it follows that reciprocating knitting is achieved on the group of needles but with the cams moving in one direction. If, in addition, the repeater elements are needles it further follows, by the provision of a further yarn guide capable of reciprocation over these needles, that the operation of each group of needles by the cams causes the operation of the needles of the other group but in reverse sequence with the result that two reciprocating knitted portions of fabric are knitted simultaneously one on each group of needles. In a circular or flat machine having several groups of needles and repeater elements or needles a number of reciprocating knitted portions of fabric can be produced simultaneously. The coupling between the needles and repeater elements on the two groups of needles may be in the form of toggles 43, 43a engaging projections on the needles and elements and fixed to shafts 31, 42a each having a universal coupling 44 therebetween. The yarn guides of the groups may be coupled by rack and pinion mechanism to ensure that the guides move in sequence. In a flat machine having two pairs of beds back to back the needles of one bed of a pair are connected to the needles of the bed of the other pair. By moving the cams first along one pair of beds and then back along the other pair so that they continue in a somewhat circular path the needles of each pair of beds can be caused to knit sequentially first in one direction and then in the other the needles of both beds however knitting simultaneously. In a circular machine having two groups of needles G1 and G2 combined with G3, Fig. 7, the needles 100 to 135 of one group are coupled to the needles 136 to 171 respectively of the other group. However the group G2 and G3 are divided in that order by having butts at different levels whereas the butts of the group G1 are at the same level as those of group G3. Two cam systems 172, 173 and 174, 175 are provided and are rotated continuously in one direction. Initially cam 172 operates needles of group G1 to take and knit a yarn fed to them and simultaneously the needles of group G2 are operated to take and knit a yarn fed to them by being coupled to the needles of group G1. The cam 173 does not operate on the needles of group G1. Simultaneously the needles G3 of group G2, G3 are operated by cam 174 and knit a yarn fed to them and are operated in the reverse sequence to the needles G2 of that group. By being coupled to the needles G3 of group G2, G3 the needles of group G1 are operated to knit a yarn in the reverse direction and those needles of the same group operated by cam 172. On reaching the point X5 the cam 174 ceases to have effect and knitting temporarily ceases on the needles operated by cam 174 until cam 175 arrives to engage the needles G2 of Group G2, G3 whereafter knitting continues. In the meantime knitting has been completed by the needles of both groups by the action of the cam 172 on the group G1. Consequently reciprocating knitting is achieved on two groups of needles knitting simultaneously in both directions by the use of two oppositely' moving yarn guides but in which the cams rotate continuously in one direction. In an alternative arrangement the needles are operated hydraulically from elements mounted in a carrier separate from the needle bed, the elements being operated by cams and causing pistons to transmit fluid to cylinders containing further pistons coupled to the needles. The invention is also applicable to cylinder and dial machines and double cylinder machines as well as stationary and rotary cylinder machines.