Patent GB-537965-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to knitting machines
IPC: D04B9/46
Filed: 1940-01-13
Abstract: 537,965. Knitting. BOOTON, Ltd., W. E., BOOTON, W. E., STRETTON, J. W. K., and BOOTON, J. H. Jan. 13,1940, Nos. 782 and 2138. [Class 74 (ii)] A picker mechanism which occupies a fixed position with respect to the knitting cams, but which operates at the trailing end of a group of needle-jack butts, comprises two butt-engaging members, one of which is arranged to be displaced by a butt meeting it and the other of which is arranged to pick another butt when the first member is engaged by its butt. In its simplest form, the picker mechanism comprises a pivoted arm 10a arranged to be struck upwardly by a jack butt, and a second arm 10b also pivoted and connected to the arm 10a either by a link 16 or by set screws 15, 15a. Jacks 21 having butts 22, 23 at different levels are succeeded at their trailing end by a jack 24 having a butt 25 which before operation of the picker mechanism occupies a level between the butts 22, 23. In operation, the cam 10a is struck by the butt 25 and is raised taking with it the butt 25, and at the same time raises the arm 10b which takes with it the last butt 23 so that the butt 23 engages a raising cam 13 so that it is brought into an operative cam track 4. The butt 22 of this raised jack is at the same time brought to the level 2 formerly occupied by the butt 25, and thereafter the butt 25 is lowered by a cam 14. The raised butt 22 of the raised jack serves at the next pass to operate the picker arm 10a to raise the next jack 21, and the operation continues until all of the jacks 21 are raised or the picker mechanism is moved to an inoperative position. The arms 10a, 10b may be arranged to swing downwardly, and may be spaced apart in the direction of movement of the needle cylinder, and in this arrangement instead of being located at different levels, the arms may be operated upon and operate butts at the same level. The picker mechanism may be employed in a machine for knitting by continuous rotary motion a stocking blank as shown developed in Fig. 12 and so described in Specification 500,230. The edges of the blank are connected by float threads, which may. be cut out during the knitting of the blank. The picker mechanism may be used not only to permit fashioning of the trailing edge of the blank, but also to allow mock fashioning marks h, j parallel to the fashioning lines to be formed by tucking at both sides of the blank, and splicing to be effected over irregular areas d at both sides of the blank. Locked fabric as described in Specification 329,098, [Class 74 (ii)], may be knitted, and the blank may be knitted with a French foot, as shown, or with an English foot. To permit the high heels to be run on to the needles of a heeling machine, indication lines f, along which the blank can be cut, are formed by omitting to feed the splicing yarn to a number of needles for a number of courses. The loops knitted by these needles may be slacker, and the knitting cams at the feed supplying the locking yarn may also be rendered inoperative so that these part-courses are not locked. Specification 469,507 also is referred to.