Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~ W096~7649 .~ 102
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"Method and device for the initial formation of a closed
toe on a circular knitting machine, especially for
stockings and socks"
DESCRIPTION
Te~.hn; cal Field
The present invention relates to a knitting method
and to a circular knitting machine for the production of
sto~kingc, socks or the like.
In particular, the present invention relates to a
method and a device for closing the toe of a knitted
article formed on a knitting machine.
Ba~h~L~u..d Art
In the production of knitted articles of manufacture,
such as socks, stockings and the like, one of the major
problems lies in the need of closing the toe of the
article, i.e. the end portion thereof. This is normally
acccmplished in a separate stage and on a separate
machine, after having completed the tubular article on a
circular knitting machine.
Several attempts have been made in the art for
simplifying and speeding up this particular step of the
knitting process. Various methods and devices for closing
the toe of a knitted article of manufacture are disclosed
for example in IT-A-676,845, IT-A-685,974, IT-A-1,241,770,
IT-A-1,205,775, EP-A-0 592 376, DE-A-16 35 992.
Obiect of the Invention ~-=
Earlier patent application PCT/IT95/00072
(claiming priority from Italian patent application N.
FI94A 88 of 17.05.94) and earlier patent application
PCT/IT95/00099 (~ ;ng priority from Italian patent
application N. FI94A 125 of 16.06.94) belonging to the
same applicant, relate to improved methods and devices for
the automatic initial formation of a closed toe in a
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tubular knitted article - such as a stocking or sock or a
panty-hose leg - directly on the circular knitting machine
with a needle cylinder on which said article is to be
formed. The content of these earlier International patent
applications is incorporated in the present specification.
In said method, an initial edge of a pouch is formed by
the needles of a first arc of approximately a semicircle,
and after the pouch has been formed said initial edge is
transferred to the needles of the opposite arc and is
picked up by said needles. This is followed by circular
knitting.
The present invention relates to an i~v -nt
aimed at obtaining greater regularity in the formation of
the join of the initial edge to the needles of said
opposite arc.
The above mentioned object and other objects and
advantages will become clear in the following text.
Sllm~-rv of the Invention
In essence, according to the invention, before
the initial edge of the pouch is transferred across, at
least one row of loops is formed by the needles of the arc
opposite the needle arc by which the fabric of the pouch
is formed. The initial edge of the pouch - when
transferred - is therefore passed to needles that are
already carrying an initial edge of fabric.
In one possible ~mhoAir-nt, before the pouch is
started, at least one circular row of loops is formed on
all the needles, so that the initial edge of the pouch -
when transferred - is passed to needles that are already
carrying an initial edge of fabric.
The needles that are to form the circular row of
loops or at least the first circular row can be controlled
in such a way as to be selected 1:1, and in a second
revolution are again selected 1:1 but in reverse.
At the time of the transfer, the needles that
are to pick up the fabric of the pouch adjacent to the
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W096~7649 ,~"~
initial edge pass through this fabric when lifted.
According to the invention, in order to ensure regularity
during the transfer operation, the latches of the needles
are lifted towards the needles to a position of at least
partial closure, before these needles descend and the
otherwise open latches reach the fabric and pass into it,
preventing proper closure of the needle as it passes
through the fabric and emerges below it.
The invention also relates to a device for the
automatic initial formation of a closed toe in a tubular
knitted article - such as a stocking or a panty-hose leg -
directly on the circular knitting machine with a needle
cylinder on which said article is formed; devices of this
kind comprise a plurality of members for picking up the
initial edge of a pouch formed by the needles of one arc
of approximately a semicircle and transferring said
initial edge to the needles of the other arc of needles
opposite, before the circular knitting of the article is
started. According to the invention, means are provided
for actuating the needles of the arc opposite the arc of
needles responsible for forming the pouch, before the
members are activated to transfer the initial edge of the
pouch of the toe.
In practice, the needles of the entire circular
bed can be actuated in order to form at least one
circumferential row of loops, before the selection means
are actuated to form the pouch.
Devices of this kind also comprise means for
lifting the needles of said arc of needles opposite the
arc of needles that has formed the pouch, in such a way
that said needles pass through the fabric around the
initial edge of the pouch - when transferred - when they
rise with their latches open. According to the invention,
the device i5 also provided with means that act on the
latches (or e~uivalent parts) of the abovementioned
needles as they descend so as to close them up at least
partially towards their respective needles. Said means may
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consist of a springy metal wire that intercepts the
latches of the descendiny needles, so that the latch is at
least partially pivoted towards the hook of its respective
needle. The same function could also be carried out by air
jet systems.
Brief Pescri~tion of the Drawin~c
A clearer understanding of the invention will be
derived from the description and a~ ~ nying drawing, the
latter showing a practical, non-limiting example of said
invention. In the drawing:
Fig. 1 shows a plan view of the stage in which a
row of loops is formed on all needles before pouch
formation is c ~;
Figs. 2 and 3 show, in the same way as Fig. 1,
the first part of the formation of the pouch and a
schematic section on the plane III-III in Fig. 2;
Figs. 4 and 5 show, in the same way as Figs. 2
and 3, the stage in which the initial edge of the pouch is
transferred to the arc of needles that are to pick up this
edge;
Figs. 6 and 7 show, in the same way as Figs. 4
and 5, the stage in which the fabric of the pouch is
picked up by the needles of the arc of needles opposite
the arc by which the pouch was formed;
Fig. 8 shows a pe~e~Live view of the position
of the members shown on the left-hand side in Fig. 7;
Fig. 9 shows a flattened out view, more or less
in perspective, from the plane IX-IX of Fig. 8 and
Fig. 10 shows in a schematic section similar to
Fig. 7 the -n~ L of the formation of the tubular
fabric following formation and closure of the toe.
Det~ Descrimtion of the Tnvention
As shown in the attached drawing, A denotes one
arc of the ~eedle bed in the form of an approximate
semicircle, the needles being ~oc~ - ~ted in the
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conventional tricks of the needle cylinder. B denotes a
second arc of needles, opposite and complementary to the
arc A. lA denotes the needles of arc A and lB denotes the
needles of arc B.
~ hen starting to form a tubular article that is
intended to have a closed toe, a row of loops RA, RB is
characteristically formed on the machine, that is on the
needle cylinder around the entire circumference of the
needles, before the tubular fabric is formed, as shown in
Fig. 1; the row of loops RA, RB may be single or double or
a very limited number of rows. The initial half row RB
formed by the needles of arc B remains stationary while
the fabric of the pouch is being formed by the needles lA
of arc A. The needles forming the first complete row RA-RB
will be selected 1:1 on the first revolution, and again
1:1 but inverted on the second revolution.
3 denotes a switching member having the shape
of, for example, an arc of approximately 180~ and pivoting
about the axis X-X which divides the two opposite arcs A
and B from each other. Said member 3 carries a plurality
of hook parts 5 extending radially and capable of radial
movement; these hook parts are for picking up the stitch
loops RA formed by the needles of arc A as the initial
edge of the fabric P for the toe, which fabric is formed
by the needles lA of said arc A. The hooks 5 can be
advanced even before the half row RA is formed. Formation
of the fabric P for the toe takes place generally with
reciprocating motion of the needle cylinder, by
progressive selection of the needles of arc A so as to
produce rows of loops that gradually decrease
~Y LL ically relative to the ends of the arc A of needles
lA, and hence increasing symmetrically; the ~mhn~ir-nt is
known per se for the forming of fabric pouches by
reciprocating motion of the needle cylinder.
The formation of the fabric P for the toe pouch
extends between the needles lA which are forming it and
the initial row RA which is held by the hook parts 5 (see
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in particular Fig. 3). When a sufficient amount of fabric
P for the toe pouch has been formed - which amount must be
greater than the cross-section of the circular bed of the
needles of the cylinder -, the member 3 is swung about the
axis X-X - by means known per se and with an angular
movement as shown by the arrow F3 or in the opposite
direction to this arrow - in such a way that the initial
edge RA is transferred through the position of Figs. 2 and
3 and through the position of Figs. 4 and 5 to the
position shown in Figs. 6 and 7, in which the hook parts 5
swung round with the member 3 about the axis X-X and
radially extended, have carried the edge RA beyond and
outside of the half arc of needles lB situated around the
needle arc B, which have remained stationary during the
formation of the fabric P. In this way the fabric P is
brought to the position shown in Figs. 6 and 7 and in the
diagrams of Figs. 8 and 9. Transfer of the edge RA can be
accomplished by any other system of - v t.
Once the position of Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 is
arrived at, the needles lB of arc B are lifted and the
initial row RB is joined to them as already described; the
needles lB pass through the fabric P which has been
brought over the arc B of needles lB; the point where the
needles lB pass through the fabric P is close to the
initial row RA held by the hook parts 5; the needles lB
rise with their latches lB~ hanging open away from the
hook, as shown in Fig. 8 and on the left of Fig. 9.
It is in this situation that work is begun on
the tubular fabric T by means of the needles lA and lB o~
both arcs A and B. As the needles lB descend they take the
yarn F (see Fig 9) which is also picked up by the needles
lA, in order to commence forming this tubular fabric T.
The lowering of the needles lB causes the edge of the
fabric P to be joined to the row RB held by the needles
lB; the yarn F causes the fabric P to be joined to the
initial edge of the tubular fabric T. The small lip
defined by the row RA will be on the inside of the tubular
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fabric T and hence on the inside of the tubular article
which is formed in the manner indicated in Fig. 10. At the
end of the tubular fabric T, the article is finished in
the conventional way and is a practically finished article
with a closed toe, and may also optionally include heel
pouches formed during the knitting of the fabric T, etc.
During the first descent of the needles lB that
have passed through the fabric P, the latches lBL of the
dosron~ i ng needles lB stay open as shown in Fig. 8 and on
the left-hand side in Fig. 9, and would become stuck in
the fabric P as the needles lB descend. To avoid this
h~ppon;ng, a needle-closing device is adopted, capable of
turning the latch lBL from the position of Fig. 8 and of
the left-hand side of Fig. 9 to the position illustrated
diagrammatically on the right-hand side in Fig. 9 where
the latch is raised at least partly or fully placed
against the hook of the needle which has taken the yarn F.
Such a device may be pneumatic, i.e. designed to emit a
blast of air sufficient to throw the blade up as stated.
Alternatively the needle-closing device may comprise a
more or less springy metal wire 9 whose end portion lies
along the path of the needles on the outside of the zone
of descent of these needles, as shown in Fig. 9. In this
way the wire 9 swings the latches lBL upwards by contact,
ensuring that the latter do not become stuck in the fabric
P.
The presence of the initial row RB in the
needles lB ensures a correct and uniform joining of the
fabric P adjacent to the initial rows RA, to the tubular
fabric T which is to be formed by all the needles and
hence also by the needles lB; this regularity is due to
the presence of the initial row or rows RB formed by these
needles lB.
It will be understood that the drawing shows
only an illustrative embodiment purely by way of a
practical demonstration of the invention, it being
possible for said invention to be altered as regards
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W096/37649 r~~ Dlol -
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shapes and arrangements without thereby departing from the
scope of the concept underlying said invention.
The presence of any reference numerals in the
~, ~nying claims is for the purpose of facilitating the
reading of the claims with reference to the description
and drawing, and does not limit the scope of protection
represented by the claims.
