Scanning system for revolving creel type circular knitting machines

Claim 1

FABRIC FLAW DETECTING APPARATUS FOR INSPECTING A TUBULAR KNIT FABRIC PRODUCED AT A NEEDLE STATION OF A CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE OF THE ROTARY CREEL TYPE AS THE FABRIC MOVES DOWNWARDLY FROM THE NEEDLE STATION WITHOUT ROTATION SUBSTANTIALLY CENTERED ABOUT A VERTICAL REFERENCE AXIS TO DETECT RUNS, HOLES, AND SIMILAR APERTURE FLAWS IN THE FABRIC TUBE, COMPRISING A FIRST SUBASSEMBLY INCLUDING A DETECTOR HEAD AND ASSOCIATED CIRCUIT MEANS POSITIONED IN FIXED RELATION TO EACH OTHER AND DISPOSED BELOW SAID NEEDLE STATION WITHIN SAID FABRIC TUBE, SAID DETECTOR HEAD INCLUDING LIGHT SOURCE MEANS FOR DIRECTING LIGHT RAYS ALONG A SELECTED LIGHT RAY AXIS IN A CONFINED BEAM TOWARD FABRIC TUBE PORTIONS LYING OUTWARDLY OF SAID FIRST SUBASSEMBLY AND A PHOTOCELL TO RECEIVE LIGHT RETURNED FROM THE FABRIC PORTION INTERCEPTING SAID BEAM, SAID ASSOCIATED CIRCUIT MEANS INCLUDING MEANS FOR AMPLIFYING OUTPUT SIGNALS PRODUCED BY SAID PHOTOCELL, MEANS SUPPORTING SAID DETECTOR HEAD AND CIRCUIT MEANS OF SAID SUBASSEMBLY FOR ROTATION AS A UNIT ABOUT SAID REFERENCE AXIS AT AN ANGULAR VELOCITY RELATIVE TO THE RATE OF MOVEMENT OF SAID FABRIC TUBE DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID NEEDLE STATION TO CAUSE SAID BEAM TO SCAN CIRCUMFERENTIALLY AROUND THE FABRIC TUBE AND INTERCEPT ALL PORTIONS OF THE FABRIC TUBE, A SURFACE OF REFLECTIVE MATERIAL DISPOSED OUTWARDLY OF THE FABRIC TUBE IN THE PATH OF SAID BEAM TO RETURN TOWARD THE DETECTOR HEAD LIGHT PASSING THROUGH APERTURE FLAWS IN THE FABRIC, AND A SECOND SUBASSEMBLY SUPPORTED AT A STATIONARY POSITION WITH RESPECT TO WHICH THE FIRST SUBASSEMBLY ROTATES ELECTRICALLY COUPLED WITH SAID FIRST SUBASSEMBLY INCLUDING CIRCUIT MEANS INTERCOUPLED WITH SAID ASSOCIATED CIRCUIT MEANS OF SAID FIRST SUBASSEMBLY FOR PRODUCING A SIGNAL INDICATIVE OF FLAW DETECTION RESPONSIVE TO A SELECTED LEVEL OF LIGHT ACTIVATION OF SAID PHOTOCELL.