Jack-controlling means for the needles of a circular knitting machine

Claim 1

In a circular knitting machine having needles and associated jacks pivotally connected thereto, each one of said jacks having a ferro-magnetic spring means axially extending therefrom, an arrangement responsive to a control pulse for normally guiding each of said spring means into an outer track representative of a knitting position and guiding selected ones of the spring means into an inner track representative of a non-knitting position, which comprises: first and second permanent magnets respectively associated with the inner and outer tracks, the second magnet being positioned ahead of the first permanent magnet in the path of movement of said spring means, said spring means, said spring means normally moving along said outer track; an electromagnet having a coil and a guide member operatively associated with said coil, the guide member having an axis of movement angularly disposed with respect to the path of movement of the spring means, the guide member having a guiding projection extending radially inward with respect to the circular knitting machine and being in substantial alignment with said second permanent magnet; means for normally biasing a first region of said guide member into the path of movement of the spring means and for positioning the guiding projection in a first location wherein the guiding projection is biasing said spring means inwardly to bring them under the influence of said second permanent magnet and cause the adjacent spring means to move into said inner track, each of the succession of spring means cooperating with said first region of said guide member in sequence to cam the guide member outwardly against the bias and to move the projection outwardly from the first location to permit the adjacent spring means to move toward the magnetic influence of said first permanent magnet, thereby urging said spring means into the outer track; and means for applying the control pulse to the coil to maintain the first region of the armature out of the path of movement of said spring means following the camming action and for retaining said projection in a position away from its first inner location so that the magnetic influence of the first permanent magnet on the adjacent spring means is such that said spring means is urged into the outer track.