Abstract A guiding member is operatively mounted to cooperate with a succession of magnetically-sensitive jacks and needles of a circular knitting machine. The guiding member selectively urges the jacks either into an inner or an outer track of the circular knitting machine which respectively represent a non-knitting and knitting position of the respective jack and needle as they move around the circumference of the circular knitting machine. A guiding member is inwardly biased and is adapted to coact with the armature of an electromagnet. The guiding member has a projection which extends radially inwardly towards the center of the cylinder of the circular knitting machine. The guiding member also has a boss which is obliquely interposed in the path of movement of the jacks when the guiding member is in its inner position. In the inner position, the projection of the guiding member urges the jacks away from the outer track and into the inner track. As each jack engages the interposed boss of the guiding member, the latter is cammed outwardly against its bias thus moving the projection thereof outwardly so as to expose the outer track. When the outer track is thus exposed and the jacks move through this outer track the circular knitting machine is carrying out a patterned knitting operation. The electromagnet can be selectively energized thereby urging the guiding member into its outer, biased position and exposing the outer track of the knitting machine thereby causing a patterned knitting operation. When the electromagnet is not energized, the projection of the guiding member will move inwardly and thereby mechanically urge the jacks to move through an inner track wherein the knitting needles cannot carry out a patterned knitting operation.
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.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
375 words
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.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
An arrangement as defined in claim 1, in which said guiding projection is magnetized.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
An arrangement as defined in claim 1, in which the first region of said guide member is an inwardly projecting boss.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
An arrangement as defined in claim 2, in which the boss is formed from a wear-resistant material.