US3811297A — Control mechanism for circular knitting machines …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 350 words

In a circular knitting machine with a rotating needle carrier, in which the needle selection is controlled at a pattern-selecting position by selectively operated needleselecting means, each needle being provided with an associated needle jack which is slidable in the needle carrier and is selectively swingable into and out of operative engagement with a stationary jack advancing cam past which the jacks travel on the needle carrier, each needle jack having at least one control foot, the control feet of the needle jacks following each other in sequence in a stepwise manner, a ramp-like cam at the pattern selecting position for successively swinging the needle jacks so that they lie in a first position in the path of the jack advancing cam, the improved needle selecting means which comprises a plurality of selectively energizable electromagnetic solenoid means Having stopping surfaces and cores disposed generally radially of the needle carrier, said cores having poles on their inner ends for selectively cooperating with the respective control feet on the needle jacks to retain selected ones of said jacks in said first position, and yieldable means for urging all of the jacks toward a second position out of the path of the jack advancing cam, said yieldable means being overpowered by the said energized electromagnetic solenoid means, every needle jack of the machine being provided with two control feet, one of the control feet of the needle jack running over the surface of the pole of the respective solenoid means and coacting therewith immediately throughout the whole length of the pattern selecting position, the other control foot of the needle jack being controlled by the said yieldable means, said yieldable means being disposed at least adjoining the pattern selecting position, the yieldable means comprising a spring biased return slider with a ramp-like control surface for cooperation with the second control feet of the needle jacks, the beginning of the ramp-like control surface on the slider being positioned in substantial vertical alignment with the beginning of the stopping surface of the electromagnetic solenoid means during the rotation of the needle carrier of the machine.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 350 words

In a circular knitting machine with a rotating needle carrier, in which the needle selection is controlled at a pattern-selecting position by selectively operated needleselecting means, each needle being provided with an associated needle jack which is slidable in the needle carrier and is selectively swingable into and out of operative engagement with a stationary jack advancing cam past which the jacks travel on the needle carrier, each needle jack having at least one control foot, the control feet of the needle jacks following each other in sequence in a stepwise manner, a ramp-like cam at the pattern selecting position for successively swinging the needle jacks so that they lie in a first position in the path of the jack advancing cam, the improved needle selecting means which comprises a plurality of selectively energizable electromagnetic solenoid means Having stopping surfaces and cores disposed generally radially of the needle carrier, said cores having poles on their inner ends for selectively cooperating with the respective control feet on the needle jacks to retain selected ones of said jacks in said first position, and yieldable means for urging all of the jacks toward a second position out of the path of the jack advancing cam, said yieldable means being overpowered by the said energized electromagnetic solenoid means, every needle jack of the machine being provided with two control feet, one of the control feet of the needle jack running over the surface of the pole of the respective solenoid means and coacting therewith immediately throughout the whole length of the pattern selecting position, the other control foot of the needle jack being controlled by the said yieldable means, said yieldable means being disposed at least adjoining the pattern selecting position, the yieldable means comprising a spring biased return slider with a ramp-like control surface for cooperation with the second control feet of the needle jacks, the beginning of the ramp-like control surface on the slider being positioned in substantial vertical alignment with the beginning of the stopping surface of the electromagnetic solenoid means during the rotation of the needle carrier of the machine.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 273 words

In a circular knitting machine with a rotating needle carrier, in which the needle selection is controlled at a pattern-selecting position by selectively operated needle-selecting means, each needle being provided with an associated needle jack which is slidable in the needle carrier and is selectively swingable into and out of operative engagement with a stationary jack advancing cam past which the jacks travel on the needle carrier, each needle jack having one control foot, the control feet of the needle jacks following each other in sequence in a stepwise manner, a ramp-like cam at the pattern selecting position for successively swinging the needle jacks so that they lie in a first position in the path of the jack advancing cam, the improved needle selecting means which comprises a plurality of selectively energizable electromagnetic solenoid means at the pattern selecting position, said solenoid means having cores reciprocally radially movable of the needle carrier, said cores having contacting surfaces on their inner ends for selectively cooperating with the respective control feet on the needle jacks and having also armature surfaces at their outer ends, and yieldable means for urging all of the cores radially inwardly, said yieldable means being selectively overpowered by said electromagnetic solenoid means when energized, to attract an armature surface on the outer end of selected cores, all of said cores being successively moved radially outwardly by said needle jacks engaging said contacting surfaces as said needle jacks are successively swung outwardly by said ramp-like cam, and non-selected cores being thereafter moved inwardly by those yieldable means which have not been selectively overpowered to swing corresponding jacks inwardly from said first position.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 273 words

In a circular knitting machine with a rotating needle carrier, in which the needle selection is controlled at a pattern-selecting position by selectively operated needle-selecting means, each needle being provided with an associated needle jack which is slidable in the needle carrier and is selectively swingable into and out of operative engagement with a stationary jack advancing cam past which the jacks travel on the needle carrier, each needle jack having one control foot, the control feet of the needle jacks following each other in sequence in a stepwise manner, a ramp-like cam at the pattern selecting position for successively swinging the needle jacks so that they lie in a first position in the path of the jack advancing cam, the improved needle selecting means which comprises a plurality of selectively energizable electromagnetic solenoid means at the pattern selecting position, said solenoid means having cores reciprocally radially movable of the needle carrier, said cores having contacting surfaces on their inner ends for selectively cooperating with the respective control feet on the needle jacks and having also armature surfaces at their outer ends, and yieldable means for urging all of the cores radially inwardly, said yieldable means being selectively overpowered by said electromagnetic solenoid means when energized, to attract an armature surface on the outer end of selected cores, all of said cores being successively moved radially outwardly by said needle jacks engaging said contacting surfaces as said needle jacks are successively swung outwardly by said ramp-like cam, and non-selected cores being thereafter moved inwardly by those yieldable means which have not been selectively overpowered to swing corresponding jacks inwardly from said first position.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1977-05-20	1977-11-19	1978-05-21	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1981-05-20	1981-11-19	1982-05-21	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1985-05-20	1985-11-19	1986-05-21	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Control mechanism for circular knitting machines with rotating needle carrier

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