Circular knitting machine with electromagnet operated pattern wheel

Claim 2

A circular knitting machine having a driven needle cylinder and program means for generating a sequence of knitting pattern instructions, wherein the improvement is in a pattern wheel driven in synchronism with the needle cylinder and including an array of needle raising jacks each movable radially between an extended jack position for engaging a needle to move it from a non-knitting position to a knitting position and a retracted jack position for not engaging any needle, the pattern wheel comprising: a. a cylindrical array of reeds corresponding to the array of jacks, each reed having a portion movable radially between an inner position and an outer position and continuously engaging a corresponding jack for moving the corresponding jack back and forth between the retracted jack position and the extended jack position respectively, each of said reeds including magnetic material; b. inner magnet means having outer peripheral portions of equal radius magnetized to attract the reeds, said portions being positioned inside the cylindrical reed array coaxially therewith for holding each reed which is in the inner reed position against said portions by magnetic action; c. outer annular magnet means having an inner peripheral cylindrical face magnetized to attract the reeds and positioned outside the cylindrical reed array coaxially therewith for holding each reed which is in the outer reed position against the inner peripheral face by magnetic action; and d. selector means controlled by said knitting pattern instructions generated by the program means for moving only selected reeds from the inner reed position to the outer reed position while the nonselected reeds remain in the inner reed position, thereby moving the jacks corresponding to the selected reeds from the retracted jack position to the extended jack position for engaging knitting needles and influencing the knitting pattern according to the instructions generated by the program means.

Claim 3

A knitting machine as in claim 1 including support means for suspending each reed of the circular array of reeds to allow radial movement of the lower portion of each reed between the inner reed position and the outer reed position.

Claim 4

each said element which reaches said operating station in its second position being there effective to move a corresponding member to its second position; e. first magnet means having a face extending longitudinally of said second closed path along one side thereof, said first magnet means exerting magnetic attraction upon said elements and holding against its face those elements which are placed in their first positions; f. second magnet means having a face extending longitudinally of said second path along the opposite side thereof from said first magnet means and exerting magnetic attraction upon said elements and holding against its face those elements which are placed in their second positions; g. restoring means at a restoring station spaced along said second path from said operating station for moving to their first positions all elements approaching said restoring station in their second positions; and h. selector means at a selecting station between said restoring station and said operating station and controlled by a sequence of pulses synchronous with the motion of said series of members and said series of elements, said selector means being effective to move only selected ones of said elements from the face of the first magnet means to the face of the second magnet means, while the non-selected elements remain in their first positions, and thereby to determine which of said operating members are moved from their first positions to their second positions.

Claim 5

each said element which reaches said operating station in its second position being there effective to move a corresponding member to its second position; e. first magnet means having a face extending longitudinally of said second closed path along one side thereof, said first magnet means exerting magnetic attraction upon said elements and holding against its face those elements which are placed in their first positions; f. second magnet means having a face extending longitudinally of said second path along the opposite side thereof from said first magnet means and exerting magnetic attraction upon said elements and holding against its face those elements which are placed in their second positions; g. restoring means at a restoring station spaced along said second path from said operating station for moving to their first positions all elements approaching said restoring station in their second positions; and h. selector means at a selecting station between said restoring station and said operating station and controlled by a sequence of pulses synchronous with the motion of said series of members and said series of elements, said selector means being effective to move only selected ones of said elements from the face of the first magnet means to the face of the second magnet means, while the non-selected elements remain in their first positions, and thereby to determine which of said operating members are moved from their first positions to their second positions.

Claim 6

A knitting machine as in claim 1 including resetting means for restoring to the inner reed position reeds moved to the outer reed position by the selector means.

Claim 7

A knitting machine as in claim 1 including in said selector means electromagnet means having a convex pole facing the outside of the cylindrical reed array with the pole tip positioned substantially tangentially to the reeds which are in the inner reed position, and including means for maintaining synchronous rotation of the reed array with respect to the electromagnet pole to cause the reed which is nearest the pole tip when the electromagnet means is energized to be attracted and held against the pole and to be pulled away from the outer peripheral portions of the inner magnet means toward and against the inner peripheral face of the outer magnet means, thereby moving selected reeds from the inner reed position to the outer reed position as the reed array rotates with respect to the pole.

Claim 8

A circular knitting machine having a driven needle cylinder and program means for generating a sequence of knitting pattern instructions, wherein the improvement is in a pattern wheel driven in synchronism with the needle cylinder and including an array of needle raising jacks each movable between a retracted jack position in which it does not engage any needle and an extended jack position for engaging a needle to move it from a non-knitting position to a knitting position, the pattern wheel comprising: a. a cylindrical array of reeds corresponding to the array of jacks, eaCh reed having a portion movable radially between an inner position and an outer position and continuously engaging a corresponding jack for moving the corresponding jack between the retracted jack position and the extended jack position respectively, each of said reeds including magnetic material; b. selector means controlled by the knitting pattern instructions generated by the program means for moving selected reeds from the inner reed position to the outer reed position, thereby moving the jacks corresponding to the selected reeds to the extended jack position for engaging knitting needles and influencing the knitting pattern according to the instructions generated by the program means, said selector means including electromagnet means having a convex pole facing the outside of the cylindrical array of reeds, with the pole tip positioned substantially tangentially to the reeds which are in the inner reed position; and c. means for maintaining synchronous rotation of the reed array with respect to the electromagnet pole to cause the reed which is nearest the pole tip when the electromagnet means is energized to be attracted and held against the pole and to be moved from the inner reed position to the outer reed position as the reed array rotates with respect to the pole.

Claim 9

A circular knitting machine having a driven needle cylinder and program means for generating a sequence of knitting pattern instructions, wherein the improvement is in a pattern wheel driven in synchronism with the needle cylinder and including an array of needle raising jacks each movable between a retracted jack position in which it does not engage any needle and an extended jack position for engaging a needle to move it from a non-knitting position to a knitting position, the pattern wheel comprising: a. a cylindrical array of reeds corresponding to the array of jacks, eaCh reed having a portion movable radially between an inner position and an outer position and continuously engaging a corresponding jack for moving the corresponding jack between the retracted jack position and the extended jack position respectively, each of said reeds including magnetic material; b. selector means controlled by the knitting pattern instructions generated by the program means for moving selected reeds from the inner reed position to the outer reed position, thereby moving the jacks corresponding to the selected reeds to the extended jack position for engaging knitting needles and influencing the knitting pattern according to the instructions generated by the program means, said selector means including electromagnet means having a convex pole facing the outside of the cylindrical array of reeds, with the pole tip positioned substantially tangentially to the reeds which are in the inner reed position; and c. means for maintaining synchronous rotation of the reed array with respect to the electromagnet pole to cause the reed which is nearest the pole tip when the electromagnet means is energized to be attracted and held against the pole and to be moved from the inner reed position to the outer reed position as the reed array rotates with respect to the pole.

Claim 10

A knitting machine as in claim 5, including at least one magnet means having a substantially cylindrical peripheral face concentric with the needle cylinder and magnetized to attract the movable portions of the reeds and positioned coaxially with the cylindrical array of reeds for holding the reeds which are in one of said first and second reed positions against the peripheral face by magnetic action.

Claim 11

A knitting machine including a row of knitting needles and a pattern wheel having an array of needle raising jacks, each needle movable between a first needle position and a second needle position and each jack movable between a first jack position and a second jack position, means for synchronously moving the row of needles and the pattern wheel with respect to each other to cause each jack in one of said first and second jack positions to move a selected needle from the first needle position to the second needle position, and program means for generating a sequence of knitting pattern instructions in synchronism with the relative motion between the row of needles and the pattern wheel, wherein the improvement is in means for moving the jacks between said first jack position and second jack position, comprising: a. a cylindrical array of reeds corresponding to the array of jacks, each reed having a portion movable radially between a first reed position and a second reed position and continuously engaging a corresponding jack for moving the corresponding jack between the first jack position and the second jack position respectively; b. selector means controlled by the knitting pattern instructions for moving only selected reeds from the first reed position to the second reed position while the non-selected reeds remain in the first reed position, thereby moving the jacks corresponding to the selected reeds from the first jack position to the second jack position; and c. at least one magnet means having a substantially cylindrical peripheral face magnetized to attract the movable portions of the reeds and positioned coaxially with the cylindrical array of reeds for holding the reeds in one of said first and second reed positions against the peripheral face by magnetic action.

Claim 12

A knitting machine including a row of knitting needles and a pattern wheel having an array of needle raising jacks, each needle movable between a first needle position and a second needle position and each jack movable between a first jack position and a second jack position, means for synchronously moving the row of needles and the pattern wheel with respect to each other to cause each jack in one of said first and second jack positions to move a selected needle from the first needle position to the second needle position, and program means for generating a sequence of knitting pattern instructions in synchronism with the relative motion between the row of needles and the pattern wheel, wherein the improvement is in means for moving the jacks between said first jack position and second jack position, comprising: a. a cylindrical array of reeds corresponding to the array of jacks, each reed having a portion movable radially between a first reed position and a second reed position and continuously engaging a corresponding jack for moving the corresponding jack between the first jack position and the second jack position respectively; b. selector means controlled by the knitting pattern instructions for moving only selected reeds from the first reed position to the second reed position while the non-selected reeds remain in the first reed position, thereby moving the jacks corresponding to the selected reeds from the first jack position to the second jack position; and c. at least one magnet means having a substantially cylindrical peripheral face magnetized to attract the movable portions of the reeds and positioned coaxially with the cylindrical array of reeds for holding the reeds in one of said first and second reed positions against the peripheral face by magnetic action.

Claim 13

A knitting machine including a row of knitting needles and a pattern wheel having an array of needle raising jacks, each needle movable between a first needle position and a second needle position and each jack movable between a first jack position and a second jack position, means for synchronously moving the row of needles and the pattern wheel with respect to each other to cause each jack in one of said first and second jack positions to move a selected needle from the first needle position tO the second needle position, and program means for generating a sequence of knitting pattern instructions in synchronism with the relative motion between the row of needles and the pattern wheel, wherein the improvement is in means for moving the jacks between said first jack position and second jack position, comprising: a. a cylindrical array of reeds corresponding to the array of jacks, each reed having a portion movable radially between a first reed position and a second reed position and continuously engaging a corresponding jack for moving the corresponding jack between the first jack position and the second jack position respectively; b. selector means controlled by the knitting pattern instructions for moving selected reeds from the first reed position to the second reed position thereby moving the jacks corresponding to the selected reeds from the first jack position to the second jack position, said selector means including electromagnet means having a convex pole facing the cylindrical reed array with the pole tip positioned substantially tangentially to the reeds which are in the first reed position; and c. means for maintaining rotation of the array of reeds with respect to the electromagnet pole to cause the reed which is nearest the pole tip when the electromagnet means is energized to be attracted and held against the pole and to be moved from the first reed position to the second reed position as the array of reeds rotates with respect to the pole.

Claim 14

A knitting machine including a row of knitting needles and a pattern wheel having an array of needle raising jacks, each needle movable between a first needle position and a second needle position and each jack movable between a first jack position and a second jack position, means for synchronously moving the row of needles and the pattern wheel with respect to each other to cause each jack in one of said first and second jack positions to move a selected needle from the first needle position tO the second needle position, and program means for generating a sequence of knitting pattern instructions in synchronism with the relative motion between the row of needles and the pattern wheel, wherein the improvement is in means for moving the jacks between said first jack position and second jack position, comprising: a. a cylindrical array of reeds corresponding to the array of jacks, each reed having a portion movable radially between a first reed position and a second reed position and continuously engaging a corresponding jack for moving the corresponding jack between the first jack position and the second jack position respectively; b. selector means controlled by the knitting pattern instructions for moving selected reeds from the first reed position to the second reed position thereby moving the jacks corresponding to the selected reeds from the first jack position to the second jack position, said selector means including electromagnet means having a convex pole facing the cylindrical reed array with the pole tip positioned substantially tangentially to the reeds which are in the first reed position; and c. means for maintaining rotation of the array of reeds with respect to the electromagnet pole to cause the reed which is nearest the pole tip when the electromagnet means is energized to be attracted and held against the pole and to be moved from the first reed position to the second reed position as the array of reeds rotates with respect to the pole.

Claim 15

Needle selecting apparatus for a circular knitting machine having a slotted needle cylinder, a circular series of needles individually disposed in and slidable lengthwise of said needle slots to a plurality of positions therein, and program means for generating a sequence of electromagnetic knitting pattern instructions for said apparatus whereby said needles are caused to be selectively moved from a first to a second of said positions thereof, said apparatus comprising: a. a circular series of elements of ferromagnetic material operatively related to said circle of needles in such manner as to control the movement of the latter from said first to said second positions thereof, said series of elements being individually movable radially between inner and outer positions thereof; b. inner magnet means having circularly disposed outer peripheral face portions of equal radius positioned coaxially with and inside of said circle of elements, said inner magnet means exerting magnetic attraction upon said elements of said circle thereof and by magnetic attraction holding against its said outer peripheral face portions those of said circle of elements which are placed in their said inner radial positions thereof; c. outer magnet means having a circularly disposed inner peripheral face of constant radius positioned coaxially with and outside of said circle of elements, said outer magnet means exerting magnetic attraction upon said elements of said circle thereof and by magnetic action holding against its said inner peripheral face those of said circle of elements which are placed in their said outer radial position thereof; d. means to move all the elements of said circle thereof to one of their said radial positions wherein said circle of elements are held by one of said magnet means; and e. selector means controlled by said electromagnetic knitting pattern instructions to move selected ones of said circle of elements from said one magnet means holding the same to the other magnet means, in accordance with said electromagnetic knitting pattern instructions, to be held by the other magnet means, thereby to control the movement of selected ones of said circle of needles from said first to said second positions thereof.

Claim 16

Needle selecting apparatus for a circular knitting machine having a slotted needle cylinder, a circular series of needles individually disposed in and slidable lengthwise of said needle slots to a plurality of positions therein, and program means for generating a sequence of electromagnetic knitting pattern instructions for said apparatus whereby said needles are caused to be selectively moved from a first to a second of said positions thereof, said apparatus comprising: a. a circular series of elements of ferromagnetic material operatively related to said circle of needles in such manner as to control the movement of the latter from said first to said second positions thereof, said series of elements being individually movable radially between inner and outer positions thereof; b. inner magnet means having circularly disposed outer peripheral face portions of equal radius positioned coaxially with and inside of said circle of elements, said inner magnet means exerting magnetic attraction upon said elements of said circle thereof and by magnetic attraction holding against its said outer peripheral face portions those of said circle of elements which are placed in their said inner radial positions thereof; c. outer magnet means having a circularly disposed inner peripheral face of constant radius positioned coaxially with and outside of said circle of elements, said outer magnet means exerting magnetic attraction upon said elements of said circle thereof and by magnetic action holding against its said inner peripheral face those of said circle of elements which are placed in their said outer radial position thereof; d. means to move all the elements of said circle thereof to one of their said radial positions wherein said circle of elements are held by one of said magnet means; and e. selector means controlled by said electromagnetic knitting pattern instructions to move selected ones of said circle of elements from said one magnet means holding the same to the other magnet means, in accordance with said electromagnetic knitting pattern instructions, to be held by the other magnet means, thereby to control the movement of selected ones of said circle of needles from said first to said second positions thereof.

Claim 17

Apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said circle of elements are all moved radially inwardly where they are held by the outer peripheral face portions of said inner magnet means, and wherein selected ones of said circle of elements are moved radially ouTwardly from the said inner position thereof by said selector means where they are held by the inner peripheral face of said outer magnet means.

Claim 18

Apparatus as in claim 10, wherein said selector means includes an electromagnet having a convex faced pole tip, wherein said circle of elements rotates relative to said pole tip with the latter being positioned with its convex face tangent to said circle of elements in their said inner radial position, the relation of said pole tip and said circle of elements being such that those of said elements which are within the sphere of magnetic influence of said pole tip of said electromagnet when the latter is energized by said electromagnetic knitting pattern instructions are attracted to, are held by, and move smoothly along the convex face of said pole tip, thereby pulling the last named elements away from the outer peripheral face portions of said inner magnet means toward and against the inner peripheral face of said outer magnet means, whereby selected ones of said circle of elements are moved from their inner to their outer radial positions as rotation of said circle of elements past said pole tip continues.

Claim 19

Selective control apparatus responsive to the presence or absence of electrical pulses at predetermined intervals in a timed sequence of pulses, comprising: a. a series of operating members to be controlled; b. means for moving said series of members along a first closed path, including:

Claim 20

Selective control apparatus responsive to the presence or absence of electrical pulses at predetermined intervals in a timed sequence of pulses, comprising: a. a series of operating members to be controlled; b. means for moving said series of members along a first closed path, including:

Claim 21

Selective control apparatus as in claim 12, in which said selector means includes a stationary electromagnet having a pole tip with a convex face extending across said second path from said opposite side thereof, said face being tangent to the elements in their first positions, said pole tip being effective when said electromagnet is energizeD to attract and hold an adjacent passing element so that said element moves along the convex face of the pole tip and is thereby shifted from its first position to its second position, so that those elements which are passing the pole tip when the electromagnet is energized are transferred to their second positions and those elements which are passing the pole tip when the electromagnet is deenergized remain in their first positions.

Claim 22

Selective control apparatus responsive to the presence or absence of electrical pulses at predetermined intervals in a timed sequence of pulses, comprising: a. a series of control elements of ferromagnetic material; b. means for moving said series of control elements along a closed path through an operating station; c. means in said moving means supporting said elements for individual movement between first and second positions spaced transversely of the direction of movement of said series of control elements along said closed path; d. first magnet means having a face extending longitudinally of said closed path along one side thereof, said first magnet means exerting magnetic attraction upon said elements and holding against its face those elements which are placed in their first positions; e. second magnet means having a face extending longitudinally of said path along the opposite side thereof from said first magnet means and exerting magnetic attraction upon said elements and holding against its face those elements which are placed in their second positions; f. restoring means at a restoring station spaced along said path from said operating station for moving to their first positions all elements approaching said restoring station in their second positions; and g. selector means at a selecting station between said restoring station and said operating station and controlled by a programmed sequence of pulses synchronous with the motion of said series of elements, said selector means being effective to move only selected ones of said elements from their first positions to their second positions while the non-selected elements remain in their first positions, wherein they abut the face of the first magnet means.

Claim 23

Selective control apparatus responsive to the presence or absence of electrical pulses at predetermined intervals in a timed sequence of pulses, comprising: a. a series of control elements of ferromagnetic material; b. means for moving said series of control elements along a closed path through an operating station; c. means in said moving means supporting said elements for individual movement between first and second positions spaced transversely of the direction of movement of said series of control elements along said closed path; d. first magnet means having a face extending longitudinally of said closed path along one side thereof, said first magnet means exerting magnetic attraction upon said elements and holding against its face those elements which are placed in their first positions; e. second magnet means having a face extending longitudinally of said path along the opposite side thereof from said first magnet means and exerting magnetic attraction upon said elements and holding against its face those elements which are placed in their second positions; f. restoring means at a restoring station spaced along said path from said operating station for moving to their first positions all elements approaching said restoring station in their second positions; and g. selector means at a selecting station between said restoring station and said operating station and controlled by a programmed sequence of pulses synchronous with the motion of said series of elements, said selector means being effective to move only selected ones of said elements from their first positions to their second positions while the non-selected elements remain in their first positions, wherein they abut the face of the first magnet means.

Claim 24

Selective control apparatus as in claim 14, in which said selector means includes a stationary electromagnet having a pole tip with a convex face extending across said path from said opposite side thereof, said face being tangent to the elements in their first positions, said pole tip being effective when said electromagnet is energized to attract and hold an adjacent passing element so that said element moves along the convex face of the pole tip and is thereby shifted from its first position to its second position, so that those elements which are passing the pole tip when the electromagnet is energized are transferred to their second positions and those elements which are passing the pole tip when the electromagnet is deenergized remain in their first positions.

Claim 25

Selective control apparatus as in claim 15, in which the convex face of the pole tip is spherical.

Claim 26

Selective control apparatus as in claim 15, in which: a. said electromagnet comprises a hollow core member extending toward said path from said opposite side, said core member having an inward internal taper at its end nearest said path; b. said pole tip comprises a ball retained within said core member by said inward taper and projecting from said core member across said path to provide said spherical convex face; and c. spring means within said core member biasing said ball toward the inward taper, said ball being rotatably held within said core member and between said elements and said spring means.