Patent US3908403A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3908403A
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US
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Knitting machine
Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute Inc
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Filing: 1974-02-26
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Granted: 1975-09-30
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Expires: 1994-02-26
Abstract
Abstract A knitting machine having a knitting needle bed or drum rotatably driven and carrying a plurality of knitting needles circumferentially spaced thereon actuated to knitting positions by respective jacks, selector levers and moving means. A selector system selectively selects individually which needles are to be disengaged from the moving means and disengages them individually from the moving means so that when disengaged they remain inactive on the needle bed. A slider reciprocably driven parallel to the axis of the needle bed by a sinusoidal cam on the needle bed mounts a plurality of selector arms that have their pivots on the slider reciprocated to two terminal positions of the slider. Two stationary abutments for each selector arm at one terminal posiof the slider function as fulcrums for each selector arm at opposite ends thereof. One of the abutments is an electromagnet. The individual selector arms are attached or biased to the other stationary abutment by individual springs or permanent magnets. The electromagnets are spaced from the pivots of the selector arms such that the selector arms have a greater lever arm length when fulcrumed on the corresponding electromagnet. The individual electromagnets are energized in accordance with a predetermined program or desired pattern so that in dependence upon the energization of its corresponding electromagnet selector arm will either pivot on the other abutment or on the corresponding electromagnet as the slider moves to its opposite terminal position. If the corresponding electromagnet is energized the selector arm has a lever arm length effective to be in the path of a selector lever associated with a corresponding needle controlled by the selector arm to disengage it from the moving means so that the needle is rendered inactive. The moving means has means that automatically cooperate with the selector lever to re-engage the individual needles with the moving means after each disengagement.
Inventors
- 👤 Anthony S Ringrose
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 13:13
CPC Classifications
D; D04; D04B; D04B15/00; D04B15/66; D04B15/68; D04B15/78
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
280 words
A knitting machine having a frame carrying a moving support having a number of needles operable to two positions, an operative position and an inoperative position, a system for driving the support, means for individually moving the needle between their two positions, and a system for selecting such means characterized in that the selecting system comprises: at least one moving selector arm having at one end a cam disposed near the support to act selectively on the needlemoving means; a slider substantially perpendicular to the selector arm and which is pivoted thereto; a cam having a substantially sinusoidal profile and which is solid in movement with the system for driving the support and which is in engagement with the slider to reciprocate the same between two positions, the cycle of such reciprocation corresponding to the consecutive passage past a fixed point of two needles controlled by the selector arm; two abutments which are simultaneously adjacent the selector arm in one of its two end positions defined by the slider, and means for continuously applying to the arm a first and predetermined force towards one of the abutments when the same makes contact with the selector arm, and means for selectively applying to the selector arm a second force which is greater than the first force and which is operative towards the outer of the abutments when the arm contacts such other abutment, so that the selector arm pivots while bearing on one or other of the abutments according as the second force is or is not applied, causing the cam which is rigidly connected to the selector arm to make a movement proportional to the length of lever arm chosen.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
280 words
A knitting machine having a frame carrying a moving support having a number of needles operable to two positions, an operative position and an inoperative position, a system for driving the support, means for individually moving the needle between their two positions, and a system for selecting such means characterized in that the selecting system comprises: at least one moving selector arm having at one end a cam disposed near the support to act selectively on the needlemoving means; a slider substantially perpendicular to the selector arm and which is pivoted thereto; a cam having a substantially sinusoidal profile and which is solid in movement with the system for driving the support and which is in engagement with the slider to reciprocate the same between two positions, the cycle of such reciprocation corresponding to the consecutive passage past a fixed point of two needles controlled by the selector arm; two abutments which are simultaneously adjacent the selector arm in one of its two end positions defined by the slider, and means for continuously applying to the arm a first and predetermined force towards one of the abutments when the same makes contact with the selector arm, and means for selectively applying to the selector arm a second force which is greater than the first force and which is operative towards the outer of the abutments when the arm contacts such other abutment, so that the selector arm pivots while bearing on one or other of the abutments according as the second force is or is not applied, causing the cam which is rigidly connected to the selector arm to make a movement proportional to the length of lever arm chosen.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
73 words
A knitting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that said moving support is a rotating needle bed, the slider, which is disposed parallel to the needle-bed axis, carrying a number of other selector arms which are disposed radially of the bed and which are articulated at various respective levels, and respective cams carried by the selector arms angularly offset from one another by an angle equal to the gauge of the machine.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
69 words
A knitting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means for applying a force greater than and opposite to the first of said two forces in the limit pivoting position of the arm retained against the other of the abutments by the second force, so as to retain said arm in said pivoting position in the event of the power supply of the machine is interrupted.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
223 words
In a knitting machine having a rotatably drIven bed of knitting needles each operable to an operative knitting position and to a retracted, inoperative position, moving means releasably engaging the knitting needles for continuously reciprocably moving the knitting needles to said operative knitting position and the retracted, inoperative position thereof, the improvement which comprises a selector system for selectively, selecting individually which needles are to be disengaged from said moving means and for disengaging the selected needles individually from said moving means so that the disengaged selected needles remain on said bed inactive, said selector system comprising a plurality of pivoted selector arms each disposed to cooperate with a knitting needle to disengage it from said moving means, reciprocable means reciprocable relative the knitting needle bed pivotally mounting said selector arms, a plurality of electromagnets each associated with a corresponding selector arm and spaced from the pivot thereof energized selectively in accordance with a desired pattern attracting one end of the associated selector arm upon travel of said reciprocating means away from said electromagnets to one terminal position thereof to pivot it to a position effective to engage a corresponding knitting needle and disengage it from said moving means to render it inactive, and means on said moving means for re-engaging each disengaged needle after disengagement thereof to render it effective for knitting.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
223 words
In a knitting machine having a rotatably drIven bed of knitting needles each operable to an operative knitting position and to a retracted, inoperative position, moving means releasably engaging the knitting needles for continuously reciprocably moving the knitting needles to said operative knitting position and the retracted, inoperative position thereof, the improvement which comprises a selector system for selectively, selecting individually which needles are to be disengaged from said moving means and for disengaging the selected needles individually from said moving means so that the disengaged selected needles remain on said bed inactive, said selector system comprising a plurality of pivoted selector arms each disposed to cooperate with a knitting needle to disengage it from said moving means, reciprocable means reciprocable relative the knitting needle bed pivotally mounting said selector arms, a plurality of electromagnets each associated with a corresponding selector arm and spaced from the pivot thereof energized selectively in accordance with a desired pattern attracting one end of the associated selector arm upon travel of said reciprocating means away from said electromagnets to one terminal position thereof to pivot it to a position effective to engage a corresponding knitting needle and disengage it from said moving means to render it inactive, and means on said moving means for re-engaging each disengaged needle after disengagement thereof to render it effective for knitting.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
116 words
In a knitting machine, according to claim 4, in which said selector system reciprocable means comprises a slider driven reciprocably parallel to the axis of rotation of said knitting needle bed by said rotatably driven knitting needle bed, means on said slider and means on said knitting needle bed for reciprocably driving said slider from said knitting needle bed, means on said slider pivotally mounting the selector arms disposed offset angularly of the knitting needle bed an angle equal to the gauge of the machine, means holding the selector arms in a releasable position for rocking upon attraction by the electromagnet thereof to said position effective for disengaging its corresponding knitting needle from the moving means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
In a knitting machine according to claim 5, in which said knitting needle bed is circular in cross section and in which said selector arms are disposed radially of said knitting needle bed, and said selector arms are disposed spaced vertically on said slider.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
82 words
In a knitting machine according to claim 4, in which each electromagnet comprises a stationary abutment for a corresponding selector arm, and a plurality of second stationary abutments on a same side of each said selector arm when said reciprocating means is at another terminal position thereof, and means attracting one end of the individual said selector arms to said second abutments for releasably holding each selector arm against said abutment when said reciprocable means is at said another terminal position thereof.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-09-29 | 1979-03-31 | 1979-09-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-29 | 1983-03-31 | 1983-09-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-29 | 1987-03-31 | 1987-09-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |