Selection device for the needles of a knitting machine

Claim 1

A selection device for knitting machines having a rotating cylinder with slots around its circumference for accommodating a knitting needle and an associated needle jack in each slot, said device comprising selection tape means for controlling a number of jack selectors of at least one feed station, said jack selectors being disposed adjacent to the cylinder, a portion of each of said jack selectors being movable between a first position away from the cylinder for preventing engagement with the needle jacks to define an operative jack position and a second position close to the cylinder for engagement with associated needle jacks to move each of said associated jacks into its slot to define a non-operative jack position, said selection tape means including a tape loop and stationary detecting means coacting with said tape loop for determining said first and second positions of said portion of each of said jack selectors to provide a predetermined knitting pattern, drive means for moving said tape loop in synchronization with the cylinder and relative to said stationary detecting means, cam means for moving each of said needle jacks in said operative jack position along its slot into engagement with its associated knitting needle to move said associated knitting needle into an active position for knitting said knitting pattern, where the needles associated with each of said needle jacks in said non-operative jack position remain in their respective slots and are non-active during said knitting, said tape loop including at least one section extending longitudinally around said tape loop, said section including adjacent portions extending longitudinally around said tape loop, each of said tape loop portions being associated with one of said jack selectors at said feed station, a plurality of detectable means being disposed in longitudinally adjacent rows extending transversely across width of a said section and intersecting said tape loop portions to provide individual detectable means associated with a particular needle jack and knitting needle, said detecting means controlling said jack selectors by consecutively detecting said individual detectable means transversely across each of said rows, row-by-row, to determine said first and second positions of each of said jack selectors for providing said operative and non-operative jack positions, said stationary detecting means being disposed diagonally with respect to the transversely extending rows of detectable means for controlling said jack selectors.