Needle selecting method and apparatus in flat knitting machine

Claim 3

The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of preliminarily selecting and dividing needles into two groups includes the step of moving the other of the two groups of needles into a lower, welt position.

Claim 4

The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the further selecting and dividing one of said two groups of needles includes the step of moving all of the needles of the one of said two groups into a central knit position.

Claim 5

The method as set forth in claim 3, wherein the further selecting and dividing one of said two groups of needles also includes the step of moving some of the needles, moved into the central, knit position, into an upper, tuck position.

Claim 6

Structure for selecting needles in a flat knitting machine which knitting machine includes a needle bed a plurality of needles positioned on the bed and means also positioned on the bed operably associated with the needles for selectively positioning the needles in an upper tuck position, a central knit position or a lower welt position, a carriage positioned adjacent the needle bed for reciprocal movement across the needle bed and at least one lock on the carriage engageable with the means for positioning the needles to produce desired knitting thereby in accordance with the positioning of the needles comprising needle selecting members operably associated with the means for positioning the needles located on the carriage on both front and rear sides of the lock in both directions of travel of the carriage for preliminarily selecting and dividing the needles into two groups by a succeeding rear needle selecting member and means operably associated with the means for positioning the needles located on the carriage for further selecting and dividing one of said two groups divided by the preliminary needle selection and dividing into two groups, by a preceeding front needle selecting member at the time of reversing of the moving direction of the carriage.

Claim 7

Structure for selecting needles in a flat knitting machine which knitting machine includes a needle bed a plurality of needles positioned on the bed and means also positioned on the bed operably associated with the needles for selectively positioning the needles in an upper tuck position, a central knit position or a lower welt position, a carriage positioned adjacent the needle bed for reciprocal movement across the needle bed and at least one lock on the carriage engageable with the means for positioning the needles to produce desired knitting thereby in accordance with the positioning of the needles comprising needle selecting members operably associated with the means for positioning the needles located on the carriage on both front and rear sides of the lock in both directions of travel of the carriage for preliminarily selecting and dividing the needles into two groups by a succeeding rear needle selecting member and means operably associated with the means for positioning the needles located on the carriage for further selecting and dividing one of said two groups divided by the preliminary needle selection and dividing into two groups, by a preceeding front needle selecting member at the time of reversing of the moving direction of the carriage.

Claim 8

Structure as set forth in claim 5, wherein the means for dividing the needles into two groups includes means for positioning all of the needles in a lower welt position.

Claim 9

Structure as set forth in claim 6, wherein the means for moving all of the needles into a lower welt position includes a jack lowering cam having a stationary cam portion and a movable cam portion.

Claim 10

Structure as set forth in claim 7, wherein the means for dividing the needles into two groups further includes a needle selecting actuator on the carriage for engaging the means for selectively positioning the needles on actuation thereof and a selector push-up cam on the carriage engageable with the means for selectively positioning the needles on movement of the carriage to move part of the needles from the welt position to a central knit position.

Claim 11

Structure as set forth in claim 5, wherein the means for further dividing one of the two groups of needles comprises means for moving the one of said two groups of needles into a central knit position.

Claim 12

Structure as set forth in claim 9, wherein the means for moving the one of the two groups into a central knit position includes a jack lowering cam having a fixed and a movable portion carried by the carriage.

Claim 13

Structure as set forth in claim 9, wherein the means for further dividing one of said two groups of needles further includes means for moving some of the needles from the central knitting position to an upper tuck position.

Claim 14

Structure as set forth in claim 11, wherein the means for moving some of the one group of needles to an upper tuck position comprises a needle selection actuator carried by the carriage and a selector push-up cam also carried by the carriage and engageable with the means for positioning the needles.

Claim 15

Structure as set forth in claim 5, and further including an additional lock and a further needle selecting member positioned aligned with the original lock and needle selecting members to provide needle selecting members on both sides of the additional lock.