CA1289762C - Method and apparatus for knitting intarsia design fabric on circular knitting machines - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT
A method and apparatus for knitting intarsia design jersey knit fabric on a circular knitting, machine capable of knitting single jersey fabric. The method includes the steps of raising groups of contiguous needles on the needle cylinder, drawing down, one after the other in a first direction, the raised needles to form a new stitch loop in the hook of each needle as it is drawn down and to shed the old stitch loop into the jersey fabric being knitted, while drawing down the needles of the first group of needles in the first direction, raising the needles of the next group of needles and drawing down, one after the other the needles of such next group after all of the needles of the first group are drawn down until all of the needles are drawn down, new stitch loops are formed and the old stitch loops are shed, continuing, the movement in the first direction until the needles are cleared and then reversing the direction of movement, the raising of the needle groups, the drawing down and the clearing of the needles, cycle after cycle, until the knitting is completed. The apparatus includes pushers for raising the needles, a knitting cam for drawing the raised needles, one after the other, down, yarn feeds for feeding yarn to the raised needles, pusher cam means for raising and lowering the pushers, means for reciprocating the knitting cam means, back and forth, around the cylinder to draw the needles down after they are raised by the pushers and means for reversing the direction of reciprocation of the knitting cam after the raised needles of a first and a next group of needles have been raised and drawn down and the knitting cam has cleared such needles.

Description

1~ ~2897~2 l i This invention relates to a method and apparatus for l knictin~ ~ersey faoric llavin~ a multi-color intarsia desivn and, ¦~ore particularly, to a method and apparat1ls for controllin~ the 11needle Movernents on a knittin~ rnachine, especiall~ a circul~r knittin,v machine capable of knitting sin~le jersey fabric, for I icnitting such intarsia desi~n jersey fai~ric.
Circular knittin~, machines and flat Lcnittin,~, r,lachines are both used for knitting jersey fabric ~n(1 jersey an~ rib iabric.
Circular knitting machines have many times n~ore feecls and can be .
l~ run at substantially hi~,her s~eeds than can Llat '~nit machines.
Thus, the rate of produc~ior. is much hi~.er ~ith the circular '.init machine than with the flat machine. The cost of fabric kni.tted with the circular machine is much less than with the f-lat 1~achine.
In circular knittin.~ machines, the needl~s are spaced in grooves around ttle cylinder. Each needle, when ~nitting, is ~raised to a cleared position and drawn dowl1 to for~ a stitch.
When the needle is raised, the needle latch is opened b~y the ~,stitch loop that ~as in the need],e hook t~efore the needle was 'raised. As the nee(1le ~tas raised, the scitch loo~ in the needle ~hook was held down. ~s the need],e is dra~tn dCWIl, tne needle 1'noo~ en:Ja,~,es the ne~.t yarn ~ein,~, fed to the n~edles by the yarn ,,reed. The needle latch is closed by th2 ol-~ loo~ on the needle as the old loop slips over the latcll. T~e new yarn en~a~ed in 2S l1che needle hook is drawn throu~h the old stitch loo~ on the needle to f-or~ a ne-t StitCt~ 'he old scicch loop, held down as l~tne needle was raised is siled ~ro~ the nee~le ~t~-n2ll che needle is ¦,drat.Jn down. T~1e needles ar~ ro~,ressi~ely r~ised and dra~n down ~1by ca~s, one ne~dle af-'t~r ctle ot1ler, da tlle mac~ine rotates.
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1 ¦ Depending upon ~he car., len~n, a plurality of needles at the front of the cam in the direction of machine rotation arP in pro~ressive positions of being raised while a plurality of !'needles at the back o~ the cam are in pro~7ressive positions of ,being drawn down. ~y providing the machine with a multiplicity llof circumferentially spaced cams, witll an equal number of yarn ¦¦feeds, a substantial length of fabric can be knitted during ~ach ¦Irevollltion of the rn.lchine.
¦¦ The cylinder, on a plain jersey circular machine, and the ¦¦cylinder and dial, on a jersey and rib circular machine, ~ay be llrotated while the cam~ and yarn feeds are held stationary, or - l¦the cylinder or cyllnder and dial, as the case may be~ mi~ht be ¦~held stationary while the cams and yarn feeds are rotated. The ¦Ifabric bein~ kr,itted is rotated with the cylinder or is held stationary depending on whether the cylinder is rotatin~ Gr stationary.
Attempts, heretofore, to ~nit plain single knit jersey fabric, ~ithout floats, on a circular knitting machine with color designs, such as intarsia color designs, knitted into tne ~0 ,fabric have been unsuccessful. L~nit jersey fabric, ~ith floats, maices the fabr i c much heavier. ~Ihile sucll intarsia desl~n ~a~rics, or plain single knit jersey l.cnit fabric WittlOUt flo~ts can be ~nitted on flat knit machines with the desi~n on both l,sides of the fabric, when knitted on a circular knittin~, jersey llmachine, the color yarns, when they do not appear in the desi~n ¦lon the front of t}-.e ~abric, remain in the back of the fal~ric as ',floats, are Lhreaded to .he back of the fabric or must be trimmed, in sor,-'e ~ashi.cn, from the Eabric back. The color yarn l in the back of t!le fabric as floats or threaded to the fa~ric back detract from the appearance ~nd acce?Lance of suc~l eircular ' -2-.

1 ~knit fabric. Trimm_n~ the color yarn from the back of the ¦fabric must be accomplished with care so as not to dama~e or eaken the fabric. F~Lrthermore, t;iMmin~, increases fabric cost~.
I! A?art from the appearance and acceptance of such knit-in ¦design multi-color knit fabric, tlle trirnrning of the color yarn from the back of the fabric, increased fabric costs, and the like, the methods and apparatus most commonly employed for circular knitting such knit-in design fabric on circular knitting machines has been complicated and relatively expensivP.
In the methods and apparatus heretofore employed for circular icnitting multi-color knit-in desi~n fabL-ic, other than color stripes, the needles to knit tl.e d~sign are selected by a so-call~d jacquard technique. The selected neeclles change as l knittino, progresses and as the design changes. Such jacquard l technique employs needle jacl;s and perforated cards, pattern l drums, pattern drums and discs, punched metal tapes and ?attern ¦drums, or photosensitive electronic tapes to control the needle ¦¦jacks. S~lch jacks and controls adci to the si~e and cost of the ¦¦apparatus and increase costs in t~e practice of the jacquard ,Itechnlsue.
Il In the instant invention, it has been discovered that t'ne '¦problerns here[ofore encountered in kni.tin~ color d~si&,n in~arsia fabrics and fabrics havi~ ~ulti-color ~nit-in llgeom~tric desi~ns on plain jersey circular knittin~r machines can ! be overcoGle to prod~ce a fa~;ic ~,avin!, coLor design on both the ¦back and the front of the fabric. Thls is accomplished in the ~ins~ant invention by movin!-, the needles and yarn feeds in new ¦and novel manners and by reciproc~tin~, the knittin~ cams, first llin one direction and then in th~ o~osit2 direction; ~ith 3~) Irespect to the cylinder and r.ee~L~s to knit the fabric.

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~89~2 1 ¦¦ The needles, in the instant in~ent~on, are di~rided into ,groups of conti~uous sequential needles. The groups of ne~dle~ ¦
~re altern~tely advanced, or raised, on t~le c~linder. Th2 Iadvanced, or raised, needles in the ,roup are eaeh in secluence, one after the other, drawn down by a knitting cam. ~s the needles of the advanced or raised group of needles are being dra~Jn down by the knitting ca~, the sequential needles in the group next to be knitted by the ca~ are being simult2neousl~
raised.
One knittin~o ca~ is provided for each pair of sequential needle C~roups. The 'cnittin~ cams are spaced around the cylinder ¦and are reciprocated, b~cLc and forth, around the cylin~er. A
yarn feed is providecl at each knittin~ cal~ pOSitiOIl and is ~repositioned with respect of the needles and knittin~g cam it is ¦I feedin-, at the end of the reciprocation of the knittin~, cams in ileach direction so as to er.c~age the needle hooks as t~e needles ¦Iclre raised and drawn down by the knittino cams movi~g in the ¦opposite direction. The ca~ faces of the knitting ca~ns, in the 'lopposite directions of knitting cam reciprocation, are , identical. Thus, in either direction of reciprocatio~ of ~he l~nitting cams, tlle raised n2edles are drawn doun in se~uence, ,cne clfter the other, by the Icnittin~r c~s moving pas~ tlle needlec .
Il Each group of contiguous sequential needles is provided Iwit~ a pusher for simultaneously raisin~ the needles in such Ig-~ou~ on the cylinder. Once rQised, th~ needles in ~h~ ~oup are each held in raised pOSitiOIl on the cylinder until ~rawn do~m by the knit~in~ cam. For reasons which will be ~.ore appaL~en~ later herein, in the elllbodi,~ent of che invention described the pushers 3~ tor the even nun:~ered oL the c~roups of contig~ous se~luential I

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1 jlneedles are provided with one accuator, for example, a cam and -¦
lithe pushers for the odd numbered of the ~,roups of needles are 'provided with a second act~lator, for exa~ple, a second cam.
IiOnce the actuator has advanced or raise-~ the pushers to, in turn, simultaneously raise the needles to their raised position, ; the actuator and pusher is retracted. As already noted, the needles are held in advanced or raised position until drawn down by the knitting cam.
Each direction of reciprocation of the Icnitting cam past 1` the raised needles of the needle ~roups with which the knitting I cam is associated produces a knitted course. When a knitted Icourse in one direccion is cornpleted, the direction of move~en~ I
¦lof the knitting carr,s is reversed, the yarn feed is repositioned ,and the knittin~ ca~ is moveci in the opposite direction past the ladvanced or raised needles of the needle groups to produce the next knitted course. Such direction of reciprocation, reversing and reciprocation of the knittin~ cams in the opposite direction is repeated while the fabrie is being knitted. So that the I reciprocation of the knittinc, cams mi~hc be reversed, the yarn feeds r~ ,ht he reposit oned ~3n~? a course ~e '~cnitted when the ,~
,!cnitting cams are reciprocat2d in the op?osite direction, after Ithe knittin~ caln has past anà dra~n down the last needle of the ¦¦groups of advanced or raised needles with which it is ¦!associated, the reci~roca~ion of tne knitting cam is continue~, !

¦Iwithout knitting, until tne knittin~ carn is past such last needle, the yarn feed has been repcsitioned, the needles of the ~last group kni[te(l ha~le Leell acivanced or raised and the stitches ~thereon have o~er,e~ che r;eedle latctles for the new stitches in ~Ithe opposite ~irection of reci~rocation of the knittin~ calr. an~ ¦
llthe pusht~r retracte,3 cc) clear the 'initting car~. The knittin!~ ' ,, , lZ89762 1 llcam is t~len reciprocated in the opposite direction past the raised needles, all as more fully descri~ed later herein.
The color desi~,n fabric Icnitted in accordance uith the Imechod and apparatus of the instant invention ma~ be of two or more colors. The colored yarn, which includes t7hlte, is fed by the yarn feed, mounted on a yarn carrier, to the needlés in the ~roups of needles where such color is to appear in the design.
l ~s the needles are simultaneously advanced, or r~ised, and then ! in~ividually in sequence, one after the other, drawn back, or dr~wn down, by tne knitting cam reciproca~ed, first in one direction and then in the opposite direction, past the raised ne~dies to dra~n the needles down, the yarn is !cnitted into the ¦fabric. By racking the cylinder and needles with respect to the Iyarn carriers, t~e pushers anc' pusner actuators and knittin~
'Ilca~s, after one or more courses are knitted, the intarsia desi~n I l~eing knitted in the fabric with such colored yarn can be ! provressed diagonally in the fabric. By racking the cylin~ter and needles and the yarn feeds with respect to the pushers and the knitting car~Is, all as will be describe(I in more detail later herein, the intarsia desi~n knitte~ ~ith tl-.e ^olGred yarn mioht be ~.nit~e-l in a dia-.lond pattern, circles C)L' other desi~n ~i~ures.
The instant invention and ~:lo~ifications ~/ill ~e more fully desc~ibed and will be better unders~ood fro~ the following I~description taken with the appended drawin~!s, in which 'I Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation o~ a portion of the c~linder of a circular knit r~achine incorpGrat:in~ the apparatus ,Of the in~ention and ?articularl~ adapt2c to earr~ cut the process of the invention ~/ittl the ?ortion snot~rl flat, rather l;than circular, for purposes of illa ~ration and description an~ !
;whereirI Lhe needle be~ is on tne c~Icer ~.urface of the c~lind~r lZ~9~6Z

ith the Lcnitting cams and needle pushers surroundin~ the !cylinder, the view bein~ taken froln the outside loolcinr~7 to-,lard `Ith~ cylinder;
~' Fi~ure lA is an enlarOed view, in elevation, of a portion of the cylinder and neeciles of a prior art conventional circular knltting machine showing the needles, in pro~,ressive seguence, as the needles are each raised, one after the other, the needle latch is opened, the opened needle hook engages the yarn and, as the needle is drawn down, a new stitch loop is drawn throught ~the stitch loop on the neelle, the needle latch is closed and ¦Ithe old stitch on the ~.leedle is shed and becomes a part of the ~nitced fabric, all in pr.or art conventional manner;
Figure lB is an enlaro,ed view, in elevation, of a portion 'of the cylinder and needle arran~-~ement of the apparatus of the ,lins~anc invent.lcn sho~ ure I showing the needles of the ¦¦first group oL needl~s, as such needles have been raised, the ¦knitting cam has ~een r~ciprocated to the left, past the Eirst group of needles to cl~ar such needles, its movel.lent relative to l¦the needles has been reversed, the yarn feed has been 2~ repositione~ and th~ kaittiLlS; ca~ tlas colnmence movem~nt from ~, ;left to ri~h~ toward tn~ first crroup of neec31es;
Figure lC ls an enla-l-c,~-l view, in elevation, similar to Figure lB but showino the needles of the first and second grou?s l of needles, ~/ith t~e knittinr~,-cam, movinr" from left to rioht 1 throu~h the raisDd needle~ of the first needle group, the i needles to tlle left of che first gro~lp hav2 each, one after the .lother, been drawn down b~ e knittinir cam, the needle hool; of each n.ee~le, &s the nee-lle ls arawn down, has en,~aoed t!-.e yarn l¦and forms a lleW loo?, .~.e iatch ol the needle has closed, ~ ne~

3~ qti~cn ll~s Deen rorln~d, t!le olcl stLtch has b~en sned s~., 95 the . ~ .

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1 ,knittin~ car~ progresses to~Jard the right ar,d tor,7ard ~he second needle group, the needles of such second group beginnin~ ~o rise;
Fi,o~ure lD is an enlar~,ed vie-/, in elevation, similar to Fi~ures lB and lC showin~, the needles of the first and second groups of needles but showing the needles of the first group drawn down by the knitting cam, the needles of the second group of needles fully raised and the second needle pusher lo-,Jered so as to clear the knit~ing cam as the knitting cam, continuing to move from left to right, draws the needles of the second needle !¦group down, one after the other, in progression, to enga~e the .
yarn, form new stitch loops and shed old stitches loops;
Figure 2 is a front vlew of the apparatus of the instant invention, similar to FiJure l, but Witll the yarn carrier, ~,knittitlo, cam assembly an~ pusher asser.ibly COVef r~ ovedj ' Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken at 3-3, Fi~ure 2 and showin!J a needle as it ~ould appear in the lowered position in the needle ~roove after bein~l drawn down by the knitting cam;
Fivure 3A is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing the !needle as it ~/ould appear in t~e raised position in the needle ~roove after beino raised ~y the needlP ~,roup pusher ar.d showi~
lone embodirnent of a mechanism for inde~ lg the needle cylinder;
¦ Figure 3B is a view, similar to Fi~ure 3A, but showing a ¦second embodiment of a mechani~ril for indexing the needle cylincler;
Fi~ure 3C is a sectional view ~a'cell at 3C-3C, Figure 3B;
Fi~,ure * is a fra,meLItary elevaLion o a portion of the knittin~, cams, pushers and pllsher c~m mecllanLsm of the apparatus , of rigures l and 2, as viewe~l ~rom within the eylinder and 3~ ' lool~in~ out~ardl~; !

i 8~i2 1 lI Figure 5 is a sectional view o~ the pushers taken at 5-~, ¦¦Figure 2;
Fi~!ure G is a fragr~entary view, in elevatior., of the ,apparatus ()f Fi~7ure 1 talen from the inside of the cy1inder ~nd looking outward'.y;
Fi~ures 7-18, incl., are enlarged views of the apparatus of Flgures 1-6, wich the covers removed, showing the apparatus at various stages of knitting, with the needles shown dia~ramatic;
Figure 7 shows the apparatus as the knitting cam,s are moving fror,l rl~,ht to left, as viewed in the Figure, the knitting ~Ifor the movement from right to left has been completed and che cams are movi n~ to the left to clear the needle butts;
Fi~ure -/A is an enlar~,ed view, ta'cen from the out~ide and ~lookin~, toward the cylinder with the covers and carr. carriers in t place and showin~ the positions of ~he cam carriers as the cams approach the position shown in Figure 17, the latch release pin IIengages the laLch r21ease cam surface, the pusher cam rin~~latch ¦¦is released and the pusher cam ring and pushers remain fixed while the knitl:in~ cams approach the position shown in Fi~ure 7;
Fi~7,ure 7~ is an enlarf?ed view, similar to Fir,ure 7B but showin?, the nositions of the can carriers with the cams in the ,posicion sho-.m in FiOure 7;
~ Fi~ure ~ shows the apparatus as the knitting cams have 1 complete~ move~ent to the left, have cleared the needle butts and the needles in the first needle ~roup, to the immediate ri7ht of th2 Icnit~in~ car,l, have been raised;
Fi,ure ~A is an enlar~,e~ view, similar to Fi~,ure 7B but showing cIle ca~. carri~rs with the CalllS in the position sho~n in IFi~;ure ~;

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1 ~¦ Figure 9 shows the apparatus as the knit~ing cam has 'started its movement from left to ri~ht, as viewed in the Figur2, has partially pro,ressed through the raised needles of Ithe first nee-lle ~roup and is in tne process of progressivel~
drawing the needles down to knit as the knitting cam progresses;
Figure 10 shows the apparatus as the knitting cam, moving from left to right, has progressed to the middle of the first needle group, the needles a~ the rear of the cam have been drawn down and the raised needles of the irst group and in front of the cam are progressively bein~ dra~n do~n and the needles of i~the second group of needles have been raised;
Figure 11 shows the apparatu~ as the knitting cam, still moving from left to right, has progressed throu~c~h ~he first r~ised group of needles, has drawn the needles of the first lS ~group down to knit and is progressin~, to the right, into the ;~second raised group of needles and is drawing the needles of the second group downwar~ ~o knit, the pusher cams are at thelr llfinal position ~o the right and remain in such position until ¦¦the knittin~ cams com~lete knitting to the right;
2~ I Fi~:~ure 12 shows the app~raLus as the knitting cam has jprogressed still further to the right and to the l~iddle of the , SeCOII~ ~roup of needles ~here the raised needles behind the cam are drawn down and the needles in front of the cam are being progressively drawn do~n Lo k.nit while the pllsher cams remain at ! the final position, as in Figure 11;
Figure 13 shows the appara~us as the knitting cam has ,icompleted the ara~Jin~ do~m and i;nitting of the needles of the ! second group o~ needle~ and ~lne l;n;~ting cam iS continuing its ¦, ~¦movement to ~he rig~ to clear the needle butts;
,'' Fi~ure 14 sho~s the -~pl~3r~us as th~ knittin?, cal~ has ,' 1.
, !

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1 'Icompleted its r;lovement to the ri~Sht, has cleared the needle ., , jbutts, the needles of the second n2ec'ile ~,roup 'nave oeen raised by tLIe m~veGlent of ~ e pusher ca~is to the left as the icnittin.~ i , cal~s complete their movement to the right , the knitting cam is reversil~g ~t movement and will move to the left as viewed in the Figure;
Fig~ur~ 15 shows the apparatus as the knitting cam has ~moved to the left and is progressively drawing the needles of the secolld group of needles down to knit, the pusher cams have moved f-urt~ler to the left and the pusher under the second group ¦lof needles hc-is been retracted;
l Fi~ure lli sllows the apparatus as the Icnitting cam, ,Icontinuinc, its iTiove.~ent to the left, has dratm the needles to ,the rear or the cam do-~ll, is progre~sively drawin~, the neeàle in llthe second ~roup and ahead of the movin!, carn down and the needles of the first needle group have been raised by the pusher cams rl~vin~ further to the left;
Figure 17 sho~s the apparatus as the needle cam has c~Fipleted its movement to tlle left throucrl-l the second ~.,roup of 2~ aised needles, is illOViil'; to the le~'t into tll2 needles OL the '-iLSt raiseà ~roup ari~ is pr~/ressivily dr,i~.rin~ the needles oL
~jtlle first group down to knit, tlle pustler cams are :it their final ¦~osition to the left and remain in such final position until the ¦knittin~., cams complete knitting to tlle left; and, 2~ ! Fi~ure l~ sho~s the apparatus a~s the needle cai~i has moved to the ]el~ into the middle OL the needles o~ the .irst raised ~.Otlp, h~s drawn the nee~lles hehind tlla cal~ do~m an~ is pro~,ressively drawing the nee~les of t~le ~irst r~ised rou2 and 'ahead of tne needles d~.Tn ~.~hile the p~-sl-ler c~s rT~ain at the .nal po,i~;icn to the left.

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l 1I The method of the instant invention can be carried out on !'any size circular 'cnit ~achine suitably adapted, in accordanc~ t ,~with the invention, for carryin(~ out the ~lethos-7. ~,ependin~ upon the intarsia desi~n to be Lcnitted, as will b~ more apparent froln the description of the invention which ~ollows, the particular configuration of the machine for carrying ous the invention can be modified. For purposes of illustration and description, the invention is adapted, in the description which follows, to a circular knit machine having a thirty-three inch diameter needle cylinder t~hich is divided, for invention description purposes, ¦into forty-eight es~ual siz_ needle gJroups Each two contiguous needle ,~roups contain thirty-six needles and MaL~e up a knitting ~section The inven~ioll is readily adaptable to other size Ic~Jlinders~ other needle S~rcu~ divisions and other section ~arran~ements, all as will ~e s.~ore apparent from the description whict1 follows Referrins~ now to Fi~-lres lA, lB, lC and lD, che essence of ~¦the differences ~etween the prior art method and the method of ¦! the instant invention are illustrated and will be described. For purposes oE c1arity, the IcnLtcinsJ~ cams are removed and, in Figures lB, lC and lD, the r.eedle ends and needle cylinder groov~s ~elow the needle butts are omittei.
In the prior art meths7d of knitting jersey fabric wi~h a ~circular knittin~ n:achine, the knittin,~ Cams and yarn feeds are ¦Iheld stationary and the needle cylindèr is rotated or the needle cylinder is held stationary and the knitting cams and ya~n feeds are continuously rotaced. In either e~rent, as the knitting cam ~passes eacl1 needle, ~he needle is firsc raised, ~he needle latch ,lis open, the ..eec~le lloolc enS~a~es the yarn bein<~ ~ed to ~he neeale by the ya.n fee(l, the r.ee-11e is drd~JIl do~m, the needle i lZ89'7~:

latch closes and tlle old stitch loop on the needle is shed and a new stitch loop is held by the needle. As will b~ obvious to tnose skilled in the art, from the description ~7hich follo~7s, 'the invention of the instant invention is readily adaptable to either the stationary or rotating needle cylinder circular knitting machine. For purposes of clarity, however, the lnvention is herein described with respect to a circular knitting machine in which the needle cylinder is stationary and the knitting cams, yarn feed and other elements required ~or knittin~, rotate or rnove transverse the needles.
Il As best shown in Figure lA, in the Drior art method ¦Ipracticed with the prior art circular knitting machine ~ith the needle cylinder held stationary, needles 11~, in neeclle grooves 102, of needle cylinder 100 are first raise', or lifted, in lS sequence one needle after the other, Dy a collventional knitting jlcam, not shown, as the cam and yarn feed 113 are rotated around '~needle cylinder 150. As the needle is l;fted, the needle latch is open. The open needle hoolc enga~,es the yarn being fed to the ¦Ineedles by yarn feed 113. The needle with the engaJed yarn are ?.~ jdra~n do~n by the knitting cam through the old stitch loop on ~he needle to form a new s.itch. As tne nee~le is draun aown, ,the needle latc!l closes and ttle needle sheds the old stitcll loop i into the jersey fabric being knitted. The new stitch loop is l lleld by the needle. The knitting cam assembly and yarn feed 1 rota~e continuously around stationary needle cylinder 100.
¦¦Depending upon the number of lcnittin~, ca~.s and y&rn feeds spaced around the cylinder, each rotation of the cam assembly and yarn ~ eed knits one course of stitches at each L;nit~ing cam and ~yarn ifeed during each rotation. The knit ccurses ?a~s spir~lly ~round the cylindL-ically knit~ed tube.
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l In the method ol knittin~ jersey fabric with a stationary L;nittin~ cylinder circular knittin~, machine in accordance "ith the instant invention, tne needles in the needle g~rooves of tne ,sta~ionary ne~dle cyliIlder are clivid~d into needle groups or equal number of needles by pushers of equal length which extend circumferentially around the cylinder. The knitting cam assembly and yarn feeds are reciprocated back and forth around the stationary needle cylinder Each group of needles, as will be described in greater detail later herein, is raised by a pusher. The individual needles in the raised group are drawn .
¦Idown, sequentially one after the other, by a knitting cam. Each ¦needle, as it is drawn down, forms a new stitch loop from the y~rn fed to the needle by the yarn feed and sheds the ol~ loop into the jerse~J fabric bein~g Icnitted. As the raised needles of l~ Ithe first needle ~,roup are be.ing drawn down, one after the llother, by the ~.nictin~; cam, tlle ne~t ~ollowing group of needles llis raised by the next pusher. The Icnitting cam, after drawing i down and knittinS~ the needles of the first group, draws down, ~ sequentially one after the other, the raised needles of the ;second group to for~, with each needle as it is dr.~n down, a new stitch loop and to sheti the old loo~) from the needle into jthe jersey fabric ~ein~ !cnitted. After clra~Jing ~ne needles of ¦¦the second group of needles down, the knitting cam assembly and ¦Iyarn feeds are rotated ~ast the second needle group so that the 1I knittin~ cam clears the needle butts of the second group of ¦needles, the needles of the second group of needles are ap~ain r~isec' by the pusher, che pusI~er is retracted, the yaL-n feed is q~c~Osi7~a,7 ~
~pG.',i-~l and the direc~ion o~ rotation of the Icnittin~ ca~ !
&sserl~JI.y and the ~arn feeds relative to th~ statiollar~J neec`~le ,(j cylil,der i.s re~e~sed.

. ' , 17~89762 1 I Referring to Figures l~-lD showin~ the needle action sequence in accordance with ~t~e instant inven~ion, in Fi~ure lB, the knit~in~ cam asserl~bly and yarn feeds, descrlbed in more detail later herein, have completed their tra~el to the left in Figure lB, past needles 112 on needle cylinder 100, the knitting cam, not shown, has cleared butts 124 of needles 112 of the first group of needles, yarn feed 214 has been repositioned, the ~eedles of the first needle g~oup ha~7e been raised by pusher 1 and needle butts 124, pusher 1 has been retracted and the knitting cam and yarn feed 214 have commenced moving to~,lard the jright~ as shown in Figure lB.
As best shown in ~igure lC, as the knitting cam assembly and yarn ~eed 214 continue their mover!ent fro~ left to right, Ineedles 112 of the first ,group of neec,les are dra~n do~n, sequentially one after the other, the hook of each needle, as it is bein~ drawn down, en~,a~in~ the yarn being fed to the needles llby yarn feed 214 and, ~ith the yarn, formin~., a new stitch loop ¦¦on the needle. As the knitting cam draws needles 112 of the ¦¦first group of needles down, pusher 2 commences to move up, len~,ages needle butt~ 124 and raise the needles of the second needle group.
As best showll in Fi,~lre lD, as the knitrinc cam assembly ¦ and yarn feed 214 continue their movement still further from ¦lleft to right, all of needles ll2 of ~he first needle group are ~¦drawn down, all of the needles 112 of tl~e second group of ¦needles are pushed up by pusher 2, pusher 2 is retracted to iclear ttle Icnit~ing can! and the lcnitt:in~ cam assembly and yarn feed 214 are cleared to move furcher ~o the ri~ht to draw needles 112 or the second nee~le ~roup, secluentially one needle after the other, do~m and .orm a ne~i sti ch loop on each suc~

_ ], _ ,1 1~ i :. I

111 128~71~2 1 Ineedle as it is drawn down. As will be ~nore fully described later herein, th~ knitting cam assembly and yarn Eeed 214 mo~Je past need'les 112 of the second needle ~roup, the ~nittin~ calr.
clears butts 124 of the needles of the second ~roup of needles, yarn feed 214 is reposition~d, the needles of the second group of needles are again raised by pusher 2 and butts 124 and, as pusher 2 is retracted, the knitting cam assembl~ and yarn feed ; 214 are reversed to move from right to left, as viewed in Figures lB-lD.
Referrinlo~ now to Fivures 1 and 2, the apparatus of the .
instant invention includes a needle cylinder, generally designated 100, mounted on base 101 and havin~ a plurality of needle ~rooves 102, spaced equidistant to each other and "parallel to ~he a?is of and around the perip~lery o cylinder ;10~, in conventional manner. Coil sprin(~s l()4, 106, extend circumferentially around cylinder 100, in groo~es 108, 110, in lcylinder 100, for purpose~ hereinafter described.
¦ Each of the needle groove's 102, of cylin~er lO0, is !¦provided with a needle, generally desi~,nated 112, Fioures 3 and 2~ ;'3A. At its upper end, in conventiorlal rnanner, each of the needles ll~, is provided ~ich:a hook 114, and a latch 11~, latch ~'l16, openin~, and closing, .onventionally, as each needle 112, ¦¦knits, ss will be latèr described.
¦¦ Still referrin~ to Figures 3 an~ 3A, each of the needles ~l112, is provided with a ~otrGove 120, which iS engaged by coil Isprings ]04, 106, Figure 3A, when.needle 112, is lifted and wllich is free of s~rin.~,s 104, 10~, Fi~ure 3, when needle 11~, i3 dr~n down, all for purposes l~ter describ~d. ~elow Oroove 1 each of t~e- needles ll~, Fi_ures 3 alld 3A, is pro~lided wit~ a 3(~ butt 1~4, ex~endln~ outwardly frol~ needle 1l2, and ouc~ardl~

1~897ri~

1 ¦Ibeyond the walls of groove l()?.
Referring, ne~t, to Fi~ure~ 1, 2, 3, 3A and 4, 'cnittin,~J
CaMS 13G, of which th2re are twent~-four in the emhodiment ,described, are mounted by Allen bolts 134, in fixed position c,n lcnitting cam ring 132, and are ~paced equidistant on ring 132, circumferentially around needle cylinder 100. Cam ring 132, is mounted around the periphery of needle cylinder 100, for movement back and forth around needle cylinder 100, in the directions of the arrow, Figure 4, for purposes later described.
~The opposite cal~ surfaces 136~ 13~, of calms 130, are identical.
Il In the embodiment illustrated and described and for ¦reasons which will be more ap~arent later herein, there are tt~enty-four !~nittin~, cams 1.~ mounte~ on cam rin~ 132 and equally spaced around needle cylinder 10~. Needles 112 around Ineedle cylinder 1~)~ are divided into ~ort~-eight equal numbered groups of conti~uous needles by pushers, ~esignated 1-4~, for ,Ipurposes of descriptioll. Each needle ~roup contains ei~hteen ¦needles which are simultaneously raised, as will be described, llby one of the pushers and drawn down, one needle after the 2i) other, by knitting cams 130. Two pushers with thirty-six needles are positioned betweeLl each pair or cams 13~. In the fragmenc of the apparatus Illustrated~ pushers 1, 2, ~, 4, 5, 47 ¦and 48 appear, it being understood that the balance of the llpushers, no~ illustrateci, e~tend circumEerentially around needle lcylinder 100. The abutting edges of pushers 1-48 may be ¦overlapped, as shown in the embodiment of Figure S or, as s~
;be lacer e,~lained, the abutcing ecl~es ma; be flusn.
Eacll o~ the pusllers, 1-4~, is mounted on a pusher guide 14~, such as by Allen scres~s 14~, 14~ igures 2, 4, and 7-li3, each pusher gllide 14~> bein~ mour,~ed in a slot 146, Fi~ure ~, in ,~ -Li- 1, .1 1.

1~8~ Z

1 ¦lbase I01, of needle cylinder 100. At its lo~er end, each of the pus~ler ouides 140 is ~rovide~ ~ith a cam follow~r 150. Cam follow~rs 150, for purposes more apparent later herein, tra~Jel ,in carn trac!; 157, Fi,,ures 4 and 7-l~, E~rai~d between upper pusher cam follower guide 154 and lower pusher cam follower guide 156. Cam follower oui.des 154, 156 are fixed, such as by Allen screws, to pusher cam ring 158, Figures l, 3 and 3A, which pusher cam ring extends around needle cylinder 100, and cylinder base 101 and is mounted thereon for reciprocal movement in the ~ i7-ections of t'ne arrows, Fioures 4, 7A, 7B and 8A, for reasons a~er clescribed.

~¦ Referrin~, now to Figures 1, 7A, 7B and ~A, support 160 is il I
,Inounted in fixed posi~ion on needle c~linder base 101. Lever `1~2 is pivotally rnounted by pin 164 on lever su~)port 16~ fixed lS 'to base l~0. Lever lG~ is pivotally rnounted by pin 170 on lever support 17~ fixed to base 160. Latch releases 174, 176, having ~cam surfaces 17~, 130, respectively, are Dlounted in ~ixed ¦Iposition on support 160, in~ermediate lever supports 166, 172, llwith ca~. surfaces 178, 1~0 facing each other ~or reasons later.
ex~lainedl. Knictin~ c~m ring stop 1~7 is mounte~ i.n fixed pGsit..on oll l;nicting ca,~ riL~g l~2. Pusher C&CI ring latc~ 4 is moun~ for sli~ing rnovement in latch housin~ 1~6 fi~ed, as by j!screws 188, 190, 192 and 194, to pusher cam ring 15~. Latch l1~4~ is biased upwardly in housing 1~6, b-~ sprin~ l~6, fas~ened ,!at on~ of it ends by pin l5~ fixed to latch housing l86 and, at its oth~r end, to pin 200 fix~d to latch 134. Pin 700 acts as a s~cp ~itll la~ch housin~ 1~6 to lirnit ouc~ard t.-avel of latcn l~
in housi[~ 6. Latch rel2ase pin 702 is ~lo;ll~.ed i.~ the lower ~nd of latcll 1~4 for engagement ~itll cam surfaces 1;~ 0, of ,~ latc~ rel--ases l7~, 17~ "~or ourocJses lat~r ~cri'~d. Pusller -L~-1 ¦cam rino, stops 204, 206, are fixed to pusher cam rin~ 158 for ,'contact ~lith the end of levers lG2, 16~s, respectively.
As b~st sho~m in Fig~lres 1, 4 and 7-1~, the apparatus o~
lthe instant inventlon i.ncludes two conventional yarn carriers, designated generally, 210, 212. Depending upon the design bein~
kni~ted, one carrier mi~ht be used for the knit~ing or the knitting might be di~tided by L;nitting first from the yarn fed from one carrier and then with the yarn fed from the other carrier.
l~ In the operation of the instant circular knittin,~ machine to practice the invention of the met~lod, ~nitting cam ring 132 ¦is reciprocated or oscillated, back and forth, around needle cylirlder 100 a fixed dlstance, such as by continuously rotating wheel 103 and arm 1~5 attac~ed at one end, by pin 107, to wheel l1~3 and, at its opposite end, by pin l09, to caM ring 132, shown l~diagrar.latically in Fi~ure 1, while needle cylinder 100 remains ¦stacionary. Needles 112, in COIIti~UOUS needle ~,roups, are lilifted in groups relacive to the oscillating rotation of ¦~knitting cam ring 132, and knitting cams 130, mounted on cam ring 132, and are dra~Jn down, one needle after ~-he o~her needle, by knittin~ cams 13tj, mounted on knitting~ cam rin~ 132, to l;nit tlle fabric. Tnus, as best stlo~n in Fl~,ures lB-lD, in t,-hé
embodir~ent of the invention illustrated and described, all eighteen needles 112, represerlting one needle group, are ¦ simultaneousl~ lifted and are ~hen sequentially, one after the ¦¦other, drawn down to knit as L~nitting cams 130 are reciprocated wic';l knicti.ng c~m ring l32.
Eacll knitting carll 13~, as will be describe, is reci~rocated ' in a first directi.on pdSt two contiF~uous needle ~U~roups ~o knit 3~j the needles in ;~uch ,JrCUI)S, iS rotated, further, one-llalr the i 1289~;Z

1 Illength of the next contiguous group, without knltting, to clear ~he cam and needles and is then rotated in the reverse dir~ction tO again l~l~it the n~edles of the t~io l.fted nee~le f,roups, rotated one-llalf length past t~le knittin~ gro~s, ~ithouc Iknittinc~" to clear the cam and needles and is a~ain reversed.
Referring, now~ to Figures 7, 7A, 8, ~A, and 9-18, for pu~poses of describing the operation of the apparatus and the method of knitting in accordance wi~h the invention, the operation of the apparatus wi.th r~ard to lifters 1 and 2, cam 1 follower guides designcl~ed on the Fi~ures and referred to in the description as 154a, 154b, 156a and 15~b snd the knitting on tne 'groups of needles lifted by lifters 1 and 2, Fi~ures 7-1~, and iLtecl b-y knitting car~ 130, designate(l on the Figures and !referred to in the description as l,~a, ~ill be described. The immediatel,~ adjacent knitting car~ 130, desi,JnateQ in Figures 7, 7A, ~, ~A, and ~3-18 as 130O is also referr~d to in the description ~hich follows for a ~etter undersLarlding of the - ¦
'~apparatus and the knitting carried on there~ith. It is to be j¦understood tha~ the operation her~inafter described in !!connection ~lith lifters 1 and 2, the needle groups lifted thereby, caln ~ollo~er ~,ui~l-;s 15~a, 15'~ anc~ 15~h and knitting cams 13~a and 13ûb are simultan-ousl~ c~rried ou. at ¦~he other pairs of lifters circur~ferential'y around needle cylinder 10(~, needles 112, knitting ca~,s 130 and cam ~ollower ~5 I;c,uldes 154, 156 associate~i therewi~h. ~nitting cam rinO 132 and ,l~usher cam ring 15~ rrlay be interlir.lced to carry out the knitting ~ th a sin.~le .~ech,-~nisr." as ilereir-dlte.- d~scribed, or a plur~lit~ of m~chanisr~,s spaced aïound neecle cylinder 1~ and actinL, siL~ultar-eousl-y r~light b~ er;uploye(l Othe. a.ran~e~ents migt-~ also be er~ploye~.
_, lZ8976~

1 l~ Referring to Fi~ures 1, 7, 7A and 7B, needle cylinder 1~0 is stationary and knittin~ cam ring 132, ~Iich knittin~;, carls 13~ !
Fiounted thereon and fi~ed thereto, is reciprocated or oscillated, back and forth, ill the direction o~ the arro~/s, 5 Figure 7A, 7B, by wheel 103, arm 105 and pins 107~ 109, Figure 1, or by any known mechanism for providing oscillating motioh, as will be described, between designated limits.
As best shown in Figures 7A, 16 and 17, as knitting cam ring 132 moves from right to left, as vie~red in the Figures, Iknittin~ cam rin~ 13~, throu~h knittin~, cam rin~ stop 1~2, pusher cam ring latch 1534 and pusher lai~ch housing 136, move pusher cam ring 15c, to the left, m~ovin~s, cam followers 154a, 154b, 156a and 156b to the left, Figures 16, 17, ancl drawino !pushers 1~ 3 and the odc3 numbered pishers around needle cylinds-r lS lO0 downtrard. As knittin~ cam rin~ 132 and pusher cam ring 15~ !
continue to move fro~Ti right to left, laich release pin 202, on la~ch 1~4, en~7"~es ~am surface 17&, on latch release 174, latch l 184 is released from knitting cam ring stop 182, knitting cam ! ring 132 continues to move from right to left and pusher cam 2~ ring 15~ i3 stoppi-cI by latch release 174. Pushers 1 and ~ and ch~ even and Ltle o~ls~ n~ r~er~cl pushers arounc3 needle c~lirlder 100 Ilare dra~n down~ari' ansl remaiIl in tlle do~rn~ard position ~ ile ¦Iknitting cam ring 132 completes its movement from right to left ¦Ito the ~osition shown in Fi~ure 7, as will be explains~d.
ll Referrin~" no-r, to Figures 7, 7B, Icnitting cam rino 132 is ¦Imovill~ frs)I~ ri?ht to left, as viewed in the Figures, pushers 47, 4~, I, ), 3 and 4 ~nd the needle ~roups associ&t~ ith e~ich pus;ners are doiJn, kniccinv car. 13~a is intern diAte pushers $v an(i 1 and~ knitLin~ r~m 13uo iS intermediate pusl~ers ' anci 3.
3~ Latcn r~ls~se pin ,'~`l2 is in erI?,ager-~ent ~rith carr~ 17~ ~ latci~

lZ~3976~

1 l¦release 174, pusher cam rin~ latch 184 is retracted in l~tch jhousing 1~6, '.cnittin~ carIl rin7 stop 1~2 is in contact with the upper end or lever 162 and pusher cam ring s~op 204 is in ;icon~act ~ith the lower end of lever 162. As Icnittin~ cam ring f 132, with knitting cams 130 and knitting cam rin~ stop 1~2 affixed thereto continues its movement from right to left, kni~ting cam ring stop 182, in engagement witil the upper end of lever 162, pivots lever 162, in a counter-clockwise direction, around pin 164 causing the lower end of lever 162, in engagement with pusher cam rinO stop 204, fixed to pusher cam ring 158, to ¦¦push pusher ring stop 204 an~i pusher cam ring 15~ an egual .
¦Idistance toward the right. As lever 16' is rotated, l!counter-clockwise, around pin 164 ~nci pusher ring stop 204 and IIpusher cam ring 15~ are advcllced ~o ~he rioht~ cam follower lS ~uides 154, 154a, 154b, 156a, 15t-b, Figures 7 an~i 8, ar~ mov~d toward the ri~ht, ca~ follower lS(~ o~ pus~er 1 is moved upward in cam traci 152 and pusher 1 and needle~ 112 above pusher 1 are pushed up. Thus, needles 112j above pusher 1, are lifted from ¦~the knitted position, with latch 11~ closed as sho~n in Figure 3, to the lifted position, with latch 116 open and ~roove 120 in the liLted needles, as SilO'~JIl in i~i~r~re 3~, in en~aC.~ement ~ith coil sprin~s l(~4, 1~6, for purpose~ later described. As best shown in Figures 8, ~A and 9, when knittin~ cam ring 132 reaches the end of its travel, from right to left, has reversed and ~5 ! commences travel fror,I left to rigIlt, p~Isher 1 is up, cam lS0 of ¦¦pusher 1 is in its upperrnost posit.ior, in carr. track 152, needles ~112 a~ove pusher l are in l.fted poiition, latch release ~in 202 , ,has been moved to the ri~nt out ot cam sur~ace 17~ of latch ,~release 174, pusher cam rin-.~ l,-.~c'n 1"4 has been released and the 3~ end of latch 1~4 bas been r~se~I by ~prin~ 196 and is in contact , .. ,) ~
! I

1;;~8976~

1 Iwith the end of Icnittin~ car,l ring stop 182.
As knitting caM rin~ 132 moves fro~. the left, Figure 3A, towatd cne ri;,ht, knittin~ caM ring stop lB2, fixed to rin~ 1~2 and in contact with latcIl 1~4, mounted on pusher cam rin~, 15~, moves pusher ca~ ring 158 to~lard tlle right. As knitting cam ring 132 5 with Lcnitting cams 130 affixed thereto and pu,her caM
ring 158, with cam follower guides 154, 154a, 154b, 156a, 156~, Figures 7, 8 a~d 9, affixed theret:o, move toward the right, cam follower 150 of pusher 1 in cam traclc 152 is drawn downward, IFigure 9, leavin~ needles ].12 lifted by pusher 1 in liJted ¦position and held in such lifted position by coil springs 1~4, 106 in n~edle groove 120. Knitting cam rinv 132, ,nd pusher cam il rino, 158, continue to a~vance toward the riglIt, a~vancing knittirl~ c2ms ~ , 13~a, 130b and pusher ca~ follow~-r guiaes 1.
`l54j 1~4a, 154b, 156, l5~a, l5Sb toward the right. Knittin~ cam ¦~13~a, adv.~ncin~ across needles 112, lifted by pusher 1, draws the needl--s, one after the other, do~ln, from the position of Figure 3A to ~he position of Figure 3, while at the same time, cam follo~.~er gui~es 154a, 156a, Fi~ures ~ and 10, mounted on and affixe~ tc- plsher cam rin~ 15~l, lift ca~ follower 150 of pusher 2 to, in turn, lift nee-iles 112 above pushe-r 2.
I As Icnittin,J cam ring 13> and pusher cam ring i5~ continue ¦¦to advance toward the right, Figures 10 and 11, knitting cam l¦13~a draws needles 112, lifted by pushers l and 2, d~wn to knit il whil~, ,t tl.e same time, cam follower guides 154a, 15G~, fixed to push~r cam ring 158, draws cam follower lS0 o~ pusher 2 n caIil trac'; lS2 ~o~n, leavin~ neeales 112 above pIls~ler 2 i.n the ~i~tec ~osition until drawn do~m by Icniccin~ CA~ 130a. As pusher car~I rin~ 15.~, al~proaches ,he losition .~here, as sIIc~n in _0 Fi~ure 11, I~us~ r 2 'nu!; lifte(l ne~dles ll~ ~ro~I)ec~ the~e~iith anc lZ897~iZ

1 llusher 2 has been dra~m down in carn trac'c 152 b~ cam follo"~r ~guides 154a, 156a, l~tc~l release pin 202, Fi~ures 7A, 7B, ~A, contacts cam surface 1-,~ of la~ch re~ledse 176, latch 1~ is drawn dowll in latc'n housin~ 1~6 and, ~lnen carr, follo-Jer lS0 of pusher 2 reaches tlle position in carn track 152 shown in Figure 11, latch 184 and knitting ring s~op 182 are released. The leading end of cam rin~ stop 206 is in contact ~Jith the bottoM
end of lever 168 and has rotated lever 168 counter clockwise around pin 170. The u~per end of lever 168 is still spaced from lthe leading end of knitting cam ring stop 132.
While knitting cam ring 132, Witll knitting cams 130, 130a, ¦1130b, Fi~ures 11 and 12, a-tached thereto, continues to mov~
jfrom left to ri~ht, to cor.,~ te the knitting by Icnitting cac3 13ùa of needles 112 lifted by pusher 2, pusher ca~ ring 153 and car.l follower guides 1547 154a, 156, 156a, rer,lain stationary.
ot/ev~r, when knit~in~ cam 130, 13~a reach t~le position sho-v-n in Fi~ure 13, krlittin~ car, rin~ stop 1~0, on knitting cam ring 132, Figures 7A, 7B, ~A, cor;tacts the upper end of l~ver 16 ¦and, as knitting cam ring 132 continues to move toward the 2~ Iright, pivots lever 163, cloclcwise around ~in 17~ causing the lo~er encl of lever 163, in cnrltact with pus7ner C&[n rin~ stop j2~6, fi~ed to pusller C-lhl rin~ lS~, to rnove stop 20G and p~sher cam ring 158 toward the ler~. Such left~ard movernent of pusher l ring 15~, moves cam follo~ver ~uides 154, 154a, 156, 156a, ¦ Figures 13, 1~, fixed ~o rin~ 153, to the lett, liftino cam follower 15~, attached to pisher 2, in cam traclc 152 and lifting needles 11_ a~ove p~sl.er 2 ir.~o the elevated ~osition as shown il3 Fi~,ure 1'~.
~ l~LIen knittie~, car; l'Ua anl kl7ittin~, caln rin~ 132, to which, 3~ as alread~J nor~d, Lcni~rin~ ~a~ l'ùa is at,actled, re~ches th~

.i , ~LZ89~

1 llposit:ion shown in ~igure 14 and cam follower guides 154a, 156a, ~alcn~ itll follo~er guides 154, 154b, 156, 156b, ~igure 1~" have been moved to the ri,,ht to lift pusher 2, pusher cam rin~ 15 Illas also been l~oved to the left, releasing latch ~in 202, of ~pusher cam ring latch 184, from carn surEace 180, a~d latch ¦release 176. The upper end of latch 184, when pin 202 is ¦released, is raised by spring 196 to engage the left hand ¦¦leading end of knitting cam ring stop 1~2. Ttlus, as knitting ¦Icam 130a reaches the position shown irl Figure l4, and knitting 1~ Icam-rino 132 stops, reverses movement and comt~ellces to Inove from l¦rig~lt to left, knitting cam rinC, 132 and pusner cam ring 158 are llagain reconnected by sto~ 1~2, .lnd latch 1~4, for mover.~ent ,1 ~
together to~ard the left.
As knitting ca~ rirlg 132 moves to ~he left, Fic,u-.es 14 an~
lS ,lS, knittin,, C&~ 130a draws needles 112 lifte~ by pusher 2 and hel~ in lifted position by springs 1~)4, 106, in needle groo~es 120 f-rom the lifted position shown ln Figure 3A to the knitting ¦position shown in Fio,ure 3. At the same tin~e, knitting cam ring ¦132, through latch 134 and kni.tting cam rino~ stop 1~,2, moves ?-:sher cam rin~ 158 and caQ follo~er ~uides 154~ 15~a, 154b, 156, l5~a, 15~b, .ItLached thereto, Fl~ures 14 &~ld 15, to ~he le-Ct~ drawin~ ca~ rollo~.~er 15~ of pusher 2 do~nward in cam track 152 and drawing pusher 2 down, FiOure 15. As knitting cam ring !i3~, knittinO cams 130, pusher cam rin~ 158, and cam follower llguides 154, 154a, 154b, 156, 156a, 156b, continue to move to the left, needles 112, lif~ed by pusher 2 con~inue to be drawn down, cr.e after the o~her, by knit~ino ca~ 13;j~. Cam fo]lo~/er 15U of pus;~er 1 is lifted in car.l trac!~ 152, bet~ en CaM follower ouides 1$4a, 156a, Fi~ure 1~. Needles il2 in the group o~ needles 3~) abo~e pusher 1, Fl~u.e 16, cre li~ed a~.~ held i~ li4`ted -'5^

lZ8971iZ

1 llposition by sprin~os 1~4, 106 in needle grooves 120 until dra~,m down by the l~nittin~ cam.
Fro~ the po~ition sho~m in Figure 15, knittin~ cel~ rinp, l~132, Lcnitting car~s 130 actached thereto, pusher cam ring 153 and ¦ cam follower guides 154, 154a, 154b, 156, 156a, 156b, attached to the pusher cam guide continue to move to the left. As best shown in Figure 17, cam follower 150 of pusher 1 is drawn down in cam track 152, leaving needles 112 lifted thereby in lifted position until drawn down by knitting cam 130a. As knitting cam ring 132 and pusher cam rin~, 158 approach the position sho~,m in I¦Fi~ure 17, latch release pin 202 comes into contact with cam ¦¦surface 178 of latch release 174, Figures 7A, 7~, 8A, pin 202 and pusher ca~!l rin~ latch lS4 are caMmed ~o~Jnward and latch 1~4 I!and knittin~ cam rin~, stop 1132 are released. Pusher ca~ ring ,!stop 204, Fi~ure 7A, is in contact with the lo~er end of lever ~ 2.
I il With pushr-r cam rin~, latch 1~4 and knittin~, cam rin~ stop 1~2 released, kni~ting cam ring 132 continues to move to the l left and pusher cam rin~ 15~ remains stationary. As knitting 2~ !cam ring 132 continues to move to the left, Fi~ure 1~, knitting ca~ 13~a àra~ma nee~les 11_, liftecl by pusher 1, do~n into ~' knitted position until all or the needles are dra~m down, the leading end of knitting ring stop 182, Figure 7B, contacts the upper end of lever 1~2 and knittin~ cam ring 132, pusher c~m ¦ring 158, pushers 1 and 2, cams 130a, 130b, cam follower vuides 54 154a, 154b, 156a, 156b and needles 112 are in the position , shown in Fi"ure 7 ~n~ cJescribed in reference thereto. The cycle is re~eated, one ro~ of s~i~ches bein~, knitted on each cycle ifrom le~t to righ~: ancl on each cycle fro~ ri~ht to left.
i 'Because, ir. ctle erhod r.~ent described, there are ~6 lZ897~iZ

1 Iforty-ei~ht needle groul?s around the cylinder with t~,Jenty-four Icnictin~ cams, one for each two needle ~,roups, ir, each cycle from left to ri~.,h~ and each c~cle fror.l right to leLt e~ch ;knitted row or course uill hAve t~lenty-rour sec~ions.
S In the embodiment of the invention shown and described, pushers 1~4sS3, Figure S, overlap at their abutting edges The length of such overlap and the width of one needle groove are substantially the same. Thus, the one needle in the needle groove at the overlapping abutting edge, will be lifted or ,~raised by both pushers, as each pusher is lifted or raised. .
Such common lifting of the one needle, endin~ off the ~nitting ~¦by one of the groups of needles and s~arcin~ up the knitting by the next group of needles, interconnects the knitted stitches at ttle end of ~he fabric .;nit~ed by c)lle needle ,,roup wi~h ~he ]~ knitted sticches Lcnitted by tne nee~les or tlle Eollowing needle ll~roup. The fabrics are thus joined. R~ther than overlapping "the abutting edges of the pushers, pushers 1-43 may be aoutted without overlapping and the needle cylinder might be racked ~after each row of stitches is knitted.
! In the embodirlent OL ~ ures 3 and 3A, Lor l)urposes of n~edle c~linder r&clin,, ring Oear "tlj s ~ e~l co ana e~tends 'around the inside wall a~ the oottom of cylinder 10~. Pinion gear 242, meshing with ring gear 2~0, is rllounted on shaft 244 of 'stepper motor 246 mounted, in turn, ?n c~linder base 101.
2~ i~Bearings 24s~, 250, are Mounted on base 1~)1 and support shaft 244 'Ifor rotation. Stepper motor 246 is reversi~le. By energizing stepper motor 24~ in one sl-rection, needle c~y1illc'er 100 and needles 112 r..ountecl tllereon ar~ -ac~.~ed in one direction relative to pusher~s 1-4~. By enerS~lzing stepper r.:otor 246 in t'ne 3~) ol-)posite direction. tlle r~cklr:~ is reversed.

!

~2~

l 11 In the e~Dodi~ent of Fi~,ures 3B and 3C, needle c~linder l~ is rsounceti for racicin~7, on fixed cylinLler base 1(J1 ' fixed to support 2~, F ,;ure 3~. P~a~Lin~ control cylinder Z~2 is ~ixed, at its u?per end, to net-~dle cylinder lC~0 and, at its lo~er end, is fixed to ring gear 264 having equally spaced teeth 266 around its periphery. Worm vear 268, having square toothed spiral ~e~r 270 ~tending axially along its peripl-lery and in mesh with teeth 266 of ring gear 264 is mounted at the peripl1ery of ring gear 26~. Teeth 266 of ring ~ear 264 and the square spiral ~ear tooth 270 o~ worm gear 26~ are fitted to each other so that, in ¦1either direction of rotation of worm gear 26~, there is no ~ack ash or lost ~otlon between the turning of worm gear 26~ and the overl1ent of rin~ gear 264. Thus, l/4 or 90 De~rees of rota.ion of worm ~e~r 2~j~, in either directiong ~ill rack control arm 262 and needle c~linder l~ one needle ~roove ~!idth to advance or retract neeAle cylinder l()0 one needle relative to pushers 1-43, !
.,dependi.n~ upon the direction of rotation o~ worm ~ear 263. Worm gear 26~ may be turned by a stepper motor, control chain or ~ other means. 0,~her means of racking needle cylinder lO~ and needlas ll~ ~elltive to pushers l-48 n1i~,ht 1lso be 1sed.
When pushers 1 48, with flush abuttin~ e~ges are e..ployed ;,and the knitcea ~,roups a~-e joined b~ rackin~, tile nee~le cylinder `-~¦relative ,o pushers l-48, needle cylinder lO0 might be rac'~ed, ¦1in alternating directions, at the end of each 1;nitted course ~r 1I the r~.ckin3 ~ ht ~e spaced so that a selected nu~ber of courses 1~are knitted ~ithout racLcin~,. Where the racking between courses is sracetl, an eyelet i~ill be Lor~i~ti bec-~een t1~e !;nitt~d cour~2s, ti~e ler~ o~ tnt- eyelec tlependin-g on ~he n1.11n~er o- cc~-rses knitte~ ~iithout rac!cinv~ i In the opera~icn of the al)parl~u~ ar.d in ~1~e praetice o~
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1 1 the method of the instant invention and depending upon the desi~n bein~ knitted, the ~arn to be Icnitted can be fed to the needles con~inuously by one ~arn feed Mounted on a sin~le ~arn 'Icarrier or by two yarn feeds, feedin~ yarn to the needles one S yarn feed after the other and mounted on seperate yarn carriers.
In either event, at the end oi each direction of travel and as knitting cam ring 132 is changin~ direction of travel 7 Figures 8 and 14, the angle at which the yarn is to be fed to the needles is reversed so that, as the needle, with its open hook, is drawn down from the position shot~n in Fi~ure 3A to the position shown in FiOure 3, the yarn to be lcnitted will be engaged by open needle hool~ 114 and drawn do~tn by ~he needle.
By selecting the colors of tlie yarIls to be fed to the needles, a wide variet:y or int~rsia desi"n sin~le knit jersey fabric, in a wide variety of colors, can be ~nitted. Tnus, ,selected of the groups of needles around ,-he needle cylinder Imight be fed with a t~hite or of~ hite ~arn, while other o~ the ; groups May be fed with a blue yarn, otIlers tJith a yellow yarn, l others t~ith red yarn and still others with a green yarn. By placin~ a ~ ite, or of~-white, vdrn ~,roup between each color, a jersey fabrlc havin~ ~hat ~o~ld appear to be a white, or loff-t~Thite, bac~round and vertical st;ipes of the diEferent ¦colors can be knitted. By rackin~ nl-edle cylinder 100, on ~¦needle cylinder base lG2, and the ~arn feeds in one direction 1l after each row is Lcnitted and while knittin~v cam ring 13~ is ¦¦being reversed, the rows or vertical stripes of different colors nitted into the jersey Eal~ric can be t<nitted diagonally in the fabric. The ~idth o the roll or ~ertical stripe Icnitted into ;tIe fabric depends upon the yarn ~eed. Thus, by ?rovidin~ a 3ù sin~l2 yarn feed to a ection rll~de ~ of t~lo needle ~ro~ps, the , I .

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l !¦width of the vertical row or stripe kni~ted into ~he je-rse~ b~
such section will correspond to the section width. IJ. tl~o ~arn I eedS, One LOr each needle ~rou?, are provid~d, the widch of the vertical row or stripe can b~ knitted ~o corre~pond to the .lidt~
of the needle group. By selec~ing ~he number of needles in the needle section, i.e., two needle groups, to be knitted with the yarn from each of the t~o feeds, one after the other~ the width of the row or stripe can be varied. The yarns from the two yarn feeds are joined in the knitted fabric by commencing the lG knittin~ of the yarn fror~ tne second yarn feed on the last ¦Ineedle knitted with the yarn from the first yarn feed. B~
!~feeding the two yarns to the single needle a double yarn stitch ',ioo~ is formed to jOill the fabric. In ~the instance of two yarn ~'fee~s in a section, y~eor!letric desions, other than ~tripes, might `be ~nicted.
By providing two yarn carriers to the sectlcn, each Jith its o~n ~arn feed and feeding a different color ~arn, by rackin~
¦needle eylinder lO0 on cylinder base 102 and also rac!cing the lyarn carriers after one or more courses are knitted in the sectiGn, diamond intarsia ~esi~,n can be knitted. As rac1iing occurs, the num~er oE neec31es Lcnittcd with the ~-arn of the yarn jfeed of one yarn carrier, for example, whice yarn, is increased ¦¦and the number of needles knitted with the yarn of the yarn feed lof the other carrier, for e~ample, blue ~arn, is decreased. By I!selectiv~ly rackin~ the cylinder each time~ in either direction, a chosen number of needles and racking the -;arn carriers, a wide variet~ ~f intarsia desi~ns in sin~,le knit jerse~ fa;~rics can he knitced W.ttl the a)lparatus an~ Metho~ ol che in...ant invention.
~or ~urposés of rac.~ln~, the ~arn carriers ~ ht ce moun~e~ with n a rir.~ ear, pinion and ste~ r r;otcr, such &S rin~ gear ~4~, -3:~-"

Il l 1 ~Ipinion 242 and stepper "lotor 24~, Figures 3, 3A, ring gear 26 and worm ~,ear 2~3, l~ ures 3~, 3C or other rackin~ Mechanism In terrns of onl~ rackinc the cylinder, a n1rnber of straight, diagonal and ~ig-zag stripe designs can be knitted S without racking the yarn carrier and ~ithout usin~ two ~arn feeds for the needle sec~ion. Where designs in solid colors, other than stripes, are ~o be circular knitted in jersey fabric, the cylinder and yarn carrier racking, with two yarn feeds for the needle section of the method and apparatus of the instant linvention provides knit-in design without needle selection and the relatively expensive machinery and method of the jacquard system. The app~ratus of the instant invention is less ex?ensive to build and maintain and the need fGr needle jac!~s, needle selectioll and co~.plicated controls is eliminated. The lS process is less complicated and mo.e easil~ practiced by the knitter.
Il The terms and expressions which have been employed in-the ~¦foregoing description are used as terms of description and not ¦of limitation, and there is r.o intention, in the use of s~ch ~l cerms and expressions, of excl~1ding an~ ec,uivalenLs of the ~eature shown and d~scribed or porticns chereof, but it is recognized that vario~s modifications are possible ~ithin the ¦scope of the invention claimed.

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Claims (20)

1. A method for knitting intarsia design jersey knit fabric on a circular knitting machine having a needle cylinder assembly including parallel needle grooves extending axially of said cylinder, each needle groove having a needle mounted in said groove for axial movement relative to said cylinder, a knitting cam assembly and means for reciprocating the knitting cam assembly relative to the needle cylinder assembly in first and second directions transverse the needles on said needle cylinder, said knitting cam assembly including a plurality of knitting cams spaced around said cylinder assembly, a plurality of pushers mounted on said cylinder for axial movement on said cylinder and forming a ring around said cylinder, each of said pushers, when moved axially on said cylinder toward said needles, simultaneously raising a group of axially contiguous, sequential needles, each of said needles in said raised group of needles being engagable, one after the other in the sequence on said cylinder, by one of said knitting cams on said knitting cam assembly when said knitting cam assembly is reciprocated toward said lifted needles to draw the engaged raised needle down and form a new stitch on said Claim 1 continued...

needle and shed the old stitch from such needle and means for feeding yarn to said needles as said needles are drawn down, the steps comprising: actuating the first needle pusher immediately ahead of the knitting cam, in the direction of movement of said cam, to simultaneously raise the group of axially contiguous needles; with the sequential needles in the fist needle group in raised position, retracting said first pusher; while retracting said first pusher, moving said knitting cam assembly and said knitting cam relative to said needle cylinder in a direction toward said raised needles to engage each of said raised needles in said first needle group, one after the other, and draw each of said raised needles down to form a new stitch loop in the needle hook and shed the old stitch from such needle; while moving said knitting cam assembly toward said raised needles in said first needle group and drawing said raised needles down, actuating the second needle pusher in the direction of movement of said cam assembly to simultaneously raise the plurality of needles in the second needle group; with the sequential needles in the second needle group in raised position, retracting the second needle pusher; and, while retracting said second pusher, continuing the movement of said Claim 1 continued...
knitting cam assembly and said knitting cam relative to said needles cylinder in said direction toward said raised needles to engage each of said raised needles in said second needle group, one after the other after all of the needles of the first needle group have been drawn down, and draw down each of said raised needles in said second raised needles group to form a new stitch loop in the needle hook and shed the old stitch from such needle.

2. A method, as recited in claim 1, in which said movement of said knitting cam assembly and said knitting cam relative to said needle cylinder assembly and toward said raised needles is continued until all of the needles of the second needle group have been drawn down, a new stitch loop has been formed in each needle hook, the old stitch has been shed from the needles, the knitting cam has cleared the needles of the second needle group, the second needle pusher has again been actuated to raise the plurality of needles of the second needle group and the needles of the second needle group are in raised position.

3. A method, as recited in claim 2, in which the movement of said knitting cam assembly and said knitting Claim 3 continued...
cam relative to said needle cylinder assembly is stopped and the direction reversed after the knitting cam has cleared the needles of the second group of needles, the second needle pusher has been actuated and the second group of needles are in raised position.

4. A method, as recited in claim 3, in which the movement of said knitting cam assembly and said knitting cam relative to said needle cylinder assembly is stopped and the direction reversed each time, the knitting cam has drawn down and knitted the last of the needles, raised up by the pushers to be knitted, has cleared such needles and the pusher immediately behind said knitting cam, in the direction of movement of said knitting cam when said knitting cam was stopped, has been actuated and the group of needles raised by such pusher are in raised position.

5. A method, as recited in claim 1, 2 or 3, including the further step of repositioning the yarn feed means after all of the raised needles of the first and second groups of needles have been drawn down, new stitch loops have been formed in the hooks of the drawn down needles and the old stitch loops have been shed from such Claim 5 continued...
needles so as to feed yarn to the needles when the needles are raised and draw in down in the reverse direction of movement of the knitting cam assembly.

6. A method, as recited in claim 1, including the steps of simultaneously actuating the needle pushers immediately ahead of each of the knitting cams, in the direction of movement of said cams, to simultaneously raise the groups of contiguous sequential needles raised by each of said actuating needle pushers; with the sequential needles in the needle groups in raised position, retracting the actuated pushers; while retracting said actuated pushers, moving said knitting cam assembly and said knitting cams relative to said needle cylinder in direction toward said raised needles to engage each of said raised needles in said needle groups, one needle in each group after the other, and draw each of said raised needles in said raised groups down to form a new stitch loop in the needle hook and shed the old stitch from each such needle; while moving said knitting cam assembly toward said raised needles in said first needle groups and drawing said raised needles down, simultaneously actuating the needle pushers immediately Claim 6 continued...
ahead of each of the knitting cams in the direction of movement of said cam assembly to simultaneously raise the plurality of needles in the next needle groups; with the sequential needles in the next groups of needles in raised position, retracting needle pushers; and, while retracting said pushers, continuing the movement of said knitting cam assembly and said knitting cams relative to said needle cylinder in said raised needles to engage each of said raised needles in said raised needle groups, one needle in each second group after the other until all of the needles of each raised needle group have been drawn down, and draw down each of said raised needles to form a new stitch loop in the needle hook and shed the old stitch from such needle.

7. A method, as recited in claim 6, including the further steps of: continuing the movement of said knitting cam assembly and said knitting cams relative to said needle cylinder assembly until all of the raised needles have been drawn down, a new stitch loop has been formed on each needle hook and the old stitch has been shed from the needle; raised group of needles has been drawn down, reactivating said needle pushers to again simultaneously Claim 7 continued...
raise said plurality of needles; and, with said needles raised, stopping and reversing the direction of movement of said knitting cam assembly and said knitting cams relative to said needle assembly.

8. A method, as recited in claim 7, including the further steps of: retracting said pushers after said needles have been raised and while said knitting cam assembly and said knitting cams are moving in the reverse direction, while retracting said needles pushers, continuing said reverse movement of said knitting cam assembly and said knitting cams to engage each of said needles in said raised groups of needles, one needle in each such second group after the other, to form a new stitch in the needles hook and shed the old stitch from the needle; while so moving said knitting cam assembly and said knitting cams, simultaneously actuating the needle pushers immediately ahead of each of said knitting cams to simultaneously raise the plurality of needles in the next needle groups; with the sequential needles of said next needle groups in raised position, retracting the actuated pushers; and, while retracting said actuated pushers, continuing said movement of said knitting cam assembly and Claim 8 continued...
said knitting cams to engage each of the raised needles, one needle in each such raised needle group after the other, to form a new stitch loop on each such needle and shed the old stitch until all of the raised needles are drawn down, the knitting cams have cleared the needles of the first needle group, the needle pushers immediately ahead of said cams have been actuated and raised to raise the next groups of needles and the movement of said knitting cam assembly and said knitting cams relative to said needle cylinder assembly is stopped and the movement reversed.

9. A method, as recited in claim 8, in which after completion the steps are repeated.

10. A method, as recited in claim 6, 7 or 8, including the further step of feeding a different colored yarn to the yarn feed means at least one of the knitting cams.

11. A method, as recited in claims 6, 7 or 8, including the further step of repositioning said yarn feed means at the end of each direction of relative movement of Claim 11 continued...
the knitting cam assembly and knitting cams with the needles cylinder for feeding said yarn to said needles to be drawn into stitches by said needles during the subsequent reverse direction of movement of said knitting cam assembly and said needle cylinder.

12. A method, as recited in claim 1, 2, or 3, including the further step of racking said needle cylinder and said needles relative to said pushers at the end of relative movement of said knitting cam assembly and said needle cylinder in said first and said second directions.

13. A circular knitting machine for knitting intarsia design jersey fabric comprising, a needle cylinder assembly having parallel needle grooves extending axially of said cylinder, a needle in each needle groove for movement in the needle groove axially of the needle cylinder, a plurality of needle pushers mounted side by side on said needle cylinder below said needles and forming a ring of pushers around said needle cylinder, each of said pushers, when raised on said needle cylinder toward said needles, raising a group of circumferentially contiguous, sequential needles from a drawn down knitted Claim 13 continued...
position on said needle cylinder to a raised position, means for raising said pushers to raise said needle groups, a knitting cam assembly extending peripherally around said needle cylinder and mounted for reciprocal movement on said needle cylinder and transverse said needle grooves and said needles, a plurality of knitting cams mounted in fixed position on said knitting cam assembly and spaced on said knitting cam assembly around said needle cylinder for engaging said contiguous, sequential needles, one needle after the other, when said needles are in raised position, to draw such needles, one after the other, down, means for moving said knitting cam assembly and said knitting cams in a first direction relative to said cylinder to draw the raised needles in advance of said cam down into knitted position and then in a reverse second direction relative to said needle cylinder to draw the raised needles in advance of said cam in said reverse direction down into knitted position and means interconnecting said knitting cam assembly moving means and said pusher raising means to raise said pushers and raise said needle groups in advance of the movement of said cams as said knitting cam assembly and said cams are reciprocated in said first direction and in said second reverse direction on said needle cylinder.

14. A circular knitting machine, as recited in claim 13, including means for holding said needles in raised position on said needle cylinder when raised by said pusher and said pusher is lowered and for releasing said needles, one after the other, when said needles are drawn down by said knitting cams.

15. A circular knitting machine, as recited in claim 14, in which said means for holding said needles in raised position includes a groove in each needle and spring means on said cylinder for engaging said needle groove when said needles are raised by said pushers.

16. A circular knitting machine, as recited in claim 13, in which said means for raising said pushers includes pusher cam means, means for grouping said pushers around said needle cylinder into two groups of alternating pushers and means for actuating said pusher cam means for simultaneously raising and lowering the pushers of one group independent of the pushers of the other group and for simultaneously raising and lowering the pushers of said other group independent of the pushers of said one group.

17. A circular knitting machine, as recited in claim 16, in which said means for actuating said pusher cam means includes means for simultaneously raising and then lowering the pushers of said one group of pushers and then simultaneously raising and then lowering the pushers of said other group of pushers for movement of said knitting cams in said first direction around said cylinder and for simultaneously raising and then lowering the pushers or said other group of pushers and then simultaneously and then lowering the pushers of said one group of pushers for movement of said knitting cams in said reverse second direction of movement around said cylinder.

18. A circular knitting machine, as recited in claim 17, in which said means for actuating said pusher cam means includes means for simultaneously raising the pushers of said one group of pushers immediately after said knitting cams have drawn down the needles raised by said one group of pushers, are completing movement in said reverse second direction and said knitting cams start movement in said first direction around said cylinder.

19. A circular knitting machine, as recited in claim 18, in which said means for actuating said pusher cam means includes means for simultaneously raising the pushers of said other group of pushers immediately after said knitting cams have drawn down the needles raised by said other group of pushers, are completing movement in said first direction and said knitting cams start movement in said reverse second direction around said cylinder.

20. A circular knitting machine, as recited in claim 13, 14 or 15, including means for racking said needle cylinder and said needles relative to said pushers at the ends of movement of said knitting cams relative to said needle cylinder in said first direction and in said reverse second direction.