CZ195499A3 - Circular knitting machine with tilting half-plate - Google Patents

Abstract

A circular knitting machine with flip-over half-dial, comprising a needle cylinder (2) which can be actuated so as to rotate about its own axis (2a) and a half-dial (3) provided with elements (5) for engaging the yarns or loops of knitting. The half-dial (3) can flip over about a diametrical axis (4) of the needle cylinder (2) in order to face, with the engagement elements (5), the needles (6) of one half of the needle cylinder (2) or the needles (7) of the other half of the needle cylinder (2). The half-dial (3) is arranged inside the needle cylinder (2) and is pivoted, about the diametrical axis (4), to a supporting element (13) which is coupled to the needle cylinder (2) for joint rotation about its axis (2a). A pusher (8) is provided which acts on command on the half-dial (3) for its rotation about the diametrical axis (4) through an angle of less than 90 DEG and for its engagement with an abutment (9) which is suitable to complete the flipping of the half-dial (3) following the rotation of the half-dial (3), together with the needle cylinder (2), with respect to the abutment (9). <IMAGE>

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a circular knitting machine with a flip-flop half-dial made with a needle cylinder actuated to rotate about its own longitudinal axis and with a half-flipper fitted with engagement means for engaging yarns or loops of knitting; the engagement means have been directed towards the needles of one half of the needle cylinder 1 or the needles of the other half of the needle cylinder, and wherein the

provided tilting means for tilting the half-plate around the transverse axis. More particularly, the invention relates to a circular knitting machine for the production of knitted articles, in particular of tubular shape, closed at one of its longitudinal ends.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Known circular hosiery knitting machines have a half-plate which is arranged at the upper end of the needle cylinder and is provided with engagement means for engaging the yarns or loops of the knitted fabric. The half-plate can be pivoted about the cross-axis of the needle cylinder so as to engage the needles of one half of the needle cylinder or the needles of the other half of the needle cylinder to move knitting loops formed on the needles of one half of the needle cylinder to the needles of the other half. allowed to close one of the longitudinal ends of the tubular knitted article.

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In the Czech patent application PV 1344-98 of April 30, 1998, the same Applicant discloses a circular knitting machine for manufacturing knitted products with a flip-flop located within the needle cylinder of the knitting machine at its upper end, i.e. the working space of the needles.

During testing it has been found that various modifications can be made to this knitting machine, in particular to improve the tilting mechanism for tilting the half-plate.

It is therefore an object of the invention in particular to provide a circular knitting machine provided with a flip-flop half-plate which comprises a flip-up mechanism enabling flipping of the half-plate without interrupting the production cycle of the knitting machine. Within this aim, it is an object of the present invention to provide a circular knitting machine with a flip-flop, wherein the flip-flop will not substantially hinder the passage of the product inside the needle cylinder.

Another object of the invention is to provide a circular knitting machine which, by avoiding interruption of the production cycle to flip the half-plate, can achieve productivity comparable to conventional types of circular knitting machines in which the tubular products are not allowed to close at one of their longitudinal ends.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This task is accomplished by a circular knitting machine with a flip-flop, having a needle cylinder operated to rotate about its own longitudinal axis, and a half-flipper equipped with engaging means for engaging yarns or loops of knitting, wherein the »» to engage the engagement means toward the needles of one half of the needle cylinder or the needles of the other half of the needle cylinder, and furthermore provide tilting means for tilting the half-plate about a transverse axis according to the invention rotatable about a needle cylinder transverse axis to a support element which is rigidly connected to the needle cylinder for pivotal rotation about its longitudinal axis, the tilting means comprising a thrust device acting on the half-plate command for its rotation about a transverse axis at an angle of less than 90 ° and for engagement with the stop, which is intended to complete the rollover of the half-plate after rotation of the half-plate together with the needle cylinder relative to the stop.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the circular knitting machine according to the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of the circular knitting machine according to the invention, shown only by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 2 schematically a section similar to that of Fig. 1, by a circular knitting machine with a half-dial at the beginning of its tilting motion, Fig. 3 a section similar to the two ends of the needle cylinder, in a plane passing through the needle cylinder; Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to the previous cuts of a circular knitting machine with a half-dial approximately halfway around its flipping movement; and Fig. 5 shows a detail of a portion of a half-dial showing the movement of the half-dial in a stop which completes its tilting movement.

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The figures show a circular knitting machine 1 comprising a needle cylinder 2 operated to rotate about its longitudinal axis 2a relative to the support structure of the circular knitting machine 6.

Inside the needle cylinder 2 at its upper end there is arranged a half-plate 3, which can swivel around the transverse axis 4 of the needle cylinder 2 so as to face one or the other half of the needle cylinder 2.

The half-pillar 1 is provided with engagement means 5 for engaging and holding the loops of knitting or yarn knitted by needles 6 of one half of the needle cylinder 2 and for their transfer to the needles 1 of the other half of the needle cylinder 2 by their overturning about the transverse axis 4.

The circular knitting machine X is provided with tilting means for tilting the half-plate 3 around a transverse axis 4. These tilting means are, according to the invention, formed by a pusher 8 which acts on the half-plate 1 to cause it to rotate about the transverse axis 4 less than 90 ° to engage the stopper 9, which is adapted to complete the tilting movement of the half-plate 3 about the transverse axis 4 as a result of the rotation of the half-plate 3, together with the needle cylinder 2 about the longitudinal axis 2a relative to the stop 9.

The half-pillar 3 consists essentially of an annular body 10 disposed within the needle cylinder 2 coaxially thereto, which is provided with an extended half-ring-shaped portion 11 in one half of the extension of its side surface, which receives engagement means 1 which may be hooks operated in the radial direction with respect to the needle cylinder 2 for engaging and holding the loops of knitted fabric or yarns ··· · * <

Knitted by needles 6 of the first half of the needle cylinder 2 and for transferring these loops or yarns to the needles 7 of the second half of the needle cylinder 2.

The annular body 10 is pivotable about a transverse axis 4 to a support element that is rigidly connected to the needle cylinder 2 for pivotal rotation about the longitudinal axis 2a.

The support element is formed by a hollow cylindrical body 13 which is arranged coaxially inside the needle cylinder 2 and is provided on its outer side surface with an axial groove 14 in which the tongue 15 engages. This tongue 15 is fixed to the inner surface of the needle cylinder 2. the hollow cylindrical body 13 is rigidly connected to the needle cylinder 2 for pivotal rotation about it about the longitudinal axis 2a, but it can move relative to the needle cylinder 2 parallel to the longitudinal axis 2a.

Similarly, a hollow cylindrical body 16 is provided within the hollow cylindrical body 13, which is coaxial with the needle cylinder 2. The hollow cylindrical body 16 is supported by the hollow cylindrical body 13 by means of intermediate bearings 17 so that the hollow cylindrical body 13 can rotate together with the needle cylinder 2 the hollow cylindrical support 16, which remains stationary when the needle cylinder 2 rotates, the hollow cylindrical support 16 can in any case perform a translational movement together with the hollow cylinder body 13 and parallel to the longitudinal axis 2a of the needle cylinder 2,

The half-plate 3 rests with its annular body 10 on the hollow cylinder 18 which is arranged coaxially inside the hollow cylindrical support 16. The hollow cylinder 18 is rigidly connected to the hollow cylindrical support 16 with respect to rotation about the longitudinal axis 2a. That is, while the needle cylinder 2 and the hollow cylindrical body 13 rotate about the longitudinal axis 2a, the hollow cylinder 18 remains stationary, but can with respect to the hollow cylindrical

the support 16 to perform a downward translational movement parallel to the longitudinal axis 2a against the action of the resilient means formed by the springs 19 supporting it. The function of the hollow cylinder 18 is to support the annular body 10 of the top plate 3, which hollow cylinder 18 keeps the half-plate 1 in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 2a and allows the half-plate 3 to swivel around the transverse axis 4 by its downward movement against the springs 19, as described below.

The pusher 8 is mounted on the hollow cylindrical support 16 and the stopper 9 is mounted on the hollow cylindrical support 16. The stopper 9 is preferably located diametrically opposed to the position occupied by the pusher 8. acting on the underside of the enlarged half-ring-shaped portion 11.

The pusher 8 is typically formed by a piston disposed within the cylinder 20 and operated by a fluid, for example a single acting pneumatic cylinder, formed within the hollow cylindrical support 16.

The stopper 9 is formed by a pin fixed in the hollow cylindrical support 16 and oriented such that its axis is radial to the annular body 10 in the normal or tilted position, i.e. not during the pivoting operation, and faces the side surface of the annular body 10.

In the side surface, preferably in the outside side surface of the annular body 10, a passage 21 is provided to receive the stopper 9 due to the partial rotation of the half-plate 3 reached by the pushing device 8 to allow the stopper 8 to pass through the upper side of the annular body 10 turning over the half-plate 3 as will be described in more detail below.

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The passageway 21 is preferably formed as a groove formed in the outer side surface of the annular body 10 in the middle position of a portion not occupied by the expanded half-ring-shaped portion 11 and is disposed with an inclination relative to the upper surface and lower surface of the annular body 10.

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The hollow cylindrical body 13 may move due to the action of control means, not shown, for the sake of simplicity, within the needle cylinder 2 parallel to the longitudinal axis 2a to allow the half-plate 1 to be arranged at the upper end of the needle cylinder 2 when transferring knitted loops or yarns the needles 6 of the first half of the needle cylinder 2 to the needles 7 of the second half of the needle cylinder 2, or to allow the arrangement of the half-dial 1 at levels lower than the upper end of the needle cylinder 2 when this transfer is not required.

The operation of the circular knitting machine according to the invention in transferring knitted loops or yarns from needles 6 of one half of the needle cylinder 2 to the needles 7 of the other half of the needle cylinder 2 is as follows.

To transfer knitted loops or yarns from the needles 6 of the first half of the needle cylinder 2 to the needles 7 of the second half of the needle cylinder 2, the half-dial 3 is placed on the upper end of the needle cylinder 2, see FIG. movement along the longitudinal axis 2a. At this time, the hook engagement means 5 are partially ejected from the half-plate 1 and placed between the needles 6 of the first half of the needle cylinder 2, for example by means of locks facing in the upper region to the enlarged half-ring shaped portion 11 and acting on the knees 5a of the engagement means 5. In this way, the engagement means engages the parts of the needle-knit loops of the first half of the needle cylinder 2, which, in the position retracted into the half-plate 3, retain the parts of the loops.

When the loops are thus retained and retained, and when the half-ring-shaped widened portion 11 is located above the pusher 8, the pusher 8 is actuated thereby bringing the half-plate 1 to rotate about a transverse axis 4 at an angle of less than 90 °. the angle is in any case sufficient to engage the pin-shaped stop 9 with the groove-shaped passage 21, see FIG. 2. As a result of this engagement, together with the fact that the half-plate 3 rotates together with the needle cylinder 2 about the longitudinal axis 2a stop 9, the stop 9 abuts the upper side of the annular body 10, see FIG. 3.

By continuing to rotate the half-plate 3 together with the needle cylinder 2 about the longitudinal axis 2a, due to the fact that the stopper 9 is arranged above the annular body 10, the half-plate 3 is rolled over, which once again has an annular body 10 arranged above the stopper 9. .

The tilting of the half-plate 3 is made possible by the springing of the hollow cylinder 18 downwards.

Upon completion of the flipping of the half-plate 3, the enlarged half-ring-shaped part 11 with the engagement means 5 faces the needles 7 of the second half of the needle cylinder 2. Thereafter, the engagement means 5 are actuated in a known manner, for example in a manner similar to that described in the above mentioned Czech patent application PV 1344 -98 to release the previously held loops on the needles 7 of the second half of the needle cylinder 2.

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For further tilting of the half-plate 1, it is sufficient to again operate the pusher 8, which in the meantime has moved to the active position when the enlarged half-ring-shaped part 11 is located above the pusher 8,

Once the loops have been transferred, the half-plate X, using the fact that the hollow cylindrical body 13 can move parallel to the longitudinal axis 2a, can be moved to a lowered position within the needle cylinder 2,

In practice, it has been found that the circular knitting machine according to the invention, by virtue of a particular embodiment of the half-dial tilting mechanism, fully fulfills the stated objective, since it can transfer knitted loops of knitted fabric or yarn from needles of one half of the needle cylinder to needles of the other half of the needle cylinder.

A further advantage of the circular knitting machine according to the invention is that it allows the use of the entire interior of the annular body of the half-dial for the passage of the product to be manufactured.

Numerous modifications and variations may be made to the above-described circular knitting machine which are within the scope of the invention. All components can be replaced by their technical equivalents.

The materials, as well as the dimensions, used in practice can be selected according to requirements and the state of the art.

Claims (13)

A circular knitting machine with a flip-flop half-plate (3), provided with a needle cylinder (2) controlled to rotate about its own longitudinal axis (2a), and a half-plate (3) provided with engagement means (5) for engaging the yarn; knitting loops, the half-plate (3) being pivoted about the transverse axis (4) of the needle cylinder (2) so that the engagement means (5) face the needles (6) of one half of the needle cylinder (2) or needles (7) of the other half and wherein further tilting means (8) are provided for tilting the half-plate (3) about a transverse axis (4), characterized in that the half-plate (3) is arranged inside the needle cylinder (2) and is rotatable around a transverse axis (4) of the needle cylinder (2) to a support element (13) which is rigidly connected to the needle cylinder (2) for rotation about its longitudinal axis (2a) together, the tilting means comprising a push a device (8) acting on the half-plate (3) to rotate it about a transverse axis (4) at an angle of less than 90 ° and to engage it with a stop (9) intended to complete the tilting of the half-plate (3) after rotation half-plates (.3) together with the needle cylinder (2) relative to the stop (9). Circular knitting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the half-plate (3) consists of an annular body (10) with an enlarged half-ring-shaped part (11) which is connected to half of its side surface in which the engagement means is received. (5), wherein the annular body (10) is arranged coaxially in the needle cylinder (2). Circular knitting machine according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the pushing device (8) is mounted on a support (16) which is arranged inside the needle cylinder (2) and is connected to the machine support structure in order to remain stationary when rotating the needle cylinder (2) about its longitudinal axis (2a). 0 · 0 · 0 · 0 ·> 0 Circular knitting machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pushing device (8) is arranged below the plane of arrangement of the half-plate (3) in the normal or tilted position and acts on the side of the enlarged half-ring shaped part (11). ). Circular knitting machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stop (9) is fixed to the support (16) of the pusher (8). Circular knitting machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stop (9) is formed by a pin which is arranged radially with respect to the annular body (10) and is arranged below the plane of arrangement of the half-plate (3) in normal or tilted position; is directed to the side face of the annular body (10). Circular knitting machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stop (9) is arranged in a region diametrically opposite to the pushing device (8) relative to the longitudinal axis (2a) of the needle cylinder (2). Circular knitting machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stop (9) can be inserted into a passage (21) formed in the side surface of the annular body (10) after the half-plate (3) has been rotated about the transverse axis (4). (8) to allow the stop (9) to pass to the upper side of the annular body (10) to complete the tilting of the half-plate (3) about the transverse axis (4). Circular knitting machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stop (9) faces the outer side of the annular body (9). 10) and the passage (21) is formed in an outer side surface of the annular body (10), which is not occupied by the enlarged half-ring-shaped part (11). Circular knitting machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the passage (21) is formed in the central region of a part of the outer side surface of the annular body (10) not occupied by the enlarged half-ring-shaped part (11). Circular knitting machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the passage (21) is formed by a groove formed in the outer side surface of the annular body (10) and arranged with an inclination relative to the upper and lower sides of the annular body (10). Circular knitting machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support element (13) of the half-plate (3) and the support (16) of the pushing device (8) can be moved in command in relation to the needle cylinder (2). parallel to the longitudinal axis (2a) of the needle cylinder (2), Circular knitting machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pushing device (8) is formed by a piston of a fluid-actuated cylinder (20).