TWI871311B - A method for manufacturing an open-work knitted fabric on a circular knitting machine - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for manufacturing open-work knitted fabric in a circular knitting machine comprises: rotating in a first direction of rotation a needle-holding cylinder (2) and a circular crown (4) by moving selected open-work sinkers (9, 10) towards a central axis (X-X) of the machine and towards a respective forward position; lifting and then lowering the needles (3) beside the selected open-work sinkers (9, 10) placed in the forward position, while the needle-holding cylinder (2) and the circular crown (4) rotate in the first direction of rotation and move on a yarn feed so as to load a textile yarn fed by the yarn feed onto protrusions (15) of the selected open-work sinkers (9, 10) so as to make elongated interstitches; rotating in a second direction of rotation, opposed to the first one, the needle-holding cylinder (2) and the circular crown (4) by radially moving the selected open-work sinkers (9, 10) away from the central axis (X-X), towards a respective backward position, lifting the needles (3) at least in a withdrawn position, so as to unload the interstitch on the protrusions (15) within the heads (3A) of the needles (3), and continuing rotating in the second direction of rotation until the yarn feed is passed over and then lowering the needles (3) while the selected open-work sinkers (9, 10) are in the respective backward position.

Description

Method for producing mesh knitted fabrics on a circular knitting machine

Invention Field

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing mesh knitted fabrics on a circular knitting machine, and to a circular knitting machine for carrying out the method.

In particular, the invention relates to the movement sequence of the mechanism (needles and sinkers) of a circular knitting machine for producing mesh knitted fabrics.

For example, the invention relates to a circular knitting machine (intarsia machine or diamond machine) configured to manufacture fabrics with intarsia patterns, and the enterprise is able to manufacture mesh knitted fabrics.

Invention background

As is known, a circular knitting machine comprises a needle holding element (needle holding cylinder and/or needle holding plate) on which one or more continuous needles are arranged along a circular path (circular needle bed) and a device for easily controlling the movement of the needles to form a knitted fabric. The knock-off sinker is arranged in a radial seat, which is an annular body (sinker seat) surrounding the needle holding cylinder, and the sinker cooperates with the needles to produce a knitted fabric.

When a specific design is executed with a circular knitting machine, it is known to produce mesh knitted fabrics.

Document GB449404 discloses a circular knitting machine having sinkers between needles and interstitch rings formed thereon. At least one of these sinkers includes a protruding side portion configured to move the interstitch ring to an adjacent needle, thereby forming a mesh in the knitted fabric.

Document GB377794 discloses a circular knitting machine equipped with an unfolding device having a pair of blades disposed on both sides of a sinker, and the unfolding device is configured to unfold a coil and lay it on one or two adjacent needles.

Document GB410831 discloses a circular knitting machine comprising sinkers provided with an upper hook or a pair of hooks placed on the side of a conventional sinker. The hooks are configured and moved so as to transfer the expanded coils to a pair of adjacent needles and to produce a mesh fabric in the fabric. When the hooks have to work, the selector plate moves the sinker in which the hooks are integrated. The selector plate comprises a swing arm provided with a plate clock which interacts with a plurality of cams belonging to an actuating device.

For example, in EP1620590 granted to the same applicant, a circular knitting machine (intarsia machine) for producing fabrics with intarsia patterns is disclosed.

Intarsia is a weaving technique that allows you to use different colored yarns in the same row to create a pattern. Intarsia is often used to create colorful patterns. As with the woodworking technique of the same name, it seems to fit the different colors and materials together like a puzzle. Unlike other multi-color weaving techniques, only the "active" color is on a given loop, and the yarn is not woven to the reverse side. When the color of a given row changes, the old yarn is left hanging.

Summary of invention

In the framework of a circular knitting machine as described above, the applicant has discovered that there are some disadvantages.

Firstly, the applicant has observed that the above-mentioned known knitting machine for manufacturing mesh knitted fabrics and the method for manufacturing mesh knitted fabrics that can be realized by the known knitting machine do not allow the manufacture of complex fabrics with mesh areas that are different from each other.

In particular, the applicant has observed that some of the known machines do not allow the individual selection of elements designed to make the meshes, since these elements are guided by triangles and must perform all the same movements during each revolution of the machine. As a result, the number, arrangement and other characteristics of the meshes to be made are pre-set and difficult to modify.

The applicant has further observed that the known machines are not capable of manufacturing fabrics with mesh areas in a fast and flexible manner.

In this case, the object of the present invention is, in various aspects and/or embodiments, to propose a method for manufacturing mesh knitted fabrics and a circular knitting machine capable of manufacturing mesh knitted fabrics with the most different characteristics. .

Another object of the present invention is to propose a method for manufacturing a mesh knitted fabric and a circular knitting machine capable of manufacturing a mesh knitted fabric, which can flexibly manufacture different fabrics according to the characteristics of the fabric. Open works to be obtained on the fabric.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing mesh knitted fabrics and a circular knitting machine, which can manufacture highly complex mesh knitted fabrics in a relatively short manufacturing time.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing mesh knitted fabrics and a circular knitting machine capable of manufacturing mesh knitted fabrics, thereby also being able to obtain more patterns and/or effects of the knitted fabrics, for example, without having to reconfigure the machine itself or part of the machine from a mechanical point of view.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a circular knitting machine which is configured to manufacture fabrics having intarsia patterns (intarsia machine or diamond machine), and which is also capable of manufacturing mesh knitted fabrics according to the above purpose.

These and other possible purposes, as will become better understood from the following description, are basically achieved by a method for manufacturing a mesh knitted fabric and a circular knitting machine for manufacturing a mesh knitted fabric according to one or more of the attached patent claims. According to the following aspects and/or embodiments, various combinations may also be combined with the aforementioned patent claims.

In this specification and the appended claims, the words "upper", "lower", "above" and "below" refer to the orientation of the machine during normal operation, with the central axis of rotation in a vertical position and the needles of the cylinder facing upward.

In this specification and the attached patent application, the words "axial", "circumferential" and "radial" relate to the central axis.

In this specification and the attached patent application, the words "inoperative", "retracting" and "dropping" refer to the position and function of the needle, respectively. In particular, in the inoperative position, the needle is in a fully lowered or retracted position in the needle holding cylinder so as not to hook the yarn supplied by the yarn feeding system to form a loop. In the drop position, the needle is in an inoperative raised position, hooking the spinning yarn supplied by the yarn feeding system without dropping the knitting loop located inside its needle head. In the drop position, the needle is in a fully raised position so as to hook the spinning yarn supplied by the yarn feeding system and drop the knitting loop located on its needle bar.

Some aspects of the invention are listed below.

In one aspect, the present invention relates to a circular knitting machine.

On the one hand, the circular knitting machine includes: a needle holding cylinder and a circular sinker seat having a common central axis; a plurality of needles mounted on the needle holding cylinder, which can be moved in the longitudinal direction thereof and have needle heads arranged around the central axis to define a circular needle bed; a plurality of ring-removing sinkers mounted on the circular sinker seat, which can be moved in the radial direction relative to the central axis and have jaws configured to cooperate with the needles to manufacture knitted fabrics; a plurality of ring-removing sinkers mounted on the circular sinker seat The transfer sinker is placed next to the take-off sinker, can move in the radial direction relative to the central axis, and has a nose for cooperating with the needle to make a mesh knitted fabric; at least one yarn feeding system connected to the corresponding needle group, the corresponding group of take-off sinkers and the corresponding group of transfer sinkers, so as to feed at least one textile yarn into the circular needle bed; wherein the needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat can rotate around the central axis relative to the yarn feeding system.

In one aspect, the machine is configured for manufacturing a mesh knitted fabric and/or for implementing a method for manufacturing a mesh knitted fabric.

，由所述送紗系統喂入的紡織紗線載入到所選的移圈沉降片的片鼻上，從而製造加長的擴展線圈；ii.使持針針筒和圓形沉降片座圍繞中心軸(X-X)旋轉，徑向驅動選定的移圈沉降片徑向朝向各自後面位置移動和遠離中心軸(X-X)；升起針至少到退圈和/或脫圈位置，以便從片鼻上脫下擴展線圈到針的針頭中，並繼續旋轉，直到轉過所述至少一路送紗系統，然後降下針，同時選定的移圈沉降片在各自後面的位置；其中步驟i在持針針筒和圓形沉降片座至少沿第一旋轉方向旋轉的同時執行，步驟ii在持針針筒和圓形沉降片座沿與第一旋轉方向相反的第二旋轉方向旋轉時執行；或其中步驟i在使持針針筒和圓形沉降片座沿第一旋轉方向旋轉然後沿與第一旋轉方向相反的第二旋轉方向旋轉時執行，步驟ii在持針針筒和圓形沉降片座沿第一個旋轉方向旋轉時執行。 On the one hand, the method includes or the machine is configured to: i. rotate the needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat around the central axis (XX), radially drive the selected transfer ring sinkers among the transfer ring sinkers toward the central axis (XX) and toward their respective forward positions; raise and then lower the selected part of the needles that move forward to the side of the transfer ring sinker, while the needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat rotate and move through the at least one yarn feeding system

, the textile yarn fed by the yarn feeding system is loaded onto the nose of the selected transfer sinker, thereby producing an extended expanded coil; ii. The needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat are rotated around the central axis (XX), and the selected transfer sinker is radially driven to move radially toward the respective rear positions and away from the central axis (XX); the needle is raised at least to the retraction and/or stripping position to strip the expanded coil from the nose into the needle head of the needle, and the rotation is continued until the at least one yarn feeding system is rotated, and then the needle is lowered, and at the same time, the selected The transfer sinkers are in respective rear positions; wherein step i is performed while the needle holding syringe and the circular sinker seat are rotating in at least a first rotation direction, and step ii is performed when the needle holding syringe and the circular sinker seat are rotating in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction; or wherein step i is performed when the needle holding syringe and the circular sinker seat are rotated in a first rotation direction and then in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction, and step ii is performed when the needle holding syringe and the circular sinker seat are rotating in the first rotation direction.

In other words, when the needle holding cylinder and the round sinker seat rotate in an alternating rotational motion, the textile yarn is pad one or more times on the nose of the transfer sinker selected for making the expanded coil, and then the expanded coil located on the nose is placed in the needle.

The applicant has discovered that the present invention can solve the above-mentioned problems related to the prior art, thereby achieving the expected purpose.

The applicant first discovered that the present invention is capable of producing highly complex mesh knitted fabrics in a relatively short time by working to produce expanded coils by alternating movements of the machine.

The applicant has also found that the invention enables the manufacture of various types of mesh knitted fabrics with different characteristics by a specific selection of the transfer sinkers required to manufacture the mesh to be manufactured.

In practice, the applicant has found that the machine according to the invention is highly flexible, since it allows switching from one way of making a knitted fabric to another in a fast and relatively simple manner.

Other aspects of the invention are listed below.

On the one hand, a circular knitting machine is an intarsia machine, i.e. a machine configured to produce fabrics with an intarsia pattern (intarsia or diamond machine).

On the one hand, circular knitting machines are configured for alternating rotary motion.

On the one hand, the circular needles, for example in an intarsia knitting machine, include at least two-way yarn feeding systems, or at least four-way yarn feeding systems, which work on an arc segment with reciprocating rotational motion around a central axis.

On the one hand, the at least two yarn feeding systems cooperate by rotating in two directions to form each needle row.

In one aspect, at least one motor is operably connected to the needle holder and the sinker seat to rotate them about a central axis.

On the one hand, a cam and/or other type of device is arranged around the needle holder cylinder to convert the rotational movement of the needle holder cylinder into axial movement of the needle.

On the one hand, the knitting machine includes at least one needle selector facing the circular needle cylinder transversely, which can directly or indirectly select the transfer sinker of the corresponding group according to the command.

On the one hand, the selected transfer sinker is selected with the aid of the needle selector.

On the one hand, at least one yarn feeding system is spaced apart from the corresponding needle selector by a circumferential distance.

On the one hand, the needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat can rotate around the central axis relative to the needle selector.

In one aspect, the knitting machine includes a plurality of needle selectors, for example, each disposed on a yarn feed system operably associated with a different needle selector.

In one aspect, in order to produce the mesh, the yarn feed system is offset at a certain angle relative to the corresponding needle selector, for example, at an angle of 90° to 180°.

On the one hand, a set of thread-removing sinkers and a set of thread-transferring sinkers operably connected to the yarn feeding system and the needle selector have a certain angular extension, for example, less than or equal to 180°, for example, 90° or less, for example, 45°.

In one aspect, the knitting machine includes four yarn feed systems that are angled relative to each other (i.e., 90°) and four needle selectors that are angled relative to each other (e.g., 90°). Each yarn feed system is angularly offset relative to its respective needle selector, e.g., 90°, in order to make meshes.

On the one hand, each yarn feeding system includes a yarn mouth.

On the one hand, the yarn mouth can be moved between a working position and a rest position.

On the one hand, in the working position, the yarn mouth is located radially outside the needle cylinder so that the needle can catch the spinning yarn.

On the one hand, in the rest position, the yarn mouth is located radially inside the needle cylinder to prevent the needle from snagging the spinning yarn.

On the one hand, a transfer sinker is arranged on one side of at least some of the de-circling sinkers.

On the one hand, the transfer sinker helps to form the respective expanded coil.

On the one hand, right-hand transfer sinkers and left-hand transfer sinkers are provided on both sides of at least some of the knock-off sinkers, that is, the side of each knock-off sinker is a pair of transfer sinkers, and each pair of transfer sinkers helps to form an expanded coil.

On the one hand, each transfer sinker or each pair of (left and right) transfer sinkers cooperates with a single needle or a pair of adjacent needles to form their own expanded coils.

On the one hand, the right-shift ring sinker and the left-shift ring sinker and the ring-removing sinker are used alternately with a single ring-removing sinker, that is, there is no right-shift ring sinker and the left-shift ring sinker.

On the one hand, the transfer sinker has a corresponding nose that is biased to one side relative to the corresponding removal sinker.

On the one hand, the right transfer sinker and the left transfer sinker have respective noses which are biased to one side toward the opposite side of the respective take-off sinker and are placed, for example, above the respective take-off sinker. On the one hand, the noses are configured to load and extend the expanded loop and lay it on the corresponding single needle or on two corresponding adjacent needles of the corresponding take-off sinker on opposite sides and form the mesh. By using two transfer sinkers together with one take-off sinker, larger and better meshes can be made, thereby obtaining a balanced knitted fabric without distortion or wrinkles.

On the one hand, each ring-removing sinker equipped with a ring-shifting sinker, or a ring-removing sinker with a right ring-shifting sinker and a left ring-shifting sinker is accommodated in a corresponding groove together with the ring-shifting sinker, or the right ring-shifting sinker and the left ring-shifting sinker.

On the one hand, each ring-removing sinker equipped with a ring-transfer sinker, or a ring-removing sinker with a right ring-transfer sinker and a ring-removing sinker with a left ring-transfer sinker, slides radially relative to the ring-transfer sinker in its respective groove.

On the one hand, the transfer sinker, or the right transfer sinker and the left transfer sinker slide radially in their respective grooves relative to their respective de-ring sinkers.

On the one hand, each individual knock-off sinker is received in a respective groove so as to slide radially in said groove.

On the one hand, the selected transfer sinker is selected by a needle selector facing transversely to the circular needle bed, and the transfer sinker can cooperate directly or indirectly with each transfer sinker of a group of transfer sinkers according to the command.

On the one hand, step i. is performed only in the first rotation direction, wherein the textile yarn is loaded at least twice into the nose of the selected transfer sinker so as to form a double expanded coil in sequence on at least the first yarn feeding system and the second yarn feeding system.

According to one aspect of the aforementioned aspect, step ii performs the operation only in the second rotation direction, wherein the double expansion coil located on the nose of the sheet is removed on the second yarn feeding system.

According to the description of the above two aspects, when the needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat rotate in the first rotation direction, the textile yarn is loaded onto the transfer sinker on the first yarn feeding system, and is loaded onto the same transfer sinker again on the second yarn feeding system to form two thin and long expanded coils. Then, when the needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat rotate in the second rotation direction, the two thin and long expanded coils are removed into the needle head on the second yarn feeding system.

On the other hand, before executing step i, the needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat are rotated in the first rotation direction and then in the second rotation direction, and the textile yarn is loaded onto the nose of the selected transfer sinker at least twice to make a double expanded coil on the same yarn feeding system.

According to one aspect of the aforementioned aspect, step ii is performed while rotating the needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat in the first rotation direction, wherein the double expansion coil located at the nose of the sheet is removed from the nose of the sheet on the single-path yarn feeding system.

According to the description of the first two aspects, when the needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat rotate in the first rotation direction, the textile yarn is loaded onto the transfer sinker on the yarn feeding system, and then loaded onto the same transfer sinker again on the same yarn feeding system, while the needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat rotate in the second rotation direction, thereby forming two thin and long expanded coils. Then, when the needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat rotate in the first rotation direction, the two thin and long expanded coils are removed into the needle head on the same yarn feeding system.

On the one hand, before step i, the method includes (or the knitting machine is configured to): - move a group of needles, a group of stripping sinkers and a group of transfer sinkers upstream of the corresponding needle selector relative to the first rotation direction, wherein the transfer sinkers are located in the rear position; - start the needle selector; - rotate the needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat around the central axis and in the first rotation direction, thereby selecting at least a part of the transfer sinkers in the group of transfer sinkers and moving them toward the central axis and the respective forward positions.

On the one hand, in step ii, when the rotation continues to the at least one yarn feeding system, the needle does not hook the spinning yarn from the yarn feeding system. Therefore, the needle only contributes to the mesh without making a loop.

On the one hand, the yarn mouth of the yarn feeding system is moved to a stationary position so that the needle does not hook the spinning yarn from the yarn feeding system.

On the one hand, in step ii, when the rotation continues to the at least one yarn feeding system, the hook takes another yarn and cooperates with the knock-off sinker to make a loop. In this variation, in addition to contributing to the mesh, the needle can also make a loop.

On the one hand, the yarn mouth of the yarn feeding system is maintained in an operating position so that the needle hooks additional spinning yarn from the yarn feeding system.

In one aspect, step ii includes (or the knitting machine is configured to): - by keeping the needle in an inoperative position and/or in a position below the withdrawal position (i.e., a position where the needle cannot hook the yarn), the selected transfer sinker is moved radially away from the middle position of the center axis); - raising the needle at least in the withdrawal position so that the nose of the selected transfer sinker is located next to the needle head; - further moving the selected transfer sinker away from the center axis - radially moving to said rear position to take off the expanded loop located on the nose into the needle; - continuing to rotate until the yarn feed system is passed without the needle hooking up the spinning yarn from the yarn feed system, or the needle reaches the take-off and/or take-off position and hooks up additional yarn from the yarn feed system to cooperate with the take-off sinker to make a loop; - after taking off the expanded loop, the needle is lowered when the selected transfer sinker is in the rear position.

On the one hand, the needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat rotate in the second rotation direction until the group needle, a group of stripping sinkers and a group of transfer sinkers move back upstream of their respective needle selectors.

On the one hand, in steps i and ii, all transfer sinkers in a group of transfer sinkers are selected to produce mesh knitted fabrics.

According to another aspect, in steps i and ii, only some of the transfer sinkers in the set of transfer sinkers are selected to manufacture a partial mesh knitted fabric.

On the one hand, moving the selected transfer sinker radially away from the center axis at the center position includes: moving the transmission triangle to capture and deflect the heel of the selected transfer sinker.

On the one hand, further moving the selected transfer sinker to the rear position includes: moving the auxiliary transmission triangle to make the heel of the selected transfer sinker deviate from the track.

On the one hand, once the needle group, the set of take-off sinkers and the set of transfer sinkers are moved back upstream of their respective needle selectors, if the needle does not hook the spinning yarn from the yarn feeding system and does not weave the loop, the needle selector is kept in the inoperative position, and the needle holding cylinder and the round sinker seat are rotated in the first rotation direction, so that each transfer sinker in the set of transfer sinkers is kept in the rear position until passing through the yarn feeding system, while the transfer sinker is kept in the rear position and the needle is kept in the lowered position, so that the operation sequence can be reset without making a loop.

On the one hand, once the operating sequence without making any coils is reset, the rotation direction of the needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat is restored to the original direction by raising and then lowering the needle, so that the coils are made with the textile yarn supplied by the yarn feeding system in cooperation with the take-off sinker, and the needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat rotate in the second rotation direction until the group needle, a group of take-off sinkers and a group of transfer sinkers are moved back upstream of the respective needle selectors again relative to the first rotation direction.

On the one hand, once the needle group, the set of stripping sinkers and the set of transfer sinkers are moved back upstream of their respective needle selectors, the method comprises: - keeping the needle selector in an inoperative state; - keeping each transfer sinker of the set of transfer sinkers in a rear position, and rotating the needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat around the central axis and in a first rotation direction.

- Raising and then lowering the needle to make a loop in cooperation with the textile yarn fed by the yarn feeding system and the take-off sinker, while the needle holding cylinder and the round sinker holder rotate in a first rotation direction until passing through the yarn feeding system; - Reversing the rotation direction of the needle holding cylinder and the round sinker holder, by raising and then lowering the needle to make a loop in cooperation with the textile yarn fed by the yarn feeding system in cooperation with the take-off sinker, the needle holding cylinder and the round sinker holder rotate in a second rotation direction until the needle group, a group of take-off sinkers and a group of transfer sinkers are again moved back upstream of the respective needle selectors relative to the first rotation direction.

In one aspect, the knitting machine includes at least one guide ring operably coupled to a circular sinker seat, wherein the circular sinker seat is rotatable relative to the guide ring and rotates around a central axis.

On the one hand, each ring-removing sinker has a heel, which engages with the first guide member in the guide ring and rotates around the central axis. The first guide member is configured to move the ring-removing sinker radially along the corresponding radial groove when the circular sinker seat rotates around the central axis relative to the guide ring.

In one aspect, each transfer sinker has a heel that engages or can engage with a second guide member in the guide ring and rotates around a central axis, wherein the second guide member is provided for a plurality of tracks of the transfer sinker. The second guide device is configured to radially move the transfer sinker when the circular sinker seat rotates relative to the guide ring and rotates around the central axis.

On the one hand, the machine includes a selector plate operably linked to each transfer sinker, wherein the selector plate is movable, for example, swiveled, in a radial plane between a rest position and a working position, wherein in the working position, the selector plate directly or indirectly acts on the transfer sinker, thereby causing the heel of the transfer sinker to deviate from the track of the second guide member.

In one aspect, each knock-off sinker has a loop nose configured to cooperate with a needle to produce a loop weave.

In one aspect, the machine includes a selector plate operably associated with each of the knock-off sinkers, wherein the selector plate is movable, such as swinging, in a radial plane between a rest position and an operating position, wherein in the operating position, the selector plate acts directly or indirectly on the knock-off sinker, thereby following the trajectory of the first guide member.

On the one hand, the needle selector is laterally facing a circular sinker seat relative to a fixed guide ring, which can interact with the needle selector under control and is configured to enable the needle selector to be converted from a rest position to a working position.

On the one hand, the machine includes a plurality of push plates, each of which is associated with a needle selection plate and a transfer sinker or a stripping sinker.

On the one hand, in the working position, the selector plate rests on the push plate, and the push plate is configured to rest on the transfer sinker or the stripping sinker.

On the one hand, the guide ring includes a third guide member extending around the central axis and setting a plurality of tracks.

On the one hand, each push piece has a butt which can be engaged with or can be engaged with the third guide member.

In one aspect, the guide ring includes a circular track extending around a central axis.

On the one hand, each selector jack, for example the base of each selector jack, is slidably engaged in the circular track so as to rotate together with the at least one transfer sinker or the stripping sinker.

More features and advantages will become more apparent through the detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the method for manufacturing mesh knitted fabrics and the preferred embodiments of the circular knitting machine for manufacturing mesh knitted fabrics according to the present invention.

1: Knitting machine head

2: Needle holder and syringe

3: Needle

3A: Needle

4: Circular sinker seat

5: Radial groove

6: Auxiliary radial groove

7: Yarn mouth

8: Ring-removing sinker

9: Right shift circle sinker; shift circle sinker

10: Left shift circle sinker; shift circle sinker

11,11’: Push film

12,12’: Needle selection piece

13: Palate

14: Heel

15: Flat nose

16: Heel

17,17’,19,19’,20’: heel

18,18’: base

20,20’: teeth

21: Needle selector

22: Terry nose

23:Guide ring

24: First guide member

25: First track

26: Second track

27: Second guide member

28: radial outward track

29: radial medial track

30: Transition section

31: Third guide member

32: radial outward track

33: radial medial track

34: Circular track

35: Blade

36,37: Transmission triangle

X-X: center axis

The present description is as follows, for purely schematic and therefore non-limiting purposes, with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which: - Figure 1 shows a portion of a circular knitting machine according to the invention, in which some parts are omitted in order to better show other parts; - Figure 2 shows an exploded view of an assembly of elements belonging to the knitting machine of Figure 1; - Figure 3 shows the assembly of Figure 2, with several elements connected to one another; - Figure 4 shows an exploded view of a different assembly of elements belonging to the knitting machine of Figure 1; - Figure 5 shows the assembly of Figure 4, with several elements connected to one another; - Figure 6 shows a schematic plan view of a portion of the knitting machine of the preceding views, including the guide rings; - Figures 7A to 30A schematically show plan views of the knitting machine of the preceding views, in which the respective operating steps are indicated in a schematic manner; - Figures 7B to 30B show specific parts of the knitting machine of the aforementioned views in the operating steps corresponding to Figures 7A to 30A.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiment

With reference to the above-mentioned figures, reference numeral 1 refers in its entirety to a portion of a knitting head of a circular knitting machine according to the present invention. The circular knitting machine shown is a machine configured for manufacturing fabrics with intarsia patterns (intarsia machine or diamond machine). The circular knitting machine comprises a frame, which is not shown because it is of a known type, constituting a supporting structure of the knitting machine, and the knitting head 1 is mounted on the frame.

The knitting head 1 is equipped with a needle holder cylinder 2 with a plurality of needles 3 mounted on the needle holder cylinder 2 and a control device (not shown) that is easy to selectively drive the plurality of needles 3 to ensure the production of fabric. The needle holder cylinder 2 is usually mounted on the frame in a vertical position so that the plurality of needles 3 are arranged vertically and protrude beyond the upper edge of the needle holder cylinder 2. The needle 3 has a needle head 3A, which is arranged around a central axis "X-X" and defines a circular needle bed.

As is known, the needle holding cylinder 2 has a plurality of longitudinal grooves arranged on the radial outer surface of the needle holding cylinder 2. The longitudinal grooves are arranged around the central axis "X-X" (vertical) of the needle holding cylinder 2 and extend parallel to the central axis "X-X". Each longitudinal groove accommodates a respective needle 3 and a respective transmission chain comprising a plurality of flat parts. Actuating cams are arranged around the housing of the needle holding cylinder 2 and facing the radial outer surface of the cylinder 2 and therefore facing the longitudinal grooves and the transmission chain. These actuating cams are defined, for example, by plates and/or grooves arranged on the inner surface of the housing.

In one embodiment, the housing of the driving cam is basically stationary, and the needle-holding cylinder 2 is rotated around the central axis "X-X" by a suitable motor (continuously or alternately in two directions), thereby generating a relative rotational motion between the transmission chain and the driving cam, and converting the rotational motion of the needle-holding cylinder 2 into the axial motion of multiple needles 3, so as to manufacture knitted fabrics through the needles 3.

The knitting machine further comprises a circular sinker seat 4, which is arranged around the needle holding cylinder 2 and has a plurality of radial grooves 5 and auxiliary radial grooves 6, which open at the radial inner edge of the circular sinker seat 4, i.e., toward the central axis "X-X". The radial grooves 5 and the auxiliary radial grooves 6 are alternately arranged along the circumferential direction of the circular sinker seat 4, i.e., each radial groove 5 is flanked by two auxiliary radial grooves 6, and each auxiliary radial groove 6 is flanked by two radial grooves 5. For example, through the same motor, the circular sinker seat 4 and the needle holding syringe 2 rotate around the central axis "X-X".

Suitable devices (not shown) feed the knitting yarn at one or more feeding points (called yarn feeding systems) usually arranged above the needle holding cylinder 2. The circular intarsia knitting machine shown includes a four-way yarn feeding system, each of which is configured to work together with a corresponding group of needles 3 on an arc segment (for example, 90. arc) of reciprocating rotational motion around a central axis "X-X". The four-way yarn feeding system cooperates by rotating in two directions to form a knitting row.

Each yarn feeding system has a yarn mouth 7 (which can be seen in a schematic diagram in Figures 7A-30A), which is composed of an eyelet, through which the yarn passes so as to face the needle 3 on the cylinder. Each yarn mouth 7 is movable between a working position and a rest position. In the working position, the yarn mouth 7 is located radially outside the cylinder for the needle 3 to allow the needle 3A of the needle 3 to hook the spinning yarn (Figures 7A-24A). In the rest position, the yarn mouth 7 is located radially outside the cylinder of the needle 3 and is raised from the cylinder of the needle 3 to prevent the needle 3A of the needle 3 from hooking the spinning yarn (Figures 25A-29A).

Each radial groove 5 accommodates a first assembly, which is composed of a plurality of metal flat parts that can slide radially in the corresponding radial groove 5 and can slide relative to each other. The first assembly, as better shown in Figures 2 and 3, includes a ring-removing sinker 8, a right-shifting sinker 9, a left-shifting sinker 10, two pushers 11 (one of which is linked to the right-shifting sinker 9 and the other pusher is linked to the left-shifting sinker 10), and a needle selection plate 12 for each pusher 11.

The knock-off sinker 8 includes a main body in the shape of a horizontal flat bar and a vertical flat upright portion formed from the horizontal flat bar, wherein the horizontal flat bar is oriented along the radial groove 5, i.e., oriented in the radial direction. When the first assembly is properly mounted on the knitting machine, a jaw 13 having a shape known per se is arranged at the upper end of the vertical flat upright portion and faces the center axis "X-X". The knock-off sinker 8 also includes a flat butt 14, which extends vertically upward from the horizontal flat bar and is at a certain distance from the radial outer end of the horizontal flat bar (relative to the center axis "X-X"). The knock-off sinker 8 is made of a single flat metal component (e.g., a cutting component). The jaw 13 of the knock-off sinker 8 is configured to cooperate with the needle 3 used to make plain knitted fabrics.

The right-hand shifting sinker 9 includes a main body in the shape of a horizontal flat bar and a vertical flat upright portion formed from the horizontal flat bar. A nose 15 is provided at the upper end of the flat upright portion. When the first assembly is properly mounted on the knitting machine, the nose 15 extends toward the central axis "X-X" like an arm and deviates to one side relative to the plane of the corresponding main body. The right-hand shifting sinker 9 also includes a flat butt 16 extending vertically upward from the horizontal flat bar, and the right-hand shifting sinker 9 is placed at the radial outer end (relative to the central axis "X-X") of the horizontal flat bar. The right-hand shifting sinker 9 is composed of a single flat metal part (e.g., a cut, stamped and/or bent portion).

The left-hand ring sinker 10 includes the same elements as the right-hand ring sinker and is structurally identical or corresponding to the right-hand ring sinker 9, except that the corresponding nose 15 is offset toward the opposite side relative to its main body. The right-hand ring sinker 9 and the left-hand ring sinker 10 thus have corresponding noses 15 displaced laterally in opposite directions relative to their main bodies, and the ring-removing sinker 8 is located between them.

When the first assembly is properly installed in the corresponding radial groove 5, the right transfer sinker 9 and the left transfer sinker 10 are arranged on opposite sides of the corresponding stripping sinker 8 (FIG. 3). The right transfer sinker 9 and the left transfer sinker 10 show their respective noses 15, which face one of the opposite sides of the stripping sinker 8 and are located above the jaws 13 of the corresponding stripping sinker 8. Moreover, the butt 14 of the stripping sinker 8 is located between the butt 16 and the nose 15 of the corresponding transfer sinkers 9, 10 in the radial direction. The two noses 15 are configured to load and extend the interstitch and arrange it on a single needle 3 or on two adjacent needles 3 on opposite sides of the corresponding knock-off sinker 8 to form a mesh. In a variant embodiment, a single nose can be configured to load and extend the corresponding interstitch and arrange it on a single needle 3 or on two adjacent needles 3.

The two push pieces 11 of the first assembly are identical to each other. Each push piece 11 comprises a horizontal flat strip and a flat butt 17, which is located at the radially outer end of the horizontal flat strip relative to the central axis "X-X" and extends vertically upward. The push piece 11 also has an abutment surface, which faces the central axis "X-"X and is configured to abut against the corresponding transfer sinker 9, 10. The abutment surface of the push piece 11 is located near the butt 17 of the push piece 11, that is, adjacent to the radially outer end of the horizontal flat strip. The push piece 11 is also made of a single flat metal part, such as a cut piece. When the first assembly is properly mounted to the corresponding radial groove 5 (Fig. 3), the horizontal flat strip of each push plate 11 contacts and is located below the flat strip of the corresponding transfer sinker 9, 10, and the abutment surface faces the radial outer end of the corresponding transfer sinker 9, 10. The loop-removing/terry sinker 8 is located between the right transfer sinker 9 and the left transfer sinker 10.

Each of the two selector plates 12 is a metallic, substantially flat element which extends mainly vertically when properly mounted in the knitting machine. The selector plate 12 has a base 18 which has a rounded profile and is configured to swing around an axis tangential to a horizontal circle whose center is located on the center axis "X-X". The selector plate 12 is in a radial plane and swings in the radial plane. The selector plate 12 also has a butt 19 at a distance from the base 18, which points to the center axis "X-X" and is configured to act indirectly on the corresponding transfer sinker 9, 10 through the corresponding push plate 11. The selector plate 12 also has a tooth 20, which is located on the radially opposite edge of the flat element to the butt 19 and points radially outward, i.e., on the side opposite to the direction of the central axis "X-X". The butt 19 has a protrusion, which is structured and sized to abut against the radially outer end of the horizontal flat strip of the push plate 11 of the first assembly.

Each selector plate 12 oscillates (oscillating) between a rest position and a working position in a radial plane. In the rest position, the butt 19 of the selector plate 12 is located in a radially outer position and does not contact the corresponding push plate 11. In the working position, the selector plate 12 rotates around the center axis "X-X", the butt 19 of the selector plate 12 is located in a radially inner position and is configured to abut and push the corresponding push plate 11 toward the center axis "X-X". The push plate 11 is configured to push the top shift ring sinkers 9 and 10 in sequence. The conversion of the needle selector 12 from the rest position to the working position is caused by the needle selector 21 (Figure 6, Figure 7A-30A and Figure 7B-30B), which acts on the teeth 20 of the needle selector 12 and the structure will be described in more detail below. In the exemplary embodiment, there are four needle selectors 21 (Figure 6), which are stationary relative to the housing and arranged around the circular sinker seat 4 at the same angle (for example, 90° to each other). In particular, each of the needle selectors 21 is located at a yarn feeding system.

Similarly, the knock-off sinker 8 is pushed up by the corresponding pusher 11' and by the corresponding selector 12', which is generally similar to the pusher 11 and the selector 12. Therefore, the same elements can be referenced and marked with the same numbers plus a prime. The selector 12' has a base 18' and a butt 19' at a certain distance from the base 18', and the butt 19' points to the center axis "XX" and is configured to indirectly act on the corresponding knock-off sinker 8 through the corresponding pusher 11'. The selector 12' also has a tooth 20', which is located at the edge of the flat element radially opposite to the butt 19' and points radially outward, that is, to the opposite side relative to the center axis "XX". The butt 19' has a protrusion, which is configured to abut the radial outer end of the horizontal flat strip of the push plate 11'. Each push plate 11' also has a corresponding butt 20' and a corresponding abutment surface, which is configured to abut the corresponding loop-removing sinker 8. The loop-removing sinker 8 also has a terry spring 22 to cooperate with the needle 3 to produce a terry texture. It can be observed that the position of the tooth 20' of the needle selector 12' is different from that of one tooth 20 of the two needle selectors 12, and thus, correspondingly, depending on whether the first assembly should form a hole in the fabric or make a terry texture, the needle selector 21 can trigger (catch) the tooth 20' or make the tooth 20'.

Each auxiliary radial groove 6 accommodates a second assembly, which is also composed of a plurality of metal flat parts that can slide radially in the corresponding auxiliary radial groove 6 and also slide relative to each other. The second assembly, as better shown in Figures 4 and 5, includes a single ring-removing sinker 8, a corresponding pusher 11' and a corresponding needle selector 12', which are the same or substantially the same as the above-mentioned ring-removing sinker, pusher and needle selector, so they will not be described again here, and the same markings as in Figures 2 and 3 have been used for them or parts of them in Figures 4 and 5. The needle selector 21 can also interact with the second assembly in the same way as described above for the ring-removing sinker 8 of the first assembly.

The ring-removing sinker 8 with the right-shifting sinker 9 and the left-shifting sinker 10 is replaced by a single ring-removing sinker 8, that is, it does not have the right-shifting sinker 9 and the left-shifting sinker 10.

The guide ring 23 (see FIG. 6 ) composed of one or more parts is operably associated with the circular sinker seat 4. The guide ring 23 is coaxial with the central axis "X-X" and is stationary like the housing, that is, the circular sinker seat 4 can rotate relative to the guide ring 23 around the central axis "X-X". The needle selector 21 is stationary relative to the guide ring 23 and faces the circular sinker seat 4 and the circular needle cylinder laterally, and the needle selector 21 can indirectly act with the transfer sinkers 9, 10 and the stripping sinker 8 according to instructions. The needle holding needle cylinder 2 and the circular sinker seat 4 can rotate relative to the yarn feeding system and relative to the needle selector 21 around the central axis "X-X".

In the embodiment shown, the guide ring 23 is located above and below the circular sinker seat 4 (FIG. 7B-FIG. 30B), and the guide ring 23 has a plurality of guide members extending around the central axis "X-X" and configured to engage with the metal parts of the first assembly and the second assembly described above. These guide members are, for example, kept at a distance by triangles and grooves.

The butt 14 of the ring-removing sinker 8 of each first assembly and the butt 14 of the ring-removing sinker 8 of each second assembly are fitted into the first guide member 24 on the guide ring 23. The first guide member 24 is configured to move the ring-removing sinker 8 radially along the corresponding radial groove 5 and the corresponding auxiliary radial groove 6 when the circular sinker seat 4 rotates relative to the guide ring 23 and around the central axis "X-X".

Referring to Fig. 6, the first guide member 24 has some widths which are substantially radially corresponding to the size of the butt 14 of the knock-off sinker 8, which are alternated with other wider portions. The larger (wider) portions are for the butt 14 to be used relative to the center axis "X-X" and defined along corresponding radially outward paths and corresponding radially inward paths. As a result, the first guide member 24 is defined with a first track 25 and a second track 26, the first track 25 being defined as the radially outward path of the wider portion, and the second track 26 being defined as the radially inward path of the wider portion. The two paths in the wider portion are located upstream and downstream of each yarn feeding system and each needle selector 21.

The butt 16 of the right and left shifting sinkers 9 and 10 of each first assembly is engaged with the second guide member 27 on the guide ring 23. The second guide member 27 is located radially outward relative to the first guide member 24, that is, the second guide member 27 surrounds the first guide member 24. The second guide member 27 includes multiple paths, which are defined by a substantially circular radial outward track 28, a substantially circular radial inward track 29, and multiple transition portions 30 between the radial outward track 28 and the radial inward track 29 (Figure 6).

The butts 17, 17' of the push pieces 11, 11' are fitted into the third guide member 31 on the guide ring 23. The third guide member 31 also extends around the central axis "X-X" and defines multiple tracks. In particular, the third guide member 31 defines a radial outer track 32 and multiple radial inner tracks 33 arranged one after another around the central axis "X-X". The radial outer track 32 of the third guide member 31 is located radially further outward relative to the second guide member 27, that is, the radial outer track 32 surrounds the second guide member 27. Each radial inner track 33 is arcuate and has two ends connected to the radial outer track 32 of the third guide member 31. Each radial inner track 33 leaves the radial outer track 32 of the third guide member 31 and approaches the central axis "X-X", then moves away from the central axis "X-X" and connects to the radial outer track 32 of the third guide member 31 again. The radial inner tracks 33 overlap with the second guide member 27, that is, they define a part of the transition portion 30 of the second guide member 27. There are 8 radial inner tracks 33 in the embodiment shown. The radial inner track 33 is located upstream and downstream of each four-way yarn feeding system and each needle selector 21.

The bases 18, 18' of all the needle selectors 12, 12' are accommodated in a circular track 34 extending around the central axis "X-X" so as to slide thereon. The circular track 34 is arranged outside the guide ring 23 and defines the outermost side of the radial outer track 32 located at the third guide member 31, that is, the guide ring 23 surrounds the third guide member.

Each known needle selector 21 is of magnetic or piezoelectric type and comprises a plurality of blades (levels) 35 which are arranged one above the other and can move together between a first position (e.g., a high position) and a second position (e.g., a low position). In the first position, the blades are at a certain distance from the teeth 20, 20' of the needle selector 12, 12' so that the teeth 20, 20' are not triggered when the needle selector 12, 12' is in its rest position. In particular, in the first position, the teeth 20, 20' are located between the plurality of blades 35. In the second position, the blade 35 is triggered by the tooth 20 of the needle selector 12 linked to the transfer sinkers 9 and 10, and/or by the tooth 20' of the needle selector 12' linked to the stripping sinker 8. When the circular sinker seat 4 rotates around the central axis "X-X" relative to the guide ring 23, the blade 35 moves in front of the needle selector 21, moving the needle selectors 12 and 12' from the static position to the working position.

As shown in Figures 6 and 7A-30A, the guide ring 23 includes four movable transmission triangles 36 and four fixed auxiliary transmission triangles 37, which are configured to act on and deflect the heels 16 of the transfer ring sinkers 9 and 10.

An electronic control unit (not shown) is operably connected to the motor or motors that rotate the needle cylinder 2 and the circular sinker seat 4, and further connected to the needle selector 21 and other drive units, as well as other parts of the knitting machine. The electronic control unit is configured/planned to command the motor or motors and the needle selector 21 and the other drive units, as well as other parts of the knitting machine. In particular, the electronic control unit is configured/planned to selectively swing the blade 35 of the needle selector 21 so as to move the needle selector 12, 12', in particular, from the static position to the working position.

When making other meshes as described below, each yarn feeding system with yarn mouth 7 is configured to work with a corresponding group of needles 3 on an arc segment, with corresponding transfer sinkers 9, 10 and take-off sinkers 8, and with a needle selector 21, which is laterally offset (a circumferential distance), for example, 90° relative to the yarn feeding system. The movable transmission triangle 36 and the fixed auxiliary transmission triangle 37 work with the corresponding yarn feeding system and the corresponding needle selector 21.

For the sake of simplicity, Figures 7A-30A show a yarn feeding system (yarn nozzle 7), a needle selector 21 that works with the yarn feeding system and is offset by 90° relative to the yarn feeding system, a movable transmission triangle 36 and a fixed auxiliary transmission triangle 37 that cooperate with the yarn feeding system and the needle selector 21. Figures 7A-30A further show: a group of needles 3, a knock-off sinker 8, a transfer sinker 9, 10, which work with the yarn feeding system (yarn nozzle 7) and the needle selector 21, and the transmission triangles 36, 37. The group of needles 3, the knock-off sinker 8 and the transfer sinkers 9, 10 extend at approximately 45°. According to instructions, the needle selector 21 can indirectly trigger the transfer sinkers 9, 10 and each of the knock-off sinkers 8 of the group.

In the use of the present invention and according to the present invention, to form a portion of a plain needle knitting row (Figs. 7A-15A and 7B-15B), the group of needles 3, the corresponding group of throw-off sinkers 8 (of the first and second assemblies as described above), and the group of transfer sinkers 9, 10 (of the first assembly as described above) are upstream of the corresponding needle selector 21 relative to the first counterclockwise rotation direction (Figs. 7A and 7B). The needle 3 is in a low position (Fig. 7B), and the transfer sinkers 9, 10 and the throw-off sinker 8 are in a rear position.

The needle holding cylinder 2 and the circular sinker seat 4 begin to rotate in a first counterclockwise direction without the needle selector 21 swinging, so that the needle selector plates 12, 12' of the transfer sinkers 9, 10 and the stripping sinker 8 are not contacted by the blade 35 and remain in their static positions. The butts 17, 17' of the push plates 11, 11' travel along the radial outer track 32 of the third guide member 31. The butt 16 of the right transfer sinker 9 and the left transfer sinker 10 of each first assembly travels along the radial outer track 28 of the second guide 27, and thus the nose 15 of the corresponding transfer sinker 9, 10 is kept at a certain distance from the center axis "X-X" in the radial direction, that is, in the rear position or static position, in which they do not interact with the yarn forming the coil.

The butt 14 of the knock-off sinker 8 follows a portion of the second track 26 and a portion of the first track 25 of the first guide 24, causing radial movement of the knock-off/loop sinker 8. The knock-off sinker 8 moves backward or forward in the corresponding radial direction, and the needle 3 is raised and then lowered to form a loop of the textile yarn fed by the yarn feeding system, while the needle holding cylinder 2 and the round sinker seat 4 rotate in the first rotation direction until they pass through the yarn feeding system (Figures 8A, 8B, 9A, 9B, 10A, 10B).

The needle holding cylinder 2 and the circular sinker seat 4 rotate in the first counterclockwise rotation direction at an angle of about 180° and form a coil until reaching the position of Figure 10A, and then the needle holding cylinder 2 and the circular sinker seat 4 start to rotate in the opposite direction. Therefore, the needle holding cylinder 2 and the circular sinker seat 4 rotate around the central axis "X-X" in the second clockwise rotation direction, while lifting the needle 3 and then lowering the needle 3 to cooperate with the stripping sinker 8 to form a coil with the textile yarn fed by the yarn feeding system (Figures 11A-14A and 11B-14B), until the group of needles 3, the group of stripping sinkers 8 and the group of transfer sinkers 9, 10 rotate again upstream of the needle selector 21 relative to the first counterclockwise rotation direction (Figures 15A and 15B).

At this time, the rotation direction of the needle holding cylinder 2 and the circular sinker seat 4 is changed again (Figures 16A and 16B). In order to form a part of the mesh knitting horizontal row, the control unit commands the needle selector 21 (controlled by software) to move the first set of blades 35 from the first position to the second position, and vice versa, so as to trigger only the needle selector 12 of the transfer sinkers 9, 10 moving in front of the needle selector 21. The transfer sinkers 9, 10 are triggered by the needle selector 12 and moved to the working position, wherein the needle selectors 12' of all the stripping sinkers 8 are not triggered and remain in their static positions. Therefore, all or part of the transfer sinkers 9, 10 of the group are selected by the needle selector 21.

So that only the needle selector 12 of the transfer sinkers 9, 10 moving in front of the needle selector 21 is triggered. The transfer sinkers 9, 10 triggered by the needle selector 12 are moved to the working position, while the needle selectors 12' of all the stripping sinkers 8 are not triggered and remain in their internal static position. Therefore, all or part of the transfer sinkers 9, 10 in the group are selected by the needle selector 21.

For simplicity, referring to a pair of needle selectors 12 of the first assembly, the needle selectors 12 push the two pushers 11 toward the center axis "X-X" respectively, so that the butts 17 of the pushers 11 deviate in the radial inner track 33 of the third guide 31, which is located downstream of the needle selector 21, and then push the first and second transfer sinkers 9, 10 in turn. The butts 16 of the first and second transfer sinkers 9, 10 travel along one of the transition portions 30 of the second guide 27 and enter the radial inner track 29 of the second guide 27, and rotate according to it according to a preset rotation angle, which is described by the circular sinker seat 4 and the needle holding cylinder 2 in the counterclockwise direction. During this movement, the first and second transfer sinkers 9, 10 move radially toward the center axis "X-X" and toward their respective forward positions, while the needle 3 remains in the low position (Figures 17A, 17B). Therefore, the pusher 11 passes through the radial inner track 33 of the third guide member 31, returns to the radial outer track 32 of the third guide member 31, and pushes the needle selector 12 back to the stationary position.

At the same time, the needles 3 or the paired transfer sinkers 9 and 10 are operably linked, the two needles 3 are raised and then lowered, if necessary, together with other needles 3 to be operated on a given yarn feeding system without extending the expanded loop, while the needle holding cylinder 2 and the circular sinker seat 4 rotate along the first rotation direction and pass through the yarn feeding system to load the textile yarn fed by the yarn feeding system to form an extended expanded loop onto the nose 15 of the selected transfer sinkers 9, 10 (Figures 18A, 18B, 19A, 19B, 20A, 20B). In other words, when the pair of transfer sinkers 9 and 10 of the first assembly arrive at the yarn feeding system, a braided loop with an extended expanded loop (which will form a mesh) is formed, and the expanded loop is loaded onto the corresponding nose 15 instead of the jaw 13 of the corresponding take-off sinker 8. During this movement, the movable transmission cam 36 remains in a stationary position and does not interact with the butt 16 of the transfer sinkers 9, 10.

Continue to rotate counterclockwise until the removal sinker 8 and the transfer sinkers 9 and 10, and the group of needles 3 pass through the movable transfer cam 36 (Figures 21A and 21B).

Now, the movable transmission cam 36 moves to the working position, and the counterclockwise direction (first rotation direction) of the needle holding cylinder 2 and the circular sinker seat 4 stops and starts to reverse (Figures 22A and 22B).

工作位置，以及在過渡部分30上，該過渡部分30對應於移圈沉降片9、10的向後和向前位置之間的中間位置。同時，將針3升起至退圈位置，以使選定的移圈沉降片9、10的片鼻15位於針3的針頭3A旁邊，並且將紗嘴7移至相應的靜止位置(圖25A和25B)。 In the subsequent clockwise rotation (second rotation direction) of the circular sinker seat 4 and the needle holding cylinder 2 (FIG. 23A-FIG. 26A and FIG. 23B-FIG. 26B), the selected transfer sinkers 9, 10 are moved away from the center axis "XX" again. In particular, during the counterclockwise rotation, the butts 16 of the first and second transfer sinkers 9, 10 first travel along a portion of the radial inner track 29 of the second guide member 27 while keeping the needle in the non-operating position, and then are deflected by the movable transmission cam 36, and then the needle is moved away from the center axis "XX".

The working position and the transition portion 30 correspond to the intermediate position between the backward and forward positions of the transfer sinkers 9, 10. At the same time, the needle 3 is raised to the retraction position so that the nose 15 of the selected transfer sinker 9, 10 is located next to the needle head 3A of the needle 3, and the yarn mouth 7 is moved to the corresponding static position (Figures 25A and 25B).

Now, the butts 16 of the first and second transfer sinkers 9, 10 are deflected by the fixed auxiliary transmission triangle 37 on the radial outer track 28 of the second guide 27, and the selected transfer sinker 9, 10 is moved to the rear position so as to take off the expanded loop on the nose 15 into the needle head 3A of the needle 3 (Figures 26A and 26B). While the needle 3 in the lowered position continues to rotate clockwise, the group of needles 3, transfer sinkers 9, 10 and take-off sinkers 8 pass through the yarn feeding system, and the needle 3 will not hook the spinning yarn because the yarn mouth 7 is in the static position. The needle holding cylinder 2 and the circular sinker seat 4 rotate in the second rotation direction until the group needle 3, the stripping needle sinker group 8 and a group of transfer sinkers 9 and 10 move upstream of the corresponding needle selector 21, so that the needle 3 is lowered and the transfer sinkers 9 and 10 are in the rear position (Figures 27A and 27B). During the above clockwise rotation, the needle 3 does not form any loop, but it helps to hook and strip the expanded loop of the nose 15 into the needle head 3A of the needle 3, thereby making a mesh.

Once the group of needles 3, the group of stripping sinkers 8 and the group of transfer sinkers 9, 10 move to their respective rears and above the needle selector 21, the rotation will stop and reverse again. The needle selector 21 remains in the non-working position, the needle holding cylinder 2 and the circular sinker seat 4 rotate about 180 degrees in the first counterclockwise rotation direction (Figure 28A-Figure 30A and Figure 28B-Figure 30B), the transfer sinkers 9, 10 are kept in the backward position, the needle 3 is lowered to the non-working position, and the yarn mouth 7 is placed in the static position to reset the operating sequence without making any coils. Now, after moving the yarn mouth 7 back to the working position, the above working mode can be restarted, as shown in Figures 10A and 10B.

In a variation of the method according to the invention, during the clockwise rotation (second rotation direction) of the circular sinker seat 4 and the needle-holding cylinder 2 as described above and shown in FIGS. 23A-26A and 23B-26B, the yarn mouth 7 does not move to the stationary position, and the needle 3 hooks another yarn in order to make a loop in cooperation with the unhooking sinker 8. Therefore, in this variation, in addition to helping to increase the mesh, the needle 3 also forms a loop. As a result, it is not necessary to reset the operating sequence without making any loops, i.e., follow the sequence of FIGS. 28A-30A and 28B-30B, but it is possible to resume work directly from FIGS. 10A, 10B.

In another embodiment not shown in the attached drawings, a double expanded coil is formed on the nose 15 of the right shifting coil sinker 9 and the left shifting coil sinker 10.

In one embodiment, the double expanded coil is formed by cooperating the needle 3 and the transfer sinker 9, 10 with a first yarn feed system and a second yarn feed system located downstream of the first yarn feed system. When the needle holding cylinder 2 and the circular sinker holder 4 rotate in a first rotation direction, the textile yarn is loaded onto the nose 15 of the selected transfer sinker 9, 10, the first time on the first yarn feed system and the second time on the second yarn feed system. Therefore, in this step, the needle holding cylinder 2 and the circular sinker holder 4 rotate at an angle greater than 180°, for example, greater than 270°. Then, the needle holding cylinder 2 and the circular sinker seat 4 rotate in the opposite direction, and as they rotate in the second rotation direction, the two thin and long expansion coils are dropped into the needle head 3A of the needle 3 in the second yarn feeding system (i.e., the first yarn feeding system they encounter after the reverse rotation).

In different embodiments, a double expanded coil is made by cooperating the needle 3 and the transfer sinker 9, 10 with the one-way yarn feeding system. The textile yarn is loaded onto the transfer sinker 9, 10 on the one-way yarn feeding system, and the needle holding cylinder 2 and the circular sinker seat 4 rotate in the first rotation direction, and then loaded onto the same transfer sinker 9, 10 on the same yarn feeding system again, and the needle holding cylinder 2 and the circular sinker seat 4 rotate in the second rotation direction. The needle holding cylinder 2 and the circular sinker seat 4 reverse direction again, and when they still rotate in the first rotation direction, two thin and long expanded coils are removed into the needle head 3A of the needle 3 on the one-way yarn feeding system.

In order to make the terry fabric into fabric, the control unit commands the needle selector 21 to move the second set of blades 35 from the first position to the second position by means of the terry nose 22 of the terry sinker 8 of the first and second assemblies, and then plans the angular position of the needle cylinder 2 and the circular sinker seat 4 and vice versa, thereby triggering the specific needle selector 12' of the terry sinker 8. The needle selectors of the transfer sinkers 9 and 10 are not triggered, but remain in their static positions.

For the sake of simplicity, a single needle selector 12' of the unwinding sinker 8 is supplemented, and the needle selector 12' pushes the respective pusher 11' toward the center axis "X-X", so that the butt 17' of the pusher 11' immediately deviates downward from the radial inner track 33 of the third guide member 31 after passing through the needle selector 21, and then pushes the corresponding unwinding sinker 8 along its radial direction.

A radial thrust is applied to the knock-off sinker 8 when it is in one of the widest parts of the first guide 24, and the knock-off sinker 8 is moved from the first track 25 to the second track 26 of the first guide 24, i.e., as described above, the triangular radial thrust of the first guide 24 pushes the knock-off sinker 8 when a plain needle loop is desired to be formed. Thus, the loop nose 22 of the knock-off sinker 8 cooperates with a pair of needles 3 (in a known manner, which will not be further described here) to form a looped structure. This operating mode can be achieved when the circular sinker seat 4 is rotated in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.

From the perspective of structure and function, the present invention has important advantages.

In practice, with the method according to the invention, it is possible to easily operate the desired selector and/or auxiliary selector, thereby making it possible to manufacture complex plain, mesh and/or terry knitted fabrics, fabrics with the most different functions on the same machine, with great flexibility and speed.

- The machine according to the invention can produce mesh and/or terry weaves and other types of patterns at high speed, thereby significantly reducing the production time of complex tubular knitted fabrics.

3: Needle

7: Yarn mouth

9: Right shift circle sinker; shift circle sinker

10: Left shift circle sinker; shift circle sinker

21: Needle selector

35: Blade

36,37: Transmission triangle

X-X: center axis

Claims (20)

A method for manufacturing mesh knitted fabrics in a circular knitting machine, wherein the circular knitting machine comprises: a needle holding cylinder and a circular sinker seat having a common central axis; a plurality of needles mounted on the needle holding cylinder, which can move in the longitudinal direction thereof and have needle heads arranged around the central axis, defined as a circular needle bed; a plurality of ring-removing sinkers mounted on the circular sinker seat, which can move in the radial direction relative to the central axis and have jaws configured to cooperate with the needles to manufacture knitted fabrics; a plurality of ring-transferring sinkers mounted on the circular sinker seat and located next to the ring-removing sinkers, which can move relative to the central axis; and a plurality of ring-transferring sinkers mounted on the circular sinker seat and located next to the ring-removing sinkers. The central axis moves in a radial direction and has a nose structured to cooperate with a needle to form a mesh knitted fabric; at least one yarn feeding system connected to a corresponding needle, a corresponding stripping sinker and a corresponding transfer sinker is provided to feed at least one textile yarn into a circular needle bed; wherein the needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat are capable of rotating around the central axis relative to the yarn feeding system; wherein the method comprises: i. rotating the needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat around the central axis to radially drive a selected transfer sinker among the transfer sinkers toward the central axis and toward their respective forward positions; and then Lowering a selected portion of the group of needles and moving forward to some needles next to the transfer sinker, while the needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat rotate and move through the at least one yarn feeding system, and the textile yarn fed by the yarn feeding system is loaded onto the nose of the selected transfer sinker, thereby producing an extended extended coil; ii. rotating the needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat around the central axis, radially driving the selected transfer sinker to move radially toward the respective rear positions and away from the central axis; raising the needle at least to the retraction and/or stripping position, so as to strip the expanded coil from the nose into the needle head of the needle, and continue to rotate, Until the at least one yarn feeding system is turned, the needle is then lowered, and the selected transfer sinkers are at their respective rear positions; wherein step i. is performed while the needle holding syringe and the circular sinker seat rotate along at least the first rotation direction, and step ii. is performed when the needle holding syringe and the circular sinker seat rotate along the second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction; or wherein step i. is performed when the needle holding syringe and the circular sinker seat rotate along the first rotation direction and then along the second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction, and step ii. is performed when the needle holding syringe and the circular sinker seat rotate along the first rotation direction. The method as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that the selected transfer sinker is selected by a needle selector facing the circular needle bed horizontally, and the needle selector can be operated under control to directly or indirectly act on each transfer sinker in the corresponding groups of transfer sinkers; wherein the at least one yarn feeding system is circumferentially spaced a certain distance from the corresponding needle selector; wherein the needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat can rotate around the central axis relative to the needle selector. The method as claimed in claim 2, before step i, includes: relative to the first rotation direction, moving the group needle, a group of stripping sinkers and a group of transfer sinkers to the upstream relative to the first rotation direction of the corresponding needle selector, wherein the transfer sinker is located at the rear position; starting the needle selector; rotating the needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat around the central axis and in the first rotation direction, so that at least some of the transfer sinkers of the group of transfer sinkers are selected and moved radially toward the central axis and their respective forward positions. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein in step ii, before continuing to rotate until passing through the at least one yarn feeding system, the needle does not hook the spinning yarn from the yarn feeding system or cooperate with the knock-off sinker to hook another yarn to form a loop. The method of claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein step ii comprises: moving the selected transfer sinker radially to a middle position away from the middle axis by keeping the needle in an inoperative position and/or below the backing position; raising the needle to the backing position so that the nose of the selected transfer sinker is located next to the needle head of the needle; further moving the selected transfer sinker as far radially as possible from the center axis to the rear position; The needle is moved to the position so as to take off the expanded loop from the nose of the piece into the needle head of the needle; the rotation is continued until the yarn feeding system is passed without the needle hooking the spinning yarn from the yarn feeding system, or the needle reaches the take-off and/or take-off position, or hooks another yarn from the yarn feeding system, cooperating with the take-off sinker to form the loop; after taking off the expanded loop, the needle is lowered when the selected transfer sinker is in the rearward position. The method of claim 5 is characterized in that the yarn mouth of the yarn feeding system moves to a stationary position so that the needle does not hook the spinning yarn from the yarn feeding system; or wherein the yarn mouth of the yarn feeding system is maintained in a working position so that the needle hooks another spinning yarn from the yarn feeding system. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat rotate along the second rotation direction until the needle group, the set of ring-removing sinkers and the set of ring-transferring sinkers rotate back to the upstream of their respective needle selectors. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein in steps i and ii, all the transfer sinkers in the group of transfer sinkers are selected to make a mesh knitted fabric, or only some of the transfer sinkers in the group of transfer sinkers are selected to make a partial mesh knitted fabric. The method of claim 7, comprising: placing the needle selector in an inoperative state; rotating the needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat in a first rotation direction so that each transfer sinker in the set of transfer sinkers remains in a rear position until passing through the yarn feeding system, while the transfer sinker remains in the rear position and the needle remains in a lowered position, so as to reset the operation sequence without making any coils. The method as claimed in claim 9 includes: the needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat rotate in the second rotation direction until the group needle, a group of stripping sinkers and a group of transfer sinkers return to the upstream of the needle selector in the first rotation direction; the needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat rotate in the opposite direction, and the yarn feeding system cooperates with the stripping sinker to feed the textile yarn to produce the coil by raising and then lowering the needle. The method of claim 10 comprises: placing the needle selector in an inoperative state; rotating the needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat around the central axis and in a first rotation direction, while each transfer sinker of a set of transfer sinkers is kept in a rear position; raising and then lowering the needle, the needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat rotating in the first rotation direction until passing through the yarn feeding system, and the yarn feeding system cooperates to disengage the needle. The loop sinker feeds the textile yarn to make the loop, the needle holding cylinder and the round sinker seat rotate in the second rotation direction until a group of loop-removing sinkers and a group of loop-transferring sinkers return to the upstream of the needle selector corresponding to the first rotation direction, and the needle holding cylinder and the round sinker seat are rotated in the opposite direction, and the yarn feeding system cooperates with the loop-removing sinker to feed the textile yarn and make the loop by raising and then lowering the needle. The method as described in claim 5 is characterized in that the selected transfer sinker is moved radially away from the center axis to a middle position, including: moving the transmission triangle to capture and deflect the heel of the selected transfer sinker. The method as claimed in claim 5 is characterized in that further moving the selected transfer sinker to the rear position includes: moving another transfer cam to capture and deflect the heel of the selected transfer sinker. The method as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that each of the stripping sinkers is placed next to a pair of transfer sinkers, and each pair of transfer sinkers helps to form an expanded coil. A circular knitting machine comprises: a needle holding cylinder and a circular sinker seat having a common central axis; a plurality of needles mounted on the needle holding cylinder, which can move in the longitudinal direction thereof and have needles arranged around the central axis, defined as a circular needle bed; a plurality of ring-removing sinkers mounted on the circular sinker seat, which can move in the radial direction relative to the central axis and have jaws configured to cooperate with the needles to manufacture knitted fabrics; a plurality of ring-transferring sinkers mounted on the circular sinker seat and located next to the ring-removing sinkers, which can move in the radial direction relative to the central axis and have jaws configured to cooperate with the needles to manufacture knitted fabrics; for a nose of a sheet cooperating with a needle to manufacture a mesh knitted fabric; at least one yarn feeding system operably connected to a corresponding set of needles, a corresponding set of cast-off sinkers and a corresponding set of transfer sinkers so as to feed at least one textile yarn into a circular needle bed; wherein the needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat can rotate around a central axis relative to the yarn feeding system; wherein the circular knitting machine is used to: i. rotate the needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat around the central axis to drive the selected transfer sinkers in the set of transfer sinkers to move toward the central axis and the respective front positions; raise and then lower the selected ones in the set of needles; The needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat rotate and move through the at least one yarn feeding system, and the textile yarn fed by the yarn feeding system is loaded onto the sheet nose of the selected transfer sinker, thereby producing an extended extended coil; ii. The needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat rotate around the central axis, radially driving the selected part of the transfer sinkers in the group of transfer sinkers to move back to the central axis, raising the needle at least to the retraction and/or stripping position, so as to pad the expanded coil retracted on the sheet nose into the needle head of the needle, and continue to rotate until it rotates through the At least one yarn feeding system is provided, and then the needle is lowered, while the selected transfer sinkers are in their respective rear positions; wherein step i. is performed while the needle holding syringe and the circular sinker seat rotate in at least a first rotation direction, and step ii. is performed while the needle holding syringe and the circular sinker seat rotate in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction; or wherein step i. is performed while the needle holding syringe and the circular sinker seat rotate in a first rotation direction and then in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction, and step ii. is performed while the needle holding syringe and the circular sinker seat rotate in the first rotation direction. The circular knitting machine as described in claim 15 comprises at least one needle selector facing the circular needle bed transversely, the needle selector can be operated under control to directly or indirectly act on each transfer sinker of each corresponding group of transfer sinkers; wherein the at least one yarn feeding system is kept at a certain distance from the corresponding needle selector on the circumference; wherein the needle holding cylinder and the circular sinker seat can rotate around the central axis relative to the needle selector; wherein the transfer sinker is selected by the needle selector. A circular knitting machine as described in claim 15 or 16, wherein the knitting machine is configured to: move the selected transfer sinker radially away from the middle axis along the center position by keeping the needle in an inoperative position and/or below the withdrawal position; raise the needle at least to the withdrawal position so that the nose of the selected transfer sinker is located next to the needle head; further move the selected transfer sinker radially away from the center axis to the The needle is rotated to the rear position in order to remove the expanded loop located on the nose of the piece to the needle head; the rotation is continued until the yarn feeding system is passed without the needle hooking the spinning yarn from the yarn feeding system, or the needle reaches the take-off and/or take-off position, or hooks another yarn from the yarn feeding system, cooperating with the take-off sinker to form the loop; after removing the expanded loop, the needle is lowered when the selected transfer sinker is in the rear position. A circular knitting machine as claimed in claim 16, characterized in that, in order to produce the mesh, the yarn feeding system is angularly offset relative to the corresponding needle selector. A circular knitting machine as described in claim 16 or 18, wherein the group of needles, the group of loop-removing sinkers and the group of loop-transferring sinkers operably linked to the yarn feeding system and the needle selector have a certain angle extension. A circular knitting machine as claimed in claim 16 or 18, wherein the knitting machine comprises four yarn feed systems angularly offset from each other, and four needle selectors angularly offset from each other, and wherein each yarn feed system is angularly offset relative to its respective needle selector for making meshes.

Images