US2158177A - Take-up mechanism for knitting machines - Google Patents

Description

May 16, 1939. J, A. FIRSCHING TAKE-UP MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Au .-24, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l M W a a 3 v 3 2 2 13,312 m 4 i 5 o a/ 1 2 a1 w. g I 2 U: 2%? wm o 0 z m l Wlw W #0 MW i M 1 mm .1 m w M l n .H j 5 6. W. T F PHI 1 i 1 v I L m. 5. w W 12 5 l a, m ,r a z m mzwmmwmm May 16, 1939. J"A, FIRSCHING UP MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINES TAKE- Filed Aug. 24, 1937 6 w M 70 5 5 l z 2 i M M U 1 NM 2 5 6 M 4 l 5 4 3 W] M M M O l 55 6 H V V 1 7O 8 Patented May 16, 1939 UN E D S 'FA E Ei TAKEJIF MEGHANISM: KNITTING MACHINES 2 Claims.

my invention: relates 'toza: take-upzmechanism f or knitting-:machines-sand Ldeclarewthe:folltiwing" to be a full; clear;. concise andexact: description thereof suffi'cient: to: enable anyone": skilled? inzthe 5 art to which it appertai'nssto: make: and usethe same, referencei-beingzhact to the:accompanying drawings in which like reference: characters" re fer to like parts throughout therspecification:

The object of ithezinvention isztea providera takeup mechanism for; knitting" machines that will.

causera "tension on. the knittedlia'bric' as5it= rotateswiththe needless. Heretofore, there have been take -up mechanisms 'for knittingzmachines that would operates'on a knittingzmachine'where the: needles and .fabri'cfmade? thereby? were station.-

ary and hence the takeeupi-mechanismrwas built' staticnaryf'on: thee machine;v whereas in the'spres ent instance theyta-ke up mechanism rotateswith:

the needles: andfabric;

the drawings .in which:

Fig; 1 is an-elevationalsview1 of" a knitting mas chine shewing. the novel 1 takea-upsdeviceeattacltied:-

thereto.

Fig. 2 is a:detail View showinga perspective of. the take-'upzmechanismand' the related parts of the knitting" machine; parts of" which are cut away, parts'b'ein'g in section:-

Fig: 3 isad'etailiviewenlarged; partsbeingr Referring more pal'tlC111MIYTtOTthEidI'BJWiTIgST-thfi:3 parts of the knitting machinewhicharei related.-

to the take-up mechanism: embody; a frame: I" 40 having legs 2. Frame: Isupports:mastershaftzllc on which is mounted to turntherewithmaster pulley t. A bearing bracketxfi also aids: in sup porting shaft 3 and is formediintegralsor otherwise secured to one of the twovupright plates.

45 S, 6 which hold the. upper annular ring. plateabove lower ring 8. A hand'wheelhiisiastened.

turn with shaft 3, whereby to-zallow for turn-.

ing said shaft 3:by; handif desired;v Ai beveled. gear H! is keyed or otherwise fastened. torturnt:

50 with shaft 3 and meshes. with the annulargear rack 55 formed integral with'the rotaryannular' gear ring l2.

In order to balance hand wheel- 9; a second? hand wheel [5 is disposed diametrically oppnsite- 55 and carried to. turn witha-short-shaft 16 like wisezz: mountecli in bearings? in the: other: upright 6-. Similarly;azheveligeariwheel I1 is keyed or otherwise meuntedftoa turn'iwithishait IG and is immeshawi-thzsaidiannulargeamrack I Is;

Gear: rack; M lS: formed' integral with rotary- 5s geainring; l2tfasiabovei'stated'; Said gear ringr I 2, howevergzismeuntedtt'drotatesin an annular bear ingslB madein; annular rimi I95. The: inner part ofi gearrringr l2ris2sh'ouldered at-ZOfi't'o support needleepl'atea 2| made=inusections; Needle plates 102' 2.1 arezboltediatinito:geanrirrg [2. Another plate ZZ-ltlsamennted above gearrring.v I12. which is statitma'ryvhowever; whereas-' gear ring: I2? rotates therebeneathi. Bolts.ifastentplate fi torim I9 whichaisr:shouldered? at: 25'. for thedisp'osition 1 of the peripheral Ledge .of plates;

An annular ring member fii'issbolter at to platee23 a'd'jaceht. its innersperipheral'edge. Furthermnne: an annular? shaped"? member 26' isbolte'dzzat2l rtoi'ringzmember 25 Both ringlmemw her: 251 and lashapedsmember 2$Laremadein= sectionss There=iSarroverhangingtedge'28 formed LL" shaped lmember 262 Beneath edge 28- and" between the :contiguousfsurfa'ces ofi member' 26 rirrgzzflil' and needle plate 21.: arewdisposedi the upper and lower needle-cams fll' and: 31 respec-- ti'vely; whicli'a'ctuate theineedles 32% in the process ofrknittmgzz Theiya'rn 33:.issuppliedc-fromacones 3'4 disposed omanaoverhangingssrack .35 to :a combined sinker arrdscas't' oil? wheelii 36; more particularly d'escribedrinra' coependin'g applicationzfiledfiJmy 13, 1931,- SenialIENtie153;-385.u Wheel 36 is mounted" to rockmvi'th plateri-Ll which; is pivotall y supported to longitu dinallyvmovableemember?38': Member 38 is rigidlyr fixedxto shaftfifirhaving ax-spring: pressed bearing: in: journal 40- formed' integral or otherwise secured to shelf 4|. ShelfiM-ds made integral w-ith annulanL shaped member26-. Ahandle lL-isufixed t0. move:shaftl ll;v There". is also an- 49*. adjustingscrewfl. to. hold-handle 4.2. in a-predetermineddistance from journal and .a locking. pin to. holdfh'andle 42"wherr pulled out as more particularly described in the aforesaid applica-. tion; 7 The a novel takeeup' mechanism contemplates a take=up frame 50"which ispiVotallYsupported on theunder-sideof annular rotary ring plate Ill. To this-end a*-paii'-=ofbracket armsiz, 52 having their ends bent atrightanglesat 53; 53 are-bolted 50? at '54t 5! to the: undr surfaceof ring'plate I ll andhspaced apart. The lower ends of the bracket armsS-ZZ 5-2 are equipped with bearing bushings 555.5 :rfer supporting ashaft ifi. Shaft 56 extend beyond: branketiarms 52;:52: Bearingbush- 551 ings 51, 51 of connecting bars 58, 58 are mounted on the extended parts of shaft 56, whereby to turn thereon. The opposite end of each of the bars 58, 53 is made with a bearing bushing 59 and clamp 6|, whereby said bars 53, 58 are firmly held to shaft 60.

Moreover, the extreme ends of shaft 60 are held in the clamping parts 62, 62 of the side plates 69, 63 of frame 50. Plates 63, 63 are disposed in spaced parallel relation to each other and tied together at one end by shaft 65 which is carried in bearing bushings 66 formed integral with short shafts 61, 61 that in turn are made integral with plates 68. Plates 68 are bolted at 69, 69 to the ends of plates 63, 63.

The means for allowing the rocking of shaft 65 and, therefore, the take up frame 50 embodies a bell crank lever 10 which is fulcrumed on pivot 1! carried in bearings in depending hangers 12, 12 made integral with bracket 13. Crank lever 15 has one end connected by link 14 to shaft 85. Link 14 is bent at right angles at 15, projected through an aperture in the end crank lever 19 and tied with a cotter pin 16. The opposite end of link 14 is threaded to bushing 11 having a sleeve part 18 through which shaft 65 is pro jected and held. An adjustable weight has a sliding fit with the other end of lever 10. It is held in predetermined position by set screw BI. An eye bolt 82 engages shaft 65. The free end 83 of eye bolt 82 is projected upwards through a loose aperture in horizontal extending finger 84 of bracket 13. A nut is mounted to the upper free screw threaded end 83 of eye bolt 82 which acts as an adjustment to limit the maximum downward rocking motion of take up frame 50 on shaft 56 as a fulcrum.

The means for engaging the knitted fabric 95, whereby to exert a pull or take up embodies two fluted rollers 9|, 92 which are disposed in parallel relation to each other and in contact, whereby the fabric passing therebetween will be pulled downward as the rollers 9I, 92 rotate in opposite directions. Said rollers 9|, 92 are mounted to turn on shafts 93, 94 which have bearings in side plates 63, 63 of frame 50.

The means for rotating fluted rollers 9|, 92 in opposite directions contemplates spur gears 95, 96 which are in mesh with each other and mounted to turn with said shafts 93, 94 respectively. Said gears 95, 96 are disposed on the outside of side plate 63. Furthermore, a worm gear 91 is mounted to turn with said shaft 94 and disposed on the outside of the other plate 63. Worm gear 91 is in mesh with a worm 98 having its trunnions or axle 99 mounted to rotate in bearings I 00, I00 formed integral with upstanding part IOI of side plate 63.

Axle 99 is extended beyond adjacent bearing I00. A bevel gear I02 is fixed to turn therewith. Gear I02 is in mesh with a cooperating bevel gear I63 mounted to turn with shaft I04 which has a bearing in bushing I03 formed integral with side plate 63. A grooved pulley I05 is carried to turn on the opposite end of shaft I04. It is connected by a belt I06 with a power pulley I01. Pulley I01 is mounted to turn on a shaft I98 having a bearing in bushing I09 made integral with standard IIO that is bolted to the upper surface of annular ring plate III. A bevel gear H2 is fixed to turn with shaft I08 and meshes with the annular gear rack I I3 formed integral with stationary annular ring plate 5|, whereby said bevel gear I I 2 will have a planetary action as it rotates on its own axis and travels in a circle around gear rack I I3.

The planetary motion of bevel gear II 2 will cause pulley I01 to rotate as it travels around with bevel gear I I2 and hence turn the gear mechanism heretofore mentioned, to rotate take up cylinders or fluted rollers 9I and 92 when frame 50 is rocked downward to a given degree.

Annular ring plate III is mounted to slide on plate 5I. The means for rotating said annular ring plate III contemplates tying said plate III to rotating gear ring I2 thereabove. To this end upright posts I I5, I I5 disposed at diametrically opposite locations are, in each instance, slightly tapered at their upper ends and engage correspondingly formed apertures in gear ring I2 with a tight fit. The lower ends of each of said posts II5 project through an aperture in rotary plate III, nuts II6, II 6 are mounted to the threaded projecting ends to aid in holding plate I II thereto.

The means for winding the knitted fabric 90 embodies a rectangular shaped member I20 fixed to turn with shaft I2I having bearings in depending brackets I 22, I 22 disposed diametrically opposite each other and bolted at I23, I 23 to the under side of annular rotating plate III, whereby to rotate therewith.

The means for rotating member I20 axially contemplates a ratchet I25 mounted on shaft I2I and fixed to turn therewith. Ratchet I25 is engaged by a pawl I26 which is actuated intermittently by member I21. Member I21 is mounted on shaft I2I and rocked thereon by a pitman rod I20. Furthermore, member I21 has two arms I 29 and I30 extending in opposite directions. Pawl I26 is pivoted on pintle I 3I supported in the free end of arm I29, whereas arm I30 has an elongated slot I32 for receiving adjustable bolt I33 which extends therethrough and into a threaded aperture made in link I34. A washer I35 is carried on said bolt I33. The lower end of pitman rod I28 is projected through and has a sliding fit in an operture in the top horizontal part I36 of link I34. A nut I31 is screw threaded to pitman rod I28 below horizontal part I36 of member I34. A coiled spring I38 is disposed about pitman rod I28 and held under tension between the upper surface I36 of link I34 and adjustable collar I39 secured in place by a set screw I39, whereby to urge link I34 normally downwardly.

Pitman rod I28 is bent at an angle at I40 to clear the inner edge of plate III. A strap member I M is threaded to the upper end of pitman I 28 and engages crank shaft I42. Shaft I42 is carried in a loose bearing in bushing I43 formed integral with upstanding bracket I44 that is bolted at I45, I45 to rotating annular plate III. A bevel gear I46 is mounted to turn with shaft I42 and meshes with the teeth of annular gear rack II3 which is mounted on the stationary annular ring plate 5! as above described.

Bevel gear I46 has a planetary motion around stationary gear rack H3 as it travels with rotating plate III. Revolving on its own axis will cause a vertical reciprocating motion of pitman I28 which will in turn rock member I21 and hence cause pawl I26 to rotate intermittently or tooth by tooth ratchet wheel I 25.

Ratchet wheel I25 is prevented from turning in the opposite direction by pawl I50 pivoted on shaft I5I having a tight fit in a bearing made in the lower depending part I52 of member I 22. The weight of free end I53 of pawl I 50 holds the tooth I55 of pawl in engagement with ratchet I25.

When in operation, the knitted fabric 90 is lead down from needles 32 in tubular form within the enclosure formed by the needle holding member 2| and fed between fluted take up rollers 9| and 92 and on down to wind up member I20. Wind up roller I20 and take up mechanism com prising among other things rollers 9| and 92 will move around in a circle with needles 32. As the fabric 90 increases in length and being caught and held between fluted rollers 9| and 92 their weight and the weight of take up frame 50 and connected parts which is fulcrumed to rock on shaft 56 will exert a pull which is predetermined by the position of adjustable weight 80 on bell crank lever I0. The maximum rock motion however, will be governed by eye bolt 82. When said frame 50 has rocked down into dotted line position illustrated in Fig. 2, belt I08 connecting grooved pulleys I05 and I! will be drawn sufficiently tight, whereby it will no longer slip over said pulleys I and IN but on the other hand frictionally engage them to the degree that lower pulley I05 will turn with upper pulley I01. This will cause bevel gears I03, I02, worm 98, worm gear 91 and. gears 96 and 95 to revolve, whereby take up rollers 9| and 92 will be revolved in opposite directions to feed fabric 90 therebelow onto rectangular rotating member I20. Rollers 9| and 92 will continue to turn until the surplus slack has been taken up or fed therebetween and below to member I when the tightness of knitted fabric 90 will again cause take up mechanism to be rocked back to" initial or full line position illustrated in Fig. 2. In this latter position, belt I06 will slip again over the contiguous surfaces of pulleys I05 and I01, whereupon rollers 9| and 92 will become and remain idle until sufficient slack again occurs in knitted fabric 90 to allow frame 50 to rock down into dotted line position illustrated in Fig. 2 whereby to increase the tension on belt I06 to the actuating degree as above stated.

Although winding roll I20 has a continuous intermittent motion and take up rollers 9|, 92 are stationary during certain periods, the take up rollers 9|, 92 are moving downward with the rock fame 50 during this stationary period and will thereby feed the fabric downward during the stationary period of the rollers, wherby there is a continuous downward motion of the fabric which compensates for the stationary period of rollers 9|, 92 to prevent excessive tension upon fabric 90 between winding roll I20 and take up rollers 9|, 92. Furthermore, adjustable bolt I33 can be moved along arm I within the limits of slot I32 thereto to synchronize the turning of roll I20 with the feed of the fabric as it comes from between rollers 9|, 92. Furthermore, spring I38 on pitman rod I28 will allow for a predetermined amount of yield to prevent excessive tension on fabric 90 between winding roll I20 and take up rollers 9|, 92.

Simultaneously with this periodic rotation of rollers 9| and 92 to take up the slack in knitted fabric 90, rectangular shaped member I20 will be rotated intermittently by pawl I26 which is rocked back and forth by member I21. Member I2'I in turn is rocked alternately in clockwise and counterclockwise direction by the vertically reciprocating pitman rod I28 which is connected to the eccentric shaft I42. Shaft I42 is rotated by bevel gear I46 which is turned axially as said gear I40 moves around on annular gear rack I I3.

Moreover, simultaneously with the above mentioned rocking motion of take up mechanism frame 50 and the intermittent rotation of wind up member I20, both these aforementioned parts will revolve with needles 32 and fabric 90 because of the engagement of plate III with the revolving gear ring I2, whereas gear ring I2 is made to revolve through master pulley 4 bevel gear I0 and gear rack II as above stated.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. In a take up mechanism for knitting machines, a rotary gear ring for carrying needles for knitting a fabric, another ring connected to said first named gear ring, a rock frame connected with said second named ring, rollers supported in said rock frame for engaging the knitted fabric, a lever mounted in said knitting machine, a link connecting said lever with said rock frame, a weight mounted on said lever for governing the amount of tension of said rock frame on said fabric, and gear means connected with said knitting machine, whereby to rotate said take up rollers, a rectangular member for winding said knitted fabric after passing below said take up rollers, a gear mounted on said second named ring, a crank shaft mounted toturn with said last named gear, a ratchet wheel mounted to turn with said rectangular shaped member, a pawl engaging said ratchet wheel, a rock member carrying said pawl and a rod connecting said last named rock member with said crank shaft, whereby to rotate said rectangular shaped member intermittently.

In a take up mechanism for knitting machines, a rotary gear ring for carrying needles, whereby to knit a fabric, a ring plate connected to turn with said rotary gear ring by posts, a rock frame connected with said ring plate by means of rock bars, rollers carried in said rock frame for engaging the knitted fabric, means for controlling the rocking of said frame, gears connected with said rollers, a pulley connected with said gears, another pulley mounted on said rotary ring plate, a gear connected to turn with said last named pulley and mounted on said rotary ring plate, a stationary gear ring meshing with said last named gear, whereby to turn said gear and pulley, a belt connecting said pulleys, a roll for winding the fabric thereon and means connected with said last named gear ring for actuating said wind up roll intermittently.

JOSEPH A. FIRSCHING.

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