US3699784A - Latch needle for knitting machines - Google Patents

Abstract

A steel latch needle for knitting machines, having a needle foot which is coated with, or constructed wholly or partially of, shock-absorbent material, for cushioning the engagement of the needle foot with the reciprocating elements of the knitting machine during operation.

Description

United States Patent Berentzen 51 Oct. 24, 1972 [54] LATCH NEEDLE FORKNI'ITING [56] References Cited MACHINES [72] Inventor: Hardo Berentzen, Ebingen/Wurt- UNITED STATES PATENTS temberg, Germany 822,401 6/1906 Sturtevant ..66/123 Assignees: Gm & I Beyer X Beckert Nadelfabrik Commandit- Gessel I i Ebingen/wumemben, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Gennany 571,976 10/1958 Belgium ..66/!23 [22] Filed: June 4 1971 1,145,150 3/1969 Great Britain ..66/123 [21] Appl. N 149,969 Primary Examiner-Ronald Feldbaum Attorney-Allison C. Collard [30] Foreign Application Priority Data CT June 15, 1970 Germany ..P 20 29 440.0 [57] ABS W a A steel latch needle for knitting machines, having a needle foot which is coated with, or constructed wholly or partially of, shock-absorbent material, for [52] US. Cl. ..66/123 cushioning the engagement of the needle foot with the [51] Int. Cl. ..D04b 35/02 reciprocating elements of the knitting machine during [58] Field of Search ..66/121, 123, 124 operation,

1 0 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures LATCH NEEDLE FOR KNITTING MACHINES The present invention relates to latch needles for knitting machines, and in particular, to a latch needle having a shock-absorbing needle foot.

Modern knitting machines operate at very high speeds. As a result, the acceleration and deceleration forces therein create vibrations which lead to premature fatigue and breakage of the needle hook and latch bearings, and deformation of the needle shaft.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a latch needle for knitting machines having a needle foot which engages the needle reciprocating elements of the knitting machine and thereby reciprocates the latch needle during operation. A layer of shock-absorbent material is disposed over the surface of the needle foot in order to cushion the engagement of the needle foot with the reciprocating elements of the machine during operation, and thereby prevent damage to the latch needle elements. The needle foot may be substantially rectangular'shaped, or dove-tail shaped, and have a cap or collar constructed of the shock-absorbent material disposed over its surface. The needle foot may be constructed of two separate members affixed adjacent one another on the shaft of the latch needle, having either a divided cap of shock-absorbent material disposed over the needle foot, or a strip of the shockabsorbent material disposed between the members. The needle foot and the layer of shock-absorbent material may also be formed as an integral unit so that the needle foot is constructed either partially or wholly of the shock-absorbent material.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a latch needle in which damaging vibrations and forces are minimized.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a latch needle which is simple in design, easy to manufacture, and efficient and reliable in operation.

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings which disclose several embodiments of the invention. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed for the purpose of illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention.

In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views:

FIG. I is a side view of a latch needle constructed in accordance with the present invention, shown without a layer of shock-absorbent material disposed on the needle foot;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the latch needle of FIG. 1, showing a layer of shock-absorbent material disposed thereon in the form of a cap;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the latch needle of FIG. 1 showing a layer of shock-absorbent material disposed thereon in the form of a collar.

FIG. 4 is a side view of another embodiment of the present invention, in which the needle foot is constructed of a pair of members affixed to the shaft of the needle adjacent each other, and a layer of shock-absorbent material is constructed in the form of a cap having two compartments for receiving the members;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 2, in which the needle foot is provided with an aperture and the cap of shock-absorbent material is provided with a projection received by the aperture in order to secure the cap on the needle foot;

FIG. 6'is a side view of another embodiment of the present invention, in which the needle foot is dove-tail shaped, and a layer of shock-absorbent material is disposed over the needle foot in the form of a cap whose interior surface conforms to the shape of the needle foot;

FIG. 7 is a top planar view of the latch needle shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a side view of another embodiment of the present invention, in which the needle foot and the layer of shock-absorbent material are an integral unit, and wherein the needle foot is secured in a recess provided in the needle shaft;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the needle foot taken along section 8-8 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a side view of the latch needle shown in FIG. 4, wherein a layer of shock-absorbent material is constructed in the form of a strip and is disposed between the members of the needle foot; and

FIG. 12 is a top plan view of the latch needle shown in FIG. 1 1.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, there is shown steel latch needle 1 having a hook 2 and a latch 3. A needle foot 4, substantially rectangularly-shaped, is affixed to the shaft of the needle. The needle foot projects into a needle guide passage provided in the knitting machine, and engages needle reciprocating elements contained therein so that the latch needle is reciprocated during operation. Needle foot 4 is surrounded by, or coated with, a layer of shock-absorbent material. As shown in FIG. 2, the layer of material may be formed as a rectangular cap 5, or as a rectangular collar 6, as shown in FIG. 3, both of which are slidably disposed over the needle foot, for engaging the reciprocating elements and absorbing the shocks produced by the machine and thereby preventing premature damage to the latch needle. The shock-absorbent material may be of any suitable type, such as plastic, and may be applied by spraying needle foot 4 with thermoplastic material, or by dipping the needle foot in liquid plastic. A suitably shaped plastic sleeve may also be disposed over the needle foot as shown in the drawings.

The amount of shock absorption produced by the material will depend on the thickness of the coating applied to the needle foot. However, even if the thickness of the coating amounts to only tenths of a millimeter, as may be required by the needle thickness, the coating will absorb the shocks and prevent a substantial amount of premature needle damage. If the coating is made thicker, or if the needle foot is constructed partially or wholly of the shock-absorbent material, the shock-absorption will be increased.

The shock-absorption may also be increased by constructing needle foot 4 from two members 4 and 4 affixed adjacent each other on the shaft of the needle as shown in FIG. 4. The layer of shock-absorbent material is then preferably constructed as a rectangular cap divided into two compartments by an additional vertically disposed member which is slidably disposed in slot 8 between members 4 and 4'. However, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the shock-absorbent material may be constructed as strip 12 and disposed between members 4 and 4' to produce an equivalent effect.

In any of the previously described embodiments, the shock-absorbent material may be secured in place on the needle foot by any suitable methods. The material may, for example, be molded in position, shrunk on the needle foot, or attached by means of a suitable adhesive. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the layer of shock-absorbent material may also be secured to the latch needle by providing needle foot 4 with aperture 9 which receives a rigid projection affixed to the inside of, for example, the cap shown in FIG. 2, to secure the shockabsorbent material to the needle. Needle foot 4 may also be constructed in a dove-tail shape to secure a cap provided with an interior shape which conforms to the shape of the needle foot. The choice of any of these methods, however, is up to the individual manufacturer.

Needle foot 4 may also be constructed as an integral unit with the layer of shock-absorbent material. FIGS. 8-10 show needle foot 14, which is constructed entirely of shock-absorbent material, rigidly affixed in recess 14' provided in needle shaft'l. In this embodiment, the maximum amount of shock absorption will result during the operation of the machine.

While only several embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a latch needle for knitting machines, the improvement comprising;

a needle foot afiixed to the shaft of the latch needle,

for engagement with the needle reciprocating elements of the knitting machine and thereby reciprocating the latch needle during operation, and

a layer of shock absorbent material disposed over the surface of said needle foot for cushioning the engagement of said needle foot with the reciprocating elements of the knitting machine during operation.

2. The latch needle as recited in claim 1, wherein said needle foot is substantially rectangular in shape and wherein said layer of shock-absorbent material is a rectangular cap disposed over said needle foot.

3. The latch needle as recited in claim 1, wherein said needle foot is substantially rectangular in shape, and wherein said layer of shock absorbent material is a substantially rectangular-shaped collar disposed over said needle foot.

4. The latch needle as recited in claim 2, wherein said needle foot is provided with a horizontally disposed aperture, and wherein said cap of shock absorbent material is provided with a horizontally disposed projecting member affixed on the inside surface thereof which is received by said aperture when said cap is disposed over said needle foot, for securing said cap to the latch needle shaft during operation. V

5. The latch needle as recited in claim 1, wherein said needle foot is substantially dove-tail shaped, and wherein said layer of shock-absorbent material is a substantially rectan lar cap having an interior surface conforming to t e shape of said needle foot disposed thereon.

6. The latch needle as recited in claim 1, wherein said needle foot comprises a pair of substantially rectangular-shaped members affixed to the shaft of the latch needle adjacent each other, and wherein said layer of shock-absorbent material is a rectangular cap divided into two separate compartments for receiving said members of said needle foot.

7. The latch needle as recited in claim 1, wherein said needle foot comprises a pair of substantially rectangular shaped members afi'ixed to the shaft of the latch needle adjacent each other, and wherein said layer of shock-absorbent material is disposed between said first and second members of said needle foot.

8. The latch needle as recited in claim 1, wherein the shaft of the latch needle is provided with a recess, for receiving and securing said needle foot on the shaft, and wherein said needle foot is integrally formed with said layer of material and is constructed entirely of said shock-absorbent material.

9. The latch needle as recited in claim 1, wherein said layer of shock-absorbent material is integrally formed with needle foot so as to comprise a portion thereof.

10. The latch needle as recited in claim 1, wherein said shock-absorbent material is plastic.

Claims (10)

1. In a latch needle for knitting machines, the improvement comprising; a needle foot affixed to the shaft of the latch needle, for engagement with the needle reciprocating elements of the knitting machine and thereby reciprocating the latch needle during operation, and a layer of shock absorbent material disposed over the surface of said needle foot for cushioning the engagement of said needle foot with the reciprocating elements of the knitting machine during operation.

2. The latch needle as recited in claim 1, wherein said needle foot is substantially rectangular in shape and wherein said layer of shock-absorbent material is a rectangular cap disposed over said needle foot.

3. The latch needle as recited in claim 1, wherein said needle foot is substantially rectangular in shape, and wherein said layer of shock absorbent material is a substantially rectangular-shaped collar disposed over said needle foot.

4. The latch needle as recited in claim 2, wherein said needle foot is provided with a horizontally disposed aperture, and wherein said cap of shock absorbent material is provided with a horizontally disposed projecting member affixed on the inside surface thereof which is received by said aperture when said cap is disposed over said needle foot, for securing said cap to the latch needle shaft during operation.

5. The latch needle as recited in claim 1, wherein said needle foot is substantially dove-tail shaped, and wherein said layer of shock-absorbent material is a substantially rectangular cap having an interior surface conforming to the shape of said needle foot disposed thereon.

6. The latch needle as recited in claim 1, wherein said needle foot comprises a pair of substantially rectangular-shaped members affixed to the shaft of the latch needle adjacent each other, and wherein said layer of shock-absorbent material is a rectangular cap divided into two separate compartments for receiving said members of said needle foot.

7. The latch needle as recited in claim 1, wherein said needle foot comprises a pair of substantially rectangular shaped members affixed to the shaft of the latch needle adjacent each other, and wherein said layer of shock-absorbent material is disposed between said first and second members of said needle foot.

8. The latch needle as recited in claim 1, wherein the shaft of the latch needle is provided with a recess, for receiving and securing said needle foot on the shaft, and wherein said needle foot is integrally formed with said layer of material and is constructed entirely of said shock-absorbent material.

9. The latch needle as recited in claim 1, wherein said layer of shock-absorbent material is integrally formed with needle foot so as to comprise a portion thereof.

10. The latch needle as recited in claim 1, wherein said shock-absorbent material is plastic.

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