US3620047A - Dial mechanism for knitting machine - Google Patents

Abstract

A DIAL MECHANISM FOR A KNITTING MACHINE COMPRISES A DIAL MEMBER ROTATABLE THROUGH A PLURALITY OF KNITTING STATIONS. KNITTING NEEDLES ARE CARRIED BY THE DIAL MEMBER. EACH OF THE KNITTING NEEDLES HAS A NEEDLE-MOVING JACK ASSOCIATED THEREWITH. CERTAIN OF THE NEEDLE-MOVING JACKS ARE LONG BUTT JACKS AND CERTAIN OF THE OTHER NEEDLE-MOVING JACKS ARE SHORT BUTT JACKS. CAM MEANS ARE LOCATED AT EACH KNITTING STATION AND DEFINE A KNITTING CAM TRACK AND A WELTING CAM TRACK, RESPECTIVELY, INTO WHICH BUTTS ON THE NEEDLE-MOVING JACKS MOVE, DEPENDING UPON THE POSITION OF THE NEEDLE-MOVING JACKS AS THEY MOVE THROUGH EACH STATION. AN ELECTROMAGNETIC SELECTOR MECHANISM IS PROVIDED AT EACH STATION FOR VARYING THE POSITION OF THE NEEDLE-MOVING JACKS RELATIVE TO THEIR ASSOCIATED NEEDLE TO CONTROL THE OPERATION OF THE NEEDLES IN THE STATION.

Description

Nov. 16, 1971 H. PAEPKE DIAL MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 19, 1969 kw w ww wsfi flrym ME M kk k m wwm kf IWN M IE @QE QUM/ H Nov. 16, 1971 H. PAEPKE I 3,620,047

DIAL MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINE Filed May 19, 1969 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 F H x 7 9 7 60b 2 e r-N Q 4 ,z 55, "42 PM 2% /5 1 ///j /8 LL! u ATTU/PA/EYS Nov. 16, 1971 H. PAEPKE DIAL MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed May 19. 1969 I 'llll III //v VEA/ TOR FIG .5 HORST- PAEPKE 5 Y ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,620,047 DIAL MECHANIM FOR KNITTING MACHINE Horst Paepke, Rottenburg (Neckar), Germany, assignor to The Warner & Swasey Company, Cleveland, Ohio Filed May 19, 1969, Ser. No. 825,867 Int. Cl. D04b 9/06, 9/38 U.S. Cl. 66-25 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A dial mechanism for a knitting machine comprises a dial member rotatable through a plurality of knitting stations. Knitting needles are carried by the dial member. Each 'of the knitting needles has a needle-moving jack associated therewith. Certain of the needle-moving jacks are long butt jacks and certain of the other needle-moving jacks are short butt jacks. Cam means are located at each knitting station and define a knitting cam track and a welting cam track, respectively, into which butts on the needle-moving jacks move, depending upon the position of the needle-moving jacks as they move through each station. An electromagnetic selector mechanism is provided at each station for varying the position of the needle-moving jacks relative to their associated needle to control the operation of the needles in the station.

The present invention relates to a knitting machine, and particularly relates to a dial mechanism for a knitting machine which includes a dial member rotatable through a plurality of knitting stations and knitting needles carried by the dial member.

Known circular knitting machines include a knitting cylinder which carries a plurality of needles which move in a vertical direction as the needle cylinder rotates. The knitting cylinder has a cooperating dial which rotates in a generally horizontal plane and carries dial needles which cooperate with the needles on the knitting cylinder to effect knitting of the thread as these parts rotate. As is well known, the dial needles work on the back or reverse side of the cloth which is being knitted, while the needles in the knitting cylinder operate on the front or face side of the cloth and knit the particular pattern which is desired therein. In a Jacquard-type machine, the needles on the knitting cylinder are selectively moved to control the pattern which is being knitted on the face side of the cloth, as is well known.

The knitting by the dial needles to form the back side of the cloth is generally performed in a uniform manner and is called twilling. In order to twill the reverse side of a cloth, it requires twice as many feeders or stations as there are colors in the pattern. Moreover, the needle operation must also be controlled in each station. For example, a four-color pattern requires eight feeders to form a twilled reverse side. A conventional knitting machineis arranged so that there are thirty-six feeders around the dial. Accordingly, if eight feeders are necesary to repeat a pattern arrangement on the twill side or reverse side of a Jacquard fabric, the pattern can be repeated on the reverse side only four times. This utilizes thirty-two feeders. As a result, four feeders are not needed or used during the operation of the knitting machine in order to form the pattern on the reverse side. In view of the fact that four feeders are not utilized, this greatly reduces the capacity of the machine.

The present invention involves a mechanism which provides for the use of all thirty-six feeder stations around the dial for purposes of providing a twilled reverse side on a four-color Jacquard fabric. This is accomplished by the present invention even with a four-color pattern being formed where eight feeder stations are required for a repeat of the pattern on the reverse side. In accordance with the present invention, the pattern is repeated four times in the first thirty-two feeder stations, the last four feeder stations in the first revolution, and the first four feeder stations of the second revolution of the dial form together to create a fifth repeat of the pattern. The last thirty-two feeder stations in the second revolution form the last four repeats of the pattern in the second revolution. In accordance with this invention, each station or feeder has an electromagnetic selector mechanism for controlling the needles in that station. In the example of a four-color fabric, the needles are controlled such that each needle that knitted at a given station in the first revolution, welts in that station in the second revolution, and each needle that welted in a given station during the first revolution of the dial knits in the second revolution of the dial at that station. Accordingly, each needle in two revolutions will move through seventy-two feeder stations and the pattern will be repeated nine times.

In accodance with the present invention, the electromagnetic selector mechanism operates to move a needlemoving jack relative to the associated needle as the needlemoving jack moves past the electromagnetic selector mechanism. -A selector mechanism is located at the beginning of each station so that each jack moves thereby as the jack enters a station. The selector mechanism operates to position the jack and the jack remains in that position as it is advanced through the knitting station to effect movement of the knitting needle associated therewith in accordance with the position of the cams at that station.

Accordingly, the principal object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved dial mechanism which includes an electromagnetic selector mechanism for controlling the operation of the dial needles as the dial needles rotate through the various stations so that all dial stations can be utilized when knitting the reverse side of a Jacquard fabric.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved dial mechanism, as noted in the next preceding paragraph, wherein needle moving jacks are pivotally associated with each needle and a selector mechanism is located at each dial station and is operable to pivot the needle-moving jacks associated with the dial needles as they enter a station to thereby control the operation of the needles as they move through the station.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved mechanism for pivoting a needle-moving jack for a dial needle relative to the dial needle in order to position a butt on the needle-moving jack in a given cam track as the needle-moving jack moves with the dial, and wherein the mechanism which efforts the pivoting movement comprises a selector mechanism which includes a pair of vertical sliders which move vertically in response to horizontal movement of another slider.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved selector mechanism for effecting movement of a needle-moving jack, as noted in the next preceding paragraph, wherein the vertical sliders have ends thereon which comprise cam surfaces which engage the needle-moving jacks as the jack move thereby to effect a pivoting movement of the needle-moving jacks relative to the associated needles.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof made with reference to the 3 accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a portion of a dial mechanism for a knitting machine schematically;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a portion of the dial mechanism incorporated in FIG. 1 and showing parts thereof in a given position;

FIG. 3 is a view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 2 with parts thereof in a different position;

FIG. 4 is another fragmentary sectional view of the dial mechanism for a knitting machine as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an illustration of the mechanism shown in FIG. 4 with parts thereof in a different position; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic representation showing the operation of a given dial needle at each feeder in two rev0 lutions of the dial to provide a twilled reverse side on a four-color Jacquard fabric.

The present invention relates to a dial mechanism for a circular knitting machine, and particularly relates to a dial mechanism which includes a selector mechanism for selecting and controlling the operation of the dial needles during successive revolutions of the dial needles. By utilizing the present structure, all thirty-six stations around the dial can be utilized for providing a twilled reverse side on a cloth having a four-color pattern being formed therein.

As representing a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the drawings illustrate a dial mechanism, generally designated 10. The dial mechanism 10 includes a dial member 11 which comprises a disk-like member which carries a plurality of knitting needles 12. The knitting needles 12 are rotatable with the dial member 11 and rotate through a plurality of knitting stations as the dial member 11 rotates. There are thirty-six knitting stations located around the circumference of the dial member 11 and through which each needle is advanced upon one revolution of the dial member 11.

Each knitting needle 12 has either a long butt needlemoving jack 13a or a short needle-moving jack 13b associated therewith. The long and short butt needlemoving jacks are associated with alternate needles positioned around the dial 11.

Each alternate knitting needle 12 having a long butt needle-moving jack 13a associated therewith has a fulcrum portion 15 at the base thereof and which carries or engages in a central portion 16 of the long butt needlemoving jack 13a. The portion 16 of the long butt needlemoving jack 13a is pivotally connected or carried by the fulcrum 15 so as to provide for pivoting movement of the long butt needle-moving jack 13a relative to the fulcrum 15. The opposite ends of the long butt needlemoving jack 13a have ntedle-moving butts 20, 21, respectively, thereon. The butts 20, 21 function in a manner to be described hereinbelow to effect movement of the needle 12 as the needle moves with the dial through the various knitting stations. Each long butt needle jack also has a recess 23 in the forward portion thereof and a recess 24 in the rear portion thereof adjacent the butts 20, 21, respectively, for a purpose to be described hereinbelow.

Each short butt needle-moving jack 13b is similar in construction to the long butt needle-moving jack 13a. Each short butt needle-moving jack 13b includes a central portion 26 which is associated with the fulcrum 15 on each needle 12 so as to provide for pivoting movement of the short butt needle-moving jack 13b relative thereto. The opposite ends of the short butt needle-moving jack 13b include butts 30, 31, respectively, which are positioned in alignment with the butts 20, 21 on the short butt needle-moving jacks. The butts 30, 31 enter the same cam tracks which the butts 20, 21, respectively, enter a the various knitting stations, depending upon the position of the needle-moving jacks, Each short butt needle-moving jack also includes a pair of recesses 33,

l 34 in the opposite portions thereof for a purpose to be described hereinbelow.

The movement of the needles 12 as they are advanced through the various knitting stations is effected by cams which are located at each station. At each station, there is a cam mechanism which defines a knitting cam track and a welting cam track. The butts 20, 21 of the long butt needle-moving jacks 13a enter into one of the cam tracks, respectively, so as to cause the knitting needle 12 associated with the long butt jacks 13a to either effect a knitting or welting as the needle traverses through that particular station. Likewise, the short butt needle-moving jacks 13b control the operation of the alternate needles with which they are associated due to the fact that butts 30, 31 thereon are received in either the knitting or welting cam track, respectively, as the needles advance through each knitting station.

Two successive knitting stations 39, 40 are illustrated schematically in FIG. 1. Each knitting station 39, 40 includes a cam means which defines a knitting cam track thereat and a welting cam track thereat. As shown schematically in FIG. 1, when the butts 21 or 31 of the long and short butt needle-moving jacks 13a, 13b, respectively, are received in a welting cam track 42 at the knitting station 39, the needles associated with those needle-moving jacks are moved to a welting position. This, of course, will occur when the needle-moving jacks 13a, 13b, respectively, are pivoted in a position where the butts 21, 31, respectively, thereon will be received in the welding cam track 42. Moreover, in the event that the needle-moving jacks 13a, 13b are pivoted so that the butts 20, 30, respectively, thereon will be received in a knitting cam track 41 as they traverse through the knitting station 39, the needles associated therewith will knit.

The cams at station 40 are located similarly to those at station 39. The cams located at station 40 define a knitting cam track 51 and a welting cam track 52. The knitting cam track 51 is positioned in alignment with the knitting cam track 41 in station 39. The welting cam track 52 is aligned with the cam track 42 in the station 39. Each station also includes a cam track 55 through which portion 16 of the needle-moving jacks 13a, 13]) move. The arrangement of cams shown in stations 39, 40 is an exemplary schematic illustration and it should be understood that the cams may be positioned at each station differently so that each needle is controlled at that station by the positioning of the cams as desired.

A suitable electromagnetic selector mechanism is located at the beginning of each station. Only the selector mechanism at the beginning of station 39, however, is illustrated herein and will be described hereinbelowv It should be understood that the selector mechanisms at the other stations are similar to that at station 39.

The electromagnetic selector mechanism at station 39 is generally designated 60 and illustrated in FIG. 2. The selector mechanism is operable to pivot the needle-moving jacks 13a, 13b relative to their associated needles and thereby control the positioning of the butts 20, 21 and 30, 31 and thereby control which of the cam tracks 41, 42 they enter. The selector mechanism 60 includes a mechanism 60a for operating on the long butt needle-moving jacks 13a to effect pivoting thereof, and a mechanism 60b for operating on the short butt needle-moving jacks 13b to effect pivoting thereof. As noted above, the selector mechanisms 60a, 6012 are located at the entry of station '39.

The mechanisms 60a, 601) are supported in a position above the dial member 11 by a support member 61 which supports the cams which define the cam tracks which receive the butts 20, 21 and 30, 31.

As noted above, each jack 13b is pivotal relative to the needle 12 with which it is associated about the fulcrum 15. If the needle-moving jack 13b is pivoted in one direction about the fulcrum 15, the butt 31 is moved into the position shown in FIG. 2 so as to be located in the cam track 42 at station 39, and if the needle-moving jack 13b is pivoted in the reverse direction, the butt 30 thereon is pivoted so as to be located in the cam track 41 at station 39. The mechanism 60b effects this pivoting movement of the short butt needle-moving jack 13b.

The mechanism 6012 includes a pair of vertical slider members, designated 63, 64. The vertical slider members 63, 64 have bottom edge surfaces which comprise cam surfaces which engage surfaces 65, 66, respectively, on the needle-moving jack 13]) as the needle-moving jack 13b traverses around the dial. As shown in FIG. 2, the vertical slider 63 is located in a lower position than the slider 64. As a result, the slider 63 will engage the surface 65 of the needle-moving jacks 13b and will cause a pivoting of the jacks 13b in a counterclockwise direction about the fulcrum 15 so as to position the butts 31 in the cam track 42 and remove the butt so that it will not be engaged in the cam track 41. The slider 64 being in an upper position relative to the slider 63, does not interfere with this counterclockwise movement of the needle-moving jack 13b.

The vertical sliders 63, 64 are positioned for vertical sliding movement relative to the support 61 and are associated at their upper ends with a horizontally movable slider 70. The vertical sliders 63, 64 have openings 63a, 64a, respectively, therein through which the slider 70 extends. The slider 70 has a surface portion 71 thereof in engagement with the surface defining the opening 63a in the slider 63 and a portion 72 in engagement with the surface defining opening 64a in the slider 64. In the event that the slider 70 is moved to the right, as shown in FIG. 3, the surface 71a of the slider will move into the opening 63a in the slider 63 and result in a vertical shifting of the slider 63 in an upward direction. The surface 72a of the slider 70 will engage the opening in the slider 64 and cause the slider 64 to move downwardly. As a result, the sliders 63, 64 will be changed in position from that shown in FIG. 2 to the position shown in FIG. 3. In order to return the sliders 63, 64 to the position shown in FIG. 2, movement of the slider 70 to the left from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the position shown in FIG. 2 will effect this movement. Upon such movement of the slider 70 to the left, a tapered surface portion 71b of the slider will engage the surface defining the opening 63a in the slider 63 and cause the slider 63 to be forced downwardly, as shown in FIG. 3. The surface 721) on the slider 70 will engage the surface defining the opening 64a in the slider 64 and cause a raising of the slider 64 vertically to the position shown in FIG. 2 from the position shown in FIG. 3. Accordingly, it should be apparent that horizontal sliding movement of the slider 70 will effect a movement or a positioning of the sliders 63, 64 in either the position illustrated in FIG. 2 or the position illustrated in FIG. 3.

The slider 70 is moved in a horizontal direction between the positions shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 by any suitable,

mechanism and in the preferred embodiment a suitable electromagnetic mechanism 90 is associated with the slider 70 in order to effect this horizontal movement of the slider 70. The electromagnetic mechanism 90 includes a control rod member 91 which is pivoted at its upper end and at its lower end is received in a slot or groove 92 in the slider member 70. The rod member 91 may be pivoted in opposite directions as indicated by arrow 93, illustrated in FIG. 2. Upon pivoting movement of the member 91, the slider 70, of course, is moved therewith due to the fact that the lower end of the member 91 is received in the slot 92 in the slider member 70.

The member 91 is pivoted upon energization of an electrical coil 94 which encircles the member 91. The electrical coil '94 is supported interiorly between a pair of permanent magnets 95, 96. Permanent magnets 95, 96 are of opposite polarity, that is, the magnet 95 has its north pole located downwardly and its south pole located upwardly. Whereas, the magnet 96 is just the reverse, with the south pole located in the lower position and the north pole located upwardly. When current flows through the coil 94 in one direction, the member 92 will be attracted toward the north pole of the permanent magnet 95, whereas, when current is flowed through the coil 94 in the reverse direction, the member 91 is attracted to the south pole of the permanent magnet 96. In this manner, the member 91 can be pivoted between its positions illustrated in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, and when so pivoted, the horizontal slider 70 is positioned in one of its two positions. It should be apparent from the above that the vertical sliders 63, 64 are located and moved between the positions illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 and the position of the butts 30, 31 are controlled thereby.

The positioning of the needle-moving jacks 13a so that the butts 20, 21 thereon engage in a desired cam track at station 39 is controlled by the mechanism 60a which is very similar to the mechanism 60b described hereinabove in connection with the control of the jacks 13b. The mechanism 60a which controls the positioning of the jacks 13a is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 and will not be described herein in detail in view of the similarity in structure to that described above in connection with FIGS. 2 and 3. It should be clear, however, that the mechanism 60a which operates to effect the positioning of the jacks 13a includes a pair of vertical sliders 120, 12 1 which cooperate with a horizontal slider 122, in the same manner as the vertical sliders 63, 64 cooperate with the horizontal slider 70. The slider 122 is moved between its positions illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 by a control rod member 124 which is associated therewith and which is pivoted to effect the sliding movement of the slider 122 in a manner similar to that described above in connection with the slider 70.

As illustrated in the drawings and noted above, the mechanisms 60a, 6% are located immediately in advance of the knitting station 39. Accordingly, as each long butt needle-moving jack 13a moves into the station 39, the sliders 120, 121 will effect the positioning of the needle-moving jacks 11301, as described hereinabove. Likewise, as each short butt needle-moving jack 13b enters the station 39, the sliders 63, 64 will operate to position each short butt needle-moving jack 13b as described hereinabove. The needle-moving jacks 13a, 13b will remain in position through station 39. The friction in the pivot connection 15, coupled with the friction between the sides of the jacks and the dial parts defining the slots in which the jacks are located (as is known), maintains the jacks 13a, 13b in the position to which they are moved. At the entry of the next successive station 40, the jacks 13a, 13b encounter another selector mechanism. The position of the jacks may be changed thereby or the jacks may remain in the same position that they had in station 39. In any event, the position of the jacks 13a, 13b may be controlled by the selector mechanism at station 40 to control needle operation at station 40. In a like manner, the needle operation at each station may be controlled.

The lower ends of the vertical sliders 120, 121 are positioned during rotation of the dial so as to be aligned with the slots 33, 34 in the short butt needle-moving jacks 13b and, thus, do not affect or engage the short butt needle-moving jacks 13b. Likewise, the vertical sliders 63, 64 are aligned with the slots 23, 24 in the long butt needle-moving jacks and, thus, the sliders 63, 64 do not engage or in any way affect the position of the long butt needle-moving jacks 13a (see FIG. 1).

The present construction, as described hereinabove, provides for the selection and control of each dial needle at each station. The advantage of this construction can best be appreciated from reference to FIG. 6 which, by way of example, pertains to the knitting of a four-color Jacquard fabric and the reverse side of the fabric is twilled. The dial mechanism operates to twill the reverse side, as noted above, and in order to provide a twilled reverse side on a Jacquard fabric, eight knitting stations are necessary for providing a repeat of a pattern.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, the long and short butt needles as they move through successive stations will either knit or welt. For example, in the first, fourth, sixth and seventh station, all needles having long butt jacks 13a will welt and in the second, third, fifth and eighth stations, all needles having long butt needle-moving jacks will knit. This is indicated by a blank or a K, respec tively, in FIG. 6. The needles having short butt jacks 13b will knit in station 1, 4, 6 and 7 and will welt in stations 2, 3, 5 and 8. The short butt needles will knit in those stations where the long butt needles do not knit and will welt in those stations where the long butt needles knit. Accordingly, the cams are arranged so that in a given repeat, namely, in a given succession of the first eight feeder stations, the needles associated with the short butt needle jacks will knit in stations 1, 4, 6 and 7, and the needles associated with the long butt jacks will knit in stations 2, 3, 5 and 8 for each successive set of eight stations. The pattern repeats are illustrated in FIG. 6 by brackets. It should be apparent from FIG. 6 that during the first revolution of the dial, the repeat of eight successive stations is effected four and one-half times.

During the second revolution, it is necessary for each knitting needle which knitted at a given station in the first revolution to not knit at that station in the second revolution, and each knitting needle which did not knit at a given station in the first revolution to knit at that station during the second revolution. For example, as illustrated with respect to station 1 in FIG. 6, the long butt needles at station 1 in the first revolution do not knit. At station 1 in the second revolution, they do knit. And this follows through for each station of the thirtysix stations in the second revolution. As a result, repeating of the pattern continues from the first revolution of the dial into the second revolution thereof. As a result, the last four stations of the first revolution and the fiist four stations of the second revolution of the dial comprise the fifth repeat of the pattern. The repeating of the pattern then continues in the second revolution for four additional repeats. As a result, nine repeats of the pattern can be effected during two revolutions of the dial and all thirty-six stations around the dial can be utilized as opposed to holding four of the stations in an inactive condition in order to provide the proper repeating or repetition of the pattern.

In accordance with the present invention, the control mechanisms 60a, 6011 which are associated with the long and short butt needle-moving jacks 13a, 13b, respectively, are effective under a suitable control to slide the sliders 70, 122 respectively, and effect movement of the vertical sliders so that all of the long and short needlemoving jacks 13a, 13b which traverse thereby are changed in position. As a result, every needle-moving jack may be controlled as it enters each station to thereby control the needle operation in each station. The selector mechanisms are controlled to effect such operation. it should be clear, therefore, that for different fabrics, the dial needles can be controlled as desired.

The description hereinabove refers to the needle-moving jacks 13a, 13b, respectively, as long and short butt needle-moving jacks. These terms have been given these jacks due to the fact that the actuating portions of the jacks, which are engaged by the sliders which effect pivoting of the jacks, are spaced differently on the alternate jacks. For example, the surfaces of the long butt needle-moving jack 1312 which comprise the actuating portions which are engageable by the sliders 63 and 64 are spaced apart, as shown in FIG. 3, a distance equal to the spacing between the sliders 63 and 64. This spacing is substantially greater or longer than the spacing between the actuating portions of the short butt needle moving jacks 13a, which portions are engaged by the sliders 120, 12], as shown in H0. 5. Accordingly, the

8 terms long and short butt needle-moving jacks have been given to the jacks 13b and 13a, respectively.

What is claimed is:

l. A dial mechanism for a knitting machine comprising a dial member rotatable through a plurality of knitting stations, knitting needles carried by said dial member, each of said knitting needles having needle-moving jacks associated therewith, certain of said needle-moving jacks being of one construction and certain of the other of said needle-moving jacks being of another construction, cam means located at each knitting station and defining a knitting cam track and a welting cam track, respectively, each of said needle-moving jacks having butts thereon adapted to be received in one of said cam tracks as the jacks move therethrough during one revolution of said dial, each of said needles either knitting or welting in each station during one revolution of the dial member, first selectively actuatable means located at at least one station for varying the position of all of said needle-moving jacks of said one construction relative to their associated needle as they pass thereby, and second selectively actuatable means located at at least one station for varying the position of all of said needle-moving jacks of said another construction relative to their associated needle as they pass thereby, said needle-moving jacks being pivotal relative to their associated needle and having a pair of butts thereon, said butts being engageable in said respective cam tracks to thereby control operation of the associated needle, said first and second selectively actuatable means for varying the position of said needle-moving jacks relative to their associated needle comprising means for effecting pivotal movement of each of said needle-moving jacks relative to their associated needle, each of said first and second means including a pair of slider members having a portion positionable in the path of movement of the respective needlemoving jacks of said one and another constructions in order to effect pivotal movement thereof as they move thereby, and each of said first and second means including a horizontally movable slider member which cooperates with each pair of said vertical sliders and effects vertical movement of said vertical sliders upon horizontal sliding movement thereof.

2. A dial mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said first and second means includes electromagnetic means for effecting a horizontal sliding movement of said horizontal sliders.

3. A dial mechanism for a knitting machine comprising a dial member rotatable through a plurality of knitting stations, knitting needles carried by said dial member, each of said knitting needles having a needle-moving jack pivotally associated therewith, certain of said needlemoving jacks being of one construction and certain of the other of said needle-moving jacks being of another construction, cam means at each station defining a knitting cam track and a welting cam track, respectively each of said needle-moving jacks having butts thereon adapted to be received in one of said cam tracks as the jacks move with said dial, each of said needle-moving jacks being pivotal to locate a butt thereon in said knitting or welting cam track, and means adjacent at least one of said stations and energizable to effect pivotal movement of all of the needle-moving jacks so as to control the positioning of the butts thereof in said cam tracks as they pass thereby, said means for varying the position of the needle-moving jacks comprising a mechanism for effecting pivotal movement of the needle-moving jacks of said one construction and a second mechanism for effecting pivotal movement of the needle-moving jacks of said another construction relative to their associated needles, each of said mechanisms including a pair of slider members having a portion positionable in the path of movement of the respective needle-moving jacks of said one and another constructions in order to effect pivotal movement thereof as they move thereby, and each of said mechanisms including a horizontally movable slider member which cooperates with each pair of said vertical sliders and effects vertical movement of said sliders upon horizontal sliding movement of said horizontal sliders.

4. A dial mechanism for a knitting machine comprising a dial member rotatable through a plurality of knitting stations, knitting needles carried by said dial member, each of said knitting needles having a needle-moving jack associated therewith, cam means at each knitting station defining a knitting cam track and a welting carn track, each needle-moving jack having a pair of ibutts thereon each of which is adapted to be received in one of said cam tracks, each of said needle-moving jacks being movable relative to its associated knitting needle between a knitting position and a welting position, and means for selectively moving said needle-moving jacks to position one butt thereon in one of said cam tracks, said last-recited means comprising a pair of vertically movable slider members relatively positionable in the path of movement of said needle-moving jacks and selectively operable to effect movement of said jacks between said knitting and welting positions upon movement thereof thereby, a horizontally movable slider cooperable with said pair of vertically movable slider members for effecting vertical movement of said sliders upon horizontal 10 sliding movement of said horizontal slider, and electromagnetic selector means actuatable to effect horizontal movement of said horizontally movable slider.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,472,287 10/1969 Ribler 66-75 UX 2,025,462 12/1935 Lombardi 66-50 2,025,463 12/1935 Lombardi 66-50 A 2,025,464 12/1935 Lombardi 66-50 3,262,285 7/1966 Beguin et a1. 66-50 3,499,300 3/1970 Zahradka 66-50 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,499,339 7/1966 France 66-50 1,546,919 10/1968 France 66-50 272,307 6/1927 Great Britain 66-50 461,016 2/1937 Great Britain 66-25 OTHER REFERENCES Knitted Outerwear Times, vol. 37, N0. 42, Oct. 7, 1968, pp. 56-60.

WILLIAM CARTER REYNOLDS, Primary Examiner

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