US818908A - Thread-feeding device for circular-knitting machines. - Google Patents

Description

No. 818,908. PATENTED APR. 24, 1906.

B. I. O'NEILL & W. N. TAGGART.

THREAD FEEDING DEVICE FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED APR.29. 1904.

FIG. I

WITNESSES: INVENTORS:

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELLIS I. ONEILL AND IVILLIAM N. TAGGART, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

THREAD-FEEDING DEVICE FOR CIRCULAR-KNITTING MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 24, 1906.

Application filed april 29, 1904. Serial No. 205,502.

To a whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, ELLIS I. ONEILL and WILLIAM N. TAGGART, of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in T hread- Feeding Devices for Circular-Knitting Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Our invention relates to guiding and splicing mechanism by which the main thread may be continuously fed to the fabric and a supplemental or splicing thread may be intermittently fed, together with the main thread, and at certain times separated therefrom cleanly severed and withheld from said fab me.

As hereinafter described, our invention comprises a threadguiding frame provided with a channeled block through which both threads pass, said block being arranged to reciprocate to raise the splicing-thread into contact with the main thread when required, so as to be carried along therewith by frictional engagement; a pair of shear-blades arranged to open for the passage of said threads when the splicing-thread is being fed and ar ranged to close and shear said splicing-thread when it is to be withheld, and an oscillatory plate arranged to separate said threads slightly in advance of the shearing operation to hold the main thread up out of the path of p the shear-blades when the splicing-thread is being sheared.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a side elevation of a thread-guide and splicing device embodying our invention. Fig. II is a vertical sectional view taken on the line II II in Figs. I and III. Fig. III is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the splicing mechanism. Fig. IV is a vertical sectional view taken on the line IV IV in Fig. I. Fig. V is a perspective view of the oscillatory separating-plate.

In said fi ures, 1 is a standard suitably mounted in She bed-plate 20f a circularknitting machine adjacent to the knitting-cylinders. The thread-guiding frame 3, supported by said standard 1, extends radially to a position substantially central with respect to the knitting-cylinders and is provided at its end with the eye 4, through which the main thread 5 and splicing-thread 6 are fed to the threadguide on the knitting-machine, which may be of any ordinary construction and is not shown. Said frame 3 comprises horizontallyextending arms 7 7, (best shown in Fig. IL) which are provided with eyes 8 8, either of which may be used for the main thread 5, and intermediate of said eyes 8 8 is the eye 9 for the splicing-thread 6. The lug 10 on the frame 3 in front of said eye 9 is provided with thread-eyes 11 and 12, respectively, for the main thread 5 and the splicing-thread 6, centrally disposed one above the other, as best shown in Fig. III. Adjacent to the thread-eye 4 said frame 3 is provided with an upwardly-extending lug 14, to which is pivotally supported a thread-guiding tube 15, through which the thread passes to the takeup lever 17. Said lever 17 is pivoted intermediate of its length to the lug 18 on the frame 3 and is counterbalanced by the spiral spring 19, which extends from the upper end of said lever 17 to the collar 20, fixed on the standard 1.

The thread-guiding block interposed between the lug 10 and the lug 14, is provided with the longitudinal channel 23 (best shown in Figs. II and III) and is supported for vertical reciprocation by the plunger 25, which extends through the frame 3 and is pivoted at its lower end to the lever 26, which latter is fulcrumed intermediate of its length to the lug 27, depending from the frame 3. The other end of said lever 26 is provided with the slot 30, engaging the pin 32 on the collar 34, adjustably secured to the upper end of the reciprocatory sleeve 35 by theset-screw 36. Said sleeve 35 is mounted for vertical reciprocation in alined brackets 37 and 38, secured to the standard 1, as shown in Figs. II and IV.

The lower end of the sleeve 35 carries the projecting arm 41, provided at its free end with the pin 42, engaging the slot 43 in the outer end of the lever 45, said lever being fixed at its opposite end on the rock-shaft 50. Said rocl'-shaft 50 is journaled in the bracket 4.9 on the machine bed-plate 2 and may be oscillated manually by the lever 51 or auto matically by any part of the knitting-machine capable of imparting suitable movement.

The thread-guiding channel-block 22 has the thread eye 24 extending obliquely through its bottom wall from the channel 23, and directly beneath said eye 24 the frame 3 bin, -Therefore weprovide a take-up lever 54, fulcrumedat 55 on the lug 27, as shown in F-jig; II-Iy-and having its slot 56 engaging thepin 57 ,extending from the plunger 25," so that the downward movement of saidvplunger at the "end of each splicing operation clamps thethread '6'upon the pad 21' andsimultane-t puslynpliftsthe'opposite end of'sai'd lever; 54,-which draws the'thread 6inits eye'58:

- aboveastraight line between the thread-eye.-

Q 'and the thread-guidebarGO, under which latter the thread comers fromits bobbin, and thereby takes fup enough of said splicingthfeadg6 fromits bobbin to freely engage the, mainthread 5 whenthe lever54'retu'rns to; its lower position.

-Asb' estshowniii-Fig. II, the two shear-i jbladesfit-are mounted on the pivot 65 at the go forward end of-th'e block-22, so as to embrace the threadf 6 extending throu ghthe channe 23 in said block, and are provided with the -arms;-66, projecting belowthe overhanging end-s 67- of theeplates 70, which latter are sta' 5 --tio1rary' on opposite sides of the frame 3, so aste Qp'en'saidshears when the block 2'2 rises. -Said"shears -are"closed-whenthe block 22 descends by' engag'ement oftheir arms-66 with the ridges-71 onthe frame 3, which latter is 4orecessedat '72gas; shown in Figs. II and III, to receive the end of the block 22, carrying said -1=ihears. p r M As- -it isdesired-to-sever only the splicing- -thIread-6at -predeterminedintervals, it is nee 5-essary to -then separate it fromthe main thread 5 and; for this purpose "we provide a the arm'731, which-is 'conveninentl mounted :to "fioscillatepn the stud 7'4, carried-by the block 22, and has the notched plate76at its 5 o free end extending transversely between the threads ;5 and 6. Said- 11173 oscillates from thep o siti'onshown in-Fi g l, where the thread ---noteh- 7-7in said plate '76-is lowermost, andthe ti1reads5and6gare separatedto the: position 55-shown inEigjIII, where the plate 76 is in the rear of the-block; 2 2 In thelastnamed posi- -ti o i ,-the gno-teh 7 Zbeing -uppermost and the .;bloek -22 raised, i the l main 7 thread 5 passes thringh saidnotchend along the-bottom of 60 the channel 23 in engagement with the splicing=thread 6 and both it pass forward as one thread' betweenthe open shears 64 into the i i abrie. issue threadseparating plate 7 6 is 3alternatelyoscillatedfromend' to end of'the 6 5 block 22 by geafing comprising the pinion 8'0,

able that it maybe initially free from the; ;-u sual resistance of unwinding fromits bob-- secured to the arm 73 and the sector 81, engaged therewith and mounted for oscillation onthe pivot 82in the block 22. Said sector 81 is'provided with the crank-stud83, engaging the slot 84 in the forward end of the arm 85, which latter-is supported and raised and lowered by the rod 86. Said rod 86 is mounted to reciprocate in the sleeve '35, before described, and is provided near its lower end with the pin 87, extending through the slot 88 in said sleeve, as shown in Fig. IV. Said sleeve incloses the coiled spring 89,, which tends to uplift the rod 86, but is normallyrestrained by the detent hook 90, pivoted to the'bed-plate 2 and normally engaged with saidpin '87 under pressure of'the spring 91.

(Shown in Fig.1) 2

The operation of our device is asfollows: The parts are normally in the relation illustrated in Fig. I, wherein the main thread 5 is being continually fed'from it's'bobbin under the thread-guiding arm 60, through'the eyes '8 and 11 to the channel block 22, over the separating-plate 76, through'the tube15 and eye '4: to the ordinary thread-guide'on'the "knitting-cylinder, and the splicing-thread 6 i extends from its bobbin under the thread-' guiding arm 60, through the threa'd-eyes58, 9, 12, and 24 and thechannel '23, and is clamped between the bottom of the'blo'ck 22 and the pad 2 1. "When it is desired to reinforce the fabricas, for instance, in'knitting the heel and toe pockets of a stockingthe shaft A is rocked, and by the lever 45 and arm 41 the sleeve 35 is depressed and byrocking the lever 26 uplifts the plunger 25 and channel- 'block 22 until the splicing th'readj 6, lying with 'thesecto'r 81, and swings the 'e'nd 'of'the take-uplever 54 down, so'as to'bring its thread-eye 58 m alinement with the-guidebar60 and eye "9"to 'slacken the "splicing- .thread :6, so thatit maybefreely carried along with the main thread -5. When it is desired to terminate feeding thesplicingthread 6, the detent-hook is, pressed back to release the pin 87 and permit the-spring 89 to uplift the rod 86 the sleeve '35. The

upward movement of said'r'od 8'6 with its arm 85 oscillates the sector '81, and thepinion' 80 meshes therewith, which os'c'illates'the separatingeplate 76 from the rear tothe'front of the channelblock 22while saidblo'ck is still raised, and thereby se 'arates' the t'hrea'ds 5 -and.6. Said plate 76' eing'theni n'thefpositi on shown in Fig. V, the main threads passes over the straightupper edgethereofiwhfle the 'block 22 by the engagement of thepinion 80 splicing-thread 6 passes through the inverted notch 77. Thereupon the shaft 50 being again rocked to uplift the sleeve 35, the lever 26 is thereby rocked to lower the block 22 with its plunger 25 to close the shear-blades 64, and thus cleanly sever the splicing-thread 6, passing therethrough. Contemporane ously said splicing-thread 6 is clamped be tween the block 22 and the pad 21, and the take-up lever 54 is raised to the position shown in Fig. I, so that the device is again arranged for knitting the main thread 5 alone.

WVe do not desire to limit ourselves to the precise details of construction and arrange ment herein shown, as it is obvious that vari ous modifications may be made therein without departing from the essential features of our invention.

l/Ve claim 1. In a thread-feeding device, the combination with a frame; of a thread-carrying channel-block, mounted to move on said frame; a pair of shear-blades carried by said block; and, means arranged to open and close said blades in definite relation with the movement of said block, substantially as set forth.

2. In a thread-feeding device, the combination with a frame; of a thread-carrying channel-block mounted to reciprocate on said frame; a pair of shear-blades mounted on said block and arranged to open and close in accordance with the movement of said block; thread-separating member mounted on said block; and, means arranged to actuate said member, substantially as set forth.

3. In a thread-feeding device, the combination with a frame; of a thread-carrying block mounted to reciprocate on said frame; a pair of shear-blades mounted on said block and arranged to open and close in accordance with the movement of said block; a threadseparating member mounted to oscillate on said block; and, means arranged to oscillate said member from end to end of said block, substantially as set forth.

4. In a thread-feeding device, the combination with a frame; of a tluead-carrying channel-block mounted to reciprocate on said frame; a pair of shearblades mounted on said block and arranged to open and close in accordance with the movement of said block; a thread-separating member mounted to oscillate on said block; a pinion secured to said member at its axis; a sector pivoted to said block, in mesh with said pinion; and, means to oscillate said sector, substantially as set forth.

5. In a thread-feeding device, the combination with a frame; of a thread-carrying channel-block mounted to reciprocate on said frame; a pair of shear-blades mounted on said block and arranged to open and close in accordance with the movement of said block; a tln'ead-separating member mounted to oscillate on said block; a pinion secured to said member at its axis; a sector pivoted to said block, in mesh with said pinion; a reciprocatory rod arranged to oscillate said sector a pin on said rod; and, a detent arranged to engage said pin, substantially as set forth.

6. In a thread-feeding device, the combination with a frame; of a threadearrying channel-block mounted to reciprocate on said frame; a pair of shear-blades mounted on said block and arranged to open and close in accordance with the movement of said block; a thread-separating member mounted to oscillate on said block; a pinion secured to said member at its axis; a sector pivoted to said block, in mesh with said pinion; a reciprocatory rod arranged to oscillate said sector; a detent arranged to normally engage said rod; and, a spring arranged to shift said rod and thereby oscillate said separating member when said detent is released, substantially as set forth.

7. In a threzul-changing device, the combination with a frame; of a threzul-carrying block mounted to reciprocate on said frame; a pair of shear-blades mounted on said block and arranged to open and close in accordance with the movement of said block; a threadseparating member; means to operate said member; and, a thrcad-take-in) device ar ranged to operate in definite relation with the movement of said block, substantially as set forth.

8. In a thread-feeding device, arranged to continuously feed a main thread and to intermittently feed a splicing-thread along with said main thread; the combination with a frame; of a reci n'ocatory thread-carrying channel-block mounted in said frame, arranged to effectthe clamping of said splicingthread between said block and said frame; a thread-separating member arranged to separate said main thread from said splicingthread; a pair of shear-blades arranged to shear said splicing-thread; and, a threadtake-up lever arranged to move in accordance with the movement of said channel block, substantially as set forth.

9. In a thread-feeding device, arranged to continuously feed a main thread and to intermittently feed a splicing-thread along with said main thread; the combination with a frame; of a channel-block arranged to move in said frame; a thread-separating member arranged to separate said main thread from said splicing-thread; means arranged to actuate said separating member independently of the movement of said block; means arranged to shear said splicing-thread; and, means arranged to intermittently take up said splicing-thread between said channe block and the source of said thread, substantially as set forth.

10. In a threzu'l-feeding device, arranged to continuously feed a main thread and to intermittently feeda splicing-thread along vwith said ,main thread; the combination with a frame; of a reciprocatory threadguiding block mounted in said frame; a thread-separating member arranged to oscillate and separate said main thread'from said splicingthread; means arranged to actuate sald separating member independently of. the movement of said block; a pair of shear blades arranged to sever said splicing-thread; and, means arranged to reciprocate said block and thereby clamp said splicing-thread and simultaneously take up said -splicingthread, between its clamped portion and its source, substantially as set forth.

1 1. In a thread-feeding device, arranged to continuously feed a main thread and to intermittently feed a splicing-thread along with said main thread; the combination Witha frame; of a reciprocatory channel-block; a pair of shear-blades arranged to sever said splicing-thread in accordance with the move- 'ment of said channel-block; a thread-separating member arranged to oscillate; means arranged. to. oscillate said member independently of the movement of said channel-block and, a thread-take-up lever arranged to oscillate in accordance with the movement of said channel-block, substantially as set forth.

- v12. In a thread-feeding device, :thacombination with avframe; of a thread-carrying channel-block mounted to reciprocate -on said'frame; a lever attached to said;frame;- ;a sleeve attached to said lever ;;a-rockshaft having a lever-arm arrangedwto reciprocate said sleeve; a pair of-shear-bladespivoted to said block and arrangedto QPGILSJIIdTGIOSQTIIL accordance With the movement-of said block a thread-take-up lever pivoted to saidframe; a thread-separating plate pivoted on: and-arranged tooscillate from end toendof said block; a pinion secured tosaid separating plate at its axis; a sector pivoted to said block, in mesh with saidpinion ;.a rod mounte ed to slide Within said sleeve and arranged'to oscillate said sector; .a spring tending to shift said rod; a pin extending from said rod; and, a detent arranged to engage saidpin'against the pressure of said spring, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we havehereunto signed our names, at Philadelphia,;Pennsylvania, this 26th day of April, 1904.

ELLIS .I. ONEILL. WILLIAM N. TAGGART. Witnesses:

JAMES BELL, ANNA F. GETZFREAD.

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