Textiles: knitting – Fabric manipulation – Take-ups
Patent
1999-10-29
2000-12-05
Worrell, Danny
Textiles: knitting
Fabric manipulation
Take-ups
D04B 1588
Patent
active
061550825
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to a flatbed knitting machine including a fabric take-off device and a take-off comb.
Flatbed knitting machines of this type are known for example from Flat Knitting, F. Raz, 1991, Bamberg, especially at pages 143 and 144, and also from DE 20 05 321 A1 or DE 19 09 713 A1. In the past, take-off combs have been used in order to increase productivity and prevent loss of yarn. When the end of the fabric being knitted is reached and the take-off device is open, the take-off combs are moved upwardly in a direction opposite to that in which the fabric will be drawn off in order to allow knitting of the first part of a new, wider or narrower fabric to be immediately started independently of the width of the preceding fabric. The transition regions required for decreasing or increasing the number of stitches between the individual fabrics and thus the time required and the amount of yarn used can thereby be reduced. However, the previously knitted fabric is still in the machine during the upward movement of the take-off comb into its knitting position. As a result, the previously knitted fabric frequently gets caught up and becomes entangled in the take-off comb during its upward movement thus producing defects in the fabric and/or causing the machine to stop.
Another design of take-off comb arrangement is known from DE-A-40 03 667 wherein hook receiving projections are provided in the same manner as in the other known devices for casting off the fabric from the hooks. However, this device too does not prevent the fabric from getting caught up or becoming entangled in the take-off comb during its upward movement.
Consequently, the object of the invention is to produce a flatbed knitting machine in which functional defects and defects in the fabric are prevented even when using a take-off comb.
In accordance with the invention, the object posed above is achieved through the provision of a take-off comb covering device which is controllably moveable relative to the take-off comb (1) and the ejecting element (5) and which covers the comb hooks of the take-off comb during at least one part of the rising motion of the take-off comb. Due to the comb hooks of the take-off comb being covered during its upward motion, it is thereby ensured that the previously knitted fabric, which is still in the knitting machine, will be prevented from getting caught up on the comb hooks so that functional defects in the machine and defects in the fabric will not occur even when using a take-off comb.
By virtue of the flatbed knitting machine in accordance with the invention, it is also possible for example to draw off additional knitted items provided on a fabric such as pockets for example, or to draw off items that were knitted in parallel with the main fabric because, due to its being covered by the take-off comb covering device, the take-off comb can be moved upwardly even in the presence of a main fabric which is being pulled off by a fabric take-off device and can be used to draw off the additional item such as a pocket for example. Thus, due to the take-off comb covering device, the take-off comb will thereby be prevented from hooking onto the main fabric even in cases like this.
In accordance with one advantageous embodiment of the invention, the take-off comb covering device is resilient and snaps over the comb hooks when the take-off comb is covered. As a result of this feature, the comb hooks are also securely and reliably covered during that period when the comb hooks ought to be covered in the course of the upward movement of the take-off comb and, in respect to the fabric hanging in the machine, there are no exposed comb hooks or elements on which the fabric can get caught up. For this same purpose in particular, the take-off comb covering device comprises a cover plate having the desired resilience.
A very advantageous embodiment of the invention is one in which the take-off comb covering device and the take-off comb are moveable relative to one another in the take-off direction. It is thereby easily p
REFERENCES:
patent: 3618343 (1971-11-01), Essig
patent: 4488416 (1984-12-01), Shima et al.
patent: 5040384 (1991-08-01), Shima
patent: 5241841 (1993-09-01), Schmid et al.
patent: 5899094 (1999-05-01), Ikoma
Bich Armin
Schimko Reinhold
Shima Seiki Manufacturing Limited
Worrell Danny
LandOfFree
Flatbed knitting machine does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Flatbed knitting machine, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Flatbed knitting machine will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-950211