Textiles: knitting – Independent-needle machines – Circular
Patent
1990-08-24
1993-05-04
Crowder, Clifford D.
Textiles: knitting
Independent-needle machines
Circular
D04B 2502
Patent
active
052070794
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The prevent invention relates to apparatus for producing tubular fabrics consisting of a number of separate chain stitches connected by an inlaid thread typically, elastic or similar yarn. In particular, the invention relates to a high speed yarn knitting apparatus for knitting netting for covering food products, and in particular meat.
High speed yarn knitting apparatus should satisfy a number of desirable criteria in addition to being reliable, fast and relatively inexpensive. It should permit the fabric to be continuously knitted and should require a minimal amount of space and be relatively lightweight. The supplies of yarn should be readily changed or added to without interrupting the operation of the machine and a counterweight should not be required to avoid imbalance at high speed. The high speed knitting apparatus should have yarn positioning apparatus which uses a minimal number of moving parts and wear and tear of knitting elements and yarn should also be minimised. Higher tensions of yarn should be obtainable so that knitting speeds can be increased. The apparatus should also minimise the splitting of yarn and the dropping of stitches.
Prior art knitting machines are of two general types. The first type consists of a machine which can make several rolls at a single time using a reciprocal movement. However, this machine is large and the reciprocal movement is very slow, thus limiting the amount of rolls of knitted fabric which can be produced in a certain time. The second type of machine uses a circular movement, however, this produces only a single roll at a time and the size of the yarn package limits the amount of continuous netting which can be made without stopping. The yarn package is mounted to rotate with the cambox which means that the speed of rotation and hence knitting is limited. Also, when the weft package is empty the machine must be stopped, reset and retensioned before it can then operate. This takes time and the overall speed of the machine is relatively slow. In addition, because the package rotates, a counterweight is required for balance, which is heavy, and also requires space within the machine which results in the overall machine taking up a relatively large area.
Existing circular knitting machines which are also designed to make a chain stitch structure use one of two generally accepted methods of supplying yarn to the needles of the knitting head. One method uses rotating or reciprocating guides which wrap the yarn around the needles. The elastic or other weft yarn is fed from the outside and is laid between the needles from the outside. This requires the weft yarn package to rotate with the cam box. In another method, stationary guides are present and rely on being struck by the needles so as to deflect the needles behind the yarn. The yarn is then caught by the open hook of the needle as the needle descends. Again, the weft yarn package revolves with the cam box.
These existing methods have a number of problems. The former method uses reciprocating guides requiring a machine which is relatively complicated and uses a considerable number of moving parts. In the second method, as the needles strike the guides there is considerable wear and tear on both the needles and the guides. This can cause splitting of the yarn and dropping of stitches as well as broken knitting elements.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved knitting apparatus and yarn tensioning apparatus which obviates or mitigates the aforesaid disadvantages. This is achieved by providing a high speed knitting apparatus in which the elastic thread packages are mounted in a stationary position away from the knitting head and the yarn is fed from the exterior to the inside of each knitting head. Yarn is laid down outside each needle as the needle rises but falls behind the needle as the stitch is made allowing a stationary package. This results in reducing the revolving mass and the space necessary to accommodate the revolving mass. Furthermore, since the weft package is stationary, the c
REFERENCES:
patent: 2171445 (1939-08-01), Getaz
patent: 3182471 (1965-05-01), Fried
patent: 3513668 (1970-05-01), Mintz
patent: 3593024 (1971-07-01), Levin
patent: 4099389 (1978-07-01), Herbein
Calvert John J.
Crowder Clifford D.
Scobie & Junor Ltd.
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