Textiles: knitting – Independent-needle machines – Circular
Reexamination Certificate
2003-02-06
2003-11-25
Worrell, Danny (Department: 3765)
Textiles: knitting
Independent-needle machines
Circular
C066S075200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06651464
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an actuator, which is used to select knitting members such as selectors and needles that are assembled in a knitting machine.
BACKGROUND ART
A large number of needles are arranged in a needle bed of knitting machines including flat knitting machines, and a pattern knitting, such as knitting of a jacquard pattern or a design pattern, is affected by using a needle selecting means, which is provided in a carriage reciprocating over the needle bed, to select and operate needles according to knitting data. As for a selector actuator, which is to be assembled into the needle selecting means, there are two types; one wherein a selector corresponding to a needle being required for knitting is selected by energizing a magnetic coil pole to attract and retain the selector, and the other one wherein a selector corresponding to a needle being required for knitting is selected by energizing a magnetic coil pole to release attraction of the selector. The former is called an exciting hold type electromagnet, and the latter is called an exciting release type electromagnet, and the present invention covers the needle selecting means of the latter.
FIG. 7
shows a longitudinal sectional side view of a needle bed and a carriage of a flat knitting machine using exciting release type electromagnets for a selector actuator.
FIG. 8
is a view of the above-mentioned selector actuator from the attraction site side.
FIG. 9
is a sectional view along the line ix—ix of FIG.
8
.
FIG. 10
is a sectional view along the line x—x of FIG.
8
.
Knitting members such as needles
102
, needle jacks
103
, select jacks
104
and selectors
105
are sidably loaded in a plurality of needle grooves provided in a needle bed
101
. The selector
105
is kept between metal strips
107
,
108
being inserted into the needle bed
101
and the select jack
104
and is inserted in the needle groove, and an elastic leg
109
of the selector
105
is compressed and a pole contact
113
of the selector
105
, which is to be attracted by the selector actuator
111
is constantly pressed upwards from the selector actuator
111
.
The selector actuator
111
is fixed to a bracket
122
, which is provided at the lower end of a cam plate
121
of the carriage
120
, by a flange
116
provided on a case
115
, and attraction sites
141
a,
141
b
of the selector actuator
111
are opposed to the pole contact
113
of the selector. When the carriage
120
reciprocates for knitting, a butt
125
of the selector
105
will be pushed into the needle groove by a selector return cam (not illustrated), which is provided on the cam plate
121
of the carriage
120
to oppose to the selector
105
, against the upward press by the elastic leg
109
of the selector
105
. As a result, the pole contact
113
is brought to a position wherein it is attracted and retained by the attraction sites
141
a,
141
b
of the selector actuator
111
. Under this condition, with shifting of the carriage
120
, the pole contact
113
will be brought to a needle selecting part. When a contact pole of a selector corresponding to a required needle comes onto the magnetic coil poles of the first needle selecting part or the second needle selecting part, the magnetic coil poles will be energized to cancel a magnetic flux of a permanent magnet to release the pole contact
113
from the attraction sites. As a result, the butt
125
of the selector will come out above the needle bed to engage with a raising cam (not illustrated) for succeeding selectors and advance, and in turn, the selector will push up the selector jack to an intermediate position or an advanced position. Both the first and second needle selecting parts are provided with a dedicated raising cam. A degree of pushup of a selector of one raising cam differs from that of the other raising cam. The first raising cam pushes up the select jack to the intermediate position, and the second raising cam pushes up the select jack to the advanced position that is ahead of the intermediate position. With this arrangement, three-way knitting of knit, tuck and miss can be done within one course.
To make needle selection for three-way knitting, the selector actuator
111
is provided, in the case
115
, with a first controlled attraction part
135
and a second controlled attraction part
136
, wherein both the controlled attraction parts have magnetic coil poles in their magnetic circuits, and with three non-controlled attraction parts
137
,
138
,
139
having no magnetic coil poles in their magnetic circuits. The above-mentioned attraction parts have two ranks of flat attraction sites
141
a
(
163
a,
146
a,
173
a,
156
a,
183
a
) and
141
b
(
163
b,
146
b,
173
b,
156
b,
183
b
) on the side opposing to the pole contacts of the selectors.
The controlled attraction parts
135
,
136
comprise permanent magnets
143
,
153
provided at the base of the case
115
, and magnetic coil poles
145
a,
145
b,
155
a,
155
b
sandwiching said permanent magnets in between them and having coils
144
a,
144
b,
154
a,
154
b.
The controlled attraction parts
135
,
136
has attraction sites
146
a,
146
b,
156
a,
156
b
(the first needle selecting part, the second needle selecting part) at the top ends of the magnetic coil poles. The non-controlled attraction parts
137
,
138
,
139
have permanent magnets
161
,
171
,
181
and side yokes
162
a,
162
b
and center yokes
172
a,
172
b
and side yokes
182
a,
182
b,
said yokes sandwiching the permanent magnet in between. The top ends of these yokes are provided with attraction sites
163
a,
163
b,
173
a,
173
b,
183
a,
183
b.
The respective attraction sites are magnetized by the permanent magnets provided for them. Of the two ranks of attraction sites, one rank is magnetized to be the north pole and the other rank is magnetized to be the south pole. Thin copper plates
190
are inserted between attraction sites of the attraction parts
135
through
139
to inhibit magnetic flux generated in the noncontrolled parts from leaking to the attraction sites of the adjacent controlled attraction parts, and in turn to allow the above-mentioned five attraction parts to form independent magnetic circuits.
140
a
and
140
b
denote protectors.
Needle selection of the conventional selector actuator
111
works as follows. The pole contact
113
of a selector is displaced against its press by a selector return cam provided on the carriage
120
to contact the attraction sites
141
a,
141
b
of the selector actuator
111
. In each of non-controlled attraction parts, magnetic flux flows from the attraction site of the yoke of the north pole side through the selector into the attraction site of the yoke of the south pole side to attract and retain the selector on the attraction sites. Under this condition, when the carriage
120
travels further and the pole contact
113
of the selector gets onto the attraction sites
146
a,
146
b
or
156
a,
156
b
of the first needle selection part or the second needle selection part, the magnetic coil poles will be energized to demagnetize them and release the selector from the attraction sites
146
a,
146
b
or
156
a,
156
b.
However, the magnetic flux quanta leaking from the respective attraction sites of the non-controlled attraction parts
137
through
139
vary with the numbers of selectors being attracted onto the respective attraction parts
163
a,
163
b,
173
a,
173
b,
183
a,
183
b.
The smaller are the numbers of selectors being attracted, the greater are the magnetic flux quanta leaking from the attraction sites
163
a,
163
b,
173
a,
173
b,
183
a,
183
b.
Some of the magnetic flux flows beyond the copper plates
190
into the attraction sites
146
a,
146
b,
156
a,
156
b
of the adjacent controlled attraction parts
135
,
136
. As a result, to release the selectors, a greater electric current, which is determined by taking the magnetic flux leakage into consideration, is required. Conversely, the larger are the numbers of the selectors attracted, th
Rothwell Figg Ernst & Manbeck P.C.
Shima Seiki Manufacturing Ltd.
Worrell Danny
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