WO2010035164A1

WO2010035164A1 - Circular knitting and hosiery machine

Info

Publication number: WO2010035164A1
Application number: PCT/IB2009/053958
Authority: WO
Inventors: Guerrino Rumi
Original assignee: Rumi S.R.L.
Priority date: 2008-09-29
Filing date: 2009-09-10
Publication date: 2010-04-01
Also published as: CN102203335B; EP2337885A1; IT1391070B1; CN102203335A; ITBS20080176A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a circular knitwear and hosiery machine, comprising means for producing on the same row of stitches, alternate terry and crochet stitches, or alternate crochet stitch with conventional holes and broadened holes. The invention also relates to an item of knitwear or hosiery having the aforesaid stitches.

Description

KAINISL. KULt . ■ .

1

"Circular knitting and hosiery machine"

DESCRIPTION

[0001] The present invention relates to the sector of circular knitting and hosiery machines and refers in particular to a circular machine for making socks and tights .

[0002] As is known circular knitting and hosiery machines exist which are able to produce terry knit socks. Gircular knitting and hosiery machines are also known which are able to produce transfer knit socks, with transfer stitch designs.

[0003] Machines designed to produce terry knit are not able to perform transfer knit. At most, by interrupting production of the sock or tights and altering the structure of the machine one may obtain, in the same item tubular portions of terry knit and transfer stitch tubular portions. Clearly, this solution is technically and economically unprofitable so that in practice articles of this type are not produced. [0004] In any case, circular machines able to make, on the same round stitch, terry stitch and transfer stitches do not exist. Consequently, up to today hosiery items with terry parts alternating with transfer stitch parts on the same tubular portion, in other words along the circumference of the item, do not exist. [0005] The need to produce such article is however deeply felt; think, for example of the sports socks sector: on the one hand, for example on the heel and in certain areas of the sole, the foot needs to be protected from the mechanical stress it is subjected to and a certain degree of comfort must be provided in the fit; on the other, for example on the top of the foot, the skin needs to breathe as freely as possible. [0006] Currently, attempts to satisfy such objectives involve simulating a transfer stitch by interweaving a very thin yarn (main yarn) and a thicker yarn so as to give the impression of having made holes of a certain size in the knit. In actual fact, observing the item from close up one can clearly see that each hole is traversed by a fine yarn and that therefore it is not a real transfer stitch but a stitch made by the process known as "floated stitching".

[0007] The purpose of the present invention rather is to propose a circular knitting and hosiery machine making it possible to obtain a terry stitch and a transfer stitch on the same round stitch.

[0008] Such purposes are achieved by a circular machine according to claim 1 and a hosiery or knitwear item according to claim 15. [0009] The characteristics and advantages of the machine according to the present invention will be more clearly comprehensible from the description below, made by way of example and not limited to such, of some of its preferred embodiments with reference to the attached figures wherein:

[0010] figure 1 shows a view of the entire circular machine according to the invention;

[0011] figure 2 shows an enlargement of the machine at the top of the cylinder; [0012] figure 3 shows a plan view of the machine at the top of the cylinder;

[0013] figure 4 shows a plan view of the machine at the yarn feed area;

[0014] figure 5 shows the detail- of a needle and respective punch;

[0015] figure 6 shows the detail of a sinker and relative selector actuator;

[0016] figure 7 shows two yarn-fingers and a sinker selected to form a terry stitch; [0017] figure 8 shows two yarn-fingers and a sinker selected to form a transfer stitch with a bigger hole;

[0018] figures 9a-9d schematically represent the same number of transport phases of a stitch between two adjacent needles; [0019] figures 10 and 11 show two examples of portions of a sock according to the invention; and

[0020] figure 12 shows a portion of tights according to the invention.

[0021] With reference to the attached figures, reference numeral 1 globally denotes a circular knitting and hosiery machine according to the invention. For greater clarity some parts relative to the structure of the machine have been omitted in figure 1. [0022] The machine 1 comprises a cylinder 10, on the external surface or mantle of which a number of longitudinal grooves are made for the needles 12 to slide along. According to one embodiment, the needles 12 are thrust upwards by jacks 16, or selectors, if necessary with intermediate elements 17 interposed. [0023] The needles 12 are provided at the top with a hook 13 and relative tab 13' and, considerably below these, of stitch retaining means. For example, said stitch retaining means comprise a shoulder or crest 14 extending essentially horizontally. Advantageously, immediately below such shoulder 14, each needle has drop furrows 15 such as to permit the connection of inner and outer punches to form the transfer stitch.

[0024] The selectors 16 are fitted with notches able to engage with the same number of cams 18 of a selector actuator 19, said cams 18 being individually activated depending on the pattern to be formed.

[0025] Above the needle cylinder 10, and eccentrically to it, an essentially circular shaped dial 20 is mounted, joined to its own rotation shaft 21. On the upper face of the dial 20 are a number of grooves which the inner punches 22 are slidably lodged. Advantageously, said grooves are not positioned in an exactly radial direction, but suitably inclined in the direction opposite that of rotation so as to constitute the envelope of a circumference. Such arrangement allows for more reliable functioning in that it determines an inclination of the inner punches particularly favourable to insertion of the needles in the furrows 15 while the stitches are being picked up. [0026] The inner punches 22 are provided with raised sections 23 destined to engage in a corresponding track 24 made on a cover 25 of the dial 20. Said track is fitted with cams 26, 26' which control the exit and return of said inner punches 22 (figure 3) . [0027] Eccentrically to the cylinder, a satellite punch holder crown 30 is mounted on the same plane defined by the dial 20, but with opposite eccentricity to that of the dial. Outer punches 31 provided with raised sections 32 destined to engage in a corresponding track 33 provided on a cover 34 of the satellite crown 30 slide radially along it. Said track 33 is provided with a cam which controls the radial advancement and withdrawal of said outer punches 31. [0028] The cylinder 1 bears, at the top, a sinker holder crown 40 with radial grooves in which the sinkers 42 are placed so as to slide 42.

[0029] The circular machine 1 is fitted with at least one electronic selector device 45 for selecting the sinkers 42 able to control the advancement in a radial direction of each single sinker, as will be described below. Each sinker has at least one selector heel 43. The electronic actuator is fitted with the same number of selector device or slides 46, as the number of selector heels of the sinkers. Each selector device is electronically drivable so as to act on a respective heel of the sinkers and make it shift radially towards the centre of the cylinder.

[0030] Advantageously, there are at least three, preferably four selector heels, and thus selector slides, so as to ensure the correct and reliable selection of the individual sinkers during rotation of the cylinder. Clearly, during use each sinker 42 has an individual heel 43, adjacent sinkers having their respective heels positioned at different heights. [0031] In other words, the electronic selector devices 45 of the sinkers are fitted with a number N of driving means 46 positioned vertically in the shape of a comb above each other, able to be selectively activated. The sinkers are fitted with a single selector heel 43 so that N adjacent sinkers present their respective heels at different heights corresponding to the positions of the N driving means 46.

[0032] Each sinker 42 is provided with a loop transfer plane 47 to form a plain stitch or transfer stitch (when the sinker is not selected) , and of an upper beak 48 to form a terry stitch or, as will be explained later a transfer stitch with a bigger hole (when the sinker is selected that is in the forward position) . [0033] In addition, each sinker has an upper notch 49 which, controlled by a relative cam, determines the normal radial shift of the sinkers.

[0034] Both the cylinder 1, the dial 20, and the satellite crown 30, rotate at the same number of revs and in the same direction. According to one embodiment, their rotation is controlled by a single motor unit. Figure 3 shows, for example, the gears 50 transmitting movement to the outer punch holder satellite crown 30. According to one embodiment variation, the dial or outer crown need not necessarily be controlled by gears but may be driven by an independent motor and powered by its own actuator synchronised with the primary motor.

[0035] As a result, while the needle cylinder is made to rotate by the toothed parts provided at its lower extremity, the satellite crown 30 receives its movement from the main shaft of the aforementioned gears, while the dial 20 supported by the relative central shaft 21 in turn rotates by means of other gears or an independent motor synchronised with the primary motor. [0036] Figure 3 also shows, detached from each other, the centre 10' of the needle cylinder, the centre 24' of the dial track 24, and the centre 30' of the satellite crown 30.

[0037] Figure 4 shows, seen from above, the main yarn feed fingers 54 and as an embodiment example, a yarn-finger for feeding an elastic yarn 56 and further yarn-fingers 57 for coloured yarns.

[0038] As may be seen from the view in figure 4, the machine may be essentially divided into three separate operating zones, each about 120° broad. Starting from the position of the main yarn feed area, or drop zone, a first zone A, where the electronic sinker selector means 45 are positioned, is used for selection of the sinkers for formation of the terry stitch or the broadened transfer stitch, a second subsequent zone B, where the actuator selector devices of the needles 19 are positioned, is used to transport the stitch and is therefore bordered by a pick-up area and a dropping area, and a third subsequent zone C is used for any other operations such as the insertion of coloured yarns and/or threads or the so-called skipped or restrained yarn. [0039] In zone A the machine functions as follows. [0040] If the sinkers 42 are not selected by the electronic selector actuator, the normal formation of a plain or transfer stitch occurs, each yarn fed in by the main yarn-finger 54 falling on the loop transfer plane 47 of the sinkers.

[0041] To select the desired number of sinkers, a processor unit programmed on the basis of the design of the item selectively commands one of the driving device or slide 46 to position itself, just before arrival of the sinker having a heel 43 in a corresponding position to said control body, in a position of interference with said heel. A subsequent sinker, having a selector heel at a different height to the previous, will be selected by a corresponding different driving device activated by the processor.

[0042] The sinkers thus selected, take up a forward position in which, having previously suitably positioned at least a first yarn-finger 60 for the main yarn 61 and at least one second yarn-finger 62 for a terry yarn 63 (figure 7), the main yarn 61 rests on the loop transfer plane 47 while the terry yarn 63 rests on the upper beak

48 of the sinker 42. Thus a terry stitch is formed for the desired and pre-set number of stitches in the same row.

[0043] It should be noted that the formation of terry stitches is thus completely independent of the needle selection. Clearly, the selection procedure described above makes it possible to achieve the same terry design even with various feeds on the same row of stitches.

[0044] According to one embodiment variation, the at least two yarn-fingers 60, 62 of main feed 54 are positioned at essentially the same height and close together (figure 8), so that all the yarns fed go to fall, if the sinkers are selected, on the upper beak 48 of these. If, in the subsequent area B of the machine, the needles corresponding to the selected sinkers are selected for the transfer stitch, a transfer stitch with a bigger hole is formed, that is the formation of a transfer stitch with bigger holes than usual occurs, the breadth of such holes being determined by the height of the upper beak of the sinker.

[0045] To such purpose, special sinkers 42' may be used having an upper beak 48' higher than conventional sinkers, so as to accentuate the breadth of the hole of the transfer stitch (figure 8) .

[0046] In the area of the machine indicated by letter B, used to transport the stitch, functioning is as follows (figures 9a-9d) . [0047] The processor, depending on the design of the item, commands the needle selector actuator to raise the desired number of needles 12 to a height considerably higher than that of normal functioning, to form the transfer stitch. During an initial phase, (pick-up zone for transport of the stitch, figure 9a) , a selected needle C is raised so that the stitch is placed and remains hooked to the shoulder or other retaining device 14 of the stitch, provided on each needle. In this position, the needle C positions itself with the lateral furrow at the height of the inner or outer punch 31

(depending on whether the stitch is to be moved right or left) . The punch then begins its horizontal exit movement. While the needle C is momentarily inactive, the punch inserts itself in the furrow and consequently also in the stitch. The needle C lowers itself, leaving the stitch in the punch (figure 9b) . After the needle C has completely lowered, the punch, on account of the misalignment of the outer punch holder crown or of the dial in relation to the cylinder, shifts towards a subsequent (or previous) needle D, which is momentarily inactive. The needle D then rises and inserts itself in the stitch transported by the punch (figure 9c) . The needle D continues to rise while the punch, with a horizontal return movement, leaves the stitch on the hook of the needle D (dropping area of the transfer stitch, figure 9d) .

[0048] Consequently, using the inner punches relative to the dial, the stitch is transferred in the direction of advancement, from one needle to the previous needle, since the eccentricity of the dial to the cylinder leads to a staggering of the needles in relation to the punches of about one pitch. Vice versa, when the outer punches are used, relative to the satellite crown, the stitch is moved from one needle to the next one along, on account of the opposite eccentricity of the crown to the cylinder.

[0049] To facilitate the passage of the stitches from the needles to the punches, the furrows 15 of the needles 12 are formed of transversal grooves inclined in relation to the lateral surfaces of the said needles.

[0050] This way, in zone B of the machine it is possible, by selecting the needles, to transfer the stitch or various stitches, respectively from one or more needles to the previous or subsequent needles, an operation which makes it possible to obtain a transfer stitch. [0051] To sum up, the machine according to the invention makes it possible to achieve the following types of stitching.

[0052] By positioning the main feed yarn-fingers to form a terry stitch and simply selecting the desired sinkers in zone A and the desired needles for the transfer stitch in zone B, we have the formation of a designed terry stitch and of a transfer stitch on the same round stitch, that is, the realisation, along a circumference of the item of terry stitches and transfer stitches, without any mechanical constraint and with an alternation imposed solely by the design to be created.

[0053] By positioning the main feed yarn-fingers alongside each other and at essentially the same height, and simply selecting the desired sinkers in zone A and the needles corresponding to the selected sinkers for the transfer stitch in zone B, we have the formation of a transfer stitch with bigger holes. [0054] By also selecting in zone B needles corresponding to non-selected sinkers, we have the formation of a transfer stitch with bigger holes and of a transfer stitch with normal holes on the same round stitch, without any mechanical constraint and with an alternation imposed solely by the design to be created. [0055] Consequently, on the same round stitch the following stitches can be alternated:

[0056] - plain knit (sinkers and needles not selected) , designed terry stitch and transfer stitch (with normal hole) ; [0057] - plain knit (sinkers and needles not selected) , and transfer stitch with bigger hole (only the needles corresponding to the selected sinkers are selected) ; [0058] - plain knit (sinkers and needles not selected) , transfer stitch with normal hole, transfer stitch with bigger hole.

[0059] Figures 10 and 11 show two examples of a sock 70, 70' , on which it can respectively be seen on the same tubular portion, at least one area of coloured terry knit 71, 71' , at least one area of transfer stitch 72, 72' (with normal hole) , an area of base terry 73, and areas of plain knit 74.

[0060] Figure 12 rather shows a portion of a pair of tights 80, on which it can be seen on the same tubular portion, areas of transfer stitch with normal holes 81 alternating with areas of transfer stitch with bigger holes 82.

[0061] A person skilled in the art may make modifications, adaptations and replacements of elements with others functionally equivalent to the embodiments of the machine described above so as to satisfy contingent requirements while remaining within the scope of protection of the following claims. For example, instead of an electro- pneumatic actuator an electromagnetic actuator may be used.

[0062] Each of the characteristics described as belonging to one possible embodiment may be achieved independently of the other embodiments described.

Claims

1. Circular knitting and hosiery machine, comprising: a needle cylinder, in correspondence with the top of said cylinder, a dial and/or satellite crown mounted eccentrically to said cylinder, on said dial and/or satellite-crown a plurality of punches sliding in a radial direction being provided, devices for advancing and withdrawing said punches so as to allow the picking-up and dropping of the stitch from certain needles to other adjacent needles to obtain stitch transfer, a plurality of needles slidably mounted on the mantle of said needle cylinder, each one of said needles being provided, considerably below the point, with stitch retaining means, actuator devices associated with the cylinder to lift a desired number of needles to such a height as to bring said stitch retaining means to the level of the punches, a external sinker-holder crown, a plurality of sinkers positioned and sliding radially in said external crown, each sinker being provided with a loop-transfer plane for the formation of plain knit or transfer stitch, an upper beak for the formation of terry knit or bigger hole transfer stitch, and at least one selection heel, and electronic selection means provided with at least one selection device, said selection device being movable between an inactive position and an active position wherein it engages said sinker selection heel to select the displacement of a desired number of sinkers in an advanced radial position to rest at least one yarn on the upper beak.

2. Machine according to claim 1, wherein with respect to the circumference of the needle cylinder, and starting from a main yarn feed area, the electronic sinker selection means are positioned so as to select sinkers along a first circumference arc with an amplitude of about 120° and wherein the actuator devices of the needles are positioned so as to transfer the knit along a subsequent arc with a circumference equal to about 120°.

3. Machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the dial is provided, on its upper face, with essentially radial grooves in which the internal punches are positioned and slide, said grooves being slightly inclined with respect to said radial direction in the opposite direction to that of rotation of the dial.

4. Machine according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the stitch retaining means provided on the needles comprise a shoulder or crest which extends horizontally significantly below the point.

5. Machine according to any of the previous claims, wherein the needles have, below the stitch retaining means, at least one lateral furrow able to facilitate picking-up of the stitch by a punch.

6. Machine according to any of the previous claims, wherein the inner and outer punches are guided in their radial movement by a cam device.

7. Machine according to any of the previous claims, wherein the electronic sinker selection means are provided with a number ^%λN" of driving devices arranged vertically in a comb shape one above the other and selectively activable, and wherein the sinkers are fitted with a single selection heel so that N adjacent sinkers present their respective heels at different heights, corresponding to the positions of the N driving devices.

8. Machine according to any of the previous claims, wherein the needle cylinder, dial and/or satellite crown rotate at the same number of revs and in the same direction.

9. Machine according to any of the previous claims, comprising a main yarn feed comprising at least one first and second yarn-fingers, said yarn-fingers being at a distance from one another and positioned at different heights so that, when the sinkers are in a forward position, at least one yarn, the base yarn, falls on the sinker's loop transfer plane and at least one yarn, the terry yarn, falls on the upper beak.

10. Machine according to any of the claims 1-8, comprising a main yarn feed comprising at least one first and second yarn-fingers, said yarn-fingers being close to one another and positioned at the same height so that, when the sinkers are in a forward position, both yarns fall on the upper beak.

11. Machine according to claim 10, wherein the sinkers have an upper beak higher than the beak of a conventional terry knit sinker.

12. Method for manufacturing a product with a circular knitting and hosiery machine, where said machine comprises a main yarn feed comprising at least two yarn- fingers distant from one another and positioned at different heights for the formation of terry knit, comprising, during cylinder rotation, the phases of: - selecting a desired number of sinkers so as to move them into a forward position for the formation, in conjunction with the respective needles, of terry knit; - selecting a desired number of needles so as to lift them to a height such as to allow, in conjunction with the respective punches sliding radially, picking up of a stitch from one needle and the transport of said stitch to a previous or subsequent needle for formation of a transfer stitch.

13. Method for manufacturing a product with a circular machine for knitwear and hosiery, where said machine comprises a main yarn feed comprising at least two yarn- fingers close to one another and positioned at essentially the same height, comprising, during cylinder rotation, the phases of:

- selecting a desired number of sinkers to move them to a forward position in which both yarns fall on the upper beak; - selecting the needles corresponding to the selected sinkers so as to lift them to a height such as to allow, in conjunction with the respective punches sliding radially, picking-up of a stitch from one needle and the transport of said, stitch to a previous or subsequent needle for the formation of a bigger hole transfer stitch.

14. Method according to the previous claim, wherein needles corresponding to sinkers not chosen are also selected for stitch transport, so as to make, in the same round stitch, one transfer stitch with a normal hole and one transfer stitch with a bigger hole.

15. Knitwear or hosiery item, such as a sock, comprising, in the same round stitch, terry stitch and transfer stitch.

16. Item according to claim 15, comprising at least one tubular portion wherein along the circumference at least one area of terry knit alternates with at least one area of transfer knit.

17. Knitwear or hosiery item, such as a sock or pair of tights, comprising, in a same row, transfer stitches defining holes of two different sizes in the knit.