The Torrington Company

Albert S Ashmead

Richard W Shepard

William A Ross

Kenneth P Corbo

A hardened wear spot on a textile element is formed by applying high energy heat to a selected small area of the element which has been previously hardened and tempered to provide the proper spring characteristics for an operating textile element. The intensity and time of application of the high energy heat and the cooling after heat cut-off are carefully controlled to provide a small area of full hardness which is completely separated from the remaining tempered portion by a buffer zone of less hardness than either the tempered portion or the full hardness area. The new textile element made by this new method is a textile element with the major portion having a predetermined spring characteristic for an operating textile element. A small area of full hardness is located at a predetermined location to provide wear resistance. A buffer zone having less hardness than either the full hardness area or the major tempered portion completely separates the full hardness area from the major portion.

Textile element

Method of making textile element

The body of the needle has at least one lateral opening to relieve stress, absorb shock, and dampen vibrations. The opening or openings are located so as not to extend to the top or bottom of the latch needle body.

Latch needle for knitting machines

High energy heat, such as the high energy obtained from a laser or a maser, is applied against both wall portions of a latch pivot formed by displacing portions of the opposite walls of the slot in the needle. The applied high energy heat melts portions of the displaced portions of the walls so that when the melted metal solidifies a unified integral pivot is formed having the same chemical composition throughout.

Method of forming a knitting needle latch pivot

This is a knitting machine latch needle. The latch pivot is formed by displacing portions of the walls of the slot so that the displaced portions extend into the pivot hole of the latch. The displaced portions of the walls are fused together by a high energy heat source emitting sufficient energy to either drill a hole through the displaced portions or melt the displaced portions.

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Torrington, CT, United States of America

Albert S Ashmead