Precision Fukuhara Works, Ltd.

Monarch Knitting Machinery Corporation

Koji Tsuchiya

Masatoshi Sawazaki

Takao Shibata

Yoshiaki Igarashi

Kozo Taniguchi

David Pernick

Tashio Noguchi

A circular knitting machine and take-up mechanism therefor includes a knitting unit for forming a tubular knit fabric, a first set of let-off rolls for flattening the tubular fabric into a double-layer web and delivering the web from the knitting unit, a slitter for slitting the flattened tubular fabric longitudinally along a predetermined line, a spreader for spreading the slit fabric into a single layer web, the spreader being extendable and contractible to spread fabrics of varying widths, a second set of let-off rolls for drawing the fabric across the spreader and a fabric take-up for taking-up the single layer web for storage and subsequent use.

Fabric slitting and take-up mechanism for a circular knitting machine

A circular knitting machine is provided that has a bed member and a needle cylinder including a cylinder base rotatably mounted to the bed member. The knitting machine also has a bearing assembly positioned between the bed member and the cylinder base for rotatable mounting of the bed member to the cylinder base. First and second tracks are respectively mounted to the first and second races, and bearings are positionally supported by and between the first and second tracks so that the cylinder base freely rotates about the bed member. A thermal-expansion compensator is preferably integrally formed with either the cylinder base or the bed member and is positioned closely adjacent the corresponding race respectively connected to either the cylinder base or the bed member. The compensator is adapted for compensating for thermal expansion in the cylinder base during heating and cooling thereof. The compensator preferably includes a flexible flange integrally formed with either the cylinder base or the bed member and positioned closely adjacent the corresponding race. The race positioned closely adjacent the flexible flange is preferably slidably connected to the corresponding cylinder base or bed member so that slidably movement of the corresponding race responsive to heating and cooling of the cylinder base thereby moves the flexible flange.

Circular knitting machine and bearing assembly for same

Apparatus for removing fiber waste from the knitting instrumentalities of a circular knitting machine including an air jet for blowing a high velocity stream of air thereonto, the air jet is mounted for rotation coaxially with the rotary cylinder of the circular knitting machine, a drive independent of the drive of the circular knitting machine for rotating the air jet in one direction for a predetermined distance or time interval and for then reversing the direction of rotation for a predetermined distance or time interval, and an air supply which supplies compressed air to the air jet while accommodating the different directions of rotation thereof.

Apparatus for removing fiber waste from the knitting unit of a circular

A fabric take-up apparatus for a circular knitting machine includes a set of delivery rolls for flattening and delivering the flattened fabric to take-up means which winds the flattened fabric into a roll, sensing means for sensing the tension in the fabric and for generating electrical signals indicative of fluctuations in tension from a predetermined, desired tension in the fabric, variable speed drive means for driving the delivery rolls, and control means for controlling the variable speed drive means responsive to the electrical signals generated by the tension sensing means.

Fabric take-up mechanism for circular knitting machines

Fiber waste generated adjacent the knitting section and the yarn feeding members of the machine is conducted by air streams into the lower end of a first duct extending upwardly from the knitting section. The air and therein entrained fiber waste passes from the upper end of the duct and then sequentially through a laterally extending second duct and a vertically extending third duct to a waste collection box. The third duct is made of flexible fabric, vinyl or similar material having therein a multiplicity of small openings that permit lateral passage of air from the duct, while restricting lateral passage of fiber waste from the duct. A funnel-shaped member within the collection box compacts the waste entering the box. The first duct has vertically aligned sections that are telescopically adjustable.

Dust sucking and discharging device for fiber wastes on knitting machine

An automatic winding and doffing apparatus of a circular knitting machine includes a winding unit that revolves synchronously with the cylinder of the circular knitting machine. The apparatus includes opposed winding apparatus frame arms. A fabric winding roll has one roll end pivotally mounted on one of the arms. A guide mechanism guides the knitted fabric to the winding roll. The fabric roll is stopped after a predetermined amount of fabric has been wound. A doffing apparatus doffs the fabric from the winding roll after a predetermined amount of fabric has been wound on the fabric roll. In a preferred embodiment, the other winding roll end is freely supported by a turning lever pivotally mounted on the frame. Upon pivoting movement of the lever arm, the winding roller may be moved from a home, winding position to an unloading, doffing position in which the other end of the winding roller is removed from the support arm. A lock mechanism operatively connects to the turning lever for locking the turning lever in a position in which the turning lever supports the winding roller in the home, winding position and for unlocking the turning lever to allow the turning lever to pivot and disengage from the winding roller.

Apparatus and method for winding and doffing roll of knitted cloth on a

A central stitch length controlling apparatus for simultaneously varying the length of stitch loops being knit and optionally the positioning of the yarn guides (31) in a multi-feed circular knitting machine. The apparatus includes a vertically adjustable inner knitting cam block support ring (6, 47) which supports the knitting cams (7) and optionally the yarn guides (31) thereon. A plurality of sprocket wheels (18, 38) is disposed around the inner knitting cam block support ring (6, 47) and a fixed outer ring (16, 43). Rotation of the sprocket wheels (18, 38) selectively raises and lowers the inner knitting cam block support ring (6, 47). A sprocket chain (19, 46) drivingly interconnects the sprocket wheels (18, 38) to each other and may be manually rotated for simultaneously imparting like rotational movement to each of the sprocket wheels (18, 38) to thereby selectively raise or lower the inner knitting cam block support ring (6, 47) and the knitting cams (7) supported thereby.

Central stitch controlling apparatus for circular knitting machine

Vertically stacked drive wheels (17.sub.1, 17.sub.2, 17.sub.3 and 17.sub.4) are provided above a yarn feed wheel (21) which is provided with a first yarn feed surface (27) providing comparatively high friction with the yarn engaged thereby and adaptable for use when the rate of yarn feeding varies, such as in the case of Jacquard pattern knitting, and a second yarn feed surface (28) providing comparatively low friction against the yarn engaged thereby and adapted for use when the rate of yarn feeding is constant, such as in the case of plain knitting. Manually adjustable yarn guide means (29, 30) is provided for selectively guiding yarn to the first and second yarn feed surfaces (27, 28). Clutch members (24, 24') are interposed between pairs of the vertically stacked drive wheels and are selectively operable to impart rotation to the feed wheel (21) from a selected one of the drive wheels.

Positive feeding device for circular knitting machine

A single safety device to automatically stop a conventional circular knitting machine in the event of failure of the belt used to drive a pair of fabric advancing rollers of the machine while the fabric is being knit, and/or to stop the machine in the event of failure to secure the so-advanced fabric to the rotary shaft upon which the fabric is normally rolled to sequentially form individual rolls of fabric on the machine.

Safety device for circular knitting machines

An attachment for use with multi-feed circular knitting machines of the type having a rotary needle cylinder and having yarn striper boxes at the feeds thereof. The boxes serving to change and to cut and clamp the yarns fed to and knit by the machine during the making thereon of coursewise striped fabric. The yarn changing operation resulting in undesirably long unknit terminal portions of the changed yarns extending inwardly from the inner side of the tubular fabric being made. The terminal portions of the yarns having cut ends. The attachment comprising a device having yarn clipping means disposed within the tubular fabric and rotating in unison with the needle cylinder to cut and to shorten the terminal portions of the changed yarns as the tubular fabric continues to be made, whereby the yarns are cut firstly by the striper boxes and secondly by the yarn clipping means.

Growing community of inventors

Hyogo, Japan

Koji Tsuchiya