Method for preparing a tubular article, such as a sock or the like, for automated pickup at the end of its forming on a double cylinder circular machine with at least one feed or drop, and double cylinder circular machine for the execution thereof

Abstract

A method for preparing a tubular article, such as a sock or the like, for automated pickup at the end of its forming on a double cylinder circular machine with at least one feed or drop, and to a double cylinder circular machine for the execution thereof. The method in question is executed on a machine with at least one feed or drop (100) and with the needle cylinders (4, 5) actuatable with a rotary motion about their own axes (3) with respect to needle actuation cams, to cams (34) for actuating the knockover sinkers (33) and to the feed or drop (100). The method comprises: a first step, which consists in transferring or retaining all the needles (8) in the lower needle cylinder (4) with the loops of the last row of knitting of the article (80), formed previously in the upper head (9a) of the needles (8), hooked, tensioning the article (80) downward inside the lower needle cylinder (4); a second step, which consists in pushing upward the portion of the article (80) engaged with the needles (8); a third step, which consists in moving all the needles (8) to the tuck stitch position; a fourth step, which consists in progressively disengaging the knockover sinkers (33) from the article (80), moving the knockover sinkers (33) away from the axis (3) of the lower needle cylinder (4) at the feed or drop (100) owing to the rotation of the lower needle cylinder (4) about its own axis (3) with respect to the feed or drop (100) and to the needle actuation cams so that the article (80), owing to the upward thrust, moves so that the loops of its last row of knitting (80a) lie above the beak (33b) of the knockover sinkers (33) toward the upper head (9a) of the needles (8); a fifth step, which consists in moving all the needles (8) to an intermediate position that is comprised between the tuck stitch position and the drop stitch position; a sixth step, which consists in pushing the portion of the article (80) that is engaged with the needles (8) further upward; a seventh step, which consists in lifting the needles (8) at least to the drop stitch position, keeping the article (80) pushed upward in order to retain the loops of the last row of knitting (80a) in the upper head (9a) of the needles (8).

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.