Yarn runner-length controller for knitting machines

A control apparatus for controlling the runner-length of filaments unwound from a beam section of a knitting machine comprising:

• A. a first measuring device communicating with at least one filament of the beam section for continuously measuring the length of filament unwound from the beam section and generating a filament length output signal corresponding to said length;
• B. a second measuring device coupled to the main shaft generating a continuous shaft signal related to the angular movement of said shaft;
• C. a signal transforming device connected to receive said shaft signal from said second measuring device and generating a continuous target output signal corresponding to a desired runner-length and compatible with the length output signal of the first measuring device;
• D. an error measuring device connected to receive the output signals of the first measuring device and the signal transforming device and generating in response thereto an error output signal related to the difference between the output signals of said measuring device and said transforming device;
• said error output signal resettable to a first predetermined value;
• E. an error sampling device communicating with the error measuring device, periodically sampling the error output signal and causing the resetting of said error measuring device output signal;
• F. a controlled drive device communicating with the error sampling device and generating a control signal in response to the sampled error output signal;
• and
• G. a beam section angular movement adjusting mechanism connected to be controlled by the output of the control drive device whereby the angular movement of the beam section is adjusted in a manner to cause the length output signal to approximate the target output signal of the transforming device.

A yarn runner-length controller for knitting machines having a main shaft and at least one beam section comprising:

• A. a first metering means for continuously monitoring the length of yarn unwound from a beam section;
• B. a second metering means for continuously monitoring the angular velocity of the main shaft;
• C. an adjustable metering means convertor communicating with the second metering means for transforming the output of said means to a continuous target output signal related to a desired yarn runner-length;
• D. an error monitoring means communicating with the outputs of the first metering means and the metering means convertor for producing an error signal related to their difference;
• E. an error sampling means communicating with the error monitoring means for sampling the error signal and for resetting the error monitoring means to a predetermined value;
• F. a beam section angular velocity adjusting means communicating with the error sampling means for adjusting the beam section's angular velocity when the sampled error signal has a value different than a predetermined value;
• and
• G. means communicating with the error sampling means for reducing the sampled error signal to said predetermined value.

A method for controlling the runner-length of filaments used in knitting machines having a main shaft and at least one beam section comprising the steps of:

• A. continuously measuring the length of yarn unwinding from the beam section and generating a length signal related thereto;
• B. continuously measuring the rotational movement of the main shaft and generating a signal related thereto;
• C. transforming the measured rotational movement signal to a continuous target signal representing a desired runner-length for the filament;
• D. comparing the measured length of the unwinding yarn to the desired runner-length target signal and generating an error signal related to their difference;
• E. accumulating the error signal;
• F periodically sampling the accumulated error signal;
• G. resetting the accumulated error signal being accumulated at Step E to a predetermined value after said accumulated error signal is sampled;
• H. increasing the angular velocity of the beam section when the sampled accumulated error signal is less than the predetermined value until the sampled error signal is adjusted to said predetermined value;
• I. decreasing the angular velocity of the beam section when the sampled accumulated error signal is greater than the predetermined value until the sampled error signal is adjusted to said predetermined value;
• J. maintaining the angular velocity of the beam section when the sampled accumulated error signal is equal to the predetermined value;
• and
• K. adjusting the sampled accumulated error signal toward the predetermined value in response to the increasing or decreasing of the beam section angular velocity.

A yarn runner-length controller for knitting machines having a main shaft and at least one beam section comprising:

• A. a first metering means for continuously monitoring the length of yarn used to produce fabric as the yarns are unwound from the beam section, producing a length output signal corresponding hereto;
• B. a second metering means for continuously monitoring the angular movement of the main shaft;
• C. a metering means convertor connected to the second metering means for transforming the output of the second metering means to a continuous target output signal related to a desired yarn runner-length;
• D. counting means for continuously algebraically computing a momentary error signal corresponding to the difference between the outputs of the first metering means and the metering means convertor;
• E. sampling means for repetitiously retrieving after a fixed interval of time the momentary error signal of the counting means and substantially simultaneously resetting said counting means error signal to a predetermined value while said counting means continues said algebraic computing of a new momentary error signal;
• and
• F. means for adjusting the angular velocity of the beam section in response to the sampled momentary error signal.

A yarn runner-length controller for knitting machines having a main shaft and at least one beam section comprising:

• A. a first metering means for continuously monitoring the length of yarn used to produce fabric as yarns are unwound from the beam section, and for producing a length output signal series of electronic pulses corresponding thereto;
• B. a second metering means for continuously monitoring the angular movement of the main shaft and for producing an angular movement output signal series of electronic pulses corresponding thereto;
• C. a metering means convertor connected to the second metering means output signal for transforming this output to a target output signal series of electronic pulses related to a desired yarn runner-length;
• D. counting means for continuously algebraically computing a momentary digitized error signal corresponding to the difference between the outputs of the first metering means and the metering means convertor;
• E. sampling means for repetitiously retrieving after a fixed interval of time the momentary digitized error signal of the counting means and substantially simultaneously resetting said digitized counting means error signal to a predetermined value while said counting means continues said algebraic computing of a new momentary digitized error signal;
• and
• F. means for adjusting the angular velocity of the beam section in response to the sampled momentary digitized error signal so as to increase the beam section's angular velocity if the momentary error signal is less than the predetermined value, to decrease the beam section's angular velocity if the momentary error signal is greater than the predetermined value, and to maintain the beam section's angular velocity if the momentary error signal is equal to the predetermined value.