US 4,282,725 AGranted

Circular knitting machine with latch detector

AssigneeKayser-Roth Hosiery, Inc.

InventorsHarper Shields, Roscoe M. Farrell

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Abstract

The knitting machine is provided with latch detector means for detecting a latch improperly positioned in a closed position and for signaling when such a condition occurs. A trigger lever (30) having a free inner end (31) is normally positioned in an operative latch detecting position (FIG. 3) immediately below the path of travel of the hooked upper ends (10) of the needles N so that a latch (11) in the proper open position will not engage and trip the trigger lever (30) while a latch (11) in an improper closed position will engage and trip the trigger lever (30). A tension spring (45) is provided to immediately move the trigger lever (30) to the inoperative position (FIG. 4) with the inner free end (31) outwardly and away from the path of travel of the needles N upon being engaged by a latch in an improper closed position.

In a circular knitting machine including a circle of needles mounted for rotation about a fixed axis, each of said needles including an upper hooked end and a pivoted latch movable between open and closed positions, and yarn feed fingers for feeding yarn to said needles as said needles are raised and lowered to form stitch loops, the combination therewith of latch detector means for detecting a latch improperly positioned in a closed position, said latch detector means comprising

(a) a trigger lever including a free end,
(b) means supporting said trigger lever for pivotal movement intermediate its ends and about an axis parallel to said fixed axis of said circle of needles, said free end being normally positioned in an operative latch detecting position immediately below the path of travel of said upper hooked ends of said needles so that a latch in the proper open position does not engage said free end of said trigger lever and while a latch in an improper closed position will engage and initially move said free end of said trigger lever to an inoperative position wherein said free end is moved in the direction of movement and outwardly away from the path of travel of said needles,
(c) stop means mounted on said supporting means and adapted to engage one side of said trigger lever for normally maintaining said free end of said trigger lever in said detecting position,
(d) resilient means mounted between said trigger lever and said supporting means for urging said trigger lever into engagement with said stop means with said trigger lever in said detecting position, and for immediately moving said free end of said trigger lever to said inoperative position outwardly and away from the path of travel of said needles upon being laterally deflected from said detecting position by a latch in an improper closed position, and
(e) sensor means operable by said trigger lever for signaling when said free end of said trigger lever is engaged by a closed latch and moved outwardly and away from the path of travel of said needles.

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Abstract

Claims5