Cam system for flat-bed knitting machine

Abstract

A cam system for flat-bed knitting machines has a needle cam unit which has at least one integrated knitting cam loop transferring cam for both knitting and loop transferring directions, of which the knitting cam has adjustable sinker elements on both sides and the loop transferring cam has transfer cam parts with a central lobe, located above the knitting track, for transferring the loops and receiving cam parts associated with them having a central receiving lobe and an oblique face that is operative in a trailing fashion. The cam system also has a depressor apparatus, in which the needles supported in needle tracks of the needle beds are controlled by pressure jacks acting upon needle jacks, the pressure feet of the pressure jacks being movable into different tracks, which are located in the planes of pressure strips. Other than the already present and movable sinker elements for sinking movements, this cam system has no further moving parts nor additional width, is intended to enable more-advantageous and more-reliable loop transfer by proving that lobes for pre-tensing the loops are provided for the transfer cam parts, and the receiving cam parts permit a substantially later retraction of the receiving needles as compared with the transferring needles. To this end, leading ahead of the lobe for transferring the loops there is a lobe for pre-tensing the loops on the associated sinker element, which lobe is operative in the lowered position of the sinker element. The sinker element is embodied and disposed relative to the transfer cam part in such a way that in the leading position, in the lowered position, it defines the projection track for the transfer cam part and in the trailing position, in a position raised to the level of the ridge or in the sinking position, beginning at the lobe for transferring the loops, it completely defines the retractor track section of the transfer track. The trailingly operative oblique face of a fixed cam at a given time of the receiving cam part is disposed at the same level as the receiving lobe and leads at the same level out of the receiving track along a substantially horizontal track, which because of a trailingly operative pressure strip extends to beynd the outer flank of the trailing sinker element.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.