Yarn feeding system for high speed knitter

A method of paying out from a plurality of supply packages a plurality of strands of material such as yarn, of feeding the plurality of strands along an array of feedpaths to a workstation of a knitter machine, and of tension-isolating such reaches of the strands as are fed to the workstation from such tension force variations as are incurred by other reaches of the strands as they are payed out from the supply packages, with the paying out of the strands, the feeding of the strands and the isolating of strand tension forces being effected while the array of feedpaths is rotated about an imaginary center axis that extends through the workstation, comprising the steps of:

• a) providing feedpath defining means including structure for extending about and for being rotated about an imaginary center axis that extends through a workstation of a knitter machine and for defining an array of feedpaths that extends about the center axis for directing a plurality of strands of material such as yarn to a workstation as the strands are payed out from a plurality of supply packages that are connected to said structure for rotation therewith about the center axis, with each of the strands being directed along a separate one of the feedpaths that each emanate from a separate associated one of the supply packages and terminate at the workstation;
• b) providing rotatable capstan means including a plurality of capstans that are connected to said structure for being rotated together with said structure about the center axis, and for being rotated relative to said structure about a plurality of spaced capstan axes that are arranged in an array that extends about the center axis, with each of the capstans being rotatable about a separate one of the capstan axes, and with each of the capstans being associated with a separate one of the feedpaths by being positioned therealong and by being adapted to drivingly engage a taut, plural-turn wrapping of a separate one of the strands as such strand moves along the associated feedpath to the workstation;
• c) providing first rotary drive means for rotating said structure together with said capstans about the center axis;
• d) providing second rotary drive means for rotating said capstans concurrently and in unison about the respective capstan axes relative to said structure to effect positive concurrent feeding, in unison, of each of a plurality of strands along said array of feedpaths to the workstation;
• e) operating the first rotary drive means to rotate said structure together with said capstans about the center axis, whereby said array of feedpaths is caused to rotate about the center axis;
• and,
• f) operating the second rotary drive means concurrently with the operation of the first rotary drive means to rotate said capstans concurrently and in unison to effect feeding of a plurality of strands of material such as yarn along the rotating array of feedpaths, with each of the strands extending along a separate associated one of the feedpaths and having a plural-turn wrapping that extends tautly about a separate associated one of the capstans so that the feeding of each strand is effected by transmitting rotary movement of the associated capstan to the associated plural-turn strand wrapping that extends tautly about the associated capstan, whereby the action of the second rotary drive means in effecting concurrent rotation of the capstans to effect positive feeding of the strands along the feedpaths taken together with the taut, plural-turn wrappings of the strands about the capstans serve to tension-isolate such reaches of the strands as extend from the capstans to the workstation from tension force variations that are incurred in strand reaches which extend from the supply packages to the capstans, with the result that strand material is fed to the workstation uniformly, evenly, concurrently and without being subjected to said tension force variations.

A method of ensuring that all of a set of strands that are fed along a rotating array of separate feedpaths for delivery to a workstation are delivered to the workstation uniformly, evenly and concurrently, and of ensuring that reaches of each of the strands that are fed to the workstation are isolated from such erratic tension forces as tend to be incurred by strands as they are payed out from supply packages, comprising the steps of:

• a) providing an array of substantially identical rotatable capstans that receive first reaches of strands that have been payed out from supply packages, and that deliver second reaches of such strands to a workstation;
• b) rotating the array of capstans in unison with the rotation of the array of feedpaths, with each of the capstans being positioned along a separate associated one of the feedpaths for receiving a plural-turn wrapping of associated strand material that is to be fed along the associated feedpath from the first reach to the second reach;
• and,
• c) rotating the rotatable capstans uniformly, evenly and concurrently to effect uniform, even and concurrent feeding of the set of strands to the workstation, with the taut plural-turn wrapping of the strands about associated capstans serving to isolate the second reach of each of the strands from such variations in tension force as tend to be incurred by the first reach of each strand as the strand is payed out from a supply package.

A method of selectively controlling the character of a spiral knit pattern that is formed about a core of hose material that is fed continuously through the workstation of a knitter machine, comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a first and second relatively rotatable tubular structures that extend coaxially about a center axis with the first extending principally within the interior of the second, and with the second extending principally about the exterior of the first;
• b) providing a first variable speed drive motor that is drivingly connected to the first tubular structure for rotating the first tubular structure about the center axis at a first independently selected speed of rotation;
• c) providing a second variable speed drive motor that is drivingly connected to the second tubular structure for rotating the second tubular structure about the center axis at a second independently selected speed of rotation;
• d) providing a knitter head having first and second relatively rotatable components that cooperate to support and movably mount a set of knitter needles that are adapted to engage and knit a plurality of strands that are delivered to a workstation of a knitter machine to form a spiral knit pattern about a core of hose material that is fed continuously through the workstation, with the first relatively rotatable component being drivingly connected to and supported by the first tubular structure, and with the second relatively rotatable component being drivingly connected to and supported by the second tubular structure;
• e) providing at least one bank of supply packages from which strands can be payed out, with the bank of supply packages being connected to and supported by the second tubular structure for rotating therewith about the center axis;
• f) providing strand feeding apparatus including rotary structure that extends in substantially in surrounding relationship about the workstation for receiving strands that pay out from the bank of strand supply packages and for feeding a rotating array of such strands uniformly, evenly and concurrently to a knitter machine workstation while the first and second tubular structures are being rotated by the first and second variable speed motors, respectively, with the strand feeding apparatus being connected to and supported by the second tubular structure for rotation therewith about the center axis, with the strand feeding apparatus defining at least portions of an array of separate feedpaths along which strands that are payed out from the bank of strand supply packages are to be fed in traveling from the bank of strand supply packages to the workstation;
• g) providing positive drive means for feeding strands along said feedpath portions including a plurality of positive drive units that are connected to said rotary structure for rotation therewith about the center axis, with each of the positive drive units being located along a separate one of the strand feedpath portions, with each of the positive drive units including a capstan that is rotatatable relative to said rotary structure about a separate capstan axis, and with each of the capstans defining a generally cylindrical strand receiving formation that is associated with a separate one of the strand feedpath portions by being positioned therealong and by receiving a taut wrapping of a strand that is fed therealong;
• h) providing a third variable speed drive motor that is drivingly connected to the capstans for rotating the capstans about the respective capstan axes, in unison, to effect uniform, even and concurrent feeding of strand reaches that extend from each of the capstans to the workstation by driving all of the capstans in unison and without slippage of the strand wrappings about the associated the strand receiving formations of the capstans;
• and,
• i) continuously feeding a core of hose material to and through the workstation while concurrently controlling the speed of operation of the first, second and third variable speed drive motors such that the first, second and third variable speed drive motors perform the respective driving functions at speeds that are independently selected to continuously feed strands to the workstation and to cyclically operate and rotate the knitter needles about the center axis at the workstation to form a desired type of spiral knit pattern about the core of hose material as the core of hose material is fed continuously through the workstation.

Strand feeding apparatus for receiving strands that pay out from a rotating bank of strand supply packages and for feeding a rotating array of such strands uniformly, evenly and concurrently to a knitter machine workstation that is located along an imaginary center axis about which the bank of strand supply packages rotates, comprising:

• a) rotary means including structure for extending substantially concentrically about the center axis for being rotated about the center axis in unison with the rotation of the bank of strand supply packages, for defining at least portions of an array of separate feedpaths along which strands that are payed out from the strand supply packages are to be fed in traveling from the bank of supply packages to the knitter machine workstation;
• b) positive drive means including a plurality of positive drive units that are connected to said structure for rotation therewith about the center axis, with each of the positive drive units being located along a separate one of the strand feedpaths, with each of the positive drive units including a capstan that is rotatable relative to said structure about a separate capstan axis, and with each of the capstans defining a generally cylindrical strand receiving formation that is associated with a separate one of the strand feedpaths by being positioned along the associated strand feedpath and by receiving a taut wrapping of a strand that is fed along the associated feedpath;
• and,
• c) capstan rotation means for rotating the capstans about the respective capstan axes, in unison, to effect uniform, even and concurrent feeding of strand reaches that extend from each of the capstans to the workstation by driving all of the capstans in unison and without slippage of the strand wrappings about the associated strand receiving formations of the capstans.

A knitter machine for supplying a rotating array of strands of material such as yarn to a workstation where the strands are knitted to form a substantially continuous jacket of reinforcing material about a hose core that is fed substantially continuously to and through the workstation, comprising:

• a) frame means including upstanding structure for being positioned atop a support surface, for providing opposed first and second upstanding end assemblies that are spaced apart and rigidly interconnected by upper and lower frame members that extend, respectively, above and below a center axis of the machine that passes substantially centrally through first and second aligned openings that are defined by the first and second opposed end assemblies, respectively;
• b) tubular means extending substantially concentrically about the center axis and having first and second opposed end regions located near the first and second opposed end assemblies, with the tubular means being connected to the frame means for rotation relative thereto about the center axis, with the first end region defining an opening through which a supply of hose core material can be fed while traveling substantially along the center axis, and with a workstation of the knitter machine being defined near the second end region of the tubular means, to and through which the hose core material moves during operation of the knitter machine;
• c) knitter means connected to the tubular means near one of the opposed end regions thereof and including a plurality of knitter needles that extend into the workstation of the knitter machine and that execute stroking movements in response to selected rotary movement of the tubular means about the center axis for knitting a plurality of strands of material such as yarn that are supplied to the workstation to form a substantially continuous knit jacket of reinforcing material about portions of the hose core as such portions pass through the workstation during operation of the knitter machine;
• d) strand supply package support means connected to the tubular means for receiving at least one bank of strand supply packages and for rotating the bank of strand supply packages about the center axis while permitting strands of material such as yarn to be payed out from the supply packages and for being fed along separate feedpaths to the workstation during operation of the knitter machine;
• e) strand feeding means for receiving strands that are payed out from the rotating bank of strand supply packages, and for feeding a rotating array of such strands uniformly, evenly and concurrently to the workstation during operation of the machine, including:
• i) annular mounting means for extending substantially concentrically about the center axis at a location substantially adjacent the workstation, for being connected to the tubular means for rotation therewith about the center axis in concert with the rotation of the strand supply package support means about the center axis, and for defining at least portions of an array of separate feedpaths along which strands that are payed out from the strand supply packages are to be fed in traveling from the bank of supply packages to the workstation;
• ii) positive drive means including a plurality of positive drive units that are connected to said annular mounting means for rotation therewith about the center axis, with each of the positive drive units being located along a separate one of the strand feedpaths, with each of the positive drive units including a capstan that is rotatable relative to said structure about a separate capstan axis, and with each of the capstans defining a generally cylindrical strand receiving formation that is associated with a separate one of the strand feedpaths by being positioned along the associated strand feedpath and by receiving a taut wrapping of a strand that is fed along the associated feedpath;
• and,
• iii) capstan rotation means for rotating the capstans about the respective capstan axes, in unison, to effect uniform, even and concurrent feeding of strand reaches that extend from each of the capstans to the workstation by driving all of the capstans in unison and without slippage of the strand wrappings about the associated strand receiving formations of the capstans.

Apparatus for feeding a plurality of strands of material such as yarn, in unison, along an array of separate feedpaths that extend from a bank of supply packages to a workstation of a knitter machine while such structure as defines the array of separate feedpaths rotates about an imaginary center axis that extends substantially centrally through the workstation, and wherein:

• a) capstan means is provided that includes an array of capstan assemblies that each are associated with a separate one of the feedpaths for drivingly engaging an associated strand that is fed along the associated feed path, and that each have bearing means connected to such structure as defines the array of separate feedpaths for rotation with such structure about the center axis, with each of the bearing means defining an associated capstan axis;
• b) each of the capstan assemblies includes a capstan that is journalled by the associated bearing means for rotation about the associated capstan axis relative to such structure as defines the array of separate feedpaths;
• c) each of the capstans defines an associated strand engaging formation means that extends near the associated feedpath for receiving a wrapping of the associated strand and for effecting positive feeding of the associated strand along the associated feedpath in response to rotation of the associated capstan about the associated capstan axis;
• and,
• d) capstan rotation means is provided for drivingly interconnecting all of the capstans for concurrent rotation about the respective capstan axes, and for drivingly connecting at least some of the capstans to a source of rotary motion for effecting concurrent rotation of the capstans, in unison, about the respective capstan axes during operation of the knitter machine to feed said plurality of strands uniformly, evenly and concurrently along the array of separate feedpaths to the workstation.