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US 5,577,402 AGranted
Positioning gauges for a circular sliver knitting machine
AssigneeMayer Industries, Inc.
InventorsMichael K. Kuhrau, Donald C. Fosselman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A first and second indexing gauge for use in positioning air blowing units relative to the needles of a circular sliver knitting machine. An air blowing unit is attached to the machine so as to be both vertically and rotationally adjusted relative to the knitting cylinder. Once the machine has been initially calibrated, the first and second indexing gauges can be used to quickly and easily reposition the air blowing units relative to the needles so as to allow the machine to knit a different fabric and/or pattern with minimal down time and wasted raw materials.
Claims24
A circular sliver knitting machine comprising:
- a frame;
- a needle cylinder rotatably supported on said frame;
- a plurality of needles supported in said needle cylinder for rotational movement therewith and for vertical movement parallel to the axis thereof;
- a plurality of card units at radially spaced locations along the rotational path of said needle cylinder, to deliver sliver fibers to said needles during the movement thereof;
- a yarn feeding station adjacent each of said card units for feeding yarn to said needles;
- a plurality of sinkers cooperating with said needles for forming the yarn and the sliver fibers into knitted fabric;
- an air blowing unit cooperating with each of said card units for blowing air along a path generally radially outward toward said needles;
- adjustment means cooperating with said air blowing unit to allow for said air blowing unit to be adjustably positioned relative to said plurality of needles;
- and
- indexing means cooperating with said adjustment means for indexing the position of said air blowing unit relative to said plurality of needles for purposes of readily locating a desired position for said air blowing unit relative to said plurality of needles corresponding to one of a predetermined number of knit patterns prior to knitting.
7 more elements
A circular sliver knitting machine comprising:
- a frame;
- a needle cylinder rotatably supported on said frame;
- a plurality of needles supported in said needle cylinder for rotational movement therewith and vertical movement parallel to the axis of rotation thereof;
- a plurality of card units at radially spaced locations along the rotational path of said needle cylinder to deliver sliver fibers to said needles during the movement thereof;
- a yarn feeding station adjacent each of said card units for feeding yarn to said needles;
- a plurality of sinkers cooperating with said needles for forming the yarn and the sliver fibers into knitted fabric;
- an exhaust hood for sucking fiber waste laden air from a central portion of the circular sliver knitting machine;
- an air blowing unit connected to said exhaust hood and cooperating with each of said card units for blowing air along a path generally radially outward toward said needles;
- means for adjusting said exhaust hood so as to selectively adjust said air blowing unit relative to said plurality of needles;
- and
- indexing means cooperating with said adjustment means for indexing the position of said plurality of air blowing unit relative to said plurality of needles for purposes of readily locating a desired position for said plurality of air blowing unit relative to said plurality of needles corresponding to one of a predetermined number of knit patterns prior to knitting.
8 more elements
A circular sliver knitting machine comprising:
- a frame;
- a needle cylinder rotatably supported on said frame;
- a plurality of needles supported in said needle cylinder for rotational movement therewith and for vertical movement parallel to the axis of rotation thereof;
- a plurality of card units at radially spaced locations along the rotational path of said needle cylinder and radially outward therefrom, to deliver sliver fibers to said needles during the movement thereof, and each of said card units having first suction means attached thereto;
- a yarn feeding station adjacent each of said card units for feeding yarn to said needles;
- a plurality of sinkers cooperating with said needles for forming the yarn and the sliver fibers into knitted fabric;
- an exhaust hood for sucking fiber waste laden air from a central portion of the circular sliver knitting machine;
- an air blowing unit connected to said exhaust hood and cooperating with each of said card units for blowing air along a path generally radially outward toward said needles;
- means for adjusting said exhaust hood so as to selectively vertically and rotationally adjusting said air blowing unit relative to said plurality of needles;
- and
- a first indexing gauge cooperating with said adjustment means for indexing the vertical position of said plurality of air blowing unit relative to said plurality of needles for purposes of readily locating a desired vertical position for said air blowing unit relative to said plurality of needles corresponding to a predetermined pattern to be knit;
- and
- a second indexing gauge cooperating with said adjustment means for indexing the rotational position of said air blowing unit relative to said plurality of needles for purposes of readily locating a desired rotational position for said air blowing unit relative to said plurality of needles corresponding to a predetermined pattern to be knit.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.