Circular knitting machine with a replaceable needle cylinder

#The invention described and claimed hereinbelow is also described in German Patent Application DE 10 2007 020 743.5 filed on Apr. 30, 2007. This German Patent Application, whose subject matter is incorporated here by reference, provides the basis for a claim of priority of invention under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d).

#The invention relates to a circular knitting machine with a replaceable needle cylinder, containing a support ring with a supporting surface for the needle cylinder, at least one attachment projecting axially above this and a means to facilitate replacement of the needle cylinder, which has lifting parts acting on the needle cylinder, by means of which the needle cylinder is selectively adjustable into an operating position, in which its lower side lies on the supporting surface and is arranged below an upper edge of the attachment, and into a mounting position, in which its underside is held in a raised position by the lifting parts, so that it is arranged to be at least flush with the upper edge of the attachment. Further, the invention relates to a needle cylinder which can be used in such a knitting machine.

#Circular knitting machines with a replaceable needle cylinder have been known for a long time (patent DE 177 577 A). When a circular knitting machine has only one needle cylinder, its insertion and removal is relatively simple. In this case, the insertion and removal can be for the purposes of repair and maintenance as well as for the purpose of operating the same circular knitting machine with needle cylinders of different gauge and/or different diameters. Since the area above the needle cylinder is substantially free, the needle cylinder and possibly the associated support rings only need to be lifted out of the machine frame or inserted into this from the top.

#FIG. 1 shows a vertical section through a part of a circular knitting machine;

#FIG. 2 is a sectional representation similar to FIG. 1, but simplified, of a circular knitting machine according to the invention with a needle cylinder in a mounting position;

#FIG. 3 is a sectional view corresponding to FIG. 2, but wherein the needle cylinder is located in an operating position;

#According to FIGS. 1 to 3, in which only the parts essential to the invention are shown, a circular knitting machine includes, as usual, a base plate (not further shown) arranged in a machine frame and on which a bearing ring 1 with bearings 2 is arranged, in which a support ring 3 is disposed to be rotatable around a generally vertical machine axis 4. The support ring 3 is defined on a side located radially on the inside by a vertically arranged side wall 5 coaxially surrounding the machine axis 4 and having a supporting surface 6 (FIG. 2) on its upper side. Supported on this supporting surface 6 is a needle cylinder 7, which is fixedly connected to the support ring 3 with fastening screws 8, which project through bores of the side wall 5 and are screwed into the needle cylinder 7 from the underside.

#For precise coaxial centring of the needle cylinder 7 relative to the machine axis 4, the side wall 5 is defined on its upper side by a centring insert 9, which projects upwards beyond the supporting surface 6 and stands opposite the needle cylinder 7 radially from the inside and is a few millimeters high, for example. The centring attachment 9 serves to receive radially arranged centring screws 10 that abut against the needle cylinder 7 from the inside. During the usual actuation of the support ring 3 by means of a drive motor (not shown), the needle cylinder 7 is thus rotated coaxially around the machine axis 4.

#In addition, a stationary support ring 11, which bears a cam plate 12, on which usual cam segments 15 provided with cam parts 14 are fastened by means of fastening screws 16, is fastened to the base plate of the circular knitting machine. A set collar 17, which is provided with an internal thread and which is screwed onto a corresponding external thread of the cam plate 12 and is rotatably disposed in the support ring 11, can be used to centrally adjust the vertical position of the cam segments 15 parallel to the machine axis 4.