Rotary sinker, knitting machine, and stitch forming method
AssigneeOkamoto Corporation
InventorsHideo Hirano, Kousuke Noguchi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rotary sinker enabling stitch formation by a knitting machine using a rotor for forming a stitch, a knitting machine including the rotary sinker, and a stitch forming method are provided. The ring sinkers as rotating bodies are capable of rotating about a rotation axis independently of each other. The rotation times of the ring sinkers are set to be different from each other. Thus, the rotation times are adjusted to be different between the ring sinker that holds an old loop and the ring sinker that holds a new loop. Adjustment of the rotation times prevents application of a large tension to the knitting yarn made of low stretch fiber, and a stitch can be formed even with a knitting yarn made of non-stretch or low-stretch fiber.
Claims9
A rotary sinker arranged between a plurality of stitch forming portions of a knitting machine, comprising:
- a rotary portion which rotates about an axial line;
- and
- a supporting portion which supports the rotary portion in a rotatable manner;
- wherein
- the rotary portion includes a plurality of rotating bodies each including a sinker tooth on a periphery thereof, the sinker tooth is a convex portion capable of retaining a knitting yarn;
- the plurality of rotating bodies are not fixed together such that the plurality of rotating bodies rotate about the axial line independently from one another;
- and
- each of the plurality of rotating bodies is defined by a substantially flat member, and the rotating bodies are stacked on one another in a thickness direction of the substantially flat members.
A knitting machine comprising:
- a stitch forming portion including a rotor which rotates about a second axial line and arranged to form a stitch by rotation of the rotor while the rotor catches a knitting yarn;
- a sinker arranged on a side of the stitch forming portion to hold the knitting yarn fed to the stitch forming portion;
- and
- a holder base arranged to hold the stitch forming portion and the sinker;
- wherein
- the sinker includes a rotary portion which rotates about a first axial line and a supporting portion which supports the rotary portion in a rotatable manner;
- the rotating portion includes a plurality of rotating bodies each including sinker teeth on a periphery thereof, the sinker teeth being convex portions capable of catching the knitting yarn;
- the plurality of rotating bodies are not fixed together such that the plurality of rotating bodies rotate about the first axial line independently from one another;
- and
- the holder base is arranged to make the stitch forming portion and the sinker rotate about a third axial line that is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the first axial line and the second axial line.
A stitch forming method using a knitting machine including a plurality of stitch forming portions and a sinker arranged between the stitch forming portions, each of the stitch forming portions including a rotor rotatable about a second axial line and being arranged to form a stitch by rotation of the rotor while the rotor catches a knitting yarn, the sinker being arranged on a side of the stitch forming portion to hold the knitting yarn fed to the stitch forming portion, the method comprising:
- a step of holding a first loop;
- and
- a step of holding a second loop during an operation of the sinker;
- wherein
- the sinker is a rotary sinker including a plurality of rotating bodies each including a sinker tooth on a periphery thereof as a convex portion capable of catching the knitting yarn;
- and
- when one of the rotating bodies holds the second loop, another of the rotating bodies holds the first loop, and a rotation time of the another of the rotating bodies is different from a rotation time of the one of the rotating bodies.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.