Circular sliver knitting machine having increased carding capacity

A circular sliver knitting machine having increased carding capacity for increasing sliver to be carded and fed into the knitting machine comprising a frame, a needle cylinder rotatably supported on said frame, a plurality of needles supported in the needle cylinder for vertical movement parallel to an axis of rotation of the needle cylinder, an upper bed plate fixed on said frame in surrounding relation to said needle cylinder, a mounting ring fixed on said upper bed plate, a ring gear surrounding said mounting ring in spaced relation thereto, said mounting ring and ring gear including confronting recesses forming a bearing channel, a bearing assembly mounted within said bearing channel for allowing said ring gear to rotate relative to said mounting ring, said bearing assembly comprising an upper and lower wire race extending circumferentially through each recess, a bearing retainer positioned within said bearing channel between upper and lower wire races, a plurality of openings formed in the retainer, a ball bearing positioned in a plurality of said openings and engaging said wire races for rolling movement relative to said wire races as said ring gear is rotated, drive means connected to said mounting ring for turning said mounting ring, and a plurality of sliver feed assemblies supported by said upper bed plate and interconnected to said ring gear for carding and feeding sliver yarn to said knitting needles as said ring gear is turned.

A circular sliver knitting machine having increased carding capacity for increasing sliver to be carded and fed into the knitting machine comprising a frame, a needle cylinder rotatably supported on said frame, a plurality of needles supported in the, needle cylinder for vertical movement parallel to an axis of rotation of the needle cylinder, an upper bed plate fixed on said frame in surrounding relation to said needle cylinder, an annular mounting channel positioned along an inner peripheral portion of the bed plate adjacent the needle cylinder, a mounting ring secured within said annular mounting channel, a ring gear surrounding said mounting ring in spaced relation thereto, a bearing assembly engaged with an outer peripheral surface of said mounting ring and an inner peripheral surface of said ring gear for allowing said ring gear to rotate relative to said stationary mounting ring, said bearing assembly including wire races extending along the outer surface of said mounting ring and wire races extending along the inner surface of said ring gear, and a plurality of ball bearings engaging said wire races for rolling movement relative to said wire races as said ring gear is rotated, drive means connected to said mounting ring for turning said mounting ring, a sliver feed mounting plate secured to the bed plate and overlying the mounting ring and ring gear, and a plurality of sliver feed assemblies mounted on said sliver feed mounting plate and interconnected to said ring gear for carding and feeding sliver yarn to said knitting needles as said ring gear is turned.

A sliver knitting machine having increased carding capacity for increasing sliver to be carded and fed into the knitting machine comprising a frame, a needle cylinder rotatably supported on said frame, a plurality of needles supported in the needle cylinder for vertical movement parallel to an axis of rotation of the needle cylinder from a lowered stitch forming position to a raised position defining a knitting plane on the machine an upper bed plate fixed on said frame in surrounding relation to said needle cylinder, an annular mounting channel positioned along a inner peripheral portion of the bed plate adjacent the needle cylinder, a mounting ring secured within said annular mounting channel and a ring gear surrounding said mounting ring in spaced relation thereto, said mounting ring and ring gear including confronting recesses forming a bearing channel, a bearing assembly mounted within said bearing channel for allowing said ring gear to rotate relative to said mounting ring while withstanding radial and tangential loads imported on the mounting ring and ring gear, said bearing assembly comprising an upper and lower race wire extending circumferentially through each recess, a bearing retainer positioned within said bearing channel between upper and lower race wires, a plurality of openings formed in the retainer, a ball bearing positioned in a plurality of said openings and engaging said wires for rolling movement relative to said wire races as said ring gear is rotated, drive means connected to said mounting ring for turning said mounting ring, a sliver feed mounting plate secured to the bed plate and overlying the mounting ring and ring gear, and a plurality of sliver feed assemblies mounted on said sliver feed mounting plate and interconnected to said ring gear for feeding sliver yarn to said knitting needles as said ring gear is turned, each of said sliver feed assemblies having a doffing roll positioned a predetermined distance from the knitting plane defined by the knitting needles.

A circular sliver knitting machine having increased carding capacity for increasing sliver to be carded and fed into said knitting machine, said sliver knitting machine comprising:

• a frame;
• a needle cylinder rotatably supported on said frame;
• a plurality of needles supported in said needle cylinder for vertical movement parallel to an axis of rotation of said needle cylinder;
• an upper bed plate fixed on said frame in surrounding relation to said needle cylinder, said upper bed plate having a pair of rigid annular dividers positioned radially outward from one another;
• a mounting ring fixed on said upper bed plate;
• a ring gear surrounding said mounting ring in spaced relation thereto;
• forced air means for forcing air into said upper bed plate;
• a sliver feed mounting plate secured to said upper bed forming a seal therebetween, said sliver feed mounting plate cooperating with said pair of annular dividers to form therebetween a mounting channel, an air jet channel, and a venting channel located between said mounting channel and said air jet channel, said sliver feed mounting plate defining a plurality of air discharge orifices communicating with said air jet channel for drawing air flowing into said upper bed plate out of said air jet channel and onto said knitting needles, and said sliver feed mounting plate further defining a plurality of air outlet orifices communicating with said venting channel for venting to atmosphere air leaking into said venting channel from said air jet channel;
• an anti-friction bearing assembly engaged with said mounting ring and said ring gear allowing said ring gear to rotate relative to said mounting ring;
• drive means connected to said ring gear for turning said ring gear;
• and
• a plurality of sliver feed assemblies mounted on said sliver feed mounting plate and interconnected to said ring gear for carding and feeding sliver yarn to said knitting needles as said ring gear is turned.

An apparatus for use with a circular sliver knitting machine to protect an anti-friction bearing assembly used therein, said apparatus comprising:

• an upper bed plate attached to the circular sliver knitting machine, said upper bed plate having a pair of annular dividers located radially outward from one another;
• forced air means for forcing air into said upper bed plate;
• and
• a sliver feed mounting plate secured to said upper bed plate forming a seal therebetween, said sliver feed mounting plate cooperating with said pair of annular dividers to form therebetween a mounting channel adapted to contain oil for lubricating the anti-friction bearing assembly, an air jet channel, and a venting channel located between said mounting channel and said air jet channel, said sliver feed mounting plate defining a plurality of air discharge orifices communicating with said air jet channel for drawing air forced into said upper bed plate out of said air jet channel, and said sliver feed mounting plate further defining a plurality of air outlet orifices communicating with said venting channel for venting to atmosphere air leaking into said venting channel from said air jet channel to prevent oil from leaking out of said mounting channel, thereby drying out and damaging the bearing assembly.

A method of increasing carding capacity of sliver to be carded and fed into a circular sliver knitting machine, said method comprising:

• providing a frame;
• supporting a needle cylinder rotatably on said frame;
• supporting a plurality of needles in said needle cylinder for vertical movement parallel to an axis of rotation of said needle cylinder;
• fixing an upper bed plate on said frame in surrounding relation to said needle cylinder, said upper bed plate having a pair of rigid annular dividers positioned radially outward from one another;
• fixing a mounting ring on said upper bed plate;
• providing a ring gear to surround said mounting ring in spaced relation thereto;
• forcing air into said upper bed plate by forced air means;
• securing a sliver feed mounting plate to said upper bed plate forming a seal therebetween, said sliver feed mounting plate cooperating with said pair of annular dividers to form therebetween a mounting channel, an air jet channel, and a venting channel located between said mounting channel and said air jet channel, said sliver feed mounting plate defining a plurality of air outlet orifices communicating with said venting channel for venting to atmosphere air leaking into said venting channel from said air jet channel;
• engaging an anti-friction bearing assembly with said mounting ring and said ring gear allowing said ring gear to rotate relative to said mounting ring;
• turning said ring gear with drive means connected thereto;
• and
• mounting a plurality of sliver feed assemblies on said sliver feed mounting plate and interconnecting said ring gear for carding and feeding sliver yarn to said knitting needles as said ring gear is turned.

A method of protecting a bearing assembly of a circular knitting machine, said method comprising:

• attaching an upper bed plate to the circular sliver knitting machine, said upper bed plate having a pair of annular dividers located radially outward from one another;
• forcing air into said upper bed plate by forced air means;
• and
• securing a sliver feed mounting plate to said upper bed plate forming a seal therebetween, said sliver feed mounting plate cooperating with said pair of annular dividers to form therebetween a mounting channel adapted to contain oil for lubricating the anti-friction bearing assembly, an air jet channel, and a venting channel located between said mounting channel and said air jet channel, said sliver feed mounting plate defining a plurality of air discharge orifices communicating with said air jet channel for drawing air forced into said upper bed plate out of said air jet channel, and said sliver feed mounting plate further defining a plurality of air outlet orifices communicating with said venting channel for venting to atmosphere air leaking into said venting channel from said air jet channel to prevent oil from leaking out of said mounting channel, thereby drying out and damaging the bearing assembly.