Patents Assigned to Precision Fukuhara Works, Ltd.
  • Patent number: 10612169
    Abstract: Provided is a knitting method and a knitting mechanism, and a circular knitting machine, in which in jacquard or semi jacquard knitting using a circular knitting machine, welt stitching is avoided so as to prevent the breakage and overlapping of yarns and filaments. According to the present invention, only needles selected for knitting and needles selected for tucking perform stitching, and needles selected for welting are prevented from performing stitching by a deactivation method, and thus the needles selected for welting do not perform stitching, so that the load on old loops can be suppressed, and breakage and overlapping of yarns and filaments can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: PRECISION FUKUHARA WORKS, LTD.
    Inventors: Masaru Enishi, Sergio Delgado
  • Patent number: 6301938
    Abstract: An automatic fabric-density adjusting device is provided and includes a detecting device for detecting the rotary movement of a knitting machine, a driving mechanism for driving a yarn positive feeding device in response to the signal detected by said detecting device, a controller for controlling the driving mechanism to cause said yarn feeding device to feed a requisite yarn volume for the desired fabric, a fabric tension sensor for detecting variations in the tension of the knit fabric and signaling the controller to vary the take-up of the fabric accordingly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: Precision Fukuhara works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunji Takeuchi, Kyoya Kitagawa, Kozo Taniguchi, Yasuo Nakamura, Yoji Kawase, Hiromasa Nagai
  • Patent number: 6199409
    Abstract: A double knit circular knitting machine is provided having a first needle bed in which transfer needles are mounted and a second bed in which ordinary needles devoid of transfer function are mounted in a double density to that of the transfer needles for knitting a high density fabric in any one of several predetermined patterns. A method of knitting high density fabric is provided utilizing such transfer and ordinary needles to form courses of stitch loops and, as dictated by the pattern, to transfer stitch loops from selected transfer needles to correspondingly selected ordinary needles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Precision Fukuhara Works, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takao Shibata
  • Patent number: 6199408
    Abstract: A needle-selecting actuator (5) is surrounded by an intermediate ring (7) at the top, a lower ring (9) at the bottom, a needle cylinder (2) inside, and a cover (12) outside. A cylindrical chamber (13) is formed between the needle-selecting actuator (5) and the cover (12). The cover (12) is equipped with a ventilator fan (17) for feeding the air into the cylindrical chamber (13). The cylindrical chamber (13) has an opening (14, 15; 18) through which the air passes. The outside air is fed into the cylindrical chamber (13) through the means of ventilation/suction (17), and passes through said opening (14, 15; 18) to cool the needle cylinder (2) and its peripheral working components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Precision Fukuhara Works, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takao Shibata
  • Patent number: 6182477
    Abstract: An electronic pattern circular knitting machine and method are provided in which a first encoder is operatively associated with the needle cylinder with which it rotates synchronously and generates a pulse signal for each knitting needle and transmits that signal to a central controller for the knitting machine, in which is stored a datum position for the first encoder, for comparison with pre-stored pattern data to calculate the position of each knitting needle; in which a second encoder is operatively associated with a dial and its cam system, the movement of which changes the knitting timing, for generation and transmission of a position signal to the central controller for comparison with a stored corresponding position to the datum position of the first encoder and a determination of whether the knitting timing has been changed and if so, to adjust automatically the needle selection timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Assignee: Precision Fukuhara Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Shibata, Yoshihiro Aramaki
  • Patent number: 6145346
    Abstract: A circular knitting machine is provided and includes a cylinder, a gear ring supporting and rotating the cylinder, a cam holder, a cam ring supporting the cam holder and a bed supporting the cam ring and the gear ring, and further including an oil collection system for controlling and collecting leaked oil to prevent the oil from staining the fabric being knit. The oil collection system includes a protrusion-free lower surface on said gear ring that is inclined outwardly and downwardly, a chamber in said bed for containing machine parts, an oil collecting cavity in the bed underneath the inclined surface of the gear ring and a reclamation pipe for reclaiming collected oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Precision Fukuhara Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshikatsu Hanyu, Toshihiro Okayama, Shigeuji Koami, Kozo Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 5983677
    Abstract: A jacquard pattern control mechanism for a circular knitting machine is provided in which a plurality of rocker bar supporting members are each slidable in one of the grooves along which one of the knitting elements move, a plurality of elongate rocker bars are pivotally mounted on one of unsaid plurality of rocker bar supporting members for movement about a medial pivot, the opposite end portions of the rocker bars being selectively movable between operative and inoperative positions and having magnetically attractable sections thereon, magnet attracting devices are operatively associated with the opposite end portions of the elongate rocker bars for selectively attracting one of the magnetically attractable sections at opposite ends of the rocker bars to pivot the rocker bars and selectively move one of the opposite end portions thereof to the other operative position and the other opposite end portion thereof to the inoperative position, the magnetic attracting devices comprising a permanent magnet and a p
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: Precision Fukuhara Works, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takao Shibata
  • Patent number: 5964106
    Abstract: Yarn feeding and changing mechanism for circular knitting machine includes a plurality of yarn feed fingers selectively movable between operative and inoperative positions to feed yarn to the needles only when in operative position. A first rocking jack is connected to each yarn feed finger for moving the yarn feed fingers between operative and inoperative positions, and a slider member is connected to each first rocking jack. A second rocking jack is connected to each slider member and a plurality of pivotable selection members are provided for imparting rocking movement to the second rocking jacks in a predetermined pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: Precision Fukuhara Works, Ltd
    Inventors: Takao Shibata, Haruka Sakamoto
  • Patent number: 5941099
    Abstract: A latch needle is provided and includes a working needle having a needle head with a hook and a latch and a body portion having a connecting projection extending outwardly therefrom, and a butt needle having a connecting indentation therein which receives the connecting projection to connect the working needle and butt needle together and a butt thereon between the needle head of the working needle and the connecting projection and the connecting indentations. The latch needle also includes reinforcement of the connection between the working needle and the butt needle in the form of a fastening projection and a fastening indentation located between the needle head and the butt on the butt needle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1999
    Assignee: Precision Fukuhara Works, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yuji Kawase
  • Patent number: 5823015
    Abstract: A knitting machine and needle selection mechanism is provided including a piezoelectric body movable between upper, lower and neutral positions corresponding to knit, tuck and welt positions of the knitting needles, a first driving circuit for displacing the piezoelectric body upwardly, a second driving circuit for displacing the piezoelectric body downardly, a third driving circuit for displacing the piezoelectric body to the neutral position, and a control device for controlling the driving circuits in accordance with a pre-set program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: Precision Fukuhara Works, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takao Shibata
  • Patent number: 5775135
    Abstract: A jacquard pattern control mechanism for a circular knitting machine in which knitting instrumentalities are selected in accordance with a jacquard pattern and are moved between three positions, namely, welt, tuck and knit positions, by a selector jack, a rocker base, a rocker bar pivotally mounted on the rocker base and control cams for controlling the knitting instrumentality, selector jack, rocker base and rocker bar and electromagnetic selection mechanisms that attract selected portions of the rocker bar to determine to which position the knitting instrumentality will be moved, and wherein the selection mechanisms are more compact and have shorter strokes to permit selection of all types of knitting instrumentalities and all three positions without reducing the number of yarn feeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1998
    Assignee: Precision Fukuhara Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Shibata, Yukiari Iida
  • Patent number: 5689977
    Abstract: A circular knitting machine and a jacquard pattern control mechanism therefor is provided in which knitting instrumentalities slidably mounted in grooves in a rotating member, such as a needle cylinder, sinker cap or dial, are controlled by a rocker bar supporting member slidably mounted in each groove behind the knitting instrumentality, the rocker bar supporting member having at least one butt thereon, a rocker bar pivotally mounted on the rocker bar supporting member and having magnetically attractable sections at opposite ends thereof, a magnetic attraction device selectively attracting the magnetically attractable sections of the rocker bar to pivot the rocker bar to control the selection of knitting instrumentalities to be moved from inactive to active positions and a cam system for moving the rocker bar supporting member and selected knitting instrumentalities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1997
    Assignee: Precision Fukuhara Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shozo Yorisue, Takao Shibata, Shinji Hashihiro
  • Patent number: 5647230
    Abstract: Spring jacks are supported for vertical movement in the grooves of the needle cylinder below the needles and select the needles for the control cam to move from the welting position to the knitting or tucking position and to return the needle to the welting position. Jack actuating cams move the spring jacks upwardly to move the needles into operative position with respect to the control cam. The spring jacks are resilient and deflect from an active position to an inactive position out of operative association with an actuating cam. A pattern mechanism selects individual spring jacks in accordance with a predetermined pattern. A selector jack is mounted in each groove in the needle cylinder below the spring jack for limited inward and outward movement and an upper end portion engages a lower end portion of the spring jack. A stack of selector slides operate with the pattern mechanism and each of the selector slides is mounted for individual movement from inactive positions to active positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1997
    Assignee: Precision Fukuhara Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidetoshi So, Shinji Hashihiro
  • Patent number: 5577397
    Abstract: A cam mechanism and method in a circular knitting machine having at least two types of knitting needles each having a master butt and at least two selector butts and including a stitch cam for engaging the master butts and retracting the needles from the knitting and tucking positions to the stitch-forming level, and knitting, tucking and welt-guarding cams movable between extended operative positions and retracted inoperative positions, and a selection device for individually selecting and moving the knitting, tucking and welt-guarding cams between the operative and inoperative positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1996
    Assignee: Precision Fukuhara Works, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yukiari Iida
  • Patent number: 5566558
    Abstract: A circular knitting machine and take-up mechanism therefor includes a knitting unit for forming a tubular knit fabric, a first set of let-off rolls for flattening the tubular fabric into a double-layer web and delivering the web from the knitting unit, a slitter for slitting the flattened tubular fabric longitudinally along a predetermined line, a spreader for spreading the slit fabric into a single layer web, the spreader being extendable and contractible to spread fabrics of varying widths, a second set of let-off rolls for drawing the fabric across the spreader and a fabric take-up for taking-up the single layer web for storage and subsequent use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignee: Precision Fukuhara Works, Ltd.
    Inventor: Koji Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 5546769
    Abstract: An interlock circular knitting machine for knitting a double-knit fabric in which multiple yarns are knit into cylinder needle and dial needle wales, by two types of cylinder needles and two types of dial needles supplied by yarn carriers with multiple yarns, and controlled by a needle selecting cam system through first and second processes which cause the needles to move between high-tucking, holding, clearing and welt positions so that two yarns are knit together into stitch loops in each wale, the stitch loops in adjacent wales in each course being knit of one yarn from the stitch loop in the adjacent wale in the same course and a yarn from a stitch loop in the adjacent wale from an adjacent course.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1996
    Assignee: Precision Fukuhara Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Igarashi, Yoshiro Ito
  • Patent number: 5526655
    Abstract: A cam mechanism and method in a circular knitting machine having at least two types of knitting needles each having a master butt and at least two selector butts and including a stitch cam for engaging the master butts and retracting the needles from the knitting and tucking positions to the stitch-forming level, and knitting, tucking and welt-guarding cams movable between extended operative positions and retracted inoperative positions, and a selection device for individually selecting and moving the knitting, tucking and welt-guarding cams between the operative and inoperative positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 18, 1996
    Assignee: Precision Fukuhara Works, Ltd.
    Inventor: Yukiari Iida
  • Patent number: 5515698
    Abstract: Apparatus for removing and collecting fiber waste from a creel stand having multiple, juxtaposed creel sections including an air suction/blower blowing a first air stream across the top of the creel sections and creating a second air stream flowing across the bottom of the creel sections. An air deflector reciprocating across the top of the creel sections deflects the first air stream downwardly through the creel sections. A bottom plenum beneath the creel sections receives the air stream from the creel sections and confines and directs the second air stream to the suction/blower. A second blower blows air through the bottom plenum toward the suction/blower to assist the suction/blower in creating the second air stream. A plurality of baffles are included in the bottom plenum to provide laminar air flow therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1996
    Assignee: Precision Fukuhara Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masatoshi Sawazaki, Yoshiaki Igarashi
  • Patent number: 5511392
    Abstract: A method of and circular knitting machine for producing a knit fabric having more uniform stitches including yarn feeders feeding a plurality of yarns to stitch forming instrumentalities, the spacing of which affects stitch length and which is subject to change during operation of the knitting machine, a sensor for sensing the tension in the plurality of yarns which changes with changes in the spacing of the stitch forming instrumentalities, and generating a signal indicative of the average tension in the yarns, a comparator for comparing the sensor signal with a pre-set desired tension, a convertor for converting the comparison result into a drive signal, and an adjuster adjusting the spacing of the stitch forming instrumentalities responsive to the drive signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1996
    Assignee: Precision Fukuhara Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masatoshi Sawazaki, Takao Shibata, Yoshiaki Igarashi, Kiyoshi Hayashi, Naganori Ueda
  • Patent number: 5493876
    Abstract: A circular knitting machine is provided that has a bed member and a needle cylinder including a cylinder base rotatably mounted to the bed member. The knitting machine also has a bearing assembly positioned between the bed member and the cylinder base for rotatable mounting of the bed member to the cylinder base. First and second tracks are respectively mounted to the first and second races, and bearings are positionally supported by and between the first and second tracks so that the cylinder base freely rotates about the bed member. A thermal-expansion compensator is preferably integrally formed with either the cylinder base or the bed member and is positioned closely adjacent the corresponding race respectively connected to either the cylinder base or the bed member. The compensator is adapted for compensating for thermal expansion in the cylinder base during heating and cooling thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1996
    Assignee: Precision Fukuhara Works, Ltd.
    Inventor: Koji Tsuchiya