Abstract: A yarn supply apparatus for elastic yarns in knitting machines having abruptly fluctuating yarn consumption. A yarn wheel, around which the yarn to be supplied is wrapped, furnishes the yarn to a yarn store located between a knitting station and the yarn wheel. A closed-loop controller responsive to yarn tension operates the yarn wheel via a low-inertia drive motor. The yarn store is embodied as an essentially straight segment of yarn in the yarn path in which yarn is guided so it can expand freely. The combination of a low-inertia drive motor, a yarn store that utilizes the intrinsic elasticity of the yarn, and a closed-loop controller that monitors the yarn tension by means of a sensor device makes it possible to use the yarn supply apparatus for supplying elastic yarns and to keep the yarn tension essentially constant even when the demand for yarn fluctuates abruptly.

Abstract: For supplying yarns, a yarn supply apparatus is contemplated that is designed particularly for knitting machines whose yarn demand fluctuates greatly over time. The yarn supply apparatus has a rotor-driven yarn wheel, which in the ideal case furnishes yarn directly to the knitting machine or its yarn guides without the interposition of yarn storage devices. The yarn tension is monitored by means of a yarn tension sensor, which provides measured value detection for a closed-loop controller that controls the supply by the yarn wheel. The controller is also embodied such that it can process signals that contain information about the future yarn demand. Thus in the event of imminent drastic changes in demand, of the kind that in flatbed knitting machines periodically occur at the edges of the knitted goods (turning points of the yarn guide), the controller can react by presupplying yarn or by ceasing to supply yarn. Yarn tension spikes and overly steep yarn tension drops can thus be compensated for.

Abstract: A yarn supply apparatus is equipped with a clutch arrangement in order to couple a drive wheel to rotate with a yarn supply wheel as necessary. The clutch arrangement is constructed in an open design, in which any development of narrowing spaces is avoided. For this purpose one clutch half is provided with axial fingers, which engage in radially open longitudinal slots, formed by a toothing, of the other clutch half. The slots of the toothing are longer than the engagement length between fingers and toothing. The intermediate space formed between the ends of the fingers and the nearest wall in axial direction is open in radial direction or is in communication with a larger inner space. Thereby the compression or compaction of deposited fluff is prevented.

Abstract: A plate-type thread brake includes two brake elements pressed resiliently against each other by a load device and receiving the thread passing through between them. These brake elements are eccentrically suspended on bearings on the inside wall of a central opening which only fill out a small part of the opening. Thread guides are also arranged in the region of this central opening.

Abstract: A yarn brake has two brake disks, retained with axial play in a support or bearing device, which are retained against one another via resiliently yielding device, such as permanent magnets. The brake disks are rotatably supported in the support or bearing device. Via an oscillatory motion generator, such as an electromagnet, mechanical or other device, the support or bearing means is set into mechanical oscillation that is essentially axial to the brake disks or in other words parallel to the axis of rotation defined by the rotation of the brake disks. The brake disks are carried along only slightly or not at all by the support or bearing device and the oscillatory motion generator.

Abstract: A thread brake with two disc shaped or plate shaped brake elements resiliently pressed against each other operates with an associated oscillation generating device to set the brake elements in oscillatory motions which are preferably oriented transversely to the bearing axis of the brake elements.

Abstract: By the use of special latch needles (21) whose latch (14) can take up two stable positions lying within the limits of its pivotal movement and out of which it can be moved only against the action of a spring, there is ensured, even in fast running flat knitting machines with a transfer mechanism and with stitch presser and/or stitch hold-down elements, and even during the formation of long, loose stitches and loops, reliable trapping of the yarn and manipulation of the stitches and loops by the knitting elements. (FIG.

Abstract: A cam system for flat-bed knitting machines has a needle cam unit which has at least one integrated knitting cam loop transferring cam for both knitting and loop transferring directions, of which the knitting cam has adjustable sinker elements on both sides and the loop transferring cam has transfer cam parts with a central lobe, located above the knitting track, for transferring the loops and receiving cam parts associated with them having a central receiving lobe and an oblique face that is operative in a trailing fashion. The cam system also has a depressor apparatus, in which the needles supported in needle tracks of the needle beds are controlled by pressure jacks acting upon needle jacks, the pressure feet of the pressure jacks being movable into different tracks, which are located in the planes of pressure strips.

Abstract: The sinkers of both needle beds of a double bed flat knitting machine are pivotable so as to form a complete bridge over the gap between the needle beds. They have a loop-forming edge which is formed, with respect to the direction of take down for the knitted fabric, underneath the projections of the sinkers, which make up the bridge. Holding down of the old stitches in the gap between the needle beds is therefore ensured and a loop equalizing movement can be effected by means of the sinkers.

Abstract: A cam system for flat-bed knitting machines is provided with a needle cam unit which has at least one knitting cam and a transfer cam, integrated therein, for both carriage travel and transfer directions. The knitting cam has adjustable needle sinkers and a knitting cam/knitting element that projects the needles for knitting, and the transfer cam has at least one delivery transfer element and an associated receiving transfer element. The needles, which are supported in needle tracks of the needle beds, are controlled by intermediate jacks embodied as pressure elements, the pressure feet of which can be moved along various courses, which are located in the planes of pressure bars. In order to be able to perform combined loop formation and loop transfer in a single cam unit in a single operation, using a single needle, in such a cam system, the knitting cam/knitting element simultaneously embodies the receiving transfer element of the transfer cam.

Abstract: A single or multi-cam system (11) for flat-bed knitting machines having needle, jack and selector cam units (13, 14 and 16) arranged one beneath the other is described. The needle cam unit (13) features at least one knitting cam and an integrated transfer cam (17, 18) for both carriage traverse and transfer directions. The knitting cam has adjustable, spaced apart, stitch cams (26, 27). The transfer cam has transfer cam parts having a pretensioning higher lobe (48, 49) for pretensioning the loops and a trailing lower lobe (51, 52) for transferring the loops and associated transfer receiving cam parts.With a multi-cam system (11) for flat-bed knitting machines of this type, the combined, respectively integrated knit and transfer cam (17, 18) is made narrower, without the additional cost or effort associated with mechanical drives and/or switching devices being necessary.

Abstract: A flat-bed knitting machine with a plurality of needle beds in each of which an intermediate plate is situated which is displaceable between four operating positions to thereby control the movement of an associated needle. Also located in each needle bed are pairs of selector plates and associated with each needle bed is an electro-magnetic selecting device which controls the location of the selector plates as a function of the knitting pattern relative to a cam track assembly and the intermediate plate associated with the selector plates.

Abstract: A single or multi-cam system (11) for flat-bed knitting machines having needle, jack and selector cam units (13, 14 and 16) arranged one beneath the other is described. The needle cam unit (13) features at least one knitting cam and an integrated transfer cam (17, 18) for both carriage traverse and transfer directions. The knitting cam has adjustable, spaced apart, stitch cams (26, 27). The transfer cam has transfer cam parts having a pretensioning higher lobe (48, 49) for pretensioning the loops and a trailing lower lobe (51, 52) for transfering the loops and associated transfer receiving cam parts.With a multi-cam system (11) for flat-bed knitting machines of this type, the combined, respectively integrated knit and transfer cam (17, 18) is made narrower, without the additional cost or effort associated with mechanical drives and/or switching devices being necessary. For this, the transfer cam parts are formed by the respective stitch cam (26, 27), which features the appropriate pretensioning lobe (48, 49).

Abstract: This invention relates to a knitted fabric spreader device for flat knitting machines which have spiked rotatable rollers (14) disposed beneath the comb gap (12) of the needle beds of the machine. The spiked rollers (14) are mounted over the full length of the needle beds (10, 11) on a common carrier rod (13) concentric with this rod, and the common carrier rod (13) can be moved transversely to the longitudinal direction of the needle beds to provide for clearance of the comb gap (12) of the machine. To cater for this adjustment the carrier rod (13) is held on at least slides adjustable by means of a control cam (27). The rollers (14) are so mounted between eccentric intermediate discs (15) provided with a smooth peripheral edge that spikes (38) of the rollers (14) project radially above the intermediate discs (15) over a part only of the carrier rod (13) to engage the knitted fabric (29) (FIG. 2).