Needles Patents (Class 66/116)
  • Patent number: 11168414
    Abstract: A method includes drawing each multiple partially oriented polyester yarn from a corresponding supply package to form an oriented polyester yarn as a single multi-filament polyester weft yarn, inserting the multi-filament polyester weft yarn during a single pick insertion event of a pick insertion apparatus of a loom apparatus through winding the multi-filament polyester weft yarn on a single-pick yarn package, and conveying at least two of the multi-filament polyester weft yarn across a warp shed of the loom apparatus through a set of warp yarns in the single pick insertion event to form an incremental length of a woven textile fabric having a first surface with a majority of ends of the warp yarns and a second surface with a majority of picks of the multi-filament polyester weft yarn thereon. The method also includes solely abrading the second surface to provide for comfort to a user during contact therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Inventor: Arun Agarwal
  • Patent number: 7971453
    Abstract: In order to simplify handling of the knitting machine needles and of associate coupling members—in particular when loading the rib dials—a knitting machine needle with a coupling member that is pivotally supported on said knitting machine needle is being provided. The transverse bearing surfaces (21a) and (b), as well as (22a) and (b), said surfaces being at least temporarily in abutment with each other, are disposed to laterally secure the coupling member (3) on the needle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Groz-Beckert KG
    Inventors: Kuno Horn, Jurgen Schneider
  • Publication number: 20110138862
    Abstract: A crochet galloon machine needle (26) in accordance with the invention is provided on its hook outside (39) with a guide projection (40) having a tip (43) that is preferably located above the center axis (A) of the needle (26). This needle (26) has an enlarged weft thread capture range and is thus particularly suitable for the manufacture of dense knitted goods. In addition, said needle enables the operation with reduced take-off tension and, optionally, also with reduced weft thread tension. This helps increase the service life of all system components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: Groz-Beckert KG
    Inventors: Uwe Stingel, Andreas Kuntsmann
  • Patent number: 7878028
    Abstract: A knitting needle designed specifically for achieving particularly fine divisions, or another knitting tool (2), has a narrower working section (4) and a wider support section (5), whereby the support section (5) is provided with a positioning means (11), for example, having the form of a slit (12) or having the form of a rib (32). The knitting tool (2) is associated with a fixing means (29) in the form of a projection (17) or a groove (33) on the side of the bar (1). Due to this measure, the support sections (5) of the knitting tools (2) may be arranged—in close proximity to each other, in contact with or at a minimal distance from each other—on the bar (1), so that a maximum cross-section is available for configuring the support section (5). This provides strong stability for the knitting tools (2)—even in cases of extremely fine divisions—and, at the same time, provides precise alignment and avoids division errors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Groz-Beckert KG
    Inventors: Eric Jürgens, Andreas Dietz, Uwe Stingel, Torsten Butz, Klaus Kirchmair, Eckhard Fehrenbacher
  • Patent number: 7836729
    Abstract: In a transfer needle (1) having at least one transfer spring (8), this transfer spring (8) is held, on its one end, in a preferably lateral pocket or recess of the needle body, while the tip of the transfer spring is positioned in a longitudinal slit of the needle body. This longitudinal slit (24) has an inlet (25) that is open in longitudinal direction (L) of the needle body (5). The inlet (25) of the longitudinal slit (24) is located at an end of the longitudinal slit (24) away from the hook (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Groz-Beckert KG
    Inventors: Klaus Kirchmair, Frank Weihing, Jürgen Schneider, Oskar Schaffer
  • Publication number: 20100281923
    Abstract: A staple fiber yarn having at least one twisted thread. The twisted thread includes a mixture of first staple fibers and second staple fibers. The first staple fibers are produced from high-strength filaments and the second staple fibers have a shrinkage in the range from 5% to 50%. The weight ratio of the first to second staple fibers lies in the range of 5:95 to 45:55. A method for producing a textile article wherein shrinkage is implemented either on the staple fiber yarn, after which the article is produced from the shrunken staple fiber yarn, or on the article containing the non-shrunken staple fiber yarn. The textile article has a wear resistance that is similarly high or indeed even higher than that of a correspondingly produced textile article, the staple fiber yarn of which consists exclusively of first staple fibers that are produced from high-strength filaments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2009
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Applicant: TEIJIN ARAMID GMBH
    Inventors: Regine Maria Zumloh-Nebe, Christoph Jorg Hahn
  • Patent number: 7690223
    Abstract: To reduce the drive power consumption of a circular knitting machine by reducing the contact area of a tool for the knitting machine with the side faces of a thin groove to suppress a rise in temperature and the thermal deformation of the knitting machine by frictional heat. A part of the stem (17) of the tool for the circular knitting machine is raised from the bottom face (20) of the thin groove (19) in which the tool for the circular knitting machine is inserted and, at the same time, sunk from the upper end face (21) of the thin groove to form float parts (22, 22A to 22L) extending parallel with the thin groove (19). When a distance (L) between the bottom face and the upper end face of the thin groove (19) is used as a reference, the float part is so formed that its raised length (L1) is 10 to 40% of (L) and its sunk length (L2) is 10 to 40% of (L).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Fukuhara Needle Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Atsumu Abe
  • Publication number: 20100050698
    Abstract: A knitting machine needle having at least at one point S2, S3, S4 or S5 of its hook, a cross-section that is asymmetrical with respect to a longitudinal center plane M. Preferably, this cross-section is an oval cross-section and, more preferably, an elliptical cross-section. Using this measure, the robbing-back effect can be affected in a targeted manner during the knitting operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: GROZ-BECKERT KG
    Inventors: Marcus Weber, Valery Kapralov
  • Patent number: 7634922
    Abstract: A knitting needle for knitted sueded fabric is provided. The needle includes a shank, a hook, a latch, and an abrasive surface. The abrasive surface is defined on the shank, the hook, the latch, and any combinations thereof. A method of knitting a sueded fabric is also provided. The method includes forming an abrasive surface on a knitting needle, moving the knitting needle through a knitting cycle, and moving a yarn across the abrasive surface to form fibrils on the yarn as the knitting needle is moving through the knitting cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: HBI Branded Apparel Enterprises, LLC
    Inventor: Michael Starbuck
  • Patent number: 7614254
    Abstract: The component placement set in accordance with the invention for equipping a knitting machine consists of the system components that are required for equipping the knitting machine, said system components being sorted according to type and arranged in one package in different chambers. The chambers are closed all around and protect the packaged system components against environmental influences and against loss. Preferably, the package can be opened only by destroying it, in which case the chambers of the package can be cut open independently of each other. The order of the system components in the individual chambers preferably corresponds to the order in which they are to be placed in the knitting machine. This applies, in particular, to system components having different foot positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Groz-Beckert KG
    Inventor: Frank Weihing
  • Patent number: 7533547
    Abstract: A cutting needle (1) for knitting machines and similar applications has been provided, said cutting needle having a needle body (2) on which a knife (6) is detachably held, preferably by means of a detent device (19). Such a cutting needle (1) reduces the maintenance costs of knitting machines and discloses ways for optimizing needle bodies (2) and knives (6) in view of manufacturing technology and materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Groz-Beckert KG
    Inventors: Günther Büchle, Eric Jürgens, Jörg Sauter
  • Patent number: 7533546
    Abstract: A system component (1), such as, for example a knitting machine needle (2), intended for a loop-forming machine has in its foot (8) at least one cutout (14) that is set up to accommodate a section of a holder (17). This holder can be clipped into the cutout in order to hold several such system components in a pre-specified sequence and at a lateral distance and in alignment with respect to each other. The systems components, which are thus temporarily connected to each other, can be handled as a unit and, in this manner, can be removed from the bed (5), can be treated, for example be cleaned, and can be replaced in the same sequence and alignment in the bed (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Groz-Beckert KG
    Inventor: Uwe Stingel
  • Publication number: 20090084143
    Abstract: A knitting tool for a bar (1) of a knitter comprises a shaft (4), which is provided with a plastic body (15) at least on one side, which extends beyond the side surface (11) of the shaft. Said plastic body (15) is in contact with the side surface of the adjacent knitting tool. Thus, both knitting tools concerned are supported at one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Applicant: GROZ-BECKERT KG
    Inventors: Andreas Dietz, Torsten Butz, Klaus Kirchmair, Eric Jorgens, Ernst-Viktor Heinemann, Hubert Siber, Ingo Zimmermann, Eckhard Fehrenbacher
  • Patent number: 7490568
    Abstract: A bearded needle comprises a needle shank whose tip is shaped into a thin shank portion by tapering down the thickness of the needle shank. The thin shank portion has a conical projection portion at the extremity thereof. The conical projection portion has a hooking tip portion to form a hooking portion at the tip of the needle shank. The hooking portion has a substantially U-shaped bottom portion that hooks and holds a thread, and includes sloping surfaces each inclining toward an outer edge of the hooking tip portion. The sloping surfaces each extend from the bottom portion over both the conical projection portion and the hooking tip portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Organ Needle Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiko Matsuda, Mutsumi Sekiguchi
  • Publication number: 20090000338
    Abstract: A cutting needle (1) for knitting machines and similar applications has been provided, said cutting needle having a needle body (2) on which a knife (6) is detachably held, preferably by means of a detent device (19). Such a cutting needle (1) reduces the maintenance costs of knitting machines and discloses ways for optimizing needle bodies (2) and knives (6) in view of manufacturing technology and materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: Groz-Beckert KG
    Inventors: Gunther Buchle, Eric Jurgens, Jorg Sauter
  • Patent number: 7344554
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a medical device or article that reduces the ability of the Keith needle to unintentionally fall out of the barrel, improves the ability of the Keith needle to track on axis, or both. In one aspect, the disclosure is directed toward a medical device suitable for use in implant surgery. The medical device includes a Furlow insertion tool with a barrel having a bore. The Furlow tool further includes an obturator adapted for slidable insertion into the bore. The medical device further includes a Keith needle adapted for slidable insertion into the bore. The Keith needle is adapted to yieldably fit against at least one of the barrel and the obturator when the Keith needle is disposed within the bore. In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed toward a Keith needle adapted for use with a Furlow insertion tool. The Furlow insertion tool including a barrel and an obturator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: AMS Research Corporation
    Inventors: Charles C. Kuyava, James Taylor
  • Publication number: 20080034804
    Abstract: The knitting method in accordance with the invention is based on simple knitting tools without means for closing a thread-receiving space that is created by a simple cutout configured as a stitch support shoulder. In the simplest case, the stitch is formed by a simple back-and-forth movement of two knitting tools relative to each other, whereby said knitting tools can be arranged approximately at a right angle with respect to each and can be alternately pierced through each other. In so doing, the taken up thread is pushed through the half stitch respectively carried by the other knitting tool. The knitting method is based on simple and sturdy tools that are minimally susceptible to wear. Considering the manufacture of left-left knitted goods, this method permits, in addition, a significant increase in productivity compared with conventional machines while, at the same time, featuring greater simplicity of the knitting process and of the knitting tools.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2007
    Publication date: February 14, 2008
    Applicant: GROZ-BECKERT KG
    Inventors: Uwe Stingel, Manfred Sauter
  • Patent number: 7055347
    Abstract: A module for textile machines has a plurality of tools (2) with retention portions (6). The retention portions are grasped in a plastic body (7), which reaches out or embraces the retention portions (6) at one or more recesses (15, 27, 28). The plastic body serves to fix the tools (2) positionally correctly with respect to one another. The positioning of the tools (2) with respective to a dividing sinker (11), however, is effected by direct contact between the retention portions (6) and the dividing sinker (11). By filling the gaplike interstices, which exist between the retention portions, with plastic, a compact yet lightweight retention region (4) for the module (1) is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Groz-Beckert KG
    Inventors: Johannes Bruske, Stefan Danner, Walter Kettlitz, Norbert Scholz
  • Patent number: 6973807
    Abstract: A stitch needle (10) is provided with a tip (29) which is shaped as a center punch and has no recognizable rounding at its terminus (31). The tip (29) is preferably arranged at mid height of the hook-shaped aperture (36) which is structured for capturing the yarn (13). The particular shape of the tip (29) and its positioning minimize the wear of the stitch needle (10) and also minimize damages to the yarn (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2005
    Assignee: Groz-Beckert KG
    Inventors: Johannes Bruske, Günther Büchle, Stephan Pfister
  • Patent number: 6925841
    Abstract: A closing element assembly is provided for closing hooking elements within a knitting machine. The assembly has a plurality of closing elements with each closing element having a butt end and a working end. The butt end defines at least one indention along the length of the butt end. At least one plate is provided for receipt in the indention. The plate defines closing element channels therein for receipt of a portion of the butt ends of the plurality of closing elements. The plate secures the plurality of closing elements in proper position for cooperating with a plurality of hooking elements of compound needles within a knitting process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Chima, Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas L. Heydt, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6912875
    Abstract: A plurality of machine elements, such as needles (2), are combined into a shipping unit (1) by material connections, such as an adhesive bond, and this shipping unit can be easily transported and stored. The machine elements can easily be separated by hand or with simple tools and inserted individually, for instance into the needle tracks of a knitting machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Groz-Beckert KG
    Inventor: Eckhard Fehrenbacher
  • Publication number: 20040244429
    Abstract: A plurality of machine elements, such as needles (2), are combined into a shipping unit (1) by material connections, such as an adhesive bond, and this shipping unit can be easily transported and stored. The machine elements can easily be separated by hand or with simple tools and inserted individually, for instance into the needle tracks of a knitting machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Applicant: Groz-Beckert KG
    Inventor: Eckhard Fehrenbacher
  • Publication number: 20040093909
    Abstract: A tongue (67) is provided, at a front end thereof, with a drop-loop preventing step (79), and the hook (11) is provided, on an outer edge portion thereof extending from a sharp-pointed tip (27) of the hook to a top (29) of the hook, with a loop escape surface (31) to hide the drop-loop preventing step (79) when the hook (11) is closed by the tongue (67). In addition, the front end of the tongue is lowered so that a height between a bottom of the needle body and a top of the drop-loop preventing step (79) is lowered more when the slider is in a knock-over position than before the slider arrives at the knock-over position and also the top of the drop-loop preventing step (79) positioned at the knocked-over position can be positioned at a lower level than the top (29) of the hook. This can allow can allow a further smooth knock-over of the loop without negative effects on the yarn feed requirements for the capture of the yarn by the needle hook.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2003
    Publication date: May 20, 2004
    Inventor: Toshiaki Morita
  • Publication number: 20040093910
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for machine knitting with at least one continuous thread, in which the thread is passed through an existing stitch in the form of a loop, by means of the hook of a knitting or working needle to form a new stitch, whereby the knitting or working needle comprises a slot below the needle hook, into which a downwards-pointing transfer hook, which may be moved in the vertical direction, may extend. The transfer hook extends into the slot by means of a simultaneous controlled transverse movement, or the transfer hook forms the end of a moving lever, the other end of which is in the form of a control foot, the bearing of which is in the form of a dog which engages the groove of the lever and presses the control foot outwards in the control track by means of a flat spring. The above permits in a simple and secure manner smaller knitting sizes on knitting than for all other conventionally applied techniques.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2003
    Publication date: May 20, 2004
    Inventor: Ulrich Hofmann
  • Publication number: 20040083767
    Abstract: An improved knitting tool, comprising a loop-drawing needle (2) and a transfer needle (3), is improved in terms of its operational reliability, its versatility of use, and its knitting speed, by providing that the loop-drawing needle (2) has a cheek region (12) which is widened compared to the rest of the shank (5) and which is provided with a noucat (16). On the end of the cheek region (12) remote from the hook (9) of the loop-drawing needle (2), a control face (36) is provided, along which the transfer needle (3) runs with its control face (37), as a result of which the spacing between the loop-drawing needle (2) and the transfer needle (3) changes. The transfer hook (26) of the transfer needle (3) is wider than the hook (9) of the loop-drawing needle, and the hook tip is sharpened or pointed in order to fit into the noucat (16) in the loop-drawing needle, Because the transfer hook (26) is embodied as especially wide, the operating safety is increased substantially.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2003
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Applicant: GROZ-BECKERT KG
    Inventor: Ulrich Hofmann
  • Patent number: 6609398
    Abstract: The invention describes a compound needle having a needle part (3) and a slide part (4) for knitting, warp knitting or hosiery machines. The needle part (3) has a needle shaft (3a) and a needle hook (3b), the needle shaft (3a) being provided with a slot-shaped recess (3f) and a guide channel. The slide part has a slide shaft (4a), which is insertable into the guide channel and is movable to and fro in the latter, and a slide hook (4b) which is open in the opposite direction to the needle hook (3b), said slide hook being insertable into the recess (3f) in order to take over a stitch (9) located on the needle shaft (3a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: SIPRA Patententwicklungs- und Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH
    Inventor: Ernst-Dieter Plath
  • Patent number: 6568223
    Abstract: A first knitting member 5 has a fork portion 38 extending forwardly formed in an upper portion of a side wall(s) of the first knitting member at an accommodation groove forming portion 33 thereof where the accommodation groove 32 for accommodating the second knitting member 7 is formed, while also the second knitting member 7 has a guiding portion 55 formed to be curved outwardly so that its upper surface can confront a lower surface of the fork portion 38 formed on the side wall(s) of the first knitting member 5, so that while the second knitting member 7 is moved relative to the first knitting member 5, the guiding portion 55 of the second knitting member 7 is guided into a space formed under the fork portion 38 of the first knitting member 5 and supported by the fork portion 38 during at least part of the relative movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: Shima Seiki Mfg., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshiaki Morita
  • Patent number: 6439382
    Abstract: A needle and pin cap assembly for eliminating a user from being cut or stuck with the needle or pin. The needle and pin cap assembly includes a first cap member assembly including a first cap member having a side wall an open end, a closed end, and a cavity disposed therein; and also includes a second cap member having a side wall, a first end, and a second end which is adapted to receive a head portion of a needle or pin there through; and further includes an elastic elongate member being connected to the first cap member and to the second cap member and being adapted to hold the first end cap member and the second end cap member upon ends of the needle or pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Inventor: Lisa R. Wolfe
  • Patent number: 6430968
    Abstract: A knitting machine needle is described with a shank (2), provided on one end with a hook (5). According to the invention, the hook (5) has at least one separation edge (15) on its inside (11) for separation of two thread support regions (16, 17), so that the knitting machine needle is particularly suited for performance of platings (FIG. 1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Sipra Patentenwicklungs - und Beteiligungsgesesslschaft mbH
    Inventor: Kurt Juenthner
  • Patent number: 6339942
    Abstract: A compound needle comprises a closing element with two closing element springs. These are designed to be asymmetrical relative to each other or at least provided with clearances or openings which, during the operation of the compound needle, are made to overlap with a corresponding cutout or other openings in the basic compound needle member, so that deposits can be removed to the needle channel. An asymmetric design of the closing element springs prevents the closing element from being wedged into the closing element channel, even if the deposit removal is incomplete. As a result, the compound needle wear is reduced considerably and the operational safety is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2002
    Assignees: Groz-Beckert KG, Shima Seiki Manufacturing Ltd.
    Inventors: Sigmar Majer, Bernhard Schuler, Kurt Wiedenhöfer, Toshiaki Morita, Kenji Kitahara
  • Patent number: 6321578
    Abstract: A method for creating an opening in tubular knitted fabric articles on a machine including a needle cam mounted for reciprocal movement between first and second vertically-spaced positions. In the first position the needle cam lowers successive needles to a position where the loop of yarn is released from a selected loop-forming needle and transferred to a transfer needle. In the second position the needle cam lowers successive needles to a position where the loop of yarn is transferred to a transfer needle adjacent the selected loop forming needle without being released from the selected loop-forming needle to thereby form a no-run stitch in the knitted fabric. A needle is selected from which a loop is to be transferred and the loop is enlarged on the selected needle by deflecting the loop out of the vertical plane of the selected needle laterally into the vertical plane of an adjacent needle while the adjacent needle is in a lowered, non-interfering position relative to the deflected loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Inventor: Francesco Gavagnin Apollonio
  • Patent number: 6298692
    Abstract: A knitting instrumentality for use in a knitting machine and method of forming the same is provided and includes an elongate body member (10, 110, 210) stamped from sheet metal (11, 111, 211) in a predetermined shape and having a fine concave-and-convex pattern (12, 113, 114, 215) formed in the side faces thereof to reduce the contact area of such knitting instrumentality when placed in the knitting machine to reduce the static frictional forces thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Fukuhara Needle Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuaki Kuroda, Isao Koyama, Yuji Kawase
  • Patent number: 6230523
    Abstract: An array of alternating needles and sinkers for performing a transfer stitch operation, each of said needles having an elongate shank having a hook formed on a top end thereof and a butt formed on a bottom end thereof, a latch pivotally mounted on the shank below said hook and reciprocally moveable by a yarn being formed into a loop between an open position wherein the latch resides generally alongside the shank of the needle and a closed position extending between the shank and an end of the hook, and a loop-enlarging deflector positioned on the needle shank between the latch and the butt and shaped to extend laterally into a plane defined by the hook of an immediately adjacent needle without interfering with the sinker between the needle and adjacent needle for receiving the adjacent needle through the loop whereby the loop is transferred laterally to the adjacent needle to thereby form an opening in a fabric being formed on the needles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2001
    Inventor: Francesco Gavagnin Apollonio
  • Patent number: 6155080
    Abstract: Inserting knitting needles into a knitting machine in regular order, without requiring experience of the worker, is enabled by the use of a knitting needle arranging apparatus which is comprising:(a) a series of knitting needle supplying means for sequentially pushing one or plural knitting needles in one direction;(b) knitting needle stacking means for sequentially stacking and holding the pushed knitting needles in the thickness direction of the knitting needle in cooperation with each of the series of the knitting needle supplying means; and(c) means for moving the knitting needle stacking means from a cooperation state with one of the knitting needle supplying means so as to cooperate with predetermined knitting needle supplying means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Teijin Limited
    Inventors: Takeshi Yamaguchi, Norio Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6119489
    Abstract: A knitting machine part which is resistant to abrasion caused by knitting a yarn of cut-resistant fiber contains: (i) a base substrate having at least one yarn-contacting region for contacting the yarn during the knitting process, and (ii) a coating disposed on the surface of the base substrate on at least the yarn-contacting region of the base substrate, wherein the coating contains titanium carbonitride having a carbon-to-nitrogen weight ratio of from about 1:4 to 4:1, preferably from about 1:1.5 to 1.5:1, most preferably about 1:1. The knitting machine part is preferably a knitting needle or a sinker. The cut-resistant yarn is preferably composed of at least one cut-resistant fiber formed from a fiber-forming polymer and a hard filler having a Mohs Hardness value of at least about 3, the hard filler being distributed in the fiber-forming polymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Assignee: HNA Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Roschen, Herman Leslie Lanieve, Scott W. Thompson
  • Patent number: 6112556
    Abstract: A method of making a knitting tool for a textile machine includes the following steps: stamping a knitting tool blank from stock material, wherein the stamped blank has, at an outer periphery thereof, a sharp burr and/or a sharp edge resulting from the stamping step; and submitting the stamped blank to an embossing step for rounding and/or chamfering the sharp burr and/or the sharp edge, whereby the sharp burr and/or the sharp edge is at least partially eliminated by embossing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Groz-Beckert KG
    Inventor: Richard Roth
  • Patent number: 6085554
    Abstract: A needle for a circular knitting machine wherein loops can be transferred from one needle to an adjacent needle for forming decorative patterns of open-work. The needle includes an elongate shank having a hook formed on a top end thereof and a butt formed on a bottom end thereof. A latch is pivotally mounted on the shank below said hook and reciprocally moveable by a yarn being formed into a loop between an open position wherein the latch resides generally alongside the shank of the needle and a closed position extending between the shank and the end of the hook. A loop deflector is positioned on the needle shank between the latch and the butt and extends laterally into a plane defined an adjacent needle for receiving the adjacent needle through the loop whereby the loop is transferred laterally to the adjacent loop to thereby form an opening in the fabric being formed by the knitting machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: Edelweiss Manufacturing Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Francesco Gavagnin Apollonio
  • Patent number: 6023948
    Abstract: A knitting tool includes a flat shank having opposite first and second narrow sides and an elongated, narrow control spring forming an integral, one-piece part with the shank and projecting therefrom. The control spring has a first, free end and an opposite second end. The second end is directly formed on the shank and constitutes a continuation of the first narrow shank side. The knitting tool further has an elongated bay bounded by the control spring and the first narrow shank side. The bay has an open end at the first, free end of the control spring and a closed end at the second end of the control spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2000
    Assignee: Groz Beckert KG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Schmoll, Klaus Ruoff, Thomas Schmid
  • Patent number: 5987932
    Abstract: A slider type needle for a knitting machine, comprising a needle (1) equipped with a beard (3) and a slider (2) having an associated length, a butt (4), a nose (5) and a stitch bearing shoulder (6), this slider being displaceable relative to the needle in order to close and open the beard of the needle and in order to permit the nose and shoulder of the needle to drive a stitch so as to execute a stitch transfer. The slider (2) has a U-shaped profile enabling it to straddle the needle (1). The slidcr is split (7, 15) in its end region, in order to allow an opposite needle or slider to pass through in order to carry out a stitch transfer or punching. This needle affords new knitting possibilities, in particular it makes it possible to carry out punching without an auxiliary section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: Atelier De Construction Steiger S.A.
    Inventors: Marcello Baseggio, Michel Prost, Claude-Yvan Marcoz
  • Patent number: 5956976
    Abstract: A latch needle for loop-forming textile machines includes a needle shank having an upper side, a back and a sawslot extending into the needle shank from the upper side and oriented parallel to the shank. A hook is provided at an end of the needle shank. A spring element is disposed in the sawslot and has at least one end supported by the needle shank. A needle latch is supported in the sawslot for pivotal motion about an axis between a closed position in which the needle latch engages, with a frontal end thereof, the hook and a rearward position. The needle latch has a latch shank which includes an upper side and a lower side. In the rearward position the needle latch lies, with the upper side of the latch shank, on the upper side of the needle shank or is situated in the vicinity of the upper side of the needle shank. The latch shank further has an end part formed as a cam engaged by the spring element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Groz-Beckert AG
    Inventors: Oskar Schaffer, Wolfgang Schmoll, Kurt Wiedenhofer, Bernhard Schuler
  • 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: 5806347
    Abstract: A modified sub-needle with associated actuation elements for circular stocking machines, which is constituted by a lower sub-needle provided with a selection heel and by an intermediate sub-needle provided with an upper heel and a lower heel; the top of the lower sub-needle has a lower external region and an upper internal region for the resting of the base of the intermediate sub-needle; there is provided a first bolt cam for lifting the lower heel of the intermediate sub-needle which is adapted to selectively move the oscillating base of the intermediate sub-needle so that it rests in the lower external region or in the upper internal region of the lower sub-needle; and there is provided a second bolt cam for lowering the upper heel of the intermediate sub-needle; the selections and longitudinal movements performed by the intermediate sub-needle being suitable to reduce the longitudinal strokes required of the sub-needles and the angular extent of the bolt cams and of the selection cams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: Matec S.R.L.
    Inventor: Jan Ando'
  • Patent number: 5693071
    Abstract: A surgical needle is provided including a body portion defining first and second longitudinal ends, the body portion includes a central portion having a first cross-sectional area and end portions adjacent the central portion having a smaller second cross-sectional area. A tissue penetrating portion is provided adjacent at least one end portion. Transition portions are provided intermediate the central portion and the end portions and taper from the first cross-sectional area to the second cross-sectional area. Suture attachment structure is formed in the central portion and a suture is attached to the suture attachment structure. A method of suturing is also provided wherein the surgical needle may be passed through tough tissue while minimizing bending of the surgical needle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 2, 1997
    Assignee: United States Surgical Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Gorecki, George R. Proto, Paul A. Scirica, Stephen W. Zlock
  • Patent number: 5642632
    Abstract: In knitting parts (a jacquard guide needle, a guide, a needle, a tongue, a sinker, a separator, etc.), each having a portion which is brought into contact with a knitting yarn when fitted to a knitting machine to perform knitting, the surface of a portion of a metallic part base material (10) thereof is coated with a compound plating layer (12) made of a non-electrolytic nickel alloy plating layer including minute silicon particles dispersed therein, each of the silicon particles being coated with a hard carbon film. As a result, it is possible to improve the durability of the knitting parts similarly to those in which the surface of the part base material is coated with the hard carbon film and moreover remarkably reduce the processing cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 1, 1997
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takanori Nanya, Nobuyuki Yoshino
  • Patent number: 5609045
    Abstract: A knitting needle includes a shank, a needle hook carried by the shank at one end thereof, and a sawslot provided in the shank. The sawslot is bordered by elastically deformable shank cheeks which are provided by upper supporting surfaces. The sawslot has a throughgoing aperture which is open toward the shank back. A latch rivet traverses the sawslot and is supported in the shank cheeks. A needle latch having a latch back provided with engagement faces is pivotally supported by the latch rivet for swinging motions between a closed position in which the needle latch engages the needle hook and an open position in which the engagement faces on the latch back lie on the supporting surfaces of the shank cheeks. The sawslot has, in a series as viewed from needle hook, a first sawslot portion containing the throughgoing aperture and a second sawslot portion having a width greater than the width of the first sawslot portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1997
    Assignees: Theodor Groz & Sohne, Ernst Beckert Nadelfabrik Commandit-Gesellschaft
    Inventors: Wolfgang Schmoll, Siegfried Wissmann
  • Patent number: 5546770
    Abstract: In knitting parts (a guide, needle, tongue, sinker, separator, jacquard guide needle and the like) of a knitting machine, a covering of a hard carbon film 15 of a preset film thickness d on a surface of a portion of a parts base material 10 frequently contacting with knitting yarn and, at the same time, a film thickness changing area 16 where the film thickness of the hard carbon film decreases gradually is formed from an area where the covering of the hard carbon film 15 of the preset film thickness d is formed to an area where such a covering is not formed. A ratio (L/d) between length L of the film thickness changing area 16 toward a film changing direction and the preset film thickness d of the hard carbon film 15 is controlled to be at least 5:1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1996
    Assignee: Citizen Watch Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takanori Nanya
  • Patent number: 5291756
    Abstract: The knitting machine with needle selection device has a plurality of needles or sub-needles each having a body with at least one magnetized portion. A selection element faces the magnetized portion and is constituted by a plate which is physically separate from the body of the needle or sub-needle and is made of a material which can be magnetized. The selection device has a magnetizing device which acts controllably upon the selection element of the various needles or sub-needles in order to induce a magnetic interaction between the magnetized portion of the body of the needle or sub-needle and the selection element itself. Actuation cams act on the body of the needle or sub-needle, after the action of the magnetizing device, and cause a diversified actuation of the needle or sub-needle depending on the magnetic interaction induced between the portion of the body of the needle or sub-needle and the selection element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 8, 1994
    Assignee: S.F.I.M. S.r.l.
    Inventor: Marco Venturini
  • Patent number: 4584852
    Abstract: A compound needle for a knitting machine has a machine shank of substantially rectangular cross section, in which a substantially U-shaped longitudinal groove open at the top is formed. A closing slider adapted to fit the cross section of the groove is guided in the groove in a longitudinally slidable manner, and the groove has at least one slit leading to the outside, which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the groove.In order to attain satisfactory removal of fluff or lint from the longitudinal groove, on the one hand, and to assure sufficient stability and resistance to transverse bending of the needle on the other, the longitudinal groove is closed on its top, at least partially, in the vicinity of the recess by means of a rib which also forms a guide for the slider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1986
    Assignees: Theodor Groz & Sohne, Ernst Beckert Nadelfabrik Commandit-Gesellschaft
    Inventors: Ernst Beck, Alfred Durst, Heinz Merk, Schuler Bernhard, Kurt Wiedenhofer, Werner Wohlgemuth
  • Patent number: 4548056
    Abstract: A stamped knitting tool for knitting machines, for instance a latch needle, compound needle, bearded needle, plush hook or the like, has a hook formed on a stem with an intermediate neck, the hook being entirely made of a profiled material of substantially rectangular cross section, up to the end of the hook or the beginning of a hook point embodied there.In order to assure that the hook is capable of withstanding the great stresses occurring during the knitting process without the danger of premature breakage or bending open of the hook or other damage while keeping the hook at an appropriately small size, the hook (5), beginning at a maximum value (3) of the cross-sectional dimensions close to the neck (4), formed with steadily decreasing tapering cross-sectional dimensions from the vicinity of the neck (4) toward the end of the hook or the region of the beginning of the hook point (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1984
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1985
    Assignee: Theodor Groz & Sohne & Ernst Beckert
    Inventors: Bernhard Schuler, Ferdinand Schuller, Werner Wohlgemuth
  • Patent number: 4455858
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing hollow needles from round metal blanks in order to form a needle which has an inner front portion with a front end tapering to a point and a rear portion having a larger diameter than the front portion and forming a mounting shank, comprising forming a longitudinally extending needle guide to the needle such that the guide is open at the rear end of the mounting shank and tapers from a substantially uniform depth along a major portion of its length to a minimum depth adjacent the tip. The channel is of a shape to receive substantially cylindrical cross pins having an appended piece of filament which form a part of fasteners for tags, buttons and similar items to be attached to carrier materials such as textiles. The method is carried out by the use of a disc-shaped miller cutter which has U-shaped convex teeth for milling the central area of the channel in side tooth portions for milling shoulders on each side of the channel which are of lesser depth than the channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1981
    Date of Patent: June 26, 1984
    Assignee: Firma Heinz Hettich
    Inventor: Heinz W. Hettich