Abstract: A prefabricated fireplace enclosure (10) configured and arranged for compact packaging which comprises first and second side panels (20, 21), first and second mounting members (40, 44) securable to the exterior wall of a building, a rear panel (22, 23) and a bottom panel (24) adapted for positioning between the first and second side panels, and a roof assembly (25) adapted for support by the first and second side panels, wherein each of the panels, mounting members and roof assembly are configured and arranged so as to allow for compact packaging and shipment to the construction site in a disassembled condition.

Abstract: The top arch overfilled system defined in application Ser. No. 10/102,921 is formed of precast arch elements which are formed and shipped in a use orientation. The precast arch elements can include arch footings and the system can include a plurality of precast arch elements which can be tied together. The arch elements can also be prestressed.

Abstract: A lid includes a frame, a window which is transmissive to radiation and has a peripheral edge sealingly coupled to the frame, and thermal insulating structure which thermally insulates the peripheral edge of the window. In one embodiment, the thermal insulating structure includes a ring which is made of a thermal insulating material, and extends around the window. In a different embodiment, the thermal insulating structure includes an annular gap between the window and frame, the gap extending around the window. The lid may be part of a housing with a sealed chamber therein, where the window facilitates travel of radiation between the chamber and a location external to the housing.

Abstract: A media window system includes a window unit having a window frame defining a frame perimeter and a glass unit located within the frame perimeter. The window unit includes a display area adapted to receive a display image. A display image source is configured to project an image onto the display surface. The window unit also includes a speaker element disposed on the window. The display are of the window unit is capable of transforming from a first transparent state to a second increased opacity state for receiving the display image.

Abstract: An end termination for a tension leg of non-metallic materials like composite material is disclosed. The tension leg is constructed of a number of strands which constitute the load carrying elements of the tension leg. The strands are twisted (laid) about the longitudinal axis of the tension leg by a predetermined laying length and in turn each strand is constructed of a plurality of rods of composite material having embedded strength fibres. The rods are in turn twisted about each other like in a wire rope. The strands terminate into a receiving body that forms fixing points for the respective strands. The end termination comprises an embracing element that is spaced apart from the receiving body and keeps the strands together. Intermediate the embracing element and the receiving body the strands extend less radial restriction and in a substantially natural direction towards and into apertures in the receiving body.

Abstract: A vented hollow translucent/transparent plastic block for use in wall construction includes a single aperture disposed along the lower edge of the plastic block for alleviating pressure within the plastic block and for discharging any condensation within the plastic block that may occur.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a door skin having an exterior surface with an woodgrain pattern formed therein, and an etched plate for use as an embossing plate or with a molded die set, for forming the woodgrain pattern in the door skin. The exterior surface has outer portions lying on a first plane, spaced grooves recessed from the plane of the outer portions, and halftone portions. The halftone portions have spaced protrusions defined by channels, wherein the channels are recessed from the plane of the outer portions.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are panelized wall systems and methods for their construction, wherein the wall systems have elastomeric joints that are resistant to cracking. The walls are constructed with trough-edge building panels. The trough-edge building panels are preferably fiber cement. The front surface of each panel has a trough adjacent to an edge of the panel. Panels are fastened to a frame with the trough-edges adjacent to each other. A joint tape is applied to the seam between the panels such that the edges of the joint tape fall within the troughs of the adjacent panels. The wall is then finished with an elastomeric finish.

Abstract: A kit, system, and method for use in interconnecting wall panel sections to subdivide interior spaces within a building. Included are components and methods to assemble multiple in-line wall panel sections and corners, as well as optional roof members, windows, and doors.

Abstract: A lineal for framing openings in buildings that may provide a finished appearance to the opening being framed. The lineal may be comprised of a nailing hem and an overhang. The lineal may additionally comprise a channel portion. The lineal with a channel portion may be manufactured as a one-piece or two-piece unit. The two-piece unit may have a portion that slides onto or snaps into the channel portion. The lineal may have insulation applied to its underside.

Abstract: The present invention provides a connection having a plurality of parallel structural members. The structural members are bridged by strap member, preferably light gauge steel. The end of the strap member is held in place by an overlapping strap holder. Fasteners hold the strap holder and the strap to the underlying structural member, with at least one passing through only the strap holder into the first side of the the first structural member.

Abstract: A metallic stud for use in a framing structure, the stud definable in terms a x, y, z coordinate system. The stud includes the z-axis elongate substantially rectangular integral web within a yz plane and further includes a series of xz plane tabs projecting in an x-axis direction, the tabs alternating in x-axis extent between interdigitating greater and lesser dimensions, in which a z-axis line of dependency exists between a common xz plane of all of the tabs in a first major rectangular base of the yz plane of the web of the stud. The stud further includes a z-axis elongate L-shaped element integrally dependent from a second major rectangular base of the web, the elongate element parallel to the first base.

Abstract: A protective cover for use on one or more saw blades. The cover is formed from a heat shrinking material that is shrunk on the saw blade(s) to provide a thin close fitting cover that protects teeth on the saw blade(s). A tag can be attached to the cover and/or saw blade(s). The tag has a security device that is spaced from the saw blade(s) to prevent interference. The tag can be used to hang the saw blade(s) from a display device. An insert card having indicia thereon can be positioned on the saw blade(s) to convey information.

Abstract: Generating a printstream in a computer that is preferably remote from the one or more inserter systems. Once generated, the printstream is transmitted preferably to a high speed, high volume, printer for producing the printed documents to be included in the mail pieces, such as billing statements. The printed documents are then delivered to the one or more inserter systems, which are to be used as the input sheets in the one or more inserter systems. The print stream is also provided to a workstation computer coupled to the one or more inserter systems. This workstation interpolates the printstream in order to generate a reprint database containing electronic files corresponding to each of the printed documents. Also coupled to the workstation is a local printer, which may be used to generate documents, for re-processing purposes, from data received from the reprint database.

Abstract: A packing system for articles. According to one embodiment of the invention, a receiving and dropping assembly comprising one or more doors that are displaceable between a holding configuration and a dropping configuration. The doors define a receptacle while in the holding configuration. The receptacle receives and holds an article, which is received by a leading edge of the article being guided by guide surfaces in the doors. The doors drop the article being held while in the dropping configuration. An output conveyor line receives the articles dropped by the receiving and dropping assembly. A controller controls the dropping and conveyance of the articles to convey the dropped articles along the output conveyor line in predetermined arrays. A pick-and-place robot system picks up the articles or arrays of articles from the output conveyor line and places the picked up articles in receptacles.

Abstract: A self-propelled mower includes a frame and a mower housing mounted underbelly relative to the frame by a mounting assembly. The mounting assembly allows the mower housing to be disconnected from the frame and swung near the front of the housing from a mowing configuration to an access configuration as a front end of the mower is raised. In one embodiment the frame includes a yoke that receives a nose of the housing, as the front of the mower is raised. A mechanized drive is utilized in certain embodiments to swing the mower deck to the access configuration.

Abstract: In a forage harvester having a cutter for chopping gathered crop material, a unit is arranged downstream of the cutter, the unit including an accelerator arranged in the path of crop flow for propelling the crop towards a discharge spout, and a crop processor for cracking kernels which is selectively movable into and out of the crop flow path at a location between the cutter and the accelerator. The accelerator comprises a rotor and housing which are together movable towards the cutter when the crop processor is withdrawn from the crop flow path.

Abstract: An agricultural implement comprising a chassis (1) formed of various front (2) and rear (3) tubular, transversal components interconnected with crossbeams (4) and front (5) and rear (6) vertical and lateral struts, forming an ordinarily parallelepiped-shaped structure, the front and rear portions of which constitute attachment points for the front (7) and rear (8) wheel carriages, transforming the assembly into a true trailer, the rear portion of which includes universal coupling points for connection to the drive unit; in addition, the reaping assembly (27) is transversely assembled on such chassis (1) and, right above it or inside the first half of chassis (1) and before the conveyors (24) is assembled a branch collection assembly (28), so that the plant, on being reaped by assembly (27), can be immediately collected by the collecting assembly (28), which throws the branches on the conveyors (24), where the opening (15) concentrates the collected material for alignment thereof over the ground.

Abstract: An overshot rotary conveyor includes a plurality of sets of flat tines welded to a cylindrical shaft at respective locations spaced across the shaft, each tine including a curved leading edge. Located on the opposite sides of each flat tine and having forward ends received about the cylindrical shaft is a stripper including upper and lower sections. The upper and lower stripper sections include are joined at their forward ends, which define a cylindrical opening disposed about the cylindrical shaft, by a flexible hinge section so that the stripper is of a one-piece construction. The flexible hinge section permits the upper and lower stripper sections to be hinged apart so as to permit the stripper to be received on, or removed from, the cylindrical shaft. Various surfaces of the lower stripper section and surfaces in the vicinity of the flexible hinge section work to prevent stray crop from wrapping about the cylindrical shaft.

Abstract: A double-apron drafting unit for spinning machines has a delivery roller pair and an apron pair arranged upstream therefrom. The apron pair guides a fiber strand in the area of a delivery nipping line, with which it forms a wedge-shaped gap. Devices are provided for keeping air currents, which circulate with the delivery roller pair, away from the area of the delivery nipping line, which devices are located outside of the wedge-shaped gap point formed by the delivery nipping line and the apron pair. The devices are, however, located in direct proximity to the delivery roller pair and the apron pair.

Abstract: A fuel metering unit in a turbomachine is connected between a high pressure pump which draws fuel from a fuel tank and a plurality of fuel injectors disposed in a combustion chamber of the turbomachine, the unit comprises a meter which receives the fuel for injection from a regulator valve at a pressure P1 and delivers it at a pressure P2 to said plurality of injectors via a stop valve, said regulator valve serving to recirculate fuel back to said high pressure pump as a function of the pressure difference between pressures taken directly from the terminals of the meter and injected into two end inlets of the regulator valve.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprising a combustion chamber section, a turbine section, and a compressor section. The turbine section surrounds the combustion chamber and the compressor section surrounds the turbine section.

Abstract: Provided is an engine having positive displacement chambers containing pistons and an external combustion chamber which utilizes the compression energy in compressed natural gas from a high pressure main line and compressed air in combination with the energy released during combustion of the fuel to drive the pistons. Energy expended compressing the natural gas and air are recovered. Also provided is an electrical generator driven by the engine.

Abstract: An exhaust gas control apparatus and an exhaust gas purification method are for an internal combustion engine provided with a first catalyst portion disposed in an exhaust passage of the internal combustion engine, and a second catalyst portion disposed in the exhaust passage downstream of the first catalyst portion. A value that changes according to at least an amount of oxygen stored in the first catalyst portion is obtained as an obtained value. An air-fuel ratio of the internal combustion engine is controlled such that the obtained value matches a target value. A value that changes according to at least an amount of oxygen stored in the second catalyst portion is calculated as a calculated value, based on at least a state of exhaust gas flowing into the second catalyst portion. The target value is changed according to the calculated value.

Abstract: An exhaust emission purification device comprises a sulfur component holding agent arranged on the exhaust path of an internal combustion engine for holding a sulfur component, a NOx holding agent arranged downstream of the sulfur component holding agent in the exhaust gas for holding NOx and the sulfur components when the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing thereinto is lean, and a reducing agent adding unit for adding a reducing agent to the exhaust gas flowing into the NOx holding agent. The concentration of the sulfur component contained in the reducing agent added by the reducing agent adding unit is lower than the concentration of at least the sulfur component contained in the fuel supplied to the combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine. Thus, the sulfur poisoning of the exhaust emission purifier can be avoided while at the same time reducing the fuel consumption rate.

Abstract: A method and system for simultaneously regenerating a particulate filter coupled to an internal combustion engine and for desulfating a lean NOx trap disposed downstream of the particulate filter. The method includes adjusting at least one engine operating parameter to maintain a desired air fuel ratio for gases exiting the particulate filter in accordance with a difference between a reference set point air fuel ratio level and the air fuel ratio of gases exiting the particulate filter and wherein the reference set point level is changed between a rich air fuel ratio and a lean air fuel ratio as a function of the air fuel ratio of the gases exiting the lean NOx trap.

Abstract: A hydrostatic stepless transmission comprises a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic motor, at least one of the hydraulic pump and motor being variable in displacement; a closed circuit for fluidly connecting the hydraulic pump and motor to each other therethrough, the closed circuit including a pair of oil passages between the hydraulic pump and motor, one of the oil passages being hydraulically higher-pressured and the other being hydraulically depressed when the hydraulic pump delivers oil to the hydraulic motor; a speed change operation device for changing output rotational speed of the hydraulic motor; and a leak valve connected to the speed change operation device.

Abstract: A suspension for the boom of a loading vehicle includes a hydraulic cylinder for raising and lowering, or for extending and retracting (in the case of a telescopic cylinder), a boom. A direction control valve is provided for selectively routing hydraulic oil to and from at least a head-end chamber of the cylinder. A position sensor senses the position of the hydraulic piston rod, at the start of operation, and sends a sends a target signal representing this beginning position to a control unit which determines the difference between the target signal and a signal representing a current position of the piston rod. When this difference equals a preset difference threshold, a pressure-limiting unit, in the form of a valve or choke, is activated so as to control fluid flow to and from the head-end chamber so as to return the piston rod to its initial position which generated the target signal.

Abstract: A specially profiled wax retaining cup and piston guide are crimped together to compress a peripheral portion of a diaphragm wax seal to the extent of extruding the diaphragm material to form both an axial seal and at least one radial seal. The compressed, extruded diaphragm seal provides a wax containment seal capable of withstanding high wax pressures that generate high actuation forces. A wax filled thermal actuator reliably produces an actuating force F sufficient to lift a load in a range of 2500 to 6000 times the mass of the actuator. Performance of the thermal actuator may also be expressed in terms of the internal pressures generated and delivered to the bottom of the actuator piston. The pressure applied to the bottom of the actuator piston in the inventive actuator is in the range of approximately 1700 to 8800 psi (124 to 620 kg/cm2).

Abstract: A catalyst bed temperature of an aftertreatment device is maintained and the operational regime for stable and smokeless rich combustion is expanded by use of a dual loop exhaust gas recirculation system. Under light load conditions, at least a portion of the exhaust gas is recirculated through a relatively high pressure exhaust gas recirculation loop, wherein there is no substantial reduction in recirculated exhaust gas temperature or pressure. When operating in relatively medium or higher load operating regimes of the engine, at least a portion of the exhaust gas is passed through a relatively low pressure recirculation mode in which work is extracted from the recirculated gas by the turbine stage of a turbocharger and an exhaust gas recirculation cooler prior to reintroduction into the intake manifold of the engine.

Abstract: A gas turbine includes an annular combustion chamber and an outer wall of an annular combustion chamber. A straining ring is arranged on the outer wall of the annular combustion chamber and enables oscillations of the outer wall to be damped via friction. The effects of combustion oscillations produced by damaging vibrations of the annular combustion chamber are thus reduced. A method is further for damping an oscillation of an outer wall of an annular combustion chamber.

Abstract: Fuel supplied to a rotary fluid trap is centrifugally accelerated within a first cavity adjacent a first side of a rotor, and is then directed though a plurality of first passages extending through the rotor between and proximate to the blades, and shaped so as to at least partially conform to the shape of the blades. Second passages extend within the blades from the first passages and terminate within associated cavities proximate to the tips of the blades. Relatively cooler fuel in the first passages is thermosiphon exchanged for relatively hotter fuel in the second passages so as to cool the blades. The heated fuel flows into a second cavity adjacent to a second side of the rotor and is discharged from the rotating frame of reference directly into the combustion chamber through a second rotary fluid trap. A separate fuel distribution circuit is used for starting and warm-up.

Abstract: A method of engine starting in a gas turbine engine comprises rotating the engine to provide an air flow into a combustor of the engine and injecting fuel into the combustor at a varying rate until the engine is lighted-off. The varying rate of the fuel flow is a function of time and is represented by a curve having at least one high frequency with respect to a light-off time, representing instant changes of the rate for intersecting a light-off zone while reducing a quantity of fuel injected into the combustor. After the light-off occurrence fuel is continuously injected into the combustor to accelerate the engine to a self-sustaining operation condition. This method of the present invention is adapted to find light-off points under various temperature and altitude conditions, thereby advantageously providing a rapid light-off, particularly under cold weather conditions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fixing or sealing ring for maximizing cooling at the end of a combustion chamber wall. For this purpose, the ring is constituted by a sleeve which is fixed around the end of a wall of the combustion chamber by means of a plurality of orifices for receiving fasteners or by means of any other system for connecting the ring to the wall. The sleeve includes at least one recess in its face facing the wall of the combustion chamber, thereby reducing the area of the sleeve that presses against the wall, and co-operating with said wall to form an open cavity in which a cooling air stream can flow.

Abstract: A cryogenic storage system for cryogenic storage using liquid refrigerant is provided. The cryogenic storage system includes first and second vacuum vessels, a vacuum source, a quantity of a liquid refrigerant, and at least one temperature control assembly. An insulating wall may be provided on an interior surface of one of the vessels. A common vacuum condition is provided in voids that are present in the wall of the first and second vessels as well as in the insulating wall. The at least one temperature control assembly includes a power supply, a temperature sensor, a heater, and a conductive element. The at least one conductive element provides a link or thermal coupling between a space defined in the first vessel and the liquid refrigerant stored in the second vessel.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for cooling a passenger compartment in a hybrid vehicle that operates an engine intermittently during vehicle operation, the hybrid vehicle having an HVAC system including an HVAC duct, a blower adapted to direct a flow of air through the HVAC duct, and an evaporator located within the HVAC duct. The method includes the steps of operating the blower; operating the compressor; allowing a predetermined amount of ice to form on the evaporator during operation of the compressor; turning off the vehicle engine; ceasing operation of the compressor; measuring an indicator corresponding to a remaining amount of the predetermined amount of ice formed on the evaporator; and re-starting the compressor when a predetermined air temp in air duct is reached.

Abstract: An ice cream machine for cooling liquid ice cream into frozen ice cream includes an evaporator system with a secondary evaporator. The evaporator system includes a cooling chamber having an ice cream input and an ice cream output. A valve can be placed at the ice cream input to achieve dry freeze operation. The valve can prevent the cooling chamber from being completely filled.

Abstract: When refrigerant shortage has occurred, a failsafe operation, for example, for stopping an ice-making operation is carried out to thereby suppress wasteful electric power consumption and prevent an ice-making section and a compressor from being damaged. An ice-making machine alternately and repeatedly carries out the ice-making operation for producing ice blocks (M) by cooling an ice-making section (10) on which is disposed an evaporator (14) connected to a refrigeration system (12), by supplying refrigerant to the evaporator (14) for circulation, and deicing the operation for causing the ice blocks (M) produced on the ice-making section (10) to be released therefrom.

Abstract: A frostless heat exchanger used for an air-source system, comprises: an antifreezing solution supplying device for applying an antifreezing solution having a freezing point lower than a surface temperature of the heat exchanger on a surface of the heat exchanger to form a thin solution film on the surface of the heat exchanger in order to prevent formation of frost on the surface of the heat exchanger when the surface temperature of the heat exchanger drops below a freezing point of water (0° C.), so that the vapor is removed in such a manner that a highly concentrated antifreezing solution and the vapor are mixed together before the vapor becomes a supersaturated liquid and then grows to a frost crystal nucleus.

Abstract: A device is provided for monitoring a plurality of appliances, wherein each appliance is connected to an electrical circuit having a first wire and a second wire. The device includes a plurality of cores, each of the plurality of cores being constructed to be able to surround one of the first wires of each circuit and having a secondary winding at which an electrical signal is generated in response to a current polarity change in the first wire. A multiplexer is connected to the secondary winding of each of the plurality of cores. A processor is connected to the multiplexer to monitor the phase relationship between an AC voltage an AC current of each appliance connected to one of the plurality of circuits and to determine information relating to the function of the appliance based on the phase relationship. The device may be located at the circuit breaker box of an establishment.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an air-conditioning system, in particular for the air conditioning of an airplane cabin, comprising at least two air-conditioning plants which are in communication in each case on the inlet side with a supply line and on the outlet side with a cabin to be air conditioned or with a mixing chamber, with the supply line on the inlet side having at least one flow regulating valve in each case for the purpose of regulating the flow. A high redundancy with low losses in performance and with optimum costs and weight is achieved in that downstream of the flow regulating valves at least one connection line is provided which connects the supply lines on the inlet side or the air-conditioning plants on the pressurized air side to one another and which is provided with a valve, by means of which the connection line can be opened or closed in dependence on the valve position.

Abstract: A method for forming EUV LITHOGRAPHY GLASS STRUCTURES WITH VOIDS is disclosed which includes forming a slurry mixture including silica soot particles, and inserting the slurry mixture into a casting mold. The method provides low weight mass reduced rigid glass structures with beneficial thermal stability. The casting mold includes therein a casting form. The casting form is adapted to provide selected geometry void spaces within the glass lithography structure. The slurry mixture is dried to form a green ware object. The casting form is removed from the green ware and the green ware object is consolidated into a lithography glass structure with voids.

Abstract: These glass bodies are light weight porous structures such as a boules of high purity fused silica (HPFS). More specifically, the porous structures are supports for HPFS mirror blanks. Porous glass is made utilizing flame deposition of pure silica or doped silica in a manner similar to the production of high purity fused silica. Bubbles or seeds are formed in the glass during laydown. Finely divided silicon carbide (SiC) particles are used to form the bubbles. At least one layer of porous glass is formed in the boule.

Abstract: The invention provides a low cost method of manufacturing high capacity preforms by chemical vapor deposition. More particularly, there is described a method of manufacturing an optical fiber preform, which method comprises the steps of providing a substrate tube of silica doped with sufficient chlorine to obtain an OH concentration of less than 100 ppb and doped with sufficient fluorine proportional to the chlorine doping to obtain a refractive index that is lower than that of a natural silica, depositing inner cladding and an optical core inside the substrate tube, collapsing the substrate tube to form a primary preform, and depositing outer cladding of said natural silica on the resulting primary preform. The invention is applicable to manufacturing optical fibers.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for the manufacture of optical fiber preforms using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). The invention consists of a cylindrical reactor in which material such as flourine-doped silica glass is deposited on a cylindrical silica rod. A furnace for regulating reactor temperature encases the reactor. A microwave generator coupled with a resonator and an H10 waveguide delivers microwave energy to the reactor, producing simultaneously symmetrical excitations in the E010 mode and a plasma surface wave in E01 mode located at the surface of the rod. A microwave plasma is scanned along the length of the rod through a slit in the reactor to deposit a homogeneous film of a desired thickness. The benefits of the present invention over the prior art include increased absorption of delivered power, and the ability to uniformly deposit films such as flourine-doped silica on rods with diameters of up to 30–35 mm and thus produce optical fiber preforms with diameters greater than 40 mm.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of elongating a glass preform having holes extending in the longitudinal direction while suppressing excess shrinkage of the holes. In the method of elongating a glass preform of the present invention, both ends of the glass preform having the holes extending in the longitudinal direction are held by a first holding member and a second holding member, respectively; and the glass preform is successively heat-melted from one of the ends by a heating means while the distance between the first holding member and the second holding member is increased in the longitudinal direction, to elongate the glass preform. The glass preform is elongated by heat-melting with the heating means in a manner such that the temperature T of the softened portion satisfies a relation represented by 11[° C./mm]·D+860[° C.]<T<17[° C./mm]·D+880[° C.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a glass-base-material, which is a base material of an optical fiber, includes a driving unit that drives a glass rod around an axis of the glass rod; a burner for accumulating glass soot around outside surface of the glass rod, which is driven by the driving unit, to form the glass-base-material; a weight-deducting unit, on which the driving unit is mounted, for deducting a predetermined weight from a total weight of the driving unit and the glass-base-material formed by the burner; and a measuring unit provided under the weight-deducting unit for measuring the total weight, from which the predetermined weight is deducted by the weight-deducting unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides a bushing (10) having a glass outlet portion (18) in which two nozzle holes (12) of substantially flat shape are arranged, and permitting molten glass to be drawn out of the nozzle holes (12), and the bushing is provided with a concomitant flow guide (20) for guiding a concomitant flow made with drawing of the molten glass out of the nozzle holes (12), to between the nozzle holes (12).

Abstract: In knitting a neck hole, a left front body is knitted on a front needle bed while making widening stitches, and stitches of the neck hole and a right front body both being in halt are transferred onto a back needle bed, and with widening stitch, the back needle bed is racked in a direction moving away from the left front body. After knitting the neck hole of the left front body, the left front body and the neck hole are transferred onto the back needle bed, and the right front body is transferred back to the front needle bed, and the right front body is knitted while making widening stitches. With the widening stitch of the right front body, the back needle bed is racked in a direction moving away from the right front body. In knitting the neck hole (12), wales extending from a take down roller to the knitting point are brought close to the perpendicular direction so that an appropriate take down force is applied to the stitches being knitted.

Abstract: A switching mechanism is provided for switching the position of a yarn feeding mouth to another and swinging a yarn feeder. The switching mechanism includes a push operating portion for changing a swing direction of the yarn feeding mouth and a height position thereof in cooperation with a leading means until a yarn feeder selected by the leading means feeds a yarn and is led from a stopped state. The push operating portion forms a lowering surface in a surface of the push operating portion. The lowering surface is used to further lower the yarn feeding mouth from a yarn feeding position so as to allow the yarn to pass under a backface side of the needle.