Abstract: A knitting machine in accordance with the invention includes a thread guide that is associated with a runner. The runner is disposed to hold open the latches of driven out needles of a first group while the needles of a second group are being driven out. Due to the time-staggered driving-out of the latch-type needles and of a first group and a second group, and due to the alternating arrangement of the needles of the first group and the second group, a rising of the knit fabric while the needles are being driven out is prevented without the assistance of holding-down/knock-over sinkers. Inasmuch as a runner that is separate from the thread guide is used for holding open the latches, the position of said runner can be optimally adjusted independent of the position of the thread guide.

Abstract: A knitting machine with latch needles and without sinkers comprising, in regions of the needle holder comprised between two contiguous slots which accommodate a corresponding needle, a knitting retention element with a portion forming a stop shoulder for the knitting; the knitting retention element can move on command from a first position, of no interference with the knitting formed, to a second position, of it insertion with the portion between two contiguous needles in a region which faces the knitting forming plane, such as retain the knitting portion lying between two contiguous needles, contrasting the entrainment of the knitting along the needles during extraction motion of the needles from the needle holder to release, onto their shank, the previously formed loop of knitting and/or to engage the yarn delivered at a feed or drop of the machine.

Abstract: An actuator system for activating a latch needle, which latch needle has a shaft, comprising: a flat planar extension of said shaft having first and second parallel planar surfaces; at least one piezoelectric micromotor having a first surface region for transmitting motion to a moveable element, which first surface region is resiliently pressed to said first surface and at least one additional piezoelectric motor having a second surface region for transmitting motion to a moveable element which second surface region is resiliently pressed to said second surface; and wherein vibratory motions of said first and second surface regions apply forces to said flat extension that cause motion in said latch needle.

Abstract: A yarn guiding device for a knitting machine to guide a yarn unreeled from a creel located above the knitting machine before feeding the yarn to a knitting needle. The device includes a rectangular main body including a supporting member with a slot and connecting holes, and a yarn guiding member with a U-shaped recess for connection to the supporting member and yarn paths. A bracket joins the main body through a connecting member to allow the main body to pivot forward and is disposed in the knitting section of the knitting machine. The yarn guiding member is molded from 80 to 95 by volume of zirconium oxide and 5 to 20 by volume of yttrium oxide.

Abstract: The needle latch cushioning member is formed of resilient material and includes an elongate body portion with a free end portion. The elongate body portion is supported in a groove on a yarn feed finger so that the free end portion is positioned to be engaged by and interrupt the swinging movement of the latches of the needles to the closed position as the needles are lowered to stitch loop forming position. The engagement of the latches of the needles with the free end portion of the resilient cushioning member serves to reduce the impact force of the latches against the hooks of the needles and thereby increases the wear life of the needles, without interfering with the feeding of the yarn into the hooks of the needles. When properly positioned, the free end of the resilient cushioning member can be used to guide the yarn into the hooks of the needles.

Abstract: A yarn feeding and guide device for knitting machines has at least one yarn feeder, which delivers the yarn arriving from a yarn package and being supplied as needed at a predetermined tension by a yarn delivery unit or fournisseur to the needles of a row of needles. The yarn feeder is disposed in a stationary manner on the machine such that it does not contact the needles of the needle row, and yarn guide elements located in the path of the yarn are associated with it.

Abstract: Two-piece yarn carrier for feeding yarn to the circle of cylinder latch needles of multi-feed circular knitting machines, the carriers comprising a yarn guide having a yarn feeding aperture therein and a guard plate secured to the yarn guide, the guard plate overlapping the yarn guide and being interposed between the yarn guide and the circle of needles. The guard plate overlaps and covers the exit end of the yarn feeding aperture to keep needle hooks and latches out of the yarn feeding aperture. The guard plate also returns prematurely closing latches of needles back to their opened position.

Abstract: A yarn feeder mechanism for circular knitting machines has a plurality of feed fingers with yarn feed extremities at the front thereof and movable between a low feed position and a high inactive position, means for selectively lowering the feed fingers, and a latchguard plate which is liftable to a non-obstructing position. The feed fingers are associated with abutment means for engaging the feed fingers to the rear of the respective yarn feed extremities and means are provided for simultaneously lifting the yarn feed extremities and the latchguard plate to the non-obstructing inactive position while maintaining the latchguard plate in spaced relationship to the yarn feed extremities in the non-obstructing position.

Abstract: An improvement for knitting pattern areas with hosiery knitting machines having a rotatable cylinder carrying latch needles therein, a knitting station at which a plurality of yarn feed fingers are independently movable into and out of yarn feeding positions for feeding background yarn at a basic level and pattern yarn at a higher level above the cylinder, and means for selectively positioning the needles at either a basic position for receiving only background yarn or an extended position for receiving both background and pattern yarn, the improvement being an auxiliary feed finger for feeding background yarn at a level more closely spaced from the cylinder than the basic level to needles at the basic position and below the latches of needles at the extended position for floating of the background yarn in knitted pattern areas behind loops of pattern yarn formed by extended position neeldes.

Abstract: In a double cylinder knitting machine the grooves in which the needles and the sliders are displaced are provided with corner edges on which the latch of the needle rests. Prior to hooking the needles onto their respective sliders and while the needles are displaced axially toward the interior of their respective grooves, the shoulders engage and force the latch to rotate to the open position.

Abstract: An air blast is utilized to close the latch of a dial needle carrying a loose loop of yarn on its shank portion. Such latch closing precludes possible snagging of the needle hook on the loose loop as it is cast off. The air blast does not directly impinge the needle or its latch but, rather, is directed away from the hook end of the needle along the longitudinal axis of the needle, wherein a low pressure area is created generally at the hook of the needle, an inrush of air to fill such low pressure area flipping the latch of the needle to a closed position. Such method of latch closing finds particular use in the circular rib knitting of cotton or wool yarn during the transfer of a loose loop from a dial needle to an associated cylinder needle.

Abstract: The knitting machine is provided with latch detector means for detecting a latch improperly positioned in a closed position and for signaling when such a condition occurs. A trigger lever (30) having a free inner end (31) is normally positioned in an operative latch detecting position (FIG. 3) immediately below the path of travel of the hooked upper ends (10) of the needles N so that a latch (11) in the proper open position will not engage and trip the trigger lever (30) while a latch (11) in an improper closed position will engage and trip the trigger lever (30). A tension spring (45) is provided to immediately move the trigger lever (30) to the inoperative position (FIG. 4) with the inner free end (31) outwardly and away from the path of travel of the needles N upon being engaged by a latch in an improper closed position.

Abstract: A double-cylinder circular knitting machine with latch needles and a device for automatically causing the latches of the needles operating in the upper needle cylinder to open before knitting. The device comprises cams defining a path for the needle-free sliders of the lower needle cylinder which lies constantly all around the cam box at a level corresponding to that at which the tips of the sliders engage the latches of the rib needles to open them. The needle-free sliders are selectively passed into this path and are subsequently returned into the normal knitting path when knitting plain fabric. The arrangement of the continuous path at a constant level all around the needle cylinder allows a more simple configuration of the latchguard cams and less wear and stresses in the needle latches.

Abstract: An improved latch guard having a forwardly extending deflector arm integrally associated therewith. When the improved latch guard is incorporated into a deep pile fabric circular knitting machine, the deflector arm eliminates the problem of stray fiber build-up on the front edge of prior art latch guards during operation of such knitting machine.

Abstract: There is provided an improved warp knitting machine utilizing latch needles. The improvement comprises the provision of a latch opening means operating in conjunction with the guide bars. The latch opening means may be brush formed when used with latch needles having extra long latches.

Abstract: A latchguard member is mounted on a rib needle bar assembly of a straight bar knitting machine of the Cotton's Patent type. The rib needles have latches which are pivotable between an open and closed attitude and the latchguard member is actuated to lie over the tips of the latches in the open attitude and to withdraw below the latches to permit them to close as the old loops are landed on the latches. In a preferred embodiment the actuating means for the latchguard member are arranged to superimpose a differential latchguard member and rib needle bar movement over their joint movement imparted by a needle bar actuating means.

Abstract: There is disclosed a circular knitting machine of the type including an upper and a lower needle cylinder and comprising a safety device for opening the latches of the double-hooked needles which are to be transferred from one needle cylinder to the other one. For this purpose the machine includes an auxiliary cam located upstream of the zone at which transfer of the needles occurs, the cam being arranged and shaped so as to bring all the sliders and corresponding needles movable along a floating track to a height in which the needle hook and corresponding latch contact the tip of the corresponding slider of the opposite needle cylinder, thus causing the latch to open by interaction between the needle and the tip of the slider. The machine also includes a subsequent cam for raising to a needle transfer position the sliders whose needles are to be transferred to the other needle cylinder and for newly lowering into the floating track the sliders whose needles are not to be transferred.

Abstract: A device to stop a knitting machine when a needle hook has broken. The device consists of a directed blast of air at the needles of a knitting machine as the needles pass the point on the machine where an existing electronic detector device stops the machine upon indication that the needle latch is in the closed position. The blast of air raises the latch of a broken needle to the closed position to activate the detector. The latch of a needle in normal working order is restrained in the open position at the detector location by the action of a loop of yarn about the latch and is not affected by the blast of air. With a needle controlled to form a tuck stitch a broken needle hook which fails to catch a loop of yarn will result in an open latch condition which does not activate any detector in a conventional machine equipped only with a closed latch detector.

Abstract: Knitted underwear, such as panties, panty hose, leotard and the like formed with a terry patch simultaneously knitted with the fabric at the crotch or other areas. The garment is made on a circular seamless hosiery knitting machine. The resulting tube is tailored for the leg openings, then sewn to form the garment. Shaping of the terry patch is effected by using the usual needle selecting device, normally employed for heel patch reinforcement and modified with suitable cams. The machine is modified to use new dial elements, a new throat plate and a new manner of feeding the loop forming yarn and the base yarn above and below the plane of the dial elements respectively. The machine is operated in a new way and can also produce knitted fabric with eyelet pattern.

Abstract: The invention comprises an improved apparatus and method for producing knit fabrics having terry loops on both the technical front and technical back sides of a ground fabric in which the terry loops are interconnected or knitted jointly with the ground yarn into the base fabric and are thus securely held therein. Novel needle latch arresting elements and improved sinker designs eliminate severing of previously formed loops incorporated in the ground fabric.