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.

Abstract: The machine comprises in combination: two side units (1, 3) each having its own fabric forming cylinder (1C, 3C) with a plurality of needles and needle operating elements (1F, 3F, A1-A8), the cylinders being parallel with each other and close together and, in an intermediate position between said two cylinders (1C, 3C), two rectilinear beds (11A, 11B) next to each other, each with its own needles and elements (17A, 17B, A9, A17) for operating the needles of said beds.

Abstract: The invention's object generator utilizes two frames, a y-frame that is atop an x-frame. The y-frame (or the x-frame) is divided into two halves. Each half of the y-frame (or the x-frame) contains a number of needles and latches. The needles in one half of the y-frame are opposed by the needles in the other half of the y-frame. Similarly, The needles in one half of the x-frame are opposed by the needles in the other half of the x-frame. The invention also includes a "head" which comprises a bobbin/tensioning mechanism along with other components. The object generator's head is movable to any location on a grid formed by the y-frame and x-frame. The head dispenses yarn under direction of a custom control software. A computer operating the invention's object generator has stored therein a three dimensional image of the object to be generated. The computer dissects the three dimensional image into two dimensional layer data.

Abstract: A knitting machine and method for forming a composite band including an elongate knitted band and a drawcord secured to a front face of the knitted band by a covering yarn overlying the drawcord and stitched to the elongate band. The knitting machine includes a frame. A first knitting station is provided supported by the frame for forming the elongate knitted band. A second knitting station is provided supported by the frame and downstream of the first knitting station for receiving the knitted band after it exits the first knitting station. The second knitting station is operative to stitch the covering yarn to the knitted band from opposite sides of and across the drawcord to form a channel area defined between the covering yarn and the front face of the knitted band, the drawcord disposed in the channel area.

Abstract: An improved knitting assembly for producing patterned knitted fabric includes a needle assembly having a handle portion and a plurality of needle tips associated with the handle portion and arranged in a spaced, selectively determined order. At least one of the needle tips has predetermined and distinct operational and nonoperational positions, whereby the order of the needles may be effectively reconfigured by selectively positioning the needle tips in desired operational or nonoperational positions. The assembly further preferably includes a plurality of detachably connected independent handle portions, and the order of needle tips may be changed by detaching the handle portions, rearranging the handle portions, and reattaching the handle portions in the new order.

Abstract: An elastic band is fabricated with an integrated drawcord utilizing a crochet-type warp knitting machine by initially knitting a finished elastic band and, then, re-routing the finished band back through the knitting machine to a second knitting location at which fabric piercing needles are utilized to knit additional warp and filling yarns while a drawcord is simultaneously fed between the piercing needles to form a covering web over the drawcord defining a tunnel area between the covering web and the finished band in which the drawcord is captured.

Abstract: A brushless motor for driving a cylinder-spindle of a hosiery machine comses a rotor assembly and a stator. The rotor assembly is positioned directly on the outer cylindrical surface of the cylinder-spindle. The rotor assembly comprises at least one permanent magnet and a plurality of ferromagnetic polar expansions alternately coupled with the permanent magnets. A stator of the brushless motor, housed in a flanged tubular casing, is inserted directly over the rotor assembly. The brushless motor eliminates the customary belt transmission and bulkiness of a typical motor used in a hosiery machine, reducing the maintenance cost and space requirement under the bench of the hosiery machine.

Abstract: A vertical shaft of the machine is encircled by a vertically movable sleeve that supports, at its lower end, a dial cam holder having a stepped portion. A needle dial 17 bolted to the undersurface of the sleeve has a recess that closely receives the stepped portion of the sleeve. Vertical movement is imparted to the sleeve and shaft by a gear that encircles the sleeve and has screw threads mating with screw threads upon the upper end section of the sleeve. Such movement provides vertical clearance that facilitates lateral removal and insertion of the needle cylinder into/from the machine. The needle cylinder is releasably secured to the machine's ring gear by plate members that are releasably center.

Abstract: A plate mechanism of a pattern wheel knitting machine is provided with an improved lubricating system. The lubricating system has a groove formed on the contact surface between the plate and the gear of the machine for receiving balls therein. A flat liner ring is placed between the gear and the plate interior to the groove. The lubricating system is used, as the motor of the knitting machine starts the gear to rotate on the plate, to stabilize the gear, alleviate wear on the contact surfaces, and prolong the life of the knitting machine.

Abstract: A needle for carrying out operation with flexible cords, roves or threads, for fabricating armatures by a multi-directional weaving, the needle having an elongated body having a free end of the body, and an eye being a closed loop which extends outside the body of the needle and which is shaped and disposed relative to the body so as to avoid laterally projecting beyond the space defined by the width of the elongated body. The loop is delimited by two parallel side walls which extend transversely relative to the elongated body from a side of the elongated body and by a pin for guiding the cords, roves or threads which interconnects the two side walls.

Abstract: A direct printing technique for simulating the appearance streaks in fabrics includes the steps of obtaining a data set of yarn physical properties for each yarn in the fabric, programming a digital computer having graphics capability and pixel control of the graphics to average the yarn physical properties and calculating the pixel density from the individual yarn and yarn properties. The pixel density is then displayed as a series of rows of pixels wherein the number of pixels in each row is proportional to the individual yarn property of each yarn in the fabric. A simulation of the actual fabric appearance is obtained by just knowing the constituent yarn properties without having to make the actual fabric. Simulation parameters are confirmed by comparison of simulations with actual fabrics. Simulation parameters are confirmed by comparison of simulations with actual fabrics.

Abstract: A compact, self-contained device for direct mounting on a knitting or other textile machine for monitoring and displaying the machine's operating efficiency. A first digital LED continuously displays machine operating efficiency. During machine operation, a second digital LED displays the number of previous machine stoppages and, during machine stoppages, displays the elapsed time of the prevailing machine stoppage. Operating switches permit selective display on the second LED of either the total elapsed time of device operation which forms the time base for the efficiency value or the duration of the longest previous machine stoppage.

Abstract: A dial of a knitting machine has jacks (14) at least the operating part (18) of which is made of a cominutable, preferably plastics material, to ensure broken off parts are ground up so as not to damage the dial.

Abstract: The invention features an apparatus and method for extracting snags from fabric. The apparatus comprises a barrel-shaped housing having a plurality of extracting elements slideably disposed therein. The user of the device can select the proper extractor for the particular fabric. The device is compact and easy to use. The method of the invention requires that the extractor pierce the fabric from the underside; capture the snag in an extracting loop; twisting and entwining the snag in the loop; and then withdrawing the loop in order to pull the snag through the fabric to the underside thereof.

Abstract: The apparatus for measuring the length of filamentary material, such as a yarn or thread, wound-up at individual ones of a number n of winding or spinning locations in a textile machine cooperates with an electronic scanning or interrogation device. The latter monitors the thread run at the aforementioned locations by means of a number n of scanning heads. The apparatus is constituted by a series circuit comprising a shift register including a number n of parallel outputs, a number n of storage members, a number n of AND-gates, a number n of electronic counters, a comparator, a number n of electronic switches and a number n of relays, as well as a sensor detecting the number of revolutions of a drive element, and a reference or set value transmitter. When reaching a fixed number of revolutions inputted into the reference value transmitter, and thus, a distinct length of yarn or the like, the related winding or spinning unit is stopped by the relay associated therewith.

Abstract: A method and device for forming a three-dimensional fabric continously is disclosed. The fabric has a plurality of warp yarns arranged in a two-dimensional array and two sets of weft yarns are interwoven with the weft yarns to form alternate courses. The courses of corresponding weft yarns are interlocked at opposite sides to form a fabric with high dimensional stability to resist deforming. The method and device can be operated at high speed to produce fabrics of any length.

Abstract: A cloth snag repair tool is described for removing snags from one side of a cloth. The tool includes a shaft having a length between 60 mm and 90 mm and a maximum diameter between 0.635 mm and 1.65 mm. The shaft has a cloth penetration surface section beginning at a pointed forward end. The cloth penetration surface section has low frictional surface characteristics to enable the shaft to be initially easily inserted into the cloth at a snag location without substantially disturbing the snag. The shaft has a frictional surface section intermediate the cloth penetration surface section and a rear end. The frictional surface section has high surface characteristics to engage and frictionally draw the snag through the cloth as the shaft is forced through the cloth. In a preferred form, the frictional surface section is machine roughened with diamond shaped knurls covering between one third and two thirds the length of the shaft.

Abstract: Herein disclosed is a method of and an apparatus for marking a woven fabric with indicia of discrete events of a predetermined nature or natures such as unit lengths of the fabric woven and the occurrences of defects in weaving such as improperly inserted picks of weft yarn, wherein picks of an index yarn or yarns are inserted into the weft-filling shed of the warp yarns concurrently with insertion of picks of the weft yarn when the occurrences of events of the predetermined nature or natures are detected during weaving of the fabric, the natures of the events being distinguished from one another by the difference between the lengths, colors, numbers or any other characteristics of the picks of the index yarn inwoven into the fabric.

Abstract: A patterning device employs an elongated strip which is fixed between an operating element, such as a guide bar of a warp knitting machine, and a fixed support point. In addition, the patterning device has a displacing element in the form of a rotatable eccentric or a reciprocally mounted roller which is used to deflect the strip between two points intermediately of the length of the strip so as to exert a pulling force on the guide bar. The amount of deflection of the strip determines the amount of movement of the guide bar. The guide bar can be returned by way of a spring or by a second strip which is deflected in similar manner as the first strip by a displacing element. In one embodiment, a single displacing element is used for deflecting purposes while in other embodiments, a multiplicity of displacing elements are used. The strips may be attached directly to the guide bar or indirectly, for example, over a pivotally mounted lever.

Abstract: An amusement device for looping yarn onto a flexible plastic framework consisting of a housing provided with a platform and a rotatably mounted handle, an advancing mechanism for sequentially gripping the frame and moving same forwardly along the platform, a needle operable in conjunction with a cam-like mechanism for rotating and reciprocating the needle in a predetermined sequence to progressively loop yarn along rows of filaments within the frame, a mechanical interface for operating both the feed mechanism and the needle in response to rotation of the handle, and a guide mechanism for moving the frame along the platform to permit knitting along a different row of filaments of the frame.

Abstract: A semi-automatic crocheting tool has a chassis including a yarn-receiving assembly with a hook, a needle normally spaced from the hook, and means for selectively engaging and disengaging the needle from the hook. The tool has a counting feature which automatically counts the number of times the needle engages the hook, and thus keeps an accurate record of the number of stitches completed. Additionally, a manual counting device facilitates multiplying the maximum number of stitches up to which the automatic device can count, or, in the alternative, allows for both the number of stitches and the numbers of rows of stitches to be recorded.

Abstract: A centering and truing device to accurately indicate the position of the baseplate of a large roll take-up mechanism for a circular knitting device. A three-dimensional slider mechanism is suspended from the knitting machine cylinder ledge and the centering member suspended therefrom is adjusted to indicate the position of the knitting machine baseplate.

Abstract: A method for knitting fabrics without needles by sequentially forming loops in adjacent, parallel yarns with each loop being passed through its immediately preceeding loop. The apparatus includes a looping member which rotates on its own axis adjacent the yarns and traverses along transversely of the path of the yarns to successively engage, loop and release each yarn.

Abstract: A portable monitor unit for knitting machines and particularly suitable for circular knitting machines including a yarn speed sensor pulsing a numeral display counter via a gate, a needle detector controlling the gate via a settable counter, a frequency meter, and a switch for selectively engaging the signals of the yarn sensor, needle detector and frequency meter to display yarn length per needle stitch, yarn length per unit time, and rpm of the knitting machine.

Abstract: A knitting machine is disclosed in which measurements are made reflecting the output characteristics such as the forces incident to the operation of the knitting needles relatively to operating cam means therefor, and a system is provided for influencing one or more of the operating characteristics of the knitting machine such as speed of operation, rate of lubrication, or the like, in response to such measurements.

Abstract: A weft-knitting apparatus is provided with an axially nondisplaceable but rotatable loop-forming element having an upper end cut off at an oblique angle and formed with a spur. Each loop-forming element is periodically rotated 360.degree. so as to pick up a filament with its spur to pull it through a loop previously formed, thereby forming another loop that can thereafter slip up over another loop so formed by the spur. The support carrying a plurality of such rotatable elements may be exchanged for another such support having elements differently spaced in order to use the same knitting machine for different gauges or cuts.

Abstract: In a patterning arrangement for textile machines and the like, particularly for circular knitting machines, of the type wherein pattern pegs are inserted into peg-receiving holes in a pattern peg carrier provided with spaced rows of such peg-receiving holes, the following is provided, in combination: a holding arrangement operative for holding a pattern peg carrier of the type provided with spaced rows of peg-receiving holes, peg transport structure repeatedly moving back and forth between a first location and a second location, a peg feeding device activatable for feeding pegs into the peg transport structure when the peg transport structure is at the first location, a peg inserting device operative for inserting pegs into peg-receiving holes of the peg carrier whenever pegs are brought by the peg transport structure to the second location, and a control arrangement operable for controlling whether or not pegs are fed by the feeding device into the peg transport structure when the peg transport structure mov

Abstract: A knitting machine capable of forming filaments of yarn, thread, and the like into a loop-in-loop arrangement includes a plurality of rotary needles which are axially spaced for rotation about a common axis and have at least two circumferentially spaced hook portions. As a needle is rotated, a hook captures a segment of filament being fed to the vicinity of the needle and pulls it into a loop. Upon further rotation, the circumferentially adjacent hook captures another segment of filament and pulls it into a loop through the previously formed loop which is still carried by the needle. As the needle continues to rotate, the first formed loop is cast off the needle by slipping out of the hook in which it is captured and this hook captures another segment of filament to start another cycle.

Abstract: Free flight magnetizable selector elements are transferable from a selector element store disc to a selector element support disc for selecting particular ones of a series of textile processing implements in response to a program. The discs are disposed with an arcuate portion of one disc closely adjacent to an arcuate portion of the other disc, and the selector elements are transferred from store disc sockets to support disc sockets and vice versa by a transfer magnet. The discs include magnets with opposite polarity to maintain transferred selector elements in the sockets of the selected disc until the transfer magnet effects another transfer. The sockets of the store means and support means have the same pitch as the textile implements; however, the sockets of the entire support means may be distributed among a set of identical superjacent discs each having a socket pitch an integer multiple of the textile processing implement pitch. The store means has a corresponding set of superjacent discs.

Abstract: A circular knitting machine having cantilevered split steps attached to the machine which are accessible when the machine is in operation but are moved out of the way when the knitting machine is opened to gain access to the interior of the machine.

Abstract: Methods of and apparatus for manufacturing a knitted fabric from a strand of yarn by forming the yarn into series of interlaced loops. The apparatus includes an array of apertures through which sinusoidal loops of the strand are ejected sequentially, by a combination of an expanding stream of fluid and centrifugal force. As each loop is ejected through an aperture in the array, the loop is restrained on one side of the aperture by a reciprocation shoe and then lifted upwardly by the shoe while being held open by the shoe. A subsequent loop is then ejected through the first loop, and the shoe is moved downwardly to restrain the subsequent loop and to release the first loop. As the shoe moves downwardly, the first loop is pulled through the aperture by a reciprocating hook which engages the foot of the first loop on the other side of the aperture. The subsequent loop is then lifted as the shoe passes through the loop in preparation to receive another loop, so that the process of interlacing loops is continued.

Abstract: A knitting machine section block is fitted with one or more strain gauge means, preferably on a backup plate for a needle influencing cam, so that during operation of the machine and without any adverse influence upon the output of the knitting machine, signals may be generated in response to the forces transmitted by the interaction of the knitting needles with the needle influencing cam. By analyzing the signals generated by the strain gauge means, as for instance, by the use of an oscilloscope, patterns representing the actual conditions may be compared with those of usual operation to identify specific part defects or specific abnormal conditions of operation.

Abstract: A pattern for a pattern wheel used in a circular knitting machine is set by detecting a blade of the pattern wheel to actuate a tape reader which has been patterned in advance, and pushing a jack of the pattern wheel in response to the signal from said tape reader.