Abstract: A circular knitting machine for the production of knitwear formed of yarns and fibers tied into these yarns is described. The circular knitting machine contains a needle cylinder (1) with knitting needles (2), a sinker ring (15) which is rotatable about an axis of rotation jointly with the needle cylinder (1) and has sinkers (16), a stationary cylinder cam and sinker cam means which is associated with the knitting needles and sinkers, respectively, yarn and fiber feed units, an air guiding unit (45) provided with at least one suction nozzle and/or blowing nozzle, and a control cam (85) for acting upon the inserted fiber tufts.

Abstract: A circular knitting machine including a takedown assembly for applying constant tension to the formed knitted fabric. The circular knitting machine includes a rotating knitting cylinder, a takedown assembly, and a fabric receiving tub. The takedown assembly and the knitting cylinder rotate synchronously. A vertical shaft associated with a motor cooperates with a cylinder ring gear of the knitting cylinder and a takedown ring gear of the takedown assembly. A drive unit including a drive assembly and a clutch assembly is mounted to the takedown ring gear. The clutch assembly includes a drive gear which cooperates with the stationary ring gear of the fabric receiving tub to transmit toque to the rollers of the roller assembly.

Abstract: A circular sliver knitting machine comprising an air supply unit for supplying air to the circular sliver knitting machine. A first air nozzle unit cooperating with a card unit for directing air along a path generally radially outward toward the knitting needles and a second air nozzle unit cooperating with the card unit for directing air along a path generally radially inward toward the needles. An air distributing unit is provided for distributing air received from the air supply unit to at least one of the first air nozzle unit and the second air nozzle unit.

Abstract: A pile composite with specific appearnace comprising a pile fabric obtained by sliver knitting process, the pile fabric including a ground fabric, substantially straight piles and cone shape piles, both of the piles being developed on a surface of the ground fabric, wherein the cone shape piles are scattered all over the ground fabric and a total area of the cone shape piles at middle portions of the cone shape piles is from 0.5 to 15% of an area of the ground fabric. The pile composite has a specific appearance in which a large number of cone shape piles are developed on the surface of the pile fabric. The method for preparing the pile composite is also disclosed.

Abstract: A circular sliver knitting machine comprising an air supply unit for supplying air to the circular sliver knitting machine. A first air nozzle unit cooperating with a card unit for directing air along a path generally radially outward toward the knitting needles and a second air nozzle unit cooperating with the card unit for directing air along a path generally radially inward toward the needles. An air distributing unit is provided for distributing air received from the air supply unit to at least one of the first air nozzle unit and the second air nozzle unit.

Abstract: A first and second indexing gauge for use in positioning air blowing units relative to the needles of a circular sliver knitting machine. An air blowing unit is attached to the machine so as to be both vertically and rotationally adjusted relative to the knitting cylinder. Once the machine has been initially calibrated, the first and second indexing gauges can be used to quickly and easily reposition the air blowing units relative to the needles so as to allow the machine to knit a different fabric and/or pattern with minimal down time and wasted raw materials.

Abstract: A circular sliver knitting machine having a manifold for controlling multidirectional airflow. The manifold includes a first and a second air nozzle unit for directing air onto the plurality of needles from radially opposed sides. The manifold includes a cross bar having attachment bars for attaching the cross bar to the frame of a circular sliver knitting machine. The cross bar has a first cross bar aperture located lo therein so as to receive air from an air supply unit. A cover is secured to the cross bar forming a seal therebetween, such that the cover cooperates with the cross bar to form a first plenum and a second plenum therebetween. The cover has a cover aperture for receiving air from the air supply unit. The cross bar also has a first and a second adjustable valve for controlling the flow of air from the air supply unit to each of the first and second blowing units.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for knitting sliver fabric on a circular sliver knitting machine. An air blowing unit is attached to the machine so as to be oriented radially inward from the knitting cylinder and a card unit so as to blow air radially outwardly toward the needles. The air blowing unit blows air along generally horizontal longitudinal path toward the needles so as to turn free ends of the sliver fibers once the medial portions thereof have been knit into the fabric. A modified latched guard cooperates with air blowing unit for guiding free ends of the sliver fibers onto sinkers in a uniform and controlled manner to enable the free ends sliver fibers to be knit a second time by the adjacent needles.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for knitting sliver fabric on a circular sliver knitting machine. An air blowing unit is attached to the machine so as to be oriented radially inward from the knitting cylinder and a card unit so as to blow air radially outwardly toward the needles. The air blowing unit blows air along generally horizontal longitudinal path toward the needles so as to turn free ends of the sliver fibers once the medial portions thereof have been knit into the fabric. A modified latched guard cooperates with air blowing unit for guiding free ends of the sliver fibers onto sinkers in a uniform and controlled manner to enable the free ends sliver fibers to be knit a second time by the adjacent needles.

Abstract: A circular knitting machine for making patterned high-pile knitted fabrics has needles which move up and down in a needle cylinder and a pattern controlled fiber feeding means made up an opening cylinder wheel to which fibers are fed in accordance with a pattern and which transfers fibers to a doffer from which the needles take off fibers and in which the opening cylinder wheel and doffer are moved out of fiber-transferring relationship upon the interruption of fiber feed to the opening cylinder wheel in accordance with said pattern while leaving the needles in fiber take-off relationship with the doffer.

Abstract: A feeding cylinder (210) feeds a corresponding roving or top of fibers to be opened using a rotating card (206) which separates the fibers of the roving, and supplies them to a conveying cavity (214). A yarn guide (244), feeds tying yarn to a knitting machine capable of forming a tubular knitted manufactured article, and is arranged around a neck (240) for discharge of the opened fibers. Needles (256), during working, are also external to said neck.

Abstract: There is disclosed an improved circular sliver knitting machine having increased carding capacity for increasing the amount of sliver which can be carded and fed into the knitting machine. A mounting ring is fixed on an upper bed plate fixed to the sliver knitting machine frame. A plurality of sliver feed assemblies are supported on a sliver feed mounting plate secured to the upper bed plate. The sliver feed assemblies interconnect to a ring gear mounted in surrounding spaced relation to the mounting ring. The sliver feed assemblies card and feed sliver yarn to the knitting needles as the ring gear is turned. A bearing assembly for allowing rotation of the ring gear relative to the mounting ring while withstanding radial and tangential loads imparted on the ring gear includes at least one wire race extending along the outer surface of the mounting ring and at least one wire race extending along the inner surface of the ring gear.

Abstract: Loosened fibers are engaged by means of twisted or knitted binding yarns (FL); a feed roller (210) for the fibers of a roving or fiber top is tangent to a card (206) placed in a housing (212) opening onto a cavity (214) which is essentially tangential to said housing (212), in order to deliver the loosened fibers of the roving in the form of light batting to the binding means.

Abstract: The invention relates to a card wheel for a knitting machine for manufacturing knit goods with combed-in fibers. The card wheel consists of a wheel body with a cylindrical circumferential surface and a card clothing situated and fixed on the latter, which contains a cloth band of appropriate width lying on the circumferential surface and hooks incorporated into the band. In accordance with the invention the cloth band has at least one lateral end a holding section free of hooks which runs along the entire circumferential surface. To fix the card clothing in place, a clamping means acting on the holding section is provided in accordance with the invention, which clamps the holding section with a pressure per unit area on the circumferential surface which prevents the cloth band from slipping.

Abstract: The invention relates to a circular knitting machine for the production of knit goods with combed-in fibers, having a rotatable, needle-bearing needle cylinder and a card which has a means for feeding the fibers, a comb-in zone through which the needles pass for the purpose of contactlessly receiving the fibers, and a teasing cylinder rotating at high speed which takes the fibers from the feed means and yields them to the comb-in zone. To prevent thin areas or thick areas from being produced in the finished goods on account of the contactless fiber loading, the circular knitting machine has a protective device (60) which becomes active in the still state of the needle cylinder for the purpose of retaining the already combed-in fiber tufts (57) in the needles (3) which are in the comb-in zone in the still state of the needle cylinder.

Abstract: The invention concerns a process and a circular knitting machine for the production of knit goods with combed-in fibers, in which an amount of fibers synchronous with the needle cylinder rotatory speed is fed to a teasing cylinder rotating at high speed, transferred by the latter to the comb-in zone, and taken from the needles in the comb-in zone without contacting the teasing cylinder. To prevent the development of areas overfilled with fibers or short of fibers in the finished knit goods on account of the contact-less fiber feed, during or before abrupt reductions or increases in the rotatory speed of the needle cylinder, at least temporarily smaller or larger amounts of fibers are fed to the comb-in zone than corresponds to the synchronous amount of fibers.

Abstract: A plain or patterned high-pile or sliver-knit fabric is manufactured on a circular knitting machine which has a cylinder carrying latch needles, horizontally movable sinkers and a carding cloth to comb-in pile fibers to the latch needle hooks during knitting of a base fabric before the base threads are fed to the needles. The needles receiving the combed-in pile fibers are raised at the start of combing-in to a level at which the tips of the latches of the raised needles are positioned below the knock-over or knitting edges of the sinkers and the stitches of a previously knitted course of the fabric remain on the latches. The pile fibers are combed-in at this level.

Abstract: Apparatus for removing excess fibers from the doffer of a sliver high pile fabric knitting machine and returning the fibers to the main cylinder for refeeding to the doffer. During the return of the fibers to the main cylinder, they are combed and aligned into a thin uniform film of parallel fibers for uniform redistribution on the main cylinder and uniform mixture with fresh, incoming fibers fed to the main cylinder by the sliver feed elements. The invention includes pneumatic suction for drawing fibers from the doffer into a substantially closed suction chamber, a flat perforated filter sheet fixed within the chamber to separate the fibers from the air currents in the chamber and a rubber covered sealing roll permitting the fibers to be discharged from the chamber to the ambient atmosphere without impairing the integrity of the vacuum in the chamber.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a circular knit, high pile fabric is based on knitting a base fabric with two yarns per course. Long butt needles alternate with short butt needles around the needle circle. First and second yarns are provided at each feed. Sliver is fed to all needles at each of several feeds. At a first feed, long butt needles knit the first yarn in alternate wales with such first yarn being floated in intervening wales whereas at the same first feed short butt needles knit the second yarn in intervening wales with such second yarn being floated in alternate wales. At the next or at the first of the next pair of feeds long butt needles knit the second yarn in alternate wales with such second yarn being floated in intervening wales whereas short butt needles at the same feed knit the first yarn in intervening wales with such first yarn being floated in intervening wales. The sliver fibers are caught at each stitch intersection.

Abstract: A circular knitting machine for the production of knit goods with combed-in fibers, has a rotating needle cylinder in which needles having hooks for receiving fibers are mounted, at least one carding device having a feed apparatus for feeding a fiber strand, a separating apparatus for separating the fiber strand into a stream of individual fibers, and a combing-in zone through which the needles pass, and wherein the fibers are carried within the fiber stream for the purpose of contactlessly combing-in the fibers into the hooks of the needles. Guides are provided ahead of the combing-in zone for the purpose of dividing the fiber stream into partial fiber streams, thus considerably reducing or varying the percentage of fibers which are bound across several neighboring loops by several neighboring needles.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for removing excess fibers from the doffer of a sliver high pile fabric knitting machine and returning the fibers to the main cylinder for refeeding to the doffer. Upon the return of the fibers to the main cylinder, they are combed and aligned into a uniform layer of parallel fibers for uniform redistribution on the main cylinder and uniform mixture with fresh, incoming fibers fed by the sliver feed elements. The invention includes pneumatic suction for drawing fibers from the doffer into a substantially closed suction chamber, a rotatable filter roll within the chamber, which separates the air and the fibers and discharges the fibers from the chamber, and a sealing roll permitting the fibers to be discharged from the chamber without impairing the integrity of the vacuum therein. Fiber feeding elements composed of a rotatable wire-covered fiber return feed roll and a cooperating fiber feed plate return the recovered fibers to the main cylinder.

Abstract: A fiber transfer system for feeding fibers to the needles of a sliver high pile fabric circular knitting machine, in which the width of the fiber transfer path from the feed rolls to the needle line at the doffer is constant. Adjustable sliver entrance guides accurately direct the roving into the feed rolls and determine the location and width of the fiber transfer path. A continuous film of fibers of selected width and uniform density is transferred from the feed rolls via the main cylinder and doffer to the knitting machine needles. The main cylinder preferably is of a greater axial width than the doffer. It is covered by a narrow, elongated strip of wire-covered clothing wrapped helically around its periphery. The doffer is enveloped by straight wound card clothing, preferably constituted of a rectangular segment of wire-covered clothing having its opposite ends abutting on the doffer. The invention maximizes utilization of the fiber transfer area available to the knitting machine.

Abstract: Circular knitting machine for the manufacture of knit wares of hosiery with combed-in fibers, having at least one needle bed possessing knitting needles and having at least one carding machine which possesses a feed apparatus for a band of fibers, a combing-in zone, through which the knitting needles pass, for the contact less insertions of fibers into the knitting needles, and a separating apparatus for separating the band of fibers into individual fibers. The separating device comprises a separating drum that can be driven at high peripheral speed and is provided with a fitting (card wires) for which a drive mechanism is provided that is independent of the knitting machine drive mechanism.

Abstract: Improvement in sliver feeding devices for use with circular knitting machines to make sliver knitted fabric, wherein the device has comber and doffer drums each of which is covered with spirally extending wrappings of card wire cloths, wherein the wrappings on the doffer drum comprises a single individual card wire cloth extending in a single spiral, and wherein the wrappings on the comber drum comprise a plurality of individual card wire cloths extending in a plural spiral.

Abstract: A fiber feeding system for feeding relatively short sliver fibers--less than one inch in length--to a sliver high pile fabric knitting machine. The system includes the usual basic elements of a carding head comprising the sliver feeding components, such as a pair of rotatable sliver feed rolls, a rotatable wire-covered doffer and a rotatable wire-covered main cylinder interposed between the sliver feeding components and the doffer. By utilizing a sliver feed plate as one of the sliver feeding components, together with one or more sliver feed rolls, the fiber pinch point may be advanced close to the periphery of the main cylinder. Where one or more pairs of sliver feed rolls are utilized without a sliver feed plate, each roll has a circumference not exceeding four times the minimum length of the sliver fibers.

Abstract: Circular knitting machine for the production of high pile fabrics having combed-in fabrics, having a needle cylinder with displaceably mounted knitting needles defining a circular knitting field along the upper edge of the cylinder, carding devices disposed along the knitting field, and an exhaust disposed above the knitting field. A lamp is fastened to the exhaust to illuminate the knitting field from within, and a mirror is fastened to the exhaust for the section-wise viewing of the inside of portions of the knitting field disposed on the side of an observer.

Abstract: Circular knitting machine for producing artificial furs or pile fabric having combed-in fibres comprises a drive motor and at least a carding device, which has a drive member being in operative connection with the drive motor for supplying rotary movement to the rotatable parts of the carding device. In order to achieve that in the event of excessive load in the rotating parts at least the operation of the carding device is automatically suspended, according to the invention there is provided between the drive motor (6) and the drive member (25) an overload clutch (23) having a device (30, 63) for automatically stopping the drive motor (6) (FIG. 2) when the overload condition is reached.

Abstract: A machine for producing a knitted fabric having a knitted ground material of a ground thread and a pile or loop-pile surface from additional pile threads or fibers, the machine having a plurality of individually selectable knitting elements and at least two knitting systems, each with a feeding position for the ground thread and the pile thread or a fiber web. A patterning mechanism is provided at each knitting system for selecting the particular knitting element which is to process the pile threads or fibers in that system and each knitting element having a knitting cam segment to produce the stitches.

Abstract: The invention relates to a knitting machine having a combing-in cylinder for producing knitted goods with combed-in fibres. The problem of the invention is rapidly and effectively to eliminate the gaps which occur in the carding clothing of the combing-in cylinder in the knitting operation and which have only a very small number of fibres. This problem is solved by means of a regularization cylinder which co-operates with the combing-in cylinder and which treats the fibres on the combing-in cylinder in the manner of a comb, displaces such fibres in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation of the combing-in cylinder and thereby regularizes such fibres, without however picking up fibres itself.

Abstract: A sliver loop knit fabric comprising a base fabric formed of knitted courses and wales and anchoring a plurality of tufts of sliver fibers, the free ends of which are incorporated into at least two courses and two wales of the fabric to provide a generally loop pile fabric. The fabric is knit on a circular jersey fabric knitter equipped with a plurality of fiber feeding cards. The knitter also is equipped with pneumatic means for directing jets of compressed air generally radially outward of the needles of the knitting machine. The jets of compressed air blow the free ends of the tufts of sliver fibers on the needles outwardly of the needle circle, and onto the tops of the sinkers, preparatory to incorporating the ends of the tufts into the fabric during knitting. The bulk of the free ends are incorporated into the fabric in the form of knitted stitches.

Abstract: Process technology is provided for making a synthetic fur piece from a sliver knit, high pile, differentially transversely knitted, longitudinally patterned, unstabilized starting fabric having a pile containing heat shrinkable fibers. The process involves stabilizing the starting fabric, contour shearing same, and then further processing the resulting sheared fabric under conditions which result in heat shrinking of the heat shrinkable pile fibers therein. The preferred product is a synthetic fur piece comprised of seemingly seamed together animal pelts. Various finishing operations typically and preferably are performable upon such a product to enhance fur-like properties and to simulate the appearance and qualities of specific desired animal furs, such as, for example, mink.

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: A pile fabric knitting apparatus has controllable means, several representative embodiments of which are disclosed, separate from fiber supply means and responsive to dynamic control means, i.e., transducer, control tape, etc., functioning during operation of the apparatus, for regulating the quantity of pile fibers transferred to or retained by the reciprocating knitting needles from respective fiber zones provided by pile fiber feeding means to which the fibers are delivered by the supply means. Such controllable means may operate in addition to or alternatively to fiber supply control at the supply means. In a preferred form the needles comprise companion relatively slidably operative needle elements, one of which elements is adapted to transfer more fiber than the other of said elements, and the controllable means are operative to select the elements for picking up fiber in any of the respective fiber zones.

Abstract: A pile fabric knitting apparatus has controllable means, several representative embodiments of which are disclosed, separate from fiber supply means and responsive to dynamic control means, i.e., transducer, control tape, etc., functioning during operation of the apparatus, for regulating the quantity of pile fibers transferred or retained by the reciprocating knitting needles from respective fiber zones provided by pile fiber feeding means to which the fibers are delivered by the supply means. Such controllable means may operate in addition to or alternatively to fiber supply control at the supply means.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of producing a high pile fabric on a multi-feed circular weft knitting machine in which needles are selected by the machine to take loose fibres from slivers fed to card wheels at a card or brushing station. The invention consists of reselecting needles at the card station to take varying amounts of loose fibres from the preselected slivers actually during the carding or brushing operation.

Abstract: Means are provided for increasing the productive capacity of a sliver high pile fabric circular knitting machine. The invention comprises an improvement whereby one or more of the sliver and yarn feeding stations of the knitting machine are modified to knit two or more fiber-retaining fabric courses during each revolution of the needle cylinder. Each station is provided with a sliver feeding device for delivering a plurality of separate, spaced rovings of sliver fibers to separate, arcuately or angularly spaced fixed locations of the needle circle. Plural yarn feeding means, knitting cams and air nozzles are provided at each station. The yarn feeding means, knitting cams and air nozzles are angularly spaced, relative to the needle circle, and each is associated with a separate roving fed by the sliver feeding means.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for controlling selectively the sliver feeding rates of the carding mechanisms of a multi-feed high pile fabric circular knitting machine, whereby the sliver feeding rates harmonize continuously with the fabric pattern for which the machine has been programmed. The selected pattern is incorporated into the fabric during knitting by electronically controlled needle selection. The knitting pattern data is stored in digital form in a computer type memory, such as a magnetic disc, tape or drum, or equivalent digital data storage means. The rate of sliver feed at each sliver feeding station is determined continuously during knitting, and adjusted as required, by the pattern data controlling the needle selection at that particular station, to ensure that the sliver input to the machine harmonizes with the demand of the needles for sliver fibers in accordance with the knitting pattern selected.

Abstract: In a deep pile fabric knitting machine which includes carding wheels from which fibers are transferred to rotary doffers and from which the fibers are selectively taken by knitting needles traveling with a rotary cylinder, but with at least some untaken fibers remaining on the doffers, remaining fibers are scavenged from the doffers, substantially uniformly dispersed and returned for recycling in the same carding paths from which the fibers were originally transferred to the doffers. Returned fibers may be applied directly to the perimeters of the carding wheels, or to sliver leading to the carding wheels. Scavenging may be effected by high speed scavenger rolls and return of the fibers effected pneumatically with mechanical dispersion. Loose fibers are blown from the knitting needles and recycled in the same system with the fibers scavenged from the doffers.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for feeding a plurality of separate slivers at a single sliver feeding station to the needles of a multi-feed high pile fabric knitting machine. The apparatus includes two or more separate assemblies of feed rolls for delivering sliver to the main cylinder of a sliver feeding device. Each assembly is provided with a separate timing control device for activating the feed rolls during selected time intervals to deliver sliver to the main cylinder to produce patterned high pile fabric. The timing control devices are operable to vary selectively the time intervals, both as to their duration and to the points in time when sliver delivery commences and ceases. The invention also contemplates a method of feeding a plurality of separate slivers at a single sliver feeding station to produce patterned knitted high pile fabrics having variable course-wise and wale-wise extending designs.

Abstract: Rotating baffle supported from below substantially closes opening at knitting level of tubular fabric produced by circular pile fabric knitting machine, and deflects air jet carrying stray fiber up toward exhaust intake above machine. Secondary rotating baffle at lower level further reduces movement of air with entrained fiber into tubular fabric, and carries stop motion ring. Rotation of the ring with the goods minimizes skewing at the tube slitting point.

Abstract: A fiber feeding device for a multi-color pile fabric knitting machine. The device comprises several units feeding fiber roving of different color onto a common carding cylinder. Said fiber feeding units are operated independently from each other.

Abstract: A pile fabric knitting apparatus has controllable means, several representative embodiments of which are disclosed, separate from fiber supply means and responsive to dynamic control means, i.e., transducer, control tape, etc., functioning during operation of the apparatus, for regulating the quantity of pile fibers transferred to the knitted fabric by the reciprocating knitting needles from respective fiber zones provided by pile fiber feeding means to which the fibers are delivered by the supply means. Such controllable means may operate in addition to or alternatively to fiber supply control at the supply means.

Abstract: A card head for supplying pile fibers to a knitting machine is disclosed herein along with a method for using same. Precarded, pre cut fibers in sliver form are presented to a fluted roll in proximity to a highly polished nose guide. Sliver is fed therethrough to a clothed main cylinder rotating at a higher speed than the fluted roll to separate cut fibers from the sliver. Flats or the like are secured around a portion of the main cylinder and cooperate with the main cylinder in proper alignment of fibers floating thereon. A doffer roll is positioned adjacent the end of the flats, barely out of contact with the card clothing and rotating at a higher speed than the main cylinder. Teeth on the doffer thus remove the fibers from the main cylinder and properly present same to knitting needles passing thereacross. The card head is provided with cover plates to control air flow therethrough which assists in floating of the fibers and proper operation thereof.

Abstract: A feeding device for each of the card units of the circular pile fabric knitting machines, characterised in that it comprises selective feed means for two types of fibers, either alternately with a predetermined output, or simultaneously with a delivery reduced by half for each of them, so that the mean density of the product obtained remains constant.

Abstract: There is disclosed an improved circular sliver knitting machine having increased carding capacity for increasing the amount of sliver which can be carded and fed into the knitting machine. A mounting ring is fixed on an upper bed plate fixed to the sliver knitting machine frame. A plurality of sliver feed assemblies are supported on a sliver feed mounting plate secured to the upper bed plate. The sliver feed assemblies interconnect to a ring gear mounted in surrounding spaced relation to the mounting ring. The sliver feed assemblies card and feed sliver yarn to the knitting needles as the ring gear is turned. A bearing assembly for allowing rotation of the ring gear relative to the mounting ring while withstanding radial and tangential loads imparted on the ring gear includes at least one wire race extending along the outer surface of the mounting ring and at least one wire race extending along the inner surface of the ring gear.