Title of Invention

WARP KNITTING MACHINE, ESPECIALLY CROCHET GALLOON MACHINE

Abstract

The warp knitting machine, especially a crochet galloon machine, has knitting needles (34) which are guided on a knock-over bar (32) and which are preceded by warp guide bars (38) with warp guides (36) and are assigned weft guide bars (44) with weft guides (48). An improvement in the warp knitting machine is afforded in that the weft guides (48} of the weft guide bars (44) do not cross through the 3cnitting needles (34) , and in that the weft guides (48} of the weft guide bars (44) are assigned feeders (62) to the knitting needles (34), which feeders are guided and can be driven up and down, transversely to the racking direction of the weft guide bars (44), between the weft guides (48) and the knitting needles (34) , in such a way that the feeders (62) lay racked weft yarns (50} under the associated knitting needles (34}.

Full Text

Technical field The invention relates to a warp knitting machine, especially a crochet galloon machine with knitting needles which are guided on a knock-over bar and which are preceded by warp guide bars with warp guides and are assigned weft guide bars with weft guides. Prior art A warp knitting machine of the type mentioned in the introduction is known, for example, from DE-A-27 58 421. In this warp knitting machine, the weft guide bars and the weft guides arranged thereon must be moved not only to and fro along the weft guide bars, but also up and down, in order to underlay a corresponding weft yam on a knitting needle. In this case, the weft guide bars are exposed to a very high dynamic load, thus resulting in sagging, wear and high noise emission. In order to counteract this, the bars must have a very large cross-section and therefore require a large amount of space. This space requirement, on the one hand, and the only limited free space available on the warp knitting machine, considerably restrict the maximum number of weft guide bars, for example to eight. An improvement to a maximum of sixteen can be achieved by improving the design according to WO 94/23 106. In this case, two weft guide bars are designed so as to be one above the other and so as to engage one into the other. In this design too, there are still the disadvantages that the weft guide bai^ have to be moved not only to and fro but also up and down, so that high inertia forces, strong vibrations, high noise emission and wear occur. The maximum speed of such warp knitting machines is therefore restricted, for example to 1200 revolutions/minute. In addition, in view of the fact that an ever smaller needle gauge of four to ten needles per cm is demanded nowadays, the knitting needles have very thin cross-sections, with the result that the needles are highly susceptible to flexions and oscillations. At the present time, it is customary to restrict the maximum free knitting needle length to approximately 5 0 times the needle thickness in the gauge direction. The warp yarns are inserted into the knitting needle heads when the needles are in the extended position. The distance between the Icnock-over bar and this extended position is available for the number of racking rows for weft guidance and, at the present time, amounts to a maximum of seven rows. Yarn guides having tips or having small end tubes serve for laying the weft yarns under and between the knitting needles. Furthermore, the tip of the yarn guide may also be provided with a small end tube which, however, takes up a relatively large amount of space. The racking gauge is therefore nowadays, on average, approximately 3 mm. This restricts the number of racking levels to seven, on the assumption of a knitting needle stroke of 25 to 30 mm. Also because up to seven yarn guide tips, which have to engage into a knitting needle gap between the knitting needles, cannot be oriented exactly in one line, there is contact with the knitting needles, and these begin to vibrate or may be damaged, thus impeding insertion of the warp yarns in the knitting needle heads and greatly restricting the rotational speed of warp knitting machines. Since, on the one hand, the yarn guides for laying the weft yarns under the knitting needles have to penetrate into the knitting needle gaps and since, on the other hand, the guidance of weft yarns over long distances is driven via a crank mechanism, a certain number of knitting needles must be omitted at the reversal point of the yarn guide. This affords the disadvantage that the useful knitting length is reduced or that weft guidance must be driven via cam mechanisms, thus, in turn, restricting the maximum rotation speed of warp knitting machines. According to the prior art, the knitting point is designed on the crochet galloon principle, as a result of which it is not possible for the yams to be beaten up on the selvedge. This affords the disadvantage that it has hitherto been possible to produce only knitted fabrics having a relatively low weft density. The area of use of warp knitting machines is thereby restricted. Presentation of the invention The object of the invention is to improve a warp knitting machine of the type mentioned in the introduction. The set object is achieved by means of the characterizing features of the invention the weft guides of the weft guide bars are arranged outside the operation area of the knitting needles, and in that the weft guides of the weft guide bars are assigned feeders to the knitting needles, which feeders are guided and can be driven up and down, transversely to the racking direction of the weft guide bars, between the weft guides and the knitting needles such that the feeders lay racked weft yams under the associated knitting needles. Since the weft guides of the weft guide bars do not intersect the knitting needles, they also do not have to be moved up and down, a to-and-fro movement instead being sufficient. The weft yams are supplied to the knitting needles by the feeders. The results in an appreciable simplification of the weft guide and of the weft guide bars, so that a very large, hitherto impractical number of weft guide bars and weft guides is possible. The number of racking rows is also no longer necessarily restricted, so that the maximum possible number is equal to the number of installed weft guide bars. Furthermore, the knitting needle stroke can be reduced to a minimum size, since there need only be space for a single feeder in a knitting needle gap between the knitting needles. The knitting needle stroke is therefore essentially dependent on the width of the feeder. Since the weft guides no longer enter the knitting needle gaps between the knitting needles, operation is possible with weft guidance of virtually any length, without any loss of knitting needles. This may be further assisted by using electronically controlled drives for driving the weft guide bars, the said drives allowing smooth motion so as to treat the weft yams carefully. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are described herein. It is possible in principle for the weft guide bars to execute not only a to-and-fro movement, but also a movement transverse to this, provided, however, that the weft guides do not intersect the knitting needles. It is more advantageous, however, if the weft guide bars and therefore also the weft guides execute only a to-and-fro movement in their longitudinal direction, thereby appreciably simplifying the drive and mounting, so that a larger number of weft guide bars and consequently weft guide may be used, ft is also advantageous if the knitting needles execute only to-and-fro movement along their knitting axis. It is possible in principle for not every knitting needle to be assigned a feeder, but wherein each knitting needle is assigned a feeder, is more advantageous. It is conceivable that the feeders do not cross through the weft guides of the weft guide bars and the knitting needles, but run at a distance from these. However, in a warp knitting, is especially advantageous, the result of this being that not only is a more compact design achieved, but the operating capacity of the warp knitting machine is also increased. The feeders may, if appropriate, be driven individually or in groups, but if the several feeder are arranged on one drivable feeder bar and not each feeder on a separate bar is more advantageous. The feeders may be moveable along a straight path and/or along arcuate paths. Especially advantageous is a design, wherein, which makes it possible for the return travel of the feeders to lie outside the weft guides, so that racking of the weft guide bars can take place as early as during the return fravel of the feeders. As regards the arrangement of the weft guide bars together with the weft guides, various possibilities arise, such as, for example, the weft guide bars together with weft guides are arranged such that the weft yam are supplied to the knitting point by the weft guides in the same direction as the warp yams or preferably wherein the weft guide bars together with the weft guides are arranged such that the weft yams are suppliable to the knitting point by the weft guides in the opposite direction to the warp yams or preferably wherein the weft guide bars together with the weft guides are arranged such that the weft yams are suppliable to the knitting point by the weft guides in the opposite direction to the warp yams. The weft guide bars are arranged in such a way that the mouths of the weft guides are arranged along a straight or arcuate surface relative to the knitting point is an advantageous arrangernent of the weft guide bars. Various possibilities, that the feeders have a downwardly open fork-shaped head for grasping the weft yams being preferred, arise for the design of the feeders. The development that the feeders have guide elevations on each of the two sides on a head engaging into the knitting needle gap between the knitting needles, improves the stability and operating reliability of die feeders. A development that the feeders are designed in such a way that, after crossing through the knitting needles, they press or heat up the weft yams onto the selvedge of the knitted fabric is also especially advantageous, the result of this being that a close-packed knitted fabric can be produced. Various possibilities arise as regards the drive of the weft guide bar and/or of the warp guide bar. The possibility that die weft guide bars can each be driven by means of an electrical actuator which can preferably be controlled by means of an electronic control device is especially preferred, since an electronically controlled actuator constitutes, for each guide bar, an effective drive which takes up little space and can be controlled in a simple way, both as regards the timing and as regards the stroke size, according to a predeterminable pattem for producing the knitted fabric. The embodiment that the magnitude of the up-and-down movement of the feeders is adjustable also especially advantageous, according to this the magnitude of the up-and-down movement of the feeders being adjustable. Brief description of the drawings Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in more detail below with reference to die diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a vertical section through a first wrap knitting machine, with the feeder raised; Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8 shows, as a detail, the warp knitting machine of Figure 1, with the feeder in the initial position, in a view towards the weft guide bars; shows, as a detail and on a larger scale, the warp knitting machine of Figure 2, with the feeder at the knit¬ting point, in a view towards the weft guide bars; shows a vertical section through a further warp knitting machine, with the feeder in the initial position; shows, as a detail and on a larger scale, the warp knitting machine of Figure 4, with the feeder at the knitting point; shows a plan view of the warp knitting machine of Figure 5; shows the warp knitting machine of Figure 4, with the feeder on its return travel; and shows a vertical section through a further warp knitting machine, with the weft guide bar arranged along an arcuate surface. Embodiments of the invention Figures 1 to 3 show a first exemplary embodi¬ment of a warp knitting machine which has knitting needles 34 which are guided and driven back and forth in their longitudinal direction in a knock-over bar 3 2 and which are preceded by warp guides 35. The warp guides 36 are fastened to a warp guide bar 38 and execute a movement about the knitting needles 34, in order, in each case, to insert a warp yarn 40 into, a knitting needle 34 when the latter is in the foremost position, as indicated by broken lines in Figure 1. In this exemplary embodiment, the knitting needles 34 are designed as spring-hook needles and are driven in a known way not illustrated in any more detail. A stack of weft guide bars 44 bearing the numbers 1 to 24 is arranged above the knitting needles 34 on a carrier 42 and is held on the topside by a guide 46. Each weft guide bar 44 contains a row of weft guides 48 in the form of small tubes, in order to supply weft yarns 50 to the knitting point 52. For the mutual guidance of the weft guide bars 44, there are, for example, grooves 54, into which tongues 5 6 of the adjacent components engage. As emerges especially from Figures 2 to 4' ^^® individual weft guide bars 44 are individually driven to and fro, solely in the longi¬tudinal direction, by means of individual actuators 58, for example electrically driven linear motors, via corresponding gears 60. These actuators 58 are con¬nected to an electronic computer-assisted control device 61 which controls the use and/or stroke of the actuators 58 according to the particular pattern. For supplying the individual weft yarns 5 0 to the knitting point 52, there are feeders 62 arranged on a feeder bar 64 which can be moved, in a way not illustrated in any more detail, up and down out of the initial position A represented by broken lines into the knitting position W represented by unbroken lines. The feeders have a fork-like head 66 and, after the weft guides 48 have been racked, pass through the latter in a finger-like manner, in order to carry the respectively racked weft yarns to the knitting point 52 and lay them under the knitting needles 34, before the latter -are moved out of the retracted position into the advanced position (represented by broken lines in Figure 1) . During the feed, the feeders 62 move right up to the selvedge 68, with the result that it is possible to produce a very close-packed knitted fabric 70 which is drawn off from the knitting point 52 by a draw-off device 72. By means of the weft guide bars 44 bearing the numbers 1 to 24 and their weft guides 48, it is possible to use weft yarns 50 of the most diverse types, such as, for example, having different thick¬ness, twisting, materials (such as rubber yarns), but also different make-up, for example as regards colour, shading and fleeciness. At the same time, such weft yarns may, for example, be laid as a stem S in only one warp K or as a part weft over some of the width or as a long weft LS over the entire width of the knitted fabric 70, Figures 4 to 7 illustrate a further exemplary embodiment of a warp knitting machine which corresponds essentially to that of Figures 1 to 3, so that identical parts are given the same reference symbols, but with the addition of the index a. In contrast to the warp knitting machine of Figures 1 to 3, that in figures 4 to 7 is modified particularly to the effect that the weft guide bars 44a together with the weft guides 48a are arranged in such a way that the weft yarns 50a are supplied to the knitting point 52a by the weft guides 48a essentially in the same direction as the direction of the warp yarns 40a supplied by the warp guides 36a. The feeders 62a on the feeder bar 64a are arranged on a rotating drive device 74, not illustrated in detail, in such a way that they are moved downwards out of the initial position A illustrated in Figure 4, at the same time combing through the weft guides 48a in a finger-like manner, into the knitting position W at the knitting point 52a, as illustrated especially in Figures 5 and 6. In this position, they lay the carried-along weft yarns 50a behind the knitting needles 34a which, in the present example, are designed as compound needles. To guide the feeders 62a back out of the knitting position, they are moved forwards out of the region of the weft guides 48a by means of the drive device 74 and pass, free of the weft guides 48a,- into the initial position A by way of the return travel VS. As early as during this return movement, the weft guide bars 44a can be racked again according to the particular pattern, so that the performance of the warp knitting machine can be improved thereby. As emerges especially from Figures 5 and 5, the feeders 62a have, once again, a fork-shaped head 66a which is provided with guide elevations 78 on the part penetrating into the knitting needle gap 76 between the knitting needles 34a, in order, on the one hand, to make it easier for the feeders 62a to penetrate into the knitting needle gaps 76 and, on the other hand, to keep the knitting needles 34a at a distance from one another. The warp knitting machine of Figures 4 to 7 is, further, modified to the effect that the weft guide bars 44a and consequently also the weft guides 48a, together with the carrier 42a and guide 46a, are arranged at an inclination to the horizontal such that the weft yarns 50a make it possible to have as unimpeded a run-through to the knitting point 52a as possible. Moreover, the knock-over bar 32a is assigned a panel holder 80 which forms with the knock-over bar a guide clearance 82 of the knitted fabric 7 0a which is drawn off by the draw-off device 72a. Figure 8 shows a further warp knitting machine which corresponds in functional terms to the above warp knitting machines of Figures 1 to 7, so that identical parts are given the same reference symbols, but with the addition of the index b. The knitting needles 34b arranged in the knock-over bar 32b are preferably designed as spring-hook needles. ,^-5lhe knock-over bar 32b is assigned a panel holder^80b ^which forms with the latter a guide clearanck 82b!. The knitting needles 34b are preceded by warp guides 36b, arranged on a warp guide bar 38b, for the supply of warp yarns 40b. The weft guide bars 44b together with the weft guides 48b are arranged above the knitting needles 34b, specifically opposite to the direction in which the warp yarns 40b are supplied to the knitting point 52b. Moreover, the arrangement of the weft guide bars 44b and of the weft guides 48b is such that they lie along an arcuate path 86, along which the feeders 62b arranged on a feeder bar 64b also travel through the yarn guides 48b in a finger-like manner from the initial position A into the knitting position W. The drive device 74b for the feeder bar 64b and for the feeders 62b is designed in such a way that the return travel 75b for the fork-shaped head 66b of the feeders 62b lies outside the weft guides 48b. For this purpose, the feeder bar 64b is fastened to a rocker lever 88 which rocks about the axis 90 which itself describes the eccentric travel 94 by means of a driven eccentric 92, with the result that the distance between the arcuate supply path 86 and the return travel 75b remote from this is determined by the weft guides 48b. The up-and-down movement is generated by an eccentric drive 96, the eccentric 98 of which is connected to a connecting rod 100, the other end of which is coupled to the rocker lever 88 via a joint 102. WE CLAIM: 1. Wrap knitting machine especially a crochet galloon machine, with knitting needles (34, 34a, 34b) which are guided on a knock-over bar (32, 32a, 32b) and which are preceded by warp guide bars (38, 38a, 3Sb) with warp guides (36, 36a, 36b) and are assigned weft guide bars (44, 44a, 44b) with weft guides (48, 48a, 4Sb) characterized in that the weft guides (48, 48a, 48b) of the weft guide bars (44, 44a, 44b) are arranged outside the operation area of the knitting needles (34, 34a, 34b), and in that the weft guides (48, 48a, 4Sb) of the weft guide bars (44, 44a, 44b) are assigned feeders (62, 62a, 62b) to the knitting needles (34, 34a, 34b), which feeders are guided and can be driven up and down, transversely to the racking direction of the weft guide bars (44, 44a, 44b), between the weft guides (48, 48a, 48b) and the knitting needles (34, 34a, 34b) such that the feeders (62, 62a, 62b) lay racked weft yams (50, 50a, 50b) under the associated knitting needles (34, 34a, 34b). 2. Wrap knitting machine as claimed in claim 1,wherein the weft guide bars (44, 44a, 44b) together with the weft guides (48, 48a, 48b) can be moved to and fro only in their racking direction. 3. Wrap knitting machine as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the knitting needle (34, 34a, 34b) is designed in such a way that it is capable of being moved only along its knitting axis. 4. Wrap knitting machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each knitting needle (34, 34a, 34b) is assigned a feeder (62, 62a, 62b). 5. Wrap knitting machine as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 4, wherein the feeders (62, 62a, 62b) cross dirough the weft guides (48, 4Sa, 48b) of the weft guide bars (44, 44a, 44b) and the knitting needles (34, 34a, 34b) in a fmger-like manner. 6. Warp knitting machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the feeders (62, 62a, 62b) are arranged on one drivable feeder bar (64, 64a, 64b). 7. Warp knitting machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the return travel (75, 75b) of the feeder (62a, 62b) from the knitting point is arranged at a distance from the weft guides (48a, 48b). 8. Warp knitting machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, where in the weft guide bars (44a) together with weft guides (48a) are arranged such that the weft yam (50a) are supplied to the knitting point (52a) by the weft guides (48a) in the same direction as the warp yams (40a). 9. Warp knitting machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the weft guide bars (44, 44b) together with the weft guides (48, 48b) are arranged such that the weft yams (50, 5Db) are supphable to the knitting point (52, 52b) by the weft guides (48, 48b) in the opposite direction to the warp yams (40, 40b). 10. Warp knitting machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the weft guide bars (44, 44a, 44b) are arranged in such a way that the mouths of the weft guides (48, 48a, 48b) are arranged along a sfraight or arcuate surface relative to the knitting point (52, 52a, 52b). 11. Warp knitting machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the feeders (62, 62a, 62b) have a downwardly open fork-shaped head (66, 66a, 66b) for grasping the weft yams (50, 50a, 50b). 12. Warp knitting machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the feeders (52a) have guide elevations (78) on each of the two sides on a head (66a) engaging into the knitting needle gap (76) between the knitting needles (34a). 13. Warp knitting machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the feeders (62, 62a, 62b) are designed in such a way that, after crossing through the knitting needles (34, 34a, 34b), they press or beat up the weft yams (50, 50a, 50b) onto the selvedge (68, 6Sa) of the knitted fabric (70, 70a). 14. Warp knitting machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the weft guide bars (44, 44a, 44b) can each be driven by means of an electrical actuator (58) which can preferably be controlled by means of an electronic control device (61). 15. Warp knitting machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the magnitude of the up-and-down movement of the feeders (62, 62a) is adjustable.

Documents:

2203-mas-97 abstract-duplicate.pdf

2203-mas-97 abstract.jpg

2203-mas-97 abstract.pdf

2203-mas-97 claims-duplicate.pdf

2203-mas-97 claims.pdf

2203-mas-97 correspondence-others.pdf

2203-mas-97 correspondence-po.pdf

2203-mas-97 description (complete)-duplicate.pdf

2203-mas-97 description (complete).pdf

2203-mas-97 drawings.pdf

2203-mas-97 form-1.pdf

2203-mas-97 form-19.pdf

2203-mas-97 form-26.pdf

2203-mas-97 form-4.pdf

2203-mas-97 others.pdf

2203-mas-97 petition.pdf