Circular hosiery machines with needles on the cylinder and in the bed plate, in particular for terry fabric

Abstract

The invention concerns a circular hosiery machine with vertical needles on the cylinder and horizontal needles in the bed plate for knitting terry fabric. Mono sinkers are inserted between the vertical needles on the cylinder, each having a hook for forming terry fabric stitches. The external diameter of the bed plate is noticeably reduced, at least in the area on a level with said hook of the sinkers to enable radial work movements of said sinkers without interference either with the bed plate or with the horizontal needles it carries.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] The present invention concerns circular hosiery machines, in particular the so-called RIB circular machines, with needles on the cylinder and in the bed plate for knitting the terry fabric.

STATE OF THE ART

[0002] Circular mono cylinder hosiery machines where the fabric is knitted using a combination of vertical needles on the cylinder and horizontal needles in a bed plate above the cylinder both rotating together, enabling the formation of true ribbing are well known.

[0003] The vertical needles alternate with the horizontal needles, and for the construction of fabric, the cylinder needles work in cooperation with relative sinkers, whereas the needles in the bed plate work in cooperation with the external margin of the bed plate itself. The bed plate normally has an external diameter so as to almost reach the needles on the cylinder.

[0004] These machines with needles both on the cylinder and in the bed plate have also been equipped for knitting sponge fabric. For this type of work pairs of complementary and side by side sinkers positioned between the vertical needles on the cylinder and programmed to interact and form a rest for the thread which is to form the loops of the terry fabric.

[0005] These machines however are not free of disadvantages and problems, which the technicians in the sector are well aware of. In fact, the use of pairs of side by side complementary sinkers between the cylinder needles when knitting terry fabric, obviously represents an obstacle when equipping the machines where high fineness is required due to the double width of the sinkers themselves. FIG. 1 of the enclosed drawings is indicative of the state of the art, as it shows a part of a circular machine where the paired sinkers for knitting terry fabric are indicated by 11 and 12 working together with vertical needles 13 on the cylinder 14 and the horizontal needles 15 in the bed plate 16.

[0006] In addition, the paired sinkers, besides causing mechanical problems and suffering from wear, require two series of corresponding means, that is control cams, which help to complicate the above hosiery circular machines and furthermore form an additional production cost.

[0007] Also well known on the other hand is the use of the so-called mono-sinkers for knitting terry fabric on circular hosiery machines without needles in the bed plate. The mono-sinkers are positioned between the needles on the cylinder and have the acknowledged advantages of requiring one single series of control cams, simplifying in this way some of the machine's organs and enabling a better quality terry fabric to be knitted and given their limited width, high machine fineness.

AIMS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Starting from the premise, one object of the present invention is to provide on the mono-cylinder circular hosiery machines with needles on the cylinder and in the bed plate the advantages to be found on the circular machines without needles in the bed plate when set up for knitting terry fabric.

[0009] Another object of the invention is to create the conditions so that the circular machines with needles on the cylinder and in the bed plate are able to knit terry fabric in the same way as the circular hosiery machines without needles in the bed plate.

[0010] An additional object of the invention is to improve the structure, operation and performance and to increase the fineness of the circular machines with needles both on the cylinder and in the bed plate using a combination of elements never used on the so-called RIB machines.

[0011] The objects and advantages mentioned above are achieved, according to the invention, by inserting mono sinkers between the vertical needles on the cylinder, each having a hook for forming the terry fabric stitches, and reducing the external diameter of the bed plate to enable radial operating movements of said sinkers without them interfering either with the bed plate or the horizontal needles present in the later.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The invention will be now be described in detail making reference to the enclosed indicative and not exhaustive drawings in which:

[0013] FIG. 1 shows, in cross section, a part of a circular hosiery machine according to the well known state of art; and

[0014] FIG. 2 is, once more in cross section, a similar part of a circular hosiery machine equipped in compliance with this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] In these drawings, in particular in FIG. 2 we find the cylinder 22 of a circular machine, which has a number of longitudinal grooves 22 each one carrying a vertical needle 23 each controlled in its work movements.

[0016] Above the cylinder 20 and coaxial to it is mounted a bed plate 24 turning with the cylinder itself and having several radial grooves 25 cut in it, each carrying a horizontal needle 26. The horizontal needles in the bed plate alternate with the needles on the cylinder and are moved radially by cams 27 placed inside a plate 28 above the bed plate.

[0017] Around the cylinder 21 and turning with it, is a ring 29, positioned on a level with the vertical needles 23 and which has radial grooves carrying sinkers 30 which alternate with said vertical needles and which are positioned parallel to the one holding the horizontal needles, and below the latter. The sinkers 30 can move radially between the vertical needles pushed forwards and backwards by cams, as is known, placed inside a cover above the ring 29.

[0018] Each sinker 30 is shaped for knitting terry fabric. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, each sinker 30 has a head 31 and a stem 32, where the head of the sinker rises above the stem and has a stitch forming plane 33, a hook at the top 34 for forming terry fabric stitches and, between this plane and the top hook, an intermediate hook 35 which is above the fabric formation plane and which forms a recess 36 with the top hook. Along the stem of the sinker on the top side, there is at least one drive heel 37 which engages with the cams used to move the sinkers forth and back.

[0019] Given the presence of the top hook of the sinkers, the external diameter 38 of the bed plate on a level with the hook, is limited compared to what it usually is so that it does not come close to the needles as it usually does. This particular difference has been introduced so that there is no influence or physical contact between the bed plate and the sinkers when the latter move forward between the vertical needles to form the terry fabric stitches on the top hook.

Claims

1. Circular hosiery machine with vertical needles on the cylinder and horizontal needles in the bed plate for knitting terry fabric wherein between the vertical needles on the cylinder are inserted mono sinkers, each having a hook for forming terry fabric stitches, and wherein external diameter of the bed plate is noticeably reduced, at least in the area on a level with said hook of the sinkers to enable radial work movements of said sinkers without interference either with the bed plate or with the horizontal needles it carries.

2. The use of a mono sinker to knit terry fabric in conjunction with the needles of a circular hosiery machine with vertical needles on the cylinder and horizontal needles in the bed plate.