Knitting machines including rotatable hold down ring
United States Patent 11 1 Greczin [I 11 3,879,961 1 Apr. 29, 1975 KNITTING MACHINES INCLUDING ROTA&#39;I&#39;ABLE HOLD DOWN RING [76] Inventor: John Greczin, 6347 Mershon St..  
 Philadelphia. Pa. 19149 [22] Filed: Feb. 20, 1973 [21 Appl. No.: 333,969  
 [52] U.S. CI. 66/9 A: 66/1 I5 [51] Int. Cl D04I) 9/100 [58] Field of Search 66/9 A. 8. I4. 90. I51. 66/l53. 149 S [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,885.322 11/1932 Bentley ct a1 66/!4 2.032.993 3/1936 Larkin 66/9 A 2.239.378 4/1941 Brillhart..... 66/9 A 2.406.515 8/1946 Bardsley 66/9 A 2.751952 7/1956 Dauphinais 66/9 A 3392.551 7/1965 Tcnconi r 66/153 X 3.543.280 11/1967 Grcczin 66/9 A FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1197.573 7/1965 Germany 66/149 5 Primary Examiner-W. C. Reynolds Assistant E.\&#39;aminerAndrew M. Falik Attorney, Agent. or Firm-Weiser, Stapler &amp; Spivak [5 7] ABSTRACT A circular knitting machine of the type providing a reinforcement of knit tubular fabric for flexible hose including a plurality of circumferentially spaced. vertically reciprocating needles. A yarn guide holder is rotatable with the machine relative to the knitting needles and carries vertical supports for connection of a hold down ring. The hold down ring affixes to the yarn guide holder and is vertically adjustable relative to the yarn guide holder for gap adjustment purposes. The hold down ring is rotated by the machine simultaneously with the rotation of the yarn guide holder in a manner to assure even wear caused by repeated contacts by the knitting needles.  
 2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEUAPR29|Q15 SHEET 1 BF 3 PRIOR ART mgm mmsms I 3879.961  
 SHEET a nr 3 c no FIG. 4  
 KNITTING MACHINES INCLUDING ROTATABLE HOLD DOWN RING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to the art of knitting. and more particularly, is directed to a circular knitting machine of relatively small diameter of the type which may be employed to knit a reinforcement of tubular fabric in place over a flexible hose as the hose is passed through the machine.  
  In the production of tubular knit fabrics which serve as a reinforcement for the outer side of flexible hose and which are knitted in place upon the exterior surface of the hose as it is drawn through the machine. it is desirable that the fabric should have maximum effectiveness as a reinforcement for the hose and should provide a maximum of burst strength in the finished hose. The size and disposition of the stitches in the knitted fabric have a bearing upon its effectiveness as a reinforcement in the hose. For maximum effectiveness. there should be a generally uniform distribution of the yarn components of the stitch formation in such a manner that the coursewise width of the stitches in the needle wales should be substantially equal to the distance between such wales and that the walewise length of the stiches should be substantially equal to the coursewise width in a manner to knit a generally hollow square stitch formation.  
  Circular knitting machines of the type encompassed by this invention are well known as exemplified in US. Pat. No. 2,752,952 to Dauphinais. The prior art type of circular knitting machines adapted to hose manufacturing usually comprise a hollow needle cylinder though which the hollow flexible hose length passes while the reinforcing tube is knit about the hollow flexible tubular element. Means are provided for moving the hollow flexible tubular element through the needle cylinder as the knit reinforcing tube is formed thereabout. Preferably. the needle cylinder is arranged with its axis vertical and the hollow flexible tubular element is usually passed upwardly through the needle cylinder as the reinforcing tube is being knit about the outer periphery thereof.  
  As stated in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,543.280, experience has shown that a suitable knit tubular fabric can be produced by using six needles or eight needles which reciprocate in equally spaced slots formed on the exterior of the needle stem, depending upon the size of the tubular hose being covered. It was the usual practice to reciprocate the knitting needles vertically within the spaced slots in the needle stem and which upwardly engage portions of the hold down ring. Inasmuch as the hold down ring was held in stationary relationship to the machine frame and the vertical orientation of the knitting needles in the prior art machines. continued operation of the machine resulted in the wearing of grooves caused by the repeated impacts and vertical movement of the knitting needles. After a period of time. the wearing action of the knitting needles resulted in grooves of sufficient depth to interfere with proper stitch formation. At that time. the entire machine had to be dismantled to remove and replace the hold down ring and any other worn parts. thereby resulting in considerable down time of the machine and in costly repairs.  
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 0 manner to permit the yarn guide holder to be rotated by the rotary head and columns in conventional manner. The yarn guide holder upwardly carries a pair of vertical adjustment posts upon which the hold down ring positions and is vertically adjustable. Accordingly as the yarn guide holder is rotated. the hold down ring also is rotated by the machine operation relative to the function of the knitting needles. Thus, the simultaneous vertical reciprocation of the knitting needles and the rotary action of the hold down ring cause the knitting needles to ride over different portions of the hold down ring during all periods of operation, thereby resulting in even wear about the periphery of the hold down ring.  
  It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved circular knitting machine of the type set forth.  
  It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel knitting machine which includes means to rotate the hold down ring simultaneously with the rotation of the machine itself and further includes means to permit vertical adjustment of the hold down ring.  
  It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved knitting machine wherein the hold down ring, the yarn guide holder and the yarn guide all rotate in unison with the machine and relative to the vertical orientation and operation of the knitting needles.  
  It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel circular knitting machine that is inexpensive in manufacture, simple in design and trouble free when in use.  
  Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention will be had by referring to the following description and claims of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to similar parts through the several views and in which:  
 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a partial. elevational view of the support tube and hold down ring area of a prior art type circular knitting machine. and partially broken away to expose details of interior construction.  
  FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the hold down ring and needle stem areas of a circular knitting machine constructed in accordance with the present invention and partially broken away to expose details of interior construction.  
  FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the hold down ring, yarn guide holder and yarn guide of FIG. 2.  
  FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the parts of FIG. 3 in assembled relation.  
 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Although specific terms are used in the following description for the sake of clarity. these terms are intended to refer only to the particular structure of my invention selected for illustration in the drawings, and are not intended to define or limit the scope of the invention.  
  Inasmuch as the invention resides in the construction of the hold down ring and the yarn guide holder, only so much of the knitting machine proper is shown and described as is needed to identify, locate and describe the function of these parts.  
  Referring now to the drawings, 1 show in FIG. 1 a portion of a conventional, prior art type of circular knitting machine generally designated wherein knitting needles 12 are vertically reciprocal within a needle stem 14 from a lower position 16 to an upper position 18 for formation of the usual knitting stitches. 1n the upper position. the knitting needles 12 contact and rub against the needle guide portion 20 of the hold down ring 22. An adaptor 24 affixes to the hold down ring 22 by employing a machine screw 26. The adaptor 24 in turn carries the support tube 28 in a rigid connection which is secured by the machine screw 30. The support tube 28 is vertically adjustable relative to the needle stem 14 by means of the threaded section 32. The threaded section 32 cooperates with the threaded ring 34 for adjustment in any desired vertical position. The threaded ring 34 is rigidly connected to the stationary machine frame 36 in conventional manner such as by employing one or more brackets 38 and machine screws 40,42. Thus, the support tube 28 and the hold down ring 22 are rigidly secured in stationary relationship upon the frame 36 to cooperate with the knitting needles 12 during the usual knitting operation.  
  The yarn guide 44 is secured to the yarn guide holder 46 by the machine screw 48 in well known manner. The yarn guide holder 46 in turn secures to the machine tension ring 50 by means of the machine screw 51 and the tension ring 50 is rigidly connected to the columns 52,54 conventionally, such as by employing the clam screws 53,55. Thus, when the circular knitting machine 10 is operated, the columns 52,54 rotate the yarn guide 44 about the hold down ring 22 and the cams (not shown) conventionally reciprocate the needles 12. The hold down ring 22 itself remains stationary and the knitting needles 12 reciprocate in the same vertical plane, thereby causing resultant wear in the needle guide portion 20 of the hold down ring 22 as hereinbefore mentioned.  
  Referring now to FIGS. 2,3 and 4, it will be seen that the knitting needles l2 conventionally vertically reciprocate within the usual vertical slots in the needle bed 14 between their latch clearing and stitch forming positions 16,18 by conventionally having their inwardly extending butts 56 engaged in the horizontally extending cam track 58. The cam rings 60 forming the cam track 58 are rotated by the operation of the knitting machine for vertical reciprocation of the knitting needles 12 in well known manner.  
  The yarn guide holder 62 of the present invention is shaped in the configuration of a flat annular segment with a central opening defined therein. The yarn guide holder 62 is secured to the tension ring 50 by means of machine screws 64 which insert through openings 66 provided in the yarn guide holder and turn into the threaded openings 68 which are tapped or otherwise machined into the tension ring 50. Conventionally, the bottom 70 of the yarn guide holder 62 is machined to provide a circular recess 72 to receive the flange 74 of the generally hollow cylindrically formed yarn guide 44. Machine bolts 76 which each have an enlarged head 78 secure the yarn guide 44 to the yarn guide holder 62 by engaging the yarn guide flange 74. (see FIG. 2) Thus, as the tension ring 50 is rotated by the rotation of the columns 52, 54, the affixed yarn guide holder 62 and the yarn guide 44 will also rotate.  
  The yarn guide holder 62 upwardly carries hold down ring attaching means in the form of a pair of diametrically opposed support posts 80,82 which extend upwardly from the upper surface of the yarn guide holder 62 for vertical adjustment of the hold down ring 84. The hold down ring is preferably integrally machined to include a horizontally disposed upper support flange 86 and a depending, concentric needle guide portion 88. The support flange 86 is drilled to provide a pair of diametrically opposed openings 90,92 to respectively receive the support posts 80,82 therein. Set screws 94,96 threadedly engage in threaded openings 98 (only one illustrated) to affix the hold down ring 84 in any desired vertically adjustable position upon the support posts 80,82. Thus, the spacing between the hold down ring 84 and the needle stem 14 can be easily varied by sliding the hold down ring on the support posts and then locking it in the desired vertical position by means of the set screws 94,96.  
  Preferably, the support flange 86 of the hold down ring 84 includes a pair of diametrically opposed, peripherally positioned recesses 100,102 to facilitate top access to the yarn guide holder machine screws 64. Thus. the yarn guide holder 62 may be secured to the tension ring 50 from the top without the need to remove the hold down ring 84 from its association with the yarn guide holder 62. A pair of spacers 104,106 which are provided with conventional set screws 108 may be provided on the support posts 80,82 to provide added, readily adjustable support for the hold down ring 84. Additionally, if desired, the support posts 80,82 may be rendered vertically adjustable relative to the support flange 86 in well known manner such as by employing set screws 110 which turn through the yarn guide holder construction and engage the bottoms of the respective posts 80,82.  
  Thus it is seen that a construction has been provided including vertical adjustment means whereby the hold down ring 84 is rendered vertically adjustable relative to the needle bed 14 by utilizing the adjustable support posts 80,82. Further, the hold down ring is affixed to the rotary portion of the circular knitting machine 10 by employing the yarn guide holder 62 and the tension ring 50 to thereby cause the hold down ring 84 to rotate relative to the knitting needles 12 during all periods of machine operation. Thus. the vertical reciprocation of the knitting needles 12 in the same vertical planes will cause portions of the knitting needles to slide against a different segment of the needle guide portion 88 of the hold down ring 84 at each reciprocation. In this manner, the former tendency of the needles 12 to wear grooves within the needle guide portion 88 can be completely eliminated.  
  Although I have described the present invention with reference to the particular embodiments herein set forth, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.  
  Thus, the scope of the invention should not be limited by the foregoing specification, but rather only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.  
 1 claim:  
  I. In a circular knitting machine of the type having stationary portions and rotary portions and having a stationary needle bed and knitting needles vertically reciprocal relative to the needle bed, the combination of A. a yarn guide holder positioned above the needle bed,  
 1. said yarn guide holder being secured to the rotary portions of the machine and having rotary motion relative to the needle bed.  
 2. said yarn guide holder upwardly carrying a pair of support posts,  
 a. said support posts projecting vertically upwardly from the yarn guide holder,  
 3. said yarn guide holder being shaped in the configuration of a flat annular segment defining a central opening,  
 a. said annular segment having a bottom, the said bottom being provided with a circular recess adjacent the central opening;  
 B. a hold down ring associated with the yarn guide holder and secured thereto above the needle bed,  
 I. said hold down ring being provided with an upper support flange and a concentric needle guide portion.  
 a. said support flange being provided with a pair of openings,  
 b. said openings aligning with and receiving thereon the support posts,  
 c. said needle guide portion being contacted by the knitting needles as they reciprocate to an upper position relative to the needle bed,  
 d. said needle guide portion projecting downwardly through the central opening,  
 e. said needle guide portion being rotated by the rotary portions of the knitting machine to expose differing areas of the needle guide portion to needle contact; and  
 C. a yarn guide of generally hollow cylindrical construction in contact with the yarn guide holder.  
 1. said yarn guide overfitting the said needle guide portion of the hold down ring 2. said yarn guide terminating upwardly in a peripheral flange,  
 a. the said flange being positioned within the circular recess.  
  2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the support flange openings are diametrically opposed and are in vertical alignment with the support posts and wherein each support post is respectively, vertically adjustably received in each of said openings.