[Technical Field]
[0001] The present invention relates to a method of knitting for plating stitch to use two
types of knitting yarns by a flatbed knitting machine, which makes it possible to
switch from ordinary plating in which one knitting yarn as a main yarn covers the
other knitting yarn as a plating yarn, to inverse plating in which the plating yarn
and the main yarn are inverted in the mid-course of the ordinary plating.
[Background Art]
[0002] Knitting needles for knitting a fabric by a flatbed knitting machine are aligned
with a constant pitch in the longitudinal direction of needle beds. At least two needle
beds are used facing each other. The space between the needle beds facing each other
is called needle bed gap. The fabric is knitted with a knitting yarn fed from a yarn
feeding port running above the needle bed gap in the longitudinal direction of the
needle beds to a hook of a knitting needle. Knitting for plating stitch by a flatbed
knitting machine is performed by feeding two types of knitting yarns different in
appearance from two yarn feeding ports which run above a needle bed gap in a longitudinal
direction of needle beds to each hook of needle. The feeding of the knitting yarns
is performed by using two yarn feeders each of which has a single yarn feeding port
or by using one yarn feeder dedicated for plating to have a double yarn feeding port.
The knitting yarns fed from the preceding and the following yarn feeding ports are
respectively placed on the lower side and the upper side on the hook as far as knitting
conditions such as tensile force are appropriately kept, and constitute a main yarn
exposed to the surface of the knitted fabric and a plating yarn covered with the main
yarn. The two types of knitting yarn can form patterns in the knitted fabric by changing
the running order to switch between the main yarn and the plating yarn.
[0003] The change of the running order of the two yarn feeding ports is possible during
one course of knitting but cannot be done instantaneously. Changing the running order
while continuing to knit, causes the switching between the main yarn and the plating
yarn over in a section of a plurality of stitches to make unclear a boundary between
patterns. If knitting would be stopped once at a boundary between patterns and resumed
after changing the running order of the yarn feeding ports, the boundary between the
patterns could be clarified. However, the change of the running order of the yarn
feeding ports would require an operation including an inversion of the running direction
of a carriage equipped with a cam for driving the knitting needles, thereby leading
to deterioration in knitting efficiency.
[0004] Purl stitch enables the inversion of the plating yarn and the main yarn without changing
the running order of the two yarn feeding ports, but the stitches of the inverse section
get into back stitches (for example, refer to Patent Citation 1, paragraph 0002).
Patent Citation 1 proposes a method of switching between the ordinary plating and
the inverse plating by using a swing-type movable sinker (refer to paragraphs 0016
and 0017, although the ordinary plating and the inverse plating are respectively described
as standard plating and yarn-replaced plating). The movable sinker according to this
proposition has a convex portion and a concave groove which are formed on the upper
side of the part for making a stitch (refer to Patent Citation 1, Fig. 3 and others).
To invert the main yarn and the plating yarn in the inverse plating, the movable sinker
is swung such that the main yarn to start to be pulled in by the hook of the knitting
needle contacts the convex portion. The main yarn is raised toward the concave groove
to exchange the vertical positions of the main yarn and the plating yarn, and then
the main yarn and the plating yarn exchanged in vertical position are pulled in by
the hook (refer to Patent Citation 1, paragraph 0034). For the ordinary plating in
which the main yarn and the plating yarn are not exchanged in vertical position, the
pull-in operation of the knitting needle is delayed such that, even when the movable
sinker is swung, the main yarn and the plating yarn are not pulled in by the hook
(refer to Patent Citation 1, paragraphs 0023 and 0024). The switching between the
ordinary plating and the inverse plating is performed by switching between two routes
prepared for pull-in stitching operation of the knitting needle while the movable
sinker operates in an unchanged manner (refer to Patent Citation 1, Figs. 2 and 11).
[Citation List]
[Patent literature]
[Summary of Invention]
[Technical Problem]
[0006] According to Patent Citation 1, in response to the operation of the movable sinker,
the pull-in by the knitting needle for the inverse plating is performed earlier than
the pull-in by the knitting needle for the ordinary plating. Therefore, in the vicinity
of a boundary between the section of the pull-in by the knitting needle for the ordinary
plating and the section of the pull-in by the knitting needle for the inverse plating,
the size of the stitch in the following inverse plating is determined earlier during
the formation of the stitch of the preceding ordinary plating. The ordinary plating
stitch, the size of which is determined later, is formed with feeding of the knitting
yarn through the inverse plating stich, the size of which has been already determined,
and thus excessive tensile force is applied to the knitting yarn that may become broken
accordingly. In addition, in the section of the inverse plating, the movable sinker
swings even during the pull-in of the knitting yarn by the hook of the knitting needle
(refer to Patent Citation 1, Figs. 14 to 17), and it is thus presumed that some adverse
effect might be exerted on the stability of the stitches and the quality of the knitted
fabric. Further, the need to prepare the two routes for the pull-in stitching operation
of the knitting needle may result in complicated needle selection and a wider cam
system for driving the knitting needles.
[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a method of knitting for plating
stitch by a flatbed knitting machine, in which there is no need to change the running
order of two yarn feeding ports, only a single route of pull-in by the knitting needle
is sufficient, and switching is allowed between the ordinary plating and the inverse
plating even in the mid-course of knitting.
[Solution to Problem]
[0008] The present invention is a method of knitting for plating stitch by a flatbed knitting
machine that is switchable between ordinary plating and inverse plating to knit plating
stitch, in which the ordinary plating is performed such that a main yarn and a plating
yarn are fed from preceding and following yarn feeding ports to the same knitting
needle while being kept at vertical lower and upper positions so that the main yarn
is on a front side, and the inverse plating is performed such that vertical positions
of the main yarn and the plating yarn to be fed to the knitting needle are inverted
and the plating yarn is on the front side,
characterized in that
providing with an operating member having an operating part at a leading end for inverse
operation to be switchable whether the operating part at a leading end is allowed
or disallowed to move forward and backward with respect to a needle bed gap in correspondence
with adjacent sides in a proceeding direction of knitting with respect to each knitting
needle, and
in the inverse plating, the operating part of the operating member is moved forward
to an upper side of the needle bed gap and caused to operate on the main yarn and
the plating yarn to be fed to the knitting needle in such a manner as to invert the
vertical positions of the main yarn and the plating yarn to be pulled into a hook
of the knitting needle, and a fabric is knitted such that the plating yarn is on the
front side.
[0009] In the present invention, for knitting said inverse plating,
utilizing a local member, disposed on a needle bed to which said knitting needle belongs
in the vicinity of a side to said proceeding direction of knitting with respect to
each knitting needle, for an inverse wall to invert said vertical positions in cooperation
with said operating member, and
making said operating part of the operating member, provided at an upper portion of
the operating member to operate on said main yarn and the plating yarn from below,
to guide said main yarn and the plating yarn placed thereon to the inverse wall, to
cause the yarns to be pulled into the hook in cooperation with the inverse wall such
that the plating yarn is on the lower side and the main yarn is on the upper side,
and to invert the vertical positions of the main yarn and the plating yarn.
[0010] In the present invention, said operating member and said local member are arranged
in this order toward said proceeding direction of knitting with respect to said knitting
needle, and
for said inverse plating,
making said operating part, which guides said main yarn preceding said plating yarn
to said inverse wall and retains them there, to constitute a downward wall against
the main yarn and the plating yarn, and to form a region surrounding and restricting
the main yarn and the plating yarn together with an upper portion of the hook as an
upward wall, and
inverting the positions of the main yarn and the plating yarn such that the plating
yarn comes around a lower side of the main yarn, by pulling them into the hook from
a state in which the yarns are surrounded by the region and aligned with each other.
[0011] In the present invention, said inverse wall has an upward inclination which is lower
on said needle bed gap side and is higher on a side leaving from the needle bed gap,
and
for knitting said inverse plating, while the yarns are guided from said operating
part to the inverse wall such that said main yarn precedes on the upper side and said
plating yarn follows on the lower side, pulling the yarns into said hook such that
the main yarn is on the upper side and the plating yarn is on the lower side so that
the vertical positions are inverted.
[0012] In the present invention, said operating part of said operating member is provided
at the lower portion of the operating member, and
operating on said main yarn and said plating yarn from above in the inverse plating
to press the plating yarn into a lower side of the main yarn so that the vertical
positions are inverted.
[0013] In the present invention, said following yarn feeding port is run at a position separated
from said preceding yarn feeding port, with respect to said needle bed to which said
knitting needle belongs, in a direction of leaving from the needle bed gap.
[Advantageous Effects of Invention]
[0014] According to the present invention, an operating member is provided in correspondence
with each of knitting needle so as to be switchable on whether an operating part at
the leading end is allowed or disallowed to move forward and backward with respect
to the needle bed gap. The operating member, during mid-course of an ordinary plating
in which knitting for plating stitch is performed with knitting yarns pulled into
a hook of a knitting needle such that a main yarn is on a lower side and a plating
yarn is on an upper side, is capable of moving the operating part forward to the needle
bed gap. The moved operating part inverts vertical positions of the main yarn and
the plating yarn to be pulled into the hook of the knitting needle, which makes it
possible to switch to inverse plating in which the plating yarn is on the front surface
side of the knitted fabric even during the ordinary plating. There is no need to change
a running order of two yarn feeding ports and only a single route for pull-in by the
knitting needle is sufficient.
[0015] According to the present invention, when the operating part of the operating members
is brought into operation, the main yarn fed to the lower side and the plating yarn
fed to the upper side are placed on a local member in the vicinity of the knitting
needle and are guided to an inverse wall, and the operating part can invert vertical
positions of the main yarn and the plating yarn to be pulled into the hook in cooperation
with the wall.
[0016] According to the present invention, the main yarn and the plating yarn are restricted
in an aligned state within a region surrounded by the upper portions of the operating
part and the hook as well as the inverse wall. Since the plating yarn is pulled from
the region into the hook in such a manner as to come around the lower side of the
main yarn, the main yarn and the plating yarn to be pulled into the hook can be inverted
in vertical position from the state of yarn feeding.
[0017] According to the present invention, the inverse wall has an upward inclination which
is lower on the needle bed gap side and becomes higher on the side distant from the
needle bed gap. Guided to the inverse wall, the main yarn precedes and becomes on
the upper side and the plating yarn follows and becomes on the lower side. The pulling
of the knitting yarns into the hook is performed a state in which the main yarn guided
by the inverse wall is on the upper side and the plating yarn guided by the inverse
wall is on the lower side, and thus the main yarn and the plating yarn to be pulled
into the hook can be inverted in vertical position from the state of yarn feeding.
[0018] According to the present invention, the operating part of the operating member can
press the plating yarn fed to the upper side into the lower side of the main yarn
so that the main yarn and the plating yarn can be fed in the vertically inverted positions
into the hook of the knitting needle.
[0019] According to the present invention, the following yarn feeding port runs at a position
separated from the preceding yarn feeding port in the direction of leaving from the
needle bed gap. Since the front-back difference between the needle beds is added to
the main yarn and the plating yarn, it is possible to stably invert the vertical position
of the main yarn and the plating yarn by the operating part of the operating member,
and it is also possible to stably cancel the inverse of the vertical position after
the operating member stops operation.
[Brief Description of Drawings]
[0020]
[Fig. 1] Fig. 1 is a partial front view and side view showing a switching operation
of a main yarn and a plating yarn in knitting for plating stitch according to the
present invention.
[Fig. 2] Fig. 2 is a side view showing stepwise the switching operation of the main
yarn and the plating yarn according to example 1 of the present invention.
[Fig. 3] Fig. 3 is a side view showing stepwise the switching operation of the main
yarn and the plating yarn continued from Fig. 2 according to the example 1 of the
present invention.
[Fig. 4] Fig. 4 is a plan view showing a knitting operation near a needle bed gap
including the switching operation shown in Fig. 2 and Fig.3.
[Fig. 5] Fig. 5 is a side view showing stepwise a switching operation of a main yarn
and a plating yarn according to example 2 of the present invention.
[Fig. 6] Fig. 6 is a side view showing stepwise the switching operation of the main
yarn and the plating yarn continued from Fig. 5 according to the example 2 of the
present invention.
[Fig. 7] Fig. 7 is a plan view showing a knitting operation near a needle bed gap
including the switching operation shown in Fig. 5 and Fig.6.
[Fig. 8] Fig. 8 is a side view showing stepwise a switching operation of a main yarn
and a plating yarn according to example 3 of the present invention.
[Fig. 9] Fig. 9 is a plan view showing a knitting operation near a needle bed gap
including the switching operation shown in Fig. 8.
[Fig. 10] Fig. 10 is a plan view and side view that showing a comparison between a
case in which a yarn feeding port of a plating yarn and a yarn feeding port of a main
yarn are run almost at the same position with respect to a needle bed and a case in
which the yarn feeding port of the plating yarn is run at a position separated from
the needle bed.
[Description of Embodiments]
[0021] Hereinafter, Fig. 1 describes a basic concept of the present invention. Figs. 2 to
5 describe an example 1 of the present invention. Figs. 6 to 8 describe an example
2 of the present invention. Figs. 9 and 10 describe an example 3 of the present invention.
For the convenience of description, some components not shown in a drawing being described
will be mentioned with reference numerals shown in other drawings. Corresponding components
will be given the same reference numerals and duplicated descriptions thereof may
be omitted. Further, as for knitting stitches, old loops are omitted to be shown in
the drawings.
[0022] Fig. 1 shows operations of knitting for plating stitch by a flatbed knitting machine
in a simplified manner as a basic concept of the present invention. Figs. 1(a) and
1(c) show operations of ordinary plating as a basic of knitting for plating stitch
by a flatbed knitting machine. In the ordinary plating, for example in the case of
knitting with leftward movement as shown in Fig. 1(a), a main yarn 11 and a plating
yarn 12 are respectively fed from yarn feeding ports 1a, 2a of a preceding yarn feeder
1 and a following yarn feeder 2. The main yarn 11 and the plating yarn 12 are discriminated
according to the running order of the yarn feeding ports 1a, 2a. The knitting yarns
can be fed by using not only the two yarn feeders 1, 2 each having a single yarn feeding
port but also one yarn feeder dedicated for knitting for plating stitch having a double
yarn feeding port. The main yarn 11 and the plating yarn 12 are fed to a same hook
3a of a knitting needle 3 while the vertical lower and upper positions are kept by
a needle bed gap 4 as shown in Fig. 1(c). The knitting needle 3 returns backward to
a needle bed while moving obliquely downward from a needle bed gap center 4a. After
a fabric is knitted, the main yarn 11 pulled into the lower side than the plating
yarn 12 by the hook 3a appears on the front surface and the plating yarn 12 is hidden
on the back surface.
[0023] An operating member 5 as shown in Figs. 1(b) and 1(d) is prepared in correspondence
with each of the knitting needles 3 to enable switching to the inverse plating according
to the present invention. The operating member 5 is made switchable on whether an
operating part formed at the leading end is allowed or disallowed to move forward
and backward with respect to the needle bed gap 4 as in the example 1, the example
2, and the example 3 of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 1(d), by moving the
operating member 5 to the side above the needle bed gap 4 in mid-course of a knitting
cause, the operating member 5 can be operated on the main yarn 11 and the plating
yarn 12 before being fed to the corresponding knitting needle 3. The operation of
the operating member 5 is to invert vertical positions of the main yarn 11 and the
plating yarn 12 to be pulled in by the hook 3a of the knitting needle 3 such that
the main yarn 11 is on the upper side and the plating yarn 12 is on the lower side.
When a fabric is knitted, the plating yarn 12 pulled by the hook 3a to the side below
the main yarn 11 appears on the front surface and the main yarn 11 is hidden on the
back surface. For the convenience of the description, cross-sections of the main yarn
11 and the plating yarn 12 might be shown in the drawing such as the parts being pulled
in by the hook 3a, but the main yarn 11 and the plating yarn 12 are not actually sectioned
but are continuous up to the front side of the plane of the drawing.
[0024] According to the present invention, during mid-course of one knitting course in the
ordinary plating with the main yarn 11 and the plating yarn 12, the main yarn 11 and
the plating yarn 12 to be pulled in by the knitting needle 3 can be inverted in vertical
positions before being fed to the hook 3a, thereby switching to the inverse plating
such that the plating yarn 12 is on the front surface side of the knitted fabric.
The efficiency of knitting does not decrease even if the main yarn 11 and the plating
yarn 12 are switched more frequently, so that it is possible to knit a fabric in a
variety of patterns by the knitting for plating stitch. The switching of the main
yarn 11 and the plating yarn 12 does not require change of the running order of the
two yarn feeding ports 1a, 2a and a single route for pull-in by the knitting needle
3 is sufficient.
[Example 1]
[0025] Fig. 2 and Fig.3 show stepwise an operation of switching from the main yarn 11 to
the plating yarn 12 as the knitting yarn to appear on the front surface of the knitted
fabric in the inverse plating according to the example 1 of the present invention.
In the inverse plating as well, the feeding of the main yarn 11 and the plating yarn
12 by the yarn feeders 1, 2 and the forward and backward movement of the knitting
needle 3 with respect to the needle bed gap 4 are carried out in the same manner as
in the ordinary plating. The switching operation is performed during mid-course of
one knitting course, and the main yarn 11 and the plating yarn 12 are connected to
a loop, which is held by the hook 3a of the knitting needle 3 after knitted completely.
The knitting needle 3 is housed in a needle groove of the needle bed 6, and at least
one pair of needle beds 6 are provided so as to be opposed to each other and to interleave
the needle bed gap 4, but the knitting needle on the opposed side is omitted to show
in the drawings.
[0026] The knitting needles 3 are provided in parallel with a constant pitch in a direction
perpendicular to the plane of the drawing such that the hooks 3a face the needle bed
gaps 4. A yarn guide 7 and a movable sinker 8 or the like are provided around each
knitting needle 3. A loop presser 15 corresponding to the operating member 5 is arranged
above each knitting needle 3. The loop presser 15 is housed in an auxiliary bed as
disclosed in Japanese Patent No.
4102430, for example. The auxiliary bed is provided above a needle bed 6 opposed to a needle
bed 6 in which the knitting needle 3 is housed, alternatively the auxiliary bed can
be provided above the needle bed 6 in which the knitting needle 3 is housed, as disclosed
in Japanese Patent No.
3044373, for example.
[0027] The knitting needle 3, the movable sinker 8, and the loop presser 15 operate by receiving
actions of a drive control unit mounted on a carriage running along the needle bed
in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. In the present example 1,
the loop presser 15 is provided with an operating part 15a on the upper side near
the leading end so that the loop presser 15 has not only the original function is
to press the loop but also has a function of the operating member 5. Alternatively,
a dedicated member to operate as the operating member 5 may be provided. Instead of
the movable sinker 8, a fixed sinker may be used. In Figs. 2 and 3, knitting operation
proceeds along a direction from the front side to back side of the drawings. With
respect to this direction, the yarn guide 7 and the movable sinker 8 are arranged
adjacent to the knitting needle 3 on the needle bed 6. The operating part 15a of the
loop pressor 15 can move forward and backward from the opposed needle bed side between
the yarn guide 7 and the knitting needle 3. Therefore, toward the knitting direction,
the knitting needle 3, the operating member 5 such as the loop presser 15, the yarn
guide 7, the movable sinker 8, and the next knitting needle 3 are arranged in this
order.
[0028] As shown in Fig. 2(a), before the formation of a loop by the knitting needle 3, the
hook 3a is raised up to a clear position and then is lowered to a position where to
wait for yarn feeding. By raising the hook 3a to the clear position, an old loop formed
in the hook 3a moves to a needle shank of the kitting needle 3. As shown at positions
3A, 3B, and 3C, when the pull-in by the hook 3a is started, the operating part 15a
of the loop presser 15 moves forward to below the main yarn 11 and the plating yarn
12 as shown at positions 15A, 15B, and 15C. The operating part 15a having moved forward
to the position 15C operates the main yarn 11 and the plating yarn 12 from below.
The main yarn 11 comes into a state to be aligned at a position nearer the yarn guide
7 than the plating yarn 12, on the operating part 15a,
[0029] As shown in Fig. 2(b), when the pull-in by the hook 3a is continued, the operating
part 15a having moved forward to the position 15D guides the main yarn 11 and the
plating yarn 12 placed thereon to a side of the front edge 7a of the yarn guide 7.
In the space near the hook 3a of the knitting needle 3 pulled to the position 3D,
for the main yarn 11 and the plating yarn 12, the front edge 7a constitutes an inverse
wall which stops the movement of the main yarn 11 and the plating yarn 12 in the direction
toward the needle bed 6 and inverts the vertical positions of the main yarn 11 and
the plating yarn 12 as described later, the operating part 15a constitutes a downward
wall, and the upper part of the hook 3a constitutes an upward wall. The front edge
7a, as a wall to stop movement, by setting an angle with respect to the direction
of the forward and backward movement of the knitting needle 3 with in a range close
to the vertical angle shown in the drawing or the like, may constitute a part of a
wall of a region, which surrounds the main yarn 11 and the plating yarn 12, and stops
the movement from within toward the needle bed 6.
[0030] In this region, the main yarn 11 is retained at the front edge 7a, and the plating
yarn 12 aligns with the main yarn 11 on the needle bed gap 4 side. If the operating
part 15a in this region would be too high, it might become hard to feed the yarn to
the hook 3a, and the vertical drop from the upper edge of the operating part 15a to
the inside of the hook 3a might become large, thereby to increase a load on the knitting
yarns. If the operating part 15a would be too low, the yarn feeding might be possible
but the knitting yarns might likely be caught in the hook 3a such that the main yarn
11 might be on the lower side and the plating yarn 12 might be on the upper side as
in the case of the ordinary plating. The height of the operating part 15a is decided
to avoid these problems. The upper part of the hook 3a is restricted such that the
plating yarn 12 does not run on the main yarn 11 retained at the front edge 7a.
[0031] As shown in Fig. 3(c), the operating part 15a moves forward to the position 15E and
crosses the front edge 7a such that the operating part 15a is used as a lower wall.
The main yarn 11 and the plating yarn 12, when they are caught in the hook 3a from
the state of being surrounded by the walls and aligned with each other, are inverted
in vertical positions by causing the plating yarn 12 to come around the lower side
of the main yarn 11. The front edge 7a constitutes the inverse wall when the vertical
positions of the main yarn 11 and the plating yarn 12 is inverted by retaining the
main yarn 11. The inverse of the main yarn 11 and the plating yarn 12 is established
by being caught on the outer edge of the movable sinker 8. Until the establishment,
the loop presser 15 needs to be kept in the moved state at least as the lower wall.
[0032] As shown in Fig. 3(d), when the pull-in by the hook 3a is continued, the old loop
having moved to the needle shank of the knitting needle 3 is knocked over. The loop
presser 15 needs to be moved backward to a position such as the position 15F, in a
range not interfering with the old loop, which is knocked-over. The pull-in is continued
until a needle loop by the hook 3a and a sinker loop by the movable sinker 8 are formed,
thereby completing the determination of the stitch size. The series of actions of
moving forward and backward the loop presser 15 may be not only the linear movement
as in the present example 1 but also the vertical movement by swinging as in the present
example 3.
[0033] Fig. 4 shows a knitting operation near the needle bed gap 4 including a switching
operation illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. The drive control unit, which is mounted on
the carriage running in a direction from the lower side to the upper side of the drawing,
drives the knitting needle 3 and the loop presser 15. The knitting needle 3, which
is selected for knitting, is driven such that the leading end of the hook 3a draws
a trajectory 3t. In the inverse plating, the loop presser 15 is driven such that the
leading end draws a trajectory 15t. If the loop presser 15 would not be caused to
operate, the loop presser 15 would wait at a position similar to the flat portion
of the trajectory 15t, whereby the ordinary plating is performed such that the main
yarn 11 appears on the front surface. In all examples including the present example
1, the switching by operation or non-operation of the operating member 5 such as the
loop presser 15 is always possible in the sections of the plurality of continuous
knitting needles. For example, course knitting can be terminated by switching from
the section of the ordinary plating to the section of the inverse plating, or after
the switching to the inverse plating further switching can be made to the section
of the ordinary plating.
[0034] Fig. 4 shows positions 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 3E, 3F ; 15A, 15B, 15D, 15E, and 15F corresponding
to the operations of the knitting needle 3 and the loop presser 15 shown in Fig. 2
and Fig.3. The loop presser 15 in the present example 1 inverts the vertical position
of the main yarn 11 and the plating yarn 12 by cooperation with the front edge 7a
of the yarn guide 7. When the main yarn 11 and the plating yarn 12, those vertical
position are inverted, are fed to the hook 3a of the knitting needle 3, the loop presser
15 moves backward from the needle bed gap 4 to the positions 15E and 15F as shown
in Fig. 3(c) and Fig. 3(d).
[0035] In the present example 1, the front edge 7a of the yarn guide 7 is used as a part
of the wall of the region which cooperates with the loop presser 15 to retain the
main yarn 11 and restricts the main yarn 11 and the plating yarn 12. The inverse wall
formed with the front edge 7a of the yarn guide 7 might be substituted for another
member such as the movable sinker 8, a fixed sinker, or a dedicated member. It may
be preferable that the member constitutes the inverse wall is arranged in proximity
to the knitting needle 3 in the proceeding direction of knitting, and that the operating
part 15a of the loop presser 15 arranged between the knitting needle 3 and the inverse
wall so as to move forward and backward. The arrangement order of the knitting needle
3, the loop presser 15, the yarn guide 7, the movable sinker 8, and the next knitting
needle 3 shown in Fig. 4 enables stable switching in the knitting for plating stitch
in case of knitting proceeds leftward. In case of knitting proceeds rightward, however,
the inverse wall and the loop presser 15 are arranged in this order toward the proceeding
direction of knitting with respect to the knitting needle 3. In this arrangement,
there no longer exists the downward wall between the inverse wall and the knitting
needle 3, and the operation to invert the vertical positions of the main yarn 11 and
the plating yarn 12 may lack of stability. Therefore, in the case of knitting rightward,
the position of the loop presser 15 with respect to the knitting needle 3 is shifted
by racking such that the loop presser 15 is arranged between the knitting needle 3
and the movable sinker 8 adjacent to the knitting needle 3 toward the proceeding direction
of knitting. In case of knitting proceeds rightward, the knitting needle 3, the loop
presser 15, the movable sinker 8, the yarn guide 7, and the next knitting needle 3
are arranged in this order. In not only the present example 1 but also all the examples,
at the time of changing the direction of knitting, the knitting needle 3 and the operating
member 5 such as the loop presser 15 are shifted in position by racking such that
the three members, that is, the knitting needle 3, the operating member 5, and the
inverse wall formed by the yarn guide 7 or the movable sinker 8 are equally arranged.
The loop presser 15 can be provided not only on the needle bed side opposed to the
needle bed 6 but also on the needle bed 6 itself side. In the case of providing the
loop pressers 15 on the both needle bed sides, the loop pressers 15 are used for different
purposes such that the loop presser 15 on the opposed needle bed side is used for
the leftward knitting, and the loop presser 15 on the needle bed 6 itself side is
used for the rightward knitting, thereby eliminating the need for racking to equalize
the arrangement.
[Example 2]
[0036] Fig. 5 and Fig.6 show stepwise a switching operation of a main yarn 11 and a plating
yarn 12 according to an example 2 of the present invention. In the present example
2, a loop presser 25 corresponding to the operating member 5 is provided with an operating
part 25a at an upper portion near a leading end. The loop presser 25 is provided with
a loop pressing part 25b similar to the loop pressing part 15b of the loop presser
15 shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3. In the present example 2, the yarn guide 7, the movable
sinker 8, and the loop presser 25 are arranged adjacent to each other in this order
toward the proceeding direction of knitting with respect to the knitting needle 3.
That is, the operating part 25a of the loop presser 25 moves forward and backward
in the proceeding direction of knitting with respect to the yarn guide 7. However,
the arrangement is not limited to this but the loop presser 25 and the yarn guide
7 may be arranged in this order in the proceeding direction of knitting with respect
to the knitting needle 3 and the operating part 25a may move forward and backward
between the knitting needle 3 and the yarn guide 7.
[0037] In the present example 2, an inclination part 7b formed in the yarn guide 7 to be
continuous from the upper end of the front edge 7a is used as a inverse wall. The
inclination part 7b has an upward inclination such that the needle bed gap 4 side,
which is the right side in the drawing, is lower and the side distant from the needle
bed gap 4, which is the left side in the drawing, is higher. The upward inclination
of the inclination part 7b guides the knitting yarns to move such that the main yarn
11 is on the upper side and the plating yarn 12 is on the lower side. The upper portion
of the operating part 25a preferably has an upward inclination similar to that of
the inclination part 7b such that the main yarn 11 and the plating yarn 12 can smoothly
move. The operating part 25a may be flat but needs to be shaped to cross at least
the inclination part 7b at an obtuse angle in such a manner as not to hinder the movement
of the main yarn 11 and the plating yarn 12.
[0038] As shown in Fig. 5(a), the knitting needle 3 is raised to a clear position before
the formation of a loop and then is lowered to a position 3A where to wait for yarn
feeding. The loop presser 25 is placed in standby at a position 25A. As shown in Fig.
5(b), when the pull-in by a hook 3a is started to lower the knitting needle 3 to a
position 3B, the operating part 25a of the loop presser 25 is moved forward to the
lower side of the main yarn 11 and the plating yarn 12 as shown at a position 25B.
[0039] Fig. 6(c) shows a state in which the pull-in by the hook 3a is continued so that
the knitting needle 3 is lowered to a position 3C just before to catch the main yarn
11 and the plating yarn 12. The main yarn 11 and the plating yarn 12 are being lowered
with an inclination from the yarn feeding ports 1a, 2a toward the hook 3a of the preceding
knitting needle 3 where the main yarn 11 and the plating yarn 12 have been caught,
on the front side of the drawing where the knitting is already done. Although a position
25C of the loop presser 25 is the same as the position 25B, the positions of the main
yarn 11 and the plating yarn 12 are lowered relative to the operating part 25a. The
operating part 25a operates from the lower side of the main yarn 11 and the plating
yarn 12, and aligns the main yarn 11 and the plating yarn 12 thereon such that the
main yarn 11 precedes the plating yarn 12 to the inclination part 7b side.
[0040] As shown in Fig. 6(d), while the pull-in by the knitting needle 3 is continued to
a position 3D, the main yarn 11 and the plating yarn 12 are pulled by the hook 3a
and moved to run on the inclination part 7b. On the inclination part 7b, the main
yarn 11 and the plating yarn 12 are aligned in the vertically inverted positions such
that the main yarn 11 guided earlier by the operating part 25a is on the upper side
and the plating yarn 12 is on the lower side. When the main yarn 11 and the plating
yarn 12 are pulled into the hook 3a with the vertically inverted positions, the stitches
are formed by the inverse plating with needle loops by the hook 3a and sinker loops
by the movable sinker 8. A position 25D of the loop presser 25 is the same as the
positions 25C and 25B.
[0041] Fig. 7 shows a knitting operation near the needle bed gap 4 including the switching
operation shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 as like as Fig. 4. In the case of the inverse
plating, the loop presser 25 is driven such that the leading end draws a trajectory
25t. The positions 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 25A, 25B, 25C, and 25D correspond to the operations
of the knitting needle 3 and the loop presser 25 shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6. In the
present example 2, the inclination part 7b of the yarn guide 7 near the knitting needle
3 can be used as an inverse wall that cooperates with the operating part 25a of the
loop presser 25 to catch the main yarn 11 and the plating yarn 12 on the hook 3a in
such a manner as to be vertically inverted. The front edge 7a continued from the inclination
part 7b of the yarn guide 7 is used as a wall that guides the knitting yarns downward
to the needle bed gap 4. For the inverse wall to cooperate with the operating part
25a, another member such as the movable sinker 8, a fixed sinker, or a dedicated member
may be used.
[Example 3]
[0042] Fig. 8 shows stepwise a switching operation of a main yarn 11 and a plating yarn
12 according to an example 3 of the present invention. In the present example 3, a
loop presser 35 corresponding to the operating member 5 is provided with an operating
part 35a at a lower portion near a leading end. The operating part 35a has an inclination
rising toward the leading end side. The loop presser 35 is provided with a loop pressing
part 35b similar to the loop pressing parts 15b, 25b of the loop pressers 15, 25 according
to the other examples. In the present example 3, as in the present example 2, a yarn
guide 7 and a movable sinker 8 are arranged adjacent to each other, toward the proceeding
direction of knitting with respect to the knitting needle 3, and the operating part
35a of the loop presser 35 moves forward and backward on the adjacent sides from the
movable sinker 8 in the proceeding direction of knitting. However, the arrangement
is not limited to this but the loop presser 35, the yarn guide 7, and the movable
sinker 8 may be arranged adjacent to each other in this order toward the proceeding
direction of knitting with respect to the knitting needle 3.
[0043] Fig. 8(a) shows a state in which the vertical positions of the main yarn 11 and the
plating yarn 12 are inverted by the operating part 35a of the loop presser 35 when
these yarns get caught on the hook 3a. Before the formation of a loop by the hook
3a of the knitting needle 3, the hook 3a is raised to the clear position and then
lowered to the position where to wait for yarn feeding. Before the knitting needle
3 is lowered to the position 3C and the pulling of the main yarn 11 and the plating
yarn 12 into the hook 3a is started, the operating part 35a of the loop presser 35
is moved forward to the upper side of the main yarn 11 and the plating yarn 12 as
shown at 35A, 35B, and 35C. The operating part 35a operates to press the main yarn
11 and the plating yarn 12 from above in such a manner that the operating part 35a
operates earlier at least on the plating yarn 12 fed to the upper side and presses
the plating yarn 12 into the lower side of the main yarn 11 so as to invert vertical
positions.
[0044] As shown in Fig. 8(b), when the pulling into the hook 3a is continued, the plating
yarn 12 pressed into the lower side by the operating part 35a having moved forward
to a position 35D is placed also on the inclination part 7b of the yarn guide 7 and
pressed into the lower side of the main yarn 11. The plating yarn 12 becomes caught
under the main yarn 11 in the hook 3a of the knitting needle 3 having descended to
a position 3D, and the vertical positions of the main yarn 11 and the plating yarn
12 are inverted. The main yarn 11 and the plating yarn 12 may not be placed on the
inclination part 7b of the yarn guide 7 as far as the main yarn 11 and the plating
yarn 12 are caught in the hook 3a in the state where they are pressed by the operating
part 35a and inverted in vertical positions.
[0045] Fig. 9 shows a knitting operation near the needle bed gap 4 including the switching
operation shown in Fig. 8 as like as Fig.4 and Fig. 7. In the case of the inverse
plating, the loop pressor 35 is driven such that the leading end draws a trajectory
35t. The positions 3C, 3D, 35A, 35B, 35C, and 35D indicate the positions corresponding
to the operations of the knitting needle 3 and the loop presser 35 shown in Fig. 8.
When the loop presser 35 is not caused to operate, the loop presser 35 is retained
at the position 35A similar to the flat portion on the upper side of the trajectory
35t, thereby performing the ordinary plating in which the main yarn 11 appears on
the front surface.
[0046] Even when the loop presser 35 is caused to operate, while the loop presser 35 is
placed in standby at the position 35A, the hook 3a of the knitting needle 3 is raised
to the clear position once, and then lowered to the position where to wait for yarn
feeding. When the loop presser 35 starts to operate and moves forward to the needle
bed gap 4 at the position 35B, the hook 3a further starts to descend. The loop presser
35 moves forward in the needle bed gap 4 as shown at the positions 35C and 35D along
with the pull-in of the knitting needle 3 by a stitch cam.
[0047] Fig. 10 shows a comparison between the case (a), (b) where the yarn feeding port
2a of the plating yarn 12 and the yarn feeding port 1a of the main yarn 11 are run
at positions where the distance to the needle bed gap 4 with respect to the needle
bed 6 to which the knitting needle 3 belongs are almost the same, and the case (c),
(d) where the yarn feeding port 2a of the plating yarn 12 is run at a separated position
closer to the opposed needle bed side with the needle bed gap 4 therebetween. As shown
in Fig. 10(a), the yarn feeding ports 1a, 2a are generally set to be capable of feeding
the yarns at near the needle bed gap center 4a to knitting needles 3 equally from
the needle beds on the both sides. As shown in Fig. 10(b), a plurality of running
routes are provided above the needle bed gap 4, and the yarn feeders 1, 2 running
in the different running routes are inclined such that the yarn feeding ports 1a,
2a are near the needle bed gap center 4a.
[0048] As shown in Fig. 10(c), the following yarn feeding port 2a is preferably run at a
position separated from the preceding yarn feeding port 1a to the opposed needle bed
side by a front-back difference ΔD of the needle bed gap 4 with respect to the needle
bed 6 to which the knitting needle 3 belongs to be fed with the yarn. As shown in
Fig. 10(d), the front-back difference ΔD constitutes the spacing between the needle
bed gap center 4a and a center 4b of the yarn feeding port 2a of the plating yarn
12. Since the front-back difference ΔD is added to the spacing between the main yarn
11 and the plating yarn 12, the inverse plating causes the operating part 35a to operate
in the state in which the main yarn 11 and the plating yarn 12 are separated by the
front-back difference ΔD. The plating yarn 12 becomes easy to press earlier and can
be stably caught when the vertical positions are inverted in the hook 3a. The front-back
difference ΔD also makes it possible to stably return to the ordinary plating by causing
the loop presser 35 to stop operation. The front-back difference ΔD may be provided
such that the preceding yarn feeding port 1a is made closer to the needle bed 6 side
than the needle bed gap center 4a. That is, the front-back difference ΔD may be provided
in the direction of spacing of the needle bed gaps 4.
[0049] Such front-back difference ΔD is preferably provided in both the example 1 and the
example 2. In either of the examples, with the front-back difference ΔD, the main
yarn 11 and the plating yarn 12 placed on the operating part 15a, 25a of the loop
presser 15, 25 are easy to stably align in order without exchange.
[0050] In each of the examples, when the loop pressor 15, 25, 35 as the operating member
5 is caused to operate as the original yarn guide loop pressor, the loop pressor 15,
25, 35 needs to be driven to draw a trajectory different from the trajectories 15t,
25t, 35t shown in Fig. 4, Fig. 8 and Fig. 10. When the carriage is provided with a
needle selection mechanism for the loop pressor 15, 25, 35 to make selectable the
trajectory 15t, 25t, 35t and a trajectory for yarn guidance, the yarn guidance loop
presser to press the loop can also serve as the operating member.
[0051] In addition, the operating member 5 can serve as any knitting member different from
the loop presser 15, 25, 35 or can be a dedicated member.
[Explanation of Reference]
[0052]
- 1, 2
- Yarn feeder
- 1a, 2a
- Yarn feeding port
- 3
- Knitting needle
- 3a
- Hook
- 4
- Needle bed gap
- 4a
- Needle bed gap center
- 5
- Operating member
- 7
- Yarn guide
- 7a
- Front edge
- 7b
- Inclination part
- 11
- Main yarn
- 12
- Plating yarn
- 15, 25, 35
- Loop presser
- 15a, 25a, 35a
- Operating part
1. A method of knitting for plating stitch by a flatbed knitting machine that is switchable
between ordinary plating and inverse plating to knit plating stitch, in which the
ordinary plating is performed such that a main yarn (11) and a plating yarn (12) are
fed from preceding and following yarn feeding ports (1a, 2a) to the same knitting
needle (3) while being kept at vertical lower and upper positions so that the main
yarn (11) is on a front side, and the inverse plating is performed such that vertical
positions of the main yarn (11) and the plating yarn (12) to be fed to the knitting
needle (3) are inverted and the plating yarn (12) is on the front side,
characterized in that
providing with an operating member (5; 15, 25, 35) having an operating part (15a,
25a, 35a) at a leading end for inverse operation to be switchable whether the operating
part (15a, 25a, 35a) is allowed or disallowed to move forward and backward with respect
to a needle bed gap (4) in correspondence with adjacent sides in a proceeding direction
of knitting with respect to each knitting needle (3), and
for the inverse plating, the operating part (15a, 25a, 35a) of the operating member
(15, 25, 35) is moved forward to an upper side of the needle bed gap (4) and caused
to operate on the main yarn (11) and the plating yarn (12) to be fed to the knitting
needle (3) in such a manner as to invert the vertical positions of the main yarn (11)
and the plating yarn (12) to be pulled into a hook (3a) of the knitting needle (3),
and a fabric is knitted such that the plating yarn (12) is on the front side.
2. The method of knitting for plating stitch by a flatbed knitting machine according
to claim 1,
wherein for knitting said inverse plating,
utilizing a local member (7), disposed on a needle bed (6) to which said knitting
needle (3) belongs in the vicinity of a side to said proceeding direction of knitting
with respect to each knitting needle (3), for an inverse wall (7a, 7b) to invert said
vertical positions in cooperation with said operating member (5; 15, 25, 35), and
making said operating part (15a, 25a) of the operating member (15, 25), provided at
an upper portion of the operating member (15, 25) to operate on said main yarn (11)
and the plating yarn (12) from below, to guide said main yarn (11) and the plating
yarn (12) placed thereon to the inverse wall (7a, 7b), to cause the yarns to be pulled
into the hook (3a) in cooperation with the inverse wall (7a, 7b) such that the plating
yarn (12) is on the lower side and the main yarn (11) is on the upper side, and to
invert the vertical positions of the main yarn (11) and the plating yarn (12).
3. The method of knitting for plating stitch by a flatbed knitting machine according
to claim 2,
wherein said operating member (15) and said local member (7) are arranged in this
order toward said proceeding direction of knitting with respect to said knitting needle
(3), and
for said inverse plating,
making said operating part (15a), which guides said main yarn (11) preceding said
plating yarn (12) to said inverse wall (7a) and retains them there, to constitute
a downward wall against the main yarn (11) and the plating yarn (12), and to form
a region surrounding and restricting the main yarn (11) and the plating yarn (12)
together with an upper portion of the hook (3a) as an upward wall, and
inverting the positions of the main yarn (11) and the plating yarn (12) such that
the plating yarn (12) comes around a lower side of the main yarn (11), by pulling
them into the hook (3a) from a state in which the yarns are surrounded by the region
and aligned with each other.
4. The method of knitting for plating stitch by a flatbed knitting machine according
to claim 2,
wherein said inverse wall (7b) has an upward inclination which is lower on said needle
bed gap (4) side and is higher on a side leaving from the needle bed gap (4), and
for knitting said inverse plating, while the yarns are guided from said operating
part (25a) to the inverse wall (7b) such that said main yarn (11) precedes on the
upper side and said plating yarn (12) follows on the lower side, pulling the yarns
into said hook (3a) such that the main yarn (11) is on the upper side and the plating
yarn (12) is on the lower side so that the vertical positions are inverted.
5. The method of knitting for plating stitch by a flatbed knitting machine according
to claim 1,
wherein said operating part (35a) of said operating member (35) is provided at the
lower portion of the operating member (35), and
operating on said main yarn (11) and said plating yarn (12) from above in the inverse
plating to press the plating yarn (12) into a lower side of the main yarn (11) so
that the vertical positions are inverted.
6. The method of knitting for plating stitch by a flatbed knitting machine according
to any one of claims 1 to 5,
wherein said following yarn feeding port (2a) is run at a position separated from
said preceding yarn feeding port (1a), with respect to said needle bed (6) to which
said knitting needle (3) belongs, in a direction of leaving from the needle bed gap
(4).