(19)
(11) EP 0 974 692 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
25.10.2000 Bulletin 2000/43

(43) Date of publication A2:
26.01.2000 Bulletin 2000/04

(21) Application number: 99305838.7

(22) Date of filing: 23.07.1999
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: D04B 15/78
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE
Designated Extension States:
AL LT LV MK RO SI

(30) Priority: 23.07.1998 JP 20755198

(71) Applicant: Precision Fukuhara Works, Ltd.
Kobe, Hyogo 658-0012 (JP)

(72) Inventors:
  • Shibata, Takao
    Osaka 569-0088 (JP)
  • Nakamura, Yasuo
    Osaka 583-0852 (JP)

(74) Representative: Warren, Keith Stanley et al
BARON & WARREN 18 South End Kensington
London W8 5BU
London W8 5BU (GB)

   


(54) Needle selecting apparatus for circular knitting machines


(57) A circular knitting machine (20) comprises rotary needle cylinder, knitting needles, spring jacks, selector jacks (24) and a multi-tier electrically controlled needle selecting device (30). The needle selecting device (30) includes piezoelectric elements (32) and pattern fingers (33) for selecting and causing the selector jacks (24) control the movement of the needles (22) between welt, tuck and knit positions. A pre-pusher cam (34) is provided paritally to push the selector jacks (24) inwardly before these selector jacks are engaged by the pattern fingers (33) which increases the range of selection and permits increased speed in fine gauge knitting machines (24 gauge and higher) and which permits a reduction in the number of piezoelectric elements in coarse gauge machines and the inclusion of an interlock jacquard apparatus.






Search report