[Technical Field]
[0001] The present invention relates to a needle selection device of a flatbed knitting
machine and a selector, wherein the needle selection device comprises the selector,
being put in a needle groove of a needle bed together with a knitting needle, and
a needle selection mechanism, being mounted on a carriage which travels in reciprocation
with respect to the needle bed, and selecting a knitting needle which performs a knitting
operation through the selector.
[Background Art]
[0002] Conventionally, in a flatbed knitting machine, a needle selection device which can
select a knitting needle individually is provided so as to switch basic knitting operations
such as knit, tuck, and miss for each knitting needle. The needle selection device
comprises a selector, put in a needle groove of a needle bed together with the knitting
needle, and a needle selection mechanism mounted on a carriage which travels along
the needle bed. A cam mechanism, which drives the knitting needle put in the needle
groove to perform knitting operations, is also mounted on the carriage. The needle
selection mechanism reflects a result of needle selection to the knitting needle through
the selector which is provided on a tail portion of the knitting needle in the needle
groove. As for the needle selection mechanism of the needle selection device as described
above, a type in which the selector is attracted by a permanent magnet and the selector
is released by making an attraction force smaller with energization of electricity
to an electromagnet has been known (for example, see Patent Literature 1).
[0003] Fig. 8 shows a structure which is basically the same as the needle selection device
disclosed in Patent Literature 1 in a simplified manner. In a flatbed knitting machine
1, needle beds 2 are formed by sticking up needle plates 4 on a base plate 3 at a
constant interval. The needle plates 4 are arranged in a direction perpendicular to
a page space and needle grooves 5 are formed between adjacent needle plates 4. A knitting
needle 6 is put in each needle groove 5. Each knitting needle 6 is in a state capable
of a slide displacement to a right-left direction in Fig. 8 so that a hook, not illustrated,
provided on a head end side thereof advances and retreats with respect to a needle
bed gap provided at the right side in Fig. 8. It is to be noted that in the flatbed
knitting machine 1, at least a pair of needle beds 2 are arranged so as to face to
each other while sandwiching the needle bed gap therebetween in a normal case. Each
needle bed 2 is inclined so as to be higher toward the needle bed gap and be lower
in a direction away from the needle bed gap. However, in Fig. 8, only the needle bed
2 at one side is illustrated in a horizontal attitude. Further, in the following explanation,
description may be made while the needle bed gap side of each knitting needle 6 is
set to be a leading end side and the side thereof away from the needle bed gap is
set to be a tail end side in some case. In addition, description may be made while
a direction in which each knitting needle 6 floats from the needle groove 5 is set
to be an upside and a direction in which each knitting needle 6 sinks in the needle
groove 5 is set to be a downside in some case.
[0004] Although graphic representation is omitted in Fig. 8, the hook of each knitting needle
6 is provided at a leading end of a needle body, which is coupled to a right side
of a needle jack 7. The needle jack 7 has a connecting portion formed on a leading
end side for connecting to the needle, a butt 7a protruding from an intermediate portion
of the needle jack 7 and receives a driving force for performing the knitting operations
as the knitting needle 6, and an elastic leg piece 7b formed on a tail end side of
the needle jack 7. The elastic leg piece 7b biases such that the butt 7a floats from
the needle groove 5. An intermediate portion of the elastic leg piece 7b of the needle
jack 7 is pressurized by a head end portion of a select jack 8. A butt 8a is stuck
up from the head end portion of the select jack 8. The butt 8a of the select jack
8 is switched to move from a needle selection position of a B position as shown in
Fig. 8 to an H position at a slightly right side of the B position or an A position
at a further right side of the B position, or to remain to continue at the B position.
A tail end side of the select jack 8 is bifurcated into two-forked shape to serve
as a position holding portion 8b which keeps any one of the three needle selection
positions.
[0005] A selector 9 presses the butt 8a of the select jack 8 with a head end portion 9a
in a direction toward the needle bed gap so as to move the butt 8a from the B position
to the H position or the A position. A pole contact 9b is provided on a tail end side
of the selector 9. It is to be noted that although the pole contact 9b as shown in
Fig. 8 is formed so as to be a several part different from other part of the selector
9 and is joined mechanically, the pole contact 9b can be also integrally combined
in. Further, an elastic leg piece 9c is also provided on the selector 9 and a head
end of the elastic leg piece 9c pressurizes a spring supporting point 8c on an upper
surface of the position holding portion 8b of the select jack 8 from upside in the
needle groove 5. The select jack 9 receives driving for pressing the select jack 8
to switch the needle selection position on a front butt 9d, which is biased so as
to float from the needle groove 5 by the elastic leg piece 9c. A rear butt 9e is also
stuck up from the tail end side of the select jack 9. Further, a head end projection
9f is stuck up from a vicinity of a joining portion between the head end portion 9a
and the elastic leg piece 9c. Such selectors 9 are included in a needle selection
device 10.
[0006] The needle selection device 10 also includes a needle selection mechanism 10a, which
is mounted on a carriage 11 traveling in reciprocation along the surface of the needle
bed 2 in a direction perpendicular to the page space. A cam mechanism 12a for driving
knitting operations is also mounted on the carriage 11, which is equipped on a cam
plate 12 and acts on the butts 7a, 8a of the needle jack 7 and the select jack 8.
The needle selection mechanism 10a includes a cam mechanism 13a for selecting needles,
which is mounted on a needle selection plate 13, and a needle selection actuator 14.
An attracting surface 14a is installed on the needle selection actuator 14 included
in the needle selection mechanism 10a. The attraction surface 14a is provided at a
position, facing to the pole contact 9b of the selector 9 from a bottom surface side
through a bracket 15, on a tail end portion of the needle groove 5.
[0007] If the pole contact 9b is attracted to the attracting surface 14a of the needle selection
actuator 14, the needle selection device 10 becomes in a non-needle selection state.
In the non-needle selection state, the front butt 9d sinks in the needle groove 5
and the selector 9 cannot receive driving for moving the select jack 8 with the head
end portion 9a. A releasing position is set on the attracting surface 14a of the needle
selection actuator 14. At the releasing position, if electricity is energized to the
needle selection actuator 14, a generated electromagnetic force can weaken an attracting
force of a permanent magnet. The pole contact 9b is biased in a direction of being
separated from the attracting surface 14a by the elastic leg piece 9c. If electricity
is energized to the needle selection actuator 14 at timing when the pole contact 9b
reaches to the releasing position, the pole contact 9b is liberated from the attracting
surface 14a since the attracting force is weakened. When the pole contact 9b is liberated
as described above, the spring supporting point 8c on which the tail end of the elastic
leg piece 9c pressurizes the upper surface of the position holding portion 8b of the
select jack 8 receives an elastic force of the elastic leg piece 9c. If a contacting
portion 13b against which a head end of the head end projection 9f contacts is provided
on the cam mechanism 13a of the carriage 11 side, the elastic leg piece 9c which extends
to the pole contact 9b from a middle of a height of the head end projection 9f rotates
in a clockwise direction in Fig. 8 about the contacting portion 13b serving as a rotation
supporting point. With the rotation, the pole contact 9b is separated from the attracting
surface of the needle selection actuator 14, and a head portion of the front butt
9d floats from the needle groove 5 to the cam mechanism 13a side so that the needle
selection device 10 becomes in a needle selection state.
[Citation List]
[Patent Literature]
[0008]
Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent No. 3459514
[Disclosure of the Invention]
[Technical Problem]
[0009] In the flatbed knitting machine 1, a traveling speed of the carriage 11 is desired
to be faster, and a space required for needle selection by the needle selection device
10 is desired to be reduced in order to raise production efficiency. The needle selection
device 10 in a form as shown in Fig. 8 has been developed in response to such desires.
[0010] However, in the needle selection device 10 as shown in Fig. 8, the spring supporting
point 8c when the pole contact 9b is released from the attracting surface 14a of the
needle selection actuator 14 is provided on the upper surface of the position holding
portion 8b of the select jack 8. The position holding portion 8b of the select jack
8, which receives pressure on the spring supporting 8c, is supported on the substrate
3 of the needle bed 2 as a bottom surface of the needle groove 5 through the elastic
leg piece 7b of the needle jack 7. Other portions involved in the release of the pole
contact 9b are supported on the carriage 11 side including the contacting portion
13b serving as the rotation supporting point of the head end of the head end protrusion
9f. The carriage 11 travels along the surface of the needle bed 2, so that, while
the carriage 11 travels, it is inevitable that a space between the needle selection
plate 13 and the needle bed 2 slightly varies, for example. This variation changes
the elastic force by the elastic leg piece 9c through the spring supporting point
to make switching over unstable between attracting and releasing of the pole contact
9b to the attracting surface 14a of the needle selection actuator 14. In particular,
if the traveling speed of the carriage 11 is increased, the needle selection becomes
further unstable.
[0011] An object of the present invention is to provide a needle selection device of a flatbed
knitting machine and a selector so that a stable needle selection is possible, even
if a space between a carriage and a needle bed varies when the carriage travels.
[Technical Solution]
[0012] The present invention is a needle selection device of a flatbed knitting machine,
comprising:
a needle selection mechanism mounted on a carriage, which travels in reciprocation
with respect to a needle bed of the flatbed knitting machine, together with a cam
mechanism for driving knitting needles; and
selectors put in needle grooves so as to face to tail end sides of knitting needles
for reflecting results of needle selection by the needle selection mechanism,
characterized in that:
the needle selection mechanism has a needle selection actuator which acts on the selectors
from one side of the top surface side or the bottom surface side of the needle grooves
and a resetting and bifurcating cam which acts on selectors from the other side of
the top surface side or the bottom surface side of the needle grooves;
the needle selection actuator is provided with an attracting surface for selecting
the knitting needles based on whether existence or nonexistence of cancellation to
an electromagnetic attracting state;
the resetting and bifurcating cam presses the selectors to the one side in the needle
groove to reset the selectors in the attracting state where the selectors are attracted
to the attracting surface of the needle selection actuator, and then, guides the selectors
so as to bifurcate into paths which are different in accordance with the needle selection
results by the needle selection actuator;
the selector has a base body, a butt, a pole contact, an elastic leg piece, and a
bifurcating projection;
the base body has a shape in general extending linearly in a direction of moving forward
and backward to a needle bed gap, and is provided with a head end portion which is
capable of pushing the knitting needle such that the knitting needle advances to the
needle bed gap in accordance with the needle selection result and a tail end portion
which contacts a surface on a tail end side with respect to the attracting surface
on the one side so as to be separated from the surface in a releasing state in which
attraction is cancelled;
the butt, in the vicinity of the head end portion of the base body, has a base portion,
at a position spaced from the head end portion to the side of the tail end portion
of the base body, and a head portion, which protrudes from the base portion towards
the carriage side;
the pole contact is stuck up so as to protrude from the base body to the one side
at a position closer to the tail end portion with respect to a position in the vicinity
of an intermediate position between the head end portion and the tail end portion
of the base body, is in an attracting state if the head portion of the pole contact
is attracted to the attracting surface of the needle selection actuator, and is in
a releasing state if the head portion is separated from the attracting surface;
the elastic leg piece extends from a midstream of the butt, which protrudes from the
base portion to the head portion, to a position in the vicinity of the intermediate
position of the base body so as to be substantially parallel with the base body, and
contacts the surface on the one side at a position on the head end portion side with
respect to the attracting surface of the needle selection actuator while a head end
of the elastic leg piece bends to the one side; and
the bifurcating projection protrudes to the other side between the tail end portion
of the base body and the pole contact, and receives an action of the resetting and
bifurcating cam.
[0013] The needle selection device of the flatbed knitting machine according to the present
invention, further comprising
a supporting point member provided at a position facing to the base body from said
other side in the vicinity of an intermediate position between said butt and said
pole contact of said selector, separated from the other side of the base body in said
attracting state of the pole contact, contacting the other side of the base body in
said releasing state, and serving as a supporting point when the pole contact and
said tail end portion of the base body rotates so as to be separated from the one
side, wherein
said needle selection mechanism is provided with a spring support cam which presses
said head portion of said elastic leg piece to the one side such that bending of the
elastic leg piece is increased to make an elastic force of the elastic leg piece larger
in the vicinity of a position at which the attracting state of the pole contact to
the attracting surface is switched so as to serve as a spring supporting point.
[0014] In the needle selection device of the flatbed knitting machine according to the present
invention,
said needle selection mechanism attracts said pole contact of said selector on said
attracting surface of said needle selection actuator and is capable of canceling the
attracting state of the pole contact only at a previously set releasing position,
and
said resetting and bifurcating cam makes the selector reset to the attracting state
of the pole contact by the needle selection actuator and guides said bifurcating projection
to different paths in accordance with whether the attracting state is released or
not at the releasing position so as to bifurcate the selector.
[0015] In the needle selection device of the flatbed knitting machine according to the present
invention,
said needle selection actuator has a plurality of releasing positions at an interval
in a direction along which said carriage travels in reciprocation , and
said resetting and bifurcating cam makes said selector bifurcate into different paths
in accordance with the releasing position at which the attracting state of the pole
contact is canceled, and
the needle selection device further comprising,
a needle selection cam which acts on the butt of the selector guided so as to bifurcate
into the different paths by the resetting and bifurcating cam and guides the selector
to different needle selecting position.
[0016] Moreover the present invention is a selector put in a needle groove so as to face
to a tail end side of a knitting needle for reflecting to it a result of needle selection
by a needle selection mechanism, which is mounted on a carriage traveling in reciprocation
with respect to a needle bed of a flatbed knitting machine, and comprises a needle
selection actuator which faces to one side of a top surface side or a bottom surface
side of the needle groove, and a resetting and bifurcating cam which faces to the
other side of the needle groove,
characterized in that
the selector has a base body, a butt, a pole contact, an elastic leg piece, and a
bifurcating projection;
the base body has a shape in general extending linearly from a head end portion to
a tail end portion;
the butt, in the vicinity of the head end portion of the base body, has a base potion,
at a position spaced from the head end portion to the side of the tail end portion
of the base body, and a head portion, which protrudes from the base portion towards
the carriage side;
the pole contact is stuck up so as to protrude from the base body to the one side
at a position closer to the tail end portion with respect to a position in the vicinity
of an intermediate position between the head end portion and the tail end portion
of the base body,;
the elastic leg piece extends from a midstream of the butt, which protrudes from the
base portion to the head portion, to a position in the vicinity of the intermediate
position of the base body so as to be substantially parallel with the base body, and
has a head end which bends to the one side at a position nearer to the head end portion
side than the pole contact; and
the bifurcating projection protrudes to the other side, which is opposite to the one
side, between the tail end portion of the base body and the pole contact.
[Advantageous Effects]
[0017] According to the present invention, the needle selection device of the flatbed knitting
machine comprises, a needle selection mechanism which is mounted on a carriage which
travels in reciprocation with respect to a needle bed together with a cam mechanism
for driving knitting needles, and selectors which are put in needle grooves provided
on the needle bed, together with the knitting needles. The attracting state of the
selector is switched over depending on whether it is cancelled or not that a pole
contact is electromagnetically attracted to an attracting surface by a needle selection
actuator of the needle selection mechanism. The needle selection actuator is provided
on one side of a top surface side or a bottom surface side of the needle groove. The
selector has an elastic leg piece of which head end bends to the one side and which
contacts against the surface on the one side at a position on the head end portion
side with respect to the attracting surface of the needle selection actuator. When
the pole contact, attracted to the attracting surface of the needle selection actuator,
is to be released by cancel of attraction, an elastic force, based on the elastic
leg piece, is required to be larger than an attracting force. The head end of the
elastic leg piece is supported by the carriage so that, even if a space between the
carriage and the needle bed varies when the carriage travels, a stable elastic force
is generated and needle selection is performed stably.
[0018] According to the present invention, when the pole contact of the selector is made
into a releasing state by cancelling the attraction to the attracting surface, the
base body of the selector contacts against the supporting point member at the other
side of the needle groove. After contact, the selector is switched to be supported
on the needle bed while the contacted part serves as a supporting point of rotation,
so that this makes it possible to shift to the needle selection state reliably.
[0019] Further, according to the present invention, paths along which the selector moves
can be switched by the resetting and bifurcating cam in accordance with the result
of needle selection.
[0020] Further, according to the present invention, the selector can be guided to a plurality
of different paths so as to be guided to different needle selection positions in accordance
with the releasing positions at which attraction of the selector is cancelled.
[0021] In addition, according to the present invention, the head end of the elastic leg
piece of the selector used in the needle selection device of the flatbed knitting
machine is supported on the carriage side in the attracting state where the selector
is attracted to the attracting surface of the needle selection actuator. The selector
is supported on the carriage side so that a stable elastic force is generated even
if a space between the carriage and the needle bed varies when the carriage travels.
With this, attraction and release of the pole contact to the attracting surface of
the needle selection actuator mounted on the carriage are switched and needle selection
is performed stably.
[Brief Description of Drawings]
[0022]
[Fig. 1] Fig. 1 is a right-side cross-sectional view showing a structure of a primary
part of a needle selection device 20 of a flatbed knitting machine 17 according to
one example of the present invention in a simplified manner.
[Fig. 2] Figs. 2 are partial right-side cross-sectional views showing an attracting
state of the needle selection device 20 of Fig. 1 and a releasing state thereof immediately
after the attraction has been cancelled.
[Fig. 3] Figs. 3 are right-side views showing structures of selectors 19 used in the
needle selection device 20 of Fig. 1.
[Fig. 4] Fig. 4 is a plan view of as a carriage 11 showing structure of a cam mechanism
12a for driving knitting operation and a needle selection mechanism 20a, which is
used in the flatbed knitting machine 17 of Fig. 1, and is a right-side view of as
a knitting needle 6 showing a structure thereof.
[Fig. 5] Figs. 5 are a right-side view and a rear view showing a structure of a primary
part of the needle selection mechanism 20a of Fig. 1.
[Fig. 6] Figs. 6 are a bottom view and a plan view showing, a needle selection actuator
24, and a resetting and bifurcating cam 26 of Figs. 5 respectively.
[Fig. 7] Fig. 7 is a right-side cross-sectional view showing a structure of a primary
part of a needle selection device 40 according to another example of the present invention
in a simplified manner.
[Fig. 8] Fig. 8 is a right-side cross-sectional view showing a structure of a conventional
needle selection device in a simplified manner.
[Description of Embodiments]
[0023] Hereinafter, with Fig. 1 to Figs. 6 a structure according to an Example 1 of the
present invention is shown. Fig. 1 shows a structure of a flatbed knitting machine
17 including a needle bed gap 18. In Fig. 1 to Figs. 6, structures of selectors 19
and a needle selection device 20 used in the flatbed knitting machine 17 are described.
In the drawings, the same reference signs as those in Fig. 8 denote portions corresponding
to those of a flatbed knitting machine 1 and a needle selection device 10 as shown
in Fig. 8. Fig. 7 shows a structure according to an Example 2 of the present invention.
In the Example 2, the same reference signs as those in the Example 1 denote portions
corresponding to those in the Example 1. The portions denoted with the same reference
signs would be not repeatedly described.
[0024] In the Example 1, pole contacts 19d of the selectors 19 are attracted to a top surface
side of a needle groove 5. In the Example 2, a pole contact 49d of a selector 49 is
attracted to a bottom surface side of the needle groove 5. That is to say, the present
invention can be applied to cases where a pole contact is attracted to any of one
side or the other side within the top surface side and the bottom surface side of
the needle groove 5.
[Example 1]
[0025] Fig. 1 is a right-side cross-sectional view showing a structure of a primary part
of a needle selection device 20 of a flatbed knitting machine 17 as an Example 1 of
the present invention in a simplified manner when seen from the right side of the
flatbed knitting machine 17. The flatbed knitting machine 17 includes a pair of needle
beds 2 which are facing to each other in a front-rear direction while sandwiching
a needle bed gap 18 therebetween. Each needle bed 2 is inclined such that a head end
side toward the needle bed gap 18 is higher and a tail end side away from the needle
bed gap 18 is lower, but in the drawing the needle bed 2 at the front side is only
shown in a horizontal attitude.
[0026] Figs. 2 show, with (a) and (b), partial cross-sectional views in which the needle
selection device 20 of Fig. 1 is in an attracting state and in a releasing state just
after canceling of attracting state respectively, as seen from the right side of the
flatbed knitting machine 17. Fig. 1 corresponds to Fig. 2(b). Further, in the following
description, description is made while a direction toward the needle bed gap 18 is
set to be a head end side and a direction away from the needle bed gap 2 is set to
be a tail end side in some case. In addition, description is made while a direction
toward the carriage 11 from each needle bed 2 is set to be up, and a direction toward
each needle bed 2 from the carriage 11 is set to be down in some case.
[0027] The needle selection device 20 including the selector 19 also includes a needle selection
mechanism 20a which is mounted on the carriage 11. The needle selection mechanism
20a also includes a cam device 20b for needle selection, which is mounted on the carriage
11. The selector 19 has a base body 19a, a butt 19b, an elastic leg piece 19c, and
a pole contact 19d. The base body 19a has a shape in general extending linearly in
a front-rear direction of advancing to and retreating from the needle bed gap 18,
and the base body 19a has a head end portion 19e which is capable of pressing a select
jack 7 of a knitting needle 6 such that the select jack 7 advances to the needle bed
gap 18 in accordance with a needle selection result, and a tail end portion 19f. The
butt 19b is stuck up such that a head portion thereof protrudes to the side of the
carriage 11 in the vicinity of the head end portion 19e of the base body 19a while
a position spaced from the head end portion 19e to a base end side is set to a base
portion. A head end of the head portion of the butt 19b protrudes to the carriage
11 side. A head portion of the pole contact 19d, which is stuck up toward the carriage
11 side, is attracted to an attracting surface 24a of a needle selection actuator
24 provided on the carriage 11 in the attracting state and is separated from the attracting
surface 24a in the releasing state. The head portion of the armature 19d is in the
attracting state attracted to and in the releasing state separated from the attracting
surface 24a at a position closer to the tail end portion 19f with respect to an intermediate
position of the base body 19a. The elastic leg piece 19c extends from a position in
the vicinity of an intermediate position of a height from the base portion to the
head portion of the butt 19b to a position in the vicinity of the intermediate position
of the base body 19a, which is closer to the head end portion 19e with respect to
the pole contact 19d. The elastic leg piece 19c extends so as to be approximately
parallel with the base body 19a, and a head end of the elastic leg piece 19c bends
to the carriage 11 side.
[0028] It is to be noted that a portion of the knitting needle 6 at the needle bed gap 18
side corresponds to a needle body 21. A hook 21a at a head end of the needle body
21 advances to and retreats from the needle bed gap 18 so as to form a knitted loop,
perform stich transferring to/from the opposing needle bed 2, and so on. The knitting
needle 6 is a type of latch needle and the hook 21a is opened and closed by a latch
21b. A clip 21c which is provided on a side surface of the needle body 21 is used
in the stitch transferring. Accordingly, at the time of the stitch transferring, the
knitting needle 6 is driven so as to move in the right direction in Fig. 1 until the
clip 21c which retains a knitted loop to be transferred to the opposing needle bed
2 advances to the needle bed gap 18. When the stitch transferring is performed, an
operation in which the hook 21a of the knitting needle 6 which advances to the needle
bed gap 18 from the opposing needle bed 2 side receives the knitted loop which is
retained by the blade 21c in the needle bed gap 18 is also required. Therefore, a
butt 7c is also provided on the needle jack 7 in addition to a butt 7a. The butts
7a, 7c receive driving by a cam mechanism 12a for driving knitting operation, which
is mounted on a cam plate 12 of the carriage 11.
[0029] In the flatbed knitting machine 17, movable sinkers 22 are provided on each needle
bed 2 at the needle bed gap 18 side. The movable sinkers 22 are arranged alternately
with the knitting needles 6 in a direction perpendicular to a paper plane. The movable
sinkers 22 are disposed in a state capable of rocking displacement by using head end
portions of needle plates 4 at the needle bed gap 18 side, and are biased by wire
springs 23 so as to advance to the needle bed gap 18 side.
[0030] The needle selection mechanism 20a includes the needle selection actuator 24. The
needle selection actuator 24 is mounted on a needle selection plate 13 of the carriage
11 and the attracting surface 24a is provided on a surface of the needle selection
actuator 24, which faces to the side of the needle bed 2. In order to reset into the
attracting state from a state where the attracting state is once cancelled and the
pole contact 19d of the selector 19 is separated from the attracting surface 24a by
making the head portion of the pole contact 19d closer to the attracting surface 24a
side, a resetting and bifurcating cam 26 is also attached to the carriage 11 through
a bracket 25. The resetting and bifurcating cam 26 presses the selector 19 from the
bottom surface side of the needle groove 5 so as to make the selector 19 float, and
after makes the selector 19 reset to the attracting state, then guides the selector
19 to a path which is different in accordance with a result of needle selection. A
bifurcating projection 19g is also provided on the selector 19 so as to receive an
action of the resetting and bifurcating cam 26, and is stuck up so as to protrude
to the bottom surface side of the needle groove 5.
[0031] When the attracting state of the pole contact 19d to the attracting surface 24a is
cancelled, the head end of the elastic leg piece 19c, which bends to the side of the
carriage 11, contacts against a cam surface of a spring support cam 27, which is provided
at the front side of the attracting surface 24a on the carriage 11, so as to serve
as a spring support point which receives an elastic force. Further, in the attracting
state, the tail end portion 19f of the base body 19a of the selector 19 contacts against
a surface of a supporting point plate 28, which is provided on the carriage 11 on
the tail end side with respect to the attracting surface 24a. A supporting point member
29 such as a wire which penetrates through the needle plate 4 in a direction perpendicular
to the page space is provided on the base body 19a on the bottom surface side of the
needle groove 5. In the releasing state like as shown in the drawing, the supporting
point member 29 contacts against a rotation supporting portion 19h of the base body
19a. It is to be noted that a cam device 20b for needle selection, which is provided
on the carriage 11, includes the resetting and bifurcating cam 26, the spring support
cam 27, the supporting point plate 28, and a needle selection cam 30. A metal band
4a and a wire 4b which penetrate through the needle plate 4 in a direction perpendicular
to the page space together with the supporting point member 29 are provided in the
vicinity of the selector 19. The metal band 4a presses an upper surface of the elastic
leg piece 19c at a position where a head end of the elastic leg piece 19c is not pressed
by the cam surface of the spring support cam 27 so as to restrict the elastic leg
piece 19c from floating to the surface side of the needle groove 5 more than necessary.
The wire 4b restricts the select jack 8 from floating in the needle groove 5 more
than necessary.
[0032] As shown in Fig. 2(a), when the pole contact 19d is in the attracting state to the
attracting surface 24a, the rotation supporting portion 19h on a lower surface of
the base body 19a is separated from the supporting point member 29. Further, the upper
surface of the elastic leg piece 19c and a lower surface of the metal band 4a are
separated from each other. A lower side of the base portion on which the butt 19b
is stuck up from the base body 19a has a shape so as not to make contact with the
wire 4b. Further, since a lower surface of the head end portion 19e is separated from
an upper surface of the select jack 8, the selector 19 is supported without depending
on the needle bed 2. The selector 19 is supported from the side of the carriage 11
stably with the head portion of the pole contact 19d which contacts against the attracting
surface 24a, the tail end portion 19f which contacts against the surface of the supporting
point plate 28, and the head end of the elastic leg piece 19c which contacts against
the cam surface of the spring support cam 27. In this case, a position at which the
tail end portion 19f contacts against the surface of the supporting point plate 28
serves as a supporting point. An attracting force to the attracting surface 24a acts
on the pole contact 19d. An elastic force, from the cam surface of the spring support
cam 27, acts on the head end of the elastic leg piece 19c. The attracting force and
the elastic force become moments in opposite directions with the contacting position
against the supporting point plate 28 as a supporting point. Even if the carriage
11 travels, the moment by the elastic force remains stable without being influenced
by variation of the space between the needle selection plate 13 and the needle bed
2. If the moment by the attracting force is made smaller by application of electricity
to the needle selection actuator 24 and is smaller than the moment by the elastic
force, the base body 19a of the selector 19 rotates about the contacting position
of the tail end portion 19f against the supporting point plate 28. It is to be noted
that the head portion of the bifurcating projection 19g escapes from the resetting
and bifurcating cam 26 at the bifurcating projection 19g side so as to correspond
to the releasing position of the pole contact 19d at which the attracting force can
be made smaller by the application of electricity, as will be described later. A rotation
direction corresponds to a direction in which the pole contact 19d is separated from
the attracting surface 24a, that is, a clockwise direction in the drawing, and the
attracting state of the pole contact 19d to the attracting surface 24a is cancelled
so that the pole contact 19d is released. In the attracting state, the moment by the
elastic force of the elastic leg piece 19c in the direction, in which the attraction
is cancelled, acts stably, so that an operation of cancelling the attracting state
by the needle selection actuator 24 can be stably performed.
[0033] A distance between the tail end portion 19f of the base body 19a serving as a supporting
point and the position at which the head end of the elastic leg piece 19c contacts
against the cam surface of the spring support cam 27 is larger than a distance between
the tail end portion 19f and the attracting position at which the pole contact 19d
is attracted to the attracting surface 24a. Therefore, as the moment about the tail
end portion 19f as a supporting point, a moment by the elastic force of the elastic
leg piece 19c can be used in relatively large state. With the structure of the selector
9 as shown in Fig. 8, a distance between the contacting portion 13b of the butt 9f
of which head end serves as a rotation supporting point and a position at which the
pole contact 9b is attracted to the needle selection actuator 14 is larger than a
distance between the contacting portion 13b and the spring supporting point 8c at
the head end of the elastic leg piece 9c. Accordingly, a moment by the elastic force
of the elastic leg piece 9c can be used only in relatively small state.
[0034] In the attracting state as shown in Fig. 2(a), if the base body 19a rotates about
the supporting point of the tail end portion 19f which contacts against the supporting
point plate 28 with the cancellation of the attracting state, the rotation supporting
portion 19h at the intermediate portion of the base body 19a contacts against the
supporting point member 29. As shown in Fig. 2(b) as a state immediately after the
attracting state has been cancelled, if the rotation supporting portion 19h contacts
against the supporting point member 29, the rotation supporting portion 19h serves
as a new supporting point and the base body 19a rotates about the supporting point
in the counterclockwise direction. With this, the head end of the tail end portion
19f is separated from the surface of the supporting point plate 28. The base portion
of the butt 19b is located on the head end side with respect to the rotation supporting
portion 19h so that the head portion of the butt19b protrudes from the needle groove
5 with the rotation in the counterclockwise direction. The head end of the elastic
leg piece 19d continues to contact against the cam surface of the spring support cam
27 on the carriage 11, so that the selector 19 in the releasing state is supported
from both sides of the carriage 11 and the needle bed 2. Reset from the releasing
state to the attracting state is mechanically performed by the resetting and bifurcating
cam 26 reliably, so that even if a space between the carriage 11 and the needle bed
2 varies when the carriage 11 travels, a needle selection operation does not become
unstable.
[0035] Fig. 3 shows structures of the selectors 19 used in the needle selection device 20
of Fig. 1 when seen from the right side of the flatbed knitting machine 17. An pole
contact 19i is provided on the selector 19 at a position closer to the tail end portion
19f with respect to the pole contact 19d so that the pole contacts 19d, 19i are located
at different positions. The selectors 19 of which pole contacts 19d, 19i are located
at different positions are alternately used. With this, even when the knitting needles
6 are closely disposed, needle selection can be performed for each knitting needle
6 reliably.
[0036] It is to be noted that the position of the pole contact 19i is closer to the tail
end portion 19f which serves as a supporting point in the attracting state with respect
to the position of the pole contact 19d. Therefore, an action of the elastic force
received by the head end of the elastic leg piece 19c as the spring supporting point
is larger than that at the position of the pole contact 19d, so that it is difficult
to continue the attracting state with the same attracting force. Then, on the pole
contact 19i, a length Li of a head end which makes contact with the attracting surface
is made longer than a length Ld of the head end of the pole contact 19d such that
the attracting force is adjusted to be increased.
[0037] Fig. 4 shows a structure of a cam mechanism and a needle selection mechanism on the
carriage 11 used in the flatbed knitting machine 17 of Fig. 1 in comparison with a
structure of the knitting needle 6 as shown on a right side. The attracting surface
24a of each needle selection actuator 24 is divided into an attracting surface 24d
which attracts the pole contact 19d of the selector 19 and an attracting surface 24i
which attracts the pole contact 19i as shown in Fig. 3. Actually units, each unit
having an attracting surface which attracts a single pole contact, are arranged at
two stages so as to form the needle selection actuator 24. It is sufficient that unites
of the number corresponding to the number of the pole contacts are arranged even when
equal to or more than three pole contact positions are set.
[0038] For two attracting surfaces 24d, 24i, the releasing positions 24b, 24c which are
the same in the traveling direction of the carriage 11 as the right-left direction
in Fig. 4 are set. If attracting forces are electromagnetically made smaller adjusting
to the timing when the pole contacts 19d, 19i pass through the releasing positions
24b, 24c, the attractng states of the pole contacts 19d, 19i to the attracting surfaces
24d, 24i are cancelled so as to be released.
[0039] As for the needle selection actuator 24 on the left side in Fig. 4, a state where
the cam surface of the resetting and bifurcating cam 26 is opposed to the lower side
of the needle selection actuator 24 is shown. The resetting and bifurcating cam 26
acts on the bifurcating projection 19g of the selector 19. If the head portions of
the bifurcating projections 19g are made to float from the bottom surface side of
the needle groove 5, the pole contacts 19d, 19i which have been released by the cancellation
of the attracting states are made to make contact with the attracting surfaces 24d,
24i again so as to reset in the attracting states. Further, the bifurcating projections
19g of the selectors 19 are guided to different paths in accordance with the releasing
positions 24b, 24c at which attracting states are cancelled. Further, on the spring
support cam 27 provided at the head end of each attracting surface 24a, a cam surface
27a which protrudes to the needle bed 2 side presses the head end of the elastic leg
piece 19c of the selector 19 such that bending of the elastic leg piece 19c is increased
to make the elastic force thereof larger. With this, the pole contacts 19d, 19i are
made easy to be released.
[0040] The needle selection cams 30 are arranged on the needle selection plate 13 of the
carriage 11 at the head end side of the needle selection actuators 24. Each needle
selection cam 30 is bifurcated into different paths with an action on the bifurcating
projection 19g by the resetting and bifurcating cam 26 so as to act on the head portion
of the butt 19b of the selector 19, which protrudes from the needle groove 5. Each
needle selection actuator 24 has two releasing positions 24b, 24c at which the attracting
states of the pole contacts 19d, 19i can be cancelled so as to be spaced from each
other in the traveling direction of the carriage 11. The resetting and bifurcating
cam 26 and the needle selection cam 30 are combined with each other so that the butt
19b can be guided to two different paths 31, 32 in accordance with the two releasing
positions 24b, 24c at which the attracting states of the pole contacts 19d, 19i are
cancelled.
[0041] Since the carriage 11 travels in reciprocation, the cam mechanism and the needle
selection mechanism are arranged so as to be bilaterally symmetric. For example, when
the carriage 11 is supposed to travel to the right side in Fig. 4, the knitting needle
6 relatively moves to the left side in Fig. 4 with respect to the carriage 11. The
pole contact 19 of the selector 19 which is provided at the tail end side of the knitting
needle 6 is attracted to the attracting surface 24d so as to reach to the releasing
position 24b. If the armature 19d is released at the release position 24b, the butt
19b enters the path 31 of the needle selection cam 30 so as to be guided subsequent
to the bifurcation based on the guidance of the bifurcating projection 19g by the
resetting and bifurcating cam 26. The path 31 swells out to the front side in a mountain
shape so that the head end portion 19e of the selector 19 presses the select jack
8 to the needle bed gap 18 side. By pushing out till the top of path 31 of the mountain
shape, the butt 8a of the select jack 8 is made to advance to the needle selecting
position of the A position. If the pole contact 19d is not released at the releasing
position 24b and is released at the releasing position 24c, the butt 19b enters the
path 32 of the needle selection cam 30 so as to be guided subsequent to the bifurcation
based on the guidance of the bifurcating projection 19g by the resetting and bifurcating
cam 26. The selector 19 presses the select jack 8 to the needle bed gap 18 side with
the head end portion 19e so as to make the butt 8a of the select jack 8 advance to
the needle selecting position of the H position at a top of a mountain shape of the
path 32. If the pole contact 19d is not released at any of the releasing positions
24b, 24c and remains attracted to the attracting surface 24d, the butt 8a of the select
jack 8 keeps the needle selecting position of the B position.
[0042] The butt 8a of the select jack 8 is guided to a region in which a B presser 33 and
an H pressers 34 are provided in a range where the cam mechanism 12a to perform driving
knitting operation of the knitting needle 6 is provided on the cam plate 12 of the
carriage 11. The B presser 33 is a fixed presser and acts on the butt 8a at the B
position so as to press the butt 8a into the needle groove 5. With this, the butt
7a of the needle jack 7 also sinks into the needle groove 5 and does not receive an
action of a knitting cam 35. Further, the hook 21a of the knitting needle 6 does not
advance to the needle bed gap 18 and retains at the side of the needle bed 2. That
is, the knitting needle 6 does not form a knitted loop, resulting in a miss operation.
The H pressers 34 are arranged in a divided manner into three parts, for example,
and are movable pressers which can retreat to positions as indicated by chain double-dashed
lines in a sliding manner. The H pressers 34 which do not retreat also press the butt
8a of the select jack 8 in the needle groove 5 in the same manner as the B presser
33 so that the knitting needle 6 can perform a tuck operation and a stitch transferring
operation. When the butt 8a passes through the A position, since the pressers are
not arranged, the butt 7a keeps a state of protruding from the needle groove 5 and
receives driving by the knitting cam 35 so that the knitting needle 6 performs a knit
operation.
[0043] At the head end side with respect to the knitting cam 35, is arranged a transferring
cam 36, which acts on the butt 7c of the needle jack 7 and drives to make the knitting
needle 6 perform an operation relating to the stitch transferring. On the right and
left sides of the knitting cam 35, guide cams 37, which make the butt 8a of the select
jack 8 return to the B position, are arranged.
[0044] It is to be noted that the two releasing positions 24b, 24c are provided on the attracting
surface 24a and the corresponding paths 31, 32 are provided on the needle selection
cam 30 so as to switch to the A position or the H position, however, if the number
of releasing positions 24b, 24c is increased and the number of corresponding paths
31, 32 is increased, a number of operations can be switched by one needle selection
device.
[0045] Figs. 5 show a structure of a primary part of the needle selection device 20 of Fig.
1 when seen from the right side and the front side. Figs. 6 show the needle selection
actuator 24 of Figs. 5 when seen from the lower side and show the resetting and bifurcating
cam 26 of Figs. 5 when seen from the upper side. As shown in Fig. 5(a), the spring
support cam 27 and the supporting point plate 28 are attached to the needle selection
actuator 24 so as to be closer to the attracting surface 24a. The resetting and bifurcating
cam 26 is attached to the needle selection actuator 24 through the bracket 25 so as
to be spaced from the attracting surface 24a.
[0046] As shown in Fig. 5(b), on the resetting and bifurcating cam 26, a convex portion
26a is provided at the center, and concave portions 26b, 26c are provided at the right
and left sides respectively. Inclined plains 26d, 26e which are continuous to the
height of the convex portion 26a are provided at the right and left sides of the concave
portions 26b, 26c. For example, the inclined plane 26e presses the head portion of
the bifurcating projection 19g of the selector 19 upward as indicated by a path 39
while contacting against the head portion so as to make the pole contacts 19d, 19i
contact with the attracting surface 24a. With this, the pole contacts 19d, 19i can
be made to return into the attracting states. The inclined plane 26d also has a function
of the same kind. The concave portions 26b, 26c serve as escapes for the head portion
of the bifurcating projection 19g such that sides of the bifurcating projection 19g
can receive a bifurcating guide action of the resetting and bifurcating cam 26 when
the pole contacts 19d, 19i are released from the attracting surface 24a. The concave
portions 26b, 26c have a constant height which is lower than the convex portion 26a,
and inclined planes 26f, 26g, which are further lowered, are provided on the ends
of the concave portions 26b, 26c respectively.
[0047] Further, as shown in Fig. 5(b), the spring support cam 27 has inclined planes 27b,
27c on both sides of the cam surface 27a. An elastic force acting on the spring support
cam 27 becomes weaker in a state where the head end of the elastic leg piece 19c of
the selector contacts against the inclined planes 27b, 27c. The elastic force acts
in a direction in which the pole contacts 19d, 19i are released from the attracting
surfaces 24d, 24i. When the selector 19 starts to enter a region where the needle
selection actuator 24 is arranged, the head end of the elastic leg piece 19c contacts
against the inclined surfaces 27b, 27c of the spring support cam 27 and then shifts
to the flat cam surface 27a. Accordingly, the elastic force of the elastic leg piece
19c, which acts on the attracting surfaces 24d, 24i to which the pole contacts 19d,
19i are attracted, can be set so as to be gradually increased along the inclined planes
27b, 27c from a state in which the elastic force hardly act with the move of the contacting
position against the spring support cam 27, to a state in which the elastic force
can be continued to act at a maximum level on the spring support cam 27.
[0048] As shown in Fig. 6(a), the attracting surfaces 24d, 24i are formed from the vicinity
of both ends of the inclined planes 27b, 27c of the spring support cam 27, the pole
contacts 19d, 19i can be attracted to the attracting surfaces 24d, 24i reliably in
a state where the elastic force from the elastic leg piece 19c hardly act thereon.
Further, the pole contacts 19d, 19i reach to the releasing positions 24b, 24c in a
state where the pole contacts 19d, 19i are pressurized by the cam surface 27a and
the elastic force from the elastic leg piece 19c acts thereon at the maximum level,
so that the pole contacts 19d, 19i can be released reliably with the cancellation
of the electromagnetic attraction.
[0049] As shown in Fig. 6(b), after the resetting and bifurcating cam 26 presses the head
portion of the bifurcating projection 19g of the selector 19 along the path 39 so
as to return the pole contacts 19d, 19i to the attracting state, if the attracting
state is cancelled at either of the releasing positions 24b, 24c, the bifurcating
projection 19g can be made to fall in the concave portions 26b, 26c so as to be bifurcated
into paths 39A, 39H. The bifurcating projection 19g sinks to the bottom surface side
of the needle groove 5 at the concave portions 26b, 26c, so that timing when the supporting
point member 29 contacts against the rotation supporting portion 19h becomes earlier
and the butt 19b can be made to protrude to the needle selection cam 30 side quickly.
Since the path 39H passes through the inclined portion 26f, the head portion of the
bifurcating projection 19g can be made to further sink, and timing, when the butt
19b is made to protrude, can be made earlier. If the attracting state is not cancelled
at the releasing positions 24b, 24c, the bifurcating projection 19g passes through
a path 39B on a line as an extension of the path 39. The paths 39A, 39H guide the
butt 19b of the selector 19 to the paths 31, 32 of the needle selection cam 30 as
shown in Fig. 4 in a state where the butt 19b is made to protrude from the needle
groove 5 to the carriage 11 side.
[0050] It is to be noted that if a large-sized strong permanent magnet is used for making
the attracting force on the attracting surfaces 24d, 24i stronger, a large-sized strong
electromagnet is also required for cancelling the attracting state at the releasing
positions 24b, 24c. In order to reduce the needle selection actuator 24 in size, it
is preferable to perform a bipolar driving, in which electricity is applied to an
electromagnet in a direction of reinforcing magnetic flux of the permanent magnet
in the non-needle selection and electricity is applied to the electromagnet in a direction
of negating the magnetic flux of the permanent magnet in the needle selection.
[0051] Further, as the knitting needle 6 of Fig. 1, a latch needle which opens and closes
the hook 21a with the latch 21b is used, however a compound needle which opens and
closes the hook with a slider can be used.
[Example 2]
[0052] Fig. 7 shows a structure of a primary part of a needle selection device 40 as the
Example 2 of the present invention. In the Example 2, the resetting and bifurcating
cam 26 is arranged on a surface side of the needle groove 5, that is, on the carriage
11 side. A needle selection actuator 44 is arranged on the bottom surface side of
the needle groove 5 through a bracket 45. The spring support cam 27 and the supporting
point plate 28 are arranged on the head end side and the tail end side of an attracting
surface 44a of the needle selection actuator 44 on the bottom surface side of the
needle groove 5. A selector 49 has a base body 49a, a butt 49b, an elastic leg piece
49c, a pole contact 49d, a head end portion 49e, a tail end portion 49f, a bifurcating
projection 49g, and a rotation supporting portion 49h. Functions of these portions
are substantially the same as corresponding portions of the selector 19 basically.
However, a direction, in which a head end of the elastic leg 49c and the pole contact
49d protrude, is a bottom surface side of the needle groove 5 and is different from
that in the selector 19. Further, a direction in which the bifurcating projection
49g protrudes is the surface side of the needle groove 5 and is different from that
in the selector 19. In addition, the rotation supporting portion 49h is provided on
an upper surface side of the base body 49a and is separated from the supporting point
member 29 in an attracting state of the selector 49. In the attracting state, the
selector 49 is also separated from the metal band 4a and the wire 4b which penetrate
through the needle plate 4 likely in the selector 19. Further, a lower surface of
the head end portion 49e of the selector 49 is separated from an upper surface of
the select jack 8. Accordingly, the selector 49 in the attracting state is stably
supported depending on the carriage 11 only without depending on the needle bed even
when the carriage 11 travels.
[0053] Fig. 7 shows the attracting state of the selector 49. A moment about a contacting
part of the tail end portion 49f against the supporting point plate 28 based on the
attracting force of the pole contact 49d to the attracting surface 44a is larger than
a moment based on a spring reaction force that the head end of the elastic leg 49c
receives from the surface of the spring support cam 27. In a state where a head portion
of the bifurcating projection 49g is made to escape by the resetting and bifurcating
cam 26, if the attracting force to the attracting surface 44a is made smaller and
the moment about the tail end portion 49f based on the attracting force of the pole
contact 49d is smaller than the moment based on the spring reaction force on the spring
support cam 27, the attraction is cancelled and the pole contact 49d is separated
from the attracting surface 44d. The base body 49a rotates in the counterclockwise
direction about a portion on which the tail end portion 49f contacts against the supporting
point plate 28. If the rotation supporting portion 49h contacts against the supporting
point member 29, this contacting part serves as a supporting point for the rotation,
and the direction thereof is inverted to the clockwise direction so that the tail
end portion 49f is separated from the surface of the support plate 28. Although the
butt 49b sinks with the rotation in the clockwise direction, it is sufficient that
the butt 49b protrudes to the carriage 11 side to an extent that a head portion thereof
can receive guidance by the needle selection cam 30. The butt 49b further protrudes
in the attracting state, however, as shown in Fig. 4, a linear path for allowing the
butt 49b to escape can be provided on the needle selection cam 30 at the lower side
of the paths 31, 32.
[Reference Signs List]
[0054]
- 2
- Needle bed
- 5
- Needle groove
- 6
- Knitting needle
- 11
- Carriage
- 12a
- Cam mechanism
- 19, 49
- Selector
- 19a, 49a
- Base body
- 19b, 49b
- Butt
- 19c, 49c
- Elastic leg piece
- 19d, 19i, 49d
- Pole contact
- 19e, 49e
- Head end portion
- 19f, 49f
- Tail end portion
- 19g, 49g
- Bifurcating projection
- 19h, 49h
- Rotation supporting portion
- 20, 40
- Needle selection device
- 20a
- Needle selection mechanism
- 20b
- Cam device
- 24, 44
- Needle selection actuator
- 24a, 24d, 24i, 44a
- Attracting surface
- 24b, 24c
- Releasing position
- 26
- Resetting and bifurcating cam
- 27
- Spring support cam
- 28
- Supporting point plate
- 29
- Supporting point member
- 30
- Needle selection cam
- 31, 32, 39, 39A, 39B, 39H
- Path
1. A needle selection device (20, 40) of a flatbed knitting machine (17), comprising:
a needle selection mechanism (20a) mounted on a carriage (11), which travels in reciprocation
with respect to a needle bed (2) of the flatbed knitting machine (17), together with
a cam mechanism (12a) for driving knitting needles (6); and
selectors (19, 49) put in needle grooves (5) so as to face to tail end sides of knitting
needles (6) for reflecting results of needle selection by the needle selection mechanism
(20a),
characterized in that:
the needle selection mechanism (20a) has a needle selection actuator (24, 44) which
acts on the selectors (19, 49) from one side of the top surface side or the bottom
surface side of the needle grooves (5) and a resetting and bifurcating cam (26) which
acts on selectors (19, 49) from the other side of the top surface side or the bottom
surface side of the needle grooves (5);
the needle selection actuator (24, 44) is provided with an attracting surface (24a,
24d, 24i, 44a) for selecting the knitting needles (6) based on whether existence or
nonexistence of cancellation to an electromagnetic attracting state;
the resetting and bifurcating cam (26) presses the selectors (19, 49) to the one side
in the needle groove (5) to reset the selectors (19, 49) in the attracting state where
the selectors (19, 49) are attracted to the attracting surface (24a, 24d, 24i, 44a)
of the needle selection actuator (24, 44), and then, guides the selectors (19, 49)
so as to bifurcate into paths (31, 32) which are different in accordance with the
needle selection results by the needle selection actuator (24, 44);
the selector (19, 49) has a base body (19a, 49a), a butt (19b, 49b), a pole contact
(19d, 19i, 49d), an elastic leg piece (19c, 49c), and a bifurcating projection (19g,
49g);
the base body (19a, 49a) has a shape in general extending linearly in a direction
of moving forward and backward to a needle bed gap (18), and is provided with a head
end portion (19e, 49e) which is capable of pushing the knitting needle (6) such that
the knitting needle (6) advances to the needle bed gap (18) in accordance with the
needle selection result and a tail end portion (19f, 49f) which contacts a surface
on a tail end side with respect to the attracting surface (24a, 24d, 24i, 44a) on
the one side so as to be separated from the surface in a releasing state in which
attraction is cancelled;
the butt (19b, 49b), in the vicinity of the head end portion (19e, 49e) of the base
body (19a, 49a), has a base portion, at a position spaced from the head end portion
(19e, 49e) to the side of the tail end portion (19f, 49f) of the base body (19a, 49a),
and a head portion, which protrudes from the base portion towards the carriage (11)
side;
the pole contact (19d, 19i, 49d) is stuck up so as to protrude from the base body
(19a, 49a) to the one side at a position closer to the tail end portion (19f, 49f)
with respect to a position in the vicinity of an intermediate position between the
head end portion (19e, 49e) and the tail end portion (19f, 49f) of the base body (19a,
49a), is in an attracting state if the head portion of the pole contact (19d, 19i,
49d) is attracted to the attracting surface (24a, 24d, 24i, 44a) of the needle selection
actuator (24, 44), and is in a releasing state if the head portion is separated from
the attracting surface (24a, 24d, 24i, 44a);
the elastic leg piece (19c, 49c) extends from a midstream of the butt (19b, 49b),
which protrudes from the base portion to the head portion, to a position in the vicinity
of the intermediate position of the base body (19a, 49a) so as to be substantially
parallel with the base body (19a, 49a), and contacts the surface on the one side at
a position on the head end portion (19e) side with respect to the attracting surface
(24a, 24d, 24i, 44a) of the needle selection actuator (24, 44) while a head end of
the elastic leg piece (19c, 49c) bends to the one side; and
the bifurcating projection (19g, 49g) protrudes to the other side between the tail
end portion (19f, 49f) of the base body (19a, 49a) and the pole contact (19d, 19i,
49d), and receives an action of the resetting and bifurcating cam (26).
2. The needle selection device (20, 40) of the flatbed knitting machine (17) according
to claim 1, further comprising
a supporting point member (29) provided at a position facing to the base body (19a,
49a) from said other side in the vicinity of an intermediate position between said
butt (19b, 49b) and said pole contact (19d, 19i, 49d) of said selector (19, 49), separated
from the other side of the base body (19a, 49a) in said attracting state of the pole
contact (19d, 19i, 49d), contacting the other side of the base body (19a, 49a) in
said releasing state, and serving as a supporting point when the pole contact (19d,
19i, 49d) and said tail end portion (19f, 49f) of the base body (19a, 49a) rotates
so as to be separated from the one side, wherein
said needle selection mechanism (20a) is provided with a spring support cam (27) which
presses said head portion of said elastic leg piece (19c, 49c) to the one side such
that bending of the elastic leg piece (19c, 49c) is increased to make an elastic force
of the elastic leg piece (19c, 49c) larger in the vicinity of a position at which
the attracting state of the pole contact (19d, 19i, 49d) to the attracting surface
(24a, 24d, 24i, 44a) is switched so as to serve as a spring supporting point.
3. The needle selection device (20, 40) of the flatbed knitting machine (17) according
to claims 1 or 2, wherein
said needle selection mechanism (20a) attracts said pole contact (19d, 19i, 49d) of
said selector (19, 49) on said attracting surface (24a, 24d, 24i, 44a) of said needle
selection actuator (24, 44) and is capable of canceling the attracting state of the
pole contact (19d, 19i, 49d) only at a previously set releasing position, and
said resetting and bifurcating cam (26) makes the selector (19, 49) reset to the attracting
state of the pole contact (19d, 19i, 49d) by the needle selection actuator (24, 44)
and guides said bifurcating projection (19g, 49g) to different paths (31, 32) in accordance
with whether the attracting state is released or not at the releasing position so
as to bifurcate the selector (19, 49).
4. The needle selection device (20) of the flatbed knitting machine (17) according to
claim 3, wherein
said needle selection actuator (24) has a plurality of releasing positions (24b, 24c)
at an interval in a direction along which said carriage (11) travels in reciprocation
, and
said resetting and bifurcating cam (26) makes said selector (19) bifurcate into different
paths (31, 32) in accordance with the releasing position (24b, 24c) at which the attracting
state of the pole contact (19d, 19i) is canceled, and
the needle selection device (20) further comprising,
a needle selection cam (30) which acts on the butt (19b) of the selector (19) guided
so as to bifurcate into the different paths (31, 32) by the resetting and bifurcating
cam (26) and guides the selector (19) to different needle selecting position.
5. A selector (19, 49) put in a needle groove (5) so as to face to a tail end side of
a knitting needle (6) for reflecting to it a result of needle selection by a needle
selection mechanism (20a), which is mounted on a carriage (11) traveling in reciprocation
with respect to a needle bed (2) of a flatbed knitting machine (17), and comprises
a needle selection actuator (24, 44) which faces to one side of a top surface side
or a bottom surface side of the needle groove (5), and a resetting and bifurcating
cam (26) which faces to the other side of the needle groove (5),
characterized in that
the selector (19, 49) has a base body (19a, 49a), a butt (19b, 49b), a pole contact
(19d, 19i, 49d), an elastic leg piece (19c, 49c), and a bifurcating projection (19g,
49g);
the base body (19a, 49a) has a shape in general extending linearly from a head end
portion (19e, 49e) to a tail end portion (19f, 49f);
the butt (19b, 49b), in the vicinity of the head end portion (19e, 49e) of the base
body (19a, 49a), has a base potion, at a position spaced from the head end portion
(19e, 49e) to the side of the tail end portion (19f, 49f) of the base body (19a, 49a),
and a head portion, which protrudes from the base portion towards the carriage (11)
side;
the pole contact (19d, 19i, 49d) is stuck up so as to protrude from the base body
(19a, 49a) to the one side at a position closer to the tail end portion (19f, 49f)
with respect to a position in the vicinity of an intermediate position between the
head end portion (19e, 49e) and the tail end portion (19f, 49f) of the base body (19a,
49a);
the elastic leg piece (19c, 49c) extends from a midstream of the butt (19b, 49b),
which protrudes from the base portion to the head portion, to a position in the vicinity
of the intermediate position of the base body (19a, 49a) so as to be substantially
parallel with the base body (19a, 49a), and has a head end which bends to the one
side at a position nearer to the head end portion (19e, 49f) side than the pole contact
(19d, 19i, 49d); and
the bifurcating projection (19g, 49g) protrudes to the other side, which is opposite
to the one side, between the tail end portion (19f, 49Ð of the base body (19a, 49a)
and the pole contact (19d, 19i, 49d).