Flat knitting machine with adjustable gap between needle bed plates

Abstract

The present invention discloses a knitting machine with adjustable needle bed plate gap, comprising two needle beds, each of which has several plate gap adjustment mechanisms. The plate gap adjustment mechanisms include an adjustment block, one end of which is rotatably connected to the needle bed via a pivot; the other end of which carries a rotatable adjustment cam, the side surface of which has several flat surfaces, the distances between the several flat surfaces and the center of the adjustment cam varying. The adjustment block has a roller in the middle that contacts the needle plate; the needle bed is also provided with a positioning block, the flat surface of the side surface of the adjusting cam contacts the positioning block on the needle bed. The present invention facilitates adjustment of the needle plate's longitudinal position, thereby adjusting the plate gap; the machine has multiple gear positions, and the overall structure is strong and reliable.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the technical field of knitting machinery, and in particular relates to a flat knitting machine with adjustable gaps between needle bed plates. Background Art

[0002] Most flat knitting machines consist of two needle beds, each holding a needle plate. The two needle plates form a certain angle and have a certain gap between them. The needle plates are arranged with several parallel needle slots, which contain knitting components such as needles and knock-over plates. The needles and other knitting components on the two needle plates cooperate with each other to form the knitted loops. Obviously, the knitting action occurs in the gap between the two needle plates, which is the needle bed gap. For conventional machines, once the needle model is determined and debugging is completed, the needle bed gap is fixed. However, in some cases, such as when knitting complex patterns, it is desirable to be able to temporarily adjust the needle bed gap.

[0003] CN208857435U discloses a knitting machine that is convenient for adjusting the gap between the needle bed plates. It includes a needle bed base and a needle bed, the needle bed base is provided with two symmetrically inclined base surfaces, the needle bed is provided with two blocks and respectively arranged on the two base surfaces, a plurality of inserts are arranged side by side and at intervals on the front side of the needle bed, knitting needles and sinkers are arranged between adjacent inserts, a tooth plate located below the front end of the insert is provided on the front side of the needle bed, and a needle bed plate gap is provided between the tooth plates on the two needle beds. The knitting machine also includes an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the gap between the needle bed plates, the adjustment mechanism includes a transverse adjustment member, an oblique adjustment member and a linkage member, the transverse adjustment member is provided on the needle bed base and can move back and forth transversely relative to the needle bed base, the oblique adjustment member is connected to the needle bed, and the linkage member is provided between the transverse adjustment member and the oblique adjustment member. When the transverse adjustment member moves transversely, the linkage member and the oblique adjustment member drive the needle bed to move along the inclination direction of the base surface to adjust the gap between the needle bed plates. Specifically, the disclosed adjustment mechanism is actually the cooperation of a through slot and a roller. The through slot has an inclined surface, so that the position of the roller in the height direction is changed by the cooperation of the two, thereby realizing the displacement of the needle plate in the height direction.

[0004] The above technical solution has several disadvantages. First, the needle plate is quite heavy, and the combination of the bevel groove and the roller can only bear a limited weight. During long-term use, the through-slot roller mechanism is prone to wear and displacement, making the adjustment of the gap between the needle bed plate mouth inaccurate; second, the adjustment process must be driven by a motor, which increases the economic cost; third, this solution requires more needle plate area and can only be arranged at both ends of the needle plate, not in the weaving area, so it is not suitable for wide needle plates with large spans. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a flat knitting machine with adjustable gap between needle bed plates.

[0006] The present invention adopts the following technical solution: a knitting machine with adjustable needle bed plate gap, comprising two needle beds, each of which is provided with a needle plate, the two needle plates forming a certain angle and having a certain gap; a number of parallel longitudinal needle grooves are arranged on the needle plates; each needle bed has several groups of plate gap adjustment mechanisms; it is characterized in that: the plate gap adjustment mechanism includes an adjusting block, one end of the adjusting block is rotatably connected to the needle bed through a pivot; the other end is provided with a rotatable adjusting cam, the side surface of the adjusting cam has several planes, and the distances between the several planes and the center of the adjusting cam are different; a roller is provided in the middle of the adjusting block, which conflicts with the needle plate; a positioning block is also provided on the needle bed, and the plane of the side surface of the adjusting cam conflicts with the positioning block on the needle bed.

[0007] The adjusting cam is composed of a coaxial upper part and a lower part. The upper part is cylindrical and extends into the through hole of the adjusting block to rotate with it. The lower part is truncated cone as a whole, and its side surface is a circular surface as a whole, and has several said planes.

[0008] The lower portion of the regulating cam has four planes evenly distributed in the circumferential direction of the side surface.

[0009] The adjusting block is in the shape of a broken line, and the part used to connect the adjusting cam is higher than the other parts of the adjusting block; this part has a through hole, which is rotatably matched with the upper part of the adjusting cam, and its lower space is used to accommodate the lower cone of the adjusting cam.

[0010] The top surface of the lower cone of the adjusting cam is provided with a recess corresponding to each of the planes; the portion of the adjusting block connected to the adjusting cam is provided with a through hole; a limiting pin passes through the through hole and extends into the recess.

[0011] The upper cylinder of the adjusting cam has an angle rotating component and an angle indicating component on its top surface.

[0012] The needle plate is provided with a transverse limiting piece, a longitudinal long hole and a fastener matched with the longitudinal long hole.

[0013] In the present invention, from the perspective of the operator, the width direction of the needle plate is defined as the horizontal direction, which is the direction of movement of the flat knitting machine head; the direction of the needle groove on the needle plate is defined as the longitudinal direction, which is actually oblique and in practice is 40 degrees to the horizontal plane. 0 Angle: The direction perpendicular to the needle plate is the height direction.

[0014] The plate gap adjustment mechanism of the present invention is actually a lever mechanism, in which one end of the pivot is the fulcrum, the end of the adjusting cam is the force application point, and the roller is the force receiving point. The force arm of the force application point is greater than the force arm of the force receiving point, so the roller can amplify the force received and can more easily pry the needle plate for longitudinal displacement.

[0015] The lower portion of the adjustment cam is generally truncated. Viewed from above, its outer contour is close to a circle, but with several straight segments, representing a geometric shape formed by smoothly connecting straight and arc segments. To allow for different distances between the center of each straight segment, the arc segments are not standard circular arcs, but rather cam arcs that approximate the circumference of a circle. This allows the adjustment cam to rotate relatively smoothly.

[0016] The line connecting the adjustment cam and the positioning block is perpendicular to the line connecting the adjustment cam and the adjustment block's pivot. This means that when different planes of the adjustment cam contact the positioning block, the distance between the center of the adjustment cam and the positioning block is different. This also causes the roller to have different longitudinal positions, and thus the needle plate to have different longitudinal positions. It can be seen that the adjustment cam actually acts as a gear distribution. Different planes will lead to different longitudinal positions of the needle plate. By designing the distances of several planes from the center of the circle, different gaps can be created at the needle bed plate opening.

[0017] When the needle plate is heavy, it tends to slide diagonally downward under the action of gravity, creating a longitudinal pressure. In the present invention, there are two structural points susceptible to damage: slippage between the adjustment block and the adjustment cam, and between the adjustment cam and the positioning block. However, the present invention secures the adjustment cam to the adjustment block with pins, and the surface contact between the adjustment cam and the positioning block effectively resolves these two issues, resulting in a secure and reliable overall structure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 AA cross-sectional view.

[0020] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the plate gap adjustment mechanism.

[0021] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the adjustment cam.

[0022] The following are marked in the accompanying drawings:

[0023] 1-needle bed; 2-needle plate; 3-plate gap adjustment mechanism; 31-adjusting block; 32-pivot; 33-roller; 34-adjusting cam; 341-upper part of adjusting cam; 342-lower part of adjusting cam; 343-plane; 344-recess; 345-transverse groove; 346-indicator block; 35-screw; 4-positioning screw; 5-long hole; 6-transverse limit block; 9-needle bed plate gap. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] See also Figure 1 , Figure 2 This embodiment includes front and rear needle beds 1 and front and rear needle plates 2. It should be noted that, for clarity, the diagram shows one of the two needle plates (and the needle bed) as vertical, with the other at a 100-degree angle to it. In reality, the two needle plates are symmetrically arranged in a figure-eight pattern, each at a 50-degree angle to the centerline. Therefore, the longitudinal direction of both needle plates is obliquely upward, and the area where their front ends face each other forms the needle bed plate opening gap 9.

[0025] Needle plate 2 rests on needle bed 1, which has transverse stoppers 6 to define its lateral position. The bed also has several longitudinal slots 5 and corresponding set screws (not shown). When the set screws are loose, they slide within the slots with the needle plate, allowing the plate to move longitudinally on the bed. When tightened, the set screws secure the plate to the bed.

[0026] The needle bed 1 also includes two sets of gap adjustment mechanisms 3 and set screws 4 adjacent to the bottom of the needle plate 2. Because their structures are identical or symmetrical, only one set is described here. Set screws 4 are a specific embodiment of the positioning block described above. Their threaded design allows for fine-tuning of the longitudinal position to eliminate errors in needle bed and needle plate manufacturing. The following description focuses on the gap adjustment mechanism 3.

[0027] See also Figure 3 , Figure 4 The plate gap adjustment mechanism 3 includes an adjustment block 31, a pivot 32, a roller 33, an adjustment cam 34, and a screw 35. The adjustment block 31 is a long strip in the shape of a broken line. Figure 3 The orientation shown is lower on the left and higher on the right; the left end is pivotally connected to the needle bed 1 via a pivot 32, while the higher portion of the right end is pivotally connected to an adjustment cam 34. The middle portion of the adjustment block is pivotally connected to a roller 33. Screw 35 is a better alternative to the pin described above, functioning more like a pin, but its threaded design allows for easier removal when necessary. This structure allows the adjustment block 31 to function as a lever, with the left end acting as a fulcrum and the right end applying force. The adjustment block can rotate a certain angle about pivot 32, thereby causing the roller 33 to move longitudinally.

[0028] The adjustment cam 34 consists of a coaxial upper portion 341 and lower portion 342. The upper portion 341 is cylindrical, while the lower portion 342 is approximately truncated cone. Its side surface features four flat surfaces 343 and transitional arcs connecting these flat surfaces. The four flat surfaces 343 are located at varying distances from the center of the adjustment cam. A recess 344 is located on the top surface of the lower cone, corresponding to each flat surface 343. The right end of the adjustment block 31 has a large through-hole and a small through-hole. The upper cylindrical portion 341 of the adjustment cam extends into the large through-hole, rotatably connected to the adjustment block. A screw 35 passes through the small through-hole and into the recess 344, preventing the adjustment cam from rotating relative to the adjustment block.

[0029] The top surface of the upper portion 341 of the adjustment cam is provided with a transverse groove 345 and an indicator block 346. The transverse groove 345 serves as an angle rotation component. The user inserts a screwdriver or similar tool into the transverse groove to rotate the adjustment cam and change its angle. The indicator block 346 serves as an angle indicator component. Its specific and unique color allows the user to know the current angle of the adjustment cam based on the angular phase of the indicator block. Specifically, the user can know the angle of each of the four planes of the adjustment cam. Of course, other methods can also be used to rotate and indicate the angle. For example, a horizontal bar protruding from the top surface of the adjustment block can be provided to rotate the adjustment cam, and an arrow on the top surface of the adjustment cam can also indicate the angular direction.

[0030] In this embodiment, to adjust the plate gap, loosen the set screw in the elongated hole 5, allowing the needle plate 2 to move longitudinally relative to the needle bed 1. Remove the screw 35, allowing the adjustment cam 34 to rotate relative to the adjustment block 1. The adjustment cam 34 is rotated so that a selected flat surface 343 abuts the positioning block 4, thereby causing the needle plate 2 to abut against the roller 33. Because the four flat surfaces 343 have different center-to-center distances, the roller 33 has four different longitudinal positions. Therefore, the adjustment cam 34 can be considered a shift mechanism with four gears.

[0031] By the above method, the longitudinal position of the needle plate can be changed in this embodiment, thereby adjusting the gap between the needle bed plate openings.

Claims

1. A flat knitting machine with adjustable needle bed plate gap, comprising two needle beds, each with a needle plate disposed thereon, the two needle plates forming a certain angle and having a certain gap therebetween; the needle plates being provided with a plurality of parallel longitudinal needle grooves; each needle bed having a plurality of plate gap adjustment mechanisms; and characterized in that: The plate gap adjustment mechanism includes an adjustment block, one end of which is rotatably connected to the needle bed via a pivot; the other end of the adjustment block is provided with a rotatable adjustment cam, the side surface of the adjustment cam having a plurality of flat surfaces, the distances between the plurality of flat surfaces and the center of the adjustment cam being different; a roller is provided in the middle of the adjustment block, which contacts the needle plate; a positioning block is also provided on the needle bed, and the flat surface of the side surface of the adjustment cam contacts the positioning block on the needle bed; The adjusting cam is composed of a coaxial upper part and a lower part. The upper part is cylindrical and extends into the first through hole of the adjusting block to rotate with it. The lower part is generally truncated cone-shaped, and its side surface is generally a circumferential surface and has a plurality of the above-mentioned flat surfaces. The adjusting block is in the shape of a broken line, and the portion used for connecting the adjusting cam is higher than the other portions of the adjusting block; this portion has a first through hole, which is rotatably engaged with the upper portion of the adjusting cam, and the space below it is used to accommodate the lower circular table of the adjusting cam; The top surface of the lower cone of the adjusting cam is provided with a recess corresponding to each plane; the portion of the adjusting block connected to the adjusting cam is provided with a second through hole; a limiting pin passes through the second through hole and extends into the recess.

2. The flat knitting machine with adjustable needle bed plate gap according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower portion of the regulating cam has four planes evenly distributed in the circumferential direction of the side surface.

3. The flat knitting machine with adjustable needle bed plate gap according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper cylinder of the adjusting cam has an angle rotating component and an angle indicating component on its top surface.

4. The flat knitting machine with adjustable needle bed plate gap according to claim 1, characterized in that: The needle plate is provided with a transverse limiting piece, a longitudinal long hole and a fastener matched with the longitudinal long hole.

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