Cloth feeding device for circular weft knitting machine

Abstract

The utility model discloses a cloth discharging device for a circular weft knitting machine and a using method thereof, and belongs to the field of textile machinery. The cloth discharging device comprises a conveying platform, and a mechanical arm clamping jaw assembly, a shearing assembly and a containing groove formed in the front side of the shearing assembly and used for containing an empty rod core are arranged on the conveying platform; the rear side of the shearing assembly is provided with a temporary storage position used for containing a finished cloth roll. The shearing assembly comprises a sinking U-shaped plate, the sinking U-shaped plate is fixedly installed below the conveying platform, a first stroke sliding rail is fixedly arranged in the sinking U-shaped plate, a second stroke sliding rail is installed on the first stroke sliding rail in a sliding mode, and a shear assembly is installed on the second stroke sliding rail in a sliding mode.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of textile machinery, and in particular to a fabric feeding device for a circular weft knitting machine. Background Technology

[0002] In existing circular knitting processes, when the fabric rollers are full of fabric, manual intervention is required to complete operations such as opening the door, cutting the fabric, transporting the fabric rollers, and loading the empty rollers. This traditional workflow has the following problems: First, the process is cumbersome, requiring multiple manual steps, including opening the door, cutting, transporting, and loading the rollers. Each step requires human intervention, increasing the complexity and the possibility of errors. Second, it is inefficient; each step requires manual operation, is time-consuming, and cannot achieve continuous and efficient production, thus affecting overall production efficiency. Furthermore, the work is physically demanding, requiring manual handling of heavy objects (fabric rollers), which places high demands on workers' physical strength, and long-term engagement in such work can easily lead to worker fatigue and health problems. The root cause of these problems is the lack of automated equipment throughout the process, making continuous and efficient production impossible. Therefore, existing technologies urgently need improvement to address these issues. Utility Model Content

[0003] In order to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, the technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to propose a weaving device for circular knitting machines, which has the advantages of high automation, improved efficiency and reduced manual labor intensity.

[0004] This application provides a fabric unloading device for a circular knitting machine, the technical solution of which is as follows: it includes a transport platform, on which a robotic arm gripper assembly, a shearing assembly, and a placement groove for placing empty core rods are provided on the front side of the shearing assembly; a buffer position for placing finished fabric rolls is provided on the rear side of the shearing assembly; the shearing assembly includes a sunken U-shaped plate, which is fixedly installed below the transport platform, a first stroke slide rail is fixedly installed inside the sunken U-shaped plate, a second stroke slide rail is slidably installed on the first stroke slide rail, and a scissor assembly is slidably installed on the second stroke slide rail.

[0005] Furthermore, this application also proposes that the scissor assembly includes a scissor bracket, which is slidably mounted on a second-stroke slide rail, and a blade fixing plate is fixedly mounted on the scissor bracket, with a blade mounted on the blade fixing plate.

[0006] Furthermore, this application also proposes that the robotic arm gripper assembly includes a rubbing wheel assembly for rotating the cloth roller to feed or roll the cloth; the scissor assembly also includes a cloth support plate, which is fixedly installed on the top of the second stroke slide rail, and the scissor bracket slides within the cloth support plate.

[0007] Furthermore, this application also proposes that the scissor assembly further includes a fabric pressing mechanism, which includes a pressure plate fixedly connected to the scissor bracket. A cutting groove is provided in the middle part of the pressure plate, and the blade is located in the cutting groove.

[0008] Furthermore, this application also proposes that several pressure roller grooves are evenly distributed on both sides of the cutting groove, and a pressure roller mechanism is rotatably installed in the pressure roller groove.

[0009] Furthermore, this application also proposes that the front end of the pressure plate is provided with a rocker.

[0010] Furthermore, this application also proposes that the pressure roller mechanism includes an inverted U-shaped fixed bracket, an inverted U-shaped movable bracket is movably installed inside the fixed bracket, a pressure roller is rotatably installed inside the movable bracket, and an adjusting spring is connected between the top of the movable bracket and the top of the inner side of the fixed bracket.

[0011] As can be seen from the above, the fabric unloading device for a circular knitting machine provided in this application integrates a robotic arm gripper, a shearing component, and a buffer position through a transport platform. Combined with an automated cutting process, it realizes automatic cutting, roll replacement, and transport of fabric without the need for manual intervention in opening doors, handling, and roller operation. It has the advantages of high automation, improved efficiency, and reduced manual labor intensity. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 This is a structural schematic diagram of the weaving device for a circular weft knitting machine provided in a specific embodiment of this utility model;

[0013] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the shearing component provided in a specific embodiment of this utility model;

[0014] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the scissor assembly provided in a specific embodiment of this utility model;

[0015] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the fabric pressing mechanism provided in a specific embodiment of this utility model;

[0016] In the picture:

[0017] 1. Transport platform; 2. Robotic arm gripper assembly; 3. Shearing assembly; 4. Placement slot; 5. Buffer position; 6. Recessed U-shaped plate; 7. First stroke slide rail; 8. Second stroke slide rail; 9. Scissors assembly; 10. Scissors bracket; 11. Blade fixing plate; 12. Blade; 13. Fabric pressing mechanism; 14. Pressing plate; 15. Cutting groove; 16. Pressing roller groove; 17. Pressing roller mechanism; 18. Fixed bracket; 19. Movable bracket; 20. Pressing roller; 21. Adjusting spring; 22. Rubbing roller assembly; 23. Fabric support plate; 24. Rocker. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The technical solutions of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. The components of this application described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of this application provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed application, but merely represents selected embodiments of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following drawings indicate similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one drawing, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent drawings. Furthermore, in the description of this application, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0019] In existing technologies, during the circular knitting process, when the fabric rollers are full of fabric, manual operations are required to open the gate, cut, transport, and replace empty rollers. This traditional workflow suffers from cumbersome procedures, frequent manual intervention, low efficiency, and high labor intensity. Especially when passing through narrow gates of the circular knitting machine, ordinary transport equipment is difficult to access due to size limitations, making automation upgrades challenging.

[0020] To address the aforementioned issues, the inventors discovered that the bottleneck in manual operation lies in the conflict between material flow and equipment compatibility. Through on-site measurement and analysis of the circular knitting machine's workspace, it was recognized that the transport device must simultaneously possess a compact form factor and integrated functionality. By studying the fabric cutting trajectory, it was found that lateral movement cutting can avoid abnormal fabric tension. Considering the operating characteristics of automated equipment, it was determined that a mobile platform with a retractable cutting mechanism needs to be constructed, enabling it to traverse narrow passages while simultaneously performing precise cutting operations.

[0021] Therefore, this application proposes a technical solution including a transport platform 1. The transport platform 1 is equipped with a robotic arm gripper assembly 2, a shearing assembly 3, and a placement slot 4 for placing empty core rods on the front side of the shearing assembly 3. A buffer position 5 for placing finished fabric rolls is provided on the rear side of the shearing assembly 3. The shearing assembly 3 includes a sunken U-shaped plate 6, which is fixedly installed below the transport platform 1. A first stroke slide rail 7 is fixedly installed inside the sunken U-shaped plate 6. A second stroke slide rail 8 is slidably installed on the first stroke slide rail 7. A scissor assembly 9 is slidably installed on the second stroke slide rail 8.

[0022] The transportation platform 1 refers to the mobile base carrying the automated components, which can be implemented using an automated guided vehicle equipped with drive wheels and a navigation system, possessing autonomous movement capabilities. The robotic arm gripper assembly 2 refers to the mechanical device that performs material gripping operations, which can be implemented using a multi-degree-of-freedom robotic arm in conjunction with an adaptive clamp to complete the gripping and transfer of the fabric roller. The shearing assembly 3 refers to the functional module that performs fabric cutting, which can be implemented using a double-track sliding mechanism in conjunction with a rotating cutter, enabling the shearing assembly 3 to extend and move. The recessed U-shaped plate 6 refers to the support structure installed under the transportation platform 1, which can be manufactured using a steel plate bending process to form a recessed space to accommodate the slide rail assembly. The first-stroke slide rail 7 and the second-stroke slide rail 8 refer to the linear guide rails that constitute a composite kinematic pair, which can be implemented using linear guide rails in conjunction with a servo motor drive, providing bidirectional degrees of freedom of movement.

[0023] Specifically, as the transport platform 1 approaches the circular knitting machine, the shearing assembly 3 remains fully retracted inside the U-shaped plate, ensuring its overall dimensions are suitable for the narrow passage requirements of the machine. Upon entering the working area, the first-stroke slide rail 7 drives the second-stroke slide rail 8 to extend laterally to the edge of the fabric. Subsequently, the shearing assembly 9 moves longitudinally along the second-stroke slide rail 8 to the cutting start position, avoiding obstruction of the fabric roll's pull-out. Simultaneously, the robotic arm gripper assembly 2 grasps the full-length fabric roller and transfers it to the buffer position 5, releasing the fabric tension via the rubbing roller assembly 22. During the shearing process, the dual slide rails work together to control the cutter's movement along a predetermined trajectory. The entire process forms a continuous operational cycle of material handling, fabric cutting, and empty roller replacement.

[0024] Compared to existing technologies, traditional manual operation requires separate completion of equipment loading / unloading, cloth roller replacement, and cutting operations. This solution, however, integrates a retractable cutting mechanism with an automated transport platform 1, enabling a single device to complete the entire process. Existing cutting devices are typically fixed in the work area, making them unsuitable for the space constraints of different machine models. The recessed slide rail mechanism in this solution ensures both equipment mobility and a stable cutting working plane.

[0025] Through the above technical solution, this application effectively solves the problems of low efficiency and high labor intensity of manual operation. The transport platform 1 automatically completes equipment entry and exit and material transportation, the robotic arm component replaces manual handling of heavy objects, and the double-stroke slide rail design allows the cutting mechanism to adapt to narrow working spaces. The retractable characteristic of the shearing component 3 avoids structural interference during equipment movement, and the layout of the buffer position 5 and the placement slot 4 forms a closed-loop material flow, reducing production downtime. The overall solution realizes full automation of the circular knitting machine fabric unloading operation, significantly improving production efficiency.

[0026] This application further proposes that the scissor assembly 9 includes a scissor bracket 10, which is slidably mounted on the second stroke slide rail 8. A blade 12 fixing plate 11 is fixedly mounted on the scissor bracket 10, and the blade 12 is mounted on the blade 12 fixing plate 11.

[0027] The scissor bracket 10 is a support structure that supports the blade 12 fixing plate 11 and the blade 12. It can be made of aluminum alloy profiles or welded steel plates, and its sliding installation uses a sliding rail and slider to achieve linear guidance. The blade 12 fixing plate 11 is a transition component that rigidly connects the blade 12 and the scissor bracket 10. It can be made of 5-8mm thick carbon steel plate and fixed with bolts to eliminate the assembly gap between the blade 12 and the bracket. The blade 12 is a sharp component used for cutting fabric. It can be made of high-speed steel or cemented carbide and fixed in the pre-set mounting holes of the blade 12 fixing plate 11 with countersunk screws.

[0028] Specifically, the scissor bracket 10 slides along the second stroke slide rail 8, and the straightness error of the slide rail is controlled within 0.05mm / m. When the slide rail drive system is started, the blade 12 fixing plate 11 drives the blade 12 to move in a uniform linear motion along the slide rail direction. The rigid connection between the blade 12 fixing plate 11 and the scissor bracket 10 ensures that there is no relative displacement of the blade 12 during its movement, and the cutting edge of the blade 12 is always perpendicular to the fabric surface. During the cutting process, the repeatability of the slide rail system reaches ±0.1mm, ensuring the consistency of the cutting path of the blade 12 each time.

[0029] Through the above technical solution, this application solves the problem of uneven fabric cuts caused by mechanical vibration and positioning deviation during automated cutting, and achieves precise control of the movement trajectory of the blade 12 in continuous cutting operations. The combined structure of the slide rail and the fixing plate ensures that the cutting force is evenly transmitted to the entire length of the blade 12, avoiding deformation of the blade 12 caused by excessive local stress in traditional cutting machines. The multi-point locking design of the blade 12 fixing plate 11 effectively suppresses the resonance phenomenon caused by high-frequency shearing action, ensuring system stability under 60 cutting operations per minute.

[0030] This application further proposes that the robotic arm gripper assembly 2 includes a rubbing roller assembly 22, which is configured to drive the cloth roller to rotate to realize cloth feeding or rolling operations; the scissor assembly 9 includes a cloth support plate 23, which is fixed to the top of the second stroke slide rail 8, and the scissor bracket 10 is configured to slide inside the cloth support plate 23.

[0031] Among them, the friction wheel assembly 22 refers to the actuator that generates rotational power through mechanical drive. Specifically, it can be implemented by using a motor to drive the friction wheel or a pulley. The surface of the friction wheel is provided with a rubber layer to increase the contact friction with the cloth roller. The cloth support plate 23 refers to a plate structure with planar support function. Specifically, it can be made of stainless steel plate to form a smooth support surface, and the surface is polished to reduce the sliding resistance of the cloth.

[0032] Specifically, when the robotic arm gripper assembly 2 picks up the fully loaded fabric roller and moves it towards the buffer position 5, the roller assembly 22 actively drives the fabric roller to rotate and release the fabric. During the release process, by controlling the matching relationship between the fabric roller speed and the robotic arm's moving speed, the fabric between the fabric roller and the circular knitting machine is kept in a tension-free state. The released fabric is laid flat on the surface of the support plate 23 to form a relaxed section. At this time, the scissor bracket 10 moves along the internal slide rail of the support plate 23 to the edge of the fabric. When the shearing action is started, the pressure plate 14 and the support plate 23 jointly clamp the relaxed fabric, and the blade 12 completes the cutting along the cutting groove 15. After the cutting is completed, the relaxed fabric end is still constrained on the surface of the support plate 23, providing a positioning reference for the subsequent empty core winding.

[0033] Compared to existing technologies, traditional manual operation requires operators to manually rotate the fabric roller to adjust the fabric tension, resulting in low adjustment accuracy and an inability to maintain a relaxed fabric state. Existing equipment lacks linkage control between fabric release and the cutting station, making the fabric end prone to misalignment due to tension rebound after cutting. This solution utilizes the coordinated action of the robotic arm gripper and the shearing component 3 to actively control the amount of fabric released during the fabric roller transfer process. Combined with the planar support function of the fabric support plate 23, this ensures that the fabric at the cutting station remains tension-free, eliminating the possibility of fabric rebound from a physical structural perspective.

[0034] Through the above technical solution, this application effectively solves the problem of cut deviation caused by uneven tension during the fabric cutting process. By cooperating with the automated fabric release and support structure, it ensures that the cut fabric ends are accurately stopped at the predetermined work position, providing an accurate positioning reference for the subsequent fabric rolling process, and realizing continuous automated operation of fabric roller transfer and fabric cutting.

[0035] This application further proposes to provide a fabric pressing mechanism 13 in the scissor assembly 9. The fabric pressing mechanism 13 includes a pressure plate 14 fixed to the scissor bracket 10. A cutting groove 15 is opened in the middle of the pressure plate 14 and the blade 12 is placed in the groove.

[0036] The fabric pressing mechanism 13 refers to a device that applies pressure to the fabric through a mechanical structure. Specifically, it can be implemented using a metal pressure plate 14 and a spring linkage mechanism to maintain the flatness of the fabric during the cutting process. The cutting groove 15 in the middle of the pressure plate 14 refers to a strip-shaped opening located in the middle of the pressure plate 14. Specifically, it can be formed into a groove structure by laser cutting to provide movement space for the blade 12 while maintaining the fabric on both sides under pressure.

[0037] Specifically, during the cutting process, the scissor bracket 10 moves the pressure plate 14 above the fabric, and the pressure plate 14 presses down to make the fabric adhere tightly to the support plate 23. The pressure plate 14 areas on both sides of the cutting groove 15 form a symmetrical pressure distribution on the fabric, eliminating the deformation caused by the fabric's own elasticity. When the blade 12 moves along a predetermined trajectory within the cutting groove 15, the groove wall guides the blade 12, preventing deviation in the cutting direction. The width of the cutting groove 15 and the thickness of the blade 12 form a clearance fit, allowing the blade 12 to move freely while limiting its lateral swing amplitude. After the blade 12 completes the cutting action, the pressure plate 14 retracts synchronously with the scissor bracket 10, releasing the pressure on the fabric.

[0038] Compared to existing technologies, traditional manual cutting requires operators to manually press the fabric, which can lead to uneven pressure and wrinkles. Existing automated equipment often uses independent pressure rollers, requiring additional drive mechanisms and resulting in complex structures. This solution integrates the fabric pressing function into the scissor assembly 9. By synchronizing the movements of the pressure plate 14 and the blade 12, the timing of fabric fixing and cutting actions is coordinated while simplifying the mechanical structure.

[0039] Through the above technical solution, this application achieves dynamic and stable control during the fabric cutting process, effectively preventing skewing caused by fabric displacement and ensuring the straightness accuracy of the cutting trajectory. The cooperative design of the pressure plate 14 and the cutting groove 15 simultaneously completes the fabric fixing and cutting operations in a single stroke, avoiding the accumulation of errors from secondary fabric positioning in traditional step-by-step operations and improving the reliability of automated shearing operations.

[0040] This application further proposes a rotatable pressure roller 20 mechanism 17 installed in the pressure roller 20 grooves 16 evenly distributed on both sides of the cutting groove 15.

[0041] Among them, the pressure roller 20 groove 16 refers to the rectangular groove structure distributed on both sides of the cutting groove 15, which can be implemented by a U-shaped groove structure with equal spacing, used to limit the position and movement trajectory of the pressure roller 20 mechanism 17. The pressure roller 20 mechanism 17 refers to a rotating assembly composed of a bracket and a roller, which can be implemented by a structure in which a rotating shaft and bearing are installed in an inverted U-shaped bracket. The pressure is adjusted by a spring, so that the roller generates an elastic downward pressure when it contacts the fabric.

[0042] Specifically, the grooves 16 of the pressure rollers 20 are arranged equidistantly along the length of the cutting groove 15, forming symmetrically distributed linear pressure application points. When the fabric enters below the pressure plate 14, the pressure roller mechanism 17 applies vertical pressure to the fabric surface through its own gravity and spring force. During the cutting process of the blade 12, the pressure rollers 20 rotate with the movement of the fabric, allowing the fabric to undergo slight displacement within a fixed area, eliminating local tensile deformation caused by stress in the cutting direction. At the same time, the segmented pressure distribution formed by multiple pressure roller mechanisms 20 avoids the stress concentration phenomenon in the edge area caused by the traditional integral pressure plate 14.

[0043] Compared to existing technologies, traditional fabric fixing devices use a single pressure plate 14 to directly cover the cutting area, which causes deformation of the cut due to the elastic contraction of the fabric at the moment of cutting. This solution uses independent pressure rollers 20 and mechanism 17 to create a flexible contact surface, allowing the fabric to naturally release internal stress while maintaining the straightness of the cutting line. The segmented pressure application method avoids fabric damage caused by excessive local compression and ensures that the fabric remains flat throughout the cutting process.

[0044] Through the above technical solution, the fabric is flexibly fixed by the evenly distributed pressure rollers 20 mechanism 17 during the cutting process, effectively preventing displacement and wrinkles caused by sudden tension changes. The rotational characteristics of the pressure rollers 20 allow for slight displacement compensation of the fabric in the cutting direction, eliminating the tensile deformation caused by rigid fixing. The segmented pressure application mechanism avoids the indentation damage to the fabric surface caused by the traditional integral pressure plate 14, ensuring that the edges of the cut fabric roll are neat.

[0045] This application further proposes that the front end of the pressure plate 14 is provided with a rocker plate 24.

[0046] The rocker arm 24 is a guide structure located at the front end of the pressure plate 14. It can be implemented using an upwardly tilted, curved metal plate with a smoothly curved edge at its end. This structure physically guides the fabric to slide naturally into the working area below the pressure plate 14. The tilt angle of the rocker arm 24 can be set between 15° and 45°, with a fixed angle of 30° being particularly effective, as experimental verification has shown that this angle range can effectively prevent the front end of the fabric from colliding hard with the edge of the pressure plate 14.

[0047] Specifically, when the fabric is conveyed to the shearing area, the rocker arm 24 contacts the fabric through its upward-curved front end. During movement, the front end of the fabric first contacts the inclined surface of the rocker arm 24. Under the combined influence of gravity and the direction of movement, the fabric naturally moves downwards along the curved surface of the rocker arm 24 into the gap between the pressure plate 14 and the fabric support plate 23. In this process, the rocker arm 24 eliminates the right-angle contact between the fabric and the pressure plate 14, preventing localized accumulation of the fabric due to edge jamming, thus ensuring the fabric enters the shearing area smoothly.

[0048] Compared to existing technologies, the front end of the pressure plate 14 in traditional shearing devices is a right-angle structure, which can easily cause the front end to curl or shift due to frictional resistance when the fabric enters. This solution, by adding a rocker plate 24 structure, achieves fabric self-centering using mechanical guiding principles without the need for an additional drive device, thus solving the efficiency loss problem caused by manual adjustment or complex guide roller systems.

[0049] Through the above technical solution, this application can effectively eliminate the risk of positional deviation when the fabric enters the cutting area, avoid the phenomenon of skewed cutting lines caused by fabric wrinkles, and reduce the manual processing of the fabric before cutting, so as to ensure the continuity of the automated cutting process.

[0050] This application further proposes that the pressure roller 20 mechanism 17 includes an inverted U-shaped fixed bracket 18, an inverted U-shaped movable bracket 19 is movably installed inside the fixed bracket 18, the pressure roller 20 is rotatably installed inside the movable bracket 19, and an adjusting spring 21 is connected between the top of the movable bracket 19 and the top of the inner side of the fixed bracket 18.

[0051] The inverted U-shaped fixed bracket 18 refers to a U-shaped cross-section support member with a downward opening, which can be formed by bending a steel plate, and is used to provide vertical sliding space for the movable bracket 19. The inverted U-shaped movable bracket 19 refers to a movable U-shaped member nested within the fixed bracket 18, which can be made of aluminum alloy profile with slide rails, and is used to support the pressure roller 20 and achieve vertical displacement. The adjusting spring 21 is an elastic element with axial extension and contraction function, which can be a helical compression spring, and is used to generate adjustable contact pressure between the movable bracket 19 and the fixed bracket 18.

[0052] Specifically, when the fabric enters the pressure plate 14 area, the movable bracket 19 generates a downward force through the adjusting spring 21, causing the pressure roller 20 to contact the fabric surface. When the fabric thickness changes, the movable bracket 19 undergoes vertical displacement along the inner wall of the fixed bracket 18, automatically adjusting the clamping force through the compression deformation of the spring. While maintaining contact pressure on the fabric, the pressure roller 20 can rotate with the fabric movement, reducing frictional resistance. This forms a clamping device with adaptive adjustment function, preventing displacement due to insufficient pressure during fabric cutting and avoiding fabric deformation due to excessive pressure.

[0053] Compared with existing technologies, traditional fabric pressing devices mostly use fixed pressure plates 14 or rigid pressure rollers 20 with manually adjustable bolts, which cannot adapt to the pressing requirements of fabrics of different thicknesses. This solution achieves dynamic balance of fabric pressing force through the cooperation of springs and movable brackets 19, solving the problems of low efficiency and poor pressure consistency of manual adjustment.

[0054] Through the above technical solution, this application automatically maintains stable contact pressure during the fabric cutting process, preventing the fabric from slipping or springing back, ensuring that the flatness of the cut meets the requirements of the subsequent automatic fabric rolling process, and adapting to the thickness changes of different batches of fabric, thereby improving production continuity and quality stability.

[0055] This application further proposes the following steps: When the transport platform 1, carrying the empty core and the shearing device, approaches the circular knitting machine, the shearing assembly 3 is in a retracted state, completely retracted into the transport platform 1; the transport platform 1 enters the machine through the narrow door of the circular knitting machine, the first stroke slide rail 7 drives the second stroke slide rail 8 to move to the outermost side, and the second stroke slide rail 8 then drives the shearing assembly 9 to move to the outermost side, so that the shearing assembly 9 is located on the side of the fabric; the robotic arm gripper assembly 2 grabs the full fabric roller and places it on the buffer position 5 behind the shearing assembly 3 during the movement. The fabric is released by rotating the fabric roller driven by the rubbing roller assembly 22, so that the fabric laid on the fabric support plate 23 is in a relaxed state; the first stroke slide rail 7 and the second stroke slide rail 8 move synchronously, so that the scissor assembly 9 moves to the other side at a uniform speed. The fabric enters under the pressure plate 14 through the rocker plate 24 at the front end of the pressure plate 14. The pressure plate 14 and the pressure roller 20 mechanism 17 fix the fabric, and the blade 12 rotates to complete the cutting; the robotic arm gripper assembly 2 takes out the empty core from the placement slot 4, rolls the fabric, and installs it on the circular knitting machine; the AMR transport vehicle carries the cut fabric roller away from the circular knitting machine.

[0056] The transport platform 1 refers to the movable base used to support the hollow core and the shearing device. It can be implemented using an automated carrier with a walking mechanism. The retracted shearing assembly 3 avoids interference with the narrow gate of the circular knitting machine. The first stroke slide rail 7 is a linear guide rail extending longitudinally along the transport platform 1. It can be implemented using a ball screw drive structure and is used to drive the second stroke slide rail 8 laterally to adjust the working range of the shearing assembly 9. The second stroke slide rail 8 is a guide rail arranged perpendicular to the first stroke slide rail 7. It can be implemented using an electric slide table structure and is used to drive the shearing assembly 9 to precisely position it along the side of the fabric. The rubbing roller assembly 22 is a clamping mechanism with a rotary drive function. It can be implemented using a servo motor and a rubber friction wheel structure, releasing fabric tension by actively rotating the fabric roller. The pressure roller mechanism 17 is a rolling pressing device with elastic adjustment function. It can be implemented using an inverted U-shaped bracket and a spring adjustment structure, keeping the fabric flat and preventing deviation during the cutting process. AMR transport vehicles refer to autonomous mobile robots, which can be implemented by combining laser navigation and obstacle avoidance systems with AGV chassis structures, and are used for the automatic transport of finished fabric rolls.

[0057] Specifically, when the transport platform 1, carrying empty core rods and the retracted shearing assembly 3, approaches the circular knitting machine, its overall height is compressed to pass through the machine's narrow gate. Once inside the machine, the first-stroke slide rail 7 drives the second-stroke slide rail 8 to extend laterally, allowing the shearing assembly 9 to reach the starting position at the edge of the fabric. During the gripping of the full-length fabric roller, the robotic arm gripper assembly 2 actively releases the fabric through the reverse rotation of the rubbing wheel assembly 22, causing the fabric piled on the fabric support plate 23 to relax, eliminating the risk of elastic shrinkage after cutting. During cutting, the dual slide rails synchronously drive the shearing assembly 9 to move at a uniform speed. The rocker arm 24 at the front of the pressure plate 14 guides the fabric to below the pressure roller 20 mechanism 17. The spring-adjusted pressure roller 20 maintains appropriate pressure while allowing the fabric to pass smoothly. After cutting, the robotic arm gripper assembly 2 directly picks up the pre-placed empty core rods for fabric rolling, avoiding manual handling of heavy objects. The AMR transport vehicle automatically transports the finished fabric roll to the designated area according to a preset path, completing the entire material transfer process.

[0058] Compared with existing technologies, traditional methods rely on manual operation to open doors, cut, transport and change rollers, requiring multiple entries and exits from the machine to adjust the equipment. In contrast, this solution integrates a transport platform 1 with automated components, enabling the shearing device to autonomously deploy and position itself inside the machine. The robotic arm simultaneously completes the replacement of cloth rollers and control of cloth tension, and the AMR transport vehicle achieves unmanned material transportation, integrating the originally separate manual operation steps into a continuous automated process.

[0059] Through the above technical solution, this application can avoid frequent manual entry and exit from the machine, eliminate the physical labor of carrying the fabric rollers, ensure the flatness of the fabric after cutting through automated fabric feeding control, and achieve a stable cutting path by using the coordinated movement of double slide rails, ultimately achieving a fully automatic closed-loop operation of the circular knitting machine's fabric feeding, cutting and roller changing process.

[0060] The above description is merely an embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A device for the delivery of fabric from a circular knitting machine, characterized in that it comprises a transport platform (1) on which a mechanical arm gripper assembly (2), a cutting assembly (3) and a placement slot (4) for placing empty bobbins in front of the cutting assembly (3) are arranged; a buffer station (5) for placing finished fabric rolls is arranged behind the cutting assembly (3).

2. The device for the delivery of fabric from a circular knitting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the cutting assembly (9) comprises a cutting arm support (10) which is slidingly mounted on the second stroke slide (8), a blade (12) fixed plate (11) is fixedly mounted on the cutting arm support (10), and a blade (12) is mounted on the blade (12) fixed plate (11).

3. The device for the delivery of fabric from a circular knitting machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the mechanical arm gripper assembly (2) comprises a rubbing wheel assembly (22) for rotating the fabric roll to deliver or wind the fabric.

4. The device for the delivery of fabric from a circular knitting machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the cutting assembly (9) further comprises a fabric supporting plate (23) which is fixedly mounted on the top end of the second stroke slide (8), and the cutting arm support (10) slides in the fabric supporting plate (23).

5. The device for the delivery of fabric from a circular knitting machine according to claim 4, characterized in that the cutting assembly (9) further comprises a fabric pressing mechanism (13) which comprises a pressing plate (14) fixedly connected to the cutting arm support (10), a cutting slot (15) is formed in the middle part of the pressing plate (14), and the blade (12) is located in the cutting slot (15).

6. The device for the delivery of fabric from a circular knitting machine according to claim 5, characterized in that the pressing plate (14) is provided with a lifting plate (24) at the front end.

7. The device for the delivery of fabric from a circular knitting machine according to claim 6, characterized in that the pressing wheel (20) mechanism (17) comprises an inverted U-shaped fixed support (18), an inverted U-shaped movable support (19) is movably mounted in the fixed support (18), a pressing wheel (20) is rotatably mounted on the inner side of the movable support (19), and an adjusting spring (21) is connected between the top end of the movable support (19) and the inner top end of the fixed support (18). ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

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