Method for knitting pile fabric using a flat knitting machine

Abstract

To provide a pile knitted fabric knitting method excellent in knitting efficiency.CONSTITUTION: A route switching cam 17 is provided. In a pile knitting course, a cam system on knitted fabric base side pulls in both pile yarn and binding yarn while a cam system on pile loop formation side pulls in the pile yarn alone in SYS1. Subsequently the cam system on the knitted fabric base side pulls in an additional yarn while the cam system on the pile loop formation side removes pile loop from needle in SYS2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for knitting a pile fabric using a flat knitting machine. [Background technology]

[0002] A pile knit fabric is formed by forming a base of the pile knit fabric with stitches made of pile yarn and finishing yarn using knitting needles on one of the front needle beds (hereinafter referred to as FB) or back needle bed (hereinafter referred to as BB), and then forming pile loops made only of pile yarn on the back side of the base using knitting needles on the other needle bed.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a method for knitting pile fabric using a flat knitting machine equipped with a sinker device. However, the method described in Patent Document 1 cannot be knitted using a flat knitting machine that does not have a sinker device for drawing out pile yarn. thing is not possible.

[0004] Fig. 3 shows a method of knitting a pile fabric using a method different from that of Patent Document 1. This method is an example in which stitches made with additional yarns are added to the base knitting of the pile fabric in addition to stitches made with pile yarns and finishing yarns. By adding stitches made with additional yarns to the base stitches, in addition to stitches made with pile yarns and finishing yarns, the pile loops can be tightened to prevent them from loosening.

[0005] Fig. 3 shows knitting using a carriage equipped with two cam systems, a leading cam system (SYS1) and a trailing cam system (SYS2). Yarn feeder P is for pile yarn 31, and yarn feeder B is for finishing yarn 33. The pile yarn 31 is assigned to SYS1, and the finishing yarn 33 is assigned to SYS2.

[0006] In step (1), SYS1 advances and retreats the knitting needles of FB and BB to draw in the pile yarn 31. At this time, the knitting needles of FB are retracted to the extent that the old stitches formed in the previous course are not knocked over from the tips of the knitting needles, and this state is maintained while being guided to the following SYS2. SYS2 does not operate the knitting needles of BB, and only the knitting needles of FB in the above state are retracted again to feed in the finishing yarn 33. As a result, the knitting needles of FB draw in both the pile yarn 31 and the finishing yarn 33, knocking over the old stitches and forming the first knitting course that is the base of the pile fabric.

[0007] In step (2), SYS1 feeds additional yarn 35 to the knitting needles of FB through yarn feeder A to form the second knitted course of the base fabric. In SYS2, the knitting needles of BB are advanced and retreated without feeding the knitting yarn, and the pile loops formed in SYS1 in step (1) are brushed off from the knitting needles. In step (2), either knitting of SYS1 or knitting of SYS2 can be performed first. The pile fabric is knitted by repeating knitting of steps (1) and (2). However, due to the standby positions of each yarn feeder, there are empty courses where the carriage simply moves without knitting as shown in step (3), so the carriage needs to move three courses to complete one knitting cycle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 60-59333 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] In the case of FIG. 3, in SYS1 of step (1), it is necessary to adjust the height position of the stitch cam or remove it so that the knitting needle of FB does not knock over the old stitch formed in the previous course from the needle tip. In addition, to knit a pile knit fabric with additional yarn using two cam systems, the carriage needs to move for three courses, which makes the productivity extremely low. If knitting is to be completed with one carriage course, a carriage equipped with at least four cam systems is required. Therefore, a knitting method for knitting a knit fabric that can be knitted efficiently is required. The present invention aims to provide a knitting method for a pile knit fabric with excellent knitting efficiency. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The present invention is a method for knitting a pile fabric by repeating the following knitting steps using a flat knitting machine having at least two cam systems on each of front and rear carriages that travel back and forth over front and rear needle beds on which a plurality of knitting needles are arranged: the leading cam system feeds pile yarn and finishing yarn, and knitting needles on one of the front and rear needle beds form a first stitch course that is the base of the pile fabric with stitches made of the pile yarn and finishing yarn, and knitting needles on the other needle bed form pile loops made of only pile yarn on the back side of the base, and the trailing cam system feeds additional yarn to form a second knit course following the first knit course, Each cam system has a raising cam surface that raises a butt provided on the knitting needle, and a needle raising cam that advances the knitting needle; A stitch cam having a first pull-in surface for lowering the butt and pulling down the knitting needle is provided, and each cam system of the carriage on the side where the pile loop is formed out of the front and rear carriages is provided with a route switching cam capable of switching between an active state and an inactive state, the route switching cam having a second pull-in surface for lowering the butt on the leading side of the first pull-in surface of the stitch cam, In the leading cam system, two yarn feeders are assigned, one for the pile yarn to the leading yarn feeder and one for the finishing yarn to the trailing yarn feeder. In the cam system for forming the pile loop, the route switching cam is activated so that the knitting needles only catch the pile yarn out of the pile yarn and finishing yarn. In the cam system for forming the base of the pile fabric, the knitting needles catch both the pile yarn and the finishing yarn to form the first stitch course which is the base of the pile fabric. In the trailing cam system, a yarn feeder for the additional yarn is assigned to the trailing side corresponding to the position where the finishing yarn is brought in, and in the cam system on the side which sweeps the pile loop formed by the leading cam system from the knitting needle, the route switching cam is put into an operative state so that the knitting needle sweeps only the pile loop without consuming the additional yarn, and in the cam system on the side which forms the base of the pile fabric, the knitting needle is made to consume the additional yarn to form the second stitch course which becomes the base of the pile fabric.

[0011] Preferably, a route-switching cam is provided in each of the front and rear cam systems so that pile loops can be formed with either the front or rear cam system, and pile loops are formed on both sides of the pile fabric by interweaving a course in which pile knitting is performed with the route-switching cam of one of the front and rear cam systems in an operative state and a course in which pile knitting is performed with the route-switching cam of the other front or rear cam system in an operative state. Effect of the Invention

[0012] In the present invention, in the course where pile knitting is performed, the cam system on the side that forms the base of the knitted fabric pulls in both the pile yarn and the finishing yarn, but the cam system on the side that forms the pile loop pulls in only the preceding pile yarn because the route switching cam is in operation. As a result, knitting of the pile yarn and the finishing yarn can be completed with a single cam system, and knitting of the additional yarn and clearing of the pile loop can also be completed with the following single cam system. Therefore, if a flat knitting machine with at least two cam systems mounted on the carriage is used, even when stitches made with an additional yarn are added to knitting of the pile fabric, the course of the pile fabric can be knitted with just one movement of the carriage.

[0013] Furthermore, if a route switching cam is provided for each of the front and rear cam systems, pile loops can be formed with either the front or rear cam system. This makes it possible to obtain a knitted fabric with pile loops formed on both the front and back (front and back) of the base of the knitted fabric. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the correspondence between a cam system (SYS1) for performing pile knitting according to an embodiment and knitting needles. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a cam system (SYS2) for performing pile knitting according to the embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing pile knitting by a conventional flat knitting machine. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0016] In the embodiment, an example using a two-bed flat knitting machine will be described. The flat knitting machine is equipped with two cam systems 3 and multiple yarn feeders on front and rear carriages that travel back and forth over FB and BB on which multiple knitting needles 1 are arranged. Note that the drive system of the cams and pressers mounted on the cam system 3, the configuration of the needle beds, the method of selecting knitting needles, etc. are the same as those of known flat knitting machines disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 5057996 and the like, so explanations will be omitted. In addition, in the present embodiment, a route switching cam, which will be described later, is provided on each of the front and rear cam systems 3.

[0017] Fig. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the correspondence between the knitting needle 1 and the cam system 3. SYS1 and SYS2 have the same configuration. The knitting needle 1 includes a needle body 5, a needle jack 7, a select jack 9, and a selector 11. The needle jack 7 includes a butt 7a for moving the knitting needle 1 forward and backward, and the select jack 9 includes a butt 9a for selecting the A, H, or B position. In the figure, the select jack 9 is set to the intermediate H position.

[0018] The cam system 3 is a cam system capable of performing knit, tuck and miss, but may also be a composite cam system capable of transferring stitches. The figure shows the state of SYS1 when the cam system 3 travels leftward to perform knitting. The cam system 3 comprises a number of cams acting on the butt 7a and a number of pressers acting on the butt 9a. The needle raising cam 13 located in the center and the stitch cams 15, 15 and route switching cams 17, 17 located on either side of the needle raising cam 13 act on the butt 7a.

[0019] The needle raising cam 13 has a raising cam surface 13a which acts on the butt 7a to raise the knitting needle 1 to the knit position. The stitch cam 15 has a first pull-in surface 15a which lowers the butt 7a. In normal knitting such as knitting and tuck, the butt 7a passes through the route switching cam 17 and is guided by the first pull-in surface 15a of the stitch cam 15 to pass through the pull-in route (normal route). When performing pile knitting, the cam system 3 which knits the side that becomes the base of the knitted fabric that does not form pile loops makes the butt 7a pass through the normal route.

[0020] The welt presser 19 is disposed at the B position, which is the initial position for needle selection, and presses the select jack 9 that has not been selected to cause the knitting needle 1 to miss. The tuck presser 21 is disposed at the A position, and route switching pressers 23 are provided on the left and right of the tuck presser 21. 17acts to feed the pile yarn 31 to the knitting needle 1 but not the finishing yarn 33, and is disposed above the first pull-in surface 15a of the stitch cam 15. The route-switching cam 17 has a second pull-in surface 17a that lowers the butt 7a.

[0021] The route switching cam 17 is configured to be about half the thickness of the stitch cam 15 and the needle raising cam 13, and the amount of pressure that the route switching presser 23 applies to the butt 9a is about half that of the welt presser 19 and the tuck presser 21 (a presser of half height). In this case, the butt 9a of the select jack 9 is only half-pressed by the route switching presser 23, so the butt 7a of the needle jack 7 is also half-sunk. As a result, the butt 7a passes through without being acted upon by the route switching cam 17, and is drawn in by the first drawing surface 15a of the stitch cam 15.

[0022] The route switching presser 23 is driven by a driving means such as a solenoid, and is configured to be able to swing between a raised inoperative position shown on the left side of the figure and a lowered operative position (H position) shown on the right side of the figure. Alternatively, the route switching presser 23 may be configured to be able to switch between the operative position and the inoperative position by controlling the appearance and disappearance of the presser 23 by a driving means such as a solenoid. Regarding the yarn feeders, a leading yarn feeder P that feeds pile yarn 31 and a trailing yarn feeder B that feeds finishing yarn 33 are held at the positions shown in the figure relative to the cam system and run.

[0023] Hereinafter, a description will be given of knitting of a pile fabric by the flat knitting machine equipped with the above-mentioned cam system 3. An example will be given in which the base of the pile fabric is formed with FB knitting needles, and the pile loops are formed with BB knitting needles.

[0024] Fig. 1 shows the state of SYS1 forming the base (first stitch course) of the pile fabric when the carriage is traveling leftward. The butt 7a of the select jack of the knitting needle 1 is set to the H position, the leading route switching presser 23 is set to the inoperative position, and the trailing route switching presser 23 is set to the H position. Meanwhile, in the BB cam system (not shown) which forms the pile loop, the knitting needle 1 is set to the H position, and both the leading and trailing route switching pressers 23 are set to their raised inoperative positions.

[0025] At the I position, the butt 9a of the select jack 9 selected for the H position of FB and BB is not affected by either presser, so the knitting needle 1 advances to the knit position and can hook the pile yarn 31. However, at the subsequent II position, in the FB cam system 3 that forms the base of the knitted fabric, the butt 9a is subjected to the pressing action of the route switching presser 23, so the knitting needle 1 passes through without being affected by the second pull-in surface 17a of the route switching cam 17. As a result, the knitting needle 1 remains in approximately the same state as at the I position, and can also hook the finishing yarn 33 fed from the following yarn feeder B. After that, it is pulled down by the first pull-in surface 15a of the following stitch cam 15, and both the pile yarn 31 and the finishing yarn 33 form the first stitch course that is the base of the pile knitted fabric.

[0026] On the other hand, in the cam system 3 of BB which forms pile loops, the route switching presser 23 is in an inoperative position, so the butt 9a is pulled down along the second pull-in surface 17a of the loop switching cam 17, and then further pulled down by the first pull-in surface 15a of the stitch cam 15. In other words, the knitting needle 1 is pulled down before the finishing yarn 33 is fed, so that only the pile yarn 31 is hooked on the knitting needle 1.

[0027] FIG. 2 shows the state of SYS2 forming the base (second stitch course) of the pile fabric. SYS2 is in the same state as SYS1, except that the yarn feeder A for the additional yarn 35 is assigned to the rear side corresponding to the entrainment position of the finishing yarn 33 in SYS1. That is, in the I position, the butts 9a of the select jacks 9 selected for the H positions of FB and BB are not acted upon by either presser, so the knitting needles 1 advance to the knit position. However, in the subsequent II position, the butts 9a of FB forming the base of the knitted fabric are pressed by the route switching presser 23 and pass through without being acted upon by the second pull-in surface 17a of the route switching cam 17. As a result, the knitting needles 1 maintain almost the same height as in the I position, so after the additional yarn 35 from the yarn feeder A is hooked, they are pulled down by the first pull-in surface 15a to form the second stitch course that is the base of the pile fabric.

[0028] On the other hand, in the BB, the knitting needle that has advanced to the knit position has the route switching presser 23 in the inoperative position, so that the butt 9a is pulled down along the second pull-in surface 17a of the loop switching cam 17, and then further pulled down by the first pull-in surface 15a. In other words, the knitting needle 1 is pulled down before receiving the supply of the additional yarn 35, so the pile loop formed in SYS1 is brushed off from the knitting needle.

[0029] For this operation, two cam systems are used, knitting is performed with pile yarn 31 and finishing yarn 33 in SYS1, and in SYS2, the pile loop is released from the knitting needle 1 of BB by moving the needle 1 back and forth without feeding the yarn, and course knitting is performed with additional yarn 35 on the knitting needle 1 of FB, so that knitting can be completed with one movement of the carriage (one course). By repeating knitting in this manner, it is possible to knit a pile fabric (single-sided pile) having a pile loop on the back side of the base of the fabric with dramatically improved productivity compared to conventional knitting.

[0030] A route-switching cam 17 may be provided on each of the front and rear cam systems 3 so that pile loops can be formed by either the front or rear cam system 3. By interweaving a course in which pile knitting is performed with the route-switching cam 17 of one of the front and rear cam systems 3 in an operative state for each carriage movement course, and a course in which pile knitting is performed with the route-switching cam 17 of the other front or rear cam system 3 in an operative state for each carriage movement course, it is also possible to knit a pile fabric having pile loops on both the front and back of the base of the knitted fabric (double-sided pile).

[0031] The knitting method of the present application can also be applied to knitting of tubular pile fabrics by needle removal. When forming pile loops on the inside of a tubular fabric, knitting is performed in the same manner as the knitting method described above, and knitting of each of the front and rear fabrics can be completed with one carriage movement (one course). When forming pile loops on the outside of a tubular fabric, knitting of each of the front and rear fabrics can be completed with one carriage movement (one course) using a carriage equipped with four composite cam systems that also allow stitch transfer. [Explanation of symbols]

[0032] 1 Knitting needle 3 Cam System 5 Needle body 7 Needle Jack 7a Bat 9 Select Jack 9a Bat 11 Selectors 13 Needle Raising Cam 13a Raising cam surface 15 degree mountain cam 15a First retraction surface 17 Route Switching Cam 17a Second retraction surface 19 Weltpressor 21 Tack Presser 23 Route Switching Pressa 31 Pile Yarn 33 Finishing thread 35 Additional Thread P,B,A Yarn feeder

Claims

1. A flat knitting machine is used in which at least two cam systems are provided on each of front and rear carriages that reciprocate over front and rear needle beds on which a plurality of knitting needles are arranged, A method for knitting a pile fabric by repeating knitting in which a pile yarn and a finishing yarn are fed in a leading cam system, a first stitch course that is a base of the pile fabric is formed with stitches of the pile yarn and the finishing yarn using knitting needles on one of the front and rear needle beds, and a pile loop consisting of only the pile yarn is formed on the back side of the base using knitting needles on the other needle bed, and an additional yarn is fed in a trailing cam system to form a second stitch course following the first stitch course, Each cam system has: a needle raising cam having a raising cam surface for raising a butt provided on the knitting needle and for advancing the knitting needle; A stitch cam having a first pull-in surface for lowering the butt and pulling down the knitting needle is provided, and each cam system of the carriage on the side where the pile loop is formed out of the front and rear carriages is provided with a route switching cam capable of switching between an active state and an inactive state, the route switching cam having a second pull-in surface for lowering the butt on the leading side of the first pull-in surface of the stitch cam, In the leading cam system, In a cam system which assigns two yarn feeders, one for the pile yarn to the leading yarn feeder and one for the finish yarn to the trailing yarn feeder, and which forms a pile loop, the route switching cam is set in an operating state so that the knitting needles catch only the pile yarn out of the pile yarn and the finish yarn, and in a cam system which forms the base of a pile knitted fabric, the knitting needles catch both the pile yarn and the finish yarn to form a first stitch course which is the base of the pile knitted fabric, In the rear cam system, A method for knitting a pile fabric on a flat knitting machine, characterized in that a yarn feeder for the additional yarn is allocated to the trailing side corresponding to the position where the finishing yarn is brought in, and in a cam system on the side which sweeps the pile loop formed by the leading cam system from the knitting needles, the route switching cam is put into an operating state so that the knitting needles sweep only the pile loops without consuming the additional yarn, and in a cam system on the side which forms the base of the pile fabric, the knitting needles consume the additional yarn to form a second stitch course which becomes the base of the pile fabric.

2. 2. A method for knitting a pile fabric by a flat knitting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that a route-switching cam is provided in each of the front and rear cam systems so that pile loops can be formed with either the front or rear cam system, and pile loops are formed on both the front and back of the pile fabric by interweaving a course in which pile knitting is performed with the route-switching cam of one of the front and rear cam systems in an operative state and a course in which pile knitting is performed with the route-switching cam of the other front or rear cam system in an operative state.

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