EP0293956A1 - Method and device for treating knitting yarns along the knitwear edge - Google Patents

Abstract

In a process for processing the knitting yarn along the edge of a knitted article and/or at the transition of one knitted article to another during the manufacture of knitted articles composed of yarns of different types and/or colours in a flat knitting machine, the knitting yarns (26-29) which pass through the thread guides are cut when the type or colour of the yarn is changed. The knitting yarn which leads directly or indirectly from the end of the last row of stitches of a region of the knitted article to the laterally offset thread guide is held back when knitting is resumed on a region of the knitted article following the first and at a certain distance from the latter, in front of the first row of stitches and in the same plane. When several stitches in this new row have been knitted, the thread is cut at a very short distance from this first row of stitches. The process and construction are thereby considerably simplified and the space requirements are appreciably reduced.

Description

The present invention relates to a method and a device for treating the knitting yarns and / or a separating thread along at least one edge of a knitted piece and / or at the transition from one knitted piece to the next during its manufacture by means of a flat knitting machine according to the preamble of claim 1 and that of claim 15.

In the production of, for example, multi-colored knitted pieces by means of a flat knitting machine, according to a known Method or device of the knitting yarns in connection with the assigned thread guide, which remains switched off during the non-knitting of this particular color, while processing knitting yarns of a different color, and knitted again at the beginning of the relevant repeat. This means that within a knitted fabric, the respective knitting yarns extend in the form of long loops from the repeat area to the repeat area along one or both edges of the knitted piece. This has considerable disadvantages in the further processing or assembly of the knitted pieces, since these yarn loops are not only a hindrance, but are also particularly disadvantageous in that, if the thread loops are pulled because one has accidentally got caught, there are several Pull stitches irreparably within the knitted fabric. There is then no alternative but to either evaluate this knitted fabric as a committee or to make it smaller. In addition, a large number of identical knitted fabrics are generally produced one after the other on flat knitting machines, the knitted pieces being connected in each case by means of a separating thread. This means both for the knitting yarns and for the separating thread that they extend between two adjacent knitted pieces, so that they have to be cut through after manufacture in order to be able to separate the knitted pieces. This is time consuming and also entails the risk of errors. With separating threads partially used one that is thermally dissolvable, so that the separation of two knitted pieces can be solved by heat treatment, but this naturally does not apply to the knitting yarns.

In a known method or device of the type mentioned, the knitting yarns and / or the separating thread are cut off within a knitted piece or at the transition from one knitted piece to another, but this must be done in a complex manner. The cutting of the knitting yarn is carried out at one and / or the other end of the knitted piece area in question when the thread guide moves away from the needle space. The knitting yarn, which is fed with a certain thread tension, must be clamped with a clamping device before being cut off, so that the cut end of the thread cannot slip through the thread guide. In a device according to JP-U-59/33 787, a cutting device and a clamping device are provided on both sides and outside the needle space, which hold the cut end coming from the thread guide until this thread is knitted again or the thread guide is in again Activity brought on. In this way, however, it is only possible to hold and cut two knitting yarns at the same time. If, on the other hand, more knitting yarns and thus thread guides are used, the clamping devices must be arranged in the area of the thread guide. Then again with one If these knitting yarns are knitted, the thread end hanging from the thread guide or from the clamping device must be caught and held again by means of a further device until a certain length of the knitting yarn has been knitted. In this case, two clamping devices are required, namely one in the area of the thread guide for clamping before cutting off the knitting yarn and one under the needle space in order to be able to hold the end of the yarn when knitting again. This means a considerable design effort and also a space problem for these clamping devices. In addition, catching or gripping the end of the knitting yarn below the first clamping device is relatively problematic, since this end not only hangs down, but can also protrude laterally.

To avoid such clamping devices, it is known from DE-PS 723 362 to keep the thread end hanging out of the thread guide taut by means of an induced draft generated by an air flow. This known measure, apart from the fact that it does not work in this form in practical use, is also construction-intensive and also presents the designer with the problem of the space required on the thread guide if one takes into account how many knitting yarns and thus thread guides flat knitting machines work today.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a method and a device of the type mentioned at the outset with which the procedural and constructive features required for cutting off the knitting yarns and / or separating threads within a knitted piece and / or at the transition from one knitted piece to another Measures are significantly simplified and require considerably less space.

To achieve this object, the features specified in the characterizing part of claim 1 and claim 15 are provided in a method or a device of the type mentioned.

With the measures according to the invention, it is possible to avoid the aids mentioned at the outset, which considerably increase the space requirement in the area of the thread guide. While the known devices may be assigned to each thread guide, according to the invention the retention of the respective knitting yarn or separating thread at one or both edge areas of the knitted fabric by all knitting yarns or thread guides is possible, which can also be accommodated in a space-saving manner. The procedural effort and thus the control effort is also considerably reduced since it is not necessary to grasp the yarn end in question in any way. The knitting yarn or separating thread to be cut remains i Advantageously, as long as there is sufficient tension until the thread guide in question moves towards the needle space or into the needle space, the knitting yarn or the separating thread is automatically sufficiently held in the knitted fabric or in the first stitches of the respective stitch row.

The knitting yarn or separating thread can be retained either according to the features of claim 2 or 16 or according to the features of claim 3 or 17. In the former case, only a single finger element is required on one or both sides of the knitted piece, while in the second case, only a short auxiliary knitted piece is produced in the usual and easily controllable manner.

From DE-PS 1 240 616 it is known to use a deflecting finger for the yarn to be processed in a so-called cotton machine, that is to say a flat weft knitting machine, but the deflecting finger is used there because the yarn is from the detached previous item runs to the thread guide in a position perpendicular to the needle so that the thread can be placed between the needles to produce a new item. To achieve this, the deflecting finger must additionally perform a swiveling movement. This deflecting finger, which only comes into action when the previous item has left the needle space and has blown off, thus has a different function.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention according to claims 4 and 18, the cutting device is arranged in the region of the finger element or is formed as part of it, so that the yarn or thread ends protruding from the knitted edge can be kept short.

The finger element can be arranged in a stationary manner on one or both edge regions of the needle bed, which can be achieved in a structurally simple and space-saving manner.

According to claim 5 or 22, the finger element can be arranged by its movability according to the selected knitted fabric width, which reduces the paths to be traveled for the thread guide and shortens the cut yarn or thread ends protruding from the knitted fabric.

According to the features of claims 6 and 24, the thread guides that have been parked remain connected to their associated knitting thread or tren thread until the thread in question is knitted again or held in a new course of a new piece of knitted piece area to be started. The knitting yarns can be cut off at the beginning of each repeat area in which they are used, so that there are no loops from one repeat area to another.

However, if you want to avoid the resulting uneven length of cut yarn or thread ends, it is expedient according to the features of claims 7 and 25, respectively, to involve the relevant yarns or threads in the facing edge of the knitted piece, so that in result in essentially the same length of yarn or thread ends everywhere. Although there are small yarn or thread loops from repeat to repeat area, these are so short or small that they practically do not interfere with the assembly. As a result, it is also possible, as is realized in the exemplary embodiment of claim 8 or 27, to carry out the cutting operation only at the end of one piece of knitted fabric, ie before the start of the next piece of knitted fabric attached by means of the separating thread. This incorporation also has the advantage that the unintentional pulling of such a yarn loop has practically no adverse effects on the knitted piece.

If the yarn or thread ends hanging out on the edge or edges of the knitted piece are to be of approximately the same length and, at the same time, if one wants to avoid the small or short yarn or thread loops mentioned, it is expedient to present the present invention in the form of the exemplary embodiment according to claim 9 or 28 to perform. With the help of the auxiliary knitted piece thus formed, each consisting of two rows of stitches when changing colors and knitted pieces, the knitting yarn or the separating thread after knitting in the Auxiliary knitted piece can be cut out of the needle space of the actual knitted piece already after the movement of the thread guide. According to the aforementioned claims 3 and 17, a second cutting of the knitting yarn or separating thread takes place after re-knitting in the auxiliary knitted piece, laying a float and initial knitting in the new course of the new knitted piece area of the same color. Thus, the auxiliary knitted piece to be regarded as waste is immediately separated from the actual knitted piece.

In a further preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention according to claim 10 or 30 or one of the subsequent claims, the finger element is advantageously integrated into the needle bed, so that no additional space is required at other points on the machine. E.g. For the finger element, a cutting needle introduced at a specific point on the needle bed is used, which can interact with a cutting plate arranged in the opposite needle bed to form the cutting device. However, it is also possible to use a conventional knitting needle as the finger element, which has the advantage that any needle within the needle bed can be used and thus an adjustment to the knitting width is easily possible. The cutting device can then be provided on the lock slide, it being expedient for simple cutting can, in addition to the deflecting knitting needle, drive out a stabilizing knitting needle between which two knitting needles are then cut.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, two finger elements are provided on one or both sides of the knitted piece, in the form of a knitting needle in the front needle bed and a facing knitting needle in the rear needle bed. Since the knitting yarn or the separating thread is placed around both knitting needles, there is a short and tensioned yarn section between these two deflecting needles, in which cutting can be carried out in a very favorable and targeted manner. Further measures to prevent the yielding of the thread to be cut are not necessary because, firstly, the thread section in question is held securely and tightly by the two deflecting needles and, moreover, it is advantageously cut vertically from above. Furthermore, in this way the cutting device is immersed in the space already present between the needle bed combs. It is expedient according to a variant of claim 37 to use the spreading or separating wedge to force the other knitting yarns or separating threads present in this space out of the path of the cutting device.

This preferred exemplary embodiment according to claim 38 can also advantageously be used there be where the carriage assembly is provided with several locks arranged one behind the other and coming into effect.

In a further embodiment of the present invention according to claims 14 and 39, the knitting yarn or separating thread section designed as a loop is brought into the area of the cutting device between the deflecting needle and the knitted piece with the aid of a suction device after the loop has been thrown off the deflecting needle. The end of the loop is then cut off and suctioned off by means of the suction device. Since this is done below the needle bed arrangement, contamination of the machine by cut threads is avoided.

• Figur 1A und 1B in schematischer Darstellung eine teilweise abgebrochene Seitenansicht einer Flachstrickmaschine während des Herstellens von Gestrickstücken mit einer Einrichtung zum Behandeln der Strickgarne und des Trennfadens längs eines Randes der Gestrickstücke gemäß zweier Varianten eines ersten Ausführungsbeispiel vorliegender Erfindung,
• Figur 2 eine Darstellung ähnlich der der Fig. 1, jedoch gemäß einem zweiten Ausführungsbeispiel vorliegender Erfindung,
• Figur 2A einen Schnitt längs der Linie IIA-IIA der Fig. 2,
• Figur 3 eine Darstellung ähnlich der der Fig. 1A bzw. 1B, jedoch gemäß einem dritten Ausführungsbeispiel vorliegender Erfindung,
• Figuren 4A bis C in schematischer Darstellung Seitenansichten eines Nadelbettes mit einer Einrichtung gemäß einem vierten Ausführungsbeispiel vorliegender Erfindung, wobei in den Teilfiguren die einzelnen Schritte dargestellt sind,
• Figuren 5A und B einen Schnitt längs der Linie VA-VA der Fig. 4B bzw. längs der Linie VB-VB der Fig. 4C,
• Figuren 6A und 6B Ansichten ähnlich denen der Fig. 4A bzw. 4C, jedoch gemäß einem fünften Ausführungsbeispiel vorliegender Erfindung,
• Figur 6C in vergrößerter Darstellung einen Ausschnitt gemäß Kreis VIC der Fig. 6B,
• Figur 7A in schematischer Darstellung eine Draufsicht auf eine Nadelbettanordnung mit einer Einrichtung gemäß einem sechsten Ausführungsbeispiel vorliegender Erfindung,
• Figuren 7B und 7C einen Schnitt längs der Linie VIIB-VIIB der Fig. 7A bzw. eine Ansicht der Schneidvorrichtung gemäß Pfeil VIIC der Fig. 7B,
• Figur 7D eine schematische Darstellung ähnlich der der Fig. 7A, jedoch gemäß einer Variante bei einem Mehrschloßsystem, und
• Figuren 8a und 8B in schematischer Darstellung eine Draufsicht bzw. eine Seitenansicht einer Nadelbettanordnung mit einer Einrichtung gemäß einem siebten Ausführungsbeispiel vorliegender Erfindung.

Further details of the invention can be found in the following description, in which the invention is described and explained in more detail with reference to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawing. It shows:

• 1A and 1B in a schematic representation a partially broken side view of a flat knitting machine during the manufacture of knitted pieces with a device for treating the knitting yarns and the separating thread along an edge of the knitted pieces according to two variants of a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention,
• FIG. 2 shows an illustration similar to that of FIG. 1, but according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention,
• 2A shows a section along the line IIA-IIA of FIG. 2,
• FIG. 3 shows a representation similar to that of FIGS. 1A and 1B, but according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention,
• FIGS. 4A to C show a schematic illustration of side views of a needle bed with a device according to a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the individual steps being shown in the partial figures,
• 5A and B show a section along the line VA-VA of FIG. 4B and along the line VB-VB of FIG. 4C,
• FIGS. 6A and 6B are views similar to those of FIGS. 4A and 4C, but according to a fifth exemplary embodiment of the present invention,
• 6C shows an enlarged view of a section according to circle VIC of FIG. 6B,
• FIG. 7A shows a schematic representation of a top view of a needle bed arrangement with a device according to a sixth exemplary embodiment of the present invention,
• 7B and 7C show a section along the line VIIB-VIIB of FIG. 7A and a view of the cutting device according to arrow VIIC of FIG. 7B,
• Figure 7D is a schematic representation similar to that of Fig. 7A, but according to a variant in a multi-lock system, and
• Figures 8a and 8B in a schematic representation a top view and a side view of a needle bed arrangement with a device according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

In the drawing, essentially only the front needle bed 12 and partially the rear needle bed 13 of a needle bed arrangement 14 arranged in a V-shape is shown of a flat knitting machine 10. In the needle beds 12, 13, knitting needles 16 are arranged so as to be longitudinally displaceable in a corresponding division, which can be driven out to work accordingly by means of a slide arrangement 17, also only partially shown. Between the two needle beds 12 and 13, the goods are withdrawn in the usual way, i.e. the withdrawal of the knitted fabric 19. Like the carriage arrangement 17, a plurality of thread guides 21 to 25 can also be moved back and forth along the needle bed arrangement 14, which feed the relevant yarn 26 to 29 or a separating thread 30 to the knitting needles 16. The thread guides 21-25 are usually movable along a rail 31.

With the method according to the invention or the device 11 provided according to the invention on the flat knitting machine 10, it is possible to knit the yarns 26-29 and / or the separating thread 30 along one or both edges of the knitted pieces 32, 33 and / or at the transition from a knitted piece 32 to next 33, the knitted pieces 32, 33 being made from different types of yarn and / or thread colors, to be treated during the knitting in such a way that at the transition from one knitted piece to the other and / or along each knitted piece, those passing through the thread guides Knitting yarns or separating threads are alternately cut from one type of thread and / or color to another and / or at the transition to the following piece of knitted fabric, without requiring special devices for clamping, recapturing and again clamping the knitting threads or separating threads.

1A and B, the device 11 has a deflecting finger 36 which is arranged on one side of the needle bed arrangement 14 of the outermost needle 16, but is non-displaceably arranged outside the needle space. The deflection finger 36 is arranged in the area between the front and rear needle beds 12, 13 such that it protrudes approximately at the level of the crest of the needle beds 12, 13 obliquely from above or below into the path of the yarn to be inserted by the thread guide and can be moved transversely to the thread path is or can be moved there and withdrawn by a corresponding combined movement. It goes without saying that a corresponding deflecting finger can also be provided at the other end of the needle bed arrangement 14.

When a knitted piece 32 or a subsequent knitted piece 33 is produced, essentially as many thread guides 21 to are provided as there are different yarns (knitting yarns 26 to 29, separating thread 30). The individual thread guides are used in such a way that at the end of a knitted piece area 41 to 45 of a certain color, the thread guide 21 to 24 concerned is switched off and is only brought back into operation when the same color is used again in a later knitted piece area of the same knitted piece 32 or a subsequent 33. The same applies to the thread guide 25, which knits the separating thread 30, which is in operation at the transition from a knitted piece 32 to the following knitted piece 33 and then remains parked until the second knitted piece 33 is finished and a third knitted piece is to be started. The thread guides 21-24 are switched off at one end of the needle bed arrangement 14 beyond the deflection finger 36.

As can be seen from FIG. 1A, the basic mode of operation is as follows:
At the end of a knitted piece area 41-44 of a certain color, as mentioned, the thread guide 21-24 in question is placed on the side of the deflection finger 36 which faces away from the knitted piece 32, 33. This thread guide 21-24 remains standing until a knitted piece area 41-44 is to be started again with this color, the yarn of this color always remaining connected to both the end of the respective knitted piece area 41-44 and to the thread guide 21-24 ( see upper knitted piece 33). When a knitted piece area 41-44 starts again with this color, the deflection finger 36 comes into operation. This takes place either in such a way that the thread guide 21-24 concerned during its knitted piece area 41-44 between the last needle and stops and reverses the deflecting finger, and at the end of the last stitch row of this piece of knitted fabric extends beyond the always projecting deflecting finger that swings into the path of the yarn after the thread guide has passed, or in such a way that the thread guide concerned always, that is to say at the end of each Row of stitches 41-44 moves to the last-mentioned point and the deflection finger 36 is only moved at the end of the last row of stitches in such a way that it is moved into the path of the yarn of the thread guide 21-24. Thus, when the thread guide again moves towards the knitted fabric, the knitting yarn 26-29 of this color wraps around the deflecting finger 36. The deflecting finger 36 is provided at one point on its circumference with a cutting device 37 which, for example, can be connected to a filament or a extendable knife can be. This cutting device 37 comes into action when the knitting yarn in this first course of the new area 41-44 of this color has been knitted over a certain number of stitches. Then this yarn 26-29 is cut off using the cutting device 37 (see lower knitted piece 32). The number of stitches over which the knitting yarn 26-29 must be knitted before the cutting device 37 cuts the knitting yarn depends on how many stitches are required so that the knitting yarn cannot be pulled out by the usual yarn tension acting in the knitted fabric. When the knitting yarn 26-29 is cut off, a short thread tail 34 results at the beginning of the new knitted piece area 41-44, the length of which corresponds to the distance between the first stitch and the cutting device 37. In contrast, there is a longer thread tail 35 at the end of the preceding knitted piece region of this color, the length of which is essentially dependent on the repeat length. In this way, all knitting yarns of any color can be cut off when a new knitted piece area has been started with this color. The same applies to the separating thread 30, which is cut off when it is used again coming from the transition from the first to the second knitted piece 32, 33 at the transition from the second to the third knitted piece. Depending on the length of the knitted piece, the thread tail 35 of the separating thread 30 from the previous knitted piece 33 can be quite a considerable length. In FIG. 1A, the associated thread guide 25 runs straight to the right during the knitting of the separating thread 30 to a separating or transition region 45 and the separating thread 30 has just been cut off.

If one wants to avoid such long thread tails 35 at the ends of each knitted piece area 41-44 or at the separating area 45 of two knitted pieces 32, 33, it is expedient to treat the knitting yarns 26-29 and separating threads 30 in the manner shown in FIG. 1B to make. Here the deflecting finger 36 and the cutting device 37 only operate at the end of an entire piece of knitted fabric 32 or 33. Beforehand, all knitting yarns 26-29 and the separating thread 30 are after the end of their respective knitted piece area 41-44, 45 before the end of the following knitted piece area 41-44 of a different color in the edge thereof. In other words, this means that, for example, on the first piece of knitted fabric 32, the separating thread 30 is knitted into the edge of this piece of knitted piece 41 at the end of the following piece of knitted piece 41 of a certain color over two courses, each with two or three needles. The same applies to the knitting yarn 26 of this knitted piece area 41, which is integrated or briefly knitted in at the end of the following knitted piece area 42 of a different color together with the separating thread 30. This is done with all knitting yarns 26-29 and the separating thread 30 over the entire length of the knitted piece 32. At the end of the last knitted piece area 44 of this knitted piece 32, in the last stitch rows of which all the knitting yarns 26-29 and the separating thread 30 are bound, the deflecting finger 36 comes into operation. With the start of the new piece of knitted fabric 33, the separating thread 30 is first knitted and separated after a certain number of knitted stitches. The separation is initially carried out solely on the separating thread 30, since this is the only one which loops around the deflection finger 36 by approximately 180 ° and thus comes into contact with the cutting device 37. At the beginning of the first knitted piece region 41 of a certain color of this second knitted piece 33, the knitting yarn 26 in question is separated after knitting over a few stitches in the first stitch row by the cutting device 37. During the Knitting the first knitted piece area 41 of a certain color, the individual knitting yarns 42-44 of different color from the previous knitted piece 32 are bound in each case one after the other, for example one knitting yarn from the preceding knitted piece per stitch row can be bound in at the edge. Each time such a knitting yarn 42-44 of a certain color is incorporated, it is cut off by the cutting device 37 because it wraps around the deflecting finger 36 by approximately 180 °, so that the knitting yarn in question is kept in the bound state and remains connected to the thread guide. Then the yarn 27 is knitted and the yarns 28 and 29 knitted into the following area 42, etc. The binding is carried out in such a way that the thread guide 21-25 in question is shifted to the right into the knitted fabric by 3 to 4 needles or the like and then returned. As with the first piece of knitted fabric 32, the knitting yarns are knitted one after the other from the finished area, depending on which area of the knitted piece is approaching, while the remaining knitting yarns are bound into the respective area of the knitted piece at the end and at the edge.

This results in the transition from one piece of knitted fabric to the next in the area of one edge with equally short thread tails 34 'of all the knitting yarns 26-29 and the separating thread 30. In addition, short or narrow loops of the knitting yarns and are along the edge of the knitted pieces Separating thread formed by the binding.

FIG. 2 shows a second exemplary embodiment, the differences from the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1B are that firstly, deflecting fingers 136, 138 are provided along both edges of a knitted piece 132, together with cutting devices 137, 139. The deflecting fingers and cutting devices 136, 137 and 138, 139 combined in one unit can also be moved along the needle bed arrangement 14, so that they can be adjusted to the knitted width at any point on the needle bed arrangement 14. The unit consisting of cutting device 137, 139 and deflection fingers 136, 138 can also be retraced if the knitting width changes. The basic mode of operation remains in accordance with the function described in FIG. 1B:
The individual knitting yarns 126-129 or the separating thread 130 are, depending on whether the end of the relevant knitted piece area 41-44 is provided on the left or right of the knitted piece 132, 133, along a knitted piece 132, 133 along one or the other edge pulled up and bound, if they are not knitted, and cut off one after the other in a corresponding manner at the end of the respective knitted piece 132 or 133. This can be done as shown in Fig. 1B, so that both short ends or tails of the knitting yarns 126 and the separating thread 130 result at the end of the one piece of knitting 132 and at the beginning of the following piece of knitting 133. 2, the knitting yarns 126-129 are only cut off at the end of a knitted piece 132, 133 when the yarn concerned is knitted again without having been involved beforehand. Then there are thread tails 135 of different lengths at the end of the first knitted piece 132 and equally short thread tails 134 at the beginning of each knitted piece area 141-144 of the second knitted piece 133. In both cases, short or narrow loops are made within the respective edge of the knitted piece 132, 133 in question the knitting yarn 126-129 and the separating thread 130 are provided.

It should also be mentioned that the path of the separating thread guide 125 is additionally drawn in dash-dotted lines in FIG. 2, the deflection point of which may lie between the last needle and the unit 138, 139, but is preferably beyond this unit.

It goes without saying that, instead of the short loops along the respective edges of the knitted fabric, it is also possible to cut open the knitting yarn in question at the beginning of a new knitted piece area. The choice of whether to accept knitting yarn ends or separating thread ends of different lengths and / or these narrow or short loops is also a question of the repeat length and the question of whether thread tails of different lengths are perceived as annoying during assembly or not.

FIG. 2A shows an example of an arrangement of a unit comprising a deflection finger and a cutting device, which units 136, 137 138, 139 are provided on a bar 46, for example, which is arranged to be movable up and down in the direction of the double arrow A and in this way brings these units into or out of action. It goes without saying that such a bar can instead also be provided below the needle bed arrangement 14, so that the unit 136, 137 or 138, 139 consisting of deflecting fingers and cutting device can be brought into the path of the thread guide from below instead of from below.

If both unevenly long knitting yarn ends or separating thread ends and the short loops provided along the edge or edges of a knitted piece are to be avoided, then it is expedient to treat the knitting yarns 226-229 or the separating thread 230 according to the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 3. The two units comprising holding fingers 236 and cutting device 237 or 238 and 239 are either arranged stationary on a region of the needle arrangement 14 or can be moved along the needle bed arrangement 14, so that adjustment to different knitted fabric widths is possible. In this embodiment, in addition to the knitted piece 232 and 233, an auxiliary knitted piece 51 and 52 is knitted on both sides of the edges thereof. The mode of operation is as follows:
At the end of each knitted piece area 241-244 or separation area 245, the respective knitting yarn is floated over a few needles, within which area the unit 236, 237 or 238, 239 of holding fingers and Cutting device is arranged, knitted into a row of stitches of the auxiliary knitting piece 51 and 52 and then the thread guide 221-225 is turned off with the knitting yarn of the relevant color or the separating thread. As soon as one stitch row of the auxiliary knitted piece 51, 52 is knitted with the yarn or separating thread in question, this knitting yarn is cut off with the aid of the cutting device 237 or 239. With or before the beginning of the first stitch row of the following knitted piece area 241-244 of a different color, this knitting yarn 226-229 is knitted again by moving the thread guide 221-224 in question to the knitted piece 232, 233 over a short course in the auxiliary knitted piece 51 or 52 and then along one Float 54 placed over the holding finger 236 and the cutting device 237. As soon as the knitting yarn of this color is knitted along a few stitches in the main knitting piece 232 or 233 of this new knitting piece area 241-244, the cutting device 237 comes into operation and cuts this knitting yarn 226-229. At the end of the knitted piece area 241-244 of this color there is again a float 53, the knitting in the auxiliary knitted piece over a few stitches, the cutting off between the auxiliary knitted piece and the main knitted piece and the leaving of the thread guide with the knitting yarn of this color beyond the auxiliary knitted piece. The next color is knitted in a corresponding manner. The same applies if the separating thread 230 is knitted. It is understood that the holding fingers 236, 238 are unnecessary in this embodiment.

In this way, along both edges of the knitted pieces 232 and 233 and also in the region of the transition from the one to the following knitted piece 232, 233, ends 234 of the knitting yarns 226 to 229 or the separating thread 230, which are of equal length, arise both at the beginning and at the end of a knitted piece area 241 to 245. The auxiliary knitted piece 51, 52, which is to be assessed as waste, results in physical separation from the (main) knitted piece 232, 233 and has considerably fewer rows of stitches than the main knitted piece, since it per pattern or knitted piece area 241 to 244 3 has an auxiliary knitted piece on both sides of the knitted piece and the knitted piece regions 241 to 244 alternately appear in the left or right auxiliary knitted piece in the form of two stitch rows. Contrary to the schematic and with regard to the auxiliary knitted pieces for a better overview because of the exploded view, in which the respective rows of stitches of the auxiliary knitted pieces are shown individually and unrelated, each auxiliary knitted piece 51, 52 consists of stitch rows which are knitted together like the main knitted piece, each stitch row of the auxiliary knitted pieces 51 , 52 has an open thread end towards the main knitted piece, while at the end facing away from the main knitted piece, as shown in FIG. 3, rows of stitches of the same color are connected to one another from repeat to repeat.
It is understood that it is also possible to arrange it this way to provide that, according to FIG. 1, the thread guides are each placed on only one side of the knitted piece 232, 233 and therefore only one auxiliary knitted piece is provided on one side.

FIGS. 4 to 8 show exemplary embodiments in which the finger elements, which in the exemplary embodiments in FIGS. 1 to 3 are designed as separate deflection or holding fingers, are formed by corresponding needles in the needle bed arrangement 14.

According to FIGS. 4 and 5, a cutting needle 56 forming a deflecting finger element 236 is provided in one, for example, front needle bed 312 on one of the knitted sides or on both knitted sides, while a cutting plate 58 is arranged in the other, for example rear needle bed 313, and the is assigned to the respective cutting needle 56. A cutting needle 56 in one needle bed and a cutting plate 58 which is offset by half a needle pitch in the other needle bed in the usual needle channels are provided so that they can be moved back and forth in each case on the edge side of the knitted fabric to be produced. Cutting needle 56 and cutting plate 58, which together form a cutting device 237, can, like the adjacent knitting needles 16, be driven out and retracted in the usual way with the aid of locks on the carriage arrangement (not shown). Cutting needle and cutting plate 56, 58 are at a certain distance from the relevant knitted edge or the outermost working knitting needles 16, the distance being several needles. The cutting needle 56, like the other knitting needles 16, is provided with a hook-shaped head 61, although the tongue can be omitted. The front end of the shaft 62 of the cutting needle 56 has a cutting edge 63, while the cutting plate 58 has a counter cutting edge 66 on the underside of its nose 64. If a knitting yarn 326 (or the separating thread) is to be placed around the deflecting finger element (cutting needle 56) in one of the ways shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with the help of the thread guide in question, when the knitting yarn 326 of the knitted piece area 341 is knitted again after the subsequent knitted piece area 342 4B or 5A, the cutting needle 56 is driven out in the catching position or RR position and in the return movement, the thread guide 321 which has been turned off so far puts the knitting yarn 326 around the head 61 of the cutting needle 56 ; 4C, the knitting yarn 326 is knitted over a few needles 316 in the first row of the following knitted piece area, in a multi-lock machine with a lock system following the first lock system, the cutting needle 56 is driven out again and the cutting plate 58 is also driven out, with the two needle beds simultaneously 312, 313 are offset from one another in such a way that the mutually facing side surfaces of cutting needle 56 and cutting plate 58 touch. With the expulsion of this In both elements 56 and 58 the knitting yarn 326 to be cut passes between the two cutting edges 63 and 66 of cutting needle 56 and cutting plate 58 and is thereby sheared off. With the retraction of cutting needle 56 and cutting plate 58, the offset of the two needle beds 312, 313 to one another is also canceled.

In this exemplary embodiment, the cutting needles 56 and cutting boards 58 can replace certain knitting needles 316 along the needle bed arrangement 314 in any manner or can be inserted into the relevant needle bed 312, 313 instead.

In the exemplary embodiment in FIGS. 6A to C, one of the knitting needles 416 is used as the deflecting finger element 436. Here, too, this deflecting needle 436 has a certain distance from the knitting needle 416 working at the edge. Furthermore, this deflecting needle 436 has a further knitting needle 416 'as a stabilization of the knitting yarn to be separated. Depending on the size of the needle pitch between the two needles 436 and 416 ', for example. A non-working knitting needle 416 is arranged, or the two needles 436 and 416' are adjacent to each other.

The cutting device 437 is provided only schematically in FIG. 6C on the relevant slide 18 of the slide arrangement 17, this being, for example, as Filament, can be formed as a shooting knife, as a laser cutting device or the like.

The function of this embodiment in the re-knitting of the knitting yarn 426 knitted in the knitted piece area 441 in a new knitted piece area after the knitting yarn 427 of a different color has been knitted into the knitted piece area 442 is as follows:
With the forward movement (arrow B in FIG. 6A) of the carriage 18 and the relevant thread guide 422, the last course of the knitted piece area 442 is knitted and the thread guide 422 is then switched off. In the return movement (arrow C in FIG. 6B), the thread guide 421 of the knitting yarn 426 which is now to be knitted is carried along by a thread guide driving pin 67 (FIG. 6B) assigned to a knitting lock. The thread guide driver pin (67) associated lock (not shown) first drives the deflection needle 436 and then the stabilizing needle 416 '. In the retraction movement of the needles 436 and 416 ', the thread guide 421 puts the knitting yarn 426 into the deflecting needle 436 and the stabilizing needle 416' (see FIG. 6C). As soon as this knitting yarn 426 is enmeshed in the first stitch row of the new knitted piece area for a few stitches, the relevant cutting device 437 comes into operation, for example, during a brief stop of the carriage arrangement 17, which cuts this knitting yarn 426 between the two needles 436 and 416 '. This can The knitting yarns or the separating threads are cut off at any point on the needle beds, so that an adaptation to different and also to changing knitting patterns during manufacture is possible.

7A to 7D, two deflecting finger elements 536 and 536 'are used, in the form of one of the knitting needles 516 in the front and rear needle bed 512 and 513, respectively. The two knitting needles used as deflecting fingers in the two needle beds 512, 513 are arranged opposite each other or offset by half a needle pitch. A cutting device 537 is either attached to the carriage arrangement, not shown, at the front and / or rear end, or it can be displaced in a different way along the needle space or the needle bed arrangement 514 via a mechanism, which is also not shown. The cutting device 537 has a shaft 71, on the front end of which faces the needle bed arrangement 514 a separation wedge 72 is arranged and which is provided on one side surface with a projecting blade 73. The cutting device 537 can be moved, for example, according to FIG. 7B, from above the needle bed arrangement 514 in the vertical direction, but it can also be designed to be pivotable accordingly.

The function of this embodiment in the re-knitting of the knitted in the knitted piece area 541 Knitting yarns in a new knitted piece area after the knitting yarn 527 of a different color has been knitted into the knitted piece area 542 is as follows: after the thread guide 522 has been switched off after knitting the last course of the knitted piece area 542, the thread guide 521 which has been parked up until now comes into operation again. As soon as one of the locks, not shown, of the carriage arrangement, also not shown, moves over the front and rear needle beds 512, 513, the two deflecting needles 536 and 536 ', which have a certain distance from the last working knitting needle in both needle beds, in the catch position or RR- Position driven out one after the other. The thread guide 521 puts the knitting yarn 526 first around and into the deflecting needle 536, for example in the front needle bed 512 and then around and into the deflecting needle 436 'in the rear needle bed 413, as can be seen from FIG. 7A. After a float line 553, the first course of the new knitted piece area is started. As in the other exemplary embodiments, the cutting device 537 comes into operation after a multi-stitch integration of this first row of stitches into the preceding knitted piece area 542. With the lowering of the cutting device 537 the separating wedge 72 will first push those threads 527-530 of the other thread guides to the left and right to the side before the cutting blade 73 between the two deflecting needles 536 and 536 'cuts the knitting yarn 526. Since the knitting yarn 526 is stretched between these two deflecting needles and the cutting device 537 comes from above, a simple separation of the knitting yarn is possible. The cutting device 537 dips into the space between the two deflecting needles 536 and 536 'or the slot between the two needle bed combs. The cutting device 537 comes into operation during a short stop of the carriage arrangement.

In a carriage arrangement with several, for example four, lock systems (51 to 54), a thread and thus a thread guide is usually assigned to each lock system, so that four knitting yarns 526 / 1-4 with four thread guides are available for each color to be knitted. When a repeat is started again, the four thread guides for the color in question are activated one after the other and the associated knitting yarns 526 / 1-4 are placed over different, but adjacent pairs of deflecting needles 536 / 1-4 and 536 '/ 1-4, such as this is shown in Fig. 7D. Then these four knitting yarns 526 are successively cut by one and the same cutting device as soon as the threads are knitted over a few stitches.

In this embodiment variant too, work can be carried out variably over the entire needle space, since the deflecting needles are ordinary knitting needles as are distributed over the entire needle space.

The same applies to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B. Again, only a deflecting finger element 636 in the form of a conventional knitting needle 616 is used in the front or rear needle bed 612, 613. Arranged below the knitting needles 616 or the needle bed arrangement 614 is a suction device 76 containing a cutting device 637, the cup-shaped housing 77 of which is connected on the underside to a suction pipe 78. A suction nozzle 81 provided with an inclined surface 79 is provided within the housing 77. The suction pipe 78 is arranged at the end of the inclined surface 79. Above the suction pipe 78, the cutting device 637 is provided, which has a cutting knife 82, which can be moved back and forth in the horizontal direction and is guided in a path 83 in the housing 77. This guideway 83 runs above the suction pipe 78 and below the inclined surface 79 of the suction nozzle 81. The suction device 76 and the cutting device 637 can be moved together along the needle bed arrangement 614 and are preferably provided on both sides of the carriage arrangement.

The function of this exemplary embodiment is as follows: If the thread guide 621 previously parked is put into operation again for the new beginning of a new piece of knitted piece or is moved in the direction of the arrow C, it places its knitting yarn 626 in the deflection needle 636, which is in the catch position or RR position has been brought. That about The deflecting needle 636 laid knitting yarn 626 is then knitted after a float 653 to the first course of the new knitted piece area. The deflecting needle 636, which is pulled back after catching the knitting yarn 626, is driven out again by means of one of the next or following locks and, because it works like a conventional knitting needle, drops the knitting yarn 626. This takes place at a point in time in which this knitting yarn 626 is bound into the preceding knitted piece area 642 over a few or a sufficiently large amount of stitches. As shown in FIG. 8B in a dot-dash line, the float region 653, including the loop 84, which has come free from the deflecting needle 636, falls down under the action of the suction nozzle 81 and lies on the inclined surface 79 or projects as far as the loop 84 is concerned the guideway 83 of the cutting device 637. Thereupon the cutting knife 82 is activated and cuts the loop 84; the cut piece is sucked into the suction pipe 78 and sucked out. As a result, the knitting yarn 626 is separated, so that the thread tails mentioned in all the previous exemplary embodiments result.

4 to 8, it is also possible to incorporate the knitting yarns and separating threads according to FIGS. 1 and 2 at the edge and to produce an auxiliary knitted fabric according to FIG. 3.

Claims (40)

1. A method for treating the knitting yarns and / or a separating thread along at least one edge of a knitted piece and / or at the transition from one knitted piece to the next during the manufacture of the knitted piece or pieces from different yarn types and / or colors by means of a flat knitting machine, the or the knitting yarns or separating threads running through the thread guide are or are cut off when changing from one type and / or color of thread to another and / or during the transition to the following piece of knitted fabric, characterized in that the knitting yarn or the separating thread, the or that leads directly or indirectly from the end of the last stitch row of a knitted area or knitted piece to the thread guide placed at the side, at the beginning of a knitted area or knitted piece that is at a distance from the previous one, is held back in its plane in front of the first stitch row and that, preferably after several stitches of this first stitch row hey have been knitted, the knitting yarn or the separating thread is cut off a short distance before this first course. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the knitting yarn or the separating thread is retained in that it or he is placed around or on at least one finger element with the aid of the thread guide. 3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the knitting yarn or the separating thread is retained in that it or he is knitted at a distance from the knitted edge to a few stitches wide row of an auxiliary knitted fabric. 4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the knitting yarn or the separating thread is cut off in the region of the finger element. 5. The method according to claim 2 or 4, characterized in that the finger element move along the needle bed and is brought into operation by moving into the needle space. 6. The method according to any one of claims 2, 4 or 5, characterized in that the knitting yarn or the separating thread that leads directly from the end of the last stitch row of a knitting area or knitted piece to the laterally placed thread guide remains connected to the latter. 7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that the knitting yarn or the separating thread in the or the knitted piece areas, in which it or he is not knitted or processed, is integrated into the edge of the knitted piece. 8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that all knitting yarns and the separating thread along the entire knitted piece in the or the edges are included and cut off at the end of the knitted piece as soon as the knitting yarns or the separating thread in the following knitted piece have been knitted or bound . 9. The method according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that the knitting yarn or the separating thread that leads from the end of the last course of a knitted area indirectly to the laterally placed thread guide, knitted over a row of the auxiliary knitted fabric and then between the knitted edge and the auxiliary knit is cut off. 10. The method according to any one of claims 2 or 4, characterized in that a needle in the needle bed is used as a finger element, which is brought into operation by usual driving out. 11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the cutting needle in a needle bed is assigned a cutting board in the other needle bed and that the knitting yarn or the separating thread between the finger needle and the board is sheared in that the needle beds are placed so that each other the extending board and the extending fingernail touch each other. 12. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the finger needle is driven out together with another knitting needle in the same needle bed at the beginning of a new knitted area and that the knitting yarn or the separating thread is cut off by means of a cutting device on the lock carriage between the two needles. 13. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that two finger elements are used, namely a needle in a needle bed and a substantially opposite needle in the other needle bed, which are driven out when a new knitted area starts again, that the knitting yarn or the separating thread around both Finger needles are placed and that is cut by means of a cutting device on the lock carriage between the two finger needles. 14. The method according to claim 2 or 10, characterized in that the knitting yarn or the separating thread, after it or he has been partially knitted to the first stitch row of a new knitted area or knitted piece, is stripped from the finger element, and with a suction nozzle below the Is brought needle bed assembly and then cut open and that then the cut loop part is suctioned off. 15. Device for treating the knitting yarns and / or a separating thread along at least one edge of a knitted piece and / or at the transition from one knitted piece to the next during the manufacture of the knitted piece or pieces by means of a flat knitting machine, the knitting yarns or threads passing through thread guides Separating threads when changing from one type and / or color of knitted fabric to another and / or during the transition to the following piece of knitted fabric can be cut by means of at least one cutting device, characterized in that the knitting yarn
(26-29; 126-129; 226-229; 326; 426,427; 526; 626) or the separating thread (30,130,230), that from the end of the last stitch row of a knitted area
(41-45; 141-145; 241-245; 341.342; 441.442; 541.542; 641.642) or piece of knitted fabric (32.33; 132.133; 232.233) indirectly or directly to the thread guide (21-25; 121-125; 221) placed on the side -225; 321; 421.422; 521.522; 621.622) guided, at the beginning of a previous knitted area or piece of knitted fabric which is at a distance from the first row of stitches is retained in its plane, and that after knitting preferably several stitches of this first row of stitches, the knitting yarn (26-29; 126-129; 226-229 ; 326; 426,427) or the separating thread (30, 130, 230) by the cutting device arranged or positioned at a short distance from this first row of stitches
(37,137,139; 237, 239; 337; 437; 537,637) can be cut off. 16. The device according to claim 15, characterized in that the knitting yarn (26-29; 126-129; 326; 426,427; 526; 626) or the separating thread (30, 130) is retained in that it or he with the help of the thread guide
(21-25; 121-125; 321; 421.422; 521.522; 621.622) around or on at least one finger element
(36,136,138; 336; 436; 536,536 ′; 636) can be laid. 17. The device according to claim 15, characterized in that the knitting yarn (226-229) or the separating thread (230) is retained in that it or he at a distance from the edge of the knitted piece on some needles on one or both sides to one Auxiliary knitted fabric (51, 52) can be processed. 18. Device according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that the cutting device (37,137,139; 237,239; 337) is part of the finger element (436). 19. Device according to one of claims 15-17, characterized in that the cutting device (437; 537; 637) can be moved along the needle bed arrangement. 20. Device according to claim 19, characterized in that the cutting device (437; 537; 637) is arranged on one or both side regions of the lock carriage. 21. Device according to claim 16, characterized in that the finger element (136,138; 236,238; 336; 436) is arranged on one or both edge regions of the needle bed (112,113; 212,213,312,313,412,413). 22. Device according to claim 16, characterized in that the finger element (136, 138; 236, 238) is arranged to be movable along the needle bed (112, 113; 212, 213). 23. Device according to one of claims 16, 21 or 22, characterized in that the finger element (36; 136, 138; 236, 238) can be moved into the needle space from above or below the needle bed arrangement (14, 114, 214). 24. Device according to one of claims 15, 16 or 18-23, characterized in that the thread guide (21-25; 121-125; 321; 421,422; 521,522; 621,622) at the end of a knitted area until the beginning of a new knitted area of the same type of yarn and / or color can be switched off directly next to the finger element (36; 136, 138; 336; 436; 536; 636) and that the knitting yarn or the separating thread remains connected to the thread guide. 25. The device according to claim 24, characterized in that the thread guide
(21-25; 121-125; 321; 421,422; 521,522; 621,622) in the area or areas where his knitting yarn or separating thread is not to be knitted or processed, for binding his knitting yarn or separating thread into the knitted edge a few needles can be moved back and forth. 26. Device according to claim 24 or 25, characterized in that the cutting device (37,137,139; 56,58; 437; 537; 637) can be brought into operation during the beginning of each knitted area. 27. The device according to claim 24 or 25, characterized in that the cutting device (37; 137,139; 56,58,437; 537; 637) can only be brought into operation during the start of a new piece of knitted fabric. 28. The device according to claim 17, characterized in that the knitting yarn (226-229) or the separating thread (230) at the end of a knitted area (241-245) over a row of the auxiliary knitted fabric (51,52) is processable that the person concerned Thread guide (221-225) is placed adjacent to the end of the auxiliary knitted fabric facing away from the knitted area and that the cutting device (237, 239) is arranged between the knitted piece and the auxiliary knitted fabric, the knitting yarn or the separating thread being able to be cut off after the auxiliary knitted fabric has been produced. 29. Device according to claim 17 or 28, characterized in that between the knitted fabric (51, 52) and the knitted area (241-245) or piece (232, 233) the knitting yarn (226-229) or the separating thread (230) by means of a Floating past the cutting device (237, 239) can be placed. 30. Device according to one of claims 6 or 21 to 23, characterized in that the finger element is formed by a needle (56; 436; 536; 636) in the needle bed, which can be brought into operation by normal driving out. 31. The device according to claim 30, characterized in that the cutting device (337) is formed by two cutting boards (56,58) in the opposite needle beds and that with the expulsion of the two cutting boards (56,58) after a lateral movement of the two needle beds (312,313) relative to one another, the knitting yarn (326-329) or the separating thread (330) can be sheared off. 32. Device according to claims 30 and 31, characterized in that the finger needle and a cutting plate are the same component (56). 33. Device according to claim 30, characterized in that the finger needle (436) is formed by a conventional knitting needle (416). 34. Device according to claims 30 and 33, characterized in that at a distance from the finger needle (436) a further needle (416 ') in the same needle bed (412) can be driven out with this. 35. Device according to claim 16 and 19 or 20, characterized in that two finger elements are provided, namely a needle (536) in a needle bed (512) and a needle (536 ') in the other needle bed (513), which by conventional driving can be brought into action and around which the knitting yarn (526) or the separating thread can be placed one after the other, which or which can be cut off between the two fingernails (536,536 ') by means of a cutting device (537). 36. Device according to claim 35, characterized in that the cutting device (537) in a direction perpendicular from above or in a pivoting movement on the knitting yarn (536) or the separating thread is movable. 37. Device according to claim 36, characterized in that the cutting device (537) with a between the fingernails (536,536 ') or the needle bed combs immersed expanding wedge (72) is provided, above which a blade (73) is arranged. 38. Device according to one of claims 35 to 37, characterized in that in a multi-lock system several pairs of finger needles (536,536 ') are arranged side by side, each pair of which is assigned to a knitting yarn or separating thread that can be processed by the respective lock part. 39. Device according to claim 16 or 30, characterized in that the knitting yarn (626) or the separating thread from the finger needle (636) can be stripped and brought into a cutting device (637) under the action of a suction device (76) and that the loop end is cut open in the cutting device (637) and suctioned off by the suction device (76). 40. Device according to claim 39 ,, characterized in that the suction device (81) has an inclined surface (79) to which the knitting yarn (626) or the separating thread can be tightened, and that the loop end (84) into the guide track (83 ) of a cutting edge (82) of the cutting device (637) protrudes, which guideway (83) is arranged above a suction channel (78).

Images