US 12,012,677 B2
Circular knitting machine for manufacturing open-work knitted fabric
Maurizio Lodrini, Brescia (IT); and Mauro Alghisi, Torbole Casaglia (IT)
Assigned to SANTONI S.P.A., Brescia (IT)
Appl. No. 17/442,199
Filed by SANTONI S.P.A., Brescia (IT)
PCT Filed Apr. 10, 2020, PCT No. PCT/IB2020/053439
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 23, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/212816, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 22, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 102019000005892 (IT), filed on Apr. 16, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0186412 A1, Jun. 16, 2022
Int. Cl. D04B 9/38 (2006.01); D04B 1/10 (2006.01); D04B 15/06 (2006.01); D04B 15/34 (2006.01); D04B 15/78 (2006.01)
CPC D04B 9/38 (2013.01) [D04B 1/104 (2013.01); D04B 15/06 (2013.01); D04B 15/34 (2013.01); D04B 15/78 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A circular knitting machine for manufacturing open-work knitted fabric, comprising:
a needle-holding cylinder (2) having a plurality of longitudinal grooves arranged around a central axis (X-X) of the needle-holding cylinder (2);
a plurality of needles (3), each being housed in a respective longitudinal groove;
at least one yarn feed operatively associated to the needles (3);
a crown (4) arranged around the needle-holding cylinder (2) and having a plurality of radial grooves (5);
at least one guiding ring (38) operatively associated to the crown (4), wherein the crown (4) is rotatable with respect to the guiding ring (38) and around the central axis (X-X);
a plurality of knockover sinkers (7), each housed in one of the radial grooves (5) and radially movable in the respective radial groove (5), each knockover sinker (7) having a pin (13) configured for cooperating with the needles (3) and a butt (14) engaged with a first guide (39) obtained in the guiding ring (38) and developing around the central axis (X-X); wherein the first guide (39) is configured for moving the knockover sinker (7) radially along the respective radial groove (5) when the crown (4) rotates with respect to the guiding ring (38) and around the central axis (X-X);
at least one shaped sinker (8, 9) placed beside each of the knockover sinkers (7), wherein the shaped sinker (8, 9) is movable with respect to the respective knockover sinker (7), wherein the shaped sinker (8, 9) has a protrusion (16) placed above the respective knockover sinker (7) and laterally offset with respect to said knockover sinker (7), wherein the protrusion (16) is configured for loading and extending an inter-stitch and place it on an adjacent needle of said plurality of needles (3) and make an open work, wherein the shaped sinker (8, 9) has a butt (17) that is or can be engaged with a second guide (42) obtained in the guiding ring (38) and developing around the central axis (X-X), wherein the second guide (42) defines a plurality of trajectories for the shaped sinker (8, 9), wherein the second guide (42) is configured for moving the shaped sinker (8, 9) radially when the crown (4) rotates with respect to the guiding ring (38) and around the central axis (X-X);
at least one selector (11) operatively coupled with said at least one shaped sinker (8, 9), wherein the selector (11) is movable in a radial plane between a rest position and an operating position, wherein in the operating position the selector (11) acts directly or indirectly upon said at least one shaped sinker (8, 9) so as to deviate the butt (17) of the shaped sinker (8, 9) along a trajectory of the second guide (42);
at least one selecting actuator (24) laterally facing the crown (4), fixed with respect to the guiding ring (38), that can be engaged under control with the selectors (11) and is configured for causing the selectors (11) to switch from the rest position to the operating position.