Mechanism for transferring stitches from needles of knitting machine and sewing

Abstract

A mechanism for the transfer of stitches from the needles of knitting machine and sewing. The invention relates to the elements that ensure transfer of a textile material such as a sock from the knitting needles after being knitted in the knitting machine and the elements in the station where the open end of the textile material is sewn off.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mechanism for transferring stitches from needles of knitting machine and sewing, comprising:
 a knitting machine having a plurality of knitting needles, each knitting needle has a hook and a tongue which moves toward and away from the hook by rotation;   a plurality of stripping elements convey a stitch in each of the knitting needles to a sewing station, the stripping elements move toward and away from the knitting needles and move the stitches along a needle axis by touching the stitch in each of the knitting needles; and   a transfer apparatus including a plurality of transfer elements, which move toward and away from the hook of the knitting needles, the transfer elements comprising a transfer end onto where the stitches are brought when the stripping elements move the stitches in the knitting needles toward the hooks;   wherein, each transfer element is configured to grip at least partially an outer surface of the hook of each knitting needle, and the transfer end of each transfer element is configured to remain between the a body of the knitting needle and the corresponding hook when the tongue is closed for transferring the stitch.   
     
     
         2 . The mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein a bottom portion of each transfer element is formed in a curve shape, which is configured to cover mainly a region at a top surface and an outer front surface of each corresponding hook. 
     
     
         3 . The mechanism according to  claim 1 , wherein the transfer end of each transfer element is positioned in front of the hook, so as to partially cover an end portion of the hook from an outer side, so that the transfer end of the transfer element is held at a location lower than an open end of the corresponding hook when the transfer element approaches the hook for transferring the stitch. 
     
     
         4 . The mechanism according to  claim 3 , wherein the transfer end of each transfer element includes a curved form portion toward the body of the knitting needle. 
     
     
         5 . The mechanism according to  claim 4 , wherein the transfer element comprises a plate body and a transfer lower bottom body which slightly protrudes from a bottom portion of the plate body, with an U-like transfer channel formed on the transfer lower bottom body. 
     
     
         6 . The mechanism according to  claim 5 , wherein the transfer lower bottom body has the transfer channel which forms a first lateral plate, a second lateral plate, and a connection plate; the first lateral plate and the second lateral plate are arranged in parallel and spaced with each other; two lateral sides of the connection plate are connected with the first lateral plate and the second lateral plate, respectively. 
     
     
         7 . The mechanism according to  claim 6 , wherein the first lateral plate has a first bevel portion on one end away from the plate body; the second lateral plate has a second bevel portion formed corresponding to the first bevel portion; the first bevel portion and the second bevel portion are inclined to face a lower-back direction on one side on which the transfer channel is formed, respectively; the first bevel portion and the second bevel portion form the curved form portion. 
     
     
         8 . The mechanism according to  claim 7 , wherein the plate body has the drive end, a body portion, and an extension part; the drive end extends upward from a rear end of the body portion, and the extension part extends downward from a front end of the body portion away from the drive end; a bottom end of the extension part is connected with the transfer lower bottom body; a curve recess is formed on one lateral side of the drive end away from the body portion; a third bevel portion is formed on an outer side of the extension part; a fourth bevel portion is formed on an inner side of the extension part; a shoulder portion is formed on a junction between the extension part and the transfer lower bottom body, and the shoulder portion is on one side of the connection plate. 
     
     
         9 . A sewing station mechanism for closing an open end of a textile material formed in a tubular shape, comprising:
 a first half circle having a plurality of first longitudinal threads, an amount of the first longitudinal threads being equal to half of an amount of stitches at the last row of the open end of the textile material;   a second half circle having a plurality of second longitudinal threads, an amount of the second longitudinal threads being equal to half of an amount of stitches at the last row of the open end of the textile material, the second half circle being able to rotate for 180° to move toward and away from the first longitudinal threads on the first half circle;   wherein, a cross-sectional face of the first longitudinal threads bearing stitch pairs that are conveyed by the transfer apparatus and sewn is substantially formed in an L shape.   
     
     
         10 . The mechanism according to  claim 9 , wherein the first longitudinal threads with the L shaped cross-sectional face are male threads. 
     
     
         11 . The mechanism according to  claim 9 , wherein a sewing process is performed on the first longitudinal threads of the first half circle. 
     
     
         12 . The mechanism according to  claim 10 , wherein the male threads comprise a vertically extending male extension portion and a lateral extension portion which substantially extends from the male extension portion. 
     
     
         13 . The mechanism according to  claim 10 , wherein the second longitudinal threads are defined as female threads. 
     
     
         14 . The mechanism according to  claim 13 , wherein each male thread has a male fixing portion extending inward thereon, a vertically-extending male extension portion, and an end portion; each female thread has a female fixing portion extending inward thereon, a vertically-extending female extension portion, and an end housing; when the male thread moves close to the corresponding female thread, the end portions of the male thread is inserted into the end housings of the female thread for smoothly transferring the stitch between the male thread and the female thread. 
     
     
         15 . The mechanism according to  claim 14 , wherein one of the first half circle and the second half circle is a fixed jaw and the other one is a movable jaw; the movable jaw bears the female threads and is closed over the fixed jaw which bears the male threads by a 180° rotation, such that the end portions of the male threads are inserted into the corresponding end housings of the female threads.