Fabric Club Of BD: Links-links Machines

Links-links Machines

Labels: Knitting Manufacturing Technology | at 11/01/2010 06:16:00 PM

Introduction

A links-links machine consists of two needle beds arranged on the same plane (180° with respect to each other); the grooves of each bed are aligned, so that each needle can slide in the grooves of the front or rear bed to knit a plain stitch and a purl stitch on the same wale (Picture 1).

Picture 1 – Purl stitch pattern

The needle has two hooks and two latches; it has no butt and is driven by special spring-beard sinkers, called sliders. Two sliders operate on each needle, and are accommodated in two opposite grooves. In addition to the spring beard C, which is used to catch the needle, the slider (Picture 2) incorporates two butts: the “A“ butt commands the longitudinal movements, while the “B” butt generates an upward oscillation (as a result of a pressure acting on it), allowing the release of the needle.

Picture 2 – Sliders on a links-links machine

A links-links machine also includes:

- two cam systems driving the two sliders which, for a short time, hold the needle

simultaneously;

- two cam systems, which take the sliders back into their respective needle beds; however, only one of them holds the needle, making it knock-over after the yarn has been fed;

- two pressure cam systems with a full and an empty area: when the spring beard of the slider is under the full area, it is pressed against the needle to take hold of it; whereas when the spring beard is under the empty area, the needle is released thanks to the oscillation generated by the pressure acting on the “B” butt of the slider. Picture 3 shows the various steps of the links-links knitting cycle.