Needle for loop formation on a knitting or warp-knitting machine, knitting or warp-knitting machine having a plurality of such needles, and method for producing such a needle

Abstract

The invention provides a needle for stitch formation on a knitting or warp-knitting machine, the needle comprising a main body, a needle hook, and a transfer member or tongue member which is movable in the longitudinal direction of the main body relative to the main body and the needle hook and is configured to open and close the needle hook by way of a relative movement with respect to the main body. The needle further comprises a connecting element which engages around the transfer member or tongue member at least along a part of the length of the transfer member or tongue member, such that the relative movement of the transfer member or tongue member with respect to the main body is guided by the connecting element, wherein the connecting element is connected to an upper portion of the main body. The invention additionally provides a knitting or warp-knitting machine comprising a plurality of such needles, and a method for producing such a needle.

1 . A needle for stitch formation on a knitting or warp-knitting machine, the needle comprising:
 a main body,   a needle hook,   a transfer member which is movable in a longitudinal direction of the main body relative to the main body and the needle hook and is configured to open and close the needle hook by way of a relative movement with respect to the main body, and   a connecting element which engages around the transfer member at least along a part of a length of the transfer member, such that the relative movement of the transfer member with respect to the main body is guided by the connecting element,   wherein the connecting element is connected to an upper portion of the main body.   
     
     
         2 . The needle according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the main body has the upper portion, which directly adjoins the needle hook in the longitudinal direction of the main body, a middle portion, which directly adjoins the upper portion in the longitudinal direction of the main body, and a needle base, which adjoins the middle portion in the longitudinal direction of the main body,   the upper portion has a smaller lateral extension perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the main body than the middle portion, such that a step is formed between the upper portion and the middle portion, and   the connecting element is arranged entirely above the step in the direction from the needle base towards the needle hook.   
     
     
         3 . The needle according to  claim 2 , wherein the needle is configured such that the step forms a stop surface for a lower end face of the transfer member, so that the relative movement of the transfer member with respect to the main body in the direction of the needle base is limited by the step. 
     
     
         4 . The needle according to  claim 1 , wherein the connecting element is connected to the upper portion of the main body by a welded connection. 
     
     
         5 . The needle according to  claim 1 , wherein the transfer member has an engagement element for engaging with an engagement unit of the knitting or warp-knitting machine. 
     
     
         6 . The needle according to  claim 5 , wherein the engagement element is a cutout or a protrusion which extends in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the main body. 
     
     
         7 . The needle according to  claim 1 , wherein the needle hook is formed in one piece with the main body or the needle hook is formed integrally with the connecting element. 
     
     
         8 . The needle according to  claim 1 , wherein the needle hook has two halves, the two halves being separated from one another at least in some regions by a gap. 
     
     
         9 . The needle according to  claim 1 , wherein the transfer member has, at an upper end thereof in the direction from the needle base towards the needle hook, a transfer finger which is configured to open and close the needle hook by way of the relative movement of the transfer member with respect to the main body. 
     
     
         10 . The needle according to  claim 9 , wherein:
 the transfer finger has an upper portion and a lower portion which directly adjoins the upper portion in the longitudinal direction of the main body,   the upper portion of the transfer finger has a smaller lateral extension perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the main body than the lower portion of the transfer finger, such that a step is formed between the upper portion and the lower portion, and   the needle is configured such that the step of the transfer finger forms a stop surface for a lower end face of the needle hook, so that the relative movement of the transfer member with respect to the main body in the direction of the needle hook is limited by the step.   
     
     
         11 . A knitting or warp-knitting machine comprising a plurality of needles, each of the needles including:
 a main body,   a needle hook,   a transfer member which is movable in a longitudinal direction of the main body relative to the main body and the needle hook and is configured to open and close the needle hook by way of a relative movement with respect to the main body, and   a connecting element which engages around the transfer member at least along a part of a length of the transfer member, such that the relative movement of the transfer member with respect to the main body is guided by the connecting element,   wherein the connecting element is connected to an upper portion of the main body.   
     
     
         12 . The knitting or warp-knitting machine according to  claim 11 , further comprising an engagement unit for engaging with engagement elements of the transfer members of the needles. 
     
     
         13 . The knitting or warp-knitting machine according to  claim 12 , wherein the engagement unit has a plurality of protrusions and cutouts which are arranged in an alternating fashion along the direction along which the plurality of needles are arranged one after the other. 
     
     
         14 . The knitting or warp-knitting machine according to  claim 13 , wherein the protrusions and cutouts each extend in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the needles and/or substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the main bodies of the needles. 
     
     
         15 . The knitting or warp-knitting machine according to  claim 12 , wherein the engagement unit has a retaining rocker or the engagement unit is a retaining rocker. 
     
     
         16 . The knitting or warp-knitting machine according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a rotatable needle cylinder having a knock-over edge, the plurality of needles being arranged in the needle cylinder, and   retaining elements which engage from behind the needles into needle gaps that exist between the needles, said retaining elements forming with respect to the knock-over edge a gap which allows newly formed stitches to slip through and which, when the needles move further forwards, stops the stitches at the knock-over edge,   wherein the retaining elements are rotatably mounted such that the retaining elements can be rotated together with the needle cylinder.   
     
     
         17 . A method of making a needle including:
 a main body,   a needle hook,   a transfer member which is movable in a longitudinal direction of the main body relative to the main body and the needle hook and is configured to open and close the needle hook by way of a relative movement with respect to the main body, and   a connecting element which engages around the transfer member at least along a part of a length of the transfer member, such that the relative movement of the transfer member with respect to the main body is guided by the connecting element,   wherein the connecting element is connected to an upper portion of the main body, the method comprising:   providing the main body, the needle hook, the transfer member and the connecting element, and   connecting the connecting element to the upper portion of the main body such that the connecting element engages around the transfer member at least along a part of the length of the transfer member.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the connecting element is connected to the upper portion of the main body by welding.