Title of Invention

A PRODUCTION MACHINE OF A WARP KNITTED TAPE FOR SLIDE FASTENER

Abstract

The present invention relates to a production machine of a warp knitted tape for slide fastener ~ the production machine knitting a tape composed of a warp knitted structure and at the same time continuously knitting a core cord along one side end part of the tape~ the production machine comprising: a single needle bed (1) having sliding grooves (1 a) that slidably guide a plurality of knitting needles (2) arranged in parallel respectively; a knitting yam guide (4) swinging and shogging; and a first core cord guide (5) for guiding the core cord (7); characterized in that: a second core cord guide (9) is placed in a knitting passage of the core cord (7) at a knitting mouth of the needle bed (1) for guiding the core cord (7).

Full Text

PRODUCTION MACHINE OF WARP KNITTED FASTENER TAPE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1.Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a production machine of a warp knitted fastener tape for slide fastener, which knits a tape and at the same time knits a core cord along a lengthwise side end part of the fastener tape formed with a warp knitted weave. 2. Description of the Related Art A warp knitted fastener tape for slide fastener, in which a core cord is knitted at the same time when knitting the fastener tape by warp knitted weave, has conventionally been disclosed in, for example, JP-UM-B-56-16088 and JP-A-8-56713. JP-UM-B-56-16088 discloses a first example in which a tape main body is knitted with double weaves that is knitted by needles of multiple rows- Also, an element attaching part connected to an attaching part thereof is knitted by double tricot knitted weaves by the needles of the multiple rows as in a manner of surrounding a core material to form an expanded part- A second example disclosed in JP-UM-B-56-1608 8 composes a front side of the element attaching part of the tape main body and an outside end part with the double weaves knitted by the needles of the multiple rows, and at the same time, knits an intermediate part of the element attaching part with a double tricot knitted weaves by the needles the multiple rows as in the manner of surrounding the core material. JP-A-8-56713 discloses a fastener tape in which a tape main body is knitted with a single weave by a needle on a surface side or a back surface side. An element attaching part is composed with double chain weaves, a first woof inserted weave, and a second woof inserted weave; the double chain weaves being knitted by the core material and two pieces of knitting yarns arranged at both sides of the core material; the first woof weave being inserted by the woof that is being swung symmetrically left and right between the surface side and back surface side seams of the chain knitted weave; and the second woof inserted weave composing one part of the weave of the tape main body that is made by the tricot knitted weave, the chain knitted weave, and the ordinary woof inserted weave. The double chain knitted weave of the element attaching part and the inserted woof are alternately knitted respectively into the surface side and back surface side of the tape main body so as to form the element attaching part in a substantially rectangular cross section. In this kind of the fastener tape for slide fastener by the warp knitted weave, irrespective of forming the tape main body with the single weave by the needles of the single row, or with the double weaves by the needles of the multiple rows as mentioned above, it is general in either case to form the element attaching part having an expanded shape thicker than the tape main body by knitting the tape main body as in the manner that the element attaching part surrounds the core material extending in the lengthwise direction with the double knitted weaves by the needles of the multiple rows. On the other hand, it has been proposed to knit a tape main body and an element attaching part with the single weave by the single row needles, while knitting the core cord by employing a warp knitting machine having the single needle bed. For example, JP-B-54-21781 discloses an example in which two pieces of core cords are knitted into between two wales of the outside end part of the element attaching part of the fastener tape in a full length under a superimposed condition on the surface of the fastener tape. The two wales of the outside end part are latitudinally inserted with a ground woof, and two pieces of the tightening woof are latitudinally inserted into the core cord from opposite directions each other under a condition of an inlaid net. The two pieces of inserting woofs are made of a marquisette weave and are knitted latitudinally not to superimpose to each other between the wales. The ground woof latitudinally inserted in the two wales are passed into between the core cords superimposed vertically, and the tightening woof runs on the upper surface of the upper side woof, while the other tightening woof passes under the surface of the downside woof. The three kinds of tightening woofs secure the two pieces of core cords from both up and down surfaces. The two wales at the end side and the marquisette as the tightening woof bring about uniform thickness over the full length not to pile turning points with each of the wales. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION As mentioned above, generally, in case of connecting the expanded portion of the element attaching part for knitting the warp as one body, the knitting depends on the multiple row needle knitting machine having a surface side needle bed and a back surface side needle bed. When forming the element attaching part knitted with the core cord, the core cord is supplied into the intermediate part of the multiple row needles. When knitting the tape main body with the double weave by the multiple row needles similarly to the element attaching part, since the tape can be knitted in a form symmetrically on the surface side and back surface side, it is possible to arrange the core cordon a straight line in the lengthwise direction passing through the center of the end part of the tape main body, and to also form an expanded portion in the surface side and back surface side of the element attaching part symmetrically on the surface side and back surface side. Recently, the slide fastener has much been attached to many kinds of soft clothing, and the fastener tape itself has been demanded to be soft. Notwithstanding, if knitting the tape main body as mentioned above in the double weaves, the tape main body becomes thick and increases rigidity, so that softness requested in a knitwear will be lost. In contrast, if knitting the tape main body by the single weave using the needle row of one side of the multiple row needles, although naturally in the fastener tape of the first example of JP-A-8-56713, even if one side end part of the tape main body is knitted by the double weave as disclosed in the second example of JP-A-8-56713, the core cord is biased from the center of the end part of the tape main body toward the other side of the double row needles. As a result, the expanded part of the element attaching part is also inevitably biased to the other side, and for setting out the elements, the elements cannot be set out evenly in the center of the end part of the fastener tape, and there occur lots of inconveniences as not smoothly sliding the slider. Even if the knitting by the multiple row needles uses only one side needle row of the double row needles, only 1/2 seams are formed in comparison with the single row needles for the same knitting time, so that the working efficiency is considerably lowered. In this point, since the fastener tape disclosed in JP-B-54-21781 carries out the knitting by the single weave composed by a single bed over the full fastener tape, the knitting efficiency is twice heightened. In addition, since one or two pieces of core cords are knitted at the same time as knitting the tape as in a manner of holding the tape there between and superimposing on the surface side and back surface side, a portion expanded by covering the core cord with the tightening woof is symmetrical on the surface side and back surface side, so that the elements can be set out evenly. In particular, when knitting the two pieces of core cords, the expanded portion also becomes large and the attaching strength of the elements is improved as well. However, in regard to any of JP-UM-B-56-16088, JP-A-8-56713 and JP-B-54-21781, when knitting the core cord into the terminal portion of the fastener tape, since the space is narrow between the two pieces of adjacent needles forming the two rows of wales of the same terminal portion, the core cord and the needle are easy to interfere in addition to the core cord being thick, and the core cord is difficult to smoothly pass between the needles, so that the core cord contacts and often breaks the needle. For avoiding such occasions, the thickness of the core cord must be made thin. It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a machine of efficiently producing warp knitted fastener tape enabling to evenly attach elements without breaking needles, which can knit a core cord of a required thickness without missing softness inherent to a knitwear, evenly expand a portion formed by knitting the core cord in a surface side and a back surface side of the tape. According to the invention, there is provided a production machine of a warp knitted tape for slide fastener, the production machine knitting a tape composed of a warp knitted weave and at the same time continuously knitting a core cord along one side end part of the tape, the production machine including: a single needle bed having sliding grooves that slidably guide a plurality of knitting needles arranged in parallel, respectively; a knitting yarn guide swinging and shogging; a first core cord guide for guiding the core cord; and a second core cord guide placed in a knitting passage of the core cord at a knitting mouth of the needle bed for guiding the core cord. The invention, of course, includes a case that the first guide for the core cord is composed of a single guide for guiding one piece of core cord. According to a preferred embodiment, the first guide for core cord is composed of a pair of guides for guiding two pieces of core cords. The second guide may have a first guide groove formed on the surface of the knitting mouth part opposite to the needle groove of the needle bed and a second guide groove formed on the face opposite to the first guide groove of the plate member arranged along the surface of the knitting mouth part. The warp knitting fastener tape of the invention knits the fastener tape in a single weave, using the warp knitting machine of a single bed type, and at the same time, knits the core cord into one part of the ground weave along one side end part of the fastener tape. Since the knitting speed is made available about twice of knitting by the warp knitting machine of a double bed type, high production efficiency is provided. Regardless of whether the core cord is one or two pieces, the core cord knitted part forms a portion evenly expanded on both the surface side and back surface side. Therefore, the elements are not biased to either the surface side or back surface side, and the elements are attached evenly. In particular, adding to the ordinary core cord guide, the invention has the second core cord guide for guiding the core cord into the knitting passage in the knitting mouth while restraining the core cords freely acting, so that the core cords can smoothly pass, not interfering with the needle adjacent the core cord knitting passage. Thus, the needle is avoided from being broken. 15 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a partially cross sectional view showing a knitting mouth of a rashel warp knitting machine of a single bed type as a production machine of a warp knitted fastener tape according to a first embodiment the invention; Fig. 2 is a side view of the same machine; Fig. 3 is a partially plan view schematically showing one example of a knitted weave of the warp knitted fastener tape knitted by the above mentioned machine; and Fig. 4 is a partially cross sectional view showing a knitting mouth of a rashel warp knitting machine of a single bed type as a production machine of a warp knitted fastener tape according to a second embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFFERED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. Figs, 1 and 2 are a perspective view and a side view showing formation of fastener element rows by a production machine of a warp knitted fastener tape T according to a first embodiment of the invention and knitting actions thereof. In this embodiment, a main body of the production machine may be a single rashel machine of an ordinary vertical bed type, a crochet knitting machine, or a tricot knitting machine. Accordingly, their detailed parts are omitted from illustration. In these Figures, reference numeral 1 designates a needle bed for slidably accoinmodating up and down a plurality of knitting needles 2 (called as “needle (s) “ hereafter) , which are arranged in parallel along respective sliding grooves la. Numeral 3 designates knitting yarns for a ground weave. Numeral 4 designates knitting yarn guides for introducing the respective knitting yarns 3 to the corresponding needles 2, swinging and shogging to form the seams. Herein, the needle bed 1, the needles 2 and the knitting yarn guide 4 are the members ordinarily furnished in this kind of rashel machine, and they are not characteristic features of the invention. The needles 2 and the knitting yarn guides 4, which are operation members, are respectively connected to drive sources (not shown) and synchronously operate at predetermined timings. In this embodiment, the needles 2 and the knitting yarn guides 4 are symmetrical left and right, holding the center of the needle bed 1 there between, and a left and right couple of fastener tapes T are produced at once knitting. Numerals 5 and 6 designate a pair of first core cord guides for guiding two pieces of core cord 7, 8. The first core cord guides are cylindrical. As shown in Fig. 3, those first core cord guides 5, 6 are arranged upward of the respective needles 2 for introducing the two pieces of core cords 7, 8 into the knitting mouth between a first wale W1 at a leftmost end of the fastener tape T and a second wale W2 adjacent to the first wale W1. The core cord is one of the members particular to the fastener tape T. Many elements are attached along one side end part of the fastener tape T. The attaching manners include a case of attaching by stitching, another case of attaching by caulking metal-made elements, a further case of integrally attaching elements to the tape side end part while forming the elements, or a still further case of attaching by knitting or weaving a monofilament made of a synthetic resin formed spirally or in zigzag while knitting or weaving the fastener tape. The core cord is especially useful to the case of attaching by caulking the metal made elements and the case of integrally forming the synthetic resin made elements. When attaching the elements to the fastener tape T by caulking or forming, if the element attaching part is formed in a sheet-like shape similarly to the fastener tape main body, a desired attaching strength cannot be provided only by caulking the metal or integrally forming the synthetic resin. If biting the element whose tape end part is expanded by the core cord when caulking or forming, the desired attaching strength is provided. Accordingly, the core cord is the composing member particular to the fastener tape T. The core cord is unnecessary to sorts such as ordinary tapes. The core cord must be exactly introduced into a predetermined position of the knitting mouth, and therefore, the guide for the core cord is required as mentioned above when knitting the core cord into the fastener tape. In general, the core cord has conventionally been made of one piece of yarn, but in this embodiment, the two pieces of core cords 7, 8 guided by the pair of the first core cord guides 5, 6 are arranged on a surface side and on a back surface side of the fastener tape T and knitted into the element attaching part of the tape T. The invention also includes such a case of guiding one piece of core cord into the guide for one core cord and knitting it into the element attaching part of the fastener tape. Between the pair of first core cord guides 5, 6, the embodiment arranges a second knitting yarn guide 4b for guiding a second knitting yarn 3b forming one part of the ground weave knitted by the first and second wales W1, W2, the part of the ground weave running in a course direction. In the embodiment, the first knitting yarn 3d forming the first wale W1 to compose the ground weave is the chain knitting yarn of 1-0/0-1, and the second knitting yarn 3a is the inserting woof of 0-0/4-4. In substitution of the inserting woof, a satin knitting yarn (1-0/3-4) may be used. If trying to merely introduce the two pieces of core cords 7, 8 guided by the pair of first core cord guides 5, 6 into the knitting mouth between the first needle 2a and the second needle 2b forming loops of the first wale W1 and the second wale W2, the interferences happen between the core cords 7, 8 and the first needle 2a and/or the second needle 2b. Thus, it is possible that the core cords 7, 8 may not smoothly pass, and that the first needle 2a and the second needle 2b may be broken. Therefore, the embodiment has a second core cord guide 9, which is a characteristic feature of the invention, for smoothly introducing to guide the core cords 7, 8 into the knitting mouth. The second core cord guide 9 is composed of a first core cord guiding groove lb and a plate member 10. The first core cord guiding groove lb is formed on a surface opposite to the side formed with the sliding grooves la of the respective needles 2 of the needle bed 1. The first core cord guiding groove lb is formed at the intermediate position between the first and second needles 2a, 2b. The plate member 10 is provided in opposition to the first core cord guiding groove 1b, taking a space that allows the fastener tape T to pass through. At the position opposite to the first core cord guiding groove 1b of the plate member 10, a second core cord guiding groove 10a is formed in the same shape as the first core cord guiding groove 1b. The first and second core cord guiding grooves 1b and 10a are formed for guiding linearly along the knitting passage of the core cords 7, 8 to be knitted into the fastener tape T. The first and second core cord guiding grooves 1b and 10a are formed respectively in semicircular cross section. The first core cord guiding groove 1b is introduced with the first core cord 7 guided by the first core cord guide 5 positioned backward, while the second core cord guiding groove a is introduced with the second core cord 8 guided by the second core cord guide 6 positioned forward. In this embodiment, the most of the needles 2 is for knitting the ground weave of the fastener tape T. The first, second, third ... needles 2a, 2b, 2c ... are received in all of the left and right sliding grooves la, la, la . . ., holding the center in the lengthwise direction of the needle bed 1 there between for carrying out the knitting. The illustrated embodiment determines the distance enough to pass the first and second core cords 7, 8 between the first needle 2a and the second needle 2b. Accordingly, the seamed density is possible to become rough. In case of getting a desired density/ this problem is solved by, for example, employing in the woof a material having high thermal contraction, inserted in such parts where the seamed density is rough. The knitting yarn guides 4a, 4b, 4c ... arranged above the needle bed 1 swing back and forth and chog laterally among the respective needles 2a, 2b, 2c ... so as to wrap the knitting yarns 3a, 3b, 3c . . . in response to vertical actions of the needles 2a, 2b, 2c ... determined by the knitted weave. By the wrapping actions of the knitting yarn guides 4a, 4b, 4c ... and the vertical actions of the needles 2a, 2b, 2c..., the knitting yarns 3a, 3b, 3c ... are introduced into the corresponding needles 2a, 2b, 2c ..., and the seams are formed. Fig. 3 shows one example of the fastener tape produced by the fastener tape production machine having the above mentioned structure. According to the illustrated example, the first wale W1 is formed by the chain knitting yarn 3d (0-1/1-0), the first tricot knitting yarn 3b (0-1/2-3), the second tricot knitting yarn 3c (2-3/1-0) and the first insertion woof 3a (0-0/3-3) . The second wale W2 is formed by the chain knitting yarn 3d (0-1/1-0) , the first tricot knitting yarn 3b (0-1/2-3) , the second tricot knitting yarn 3c (2-3/1-0) and the second insertion woof 3e (0-0/4-4). The third and fourth wales W3, W4 are formed by the chain knitting yarn 3d (0-1/1-0) , the second insertion woof 3e (0-0/4-4), and the second tricot knitting yarn 3c (2-3/1-0) . The first to fourth wales W1 to W4 are the element attaching part A (not shown). The fifth to ninth wales W5 to W9 are formed by the second tricot knitting yarn 3c (2-3/1-0) and the second insertion woof 3e (0-0/4-4). The tenth to twelfth wales are formed by the chain knitting yarn 3d (0-1/1-0), the second tricot knitting yarn 3c (2-3/1-0) and the second insertion woof 3e (0-0/4-4) . The fifth to twelfth wales W5 to W12 form the tape main body B. Among them, the tenth to twelfth wales W10 to W12 are ear parts BE. Herein, the same numerals are given to the knitting yarns of the same weave forming the wales W1 to W12, but the chain knitting yarns are all different, and the tricot knitting yarns and the woofs are partially common, and the remaining wales are the knitting yarns partially different. The first and second core cords 7, 8 are longitudinally inserted along the wales between the first wale W1 and the second wale W2. Specifically, the first core cord 7 is inserted into between a sinker loop of the second tricot knitting yarn 3c and the first insertion woof 3a, and the second core cord 8 is inserted into between the first insertion woof 3a and a sinker loop of the first tricot, knitting yarn 3b. In short, the first core cord 7 and the second core cord 8 are knitted along the outside end part of the element attaching part A of the fastener tape T, while the first core cord 7 and the second core cord 8 hold the first insertion woof 3a there between and are being tightened by the second tricot knitting yarn 3c and the first tricot knitting yarn 3b. At this time, the first and second core cords 7, 8 are respectively guided by the pair of first core cord guides 5, 6, and are introduced, while being superimposed, into the portion of the needle bed 1 and the plate member 10 between the first needle 2a and the second needle 2b, and into the first core cord guiding groove lb and the second core cord guiding groove 10a, which serve as the second core cord guide. The first core cord 7 and the second core cord 8 introduced in the first core cord guiding groove lb and the second core cord guiding groove 10a which are oppositely formed, are stably guided while being superimposed, without changing the distance and the positions of the core cords. As a result, the first core cord 7 and the second core cord 8 hold the first woof 3a as one part of the ground weave there between, and are fixed under a condition of being tightened by the respective sinker loops of the first and second tricot knitting yarns 3b, 3c knitted between the first and second needles 2a, 2b, and form the expanded part C expanded evenly over both sides along the outside end part of the element attaching part A of the fastener tape T. The expanded part C of equal largeness enhances attaching strength of the elements to be attached. Fig,. 4 show a second embodiment of a production machine of a fastener tape T. In the first embodiment, since the plate. member 10 as the partially composing members of the second core cord guide is made of the single plate member, the plate member 10 is fixedly supported by a supporting member (not shown), and the left and right couple of fastener tape T is connected with, e.g., a connecting knitting yarn (not shown) and concurrently knitted. On the other hand, instead of the single plate member 10, the present embodiment directly supports two sheets of first and second plate members 11a, lib at the center of the needle bed 1. This embodiment independently knits the left and right couple of fastener tapes T. The second core cord guiding groove lie formed in the first and second plate members 11a, lib is opposite to the first core cord guiding groove 1b formed in the needle bed 1. In the first embodiment and also in the second embodiment, since the space between the first needle 2a and the second needle 2b is set out to be twice wider than the other space so that one piece of core cord is easy to pass, the seamed density between the first wale W1 and the second wale W2 is made rough. Therefore, the present embodiment preferably uses the yarn of high contraction to the chain knitting yarn 3d of the first wale W1 as well as the first woof 3a running between the first to third wales W1. Desirably, the degree of contraction is 12 to 24% at this time. Further, if thickness of the first and second tricot knitting yarns 3b, 3c knitted between the first and second wales W1, W2 fixing the first and second core cords 7, 8 is made once to three times of the other knitting yarns 3a, 3d, 3e, the expanded part becomes further larger and the attaching strength of the elements is increased to a large extent.

Documents:

1081-CHE-2006 CORRESPONDENCE OTHERS.pdf

1081-CHE-2006 CORRESPONDENCE PO.pdf

1081-CHE-2006 FORM-1.pdf

1081-CHE-2006 FORM-18.pdf

1081-che-2006 abstract granted.pdf

1081-che-2006 claims granted.pdf

1081-che-2006 description (complete) granted.pdf

1081-che-2006 drawings granted.pdf

1081-che-2006-abstract.pdf

1081-che-2006-claims.pdf

1081-che-2006-correspondence-others.pdf

1081-che-2006-description-complete.pdf

1081-che-2006-drawings.pdf

1081-che-2006-form 1.pdf

1081-che-2006-form 18.pdf

1081-che-2006-form 26.pdf

1081-che-2006-form 3.pdf

1081-che-2006-form 5.pdf