Basic Elements of Knitting and Their Functions

Knitting is one of the most important fabric making techniques in the textile industry. To understand how knitting works, you must first understand its basic elements. There are three basic elements of knitting, and those are (a) needle, (b) cam, and (c) sinker which operate together in loop formation. In this article I will explain these basic elements of knitting and their functions.

NEEDLE

Needle is the main machine tools and principal elements in knitting responsible for loop formation. The function of the needle is to retain the old loop during knitting, form the new loop when the yarn is fed to the hook, and then add or enclose the new loop with the old loop in a sequential manner. So the needle must have some method of closing the needle hook at the required time to retain the new loop and exclude the old loop properly.

There are three types of needle present for knitting based on hook-closing mechanism. Those are as follows: (a) bearded needle, (b) latch needle, and (c) compound needle used in different knitting machines. The schematic diagram of these needles is shown in Figure 1 for better understanding.

Bearded Needle

The flexible hooked loop holder type of knitting needle which is capable of enclosing the newly formed loop during knitting operation in order to draw it through the previously formed old loop is called bearded needle. It is the cheapest and simplest type of manufacture among knitting needles, and it is made from a single piece of metal by pressing or stamping, in machine gauges as fine as 60 needles per inch for fine fabric production.

Main parts of the bearded needle:

There are five main parts of the bearded needle (Figure 1a):

1. The stem, around which the needle loop is formed during loop formation.
2. The head, where the stem is turned into a hook shape to draw the new loop through the old loop effectively.
3. The beard, which is the curved downward continuation of the hook portion that is used to separate the trapped new loop inside from the old loop as it slides off the needle beard during knocking-over.
4. The eye, or groove, cut in the stem portion to receive the pointed tip of the beard when it is pressed, thus enclosing the new loop securely.
5. The shank, which may be bent for individual location in the machine or cast with others in a metal “lead” for collective mounting.

Function of bearded needle parts:

The main functions of bearded needle for knitting are as follows:

1. The stem is turned into hook at the head portion to draw the new loop through the old loop during running of the machine.
2. Groove, cut in the stem serves as an eye for receiving the pointed tip of the bearded needle.
3. In the stem section, where needle loop has formed and retained temporarily.
4. In shank, this may be bent for individual location in knitting machine with others in a metal lead for proper needle positioning.
5. In beard, it is the curved downward construction of the hook end which is ultimately used to separate the old loop from the new loop.

Advantages of bearded needle:

Important advantages of bearded needle are as follows:

1. Bearded needle is simple and the cheapest type of knitting needle.
2. Bearded needle is also known as a spring needle.
3. Also, suitable for loop transfer during textile fabric manufacturing.
4. Bearded needle is used in very fine gauge circular or flat knitting machine.
5. Bearded needle has a required closing element for loop retention.
6. It is less expensive than other types of needles used in a knitting machine.

Latch Needle

The needle which has a right hook and a latch that moves easily around the axis is called latch needle. The latch needle is shown in Figure 1b. Important parts of a latch needle are as follows:

1. The latch slot or rivet, responsible for the smooth movement of the latch.
2. The rivet, which acts as a fulcrum point for the movement of the latch.
3. The latch blade, which is moving up and down around the rivet to open or close the loop properly.
4. The latch spoon, which when combined with the tip creates a loop mechanism to separate the new loop and old loop.
5. The hook, where the stem is turned into a hook portion to draw the new loop through the old loop.
6. The tip, which is the end point of the hook used for loop formation with the latch spoon.
7. The stem, around which the needle loop is formed and held temporarily.
8. The butt, which may be bent for individual location in the machine or cast with others in a metal “lead” for proper mounting.

Function of latch needle parts:

The main functions of a latch needle parts are as follows:

1. Saw cut or slot receives and guides the latch blade.
2. Rivet can be threaded or plain and pinched in the slot walls to secure the latch blade.
3. Hook draws and retains temporarily the new loop.
4. Stem carries the new loop in the rest position or clearing position during knitting cycle.
5. Tail is normally an extension which is below in the butt, gives additional support to the knitting needle and stabilizes the needle in its trick or rest position.
6. Latch blades situated in the blade for proper opening and closing.
7. Slot walls or cheeks are either riveted or punched to act as fulcrum for proper movement of the latch blade.
8. Latch spoon is an extension of the latch blade part which ultimately bridges between the stem and hook for loop formation.
9. Butt enables the knitting needles to be reciprocated smoothly when contacted by cam profiles.

The latch needle has the major advantage of being fully self-acting or loop-controlled, so that individual movement and control of the needle enables precise stitch selection to be achieved. It is ideally suited for use with computer-controlled electronic selection devices for automated knitting. For that reason, it is the most widely used needle in weft knitting and is sometimes termed the “automatic” needle due to its self-operating nature.

Compound Needle

Compound needle is a modification of the latch needle designed taking into account the disadvantages of latch needle such as limited gauge or slower operation. The schematic diagram of the compound needle is shown in Figure 1c for reference.

CAM

Cam is the second primary knitting element. This is a mechanical device used in knitting machines which converts the rotary movement of the drive to a suitable reciprocating movement for needle operation. The movement of the cam converts the needles to perform a reciprocating movement, particularly up and down movement for knitting action during fabric formation. The cam is carefully profiled to produce precisely timed movement and dwell period to ensure uniform stitching. The schematic diagram of a cam is shown in Figure 2. It is a combination of guide cam, running cam, clearing cam, stitch cam, guard cam, and up through cam components. The stitch cam is adjustable for tuck stitch operation such that the old loop will not be cleared and the new loop will be properly formed to tuck.

SINKER

The sinker is the third primary knitting element. It is a thin metal plate, present at right angles from the hook side of the needle. It performs the following actions: (a) loop formation, (b) holding down of the loop, and (c) knocking over to release loops. The schematic diagram of a sinker is shown in Figure 3 for clear understanding.

Conclusion

The basic elements of knitting machines and their functions form the foundation of knitting technology. The needle creates loops, the cam controls needle movement, and the sinker supports loop formation and fabric stability. By understanding their functions, beginners can improve their skills, and experienced knitters can refine their techniques.

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