EP1396566A1 - Circular knitting machine with a displaceable yarn guide - Google Patents

Abstract

A circular knitting machine has a needle cylinder (1), a cylindrical lock segment, a ribbed disk (9) with a ribbed lock segment (11). The assembly has esp. a thread guide (25) attached to and moving with respect to the cylindrical lock segment A circular knitting machine has a needle cylinder (1), a cylinder lock segment (6), a ribbed disk (9) with a ribbed lock segment (11). The assembly further has a has an axis of rotation (7) which is parallel to the needle cylinder (1) and ribbed disk (10).and a thread (20) guide (25). The cylindrical lock segment (6) with thread guide (25) and ribbed lock segment (11) rotate relative to each other around the axis of rotation. In addition, the needle cylinder (1), ribbed disk arrangement (9) and thread guide (25) slide relative to each other parallel to the axis of rotation. The thread guide (25) is attached to and moves with respect to the cylindrical lock segment (6).

Description

The invention relates to a circular knitting machine in the preamble of claim 1 specified genus.

In a known circular knitting machine of this type (DE 19 44 454 A1) the cylinder and Rib locks or the segments forming them can be rotated relative to one another by one Axis of rotation arranged around. This serves the purpose of optionally opening the rib lock Set equal pull or pull, in order thereby the rib needles simultaneously with the Cylinder needles or - viewed in the circumferential direction of the needle cylinder - somewhat later than subtract this into its fully retracted position (culvert position). Besides, that is entire dial arrangement slidably mounted parallel to the axis of rotation, so that Height of the dial arrangement above the needle cylinder changed and thereby the Mesh length of the knitted fabric to be produced on the circular knitting machine can be.

A problem with such circular knitting machines which has not yet been satisfactorily solved exists in the assembly of their thread guide elements, which are used to feed threads to the individual Knitting points or systems serve. Finds a height adjustment of the dial arrangement instead, then the height of the thread guide elements or the entire Thread guides are changed accordingly so that the eyelets located on them or the like. Maintain their relative position in relation to the needles. Will be against the Rippschloss rotated relative to the needle cylinder lock to z. B. from equilibrium To pass next night, then the thread guides should not also be turned, but essentially maintain their relative position relative to the cylinder lock. This applies regardless of whether it is circular knitting machines with rotating needle cylinders and dials and stationary cylinder and dial locks or around circular knitting machines with stationary needle cylinders and dials and rotatable cylinders and Rib locks.

In the known circular knitting machine of the type mentioned at the outset, this Purpose the thread guides and all their parts attached to a common retaining ring, the with the help of support rods arranged parallel to the axis of rotation on an above the Ribbed arrangement arranged carrier is attached. This carrier can be together can be moved up and down with the dial, but retains its rotation the Rippschlosses relative to the cylinder lock its position relative to the cylinder lock segments at. As a result, the desired positions of the Thread guide ensured. The disadvantage, however, is that one surrounding the rib lock Thread guide ring is required, the support rods required for its suspension Arrangement of other modules such. B. of stripes largely impossible make and both the thread guide ring and the support rods free access to Impede the rib lock. So far, these disadvantages have to be accepted because other known types of fastening for the thread guides (e.g. DE 29 34 694 A1, DE 39 20 408 A1) either in circular knitting machines of the type described at the beginning are unusable or have other serious disadvantages. These exist in particular in that the thread guides after a height adjustment of the dial arrangement and / or a relative rotation of the rib lock relative to the cylinder lock individually and manually must be reset, which is cumbersome and time consuming is. In addition, with such types of attachment for the thread guide none automatic adjustment of the dial lock and / or the entire dial arrangement performed with the help of servomotors or the like and therefore no complex Circular knitting machines can be realized in which these adjustments during the have the knitting work carried out.

In contrast, the invention is based on the technical problem, the circular knitting machine of the genus described at the outset so that, despite the described Adjustment options provide free access to the locks, especially the rib lock allows space for additional modules such as stripes or the like and no additional support ring is required for the thread guides.

The characteristic features of claim 1 serve to solve this problem.

Characterized in that the thread guide elements are movable on cylinder lock segments assigned to them are mounted, the space above the rib lock can be largely be kept free. The thread guide elements are so pivotable on the Cylinder lock segments attached that they are radially outward in an inoperative position are pivotable, the accessibility to the machine for repair and Maintenance work further improved.

Further advantageous features of the invention emerge from the subclaims.

Fig. 1 schematisch einen vertikalen Radialschnitt durch eine erfmdungsgemäße Rundstrickmaschine;

Fig. 2 und 3 je einen vergrößerten Ausschnitt der Fig. 1 mit zwei unterschiedlichen Höhen-Einstellungen einer Rippscheibenanordnung und eines Fadenführers;

Fig. 4 einen den Fig. 2 und 3 entsprechenden, jedoch nicht ganz so stark vergrößerten Ausschnitt, wobei der Fadenführer in eine Außerarbeitsstellung verschwenkt ist;

Fig. 5 eine teilweise geschnittene Vorderansicht eines Halters und eines schwenkbar an diesem gelagerten Hebelmechanismus für ein Fadenführerelement nach einem bevorzugten Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung;

Fig. 6 bis 8 Schnitte längs der Linien VI - VI bis VIII - VIII der Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 und 10 je eine schematische und teilweise geschnittene Vorderansicht auf die Rundstrickmaschine in einem etwa den Fig. 2 und 3 entsprechenden Maßstab und in zwei unterschiedlichen relativen Drehstellungen eines Rippschlosses und eines Zylinderschlosses; und

Fig. 11 eine schematische Draufsicht auf ein an einem Rippschloßsegment gemäß Fig. 9 und 10 ausgebildetes Führungsteil.

The invention is explained in more detail below in connection with the accompanying drawings using an exemplary embodiment. Show it:

1 schematically shows a vertical radial section through a circular knitting machine according to the invention;

FIGS. 2 and 3 each show an enlarged section of FIG. 1 with two different height settings of a dial arrangement and a thread guide;

4 shows a section corresponding to FIGS. 2 and 3, but not quite so greatly enlarged, the thread guide being pivoted into an out-of-work position;

Figure 5 is a partially sectioned front view of a holder and a lever mechanism pivotally mounted thereon for a thread guide element according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

6 to 8 sections along the lines VI - VI to VIII - VIII of Fig. 5;

9 and 10 each show a schematic and partially sectioned front view of the circular knitting machine on a scale corresponding approximately to FIGS. 2 and 3 and in two different relative rotational positions of a rib lock and a cylinder lock; and

11 is a schematic plan view of a guide part formed on a rib lock segment according to FIGS. 9 and 10.

1, a circular knitting machine contains a preferably rotatably mounted Needle cylinder 1, which is mounted on a support ring 2 with external teeth 3. The External teeth 3 is in a known manner with a drive gear in engagement About transmission parts, not shown, with a drive motor, also not shown can be driven. The support ring 2 is in a stationary, annular base plate 4 rotatably mounted, which also carries a stationary support ring 5 on the one Cylinder lock is attached, which consists of a plurality of cylinder lock segments 6th is composed, in the circumferential direction of the needle cylinder 1 and by one to this coaxial axis of rotation 7 are arranged distributed around. Per knitting system of the circular knitting machine is z. B. Each such segment 6 is available.

Above the needle cylinder 1, a dial 9 is provided, the one Dial 10 and a dial lock, which consists of several analog to the cylinder lock Rippschloßsegmenten 11 is composed in the circumferential direction of the needle cylinder 1 are distributed. The dial 10 is on a dial carrier 12 mounted, which is rotatably mounted in a machine frame, not shown, whereas the Rippschlosssegment 11 stationary on a fixed to the machine frame connected Rippschloßträger 14 are attached. It is clear that the extent of the Circular knitting machine at least one cylinder and rib lock segment 6 or 11, however, preferably a plurality of cylinder and rib lock segments 6 and 11, respectively can be arranged.

The needle cylinder 1 is in a known manner with cylinder needles 15 and associated Control elements 16 occupied, with a sample selection of the cylinder needles 15 with Help from selectors 17 such. B. electromagnet is possible. Corresponding the dial 10 is equipped with dial needles 18, which are preferably not shown Means can also be selected according to the pattern. Otherwise the cylinders are Rib needles 15, 18 provided in a known manner with feet, the lock parts, the are attached to the segments 6, 11, are guided on preselected tracks.

Furthermore, the circular knitting machine is provided with first means, not shown, by means of which the position of the entire dial arrangement 9 parallel to the axis of rotation 7 can be adjusted relative to the needle cylinder 1 by the axial distance between the cylinder and Ribbed needles 15, 18 and thus the size of the stitches of the knitted fabric to be produced to change. There are also second means, not shown, by means of which the Rippschlosssegment 11 (or all existing Rippschlosssegment 11 at the same time) and the cylinder lock segment 6 can be rotated relative to one another about the axis of rotation 7 can to the rib lock depending on the desired type of knitting on equal or Cease reunification.

Furthermore, the circular knitting machine has at least one assigned to each knitting system Thread guide 19, by means of which the cylindrical and rib needles 15, 18 each at least one thread 20 coming from a supply spool is fed.

Finally, the circular knitting machine can also be equipped with adjusting members 21 (e.g. FIG. 4) and 22 (e.g. FIGS. 1 and 4) can be provided which allow an individual adjustment of the trigger depth enable the cylinder or rib needles 15, 18 on each knitting system.

Circular knitting machines of the type described are generally known and need that The skilled person will therefore not be explained in more detail. An example in this context to the publications DE 19 44 454 A1 and DE 197 43 814 A1 referred to Simplification of the representation hereby by reference to the subject matter present disclosure be made.

According to the thread guides 19 are movable, i. H. for example pivotable or slidably mounted on them associated cylinder lock segments 6, such as 2 to 4 in connection with one of the cylinder lock segments 6 is explained in more detail. The other thread guides 19 are appropriate trained and stored accordingly.

In the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 2 to 4, the thread guide 19 is by means of a holder 23 pivotally mounted on the cylinder lock segment 6. The thread guide 19 contains one Lever mechanism 24 and a thread guide element 25. The holder 23 is fixed to one upper end and on a radially outer side of the cylinder lock segment 6 attached. In a central part, the holder 23 has a through opening 26 (Fig. 4, 5 and 7) through which the adjusting member 21 is accessible. How in particular 5 to 8 show, the holder 23 is in an edge portion surrounding the opening 26 provided with holes 27 for fastening screws 28, by means of which on the associated Segment 6 can be attached. In an upper part, the holder 23 is fork-shaped formed and provided with two parallel fork arms 29 which have a U-shaped receptacle for a disc-shaped end portion 30a of a first lever 30 of the lever mechanism 24 form. A pivot pin 31, the coaxial bores in the end portion 30a and protrudes in the two fork arms 29, is used for the pivotable mounting of the lever 30 in the holder 23. An imaginary longitudinal axis of the holder 23 is essentially perpendicular to an imaginary longitudinal axis of the first lever 30, while a pivot axis 32 (Fig. 5) of the pivot pin 31 substantially perpendicular to these two Axes stands. In the assembled state of the thread guide 19, the pivot axis is therefore 32 of the pivot pin 31, such as. B. from Fig. 1 and 9, on the one hand perpendicular to the axis of rotation 7, on the other hand substantially perpendicular to an imaginary, from the Axis of rotation 7 outgoing and extended through the center of the pivot pin 31 Radius of the needle cylinder 1 or the dial 10.

7 and 8, the lever arm 30 is at a distance from the end portion 30a End portion formed fork-shaped and provided with two parallel fork arms 30b, the a U-shaped receptacle for one end section 33a of a second lever 33 of the Form lever mechanism 24. A pivot pin 34, the coaxial holes in this End portion 33a and protrudes in the fork arms 30b, serves for pivoting Connection of the two levers 30 and 33, wherein a pivot axis 35 of the pivot pin 34 is arranged parallel to the pivot axis 32 of the pivot pin 31. The caused by the pivot pin 31 articulated connection of the lever 30 with the Holder 23 is also used for the pivotable mounting of the entire lever mechanism 24 on the holder 23, being in the assembled state and in the operating position Thread guide 19 an imaginary longitudinal axis of the second lever 33 essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the first lever 30 and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the holder 23 is arranged. In addition, the second lever 33 preferably extends according to FIG. 7 above both the first lever 30 and the holder 23.

Such as B. Fig. 1, 7 and 9 show is the first in the assembled state of the thread guide 19 Lever 30 extends substantially radially inwards and the second lever 33 in arranged substantially parallel to the axis of rotation 7 of the circular knitting machine. Therefore the lever 30 can also be referred to as a radial link, in which the pivot pin 31 radially outside and the pivot pin 34 is arranged radially inside. In contrast, the Levers 33 are also referred to as vertical links, in which the end section 33a the pivot pin 34 axially below and another end portion 33b axially above is.

5 to 8 further show, a groove 37 is at the end portion 33b of the lever 33 provided in which one end of a slide or tangential holder 38 is slidable is mounted, essentially in a direction parallel to the pivot axes 32 and 35. In addition, the end section 33b has an elongated hole 39 (FIG. 5), the long side is arranged parallel to the pivot pin 31, while that in the groove 37 located end of the slider 38 is provided with a threaded bore into which the elongated hole 39 protruding fastening screw 40 is screwed. This can the slide 38 within the limits defined by the edges of the elongated hole 39 moved and in a preselected position by means of the fastening screw 40 be determined.

At the other end of the slide 38 is an upper end of the thread guide element 25 attached. For this purpose, the slide 38 has a groove 41 (FIG. 5) there and in the groove Bottom a threaded hole on a slot 42 (Fig. 6) in the upper end of Thread guide element 25 is aligned and this elongated hole 42 protruding Fastening screw 43 takes. Imagined longitudinal axes of the groove 41 and the elongated hole 42 are substantially parallel to the imaginary longitudinal axes of the second lever 33 and of the holder 23 and extends in such a way that the thread guide element 25 corresponding to FIG. 5 is arranged laterally next to the second lever 33. With the help of the fastening screw 43 the thread guide element 25 can be within the limits specified by the elongated hole 42 moved up and down parallel to its imaginary longitudinal axis and in a preselected one Location to be determined.

The thread guide element 25 can be designed as desired. With special However, it is advantageous at its lower end (FIGS. 5, 6 and 9) along a narrow one The connecting web is angled by approx. 90 ° and is therefore essentially parallel to the pivot axis 32 arranged web 44 provided with the perpendicular to it Main part of the thread guide element 25 forms a narrow guide slot 45, in which the thread 20 is inserted to offer it to the knitting needles 15, 18.

The web 44 is designed when using knitting needles 15 in the form of latch needles as a tongue opener or open holder for the tongues of the needles 15, in order to ensure that the tongues of the knitting needles 15 approximated in the direction of an arrow v (FIG. 9) before the Reaching the thread guide 19 are open or kept open. Such a design of the thread guide element 25 is particularly expedient if the circular knitting machine on which it is mounted is equipped with automatic thread changing devices (cf., for example, DE 195 11 949 A1).

Such as 2 and 7, each thread guide 19 is attached to the rib lock Assigned guide part 46, preferably on the associated rib lock segment 11 is attached and protrudes radially from this to the outside. The guide member 46 is in one 2 and 3 with dashed lines, in FIG. 4, in contrast, solid guide groove 47 provided, which is designed here as an open V-groove. The guide part 46 serves for supporting and supporting a support part 48 which protrudes radially inwards and the slider 38 projecting part of the upper end portion 33b of the second lever 33 is formed. The support member 48 preferably includes a protruding one in the guide groove 47 insertable sliding element 49, the z. B. from a tapered downwards End of a bolt which is in a bore of the end portion 33 or Support part 48 is glued or pressed in and from this parallel to the lever 33 below, d. H. protrudes toward the other end portion 33a. The guide groove 47 extends themselves, such as B. from Fig. 9 and 10 can be seen, substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation 7 and perpendicular to the radial direction, i.e. H. essentially parallel to one Tangent to the needle circle of the needle cylinder 1. The guide groove is particularly preferred 47 extends along a circular path section coaxial with the axis of rotation 7 (Fig. 11), the radius of which is the distance between the guide groove 47 and the axis of rotation 7 (Fig. 1) equivalent. In Fig. 11, the curvature of the guide groove 47 is shown exaggerated.

According to a preferred embodiment, the z. B. from Fig. 2, 3 and 5 can be seen the holder 23 has in its upper region a parallel to its longitudinal axis Sacklock 50 on, in the receptacle formed by the fork arms 29 for the end portion 30a of the lever 30 opens. At the bottom of the blind hole 50 is one here Coil spring trained spring 51 supported, which rests on its free end Carries locking ball 52 and to press this into the receptacle for the end section 30a examined. The end section 30a is designed here as a flat disk, which is on the largest Part of its circumference cylindrical and with at least two notches or Recesses 53 is provided, in which the detent ball 52 with a corresponding rotational position of the end portion 30a can occur. The recesses 53 are preferably from trained such. B. V-shaped guide surfaces 53a (Fig. 3) limited that the spring 51 after the latching ball 52 engages in one of the recesses 53 tries a preferred rotational position of the end portion 30a, in which the locking ball 52 assumes a centered position in the relevant recess 53, to maintain or to restore after a deflection.

The functioning of the thread guide 19 described is essentially as follows:

After installing the thread guide 19 on the cylinder lock segment 6 in the described and as can be seen from the drawings, the second lever 33 is essentially arranged parallel to the axis of rotation 7. The thread guide element 25 can now do so first can be set so that the thread 20 leading end of the guide slot 45 one for the insertion of the thread 20 occupies an optimal position relative to the knitting needles 15, 18. Here, for. B. can be assumed from the arrangement shown in Fig. 2, at which is the axial distance of the dial 9 from the upper end of the needle cylinder 1 is the smallest. The support member 48 is in one on the Guide part 46 supported position in which the sliding element 49 in the guide groove 47th rests. The setting of the guide slot 45 relative to the knitting needles 15, 18 can in that the fastening screws 40, 43 are loosened, the slide 38 tangentially to the needle circle wnd / or the thread guide element 25 essentially parallel to Axis of rotation 7 shifted and the fastening screws 40, 43 after producing a pre-selected position can be tightened again. In addition, the radial location could also of the thread guide element 25 can be adjustable to the axis of rotation 7 by a further adjustment possibility is provided or appropriate washers between the slider 38 and the thread guide element 25 are placed. The circular knitting machine is now operational.

If the height of the dial 9 above the needle cylinder 1 is to be changed, only the usual adjustment mechanism needs to be actuated for this (e.g. DE 19 44 454 A1). The thread guide element 25 and the guide slot 45 automatically make this movement in the direction of an arrow w (FIG. 2) because the thread guide 19 is positively coupled to the rib disk arrangement 9 due to the guide part 46 engaging under the support element 48 when the axial movement of the dial 9 is directed upward , By this axial movement, the lever mechanism 24 z. B. pivoted from the position of FIG. 2 into the position of FIG. 3. By a suitable choice of the lengths of the levers 30 and 33, the arrangement of the thread guide element 25 on the thread guide 19 and the position of the pivot pin 31 can be achieved that the second lever 33 is pivoted very little in the radial direction and therefore the guide slot 45 its radial Maintains position to the cylinder needles 15 essentially (see FIGS. 2 and 3). This ensures that the thread 20 is securely inserted into the hook when the cylinder needles 15 are withdrawn. In addition, the guide slot 45 assumes practically the same axial position with respect to the needles 18 as in FIG. 2 after an axial displacement of the dial 9 (FIG. 3), so that the thread 20 is also fed to the needles 18 properly.

If the dial plate arrangement 9 is later lowered again in order to reduce its distance from the needle cylinder 1, the thread guide 19 also does this, in opposition to the arrow w in FIG. On the one hand, this is a result of gravity and, on the other hand, is caused by the spring 51. Since the end section 30a of the lever 30 is rotated clockwise around the pivot pin 31 when the dial 9 is moved in the direction of the arrow w, the detent ball 52 runs onto one of the guide surfaces 53a of the associated recess 53 in accordance with FIG. that the spring 51 is tensioned more. When lowering the dial arrangement 9, the spring 51 then presses against the guide surface 53a and thereby exerts a counterclockwise torque on the end section 30a, so that the thread guide 19 is non-positively coupled to the guide part 46 during this movement and is moved therewith. Of course, other types of coupling are also possible.

For the function of the web 44 or of the tongue opener formed thereon, the movement of the dial arrangement 9 parallel to the arrow w is not critical. It is only necessary to design the parts intended to open or keep the needle tongues so high that they are effective in any intended axial position of the dial 9.

A major advantage of the described and currently considered the best Embodiment is that the thread guide 19 from the operating positions 2 and 3 pivoted radially outwards into an inoperative position according to FIG. 4 can be. For this it is only necessary to hand in the thread guide 19 In the direction of arrow w (FIG. 2), lift slightly until the sliding element 49 comes out of the guide groove 47 has emerged, and then clockwise as a whole around the pivot pin 31 to pivot. In a desired decommissioning position, the Locking ball 52 then formed in another on the circumference of the end portion 30a Engage recessj 53 (Fig. 4). This possibility of swinging the back and forth Thread guide 19 is independent of the height at which the dial arrangement is 9 is located or which relative rotational position of the Rippschlosssegment 11 relative to Cylinder lock segment 6 takes.

It is also possible, as shown in particular in FIGS. 9 and 10, to rotate the rib lock segment 11 about the axis of rotation 7 in the circumferential direction relative to the cylinder lock segment 6. Known means (e.g. DE 19 44 454 A1) can in turn be used for this purpose. Fig. 9 shows, for example, a position in which the needle cylinder 1 and the dial 10 work with the same train, ie in which the lowest points of the needle paths of the two lock segments 6, 11 lie vertically one above the other. In contrast, FIG. 10 shows a setting for re-tightening, in which the rib lock segment 11 is shifted by a few needle pitches in the direction of the arrow v compared to the position according to FIG. 9. However, the thread guide 19 remains unchanged in the position according to FIG. 9, because when the rib lock segment 11 is rotated, the guide part 46 fastened to it is also displaced in the direction of the arrow v and thereby on the support part 48 (FIG. 7) or on the sliding element 49 of the thread guide 19, which cannot be displaced in this direction v , as shown in FIG. 10 by a dashed line 47a.

The invention is not restricted to the exemplary embodiment described, which can be modified in many ways. This applies, for example, to the lever mechanism 24, in which the two levers 30 and 33 can also be firmly connected to one another to form an integral part. In this case, a suitable choice of the lengths of the levers 30, 33 and the position of the pivot pin 31 could in turn ensure that the position of the guide slot 45 (or any thread guide eyelet or the like) when adjusting the dial arrangement 9 over the entire adjustment range provided for this purpose is only slightly changed in the direction of arrow w and therefore does not have to be corrected. Furthermore, the thread guide 19 can be coupled to the rib lock segment 11 by other means in the direction of the arrow w (or in the opposite direction). It would even be conceivable to reverse the movements to the extent that the cylinder lock segment 6 is rotated relative to the rib lock segment 11 or the needle cylinder 1 is moved axially together with the cylinder lock segment 6 relative to the dial plate arrangement 9. Apart from this, the thread guide element 25 could be axially displaceable instead of being radially pivotable on the cylinder lock segment 6, in which case the pivot mechanism 24 is eliminated and z. B. would be replaced by a sliding guide. In this variant, too, the axial coupling could take place by means of parts 46 to 49 and, if appropriate, by means of additional springs or the like. In addition, in the case of both variants, instead of the latching means 52, 53, other, easy-to-use locking means could also be predetermined in order to fix the thread guides 19 at least in the operating positions. In this respect, the terms "pivotable", "displaceable" or generally "movable" are to be understood in such a way that the desired and described settings are possible without complicated manipulations and, at least after unlocking, an adjustment, preferably also a central adjustment of the distance or the Angular position between the needle cylinder 1 and the dial 9 can be made. Stroke limiting means can also be provided in an advantageous manner, which prevent the thread guide 19 from swiveling unintentionally radially inwards or outwards. For this purpose, e.g. B. two attached to the lever 30 end stops 54 (Fig. 2 to 4), between which an arn lever 33 attached neck 55 is arranged. As a result, the two end stops 54 determine the maximum pivoting range of the lever 33 when the end section 30a of the first lever 30 is in the locking position, which is also expedient when the inoperative position according to FIG. 4 is produced. Finally, it goes without saying that the various features can also be used in combinations other than those shown and described.

Claims (18)

Circular knitting machine with a needle cylinder (1), at least one cylinder lock segment (6), a dial (9) having a dial (10) and at least one dial segment (11), an axis of rotation (7) coaxial with the needle cylinder (1) and the dial (9) ) and at least one thread guide element (25) intended for feeding a thread (20), the cylinder lock segment (6) with the thread guide element (25) and the rib lock segment (11) being rotatable relative to one another about the axis of rotation (7) and the needle cylinder (1) and the dial plate arrangement (9) with the thread guide element (25) are arranged so as to be displaceable relative to one another parallel to the axis of rotation (7), characterized in that the thread guide element (25) is movably mounted on the cylinder lock segment (6). Circular knitting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the rib lock segment (11) has a guide part (46) and the thread guide element (25) has a support part (48) which is supported thereon and can be displaced in the circumferential direction of the needle cylinder (1). Circular knitting machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the guide part (46) contains a guide groove (47) and the support part (48) contains a sliding element (49) arranged therein. Circular knitting machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the guide groove (47) is V-shaped and the sliding element (49) is conical. Circular knitting machine according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the support part (48) is coupled to the guide part (46) by the force of a spring (51). Circular knitting machine according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the thread guide element (25) is pivotally mounted on the cylinder lock segment (6). Circular knitting machine according to claim 6, characterized in that the thread guide element (25) and a lever mechanism (24) connected to it are components of a thread guide (19) which is pivotally mounted on a holder (23) fastened to the cylinder lock segment (6). Circular knitting machine according to claim 7, characterized in that the lever mechanism (24) has a first lever (30) articulated to the holder (23) and a second lever (33) connected to the thread guide element (25). Circular knitting machine according to claim 8, characterized in that the two levers (30, 33) are rigidly connected to one another. Circular knitting machine according to claim 8, characterized in that the two levers (30, 33) are articulated to one another. Circular knitting machine according to one of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that the thread guide (19) can be pivoted radially outward from an operating position into an out-of-operation position. Circular knitting machine according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the first lever (30) is pivotably mounted on the holder (23) by means of a disc-shaped end section (30a) and the holder (23) and the end section (30a) are associated with one another, latching means (52, 53) interacting at least in an operating position. Circular knitting machine according to claim 12, characterized in that the end section (30a) is provided on its circumference with at least one recess (53) and the holder (23) is provided with a locking element (52) pretensioned by a spring (51), which in the operating position of the thread guide (19) lies in the recess (53). Circular knitting machine according to claim 13, characterized in that the recess. (53) is delimited by at least one guide surface (53a) designed in such a way that the spring (51), when the thread guide (19) is in the operating position, the sliding element (49) at least within a preselected axial adjustment range of the rib lock arrangement (9) in the guide groove (47 ) holds. Circular knitting machine according to one of claims 7 to 14, characterized in that the lever mechanism (24) and the holder (23) are provided with stroke limiting means (54, 55) which limit the pivoting movement. Circular knitting machine according to one of Claims 8 to 15, characterized in that the second lever (33) is connected to a slide (38) and the slide (38) is connected to the thread guide element (25), the slide (38) on the lever (33 ) and the thread guide element (25) on the slide (38) are slidably mounted in mutually different directions and can be fixed in a preselected position by means of fastening screws (40, 43) for fixing the thread guide element (25). Circular knitting machine according to one of claims 2 to 16, characterized in that the guide part (46) projects radially outwards from the rib lock segment (11). Circular knitting machine according to one of claims 3 to 17, characterized in that the guide groove (47) runs along a circular path coaxial with the axis of rotation (7).

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