Knitting machine "Neva-5": description, operating instructions

The manual knitting machine "Neva-5" was quite popular among Soviet needlewomen and made it possible to dress the whole family in beautiful knitted patterns without leaving the house. This was especially true in times of general shortage, when it was unrealistic to buy a warm and at the same time beautiful thing in a store.

Knitting machines "Neva-5" were produced at the LMO them. Karl Marx - one of the leading enterprises of Minlegpischemash, which was later renamed into PA Vulkan. Until 1992, the quality of the products was very high: the plant produced strong and durable samples that were in high demand not only in the Soviet Union, but also in the countries of the former socialist bloc.

However, since the mid-90s, after the start of the wholesale privatization of production, the quality of knitting machines began to decline sharply. In the context of a growing crisis and a rapidly impoverished population, the manufacturer tried to reduce the cost of manufactured products as much as possible and instead of metal components began to use elements made of cheap plastic. This caused a sharp drop in the quality of Neva-5 machines and, as a result, a noticeable drop in demand for the plant's products.

In order to somehow save the situation, Vulkan specialists started production of the Ladoga-3 knitting machine, which was based on the Neva-5 model equipped with the Ladoga prefix.

Today, the population still has a large number of copies of this legendary model, and many of them are actively used by domestic craftsmen, who knit not only hats and scarves on them, but also beautiful sweaters with a pattern.

The single-loop knitting machine "Neva-5" belongs to the fifth class and, unlike earlier models of this manufacturer, is equipped with a semi-automatic specialized carriage that provides automatic threading on the needles. The carriage is equipped with control levers, a yarn guide and a knitting density regulator. The carriage moves along the needle bed, which includes rails, a row of needles, a screw and a slot for a row counter.

The structure is closed from above with a lid with a slot for pulling combs and a slot for accessories. In addition to the listed units, "Neva-5" is equipped with a yarn guide unit, a yarn guide, a counter, a pulling comb and a retainer.

The machine is equipped with reed-type needles, weighs 11 kg and is capable of working with woolen, cotton, semi-woolen and synthetic threads.

The height of the product is 100 cm, width - 175 cm, length - 1 m 23 cm. In this case, the working width of the needle bed corresponds to 1 m, and the number of positions of the density regulator reaches 28. The machine creates a weave "kulirny smooth surface" and is able to knit 18 rows in 1 minute ...

Against the background of modern high-tech and fully automated models, equipped with modern computer support, the Neva-5 looks quite antediluvian. However, many craftswomen are in no hurry to acquire innovative models and prefer it. This is due to a number of obvious advantages of Soviet technology, which, despite its advanced age, continues to function successfully.

• Cars "Neva-5" are of high quality assembly and before the crisis were made from very reliable components. Thanks to this, many models have successfully survived to this day and work without repair.
• The equipment of the unit is very easy to set up and does not get lost throughout the entire operation cycle.
• Due to the simplicity of the design, even novice craftswomen can master machine knitting on the "Neva-5".
• In order to thread the thread into the machine, it is enough to thread it into the thread tensioner and move the carriage. Further, the technician will lay the thread itself, without requiring operator intervention. This is the main advantage of this model over the earlier samples of "Neva", in which the thread had to be laid in each row.
• Thanks to the ability to install the needle in any of the 4 positions, the knitting of complex relief patterns and ornaments has been greatly simplified.
• The machine is equipped with a convenient row counter, which will not allow the operator to lose count and deviate from the mating pattern.
• An equally significant advantage of the Soviet model is its price, which compares favorably with the cost of foreign equipment.
• The model has good maintainability and is compatible with most spare parts available in specialized stores and service centers.
• The bed of the "Neva-5" is equipped on the sides with two folding strips with three grooves, which serve to temporarily hold the threads that are not involved in knitting. This is very convenient when making a multi-color ornament or pattern.

Among the disadvantages of the "Neva-5" typewriters are noted low functionality, because of which "bringing the thing to mind" often has to be done manually. Besides, in later samples, many parts are made of plastic, which negatively affects the quality of the machine.

Attention is also drawn to the inconvenient iron box, in which it is rather problematic to put the unit in.This drawback is especially often pointed out by users who have dealt with an older model - "Neva-2", equipped with a comfortable hard case.

In addition, “Neva-5” lacks the plates on the springs necessary for pulling off the finished canvas, which are available on “Neva-2”. Their role is played by special weights, which must be outweighed every 15-20 rows.

The single-line machine "Neva-5" is capable of knitting not only with a stitching stitch, when on one side there are only front loops, and on the other - only purl loops. The machine can create patterns and openwork weaves, as well as perform multi-color ornaments and pressed weaves... This becomes possible due to selective knitting of loops and manual involvement of the needles in the work, as well as a change in the density of the knitting and the withdrawal of individual needles to the back or front non-working position. Openwork patterns are made thanks to the work of decorators, which are used to transfer the loops.

In order to master all the knitting techniques on a typewriter, you need to understand the role of the carriage levers and understand how they work. Knitting on a Neva-5 machine is a rather creative process that requires careful attention and consists of several stages.

• So, before starting work, the machine must be properly assembled. For this, the machine is taken out of the package, the row counter is installed and the handle is mounted on the carriage.
• Next, a skein of yarn is installed. The thread coming from it is threaded into the eyes located on the thread feeder and passed between the tensioner plates. It is they who determine the tension of the thread supplied to the carriage.
• Then the thread is brought into the thread guide, which is on the carriage, and the latch of the thread guide is closed.
• The thread that is not currently involved in knitting is pulled and fixed on a special clamp located on the yarn feeder stand.

Using the adjusting disc located in the center of the carriage, set the desired loop size, which determines the density of knitting. The higher the numerical value, the longer the loop will be and the more sparse the canvas will be.

The carriage of the "Neva-5" has paired levers located on both sides and designed to control the operation of the needles. Each of the levers has 2 positions, which are indicated by a triangle and a circle. When the carriage moves to the right, use the levers on the right, and vice versa. If you have to knit not one row, but several, then turn on both levers at the same time.

The operating principle of the lever is as follows: when it is switched to the triangle, the needles that occupy the working position (RP) do not knit, forming broach loops instead of loops, but without throwing loops off themselves. If the lever is on the "circle", then the needles in the working position (RP) begin to knit. This feature of controlling the needles using levers is the basis for the construction of drawings and patterns performed on the machine.

Many novice craftswomen, when using the machine for the first time, do not immediately grasp the principle of action of the levers and allow some carelessness when setting the needles. Therefore, at the initial stage, the main thing is to understand that the heels of the needles, which are in the rear non-working position (ZNP), are located at the rear rail, and the needles themselves do not participate in knitting. This position of the needles is used when forming a hemstitch and false elastic.

If the needles are in the forward non-working position (FNP) and also not engaged in knitting, then their heels should be positioned against the front rail. This position is used when forming a fang pattern and ornaments. In this case, it is necessary to control that the heels are close to the rails, otherwise the carriage begins to cling to them during movement.

Then watch the video instruction on how to learn how to set loops on the "Neva-5" knitting machine.