Patent GB-136820-A (GB)
IPC: D04B1/28
Abstract: 136,820. Hemphill Co., (Assignees of Lawson, J.). Dec. 12, 1918, [Convention date]. Circular machines; knitting, methods of.-Relates chiefly, but not exclusively, to machines with reciprocating needle cylinders for knitting glove blanks &c. Starting at the lower end of the wrist portion, either at the front or the back of the hand, a strip or blank the width of the hand or wrist is first knitted by reciprocation, the digits being all knitted integrally with the hand strip preferably one at a time in any desired sequence. The thumb may be separately knitted and afterwards applied to the hand in any suitable way. In knitting thumb and finger strips, all the needles are first thrown out of action and then the desired needles are returned to action at the proper points, while the remaining needles retain their loops. The thumb and finger tips may be fashioned and reinforced. Finally, a second strip the width of the hand and wrist is knitted. The machine in general is of the type described in Specification 20101/09. The cam 3 for throwing up needles prior to knitting a finger &c. strip has a stem 5 sliding against spring action in a bracket- and operatively connected to or acted on by a pin 6, bell-crank 7, rod. 9, and lever 10 associated with the pattern drum g. After completion of the four finger strips the inactive needles are returned by a throw-down cam 11 operated from the pattern drum similarly to the cam 3. In order to select the needles to form the several finger strips, five cams 18 - - 22, Fig. 6a, are provided to select by operating upon needle or jack butts at five different elevations, the needles that are to be employed in knitting respectively the little finger, and then in succession the third, second and first fingers and the thumb. Five slides 23 - - 27 having wedge-shaped heads 23<1> - - 27<1> are pivoted to bell cranks 28 - - 32 which are connected by rods 33 - - 37 to pattern drum levers 38 - - 42. As the finger tips are commenced, two narrowing pickers 44, 45 of known type are released from an upper inactive position by plunger members 51, 52 connected by a bar 50 controlled by the pattern drum. Three or more thread guides may be mounted on the latch ring C and be controlled from the pattern drum, as described in Specification 7133/10. One guide may carry the ordinary knitting yarn, another the yarn for reinforcing the finger tips &c., and the third a marking yarn to be thrown in action at the end of knitting a glove blank. The two extra yarns may be severed when thrown out of action by a cutter and be secured by a pattern-controlled binder. After narrowing, one or a pair of widening pickers 87, 88 of known type, controlled preferably by a cam drum 108 independent of the drum controlling the reinforcing yarn, come into operation. The picker 87 effects the widening of the third and little finger and the picker 88 that of the first and second fingers. Normally, the pickers are held down out of action by hooked members 99, 109. The drum 108 is loose on its shaft S<1>, Fig. 4, but is connected by means of a one-tooth ratchet 118 and spring-pressed pawl 142 to the drum g whereby the step-by-step movement of the latter is imparted to the former, but the drum 108 can be advanced independently by ratchet and pawl mechanism controlled by the pattern chain, to inaugurate the widening operations at the finger tips. The fashioning may begin at a point lower down on the finger at one side than the other. The backs and fronts of the gloves &c. may be knitted separately and after. wards seamed together, the finger tips only in this case being narrowed.