Patent GB-189900150-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Knitting Machines.
Inventor: NELSON JOHN FRANKLIN
Filed: 1899-01-03
Granted: 1899-03-25
Abstract: 150. Nelson, J. F. Jan. 3. Parallel knitting-machines. - The machine automatically knits complete stockings one after another, making a " set up" after casting off the completed stocking. There are two complete sets of needles, the main needles b, b<1>, Fig. 46, and the ribbing- needles q<4>. The cams for operating the main needles are shown in Figs. 30, 31. On the back cam slide C<5> there are five cams, of which K<2> is fixed, K<1> and K<4> can be raised or lowered out of or into range with the bits on the needle jacks. and K, K<3> can be moved transversely to the direction of motion of the slide. On the front cam slide C<4> are four cams, of which J, J<2> move similarly to K<3>, K, and J<1>, J<3> similarly to K<1>, K<4>. In starting a stocking or making the set up," the back cams are arranged as shown in Fig. 30, those on the front slide being similarly arranged, and the cams J<3> and K4 being raised out of action. When the set up is complete, the toe is made on the back needles, the front cams all being out of action as shown in Fig. 31. In making the foot, the cams K, K<4>, J<3> are raised out of action. The heel is made similarly to the toe, and the leg similarly to the foot. When the foot is completed, half the main needles are thrown out of action, their loops being transferred to the ribbing needles. The right-hand front needle and the left-hand back needle are actuated twice each course by means of the cams K<4>, J<3>, which are now depressed ; the corresponding hooks for holding down the work are similarly operated ; the effect of this is to cause the threads which form loops on the front main and back rib needles to interlock at the ends to form a complete tube as indicated in Fig. 55. The cams J<3>, K<4> are caused to rise or fall by means of switches which guide them above or below ribs on the bars C<2>, in which the cam slides C<4>, C<5> work ; two of the switches l<20> are automatically closed by a spring and opened by the cams themselves, the other two l<22> being operated from the pattern drum. The cams K, J<2> are moved to regulate the tension of the loops by bars J' connected to levers operand by the pattern drum. The cams J, K<3>, K', J<1> have lugs j<4>, j<x>, k<x>, k<10>, k<4>, j<9>, which are directed by switches, such as l<26>, L<5>, operated from the pattern mechanism, above or below certain ledges on the bars C<2>, C<3> and so are moved in the appropriate manner. The main cam slides are operated by a connecting-rod c<6>, Fig. 1, pivoted to a bell-crank lever c', which is operated by a link b<3> with a bowl entering a groove in a pulley a' geared to a pinion to the main shaft : the main thread carrier is operated by a connecting-rod D' pivoted to a lever G', which is pivoted to the bell-crank at g and is additionally moved by a forked lever g<2>, g<1> pivoted at g<3> and operated on by a cam z<1>. During the formation of the " set up," toe, foot, heel, and leg, the main thread carrier is in action, but on commencing the rib top its connecting-rod D' is lifted out of gear with it by means operated from the pattern mechanism, and two carriers T', Fig. 46, are put into action to feed the back and front double rows of main and ribbing needles b<1>, q<4>, b, q<4>. The transferring-points W are shown in Fig. 27 ; the loop in that Figure is left on the points by the main needle, and the ribbing-needle is just entering it. The transferring-points are moved upwards and downwards by bars operated at the required time from the pattern mechanism. The cam slides C<4>, C<5> are connected by a yoke c', Fig. 1, which slides on guide rods R. When the rib top is started, the rods R are rotated by levers operated from the pattern mechanism ; the rotation of the rods brings into action two cams, which act on the tails of the ribbing needles to bring thcm into range with their operating-cams ; further rotation of the rods causes sleeves feathered on the rods and connected to the yoke to pick up the rib-needle cam slides and thread carriers. Each rib needle cam slide has two cams and two flanges pivoted on rods which are rocked at each end of the stroke by hitting against projections ; the cams are thus brought into action alternately. The ribbing-needles are locked out of action by a sliding notched rod operated from the pattern mechanism. The main thread carrier has two guide-tubes for two yarns, and is rocked at the appropriate time to change the yarn; the old yarn is severed by a scissors arrangement operated by the rocking carrier, which is operated by a lever and switch from the pattern mechanism. The parts M of the needle bed, Fig. 46, are pivoted and can be lowered to enable a needle to be removed. The pattern drum is operated from the main shaft through the star-wheel B, Fig. 1, and pinion h gearing with the teeth h<3>. Fig. 8 shows the drum developed. A pin h<2> projects from the pinion h and gears with one of two sectors I, I<1>. While the foot, leg, and rib top are being knitted, the pinion h is in one of the spaces 1, 2, 3 and the drum is at rest, but at these times the pin h<2> gears with one of the sectors I, I<1>, and after the proper interval the sectors move the drum onwards and the pinion h gears again with the teeth h<3>.