IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CAPS, SCOTCH BONNETS, STOCKINGS AND OTHER ARTICLES OF HOSIERY
Year: 1884

page_text: TRUVIDIONAL DECIFICATION.
I JAMES HENRY WOODWARD No 1 Cromford Street Nottingham Machinist do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CAPS, SCOTCH BONNETS, STOCKINGS AND OTHER
ARTICLES OF HOSIERY to be as follows:-
23
This invention has for its object improvements in machinery for the manufacture
of caps, Scotch bonnets, stockings and other articles of hosiery.
In my machine bearded needles are employed, they are arranged side by side in
sets or series in a plane which may be horizontal vertical or inclined. Each series
is provided with a thread carrier and presser. The thread carrier is automatically
controlled, its traverse can be progressively lessened and then again increased.
The main feature of novelty is in respect to the presser; the effective length of
the presser is automatically varied to accord with the traverse of the thread carrier,
The presser has sliding pieces upon it, which when moved inwards reduce its
effective width and when moved outwards increase the same. These sliding parts
on the presser are connected with the gear which controls the thread carrier so that
the space passed over by the thread carrier and the effective length of the presser
at all times correspond the one to the other.
The result of this arrangement is that when narrowing by reducing the distance
over which the thread carrier traverses the needles put out of action are not
pressed by the presser and consequently retain the loops of the work upon them.
This apparatus may be employed in the manufacture of stockings amongst others
in the following manner.
The leg of a stocking having been made either on a circular or flat frame the
portion of the work on which the heel piece is required to be made is run on to
the needles of my improved machine. A series of courses are then worked, each
course narrower than the preceding by the width of one needle at either end.
When the work is thus Darrowed to the required extent the operation is reversed
and the machine commences again to widen the work, taking into operation again
the needles which previously had ceased to receive thread and to be pressed. This
goes on until the full width is again attained. By this means a pocket like piece
without seam is produced suitable for the heel of the stocking.

page_text: The work then continues producing a strip of fabric suitable for the under side
of the foot. Then again by a similar process of narrowing and widening a seamless
toe for the stocking is forined and then a piece to form the instep. This is finally
joined up to the front of the leg and the underside of the foot thus completing the
stocking.
It will thus be seen that in hose produced on this machine the wale of the foot
is worked parallel with the wale of the leg whereas in other fashioning flat
knitting machines the wale of the foot piece is worked cross-wise with the wale of
the leg or heel piece.

page_text: COETLEIE
SPECIFICATION,
I JAMES HENRY WOODWARD, N° 1 Cromford Street, Nottingham, Machinist do:
hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CAPS, SCOTCH BONNETS STOCKINGS AND OTHER
ARTICLES OF HOSIERY" and in what manner the same is to be performed to bo
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for the manufacturo
of caps, Scotch bonnets, stockings and other articles of hosiery.
Hitberto what is called radial knitting for forming articles such as Scotch
bonnets, caps stocking heels and toes has been produced automatically on both
circular and flat knitting machines in which latch needles have been used and
which are known as latch or self acting needle frames.
In my machine bearded needles are employed they are arranged in sets or series
each provided with a thread carrier and presser and not only are the thread
carriers automatically controlled so that their traverse can be progressively
increased or decreased but also at the same time tho effective length of the pressers
is simultaneously varied automatically to accord with the traverse of the thread
carrier.
By using bearded needles and automatically controlled thread carriers and
pressers I am not only able to produce radial knitting of better quality than can
be produced from the same yarn with latch needles but I am also able to use
ordinary narrowing points for shifting the loops from some needles on to others to
produce narrowings as in ordinary flat or rotary knitting machines so that when
for example it is required to produce narrowings in tho gusset of a stocking foot
after the heel has been made I can by the old and ordinary narrowing points
transfer loops from one or more needles to others and leave the needles from which
the loops have been taken empty.
My improvements are applicable not only to rotary knitting machines in which
the needles are placed horizontally but also to other knitting machines in which
bearded needles are used and in which the needles are set at an angle or vertically
as for example in the machines known as Cotton's Patent.
Figures 1 to 9 show views of parts of a rotary knitting machine in which the
needles are horizontal and carried by a fixed bar and which has my improvements
applied to it.
Figure 10 shows how my improvements may be applied to what is known as
Cotton's Patent Knitting machine in which the needles are vertical and carried by
a moving bar.
Figure 1 is an end view of some parts of the machine. Figure 2 is a front view
of these parts. Figure 3 is a cross section full size of the presser thread layer and
needle bar.
Figure 4 is a face view of
needles of a set or series.
pressing upon the needles.
"
one presser when expanded so as to press on all the
Figure 5 is an end view of the same in the act of
Figure 6 is a face view of the presser when partially

page_text: contracted and Figure 7 is an end view of the same in the act of pressing the
needles and showing how that some of the needles then remain unpressed Figure 8
shews a plan view of two of the needles. Figure 9 shews part of the mechanism
used for controlling the traverse of the thread layers and the expansion and
contraction of the pressere.
In these figures A. A are portions of the framework of the machine. B is the
main cam shaft-C the needle bar-D the needles-E one of the thread layers.
F the thread layer slide bar-F' is one of the bearings in which this bar slides to
and fro F is a lever arm through the boss of which the bar F can slide but
cannot turn―This lever is used for causing the thread layers to descend between
the needles and so be out of the way at the time when the presser comes into
operation. F³ is a link from the lever arm F' to a lever arm not shewn in the
drawings which is acted on by a cam on the cam shaft. F is a stop for the lever
arm F³ to be held against by a spring F³ when the lever is not acted on by the
cam, G is the presser bar carried and worked in the ordinary manner-it is
carried by arms G' from a bar G²-this bar has extended from it an arm G³ which
by a link G' is connected to a lever G which is drawn downwards by a spring as
shown on to a cam Gº.
The construction of the presser is best seen in Figures 4 and 6:
The central portion of the acting face of each division of the presser is part of
the ordinary presser bar. On either side of it the acting face of such division of
the presser is composed of a moveable plate—H is the left hand sliding presser
extending from one end of the machine to the other and I the right hand sliding
presser. The presser I at its right hand end has a pin I' projecting from it-this
pin enters between the two arms of a fork 13 the fork is as shown at Figure 1
fixed to two rods J. J¹ which can be moved endwise to and fro in bearings. The
rod J passes through a tubular spindle upon which is fixed a cam K and a toothed
wheel M by which a step by step revolving motion can be given to it-The rod J
-has-a-pin-projecting from it which_is_held_against one point of the circumference
of the cam. K by the action of a spring not shown in the drawings. A step by
-step revolving motion is given to the toothed wheel M-by the spring pawl. N
moved to and fro by the parts marked N N N N and cam N³ this cam is driven
by the gear wheels O. P from the main cam shaft B-The toothed wheel is pre-
vented from turning in the opposite direction to that in which it is driven by the
pawl N¹ by means of a second spring pawl Nº.
When the toothed wheel M is so turned with a step by step motion the cam K
which is fast with it gives a step by step endway movement to the presser bar I.
At the opposite end of the machine there is a similar arrangement of mechanisin
for giving a step by step endway motion to the presser bar H.
Thus whenever the cam K is turned with a step by step movement from the
position in which it is shown at Figure 2 the effective length of each division of
the compound presser is gradually diminished.
In order that as the presser is so diminished in length the travel of the thread
layer may be correspondingly decreased the rod J carries a block having a notch
formed in it into which enters an arm which extends from a stop which is free to
slide along the thread layer slide bar F. Fixed on this bar is collar which comes
against the stop when the thread layer bar has made its required traverse.
If the thread layer bar is driven by a latch arrangement the latch which drives
tho bar is simultaneously tripped by an incline or peg projecting from the stop so
that the thread layer bar is so disengaged from the driver bar.
When a number of courses of work of uniform length are to be made the cams K
at both ends of the machine are thrown out of action by holding the lever arm N³
away from the cam N5 by a catch not shewn in the drawing.
In the drawing the sinkers and other parts used for producing courses of work
upon the needle are not shown as their mode of operation is well understood. Nor
for the same reason have I shewn in the drawing the narrowing points used in
such machines for shifting loops sidéwise from some of the needles on to others,

page_text: The form of the cams K may be varied according to the work required to be
produced.
For some kinds of work it may only be necessary to narrow at one end and not
at both of their ends. .
C
Machines constructed as above described may be used in the manufacture of
stockings to produce the heals and feet in the following manner. The leg of a
stocking having been made either on a circular or flat frame the portion of the
work on which the heol piece is required to be made is run on to one set or series
of the needles of the machine herein described. A series of courses are theri
worked each course narrower than the preceding by the width of one or more
needles at either end. When the work has so been narrowed to the required extent
the operation is reversed and the machine commences again to widen the work, the
cams K. being shaped accordingly taking into oporation again the needles which
previously had ceased to receive thread and be pressed. This goes on until the full
width has been again attained. By this means a pocket like piece without scam is
produced suitable for the heel of a stocking. The machine may then be caused to
continue producing a strip of fabric suitable for the underside of the foot the
requisite narrowing in the gusset of the foot being made by the ordinary narrowing
points as will be well understood.
In place of formning the heel in the above manner the machine might be made
to form a heel as follows.
I
The circular leg piece having been formed on a circular or other frame a littlo
more than half the work may be run on to one set or division of the needles of the
machine-then work for a number of courses the whole width of such division to
form the greater part of the sides and back of the heel--then shift the positions of
the cams K by pulling the cords which as shown are secured to their bosses until
the effective length of the presser is reduced to about one third of its former length
and the thread layer would only traverse over this number of the needles. A
number of courses are then made and at each course or each alternate course the
loops which are on the needles at either side of the needles upon which work is
being produced are shifted inwards by broad leads of narrowing points which shift
them all inwards so that two of such loops which have not been fed with yarn are
transferred on to the outer needles that are fed with yarn. This is done until all
the outer loops have been brought on to the needles which are acted upon by tho
presser.
The heel is now completed and to make the foot bottom I run the sides of the
piece of work first produced on to the outer needles, again shift the cams K by
pulling upon the cords which move them until the presser is again of full length―
and proceed to make the foot piece making the narrowings at the gusset and at
the toe in the ordinary way. It will thus be seen that in hose or half hose heeled
on this machine there is no joining beneath the heel whereas in hose or half hose
produced on all other fashioning flat knitting machines there is always a join
along the bottom of the heel.
When making Scotch bonnets or caps the operation on each section of needles is
to make a series of courses commencing full width and diminishing the effective
length of the presser and the travel of the thread layer at each course or alternate
course until the cam has made one complete turn-the whole series of needles then
again comes into action and the succeeding courses are again gradually shortened
and so on in succession until sufficient work for forming a bonnet or cap has been.
produced.
Although I have only described and shown in the annexed drawings a machine
in which the courses of work may be gradually shortened or lengthened whilst at
the same time loops of work are left upon all the needles by the use of a presser
automatically expanded and contracted and by causing the travel of the thread
layer to conforın always to the length of the presser I do not confine myself to
this means of producing automatically radial knitting as the same object may be
effected by moving the needles away from the presser instead of contracting the

page_text: --
presser to move it away from the needles. The arrangement however herein before
described of a contracting and expanding compresser automatically controlled is
I believe by far the most preferable.
The improvements also are not confined to machines in which the bearded
needles are horizontal but they are also applicable to machines in which the bearded
needles are moved to and fro in a vertical plane as in what is known as Cotton's
Patent and as is illustrated in Figure 10.
In this figure a is the moveable needle bar. g is the ordinary fixed presser
blade employed in machines of this class-h and i are the moveable presser blades
which can be moved endwise and operated with apparatus similar to that herein
before described.
In machines so fitted with an expanding and contracting presser the acting face
of one part of such presser must necessarily be in a lower plane than another part
so that as the needles descend some of them have their beards closed before others
and as the edges of the work always tend to curl upwards the loops on the stems
of the needles at the edges might pass below the beards before the beards are closed
by the presser--this I avoid by making the knocking over bit b-of-a-hook.form.at
its end so as to overlap the edge of the work and hold it down.
The construction and action of what is known as the Cotton-machine-is-well-
known so that it is unnecessary to give here any description of it.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.