Improvements in the Manufacture of Ornamental Fabrics on the Straight Bar Knitting Frame, and in Means or Apparatus Employed therein.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Nov., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 21st Aug., 1894-Accepted, 29th Sept., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Ornamental Fabrics on the
Straight Bar Knitting Frame, and in Means or Apparatus
Employed therein.
THE NOTTINGHAM MANUFACTURING COMPANY LIMITED, of Station Street
in the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham, and JOHN GROVES of
94 Leicester Road, Loughborough, in the County of Leicester, Manager, and
JAMES WHATNALL of 5 Selbourne Street Loughborough, aforesaid, Mechanic,
both in the employment of the said The Nottingham Manufacturing Company
Limited do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
--
The object of this invention is to produce on a straight bar knitting machine
adapted for the production of either plain or ribbed fabric, a spotted, fancy,
embroidered or other ornamental effect upon such fabric, such as a fabric adapted
for the manufacture of knitted gloves, fancy hosiery, or embroidered hose fronts,
and similar goods, and it can be applied to a part, parts, or the whole of the
fabric.
To do this we propose to carry an extra shaft, or shafts, supporting on suitable
brackets; a bar containing guides, independent of the usual carrier rods, and carriers,
to work in front of the narrowing machinery and needles, after the manner of an
ordinary warp motion of a lace machine.
The warp or traverse either way of these extra thread guides, is given to the
bar by an inclined or pattern surface or suitable wheel, acted upon by a pawl and
ratchet or equivalent operating parts at the end of the machine.
The bar containing the guides may either be made fast as in an ordinary warp
machine with guides made of suitable wire perforated or formed to receive and
control the supply of the thread or threads, all acting together simultaneously; or
these guides may be formed of thin sheet metal or plate mounted to suit any
desired pattern and working independently in tricks or grooves cut in the bar, and
brought into or kept out of action either by hand or "automatically.'
"
The wire guides made as hereafter stated may be automatically selected as by a
perforated cylinder of suitable diameter adapted to rise and fall or be moved
relatively to the heads of these guides and so as to depress or miss the selected
guides to pattern and the guides may be brought back by a locking bar or other
device so as to adapt them to produce the pattern desired.
The guides can also be made of wire working in tricks or grooves as described in
respect of the points in the Specification of Patent No. 2755 of February 16th 1889
granted to us the said Nottingham Manufacturing Company Limited, John Groves
and James Whatnall.
The threads supplied to these extra thread carriers may be either from separate
spools mounted on a back bobbin rail as in the ordinary manner for straight bar
knitting machinery.
Or these threads can be supplied from bobbius substantially of the character of
those employed in the lace machines but more or less modified in thickness,
arrangement and method of control to suit the changed circumstances of their
present use, and mounted on supports which may conveniently be borne by the bar
which carries the guides referred to and are supplied by them.
This arrangement of thread supply facilitates the use of variations of colour or
hades in these extra guides or they may equally readily be filled of one colour.
A convenient form of sliding guides for the threads consists of an inverted
shaped head with a guide eye or eyes to slide in the tricks or grooves and with

page_text: projecting cramped or bent ends formed with eyes and through these eyes the
thread is passed and guided to and around the needles.
The extra ornamenting thread guides cooperate with the ordinary needles when
put into operation but when thrown out of operation they do not interfere with the
working of the other parts in their course and in use these threads are simply or
mainly supplemental for ornamental purposes.
In some cases especially for the manufacture of heavier classes of goods such as
glove fabric we modify the form of the heads or hooks of the needles so as to
enable them to take the additional thickness produced by the addition of the
ornamenting threads.
Dated the 21st day of November 1893.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Ornamental Fabrics on the
Straight Bar Knitting Frame, and in Means or Apparatus
Employed therein.
We THE NOTTINGHAM MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LIMITED, of Station
Street in the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham, and JOHN GROVES
of 94 Leicester Road, Loughborough, in the County of Leicester, Manager, and
JAMES WHATNALL of 5 Selbourne Street, Loughborough aforesaid, Mechanic,
both in the employment of the said The Nottingham Manufacturing Company,
Limited, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
The object of this invention is to produce on a straight bar knitting machine
adapted for the production of either plain or ribbed fabric a spotted, fancy,
embroidered or other ornamental effect upon such fabric, such as a fabric adapted
for the manufacture of knitted gloves, fancy hosiery, or embroidered hose fronts
and similar goods and it can be applied to a part, parts, or the whole of the
fabric.
To do this we (as shown) carry an extra shaft, or shafts, supporting on suitable
brackets, a bar containing guides, independent of the usual carrier rods and
carriers, to work in front of the narrowing machinery and needles, after the
manner of an ordinary warp motion of a lace machine.
The warp or traverse either way of these extra thread guides is given to the bar
by an inclined or pattern surface or suitable wheel, acted upon by a pawl and
ratchet or equivalent operating parts at the end of the machine.
The bar containing the guides may be made fast as in an ordinary warp machine
with guides formed of thin sheet metal or plate mounted to suit any desired pattern
and working independently in tricks or grooves cut in the bar, and brought into or
kept out of action as desired.
The threads supplied to these extra thread carriers may be either from separate
spools mounted on a back bobbin rail as in the ordinary manner for straight bar
knitting machinery.
Or these threads can be supplied from bobbins supported in carriages
substantially of the character of those employed in the lace machines but more or
less modified in thickness, arrangement and method of control to suit the changed
circumstances of their present use, and mounted on supports which may con-
veniently be borne by the bracket which carries the guides referred to and are
supplied by them.
This arrangement of thread supply facilitates the use of variations of colour

page_text: guided to and around the needles.
The extra ornamenting thread guides cooperate with the ordinary needles when
put into operation but when thrown out of operation they do not interfere with the
working of the other parts in their course, and in use these threads are simply or
mainly supplemental for ornamenting purposes.
In some cases especially for the manufacture of heavier classes of goods such
as glove fabric we modify the form of the heads or hooks of the needles so as to
enable them to take the additional thickness produced by the addition of the
ornamenting threads.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows an end view of a straight bar knitting frame with the invention
applied.
Figure 2 shows by a front view the extra thread guides with a portion of the
mechanism for operating the same drawn to a larger scale than Fig. 1.
Figure 3 shows by a side view, partly in section, the extra thread guides in
operative position in front of the narrowing machinery drawn to a larger scale
than the previous figures.
Figure 4 is a similar view, but with the thread guides raised to a position, mid-
way of the working position Fig. 3, and of the idle position Fig. 1, suitable for
threading.
Figure 5 shows one of the thread-guides separately.
Figure 6 is a front view of a portion of the bar carrying the thread guides c³,
and Figure 7 is a detail.
Figures 8 and 9 are views showing diagrammatically the manner in which the
extra ornamental loops are formed by the thread guides coöperating with the
ordinary needles.
Figures 10 and 11 show by plan view and back view respectively, mechanism for
operating the extra thread guides.
Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of parts of Fig. 10, taken on the line x-x
-looking towards the left hand-and
Figure 13 is a similar view taken on the line y-y of Figure 10.
Figure 14 shows a plan view of a portion of the chain for carrying inclines
arranged to suit the required pattern, and
Figure 15 shows the same by an edge view partly in section.
In order to adapt this invention to a straight bar knitting frame we provide a
shaft a in front of the narrowing machinery, A being the ordinary narrowing
shaft, B the machine narrowing shaft, C, C₁ the narrowing rods, and D the
narrowing points. The shaft a is carried by the supports 6 from the front bar of
the framing E and is capable of being traversed and partially rotated by apparatus
to be described, the mechanism at one end of the machine operating a whole
series of parts along the framing. Upon the shaft a are brackets c c which
support bars el carrying guides sliding in tricks or grooves e cut in said bars
thus enabling the guides to be adjusted, independently of each other to suit the
required pattern. Selected guides to carry the extra threads to make a desired
pattern are pushed along the grooves to the lower position Fig. 4. The guides
which are not required are slidden up out of action, see guide in upper position
Fig. 4. Suitable springs or clamps serve to hold the guides in their grooves,
the frictional pressure being adjusted by means of the screw bolts c. The end of
the guides which coöperate with the needles is pierced with a guide eye ce for
receiving the extra ornamenting thread d, said thread being supplied from
bobbins supported. in carriages carried by bars & suitably notched for the

page_text: reception of these carriages and extending along the machine carried by the
supports b. When large quantities of goods are to be made we may substitute for
these bobbins d' a warping beam carried by bearings 6' on the supports b.
A rod c' carried by the brackets c serves to guide the threads d as they pass from
the bobbins d¹ to the eyes in the guides. The brackets c have slots 8 which
allow the bars c¹ with their guides to be slidden along these brackets.
When the
guides are to be removed from their operative position Fig. 3 the fly nuts care
unscrewed and the bars c¹ moved up, thus enabling the guides to clear the machine
needle bar G as they are swung round.
The pattern on the fabric may he varied by means of a chain e working upon a
wheel e carried by a bracket from the framing at the back of the machine, said
chain carrying the requisite inclines or surfaces e² fixed so as to produce the required
pattern. This chain wheel is controlled by a friction clutch e and is operated as
follows:-
Upon the main shaft F is mounted a cam f which operates a bowl or truck fl
carried by an arm f' from a shaft f³. The truck f' is kept bearing on the cam f
by a finger f* from the arm f' being pulled by a spring. The shaft f³ also
carries lever arm which transmits the motion received from the cam f to a
rod connected to a lever f8 carrying a pawl ƒ”.
This pawl facts upon a ratchet wheel 10 carried by the chain wheel e¹ which
is rotated thereby. The chain e, passing round a small pulley e, is kept suitably
in tension by means of a spring et. When it is desired to put this chain wheel e¹
out of action, a rod e', passing to the front of the machine is pushed underneath a
fiugere from the pawl f'. This finger e takes the thrust of the pawl and then
allows it to fall upon the ratchet wheel without acting upon it.
Upon a bracket g from the framing E, is a lever g', centred at g³ and provided
with a projecting finger g³ which is acted upon at suitable intervals by the inclines e²
upon the chain e.
Connected to the upper end of the lever g' is a rod g* with a
support 9 from the framing, said rod conveying the action of the chain e to the
mechanism for shogging and partially rotating the bar carrying the guides, which
mechanism will now be described.
The shaft F carries a cam having a truck h¹ upon a lever ³ centred at * from
the framing E. From this lever h² is a rod * connected to an L lever / carrying
a pawl operating a ratchet wheel. The axis of this ratchet wheel / is carried
by a support from the head rail E and rotating with it is a wheel having its
periphery formed with a suitable pattern which may be varied to suit the pattern
to be produced on the fabric. The pattern wheel h³ operates a stud hº from a crank
lever centred at h" and carried by a support from the framing E. The
upper end of this lever 10 is provided with a pin which enters a groove upon the
shaft a said shaft being traversed thereby, a spring serving to carry it back to
its former position. A spring, having its lower end connected to the framing,
keeps the stud pressed upon the surface of the pattern wheel 8. A friction
clutch controls the rotation of the pattern wheel.
The guides are brought into and out of coöperation with the ordinary needles
by means of mechanism operated by a cam i carried by the main shaft F. A truck
or bowl rests upon this cam i when in operative position and is carried by an
arm. centred on a stud 3 from the framing E. Extending from the sleeve of
this arm is another arm which operates a rod connected to an leverthe
axis of said lever being carried by a bracket is from the framing E. This lever i®
gives motion to another rod engaging with a three-armed lever 10 carried by the
shaft a. By these means a partially rotary motion is given to the shaft a thus
moving the guides into or out of engagement with the needles as required. The
rod
is centred loosely on the lever and can be lifted from the pin of the
lever and this lever (and with it the guides c2 carried by the same shaft a) may
be turned by hand so that either of the pins " or " may be held by the rod i.
When the guides are to be held up out of the way the pin is held by this rod
as shown in Fig. 1. When the next pin is held the guides are down in a

page_text: position convenient for threading the guide eyes, see Fig. 4, and when the pin ¹³ is
engaged by the rod the guides are in operative position, see Fig. 3. A spring (14
serves to press the truck i upon the cam i.
After
The mechanisms for traversing and operating the guides are brought into or
out of engagement with their respective cams as required by means of the chain e
herein before described. Connected to the rod 9 by means of a stud 9 is a bar j
having one end connected to a rod j' centred at upon a bracket from the
framing. This rod carries an adjusting screw bolt *. When an incline on the
chain is brought into action against the lever g' the rod j¹ is pushed from under-
neath the lever thereby allowing the truck h¹ to come upon the cam h.
the incline passes, a spiral spring pulls back the rod j¹ underneath the lever *,
see Fig. 11, thus holding up the truck from the cam /. The rod j¹ is prevented
from being pulled too far by the spring jo, by means of a stud je coming in contact
with a portion of the framing, not shown. The truck is engaged by a clutch
device centred at upon a bracket carried by the arm 1. The outer end k³ of
this clutch k is engaged by a fork k connected to one end of the bar j and centred
upon a stud from the framing. When an incline on the chain operates the
rod g, the fork k moves the clutch so as to put the truck i upon the cam i. After
the incline passes, the spring returns the parts to their former position.
these means the cams and i are caused to be in and out of action with their
respective mechanisms simultaneously.
By
An extra ornamenting stitch is formed at each revolution of the main shaft, but
only when an incline on the chain puts the mechanism into action. When a stitch
is to be formed a guide carries its thread behind a needle then traverses and comes
out again at the opposite side of the needle thus passing the thread around it for
the formation of a stitch.
In order to effect this a recess in the cam / moves the ratchet wheel A' one tooth
thus bringing a recess on the pattern wheel against its stud and causing the
guides to shog ready to have the guides eyes carried behind the ordinary needles N.
After this latter motion takes place another recess in the cam h moves the
ratchet wheel another tooth bringing into action a projection on the pattern wheel
which causes the guide eyes to be traversed behind the needles. Then the
subsequent motion of the cam i brings the guides back again into their former
position.
The pattern wheel in Fig. 2 shows an example in which the periphery is adapted
for traversing the guides so as to place stitches alternately to the right hand and
When
to the left hand, as shown by the diagrammatic plan views Figs. 8 and 9.
the ratchet wheel A' rotates a tooth, so that the stud h is raised from p to q on the
pattern wheel 4* the guides are traversed towards the right hand from 1 to 2 Fig. 8.
The cam i then acts so as to take the guides, behind the needles from 2 to 3 each
guide which is in operation passing between a pair of needles.
After which
the stud on the pattern wheel passes from 7 to thus traversing again to the
right this time behind the needles, from 3 to 4, when the guides are brought out
again from 4 to 5 thus passing the ornamenting thread around the right hand
needle.
To make the next stitch to the left, see Fig. 9, the stud * passes down from
position r to s thus traversing the guides to the left from 5 to 6 when the guides
pass to the rear between the same needles, from 6 to 7, then the stud being
moved further down from s to p the guides again traverse to the left from
7 to 8 and then out again to the former position 1.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :
In straight bar knitting machines adapted for the production of either plain
or ribbed fabric :

page_text: 1. The improved construction and use of guides for carrying the extra orna-
menting threads and coöperating with the ordinary needles when required, to effect
the production of a spotted, fancy, embroidered or other ornamental effect upon
knitted fabric, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated.
2. The combination or arrangement and use of parts of apparatus for traversing
and operating the extra ornamenting thread guides in coöperation with the
ordinary needles to produce a desired pattern on the fabric substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated.
3. The means for supplying the extra ornamenting threads in combination
with the thread guides referred to in Claim 1, substantially as shown and
described.
"
4. The combination or arrangement and use of parts of apparatus, coöperating
with the ordinary parts of the machine during the operation of knitting, for the
production of a spotted, fancy, embroidered or other ornamental effect upon the
fabric substantially as herein before shown and described.
5. The method of producing spotted, fancy, embroidered or other like effects by
the use of extra ornamenting threads carried by guides capable of being thrown
out of and brought into operation to cooperate with the ordinary needles and parts
when required, substantially as and for the purpose herein before set forth.
Dated the 20th day of August 1894.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicants.