IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF KNITTED FABRICS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Cotton, of Derwent Street, The Meadows,
Nottingham, in the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE
OF KNITTED FABRICS."
Sealed the 20th May 1870, and dated the 29th March 1870.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Charles Cotton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 29th March 1870, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
COTTON, of Derwent Street, The Meadows, Nottingham, in the Town
and County of the Town of Nottingham, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF KNITTED FABRICS," and have petitioned
Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria to grant unto me, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for

page_text: the same, and have made solemn Declaration that I am the first and
true Inventor thereof.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Cotton, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, to be as follows:-
This Invention has chiefly for its object to increase the speed at
which what are known as rotary knitting machines can be worked. For
this purpose, in place of employing either a moveable needle bar and
a fixed sinker bar or a fixed needle bar and a moveable sinker bar as
heretofore usual in knitting machines, I arrange the needle bar and the
sinker bar so that they each can move both vertically and horizontally,
and so divide the requisite motions in each direction between them; and
in order to be enabled to employ sinkers jointed at their lower end to
jacks underneath the needle bar, so that such sinkers may be drawn in
place of being pressed downwards as usual, I mount the jacks on a frame
swinging on pins or axes at its upper end whilst the sinkers are carried
on another frame linked thereto, and swinging on axes at its lower end.
In place also of employing only one set of narrowing points to receive
the loops from the outer needles and carry them inwards to deposit them
on to other needles, I employ two sets of points, one set to receive the
loops from the needles, and after moving them inwards deliver them on
to the other points which in their turn again deliver them to the
needles. In order also to stiffen the stems of the needles I place beneath
them, for a short distance in front of the lead in which they are held,
strengthening strips of wire, which may either be in one piece with the
stem or may be separate from it.
.
In the Drawings hereunto annexed is shown a machine in which my
several improvements are embodied. Figure 1 is a side view, Figure 2 a
transverse section, and Figure 3 a front view of the machine.
In the Drawings a is the needle bar carrying a straight row of needles
in the ordinary manner; this needle bar rests on a fixed bearer a', and
has projecting back from it arms a jointed at their rear end to lever
arms a³ on an axis a*, which has upon it other arms a acted on by cams
on the cam shaft x at the back of the machine. b, b, are the side bars
of a frame to which is affixed the lead sinker bar c, the counterverge k,
and hand bar h, in which the upper ends of the sinkers work. The lead
sinkers are marked c*, and the jack sinkers d. The frame b is jointed
at its lower end to lever arms 6', turning on an axis b³, on which are
other arms acted on by cams on the cam shaft x so that the frame b

page_text: A
can be raised and lowered and thereby raise and lower the sinkers.
forward and backward motion can also be given to the upper end of the
frame by one end of the bar c having bolted to it a bracket piece c',
from which a rod c² extends to the rear of the machine and carries a
truck or roller c³, which by a spring is drawn against a cam on the cam
shaft ; this swinging motion is given to the frame in order to move the
sinkers backwards and forwards. The lower ends of the jack sinkers d
are jointed to the jack levers d', which turn on an axis carried by
the jack sinker bar d; this bar is carried by a frame suspended
on links which swing on pins d'at the top of the side frames of
the machine. d* is the faller bar which limits the distance the
jack levers d' can fall. The frame carrying the jack sinker bar also
carries the slur cock bar e, the jack sinker spring bar f, and the jack
comb or sley f*; the locking up bar is also connected by links g
to the wire upon which the jacks turn. arc arms projecting up from
the locking up bar; these arms are connected by liuks g³ to a lever g'
which turns on an axis at y³ and carries a roller acted on by a cam on
the cam shaft. In place of the jacks being pin jointed to the sinkers the
ends of the jacks might be received in slots at the lower ends of the
sinkers; in this case the counterverge and faller bar would act on the
sinker itself. When the upper end of the frame is swung backwards
and forwards the links d³ and the frame carried by them swing with it,
as they are linked to the frame bat each end by links or half jacks which
are made in two parts bolted together to allow of adjustment; the pins
or axes at the two ends of these links or half jacks are respectively
concentric with the axes of the jacks and with the joints which connect
the jacks with the sinkers. 7 is the presser bar for closing the beards of
the needles; this bar is carried by arms on an axis l², upon which are
arms acted on by cams on the cam shaft. The thread carrier and the
slur cock have motion given to them from a bar m which is moved
endwise to and fro by trucks m' upon it, being acted on by a cam m² on a
short vertical shaft driven from the cam shaft, as shown in the sectional
view, Figure 2; to the rod mis pin jointed at m³ (see Figures 1
and 3) a lever m' turning on a centre m³ carried by a bracket
extending from the framing of the machine, the lever mt carries a
pin m which works through a short slot in the rod m² by which
the slur cock is driven; the lever m² carries another pin m³ to which is
jointed the rod m which gives motion to the carriage of the carrier
needle as shown in front view, Figure 3. This carriage slides to and fro

page_text: 50 on an
on a bar. This bar can be raised and lowered by lever arms n°
axis, on which is an arm linked to a lever, which is acted on
by a cam on the cam shaft. The distance this bar is kept in front of
the needle bar is regulated by bent arms n** rising up from it and
bearing against the bars b. The rod m is not rigidly attached to the
carriage n, but is connected to it, as is well understood, by the interven-
tion of a double-latch lever n³, the two arms of which at n' are each
formed into latches to latch behind pins or bars n³ on the carriage of
the carrier needle. When the machine is at work the carriage n moves
with the latch lever until it comes to the end of its course. The fore-
most end of the latch lever then comes against a pin or roller n", and
is by it depressed; the latch lever is thus released from the carriage n,
and the motion of the carriage n is arrested by the end of the carriage
coming against the screw stop n. When the latch lever again moves
back it is by springs n' brought back to a horizontal position or nearly
so, and its opposite end engages with the carriage of the needle and
carries it along with it. When the machine is narrowing the pins or
rollers and the screw stops are moved inwards towards the centre
of the machine, and thus a shorter travel is given to the carriage n. The
pins or rollers n and screw stops n³ are carried from slides nº, and are
moved inwards as the narrowing progresses by means of screws " which
work in nuts on the under side of the slides.
On the axis of each screw
end only of the machine)
n¹s is a hook at the upper
is a disc n (shown in the Drawing at one
carrying four pins, as shown at Figure 1.
end of an arm which at its lower end is jointed to a lever arm 2 on the
axis n, upon which is another arm n". Connected by a link to a
lever n acted on by a cam on the cam shaft n* is a spring catch to
retain the disc " after it has made a quarter turn, the arm carrying
the hook is held against the pins on the disc n¹ by a spring n¹s and
lever arm n¹º. The shifting inwards of the slides n° not only limits the
movement of the thread needle but also serves as usual to shog the
narrowing points inwards and for this purpose a projection on cach slide
n comes against an arm o³ on cach of the two slide bars o, o, which
carry the points and moves the two sets of points inwards towards
one another. The two slide bars are acted on by springs to keep the
arms o² against the projections on the slides n°. The two bars o, o,
which carry the narrowing points are carried by a bar o* pin jointed
at o** to a frame which swings on arms that turn at their lower
ends on centres o*. The points are moved to and from the needle

page_text: bar by a pin o² on one of these arms having hooked over it a con-
necting rod 0° which at its opposite end of is pin-jointed to a lever arm o³
upon which is a truck o acted on by a cam on the cam shaft. o" is a
spring to draw back the points away from the needles.
In addition to employing a set of narrowing points to receive loops
from some of the needles and shog such loops sidewise I employ, as before
stated, a second set of points to receive the loops from the first set of
points, and the needles are caused to take the loops from such second
set of points, as is herein-after more fully described. The first set of
points I call the front machine points, and the second set of points I call
the back machine points. The number of front machine points employed
depends on the number of loops to be shifted inwards at each narrowing.
A greater number of back machine points are employed, their number
depends upon the total breadth of narrowing to be effected. The back
machine points are carried by a bar p, which is carried by arms p¹ jointed
at their rear ends to a lever arm p², on the axis of which is another arm p³
acted on by a cam on the cam shaft. The forward ends of the arms p¹
rest on adjusting screws screwed into the top of the needle bar a. The
bar carrying the back machine points is moved by the cam, which
actuates it to and fro, together with the sinker bar, so that the points
are always between the sinkers, and they form a comb to keep the
sinkers which are between them in their proper positions equidistant
from one another, and prevent the sinkers springing sidewise from any
cause and coming down on the front machine points, as is now frequently
the case, and so causing breakage.
In place of employing the back machine points to receive the loops
from the front machine points the back machine points may be employed
simply to form a comb to keep the sinkers in position whilst the loops
are received by the needles from the front machine points, as usual. In
this case the back machine points may be carried by the sinker bar, so
as to move to and fro with the sinkers. These back points in this case
are in fact combs acting to steady such of the sinkers as the front.
narrowing points act with above the needles and between them, and the
hand bar or upper support of the sinkers. The cam shaft x is driven by
bevil wheels from a shaft y which passes from front to back of the
machine, and this shaft is driven in the same way from the driving
shaft, which passes along in front of the machine, and which receives
motion from a belt working with the fast-and-loose pulleys. When

page_text: desired the machine can be turned slowly by hand by turning the hand
wheely on the shaft y.
I will now proceed to describe the working of the machine, both for a
narrowing course and for an ordinary course of work.
Diagrams 1 to 6 shew full size the needles, sinkers, and parts in the
positions they assume for making a plain course of work.
At Diagram 1 the thread carrier is just about to move across the
needles and the slur cock to move along its bar to depress the sinkers
as the thread is laid on to the needles in front of them. The slur cock
and thread carrier receive their motion from the cam m³ as above
explained. As the slur cock releases the jacks from their spring
catches f¹ they fall on to the faller bar d*. When all the jacks have
thus fallen the frame & carrying the lead sinker bar c and the counter-
verge k is drawn downwards, whilst at the same time the locking-up
bar descends and raises the jacks until their heads rest against the
counterverge as usual, to allow the lead sinkers and jack sinkers to
equalize the loops between the needles. The parts are shown in this
position at Diagram 2; the thread carrier has also been moved down
below the needles to be out of the way. This motion is given to it by
the descent of the bar n¹. After the loops have been equalized the
needle bar a is drawn back and the sinkers move forwards into the
position shewn at Diagram 3; the new loops are thus brought under
the beards of the needles. Afterwards the sinkers are raised by the
raising of the lead sinker bar c and counterverge, and descent of the
locking-up bar, whilst the presser bar at the same time is brought down
to close the beards of the needles. The parts are shown in this position
in Diagram 4. The sinkers then move forward to knock over the work,
and so soon as the loops are landed over the points of the beards tho
needle bar moves back whilst the sinkers continue their forward move-
ment, the presser bar at the same time rises quickly to be out of the
way. The parts are shewn in this position at Diagram 5.
The moving
forward of the sinkers is effected by the swinging frame b, which carrics
them, being moved forwards by the rod c. Tho needles are afterwards
raised and the sinkers lowered into the position shewn at Diagram 6, so
that the throat of the sinkers bears upon and tightens up the work.
The needle bar then swings forward and again descends into the position
shewn at Diagram 1; the sinkers and thread carriers also rise into the

page_text: positions shown at Diagram 1, and the operations are repeated at the
next course.
To produce a narrowing course the cam shaft is shogged endwise and
the cams necessary for working a narrowing course are thus brought
into action, as is well understood. The several positions of the needle
sinkers and narrowing points are shewn at Diagrams 7 to 12. At the
commencement of the course the parts are in the position Diagram 7,
that is to say, that in the last course, before commencing to make a
narrowing course, the throats of the sinkers are not pressed down on to
the work, but after the parts have been brought into the position
Diagram 5, the cam shaft is shogged endwise and the cams for working
a narrowing course are brought into action and the sinkers only descend
sufficiently for the sinker neb to come in front of the loops and prevent
the work moving forward at the time when the needles are moved
forward into the position shewn at Diagram 7; afterwards the sinkers
rise into the position there shewn. The front machine points then
move forward by the action of the rod 0° into the position shown at
Diagram 8. To come into this position the points as they move forward
rise above the needles and then descend over them, and in order that
they may thus move the frame, o*, which carries the point bars has
arms o projecting out from it, which carry set screws o¹s the points of
which are pressed against a fixed cam surface o" carried by the framing
of the machine. The screws are pressed on to this surface by springs o¹5
acting on other arms of the frame o* and causing it to turn on the pin
joints o** as the points come forward. The under sides of the points
have grooves formed in them for the beards of the needles to enter. After
the points have moved over the needles the sinkers move forward into the
position shown at diagram 9 to place the loops on to these points and
they then retire. The needle bar is then slightly lowered to free the
needles from the front machine points, and to allow the back machine
points to get below them, the front machine points being slightly drawn
back to allow of this. The front machine points with the loops upon
them are then shogged inwards, and afterwards the back machine points
* are moved forwards (by the rods and levers p' and p²) to bring them
under the points of the front machine points as shown at diagram 10.
The under sides of the back machine points have grooves formed in
them for the beards of the needles to enter. The needles then retire
and draw the loops from the front machine points on to the back

page_text: machine points, as shewn at diagram 11, afterwards the sinkers descend
so that the sinker nebs may prevent the work moving forward, the
needles then come forward and take the loops from the back machine
points, as shewn at diagram 12, and when this has been done the parts
resume the position shewn at diagram 1 and they are ready to make a
plain course of work. The shogging endwise of the cam shaft to bring one
or other set of cams into action may be effected in any ordinary manner.
In the arrangement shown by the end view Figure 1, a cam 8 on the
cam shaft x is caused to act on a pawl 8' and turn the ratchet wheel &³,
one tooth for every revolution of the cam shaft. On the ratchet wheel
8 is a cam 8 which acts on the spring arm s', fixed on the under side
of the frame and turns this frame upon the axis &º. When the frame
is raised, a stop & carried by the frame is brought against a side cam
on the cam shaft, and the cam shaft as it continues to rotate is by it
shogged endwise. When the frame is lowered a stop s³ on the frame is
brought against another side cam on the cam shaft, whilst the other stop
is thrown out of action and the shaft is shogged back in the opposite
direction, these stops and the cams on the cam shaft acting therewith
are shewn separately at Figure 5.
In order to strengthen the stems of the needles of knitting machines,
I apply to them a strengthening wire or support for some distance in
front of the lead in which the needles are held. The manner in which
I prefer to effect this is shown at Figures 6, in this case the end of the
needle stem is doubled back as shown, so that the piece a' which is
bent back shall come on the under side of the stem a. Previous to
casting the leads on to the stems of the needles the strengthening strip
a' is connected by tinning to the stem a, so as to form one piece with
it. In place of the stem of the needle being bent in the manner shewn
a strip of wire separate from the stem might be tinned to it as shown
at Figure 7, and similarly form a support to the stem of the needle,
this method of strengthening the stems of knitting machine needles is
applicable not only to knitting machines such as herein described, but
also to other forms of knitting machinery.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner
of performing the same, I would bave it understood that what I claim
is,—
First. Constructing knitting machines substantially as herein described

page_text: Second. Constructing knitting machines with a needle bar and sinker
bar, each moveable both up and down and backwards and forwards so
that the motion may be divided between them.
Third. Constructing knitting machines with jacks jointed to sinkers
at a point below the needle bar, and supported upon a frame which
swings on pivots above the jacks, whilst the sinkers are carried in a
frame which swings on pivots below the jacks, the two frames being
linked together to work in unison.
Fourth. The constructing knitting machines with two sets of narrow-
ing points, one set to receive the loops from the needles and shog them,
the second set to receive the loops from the first set of points and after-
wards deliver them to the needles.
Fifth. The employment in knitting machines of combs situated between
the needle bar and the hand bar or upper support of the sinkers to steady
such of the sinkers as work with the narrowing points.
Sixth. The application of a strengthening wire or support to the stems
of the needles of knitting machines as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Cotton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
CHARLES COTTON. (L.S.)
CHARLES COTTON. (L.s.)