Improvements in Circular Knitting Machines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 8th July, 1899
.Complete Specification Left, 27th Mar., 1900-Accepted, 23rd June, 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Circular Knitting Machines.
I, JAMES YATE JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of London,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which has been
communicated to me from abroad by Robert Walter Scott and Louis Napoleon
Devon Williams, Manufacturers of Knitting Machinery, both of 2,077, East
Cumberland Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America),
to be as follows:-
-
The object of this invention is to provide for rigidly supporting, at a uniform
level, the needles of a knitting cylinder in order that, the stitches of a piece of
fabric may be readily transferred to the same from the points of a transfer
ring.
In transferring the stitches of a knitted web to the needles of a knitting
cylinder it is necessary to rigidly support the needles in an elevated position, and
with their upper ends, or hooks, in a horizontal plane, in order that the transfer
points may be properly applied to the upper ends of the needles and the stitches
slipped from the points onto the needles without moving, or displacing, any of
the needles, and this invention comprises various means whereby this result
can be attained.
The machine has a fixed frame, or bed-plate, and a cam cylinder mounted
therein so as to be free to rotate.
Supported within the cam cylinder, so as to be incapable of rotation, is the
needle cylinder, which has the usual vertical slots, or channels, for the guidance
of the needles, the needles having butts which are operated upon by cams on
the cam cylinder, so as to impart to the needles the vertical reciprocations
necessary to enable them to catch the knitting thread from the thread guide
and draw stitches of the said thread in the usual manner.
The needle cylinder is preferably seated upon an annular holder and vertically
secured thereto by set screws, and the said annular holder has a downwardly
projecting tubular stem which passes through a split clamp on a bracket secured
to, or forming part of, the fixed frame, or bed-plate, of the machine, tighten-
ing screws serving as a means whereby the clamp can be caused to confine the
tubular stem of the needle cylinder holder as firmly as required without inter-
fing with the vertical movement of the said stem in the clamp.
Passing through the hollow stem is a rod, the upper end of which is exposed
on the outside of the cylinder holder, and to this exposed portion of the rod
is secured, by rivets, or in any other available way, a needle supporting ring
which is free to move vertically on the cylinder holder to a limited extent,
downward movement being restricted by contact of the bottom of the ring with
a flange at the bottom of the cylinder holder, and upward movement being
restricted by contact of the top of the ring with the bottom of the cylinder.
The lower end of the tubular stem of the cylinder holder is countersunk for
the reception of a coiled spring which surrounds the contained rod and presses

page_text: downwardly upon a lug, or projection, secured to the lower end of the said rod
and projecting laterally therefrom the said projection being connected, by means
of a link, to one arm of a lever, which is hung to a stud, or bolt, projecting
from the clamp, before referred to, and carries a pawl acted upon by a coiled
spring and adapted to engage with a tooth formed on a split retainer block
which can by means of a bolt, be securely clamped to the projecting end of
the pivot pin, or bolt, of the lever outside the latter.
When the parts are in normal condition, that is to say, when the machine
is adapted for knitting, the needles can be freely reciprocated by the cams so
as to effect the operation of knitting, the shanks of the needles being free to
descend below the bottom of the needle cylinder owing to the fact that the
needle supporting ring occupies its lowermost position and is out of the way
of the said needle shanks.
When it is desired to transfer the stitches of a knitted web onto the needles,
however, the needles around one half of the cylinder are raised so as to be clear
of the knitting cams and the outwardly projecting arm of the lever is then
depressed.
Owing to the frictional grip of the clamp upon the stem of the cylinder holder
the first effect of this movement is to raise the rod and needle supporting ring
only, the spring being compressed in the countersunk lower end of the stem
of the cylinder holder. By the time the lug on the rod, however, comes into
contact with the lower end of the cylindor holder stem, the upper end of the
needle supporting ring will be in contact with the lower end of the needle
cylinder and further downward movement of the lever then causes the simul-
taneous elevation of the rod, the, needle supporting ring, the cylinder holder,
and the needle cylinder, this movement being continued until further upward
movement is arrested by contact of the flange of the cylinder holder with an
internal shoulder in the cam cylinder and the pawl engages with the tooth on
the retainer block and serves to prevent descent of the needle cylinder, and its
appurtenances, until it, has been released from engagement therewith.
The needles can now all be depressed until the lower ends of their shanks
rest firmly upon the top of the supporting ring, whereupon the upper ends, or
hooks, of all the needles will be in the same horizontal, plane and the stitches
of the knitted web can be readily transferred to the needles from the points of
a transfer ring which are applied to the projecting upper ends of the needles.
After the transfer of the stitches of the web to the needles has been effected
the pawl is released from engagement with the tooth of the retainer block and
the lever is raised, the first effect of this movement being to cause the descent
of the needle supporting ring and its rod under the action of the spring and
then to lower the needle cylinder and its holder to normal position.
Other means than the vertically sliding needle supporting ring may be used
for supporting the neeilles during the transferring operation. For instance a.
notched ring confined to the lower end of the needle cylinder by means of an
annular confining band and set screws may be used, this ring being notched,
or slotted, in the same manner as the cylinder. During the operation of knit-
ting the notches of the ring coincide with those of the cylinder so that there
is no interference with the free reciprocation of the needles.
Projecting inwardly from the ring, however, are a pair of pins disposed on
opposite sides of a vertical cam bar carried by the upper end of a rod, similar
to that which carried the needle supporting ring of the construction first des-
cribed, hence vertical movement of this cam bar will effect turning movement
of the slotted ring to a slight extent in respect to the needle cylinder. When
the cam bar rises, the ring will be turned so as to bring its solid portions, or
ribs, into line with the slots of the needle cylinder, and thereby provide a rigid
support for the lower ends of the needle shanks, the depression of the cam
bar bringing the slotted portions of the ring again into register with the slots
in the needle cylinder..

page_text: Or a ring may be omployed having depending ribs projecting into an 1.annular
groove in the slotted portion of the needle cylinder, the said ribs being, when
moved into line with the slots of the needle cylinder adapted to bear against and
support bent, or offset, portions of the needles, the slight turning movement
of the ring on the needle cylinder necessary to bring its ribs into line, either
with the ribs of the cylinder, or with the slots thereof, being effected by hand
and the ring being secured in position after adjustment by means of a set
screw.
The object of the invention may even be attained without having any portion
of the ring for directly engaging and supporting the needles, for example there
may be a plain cylindrical ring surrounding the cylinder and held in place by
a set screw, this ring being adjustable vertically on, the cylinder so that it can
be caused to cover,. or uncover, an annular groove formed in the cylinder and
containing a coiled spring ring.
**
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:
When the needles are elevated this ring occupies a position beneath the out-
wardly bent, or offset, portions of the needles, and if it be prevented from ex-
panding by the confining ring, it constitutes a substantially rigid support for
the said. outwardly bent, or offset, portious of the needles, but if the confining
ring be moved. so as to uncover the groove the spring ring is. then at liberty to
expand and does not interfere with the free passage of the bent, portions of the
needles up and down past it.
1...
" "
73494
*
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Dated this 18th day of July 1899. barang ad
JOHNSONS & WILLCOST
na bodo un fe; Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, WC
201 L
Agents.
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15˚
*** COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
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130
Improvements in Circular Knitting Machines.
u, cuft
I, JAMES YATE JOHNSON, of 47,- Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of London,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which, has been;
communicated to..me from abroad by Robert Walter: Scott and Louis Napoleon
Devon. Williams, Manufacturers of Knitting Machinery, both of 2,077, East.
Cumberland Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America),
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described,
and ascertained in and by the following statement:
1
The object of this invention is to provide for rigidly supporting, at a uniform'
level, the needles of a knitting machine cylinder in order that the stitches of a
piece of fabric may be readily transferred to the same from the points of "a
transfer ring.
This object is attained in the manner hereinafter set forth, reference,being,
had to the accompanying drawings, in which—
J
Figure 1 is a view, partly in vertical section, and partly in elevation, of 'suffi
cient of a circular knitting machine to illustrate the invention,
Figure 2 is, a view, partly in plan and partly in section, on the line aa
Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line bb, Figure 2, slowing
a. different adjustment of parts from that shown in Figure 1;
Figure 4 is, a view similar to Figure 1 but showing still another adjustment
of the parts;..

page_text: Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view illustrating another means of carrying
out the invention;
1
;
Figure 6 is a sectional plan view on the line d-d, Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view illustrating still another method of
carrying out the invention;
.
Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional plan view on the line f, f, Figure 7;
Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view illustrating a further modification of the
invention; and
Figure 10 is an enlarged sectional plan view on the line g-g, Figure 9.
In certain classes of circular knitting machines it, is usual to apply to the
needles of the machine a circular web of ribbed knitted fabric which has-been
produced upon a separate machine and which is intended to form the top of a
sock, the leg and foot of the sock being then knitted upon the needles of the
machine so that the first course of stitches produced will be interlooped with
those stitches of the ribbed web which was applied to the needles. After the
completion of the sock the stitches are cast off of the needles and a fresh pièce
of ribbed knitted web is applied to the same preparatory to the knitting of
another sock..
In transferring the stitches of a knitted web to the needles of a knitting
machine cylinder it is necessary to rigidly support the needles in an elevated
position and with their upper ends or hooks in a substantially uniform plane
in order that the transfer points may be properly applied to the upper ends of
the needles and the stitches slipped from the points onto the needles without
moving or displacing any of the needles, and this invention comprises various
means whereby this result can be attained.
Referring first to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, part of the fixed frame or bed plate of
a knitting machine is shewn at 1, while 2 represents a cam cylinder mounted
in the said frame so as to be free to rotate therein.
-
Supported within the cam cylinder so as to be incapable of rotation, is the
needle cylinder 3, which has the usual vertical slots or channels for the guid-
ance of the needles 4, the needles having butts 5 which are operated upon by
cams on the cam cylinder as shown by dotted lines in Figure 1, so as to impart
to the needles the vertical reciprocations necessary to enable them to catch the
knitting thread from the thread guide and draw stitches of the said thread in
the usual manner.
The needle cylinder 3 is, in the present instance, seated upon an annular
holder and vertically secured thereto by set screws 7, and the said annular
holder has a downwardly projecting tubular stem 8 which passes through a
split clamp 9 on a bracket 10 secured to or forming part of the fixed frame or
bed plate 1 of the machine, tightening screws 11 serving as a means whereby
the clamp can be caused to confine the tubular stem 8 of the needle cylinder
holder as firmly as required without interfering with the vertical movement of
the said stem in the clamp.
Passing through the hollow stem 8 is a rod 12 (Figure 3) the upper end of
which is exposed on the outside of the cylinder holder 6 as shown, and to this
exposed portion of the rod 12 is secured by rivets 13, or in any other available
way, a ring 14, which is free to move vertically on the cylinder holder to a
limited extent, downward movement being restricted by contact of the bottom
of the ring with a flange 15 at the bottom of the cylinder holder and upward
movement being restricted by contact of the top of the ring with the bottom of
the cylinder.
The lower end of the tubular stem 8 of the cylinder holder is countersunk for
the reception of a coiled spring 16 (Figure 3) which surrounds the rod 12' and
presses downwardly upon a lug or projection 17. secured to the lower end of the
aaid rod, and projecting laterally therefrom, the said projection 17 being con-
nected by means of a link 18 to one arm of a lever 19 which is hung to a stud
or bolt 20 projecting from the clamp 9 and carries a pawl 21 acted upon by

page_text: a coiled spring 22 and adapted to engage with a tooth 23 formed on a split
retainer block 24 which can, by means of a bolt 25, be securely olamped to the
projecting end of the pin or bolt 20 outside of the lever 19.
When the parts are in the position shown in Figure 1, the machine is in its
normal condition, that is to say, the needles can be freely reciprocated by the
cams so as to effect the operation of knitting, the shanks of the needles being
free to descend below the bottom of the needle cylinder (as indicated by the
dotted line in Figure 1) owing to the fact that the ring 14 occupies its lowermost
position and is out of the way of the said needle shanks.
When it is desired to transfer the stitches of a knitted web onto the needles,
however, the needles around one half of the cylinder are raised so as to be clear
of the knitting cams and the outwardly projecting arm of the lever 19 is then
depressed as indicated by the arrow in Figure 1.
The raising of one-half of the needles so as to free them from the influence
of the knitting cams is effected by means of a cam 5 shewn by dotted lines
in Figure 1, which is moved into position to engage with the bits of the needles,
and after raising the same, is moved out of engagement therewith. The bits
of the needles around one half of the cylinder are then resting upon the flat top
of the cam ring, while the bits of the needles around the other half of the
cylinder are raised into a higher plane so as to be above the level of the knitting.
cama, shewn by dotted lines in Figure 1, hence all of the needles are free to be
raised to a still further extent.
Owing to the frictional grip of the clamp 9 upon the stem 8 of the cylinder
holder, the first effect of the downward movement of the lever 19 is to raise only
the rod 12 and ring 14, the spring 16 being compressed in the countersunk
lower end of the stem 8 as shewn in Figure 3.
By the time the lug 17 on the rod 12. however, comes into contact with the
lower end of the stem 8, the upper end of the ring 14 will be in contact with:
the lower end of the needle cylinder 3 and further movement of the lever 19
in the direction of the arrow then causes the simultaneous elevation of the
rod 12, ring 14, cylinder holder 6 and needle cylinder 3, this movement being
continued until the parts reach the position shewn in Figure 4, whereupon
further upward movement is arrested by contact of the flange 15 of the cylinder
holder 6 with an internal shoulder in the cam cylinder 2 and the pawl 21 engages
with the tooth 23 and serves to prevent descent of the needle cylinder and its
appurtenances until the said pawl has been released from engagement with the
tooth.
The needles can now all be depressed until the lower ends of their shanks
rest upon the top of the ring 14, as shewn in Fig. 4, whereupon the upper ends
or hooks of all the needles will be in the same horizontal plane and the stitches.
of the knitted web can be readily transferred to the needles from the points 26
of a transfer ring 27, which are applied to the projecting upper ends of the
needles in the manner shewn in Fig. 4.
After the transfer of the stitches of the web to the needles has been effected,
the pawl 21 is released from engagement with the tooth 23 and the lever 19
is raised from the position shewn in Figure 4 to that shewn in Figure 1, the
first effect of this movement being to cause the descent of the ring 14 and its
rod 12 under the action of the spring 10 and then to lower the needle cylinder
and its holder to normal position.
The needles can then be depressed as the cam ring is turned until the bits
of all of the needles are again lowered to such position as to come within range
of the knitting cams and the knitting operation can then be proceeded with,
the first course of stitches being united to those stitchies of the knitted web
which have been transferred to the needles.
Other means than the vertically sliding ring 14 may be used for supporting
the needles during the transferring operation. For instance in the construc-
tion shown in Figures 5 and 6 a notched ring 30 is confined to the lower end

page_text: .
of the needle cylinder by means of an annular confining band 31 and screws 32.
This ring 31 is notched or slotted in the same manner as the needle cylinder
and during the operation of knitting the notches of the ring coincide with those
of the cylinder, so that there is no interference with the free reciprocation of
the needles.
Projecting inwardly from the ring 30, however, are a pair of pins 33 and 34
disposed on opposite sides of a vertical cam bar 35 carried by the upper end of
the rod 12, hence vertical movement of this cam bar will effect turning move-
ment of the slotted ring 30 to a slight extent in respect to tlie needle, cylinder.
When the cam bar 35 rises, the ring 30 will be turned so as to bring its solid.
portions or ribs into line with the slots of the needle cylinder and thereby provide
a rigid support for the lower ends of the needle shanks as shown in Figure 5,
the depression of the cam bar 35 bringing the slotted portions of the ring 30
again into register with the slots in the needle cylinder.
In Figures 7 and 8 is shewn another method of supporting the needles, con-
sisting of a ring 36 surrounding and being vertically supported on the needle
cylinder, and having depending ribs 37 which project into an annular groove
in the slotted portion of the needle cylinder, the ribs 37 of the ring being, when'
moved into line with the slots of the needle cylinder, adapted to bear against'
and support bent or offset portions 38 of the needles as shown in Figure 7, 'the'
slight turning movement of the ring 36 on the needle cylinder necessary to
bring the rib 37 into line either with the ribs of the cylinder or with the slots
thereof, being effected by hand and the ring being secured in position after ad-
justment by incans of a set screw 39:
"
The object of the invention may even be attained without having any portion
of the ring for directly engaging and supporting the needles, for example in
Figure 9 is shown a plain cylindrical ring 40 surrounding the cylinder and held
in place by a set screw 41; this ring being adjustable vertically on the cylinder
so that it can be caused to cover or uncover an annular groove 42 formed in the
cylinder and containing a coiled spring ring 43.
When the needles are elevated; this ring occupies a position beneath the out-1
wardly bent or offset portions 38 of the needles and if it be prevented from?
expanding by the ring 40 it constitutes a substantially rigid support for the
said outwardly bent or offset portions 38 of the needles, but if the ring 40 bot
moved so as to uncover the groove 42 the spring ring 43 is, then at liberty tor
expand and does not interfere with the free passage of the bent portions 38 of
the needles up and down past it.
dunt
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
.
'
1. The combination of the needle cylinder and its nécdles, with means for
supporting the needles in projected position with their tops or hooks in the
same plane, the said supporting means being movable so as to permit of the
descent of the needles substantially as herein before described:
0
2. The combination of the needle cylinder and its needles, with a ring having
portions upon which the needles can be supported' when the same are projected.
with their upper ends or hooks in tlie same plane, the said ring being movable
so as to carry its supporting portions away from the needles in order to permit
of the descent of the said needles substantially as herein before, described!
3. The combination with the needle cylinder and its needles, of a needle sup-
porting ring movable towards and from tlie lower end of the needle cylinder>
so as to provide a support for the needle shanks when the same are projected
with their upper ends in the same plane, the withdrawal of the ring permitting
the reciprocation of the needles substantially as hereinbefore described:
4. The combination with the needle cylinder and its needles, of a cylinder &
holder movable so as to raise and lower the 'cylinder and a needle supporting

page_text: ring movable with the cylinder holder and also movable independently of the
same substantially as herein before described.
5. The combination with the needle cylinder and its needles, of a cylinder
holder movable so as to raise and lower the cylinder, a needle supporting ring
movable with the cylinder holder and also movable independently of the same,
and means for operating the needle supporting ring and cylinder holder in
succession substantially as herein before described:
6. The combination with the needle cylinder and its needles, of a cylinder
holder movable so as to raise and lower the needle cylinder, a needle supporting
ring movable from and towards the bottom of the needle cylinder, and means
for operating the said needle supporting ring and the cylinder holder in
succession substantially as herein before described.
7. The combination with the needle cylinder and its needles, of a cylinder
holder, a needle supporting ring, a rod for operating the latter, a hollow stem
on the cylinder holder surrounding the said rod, and a lost motion connection
between the rod and the stem whereby the rod is free to move to a limited
extent vertically independently of the stem substantially as herein before
described.
8. The combination of the needle cylinder and its needles, a cylinder holder,
a neelle supporting ring, à rod for operating the latter, a hollow stem on the
cylinder holder in which said rod is guided, a friction clamp for said stem, and
a lost motion connection between the stem and the rod wliereby vertical move-
ment of the rod to a limited extent independently of the stem is permitted
substantially as herein before described.
9. The combination of the needle cylinder and its needles, a cylinder holder,
a needle supporting ring, a rod for operating the latter, a hollow stem on the
cylinder holder through which the said rod passes, a friction clamp for the said
stem, a spring interposed between the stem and a projection on the rod and
means for moving the said rod, substantially as hereinbefore described.
10. The combination of the needle cylinder and its needles, a cylinder holder,
a needle supporting ring, a rod for operating the same, a hollow stem through
which the rod passes; a lost motion connection between the said rod and stem
whereby limited movement of the rod independent of the stem is permitted,
a lever for operating the stem, and a catch for retaining the lever in one of
its extreme positions substantially as herein before described.
Dated this 27th day of March 1000.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C, Agents.