Improvements in and connected with Knitting Machines and Hosiery.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Knitting Machines and Hosiery.
I, GEORGE FREDERICK STURGESS, of the Ingle nook, Leicester, in the County
of Leicester, Hosier's Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention refers to knitting machines, and it will answer the purpose of
this specification to describe the improvements as applied to knitters of the circular
and radial type.
To avoid the disadvantages of existing web sinkers or loop holders, and obtain,
in a machine provided with sinkers, the possibilities of the common domestic type
of knitter, (a knitter in which weights depress the fabric, and no sinkers are used
and consequently the needles may be inserted or withdrawn for fashioning pur-
poses); I dispense with sinker retaining devices, bed plates and springs, by pro-
viding a detachable self-retaining web sinker (properly termed webber), that can
be readily and cheaply adapted to any style of needle bed. The webber is slotted
lengthwise or has an opening or entry in its body, and corresponding legs or bars
at right angles to its hook, and is thereby adapted to slide in the upper sawgate
of the needle bed, which is shaped to conform to the outline of the body of the
webber. The webber consists of a steel blade having a web hook in its top corner
and an opening or entry chopped in its body. The chopped out piece, that is,
the corresponding male or female piece, is forced or clipped into the sawgates of
the needle bed as to be firmly secured, or the bed at the bottom of the saw-gate
is shaped in section to register with the webber and thereby answer as the chopped
out male or female piece, and acts as a seating or bearing rearward of the needles
for the webber to ride on or in; whereby the hook, by the action of cams situated
rearward of the needles, slides or oscillates on a line substantially at right angles
to the needle, crossing the needle at a downward and inward slant. In working
position the hook will stop where the webber cams put it, and when the webber
is drawn or slid out of range of working position, it becomes detached. Owing
to there being no auxiliary sinker bed. cam plates or springs to keep the webber
hooks in tension with the web loops, the needles are exposed and easy of manipu-
The webber
lation, as is the case in the domestic type of machine referred to.
has three or four seatings or points of bearing, and either of the bars and corre-
sponding seatings are dispensed with as the style of machine may require. When
the slot, opening or entry is a straight one, it is made at an angle of 45° or
thereabouts to the hook, but when the slot, opening or entry is curved, any angle
is suitable. Serrations or teeth are provided on the inner bar of the webber
which serve to depress rib fabric, and an indent is made in the webber to form
two drawing surfaces for veneering purposes. As will be readily understood by
those having a knowledge of the different styles of machines used, the opening
or entry must be varied to suit the type of needle bed it is intended for, suitable
specimens of which are shewn in the drawings herewith. Whilst a straight slot
or entry would be best adapted to a plain machine in which there are no ribber
needles to collide with the webbers, a curved slot or entry is more suitable in

page_text: machines where ribber needles are employed; and whilst, in a coarse gauge
machine, there is sufficient metal to provide saw-gates for the webber forward of
the needles; in a fine gauge machine, the front sawgates cannot be provided and
the shape of the entry or slot must be made to suit; also the webber of the dial
of a plain radial machine would require a different shaped slot or entry to the
webber of a cylindrical machine, and in a very small circular machine where
there is no room for the inner bar, the inner bar is dispensed with and the outer
bar only retained and so forth. Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, shew webbers
having different forms of the opening or entry, and Figs. 1^, 24, 5 and 8^, shew
corresponding male and female picces, counterparts or blanks, that register with
the webbers; the same principle being observed in all the webbers.
The webber cams are of any convenient sort and are positioned on the needle
ring, and can be withdrawn to render the webbers inactive. The cams act in a
manner as to first draw the webber hooks forward of the knitting needles, whilst
the knitted loops are formed, and then push the webber hooks backward of the
knitting needles, thereby securing the newly formed loops. To avoid friction, I
employ wheels to impart action to the webbers. To strengthen the webber, I
turn the metal over upon itself at the edge where the cams work or edge it with
a strip of brass folded over and soldered thereto. It will be understood that in
applying the webber to an existing cylinder or needle bed which is too thin to
receive it, a reinforcing ring can be added.
In order to hold the radial needle bed in correct alignment with the cylindrical
needle bed in either direction of knitting, I provide sawgates on the edge of the
dial, into which the webbers register or mesh; that is to say, the noses of the
webbers enter sawgates provided on the periphery of the inner needle bed.
Dated this Eighteenth day of April 1898.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Knitting Machines and Hosiery.
GEORGE FREDERICK STURGESS, of the Ingle-nook, Leicester, in the County
of Leicester, Hosier's Engineer, 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:.
-
This invention refers to knitting machines, particularly to those which have
two needle beds coacting for making rib fabric.
This invention has for its object to dispense with the pivots, moving cam
plates, carriers, springs, elastic bands and such like devices now employed to
retain or hold webbers in the slide-ways of the comb of the needle bed, also to
dispense with the dial posts, lugs, retarders and such like devices now employed
to normally maintain the fixed relation of the two needle beds, also to dispense
with the weights, rollers and such like devices now employed to normally hold
rib fabric in knitting position and depress by pressure, and thereby obtain
machine more simple, economic and of greater adaptability, and a smoother
faced fabric than heretofore.
a
To this end, the invention consists of a knitting machine having two needle
beds coacting, each needle bed having a webber comb for the reception of the
same set of webbers, each comb-way of the first bed being provided, at its bottom
in the base of the needle bed, with a slide-way seating continued up one side
and down the opposite side, making within or upon the needle bed base open-ended

page_text: guide-ways, each having a plurality of back and front or oppositely posed slide-
way seatings; and webbers, each of which is provided with a plurality of needle-
pointed teeth to pierce the fabric and enter the comb of the second bed, which
holds the fabric to the piercing action, and shanked inwardly, making an opening
having a clear seating edge continued up one side and down the opposite side of
its body, forming a plurality of clear or footless back and front or oppositely
posed slide-way seating edges conforming with the comb slide-way seatings,
whereby the webbers, by the action of cams situated on a travelling part forward
of the needles, detachably slide in the guide-ways, and reciprocate at such an
angle as to confine the newly-formed loops, pierce the loops or mesh of the com-
pletely formed fabric, and hold the second needle bed to the first needle bed,
resulting in the passage of free staple from the front to the back of the fabric,
and the descent or depression of the ribbed fabric made upon the two needle
beds without roller or weight pressure; furthermore, by this combination of
webber mechanism and needle beds, the webbers bridging over the intervening
space, and fitting into the combs of both beds and making a connection virtually
all round the needle beds, not only effectually confines the newly-made rib loops
of the second bed, as well as the newly-made plain loops of the first bed, to their
respective beds, without obstructing the formation of loops or the passage of the
fabric through the beds, but it also absolutely avoids the objectionable vibration
of the second bed, due to the pressure of the ribber knitting cam, experienced
with all other known ways of holding the second bed to the first bed. The pro-
duct is a fabric distinguished by a smoother face, rounder loops and consequently
greater elasticity, owing to the piercing action and the absence of pressure on
the fabric during its formation.
It is necessary here to say, that the free staple noticeable on the face of a fabric
invariably rises from the wale loops, (the cross-bars of thread crossing from
loop to loop), the free staple on the needle loops being thrown to the inside of
the fabric, by reason of each needle loop being drawn through a preceding needle
loop from the rear or inside of the fabric. The effect of the needle pointed
webber teeth passing between the succeeding wale loops or cross-bars, clearing
one course of wale loops and piercing the succeeding course at every course
knitted, is to rub or roll the free staple through the said wale loops.
As the functions of this invention are equally applicable to the cylindrical or
the flat type of machine, and to the curvilinear (so called pivoted, fulcrummed,
rocking, oscillating, swinging or vibrating) or the straight type of webber which
slide in correspondingly curved or straight slide-way fixings in the combs of the
needle bed, I shall describe and illustrate the application of my invention to
both types.
'
Fig. 1, is a sectional elevation view of co-acting needle beds of the cylindrical
and radial type, cut through on lines A, and B, of Fig. 2, shewing a webber on
the left side in the inner position, the upper hook or tooth engaging the last
course knitted and the radial needle bed and the lower tooth passed through the
fabric, and a webber on the right side in the outer position, the needle pointed
teeth entirely clearing the fabric and second needle bed comb, illustrating how
the comb of the second needle bed serves by engagement with the webbers to
hold it fixed to the first needle bed, and secondly to prevent the fabric receding
from the piercing action of the needle pointed webber teeth without obstructing
the fabric.
Fig. 2, is a top view of the needle beds shewn in Fig. 1, with a portion of the
radial bed cut away in order to better shew how the webber teeth recede whilst
the loops are drawn over their breasts and again advance by the passage of the
webber cam.
Fig. 3, is a top view of the detachable part of the first needle bed separated,
shewing how it is pieced up; and Fig. 4, is a sectional view of the same through
one of the attaching screws.
Fig. 5, is a front elevation view shewing a part of the coacting needle beds

page_text: and the stitch hook or web holder cam looking at the right side of Figs. 1, and 2;
the detachable part of the cylindrical bed being omitted in order to shew the
webber comb-ways and recesses, the first bed being broken away at its upper
edge in one part to clearly shew the front edge of the second bed.
Fig. 6, is a sectional elevation view of a part of the beds with the webbers and
the detachable part of the cylindrical bed omitted clearly shewing the comb-way
and recess.
Fig. 7, is an underside view of a part of the radial needle bed shewn in Fig. 1,
shewing the comb, in which it will be seen that the narrow webber slide-ways
open outwardly to wider openings leaving a passage for the knitted loops between
the narrow projecting teeth which result from the widening of the slide-ways.
Fig. 8, is a side view, and Fig. 9, a top view of a detached webber provided
with four fabric teeth, the bottom tooth but one being turned side-ways as seen
in Fig. 9, for the purpose of penetrating and passing free staple through the
needle loops as is found desirable when knitting up yarns having an excessive
amount of free staple.
Fig. 10, is a side view of a stronger form of making the webber for use in
coarse gauged machines in which the seating of the detachable part of the needle
bed is necessarily omitted.
Fig. 11, is a sectional view of the top part of a needle bed in which the detach-
able part of the needle bed is omitted owing to the fine gauge of the machine and
consequent closeness of the webber and needle tricks, the seatings being made
complete, by the insertion in the comb-ways of fixing blades, the blade having
been pressed out of the webber itself necessarily making a two-part or compound
webber.
Fig. 12, is a side view of the compound webber in the stamped out position
before the fixing blade is swung round to the working or mounted position shewn
in Fig. 11.
Fig. 13, is a sectional view of the fixing blade detached, cut through on lines C,
D, of Fig. 9, shewing how the cross-bar is set aside for the passage of the
shank of the moveable webber before it can be swung round to the working or
mounted position shewn in Fig. 11, where it will be seen that the set aside part
enters the horizontal groove of the needle bed and that by pulling the moveable
part round far enough the fixing and moveable part of the compound webber can
be withdrawn or detached completely from the webber comb.
Fig. 14, is a sectional elevation view shewing the webber applied, necessarily
in the straight form, to a well-known combination of coacting cylindrical and
conical needle beds, shewing the teeth of the second bed continued downward
corresponding to the action of the webber teeth.
Fig. 15, is a top view of a portion of the cylindrical needle bed shewn in
Fig. 14, shewing the webber cam.
Fig. 16, is a front view of a portion of the cylindrical needle bed shewn in
Fig. 14, shewing the webber cam.
Fig. 17, is a sectional elevation of two coacting needle beds, shewing the inven-
tion applied to a well-known combination of flat needle beds; and Fig. 18, is a
plan view of a portion of the needle beds.
Fig. 19, is a sectional elevation, Fig. 20, is a front view, and Fig. 21, a top
view of a portion of an ordinary needle bed, shewing how the webbers, con-
structed in accordance with this invention, adapted to existing needle beds, in
which it will be seen that the webbers are inserted in the comb-ways and the
needle grooves alongside the needles, thus avoiding, in a coarse-gauged needle
bed in which the webbers are coarse and strong enough to allow of this form of
slide-way seating, the making of another or special needle.
Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10, above the base 1, of the first
needle bed is the usual webber comb 2, also recesses 3, in the face of the bed
making a continuation of the comb-ways.
At the bottom of each of the comb-ways 5, and recesses 3, is provided a slide-

page_text: way seating extending up the face side 6, and down the back sitle 8, of the base
of the bed, making an inverted concave seating 4, and an extended convex
seating, inclining inwardly from and across the line of the needles 27. The
part 7, of the seating is arrived at by facing the back side S, of the bed with a
cutter, whilst the part 4, of the seating in the face side 6, of the bed is arrived
at by the insertion of a small circular saw.
In order to admit the saw spindle, a groove 39, is made in the needle bed,
which is afterwards completed by the insertion of a detachable part, which is
comprised of two parts 40, and 41, pieced up in the groove 39, by attaching
strips 42, and 43, screwed to the foundation 48, by screws 44, 45, 46, and 47;
grooves 49, for the passage of the needles, and webber comb-ways or slide-ways 50,
in line with the recesses 3, the bottoms of which forming the convexed slide-way
seatings 51, are provided in the detachable part. The complete bed forms in
the webber comb open-ended guide-ways, each of which has a plurality of slide-
way seatings capable of retaining the webbers.
The second bed 21, has a webber comb 20, extending from the front edge to
the rear of the needle tricks and needles, making broad openings 23. for the
passage of the knitted loops and narrow openings 24, in alignment with the comb
slide-ways of the first bed for the reception of the needle pointed webber teeth,
and projecting teeth 22, which serve to hold the fabric up to the piercing action
of the webber teeth, and by engagement with the sides of the webbers to hold
the two beds together.
The webber 9, is provided with a plurality of needle pointed teeth, comprised
of a needle-pointed tooth 10, making a hook 11, for engagement with the newly-
formed loops, and a breast 12, over which the thread loops are drawn, and a
needle pointed hook 13, below the breast 12, for piercing the loops or mesh of
the completely formed fabric. In order to knit fabric from rough and long staple
yarn with a smooth face, extra needle pointed teeth are added below the breast 12,
as seen in Fig. 8, one of which is bent aside to enter the needle loops (see 52,
Fig. 9). The webber is also provided with a shanked body making inwardly
projecting shanks 14, and 15, and openings 17, and 18, each of which has a clear
seating edge up one side and down the opposite side forming a plurality of clear
(devoid of can foot projections) seating edges serving by engagement with the
slide-way seatings to make the webber self-retaining, albeit slidable and detach-
able in the comb guide-ways.
The needle beds and webbers shewn are drawn in a very coarse gauge in order
to clearly illustrate the invention, but, in fact, in such coarse gauged and strong
beds and webbers as those shewn, the detachable part 40, and its seating 51, are
omitted as shewn in Fig. 6, in which case the webber is made stronger by being
shanked as seen in Fig. 10, its front opening being omitted.
Each webber is
provided with a cam recess 19.
In working position, the webbers protrude from the comb guide-ways to the
face of the bed and are operated by an arch cam 30, engaging the sides of the
recesses 19, secured to a travelling part of the machine 25, comprised of parts 25,
and 26, joined by pivot 29, and spring clasp 28, the part 26, of which may be
opened for the handling of the needles 27, or webbers 9.
An inner swell 33, and outer swells 34, and 35, of the arch cam 30, slide or
reciprocate the webbers in the comb guide-ways, the swell 33, withdrawing the
needle pointed teeth from the fabric and from the comb of the second needle bed
whilst the thread is drawn across the breasts 12, and new loops are formed and
passed through between the connected beds, and the swell 34, or swell 35,
according to the direction of knitting, slides the needle pointed teeth in the
opposite direction into the comb of the second bed causing the teeth below the
breasts to pierce the succeeding course of loops, carrying loose or free staple
through the completely formed mesh and increasing the elasticity of the fabric
my making the loops more round, and slides the upper teeth and needles into the

page_text: comb of the second needle bed, bridging over the intervening space and making
a complete connection with the two beds except on that section where the swell 33,
of the arch cam withdraws the webber points from the second comb, to allow of
the formation and passage of new loops through the needle beds.
It need scarcely be said that in finger stall, glove finger, mantle, and machines
of such small diameter, the inner shank 14, (Fig. 1) is necessarily cut away,
owing to the want of space for the passage of the fabric. It is equally obvious
that in machines of such fine gauge that so much of the substance of the detach-
able part 40, is cut away by the frequency of the adjoining needle grooves and
webber slide-ways as to leave insufficient strength or room for the attaching
screws, the foremost seating (absolutely necessary to the carrying out of this
invention in the case of the finger stall machines referred to) cannot be made in
this form. In such a machine, I therefore make the said comb guide-ways having
a plurality of seatings by inserting in the comb-ways a fixing plate 53, modifying
the webber to the form 54, making a compound webber as seen in Fig. 11, in
which for the purpose of the said small glove machine, the back shank 14, is
supposed to be cut away on a line represented by the dotted line of the upper
back slanting edge of the needle bed. The fixing part is chopped or pressed
from the moveable toothed part in the position shewn in Fig. 12.
The cross-
bar 55, connecting the strip 58, to the centre piece 56, is then set aside for the
passage of the front webber shank to allow the fixing part to be swung round the
shank of the toothed part into working position seen in Fig. 11.
The needle bed has a groove 57, cut all round to admit the set aside part 55.
The blade 53, is wedged in the comb slide-way, the travelling arch cam supporting
parts 25, and 26, (Fig. 1) serving to further hold the blade 53, in position,
whilst the toothed part is reduced on its sides to allow of its sliding freely in the
guide-way as seen in Fig. 11. This compound webber can be detached when the
back shank 14, is not cut away even, by sliding the toothed part backward until
the shank 14, passes over the upper edge of the base 1, of the needle bed, the
fixing part 43, and toothed part 54, can be forcibly withdrawn from the comb
slide-ways and afterwards separated.
In applying the invention to existing coarse gauge machines in which the
webbers may be made thick and strong enough to allow of it, it is not necessary
to construct a special needle bed, consequently I use the ordinary needle bed as
seen in Figs. 19, 20, and 21. The coarse needles having been replaced by
needles having shanks of finer gauge in their upper part, I cut a comb in the
upper edge, the comb-ways of which are in line with the needle grooves 76, the
base of which serves as a seating for the front shank 74, which seating is continued
down the opposite side of the needle bed making a plurality of seatings 78, and 80,
on the base of the bed 77. The webber 75, is inserted in the comb slide-way,
the back shank 79, sliding on the seating 80, and the front shank 74, sliding on
the seating 77, inside the needle grooves 76, alongside the needles. Referring
to Fig. 19, the arched webber cam 71, engaging the recess of the webber fixed
to a travelling part of the machine similar to the arched cam before referred to,
slides the webber from the full-lined position, by first lifting, then pressing the
webber horizontally to the dotted position whilst new loops are formed, then
sliding it back again to full lined position by drawing it downward.
Referring to Figs. 14, 15, and 16, the invention is shewn applied to the well-
known straight types of sliding webber and an inserted conical second bed. The
webber seatings 59, and 60, in the recesses and comb-ways on the base 1, of the
bed beneath the comb 2, and the seating edges of the webbers 61, are necessarily
on straight parallel lines; the extremity of the rear shank being in this case
pointed and serving the purpose of a fabric piercing tooth. The comb 69, which
extends downward at the back of the needle tricks and needles 68, of the second
bed, holds the fabric up to its piercing action as it enters the comb. The webbers
are operated in a similar manner by an arched cam 64, engaging the recess in

page_text: the webber and secured at the angle shewn by screws 66, and 67, to a travelling
part 65, of the machine, which in this case is faced up at 70, to the edge of the
outer webber shank, giving the webber further support.
Referring to Figs. 17, and 18, the invention is shewn applied to the well-
known parallel bed type of machine, the webber 73, being mounted and operated
on the beds 71, and 72, in a simple manner as will be instantly understood by
comparison without further reference.
I am aware that it is common for webbers to be held up to a straight or curved
seating provided in or below the webber comb. My invention refers to a way of
mounting the webbers, whereby they are self-supported or retained in the needle
bed, whilst being detachable and readily operated, the essential of which is a
plurality of seatings combined with a plurality of seating edges.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
-
1. A knitting machine provided with two needle beds coacting, each having
a comb for the reception of the same set of webbers, the comb-ways of the first
bed provided at their bottoms in the base of the bed with slide-way seatings,
continued up one side and down the opposite side, forming open-ended guide-
ways, each of which has a plurality of slide-way seatings, and webbers provided
with a plurality of needle pointed teeth, and shanked inwardly with a corre-
sponding plurality of clear seating edges detachably fitted in said combs upon
said seatings, and a cam to slide the pointed teeth into and out of the comb-ways
of the second bed, and the fabric located on a travelling part of the machine
forward of the needle bed face, serving to rigidly hold the needle beds together,
and pierce and depress the ribbed fabric made on the two beds, substantially as
and for the purposes set forth.
2. A knitting machine provided with two needle beds coacting, each having
a comb for the reception of the same set of webbers, and slidable webbers having
a plurality of needle pointed teeth mounted in the comb-ways of the first needle
bed, and means to reciprocate their needle pointed teeth into and out of the comb-
ways of the second needle bed, the comb of the second needle bed holding the
fabric up to the piercing action of the needle pointed teeth, whereby the webbers
pierce each succeeding course of loops and depress the fabric, carrying free staple
through to the back, and holding the two beds in correct alignment with each
other, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
3. A knitting machine provided with two needle beds coacting, each having
a comb containing the same set of slidable webbers, inserted in the two combs
and bridging over from bed to bed above the knitted loops, holding the two beds
in correct alignment with each other, and means to recede the webbers out of
engagement with the comb of the second bed, to allow of the formation and
passage of new loops through the two beds, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
4. A knitting machine provided with a needle bed having webber comb-ways
and. recesses in its face, provided at their bottoms in the base of the bed with
slide-way seatings, continued up one side and down the opposite side forming
open-ended guide-ways, each of which has a plurality of slide-way seatings and
webbers, shanked inwardly with a corresponding plurality of clear seating edges,
detachably and slidable fitted in the comb guide-ways upon said seatings, and a
cam located on a travelling part of the machine to operate them, substantially as
and for the purposes set forth.
5. A knitting machine having a needle bed provided with webber comb-ways,
provided at their bottoms in the base of the bed with a plurality of oppositely
posed slide-way seatings, containing webbers, having a shanked body provided
with a plurality of oppositely posed clear seating edges, conforming or corre-
sponding to the said plurality of slide-way seatings, and a cam located on a

page_text: travelling part of the machine to operate them, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
6. A webber comprised of a disc or blade having a hooked or toothed upper
part shanked inwardly, making an opening having a seating continued up one
side and down the other, making a plurality of clear seating edges, adapted to
embrace and slide upon the base of a needle bed provided with a corresponding
plurality of slide-way seatings, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
7. A webber having its body double-shanked inwardly from the hooked or
toothed part, making an inclined recess provided with a plurality of seating
edges on lines parallel to each other, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
8. A web holding and piercing device, comprised of a blade having a plurality
of needle pointed loop or fabric engaging parts or teeth located beneath each
other on its fore part, and means whereby the upper tooth engages the newly-
made loops, and the lower tooth pierces the loops of the completely formed fabric,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
9. A webber provided with a fabric piercing tooth situated below the breast of
thread drawing part, adapted to slide in the comb-ways of a needle bed and-be
reciprocated as to pierce the loops or mesh of the completely formed fabric,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
10. A slidable webber, the hook or tooth of which is brought to a needle or
piercing point, adapted whereby the said pointed tooth will engage the second
bed used in the making of ribbed fabrics, in a manner as to pierce any knitted
loop with which it comes in contact rather than trap or cut it, substantially as
and for the purposes set forth.
11. A knitting machine having a needle bed provided at its top with webber
comb-ways and two-part or compound detachable webbers, each comprised of a
fixing blade secured in the comb-way, making a guide-way having a plurality
of slide-way seatings, and a hooked moveable blade slidable fitted in the guide-
way upon the fixing blade for engagement with the fabric loops, the whole being
detachably retained in the comb-ways, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
12. A knitting machine embodying any or all of the improvements described
in the specification, and illustrated in the drawings, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
13. The method of forming or building a knit fabric consisting of first com-
pletely forming the mesh or loops, then piercing the mesh or loops from the face
side of the fabric, increasing its elasticity by making the loops more round, and
rubbing or rolling loose or free staple through to the back of the fabric, substan-
tially as and for the purposes set forth.
14. The method of rubbing or rolling loose or free staple through the mesh or
loops of the fabric, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
15. The method and means described and illustrated in the drawings of pro-
ducing the improved knit fabric described, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
Dated this Twenty-fourth day of February 1899